Category Archives: Uncategorized

Mar10

MOUSE CSI

Posted on by
MOUSE CSI

After returning from a relaxing Caribbean Cruise to their pristine NW Pacific home following a cold snap; there was an unwelcome surprise awaiting Mary, and it wasn’t a belated birthday gift, either!

In the flurry of getting home after five weeks away, there was the unpacking, laundry, calls, food shopping, and all, to address. The fact that husband Ryan noticed some evidence of mice activity in the garage, didn’t phase her one bit.  That’s the GARAGE, right? WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

By the third day of their return, husband Ryan headed back to Vancouver for a work day on an insanely early ferry.  Retired Mary snuggled deeper under the covers and emerged from the bedroom – somewhat later.

Turning the corner … Read the rest

Jan29

Creating Blogs People Want to Follow

Posted on by
Creating Blogs People Want to Follow

I don’t know about you, but I follow some blogs that keep me both entertained and informed, so that I want to continue to follow them on a daily basis. It makes me want to analyze why I will spend the time following them and how to translate this to my personal blog. Some of the characteristics that they have in common, include:

  1. something valuable will be learned or gleaned from the post
  2. concise (short paragraphs) and well-written material with a personal, and often humorous voice
  3. entertaining and fun to read
  4. visual-pictures and videos (often crazy funny ones or those aesthetically appealing) are embedded in the post or images created in one’s mind. Video is also engaging on posts.
  5. regular
… Read the rest
Jan28

Free eBooks of Frenchie Series- Bks. 1 & 2

Posted on by
Free eBooks of Frenchie Series- Bks. 1 & 2

Accept the gift of the first two eBooks of the Frenchie Series.  The books are available at

https://www.smashwords.comuntil Feb. 14, 2014 for free.

FRENCHIE’S BEST FRIEND- FOLLOW THE BLOG: Enter the Coupon Code DC85B before completing checkout.

FRENCHIE X2- FOLLOW THE BLOG:Enter the Coupon Code GZ32U before completing checkout.

Frenchie X2 Cover

Who enjoys reading the FRENCHIE SERIES?

·                           tweens (ages 9-12)

·                           librarians

·                          teachers

·                         parents

·                        grandparents

·                        pet lovers

     If you like a family-read that entertains and makes you laugh aloud, then the FRENCHIE SERIES are the   books for you!

Once you have enjoyed Books 1&2, Mary Laudien is hopeful that you will be keen to read her newest release: FRENCHIE DIVA- FOLLOW THE BLOG… Read the rest

Jan9

Cyber Shopping Blog Contest

Posted on by
Cyber Shopping Blog Contest

Did anyone notice during the holiday season this year, just how inundated one’s Inbox was with the push for online sales?  Every day one had to slog their way through excess emails to find one’s personal gems that were only to be found after deleting the ads.  If it wasn’t Black Friday, it was Cyber Monday. If it wasn’t the countdown to Christmas, it was pre-Boxing Day Sales and of course, followed up with post Boxing Day Sales.  With three devices, the amount of time deleting unwanted ads became time consuming, to say nothing of the distraction …

The question is:  Did we all simply delete them and continue to shop conventionally in stores? Evidently, not … Read the rest

Nov27

New Mantra: TNT

Posted on by
New Mantra: TNT

I devote time daily to read Kristen Lamb’s blog (Kristen Lamb@wordpress.com). She is a writer who dedicates her energy teaching others how to improve their craft.  This author’s writing tips grab your attention. One of her recent blogs was about “TNT”.  What is this, you ask?  It’s basic, but oh so succinct- “TODAY, NOT TOMORROW”.  This caught my attention, while awaiting the proof of my third book of the Middle Grade Frenchie Series.  It shook me out of that pleasurable reverie of thinking I was almost finished and deserved a break.  Not so! Authors continue to grow and develop their skills by writing daily. And with a new book, it is time to prepare for its launch-contacting reviewers, … Read the rest

Oct16

Cruising Omens

Posted on by
Cruising Omens

                     Image

Have you ever been tempted to book a Re-Positioning Cruise? We were, after hearing from others about the great deals to be had at the end of the season.  We booked a 6 day jaunt from Vancouver, B.C. to San Diego, on a whim. It was a trial run, really, to see how we’d like it. The boat was scheduled to depart Vancouver on a Sunday evening at the end of September and arrive in San Diego early Saturday.

 Living on Vancouver Island meant a ferry trip over to the mainland to board the cruise ship. Naturally, hearty sailors like ourselves, it never occurred to us to check the forecast. Once settled on the ferry, it became obvious that there … Read the rest

Aug4

Cover Concept Choices

Posted on by
Cover Concept Choices

Decisions, decisions, decisions… Frenchie Diva- Follow the Blog will be available in paperback and eBook readers by September.  Right now, the cover concepts must be decided upon.  Although this is Book #3 of a series, I am breaking from tradition by modernizing the cover concept to have more appeal for my target  “tween” readers.

This decision to go with a different design concept is based purely on gut instinct and deviates somewhat from expert advice regarding book cover design for series.  Am I making an error in judgement?  You tell me.

What are some of the criteria for meeting the design elements for a series?  Check these out:

  • make the title have impact through use of font and
… Read the rest
Jul30

Yacht Club Cruises

Posted on by
Yacht Club Cruises

Whatever happens on Yacht Club Cruises stays on Yacht Club Cruises… or does it?

 Otter Bay-13

Each year a Spring Cruise is planned with interested members of our Yacht Club. This spring, as first time participants, my husband and I signed up for the great adventure. The CAPTAIN of our sailboat was particularly keen to embark with twenty other boats and make enduring relationships with his fellow yachtsmen.

SailorBefore leaving the home dock, the participants spend hours on their vessels, preparing them for the event.  Boats are pressure washed, waxed and polished to perfection.  (To say nothing of the costly extravagances that become a must before setting sail- like generators for making that perfect morning cup of Starbucks or commissioning canvas enclosures … Read the rest

Jul24

SUMMER DISTRACTIONS

Posted on by
SUMMER DISTRACTIONS

 Image

Writers can come up with all kinds of reasons why they aren’t producing their daily scheduled hours of writing. The key to success is writing everyday, without exception.  I’m disciplined; I don’t get distracted.  Yeah, right!

 The sunshine never calls me outdoors.  No way!  Leave my computer to pick weeds, paint garden furniture, plant new beds?  Are you kidding?  Trade a keyboard to get my nails dirty?  No way! Like that would happen!

Image

Sailing cruises for extended periods of time?  What’s the chances of that?  Surely one’s computer could be secretly stowed on board… What else is a writer to do, once anchored in some memorable marina park? To say nothing of the marinas nestled next to towns on … Read the rest

May31

Recommendation Power

Posted on by
Recommendation Power

Last week, after attending a neighbor’s birthday celebration, I got right onto my Amazon account and ordered the Kindle version of THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW by Jonas Jonasson. Why did I do this? The sole reason was that five of the women at the party were discussing the book and commenting about the great laughs they were having while reading it. I immediately felt left out of that conversation; in fact, I had never even heard of Jonas Jonasson (Swedish author) and was certain that I was missing out.  I rest my case, books sell because people are talking about them- the power of the word of mouth.

Product Details

Yesterday, I had a call from a … Read the rest