L.J. Holmes

L.J. Holmes
In her many Guises.

Monday, September 20, 2010

LJ HOLMES PRESENTS DOUBLE THE TROUBLE by Roseanne Dowell

Returning home is never easy, especially when you leave after being jilted two days before the altar so he could skip out to Las Vegas, and everyone around you is wearing that long in the face, "Oh you poor girl" expression that makes you just want to SCREAM!
Of course if I had actually done that, despite the provocation, they would have had me carted away by the men in white coats, with me wearing the latest in PSYCHO design-wear...
...so not my style...I chose the alternative. I kept the scream inside, packed myself up and left Twinsburg, Ohio behind for Clyde, Ohio and a new life.

Five years now have passed. Returning to Twinsburg has every nerve ending inside me rattled, but I have vowed I can do this. I've been a successful florist in Clyde but home called me like an aching tooth you just have to keep poking at, so I am about to open my own shop...

...in the town that I turned my back on all those years ago. I'm much, much stronger now, I hope, and if God is on my side, my creepy ex is still playing games in Las Vegas.

The Fates are nasty pieces don't you know...


Here I am wishing my scumbag ex is still playing with the slot machines out there in the desert, but of course he's here, and a cop...Not that I care. I am SOOOO over him...well, except maybe wishing he'd languish in the lower levels of hell, and my heart skipping a beat or two when I see him? Well hate has its side effects.

Getting settled into town took all my energies, thankfully. All was going along as I'd planned...despite the scumbag being back in Twinsburg until I went to the cemetery...
...visiting my Aunt Kate's Grave. I don't especially like cemeteries, but I loved my aunt and, and, it had been five years since my last visit. Talking myself into putting one foot before the next, I slowly inched ever closer...
...towards the mausoleum...morbid places mausoleums...I was almost on top of the darned place when that scream I wanted to let loose all those years ago rent the air...

There aren't supposed to be dead bodies OUTSIDE the secured places within the mausoleum, and I was not at all happy to be the one to find the over exposed dead body.

Life was about to get very complicated, I decided wildly, when the police car came to a stop some time later, minutes, hours? I couldn't be sure, and my scummy ex disembarked from the cruiser's interior.

Curses to those danged fangled Fates.

Double the Trouble a brand new story from Roseanne Dowell, cover by the incomparable Award Winning Muse Publishing Cover Art Goddess Delilah K. Stephans is about to be released by:




Muse It Up Publishing in May, 2011. To learn more follow Roseanne on her website:
blog:
and check out the Muse It Up Website and Blog too.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Muse It Up Publishing Oktoberfest Get Together

Originally this blog was to be about the October 1st debut of Muse It Up Publishing and the release of six of our incredible books, but Lea likes to keep everyone on their toes, authors, our Cover Art Goddess, Delilah Stephans, and our amazingly generous editors, and believe me that is exactly what she did. Six of our Rocking the World books debuted on September 10th...quietly, like a sonic boom...




...leaving me in an Octoberfest quandary, but not for long, because Lea Schizas, the far more energetic leader of Muse than any battery powered bunny...

...could ever hope to be, had so much more in store for one and all. Our surprise launch set the publishing world on fire, but now we are approaching the original release date of October 1st and the ringing in of Muse's first ever Oktoberfest.


Those of you out there, know what comes to mind when you think of the word OKTOBERFEST...

...about the same thing as my beloved brother Eric, a retired Lt. Colonel with the Army Corps of Engineers, and a genuine hero, but Eric scours the world looking for that perfect lager...and you can tell by his blissful grin he may just have found it in of all places, the birthplace OF Oktoberfest...


Germany!

Come the beginning of October, Eric and his beautiful wife also host their very own Oktoberfest, with a mountain flare. They're gearing up for this years fest as I post this...


...but Muse It Up Publishing has something totally different in mind...

...From the very first day of October through till the last, Muse wants to share with one and all, what Halloween means to us be they stories, recipes and/or photos of the authors in costume for you, our readers to get to know the persons behind the printed words.

Prizes, surprises, games and more...and yes, I do confess, that is me with our "witch" cat. Okay, I also admit, Seamist wasn't terribly impressed with posing or the hat, but sometimes we all have to make sacrifices for the greater good.

Our incredible leader, Lea Schizas will be the first Muser appearing live...well as live as one can appear on the Muse Blog Spot. So mark your calendars now! October 1, 2011.

I am going to be appearing on the Muse It Up Oktoberfest blog on October 9th and have THREE, yep that's THREE new posting for you that will go up throughout my day...so mark your calendar for that date too...


...Okay, okay, stop bellowing. I can just about hear your voice your lrcturing one about a haunted house, another about Halloween gone awry, and finally...well, I think I'll just keep you guessing on what that may be...



...and keep watching the Muse It Up Readers Group and Muse It Up's Website for more clues and direct information about all the exciting things Lea and her equally intrepid partner Marketing Director Litsa Kamateros have in store for all.

Just follow the link below to our readers group
 http://ca.groups.yahoo.com/group/MusePub_Readers/

And click on this LINK TOO for the Muse It Up Publishing Website.

And to all, have a fantastic Oktoberfest and a Safe Halloween just like my brother, Braveheart Eric, does!

~Building the Team to Achieve the Dream~

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Muse It Up Publishing's Debut Rocks The World!

Muse It Up Publishing has ROCKED the world!

Without fanfare, just a tweet, a treat, and some sweet reading heat, Muse OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED today...and Oh My God!!!!...SUCCESS has exploded out of...
...Canada.

With the Muse It Up Bookstore now officially open, and the steady buzz Lea Schizas, Publisher and Litsa Kamateros, Marketing Director have put out there over the past ten months...

...Muse's "quiet" debut exploded with sales and buzz that has everyone at Muse grinning from ear to ear.

Starting With AHTABAT, by Tina Schizas...
daughter of Muse Publishing's very own Publisher...



SANTA IS A LADY by me, L.J. Holmes

BE GOOD TO YOUR ELF, by Liz Coldwell

THE BOYS UPSTAIRS by Jane Lebak
THE ENCHANTED BATHROOM by Liam Stalls
And  FOR THE LOVE OF REI by Tigra Luna LeMar

...we celebrate Muse's amazing OFFICIAL LAUNCH...


Don't you just LOVE celebrating?

I know WE do.
In fact...we love celebrating sooooo much...


...we don't mean to stop...and with January 1st right around the corner, we don't have to.
 We at the Muse It Up Family, are proud to bring to you even more wonderful tales...prizes...games...and partying. So check the Muse Website often and follow the Muse December Daily Posting Celebration by authors, publisher, and some really deliciously entertaining guest hosts over at the Muse Blog



Thank you all for making our "colorful"

launch, loud enough to rock the world.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

An Extraordinary Person, My Friend, My Sister, My Idol

The New Covey Awards Have been announced.





And The Winner Is ...
MOST ARTISTIC COVER

July 2010 - Congratulations to Emily and Delilah for their winning entry, The Oak King's Daughter.


Most Artistic Cover - This was selected by the Covey Judges as the cover that best combined art and design.

Title: The Oak King's Daughter
Author: Emily Pikkasso
Cover Artist: Delilah K Stephens
Genre: Fantasy Romance/Naughty but Nice



Delilah we at Muse Publishing are so lucky to have you our very own COVER ART GODDESS.
I am deeply honored to present this tribute and showcase of excellence that makes me inordinately proud to be one of the 57 EXCEPTIONAL Muse covers you have already produced. Plus the extra one you did for our Publisher's book with another publisher...and all done since you came on board March 16, 2010. For those of you doing the math that is 58 stunning covers in only 170 days, while also taking college classes as a returning adult.



Now, let me add here that there are some days when You, Delilah produce FOUR covers in one day alone. HOW you do it...Lord I wish I knew...but I know I have heard other others say it takes weeks, months even to get the covers for their books.



Let's have a gander at the gallery of what makes you, Delilah K. Stephans, award winning Cover Artist, so special...



...so much incredible detail goes into each work of ingenious art...


...clues to the story are masterfully portrayed for the discerning eye...


...mystery, suspense, romance, fantasy...



...paranormal, general, sci-fi...


...history, sweet romance, fiery and erotic...

...young adult...horror...dark romance...

...Time travel..space travel...alternate realities...

...amazing places...amazing worlds...amazing creatures...
...amazing people...amazing times...amazing creations...
Delilah you, bring them all to vibrant, beautiful life...

...over and over again, in this world, that world, our world, their world, and beneath known worlds...

...where the sun shines, storms crash, and seas churn expressively...

...you can bring flames to vibrant life with ease...

...and give Santa that girlish wink beneath the mistletoe...
...wolves bow to Delilah the Goddess of Cover Art...

...and elves? Oh my, do their toes curl before our Goddess Dee...


...Even the turbulent eye of Nature's worst, gives homage to The Goddess Delilah...

...as we joyously follow where your talent takes us, be it into galaxies we'll see only through your talented perspective...



...or passion that scorches our retinas onward...


...leaving us with hearts beating madly...

...and emotions we have no sane name for...

...ominous somethings hinted right there...

...and others that promise more than mere care...

...Mystery covers that make us ask questions...
...others that wrench with the depth of expression...
...emotions so many, and all of them here...

...no matter the age, no matter the year...

...Our Goddess Delilah reads us so well...

...creates our heavens and our horrible hells...

...interrelations that cross all boundaries...

...and some that suggest new boundaries...

...sultry promise of taboo things......and hints of what makes fears start stirring...

...darkest demons, human and not...
...playful things that hit the spot...

...tantalizing times and cultures collide...

...on Our Goddess' delightful visual ride...

...Hints of tomorrow and yesterday as one...

...and here you made two together no longer alone...

...Double the Trouble not for you dear Dee...
...from here to Greece, you make it a breeze...
...making Godship, for us, a spectacular view..
...no matter the diversity of what we the authors give you...

...Our Muse It Up Goddess calmly comes through...

...over and over, and over again...

...thank you, Dear Goddess, Delilah, your award is deserved...

...and just the first of tons more to come...


...you give us perfection, and we are grateful to you...

...whether we have one, or like me, four so far...

...each one a precious work of art I cherish...

...and drool over those for my brother and sister authors as well...

...The GALLERY OF EXCELLENCE...

...Delilah's Portfolio of incadescence...

...Muse It Up Publishing's Badges of Supremacy...


BUT despite doing 58 book covers since Delilah was hired by Muse It Up Publishing's Publisher, Lea Schizas to HEAD the Cover Art Department on March 16, 2010, Lea has also done the following cover for our Publisher and Our Marketing Director Litza Kamateros.


See, Delilah, you are INDEED our cherished COVER ART GODDESS her at Muse It Up Publishing.

And Delilah, CONGRATULATIONS on the FIRST on MANY awards to come.

LOVE YOU SO MUCH MY GODDESS.