UPDATE: The winner is…Jennifer Beyer!
*~*~*

We have a neurotic, OCD, very bossy Yorkie named Mia. This picture could be her.

When my father was alive, we were convinced she’d decided to be his service dog, whether he wanted her to be or not. My father was diabetic and, sometimes, forgetful. He’d forget to take his shots after he ate—he had to take them three times a day. If he didn’t get up in a time she approved, she’d bark at his feet until he moved to get his medication. Afterward, he’d give her a treat for reminding him. So, now you see, she had a reward for telling him when to take his shot. At night, she was also the alarm clock, telling him and Mom when to go to bed. She’d bark and whine, and then lead them down the hall to bed.

My parents are no longer with us, but we inherited Mia, the most annoying dog on the planet because she’s still trying to be the boss. However irritating she is, we will be forever grateful to her for taking care of my dad.

So, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me a story about a dog or any other animal that made a lasting impression on you.

Last week…

• I finished Tyson’s Mission which releases on April 23rd!
• I fell behind schedule on my editing gigs due to family and TM.
• I found the art work, had the cover made (thanks, sis), and set up the pre-order for my next MBH, Cyrus.
• I’ve fell behind on creating art for #The100DayProject.
• I enjoyed watching the eclipse with all of my siblings!
• I’m trying to recover from injuring my knee. At first, I got around with a limp, then I used a knee brace, now I’m on a cane. It’s getting better now, but slowly!

This next week…

• I will work on three editing projects for other authors, hopefully finishing two!
• I HAVE TO finish reading the rest of the stories for my next anthology, Secret Identities.
• I will begin editing one of five stories I previously published, so I can republish them soon.
• I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.

I still need a vacation.

Open Contests

1. Happy Tell a Lie Day! (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. First Contact Day (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Eclipse Fantasy — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. The Eclipse! Just Wow! (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
5. The End! (Of TYSON’S MISSION, that is) (Contest + Excerpt) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Sliding Puzzle: Mayan City (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. The Montana Bounty Hunters are opening a new office in West Yellowstone! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Will you enter? (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Margaret!
*~*~*

It’s finally feeling like Spring. The japonica and forsythia bloomed and faded. The trees are budding—first, the red buds which quickly turn green, too. We’ve had to mow the lawn several times now. The temperatures haven’t dipped to freezing in a while…which makes me really antsy for it to warm up enough, so the pool won’t make me into a popsicle. We won’t talk about the green tinge of the water. We’re working on that.

So, thinking about trees growing their leaves, I found this picture which inspired a “what if” thought. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, would you enter? What would you hope is on the other side?

UPDATE: The winner is…Becky!
*~*~*

I have a new kind of puzzle for you! Try it out. See if you like it. It’s a little challenging at first! You can see the finished puzzle at the bottom. To move the pieces, do you see the fuzzy/grayed piece? You can move a bright/crisp puzzle piece into that space by tapping it. That’s how you move the pieces. It takes a bit of strategy to get those last pieces in place.

Of course, since I’m still celebrating the end of Tyson’s Mission, I chose a Mayan ruin as the subject of this puzzle!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, or try to solve the puzzle, then tell me what you think of this challenge!

UPDATE: The winner is…Cindy!
*~*~*

Local schools announced a holiday—likely because they knew few students would show up and teachers would want to watch the total eclipse of the sun, too! So the three kids were with us.

All my siblings—two brothers and my sister—my daughter and her kids gathered at my brother’s place across the highway for a viewing party. We arrived at 11:30, set up the chairs facing the sun, handed out approved eclipse glasses, and roasted. The temperature was a very balmy 84 degrees, hardly a cloud in the sky. By the time the show was all over we did have sunburns. 🙂

Of course there was plenty of time for silly photographs. My daughter played “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and we all sang so loud we could hear neighbors laughing. The 10-year-old was our self-appointed timekeeper who let us know the countdown to the “totality.” There were plenty of goosebumps and oohs and ahhs when the totality occurred and the world grew dark.

Afterward, we weren’t as interested in watching the sun “grow bigger.” My brothers set up the grill to fry a ton of fresh-caught bass with hush puppies and tons of yummy sides. So, so, good. I am so grateful we could all be together for these few days, and to enjoy the eclipse. We’ll all carry memories of a very unique event.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me when your family gathered for some fun event! And did you get to watch the eclipse?

Last couple weeks…

• I wrote quadruple the amount of pages I usually write for Tyson’s Mission and have been putting in 12-14 hour days, just on writing, this week!
• I read more stories submitted for the Secret Identities anthology—but did not finish as planned!
• I finished one editing project for another author.
• I’ve created art every day for #The100DayProject.

This next week…

• Watch the eclipse with family—weather permitting!
• I will finish Tyson’s Mission which releases on April 23rd!  
• I will work on two editing projects for other authors!
• I must finish reading the rest of the stories for my next anthology, Secret Identities.
• I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.

Again, it’ll be a crazy-busy week! I’m ready for a vacation!

Open Contests

1. Word Search: Colors of Paint (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Easter Stories (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: What I’m bingeing now… — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Happy Easter & March Into April (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Another lost art? (Contest) Plus, Open Contests! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Flashback: Gunn’s Mission (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!
7. Word Search: Eclipse Words (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Happy Tell a Lie Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
9. First Contact Day (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
10. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Eclipse Fantasy — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Diane Sallans!
*~*~*

One family member is arriving tonight. My sister will be arriving maybe Sunday night…? Anyway, it looks like the weather might cooperate with Monday’s eclipse—the only total solar eclipse we’ll see here until 2044!!! I’m so excited—or as excited as I can be as I have a deadline approaching that is kicking my ass and I have been writing for 12+ hours a day. And yes, I have to finish the book on eclipse day. Gah! Yes, feel sorry for me. I could use an attagirl!

Anyway, today’s puzzle is fun. With all the weird nonsense online about the upcoming eclipse (what on earth do earthquakes have to do with eclipses?!), I thought the image I chose would be fun. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, and then tell me the wildest story you’ve heard about Monday’s eclipse or eclipses in general! Have fun!