tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34422481913932869192024-03-05T08:42:34.196-08:00H.S. ContinoOfficial Author's BlogHSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-57643373034490498152022-12-23T19:53:00.002-08:002022-12-23T19:53:16.141-08:00Happy Holidays!<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b> I just wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a very happy holiday season and a wonderful new year!</b></h2><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxKEko2GUxLnNt_EZ82Th7U_HF5db7uyCNssq-a5fLpsvwPXKL7JvZBBjr0ivELunHheTxy1fzoZQR4enBU223vx4xyL783xPSBJqURgOgLi6LLh-_iuNzngvEPmLhAkGHUgjQGFchminZ4v2V-mEGzWtM8iG6luw7I-YBVEQ9lBzxluULTUAFzY6/s640/IMG_3148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMxKEko2GUxLnNt_EZ82Th7U_HF5db7uyCNssq-a5fLpsvwPXKL7JvZBBjr0ivELunHheTxy1fzoZQR4enBU223vx4xyL783xPSBJqURgOgLi6LLh-_iuNzngvEPmLhAkGHUgjQGFchminZ4v2V-mEGzWtM8iG6luw7I-YBVEQ9lBzxluULTUAFzY6/s320/IMG_3148.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-89496618972310686052022-07-22T18:32:00.006-07:002022-07-22T18:32:57.135-07:00Closing Sale!<p><span data-add-class="display-block" data-endpoint="DataPost" data-inplace-editable-text="announcement" data-key="message" data-placeholder="Use this space to share important, up-to-date information with buyers. You can mention new products and special promotions. Just keep it short so they can start shopping!">Good afternoon,</span></p><p><span data-add-class="display-block" data-endpoint="DataPost" data-inplace-editable-text="announcement" data-key="message" data-placeholder="Use this space to share important, up-to-date information with buyers. You can mention new products and special promotions. Just keep it short so they can start shopping!">With
a heavy heart, I've decided to close my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner.
I've marked down all of my handmade crafts and crafting supplies to
liquidation prices (50% off). I'll continue to renew this discount rate
until all of my current listings either sell or expire (Etsy charges us
to renew listings).</span></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner"><span data-add-class="display-block" data-endpoint="DataPost" data-inplace-editable-text="announcement" data-key="message" data-placeholder="Use this space to share important, up-to-date information with buyers. You can mention new products and special promotions. Just keep it short so they can start shopping!">www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner</span></a></h2><h3><span data-add-class="display-block" data-endpoint="DataPost" data-inplace-editable-text="announcement" data-key="message" data-placeholder="Use this space to share important, up-to-date information with buyers. You can mention new products and special promotions. Just keep it short so they can start shopping!"></span></h3><p><span data-add-class="display-block" data-endpoint="DataPost" data-inplace-editable-text="announcement" data-key="message" data-placeholder="Use this space to share important, up-to-date information with buyers. You can mention new products and special promotions. Just keep it short so they can start shopping!">
<br />
I'll continue to do the occasional craft fair (especially around the holidays) until I run out of inventory and supplies.<br />
<br />
I've also discounted signed copies of my books 30% off. Once my Etsy
shop closes, books will be available for purchase through my blog,
<b><a href="https://hscontino.com/.">https://hscontino.com/.</a></b><br />
<br />
Thank you all for supporting my creative endeavors for the past 11 years. I really appreciate it!</span></p><p><span data-add-class="display-block" data-endpoint="DataPost" data-inplace-editable-text="announcement" data-key="message" data-placeholder="Use this space to share important, up-to-date information with buyers. You can mention new products and special promotions. Just keep it short so they can start shopping!"> </span></p><p><span data-add-class="display-block" data-endpoint="DataPost" data-inplace-editable-text="announcement" data-key="message" data-placeholder="Use this space to share important, up-to-date information with buyers. You can mention new products and special promotions. Just keep it short so they can start shopping!"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0Y-BhkoS4jfStXwqARdmFyduH4XfeU1p8EfVAHAQeYuv6W1Nw3mUy7xCHjzW9SEkzOyjhbKZUcCh7zhUxGn4ObfiD4bDBIrtChAwzwSDDamg50zS_McdOyv5CdfinrUxbRZglAKPn6-ddx9kGxQ2-86z3XpaHd-OYpv6WQnEA2QAvxyFzZRVekUI/s2048/Reprieve's%20Corner%20Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ0Y-BhkoS4jfStXwqARdmFyduH4XfeU1p8EfVAHAQeYuv6W1Nw3mUy7xCHjzW9SEkzOyjhbKZUcCh7zhUxGn4ObfiD4bDBIrtChAwzwSDDamg50zS_McdOyv5CdfinrUxbRZglAKPn6-ddx9kGxQ2-86z3XpaHd-OYpv6WQnEA2QAvxyFzZRVekUI/s320/Reprieve's%20Corner%20Logo.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-59344276124576826502022-07-04T13:12:00.005-07:002022-07-04T13:12:40.898-07:004th of July Blow Out Sale!<p>Sorry about the short notice, but I'm having a 4th of July Blow Out sale in my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner. Today and tomorrow (July 4th and 5th), save up to 70% off of handmade crafts, crafting supplies, and my autographed books.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h4><h3 style="text-align: center;">www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner</h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"> </h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie27mze_mtdcNVvEyaWpfOPlG0l5TbOCB6NZ-AbgKITAPsbxO-pc4P5n6sZ7BKUybIqkz7guaQWUyWJrvYxQnCMIfv7gEhz6nYDqF0wIAC00XNK150cLQ1BVCABt_7WG52MQTHjQVO2IblhaqZJTC00JBak267iUJA-ZjFgLU7U3oeZG6eYAzzTKX8/s2048/Reprieve's%20Corner%20Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie27mze_mtdcNVvEyaWpfOPlG0l5TbOCB6NZ-AbgKITAPsbxO-pc4P5n6sZ7BKUybIqkz7guaQWUyWJrvYxQnCMIfv7gEhz6nYDqF0wIAC00XNK150cLQ1BVCABt_7WG52MQTHjQVO2IblhaqZJTC00JBak267iUJA-ZjFgLU7U3oeZG6eYAzzTKX8/s320/Reprieve's%20Corner%20Logo.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /> </h3><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h4><h1 style="text-align: center;">Happy Independence Day!<br /></h1>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-80184260644186232592022-05-12T12:23:00.001-07:002022-05-12T12:23:20.331-07:00Feedback, please: Cover Options-- Round 2<p>Good morning!</p><p>First, I'd like to thank everyone that responded to my blog post earlier this week (through any of my social media accounts) to provide feedback on the cover options for my new novel. I really appreciate all of you taking the time to look through the options and provide constructive feedback. Thank you!!</p><p>The following is the vote tally:</p><p><br />Option #1: 5</p><p>Option #2: 2<br /></p><p>Option #3: 2<br /></p><p>Option #4: 6<br /></p><p>Option #5: 2<br /></p><p>Option #6: 2</p><p><br /></p><p>As you can see, #1 and #4 were the favorites. But, in both cases, I received suggestions for improving them. </p><p>For example, one reader suggested trying different font colors for option #1. Originally, the title was yellow/gold. I sent her 3 more options: black, pale blue, and purple. We agreed that purple was the best choice. What do you think?</p><p>Option #1-- Font Color Choices:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGn5C6vTYzZJSLipP_gZCQHvQFtmaPPEXFXN8Csqk_OH4Aa7f7b9GeW5RIBxWrhIOI-RB66Zh5wxyURnXz28KbVRqIF50IhmUfPEGBK_9jR8ks8NNDfZy5Dextaz1fzuo9_a5YBbhXVI_S_nJYk8fnN6eTiwa7epY_K_5EJ0Xp9UUa0_p1tAty72v/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%2017%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGn5C6vTYzZJSLipP_gZCQHvQFtmaPPEXFXN8Csqk_OH4Aa7f7b9GeW5RIBxWrhIOI-RB66Zh5wxyURnXz28KbVRqIF50IhmUfPEGBK_9jR8ks8NNDfZy5Dextaz1fzuo9_a5YBbhXVI_S_nJYk8fnN6eTiwa7epY_K_5EJ0Xp9UUa0_p1tAty72v/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%2017%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sPKcHnV-XyOtjTWdQVzHtTZ7RQ0cKV-jbuRZ6eJolsNQD6ktM9Watuf_TteL8ujC3dHTS7wbWfZ-nxZFq0L4aERfTCUz2kAcCApavqbZKSQVIjCzlU86iFJp4KhRqNHm_ci8INGsEXr1vmIreHn1TXbC3PQwni-yBJqUFODg22fJypP083TWGOaT/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%231%20with%20black%20font%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5sPKcHnV-XyOtjTWdQVzHtTZ7RQ0cKV-jbuRZ6eJolsNQD6ktM9Watuf_TteL8ujC3dHTS7wbWfZ-nxZFq0L4aERfTCUz2kAcCApavqbZKSQVIjCzlU86iFJp4KhRqNHm_ci8INGsEXr1vmIreHn1TXbC3PQwni-yBJqUFODg22fJypP083TWGOaT/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%231%20with%20black%20font%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhPOiLBApUee1dCrljksKTP6FyZ9mY4XtobKaRzPY-BdQtfB3VOkPqXvqpBXKRS1JbgSaD5eERtGL9pBtYlIjvMVNrFLAVz1I4UEp3lrCCGf27ajVTOCl1GHckYIGh7RXrtHNMdvOvcaP_Gao-cIyeru25ga5aeOxqEPcMvfrWEgzsVG1OfIfWhSH/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%231%20with%20pale%20blue%20font%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhPOiLBApUee1dCrljksKTP6FyZ9mY4XtobKaRzPY-BdQtfB3VOkPqXvqpBXKRS1JbgSaD5eERtGL9pBtYlIjvMVNrFLAVz1I4UEp3lrCCGf27ajVTOCl1GHckYIGh7RXrtHNMdvOvcaP_Gao-cIyeru25ga5aeOxqEPcMvfrWEgzsVG1OfIfWhSH/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%231%20with%20pale%20blue%20font%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLDOqtvXmEtoytUm1M485lVhkfuKbA43ZaAgDm7aAKVHd4o5E2k2jMt-WvH-_mHxTUATygO-k_vHqw636Nq2OW-s8FK386uLxRVl-oqc49npaxtQrOU0h1prsEUc3TubuPeJkPucqd_DMyEhOsFW-envOEL_Y4VK-cgm2_jfVGiX-FsXA1PsRvMIG/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%231%20with%20purple%20font%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLDOqtvXmEtoytUm1M485lVhkfuKbA43ZaAgDm7aAKVHd4o5E2k2jMt-WvH-_mHxTUATygO-k_vHqw636Nq2OW-s8FK386uLxRVl-oqc49npaxtQrOU0h1prsEUc3TubuPeJkPucqd_DMyEhOsFW-envOEL_Y4VK-cgm2_jfVGiX-FsXA1PsRvMIG/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%231%20with%20purple%20font%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p> </p><p>With Option #4, several people suggested that I recreate the image using the broken mirror. I created this cover last year-- before I brave enough to sacrifice the mirror in the pursuit of art. (It's such a pretty mirror that I hesitated to break it!). Oh-- and before I could recreate the photograph, I had to reassemble the broken mirror. LOL</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8JviFuW2__hldml-77QFKG03RX9Fsg6Ex7Ne7ZaMzRMifsqCAfFw1K3aZFQ9Ss8nLGA20yRC22eOs7Xt5l5jeG0amZCV4niDe5t4Mrjiv5hWQBed0Ylpa5nirJ2y-9qZ6aGdqwHn45mVSHWJa0-ebLCfJiIzMuU6UYVmeCdkmavxn9BLU1-ZdTV5/s640/IMG_2403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="640" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw8JviFuW2__hldml-77QFKG03RX9Fsg6Ex7Ne7ZaMzRMifsqCAfFw1K3aZFQ9Ss8nLGA20yRC22eOs7Xt5l5jeG0amZCV4niDe5t4Mrjiv5hWQBed0Ylpa5nirJ2y-9qZ6aGdqwHn45mVSHWJa0-ebLCfJiIzMuU6UYVmeCdkmavxn9BLU1-ZdTV5/s320/IMG_2403.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Since some time had passed, I wasn't able to position the objects in the photo exactly the same as before but I tried. I used 2 slightly different photos.<br /></p><p>Oh! I also decided to play with different fonts. At the moment, these two are my favorites. <br /></p><p>Cover Option #4-- With and Without Broken Mirror</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77nO0X-LexFkk_WbX9-iigWc2tsalaj_MpctqiWyFtH4kvM7-tbq7yf6iTj2SPJN-88rltTL_952xp5-9i1cbypvXL2CpBMVoQcHeJ0306DVi-_crbEr7OgqenBbVWj_1Y4n2PjnxLo3WKAyC2EltwUx9pXkzs9FPUG6_J1uwgFfqU4vyfSKkDARC/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%234%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77nO0X-LexFkk_WbX9-iigWc2tsalaj_MpctqiWyFtH4kvM7-tbq7yf6iTj2SPJN-88rltTL_952xp5-9i1cbypvXL2CpBMVoQcHeJ0306DVi-_crbEr7OgqenBbVWj_1Y4n2PjnxLo3WKAyC2EltwUx9pXkzs9FPUG6_J1uwgFfqU4vyfSKkDARC/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%234%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYle400YU9dZgqozUoWEIwzrygX7HmH6vRpPWeMtbXAtVZpKeB5K6SptXbWX-6ljLM2pOfOIiCxg39o49RQNPtNMyucRGnso8z_GH1ghj4gzJsNM07vvIs7wdHsnRe-zf-l5raTT5nwngt3qB7dDGHthdqnsN4msS_9Iah9trIBZ2m7KsNfVIKO0d/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%234.1%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYle400YU9dZgqozUoWEIwzrygX7HmH6vRpPWeMtbXAtVZpKeB5K6SptXbWX-6ljLM2pOfOIiCxg39o49RQNPtNMyucRGnso8z_GH1ghj4gzJsNM07vvIs7wdHsnRe-zf-l5raTT5nwngt3qB7dDGHthdqnsN4msS_9Iah9trIBZ2m7KsNfVIKO0d/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%234.1%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMPpTDX4xNPSO_6Lh-04CThnEp7zNjWV2z-k6JaNLI405s-EqmnQhX-KAgeULJpuTAhvqbpk9JGWmkULY1lYZ6jDMay-8oht0GB-FhVEumAz99JqCqCtOK2gewDMm07Li5kR9iSg1Oxw2APG943KGRYpZv8uJaK6E2Z0oLWc4zcGyeIntosrCyrPk/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%234.11%20with%20cracked%20mirror%20and%20novel%20by%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMPpTDX4xNPSO_6Lh-04CThnEp7zNjWV2z-k6JaNLI405s-EqmnQhX-KAgeULJpuTAhvqbpk9JGWmkULY1lYZ6jDMay-8oht0GB-FhVEumAz99JqCqCtOK2gewDMm07Li5kR9iSg1Oxw2APG943KGRYpZv8uJaK6E2Z0oLWc4zcGyeIntosrCyrPk/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%234.11%20with%20cracked%20mirror%20and%20novel%20by%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ1_5dctRKbjTH0-smgCTc0IiXk8eg1zJRpENDD6QL84WWZ_v836INflQ56ONNQIqzZCsnW1_f_-W0X0_Uw5T7TK3yM8mtdX98WVzWon2V4ksBRREdGR9kB1Dr76d1NS-NXn_gilUIr2p52Z6BUB1UqkdFhiTNgWsTGMeCtdi1jvkfc0pP4O1smE9/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%234%20Option%202%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ1_5dctRKbjTH0-smgCTc0IiXk8eg1zJRpENDD6QL84WWZ_v836INflQ56ONNQIqzZCsnW1_f_-W0X0_Uw5T7TK3yM8mtdX98WVzWon2V4ksBRREdGR9kB1Dr76d1NS-NXn_gilUIr2p52Z6BUB1UqkdFhiTNgWsTGMeCtdi1jvkfc0pP4O1smE9/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%234%20Option%202%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>What do you think?</p><p><br />And, me being me, I did some more playing around with both the cover options I shared earlier this week plus a few more. I also added "a novel by" to each of the cover options. So, in addition to #1 and #4 above, there are the following options:</p><p> </p><p>Cover Option #2: I added "a novel by"<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1FKPFXC0a4nttmy0SycUnORpVggQKrI5mV91aibtSsS2KUfT_RE2mg4dij9Ye0-6roN7ac89TdYXZT_Yt9_3gKGw-670MICwn5XOfcFipyLYTpdsszzZ_deBpgovHOSPtzVSIwchS03eAf73VVdfFYFuiMAfIgsWPYUURDVsN49dSn9QvT_idCFh/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Blog%20Cover%20Option%20%232%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1FKPFXC0a4nttmy0SycUnORpVggQKrI5mV91aibtSsS2KUfT_RE2mg4dij9Ye0-6roN7ac89TdYXZT_Yt9_3gKGw-670MICwn5XOfcFipyLYTpdsszzZ_deBpgovHOSPtzVSIwchS03eAf73VVdfFYFuiMAfIgsWPYUURDVsN49dSn9QvT_idCFh/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Blog%20Cover%20Option%20%232%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>Cover Option #3: I adjusted the author name so it's at the same angle as the book title and added "a novel by"<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfluLbfUKM9EqgWhKWzLICAigvxCFZj-Yy-N1n27keibBmepw_zn2SuyZ4LX28lcdO-Iz4EzFWGt3xnCrUCETKoYjED4bK7j1mt9mlV2QGYqfYrVtOW1wAQJHTZnyIaeAvYilTjPidjirMbaFvPXdsVHM9lv1ed-8oymhKlTE3wII4Pj_XeLWK6gp/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Blog%20Cover%20Option%20%233%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfluLbfUKM9EqgWhKWzLICAigvxCFZj-Yy-N1n27keibBmepw_zn2SuyZ4LX28lcdO-Iz4EzFWGt3xnCrUCETKoYjED4bK7j1mt9mlV2QGYqfYrVtOW1wAQJHTZnyIaeAvYilTjPidjirMbaFvPXdsVHM9lv1ed-8oymhKlTE3wII4Pj_XeLWK6gp/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Blog%20Cover%20Option%20%233%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>New Options:<br /></p><p>Cover Option #7: Just playing with different photograph and background choices. This one also has a wider feathering effect on the edge.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fzR5yttxEL08ztPoHrl2t0J4esUPbVwr16m-n6mnvz_Yj_czEKPrYn3kSV6_o10AiozuoWPc8PflR9CsPcop_GvE7oeRA2Zw-XqpJaUL8-LPzqud8I4zp4DaLVMuQyxsXp5_OtrIYHztJjuYMaQt2oZrnYFx8mfCWcAx6U3rTX-yyx4MhAPUgej3/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%237%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5fzR5yttxEL08ztPoHrl2t0J4esUPbVwr16m-n6mnvz_Yj_czEKPrYn3kSV6_o10AiozuoWPc8PflR9CsPcop_GvE7oeRA2Zw-XqpJaUL8-LPzqud8I4zp4DaLVMuQyxsXp5_OtrIYHztJjuYMaQt2oZrnYFx8mfCWcAx6U3rTX-yyx4MhAPUgej3/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%237%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>Cover Option #8: For this one, I went with a simpler approach. There's a plain white background and no feathering effect on the edge of the photograph.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fpPr2PvXutpfDnKXLsKJAhqnGjnR4rvxAXYF4KgQdW8YSrlC9wa-IpIhzcY9-gD1ucRJ_XE4Lu6MJFABwgEC3F1xe84Kfn4Lmc7V7KvtR9MN2wi0rZSziozsZDJ1zBOlh1mPXjF7Arkp6wK2js-RpiBldbWMeF7C5TKQViv5aCTYRfSRBtb0rP-D/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%238%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4fpPr2PvXutpfDnKXLsKJAhqnGjnR4rvxAXYF4KgQdW8YSrlC9wa-IpIhzcY9-gD1ucRJ_XE4Lu6MJFABwgEC3F1xe84Kfn4Lmc7V7KvtR9MN2wi0rZSziozsZDJ1zBOlh1mPXjF7Arkp6wK2js-RpiBldbWMeF7C5TKQViv5aCTYRfSRBtb0rP-D/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%238%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>And, last but not least--</p><p>Cover Option #9: This one uses the same photograph as #7, but a different filter. I also used different fonts and colors. The photograph is also smaller, so the emphasis is on the text.<br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SLlquDk7P_o1WSWM4v5joY370lUA8Soj5YvSgUVaSa4PRVAadmiPwI2HujvJCVF9AnrZE5gXTx6BVoHD1VogTvo8rRO9mX8i9N5MpMlbDBWtJSr3_0hCpNIw7UO4jPg3j0qctOApqIdEm8WBKsHqT4JG69ayM1Q4Azo7XPitvb4Gg2jAZgFdGkta/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%239.1%20JPG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1SLlquDk7P_o1WSWM4v5joY370lUA8Soj5YvSgUVaSa4PRVAadmiPwI2HujvJCVF9AnrZE5gXTx6BVoHD1VogTvo8rRO9mX8i9N5MpMlbDBWtJSr3_0hCpNIw7UO4jPg3j0qctOApqIdEm8WBKsHqT4JG69ayM1Q4Azo7XPitvb4Gg2jAZgFdGkta/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Blog%20Option%20%239.1%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /> </a></p><p> </p><p>So, what do you think? I know it's a lot of options... but, it's good to have choices, right? </p><p>Thanks again for all of your help. I really appreciate it. </p><p>Now to get back to editing the manuscript that goes with these cover choices...</p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-86416239093380155032022-05-09T14:47:00.005-07:002022-05-09T14:47:39.616-07:00Feedback, please-- Cover Options<p>Good afternoon,</p><p>I apologize for not posting any new blog posts lately. I've been busy with projects-- including editing my latest novel, "The Other Mae." I'm making progress, and I plan to self-publish it later this year. But, I'm not feeling confident enough to set a release date yet.</p><p>I'm currently between drafts, so I thought I'd spend a few days working on the book cover design. I shared a few options last year, but I didn't love any of them. So I've been playing with additional designs, fonts, font colors, and background images.</p><p>The following are my current favorites. What do you think? I'd love some feedback!</p><p> </p><p>Option #1: I love the swirling font on this one, but I'm worried that it might be too hard to read. <br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTR6dMYgV4t8-FA0bLIzyw91OMz3ddoOjQ5cTno7vjTFQBfUcL5d2q0IP1TmzQReuseNaBemJQmCECQ3xGSXSptxbXFrMnu4GnVfg7lYNoODipkc0bZfY1h8mGF839cK3WBV-vJPLh88O64d7uRYiT2MSdQLumswVqsWvyKZyHnX4ELfJJOTKUFXn5/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%2017%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTR6dMYgV4t8-FA0bLIzyw91OMz3ddoOjQ5cTno7vjTFQBfUcL5d2q0IP1TmzQReuseNaBemJQmCECQ3xGSXSptxbXFrMnu4GnVfg7lYNoODipkc0bZfY1h8mGF839cK3WBV-vJPLh88O64d7uRYiT2MSdQLumswVqsWvyKZyHnX4ELfJJOTKUFXn5/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%2017%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>Cover Option #2: I played with placing the title text on top of the mirror in this one. I might adjust the font size and spacing some more. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvbctacgZqmxX_MSYvDbrdKl9y2l0JUHA1HRwe1Cxc_vb-tGAj7ShgqCu3a2BEjcqeCZ5xdHddB7oPH8e9sgn5I_oHpGPAKNobza__2SZK6xUGt9ohiVKALYlv36JGFp3jYYtDwXWEAyMz7XQyEYqAR0MTAMpGOG5javA7HhDkWAegR5vf0phXu20/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20100%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgvbctacgZqmxX_MSYvDbrdKl9y2l0JUHA1HRwe1Cxc_vb-tGAj7ShgqCu3a2BEjcqeCZ5xdHddB7oPH8e9sgn5I_oHpGPAKNobza__2SZK6xUGt9ohiVKALYlv36JGFp3jYYtDwXWEAyMz7XQyEYqAR0MTAMpGOG5javA7HhDkWAegR5vf0phXu20/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20100%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>Cover Option #3: For this one, I played with placing the title of the book on top of the journal (which plays a role in the story). I also zoomed in on the background image, so you can't see the other items as clearly. I was hoping that added some mystery. Each item is relevant to the story.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oi4lKXpEX4vW0aANBXTTpAyWmY-meSAn5k8LuSn__c3W69x78YjmboCUnBL9QlCwVNxHpP6CbbtTmCFv893ViWOmDs5QoGJ1AIEDSMUv_JQK7jU_KfTuNlxBgMO4uoihmATNYIrwZo4WFElNbifO04X18H0MirWKQvM431Zia6SBu8iL-CQZhGPm/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20101%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oi4lKXpEX4vW0aANBXTTpAyWmY-meSAn5k8LuSn__c3W69x78YjmboCUnBL9QlCwVNxHpP6CbbtTmCFv893ViWOmDs5QoGJ1AIEDSMUv_JQK7jU_KfTuNlxBgMO4uoihmATNYIrwZo4WFElNbifO04X18H0MirWKQvM431Zia6SBu8iL-CQZhGPm/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20101%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>Cover Option #4: This one is from the batch of covers I made last year. I used a feathering effect on the photo edges to make it look a little bit like a watercolor. Overall, I think this cover looks elegant and fits well into the women's literature genre. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7rlopMJa-m4fKN7JeIyYSAuU3AHFc0yJSqrzQGLh_ZTp0taEQNpXVpkmpJr4Jkm5vpAREplvHzSBGpkneVdb-xummeDgM8YWCh5iiIU1ps1GdgVeiKRMF1jgxNA9Vj1bZNClvvwgkLS4FU7rB7O63akvHunIhzstT7A3udG0w9OnKeUyTcUStBDw/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%234%20JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7rlopMJa-m4fKN7JeIyYSAuU3AHFc0yJSqrzQGLh_ZTp0taEQNpXVpkmpJr4Jkm5vpAREplvHzSBGpkneVdb-xummeDgM8YWCh5iiIU1ps1GdgVeiKRMF1jgxNA9Vj1bZNClvvwgkLS4FU7rB7O63akvHunIhzstT7A3udG0w9OnKeUyTcUStBDw/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%234%20JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>Cover Option #5: This one is similar to some of the other options. I used a feathering effect on the image, but this time I didn't zoom in. Instead, I framed the text around the image. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWrX9qsrQY43WD1eLnF3F0H3GWsc1vh0jP_9zcbJKnbcHTJy5jS9VVyw45mHIEZfD9E-SwXbQN5GKJ2SjlNDjMCz4JtL96v1u-blf4KijMldfCsz4HGH7AgJycCKYEgjemIdrYuAoZZnobBJoEi0bvptZWajYjGCV33iuQH1uTqXhRiy6eGdPBpCA/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%234.2%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWrX9qsrQY43WD1eLnF3F0H3GWsc1vh0jP_9zcbJKnbcHTJy5jS9VVyw45mHIEZfD9E-SwXbQN5GKJ2SjlNDjMCz4JtL96v1u-blf4KijMldfCsz4HGH7AgJycCKYEgjemIdrYuAoZZnobBJoEi0bvptZWajYjGCV33iuQH1uTqXhRiy6eGdPBpCA/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%234.2%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>The last cover option (#6) is more experimental, and I'm not sure what I think of it. I was playing with the mirror and distorted images. What do you think?<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qN90WC96jrjkaJCyhB9AGEg-e_Gtuy3uRJW-pbjdM1NjdoD96YheblNmSFo1UMyDvvXcuUNvZHWEalBPU4PHw6vn64bQSSZxqRQ2bbEWVdgyzyG0w21pLt-6aHjJVp-_JoiTYQTMlOv-CmeS38v-q3SpToflJJbgxh2zKbO2HE8WNwoGxF0DKVdd/s2700/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%2316.1%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2700" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3qN90WC96jrjkaJCyhB9AGEg-e_Gtuy3uRJW-pbjdM1NjdoD96YheblNmSFo1UMyDvvXcuUNvZHWEalBPU4PHw6vn64bQSSZxqRQ2bbEWVdgyzyG0w21pLt-6aHjJVp-_JoiTYQTMlOv-CmeS38v-q3SpToflJJbgxh2zKbO2HE8WNwoGxF0DKVdd/s320/The%20Other%20Mae%20Cover%20Option%20%2316.1%20JPG%20Copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>As always, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. I really appreciate it!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-27472697441645237902022-03-11T17:06:00.004-08:002022-03-11T17:06:34.693-08:00Huge Sale!<p>Good afternoon,</p><p>Just a quick post to let everyone know that I'm having a big sale in my online Etsy shop, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner" target="_blank">Reprieve's Corner</a>. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">I love making
stuff, and I usually sell both online and at craft fairs and farmers
markets through out the year. But with all of the pandemic cancellations
over the past few years, I've had a lot of time on my hands to make
stuff and not a lot of market opportunities. This has led to a surplus
of inventory. I'd rather sell it at a discounted price then continue to store it. Besides, selling my work gives me an excuse to make new stuff!</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghz3htl-A1s0wH3Pxe2pVbL5OKkdnZunvBBb5jHa_0CRy3pA8A8Ddjl7JNutHQ2csAcy4DUZAP2ZRof6E_CTq5IVO8oF6-Q9kMbGLc7t7dx_hfz-G-JWacI9BHUmrw8o4DGy8e3X2qorHwwXE5RxojvhEg7PxVteJ9QRn29IY9fynitkH8Oe1XjMHb=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghz3htl-A1s0wH3Pxe2pVbL5OKkdnZunvBBb5jHa_0CRy3pA8A8Ddjl7JNutHQ2csAcy4DUZAP2ZRof6E_CTq5IVO8oF6-Q9kMbGLc7t7dx_hfz-G-JWacI9BHUmrw8o4DGy8e3X2qorHwwXE5RxojvhEg7PxVteJ9QRn29IY9fynitkH8Oe1XjMHb=s320" width="299" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Handmade Craft Liquidation Sale!</span></h2><p style="text-align: center;">I've marked down almost all of my handmade crafts and crafting supplies to 50% off! </p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Autographed Book Sale!</span></h2><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: center;">Autographed copies of all of my published books are 30% off!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Free Shipping on Orders of $35 or more (US only)!</span></h2><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;">The sale prices are currently set to expire at the end of March, but I may extend the date. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIgtQCOOBWkG69uF-xMu0--1Ec0yoPbExfwAcIAR3EFdN6N3oUVAhhucsS1qhecM6u64ZMfRjZk6dIKCEOx_Btinq8K0b98i2IsPqM8JUue6t3iA8lQdeGnGI-QKlwvObcQMwEeGdADwv-lYclCvvWDKNC0E18c7rFoSt4cIC8SEbh2vRa7hOjiFIU=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIgtQCOOBWkG69uF-xMu0--1Ec0yoPbExfwAcIAR3EFdN6N3oUVAhhucsS1qhecM6u64ZMfRjZk6dIKCEOx_Btinq8K0b98i2IsPqM8JUue6t3iA8lQdeGnGI-QKlwvObcQMwEeGdADwv-lYclCvvWDKNC0E18c7rFoSt4cIC8SEbh2vRa7hOjiFIU=w320-h240" title="My books on display at the Pony Village Mall Winter Farmers Market." width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="color: black;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikGeFBOOP38XgVoJQLk1uYV2D1oiJk8jOBBH4qesgIxVe5H2PbL3A3bWw7RdAosdeLxAK0kROSedvFtotu8MXSDpzuOtVd7jzjgDB6C_BlW4m6tzxrwxO3FyQnWGU2OeZ9asZP4ZuM_fW4X_LmQyvX5MusNP-hb7dr9ZEek1TcneDpP00s5Y-OR-BG=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikGeFBOOP38XgVoJQLk1uYV2D1oiJk8jOBBH4qesgIxVe5H2PbL3A3bWw7RdAosdeLxAK0kROSedvFtotu8MXSDpzuOtVd7jzjgDB6C_BlW4m6tzxrwxO3FyQnWGU2OeZ9asZP4ZuM_fW4X_LmQyvX5MusNP-hb7dr9ZEek1TcneDpP00s5Y-OR-BG=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEIXoaA8YzOYHqLgc-GWynGWnqA7RrgXwjMYGJk0falGfgdFXvFfjR17iMki8q3cp8HKGJt-D5DMS9VWNqNZBv-R0232AAiXNWdoxrH7ATn6m99-u0X0kaEPAMhZBYI9KGdTKnZnY972TjQoCQLQjKTa637LGHoqonHtsfjMC8CofYUm4ri5EDys8X=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEIXoaA8YzOYHqLgc-GWynGWnqA7RrgXwjMYGJk0falGfgdFXvFfjR17iMki8q3cp8HKGJt-D5DMS9VWNqNZBv-R0232AAiXNWdoxrH7ATn6m99-u0X0kaEPAMhZBYI9KGdTKnZnY972TjQoCQLQjKTa637LGHoqonHtsfjMC8CofYUm4ri5EDys8X=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> Have a great weekend!</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: black;"> ~ H. S. Contino </span> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-31035772940801790672022-02-25T12:51:00.000-08:002022-02-25T12:51:06.233-08:00New Beginnings & Rough Starts<p>Good morning!</p><p>Long time no blog (sorry about that)... </p><p>So I'm one of those people that feels like I get a "fresh start" twice a year-- at the beginning of a new year and on every birthday. On both of these occasions, I reflect on my life and both the areas where I'm doing well and where there is room for improvement. After all, a big part of the human experience is learning from our mistakes so we can become better people.</p><p>January 2022 was a good example of this attitude. I had so many ideas and plans! But, as often happens, things didn't go according to plan...</p><p>In my last post of 2021, I shared my plans for "Penniless January." The basic idea was to try to make it through an entire month without spending money on anything other than my basic bills (for example: housing and utilities). I even stocked up on groceries ahead of time-- with an emphasis on shelf stable foods. Unfortunately, I over-looked one big bill that was due in January-- my car insurance. This bill alone through my entire budget off.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq4T8RaYI53Qbt_Mrm_gNB2CYhsOjbBbJfYTi2xHo8oz20-U2n67gKjSkdAkDsRwIN7woogBAtLZeVn7xxZ07-7FDjH-cF9aEUoOPD8fFXAqkW-exrvGcWQQ-uHPkZb9noVP7TY9PnwnE5qayU38BhlcMevHS1N5mF550HsOm-VZPoDdAIN3dUuepp=s169" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="160" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiq4T8RaYI53Qbt_Mrm_gNB2CYhsOjbBbJfYTi2xHo8oz20-U2n67gKjSkdAkDsRwIN7woogBAtLZeVn7xxZ07-7FDjH-cF9aEUoOPD8fFXAqkW-exrvGcWQQ-uHPkZb9noVP7TY9PnwnE5qayU38BhlcMevHS1N5mF550HsOm-VZPoDdAIN3dUuepp" width="160" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">*** <br /></p><p>2022 came in with a roar here on the Oregon coast. We experienced several back to back winter storms complete with heavy rain and exceptionally strong winds. We even got a little snow (which is rare)! There were several nights that I lay in bed listening to the rain pounding against the windows of my house, and I could feel the wind tugging and pulling at the walls of my little old house. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglEnyKPLcJCR6HCwts15QoTkAs0KkEK8AD0_wMBdcmNyHo9JgNLaVfRuveg0tceVZwi7aouDn6tJaQcQPde0o4Fal24IBaBfP5WKiwIMLxZQDtlA5c4dTElIQ-v_IofpoavL5_aKFRWfVOHxggL9w9lm_nW8X0P-kTGmIqc1pCk5Kn-zefQm_Vp2Ws=s640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglEnyKPLcJCR6HCwts15QoTkAs0KkEK8AD0_wMBdcmNyHo9JgNLaVfRuveg0tceVZwi7aouDn6tJaQcQPde0o4Fal24IBaBfP5WKiwIMLxZQDtlA5c4dTElIQ-v_IofpoavL5_aKFRWfVOHxggL9w9lm_nW8X0P-kTGmIqc1pCk5Kn-zefQm_Vp2Ws=w240-h320" title="Loki Inspecting some of the rain snow." width="240" /></a></div><br />I woke up the morning after one of these storms to discover that one of the smaller trees in my yard had been knocked over by a wind gust. Fortunately, it fell away from the house. But, it was partially leaning against my wooden fence. I was worried that the continued weight would damage the fence, so I felt like I had no choice but to go outside-- in the freezing rain-- to deal with the tree situation.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgM6IxSwxIKfoONPVPJDG31QU2MhT84HsWOllD8CjHs7pKQcl958lavf-Tn-o2N-73duHMkX-MS60v6TRKhQLNP20xvs-AbUmN3jG0sCXDq-tWpi85bPw6MpAM-oxeS4pRxzUBreO9LcZj5Qud-wo2U_MrB0IjzTickIo-mvHgSxSv7booPki08Cmyf=s640" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgM6IxSwxIKfoONPVPJDG31QU2MhT84HsWOllD8CjHs7pKQcl958lavf-Tn-o2N-73duHMkX-MS60v6TRKhQLNP20xvs-AbUmN3jG0sCXDq-tWpi85bPw6MpAM-oxeS4pRxzUBreO9LcZj5Qud-wo2U_MrB0IjzTickIo-mvHgSxSv7booPki08Cmyf=w150-h200" width="150" /></a></div><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgM6IxSwxIKfoONPVPJDG31QU2MhT84HsWOllD8CjHs7pKQcl958lavf-Tn-o2N-73duHMkX-MS60v6TRKhQLNP20xvs-AbUmN3jG0sCXDq-tWpi85bPw6MpAM-oxeS4pRxzUBreO9LcZj5Qud-wo2U_MrB0IjzTickIo-mvHgSxSv7booPki08Cmyf=s640" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN4KpCdX2rwHFoaxFImagKEm4_STEaTYf8nghVwa_Rk9pmzh1ZyeInUvNwwnl1BeeXJHcT-IkZ7y1-tO0-WX6mDVw5ibW0BZcj1JUXI1l17baMLu7dEjA6R_y-tUAoQU7o4WyqlAUDJ1zSSm09bGLB14udu8eJWm6uXYDh8-mrXIDsdOp_I2uNd5RJ=s640" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN4KpCdX2rwHFoaxFImagKEm4_STEaTYf8nghVwa_Rk9pmzh1ZyeInUvNwwnl1BeeXJHcT-IkZ7y1-tO0-WX6mDVw5ibW0BZcj1JUXI1l17baMLu7dEjA6R_y-tUAoQU7o4WyqlAUDJ1zSSm09bGLB14udu8eJWm6uXYDh8-mrXIDsdOp_I2uNd5RJ=w150-h200" width="150" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Initially, I hoped I might be able to salvage the tree. But, upon close inspection, I realized that it had snapped at the base. So my only choice was to chop up the tree and get the weight off of the fence. The problem was that I don't own a chainsaw. Technically, I could have used a credit card to buy one, but that would have tanked my "Penniless January" experiment. Instead, I used the tools I had on hand: long handle pruning shears and a hand saw.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghlTkA2mRjjgQuf8x1udfDAs6wh_hu19cM5ert2YCKDSmSM8DcTxuopomxm8zgY59iFiomjiNvd9OLd0VNqTxyFZNzTLCYO06vphoy012klx4SLkwQk_gOrc3UnZlbzbTen3hwc6giABTVmbJT0bWMmvD1yEQ1rNjLEKremydyo5W29tomrHyHyyIA=s640" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghlTkA2mRjjgQuf8x1udfDAs6wh_hu19cM5ert2YCKDSmSM8DcTxuopomxm8zgY59iFiomjiNvd9OLd0VNqTxyFZNzTLCYO06vphoy012klx4SLkwQk_gOrc3UnZlbzbTen3hwc6giABTVmbJT0bWMmvD1yEQ1rNjLEKremydyo5W29tomrHyHyyIA=w320-h240" title="My wimpy tools..." width="320" /></a></div><br /> As an added complication, I have fibromyalgia... So, me standing out in the freezing rain while sawing away at a downed tree was a really bad idea. It took me three days to chop up the downed tree. I'd go outside for 20-30 minutes at a time and work until my pain levels got unbearable. Then I'd go back inside, change into dry clothes, take a pain pill, and rest. Once the medication kicked in, I'd go back outside. Fortunately, by the third day the rain had stopped. Plus, my neighbor saw me working and offered to loan me his power saw. What a difference it made! I was able to get more done in an hour with the power saw then I'd gotten done in two days with my wimpy tools!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">***</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">My other January plans included posting blog posts more often. I know I don't have much of an online following, so it can be easy to neglect my blog. WordPress was advertising a program called "Bloguary" so I signed up. The basic idea was that they'd send bloggers daily emails with a line of text that was supposed to inspire us to write a blog about it-- then tag it #Bloguary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Once again, I had great intentions. It seemed like a fun idea-- and I could really use the inspiration. The problem was that my reaction to most of the supposedly inspirational email messages was "Eh." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I did save a few-- which I intended to write about-- but I never did. For example:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">"What is your favorite quote and why?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitV8wZuQsjz7nuz-SJhjzZotFLCa7-Rjf7wy4R1m_g_E8bvf363PRGKktjpRdB1lkB4Mv4xBRiKZ9eKzeVMA4Q53WkKTB2TmNTBRJHvCvMxr0gU77ockwipy6d65P4oF7cQ_UKd0LMXYk5QF5FgLk5AjiF3pqwOgW8IHMesPE4vvAExPTNBwgdRIiG=s532" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitV8wZuQsjz7nuz-SJhjzZotFLCa7-Rjf7wy4R1m_g_E8bvf363PRGKktjpRdB1lkB4Mv4xBRiKZ9eKzeVMA4Q53WkKTB2TmNTBRJHvCvMxr0gU77ockwipy6d65P4oF7cQ_UKd0LMXYk5QF5FgLk5AjiF3pqwOgW8IHMesPE4vvAExPTNBwgdRIiG=s320" width="222" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">***<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">There were other January projects, but you get the idea. I began the new year full of ideas and plans, but so far each and every one of them is off to a rough start. Don't get me wrong-- I'm still trying! For example, I'm still plugging away at my finances with the goal of paying off my debts and achieving <i>modest </i>financial freedom. I'm also continuing to work on editing my novel, "The Other Mae," with the goal of releasing the Beta Reader edition by the end of the year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So, I'm still plugging away at my New Year Resolutions and goals. It's just that I've been feeling discouraged because so far nothing has gone according to plan so far this year... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">On the flip side, there have been a few positive surprises. For instance, I've been pet sitting as a "side gig" for a number of years. Most of my clients are people I know-- co-workers, neighbors, and friends. But, back in 2019, I signed up with Rover to try to pick up a few more clients. Once the pandemic hit in early 2020, I stopped receiving booking requests. Flash forward two years and people are starting to transition from working at home back to traditional work places. Since January, I've been receiving lots of requests for drop-in pet visits and dog walks while my clients are at work. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxXau2wLD8KjQWChII8PSlEJjO29v0e3JwSg5FXKJW6aisDgeJMT6pZErutkvq5GyuHubLBJJ5uEID_E7-vDuuV-_Is-k6yHYa7VBG6xeLD5OQAXxUQesq5tlPySn9fHUIpQMan8goZkOT21UKMDLqSNmLuz9O3ihMapXh6TCH0KKp3mROmds76-Y7=s384" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="131" data-original-width="384" height="109" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxXau2wLD8KjQWChII8PSlEJjO29v0e3JwSg5FXKJW6aisDgeJMT6pZErutkvq5GyuHubLBJJ5uEID_E7-vDuuV-_Is-k6yHYa7VBG6xeLD5OQAXxUQesq5tlPySn9fHUIpQMan8goZkOT21UKMDLqSNmLuz9O3ihMapXh6TCH0KKp3mROmds76-Y7=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I've always loved animals so pet sitting is the perfect side job for me. I enjoy visiting with and looking after the animals. Plus, it allows me to continue "social distancing." Aside from an initial "Meet and Greet" with new clients, it's usually just me and the dogs or cats. I also like being able to reassure my clients that their pets are being well cared for while they're at work-- so they have one less thing to worry about.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">As an added bonus, I have several regular clients that live fairly close to me. This allows me to work on creative projects at home-- like editing my novel-- then take a break to go look after a client's job. It's a perfect balance!<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">***</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, this post is getting pretty long-- I guess that's what happens when you don't post an update for a few months. Oops!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have one more update to share. I've been a vendor on Etsy since 2011. Unfortunately, my online sales have been nose diving for a while now. I think the problem is that my shop and the items I have for sale "get lost in the shuffle." There are so many people selling crafts on the website. Plus, you have to pay extra for advertising if you want your items to show up in the first few pages of search results. So between the listing, advertising, and sales fees, I have to sell a lot to cover the monthly fees.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since the start of the pandemic, the type of stuff I sell-- handmade crafts and books I wrote myself-- just haven't been selling. I think most people have been in "survival mode" and mostly spending money on essential stuff (like groceries). While I understand where they're coming from, this has meant that my Etsy shop has been in the red most months.<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I received an email this morning from Etsy informing sellers that they're increasing the % of the sales fee...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've come to the conclusion that I need to have a liquidation sale then put my Etsy shop in "vacation mode" for a while. There's a good chance that I'll end up closing my online shop eventually. But, for now, I need to try to sell my remaining stock then wait and see. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, starting tomorrow (February 26th), <i>most </i>handmade crafts and crafting supplies will be 50% off. Autographed copies of my books will be 30% off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM_uw3QAZP3y1BKHR3Q21ykBapzwB3FsH4YKWeACd6Px_6Ssdut-t5prpGgazmbVPUSHufDGHY6ctbor9WZekjA6g0b9_3jucyUMo_nNR_92z2UYq4fKWmwNWNs2TJ0nXZKw_59MW2wCl8XI67BY4t2n9KOxFj1TTdg84CaVKvNBIm1xot2a6yC8YP=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiM_uw3QAZP3y1BKHR3Q21ykBapzwB3FsH4YKWeACd6Px_6Ssdut-t5prpGgazmbVPUSHufDGHY6ctbor9WZekjA6g0b9_3jucyUMo_nNR_92z2UYq4fKWmwNWNs2TJ0nXZKw_59MW2wCl8XI67BY4t2n9KOxFj1TTdg84CaVKvNBIm1xot2a6yC8YP=s320" width="299" /></a></div><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><h3><a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner"><span style="color: red;"><b>www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner</b></span></a></h3><h3><span style="color: red;"></span></h3><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">***</span></span></h3><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post and for supporting my creative pursuits. I really appreciate it!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">~ H. S. Contino <br /></span></span></div><h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> </span><b><br /></b></span></h3></div><p></p><p><br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-89138337250871054592021-12-30T06:00:00.112-08:002021-12-30T06:00:00.215-08:00Introducing "Penny-less January"<p> Good morning!</p><p>As the new year approaches, I've decided to challenge myself to what I'm calling "Penny-less January." I'm writing about it on my blog and sharing my plans on the internet in order to keep myself accountable. ;)</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1Uc3NiQmcswN157ZXFo-z4G07QkepVWgsyX2wawOyrDfCtkrrHuEFwt1jUN-myh_uSyvOG6onMQAXJFO5XrpOLLGrkc8IxWhxrOM_sOzNn-l86xSw2dSEtk2Y76jPDBGpmU2llfFoeGPx8kQY_IMhrImtmxD4UAJMmK20xq9GMrful0LxxgrEzkBo=s169" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="160" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1Uc3NiQmcswN157ZXFo-z4G07QkepVWgsyX2wawOyrDfCtkrrHuEFwt1jUN-myh_uSyvOG6onMQAXJFO5XrpOLLGrkc8IxWhxrOM_sOzNn-l86xSw2dSEtk2Y76jPDBGpmU2llfFoeGPx8kQY_IMhrImtmxD4UAJMmK20xq9GMrful0LxxgrEzkBo" width="160" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The "rules" are pretty simple: I want to see if I can make through an entire month without spending a penny on anything other than my regular household bills (housing, utilities, and phone/internet). I'm also going to avoid spend money on groceries or take out. In preparation, I've stocked up on frozen, canned, and shelf stable foods (as well as pet food and treats-- of course!).</p><p>I have several reasons for pursuing this challenge, but one of the main ones is that I'm tired of starting each new year poor and in debt. For years, I felt societal pressure to spend a lot of money on gifts for my family and friends every holiday season. Since I've never had a large salary, more often than not I ended up falling back on my credit cards-- which mean that come January I had to start paying them back <i>with interest.</i></p><p>I want to break that cycle.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrUzxRAZKQFDh2BlVaHGth_Uy6xM7DAgKCxOCKuypmmc3dMEf_08T51R_PWg9JUDCOg2mrtbTMmhFGRq5Sz1GICPU82hq3un6RJhGRNLzQyea5c-DIaaquvpE0cTBBLKBQUKoWlWS8FuqT4PwuGsAGmjMuBCDsd01YWyDnMtLqv-b8NVT0Ti48KRSi=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1858" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrUzxRAZKQFDh2BlVaHGth_Uy6xM7DAgKCxOCKuypmmc3dMEf_08T51R_PWg9JUDCOg2mrtbTMmhFGRq5Sz1GICPU82hq3un6RJhGRNLzQyea5c-DIaaquvpE0cTBBLKBQUKoWlWS8FuqT4PwuGsAGmjMuBCDsd01YWyDnMtLqv-b8NVT0Ti48KRSi=s320" width="290" /></a></div> <p></p><p>This year, I sent holiday greeting cards to my family and friends, but I only gave gifts to my closest family members. And, instead of racking up debt, I purchased a few small, inexpensive gifts. Instead of traditional gifts, I made individualized Memory Books for family members using photographs of past family adventures and special moments. As I told my nieces and nephew, I was giving them each the gift of <i>memory</i>-- and the Memory Books were meant to symbolize this intangible gift.</p><p>I chose the name "Penny-less January" because my goal is the exact opposite. I'm trying to break the cycle of beginning every new year penniless, and I'm so tired of modern society's focus on consumerism. Instead, I'm going back to the basics. I want to start the year while focusing on my basic expenses, which will free up money in my budget that I can put towards my debt.</p><p>So, wish me luck!</p><p>What about everyone else? What are your goals for the new year? Any new year's resolutions? Please, feel free to share in the comments.</p><p>Thank you for reading. I hope that your holidays were merry, and I'd like to wish everyone a wonderful (and <i>happy</i>) new year!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-55124365920042035162021-12-17T06:00:00.007-08:002021-12-17T06:00:00.237-08:00Fan Mail Friday!<p>Good morning!</p><p>Can you believe that we're approaching the end of 2021? Time sure does fly by!</p><p>For this month's Fan Mail Friday, I'm sharing another older review. This one is for a collection of pet and animal stories that I published back in 2013. I self-published the book so I could easily donate a portion of the sales to a local animal shelter. I initially chose Pacific Cove Humane Society because they were fund raising to build a new local shelter. Eventually, the organization re-reviewed their priorities after realizing that there was no longer a need to build a second shelter. Since then, I've been making donations to the Coos County Animal Shelter.</p><p>"Paw Prints" was a lot of fun to write! It's a bit of a memoir since it includes numerous stories about myself, my childhood, and the pets that I've had over the years. I also invited a few friends to contribute stories to the collection-- including my mother and sister-in-law.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYhY1sbw0PmW9xQflM5wDYULo41CwZs2fwL-zaI_ec5vMtotPRgo5Rh1XpmTiUgMRFpqjJCPas9jfyodSKxUs4FlcIwO7gXI0Hdqee1m4-DJkuk_bqk4HnkFHmSs5vRWQvje-hbRD5hg/s1360/Paw+Prints+Updated+Cover+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="907" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYhY1sbw0PmW9xQflM5wDYULo41CwZs2fwL-zaI_ec5vMtotPRgo5Rh1XpmTiUgMRFpqjJCPas9jfyodSKxUs4FlcIwO7gXI0Hdqee1m4-DJkuk_bqk4HnkFHmSs5vRWQvje-hbRD5hg/s320/Paw+Prints+Updated+Cover+2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>The best part? The photo on the cover is Loki, my black Labrador Retriever. She's a puppy in the photograph, but she'll be 10 in February 2022. Like I said earlier, time flies by!</p><p> </p><p><img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9562.jpg" height="303" src="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/img_9562.jpg?w=750" width="400" /></p><p> </p><p>I hope you all have a great weekend! </p><p></p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-31603141786848016542021-12-01T13:32:00.005-08:002021-12-01T13:32:34.378-08:00December Specials & Upcoming Markets<p> Good morning!</p><p>Can you believe that it's December already? This year has flown by!</p><p>I've just got a few updates today. First, I'll be continuing to discount everything in my online Etsy shop, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner" target="_blank">Reprieve's Corner</a>, through the end of the year.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s2048/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s320/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>December Specials:</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Autographed Books 25% Off (all titles-- including my new novel, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/1037439983/alternatives-by-h-s-contino-autographed" target="_blank">Alternatives</a>)!</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Handmade Jewelry 50% Off! </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>All Handmade Crafts, Vintage, & Supplies 40% Off!</b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Upcoming Markets:</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> Coquille Eagle's Holiday Craft Bazaar</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Friday, December 3rd-- open 9 am until 5 pm</p><p style="text-align: left;">Saturday, December 4th-- open 9 am until 4 pm</p><p style="text-align: left;">Location: Coquille Community Building, 115 N Birch Street, Coquille, OR 97423</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">This annual event always draws a large variety of local merchants. There are usually a few non-profit groups as well (including the local human society). Additionally, the Coquille Eagles usually have a booth where they sell fresh baked donuts-- yum!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Pony Village Mall Holiday Craft Faire</b><br /></p><p>Saturday, December 11th from 10 am until 4 pm</p><p>Location: Pony Village Mall, 1611 Virginia Avenue, North Bend, OR 97459</p><p><br /></p><p>This will only be my 2nd time participating in this particular market. Last time there were a variety of vendors-- some selling handmade items and some resale. Please, feel free to check it out!</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJITiSYzRvaaqLXfz1GVCcvZvyh1q9nVmEKL6Zmit1R3AqvtiSHOj5AmJq6Y2ShrE6-54Vsc_23nzJeMSxuKUGEGPiwfSo1S1oIPGjuvJ2s0l-I9dRUNyET6wsabaQwM6kOTL7DjnIGw/s960/Shore+Acres+2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPJITiSYzRvaaqLXfz1GVCcvZvyh1q9nVmEKL6Zmit1R3AqvtiSHOj5AmJq6Y2ShrE6-54Vsc_23nzJeMSxuKUGEGPiwfSo1S1oIPGjuvJ2s0l-I9dRUNyET6wsabaQwM6kOTL7DjnIGw/w320-h240/Shore+Acres+2016.JPG" title="Shore Acres Light Display" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(Shore Acres Light Display)<br /></div><div><p><br /></p><p>As you can see, it's a scaled down list for me this year. Unfortunately, the combination of the global pandemic and my personal health issues have taken their toll on be over the past two years. As much as I enjoy participating in local markets (and visiting with members of our community), I've had to reduce the number of markets that I participate in.</p><p>As my regular readers know, I'm not the most consistent blogger. So, in case I don't post again before then, I'd like to wish everyone a very happy holiday season and a wonderful new year!</p><p>Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post and for supporting my little crafting and writing business. I really appreciate it!</p><p>Happy reading!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p></div>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-67262619123718713782021-11-26T06:00:00.004-08:002021-11-26T06:00:00.214-08:00Fan Mail Friday!<p>Good morning!</p><p>It's Friday, so you know what that means:</p><p><img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9573.jpg" height="299" src="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/img_9573.jpg?w=750" width="400" /></p><p>Have a great weekend!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s2048/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s320/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner">www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner</a><br /></div><div><p><br /></p></div>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-32363803923567680572021-11-17T10:53:00.008-08:002021-11-17T10:53:36.320-08:00Black Friday Came Early!<p> Good morning!</p><p>I know that the past two years have been rough on a lot of people (myself included). Going into this holiday season, many of us have a limited budget to purchase gifts for our friends and family. With all of this in mind, I'll be running a series of sales in my Etsy shop, Reprieve's Corner, from now through the end of the year.</p><p> <img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s320/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" width="299" /></p><p><b>For the month of November:</b></p><p><b> </b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Save 30-40% off ALL handmade crafts, vintage, and crafting supplies!</span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Save 20% off autographed copies of my books! </span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Free shipping on orders of $35 or more (US only) </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> </b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><b>www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> </b></span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">(These sales end on November 30th, 2021, but I'll be creating new ones for December).</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"> Please, feel free to take advantage of these deals and help spread the word!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"> </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">Happy fall everyone!</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span class="d2edcug0 hpfvmrgz qv66sw1b c1et5uql lr9zc1uh a8c37x1j keod5gw0 nxhoafnm aigsh9s9 d3f4x2em fe6kdd0r mau55g9w c8b282yb iv3no6db jq4qci2q a3bd9o3v b1v8xokw oo9gr5id hzawbc8m" dir="auto">~ H. S. Contino<br /></span></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-19387036542255098392021-10-29T06:00:00.004-07:002021-10-29T06:00:00.221-07:00It's Fan Mail Friday!<p> Good morning!</p><p>It's nearly Halloween. Have you chosen your costume(s)? Feel free to share in the comments section!</p><p>For this month's Fan Mail Friday, I'm sharing an older review of one of my books. "Shorts" is a collection of short fiction (short stories and poetry) that I published back in 2013. It's a diverse mix of stories and genres. Appropriately, the review mentions one of my Halloween themed stories.</p><p> </p><p><img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9563.jpg" height="400" src="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/img_9563.jpg?w=750" width="392" /></p><p>Have a sugar filled weekend!</p><p> </p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-8003945112267184322021-10-03T10:00:00.001-07:002021-10-03T10:00:00.179-07:00Welcome Fall!<p> Good morning,</p><p>Here on the Oregon coast we've transitioned into the time of year where it's necessary to wear layers. It tends to be chilly in the mornings, warm up to t-shirt weather during the afternoons, then get overcast and chilly again overnight. The result is a bunch of people constantly adding and removing layers of clothing as needed. (LOL)</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPlUd2Xk-90CSpFTj9BSGHlMqWBNFLsfY4UZbGOxUlZEXNvePtM_2I70AM0rGVQj7qTgw0_Owy7Cw60Ce1HtoM6ZUjOigiMzVzPMWFnBGJHFRkyIBACmB_eeUnwrLUtLjX-KspmdKT5Y/s2048/IMG_6968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaPlUd2Xk-90CSpFTj9BSGHlMqWBNFLsfY4UZbGOxUlZEXNvePtM_2I70AM0rGVQj7qTgw0_Owy7Cw60Ce1HtoM6ZUjOigiMzVzPMWFnBGJHFRkyIBACmB_eeUnwrLUtLjX-KspmdKT5Y/s320/IMG_6968.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nature's Fall Color Show...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p>It's also the time of year that I start planning my holiday shopping. I've always been an introvert and large crowds give me anxiety, so I like to shop early. It's also always a relief to have the shopping done ahead of time.</p><p>Since I'm sure I'm not the only one that takes this approach to gift shopping, I like to start running early sales and other promotional offers in my online Etsy shop, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner" target="_blank">Reprieve's Corner</a>. Beginning October 1st, I've marked everything in my shop 30% off. This includes <i>everything</i>-- my hand painted signs, hand made jewelry, hand sewn plush toys, autographed copies of my books, and even my new clay art!</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s2048/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s320/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner" target="_blank">Save 30% Shop Wide!</a><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I've also been lining up fall and winter in-person markets. As everyone knows, we're still in the middle of a pandemic, so it won't be a normal holiday shopping season. Some events have already been cancelled. Others are still being planned with plenty of restrictions in place to try to keep everyone healthy.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I'll be posting more in the next few weeks as I line up in-person markets. If you're local (southern Oregon coast) and here about an upcoming market, please feel free to send me a message. I'm always open to suggestions!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Meanwhile, I hope everyone is enjoying watching the leaves change colors and having an excuse to sip more warm beverages while snuggling in our warmest sweaters!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Happy reading!</p><p style="text-align: left;">~ H. S. Contino <br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-61219789273298534472021-10-02T11:23:00.000-07:002021-10-02T11:23:59.273-07:00Florence Festival of Books Follow-Up<p>Good morning! </p><p>Earlier this month I wrote about the upcoming Florence Festival of Books. The event is usually annual, but it was cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. I was excited to return this year. (Fun fact: the 1st annual Florence Festival of Books was in 2011-- which was the year my first book was published. As a result, I can proudly say that I've attended every year!). </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNOrGlju1Gl30onStfF80jC7Pv-AaaC7uDjGbVokWWwEANWNZXyX55MBUZrEWBRcXI_oemR9hUxG6UITgdmp85swV4zN4FUO5oKh1XxdIHt0Y65MVJ6fXqJqaCGqwarfbcOVpYXsPZZY/s615/florence+festival+of+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="615" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNOrGlju1Gl30onStfF80jC7Pv-AaaC7uDjGbVokWWwEANWNZXyX55MBUZrEWBRcXI_oemR9hUxG6UITgdmp85swV4zN4FUO5oKh1XxdIHt0Y65MVJ6fXqJqaCGqwarfbcOVpYXsPZZY/s320/florence+festival+of+books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>This year got off to a bit of a rough start. It was stormy on the Oregon coast Friday night. I'm such a light sleeper that the strong winds and heavy rains woke me up several times. Fortunately, by Saturday morning the storm was letting up. It rained off and on during my drive to Florence, but it cleared up about an hour after the festival opened. </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzbOLNuvc4_ncDrySXLXA1uRLru0T3VH8MpoSgYXLfEhMNTJ6MrQmqRcx9FT4aoyfYAfgfjJij1qv9i6AyrAvZFKPsZEtPS0OtONZ6ANQcEpCIY4jLOzugUqJPmEPSRc-Ezyf-D7cVmg/s2048/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%252810%2529.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPzbOLNuvc4_ncDrySXLXA1uRLru0T3VH8MpoSgYXLfEhMNTJ6MrQmqRcx9FT4aoyfYAfgfjJij1qv9i6AyrAvZFKPsZEtPS0OtONZ6ANQcEpCIY4jLOzugUqJPmEPSRc-Ezyf-D7cVmg/s320/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%252810%2529.JPEG" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>I knew when I signed up that this year's festival would be different. In fact, for the week leading up to the event, I half expected to receive a message saying it had been cancelled. We've been experiencing a surge in coronavirus cases on the Oregon coast over the past few months (mostly due to the Delta variant). But, they decided to go ahead with the event while implementing several safety efforts. </p><p> </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp68U-cbQ8MHRlIT3GBwjXdaStwrEquMaQ20TVG98e5LpW8kT6jtoo9-r44JXWNx8gW-NV6__hVUbr6uk46_kC6Mwf2zMhhgeVXNob1H0yJ6-e_4EVncj-6eGTNwnMAawwCGxN0XVFJak/s1949/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25288%2529.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1613" data-original-width="1949" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp68U-cbQ8MHRlIT3GBwjXdaStwrEquMaQ20TVG98e5LpW8kT6jtoo9-r44JXWNx8gW-NV6__hVUbr6uk46_kC6Mwf2zMhhgeVXNob1H0yJ6-e_4EVncj-6eGTNwnMAawwCGxN0XVFJak/w320-h265/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25288%2529.JPEG" title="If you look closely, you might recognize the author in the lower left photograph." width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you look closely, you might recognize the author in the lower left photograph.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p>In addition to requiring everyone (both vendors and visitors) to wear masks inside the Florence Events Center, they limited the number of booths. If I remember right, they said there was 1/3 less booth this year than in past years. This allowed them to space out the tables which made it easier for participants to practice social distancing. They also had hand sanitizer stations set up throughout the building.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMJYO7_-wzCWyIVOoyN2o6q_a7qeeLMoLuXeJ4a8mjHTV8LFahMJDzkPUDlNHXQMi1J5vcW4lGzz9k1F1h_r_iodoWAvh0u-NjjLlYVGNDpG3Bq85hIWmyflg5JxHvDju7SkT0KVbY9o/s2048/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25284%2529.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMJYO7_-wzCWyIVOoyN2o6q_a7qeeLMoLuXeJ4a8mjHTV8LFahMJDzkPUDlNHXQMi1J5vcW4lGzz9k1F1h_r_iodoWAvh0u-NjjLlYVGNDpG3Bq85hIWmyflg5JxHvDju7SkT0KVbY9o/s320/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25284%2529.JPEG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQblTWYWaep4lVKTS-aGOIQeko8pfYt24sHba747zTwGd-oiKiA-n0b5Ncwb_q30yw8snWDfYfw_4PyFu48191LfjxrRtWYu1_pREc3KYD_IQFf5ZEDRWe_TISg3w7ZCQkWSwM9S7y4A0/s2048/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25285%2529.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQblTWYWaep4lVKTS-aGOIQeko8pfYt24sHba747zTwGd-oiKiA-n0b5Ncwb_q30yw8snWDfYfw_4PyFu48191LfjxrRtWYu1_pREc3KYD_IQFf5ZEDRWe_TISg3w7ZCQkWSwM9S7y4A0/s320/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25285%2529.JPEG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiI-7qEHm_1xCQVSGCVvEXI4_9NC-X53Yb6AUHlOkYsB-8AaUv7dU64IJl9UAVS2diitz67lv8ExX4G8nrVoRcZUrjr1H-nUn6hrUSetokxjvs3IPZF29HJoseFNL89-vaDvwg5eCneuc/s2048/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25286%2529.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiI-7qEHm_1xCQVSGCVvEXI4_9NC-X53Yb6AUHlOkYsB-8AaUv7dU64IJl9UAVS2diitz67lv8ExX4G8nrVoRcZUrjr1H-nUn6hrUSetokxjvs3IPZF29HJoseFNL89-vaDvwg5eCneuc/s320/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25286%2529.JPEG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Despite advertising the event through all of the regular channels, this year's book festival didn't draw as many visitors as it usually does. Given the circumstances, this wasn't surprising; but, if I'm being brutally honest, it was still disappointing. </p><p>I'm incredibly grateful to the people that did attend the event. I enjoyed chatting with the visitors to my booth. Since I wrote two books on local history, I tend to catch the attention of fellow history enthusiasts. This inevitably leads to interesting conversations! I also enjoyed catching up with several of my fellow west coast authors.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmIKzKI_eSFwDjTWn_iJMvIfaGFH4clJbNr3dphLIiVEova9k272Et0C73-PUz2Lwkt0UnVbeHhUW_rVEQPRSi8QRkrW78rFojuetA8F2qYBecFUwYOBHGy8yGhCp6mtFh4ADizrxOco/s2048/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25283%2529.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmIKzKI_eSFwDjTWn_iJMvIfaGFH4clJbNr3dphLIiVEova9k272Et0C73-PUz2Lwkt0UnVbeHhUW_rVEQPRSi8QRkrW78rFojuetA8F2qYBecFUwYOBHGy8yGhCp6mtFh4ADizrxOco/s320/Florence+Festival+of+Books+2021+%25283%2529.JPEG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby book's 1st book festival...<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p>I'm looking forward to next year's Florence Festival of Books. Fingers crossed that the world has returned to "normal" by then!</p><p>Happy reading!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-91607360337125771292021-09-24T06:00:00.028-07:002021-09-24T06:00:00.218-07:00It's Fan Mail Friday!<div class="separator"></div><p>TGIF, everyone!</p><p>I just wanted to share the following:</p><p></p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9564.jpg" height="400" src="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/img_9564.jpg?w=750" width="299" /></p></div><p>I love that they posed the lizard so she's holding a pencil! Tanks so much for your positive feedback! :)</p><p> <br /></p><p></p><p>Have a great weekend, everyone!</p><p> </p><p>~ H. S. Contino <br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s2048/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s320/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner">www.Etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner</a><br /></div><div><p><br /></p></div>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-11860712126852300392021-09-16T12:54:00.001-07:002021-09-16T13:03:03.613-07:002021 Florence Festival of Books<p> Good morning!</p><p>Mark your calendars! This Saturday is the Florence Festival of Books. I hesitated to write about this before because I was worried that the event would be cancelled due to the current coronavirus surge in Oregon. However, I received an email this morning from the event sponsor and we're still good to go.</p><p>As my regular followers are aware, I'm a big fan of the Florence Festival of Books. It's one of the largest annual book festivals on the Oregon coast. The first annual event just happened to be in 2011 which was the year I published my first full length book, Shipwrecks of Coos County (Arcadia Publishing). I had good timing! Because of this I can proudly say that I have had a booth at<i> every </i>Florence Festival of Books.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWx0cY2wB8cH2kjzUA9N40b1h6HnbSeg4wdJbe7qEdv7LeYnmF6M0QDlI-Av237PWz2LZDho1EesG8eBtB1VR9De_tfNbRLbNLlnotGUB3mt3Mv01D5Ip0dbrH9FWO7x9SjtPEfMl2U7s/s615/florence+festival+of+books.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="615" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWx0cY2wB8cH2kjzUA9N40b1h6HnbSeg4wdJbe7qEdv7LeYnmF6M0QDlI-Av237PWz2LZDho1EesG8eBtB1VR9De_tfNbRLbNLlnotGUB3mt3Mv01D5Ip0dbrH9FWO7x9SjtPEfMl2U7s/s320/florence+festival+of+books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Last year (2020) would have been the 10th annual event but it was cancelled due to the coronavirus. As I mentioned earlier, I was worried that year's event would be cancelled as well-- especially since we're int he middle of a virus surge-- but they're going forward with the event. In order to keep everyone safe, there will be some additional rules and restrictions. For instance, everyone-- both attendees and authors/publishers-- will be required to wear masks. They're also encouraging us to have hand sanitizer available at our booths and the event hosts will be setting up hand sanitizer stations throughout the building.</p><p>The Florence Festival of Books is a great venue. Every year it gets a little bit bigger. The majority of the booths are for authors, but there are usually a few publishers as well. One of my favorite parts is the diversity. The event draws a mix of traditional and independent (self) published authors who represent a variety of genres and reading levels. </p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLpTAPCHFzGkTUQDYKovN3NajtDDPPEJ8tSVE7fgvkxjFagBm5VSnaeneFzMgAB20aORDW1NOxFjn9nA1qZRXVQuVP4nMzsESG1lmEvDeuA7SNYR2Xsy5fFz_d-ifioVOrn3oh-jvLx8/s2048/2019+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLpTAPCHFzGkTUQDYKovN3NajtDDPPEJ8tSVE7fgvkxjFagBm5VSnaeneFzMgAB20aORDW1NOxFjn9nA1qZRXVQuVP4nMzsESG1lmEvDeuA7SNYR2Xsy5fFz_d-ifioVOrn3oh-jvLx8/s320/2019+%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My booth at the 2019 Florence Festival of Books.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> </p><p>Since I usually attend the events alone, I don't get a lot of time to wander through the booths. But the venue does provide volunteers that are available to watch your booth for short periods of time. I like to take advantage of this opportunity to walk around, say hello to the authors I know, and purchase a few new books for my personal collection. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTSBKI54qJQSV0tlBzAzH0vou2rO5BQ7_5_vBD3xPQ4Z8gUhtJFyEjq9EdK_Tj2Ak8s6-zN62-oSumIhsNCtDnZ3jcGWXWk6R8nZHZvF7VgyCCyCTy1Is4QzwJ0kOfAvKmSb9Xx52fkQ/s2048/2019+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHTSBKI54qJQSV0tlBzAzH0vou2rO5BQ7_5_vBD3xPQ4Z8gUhtJFyEjq9EdK_Tj2Ak8s6-zN62-oSumIhsNCtDnZ3jcGWXWk6R8nZHZvF7VgyCCyCTy1Is4QzwJ0kOfAvKmSb9Xx52fkQ/s320/2019+%25281%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>There's something for everyone! During past events, I've visited with fellow authors that write books for kids through adults, fiction and non-fiction, and a variety of genres. My personal favorites are local history, science-fiction, and I have a soft spot for children's books (I have a healthy inner child!). But, the event draws a variety of other genres as well includes graphic novels, romance, and mystery.</p><p style="text-align: center;">*** <br /></p><p>The Florence Festival of Books is held at the Florence Events Center which is located at 715 Quince Street in Florence, Oregon. It's a two day event. <br /></p><p>On Friday night (September 17th, 2021) they will have a presentation featuring <b>Melody Carlson</b> as the keynote speaker. There will also be an educational panel featuring local authors <b>Bob Welch </b>and <b>Bill Sulllivan.</b><br /></p><h4 class="et_pb_module_header"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The actual book fair will be held this <b>Saturday, September 18th from 10 am until 4 pm</b>. Attendance is free, but there will be numerous books available for sale. They also have a small cafe that sells food and drinks.</span></h4><h4 class="et_pb_module_header"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If you're in the area, please stop by my booth and say hello! <b>If you mention this blog post, I'll give you a 25% discount toward the purchase of any of my autographed books.</b></span></h4><h4 class="et_pb_module_header"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I hope to see you there!</span></h4><h4 class="et_pb_module_header"><span style="font-weight: normal;">~ H. S. Contino</span><br /></h4><p><br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-43737015810776673482021-09-10T06:00:00.001-07:002021-09-10T06:00:00.210-07:00Online Writing<p>Good morning!</p>
<p>It occurred to me recently that I don’t think I’m shared my online
articles on this blog. Over the past ten years, I’ve published numerous
short articles online on the webpage, HubPages. Often these are practice
articles or things that I wrote as “warm ups” before moving on to
bigger writing projects (like my novels).</p><p>As my regular followers know, I’m a hodgepodge. I’m interested in a
variety of topics and this is reflected in my writing. The articles that
I’ve published on HubPages vary from recipes to book reviews to financial management to
pets to fun outdoor activities. </p><p> </p><p><img alt="" class="wp-image-887" data-attachment-id="887" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="NaNoWriMoDesktopwithNotepad" data-large-file="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/b60d4-nanowrimo2bdesktop2bwith2bnotepad.jpg?w=768" data-medium-file="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/b60d4-nanowrimo2bdesktop2bwith2bnotepad.jpg?w=225" data-orig-file="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/b60d4-nanowrimo2bdesktop2bwith2bnotepad.jpg" data-orig-size="1536,2048" data-permalink="https://hscontino.com/2021/07/12/liquidation-sale-save-up-to-50-off/nanowrimodesktopwithnotepad-2/" src="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/07/b60d4-nanowrimo2bdesktop2bwith2bnotepad.jpg?w=225" /> </p><p>Most of the articles are short, so they won’t take up a lot of your
time. Please, feel free to check them out. I’ve published articles under
my usual pen name, H. S. Contino, but I’ve also published under the
nickname “Reprieve26.”</p>
<p>My HubPages author profile:</p>
<p class="has-text-align-center" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://hubpages.com/@reprieve26">https://hubpages.com/@reprieve26</a></p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img class="wp-image-1013" data-attachment-id="1013" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"1.8","credit":"","camera":"iPhone 7","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1631191970","copyright":"","focal_length":"3.99","iso":"25","shutter_speed":"0.032258064516129","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="img_9656" data-large-file="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/img_9656.jpg?w=840" data-medium-file="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/img_9656.jpg?w=300" data-orig-file="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/img_9656.jpg" data-orig-size="3837,2136" data-permalink="https://hscontino.com/?attachment_id=1013" height="178" src="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/09/img_9656.jpg?w=1024" width="320" /></figure>
<p> </p><p>Have a great weekend!</p><p> </p>
<p>~ H. S. Contino 🤓</p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-56379667985168933832021-08-27T06:00:00.023-07:002021-08-27T06:00:00.185-07:00Introducing Fan Mail Fridays!<div class="separator"></div><p> Good morning!</p><p>You've heard of "Meatless Mondays" and "Throwback Thursdays." Today I'm introducing a new one: Fan Mail Fridays. Once a month or so, I'll share a positive review of my books or handmade crafts from either Etsy or Good Reads.</p><p>As my fellow writers, artists, and other creative types know, it's easy to get discouraged. Most people don't pursue artistic pursuits to get rich. We do it because we love it. Creating art-- whether it's writing books, painting, crafting, making music, etc-- is hard work. Most people only ever see the finished result, but those of us that create know how much hard work goes into creating our art. </p><p>We also know about all of the failures. The projects that simply didn't work out. The ideas that were better in concept than reality. And we're familiar with the sad reality that sometimes we aren't at the skill level that we need to do a project justice. To be fair, we get a little better with every project and every time we practice... but, we're only human.</p><p>With all of this in mind, it can be really nice to receive positive feedback. And it's worth occasionally going back and re-reading our fan mail.</p><p>To get this new series started, I'll be sharing one of my most recent pieces of fan mail. It's a positive review that I received for my most recently published book, "Alternatives." The novel was a "labor of love" as the expression goes. Working on it helped get me through the 2020-- which, as we all know, was an incredibly challenging year! Overall, I spent 2 full years working on the novel. Since I was working with a shoestring budget, I did everything from coming up with the idea, writing the story, editing and formatting the manuscript, and designing the cover. It's not perfect, but I'm happy with how it turned out. I'm so relieved that my readers enjoyed the book too!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img alt="This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_9561.jpg" height="400" src="https://hscontino.files.wordpress.com/2021/08/img_9561.jpg?w=750" width="374" /></p></div><p> <br /></p><p>Thank you, Earnie and Ellie Efforts, for your positive feedback. I'm so glad that you enjoyed reading my book!</p><p> </p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p><p><br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-15807695564920470442021-08-24T06:00:00.001-07:002021-08-24T06:00:00.202-07:00Out & About: Finding Big Foot<p> Good morning!</p><p>I've got a fun blog post for you today. :)</p><p>Living in the Pacific Northwest, I frequently encounter references to "Big Foot" (also known as Sasquatch). After all, we're living in his habitat. </p><p>A few examples-- <a href="https://m.facebook.com/ReedsportSugarShack/" target="_blank">The Sugar Shack Bakery</a> in Reedsport sells a "Big Foot" donut. It's a maple bar with a big foot painted on it with white frosting-- and my niece's favorite! There's also a local company named "<a href="https://bigfootbeverages.com/" target="_blank">BigFoot Beverages</a>." and it's pretty common to spot "Big Foot" themed art work or bumper stickers while driving around. </p><p>My favorite:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Hide and Seek World Champion Bigfoot Sasquatch decal sticker image 0" class="wt-max-width-full wt-horizontal-center wt-vertical-center carousel-image wt-rounded" data-carousel-first-image="" data-index="0" data-original-image-width="2850" data-src-zoom-image="https://i.etsystatic.com/19047200/r/il/e5f917/3013177837/il_fullxfull.3013177837_14ko.jpg" height="227" src="https://i.etsystatic.com/19047200/r/il/e5f917/3013177837/il_794xN.3013177837_14ko.jpg" title="Available for sale on Etsy in the shop, Snappy Turtle Decals" width="320" /> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/973478284/hide-and-seek-world-champion-bigfoot?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_b-paper_and_party_supplies-paper-stickers_labels_and_tags-bumper_stickers&utm_custom1=_k_Cj0KCQjwjo2JBhCRARIsAFG667UxjL_FUiY4NgXH-zMh6eAYSgu9tq5y6zfl47O6nWnlByPrFrmdngUaAtqiEALw_wcB_k_&utm_content=go_1844702811_71423492282_346398320812_aud-1184785539338:pla-316808249018_c__973478284_472294849&utm_custom2=1844702811&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjo2JBhCRARIsAFG667UxjL_FUiY4NgXH-zMh6eAYSgu9tq5y6zfl47O6nWnlByPrFrmdngUaAtqiEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Decal for Sale on Etsy from Snappy Turtle Decals</a> </p><p>When I worked at the Coos History Museum, it was still located in
Simpson Park which shared a parking lot with the North Bend Visitor
Center. I lost count of the number of times that people came in asking
for a map of local Big Foot sightings.</p><p>Periodically, <a href="https://www.geocaching.com/play" target="_blank">Geocaching</a> HQ has programs where geocachers can collect souvenirs. In 2018, they had a program called "Hidden Creatures." </p><p> </p><p>Naturally, Big Foot was one of the mythical creatures that we could find, and he was featured in some of the promotional materials. We attended a local event when the program launched where each of us signed a "Big Foot Crossing" sign. The event hosts hung the sign up near a new geocache that they hid a short while after our gathering.</p><p>As you can see, we have a lot of fun with Big Foot and all of the above are great. But, recently, I found my favorite yet...</p><p>Appropriately, a friend and I were out searching for geocaches when we discovered a Big Foot couple!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdPBucntrYbQKqSaqByeEf660FzUH6mGbJOoG3WBqUqIMjQr-ic0vECvUu8YKD-sSHpGkxID3evnjg9YPwZczQJysQrGCp1Rre2UWC05m4pTa8ywSy03nw_h6HG5aewykyazDKC1sooM/s2048/IMG_8738.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdPBucntrYbQKqSaqByeEf660FzUH6mGbJOoG3WBqUqIMjQr-ic0vECvUu8YKD-sSHpGkxID3evnjg9YPwZczQJysQrGCp1Rre2UWC05m4pTa8ywSy03nw_h6HG5aewykyazDKC1sooM/w240-h320/IMG_8738.JPEG" title="Big Foot Couple" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>The metal sculptures are on display in front of the <a href="https://northbendpolaris.com/" target="_blank">North Bend Powersports</a> store. I reached out to the owners to try to find out more about the sculptures and the artist that made them. Unfortunately, all they knew was that the store owners purchased the statues from the Baja Imports store in Bandon, Oregon. I tried reaching out to the store, but I didn't receive a response. </p><p>While I wish that I knew more about who built them, the statues are still awesome! More pictures below:</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>How about you? Have you ever found Big Foot (in any form)?</p><p>Happy summer everyone!</p><p> </p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-28735000320511021122021-08-19T06:00:00.001-07:002021-08-19T06:00:00.201-07:00Let's Connect!<p> Good afternoon!</p><p>I hope that everyone is enjoying their last few weeks of summer. The weather here on the Oregon coast has been gorgeous! Loki and I have been enjoying lots of long walks! We're so blessed to live in an area with an abundance of natural beauty to enjoy!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IkaNDMIAkGYXZqC0IsZWD4rvZH0Tmqq5HQ82nb_bqzNovdOhdaR_zhyZq5nCwJXB7UjBegRWpqdHN5_hDmws3WPPiwTzcIc1101fAQOpkTIg03bZtGDuCPMZyGjRxs4aXMgvKJiGXOI/s2048/IMG_3266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4IkaNDMIAkGYXZqC0IsZWD4rvZH0Tmqq5HQ82nb_bqzNovdOhdaR_zhyZq5nCwJXB7UjBegRWpqdHN5_hDmws3WPPiwTzcIc1101fAQOpkTIg03bZtGDuCPMZyGjRxs4aXMgvKJiGXOI/w320-h240/IMG_3266.JPG" title="Mingus Park" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Just a quick post today. Someone recently mentioned that they had trouble finding one of my social media accounts. So, I thought I'd make it easy for everyone and list them all here. I use most of the popular social media platforms, but I spend the most time on Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to visit my social media pages, follow me, or send me a message. I love hearing from readers and befriending fellow authors/artists/creative types!</p><p> <br /></p><p><b>Facebook:</b></p><p>Author, H. S. Contino <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHSContino/">https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHSContino/</a></p><p>Reprieve's Corner <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ReprievesCorner" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/ReprievesCorner </a><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s2048/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1916" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh09T2kvDoP2xarMWjC8GYDdNNnzCySZp5P5Mp4R1Cl1ylhfJc3AViRVPfVKZIXdjIMXbS-M2VBDsI8qXZARjyDNNVAuqL4Zh5VeJN0umeZ0UeBD23MXD2BwSi7jWTSkNo6JMd6_pzmQ0k/s320/Reprieve%2527s+Corner+Logo.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>Twitter:</b></p><p>@HSContino <a href="https://twitter.com/hscontino?lang=en">https://twitter.com/hscontino?lang=en</a></p><p> </p><p><b>Pinterest:</b></p><p>User name: Reprieve's Corner</p><p><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/ReprievesCorner/_saved/" target="_blank">https://www.pinterest.com/ReprievesCorner/_saved/ </a><br /></p><p> </p><p><b>LinkedIn</b>:</p><p>H. S. Contino, Writer & Small Business Owner at Reprieve’s Corner</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/h-s-contino-0ba72929/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/h-s-contino-0ba72929/</a><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQppYV-ytI0_CczEcTufKv_6rbVRGZQpPV1ad5DuSCvtrU1dSMWqSeFhDuCj2MKpkfsXNr3Z0Tt8Aa6S7OR85W_LOKdzUVhh-AiATitKFbFT1LwV1K_sRkWV8rHGI6RK2ofJEkf5wppDA/s2048/IMG_3955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQppYV-ytI0_CczEcTufKv_6rbVRGZQpPV1ad5DuSCvtrU1dSMWqSeFhDuCj2MKpkfsXNr3Z0Tt8Aa6S7OR85W_LOKdzUVhh-AiATitKFbFT1LwV1K_sRkWV8rHGI6RK2ofJEkf5wppDA/s320/IMG_3955.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>Instagram</b>:</p><p>User name: hscontino </p><p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/hscontino/">https://www.instagram.com/hscontino/</a><br /></p><p> </p><p><b>Tumblr</b>:</p><p>User name: hscontino <br /></p><p><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/hscontino">https://www.tumblr.com/blog/hscontino</a> <br /></p><p> </p><p><b>Blogs:</b></p><p>Blogger <a href="https://hscontino.blogspot.com/">https://hscontino.blogspot.com/</a><br /></p><p>WordPress <a href="https://hscontino.wordpress.com/">https://hscontino.wordpress.com/</a></p><p> </p><p><b>HubPages</b>:</p><p>User name: HS Contino (Reprieve26)</p><p><a href="https://hubpages.com/@reprieve26">https://hubpages.com/@reprieve26</a><br /></p><p> </p><p><b>Amazon Author Central</b>:</p><p>User name: H. S. Contino</p><p> <a href="https://author.amazon.com/home" target="_blank">https://author.amazon.com/home </a><br /></p><p> </p><p><b>GoodReads Author Profile</b>:</p><p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6916217.H_S_Contino">https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6916217.H_S_Contino</a></p><p><br /></p><p>As you can see, I've signed up with numerous platforms over the years. I know that everyone has different preferences and favorites when it comes to social media, so my approach has been to create accounts where people can find me (and by extension, my work).</p><p>Have a great week everyone!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p><p><br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-86796641234514794472021-08-10T06:00:00.001-07:002021-08-10T06:00:00.205-07:00Book Title Announcement: "The Other Mae"<p> Good afternoon!</p><p>Thank you all for your comments and feedback on my recent post, "A Rose by Any Other Name." After giving it a lot of thought and considering dozens of options, I settled on a new name for my most recent novel: "The Other Mae." (I'm still working on the cover art).<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q3Xo04TGwkCaL6-h0P93-IPuT_B-ll-lyNig_Vuf6L-g-8h6iSXroEPEk7_VJgjzm_HszGbH-3Iak7jDf8bJAfV-uKLNZZk-ZnubDZi4BpCJdBPAbCr8ohBL-DHEmmj9k3AEDWN-TFw/s2048/The+Other+Mae+Cover+Option+%25234+JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q3Xo04TGwkCaL6-h0P93-IPuT_B-ll-lyNig_Vuf6L-g-8h6iSXroEPEk7_VJgjzm_HszGbH-3Iak7jDf8bJAfV-uKLNZZk-ZnubDZi4BpCJdBPAbCr8ohBL-DHEmmj9k3AEDWN-TFw/s320/The+Other+Mae+Cover+Option+%25234+JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7b0lYvWFJFvIHknuPsd4hhbuzBuQ2okJBDMPS0VDTqq2fROY5J2D1swO-NmmBdXxzFpWgHFXoPypCB3MYU1-DYW7833BGa0XiEcC7_yZ15Xkp4sRaw966rFfEmyIhasUvL8VIGss3Ksg/s2048/The+Other+Mae+Cover+Option+%25236+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7b0lYvWFJFvIHknuPsd4hhbuzBuQ2okJBDMPS0VDTqq2fROY5J2D1swO-NmmBdXxzFpWgHFXoPypCB3MYU1-DYW7833BGa0XiEcC7_yZ15Xkp4sRaw966rFfEmyIhasUvL8VIGss3Ksg/s320/The+Other+Mae+Cover+Option+%25236+copy.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p>I like this title for several reasons. The story is about a woman finding herself after a traumatic attack that leaves her with amnesia. The main character's full name is Ellie-Mae, but she shortened it to Mae as an adult. I like how the new title plays on the word "me." The novel chronicles Mae's journey of self discovery as she slowly heals both physically and psychologically from the attack. It's the story of Mae finding herself. </p><p style="text-align: center;">* Spoiler Alert *</p><p>At one point in the story, Ellie-Mae comes across some of her old journals. As she reads them, she gains insight into her life before the attack; but, she often compares herself to the person she was <i>before </i>the attack-- in other words, "The Other Mae."</p><p>Phew! I really like the new title, and I'm so relieved to have finally solved this problem. I wrote the initial rough draft of the novel back in the fall of 2019. I gave it the working title "This Forgotten Life," but I was never happy with it.</p><p> </p><p>I'd also like to acknowledge my friend and fellow writer for her help. She uses the pen name "Tatiana Foxx," and she writes erotic romance. Thank you, Tatiana, for helping me brainstorm title ideas and providing feedback. I really appreciate your help!</p><p>Feel free to check out Tatiana Foxx's webpage and sign up for updates. She's currently working on her first novel, "Not My Alpha."</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://tatianafoxxromance.com/" target="_blank">Tatiana Foxx Romance</a></p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;">Happy reading (and writing) everyone!</p><p style="text-align: left;">~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-19238556390916222712021-08-02T14:41:00.000-07:002021-08-02T14:41:00.851-07:00And the winner is...<p> Good afternoon!</p><p>Just a quick follow-up post today. Thank you to everyone that participated in the recent giveaway for my new novel, "Alternatives." The deadline to enter was Saturday, July 31st, 2021. So, on Sunday morning, I wrote down all of the names and randomly drew one.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMSgOCWg5tKXt_y8puLQc74EfCn-yNYUjnz5ZjCRUX4VvqMGiAp7pEakKqDOOWsouBZAsQAsSoBEUdYGCVTZU1ied23-yZCNiJRkA75uvcyd_tFJxPlxUhHbI6SxX2Ah8y3CP-oLTD7I/s1360/Alternatives+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="907" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnMSgOCWg5tKXt_y8puLQc74EfCn-yNYUjnz5ZjCRUX4VvqMGiAp7pEakKqDOOWsouBZAsQAsSoBEUdYGCVTZU1ied23-yZCNiJRkA75uvcyd_tFJxPlxUhHbI6SxX2Ah8y3CP-oLTD7I/s320/Alternatives+Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div> <p></p><p>Drum roll, please! And the winner is... Doc!</p><p><br /> </p><p>Small world, Doc also happens to be one of my neighbors. (Since two of my books are about local history, it's not really surprising that the majority of my fans live on the Oregon coast). Yesterday afternoon, I signed a copy of the book (along with a personalized message) and walked it down the street to deliver it. How's that for personalized customer service? 😉</p><p>Doc, I hope you enjoy reading the book!</p><p>Happy reading (and writing) everyone!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino 📚<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-51707695185335709382021-08-02T06:00:00.001-07:002021-08-02T14:37:43.190-07:00"A Rose by Any Other Name..."<p> Good morning,</p><p>As Shakespeare famously said "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." For today's post, I would like to get our little community involved in my current writing project. In particular, I could use some help coming up with a better title for the novel.</p><p>The working title for this project is "This Forgotten Life." I wrote the initial draft immediately after I completed the rough draft of what eventually became "Alternatives." but the novels are very different. There are a few common themes including families and overcoming past hurts, but the novels are very different. "Alternatives" is a soft science-fiction story with a strong romantic story line."This Forgotten Life" is a little harder to classify. It's more mainstream fiction with a strong dramatic flare. It could also be described as "Women's Lit" since a big part of the story is about the main character trying to find herself after a traumatic event.</p><p>"This Forgotten Life" is an accurate title for the novel, and I have been experimenting with some cover options using this title. The following are a few of my favorites so far:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCI9uhI1pM4vLq6mq9PcNSxl9B2uRVB6ga5zW2llgOSPZFvgDqTBepAb4wfy3BrfMGnIhctBgNRN3xmuRzQ9VA8tIELt5BYUz55sWnQhjyXO4GCB1-94dsujQV-O_lYbjH6WqmIm8LNcE/s2048/This+Forgotten+Life+Cover+Option+%25234.1+JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCI9uhI1pM4vLq6mq9PcNSxl9B2uRVB6ga5zW2llgOSPZFvgDqTBepAb4wfy3BrfMGnIhctBgNRN3xmuRzQ9VA8tIELt5BYUz55sWnQhjyXO4GCB1-94dsujQV-O_lYbjH6WqmIm8LNcE/s320/This+Forgotten+Life+Cover+Option+%25234.1+JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SgwE3EjeN0xDP_QzIy4ht9LjjLnt1P9aW8Gg6c9BRtbDhgccVCpqohdqLf9d9E4iytIovkPkNJXfB-jD13TjZcc-C8Nm4dwXa1JpCRhklp8xEdLn2zKZg-Ur7uOLu2RPTBBjeiHfChg/s2048/This+Forgotten+Life+Cover+Option+%25236+JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_SgwE3EjeN0xDP_QzIy4ht9LjjLnt1P9aW8Gg6c9BRtbDhgccVCpqohdqLf9d9E4iytIovkPkNJXfB-jD13TjZcc-C8Nm4dwXa1JpCRhklp8xEdLn2zKZg-Ur7uOLu2RPTBBjeiHfChg/s320/This+Forgotten+Life+Cover+Option+%25236+JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1yt3yJRSLkkX1Rm5bmAfQNcPMBaPhv6O8GwefONFNV9Rux1YXM_x3I3eiwecr1zRZDNRsDSA2ctaolv1sXS4_AeWfXGFf6wy000GNtv_iLgMfyZQT2kxPUBOzCBPn_rLsvm17Bax8vs/s2048/This+Forgotten+Life+Cover+Option+%252310+with+cracked+mirror+JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1yt3yJRSLkkX1Rm5bmAfQNcPMBaPhv6O8GwefONFNV9Rux1YXM_x3I3eiwecr1zRZDNRsDSA2ctaolv1sXS4_AeWfXGFf6wy000GNtv_iLgMfyZQT2kxPUBOzCBPn_rLsvm17Bax8vs/s320/This+Forgotten+Life+Cover+Option+%252310+with+cracked+mirror+JPG.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The current title could work for the book, but... it's kind-of a boring name. I'd like something with more oomph! For example, I'd love to work the word "shattered" into the title. The word accurately describes what happens to main the character in the 1st scene in the book. A single event destroys everything, and she's left to pick up the pieces. And the image of a broken mirror or shattered glass on the cover would be powerful and carries a lot of emotional weight.</p><p> I also love the concept of Kintsugi, which, according to Wikipedia, "is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum..." It also involves accepting (and embracing) imperfections.</p><p>Kintsugi provides the perfect metaphor for what the main character experiences throughout the course of the book. In the beginning, she's shattered and broken, but with work she slowly puts the pieces back together again. She becomes a better person through her journey of self-discovery. Unfortunately, there is no English translation/equivalent. And I'm worried that if i tried to use the Japanese term then I'll be constantly having to explain it to people. It's a great concept, but as the title of a novel it may be too abstract.<br /></p><p>The problem is that every time I come up with a more exciting title, I discover that it's already in use by another author (through a title search on Amazon or GoodReads). While technically, I could still use those titles, I would prefer to come up with something unique.</p><p>That's where all of you come in. Suggestions, please! Feel free to leave a comment on this blog post or send me an email.</p><p> </p><p>I'm still working on the back cover text for the book, the following should give you a general idea about what the book is about:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>In an instant, her life changed forever...</i></p><i>
</i><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Thirty-seven year old, Ellie-Mae Rossi was happily married
with three children and another on the way when, in an instant, her life was
changed forever. Waking up in the hospital, the doctors realize that she's lost
twenty years of memories. </i></p><i>
</i><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Reverting to her 17-year-old self, Ellie-Mae is forced to
confront the hopes for her future that never realized and past betrayals that
had long been forgotten. </i></p><i>
</i><p class="MsoNormal"><i>With her sense of self shattered, Ellie Mae struggles to put
the pieces of her life back together.</i></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"> Possible titles:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i>This Forgotten Life </i></i>(working title)</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i>Finding Ellie-Mae</i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i>Finding Kintsugi </i></i>(to abstract?)<br /><i><i></i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i>Shattered Sense of Self </i></i>(too much alliteration??) <i><i></i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">Your suggestion here!</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Themes: journey of self discovery, picking up the pieces, healing, overcoming challenging, betrayal, broken dreams, disillusionment, past hurts, overcoming amnesia/memory loss, rebuilding relationships, forgiveness<i><i> </i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i><br /></i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">So, what do you think? All feedback welcome!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i></i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">Okay, I better get back to work. I'm currently working on the 3rd draft of the novel. It's been slow going, but I'm slowly making progress. More updates soon!<i><i></i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i></i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal">Happy reading (and writing) everyone!</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">~ H. S. Contino<i><i> 📚<br /></i></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><i><br /></i></i></p>
<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
</w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></p><p><br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3442248191393286919.post-67918452106549310282021-07-12T15:01:00.001-07:002021-07-12T15:02:39.296-07:00Liquidation Sale (Save up to 50%!)<p> Good afternoon,</p><p></p><p>I usually try to put a positive spin on my posts, but the truth is that the past year and a half have been incredibly difficult. In addition to my writing and running my home-based crafting business, I usually have a part time job. Book and crafts sales can vary a lot from month to month, so it's good to have a steady source of income. Unfortunately, I lost two jobs last year due to the pandemic.</p><p></p><p>Once again, I tried to remain optimistic. I used my additional free time to catch up on projects around my house, make new craft inventory, and work on editing the manuscripts of two novels.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsp-5TTqip4cqOMlmB6Q-9NwVPXnqSQu4V67tffFgHALb-0rzX1E-UgfI2Mhfvt5bfQUz-k647S-fyNbbxgimUwr6dXFjrrGsp_lRmgrMEGJT2k5VQhX6rDVZ22MKWqPswPo0a2YNfCE/s2048/NaNoWriMo+Desktop+with+Notepad.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPsp-5TTqip4cqOMlmB6Q-9NwVPXnqSQu4V67tffFgHALb-0rzX1E-UgfI2Mhfvt5bfQUz-k647S-fyNbbxgimUwr6dXFjrrGsp_lRmgrMEGJT2k5VQhX6rDVZ22MKWqPswPo0a2YNfCE/s320/NaNoWriMo+Desktop+with+Notepad.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Understandably, with everything that has been going on over the past year and a half, people have mostly been spending their money on essentials. And for most people this doesn't include books or handmade crafts. As a result, my sales have nose dived.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbKKj_w2hx-qDxO4B1-3UMub-aTwEr-fY5_pYJWVxGtEomEGzPp_Kjqj8GLzWMVMBknYxE9go81GcDISywAkWrIevxd2ucOTNps_d6eBr_EWO-f3EQvuLe-NcwcV4-oMC7oZmRPCet28/s2048/IMG_7689.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbKKj_w2hx-qDxO4B1-3UMub-aTwEr-fY5_pYJWVxGtEomEGzPp_Kjqj8GLzWMVMBknYxE9go81GcDISywAkWrIevxd2ucOTNps_d6eBr_EWO-f3EQvuLe-NcwcV4-oMC7oZmRPCet28/s320/IMG_7689.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>With all of this in mind, I've decided to have a liquidation sale in my Etsy shop, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/ReprievesCorner" target="_blank">Reprieve's Corner</a>. From now through August 1st, 2021, all of my crafts and craft supplies are 50% off and autographed copies of my books are 10% off. Free shipping on orders of $35 or more (US only).<br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtjWiYmooQeIk2veAXQRzzDLirrAvq_fHz_iZXPj1Lskx_McQVGS__cnS8X2P7CLMaD-mXTmKxBlWZCFdrDTTu-mQYQYCSMM8DaZXrxx1gxgO9fFggSzzQOapnyclPaL7zd2GOfw-nd0/s2048/IMG_1015.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHtjWiYmooQeIk2veAXQRzzDLirrAvq_fHz_iZXPj1Lskx_McQVGS__cnS8X2P7CLMaD-mXTmKxBlWZCFdrDTTu-mQYQYCSMM8DaZXrxx1gxgO9fFggSzzQOapnyclPaL7zd2GOfw-nd0/w200-h200/IMG_1015.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKVnkpb3o5TddnUjaX9FTwdqgc7oLcxBV4qarzN_rijbaKJ6SxFtY_cong_wYxd908dk3swEkTu3TiGsO2vhoMH_kI4fjibwM9Kh6SW6OwgJTNghzpAGOIsS1kxhIBCJWn4UFuiGKM_0/s2048/IMG_3315.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKVnkpb3o5TddnUjaX9FTwdqgc7oLcxBV4qarzN_rijbaKJ6SxFtY_cong_wYxd908dk3swEkTu3TiGsO2vhoMH_kI4fjibwM9Kh6SW6OwgJTNghzpAGOIsS1kxhIBCJWn4UFuiGKM_0/s320/IMG_3315.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkBRTxoNueRIFPuIf6ibOc_hq3oTK8NB7KK8q8t0sjrCpkTWVCGGLFMk4RhgwtiHkADPkhiRhweE_PT2o3bZdb3W9K_BKgwrVe1wOIZ0Er6pVGtQpU2TZYqKSJgL20wUnF2bTTlqPI5Y/s2048/Falling+for+You+%252843%2529.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1528" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkBRTxoNueRIFPuIf6ibOc_hq3oTK8NB7KK8q8t0sjrCpkTWVCGGLFMk4RhgwtiHkADPkhiRhweE_PT2o3bZdb3W9K_BKgwrVe1wOIZ0Er6pVGtQpU2TZYqKSJgL20wUnF2bTTlqPI5Y/s320/Falling+for+You+%252843%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpzhZH7qK8d-6xtwkZAg4vDSumT9pl3j-QhaiMKJlFbunzCpyz_-3ZoYvRc37iM9mK_POt_Q4cA4Ebprnc_RzKadivanBVdekqzcl1jrClMvol8H9X4716Yrdnn5ja1hRci38euxvtJg/s2048/IMG_1152.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpzhZH7qK8d-6xtwkZAg4vDSumT9pl3j-QhaiMKJlFbunzCpyz_-3ZoYvRc37iM9mK_POt_Q4cA4Ebprnc_RzKadivanBVdekqzcl1jrClMvol8H9X4716Yrdnn5ja1hRci38euxvtJg/s320/IMG_1152.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Here's hoping that from now on things start looking up!</p><p>As always, thank you for reading and for supporting my creative efforts. I really appreciate it!</p><p>~ H. S. Contino<br /></p>HSContinohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09691331998964200947noreply@blogger.com0