Inside the Secret World of Allison Bruning: Inside The Man Who Started It All.......George Was...

Inside the Secret World of Allison Bruning: Inside The Man Who Started It All.......George Was...: Inside the man who started it all......George Washington  President's Day. In our fast paced society the meaning of this important holida...

Family

Family

I have always been blessed by a large family. Returning from my Uncle’s funeral, it makes you realize how important family is.

My Uncle had been ill for many years, so it can be looked upon as a blessing that he is at peace. But, I guess I’m selfish. I miss him.

They had a slide show at the funeral. Pictures flashed across the screen which depicted him at better times. When he was young and healthy, the way I remember him.

I have lost so many family members in the past years, most were taken all too soon. But, I was blessed to have them in my life while I did.

My grandparents had twelve children and raised eleven, which were great odds in those days. Perhaps the good ole days weren’t so good.

I was very close to my Grandparents, and still think of them often. They would surely be disappointed to know that the family only gets together now for weddings or funerals. Even with all the technology for contacting one another, it seems there is just never enough time.

Of course I could blame other factors; I lost your phone number that you’ve had for twenty years; I misplaced your address; I don’t have your email; You’re not on facebook, and the list goes on and on.

But I need to make time, and reach out to those loved ones I have left. Send them a real paper card, a letter or perhaps some flowers, for no reason at all.

I spent Valentine’s Day in a room full of family and I only knew about half their names. But I still have time, to reconnect, to make amends, to visit, and tell them I love them. And I will.

*Pictured some of my Cousins: Randy, Mike, Keith, Jeremy, Sarah, me, Lisa, Scythia, Shauna, Donna, Dawn, Kristi and Spencer

Barnes and Who

I recently met with my editor for coffee. What better place to go than Cool Beans, on the Marietta Square. It was my first visit to the quant shop, so I sipped on my freshly brewed latte as we settled in. We exchanged thoughts and ideas then, the topic switched to ebooks. I was enlightening her, on how my heart had grown to cover ebooks, as well as print.

She leaned in and whispered, apologetically, that she owned a nook. Has our world come to this? Nookies have to hide in secret? I reassured her that it was okay, that I owned a nook as well. And I love my nook, however, with Amazon dominating the field it has made conversations with nook owners….um…a bit awkward. Like perhaps, we did something wrong.

With Barnes & Noble thinking of throwing Nook out into the cold, what are nook owners to do? Do they put on blinders and keep reading? Do they avoid social media? I’m not sure what other nookies are doing, but I am downloading all of my nook books to my computer for safe keeping.*  

With Borders gone, B&N is throwing rocks at Amazon. They recently released a statement that newly published Amazon Titles will not be sold in B&N stores. Perhaps this is to get back at Amazon for indie authors flocking to them, and exclusively, enrolling their books, in the Amazon Lending Library.

Of course, if B&N were more indie friendly, the stampede wouldn’t be quite as large.

*To download ebooks, just pull up your Nook Library page on the computer and click the big Blue download button next to the Cover Pic. An epub copy will be downloaded on your computer. You can read it on your computer with Adobe Digital, a free Download.

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Lynn Hubbard is a local author Follow her Blog at: http://authorlynnhubbard.blogspot.com/

Take a peek at her books at: www.lynnhubbard.com

Snotty Kids and Sinking Ships

My sons and I went to the movies yesterday. It was like stepping through a time warp. Life size posters of The Phantom Menace, and Titanic lined the lobby. 

I couldn’t stand them the first time around why would I want to cough up 15 bucks to see them 3D?

As an avid Star Wars fan I flocked to the theater to see the Prequel and left with a pang in my heart and the bitter taste of bile in my throat.  Why? I asked, as I screamed to the heavens, WHY? Darth Vader’s father is an ameba; Really? And it got worse; they depended upon this snot nosed brat to save their hides. Not to mention the pedophilia alert: the Queen developing an eerie attraction to him. I won’t mention the other two “Prequels” since they aren’t worth mentioning.

Too bad the writers didn’t bother watching the first three  films. Of course, they ruined those too. Turning R2D2 into a CD player, seriously, what were they thinking?

Now we come to Titanic. Although I write Romance, I don’t watch romantic movies.  But at my sisters urging, I went to see Titanic, even though I already knew the ending. 

Warning Spoiler alert:

Titanic: Rich girl is engaged to Richer guy. Girl falls for sewer rat and ends up with priceless jewel.

The boat sinks.

Girl lives a long life and is assisted night and day by her Granddaughter. Does she give the jewel to her loving relative?  Heck no, because that would be a happy ending and who wants that?

So here we are years later with the 3D version; Needless to say, I will not be attending.

 And if any producers are out there reading this:

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it! And if it is Broke, don’t make it 3D!

Leave a comment with your worst or favorite movie!

 

Valentine's 1779 Style

Thanks for Hopping by!
Valentine Blog Hop
February 1-14, 2012

The Valentine Blog Hop is an assortment of contests and giveaways
 Hosted by Book Luvin Babes it spans across 25 Author blogs!

Be sure to enter the contest for one or more of the blogs participating (please enter mine! Keep Scrolling!).

The winners from those contests will be entered to win the Grand Prize a beautiful heart necklace!

My home state of Georgia is rich in history, most of which centers around the Civil War. In my quest for knowledge, I was surprised to discover links to the Revolutionary War, as well. As I thumb through my latest book "A Guide to the Battles of the American Revolution", I find a section on Georgia. 

The Battle of Kettle Creek took place February 14th, 1779. 

When our local militia showed those Red Coats what for! After conquering Savannah, the British moved through Georgia collecting Tories and taking out pockets of rebels. Even though the British had twice as many men, they were surrounded by the militia on their home ground. They sloshed through the marshes and hills to attack. The Tories fought hard until their commander, James Boyd, was mortally wounded. With the rebels gaining higher ground, the British retreated. 

Although this campaign only took about an hour, it invigorated the southern spirit and rallied the cause of freedom.

So this Valentine's Day, instead of buying into commercialism, give thanks to the freedoms we have today, due to those brave men, who refused to give an inch. 

In honor of the 223rd Anniversary, their will be a reenactment at Fort Washington Park, 2/11/2012

For more info: http://www.washingtonwilkes.org/blog/

Enter Giveaway below to win a signed copy of Chase the Moon Or get it free with Amazon Prime!

Cozy up Book Hop

Hop!

Thank you all for entering!

And the Winner is: Jessica B!

Congrats and Visit Jessica's Blog 

For those whom did not win sign up for my Newsletter! 

I will include a code for a free ecopy of Desperado in my February & March edition.

Click here to sign up!

Thank you Mommy Reads too Much & Ereading on the Cheap for sponsoring the Hop!

Books can take you anywhere you can imagine, and many places you never could.

I find myself going thru phases; I tried out surfing for a while. Then I climbed Everest, and K-2, the two tallest mountains in the world.

I’ve met Dahmer, Gacy and peeked inside some of the most twisted minds imaginable.

Currently, I’m in 1777, marching along with George Washington on our desperate fight for freedom.

As you can probably tell, I’ve been on a non-fiction spree. But fiction is my passion.

And with fiction, you usually get a movie. I have a hard time transitioning from books to movies. When I read, I create images in my mind. Specific settings, how the characters should look, and how they sound. When a director puts them on the massive screen, if they don’t match my vision, I’m sadly disappointed.

That’s why I started writing. So I could create my own characters, my own scenes, so I would never be disappointed by the ending.

Can you imagine how boring life would be without books? There would be no super heroes to save us, no brave wizards, no vampires (with or without sparkles).

Books are an escape; they can lift your spirit better than any pill or drug. They can make you laugh, or cry, or both. They can renew your faith, build up your courage, and give you hope.

I have tried listening to audiobooks and I just can’t do it. When I read I want to lose myself in the story, and it’s kind of dangerous to do that when driving on the expressway. After several near misses, I thought it would be safer to listen while I do the laundry. So I found myself amongst a pile of unfolded clothes while I listened to the story. Hence, I learned, I am not an audio learner, I am visual. I want to see it! I want to read at my own pace, I don’t want it dictated to me.

Ebooks. Ebooks create great debates amongst book lovers. Most people either love’em or hate ‘em.  I love print so much that I figure I would hate ebooks. I only bought a book reader to help format my own. But I fell in love. Your heart grows.

What I like the MOST about ebooks is the nifty little font button. As I age print seems to get smaller and smaller. No problem just push that sucker two, three, or four times. It makes any book large print. No squinting=less wrinkles!

So no matter what your passion is, print books, audiobooks, ebooks, computers, magazines,or newspapers.

  READ!

Leave a comment to be entered to win an 

ebook copy of Run into the Wind & Desperado!

Visit www.lynnhubbard.com

The Path Towards the Light

The Path Towards the Light

My dog died today. 

It was not by God’s choice, but my own which sorrows me deeply. After seeing her deteriorate as the cancer takes her breath, it is the only kind thing I can do.

 Yes, there are specialists, and more tests and more drugs. And I went that path for a while, until that path looked dark and gloomy as well.

But Hannah does not deserve darkness. She deserves joy and light, so I tearfully make my decision to do what is best for her, which is the hardest path for me.

Rest in Peace Hannah my sweet girl. Rest in peace.