Best Horror Novel 2011

My husband's novel, Shining in Crimson has been nominated for Best Print/Electronic Horror Novel of 2011!!! I'm so very excited and so very proud! If you have read it, it would be awesome for you to go vote!

Voting here: Preditors & Editors™ Readers' Poll Voting Page

Voting is open currently and closes on January 10th, 2012.

Whooosh!

That, my dear readers, is the sound of 2011 racing right by us to an end! I find it hard to believe that tomorrow will be the last day of 2011. I am hoping that 2012 will bring about many good things (for myself & for you as well)! I am also hoping that people who are caught up in the 2012 hoax will not go too far overboard and do things that endanger others or themselves... will be hoping and praying that that is the case!

I am working on a "Books I read in 2011" wrap-up post that I *hope* to have up tomorrow, but since it includes covers and links, it is taking me a little while to get finished up! Hope that you will be interested in taking a look at it and I would love to hear any feedback you might have (by way of if you've read the book, what you thought of it; if you want to read the book; suggestions of books I should read; or anything, really!)

Until then, hope you have a wonderful day/evening, hope 2011 ends well for you, and I hope that 2012 is your best year yet!!

A Handy Tool for Couponers: The Slice Safety Cutter!

I was fortunate enough to be sent a free trial of slice™ Safety Cutter - Great for couponers from Tomoson. I have just recently started making a concerted effort to start "couponing". Over the years, I've definitely kept an eye out for coupons that I thought were a good deal, but as most of them seemed to be either for products that I don't use or low money for large amount of items purchased, I didn't put much time into it.

Well, that recently changed. I started associating with quite a few awesome people on FB who not only coupon, but give out coupons as prizes for various games on FB. This has been a lot of fun and not only have I gotten some great coupons, but I've been able to pass along some great coupons that I couldn't make use of to others.

But I digress.. Anyway, the slice™ Safety Cutter is a handy little device that makes quick work of cutting coupons, much handier than scissors, in my opinion. It is an interesting and easy to use shape. I like the fact that it has a magnet. So, I've stuck it to my fridge, for easy access -- no having to wonder where I put it -- it's right on the fridge!

The blade is ceramic, and while it is sharp enough to easily cut out your coupons, it is safe and will not result in injuries, with proper use. I wouldn't let young children have access to it unsupervised, but I feel confident that my kids could use it safely, at 10 and 15.

Overall, I'm really happy and see this as a handy tool to save time with couponing. It does take a little bit to get used to how to use it the best way, but really only a few minutes and you're "clipping" coupons with ease. As a note, be sure to cut on a surface that you're not worried about, as it is strong enough to not just stop at the thickness of one piece of paper. I cut mine on a cardboard box to make sure my table didn't get scratched up.

At a very reasonable $5.99, I think this would make any couponer's life just a little bit easier!!





I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

White Christmas???

Here in TN, it's not looking good for a white Christmas here.... too bad, but not surprising with the 60 degree weather earlier in the week... will still keep my fingers crossed.. It did snow in AL on Christmas last year =) (i'm completely fine with it snowing right around Christmas... get a good snowball fight in/snow angels/snowman... and then it can warm up & melt... lol) What are your thoughts/feelings, dear readers, on snow around Christmas or in general?

Don't forget -- there are still many lovely pieces for sale over at MosaickedPhotography If you're looking to purchase one of these unique works of art, be sure to use code roundcorner to receive 20% off! (per Etsy rules, cannot be combined with any other discount code).

$100 Amazon Gift Card Entry Form

And here it is! Your chance to win $100 Amazon Gift Card sponsored by Amee from Madame Deals and Jen from all her blogs (Kobiso, Makobi Scribe, Sason and Pobi, etc)

Good Luck Everybody! And be sure to visit the sponsor's blogs to show your appreciation!

$100 Amazon Gift Card!

How would you like to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card?  One of you, my dear readers, will be able to do just that!!!  How exciting!  This giveaway will run from Dec 15 11:59 PM EST to Jan 1 12:01 EST!  Be sure to come back and enter (and I'll be sure to keep you posted)!!


This prize is being generously sponsored by Amee from Madame Deals and Jen from all her blogs (Kobiso, Makobi Scribe, Sason and Pobi, etc)

You, too can take part! Just click on the button for more information!

MosaickedPhotography: Beautiful & Unique Works of Art (with a discount for you!)

Hello, my dear readers! Are you all done with your Christmas/holiday shopping? Yeah, me either! For those who are, I bet that's a relief! But for those who are not, I wanted to feature an amazing Etsy shop called: MosaickedPhotography , which is run by a fantastically creative lady, Kashena, and her sister, Cathy. Not only is Kashena wildy talented, she's also a super nice person and someone I feel privileged to call a friend!

The shop's bio reads:
"Two sisters who love to create unique art! Kashena creates original hand-cut mosaics, while Cathy examines the unseen universe looking for that amazing shot that you'd love to hang on your wall."

Which is incredibly apprapos! You should absolutely go take a look and consider making a purchase for that special someone in your life, the person who's hard to buy for, or heck, treat yourself! These one of a kind pieces are stunning and would fit will with any decor!

Sheena's beautifully mosaiced pieces would make any room even more stunning and would be a wonderful conversation piece! Cathy's unique and vibrant pictures would add so much to a room (*note* some of these pictures are adult in nature, but are all tastefully done - if you are offended by the human form, these may not be for you).

In this post, I'd like to feature two pieces that Sheena has created. The first is her Mosaic Black and Pink Tree Uplight Lamp


"Is that the sun sliding behind this outlined and shadowed tree? This interesting lamp appears as a work of art with a subtle light shining behind its beauty. The soft glow is wonderful for keeping a room quiet and comfortable, and the colors come to life when turned on.
Each piece of glass is hand cut and the design is original and one-of-a-kind!

Height: 11 1/2 inches
Diameter at top: 7 inches
Weight: approx 4 lbs.
60 watt bulb (included)
Sealed piece

Handcut stained glass, black grout, sealer.

Will create a card to place with the item for that special someone on request, for free! Let me know who to make the card out to, and for what occasion!"

This is a unique item that really stands out! It will add not only some extra light to any room you place it in, but also add ambiance and spark conversations! The skill with which she crafted the tree is amazing!

This piece normally is priced $100, but with the generous discount Sheena has offered, it will be only $80 plus shipping!


The second piece is entitled "Neptune Blue" and it is a wall hanging. Anyone can have a painting on the wall, not many people go the extra step to have true art in their home!





"If you have the blues, this original mosaic artwork will cheer you up! A unique wall hanging, each piece of glass was hand-cut from 12x12 sheets of stained glass. As you move through the room, the light will catch the various colors and reflective quality of this stunning piece. Simply beatutiful; a must-see!

Real pieces of polished sliced geodes are placed throughout the work.
The art was created on a thick wooden solid board.

Price includes shipping.

Ready to hang, horizonally or vertically, with wall hangers.

Price reduction!! Was $400!!

12 inches x 23 inches"

And with the discount code, this piece becomes only $200 shipped!



These are just two of the phenomenal pieces that are for sale at MosaickedPhotography! You should definitely go take a look and consider purchasing a true one of a kind work of art for your home or as a gift.


*  *  *  *  *  *  *    D I S C O U N T    C O D E    *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Love the look of one or more of these pieces? Sheena has been incredibly generous in offering a coupon code that will only be available for readers of my blog! This code will give you 20% off your entire order! This code cannot be combined with any other offer (per Etsy rules) and unless otherwise stated, shipping charges will still apply (and not be discounted per this code) Imagine being able to own a one of a kind, uniquely beautiful, handcrafted piece of art in your home (or as a gift) now at 20% off!

The code to enter on Etsy is:  roundcorner

At the very least, please go take a look at this wonderful shop, favorite it, and share with anyone you may know! I wish the very best for Sheena and her sister & would love to help be a part of growing their business!

Any questions, please ask and either I will get back with you, or if it is about the pieces, I'll consult with Sheena/Cathy and get back with you!

Thanks for taking the time to support these two talented individuals!

SuperPoints update

12-22-11 update: I've now earned 3 gift cards and I'm less than 100 points away from #4, which I hope to have by Christmas eve!

For anyone who is not yet using SuperPoints (and for those who are not using it to its full potential), this post is for you! I have used A LOT of rewards/points/gift card/prize earning sites in my many, many years on the interwebs... And though I've only been using SuperPoints for a little under three months, I am very, very impressed with it! I have earned more "prizes" from this site in this short amount of time than probably any other site I've used (I hesitate to say I've earned more than using MyPoints, but there's a big differentiator: most points I've earned from MyPoints have been from purchases; whereas, points from SuperPoints have been *free*)



So, I would like all of you, my dear readers, to have the opportunity to earn like I have been earning. Granted, it isn't paying the bills or providing Christmas, but for the time put in, I feel it is well worth it. For 10 - 30 min a day (depending on number of spins on the Super Lucky Button or whether or not I'm trying to get more referrals), I am very happy with what I've been able to amass so far! I'm already working toward gift card number 4! (my third one will be paid out this coming week!).

Make sure, once you sign up, that you validate your email and fill out your profile so that you move from, I believe, five clicks of the Super Lucky Button to 30! Obviously it's random and you'll have good days and bad days, but once it starts racking up, it's worth it -- and fun!

Below you will find seven invite codes (it is invite only -- if any of these codes don't work, try another. If none work, leave me a comment and I'll be happy to get a code directly to you!)

New Invite codes coming soon! Leave me a comment & I can send you one directly through email!

Just earned this one today! Use this code and start off with 25 points!! http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/9hts1t  

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you'll join and be able to start earning prizes, too! =)

Giving items away!

Right now, at this moment, having just had two giveaways end recently and having the fun of people being genuinely excited about winning, I would be hard pressed to tell you which I like more: winning giveaways myself or hosting them! Obviously it is fun to win things but I think it is equally as fun being the one to be able to provide prizes to others! I think today shall be a day of investigating what further giveaways I can get going and how quickly!! =) So, dear reader, if you are one who likes to enter/win giveaways, PLEASE check back soon!! =)

The rest of my day shall be spent working and running errands, neither of which is at the same level of giveaways, but must be done... hehe...

Giveaways [Closed]

Both of my most recent giveaways, for Remembrance by Michelle Madow and Shining In Crimson by Robert S. Wilson have now ended! I am very happy to have been able to host these giveaways! Thanks so much to both authors for allowing me to share these great books with my readers! I will post the winners in the morning! Good luck to everybody!

Want an e-version copy of Remembrance by Michelle Madow?

Here's your chance to win an e-version of Remembrance by Michelle Madow!! I was fortunate enough to get a copy to review! I recommend this book as it was very well-written and engaging!  This giveaway will run from 12:01 EST 11/18 until 11/28 12:01 EST.  Make sure to also check out the book and the Transcend Time saga on Goodreads or purchase a copy at Amazon .

(Read my review here [or it's the next post down] if you haven't already seen it!)

Remembrance by Michelle Madow {Book Review}

I came across this book via the authors blog, Michelle Madow's Blog. Upon reading the description, I felt like it had great potential to be a really interesting story.  I'm not normally one who is interested in stories about reincarnation, but this story is much more than a "reincarnation story".

There is a lot of great character development in this book. The MC, Lizzie Davenport, is your typical high school girl, not quite fitting into her boyfriend's world of "jocks". I was a little underwhelmed by her boyfriend, Jeremy's character, but I think that due to this fact, it sets up a stronger connection for what happens later in the book.

Anyway, the story starts off with setting the stage for the decline of Lizzie & Jeremy's relationship at the onset of the new school year.  In addition to relationship problems, in comes Drew -- a new student, who Lizzie immediately feels a connection with, even though she can't quite figure out why she feels so strongly.

The book progresses throughout the year and interactions transpire between Lizzie and Drew.  You start to find inklings of a prior connection between the two, though not from modern day.  It is done in such a way, through "flashbacks" that are well written and very interesting.

Towards the end of the book, there is good suspense built leading to the denouement.  I was really invested and pulling for Lizzie and Drew to work through what they were facing, and I'm glad that Ms. Madow crafted the book the way she did!  I will definitely be reading the books that follow this one, as this is book 1 of her Transcend Time saga .

Overall, this was a very pleasant reading experience. The only things that gave me a little pause were Jeremy's character and the fact that this story is basically an expansion of Taylor Swift's Love Story video.  Overall, taking a concept that you find elsewhere and making it your own can be very interesting, but when I first found the story, I thought that it was a completely original idea.  Not a huge thing, but it slightly lessened the experience for me.  I would definitely recommend this story as it was well written, interesting, and definitely draws you in/keeps you involved!

Ms. Madow has been very generous in allowing me to offer up a copy of her ebook for you, my dear readers, to win!  My next post will be the giveaway!

Also, be sure to check out the book on Goodreads and buy a copy on Amazon!

*Note* I was given a copy to review and Ms. Madow is providing the e-version for the giveaway. My opinions here are 100% my own, honest, and in no way affected by any outside source.

Would you like an ebook copy of Shining in Crimson?

My wonderful husband has been generous enough to offer up 10 (yes, 10!!) copies of his ebook, Shining in Crimson (the first book in his Empire of Blood series).  I'm very excited to be able to promote the book and host a giveaway so that you, dear readers, can read it as well!

This is a vampire novel, but not like most of the other vampire novels you have read. * As a note *, just to be clear, this is not a YA novel. Not to say it is extremely graphic, but it is a horror novel.  So, if you're offended by gore, violence, and profanity, please don't enter as I want this to be a positive experience for all.  That being said, on to the info!! =)


  Set in a dystopian, religiously-demented American Empire, the city of Las Vegas is no longer a city of sin. Now called Necropolis, it is a city that eats sin. The vampires of Necropolis wait patiently for the Empire's weekly drop off of guilty Penitents; sinners and criminals full of fresh blood.


  Hank Evans is one of those Penitents and he would gladly let the vampires take every drop of his blood if it weren’t for one detail: Toby. Toby is Hank’s only son. Now, Hank must do whatever it takes to escape the city of the dead and save his son from an Empire as bloodthirsty as the vampires it uses to keep its people in line.


  "A big-scale vampire thriller that changes the rules."--Scott Nicholson, They Hunger

I'm so excited to have been along for the ride during this process.  It has been amazing watching him write this novel and then to see the response from people who have read it!  Any questions along the way about the book or the giveaway, please let me know!  Thanks!! =)

Also, if you don't have an eReader, it is available for purchase in paperback and hardback.

(***Note*** Rafflecopter form for entering the giveaway is visible after clicking "click here for more", if you're reading this on the homepage... if you're not, it should be nice & visible! any trouble entering, please let me know!)

Getting Points with SuperPoints! (hopefully!!)

Are you using SuperPoints ?  I came across this site a month or so ago and I'm just now really starting to see the benefit in using it!  I'm to the point where I'm about to get three (albeit small) gift cards.  What made all the difference is I now have 4 people who have signed up under me.  I'm hoping to get that last, elusive 5th person signed up under me so that I can move from Gold to Platinum status.  If you haven't signed up, would you consider using one of my invite codes?  It is referral only -- so, you do need a code/invite to get started.  Also, if you have any questions at all about it, I'll do my best to help answer or point you in the right direction (as I'm still pretty new myself).

One tip I can share is that you definitely want to make sure to verify your email and fill out your profile as that will move you along and get you more SuperLucky Button clicks per day, which can really pay out!  Thanks for taking a moment to read this!

If you try the link and it doesn't work, just leave me a comment as they are only good for one person, but I have more!

Referral links:

http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/n31dsd
http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/txwesk
http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/etfkfx
http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/766nr1
http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/k75fyd
http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/bpsnhc
http://superpoints.com/wrpgs/vjmytt

Prefense Hand Sanitizer Winner Announced!!

And now my first giveaway is done -- and I have my first winner.  I hope she's as excited as I am!!  =)

  Congratulations to Donna Kozar!!  I have emailed you!  Check your email when you get a chance!


  Thanks so much to everyone who entered! This was a lot of fun!  I have another giveaway starting Monday and more in the works!  Thanks for being a part of my blog!!  ♥

This is HUGE! =)

As some of you might know, my husband is an author! He has published a novella, the first novel in a series, and now a short story.  Today, his novella, The Quiet , was featured on Ereader News Today's Daily Bargain Kindle Book section.  This has been extremely big as far as promotion and exposure.  In the 12 hours since it's been posted, he's sold over 200 copies, today alone!  =)  If you haven't checked this out, you should!  Here's the description:
"James Benton might be the last man on earth. Racing to get to work, he finds random abandoned cars, smoldering pile-ups, and something even stranger. Everywhere he goes there's no grass, no people, not even a bird in the sky. Alone in a barren world, James travels west in search of someone, anyone who might have survived The Quiet."

Also, I'll provide links to his book and short story as well.  He's very talented, I'm very proud of him, and it has been really exciting watching everything unfold!

Here's the description and links:

"Set in a dystopian, religiously-demented American Empire, the city of Las Vegas is no longer a city of sin. Now called Necropolis, it is a city that eats sin. The vampires of Necropolis wait patiently for the Empire's weekly drop off of guilty Penitents; sinners and criminals full of fresh blood. Hank Evans is one of those Penitents and he would gladly let the vampires take every drop of his blood if it weren’t for one detail: Toby. Toby is Hank’s only son. Now, Hank must do whatever it takes to escape the city of the dead and save his son from an Empire as bloodthirsty as the vampires it uses to keep its people in line. "A big-scale vampire thriller that changes the rules."–Scott Nicholson, They Hunger"

Check out his book, Shining in Crimson, the first book in the Empire of Blood series here: Shining in Crimson: Kindle version, Shining in Crimson: paperback version , Shining in Crimson: Hardback version

And his short story, What Happens in Vegas (an Empire of Blood story), free download at Smashwords

Exciting!!!

So, I'm starting to get some real interest in my Prefense Giveaway, which is exciting!  Have had a pretty active past couple weeks for one of the new companies that I have started working with, which is great (though I hate that the "busy" time is coming to an end already until next "quarter")..  We have two new clients who are looking to sign on with Wilson Book Services, which is also HUGE and exciting =)   All in all, other than some stress due to frustrating situations that are mostly out of my hands, things are definitely headed in a good direction!  I haven't had as much time as I'd like for reading here lately (largely due to having to read so many short stories as of late, but it's for a good cause!!), but hoping that will turn around soon.

   Also, made a decision to "take a step back" so to speak in one area having to do with work that hopefully will provide a good opportunity to handle a situation that's been nagging for a little while ($$ related)..  So, keep your fingers crossed for me that it'll work out like I'm hoping it will!

Take care, dear readers!  Sorry I've been a bit quiet here lately, just had a lot (!!!) going on taking up my time..  I'll try to do a better job of staying in touch!

NaNoWriMo 2011 begins!

Going to keep this short as I am nearly worded our for the night from getting my novel started, but I am pleasantly surprised by how well the words flowed tonight!  I still need to make somewhat of a "how NaNoWriMo has gone for me in the past" post, but don't have it in me tonight.  I was *hoping* that I could get a word count widget up tonight, but alas and alack, they are not yet ready.  So, I'll just make the declaration here!  My word count so far is 2688 out of 50,000!!  I'm on my way!  Haha -- according to the new (or new to me) stat information on the page, at this rate, I'll hit 50K by November 18th!  I'm counting it more as padding for the days that don't go so well!   Must sleep now as I have a big project in the morning.  Night all!  For those of you NaNoing, hope your night went well.  If it didn't, tomorrow is a new day -- just keep at it!

What's that?  You don't know what NaNoWriMo is?  Go here

Horror for Good: A Charitable Anthology mentioned on Horror Library Radio!

So, I've not had much chance to start mentioning Horror for Good: A Charitable Anthology that my husband is co-editing. I can't go into full details yet, but there are some HUGE authors in the horror world contributing stories (I can mention Jack Ketchum, Ramsey Campbell, Ray Garton to begin with -- there will be many more!). All proceeds from the anthology will be given to amFAR an international AIDS research charity.

Tonight, they were mentioned on the inaugural podcast of Horror Library Radio. You can take a listen to the podcast at: http://libertyconspiracy.podomatic.com/entry/2011-10-31T16_20_10-07_00 the segment starts at 1:18:20.

The anthology is still a work in progress. They are still taking story submissions until November 30th, 2011. You can get more information at their blog Horror For Good . On their blog, they list their submission guidelines. So, if any of you, dear readers, are authors (especially in the horror genre), be sure to take a look. Otherwise, everybody should keep an eye out for this book when it's released to be able to 1) read some great horror stories and 2) give to a great charity!

So, horror authors, check out the blog and polish up an amazing horror story to submit. Readers of horror, be on the lookout for the release of this anthology! (I'll be sure to post a date once it is confirmed)

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you'll check out more about this awesome upcoming book!

Interaction

My blog has now been "live" for about a month -- and I'm really impressed with the amount of pageviews I've been getting.  It's been nice to know that my words aren't just falling on deaf ears, so to speak.  One thing I would really like for this blog to become, however, is interactive.  I'd love to hear from people -- if my content is interesting to you, if you like the posts, if you disagree with anything I've said, if there are things you'd like to see me talk about, etc...  I know it'll take time to really build a following, but my hope is that before too long, this can start being more than just me talking to the collective..  Hopefully you, dear readers, will start talking back.  (That just reminded me of a couple scenes from a really amazing book that I read over the summer, Blindsight by Peter Watts )..

   Anyway -- have had some pretty major things come up, good and bad, over the past week.  We have our first clients for the business, (yay), started a big project for work (yay), finally(!!) getting some progress on all the reading I need to be doing (yay), and having to deal with a financial issue that I'd rather not be dealing with (boo...)...  but things are definitely moving in a very, very good direction!  Just hope that trend continues and the goods outweigh the bad.... That's all we can really hope for, in a lot of ways!

  Take care, thanks for stopping by, and feel free to say hello!

Prefense Giveaway reminder and general info update!

There's still plenty of time to enter my Prefense Giveaway (see the post below this one) or simply click here.  The prize is an 8 oz. bottle of Non-Alochol 24-hour Prefense Hand Sanitizer.  My review of the product is found at that same location.  I've continued to use it and I still really like it.  Especially with fall quickly knocking on winter's door, I need the protection against my hands getting dry (as they always do) with winter approaching.

  So, I don't think I've had a chance to mention one of the pretty major projects that I'm involved with right now. It has to do with reading and a lot of it!  I'll make it a priority as soon as I can to get some info up about that.  So, definitely stay tuned because it's pretty exciting!

  And lastly, while I had intended to have pages up by Friday work and other obligations have moved that time table back a bit.  I'll at least try to get the behind the scenes things going by the end of the weekend and hopefully have the redesign done as quickly after that as I can.

  So -- is anyone out there?  Leave me a comment and say hi, offer suggestions of ways you think I could improve my blog, or leave a link for your blog/website/et cetera and I'll be happy to drop by!

  Until next time, take care & make sure to let those who are important to you know just how much they mean to you!

Prefense 24-hour Non-Alcohol Hand Sanitizer product review and GIVEAWAY! =)

Sponsored by Tomoson.com
So -- I've tried a multitude of hand sanitizers over the past few years and for the most part, I've not been all that impressed.  While it was nice having a quick option when washing my hands wasn't a possibility, there seemed to be more downsides than positive.  I was fortunate enough to get a free full bottle (1.5 fl oz) sample of pre-fense 24 hour hand sanitizer through my application on Tomoson



When my package arrived, I was very excited. Being a mom, I worry about germs. The kids come home from school coated in them, not to mention stores. I'm not overly worked up about them, but I like to be smart about it -- hence the trying of many hand sanitizers over the years. The first thing I noticed upon my first application was the subtle fresh scent. It is a hint of citrus and in no way overpowering. The thing I noticed were the bubbles -- who doesn't like bubbles? =) And once I finished getting it rubbed in, I notice that my hands felt soft, not dry! That, to me, was #1! I have somewhat sensitive hands. After repeated hand washings through the day, my hands start to get dry, and while I use lotion, it gets a bit tedious. And with the other hand sanitizers on the market, they left my hands dry as well. Not Prefense! The fact that it is silica based and alcohol free makes all the difference in the world!

Another cool thing is that due to the unique formulation, it lasts up to 24 hours through 10 hand washings! No more having to use a product multiple times throughout the day! I can definitely go for that as I have too much on my plate as it is! Once and you're done. And it makes it rather cost effective at only $.08 per day! Definitely fits into my schedule/budget!

Needless to say, so far, I'm sold! I like having the handy option of getting my hands clean in situations where washing them isn't an option. I love that it makes my hands feel soft, not dry. The scent is very pleasant. Really, can't find a thing that I'm not thrilled about.

The Prefense website is well laid out with a lot of information, and they're on Facebook Prefense FB and Twitter @Prefense !

AND -- the folks at Prefense have been generous enough to allow me to hold a contest to let you try it, too! And the super awesome thing is, you will be winning not a 1.5 oz bottle like I got, which holds approximately 120 applications, no, dear readers, you will be winning a HUGE 8 oz bottle with approximately 640 applications!! That's awesome, in my book! If you happen to not win, or don't want to wait, you can head on over to their page at Prefense Products to buy directly (and check out their other cool products) or from Amazon (and they are Prime eligible -- got to love that!).

Giveaway Information:
  For the giveaway, there's one mandatory entry -- leave a comment on this post (about anything, at least say hi!).  There are optional entries for additional chances to win by following Prefense and myself on Twitter, following me on Google Friend Connect, and tweeting about the giveaway!  Good luck! =)





This giveaway is open to all U.S. Residents. Winner will receive the giveaway shipped directly from Prefense. Giveaway will end on: November 13th, 2011 at 12:01am EST.

Disclosure:
I have received a bottle of Prefense Hand Sanitizer to try out myself for an honest review. No other compensation has been given.
I received this product for free using Tomoson. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wilson Book Services!

My husband and I have started a new company!  I'm very excited about this new venture! (I like that word, can you tell?)  We have started a book services company where we will be offering fiction authors the services of editing, proofreading, and formatting their completed works (and any or all combinations of the three!).  Please come take a look at the page and let us know your thoughts/contact us if you are in need of our services!

BIG opportunities on the horizon

Wow! I have some big things coming up in the next few weeks. Things like a huge project for work, some giveaways, and a lot of changes in regards to the blog/promotion. In terms of giveaways, I will be having *at least* three started by the end of October (2 books reviews + giveaway and one product, so far). New project for work starts week after next, which should be huge, and I'm very much looking forward to it. And as far as changes to the blog, I plan on having the pages ironed out in the next week and continuing to work to bring more people and information to the blog! Thanks for being along for the ride!!

Is there anything you would like me to see on the page?  Leave me a comment and I'll be happy to take it under consideration!  I've already had a new idea for a page since my last post, a NaNoWriMo page!! (for those of you unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, it is a "contest" to write 50,000 words during the month of November, or as they like to call it, a month of literary abandon! more info here: NaNoWriMo )

Pages??

So...  I believe my next endeavor for this blog shall be to create topic specific pages...  I have a tendency to catalog and organize (at least when it comes to my data..  not always so much IRL)...  So, what better way to keep that up than to have pages!  Plus for you, dear reader, hopefully it will make finding what you're looking for easier!  So, I believe I shall have a section for transcription, reviews, giveaways (which I hope to start having soon!!!), books, one devoted to personal/family matters, one for things I think are cool & hope you will check out, and my next great task -- weight loss/exercise!   If there's anything else that you are interested in hearing me talk about, let me know, and it can be a page as well!!  Take care and hope to get this live soon!

  Oh!  And be sure to check out my new Goodreads Gadget at the bottom of the page!   Goodreads is a great site for keeping track of what you've read & want to read, as well as finding like-minded people and new books!  Not to mention, their awesome giveaways!!!   The books shown are my "currently reading" shelf.  Click on it & find out what I've read & want to read!

Four? Make that three..

So, one of my new transcription did not work out quite how I would have wanted it to...  The point of contact for the business, in my opinion, in many areas handled themselves in a manner that was most unprofessional.  I am quite put off by several things that happened to the point that I am highly considering doing all I can to warn others from attempting to work for this company.  As this is all *very* recent, I am going to take some time to think about it all and figure out the best way to proceed from here.  All three other companies are looking very good (especially the third, which is the newest... it is seeming rather promising!)  So, we'll just have to see how it goes.  

  In product review land, going to keep using the product another day or two and then get my review up!

  I have entered *a lot* of giveaways here lately....  would be awesome if I won some..  Also, they are giving me lots and lots of ideas about how I want to host giveaways in the future!  Must work on networking and getting items to be given away!  Fun times!

  And lastly, going to start adding some pages to the blog so that people who come here for one reason or another can focus on their area of interest, if they so choose.   I'm thinking a transcription page, a product review page, a giveaway page, a page based on reading/writing, and probably a recipe page...  and maybe just a general personal page as well...  Still fleshing out the idea, as you can see!

And then, there were four!

So, I now have four different transcription companies through whom I am doing projects!  I'm pretty excited about this.  Everything is starting off kind of slow, but I'm hoping that as time goes along, this can really start to be something that I can make work for me instead of the other way around!  Also, got my first product that I will be reviewing (very soon!), and I'm super excited to say that very soon, I'll be announcing my first giveaway (and toying with the idea for a second one)!  Stay tuned for details!  =)

Productive night!

Got some really good news tonight.  As it stands now, I work for two different transcription companies.  For the past month and a half, I have had very little work.  This is partially due to the state of the economy and partially due to the nature of projects on which I work.  After finding out I didn't win a scavenger hunt type giveaway that I entered tonight, I checked my email to find a job offer from a company that I had applied with over two weeks ago.  Also, when I checked my mail first thing this morning, I had a request for a telephone interview for yet another transcription company!  I'm really hoping that I can get on with what would be my fourth so that I can be more in control of the work that I do rather than just being happy whenever there is work.  We shall see how it all goes!!

And so it begins!

Yay!  So, I just got approved for what I hope will be the first of many products to be reviewed on this blog!  How exciting!!  And what's exciting for you, dear reader, is that after I try the product, I'll be able to host a giveaway for you to try it as well!!!  Details will be coming soon!

New Ventures!

So, it looks as though I may be entering into two new ventures.  Technically, only one will be new, but it is on a different scale.  I shall be proofreading stories!  Yay!  This well combines my love of reading and my propensity for grammar policing! =)  Second, I am attempting to enter into the realm of reviewing products.  I've long enjoyed scouring the internet for free products.  I discovered a site today which appears to give people the ability to test products in turn for reviews.  This seems like lots of fun!  Obviously neither of these will be done on a regular basis, which will allow plenty of time for transcribing, but I think they could be fun additions to my day! I shall, however, continue to keep an eye out for other transcription ventures due to the lull that has presented itself as of late... just in case!

Welcome! Take a look around & come back and visit soon!

Hello!!  I'm Jen!  Thanks for coming to my (round) corner of the blogosphere, a little niche I've carved out for myself.  I'm not quite sure the extent to which I'm going to use this blog, but I'm thinking it will be a combination of personal and professional pursuits.  Stay tuned and thanks for stopping by!