Rhobin's Rambles

Excerpt from Legend's Cipher, an anthology

2012-01-04T12:55:00.002-05:00

Bertok sat across the table from three examiners, his hands clasped on the table in front of him, and wondered why he had been summoned to Vincenne University on Acolyte Island, the home of the head bishop of the Holy One’s church. Three clerics silently stared at him from the other side of the table. One chair remained empty.

This couldn’t be about any immoral activity, could it? Yes, they could find cause, but my carousing has never led to another’s harm, has it? Is this a tribunal? The thought of burning briefly terrified him, causing him to quickly regard the other men seated in the room. No, those types of illegal inquisitions stopped generations ago, didn’t they? Besides, he knew no secrets, and he tried whenever possible to avoid such awareness.

Bertok compressed his shoulders while he twisted his neck, cracking the bones to relieve his tension. What had he done? A complaint sent to the Bards’ Guild at Queen’s University could result in expulsion from the guild. That notion shook him. He had a dual calling as both storyteller and musician. What would he do? He loved being a bard; the work suited his wanderlust, and his talents. He didn’t want to labor in fields or be beholden to some shopkeeper, or worse, some aristo.

A few inescapable reflections exposed situations where his actions had been less than ethical. These situations arose mostly through mischance or miscalculation. He was not as pure in body and soul as the priests demanded, but surely none of his misdeeds rose to punishable offenses? His only other secret he kept twisted tightly shut. How could they possibly know of that?

His short, well-worn leather jack felt buttoned too tight even if only at the waist, and to unbutton it would be far too casual for whoever was coming to talk to him. Besides, the jack hid stains on his shirt he did not wish to expose, even if the shirt’s frayed cuffs escaped the end of his jack’s sleeves.

Unlike many bards, I claim no coat string relation to any aristo, and I look like what I am, a powerless itinerant bard—someone with no influence. Perhaps even a worthless sacrifice for some religious goal? He shivered.

The closely woven texture and slight sheen on the three examiners’ gray robes of common clerical service, while plain, displayed fine quality. Their cowls, arranged in careful folds around the clerks’ necks, probably kept the chill-laden drafts away while Bertok’s knees knocked with nervousness and the winter drafts chilling the room. The fireplace’s burnt offerings failed to warm the room to more than bearable cold.

His mind returned to his ponderings. Why was I called to the Bishop’s School? He had graduated from Queen’s College, so if he was to be disciplined for any incorrect language or behavior, would not the oral rhetoric professors of his own school handle the matter? Not the prelate’s teaching center? Did they know his secret? With applied effort he prevented himself from unseemly squirming in his seat, but the clasp of his hands grew tighter.

The leaded panes of the tall, arched windows let drab winter light filter into the paneled chamber and made the ancient walnut paneling appear all the darker. He wondered if the prelates preferred such somber surroundings. The click of the latch of the door drew his attention.

His eyes widened, and his mouth dried as His Eminence the Bishop entered. If he didn’t know the man’s face, he’d have never recognized him. The bishop also wore general clerk’s dress rather than the ornately rich robes of his office. Bishop Hedrick settled his ascetic’s frame in the empty chair across the table. His gaze settled on Bertok. His eyes were the most innocent blue Bertok had ever seen. The bishop smiled, gentleness lining his face.

“Bard Bertok, it was kind of you to travel so far at my request.”

Bertok hesitated, wondering what to reply, but took the safe route. “Your holiness, I am at your service, only curious as to the reason for your request.”

The bishop’s smile changed his austere expression to one of an ordinary man. “That certainly eases my conscience. Before I embark on my reason for calling you hence, I would like to ask you a few questions.”

Bertok nodded his agreement while his stomach boiled in tension.

Writing’s Gifts

2011-12-19T18:43:00.000-05:00

This Christmas Eve, with all its promised gifts and with the year’s end soon to urge individuals into introspection, I find myself reflecting on what writing has given me. My ninth-grade teacher would be gratified to know improved grammar is one blessing. To be published one needs to know grammar, plus all the proofing and editing involved demands it. This gift led to a teaching job, a huge gift, but there are many others.

Writing gives my imagination free reign; for once the world is mine (insert evil laugh) and I can do with it what I like. Writing gives me a voice. Does that equate to imaginary power, or power through imagination?

Having a book published, even one not on the NYT Bestsellers list, gave me innumerable insights. The biggest gift writing bestows is not the celebrity or notoriety some writers receive, but satisfaction. Satisfaction in finishing a work and conquering the struggles that erupt throughout the project. (Don’t you struggle at some point in every writing project?) Satisfaction came when a publisher accepted my manuscript, and those readers who have bought my books seem to enjoy my words! Along with satisfaction are closely related aspects of pleasure, perseverance, and accomplishment.

I’ve received more than satisfaction. When I began to recognize my mistakes and learned to correct and improve my work, I learned craft. As I now tell my classes, writing teaches thinking, like following a logical order, and looking at all aspects of a situation to discover both the subtle as well as the obvious choices. I also learned about criticism and rejection, and while difficult to accept, they offer a challenge to do better.

Once introduced into the publishing world, another gift emerged -- a community of writers as varied and interesting as the characters found on a library’s bookshelves: some helpful, friendly, and supportive, some spicy with strong opinions, and others quiet and slow to engage.

Everyone believes they have a story inside them. (If you think the plural pronoun agreement with indefinite singular antecedent is wrong – check out Merriam Webster’s Ask the Editor – it’s such a relief!) I was determined to write mine. I’m sure many writers have similar feelings, and most likely have discovered other gifts. What is stopping your from writing your story?

Sharing

2011-11-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

Today is my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. It's about sharing, and although giving is a form of sharing, Thanksgiving doesn't seem so commercial. (However, if I hear one more Black Friday commercial in Broadway's best musical form, I might scream. I love cooking this meal, love sharing it with family and friends. We started yesterday. Bill cleaned. I made two pumpkin pies and an apple pie. (Finally found someone who still sells Spy apples -- best for making pies!) Also made two dozen dinner rolls, for this I tried a new 'quick' recipe. They turned out pretty good. I'll give the kids half of them to take home. They're already wrapped up. Finished off making pumpkin bread, but I screwed that up by putting in some dried apple. Great taste but didn't bake right; so I'll try again next year.

We got up relatively early and finished cleaning. (One thing about entertaining -- at least the house gets cleaned!) I put the turkey in the roaster, and the dressing in the crockpot. That's another new recipe I tried, and it turned out very good. Opps! Just burned the potatoes, How did that happen? I just checked them! I guess we'll have to have instant, and I'm using a dressed-up canned gravy this year. The soup pot is already simmering for the turkey bones. Only family coming today, the last guest just called and they're sick. So food is warming, the candles already lighted, dinner is at 3:00, gave one pie away, kitchen is clean until after dinner, I've had neither breakfast or lunch, so I'm ready to eat!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Memorable Characters

2011-11-03T08:27:00.001-04:00

No matter how many stories I read or write, a few characters never leave my soul. Matter of fact, they sometimes seem to haunt me. I first read Elizabeth Bennet's (yes, another Pride and Prejudice fan) in tenth grade, but I've revisited her often, like twenty plus re-readings and I never miss a movie. The new books carrying her story, or her sisters' stories, forward and other plot and setting machinations, do not interest me. Other readers, I know, don't care about her so much, but I'm certain they have one character who they always remember or one who plays a part in their imagination, dreams, or subconscious; for many it might be Harry Potter stars in this role.

Who invited you? Get out of my mind.

Many other character's haunt my subconscious, popping out at the strangest moments, but usually when I'm taking a long walk. It's not only good characters, either, for I often find coercive, mean and twisted characters, whose behavior I found reprehensible in a story, pop into my mind. Other times a character from an otherwise unremarkable story is so strong they break ground and plant themselves in my imagination.

What is this? Some sort of psychological archetype trick of the mind? If that is the case, I'm sure everyone has different characters hopping around in their cerebral cortex, but isn't it rather interesting who shows up?

The trick, of course, for writers is to make sure those characters don't show up in one of their own books. Which is another interesting phenomenon, because often my book characters show up in my brain long before they do a book.

How about other readers? Do you have similar occurrences?

Crewkin an Epic Award Finalist

2011-09-25T14:11:00.000-04:00

Crewkin is on the finalist list for the
Epic Award's best science fiction ebook.

Where Science Fiction is Born

2011-09-25T09:58:00.004-04:00

Our times and world are ripe with topics that boggle the mind and spur imagination. It’s not only the social and cultural customs and mores clashing as the planet effectively shrinks and the population grows. Science looms. Religions react. People wonder.

In August IBM announced the first computer chip made from DNA. Doesn’t a principle of life being used in a computer create all types of images in your mind?

Now, clearly IBM is interested in improving computers: “The company is researching ways in which DNA can arrange itself into patterns on the surface of a chip, and then act as a kind of scaffolding on to which millions of tiny carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles are deposited. That network of nanotubes and nanoparticles could act as the wires and transistors on future computer chips,” (same PC World article by Agam Shah, IDG News ). Still, my imagination springs from the terror of machine images found in Terminator to humans with wondrous mental capacities, and in both cases all the steps from here to there. My reality marvels at the concept of an even smaller more powerful computer.

Every industry, every nation, organization, and individual, is always impacted by their acceptance or rejection of new technology; and these discoveries always give birth to even more imaginative ideas and devices -- and to public paranoia, or sometimes to justified condemnation. We never seem to know the repercussions until they have developed, even when warned by speculative writers. Just remind the government not to close the patent office when they might think everything possible has been invented—humanity’s creativity isn’t done yet. Which, of course, only leads to more speculative fiction, but it is interesting, isn't it? Trip to Mars, anyone?

A Memoriam and a Media Conviction

2011-09-04T12:22:00.002-04:00

I love detective stories, and find the real-life programs an irresistible draw. They say fiction can't be as bizarre as fact, and I often believe that.

Last night I couldn't sleep so turned on the TV. Two hundred plus channels and there were only movies I've seen at least three times each, reruns of programs I didn't like when they were new, and The Investigators.
On the show Chuck Chambers at the behest of the husband investigated the murder of the man's wife. Okay. Good fodder for if I ever want to write a murder mystery. And then something happened I never expected. They mentioned the man and woman's names. I knew the victim. That changed everything.

Now, a few years ago my brother told me of Wendy's murder and that her husband Ed had been convicted. Seeing this information presented as a TV show rocked me, and not in a good way. I did not know the details of what happened. So I listened with my media doubt alert on high.

Reading this, I hope you know not everything you hear is true, and that there are often multiple versions of true. The investigator raised doubt about the husband's conviction. What I heard and saw was one version of true. But an incontrovertible fact remained that Wendy was killed.

I know others who have had acquaintances and loved ones murdered. It is a sad commentary on humanity, and a strong comment on our culture that we use their tragic stories for entertainment. I hear you. Guilty as charged.

So here is my testimony about Wendy. I graduated from high school with her. I can't say we were best friends, but perhaps good acquaintances. She was a lovely girl with a beautiful smile that lit up her eyes. Wendy was friendly and had a contagious laugh. There was often a spark of mischief in her eyes, but kindness, too.

Like so many others, I lost touch with even my closest high school friends. Some of my classmates, I must admit to my shame, I barely remember. I remembered Wendy, just had no inkling of what happened in her life after graduation. Times change. People change. I hope I am a better person now. I'm sorry murder cut Wendy's life short. No one deserves that. I wish her peace in her afterlife, and I hope those who loved her found peace, too.

Published!

2011-08-01T14:45:00.000-04:00

There it is on the front page for August!
Woo-hoo!

8 Days to Publication

2011-07-24T16:17:00.000-04:00

Made it!! Today I sent back the galley and other paperwork involved in the publication process. I feel a sense of accomplishment. Now it is up to the publisher to get the rest done by August 1.

I will receive an ARC (advanced reader copy) before then.

11 Days to Publication

2011-07-21T21:42:00.000-04:00

Okay, I've just received the galley, which is the final thing I have to work on for Legend's Cipher to make it's August 1 publication date. I have to go over line by line the manuscript to catch all those pesky little errors. Karen B. did a really great job as line editor and caught many things I missed, like different spellings of a character's name. So I guess I'll be busy for the weekend. I want this back to Wings on Sunday night.

13 Days to Publication

2011-07-19T13:22:00.000-04:00

Had a problem with the cover's dpi density and had to fix those and send front, back and spine artwork back in to art department. There are always glitches that need fixing.

15 Days to Publication Update

2011-07-17T20:34:00.000-04:00

Finished edits tonight at 8:30 EST. Whew!!

It really paid to go over the manuscript and make track-able changes earlier in the month.

15 Days to Publication

2011-07-17T13:25:00.000-04:00

Received the edits this morning, but the file wouldn't open. Thank you Microsoft for making different Word version documents incompatible. That problem is straightened out and I've gone through twenty pages of manuscript (out of 126 pages). Going through the version earlier is making this process much easier and faster.

I follow my editor's recommendation closely. They read a manuscript with fresh eyes. However, I never just accept the editor's recommendations without reading the entire manuscript. No one is infallible, and typos are easy to miss. In the end, I am responsible for the content of this story. That's why in this crunch time frame I reread the manuscript ahead of edits so I could find changes I thought needed to be made.

Got to get back to work. I'd like this to be emailed back tomorrow!

16 Days to Publication

2011-07-16T19:52:00.001-04:00

Yikes! No edits to go through yet. Glad I've already gone through the manuscript and can do a comparison.

27 Days to Publication

2011-07-05T17:16:00.000-04:00

Today the final on the cover was accepted. Pretty much what the rough draft showed, but a little more refined. Half way through my edits of the manuscript.

28 Days to Publication

2011-07-04T10:01:00.000-04:00

Learned today my editor from my previous books is editing Legend's Cipher. Leslie Hodges is an excellent editor and I'm as pleased as punch to know she is working on one of my stories again. She emailed me she'd have the edits by the end of the week. This is going much smoother than I assumed. Oh-oh, did I say that? The pessimist in me says I'm tempting fate. NO, No, no! I'm going to be positive! This process is going to go as smooth as silk.

I'm also going through the anthology to catch errors. It's embarrassing what I missed! However, I know this is very common. When you're writing your eye and mind are closely connected. When you reread something your eyes see what your mind thinks is there. Now with several months passed since I last saw the manuscript, I can see what is actually there. Now I can compare what Leslie catches with what I've caught and be fairly sure of a clean manuscript.

Taking off today to go to Traverse City, see the Cherry Festival and tonight's fireworks. Happy 4th of July!

32 Days to Publication

2011-07-01T16:52:00.000-04:00

Once an author receives notification of a contract, there is usually a long period before they hear from an editor. I'm sure within the next three weeks I'll hear, but I'm not waiting. I've gone ahead and started proofing my manuscript yet again. It's always amazing to find the things I've overlooked.

On the other hand, promotion goes ahead. I've heard from the Wings representative about participating in author interviews so plan to get that taken care of ahead of time. Also have to make sure all my obligations for blog posts are scheduled ahead so I can concentrate on my manuscript when it comes.

37 Days to Publication -- the Cover

2011-06-24T09:04:00.000-04:00

Worked yesterday afternoon and came up with rough draft cover, now submitted to art department for initial approval. I'm away for the weekend. There is always a lot of down time after cramming to get something done.

38 Days to Book's Release

2011-06-23T13:32:00.001-04:00

Whew! Last night I sent electronically signed contract and all the other forms, including the 'promo' pieces:

A 25 word blog line (what's the catchiest short sentence you can come up with to gain a reader's interest for your book?). Mine? What would you do – spy on others so you could publicly betray their secrets, or expose a secret that could destroy you? What do you think?

Wording for back cover and for website blurb (No more than three paragraphs, and I went with the same three paragraphs paraphrased from the story). Mine: Magic makes you different, makes others look on you with suspicion. Many think those having such strangeness are dangerous, threatening, and also somehow undeserving of such a ‘gift.’ What Bertok had not related when the bishop gave him this mission was his greatest, most buried secret--he possessed such an unnatural ability. Now he must use his magic against others, expose them, and hope he would not be caught.

And a book excerpt of no more than 3 pages for the website. Too much information to give what I sent in here.

Sounds easy doesn't it? I find it's one of the hardest parts of book management, harder than writing the manuscript, and I have some marketing background! These are the words that catch a reader's interest. I've made mistakes in this venue before. The promo pieces done yesterday were all selected in a matter of hours and reworked for what I thought presented this work best. I may have to revisit these words as this book goes through edits. Luckily, my publisher knows I'm in a crunch. I think they believe I can pull this off, and I know they will work with my changes up to the last minute. I hate last minutes and I'm sure they do to, so any changes will be completed long before last minute.

Today I mailed in the printed copies of the contract. Now I'm going to search for images to use on my cover.

Wings lets me do my own covers, which I enjoy doing, and which I think make my stories stand out as part of a group and mine. What do you think? Are my covers up to par or should I let a cover artist do them? I have to say here, my other two publishers don't allow authors to do their covers because they like a specific look for their publishing houses, but I'm an extremely pleased with the results.

With all this going on, I can also tell I'll be doing a lot of walking to relieve stress.

Very Busy July Coming Up!

2011-06-22T18:16:00.001-04:00

I received and signed contracts today from Wings Press for Legend's Cipher, a fantasy anthology set the Aegis World of my other stories: Magic Aegis, Change and Acceptance. Publication date -- August 1, 2011. That's right, thirty nine days from now. They had an empty slot and Legend's Cipher slid into it. Busy, busy month ahead. I'll make posts of how this progresses. I've never done editing and cover in this short a time frame. I'll be telling myself: I can do this... I can do this... I can do this...

World Building at MuseItUp Blog

2011-06-15T11:42:00.000-04:00

Today I'm giving a six post blog workshop on world building at MuseItUp Publishing Blog. Check it out!

Witch World

2011-06-03T08:47:00.003-04:00

Fantasy is timeless because the worlds created have their own reality. It is escapism at its best.

This was the first volume of the Witch World series that launched several generations of teen and pre-teen readers into the genre of fantasy fiction. And yes, I was one of those teens. There were other fantasy novels around, but many of those were difficult to read, or aimed at adult audiences.

Witch World stories were classified as 'juveniles' because they didn't contain graphic sex, objectionable language or abusive violence, and they often revolved around coming-of-age journeys. However, these novels have much broader appeal. I've reread my copies through the years with as much enjoyment as the first time.

Simone Tregarth is a man marked for death in the mid-20th century. The ex-colonel fell afoul of what seems to be a crime organization. Norton leaves this a little nebulous because it doesn't matter except that Tregarth is a hunted man, a former warrior seeking escape. However, Norton points out that Tregarth is of ancient Cornish descent, invoking times of King Arthur and Celtic magic. A stranger who considers himself a scientist, an explorer and experimenter promises Tregarth escape. He leads Tregarth to the Seige Periolous, a stone as old as Stonehenge, rumored to have the ability to "judge a man, determine his worth, and then deliver him to his fate." At dawn, the Seige Periolous delivers Tregarth to Witch World, a journey with no return.

Witch World does not have the technology of Tregarth's home world, but magic is abundant. There are witches, magic, telepathy, and an ongoing war between good and evil.

His first act in this strange land saves the life of a witch, who remains unnamed until the last page. She takes him to Estcarp, the "threatened, perhaps doomed" home of the witches. Of course, Tregarth doesn't speak the language, giving the reader an excellent opportunity to learn along with him. Here we meet witches, who only keep their power while virginal, and the dwarf guardsman Koris the Misshapen. There are other races in this world: the men called Falconers; the seafarering Sulcarmen, and about the evil coming from the lands of Karsten and Alizon. We also learn of the gates, portals that deliver people from other times and places, the price of magic, and of choices between right and wrong. WITCH WORLD serves as the reader's gate to numerous other books in this amazing, well-crafter world.

The thirty-two books of the Witch World are available used from on-line booksellers, but I've discovered them to few and far between in local used bookstores. Probably a testament to readers loving their books so much they don't want to part with them.

Sadly, Andre Norton died in 2005 at the age of 94. The list of her published books displays her impressive accomplishment. For more about her writing go to: http://www.andre-norton.org/books/index.html.

Witch World by Andre Norton, Copyright 1963, many editions. Mine is from ACE Science Fiction.
ISBN: Changes with publisher.

MuseItUp Blog Writing Conference

2011-05-30T20:13:00.001-04:00

Have you ever wanted to learn to write, or improve your writing? Beginning tomorrow, MuseItUp Publishing, on their blog, will host a free writing conference. Each day during the month of June a new topic will be considered. So visit everyday! I will be sharing information on how to create a new world setting for your prospective novel on June 15.

Wine!

2011-05-21T09:32:00.001-04:00

Today I'm blogging at Night Writers about my new adventure -- making dandelion wine!

And I'm blogging on The Writer's Vineyard on the perfect wine to accompany a mystery.

SALE!

2011-05-17T19:20:00.003-04:00

Woo-Hoo! To celebrate Victoria Day, my Canadian press Champagne Books is offering 50% off on all their ebooks, May 17- May 24, 2011 with coupon code: vicday50

You can get a copy of my romantic suspense novel Stone House Farm for half price!

Hope Pins

2011-05-09T20:29:00.002-04:00

Some Guys spiffy in Georgian Vests and Neckties.

A 20's Flapper for Hope

For her birthday my sister Pat is having a fund raiser for Relay for Life. I want to help her and made a few "Hope Pins" to be sold for the effort, that is clothespin dolls. Something for a cancer patient to hang nearby and know others are there for him or her. Afterward, the pin becomes a Christmas tree ornament.

So Happy Birthday, Pat! Here is a preview and there are ten of them on their way to you. Hope all of them sell!

Review for Crewkin!

2011-04-24T18:35:00.002-04:00

Somehow I missed this and just found it today; it was worth the wait!

Crewkin by Rhobin L Courtright

5 STARS +

This is a highly original story with a likable, if misfit, cast of characters. The story follows the adventures of Renna, a long-haul spacer, who was actually bred and nurtured (if you want to call it that) to be a part of an efficient team of enhanced humans, called Crewkin. Often referred to as Podders, a slang term of disparagement, by others in the space industry, Crewkin are bred and owned by Markham Corporation – an enormous and highly shady operation.

I thought the descriptions of this future society were just brilliant – strange, sweeping in scope, and yet, still, utterly believable. The author deftly, and seemingly without effort, created personalities and situations that were so unique but that still easily captured my imagination and held it in thrall. This is a wonderfully powerful novel that is populated with odd-ball characters I came to care deeply for, as they traveled through space, facing uncertainty and adversity. A journey during which each of them faced some ugly truths that could have easily destroyed them all but which, instead, forged them into a solid, formidable unit.

Science Fiction fans rejoice, for this novel is a solid masterpiece, sure to fire up your imagination and send it hurtling through space on a wondrous ride. Outstanding, Science Fiction as it is meant to be! Read Full Review

Laurie-J
Reviewer for Night Owl Reviews

A Question for You

2011-04-12T22:08:00.000-04:00

Today at school Father John Staudenmaier, Professor of History and Assistant to the President for Mission and Identity at the University of Detroit Mercy, spoke as part of this year's Big Question Talk series. His topic was 'Hospitality or Suspicion: the Nature of Borders.' The first question he asked was 'Where are you?' There was much more to the lecture as the title indicates, but my mind kept returning to this question.

Think about that and take a moment to answer the question.

Did you answer with your current location or another answer, such as where you are in your life's journey, or how far you are from something or someone you desire? There is no right or wrong answer, but there is the opportunity to take a step back from what seems to be everyone's extremely busy lifestyle and just contemplate a simple question.

I've often heard this question asked, but the change in context intrigued me. Since my initial answer, the question has come back to me several times, and my answer has changed with each answer. Yet, I still agree with all my responses. Where am I right now? Where I want to be.

So where are you?

An Alien Wakeup Call

2011-03-22T16:09:00.003-04:00

It's time we all woke up to the fact that aliens walk among us. It seems recently that everyone is coming forward with reports of abduction by aliens at some point in their lives, but not me. I caught on to that alien game early on. You see, I have cats.

Maybe many of you other cat owners know what I'm talking about. Cats are inventive tricksters. They love playing with our minds, and that characteristic combined with a very demanding ego can create havoc. One of their eccentricities is that at some early morning hour they boldly go where others would fear to tread. Mine usually approach just before dawn. Sometimes they let you know they're coming, but often they just magically appear standing on your chest, their nose nearly touching yours. Their message is clear: "I'm hungry and the food bowl is empty," or "I want out. Now."

So far it's not too bad. Anyone with kids or dogs knows about early morning demands. Cats take it a step further. When you come awake from the weight on your chest, perhaps the touch of a cold, damp nose, or the tickle of a whisker against your cheek, the first thing you see upon opening your eyes is ... an alien! Sometimes, just for fun, they play this game in the middle of the night, waking you from REM state. All you perceive is eyes and nose, not recognizable being. Don't believe me? Check out these comparison photos of mug shot versus police suspect drawing.

This is your cat playing with your brain while you remain in some hallucinatory dream state. I wonder how many of those reporting alien abductions owned a cat?

The Leaf Magician

2011-03-19T10:34:00.000-04:00

I've written a brief garden post on gardening at Night Writers. Please take a look at The Leaf Magician.

More Illud Tempus

2011-03-13T19:48:00.001-04:00

My e-book reader doesn't include the cover for the book. Not sure why, probably some techno-glitch I made myself since I used to get them, but now I feel positively deprived and dissatisfied. This made me wonder about covers and the importance of the illud tempus.

The illud tempus is simply a device telling listener to suspend their disbelief-- that sense that what they are about to hear could never really happen. I say listeners because this all began with the oral folk lore traditions of 'once upon a time.' That short phrase translates into 'just go along with this without asking too many questions about how and why.' The illud tempus told the listeners they were about to visit another realm, another time, even another dimension: a place of fairies, trolls, dragons, and now super heroes, impossibly beautiful characters, space travel and all sorts of bizarre settings and plots.

The best examples today are TV show trailers. We all know our favorite show's music. It calls us from loading the dishwasher, or balancing the bank account. Those beginning images and sounds are the show's illud tempus, asking us to suspend our disbelief for another thirty to sixty minutes. We know the hero or heroine will again surmount terrible odds, or find themselves once more in some implausible situation.

As a reader, I want to suspend my disbelief, that's what getting into a story is all about. However, few novels or short stories today begin with 'in a kingdom far, far away.' Reading a story where I just cannot identify with the characters, or they behave in unbelievable manners shows I have not suspended disbelief. Stories like this dissatisfy me, the reader. I want to become each character, and participate in his or her every success and failure. I want to share the characters' emotions, feel their physical word, and sense their inner selves. It is escapism at its best. This involves the art of writing.

But what makes me chose a story? What is the illud tempus of written fiction? The illud tempus only takes seconds, so perhaps the book cover best draws me into suspending disbelief. Covers give hints about characters, setting, genre, historical era, and plot. Certainly looking at another six-pack abs forces most women familiar with men's physics to suspend their disbelief (or, like me, question why they can't). Quite frankly covers seem to make me want to believe whatever the author says. Covers are in themselves fantasy images, but images often convey an impression of reality, so if I buy the cover, am I not more open to buying the story? I think so.

So is the cover an illud tempus? "Once upon a time?"

My reader is so old it's out of production. If I want covers to draw me into a story, maybe I better invest in a newer reader.

The Root of the Matter

2011-03-12T09:12:00.000-05:00

Blogging at Night Writers on Roots, gardening topics with a touch of fantasy.

The Root of the Matter

Time Capsules

2011-03-05T16:14:00.000-05:00

More garden blogging with a touch of fantasy, science, and writing at Night Writers.

Considering Aliens... Like Trees

2011-02-26T17:16:00.000-05:00

Blogging at Night Writers on native intelligence. Take a look.

Garden Blog on Winter

2011-02-20T16:20:00.000-05:00

Hope you can take time to read my blog on Winter posted today.

The Touch of Relationship

2011-02-20T14:08:00.000-05:00

Check out my comments made Saturday on relationship and writing at the MuseItUp Publishing Blog.

Night Writer's Post

2011-02-20T13:55:00.000-05:00

Follow the title's link to read my post on gardening "It's Alive" on the new Night Writer's Blog. I'll be posting there Saturdays on gardening topics, often relating them to science fiction, fantasy, romance and suspense. Leave a comment!

Now the Waiting

2011-02-19T13:25:00.001-05:00

Just submitted a new manuscript to one of my publishers. Now the long wait (and attendant self-doubt) starts. The big question: Is it good enough?
After nine previous contracts offered, perhaps I'm over reacting, but in certain respects doubt is what drives me to write the next manuscript. Can I do better? Can I write something with a new twist? As a writer, and as a teacher of writing, I believe if you pay attention, you learn with every word you write. For me making every manuscript better creates an interesting challenge--more suspenseful drama, better characterization, less telling and more showing, plus the chance to expose a new situation or give a fresh retake on an old situation. My goal is for my story to be entertaining, but also to prod the reader's thoughts.

While I await the verdict on the recently completed, I move on to the next story. Hopefully, I can live long enough to write all the ideas I've written down. There too, is a waiting situation. Which is better, to leave with more stories to write, or to live on with no more stories?

Rape Victim Killed by Fatwa

2011-02-05T13:04:00.004-05:00

A report by the Daily Star says it all:

"The reports said Hena was raped by her 40-year-old relative Mahbub on Sunday. Next day, a fatwa was announced at a village arbitration that she must be given 100 lashes. She fell unconscious after nearly 80 lashes.
Fatally injured Hena was rushed to Naria health complex where she succumbed to her injuries."

While Americans work to keep the rights women have earned intact against many political changes, this type of story is repeated throughout the world. My answer: I won't by products from Bangladesh or any other country that practices these barbaric but religiously sanctioned behaviors.

No photos for this, thank heaven. Why do women remain in such societies? And yet, even here politicians seek to redefine exactly what is and what isn't rape.

Update: More information

Crewkin Excerpt

2011-01-31T09:58:00.000-05:00

Releasing February 2! For more information click on Blog Title.

Crewkin: A rogue engine and a dead crew.
# # #
A green light blinked on the main command panel. Zak swore. They twisted to look. Realizing the previously dead panel responded, they strapped themselves into the pilots' chairs. Kin training
returned as guilt assailed her in a litany, dereliction…dereliction…dereliction.

Green iridescent words reflected on the interior’s surfaces: renna markham3 recognized. report due.

The chronometer flashed 2179.356-18.17 ust and below the read, in red, another read announced: countdown sequencing 0:11:15.

Zak tried inputting the panel. Each time the red, ‘code invalid. access denied.’ flashed while an accompanying screeching pre-flight alarm filled the compartment.

“Shit. The damn thing has control of flight command. Suit up.” Zak pushed more pads with no result.

“How?” Dizziness assailed her. When she didn’t move, Zak pushed her clothes and suit into her hands. It was difficult to keep her balance. Only then did she notice gravity held her. She began to dress. “Something is happening. One of us should stay here.”

“No. None of the panels respond, our code is locked out. We’ll go back to the fore compartment, and access the escape pods if necessary.”

When she hesitated, he grabbed her chin and pulled her to face him. “Get into your suit, now!”

His rigid expression made her reluctantly don her exvee. She heard Zak talking to someone within his helmet. The sound was muted as she hadn’t put her connex on yet. She stared at the message on the board, fear crackling along her nerves. Zak grabbed her helmet and put it on, secured the attachments, and pulled her from the command compartment.

The walk seemed longer, darker, their movements unsteady. Gravity fluctuated with each step, and her feet landed in different places from where she anticipated. Whenever her boots connected with the deck, she felt the beat of the wild engine through the sole. The engine pulse sprinted in a synthesized rhythm of unchecked momentum. Their suit lumes emitted bent and twisted streams of bouncing light in nauseating illumination.

Before reaching the halfway point, a muted voice echoed through Renna’s helmet, …renna markham3…Her heart lurched and her breath caught. A subtle engine whine sounded through the gangway. She recognized the voice. Dom Dukan spoke to her.

They reached the hatch to the forward compartment. She helped Zak manually turn the latch. When the cover opened, Zak hesitated. Renna motioned him to enter, ready to follow. …renna markham3…the familiar masculine voice called her, multiplying into the collected voices of her dead kin. She looked down the corridor. Zak turned from inside the airlock to look at her.

“Ren?” Zak’s voice came through her helmet. She barely recognized his voice. …renna markham3…Sen spoke. Renna faced back down the dark corridor. The gangway blurred and refocused, elongated and returned to normal, moved about as if her eyes looked through a viewfinder. She must be hallucinating. Sen committed suicide. She was dead.

Her friend spoke over Zak’s voice and Renna hesitated. “Do you hear her?”

“Hear who? Hurry! Now!” Zak motioned to her to enter the airlock.

Renna took a step toward the airlock, hesitated while looking down the gangway she had just walked. Operational lights sprang on around the hatch. She heard the hatch mechanism start and turned to the sound. The hatch slammed shut enclosing Zak in the airlock, nearly catching his arm in its closure.

The lock’s click reverberated with noise proving atmosphere present. Lights kicked on in stages along the side partitions and overhead. In the shadows between the shifts in her perception, she saw the faces of her kin. Through her helmet audio she heard Zak screaming at her. Images of the Markham3’s end overwhelmed her. Now, now was the time, they seemed to say.
# # #
For another excerpt check under heading excerpts

Moon Watchers & Vampire Island and a Contest

2011-01-29T02:00:00.005-05:00

Sandra Cox is here today to promote her new book Moon Watchers, and offer you a chance to enter a contest. Enjoy her exciting excerpt and definitely scope out her contest! Welcome, Sandra.

Fatal Attraction

Jolene Sayer, werewolf hunter, is attracted to the mysterious Braden Knight, which upsets her on several levels. For one thing, she doesn’t have the time to get involved with anyone. In her own words: ‘Being a werewolf hunter leaves little time for estrogen or emotion.’ And then there’s the pesky little problem that she’s not quite sure he’s human….

Excerpt:
As the full moon rose above the leafless black trees, an eerie howl shattered the night. I rubbed the goose bumps on my arms and felt the hair on my neck rise. Moonlight fell in shadowy patches across the living room floor of the cottage I’d inherited on my eighteenth birthday, last week to be exact.

Dad’s in Europe, tracking down a tip he got on a Weres pack. That’s how I’ve come to be alone deep in the forests of Minnesota where there is considerable werewolf activity.

I’ve hunted Weres since I was thirteen, but this is the first time I’ve been completely on my own.

A branched tapped against the window. I jumped then shook my head at my nerves. “Geez.” When my heart settled down, I leaned forward and peered out the window. My hand tightened on the long silver knife at my waist. Nothing moved outside. “Get a grip, Jo.”

I took a deep breath and started toward the kitchen. The tapping came again, this time louder. I whirled. It wasn’t the window, it was the door. Someone or something was on the other side.

My legs stiff, my knees locked, I took one slow step after another. My hand wrapped around the knife and tightened till my knuckles turned white. Who could be out at--I glanced at my watch-- ten at night in an isolated corner of the north. I crept through the living room into the tiny foyer.

I took a deep breath and cleared my mind, the way dad taught me. Nerves left me. The cold logic of the warrior set in. Making sure the chain was in place, I cracked the door, ready to slice anything too close to the opening.

“Hello, Jolene.”

My hand fell to my side. I gaped in astonishment. I removed the latch and stood in the doorway, one hand on the frame, stunned.

“Braden! What are you doing here?” I’d met Braden Knight briefly when I visited my distant cousin Zoe Tempest, vampire hunter extraordinaire. Perhaps you’ve heard of her. If not, I guarantee you will. She’s come to hunting the undead rather late in life--seventeen--but she’s taken to it like a pro, swift, vigilant and tough.

But I’m stalling. I’d felt an attraction for Braden Knight from the first moment I saw his bronzed pecs and thick chestnut hair.

“Zoe told me your dad was in Europe and left you alone in the middle of Nowhere Minnesota. May I come in?”

Damn good question. Zoe had confided her fears to me that the handsome man standing in front of me was of the undead variety. But whether of the pranic--that lives on other people’s energy and aren’t truly undead--or the blood--that survives on warm, red heart fluid--she wasn’t sure.

Zoe’s not even sure he’s a vampire. All she knows is that he has extraordinary powers for a nineteen year old human.

Suddenly, the decision was made for me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a huge black wolf rush forward, its lips drawn back in a snarl, its fangs gleaming, its eyes blood red.

Without thought, I jerked Braden inside and slammed the door.

***

Moon Watchers can be purchased at Class Act Books in paper or e.

Vampire Island can be purchased at Class Act Books in paper or e.

Vampire Island is also available on Amazon and other e sites.

CONTEST
To celebrate the release of Moon Watchers, I’ll be running a contest from Jan 15 and Feb 2. The winner will be announced Feb 5. To enter just leave a comment at www.downtownya.blogspot.com and mention Moon Watchers and Tami.

What do you win?

An autographed copy of Moon Watchers

A Starbucks gift certificate to buy your mocha or latte with

And a fun necklace that has a protective cross to safeguard against creatures of the night, a blood drop stone to remind shape-shifters you are protected and a star since our winner will be the star of the contest

Good luck!!

Thanks, Sandra!

Finding Your Muse

2011-01-22T15:00:00.013-05:00

Inspiration, a divine spark, stimulus--we all appreciate when that type of enlightenment strikes.

The ancients attributed these energies to the Muses, daughters of Zeus, the god who threw lightning bolts of power, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. The Muses were believed to inspire all artists, but especially those who worked with words: poets, musicians, playwrights, and philosophers.

More importantly, written words were not subjected to the vagaries of memory. Once recorded, they were always available for anyone who could read. Leaving a written record meant knowledge wasn't as easily lost or changed, allowing the next generation to build on the recorded memories of their forebearers. Is that not an inspiration in itself?

Before the nineteenth century, written words were not universally taught to the general populace, which made writing a special gift, often a sacred act. Since its inception, writing remained the province of religious brethren. Many scribes could not read, only copy letters. Luckily, during the Dark Ages, they copied many of the Greek's writings, so even today we have some of the Greek stories, poems, plays, and even the musings of their philosophers.

The ability to read and write is still not universal, but thankfully, far more widespread today. Today writing is often taken for granted. We have an overabundance of written words, some sacred, some profane, some mundane or inane, and many just entertain. We have so many words in so many places that we often ignore all of them. Those who choose to write words for entertainment, however, often wish they had closer contact with one of the ancient Muses to find their best audience.

Where are the muses found? Right inside our heads. Ideas form from mixtures of memory, imagination, and reactions to the world around us, all combined in thought. Sometimes a visit from the Greek god Morpheous helps, too.

Outside stimuli include interactions with other people, the excitement of new environments or experiences, or conversely meditating in old and familiar places, and sometimes the act of moving your body through space and time (otherwise known as exercise) helps us find our muse.

As a writer I know the Muses exist. Sometimes they take their time to pull ideas together inside my mind, probably because Terpsichore, the muse of dance, isn't boogieing over the right sequence of neurons. When that happens, I talk a long walk.

In CREWKIN, releasing this February, the heroine Renna must find her own muse, a way of living with herself on the sometimes small, sometimes great stage of life. I hope you will enjoy where my muse led me in this story.

Thanks, Lea, for accepting Crewkin to MuseItUp Publishing.

Changing Boxes for the New Year

2011-01-05T12:48:00.003-05:00


Getting out of a too small box

I've decided to do away with my standard web site rhobinlee.com, which I've had since '03. Instead I am in the process of moving my site to this blog, with many changes of course, under a new domain name www.rhobinleecourtright.com. This is much easier than maintaining a website, plus I will have more time to write posts rather than play with HTML and CSS code. This led me to think about a fresh start with a new domain name that reflects my entire author's name. Situations are always changing, aren't they? It's like crawling out of a box--new views, new ideas, new challenges. The first one? All my followers and all the blogs I was following have disappeared. Hmm; and I bet it's too late to change my mind. Okay, so this is another dark box I'm slowly feeling my way through. I'll find the light and freedom somehow.

Web presence is important for all business, and especially for authors who write electronic media. Once a web page was obligatory, but the net has changed very fast. Time is still valuable, and if something can be done more efficiently, why not change? Isn't that how the New Year is supposed to engage us?

Year Is Ending. At least it's not the world... but maybe.

2010-12-17T15:23:00.003-05:00

With that 'at least it's not the world' comment I guess I'm dealing with a little seasonal depression. The day after Thanksgiving I got sick and I'm still coughing; looks like bronchitis set in. It's gray and snowy outdoors. I went out to shovel and spent a half hour trying to scrape the sidewalks, but I'll need to do more later. Oh, winter, how I love it. I'm having trouble keeping the fire in the fireplace/heater going, don't know why. The snow was too heavy, and I'm more out of shape than I realized. I've started some bread, and stew sounds awfully good for supper.

Well, the year is nearing its close, and Christmas is just a hop, skip and a jump away. Once I have my classes' grades posted, I have until January 10th to work on projects. I have them lined up on a list, and I'm slowly crossing them off. This computer swallows way too much of my time, but I have managed to get a few things done.

This weekend is my last Christmas push. My granddaughter is coming over and we will be making (hopefully) six dozen pasties, and just as hopefully, as many dozen Christmas cookies.

Here's my list for completion before 1/10:
Finish the book I've been working on. It stands a 70K words and needs about 2K more.
Paint three pieces of furniture.One is a checker board on top of a coffee table, another is a plaid top on a chest and the third is to paint a large china cabinet black.
Prepare new PowerPoint presentations for next term's classes and prepare a list of vague wording examples.

That's probably enough for the next three weeks. I'll be lucky to get them all completed. I owe Patty a mural which is on the list but postponed until spring. There are no New Year's Resolutions. I have my to-do list and that is good enough. Among items on the list is to pick two more of the five partially completed books to work on writing, prepare my classes, plan my garden must-do's, paint a mural downstairs, try more bread recipes, draw more, and do more calligraphy practice. Things are added and deleted from my list as needed, so everything is flexible and in flux at all times.

Special events of 2010 to celebrate: Time spent with granddaughters, family, new and old friends, and birth of new grandson.

Henry C.

A partial list of 2010's accomplishments:
Stone House Farm published with Champagne Books.
9th book, Crewkin, successfully placed with MuseItUp Publishing.
Anthology nearing completion.
2 terms of college classes completed.
Successful vegetable garden; canned and froze produce.
Flower gardens looked great.
House nearer to completion (10 years and counting).
42 books read and reviewed.
Outlines for 50 books done.

Participated in four calligraphy envelope exchanges.

I'm satisfied.

Welcome Krista Ball

2010-11-04T16:26:00.005-04:00

This month MuseItUp Publishing releases Harvest Moon by author Krista Ball.
Here is the blurb:

Dancing Cat angers her Ancestor, whose harsh punishment teaches her that true strength comes from the spirit within.

Cursed, abused, and desperate to know her future, Dancing Cat sneaks a glimpse inside her tribe's Sacred Bundle, a powerful source of spirit magic. Instead of the future, she sees her most powerful ancestor, Small Tree and incurs her wrath. Small Tree strips Dancing Cat of everything - her home, her identity, even her gender - and drops her in the middle of enemy lands.

Author Krista Ball

Injured, and in a strange, new body, she is befriended by Bearclaw who is on a spirit quest. He offers her assistance and asks for nothing in return; a kindness Dancing Cat had forgotten existed. She struggles to weave a path around the obstacles of friendship, identity, and longing in order to survive her eventual return home to face even further punishment.

And she does it while wearing someone else's skin.

Hmmm... sounds like my kind of story. So, of course, I'm intrigued. Where did Krista get the idea? According to her: "There was a call out for gender-bender stories. I was working at a homeless agency at the time. The two sort'a mixed together. The story ended up too long to work for the anthology and found a home at MuseItUp." Krista has been writing for the sheer love of it since a teen, and I'm sure she is glad to find herself published. That won't stop her, though, as she has a self published book, and has more work waiting for a publisher.

Here is an excerpt from Harvest Moon:

Cross-legged, Dancing Cat sat pounding the sun-dried Saskatoon berries between two hand-sized rocks.
The stone, her hands, and her buckskin dress all bore the tell-tale signs of berry duty. Streaks of red dye, impossible to clean, striped her clothing and tanned skin. She tried pushing her hair off her cheeks, only to have the sticky residue coating her fingers glue the dark strands in place.

The black flies swarmed and buzzed, ready to feast.

She worked in silence as part of the greater circle of twenty women, who chatted as they worked. Dancing Cat had no reason to join in. They only spoke to her to criticize or belittle, never for companionship. The band no longer even called her by name.

Thieves & Scoundrels

Wicca Dog

Her attention faded away from her work. She stared past the women to catch a glimpse of Eagle Eyes, her brother, mounting his horse. He was only six years older than her and already leading hunting parties, while she sat, docile and obedient, making powdered berries. His gaze caught hers, full of warning. She looked away with the heaviness of her situation pressing against her chest. Dancing Cat pounded her berries harder, trying to crush her own aching loneliness.
Here's a review from Ginger Simpson.

If you like what you've read, then do as I did and download a copy from MuseItUp Publishing, $2.50, 35 pages.

Be sure to visit Krista's blog and her web page! Also check out these titles by Krista.

Halloween

2010-10-30T01:00:00.002-04:00

Do I have to take her again?

Every child I knew in elementary school looked forward to Halloween, the first true holiday of the new school year. I didn't count Columbus Day. That day was just another lesson to learn. Yes, my classmates and I were expected at school, but no one I knew missed Halloween. A sense of anticipation filled the hallowed halls of education as students arrived in costume. No scary masks of course, but for one day everyone could become someone else, someone powerful, or scary, or wonderful. Oh! To be a princess for the class-to-class parade!

How much learning took place is anyone's guess when every student knew the room mother was bringing treats for the afternoon party. I remember a lot of cutting out of black triangles to paste as eyes, nose and mouth onto lopsided pumpkins drawn onto orange construction paper, but coloring mimeographed sheets of hissing black cats was my favorite activity. Boys made the scary noises their costumes demanded, and girls squealed in mock fright; add in cupcakes, cookies, corn candy, and oh my, what a fun time! In spite of everything I waited impatiently--hurry up clock, and ring your end of day bell!

A brisk autumn breeze usually made traipsing home in outlandish garb a exciting precursor to trick or treating. I had to keep a tight grip on the pumpkin and cat art created in class to give my mom. At home, I answered the summons to the door. "Trick or treat, give me something good to eat." The babies under five usually went trick or treating before dark, and a mom or dad waited on the sidewalk to walk them to the next house, otherwise they might get lost. Being allowed to go out with my big brother after dark meant I was big enough to face the night's specters--a sure sign I was nearly grown up. Jim, my big brother, was my guide, at turn stern and superior protector who filled me with warnings of what might happen if I didn't follow his advice to the letter, or prickly trickster telling woeful horrible tales of Halloween happenings to other unwary trick or treaters. Jim didn't do short stints of candy collecting. The more houses we hit, the better. We must have gone to at least a hundred!

Back home we emptied our pillowcases on the living room floor, comparing piles, eating the best offerings and giving mom or dad a few desired pieces. Jim's pile was inevitably larger. How did he do that? Where had he gone that I hadn't?

Later mom made us take baths to get the make-up off, but Jim's lipstick Indian war paint stained his skin the next day. Going to sleep seemed impossible, no matter how tired I was. I never dreamed of Christmas sugar plums, didn't even know what they were. But wow, Halloween candy? It kept me awake at night. Particularly because I knew tricky Jim might trade out his favorites from my candy collection for the yucky butterscotch taffy in his.

All in all, Jim added the spooky and special to my Halloween memories, which made both him and Halloween unforgettable. Thank God for irritating big brothers!

Welcome Sandra Cox

2010-10-22T01:00:00.006-04:00

I am pleased to welcome fellow author Sandra Cox to my blog to tell you about her new novel ~ Rhobin

Sandra: I've been enamored of two things all my life: fantasy and heroes. Do the two go hand in hand? Yes and no. Fantasies always have heroes. They can be anything we make them. And in our stories, no matter the challenge, they always succeed. But heroes exist in real life as well. Some are icons. Others are quiet unsung heroes: soldiers who put their life on the line everyday, parents who would sacrifice anything for a child, the neighbor that lends a helping hand, the kidney or bone-marrow donor, the grumpy old man who takes in a starving, stray kitten or the firefighter who brings a child out of a burning building. The list goes on and on.
SUNDIAL is a fictional fantasy based on heroes. I have always found the history of Texas fascinating, the men who defended the Alamo larger than life. These men knowingly laid down their lives to buy time for their comrades. True heroes.
In SUNDIAL, Sarah Miles finds an ancient sundial. When she touches it, she is transported back to the battle of San Jacinto.

Excerpt:
Sarah looked around disoriented, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The last thing she remembered was finding the sundial in a clearing, surrounded by thick overgrown bushes. The day had been crisp and clear. Now, a blue haze of gunpowder hung in the air, filling her nose and mouth, making her eyes water.
A sharp burst of gunfire sounded nearby. Cries of, "Remember the Alamo. Remember Goliad," echoed through the air.
"Oh, my God." Still clutching Monet, she stumbled to her feet. It just wasn't possible. But possible or not, the vortex had plucked her up and sat her down in Texas a century earlier.

Contest:
For a chance to win an autographed copy of SUNDIAL, a 'seeing' pendant and a $10 Starbucks gift card just go to MY BLOG and leave a comment that mentions Rhobin and Sundial. The contest runs from October 15 - November 14 at 5:00 p.m.
Hostess's of the Sundial Blog Tour are invited to enter.

Thank you, Sandra, for visiting my blog. I'm sure readers will want to the very generous prize package, and a fascinating concept for a story.

Clare Dargin, Scifi Author

2010-09-20T12:06:00.001-04:00

Clare Dargin is an author of science fiction and science fiction romance books. Her newest work Speculative Sky is available from Red Rose Publishing.

What inspired you to write this book?
Well, ever since I was a child I've always wanted to be a writer. It was my dream to be published and to write stories that everyone could enjoy. Speculative Sky was created because I've always had a fascination with stories about Extra-Terrestrial Life and S.E.T.I., and I wanted to integrate such a story with a female character as a strong and intelligent lead.

Do you have a specific writing style?
Yes I do, but I am not sure what to call it. When people read my work I want them to feel as if they are right there in the midst of it all. I want them to be able to hear, taste, smell and see the action as if it is happening all around them. I also tend to write tight stories with quick pacing. It's what I like to read, and consequently, how I write.

What is the name of your latest book? And how did you come up with the title?
I've always been attracted and fascinated by the abstract and the symbolic. I wanted the title to symbolize what April Mullen, the main character, has to deal with as an Astronomer, and all that came with her assignment.

What is Speculative Sky about?
It is about a woman who takes a chance and leaves for an assignment on a science colony far away from Earth. As an astronomer, it is her job to monitor the stars at night and to record her findings, nothing more than that. But when she arrives, she notices that her new home is a bit odd, and though there is evidence of life out there, they don't want her to either acknowledge or do anything about it. She of course finds this troubling.

What books have most influenced your life most?
In fiction it would have to be the old Star Wars books that came out in the eighties after Return of the Jedi. The Star Wars Expanded Universe books taught me about atmosphere, and development then any book I know! I read them over and over again, and learned about non-human creature development, planetary science fiction and description of space travel, not to mention how to write a cool leading man! I still read them.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Douglas Preston and/or Lincoln Child. They write incredibly compelling books which I generally can't put down.

What book are you reading now?
I am almost finished with "Book of the Dead," by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I'll be going through their back list very soon in order to get caught up.

Are there any new authors that have caught your interest?
Last night I was thinking about the Friday House about D. K. Gaston and how it's a compelling story about assassins who have no memory of their being programmed. I think it's cool. And several books on the military scifi romance front that I have recently heard about. I write in a tiny subgenre, so it's nice to see what other authors are doing in it. That way I don't get lonely!

What are your current projects?
Presently I am finishing up the final editing for "Ice and Peace," the sequel to Cold Warriors, ss well as having another expanded universe book in the works. Not to mention, two futuristic romances that are completely different from my military fiction.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.
The Motown Creative Writers Group--they helped get on the road to being published. And not to mention the many groups in the Romance community. They really pointed me in the right direction. I'm grateful for that.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
Yeah; that's why I have to hurry up and get it out of my hands 'cause I keep changing it!

Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
As a child, my father use to encourage me. I use to write for my family and give the stories to them. They would say, "Maybe one day you could get this published!" I was like five.... and then when I was in middle school I found out that S. E. Hinton had been published at sixteen-- I became truly determined then.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Yeah, getting through the first draft!

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Just get the first draft down on paper. Don't be afraid to make stupid mistakes and have dumb lines on paper, 'cause it's the first draft and you are allowing the characters to come alive. Later on you can fix and micro manage, but don't try to do it the first time through cause it will stifle your creativity.

Excerpt from Speculative Sky, available from Red Rose Publishing

"I'm sure that's the case but how can I not be excited over this? It's the find of a lifetime," she said reveling in the thought of making contact with extra-terrestrial life.

"You don't have to try to impress us. Just do you your work and you'll be fine."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you don't worry about it. There is plenty of research to be done. You could spend your entire lifetime studying the Jugis Star Cluster alone."

"Haven't you ever looked up in the sky and wondered if there was anyone else out there?"

"Of course I have. And if anyone back home asks, tell them it's just us," he said finishing off his drink.

* * *

Thanks Clare! It has been a pleasure having you visit.

Introducing Mark Konkel, new scifi author

2010-09-04T14:33:00.001-04:00

Continuing on with my curiosity on why authors chose their genres, I'm including some information I received from a new author. Wisconsin author Mark Konkel has been writing and teaching for ten years. A full time teacher and certified public accountant, Mark earned his accounting degree from Lakeland College and his Master of Fine Arts from Vermont College.

His reason for choosing scifi? His primary hope is that readers find his stories meaningful and enjoyable. He wrote Disaster Park partly in the hopes that scientists and engineers would hurry up and develop holographic technology.

Mark comments about his book:

My sci-fi novel, Disaster Park, is scheduled for release in January 2011 from Blue leaf Publishing.

Imagine if you could have been on the 92nd floor of the North Tower ? Or been a passenger on the Titanic? If there was no danger, would choose to experience “Living History,” the new amusement park ride under development at Delaney Corporation?

Arnie Hetzel, a forensic computer programmer, does not even want to consider the question, as he’s struggling with his own personal disaster: the death of his wife and two daughters in a house fire. But when astronauts start appearing in events from 1903 and tests of the “Battle of Gettysburg” fail miserably, Jase Delaney, founder and genius behind Delaney Corporation, convinces Arnie that his efforts on the project could be therapeutic.

“People want to be a part of something important, even if it’s just in a hologram,” founder Jase Delaney explains. “They want to be able to say that they have ‘been there…’” Plus, there’s only five months until “Living History” opens to the public and Jase can’t have malfunctioning programs.

So Arnie delves deeper into this living museum, this 360-degree holographic environment where riders experience military battles, infamous disasters, and grisly murders, but as he does, will he be saved from his own tragedy? Or will he find it disrespectful to recreate a mass murder in hologram, then charge admission?

Mark's book sounds exciting, so be sure to look for Disaster Park in January.

Finished a manuscript

2010-08-22T20:25:00.000-04:00

Beginning this summer I had plans to finish three manuscripts that have been in various stages of completion.Stories stalled for one reason or another. Between social, family and organization commitments, my gardens and putting up the produce from the vegetable garden, I only managed to finish one manuscript.

Bummer! I had so much planned for this summer when I had 'nothing' to do between spring and fall semesters -- paint a mural, finish a quilt, get my TBR pile whittled down. Classes start next week, so I'll be busy with plans, reading papers and writing lectures. I shouldn't complain. I have a job, and getting even one manuscript done was an accomplishment.

This latest manuscript is different. It is an anthology of ten stories, set in the Aegis world and characters of Magic Aegis, Acceptance, and Change, all based on the numerology established in the series. I've sent it off to my critique group. I'm not sure I can write a good short story, so I'm somewhat anxious about their comments. I've also had the thought of making this a free book--one that gives readers a feel for my other stories. Decisions, decision.

My next project to work on is another Michigan romance. This one is slow going as I"m not quite sure where to take it. Some writers are pantsers, writing by the seat of their pants as everything comes to mind. I'm a plotter. Things change as I write, and that's all right, but I'm most comfortable when I know where I want to go. This manuscript hasn't a clean cut plot, which is what is halting me. I sometimes wish I were a pantser; maybe I should give it a try.

Why Write Science Fiction?

2010-08-18T23:05:00.002-04:00

Most readers have a strong reaction to science fiction--love it or leave it. Wikipedia has information on the science fiction genre far above and beyond what I could say here. I happen to love science fiction, so I was very interested in what all the contributing authors had to say. I hope you are, too. I've kept my comments short because there are so many authors here today.

Julia Barrett
Resplendence Publishing

Julia says:

Science fiction and fantasy are mother's milk to me. I grew up reading comic books--yes--comic books. I'm a big fan of Green Lantern, Aquaman, and The Legion of Superheroes--the original Legion with Sun Boy and Bouncing Boy and Shrinking Violet. Yeah, I admit, I'm a big DC-er as opposed to a Marvel-er. Of course, I live with a Fantastic Four and Spiderman fanatic, so I'm familiar with both.

Another love of mine is mythology. Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic, Native American, the Bhagavad Gita--you name it, I'll read it. The ancient stories thrill me. They explain, they teach, they enable the human mind to wrap itself around the numinous--the mystical, spiritual, supernatural, magical, holy. Myths not only provide us with explanations for things that cannot be easily explained, they give us hope for the future.

Science fiction does exactly the same--provides us a glimpse into what might be. No matter how dark the future may seem, for me, science fiction gives me hope. It seems there is always a crack in the closed door and a light shines through. In science fiction stories, characters rise above their circumstances to meet the unexpected challenges they face. When I think of the quintessential science fiction novel, I think of Ringworld, by Larry Niven.

Science fiction romance is a new genre altogether. Many works of science fiction involve a romantic relationship, but the relationship is not primary, the science is. Science fiction romance tries to combine both the science and the romance, and in the case of my new series, Daughters of Persephone, futuristic politics. Believe me, it's a challenge!

Nancy J. Cohen

The Wild Rose Press

Blog.

Nancy says:

I love combining science fiction with romance in my stories. Being an avid sci-fi TV/movie fan and genre reader, I'm familiar with genre conventions and expectations. I like to create strong female leads wherein I can imagine myself soaring toward new adventures among the stars.

When I write SFR, my imagination can go wild. For settings, I've created volcanic planets, futuristic worlds with crystal cities, space stations, planets shrouded in mystery, and more. My characters are mostly humanoid with emotions and issues like current times, which is another appeal of this genre. In Starlight Child, I deal with prejudice. In Silver Serenade, my characters address the issue of revenge versus justice. Keeper of the Rings addresses spirituality and belief systems. And at the heart of these stories is the romantic relationship developing between two special people. These characters are larger than life in a setting with no bounds to the imagination and yet with issues grounded in reality. And so I write these tales, partly to share my fantasies on paper, and hopefully to lure you into my world.

Christine d'Abo
Ellora's Cave

Christine says:

I have been in love with science fiction since I was seven years old and saw Star Wars for the first time. There was something so amazing to me as I sat there are watched all of the crazy aliens running around, acting more human than the humans. Over the years I watched every show I could find--Star Trek, Doctor Who, Space 1999. I couldn't get enough.

As I got a bit older and discovered books, I knew this was something I wanted to do when I got older. I was a closet sci-fi writer for years. I would spend hours figuring out worlds, but never was able to write anything close to a novel. I was intimidated by the caliber of the books out there. I wasn't a hard sci-fi fan, enjoying more the space opera variety.

Years later, I started reading futuristic romance novels and fell in love! This was what I'd been looking for as a reader for years. When I sat down to finally take a serious stab at my writing, I wanted to desperately to write a futuristic, but still felt a bit of intimidation. After a few false starts, I took a deep breath and dove in to write my first futuristic romance.

I love the action adventure aspects of sci-fi. I love how anything is possible with your characters. You can put them into any situation you can imagine, without the limits placed on writers of historical or contemporary stories. I can make the rules, bend existing theories out there, or completely ignore them. Sci-fi is about exploring the question of "what if" and seeing where you can take that. I love the freedom.

Joanne Elder
MuseItUp Publishing

Joanne says:

The lure of Science Fiction: where does it get its momentum? For decades, Science Fiction movies have been some of the biggest box office hits. We live in a technologically advancing world; a world where science will continue to drive us into the unknown. Sadly, none of us will live to see the end of this movie. Centuries and millennia will pass and so will we. All we have is our imagination to take us to where we can never go.

I have a passion for writing Science Fiction because it takes me to that future world. Whether good or bad, it takes me there. As an engineer by profession, I've gained tremendous appreciation for all facets of science. Everything is science: the universe, our world and every living thing in it. It is the only thing that is truly real and stands above politics, the economy, culture and even religion. Without imagination, scientific development would be at a standstill. In the heart of every science fiction writer is both a fascination of science and a great imagination. I'm sure Gene Roddenberry would have agreed.

Ciara Gold

Champagne Books
Blogs at The Writer's Vineyard

Ciara says:

I initially did not start out wanting to write sci-fi. In fact, it was not my choice of genre to read at that time. (I've since changed my tune a bit.) My first book was born out of a challenge. I was in a critique group of serious minded writers whose main goal was getting published. We seemed to all be on about the same skill level and we all tended to make mile stones at about the same pace. One of our members found a contest that she thought we should all try and enter. On the Far Side Contest was offered by the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal Chapter of RWA and only required ten pages. I have no idea where those ten pages came from, but my muse was with me. I entered and won first place. In fact, I entered that same chapter in two other contests and won first in one of them and third in another. I knew then I had something and with my critique group begging for more, I knew I had to finish that story.

I think world building came naturally for me because I teach art and I'm a very visual person. With that first book, I made a lot of 'cliché' mistakes, but I think I did so in a fresh way. The end result was Celestial Dragon. Sales for this book surprised both me and my publisher. And the book became the best selling book for Champagne Books for two years in a row. This influenced me to write its sequel, and in 2008, A Noble Sacrifice won the Eppie for best in sci-fi futuristic romance. In April 2011, the third in the series will release. Dragon Hunter is an epic story that will be the catalyst for me to connect most all of the books I have out so far. Since I write historical western, time-travel and fantasy as well, this will truly by an interesting endeavor.

As for writing hard science fiction, I have yet to decide, but I do have a few stories brewing, and I've had several suggest that I should. I enjoy the possibilities the genre generates, and I love that visions of our future from past sci-fi authors have actually come to pass. I would love to be creative enough to visualize an item not yet in existence that scientists will eventually create. Now wouldn't that be a hoot?

Go to my website for first chapters of all my books. (Be sure to check out her art, too!--Rhobin)

Jim Hartley
MuseItUp Publishing
Blog

You ask why I write Science Fiction? I have been immersed in sci-fi all my life. Once I more or less outgrew the Oz books, there was little Fantasy available. For my birthdays and Christmas I would get books as presents ... Heinlein, Asimov, E. E. "Doc" Smith, and others. My father was a Sci-fi fan, too, and every month when the new issue of Astounding (now Analog) came out, we had a bit of a squabble about who got to read it first.

Halloween is coming up, and I can tell you without any hesitation what my favorite costume was ... Tom Corbett, Space Cadet.

Remember bubble gum cards? Most kids went for baseball or football players, but not me. I had a huge collection of Outer Space bubble gum cards ... spaceships, colonies on unlikely planets, all that sort of thing. Little six-inch figures (this was before the era of today's action figures) of spacemen with nice removable helmets, and any plastic spaceships that happened to show up on Woolworth's toy counter. With a background like this, what would you expect?

Of course, when I finally got seriously into writing, Fantasy had made a comeback, and I split my efforts between sci-fi and Fantasy. I keep telling myself Fantasy is easier, you don't have to get all the science details correct. And then I find myself writing "Magic is Faster Than Light" about a spaceship full of witches (due out next May from Muse), and I have to spend just as much time hunting for a class G star at the right distance (turned out to be 19 light years) as if it were straight sci-fi instead of "SF-flavored fantasy." Nope, I just can't get away from sci-fi.

Kevin Hopson

MuseItUp Publishing
Blog

Kevin says:

I have always loved science fiction regardless of whether I am watching it, reading it or writing it. Though it is difficult to attribute my passion for this genre to one thing in particular, I believe it stems from my childhood. I was never a science wiz, especially when it came to subjects like Chemistry or Physics. However, I was--and continue to be--amazed at the possibilities of science and the many unknowns relating to the universe. When writing fiction, I cannot think of any better avenue to pursue. The author can tie the story to real science, making it believable, yet still have the freedom to roam an imaginary world or create a new type of technology. In my opinion, science fiction is the best of both worlds.

Book releases: World of Ash, November 2010; Earthly Forces, April 2011; Early Release for Bad Behavior, June 2011; The Vanishing, September 2011

Pauline Baird Jones
L&L Dreamspell
Blog

Pauline says:

I didn't set out to write a science fiction anything. In my eyes, I was writing action-adventure romance. I've loved action adventure type books since I was young and stumbled across Alastair Maclean, but while the action was great, the romance was a bit lacking. I'd been pushing the a/a bounds with each book I wrote (romantic suspense at the time) and then I got the idea for The Key. It was an action-adventure novel set in space, because I didn't think I was smart enough to write or read SFR. Imagine my surprise when reviewers called it science fiction, science fiction romance and space opera. I even acquired a reader/fan who worked at NASA, a real physicist. Almost blew my mind.

My NASA friend helped me have the confidence to keep writing my a/a/SFR stories when she pointed out (with some force) that I'm writing fiction. I'm not writing for hard science fiction fans (though I have a few of those who have liked The Key, so we shouldn't underestimate any reader). My target reader is those who love over-the-top, high action, high energy adventure mixed into their romance, for those who love the possibilities inherent in science fiction. And let's face it, "high" doesn't get much higher than outer space. And let me add, science fiction isn't just for geeks or geniuses. It's inventive, imaginative and accessible. I'm living proof of that.

A.J. Maguire
Wings ePress
Blog

A.J. says:

To be honest, the book that is about to be published under my name is a fantasy romance. But I recently completed my very first science fiction so I thought I'd give a quick answer here. My original intention for Deviation was to make another fantasy novel, but someone challenged me to try something new so I decided to trade in my sword-swishing-thrones-and-prophesies style for a spaceship-time-travel-Martian-cyberpunk setting. Which was mind boggling, and frightening and I sat at my computer with utter trepidation that first day of what I fondly call the Deviation project. There is just so much information. So much science. So many things that have been explored or, conversely, have not been explored, that the entire endeavor of writing a science fiction seemed overwhelming.

And then--after five days of research and listening to wonderful pod-casts like Astronomy Cast and How Stuff Works and Stuff from the Science Lab--I realized... there is so much science, so many possibilities, so many things that have barely been explored or have yet to even be touched that the opportunities are literally boundless. Deviation may be in my completed file, undergoing a third draft, but I can enthusiastically express that I love writing science fiction. It's an excellent excuse to research obscure information and there's just something fascinating about trying to apply what scientists today are dreaming up into fiction writing.

K M Tolan
Champagne Books
Blog

K.M. Says

I write Science Fiction, or to further qualify it--'space opera.' A space opera simply means that I am more interested in character development rather than explaining each bolt and whatnot that go into a space ship's design. It doesn't mean I ignore the hardware as much as I consider such things as secondary to the impact of that hardware on people's lives. Fine and dandy, but why science fiction? What makes this different from say, regular fiction or Fantasy? Well, there are both practical and heart-felt reasons for my being with this genre.

The practical side you ask? Fewer folks are writing SF these days as compared to Fantasy or the other main genres. I can stick out just a little bit more as an author with an independent press. There is a commercial side to writing, and I cannot ignore the market. Sure, more people may be reading fantasy or romance, but that only means more authors flocking to those genres. I prefer a smaller pool for now.

Now on to the fun stuff--the things that rest in my heart. The first thing would be the boundless imagination one can exercise with science fiction. Did I say boundless? Actually, fantasy holds that department, but I do want some structure to my writing. Some basis of believability people can relate to a bit more than a wand or unicorn. Spaceships are real, as are other worlds. A good start as any, I say. Three moons rising over a steaming methane lake. Plants that sing to each other as a means of pollination. A young alien girl staring at her first human through wide multifaceted eyes. Any one of these scenes screams imagination to me.

I love the idea of first contact, incidentally. My novels are all about how both humans and aliens blunder through their meetings, and the resulting affect as these two cultures meet. We're a very predatory species, you know. I would think that most alien cultures we meet would fall into the same category--making any contact fraught with the kind of drama I can write novels about.
I can write from an alien perspective and take a hard look at how we treat other societies today.

With SF come the possibility for exciting relationships between characters--even romantic entanglements. Who can resist that? I can also come up with cultural values and customs far removed and yet similar to our own, and play out the characters against these exotic backdrops. No, I don't shirk away from romance--in my opinion it is telling experience in any person's life regardless of their species. Surely the attitudes and nuances of an alien civilization would, in part, be a direct result of the dance between male and female. Science fiction allows me to add so much color and possibilities to this rhythm of life.

Finally, there is my background to consider. I have a military background in the USAF where I was surrounded by all manner of aerial war machines and got to crawl around their innards. The lethal harmony of men and machines never fails to captivate my interest, and with science fiction I can step aboard the 'what if' train and see where our technology is leading us based on what I've experienced myself.

T. K. Toppin

Champagne Books
Blog

T.K. says:

First off, I love anything sci-fi, and if it involves a bit of adventure, even better. While my book The Lancaster Rule is my first in the trilogy, and my first book, I chose this genre because it allows me to incorporate everything I love to read in a book: action, adventure, romance and great characters that help move the book along.

I always knew I'd want to write sci-fi, there is just so much you can do with a story. Mix in a few realistic aspects, throw in a whole bunch of made up stuff, and there you go. For the book I wrote, I did just that...using the characters as the main focus. Essentially, basic human behavior remains relatively the same. We'll always hate, be jealous, love and be humans (I'm hoping that it would be so) and there's just so much you can write about right there. Throw in a few amazing scientific advancements, a spaceship, some cool weapons, and there you go.

Another aspect that motivated me, was that I wanted people to fall into another world, like how I fell into so many different worlds from all the books I'd read. I've read some books in the genre, but they were filled with so much technical stuff and too much world-building that it seemed to lose track of the story (I fell asleep) and lost complete interest. I didn't want that, but I didn't want my future/alternative world to be uninteresting either. It was very hard to keep it simple, yet interesting. The sequel was much easy to write since I'd already laid the groundwork down.

I have a couple more stories to tell, and they will definitely be set in the sci-fi genre--simply for the fact that I can do so much more with them. For instance, one that has been brewing for the last few months involves a cruise. But shift the cruise onto a spaceship, well now...

Larriane Wills
Swimming Kangaroo Books
Blog

Larriane says:

Why I like science fiction would be more the question. I love it. When SyFy plays the Star Gates, when my husband asked, what's on tonight, I'd just give him the look and tell him, it's Friday, it's Science Fiction Night. He groans, and I'd remind him of all the football games I sit through. He suffers. ;-)

Long ago and starting with the first ones, I was a Trekkie, I admit it. Never missed an episode if I could help it, even if it meant forfeiting a night out. I read every book of Robert Heinlein's I could find. I didn't care much for the giant bugs, but time travel fascinated me. My favorite of all of his was Door into Summer. I had a cat like that, looking for the door that lead to summer in the middle of winter, but I never ended up in the future arguing with myself. I do enough of that in my head. I think the biggest thing about science fiction that attracts me is it's out of the box.

The only thing that restricts what you can do with sci-fi is the limits of your own imagination and to make those probabilities believable. I know you can find that in other genres as well, but there is just something special about the possibilities of the future and advanced technology.

Even 10 years ago, the idea of a phone small enough to fit into your shirt pocket was science fiction. A computer in your phone that connected you to literally millions-through the air? Home computers you could hold in your lap? So why not space ships and worm holes, and light sabers, and best of all, aliens? Do any of you know that the cell phone was a direct result of the communicator used in Star Trek as well as other advances? Honest. I watched a documentary on how the series inspired inventions. And look at all the things Jules Vern wrote about before we even had electricity that are common place now. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and his submarine for example. To quote, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

W. Clement Stone. He was a businessman and author, not a scientist, but the same thing applies. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Men love to wonder, and that is the seed of science," and "Science does not know its debt to imagination." What does a scientist think? "The process of scientific discovery is, in effect, a continual flight from wonder," Albert Einstein. Did Einstein read something and then wonder? I have no idea, but such wondrous possibilities are out there, and I like wondering, imagining, and writing about it.

When it comes right down to it, the story is the people (or things) and what they might be able to do. In Looking Glass Portal (Swimming Kangaroo Books) I have a little bit of it all filling in the background for the story. I can't think of a situation in the 'here and now' that I could have fit that story into. In The Eternal Search (XOXO Publishing) the story is based on time travel and the possibility of immortality. Again, in the here and now, that story wouldn't be possible, but in the future? That's what makes the difference. Do like minds reached out no matter this distance? Are legends on one world, reality in another? Those are questions I asked in Looking Glass Portal. Is it possible that is where we get some of our ideas as well as technology? Think about it. I have.

This genre is subdividing into new genre and expanding into different territories such as mystery, historical, and yes, even Western. It is also one of the few genre that has affected our lives. As Larrian points out, our cell phones have the look of the Star Trek communicators, and the inventor of the first mobile phone jokes about the inspiration. As you may know, inspiration comes before invention, and sci-fi is certainly filled with imagination and inspiration.

A BIG Thank You to all the authors who took time to contribute!

The Grape Connection

2010-08-14T12:19:00.003-04:00

I'm blogging at the Writer's Vineyard today. Please visit.

Love Western Romances?

2010-08-12T11:02:00.003-04:00

Westerns... even the name conjures specific images. The strong character of the Western setting adds a romance of its own to this genre of writing. Is it because of its reputation as the Wild West? All those rugged individualist seeking adventure, riches and land combined with dishonorable, deadly villains? For a century the West was a minimally policed part of the country. The awe-inspiring mountains and deserts were harsh and dangerous places. Mere survival often spurred both the ruthless and the honorable sides of man's nature. To this day, many pioneering qualities exist in both the land and the people. Is this what makes the West such a desirable setting for novels?

In 1902 Owen Wister dedicated his novel The Virginian, the first recognized story written about a cowboy, to his friend, President Theodore Roosevelt. Little did Wister know he was setting a standard. His character remains the archetypal cowboy--the tall, handsome, terse, land-loving, hard-working, marriage shy (until his soul mate shows up) man with an ingrained sense for right and wrong. Since then, readers have devoured Westerns either as written for men by Zane Grey and Louis L'Amour (yes, I know, woman read them, too, I have), or the Western romances so many women enjoy. I read them, but would never write one. So I decided to ask several authors why they write in the Western genre.

Mary Jean Kelso is the author of The Homestead series from Wings e-Press.

Mary Jean:

I grew up in a "western" atmosphere. My father was born in Texas before the turn of the century and my mother in Indian Territory, Oklahoma shortly after. He worked as a cowboy and they lived the hardscrabble life of those days. It was a challenge just to survive and that survival gene seems to have gotten passed on to me.

Writing Westerns probably ties into even earlier roots. My grandmother, on my father's side, was the daughter of a Texas Ranger and granddaughter of Gordon C. Jennings who was killed at the Alamo. Her great uncle was killed at Goliad.

The characters in The Homesteader series are influenced by my family history. Molly, the primary character, is very loosely patterned after my grandmother on my mother's side who moved her family to New Mexico and became a homesteader. Although she was called "Mollie" (which was not her real name) and would probably never have entertained some of the thoughts and actions of Molly.

One could say writing Western Historical Romances and an interest in genealogy intertwine. The genre simply seems to come natural to me.

Linda LaRoque is a Texan who writes Westerns with Champagne Books and The Wild Roses Press, but in a more contemporary setting.

Linda:

I've always wanted to be a cowgirl or I should say live in the Old West. Each Christmas my bother and I got a gun and holster so we could play cowboys and have shoot outs. As I grew older I wondered if I did live back then, what would my station in life be? My mother teased saying I'd probably be a poor farmer's wife and old before reaching thirty. My imagination ran more toward being a dance hall girl like Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke. However, being naive, I didn't really know what those ladies did for a living. Serving drinks and playing poker didn't seem bad at all. After learning the truth, I decided I'd have to be a wealthy rancher's wife or maybe the town school teacher.

As an adult, my fascination with the West remains. We've lived in west Texas and I love the area, the terrain and the people. Nothing inspires me more for either a historical or contemporary western romance than the panoramic views in the West, cowboys on horseback, or a couple of longhorns munching on grass. Writers tend to glamorize ranching when in truth it's hard work. But for those who've ranched for years and love it, it's the way of life that makes them happy. I hope my stories do justice to those who've honored the land and the lifestyle it provides.

I have three contemporary western romances out with Champagne Books--Forever Faithful, Investment of the Heart, and When the Ocotillo Bloom.

I have a two time travel romances set in the old west out with The Wild Rose Press--A Law of Her Own and My Heart Will Find Yours.

Linda writes a blog, too, at Linga LaRoque's Musings.

I've know Ginger Simpson since I was first published. Her humor always charms me and often has me laughing out loud. You can find her stories at Eternal Press and (coming soon) MuseItUp Publishing.

Ginger Simpson:

People often ask me why I write historical fiction. My answer is always the same: I feel at home in the old west. I grew up on the awesome writing of Laura Ingalls Wilder, reading her series more times than I can count. Besides the famous Little House on the Prairie, I recall, Little House in the Big Woods, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, and These Happy Golden Years. There were more, but these were the ones that captured my heart and interest. Each time I read one of Ms. Wilder’s novels, I was swept away to a time and place that fascinated me. I’m sure if one could acquire the check-out cards from the library in my old grammar school, my name would be on every third or fourth line.

I was raised in a household where The Grand Ol’ Opry, Hee Haw, and every John Wayne western played on the television. I doubt we ever missed an episode of Bonanza, The Big Valley, Maverick, or Have Gun Will Travel. If the movie had a cowboy or Indian, we tuned in. What happened to the good old shoot ‘em ups?

Oh, Ginger! All the shoot'em ups are called police dramas now, but I do miss those hunky cowboys and Indians. The Westerns, like Deadwood, have turned hard as nails. Check out Ginger's Blog Dishin' It Out.

Last is Larriane Wills, who writes her Westerns as Larion Wills, and her science fiction and fantasy as Larriane. Her current books are with Swimming Kangaroo. Look for more of her stories from MuseItUp Publishing soon.
Larion:

Interesting question and one I've never analyzed before. I recall a quote from Sam Elliot, that dreamy voiced actor, in which he said he felt he'd been born a century too early. Sometimes I feel that way as well.

I have a fascination for the period from the Civil War to the turn of the century.

Thinking about that, it's a bit odd since the person who snagged my interest in actually reading history, which in my early twenties I thought would be boring, began by telling me stories of Cushing, Oklahoma during the 'black gold' boom days when he and my grandmother were children growing up there. That was in the second decade of the 1900s. Previous to that time when I thought of boom towns, I thought of gold rushes in the 1800s. Cushing, during the oil rushes, was no slouch in wild and woolly to judge from the stories he and my grandmother told. He was my great uncle, my grandmother's brother, and I regret that I wasn't able to visit more with him and get more stories.

Our conversation migrated to the Civil War when I mentioned my family and I had recently visited a few of the park battle grounds and had been amazed at how many had died in that war. He started spouting off facts that floored me with the amount of information he carried in his head. I could have talked with him for hours. When time for my visit ended, he loaned me a book to take with me, my first on the Civil War.

Along about the same time my brother introduced me to the writings of Louis Lamour. I was hooked, both in reading and writing in that time period.

Be sure to visit Larion's blog Larionmusing.

Do you hear a theme here? It seems family and early reading or play choices make authors chose Westerns. That, or there is just something inspiring about a guy in a Stetson, a horse, a rope and a gun. If you love Western Romance, and haven't discovered this site already, go to Love Western Romances.

Thank you to my guest authors. Please check out their websites, blogs and books.

Investment of the Heart

2010-07-31T15:35:00.003-04:00

I won my choice of one of Linda LaRoque's novels. I must admit I chose Investment of the Heart because of the beautiful woman who is part of the golden warmth the cover exudes. Linda's other covers are just as beguiling.

Investment of the Heart, from Champagne Books, is set on a ranch in Texas and is about family, relationships and choices as much as romance.

Hallie Barron first meets Simon Cole in a restaurant while waiting to meet the uncle of her daughter's fiance. Simon is the uncle. He has leaped to the judgment that Hallie's daughter, Elise, like her mother, is just a city girl who can't and won't cope with life as a rancher's wife. This marriage is as doomed as the disastrous one his brother made. When his brother died, Simon stepped in to help raise Justin and his much younger sister, Whitney. Simon won't let a bad marriage happen to Justin, whose ranch is in still in financial stress due to his mother's greed. He tells Hallie, "I might as well get right to the point. This is nothing personal, but I don’t want my nephew to marry your daughter.” Oh dear! What mother is going to let a man with outright wrong opinions ruin her daughter's happiness? The lines are drawn. When Justin, with Simon's okay, invites Hallie and Elise to the ranch for a two week visit, Simon plans a special welcome.

Events and engagements are not as straight forward in this contemporary romance as you might expect. Hallie, a competent business woman in her own right, and a widow who misses the happiness she found in marriage to an exemplary man, is full of other surprises. (The cover captures her essence perfectly.) Simon, of course, once he gets off his high horse and eats some humble pie, turns out to be a great guy who values his family's happiness over his own. Justin and Elise have a lot to learn about themselves and true romance, plus an evil woman causes much havoc. You'll have a hard time guessing which character rides to the rescue. This read is filled with interesting characters with depth, some moments of humor, some of tear-jerking sadness, distress, and drama, plus a satisfying is-it-going-to-happen romance. So please pick up a copy. You won't be disappointed.

Crewkin Teaser

2010-07-23T11:16:00.000-04:00

Lin Holmes of MuseItUp Publishing has spotlighted my new cover on her blog with a brief story teaser. Please go take a look and leave Lin a message! Thanks.
Lin Holme's Own Blog

Welcome Billie Williams!

2010-07-19T22:52:00.000-04:00

I've known Billie since I became a Wings author six years ago. She now has thirteen books listed on her author's page! Amazing -- with more coming! Among authors she is a prize--generous, helpful and supportive to her fellow authors, besides being a prolific writer. She lives with her husband in Amberg, a small town in Northern Wisconsin, where Billie claims the winters are cold and long, but the people are warm and friendly. Her Maine Coon cat (love them), Lady Slipper, arrived the day she received her contract for The Pink Lady Slipper (for excerpt), her bed and breakfast mystery from Wings. The Pink Lady Slipper is set in Michigan, as are a few of her other books, which makes her feel like a neighbor to me -- well, if I take the Ludington ferry to Manitowoc and drove north for a couple hours, she is!

And because she feels like a neighbor, in addition to her contest (read offer below) I'm making an offer too! One download copy of any of Billie's books from Wings! Just leave a comment before July 30, and one lucky person's name will be drawn for the prize. So you have a couple chances to win something! Here is the link, again, to her author's page -- go peruse her titles. And mention the book title you'd like in your comment!

Billie is stopping at my rambles as part of her blog book tour to promote her new mystery Money Isn't Everything from Wings Press. (Read an excerpt.) She is a multi-published author with several publishers, plus an award-winning writer of articles, short stories, flash fiction and poetry as well. Check out her blogs: Printed Words and One Woman's Garden. (She gardens, too? No wonder I love this lady!) Plus she has another website for writers, Writing Wide, where you can find plenty of writing tips, tricks and good reads. Okay, as if that weren't enough, she has a current novel in progress, Printed Words, serialized in her newsletter -- which you can sign for on her web page, just click on this blog's title line to go to her home page.

So, with her having written so many cozy mysteries, I asked Billie how she creates fresh characters and murder plots for each story. Does she have a process or keep a list of her characters and their traits? This is Billie's answer:

It really is amazing, at least to me, that my characters appear as flesh and blood humans when I'm writing their stories. When I begin, I usually have an idea of what my character might wish to accomplish, i.e., the plot of the story, so I go to my zodiac chart where I have a simple breakdown of character traits, likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, etc. and choose a sign that would have the characteristics and that would help me develop the character and premise I need to serve this story idea.

The good part of using this method is that I can then find an antagonist or even a romantic interest that would be a worthy match/opponent. For instance a fire sign and a water sign would be very much antagonistic to each other. Also two of the same sign could be cause for a head on collision. Makes for some interesting scenarios that I may not have thought of otherwise.

I think it also helps me develop well-rounded, believable characters.. The story greatly influences the characters and vice-versa. My latest book Cauldron is a suspense thriller -- some how I can't picture Mary March from Money Isn't Everything, playing the part needed for the protagonist in Cauldron. Mary March is an Aries/Ram, Tiffany Tarus from Cauldron is a --Taurus/Bull. Mary is assertive, fearless and courageous, likes nothing better than a challenge. Where Tiffany is Calm and practical taking her time to make decisions, preferring the familiar.

I wrote a book on developing characters Characters In Search of an Author [ISBN 978-1-932794-15-1] specifically to help others develop characters - it is full of all the things I use to develop my characters. I don't use every one of the charts or interviews etc. provided in this book every time, but if I get stuck it gives me a great boost in moving forward with the character.

The series I've been developing for the last 5 books have all been tied to the Zodiac, Thus the series is dubbed the Zodiac Sleuths. I hope to have a final book, once I've used all the signs of the Zodiac, that will bring all of these sleuths together to work on a case together - I still have a ways to go before I get to that one. I am currently working on book number six July Heat, the name of the protagonist is Judy July aka Brianna Strong, she, of course, is a Cancer/Crab sign.

Thanks for inviting me to your blog and thanks to all your readers for participating. I hope they all win a prize. Billie

Billie's Contest

Each person who comments on blogs in Billie's Tour will have a chance to win either a

* $100 note pad, a $100 pen, or a $100 bookmark magnet. (They all incorporate an image of the hundred dollar bill into their design) Pens Bookmarks Note Pads
* Everyone that comments should email Billie at billie@billiewilliams.com for a chance at a bookmark with the cover of Money Isn’t Everything and one lucky winner will get an autographed poster of the cover of Money Isn’t Everything.
* Billie will draw one name from all the blog sites to get an autographed copy of the print version of Fin, Fur and Fatal another Mystery in the Zodiac Sleuths Series. (That is stateside – if the name drawn is overseas or Canada-- it will be a download version.)

There ya go folks! Please leave a comment!

Impossible to understand

2010-06-29T12:12:00.000-04:00

There was a 4-year old boy murdered here in Michigan, close to where I grew up, in a small, pleasant little community surrounded by lakes and farmland. As so often happens, the people caring for Dominick weren't. His mother's boyfriend, who was also a drug dealer, beat and tortured Dominick for four days before the mother's sister reported the abuse to the police. It was too late. The details were gruesome, so awful the nurses and doctors who treated Dominick at the hospital had to speak with counselors about what they saw. The boy set off this man's abusive temper-tantrum by wetting his pants and soiling the couch.

The 24-year abuser's life is over. He'll spend, at the very least, the rest of his life in prison. So will the boy's mother, who is an accomplice in her son's murder. Even without a life sentence in prison, she will serve one in her mind. Worse, the 8-year old brother witnessed everything and has to testify in court. One wonders if the brother will ever recover while wishing and hoping he can. The mother's family and the child's father will be haunted by what happened, as will everyone who knew Dominick, indeed, the entire community.

How do things so incomprehensible happen? What happens, step-by-step, that leads to and creates such a horrific tragedy? This case isn't an isolated event. Children, the aged and ordinary adults die of abuse everyday. Where do we fail as individuals, parents, family, friends and community that allows these results? More importantly, can we change?

Cover for Crewkin

2010-06-28T13:35:00.000-04:00

Delilah K. Stephans of MuseItUp Publishing designed the cover. I'm working on first edits as I write (they're open on Word on my computer). February seems a long time away, but I know it is right around the corner. Gives me something to look forward to in the middle of winter!

The Only Suvivor

2010-06-15T12:32:00.000-04:00

Here's a introduction to the lead character in Crewkin.

Renna heard the hatch open and a woman entered. Never raising her gaze, Renna noticed through quick side glances the woman looked alien, so very different from her crewkin. Yes, she wore Markham Corporation uniform, so they worked for the same company. Only she was shorter, plumper, her face, nose, and neck, even her fingers, too thin, her brown eyes and hair, the wrong color. She wore jewelry and makeup. Renna tightened her handclasp. Her training helped her blank her expression and emotions. She fell back on her kin's mantra: calm, professionalism, duty.

The woman sat in the chair on the opposite side of the table. "Well, Renna, this is a strange situation for you, isn't it?"

"Yes." Duty required simple straight answers, no embellishment. She refused to scream, "My ship and the rest of my kin are dead."

"Your crewkin went through a horrible experience. Most of them died. All those you shoved into escape pods only came here to die far from their ship. You didn't join them."

She sat here, so the answer was obvious, and she understood the words were an accusation. She kept her gaze on the table in proper crewkin submission; answer enough. The anger in her belly writhed like one of the reptiles shown in a learning tape she remembered from her childhood. The image always stuck with her because she felt the same knot-making movement inside.

"Medical gave them the suicide drugs." Renna carefully kept her voice clam, concealing her anger. She glanced at the woman. For an instant, she imagined a serpent's tongue flickered from the woman's too red mouth and looked away.

"Because we know your type. You cannot live without your kin." The woman paused. When Renna didn't answer, she continued. "What do you plan to do? You cannot join another crew. Unfortunately, there is no other place for you to go."

"There are other ships." She held her breath at her insubordinate, unkin-like response.

The woman laughed a soft, mocking sound. "You want to join one of the ships making runs to and from the few planets in the system? After the long hauls you and your kin made? You won't fit in. You are too different."

"I'm a speaker."

"Yes, you, of all your kin, were the only one to talk with outsiders. It's probably why you've survived here in the Markham hospital. Shortrun crews, though, aren't crewkin. They all have existing friends and family outside of their ship's crew. Even a speaker will be too strange for the norm crews to accept you. We only want to help you, and the truth is, you belong to your crewkin."

"Will you kill me?" Her defiance at asking a question nearly overwhelmed her. The serpent in her belly moved, her hands shook, and her jaw clamped tight. She wanted to scream, "I was never part of them." The thought startled her.

"No, we don't want to kill you. We want you to choose the correct path and join your crew. If you don't, your only choice is too leave. Markham Company cannot continue to take care of you." She recognized sympathy in the woman's face. The expression looked practiced, fake.

Leave. Alone. Outrageous, frightening words; her breath caught. She felt her body react. The slithering in her belly stopped. "Then I will leave." She nearly laughed at the woman's stunned look, but that would be unprofessional, and unkin. Inside, excitement glittered like stars.

Poisoning Our Environment, Poisoning Our Lives

2010-06-06T12:33:00.000-04:00

I've a post on Branches of Life Blogzine about the chemicals and poisons in our lives.
Please go take a read: Poisoning Our Environment, Poisoning Our Lives. Are you aware of all the potential poisons in your day-to-day life? I'm learning more about them all the time.

Finding Your Muse

2010-05-27T22:10:00.000-04:00

Inspiration, a divine spark, stimulus, we all appreciate when that type of enlightenment strikes.

The ancient attributed these energies to the Muses, daughters of Zeus, the god who threw lightning bolts of power, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. The Muses were believed to inspire all artists, but especially those who worked with words: poets, musicians, playwrights, and philosophers, perhaps encouraging them to write their thoughts down.

Written words were not subjected to the vagaries of memory. Once recorded, they were always available for anyone who could read. Leaving a written record meant knowledge wasn't as easily lost or changed, allowing the next generation to build on the recorded memories of their predecessors. Isn't that pure inspiration in itself? Perhaps this is the true collective unconscious Jung mentions.

In ancient times, written words were not universally taught to the general populace, which made writing a special gift, often a sacred act. For another fifteen-hundred years writing remained the province of religious brethren. Many scribes could not read, only copy letters. Luckily, they copied many of the Greek's writings, so even today we have some of these ancient stories, poems, plays, and even the musings of their philosophers.

The ability to read and write is still not universal, but thankfully, far more widespread today. Matter of fact, today writing is often taken for granted. We have an overabundance of written words, some sacred, some profane, some mundane or inane, and many just to entertain, scribbled on walls, clothes, papers, magazines, computer and phone screens in all sizes, and in books. We have so many words in so many places that we often ignore all of them. Those who choose to write words for entertainment, however, often wish they had close contact with one of the ancient Muses.

Where are they found? Easy. Right inside our heads; ideas form from mixtures of memory, imagination, and reactions to stimulation from the world around us, all combined with thought. Sometimes a visit from the Greek god Morpheous helps, too.

Outside stimuli include interactions with other people, the excitement of new environments or experiences, or conversely meditating in old and familiar places, and sometimes the act of moving your body through space and time (otherwise known as exercise).

As a writer I know the Muses exist. The are magnificent threshold guardians, taking their time to put ideas together (or not) inside my mind, probably because Terpsichore, the muse of dance, isn't boogieing over the right sequence of neurons. When that happens, I take a long walk hoping to release the endorphins she feeds upon.

Scifi as folklore

2010-05-18T14:05:00.000-04:00

One reason I like to write science fiction is because I see the genre as folklore of the future. Some writers see the future as apocalyptic, and I tend to agree we will probably come close to ending ourselves without the help of space aliens. However, I tend to think that if we learn responsibility as a species, we might become seeds to the universe. The problem is the duality of our natures. We contain both good and bad: generosity tempered with avarice and self seeking, xenophobia combined with an adventurer's desire for exploration. You can come up with more examples, I'm sure. To make matters more difficult, sometimes our good traits result in disaster, and sometimes our worst characteristics save us.

In my new novel, Crewkin, corporate leaders, though only indirectly mentioned, are just as greedy and ruthless as some few are today. To create ship crews which won't succumb to the rigors of long-distance space travel the corporations develop specialized crews.

The concept is simple. Raise children from birth who exist only within their own society. Provide nurses who care for but never develop relationships with their charges. Develop leaders and make sure everyone else submits to their leader's rule. Control the genome; make sure they have superior genes, select for disease resistance, strength, a certain look to make sure your crewkin look very similar, this will also emphasize their difference from other human beings. Educate them with information reinforcing the 'rightness' of their isolation and their ultimate superiority. Teach duty and dedication as their sole focus. Finally, use punishment to subvert any independent thought or action. However, no one should call these groups slaves, for they are crewkin, and as far as the general public and government know, choose to live together, even die if kept apart. Then, to increase that perception, brainwash your crews to suicide if the crew can no longer function, make sure the general public believes this myth, and there you have your perfect crew.

Perhaps, in the history of crewkin, there might be one who doesn't fit. What happens when she chooses not to die? What happens if she has the courage to seek life outside the confinement of crewkin indoctrination? Can she survive? And if she does, what type of danger does she pose to the corporations?

Look for Crewkin from MuseItUp Publishing in February.

Available for Kindle

2010-05-10T22:26:00.000-04:00

Stone House Farm is available for those lucky enough to have Kindle.

CREWKIN has a home!

2010-05-03T20:40:00.000-04:00

More about Crewkin, to be published February 2011 with MuseItUp Publishing!

Renna has one chance for survival—earning a berth on an intra-planet shortrunner cargo ship. She can never join another crewkin, those crews who man the long haul ships of space. They are closed societies, formed at birth, meant to live together until death. Her crewkin are dead, and she failed in her duty to join them in death. If she can't fit in this time, she may never join another crew, and might just as well have died. However, 'norm' crews are very different from crewkin—less dedicated, less capable, crueler, and with inexplicable expectations.

EXCERPT:

2178.347-17:34 universal space time. status log: systems failure. initial test terminated. manual shutdown in progress.

Renna felt as lifeless as Sen’s cooling body on the bed next to her. She packed her possessions in her travel bag with careful precision. They were few enough. Everything else belonged to the ship, or the Crewkin as a whole, and reverted to Markham Company. Renna didn’t care. She needed no reminders. The vision of the bodies of her kin, removed one after another from this hospital room promised memory enough.

“You can't survive.” The doctor echoed Sen's last warning.

A glance showed the doctor, leaning against the door, watching her, waiting. She didn’t know his name and he never offered it. Another anonymous Markham employee, dressed in a Markham medical uniform, as foreign to her as everyone else.

Years of ingrained prohibitions prevented the response screaming inside. She controlled her voice. “You recommend I join Sen, join my crew?” Like you and your staff encouraged her? Helped her? A final joining? Bastard. Renna closed her bag.

Truth struck her. I don’t want to die. Coward. She couldn’t look at Sen, loyally joined with her dead kin.

“Where will you go? You are genetically unfit to live planet-side, and mentally unprepared to interact with another ship's crew. Crewkin are long haulers, not shortrunners. You won't fit in.. That’s why we recommend a final joining.”

Renna looked at the windowless, beige room, mostly empty now that her kin and their hospital beds had been removed. Only her and Sen’s beds remained. Sleeping alone in a bed had seemed so strange. Perhaps another unspoken means to encourage her kin to their final joining? Her eyes itched and burned, but she held no more tears.

Cows, Milk and the Changing Farm

2010-04-29T16:00:00.000-04:00

Standing her ground, one curious cow stares at me, ready to bolt if necessary.

I've always loved the black and white hides of Holstein cows. A few weeks ago I had the interesting adventure of visiting Brad and Lori Gernaat's dairy farm in Marion, Michigan, with my son and his family. What a surprise! Somehow I have missed the change from seeing dairy cows in fields to their disappearance from farm pastures. They now remain in large barns where they seem perfectly content to munch on the silage they're provided, and wander around the aisles of their domicile. The land they used to graze raises the silage the cows are fed, the liquid refuse from cleaning their barns fertilizes the fields.

The Gernaat's barns are open so their 1500 cows always have fresh air, but they also have curtains that can be pulled down in winter to prevent the worst of the cold entering the barn. The cows are milked three times a day. I watched them at one milking. One cow gave twenty gallons of milk. If she gave the same amount at every milking, that's sixty gallons of milk a day! Wow.

Off to be milked, the cows follow each other out of one barn and down the track that leads to the milking barn. Of course, curious creatures that they are, they had to stop and look at the visitors. Once in the milking barn they turn their rears to the machine. Two men work cleaning utters and attaching milking tubes. A few minutes later, the machines release and the job is done. The cows have to wait until every cow is finished being milked, then the gates open and they walk back to their barn. Creatures of habit, they seem very content with their lives.

I felt bad for the calves which are pulled from their mamas soon after birth, but it is a safety issue, and soon enough they are growing up with a group of friends.

Volunteering with Children's Chess Club

2010-04-22T21:22:00.000-04:00

My son, Chris, and his chess club. I think volunteerism is important to every community, and I'm very proud Chris volunteers to teach elementary students Chess. You can see this group is very happy. They had a very good showing at a tournament in Ludington recently.

He is still a kid at heart. I can tell because I think those are his fingers behind those two boys' heads. Hmm... they never outgrow teasing, do they? But, doggone, I think he's a pretty great kid, even if I do say so myself. I play chess, too. Everyone loves to play me, because they always win.

Visiting Blogs Today!

2010-04-16T13:59:00.000-04:00

Hope you can take a minute to read about my April release Stone House Farm:

Phyllis Campbell's blog at Vivacious Vixens of Romance

and at Ginger Simpson's blog Dish'in It Out

Each is a little different.

Guest Author at Billie A. William's Blog

2010-04-13T21:50:00.000-04:00

Billie A. Williams, another author who writes mysteries set in Michigan, has hosted me on her blog. Check it out!

New Contract for Crewkin

2010-04-09T20:29:00.000-04:00

In February, 2011, my ninth book will be released from MuseItUp Publishing, a science fiction novel.

Renna is the last member of her crewkin, children raised together to form crews for ships that can endure decades in space. She should have committed suicide and joined her crew in death. Not Renna. She is determined to somehow survive in a 'norm' world totally alien to her. The Terran's ship, the Vagrant Spirit, might be the start she needs.

What Long and Short Reviews Has to Say

2010-04-09T19:03:00.000-04:00

Review for Stone House Farm now at Long and Short Reviews posted today.

Win a Copy of Stone House Farm

2010-04-09T13:23:00.000-04:00

Coffee Time Romance is hosting a contest for Stone House Farm. There are two electronic copies of Stone House Farm plus chances for any other of my science fiction or fantasy novels available. Just go to the link below and scroll down until you find Stone House Farm! Answer the questions (all the answers are found on my web site). Good Luck! Contest runs through April.
Coffee Time Romance Contest Page

Stone House Farm Excerpt

2010-04-01T19:42:00.000-04:00

Excerpt from Stone House Farm, a romantic suspense novel from Champagne Books April 1!

She walked the fence-lined track between two orchards that led to the pasture on the back acreage. Amanda stopped every few minutes and checked the way, trying to locate Noona. No hoof tracks marred the pristine whiteness, but at the end of the path Amanda saw the gate had blown shut.

Noona stood, head over the top rail, nickering welcome. Amanda walked up and placed a lead line on the mare’s halter before opening the gate. Sides bulging with her pregnancy, Noona didn’t look distressed or about to go into labor. The mare wore a blanket and Amanda checked the straps.

“Naughty girl!” she said softly starting to lead the mare back to the barn. She stopped, realizing Buck wasn’t with her. “Buck! Here, Buck. Come, Buck!” When only silence answered her, she called and heard a faint bark. Repeated calls brought more barking, but no Buck. “You see where your truancy got us?” Amanda asked the mare. “He’s probably caught his collar on some shrub.” She tied the lead to the fence, then climbed over the slippery rails into the northern orchard to find what had distracted Buck.

By concentrating on the direction of the now constant barking, she searched. When he fell silent, she would call and the barking would resume. The orchard looked unfamiliar in darkness and falling snow, with tree limbs appearing to loom out of nowhere, and the ground strangely transformed. With frequent calls, answered by Buck’s barks, she homed in on the dog. He looked like a dancing shadow in the surrounding whiteness.

Buck wasn’t trapped by his collar. An unusual long mound of snow lay under one of the apple trees. The dog
barked and dug around the shape. Approaching with caution, Amanda swept her flashlight’s beam over the mound and caught a flash of khaki and fingers. The mound was human. She hurried her steps. Kneeling down she rolled the camouflage-jacketed form over. His face was pale and drawn, his black hair ice-coated, dark, wet strands plastered his forehead. Wade Preston!

“What are you doing out here? Visualizing where to put your condominiums and golf course?” She asked the
unconscious face. He had to have walked here. She noticed shallow snow foot print impressions in the snow. Why come now, during a snowstorm?

“This makes as much sense as anything has lately,” she complained to Buck.

Buck whined, his tail striking her back as he stuck his head under her arm and snuffled the coat of the prone man. She pushed Buck away. “Good-boy, yes, you found him, down.”

She pulled off her glove and felt his face. Wade was cold, too cold, his lips blue, his skin deathly pale.

“Please, God, don’t let him be dead,” she whispered, feeling his throat for a pulse. She found a beat and sighed in relief. Taking off her jacket she threw it over him. Jumping up, she ran to Noona, climbed the fence and slid onto Noona’s back before untying the lead.

It was dangerous, but she pushed Noona into a gallop back to the barn. Once there, Amanda jumped off the mare and led her into her stall and latched it. She grabbed the slick piece of plastic that Kari used as a sled and some old horse blankets, then ran back the way she had ridden. Several times her feet slipped forcing her to catch her balance and slowing her progress as she tried to run through the rapidly accumulating snow. She arrived out of breath. Falling to her knees, she pushed and pulled him onto the sled, calling, “Wade, wake up. Wade!”

Wade’s eyelids flickered, but he didn’t respond. Amanda continued shouting, unable to stop though she
doubted he heard as she pulled his body. His eyelids fluttered and then opened. He raised his head and his gaze locked on her.

“You!” His soft, hoarse outcry cost him, his head fell back in a helpless fashion and his eyes closed to mere slits. He gasped as she pushed him further on the sled, his face grimacing, his eyelids scrunched shut. “Why not me? You’re trespassing on my property.” Wade’s words came thick and slow. “Is that why you shot me?”

Cat Mandate

2010-03-29T08:23:00.000-04:00

This morning I was finishing my tea, searching the internet for news, in other words, preoccupied. My cat, Gigi (short for complaining, grumpy, grouch), jumped onto the desktop and was most persistent about walking over the keyboard between the computer screen and me--the shortest route to my empty oatmeal bowl. As she passed, she whacked me in the face with her tail. Muttering, I returned my attention to learning more about the features of girly men at the WSJ.

After licking the glass clean, Gigi turned her don't you dare deny me look on me, insisting my hands had nothing better to do than pet her. I usually give in to this bullying insistence. I did this morning, too, giving Gigi the neck and back rubs she demanded. It's the quickest way to convince her to leave me alone. This morning she actually purred, unusual for her. While my hands were occupied, her butt, hind paw or tail bumped the computer mouse. The computer screen flickered and changed to a headline screaming: "The Biblical Mandate to Care for Animals." I swear, she did it on purpose.

As a science fiction author I always find it interesting how in fiction the human species learns to communicate with alien species. We've had thousands of species surrounding us for centuries and have achieved limited communication with only a select few --a rather dismal record. Just how are we going to achieve alien communication?

GiGi, on the other hand, err...butt, has elected to to post her comments in words I can understand.

Polished Treasures

2010-02-18T13:16:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine, who is an avid fisherman and rock hound, polishes stones he picks up. All winter polishers run in his house, which would probably drive me crazy, but the results are wonderful. He gave me a bag full of polished stones. Pretty neat, huh? They were all picked up in this county, so it is amazing to see what lies beneath a stone's surface, and the small treasures just lying at our feet. I keep them in a candy dish where I can enjoy them -- pick them up and feel the smooth surfaces and admire nature's amazing colors and designs. My cats also enjoy them. They are forever taking one out to bat and chase around the wood floor like hockey pucks.

I particularly like the black stone with a heart shape of harder mineral polished to a higher luster on its surface that is located in the bottom right hand corner. How cool is that? And what about those red and white speckles and swirls decorating some? The purple one look like amethyst, while the green stones near the middle look like jadeite of some type. There are many that would make great jewelry if I had the drill and saw necessary, but right now, I've enough projects on my table to complete without adding more. One of those projects is putting electric out in the garage. Then I can purchase my own rock polisher.

Keeping Face

2010-02-17T11:49:00.000-05:00

Years ago for something to entertain kids, I wrapped the faces of my family in plaster bandaging and made masks. (Once started all the adults wanted to participate, too.) It was a fun project. Everyone slathered their face with Vaseline, put on a showcap and slowly had their face cast. It took about ten minutes and the rough cast bore a somewhat blunted but fairly accurate replica of each face. I painted many to look like masks.

It was a great project for kids because while your face was covered so completely--except for nostrils, which obviously had to remain uncovered--it was a bit scary. I did this project with three sixth grade classes in Colorado Springs the one year we lived there, and the students seemed to love it. They worked in teams of three, one subject, one wrapper, and one support person who talked and held the hand of the subject.

Eventually over the years the bandaging disintegrated. I had experiment with casting one, but whatever I did failed and I lost that mask. I had three left, and they were crumbling, so I threw them out. They landed back on my desk after someone saved them from the trash.

Since they wouldn't go away, I decided I'd better do something with them. First I painted the interior of each one with Elmer's glue, hoping that would stop the crumbling. It did. So I slathered the inside of each mask with Vaseline and filled each one with wood patch, which is basically plaster of paris, but it was what I had on hand. The faces easily popped out of the molds. After some sanding I decided they had to be painted. The question was, realistically or not? Just a coat of any color of paint wasn't very interesting, so I painted each to look like rock with a slight metallic sheen.

Holes drilled in the back allow them to be hung on the wall, but I might put them on dowels so they stand up. Perhaps I'll have a whole row of them across the fireplace mantle. They look a little bizarre because the subject's eyes were closed when the bandaging was applied, so everyone looks like thy are sleeping... Hopefully, no one will think they are death masks, but even if they do, I find them interesting. The two lower profile faces are my children at ages eleven and eight. I'm really pleased to have these keepsakes. There are better methods of casting faces using latex molding material and casting the mold in resin, but the plaster bandaging is much cheaper and much less labor intensive.

I will be going to Kansas on a family visit in early summer, and it has already been suggested that we make masks of the new generation. Won't that be fun? If your family is suffering cabin fever or winter blues, this might be a project that will take their mind off the weather. All you need is Vaseline, cheap, throw-away shower caps and plaster bandaging that most medical supply stores stock, if none is available in your area, do on on-line search. There are many sources. Each face should cost about $7 to $12, maybe less, depending on sources and on whether you recast the masks for sculptures.

Linda Rettstatt's And the Truth Will Set You Free

2010-02-14T17:29:00.000-05:00

I should have done this review three years ago, but life, as happens in this story, took a dive and I didn't get it done. I found the book in my file of digital editions and decided it was time to complete this obligation. I'm sure glad I did as it is a well worth reading.

And The Truth Will Set You Free
by Linda Rettstatt
General Women's Fiction

Budget cuts eliminate Kate Reynolds’ job with the state. At fifty-two her world falls apart until her friend Terri impresses on her that her problems might present an opportunity. Terri reminds Kate that years ago she had plans to become a writer. Now might be the perfect time to try something new and daring -- in that New England village that impressed her a few years ago. Kate makes a decision to try. She moves to East Holbridge, Connecticut. While she makes new friends in her new home, and makes great progress in her new career choice, she feels unfulfilled and uncomfortable, torn between her old life and her new one.

And The Truth Will Set You Free explores Kate’s journey through the pitfalls of life, the challenges of inevitable change, decisions to be made, and the courage necessary to survive those choices. Kate learns that even when starting new, she carries her past with her, and those memories will pull her back toward what is known and safe. The beginning of this story establishes Kate’s old and new lives in rich detail and imagery, and many realistic characters are introduced. Leaving her tried-and-true friends is wrenching, but she finds discovering new friends has its own charm. Everything is moving along almost serendipitously for Kate until self-doubt and a friend’s crisis make her question her choices. Has she made the right choices, not only now, but ever? Once these questions and problems have been established, Kate’s journey moves in poignant and complex paths with a bit of romance thrown in. And The Truth Will Set You Free is an extraordinary tale with issues that will grip the reader’s interest and emotions.

Editor's comments

2010-02-10T17:14:00.000-05:00

Judy Gill edited Stone House Farm, and she has kindly placed a blurb on her blog.

New Cover

2010-02-03T18:58:00.001-05:00

The cover for my April 11 release, Stone House Farm, a contemporary romantic suspense novel, came today. The artist was Trisha Fitzgerald, who did a fantastic job. The publisher is Champagne Books; can't wait! (But have to.)

Make It, Bake It, Grow It

2009-12-30T21:43:00.000-05:00

My large family decided years ago rather than spend tons of money on everyone or draw names, we would do a make it, bake it, or grow it Christmas gift. This is my this year's effort (and my Santa's helper, who sanded and primed the gourds, and the cut holes). My sister Jewel grew the gourds. I painted them. They haven't the final coat of polyurethane on yet, but I thought they turned out pretty good. Hopefully wrens will like them for homes this coming summer. Outdoors I think they should last one or two seasons. By then, Jewel will have grown more gourds (season is too short where I am), they'll have cured long enough to shed their outer skin and I can then make more birdhouses! Hope everyone liked them as much as I liked painting them.

Re-organization

2009-12-27T20:55:00.000-05:00

This is my week to go through all drawers and file folders, closets and containers, to discover out what's where, what's needed, what's not, and what needs a new place. This way I at least start the year out organized. It's a big deal. Going through bills and receipts, deciding what to keep and what to toss. Later I might find I've pitched something I really needed to keep. That's one danger. The other danger is resorting something into a safer, saner place. Sometimes that space is so secure I can never find it again.

Writing science fiction and fantasy, I always imagine there is a black hole, a time-space dislocation, someplace near me. When I need something, it is usually in that alternative universe. That item does return to this time and place until it is no longer needed, has been replaced or is forgotten. Then, something desperately needed exchanges places with it. That's why the annual reorganization is needed. It often flushes out those dislocated items.

The Heroine Completes Her Hero's Journey 5th Post P&P

2009-12-26T16:17:00.000-05:00

Just when Elizabeth Bennet feels attraction to Darcy, and he seems to return her regard, she learns from her sister Jane's letter that Lydia has run off with Wickham, and her world falls apart. This event is without doubt the ordeal every hero must face. Lydia represents the shadow, who acts on the base innermost desires inside of everyone. Certainly for a Regency Miss, the desire to thwart the very tight corset society demanded of every woman with any pretense to gentility, must have been a very strong hidden dream.

It is often hard by today's standards where the individual is judged by their actions to understand how one sister's moral failure tarred her siblings, but that is how society used to view women, and not so terribly long ago. Lydia's indiscretion affected the matrimonial chances of all of her sisters. If Colonel Foster and Elizabeth's father and uncle not taken immediate action to find Lydia and force Wickham to marry her, the whole family would be smeared with her shame (as would Colonel Foster, with whom she was staying). None of her sisters would have made good marriages. Elizabeth knows this, and feels the guilt for not having disclosed Wickham's character. A promise to Darcy stopped her. Luckily, the couple is found and they marry.

The visit of the newly weds to the wife's family is in turn hilarious and disgusting. Their arrival begins the journey back from the wilderness Elizabeth has been in on her journey to find love. Lydia is unrepentant, still careless and oblivious of anyone but herself. while many sixteen-year-olds share these characteristics, most are not so totally ignorant, most know right from wrong. Perhaps Mrs. Bennet's behavior had undue influence on Lydia; after all, Lydia was her favorite. But if that is so, why did her influence not affect Jane and Elizabeth, who are both clearly humiliated by Lydia's actions and behavior? Lydia, during her visit forgets her promise and tells Elizabeth Darcy was at the wedding.

This information drives Elizabeth to find the truth of Darcy's involvement in forcing Wickham to marry Lydia and save the family's reputation. When Darcy visits he is distant, throwing Elizabeth into a flurry of self doubt. His intervening with Bingley brings Jane her happiness, but Elizabeth doubts any man would offer again after the refusal she gave. Before Elizabeth can finish her journey, she must face more gate keepers. One comes in the form of a letter from Mr. Collins to her father, and Elizabeth must dissemble to her father. The other is the more formidable ordeal in the visit from Lady Catherine de Bourgh who demands Elizabeth's promise not to marry Darcy. Here Elizabeth proves true to her journey's lessons, and faces rudeness and hostility with calmness and honesty. It is not long after this visit that Darcy returns to Longbourne. When Elizabeth faces him with her thanks and gratitude, she earns her heart's desire. Mr. Darcy renews his pledge of love and desire that Elizabeth should become his wife.

The last minor ordeal Elizabeth faces is telling her family she has won the prize, the elixir of life, marriage with Darcy, that her quest sought. Both she and Darcy are changed people, both have found love in their choice of mate; and true of many journeys, Elizabeth will not return home, but begin a new life as a woman married to an affluent man.

I hope these few posts on Pride and Prejudice have shown how the Hero's Journey has worked through this story. I am a true believer that stories are tied to our individual psychologies and our own paths along the Mythic Hero's Journey.

Elizabeth's Transformation 4th Post P&P

2009-12-05T15:16:00.001-05:00

Elizabeth has always prided herself on her insight and acumen of the people around her, learned from watching and listening to her father, no doubt. Since beginning her hero’s journey to find her other half, in this case a man she can love, she has endured Mr. Darcy’s overheard dismissive rebuff, Mr. Collins’s boastful self-importance ineptly hidden by his mask of humility, Mr. Wickham turning away to court an heiress, Mr. Bingley’s abandonment of Jane, a visit to her former suitor, Mr. Collins, now married to her best friend, and finally, Mr. Darcy’s impassioned but disdainful proposal. Her road of trials has been long. Now, unexpectedly, Mr. Darcy’s unexpected letter gives her the ultimate fortune, truth. She accomplishes this by giving up her own conceits and prejudices and examining her own motives.

A new world emerges from her insight. She begins by seeing both Wickham and Darcy in different lights. Once home in Longbourn, she also sees her family’s failings and is embarrassed by their less than suitable behavior. When the proposed invitation from Mrs. Foster for Lydia to move to Brighton with her, Elizabeth pleads with her father to save Lydia by not permitting her to go. She has seen the disaster that awaits, not only Lydia, but all of her sisters; but her efforts are all to no avail.

Although the prejudice with which she viewed her world has gone, Elizabeth has not finished her journey. While traveling with her aunt and uncle, Elizabeth encounters a much different Mr. Darcy and his home of Pemberly. He is no longer so haughty, withdrawn in his own superiority. However, any hopes of a beginning a friendship with him are dashed by Lydia, for news arrives that she has run off with Mr. Wickham.

Thank You!

2009-12-04T16:49:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone enjoyed my guest authors' posts. Billie says she will drop by again, an event I look forward to. My thanks to her, and to Phyllis for her contribution on heros. Click on their names to visit their websites and take a look at their books.

Mystery and The Hero's Journey

2009-12-02T12:37:00.000-05:00

What could they possibly have in common? The setting can be any where and any time period - mysteries cross borders and time zones as easily as any other genre. So it is no surprise when they look to the heroes journey for character types.

For most of my work I do an intensive character sketch - part of that is to pick which hero or heroine (most of my sleuth's are female) best suits the particular story I'm telling.

In Small Town Secrets the sleuth/heroine, Chaneeta Morgan,is a strong independent woman, made strong by her circumstances. While Chaneeta is a strong heroine such as an Amazon Woman heroine, she leans heavily toward being a Madonna.

Amazon women are capable, independent, self-sufficient. But Chaneeta is more then that, she has a soft side a mothering side. She is the chairperson of the small town where she lives - She is the owner of The Golden Kettle Cafe, she is many things to many people. Example:

Someone is bent on burning it down one building at a time. Can Chaneeta and Olga bury their rivalry long enough to use their powers to stop the arsonist before the town is destroyed, or will the skeleton in the Town Chairperson’s closet be her undoing at the hands of Editor in chief of the Daily Nettle Newspaper, Olga Corn?

Chaneeta is vulnerable, but not defenseless. She is not above receiving help, she does not need everyone's approval though she would sincerely like it, because she feels better when people like her. Olga Corn, her rival and most time nemesis is a shape-shifter doing whatever it takes to get what she wants.

Joseph Campbell's Hero's journey elucidates the hero's journey for me. while Christopher Volger illuminates that journey even more, I believe what he says is true that ..."a story is also a metaphor, a model of some aspect of human behavior. It is a thought machine by which we test out our ideas and feelings about some human quality and try to learn more about it."

As readers we find our answers, or confirmation of our beliefs, in the books we gravitate to again and again as our favorite reads. Wise old woman or man, mentors, guides, heroes and heroines are all necessary to tell a story that readers are willing to spend time reading and it is our joy to write. Mystery and suspense are my favorite genres and they benefit greatly by exploring the various aspects of the Heroes journey.
Billie A Williams
http://www.billiewilliams.com

The Heronine Wants Love 3rd Post P&P

2009-11-29T12:23:00.000-05:00

Elizabeth's quest is to find love within marriage.Women today look for the same thing, but now many women are capable of supporting themselves, so marriage is not a dire necessity. In Regency England, however, women of the upper social classes had two choices: marry well or become a spinster and live in poverty off your relatives. Love didn't often come into consideration when looking for a husband. Neither are ideal choices, as today we know how many marriages break down. Elizabeth is twenty, hardly a spinster, but she lives in a rural area with limited choices, and her dowry is meager. Oddly, in a few months her journey will introduce her to four possible suitors, and she endures three proposals. Luckily, even in this pre-baseball era, Elizabeth need not fear three strikes and you're out. Her third proposal is a homerun.

At first, she finds Mr. Darcy an arrogant man, caught in his pride and uninterested in her. Shortly thereafter, the Trickster-Herald, her cousin, Mr. Collins, arrives at Longbourn with the intention of ending a family dispute and marrying one of Mr. Bennets' daughters as a solution to the entailment of the estate. Since Mrs. Bennet tells him Jane is taken, Mr. Collins sets his sites on Elizabeth. Why is he a Trickster? Because of his comedic effect. You cannot but find his behavior humorously appalling. He toadies up to everyone; while he admits to Mr. Bennet that many of his flattering comments are rehearsed. In his proposal he acts like a Threshold Guardian, taking Elizabeth near the innermost cave and the conundrum found there: financial security while married to a foolish man or an eternity alone. Mr. Collins remains the Trickster with Mrs. Bennet, encouraging her believe in his good intentions, but when Elizabeth thwarts him, proposes to her best friend; another trick, breaking his word.

The horror for Elizabeth is that Charlotte accepts, may have even worked to bring about the proposal. How is Charlotte to live with such an overweening, egotistical man whose abject humility only exposes his overwhelming pride? As a Herald, Mr. Collins calls Elizabeth to the adventure of marriage; but Elizabeth's intelligence tells her how awful a marriage with such a man might become. Her refusal of the call only shows her good innate sense.

She also meets Mr. Wickham, a Shape Shifter Shadow character in his attractive quise. Everyone welcomes handsome Mr. Wickham to Meryton. Elizabeth enjoys his attentions and he seems very gentlemanly, plus he encourages her prejudice against Mr. Darcy. He tells her of Darcy's perfidy to himself. This seeming gentleman turns into the worst type of cad later in the story, his actions bringing evil and disrepute the Bennet family. Wickham never proposes to Elizabeth, but certainly behaves in such a manner that the reader believes he wants to.

When Elizabeth goes to visit her best friend and her rejected suitor, she encounters Mr. Darcy again, visiting his aunt, Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Mr. Collins' patron. He brings with him Fitzwilliam Darcy, his cousin. Colonel Fitzwilliam also pays attention to Elizabeth, but he is upfront that his desire will not lead to marriage; he cannot afford it. A proposal appears, though, from Mr. Darcy. Again, Elizabeth rejects the proposal when he asks "Could you expect me to rejoice in the in the inferiority of your connections? - to congratulate myself on the hope of relations whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own?" She answers, "You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way than as it spared the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner."

In my baseball metaphor, Eliza has bee to bat twice and stuck out, deliberately made a choice not to play. Mr. Darcy , she thought, believed Mr. Darcy the most arrogant, conceited, with a selfish distain over the feelings of other. In his own way he disgusted her as much as Mr. Collins.

Mr. Darcy throughout the story plays several archetypes. In the next pages he becomes a mentor, a wise person who gives the hero a gift to help them on their journey. For all of Elizabeth's poor opinions of him, the very next morning he very civilly approaches her, and hands her a letter.

The letter, the mentor's gift, provides Elizabeth inner vision. In two or three readings, she learns her own blindness, sees her actions and her family's behavior for how it looked to others. She learns truth. The mask of her self-blindness has been ripped off, and from now on, Elizabeth will see.

Sexy Heroes

2009-11-23T15:25:00.000-05:00

I want to give a big thanks to Rhobin for letting me be a guest on her blog!! Love ya, girl!

So, what makes a hero sexy? To me, it's his personality. It's the way he treats the heroine. And of course he must have a soft side to him. He MUST be yummy inside and out. (grins) I hope I've made all my heroes yummy, and so far my readers tell me I'm doing a good job. heehee That's good hear!

I have two more books coming out this year, which brings a grand total of NINE books released in 2009. Whew! I feel exhausted. But I'm still pushing to get more published next year.

Tomorrow will be my next release - Queen Of Hearts will be released with Bookstrand Publishing.

Dr. Cecilia Ashby is forced to disguise herself as a man in order to practice medicine in a small Southern town after the Civil War. When she stumbles across an injured gambler in an alley one night, will her ruse get the better of them both? Especially when she finds herself attracted to him.

Gambler James Lawrence has played his last hand and finally has enough cash to buy back his family’s plantation that the carpetbaggers took from him…until he’s blindsided, robbed and left for dead. After an interesting stay with the town doctor, he finds his stolen earnings in the hands of the young thief and his sister, Cecilia Ashby, now residing on his plantation.

James and Cecilia both want the plantation, but do they want a long lasting love even more? Battling deceit, betrayal, and disguises, the two must confront their biggest challenge yet – themselves.

And in December, my historical - Belong To Me will be released with The Wild Rose Press.

Not only that, but check out my YUMMY book trailer!

Please check out my website for more of my SEXY heroes!!

Now you tell me...what do YOU think makes a hero sexy?

~Phyllis~

Guest Author Phyllis Marie Campbell

2009-11-23T14:46:00.000-05:00

Look for posts from Historical and Contemporary Romance author, Phyllis Marie Campbell, who will be talking about her books. When you read below you'll see this story sounds absolutely scrumptious. If you go to Phyllis's site, you'll see some covers that just beg you to read the story!

Look for BELONG TO ME, coming Dec. 11, 2009 to THE WILD ROSE PRESS……
A masked ball—a night of seduction.

Tired of being without her wayward husband, Charlotte Hamilton travels to New York to find him. She discovers him at a masked ball. Her revenge on him is that he doesn’t know who she is, so she seduces him. He talks her into a bargain—to stay as his wife for a month and then if they don’t suit, he’ll grant her a divorce. What she uncovers about his life is far more than she bargained for. In addition to the disguises in his closet from his investigative business, she stumbles across secrets. Those of which she wished she’s never known.

Swept into a whirlwind of mystery, passion and adventure, Charlotte must discover the truth of her own heart before it’s too late for them both.

Gray Days

2009-11-23T13:28:00.000-05:00

It's hard for me to be cheerful when everyday looks like this! However, it isn't snowing, so perhaps maybe I should be happy about that! I am! I am!

Yin and Yang in Pride and Prejudice 2nd Post P&P

2009-11-21T19:47:00.000-05:00

To understand the hero’s journey, a reader must be aware that the underlying issue is psychological rather than a reflection of life. In general, the meeting, fussing, and melding of the hero and heroine is about the integration of yin and yang within each of us, or the accepting of the conflicting opposites of self; men accepting their feminine side, and women accepting their masculine. Most romances stories are expected to end with happy ever after, or at the very least, a happy for right now ending. This union creates the the required eneding -- the soul has integrated assimilating all aspects of itself forever.

Perhaps you disagree. Why isn’t a romance just a romance? Anyone who has been in love knows that there are facets of the person they love which they do not understand, that within any healthy real relationship there will always be conflict, and that even soul-mates have occasionally gone their separate ways. We know change comes with time, and even the most perfectly paired partners may grow apart. Accepting that happy ever after is about this unification, and the gratification arising from our inner being, makes sense.

If the yin-yang part is true, then do the other characters in a novel represent a part of the reader’s psyche? Simply, yes. They are archetypes representing characters present in mythology and folklore from around the world, and from our very dreams: Mentors, heralds, shape shifters, shadows, and tricksters. Does Pride and Prejudice have them? Yes, it does, starting with allies and enemies present right within Lizzy’s family.

As parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are obvious mentors. It is important to note all mentors don’t give sage advice, because in reading Pride and Prejudice, both Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are often portrayed as self-serving. Perhaps by the standards of the early 19th Century, they were good parents, but from some of the author’s observations, I doubt it.

Lizzy admits to Lady Catherine that her family had no governess, yet all the girls seemed educated. They could all read and write, and Mary seems to delve into books for her amusement. Who taught them? My guess, Mr. Bennet as a good mentor. Who else could have? He lives in his library to escape Mrs. Bennet. He has passed his love of observing the foibles of his contemporaries to Lizzy, the child closest to his heart.

As Lizzy’s closest sister and ally in all things, Jane often acts as a mentor. She cautions Lizzy about listening to Mr. Wickham’s gossip about Mr. Darcy. It is partially on Jane’s behalf that Lizzy rejects Mr. Darcy’s first offer of marriage.

Mary, as middle sister, is almost an outsider. She is neither close to her older sisters who are the more beautiful and brighter, nor is she a companion to her younger, much sillier sisters. Her bon mots and the inappropriate quotations garnered from her studies drive not only the her family to laughter, but also the reader. She is a rather vague character, overlooked by everyone, even Mr. Collins for whom she might have made a perfect wife. The reader learns she is the least attractive of her sisters, loves music but is too pedantic for a good performer. So what is her function? My guess is that Mary stumbles through the story as an ineffectual family herald. Her words often give hint to the troubles her sisters will face.

Kitty and Lydia I’m placing together, as Kitty alone has no function. She barely has a purpose as a character except as an inhibitor for Lydia's wilder silliness. For much of Pride and Prejudice, Lydia and Kitty are tricksters, a characters whose purpose is comedic relief, and whose mischief brings about change. Together these youngest sisters bring Jane and Lizzy back to earth, embarrassing them before the higher society Mr. Darcy and the Bingley’s represent. They impede their older sisters from reaching too high. When Lydia is removed from the family, and particularly from her counter-part Kitty, to go with the Fosters, Lydia changes to a shadow. A shadow represents those evil impulses we think about in our darkest soul, but seldom act upon. When Lydia runs away with Mr.Wickham, she ruins not only her own reputation, but those of her sisters.

Next ... Lizzy's mythic ordeal.

Elizabeth's Journey As Hero 1st Post P&P

2009-11-13T15:39:00.000-05:00

Finally, back to my topic on Mythic structures in literature.

If Pride and Prejudice follows the Hero's Journey as set out by Joseph Campbell, and as outlined by Christopher Vogler in The Writer's Journey, then Elizabeth will follow steps in a psychological journey of mythic proportions. What are the stages? The beginning one reveals the hero's ordinary world. Shortly thereafter, the hero receives a call to adventure, often with an initial refusal. Afterwords, a mentor often induces the hero to cross the threshold into an unfamiliar world to find their personal treasure. Only the strong survive in this new world, and even they are not guaranteed success.

In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bennet's normal world is quickly revealed as is her journey, which is summed up in the first line: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.So it is the dangerous journey of marriage, the pitfalls, trials and tribulations of finding a life parnter, and the uncertaintainty of a lasting love that Lizzy travels. Her world is the gossipy, limited upper-crust society of a small, 19th Century English town. This world changes when Mr. Bingley buys the local estate, Netherfield Park, as discussed by Mr. And Mrs. Bennet in the story's opening pages. The mother of five girls, Mrs. Bennet's goal is for her girls to be suitably married as fast as possible, for without a son, Mr. Bennet's estate is entailed away. This leaves her and her daughters' security at risk. The reader soon discerns that the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet is not one of wedded bliss; however, in this society, girls are expected to marry and accept the resulting marriage no matter how successful or unsuccessful.

At the Assembly, Lizzy, after overhearing a snub of herself, snubs the snobbish Mr. Darcy. It is obvious that Lizzy's pride causes her to refuse her first call to adventure. Since her sister Jane and Mr. Bingley share a sudden infatuation, Lizzy's disgust for Mr. Darcy, and her unwillingness to lower her pride and toady up to him like so many of her cohorts are wont to do, turns her from the only other eligible single man in the area. That situation changes with the appearance of her cousin, Mr. Collins, and with Mrs. Bennet as marriage mentor to her girls, all hell breaks loose...

More later on Lizzy's journey.

6 Months and Counting

2009-11-10T15:54:00.000-05:00

April is six months away, and so is the release of Stone House Farm. Here's a short excerpt:

“What could you possibly know about my situation?” Amanda said. “And how does any of this involve you?”

The smile never faltered. “I understand it is a very generous offer.”

Amanda’s rage fired anew. Melisa had no part in this, and her opinion was not only unneeded, but also unwanted. “Generous if I were willing to sell out what my family has worked generations to build. I’m not.” Amanda turned back to Wade Preston, grabbed the letter from his hand and clutched it in her fist.

His frowning gaze turned to Amanda, his brows lowering until they nearly touched. “I don’t know what you are alleging. As I said, this is an offer at fair-market price for your property.”

“You missed the threat of an eminent domain seizure. I don’t care what dirty tricks you try with the bank, or the county planning department, or the commissioners, or the township board. I will fight you every step of the way.”

“Then you better hire a lawyer,” Melisa cut in with a practiced tinkling sound that substituted for a laugh.

“Melisa…” Wade’s tone held a warning and his scowl deepened.
Amanda kept her regard on Wade, hoping her expression said I won’t back down. If she hadn’t been so pumped with adrenaline she wouldn’t have felt so defiant, but Melisa’s confidence ate at her self-assurance. Her diffident side advised retreat. Having said what she wanted, she turned on her heel and swept out of the office, escaping any further humiliation.

Yep, God help me, another new cat

2009-11-04T16:32:00.000-05:00

No one sleeps with the peace and relaxation of babies. Here is Fred sleeping. He doesn't look particularly comfortable with his head and shoulders hanging off the pillow like that, but he is sound asleep.

Being the youngest, you'd think Fred would be at the bottom of the pecking order. However, Fred is pretty much king of the roost through sheer charm and stubbornness. He has even inveigled the old toms Jack and Tom into playing with him. When Fred wants food, he demands first share. Fred is first to any bowl or plate; he owns an utterly voracious appetite. He climbs into the middle of the plate spreading his legs out as far as they will go, and growls at anyone who attempts to take a bite before he is finished. He is also a obstinate little cuss. We're not going to get along unless he learns some manners!