Memorial Day

As the daughter of a United States Veteran of WW2,

I am always thankful for the men and women who serve our country.

Everything I learned about dedication, honor, and integrity, I learned from my father.

On this day, we honor their commitment and sacrifice.

I encourage those of you reading this,
to donate your time and/or money to charities
(such as Fisher House Foundation,
Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
National Military Family Association
Operation Homefront – N.O.)
that help our Vets.

If you are a Vet, thank you for your service!

To those who made the ultimate sacrifice,
you may be gone, but you are NOT forgotten.

So while you enjoy your day off, always remember why this day is ours to hold...

Blessings and have a great day!

Cat Giggles

I do believe this kitty enjoyed some of my primo 'nip. lol.

Eclectic Reader Contest Winner

The winner of my eclectic reader contest is ...

*drumroll please*

MARY!

Congratulations, Mary!

Please email with your info to cass @ cassandra curtis. com (no spaces)

Thanks to all who entered! :-)

I'm having another contest later this summer, 

so check back and watch the blog for updates.

Eclectic Reader's Contest!

I'm clearing off my shelves and offering up a neat giveaway package for my readers.


I've stuffed a goody bag with bookmarks, and the paperbacks: On the Hunt anthology by (Gena Showalter, Shannon K. Butcher, Jessica Andersen, and Deidre Knight), Dying For Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson, Star Raiders by Elysa Hendricks, Dogs and Goddesses anthology (Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, and Lani Diane Rich), Tall Tales and Wedding Veils by Jane Graves, and Hope's Folly by Linnea Sinclair. So six books in all, each very different in genre, style, and voice. Perfect for the eclectic reader.

To enter, you must answer two questions and then leave a comment here on my blog with your answers. The answers can be found on my Facebook author page, in the notes section for my Flash Fiction Fridays. In the case of a tie, entrants with the correct answers will have their names placed in a hat and one name will be drawn out.

Question #1. What was the name of the shapeshifting cat in my flash fiction story, Stray?

Question #2. Who saved my fictional self from a sex-fiend in my flash fiction story, First Impressions?

Contest ends midnight, May 26, 2011 and the winner will be announced on May 27th here on my blog.

Good Luck!

A Worthy Cause and A Fabulous Contest!

My good friend Jax Cassidy is an amazing person, and here's why—
Not only does she have wicked wild talents as a graphic artist, and write incredible erotic stories, she also has a big heart. She is using the release of her latest ebook SHIBUYA MOMENT to help a great cause.

All author proceeds from the sale of her story  SHIBUYA MOMENT will be donated to the Red Cross and ShelterBox for the relief effort in Japan. 

On top of that, she pulled together a group of her friends and is sharing the love by having a fabulous contest for readers! The giveway is valued at over $500.00!

Thanks to the help of her friends and SPONSORS, they are going to include a brand new Kindle 3G and an Amazon gift card to add to the already fantastic giveaway!

GO to the link below and find out how to enter her amazing contest and help spread the ebook love.
http://jaxcassidy.com/shibuya-giveaway/

Dream Interpretation Workshop

I've always been interested in dreams and what they mean. I've taken workshops on the subject and read numerous books in an attempt to discover if my dreams have any significance or if I simply shouldn't eat eggs and chips after midnight. lol.

I love to hear about other people's dreams and help them figure out what their subconscious mind is trying to communicate.

Dreams are also the perfect vehicle to let our imaginations take flight. Many authors use parts of their dreams to color the imaginary world of their books, to add and enrich the art of storytelling and storycraft.

Do you dream in color? Are your dreams more like still frame snapshots? Or full-blown movies with an orchestra? Or maybe your dreams warn you of coming events? Do you remember your dreams at all? Or are they more like faint visions that disappear like mist?

If you have an account in Second Life and would like to attend my workshop and learn more about your dream time, please mark your calendar, because this Thursday, I will be in SL at Fig, Haunted Fruit Island, talking about dreams and what they mean. :-)

Thursday, May 19, 2011
3pm SLT
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fig/87/228/503

Hope to see you there!

Mermaid Dreaming

Friday the 13th Myth

Luck Is Where You Find It

I imagine most of you reading this know what today is, right? An unlucky number on an unlucky day, the combination of which causes the more superstitious to stay home and bolt the doors.

In my own family, Friday the thirteenth is considered very lucky. A child born on Friday the thirteenth is said to be blessed by the magic of the old ones. I have a sister born on that day whom we all love very much, even if she did hog all the mirrors when we were growing up. lol.

For many people though, it is a time to beware of walking under ladders, crossing the path of black cats, or handling any mirrors. But how did the concept of luck, of superstitions, Fridays and the number thirteen, ever get started in the first place?

Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the psychological term for those individuals afraid of Friday the 13th. Fear of the number thirteen has been around for ages and although we aren’t one-hundred percent sure where it started, many believe it stems from the story of the of the Last Supper, where thirteen sat down to eat, and one of their number, Judas, betrayed Jesus.

Others insist the unlucky association dates back to Friday, October 13, 1307, the day that many Knights Templar were simultaneously arrested in France, and then executed.

But I’ve found that much of luck depends on who you ask and what their culture or religion believes. While most people in England, Germany, Portugal believe Friday the thirteenth is unlucky, it is Tuesday the thirteenth that is bad luck for those in Spain and Greece.
However, Buddhists believe the day is a lucky one, as did the ancient Aztecs and Egyptians.

Personally, I think it all has to do with math.

Yes, I know for most of us, math is inherently evil anyway, but let’s think for a second. Thirteen is a prime number, and very different from all the other numbers before it. That was probably very scary to the slide-rule challenged cavemen who first discovered the uniqueness of the number thirteen.

I believe we make our own luck. Serendipity is there for the taking, and whether what we experience is good or bad is more than a toss of a coin. Sometimes all we need is to focus on is what we want.

So how do you make good luck?

Expect to get as good as you give and allow yourself to be lucky. That’s right. Know it and it will be. Simple, huh?

Now, I’m not saying for you to act like a Pollyanna and recite affirmations while your car is being towed. ::grins::

A positive attitude is only going to take you half-way. You must use your innate senses, your inner ESP, your knowledge, and careful attention, to take you the rest of the way.

Clear the way for the magic to happen. Watch for potentials—be observant—and expect to be lucky.

Thirteen is nothing to fear.

Steamed Up...and not in a good way

Info below reposted permission courtesy of author Ashley March. http://www.ashleymarch.com/blog/?p=1439

Facebook apparently has rules for pages that nobody knows about/pays attention to. But Facebook is serious, and they’ve updated the rules today.

These rules I’m referring to are about promotions/contests run on Facebook. They aren’t directed solely at authors, of course, but since many authors routinely post contests on Facebook through their author pages, I thought I should bring attention to this issue. Turns out that if you don’t follow the rules, Facebook can and will delete your page at any time and without warning.

First, feel free to read the Facebook rules straight from the company itself. It’s in pretty plain English.

However, for those of who would rather read my summary, please pay attention.

According to Facebook’s Promotion Guidelines (which includes contests, although they define them differently than how we commonly use the term), we:

1) May NOT hold a contest on our Facebook pages unless it is administered through a third party app and is placed on a unique page tab or canvas page.

2) Must disclose that participants are giving information to us and not to Facebook; must acknowledge to participants that the contest is not sponsored, endorsed, or associated with Facebook; and must have participants somehow acknowledge that they release Facebook from any liability.

3) May NOT use any part of Facebook’s features or functionality to enter participants in the contest. This means participants cannot be required to like a status/picture, comment on a status/picture, enter their own status/picture, or even like the page as a condition to be entered into the contest.

***You should read this last one again. If I’m reading this correctly, it means that we can no longer hold “Like my page and I’ll give away a Kindle when I reach 5,000 fans” contests.***

(Note: If you read the rules on the Facebook link, #3 and #4 are in clear contrast as #4 says you CAN do this. However, as #3 is the update to what I read just last week, I’m certain that it holds the most weight and Facebook will probably clear this up soon.)

4) May NOT use any Facebook features or functionality (such as asking people to “Like” something) in order to receive votes for a promotion. (I have to admit I’m not really sure I’ve ever seen anything like this; if someone can clue me in, please do.)

5) May NOT use Facebook to notify winners of any contest whether held on Facebook through the third party app or on a separate website (such as our author websites). This notification includes posting on our own walls, posting on winners’ walls, chats, and direct messages.

6) May NOT use Facebook in the name of a promotion (such as “Check out the Ashley March Facebook Contest”), nor any trademarks, copyrights, intellectual properties. We may NOT use Facebook in the rules and materials of any contest except as stated above in #2 as required. (Note: Because all of these rules are meant to govern us if we “communicate or administer a promotion” on Facebook, I believe this guideline specifically applies to what we post or link to on Facebook about a contest; see below for a run-around.)

In my opinion, what does this all mean for us? I don’t blame Facebook for protecting itself, but it definitely limits us to the point where we can ONLY communicate on the site. Of course, the point of having social media is to interact with readers, but I know a ton of readers who enjoy Facebook contests and a lot of authors (including myself) who have ran “Like Me” contests in the past in order to increase the number of readers on their page.

In essence, the only things we CAN do are:
1) Use Facebook to mention and provide links to contests we are holding elsewhere (unless it’s a Facebook contest; see below).

2) Continue to run “Like Me” contests on our author websites. However, we can only use Facebook to monitor the number of people who become a fan. We can’t use Facebook to advertise the contest because of #6 above and we can’t use Facebook to notify winners. Publicity for “Like Me” contests will have to come through Twitter (yay, Twitter, my new best friend!), newsletters, our own websites, etc.

ETA
3) Announce that you’ll run a contest AFTER you get a certain number of “Likes.” Then run the contest on a separate tab through the third party app or on your own website.

4) As far as I know, these rules apply only to pages. Unless it’s hidden somewhere that I haven’t seen, you can still run contests through your individual/personal accounts. (However, this seems like a very fine line to me and one I’m personally not going to cross.)


All of this is a big blow to author promotion, and I know some people are going to continue running contests as they see fit anyway. For me, however, I’m going to be following the rules simply because I don’t want to find out one day that my page has been deleted. If you know of any authors who are running contests on Facebook or are otherwise violating these rules, please let them know!

Now I'm left unsure whether it's even safe to post on my FB pages about the contests or events I have on my website. And when I think of all the time I've spent building a following on FB, creating a fan page and begging people to "like" it, it makes me sick. I could have written another story or two in the time that FB has taken out of my life, because I thought I was building something, and creating another avenue for my promotion. Grrr.

Hmm. Sounds to me like to stay in FB good graces, we authors will have to buy those irritating sidebar ads to stay safe within their policy mandates. In the old days we had a term for this...it's called a "shakedown". When you didn't pay to keep your business "protected" from being destroyed (literally) the mafia would come pay you a visit. The difference is that these "companies" hide their true nature behind a smile and their happy little mission statement. At least the mafia was honest about their intentions and thus had far more integrity. Grrr.

I have one word for Facebook—MySpace. Remember MySpace? Yes, and soon as the next hottest thing appears on the horizon, the new "thing" will eat their lunch and FB will be eating dust.

Oh and if you dare to retaliate and pull down my pages or another author's pages for us warning each other and speaking our mind (Free speech, remember that?) or using your policy as an excuse to cut us down for speaking out, FB, you'll wish you'd never been born. Seriously.  You want social media? Power to the people? It works both ways. Enjoy.

Mermaid Tarot Event

Tarot Reading Event in Second Life tomorrow!

Thursday, May 12, 2011
6pm SLT

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/196/225/22




Join Cassandra for a quick swim in the sea as she reads the Mermaid Tarot Cards. This is a free event. Tail is optional. *wink* Hope to see you there!

The Ghost Of Goodacre Hall at Story Telling Hour Tonight!

As some of you might know, I have a fascination for anything paranormal, and you can't get more paranormal than ghosts! They both frighten (The Shining) and even delight us (thinking Casper here). They also make us think about what lies beyond the every day existence we lead. I've interviewed and talked to hundreds of people who claim they've seen a ghost, and the encounter left them more than a little freaked. Some have evidence, using everyday items like a tape recorder and digital camera. Others experience the feeling of being watched, or perhaps even touched, then turn around and nothing is there.

In my little short story ebook, The Ghost of Goodacre Hall, a former chef decides to open a bed and breakfast. There is just one catch—the house is haunted. The story is both sweet and funny, with a tiny dash of heat, and a small dose of realism. I've always liked this story and I hope you will too.

I will be in Second Life, reading The Ghost of Goodacre Hall tonight at 6pm SLT (Pacific), behind the Midnight Moon Cafe located in the sim, Awen. http://slurl.com/secondlife/Awen/196/225/22

When you arrive at the Cafe, look behind the building and you'll see a graveyard. That's where the reading will be held. The event is in *voice* so please bring your headsets, so you can hear the story.

If you'd like to read the ebook for your self, it's available for FREE at www.smashwords.com. Click the link in the right hand column of this blog, where it says Cassandra's Links. See it? Under that heading is a link that says Cassandra on Smash. Now you're all set. :-)

I hope to see you there!

Cass

Happy Colors

Your Nail Polish Color is Magenta

How you're unique: You're confident - and you show everyone the true you Why your style rocks: You have the attitude to carry the most outrageous outfits off What this color says about you: "Look at me. I know you want to!"

What Color Nail Polish Best Fits You?

Blogthings: A Fine Line Between Insight and Stupidity

Happy Mother's Day

glitter-graphics.com

To all the moms out there, enjoy your special day. Being a mom is a 24/7 lifelong job with little pay and lots of headaches and heartaches along the way, but also filled with a lifetime of love and special moments you'll cherish forever.

To all those kids out there, whether you're 18 or 25 or 64—appreciate and show your mom all the love you hold for her now, while she is still with you. Let her know by doing little, special things for her, to show her how much you care, but also never forget the hugs. And for goodness sakes, never miss an opportunity to tell her how much she means to you!

To those who are still mourning the loss of their mom, Mother's Day is yet another sad milestone you must endure. But rest easy knowing that a mother's love never truly dies...and so too is your love for her. Some things are eternal and that love outshines the stars, and illuminates all the shadows. Celebrate her life, knowing she is smiling upon you. ((hugs))


In Memoriam

My mum, Sylvia. It's been six months to the day and I am still sorting through things. Please forgive the mess.

Now that you're with Dad, I hope you are finally getting him to dance with you. :-)

I miss you both so very much. But if there are crap tables or race tracks in heaven, I know where to find you. :-D

Happy Mother's Day.

Ky Derby Fever—Who Will You Pick?

* Number 18, Uncle Mo has been scratched from the Derby.

Oaks and Derby!

Living in the bluegrass, it's difficult to ignore the history and the pageantry of the state's two main sporting events, The Kentucky Oaks and The Kentucky Derby. I've been a follower of the races since I was a wee tyke, held in my older sister's arms. Heck, my grandpappy (dad's dad) helped teach me how to read a racing form when I was three years old! True story. I got to be a decent handicapper by the time I was seven and had memorized every winner of the Derby since its inception. :-)

Even after my family moved from the state, we still followed the Oaks and Derby faithfully. When I moved back many years later, I started going to all the festival events, enjoying the party atmosphere.

I've been to the Oaks and Derby several times, but my favorite Derby visit still remains the 99th running, the year Secretariat won, 1973. We were on the backside that year, with all the other owners and trainers who didn't have horses running in the Oaks or Derby. Back then, it was like a picnic and a party, a family reunion and spectacle all-in-one. It was very laid back on the backside (near the barns and the backstretch). I wore a pair of my nicest jeans and a t-shirt. The very opposite of the grandstand and clubhouse, where all the women wear spring sun dresses and fancy hats and heels. :-) The infield was a mass of swarming people and from our vantage point, you couldn't see much, including the streaker who climbed a flag pole. He was an indistinct, pale spot in the distance. I recall my dad laughing his butt off after someone mentioned a streaker had climbed the pole, saying, "I bet he's going to regret doing that, especially on the slide down!" Ouch! lol.

My favorite Oaks memory was the year a family friend of ours had a filly running in the '75 Ky Oaks. We were living in Florida, but came up for the race, to cheer dad's friend's horse on to victory...but instead a horse named Sun and Snow won. Still though, it was a very fun day and I got a new dress and hat out of the deal. :D Afterward, our entire family went out to dinner and celebrated anyway, swapping racing stories. :-)

Some of my best childhood memories involve being at a horse track, at the stables on the backside, or in the stands cheering on our horses. So no wonder the Ky Oaks and Ky Derby hold a special place in my heart.

May all the horses and jockeys have a safe trip around the turns and the stretch... and good luck!

The 2011 Kentucky Oaks Line-up:
Here are the fillies running for the lilies...
(This roster may be subject to change until race time.)

1. Post position 1: Joyful Victory (Tapit x Wild Lucy Black by Wild Again) – jockey Mike Smith to ride for trainer J. Larry Jones and owner Fox Hill Farms, Inc.
2. Post position 2: Lilacs and Lace (Flower Alley x Refinement by Seattle Slew) – jockey Javier Castellano to ride for trainer John P. Terranova, II, and owners James Covello and Judy B. Hicks.
   
3. Post position 3: Summer Soiree (War Front x Mazel Tov by Mazel Trick) – jockey Gabriel Saez to ride for trainer H. Graham Motion and owner Team Valor International.
4. Post position 4: Kathmanblu (Bluegrass Cat x Abba Gold by Devil’s Bag) – jockey Julien Leparoux to ride for trainer Kenneth G. McPeek and owners Five D Thoroughbreds and Wind River Stables.
5. Post position 5: Suave Voir Faire (Suave x Avie’s Song by Lord Avie) – jockey Miguel Mena to ride for trainer Daniel M. Smithwick, Jr., and owner Fleur de Lis Stable LLC.
6. Post position 6: Zazu (Tapit x Rhumb Line by Mr. Greeley) – jockey Joel Rosario to ride for trainer John W. Sadler and owners Jerome and Ann Moss.
7. Post position 7: Her Smile (Include x Hepburn by Capote) – jockey Garrett Gomez to ride for trainer Todd A. Pletcher and owner Bobby Flay.
8. Post position 8: Bouquet Booth (Flower Alley x Toll Order by Loup Sauvage) – jockey Robby Albarado to ride for trainer Steve Margolis and owner Right Time Racing LLC.
9. Post position 9: Daisy Devine (Kafwaine x Devil’s Dispute by Devil’s Bag) – jockey James Graham to ride for trainer Andrew McKeever and owner James M. Miller.
10. Post position 10: Street Storm (Stormy Atlantic x Oblivious by Cozzene) – jockey Shaun Bridgmohan to ride for trainer Steve Margolis and owner Right Time Racing LLC.
11. Post position 11: Holy Heavens (Holy Bull x Heavens Passport by Awesome Again) – jockey Kent Desormeaux to ride for trainer Benard Chatters and owners Drs. K.K. and Vilasini Javaraman.
12. Post position 12: Plum Pretty (Medaglia d’Oro x Liszy by A.P. Indy) – jockey Martin Garcia to ride for trainer Bob Baffert and owner Peachtree Stable.
13. Post position 13: St. John’s River (Include x Adventurous Di by Private Amount) – jockey Rosie Napravnik to ride for trainer Andrew Leggio, Jr., and owner DeDe McGehee.

Who do you like?

34/60 Challenge: Star Raiders

Star Raiders by Elysa Hendricks

Like two ill-aligned stars, Shyanne Kedar and Greyson Dane were destined to collide. She was a smuggler’s daughter, and he, an interstellar lawman. Their affair was scorching, dazzling, and ended like a supernova, in a blaze of betrayal.
Ten years later, the flames haven’t cooled. Shyanne’s lush body, the twist of her lips and the fire in her eyes all radiate the same magnetism that ensnared Greyson before, and now he’s truly her prisoner. But as much as things have changed, they remain exactly the same. Danger threatens. Humanity’s fate hangs in the balance. And though his tempting captor doesn’t know it, if Greyson’s plan succeeds, it will save mankind and lose him the only woman he ever loved.

Books For Our Men and Women Overseas

If you'd like to help out our men and women overseas in the military by donating books, the seven links below are a good place to start. Links courtesy Galley Cat.

1. E-Books for Troops will help you share your used Kindle with our troops overseas.
2. Operation Warrior Library connects writers with military personnel.
3. Books for Soldiers mails books to troops.
4. Operation Paperback sends paperbacks overseas.
5. Books-a-Million will let you select and purchase Books for Troops in a special program.
6. Operation eBook Drop focuses on eBooks.
7. Follow this Google search to find many more options for sharing books with soldiers.

Winner of my first 34/60 Challenge!

The winner of my first 34/60 Challenge Contest and the books Katrina: The Beginning and the paperback anthology, Must Love Hellhounds is...

Angel G.

Congratulations, Angel. 

Since you provided your email addy, please look for my notification email in your inbox 

and please reply with your mailing info. :-)

Thank you to everyone who entered.

I plan to have another 34/60 Challenge giveaway later this month, so watch and enter to win!