obsolete?

I was struck today by a moment from the past and a realization of how quickly things have changed in our society. I’ve seen the YouTube videos about encyclopedias and how kids now a days (dear god I am aging myself here but I digress) how kids don’t know how to use them.

Today I had a phone book delivered. I don’t remember the last time I used an actual phone book. If I need a number I Google it or for businesses I will often use Facebook to search them out.

Twenty five years ago the internet didn’t even exist. And for the first ten years it was mostly local chat rooms and only the most geeky accessed it on a regular basis. Who remembers the sound of dial up internet? (You’re now hearing it in your head aren’t you?) Google is only seventeen. (And yes, I used Google to look up those numbers)

I got my first computer as a wedding gift twenty years ago. And boy was it pretty awesome. I was totally up on all the newest tech. I had used computers in high school and college but this was one IN my house! Crazy.

In a mere twenty years we as a society have changed so drastically to now having multiple lap tops, ereaders, Xboxes, PlayStations, GPS's and smart phones (even children – my niece has a classmate who has an iPhone – she’s in grade one) I’m not intending to get into any discussion on whether this is a good or bad thing for our society in general. It’s just such a stark change.

Things that have disappeared or are slowly fading into obscurity in the last 25 years

-maps (that trusty folded sheet that never went back to its original format and your location was ALWAYS on the crease)

-classified ads in your local paper. (Need a job? Workopolis or going direct to the job bank. Need to buy or sell and item? Kijiji or garage sale groups on Facebook)

-rotary phones (the ones where you would screw up the LAST number and have to start over)

-Door to door salesman who sold ACTUAL products and weren’t a scam artist trying to get you to switch your hydro, phone etc. These were actual professional men who sold vacuums, pots and pans, encyclopedias, knife sets, or Watkins (cleaning products)

-VCR’s those trusty machines that we RENTED videos to watch on.

-paying for things with cheques. Writing a cheque to pay rent or the phone bill before you put it in the mail to send it off. Now it’s all instant with online or telebanking or even paying at the bank. I don’t remember the last time I used a cheque for personal use.

-Pen pals and letter writing in general. I think this is one of the saddest things. I still love getting an actual letter in the mail. Some of my greatest moments are lying on the couch writing letters to my pen pal. My confidant. And getting a letter from her was amazing.

-not knowing who was on the phone (no call display back in the day) we had to take the risk of it being a salesman

-Tape decks, CD’s, records etc. Who needs them when you can download the newest music from iTunes? Digital music so convenient that it ate up the competition.

-Dictionaries (along the same vein as the encyclopedia) we can use Google as a thesaurus and to look up spelling or meaning.

-Floppy drives (now we use the cloud for all our backups)



So now that I am feeling incredibly old and obsolete I shall go cry in the basement.

Happy Endings...

Happy endings. I’ve had a few comments made to me lately that people don’t “like romance”. I have a hard time with this. I read a lot (a book a day) and I read everything from romance to fantasy to true stories to post-apocalyptic, dystopian books. I love to read. I also love a happy ending. Who doesn’t want a happy ending? Our lives are so crazy and upside down that a moment, an hour of smiling and happiness should come as a relief. I know for me it does.

I debated what style of books to write and it comes down to the fact that I want people to read my books and be happy. To enjoy without worry for a little while. To let their real lives drift away and escape into my book. And it is an escape – a welcome escape. I don’t want them to have to take months to read what I’ve written because it is so deep and life altering. Not that there is anything wrong with that – just not all the time. It’s like I really like ice cream. But would I want to eat ice cream for every meal over the next twenty years? No, sometimes I will want a cake or pie (because pie rocks). The point I am trying to make is that there is nothing wrong with diversifying in the styles that you read.

The other thing I want to say to the dissenter who doesn’t like romance is to ask if they’ve read any romance books in the last twenty or thirty years? Romance now has so many sub genres with plot lines like you wouldn’t believe. Romance can come in suspense, fantasy, horror, contemporary, historical even dystopian and so many more. Every genre that lives outside of romance now lives inside romance. Also these aren’t your mother’s romance books. Typically you won’t find bodice ripping virgins who swoon at her first kiss. They can be some of the highest quality well-written books you’ve experienced.

That being said with the advent of self-publishing you will find some…not so well-written, not so well thought out or plotted books. But I believe that is true for all genres now. You may want to take the time to read the samples and reviews before purchasing. But honestly I have found some new favourite authors who are self-published so don’t let that throw you off.

So give a happy ending a chance, you may find yourself surprised by how it makes you feel.

Another post...

Wow, it has been way too long since I last wrote a post. I could give a lot of excuses about life getting in the way, or about how busy I've been, or even that I've been too lazy. All would be true to an extent but the honest truth is that I haven't been inspired to write any posts. I've tried - had the page open and ready to go and no words came out. So instead of writing something not real, not me, I held off.

But here I am again words flowing and ready to be heard.

At this point I've been working on marketing Supernaturally Yours. Doing book signings and trying to build an online presense via facebook and twitter. The book signings have went well and I intend on continuing them while the online presense is a bit more difficult. I keep trying and will continue my efforts to see what effect they have.

The response from readers has been great, I really love the feedback it puts a fire under my ass to keep working on my current WIP (work in progress) And what is it I am working on? Well, I finished up my second novel, tentatively titled "Liquid Fire" and it is currently at publishers waiting on a yeah or nay. Liquid Fire is a stand alone novel but is intended as part of a trilogy. With the second novel in the series "North Wind" about 1/4 of the way written right now...

For those who might be interested here's the rough copy of the blurb for Liquid Fire -


Everyone remembers their childhood as being magical. Lee just found out hers really was.

After suffering a run of bad luck, Lee wants nothing more than to lick the wounds of her past and bury herself away from reality, but she discovers a world of magic, a history she never realized existed. Her destined elementals are being held against their will and the only way to find them is to align with the incredibly delectable, unbelievably stubborn Jeremy. They wind down pathways that will take their undeniable chemistry even higher as they move closer to the sinister plot that has stolen her birthright. Together they will find the villian and learn that sometimes fire and water can mix with steamy, hot results.

A spark of flame glows. A sprinkle of rain slows.


Besides slaving away at my computer I've been coming to terms with the fact that my son (aka Thing 1) is turning eighteen next month and we are now in talks with colleges and plans for the future. While on one hand I am so incredibly proud of him, on the other I am terrified. I have a year before he moves out (he is doing a victory lap at high school to get some additional credits) and already I am a mess. I am going to be that mother that is freaking out and calling constantly and crying on a daily basis. (I also can't believe I am now old enough to have a college aged son but that is another post) Without a doubt I love having kids old enough to converse with and both my children are intelligent thoughtful creatures. We can now talk politics (Thing 1 is more versed and wants to talk politics a lot more than I do) about books, movies and life in general. I love that part. I hate the part that says my kids will move away from me. ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AWAY FROM ME!!! I hate that I won't be able to see and talk to them, that we may drift apart.

I have issues. My closest sibling moved across the country and we went from being closer than anyone could believe possible(even sharing a house as adults and partying together all the time) he was my best friend. Now I see him for a day or two once every year or two. One measly day. And talking on the phone three times a year tops. I lost something so important to me and I can never get it back and it feels like it could happen again with Thing 1.

Then there's the fact that I have no one I can talk to. My kids are older than all my friends children and no one is at this stage in their lives yet. My mother (who experienced me moving away from home at the same age - only a three hour drive - but at the time it was the farthest any of our family had lived from home) well she passed away eleven years ago. It doesn't seem to ever get easier. There are always questions I want to ask "how do I deal with..." "What would you do...." and so on.

Then there's Mr Gloria who is the quintessential duck (nothing sticks to his back) and all he does is smile and tell me it will all be okay. He doesn't worry. He doesn't panic. He just lets things go. With an easy going smile and a laugh. It's enough to make me want to throat punch him with a brick, or maybe a cadillac.

So I've been struggling with the fact that Thing 1 is growing up. In some ways I want to applaud him and hug him and hold him tight. I want time to reverse so I can wrap him in bubble wrap and protect him from the big bad world. Maybe I could lock him in the basement and refuse to let him leave...but no that's an episode of Criminal Minds waiting to happen. I guess I will do what mothers have done for time immemorial: suck it up.

Let him go. Support him. Love him and let him live his own life.

Damn. I hate it when common sense prevails over my emotional state.

So much!

There has been so much going on in the last month it has been crazy! 

Let's start with the good stuff - I've been accepted as a professional at comicon toronto.  March 20-22 I'll have a table all set up with goodies and paperbacks available.  Here's a link http://www.comicontoronto.com/guests/gloria-bishop/

So excited and nervous all wrapped up in a bundle of me. 

The bad stuff.  At the end of February my publisher had to close it's doors.  A terribly sad loss for the publishing world as they were some of the best people I've had the pleasure of dealing with in a long time.  So with comicon on the fast approaching horizon I rushed and got supernaturally yours self published.  It's still available on all your favorite platforms (ebook everywhere and paperback in selected stores around stratford and online through amazon)  with new cover art (that I slaved over myself).  Prices stayed the same.

Also I changed the Facebook stuff.  I'm just your everyday girl and having a fan page still seemed too weird for me so I've made my main page my page.  Friend me I promise I'll accept.  I'd rather have friends than fans any day of the week.  Find me at www.facebook.com/gloriabishopauthor

My novella Becoming Kira is also now available in ebook format.  It's a contemporary lighthearted romance about finding love in a modern age. 

I've also been crazily working on editing my next fantasy romance Liquid Fire and it should be heading out to publishers soon.

Crazy busy!  Crazy excited!

So with that I'll be heading to bed hoping to see a bunch of you at comicon!

A new regular post I'd like to call 'What am I reading?' Today - Shifting Hearts by Dominique Eastwick

I have been working like mad recently. Managed to finish the first and second draft of the novel I fought my way through as part of NaNoWriMo. It is now at the beta readers as I work through it once more as well.

You would think that meant I could take a breather wouldn't you? Not so. My brain is already working on plotting out the next two novels (which are follow ups to the nanowrimo novel)

I have also been going crazy with the lack of time to read. So I have made time. This is the moment that I realized just how much I love my kobo. While at the gym (where I am trying once more to become healthier and in better shape) anyhoo, I can set the font to large and read away. Just this week I ended up spending double the amount of time on the eliptical than normal, and the time just flew by since I was reading. Yaah for multi tasking. Love it.


What have I been reading you ask? Well let me tell you, I just finished a novel by Dominique Eastwick. It's called Shifting Hearts and is part of the Wiccan Haus series available through Musa Publishing, it is a novella, at only 21500 words it is a quick, hot read. I am not a reviewer, nor do I profess to be one, keep that in mind. I know what I like and what I don't. And I liked this book.

Dana is a relatable character (although I could have used a touch more character development - that being said since it is a novella the amount we get to know her is probably suffice) She is coming back from being stood up at the altar and is escaping reality by heading to a mysterious spa with her bestie. The spa sounds like just the place we all need to go to, so that we can regroup after life throws us curveballs. But it does have twists of it's own. The Wiccan Haus spa is a haven not only to those humans who need emotional healing and recovery but also to the multitude of supernatural creatures that also need to have some relaxing down time.

The hero of the story is totally lickable, and very much the alpha male. He is a tough as nails supernatural creature and the chemistry between Dana and Rekkus jumps off the page. Rekkus has problems of his own and to some degree fights the attraction between the two of them. His story is heart breaking, and together the two damaged individuals work to heal each other.

Overall Shifting Hearts is a steamy, hot, completely fun read. It introduces the reader to the Wiccan Haus world (where a number of novellas by a variety of authors take place)in a fun, fast and interesting way.

I recommend giving it a read. I think you'll enjoy.

In case you are interested here's the link:
http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_42&products_id=33

Crazy life.

Wow, it's been a crazy ride for me. Today is the seventh day of 2015. On the second my grandpa died as a result of a car accident. Grandpa was older, he'd be near 90, but he wasn't sick. It was a sudden death. I hadn't seen him for a number of years, since life had gotten in the way. I have so many memories of him from when I was a child. Good memories that only serve to sadden me now.

My father, who lives with me, was rushed to the hospital on the fourth. He had a liver transplant five years ago and now has a blood infection and liver stones, surgery is scheduled for today.

Last night on the sixth, my aunt passed away. We hadn't heard about her being sick until about two weeks ago and then it just progressed from there. My aunt was always smiling and laughing, it's unfathomable to me that she is gone.

Add to the above the fact that in nine days it's the anniversary of my mom's death - which is enough to normally put me in a state of depression.

I'm just in a state of shock. What the hell is going on in my life? I know it's not about me, but I do wonder what I did to end up with this as my 'new, fresh start'- Was I too happy? Too proud? Too comfortable? What? I guess today is my day to be angry. To not understand. To wonder why.

I'm not writing this post looking for sympathy. The one thing everything has made me do is hug my family. Thing 1 and thing 2, even though they are teenagers, have been the recipients of my emotional fallout. Mr. Gloria is feeling smothered, I don't want to let any of them go. I want them within my sight at all times. But that's not how life works. I have to give them some space, even if it tears me apart.

The one thing I will leave you with is a reminder to hug your loved ones. I know that's been said a million times before, but it is true. Don't put off the visit, or phone call. Let them know how much they mean to you.

Year end is coming

It’s December and we all know what that means besides presents, parties and cold weather. I am talking about the time of year when we start reflecting. Looking back on life in general and this year in particular is always interesting.

I tend to be a pretty reflective person to begin with (and no I do not mean I am mirrored) but I think a lot. I wonder what if, who was, why did, when did, how is that and so on. So the end of the year is just a chance for me to do it without everyone talking about how OCD I am or telling me that I hold onto things for too long and to let it go. (did anyone else just hear a Disney song in their heads or was that just me?)

My life has taken a total detour from where I was just last year. It’s crazy to think about all the positive changes. But even beyond the book and the store and all the other things I’ve talked about before there is a new revelation for me. I have always had a bad temper, we’re talking throwing-things-tears-flying-screaming-mad kind of temper and it has been over a year since I lost it. And while I am still an emotional basket case I do find myself much more even keeled. Less off balance.

I always worried about how I would react to turning forty. I was positive that I wouldn’t react well and would be a mess for the entire year. I’ve seen how others react both in person and on television and I knew I would be the type to overreact. BUT I didn’t. Turning forty has been great. I feel better, more hopeful, happier than I have in a long time.

I am going to leave this (admittedly short) post on a happy note and say goodnight, may you all look for the positives in your own lives and find what means everything to you