Winners, Winners, and More Winners

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

I posted last Tuesday and Today at Romantic Inks. Be sure to check it out.

Now, on to the cool stuff. Anna Campbell has provided the name of the lucky commenter who will be receiving a signed copy of Untouched.

Without further ado...

The winner in Anna Campbell's drawing is, Camilla Bartley! Congratulations! Please contact Anna or myself with your snail mail address so she can get that out to you.

Next, we have a winner in Sharon Cullen's drawing as well...

The winner in Sharon Cullen's drawing is, AJ Chase! Congratulations! Please email me or Sharon with your contact info. Happy reading!

And, finally, I made this announcement on my contest page, but have not heard from the winner yet. So, I'd like to give a shout-out to Caren Crane. You have won my Leukemia & Lymphoma drawing. Please email me with your contact info and I'll get coordinate your prizes.

Congratulations, everyone! And, have a safe and happy holiday.

~ Sandy :-)

Amelia Cassarini ~ aka: My Granny, My Muse...

I remember...

Whole days spent playing imagination games with my grandmother. I used to call her Granny, but not those days.

No, those days she’d be every character to my heroine. It would start from the time we woke up in the morning and become more elaborate as the day wore on.

We acted out classics like The Princess and the Pea and Granny would be the mean Queen and the chamber maid and the king and the subjects and even the prince. Or perhaps I was Gretel and she was Hansel and the witch. Or, I was Goldie Locks and she, all three bears and every other character we added to their stories.

Sometimes, I’d be a waitress and Granny would be all of my customers, nice and irate...hmmm, guess I can thank her for honing my customer service skills too! LOL.

But, most of all, I thank Granny for opening a world of adventure and excitement for me--A world limited only by my imagination.

It may have taken years for me to find my voice as a writer, but in every word I pen, every adventure I spin, my Granny is there, guiding and encouraging as she did so many years ago.

She may be missed in the physical sense, but she’s never far when I’m plotting and writing my next adventure.

Thank you, Granny.

~ Sandy :-)

PS
I’ve also posted at the Otherworld Diner. Stop on by if you have a moment. I share how I started on the path to writing.

And, don’t forget! Time is running out to enter my October 27th drawing. There are some amazing prizes. You can enter by donating as little as $1.00 to the Stark’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Team in Training fund. It’s for a good cause. Let’s see what we can do to get them to the Disney World Marathon!

Banned Book Week~

Hello, Everyone. Today's post can be found at The Otherworld Diner.

~Sandy :-)

Don't forget to check out my new contest!

Anna Campbell is a doll!

I would like to send a warm thank you out to Anna Campbell, who has graciously offered to add a signed copy of Claiming the Courtesan to my prize pot for the Starks' bid for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Marathon in Disney.

Thank you, Anna!

I'd also like to thank Caren Crane for being the first to donate to the cause. Your support is much appreciated.

For more information on this contest, go to my contest page.

In other news, I have some good stuff planned in the workshop segment. Up in November, are Anna Campbell and Gemma Halliday. Anna's workshop is scheduled for November 23, 2007. Gemma and I haven't worked out a date yet, but I'll keep you all posted.

I'll be on the road for work tomorrow, however, I'll try to get online from the hotel after work and post something a little more interesting than updates.

See you all then!
Sandy :-)

*September 29, 2007 at Sandra's Goings On - Guest Blogger, Frankie Y. Bailey ~ You Should Have Died on Monday

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ~ Team In Training

This blog post is written in support of Todd and Rachel Stark. They are trying to raise money so they can run in the Walt Disney World Marathon on January 13th, 2008. I had the pleasure of meeting Rachel at a mutual friend's Tastefully Simple party. (This stuff is very yummy, by the way.)

Anyway, Rachel mentioned their need to raise $3,700.00 each in order for the two of them to be able to participate in the Marathon. I think this is a worthwhile cause and have offered to put out a notice on my blog to see if I can help drum up some donations for them.

So, here goes. I have decided to run a contest. Donate any amount to Rachel or Todd Stark (They have their own donation pages...and, Rachel is kicking Todd's butt, so someone PLEASE help him along!), and your name will be entered in a random drawing here at Sandra's Goings On for a $25.00 Amazon.com gift certificate.

All you need to do is let me know you have donated as a result of reading this post and your name will be put into the drawing, which will be held on October 27th, 2007. If possible, comment on your donation that you found them through Sandra's Goings On this way we can keep track of who and how much.

You can donate any amount large or small. Let's see what kind of help we can give the Starks. What do you say? We up for the challenge? In fact, if we can raise over $100.00 through Sandra's Goings On, I will up the prize to a $35.00 Amazon.com gift Certificate.

Good luck!
Sandy :-)

*September 29, 2007 at Sandra's Goings On - Guest Blogger, Frankie Y. Bailey ~ You Should Have Died on Monday

Erin Grady at Romantic Inks this week!

Hey, Everybody! Not only am I a resident blogger at The Otherworld Diner, which has some great photo posts this week (you should check them out), but I am also the newest Lady to join the Romantic Inks roster.

In that vein, I wanted to direct you to RI as we have a wonderful guest blogger this week as well as a nifty contest. Who doesn't love those?

"Readers Choice Contest

Never read one of Erin Grady’s books? Love her books but would like a signed copy?

We have a solution to your problem. Erin will be giving away one of her three published titles to one lucky winner at the end of the week..."

So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to Romantic Inks and enter!

Sandy :-)

*August 25, 2007 at Sandra's Goings On - Guest Blogger, Betty Hanawa ~ More Than She Wished For

Where I'm At...

Hello, Everyone. Today's blog post can be found at The Otherworld Diner, where I'll be posting every other Thursday. I hope you'll pop on over and show your support. There are a great bunch of ladies just waiting to dish you up some paranormal humor.

Oh, and I need to address one quick item. A while back, Elisa Adams ran a comment contest. Due to some technical email issues and then vacation schedules, I somehow missed her announcement of a winner.

I apologize for not getting this up sooner. But, here it is. The winner of a signed copy of Settling the Score, is Ursula! Congratulations. I know you'll enjoy it. Drop me a line with your snail-mail address and I'll forward it on to Elisa.

Thanks!
Sandy :-)

*August 25, 2007 at Sandra's Goings On - Guest Blogger, Betty Hanawa ~ More Than She Wished For

Blog-Off Wednesday

This week it’s to be “Privacy”. My post will be coming soon.

But first, there is the small matter of announcing a winner of my Police post. This was very hard for me. I think I’m going to have to go back to the random winner contests after this. You all had great suggestions.

However, I did have to choose...

And, because it was freakin’ funny to see my poor husband nearly smurf his bologna sandwich, the $15.00 Amazon GC goes to Courtney. “police against screwed up people asking for underwear pictures”. I laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my cheeks.

Congratulations, Courtney. Please send your contact info to me at [author] [@] [Barkevich] [dot] [com]...er, you know what I mean. *bg*

Thank you to everyone who participated. If I could afford it, I’d give everyone a gift certificate.

Speaking of contests, Round 12 of Karin Tabke’s 1st Line contest was not posted until late this evening. It was nerve-wracking, the wait. But, it’s over. You see before you one of the final 10! Or, Round Twelve’s Terrific Ten, as Karin has dubbed us. This is sooo exciting! Only 1 more line brings us to the finals. Five very talented writers will be asked to submit their first 10 pages for final judging. Wish me luck, people. The competition is fierce!

Here is my entry with the next line added. Hope you enjoy. I’d love to hear what you think:

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes tight and turned her face away from the wicked-looking blade. She’d seen what it could do. Knew first hand the destruction it could bring.

The death.

“Please,” she whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I...I can’t do this.”

Cold steel grazed the skin exposed by her low bodice and she flinched. Her tormentor shifted closer in the confined carriage. “Oh, but you will. You know the consequences if you don’t, Lizzy.”

Elizabeth’s stomach pitched and rolled, but she managed to jerk her head in assent. Fear could be a powerful motivator.

Stay tuned for my Blog-Off post on “Privacy”

Sandy :-)

*April 28, 2007 at Sandra's Goings On - Guest Blogger, Leslie Dicken ~ Secret Intentions

We've Made It To Round 7!

Sharon Cullen and I have made it to round 7 of Karin Tabke's 1st Line contest. The competition is fierce and there are so many wonderful beginnings. I certainly have some favorites. Ok, a lot of favorites. Just for fun, here are the first 7 lines of my entry:

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes tight and turned her face away from the wicked-looking blade. She’d seen what it could do. Knew first hand the destruction it could bring.
The death.
“Please,” she whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. “I...I can’t do this.”

What do you think? I'm keeping my fingers crossed. ;-)

I can't wait to see what direction the 7th line takes some of the other entries. I just love this contest!

Sandy :-)


*Don't forget to post a comment to SNOW DAY!!!!! for your chance to win an autographed copy of Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler. Even if you might not read dark paranormal fantasy, it can make a nice gift to someone who does.

SNOW DAY!!!!!

The kids are bundled up and outside playing in the abundant white stuff. Me? I’ll stay inside where it’s nice and toasty. The cool thing about this snow day is that my job also closed! Wooooo Hoooooo! I get a snow day too!

What will I do with this gift, you may ask? Why, WRITE, of course. I’ve got some hot, hot, hot scenes to get typed in my current project. So, after this post is up, I’ll be getting into the zone. (Minds out of the gutter, people. Sheesh!)

First, I’ve got some updates for everyone. Although I haven’t yet heard back on Andromeda’s Tear, I’m grateful for the fact that it seems to still be in the running. My fingers are definitely crossed for this one. Any good vibes you can send are more than welcome.

Next, as you know, my first guest blogger was Jackie Kessler and it was a total success. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions. I am proud to announce that the guest spot idea has really taken off. I’ve only got a few spots open for the year. Here’s the current schedule. (I’m looking for a good event calendar widget, so if anyone knows of one, please send it my way.)

January - Jackie Kessler - Hell's Belles
February - Terri Garey - Dead Girls are Easy
March - Anna Campbell - Claiming the Courtesan
April - Leslie Dicken - Secret Intentions
May - Tawny Weber - Double Dare
June - Elisa Adams - Secrets Volume 19: Timeless Passions
July - Roberta DeCaprio - Coma Coast
August - Betty Hanawa - More Than She Wished For
September - tbd
October - tbd
November - tbd
December - Barbara Pierce - A Gentleman at Heart

Lastly, I’d like to thank all of my faithful blog readers. According to my web host logs, more than 4,300 unique visitors came to www.sandra.barkevich.com in the month of January. And, as of yesterday, February has already seen 2,751 unique visitors. I am amazed and humbled that so many readers have found entertainment here. So, thank you for your continued visits and support. It doesn’t go unnoticed. In honor of that, I am entering the name of anyone who comments to this post, in a random drawing for your chance to win an autographed copy of Jackie Kessler’s debut novel, Hell’s Belles. Get your comments in before Saturday February 24, 2007. (I’ll put up reminders in subsequent posts, cause I know I’m gonna have something to say before the 24th! LOL.)

Good luck, Everyone!
Sandy :-)

Cool Stuff in Store for Sandra’s Goings On

2007 looks to be a stellar year for Sandra’s Goings On. I’ve got some great stuff planned. Not the least of which is a monthly guest blog by a published author. The first two have been lined up. This is freakin’ cool stuff, people.

My first guest’s debut novel is a January 2007 release from Kensington/Zebra Books. Jackie Kessler’s Hell’s Belles received a 4.5 star review from Romantic Times and she’s got a front cover quote from MaryJanice Davidson! Jackie Kessler is up and coming and I am proud to welcome her as my first guest blogger. I am also giving away a signed copy of Jackie's book, Hell's Belles, in an upcoming contest. Stay tuned for your chance to enter.

We are still working out the details, but I hope to schedule her for the end of January. In the mean time, I’d like to start gathering some questions from you, my blog readers. Please send an email with your questions for Jackie to my attention at author [at] barkevich [dot] com.

Also, I’ve finally gotten to the bottom of the problem with my RSS feed. So, for those of you interested, make sure you subscribe. There’s a lot you won’t want to miss that's coming down the pike.

Happy Reading!
Sandy :-)

Contest at Sandra's Goings On is a Resounding Success!!!

What, you say? A resounding success? But, there were only four entries.

Ahhh, but these entries came from the great Blogosphere beyond. They were not friends and family that had to be badger--uh, asked to post a comment. No, these four brave souls were new to Sandra's Goings On. Welcome!!! I hope you liked what you saw and come back for more.

Anyway, on to the excitement. Who is our lucky winner? Drum roll please......................... Cassie! Cassie is our big winner! Thank you to everyone who participated. With so many, I don't know if I'll be able to keep it straight. No matter. We have our winner and she will receive either a Border's GC or 500 BlogExplosion credits.

Ok, now that we've gotten that out of the way, Sandra's Goings On is getting a face lift! I am very excited about this. I have commissioned a custom blog skin by Blogs Gone Wild. Se7en--is that not just the coolest freakin' name?--is fantastic to work with. He is also very patient, which is good, because, apparently, I'm unable to make up my mind easily. Well, I am paying for it. But, Se7en kindly didn't huff and puff when I asked him after each of his fantastic attempts to please me, to tweak this or tweak that (Even when he didn't agree with my choices--er, knew they would suck). In the end, and I'm sure this poor guy was cringing by now, I asked him to go back to an older version that I now realize is THE one. I can't wait to see the final incarnation. I know I'm going to be very pleased. Thank you, Se7en, for being so professional and for just being a great person to work with. I will make sure anyone I come across who needs a custom blog skin will know how to find your site!

So, congrats to Cassie on her win. Loved your embarrassing moment, by the way. I could just picture the look on your friend's face after that comment. ROFLMAO! And, thank you, Se7en for working with me to make this blog a little more interesting to look at. (New look coming soon)

This year is already off to a great start.
Sandy :-)

Why you probably shouldn’t drink heavily at the office holiday party… (CONTEST read to the end.)

My husband ran across this on Digg. Wonder if this girl still had a job when she got back to work on Monday morning…


Drunk At The Office Party - video powered by Metacafe


When I was about 8 months pregnant with my first, Keith and I were coming out of the supermarket and when we got to his brand new--as in only a couple of weeks old--truck, there was a shopping cart pushed right up against the passenger side door. Before I even thought, I said, “Stupid people! Can’t even take care of their carts! Sheesh!” As the words came out of my mouth though, the empty baby “bucket” that was still sitting on the cart began to register. My stomach dropped as I turned to the car next to us. A very frazzled woman with twin babies, about three or four months old, popped her head up from trying to wrestle one of the babies into their car seat and said, with a stricken expression, of course, “I’m sorry.”

What does my husband say??? “Oh, don’t mind her; she’s not usually this mean. She’s just pregnant.” Gah!!!!! Not like I didn’t already feel about 2 inches tall.

As I think back on that embarrassing moment, I realize I could have been a little gentler with my words. Keith was right, I’m not usually that caustic. But, in my defense, his truck was brand new. It’s not like we have tons of money to throw at our vehicles. Keeping them unscratched longer than a few weeks is certainly important.

And, after a couple of days--I couldn’t get the incident out of my mind--I came to the conclusion that, with the exception of the disgust in my voice and the harsh words I used, I don’t think I was out of line. If I needed to lean my cart up against something so I could get my kids into their car seats, I would have leaned the cart against MY car. In fact, I have done that on more than one occasion. So, even though I look before I speak from now on, I also don’t beat myself up for that woman’s stricken look. Use your own car next time!

So, what is your most mortifying moment? Did you say something that was overheard by the wrong person? Or, even better, were you ever on the receiving end? Oooooo! I want to know! Tell me. Oh, and to make this more interesting, all comments received to this post by...Friday, January 5, 2007, will be entered into a random drawing to receive a $5.50 GC for Borders or, if you are a blog explosion member and don’t want the GC, 500 credits (worth $5.50).

Ok, now, can we make this a little more exciting then my last contest? You know, like having more than 4 entrants?

Good luck!
Sandy :-)
Happy New Year