G, H, I better get caught up

I got behind and missed my grand opportunity to blog about G and H. I won't lose sleep over it, but forge ahead.

Today won't be all about I (me) though. I want to blog about a writer friend with a new book out.

Anna del C. Dye writes romantic fantasy novels for the young adult market. Her newest novel is Curse of the Elfs. Book Blurb:

When an Immortal race ceases to be immortal, woe to the land.

Ancient legend tells of elfs crossing paths with a dying wizard named Zoltan. The Old Sorcerer’s unrepentant deeds had caused the wizarding school to chastise him severely. On his deathbed Zoltan asked the elfs for help. Losing patience in his delirium, he cursed them. Now, the immortal elfin race is slowly, but surely dying. Their only hope lies in a servant of kings who must learn to love the elfs before he will attempt to save them. But no one, elf or mankind, has ever heard of this man. Can the healer be found before their race is gone forever?

Author Anna was born in Valparaiso, Chile. Later she moved to the United States where she learned English through reading the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series. She was introduced to The Lord of the Rings, and loved it. In fact it inspired her own stories.

In her latest novel, she used the word "elfs," but it is on purpose and not a misspelling of the usual English plural, "elves."

Curse of the Elfs can be purchased in the following places: Amazon paperback Kindle edition Barnes & Noble paperback Nookbook edition

Anna's other fantasy novels, in the "The Silent Warrior Trilogy," are
Book 1 - The Elf and the Princess
Book 2 - Trouble in the Elf City
Book 3 - Elfs in a Conquered Realm

"F" is for 50th

I got so excited today buying the 50th Anniversary edition of To Kill a Mockingbird thinking how me and it were birthed the same year. In actuality it was published in 1960, so now it's the 51st Anniversay. I'm still way excited to own a copy of my *favorite book.

I almost spent my gift card on a Nancy Drew boxed set. Spent a lot of good times sleuthing with Nancy in my early years.


*I call it that, though truthfully, can you really have a favorite.)

"E" is for E-reader

Okay, not really. I don't have anything to say about E-readers.

How about eggs?

We are buying a new house that sits on an acre, but is surprisingly close to where we live right now. My husband has wanted an acre ever since we moved from ours in Utah, but knew I didn't want to make any random, major moves, so he found a place with a completely-redone-inside house and all the dirt surrounding it that he could ever want.

What does this have to do with eggs?

Of course, he wants to have animals, chickens among them.

Chickens lay eggs.

So possibly sometime in the future I will be known as the Egg Lady and you can come buy fresh eggs from me.

I prefer being the Egg Lady to the Crazy Chicken Lady.

I guess it could go either way.

"D" is for DH

Look what showed up at my door yesterday. Yep, my Dear Husband bought me my dream fridge.

Freezer on the bottom and all that lovely fridge space on top. Everytime I open it I will think of him.

That's not all he did yesterday...he took me to dinner, took the entire family bowling, ordered a cake, assigned the kids to decorate the house, invited people over, and put together a virtual birthday party at GoToMeeting.com where I got to talk to family from Alaska (Miss you Landi & Ralph), Utah (Miss you Megan), and Texas all at the same time.

"C" is for wellness CHALLENGE

For 12 weeks beginning last January I have participated in a Wellness Challenge. A week has gone by since it ended--a week of eating chocolate and not exercising, a week of eating after 8 PM if I darn well wanted to, and no writing in my journal. (Rebel that I am!) Nearly everything that I've been denying myself or forcing myself to do I have participated in this past week.

Now I'm here to evaluate. Of the 10 things on the list to do or not to do, what do I really want to make a part of my life. I should rephrase that..what am I willing to make a part of my life? Willing enough to actually do or not do?

Sure the challenge was, on its surface, about keeping points to see who would win the prize for the highest score, but at its core it was about developing healthy habits. Here's the 10 listed in their shortened-checklist version. Which ones do you find most worthwhile in your own life? I already am in the habit of "inspirational" reading and I don't generally drink soda, and never alcohol. Fast food is consumed sparingly. It's the others that could go either way for me.

1. 48 ounces of water
2. 45 minutes of exercise
3. 2 servings of fruits & 2 servings of vegetables
4. No soda or alcohol
5. No sugar (as in sweets, not hidden sugar that's in everything)
6. No fast food or unhealthy snacks
7. No eating after 8:00 pm
8. Read 15 minutes (inspirational reading, like scriptures)
9. Write in your journal/blog
10. Personal goal of choice

While I did lose 6 pounds (though not my intention), I don't know if I feel more "well." It's probably one of those things where you will find the most benefit down the road in life. Like when I'm 80 I'll wish that I had exercised more.

Speaking of ages that end in "0," today I am celebrating one, so it's a good time to ponder. While I'm deciding what to do about the wellness habits, I'm also thinking about what to be. If you heard Lynn G. Robbin's message yesterday, you will know what I'm talking about.



I am a big list-maker. Everyday is about what TO DO. I wanted to do something for this year when I turn an age that ends with a "0" so I am thinking maybe instead of a list of 50 things TO DO, I will work on a list of 50 things TO BE.

Instead of exercising (a TO DO) maybe I should BE someone who exercises. Hmmm...

I blog about books

"B" is for BOOKS. (And apparently for lame blog posts, because I didn't get this done earlier and I don't have anything to offer now).

Love a book today.

"A" Blog Post

Okay, despite the fact that I have about 28 other things going on in my life right now, I have jumped on a bandwagon...actually it's an A to Z bandwagon wherein I join more than a thousand other bloggers in a "'fest" to blog for 26 days in April using a different letter of the alphabet each day as some sort of theme letter.

As in, this is crazy, EH? (A)

No, it's not an April Fool's sort of thing, though that does start with an A. Check back tomorrow to see what I say B-related and you'll find out I'm serious about doing this, though I may get bogged down around about LMNOP. We'll see.

The whole point of it, they tell me, is to inspire the habit of blogging on a regular basis and to increase followers. Click on the A to Z button on my sidebar and it will take you to a list of other bloggers on the blogfest bandwagon.

Also, I don't know if this cheese guy is participating, but his posts are hilarious. Scroll down to the one where he lists his recent Facebook statuses. (Is that the plural of status?) I promise you'll laugh out loud.

http://www.theblogocheese.blogspot.com/