Happy New Year!

I can't believe that 2010 is tomorrow. I feel like I'm in one of Ciara Gold's time travel romances (without the hunky Viking – though I do think my hubby is quite hunky). The years are whizzing by.

I have a theory about time. No, not a time space continuum type theory. I leave that thinking to K.M. Tolan, T.M. Hunter, and other wonderful sci fi writers. My theory requires no equations and is rather simple. I figure that we're given additional years on this earth to try new things.

So every year, around this time, I look back on the previous 12 months and ask myself 'what new things did I try?'

I had my first novella published. I'd never written anything shorter than 50,000 words before. Then I went really short with my first shorts (10,000 words). I fell in love with shorts. Because they are less complex, I can write them while working the business gigs. They are a great way to explore secondary characters.

I was interviewed by a print newspaper. In the past, I've freelanced as a newspaper reporter. It was an eye opener to be on the other side of the interview. It was fun, though I do prefer asking the questions to answering the questions. I find other people so very interesting.

One of the most exciting writing related new things was having a short story featured in a solitaire game. Heartwild Solitaire, a free online card game, offers romance stories from 7 different writers as a prize and I was lucky to be chosen as one of the writers! It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. I'm a solitaire freak and this is one of the prettiest games I've played so I'm still, weeks later, walking on air.

Most of all, I've met some wonderful romance readers and read some brilliant new writing talents. There are so many more people I want to meet in 2010. Looking at the Champagne Coming Soon section, there are definitely some new-to-me writers I wish to read.

What new things did you try in 2009? What are you looking forward to doing for the very first time in 2010?

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Every month, Kimber Chin gives away her favorite romance eBook read the month before. To enter, visit http://businessromance.com/

ON THE VERGE

The verge of Of a New Year, yes. Like everyone I wonder what, good and bad, 2010 will bring.
While we’d all like for nothing but good to flow our way, we all know life doesn’t work like that. The worst for me, I’m sure, will be the death of my oldest granddaughter from cancer before her thirtieth birthday. I don’t mean to depress anyone, but sometimes a worst is so bad even a really great best can’t cancel it.
Winter has us in its icy grip here on the south shore of Lake Superior. But a few months away comes Spring, which will supplant the snow and cold. Neither weather nor death has an effect on my writing, though. I had a book started and due when my second husband died suddenly. I didn’t think I could, but I finished it by the due date. I’ve come to realize why I could-–because the act of writing a story took me away from reality for the time I was at the keyboard. I escaped from everything for a while, including deep sorrow. I’m not saying authors don’t care, or are cold-blooded. The truth is both reading and writing a story takes us out of reality for the time we’re involved in the process.

Of course so does a movie, or TV, if one is not watching the reality of a newscast.
But writing is a more personal escape because we're inventing a story keystroke by keystroke. Aren’t we fortunate to be able to share the results of this ability with readers, permitting them to live for awhile in the world we’ve created?

I was born after WWI ended. I’ve lived though four other wars, and now am existing through a seemingly endless one. I suppose creating a story about WWI, which did not occur in my lifetime, was partly a way to deal with the present, writing about a war before my existence, a war that did end.

NIGHTINGALE MAN, coming out in January of the New Year was a challenge to research. And, of course, since I’m a nurse, the story of Nurse Edith Cavell being shot as a spy during that war has always outraged me. The story turned out to be one of never knowing who to trust, of being double-crossed more than once, but never giving up.

And that’s what turns a wannabe writer into a real author. Never giving up. Adding a ton of persistence to whatever talent a wannabe possesses, often wins the prize.

(Nightingale Man does have a spectacular cover, but when I try to post it, all that comes up is a jumble of letters and numbers. This dosn't haoppen with other covers, so NM must have a blocker of some kind on it.) Jane

2009

I know I’m not alone in my sentiments of Thank God 2009 is almost over! This has been a banner, BUMMER of a year.

Back in May, my husband lost his job and we’ve held a tenuous grip on things while he searches for a new one. My recently widowed cousin also lost his job when Chrysler received their bail out money then shut down the factory to send the jobs to Mexico.

In the week before Christmas, my uncle was hospitalized for circulation issues, had a bypass and ended up with a raging infection from the hospital. My sister-in-law was hospitalized briefly while they tried to determine what was causing her symptoms. My paternal grandmother was out shaking a rug when she was suddenly hit with a dizzy spell and took a header off the porch landing on her head and received compression fractures of her cervical spine. My maternal grandmother had an unfortunate meeting with a tow truck but fortunately, the only damage was to her car.

I know we’re not the only ones to have suffered the bad. A dear friend lost her uncle on Christmas day, my brother’s wife lost an aunt on Christmas Eve. My best friend has a family member who suffered a mental illness total break down. One of my closest friends is going through a painful separation and probably divorce. Another friend lost her husband to cancer…yet another to another woman…

Friends of mine have also suffered losses of spouses, children, parents, and other loved ones. It seems as if we look back we can always see the bad things that have occurred.

But how often do we reflect on over the good?

You’d think with all the bad things we’ve experienced I would have a hard time seeing the good. But you know what? It IS there. Buried in the bog, barely visible there are good things in there as well.

Aside from my recent releases, I managed to wring blood from a turnip…errr I mean write three new books!

But more than that—I still have my husband, we still have our home, our daughter is recovered from her recent illness, we learned there will be a new baby joining the family in April. My parents got their farm! My grandmother is not as lonely as she’s been for years because she was given a cat. I had a cousin return safely from Afghanistan!

I have the knowledge that my best friend is merely a phone call away. My parents are a phone call away as well! My husband is still living and healthy (of course the way he pushes on my last nerve this is a fluctuating state…;) ) AND he has a job interview this week!

Plus, I have the best readers in the world! I have received notes, emails and messages from people who have told me how much they enjoy my work. The notes always seem to appear just when my day looks the darkest.

So while 2009 was a bleak and depressing year, and I am very THRILLED it’s passing by the way, I have to say it did have some pretty good points.

I’m looking to 2010 with hope for health and prosperity for not just myself and my family but for all of us. May 2010 be the year that gives us enough…

“I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright. I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more. I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive. I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger. I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting. I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess. I wish enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Good-bye." *Bob Perks, in Chicken Soup For the Grieving Soul

May you live as long as you want, And never want as long as you live. May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead. May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. May the rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

May there always be work for your hands to do. May your purse always hold a coin or two. May the sun always shine warm on your windowpane, May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain. May the hand of a friend always be near you. And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

I’ll see y’all in 2010!

Hugz
Donica

When not creating tales of suspense, fantasy or the paranormal, Donica Covey breaks the bonds to ATV, shoot, hike or read. She loves spending time with her little “daughter-once-removed” (never say Granddaughter!) or hanging with the K&R Crew. To learn more please visit her website www.donicacovey.com

2009 - a Year of Accomplishments?

As the calendar rolled from 2008 to 2009 I did a lot of thinking and some blogging here and there are what I saw coming in 2009. I follow numerology and your basic rule is that you combine each number down to a single digit. 13 becomes 1 + 3 = 4, 156 becomes 12 which becomes 3. The only numbers you don't combine into a single digit are your doubles, 11, 22, 33, 44, etc. So over all 2009 is an 11 year and 11 represents major events on the physical plane. My personal year was also an 11 so I had a double dose that turned out quite well.

2009 was over all, I think, a momentous year -- Barack Obama took the oath of office for the Presidency in the United States, publishing took an even greater shift to green with new e-reader releases, there were deaths of major stars, I'm guessing a few momentous births, over all I think, despite the economy there were some positive changes.

In my personal life I was finally able to leave perhaps the most horrendous job of my life to one that I pretty much look forward to going to every day. My kitty Molly turned 21 and is the poster girl for my vet for what to do right. I had three full length novels released, signed contracts for six more due for release in 2010, finished first drafts on 2 more and start to storyboard out a good, bad and nasty lawyer series. I made some new friends and had some great laughs from my 85 year old aunt reading erotica.

Despite the economy I'd say 2009 was all around a good year.

What did you accomplish this year? What stands out for you?

Have a fabulous 2010! (which will be a 3 year -- 3's are about team work).

Merry Christmas!

Hope Santa has added a little extra magic to your day! One of my favorite Christmas stories/movies is "A Christmas Carol" (The Alistar Simms version) and it's become a tradition to watch every season on Christmas eve. I absolutely love the Victorian Era.

Hard to believe another season has come and gone. Before you know it, the 2010 Holidays will be upon us! Time really does fly... funny to think back on the times when I was a kid and it seemed to take YEARS to get from Thanksgiving to Christmas, lol.

I'm thrilled to announce my fourth novel, Adrian's Angel, will be released August, 2010 via Champagne books. It's a time travel spanning 1692 Salem-present day. More to come...or you can check out my website/Novels in the Works at: http://www.angelaashtonbooks.com/

I hope everyone has a happy, safe holiday and a very prosperous and healthy 2010!

As Tiny Tim says... "God bless us, every one!"
Angie

http://www.angelaashtonbboks.com/

Remember the Christmas when...

As we grow older, we mark the passing years with events rather than numbers. Christmas makes a convenient bookmark and helps us break the merging years into compartments. Happy ones, sad ones, lonely ones and often hilarious ones.

My French Canadian family always got together for Christmas Eve. This usually involved an overnight trip to Hamilton, where one of my dad's many siblings hosted the event.

I remember the year my sister invited her boyfriend and his best friend to accompany us to the extended family Christmas in Hamilton. Ken wasn't there five minutes when he knocked a display of knick knacks off the wall and shouted, "It wasn't me!" before the crash on the floor.

Once, my parents hosted in the house I now own. The tree was in the family room, and Dad had a swivel rocker beside the tree. My aunt leaned back a little too far and flipped backwards into the tree, her legs in the air.

There was the year I writhed in pain with a bad bout of the flu. I lay in my cousin's bed, wracked with pain while my dad sat on the edge of the bed stroking my forehead and murmuring, "I hate to see you like this."

There was the year my great uncle Edgar told a story in his heavy French accent about sneaking his buddies from The Legion into the apartment for a party while his wife was away. They burned a hole in the carpet and he tried to cover it up with fibre shavings and glue. When she 'got out the Hoover' and vacuumed up the patch, she was convinced the carpet was defective and had it torn out and returned to the store.

I remember my cousins and I playing ping pong in Uncle Eric's basement (which was perpetually decorated for Christmas - even in July). We talked about our crushes while our parents shouted "Yatzee!" in the dining room upstairs until the wee hours of Christmas morning.

After the cousins grew and nurtured their own families, we still got together a couple of weeks before Christmas. All the aunts and uncles and many cousins smoked like chimneys in Uncle Tony's farmhouse basement while little ones ran around, jumping on the furniture.

In recent years, Christmas has been celebrated in turn at my siblings' and inlaws' homes. We've had our own 'comedies of errors' like the time my brother in law overcooked the Christmas goose while waiting for my husband to arrive with his mother - many hours late. We ate the burned goose and invited Victor from next door to play his accordion. My sister and I ran outside to watch dancing shadows spill from the dining room window, across the sparkling snow.

Today I'll be vacuuming up dog hairs and peeling vegetables in preparation for my siblings to visit this house, the one we grew up in. I hope we create many memories here for ourselves, our grown children and their future families.

Happy Holidays to all of you, and may 2010 be a stellar year or everyone.

What to get a writer for Christmas

My family never knows what to get me for Christmas. Personally, I don’t see where I’m so difficult to buy for. But to the outside world—you know, the people who don’t’ understand us writers—we’re a hard sell on gifts.

Well, here’s my shopping list:

The Sony E Reader. Prices are dropping quickly. What was once $300 plus is quickly going for under $200. You can store hundreds of e-books on these devices, depending on which model you by. And yes, writers are voracious readers. Trust me. This is a great gift.

Gift cards to bookstores. Writers read. A lot. You can’t go wrong with this.

Tote bags. Writers are natural packrats, and we have to have pad and paper, Alphasmart, etc. on us at all times. You never know when inspiration will strike. We must be prepared.

The Alphasmart, as mentioned above. This is a portable word process with a die hard battery life. And if you’re a klutz like me, this is the perfect gift. You can’t kill them. I’ve dropped mine down a flight of stairs twice (same set of stairs.) And I once left it in my car overnight with ten below zero Fahrenheit temperatures. You’d never have that kind of durability with a laptop.

And if you feel extravagant or you’ve recently won the lottery, there’s always the laptop, desktop, or netbook computers. But I doubt I’m that high ranked on Santa’s nice list.

Then of course there’s always pens and paper, planners, calendars, and journals. I’m a paper junkie. Even thought I rarely write longhand, I do love me some fancy paper and reliable pens.

So that’s my lift. I don’t know if I’ll get anything on it, but no matter. Christmas is almost upon us. That magical, peaceful times where we all take ourselves a little less seriously, when deadlines seem less stressful, and stories abound in our minds as plentiful as a Santa Clause in every mall.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday!

Cheers,
Nancy

Visit My Website: http://www.nancyhenderson.com
Visit My Blog: http://www.nancyhenderson.blogspot.com

THE CLUTTER OF FEAR

William Wordsworth wrote,

“What are fears but voices airy?

Whispering harm where harm is not.

And deluding the unwary

Till the fatal bolt is shot!”



Sit in any boneyard and look at the tombstones and you shall see a date, a dash and another date. Birth and death bridged by a simple short line; that dash. And there it is, the beginning and end of lives, two events none of us hold any control. But that dash, that unassuming dash that all important dash, the totality of individual existence, we each can direct. Yet, how many dashes are cluttered with fear? Did you fear birth? But oh so many fear death, and how is that so? During our dash of life we have learned to fear. I contend, maybe we should all unlearn or never learn that treachery.



Perception is reality. Granted we can each frame our own perceptions through choice. John Putman stated, “Courage is not the lack of fear but the ability to face it.” So, laugh in the face of traditional fears and teach yourself that courage is the grandest way to dash between those two fixed dates in each of our lives.



These are not scary stories but odd twists of life, word colored by imagination. The images are magnified for effect. You control the fear. You control the panic. Or do we? Run and hide or marvel and enjoy. It is your choice. Choose wisely. Remember that dash of you is precious.



And a similar dash coated by fear can be found in KILLER DOLLS a contemporary romantic thriller, which was released in September 2009. This is a captivating story of terror. Not the terror of the supernatural but that which is part of our world ever since terrorists brought their war to our shore. It isn’t always about the fear that is, but the fear that could be.



As each child in this story receives a handcrafted doll created by Letti Noel, you fear for that child knowing terrorists have planted ricin capsules in the doll’s core. You watch the child’s joy, and you, the reader, gulp horror.



At the same time, you experience undercover F. B. I. agent Taut Johnson’s fear, his fear of not being able to protect those children, his fear that he might lose Letti Noel, the woman who charmed his soul and captured his heart, his fear that even if he saves her, he would have to leave her. And then there is Letti’s fear, fear that her innocent creations would be death’s pawn, fear that she has found her partner of forever, but that his past would not allow him to claim that forever.



Then there is another dash, a simple line delineating the fright doused tale of SNAKE DANCE, a sci-fi fantasy with a release of February 2010. It chronicles the strange, provocative, and unusual planet Starling where the chickalas of wRen’s Nestling fear their very protectors, the Kin. None, though, would speak of that fear, few would defy it, and many would run from it. Still, the haunt slithers under the surface clam. wRen stands against fear, against all the Kin proclaim to be good and right, and against the dark legends of the Asp, so as to be with VeIper, her heart, and enemy to the Kin. VeIper denies fear as he seeks to free his species from ethnic cleansing and crosses boundaries to win the awe of the beautiful and defiant wRen.



Fear, though, still embeds the dash. Mong, a slayer, has claimed wRen and vows to destroy those of VeIper's kind, beginning with VeIper. Fear for his life forces wRen to sacrifice herself to a life of submission. Meanwhile, VeIper fears he cannot overcome the impervious, hypnotic power of Mong and save wRen from that existence.



We bring you into the dash of the character’s lives. But will that dash… their lives… be long or short. You must read to find out.



So, what has any of this to do with the beauty and wonder of the holiday season? Good question! Angelica fears Santa will forget to bring her an electronic reader. Zi fears there are not enough chocolate chips in the chocolate chip cookies. The latter, like reading a good thriller, is a delightfully delicious sort of fear.



We hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season and a Healthy and Happy New Year.


If you would like us to send you a gift, a short story, titled One Sweet Cookie, please send an email to angelicahartandzi@yahoo.com, and we'll send you the story.



Merry Christmas to all and to all yummy desserts!





Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS ~ September 2009
SNAKE DANCE ~ February 2010
CHASING GRAVITAS ~ July 2010
angelicahartandzi@yahoo.com
angelicahartandzi.com


KILLER DOLLS can be purchased at
Champagne Books
http://www.champagnebooks.com/

What if...

“Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth and an e-book reader. “ Actually, I have all my teeth so this won’t be an issue for another twenty years or so (I hope), and I have an e-book reader, but with technology changing so quickly, the poor thing is already dated, antiquated, and ready for an upgrade.

With 2009 coming to a close, it won’t be long before we’re all making new year’s resolutions and predicting our successes for 2010. Interestingly, I’ve been reading quite a few predictions for the direction of books. Curiously though, the one thing I haven’t seen mentioned is how the futuristic author will handle book signings.

As I prepare for a huge event this coming February in which I’ll be signing books, I began wondering how the author will connect on a personal level with readers if and when books go entirely digital. Most think paperbacks and hardbacks will never become obsolete, that the reader will continue to enjoy both. I’m not so sure.

With the push toward “going green,” and the affordability of technology making it possible for everyone to own a reader, I think it’s quite probable that print will become an item solely for the rich. It will become a novelty item available only as POD and at a ridiculously high price. The big house authors will no longer receive their quota of books for giveaway or resell therefore making it cost prohibitive to host large book signings. Bookstores as we know it will become cyber café’s where those with a kindred love of reading will gather to search on-line for their favorite writers. A limited quantity of bound books will provide eye candy and atmosphere. Keep in mind that this prediction is not based on any research, just my own gut feelings, so yeah, I'm just speculating.

Doom and gloom for those that love the feel of paper? Nah. I figure this won’t happen quickly or even in my lifetime, but it is food for thought. What will the author do to connect on a personal level? How does one “sign” an e-book? Even now, I think it’s a valid question especially as e-books gain popularity in today’s market.

Wouldn’t it be neat if some software guru could design a reading platform that had a small pocket where the author could attach a signed page with extras to an e-book someone has already bought; something that could be offered at a cyber signing or chat. Who knows. Shoot, the way technology grows, this may have already been done and I'm in the dark. Or I may be way out in left field to begin with, but isn’t it fun to play the “what if” game?

I'm Late!

Gawd, am I late. Was supposed to publish an entry when? Five days ago? Ugh, I hate Decembers. Birthdays, Christmas shopping, oh, and the son decides to set up in his first apartment. Getting that empty-nest syndrome bad even with the daughter still at home.

And then there is my writing, which has also slowed to a crawl. I've been working on Chapter Eight of my next "Dancer" novel and am facing a character who is bound and determined to rekindle a relationship - even if they have to barge in on a scene in order to do it. So, the third draft of the chapter gets re-pounded into shape ahead of yet another screening for that "perfect" sentence. I swear, one of my critique givers is a genius at both English and slapping words together. I really am trying to impress her, and avoid a massacre. These books are very much a team effort, and the good folks in my "WePub" reading group are without mercy - most of them published authors as well.

Oh, then there's the movies on television and at the cinema - just finished watching the latest Harry Potter Blue-Ray and am gearing up for "Avatar". All of this takes time...and so does this game I play called Everquest II on the computer. Time taken from writing, all of it.

So, I worry about my son, glare at my characters, and watch the dates slip by. Hopefully I can get Chapter Eight out the door to the waiting wolves this weekend.

The debut of Rogue Dancer didn't help - all the excitement is enough to derail one's thoughts...and take more time away. Looks like this will be a popular book from what I've heard already - folks are even buying Blade Dancer ahead of it. Promo...yes, forgot about all the promo one does for a launch. Maybe I shouldn't feel so bad about being late.

Kerry
www.kmtolan.com

Holiday Traditions and Oh, the food!

History, especially of foods and how they relate to some of our holidays, have always fascinated me. Some of my ancestors came from Holland, so the early
Dutch customs were of special interest. The housewives in New Amsterdam were great bakers. The holidays were times when fabulous spreads of food, especially cakes and pies appeared on their tables. On New Year’s Day neighbors, at least the men, went from house to house, sampling and drinking.

One of the delights the women served sound much like something served in New Orleans. The recipe, with modern ingredients and directions, will follow.

The Dutch often cut these into different shapes, not just the little puffs we know today. One of the favorite ways to fix these was to cut the dough into strips with a little slit in the middle. One end was pulled through the slit and then they were fried. They had a name for the pastries fixed this way - Tangled britches.

Along with a number of cakes, these crullers were beloved and helped provide a
variety on the table. They went well with the tea they served - tea usually laced with rum. I can just see the men standing around a table which was groaning with food, drinking, smoking their pipes and eating Crullers as they wished each other a good “New Year!”

Dutch Crullers.

1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup butter (don’t use margarine)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 ¾ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon mace (I’ve been known to cheat and use ½ teaspoon cinnamon)
Fat for frying and Powdered sugar

Cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition. The fluffier the mixture the better the pastry. Add the milk. Sift the flour and spices together and stir into the creamed mixture. Mix well, but don’t beat the mixture to death. Chill for at least an hour. Roll half the dough on a lightly floured board (Roll only in one direction or they’ll be chewy) until you have a sixteen by eight inch rectangle. Cut into two inch squares. A pastry wheel works well. I’ve even used cookie cutters. Repeat with the remaining dough. (Caution - don’t rework the dough if you use cookie cutters.) Fry in deep fat at 375 degrees until golden on both side. (about 1 ½ minutes) Dust with powdered sugar. Serve warm. If you cut these into squares you should have about 5 dozen.

Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

The Julie & Julia Project and Writing

My wife and I just watched this movie over the weekend and while most people I know who have seen the movie want to cook something or least eat something as delicious as the food shown in the movie, that wasn't what I got out of it. Don't get me wrong. While I'm not a foodie by any stretch of the imagination, it was inspiring to watch. I love the idea of fabulous food and many of the dishes shown in the movie looked absolutely delicious.

However underneath all the cooking, the genesis of the Julie & Julia project was Julie Powell's desire to be a writer and that's what I got out of the movie - a renewed desire to write. I haven't written much recently, for a variety of reasons, but I was inspired again. The main challenge is to find some time. I always hope to find time over the holidays but somehow that never seems to happen. Failing that, there's always New Years and the oft doomed-to-failure resolutions associated with it.

So my question to you is twofold.

First, if you've seen the movie, what did you get out of it? What did it inspire you to do?

Second, for all the writers out there, what inspires you to write (beside the thrill of writing and the love of the story)?

David

Posted by David Boultbee

An Author By Any Other Name

I think most of us realize by now how hard it is to break into the publishing world – not just to get a book contracted, but to then make that book successful. There are so many millions of books out there for readers to choose from (in digital, paperback, and hardback formats) that making yours stand out from the crowd requires perseverance, hard work, and just a bit of luck. Unless you’re Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, or Tiger Woods, that is.

I just ran across this article about how Tiger Woods’ now infamous car crash in the middle of the night has sparked renewed interest in a physics text book. The title is Get a Grip on Physics by John Gribbon. I don’t know about you, but reading about physics (my absolute worst subject in college) ranks somewhere around negative 10 on my list of favorite things to do. The only reason Gribbon is now seeing his book snapped up by millions of Amazon readers is the connection to Tiger Woods.

Look at Sarah Palin. Her book, Going Rogue, hit the best seller list weeks before its release. Personally, I like Ms. Palin but I doubt if the book was written by her former running mate, John McCain, that it would have achieved the same popularity before it was even available.


Then there’s Glenn Beck. I recently finished reading Arguing With Idiots, which I enjoyed immensely. It’s an easy read, filled with pictures and little boxes full of tidbits and “Idiotic Moments”. It’s a beautiful tome, superbly formatted, and filled with lots of pictures and short paragraphs which appeal to the average American who is not an avid reader. Beck makes no bones about the fact that it was written largely by someone else. But with his name on the cover, it will sell far more copies than if Mr. No Name Ghost Writer was given the author credit.

I don’t begrudge anyone their success. But it sure would be easier to get ahead in the publishing industry if only we authors had a famous name to add to our titles.

Hmm, think I'll approach Glenn Beck about becoming a ghost writer on his team...

And if you receive any of the aforementioned books for Christmas, consider yourself lucky. Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!

Candace Morehouse
www.candacemorehouse.com

Editing using a hard copy.

Most of us make changes to our stories as we write and are careful to make sure the change is consistent throughout, but how many times have we missed one or two little details? I've been told the best way to edit is to use a hard copy, that errors will be easier to spot, especially if you read outloud. I've used this method several times and in editing my latest work-in-progress, I'm so glad I did. I found a glaring mistake that had been missed through several readings on the computer.

How about you, what methods do you use when editing to catch those hidden mistakes, those inconsistencies that can ruin a story?

Want to win an ebook? Follow my blog and leave comments for each post. Each time you comment your name will be entered into my monthly drawing. The winner can select their choice of one of my ebooks.

Happy Reading and Writing!

Linda

http://www.lindalaroque.com/

http://www.lindalaroqueauthor.blogspot.com/

The hard ones

Michael W. Davis

Davisstories.com

I’ve read on many of the author forums of people seeking advice on how to overcome the inevitable condition know as writers block. I’m very fortunate in that, after six novels and three short stories, I have yet to encounter that roadblock. The stories seem to just float around in my head like fluttering butterflies.

Still, until I get the first three or four chapters under my belt, I’m becoming more and more resistant to lock myself away in the back room and bury my brain in the fictional world. That’s to be expected given how isolated authors become once they’re in the zone. There’s one area where the pressure required to force my big butt to stay glued to that chair is more than just simply twisting my own ear; its an all out war.

This battle between me wanting to get the story in my head down on paper and yet pushing away from the keyboard on selected scenes has happened on each novel I’ve written, but it was only after my third story that I realized why I was pushing back. You see, as a rule, I’m a gentle teddy bear, hard on the outside but mushy on the inside. Sure, I get anger and fight back verbally when some politically blind cranial vacuum tries to shove their lies and rhetoric down my throat, but in most of the difficult situations we encounter each day, for my size, I am very laid back. That characteristic of my personality goes along with the fact that I have great difficulty dealing with the suffering of others. Whether it be abuse, conditions of poverty, or physical pain; it truly screws up my mind to deal with such human suffering.

What’s my point? I’m sure that many people experience such difficulty. Problem is, as a writer of suspense, intrigue, and romance; human suffering is part of the draw that envelops the reader. We become entwined in what the character is going through and remain locked on every word till we can see how the world is made bright and sunny again. I confess, I’m a sucker for such stories. Yet as a writer, I hate dealing with the hard scenes where I have to “make” someone experience pain or emotional torment. Each time I come to those scenes, it is a confrontation with my own inner voices to force myself to sit down and do the scene.

After writing six novels, I recognize this weakness, and I accept it without frustration at myself for being such a wussy. Case in point, I can usually rough out a chapter every couple days. On a novel I just finished but have not yet submitted, I had to work piece meal on the story across three other novels I was writing. I just couldn’t bear to deal with the emotional suffering going on in the story. Then why not just change the scene? Doesn’t work that way, at least not for me. The story has a life of its own as the muse whispers in my ear. Take out a scene, and the whole story changes.

I’m currently at that stage in another story I’m working with my co author budette Candace Morehouse and I’m still struggling with chapter three. Why? You guessed it. Something really really bad happens in Chapter one and three and I just got over the stress of the first chapter. Now I have to go through it again. Geez. But I will get it done, I just have to take a deep breath, tie myself to the chair and DO it.

Till next time.

Big Mike
Michael W. Davis (Davisstories.com)
Author of the year, 2008

Blind Consent, “The answers are buried in the secrets of the past.”
Forgotten Children, “Only Sara knows the truth.”
Tainted Hero, “Sometimes good people do bad things.”
The Treasure, “A lonely heart can impair one’s judgment.”
Veil of Deception, “Sometimes the truth cuts deeper than a lie.”

Something For Me

2009 is drawing to a close and I'm looking forward to 2010. I have some really big goals I plan to achieve. All these goals require time. As time is limited (and, I believe, one of our most precious resources), my goals often conflict with day-to-day stuff (like earning dollars from the day job).

I recently landed a contract gig. Although it is a great opportunity, the business contract comes with some really long hours. 12 hour days are normal. Working 7 days a week to get this project completed is expected.

I'm still writing 500 words a day. It may not sound like much but 500 words a day means in a month, I can complete a short and a half while still meeting my obligations to my business gig.

How do I find the time?

To write a certain number of stories in 2010 is one of my goals. To accomplish that, I make writing my priority. I write for a half hour each and every morning. Because I'm using my morning brain (compared to my hustle-all-day-have-nothing-left brain), creativity is rockin'. The words flow. I can then go to work knowing already that day I have accomplished something for me and me alone. It puts me in a better place (i.e. I'm not so grumpy) so I can help others achieve their goals.

I use the same method with my finances. The hubby and I immediately invest a certain amount. The rest we squander as we wish guilt free. (Well, we're both pretty darn frugal and we don't have snazzy tastes so we don't squander that much).

What are your goals for 2010? What's your best trick for ensuring you achieve your goals?



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Every month, Kimber Chin gives away her favorite romance eBook read the month before. To enter, visit http://businessromance.com/

Ho Ho And Not So Ho.

The Christmas decorations started to go up in my small village before Thanksgving. Now it seems every neighbor is trying to outdo the next. I have no objection to people going all out with santas and reindeer and crosses and trees and sleighs and elves and candy canes in the yards--plus a zillion lights. I'm all for different srokes. But our mill near town has just closed--the major job procurer in the area. With the parent company in bankrupcy the job situation up here is grim. Maybe that's why I'm seeing what seem to be more decorations than usual. An attempt to make Christmas as bright as possible? Maybe. But I still intend to go with my wreath decoraton on the door, as usual. We're both in our eighties and no longer able to use stepladders safely, so I gave all my lights, etc. away to my kids two years ago. Even when we could put them up we had only indoor lights and a tree. It's not that we're Mr. and Mrs. Scrooge. I think our attitudes can be explained by the fact we were children in the thirties when there was a really bad Depression and we tend not to spend money on things we don't really need. Or things that are for show, though we don't condemn those who do. We even enjoy looking at the different homes as we drive by. But, like us, not everyone does go all out. That's why this is still such a great country--we're all free do do our thing as long as we don't infringe on someone else's rights. Among other positives, that's a wonderful plus to celebrate during this holiday season. We're certainly both grateful our ancestors decided to emigrate to America. I'm glad we're both still relatively healthy for our age annd that Kinko, our calico grandcat is, too. And I'm especialy happy I have three contracts for new books coming out in 2010, not counting Nightingale Man from Champagne, which will be out in January, with a gorgeous cover I'd post it here, but Vista won't let me. Now there's something I'm not grateful for--Vista. Everything I needed was on XL, and it let me do what I wanted to easily. Vista seems determined to thwart me. But I digress. Happy Holidays to all. Jane

Kids say the Darndest Things

My family is very large. We all dote on the youngest members—I wouldn’t say we exactly spoil them but we come darned close! I’ve learned that the kids can make you laugh every time they open their mouths. I’ll give you a few examples:

My cousin Jeff has two little ones Ellie and Warren. Ellie is almost 5 (she wants to spend her her birthday fishing with her Pawpaw.) My cousin and uncle went to my grandparents to deer hunt this season and Jeff snagged a buck. He called home and had a conversation with Ellie it went something like this:
Jeff: “I shot a deer today.”
Ellie: “was it a baby?”
Jeff: “Of course not. I don’t shoot baby deer.”
Ellie: “Was it naughty?”
Jeff: “He stuck his tongue out at me.”
Ellie: “Then he deserved to be shot!”

Deafness is heredity in my family. When you go to visit my grandparents, the house is pretty safe at night—their hearing aids and their teeth come out so not only can they not hear you sneaking in but their bark is much worse than their bites…

My oldest nephew Jared (he’s almost 6) was sitting at the table talking to Poppa Farmer (what my nephews call my grandfather. Granny is Grandma Farmer…) Grandpa was only hearing less than half of what Jared was saying and he looked at my mother, rolled his eyes and says “Nanna, I need an interpreter!”

Thanksgiving day I headed outside to relax—I’m not a big people person. Too many people crowded into a small place makes me very edgy. Even if it is family—whom I love, I can’t stand being enclosed for very long. Claustrophobia is my middle name…That plus I can smoke without bothering anyone. Well as I’m walking around, smoking my cig and enjoying the warm breeze, watching the dogs play the kids came tumbling outside. They immediately went for the rocks. They were digging, pounding, and just having a jolly good time. My cousin’s son had enough fun and since I was going inside, he decided to walk with me.

I take my time, moving slowly because I’m never in a hurry to get anywhere. Eli was moving pretty fast and I made a comment about keeping up with him. He says “I guess my legs are longer than yours.” He stood next to me—the child is as tall as my legs are long so he says, “Well, old people can’t move very fast anyway.” To a 4 year old, a person who is huminahumina years old does seem pretty old. I remember there once was a time when I thought huminahumina years was OLD! Now I just feel it…

See y’all again soon! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Hugs
Donica

When not creating tales of suspense, fantasy or the paranormal, Donica Covey breaks the bonds to ATV, shoot, hike or read. She loves spending time with her little “daughter-once-removed” (never say Granddaughter!) or hanging with the K&R Crew. To learn more please visit her website www.donciacovey.com