My husband and I are celebrating our 26th anniversary on Thursday.  

My husband is my best friend and always makes me laugh. He also read my books even though he is not a fan of YA. Then, he told me what he really thought about them without any sugar-coating. I'm thankful for a true partner in life.

Here are some great movie quotes:

Take love, multiply it by infinity and take it to the depths of forever.. and you still have only a glimpse of how I feel for you.
~ Meet Joe Black

I love you even when you’re sick and look disgusting.
~Love Actually

I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone.
~Lord of the Rings

I belong to several author groups and receive countless emails a day because I am on their distribution list. In the group membership, I may choose to  receive individual email messages  posted to the group instead of choosing to get the digest version. Digest is a smart choice when you want to get all the email messages from a specified period of time combined into one email. Still, I am on the "individual email" setting for many. Sometimes the numerous messages are riveting and filled with information that I need to know. Other times? Not so much.  

I use Gmail for my personal and author email.  Here is a feature that I use for email threads that no longer interest me. Gmail allows you to mute a conversation. By muting, you are not deleting it but skipping the inbox where you don't see it. It will be saved in the Archives.

When you select an email to read it, you can then click the MORE button on the menu at the top. Mute is the last choice on the menu that drops. Click Mute and all the subsequent emails will skip the inbox. If for some reason, a new email in that conversation is addressed specifically TO: your mail as opposed to the group, it will pop back up.  Also, I have filter set up in my email where certain emails will automatically be marked with a colored label or skip my Inbox and go straight to Archive.. These filter rules will still apply. Muted emails are not marked as read, so if I have a filter where all my group  emails route to a label (folder), then they are still there unread. You can also search muted conversations in your Archive or unmute one.

Do you read all your email? If you use Gmail, did you know about the MUTE button? How many important vs. non-important email do you get everyday?

Yesterday, I read a post at Tonja's Musings (click here) about all her discoveries on Ancestry.com. Tonja discovered lots of documents on the website. One example from her blog post: 
"The marriage bond of my great-grandparents.  Yes, bond - it stated the ancestors would be entitled to $1500 if the marriage stuck.  Was there a problem with divorce in the early 1900's?  It's a little confusing. Maybe I read it wrong."

I loved reading about Tonja's research. Before writing took all my time, I spent many hours on that website researching my Irish roots.  I think my favorite part of doing genealogy research was finding old photos. Photos can tell such stories. At the left, you see a photo that my dad gave me. My grandfather is standing in the middle.


My Grandpa Harry was a different kind of guy. It wasn't easy to get close to him. He was stern when I was a kid, and his personality seemed to change when I was a adult. Perhaps it was only my perception.  I've been told he led a wild and woolly existence in his younger years. That makes this picture very interesting to me.  My dad has lots of stories about my grandfather, and I should write them all down before I forget. 

These are the things I'll always remember about Grandpa Harry. When I was little, my grandfather didn't put up with nonsense or laugh very much. He had a fiery temper to go with his red hair. Grandpa drove his white Ford truck like a bat out of hell. You now understand why my sister and I called him  Hot Rod Harry.

Harry had few hobbies in his retirement years. He loved to talk math. He did calculations like some folks do crossword puzzles. I have no clue if any of the math was accurate. Grandpa could also crochet like nobody's business, and I had numerous house slippers to prove it. The best memories I have are of Grandpa babysitting my son. He was the most caring, gentle man when it came to my baby boy. 

Graphics 104 or The Last Dance with Graphics- by Brinda Berry

Doing a series on graphics has been a lot of fun for me. Why? Because I’m not a graphics guru. I’ve been sharing the neat little tricks that can save you some time and money. I think, “If I can do this, anybody can.” If all this gives you a headache and makes you groan, then forego a couple of Starbucks double caramel macchiatos and hire someone to do graphics work for you. I’ll give you a couple of links at the end of the post. 

Tip #1. How to know the size of a graphic you want to replace.  

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE at Gloria Richard's blog.

The Diamond State Romance Authors had a weekend retreat. The lodge was isolated and beautiful. 

Twelve members attended Friday thru Sunday and spent most of the time in writing sprints. There was a schedule posted on the refrigerator of two-hour writing blocks. We spent our free time sharing writing experience and tips. It was great.  If you click on one of the pictures below, you can enlarge it. Megan Mitcham blogged on the DSRA blog today if you'd like to see more photos! Her photos include people hard at work writing.

Thank you for dropping by my blog today for this blast from the past. I took a much needed breather after my whirlwind month of blogging in April. I've been interviewed with some fun questions at Florence's Blog called Fois In The City  Here.

Now, on to the Blog Hop!

Emily R. King and Kelley are hosting the Oh, Those High School Dances Blog Hop.
It's going to be super fun and yes, there will be prizes. Six prizes to be exact.
Here are the rules for participation:
1. Post pictures of your high school dances. 
2. Share with us your funniest high school dance story.
3. That's it!
The three categories to win prizes are:
1. Best Dressed
2. Funniest Dance Story
3. Cutest Couple

It'a a prom pic.  There is no funny story to go along with this one. I went with my friend.  I have a smirky look on my face and no idea what that was all about. I did love that dress and still have it.  I'm sure we danced a lot to the songs by The Police, Michael Jackson, and Duran Duran.

I examined this photo carefully to see if I could remember anything else to tell. I notice that my date has a ring on his left ring finger. No, I didn't go to senior prom with a married man. I also realize that I'm such a mom now because I immediately noticed his pocket is up. I doubt I'm winning this contest, but it was fun to dig up the photo.

Visit more blogs in the blog hop:

1. Emily R. King  18. Analog Breakfast  2. Kelley Lynn  19. Cortney Pearson  3. Elizabeth Seckman  20. Writing Through College  4. ilima todd  21. Jaycee DeLorenzo  5. Jaye Robin Brown  22. Carrie Butler  6. Cassie Mae  23. Danielle@EntertainingInterests  7. Suzi  24. Lara Schiffbauer  8. Angie Cothran  25. Victoria @ Twenty Something Fiction Writer  9. Ruth Josse  26. Stacy S. Jensen  10. Theresa Paolo  27. The Submission Process  11. Writing With Hope  28. Brinda Berry Blogs  12. Queendsheena  29. Amy Sonnichsen  13. Leigh Covington  30. Ink Spot Plot  14. Shelly Brown  31. Trisha @ WORD+STUFF  15. Kate Coursey - Weaving Colors  32. tara tyler  16. Writings, Workouts, and Were-Jaguars  33. Charity Bradford  17. Jenny S. Morris  

I enjoyed the A-Z Challenge last month and some bloggers really stood out from the crowd. M Pax set a theme using science topics that made me say, "Wow. Can that be for real?"   I'm honored to help this talented author  celebrate the release of The Backworlds. I have to go grab this book now. It's a free download! 

The Backworlds is here!

The first story in the Backworlds series by M. Pax. A vision of how humanity might colonize the galaxy some day in the distant future.

The Backworlds

After the war with Earth, bioengineered humans scatter across the Backworlds. Competition is fierce and pickings are scant. Scant enough that Craze’s father decides to hoard his fortune by destroying his son. Cut off from family and friends, with little money, and even less knowledge of the worlds beyond his own, Craze heads into an uncertain future. Boarding the transport to Elstwhere, he vows to make his father regret this day.

Available from: Amazon / AmazonUK / Smashwords / Feedbooks

Other links to more outlets can be found at either Wistful Nebulae or MPax

The Backworlds is an ebook and a free read. All formats can be found at Smashwords and Feedbooks.

It’ll take a few weeks to work its way down to free on Amazon Kindle. It will also be available on B&N and iTunes. Sign up for M. Pax’s mailing list to be notified the day it does go free on Amazon, and when the book becomes available at other outlets. You’ll also receive coupons for discounts on future publications. NEWSLETTER

M. Pax’s inspiration comes from the wilds of Oregon, especially the high desert where she shares her home with two cats and a husband unit. Creative sparks also come from Pine Mountain Observatory where she spend her summers working as a star guide. She writes mostly science fiction and fantasy, but confesses to an obsession with Jane Austen. She blogs at her website, www.mpaxauthor.com and at Wistful Nebuae. You’ll find links there to connect on Twitter, Goodread, FB and other sites.

The sequel, Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge, will be released in July 2012. It will be available in all ebook formats and paperback. 

A fun question game is circulating the web, and I've been tagged by the awesome Holly Kammier. She tagged me in the middle of the A-Z Challenge. Thanks, Holly, for your patience. According to the rules of “Eleven Questions,” participants must:

1. Post the rules.
2. In the same post, answer the questions.
3. Create eleven new questions to ask eleven new participants.
4. Tag those people and share links to their blogs in your post.
5. Let them know you’ve tagged them.

I am a rule breaker. SORRY. I am not tagging anyone. If you would like to answer one question or eleven in the comments, I'd love to hear your answers. If you want to consider yourself tagged, take these questions to your blog and go for it. You should also check out Holly at  http://couldhavebeenhollywood.com/ .

My questions:
1. Who was your first love? 
I thought I loved the boy I dated during my junior year of high school. At least, I told him I loved him. I also thought I loved a boy in the fifth grade. Hmm..

2. What is your favorite memory? 
It's difficult to choose. Here's one. My son was about five years old. We bought him his first video game console, a Super Nintendo. He loved that thing. The night of his birthday, he and I stayed up until 3:00 am the next morning playing an Aladdin game. We would also play the Mario Bros game together, and he would giggle the entire time.

3. What do you do to cheer yourself up?
Music, movies, good books, a hot bath, cappuccino/coffee, chocolate, playing with my dogs

4. Do you love your job?
Yes, I love parts of it. I love conducting training, teaching someone, and doing things that help people. I hate the commute. I don't like days when I must sit at my desk all day. 

5. Would your younger self feel proud of who you have become?
Sure. 

6. Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Definitely a morning person

7. What is your best trait?
I think I'm a good friend.

8. Who is the hottest celebrity?
Caleb Followill from Kings of Leon.  PERIOD. Okay, wait. Maybe Alex Scarsguard from True Blood. Or Joe Manganiello from True Blood. Wait....

9. What is your biggest accomplishment?
I think I'm still working on this. If you ask what is your biggest one this year,  it would be my two books in The Whispering Woods series.

10. What is the best thing you have learned as an adult?
That it doesn't matter what other people think. It only matters what you think about yourself.

11. If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? 
A Douglas Fir or Blue Spruce because I love the smell of Christmas