LOST IN PROMO LAND?

All HALLOWS EVER has released now and last ditch edits done, this girl can relax. Kick back after all those long late night edits and rewrites. 

Or can she?

Promoting is a thing unto itself. And not something I enjoy like I once did. It could be because I feel kind of lost and overwhelmed out there in promo land these days. It's different than it use to be. And I'm different. So off I will go to see how things work. 

I believe as I always have that it isn't about just promoting a new book, but promoting yourself as an author. And with the explosion of Indie authors, it can be down right daunting just looking to see what's out there, who does this promo thing the best, and how to do it.

Lots to think about and do if I want to keep on writing!

"And I do yes I do, don't you know that I want to..."
(hmm, where'd that line come from? Yeah.)

Did I say I need coffee? Lots and lots of Coffee. 

Kaye

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

AHE RELEASES TODAY!

ALL HALLOWS EVER 

RELEASE DAY!

on Amazon Kindle 

link here

FATE OR PASSION

BOUNDLESS PASSION OR FATED LOVE?

The question plays around them as they discover the true meaning of Soul-Love. Join Nick and Krista while they celebrate Halloween in

ALL HALLOWS EVER

A Halloween story from the Soul-Love Series on Amazon Kindle

October 12th

(from FB)

THE RELUCTANT PSYCHIC

ALL HALLOWS EVER 

My Halloween love story will be releasing in a few days! Here is a short little view inside.

Focus on character Nick Zelmenis the reluctant psychic.

A young musician with an astounding ability he doesn’t truly want. He sees things he doesn’t want to see, knows things he tries not to know. An undeveloped potential he doesn’t really need, or so he believes.

Excerpt from AHE:

Nick lay with his body wrapped around Krista as she slept in his arms. He snuggled his face into her long amber hair and breathed in her heady scent. She smelled of tea and soap. He pushed his thoughts across her mind. "I love you dancer girl and all I want to do is live right now right here with you. Forget futurizing. Forget seeing visions I don’t want to see. I just wanna watch you dance… Write and play my songs… Spend time with our friends." He chuckled a little. "And get paid for music gigs even if it isn’t much..."

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

ROCKING ON WITH THE NEW BOOK COVER!

New AHE Book Cover is here and we are ready to rock!

ROCKING ON!

This is an actual photo of my rock band brothers in LA 

 retro rockers for sure!

Why am I sharing this now?

To celebrate 

a musician and his lady

in my latest version book of

ALL HALLOWS EVER

Releasing soon for Halloween!

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

ALMOST OCTOBER?

Really? Well yes. It seems summer and September went by so fast! I see October as a time for stepping headlong into stunning fall with all the colors and changes. There is usually more warm cool days yet I know winter is straight behind it. October is a favorite month for me. And lest I forget the fun end of month celebrations of Halloween to look toward. Another fun thing is the release of Halloween themed books to find. But after the 31st winter's chill is on the rise with more cold days and the winds of November. What do you like about October?

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

STEAM - WHAT DID YOU SAY?

GOING STEAMPUNK

Most anyone who reads fiction these days has heard of or read stories with a Steampunk theme. This genre exploded onto the scene several years ago in books and film. 

The Sherlock Holmes movies for instance have strong steampunk elements. But there may be some who don’t know or understand this type of work, or exactly what is meant by "Steampunk". 

The following is a brief explanation of this fascinating genre.

Steampunk is a style of writing inspired by science fiction. It combines historical elements and settings with anachronistic attributes. And typically features steam-powered machinery—cogs, wheels, gears— rather than advanced technology. 

The creative ideas can be endless and exciting to explore inside this type of genre. To capture the essence of this unique theme think H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.

Steampunk fashions seen in media most always pay homage to the vintage Victorian era with a touch of mechanical flair mixed with a modern flavor. 

Trending in a future post is the premise/blurb for a new book titled THE PURVEYOR, my own journey into the world of Steampunk.

Keep your spyglass at the ready!

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

FROM A DISTANT GALAXY

Are we on the cusp of real authentic alien contact? Possibly.

Fifteen bursts of radio emission were detected from the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. This happened during observations of a dwarf galaxy three billion light years away in late August of this year. This is the first time bursts from this source have been recorded at these frequencies.

Breakthrough Listen, an organization initiated by Stephen Hawking, searches for signs of intelligent life in the universe. They have detected the fast radio bursts emanating from the "mysterious repeater".

Breakthrough Listen explains fast radio bursts, or FRBs, as brief, bright pulses of radio emission from distant galaxies. These bursts have now been identified by several radio telescopes around the world. The strongest bursts were those received at the Green Bank Observatory.

Astronomers say that explanations for FRBs range from outbursts from rotating neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields to directed energy sources used by extraterrestrial civilizations to power spacecraft.

Breakthrough Listen reported the results as an Astronomer's Telegram, and they will describe the results in further detail in upcoming scientific articles. Read more about the latest discovery by the Green Bank Radio Telescope at BreakthoughListen.

What do you think? Intelligent alien contact or not?

Kaye

Images from Space.com

NEAR EARTH ASTEROID IS CLOSE

A huge asteroid will sweep by Earth on September 1^st.  “Florence” is the largest object on record to come this close since NASA began tracking these types of near-Earth asteroids. 

The space rock measures 2.7 miles across and will pass by Earth at a distance of 4.4 million miles. This is called a “safe close shave”.

As this asteroid flies by, astronomers will capture radar images to learn more about its exact size and detailed surface features.

You can view this event through telescopes now as Florence begins to brighten in the night sky and streak through the constellations Piscis Austrinus, Capricornus, Aquarius and Delphinus.

The flyby this Friday is the asteroid's closest approach since 1890 and it won't get this close to Earth again until after 2500. 

Kaye Manro
info and trajectory graphic
from space.com

DANCING SHOES

Dancing Shoes

though the distances divide us

there's a paradise inside us we can't lose

and I pray you'll never shed your 

dancing shoes....

She had loved him so…

It wasn’t the first time she’d fallen in love. But she wished it would be the last. He’d taken her deep inside the most beautiful profound love she could ever imagine.

And left her there. Alone.

Not because he didn’t love her but because he just couldn’t be in this world with her any longer. After the tears were done, she knew she would keep her promise to him... 

“Never stop the dance," he had said near the end, "never shed your dancing shoes, promise me…"

And so she carried the pink satin shoes in her hands and sat down on the floor in front of the large mirror to don them. These were the ones he’d given her. 

Pushing her toes inside, they fit her feet snugly, perfectly. She tied the matching ribbons around her ankles and stood up stretching on pointe to her toes.  She watched her reflection in the studio mirror as she worked her feet and body into the positions of a dancer.

This was a special day. The day she would create the Dance just for him. She began to move and glide across the wooden floor, dipping downward and up again, turning on her toes and reaching skyward…

There was no music, no accompaniment, just her shoes and her body moving through space, reaching past time. Spinning faster and faster around the floor.

 Suddenly she stopped in mid-flight and gasped.

 For an instant, she saw him standing before her reaching out to touch her, feel her. But his image faded as quickly as it had appeared.

She felt the emptiness of being alone surrounding her. He wasn’t there. It was just her imagination, her longing, her own feelings playing tricks on her.

She stood still and squeezed her eyes closed breathing in deep.

 “I love you so much,” she said aloud.

It wasn’t as if she saw him again. But in that moment, she felt his presence, knew he was near. And then she heard clearer than truth itself,

“I love you too, and I always will. Never forget.”

It was awhile before she opened her eyes again and smiled. But now she knew. Knew beyond doubt that he would always be close to her, never far away at all.

Her body soared as she began to dance and move and twirl and spin.

Always she would dance for him…

Always.

Story by 
Kaye Manro

(opening lyrics by Dan Fogelberg)

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

COSMIC SOLAR EVENT NOT TO BE MISSED

The very young don't always do what they are told...

The line above came from a SG1 episode called The Nox. At the time I watched STARGATE often. 

That particular line wasn’t about children following parent’s instructions. But an advanced alien culture who gave advice to a not so advanced one that didn’t listen. And chaos ensued. Which did.

Thinking about it as I plan on work writing my own version of Sci Fi stories, the line hit a note in me. We are on the cusp of a truly fantastic cosmic event trekking directly across the middle of US from coat to coast. That doesn’t happen often. And I’m sure everyone has heard about it.  

A Total Solar Eclipse will occur on August 21. Simply put, the moon lines up to travel directly in front of the sun causing the earth and sun to appear in darkness. See it for just a few minutes at each location as its path treks across the sky straight through the middle of the United States. And it tracks close to my area. At the precise time step outside, wear those nifty solar eclipse glasses, look toward the sun and there it is.

All of this sounds so exciting to a Sci Fi girl like me. But there is a catch. If you are outside and you want to watch this event you must wear the Nasa-certified protective glasses. NASA warns that if you look directly at the Solar Eclipse with the naked eye you could damage your retina. And finding a pair of these special eye saving glasses at this late date is rare. So, if you don’t already have yours and can’t score a pair, don't look up! There are many other ways to watch this event.

NASA will stream the Sun’s entire Eclipse path across the country. On computers and smart TVs you can watch the trek from beginning to end in HD with commentary.

ISS (International Space Station) is in the prime location to photograph and vid all of it. Jets from NASA will be in the sky doing the same. 

Check NASA.GOV for the precise viewing of this event in your local area.

Kaye

keep watching!

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

THE FIRST TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
TO CROSS THE USA FROM COAST TO COAST IN 99 YEARS!

MORE TO COME 

STAY TUNED...

DARK SUN

Eclipses and Solar Flares coming soon...

MISTY NEW MORN

She waited for him there in the mists of the early morning light.

”Good Morn my Lady,” he said as he arrived, bowing to her and tipping his sword.

She smiled and curtsied to him. “I see you are carrying your shield today. Are you off to fight the Demons that once plagued your soul or some other great battle that needs to be faced?”

He looked upon her with all his Love shining through. “Today I stand guard at the precipice of our Soul. And yes, I have fought the fierce Ones and won.”

“Take care, my beloved,” she cautioned. “For just when you think the battles are all but gone another One may rear its ugly head, beckoning for you fight once again.”

He turned, looked over his shoulder and leaned on his sword. “I know, my love. I do know just that.”

Then he shifted his gaze skyward and smiled. “But today the air is clear the sun is bright and this world is full of new promise. Looking back toward her, he said, “Care for a frolic my beloved?  I bid you come ride with me into the warmth of this misty new morning.”

He stretched out his hand and took hers in his. Their fingers touched and an ethereal space closed around them wrapping them within one another’s embrace. Without so much as a thought or a care save one for the other. And as the light of their love enfolded them they become as one.

Together they sat upon the beauty of his mystical horse, who stood poised in the flowing meadow before them. They rode off into the early morning light of a new day and a new promise.

Vignette story by Kaye Manro

 

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

(modified version from Musings and Memories 2016)

LETTING THE MUSIC PLAY AND THEN SOME

Yesterday as I was digging out some old things--pictures and such-- I came across something interesting that I had forgotten about. Amazing. It was still buried so deep in my mind. 

It was a story. Actually a screenplay treatment written several years back while I was at UCLA. The story premise is rather good, and interestingly enough with some work and changes could fit with a series I already have going. 

How about this title: 

LET THE MUSIC PLAY

Don't think I ever wrote about it here or anywhere else in blog or fb land. The story title came from a song my brother produced back in the LA days as he pursued concerts, albums and avenues of rock and roll as a profession. What great times those were and what fantastic songs came from then. (a song written in his teen years before others took the title for their songs. And you won't find it now. Pulled from the market and only a select few have a copy of it.)

Back to the story I wrote around that title. 

With rewriting LET THE MUSIC PLAY will fit with the series I have been writing: Love story involving-- you got it-- a musician and a dancer. 

Okay, yes, I've done this but not exactly in the same way. It has a good plot twist that takes the story far from where a reader might think it is going. And it is not SF. 

Enough said for now other than I'm pulling the story, LET THE MUSIC PLAY out of mothballs and giving it a new face and a whirl.

And no, I don't think I've done enough with the musician/dancer scenario. Is there ever too many fun creativity laden stories? I'm going to see what comes of it. Could be something, maybe.

Kaye

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

B-DAY WISHES

July 22

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUSTY!!

Just for you...

a Dream in your pocket

a Wish in your shoe

a ribbon of Stars

and a Moonbeam or two

not just today 

but All your life through!

Love to you on your Special Day!

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

MOVING STRONG

It's wonderful to fall in love

And not so great falling out of love...

When thinking about writing love stories and romance, can taking conflicts and romantic relationship upheavals from real life make a story stronger and more believable? 

Absolutely!

If you are experiencing relationship conflict and are trying to work through it, this can be a catalyst for your character's interaction too. 

Sometimes you and your partner will find compromises and solutions to your problems and can work out ways to make your relationship better. And sometimes not.

So what if you have tried and tried again and still it isn't working and you both know it's time to move on. 

It's never easy it never is. Breaking up is hard. Moving on can be even harder especially if you are inside a long term relationship. There are a myriad of broken hearts scattered everywhere. So remember you are not alone.

I'm a big advocate of trying harder and longer to make love stay, but sometimes it just isn't going to work no matter what you do or try.  

So if it is over and there is nothing left to do but leave each other, then do it. Even if you say we only need to be apart for a while...

There is a freedom in letting go, even if it is tinged with sadness and hurt. And as you move farther on a healing and growing inside yourself can happen as time passes. 

Sometimes this apart time may bring you closer again. Sometimes not. So don't count on that. Rather, be with your own feelings your own self and your processes. 

The good side is as a writer, those things you endured can start to come through your writing and make your stories even stronger, deeper and more realistic. 

There is a whole new you just waiting to be free. And so are your characters too!

Kaye

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017

A CHANGE FOR THE FLAGSHIP BLOG

So this is it. A new view that has needed a change for a long time now. And here are the ones I've made so far. It may be revised again and again depending on my whims. But since it is the flagship blog I started a long time ago, I decided to keep it for now and not take it down. Vary the things I want as I go along. See what happens. Change is good!

Kaye 

 Power to Rosie!

© copyright Kaye Manro 2017