I’m Featured!

Through all the social media piles of ads and production, I have been blessed to encounter several amazing people, authors, musicians, and artists. One woman I met across the Facebook platform is CJ Peterson who is an author but also a lover of authors.  Is there a difference? Absolutely.

I have come across authors who are only in it for themselves.  They have the blase attitude of, “What can you do for me?” These people usually turn me off in an instant.  But there are those like CJ Peterson who also love to  show off and help elevate other indies out there.  What a beautiful soul, in my opinion.

A few months ago CJ asked if she can feature me as an author on her page, and of course I was giddy with excitement. I’m not sure if she understands just how excited some of us get at what others call these little things.  I do a happy dance and run out and tell my family anytime someone so much as asks if i’ll tell them if I liked using Iuniverse.  These little things bring me such joy and happiness because two years nobody knew my name, let alone asked me for an interview.  In my eyes, and my overactive imagination, any interview makes me feel like a rock star.  Seriously, I put on my rock star glasses and a pretty pink boa while sipping my green tea pinky up, while writing my responses.  SUPERSTAR!

Well CJ made me her August Featured Author, complete with interview, book links, book covers, book synapse, and author info. That’s a lot of work to do, especially when doing it for someone else’s benefit. Like I said, a beautiful soul.  Oh, and I was SUPERSTAR for an entire month! So thank you CJ Peterson for noticing this little shiny fish that swam against the current and took time to ask me why.  You filled my glass when it was beginning to run on empty.

So please blow up her website with hits, and while you’re there read the interview. I’m sort of an interesting person at times 🙂

http://cjpetersonwrites.com/Featured_Author.html

And to pay it forward on my part, please go like these other wonderful authors who always show so much support for other authors.

Michelle Proulx: FB

CJ Peterson: Website  FB

Kimberly Biller: FB

Blackbird LSD: FB

Publishing Fundraiser, Healthy You

People keep asking why I haven’t lit a fire under publishing my next book, “Life by Chance” and the answer is simple: First, my betas haven’t finished reading it (save for one), and second, I don’t have the finances to get quality editing services and publish just yet.  I stand my ground that I will not use KDP exclusively, and since using them for one book, I can say that I was only okay with the services.  However, many people at work did ask if it was on Kindle or iBook and so I lost some customers there. And yes, I did tell them to download the app.

So, I will likely use Blue Harvest Creative’s services again to set-up my book for Lightning Source and also create the files to do a direct upload to Nook, Kindle, Ibook, Sony Reader, and Kobo. It’s more time consuming, but I’ve waited this long . . .

On to the fundraiser part–As many of you know, I am an independent distributor for It Works, a company working in body contouring products such as body wraps and firming gels, as well as diet and nutritional supplements such as Fat Fighters, ThermoFit, and Greens. We also have a line of lotions such as stretchmark cream and under eyes creams as well as face firming wraps that decrease the appearance of wrinkles.

The why’s: Well, I need to publish my book because it haunts me on a daily basis. DAILY! Also, I want to get my business off the ground so I can work less at the hospital and commit to writing more. My career is crushing my dreams.  This fundraiser helps in many ways, but the biggest part is that I really want to get this book going.

Now, as to not be the biggest most selfish person on earth, I am also participating in It Works Gives Back, which is my company’s program where indep. distributors donate a portion of their sales during a specific time to give to a charity of their choice.  The money is to be given on Sept. 7th to the charity.  My chosen charity is CEF of the High Desert.  $5 from each wrap sold, and 5% from all other direct sales will go to CEF High Desert to fund a prominent after school program locally.

How can you participate? Two ways: If you are in Southern CA you can come on down to the actual Wrap Party Fundraiser on Tuesday and join in.  If you aren’t then you can watch the live video feed on Google+ Hangout (think it streams on YouTube as well) and ask questions and/or purchase from me or direct from my website.  My Facebook Event page has all the info with more to come.

Goals (because we all need them):

1. Sell 25 wraps between now and Sept 7
2. Get five new distributors
3. Donate over $100 to CEF of the High Desert
4. Make enough in commission from now through October to pay for editing and files.
5. Have fun!
6. Fulfill dreams!

Sadly #1 is where I started and #4 is where I was a month later. It Works!

For more information on what the wraps do just visit my Facebook page at Facebook.com/TightenAndToneTheWorld and look at my personal results shown to the left (also using Fat Fighters). That is actually me and the use of four wraps. I now have the energy and gumption to start making healthier and more positive lifestyle choices. You can too!

Facebook Event

Personal It Works Site

Books

 

Tania L Ramos, Author and Walking Billboard that it does work.

 

The Video Below shows juts how Fat Fighters Work: There is Canola Cooking Oil floating at the top of a glass of water.  We broke one Fat Fighter pill down to a powder and poured it over the oil and water.  The powder coated the fat and dropped it to the bottom where it would then pass through normal digestion, hence part of the fat is not absorbed and stored in your body. Bonus: the carb inhibitors also keep part of the carb uptake down . . .again, reduction in stored fat.

Peace and Quiet

My life had a hiccup yesterday, and as a woman who likes some privacy, I won’t go into great explanation.  It was one of those times where as you’re going through it you wonder if its the right decision, and because of habit and being in a comfort zone you almost want to stop it from occurring.  At the same time you have to wonder if things will be better once this passes and if that comfort zone was a mental facade.

As I went to sleep, no questions asked about why I was going to sleep so early, though the raging headache would have been the answer, I found it to be pleasantly quiet and comforting. Well, until I yelled at the kid in the next room to stop yelling at video games.  But he stopped and back into a wonderful slumber I went.  Finally, peace and quiet.

I woke at 4:45 am this morning to a cat doing the cat face slide thing against my cheek. I felt revived and recharged.  After running through the morning Facebook and email checks, I tried to go back to sleep but couldn’t. I was awake and there was no sense in fighting that.  So I did something I haven’t done in awhile: edited and wrote.

I pulled out Life by Chance and did some second draft revisions then wrote a chapter in The Pretty Words.  It felt great to be motivated and on fire since I haven’t felt that surge in awhile.  As I was writing in The Pretty Words, it came to me (via a character) that the comfort zone I was afraid of losing wasn’t really a comfort zone but more of a routine or habit that I was afraid to get out of, because . . . well because its what I knew.

As I sit here with the sun rising in front of me, literally, I can’t help but love the peace and quiet.  I love the ability to wake up refreshed and dive into writing.  I can’t wait to get home from work tonight and see what will inspire me into another chapter.  Hiccups, bumps in the road, they are turning points that jolt you into waking up because you were asleep at the wheel.

Things may be different.  Things may be scary. But things sure do feel great surrounded by all this peace and quiet. Now to try and catch a quick cat nap before work.

Tania L Ramos, Author Staring at the Sun Rise

BeStillNovel.com
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I am Liquid!

As I sat watching my daughter play with a tiny puppy it occurred to me that I want to be a cat.

Similarities between a cat and dog:

• four legs
• tail
• fur
• whiskers
• keen hearing/sight

Differences between a cat and dog:

• Cats land on all fours
• Cats are self-reliant
• Cats can climb trees
• You need the affection of a cat more than it needs you

I’m sure the list between the two go on and dog lovers will surely protest, but I stand resolved in my decision to be a cat when I grow up.  As my daughter tossed this small puppy onto a bed, the dog flopped and went butt over head then did some gymnastic type twist, again flopping until gaining its bearings.  In my mind I went back to a time of a woman tossing cats out a second story window (that’s another story), but every single cat landed on its feet. To further my point, I took my cat and gave it a small toss onto the bed the same as my daughter did with the dog.  There was no disgraceful gymnastic belly flop.  No. The cat landed on its feet and then curled into a ball and proceeded to ignore me.

I want to be a cat!!! I want to land on my feet and be so elegant as to just lick my paw and then ignore whatever it is that caused me to fall in the first place.  Why? Because I can.  I’m a cat! I don’t care what the obstacle was or is. I don’t have to sit and wait for instructions, I can just pussyfoot over the obstacle and then take a nap on top of it. Why? Because it isn’t an obstacle to the agile cat.

I want to be a cat!!! I want to know that come hell or high water, I can fend for myself.  I don’t need someone to bark directions at me, if I want to come I’ll come, and if I want to scamper away in the opposite direction then I’ll do that too.  I can walk halfway to a destination and change my mind, because that is my prerogative–because I am a cat.

If I want to be petted and held, I will go seek it out or bite your hand until I get it. I don’t want to be messed with I’ll bite your hand until you get it. I am a cat! I make my own rules. I forge my own path. I land on my feet.  I nap when the world around me is in chaos. I ignore idle banter and let out a bored and annoyed yawn. I am determined. I am a hunter. And I can fill any situation, because cats are liquid!

Tania L Ramos, Author in crisis right meow, Cat in training

BeStillNovel.com

Facebook.com/Tanialramosbooks