Monthly Archives: June 2016

Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

29 Wednesday Jun 2016

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Excerpt from SNOW

photo (9)

He was waiting for her, as she pulled up. She pretended not to notice him sitting on the grass in front of her apartment, but she felt his gaze burning a hole through her soul.

She thought if she looked down, playing with the callous on the palm of her hand, he would get bored and look away, but when she raised her head, peeking up and over her lashes, she caught his intent stare.

His eyes were black…black as the night.

She knew he was mad, but she didn’t care, well maybe a little, but not really. What the hell did he have to be mad with her anyway. She was the one who should be mad.

After all, he was the one who had broken up with her. Maybe she had broken up with him, but he had deserved it. He was going down a path she didn’t approve, nor did she wish to partake.

“Did you think I would just go away?”

“Jack, I’m too tired to deal with this right now, besides your high.”

“Damn it January. You always say that, but I’m not. I quit using, just like you asked me to.”

“That’s bullshit, Jack and you know it! And the least you can do is to tell the truth, for once in your life.”

“Maybe, I just did a little.”

“Exactly! Like I said, goodnight Jack.” She ran up the stairs, quickly looking down at him. She didn’t want him to see her tears, but it was too late.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright June 29, 2016

Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

26 Sunday Jun 2016

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Excerpt from SNOW:

8th Grade Dance 006

The sun was beginning to set behind the grayish-blue, Sierra Mountains. The murmurs of the afternoon voices continued to echo in her ears.

It had been an eventful afternoon, but January was exhausted. She had waited twelve years for this day and now it had finally come and gone, as if in a blink.

“Congratulations Young Lady.” Her grandpa extended out his shaky hand, suffering from chronic arthritis for most of his adult life, but obviously proud of his only grandchild.

“Thank you, Grandpa. I’m so happy you and Grandma were able to make it.”

“We wouldn’t have missed your graduation from high school…not in a million years.”

January smiled, politely dismissing herself.

She was distracted. She hadn’t seen Jack since the ceremony ended, almost thirty minutes earlier.

As she wondered out to the parking lot, she heard a car’s brakes screeching. She held her breath, waiting in anticipation for the final part, the sound of metal as it crashed into another car, or the thud the car made as it hit something or someone. She waited with batted breath, but nothing.

She relaxed, letting her breath out. Suddenly out of nowhere she heard footsteps coming up behind her.

Startled, she turned around, ready to scream out…”Jack! what they hell! You scared me to death. Where have you been…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, as he pulled her roughly into him, passionately kissing her with all the desire and wanting he had building up inside of him.

“I love you baby…that’s all I wanted to tell you.” Quickly extending his arm forward, revealing the most gorgeous dozen red roses she had ever seen.

“Oh, Jack! They’re beautiful and so are you. I love you too…more than words!”

“You can prove it to me tonight. Now go home and get pretty for me. I’ll see you tonight at eight.”

January watched with a smile upon her lips, as he ran down the street, jumping back into his white 1967 Camaro, that he had left idling in the middle of the street, and took off in a hurry down Main Street.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright July 26, 2016

PALM SPRINGS, CA

22 Wednesday Jun 2016

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PALM SPRINGS, CA

palm-springs-hotel_1115111.jpg

When I took this picture, I was somewhat spooked by this place. The photo is processed as a black and white, but the true image of this hotel was a sanitary green.

I remember walking down the street with my camera in tow, hanging from my neck, and being mystified when I came upon this mysterious residence. Something about it captivated my interest. I felt compelled to photograph it. It was almost as if the hotel was speaking to me.

I stood there for a few minutes, looking around, noticing the vacancy of the windows, the sadness of the structure, and the beauty of the architecture. I suddenly wanted to be a visitor there and it made me wonder, almost feel sad, who had visited this structure in the past. What stories did it hold?

I continued to stare into the empty windows, almost seeing those who had been inside long ago. Were there ghosts? Did something tragic happen inside? Or did it only hold happy memories of long ago vacations with children running up and down the halls, searching for a game to play, or perhaps a poolside cabana with their parents, to sit and read, while resting from a long week’s work in the city.

We will never know, nor will we ever be able to visit again. The hotel, along with the other structures on that street, in Palm Springs, have since been torn down. All we have now are memories and the photographs that have once captured the hotel’s ambiance and mystery.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright June 22, 2016

Submitting Your Manuscript to the Big 5 US Publishers

20 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Some great information!

Milly Schmidt

Here’s a list of the Big 5 US Publishing Houses, their submission requirements and links to submission details. I’ve also included at the end of the list two smaller US Publishers that I have submitted to in the past (received real feedback!) I thought they would serve as good examples of what’s out there if you decide to try the smaller publishers.

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Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

19 Sunday Jun 2016

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Excerpt from SNOW

photo (7)

Where was Jack, January thought.

She was starting to panic. He promised her they wouldn’t stay long, but as always, that promise had been broken.

As she walked for the front door, slowly the bathroom door opened. Jack stood there in the middle of a cloud of smoke, looking at January stunned, with a look of agitation on his face. His friend Bill sheepishly looked at January, before shifting his gaze down to his feet.

“What the hell, Jan? Why are you always sneaking up on me…stop suffocating me and stop being such a bitch!”

“A bitch? What are you talking about. I was just looking for you. You promised me that we would only have to stay for a few hours, to watch the rest of the game. The game is over and I want to go, besides you are wasted and doing God knows what in the bathroom.”

“Don’t worry about what I’m doing and stop being my mother. I thought I told you that…I don’t like you being my mother. Screw this! Bill and I are going to get more beer.” Jack snapped.

“What are you talking about Jack? I want to go…you promised!”

“Like I said Jan, Bill and I are going out to get more beer and then we will go.”

An anger rose up in January that she didn’t know she had. She had a enough. “Jack, I’m going home!”

Slamming the front door, she ran to her car, as tears streamed down her face.

How dare he treat her like that. She was sick of feeling like this. Jack was quickly dragging her down with him. She had to fight back.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright June 19, 2016

Photograph #2 – The Vacant Chair

15 Wednesday Jun 2016

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Ask Ms Mandi

Photograph #2 – The Vacant Chair:

The vacant chair was a plain dirty chair, placed out in the middle of nowhere. It was next to an old abandoned washing machine. The thing that struck me odd and made this photo so spectacular was that a clean, white blanket had been thrown across the chair. The chair was grungy and tattered; however, the nice clean, white blanket looked brand new. It made me wonder who had inhabited the living spaces of this chair and why?

Photo_Chair_061513 001

Photography By: Ask Ms Mandi

Ms Mandi Photo 1

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Excerpt from The Lost Diary of Jane Doe

13 Monday Jun 2016

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THE LOST DIARY OF JANE DOE:

Humboldt County 03_edited-1

Youth is symmetrical to innocence.
Therefore, hate is a simile of violence.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright September 12, 1995

Sushi Dining

11 Saturday Jun 2016

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SUSHI DINING:

IMG_2928

Southern California has some of the finest restaurants in the West, but if you are hungry for one of the best sushi spots in town, you must try RA. RA Restaurant is located at Dos Logos, in Corona, California.

The establishment is clean, the food is fresh, and the service is friendly. I have been to sushi restaurants before where the food was questionable, the service-ware was cheap and the service was left to be desired. But RA is different.

My favorite sushi roll is the Pacific Roll. It is one of their specialty rolls with fresh crab meat, cucumber, and a mango salsa on top. It is fresh with a hint of south of the border flare.

Some of the items are a little more expensive than some of the other local restaurants, but Happy Hour is served until seven pm almost every night, saving you money.

Next time you are visiting Southern California, make sure to stop in at RA at Dos Logos…you won’t regret it!

I have attached the directions and a link to their Corona location. Enjoy!

RA 06.11.2016-3RA 06.112016-2

Written By:  Ask Ms Mandi

Photograph By:  Ask Ms Mandi

Copyright June 11, 2016

THE LOST DIARY OF JANE DOE

08 Wednesday Jun 2016

Posted by in Authors of the Week, The Lost Diary of Jane Doe

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THE LOST DIARY OF JANE DOE:

Mt Whitney Labor Day 2014

Sometimes I sit on the beach watching the world go by,
wondering why I feel the emptiness I do.

Shouldn’t someone only feel sad if they had just cause to do so,
or does our mind play tricks on us.

Is there actually something out there that justifies such feelings,
sometimes I wonder.

Perhaps our conscious mind does not allow us to see all that we can see,
but our hearts can’t help but feel.

However, if there is no cause,
how sad would that leave us.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi

Copyright: February 10, 1994

Apple Pie bread

06 Monday Jun 2016

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TwinDays

Apple pie bakeDelicious apple pie bread

Its been a while that we posted a recipe on our blog, but of course in the meantime we didn’t sit still  and we have been baking! So for the next few weeks  we are trying to post them!  This recipe, is  really delicious and easy to make. Like you guys are used from us simple but yum to eat 😀 We love these kind of recipes. While surfing we came across this apple pie bread. And we would like to share it with you!

Lets start!

Ingredients

2 pack of dough in a can ( You can also use cinnamon roll dough or if you have more time you can make your own dough)
2 apples (any kind)
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cinnamon
cinnamon for sprinkeling the dough
1 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to…

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