#SwampGhosts

#InspirationBoardSunday #SundayBlogShare #Florida

/ Marcia / 7 Comments

To make up for being gone so long, I’m taking you on a short photo tour today. Enjoy!!
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Inspiration can come from anywhere or anyone.
I’m inspired by lush habitat and scenery. 

Wekiwa_IMG_6363-EditWekiva River – Dark and Mysterious

I’m equally inspired by wildlife and birds.

800px-Prothonotary_Warbler_Prothonotary Warbler

IMG_3001Little Blue Heron and White Ibis

0003-72-800-750-80-wm-right_bottom-20-DougLittle-255-255-255-20Purple Gallinule

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Baby alligators, last year’s and newer hatchlings.

0013-82-800-750-80-wm-right_bottom-20-DougLittle-255-255-255-20Not such a baby, this time.

Sometimes I’m inspired by things I’ll probably never see in the wild.

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Albino alligator. Wanna dance?

new-orleans-22-e1345389323223Blue-eyed Leucistic Alligator (My inspiration for Big Blue, in Swamp Ghosts)

Inspiration! It’s all around us!
All we have to do is open our eyes and unstop our ears.
😀

"Kelly Park, Apopka, Florida"

#SwampGhosts Meet the Author Eco-Tour

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Off for an afternoon on the fabulous St. Johns River with a group of folks from a local book club. I really love doing all of these events here in central Florida, but a river cruise has got to be right at the top of the list. What could be more fun than a relaxing ride on the St. Johns, watching the birds and gators and manatees? Sharing it with fellow book lovers, that’s what!

You guys have a great weekend, and tomorrow, I’ll be letting you know what’s in store for the weeks ahead. Write on!

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Don’t Forget! #DeBaryHallHistoricSite #MeetTheFloridaAuthors

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DeBary Hall Historic Site will be hosting a “Meet The Author” event this Saturday, 12/12/15 from 10:30am – 2pm. The event will include local author Bill Belleville, an accomplished writer whose book The Peace of Blue, won a Florida Book Award; Roger Fulton, a naturalist and outdoor writer; Marcia Meara, the author of Swamp Ghosts and a number of other popular novels; Jim Robison, retired reporter and editor and author of 11 books about Central Florida history; and Ed Winn, author of a number of books about Central Florida’s history and folk stories, including his research and writing on the ancient tribes of Florida. ‪#‎MeetTheAuthor‬ ‪#‎FloridaAuthors‬ ‪#‎OrlandoAuthors‬ ‪#‎OrlandoEvents‬ ‪#‎DeBaryEvents‬ ‪#‎DeBaryHall‬ The authors will discuss, sign and sell their works in the site’s 19th century hunting lodge. The event is free.

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Road Trip!

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Me, Ready to Have Fun!

Off to Solivita Retirement Community, about an hour and a half south of me, below Kissimmee, for those who know Florida. (Pronounced Ki-SIM-me, for those who don’t. 😀 ) These good folks have a 200 member book circle spread throughout their very large community, though I’m sure there won’t be THAT many attending my presentation today. But it still has the potential to be the largest group I’ve talked to, so far, and I’m very excited about the opportunity.

My dear friend, Nicki Forde, is coming along for the event, and nothing makes me happier than a Road Trip with Nicki. She’s responsible for my beautiful covers, if you don’t already know that, and is a Graphics Goddess! We’re going to have a wonderful day! I’m always happy to talk about Florida wildlife, writing in general, and my writing, specifically, so it’s going to be fun, even if only one person shows up.

Off to load up the car. See you guys when I get back. Play nice. 😀 And post ’em if you got ’em…things to share that is.

I…am…outta here!

 

The #MysteryNovember Book Tour Day 16 @MarciaMeara

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Today, the #MysteryNovember tour bus swings by Florida to pick up Guess Who? Me! I hope you’ll stop by Rosie’s site to read more about me, and what I write. Plus, I’d really love it if you would ALL share Rosie’s  post (and this one)  far and wide. I’d VERY much appreciate it, as do all the writers who are being featured this month. Thanks so much, and enjoy reading.

The #MysteryNovember Book Tour Day 16 @MarciaMeara

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Aaaahhhhh…that’s better!

/ Marcia / 8 Comments

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Thankfully, last week’s problems seem to be sorting themselves out satisfactorily, which is nice, because it frees me up to deal with THIS week’s problems, as they arise. And they are sure to arise. 😉

Swamp Ghosts, it all its forms, seems to be looking correct once again. Finding Hunter has been corrected on Kindle, so that the formatting is prettier, and I have just ordered a new proof of the print version from CreateSpace.  So Hunter Painter’s distressing tale seems resolved, at the present time.

I can breathe again. And possibly even sneak in some reading this weekend. (I’m close to the halfway point in Lee Child’s latest Reacher book, Make Me. OH, how I love watching Jack Reacher tug on threads one at a time, as he slowly unravels the latest mystery he’s uncovered.) And I can even catch up on my Bookin’ It reviews, perhaps.

However, I can’t dawdle for long. Rabbit has a story to tell, and when that boy gets to talking, there’s no stopping him. So, I plan to start Harbinger in the next day or two. I’m already putting together my inspiration board, filled with gorgeous images of the North Carolina mountains. *sigh* Makes me want to load up my car and go!

But…here’s the biggest news of all. Starting on Monday, here at The Write Stuff…we’re going to have an EVENT! Nothing earth-shattering or difficult, but it should be fun. Stay tuned for details shortly.

And that’s it for me today. What wonderful things are you guys up to this weekend?

cover2at304.jpg Final FH Cover Smaller

 

Happy Ending Almost In Sight!

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Even as I type, the correct version of Swamp Ghosts is being restored to its rightful place between the alligator infested covers of same! Woohooo. And the Usurper, Finding Hunter, has been sent back to his OWN book, with firm instructions never to stray from within those covers again! Ever!!

Like many of Life’s Learning Experiences, this one wasn’t fun. But it did teach me to be very, very careful in the future, and not let anything cause me to rush, or to work when I’m too tired to think straight. But, when everything’s said and done, all’s well that ends well. (I made that up. No, really. I did. Okay, I didn’t. Not a bit of it. So sue me.  *grin* )

By tonight or tomorrow, this whole thing will be nothing but a memory, and me? I’m movin’ on! I have stories to tell, books to write, and self-marketing to . . . to . . . to try and palm off on somebody else! 😀

Have a great week, you guys! I think next week, we’re due to have an event around this place. Maybe an Excerpt Week. Haven’t had one of those in ages, and I’m sure you all have books you’d like to promote. Stay tuned!

Finding Hunter, Swamp Ghosts, and Amazon Headaches!

/ Marcia / 2 Comments

Final FH Cover Smaller

Let’s see…good news first:

The CORRECT version of Finding Hunter is ready to download from Kindle, and seems to be working fine. I haven’t officially “Launched” this one yet, but if you are wanting to read Book 2 of my Riverbend series, it’s ready.

The semi-good news is that the INCORRECT version of Swamp Ghosts is now LIVE in my store, which means I can start the correction upload shortly.

The BAD news is, while it’s up on the Amazon Book page, it is NOT live on my Amazon Author Bookshelf, and therefore, I can’t access it to start making the swap back to the correct content.  I guess I’m stuck checking every five minutes until I can do that, and then, I’ll cross my fingers that it goes through without a hitch, and this horrible nightmare will be resolved by tomorrow. Hopefully no one will have downloaded a bad version during that window between versions.

Let this be a lesson to all of us. Check, recheck, and double check before you click ANY upload button on Amazon, because once you do, you’re pretty much at their mercy. If I sound a bit disgruntled, it’s because I am. I think there should be a failsafe button somewhere that says “STOP this action IMMEDIATELY.” But alas. It is what it is, as a wise man once said, and we just have to muddle through the occasional calamity as best we can.

In the meantime, if you’ve already read (and enjoyed) Swamp Ghosts, why not take a look at Finding Hunter? It’s a very different kind of story, but one I hope most readers will enjoy. Thanks!

 

Happy Saturn’s Day!

/ Marcia / 5 Comments

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Photographer Doug Little, Me, and Captain Jeanne Bell on the Naiad

Hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend. Got a call from a local newspaper this week, requesting a telephone interview. What a surprise, and what fun, too. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. Hope the interviewer (very nice gal) was able to understand my Southernese. 🙂 She wanted a picture of me with  wildlife photographer Doug Little & Captain Jeanne Bell of the Naiad, the Eco-Tour Boat that goes out of Highbanks Marina nearly every day. (These are the good folks who inspired the main characters in my book, Swamp Ghosts.) Any excuse to go visit my friends on their boat is a happy thing for me, so I met them around mid-day, and we had a few good laughs taking pictures, and catching up a bit. Just thought I’d share.

Now, what are YOU guys up to this weekend? Anything exciting? Or resting and relaxing? Share! Pics are always good, too. And what’s new with your writing? Got a WIP going? Getting ready to do a promo we should know about? Let us hear from you! And above all, enjoy the rest of your weekend. I know I’m going to!