Saturday, May 26, 2007

Life, the Universe and Everything

Thanks to Douglas Adams for that phrase. That phrase has been my catch-all. When life is going down the tubes - it is LUAE that is making the problem. When life is great - again it is LUAE. Today is going great. Well, I am deciding to make it go great.
First: if I haven't told you yet, I have a cover. A cover for Prophecy of Vithan coming out August 2, 2007 with CerridwenPress.com. I can't post it yet, it hasn't been approved yet, but I am soooo jazzed. I think you will too.
Second: I am learning new things on the Internet. I found this site Technorati.com. It claims that I can claim my blogs (whatever claiming blogs mean) if I post this link:
Technorati Profile . Then something magical happens - well that is my story and I'm sticking with it.
Third: Don't forget to drop by Sandy Lender's blog tour on www.myspace.com/charleneleatherman on May 30th. Then be sure to come back here on June 11th for some more fun with Sandy Lender.
Fourth: I have been told today that I am a disappointment because I am not a reflection of my relative - I write fiction, not non-fiction. I like operas, museums, concerts, Shakespeare in the Park not crickets, lizards, and snakes. I have my opinions not someone else's. Well, today I decide that I am not a moon - a reflective surface - I am a star, a shining star. I may be a tiny speck in the sky, I am still true to myself not a reflection.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Only 6 days until Sandy Lender comes to MYSpace

Sandy's favorite pet is Petri is a sun conure! He's vibrant and gorgeous (and I'm not
biased at all). ;)He taught himself to wave "goodbye" when I leave for work in the
mornings. And we have a game called "I'm gonna get your toes"
that we play when I'm being a bad mom and don't have time to get
him out of the cage for a playdate that evening. I tell him I'm
going to get his toes and he jumps up on the bars of the cage
and clings to it so his toes are exposed to me, and I tickle
them...so when I pull my hand back, he pulls his whole body
back...then I reach for his toes again and he puts his beak
through the bars to lick my fingers...then we do this back and
forth for a while, and he just squeaks and carries on like it's
the grandest thing...I feel terrible because it's not really a
replacement for getting to come out and play and flap around,
but it's better than being ignored I guess. He's going to be a star in June. We have his fledgling picture
in the magazine I work for in the Healthy Pet column where we
talk about making juices for birds.

For the next few days you can find Sandy at:

5/24 www.sabbathsroom/blogspot.com Sabbath's Room

5/25 www.alisonkent.com/blog AlisonKent.com

5/28 www.marjo-mumswritings.blogspot.com

5/29 www.thebookpedler.wordpress.com

Stop by www.myspace.com/charleneleatherman on May 30 to see Sandy's blog with me.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Prophecy of Vithan

As a reader I never quite understood the significance of writing a book, getting the cover, and actually being published. As a reader I saw a book on the shelf of a store, or in an online store, admired the art work and bought the book. It was no big deal. It was a matter of fact. A book had a cover that I liked and I bought it.
Today my pardigm changed drastically. I am an author who now has a cover. I can't post it to the world yet, until everything is finalized. But the tremors in my hands as I type (I must have typed this sentence ten times. I can't seem to hit the right keys) and the pitter patt of my heart tell me that this ranks right up there with marrying my soul mate, having a first child. I am in awe of the fact that I have written a book, a publishing company wants to publish it and I have a cover.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Sandy's Lender Tour Starts Today

The online book tour for Choices Meant for Gods starts today.
Today you can visit www.BooksOffBroadway.blogspot.com, which is a site M.B. Weston created to talk about other authors. Check it out...

Another stop on the tour features our own Charlene Leatherman! Both Michelle and Charlene have conducted author interviews for the tour, which is the typical tour format, but I have 24 confirmed "events" on this tour, and they're not all regular ol' interviews, so stay tuned! This isn't your typical online book tour. No...I'm shakin' it up. Color me Dragon.

Enjoy!
Sandy Lender
"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."
From Sandy Lender, Author of Choices Meant for Gods
Available At Last from your local bookstore or online
at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1595071652

Visit: www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com
"Some days, I just want the dragon to win

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Synopsis of Choices Meant for Gods by Sandy Lender

Synopsis of Choices Meant for Gods

Not even the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war.

When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? And will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?

Choices Meant for Gods is the story of a young lady who's been on the run from a madman all her life. When she finally chooses to stand and fight, she discovers she's wrapped in centuries of prophecy that demand she protect the very gods themselves. The epic fantasy novel is now available from ArcheBooks Publishing at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm. You can get information about the novel as well as grammar and writing tips from author Sandy Lender at her main blog at www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com.

The cast:
Amanda Chariss, her wizard Hrazon of Mon'dore, Nigel Taiman, Kora Rothahn Taiman, The Master Rothahn, Mia the lesser goddess, Sergeant Brendan Naegling, Lord Jamieson Drake, The Dragon Julette…and more…

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Visit MySpace for Sandy Lender's Virtual Blog Tour

Welcome A Dragon to the Blog!

New author Sandy Lender breaks onto the writing scene with a high epic fantasy novel titled Choices Meant for Gods. She began writing stories as soon as she learned to string words together on the page. As a child, Sandy entertained the folks in her great grandmother’s apartment building in Southern Illinois with tales of squeaky spiders and mice picking berries, and then won awards with writing projects as she moved through the elementary and high school systems in the St. Louis area. It was apparent that a career in journalism was her calling, and she found herself proofreading, editing, and (finally) writing for trade publications after she graduated from Truman State University in Missouri. Now she writes in Southwest Florida where her love of sea turtles and all things related to the Gulf waters keeps her imagination growing.

Sandy’s fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods is now available from ArcheBooks Publishing at http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm. You can get information about grammar and writing from her main blog at www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com. And visitors to www.MySpace.com/charleneleatherman can interact with Sandy Lender Wednesday, May 30, 2007 because I’ve had the foresight to invite her to stop by during her online book tour. It promises to be an intriguing interview, and Sandy promises to respond to visitors’ comments and questions, so be sure you mark your calendars to be back here 5/30/2007 for the antics.


Choices Meant for Gods from http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm is the story of Amanda Chariss, a young lady who’s been on the run from a madman all her life. When Chariss finally chooses to stand and fight, she discovers she’s wrapped in centuries of prophecy that demand she protect the very gods of her society.

You see, none of the gods noticed when Chariss was born with the mark of The Protector. Now the story picks up when she and her wizard guardian seek shelter from a mad sorcerer in a household not just full of secrets and false hope, but watched by the god who will unwittingly reveal her role in an impending war.

When an orphan sets aside a lifetime of running and fear to accept the responsibilities of guarding an arrogant deity, can she face the trials in the prophecies she uncovers? And will Nigel Taiman of her latest refuge dare to use his dragon heritage to bind her to his estate or to help her in her duty?

The novel is written in the style of J.R.R. Tolkien, a gentler Terry Goodkind, and a more mature David Eddings all rolled into one. Basically, if you’re a J.K. Rowling or Harry Potter fan, you’ll find something in the sorcery driven Choices Meant for Gods that lights your fancy as well—plus dragons.

Monday, May 14, 2007

A second game of Tag

1) IF SOMEONE OFFERED YOU A CHANCE AT A THING YOU MOST WANTED BUT YOU COULD NEVER TELL ANYONE ABOUT IT, WOULD YOU TAKE IT? I think I would take it. I have a real problem with keeping my mouth shut so not telling would be really hard.

2) DO YOU DWELL ON MISTAKES OR MOVE ON? Dwell on them and bring them up again and again. Although I am learning to say, hey that's in the past so forget it.

3) WHAT TRADITIONS DO YOU FOLLOW? One tradition I follow needs to be explained. When my kids were little we were quite poor. So poor in fact that we could not afford Christmas presents for our kids. So what we did was go to the grocery store and buy one of each kind of fruit for each boy. We made up two boxes of fruit and mixed nuts, one for each boy. This was thirty-five years ago. Even today, when my boys are grown with children of their own, they still want their boxes of fruit. They say it is a fond memory of their childhood.

4) DO YOU RESPECT GENIUS? Genius is using your talents to the greatest of your ability.

5) DO YOU PREFER CHEMISTRY OR PHILOSOPHY? Philosophy. Chemistry is finite. Whereas Philosophy is infinite and ever changing.

6) DO YOU SHOP FOR CLOTHES? I am a BBW - Big Beautiful Woman. Shopping for clothes is a nightmare. I do not enjoy it at all.

7) DO PEOPLE KNOW THE REAL YOU? Yeah, like I said I have a real problem keeping my mouth shut, so I have no secrets.

8) DO YOU FLIRT? No. I'm married and I take my marriage vows very seriously. Do I look? Oh yes. But so does my husband. We both agreed that window-shopping is okay. Purchasing is not. In other words, look but don't touch.

Now as the character Morgan Tag Zephyrain of Prophecy of Vithan

21) IF SOMEONE OFFERED YOU A CHANCE AT A THING YOU MOST WANTED BUT YOU COULD NEVER TELL ANYONE ABOUT IT, WOULD YOU TAKE IT?
Yes. Why would I worry about telling if I can experience it.

22) DO YOU DWELL ON MISTAKES OR MOVE ON?
Move on. Life is too short to dwell on mistakes.

23) WHAT TRADITIONS DO YOU FOLLOW?
Onea. Black Eye Watch. Tai Chi.

24) DO YOU RESPECT GENIUS?
No. Only what genius does.

25) DO YOU PREFER CHEMISTRY OR PHILOSOPHY?
Chemistry -- it is solid and sound and unchanging.

26) DO YOU SHOP FOR CLOTHES?
I would love to. But either I'm dressed as a guy or given my clothes as a slave.

27) DO PEOPLE KNOW THE REAL YOU?
No. And they never will. ( At least that is what I thought before I met Len)

28) DO YOU FLIRT?
I try not to.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Tag I'm It

My author group is playing this electronic game of tag. I was tagged - twice to be precise. I guess I didn't run fast enough. .
The person who is tagged is supposed to list 6 things that other people may not know about them. I am supposed to list 6 things - and since I was tagged twice I guess I have to list 12. So here goes:
Tag #1
1) I used to belly dance when I was about 150 pounds lighter.
2) I am gray, dye my hair blonde and when I was belly dancing I dyed my hair black.
3) I was awarded a certificate from Guiness Book of World Records for my dragon collection. I had officially 785 dragons and unofficially about 900.
4) I can't resist stuffed toys.
5) I can drink a gallon of coffee a day.
6) I have two dogs, a cat, and a hamster.

Tag #2
1) I used to collect snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, all sorts of creepy crawlies for my boys to keep in terrariums, but I get squeamish when I see a cockroach.
2) I have never worn make-up.
3) I was engaged to three guys when I met my then-future-husband. We have been married for 37 years this December.
4) I broke a family tradition. I have been married once. My mom and my grandmother and my great-grandmother all were married 5 times.
5) Halloween is my favorite holiday cause I love to dress up.
6) I am a marksman with a pistol and a rifle.

Well, those are my lists. Hope you find something interesting.

And I want to tell anyone who visits my blog that I intend to start writing on my blog more consistently so come by often and see what I can find to talk about.