Moving Tales, Adventures in Relocation/By Linda Kozar

The idea for this book came to me eight years ago.

Three separate publishing houses took the proposal to committee. But I was a newbie, an author wannabe--with no name, no platform, no nothing. It's hard to get a nonfiction contract without any of that. So I turned my attention to fiction and started getting contracts. I wrote more fiction.

For a while, the nonfiction manuscript gathered electronic dust. Eight years to be exact.

But at the fall of 2012, I decided to indie-pub my little gem. And I'm glad I did.

With the rise of Ebook publishing, authors need no longer bewail the manuscripts tucked into the back of their desks or filed away in electronic limbo. We have options in this day and age, and that's a good thing, a very good thing.

Granted, not every book should be dusted off and launched into the world of words.  Let's face it, some of our first projects are not that good. But I have always believed in this little compilation book, and felt the time had come to put those stories out there.

What better gift could you give to a friend or relative who is going through a move? A Kindle book on moving! No wrapping for you. No packing for them.

~*~

If you or somebody you know is packing up for a migration across town, across the country or around the world, Moving Tales, Adventures in Relocation, offers a welcome diversion to the broken dishes, lost furniture and everything else that always seems to go wrong during a move. The lighthearted, and sometimes unbelievably true stories of those who’ve moved in, moved out and moved on, will move your heart and lift your spirits.

Signs They Are A ‘Changing

By Jeff Mitchell

Good neighbors are not always easy to come by. So when my wife and I found out our close friends were planning to move, we took some unusual steps to prevent, or at least delay that from happening.

We have a great bunch of neighbors here in Garden Grove California, We’ve spent many, many evenings on our front patio hanging out and discussing life. Swapping stories about the accursed dog down the street that’s been barking nonstop, listening to Joe's excuse for not winning last night's Dwarf Car race, tallying up a list of who’s going to hear ‘the band’ tomorrow night, etc. Usually someone doesn't show up for at least one of these sessions, which is when we take it upon ourselves to ‘mess’ with those who are not present. I usually keep a Costco-sized case of TP and plastic-wrap on hand for those occasions.

In league with my rogue neighbor friends, we either festoon the absentee’s yard with toilet paper or wrap their vehicle in plastic wrap. And the next day, we discuss and deny it all over coffee.

Within the past year or so though, there have been a lot of changes going on in the neighborhood. Too many close friends have moved away. The very ‘nature’ of the 'hood seems to be in transition. No matter the reason for the move, it’s sad to see people go.

So when another couple of close friends decided to relocate, it was the last straw. Oh sure, they were only moving a few miles away. But they were still leaving the neighborhood. Did I mention that they put on the best Cinco de Mayo parties?

Though my wife and I hoped our friends would have a change of heart and decide not to go--when the For Sale sign went up, we had to face reality. Our friends were moving, for real.

I wasn't ready to see them leave, but I wasn't going down without a fight, so I started thinking. What can I do to mess with this move?

After I pondered the situation for a while, I came up with a plan to make some interesting “additions” to the abominable “For Sale” sign outside our friend’s home. Ideas began bouncing around like ping pong balls.

I remembered that his wife had always been fascinated with the haunted house phenomenon. Hmmm. And, I reasoned, there's always a story in the news about the police department busting a meth-lab somewhere…” So I decided to add two new "features" to the For Sale sign.

With the thought that it would steer prospective buyers in the “right” direction, that is, away from the house, I got to work early Saturday morning in my garage. I cut some plywood to the regulation size, drilled some holes, and fabricated some "S" hooks. Then I printed the

appropriate words on photo paper, taped them to the plywood, and covered the signs with laminate sheets. The signs came out so good I had to step back a minute to admire my handiwork. Looked real nice.

On Sunday morning, my wife Sara and I headed down the street on our mission. The targets of our prank usually slept in on Sunday, so we were safe. We hung the signs, took the pictures, and laughed all the way home.

Of course, the signs didn't stay up long. Another neighbor brought the sign additions, “Haunted,” and “Meth Lab” to the couple’s attention later that day, and after a good-humored laugh, they took the additions down.

Guess they didn't like the "S" hooks or the color of the ink or something.

In spite of our best efforts though, our friends soon sold the house and moved on.

Funny thing--I believe our friends still have those signs tucked away somewhere. We probably haven’t seen the last of them. In fact, I suspect we’ll see those signs again in our front yard if we ever decide to move.

Buy a copy on Amazon

If you or somebody you know is packing up for a migration across town, across the country or around the world, Moving Tales, Adventures in Relocation, offers a welcome diversion to the broken dishes, lost furniture and everything else that always seems to go wrong during a move. The lighthearted, and sometimes unbelievably true stories of those who’ve moved in, moved out and moved on, will move your heart and lift your spirits.

Linda Kozar is the co-author of Babes With A Beatitude—Devotions For Smart, Savvy Women of Faith (Hardcover/Ebook, Howard/Simon & Schuster 2009) and author of Misfortune Cookies (Print, Barbour Publishing 2008), Misfortune Cookies, A Tisket, A Casket, and Dead As A Doornail, (“When The Fat Ladies Sing Series,” eBooks, Spyglass Lane Mysteries, 2012). Her latest novel Strands of Fate released October 2012 (Hardcover/Ebook, Creative Woman Mysteries). She received the ACFW Mentor of the Year Award in 2007, founded and served as president of Writers On The Storm, The Woodlands, Texas ACFW chapter for three years. In 2003, she co-founded, co-directed and later served as Southwest Texas Director of Words For The Journey Christian Writers Guild. She and her husband Michael, married 24 years, have two lovely daughters, Katie and Lauren and a Rat Terrier princess named Patches.

Represented by: Wendy Lawton, Books & Such Literary Agency

Member of: CAN (Christian Authors Network), RWA (Romance Writers of American), WHRWA (West Houston Romance Writers of America), ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers), Writers On The Storm, The Woodlands, Texas Chapter of ACFW, Toastmasters (Area 56) The Woodlands, Texas, The Woodlands Church, The Woodlands, TX.

aaaaaaaaaa

The Time I Cheated on the Cotton Ball and Spatula Game

By Nancy Jill Thames

 Since we've been doing book giveaways this week and last, I've been thinking about offering up one myself. There's St. Patrick's day on Sunday, yes, that would be a good reason...but my conscious was pricked in the meantime while trying to decide.

Years ago, in my wedding and baby shower days, we played a game called "Scoop the Cotton Balls." Blindfolded, the contestant had to scoop as many cotton balls off the floor with a spatula as she could into a bowl. The person who scooped the most was declared the winner. And I wanted to win. So badly did I want to win that when the blindfold was tied around my eyes and I could see underneath, I made the decision not to say anything and began scooping as many fluffy balls into the bowl as I could! 

As if the game wasn't funny enough, watching us grovel on the floor with a spatula trying to scoop up cotton balls and put them into a bowl, the hostess removed the cotton balls for the last contestant, and we watched her scooping up air!

Well, I won. I think it was for the first time in my life, and at the time it felt wonderful! I was a winner!! Years passed until this week, and I thought about when I had cheated. I was writing a scene in "The Ruby of Siam" and had to decide if my protagonist should lie or not. Being a Christian, I made her say something that would throw off the scent, but it was the truth. My heart was pricked over the Cotton Ball and Spatula win. I will ask forgiveness and make amends.

Now for the amends! As a token of my sincerity, if you would like a free e-copy of one of my books, please join the site as a follower and leave your e-mail so I can gift you. I will choose two winners at random and announce you next Friday. Here are your choices - please mention the one you want:

MURDER IN HALF MOON BAY  Book 1

        

Did the woman jump or was she pushed over the balcony? When the shocking murder disrupts the West Coast Garden Club Society's second annual conference, Jillian Bradley and her garden club friends join with Chief Frank Viscuglia to find the killer. Jillian and her friends move through the Ritz-Carlton hotel to private mansions searching for the truth, pausing for afternoon tea along the way, of course. The unlikely team helps the chief uncover a series of mysterious events that lead to solving several murders, both past and present. Could it be the mean spirited conference director? Perhaps it's the wealthy widow on the make for her next husband; or maybe the killer is the haughty business woman who shows no regard for her brow beaten husband.

Murder in Half Moon Bay, first book in the Jillian Bradley Mystery series, introduces Jillian's little  companion 'Teddy,' a Yorkie who falls prey to danger but rises to become sleuth dog in the next book. 

 THE GHOST ORCHID MURDER  Book 2

It's been eight years since gardening columnist Jillian Bradley helped solve a string of murders in Half Moon Bay. But when a friend and colleague in Scottsdale, Arizona finds a young technical assistant dead on the floor of his private office, Jillian doesn't hesitate to answer his plea for help in the investigation. After all, a $2 million research grant depends on it.
Together with Detective Jack Noble and Jillian's clue sniffing dog, Teddy, the three set out to track the killer who leaves a porcelain orchid over the wound as the only clue. Even though it means personal sacrifice for Jillian, she is determined to uncover the truth. A faith-based novel.

FROM THE CLUTCHES OF EVIL Book 3 

     Christmas – the busiest time of the year! And on top of everything, Jillian is throwing an engagement party for two dear friends. But on a final errand before the party begins Jillian witnesses a horrific car crash and notices two witnesses leaving the scene of the accident. She and Teddy pull a survivor from the wreckage, and together they attempt to solve the mystery of the amnesia victim, a 17-year-old boy she and Teddy take under their wing. After one of the witnesses is found brutally murdered, Jillian discovers an ominous connection between the boy and a string of heinous murders in a nearby remote farming community. And when Jillian stumbles across a mysterious compound, she is determined to unlock old family secrets to solve the mystery of his identity even though taking the risk creates the ultimate test for her and Teddy's survival. 

THE MARK OF EDEN Book 4 

After a frantic call from a couple on their honeymoon, Jillian returns to Half Moon Bay to help. Two elderly men have been found dead in their recliners, and now another man is missing—the distraught father of the bride - Jillian's personal assistant. Their investigation must be incognito since the groom is a detective and can’t work on the case due to conflict of interest. The clues the threesome find lead Jillian and Teddy to take a cruise to Catalina Island, but it’s only an entrée into a strange clinical world, where she almost becomes a victim herself before she identifies who is responsible for a bizarre series of deaths. Will Teddy be in time to save the day?

  

PACIFIC BEACH  Book 5

The quaint surfing town of Pacific Beach becomes a destination for murder when a young starlet and her mother are found brutally murdered at the Pacific Terrace hotel where Jillian’s family reunion is taking place. Their reunion takes a terrifying turn when Jillian's nephew is arrested as a prime suspect and Jillian must move quickly to find the real killer and prove her nephew's innocence. There is no shortage of suspects, including an unsavory doctor who attended the popular teen star and a mysterious guest at the party where the starlet dies. But why is her mother murdered with her? Working at Jillian's side to find the perpetrator of these bizarre killings are her faithful assistant Cecilia Montoya, and Teddy, Jillian's Yorkie companion who sniffs out his own clue.

     WAITING FOR SANTA  Book 6

     The family has gathered to celebrate Christmas at Jillian’s house in Clover Hills, but Jillian’s plans for a lovely Christmas Eve are rudely interrupted by a power failure. And a homicide. Not only does Aunt Jillian find herself with a house full of company to entertain in the dark, but she also receives a call from Detective Walter Montoya who finds himself in the dark trying to solve the bizarre murder of a worker found dead in a maintenance shed at the power station. With Teddy at her side, Jillian is determined to solve the mystery.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear readers!

See you in my books!

 ~Nancy Jill 

Mystery novelist Nancy Jill Thames began publishing Christian fiction in 2010. The author of six books in the Jillian Bradley series, she is an award winning blogger and is listed numerous times on the Author Watch Bestseller’s List, this in addition to winning first place for her Chocolate Cream Pie.

When she isn’t plotting her next book, she spends time with her six grandchildren in two states, tags along with her husband on business trips, and plays classical piano for her own personal enjoyment. She is an active member of the Leander Writers Guild and supports the Central Texas SPCA with a portion of her book sales.

Nancy Jill is busy working on book 7 "The Ruby of Siam" a mystery taking place in London, England. To learn more about the author and check out her books, please visit her blog at  

Cozy Mystery Author, Nancy Jill Thames.

CONTACT INFORMATION

jillthames@gmail.com

To view and purchase her books on this site, please visit the Cozy Book Store.

Chasing Lady Midnight - Chapter 8

The Long Story Part 2

Well, I tried, but as I said, this is a really long story.
Anyway, I discovered the sudden change in my genetic makeup when I was cleaning my bathroom sink of all things. No kidding. Just as I finished rinsing out the cleanser, I looked up and saw someone else in the mirror looking back at me. So I did what anyone would do.
I screamed.
Actually it was fortunate that no one heard me, but I didn’t realize that until later. At the time I was scared witless, and the next series of events did not help.
You see as I backed away from the mirror I expected to stop at the wall that was behind me. What I didn’t see was the shadow on the wall, and, you guessed it, I hit that and kept on going until I was in my bedroom closet, tripped over my shoe rack and landed on my rear.
It was a good thing the closet door was opened or I would have had a heart attack.
Anyway I got out of the closet and did what any rational adult female would have done. I started to call my Mommy.
That is until I realized I couldn’t.
Not because I didn’t trust her, Dad or Isabel. This is my family, they don’t care if I have powers or not, they love me no matter what and would do anything for me. The Squad, however, is another story altogether.
You see they’re not out to rule the world, or even regular people as so many conspiracy theorists, like the hostage today, thinks. They just want to control every superhero on the planet (and the super villains if they can figure out how to do it), and they have my poor family by the throat. Not because of me. Having been declared by the infallible super scientists as officially having no super powers I am of no interest to them whatsoever. It’s because of Isabel. She doesn't know yet that The Squad owns her, and that keeps my parents in line.
Yeah these people pretty much stink. Does that sound bitter? Good.
This is probably the point where I should explain how these super control freaks got to be what they are because they didn’t start out that way. Most of what of I know was picked up growing up around other supers and what Kari told me even later.
The Mighty Superhero Security Squad is one of those good intention things that went horribly wrong. Even Kari and her fellow founding members, who recognized the danger very quickly, couldn’t seem to do anything to stop it, and believe me, they tried.
But back to the beginning. Before The Squad all the supers worked as independent operators, helping the helpless, defending the innocent and all that jazz. Then a superhero with the power to mess up people’s speech named Babelicon (I’m going to let that one go) had the bright idea that the superheroes should get organized, hang out and help each other battle evil. There was no formal membership, and most of them came and went, it was just a way to support each other.
It was great idea, and at first it worked really well, until it didn’t.
According to Kari it all started to go downhill when a few new members, specifically Wildcat Woman, The Crimson Destroyer, Captain Courageous and Tracker took control by cunning and muscle power. There was an internal battle, but ultimately Kari and the other founding members were “retired”. They were also the only superheroes not forced to be members because they were no longer wanted. Ironic huh?
Kari says that poor Babelicon still feels guilty for starting the whole thing even though it wasn’t his fault it went south. Nice guy, he teaches Sunday school at my church.
Changes came quickly after that. The Squad became a more formal structure and changed its focus from protecting the innocent and helpless, and instead only came to the aid of the rich and powerful. Because only they could afford the price. Everyone else calls the police, and believe me they are better off.
Funny thing, The Squad hasn’t figured out that the regulars are on to them, they think it's just a few malcontents. So even with the media on their side, agents and professional spin doctors The Squad is not popular. Individual members like my parent are
Well the final result is that now every superhero joins the Squad because they have no choice and once they do, their every waking moment is run for them. Want an example? There is a very good reason why a twenty-one year old art student, me, owns a house that she could not possibly afford.
That’s right, The Squad paid for it to get me out of my parents' house. It happened as soon I hit eighteen and graduated high school. They never got over the whole “security risk” issue, and once I was legal they bought me the house and moved me out. Although in my opinion they didn’t get all they wanted. I mean my house is in the same neighborhood as my parents, and I visit often. My sister and super friends still hang out with me as I’m their pizza and soda connection. Junk food is frowned upon in The Squad world view.
The difference is that my family is under constant Squad surveillance while I'm not. How can I be so sure of that? Well my next door neighbor, Ted, checked, and then he set me up with my own anti-Squad security system he invented for himself and Kari. The only downside to that is none of my family, nor any other Squad member, can ever visit my house.
So that’s why I knew I couldn’t tell my parents what was happening to me, because this kind of extra grief they do not need. If The Squad finds out about this, I get two choices, join or else. The “or else” I know enough about to want to avoid it, on the other hand how can I possibly join an organization that basically enslaves its members?
So sitting in my house, with my unexpected makeover (which I didn't know at the time would revert back) I realized that something fundamental had changed. As a normal person I had been helpless against the evil, there is no other word for it, that had ensnared my family and a lot of my friends. But now, I’m not helpless any more.
So I came up with Plan B and went to talk to the only other super person I know who isn’t under The Squad’s influence.
The Russian Accelerator. One of the bad guys. Well former bad guys. So I shoved my black hair into a hat and put on my sunglasses and went and saw Ted, who told Kari, who explained about The Twenty-Oner Effect.
Then somebody came up the bright idea to save the super world by using the new superhero on the block.
Now we just have to save my family and all of the other superheroes, and maybe the villains if comes down to it, from The Mighty Superhero Security Squad, while I try to get a handle on these superpowers that I don’t even know all of what I have yet. All while not getting captured.
Oh this should be a lot of fun.
Okay, end of long story.

Mystery and adventure writer C.L. Ragsdale is the author of The Reboot Files a Christian Cozy Mystery Series, and a superhero story called Chasing Lady Midnight. A California native, she loves to "surf" the web to research plot details for her fun, quirky stories. She has a degree in Theatre Arts which greatly influenced her writing style. Working in various fields as a secretary has allowed her to both master her writing skills and acquire valuable technical knowledge which she uses liberally in her plots. A big secret from her past, which is not so secret anymore, is that she used to a major comic book geek. Nowadays she loves to crochet, but she is still a big fan of the old Scooby Doo cartoons.

Cindy posts on her own blog called Short Mysteries and Tall Tales at http://shortmysteriesandtalltales.blogspot.com as well as The Cozy Mystery Magazine on http://cozymysterymagazine.blogspot.com

Her Facebook Authors Page is located at http://www.facebook.com/pages/CL-Ragsdale/219184744858421