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Nice hair color

Over all appearance makes the first impression. Different people rate different things first in appearance. Clean fresh look of course is important. Makeup tricks so the "wow" appeal is visual impact. Clothes are up there at the top of first appearance. How many don't pay attention to their crowning glory, their hair? Sure they brushed it but did they style it and make sure the color is theirs?

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Skype problem. Major update

It now appears that skype has BLOCKED any attempts to download and install older versions that will work on my MacBook OS 10.5.8 the new version of skype won't run on my OS. I cannot afford, at this time, an upgrade to my OS, so I guess I'm pretty much screwed. I can't even recover all my contacts and phone number, since I can't sign in to skype. This means my entire phone number list is lost.

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stl having issues with connections

Well I figured I would post again and let you all know the connection issues are getting worse. First of all, I hate Frontier. At first the connection came and went. It was more off than on. Finally it is just gone. Looking into Comcast. Not too sure. As for the stories, I'd teather my phone to a computer, but have gone over the monthly allotment of internet, so it is darn slow.

I shall post again with more news

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TG-themed Fantasy fiction

Growing up, one of my favourite genres was fantasy fiction- Chronicles of Narnia, Dragonlance, Eye of the World etc. While there are some TG-themed tales set in magical lands, there are not many (at least from what I've seen).

Is there is a quintessential TG-themed fantasy story/novel that I should absolutely read? Is there a reason why there are so few? I would think that this site would be full of them, but there are good reasons (I believe) that they are not abundant.

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A pressing Bikini Beach question

I recently read the latest bikini beach installment on FM today and I had a pressing question that I wondered the answer to. When it comes to the magicks of bikini beach, is it just a transformation as in they were born female or is it a permanent female template in the case of lifetime passes.

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Fight or Flight is stuck on

I've discovered that I can't write effectively with my flight or fight instinct broken and on. It's been a while since it was this bad. My writing is suffering. I'm here with my limited work area, setup in the room I'm sleeping in at my mothers house. My brain screams at me that there is danger, and I know that there isn't, but it won't shut up. Not easy to write when that's ongoing. I had high hopes that my vacation would be a lot of writing, and it's been the opposite.

At least my mood stabilizer is keeping me stable in regards to moods.

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More on stories

It's been a little strange going back over stories I wrote 5 years ago and hadn't looked at for 2 years. Whilst I can remember the Eve plot, some of the chapters surprise me when I read them, prior to editing & revision. Of course, that does help the grammar checking as it's not a very familiar text.

I'm running several chapters ahead with Eve, but as I warned earlier the chapter numbers have changed.

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struggling to find stories

Is there away to filter out which stories are complete? Anyway to exclude certain types of stories? Also, why dont the authors here post some kinda description rather than a picture? There are alot of good authors here however I have a hard time on this site sorting through stories without a decent way to search and read discriptions. Am I missing something here?

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Scattered Notes From a Scattered Mind

I think there are two or three of you out there who might have noticed that I haven’t posted anything in almost six months. It’s interesting how easy it is to slip below the horizon when you are not actively contributing to the literature. It’s not that I haven’t been writing. It’s just that it’s becoming more and more difficult to produce anything more than a few hundred words at a time. I am still working on what may be the last novel in the California Saga series.

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Living the dream - almost

As long as I could remember I have wanted to be an author. This was before wanting to be a teacher or wanting to be an Olympic wrestler. Ever since the third grade I knew I wanted to see my name in print, I wanted to tell stories and I wanted to write books. Are there any out there that had his desire for so long?

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Still a bit short in the Hatbox Donations

We have several bills coming due at the end of the month, ISP service, domain renewals, paying off the loans we took out for equipment and personal bills like rent. If you can help, it will be appreciated.

Donations to make sure these sites keep operating can be made via the Amazon Hatbox Page or via the links on the Janglewood Page.

Thank you and hugs from all of us,
Erin, Piper, Cat and all the volunteers

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Is it a bad idea for a guy to write a female character in first person

I dont know but im doing it. I just hope I dont come off sounding stupid. I've written male character leads and thats fine. Male to female transgender characters is iffy but I figure if they spent most of their lives being male then its ok if they come off that way during the transition. Perhaps even a forcibly transformed male to female. They will still keep their male identity even as females. But, im questioning myself in this, a form genetic woman, born and raised as a girl. Im trying to write in first person as her so Im asking, how do I not sound stupid.

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Coming out of the closet

There was an interesting article in a local paper yesterday about a woman who had lost her hair due to an autoimmune disease, and for the last 3 years refused to be seen in public without a wig, until she finally decided to "come out of the hair closet" by letting herself be photographed without it.

In some ways, my transition has been like her story - years of hiding and self-hate, then coming out and discovering just a big a relief it is to be honest, and then finding out that most people ignore me, some accept me, and some love me regardless.

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Stories update

Eve is being extensively revised and my re-editing is running a few chapters ahead of publishing at the moment. The chapter numbers will no longer tally with the previous publication of Eve. Book 2 is planned but not written. That might be an autumn/winter project.

Unaccounted Gains is a side project that will appear irregularly. Tammy requires plenty of work before I see it fit again, although Gabi was my editor first time around so the spelling should be okay!

Shiraz

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Unhappy Anniversary---What Have We Done?

Today, 28 July 2014 is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WW1. Next month is the 75th anniversary if WW2 and the 200th anniversary of the writing of the “Star Spangle Banner” which was near the end of the War of 1812 (US)/American War of 1812-15 (UK). We are in the mist of the 200th anniversary of Napoleon’s exile at Elba, the 160th anniversary of the Crimean War and 150th anniversary of the siege of Richmond and Petersburg, which virtually ended the US Civil War. The siege had trenches that were repeated in WW1 with disastrous results.

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Real Life changes gear

So here we are, in the hottest part of the UK year, and I'm unable to do things most of the day because of the heat. That doesn't seem to phaze Real Life, of course, which just keeps piling it on.

Short result: Somewhere Else Entirely may be delayed for the next two months or so. See below for details.

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Brown Recluse bites and other things

Not sure how many times I've been bitten (dozen or more) by that spider with two names. Brown Recluse or Fiddle Back. There is no anti venom. The horror stories of being bit by that little critter abound. Within hours of the bite the familiar Bulls Eye forms. White point in the middle with a spreading red circle around the center. Then the nightmare of tales begin as told by the victims. With in a week the flesh starts to rot until a quarter or nickle size hole is left behind.

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Delight at seeing Rhona McCloud now writing

So a fellow newbie has taken the plunge and has started to write! Rhona McCloud started off with a bite sized morsel : Not a writer but I couldn't resist - Dammit!. I mean it was REALLY short - 149 words, but it was well written. I hope she follows up with more to this story as I think it has legs - shapely ones of course. She has since added a follow on instalment, similarly short - 165 words this time.

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Thank you all for your kindness.

Thank you all for the messages of condolence you've sent me after the death of my son. I have no idea if I'll be allowed to attend the funeral, not that it worries me that much, except it would have been nice to be with my ex and daughter to give them support. The reason I don't care about going is that it will be staged managed to show my daughter in law as the wronged, long suffering wife who is now a single parent. The fact that we believe she drove my son to suicide is probably another reason I keep away from her, I might not be answerable for my actions.

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Offensive characters

So here and there I've been working on an as yet untitled superhero tale. I must have rewritten the beginning close to half a dozen times, and I think I've finally settled on a starting I actually like. The main problem is that I'm worried that the protagonist may be a bit too offensive. Everett is a racist, sexist, and a homophobic old man... now I know what you're thinking.. BUT I'm none of those things and by the end of the story 'Everett' won't be either.

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Anyone Know how Elizabeth Jean is Doing?

Just wondering how Elizabeth Jean is doing I know she comments on stories and blogs but I was just wondering if she was doing ok because she has not posted a new chapter to any of her stories since November of 2012.

I hope nothing bad has happened to her or anyone has said anything hurtful to her.

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Seven ages for man but how many for you?

Transition takes many forms, not even I suspect the same number of stages for all. I would appreciate for a story, "The Transit of Venus", input of observations other than my own on how a transitioning life might progress. The story will start in July 2000 in Wales and culminate in Tahiti in June 2004

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What are the Chances?

So there I was, wandering about the suburbs of an English city when, lo and behold, I see a sign on a pub that makes me laugh. Of course I could not resist going in, order a pint, and toast Lady Katherine Trent, the heroine of my 'The World Turned Upside Down.'

HW Coyle
a.k.a. Nancy Cole

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‘The World Turned Upside Down’ on Basingstoke Road, Reading, UK

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In a strange place.

I'm in a strange place at the moment, sort of on autopilot. At lunchtime I received a call that put me there. My ex phoned to say my son was dead - he was 33. Apparently, he walked out of his camper van in the middle of the night and then jumped to his death from a motorway bridge. I don't know why. His wife will probably blame me, although I haven't spoken to him for four years, his choice not mine. I can't say I feel particularly sad, because I can't actually feel anything. I worked this afternoon as normal because I couldn't do anything else.

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Trying to Sell Your Story? Business 101 Applies Here

Forget the Get Rich Quick idea. Don't believe in If You Build it They Will Come fantasy. Selling a story is a business. You want to start a restaurant so you find a really "CHEAP" barn to lease. You refurbish it, put all the equipment in it, hire help, and..., wait for customers who never show. (Kinda kin to posting on Amazon)

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Bike puncture

Hi folks, after such touching commentaries concerning Seven years of Bike (perhaps we could get John Williams to do the soundtrack?)I hate to say I probably won't write one tonight. Been a bit of a busy day driving up to Wales to take my ex to Cardiff to buy a new suite, cooking lunch for her(my suggestion)and then going to see my daughter and doing a ride with her in the afternoon. She's still not back to her old self so I really appreciated her giving her time and energy to indulge me a ride. Then driving back and sorting out two rapacious moggies.

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Another Great Has Passed

Native Oklahoman and Hollywood great James Garner has passed away at the age of 86. My first memory of him is on the TV show "Maverick" (which he hated), and he went on to become one of the most versatile male leads in Hollywood, able to move from TV shows to movies and back. He was always proud of being from Oklahoma, and its impossible for me to come up with even a partial list of all the things he did to benefit the people and the State of Oklahoma.

They don't make them like this anymore, and that's our loss. RIP Jim, we're gonna miss you.

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