Monday, March 28, 2011

Check out the new look!

How do you like the new look, peeps? I have to give credit and a huge hug and thanks to author and friend Emmy Ellis who came up with this incredible design and new look for my blog! She captured the entire feel I was going for, to mark my brand and coming out as a romantic comedy author. ((hugs)) Emmy, this is beyond my dreams!

If you'd like an amazing banner or template for your blog or website, you can contact her on Facebook and have your dream art come true!

Learning as I go

Today is shaping up to be a day of learning by trial and error. What I've discovered is I need to spend about a year or two really learning my system software and invest in the right software tools to do what I need to do and learn to be proficient with them as well. Stringing things together and hoping they'll be okay isn't a permanent fix. It's more like 'Frankensteining' parts together and patching with duct tape. I am basically one giant ball of duct tape and so is everything in my house.

I'm just grateful I still have friends that put up with me. Seriously. I ask stupid questions because I am clueless when it comes to technology. Which is sad because once upon a time I was at the pinnacle of my knowledge, and I kept up with all the new gizmos and what they did and how they operated.  I took workshops so I stayed up to date. I could crawl under my own desk and hook up peripherals by God! I learned the term daisy chain and it wasn't a sexual reference! lol

The problem is that technology changes so rapidly, that if you don't have the time or the money, you fall behind and it's damn hard to catch up. That's what happened. Over ten years without a workshop, without the cash to upgrade my home computer or the software every six months or year since I got sick and lost my job, so I fell ten plus years behind. I once took pride in understanding what is now incomprehensible to me. So I am limping along, doing the best I can to dance and partake in this new world and it's cyber-environment, and feeling inadequate to the task.

Sure, I have made some strides. I mean, I'd never even heard of the term blog ten years ago, and now I've got a blog. I had no idea what Second Life was, ran into buildings, had no clue how to turn on my 'voice', couldn't adjust my own clothes (Had no clue how to take off my ugly camo-green bra and didn't realize it was part of the starter "skin", lol).

Today, I'm a member of many writer's groups and forums on the net and have my own website and blog—even a Facebook author page! But even more amazing, I can say I'm a published author with a straight face, and that my ebooks are out there for the world to see. I have to remember that and not my struggles with the new technology. I sometimes feel like a dinosaur, plodding through the mud, while swifter and smarter animals dance past with nary a look behind as they go beyond.

Ahh well, I suppose this is normal. Just me feeling older than dirt and about as bright as a mushroom growing in the dark. :P  Time for this old dinosaur to take a nap.

Until next time...
~Cass

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Spring Has Finally Sprung!

I am so excited spring is finally here. Well, for me at least. lol. Not sure about ya''ll in northern parts of the states or out west, or in other parts of the world. But all I know is when I see the buds on trees and the flowers in my flower bed poking their heads up through the soil, it makes me really happy. Renewal of life is a beautiful thing. :) If I were a Disney character, this is about the point where I'd break into song.  lol. Be glad I'm not, because my screeching wakes the dead and then we'd be up to our butts in zombies! :p

Speaking of zombies, have ya'll checked out my pal Cora Zane's free ebook, My Zombie Ex-Boyfriend? It's a quick, fun read that will have you grinning if not outright giggling. Yes, I said the G-word. lol. You can grab it here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/14038

Oh and be on the lookout for a new contest here on my blog, starting in April. Just my way of celebrating the season. Now, if you'll excuse me, I left my heroine in a rather precarious situation and the hero is bitching at me to get moving so he can try to save her. lol.

Until next time
~Cass

Monday, March 21, 2011

5 Questions

While being a patron of the SL arts scene this weekend, I chatted with friend Kghia Gerardi who asked me if I would answer five questions as a reader. Since I love to read and tell everyone about books I love, I agreed. You can view the informal Q&A here:
5 Questions with Cassandra Curtis http://thebookstacks.org/2011/03/20/5questions-cassandra-curtis/

Friday, March 18, 2011

Winner of the Faery Fun Stuff Contest

The winner of my faery fun stuff contest is...

::drumroll please::

Crystal Adkins!

Congrats, Crystal! Please email me at cass@cassandracurtis.com with your mailing info so I can send your prizes! Woohoo! 
May you have a fabulous weekend!
Slainte,
Cass

Monday, March 14, 2011

To Japan With Love

My heart goes out to the people of Japan. May those you've lost be always remembered with love in happier memories. They watch from the stars of heaven and send their love to guide you through this horrible disaster.

On a personal note, I'm grateful all my Japanese friends have now been accounted for and are safe. I paced a lot waiting to hear news and was incredibly happy once I knew for sure that each of you were okay. Whew. I love ya'll and I know you are happy to be alive, but also looking at an immense clean-up effort, plus a containment effort for those power plants, as so many in Japan struggle with food shortages, power outs, lack of sufficient water, and other hardships.

I cannot speak for all, but I'd like to think we all speak as one when I say that we will help you through this in whatever way we can. That's what friends do.

Blessings and healing light and love,
Cass