NEVER DOUBT HAPPY

Recently, I stumbled upon an interesting article: Can You Be Happy For 100 Days In A Row? At first I thought, Of course I can! What a ridiculous question! but then I read further. The phrase Every day submit a picture of what made you happy! jumped out and tackled me before I could navigate away. As the reality of the commitment the site was asking me to make sunk in, I realized that I couldn't even name one thing that made me happy in the past week. Except for sleep. Being able to shut off the stress of the day by simply closing my eyes made me downright ecstatic. I figured I'd better get on this stat.

I will be posting on my own site, in my own way. Sometimes I will share a picture, but other times it may be an anecdote or just a phrase. Every day, for at least 100 days, I will share something that made me happy - really happy.

This is my journey to happiness: 

DAY 6:

Some days I find myself doubting my talents and that's rough. But somehow, everything always works out, and just when I least expect it, someone comes along and reminds me that I am enough. 

Thank you Martin Olson, for taking a chance on my work and then being kind enough to tell me (from Facebook about my short story, KAFE CASTRO): "Well-crafted fluid funny intense pro high IQ writing for sure. I really loved it and look forward to read more when I'm past this deadline. Congrats on reaching a point when everything you write is quality. Very bold confident work, really loved it." 
  
As I worked on my new book today, these words kept me going. It made me happy to think he laughed as he read KAFE CASTRO. Making people laugh is one of my greatest joys.

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI in paperback at http://hopress-shorehousebooks.com/cf-winn/  or at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE. 

CF Winn is the founder of Winning! Publications, a firm specializing in editing and promotion services for authors. Her latest project is the just released Trailer Trash, With a Girl’s Name, a hilarious and heartwarming story of a boy saddled with a girl’s name and forced into a nomadic existence. Order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Trash-With-Girls-Name-ebook/dp/B00IX0MIAO 

 

 http://www.gofundme.com/577n90

CREATING HAPPY

Recently, I stumbled upon an interesting article: Can You Be Happy For 100 Days In A Row? At first I thought, Of course I can! What a ridiculous question! but then I read further. The phrase Every day submit a picture of what made you happy! jumped out and tackled me before I could navigate away. As the reality of the commitment the site was asking me to make sunk in, I realized that I couldn't even name one thing that made me happy in the past week. Except for sleep. Being able to shut off the stress of the day by simply closing my eyes made me downright ecstatic. I figured I'd better get on this stat.

I will be posting on my own site, in my own way. Sometimes I will share a picture, but other times it may be an anecdote or just a phrase. Every day, for at least 100 days, I will share something that made me happy - really happy.

This is my journey to happiness: 

DAY 2:

Over and over again, I've heard, be of service to others. In the past, that has been my pleasure. I've volunteered at food banks, donated clothes, given my time and experience to children, but lately, I haven't really felt like I've had much to offer. I mean, poverty and depression really doesn't go very far if you think about it.

Today was a tough day. The issues came at me immediately, but I was determined to succeed at this challenge. I am all too aware that my well being depends on it. So despite a few setbacks, I was relentless about changing my thoughts, and in doing so, I noticed a pattern. Every time I remembered that I was offering one of my short stories for free on Amazon on Thursday and Friday, I felt light, clear, and found myself grinning like my son after a candy bar and a can of iced tea.

Creating art in the form of writing is one of my biggest passions and I love, love, love making people laugh and think. I get so excited about having my work read that sometimes, no matter how much I need to buy groceries, the money doesn't matter, and I just have to give pieces of it away in the hopes that my words reach someone via their brain, funny bone, or heart and soul.

Please enjoy KAFE CASTRO for free tomorrow. It's a short read, and I hope that it brings you the same happiness that it has brought me.

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI in paperback at http://hopress-shorehousebooks.com/cf-winn/  or at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE. 

CF Winn is the founder of Winning! Publications, a firm specializing in editing and promotion services for authors. Her latest project is the just released Trailer Trash, With a Girl’s Name, a hilarious and heartwarming story of a boy saddled with a girl’s name and forced into a nomadic existence. Order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Trash-With-Girls-Name-ebook/dp/B00IX0MIAO 

 

 http://www.gofundme.com/577n90

Kafe Castro Cast!

                 


CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a hilarious group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States.

I AM THE MASTER OF MY WORDS, THE CAPTAIN OF MY BOOK PICKS: WEEK 3

It's only been in the last few years that I have come to realize that conflict is often an opportunity cleverly disguised. When I was in school, my bus ride was chock full of opportunities. 

My brothers and I rode with two families made up of multiple siblings. As individuals, they were dumb as rocks, but as a group, both clans had figured out that because of their numbers, they could rule the bus. 

The Murphy's had the back, taking the seats on the wheels. Those jolted the most when the bus driver sped over bumps and curbs on the turns, sending her passengers high into the air. In those seats, and at the right speed, a kid's head could graze the ceiling of the bus. Most stared longingly at Danny and Richie and their two freckled sisters as they hooted and cursed happily when we hit a particularly potholed road and almost tipped over sideways.

The Greens were made up of two twin sisters, a brother, and a cousin that lived with them. They took the coveted front seats, glaring menacingly at anyone who dared to linger too long in front of them before moving to the middle of the bus...the section reserved for the weak, and families of less than four. Our Adreneline Junkie driver only muttered the occasional, "Shut up", when The Greens would put each other and some unsuspecting lower classmen in headlocks for most of the ride. 

Almost always, I was trapped in my own head, thinking mostly about books or where I'd ride my bike after school, and so much of what went on around me went unnoticed and I was left alone.
My two brothers were much more sociable, joking around and having fun, but sometimes not observing the clearly laid borders around the midsection of the vehicle. This, along with my older brother's temporary speech impediment, would sometimes cause problems for them.

One day, we hadn't even left the school parking lot when Richie M decided to get a jump on pushing around the younger kids. He started with my older brother...the lover, not the fighter...to this day, he avoids confrontation, that is, after he starts it. That afternoon was no different. He was horsing around with his buddies, and said something indirectly about Richie. He knew that my brother was talking about him and he heard the difficultly with which he got it out (speech impediment). Richie ripped into his prey like a raccoon, inspecting its food roughly before tearing it to shreds and eating it. 

I had just boarded, and heard the verbal abuse as I made my way toward the back. This was not the first time he had made fun of my brother, but it was the first time I let myself get involved. Richie was much older than both of us.

When was he finally going to leave the younger ones alone? 

Without a word, I walked up to him and punched him in the face. He never saw it coming and was shocked to find that he was bleeding. So much. 

In that brief moment of  stunned silence, I said, "You'd better stay away from my brother from now on." I sounded like Minnie Mouse. My tiny voice would've been laughable except for the crimson mess dripping from his nose and cheek where my nail had caught his skin. 

No one dared to move...but Richie. More quickly than I could react, he grabbed my head and slammed it repeatedly into the window. His younger brother Danny was my age and yelled, "Rich! She's a girl!" 

I resisted, so the blows weren't as hard as they could be, but it still hurt as much as if he was hitting me with a metal pipe. As my head rocked back and forth, I thought of what to do. I knew that this was basically like making a first impression, and my reaction would shape the next few years my brothers and I had to spend with this goon, so I made a decision. 

When he was done brutalizing me...I did nothing. Wiping a thick clot of blood that hung from his nose with the back of his hand, he stepped back to survey the damage, pleased with how he had overpowered me. 

I stared at him blankly for a few seconds. 

My eyes did not fill with uncontrollable tears because after years of my mother attacking my scalp with a hairbrush, I had learned to channel pain and anxiety into my feet. 

The entire bus was silent. Even the driver stood frozen next to her seat, unable to pull her eyes away. Fear and shame cloaked them all. Not one person had tried to stop him from hurting me. 

In those quiet moments, I saw it all clearly and drew strength from the pride I felt in standing up to this creepy little bully boy. Although my head pounded and I felt as though I might pass out, I smiled. And then I laughed. When he heard me ask, "That's it?", he shook his head and muttered, "You're fucking crazy", before falling into his seat, exhausted and ready to nurse his bruised face. 

That family was done with us. As far as they were concerned, we didn't exist anymore, to torment or otherwise.

The cousin of The Greens had in it for my younger brother. Michael would bother him every day and my brother did a decent job of ignoring him until one day when he just had had enough. 

They decided to get off at Michael's stop and duke it out. I told my brother not to, but he shook me off and insisted that he was going to shut this kid up. 

I told him that I would be coming too, but he warned me to stay out of it. 

I promised that I would....until Michael got my brother in a headlock that he couldn't get out of. As Michael spun around, dragging my brother's body with him, our sibling eyes met and I snapped. I lunged from the far corner of the lawn, where I had promised to stay, and grabbed Michael's hair. The surprise and pain made him instantly release my brother and I watched my younger sibling fall in a heap, trying to catch his breath. 

The sight of him struggling for air took me out of my rage and I realized that this was an optimal teaching moment. The lesson in my young head was, if you push, expect to get pushed back.

I kept my grip on Michael's hair and as I punched him in the face, each blow was accented with a word. You. Will. Never. Come. Near. My. Brother. Again. Or. I. Will. Kill. You.

My brother pulled me off of him and we left Michael on his front walk, bleeding and trying to cry through ragged breaths. 

When his mother pounded on our door an hour later and complained about what my brother had done to her "baby", my mother just laughed and said, "My DAUGHTER beat your son up. Maybe now he'll stop bullying everyone. Get the hell off my lawn before I call the police." Then she shut the door in their faces. Problem solved.

With each challenge (and in the case of this week's pick, when we're bullied) we have the potential to learn something about ourselves: How far is too far? How do I handle tough situations? Maybe I need anger management counseling after all...

Welcome to WEEK 3:
 
The rules:
1. Book discussion comments are left on this site

2. Comments should only be about the BOOK and in no way be offensive or degrading to any person or persons.

3. It's ok to jump into the club late. Join us on any day of any week. BUT if, for example, you are starting with SUKI on WEEK 3, DO NOT READ THE DISCUSSION COMMENTS. Stop after you get to the link to purchase the book or you may ruin the story for yourself. I cannot stress this enough.


MY TWO FLAGS 
by Javier A. Robayo               

THE SYNOPSIS:  
Antonio Amaya’s life revolved around his family, his friends, and one dream: to live in the United States. When the dream becomes reality, the drastic change creates daunting challenges.
Antonio endures exclusion and disdain from his new schoolmates by turning his disillusionment inward. Yearning to belong, he fills the pages of his notebook in the hopes of learning English.
But how does a thirteen-year-old overcome language barriers, racial slurs, and bullying while hiding his desire to return to his country from his parents, who have given up everything to live under two flags?

THE REVIEW:
Readers, welcome back Tony Amaya, a fickle character from Mr. Robayo's previous books, THE GAZE and THE NEXT CHAPTER. In MY TWO FLAGS, we learn about Tony's life before he meets Samantha, Gwen, and everyone's heartthrob, Lewis. 

Tony (Antonio) himself, narrates how he landed in the country that would change him and eventually lead him to his future with Gwen and his daughters.

As always, Javier's stories are well written and meaningful, but this book will hopefully change your perspective about being the "new kid" and how we view people who are "different". One of the things I liked most, was that I think this book does a wonderful job of highlighting both sides of that situation. 

Tony arrives in the U.S. with expectations that are not necessarily met. In some cases he is surprised, but in others, he is disappointed and angered by differences between the two countries. He forms impressions that are not very good, based on limited knowledge and experience of our culture. 

At the same time, many of his fellow students approach him in the same way...not really knowing him or who he is or why he behaves as he does, but quick to form opinions and have extreme reactions to his very existence.

I was deeply moved by two scenes in particular and would urge readers to pay close attention and put themselves in Antonio's place as you read them:

1. His struggle to order food from McDonalds. If you think there's nothing to buying a value meal, try doing it in China. In Chinese.
2.The meeting between the guidance counselor, his Spanish teacher, and Antonio himself after he is busted for "fighting". There is no way to know what is going on inside of someone unless you take the time to ask. And listen.

DISCUSSION PROMPTS:
Have you ever been pushed to your limit? Can you remember ever being a bully or having been the victim of a bully? After reading this book, do you find yourself considering someone else's perspective before passing judgement?

ORDER THE BOOK:
On Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/My-Two-Flags-ebook/dp/B00C46TJAA
On Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-two-flags-javier-robayo/1114981257?ean=2940016602585
In Print: http://www.javierrobayoauthor.com/my-two-flags.html


AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Thank you to Mary Margaret Tucker and Stacey Roberts for doing your homework this week. They will both receive a free copy of MY WAY by David P Perlmutter and Mary Margaret  can show off her SUKI mother/daughter bracelet at any event, 
compliments of THE SHINY BEAD.

MORE GREAT BOOK CLUB PICKS BY INDIE AUTHORS:

SUKI:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/06/summer-reading-book-club-week-1.html 

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME:


http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/06/friends-dont-let-friends-read-alone.html?showComment=1430071350264


OCTOBER SNOW:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-is-like-blanket-of-snow.html?showComment=1430071350264

TRAILER TRASH, WITH A GIRL'S NAME:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/10/you-know-youre-modern-day-trailer-trash.html

MOORE THAN MEETS THE EYE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/09/theres-always-another-story.html

WELCOME TO HEIDI:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/06/welcome-to-must-read.html

KAFE CASTRO:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/08/why-are-you-so-serious-do-it-kafe.html

BROKEN ANGEL:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/09/broken-angel-review.html

DEJA DREW:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/08/deja-drew-excerpt.html

THE GAZE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/05/gaze-by-javier-arobayoyay-or-nay.html

PGB:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/05/javier-robayo-author-of-gaze-steps-in.html

HAUNTED HOUSE, HAUNTED LIFE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/10/haunted-house-haunted-life.html



CF Winn is the author of  The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a hilarious group of short stories meant to be read while on a break or in the waiting room of a doctor's office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States.

INDIE AUTHOR TELLS ALL

Me: "I wrote a book."

What my audience says: Oh? You did? How cool!

What my audience thinks: $ Cha Ching! $

If only...

Before there was instant e-book publishing and a plethora of indie authors, there was the agent, the publishing company, and the NY Times Book Review. 

The biggest challenge for an author was getting the agent to take him on, but once he did, it was smooth sailing. It was up to the agent to get a publishing company to buy the book, and they would help market it. Eventually the Book Review would write a glowing article, thus creating a bigger buzz, and so of course it would be an instant bestseller...um, ok. No.

I'm not even going to explain further than Step 1: Get an agent to take on future bestselling author.
And the reason is because not many writers even got that far. Prior to 2001, rejection letters were on the Top Ten List of  Most Delivered Snail Mail, topped only by letters to Santa and The Easter Bunny.

Actually, I just made that up. But I think I've made my point.

Then came indie authors, e-books, and affordable print options. Suddenly, it was not only certain that you could call yourself a published author, but you had control of the marketing, the price, and more of your profits. A best seller's dream come true! Huzzah!




*POP*!!!!!!




That's me...bursting the bubble.

Many successful people, including Bo Muchoki, will agree that the story behind success is hardly ever smooth or wrapped up in a pretty bow.

I'm going to take you through a day in the life of a typical indie author....me.

(DISCLAIMER: While everyone's situation is different, it is the rare few that can afford to stay home and focus on writing and marketing. Do not attack my one sided perspective, for if you read on, you will see that we are all in this together, and that the bottom line is in fact the same bottom line for all. The End.)

Now back to that day...my day:

I am an award winning, independent author.

For those of you who have not been subjected to my shameless self-promotion, my credits include:

Titles from the COFFEE BREAK SERIES:

KAFE CASTRO
HAUNTED HOUSE...HAUNTED LIFE

My novella, SUKI

I've got a few titles under my belt. The rest of my day should be easy enough to list right here and then I can move on to churning out more great reads for my fans.

Not so much.

I am a single mother of three terrifically intelligent and involved teens.

Our day begins at 6am. The alarm rings, I begin waking the kidlets, and I make a decision. Am I alert enough to write a bit, or am I still suffering from yesterday and need another half hour of sleep?

In this example, let's pretend that the answer was, "I am ready and raring to write!"

In that case, I'll sneak in about forty-five minutes of writing time, and then a half hour of promoting my previously released works while I'm getting dressed....that is if I don't need to drive someone to early meetings or extra help at school.

By 7:40am, everyone is gone and I'm free. For my day job. I have a few titles out in circulation, but I have ZERO bestsellers, and so a day job is necessary to keep the rugrats and myself afloat. In fact, it takes TWO day jobs and a load of ambition to do that. Hi ho, hi ho....

I am fortunate enough to have a semi-flexible schedule.

So while I am working, I can also take care of the food shopping, teen clothes shopping, and can rearrange my day/week to accommodate doctor, dentist, and miscellaneous appointments that pop up for myself and the kids.

By 3pm, I'm exhausted.

Now my day really begins. I have to fit in two more hours of the day job, make dinner around activities and after school pickups...times THREE...and sometimes that means literally getting in and out of my car six to eight times a night.

On a good day (and by good day I mean MONDAYS ONLY), it's all over by 7pm so we can eat and clean up.

Then I am free to write. It's 8:30pm. I have almost perfected my deaf ears, so the bickering and yelling that goes on during homework and TV time only annoys and distracts me sixty percent of the time.

Just when I really start getting into it, I need to check and see if anyone thought to leave me any hot water. If so, I schedule myself a fifteen minute shower break. By 9:30 or 10pm, I write full on until I fall asleep around 11:30, my keyboard an uncomfortable pillow, and cheek typing a million 333333333333333333's while I snore. (I do not include them in my daily word count)

If I am too fatigued to feel inspired, I will promote rather than write.

Two facts about promotion:

1. I am usually pretty exhausted, so I promote A LOT

2. Self-promoting is cheesy and often yields few to no results

I get many, many messages from all two of my loyal readers looking for more.

They beg for full length novels, a new quirky COFFEE BREAK installment, or at least a blog post, and I really want to appease them. After all, they have stuck with me through the dance recitals and soccer practices, expecting nothing more than something good to read. Also, writing is what I love to do...this should be a win-win situation, but if you were following my day, you have already deduced that it's not that easy.

Many will argue that there are other mechanisms out there for us struggling artists:

1. Build relationships via Twitter, Linked In, Facebook....the list is endless, but I don't even have a relationship with me! Who am I supposed to introduce all of these strangers to?

2. Hire marketers, promoters, etc....and I can afford this "if I can afford Starbucks", I'm told....but I can ONLY AFFORD Starbucks...and I'm not giving THAT up

3. Beg and plead....aaahhh yes...so here I am

Readers, think for a moment. What is the best way to get you to read a book? Reviews are great and I write them from time to time for other authors on Amazon AND this site, but is that really what drives you to read a book?

No. No it's not.

It's the shared experience.

When I love a book, I won't shut up about it. I want everyone to read it, so we can all enjoy it. I am dying to analyze how it made us feel, or share the jokes we laughed at, and if my friends haven't read it, I'm not going to ruin the twists, etc. Instead, I'll bug them till they finally give in...you can all thank me later...and here's how:

I have received dozens of emails, texts, messages and reviews about SUKI. It has touched so many and that makes me very happy, but readers are talking about it with ME. I've already read it. I am happy to have hundreds of book discussions to answer the questions that repeatedly come up, but that would mean involving OTHERS as well.

If you love an author and want him/her to keep pushing out quality books, then take the stress off of us writers and TALK about the titles you love...on Facebook, on Twitter, in person!       

I'm not the only author with this problem, and it leaves both the reader and writer frustrated.

Look at what could potentially happen:                       

1. Sales increase, reducing the need for the artist's attention to be taken from his craft. Little to no day job, less time spent promoting (except for author interviews and book discussions with fans), a less cluttered mind, which leads to better quality and more books.

2. The writer is happy doing what she loves.

3. The readers are happy to have more to great stories from their faves.

Huzzah!


The previously mentioned bottom line is this:

Readers, you want the product. Writers want to create the product as freely and as frequently as they can. There are plenty of ideas and peeps to soak up those ideas. We are all in this together, so let's make it happen.

What is the last great book you read and would love to share with others?

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI in paperback at http://hopress-shorehousebooks.com/cf-winn/  or at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE.  

CF Winn is the founder of Winning! Publications, a firm specializing in editing and promotion services for authors. Her latest project is the just released Trailer Trash, With a Girl’s Name, a hilarious and heartwarming story of a boy saddled with a girl’s name and forced into a nomadic existence. Order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Trash-With-Girls-Name-ebook/dp/B00IX0MIAO 

THE DIVINE FINGER IS POINTED...AT YOU!

Many of our neighborhoods here on the East Coast have been damaged, and in some cases, destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. It's all that anyone can talk about.

The conversations range from extremes like, "My home is no longer standing!" to "I can't watch the Catholic mass on TV because my cable is still out!"

While some may scoff at the lack of cable complaint, both are very real inconveniences to those victims. Both have been impacted by the storm, although in different ways, but their pain is exactly that...THEIR pain.

I am not a lover of cliches for two reasons:
1. In my opinion, OUR WORDS should be our OWN. We have voices, we were granted the gift of intelligence (hey, hey, no wise cracks...this is a time of coming TOGETHER), and we each have a UNIQUE perspective.
2. I have heard too many people use them as conversation filler without feeling the true meaning behind them.

How many of us have said, “everything happens for a reason" and have fully understood why? In extreme cases, like this Frankenstorm, have you stopped to ponder that?

Is it so that our community can come together in the way it has in order to remind individuals of what is really important?

Is it so that those with houses that were decaying and filled with health issues could rebuild and possibly start a chain of events that could change their lives?

In the case of the Catholic quoted above, is it so that shut- ins like that are forced back out into society to do things like experience mass in person and live fuller, happier existences?

A few years ago, I put in a new floor on the lower level of my house. About a week after, I had my first flood in ten years. It destroyed the wood. I was out of money, and the insurance company could not help. I didn't worry about it because it was useless to worry. I let it go and knew that I would figure something out eventually.
Two weeks later, my water heater burst and the floor was drenched again. The buckling was much, much worse this time.

My neighbor came over to look, and I'll never forget what he said: "You have the worst luck. First you have a flood and now your water heater is busted. What else is going to happen to you?"

I stood in front of him and laughed and laughed and laughed.

He looked at me like I was crazy.

I said, "Are you kidding me?! I have the BEST luck ever! The insurance company WILL cover my water heater and all of the damage that resulted. Look at this floor and the walls. A team of experts is coming to dry out the place (they took extra care and went above and beyond because of my kid's allergies and asthma), I will get a new water heater for FREE now rather than later, and best of all, my floor will be replaced. Dude you are in the presence of God and you don't even know it!"

And that’s when I began to look for the meaning behind the moments of darkness that sometimes descend on us.

It took me two weeks to understand that a chain of events like that was necessary because ultimately, I needed a new drain for outside of my home. The previous owners had installed a cup the size of a drinking glass, and it had somehow miraculously worked out for me for ten years, but now I understood why all of THEIR things were on pallets when I had looked at the house originally. My new drain was deep and constructed properly and also FREE...and I've had no worries ever since, even in a storm like Sandy.

It may be months or years before the truth of the divine finger is revealed to some individuals, but if you stay open, you will see...

I have been planning to release my latest work, SUKI on the 17th of this month. The storm had kind of overshadowed my big news, but the more I have been thinking about it, the more I realize that this story is exactly what some may need to hear.
It is about a woman named Savannah who seems to have the perfect life…until the darkness creeps in…in fact it doesn’t creep in, it assaults her to the core…
Out of the drastically wrong turn(s) her reality has taken, she manages to make sense of it and find the light.

My desire is that someone who thinks that there is nothing of value left to hope for, reads SUKI and finds inspiration in the pages. There are others out there that are going through the same thing and worse…we need more role models like Savannah to come out of the woodwork and show us that we can go on to find the light…
Sometimes it’s just the Universe course correcting to keep us on the paths to our true purpose here.

Now if someone could explain to me the meaning of my busted “Y” button on my keyboard, I know I’D feel much better…

SUKI can be found at readsuki.com

Javier Robayo (author of THE GAZE) steps in to review PGB: "SHE"S DONE IT AGAIN!"

Javier Robayo, author of this spring's smash hit, THE GAZE, has generously offered his review of my latest short story in The Coffee Break Series. If you've ever read his debut novel, you know that his insights are deep, thoughtful, and usually spot on...especially if he's singing my praises! This is more than just a review of PGB, it's an open invitation to enter MY world, where the unusual and the eccentric are celebrated, much like a Quentin Tarantino film...or so I've been told by Mr. Robayo.


About PGB:
Is it true that one event can alter a person's life? After Samantha's car is broken into, the world around her no longer feels safe. She makes some drastic lifestyle changes, but three years and a thousand "plan B's" later, has she taken it too far? Yes, according to Lara, the only friend that hasn't yet given up on Samantha. The day that Lara tries to finally knock the rituals out of her is the day that PGB shows up. Will PGB be the one event that changes Samantha back to her old self? The laughter continues in the third installment of The Coffee Break Series. Follow Samantha as she copes during a day filled with speed bumps and challenges she doesn't normally encounter in the confines of the controlled environment she's created for herself.



Javier Robayo's Review:
CF Winn takes the reader on another fast-paced, whiplash-inducing ride that throws you right in the thick of things. It reads as a commentary on life itself and our constant battle to control our circumstances depending how one filters it, and it also reads like a literary challenge. If you're the kind of person who's blessed with linear thinking, I'm afraid you'll miss many of the subtleties within the mind of this unique author. But if you're able to multi-focus and open your mind to each strand of this fun ball of literary yarn, you'll get so much more than you bargained for. The sly references to the other members of The Coffee Break Series, Kafe Castro, and Moore than Meets the Eye, are masterfully weaved in, bringing a smile to your face and enticing you to read them again. CF's writing voice is one in a trillion and these shorts make for a better pick me up than a cup of espresso. Can't wait to see what CF will come up with next!

MORE GREAT BOOK CLUB PICKS BY INDIE AUTHORS: 

SUKI:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/06/summer-reading-book-club-week-1.html 


WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/06/friends-dont-let-friends-read-alone.html?showComment=1430071350264

MY TWO FLAGS: 

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/07/i-am-master-of-my-words-captain-of-my.html?showComment=1430071350264

OCTOBER SNOW:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/06/life-is-like-blanket-of-snow.html?showComment=1430071350264

TRAILER TRASH, WITH A GIRL'S NAME:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/10/you-know-youre-modern-day-trailer-trash.html

MOORE THAN MEETS THE EYE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/09/theres-always-another-story.html

WELCOME TO HEIDI:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/06/welcome-to-must-read.html

KAFE CASTRO:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2013/08/why-are-you-so-serious-do-it-kafe.html

BROKEN ANGEL:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/09/broken-angel-review.html

DEJA DREW:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/08/deja-drew-excerpt.html

THE GAZE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2012/05/gaze-by-javier-arobayoyay-or-nay.html

HAUNTED HOUSE, HAUNTED LIFE:

http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/10/haunted-house-haunted-life.html






CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a hilarious group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor's office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States.

You can now order SUKI in paperback at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com or by calling (631) 271-1442.
Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE http://www.bookrevue.com/localauthors.html

Ding Dong The Ghostie's Here!

Anyone who knows me has heard stories about the ghosts that visit me from time to time.

I don't think that Ghosthunters from the Syfy channel will be setting up shop in my living room anytime soon, but we've had our share of strange events.

Sometimes a loved one is still looking out and leaves messages for us at just the right time.

A few years ago, while I was still married, an ex love passed away. I was flattered to learn that he was thinking of me on Valentine's Day, even in death. Without giving up too many details, he opened all of the cabinet doors in my kitchen and turned all of the pictures around on the walls in my hallway.

My then-husband discovered the Valentine's visit as I slept and he snuck into the house with a single red rose for me. Unfortunately, my ex's stunt upstaged my husband's romantic gesture, but in the end, I knew exactly why he had chosen to reach out from beyond the grave.

And sometimes, I think they just like to have fun with us.

A few months later, I was leaving the house with my son Max, a friend of Max's, and my daughter, Bella. My other daughter, Ali, was (as most teenagers are on the weekends) still in bed.

The boys went out the door and straight to the car. Bellie and I walked out together. I held the door for her and as she stepped over the threshold, we heard a doorbell from within the house.

Bella loves to ring our doorbell a million times for no reason, so of course I accused her of doing it although I knew better.

She screamed, "OMG Mom! You saw me walk right past it!"
She was right.
I asked the boys if they had rung it really quickly when they went out. They looked at me like I was crazy before answering in the negative.
I knew it wasn't them.
I called in to the house, "Hey Ali! Did you just hear the doorbell?"  

She answered, "Yes."
"Did it sound like our doorbell normally sounds?" I asked.
"No, it didn't," she answered, and Bella nodded in agreement next to me.

My doorbell makes a high pitched DING DONG noise. The sound we heard was a low DING only.

It's all about priorities.

If we hadn't been in a rush to get some McGriddles and Starbucks, I might have invited our visitor in to haunt us some more, but instead I closed the door and locked it - maybe whoever it was could figure out how to get Ali up so she could join us in the land of the living.


Check out a sneak peek from my latest book, HAUNTED HOUSE...HAUNTED LIFE, which was inspired by real events like this one: http://simplystick.blogspot.com/2014/10/haunted-house-haunted-life.html

CF Winn is the award-winning author of The COFFEE BREAK SERIES, a quirky group of short stories meant to be read while on break or in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. Her first novella, SUKI, has been grabbing hearts and hugging souls all over the United States. 

You can now order SUKI in paperback at http://hopress-shorehousebooks.com/cf-winn/  or at BOOK REVUE, one of the nation’s largest independent bookstores, by email at info@bookrevue.com Learn more about SUKI at BOOK REVUE. 

CF Winn is the founder of Winning! Publications, a firm specializing in editing and promotion services for authors. Her latest project is the just released Trailer Trash, With a Girl’s Name, a hilarious and heartwarming story of a boy saddled with a girl’s name and forced into a nomadic existence. Order it now: http://www.amazon.com/Trailer-Trash-With-Girls-Name-ebook/dp/B00IX0MIAO