"The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road" Wins Award!

Well, Kids; I can now say that Alan Solomon and I have written an Award Winning Book!

So, I am proud to announce that "The Mango Tree Cafe, Loi Kroh Road" has WON in the following category: Best Online Marketing. As a result, I will be receiving a gold medal and the book will be categorized as a winning novel, along with the info below:

Finalists and Winners will also receive:A listing in the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Catalog which will be distributed to book buyers, media, and others! Exposure for a full year at http://www.indiebookawards.com/ as a Winner.

PLUS, the top 70 books will be reviewed by New York literary agent Marilyn Allen of Allen O'Shea Literary Agency or one of Ms. Allen's co-agents for possible representation in areas such as distribution, foreign rights, film rights, and other rights.

Ms. Allen has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience, including serving as Senior Vice President, Associate Publisher, and Director of Marketing for Harper Collins and directing sales and marketing teams for Simon & Schuster, Penguin Books and Avon Books.

Ms. Allen has had the pleasure of working with many best-selling authors including Stephen King, Ken Follett, Barbara Kingsolver, John Gray, Mary Higgins Clark, and many more.

Alan and I wish to thank YOU for being an important part of this award!

Cheers!

More Musings Later-

The Great Pennies, Nickels and Dimes Campaign

A couple of days ago, my sister mentioned that a friend of hers was very ill. As I read her email and then later listened to her speak of him, I realized that he must be a very special person.

A very special person that I think YOU should know about. In our muddled up world of political campaigns, weather catastrophes and the rat race of making a living, his struggles made me stop and think. Her friend, Mike Serna happens to be Native American and celebrates his heritage with wisdom, soulfulness and spirituality. He is also an award winning flutist, songwriter, men's traditional dancer, and documentary creator to name a few talents.

And, he is kind. To illustrate, The Circle of Friends and friends from the Native Community held a benefit for 2 year old JJ Estep who was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Mike drove all the way from Chattanooga on a work night to play 3 songs on his Native Flute, and then drove all the way back so he could be at work early the next morning. Mike did this on his own dime. He reaches out to others without a moment's thought of his own inconvenience. He is due the same from his friends.

He is walking a journey that is very difficult right now. He is battling liver disease and is only able to work sporadically. The chemo he has been taking for the last 6 months hasn't been working. I don't have to tell you that health insurance is a huge issue financially.

So, I am asking that you donate any spare change you may have around the house or office. All proceeds go to assist Mike and his family.

This experience for Mike I'm sure, feels much like climbing a mountain. So, I leave you with these words for Mike;

A Prayer

Nii nahii'maa at'e, ya nahiika'ee at'e.Â

Ik aa'ye iidenka ashii nadndaal. ei nanlwogo aniile shiiyii'ii.Â

Sadnleel da'ya'dee nzho

Da' nzho, Abaachii miizaa

Translation for the White Man (Magaanii)

The earth is our Mother, the sky is our Father

Run to the mountain and back; it will make you strong, my son.

Long life, old age, everything good...

I pray in the Apache language

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Why Prey Tell, is Paula Abdul a Singing Judge?

I don't get it. She's not a singer. We've heard proof of that. Yet, Simon Cowell thinks she is a great judge of voice.

I don't know...if I were one of those contestants, I would laugh if she offered me advice about singing. They are so far superior to her it's not even funny.

Now, she is quite effective with the fashion commentary..."You look gorgeous tonight. You rock." she mutters in her Xanax induced fog.

Did you see where she critiqued a singer on a song he hadn't sung yet? That's what I mean. She's pathetic.

NOW she wants to be on "Dancing with the Stars". Sounds great....except for one thing. She is considered a professional dancer. Remember? she is a choreographer and worked with Janet and Michael Jackson in her hey day.

Sometimes I want to grab her by the shoulders and shout, "WAKE UP!"

Now, can someone tell me why she was selected as a singing critic?

More Musings Later-

I'm Getting Sick of Reality Shows

Ok, they were interesting in the beginning. You know the ones I am referring to:

• The Bachelor/Bachelorette
• American Idol
• Hell's Kitchen
• HGTV's New Host Competition
• Big Brother
• Food Channel's various reality shows

And many many more...

I am tired of the "dramatic music" the "immunity challenges" the prounouncement of "You're safe!" and the ridiculous emotions.

These challenges or games that grown men and women play seem so childish and they are totally oblivious.

I watched "The Bachelor" once. That was enough. Being a feminist, the idea of a group of grown women groveling over 1 man turned my stomach. But let's put that aside for a moment, shall we?

What absolutely killed me is that when these women were "eliminated" from the bachelor's list of his future wife, these women would discuss how they felt about being eliminated as they were being driven home.

"Oh! I was so in love with him! I'll never get over it!" the woman would wail. Huh? How long have you known him? a few days? a week maybe? Get over yourself!!!!

My favorite part though (NOT) is when the bachelor gives each bachelorette a rose so that they are "safe". (Tag, you're it. Here we go round the mulberry bush).

It goes something like this: "(insert name), Will you accept this rose?"

"Oh, Darling! Of course!!" (more groveling to ensue).

Also worth mentioning: Travis Stork's new book, "Don't be that girl". You know, the kind that go on a reality tv show and grovel over one man. Travis was the mild mannered Nashvillian doctor who was the nice guy on "The Bachelor" . I saw him on a tv show (Dr Phil) pitching the book and I thought "Hmmmm, he is dispensing advice to women about dating and relationships. Yet, he struggles with the same issues. Interesting."

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Hell's Kitchen

I still like to watch this show somewhat...although Chef Gordon Ramsey goes overboard with the antics. When he gets his group of chefs for the show, I sit and ponder, Is this really the best he could find? I'm worried if that is the case.

One show, he asked each chef to make their speciality dish. He tasted one dish and made a tormented face and threw up into a nearby garbage pail.

Yeah, we get it. The dish sucked. Do we have to see what you ate for dinner last night to get the message?

Sheesh....bring back the sitcoms. I miss All in the Family, Roseanne, and Will and Grace. Oh, don't forget my new favorites: Anthony Bourdain's Travels and Andrew Zimmer's Bizarre Foods.

More Musings Later-

My Beagle speaks YIDDISH

It's true. My partner was lying in the bed the other evening playing with my beagle, Baby.

When she decided to calm her down for the night, she said something that absolutely stunned me. Why? because my beagle understood it!!! Apparently, she taught her some Yiddish words while I slept at night and she couldn't sleep. She was trying to teach her to lay her head down in English, and it wasn't working.



The phrase she used was, "Baby, come lay your keppy down," and sure enough, Baby walked over to her and laid her head down on her chest!

Baby laying her "Keppy" down

When I looked at her in disbelief, I asked, "What is a keppy?" and she said, "Head! Come lay your head down."

I always knew my beagle had chutzpah.





More Musings Later-

Things you learn when you listen...

I guess people can tell that if I have one regret in this life, it is that I didn't take chances and travel more when I was younger.

When I am in a pensive mood, it weighs on my mind at times. I can happily tell you that I made up for my lack of traveling and the tried and true when I was in my mid 30's.

I drank a drink where Madonna and Sandra Bernhardt danced on a bar in New York City, I stood at the top outlook of the Luxor hotel in Vegas at midnight, I have snorkeled in the Caribbean and smoked a cigar while playing poker in Aruba. And, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

What is it that I wish I had done? I really wish that when I graduated from college that I took the plunge I was so afraid of and move to Manhattan.

I dreamed about living in the city...it was vastly different from where I grew up and seemed so exciting to me.

I began to think about my travels and the roadmap of my experiences when I sat next to a man at a bar. His nails were embedded with oil and grease and his name was enblazened on his shirt. I took him for a laborer or an auto mechanic that never saw different scenery past the city limit line.

I was wrong. He had traveled and lived in Alaska, California, Oregon, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Indiana, Wisconsin, Asia, Europe and Africa. He told me of the times that he worked in Alaska and saved every nickel he could while he worked. "The Wages were GREAT...not like here," he would tell me. Of course, Nashville sucked to him.

Everyone has a home, a place they feel comfortable. But he didn't. He told me he made enough money in Alaska to travel for 5 years. He lived like no other for that time, and now he works like no other. He is virtually penniless. He's slept at the mission, walked across America and slept under the stars.

His stories were fascinating, but his eyes were sad. I'm sure traveling and taking chances is fantastic. But so is getting into your own bed at night.

Cheers

More Musings Later-

"I'm Gonna Hit It Monday!"

The title to this post was the battle cry of my family every time the jeans got too tight or the reflection in the mirror got too offensive.

Of everyone in the family, Mamaw (my grandmother) used this phrase the most. Of course, there was the scarfing over the weekend that "prepared one to sacrifice" by eating diet food, starting on Monday.

There was no happy medium, it was feast or famine. Back in the day when Weight Watchers demanded you weigh everything before you eat it. They also demanded that you eat a steady diet of tuna fish or canned salmon.

Is it any wonder we would venture off the diet after a short time? I think alot of people relate to this scenario as I remember Oprah lamenting on her tv show one day, "Lord, how many "I'm gonna start it Monday" diets have you been on?"

Too many. But, I'm here to tell you, I'm gonna hit it Monday! Am I going to eat tuna and salmon until I puke? No.

What am I going to do? Practice a little common sense for once.

No fried food, no cream sauces, no sweets and no fad foods.

Monday is coming fast, so I toast my Mamaw and every other woman who has "Hit it Monday" with a big 8 oz glass of water!

Cheers-

More Musings Later-