Yes, after far too many months away I have returned and it feels great!

Not going to go into things too much, yet beyond being inundated with the managing of our store Knight People Books & Gifts and our sister website www.templesounds.net there have been things to deal with. The first was that we had to put our beloved Timber (Alaskan Malamute) asleep in January. With us for thirteen years, there were several months prior where he needed a great deal of physical attention and care. Those of you with pets instead of human family will understand the emotional hardship and drain of these things.

Timber K. Wolf

Miss Jinx

Then our cat Miss Jinx became ill. A rescued animal to begin with, she had many health problems all managed till the loss of Timber whom she loved dearly. Yes, we may have taken Miss Jinx into our home, but Timber is the one who truly adopted her and won her love. Well, anyway, she was fine for about a month, then things began to change. Thus followed more weeks of medications and the rest till she as well succumbed. Peaceably and without suffering, I am happy to report, still, these two events back to back as well as a tremendous work load drained as I have said.

After that we took a vacation for two weeks, and because of it the backload of work needed full attentions. Caught up now so it is back to this website and updating, not to mention creating once more...at least when I manage to get a new laptop, this one wheezing away its last breath at any moment. With luck it will be one that can manage my 3D graphics programs because I have a lot of ideas backed up in the old brain here. One being that when I get to the eBooks they will have images, possibly music as well, though we shall see.

Latest from amazon.com

Man, I love it. I sell my book HUNTING SHADOWS new for $16.95 there, yet go to the "Buy Used and New" section and as of this date, Monday, June 30th, 2008, you can purchase my book from the following user...whom I do not know.

(Connecticut) HOTDOG19472 = $80.00 + $3.99 shipping (Used - Very Good)

(Connecticut) KIRK999 = $100.00 + $3.99 shipping (Used - Very Good)

(Texas) BOOKSTORES12 = $186.18 + $3.99 shipping (Used - Very Good)

Wow! Once more I ask these people to please help the author out and pass on a couple bucks if you actually make a sale. Cheers, mates!

Well, that is all for the moment. Have three further installments of the Borderland Tales in my head, and between the finalized editing of DRADA-KISH: BOOK TWO IN THE DREXUS TAVOSN SAGA I hope to have something to post here in the next couple of weeks. As for the Drex books, the number of manuscripts is up to ten.

Yes, love to write, but time (and energy) for editing and publishing is another 'story'.

Cheers for now,

Melissa

Due to the high cost of traditional print publishing I have been looking with interest for some time at Digital Publishing (eBooks) scene. With the current release of Amazon's touted Reader (not to mention others) it does seem that this could be a more expedient as well as lucrative way to go when it comes to getting my name out to people direct--main stream publishing houses to follow.

That in mind, I recently came across a most excellent website, utterly bursting with information, articles, reviews and resources for anyone interested in this subject as well as traditional self-publishing and marketing. (Agents to Website Tools.)

eBook Writing and Publishing Resources

Cheers and luck,

MJV

Visit Dragon Vine

Like I don’t have enough on my plate already, LOL! Still, despite that, I am in the process of creating a social network on Ning for my friends and people who enjoy the Draz world of Drexus Tavosn, or my other stories, art...not to mention esoteric studies, gardening, vampires, pipe/cigar smoking, artists, writers...heck, all the myriad of things I myself enjoy. Just a bunch of like-minds gathering and sharing, hanging out together, etc.

Well, here’s the deal. Those who join (and yes it is FREE) get their own customizable homepage; photo, music and video albums; blog, forum...the ability to create your own groups/clubs on the network, what have you.

I’ve only one rule and that is it is a HATE FREE ZONE. Meaning anyone spouting hateful, slanderous crap of ANY SORT will be out on their backsides fast as I learn of it. Other than that, do what you want. Except if you are going to post anything such as images unsuitable for younger members your feeds will not be on the homepage, only available on your own. Sorry, but them’s the breaks.

Cheers, have fun and play nice together, (this world suffers from enough crap without doing oherwise,)

Melissa

I have just learned of this website which offers free, legal copies of various e-Books.

http://www.wowio.com/index.asp and thought I would pass it on. Note I haven’t perused the place thoroughly, but I sure plan too!

Cheers,

Melissa

Which Stephen King novel do you best belong in? You belong in The Dark Tower series. The man in black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed. The very first sentence to the modern epic, King says is his magnum opus, The Dark Tower series, all starting with the last Gunslinger Roland as he makes his trivial pursuit through a twisted mirror image of our own landscape to confront The Man in Black at the Dark Tower, with a kid from Earth named Jake, and many other memorable characters. This here, is great proof of King's story-telling sorcery. If you belong in The Dark Tower series you probably have a great, big, ambition in life, and you must accomplish it or you would rather die. Quizzes

Though quite frankly, I think it is more like "The Dark Half"

Alright, have been keeping busy here in my scant few moments. Just added my first "shoutbox" to the site, located on my BIO PAGE. Nicer then being re-directed to a guest book.

Next, I am forming a webring for author and writer's blogs, because, well, why not? Be useful for readers to be able to surf around direct to the news, updates and daily nuts an' bolts information regarding our sites and selves.

Anyhow, it is all made, just needs some polish--(images and better text, welcome letters, etc...)--when I have a few minutes more available from...someplace. Possibly this will happen within the next few days, since tonight I have to get ready and pack for an outing with the Aura Video station tomorrow, Sunday. An all day holistic fair which is sure to wipe me out through Monday at least. So then, if you should see the webring pop-up here, please don’t mind it’s non-fanciness, for, as you can be most assured, I shall get to soon as time allows.

Cheers and have a fantastic weekend, everyone,

Melissa

Managed a few more additions to the website today, a new page which will be devoted to some of my artistic creations using WOOD.

There will be sculptures, carvings and currently, some wood-burnished pieces...though I have to say, some just refuse to fit into any category.

Was really on a roll till the batteries on my camera went, so just know that there is a lot more to come. Not now though, as we’ve some friend coming over and it is dinner out soon as the SHOP closes. Last chance we’ll get to see these guys before they fly off to India and Nepal for next couple of months, so plan to enjoy ourselves as much as possible.

Catch you later, folks,

Melissa

I know, I know, it has been a while since much was done on the website (but that's what it's like when renovating your home, folks, sorry. Over soon though, thank gods!) though there is plenty in the works, that, I promise you

As it stands, I have added a few photographs to my Bio Page, and am re-working the whole "site navigation" managers (still undecided as to layouts) and have recently uploaded some more artwork images throughout that section of the site, including a few of my Pagan Greeting cards on the Fantasy Artwork page.

There are a virtual ton of new writings and stories on the way, though again, their cleaning up and posting is going to have to wait a little longer for my cognitive facilities to get over weeks of paint fumes. Whew!

All for now folks, and hope everyone had a fantastic Hallows!

Beyond that I am going to the opera tonight, Tosca, and even though I've seen it before, it should still be rather enjoyable.

Cheers and blessings,

Melissa