Category Archives: New

The Most Expensive Gift You Can Give.

You might think it is a little early for me to talk about gifts, but many stores were already decorating for Christmas before October was even here.

So, if you would like to give that special someone the most precious gift you can, here it is.

Give them you. No, I am not talking about proposing marriage (but you can do that if you want). I am talking about giving them your time – undivided, completely, and totally – with your mouth closed.

The next time someone talks to you, stop what you are doing and then turn towards them with your body and look at their face. Listen to their words, not so you can think of what you will say in response. Listen to them so you can hear them and understand them. Watch their facial expressions and how they communicate with their hands and their body. Do not respond, just listen. Try to understand what they are saying as if you WERE them.

Those seconds or minutes, that is the most precious gift. Your time, once it is gone, it is gone forever. Each second of your life is precious and can never be retrieved, so spend it wisely.

If you want to give someone the most expensive gift you can? Listen to them completely and totally, with no thought to what you will say, but with all your thoughts used to comprehend what they are saying.

That is the most precious gift you can give to anyone.

I am going to make this short. Nothing I can say will do justice to this cause.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I believe this is one cancer we are very close to curing. All of us have lost friends and family members or know people who have lost friends and family members to this disease. I also know survivors. This is a disease that will continue to touch us all until we defeat it.

So, please ~ do what you can to help us defeat breast cancer this month (and every month).

I had the best summer ever I went on a two week trip ALL with my dad! It might not seem that exciting to you, but my parents are divorced so when I found out I was going on a two week trip with my dad I basically screamed my head off! The only annoying part was my mom she packed a giant suitcase that you would have at the airport, a medium sized one, and one that was a little higher than a foot. And only like half maybe even less was filled up, I mean COME ON! Any ways the first week me and my dad went to Missouri to visit my dad’s brother. We were going to stay at his house I was soo excited. We went by car in my dad’s truck. Luckily I brought a DVD player so I wasn’t bored the whole trip. Before we arrived my dad told me they had a cat and when we arrived with the knowledge that I had I scurried off to find the cat, after we were greeted nicely at the door by my uncle’s mother-in-law. At the end my uncle’s daughter gave me a homemade scarf. It was pink, it was giant, it was thoughtful of her. In fact I thought it was so touching that it felt like I just found the fountain of youth! Well maybe not that happy, but you get the idea. Remember that was only the first week …

Elizabeth & Joe Combs in an Office of Naval Research (O.N.R.) submarine, April 2008.

Here are the mockups for the cover. I am so excited I just had to share them with you. When I receive the final versions I’ll share them too.

You know when people read a book they think of the author. But a book is really a team effort. Yes, the book is my idea and I wrote the book myself, but there is so much more to publishing a book and getting it into your hands.

Genevieve and AJ work with me on every Cartaphilus book. Genevieve does the editing and AJ the cover magic. Then there are my beta readers, Cristi, Kim, Katy , Martha and a few others. I use different beta readers for each book but they are still important. They are my test readers. They are an advocate for you. We all work to give you an enjoyable read and we all have to put our best effort forward to give you the best read we can.

I am very fortunate to have the team I do, I am very fortunate and proud to work with these ladies. As we get closer to publishing the first book in “The Judas Effect” series I’ll introduce you to the team that is working on those books as well ~ another team of talented women.

I do not want to give away the story. But I will say that the second Cartaphilus book takes you through from the end of the first book to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius at Pompeii, while you learn more about Cartaphilus and see a side of him you did not see in the first book as he falls in love, marries and becomes a dad. All of that while running from the Roman authorities and starting a successful shipping company.

Have a great weekend!

PS Here are the covers for the first Cartaphilus book that AJ did.

The Cartaphilus Saga:
book #1 Amissio

August was a very busy and productive month. The rough draft of the second Cartaphilus books was completed. When the rewrites are completed the editor from the first Cartaphilus book, Wildly Writing Editing Services, will return to work on the second book.
AJ Corza the illustrator of the first Cartaphilus book has finished another winning cover for the second.
Plus, work has already begun on the first rough draft of the third Cartaphilus book.
But that’s not all. On August 2, the first book in the upcoming spy series was posted here on our site so you would have an opportunity to tell us what you thing the series title and book title should be.
The series is, “The Judas Effect”
And the first book title is
“Son of a Baron.”
Also, for the last three months we have looked at more than a dozen editors to replace the original editor we had intended to give the “Judas Effect” series to.
We would like to welcome Rebekah Valentine as the editor of “The Judas Effect.”
A final selection for the series illustrator has not been made yet.
Thank you for your suggestions and we are looking forward to reading your reviews of these books as they are published.
Everyone have a great holiday.