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Archive for the 'Contests!' Category
Friday, December 18th, 2020
UPDATE: The winner is…Beckie!
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©Diana Cosby 2020
Cooper’s Hawk
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
I love taking nature photos, it’s an enjoyable pastime, one that refills my muse. Today I’d like to share some of my favorite photos that I’ve taken this year. I hope you enjoy.
As I walk through the woods or along the marsh it’s always wonderful to come across deer. They’re beautiful and have such an amazing presence.
On rare occasions, I see foxes, which makes when I do see them, extra special. This spring I had the honor of seeing a pair of foxes with their kit.
Baltimore Oriole
Bluebird
Cardinal
There is such a huge variety of birds where I live, I never know what I’m going to see.
Turkey
Turkey Vulture
Ruddy Turnstone
This year was the first time I saw a turkey in the wild and was able to get a photo. A few weeks ago, a Turkey Vulture land in a tree near me. They’re huge and this one had about a six-foot wingspan. In addition to seeing my first ever Ruddy Turnstone, I had to share at least one photo of bees. 🙂
Living near the ocean, in the salt air, the sunrises are gorgeous. What is your favorite nature memory of 2020?
Contest
ONE winner will be drawn from everyone who posts on my guest blog post about, ‘My Favorite Inspiration from Nature Photos of 2020,’ on Delilah’s blog between 18 December 2020 – 27 December 2020. The winner will receive a mug.
About the Author
A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated into five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.
After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series and The Oath Trilogy, she released the bestselling The Forbidden Series.
Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.
Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
The Forbidden Series
Tagged: Guest Blogger, highlander, historical romance, photography
Posted in Contests!, General | 24 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Misty Dawn - Diana Cosby - Ann Nikirk - Denise Fidler - Delilah -
Thursday, December 17th, 2020
UPDATE: The winner is…Carol Cox!
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I realize when I ask, “Do you believe in ghosts?” I’m really asking, “Do you think there’s anything stronger than the grave?” A Roman Catholic colleague of mine had someone ask her why she prayed to her dead grandmother. Her response was she didn’t believe death could kill all that love. No way was that connection gone. I agree with my friend. I believe love is stronger than the grave and that love wants to work to our benefit. That love is stronger than the evil often attributed to ghosts by the likes of Henry James and Edgar Allen Poe. Even phenomena like poltergeists are considered rare and tied to the unresolved issues of the living.
I was always attracted to the idea of friendly spirits who want to be helpful. Be they the ghosts from the TV show Topper or cartoons like Casper the Friendly Ghost. As a kid, my heart always broke for Casper when the kids he was playing with were dragged away from him by scared screaming parents. Maybe growing up in the turbulent ’60s and knowing people rejected people like me because of the color of my skin had me identify with Casper on a level I wasn’t aware of.
I know my belief in help from beyond the grave is firmly rooted in my belief in the resurrection. But I’m also sure my belief in helpful ghosts has been shored up by the various movie versions of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Published in 1843 as “A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas” Dickens had a similar themed story in his 1836 novel, The Pickwick Papers, entitled “The Goblins Who Stole A Sexton.” In that story a selfish sexton is visited by goblins who help him see the error of his ways much like the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future helped Ebenezer Scrooge see the light. Between you and me ghosts are much more appealing than goblins.
My interest in ghosts has led to loads of research about the parapsychology realm. For instance, I learned there are five types of ghosts: the interactive personality, ectoplasm, poltergeist, orbs and funnel ghosts. Who knew? Most stories naturally focus on the interactive personality, but I’m intrigued to learn more about the other four. I came across the Louisville Historic tours has some cool photos of each if you’d care to check them out: https://louisvillehistorictours.com/the-5-different-types-of-ghosts-with-photos. They’ve even got a video purporting to capture an orb: https://louisvillehistorictours.com/ghost–orbs.
It’s also nice to know I’m not alone in my interest in manifestations from the other world. I went to ParanormalSocieties.com and have discovered thirty-five paranormal societies I intend to check out here in New Mexico.
So how about you? Do you believe in ghosts as a quantifiable reality or the stuff of fantasy and wishful thinking? Share your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to give someone a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card. Hope your holidays have been merry and bright.
A Little In Love With Death
Ten years ago no one — not even the man who said he loved her — believed Sankofa Lawford’s claim she had been brutally attacked by a ghost. Ten years later an assault on a new victim brings her back to Harlem to a mother going mad, a brother at his wits’ end and a former love who wants a second chance. Sankofa longs for her family to be whole again, for love to be hers again, but not if she must relive the emotional pain created by memories of that night.
Mitchell Emerson is convinced science and reason can account for the ghostly happenings at Umoja House. He resolves to find an explanation that will not only satisfy him but earn back Sankofa’s trust and love. Instead, his own beliefs are shaken when he sees the ghost for himself.
Now reluctant allies, Mitchell and Sankofa learn her family was more than a little in love with death. Their search for the ghost draws them together but discovering sixty years of lies and secrets pulls them apart. As their hopes for happily ever after and dispersing the evil stalking Umoja House slip beyond their grasp, Mitchell and Sankofa find an unexpected source of help: the ghost itself.
Excerpt from A Little in Love with Death…
Mitchell swallowed hard. Ten years hadn’t lessened the effect of Sankofa’s beauty on him. Photos in various alumni newsletters showed the gray in hair that had once been charcoal, the roundness in a face that had once been slender, the tiredness in a gaze that had once been energetic. He’d expected his ex-lover’s effect on him to be just as diminished. His shoulders suddenly drooped, weighed down with the loss of what might have been.
Harlan Montgomery Jr. clapped Mitchell on the back.
“Here he is, Langston. I told you Mitch would respond to our S.O.S.” He peered into Wanda Lawford’s room, shuddered then addressed Langston again. “How’s Auntie doing?”
Langston shrugged and averted his gaze.
Sankofa crossed her arms and glared. “As well as can be expected.”
Mitchell cleared his throat. Ten years hadn’t changed how emotion colored the Lawford siblings’ light complexions. Embarrassment darkened Langston’s. Anger still set Sankofa’s ablaze.
Harlan smiled, unfazed by the hostility she poured on him. “It’s good to have you back in Harlem, Sankofa.”
Sankofa uncrossed her arms. “I’m not glad to be back.” She turned her sharp glare on Mitchell. “And I won’t be staying long.”
He touched the side of his face where her scowl scraped his cheek, half expecting to find blood. He remembered how her eyes sparkled like sunlight through honey when she smiled. He would receive no smiles this trip. And rightly so. She had no reason to be glad to see him.
Buylink:
https://amzn.to/3mGvWci
Anna M. Taylor website: https://annamtaylor.webs.com
Anna M. Taylor FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/annamtaylorAuthor
Anna M. Taylor Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Anna-M.-Taylor/e/B0894LFCTV?author-follow=B0894LFCTV&
Tagged: ghost, paranormal, paranormal romance
Posted in Contests!, General | 30 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Anna Taylor Sweringen - Carol Cox - Shonna - ButtonsMom2003 - Delilah -
Tuesday, December 15th, 2020
UPDATE: The winner is…Denise!
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Christmas Puzzle Contest
Comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card! What do you suppose they’re giving each other for Christmas?
Open Contests!
Don’t forget to enter these contests, too!
- Christmas Puzzle Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
- Christmas Puzzle Contest (3 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
- Holiday Movie Recommendations (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
Tagged: Christmas, game, jigsaw, puzzle
Posted in Contests! | 24 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Linda L Richter - Eileen Airey - Shonna - ButtonsMom2003 - Delilah -
Sunday, December 13th, 2020
UPDATE: The winner is…Samantha Rowe!
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We’ve been doing a lot of movie nights here. The weather’s crap and getting colder. COVID keeps us close to home. We like getting out dinner trays or putting out finger foods or popcorn to settle in for a night at the movies in the living room.
So far, we’ve watched Elf (always a must!), The Christmas Chronicles 1 & 2 (everyone enjoyed them), Godmothered (ONLY the 7-year-old liked it), White Christmas (only I enjoyed it—but I insisted they watch the classic at least once in their lifetimes!), Home Alone, and Operation Christmas Drop (a one-timer). Last night, we watched Last Holiday (3rd time for me, 1st for kids)—everyone enjoyed it!
So, my question to you for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card is what should we watch next?
Tagged: Christmas
Posted in Contests! | 28 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Angie - Debbie - Delaine - Donna - Delilah -
Saturday, December 12th, 2020
‘Tis the season to be lazy… Fa-la-la-la-la…
Or at least it is for me. Our Christmas shopping began in late summer, and I purchased the last little things I needed at the beginning of this month. Yes, I have to wrap all the crap, er, wonderful gifts. I really do think everyone will be pleased. So, what’s left to do?
Work. However, that’s the last thing I want to do. See, there are all these delightfully awful Christmas movies to watch with the fam. We plan our lives around movie nights, now. Last night it was Godmothered. The 7-year-old loved it so much she asked, “Can we watch it again? Please!” Loved the concept. Hated the execution. Tonight, we’re hoping for a better experience with the Jamie Dornan movie, Wild Mountain Thyme. Please, someone who watched it when it released yesterday, if you hated it, don’t tell me!
We’re doing take-out a lot this week. All those homecooked meals for months are wearing on us. It’s so much work! Thank God for drive-thru and carry out. We’re having Greek gyros for lunch but home-cooked pork shops tonight. Nothing “healthy”. I’ll get back on the WW bandwagon on Monday; I’m just not in the mood for counting points.
I have edits to do for one of my favorite clients (I have to say that because we’re related 🙂 ), but I’m dragging my feet on them. I have another set right behind them, so I really do have to make some progress! And I have my own book to power through. I’m stuck in Chapter 5 and not sure where this story is going. I need “think time” but I’m not thinking much these days. I’m ready for Christmas!
How about you? Are you procrastinating or charged up? Are you ready for Christmas/holiday fun?
Open Contests!
Enter while you can!
- Christmas Puzzle Contest! — Win a FREE book!
- Flashback: The Pleasure Bot (Contest–3 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
- Christmas Puzzle Contest! — Win an Amazon gift card!
- Christmas Puzzle Contest (3 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
Tagged: Christmas
Posted in Contests! | Comments Off on Slow Saturday… (Open Contests) | Link
Friday, December 11th, 2020
UPDATE: The winners are…Shirley Long, Peggy Fowler, and Carol Cox!
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It’s a silly picture, but I like it. Solve the puzzle then comment. Have fun with the challenge!
Christmas Puzzle Contest
Comment for a chance to win your choice of download from among my huge backlist of books! I’ll pick THREE WINNERS!
Tagged: Christmas, game, jigsaw, puzzle
Posted in Contests! | 21 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Linda L Richter - flchen1 - Carol Cox - Katherine Anderson - Joy Boutwell -
Tuesday, December 8th, 2020
UPDATE: The winner is…Gemma!
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I have two, so not yet a collection, but I do love them. I have a large Wizard of Oz one and a small Washington D.C. one. You have to solve the puzzle to know what the heck I’m talking about! Have fun!
Christmas Puzzle Contest
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle then answer the question, “Do you have one of these or a collection?”
Tagged: game, jigsaw, puzzle
Posted in Contests! | 22 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Debra Guyette - bn100 - Delilah - Michelle Levan - Katherine Anderson -
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