Tika Newman

REFLECTING

2012-01-27T04:27:00.000-08:00

It's been a long few months since I've posted last. What with moving, the holidays and working, there never seems to be enough time.

The biggest news is that Thistlewood Publishing is now publishing children's books. The pixie book, The Amazing Adventure of Amber and April has been well received. We couldn't be more pleased. Stay tuned for lots more children's books, as well as two more full length novels coming soon.

Some future titles for children:
If Horses Had Feathers
Monster Under My Bed
Mrs. Mouse
If I Were a Monkey
Who Tooted?
. . . and more!
You can check out our website at www.thistlewoodpublishing.com and if you want to join our mailing list, please do so while you're browsing :)

Take care and think spring!
Tika

The Adventures of Amber and April.avi

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED

2011-07-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Whew! Thank you to everyone who submitted their manuscript. We have chosen a few and will be very busy for the rest of the summer. We expect to open submissions again this fall. In the meantime . . . keep on writing :)

Gail Westover
Thistlewood Publishing

WELCOME NEW AUTHOR

2011-07-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

Thistlewood Publishing is proud to welcome Kate O'Neill to the family. Kate has written a very explicit book about frontier life in the mid-west in the early 1800's when settlers worked from sunrise to sunset. Readers will learn what life was like when native Americans still roamed freely, before white man's treaties forced them off their lands, before the railroad, newspapers, electricity, indoor plumbing, automobiles and every other convenience we take for granted today.

Meet Corabell, a beautiful, passionate woman who had a white father, a fur trader by profession, and an Indian mother. When her tribe left the area, Corabell stayed behind and went to the giant blonde German man who waved to her across the river. She hoped he would take her as his wife. In love with her from afar, he quickly agreed to marry her. As a new bride, passions awakened under her husband's touch. Later, circumstances out of her control caused her to be forced to marry her husband's brother.

Watch for it in the fall of 2011

WELCOME NEW AUTHOR

2011-07-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

Thistlewood Publishing is proud to welcome Rose Daly as our newest author. Rose brings us MOONFIRE, the first book in a series.

In the 18th century, when sailors saw the moon shrouded in a red glow they knew that great changes were on the horizon.

From Fordell, a small Caribbean island, Daniel and Emma also see the fiery moon as they run for their lives through treacherous jungle territory laced with fearsome claw traps.
Great changes, and great dangers, lie in wait for them, for they have made an enemy of the most powerful and ruthless man on Fordell, Clayton BlackAdder.
Unaided and unprepared, they must face the daunting prospect of life on the run on this isolated island, for to be recognized and captured will mean certain death for Daniel and a forced marriage to Clayton BlackAdder for Emma.

Zed also sees the fiery moon, and he knows without a doubt that his life will change; for he is a runaway slave fleeing through the jungle, and the woman he carries in his arms he has stolen from Clayton BlackAdder. Zed's future is fraught with danger and the fearsome prospect of torture and death if he is captured. Added to this, he faces a terrifying struggle with treacherous pirates that will change his life forever. Somehow, Zed must find a way to save the woman he loves from BlackAdder's clutches, but Zed is not alone in his quest.

Friendship between white man and black man seems unlikely in this brutal, slave-oriented island. Daniel and Zed do not recognize the boundaries of race or class, they only recognize a kindred spirit, and a common need to protect those they love, and this they will do ... no matter what the cost may be.

Watch for this thrilling book this summer!!

IT'S SUMMER

2011-06-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Finally, summer is here, complete with all the rain that is making my flowers and vegetable plants grow like crazy! As always, I spend more time on my flower beds because they're so beautiful....and....I saw a 2 foot long snake in my veggie garden two days ago. Yes, I screamed, but don't tell anyone.

My passion this year has been container gardening. I have three of them on the dock and smaller ones scattered around on the rock walls of the flower beds. They look very pretty and are planted with a mixture of foliage and flowers both. Of course our large deck is full of them too. Love them all.

If you've been following my blog since last year, you've read about my casa blanca lilies. I planted only 6 bulbs and now have about 11 plants. They have multiplied. The original ones are about a foot or so taller than they were the first year. The fragrance is out of this world and since they are covered in buds, I'm countng the days.

A new summer recipeis to take fresh asparagus which you wash and cut the woody bottom stems off. Baste them or pour a little olive oil on them and throw them on the gril in a single layer. We sprinkle a seasoning mix on them and grill for about ten minutes. Delicious!

We're beginning to get corn from Delaware, I think Bob said. It was pretty good and we're anxiously awaiting our own local corn.

Happy summer :)
Tika

WHAT'S UP WITH THIS WEATHER????

2011-05-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

I ask you now, wasn't spring supposed to have sprung? I have verified this information with our local meteorologists, my grandson who is ready to swim in the lake, the groundhog, and even the Easter bunny. All concur...spring has sprung. Mother Nature, on the other hand, is not cooperating. It's gray, damp and ugly outside and I have no desire to be out there. The birds are singing, but I've come to the conclusion that they need their tiny heads examined.

My waistline thanks me, Bob's waistline thanks me (NOT). Since I can't work in my gardens, I've been cooking (surprise!). Our refrigerator is nearly ready to explode, but I can never find anything I want to eat. I have to make something new. Othertimes I'll see a commercial on TV and get a craving for something. Luckily, I have the ingredients to make almost anything. So, I do it. It's a vicious circle. If you have a few lemons hanging around and want to make the most delicious lemon bars you've ever eaten, let me know.

The sun actually poked its nose out yesteray for a few minutes. I guess it's waiting for a written invitation.

Nap time. Bye for now :)
Tika

XAVIER DUFAURE DE CITRES INTERVIEW IN RE EXTREME GAMMON

2011-04-30T22:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.thebackgammonlearningcenter.com/wp/xavier/

Xavier Dufaure de Citres has brought to the backgammon community eXtreme Gammon but also GammonSite and in the past NetGammon.

Tell us something about your yourself and your background.

I am 42. I grew up in France, in Savoie to be precise, with my parents and my 2 brothers. I graduated from college in Grenoble in electrochemistry and electrometallurgy. I never used these skills since I left college as I started working in the software industry right away. I started to work for Borland as a Language Tech support specialist. I learned a lot but after one year it got boring and I found a job at GOTO software. I brought with me the backgammon program I had made (CyberGammon) and created NetGammon for GOTO.

This project will always remain very dear to my heart as it is on NetGammon that I met my wife Michelle.

I moved in the USA in 1998 and we got married in 1999. We have been living in Massillon, OH ever since.

What do you do for a living?

I am a project manager in a small company (45 employees) that writes software for the food industry. I am more specifically taking care of the SQL database development and the data warehousing.

How did you get introduced to backgammon?

My first exposure to backgammon is a bit unusual. Around the age of 11 my older brother and I were receiving a magazine called “Jeux & Strategies.” It was covering a wide variety of games (wargames, logic puzzle, math puzzle etc…) and had a section for the “great classic”: Chess, Draughts, Othello, bridge, tarot, go and backgammon.

The backgammon section was made by Benjamin Hannuna. It was typically an 8 positions quiz. I got interested in the game and started learning from the Hannuna’s comments. So, strangely, I started backgammon by solving problems rather than actually playing. I tried to get my brothers and father interested but without success (the fact that I was a very bad loser at the time probably explains why).

I did not play backgammon until I went to engineering school (College). At the time I did not have a board so I wrote my first backgammon program (no engine, just an interface to play and store results).

How strong a player are you?

I am decent level, but far from the top. When paying attention I play around a PR of 5.0 in average.

What advice would you give to a new player that wants to become a top player some day?

Get eXtreme Gammon, of course! Also, read books or get some lessons with Phil Simborg! Programs are great at spotting your mistakes, but without the bases to understand why you actually made a mistake it will take longer to progress.

What’s the best backgammon book or article you’ve ever read?

I’ve always enjoyed Chris Bray’s, Backgammon; An Independent View. Robertie’s 501 Essential Positions is also something I often reopen.

What are you really good at besides backgammon?

I am quite good at logic puzzles. I like games in general and I can play most of them correctly but Backgammon is still the one I am strongest.

I am good at programming and have a strong mathematical background (Math Spe M’, for those who know the French educational system).

How do you relax other than playing backgammon?

I enjoy watching movies and playing games on the computers. Also, my wife Michelle and I always enjoy going out to a restaurant with good food and good wine.

Who are your heroes in backgammon…people you respect either for their play or for other reasons?

I am very impressed by how fast and accurate players like Neil Kazaross, Stick Rice, John O’Hagan etc… can be.

Has your game improved much in the past few years? If so, why?

Not so much in the past 2 years because I’ve been more busy programming than playing. But in the years before that my skill improved a lot. XG was getting to its maturity level and I was playing again the bot a lot. I was focusing on getting the right moves and did not care about the result.

How did you happen to start GammonSite, a backgammon playing web site?

As I mentioned before I moved to the USA in 1998. I started to work on a Gaming site. The site (GameSite 2000) opened in 2000 and was including Chess, Checkers, Reversi and Backgammon.

The other games never caught on and later were dropped and the site renamed GammonSite.

Tell us a little about GammonSite.

GammonSite offers rating, chat, tournaments and long duration leagues. Everything is highly configurable. It’s a friendly site for casual games, but experts are welcome. We have tournaments scheduled every half hour.

How did you happen to develop Extreme Gammon?

eXtreme Gammon started when Oasya (Snowie) told us they would start charging money to have their program running on GammonSite. As we did not want to (can couldn’t) pay the requested price, I started to work on an engine. After a few months, we were able to replace Snowie with our program. A year or so after, I thought I had a decent enough engine and started working on the interface. I worked on and off for about 5 years. Around 2008, we started to think about making it available commercially and started working in that direction. Phil Simborg came to GammonSite around that time and I happened to mention XG to him. I sent him the program and his enthusiasm about it showed us we had a product that would be interesting to users. We released the program in June 2009 and we have been very happy with how the product was received.

How is Extreme Gammon different and/or better than Snowie or GNUBG?

The first thing I programmed in XG was that I wanted all the analysis to be done in the background. I always found very annoying to have to wait for the results while I could start checking my mistake.

This is the main difference with our competitor on the interface/usability side. The two other main differences are speed and strength.

Speed took a long time to achieve. Optimizing the core routine of XG in assembler was very fun, but it’s a long and complex process (to give you an idea I estimate I can write the same code in Delphi about 20 times faster than in assembler; however the assembler code will be between 5% and 20% faster). Speed optimizations are however challenging and have an instant gratification (If I found an optimization, I can just calibrate and see immediately what I gain). Strength is the opposite: you make a very simple change, let’s say in the cube efficiency and then in order to test that change you have to let the computer self-play for a couple days before seeing the results.

I think XG surpass our competitors on both Speed and strength –the Depreli study and Phil’s study of positions that Snowie and Gnu missed in Michael Corbett’s book very clearly proved this to be true.

Are you working on a new, improved version of Extreme Gammon? What features will it have? How will it be improved? When will it come out?

Yes XG2 work started in June last year. I started with retraining the neural network. The details of it are “trade secrets” so I won’t discuss them. However, the retraining required the analysis of 73 trillion positions! Even using multiple core i7 (up to it took several months. Big thanks to Neil Kazaross, Claude Landry and Miran Tuhtan for contributing their CPU power to that effort.

I am glad to say that we achieved a better improvement than we targeted. On the 3-ply as it has increased by 13.2 Elo (or 0.4 PR) and we would have been happy with 10. We also achieved even more significant improvement on backgames. Thanks to Neil Kazaross for his relentless effort to push me in that direction and his valuable feedback as the process unfolded.

Mochy and Phil Simborg have also helped in the trials and have provided excellent ideas and feedback.

The other changes are interface improvements. The non-exclusive list is: Clock play, Batch rollout, translation in other languages, new position export features, new HTML export, opening book using all the rollouts made by the community on Bgonline.org.

Release time is expected to be in June of 2011.

How would you compare eXtreme gammon to the best players in the world? Are there any specific areas of the game where eXtreme gammon is not as good as the best players in the world?

Neil, Mochy, Stick or any other giant can surely answer this better, but I think that XG (version 1) is globally stronger than any human player. Backgames are surely the positions XG understand the least but hopefully this is improved in the upcoming version.

Do you think internet play of backgammon will continue to grow in the future? How will we ever be able to play on line and be confident that no one is cheating?

Playing for money against people you do not know surely conveys the risk that this user will use a bot. As computers get faster, it makes it easier for people to use them while playing, they don’t have to wait any noticeable time for a 3-ply analyze. I think that’s why money games have drastically decreased on the internet (along with the outrageous rake on most sites).

Sites for casual play, such as GammonSite, do still have their place and I am sure will continue to grow as more people access the internet.

Do you ever hope to give up other jobs and devote your time to backgammon?

I wish, yes. I do not give up hope, but I would say this is quite unlikely that I would be able to do that anytime soon.

Do you ever intend to start playing in live competition?

Maybe, yes, I am procrastinating about that. Let’s say I am seriously thinking about it.

WHAT'S NEW

2011-04-28T23:10:00.000-07:00

Isabelle's Locket is doing well :) I set it up as a giveaway in goodreads.com and have many people interested in it all ready. Colleen Mitchell and I are busy editing her second novel, which we've yet to name. She's just a busy girl, so full of energy and that wonderful imagination of hers keeps me on my toes. She has ideas for so many new books.

Bob and I are heading south again for a few days. We plan on hitting up some new bookstores and try to drum up some new business. We're taking Joey and Tyler with us (the keeshonds). Prissy gets to stay home all alone. She hates that. She likes me to be rigt next to her, or she isn't happy.

We've had so much rain here that we're scared to death of flooding again. Two or three houses across the street, one next to us and others down the street are pumping. The next door neighbor has water in their back yard. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. We're good so far.

Spring is in the air and I'm itching to get back to the lake. This time of year I miss it so much. Always such a long winter.

That's it for now. Don't forget to check out my fan club page in Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=140040156027808 and of course the Thistlewoo Publishing page at . They will keep you updated.

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

2011-03-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

WOW, what a fun dinner we had tonight. Bob and I made homemade tortillas. It was fun and quick and they really were better than store-bought shells. They were actually flaky. We filled them with cooked ground beef, refried beans, Monterey Jack cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and jalapenos. After we rolled them, we baked them for 10 min (I don't know why, exactly. Bob said to do it, so I did it). When they were finished, we topped them with sour cream and my homemade salsa. If you want to make some, here's the video with recipe. Give them a try. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49BaECtjPkc

Tika

Isabelle's Locket

2011-03-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

Isabelle's Locket is officially released and available for purchase through our website www.thistlewoodpublishing.com. Amazon has it available also, and other online bookstores will have it available as soon as they pick it up off the internet super highway. The release has caused a bit of a stir, as many folks were waiting for it. (Even Bob has put down his action thrillers to read Colleen Mitchell's book!)

Colleen and I are busy on the next one already. I promised you all that she had many novels in the wings so expect to see a lot more of her in the future!

I am very excited to have this wonderful author join our family at Thistlewood Publihing and wish her all the success in the world.

Tika

BANANA STRAWBERRY MUFFINS

2011-03-15T15:40:00.001-07:00

(A wonderful light muffin to enjoy on spring mornings)

1 cup ripe mashed bananas
1 cup chopped strawberries
1 stick melted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

Large mixer bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, bananas, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon and butter. Add flour and mix only til blended. Add strawberries and mix only til blended. 14 muffins
350* 20-22 min.

QUITTING SMOKING SUCKS WORSE THAN YOU KNOW

2011-02-26T19:30:00.000-08:00

After a bad bout with bronchitis, I finally quit, after more than 40 years of smoking. Since I was so ill, I slept more than anything else. When I would wake up, I'd reach for my cigarettes. By the time I had one lit, I was choking and coughing. Needless to say, I was unable to smoke. After a week and a half of smoking no more than a few puffs a day I had a brilliant idea...."This is a perfect time to quit!" Halloween night, 2011, I had my last cigarette.

Even with a good antiibiotic, I didn't get off the couch for many days and continued to do nothing more than sleep. I believed this is what kept the withdrawal symptoms away. Once I was up and around, I still didn't have much of a problem with withdrawal symptoms or cravings, and considered myself VERY lucky! I thought it was a miracle! Sure, I wanted a cigarette quite often, but I'd just ride out the short craving and move on. Seriously, with everything on my mind, in 30 seconds, I'd moved on. Now, four months later, they are few and far between.

You must be wondering what sucks so badly. I'm getting to that, honestly. I've always had a problem with my sinuses and didn't think much of it until my friend Deb told me that I'm detoxing. Since I quit, I've had multiple cold/sinus problems, ear infections, cough/choking spells, and sore throats often enough that I felt compelled to research it.

These, as well as many other issues such as lack of energy, sleep disorders, bad acne, headaches, excess mucus, cold sores, stomach issues, and more. The good thing is that these things are temporary and they are explainable. My body is detoxing and it's making me sick. I wish it would go make someone else sick, but it's all mine to enjoy. I'm going to give you a link to read in case you know someone who is experiencing the joys of quitting smoking. If you're about to quit, please save the link. You may need it later. http://caloriecount.about.com/sick-quitting-smoking-ft36859. Currently, the forum is three pages long and you will read many stories, as well as advice on how to counteract them, i.e. B-12, bananas, lots of water, exercise. (sorry, the hyperlink option here isn't working. Just copy and paste the link in your browser. Do additional resarch; there's all kinds of information out there.

This post was meant to educate, not discourage anyone. Quitting really is worth it. This too shall pass.

Tika

FOR THE LOVE OF ANNE is available for purchase

2010-09-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

For the Love of Anne has been released!

Tika Newman has done it again!
Set in Chicago, in the late 1880's this wonderful historical novel is a perfect blend of fact and fiction.

Anne had finally overcome a difficult childhood and a brutal attack by an unknown assailant. She had taken care of her younger brother, just as she promised their dying mother. She worked hard, running a successful design business, and had it all...but did she really?

Where was the love?

Chicago had been infected with a psychopath of the worst kind, and he was frightening people to death...literally. Murder and mayhem had snuck into Chicago as the nation's first serial killer reared his ugly head.

ISBN: 978-0-9821507-4-0
http://www.thistlewoodpublishing.com
$14.99
To read the first four Chapters, copy and paste this link to your browser: http://www.thistlewoodpublishing.com/READ_SAMPLE_CHAPTERS.php

JOEY IS A BAD BOY

2010-06-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

Darn that dog! Last summer, Bob bought me a beautiful new poppy plant called Patty's Plum. It survived the winter and had two gorgeous flowers on it that were exactly the color of the inside of a plum. Joey decided to kill it. He dug it to smithereens. Good thing I was afraid to smack him. He would have been a very sorry dog.

Gibbs Perennial Gardens here I come!

ROAD TRIP 6-12-10

2010-06-14T18:36:00.000-07:00

Today was a most joyous day - Bob actually got me out of the house and off my PC. For those of you that know me, you know that was no small feat. He made me an offer that I couldn't refuse - a trip to Gibb's Perennial Gardens. This nursery is located on East Street in LeRaysville, Pa. We go there every year to fill my perennial gardens at the lake and often spend a few hundred dollars each summer. Before we left, Bob looked up their website and found out that they were having a plant exchange today. What????? Today???? And I missed it????? I didn't have time to transplant any of my seedlings because we were about to leave. Grr. Grrrr. And Grrrrrr! The good news was that Gibbs, run by a super nice couple by the name of Sue and Bob Taber, had another nursery listed on their website. We had never heard of the new place. How nice of Gibbs to promote a competitor. There's nobody like country people :)

We drove to the new garden center first. Hearthstone Perennials, Herbs & Everlastings. The name is as long as the area of plants the offer. They’re located on Box 89, RR2, LeRaysville, Pa. Now get this– many of LeRaysville businesses are out in the middle of nowhere on dirt roads, including this one. However, the fact that it was in the woods amazed us. There was a cleared field in the rear, a clearing the to the left of the lot for their house, and so many beautiful plants in front of their house in gorgeous beds so you could see how lovely your plants can look when you take them home. You’re able to walk around the grounds and admire all their serene gardens and listen to the birdies sing. Then for the fun part. You can walk up and down row after row after row of a huge assortment of perennials in every color known to man. Their prices started at $3.95, which is more than reasonable. They even had a few flats of six-packs of vegetable and flower plants that hadn’t sold and they were giving them away for free. We took a six-pack of green peppers. I made my selections of perennials just before we were about to die from the heat, and then we went into the gift shop. I found an adorable cast iron dachshund dog for my friend Jindra’s birthday.

Unfortunately for the owner, she just happened to pop in as we were leaving and I quickly transformed into “sales mode”. I just happened to have the first three books of The Eyes of Innocence series in the van. She was so nice and agreed to sell them for me. We did our paperwork, Bob and I hopped in the van and we headed for Gibbs. (He thought he was going to get out of taking me there because he had just paid for new plants, and it was hotter than you know what out…. Wrong!)

We parked in Gibbs’ parking lot and looked at the gorgeous grounds they have in front of the shopping area. Their greenhouses are out in the back, but they sell everything in a large area that’s covered with some kind of black netting to help protect the plants from the sun. There’s a big fan going, so it also helped keep us cool. We looked in the big Koi pond, as we always do and then went to look at their plants. They claim to have over 450 kinds of perennials, and indeed they may. I was too hot to count. They also sell trees, shrubs, and berry bushes. Their gift shop wasn’t open today, it will be open next week and will be stocked with garden decor, candles, signs…..and hopefully copies of The Eyes of Innocence series! I’ll bet hitting them up on our next trip there. The heat was really getting to me, so we didn’t stay too long. I saw Sue Taber coming toward us to see if we needed any help. She’s always sooooo nice! I asked how her plant exchange went and told her how disappointed I was that we missed it. She said they had a great attendance and lots of plants were traded. Then…..she said, “Look over in front of that building. There’s a LOT of plants left. I said, “But I don’t have anything to trade in.” Sue said, “That’s ok, take what you want.” Are country people great, or what???? On the way out, we stopped where she had indicated and I chose some Stella D’oro daylily plants. Can you believe someone was trading them in? Wow. Lucky, lucky me!

We left Gibbs and Bob asked me if I minded if we stopped at Dotti Lou’s Meats, in Stevensville, Pa. Since the air in the van had cooled me off, I told him I didn’t mind. Now, Dotti Lou’s is located on a paved road  their address is Box 15, RD 1. This place is awesome. People drive for miles to come to this out-of-the-way meat market. Their smoked pork chops are my favorite. They sell such delectable delicacies as head cheese, ring of bologna, butt bacon, and other things of the like that I turn my nose up at. However, their pork chops, ham, chicken, ribs, etc. are worth the drive. They had samples of garlic flavored ring of bologna out today and I actually liked it! The texture was more like summer sausage. I made Bob buy some. They have all sorts of grilling sausages like jalapeno and cheddar, hot chicken wing, plain cheddar, broccoli and cheddar. So good. I found one of their recipes and posted it below. Thought you’d get a kick out of it. It sounds good to me!

Beer Drinkers' Stew
Serves 6 with beer and hard rolls

>From Alaska...It's peppy stew that requires plenty of cold beer!!

3 lbs. stew meat cut in 1" cubes
1 T cider vinegar
1 T lime juice (or lemon)
1 T chili powder
1 12 oz. can V8 juice
2 T salad oil
2 C thinly sliced onions
1 4 oz. can green chilies
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 T fresh ginger, minced
1/4 t ground turmeric
One and One-half teaspoon salt
1 15 oz. can tomatoes

Combine vinegar, lime juice, chili powder and V8 in bowl. Add meat and
marinate 20 mins. Stir occasionally.
Heat oil in pan or Dutch oven and sauté onions, chilies, and garlic over
low heat. When onions are clear, add ginger, turmeric and salt. Mix
well. Add tomatoes, breaking them with spoon. Next add meat and
marinade to pan and simmer one and one-half hours, stirring often. Add
more water if more liquid is necessary. When meat is tender, stew is
done.

Our last stop was a place that one of Bob’s friends told him about, called the Red House Bakery & Deli. It’s located at Box 15B, RR1; in Stevensville, Pa. As soon as we got out of the car, we heard loud music coming from inside and wondered what that was all about. Peeking in the window, I saw some small round tables and chairs and a juke box. A young couple was pumping money into it. The owner Michael Dreisch was behind the counter, and we must have looked a bit confused, as we didn’t see a deli or a bakery. We did however see some awesome home baked loaves of bread. I asked where the bakery was and he said that was all he had left today. He didn’t sell too much of his baked goods, and was cutting down little by little, as he wasn’t making any money. Nobody can ever say that country people aren’t ingenious. One half of the store was now converted into a little bar! He even had a customer sitting there sipping on his beverage. They had quite a good selection of liquors to choose from, as well as beer. Mr. Dreisch tells us that he’s now making money. He seemed a happy sort and we had a nice visit.

Ain’t life grand?

AWESOME REVIEW!!!

2010-05-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

Forever in Her Dreams
by Tika Newman
Thistlewood Publishing 2009
Website: http://www.thistlewoodpublishing.com
Buy Link: http://shop.thistlewoodpublishing.com/Forever-in-Her-Dreams-102.htm
ISBN 978-0-9821507-1-9
Forever in Her Dreams by Tika Newman picks right up where The Eyes of Innocence left off. Book one in the series ended with readers wondering where Toniya came from. Who would give a stranger a horse? How did the horse from Lina’s dreams appear in her yard? Readers quickly get reacquainted with the characters they enjoyed in the first book and soon get some answers. As the story continues, readers journey along with Kalina as she makes a place for her new horse in her life. She doesn’t know it at first, but the horse will lead her down a path to her past. She will gain information about her heritage and her unique abilities. Readers pick up on her special way with animals as they read of her gentle nature and various healings. She is not limited to helping animals. When needed she also uses her healing powers to help people. Although Lina’s power is not typical and the events surrounding the healings are out of the ordinary, the author’s vivid descriptions and interesting presentations make them believable. Many authors focus on the negative stereotypes when presenting a minor culture. Whether true or fictional this author presents traditions and healing power in a way that doesn’t degrade the Gypsy culture. While the characters are described as very poor and old fashioned, it is refreshing to see this people group portrayed as peaceful, helpful and out to do good.
Kalina is a special girl trying to live a typical teenage life. She longs to fill her life with animals, friends, school and family activities. At times the pull to help is too strong to resist. She and her family know what it’s like to uproot and move just when they are settling into a new community. They are often forced to relocate when the secret is in danger of being revealed. Lina tries to think and act like other teens, but her love for animals leads her to make some interesting decisions. She tries to be cautious when it comes to strangers but her strong desire to help others leads her to risk it all in times of greatest need.
Cory, the older and charming neighbor boy, Marnie, her best friend, Aunt Jessie, Uncle Jeff, a host of pets and many schoolmates return in book two. New characters also appear in this sequel. The most interesting are Kalina’s grandparents, Stela and Todor,. As Lina learns who they are and how they have helped her at various times in her life, she also learns more truth about Aunt Jessie and how she came to be with her adoptive family. She learns how Toniya came to her. The more she learns of her past, the more she wonders how it will fit with her present. Will Aunt Jessie and Uncle Jeff accept her heritage? Will they believe her grandparents are who they say they are? Will they stick by Kalina even when she goes against their advice? Will her best friend Marnie think she is crazy if she reveals her heritage? Will her neighbor Cory get scared away as he starts to piece together what she can do with her powers? So many questions and once again they will not all be answered by the time readers turn the last page of book two.
Pearl believes the author is developing as a writer as she works on this series. This book is just as innocent and wholesome as book one, but it contains deeper insight into the characters, clearer scene descriptions and more realistic dialogue. This novel is a great follow-up to The Eyes of Innocence. The day-to-day life of an animal loving teenager is woven among the threads of mystery and magic that surround the main character. Kalina will continue to intrigue readers with her secret powers. This book is unusual in nature, but easy to follow. It answers many of the questions left when The Eyes of Innocence ended. Reader’s still don’t know the whole story though. The saga will continue when the third book Window to Her Soul is released later this year.
–Pearl 4 shoes out of a possible 5

http://workinggirlreviews.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/review-forever-in-her-dreams-by-tika-newman/

OUR BOOK SELLING TRIP

2010-04-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

Wow. I am a happy girl. Bob and I are in Charlotte, N.C. right now. Yesterday, Debra and I went out and made sales calls to bookstores in the Charlotte area. We did very well! Most of the stores either bought our books or took them in on consignment. I autographed a LOT of books!

I was invited to do a book signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. This was the most amazing bookstore we'd ever seen! It had loft reading rooms, the most beautiful book displays, and a full restaurant. Mere words cannot do this store justice. They are a large independent chain, and recently opened their tenth location. They invited me to do a book signing, when we are in town next :) http://www.joseph-beth.com

Another store that we just loved, was Park Road Books. Sally, the owner, was wonderful. Her store is set up in a very inviting manner with many book titles on display. They had a lovely children's section. She was so friendly and helpful, and made our transaction simple. I will be doing a book signing there too. Check out this store if you are in the Charlotte area. Say hello to Sally! http://www.books@parkroadbooks.com

Tomorrow we will be in the Bristow, Virginia area and will visit bookstores there. Wish me luck!

Take care and happy reading :)
Tika Newman

HISTORY OF THISTLEWOOD PUBLISHING AND WHY WE WENT POD

2010-03-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

Some people in today's publishing industry frown on POD publishing companies. Gail Westover, of Thistlewood Publishing, however, believes that this was exactly the way to go in today's tenuous marketplace. "I also believe in taking it slow and easy," Westover says, "Opening a startup press was risky with the economy as it is, but one I was anxious to take."

No stranger to the business world, this is Gail Westover's third successful business. Thirty years ago, when health spas were all the rage, she purchased a bankrupt health spa, and offered aerobic and exercise classes, wall-to-wall equipment, a sauna, and whirlpool. With careful money management, long hours, and dedication, she turned the business into a money maker. Four years later, she sold the business to stay home with her boys. "I loved being home with my children, but unfortunately, the money situation necessitated that I return to work. I got my Real Estate license and became addicted to helping people buy homes. After years of hard work, I became one of the top Realtors in our area. I obtained my Broker's license and opened Heritage Homes Realty. After twenty-two years, it was time to retire. I had other things I wanted to do with my life."

That didn't last long, as Gail is not one to sit idle. A few years later, she began to write under the pen name of Tika Newman. One word became a page, the pages turned into chapters. the story was intriguing and unfolded before her very eyes. "The Eyes of Innocence" series was born. After run-ins with two unsavory publishers who both wanted her entire series, she said, "No more!" Six months later, she opened Thistlewood Publishing, a POD and short-run publisher. The first eighteen months were devoted to promoting "The Eyes of Innocence" series. Recently, Robert Lange, author of "The Knowing Gene" has joined the ranks. Thistlewood will slowly take on other authors.

"My business model is this; work hard, treat everyone fairly, and don't over spend. I read every article I can, and keep on top of the marketplace. POD was the way to go for us. I have no book returns, warehouse/storage costs, or inventory to keep track of. I selected who I believed to be the best printing service out there. We use heavy cover stock and a quality cream paper, that is easier on the eyes. I am proud of our finished product. I have seen some books that were printed by other publishers on paper that was little better than newsprint. I could never charge readers for such poor quality.

When a reader orders one of our books, they have it in their hands within days. The exception to this is when books are shipped internationally. Of course they take longer to arrive. We offer quality books at a fair price. In addition to being available at http://www.thistlewoodpublishing.com/ (which is the only place to buy an author autographed book), all our books are available on amazon, Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor, Borders, and most other online bookstores. Our titles are also available on the Espresso Book Machine, which is called the ATM for books. You insert your money, push a button, and your book prints and binds in FOUR minutes!! Retailers and libraries may order our titles through Ingram or electronic catalogs."

Our newest releases

2010-03-28T18:35:00.001-07:00

Thistlewood Publishing's newest releases The Knowing Gene, by Robert Lange and Window to Her Soul, by Tika Newman are both selling well. We couldn't be happier if we tried. Thank you to all our fans and readers.

Tika

ONLINE PRESENCE

2010-03-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

Wow, this online presence stuff is tuff! I've spent the entire week posting my blogs everywhere, making comments in online writer sites, posting book covers, talking about my books, talking about Thistlewood Publishing, etc.

I hope they now know me all over the world, including Timbuktu. Right now I'm sick of me!

2010-03-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Promote blog

2010-03-26T12:51:00.000-07:00

BORING ME

2010-03-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone :)

I have no news, imagine that. I wanted to touch base and let you all know that Window to Her Soul, the third book in The Eyes of Innocence series is selling well, and I'm very pleased. Bob and I are both recovering from a week-long winter virus. Neither of us could move for a week! Thank goodness I had chicken soup in the freezer. We practically lived on soup and ginger ale. Nasty! Poor Bob, it was his first week of retirement.

For the Love of Anne is coming along nicely. Since it's a historical novel set in the late 1880s, imagine my happiness when I discovered that there was a real live serial killer in Chicago at the same time! The creepy man lured out of towners (even innocent old ladies) away from the World's Columbian Exposition with the promise of a soft bed at a reasonable rate, and then he killed them. I think the facts mixed with my story telling, will make for a very interesting read.

Tika

THISTLEWOOD PUBLISHING AND TIKA NEWMAN SPONSOR A CONTEST

2010-02-14T01:33:00.000-08:00

For the Love of Anne, will be Tika Newman's next release. This is a chance for you to have a cameo role in the book! For the Love of Anne is set in Chicago, Illinois, in the late 1880s. What we are looking for, is interesting stories of why an ancestor of yours immigrated to the United States any time between 1620 to the early 1900s.

Your ancestors did NOT have to have settled in Chicago. As long as they immigrated to the U.S. between 1620 and the early 1900s, that's all that is important. We will use whatever names you supply, and prefer them to be traditional names of the country your ancestors immigrated from.

THE TOP THREE STORIES SELECTED WILL SEE THEIR STORY PRINTED IN LOVE FOR THE LOVE OF ANNE - AND, WILL RECEIVE AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THE BOOK. Winners outside of the U.S. will be required to pay their own postage.

RULES:

1. We are looking for only a few paragraphs. If your entry is too long, it will not be considered.

2. If you use historical facts and/or dates, we must be able to verify. In other words, if you write about your grandparents immigration from Scotland, and you use facts and dates, it must be facts about what was happening in their former country when they immigrated. The stories can be embellished, as long as the time frame is accurate. For the Love of Anne is an historical novel, so this is important.

The easiest way to do this, is to look up your ancestor's country, and see what would have caused them to immigrate to the U.S. What forced them, or made them want to leave thier own country? We hope to have entrants that are factual, however, as long as your ancestors immigrated from another country, you may change the actual year they immigrated.

3. As the jobs that your ancestors found after relocating to the U.S. must fit the storyline, Thistlewood Publishing reserves the right to change their occupation. Thistlewood Publishing may contact you by e-mail, if any major changes need to be made.

4. Winners will not be required to sign a release form. Entrance in the contest will be considered permission for Tika Newman and Thistlewood Publishing to publish their story.

5. Winners will be notified by e-mail, and posted in this blog, announced in Thistlewood Publishing's website http://www.thistlewoodpublishing.com/ , My Space, and in Facebook!

6. To enter: Send an e-mail to thistlewoodpublishing@stny.rr.com. Please do not use attachments. Post your entry in the body of your mail.

7. Contest deadliine is April 15, 2010.

We have sales!

2010-02-13T00:35:00.001-08:00

I am happy to report that Window to Her Soul is doing very well. I've even had feedback from a few readers already! They are enjoying it. I am taking a break from the series, while working on my historical novel - For the Love of Anne. Next? A western! yep, a western. The theme will be a lady outlaw! Ought to be a fun book to write. Lots of adventures, lots of crime and lots of action!

Stay tuned :)

Happy reading :)
Tika

WINDOW TO HER SOUL IS RELEASED!!

2010-01-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it's been a long time coming, but the third book in The Eyes of Innocence series is now released and available! Please go to http://www.thistlewoodpublishing.com/ and order your signed copy today :)

Window to Her Soul is the third book in The Eyes of Innocene series, by Tika Newman. Kalina is growing up and life is becoming more troubling and complicated for her.

In this captivating novel, readers will love following Kalina's escapades as she matures and takes on challenges that frequently attract the attention of others.

Kalina is a znahar, a gypsy doctor. When she delivers a baby to a young mother, it is stillborn. Why isn't the baby breathing? Can Kalina's powers save this life?

Suspicious of Kalina's extraordinary powers, Dr. Fogler orders DNA testing to prove his theory about her. meanwhile, Kalina's friend, Cory, is closing in on her secrets, but hasn't been able to uncover the truth....yet.

Will you, the reader, find the Window to Her Soul? You have shared Kalina's joys, fears and the age of innocence in Tika Newman's novels.

Finally, we have an author who displays her heartfelt emotions by bringing Kalina alive to us all.

ACKKKKK! WHAT IS THAT???

2009-09-20T20:12:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't something the dogs dragged in. A few hours ago, it was on my head. Yes, that's over twelve inches of hair that I chopped off my head.

Why?

Because for the past five or six years, I've been growing my hair for Locks of Love. This is my third donation. Locks of Love provides a free and loving way for people of all ages to make a difference! Donated hair provides human hairpieces to underpriviledged children who have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. Others have suffered burns, injuries or endured radiation that caused permanent hair loss.

It is estimated that approximately 80% of the donors are children. Children helping other children is a wonderful thing. Please read more about Locks of Love at http://www.blogger.com/www.locksoflove.org/contact.html

So folks; when I'm not writing, cooking or gardening, I'm growing my hair! Give it a try :)

EUREKA! I HAVE LILIES!

2009-09-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

The lilies are open and are every bit as gorgeous and fragrant as I hoped they would be :)

2009-09-07T19:06:00.000-07:00

OK, I am losing patience with these lilies!! They are HUGE! You can't tell from the picture, but they are very tall. Look how they tower above the annual to the right, and that plant is a foot tall. The buds are getting bigger every day, but not one of them has opened yet.

Horticulturists consider this the best white Oriental lily ever, I consider it....Am I gonna live long enough to see them burst into bloom? Come on already.

TONIGHT'S BURGERS

2009-08-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry, no pics. Our grand daughter Cassidy is here and wanted cheeseburgers for dinner. I threw a pound of ground sirloin in a bowl and sprinkled a teaspoon or two of Worchestershire sauce on top. I cooked about 6 slices of bacon and crumbled that on top. Then I fried some chopped onion, garlic, mushrooms and green pepper. Mixed the whole mess together and formed the patties. YUMMY!!

NEW PERENNIAL BED 8-11-09

2009-08-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

At last, I have more than twigs! The monster casa blanca lillies have buds and I am dying for them to burst open!

Sadly, the Stella D'Oro lillies are done blooming for the season, but they'll come back bigger and better next year.

I'm doing an experiment with my Cosmo babies. I've pinched all their little heads off. No, not one of them screamed. I'll keep you posted by pics as to what I'm doing with them. It's pretty neat!!

TERIYAKI MARINADE

2009-07-30T17:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe is being added by request from a lemon goose. Here you are! xoxoxo It is in my never ending cookbook, by the way. Use this marinade for chicken, pork, beef (steak or london broil), shrimp, turkey, game hens.

TERIYAKI MARINADE

3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup low sodium soy
1/4 cup honey
2 Tb cider vinegar
3 Tb chopped onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2" piece of fresh ginger root, chopped - or 1 tsp ground ginger powder.

Now, listen to me. If you want to die from dining happiness, marinate peeled raw shrimp in this recipe for at least 8 hours. Skewer your shrimp and throw it on the grill.
The recipe is excellent for london broil, but you must marinate for a good two days before meat will tenderize.

NEW PERENNIAL BED UPDATE

2009-07-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

See? After only eleven days, it's beginning to look like a garden.

The casablanca lillies are amazingly 14" tall! They're possessed!

FUN! FUN! FUN!

2009-07-11T10:57:00.000-07:00

Oh peoples, I have to tell you that this raft is sooooo much fun! I took the picture from the deck, so I'm across the yard. You can't tell how big this thing is. It will hold 7 adults with room to spare. Look at two of my grandchildren - they look like little peanuts.

Yeah, yeah, I've been on it too, but I won't be caught dead taking a picture of myself so you all can see it! So rotsa ruck with that one :)

I hope everyone is having a good summer :)

Later, taters :)

Tika

NEW PERENNIAL BED

2009-06-27T14:50:00.001-07:00

OK, here it is; and no laughing. This is my new perennial bed. It's been a vision for only a few days. I ordered three bareroot subzero hibiscus and they are mere twigs; but they're in there! In the middle I planted three giant bulbs called Casablanca lilies. I saw them on a TV show and had to have them! They are currently growing about half an inch a day. Incredible.

In between I stuck groupings of my own seedinglings of purple lupines and the beautiful annual poppy that looks like a red carnation. I'll never forget when I bought my first one for $5.00. I told the lady that this price must be an error. That much money for one annual? She assured me that even though it was an annual, if you shake the seeds on the ground, they will multiply and come up every year. She was correct! I have them all over the place and have shared with many people. They tend to come up in a clump, so before they get too large, I dig them up and separate them. They barely notice it. They like full sun. I'll post pictures of this beautiful flower when they're in bloom.

That wonderful man I'm married to surprised me with the two Stela D'oro lillies that are in bloom now. I had a clump of these at my home in NY for many years until they accidentally got rototilled :( They do very well in northern gardens :)

Stay tuned for more pics as this garden slowly bursts into color! Can't wait!
(Please ignore the swimming noodles in the background. Tacky Tacky Tika!!)

Bye for now.
Tika :)

EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD SHOWER

2009-06-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

A wet Keeshond is not necessarily a pretty thing.

CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP

2009-06-20T21:43:00.000-07:00

We grilled asparagus on the grill tonight. Simply brushed it with olive oil and sprinkled it with McCormick's Salad Supreme. It was sooooo good.

I just made this soup recipe up on the fly, but here's what I did. I cut off the woody ends of the asparagus and discarded them. I cut about 2" off the next section of each stalk (saving the best part to go on the grill). I probably ended up with about 1 or 1/2 cups to make soup with.

I put about 1/4 cup of onion in the food processor, chopped it up and browned it in 2 T of butter. I added approx 3 T of flour and stirred it into the butter, cooking it for a few minutes. I chunked up the asparagus in the processor and added that to the onion, then added 1 can of chicken broth and 1 chicken bouillon, a dash of pepper and a splash of white wine. I covered the pan and let it simmer until the asparagus was tender.

Lastly, I poured in approximately 1/2 cup or so of half and half. The soup looked a bit on the thin side, so I mixed a bit more half and half with another T of flour and poured it in. I cooked it for another 5 min on low heat and served.

Very yummy!!!

Welcome!

2009-06-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog Florry, Tracy, Dave, Bob and Debra!!! Have fun and enjoy the posts!

Tika :)

YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS ONE!

2009-06-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

After an uneventful day, I was winding down and working on edits. My dogs Joey and Tyler began to whine and pace, so I assumed they needed to go out. Due to their barking, I let them out separately at night because one dog makes less noise than two dogs. I let Tyler out first. He went potty and ran around the house, barking like a maniac. Of course he ignored my calls. I went out the kitchen door and walked up the path and spotted him dancing around on his hind legs. I didn't think much of it and walked to the beginning of the driveway. He reluctantly returned to me. I let Joey out the back door. He went potty and came in. End of story....so I thought.

Fifteen minutes later, both dogs began barking like crazy! I heard the same noise they did and ran to the kitchen door. I flipped the light on and there stood a beautiful 300 lb black bear. I'm not sure why, but I felt it was a female -- not a huge bear, but big enough. She stood on the deck intently pawing at the recycling bin. She was after the bag of garbage that Bob had put out there earlier. She stepped away from the porch and fool that I am, I opened the door and banged on the side of the house hollering "Get out of here! Go on, get!" The bear did as I expected and rambled toward the neighbor's fence. Joey ran out the door. Luckily he's sometimes a bit daft. The bear had gone right, Joey ran to the left. By this time, Bob is up and looking for the bear too. We got Joey inside, shut the door and locked it.

OK, so we're all safely inside, Bob went back to bed and I just couldn't stand it. I wanted to see the bear again. The back of our house has an atrium door (all glass). You step out onto a large balcony with four steps that lead to the ground. I went outside and walked to the edge of the balcony, my safe observation point. I looked by the neighbor's fence and couldn't see the bear. I heard a snort and looked down - OMG she was standing at the bottom of our steps! Since she was a matter of a few feet away, she looked a whole lot bigger.

In retrospect, I think I made some kind of a noise. I'm not a screamer, so that wasn't it. I whirled around and ran to the door. In my haste to avoid becomming bear fodder, I tripped at the door and fell into the house. I scrambled the rest of the way inside, reached up and locked the door. Yes, I was still on the floor. Bob got up again to see what the heck I was doing this time! I told him what I had done and he wanted to see the bear too. He opened the door and she was gone. He went back to the kitchen door and opened it. No bear. He went back to bed.

Ten minutes later there was a noise at the kitchen door. The dogs went wild. So did Bob, as he was trying to sleep. There were cans and bottles all over the ground. Bob said "Oh my! The garbage bag is gone! She took the whole bag!" Folks, I gotta tell you, a 300 lb bear dragged an overstuffed bag of garbage up the stone filled path and half way up a rocky driveway without it breaking! The commercial on TV where the little boy drags a Glad ForceFlex bag through the house was nothing, compared to this. Bob went out the atrium door to look and there was no bear. We looked on the side yards, no bear. He went out the kitchen door and I was right behind him with a butcher knife just in case he got attacked. She was gone. How rude. Eat and run.

Bob got up at five, after a terrible night's sleep. Now that it was light out, we could see the bag over halfway way up the driveway. She dragged it seventy five feet. Gotta go now. Gonna write to Glad. Maybe they'll pay me a million dollars for my story. hehe

Tika :)

SUMMER IS HERE!

2009-06-09T20:43:00.000-07:00

I think! Our weather has been so fickle, I'm afraid that summer may just disappear again. Bob and I have been very busy in the yard. I again filled the holes in the ground that that bad boy Joey dug. I put sod on them this time, so maybe it will fool the little bugger and he'll dig somewhere else (like the neighbor's yard).

Bob trimmed lower limbs from the pesky trees that shaded my gardens and limited my view across the lake. Now it looks great! The flower beds and veggie garden are coming along. All I have left to plant is cukes and watermelon. I ordered a lot of flowers online because I need to redo the perennials. I can't wait until they get here!

We've enjoyed some wonderful evenings on the balcony, bbqing, having dinner and talking about our future. Bob will be retiring soon and we're hoping to finally build our new house across the lake. We bought a nice level lot there about four years ago.

For those of you who are wondering, yes.....I'm still editing book 3 (Window to Her Soul). Sorry for the wait, but I'm too picky.

Bye for now :)
Tika

YOU TUBE LINK

2009-06-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Florentina, who has made a new video for me and posted it in You Tube. She worked for almost two weeks and it is tremendous! If you would like to view it, please go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q61BmIuQW7I
Don't forget to rate it by clicking on a star and feel free to leave comments :)

See you :)
Tika

FLOWER BEDS

2009-06-01T18:28:00.000-07:00

The tiller isn't here yet, imagine that. However, Bob and I worked on another flower bed and got it all ready to plant. I planted some alyssum, snapdragons and celosi. Even though my poor bleeding heart baby got mowed down I found a new bonus today! I found 2 baby cyclamens in the grass next to the end garden. I made Bob dig them up and I transplanted them right away so they didn't have a run-in with the mower. I hope they survive ok :) I love my cyclamens.
Bye for now.
Tika :)

MY GARDENS

2009-05-31T10:30:00.000-07:00

I'm waiting for Bob to get home with the tiller. He's going to till my veggie garden and we'll yank those nasty weeds out of the rest of my flower beds. (We've only done one garden so far).
I have eggplant, tomato, bell pepper and zucchini plants ready to go in the ground. Since I've never grown eggplant before, I want to watch them closely. I have two of the seedlings planted in containers on the deck. I'll plant yellow wax beans, summer squash and spinach by seed, directly in the ground.

Someone who shall remain nameless, mowed down my baby bleeding heart bush yesterday. Ackkkkkk.

Bye for now.
Hugs to all,
Tika

RAIN

2009-05-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

OK, it's raining again. I don't like the rain. It's too humid and wet. It's been raining all day and what's worse, my internet was down. I grumbled a lot today.

Bob bought the most fantastic toy for the family! It's called Caribbean Island and it's a huge inflatable raft. It will hold 6 adults, so we can get Bob, myself and all the grandkids on it. It has cup holders, a center pool, 4 arm chairs and 2 coolers. Sun! All we need is sun now! Can't wait to go float around on it.

Hugs to all :)
Tika

AUTHOR INTERVIEW AT WORKING GIRL REVIEWS

2009-05-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

WOW! I think this is my lucky month! I would like to invite everyone to read a new interview on Working Girl Reviews! http://workinggirlreviews.wordpress.com/ It was an excellent interview.

Even better, they are now reading my book and one of their professional editors will post a review and a rating. They use shoes for the rating system. I want 5 shoes! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

INTERVIEW

2009-05-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

On May 13, 2009, a fellow author interviewed me and posted the interview on her blog. Her name is Malanie Wolfe. She is a great person and another very dedicated writer. Here is the direct link to the interview. I hope you enjoy it :) http://writinginthelandoftornadoes.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-with-author-tika-newman.html

2009-05-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

We have been so busy. Bob, the Keeshonds and I moved back to the lake. In three days I had everything unpacked. Just as I was settling in, we packed some clothes, dropped the dogs back in NY and left for a four day trip to Virginia. Ack! We went to celebrate Bob's son's 40th birthday. His loving wife had an awesome surprise party for him. We're back now and unpacked again. My heels are dug firmly in the ground and I am not leaving this lake until the end of June when we go to South Carolina.

My fingers are itching to start digging in my gardens. First Bob has to rototill the veggie garden and buy my tomato and pepper plants. I do everything else from seed. The flower beds will take a lot of work. Damn weeds moved in while we were away. I need to get them out before my perennials get too big.

That's it for now folks. Happy spring!

Thistlewood Publishing

2009-04-07T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone :)

There have been a lot of changes since my last posts. Forgive me for the delay in updating you all, but to say I have been busy is an understatement. After turning down two publishers for reasons I won't go into here, I have since opened my own publishing company. The name is Thistlewood Publishing. (catchy name, eh?)

You will be pleased to know that since I am publishing the books myself, there is a new and much lower price than in the past. I wanted to bring my readers a better value and this was the way to do it.

"The Eyes of Innocence" was totally re-edited and was available for purchase in late 2008. ISBN 978-0-9821507-0-2 and is available in most online book stores and also at www.thistlewoodpublishing.com. $14.99

I have just released book 2 in the series "Forever in Her Dreams" ISBN 978-0-9821507-1-9
You may also purchase this book at www.thistlewoodpublishing.com $15.99