Everyone Needs A Pause

So, I’ve found myself in a small dilemma: The brain is addled.  Well, more so than usual.  This blog posting has sprung up on me “unawares” (making it two postings for this month).  Isn’t this month meant to have five Sundays?  I know, idle thought to fill up the page…  But, it’s not that I didn’t know I about it, only that I hadn’t thought about what to write for this post.

You see, I’m on holiday, and that includes the brain cells.

So here I am, twisting my grey matter into little knots, trying to hack out something compelling and worth a read.  Have you ever found yourself in the same situation?  The answer, all you writers out there, is of course you have!  Not quite writer’s block, but close enough.  You’re still capable of spewing out coherent words, but the end result is a dismaying head-shake (usually accompanied with a sigh), and an instant delete attack.  And, yes, I’ve hit the delete button several times while typing this up.  The problem is that I’m on a short pause.  A small break, a self-imposed lull where the creative matter in my head can recharge, reboot, and relax.  And see, I’ve managed to write up something (okay, it’s silly, don’t laugh), and I’ve made it interactive.

What do you do to refresh the creative juices?  I’ve heard many “remedies” to relieve writer’s block, some far-fetched and some run-of-the-mill.

As I sit here typing out these words, I’m full-fledged into holiday mode, so forgive me for the lack of compellingness in the words.  But feel free to let me know how you recharge.

Cheers!

T.K. Toppin

http://www.thelancasterrule.blogspot.com

Ten Ways to Beat the Heat

10. Forget the calories and enjoy an ice cream cone.

9. Catch a movie at the local theater.

8. Enjoy a water balloon fight.

7. Pretend to shop for furniture at an air conditioned store and spend the day test relaxing in recliners.

6. Have someone cute and scantly clothed serve lemon-aid and fan you. Alcohol optional.

5. Ride the rides at a water park and scream like a school girl.

4. Go swimming or run through the sprinkler. Bathing suit optional.

3. Take a motorcycle ride or cruise in your convertible. If you don’t have either, test drive them.

2. At all cost, avoid strenuous work such as mowing the lawn or weeding the garden.

And the number one way to beat the heat this summer…

1. Stay in the air conditioning and take advantage of Champagne Books current sale at www.champagnebooks.com

*All ebooks 50% off until July 31--use coupon code xmasEjuly at checkout to get your discount.

*All paperbacks 20% off until July 31--use coupon code xmasPjuly at checkout to get your discount.

Victoria Roder is the author of Suspense Thriller, Bolt Action. Murder, mystery, revenge, Bolt Action offers it all. Check out the video trailer on www.victoriaroder.com

Researching with Youtube

Researching is something that I both love and hate. I love to learn odd tidbits that I can weave into a story so the reader is learning about these odd tidbits right along with me, but I hate that researching takes time away from writing. Ah well, it's necessary to the process and strengthens the story in the long run.

I'm currently working on six manuscripts at the same time, no easy feat and something I've never really done before. Oh, I've had two going at the same time, but never six. Three of the six happen to be historical westerns, one of which is another sequel to Sarah's Brass Token.

For one of the other westerns, I wanted my hero to be a blacksmith, which of course required research. I kinda knew the basics -- get the metal hot to bend, but I needed to know more. So I look it up and I can't find any descriptions that are in depth enough for me.  I wanted specific names of tools, specific techniques and even typical projects he might be called upon to create.

Finally, I got the idea to look at Youtube, to see if maybe they had some how-tos on blacksmithing. Wow. They did. I watched four great videos and took lots of notes. I'm a visual learner anyway so this was perfect. From now on, I plan to use Youtube in addition to other research venues.

Hit and Miss

On Monday, there was a funeral in my town for a boy who'd just graduated from high school. I heard over 700 people attended. He went boating at a nearby lake with friends, said he was hot, and jumped into the water to cool off. He never came back up. The water was so deep in that part of the lake that each diver could only make one dive a day, so they took turns until the boy was found.

No one is sure exactly what killed him. Was he so hot and dehydrated the shock of the cool water was too much to take? Did he hit his head on something? Will we ever know?

A handful of years ago, my nephew was driving a tractor down a busy highway to get from one farm field to another. He needed to make a left turn across traffic and when he turned on his blinker, it didn't work. So when an 18-wheeler semi truck carrying toxic chemicals approached him from behind, it didn't see a turn signal to know not to pass my nephew.

To say the least, they collided. The tractor was totaled, mangled into a ball of wadded metal with only one tire left on the thing. Whatever substance the semi truck driver carried caused the entire roadway to be closed off until a HazMat crew arrived to clean up the mess.

And what happened to my nephew? He only cut his hand on broken glass when he climbed out of the crushed tractor.

Isn't it strange what can take a human life? A huge, automobile accident can leave a one practically untouched while diving into water can kill another. It's all part of the mysteries and wonders of this world that will probably never be solved.

I'm sure all this is making you wonder as well...what the heck does this have to do with writing?

Well, okay, nothing. But you certainly can equate it. What makes one person's book not sell yet another person's story a bestseller?

You can set up StatCounters and follow ratings and reviews on your story. You can watch the sells go up and down on Amazon or FictionWise or OmniLit. But does that really, accurately answer the big mysterious question whether it's your website that gets your name out there, or joining chat groups, or advertising on Review sites, or having book signings, or sending out a regular newsletter, or if it's simply word-of-mouth that sells your book?

I guess the safest way to get your story noticed is to do a little of everything. I wouldn't focus all my advertising efforts on one venue, but spread a little out to social networking, donate a book to a contest web hunt on a review site, have a couple bookmarks or postcards printed for your friends and family to pass out, contact local libraries, keep your website updated, get interview, join chat group conversations, support other authors.

And in between accomplishing these million and one tasks, don't forget to finish that next manuscript you're working on...oh, and then there's your everyday life you have to deal with. Probably should keep practicing that walking-on-water trick you're working on too...

Sigh. Wears me out just thinking about all the work that goes into book...after you sell the story.

Good luck on your book sales. Here's hoping you're a big hit, instead of a miss!!

How not to get time to write, or starting a family all over again!

I plan my writing time carefully. Between the 'must-do' things like feed a hungry husband to pay bills, everything is all planned out.

But not last month. Let me tell you a 'sad' story.

On one Saturday morning four weeks ago, my husband went out to the shed to feed our outside critters and came back inside to tell me he thought there were two kittens in the shed. Our outside cats can't have kittens so there should have been no little guys in our shed. Our second son, who lives close by, stopped to visit and upon learning about the sighting, took a flashlight and went to investigate. Oh, yes, there were kittens in the shed, but not two. Nope, there were four.

The next morning, early, (seven am), he knocked on the back door to announce he had captured the kittens who could not live in that shed. It seems the shed is visited frequently by the kind of animals who would not spare the lives of those kittens. And neither my son, nor my husband, and if truth be told, me too, could not see the little ones become a meal for some nasty creature.

To make a long story short, we now have a huge dog crate in our living room, and every morning, noon and night I have four little guys to feed and play with so they become socialized. (Vet's suggestion) Now I have no time to write, to feed my hungry husband or laundry, or all those other things I have to make time for. I'm down on the floor taking care of four kittens.

The upshot - I feel like I've started a new family again! At least we found homes for three of the little darlings. I guess we'll keep the fourth one. Everyday I wonder when I can get back to the business of seriously writing. Anyone want a kitten?

How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Ereader

Ok, I admit it. I’m an old-fashioned kind of girl. Or, let’s put it another way – I like the classics, tradition, the tried-and-true. And so I am not always enamoured of the latest fad to come along. I fought ATM’s, cellphones, laptop computers. All of them seemed unnecessary, somehow, to my way of thinking.
For example, the first cellphone I got seemed like nothing but a leash whereby my boss could keep me at his beck and call 24/7. Later, especially once I had teenagers, I reluctantly admitted that they could be useful. My daughters always have a way to get in touch with me and their dad should a date get unpleasant or a party lurch out of control. So, yes, Luddite that I am, I will give credit where it is due.
I was likewise not-too-sure about ebooks. Part of the pleasure is the feel of the cover, the turning of the pages, the whole ritual of reading a print book. I have had a life-long love affair with the printed word, and I was reluctant to let this smooth-talking trendy substitute have a shot at my affections.
So I got an ereader, and I have to say I enjoyed it. It was kind of nice, being able to switch font sizes depending on whether I had my reading glasses or not. (Yes, at a certain age, my arms suddenly got too short for comfortable reading.) Once I figured out that I could put it into a ziplock baggie, the ebook was even better for one of my greatest pleasures – reading in a bubble bath. No more curling pages or swollen spines from a print book getting damp!
But it took a flight to Houston recently to convince me that ebooks actually have the upper hand in the battle for my devotion. See, airplanes are boring in the extreme. Can’t get up, don’t want to invite unwelcome attention from the very odd individual I always get assigned to sit by, and only one carry-on allowed. So when I got stuck on the lovely tarmac waiting for the airline powers that be to do whatever they had trouble accomplishing, I did the unthinkable – I finished my book! Ye gods and little fishes! In the past, I would have been chewing the armrest with boredom. Or, even worse, I might have succumbed to the horror of reading about smokeless ashtrays and Lord of the Rings Replica Swords in the Sky Shop magazine.
But lucky me – I didn’t have my trusty print book with me. I had thrown my ereader into my carry on that morning. So when I finished my historical romance, I simply turned to my library list. Hmm, did I want another romance? Or perhaps a really thrilling suspense, or a self-improvement? (God knows, my self could use some improvement!) No, I decided, as I hit the button to open a nice escapist sci-fi.
As I lost myself in the tale of a brave hero seeking adventure and his one true love out amongst the stars, I realized that I had found the best reason yet to surrender to the digital revolution. In one tiny little ereader, about the size and weight of a trade paperback, I had 400+ books, all personally selected by me, available whenever I wanted them. I had the classics, I had the latest bestsellers. And anywhere wi-fi was available, I could get myself some more.
For a child who grew up out in the boonies, counting the days until the next stop by the bookmobile, this was riches indeed! I felt like Cleopatra wandering the aisles of the Alexandria Library. All this treasure, all mine!
So, my dear readers, if you have been reluctant to make the plunge into digital, I’m telling you that it is time. If you fail to take my advice and get stuck on an unmoving airplane for 4 hours with nothing to do but check out the Sky Shop ads for elevator shoes and pet beds, don’t blame me!

San Diego Comic Con

I have absolutely no reservations in admitting I've been a geek since nerdy was completely uncool. Age ten, classic Star Trek all the way. I wasn't so much of a Star Wars aficionado; liked the movies but didn't care if Lucas ever finished the epic saga--and never did see the last three. (I've heard Ewoks did that to a lot of people...)  

One of my fave Guilty Pleasures was to stay up late on Saturday nights and tune in to one of the more obscure UHF tv stations out of Youngstown, Ohio to watch Doctor Who. Yes, I am old enough to have lived in the prehistoric days of a rotating antenna and maybe getting three tv channels, the beauty of which was the dedication it took to become a Whovian when absolutely no one in my family could understand a word those crazy Brits spoke.  I adored Colin Baker but couldn't follow the show on a regular basis once I started high school. Well, that and the obscure station stopped running episodes.  I was reintroduced when Chris Eggleston became the Ninth Doctor, and have no intention of attending an intervention for this addiction.

Anyway the point is that I loves me some sci-fi /fantasy. Some day when I win the lottery and never have to work a day job again, I will attend Comic Con in San Diego. I had no inking the convention even existed until our first little vacation trip to SD back in 2001 coincided with That Week The Geeks Rule. There were Spider-Man posters (this was when the first movie with Toby Maguire was about to come out) on the streetlights along with this weird eyeball graphic staring at us wherever we went.  Then there were the costumes. Granted, there were many people who honestly should have never been allowed to touch spandex, let alone wear it, but they looked like they were having a blast!  My button-down, bottled-up husband tutted and shook his head each time we tried to go anywhere downtown for all the crowds of dressed-up attendees. But secretly I envied them. And each year I have let more of my inner geek goddess peep out. Yes, that was me dressed as Madame Hooch, complete with spiked, white hair and bosun's Quidditch whistle during the Harry Potter book release parties. And I have attended a number of Browncoat showings of Serenity ( though I haven't dressed as a character...yet). 

"So," you may ask, "if you loves you some sci-fi so much, why don't you write it?"  You want the Truth? You can't handle the... oh sorry. Yes you can.

I'm scared. Good sci-fi and fantasy is intricate with created worlds, creatures, and universes. I don't think I could keep track or keep the science it's based on straight enough in my head to do it justice. And maybe because it's my guilty pleasure, I don't want to make it into work. I love rock music but that doesn't mean I could or should ever pick up a Fender Stratocaster. 

I have written a fantasy--Within The Mists--incorporating the Celtic legend of selchies (humans who become seals in the sea) but that's not set in a world I invented. Legends and myths I can work with...

So I'll keep reading, watching, and appreciating the marvelous creations of others.  I'll go along on the ride, and thoroughly enjoy every nanosecond with The Lancaster Key and space pirate Ashton West on my TBR pile, watching The Doctor (though I have to say I prefer David Tennant to Matt Smith), and Torchwood. How could I not love a sci-fi series set in Cardiff, Wales?  I'm looking forward to seeing the Deathly Hallows Part 2 this coming Sunday and Cowboys and Aliens (please be better than Wild Wild West and that stupid mechanical spider).

Maybe next year I'll be one of those crazy costumed geeks strolling along Seaport Village. If you see a really short and chunky Tardis waddling along, it might just be me...

Jude

~Jude Johnson

 

 Author, Dragon & Hawk

Website: jude-johnson.com 

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Juggling Chainsaws

I watched a guy juggling chainsaws recently on America’s Got Talent, and I almost passed out from holding my breath. I never aspired to be a juggler. And, yet, I find myself juggling—the day job, housekeeping, writing, promoting, marketing, networking, bookselling. Jeez, is that all? I’m a big fan of synchronicity and balance. I like it when all things work together smoothly. Well, that hardly ever happens. There’s not much I can do about the day job. It pays the bills. But I’ve seen the way other things begin to slide dangerously toward the edge of a cliff if I don’t maintain the balance. It’s like looking up and seeing that chainsaw coming toward you blade first.

For the first time since I started this writing career, I almost missed a deadline. It was for an awesome promotional opportunity that I signed up for months ago—and then promptly forgot about. I realized that, with nine published books to continually promote, two works under contract and one of those in editing, three works in progress, a web site and blog both in need of upgrading, and membership on thirty-seven writing-related Yahoo groups, I just can’t dance fast enough. My first solution was to make a list, prioritize and set deadlines. My second solution was to throw away the list and pull the blankets over my head.

I know my circumstances aren’t unique. All of us are over-extended at times and trying to keep too many balls or apples or chainsaws in the air at the same time. I’m going back to the list idea and set some priorities and, hopefully, realistic timelines. I need to refine my group participation to those groups that (a) are an adjunct to my publishers and, (b) will best help me with my goals of networking, marketing, promotion, and improving my skills in the craft.

How do you juggle and maintain balance? What are your tricks for staying organized and on top of things?


Linda Rettstatt
2010 Author of the Year – Champagne Books
http://www.lindarettstatt.com/
http://www.onewomanswrite.blogspot.com/

The ecology of war.

In my upcoming fourth book in the "Dancer" series - Battle Dancer, I am setting the stage for one of the two major military actions from which the novel earns its title. The challenge for the military SF writer is to keep it real and gritty. Everything must have limits any soldier could recognize - even if we're hundreds of years into the future. There is a military axiom - no plan survives past five minutes into contact with the enemy.

For me, there is another challenge - to remember not to have my characters get lost in the action. As with all the books in the Dancer series, characters come first. Finally, there is a rule familiar to both military and fantasy writers alike - never make anything too powerful or without cost.

Now about that forest fire. What happens when you drop a large fusion warhead over a forest? Yeah. That. My plot required a strong defensive response to a landing, and I have to look beyond the obvious result to the attackers (my main character Mikial being among them). Sure, I've nifty hardware to thwart ending my novel a bit earlier than planned, but the work doesn't end there. The topography in my setting was already established as heavily wooded, and this was not something to be ignored. Combat moves dirt as well as people, and can have catastrophic consequences on the environment. Especially when you're tossing around what we in the military like to call "crowd pleasers".

The following scenes after my initial combat were painted against a backdrop of fire and a nearly complete loss of visibility due to smoke. This meant I had to answer to a super-heated atmosphere you might not want in your lungs. Weapons and suits required realistic (and limiting) designs in order to allow my readers to accept this as a survivable event. Back-story had to be set far enough in the book to assure there was no deus ex machina on the part of my readers.

And it doesn't stop there. What would a fire like that take to put out? For that matter, would it be put out anytime soon? The short answer is "No." Your characters will have to face the after affects of heated air and rising columns of smoke thrown high into the atmosphere by the physics associated with the initial blast. One of the pivotal battles will end up taking place in pouring rain the next day as all that uplifted soot returns as fat ashen raindrops. The battlefield, though north of the strike, would still be wrapped in heavy storms that will hamper remote drones. The humans will need to augment their limited reconnaissance with patrols. My character will be hearing a constant drumbeat of water on her helmet, and rising fog will make the morning attack disadvantageous for both sides.

The ecology of warfare, folks. All part of making the scene real.

Battle Dancer explores the thin edge between savior and destroyer as Mikial finds her greatest adversary to be the one consuming her from the inside.

Kerry
www.kmtolan.com

Casting Novels

A couple of weeks ago Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors; Matchpoint) possibly attempted suicide with a drug overdose. My husband had trouble understanding my distress. "Why are you upset? He's a womanizing jerk who's been in rehab five times." Well, yes, which is why, in addition to the fact that he's dreamy, I mentally cast him as Jared in my Fox series. And once I've cast someone, they become, in my mind, that character. And so it only makes sense that I become unnaturally attached to them.

Along with Rhys Meyers, I also cast Ben Barnes (Narnia) as Nathaniel and Olivia Wilde (House; Tron), and I am now equally attached to them as well. I get jealous when they do other projects: Excuse me? Have you forgotten you're supposed to be in my imaginary film adaptations? And I'm always concerned when they start getting really famous and out of my league (as if they were ever in it). I try to see all of the projects they're in, and imagine them in the movie poster for Shadow Fox. Maybe they'll even be action figures! I imagine all of us hanging out together on the Red Carpet at the premiere. They'll say wonderful things about me for giving them these juicy roles. "When I read the novels, I really saw myself as Jared/Nathaniel/Tarika. I was thrilled when my agent told me she [Barnard] saw me in the role all along." Which wouldn't be entirely true. You see, I wrote the book so long ago that I once had a completely different cast.

Most people have never heard of Toby Stephens, but I "discovered" him in 1998 (yes, it's been THAT long) while watching clips of performances of the Royal Shakespeare Company. He's the son of actress Maggie Smith, and never really hit it big. You might have seen him in Photographing Fairies with Ben Kingsley, or a really bad James Bond -- the one where he's really an Asian criminal hiding in the body of a yummy Brit. Anyway, when I watched his interview he was very smug and arrogant, and delicious to look at. He was my Jared for almost ten years. For Nathaniel, I had Nathaniel Parker in mind (Mel Gibson's Hamlet; Branaugh's Othello). I loved him so much that I renamed my character Nathaniel (he was originally Troy). For Tarika, I thought Catherine Zeta-Jones, especially in her Zorro mode, would be perfect. The problem was, it was taking so long for someone to publish my book, and without that, the movie version would never see the light of day. And finally the day came when I was forced to admit that it was too late: my chosen actors were simply too old. It was incredibly depressing for me. It was like they had died, and I was sure I would never find anyone who could replace them. Then Jonathan and Ben came along, and my obsession started anew.

I had seen JRM in several films, but I wasn't sold on him until August Rush. When I heard him sing and finally saw him in a softer role, I had to have him. I wanted Ben Barnes before I even saw Prince Caspian -- he looks EXACTLY like the Nathaniel in my mind. Olivia Wilde is the most recent casting decision, after I saw the new Tron. Oddly enough it was my husband's suggestion.

So now I'm just waiting for the film offer to come along. I hope it comes soon, before this second round of actors also gets too old. A few months ago I toyed with sending JRM a copy of Shadow Fox, just, you know, in case the unbelievable happened and he gave it to someone and said, "I HAVE to do this." But now...well, it'd be pretty bad form to send him the novel and say, "Hey! You're perfect for my suicidal, alcohol- and drug-addicted character!" He might take it the wrong way. Then again, apparently I'm pretty good at this casting thing.

All right, fellow writers: you know you've done it. Who have you cast in your novels?

Ashley J. Barnard

Dark Fantasy with a Contemporary Twist

http://www.ashleyjbarnard.com/

My Upcoming Release -- Born In Ice

In December of 2011, my futuristic romantic suspense, Born in Ice, will be released by Champagne Books. Though I've written time travel and contemporary romances, this is my first story set in the future, and also my first suspense. Though I don't have a cover yet, the picture to the right depicts the imagery I want to convey.

Here is the blurb.

Pulled from an icy grave…into a world of doubt and danger.
Frozen in ice for seventy-five years, Zana Forrester suffers the agony of
rebirth to learn her son is dead, and her daughter's whereabouts is unknown.
The year is 2155. A man's soothing voice and gray eyes haunt drug induced
dreams. When she recovers, she meets their owner to find her heart in danger.
But, a relationship isn’t a consideration; she must find her daughter.

Brock Callahan is drawn to the beautiful woman taken aboard his salvage
ship. He's determined she'll be his wife and a mother to his young daughter,
but he vows not to love her. All the women he’s loved die. While
Zana searches for her daughter, Brock must protect Zana from the evil that
threatens.

Happy Reading and Writing!

Linda
http://www.lindalaroque.com/
http://www.lindalaroque.com/
http://authorsbymoonlight.com/


 

"That's What Friends are for..."

During the second draft of my WIP, a charming young man dropped into my manuscript. His name is Skillet. (Don’t ask.) He’s the boyhood friend of my main character, Tyler, a serious boy struggling to find his foothold in a fractured family. The story was getting heavy until Skillet came along.

Immediately the clouds parted. The troubled Tyler, whose dysfunctional family bewildered and tormented him, had a place to go with his confusion and frustrations. He told Skillet his troubles. Growing up, the boys played together. They were good at sports, Tyler at football. Skillet was a natural runner. It stood him in good stead living in rural Georgia.

Skillet was a Roman Catholic, Cajun and black transplant from Louisiana. Both boys were outcasts, one by race, one by family history. Part of the story includes segregation, desecration and integration issues. This background lends authenticity. While it isn’t the story, it plays a supporting role, helping the reader picture the place: rural Georgia, and time: 1958.

Because the book is Tyler’s story, it was important not to allow Skillet’s issues to overshadow the main character’s quest for honor and his need for unconditional love. That’s where the writer’s discipline comes in.

I didn’t dwell on Skillet’s back-story. His presence is his contribution to the novel. Having him around gives the story more perspective and sets the stage for the strange twist Tyler’s life takes later on.

Discipline is one of the most difficult skills to learn in writing long fiction. Temptation is everywhere. That’s interesting, let’s put that in the story. Soon the book reads like a series of one-liners, only they aren’t funny.

It’s easy to fall in love with secondary characters. Because they come unbidden, they are especially clear in a writer’s mind. It’s the muse’s fault. She taunts us with visual images, background information and places to set flashbacks. Bad muse!

Readers are curious customers, but the author/writer is in charge. If supporting characters are well drawn and vivid, the reader wants to know more. An experienced writer doles out description and information on a need-to-know basis. We don’t feature it in a scene under the guise of “show don’t tell.”

Too much detail and research are story killers. You won’t see Skillet in the act of moving to South Georgia or having dinner with his parents in their small house (on that other side of town in 1958). All his scenes must manifest from Tyler’s POV. It’s a temptation to show Skillet more but he’s Tyler’s support, not his twin.

Tyler has to be all about himself: his life, his family and his love relationships. His girlfriends are also satellites to his story. Beth, the love of his life, was an equally tempting morsel to create, but I gave her more play. It is a romance, after all.


Julie Eberhart Painter is the Champagne Books author of Mortal Coil, Tangled Web, and Kill Fee to be released in October. See Julie’s Web site at www.books-jepainter.com

Reminiscing

Last weekend marked the second anniversary of my mother’s death, a woman who was reputed to be such an imp in her youth that she caused her father to lose all his hair. Saturday, however, I was thinking more of how she tried to help him overcome his baldness, my favorite bit of family folklore.

Like all good tales, it should begin, “Once upon a time,” so please indulge me. Once upon a time, I remember my grandfather showing me an old snapshot of a dashing young man who sported an abundance of dark hair. To my amazement, he claimed that was himself, “Back in my courting’ days,” he said with a bemused grin.

Seeing that photograph of him in his prime, I could easily imagine his dismay at the loss of those luxurious locks.

“I had nothing to do with it,” my mother protested. “It was purely coincidental.”

But I’ve been told that, about the time my mother entered her teens, a family friend suggested Grandad paint his head with tincture of iodine, vowing that scientists had discovered the red-orange liquid, normally used for tending childhood scrapes, was a hair restorer.

Could it be true? Grandad wanted to believe it. So after much deliberation -- and mindful that iodine leaves a stubborn stain -- he asked his youngest child, my mother, to apply “just a small spot” of iodine on the top of his bald head.

Mother, the mischievous, was quick to oblige. And for the next few days, her father kept their experiment hidden beneath his ever-present hat, an article he wore year-round as protection against the Arkansas sun.

Then, the weekend brought its traditional round of Saturday night baths. And on Sunday morning, the whole family trooped off to church, where the hat, of course, had to come off. With quiet dignity, mother’s parents took their customary seats is the very front pew. My mother, meanwhile, joined the other young people seated in the last row of the sanctuary.

Services started. All eyes swung to the front and Grandad tilted his head back for a better view of the raised pulpit.

Snickers and giggles erupted behind him, drowning out the preacher’s earnest words

“Sh-h-h!” Grandad shushed loudly, turning to glare at the tittering youths.

My mother insisted that she and the rest of the youthful contingent tried to display the proper reverence.

“But when everyone focused their attention to the front,” she exclaimed in mock horror, “there on the top of my father‘s bald head, undimmed by Saturday night‘s conscientious scrubbing, was my masterpiece. A heart pierced by an arrow!”

As I remember Mother’s laughter, I think about what a disappointment I must have been, a child who was always so serious, she told everyone I was twelve years old when I was born.

I hope I’ve redeemed myself, however, with what my editor refers to as the “sly humor” in my recently released novella, BORDER HEAT.

Hey, Mom, look at me now.

Ramona Butler

RamonaButler.com

Sciend fiction or future fantasy?

A contemporary romance without a romance isn't one. A historical romance lacking a historical setting isn't one. So does science fiction, speculative fiction supposedly based on science, need redefining or separation from the genre of fantasy? Don't get me wrong-I love science fiction, I love fantasy, and I love almost all of the nuances of stories in between the two, but maybe I'm too much of a purist. I never thought of myself as such, but I do like a science base to the science fiction I read, and I like to feel the author actually knew something about the science he or she was using and not just borrowing concepts from previous science fiction works. When I buy a scifi story with no science base, I'm disappointed and feel cheated.

I know that genre categories are exploding, and we already have speculative fiction and futuristic romance categories, but to me these labels can be misleading, and genres were developed to help the reader find the type of book they like to read. The novel and then movie, Logan's Run, while futuristic and speculative, was at least based on the development of a social-cultural outcome carried to an extreme. I've read both speculative fiction and futuristic romance based neither on extrapolation of science nor development of some social or cultural norm gone crazy, but on ideas based in pure fantasy. They were good stories, but perhaps we need a future fantasy genre?

Fantasy has been with us since man first told stories, and basically all fiction is someone's fantasy. Genre depends on the setting reality the story is wrapped in. From researchers like Vladimir Propp, and Joseph Campbell, and psychologists like Carl Jung and Bruno Bettelheim, we've learned folktale and mythological fantasies serve a purpose in the developing brain. I feel all fiction still serves those same purposes. When a reader rejects a story, it is a judgment on how well that story fulfilled its function, even if the purpose was only entertainment. So science fiction is fantasy, but shouldn't it retain those important glimmers of science, whether biology, chemistry, physics, or social science? Or are labels just unimportant?

You will not believe it….

Michael W. Davis

Davisstories.com

If you read our blog, you know I often post about my Angel (Emma, my GD). I’m about to share a family secret, one you won’t believe, but it is absolutely TRUE. Two weeks ago I went to visit Emma and asked how she was enjoying her new porch. You see, they just moved from 15 hours away to within 50 minutes and their new apartment has an overhanging balcony with a gorgeous view.

When we helped them move in, the first thing she did was make a nest of pine needles (she loves to collect and organize leaves, needles, what ever she finds scattered around outside). Turns out, a large ponderosa evergreen resides right next to their apartment. I noticed her “nest” was gone. I inquired:

“Hey Sweetpea, what happened to your nest?”
“They killed it.”
“What?”
“Yeah, Papa. They kept tearing it up.”
“They? Who are you talking about?”
“Those pesky squirrels, but their gone now.”
I chuckled, “Sweetheart, just because you scared them off a couple times, they’ll come back. Those critters have a mind of their own.”
“Nope. We took away their home and they haven’t been back since.”
“Alright, Angel. Have it your way, you scared them off.”
I snickered to myself and went back to playing hook the fish with her (a silly kids game), but my attention kept retuning to the balcony door. There was something different outside, the lighting, no the shadows that used to fall against the window where gone. I got up, went to the door, walked outside and to my surprise; they actually had destroyed the squirrel’s house.

Turns out, my GD’s parents were concerned about the squirrels continually messing up their balcony, afraid they might bite their only child, so they complained to the apartment management and, I’m not kidding you, they cut off the major branches on the closest pine tree. Striped it bare, like a giant, you know, just standing there, nude to its bark. I stood cemented to the porch, confused, uncertain of what I thought was a strange trick being played on me by my brain, until my GD came outside with me and reiterated, “See, Papa. They killed the squirrel’s home.”

I couldn’t speak. I was a statue looking at what had been a beautiful monument of Mother Nature’s handy work and now it was a…a flipping Popsicle. I wiped the moisture inching down my pudgy chins, sniffed twice, took Emma’s hand and walked back inside.

Perspective is an amazing state of mind; especially when things are taken out of kilter to there relevance in one’s life. You can bet I’m not going to tell my kids about the snakes that crawl up the trees next to our own balcony to get birds and fall on our porch. Hell, they’d demand I cut the trees down before letting Emma come stay with us.

Poor little squirrel, poor little tree.

Big Mike
Michael W. Davis (Davisstories.com)
Author of the year, 2008 & 2009

Shadow of Guilt, “To each crossing of paths, there is a reason.”
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 truth cuts deeper than a lie.”

Why Are We Here?

One of the questions I ask as a writer, and that I want answered as a reader is:
Why are we here with these characters at this moment?

If it’s a short story, it’s a finite amount of time that we are with these people; if it’s a novel, there’s a longer journey. I need the sense of a life continuing before and a life (for those characters who survive the events of the story) continuing after we part ways.

But why are we here with them at this moment?

Because this moment (or, in a novel with a longer time frame, these moments) changes the character. We want to see and experience the cause with the characters. We want to see and experience the consequences. We bring our frames of reference with us, but we also want something that makes the character’s response unique.

In ASSUMPTION OF RIGHT, Morag’s about to reach a turning point in her life that she doesn’t realize is approaching at the start of the novel. She loves her job backstage and she’s good at it. She’s not about to be bullied into a relationship with the man her friend thinks is perfect for her when he demonstrates that he doesn’t understand the demands of her job, and, even more importantly, when he doesn’t really listen to her. Yes, she’s annoyed about a “civilian” coming in to do a big number in the show, that it’s up to her to make it go smoothly, and it’s someone who thinks she’s evil because her beliefs differ. But there’s much more going on under the surface than the nuts and bolts of something different and annoying with her job. Simon’s about to reach a turning point in his career -- he loves it, he’s good at it. He recently broke off a relationship with a woman who wants a kind of security from him and a control over him that he’s not willing to give her. She doesn’t understand the demands of the job, and doesn’t really listen to him. But something is niggling at him, too. It’s not until they are together and realize that, as different as their careers of dressing a Broadway star and being a Secret Service agent are, there are also similarities in the demands and psychologies of the job.

Why are we with them at this moment? Or, since it is a novel, these moments over the course of days in the book? Because both their lives change forever. The physical events that move the plot along change their lives in one direction, but the real changes come from a much deeper place of desire, discovery, longing, and love. They are more than the sum of the plot points. And, after the events of the book are finished, they are not different people, but have grown more into themselves. We can see our best selves in their journey.

And that is why we are there with these characters at this moment.

--Annabel Aidan
Her romantic suspense novel ASSUMPTION OF RIGHT is available from Champagne Books. Her webpage is www.devonellingtonwork.com/annabelaidan.html

Magic, ghost and dragons, on my

December-born Capricorns tend to be practical. We are not mystical types. In many ways I fit into my astrological sign, but I do deviate. Ever since I’ve been a child, the unseen and perhaps unreal world of paranormal has fascinated me. I’m not saying I believe , for example, in H.P. Lovecraft’s C’thulu Mythos, but it appeals to me.
When I lived in California I once saw a bumper sticker that read “Vote for C’thulu for President,” so I realize I’m not alone in my interest. But why does this mythic being, who is one of Lovecraft’s dangerous “Elder Gods” and a truly destructive, hideous monster garner such interest?
I admit the green plush C’thulu that sits on a shelf near my computer is cute rather than scary, but that’s only because I couldn’t find any other representation of this green monster. Though I’m not sure how to pronounce his name, in today’s tainted world of politics, that California bumper sticker carries a certain appeal.
If you like dark paranormal, try Lovecraft, If not, steer clear of him because he’ll certainly give you the shivers.
This has to be a weird way of introducing a romance, because that’s what my newest book from Champagne is--a paranormal suspense romance. I never have been especially fascinated by ghosts, but I like to think they exist despite the fact I’ve never been visited by one. Or if one ever did visit, I wasn’t aware.
My GHOSTS OF DAGON HOUSE Trilogy has a background story of three female ghosts, determined to have retribution for their murders. In the forefront are the stories of three brave, endangered women who are determined to survive and the men who help them succeed. We meet all three of the heroines when the first couple take refuge in Dagon House where the other two women are hiding out.
TAKEN IN, the first book, has a should-have-known-better heroine who flees after witnessing a murder, pursued by both the Special. Agent who hopes to save her and the hit man who means to kill her. Eventually all three became tangled up with a Dagon House ghost.
In WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, the second book’s heroine, is hiding out from a deranged arsonist stalker, Her hero is a disabled war veteran. Again a Dagon House ghost participates.
In GHOST HUNT, the third book’s heroine, is a woman with a child hiding from an abusive husband and father who’s terrorized them both. The hero is the local sheriff who’s become fond of the mother and child. When the abusive husband shows up, a ghost-filled climax takes place.
No hideous monsters like C’thulu appear, but the three villains have become human monsters.
As an added fillip, there’s even a ghost cat.
The first book has been edited and I’m really eager to see the cover. I’ve already had some stunning ones from Champagne.. But my favorite is the Nightingale Man cover. Simple and ,oh, so intriguingly elegant, it does fit that book perfectly, even though I never would have thought of it. But that’s why I’m a writer, not an artist. What will she come up with for this series?

Jane Toombs

Vampire versus Human/Part 2: Geography

I have been ruminating of late on where did vampires actually originate from; in terms of geography? Dracula thought Transylvania, Meyers thinks Rome, and I think Egypt. My reasoning is because Egypt is seen as the Positus Orsa or “beginning place”. The fertile Nile is my muse for understanding how it all began with the luster of the ancient Pharaohs and Sphinx lighting the way. Its rich culture and history is a virtual garden of delight for an author and works perfectly as a setting for my stories.

My latest book in the Forever Series, Forever Angel, the fourth installment, juxtaposes ancient Egypt with modern Egypt to better understand history just as, I believe, an author juxtaposes humans and vampires to help us better understand ourselves. My heroine is one of us, though much less experienced as she has just started her first book and it’s a lot of fun to explore and explain the process through such “beginning eyes”.

Where do you think vampires originated from? Or humans for that matter. . .

Best, January Bain

Bad Days

Everyone has bad days. For my boyfriend of 2 months, yesterday was it. He was told he has mono, but its so bad that it's obstructing his airways. Long story short, I got a ride in an ambulance yesterday. But it made me realize that, although I've only been with him a couple of months, I can't imagine life without him. Have you guys stumbled upon this moment in your lives? If so, do you want to tell us about it?

Holly Hunt

Meet Some Characters From Zirconya!

Heads up. This will take a while.

***

Zirconya: The Sage of Aluh'Nehn

Synopsis:
A young elf named Caelum is forced from her world of Zirconya into an unmagical realm called Earth. Ignorant of the life she left behind, she lives as a normal human being, but nothing could be further from the truth. After seventeen years of unknowing exile, a man from her real world, Maze, comes to escort her back, but without her memories of Zirconya, his tales only convince her of his insanity.

When holes begin tearing through the dimensional fabric between Earth and Zirconya, Caelum must find a way to remember her past life before Zirconya's existence is discovered. But how can she remember something she doesn’t even believe has happened? As if surviving high school isn’t tough enough, add the constant dogging by an annoying, though hunky, mythical man, and the appearance of a creature from her darkest nightmares, and you’ve got a troubled teen.

***

Though the book release has been postponed and I'm back at the editing phase, I want to share some of the grander characters in Zirconya: The Sage of Aluh'Nehn.

First, let me share a little background info about the world!

Zirconya is a fantastical world inhabited by eleven chief species(thought there are also minor):
6 good: Elves, vacinians, faeries, dwarves, dragons, aquinians
5 evil: humans, ogres, trolls, goblins and the repulsive sinstarians.

The world is run by four elementals called The Sages who were created by and answer to "The Highest Power." I won't go into them so that I don't risk spoiling the book! After all, it is all about the Sages, their deaths and replacements, BUT their elements are water, fire, wind and earth.

***

Caelum Rain Foriei:

The main character of the story. Known as Chloe Wiles in her life in Earth.

Chloe, a.k.a., Caelum: as Caelum, she is an old soul and deep thinker. She tends to go with the flow, dealing with things as they come. She finds it hard to trust people and is often stuck inside her own head. Extremely empathic, she must deal with her own out of control emotions and well as of those around her - it's a sagen trait.

As Chloe, she suffers from split personality though she discovers later that she does, in fact, have two "essences" within her; that of her human self(Chloe) and that of her Zirconyan self(Caelum). Her heart has been on one boy for years though at first, she doesn't quite understand why. *cough* subplot *cough* Her curiosity tends to place her in the most unlikely of situations and always causes trouble.
She's stubborn and with a human's skepticism, convincing her of another world called Zirconya is near impossible.

"I never was much good in geography. Where’s that? Africa?"Her element is water.

***

Maze:

The Guardian of the Temple of Weera. The one sent to Caelum in Earth. One of the few left of the Olintor race; the winged guardians.

Maze is the 2319 year old, winged Guardian of the Temple of Weera and placed as bodyguard over Chloe Wiles, who is Caelum, the Sage of Aluh'Nehn in Zirconya. He doesn't really have the greatest reputation with the elders(the three men trying to get the new Sages in their places). He's seen as a bringer of troubles but he is one of the "Olintor," which is a race of man meant "to protect the greatest of treasures," since the beginning of time.

He thinks himself higher than others. Pompous at times, but he is generally serious and often irritated by the way Chloe just blows him off as a crazy guy.

"She is out of her mind,” Maze continued. “She will not listen to a word I say and she is constantly annoyed by my presence. How can I work with someone who clings so tenaciously to her own, foolish beliefs?”

He's overprotective (it's an Olintor trait). Prone to outbursts when provoked, but when it comes down to it, he can give some awesome advice when one is troubled.

Maze has never known love and isn't looking for it.

“I’ve never known love, Caelum. It is such a useless emotion to me.”

***

Craban:

The Enemy

Craban is a sinstarian who crossed over from Zirconya to find the forthcoming Sage after his master, Sireg'wethyl, discovered her alive in Earth. Chloe is aware of his watchful eye and Maze is not happy that he's so close.

Craban is after the kill. The problem? He's not one hundred percent positive that his prey is the true Sage.

***

Melanya Pyra Arduun

a.k.a. Victoria Sutton, Chloe's best friend

"Caelum and Melanya are together? How is that possible? What are the chances?"

"It is not chance. The Highest Power is on our side." Aglahr replied.

Melanya Pyra Arduun is the next Sage of Na'Ur. Like all Volcavian elves -- the elves represented by the element of fire -- she has a fiery attitude. She's quick with the comebacks and easily offended. Stubborn, yet clever. Spicy, yet realistic.

Her preferred weapon of choice is the sword, which she wields with graceful skill. Melanya is currently single, but picky and not exactly looking for a man at the moment unless she senses "he is the one."

Tall, dark and beautiful but watch out. You never know whether she will greet you kindly or coldly.

In Earth: As Vicky, she is the one that snaps Chloe out of her daydreaming all the time. She helps Chloe realize when she's gone too far with imagination or if she gets out of line in school. She's a great help and wonderful shoulder to cry on...

...if she's in the mood, of course.

***

Aquin Rahngwa:

The one meant to be Caelum's future husband in Zirconya. Known as Seth Birmingham in Earth.

Aquin Rahngwa is an Aquinian elf and arranged to be married to Caelum- until he acidentally crosses into the alternate dimension of Earth and loses his memories.

In Earth, he is Seth Birmingham - and a link to Chloe's ability to recall vital memories of her life as Caelum in Zirconya. Chloe doesn't understand why she is remembering the face of a boy she's never met but soon discovers that he is Aquin and due to a Zirconya covenant made between them, she has retained a sense of connection through time and rebirth.

***

Professor Aglahr:

Caelum, Melanya and Aquin's teacher of many subjects, including mathematics and weaponry.

Professor Aglahr is a wizard, teacher and Zirconyan elder. Wise, kind, compassionate and very serious. He always knows what's going on. Understanding and confident in everything, Aglahr always has the right thing to say.

***

Keiren Kai:

Keeper of the Chamber of Aluh'nehn

Keiren Kai is the guardian of the chamber of Aluh'Nehn. Quiet, kind and trusting, he's the only one who has complete confidence in Caelum as a novice Sage.

***

So there you have it! The wonderful cast of Zirconya: The Sage of Aluh'Nehn! More can be discovered on my website of course :) Thanks for reading and don't be shy about dropping me a line in my guestbook!

Diana Ilinca

www.dianailinca.com

Taking Time to Be...

This last year has been a wonderful roller-coaster of a journey, with a first historical novel for adults published, first Tween novel accepted for publication next March, first small short story collection self-published on Amazon (they were previously published in magazines),  and several new short stories in various places. Then there are all the forums, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other types of promotion I’ve thrown myself into with pleasure. And, of course, my son’s Scottish island wedding last week, which was a small, friendly occasion.

However, there comes a time when a writer needs to withdraw a little from the hurly-burly and just be... whether that is finding peace and quiet to write, or time to reflect on a direction we should be taking, or merely time to sit and watch the world go by for a while.  Summer usually brings holidays for this very reason.

So, during July, although we’re only having a few days away, I’m going to take some time out soon from all the blogging and networking to rest, reassess all my writing projects, and revamp my webiste and blogs. I’m looking forward to it already, and it will recharge my batteries so I can restart with fresh enthusiasm.

I collect meaningful quotes and the following are perfect for summing up what I’m trying to say:

“We need time to dream, time to remember, and time to reach the infinite. Time to be.” Gladys Taber

“Over all the mountaintops is peace. In all treetops you perceive scarcely a breath. The little birds in the forest are silent. Wait then; soon you, too, will have peace.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Rosemary

http://www.rosemarygemmell.com/

The Fun Side of Research

A couple of years ago on the way to an afternoon among horses, I noticed a broken rail on a fence and thought of a super opening for a polo mystery. Well, I'm about 10K words into my WIP. It's been a slow process, probably because my confidence in my writing has been sagging lately.

But I'm not here to whine. I wanted to share my experience while researching for the setting of my book. I'd been to several charity polo matches nearby (thanks to my employer), but nothing compared to the events of the past year.

You see, my girlfriend met a millionaire, and they soon started dating. He had taken up polo a few years ago and plays in Florida and here in Ontario. After meeting him, I was pulled into the world of the rich - massive estates, horses by the gross and handsome people. You'd think they'd be snobby like in the movies, but they aren't. They're all wonderful and warm.

I attended matches at the polo club, watched my girlfriend taking lessons and went to some really great parties. They weren't wild parties - it seems horse lovers are just like me - lovers of animals, good food, music and conversation.
Recently my girlfriend and the millionaire parted ways (amicably) and are still good friends. I ran into him at this year's charity event (he and my girlfriend both volunteered on the committee) and we exchanged warm greetings. I'll always admire his easygoing openness and generosity. Because of him, my novel has taken on a new level of authenticity.
Here are a few of the events that kept me from blogging (and sometimes writing) the past few months:

Nacho Figueras, six-goaler and Ralph Lauren model, tearing up the pitch at Pace Polo For Heart 2011. I didn't meet him, but he seemed nice.

Me on Maya, a gift to my girlfriend. A sweet pony - I hope I didn't confuse her too much.

Me with Princess Diya Kumari of Jaipur. Her husband was on the Royal Jaipur Polo Club team, invited to this year's Polo For Heart.

And finally, my own sister's brush with royalty on Monday. Cathy Elliott is musical director of The Talking Stick, the first all-Aboriginal original musical at this year's Charlottetown Festival. Her troupe performed for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and got to meet the newlyweds. I'm so proud of my sis!

I hope to "get back on the writing horse" with more regularity this summer. I might no longer be in the inner circles of the rich, but I was sure to take notes!

Sandra Cormier is the author of Bad Ice, a hockey romance.

Us vs. Them: A Writer's Guide

In my travels, I've come to notice that writers tend to come up with rather interesting standards as to what constitutes "truly" being published. Some of which has merit, and some of which can only be described as holding an "us vs. them" mentality.

There are plenty of blogs which extol how you can only truly be published with an agent and a NY publisher, or how being self-published can't nearly be considered as equal to those who find a small independent press. Usually, you'll see the author making these claims when they are part of group A, and they're trying to make a point that group B isn't as good as their own group. Generalities and misconceptions abound, and depending on how widespread the blog's audience is, the comment sections can often get raucous as each group defends their own.

Rather than make judgments based on how an author chooses to get published, why not judge a book on its own merits? Certainly, all authors start out glossy-eyed with their first novels, thinking their works and words are pure gold when that's likely not the case. But ultimately, the market will decide whether they consider a book worthy...and that's a fact regardless of what path an author chooses to take. It's very simple to read a blurb, and an excerpt, to determine whether a book has the quality you (as a reader) are looking for in your purchases.

Writers seem to believe that other writers should be judged based on the publisher they have, or whether they choose to self-publish. Readers, on average, don't care...they just want to read a good story. And ultimately, writers should simply focus on helping other writers hone their craft, and leave the judgment calls to the readers.

***

By day, T. M. Hunter designs aircraft. By night (and any other free moment he gets), he designs an entire universe. His short stories have appeared in such publications as Ray Gun Revival, Residential Aliens and Golden Visions Magazine, and have received critical acclaim, twice (2007, 2009) receiving a top ten finish in the P&E Readers Poll. His two novels Heroes Die Young (Champagne Books best-selling book of 2008) and Friends in Deed continue to receive a fantastic reception from his readers. His short story collection Dead or Alive is now available from ResAliens Press, and his new novella Seeker is just taking off. Learn more about T. M. Hunter and read free excerpts and short stories at AstonWest.com. You can also follow him on Twitter and join his Facebook fan page.

Warning, Warning - An early alert to an upcoming BIG event

Do you like contests? I mean the kind where you can win paperbacks, CD novels, and E copies of a ton of great authors books. We'll be giving away a book a week and some extra prices too. You can win two ways:

1. By being a subscriber to the TWV blog; and

2. By solving a fun mystery from each of the participating authors.

When? The fun begins Sept 1 so mark your calendar. Oh, and if ya like to be nice to your buds and budettes, have them sign up as a regular subscriber (see side bar).

Now you will be returned to the normally scheduled postings. Pssst, tell your friends. Its going to be a blast.

My Debut Into The World

Well, that’s not quite true… If we're going to split hairs, my debut was last year, with the release of my very-first book, The Lancaster Rule.  But, to be fair, since then, like those timid sea anemones, I’ve been cautiously poking my head out into the scary world of ‘everything lasts forever’ in the cyberworld.  Truly, it does.  Can’t drop a negative comment without it coming back to haunt you (not that I’ve ever done that).  And you can’t even place an image that isn’t Google-able back to your name. So I've been careful about placing my real face online in places that aren't locked down with privacy bars.  Of course, on the Internet, nothing is ever really private.

But, with this debut, comes the dilemma (and the need) of showing your real face to The World, and therefore leading to asphyxia-related disorders.  Doesn’t help matters in the least if you have an aversion to being seen in the first place.  (I don't have phobias except for the usual germ-related and invading personal space ones, but I do like my privacy).

Generally speaking, I’m a fairly Private Person (note the capital letters), and if I can help it, I’d prefer to lurk in dark shadows, preferably in the comfort of my own home, therefore, never leave the house…ever.  But, alas, I live in that real world (unfortunately) where human interaction is necessary (and chilling every day to your hubby doesn’t count).  Most of you out there have noticed that I use the image of my cat, the trusty Dobby, to take my stead in The World.  And, for the better part of my recent debut, it has worked.  Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end.

I’ve gone and signed up for my very first event, which involves the public, the press, and…well, did I mention The PUBLIC?  This of course, I keep reminding myself, is for the greater good of the book and my future as a writer.  Anyway, this of course means more publicity, and obviously means getting my mug taken and getting plastered all over the place (I heard the media want to interview me...Ahhhh!).  Sigh.  I knew I couldn’t avoid it, in fact, I dreaded this day for quite some time.

So, it’s best to make a good impression, put your best foot forward, smile like a rainbow, and all that nonsense — I mean, great, positive stuff.  As I type up these words, I’m patiently waiting for a photographer friend to arrive, armed with her gear, to snap some professional pics of me, therefore retiring Dobby from his 15 minutes of fame.  I hope I can pull of looking like a “serious writer” because my first survival instinct is to explode in a death-grin and seek out the nearest exits.

End note: Photographer came, she snapped, we chatted, we chose pics, she left.  That was a fairly painless ordeal and I’m quite happy with some of the images.  Keep an eye out for them in the very near future…

T.K. Toppin

http://www.thelancasterrule.blogspot.com

Warning! Do not pick up anything that is burning with the vacuum cleaner

I'm sure you've noticed that merchandise companies place weird warning labels on some of their products. Many of the warnings make me wonder about the future of our society. Have you been bored enought to read any of the labels? Or, perhaps you're like me and look them up on the internet. Cut me some slack, I'm a nerdy author.

A vacuum cleaner warning label instructs the moron that purchased it; Do not pick up anything with the vacuum cleaner that is burning. The frightening implication is that if they mention it on the tag, someone must have tried it.

Boot's Children's Cough Medicine states; Do not drive a car or run machinery. As a parent, you've got bigger problems than a sick child if your children twelve and under are joy riding in cars and randomly turning on machinery.

A blow dryer tag comes with the waring instruction that says; Do not use while sleeping. I've never heard of that sleep disorder. My all time favorite warning is found on a chainsaw label; Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals! Okay, I get the warning about your hand, but I'm lost after that.

What's any of this got to do with being a writer? This is a stretch...someone wrote the warnings and I write novels. Check out my action thriller, Bolt Action. A secret from the past, serial murder, revenge, and a kick ass heroine on a Harley, take a ride with Bolt Action.

ONCE UPON A TIME

By:
Angelica Hart and Zi


My favorite words as a child were, Once upon a time, obviously the opening of many fairy tales. Zi’s similar memory was Sunday night’s opening music to the Wonderful World of Disney. He knew when he heard those words an adventure, a fantasy, or simply a series of magical moments would soon flash upon the reel of his imagination.

We have had the honor and privilege to read to children and I saw delineated on those young folks’ faces a reflection that reminded me of my youthful jubilance when I read those words, Once upon a time.

I used to carry several books around with me, imploring any reading-able person, critter, supernatural being to read me a story. It didn't matter if they were young or old. It didn't matter if they had an accent or not. It didn't matter if they altered their voice for each character, although, that was indeed the preferred option. I used to say read me a story so often that it turned into a run-on chant. "Readmeastoryreadmeastoryreadmeastory...." There was nothing grander than being read to, a story where I could travel to a different land, where taste and textures were defined with whorls of words. One moment I was a baby rabbit, another a mouse with a hole-in-the-wall house, sometimes an audacious child. I especially liked rhythms, the playful beat and measure that tapped out a story, sometimes silly, sometimes funny, and sometimes very strange. Mattered not. It was the journey, that sweet, wonderful roller coaster of sounds that created dream bubbles that I could actually see in my mind’s eye.

I’ll share one of Zi's first memories of reading aloud. I wrote this without first asking him. It is personal but as I later explained, apt. Zi was a child with undiagnosed dyslexia and struggled early with reading and writing. Recalling that period, he has expressed the humiliation he felt not learning the same way others were, though he never felt sorry for that boy.

At an early age he knew he wanted to read and write and valued those tools. As an adult you can easily discern that his books are respected treasures that line wall upon wall within his home. You can also tell that opening the world of storytelling to others is a passion. It was the Woodlawn Public Library located in Union Park Gardens just off the Bancroft Parkway that provided him with what I call a breakthrough.

Reading and writing was an endless series of embarrassment and humiliation where the stumbling over words, the constant juxtaposition of words and letters, and the inability to sound out words were painful. Peers at a young age have not developed empathy or compassion and would tease.

The third floor of that library was his safe place and by some unexpected gift of divine foresight, close to his home. His mother worked and that circumstance made it the perfect after-school sanctuary.

He once recounted to me the old radiators were far too hot, occasionally whistled, and tinted the air with that odd metallic smell of water boiled in an iron pot. While there, he would grab any read-aloud style children’s book, books far beneath his age, and hide in a corner on that third floor and quietly read aloud to himself. Never minding if he stumbled over words or struggled with inflection, he just read; hour after hour. Over time the books chosen became more complex and he slowly fought to compensate for his handicap. It was in those secluded corners hidden amidst the radiator smells I believe Zi birthed a deep love for writing and reading. These books opened a new world, free of ridicule and filled with possibilities borne from the imagination of authors.
Today, he fights and works so hard with our work to make it his gift back. Today, we both stand upon the shoulders of word monsters and bend them to our will, hoping that our Once upon a time moments give as much pleasure and entertainment that books and stories have always given us.


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Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS ~ SNAKE DANCE ~ CHASING YESTERDAY
www.champagnebooks.com

STEEL EMBRACE by Vixen Bright and Zachary Zane
August 2011 http://www.carnalpassions.com/

THE FABLE OF SIN-SIN CINDERELLA Series
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