Saturday, January 7, 2012

Guest Post: Nely Cab; Author for "Creatura"




Hello, to Tina and to you, the readers that have taken time to stop by.
Today, Tina has asked me to tell you about how I came up with the plot for Creatura. It’s a strange story…
It started when I was ten years old. I started having these dreams of a little boy who would play with me. Yes, I realize how creepy that sounds, now, but at the time, it didn’t scare me.
As I grew older, the boy in my dreams grew older, too. I told no one about him…until now.
The dreams would play out several times a month, and then would stop for a period of four to five years. This became a pattern for much of my life. When I would least expect it, he would be there again, waiting to strike up a conversation.
It’s very rare that I would remember what he would say, but I do remember the way he looked at me. And though his physical appearance varied, his voice and his personality were how I identified him.
When I was in my twenties, I stopped dreaming of this young man. I wondered in what part of my dreams he was hiding.
When I was older and married, I dreamt of him again. This time, he showed me what he really looked like. He was more than beautiful. He spoke very little, and dream seemed much shorter than usual. Then at that two-second interval between consciousness and unconsciousness, where time seems to slow down, I heard his voice utter one word. It was his name. “David,” he said, and he was gone.
In my thirties, I began to write short stories. I thought about how incredible it was that David had been with me through my whole life and as strange as it may seem, I wondered if he was a real person living another time or place or plane of existence.
My imagination began to wander into a world where he was alive. I dreamt of a world where dreams were made, and I thought, “This is where he lives.” But my imagination did not stop there. “What if…” I contemplated, “What if he was real?” And from that instance, Creatura was born.
Thanks for taking the time to visit Tina on Not Me Did It…and for reading my crazy story.
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nelycab
Find me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/authornelycab
Find Creatura on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Creatura.by.NelyCab




Friday, January 6, 2012

Book review - Creatura, Author Nely Cab


I remember entering a giveaway through some blog that led me to finding out about Creatura. One of the things that I had to do was friend the author on Facebook. I found the trailer to be interesting and the cover of the book was an insight into the story somehow. So interesting that the picture of what seemed to me was two trees entangled and weaved together peaked my interest so I went on to read the trailer of the book. Later, Nely shared a trailer of the book on You tube.



With the new trailer for the book above, I found the colors beautiful and what drew me to it so much was the voice of Isis, one of the main characters.

Not owning a kindle of my own was the draw in for the contest on the blog hop, and I was happy to find the authors after actually just hopping for the Kindle. So started my journey with this book.

With Christmas upon us, I really never had time to sit down and actually get wrapped up in things other than Christmas, but from time to time I got to drool over the thought of owning a Kindle and I decided that if given that chance that Creatura would be my first book purchase because everything that the Author, Nely Cab, shared along with others reading this book I knew I just had to get into their digital book and boy was I ever happy to be able to do so.

The book Creatura starts out with entries into terrible dreams that keep the 17 year old Isis Martin from sleeping due to her dreams or more importantly the creature of her dreams. She decides one day that she will confront the person in her dreams, and this is where her fears of dreaming becomes her fears during the waken moments of her days.

I found some of the explanations within this romantic fantasy novel were very interesting and I am very happy the Author went into great detail.  The story line has many surprises within the plot and by the time I was half way into the book I was at a point that even if I put the book down, I would do nothing but constantly think about when the next time I could pick it back up again.

The point that really intensified for me was when Isis met with David's family and the actual meeting of his mother and how fast she seemed to fit right in with David's family.  Isis also seems like a down to earth character and when she finds that there are reasons why the infatuation with David has to end as just that - infatuation - she fends off David even though after really getting to know him really does find that she has more than infatuation.  It seemed to me that David had a something that drew Isis to him, something special between the two of them that she could not control, even though she made good attempts of keeping their relationship as a friendship.

After the Ex comes back into her life and vows that he was wrong in leaving her only leaves her thinking about David more and bringing David, his family and Isis together closer so that Isis gives into her unending feelings for him.

Secrets that Isis did not know even existed in her life are revealed, and she found truth in those secrets that brought new twists into the story line.  Things within her life begin to change and with the truth out these secrets lead her to see her life in a different light.

The Author brings this book to an end with a cliffhanger going into the next book she is currently writing.

Even though I finished this book over a week ago, the book and it's story remain with me and I often times want to go back to it's realm of mystery.  This is a wonderful plot that really takes you into the mind of what the Author is trying to relay to her readers.

The one and only thing I found with the kindle is that I really wish the book opened with a photo of the cover.  I only found that some extra editing would have been nice to catch only a few what I believe typos that I had found within the book itself.

Finally, if you are into romance and fantasy, I really think you will enjoy this novel written by Nely Cab.  I give it a 4 out of 5 because it was a plot that was unique, easy to view in my mind as I read and I think I was so enthralled with it that it was difficult not to jump ahead to the next paragraph just to find out what happens next.  The cliffhanger really opened my eyes and I seriously cannot wait for the second book to come available!

I would like to invite Nely to write a guest blog for me to post here as to how she came up with the plot because it is definitely amazing and truly different than some that I have read.  I would also love to know how she came up with the artwork for the front of her book.  It would be wonderful if you, the readers would be able to leave comments here on my blog that I could share with her that she may want to answer for you as well!  Oh and we cannot leave out that we would really love to hear a little more about the next book!  :O)

About the Author as taken off the back of her book "Creatura":

Nely Cab lives in south Texas with her husband and son.  Aside from writing, Nely enjoys drawing and painting.  The tree illustration on the front cover of this book is a sample of Nely's artwork.

For more information about Creatura or Nely Cab please visit http://www.nelycab.com/


Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Workless Wednesday?

Let's hope not!

I am hoping to get some things taken care of today.
My office area
Living room
bedroom
and both bathrooms

But in order to do that I really need to focus.  I have a lot of things keeping my focus scattered.

Let's talk about my "control journal"
It used to work.
Really.
It did.
I was able to keep up on the things I needed.  I created it from Fly lady's theme.
I really need to get it out and work from it daily.
I would LOVE to have a program for my Kindle Touch to create a check off list.
I just need to get going on everything that needs done around here so that I can read and crochet.

Crochet projects are wonderful for my goal of putting in at least 15 minutes of relaxation.  Reading at night before bed helps me sleep and put my restless legs up to relax.

So will work being completed and the kids doing their chores.
Workless Wednesday?
Nope.  Not. Me.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

New Year - Finding things out about me

With this being a new year, 2012 rolls up with me looking at myself in the mirror and seeing what I need to do to complete myself.

I remember when I was younger, I would always have a book in my face. I would get so enthralled in a book that I would only put it down for a couple of minutes, only to have to pick it up again just because, well just because "inquiring minds wanna know"!

For 2012, on top of trying to get the house in order, I am making some good time getting back into my books. I am loving it. With the help of my Kindle Touch, I am feeling better about taking "me time" and setting time aside to read. Usually it's just Gracie and myself at home through the days, and even though we have our own set communication, well sometimes you just need that time to exercise your brain. My only wish is that more office management apps were available for the touch and I am endlessly searching and reviewing products to see if they have been revamped for use with the Touch.

I am also getting back into the crocheting. I am finding that I have been stepping up more to the plate to get into some pretty cool patterns and making things more than just baby blankets. I do have one blanket pattern that I love and will probably be my signature blanket.

I think the biggest thing for me is my frame of mind. I have forever and a day just went with the "flow of things" - ideas and ways to do things as other people usually felt or did. I am proud to say that I am beginning to stand up for myself and things that I believe in. Do I feel totally bad for doing so? Yes, I do; however I feel better that I am actually listening to my feelings and what I want for a change than to do what others want me to think or do. I have realized that I am the only one who can control my actions, and I cannot control the actions of others and their beliefs. I feel like for a long time I have been lost; unaware of my feelings or the fact that I was confused in beliefs and that this change has been coming for a while.

I am tired of being walked on, told that I should be doing this or that, etc. I understand that sometimes with people giving me other options sometimes I can understand and make a choice, however I do not need another person telling me that I am always wrong.

It's time for change. Change is around the corner. I slowly feel it changing me. It's a good feeling too!

I believe that life is an never-ending force of change. Sometimes we feel or see it; a lot of times we don't. Things that happen to us throughout our lives mold us into what we become today or for that matter tomorrow. It makes us stronger. We sometimes forget that we hold the strength that we do.

So for today, I need to look in the mirror, and decide what I can do better.

It's a new year. I won't be forced to look at it with a closed mind.


Monday, January 2, 2012

What do you do to make things easier?

I sincerely hope that everyone has welcomed 2012 and that the new year shows promise for you!

As I entered the new year, I have a list of things to tackle and maintain. One of my many tasks on that list is to be able to maintain my paperwork.

A lot of the paperwork I have are things I find and save on my computer. I have been trying to find a way to manage all of this. I LOVE patterns- sewing, crochet, scrapbooking.

One of the things I did convert over to in November to help with clutter was scrap booking. I am seriously considering selling all of the scrap book stuff to make more room in the closets! I fell in love with My Memory Suite Granted I was asked to try the product out and blog about it, which you can find HERE.  And if you look through my stuff I have on the Right hand side of my blog, you will see a MMS code for a discount on this program.  I know there are probably other software out there that may fit your needs, but honestly I fell in love with this program.  It has helped me get scrap booking done that I would not have been able to do in the past because I did not feel like dragging everything out just to get it all picked up and put away again, leaving more time to play!

Now as for my patterns.  I LOVE patterns done in PDF so that they are easier to store on the computer!  If I really like a pattern that has not been saved in a PDF form I usually saved them as a word format; cut and pasted over.  I just recently found a program to help create a website into a PDF and I am very excited about it.  I certainly hope that it helps me remember where I got the pattern and easier for storage as well!  You can check out the web to PDF called Joliprint for more information and I will hopefully have more news regarding this at a later post!

Another little  HUGE change - Mom and Dad gave me a gift card for Christmas in which I put towards a Kindle Touch!  I have went through my books and downsized quite a few.  I know I will probably never read them seeing as how I have had some over 7 years and they are sitting around and collecting dust and taking up space.  I love the fact that the Touch as enough room to store 3,000 books on it, and I have been playing with it to let you all know how I like it and all the neat little tricks.  I have also read my first book on it, Creatura, By Nely Cab. I'll definitely have to review it as well!  I loved being pulled into a good story line. Here's the trailer to the book!


I am sure I will find more ways I can improve things around the house, but I think the best way is to just get off my duff and tackle them.  I am hoping to get back into my cleaning routine and follow more of flylady.

Here's to a New Year, a new start, and hopefully the feel of a clean house!