Sunday, October 30, 2016

FREE eBook on Halloween, My Favorite Halloween Poem: Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley

Hello and Welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog!
Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
A handsome detective, a shadow man, 
and a murder victim 
kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life.

I have a delightful, non-fattening treat for you on October 31, Halloween! My romantic suspense, Deadly Undertaking, is FREE on Amazon! Grab your copy before you head out to your Halloween party or play those tricks--like turning over outhouses! My publisher, Books We Love, believes this e-book is the perfect read for the holiday because the setting is the Staab-Blood Funeral Home haunted by a shadow man, Henry. 
BUY LINKS:



At this special time of the year, I'm also sharing my favorite Halloween poem below.
Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley. BOO!!
Happy Halloween from J.Q. Rose
I loved reading this to my third grade class every year. You know how experts tell us not to write too much dialect in our stories? I guess in the 1800's Riley didn't care. The language makes the poem, I'd say. But what's even more fun is to read it out loud. Your tongue needs to twist and turn to negotiate through the words, so read it a few times to train it. Try it. Can you do it without laughing? Enjoy!

 Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley
Poem found at All Poetry Website

.  Little Orphant Annie's come to our house to stay, 
    An' wash the cups an' saucers up, an' brush the crumbs away, 
    An' shoo the chickens off the porch, an' dust the hearth, an' sweep, 
    An' make the fire, an' bake the bread, an' earn her board-an'-keep; 
    An' all us other childern, when the supper-things is done, 
    We set around the kitchen fire an' has the mostest fun 
    A-list'nin' to the witch-tales 'at Annie tells about, 
    An' the Gobble-uns 'at gits you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out! 
    Wunst they wuz a little boy wouldn't say his prayers, — 
    An' when he went to bed at night, away up-stairs, 
    His Mammy heerd him holler, an' his Daddy heerd him bawl, 
    An' when they turn't the kivvers down, he wuzn't there at all! 
    An' they seeked him in the rafter-room, an' cubby-hole, an' press, 
    An' seeked him up the chimbly-flue, an' ever'-wheres, I guess; 
    But all they ever found wuz thist his pants an' roundabout: — 
    An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out! 
    An' one time a little girl 'ud allus laugh an' grin, 
    An' make fun of ever' one, an' all her blood-an'-kin; 
    An' wunst, when they was "company," an' ole folks wuz there, 
    She mocked 'em an' shocked 'em, an' said she didn't care! 
    An' thist as she kicked her heels, an' turn't to run an' hide, 
    They wuz two great big Black Things a-standin' by her side, 
    An' they snatched her through the ceilin' 'fore she knowed what she's about! 
    An' the Gobble-uns 'll git you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out! 
    An' little Orphant Annie says, when the blaze is blue, 
    An' the lamp-wick sputters, an' the wind goes woo-oo! 
    An' you hear the crickets quit, an' the moon is gray, 
    An' the lightnin'-bugs in dew is all squenched away, — 
    You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear, 
    An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear, 
    An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about, 
    Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you 
      Ef you 
        Don't 
          Watch 
            Out!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!! from J.Q. Rose

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Halloween Storytime Blog Hop: Sorry by J.Q. Rose, Free eBook


Logo Credit: Katharina Gerlach
Founded 2015 by students of “How To Think Sideways: Career Survival School for Writer’s,” 
writing course created by writer and teacher Holly Lisle.
Hello and Welcome to the Storytime Blog Hop! Be prepared to laugh, cry, scream, shiver, and have fun. You'll find lots of stories and I'm sure, many scary ones because it IS Halloween time! Are you ready? Enjoy.

An "Old-fashioned" Robot
Photo by Robin Zebrowski @ Flikr

Sorry by J.Q. Rose

“Barbie, I need more coffee.” Joanne held her cup up in the air without taking her eyes away from the news on the thin i-screen in her hand.
            In a flash, Barbie, the new robot, heels clicking on the stone floor, moved to the table, took the cup, and filled it to the brim.
            Joanne frowned. “Don’t fill it that full. I need to add cream and sugar and there’s no room for it with so much liquid in the cup. Dump it out in the sink, and don’t fill it to the top of the cup.”  Breaking in a new robot was such a chore. Trying to cover all the tasks needed to be done as well as teaching them human feelings was overwhelming.
“Wait.” Taking the full cup from Barbie’s beautifully manicured hand, she sipped a bit of coffee off the top, dropped the cup and whooshed the coffee out of her mouth. “Ohhhh, that’s burning hot,” she spluttered. Her face twisted in pain from her scorched lips and burnt tongue. Joanne grabbed a glass of apple juice to cool off her mouth.
Looking at Barbie through watery eyes, she said, “Dammit. Here I am trying to help you out so you won’t spill the coffee on the floor all the way to the sink, but instead I burned my mouth.” Her voice pitched up higher and louder.
            “That must give you a lot of pain?” Barbie frowned with the correct programmed look of concern on her face.
            Joanne wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks. “Yes, you bet your sweet ass. It gives me a lot of pain.”
            Barbie asked, “Excuse me. What is a sweet ass? A nice donkey?”
            “Oh never mind.” She pointed her finger at Barbie’s voluptuous chest and jabbed the air with each word. “Remember, when you hurt someone, you always say ‘sorry.’ Got that?”
            “Okay. Sorry. Now I know not to fill the cup to the top. I should leave room enough for a teaspoon of cream?”
            “That’ll be good.”
            “Good morning, everyone.” Joanne’s husband entered the kitchen pod sharply dressed in his uniform. “How’s it going?” He settled himself in the ergonomic chair custom-fit to his tall, thin frame.
            “Not so good. I can’t understand why in 2036 the Artificial Intelligence Machine is not more advanced. After over thirty years of development, you’d think they’d be able to program in more common sense.”
 He flashed his sparkling blue eyes at Joanne and she had to smile. “You know it takes months to teach our robot helpers what they need to know to do their jobs around here.” He patted her hand. “Be patient.”
Joanne caught Barbie watching them when she looked across the room. The robot didn’t flinch with embarrassment when caught eavesdropping. “Make a note on teaching Barbie she is not to interfere with our personal lives,” she said.
When Joanne glanced back at Barbie, she questioned again why the robot had the shape of a gorgeous model. Joanne’s temper flared seeing her husband googly-eyed checking out Barbie’s slender ass and long legs. The tight white blouse and navy blue shorts hugged her body in just the right places.
Was the look on his face because he was proud of his company’s development of these new and improved machines from the pioneering years when robots were made of metal ducts and put together with bolts? Sure they were now amazing human-like figures that were a thousand times smarter and more mobile, not to mention sexier. No, that look was not one of pride. More like leering at the gorgeous body. Shaking her head, she felt ashamed she was actually jealous of a machine.
            “Barbie, you got some hot coffee for me?”
            “Yes, sir. Right away.” The dazzling smile Barbie gave to her husband made Joanne’s stomach turn over. “Do you need room in your cup for cream and sugar,” she asked in a sweet lilting voice. 
            After breakfast, Joanne stood up and hugged her husband grinding her body against his. The deep, lingering kiss should be something he’d remember at work at the A.I. Network division of the Rangers. “I’ll be home early tonight.” His eyebrows rose all the way to the top of his forehead and she smiled. He pinched her on the butt before he left.
            Joanne turned around to see Barbie watching her.  “When you aren’t assigned a task, you can find something to do like empty the dish bin and put away the dishes and silverware.” She motioned to the cabinets. “The knives and the spatula go in that drawer.”    
Pushing her dirty plate, used napkin and silver away from her space, Joanne sat back down at the table and began reading her i-screen again. She took a sip of coffee and spit it back into the cup. “Dammit, Barbie. This coffee is cold. Make another pot of coffee now.”
            “Okay. Excuse me. What is a spatula?” Her pleasant expression agitated Joanne. She threw down the cup and screen on the table and marched over to the dish bin. Calling on all of her willpower, she didn’t slap that doll face with the big blue innocent eyes and pull her long blonde hair. “Here,” she said pulling the red spatula out of the bin. “This is a spatula!” She waved the kitchen tool in front of Barbie’s nose. Reaching into the bin again, she yelled, “This is a butcher knife! Okay?”
            “Yes, now I know what a spatula is and what a butcher knife is.” She turned away from Joanne and pushed the button on the coffee maker.
            Thoughts of murdering the robot pulsed through Joanne’s brain. Can you murder a robot? All she would have to do is pull the power pack.
            Get a grip. She’s a machine. She placed her hands at her temples and massaged them deeply to help her calm down.
            Joanne heard the heels clicking on the stone floor as Barbie approached. “Here’s your coffee,” she said. As Joanne turned her head to check how full the cup was filled, Barbie poured the entire pot of scalding hot coffee on top of her.
            Joanne screamed in pain as the burning liquid coursed into her eyes and scalded her face and neck.
            “Sorry,” Barbie said and turned on her heel to finish unloading the dish bin.
           
 # # # #
Thank you for stopping in for the Storytime Blog Hop. 
photo credit Alexas_Fotos at Pixaby.com
Happy Halloween 
Storytime Blog Hop
October 27, 2016
Click the links below to read more stories by blog hop writers.
Participants:
Elise VanCise Lady In The Woods 
Barbara Lund Spooky Space 
Angela Wooldridge Quiet Neighbours 
Katharina Gerlach Australian Dream 
Karen Lynn The Waves at Midnight 
Sherri Conway Ants 
Canis Lupus The Picture 
Bill Bush Trapped 
Benjamin Thomas Autumn Cascade 
Crystal Collier Emily’s Ghost 
Viola Fury 911 
Juneta Key Shiny People
C. Lee McKenzie Beautiful 
Erica Damon Penance'


Looking for a romantic suspense for a Halloween read? 
How about one that takes place in a funeral home

It's FREE on Halloween, October 31, on Amazon!

Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
A handsome detective, a shadow man, 
and a murder victim kill Lauren’s plan for a simple life.
           
           
Back of the Book: Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose
Lauren Staab knew there would be dead bodies when she returned home. After all, her family is in the funeral business, Staab and Blood Funeral Home. Still, finding an extra body on the floor of the garage between the hearse and the flower car shocked her. Lauren’s plan to return to her hometown to help care for her mother and keep the books for the funeral home suddenly turns upside down in a struggle to prove she and her family are not guilty of murdering the man. But will the real killer return for her, her dad, her brother? Her mother’s secrets, a killer, a handsome policeman, and a shadow man muddle up her intention to have a simple life. 
Welcome home, Lauren!

BUY LINKS:

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Announcing a New Release: Cling to God: A Daily Devotional by Lynda R. Young

Hello and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog! 

I'm thrilled to announce the Freedom Fox Press new release of a daily devotional by my Insecure Writers Support Group buddy, Lynda R. Young. The information about this daily devotional, Cling to God, is below. Take a peek.


Cling to God: A Daily Devotional
by Lynda R Young
Cling to God in the chaos of life
Cling to God: A Daily Devotional.
by Lynda R Young

Back of the BookCling to God is a book of devotionals for every day of the year. The aim is to encourage Christians in their faith, to help them think about their beliefs and learn more about God. 


The devotions are short and inspirational so that people with busy lifestyles will still be able to spend time with the Lord each day. It will appeal to a wide Christian audience, to those new in their faith as well as those matured beyond milk and honey.


Make this the year you draw nearer to God with an inspiring start to your day or a peaceful time at the end of the day. 

Buy Link: 
Amazon US paperback edition

Amazon US Kindle edition

Nook

B&N

Kobo

ITunes

Author Lynda R. Young





About Lynda:
Lynda R Young writes devotionals, articles, and speculative short stories. In her spare time she is also an editor, game developer, artist, and dabbles in photography and all things creative. She lives in Australia with her sweetheart of a husband. 
You can find her here: BlogTwitterFacebookGoodreads


* * *

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Armchair Travel:The Gilmore Car Museum

Vintage Hearse at the Gilmore Car Museum
Hello and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog!


A handsome detective,
a shadow man,
and a murder victim kill
Lauren’s plan for a simple life
Available at Amazon
Are you wondering why I put an old hearse at the top of the page? Well, in case you didn't know it, my family was in the funeral business. Growing up as a funeral director's daughter, I had plenty of fodder to write a mystery that takes place in a funeral home! Deadly Undertaking was so much fun to write drawing upon my experience. Readers enjoy the twists and humor I wove into this quirky murder story set in an unusual location. Having funeral director brothers for resources was a bonus! Thank you Jim and John. 

I found this gorgeous old hearse at the Gilmore Car Museum near Kalamazoo, Michigan. If you live near the area or if you have time to take a day off, please make the trip to visit this amazing place. From my video, you'll see it isn't a stuffy old museum full of dinosaur cars. My daughter was delighted she came along and of course, my grandsons and son-in-law were in heaven seeing all the cars and engines.


The museum's mission is "to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret the history of transportation in America; to connect people with the heritage and social impact of the automobile; and to provide an understanding of the past, embrace the present, and imagine the future."


They certainly deliver on their mission displaying "Ford Model A's to Cadillacs, Pierce-Arrows to Duesenbergs, Studebaker to Chevrolet, and more." 


Even if you aren't a car buff, I think you'll appreciate the beauty and art work of these magnificent vehicles. Here are just a few of the models we saw and appreciated.


Now relax and enjoy a short video I made when we visited the museum in September with our daughter and her family.


You Tube VIDEO: A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo, Michigan

You Tube VIDEO: A Stroll Through the Gilmore Car Museum, Kalamazoo, Michigan


Check out the earlier blog post I wrote about the museum here.
Do you love the old cars? What's your favorite? Please leave a comment below. Thank you.



Wednesday, October 5, 2016

IWSG Blog Hop: When is Your Story Ready?

Hello and welcome to the monthly meeting of the 
Insecure Writers Support Group(IWSG) blog hop! 

Internet Writers Support Group Blog Hop
First Wednesday of every month.
What is IWSG? Founder of the  Insecure Writer’s Support Group and author Alex J Cavanaugh explains the group's purpose is "to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!" You're invited to become a member of this supportive group.

The group blogs the first Wednesday of every month.  The list of bloggers is always available so you can hop around to the author blogs filled with humor, advice, and thought-provoking topics on writing and publishing. You can find the list of participants at Alex's IWSG page.
IWSG Question for the Month

IWSG Question for October IWSG Blog Hop:  When do you know your story is ready?

The truthful answer to that question is, "I never think my story is ready. Never even sure if it's ready for my writer's group to critique, beta readers to read, publisher to decide to accept." 
Red rose--I love roses, hence my pen name J.Q. Rose

But the more I write, the more comfortable I feel in submitting it. I remember when learning to be a floral designer, I never knew when the design was done. Too few flowers or too many? Tall enough, low enough? Big enough to make the customer happy with what she spent on the arrangement? Colors work together? But after working every day on designs, I developed an "eye" for it. 


I think the more I write, the better I can judge if I have truly told the story in a clear, interesting, perhaps intriguing way. Then I'll know if it's ready to leave the safety of my word doc file and share it with a reader.

# # #
Just a reminder that YOU truly are AWESOME!

Thanks for stopping by!


Insecure Writers Support Group (IWSG) Blog Post: Now About That AI! #IWSGbloghop

  Insecure Writers Support Group Blog Hop #IWSGbloghop What is the Insecure Writer's Support Group? Founded by author   Alex J. Cavanaug...

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