tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26249934867619455462024-03-18T21:50:30.300-06:00Norma's NovelsA corner of my own little world.Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-7423991203887895102020-05-22T19:39:00.004-06:002020-05-22T20:01:40.939-06:00At Last It's here!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Jared and Nathan Adams at long last are home from space, bringing with them the inhabitants and survivors of the planet Sionian. One of these survivors, Neri Phylo, believes he and his people are now safe after the demise of their home planet.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When the city-ship the Adams brothers and the Sionian people have built arrives, with its beauty and technological advancements, it brightens an otherwise gloomy world.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Due to recent cataclysmic events, Earth is on the brink of shaking itself apart. Just as Jared and Nathan saved Neri’s planet, he faces the impossible task of saving theirs. Earth’s inhabitants, along with his own people, are in great jeopardy.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">There are those who claim the ravages of war have left Earth unable to sustain new inhabitants and do not welcome the population of Sion. They want to control the world’s food sources and the disbursement of all food.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But with the ever-increasing earthquakes and the influx of crazed people suffering from a terrible fallout disease, what is the point of rationing food when the planet is about to destroy itself?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">If something isn’t done soon, there will be no Earth left.</span>Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-90198819077823789962018-03-13T11:21:00.000-06:002018-03-13T11:21:37.579-06:00New Release Day Again!It's such a kick in the pants to have two books coming out so close to each other. I'm going to try to make this a continual thing . . . You heard it here first.<br />
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Anyway, here is today's official release:<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Rescue-Dust-Planet-Red-Book-ebook/dp/B07B8LGDSK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1520958720&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Rescue From the Dust:</a> </h2>
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(click the title to find it on Amazon)</div>
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Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-70004338067445451482018-02-28T10:34:00.000-07:002018-02-28T13:34:55.329-07:00Official release day for The Debt of TruthYes! After years of saying "It's almost finished." It is officially DONE<br />
Thanks to all my patient friends, family and friendly readers for waiting so long.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079SL8577" target="_blank">The Debt of Truth</a> </span><span style="font-size: large;">by Norma T. Rudolph</span><br />
is now available in kindle or paperback.<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1983979619/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1983979619&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2" target="_blank">On Amazon</a><br />
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<br />Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-41468569061902215992018-02-02T09:36:00.001-07:002018-02-02T09:36:53.935-07:00Goodreads Giveaway for The Gift of Lies<div id="goodreadsGiveawayWidget275781">
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" rel="nofollow" style="font-style: italic;" target="_new">Goodreads</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> Book Giveaway</span></h2>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25639088" rel="nofollow"><img alt="The Gift of Lies by Norma T. Rudolph" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1433104511l/25639088.jpg" title="The Gift of Lies by Norma T. Rudolph" width="100" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25639088" rel="nofollow">The Gift of Lies</a>
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by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13393995.Norma_T_Rudolph" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;">Norma T. Rudolph</a>
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Giveaway ends April 02, 2018.
<br />
See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/275781" rel="nofollow" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
at Goodreads.
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<a class="goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink" href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/enter_kindle_giveaway/275781" rel="nofollow">Enter Giveaway</a>
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<script charset="utf-8" src="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/275781" type="text/javascript"></script>Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-41068903529330997822018-01-26T17:01:00.000-07:002018-01-26T17:01:38.983-07:00Discover this CoverWiDo publishing just shared my new cover with me, and I'm sharing it with you. To anyone out there that reads my books, thanks, it's finally on it's way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0lfv1F5_QnNkEaroQ_9wNpoypZ6b3Sf38dXjmxb8UDYMrL-4qHjfMIHtvB8d6Mv4mzvc5ahDxIqSPiRk-0h9V2R8bev3UZ32m1fJLqmLOEBnvszszZ21hhPGxixVqqRYF8_z_YLz6R1v/s1600/RescueRedDust_CVR_MED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz0lfv1F5_QnNkEaroQ_9wNpoypZ6b3Sf38dXjmxb8UDYMrL-4qHjfMIHtvB8d6Mv4mzvc5ahDxIqSPiRk-0h9V2R8bev3UZ32m1fJLqmLOEBnvszszZ21hhPGxixVqqRYF8_z_YLz6R1v/s640/RescueRedDust_CVR_MED.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-5478260102618279242018-01-11T10:06:00.000-07:002018-01-11T10:06:03.039-07:00I'm Still AliveTime passes like gas these days. But do not fear, the procrastinating author is still alive and kicking.<br />
I have many things going on in my life, but I won't list them. Let's just say that now Mary has left on her mission and Dee is back at college I'm trying to get my life in order.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaajtNNG14guJw7G_SZsl9KXazFUyYx_WQoZIZbP8e75hajvkKkh4ICiK4QBleokW9VS8xifl1wrETjOotB7gx0QVI8g-CzjXD7pn9CC1R8HH32VPH-JHD65IvMsptlby97wQUtRIkBggD/s1600/Coming+Events.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1496" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaajtNNG14guJw7G_SZsl9KXazFUyYx_WQoZIZbP8e75hajvkKkh4ICiK4QBleokW9VS8xifl1wrETjOotB7gx0QVI8g-CzjXD7pn9CC1R8HH32VPH-JHD65IvMsptlby97wQUtRIkBggD/s400/Coming+Events.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Heads up to my reader friends! I have two books coming out early this year. I haven't got exact dates for either yet but both will be in the next month or two.<br />
WiDo publishing has nearly got Rescue From The Dust, the second in the Trilogy, ready to unveil.<br />
And, I have nearly got The Debt of Truth, part two of The Gift of Lies duo, ready to load on Amazon. My apologies to those who have been waiting so long for this one.<br />
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Cover reveals on both books will be coming soon . . .<br />
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2018 is looking like a very good year.Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-78224079573599911312017-11-01T17:53:00.000-06:002017-11-01T17:53:34.423-06:00Back in Wyoming.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This last week I spent traveling with my hubby. He received the honor of being in the National Sculpture Society's 84th Annual Awards Exhibition hosted at Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina.<br />
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With the help of some very dear friends, we were able to attend the closing reception. We met some wonderful people, saw many beautiful sights, and had a fabulous time.<br />
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I didn't take nearly enough photos, as is my weakness. I get so caught up in enjoying the experiences that I forget to record it. But I've included a few here.<br />
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Not only did we get to see Brookgreen Gardens, but I was able to see the Atlantic for the first time up close. The weather was supposed to be rainy, but God must have taken pity on me because we had temperatures in the seventies all that day. We started the day at the beach, at the Lichefield Resorts where we stayed. I collected shells and photographed the wildlife.</div>
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Then, after breakfast, we spent the day at Brookgreen Gardens, shown above. </div>
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That evening we attended the reception and met more great people than I can possible list.</div>
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Sadly, we had to leave the next day and return to Georgia. But all was not sad, as we had dinner with some wonderful people in Cartersville who I feel are now life long friends.</div>
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We spent the next morning in Cartersville at the Booth Museum of Western Art. Normally it is not open on Mondays but we were given a personal tour and made to feel like celebrities. I'm learning what people mean by southern hospitality.</div>
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Many thanks go out to my gracious nephew in Westminster CO for letting us stay with him and taking us to and picking us up from the Denver airport. He and his dear wife made coming and going a much more pleasant experience. </div>
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Now I'm back in good ol' Cody where it's snowing, and . . .</div>
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Well . . . I still have my memories.</div>
Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-78410123019354210102017-06-06T00:00:00.000-06:002017-06-09T09:06:18.536-06:00Book Launch Open House<br />
Hello friends!<br />
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Welcome to the party! Grab some virtual food, pull up a chair and chat about whatever you like. If you don't see me, I must have stepped out to water my garden. I'll be back soon. Make yourself at home.Soft drinks are on ice, snacks on the side table.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOM8hdS-zCPgOItEC5bIcac40vSN5GKvMcQell7rmVCjA8ntJEcWmCkOMKM8PRpxACQzP4VW6SHLbF7DmHjgP6xnHvA1iUTOVgdrKbzm1n2JyD_xVDEcUtBV5yLOQtjXJWDn9FgDNT2Db/s1600/ProductsSoftDrinks-604-st-604-337-3df7841d.rendition.598.336.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="598" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOM8hdS-zCPgOItEC5bIcac40vSN5GKvMcQell7rmVCjA8ntJEcWmCkOMKM8PRpxACQzP4VW6SHLbF7DmHjgP6xnHvA1iUTOVgdrKbzm1n2JyD_xVDEcUtBV5yLOQtjXJWDn9FgDNT2Db/s320/ProductsSoftDrinks-604-st-604-337-3df7841d.rendition.598.336.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1unP_b_xcHEFsN9LLHeYkMN1lIyeLhyphenhyphenJqem_Zjqq1rZEPGK3F9kwZC-q1j2xzknvexDTikcK_5kpTQWF91NLR81sBprlpK85t7cblQlT8jhlsK1YhkTuVziQcL6EBxuDXYq98Kw-a-G29/s1600/PlanetRedDust_CVR_XSML.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="700" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1unP_b_xcHEFsN9LLHeYkMN1lIyeLhyphenhyphenJqem_Zjqq1rZEPGK3F9kwZC-q1j2xzknvexDTikcK_5kpTQWF91NLR81sBprlpK85t7cblQlT8jhlsK1YhkTuVziQcL6EBxuDXYq98Kw-a-G29/s200/PlanetRedDust_CVR_XSML.jpg" width="133" /></a><br />
I'm throwing this open house for the rest of June to celebrate the release of my latest book, Planet of the Red Dust. (See the side bar for info on where to get it.)<br />
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Sign up for door prizes below and please invite all your friends to join the fun. Every action you take gives you more chances to win. Don't be afraid to do more than one and some can be done every day!<br />
Prizes will be announced on July 1st.<br />
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Win some cash to buy copies of my new book to give your friends, or, okay, get whatever you want.<br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="0d3b7b9b5" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0d3b7b9b5/" id="rcwidget_xd2n0j8g" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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I'm also giving away . . .<br />
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="0d3b7b9b6" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0d3b7b9b6/" id="rcwidget_mrgkioqz" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
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<br />Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-86077318019846738252017-05-08T09:31:00.000-06:002017-05-19T20:27:09.498-06:00Stirring up some dust!Hey WOW, golly gee, doing the happy dance. I'm a little gob smacked, giddy, floating on cloud nine, and all the other stupid cliche's you can think of.<br />
The BOOK, after waiting over a year, is finally coming out.<br />
With a new title, new cover, and all the fan fare I can give it, here it is:<br />
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See the side bar for links to pre-order and add to your Goodreads list. Please share this EVERYWHERE!Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-28256020989654268032017-02-23T15:48:00.000-07:002017-02-23T15:53:09.977-07:00Of Good Report<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Article of Faith 13, 3rd blog post)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Image credit to Secular Yakking</i></span></div>
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"If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." <span style="font-size: xx-small;">Article of Faith #13</span></h2>
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Oh, how I wish the world would take these words to heart . . .<br />
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I 've just spent a wasteful amount of time trying to find news sources that tell me the real news, or in other words, the real facts. I've come to the conclusion that there is no such source. All this, so called, "Breaking News," is breaking our country apart. I'm done with it.<br />
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Suggestion: instead of looking for things to throw at each other, why don't we have a contest to see who can do the most good? At the end of four years, the American people can decide, by their votes, who was most successful in improving our country</span>.<br />
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You might say, "I don't have any power, only the people in power can change things. I have to protest and get their attention so they will fix the things I want fixed." I say, you have more power than you know. However, marching doesn't fix the problems. Action fixes problems.<br />
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Mother Teresa had little political power, and yet she did a great deal of good in the world.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful." </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.azquotes.com/author/14530-Mother_Teresa" style="color: #a94c1c; font-size: 0.9em; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mother Teresa</a></span></div>
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Let's follow her example and see how we can make, not only our country but the world, a better place.</div>
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As for me, to start with, I'm going to quit commenting or reacting to things on Facebook and other media about things that I disagree with, or find unnecessarily negative in either direction. If you post something that annoys me, and I don't comment, it isn't because I don't have something to say, it is because I find your post unworthy of the attention. Posting only gives more fuel to the anger and debate and does nothing at all to solving this world's problems.<br />
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Second of all, I am going to try very hard to post things of my own that are uplifting, that I feel might be helpful. For instance, I love gardening and I think a lot of the world's problems could be fixed if we only had more gardens. My next post is going to be about that.<br />
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Thirdly, I apologize to anyone who I may have offended by anything I've done or said. Even if I disagree with you on things political or moral, I still love you as my sibling in spirit. I know of at least one person who dropped me on Facebook because I ranted about a nasty post she shared. I'm sorry about that.<br />
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And last of all, but not least, I challenge all my friends to follow me in my quest to better the world through positive actions. Together we can make things wonderful. We can fix wrongs and heal hearts that are broken. All of us has a circle of reach that is wider than we know. Lets see how far we can send out our love, one overlapping circle at a time.</div>
Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-8944489824054229932017-02-10T19:29:00.001-07:002017-02-10T19:29:59.213-07:00Chased by an Elephant<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sorry, I was hoping to keep these posts light hearted and fun but this one just wouldn't cooperate. It's a "heavy" subject. I promise the next one will be more fun.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u> </u></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwAhCkG9nGRP1ECgUEw0mlS2tNaFZn-ZXWv3x_DyIT99zl9mea7MQxLKwApbLl87HXwQdCbVyARgfqIrdK0uBRK1MOAzkMZYiKz5yJGeQWvBHtNbiAwKi1gfFGoYsq7aXTrsZOXCV4VVG/s1600/elephant-coffee_2424296k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwAhCkG9nGRP1ECgUEw0mlS2tNaFZn-ZXWv3x_DyIT99zl9mea7MQxLKwApbLl87HXwQdCbVyARgfqIrdK0uBRK1MOAzkMZYiKz5yJGeQWvBHtNbiAwKi1gfFGoYsq7aXTrsZOXCV4VVG/s320/elephant-coffee_2424296k.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<b>photo found at</b>:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinkpicturegalleries/9737226/Elephant-dung-coffee-Black-Ivory-beans-passed-through-the-animals-guts.html)</span><br />
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Article of faith 13 begins "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent . . ." or "chased by and elephant" as my friend back in grade school always said it. I often chuckle inside as I read or hear this verse, because those words come to mind.<br />
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But what does it really mean?<br />
These words, chaste, and benevolent are so old fashioned and seldom used now that I'd be willing to bet that some people don't even know the meaning of the words, let alone the concepts.<br />
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For <b>chaste,</b> Merriam Webster has four definitions, one with two parts:<br />
1: innocent of unlawful sexual intercourse<br />
2: celibate <Monks lead a chaste life.><br />
3: pure in thought and act : modest <was sincerely trying to be chaste><br />
4 a : severely simple in design or execution : austere <chaste classicism> <the pure, chaste lines of ancient Greek buildings><br />
b : clean, spotless<br />
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Definitely not something you hear promoted these days, is it?<br />
Chastity has become so politically incorrect that it has become an elephant in the room that's chasing us.<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Photo credit goes to </b>: https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://trustworks.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/elephant-in-the-room.jpg&imgrefurl=https://leadingwithtrust.com/2012/10/14/heart-to-heart-talks-three-steps-to-discuss-the-elephant-in-the-room/&h=457&w=600&tbnid=oviqaKyDYtnHyM:&vet=1&tbnh=152&tbnw=200&docid=hflgi13InqcnHM&itg=1&usg=__3Yj651UdcsGiFeCwSxEuYHHqG2s=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_9Kfr--XRAhWiqVQKHYHTBrcQ_B0IgQEwDw&ei=wiWNWL-LGqLT0gKBp5u4Cw</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>In fact, the very idea of being chaste seems to offend some of those who proclaim to be progressive thinkers, as if refraining from free sex or immodest behavior makes a person frigid, intolerant, illiberal, or unenlightened. Why, how dare anyone imply that chastity would be a logical choice over abortion? How can you be so frigid and judgmental as to say a woman is more beautiful covered in modest clothing than parading nude on national television? How backward to think that we should teach our children abstinence rather than giving them free contraceptives.<br />
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It makes me sad. Is sex the sum of our existence? Is it so important for us to satisfy our bodily desires of the moment. that we throw away all other considerations? This is not freedom from repression; this is a form of slavery. This is the type of thinking that turns women into objects to be used and men into mindless addicts.<br />
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This truly is a massive elephant thundering down on an unsuspecting society.<br />
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As for <b>benevolent?</b><br />
1 a : marked by or disposed to doing good <a benevolent donor><br />
b : organized for the purpose of doing good <a benevolent society><br />
2 : marked by or suggestive of goodwill <benevolent smiles><br />
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Well, let's just say I'm attempting, by writing this post, to promote a more benevolent society. Please take my comments as I mean them, not to judge, but only to discuss my opinions on the matter. I'm trying to live by the 13th article of faith and practice benevolence, not to stand above anyone, just to point out how confused I am by the attitudes of the day.Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-12559485909448158182017-01-18T20:20:00.000-07:002017-01-18T20:20:58.744-07:00We hope to endure all things.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In these times of hating and finger pointing it is very hard not to jump on the angry train and join the rebellion. But, I don't want to do that. I don't want to add to the problem.<br />
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Pondering this dilemma, I came to realize that the only way to fight hate is to love. The only way to fight ignorance is to be informed and to teach. The only way to fight prejudice is to be open minded.<br />
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I have no control over others but I do control myself. I can be an example. So I am setting myself a challenge. This year, on my blog I want to follow the thirteenth Article of Faith. <a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/pgp/a-of-f/1.13?lang=eng#12" target="_blank">Articles of Faith #13</a><br />
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I'm going to attempt to write a blog post relating to each of the things listed in it this year.<br />
I'm going to do my very best to ignore the negatives, accentuate the positives, and to promote more good in the world. I'm going to try to blog more often and try to make each blog something that will inspire and uplift.<br />
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I will start today with "Endure All Things."<br />
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There are always going to be people in this life who think differently than we do. Sometimes they say things that to us that seem stupid, hateful, hypocritical, or just plain mean. Generally it is a case of perception. Like two people viewing the letter 9, one from the bottom and one from the top. The one on the bottom says "nine" the one on the top says "six." both are right from their own perspective. The trouble is when they try to convince the other that they are wrong.<br />
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It's nearly impossible to change some one's perspective. I like to think that I'm open minded enough to step to the other side and see their point of view, but I'm not willing to adopt that point of view when it conflicts with my convictions.We all like to think that we are the one with our feet on the ground, that in fact, the other person is looking at things all wrong.We might even try to draw them a diagram, "see, it looks like this, it's a nine." but they are still on the other side seeing sixes.So how can we ever agree?<br />
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Sometime it comes down to agreeing to disagree. Sometimes we have to endure the fact that they will probably never see things from our side. All we can do is make sure that we are not the one reading backwards. We can offer a hand, a loving invitation to take a look from your side, we can step over the page and lead the way, but we can't force them to come. So, when they refuse, we lovingly ignore the opposite opinion and let it go. Yes, it's okay to ignore someone. They will probably get in your face, shout, whine, call you names, get their friends to torment you as well, and generally try to get under your skin and argue. Sometimes we have to treat adults as children when they act childish. The best way to deal with a recalcitrant child is to ignore the bad behavior. When they no longer get attention for those behaviors they become bored and desist.<br />
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So I'm going to do my best to ignore those who anger me with what I perceive as ignorant and hypocritical actions or remarks. I shall endure all things with love in my heart for my brothers and sisters who share this earth with me. It isn't necessary to comment on everything. It does no good to argue. I will try my best to be an example of love, kindness, and forgiveness.<br />
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I will be honest, but I will also try not to be offensive in my opinions. I will ignor those things that are blatantly stupid and hurtful to me just as I would ignore an annoying child. I won't give out the attention they want. It isn't worth the time spent being angry or annoyed. I love the child, but I don't love the behavior. I will speak up when needful. I've spent too many years hiding behind a quiet exterior, trying to avoid confrontation. I will not fall into silence again. But, I will try very hard to express myself in a loving and peaceful way. I shall not promote dissension by participation.<br />
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I shall do my best to endure all things. I hope to be able to add to the good in this world in any way that is possible for me. I pray that in some way, as small as it may be, I can be a positive force to those around me.<br />
<br />Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-57120269835244945252016-12-17T16:00:00.000-07:002016-12-17T16:10:56.291-07:00Go ahead, be offended.<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_rhlq0YOcw2Bbl-I54QhXRZe_bxsrOOYaLVRXwawKPaftYZmMai43EfeoWinpDi5LL1l-LOUdoNxACnqTJ6wn83iP4medhsutsvTYF3OyIgBzWIamAGJr_ZrUeOEXYAZIkVZOFVrwRYL/s1600/make+america+kind+again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_rhlq0YOcw2Bbl-I54QhXRZe_bxsrOOYaLVRXwawKPaftYZmMai43EfeoWinpDi5LL1l-LOUdoNxACnqTJ6wn83iP4medhsutsvTYF3OyIgBzWIamAGJr_ZrUeOEXYAZIkVZOFVrwRYL/s320/make+america+kind+again.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(I don't know where I got this picture, but thank you to whoever made it.)</div>
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I've been trying very hard to be tolerant and ignore the hypocrisy and the hate that's been floating around the internet and even on the news media, but my patience is getting very thin and maybe my skin is thinning a little around the edges too.</div>
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I have to speak up or I'm part of the problem. So at the risk of stirring a rancid pot I'm going to tell you what I think. I'm not holding it in any longer. Maybe I'm setting myself up for crucifixion here but I'm tire of being afraid to speak out. I know some of my friends will disagree and maybe even be offended by this, but if they can offend me and think they are righteously justified then maybe they can view this in the same light.</div>
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To start off with, this is the meme that got under my thinning skin this morning.</div>
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It starts out trying to sound like it's tolerant and caring but then it stabs me in the gut. </div>
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By implication, if I voted for Trump, I'm racist, anti woman, a bully, cruel, disgusting, and someone who would insult a disabled person (my father only had one arm, believe me I would never insult a disabled person). Oh, and because I'm so "deplorable" I don't deserve to be considered a friend anymore. </div>
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I won't even go into how grossly immature this is but I'll move on to the real issues here.<br />
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I don't claim that President Elect Trump is a perfect person. Yes, he is sometimes crass, a womanizer, tactless, blunt to the point of offense, and he has a hard time holding in his anger. However, some of those weaknesses are also his strengths. He says what he thinks regardless of what others think, and he says it publicly. In other words, he's totally honest weather you like it or not.<br />
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In contrast, Hillary Clinton smiles to your face and appears to be on your side but behind the scenes she has been caught on camera and in emails saying things that are every bit as racial, cruel, anti woman, and in fact far worse than anything Trump ever said, but the media gloss those things over and spin it to make her out to be some sort of worship worthy entity. This doesn't mean she is a better person, only that she is better at keeping it to herself, hidden. In other words, she is a better liar.<br />
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You scream about President Elect Trump's attitude towards women. But do you think that he would have stood aside while his spouse had affairs in the white house office and not publicly denounced it? No, he would have kicked the cheater out. What does it say about a woman who sides with a man who not only publicly betrayed her but also diminished the office of president? Is that a woman who respects women? She doesn't even respect herself.<br />
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Let me tell you another reason I voted for Trump, and it's a big one. I voted for our next president because he loves this country. He stands up for the good in this country. He's proud to be an American, even with it's faults. I can not say this about President Obama. Obama never loved this country. Even when he tried to sound like he did, in his speeches, it always came out as a backhanded stab. To him this country had to be changed. America had to bend to fit his personal agenda along with whatever popular minority is politically correct today. He did more to undermine the constitution and divide this country than he ever did to build it.<br />
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So yes, I voted for the man who loves this country and is willing to work for all the people of this country even when they hate him and stab him in the back. I voted for the man who married a legal immigrant. I voted for the man who hires people from all walks of life and is now appointing the same diversity of people to his cabinet, not because they fit his quota of minorities but because he truly believes they can do the jobs that need to be done to bring our country back to greatness. I voted for a man who's not afraid to say Merry Christmas, who's not so busy trying to be politically correct that he's crippled himself and the entire nation with fear of offense. Yeah, I'm tired of being afraid to be honest.<br />
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Okay, now I'm really ranting. You call Trump a racist? What do think a racist is? A racist is someone who puts one group of people above another. A racist is someone who spouts black lives matter but it's okay to kill a policeman, especially if he's white. A racist is someone who wants everyone to kiss their poor offended bum because of something that happened to an ancestor, or maybe just someone who happened to have the same color of skin as their's a hundred years ago.<br />
President Lincoln gave us equality after the civil war. Martin Luther King made it even better. What have you done today to take advantage of that gift? If you want me to treat you as an equal then act like an equal, not a poor put upon victim. Act like an intelligent, law abiding, caring, hard working, responsible citizen and that is how I will treat you. Act like a chip on your shoulder, whiny, I want revenge, malcontent with no regard for others and their property then you deserve to be thrown in jail. HEY, wake up. Some of my ancestors were murdered just because they were Mormons. That doesn't mean I expect the country to kiss my feet and treat me special. I don't care what minority you belong to, color, gender, whatever. I'll treat you with the same respect you treat me.<br />
And further more - grow up and stop calling me names.<br />
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I voted for the man who is going to repeal Obamacare. Obamacare is a disgrace. If you want me to have insurance then make it possible for me to afford real insurance. Don't tax the evil rich so you can give me their money and put me under obligation to pay it back if, by some miracle, I make more money than I predicted I might. I've had more ulcers worrying about Obamacare then I ever did being uninsured. Obamacare literally made me sick. How's that for irony? Don't give my tax money to some greedy insurance company who doubles the rates because they know the government will pay, and then sell me and my family into slavery to pay for it. Yeah, I'm sad to say that our first black president is the man who has sold an entire nation into slavery. He got his revenge.<br />
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A vote for Hillary would have been a vote for more of the same. Thank god the reigns have passed into different hands, as imperfect as they are.Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-91459420102628683832016-11-10T09:24:00.000-07:002016-11-10T09:24:22.832-07:00Please Remember This<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Okay, so today I've been sitting here feeling guilty because of some of the things I posted on facebook the day after the election. (Believe me, I didn't post half of what I was tempted to.) I genuinely try not to offend people most times. And, maybe I should keep my mouth shut today as well, but I really want to say something.<br />
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I remember some of the nasty things people posted about Mitt Romney after he lost and how angry it made me that they thought they should kick him when he was down. Someone even compared him to Hitler and spouted all sorts of gross lies about the man. It really ticked me off. It hurt.<br />
So yeah, I feel guilty that I stooped to that level. (Though I didn't go half as far as I wanted.)<br />
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I apologize to anyone who I offended. It was not meant to hurt anyone personally. It is only a backhanded way of celebrating. I shall try to rise above that. I will try harder to follow my beliefs and turn the other cheek. I will try not to start nasty or return nasty for nasty anymore.<br />
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But on the other hand, there is still a vindictive part of me that wants to rub it in. My friends on the left certainly had no qualms about rubbing it in when they won, so why should I hesitate to retaliate now that the shoe is on the other foot? I can't help feeling that this is an example of the double standard that I see. It's okay to be nasty and use any means to support your own cause but it's not okay when others do the same to you. So many demand tolerance yet they give none in return. I'm going to try not to be that person.<br />
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Anyway, my point is, remember these feeling the next time you want to spout nasty at conservatives. <b>How does it feel? </b>How do<b> you </b>like it?<br />
Let's please remember to be a little kinder to each other in the future. I promise to try.<br />
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(Note: shout out to whoever posted the flower photo on the internet.)Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-66740923134846268222016-04-20T09:09:00.000-06:002016-04-20T09:27:32.641-06:00A Plethora of Wonderful Things.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I haven't abandoned my blog, really I haven't. I've just been so busy doing exciting things that I haven't had time to stop and talk about it<br />
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I couldn't understand why I've been feeling so stressed lately. Things have been going really well for me. However, yesterday it hit me that stress is not always from negative things. Sometimes stress is a result of too many good things at once.<br />
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As I went over what was good in my life, I realized that I have a plethora of wonderful, exciting things going on right now. I'd like to share a couple of them with you.<br />
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The most major thing that I am super excited about is that I have <b>three</b>, yes three, books in various stages of publication as we speak. I expect to be telling you a lot about them soon.<br />
The <b>first</b> one is the sequel to The Gift of Lies that I've been promising you. I will be revealing the cover for that soon and I'm very pleased with how it is looking. I hope to have the book released by the end of May at the very latest. It all depends on the editor at this point.<br />
The <b>second</b> one is the first of my Sionian trilogy that is under contract with WiDo publishing. I'm expecting the second round of edits on it any day. I have no release date yet, but once the edits are done I hope it goes faster.<br />
The <b>third </b>is the second of that trilogy which is in for consideration with WiDo. I havn't heard if they like it yet, but I have faith that once the first one comes out they will start on that.<br />
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So keep watching, things will be hopping on this blog before long as I shout to the world about my books. I hope I don't make you all crazy tooting my own horn.<br />
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The next major project that I'm working on and loving is my garden. I've been a little frustrated with my patch of sunshine the last two years, but a little bird by the name of Tiffany Hutchinson pointed me in a new direction that has me smiling and throwing seeds around again.<br />
It's called Back to Eden gardening. It's really not a new technique, but it's a return to a more natural way that people seem to have lost. If you want to know more about it you can find it on YouTube. I won't bore you with details here.<br />
Let me just tell you that I am really excited to see how it works out for me. I'm busy dumping mulchy wood chips everywhere and planting things that I had given up on like potatoes again. I do love my garden and now I have hope again that it can be all that I want it to be. Come by this summer and see how it looks.Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-51928792841098367482016-02-12T10:55:00.000-07:002016-02-12T10:55:17.381-07:00The Girl In The Time Machine, by Debra Chapoton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"The Girl in the Time Machine" is a story with a macabre and tragic twist. As with all good time travel stories it weaves itself back and forward through the timelines of the main characters until you think your head will explode. I can't tell you more than that without huge spoilers.<br />
It's also about growing up and learning the hard way how to deal with anger, jealousy and teenage dilemmas. Laken and Skylar, sometimes known as Lake and Sky have a bond that goes beyond friendship. When things get weird, and they do, we find out just how far that friendship is willing to go and why.<br />
I'm honored to have been asked to review this novel. I give it four out of five stars because I can't decide if I liked the ending or not (and I try to be stingy with my stars) but I have no hesitation in recommending it as a great read. It's full of surprises at every turn and it kept me reading right along. I finished it in one sitting, to the detriment of my housekeeping.Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-35381205082765256422015-11-30T20:26:00.001-07:002015-11-30T20:26:19.507-07:00I'm a NaNoWriMo Winner!<img alt="Winner 2015 - Web Banner" height="236" src="http://d1lj9l30x2igqs.cloudfront.net/nano-2013/files/2015/11/NaNo-2015-Winner-Banner.jpg" width="640" /><br />
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For those of you non writers who don't know what this is, it's a sort of personal challenge to write 50,000 words in one month, the month of November. It is not a small feat, doable but challenging, especially when you have a real life that gets in the way.<br />
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I chose to take the challenge and finally get started on the third novel in my Sionian trilogy. And though I did not get the novel completely roughed out, I am now 50,000 words farther ahead than I was a month ago. I'm probably about half way through the first draft. I thought I would be farther than that but as this book brings in a lot of new things, I have worlds to build and people to introduce. This book is going to be longer than I expected. But it going to be so worth it - just saying . . .<br />
<br />Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-5520610986754223002015-11-21T14:39:00.000-07:002015-11-21T14:39:59.158-07:00Announcement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My how time flies. I thought I would have this news sooner. Sorry to tease for so long, but I think I can safely announce it now.<br />
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I HAVE A NEW PUBLISHER!</h2>
I have signed a contract with WiDo Publishing for my book called Yahhaidd. It is the first of a trilogy about the Sionian people. If it does well, I have confidence they will do the rest of the trilogy also.<br />
I'm am more than pleased about this. This trilogy has been in the works for years. Some of you may have heard of it as the Watchers. That name, however, was too popular with other books so I scrapped it and came up with a better one. In truth this book has evolved so much it really isn't the same book anyway.<br />
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Note: If you are a fan of The Gift of Lies and have been waiting, don't be dismayed. The sequel, The Debt of Truth is very close to being finished and I will have it professionally edited and put it up on line as soon as I can.Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-5089409324199657162015-10-28T16:36:00.000-06:002015-10-28T16:36:24.446-06:00Life In Progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Once again I have procrastinated myself into looking bad. That last post was over and done a month ago and I just blindly sat back and let it blare to the world "This gal doesn't keep up her blog!"It's not that I have nothing going on in my life, because I do.<div>
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For one, my oldest just got back from her mission and I've really been enjoying having her home this week. We've gone to see her sister at BYUI, shopped for jeans together, ate too much junk food while watching all the Dr. Who episodes she missed and had some great talks. We've had a great time.</div>
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I've been busy writing now and then, working on The Debt of Truth which is the sequel to The Gift of Lies and gearing up to finally write the third of the Sionian Trilogy which I'm thinking will be called Phylo. I'm thinking I'll finish it for NaNoWriMo. I'm feeling much better about my writing career and will in fact probably have some good news to share next week. Keep watching this blog to find out what I'm talking about.</div>
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The rest of my life is full of all those daily, monthly, yearly, boring things that nobody wants to read about but everybody has to do, or hire done, or wish they could hire done . . . Anyway, I've been busy, just not busy writing on this blog. So much for all those great promises of book reviews and poems and author interviews. I really need to get back on that wagon and make this blog more interesting. I owe reviews that need writing and I know authors that need interviewing. Time to stop being a slug and write.</div>
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I don't know who is responsible for the image above. I stole it off of Facebook I think. It sort of expresses my life right now.</div>
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Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-25725535878458518972015-08-31T09:17:00.000-06:002015-08-31T09:33:21.298-06:00Farewell to Summer<a href="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Farewell-to-Summer.jpg"><img alt="Farewell to Summer" class="aligncenter wp-image-29200" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Farewell-to-Summer-1024x640.jpg" height="375" width="600" /></a>
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<br />
<strong>Farewell to Summer $250 Giveaway - September 1st to 22nd</strong>
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<a href="http://www.bookworminkorporated.com/" target="_blank">Bookworm Inkorporated</a>
<a href="https://crystalschaoticconfessions.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Crystal's Chaotic Confessions</a>
<a href="http://kellysluckyyou.com/" target="_blank">Kelly's Lucky You</a>
<a href="http://unshelfish.org/" target="_blank">Unshelfish</a>
<a href="https://thediscerningreader.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">The Discerning Reader</a>
<a href="http://mybookself.org/" target="_blank">My Book Self</a>
<a href="https://atatteredcopy.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">A Tattered Copy</a>
<a href="http://ravenhairedgirl.com/" target="_blank">Raven Haired Girl</a>
<a href="http://www.thegrimmchronicles.com/" target="_blank">Ken Brosky</a>
<a href="http://simplyhealed.com/" target="_blank">Carolyn Cooper</a>
<a href="http://rhondapaglia.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Rhonda Paglia ~ "Grammy Pags Stories"</a>
<a href="http://laurisareyes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Laurisa Reyes - Author</a>
<a href="http://wendisotis.com/" target="_blank">Author Wendi Sotis</a>
<a href="http://www.bkristinmcmichael.com/" target="_blank">B. Kristin McMichael</a>
<a href="http://literarywinner.com/" target="_blank">Literary Winner</a>
<a href="http://www.laurietreacy.com/" target="_blank">Laurie Treacy, author</a>
<a href="http://nerd-girlsromanticsandtime-travelers.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nerd-Girls, Romantics, and Time-Travelers</a><br />
<strong><br /></strong>
<strong>Giveaway Details</strong>
$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card
Ends 9/22/15
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Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-90411022019367826812015-08-17T18:15:00.000-06:002015-08-17T18:15:16.392-06:00Point of ViewJuly is long gone and August is half over and still I'm looking at a virtual open house? Yikes! It's time to put my fingers to the keys and talk about something else.<br />
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The only thing that I've really been struck with lately, that I could talk about is maybe how point of view can totally change things. I've been reading through my latest work in progress and wondering why it lacked emotion. It finally hit me that it was written from the wrong point of view. Although it continues the story from the first book, it's really about the new character. It's her story, and through her eyes it's all new and fresh and personal, where as from the eyes of the people we already know it's rather remote.<br />
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Point of view has been in the news a lot lately as well. For example, the two "black lives matter" ladies who interrupted Bernie Sander's speech to shout about their cause.<br />
I'm sure, from their stand point, they felt they were doing something noble and courageous. They felt it important to remind everyone about the injustice that had been done and to shame those in the group who they felt were part of the cause of all that is wrong. They felt that the incident of note was a direct assault on all black persons.<br />
However, from the eyes of Mr. Sander's and those that were gathered there to hear him, it must have been a shining example of the reason people are antagonistic to blacks. The women were rude, pushy and arrogant. They seem to feel that because their race had been abused in the past it gave them the right to abuse others. Although the people were gathered to hear a political platform from a current presidential contender so that they could make an educated choice in the future of our nation, they were forced to listen to rantings of racial outrage.<br />
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Okay, now <i>I'm</i> ranting. Here's my point of view. Think about this.<br />
I have ancestors who were murdered just because they were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons to those of you prefer nick names). Yes, in a country that was founded on freedom of religion, a group of people were persecuted, driven from their homes in the dead of winter, many of them murdered because of their religious beliefs.<br />
Does this make me a martyr?<br />
<b>No</b>. Even though I have taken some flak myself about my religion, I am not a martyr just because my fourth great grandfather was murdered by a mob.<br />
Does it mean that the United States is a bad country, that the constitution is wrong?<br />
<b>No</b>. It only means that there are sometimes miss-guided people in government and in our communities who fail to hold up that constitution.<br />
Do I expect special treatment or government intervention because of how my ancestors were treated?<br />
<b>No</b>. Nor should you.<br />
Does the color of my skin make me more important than anyone else:<br />
<b>No.</b> Neither does yours . . .<br />
Do black lives matter?<br />
<b>Yes, </b>but so do everyone else's. All lives matter. Get over it.<br />
To expect special treatment because of the past is not justice, it's revenge.<br />
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There are just as many white's who are brutalized as there are blacks or any other race. There are people on this earth who have it far worse than anyone in this country. In fact, those two black women looked quite well off to me. They were not abused. In fact they were treated far more carefully than two white women would have been. If they had pulled a stunt like that in some countries they would have been stoned. This country still holds more freedoms than many. Lets stop pulling it apart and cleave to what is good about it.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #ea9999;">Why can't we focus our passions and energies on things that can help others instead of scraping at the scabs of society and making everyone around us bleed?</span></b><br />
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(Hey, that's rather profound. Somebody is going to quote that some day . . . patting myself on the back now.)Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-72330654713626590622015-07-01T00:00:00.000-06:002015-07-01T22:19:34.926-06:00Publishing Independence Day Virtual Openhouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiha44ZssOVYCj-Uy0Zjm59pP4CMCKRyPg5v3iho39sIj474z943PE-C5rSZF2JqKYMzWKajENL8YVFmIt4wmiHoTPEV9IbW77JvbRUOzS7dUfWenjWw6cebpmpzAojtv420EcT4LG8Bxra/s1600/July-4th1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiha44ZssOVYCj-Uy0Zjm59pP4CMCKRyPg5v3iho39sIj474z943PE-C5rSZF2JqKYMzWKajENL8YVFmIt4wmiHoTPEV9IbW77JvbRUOzS7dUfWenjWw6cebpmpzAojtv420EcT4LG8Bxra/s640/July-4th1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now that I am done mourning the death of my publisher I find that it is time to move on and embrace this new phase of my life. I want to do it in style if possible. So I've chosen a day to focus on my authorship, my books, my dreams and to celebrate life as a writer. I'm calling it my publishing independence day and I'm hosting a virtual open house, complete with prizes.<br />
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It's and odd party, I'm always here in spirit but I'm basically anti social and really don't want to do any sort of live event. So you can come, sign the book, see the exhibits and leave me a note. I may be here or I may not. In any case, I won't be hanging around all day to be embarrassed if no one shows.<br />
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I'll leave out some virtual snacks and beverages. Help yourself.<br />
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In fact I think I'll leave this open house going all month (virtual food is easy to keep hot). So July 1st is my independence day but I'm celebrating all month long. The meat is on the grill.<br />
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As with all good celebrations there needs to be presents. So I'm giving away a $25.00 Amazon gift card to one lucky party goer. Just to make it more fun for me I'm asking you to play along and help me out a little to earn your chance to win (nothing hard just a click here and there). Come on over, some of the entries for the prize can be done every day. (See the rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom.)<br />
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Also, you have all month to read my book, and if you write a review or two you can earn up to <b>ten more chances to win</b>! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YHUC2A0" target="_blank">get The Gift of Lies on Amazon</a> It's a light summer read and I guarantee it's clean and stress free. It would be a great gift for a young adult but we older natives can also enjoy it.<br />
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Have fun! Read through some blog posts, get to know me a little better and have a blast at my celebration. Wave a sparkler for me. Bring the kids. It's good clean fun.<br />
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But wait! There's more! Head over to Goodreads and enter to win a signed copy of The Gift of Lies.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/" target="_new">Goodreads</a> Book Giveaway
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25795242"><img alt="The Gift of Lies by Norma T. Rudolph" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1435253528l/25795242.jpg" title="The Gift of Lies by Norma T. Rudolph" width="100" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25795242">The Gift of Lies</a>
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by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13393995.Norma_T_Rudolph" style="text-decoration: none;">Norma T. Rudolph</a>
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Giveaway ends July 31, 2015.
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See the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/144602" style="text-decoration: none;">giveaway details</a>
at Goodreads.
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<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-91047654559436816982015-06-01T11:55:00.000-06:002015-06-01T11:55:13.165-06:00Goodnight Dear Void . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCWnM4ci8YM7weJqQ1ii52a31iLmGiGo2aGar2KlKvuXZemETVy9jS8rwG7BsUhv6i0fMCvnbsGbyInYjSPRl5NLkzLrJHmn3IaUUbginDinZYKJBTGN5xyiusdTaUWwgMrstE-FOiOes/s1600/Didn-t-want-to-happen-has-happened.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCWnM4ci8YM7weJqQ1ii52a31iLmGiGo2aGar2KlKvuXZemETVy9jS8rwG7BsUhv6i0fMCvnbsGbyInYjSPRl5NLkzLrJHmn3IaUUbginDinZYKJBTGN5xyiusdTaUWwgMrstE-FOiOes/s1600/Didn-t-want-to-happen-has-happened.jpg" /></a></div>
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As of today my friends Creative Prose Publishing are officially no longer in business. I am now self published.<br />
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It makes me think of the movie "You've Got Mail" especially the part where Kathleen Kelly says "People are always telling you that change is a good thing. But all they're really saying is that something you didn't want to happen at all . .. has happened."<br />
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I can so relate to that quote. I feel like a part of me is right back where I started and it was all for nothing. The optimistic, logical part of me says to push forward and maybe it's just a blessing in disguise, but my heart . . . my heart is broken and wants to sit in the corner with hot chocolate and a bag of oatmeal cookies reading tear jerking novels.</div>
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So many things she says in that movie touch me right now. Like this quote:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-s1jyGl3uLE1VU9LxdkKuHHF4mfp0XBQ8SSfrSB4Oi8Zemd19gsL_toBQs7XUhg0nimv6SwkYrf4_Sv4y5rqj3KnS9FEhdpI4XWH2NyzpMFfgKLbsmTh7fX7EGA1LJHcJfR5vcrc_OHO/s1600/90c75e557bdf9d7687e33929d80c6afd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-s1jyGl3uLE1VU9LxdkKuHHF4mfp0XBQ8SSfrSB4Oi8Zemd19gsL_toBQs7XUhg0nimv6SwkYrf4_Sv4y5rqj3KnS9FEhdpI4XWH2NyzpMFfgKLbsmTh7fX7EGA1LJHcJfR5vcrc_OHO/s640/90c75e557bdf9d7687e33929d80c6afd.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I live a small life, valuable, but small. Do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave?</div>
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For the most part I think I like it. If I had my "druthers" I'd be a hermit in a cabin or a beach house, writing my novels and sending them out there to make a living for me. I'd only have to come forth now and then to buy food and say hi to my family and loved ones.</div>
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I never wanted to self publish. I know that I pretty much hate doing all of the things that publishers do. I want all of the things I get from a publisher, validation, editing, cover art, marketing, to name a few. So I am looking, praying and sending out a few queries. In the mean time I'm keeping my book out there in the void, hoping someone will buy it and read it. I guess that's what it's all about in the end isn't it?</div>
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You've Got Mail is, of course, one of my favorite all time movies. How could it not be? It's about bookstores, romance, and new beginnings. I love it even more now because it gives me a feeling that I'm not alone. Other people have speed bumps in their careers and it can still turn out well. Just as Kathleen Kelly comes out on top in the end, I too can pull myself up, put on my big girl panties and push on with my life.</div>
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So I'm just throwing this out there to anyone who cares to read it. Soon I will pull out a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils and get back to work on the next novel. However, for now, goodnight dear void . . .</div>
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Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-79466140548312240842015-05-21T11:43:00.000-06:002015-05-21T11:43:03.508-06:00No DucksThis week I have been running on left over adrenalin from LDStorymakers. I made it my goal to hit the ground running and not let life get in the way of my writing goals. This blog has suffered a little because I have been working on my book and some other issues that you will be hearing about soon.<br />
Big things are in the works for me, but I'm not going to mention any of them until things are more settled.<br />
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This week was supposed to be author spotlight week but sadly I have run out of authors who signed up to be spotlighted and I haven't had time to read any new books for a while. I promise next week I'll have some good book reviews lined up. I have several books on my nightstand that I have promised to review. They look like good reading.<br />
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In the mean time here's a poem I wrote eons ago. It's short but fun.<br />
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No Ducks</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">I "borrowed this image from http://fineartamerica.com/featured/walden-ponds-sunset-brian-kerls.html .</span></div>
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Two sunset skies</div>
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Two watery moons</div>
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Two shadowed hills</div>
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Two gliding ducks</div>
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One rock in pond . . .</div>
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One sky</div>
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One moon</div>
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One hill</div>
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No ducks</div>
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Norma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2624993486761945546.post-79971309270610572362015-05-13T00:00:00.001-06:002015-05-13T00:00:02.207-06:00LDStorymakers Conference<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBzANmlTx2qLhEOsqAHJPVvewvIpO_wf_lOcRCIvxIc1w0WwKhm-mOw0gRG_5xhSgrI6r2McQFRBY00RN-9dvm6TI_e-gic6hFHvJVriTh0qaiTAD5gnzUpeH5lkVQDHL9dpJmXa_FRqa/s1600/storybanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBzANmlTx2qLhEOsqAHJPVvewvIpO_wf_lOcRCIvxIc1w0WwKhm-mOw0gRG_5xhSgrI6r2McQFRBY00RN-9dvm6TI_e-gic6hFHvJVriTh0qaiTAD5gnzUpeH5lkVQDHL9dpJmXa_FRqa/s640/storybanner.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm actually writing this on May 4th as I don't want to be worried about my blog while I'm at the conference. It will post the day I leave and I'll either have something else scheduled when I get back or I'll soon post something then.<br />
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Storymakers is high on my radar today as I just got my membership badge in the mail. Woo who! I am officially a Storymaker. It has been a goal of mine since I started going to the conference a few years ago and I'm proud to say I finally accomplished a goal. My book came out in February.<br />
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This year at the conference I'll be looking into the classes on self publishing. Sadly, my publisher (Creative Prose) is going out of business at the end of the month. It is unlikely, (though I am working on it), that I will have found a replacement by then, so in order to keep my book available on the market I will be forced to publish myself for a time.<br />
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As always I am super excited to go to this. My dear friend Carla and I have made plans for it all year. I've even signed us up to go to a chocolate tasting with a bunch of other authors. It's a way to make new friends and meet some of my online friends that I have yet to meet in real time.<br />
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Anyway, wish me well and I'll see you when I get backNorma Rudolphhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09501980818385563698noreply@blogger.com0Provo, UT, USA40.2338438 -111.6585337000000240.0399588 -111.98125720000002 40.427728800000004 -111.33581020000003