tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47486026784533661032024-03-05T09:26:51.557-07:00Sheralyn Pratt's Home PageBooks by Sheralyn Pratt, including The Kiss That Launched 1000 GIFs, Pimpernel, Royal Ball, The Third Wheel, King of the Friend Zone, Always the Rebound Never the Bride, Walk of Infamy, and the Rhea Jensen series.The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-90887857673828565112019-02-27T14:44:00.000-07:002019-02-27T19:31:51.817-07:00Killing DarlingsIn writing, the term "kill your darlings" refers to a writer's ability to cut content<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>even the content they love the most<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>to serve the overall story.<br />
<br />
In fiction, I think I'm okay at doing this.<br />
<br />
For example, did you know there's an entire draft version of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Starbreaker-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B07L6J2BTP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sheralyn+pratt&qid=1551296832&s=gateway&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Starbreaker</a> where one of the main POV character's is Wanda?<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n6lP1VaGKvTHp5ah9DjIrmMBfIRUY_VuISJfuBs1pnXgTasw00-whm-hS5_wtOuyqmMg0HfP8hqzrhXWFz6EjtDruflVhyphenhyphen27Sbif40G_aVA8tEj8s3jsAyCopx2MoJInQAhZ5ZXIdO0/s1600/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3n6lP1VaGKvTHp5ah9DjIrmMBfIRUY_VuISJfuBs1pnXgTasw00-whm-hS5_wtOuyqmMg0HfP8hqzrhXWFz6EjtDruflVhyphenhyphen27Sbif40G_aVA8tEj8s3jsAyCopx2MoJInQAhZ5ZXIdO0/s320/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Oh, the stuff she shows you! And her hilarity is its own brand.<br />
<br />
But 100% of it got cut to serve the overall story<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>as were the Jack and Kali POVs throughout the main body of the story.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
Wanda's POV got cut because it raised far more questions than it answered, all while distracting away from the point of the actual story.<br />
<br />
Jack and Kali's POVs got cut because they bogged the pace and reduced tension with their interruptions.<br />
<br />
Was there stuff in those points of view I wanted to keep?<br />
<br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
Was there stuff in there you would have liked to read?<br />
<br />
I like to think: Also, yes.<br />
<br />
But a storyteller's job is to tell a story, not include chapters according to what their favorite parts are.<br />
<br />
So...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4xrAZ6QJNMqzmYyLgVbzf3ZZ5ON4nJVNqFWznjYWTsxyRQhvOdKUgQJhCjdKjv16rKOZIvkutOrmBfaCwa9LqZYUUvgICf7XrW4qtKqjF-GomWplQgzpRWrlKojHSLRpBczbZOT_UzE/s1600/cutting-room-floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH4xrAZ6QJNMqzmYyLgVbzf3ZZ5ON4nJVNqFWznjYWTsxyRQhvOdKUgQJhCjdKjv16rKOZIvkutOrmBfaCwa9LqZYUUvgICf7XrW4qtKqjF-GomWplQgzpRWrlKojHSLRpBczbZOT_UzE/s1600/cutting-room-floor.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Every day, great lines get cut from productions, awesome scenes get removed, and pivotal exchanges stay behind the scenes.<br />
<br />
Why?<br />
<br />
Because that's how magic works.<br />
<br />
I know a few magicians who are moving from the realm up up-close magic to full stage productions. Uncounted hours of work and meticulous setup, all in the name of pulling off 15 minutes of entertainment.<br />
<br />
And there is constant editing and cutting in the name of making future shows better and better.<br />
<br />
Why am I talking about this?<br />
<br />
Well, because life is a lot like art. Some might say life IS art.<br />
<br />
And, sometimes? We have to kill our darlings in real life.<br />
<br />
Not people, of course, but what we consider to be our best ideas ... those thoughts that charm us and whisper that they have the potential to be great, even though their final trick is something no one would line up to see.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, our darlings are life hacks so nerdy that people don't even know what they supposed to see when you say, "Ta-da!" to draw attention to what you've revealed miraculously.<br />
<br />
You just pulled off a trick to such a degree that everyone watching is like, <i>"Wait ... what? I'm confused. What am I supposed to see?"</i><br />
<br />
That's when you're reminded that there's a difference between "looking" and "seeing."<br />
<br />
Because we all have things we see where we can't help but think, <i>"Am I the only one seeing this?"</i><br />
<br />
The list of things we see through diverse eyes is pretty endless. But, going back to the idea of killing darlings, focusing on these things we see <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">(</span></span>and how we see them) and trying to get others to see like that shouldn't necessarily be a narrative that makes it into our life's final draft.<br />
<br />
I'm learning (a bit late, I grant you) that it might just be that those things stay in the realm of "magic."<br />
<br />
For example, someone might have a knack for always seeing if pictures are hung crooked...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VUqAofDR6eq8dp9O-NXCGydopHnAqL_2tsFJ44dqgglyToCmN7GPCx_jiV2VRlrBag738RUImo5nWt8sm4gSLEokbGbKrZR4xiiDHVCtiUzZo37OA2kaSEPyBzHBtNlve8AomZQ5Mao/s1600/crooked_pics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1600" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5VUqAofDR6eq8dp9O-NXCGydopHnAqL_2tsFJ44dqgglyToCmN7GPCx_jiV2VRlrBag738RUImo5nWt8sm4gSLEokbGbKrZR4xiiDHVCtiUzZo37OA2kaSEPyBzHBtNlve8AomZQ5Mao/s400/crooked_pics.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
... but not many people are all that interested in someone who lectures about straightening pictures. That said, most people also don't mind if their pictures are miraculously straightened while they aren't looking. (Or they might not even notice.)<br />
<br />
That's because some things in life are better left as being known as your personal magic than your personally branded lecture series.<br />
<br />
Life's just more fun that way, and life is more fun for everyone when we find ways to turn hard work in to play.<br />
<br />
Why am I saying all this?<br />
<br />
Well, because it's time for me to kill a darling, and I guess I'm feeling a little melodramatic about it.<br />
<br />
You see, I've been working on deconstructing a very specific magic trick over the past 3 years, or so. And I've put a ton of time into it<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>definitely more than 3 years worth of part-time jobs.<br />
<br />
So I'm invested<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">—</span>just like anyone is when they go all-in on trying to fix a problem ... and try and fail. And try again. And fail again. Then quit only to reconsider ... and try again. And fail. Again...<br />
<br />
... until one day a base recipe underscoring all the iterations suddenly starts to appear: My very own personal recipe for spotting metaphorical crooked pictures, with detailed instructions on how to straighten them.<br />
<br />
Gosh. Who wouldn't want such a recipe? amiright? ;)<br />
<br />
I can tell you from personal experience that when you discover the linchpin of a magic trick all on your own, in that celebratory moment of discovery, that thought makes perfect sense.<br />
<br />
Once I had my recipe, my inner-nerd was like, "THIS IS GREAT! EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THIS!"<br />
<br />
But guess what?<br />
<br />
Sometimes it's great that you've learned to spell out a thing, but the price you must pay is that your demand for a solution was always, basically, a party of one.<br />
<br />
Because, in business, there's whole thing called "demand." And if your great idea has no existing audience, you can either go-for-broke trying to create one, or you can accept the fact that its time to kill a business darling.<br />
<br />
That's where I am.<br />
<br />
And the darling I must leave on the cutting room floor (for now) are the 8 Major Conversational Tones.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4sP8Wyp1gYNCybgLkZJ3INzMcW9BT10IVngarn4G7FeRbhRZnI6Fz9vOuAL3LGt8RmplfXGRuDRkMBi7-w4-lijWhphN8Yf2NswZkdO1aahNTtgi8KZwx5CRJNoON0E3W8gVCt-w0M0/s1600/8major_tonechart.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="531" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG4sP8Wyp1gYNCybgLkZJ3INzMcW9BT10IVngarn4G7FeRbhRZnI6Fz9vOuAL3LGt8RmplfXGRuDRkMBi7-w4-lijWhphN8Yf2NswZkdO1aahNTtgi8KZwx5CRJNoON0E3W8gVCt-w0M0/s640/8major_tonechart.png" width="209" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I am, of course, primed to reverse this decision at any time. But the fact is that I can count the interest-level for this "picture-straightening course" on one hand, and I'm a grown adult who has to make a living.<br />
<br />
So, for this phase of my life, the 8 Major Tones goes to the cutting room floor<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>even though I've been ramping up to launch it this week for an all-in shot ... sometimes you've just got to read the tea leaves and move to the flow that isn't going to leave you high-and-dry, playing King of the Hill out in the middle of nowhere while clinging to your own, personal lecture series.<br />
<br />
It's not a winning look.<br />
<br />
If you find yourself on that path, I'd have to say that it's worth sitting down with yourself and taking an honest personal inventory about why you feel the need to do what you're doing.<br />
<br />
I had to.<br />
<br />
In my case, the aftermath of how social dynamics changed during and after the 2016 election was insanely disruptive to me. And my motive in creating my system was to show people how it happened the first time and how it's ramping up to happen again<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">—</span>like an aftershock that may or may not be as disruptive as the first one.<br />
<br />
I may not be able to change WHAT happens, but I can highlight the HOW of it by revealing how the "magic tricks" are done.<br />
<br />
But lives are busy, and even the high IQs I know found the content I was presenting steep, so... yeah...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Steep Learning Curve + Emotional Content = Maybe Not A Winning Recipe</b></div>
<br />
So I'll be pressing pause on the 8 Major Conversational Tones, while creating an introductory page to how I was thinking to pull the concept off before moving on to other things.<br />
<br />
If my little eulogy for this particular darling has caught your interest, you can see the concept page with the <a href="https://blog.8majorconversationaltones.com/p/meet-bots.html" target="_blank">basics of the 8 Conversational Tones concept and how I was planning to roll it out here</a>.<br />
<br />
Feel free to check it out!<br />
<br />
The 8 Major Tones might be some of my best work, but in the realm of real-world darlings, it's about to become a casualty ... because maybe art and life aren't as different as we'd like to think.<br />
<br />
And that's today's update.<br />
<br />
Also, a reminder that <a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sheralyn+pratt&ref=nb_sb_noss_2" target="_blank">all 3 Pimpernel books</a> are available in ebook and paperbacks, and free reads on Kindle Unlimited.The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-16044176382803646472019-02-20T23:56:00.001-07:002019-02-22T12:58:54.147-07:002019 ForecastI actually wrote a whole other post for you today, but then I realized that I was just spelling out things I needed to see myself, and that you didn't really need to read any of it.<br />
<br />
So I'm starting fresh.<br />
<br />
The reason I wrote that first draft is because things are changing in my neck of the woods, and I'm the type of person who likes to think things through before I act.<br />
<br />
I can be quite the thinker when it comes to change ... like, the analysis-paralysis type ... that person who freezes at the sound of porch chimes whenever there is a shift in the wind.<br />
<br />
And I sense a change in the winds heading my way. Quite a bit of a shift, if my inner-chimes are to be believed.<br />
<br />
Sensing such an approach is a bit like watching an incoming tsunami and trying to plan your triage of the aftermath in advance.<br />
<br />
On one hand, such well-intentioned earnestness in the face of such intensity is adorable; on the other hand, it is an exercise of naïve futility to pretend you know the first thing about what will come next after an ocean over-runs you.<br />
<br />
The good news is: It all feels like it's going a good direction.<br />
<br />
The unsettling news is: Unforeseen change is involved. *cue: control issues*<br />
<br />
Now, while I can't predict anything in advance, I do like to be a good neighbor and send out a public notices when it comes to things like this so that no one is surprised who doesn't want to be.<br />
<br />
So here's my DISCLAIMER for the upcoming year: 2019 may see you seeing different things from me.<br />
<br />
Some of the changes I see coming are:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Platform shifts</li>
<li>Experimentations with style </li>
<li>Lots and LOTS of research</li>
</ol>
<br />
And here's my super-vague, wish-I-could-triage-in-advance-but-this-is-all-I've-got look at what's to come:<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>Per #1 (Platform Shifts)</b>, I've felt for a while that I need to do a podcast. It's an idea that hangs out with me daily and it's growing more and more specific in its focus.<br />
<br />
The focus that is calling to me is to have honest conversations with people.<br />
<br />
Nearly everyone I know is so stressed and feels like people once close to them can no longer be spoken to. It's kind of amazing how much the results of the last presidential election impacted day-to-day relationships around me.<br />
<br />
Once fast-friends are now distant, formerly distant friends are now rhetorical allies, and everyone is stretched thin and emotionally exhausted.<br />
<br />
Nearly every time I hang out with someone, it's made mention that they don't feel they can speak their thoughts honestly anymore for fear of losing work, reputation, or relationships.<br />
<br />
And it's a two-way street. No one on either side of the political aisle is free in this divide. All are taxed in stressful ways.<br />
<br />
So I think it would be fun to have a podcast of honest conversations and see if maybe there is a way to find some healing.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>Per #2 (Explorations in Style)</b>, this is actually the topic I wrote that whole big blog about before pressing delete and cutting it down to saying this:<br />
<br />
The more I write these days, the more words want to come out a new way that seems a bit odd to me. Sometimes I write it read it back and am left wondering if I actually said what I thought I said, or if I'm taking a giant step back in my delivery.<br />
<br />
In many instances, I honestly can't tell.<br />
<br />
That said, it's a style I want to explore. So you'll probably see me start sharing things soon that read a bit differently than you're used to seeing from me.<br />
<br />
One sure sign I'm playing in new waters is the koi fish, KOI PHILO, a friend illustrated from my design to give me luck and flow along my way.<br />
<br />
So if you see KOI PHILO looking at you like this:<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcCAZhal0rzGXltFyZ0wJBz5zeR1-yX17g2YZtz70NEWgQryWv5HZkYmN01m07cbdrHhovSfcd1wnBeWagvVKzcXsvRLp8ZsdUcNatMj726-pQzSpbhHfqwjJTNuvrzVHPvHDiM4cY3Y/s1600/Philo_logo60.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="1052" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcCAZhal0rzGXltFyZ0wJBz5zeR1-yX17g2YZtz70NEWgQryWv5HZkYmN01m07cbdrHhovSfcd1wnBeWagvVKzcXsvRLp8ZsdUcNatMj726-pQzSpbhHfqwjJTNuvrzVHPvHDiM4cY3Y/s320/Philo_logo60.png" width="317" /></a></div>
<br />
... that's definitely me exploring and trying new, concise deliveries to see if I can execute them with success.<br />
<br />
Feedback (and sharing) is welcome--especially if your feedback is related to whether you get what I'm saying or not.<br />
<br />
You see, I had a bit of an eye-opening revelation as I was poking around with a research side-project (my 8 Major Communication Tones system). One thing I learned while developing it is that I have demonstrable gap between what I am able to see and what I convey when trying to communicate a process I'm creating to others.<br />
<br />
While I was grappling with this, someone who was giving me feedback on the project reminded me of two words I've never really used before, but are about to become my theme-words of this upcoming year.<br />
<br />
And, since we're all bibliophiles here, I'll share them with you:<br />
<br />
<b>Perspicuity</b> - the ability to be clear or precise in presenting a thing (ability to explain)<br />
<b>Perspicacity</b> - perception or insight into a topic (ability to understand)<br />
<br />
What I have discovered in this new writing style that wants to come out is that there is a delicate balance between being able to do something and being able to teach the same thing--like someone who naturally sings Aretha Franklin trying to break down what she's doing and teach others her natural technique.<br />
<br />
Both the performance of skills and the teaching of them require their own type of practice. Neglecting one in favor of the other is basically like being the writer-version of that buff dude who always skips leg day.<br />
<br />
And I don't want to be that guy in this arena. This is a skill I want to teach, which means I've got to go to work--not with weights, but with balancing my input and output.<br />
<br />
The hard part for me is embarking into such a learning curve publicly (because I need feedback to learn myself) ... giving myself permission to screw up and laugh, and posting things common sense tells me to treat as a gaffe.<br />
<br />
The point is to learn how to be precise in presentation of potentially intricate things, and reason stands I won't get things right out of the gate every time. I get that.<br />
<br />
But it's Learning Curve time and I would love your feedback on 3 questions, in particular:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>How's my perspicuity doing? </li>
<li>Do you understand what I'm saying, even if you don't agree? </li>
<li>Can you see where our thoughts converge or diverge, or am I losing you in oversaturated obscurity?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
This new style I'm trying for is a bit swooping in its delivery so it stands to reason that I might try to pack too much into one punch, only to have the end-sentence crumble under its own weight.<br />
<br />
If that happens, feel free to let me know.<br />
<br />
If I nail something, feel free to let me know that as well.<br />
<br />
It's all a journey to try to write better and better stories.<br />
<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>Per #3 (lots and LOTS of research)</b>, well, <i>this</i> aspect of the upcoming year is going to be all over the map.<br />
<br />
There's the podcast I mentioned. That will require research, as will the 8 Major Tones (which is a study of scoring language a bit like music). Then there's more transient projects that pop up on top of that.<br />
<br />
I'm thinking upcoming research will also include travel (book 4 of the Pimpernel has a whiff of big city, East Coast). So one change I definitely hear in those metaphorical porch chimes is a call to travel a lot this year and meet tons of new people.<br />
<br />
So if you see an excuse for me to head your way, please give me a heads up. I can be a bit of a workaholic, and sometimes I need help looking up from a computer ;)<br />
<br />
-<br />
<br />
So there you go.<br />
<br />
This post is less a blog entry and more a disclaimer for future updates.<br />
<br />
If 2019 doesn't look like an exploration of new potential whenever you look my way, then I'm doing something wrong. But here's to getting as much as I can right while building a treasure trove of knowledge for future books.<br />
<br />
Hope to see you somewhere along the way!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, thanks for the reads, reviews, shares, and support. I love sharing this ride with you!The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-26503038715892904752019-01-21T00:29:00.001-07:002019-01-21T00:35:38.845-07:00Going Into the EclipseI took some pictures going into the eclipse to celebrate <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Starbreaker-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B07L6J2BTP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sheralyn+pratt&qid=1548051966&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Starbreaker's</a> birthday.<br />
<br />
Photoshop isn't my thing, but you can see the progression I got to see below.<br />
<br />
Hope you enjoyed the eclipse.<br />
<br />
Hope you enjoy the book even more! :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWW8m09JORn9770Cl9FJ1JE5XsADs3fSL0KHBr114MODpuu2lfeI0xrPGKilU-ig3DrbidmKPeEIK-MS9TdJcxgRByoX9aTZ05OFJD05PG-diqvDr7IEeiIPQm0qc9raDU6UiKt2wIow/s1600/into_the_eclipse.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWW8m09JORn9770Cl9FJ1JE5XsADs3fSL0KHBr114MODpuu2lfeI0xrPGKilU-ig3DrbidmKPeEIK-MS9TdJcxgRByoX9aTZ05OFJD05PG-diqvDr7IEeiIPQm0qc9raDU6UiKt2wIow/s640/into_the_eclipse.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictures by Sheralyn Pratt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Starbreaker-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B07L6J2BTP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sheralyn+pratt&qid=1548051966&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguBJ8lk6YxWKhyVv0ou161TEpcliGO1fE1THCDKzJnmAnfIItFbzoO0qfLzq__A7VXAm9rsYRZUIH4geWOii_DiEQ689l4f37Xioi0gTTg60JkyP0zqLrlyZzSo6GPVkeUcx7beWx7OKI/s1600/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Starbreaker-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B07L6J2BTP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=sheralyn+pratt&qid=1548051966&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Words by Sheralyn Pratt</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-11993791224905811472019-01-18T15:34:00.001-07:002019-01-18T15:34:21.009-07:00Starbreaker Gets Ecliptic Release Date<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s time for a new book.</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Starbreaker-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B07L6J2BTP/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=starbreaker&qid=1547850711&sr=8-6" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdeXzFImFXQUZClzEYYxJdWAL28-1oY-9GorM5ll2v2C3nqfjXePAOBPLi-U52KyfMm-M67jRM2B5_KW-nFd2SKRa22n-vY1GAPg-q9dgGnhziAe-Kob2MoxIecovRAyjl5EOTwLMsXQs/s320/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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“When?” you ask.</div>
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Oh, in two days.</div>
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I hope you’re ready.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I’ve kind of been terrible at the whole marketing and building anticipation thing. I was focused on writing and, I have to say, that when a book is in my brain, I don’t multi-task well.</div>
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<br /></div>
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At all.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Starbreaker-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B07L6J2BTP/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=starbreaker&qid=1547850711&sr=8-6" target="_blank">Starbreaker</a> was a bit an intense creation process for me. I actually wrote it eight times.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Yes, eight.</div>
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Terribly inefficient, I know. Even more so since these weren’t drafts of the same, but completely different takes on the arc.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And version 8 is the one you will get in your hands this Sunday.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Why, Sunday? That’s an odd day for a book release, right? I was going to be traditional and do it on Tuesday, but then I saw something.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The last total lunar eclipse of this decade is on Sunday.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdoE-fLIt5nT0TNS_wv8IpISKvyFrEhGmjlIxAd27jFFNOpYbiHk0jdSwlrWw2U7sgpAu26boXkJhaBULczhjtamoRt_ODW5IYpArPhkUjr6dnkKK5eosNhkE8Fbs9dtyno5THH9AA9o/s1600/eclipse2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="233" data-original-width="400" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdoE-fLIt5nT0TNS_wv8IpISKvyFrEhGmjlIxAd27jFFNOpYbiHk0jdSwlrWw2U7sgpAu26boXkJhaBULczhjtamoRt_ODW5IYpArPhkUjr6dnkKK5eosNhkE8Fbs9dtyno5THH9AA9o/s400/eclipse2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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There are some other cool celestial happenings that day, too, and those prompted me to move the day up by two because there are characters in the series who are very into the stars and celestial events—one of which you’ll meet Sunday.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So I went with the sky for a release date on this one, and I really, really, really hope you like the book.</div>
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A few things to know about the moon:</div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li>The moon is 400X smaller than the sun but 400X closer, making them appear the same size when overlapped</li>
<li>If the moon was not tilted, there would be an eclipse every month</li>
<li>Lunar eclipses can be seen by half the earth (where it is night when the alignment takes place)</li>
<li>Lunar and solar eclipses often take place 15 days apart (not always, of course, but if you are lined up for a casted shadow on one side you are likely lined up on the other side)</li>
<li>Lunar eclipses always happen on a full moon, solar eclipses always happen on a new moon</li>
</ul>
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There you go! A few fun facts to remember about the moon and lunar eclipses.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Hope you enjoyed the random tidbits, and that you enjoy the book even more! This one was a doozy to write, but I hope it all pays off as a reading experience in the end.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Hugs, and thanks for reading!!!</div>
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<o:p><b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STARBREAKER!</span></b></o:p></div>
The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-30103490474547661112018-12-07T12:25:00.000-07:002018-12-07T13:02:48.258-07:00STARBREAKER Synopsis, Book 1 FREE for 2 DaysFor those of you who have been waiting with extreme patience, PIMPERNEL: STARBREAKER is finally up on Amazon.<br />
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Release Date: January 20, 2019<br />
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It was going to be the 22nd, but then I saw there was a total lunar eclipse on the 20th and I had to go with that day.<br />
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Are you ready for the synopsis? (Of course, you are!)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp6r_eyvPSOJQ3l-raExSLbyvvjX0_Y6iYN8AjJVIZ2NW7aBIaIgf7-CEKB7cjs1Ktm5qtZ61R0amogyVwELrnAIkwoCyZQa9Oqb1EJsvxEvyro73Uu7MtQ6vwBTqxhpbSV2Q1grvH1I/s1600/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp6r_eyvPSOJQ3l-raExSLbyvvjX0_Y6iYN8AjJVIZ2NW7aBIaIgf7-CEKB7cjs1Ktm5qtZ61R0amogyVwELrnAIkwoCyZQa9Oqb1EJsvxEvyro73Uu7MtQ6vwBTqxhpbSV2Q1grvH1I/s320/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Vic Davalos is one of the most successful models of her generation. She's also scheduled to be taken out by a hitman by the next new moon.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span></i><br />
<i><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Jack Cavanaugh, also known as the Pimpernel, has less than a week to change the woman's fate. The Cupid who brings Jack this news insists he must save Vic so true love can succeed in bringing two soulmates together who will change the world for the better. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">While Jack is always happy to stop a murder, his personal motive is to catch the Starbreaker that's been hired to make sure Vic Davalos doesn't survive past the new moon. Statistically speaking, saving Vic and catching the Starbreaker is an impossible feat. If historic lore is to be believed, no one has caught a Starbreaker since the 1700s. They are notorious for never leaving fingerprints on their handiwork and, therefore, leave no trail to follow.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A Starbreaker has to be caught in the act, or not at all.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The chances of Jack succeeding with an extemporaneous plan and only the assistance of his new Shade, Kali, are so close to zero they aren't even worth calculating.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">But he has to try.</span></i><br />
--<br />
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Can't wait to get this book into your hands!<br />
<br />
To celebrate the release date, Book 1 is FREE on Amazon today (Friday) and tomorrow. If someone you know has yet to pick up a copy, now is the perfect time to get it in their hands, so feel free to share!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B019DPEL0W/ref=sr_1_12?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544210493&sr=1-12" target="_blank">Get Pimpernel FREE for the next 2 days here</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L6J2BTP/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544210035&sr=8-1&keywords=pimpernel+starbreaker" target="_blank">Pre-order Starbreaker here</a>.The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-5552892321428080332018-08-30T13:28:00.000-06:002018-08-30T13:28:17.587-06:00Cover Reveal: Pimpernel Book 3<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Are you ready for a new Pimpernel book this fall?</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Because it's coming!</div>
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<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Get ready for <span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;">Pimpernel: Starbreaker</span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUIMj-HSys81xvgN6iN0gpNmMZFts3D-XzSvRsjr-KLEN_IDEroEcbqhXV1cV6YD8HZEs4HJgWKZ6Y94dpgnFiQ6YjbYh1ylIJOZy0-vPnMxUm3Ya7Xe6W8frYBWbnN8gfgMted3oJDU/s1600/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUIMj-HSys81xvgN6iN0gpNmMZFts3D-XzSvRsjr-KLEN_IDEroEcbqhXV1cV6YD8HZEs4HJgWKZ6Y94dpgnFiQ6YjbYh1ylIJOZy0-vPnMxUm3Ya7Xe6W8frYBWbnN8gfgMted3oJDU/s640/starbreaker_cover_bluewhite400.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-87839741731616547662018-08-22T17:04:00.000-06:002018-08-22T17:04:06.885-06:00The Preacher and The PunditOne of the most viral news interviews of this year was the interview between Jordan B. Peterson and Cathy Newman. (I'd like to thanks Chris for asking me to analyze it because this is a fun one.)<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aMcjxSThD54" width="560"></iframe>
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If you missed this interview somehow, or need a refresher, you can check the video out above.<br />
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Jordan B. Peterson is a Canadian professor who gained fame for opposing Canada's new laws of compelled speech. The law in question deals with issues like mandating transgender individuals be referred to by their chosen pronouns.<br />
<br />
But Peterson claims he doesn't care what the intent of a compelled-speech law is. His stance is that a government that seeks to control the words its citizens <b>must</b> speak, with legal recourse, should be opposed.<br />
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Taking this stance destabilized his job security and made Peterson a figure of controversy both in Canada and abroad.<br />
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This interview with English reporter Cathy Newman took place expanded his exposure immensely.<br />
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The consensus of many is that Peterson not only held his own in the interview but emerged victor in the interview-turned-debate.<br />
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To see if there is some science behind the general impression, let's take a look at how their conversation plots out in my system.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfcNoayTHf5dLA2EnE5YkFIK8JRGVFh4eYnMQQEJkpZ7rwXTHBM2nWKBc0RqTSc5DekkLXhl73hcHxxf898zp6KjIhyphenhyphenwdDp9RtA9jyxgHrBFYH4_AGFiqntZsUZ72XfnBc7R7BpIYwQc/s1600/jordancathy.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="291" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfcNoayTHf5dLA2EnE5YkFIK8JRGVFh4eYnMQQEJkpZ7rwXTHBM2nWKBc0RqTSc5DekkLXhl73hcHxxf898zp6KjIhyphenhyphenwdDp9RtA9jyxgHrBFYH4_AGFiqntZsUZ72XfnBc7R7BpIYwQc/s640/jordancathy.PNG" width="259" /></a></div>
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In this conversation, Jordan B. Peterson scores as a <b>Pundit</b> (this type presents insight on a specific topic with the inherent bias of presenting themselves as accurate and contenders as less informed<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">.)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikSqZmf_XDEozJD2biqoM-FnZNxvMKOvfd90YDT3BbhEg38FGT3tw5cYeG_nW8DUBi3nxL_LlA7HRi7tI8NLdx3Edb7GqpdU0gvBobP7I5mRp7e0llZyI_0BWs1MFHcRClBMFS4QEsHk/s1600/pundit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikSqZmf_XDEozJD2biqoM-FnZNxvMKOvfd90YDT3BbhEg38FGT3tw5cYeG_nW8DUBi3nxL_LlA7HRi7tI8NLdx3Edb7GqpdU0gvBobP7I5mRp7e0llZyI_0BWs1MFHcRClBMFS4QEsHk/s200/pundit.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
and Cathy Newman scores as a <b>Preacher</b> (this type places all information into an ongoing narrative they maintain we collectively share, whether we know it or not<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">.)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0jyHk_U_-3U0deOts-fPk2jDcw1XDvoPS2CdxyZSZHSsn4QUITVTjVE66C4weYZ0R1hviG269U01sDp2cpWl6Tqmh4KrIWP8LVa71-1Vw8zHfXEs_wsQBGYtn5BmVuPGMkqaP8Osp78/s1600/preacher.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0jyHk_U_-3U0deOts-fPk2jDcw1XDvoPS2CdxyZSZHSsn4QUITVTjVE66C4weYZ0R1hviG269U01sDp2cpWl6Tqmh4KrIWP8LVa71-1Vw8zHfXEs_wsQBGYtn5BmVuPGMkqaP8Osp78/s200/preacher.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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So what do all those colors mean?<br />
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Think of them this way:<br />
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<ul>
<li><b>Green</b> invites a response from the other person</li>
<li><b>Purple </b>shows collaboration of ideas</li>
<li><b>Red </b>indicates asserting ideas</li>
<li><b>Yellow</b> shows where objective information is introduced</li>
<li><b>Orange</b> reveals where information is being framed within the discussion</li>
<li><b>Grey </b>squares indicate prompted responses that are discounted in scoring</li>
</ul>
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You can see that Newman asks more questions than Peterson does, which is appropriate since she is the one conducting the interview.<br />
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In an ideal world, Newman would score as the polar opposite of her current score by providing the information and research she wants to discuss with Peterson and walking through/challenging his responses.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Oyt2eHDcf82dScSSl1FH93qfCYEJYyv_FvgzwPir3am9_NGjUvbd3BiOxiau3iPdNWcMGNXPN0OQ7m5rGnc9N5Qm09hQNlJ1iYSUt1qSowK8i1RcExjREIvSqGd0Y2EEzrOXQTZlxHQ/s1600/explorer.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Oyt2eHDcf82dScSSl1FH93qfCYEJYyv_FvgzwPir3am9_NGjUvbd3BiOxiau3iPdNWcMGNXPN0OQ7m5rGnc9N5Qm09hQNlJ1iYSUt1qSowK8i1RcExjREIvSqGd0Y2EEzrOXQTZlxHQ/s200/explorer.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No interviewer can go wrong scoring as an Explorer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The path she took instead was to make assertions and frame her conclusions as definitive while speaking with a subject matter expert.<br />
<br />
This led to a conversation where Newman sought to assert her thoughts as a framework of facts, to which Peterson responded with actual facts/statistics and reframes of her assertions. His reframes and statistics came across as well-informed enough to make Newman's assertions seem wobbly to anyone who wasn't in Preacher mode with her.<br />
<br />
Throughout the entire discussion, Newman fights to frame her claims as both accurate and aspirational, but Peterson doesn't let her walk away with either trophy. In American-speak, there is "reasonable doubt" as to whether or not she is correct in her assertions when faced with Peterson's counter-claims.<br />
<br />
Newman goes all-in putting Peterson on trial for his stances, and not only does she not get him to move, she often proves his points in her eagerness to gain traction.<br />
<br />
Peterson's main weapon in making Newman's claims slippery is all the yellow you see on his chart. Peterson walked into the interview with facts he could frame, and Newman walked into the interview with frames she presented like strung-together, cherry-picked correlations.<br />
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The result was that Newman likely converted no one in this interview while Peterson demonstrably gained more followers and attention in the aftermath.<br />
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Why?<br />
<br />
To get a better idea as to why his approach to hot-button topic resonated with so many, look at the flow of conversation one more time and let the colors do the talking.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Green and Yellow </b>open up the conversation.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Purple</b> shows attempt at collaboration</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Red and Orange</b> narrow and direct the conversation</div>
<br />
Looking at the graphs alone, can you see why most people come out of the interview viewing Peterson as the victor?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBJl_-u9ITVKm5-V2Uv2O8cgtLwqZa2R7TxyUiBvLQZFKqiV-WNDkIZ5YogM5C7l7ex2PQHnssD3RDN2WOEUnI1wMOzeMEUESyz1-paTDhuqLcc1fcWX4I2ax6ybG57UKHJp30PVI2Tg/s1600/jordancathy.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="715" data-original-width="291" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBJl_-u9ITVKm5-V2Uv2O8cgtLwqZa2R7TxyUiBvLQZFKqiV-WNDkIZ5YogM5C7l7ex2PQHnssD3RDN2WOEUnI1wMOzeMEUESyz1-paTDhuqLcc1fcWX4I2ax6ybG57UKHJp30PVI2Tg/s640/jordancathy.PNG" width="260" /></a></div>
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Have any questions or angles you'd like me to address?</div>
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Thoughts welcome!</div>
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Feel free to tweet me ideas and requests <a href="https://twitter.com/sheralynpratt?lang=en" target="_blank">@SheralynPratt</a>.</div>
<br />The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-61799807964965433492018-08-21T13:10:00.004-06:002018-08-21T14:08:52.723-06:00Why 3 Preachers Don't Make a ChoirA tweet popped through my feed that looked like a good lead to a video to show you how my system works.<br />
<br />
The tweet looked a little something like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iFkPRySCRHulV31s3rN81Ecf0PF3TwRjRUY-cAuz17CqAwe03Iw4lLb6Qsrp4cz-R-vnfrNgkP8apfbdyzQpJGKjvUEjvufUfHJg1diQzfx_etKv7FfceXCasWTZaDUemk_mQAGO98o/s1600/tweet_trump_mudd_paris.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="597" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9iFkPRySCRHulV31s3rN81Ecf0PF3TwRjRUY-cAuz17CqAwe03Iw4lLb6Qsrp4cz-R-vnfrNgkP8apfbdyzQpJGKjvUEjvufUfHJg1diQzfx_etKv7FfceXCasWTZaDUemk_mQAGO98o/s400/tweet_trump_mudd_paris.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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A search for the video in question led me to this interview:<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GEf_D6i_IuI?start=50" width="560"></iframe>
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In one aspect, this is a terrible example to show a diversity of types within a conversation. It doesn't take a system like mine to reveal this is in an abrasive and aggressive interview openly leaning one direction.<br />
<br />
But let's look at a map of each individual's participation in the exchange anyway:<br />
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA39bNTYaQmLXyV2KNBigjPfGjivEEVMEEZAVQ20hvB_soyZBlZ_Mu46CEbJZG-H_xuEqr4zYE08F81VEzVJ40w6CQvlS7MlqA6U7AxzElbrNNkNWRvChLRHhc0GvIe4EDAvB_FQCHSCw/s1600/mudd_paris_cnn.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="167" data-original-width="457" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA39bNTYaQmLXyV2KNBigjPfGjivEEVMEEZAVQ20hvB_soyZBlZ_Mu46CEbJZG-H_xuEqr4zYE08F81VEzVJ40w6CQvlS7MlqA6U7AxzElbrNNkNWRvChLRHhc0GvIe4EDAvB_FQCHSCw/s640/mudd_paris_cnn.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">* Grey squares indicate non-scored, prompted interactions that score the same across all types.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
The color-coding of my system is designed to reveal the icon using color association.<br />
<br />
The colors that appear the most reveal the communication style used in this video.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAlv_sQdqQZETDXpe78zbdvV0uyGqsj4xTiymwZ5gHrzy-KuNDF8ANzX_tXdWJYmjJfa-Swem8ZkGKjOfrGHEvLv9h7pveAUjgBGh7rcNGtJZPSBO5Y7Rls-H-FB7DYhNgXSGVS3ftYI/s1600/type_chart1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAlv_sQdqQZETDXpe78zbdvV0uyGqsj4xTiymwZ5gHrzy-KuNDF8ANzX_tXdWJYmjJfa-Swem8ZkGKjOfrGHEvLv9h7pveAUjgBGh7rcNGtJZPSBO5Y7Rls-H-FB7DYhNgXSGVS3ftYI/s320/type_chart1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
As you can see, all three men score as Preachers, although you can see Paris Dennard's possible tendency to have more of an Influencer or Entrepreneur style if placed in a less defensive position. (This is why 7 proofs are required to prove a type in my system and this conversation in its entirety only counts as one.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc8i-2DdlIGUnknLY4OVC7dCOhKougRnIV0YDTtlrsdSVMzuEmolvGF3VmiuCABd0KTZb-DDwuPnV-I_huTWSW9wBEC46Wz4KNn2rGhIg6Ijs4jwOdZCI2A4v_-SgcGJzUpgct0kYRbE/s1600/preacher.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQc8i-2DdlIGUnknLY4OVC7dCOhKougRnIV0YDTtlrsdSVMzuEmolvGF3VmiuCABd0KTZb-DDwuPnV-I_huTWSW9wBEC46Wz4KNn2rGhIg6Ijs4jwOdZCI2A4v_-SgcGJzUpgct0kYRbE/s200/preacher.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
<b>What is a Preacher?</b> <i>Preachers are assertive framers who place all information into an ongoing narrative they claim impacts everyone--whether they know it or not. One of their more common fallacies is the belief that A = Z, therefore A cannot happen.</i><br />
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This conversation is a chorus of preaching--the host included. The host's score is may be one of the most noteworthy aspects of this exchange, considering the role of his occupation lies on the opposite end of the spectrum. An excellent interviewer will often score as an Explorer.<br />
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Why?<br />
<br />
Because Explorers create space in a conversation by infusing information and asking questions that mediate extremes. This skill has the ability to expand a conversation while simultaneously retaining enough objectivity to keep it from going off the rails.<br />
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In this instance, you can see that the host is aligned with Philip Mudd, along with all the consequences that brings. Mainly, enablement of over-aggression. It may seem like a favor in the short-term but, when enabled to escalate too much, can ultimately be a disservice.<br />
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So let's bring this back to Trump's tweet.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L3xDuuKS8_e9i4tDjlMXgseFl12RUhdDy_ULfLoScTb6EXci4t29xeI3LU4m5FNGQL-6srET3ZvRqvQfBVlKvhyphenhyphen8zyrxhSIPJ0JMMd3p2W1-0itdUnigp9H1mCTlSuItXBkV6YNik7w/s1600/tweet_trump_mudd_paris.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="597" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9L3xDuuKS8_e9i4tDjlMXgseFl12RUhdDy_ULfLoScTb6EXci4t29xeI3LU4m5FNGQL-6srET3ZvRqvQfBVlKvhyphenhyphen8zyrxhSIPJ0JMMd3p2W1-0itdUnigp9H1mCTlSuItXBkV6YNik7w/s400/tweet_trump_mudd_paris.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Did Mudd make his case, or did he leave the door open for Trump to make his?<br />
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I'll give you a hint: Trump is the only one who ended his argument with a question. And a question makes space for conversation.<br />
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This is what Trump's tweet looks like mapped:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78oziOBIbrq5FdJNZrWo2ZpNdq071NdBbfUiHJYUqEYHdmND4hwGWPFfbCfCit89Co3_dooEpCJ_NDzV912-8BYclJMbQlTI-L4YIsOjJzEHgUUDRoesbLcd0ufBLpXF5TY2aO4AoLn8/s1600/tweet_trump_mudd_map.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="51" data-original-width="90" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh78oziOBIbrq5FdJNZrWo2ZpNdq071NdBbfUiHJYUqEYHdmND4hwGWPFfbCfCit89Co3_dooEpCJ_NDzV912-8BYclJMbQlTI-L4YIsOjJzEHgUUDRoesbLcd0ufBLpXF5TY2aO4AoLn8/s320/tweet_trump_mudd_map.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
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What do you want to bet that a choir will show up to fill that space he just opened for them to respond to his assertion?<br />
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Time will tell. This is all happening real-time, but I would expect this to become a talking point among Trump supporters.<br />
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Have a video you want me to analyze? Tweet me a link <a href="https://twitter.com/SheralynPratt" target="_blank">@SheralynPratt</a>.<br />
<br />
Learn more about Pirate Lenses on the <a href="https://sheralynpratt.blogspot.com/p/pirate-lenses.html" target="_blank">PIRATE LENS</a> page.The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-52616180527936637572018-08-20T18:14:00.001-06:002018-08-20T18:37:23.659-06:00BETA TESTING: Pirate Lenses<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This past year, I did a thing.</div>
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I didn’t mean to do it. In fact, I meant to do the exact opposite of what I ended up doing.</div>
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Funny how life works out that way sometimes, isn’t it? But the good news is that terrible ideas can lead to great ideas … even if it takes longer than your pride would like to get you there. That's pretty much what happened to me.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So what’s this thing I’ve done?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH6i_cAt9jHR7O1stOFqgwU_Ir6drTvRj-Vm-_VwmXoTc2D49b0Pp0Pe_fv9H1Gyw7dEaYV0yeZ7sf9LZ_HN6h4CFe-G1WikpiyNB6q7y1j1rs5cS__KYNQHoHMGOFDO_D483cMEK8_w/s1600/lens_panel100.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="108" data-original-width="618" height="55" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjH6i_cAt9jHR7O1stOFqgwU_Ir6drTvRj-Vm-_VwmXoTc2D49b0Pp0Pe_fv9H1Gyw7dEaYV0yeZ7sf9LZ_HN6h4CFe-G1WikpiyNB6q7y1j1rs5cS__KYNQHoHMGOFDO_D483cMEK8_w/s320/lens_panel100.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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What if I told you I had developed a system that helped you identify rhetorical bias in your news sources? What if I told you this system works on other information sources as well? Topic doesn't matter. Neither does charisma or background. The math treats everyone equally and the scores reveal the rhetoric style.</div>
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Would you be interested in tweeting me links to interviews with public figures who interest you in exchange for finding out where they land on my scale?</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBImeyvESCZTHDlUq3Bv6gU37AiralS9khdi3HGAKGL3MMv7nYUZjzxwlZHY0OdTq_tW-KFC_C4l_ZXwNNF69oZXSANyctmlVmKXcwX0TqHe03XEfYr80mCLzgAoHPW5_x4jvGkdQ7WS0/s1600/type_chart1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBImeyvESCZTHDlUq3Bv6gU37AiralS9khdi3HGAKGL3MMv7nYUZjzxwlZHY0OdTq_tW-KFC_C4l_ZXwNNF69oZXSANyctmlVmKXcwX0TqHe03XEfYr80mCLzgAoHPW5_x4jvGkdQ7WS0/s320/type_chart1.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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I hope so, because I now that I have my system, I’d really love to build a library while showing you how it can help you.</div>
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So what do I need?</div>
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<b>This system is most accurate in analyzing dialog between equals.</b> So I need LINKS to interviews and conversations.</div>
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Peer-to-peer conversations are best, and I would love links to clips or transcripts of interviews between people in the public eye.<br />
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Learn more about <a href="https://sheralynpratt.blogspot.com/p/pirate-lenses.html" target="_blank">Pirate Lenses here</a>.</div>
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Tweet LINKS to videos or transcripts of dialog <a href="https://twitter.com/sheralynpratt?lang=en" target="_blank">@SheralynPratt</a> and classify individuals of interest.</div>
The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-33763926796607026602018-02-11T17:50:00.000-07:002018-02-11T17:50:08.687-07:00First Paperback of 2018Every so often people email me asking me when I'm going to start putting my books out in paperback. I've put it off for a number of reasons, but this year I decided to put all those reasons aside and put some books out.<br />
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The first offering?<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1240" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWhMR77a1IK1eMPrgt6amKkjgfsLPeVZrr06ptiBrNKSHDYrKcZjLj1jFp9K8P7V0MDENq5RO_dYMheucLxH8AUvr8W3zjxIj_pxSOV3UFhRSJEKm0UByTLkkDH_m3Q5H50UGwzAs1SIk/s320/walk_of_infamy.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<br />
The last book in the Rhea Jensen series, <b><i>Walk of Infamy</i></b>.<br />
<br />
Now available at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Infamy-Jensen-Sheralyn-Pratt/dp/0974333190/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518396297&sr=8-1&keywords=sheralyn+pratt" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.<br />
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I intentionally wrote this book both as a conclusion to the series and a standalone for anyone who wants to read it as a supplement to the Pimpernel series, without having to read the whole series.<br />
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Hope you enjoy!!!<br />
<br />
<b>Synopsis:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Rhea always knew she worked for powerful men, but she didn’t understand the full scope of their influence until she quit her job—or tried to. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">The clandestine group that calls themselves The Fours doesn’t accept two-week’s notice from employees. Instead, they’re demanding Rhea perform a final task of their choosing to earn a life free from their demands. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Rhea knows whatever The Fours ask of her will be unlike any challenge she’s ever faced. She’s prepared for the worst, but what she’s about to learn is that groups like The Fours are a secret for a reason. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Because no one gets to walk away from them. Not even Rhea.</span><br />
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<br />The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-22458521671438060562017-12-14T12:06:00.000-07:002017-12-14T12:06:29.092-07:00Chapter 18I don't think this counts as a spoiler because I'm not telling you anything that happens, other than confessing that there's some sleight of hand in the book.<br />
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To better visualize it, either before or after reading the book, I present you with two magicians:<br />
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<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/thIlxChNYqk?rel=0&start=60" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0ncm7wAMRjM?start=90" width="560"></iframe>The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-17901241330497857822017-12-11T23:52:00.000-07:002017-12-11T23:52:56.243-07:00Pimpernel FREE & Royal Ball Rafflecopter<br />
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Welcome to December 12, 2017--the Official Launch Date of Pimpernel: Royal Ball.</div>
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To celebrate, Royal Ball's birthday, Pimpernel will be free th 12th (today) - 15th (Friday).</div>
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Below you will find the Rafflecopter, sponsored by I Am A Reader. She's giving away money, so if you want to throw your hat in the ring on that</div>
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<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33502" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/12-Days-Sheralyn-Pratt.png" height="537" width="537" />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0786JMW6M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1513056067&sr=8-4&keywords=sheralyn+pratt" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="alignleft wp-image-33505" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Royal-Ball.png" height="560" width="350" /></a> </div>
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<strong>Pimpernel: Royal Ball by Sheralyn Pratt</strong><br />
<em><br /></em>
<em>Sequel to the award-winning novel, Pimpernel</em>
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<br />
One man, one night, one dance, and one question…none of which Claire Ramsey sees coming.
She thinks the night is a test—a call to rise above her insecurities and step more fully into her skills.<br />
<br />
It’s been a year since she learned about the Pimpernel and fell in love with the man of so many masks. Jack’s world is full of high stakes and big players, and Claire wants in.
To her frustration, Jack is dragging his feet on letting her all the way into both his heart and his work. The risk is too high, he says. But Claire is ready to prove him wrong. She’s ready to go all-in.<br />
<br />
What Claire doesn’t know is that Jack is no lone wolf, and the world he is shielding her from is much bigger than she has ever imagined.<br />
<br />
But one man, one night, one dance, and one question will change all of that in a way Claire never saw coming.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0786JMW6M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1513056067&sr=8-4&keywords=sheralyn+pratt" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-33361 size-full" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/12-days-amazon-square.png" height="150" width="150" /></a></div>
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<br />
Claire was not alone.<br />
<br />
There was a man in the room—a dark-haired man with unreal green eyes and a suit that looked ready for a fashion shoot. The intruder was fit and tall, with a trimmed beard that looked like it had been shaped with laser precision.<br />
<br />
<i> Do. Not. Scream. (Again.) Do not freak. Coherency is your only bargaining chip, and only one of you works here.</i><br />
<br />
For the first time that day, Claire wasn’t arguing with her instincts.<br />
<br />
“How did you get in here?” she accused.<br />
<br />
“Someone left the door open.”
<br />
<br />
Oh. Yeah. That would be her. She opened the floor. And left it open.<br />
<br />
Whoops.<br />
<br />
But that still didn’t explain what this man was doing in Margot’s office wearing the most refined suit she’d ever seen.<br />
<br />
Part of Claire felt reassured that if this man was an assassin, it would be a tidy affair. He wouldn’t want to get blood on his clothes.<br />
<br />
“Who are you?” she asked, trying to get a sense for exactly how much trouble she was in.<br />
<br />
“I’m the boss’s son.”<br />
<br />
That made no sense. “Margot is the boss.”<br />
<br />
He seemed to weigh her answer. “Depends on how you look at it. If you’re talking about the business, yes. That’s Margot’s. But if we’re talking about what brought you here tonight, then Jack works for my father. His line has served ours faithfully for many years. We like Jack.”<br />
<br />
Wait. What?<br />
<br />
Claire knew Ren’s family had served Margot’s for generations, but she’d always thought that more as a bodyguard thing. Jack wasn’t a bodyguard. He was a problem-solver for the elite. When people growing into their power started doing things that threatened the safety of civilians, Jack was brought in to—<br />
<br />
Something clicked in Claire’s brain.<br />
<br />
It wasn’t like her to be the last one to catch on to something, but everything Claire had seen in the past year fit very nicely into this man’s claim. When a job came in, Jack and Margot did it. They didn’t argue over its merit or vet the client. They solved the problem.
Because someone asked—allegedly, this guy’s father.<br />
<br />
So either this man was an assassin sent to kill her, or the boss’s son had just caught her red-handed. Whatever the case, running away and pretending this never happened didn’t seem to be an option.<br />
<br />
<i>Stand your ground,</i> instinct whispered.<br />
<br />
“You need to make a choice before you speak again, Claire,” the green-eyed man said. “You must decide if you’ve just been caught where you ought not to be, or if you’re exactly where you want to be.”<br />
<br />
Um, both felt like traps the way he said them.
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0786JMW6M/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1513056067&sr=8-4&keywords=sheralyn+pratt" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-33423 size-full" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/KindleUnlimitedBuy-snow-Button.jpg" height="75" width="306" /></a></div>
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<br />
<strong>Pimpernel by Sheralyn Pratt</strong> For centuries, the elite of the world have sought the Pimpernel everywhere. Some want to kill him, others want to hire him, but Jack Cavanaugh knows that the love/hate relationship comes with the job title. At present, Jack is trying to dismantle an investment scheme centered in Las Vegas, but "trying" is the operative word. It's been a month since he put the face of the scheme behind bars, yet the scam is still going strong. As Jack tries to uncover who has stepped in as the new head, what miniscule evidence there is all seems to point him back to Claire Ramsey, an introverted PhD student studying at UNLV. If ever there as an unlikely head of an investment scheme, Claire's it. She has a genius IQ, but from all Jack has seen, Claire’s intelligence is as much a blessing as a curse when paired up with her acute OCD. Claire can barely make conversation with the cute guy down the hall, which makes it hard to believe she could be the charismatic salesperson who is getting international businessmen to invest $5—50 million a pop. So what is Jack missing? What is the real story behind Claire Ramsey? And once Jack learns it, will he be able to walk away?<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pimpernel-Sheralyn-Pratt-ebook/dp/B019DPEL0W/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1513061384&sr=1-3" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-33361" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/12-days-amazon-square.png" height="150" width="150" /></a></div>
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<strong>Praise for Pimpernel</strong><br />
<i>"My go-to book that has it all--action-adventure, mystery. and intrigue, all wrapped up in a sweet (but not overdone) romance." </i><br />
<br />
<i>"Leverage. Mission Impossible. Pimpernel... If you like those first two, you’re going to love Pimpernel!...Secret identities, twists and turns, cons within cons, with just a bit of romance."
</i><br />
<br />
<i>"Intrigue, romance, and that vague something that sticks with you."
</i><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/221283-pimpernel" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-33422 size-full" src="http://www.iamareader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/goodreads-1.jpg" height="150" width="150" /></a></div>
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<strong>Author Sheralyn Pratt</strong>
Sheralyn was born at an early age, with 10 fingers and 10 toes. She is proud to report that she currently retains all 20 digits. Described by one reviewer as "the bomb dot com" (url already claimed... bummer), Sheralyn has been a karate instructor, musical theater performer, a beach bum, freelance writer, nomadic traveler, and, yes, a private investigator. At the moment she enjoys working with and training her dog to give the poor thing breaks from sitting and Sheralyn's feet with the unbearable task of watching someone write a book.
Really, and you thought your job was bad!
Sheralyn currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah, although as people who know her can attest to, that is subject to change at any time ;)
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<h3>
Also by Sheralyn Pratt</h3>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Infamy-Rhea-Jensen-Book-ebook/dp/B01M8P9V0W//ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=12dayscr-20&linkId=329c7674cff7423c6e225a8f54ef6669" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01M8P9V0W&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12dayscr-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12dayscr-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01M8P9V0W" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kiss-That-Launched-000-Gifs-ebook/dp/B00ZONLBVK//ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=12dayscr-20&linkId=c4fbdad41ab8615609e0b3ad4fb160e6" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00ZONLBVK&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12dayscr-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12dayscr-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B00ZONLBVK" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/King-Friend-Zone-Power-Matchmaker-ebook/dp/B01L9U3GRS//ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&linkCode=li3&tag=12dayscr-20&linkId=82b9aa90879011b838497a017e87f1dc" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B01L9U3GRS&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=12dayscr-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=12dayscr-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B01L9U3GRS" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></center>
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<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Giveaway Details</strong></h2>
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<strong>$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Ends 12/26/17</strong></div>
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from <a href="http://iamareader.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">I Am A Reader</a> and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEtkryWfBAO-i2n1x8gyth8Yggo29xvk-3QS-v5C_bqoHxOP0vS5je48QHXR9j5GSwH5WYdwdOui3nEzOhGG2rOUwSFeHVzMxHY6Br-ewbX-jf4almFgg4FMF6W5iH2O0bNs3WUuy_1o/s1600/royal_ball_pimpernel_cover_stars_med.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimEtkryWfBAO-i2n1x8gyth8Yggo29xvk-3QS-v5C_bqoHxOP0vS5je48QHXR9j5GSwH5WYdwdOui3nEzOhGG2rOUwSFeHVzMxHY6Br-ewbX-jf4almFgg4FMF6W5iH2O0bNs3WUuy_1o/s320/royal_ball_pimpernel_cover_stars_med.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Synopsis</span></b><br />
<br />
One man, one night, one dance, and one question…none of which Claire Ramsey sees coming.<br />
<br />
She thinks the night is a test—a call to rise above her insecurities and step more fully into her skills. It’s been a year since she learned about the Pimpernel and fell in love with the man of so many masks.<br />
<br />
Jack’s world is full of high stakes and big players, and Claire wants in. To her frustration, Jack is dragging his feet on letting her all the way into both his heart and his work. The risk is too high, he says.<br />
<br />
But Claire is ready to prove him wrong. She’s ready to go all-in.<br />
<br />
What Claire doesn’t know is that Jack is no lone wolf, and the world he is shielding her from is much bigger than she has ever imagined.<br />
<br />
And one man, one night, one dance, and one question will change everything.<br />
<br />
<i>Sequel to the award-winning novel, Pimpernel </i><br />
<b>Release Date: December 12, 2017 </b><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I recommend reading Pimpernel and Walk of Infamy first. (*see bottom of post for why</span>)<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">About Royal Ball</span></b><br />
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I’m excited.<br />
<br />
And I’m nervous.<br />
<br />
I’m nervous and excited.<br />
<br />
<i>Pimpernel: Royal Ball</i> will be in your hands on the 12th and the book is a gateway for the big, wide world Jack operates in.<br />
<br />
You’re going to meet more people.<br />
<br />
You’re going to see things.<br />
<br />
Some of it you’ll understand out of the gate, some of it you won’t.<br />
<br />
One thing is certain: This will be unlike any Royal Ball you’ve ever imagined.<br />
<br />
One of the most frequently asked questions about the Pimpernel series is:<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">How many books to do I foresee in the series?</span></b><br />
<br />
After reading <i>Royal Ball</i>, I think most of you will understand that the answer to that could any number at all.<br />
<br />
Could there be six books? Sure.<br />
<br />
A dozen? Just as easily.<br />
<br />
A whole break off series into other characters? Yes, please.<br />
<br />
Some beta readers for Royal Ball even asked about that, which made me smile. Personally, I think it would be so fun to give you a book of short stories from the perspective of different characters. If you read Royal Ball and think the same thing, feel free to make your wishes known.<br />
<br />
I’m a writer with a lot of muses. I can go a lot of directions, and it’s way more fun when people want to come with me. I don’t accept input on plots or character choices, but I am open to hearing who you’re most interested in reading about.<br />
<br />
So if you really, really want to read about something, let me know.<br />
<br />
Another question I get (more than any other) is:<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Are you going to put your books into print?</span></b><br />
<br />
Truth is, I was considering giving printing rights to a publisher. But I think I’m past that now. This means that in 2018, all my books will appear in print and new releases will have paperbacks, too. I don’t have exact dates for all of them yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.<br />
<br />
And thank you, in advance, to all of you looking to put my books on your shelf. It’s an honor!<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Casting Characters</span></b><br />
<br />
One of my favorite things is when someone is reading my book and they take the time to send me a picture of the actors they imagine in each role.<br />
<br />
This makes me smile every time.<br />
<br />
So, I figure, why not make a contest out of it? And why not add a prize? Anyone can submit a photo for casting, I’ll post them all, and we’ll see who gets the most votes.<br />
<br />
I know there are websites that do this, but many want you to create an account and that makes things a little less fun. I’d much prefer people just be able to click and vote within a system that only allows one vote per person.<br />
<br />
If you have a favorite site for things like this, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll probably just jerry-rig something.<br />
<br />
That's all for now.<br />
<br />
We're less than a week out, which gives me just enough time to cross my fingers, freak out, and hope you like being dropped into the deep end of a series I personally love.<br />
<br />
Hope you love it, too. But let me know either way (and definitely share it and review it, if you do--that's how we writers get to keep writing)!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTeMT3GJv8N3IH-ho2Wjl4kNrMYLx0BzbGujGA3E24BZDAnO-Hvyty36nZQVLI5XWb5BdwVBJ4vJSZZMcUOYz8hs1XXgosvLRDQedKfLjzxclATR3rzNt_Mgm-KxF-UK8tq9ETt1uyi0/s1600/pimp_walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="700" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQTeMT3GJv8N3IH-ho2Wjl4kNrMYLx0BzbGujGA3E24BZDAnO-Hvyty36nZQVLI5XWb5BdwVBJ4vJSZZMcUOYz8hs1XXgosvLRDQedKfLjzxclATR3rzNt_Mgm-KxF-UK8tq9ETt1uyi0/s400/pimp_walk.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p><b>Why read Pimpernel first?</b></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">That is where we meet all the characters and Royal Ball makes the assumption that you are up to speed on who they are and what they are about. There isn't a ton of backtracking or info dumping. The book is too busy moving you forward to spend much time rewinding.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><o:p><b>Why read Walk of Infamy first?</b></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><o:p>Walk of Infamy is much less essential, but it does give you backstory on Kali. I specifically wrote this book as a standalone in its series, with all the relevant backstory to crossover into Pimpernel.</o:p></span><br />
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The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-46943700575819113732017-11-27T15:05:00.002-07:002017-11-27T16:31:46.838-07:00Royal Ball: Are You Ready?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So…I have to say that I’m really excited for <i>Pimpernel: Royal Ball</i>…but maybe not for the reasons you’d expect.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72v-CZUehjafLHOSneRHaEIFJny-HmAaVk5ymgPbZP0YJ_zkeank9562c5fOAaVPafWd0sb8MTF3puBqveXJjEZVzQPaszLxlg4nVKY_zDhK05Gi_ye6A6qjH3UwUCI8o_NYQlh7UXVg/s1600/royal_ball_pimpernel_cover_stars_med.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72v-CZUehjafLHOSneRHaEIFJny-HmAaVk5ymgPbZP0YJ_zkeank9562c5fOAaVPafWd0sb8MTF3puBqveXJjEZVzQPaszLxlg4nVKY_zDhK05Gi_ye6A6qjH3UwUCI8o_NYQlh7UXVg/s320/royal_ball_pimpernel_cover_stars_med.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Often—and, some might say, <i>always</i>—things come to us differently in our minds than they end up manifesting in the real world. We create some elaborate mental picture and, when we go to manifest it in reality, some things don’t translate from the mental to the physical the way we thought.</div>
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This always happens to me when I write. Characters come to me fully formed and are pretty immutable, but they are pretty resistant to formulaic story arcs and have no allegiance to outlines. So I have to be willing to be flexible when they start pushing back on forced moves.</div>
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With Pimpernel I thought I was going to write the whole series on a certain level, with many dynamics touched on but not fully explained. It worked in my mind, but when I wrote it out, it just came across as convoluted and intentionally obtuse.</div>
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Characters I was trying to keep a bit masked had no interest in hiding, and even less interest in being chronically misunderstood in the name of mystery. They looked at how they were coming across on the page and just shook their heads, sighing as if to say, <i>“It’s your life. Do what you will…but I’m over here if you're open to any suggestions.”</i></div>
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Still, I kept writing…sensing the judgy eyes of my muses that forced me to objectively admit that the transition from mental mansion to written page had some serious hiccups and honest complaining points. And no one wants that in a book they take the time to read, so I had to back up a bit. Think a bit. And, as I thought, I realized something.</div>
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The muses are right. Skip the soft-shoeing. Skip the roundabout route. It’s time to let you into the world.</div>
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Life’s short, right? So let’s get fancy.</div>
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For all those who are up for the ride, <i>Royal Ball</i> is the onramp to the world Jack operates in. And I love that world. I thought I had to wait to bring you in. Turns out, I totally didn’t.</div>
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So step further into the world of Jack, Margot, Ren, Claire, and Kali with Pimpernel: Royal Ball. I love the world, and hope you do too!</div>
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I’ll let you know the December release date soon!</div>
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The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-73692849143533750522017-11-17T12:46:00.000-07:002017-11-17T12:46:40.338-07:00New Book Title and Cover RevealIt's (past) time for a new book from me.<br />
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Are you ready for more Pimpernel?<br />
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How about a royal ball?<br />
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Both are coming your way, and here is the official cover reveal.<br />
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<br />The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-68888965644985539752017-08-07T01:18:00.003-06:002017-08-07T01:18:35.320-06:00August 2017 UpdateSo it's been a while since I updated...some might say too long, and I would have to agree with that.<br />
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Sorry about that.<br />
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I have been busy, though!<br />
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Since you last heard from me, I wrote <i>The Third Wheel</i>...and it just didn't sing to me. I got something wrong, and I couldn't figure out what. So I decided to write a fun rom-com to balance out the heavy energy from <i>The Third Wheel</i>. But then I couldn't tell if the new story was fun or boring...and that seemed like a bad sign.<br />
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So I put rom-com to the side and peeked <i>Pimpernel</i>'s way.<br />
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There was a lot of internal debate when it came to switching over to <i>Pimpernel. </i>I'd told myself (and you!) that I was going to write <i>The Third Wheel</i> first, and <i>technically </i>I did. I just didn't publish it. I debated back and forth as to whether I was going to be one of those fickle creative types, who says one thing on the itinerary and then changes things real-time.<br />
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I don't want to be that person. But, alas...I think I am that person.<br />
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I am so in love with the <i>Pimpernel</i> world, and it's speaking to me right now, so who am I to shun the muses and tell them to depart to make way for a story that is stalled while I figure out where I screwed up?<br />
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The situation is kind of akin to being out in the middle of nowhere with two cars to choose from: one that's stalled out and not even trying to make a sound when you turn the key, and another car that revs right up.<br />
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Which car do you choose to get you down the road?<br />
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A publisher would never let me get away with this. I would just have to plow through and release the books in their assigned order and just make them "good enough" to go to print. There are definite pros to being pushed like that, but conversely, sometimes (all the time, in my experience) when something is off, it means there's something I need to learn that I'm currently getting wrong.<br />
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It definitely happened with Kay, in the Rhea series. Kay was the first muse to snub me. She only talked to me in the first place because of Rhea (who is infinitely more patient). But somewhere along the line, I put some words into Kay's mouth that belonged in someone else's mouth, and <i>BOOM! </i>She was gone with the percussion of a slammed door that had no interest in opening again.<br />
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I didn't catch on to her exit immediately, which was the reason it took me so long to figure the sin that had put me into storyteller time out. But once I figured it out, Rhea talked Kay into coming back and finishing the story, as a personal favor.<br />
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At least, that's what happened if you believe in muses. If you don't, then...I just got writer's block for a while before I had a breakthrough and finished <i>Kay'sville,</i> and I have a similar block with <i>The Third Wheel </i>now, and I'll let you know when it's sorted.<br />
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I'll let you know when <i>Pimpernel </i>has a firm date for release in fall of 2017.<br />
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Thanks for your patience and support! It means a lot!!!The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-14452661448168317532017-04-10T15:38:00.003-06:002017-04-10T15:38:55.290-06:008 Minutes of ZenIf you're feeling overwhelmed recently, you're not alone.<br />
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Look around. Anyone plugged in to social media is probably experiencing some level of anxiety. There's politics, sure, but also parenting styles, levels of desirability, social standards, and all manner of areas of people's lives where they may feel shamed or confused.<br />
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Shame sells. Confusion creates clicks. So if you feel like part of your brain has been hijacked, it's probably because that's exactly what's happened on some level.<br />
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If you find yourself in any sort of anxious or stressed state, the scientists at Mindlabs in the UK have a song for you, found to be the most effective at reducing stress in clinical tests. Listening to it "resulted in a striking 65 percent reduction in participants' overall anxiety, and a 35 percent reduction in their usual physiological resting rates."<br />
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To read the full article and see their Top 10 list, <a href="https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/neuroscience-says-listening-to-this-one-song-reduces-anxiety-by-up-to-65-percent.html" target="_blank">check out this article</a>.<br />
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To experience their #1 choice and decompress right now, press play.<br />
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The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-79602650328897578102017-04-10T00:00:00.000-06:002017-04-14T16:03:16.092-06:00Let's Talk About SyriaI’m replacing the original post (full of tangential things for your brain to consider regarding whether attacks are justified) with two questions for you to consider instead:<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>Question #1:</b> Am I my neighbor’s judge, jury, and executioner?<br />
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<b>Question #2:</b> Am I in the position to exercise the highest level of unilateral judgment on the matter?<br />
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There used to be about 45-60 minutes of material where your eyes are currently reading, but I’ll save you the time of hashing through and mentally processing it. Because while the view of the conflict in Syria may appear different to every single person looking at it, the core questions remain unchanged for determining what should be done.<br />
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Look at everything you believe, then look at everything people disagree with you believe. With all that in clear view, ask yourself two more questions:<br />
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<li>Do you have the right to determine the fates of the people living through it? </li>
<li>Do you have informed consent to make a decision by proxy?</li>
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I think if you know your answers to those questions, then you have your answer to what you think your country should do in Syria.<br />
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If you want to know how the people I know in the area feel and what they think, this interview with President Assad on April 13, 2017 paints the picture of what they believe.<br />
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The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-77405337742924644332017-03-26T16:31:00.000-06:002017-03-26T16:31:23.807-06:00What to Look for From Me in 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPnqk0Al3U2X0xH3ICwsR9p7RBfkd9REvS_IXP43n7OSm5YaqGMYrpR-PDu_XG84vSuQmk2i7Th5iSVl7vkyM-ypfES5461tmoiyRmeevwXGztQDOQdKd2mm1ULwa9oNIWVP4UfHEtH4/s1600/coming_soon.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPnqk0Al3U2X0xH3ICwsR9p7RBfkd9REvS_IXP43n7OSm5YaqGMYrpR-PDu_XG84vSuQmk2i7Th5iSVl7vkyM-ypfES5461tmoiyRmeevwXGztQDOQdKd2mm1ULwa9oNIWVP4UfHEtH4/s640/coming_soon.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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First off, how is it possible that we’re already ¼ of the way through 2017?</div>
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Like, seriously…how?</div>
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Whether the time is flying for you (like it is for me), I wanted to give you a heads up on how things look for the year.</div>
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First off, some of you may be have noticed that I planned to have <i>The Third Wheel</i> out by now. What you may not know is that I have since been contracted to write a screenplay that will be filmed in the Middle East. The movie is not an adaptation of any of my stories. I am writing a story that an amazing director wants to shoot. Her name is Eva Daoud, and she is an internationally award-winning director for each of the short films she has created. This will be her first feature-length film, and I have the honor of writing it. Doing so meant switching my schedule around, but when you have a phenomenal director who wants to work with you, you kind of push current projects back in the queue and get to work.</div>
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Or at least that’s what I ended up doing.</div>
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This means that while last year I put out three books, this year I plan on putting out two: <i>The Third Wheel</i> and <i>Pimpernel</i> 2, in that order. <i>The Third Wheel</i> will be in summer and <i>Pimpernel</i> 2 in the fall.</div>
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I’m really excited for both!</div>
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<i>The Third Wheel</i> is Luke’s story and ties in with <i>The Kiss That Launched 1,000 GIFs</i> and <i>King of the Friend Zone</i>. I do have to mention that it’s a bit more intense and deals with some heavier topics, like gaslighting, narcissism, abuse, and infidelity. It’s a bit of a heavy one to write, but it has a whole lot of heart. I think you’ll like it…or at least my fingers are crossed that you will.</div>
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As for the second <i>Pimpernel</i> book, what is there to say about that except that each book in the series goes bigger than the last and they’re all giant rides. So if you liked the first one, I’m hoping you like the next one even better.</div>
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But right now all the focus is on getting the screenplay done.</div>
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An interesting thing about these projects is that they’re all intense in different ways. Writers have different ways of composing their stories, but I’m one of those writers who goes and sits in a scene and tries to capture what I see and experience with text. Sometimes scenes kindly loop over and over, letting me see things again and again (sometimes even zooming in and out) until I get them right; sometimes they pass through like a gusting breeze that makes contact before zipping on, and I have to focus to capture that one exposure as best I can before a bunch of other breezes cloud that specific memory. So it’s interesting to sit inside the scenes of an accused suicide bomber, a devoted gaslit wife, and a mastermind guiding a team of differently gifted masters who pull and snip strings in the world of “too big to fail.”</div>
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I love it. I wouldn’t trade these muses for any others, but the screenplay and <i>The Third Wheel</i>, in particular, are intense scenes to sit in and it’s a challenge (that I happily accept) to find the right words to pull you into that space with me and share those journeys.</div>
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So that’s where I am right now.</div>
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I’ll fill you in as things unfold, but I wanted to let you know where things are at.</div>
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Also, we’re less than 2 months out in finding out if either <i>Walk of Infamy</i> or <i>Pimpernel</i> will win a Whitney Award. Fingers crossed, but thank you so much for nominating me! That means a ton! I could tell you which muse wants it more, but I’ll keep that to myself for now.</div>
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Thank you for your support and thank you for reading! I literally couldn’t do any of this without you.</div>
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Hugs!</div>
The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-67797744536084766572017-01-03T23:48:00.002-07:002017-01-03T23:49:25.711-07:00YOU Did This!Writing is fun. And it only gets more fun when people like what you've written.<br />
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Not everyone, obviously. We all know no one can please everyone. Not even a deity can do that, so why ask it of ourselves, right? But all that is a tangent to the fact that in 2016 I put out 3 books:<br />
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Pimpernel<br />
King of the Friend Zone<br />
Walk of Infamy<br />
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Then you guys did things like nominate them for awards and put the books on your yearly list of favorites.<br />
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For example, all 3 of 2016 titles are nominated for Whitney Awards and you voted for them on the Swooney Awards list.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTPj3N5MYo1taqRV0e-mtrKaX1cWAgAUQoXPUdJ5hyphenhyphenYQVcrBI9XQtTXwGfoRb6NOjGU1ZIrs7MQtV6_WaRA6UyxbaJhYyWuf_L0mOqV18QV4SH9ujdcAQ91pISV-s6jybLgmjVTSGPIo/s1600/Whitney+Award+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzTPj3N5MYo1taqRV0e-mtrKaX1cWAgAUQoXPUdJ5hyphenhyphenYQVcrBI9XQtTXwGfoRb6NOjGU1ZIrs7MQtV6_WaRA6UyxbaJhYyWuf_L0mOqV18QV4SH9ujdcAQ91pISV-s6jybLgmjVTSGPIo/s320/Whitney+Award+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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You all did this, and if I win any awards for 2016, it will be because of you all.</div>
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Thank you! </div>
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And here's to a 2017 filled with just as many, if not more, great books!</div>
<br />The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-47127496525401071302016-10-25T13:33:00.003-06:002016-10-25T16:32:52.688-06:00Happy (My) Birthday to Us All!This year, I decided to give myself the birthday present of FINALLY COMPLETING the last book in the Rhea series.<br />
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And guess what? Mission Accomplished!<br />
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This means you get to celebrate my birthday (Halloween) with me by seeing the final Rhea book appear on Amazon, ready to purchase. The ebook will be available ON my birthday with the physical book coming out shortly thereafter for everyone who has the physical books from the rest of the series.<br />
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This is definitely the last book in the Rhea series, although the word is still out on whether it can be read as a standalone novel. (Pimpernel fans, I'll let you know when reviewers who have not read the rest of the series let me know, since this book may be one you like if it truly stands alone.)<br />
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The cover looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcM7IrulcfgxRIGDBmMZSib8r-IdiQb5GWpk6uOm_fp5pEcBLxvzLiVD9nL6DdZudfsX1F1_WxcTmMhWbklhsAkEFA8Io6tM12NQKXRLAqLX4S5yB6rQak9BPYjeggd36aDQGeuTAezKQ/s1600/Walk-of-Infamy-COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcM7IrulcfgxRIGDBmMZSib8r-IdiQb5GWpk6uOm_fp5pEcBLxvzLiVD9nL6DdZudfsX1F1_WxcTmMhWbklhsAkEFA8Io6tM12NQKXRLAqLX4S5yB6rQak9BPYjeggd36aDQGeuTAezKQ/s320/Walk-of-Infamy-COVER.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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The synopsis goes like this:<br />
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<i>Rhea always knew she worked for a powerful men, but she didn’t understand the full scope of their influence until she quit her job—or tried to.</i></div>
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<i>The clandestine group that calls themselves The Fours doesn’t accept two-week’s notice from employees. Instead, they’re demanding Rhea perform a final task of their choosing to earn a life free from their demands.</i></div>
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<i>Rhea knows whatever The Fours ask of her will be unlike any challenge she’s ever faced. She’s prepared for the worst, but what she’s about to learn is that groups like The Fours are a secret for a reason.</i></div>
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<i>Because no one gets to walk away from them. Not even Rhea.</i></div>
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I've been warning y'all for a while now that this final book in the Rhea series is a rough ride. That said, I hope you still LOVE it!<br />
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Content warnings: Mild language and much more violence than Rhea would prefer.The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-70123279495343234562016-07-22T14:18:00.004-06:002016-07-22T14:31:23.294-06:00A Totally, TOTALLY Overdue Update<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, it’s WAAAAY past time for an update from me, right?</div>
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So here’s a little self-Q&A of all the things you need to know to be totally up to date.</div>
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<b>Question: What’s the next book that will be coming out?</b></h4>
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Answer: King of the Friend Zone on September 1, 2016.</div>
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Now if you’re thinking, “Hey, it was supposed to be Walk of Infamy,” you would be correct. So what happened? Well, I writing <i>King of the Friend Zone</i> as part of the awesome Power of the Matchmaker series, and one of the other authors asked to switch months for release dates, so I had to stop <i>Walk of Infamy</i> (which is very, very close to done, I assure you) and put both feet into getting <i>King of the Friend Zone</i> ready first.</div>
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SUPER sorry for the bait-and switch. The good news is, it’s very possible you’ll get two books very close together. So yay for that?</div>
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<b>Question: What’s King of the Friend Zone about?</b></h4>
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Answer: Happy you asked! Here’s a synopsis:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_fjwQSQ_r3VXVyZU74ior3KcbIbM2KehKwTeZ2c8HbQPUyLDGrp7FtZgiyjMoni_GrFVl3RS3xQQtyJSTHw3XRhm0O_GhHGdg_fXroEgaK74etfFzDsYB7faYq1EU_0D7cqSPW2ZygM/s1600/Friend+Zone+5e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_fjwQSQ_r3VXVyZU74ior3KcbIbM2KehKwTeZ2c8HbQPUyLDGrp7FtZgiyjMoni_GrFVl3RS3xQQtyJSTHw3XRhm0O_GhHGdg_fXroEgaK74etfFzDsYB7faYq1EU_0D7cqSPW2ZygM/s320/Friend+Zone+5e.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<i>Esme Taylor has an amazing fiancé, a lifelong best friend, and a problem. The problem stems from the fact that her best friend is named Hunter and, well. . .he’s kind of (totally) hot. It’s hate at first sight when her fiancé, Jon, and Hunter meet. Jon’s convinced that Hunter is in love with Esme, and that Hunter must be out of the picture if their upcoming marriage is to succeed.</i></div>
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<i>Esme thinks Jon is paranoid.</i></div>
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<i>The truth is, Jon’s not that far off. Hunter is in love with his best friend and always has been. What Jon has wrong, however, is that Hunter never had any plans of ruining Esme’s happily ever after. Hunter wants what’s best for Esme, even if that’s not him.</i></div>
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<i>When Jon pushes hard to end Esme and Hunter’s friendship, opposition comes from the most unlikely of places. It’s an eccentric lady with a cookie cart who suggests a different solution to Esme’s problem: Hunter and Esme should give each other a chance.</i></div>
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<i>They’ve both thought of the possibility over the years—of course they have. But with a ring already on Esme’s finger and a heap of hurt feelings and broken trust in the mix, there hasn’t been a worse time to explore the depths of their feelings for each other.</i></div>
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<i>Both Esme and Hunter think it’s time to move on and leave childhood crushes in the past. The question is: Can one woman and the taste of one cookie change their minds?</i></div>
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<b>Question: What are the other books in the <i>Power of the Matchmaker</i> series?</b></h4>
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Answer: It’s so crazy to me that 7 of the 12 Matchmaker books have already been released, and #8 will be released in a matter of DAYS.</div>
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Next is #9: September. Me. *gulp* (I hope you like it!)</div>
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But if you want to check out the other books in the series up until now, they are all up with tons of reviews to help you find your perfect fit! They are all different genres and all stand alone novels that can be read in any order.</div>
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Check them out.</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b>January:</b></span> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Things-Mend-Power-Matchmaker-ebook/dp/B0178WF1YM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218286&sr=8-1&keywords=broken+things+to+mend#navbar" target="_blank">Broken Things to Mend</a></div>
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<b>February:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Not-Always-Happenstance-Power-Matchmaker/dp/1941363156/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218315&sr=8-1&keywords=Not+Always+Happenstance" target="_blank">Not Always Happenstance</a></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">March:</span></b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/If-Were-Movie-Power-Matchmaker-ebook/dp/B018W79WO2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218340&sr=8-1&keywords=If+We+Were+a+Movie#navbar" target="_blank">If We Were a Movie</a></div>
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<b>April:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Power-Matchmaker-Heather-Moore-ebook/dp/B01A3TUTSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218363&sr=8-1&keywords=Love+is+Come#navbar" target="_blank">Love is Come</a></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">May:</span></b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Four-Chambers-Matchmaker-Julie-Wright/dp/1941849067/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218388&sr=8-1&keywords=Four+Chambers" target="_blank">Four Chambers</a></div>
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<b>June:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Oer-River-Liffey-Power-Matchmaker-ebook/dp/B01CGROSMU/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218411&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=O%27er+the+River+Liffy#navbar" target="_blank">O'er the River Liffey</a></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">July:</span></b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Fireflies-Power-Matchmaker-Taylor-ebook/dp/B01F35TXFY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218442&sr=8-2&keywords=Chasing+Fireflies#navbar" target="_blank">Chasing Fireflies</a></div>
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<b>August:</b> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Between-Heaven-Earth-Power-Matchmaker-ebook/dp/B01F9XBOYS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1469218521&sr=8-3&keywords=Between+Heaven+and+Earth#navbar" target="_blank">Between Heaven and Earth</a></div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">September:</span></b> King of the Friend Zone</div>
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<b>October:</b> To Move the World</div>
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<b><span style="color: blue;">November</span></b>: How I Met Your Brother</div>
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<b>December:</b> The Reformer</div>
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And here's a look at all the covers so you know what they look like.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlWSCzc-6dEm3a0V5Se9JgHGh9jlbgHrzfz2lOcSF-oM_ByK33-9R0UmY7E0M4nzz1py8RwHavqF9FDDgCv0B_PenHBCXfBl0s577Jon_-6g0riHdtpOH0rGhzFWhJIsNA1Sto_qXBdI/s1600/Cover+Reveal+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFlWSCzc-6dEm3a0V5Se9JgHGh9jlbgHrzfz2lOcSF-oM_ByK33-9R0UmY7E0M4nzz1py8RwHavqF9FDDgCv0B_PenHBCXfBl0s577Jon_-6g0riHdtpOH0rGhzFWhJIsNA1Sto_qXBdI/s640/Cover+Reveal+%25281%2529.jpg" width="339" /></a></div>
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Got any other questions? Ask away in the comments, and I'll try to be a good author and answer them all in the next post.</div>
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How about that? :D</div>
The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-88047479785483050382016-05-09T13:20:00.002-06:002016-05-09T13:20:52.594-06:00Book 4 in Power of the Matchmaker: Love Is Come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwQTu1mZMKBnrciuOz79avB-1lftyZdLqMWxMaCpTfHKjd_EPV0iDxRpTBcZnGKfPPTiLDnGQEOpTyHb1PvEa_w6LId0S4VhTHwBP0lj2aOMqS1qUJ20sDrfQgquQgZe2TE7zWFX6IM4/s1600/love_is_come.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuwQTu1mZMKBnrciuOz79avB-1lftyZdLqMWxMaCpTfHKjd_EPV0iDxRpTBcZnGKfPPTiLDnGQEOpTyHb1PvEa_w6LId0S4VhTHwBP0lj2aOMqS1qUJ20sDrfQgquQgZe2TE7zWFX6IM4/s400/love_is_come.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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Being on the road and walkabouting has thrown a wrench in me giving a timely shout out to the awesome Heather B. Moore and her release of <b>Love Is Come</b>. This book is the fourth book (although they can be read in any order) of the Power of the Matchmaker series (12 months, 12 books, 12 authors).<br />
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The series' matchmaker, Pearl, is certainly proving that she can handle every pairing that comes her way in this series.<br />
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In<b> Love Is Come</b>, by Heather B. Moore, we are treated to the gentle romance of two souls who a bit kinder than the world around them—so kind, in fact, that they threaten their own happiness by letting the stronger voices around them call the shots.
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Nelle is an only child with a bit of privilege going for her and Mathew is the handsome farmer who has every intention of proposing to her cousin, Alice. Their paths never would have crossed except for the fact that tragedy strikes Nelle’s family and she is forced to go live with her aunt for the summer.
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I like this book because it makes me think of all the times in life when we think that if something is meant to be that it will just fall into place. I thought about that a lot as I read this book—that fine balance between waiting for what fate serves up and going out and carving your own fate. But whatever side of the that philosophical question you may stand on, it's pretty clear that Nelle and Mathew are meant to be.<br />
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The question is: Will everything come together in a way where they actually get together?<br />
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If you’re in the mood for a sweet ride with two characters with hearts of guileless gold, <b>Love Is Come </b>is the book for you!<br />
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Content: Squeaky Clean<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Love-Power-Matchmaker-Heather-Moore-ebook/dp/B01A3TUTSK?ie=UTF8&keywords=love%20is%20come&qid=1462817620&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Buy the book and read more reviews here.</a>The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-6592925377136504432016-05-08T01:01:00.000-06:002016-05-08T01:01:42.369-06:00COMING SOON: Walk of Infamy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some of you are about to fist-pump the air while saying, “It’s about time!”<br />
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Others of you are going to be hearing about the Rhea Jensen series for the first time and not be sure if it’s worth getting excited about.<br />
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Either way, it’s official: the next book of mine to hit digital shelves will be <i>Walk of Infamy</i>—the final book in the Rhea Jensen series. And while this is Book 6 in the series (Book 7, if you count The Avenues novella), <i>Walk of Infamy</i> is a STANDALONE NOVEL. This means you can read it whether you’ve read any of the other books in the Rhea Jensen series or not.<br />
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What I can tell you is that if you loved <i>Pimpernel</i>, you’ll definitely want to pick up <i>Walk of Infamy</i>; and if you like the Rhea Jensen series, then buckle up. Things are about to get real.<br />
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What’s Walk of Infamy About? </h4>
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Rhea Jensen has a date with destiny. A powerful, multi-national group calling itself The Fours considers her a threat. She doesn’t know why The Fours think this, only that they will destroy her life and the lives of everyone she loves if she doesn’t do as she’s asked.<br />
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Rhea knows where to be, when to be there, and that the odds are not in her favor for a happy ending. That’s it. What she’s about to learn is that the past seven years of her life were not what they seemed, and there is a 99.9% chance she will not live to see another day. Her date with destiny is rigged to become a date with infamy.<br />
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The question Rhea must ask herself is: Is she going to die on her terms, or on The Fours terms?<br />
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Her life, and the end thereof, has just become a game for the rich and powerful to watch play out live, and they’ve played this game many time before with other people more skilled than Rhea. The rules are designed so that the House wins every time. Rhea knows she can’t win—not without a miracle. But if she’s not going to get what she wants, well then, neither are The Fours. The clock is running, though, so whatever Rhea’s going to do, she needs to do it quick.<br />
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My Thoughts About the Book</h4>
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<i>Walk of Infamy</i> is a total ride that keeps on moving and will be a bit intense for some people. Yes, it is a standalone novel, but those of you who have read the rest of the series know that there’s a lot to tie in and tie up, and none of it is for the faint of heart.<br />
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While <i>Walk of Infamy</i> is a clean read and is PG as far as outright content, thematically this book is easily PG-13 and there are triggers in it for sensitive readers. I like to be upfront about that, because I know that while some readers love intensity, others like their reading time to be a trigger-free escape. <i>Walk of Infamy</i> has some triggers along the way, so if you have any concerns about whether or not this book is for you, feel free to use the “Look Inside” feature on Amazon to start reading before you buy.<br />
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All that said, I’m so excited to finally get this book out there. Those of you who have been waiting for it know that it’s taken me quite a while. I adore Rhea and her story, but this last book is pretty rated-R in my mind and it took a while to figure out how to tell Rhea’s final chapter in the right way.<br />
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So…Rhea fans and Pimpernel fans? This one’s for you! Buckle up, and get ready for a serious ride in 2016, because <i>Walk of Infamy</i> is coming your way!<br />
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Look for it coming this June. :)The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748602678453366103.post-20036341934488817302016-03-07T11:58:00.002-07:002016-03-07T13:06:25.437-07:00Walkabout #3Those of you who know me know that I am prone to walkabouts--trips where I get in my car and just start driving. My first walkabout was (coincidentally) 40 days and 40 nights while the second one measured out to two weeks.<br />
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April 1st marks the beginning of Walkabout #3, and I think it would be way fun to bring you all along in some fashion. I will definitely be posting on <a href="https://twitter.com/SheralynPratt" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thatspratt/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, but I'm wondering if there's something else I can do to bring you along.<br />
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Personally, I never listen to podcasts but I understand that they're a thing. It got me wondering if that might be a cool thing to do on the road. I always meet amazing people with great knowledge and skills that teach me things I inevitably use in my writing.<br />
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But what if I officially interviewed them and shared these writerly facts with you?<br />
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I can't promise any specific topic. You never know who you're going to meet on the road and where their area of expertise lies. It's all a bit of a grab bag, but a mixed bag that fascinates me, personally.<br />
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The question is: Does it fascinate you, or at least interest you enough to check it out a time or two?<br />
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Sound off below and share any ideas you have in the comment section. I'd love to have you along for the ride :)<br />
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Are you interested in a podcast of randomly interviewed subject matter experts I meet on the road?</h2>
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P.S. Apparently some browsers aren't allowing voting in the poll. BOO! But if that's the case for you, please feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts!</h4>
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Also, I will spending most of this walkabout in the western United States, so if you want to connect with me, please feel free to reach out and DEFINITELY follow me on <a href="https://twitter.com/SheralynPratt" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thatspratt/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> to stay in touch.The Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04147933102399332633noreply@blogger.com0