Weather: A little hot, but not overly bad
Working on: Updating my website, finishing up work, and getting ready to hang out with my friends.
Currently Listening to: Harry Potter Puppet Pals channel
Currently Watching: About to watch Juno with my best friend Evan and the hubby and YEAY, NEW Once Upon a Time tonight! FROZEN!
Currently Playing: Stuck on Pokémon Trozei still, but I haven’t touched it since last month’s update!
Currently Reading: The Selection Stories- The Prince and The Guard by Kiera Cass
Thoughts and feelings: I have really good friends and family. 🙂 I also hope I am not getting sick like my co-workers and students; I am starting to cough and my throat is sore…
Holiday(s): Ask a stupid question day. But…there are no stupid questions…Hmmm…I’m in a pickle then.
Wallpaper: A girl with long brown hair flowing in the wind, shushing the viewer, in a blue kimono. She has a scar on her cheek and violet eyes.
Icon: The icon is SO true lately since 1) Stay is based on a braver, cuter, has super power version of me, and 2), with all the edits I’ve been doing and seeing my students read my book everywhere at middle school, I’m not too surprised or sad this is happening. 😉
Quote: “You have no compline. You are what you are and you ain’t what you ain’t. So listen up buster and listen up good! Stop wishing for bad luck and knocking on wood.”- Submitted to me by one of my students last year, M.W.
It’s HERE! The update you’ve been patiently waiting for! Drum roll and trumpet fanfare please…*throws arms out dramatically, grins like a fool, marveling in the pumping music*
SPIRIT VISION 2 now has a title after much discussion! Our title for the second installment of the series is….“New Beginnings.”
I am 19% done with round #2 of edits and we feel like we are in a good place, which is a breath of relief! >.< Hehehe! The release date for “New Beginnings” is November 25th (the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week so you can have something to read as you lounge after turkey) and we are planning to have pre-orders ready by the end of October.
Here is the official blurb for the new book:
“You’ve been chosen to be God’s Warrior, but not even He knows what lies ahead.
Spirit Warrior Stary Moon is prepared to begin her sophomore year of high school with a better understanding of the powers granted to her from the Lord. But the path set out for her is uncertain. Stary never imagined what a challenge it would be to get her friends and family to accept her true love, former spirit Umbra, whose Ultimate Weapon powers are resurfacing mysteriously. On top of this, a dark presence is possessing spirits and ghosts, haunting Stary’s dreams, and wanting revenge. As Stary dives deeper into the world of spirits, she begins losing her connection to the world of mortals. Does Stary have the strength to overcome this darkness alone, or will she need to dabble in some ancient magic? Can she continue this path no matter what the cost?”
The book will be available at all major e-book and on-line book retailers that Spirit Vision is sold, including Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble’s website, Smashwords, and, of course, Paper Crane Books’ on-line store!
Like before, the amazing and lovely Suzy Zhang AKA Cherriuki did the cover. She is incredible, doing exactly what I asked for the cover and then some. My characters look stunning. I will reveal the back cover soon as well (which she also did). Sheenah and I had the hardest time with the placement of “A Spirit Vision novel” on the cover (I am still sad that Umbra’s spikes are covered. Hope he doesn’t shot us with an energy ball >.<). What do you guys think?
Sheenah, my amazing publisher, has dealt with so much and worked her little tail off to get this book ready for me and the readers. I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart for not giving up on me and listening to me, good days and bad. I could not ask for a better publisher and friend. ^_^
If you want to see the official press release for the cover, title, release date, and blurb, here is the Paper Crane’s Link.
Soon, we will have exciting events, updates, and more to promote “New Beginnings.” Check my social media often for info.
Paper Crane Press has some grand news as well! We have just started a Podcast page! It is called “Indie’s Reading Block Podcast Page.” This is where authors from the press will themselves read or have someone else read for them samples of their works, short stories they’ve written, and other literary works! I think this is awesome. You can also fill out a form for our Podcast and send your own work in for a chance to be on our site! Isn’t that grand? ^_^ I promise I will be recording a few things for the IRB Podcast, most likely recording this week! Stay tuned on my social medias for updates on that.
Also, this Sunday, October 5th, I HOPE to have my Ebay account, SakuraStar07. up and on-line! I will be selling book themed products you can only get on there, manga, books, and a few other little odds and ends (a few DVDs, a poster, and so forth). Make sure to check it out if you like any of the items above and I will give a FREE autograph on the item or a business card I will send with it to anyone who wants it; just send me a message. My brother and I have done a little business so far in the past month, which shocked us in a good way. ^_^
I wanted to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for me in the Indie Recon’s Book Awards in the Best Y.A. Book for 2014. Being in the top #5 as a new author is an incredible feeling! Thank you all for the support. *huggles* ^o^
SOOOOO!!! Up to updates! I added a new top ten. I have been talking about watching a new anime for a while now, but haven’t due to being tired or busy. I hope this anime top ten will inspire me to ACTUALLY do it! HA!
Fairly soon, you maybe hearing me again in one of my pals and fellow press mates, Dan Wright’s, web show… 😉 Just out his Youtube for the release and fun. It is 16+ however! >.<
Our audiobook version of “Spirit Vision” is making progress still. More info to come. =)
I want to give a MAJOR shout out and congrats to my good friend, Samurai Dan! His second book, Fenris Firar, was released on August 14th! ^_^ I am overjoyed for this amazing man; he deserves this so much. If you want to order a copy of the book, check it out. Also, today is his birthday! =D AND, soon, he may be my guest on my site…Stay tuned!
Our groovy Hippy Librarian, Mrs. Dillon, let me design my own display case for my books at my work, the middle school! I had my self-proclaimed ‘male biggest fan’ help me with it. She also got two more copies of Spirit Vision and two of my collection, A Sweet, Little Dream. Within three hours, all the books she had ready were checked out. My students would tell me if they loved me or hated me depending on where they were at. HA! It is so pretty and such an honor. I am so grateful for all the support at work and with loved ones.
Onward to “Last Months Rewind!” If you missed anything that has happened from August 31st to today, September 29th, then this list should help you out:
- My newest anime top ten.
- My good friend, Sam Washburn, was my September Aspiring Author Spotlight and did a bang up job! Here interview and poems are here.
- I was part of the “Meet My Character” blog tour, challenged by my own publisher. I was sort of…taken over by some people you would NOT believe! It was so much fun. If you want to see who outshined me in my interview, you can read it. I challenged Dan Wright and his interview is fantastic!
- My voicing a raging fan girl on Dan Wright’s web show, episode #4. Make sure to watch episode #5 soon!
- I added several pictures from my September 2014 Pokémon event (which was HUGE and more stories below) AND other prints I bought from Suzy-chan, my artist on my author Facebook.
- Anything else you want to know, you can read “August 2014’s” major update.
My life has been filled with work, writing, and friends and family, which I am not complaining about. I am sad that my favorite clothing store, Rainbow, is closing in my town. ='( I got some out of this world deals, but I still will miss them terribly. At work, I got to learn some self-defense move as well. I was the best at the backing away pose because of all the times I pretended to be a Power Ranger in my youth…and current life! HA!
It is Homecoming week right now. Today, Monday, was PJ day my favorite. I wore some new navy blue and gold PJ bottoms I got at Rainbow. They have Chinese designs on them. I wore my blue Pikachu shirt with it, a Superman sleeping mask as a headband (I got it in a grab bag at a con), my hair was in pig-tails, and I carried Evan’s Pikachu plush. OH GOOD GOSH! I was popular today! >.< My students freaked out seeing Pikachu and were asking me all sorts of Pokémon questions, doing Pokémon voices. I even moved away from the students to work up front so they could do their work, but they followed me! The other teachers were either scolding me or biting their lips not to laugh. Sadly, I had to go home sick because my throat is super sore, I’m coughing, and have a slight fever. I hope I get over it. I will tell you guys more about Homecoming next update.
Derrick, my husband, turned 27 on September 5th. I told how we went to the Japanese Culture Festival the week before his birthday on my August update. We had a quiet birthday, the two of us. He wanted to go to Long John Silvers and I treated him. Then we opened gifts and later, I dressed up in a black dress and made him a dessert plate. He seemed to like it. I got him a white summoning plush from the anime Kekkaishi (my mom thought it was a voodoo doll an d now Evan wants one! HA!), the Naruto movie: Blood Prison on DVD, the September Galactic Loot Crate (which I was sadly disappointed in), and the third book in “The Light Bringer” series, which JUST came out and he REALLY wanted!
That Sunday, September 7th, Evan and I threw our surprise birthday for Derrick. I took us well over a month to plan it and hide it. I had to blindfold him and drive around town for ten minutes in circles, but we went to the park up the road from our apartment! HA! He was super shocked and scared when I had to lead him across the parking lot! He was super happy and shocked at all the people there. We had his parents, my brother, his brother, Evan (who was the master of all the BBQ at the time, me (duh), our friends Tabby, Nathan B, Andrew, Alesha, Julie, Crystil, and Logan. We ate, joked, had cake fights (he had a Star Wars cake), and more. We played games I made up and Derrick got to hand them a prize from the puppy bag. They were all little dollar things I knew he’d like, such as a Ninja play kit, an Iron Man, fake mustaches, and more. Our games were large bouncy ball volleyball, squish smashing with a mallet (that was a BLAST to see), Zombie silly string tag, a quiz on how well they knew Derrick, and we had capture the flag stuff, but it got dark. These little kids sat and were watching us the whole time, asking with giggles, “Oh! I wonder what they are going to do next!” It was darling! We had so much left over food, but Derrick was thrilled and felt loved. Even though it was a lot of planning and I spilled pickle juice all over the floor rug on the passager seat of my car (Gah!), it was so wonderful! 😀 Now, on to MY BIRTHDAY!!!
On September 20th, we had our monthly Pokémon event. We got two extra tables, having four long tables instead of two and a mini one, but…we STILL needed more room! We had 13 kids! Luckily, I was warned by my students and the owner that we most likely would have a large number. We had 10 in June, so this beat that. Logan and Julie were secretaries and did a fantastic job making the kids read the rules, putting them on a list with a number, and more. It was CHAOS and I felt bad I was running around and could not get to everyone, but it was also tons of fun. I had all my Elite Four members, but Evan-Chu (who had work), so my buddy Andrew swung by with a borrowed deck from me and, although he hadn’t played in AGES, he did great and enjoyed himself. He is now an official alternate and teacher, like Tabby AKA Miss Eevee, which will be useful. The students were SO well behaved! ^_^ He is now a member of our team. He is Captain Wesley, a good sea pirate who loves adventure and has been known to capture evil Pokémon kidnapping organizations with…unique methods. His deck is ice and dark ghosts. He even has TONS of stories and ideas for us to have even more fun! I love his noggin!
I, as you may or may not know, am the Champion of my group. I am decent, but the main reason I am is because I do all the work and planning! HA! Plus, they tell me I am the best with kids. I am not sure if that is true, but I hope I do well with them since I have a B.A. in Elementary teaching. Anywho, I was challenged by a lovely 22 year old girl in a Pikachu tank top and her and her boyfriend had a beaded Pokémon necklace, each wearing half! AWWW! TOO KAWAII!!! <3 She was so nice, but…she FLOORED the Elite Four! She beat Fabio and Captain Wesley in three turns! 0.o Fabio was so stunned, he was about to cry. Derrick did beat her once and he was the fourth member, so she was determined to defeat him. She was so polite with me and apologized when she had a card we do not allow in decks due to teaching, being so understanding. Well…I have been defeated, and I was okay with it. It was an amazing match (with Fabio and his rose petals doing a large, booming announcement). She got a crown, a free card pack, and is now an honorary Elite Member for life, being a member or a teacher any match she wants to play, depending on what we need. She was giddy, telling me she had wanted to come to my event often and was thrilled to be in a group. I look forward to adding her to our team. I found out later that she had won 12 official Pokémon tournaments matches! 0.o
Our next event is at Gamers Bazaar, noon to 2:00, on Saturday, October 18th. It is Halloween themed! We will be dressing up and also have Pokémon games where you can win cards along with a Costume Contest for the students, three winners, three card packs. Captain Wesley will be telling some pirate stories in his grand voice. Christian, our ghost trainer, will be stirring the ghosts and walking around being creepy. We’ll have a Pokémon snack and, of coarse, from 12:30 to 1:55, we will be teaching/playing/competition in the card game. Board games and handhelds will be there as well. We hope to have even a BIGGER turn out!!! <3 Gotta love Pokémon!
I designed and ordered shirts for my crew. ^___^ We will wear them starting in November. They all have the same front, but the back has our title, our name/nickname, our element symbol (deck), or favorite Pokémon’s number in the Pokedex, and a symbol with a Pokeball and all the deck symbols around it. It is super colorful and I am so glad our local “The T-Shirt Guy” did it for us. He is so kind. =) His dogs are GREAT too! Some of us ordered another funny Pokémon shirt as well. Picture to come soon!
Last Saturday, September 27th, Evan and I went to our local Fall Festival. My friend and co-worker who makes all my bracelets, Sherri, was there, and Evan and I bought a few small things. We had a fun, light lunch, where he was texting Derrick a lot while letting me lay on him, confusing our poor waitress. The boys then played Smash Brother Brawl (they do that A LOT. I play a few rounds, but I’m not good. At least it is getting Derrick away from Destiny). Nathan B and Tabby came over after that and we ate dinner, the five of us, and then, they played…more Brawl! For about three hours. I got my laptop set up in the dinning room and did edits/watched them. It is great to have such awesome friends. Sunday, after we had our blessing for pregnant women at church and a nice lunch, Evan came and we watched Juno. I forgot how off-beat in a great way it was!
I am glad the new Fall TV seasons have started! We have been watching Once Upon a Time (OMG! When Rumple and Belle had their dance scene…I about melted into a puddle of fangirl joy!!!) and The Big Bang Theory. Mom and I are getting into Project Runway. The challenges this season are really incredible and Tim Gunn is as dashing as ever *dreamy sigh* Whose Line should be on soon. I HATE that I have to wait for Glee until January! 🙁 Still watching Sailor Moon Crystal. I need to find an anime to watch though…
Well, thanks for sticking with me guys! Take care, rest up, dream big, and smile in the sun. <3
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