Another Video

Here's the slide-show video of my book two cover. It was made much like the video of the making of book one's cover. The music is "The Mummers' Dance" by Loreena McKennitt.

I Have A New Video

I just created a new video of the making of my book one cover. It is a slide-show video, showing the images and art renderings used in the design. Accompying the video is the song "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal, which fits well I think with the presentation.

I've also created a cover design for book two and will make a slide-show video of it's creation like I did for book one.

Another Video

Here's another video I made from video clips off YouTube and a good song I found there too. I think all the videos were taken by a GoPro HD Video Camera-so this video is a tribute to it.

A Funny Video - If You Like Cats

Check out this video I found on YouTube--You might think that the cat is angry, the way it's back is all arched up, but the end turns out so precious.

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I'm still working on book 2 while waiting on word if any of the publishers or agents that I've submitted book 1 to find it compelling enough. Dreaming Dragon Publishers seemed a bit interested, so I'm hoping that they will take it on-but I also have hopes for Baen Books. The only problem is the long wait time with them (a year or more). It'll be a while till I get my 2nd book finished at any rate, so I guess that I don't need it published right away. It's just that the waiting is what is so hard to bare. But you have to just keep hoping and working-that's all you can do.

Has my book finally found it's publisher?

I checked my email today and was happy to see an email response to a query of my first book like none I'd seen before -- they asked to see more! So I happily replied to Dreaming Dragon Publishing with the first 3 chapters of "Andy Brighton and the Dragons of Wyrme book one The Forsaken Orb" as their guidelines specified. Within a month or so they say that I should hear back as to yay or nay. I'll be crossing my fingers!
http://www.dreamingdragonpublishing.com/

March Madness Has Taken Over

Spring is here and along with it is the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. This is a very special time of year, for it also brings the bracket challenges - contests where, for the most part, people choose teams competing against one another in the tournament with bracket selections. 63 correct picks are needed for a perfect bracket - which has I think never been accomplished (though some have come close).

Because I just couldn't resist, and because of the huge prizes, I entered a bunch of the contests this year - more than I ever have before in fact. Here is a list of the higher value contests I've entered:

(The first six or so have $1,000,000+ prizes)

Yahoo              = http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1

Joxfm               = http://joxfm.com/goout.asp?u=http://joxperfectbracket.mdmgames.com/tourney/

Foxsports         = http://msn.foxsports.com/fantasy/collegebasketball/tourney/signup/create_entry.asp?gw=1

RubyTuesday   = http://rubytuesdaybasketball.com/

BracketContest = http://bracketcontest.com/college-basketball-madness-contest/index_college-basketball-madness-contest.php

WVTM             = http://wwmt.collegebasketball.upickem.net/collegebasketball/registration/login.asp

ESPN                = http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/frontpage

CBSSports        = http://mayhem.cbssports.com/splash/mayhem/spln/opc/free

Sportsco           = https://www.sportsco.com/ncaa/ncaatestm.htm

TheScore         = http://fantasy.thescore.com/thescore/bracket12/home

WilliamHill     = http://apps.facebook.com/williamhillbracket/

OregonLive     = http://www.oregonlive.com/brackets/

ALLive           = http://www.al.com/marchbrackets/

CokeZero        = https://cocacola.promo.eprize.com/koz2012bracketbuilder/:b=ie9/

then theres a couple contests I can enter daily:

Digiorno         = http://www.facebook.com/digiorno?sk=app_392130504146032

CokeZero       = https://cocacola.promo.eprize.com/koz2012bracketbuilder/:b=ie9/?cid=p1core-tbx10.f.1800/b4a21/552/fbceee06.4e614dc9b92645bbfd5d2706ac3dc358

A good web resource I found, which has links to many of the above contests, is here:

http://casinodave.com/march-madness-contests.htm

Of the bracket contests I've entered, every one I chose different outcomes. Last year I entered about 6 contests and chose all the same teams to win. I know now that that was stupid. Because to have any chance to get one right you need to have as many entries as you can-not just the same entry multiple times. Anyways, maybe I'll win something (cross your fingers for a million bucks!)

 

Book Two Cover

I had today off work and spent it working on my book 2 cover. It's in the same theme as book 1, with the trilogy name across the top (Andy Brighton and the dragons of Wyrme) and my name across the bottom. In the center I put the volume name: Book Two - The Magic of Dragons. The first book was in a forest green, this one I chose to use a golden orange. (the 3rd I think will be in a dark red - though I haven't thought up a name for the 3rd book volume as yet). I'm pretty happy with it at the moment, of course the more I look at it the more likely that I'll find something wrong with it that needs tweeking. Have a look: (the idea behind the image is of Andy in his tower-room in Tyme practicing magic while the Rysouri girl Fay looks on.)

I'm still waiting on one of the 20 literary agents to respond favorably to my query of book one. If I don't hear anything by the end of March I might send out more queries.