Tuesday, October 23, 2012

October News

My my my, it sure has been a minute since I've logged into this chat. Did you guys and gals miss me? Well, I do have some news to report to you, announcing my new book, "Itchy Scratchy Spots" is for sale. It is finished and sitting on the bookshelves of places like Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com I am so thrilled, because this is my very first fully illustrated books for the kids. I have to admit, the artwork makes this book absolutely adorable. I love it! You can order the book right online, you don't have to leave your house. Isn't it just amazing how technology is? This book along with my other 6, is right on time for the holidays, they would make great stocking stuffers for your young readers. I know, if your kids are into electronic gadgets, go on and get them that Kindle, they can still read my books using one of these too.Now isn't that just dandy? Now that this book is out, I need to start working on another one. Oh, I got all kinds of ideas swimming around in my head, they are screaming to breakout. LOL
So, the next time you are browsing Amazon, Barnes and Noble, look for this new book, "Itchy Scratchy Spots" by author: Winona Rasheed. You will be glad you did. Well, gotta run because I am cooking dinner. I am trying to get everything finished so I can enjoy my "me" time later on this evening. Then it will be time to play with my bubble games on Facebook. Oh yeah, I am totally addicted....what can I say, it helps me relax after I've had a busy day and my days are always busy.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

The Release of a New Book

I am not being vain or egotistic as an author, I am just in a promoting mood, advertising my new book.....Itchy Scratchy Spots. This makes book #7 and I am very pleased with that. This is also my very first fully illustrated book for kids. So, pick up your copy today....amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com has this paperback book.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Nona's In the House for September

Hi, my name is Nona. I am a children s' book author. I love to write short stories because I have a vivid imagination. When it comes to being published. I have 6 books that are selling at Amazon. A new title will be released soon, I hope. Just waiting on the publisher to finish doing what they do when it comes to creating a book for release. I am also an entrepreneur, a freelance writer/editor with my own little business called Dream Writers' Essentials; oh yeah, I am online! I just got a new PC today, and I am so excited. It is faster and has a lot more space, which means I will get a lot more work done and I love the thought of that. Now I don't have to worry about my PC freezing up on me or going so slow that it drives me nuts. I can now be on Face-book and play my games without interruptions.....well interruptions from the computer. There will be interruptions though from other sources....like human sources. LOL But you know, it is all good. This open office came with my new computer, so I am sitting here typing, trying it out. It looks like the regular Microsoft Word, but I am thinking that somehow it is different, I just have to figure out how different. Meantime, I can still upload my Word processor to this computer that I always use. Oh and guess what else is neat about this new computer.....I can watch DVD movies on it. I couldn't do that before on my old PC, which I am hanging on to, for a back up system. Well, so far, this weekend is turning out pretty darn good. Momma is happy as a lark. SYFY is on, I have clothes in the washer and I am satisfied with my new toy/work machine. Now, if my daughter would just pick up her phone, I'd be in seventh Heaven. Well, I am thinking that maybe I should let this be a note in my blog. Oh yeah, I do that too! I haven't written in my blog for awhile, so I think it needs updating and refreshed....gotta get the chat on so people will know that I am still alive. Oh heck, people know I am alive, they see me all the time on Facebook. LOL That's my hangout! Okay, before I go, let me say this....if you haven't yet picked up one of my books, you should. Introduce my stories to your children. They will love the stories that I write. No, I am not bragging, just letting you know that I have a vivid imagination and I love to show it off through my books. So hop on over to Amazon.com and search for my titles. All of my books can be purchased as an e book for you Kindle lovers and as a paperback book.....let your children meet such characters as Wohali, Kumani and Ella to name a few. With 6 books, you know there is going to be a lot more characters to check out. Heck, three of my books has more than one short story in them, so those books are packed with interesting and charming characters to fall in love with. Your kids will take a magic carpet ride when they open the pages of my books. My Titles: Amazon.com Author: Winona Rasheed Broken Voices A New Home for Her Cubs Wohali and the Little People Sugar and Spice Fairy Tales for Girls Stories from Grandma's Garden Smiles and Frowns through Animal Town's Storybook

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Thursday, June 28th Victoria

Okay, so my little Chit Chat blog has a new facelift. Blogger.com has changed their blogging format and now poor me has to learn this thing all over again. This may take a while so I can figure this out. They say it is suppose to be better, but it is complicated and mind boggling to me. It's the end of June, July is rolling in here fast. But I am loving the summer, though I haven't done anything with it....yet. Don't know what is on the agenda for summer. I do want to go Ohio in August...I hope it works out. See Victoria, this is a blog. Hey ya'll, Missy Vickie is my long time friend from my hometown of Troy Ohio. We were running buddies. Now we are running around in cyberspace along with Jacquie, Celia, Bobbi and Denise and so many others that we went to school with. It is so nice connecting to the past in cyberspace. You just can't beat it. It's like we have a reunion everytime we get on Facebook. WEll, gotta run, I am a busy beaver today, not only with the kids, but paperwork just arrived from my client that I have to take a look at. I wonder if there is some money in this big fat envelope...I bet there is....yeah me...somebody is going shopping this weekend. Try to keep cool today ya'll. Enjoy the sun and don't forget your sunblock. Later gators.....follow me Missy Vickie.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

March Madness


Okay, I had to take a break and pull myself away from my computer desk and grab another cup of coffee. Actually, I could ue something with a little fizz in it right about now. I am talking about Pepsi of course. When you are working, you don't need a splash of liquor. Heck, that would put me to sleep. I'd be wasted. I am already drowsy from staring at this computer screen.

If you are wondering what I am doing, let me tell you. I am again on the prowl for a publisher. Last week, I had one book idea to find a home for. Now I have 2. March came in and got my creative juices flowing, causing me to pop out another short story for the kiddies to enjoy. See, for me...the stories are easy to write, especially when I can stay focused. However, finding the perfect publishing match is a humdinger of a task in my career as a writer/author. Boy, I wish my old publisher was still available, then I wouldn't have this big stress-er-doodle hanging over my head.

Today, I jotted down possibilites in my little handy notebook and then I booked marked them just in case something gets lost or misplaced. That's my backup system.
When I do my search, I am picky. I love the publishers who have email submissions, and the ones with their own online forms or queries to fill out. That saves a lot of time. But, you have to watch out for those non simultanious submission clauses and the word count stipulations. I tend to over do it whe the words. I just can't help it...I am long winded and I am a very descriptive writer who believes in giving detail and showing a realistic fiction story, even if it is short. All this means is...I love creating words. I guess you can say that I am a wordzy kind of gal.
When these stories are finally accepted and I am requested to do some cutting, I will do so.

This morning I started with an online search of publishers. This afternoon I am going to check out the publishers own Twitter. Oh yeah, the advertise there too. I will continue creating my list so I will have it for future books. I am going to find that publisher who wants my book ideas, both of them!

The key word here is Positive You have to remain positive, optimistic and inspired in my line of work. I got this! Do you feel me?

Okay, time is up....it is time to get busy again. Considering that it is 1:15, perhaps I should put on some clothes first and come alive. Hey, when you work from home, you can wear whatever. But when your attire makes you want to go back to bed, that might not be a good inspiration when there is work to do. Let me go sparkle!

I hope you enjoyed my March rantings. Stay tuned for more....ya know I have to do a follow up.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

February Update


Me oh my, I finally got my writing groove back and here I am updating everything. Okay, blogging is writing you know. I have been busy today getting contact information changed on my website and adding a little motto to go with DWE. In case you don't know what DWE is, that is my freelance writing site, where I help others improve their manuscripts. DWE stands for Dream Writers' Essentials. Boy I love being able to work from home, though at times, business is slow as a turtle. But, that is okay. If you happen to go to http://dreamwritersessentials.com the new contact information for my website is.....Dwerasheed@gmail.com So, I hope you make a note of it. I have a fantastic web designer who manages my website. So, as soon as she can add the updates that I just sent her, the website will be good to go. Well, it is already good to go, but you will see the changes in the near future.

I have another website too. This one is my author website and it too will be getting an update because one book that appears there has a new facelift. Wohali and the Little People has a new cover; out with the old and in with the new. So an update will be coming to this website: http://rasheedwinona.com.

I have my to-do-list sitting in front of me and I am marking things off as they get done. I still have to work on this new query letter to send to this new publisher. I started working on it late last night. It is in a draft mode waiting for me to come and polish it up. As it turned out, I sent my manuscript to Flashlight Press, but since I haven't heard from them, it is time to move on. Not hearing from them means it was a rejection. But, I am not upset or mad....this happens sometimes, it's part of an author's life. Oh well, so be it.

This new one that I will be sending it to, if they accept it, I will blog about how and why I chose to send the manuscript to them. When I finish doing all the things I plan to do today, I will sit down and sort out the ideas that are popping up in my head. Oh yeah, something is brewing with my creative juices.

Today was so beautiful. I even managed to get outside with my grandson for a little bit. With the sun shining, it reminds me of spring and I am so looking forward to a new season, a new beginning and hot weather. However, need to tidy up this big ole yard. Might do that this weekend. Oh wait, I am suppose to do an author interview this weekend. See how precious my time is? Time is precious so don't waste it.

See you the next go around.....hang in there, summer is on its way.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Hollywood Author on the Rise! See Who it is.




Growing up in a small town in Ohio, like most teens or young adults in high school; you are left wondering what you will become and how you will achieve it. I always wanted to be a writer/author. It took many years to accomplish that goal, especially since I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth. But, I am so happy I held on to my dream; after all, dreams do come true when you don’t give up on them. So, now I can say that the town of Troy has a home-grown writer/author in its mist. Oh yes, I still consider myself an old Buckeye girl, even though I now live elsewhere. Troy Ohio is my roots and will always be “my home” away from home. I can say I’ve done something positive and meaningful with my life. I’ve found my calling as a children and Young Adult writer/author. But wait, that’s not all that I do, mind you. I am a freelance writer too. All I can say to that is…the writing bug is in my blood and I am loving the road that I am on, because it is keeping me busy and inspired to keep moving forward and to help others who like myself, have been bitten by this writing bug.
Although I have a few published books and I love promoting them, this little promotion article isn’t about me. It’s about another Troy, home-grown author who has a remarkable way with making words and ideas flow and coming up with a publishable book. Her name is Daphane Carnes, and like me, she writes from the heart, letting her spirit guide her pencil when she is creating a story. Daphane is from “my neighborhood”, or as they say back home….Hollywood, on the other side of the tracks.
Who would have thought that little ole Troy would have not one, but two African-American female writers making a name for themselves in the literary world? How is that for Black History?
Daphane has held on to her dream and has accomplished her goal of being published. After all, this feat of getting published is not an easy road to travel and it isn’t something that happens overnight. Desire, dedication and a whole heap of faith make it happen. Plus having a manuscript that speaks “Accept Me” to an editor is a big help to start off with. Daphane knows the bones of writing and being creative with her words. She knows how to tell a story that gives a positive message to young readers when they are facing difficult situations. Her first book, “Grace” is a fine example of Daphane Carnes as an author. With Daphane’s book, which sales at Amazon.com; as a writer of Christian material, her story is based on faith and keeping God alive in all situations that pertains to life’s situations. So, you will always find that the content she delivers will have a spiritual and binding message, regardless of what faith you as the reader may have, for the message she gives is universal and it is timeless.
Daphane Carnes…..The Spirit of Troy is leaving her legacy as an accomplished author. Remember her the next time you are looking for a wholesome book to give to a child. She has one now, but look out world, for others will follow; after all, she is working on them now.
Add this book to your reading list: Grace, by Daphane Carnes
Look for it at: http://www.amazon.com