Wenches of Words Wednesday: Sloane Taylor

I’m excited to introduce a new promotional platform I intend to post on Wednesdays. The name of the game is authors helping authors here, so my awesome author cohort, Sloane Taylor and I approached a group of wonderful women writers to create, The Wenches of Words. The idea of this group is to promote all members who have penned one or more books. We gals feel we are stronger in numbers, and that word of mouth is the best possible marketing strategy.

There is a variety of genres within this awesome group of female authors. Contemporary fiction, Historical, Horror/Paranormal, Mystery, Romance-Erotic, Romance, Speculative fiction, Young Adult, and Middle-Grade to give you an idea of the wide range of writers we have on board. Now, I promise I will not post anything inappropriate on my blog as I am a MG/YA author. That said, I also want to offer my readers other author’s books that may pique their interest. So, let’s get this party started with the leader of this group, Sloane Taylor…
 

My new standalone book is hot off the Musa Publishing e-press! With a gorgeous cover designed by Kelly Shorten and the unbeatable editing skills of Elizabeth Silver, that boosted the book to a level 4 Heat Rating, MASQUERADE brings true romance and all the delicious personal bits to life. Read on and see for yourself.

Behind every mask is a fragment of truth.

BLURB: Chicagoan Clancy Marshall has planned her dream vacation in Venice down to the last detail. From gondola rides to masked balls, and anything else that just happens along, she is determined to experience all pleasures. But those careful plans fly out the door when she literally falls into the arms of a masked stranger. Vittore Ricci comes from an old Venetian family that claims two doges in their lineage. A straight-laced Count and owner of a prestigious hotel, he never does anything without serious consideration. Until a sexy American tourist offers an opportunity no man can refuse.

EXCERPT: Green eyes sparkling behind delicate shades of purple feathers held him hostage. Vittore thought he had recognized her the moment she walked onto the pier. When she spoke, he knew his search had finally ended. Determination and desire had persevered. The gods had delivered her into his hands and he wanted to learn more about this mystery woman with her gay laugh and quick wit, even if it was only for one night.

Clancy opened her door, then switched on the entry light. At the bedroom, she glanced over her shoulder, the long plumes brushing her creamy bare shoulder. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be just a moment.”

He wandered around the room, straightening the pillows on the sofa, adjusting a wing backed chair and, finally, the magazines scattered across the pecan desktop. It was there he found a handwritten note caught between the pages. A little guilt crept in for snooping, but he shoved it aside, eager to discover more about this sensual woman who intrigued him.

Note to Self — Loving Venice

1. Ride in a gondola
2. Climb the Campanile in St. Mark’s Square
3. Attend a masked ball
4. Dance under the stars in St. Mark’s Square
5. Tour a professional kitchen
6. Buy one special piece of Murano glass
7. Fall in love—at least for the night
8. Hear a Vivaldi Concert
9. Attend an opera at the Fenice
10.

Vittore reread the paper, paying close attention to number seven. He looked out at the waning moon and sent a prayer of thanks to Raphael the Archangel, the patron saint of happy meetings, for his good fortune.

BUY LINK

Authors in the Limelight Interview: Robyn Opie Parnell

I want to thank and welcome author, Robyn Opie Parnell for sharing her personal writing journey with us on my blog today. Her featured book, Maya and the Crystal Skull, can be purchased from Amazon, and other on-line bookstores.

How long have you been writing, Robyn?

I wrote my first novel when I was fifteen – an Australian version of Nancy Drew.

In my early twenties, I submitted a 2,500 word picture book to publishers. I thought the book was brilliant. I loved it. Publishers, unfortunately, didn’t agree. But I didn’t know back then that picture books are usually less than 700 words and never ever more than 1,000. Oops! It’s a good thing we live and learn.

Around mid-nineties, I read books and completed courses on writing for children. My first three books were accepted in 1998 and published in 1999. The three books are still available today. They are My Bike, Jen Stays Inside, and People Need Trucks.

Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write Maya and the Crystal Skull?

Maya and the Crystal Skull is a different story for me. The idea and inspiration were a lifetime in the making.

When I was a teenager, I became interested in the ancient civilizations of the Maya, Incas and Aztecs. In my spare time, I read about these cultures and learned what I could about them. Life moved on and I forgot about the Maya, Incas and Aztecs.

About seven years ago, I developed a fascination for clairvoyant mediums, life after death and the spirit realm. In the last few years, I added the law of attraction and quantum physics to the things that fascinate me. I’m also a greenie, as in I used to work for Greenpeace Australia.

I’m a sponge. I love soaking up information about things that interest me. If I’m not interested, forget it!

To cut a looooonnnnnnggggg story short, one night my husband wanted to watch a documentary on crystal skulls. How awful, I thought. But I agreed because I love my husband. The legend of the crystal skulls is linked to indigenous peoples such as the Maya, Aztecs and Native American Indians. I was once again hooked on these cultures and curious about the crystal skulls. After a month of research and an inkling of an idea, I sat down and plotted Maya and the Crystal Skull. This story – and ultimately the series – includes all of my favorite interests: the legend of the crystal skulls, the Mayan culture, clairvoyant mediums, the spirit realm, quantum psychics and the environment.     

Amazing what watching one show will do, isn’t it? What sets Maya and the Crystal Skull apart from other books in the same genre?

Maya and the Crystal Skull appears to be an action/adventure, similar to those featuring Indiana Jones and Lara Croft. And it is! Maya and the Crystal Skull is action-packed, full of danger and intrigue, and death-defying moments.

Maya King is trying to live a “normal” teenage life, while recovering from the tragic death of her mother. Her “normal” existence is shattered when Maya has to save her dad and the world from evil villains.   

Now the novel is set apart by the characters: Maya’s side-kick, Ethan, is from the spirit world. The series assumes that there’s life after death and that at least two dimensions co-exist – the physical Earth and the spirit realm. Through Maya’s adventures, we learn about both dimensions.

The series also includes the beliefs of indigenous peoples, in the first instance the Maya of Mesoamerica. My favorite interests – the legend of the crystal skulls, the Mayan culture, clairvoyant mediums, the spirit realm, quantum psychics and the environment – are the ingredients that make this series unique.

A writer after my own heart! As an author, Robyn, what is your writing process?

I write every morning, 7 days a week if possible, until at least lunch time. I like to spend a minimum of 4 hours a day on my own writing.

After an idea inspires me, I don’t immediately sit down to write the story. I always finish one story before I move on to the next. If I don’t finish a story before being distracted by another one, I’m afraid I’ll end up with a lot of unfinished stories. Plus, I like an idea to sit in my head for a while. This gives my subconscious mind a chance to play with the idea, characters, plot etc while I’m going about my daily life. Pretty soon, seemingly without effort, my subconscious mind has put together a whole story and all I have to do is sit down to write.

I like to know the ending before I start to write. I prefer to have a target to aim for. Again, I’m making sure I finish my stories. The ending can change, which is the case with my children’s novel Black Baron. I knew the ending before I put fingers to keyboard, but my original ending was replaced by a better one.

I usually give myself a target word count to reach each day and that target is usually 1,000 words. I keep writing until I’ve reached 1,000 words. Occasionally, I have an appointment and I can’t write 1,000 words. On those occasions, I aim for whatever I can do. I prefer to write every day, even if sometimes I can only add 100 words to a story. The target of 1,000 words, though, means that 98% of the time I write 1,000 words a day.

Writing is a habit. I’ve created habits that enable me to write a lot and to write as efficiently as possible.

I applaud your discipline and stamina! How long did it take for you to start and finish Maya and the Crystal Skull?

I spent a month researching the legend of the crystal skulls and the Mayan people of Mesoamerica. My interest in clairvoyant mediums, the spirit realm, quantum psychics and the environment meant I didn’t need to research these subjects. I’d been reading about them for years.

I also spent a few days writing a plot outline for Maya and the Crystal Skull. When I wrote the first draft, I knew every twist and turn, so I didn’t stop to think about where my story was going. The plot of the published novel is almost identical to my original plot outline.

Before I started, I planned to write a 40,000 word novel in approximately 40 days. That’s 1,000 words a day – a reasonable goal for a full time writer. I wrote the first draft of Maya and the Crystal Skull in 6 weeks – 43 days in reality.

Writing quickly, and with a plot outline at hand, by the time I reached the end of the manuscript, I couldn’t remember about 80% of what I’d written. The first 100 or so pages were a blur. I had fresh eyes for editing, which took me approximately 3 to 4 weeks.

I used a similar process with the sequel Maya and the Daring Heist.

Do you have any advice for other writers, Robyn?

When I submitted my first manuscripts to publishers, I didn’t know about word counts, age groups, types of books or anything else to do with children’s books. My first manuscripts were rejected.

My advice, based on my own experience, is to learn everything you can about writing, especially to do with your chosen genre. I read books about writing, completed courses, joined writers’ groups and organizations. Only then were my stories accepted for publication.

After all, you wouldn’t pilot a jumbo jet without first learning how to fly. Why would we submit a manuscript to a publisher without first learning how to write a children’s book?

If you’ve learned about your chosen genre, so you’re way ahead here, then my advice is persistence. Professional writers often say that the secret to their success is persistence. They never gave up!

I never thought of comparing learning how to fly with learning the ins and out of writing, but you’ve got a point! What’s next for Robyn Opie Parnell the author?

I’ve been busy. My books Stop! Do Not Read This Book and You’re Amazing – the Law of Attraction for Young People will be released in paperback in 2013.

I’m doing a final edit of the sequel to Maya and the Crystal Skull, which is called Maya and the Daring Heist, for release in 2013.

I have other books in the pipeline, including a picture book Wiggle Jiggle All Around and a short chapter book If Not Jannah.

Despite two false starts, I’m still hopeful of seeing our family feature film (a screenplay co-written with my husband Rob Parnell) on the big screen.

I wish you all the best with your new books and plans! Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series – If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?

I’m torn between two time periods.

One, I’d love to travel to Central America during the Classic Period (250 AD to 800 AD) and live with the Mayan people. I’d love to learn, first hand, about this culture that built cities with amazing pyramids, that lived in harmony with the land, that studied the stars and planets, that created complicated calendars, and much, much more.

Two, I’d love to travel to England in the 16^th century to witness the great William Shakespeare in action. I’d love to experience Shakespeare’s plays at the time he wrote them. I’d also love to meet him. This period involves the plague, so it’s a bit trickier in relation to time travel. What if I caught the plague and died?

Robyn Opie Parnell is the author of more than 80 published children's books. She has been writing for children for over 10 years; most of her books are sold around the world and many have been translated into foreign languages. Robyn wrote her first children's book while at high school. It was a mystery similar to the Nancy Drew series. When Robyn was a child, she wished she could be Nancy Drew because the teenage sleuth was always involved in an exciting adventure.

Please visit the following links for more information on Robyn and her books: http://www.robynopie.com
http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/robyn.opieparnell
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya-and-the-Crystal-Skull/194081397336766?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/robynopieparnel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NwL7zjB6kM
http://www.youtube.com/user/robparnell2008/videos
http://www.stopdonotreadthisbook.blogspot.com

Blurb for Maya and the Crystal Skull:

Move over Indiana Jones...

Maya's life has changed.

Her mother is dead, killed in a car accident; she's befriended by Ethan, a boy who claims he's from the spirit world; and now her father is missing.

What does the legend of the crystal skulls have to do with her father's disappearance? Will Maya travel to Mexico to save him? How can Maya's destiny have anything to do with the future of humankind?

The Mexican jungle, ancient Mayan ruins, dangerous bounty hunters and evil kidnappers...

Yes, Maya's life has changed.

The fate of the world now depends on her.

To purchase Maya and the Crystal Skull:

http://rnrbooksfilmmusic.com.au/maya.html
http://www.amazon.com/Maya-Crystal-Skull-ebook/dp/B0069WE3GK
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maya-Crystal-Skull-ebook/dp/B0069WE3GK
http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Maya-Crystal-Skull-Robyn-Opie/9780975609675 http://www.booktopia.com.au/maya-and-the-crystal-skull/prod9781873671009.html
http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Maya-and-Crystal-Skull-Robyn-Opie/9780975609675
http://www.vipabooks.com.au/products/23754-maya-and-the-crystal-skull.aspx
http://www.holisticpage.com.au/Maya-And-The-Crystal-Skull-Parnell-Robyn-Opie/9781873671009
http://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/book/maya-and-the-crystal-skull/36869066/

 

 

Victory is Sweet...

On this cool, but beautiful Thanksgiving Day in my homeland of Canada, I thought it only fitting to announce the winners of the Musa Publishing 1^st Anniversary Blog Hop. I have so much to be grateful for this past year, most of it I owe to Musa Publishing and the wonderful experience they have given this first time author. So, without further ado…drum roll…

The winner of the Kindle Fire is Catherine Lee! With a touch of green in my eyes, I salute you!

The winner of the Musa Swag Bag #1 is duckysblue (I know, I’m as confused as you are), and the winner of the Musa Swag Bag #2 is Cassandra! Congrats to both the lucky winners.

And now, the winner of an ecopy of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis goes to Devin Hodgins! Kudos, Devin, I will contact you via email.

I wish to thank all of you who've hopped by my blog to comment, follow, and enter in the last seven days. I raise my glass to Musa Publishing on a spectacular first year in the publishing industry, and look forward to many more years working together and supporting each other. Go Team Musa! Cheers!

Happy, Happy First Anniversary Musa Publishing!

It’s been one wild ride this past year! It started with signing my book contract for my MG/YA book, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis last September. High fives! Then moved to many revisions and rewrites. Ugh. Then switched to edits. Groan. And then more edits. Flinch. Moving along to line edits. Sigh. Hitting the mark with book cover approval. Thumbs up. Getting my website launched. Cheers! Activating a Twitter account. Grumble. Then finally my long-awaited book release. Yay! Followed by my book release party. Double yay! Then onto book blog tours, blog hops, and contests. Followed closely by receiving my promotional paperback books. Doing library readings. And continually promoting and marketing on the social media and my blog. Boom, boom, boom! The life of a newly published author never stops, and certainly never surrenders! Whew!

And now my publisher, Musa Publishing celebrates their first year as a full fledged epublisher. The fact that this new publisher gave me a chance to spread my wings and fly into the publishing world is awesome. They took a gamble on me. They rolled the dice on this new author. And I’m so grateful for the opportunity they’ve given me. If you haven’t had time to check out, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb:

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

Contest time! All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog, and a way I can contact you. That’s it. And if you feel inclined to follow my blog, then that’s a double entry! At the end of this week-long blog hop, you’ll be entered in a draw to win an ebook of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis. Oh yeah, did I mention the Kindle Fire you could also win?

Double bonus! Every time you comment on any blog in the Musa Blog Hop, you’ll be entered to win a Kindle Fire (US and Canada only), compliments of Musa Publishing. International winners will receive a $50 Musa Publishing gift card. That’s a win-win as far as I’m concerned!  

Here are the Musa Blog Hop Rules:

1) HAVE FUN!!!

2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3) THIS TOUR STARTS: October 1, at Midnight (PST)

THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, October 7, at Midnight (PST)

Winners will be drawn and posted October 9th! ***

4) PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP and COMMENT ON, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR & BOOK PAGE IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!

5) Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire is for US and Canada mailing addresses only. International winners will receive a $50.00 Musa Gift Card. Winner will be announced on October 7th 2012 at 11 EST at The romance review forum.

6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? ***Authors & Book Pages have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***

 

Authors in the Limelight: Ralph Hartman

I want to thank and welcome author, Ralph Hartman for sharing his personal writing journey with us on my blog today. His book, Rat Rod, can be purchased from Musa Publishing, Amazon, and other on-line bookstores.

How long have you been writing, Ralph?
I started many years ago, then pushed it aside as things like building a career and a home shouldered to the forefront. Pushed aside but never pushed away. About ten years ago I got to looking through all the bits and scraps and manuscripts and thought…maybe? Write, polish, query, submit…manage the rejection…learn…repeat. Eventually my third novel was accepted by a small Canadian publisher. Oh joy! Now, I’m hooked – I have a plausible reason to do something I love. I now have two novels on current lists and three soon to be released.

Sounds like you’re living the dream! Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write Rat Rod?

Rat Rod is purely a response to an inquiry I received from an editor on another piece I submitted. She wondered if I'd be interested in doing a story specifically for one of their imprints; something edgy and on the raw side of real. Something about drugs, or bullying, or poverty, or gender bending. Hard to imagine, but this is how Rat Rod was born, it was to be a story about a fatherless young man and the alternate male influences in his life. Couldn't do it. The whole desperate character in a desperate situation was just too damn depressing. Well, I kept some of that, but the story and the characters demanded more. Ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstance. Yeah, this I can do. Soon enough, what was supposed to be, faded into what was meant to be.

What sets Rat Rod apart from other books in the same genre?

I think young readers want to see reality and possibility merged. I believe a story can be both enlightening and entertaining. That it can be real, and surreal, with heroes and villains and imaginings and secrets. That ghosts flit figuratively within our minds and fugitively upon our world. In Rat Rod these elements are not assumed or assured, simply presented as the story unfolds for the readers to interpret as they will.

As an author, Ralph, what is your writing process?

First the story has to lurk in my mind, nothing big, just an idea building until it’s large enough I can see it. Then write it down, print and save, and put it away for a few weeks or months and let it steep. When it’s ready, pull it out and read it. At this point it goes back in the trunk or becomes something possible. Rewrite, edit, revise, edit, proof, and off to the beta readers. Revise, edit, and submit. And wait.

Patience is truly a virtue! How long did it take for you to start and finish Rat Rod?

First draft took about three months, if remember correctly. Revisions were about nine months, and another six months to find a publisher.

Do you have any advice for other writers, Ralph?

Learn the craft; an education is invaluable. Learn the industry. You are one of a million-plus, do not be discouraged or disillusioned. Set goals and know the difference between your goals, and your dreams.

Wise advice! What’s next for Ralph Hartman the author?

Shaw’s Consequence; a mainstream mystery / thriller with Musa Publishing, will be released later this year. I’ve also written a MG urban fantasy, book one in the forthcoming series False Ridge: Creatures will be released in spring 2013 with MuseItUp Publishing. I’m working on the next False Ridge book, hammering out a dark psychological horror, and experimenting with some shorts.

Whew, sounds like your days will be filled from here on end! Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series – If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?

Wow. This is a tough question. I don’t know. There would have to be music, and I’d need philosophy. Peace would be nice, and freedom essential. The sun would need to be warm and the earth fertile, no want for food or shelter. I’d want free thought and free speech, and government by representation. Guess there are really only two places that come to mind: Ancient Mesopotamia in the time before the Sumerians, or that place John Lennon imagined in a song. Yeah—take me there.

Rat Rod will be released September 28^th. Here is the pre-release link to Musa's site:

http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=394

Connect with Ralph Hartman:

http://ralphhartman.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ralph-Hartman/109000729226817

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/RalphHartman/e/B008TUU83C/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Looking Good...

Cathy Olliffe Webster, graphic artist and blogger-extraordinaire of Life on the Muskoka River, tagged me with The Look Challenge. Apparently, this game is a relatively painless one: find the word look in your work in progress and post the neighboring paragraphs. Hmmm. Not so painless, it seems.

After clicking a few buttons in word find, I was surprised to find 121 occurrences. Not bad, since I figured look is a pretty popular word. So not to be outdone by Cathy’s Lookie-loo post, I thought I’d pick a paragraph that had to do with excrement too. Great minds do think alike, after all!

Here’s my work-in-progress contribution, which is the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series:

The boy stumbled. Lilith pushed her coiled snake bracelet back up her arm for what seemed the millionth time, smoothed out her plain white robe, and showed him her angry face.

He laughed. “Your face looks like a date about to pop in the heat. Do you need relief?”

Lilith’s jaw dropped. “Relief?”

“Yes, relief. I don’t know what you people from Atcha call it. Pass water? Do a dung drop?”

Lilith scratched her slender nose before realizing what this pest was trying to ask her. Then, she smirked. “No. Do you?”

The boy wrinkled his brow. “No. Why would you ask?”

She pointed to what he was wearing—a white linen loincloth held in place by a simple knot on the side. “Because you’re wearing that baby’s cloth, and by the smell of you, it’s about time you change it.”

And now, let the tagging begin! Okay my choices for The Look Challenge are…drum roll…

Lauren Hunter is a writer of Regency and paranormal romance novels, with plans to write in a variety of other genres, including time travel, angel, ghost, and contemporary romance.

Sloane Taylor is a true romantic and a sensual woman who believes humor and sex are healthy aspects of everyday lives. She loves to cook, garden and read.

Paul Stansfield is an archaeologist, author, and tends to write anything that will scare the pants off of you.

Linda Benson is the middle-grade author of Six Degrees of Lost, The Girl Who Remembered Horses, Finding Chance, and Walking the Dog. She is an animal lover, horsewoman, chocolate addict, and book worm.

Cordelia Dinsmore is the writer of young adult fiction and the occasional rhyming book. When she’s not writing, she trains her dog, volunteers with kids, and plays in the dirt.

Victory is Normal(ish)

Well, the Back to School Extravaganza with my YA imprint Euterpe is over, and winners have been picked. I somehow lucked out and won a copy of Normalish by Margaret Lesh. Outstanding! First, I wanted to send a ginormous thank you to Susan Sipal personally for having me as a guest on her blog last week when I wrote about the Nottingham Caves. If you haven’t had a chance to read it, clink on the link. Cheers to you, Susan, and thank you for your generosity and kindness! Harry Potter fans may want to check out Susan’s blog, Myth, Magic & Mystery.

I also want to congratulate the winners of the Back to School Extravaganza personally. First, the winner of my prize pack, which includes a signed paperback of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, an Ionic Power watch, trading cards, and wrist bands, is…Ruth Walker! And the winner of an ecopy of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis is…Laura Pauling! High fives to both the winners and thank you for entering the contest!

And now, I’d like to share the excerpt of Normalish, a young adult read which will be released through Musa Publishing this October…

Fifteen-year-old Stacy questions the strange world of high school, family, friends, love, and her role in the universe.

People tell you high school's so great and wonderful, but they're lying. It's mostly horrible and full of disappointment. It sucks. Your best friend abandons you. The jerk you're in love with pretends to be into you, and then the big dump. The boy you've really clicked with as a friend decides to go all crushy over you, so you break his heart just like yours was — smashed into little pieces. Your sister goes mental, and you get involved with an older guy who’s even crazier than she is (who you know is a very bad idea, but you do it anyway). Math only adds another stink of failure to the whole thing.

High school blows. Just ask freshman Stacy. She’d want you to know.