Raffle news, times 2!! First, if you click the video link you can see who won the raffle of Beagle Freedom swag (cap and scarf), but wait, there's more!! Also on the video is an important announcement about a new raffle. Next 20 people to pre-order "Women Like Us" will get a chance to win a $75.00 Gift Certificate to McCall's Meat and Fish Company. If you live in Los Angeles and you like to cook, you probably know about McCall's -- it's easily the best butcher shop in the city, and both Nathan McCall, and his wife Karen (an excellent and immensely talented Pastry Chef who makes the most delicious pastries and breads that are also for sale at McCall's) are super, super nice! I remember when they opened their doors a few years back (I think I was one of the first people through those doors) and it's been a joy to watch this business grow and expand and become a really important part of the community. When we were based in Malibu I would even drive in to town with a cooler so that I could stock up for a week or more at a time. Anyway, if you want in on the raffle and you don't live in LA, not to worry -- McCall's also sells some very well curated groceries (beautiful pastas and hard to source dry beans and olive oils and spice blends, etc) and I could easily put together a really nice basket of goods for an out-of-town winner. So no worries!
Here, take a look at the raffle video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DG_C6Z4pAA
And here's the gift certificate for McCall's, just FYI:

Now go get that order in!! If you've ordered already, no harm ordering a second copy for a friend, right?!
And as always, thank you for the support of "Women Like Us".
I’ve got 99 problems but readers ain’t one! 99 more readers and we’ll be #1!

I was in the middle of recording a saweeet rap video update…. Regrettably the videocamera’s batteries died ;-) I know you’re all devastated.
So, we’ll just go with the typed jingle...
OK, super quick update for my devoted Machiners!
We have 1 week to go!! 1 week. It's homestretch time!
Over 270 followers and as of this writing, 215 readers! Spectacular! Can we get to #1? Who knows, really. My original goal was 150. Not too long ago 215 was totally farfetched. Maybe we can surprise and hit 300?
I may agree to a real rap video if that happens. If you think that would be epic, and you haven’t pre-ordered, then do so immediately!!

Hello you lovely people. Yes you. A happy new year to you all.
So, what have you been doing James? Well, I've been procrastinating to be honest as the holiday season came upon us and, well, gosh darn it, I turned everything electronic off for a few weeks. You know, to recharge the family batteries. And yes, Santa did visit our 8 year old (as he was mostly nice last year. Mostly).
I'm so very aware of the numbers game though... the good ones... 42 followers and 30 copies sold... and the bad ones... 45 days before the deadline... 220 pre-sales needed even before e-publishing is an option. Numbers, numbers.
Well, let's get this out now... it looks like I don't have enough time to do my day job (I own two businesses), my family job (dad and husband), my passion (writing) and my dream (write a novel) all at the same time given the deadlines involved. Which do I 'give up'? My job? Then how do I pay the bills? My family time? Then who am I writing for? The marketing for the novel? Then how will it be published? The novel itself? Then what's my new dream going to be? After all, this has been a dream for close to 40 years now. So, what to do?
Well, fear not.. I WILL write the novel. BUT... I may run out of time here (let's face it, I will run out time). So, I will either re-submit (once I have more written), or I will move to a different forum (Amazon Self Publishing for example) which I don't want to do, but may have to if I'm unable to resubmit on Inkshares.
If at first you don't succeed...
I will update you all again soon and remember, none of this means any of you are any less lovely.
J