And the ball drops… #happynewyear

Dec31

fotolia_95610115_xs Well, here we are yet again folks, another New Year has come. While I can’t say 2016 was a “great” or even a “good” year, it did have some highlights. Unfortunately there were more low notes that marred it all. But this post isn’t about the past, what was, or any of that. No, this post is looking toward the fresh, blank slate set before us all. As of the second this post goes live there are no expectations for what might come. We can all dive in with the best intentions and figure things out as we go.

One thing I will say is that I really hope only good things come to you, and yours in the New Year. Not that they will always drop into your lap, no…sometimes you’ll have to work for them. Don’t be afraid to work for what you want, what you desire, and what you hope for. Life’s good things don’t come on a silver platter, they take effort and strength to gain. So, chin up, shoulders back, big girl/boy undies on, and take no shit. Be the guide on the trail to your own happiness in this New Year, no matter what that might mean. Cut out the crap, ignore the bullshit, and do whatever makes your heart pound a little faster in glee.

Be safe out there, take no risks tonight – ensure you have a designated driver, a taxi, or alternate way to get home tonight. Thinking you’re okay to get behind the wheel is no way to start fresh, no one needs to get “that” call this weekend. I’ll see you all on the flip side ~ Moira

newyears-2017

Chillin’

Dec4

Red benches in the fog in winter It’s a cool, breezy, snowy Sunday here. To keep myself from being overly distracted from the task at hand, aka: writing, I had to mostly close the blinds. It’s so damn pretty that it’s hard to remember that it’ll be a mess out there if it keeps up all through to tomorrow. While not our first snowfall of the 2016 winter season, it’s likely to be the one that sticks for at least a few days given upcoming temperatures.

In other news the counts are in for the Evernight Publishing 4th Annual Readers’ Choice Awards, and to my surprise and delight, the readers voted VIPER, The Scoundrels 1 into the winning spot for the MC Romance category. What a way to wake up on a Saturday morning, and honestly I’m still trying to digest it. All I can say is, thank you, thank you, thank you! While I’ve been honored in the past with nominations, this is my first solo win. Kinda trippin’ out over it.

For now though I am in the middle of making lunch, and need to go ensure it’s not climbing from the pot. Then I need to get back to the writing since the flow seems to be coming. Have a wonderful Sunday, and we’ll catch up again soon. ~ Moira

Happy Canada Day 2016

Jul1

Wishing all my fellow Canadians a happy Canada Day. When this posts up I shall still be snuggled in my bed enjoying the fact that I can sleep in. Eventually I’ll have to get my butt up to do some cleaning around here, and a load of laundry. Later in the day I have to head out for the first of two BBQ’s scheduled. I was hoping to get in some writing but that will have to wait until the “official” weekend, there’s free food and bevvies after all, and my momma didn’t raise no fool.

Stay safe, play safe, and get home safe. Don’t become a statistic this weekend. Hope you all have a fab day, a fab weekend and we’ll chat again soon.

CDA-FlagPainted_58273791_S

Happy Canada Day 2015

Jul1

Wishing all my fellow Canadians a very Happy Canada Day. It’s a toasty one at my end of the country today, but I have the day off work, the sun is shining, and there will be many fireworks tonight. I plan on grabbing a book, finding a bit of sun somewhere there is some water, or a breeze, and enjoying the day. I hope everyone has a fantastic day, and plays safe out there.

Happy Birthday Canada!

We may bend,

Oct23

But we’ll damn well never break.

The following will have some adult language due to the subject nature so if you are easily offended, go no further.

Various horrifying occurrences in Canada have flummoxed me, and made it difficult to figure out what to post about. So I figured I’d do a post about what’s going on. Now, I in no way am an expert on the happenings, I do not have an inside source, hell I live on the other side of the country but I felt the need to speak on it – however briefly this might be.

Canadians are, by and large, known as a relatively peaceful nation. As long as you don’t steal our beer, we’re pretty laid back and mellow. Now, I’m in no way saying we don’t have shit that goes down. We do. We have crime rates – some pretty damn steep. We have car jackings, muggings, home invasions, burglaries, and we have murders. We do not claim to be a country that does not have it’s faults, some deeper than others, so don’t think I’m trying to claim that in any way, shape, or form. I am not. I’m saying that for the large majority of the country, we’re very easy going folks.

So when I hear in the news about members of the Canadian Armed Forces being targeted, I wonder just what the fuck is going on! I mean first the hit and run on two people from the military, a hit and run which occurred in Quebec. WTF! By someone the RCMP had already spoken with on an unrelated matter, and according to a news article appeared to be making strides “to change his life”. But he goes out and possibly “targeted” two military members killing one, and causing some minor injuries to the other. According to the article (which you can read here) he then proceeded to lead police on a bit of a chase before rolling his vehicle into a ditch. Upon exiting the vehicle he then went at the officers, with a knife, and was killed. Sounds like suicide by cop to me – maybe?

If this wasn’t bad enough the very next day, yesterday point of fact, another member of the Armed Forces was killed. This time though the soldier was unarmed, and standing guard duty over the War Memorial at the Tomb of the Unknown Solder on Capital Hill, outside of Parliament. Point blank range the gunman fatally shot Cpl. Nathan Cirillo for absolutely no reason, at all (one of the many articles covering that found here, and another here). The suspect then went off to do God only knows what while another gunman entered Parliament. Thankfully this gunman was stopped by sergeant-in-arms Kevin Vickers (an article about that incident is here) before he could get too far, and cause too much harm.

But I have to say it again, WHAT THE FUCK! I truly don’t know what to say except my thoughts are with Cpl. Cirillo’s family during this horrifying and agonizing time. This may have taken place at the other end of the country, but all Canadians are feeling the shock waves of these events. I only hope all those involved are found, and justice is appropriately meted out upon their heads.

In this ever increasingly insane world we live in absolutely nothing is guaranteed. Tell your loved ones how you feel, never let a day go by, for no one knows when “this” day will be their last.

That’s all I’ve got ~ Moira

The Halifax Chronicle Herald’s Editorial Cartoon by Bruce MacKinnon @ch_cartoon

A new month’s upon us

Oct1

And the weather is starting to shift. Not for the better either. Oh well, such is life when you life in a place that can have all four seasons in a single day. No, not a myth, reality. I love Fall, the colors, the leaves you crunch through wherever you walk, and that particular smell to the air as it gets a little crisper. Unfortunately it’s what comes after I could seriously do without.

Oh well. At least the leaves are pretty for a time. Right?

As another month is now nothing more than a smudge in the rear view, there are some good (great even) things coming up. Top of the list is of course Evernight’s big Birthday Bash plans. First the Facebook party tomorrow, then a blog hop through everyone’s sites, plus all the goodies, and prizes that will come of everything that is coming up. It should be a fantastic couple of months ahead. Hopefully enough to get my mind off of the weather. Here’s hoping!

Since I have a tonne of writing I need to play catch up on, I shall leave you with a little Wet Wednesday treat. May you enjoy my offerings this week. ~ Moira

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Murky Monday

Sep8

Somebody sure done gone, and pissed off Mother Nature. Or she’s got a big ol’ bee in her bonnet. Cause here we are, in SEPTEMBER no less, and it’s freakin’ snowing! Not only that, but there’s a “Snowfall Warning” in place. Not even shitting you. Case in point, the image below is from my walk home & a couple of the trees that line the Downtown Core. That white stuff on the tree, ground, benches, and floating past in the image – that’s snow folks. SNOW!

As an extra bonus, because apparently someone has sinned against Mother Nature, we’re expecting even more all the way into Wednesday. Three days of this sticky, wet, white crap. Ugh! Nasty! On the plus side – literally – we’re supposed to shoot back up into the 20’s by next Monday (that’s the mid 60’s for you Fahrenheit folks) – a nice steady climb out of the trenches in a manner of speaking.

Thankfully I had no plans other than to sit and write tonight, maybe watch a couple shows on TV. This convinced me I chose wisely. And I do need to take one last lookie-loo at my Dangerous Lines book. My publisher sent it to me since I had a couple of odd changes on the last round of edits. Mainly things I needed to change to keep in alignment with the next book in the series and what all will be happening in there. One more read through and I should have it back to them tonight at some point.

Well, that’s it. So from the suddenly chilly, and very white city of Calgary, I bid you a good night. ~ Moira *brrrr*

PS – That little place, the Luxor, in the image – great little Egyptian place. Pretty great food, amazing sweets and goodies.

TGIF!

Sep5

Hot diggity damn, it’s Friday. About bloody time it showed up. For only a four day work week – it was damn lo-o-o-o-ong. Somehow I managed to survive it, which is really all that matters, or counts. Some of the people I had to deal with though…m’eh, they were a little closer to not surviving their weeks. Today was the day filled with people calling in who you have to shake your head at. Either that, or run out stark naked into traffic screaming at the top of your lungs until the dudes with the self-hugging white jacket wrangle you. Thank goodness for a coffee shop less than half a block away, otherwise I might have been out racing through traffic.

It’s days like today that make me question the wisdom of my day job. And question it, and question it, and question it some more. I think I need to re-evaluate my money maker a smidge, or a lot. Confession – I am not a people person. Yet every, single, flipping job I’ve ever had, I’ve had to deal with the public. Obviously something is seriously wrong with me. I need a job testing pillows, or taste testing coffee blends, or ohhhhh! Food taste tester… Oh gawd, now I’m drooling with the thought of the possibilities. Of course, only downside to that is, I’d likely have to work out. Ugh! The dreaded “work-out” regime. *Shudders*

I am not now, nor have I ever been, one of these folks that “likes” to work out. I’m not even one of these people that will “willingly” work out. You put a gun to my head, I’m going to keep eating that chocolate cupcake and flip you off. I do not work out. Ever. Nope, not even a little. That stuff is for the birds!

Okay, now I can’t recall what the point of my post was today. Did I even have a point? Maybe not… Hm, all right then. Well, anyway… The weekend should be lovely, lots of sun before next week which according to everyone has the “S” word mentioned in it. In September no less. I am NOT a happy camper about that. Oh, I have all the necessary bits and pieces to survive such a thing should it occur. But not even in Canada should one need to start using, let alone dig any of it out, until at least October. Preferably after our Thanksgiving.

Oh well, maybe I’ll get a bunch of writing done. That sounds like a stellar plan. Especially since all the other household chores have been completed already today. Sit back, watch some movies while I write, definitely sounds like I have a plan going.

To that end, I hope you all have a fantastic evening, and weekend ~ Moira

Sunny Saturday

Aug30

Well, it’s nice to know that the weatherman can even be wrong about bad weather occasionally too, lol! We’ve been getting plenty of sunshine today. A lovely bright blue sky, with a few very non-threatening fluffy white clouds floating along, all around a perfect day to be out and about. In my case though, it was the perfect backdrop for writing my face off.

C&M Security book 5 has been trundling along nicely. The characters, and I have been getting this puppy going. I’m only a few thousand words in, but it’s been pretty smooth overall. Had to rein them in a couple of times here and there. They were trying to get a little too far ahead of things for my piece of mind. After all, you need to set the scene, build the tension and the mystery into the story before you show all the cards in your hand. Okay, yes I’m mixing metaphors. Shush! LOL!

Basically I’m trying to say that today was a damn good day for writing. Over 4k words added, with more bubbling in my head. I may get down some more tonight, not sure yet, depends on how it all coalesces in the old brain. May need to step back for a few, and see what comes of everything that’s rumbling around. To that end, I’m off to make dinner, and maybe make a bevvie as well. To that end, I’m out of here.

Before I go though, a heads up that Evernight Publishing is having a huge Labor Day Weekend sale on the website this weekend. It goes until Monday, and all titles are 25% off. As well, All Romance is also having a huge sale on specially selected titles – including all three of my titles that are currently out, and many of the other Evernight authors. So go and take a look, maybe you’ll find something to read this weekend.

Hope you all have a wonderful night. ~ Moira

Fabulous Friday

Aug1

There are so many reasons why it’s so much more fabulous than any other Friday of late. First and foremost, it’s obviously Friday which brings the logical and foregone conclusion that a weekend follows promptly, which is true. The added bonuses were:

The boss let us go early – big YAY!
This led to me getting all my chores done before dinner time
It was take-out night, which meant no dishes and very little clean-up (I only do it twice a month so it’s a treat – the rest of the time I cook my meals for the coming week)

Now that I’ve got all that out of the way I get to fully enjoy my three day weekend. Yup, you read that right, we have a long weekend. Thank gawd! I needed one so badly. Plus the creative juices are chugging along so I fully intend to put them to use and get some more of C&M 4 done, if not fully complete the story. Still have a ways to go on it, but with three days I can dedicate most of my waking hours -not including coffee intake, meals, bathroom breaks and the occasional run out of the house to do other things- to getting it a hell of a lot closer to being completed.

Have a great weekend, long or not ~ Moira

Moira Callahan

Tag Archives: Canada