Your Help Is Needed!!

Several of the authors and readers we all know and love in this great fandom of ours, were greatly affected by the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. One of my favorite authors, Sarita Dreaming,  had a very touching message posted on her blog and I thought I would share it with you so that if you are so inclined to help in any way, you have the information to do so. 

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Fandom Fights Hurricane Sandy

by Sarita Dreaming

 Hurricane Sandy tore through many areas, leaving destruction, devastation, power outages . . . homeless residents.  I'm from New Jersey and live within five miles of the ocean.  We were lucky enough not to lose our home, but many of my friends, neighbors, and co-workers weren't so lucky.  Then there are our neighbors in New York, many areas of which were hit just as hard.

In the days after the storm, we were virtually cut off from everyone.  We were without power, phone service, Internet . . . most of the time our cell phones didn't work.  We had a hand crank radio we used to listen to news updates.  We waited in line for over two hours for gas.  We went into a Target to stock up on canned goods, and the shelves were emptying fast while the cold section was closed off with caution tape.  It was necessary to travel the homes of loved ones to check on them because we had no other means of communication.  The horrific events brought out the Good Samaritan in many, creating a sense of solidarity with neighbors and acquaintances as people offered what they had that others were lacking.  It also brought out the ugly in some.  There was looting, fighting, jealousy, and pettiness.  Generators were stolen during the dark of night.  There were even people calling police stations to complain about noise ordinances when their neighbors had generators and they didn't. 

Once things became more organized around us, we started to gingerly explore the area.  I couldn't stop the tears when I saw houses off their foundations, roofs ripped off, the contents of people's lives strewn across their lawns and the streets.  Residents were picking through what was left of years of memories, trying to salvage something, but the huge piles at the curb showed how futile it was for many.

Governor Christie and all the rescue workers and power crews from NJ and other states did a terrific job.  There were shelters opened, free ice and water, free hot meals, blanket and clothing donations.  But even with all of the assistance we've received already, it's going to take a long, long time for New Jersey to recover.  Many well known seaside locations were destroyed, many historical sites gone.

An event such as this changes you from the inside out and the outside in.  There is no coming through it the same person you were going in.  I think I've come out of it with a new appreciation for my blessings, although I've always been grateful for what I have.  I also have a healthy respect for how fragile our infrastructure truly is.  We can be knocked into the stone age so easily.

Thank you to the angels who put together the Fandom Fights Hurricane Sandy  This fandom always comes together for those in need, and this cause is obviously close to my heart and home.  I'll be writing a story for the compilation.  I hope if you're an author, you'll consider writing a story, and if you're a reader, perhaps you'll consider making a donation to the Red Cross.  For a minimum donation of $10 you will receive the entire compilation of stories.  For those of you out there affected by Hurricane Sandy, I hope you're getting your life back together and that you and your family are safe.

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Thanks for being the amazing readers that you are, and for all of the support you give to all of us in this amazing fandom, in all that ways that you do. 

Eternally Addicted 

SIB chapter 13, pictures

Just A Dream Banner

Here is the awesome banner that alicetheannoyinglittlepixie made me to go with the one shot.

THINK PINK!!!!

Join My-Bella and me and go pink for the month of October in support for breast cancer awareness month.  

I've lost family members to this horrible disease and have had two scares myself including one just this past week. So please, it's so easy to do. Show the world that you are proud to wear pink while helping promote such a very worthy cause. 

You can add all sorts of pink pretties to your Facebook, twitter, avatars, or blog backgrounds to show your support. find all the gadgets, buttons and backgrounds at the following website. 

 http://pinkforoctober.org


Thanks!
EA 

SIB chapter 11 pictures

SIB chapter 10, pictures

Floor plan of Bella and Skylar's dorm suite.

 

 

 

Bella's bedding

Skylar's bedding

Medical School Building

Two very special teasers!

Last year My-Bella and I donated a one shot to the Fandom for Luekemia and Lymphoma Society-Fandom4LLS fundraiser. 

Our amazing and wonderful fandom raised $5,500 for this most deserving cause. We'd like to beat that amount this year and hope that all of you, our fantastic readers, will help us do that. 

All it takes is a small $5.00 donation to get the entire compilation, and all donations over $20 are tax deductible. 

The list of Twilight authors that  have signed up to contribute to the compilation is long and amazing, including many who signed up last year and some new ones as well. And for those of you out there who are Hunger Games fans too, they have also expanded the compilation to include those authors and stories as well. 

My-Bella and myself are both donating Twilight one-shots again this year and hope you can help us with this extremely worthy cause. 

Don't wait though, you only have until August 30th to make your donation. For more information, click on the link below. 

http://fandom4lls.blogspot.com

My-Bella and I would also like to share with you the teasers and banners for our one shots. 

Even if you can't find your way around the kitchen to save your life, I promise you will love this version of Edward and Bella that My-Bella has served up in Mr. Unconventional. 

“I’ve found that when you’re in a new city, it’s nice to know at least one person.”

“I hardly think an elevator ride qualifies as knowing a person.”

His smile changed and became a crooked, cocky grin. “Oh, I know you … You’ve always secretly wanted to try oysters but you’ve been afraid of not liking them and having the mystery of their appeal ruined. You’re here to try the food, but you’re also reluctant to go too far out of your comfort zone. You want a push and a friend to take the journey with you. I know you and I know you’ll come to the restaurant tonight, whether you try the oysters or not.”

“You’re crazy,” she said, laughing him off even as her stomach twisted with the truth of his words.

“Tell me your name.”

“Why?”

She had thought his smile was bone-melting but it was nothing to the piercing look in his green eyes at that moment. “So I’ll know what to call you when I invite you to sit at my table.”

“It’s Bella.”

He scrunched his face and shook his head before grinning at her once more. “I like the French version better. See you tonight, Belle.”

He stepped completely into the hall and then stood there smiling at her until the elevator door closed.

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For my one shot, I've written my own little tale based loosely on the song Just A Dream by Carrie Underwood. 

Biology had been my first class of the day. I remembered how I’d been chewing on my lip so hard I nearly bit threw the skin as I had walked into the biology lab and handed my new student slip to the teacher, Mr. Banner.  I wanted to bolt for the door when he’d first directed me to sit at a table near the back of the class next to this boy with a rusty shade of brownish hair, doodling on his notebook and not paying an ounce of attention to what was going on around him. 

When I pulled my stool out to sit down, it scrapped loudly across the floor making a sound similar to that of a fork being raked across a chalk board causing everyone to stare at me.  Feeling horrified by the unwanted attention I wanted to bolt from the room once again, but knowing I couldn’t I forced myself to sit on the stool. In that same moment, Edward looked over at me. His lips were turned up into this smile that seemed to only form on one side of his mouth as he held out his hand and introduced himself to me. The second I took his hand and looked into his eyes I saw this amazing twinkle that to this day I still can’t explain why or how, but it somehow eased all my fears, letting me know instantly that everything would be okay. 

That day was the beginning of my and Edward’s relationship. We’d started out as friends, even though we both had later admitted that we’d been attracted to one another from the start. But we had taken our time getting to know each other before we had taken that next step and became more. 

Edward had been so sweet and caring as he helped me learn my way around the school and the town. He made me feel welcome and introduced me to his sister Alice and his best friend Jasper. It wasn’t long before the four of us were practically inseparable. 

The longer I knew him the more I saw just what a caring, unselfish, loving, and wonderful person he was and falling in love with him had been so easy. Easy as breathing.

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Thanks for being the amazing readers that you are. My-Bella and I both appreciate it tremendously. 

See you soon with the next chapter of Somewhere I Belong.

EA