My Newest Obsession: Damages

I love Netflix. I especially love the instant program because I can watch television show in the most obsessive back to back to back way possible. On Christmas Day (my family celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve) I started watching the FX show Damages. I was leery about the show. I had seen it advertised and was so sick of lawyer shows it didn't even look appealing. However, it did have one big selling factor.

Now Mr. Olyphant is only in the second season, but the show is entirely worth watching. Much to my surprise I am completely drawn in, in fact, I am typing this as I am watching the ending of season three practically on the edge of my seat. I love all the characters. Everyone is corrupt in their own way. The lawyers actually dress like lawyers, no micro-minis or low cut tops. The seasons are filled with so many twists and turns you are constantly guessing at what is actually happening and who is lying to whom because in the end everyone lies and has their own agenda. 

I am so excited to get to use my new rating system for the first time. Since we are in Bat Country 5 Bats is the best and 1 lonely bat is the worst.

2 More Days Until a New Year

Over the holidays I have been on a bit of a blogging hiatus. The good news is I have sent book 2 of the Guardian Trilogy, Choices, to the editor. Woohoo!

I have developed an addiction to Pinterest.

Discovered my new favorite recipe, Roasted Garbanzo Beans with Cajun seasoning, It is super easy to make. Take a can of garbanzo beans drain, rinse, and pat dry. Spread on baking sheet and drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil then bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle with Cajun or any seasoning you want and enjoy. They are completely addictive, you've been warned.

What are your plans for the new year?

Christmas Clone

I don’t want a lot for Christmas

There is just one thing I need

I don’t have time to wrap the presents

Underneath the Christmas tree

I don’t have time to hang my stocking

There upon the fireplace

Cookies, pies and cake

I have managed to make

Along with list after list

That I send to Saint Nick

But he hasn’t finished a single task

And I’ve taken to the flask

Oh I’m not asking for much

Just some extra time in a crunch

And I’m just gonna keep on waiting

While my nerves are grating

What more can I do?

Sometimes it is like I live in a zoo.

I just want a clone of my own

More than you could ever know

My fingers are worked to the bone

Please just give me a clone

I don’t need a flying car

Or unlimited credit at the bar

If this Christmas I get a clone to call own

Holy Back Pain, Batman!

Two weeks ago I woke up with my back hurting. It hurt pretty bad, but I figured it would go away in a day or two. Now two weeks later and several chiropractor, doctor, and physical therapy visits later I am still nursing a twingy back. Everyone keeps asking, what did you do to it? And that seems like a fair question, but it is one I cannot answer. I went to bed fine and woke up with a pinched nerve. I have no idea how it happened. None, zip, zero, zilch, nada, nothing.

I was complaining about this to my physical therapist yesterday that I couldn't give people a proper excuse for my back pain which makes me feel like a hack. I mean I should know how I hurt myself when it has kicked my butt for two weeks. He told me the worst time he ever hurt his back was when he sneezed in the shower, so he sympathized with the not having a good story to relay to the concerned acquaintances. So he suggested I make up a good story. It sounds like a reasonable course of action so I am making up two so I can put it up for a vote. 

First- I was driving home Friday after a night thwarting zombie chaos and madness. When a group of walkers stumbled out in front of my car. I didn't run them over (as someone in the movies would do) because I am no dummy. I know that running over five zombies would 1. injure my car, 2. Not actually kill the zombies unless I was lucky, and 3. Be hell to clean off my car. So instead I slammed on my breaks just missing them and freezing their red, milky eyes in my head lights. I calmly and collectedly pulled my baseball bat from the car and went to take care of business (I have a world to save after all). The first three went down easy, but the last two were runners. They took off across the field in a mixture of bum legs and war cries as they gnashed their rotten teeth over their shoulders at me as I hunted them down. Well, I got the one with the bum leg first and took care of him, but the other one gained some distance on me. So I had to take off running and do a flying leap at the zombie, crashing into it and the ground. Immediately pain spiked through my back and all my muscles screamed in pain, but I gritted my teeth and took out the last zombie with repeated elbow blows to the skull. Then I crawled back to my car and went home to nurse my ailing back knowing I had just save the world for a few weeks longer. 

Second- It was a cold and blustery night, the sort where the wind chill makes every muscle in your body pull in on itself in an effort to stay warm. I was leaving a friend's house after a night of Jane Eyre and Zombie Zach children's book creating when this weirdly hot, stalkerish fellow steps out from behind my car. His piercing nearly black eyes seem to look right through to my soul as he watches me approach with a knowing smirk on his handsome face. 

"I've been waiting for you," he says all confidence and ego. 

I felt my cheeks warm despite the cold night, "I bet you have, but it's a no go. Emo is so last year."

"Wait, what? I'm not emo."

"Tight t-shirt. check. Morose attitude, check. Pointy teeth and hints of body glitter, check, check."

"I do not wear body glitter." His seemingly genuine abhorrence of body glitter gave me a moment's pause. Perhaps he wasn't an emo vampire after all. Maybe this one was different. 

"Are the teeth real?"

"Come find out."

"Tempting, but you might glitter me and it is hell to get out of fabric. I would find glitter in my sweater for the next year to come." 

"I don't wear body glitter. I'm just pale and the moon light makes my skin look like this." He stomped his foot flashing hints of fang my way.

"Whatever, Liberace."

"Damn Twilight," he grumbled as sulked off down the street. 

I began to feel bad I hurt his feelings and he might go cry himself to sleep in this coffin so I took off after him. "Wait, wait. I'm sorry. You may not have body glitter on."

"Too late." He waved me away, obviously not ready to forgive the implication he was anything other than a normal vampire who just wanted a tasty snack. 

I grabbed his arm, and he turned around black eyes glistening. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Buck up, champ."

His arm curled around my waist and his fangs lengthened. He moved in closer and I glanced at my hand I grabbed him with, sure enough glitter. I started to laugh hysterically lurching my back while he threw up his hands in disgust. "I get no respect." He stomped off as I continued to laugh, gasping for air and muscles straining in pain and cold. I hobbled back to my car, amused and glittery. 

You Have the Right to Remain Dreamy.

Hello, friends! Today I am trying something different. I am pairing up with the cowgirl, paranormal author Cait Lavender two bring you the Top Ten Hottest TV Men With Badges! But at the same time our friends and authors Elizabeth Sharp and Tiffany White are bringing you the Top Ten TV Usual Suspects for our own special brand of Christmas cheer. So gather up the mistletoe and check out these fictional handcuff wielding, boys in blue.
Top 10  Hottest TV Men With Badges and the Top Five Yummy Usual Suspects:

1. Marshall Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant- Justified). Like there was ever a doubt he would be number one on my list. That face, that stare, that gun, that slow, sultry twang, oh my! *fans self*

2.Sheriff Carter (Colin Ferguson- Eureka). This is my shout out to the sweet, family guy. He is honest, genuinely nice, and isn't shoot first ask questions later (I know, not at all my type, but I adore him anyway).

3. Interim Sheriff Nathan Wuornos (Lucas Bryant- Haven). He is quirky, loves pancakes, wonderfully serious, and cannot feel a thing. But Nathan Wuornos has a way of giving his partner, Audrey, the most heart melting, endearing looks I have ever seen.

4. Deputy Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln- Walking Dead). Rick proves that just because its the end of the world doesn't mean you cannot still be a nice, stand-up sort of guy. Some of his decisions might be questionable, but no one can deny his heart is always in the right place.

5. Special Agent Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore, Criminal Minds). Derek is by far the prettiest of all the criminal profilers to ever grace the BAU, but don't let that fool you, the Morgan tackle is just one running bad guy away at any moment. He is hot, serious about what he does, and completely in need of a fictional TV girl friend.

Gah! Five is too few. No sooner do I finish this list then more pop into my head (The guy from the Glades!). Did I miss your favorites? Please share in the comments then pop over to Cait's page to see her top five men with badges or if you are more into the criminal element stop by authors Elizabeth Sharp and Tiffany White's pages to see their line up of  the criminally misunderstood.

Christmas in TV land (top five holiday episodes)

I may be weird (that is probable), I might be the only one (doubtful), but I absolutely love holiday episodes of TV shows. I don’t care what the holiday is, I love episodes that allow for my favorite characters to get into the season of things. I am a sucker for a heart-warming or side-splitting hour (or half hour) of seasonal fun in the fictional worlds I love so much.

Tonight, there are two episodes on. First, Eureka (I am so bummed Eureka was cancelled). Eureka already has one of my favorite holidays episodes (more on that to come) so I am anxious to see if Sheriff Carter and the gaggle of accident prone geniuses can top the last holiday snafu. The second show I will be watching is Haven. I love Haven and the quirky town that is troubled. I can’t wait for their take on Christmas though I am curious how they will work around the cliffhanger we were left on at the end of the summer season.  (Warehouse 13 also has a holiday episode tonight, but I haven’t watched that show yet, however it is in my Netflix queue). 

In honor of tonight’s TV excitement and the merriment of the season I bring you my…

Top Five Holiday Episodes

1.       A Very Supernatural Christmas, Supernatural- This was a season three treat that just so happens to be my favorite Supernatural episode ever (and that is saying something). If you have seen the show, Supernatural, you know it isn’t really a Christmas celebrating type show. The brothers Winchester have dark, sad lives that don’t really have time for holidays. But this Christmas episode is pure creative genius! Not only is it everything I love about the show (sick, twisted, bloody, funny, and dramatic), but it also give so much background on Sam and Dean’s life that they become even more likable and heart breaking. People are being taken from their homes and up through the chimney by a man dressed in a red suit.  It is up to Sam and Dean to figure out what MotW (monster of the week) is killing people while swimming through their own emotional baggage. (This is Dean’s last Christmas so he wants to celebrate and Sam doesn’t, completely illustrating the characters’ differences in personality even as kids)

2.       O’ Little Town, Eureka- This season four Christmas episode is such a sweet episode. It starts with Sheriff Carter coming in out of the snow into the café and telling a group of doubting children about the real Santa Claus. It goes back to an unseasonable warm Christmas where Carter is stuck in Eureka and not happy about it. Taggert has some weird Santa machine that can shrink thins small enough to make them all fit into Santa’s sack. Well of course it backfires and the town is shrinking (hence the warm). This funny, charming episode continues until in one of the most delightful hours of television. 

3.       The One With the Holiday Armadillo, Friends- Oh my gosh, I don’t even think I need to recap this one everyone has probably seen it. Ross is trying to teach Ben about Hanukkah and ends up trying to get a Santa costume, but cannot find one so close to Christmas so he rents an armadillo costume and dubs it the “Holiday Armadillo” to tell Ben all about Hanukkah. During his story Chandler show up in a Santa costume and Joey in a Superman costume and thus a classic episode is born.

4.       Afternoon Delight, Arrested Development- This is another of my favorite shows ever. This episode centers about the Bluth corporate Christmas party were Michael and Maebe sing the most awkward  and uncomfortable (uncle/niece) duet ever, Afternoon Delight by Starland Vocal Band. I laughed until I had tears. And of course the rest of the brilliantly funny cast. So funny. 

5.       The Strike, Seinfeld- Ha! Festivus. Enough said. 

Do you like holiday episodes as much as me? Did I miss your favorite holiday episode?

How to Survive a Horror Movie Part 2

Back before Halloween I wrote a post about how to survive should you wake up one morning to find yourself in a horror movie. (Review here) By request I am following this post up with How to Survive a Sequel.

First step in survival is always figuring out what you are dealing with. So how does one identify they are in a horror movie sequel, well that is pretty simple. The first clue is if you just survived a horrific night of senseless slaughtering, you could be ready to start a sequel. If this is the case, you may right now be thanking your lucky stars because you are the main character, but that would be foolish. This is a sequel and the thing with sequels is they are trying to surprise the audience. So you are just as likely the first kill as you are the star. If you didn’t just survive the monster attack you can still be in the movie. Chances are you have heard of said attack or someone will very soon fill you in on it. Whatever the story they tell you is, that is the type of movie you are in. Also note that everyone is much more wooden in the speech and movements, horror movies aren’t the Godfather, the sequels will never even be debatable that  they are better than the originals.

All the rules from the first post still apply. (Be prepared, get a weapon, don’t be dumb, no crying, etc.). You have to assume the action will start right off the bat. There is no time wasted on silly back story or character development. Sequels are about carnage and cheap thrills. So you don’t have time to get your bearings, you just have to be ready.  Rule #1 Be a badass! You’ve learned something from the first movie and that is how to fight or survive. You aren’t a victim you are a touch cookie so don’t be afraid to be awesome.

The killer will be at least three times as hard to kill this time around and honestly he won’t die, I know this, you know this, but we like to think he is dead until part three. Rule #2- When you are thinking of ways to rid yourself of the killer go big or go home in a body bag.  

If at all possible avoid these things: sex, drugs, being unnecessarily mean, being alone, darkness, bathrooms, and strangers. But it doesn’t have to be current sin, it can be your past sins so basically everyone is screwed in this. Rule # 3 hang around the friends who are more sinful than you. Fictional mass murders are attracted to sinners like tornados to trailer parks, you will have time to get away while Jason/Freddy/Michael is getting creative.

Sequels in their quest to distinguish themselves from the original never just settle for more bloodshed and carnage, instead they also go for the twist. Start thinking ahead. Someone with you isn’t what they seem. They are working with the killer in some manner or another. Rule #4 Trust no one. Anyone who says come with me or offers to help out of the goodness of their heart is not to be trusted. I repeat do not trust them. Do not go with them, do not get into their car, head out the door or anything of the sort, just hide.  You may think the advice to hide is a fairly simple suggestion, but apparently it is not. After watching countless horror movies I can see I need to be clearer on this point. Rule #5 Be smarter than a bowl of jello.

Not acceptable hiding places:

Pantries (while yes there is food they never have reliable locks or escape routes)

Louvered closets (really, I mean really?)

Under the bed (They will see you even if they don’t hear your loud gasping crying)

Behind the couch (Are you a five year old playing hide and seek?)

In the car (Too many places for the killer to come through without your knowledge)

Rooms with no escape (They will get in and you will have no escape route. Failure to plan ahead = *Finger across throat*)

All of these hiding places will lead to on one end, you dead and someone else surviving the movie.  Avoid them, tattoo them on your arm if necessary, just don’t go in them. Think bigger. Hiding in large buildings such as schools is a much better plan. Lots of rooms, lots of windows, lots of places to hide, use this to your advantage.

Rule 6 Stay in the pack. Sure you can’t trust any of them, but the more people you keep around you the more people to distract the killer. Rarely can they kill everyone when they pop up so just be ready for that and run when they do then hide in a non-stupid spot (see above for clarification).  So our movie is winding down 95% of the people you started with are gone. This leaves you, the killer helper, a decoy and the killer. Now you have to use the ol’ noggin a bit and figure out what the twist will be. Are you the killer helper? No? Then that it one person off the suspect list. The next one we can remove is the killer cause obviously he hasn’t been too secretive about his hatred for all things breathing.  So we are left with the decoy and the killer helper. Both will be pleading for you to trust them but remember Rule #4 and stay leery.  Rule #7 Wait them out. Crazy/possession/hatred over something that happened thirty years ago can only stay hidden for so long. Eventually the psycho will be compelled to reveal their motive or hand in all of this. At which case you can help the decoy  escape so the killer can kill the helper (after all he/she is a breathing person therefore of no use to the killer) and just when you think the two of you have gotten away and the sirens are flooding the background the killer will pop up kill the decoy and you will have to square off. Hopefully you have come up with a big death for this masked foe otherwise your night is about to end.   

Best of luck to you and let’s all across our fingers there isn’t a part three. 

#WinnerWonderland #Giveaway

Welcome to the Winner Wonderland Giveaway Event. This event is hosted by Put A Little Umbrella In Your Drink, Seeds of Life, And The Little Ones Too and Taking Time For Mommy. This event features giveaways with a value of $25 or more at each of the participating blogs! Check out all of the great Winner Wonderland Sponsors being featured in this event! Be sure to visit each blog from the linky below and enter for your chance to win!

I hope you have entered to win many fantastic prizes and if you are just starting out, then don't miss the other amazing stops. Here I have made a Snow Day Care Package for the winner. The winner will receive:

• Three candles (Apple Pie, Cinnamon, and Sugar Cookies)
• One Flameless LED candle (lilac verbena)
• Asi Red Harmony Tea (Roibocs and Honeybush with a hint of vanilla)
• Leopard print cozy socks
• Mug
• Stainless Steel Tea Infuser
• Signed copy of Dark Corners
• Signed copy of Secrets

 and

 Must be 18 and US resident. Hop closes 12/4 11:59 p.m. EST. Prizes will be shipped.

Kindle Fire Giveaway

Entry link

Independent Inklings has arranged a wonderful giveaway event. A Kindle Fire will be given away along with a collection of independent novel (55 authors are participating!) including both of mine. If you would like to enter for the giveaway follow the link above or enter below.

Secrets Trailer!

Thank you everyone for your support yesterday. I am so happy to share Secrets with you. Today I have the book trailer to share. Please let me know what you think!



Secrets can be purchased in ebook for .99 at- Amazon,  Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords

Secrets (Guardian Trilogy)

Welcome to the release of my second book, Secrets (Guardian Trilogy book 1)!! Woohoo!

Now this is a departure from the genre of Dark Corners and I dive into a paranormal world in my newest urban fantasy Secrets. Secrets is about a woman who lives a perfectly normal life until things start to fall spectacularly apart. As the pieces begin to crumble and she puts together clues she discovers her life will never be the same. Death, love, lies, and betrayal are at the heart of this story. I hope you enjoy it!

For a brief time it will be available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble for only .99!


Today, in honor of the release I have a lot of fun planned. Starting with a scavenger hunt! Since my book is called Secrets I am revealing six secrets about myself. Visit all six blogs below and figure out the answers to the clues then email your answers directly to me at Schultewrites@gmail.com to enter to win a ebook of Secrets, Dark Corners, and a $15 amazon gift card. This contest will close at 11:59pm.


Clue 1- http://somesharpwords.blogspot.com/

Clue 2- http://khloekamalis.blogspot.com/

Clue 3- http://www.stephanie-nelson.com/

Clue 4- http://lisarayns.blogspot.com/

Clue 5- http://oliviahardinwriter.wordpress.com/

Clue 6- http://spellcheckedbycgpowell.blogspot.com/


Also come by my Facebook page for more fun and giveaways throughout the day.

Thank you so, so, so much for stopping by,


Liz

Little Bunny Foo Foo: A Cautionary Tale

We’ve all heard the song, possibly even sang along. There is a GIT (Goon in Training) rabbit named Foo Foo who unduly harasses the populations of field mice. He is given more than his fair share of chances, but insists on being a thug.

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Hopping through the forest

Scoopin' up the field mice

Bop 'em on the head!

Then the Good Fairy came and said:

'Little Bunny Foo Foo

I don't wanna see you

Scoopin' up the field mice

Bop 'em on the head!

I'll give you 3 chances,

And if you don't behave, I will turn you into a goon!"

But what happened after Foo Squared was turned into a goon? Well that is hard to say, the goon network is a close knit group, but I like to think it went something like this.

Foo Squared started in bottom of the goon ranks and worked his fluffy tale off to move up the chain of command. He made a friendship with Bunny Corleone who would end up in charge of his own goon family and in one grand coup eliminate the other four heads of the goon syndicate. However, Foo Squared would never live to see Bunny’s rise to fame. One day after terrorizing field mice he was asked to go undercover into Roger Rabbits’ family. Foo Squared had the reputation for being the meanest and toughest of all goons. But one day Bunny Corleone received a fish wrapped in newspaper and he knew. Foo Squared now sleeps with the fishes.

So let that be a lesson to you. Goon today, gone tomorrow.

The Holy Grail of Boots

Joe may have fought the volcano.

David squared off with Goliath.

The Trojans brawled the Spartans… all sweaty and shirtless, what Hollywood never lies?!?

And Robin Hood went head to head with the Sheriff of Nottingham (ooo da lolly ooo da lolly, golly what a day—couldn’t resist)

Liz (that’s me) went head to heel, mano y zapato, toe to toe with my new boots. The weekend started bright and early on a lovely gray Saturday morning. I have been in the need for a new pair of brown boots for some time. The only ones I have are 1. 10 years old at least, 2. 4 inch heels and 3. Uncomfortable if I wear them more than 2 hours and 13.41 minutes. So it was my mission to find the perfect pair of tall brown leather boots. I started at Macy’s. Lots of cute choices and I tried on about 4 pairs, but nothing fit quite right. After that I went to seven more stores, but still nothing was working for me. You see I did what I always do. I found a picture in a catalogue (J. Jill to be exact) of the perfect boots, just like what I want. Now nowhere where I live can compete with my love for J. Jill. Every time I get a catalogue, which seems like weekly, I feel I must have one of everything in it. (I think they know so they taunt me)

You are probably wondering then why don’t you just order the boots from them. Well that is an excellent question. I may be old fashioned but I prefer trying on shoes, especially boots, before forking over $200 for them. Second, they are $200 and my money tree still hasn’t sprouted. So I was about to break down. I found a $50 coupon off a purchase of $200 which felt like a sign. I was poised ready to purchase the pretty, pretty shoes when mom calls to tell me she found me the perfect boots at the mall. Needless to say, I had my doubts. Mom always means well, but her taste is sometimes questionable or as she calls it, the kiss of death. A few hours later she is delivering shoes that are surprisingly awesome. They look a lot like the J. Jill boots only they are $80 cheaper and I can have them immediately. Bonus!

I go to try them on, but there is no zipper I just have to pull them on. I am pulling and tugging and possibly grunting , but the damn heel keeps collapsing preventing me from getting my foot all the way inside. I am now cussing and scrunching and wiggling, but the heel is still bending. I search for a shoe horn, none. I search for my back stretcher, nada. I finally settle on a wooden spoon, now sweaty and worn out, but I will not be defeated. I briefly think of Cinderella’s poor stepsisters when they are trying to get their foot in a shoe they will stop at nothing to get. Would cutting off my toes help? Then suddenly pop, my foot slides in and it’s not so bad. In fact it feels pretty good, I just need to put on the second one. I struggle for no less than thirty minutes trying to get this rat bastard on my foot, vowing never to wear these gems in an airport, when inspiration strikes. I fold down the top and voila the shoe goes right on. One hour and fifteen minutes later, I am the victor, but I may never take them off again. 

Secrets: Guardian Trilogy Book 1

4 more days until the release! So in honor of that I having a little #giveaway and an excerpt.

First I am giving away an ARC to one person when I reach 500 fans (only 19 away). Second, I am giving away a bookmark to everyone who comments on this post with their favorite fictional stalker. **Don't forget to leave your email address!** :-)

No matter how much of my dreams were real, no one had eyes like that. I needed to see once and for all, so I could dismiss the silly notions suddenly floating around in my head. Vampires? Ridiculous! I’d read too much Ann Rice. And a lot of people had cold hands—poor circulation. So what if he’d found me without a car, maybe he’d been following me since the morning.

Great, Liv, now you're hoping he’s a more dedicated stalker.

 I stopped in front of him and studied the determination settled across his face, which was now completely smooth of all lines. His eyes never moved or fluttered. I took a deep breath.

“Holden.”

He opened his eyes—his perfectly normal eyes: green flecked with gold. The only change was that now they lacked their indifference; an inner flame waged war against the coldness surrounding it.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

#GCHop #Giveaway

Welcome to the first annual Green Christmas Gift Giving Guide giveaway hop hosted by Home Grown Families and Just My Everyday Life.

Liz Schulte's Bat Country is happy to be participating with over 60 other awesome sites to show you many ways that you can have an Eco-Friendly Holiday season!


Each blog participating is offering a prize package to a (in some cases, multiple) winner worth $25 or more consisting of Eco-Friendly, sustainable, up-cycled, and recycled items, as well as items from independent consultants, authors and Etsy!

We hope you have as much fun learning more about the different Eco-Friendly items you find on these sites and entering the giveaways, as we had putting this together for you!

Here in Bat Country I am giving away some awesome products Bluecorn Naturals. I love every product of theirs I have tried. (The Bee Yummy Skin Food is a-mazing). I am giving one lucky guest: One Asana Jasmine & Honeysuckle Soy Candle (these candles burn clean so you do not have the carcinogens that come with other candles), Two aromatherapy beeswax candles in travel tins in Relaxing Lavender and Uplifting Lavender, Geranium, and Tangerine, a coconut citrus beeswax lotion bar, and a signed copy of my book, Dark Corners!

All you have to do to enter here is to leave a comment with your email address. For an extra entry also sign up to receive email's from Bat Country (in the upper left hand corner). 


Thank for entering and we wish you and your family Happy Holidays!

Secrets Revealed

Hello friends! I know I have been quiet. Lots going on here in Bat Country. Of course there is NaNo and editing, but I am also getting the final polish on Secrets for you so it will be ready on the 22nd. Woohoo! I just sent it for formatting and so far everything is going well. So I thought I would share a juicy excerpt of the book with you if that's okay.

Secrets

Urban Fantasy Book 1 Guardian Trilogy

“I’m Olivia Martin.” I extended my hand towards him. Instead of shaking it, he took my fingers and planted a smooth, cool kiss on the back of my hand without breaking eye contact. His eyes weren’t cold when they looked back into mine. This time they were warm and inviting . . . hungry even. He kept my fingers in his cool grasp, then slowly, deftly pulled me closer to him. No thoughts, warnings, or alarms were in my head, the only thing on my mind were his lips moving closer and closer to mine.

“Holden, I’m bored,” said a whiny voice from behind us. My eyes flickered from him to see who was interrupting. He gave a low growl of frustration and pulled away, releasing my hand.

“Candi … Didn’t you look at the pictures?” His patent expression of boredom was back in place, masking his face.

“It’s Cathi.” Holden shrugged as if her name was a minor detail. “Besides they're only of ugly people.”

A bitter laughed slipped out of my mouth. A slight smile touched Holden’s lips. He wasn’t apologetic or embarrassed though, he was amused which irritated me further.

“Cathi, this is the photographer, Olivia Martin.”

“Neat,” she said as if she couldn’t care in the least. I extended my hand towards the 60% plastic model who obviously lived to make others feel inferior, because I was determined to be an adult. She looked at my hand as if it might not be safe to touch me—some plainness might wear off on her—but eventually shook it. I resisted the urge to squeeze her fingers together until she said mercy. Like I said, I was being an adult.

“It’s lovely meeting you, Candi was it?” I asked innocently

“Candi, why don’t you go get our jackets? I'll meet you at the door.”

“Cathi—”

“Does it matter? Please get them.” He brushed his hand against hers and her face went blank. She went towards the coat check line. Holden gave me his attention again, raising an eyebrow.

“Can you not remember all of your girlfriends’ names, or was that for my benefit?”

He leaned in close and whispered in my ear. “I bet I'll remember your name, Olivia.” His breath was warm and made me want to press up against him. And the way my name rolled out of his mouth like a caress made my cheeks flush.

“Only time will tell,” I whispered back, then forced myself to step away, and flashed him a dazzling smile. I wouldn’t let him muddle my thoughts; his girlfriend was waiting. “It was nice meeting you, Holden.”

“And you,” he said with a slight bow. He walked out of the door with stripper Barbie. Story of my life. 

The Thing 1982 vs 2011

Recently I watched both 1982 and 2011 versions of The Thing (movies will from here on out only be referred to by the year to save confusion). 

1982- Starred a very young and very hairy Kurt Russell as helicopter pilot with a ridiculously large hat. Sadly could not find a screen shot of it. It is totally worth laughing at.

2011- Stars a cute helicopter pilot who sort of looks like a less tall, skinny, and red headed Conan O’Brien who does not have a ridiculous hat, but he does have an earring.

1982- The story starts off with some apparently crazy Norwegian man trying to kill a very pretty dog from a helicopter. If I didn’t know what was going on I would so not be cool with this.

2011- Starts with a snow mobile filled with Norwegian guys trucking along a glacier who fall into some crazy cave and discover a spaceship. Spelunking anyone?

1982- Takes place at an American base in Antarctica.

2011- Take place on a Norwegian base in Antarctica.

1982- Awesome 70’s music.

2011- Awesome 80’s music.

1982- Dogs die.

2011- Dogs die.

1982- Lots of the people on this base are tool bags.

2011- Less tool bags, more turtleneck sweaters.

1982- Horribly cheesy graphics.

2011- Better gruesome graphics.

1982- Not a fully developed story line. Enough plot holes a Norwegian snow mobile could fall into it.

2011- Better explained.

All in all I liked the 2011 one better. I think it is cool that is was done as a prequel to the 1982 movie. They paid attention to detail, and it was sort of cool to watch the older one after the new one. Neither of them are bad movies, as far as alien movies go.  2011 is definitely louder and gorier, but enjoyable. Lesson to be taken away from both of these movies, people without fillings are suspect.

#NaNoWriMo

Begins today!!!! For those of you who don't know, NaNoWriMo stands for National November Writing Month. The goal is to write 50,000 words during the month of November.

I am sort of prepared for it. I have a partial outline (something I never do) and chatty characters in my head. I also have a cover and a blurb, again something I normally wait until I finish to work on, but this time I am trying something new. So with out further adieu here is what I will be doing this month.

The ninth floor of St. Michael’s Hospital in Goodwin Hollow was shut off to the public, staff, and administrators in 1984. The doors were welded and chained shut, the stop was removed from the elevators, and the no one talked about what happened there—ever. The deaths stopped and the voices lessened, but the evil wasn’t gone, it merely slumbered.

Ryan Laurie’s life was going well until she received news her favorite aunt was deathly ill. Ryan moved back to the town she swore she would never set foot in again to help. When strange things start happening in the hospital, Ryan’s investigation leads to a horror she never imagined possible.

Ryan never wanted to go home again, now she may never leave.

Coffin Hop! and Trick or Treat for e-books

Come check out the awesome horror writers who are giving away AMAZING PRIZES this week at the COFFIN HOP! The prize for Bat Country is...

A signed copy of Dark Corners, Bloody Window Clings, and an Edgar Allen Poe Memory Box

Just leave a COMMENT with your EMAIL ADDRESS and your FAVORITE HORROR MOVIE to enter. Good luck! Also, don't miss the other awesome blogs in this hop or the second giveaway listed at the bottom of this post.


You're never too old for trick-or-treating! Roam the virtual neighborhood in another fantastic event, TRICK OR TREAT FOR EBOOKSs. You never know what amazing books you might find. For your trick-or-treat stop here, pick up DARK CORNERS for FREE just this week on Smashwords with the coupon code YB28R!

Dark Corners Book Tour Big Giveaway!

For those of you who have been following my book tour with the awesome and amazing company , Promotional Book Tours, you know about the big prize pack at the end. Those of you who haven't been following you still have time to enter. Just leave a comment with your email address to enter to win,

A signed copy of Dark Corners,

A signed copy of Secrets (released November 22nd)

$20 gift card to Amazon

$20 gift card to Barnes and Noble

This contest is only open in the US and Canada. 

Good luck!!

Ghosties and Ghoulies or Allergies Run Amok?

Last week I was on a fall themed vacation. We went to see covered bridges, apple orchards, a large fall festival, and a reindeer ranch. On the way home we stopped in Illinois to tour an old house. There was nothing upsetting about the house. It was a dreary, cold day outside, but the house looked nice and inviting, as if beckoning us to take a closer look.

The tour started and the moment I stepped foot in the house I became hot, stifling so. The tour guide complained about how cold she was and kept her coat on the entire tour as did the other guests. A moment later if felt like my lungs were closing then waves of nausea washed over me, I was certain I would either faint or pass out. By the time we made it upstairs, the pressure in my head behind my right eye made me want to cover my eye so it wouldn’t come out.

As the tour dragged on and on I only got worse. I eyed my escape with the good eye hoping it would be soon, but the tour guide kept blathering on and on unaware of the torture I was going through. Finally, she released us from the house, and I contemplated skipping the second part of the tour to go back to the car, but as soon as the cold air outside hit my face and lungs, everything evaporated. I was no longer hot, dizzy, or nauseous. The pounding head ache and irrational thoughts of escape drifted away as well. Within seconds, I was perfectly fine again.

Allergies? Maybe. Ghost? You never can tell.

Happy Halloween!