tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13426561963296051882011-12-18T22:35:12.660-05:00Jess Granger, Paranormal Romance Author for Berkley Publishing. A blog for writing, gardening, and news about Jess Granger's new releases.Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.comBlogger2071100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-62719352835589356852011-10-17T22:35:00.003-04:002011-10-17T22:42:12.611-04:00

Hi everyone,I'm so sorry I haven't been able to maintain the blog over this last summer. I'm at a time of transition, and trying to figure out what my next move is going to be.As you know, I won't be able to continue on with more "Beyond" books. I'm now at peace with that, and putting all of my effort into new and exciting projects including an exciting new romance.However, I'm not sure what

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-55289078712597608142011-05-30T15:29:00.002-04:002011-05-30T15:30:59.249-04:00

Hi everyone,I just wanted to let you know I apologize for the delay in blogging. I needed a little break to get some things together over here in Ohio. The good news is, the garden is in bloom and I have some great pictures to share. This weekend, I'll put together a big post of pictures and start the new butterfly count for the season.Sorry again for dropping off for a while, but I'm back and

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-23014532881636200232011-04-02T20:27:00.002-04:002011-04-02T21:55:15.089-04:00

Hi everyone,Today is Autism awareness day, and I just wanted to take a moment to recognize the parents and loved ones of children affected by this wide-ranging disorder. Having a child with special medical circumstances is a surreal path to be on. Filled alternately with joy and frustration, triumph and tears, it is not an easy road to walk, but it's one you have to manage as best you can.So,

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-88603714061311096222011-03-27T10:35:00.003-04:002011-03-27T10:45:50.325-04:00

Hi everyone,I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to post last week. I had planned on blogging about cleaning up the garden, but the camera is broken, and I was waiting for the new one to arrive. Sadly it hasn't arrived yet, but as soon as it does I'll start my summer blogging with garden updates for those who enjoy the garden posts.In the mean time, I have some important news. A massive auction of

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-21627345163384731212011-03-12T19:54:00.003-05:002011-03-12T20:58:52.939-05:00

Hi everyone,First off, I'd like to congratulate donnas for winning a signed copy of Beyond the Shadows. Go ahead and email me through my website with your address and I'll send you a copy.I spent the day at my RWA meeting for the month. It was one of those times I really should have brought my camera. We had a couple of guys at the meeting who brought in a slew of weaponry and uniforms

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-55311874680055589862011-03-05T21:05:00.003-05:002011-03-05T21:17:51.117-05:00

Hi everyone,Well, it is beginning to look like spring is just around the corner. Am I ever grateful. I was getting a little sick of the snow, and I'm one of those people that really likes the snow. In the garden the tulips and daffodils have just pushed through the soil. The butterfly garden is a complete mess.I don't think it's quite time to get out and clean everything up. I have a feeling

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-90089074787899594382011-02-26T09:10:00.004-05:002011-02-26T09:41:36.870-05:00

Hi everyone,Some recent events got me thinking about things. One of the hardest parts of being a relatively new published author is dealing with the glimpse behind the curtain at an industry that seems to enjoy hanging some heavy drapes. There are practices, or philosophies in the industry I do not agree with, and yet, I hardly have the clout to change them on my own.Maybe one day I'll be able

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-39532292155764507012011-02-19T10:24:00.002-05:002011-02-19T11:16:38.294-05:00

Hi everyone,Well, I promised some big news. So I guess, here it is. I know I've been a bit quiet lately. Mostly because I had been given a setback that disheartened me. I won't have an opportunity to write another Realms Beyond book in the near future. I love these books and their world, and there's nothing that I would like more than to build my career to a point where I can reinvigorate

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-84044872726517327262011-02-13T19:12:00.003-05:002011-02-13T19:19:14.987-05:00

Hi everyone,Once again, I'm sorry for the late post, but this week has been a little hectic. Luckily, we're back in the house. Our trees had very little damage, but the trees next door did not fare so well. Two major limbs came down off the maples, and the old apple trees lost a third of their branches, on our power lines, but who's counting.If I can snag a couple of pictures tomorrow, I'll

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-89558127401247979532011-02-03T12:36:00.002-05:002011-02-03T12:43:21.811-05:00

Hi everyone,I'm sorry I didn't get a blog post out on Saturday. I'll admit, I was slacking off and having fun at the aquarium, and by the time I woke up, the weekend was over.I'm making up for it now with a mid-week post. Unfortunately, we've been hit hard by the winter storms that covered the country this week. On Tuesday night, our neighbor's apple tree split in half under the weight of the

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-53173463566908003492011-01-22T20:51:00.002-05:002011-01-22T21:09:09.057-05:00

Hi everyone!It's a funny thing. Every year in January, I begin making plans for the summer conferences. I am so excited for summer. Maybe that has something to do with the fact it is one degree outside, but mostly I'm looking forward to conferences. My books for judging the Rita awards came, and now my mind is filled with thoughts of lovely dresses in a large ballroom watching women with

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-19797266022158041442011-01-16T10:17:00.003-05:002011-01-16T10:20:27.789-05:00

Hi everyone,Sorry I'm a little late, but I got caught up in some entertaining football madness yesterday. Today I have no voice left at all, but the Packers won! Yay!Yes, I like football. To all those who are fans of the Falcons, wow, yeah, sorry about that.I have to keep it short today, because frankly, I'm exhausted and I need to recover.But that was awesome. I can't wait for next

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-10837388373305368022011-01-08T08:00:00.001-05:002011-01-08T08:00:02.783-05:00

Hi everyone,I hope all is well. Happy 2011, by the way. This last year has been an interesting one for me. It has taken me in new directions with my writing. This will be the year where I see if those things pan out. I hope they do.Hope itself is a strange beast. It seems we can't live without it, but sometimes it really has the power to gnaw at one's consciousness. If we believe something

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-45502013400117362482011-01-01T05:00:00.003-05:002011-01-03T19:38:13.787-05:00

Hi everyone,I don't get out to the movies much, but I'm glad I managed to have a girl's night out for this film. Since I never feel I can really talk about my thoughts on books that I've read, for fear of professional backlash, I'm going to take my opinions to the movies instead.These are my thoughts on the movie Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman. This isn't a review, so much as everything

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-44256486795097490002010-12-25T19:56:00.002-05:002010-12-25T20:00:12.520-05:00

Hi everyone,I'm stuffed full of rum cake and good cheer. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. I'm going to enjoy the rest of my evening with family, (and more rum cake). Thank you all for the wonderful year this last year, and here's to a better one in the days to come.Stay safe and happy reading!Jess

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-49411306399555835992010-12-18T22:00:00.004-05:002010-12-18T23:34:36.213-05:00

Hi everyone,I've been thinking a lot this week. It started when I noticed that the San Francisco Ballet's performance of the Nutcracker Suite was broadcast on PBS. I watched it, and I loved it. I don't often indulge in my secret love of ballet, and I couldn't resist. As a little girl, I took ballet classes like most little girls. I have some joint and lateralization issues that ballet was

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-34524600657289389082010-12-11T22:50:00.009-05:002010-12-11T23:07:56.885-05:00

Hi everyone!I have been feeling the pressure of the holiday season, but this weekend I took a little time out to do something purely for myself. I made a gingerbread house. There's no point to it. It doesn't finish the shopping, wrap the presents, write the Christmas letter, bake the cookies, or clean the house. It took time away from all that holiday junk, and you know what? It made me

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-15234210006490577822010-12-04T23:38:00.005-05:002010-12-04T23:51:39.535-05:00

Hi everyone!Usually winter is a good time to grumble. After all, it's cold, dreary, and often a fairly miserable combination of the two, but today I looked outside and found myself joyful for the frozen time of year. How could I not? Just take a look at these pictures of my dog, Jake frolicking in the snow. If I were a little braver, and inclined to get out of my jammies on a snowy day in

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-5570776677925395022010-11-28T21:07:00.003-05:002010-11-28T21:10:23.512-05:00

Hi everyone,I hope you had an excellent holiday weekend. My enormous turkey turned out awesome, and the pies were pretty good too.More importantly, I'm getting a lot of work done outlining my next project. It is the most emotional and thought intensive part of my writing process, so I'm sorry if I haven't come up for air lately.I'm hoping for lots of good news come the new year, so keep your

Jess Grangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09295140166262619458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-38842264164542063452010-11-20T23:28:00.003-05:002010-11-20T23:39:05.703-05:00

Hi everyone,The holidays are almost upon us, and I find myself fighting tooth and nail against the distractions that are stealing me away from writing.The latest one has been Twitter. I started following a political hullabaloo unfolding and it's like a drug, or maybe a train wreck. I just can't look away. I also don't want to engage with it too much because it is sucking all my attention away

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-38131898004685312742010-11-15T09:07:00.002-05:002010-11-15T10:03:09.419-05:00

Hey everyone,I'm continuing the query mini workshop today with some advice on things to avoid. I am notorious for putting my big fat foot in my mouth, so I try to keep tabs on what not to say. While I'm no stickler for the rules, here are some things you might think twice about including in your query.#1 Pleading: This query mishap usually comes in the form of "Please, please, please buy my

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-56853012565897325102010-11-13T10:59:00.002-05:002010-11-13T11:23:02.177-05:00

Hi everyone,Since fall is here, and I have the leaves in the yard to prove it, it's time to turn the blog's attention back to writerly discussions. I thought it would be fun, since a lot of people are doing NaNo, to look ahead a little and work on query letters.I'm not an editor or an agent, but as an author I always thought I had a good eye for queries. During my query letter writing days, I

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-51991722872139441872010-11-06T22:51:00.005-04:002010-11-07T12:59:24.227-05:00

Hi everyone,I hope everyone had a lovely Halloween, and enjoyed all the tricks and/or treats involved. As you might know since I let things slip from time to time, I've worked my booty off on a certain YA novel that I'm hoping to have out on submission soon.Well, since I love this one so much, and I want to put my very best writing forward, I've been reading it out loud and making some edits

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-85950920219952975132010-10-29T20:20:00.004-04:002010-10-31T09:32:38.369-04:00

Hi everyone,So I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween! Here's a pumpkin. I haven't carved the pumpkins yet, but this one from last year is certainly in the spirit of things.First off.Today, October 30th, I will be in Columbus at the Ohio State University bookstore signing books with a slew of authors, including ...C.L. Wilson,Anne Bishop,Beth Bernobich,Samy Sykes,Seressia Glass,S. Andrew Swann,

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-20704356098967452222010-10-23T20:38:00.003-04:002010-10-23T23:15:34.001-04:00

Hi everyone,I wasn't sure what to blog about this week, so I asked for some suggestions on Twitter. I had two suggestions that were both good ones, so I've decided to address both. One tweeter asked about the editing process, and the other about how to make the most out of your paragraphs.Since I tend to push my paragraphs during the editing process, I thought I'd let you in on a little bit of

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-89808559160706754742010-10-16T19:54:00.004-04:002010-10-16T20:10:47.512-04:00

Hi everyone,I went out and did some things to take care of me today. I bought some new comfy and warm, but nice looking clothes for fall, got a haircut, and bought new glasses. I'm feeling pretty good, except my eyes are still wonky from the eye exam, so I'll keep this short.Here's what's going on in Grangerland.First of all, check out this adorable JibJab my friend and fellow author Cynthia

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-86966481304254953972010-10-09T19:23:00.005-04:002010-10-09T21:52:02.408-04:00

Hi everyone,Well, the weather is getting cooler. The leaves are starting to change, and it's time to say goodbye to the butterflies.Overall I was thrilled with the results from the garden this year. I thought I'd have more success with the spicebush swallowtails. I did have quite a few caterpillars, but they seemed to fall victim to a lot of predators. I only saw four chrysalises, two hatched

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-3854562301125482732010-10-02T14:14:00.003-04:002010-10-03T00:31:47.977-04:00

Hi everyone,I'm taking a moment this week to point everyone to the really cool scavenger hunt going on. Check out the cool graphic.There are a ton of prizes, including a signed copy of Beyond the Shadows. Just click on the image and it will take you to the hunt's main page. Find a special hidden graphic on all the participating authors' web sites, and you'll have a chance to win piles of books

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-5087513028668306232010-09-25T15:20:00.002-04:002010-09-25T16:08:22.400-04:00

Hi everyone,Next week I'll have a really fun butterfly post. I just watched the monarch in my aquarium come out of his chrysalis. His wings are drying right now. I'll tell you all about that, and some of the other butterflies hatching in the garden, on Saturday, but right now I wanted to continue my thoughts from last week.Aside from the Speak Loudly post, last week I was talking about the big

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-51953278912514385122010-09-19T12:22:00.004-04:002010-09-19T15:11:54.346-04:00

Hi everyone,So I know it is Sunday, and not my usual day to post, but when I saw this, I had to respond. Another author has called on me to do so, and I'll answer that call because I honestly have something to say.Here's the story.Six years ago, I had the privilege of working as a substitute teacher for a local middle school. During that time, I had the opportunity to read a lot of young adult

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-81435907675661829922010-09-18T16:10:00.002-04:002010-09-18T16:23:02.685-04:00

Hi everyone,I've just done the craziest thing in my writing career. I wrote an entire book in just under three months. That is half the time I usually take, and not because I spent half the time on it, but because I got half the sleep I needed for three months.It was grueling, and I don't know how other writers who keep that pace book after book do it.Only one thing kept me moderately sane.My

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-90406287585360124922010-09-11T19:45:00.007-04:002010-09-11T20:34:59.379-04:00

Hi everyone,I'm bleary-eyed and exhausted, but only have a couple of chapters left to go on my latest novel. Wish me luck. In the mean time, I took some pictures, enjoy!Check this guy out. He must have just hatched out of his chrysalis, in fact this might be one of the first monarch caterpillars from the milkweed to change. His color was so vibrant, and his wings were pristine. Lucky me. He

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-71102460491864606402010-09-04T23:21:00.002-04:002010-09-04T23:30:31.935-04:00

Hi everyone,I apologize for the late post, but it seems to be my life lately. I'm working hard, writing. But as a mommy, the only time I can ever seem to find for myself is between nine thirty, and about two in the morning.Right now I have to use it. It's my only time to write. But staying up until two in the morning every single night, only to have to get up at six or seven to start my day

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-58907597630799431492010-08-28T15:27:00.009-04:002010-08-29T12:09:10.212-04:00

I started answering this question in a comment, but decided it's Saturday, so I'll open up a new discussion about it.Hello! I live in New Brunswick Canada and I have discovered a caterpillar that I believe to be a Papilio polyxenes. I found it in its "poop" looking stage on a bunch of parsley I have that is sitting in a glass of water on my kitchen windowsill. I never knew much about

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-9559185932805545742010-08-21T13:40:00.002-04:002010-08-21T13:47:54.601-04:00

Hi everyone,Okay, so I thought this would be simple. Get a fish, keep it alive. Yeah, as it turns out, that's not so simple. There's a lot that goes into trying to keep a fish swimming along.So far in our trials with the tank, we've gone through Ellie, Spotty, and now we have Brownie. I have gone from a little tank starter kit to a mini rock vacuum, bacteria starter, ammonia tester kits,

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-43667742615475914262010-08-14T10:00:00.005-04:002010-08-14T10:17:53.504-04:00

Hi everyone,I promised some prettier pictures of butterflies instead of just caterpillars this week. So here they are!I was really proud of this shot of a buckeye on my butterfly bush. The Buckeye state has finally produced. I was beginning to doubt there were any buckeyes in Ohio. How strange is that? The light caught this little guy just right, and he was showing off those pretty spots for

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-41165278389825646832010-08-07T20:59:00.004-04:002010-08-07T21:57:14.186-04:00

Hi everyone,I just couldn't let this one go. I know I should, but it seems I can't. Here are my thoughts on this article printed in Bloomberg Business Week by author Spencer Morgan.Let's start with the title.Romance Fiction: Getting Dirty in Dutch Country.When I first read the article title, I had no idea what the author meant by it. It was only after I had read the article that I realized he

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-17460893956263171392010-08-07T14:28:00.009-04:002010-08-07T14:53:11.586-04:00

Hi everyone!It has been a great week for taking some pictures in the garden. It's been hot and dry, which has brought the butterflies into the garden in droves. Granted, my lilies no longer look fabulous, but I'll take it, all things considered.First things first, there are caterpillars all over the Spicebushes. I'm so excited. I tried for three years to get Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillars

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-61022840885362339882010-08-01T18:58:00.003-04:002010-08-01T19:03:42.692-04:00

Hi everyone,I had a great time at the 30th annual RWA National convention in Orlando. I'm sorry I couldn't get a post out yesterday, but alas, it was Rita night, and I didn't have a working internet connection in my room. I'm also one of these lame people who's cell phone can only be used for one thing, talking on the phone.So here's my very brief recap of a wonderful week. I had some

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-42106234027186339262010-07-24T10:16:00.003-04:002010-07-24T16:40:25.993-04:00

Hi everyone,Part of the fun of this blog for me is watching the day to day drama that unfolds in a small quiet place like a garden. It makes me realize that stories are everywhere. Unfortunately, in spite of the beauty, unlike romance, some do not end happily.I was so excited to watch that first Black Swallowtail caterpillar grow. He'd reached a pretty good size, but I knew he wasn't full

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-35379237754227059092010-07-17T09:45:00.006-04:002010-07-17T10:03:16.445-04:00

Hi everyone!Will you look at that? Check out poor Norm. You can barely see the little guy. Not bad considering where I started last year. I still have some space to fill in along the walkway, but overall, I've got one heck of a showy garden, and some very healthy parsley.As you can tell, I'm back from California. I had a great time, but it was good to get back to the garden and get my hands

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-84510264777492329552010-07-10T13:35:00.002-04:002010-07-10T13:59:44.801-04:00

Hi everyone,Or should I say "Howdy." I've got a confession to make. I'm addicted to Farmville on Facebook. I started playing it after watching my critique partner Angie harvest her squash from our hotel room at RT.Now I'm afraid my entire wall is a string of wandering stallions that need a place to stay for the night, and free cans of fuel for people's tractors. I'm up until two in the

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-83174961253244536862010-07-03T19:34:00.005-04:002010-07-03T19:59:56.007-04:00

Hi everyone!Happy 4th, or third as the case may be. This weekend is a big camping weekend for a lot of people. In fact, before we left on Monday, people were already staking out claims at the campground and planning to stay the week through the holiday.So, I promised I'd post a couple of pictures of my weekend.How can you beat that view? Ever since I was little I loved camping in the high

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-65794930988943506012010-06-26T08:00:00.001-04:002010-06-26T08:00:05.398-04:00

Hi everyone!Guess what? I'm camping today! Right now, I'm in California, enjoying the dry heat. It's been an adventure, but as trips usually go, I'm really short on time. This weekend I'm out camping in the Sierra Nevada. Well, right now I'm typing this post as I get ready for the camping trip. I'm willing to bet it will be a little difficult to find a wireless connection in the middle of

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-54294905710241708922010-06-19T12:04:00.002-04:002010-06-19T12:08:11.878-04:00

Hi everyone,I have to keep this short because I'm off to a wedding in about three minutes. It should be a lot of fun, but I wanted to let you know I found out those caterpillars on the cabbages are cutworms, a caterpillar of a little moth.I found some actual cabbage white caterpillars. They are soft and pretty green, and cute for little caterpillars. I'll post a picture of them next week. But

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-39414188384796112952010-06-12T09:54:00.005-04:002010-06-12T10:11:34.901-04:00

Hi everyone,It has been fabulous weather here in Ohio. And by that I mean we've been getting drenched with rain. I don't mind. I really like it, because it means I don't have to go out to water the garden. So over the last week or so, I've noticed my cabbage leaves have started looking a little like lace. I lifted one of the leaves and look what I found.Caterpillars!Okay, so most people

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-23888243257579798282010-06-05T00:00:00.003-04:002010-06-05T00:07:16.644-04:00

Hi everyone,I'm having a blast at the Lori Foster Event this weekend. I had an awesome conversation with Barbara Vey in the lobby, then had a lot of fun chatting with some of the friends I met at the RT Booklover's Convention. Angela James took a funny picture of me trying to open a bottle of wine with a very stubborn cork, and I'm having fun catching up with some of my new friends from my new

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-71845776711095028672010-05-29T12:39:00.002-04:002010-05-29T12:47:28.599-04:00

Hi everyone!I just wanted to take a minute to cheer a little for Beyond the Rain.Earlier this year, Beyond the Rain received an Honorable Mention in the PNR Pearl awards. Finishing second to Linnea Sinclair, who completely rocks.Now Beyond the Rain is a finalist in the 2010 Reader's Crown Awards, and is also a finalist for The Prism award.I'm so thrilled. I have deeply loved this book, and

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-42098370269187592502010-05-22T07:16:00.003-04:002010-05-22T07:40:07.245-04:00

Hi everyone,I don't have a whole lot to talk about this week. I've been really busy, but I must be stuck in some sort of enormous hamster wheel, because no matter how fast I seem to be running, I'm not getting anywhere. It's very frustrating.Writing is awesome and I love my job, but it's times like this that I wonder what it would be like to be on the other side of the fence. So here it is, my

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-13422943564070050522010-05-15T09:53:00.008-04:002010-05-15T10:12:10.766-04:00

Hi everyone!Whew! I've had so much going on the last couple of weeks, it's a relief to do a simple garden post today. The weather has been fantastic, and the plants in the garden have responded in kind.So just to catch everyone up. Here's a little time lapse of the garden's progress.Not bad. In less than a year, we've gone from weeded mess, to a cute little garden with some lush lilies,

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-44729700644921610852010-05-08T12:23:00.012-04:002010-05-08T13:00:44.585-04:00

Hi everyone!Well, I promised to give a run down of my very first RT experience, and I have to admit, I had a lot of fun, met some awesome people, and actually got some writing done while locked in my hotel room with my critique partner Angie Fox.I arrived in Columbus on Wednesday afternoon, and the first thing on the agenda was twisting the balloon animals for the Intergalactic Bar and Grille

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-78676437758563078002010-05-02T16:07:00.002-04:002010-05-02T16:09:13.958-04:00

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for joining me at the blog party. I'm officially back from RT! It was great. I'll post the pictures on my upcoming blog post this Saturday. Congratulations to all the winners! I'll send out books as soon as I can.Thanks again for joining me on the blog.Happy Reading!Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-62196930388605237552010-05-01T08:00:00.002-04:002010-05-02T16:01:41.255-04:00

Hi everyone!Sadly today is the last day of the Beyond the Shadows release party. I know, I know, I've been having fun too. The good news is, if you are in the Columbus, OH area, today is the big book signing at the RT convention! If you're in the area, stop by and you can get one of the first copies of the book! If not, it's only three more days until it hits the shelves. Who knows, it might

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-87703097139051963792010-04-30T08:00:00.000-04:002010-04-30T08:00:09.142-04:00

Hi everyone,Whew, what a week! We've been busy, and giving away a lot of fabulous prizes. Be sure to check the sidebar for the names of all the winners for the week.Today I thought I'd have a little fun with some of my favorite characters in Beyond the Shadows, namely, the sidekicks.Cyn's A.I. companion, Bug, and Yara's scout, Tuz had about as many fireworks between them as Cyn and Yara.

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-51940583191899224482010-04-29T08:00:00.000-04:002010-04-29T08:00:06.031-04:00

Hi everyone,The party keeps on rolling. I hope you are having fun! I know I am.I thought today, we could delve into a little of my world building that I never get to show anyone. I thought we could explore some of the ancient history of Azra.In the early history of Azra, there was little island to island communication and only a vague awareness that there were others living out amid the

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-87176954852360727622010-04-28T08:00:00.001-04:002010-04-30T13:45:09.693-04:00

Hi everyone,Now that we've delved into the deep dark psyche of our hero, Cyn, it's time to meet his counterpart. I don't think Yara was inspired by anything directly, other than a desire to create the most difficult person possible for Cyn to fall in love with.Where everything in his life is a shade of gray, she is black and white. While rules are made to be broken for him, rules are the

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-45230109657829753062010-04-27T08:00:00.003-04:002010-04-27T08:00:01.589-04:00

Hi everyone!Welcome to the Beyond the Shadows release party, Day 2!Today we get to meet our hero, Cyn.When I wrote Beyond the Rain, Cyn came blazing into the book with a mix of irreverence and wit. There was no doubt in my mind the series would continue with him. I fell instantly in love with him in that, "This guy is dangerous. Tread carefully," sort of way.He lived up to his potential as I

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-52162663474156777282010-04-26T09:55:00.003-04:002010-04-26T22:50:25.235-04:00

Hi everyone!Welcome to the big kickoff bash for the Beyond the Shadows release party! Yay! All this week we'll have fun blog posts with some behind the scenes information on the making of Beyond the Shadows. I'll also be giving away a ton of prizes. Yes, that means free books! Woo-hoo!I'm thrilled that the sequel to Beyond the Rain is finally here. I loved writing Cyn and Yara's

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com45tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-51932892305709305252010-04-24T12:27:00.002-04:002010-04-24T13:02:14.444-04:00

Hi everyone!I am overwhelmed, and ready to admit it. RT is going to be fun, but this is a lot of work. I thought I'd share my checklist for RT.Get my conference clothes cleanedSew the shirt and skirt for Fairy costumeDecorate the bodice of the Fairy costumeGo to the salonBuy makeup for Fairy costume (I'm noticing a trend)Go to the grocery store and buy food for the conferenceClean the ice

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-65997643143130369802010-04-22T22:23:00.000-04:002010-04-22T22:25:42.212-04:00

Hi everyone,I'll be doing a live interview on Blog Talk Radio Friday, April 23rd from 4:00 to 4:45 pm EST.Please come and join me to chat about anything and everything. It should be a lot of fun!Here's the link! Hope to see you there.Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-85652724125716166152010-04-17T10:11:00.005-04:002010-04-17T10:30:32.362-04:00

Check it out!I mentioned last week that I was heading to the zoo and taking pictures. Wow! That is all I can really say. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like the mass of tulips at the Cincinnati Zoo. It was unbelievable. Add a mature peacock in full regalia, and you have the opportunity for the most amazing mix of color I've ever seen in a photo.Now in order to get this picture,

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-41666503591199756772010-04-10T19:56:00.003-04:002010-04-10T20:12:51.464-04:00

Hi everyone,I just got back from my RWA chapter meeting. When I first joined RWA, I didn't get very involved in any physical chapters opting for online chapters instead. I still love my online chapters, but it sure is nice to have one day to myself where I can talk with like minded people about writing. It's especially nice that I get to do it in person. Throw in lunch and life is good!Today

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-83199006275421616702010-04-07T20:44:00.001-04:002010-04-07T20:46:10.105-04:00

I'm sorry everyone,There's a little Ethel delay while I take care of something for my editor. I'm afraid she trumps space pirates. I promise to get the next chapter of Ethel up as soon as I can.Thanks for your patience,Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-9684306050306944242010-04-03T19:51:00.008-04:002010-04-03T20:44:11.615-04:00

Hi everyone,It's official, Spring is here!Okay, so maybe it is not quite official. There could still be a frost, but I couldn't help myself. I got out and dug in the dirt this week. That means, the garden posts for this season have begun. I have started a new butterfly count with three sightings of a cute little cabbage white hanging around.But before I get to the garden news, I'd like to

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-17282075246044211582010-04-01T23:36:00.001-04:002010-04-01T23:38:53.325-04:00

April Fool everyone,Sorry I couldn't think of anything more lighthearted to do. I was tired this morning. I'm not giving up on Ethel quite yet. I still want to know if she'll end up with Qinn or Devar. As soon as the ARC contests are over, I'll post a new Ethel for you to enjoy.Sorry for pulling your leg!Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-35766711070883991132010-04-01T09:49:00.002-04:002010-04-01T09:52:25.414-04:00

Hi everyone,I'm sorry to have to say this, but I'm not going to continue writing Ethel the Space Pirate. Writing Ethel is a lot of work and a huge mental challenge due to the unpredictable nature of the plot.There simply hasn't been enough interest in Ethel for me to justify the continued effort to write it. It was a lot of fun, and a really entertaining experiment, but for now, I have to say

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-63711694294846032312010-03-27T09:58:00.003-04:002010-03-27T10:20:52.238-04:00

Hi everyone!Back when I was in college "A Poetry Reading" was a thinly veiled euphemism for a crazy wild party. So in the spirit of my college days, (Go Aggies!) we're having a poetry reading here on the blog. The winner will receive a signed galley of Beyond the Shadows a month before it hits the shelves.Simply comment with a poem that has something to do with either Beyond the Rain, or Ethel

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-88497630875899822132010-03-20T17:00:00.001-04:002010-03-20T20:08:53.661-04:00

Hi everyone!It's Saturday, that means it is giveaway time. Remember, you still have a week to put together any artwork for the art/poetry party for next week. There should be pretty good odds to win, so good luck everyone!For this week, it is simple. If you would like a galley of Beyond the Shadows, all you have to do is ask me a question. It could be anything!Where do I get my ideas?How do

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com50tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-1410484580694514792010-03-13T08:52:00.007-05:002010-03-14T11:07:24.721-04:00

Hi everyone!I'm thrilled about my lovely galleys for Beyond the Shadows, so of course I'm giving them away!The first contest is underway on Twitter. Follow me! As soon as I have 200 followers, I can give away the Twitter galley.The next giveaway will be on the amazing Galaxy Express this Tuesday. Hop on board for your chance to win!Next Saturday the 20th, we'll hang out here on the Butterfly

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-52309733742532287612010-03-09T15:45:00.001-05:002010-03-09T15:48:43.584-05:00

I'll be giving away a signed copy of the Galleys for Beyond the Shadows to one of my lucky followers on Twitter, but I can't possibly let go of such a pretty thing until I have 200 followers. Come join me!Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-14818179845087274462010-03-06T10:22:00.003-05:002010-03-06T20:37:53.098-05:00

Hi everyone!It is a bright and shiny day outside!I didn't realize how much I missed the sunlight. While we got a bit of snow, we weren't buried the way some areas were, however, I didn't realize we'd been under such a blanket of gray clouds until the sun finally broke through yesterday.It's a different kind of sunlight, brighter, warmer. The kind of sunlight that promises spring will be here

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-14225968313856707452010-03-01T10:37:00.002-05:002010-03-01T13:31:36.486-05:00

Welcome to March! It's new Ethel time, Yay! Last month, Ethel decided to hear the wickedly delicious Devar out. He revealed that the massacre that turned her against him was not his doing, but the evil machinations of Ambassador Ichale. He needs money to bribe some contacts on Lin to get the proof he needs to bring the ambassador down, and he intends to get that money from Ethel and her map.

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-84303266294761728262010-02-27T08:37:00.003-05:002010-02-27T09:21:37.627-05:00

Hi everyone,You know, I've got a bit of a problem. I try my best to be good, kind, fun, I'm genuinely a happy person. I like to think I'm fun to be around and capable of being very professional.Part of becoming a professional author has been developing that professional persona. I'm afraid I have an Achilles heel. I've decided my best course of action is to just be up front about it and come

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-82811867155572666812010-02-20T08:56:00.002-05:002010-02-20T09:48:31.464-05:00

Hi everyone,I'm having so much fun watching the winter Olympics this year. I always have fun with the Olympics, but I think I enjoy the winter ones more than the summer ones. As a child, I loved watching the figure skating, but then I remember Bonnie Blair when she became the most decorated U.S. athlete, and I was so proud of her because she was a woman.Now, I enjoy watching events I'd never

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-73359124664861306572010-02-13T16:05:00.002-05:002010-02-13T16:29:37.820-05:00

Hi everyone,I hope everyone has a happy day today. I'll admit, Valentine's day has not always been my favorite holiday. In fact, on more than one occasion, I thought it was the worst.I remember as a kid making Valentine pouches and sacks and having to fill out all the Valentines for all the kids in each of my classes. I remember thinking at the time, I don't even like half these kids, and here

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-57948534140703759052010-02-06T13:28:00.002-05:002010-02-06T14:24:55.865-05:00

Hi everyone,I'm a bit miffed this afternoon. We got about six inches of snow last night, so this morning I bundled up and went out with the family to play in the snow and shovel the driveway. We had a lot of fun.We built a snow fort, and a snowman to guard the snow fort. Can I post a picture? Nope.My camera is out of batteries, darn it, and I can't find the charger.I really don't like moving

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-51457885671026724572010-02-01T10:41:00.002-05:002010-02-01T13:23:00.292-05:00

Hey, it's Ethel time again. I hope everyone is enjoying the adventure. It's been fun. Last month, Ethel tried to find Keo, but Devar trapped her and tied her to his bed. According to you guys, you think Ethel should hear him out. Let's see what he has to say for himself. You can read the whole story here.Ethel stared into Devar's dark eyes. The cool edge of the glass pressed against her

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-47389896819322169642010-01-30T11:05:00.005-05:002010-01-30T11:24:17.866-05:00

Hi everyone! Look what I did. Oooh, it's pretty, and pretty tasty too. This is the first cake I've ever baked from scratch. It's a German Chocolate cake for my brother. It's his birthday, and that's his favorite type of cake.It was a surreal experience baking a cake from scratch. I was very careful with the recipe (Found inside the Baker's brand German Sweet Chocolate Bar in the baking

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-26261386288306960382010-01-23T12:57:00.003-05:002010-01-23T13:12:51.347-05:00

Hi Everyone,I don't have much news on the writing front at the moment. I'm just playing the waiting game for now, so I thought I'd turn my attention back to gardening.Right now the yard is a mess. I was still settling into the house and routine after our move, so there's a lot of cleanup to do. I did dig out the side flower garden, but except for the very front tip of it, and the very back

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-30583911187327348232010-01-16T14:25:00.002-05:002010-01-16T14:34:19.562-05:00

Well, sorry I'm a little late posting this morning, darn, afternoon. Sigh. I do my best. I was working on the galleys for Beyond the Shadows while the house was relatively quiet.Since I have the galleys, I'm hoping I might get a few of the galley copies soon in the mail. I love the galleys. There's something delightful for me in seeing a not quite perfect book, yet. I know I absolutely

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-86481437231706497982010-01-14T11:00:00.003-05:002010-01-14T11:15:29.288-05:00

From time to time it is my honor to welcome special guests to the Butterfly Blog, and have I got some sheer awesomeness in store for you! Elisabeth Naughton writes action/adventure romance for Dorchester. Her Stolen series is hot, hot, hot. Full of fun, danger, ancient artifacts, bold characters, and excitement these stories are the type of story I always want to read more of. It gets me in

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-34171314777270345892010-01-09T09:27:00.003-05:002010-01-09T09:42:48.871-05:00

Hi everyone,Well, I wanted snow. I guess I got it. On Thursday, Ohio was hit with The Storm Of the Century!!!!!!!! Which translates to, about six inches of snow. I guess our local news forecasters are getting a little twitchy to say something exciting. Six inches of snow is hardly a blizzard.It is enough to make the city we live in scramble though. On the way home, I saw not one but two

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-2131113601717837282010-01-02T11:03:00.003-05:002010-01-02T11:17:54.804-05:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy start to the New Year.I can't believe it is 2010. I feel like I've somehow been warped into the future. As we get older, time seems to move faster, and I believe it is because each year is a smaller fraction of your overall life. When you're two, one year is half your existence. That's a lot. Now, not so much.I remember being a kid and thinking 2010

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-14458571925926033552010-01-01T20:02:00.003-05:002010-01-01T21:48:43.601-05:00

Happy New Year!I hope everyone had a great start to 2010. I have a feeling it's going to be a good year. Where were we? Oh yeah, Ethel just escaped from the brig on Devar's ship and is in his study looking for Keo. She has to find Keo, her map, and then find a bridge code so she can jump to another location. As always if you want to read the whole story, just head over to the fun stuff page

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-85479477611460132172009-12-26T13:55:00.002-05:002009-12-26T14:14:37.474-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone!I hope everyone out there had a lot of fun celebrating the various holidays this season. We had a good time, and yes, rum cake and leftover ham makes a perfectly good breakfast, right?We've had some fun playing with toys over here, and it made me remember some of the Christmases that stood out in my childhood memory.I remember the year Santa brought me a doll house. It

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-15272731098647595922009-12-19T13:43:00.005-05:002009-12-21T23:39:45.175-05:00

And that's good enough for me!There's a lot to do during the holidays. I've certainly been swamped, but one thing I just can't seem to let fall to the wayside is holiday baking.I love cookies.More than that, I love the memory of baking cookies with my Mom during Christmas. I also loved putting cookies out for Santa, because as everyone knows, that is irrefutable proof the big guy exists.When I

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-2078807588887682792009-12-12T13:42:00.003-05:002009-12-12T14:04:47.229-05:00

Hi everyone,First of all, I just finished my copyedits for Beyond the Shadows. I'm so excited about this book. It is going to be a long wait until May. I get to take a brief breather, and enjoy my birthday this week, and then Christmas.I love decorating for Christmas. I enjoy putting up the decorations every year. I especially enjoy pulling out my snowman collection. Growing up in

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-80387977523168952152009-12-06T14:05:00.002-05:002009-12-31T12:19:10.892-05:00

Hi everyone,I just wanted to point everyone over to the Galaxy Express for the Science Fiction Romance Holiday Blitz. There are tons of chances to win gobs of books including two signed copies of Beyond the Rain.Good luck, and have fun!Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-20192739865774846912009-12-05T10:25:00.002-05:002009-12-05T10:40:03.800-05:00

Anyone notice a trend around here?I'm seeing more and more blockbuster Science Fiction showing up marketed for general audiences.Yes!I'm excited. I really enjoyed the new incarnation of Star Trek, though I'm a little apprehensive having a love affair between two of the main characters, because let's face it, there were two guaranteed death sentences on that show, wearing a red shirt, and falling

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-89952218844881533532009-12-02T15:58:00.001-05:002009-12-02T16:00:30.242-05:00

Check out this cute Jib Jab my friend Cynthia Eden put together, featuring Juliana Stone, Elizabeth Naughton, and Shelli Stevens.And I totally rock the worm.Cheers!Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-16164700650906664172009-12-01T16:01:00.002-05:002009-12-01T22:00:07.214-05:00

Okay, I think I've got a system worked out now. I'll be posting a new Ethel on the first of the month. I'll try to make it a little longer than I have been just to keep things interesting.As always the complete story can be found on the fun stuff pages of my website.Ethel crept out of the door, carefully shut it, hugged the bulkhead. Keeping in the shadows, she crept down the long corridor.

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-62287366393354026042009-11-28T09:45:00.004-05:002009-11-28T10:03:50.904-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone here in the U.S. I hope you all have had a fantastic time. And for all my Canadian friends, I hope you had a wonderful holiday last month.Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. started to join you earlier just so they could extend the Christmas shopping season before Halloween. Things have just gotten silly.Which brings me to the point of this post. I love

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-86113640354678388102009-11-21T05:00:00.002-05:002009-11-21T05:00:00.676-05:00

Hi everyone,I'm feeling a bit brain-fried right now. So here's my question. Who fries their Thanksgiving turkey?I've always been a roasted turkey girl. While dipping a large bird into a vat of hot oil over an open flame sounds like loads of fun, stuffing the turkey and leaving it in the oven for hours so the house is warm and smells nice, like rosemary and onions, all day is the only way to go

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-24491323179640257982009-11-17T10:27:00.003-05:002009-11-17T21:08:06.749-05:00

Just a quick announcement to let you guys know the first chapter has been posted on my website for Beyond the Shadows coming this May!Let me know what you think!I'm excited about this one.Jess

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-1849537739579568962009-11-14T11:10:00.003-05:002009-11-14T11:18:58.919-05:00

Hi everyone,It's a good day. Why? Because it is.There's no reason for it. Perhaps I can define it as good because the sun is out. Perhaps it is better than most because we're all finally over the flu. Maybe it is extra good because I baked banana nut oatmeal cookies yesterday.But I don't think that's the reason. I think it is good because it is.Sometimes it is just great to be alive and you

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-53559665529914472882009-11-12T05:00:00.002-05:002009-11-12T09:50:18.904-05:00

It will be my pleasure from time to time to introduce some special guests to the Butterfly Blog. Look for special guest posts popping up on random Thursdays. If you would like to contribute a guest blog, send me an email through the contact page of my website, and we can chat about it. Several generous authors welcomed me last year when I was trying to get my name out there, and I'm happy to

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-8801500017601158992009-11-07T04:00:00.000-05:002009-11-07T04:00:02.412-05:00

I think writers, by default, are fairly creative people. I know some of my family teases me about my endless creative endeavors. You'd think I could stick to slightly productive things like making home videos, doing scrapbooks, or actually finishing sewing the last of the Christmas stockings, but no.This is what I do with too much creative energy.I play with Lincoln Logs.This was a pretty cool

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-56796628538192699222009-10-31T00:54:00.005-04:002009-11-01T18:18:44.170-05:00

Treat! It's a treat!Happy Halloween everyone! For the occasion, I've got a new costume. Okay, it's a new book cover, but it is deliciously yummy. I've plastered it all over my website.So sit back, enjoy the eye-candy for a bit.Mmmmmmm......Here's the blurb.A man of deception. A woman of justice. Can their fragile trust be strong enough to prevent a war? Commander Yara knows perfect

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-15716448651401967432009-10-24T12:51:00.002-04:002009-10-24T12:58:40.888-04:00

Take a look at that color! This is one of my neighbor's trees, and I have a little leaf envy at the moment. there are some awesome reds in the neighborhood as well, but my trees seem to prefer the faded green to sickly yellow with mottled brown spots look.Bummer.It's nice to be able to look across the street at this though. I like fall. I think part of that is because I really like

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1342656196329605188.post-71528477918541005352009-10-21T14:15:00.003-04:002009-10-21T15:32:52.488-04:00

Hey everyone, welcome back Ethel!I'm going to be digging in my heels to actually write in the coming months, and I'm considering dialing Ethel back to once a month considering there wasn't a whole lot of support for getting Ethel out of the brig. If you'd still like Ethel to be bi-weekly, be sure to comment, vote, and bring some friends over to check Ethel out.If you'd like to read the story

Jess Grangernoreply@blogger.com6