Updates and Sundry

I didn't honestly mean to take a two-week vacation from blog updates, but owing to a variety of circumstances up to and including a bout of poor health, that's what happened.  I trust that your lives were able to continue with some semblance of order despite not reading anything new here.

I'm in the middle of preparing for the annual October invasion by my beautiful goddaughter, her adorable husband, and their delightful friend and traveling companion.  Kevin and I actually get almost a full five days with them this year, which is the longest they've ever been able to stay with us, and of course we have to make every moment count.  So it's possible that come Thursday, I'll forget to update.  I'll try not to forget, of course, but I can't promise anything because I'm notoriously feather-headed sometimes.

I do have one exceptionally good piece of news to share with my readers, however, regarding a previous post.  You might recall that back in June, I alerted all of you to the tribulations of Jason Puracal, an American wrongfully imprisoned in Nicaragua for drug-related crimes he didn't commit.  I'm extremely happy to be able to tell you that Jason's case was at last properly reviewed and his sentence overturned.  Jason is a free man, reunited with his wife and son, and ready to go back to his life.  Of course, there are a lot of expenses from this long and arduous legal battle, so if you're willing and able to help, visit their website to find out how.

I'm still, in what might charitably be considered my free time, plugging away at The Graystone Saga.  I'm very grateful to all of you who have read it thus far.

And I'm going to have to leave this here, because the day is slipping away from me with undesired speed.  As Frost said, I've got miles to go before I sleep, so I'd better get started.  I hope you're all having a great day.

Contest Redux

Once upon a December, I had a contest on this blog and gave away a piece of jewelry from the store where I work.  The contest went over pretty well and I thought it was kind of fun, so I promised that at some point I would have another one.  I meant to do it sooner than this, but I'm a little fluffheaded now and then.

But I'm getting around to fulfilling that promise now.  Contest ahoy!  And because sometimes my mind has a hard time focusing on things that aren't my own writing, I've decided to focus this contest around my recently-launched web serial story, The Graystone Saga.

(Please DO NOT confuse this with Fifty Shades of Grey.  The less said about that, the better.)

Anyway, much like last time, the parameters of the contest are super simple.  Like this blog, Graystone has its own page on Facebook.  It even has followers who are people I don't know, which is highly gratifying.  I'd like it to have some more.  That's where you come in.

Provided that you have a Facebook account, please go here and click ye olde "Like" button.  That's all there is to it.  You will then be entered in the current contest.  You have until the end of August to do this; I'm planning to announce the winner for my birthday, which is Labor Day weekendish.

Oh, right, prize.  The winner will be chosen at random from among all of the people who have liked the Graystone Saga's Facebook page by 12:01 EST on September 1, 2012.  Said winner will actually appear in the Graystone Saga.  That's right.  You will have a minor character named after you!  With dialogue and stuff!  Immortality is yours, and all you have to do to try and achieve it is to click a button!

(If you happen to win the contest and you already have a character in the story named after you, which is the case with two people, I'll come up with something else.)

Have fun!  Good luck!  Thanks for reading!