The Curse of Nefertiti – Blog

I was teasing a really good friend of mine several days ago about the benefits of twitter versus texts. My facebook post to him started with strains of “anything you can do I can do better” and ended with me reminding him I was Valedictorian in my graduating class of “one-up-manship!”

In all honesty I rarely do the “one-up” thing. I have a brother who “one-ups” so frequently that I’m sure our entire family, including the next three generations, will be completely exempt from it. However, with this particular friend of mine “one-up-manship” is an actual sport and is almost always required else we forfeit a point to the other. *snicker*

Anyway, until this past Tuesday I was unaware that a person could actually “one-up” themselves! Wow… Who knew?

Some of you may remember my infamous room “incident” in Vegas (not to be confused with my infamous “plane” incident) this past December. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it; allow me to share. It started on a Saturday morning. I was tired from being up too early and my feet were killing me from walking around in six inch heels for over twelve hours the day before. In future I will remember to wear comfy clothes AND shoes on days when I’m flying… You never know when you will actually make it to the room after landing.

So, I hurried downstairs to meet with Brian Rouff, fellow author and Managing Partner at Imagine Marketing. I was very excited to pick his brain and hear his suggestions. I was ecstatic when he gave me two of his books.

Fast forward a couple hours and I’m standing in the elevator waiting for the doors to close when a rather inebriated guy comes rushing in. Gee, six elevators and he HAD to get in mine right?!? I’m flipping through one of my new books but I will state for the record I DID look to see what button he had pressed on the panel. The only light I saw lit was the “30” so I went back to reading. I finally heard a ding, the doors opened and the drunk guy rushed out as if the hounds of hell were chasing him.

Have I mentioned yet that I was reading? Or that I love peripheral vision? I can read AND walk at the same time!

I make the long trek down the hallway to the room I’m sharing with the same friend I was teasing in my facebook post. I reach the door and manage to turn the book’s page with my right hand while simultaneously sliding the card into the slot with my left. I don’t hear the click the door should make and I look at the card reader. I see the light is still red. I sigh. We were having issues with the card reader last night too. I try it again. Nothing. I ring the doorbell. No answer. I dial my friend’s cell and the following is our conversation:

Hey, are you still in the room?

Yeah…

Can you open the door please? The freaking card isn’t working again!

Okay…

I hear movement…

There is a long silent pause…

Are you still there?

Yes… I’m right outside!

There is another even longer silent pause…

Are you sure you’re on the right floor?

My eyes fly to the room number on the wall to the left of the door.

Fuuuuucck! (Sorry)

I start laughing uncontrollably…

I’m on the 29^th floor!

Moral of this story is you should never read AND walk at the same time. However, if you DO, make sure to check the floor number before exiting the elevator. I think I laughed the entire way to the correct room!

Anyway, I never thought I could top that but wouldn’t you know it; I did. As my friend Stephen told me once in a totally unrelated topic “only you Charline, only YOU!”

Tuesday I had an appointment at noon to discuss social media, etc. The meeting was set over a week ago and while I didn’t know exactly where the location was I knew I could Google it and get a physical address.

Most of you know I’m incredibly busy but did you also know I’m the queen of multi-tasking? Who else but me mops the floor with my right hand while talking on the phone with my left? Yes, I can chew gum at the same time too…

I should state I also read / review books for RebeccasReads. In fact I was reading a book I needed to review while looking up the restaurant’s address. It’s really quite easy. You read the book and whenever you turn the page you type whatever you need on the computer. Click enter, let the computer do it’s thing and by the time you flip the next page whatever you’re searching for will be there. Finding this particular location was a little more in-depth because first I had to find the website, then I had to find locations, narrow it down to Arizona, to Scottsdale, etc. I did mention I was READING right??

To make an incredibly long story somewhat shorter…

I arrived at the restaurant ten minutes early. I ran inside, grabbed a caramel frap and sat down outside. I was using my Blackberry to read emails. (Is anyone sensing a theme here?) I also noticed it was after twelve and still no sign of him. Hmmm… I wonder if we missed each other when I was getting my drink. My phone rings about five minutes later.

Hello?

Hi, I just wanted to let you know I’m inside, kind of in a room in the back.

Ok. I’m here. I’m outside.

You are?

Yeah…

A little more conversation about where I am outside.

I hear movement…

I hear silence…

All of a sudden I’m having flashbacks to a similar conversation…

I don’t see you.

I walk around the side where there are more tables and I don’t see him either. I didn’t swear this time. At least not verbally!

We figure out I’m at the wrong location. I apologize profusely and then ask him to tell me where he’s at so I can drive there. He starts to but then he stops. I can almost hear the wheels in his mind turning. He’s thought better of it and has decided HE will drive to where I’m at. I know he thinks I’ll get lost; he’s just too polite to actually say it.

He arrives ten minutes later and I apologize again. I tried really hard not to dissolve into laughter but I failed miserably.

Like I told him… He will definitely never be able to forget me!

For the record, I’m not usually this ditzy.  However, the good news is that at least when I am I can laugh about it.

Oh right… I should pull my nose out of whatever book I’m reading more often! And no… I wasn’t reading when I wrote this…

I just recently finished reading “Dark Fire” by author Claudia Newcorn. “Dark Fire” is an entertaining story which takes two separate prophecies, two separate dimensions and weaves them seamlessly together into one book which is difficult to set down. The crux of this tale is that when the inhabitants of each dimension believe so strongly in their own prophecy which one of them is to be believed? More importantly, when all is not what it appears to be, who then is to be trusted?

In this second book of the Krisalys Chronicles of Feyree trilogy readers will also witness the coming of age of some of the younger Feyree sprytes. I am sure they will empathize with the young Feyree’s trials and tribulations. They will no doubt mourn with the sprytes over the loss of their friends, their loved ones and even more importantly the loss of their innocent views of their world. Unfortunately these are all hard lessons which must be learned quickly and quite often they find those they trust implicitly are actually traitors hiding within their midst. One can only hope that the players in Newcorn’s final book of the trilogy will have the strength to deal with that which is still to come.

All in all I found “Dark Fire” to be a wonderful and entertaining read. I can honestly say that I am also anxiously awaiting the publication of Newcorn’s final book in this series. I found her storyline to be compelling and I felt the characters were well thought out and easy to relate to. Newcorn writes with sincere attention to detail but not so much so as to cause boredom by over description. I believe anyone who enjoys reading fantasy or who just enjoys an afternoon or evening spent on the couch with a good book will not be disappointed should they pick this one up to read. I feel that “The Krisalys Chronicles of Feyree” trilogy would make a great addition to anyone’s library and that they belong there right next to other great series like “Lord of The Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien or “Inheritance” by Christopher Paolini.
To find this book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Fire-Krisalys-Chronicles-Feyree/dp/1432746421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266973860&sr=1-1

I’m sure most of you are familiar with the saying “you learn something new everyday.” I must admit, I too, am familiar with that concept but somehow I always wind up being on the “teaching” end of it. Just ask anyone who knows me. I’m sure they will vouch for me. My poor friend Pete will probably need a month to get over what I decided to teach him a couple days ago! I bet he was wishing he could poke out his “mind’s eye” after THAT conversation!

Anyway, some of you already know I’m off to visit sunny Florida next month thanks to another friend of mine who decided I really should take a break. You know… The whole “living life” thing… After much hemming and hawing I finally said “FINE!” Most of you already know the correct definition of that word. I’m sure you can clearly see (because of the emphasis placed upon it) I was NOT the world’s happiest camper. Not because I HAD to go someplace warm, where there’s a beach, nightlife, and probably scantily clad men everywhere but because I have difficulty accepting when other people are right. Yes… I do take stubbornness to new heights… Or lows… Whatever you want to call it works for me.

Of course I can’t take a week off and just sit on my uh…butt so; I decided it would be a fantastic idea to have a book signing while I’m there too. All my Florida friends, family and fans are now yelling “Woo-Hoo!!” All I’ve heard from them for past six months is “when are you coming to Florida?”

I now had a mission! I surfed the web. I googled. I found all the local independent bookstores and I collected their addresses and phone numbers. I called them all to get their email addresses. I wrote up a wonderful letter of introduction and I even included the fantabulous new media sheet I have been dying to send out.

You’re probably scratching your heads right now; wondering what I learned that I didn’t know. It’s obvious I put a lot of time and effort into my research and my email.

Ya… Well… It never occurred to me to include MY contact information in that email! You need a phone number to reach me? Really?? Wow… Who knew…

I found “There Are No Words” to be a very interesting, informative and easy read. Jaxon MacKenzie is an autistic twelve year old girl living in the modern world and yet this story seems firmly rooted in a past era. I attribute this “feel” to two separate but intertwined things. Jaxon lives with her grandparents who come from an older generation which encompasses a different set of values and she gets pulled into a painting that sends her back in time to July of 1918. “There Are No Words” is the story of Jaxon’s life here as well as her adventure in the past.

I definitely appreciated the historical facts which were used in the telling of this tale as it made the book very interesting to me. I also enjoyed the various photographs and pictures which were used throughout the book. They were an authentic touch and consequently they made the story that much more realistic. I am sure that the younger readers will greatly enjoy this aspect as well.

It was also wonderful to read the book from Jaxon’s perspective and to be present during her different stages. She starts out as an autistic child unable to really communicate with the world around her yet once she goes through the painting she suddenly finds she is able to interact with people in what we would consider a “normal” manner. How wonderful to finally have the ability to talk with people outside of her head! How amazing to have people treat her the same way they treat everyone else!

I give high praise to the author, Mary Calhoun Brown, for being able to help me understand and experience life in a way that an autistic child might. How many times do we overlook or simplify what Autism is simply because we do not understand it or have never experienced its effects in our lives? How frustrating it must be to be that child. To have to wonder about life every day and yet never have any answers to your questions. Jaxon was truly blessed to live with someone as intuitive as her grandparents.

“There Are No Words” is a charming and likeable story and I recommend it to readers of all ages.

To find this book on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/There-Words-Mary-Calhoun-Brown/dp/0977630021/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1266613404&sr=1-1

So here it is…

The “official” launch of my blog where I can post my thoughts, status and all those crazy things that happen to me on a regular basis in one organized spot. For those of you who know me well I am sure you understand my love of the “O” word! “O” for organization… Where was YOUR mind at??

For those of you wondering what that noise you just heard is? It’s the sound of about two hundred family members and close friends releasing their breath in a simultaneous sigh of relief! *chuckle*

No more mile long emails in response to a simple emailed comment or question! Even better no more “unsolicited” mile long emails! I think some of you dread them just because you know I actually expect a reply… To the entire email… In a timely manner…

What do you mean you work a full time job, have to take care of the house AND still need time to sleep? What do you mean you don’t read nine hundred words per minute?? What the heck are “hunt and peck” typing skills?!?

The shocking thing, to me, is that people always seem surprised by my emails and their length. I don’t quite understand that. I am after all a writer… Come on! What were you really expecting?

Maybe I SHOULD come with a warning label like my friend Jody suggested… Of course my “warning” label would be even longer than my mile long emails. I wonder if I could market it as the non-medicated cure to insomnia… Hmmm…

Anyway, I guess I should actually get to the point here. I am looking forward to blogging on a regular basis. I am also looking forward to chatting with each of you as you have the time / ability to comment.

Lastly, I want to give a HUGE thanks to my friend Gary for helping me with my blog, my website and all the other wonderful things he helps me with! Muah! I love you man! And no… I DON’T want your beer!! I can get my own!

Charline