Winners!

I extended the promo for my book through mid-October. I decided to give away just two prizes in this round, since I still have people who say they're going to buy the book, and I don't want them to miss their chance at a prize. Anyone who was eligible for this round but didn't get anything will automatically be included in the next round.

So here's how the drawing went.

My impartial selection committee:









Who, me?


The selection process:









Tasty!


Overseer to make sure the process was fair:










Right. He can't even read!


And the winners are... Thomma in Tennessee and Michele in Norway!

Since the winners are both female, I'll save the gender-neutral prizes for the next round, in case we get a male winner later. Here's what Michele and Thomma won: the lapis necklace Vince gave Diana, some turkey feathers, some New Mexico piñones (pine nuts) for snacking, and a nice leather pouch to carry it all in.












Send me your addresses and it'll be on its way!

Congrats, ladies, and I hope you're enjoying the book!

Next prize drawing will be next month.

Weekly Recap

I did a 15.5 mile run today. The first hour was nice and cool, and it was good to get out there and clear my head from the week. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when the boss is gone, although I worry that I might start encountering other types of roadblocks next week. Executive management can be stunningly unwilling to answer questions from us peons in middle management, for all their happy speechifying about how accessible they are.

And don’t even get me started on rude colleagues who decide that 3:15 on a Friday is the perfect time to demand (Huh? You’re not my boss!) additional work on a project right now, even though it’s not a new development and they had all day to mention it. Unlike my co-workers, I don’t come in late and then slip out for a two-hour lunch on Friday. I’m there. And if I need to leave a little early to take stuff to HR, it’s because I’m head of IT HR and we’re under the very real threat of an employment lawsuit. Yeah, my job is just as real and important as that of my colleagues. Amazing!

Furthermore, I can’t accept that something’s an emergency when it’s been known all day and no one mentioned it to me in the eight hours my butt was in my office chair.

I’m a tad narrow-minded that way.

Whew! Glad I got that off my chest!

I had a conversation with a co-worker this week about the trails along the bayou near my house. Supposedly one can follow them all the way out to around where my Mom lives, about 20 miles. Since these aren’t rustic trails, but more like a sidewalk, I’m thinking it might make a good bike ride. I see cyclists out there whenever I go for a run. But I’d like to have someone to ride with, at least the first time. I’m in no danger of getting lost, but I don’t know if there are places that aren’t safe or aren’t good for cycling, where I would have to share the street with cars. That’s a dangerous proposition in my city, especially without a group of other riders to enhance street presence and visibility. So I’ll have to find someone to ride with, and my best prospect so far doesn't have a bike, which poses a bit of a problem. It would be nice if I could get my lazy husband to go, but I’m not holding my breath on that one.

Not much else is happening here. I was pleased to sell a few more books this week, but I still don’t have enough people who actually told me they bought it for me to make a good prize drawing next week. (I only know my sales numbers, not who the buyers are.) So unless a few more people buy the book or download and then tell me they’ve done it, I may split the goodies and have two drawings—one in September and one in October. Once I get the prizes put together, I’ll take pictures and maybe that will tempt someone to speak up. Or not. In which case me and the bunny will enjoy the snacks together.

Bunnies can eat piñones, right?

Recent Workouts
Saturday: 15.5 mile run (combination campus + bayou trails)

Late Week Wrap-up

Last week I took the beta copy of my book to the office to show a fellow writer. A co-worker (who is not a writer) saw it lying on my desk, started reading it and asked if she could take it home for the weekend. I said sure, after cautioning her that it was an early version with scads of formatting errors and pencil marks in it. She said she didn't care.

This week, she didn't bring it back. She said her boyfriend started reading it and won't give it back to her now! I guess that's a good thing when people who borrow your book don't get to read it because other people snatch it up first!

In other book-related news, I'm a little unsure how to proceed with my giveaways. I have enough sales to do the drawing, but not enough buyers have told me who they are! Now, of course I don't mind if someone wants to buy my book but not be included for the promo. But it does make for an awkward situation.

I'll see how things stand at the end of the month and decide then how to proceed. I might give a few prizes in September and a few in October, or I might just wait until October and do them all then. Decisions, decisions...

And in workout news, I might be getting a cycling partner for city rides! And I might also have a lead on another running route from my house. I need at least three possible starting directions in order to keep from getting bored, so I'll be very pleased if this new route proves to be safe and easily accessible.

And finally, my boss's father passed away this week. He was diagnosed with cancer four years ago and at the time they gave him six months to live. He fought bravely and well. Four years when you've been given six months counts as success in my book.

Be good to those you love!

Recent Workouts
Sunday: 90 minute spin, 2 mile run, weights and core work
Monday: 30 minute elliptical, 10 minute row, core work
Tuesday: 30 minute elliptical, 10 minute row
Wednesday: 5 mile run (bayou trails)
Thursday: 45 minute spin

Book Promo / Contest

NOTE: This is cross-posted on my Writing blog.

Okay, I’ve got all the goodies on order and there will be four winners drawn randomly from among those who buy my book between now and September 30. If the prizes aren’t here by that date, I’ll extend the deadline until they’re here so I can make sure everything is in order.

The prizes are quite nice and consist of items that are mentioned in the story. At least one lucky winner’s prize will include a duplicate of the necklace Diana got from Vince when she left Albuquerque, and someone else will get a carved wooden rabbit like the one she got at Talmadge Pond, Missouri. So buy My New-Found Land and let me know you’ve done it so you can be in the running!

Recent Workouts
Monday: 35 minute elliptical, 10 minute row
Tuesday: 30 minute elliptical, 10 minute row
Wednesday: 3.5 mile run
Thursday 30 minute elliptical, 10 minute row
Friday: scheduled rest day
Saturday: 12 mile run
Sunday: 60 minute spin, 3 mile run, 20 minute weight training