Real Friends...On Imaginary Friends...

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 35 Comments

I never had a pretend friend, but I still wanted to be a part of Annalisa Crawford's Imaginary Friend blog hop; co-host Kyra Lennon. Sooo, I asked some live friends...on Facebook...to help me out. And this is what we came up with!

Proof! A portrait of an imaginary friend.
photo credit

Coyote: Hello blogosphere!! I’m Coyote Blitzed.

Crowd claps…

Coyote: I’m here today, in this public forum, to discuss a very important topic. Dramatic pause.  The growing trend of imaginary friends gone bad!

Audience gasps. Coyote feigns chest pain.

Coyote: They start as friendly childhood companions; harmless and cute…but like a puppy that turns into a rabid junk yard dog…these “friends” are trouble.

Pan to audience…show shocked, wide eyes.

Coyote: I’ve gathered together a panel…some are victims, some witnesses, but all are here to force you to believe that imaginary friends have to be dealt with.

Shakes head at audience, then moves to his first panel member of Facebook posters.

Coyote: Tam…might I call you Tam?

Tam: Of course.

Coyote: Tell me, have you met an IF, or imaginary friend?

Tam: Yes, my kids…they have this mermaid friend who causes trouble and …

Coyote: Your kids? Innocent children lead astray by a freak of nature?

Tam: I don’t know that I would…

Coyote: You’re right…freak is unkind…this aberration of nature…leading children astray. Let me ask Ms. Kramer…turns to next lady on the panel…Belinda, may I call you that?

Belinda: Sure.

Coyote: Belinda, you had an IF yourself right?

Belinda: Yes, her name was Hunny and she was kind…and I got a doll that looked just like her and it freaked my parents a little.

Coyote: So, before there was Chuckie, Hunny was terrorizing people? Sad, truly sad. And no one did anything about it?

Belinda: Well, uh, by freaked I meant…

Coyote: I know what you meant…hard to place labels on such horrors.

Belinda: No, I…

Coyote moves on…

Coyote: Linell Jeppsen and Cathy Lascow…you ladies have a theory…that this is an only child curse.

Linell and Cathy: Well, I don't know that we said curse…

Coyote: I know, it’s hard to comprehend, but thank you for trying. Coyote moves on down the panel.

Ms. Caseman…your tale…a bit horrifying.

Kelli: No, not horrifying…

Coyote: Your niece enslaved an IF?

Kelli: I wouldn’t say enslaved per se, more like used her as a servant.

Coyote: And that’s all right with you? Such insensitivity for another living creature, though no doubt the IF brought it on itself.

Kelli: It’s imaginary; not living.

Coyote: Oh Ms. Caseman we could argue all day about when life begins, but this is a panel on IFs…please, I must move on. I want to speak with Jennifer Wright and Martha Clark, both had daughters who were plagued by IFs.

Martha: I thought it was cute…his name was Fonzi and my daughter would shush him in church. Martha giggles

Coyote: So disrespecting God and other worshipers is cute? Martha turns red and begins to speak, but Coyote has moved on. Mrs. Wright, your older daughter had an IF that threatened and abused her little sister, right?

Jennifer W: Are you freaking insane?

Coyote: Mam, this panel isn’t interested in discussing my possible psychiatric issues, we’re trying to solve a serious social problem here.

Jennifer W: I think you’re full of… security drags Jennifer off stage.

Coyote: Lisa Regan and Ashley Chappell! You’re both writers…open minded and enlightened…wouldn’t you agree with me?

Ashley: I liked my IF. His name was Jerry and he lived under a toad stool.

Lisa: And mine was a fox named Red. How could he be bad?

Coyote rolls eyes and shakes head. Toad stool? An obvious subliminal nudge toward drug use. And a fox named Red? A sly little communist? Hmmm?

Ashley and Lisa shake their heads as if confused.

Sarah Robinson: Excuse me sir. I had an IF. His name was Big Chief and he was never a problem. My mother even set a place for him at the dinner table. He was like family.

Coyote: Perhaps he never caused trouble  because you placated and waited on him?

Sarah turns red. Her mike is shut off and Coyote moves on.

Coyote: Ah, Jackie Auenson, didn’t your IF make you ride in the trunk?

Jackie: No, we rode together in the luggage area for fun.

Coyote: Hmmm…carbon monoxide from the exhaust…doesn’t sound like fun to me. How about you, Jennifer Miller, didn’t your IF steal your puppy?

Jennifer M: Huh? My dad got me a puppy to make me forget Bulba, not…

Coyote: I think we all get the gist. Looks at his watch. We are almost out of time, but we have to take a minute to speak with Dawn Meyers…Dawn, you were witness to some serious IF bizarreness, right?

Dawn: sniffles, closes eyes a moment then says: My sister, Maranda. She was plagued with IFs. A whole gang of them, called gargoonies. They were bad boys and girls that had to carried in separate parts of her purse. One day…Dawn lets out a sob…one day, they got out and…and they killed each other in the Pizza Hut parking a lot. Dawn cries. Coyote hands her a hankie and turns to audience.

Coyote: In the end, that is what it comes to…

Coyote's final monologue is interrupted as Cassie Mae swoops in. She's packing a magic wand and  lays a quick "Imaginarius Completus" spell on Coyote and he turns instantly to a stuffed pup.

 Cassie Mae: Forget the IFs...keep it real! Chest bumps to the stuffed animals!





Belinda Kramer

The Accomplices!!!

Tam Long (and son Rhen)











Linell Jeppsen

Cathy Lascow






























Martha Clark

Kelli Caseman







Lisa Regan







Jennifer Wright and Alli






Sarah Robinson



Ashley Chappell











Jennifer Miller

Jackie Aueson









Cassie Mae


Dawn Myers

35 comments:

The Post About Me...and Some Friends

10:19 PM Elizabeth Seckman 60 Comments

Today I'm headed to Rachel Schieffelbein's to talk romance.
(On a side note....Schieffellbein makes a great curse word! Oh holy schieffelbein...works great!)

And be sure to visit Livia Peterson...we're talking movies.



Blogfest! Brought to you by:
Stephen Tremp
Mark Koopmans
Elise Falllson
C.M. Brown


A blog fest where I tell you about myself.
Again.
Unless this is your first time here...
then well HI!!! I'm Elizabeth and I'm awesome...
now click the follow button and stick around.

For return peeps...
let me make a confession:

I am boring.
I never dream of sky diving or mountain climbing.
I am content to read a good book.
On the bright side,
I suppose that makes me stable...
so stable I am inert.

See you at the library ;)

60 comments:

Summer + Writing

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 10 Comments


Today I'm heading back across the Atlantic to visit with the fabulous Annalisa Crawford

My great-great grandmother was a Brit. We could be cousins...just sayin'. 


photo credit: gavjof via photopin cc

10 comments:

A Trip Across the Pond and to the Silver Screen!

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 7 Comments

This little guy says, "Oi, I could be a star!"


Today the blog tour is headed to England to visit Kyra Lennon.  Kyra left the prompt up to me...so what do you think was my first thought?

And then I'm headed over to Wisconsin to chat with  Kelley Lynn about cold...what else!


Remember to check out the HEALING SUMMER blog tour page HERE: vote for your favorite blog prompt and sign up for the cash give away and the free autographed books. 


photo credit: KeizGoesBoom via photopin cc

7 comments:

Double Trouble!!!

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 3 Comments

Today I'm  hanging with Cassie Mae...and we're grilling bad boy Craig Coulter and making him tell us...What's up with the attitude, dude?

Then I'm going to head on over to Trisha's so we can talk ideas...where do they come from and how do I get them?

So, follow me to the magic links and we'll go visit some fantabulous ladies!!!

The Way to Cassie Mae's

Don't Wanna Miss Ya, so Come on to Trisha's!

3 comments:

Doing Another Threesome?

2:13 AM Elizabeth Seckman 24 Comments

Now are those threes natural or photo-shopped?

Unlike this little cutie...we're not slowing down! We're moving at a lightning pace!

Today I'm invading 3, count them...1, 2, 3 blogs again!
First stop: Carrie Butler wants to know about "Strength"
Second up: Lisa Regan...who asked, "Which character is your favorite character and why?
and the final stop of the day: Tammy Theriault who started a battle royal over the imaginary casting!


Remember to check out the HEALING SUMMER blog tour page HERE: vote for your favorite blog prompt and sign up for the cash give away and the free autographed books 

photo credit: krossbow via photopin cc

24 comments:

Werewolves and Notes, Oh My!

7:24 AM Elizabeth Seckman 12 Comments


Blog tour is rolling on again. Heading over to Medeia Shariff's to explain how I figured out I was dating a paranormal creature. Confession time guys!!!

Then stop by one of my sweetest writer friends, Jay Mims, as we share some songs fit for a road trip. I may hang there all day listening to some of my favorite tunes and reminiscing about warm days gone by!

Remember to check out the HEALING SUMMER blog tour page HERE: vote for your favorite blog prompt and sign up for the cash give away and the free autographed books photo credit: seagers via photopin cc

12 comments:

Tough Girl

7:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 26 Comments


Let me get the blog tour bizness out of the way fast...'cause Use Your Words has a visitor today!!

The HEALING SUMMER blog tour is heading north and south. Posting from Alabama is Ashley Chappell and she wants to know..."What's it like working for the man?"
And live (or scheduled) from New York, is Jessie Andersen and she provided the prompt: "Family".

Now, I am excited to bring you Libby Heily!! 

I just finished reading Libby's book, "Tough Girl" this weekend and I can honestly say...this book is exactly why I like to read self-pubbed books. I'm going to rip an analogy from Forest Gump just so we can keep this post moving and get on to Libby...self-pubbed is like a box of chocolates. All kinds of flavors and surprises. Sure sometimes you grab a coconut one and you hate coconut, but other times, it's a caramel melt-away and it makes you go, "Mmm," and then you have to eat four more trying to find another. 

"Tough Girl" is a caramel melt-away. This book was anything but a light, brain shrinking read. It's laden with rich characters and symbolism. It was like S.E. Hinton's "Outsiders" only poor Reggie has no food and her best friend is imaginary.

Bravo Ms. Heily! 
Now entertain me...all the talk of chocolate has me looking for a snack.

Thanks for letting me drop by Elizabeth!  I'm so excited to be a guest on your blog! (My pleasure!!)

I thought today we could discuss an odd side effect I had from writing this novel.

Why I Gained Weight Writing Tough Girl
Here's lookin' at you Lib.

I'm not a light woman.  Never have been, never will be.  Even when I'm trim, exercise frequently and eat well, I still weigh between 140 and 150 pounds.  Just how I'm made.  So I wasn't exactly surprised that long hours writing in front of a computer led to a weight gain of twenty pounds.

But it wasn't just sitting for extended periods that did it, though anyone who has had an office job can attest to the fact that inactivity isn't great for weight loss.  No, I gained the weight for the same reason I crave a beer whenever I watch a movie about alcoholism.  I experience sympathy cravings.  My need to eat is motivated by my brain way more than my belly.

Reggie, the eleven-year old main character of Tough Girl, never has enough to eat.  She savors every bite she takes during the course of the novel because she's always on the brink of starvation.  And she feels that way from the very beginning of the novel.  She dumpster dives in the early pages, eating cold french fries and half-eaten burgers to keep her hunger pangs at bay.

Writing about a character that is starving (or close to it) can wreak havoc on your own diet.  Half an hour into writing, I would feel hungry, so I'd go and make some soup.  Then a half hour later, I'd feel the need to eat some candy and maybe a few spoonfuls of peanut butter.  The peanut butter looked lonely, so I covered it in chocolate sauce, and that turned quickly into Nutella on toast.  Within weeks of starting Tough Girl, I was snacking constantly to stave off my imaginary hunger pangs.  I'm pretty sure my daily intake of calories increased by over 1,000 calories a day. 

It took me a few months to realize what was happening, and even then, I could not stop it.  I had to write the story.  Tough Girl's been on my mind for years.  But my stomach couldn't take it.  I downed glass after glass of hot tea (a trick a formerly anorexic friend told me about, and one that Reggie uses in the novel as well) and while that helped, I still snacked at a near constant rate.

The novel has been done for months, and while I haven't lost a ton of weight, I have managed to not gain anymore.  I'm considering making my next novel about a chronic over-eater in the hopes that it inspires me to snack less often.  I've also been tempted to write about someone who never wins the lottery, just to see.  

LOL! I vote for the lottery story. Maybe I could be a minor character who wins small? I mean I wouldn't complain about winning a measly couple hundred thousand! 

Thanks for stopping by Libby, thanks fro bringing Reggie to life. I love her so much I want to adopt her. Seriously. 

Get the book for yourself on Amazon.
Follow Libby's blog Here.

26 comments:

Effervescence...

7:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 8 Comments

Another day another prompt challenge!

This one comes from Linda King of Excuse Me While I Note That Down! Linda offers up a word Effervescence. 


Remember to check out all the 


prompts, pick a favorite, and 

helpthat blogger win the boobie 

prize and the $25. And while you're

there, sign up for the $100 give away and the free books. Vote and 

Win HERE!



photo credit: dana_h79 via photopin cc

8 comments:

If You're a Liar and Ya Know, Clap Your Hands...

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 20 Comments

The tour bus is moving on and we're picking up more people.

Make room for Jeff Hargett of Strands of Pattern!! And bless Jeff's heart, he has put up with my insanity like a trooper, even sending me emails to keep me organized and on the right road.

Jeff's prompt, "People pay me to tell them lies", is up next and a big thank you to Jeff...an awesome dude.

Remember to check out all the prompts, pick a favorite, and help that blogger win the boobie prize and the $25. And while you're there, sign up for the $100 give away and the free books. Vote and Win HERE!


photo credit: Edge of Space via photopin cc

20 comments:

Triple Threat

11:31 PM Elizabeth Seckman 20 Comments

She's not your ordinary Faerie Godmother, she's the Doctor Faerie Godmother! So when you ask for a wish, she grants it...but in return she makes you think a little.

Tonja Drecker of Kidbits wants to know about Writer PMS. (It's not what you think...or is it?)

And Emily R. King wants to know about a memorable road trip. Well, besides this blog tour where I have so far...called Jeff a chick, lost Rachel's email (in my inbox), totally blanked out on Linda, and forgot to add Tonja and Emily till this morning...this road trip was memorable along the same lines!


Be sure to check out all the blog tour prompts (BY CLICKING HERE)...vote for your favorite and help that blogger win $25! And while you're there, check out the rafflecopter $100 giveaway and try for a free book!

Now, come visit me and these lovely ladies!
At Rena's by clicking HERE!!!!
At Tonja's by clicking HERE!
And at Emily's by clicking HERE!

photo credit: AlicePopkorn via photopin cc

20 comments:

Can You Believe Koopmans?! And a ShamWowY!

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 10 Comments

Mark Koopmans invited me over and then tried to stump me with a crazy prompt.

Well, few people know this, but Mark and I are twins. We were separated prior to conception and were raised on different continents, but we still share the same crazy jeans. I just look better in them.

So, when a twisted man gives a twisted gal a twisted prompt you get twisted posts.

If you want to know my answer to "Serge was a Swahili snow shovel salesman and..."
Then CLICK HERE

Scootch on over Mark...we need to squeeze another Irishman, um, I mean woman...the fabulous, flexible Morgan Shamy wants to know, "Who are the Seckmans?"

And if you want to know who your Paddy is...check out Mark's upcoming "Got Green" blog hop HERE

10 comments:

It's in the Bucket!!

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 11 Comments



PK Hrezo has invited me on over to her blog...

and asked me to bring my bucket...

the one where I toss all my hopes and dreams.

Remember to check out the HEALING SUMMER blog tour page HERE: vote for your favorite blog prompt and sign up for the cash give away and the free autographed books!

Visit me today at PK's by Clicking this magic link!

photo credit: msmail via photopin cc

11 comments:

Stop the Tour Bus!!! I Have an Announcement!

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 21 Comments

Only one thing could stop my whirlwind tour around the web...the release of an AWESOME book!!

You know I LOVE love, so I am eager to read any good tale of boy meets girl. But then I read the blurb for this story and I was head over heels!!

Check this out:

It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips. 

She’s the school’s matchmaker,’ and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with. 

But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke. 

Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.


Between you and me...my credit cards are still smoking from Christmas...but when this little gem hit the market...I clicked buy quicker than the jolly old fat man ate his cookie!

And here's where you go to buy!!!
Amazon for the Ebook
Createspace to get the paperback


Since I have mine, I'll share this:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Give Becca Anne some love:
Like her on her  Facebook Page
Befriend her on Goodreads


21 comments:

Tour Trifecta...

3:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 17 Comments

Happy wintry Monday morning!

That sentence seems about as congruent as saying, "Oh what a cute, cuddly piranha!"

Mondays stink and I vote that we end winter as soon as the Christmas lights go dark. 

Soooo...while I work on the Shorter Winter/ Quicker Spring campaign, I invite you all to enjoy some hot posts for the HEALING SUMMER blog tour to warm you up. 

And they are brought to you by this trifecta of female fun...

Welcome ladies!!! While you write, your avatars can sing!

The fabulous Angie Cothran of Live to Write, Edit When Necessary wants to know about writing pitfalls.

The heavenly Celeste Holloway of Words Done Write wants to know, "Should we tell the scaredy cats hiding out in bunkers that the world DIDN'T end and they can come out now?"

And the blogosphere's favorite redhead, Morgan Shamy ponders, "Who are the Seckmans?"

The redhead really is "out"...got an email from Morgan this morning and she's in the midst of revisions and taking a blog break. She'll be back later, so until then...send Morgan some good revision vibes and bests of luck!

This is the second week of the HEALING SUMMER blog tour. Be sure to check out all the Tour Page. There is a list of all the stops and the prompts.

*Read them 
*Pick a favorite
*Then vote in the comments

And while you're there, sign up for the $100 cash give away and the free books.

The Magical Tour Links:

Morgan Shamy

photo credit: Tiedgirl via photopin cc

17 comments:

A Haunting Question...

3:15 AM Elizabeth Seckman 0 Comments



Next stop on the blog tour? Suzy Turner's!!!

Suzy, a master of  YA  paranormal, wants to know:
  
Do I believe in ghosts?

And of course, as part of the HEALING SUMMER blog tour...whatever question or prompt they give me, I will tackle...even when it might include creepy dancing ethereal critters!

Let's go visit Suzy by 
Click the MAGIC BLOG TOUR BUTTON!


photo credit: Express Monorail via photopin cc

0 comments:

The Imaginary Sex: Tour Stop with Leigh Covington

8:28 AM Elizabeth Seckman 14 Comments

Leigh Covington!!! 

Can you believe it was the sweet, sunny Leigh who went there?!

She wants to know about the imaginary sex! 

Oooh la la Miss Leigh!!

No worry...I'm happy to dish.

So follow me again on the magical tour link and find out what I think about the literary (not literal!) sex and...eeps...what about my kids reading it?

See you over there just push the magic link.

*Be sure to CHECK HERE for the give aways (free books; free cash) and vote for your favorite blog prompt by commenting on the page. 

14 comments:

How Do Couples Make It Work?

6:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 23 Comments

My tree is still up, my house is a wreck and I have NO idea where to put all the new gifts.

But I'm not going to worry about it!

Instead, I'm heading over to Sheena-kay's for the first stop in my HEALING SUMMER blog tour.

I hope she has snacks...

Come with me...let's head on over to learn the answer to Sheena's question:

How do couples make it work?

Press the MAGIC TOUR LINK



Maybe Love, Not Time, Heals All Wounds

Ditched at the altar…biopsied for cancer…Mollie Hinkle is having a bona fide bitch of a summer. When life sucks so hard it takes your breath away, what's a girl to do? Pack a bag, grab a few friends, and leave the past and the worry in the rear view mirror. What wounds can’t be healed by a drive across the Heartland, where quarter flips at cross roads determine the route and the future? All roads lead to Craig, the second son and bad boy of the haughty Coulter line. Has fate brought her to the miniscule Montana town to find happily ever after or will it just break her heart? “Healing Summer” is the second book in the Coulter Men Series.

23 comments:

IWSG: Cheeseburgers are Paradise-- Writing is Work

11:00 PM Elizabeth Seckman 42 Comments

It’s a fresh new year! A fresh season of IWSG posts! The Insecure Writer's Support Group is hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh!

Alex is  such a sneaky web ninja, many forget he has some truly amazing books you can buy and read! Buy his books HERE or check out posts from other insecure writers HERE on the IWSG page.

It's also the time to make resolutions and break them and then feel like an insecure loser!!!

Yay!!!

 What no Yay?

You don’t like to fail?

 Good to hear!! Now, let’s talk goals. And reality.

 Every year I swear I am going to get skinny. I swear off junk food, the couch, the Diet Coke, the crack (just seeing if you’re actually reading!) only to find that all paths lead back to cheeseburgers. Problem is: I don’t truly give a damn about my chubby bottom. See, I like cheeseburgers and I’m not truly motivated to tell them good-bye… and yes, I do want fries with them!
Cheeseburgers:
Delicious and they make me look taller

Now maybe if my cholesterol was high and I was headed for a heart attack, I might be better motivated. Right now it’s just a vague sort of if only…

You know…I wish I was a size two…

But not enough to work at it…

 I used to have the same dreamy approach with my writing.

Until 2012.

I decided to face my insecurities (public humiliation, rejection and possibly the failing of the one dream that pretty much took up the entire space in my bucket!) and take writing seriously.

I told myself, “Self, you’re not a total idiot. You have some skills. You can do this!”

 And self replied, “I’m scared. If I fail…eeps…what will I have to live for?”

 To which I sagely advised, “Stop being a chicken crap. If you blow this, it’s only because you never tried.”

 So self and I went to work. We pretended it was a job and we set aside at least four hours a day to writing, revising, networking, studying, and querying.

 In February 2012, I was offered a contract.

In June, "Past Due" was released.

 In August I signed my second book contract.

In September, I cashed my first royalty check.

In December, "Healing Summer" was released.

 If you would have told me on New Year’s Day 2012 this would happen, I’d have thought you were just trying to butter me up for a loan. Or trying to steal my Big Mac.

Here’s where you have to decide: are you serious or just a dreamer like weight-loss-wishing McMe?

If you're serious,  get over the fear (it’s really just insecurity) and get to work. Until execution matches expectation, you aren’t trying nearly hard enough. For big dreams to come true, big work needs done.

*Now, for those who admit you aren’t serious and have no desire to work hard...well you just need to know this: You are NOT a talentless hack…you’re unfocused, complacent, and unmotivated. You can’t despair and call yourself a failure when you aren’t yet trying. That’s no Whopper! It’s straight truth…with cheese on it.


photo credit: d.billy via photopin cc

42 comments:

Why I Refuse to Write...

1:26 AM Elizabeth Seckman 28 Comments

What? I like to read in style!
Happy 2013!!!

I'm still chillin' and takin' it easy...refusing to write, work, or pretty much do anything that may be considered productive. 

As a matter of fact, Jessie Andersen asked me to stop by her blog and I said no...I even sent her ten reasons why I will NOT write.

Jessie evidently doesn't understand kicking back and doin' squat...she has a house full of little ones and an award winning book* to look after.

So, if you want to hear my reasons for NOT writing and give Jessie some advice on being a slacker CLICK HERE.

Later gators...I'm going back to enjoying my vacation. 

"At What Cost" is a USA Book News finalist! 
"At What Cost" is now available in print!
Buy it HERE

28 comments:

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