Thursday, January 3, 2013

Still Hopping into 2013!




WELCOME to Day Six - THE LAST DAY!
Remember - There will be over 200 giveaways on each blog hosted by that Author or Blogger.

But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yep, you can enter over 200 times!

Now what are those prizes?

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet

2nd Grand Prize: A $300 Amazon or B&N Gift Card

3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!






Again today we are participating in Carrie Ann's New Year's Blog Hop. Another year has come and gone, the end of the world didn't happen and now we are stuck in a year ending in Unlucky Number 13! But don't let that stop you, this year is a clean slate, the chance to right the problems from the previous one. What is the strangest New Year's resolution you ever made? Did you keep it? Chances are probably not.

The tradition of making promises on the turn of the year goes all the way back to the Phoenicians who promised their gods to return any borrowed objects and pay all their debts. In ancient Rome, promises were made to the pagan god Janus, for whom January is named, and the knights of the Middle Ages took a 'peacock vow' at New Year's as a symbol of their renewed commitment to chivalry and chastity.

There is no hard and fast formula for resolutions. Some people say you must make them before the final stroke of midnight on New Year's eve. Others are more liberal and say it should be done before the end of the first day of January. I'm not sure if there is any research as to success rates depending on when you make your vows.

The overall success rate for those who swear this year will be about 20%. Men are more capable of lasting than women; I would say because of their hard headed stance about failure. I quit making any resolutions when I stopped to think about the hypocrisy of the whole thing. Either I would keep these promises because I was truly sincere about the change asked for; or it was something I already do.

But expecting life long behavior changes because of a day seems a waste of time. So take them as you will. Let me know about the strangest New Year's resolutions you've made, and did you keep it. There will be two prizes, a $25 Amazon or B&N gift card (winner's choice) and a signed copy of my ebook, "Catalyst - Guardian Rising".






Now Available From Keith Publishing: Catalyst - Guardian Rising


In a post-apocalyptic future, the fate of the rebuilding world hangs in the balance. An unknown power seeks the forbidden knowledge needed to unleash total devastation once more upon a fragile Earth. It falls to one woman to safeguard the future of the Five Kingdoms.

Princess of the West, Vivienne has been plagued by nightmare visions of past and future since the moment of her birth. Now, to save all she loves from destruction, she must rise above the crippling self-doubts that have assailed her since childhood to become the prophesied Guardian—because the enemy is moving, and the world will soon plunge into a war of sword and sorcery.

But who is the enemy? And who is a friend? Can Vivienne trust anyone apart from her sworn protector, Devon?

The answers lurk in the past—but should the past be destroyed to protect the future?



Excerpt from "Catalyst - Guardian Rising" :

My Nightmares

"...The Council of Elders thinks I am insane, unlucky to be born a woman and too young at the age of nineteen for the responsibility as my father’s only heir. Perhaps I am crazy. I did not ask for these dreams, these voices directing my actions. I have been cursed to spend my life reliving the nightmare of my birth. It has haunted my dreams since early childhood. The dreams created within me a deeply ingrained sense of doubt, questions of worth and abilities. Perhaps if the birth had been normal, all the torment and guilt which burned itself into my psyche would have ceased to be the essence of who I am. Instead, I was fated to have this repetitive horror as much a part of my nature as the blood streaming through my veins. My birth was a circus of violence, bloodshed, war and death. Hallmarks that created the basic characteristics of my personality were defined at the time of my voyage into this life.

For most of my life, from childhood through present, my dreams have encompassed a vast array of subjects, some familiar, others not. Sometimes I’ve dreamed of a strange world, where the sky pulsed a sickening shade of reddish-orange and the ground ran slick with blood. Other dreams contained mere shadows of people I did not know, doing things I could not see. Those dreams did not impress my brain enough to record their intimate details into my memories. But the complex details of my most horrific nightmares … those I have remembered with excruciating exactness. Those nightmares have at times driven me to the farthest reaches of my sanity where madness beckoned with welcoming arms, laughing when I gasped for air and tried to recoil from the horror.

In these repetitive, abominable shows, there is no past, no future — only an uneasy sense of existing simply in the“now.”

My worst and therefore most prevalent nightmare always starts at the same place: the laboring of my mother just prior to my birth. In this horror show, I can see the room and the people involved through several different sets of eyes, some at the same time. This gives me some interesting perspectives on everyone and their motivations. Despite the impossibilities involved in the complex process of dreaming, when I am locked within these nightmares, events never seem to be a part of my past. Everything and everyone seems to be moving in the “now,” not the “then.” But the pain and terror and the horror are always mine. I need bear no other person’s baggage — I have enough of my own.

Everyone is a product of their past. Since well before my birth my father, the Western Kingdom and the Northern Warrior tribes had been defending their borders against repeated incursions by followers of Minnlin, a renegade Druid, with exceptional talent for Mysticism and War Craft. Fifty years before my birth the Druid Master of that time, a grim fellow named Reave, gave his permission for the young Minnlin to be given instruction in both areas.

The Druids gave him free rein over the knowledge contained in their massive libraries. In their folly they allowed the young man to study unobserved and unsupervised within the forbidden Books they were sworn by oath to protect from abuse.With this lack of oversight from his teachers, Minnlin grew in talent but with apparently no sense of right and wrong. The Masters tried to keep the monster they created confined in the safety of the community.Too late they realized the potential for destruction he possessed.But Minnlin had seen his future, and he knew it did not lie within the thick stone walls of the Druid's Mountain Fortress. For half a century, the threat of a druid unbound to the Oath hung over the Five Kingdoms.
In fall, early November to be precise, the first winter snows began storming in from the oceans. Our lands, the Five Kingdoms, were thrust into sudden and horrific warfare. As the heavy, black thunderclouds began rolling over the craggy mountains that marched across the Western horizon, enemy forces in the East streamed up from the Plains through the rapidly closing passes and into the Forbidden Mountains, leaving behind the more hospitable lower climate. They continued fighting skirmishes and ambushes over the next six weeks. Both sides gained and lost territory during these encounters.

Even though my birth was imminent my mother, Katarina, decided to make a visit to see my father, the Western king, in the field becauseshe was determined not to give birth alone. She traveled to his headquarters, close to the actual front line, the manor home of friends King Der, ruler of the Northern Tribes, and his wife, Mari. With Der’s youngest brother Devon and Hana, a Tracker who was retraining as a Healer, also in residence, the king’s house was a safe harbor in the midst of war. My father, Philippe, was a nervous wreck having his very pregnant wife anywhere close to the fighting. But he was so happy to see Katarina after an absence of more than two months, for the first and only time in his life, Philippe threw caution to the winds and left his field tent for the traditional Winter Solstice Celebration truce and returned to the manor house to stay with Katarina. Before he could arrive, my mother went into labor."

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f792290/


http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-year-blog-hop-updated-list.html





86 comments:

  1. To never look at men again. Bad end of the year. I'm glad I didn't make that resolution. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

    Judy
    strawberryrose@earthlink.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Happy New Year and I hope you have a fabulous 2013!


      Thanks for hoppinh by!

      Delete
  2. I do not do New Year resolutions
    wendy.pogrant@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It amazes me how many people DON'T do resolutions. I always felt strange not having any but it appears we are in the majority!

      Happy New Year

      Delete
  3. To not eat anything fattening...not only did I not keep it, but ended up pregnant and ate most anything that wasn't nailed down. I do think resolutions are good and you already have things you want to change, it just becomes the day you start doing them I think if you slip you just need to restart, maybe do an adjustment and make smaller goals with them so they are more attainable..like instead of dieting, say you will eat healthier and smaller portions.Hope your new year is full of warm memories and laughter.
    peach_hugs@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a great idea. If we take things all at once, it does seem daunting. Onyly when we take it one chapter at a time does is seem managable. Wow, that sounds strangely familiar!

      Happy New Year. Thanks for dropping in!

      Delete
  4. What makes me smile?

    My family. My kittens. Books.

    Happy New Year!

    anasmithblue@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And the strangest resolution? I'm taking this one from Tiffany Reisz, my fav author. No more losing weight, this year I'm resolving to add height. And destroy captchas.

      Delete
    2. Exactly! I'm not over weight, I'm under tall! I love my pets as well, they make me laugh on a constant basis!

      Happy New Year and thanks for visiting.

      Delete
  5. I am not much of a resolution maker so nothing really strange. But this year I have a goal to read an book a day. Some might find that strange!

    grapeapril75(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't find that strange at all! My mother was a librarian, so I read more than the average child. I had 'themed vacations' where I would pick a genre or author and read everything I could find in the time allowed. Lots of stories there!

      Happy New Year and thanks for hopping by!

      Delete
  6. I think the strangest one i have made is to switch swear words for other words like sugar, cheese and rice, and dang. Trying to be that "lady" my mom swears she raised lol... Yeah that only lasted a bit... I have a bad mouth i try and stem it but sometimes you can't help it especially with two boys and a marine for a hubby who run around the house and your the "responcible" fun killer lol.

    j.m.platt83@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, like "Shut the front door!" and "Some in a ditch!"? I love trying to do that but down South it is a required subject in school.

      Happy 2013 and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  7. I honestly have no idea lol
    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. That I would be more of a social buterfly! lol
    Really, if I have free time I want to read, I don't want to try to meet new people. I already know too many.
    I have no idea, where these crazy resolutions came from.

    Happy 2013!
    morebooksthanlivros@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not social by nature myself, so I understand.

      Thanks for stopping by!
      Happy 2013

      Delete
  9. The strangest one I've done was not to eat chocolate. I gave up after 3 days!
    Happy New Year!
    movie1997 at live dot it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why would you want to give up chocolate?! Thank goodness it was only a momentary thing.

      Happy 2013 and thanks for hopping in!

      Delete
  10. To learn how to drive... I was 26 (and I did - but I ended up taking driver's ed classes with a bunch of 16 year olds!)

    jochibi AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations! You made a resolution and stuck to it, that's the important part to remember.

      Happy 2013 and thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  11. I generally don't do resolutions & can't think of any that may have done that would be "strange" but that just may be self preservation blocking the memory ;). happy new year
    gamistress66 (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it amazing how our minds can do that?

      Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  12. One of my strangest resolutions that I ever made was not to watch TV for a year. I actually did do it. It wasn't all that hard honestly. But I say this as I had a hoard of books to read and the internet.. sooo it wasn't that big of a hardship. :D It did affect my viewing habits though. I rarely watch tv nowadays. Maybe a handful of shows at best.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    readsalot81(@)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There isn't much of quality worth watching on TV any more. I 'listen' to more television than I actually watch. Congratulations on changing a lifestyle as well!

      Thanks for dropping in!

      Delete
  13. j.lennidorner@facebook.com

    Great page! Great giveaway.

    The strangest resolution was not to eat chocolate covered grasshoppers. This is not because I ever HAD eaten them, mind you, but as part of a pact between some funny friends who all signed yearbooks with "stay young and drink pepsi" that year. LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL!
      I rank that along with 'Don't take any wooden nickles!" Love it.

      Thanks for hopping in! Happy 2013

      Delete
  14. Hi Nancy, thanks for the encouraging comment on my IWSG post. I loved the excerpt and also the title of Catalyst- Guardian Rising. It sounds like something I would love to read. My advice would be try for an agent.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think right now I'm going to focus on some writing. Book Two has been submitted and I finally found a home for some characters who were begging for a chance to shine.

      Glad you like the excerpt! Good luck to you this year and WRITE ON!

      Delete
  15. Hi!

    Not sure if this is considered strange but, I promised myself I would try to read 150 books in 2013. I made the attempt in 2012 and was about 10 books off the mark.

    Now I have a checklist of books to read each month. ^_^

    Thank you for the great giveaway!

    - Tin (khriscc at yahoo dot com)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good for you! I think I read 10 books last year, but I was on a marathon writing and editing task. This year I want to catch up on all the books I promised people I would get to!

      Happy 2013 and good luck!

      Delete
  16. I usually try to give up junk food and it never works.
    Thanks for the chance and Happy New Year!
    sqwalker2@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Junk food, my old nemesis!

      Good luck and Happy 2013!

      Delete
  17. I've never really done any strange resolutions. Just the usual lose weight or save more money.

    nikki.t.23@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never have any luck with either of those two! I hope you are more successful.

      Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  18. I don't make strange resolutions because I don't make resolutions any more :)

    penumbrareads(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me either! That was my resolution last year lol.

      Happy 2013!
      Thanks for hoppinh by!

      Delete
  19. lol when I was younger I swore to never date another idiot who would just use me....lmbo I unfortunatly didn't keep that one.
    Happy New Year & Big Hugs
    Missie Jones
    missie25524 (at) netzero (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well I hope you found a great prince if you had to kiss that many toads!

      Happy New Year and thanks for hopping by!

      Delete
  20. To put my keys in one place and one place only so that I could find them. Of course that didn't last long...LOL

    Happy New Year
    koonie2888 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oh, if I had a dime for every moment I have spent looking for lost keys...

    Happy New Year and thanks for dropping in!

    ReplyDelete
  22. A couple of years ago I made a goal to eat more fruit. I'm not a fruit eater so I tried new fruit it was quite funny. I don't really try new foods so it was interesting to watch me make faces.
    planterofhope at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I feel for you, I don't like to try new things either. I'm rather boring about food!

      Happy 2013 and thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  23. Drinking less coffee. I'm a 4-5 pot a day person. Didn't work to well. lol
    Jennifer Rote
    wildnmild4u at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's all right. My mother is 92 years old and she had been drinking at least three pots of coffee a day since college. Caffeine up!

      Happy 2013 and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  24. Strangest? Skydiving. (Never did it!) Happy New Year!

    Sue
    sue_holston@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why would anyone want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane? I never had understood the concept.

      Happy New Year and thanks for dropping in!

      Delete
  25. I love to hit the beach. And luckily I can since it's the middle of summer here in New Zealand. Happy New Year to you, Nancy. Thanks for the draw on your site.
    joannewadsworth007@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So Jealous! If I could go spend a month anywhere in the world, it would be New Zealand. After the LOTR movies and now THe Hobbit, I am in love with the scenery! And I hear the people are just as awesome :)

      Happy 2013 and thanks for dropping in!

      Delete
  26. Strangest resolution I ever made was to get a tattoo. It's strange because I have a fear of needles. I literally start hyperventilating. Side note, I'm determined to get my first tattoo this year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't faint!
    Thank you for participating in the New Year Blog Hop!
    Best Wishes in 2013
    uilani25 (at) hotmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you try a little "liquid encouragement" to get you through? My son has 8 and hubby 1 - but I'm there with you on the whole needle thing. Too bad henna can't be permanent!

      Happy 2013!

      Delete
  27. Its been a long time since I made any so not sure

    Happy New Year!!

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well Happy 2013 and may resolutions become a thing of the past soon!

      Thanks for dropping in!

      Delete
  28. I've never made resolutions, but this year I have a short-term goal: to finish editing my current novel.
    tp DOT quixotic AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A worthy goal. I wish you luck, editing is the bane of my existence.

      Happy New Year and thanks for hopping by!

      Delete
  29. I usually don`t make any resolutions. This year I do have resolution/goal - To find a job I love!

    dita(dot)skarste(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. An excellent resolution. If we don't love what we do, then the days drag by and the happiness gets sucked from our lives. Good luck!!!

      Happy 2013!

      Delete
  30. To learn Japanese:) I didn't keep it:))

    spamscape [at] gmail [dot] com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always want to learn Chinese, but I think it would be a massive headache!

      Thanks for visiting and Happy 2013!

      Delete
  31. Thank you for hopping by!

    Happy New Year

    ReplyDelete
  32. My grandchildren make me smile all the time. I stopped making New Year resolutions a long time ago and I am very happy I did.
    gatormaryd(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My grandson in love is about to turn 3 and I love having him around (and the ability to give him back!).

      Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  33. To get a tattoo.
    bones_mcp(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. More power to ya! I just can't handle the needles.

      Happy New Year!

      Delete
  34. Giving up sweets...yeahhhhh right! katieamanda1(at)yahoo(dot)com
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  35. I can't think of many odd ones, maybe trying a new recipe each week was a bit odd.
    Happy New Year!
    mce1011 AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That would be interesting. Too bad I don't cook!

      Happy New Year and thanks for visting!

      Delete
  36. I don't do resolutions sorry thanks for the op
    myboo63@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  37. I really don't do strange resolutions; this year just finish my weight loss program!
    Thanks for the hop & Happy 2013!
    deethomas291 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good luck on the weight loss. I am going to try to work on my eating habits this year. (I am a stress eater!)

      Happy 2013!

      Delete
  38. I can't think of an odd one! But i've never kept any :)
    Happy New Year

    staceyprice(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Fooling myself that I'll lose weight? haha
    Happy New Year!!
    allison(dot)westcote(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  40. Perfect attitude - one day at a time. Do glad you are enjoying this hop. The longer time period has been awesome!

    Happy 2013, may your year be blessed!

    ReplyDelete
  41. Uhhh...to make sure I floss my teeth everyday.

    Thanks so much for participating in the blog hop. Hope you have an awesome 2013!
    michelletucker at baconnation dot net

    ReplyDelete
  42. I try to save money, but it not easy.
    r.d1@myfairpoint.net

    ReplyDelete
  43. My kitty, Lupe, is often very cute and makes me smile. Thanks for the giveaway!

    amnell(dot)khalan(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cats do make excellent comedians!

      Happy New Year

      Delete
  44. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I don't think I have really made any strange New Year requests. I think most of them are pretty common-lose weight, quit smoking, make more money, bury the bodies better....oh wait, that wasn't ever one. *wink*

    Your blurb was great. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Wishing you much success in 2013.

    Happy New Year,
    Marlena
    charmedpoms(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you need a body dump, see me later (wink, wink!)

      Happy 2013!

      Delete