Norma Huss's Blog
March 21, 2013
I really wanted to add pictures to this blog, so guess what? I'm learning how to do that by taking a blogging course. Of course, my new blog is a work in progress, but if this link works, you can go see the pictures in my life.
See at: http://blog.normahuss.com/2013/03/add...
See at: http://blog.normahuss.com/2013/03/add...
February 19, 2013
Outside the rain has just changed to snow on this dreary February day in 2013. Since I've been collecting my local newspaper’s weekly "Flashback" column, instead of staring at that snow, I can look past it all to a few oddities and newsworthy bits from years past.
25 years ago, in February 1988, Jane Russell visited a nearby town. The picture included with the article was not of then 66-year old Russell but one from her days as the star of a very controversial movie, The Outlaw. It was a face shot only, not the one of a scantily-clad beauty reclining in the hay. Her visit had nothing to do with that, but a tour of the plant that would manufacture her new clothing line, "Jane Russell Classic Evenings." I'm wondering if the 50's/Jane Russell style gold stretch wrap dress I found on the Internet for only $720.00 (by some other designer) is still available, or only an example of on-line content that never disappears. A bit of news from February, two years ago. Jane Russell died. RIP
50 years ago, February 1963, was a good year locally for speeders. At least, it was good for one truck driver who had been convicted of speeding. On appeal, the local court set his conviction aside because the constitutionality of police radar was being challenged in the state Superior Court. Sorry folks. Don't think that option is still open.
75 years ago, February 1938, found some crooks that weren't the brightest bulb in the room. They got away with a 500-pound safe and lugged it several miles before they solved their immediate problem of opening the safe. They finally discovered that the thing wasn't locked in the first place, and, in the second place, the only item inside was one small fire extinguisher. Hey, they didn't even take that!
Now for the news from 100 years ago, in February 1913. This news wasn't local, but a Federal Government item. The Department of Agriculture planned to spend $125,000.00 in this year to promote the cause of better farming through county agents. But the near future would bring farmers across the country and farm management experts of the department in close touch. The Government expected, in future years, to increase the annual budget to $1,000,000.00. Okay, I don't think I'll Google this year's budget.
And now the good news from today. I look outside, and the snow has stopped. It must have melted on the way down, because I see absolutely none on the ground. Now, I know the groundhog saw his shadow only two and a half weeks ago, but come on. Let's look for the sun. How is it in your part of the world today?
25 years ago, in February 1988, Jane Russell visited a nearby town. The picture included with the article was not of then 66-year old Russell but one from her days as the star of a very controversial movie, The Outlaw. It was a face shot only, not the one of a scantily-clad beauty reclining in the hay. Her visit had nothing to do with that, but a tour of the plant that would manufacture her new clothing line, "Jane Russell Classic Evenings." I'm wondering if the 50's/Jane Russell style gold stretch wrap dress I found on the Internet for only $720.00 (by some other designer) is still available, or only an example of on-line content that never disappears. A bit of news from February, two years ago. Jane Russell died. RIP
50 years ago, February 1963, was a good year locally for speeders. At least, it was good for one truck driver who had been convicted of speeding. On appeal, the local court set his conviction aside because the constitutionality of police radar was being challenged in the state Superior Court. Sorry folks. Don't think that option is still open.
75 years ago, February 1938, found some crooks that weren't the brightest bulb in the room. They got away with a 500-pound safe and lugged it several miles before they solved their immediate problem of opening the safe. They finally discovered that the thing wasn't locked in the first place, and, in the second place, the only item inside was one small fire extinguisher. Hey, they didn't even take that!
Now for the news from 100 years ago, in February 1913. This news wasn't local, but a Federal Government item. The Department of Agriculture planned to spend $125,000.00 in this year to promote the cause of better farming through county agents. But the near future would bring farmers across the country and farm management experts of the department in close touch. The Government expected, in future years, to increase the annual budget to $1,000,000.00. Okay, I don't think I'll Google this year's budget.
And now the good news from today. I look outside, and the snow has stopped. It must have melted on the way down, because I see absolutely none on the ground. Now, I know the groundhog saw his shadow only two and a half weeks ago, but come on. Let's look for the sun. How is it in your part of the world today?
January 25, 2013
Some years ago I went to a book discussion. I forget the title under consideration, but I do remember some of the story. It was historic fiction about a woman who was one of the first to complete a college education to became a doctor. Among other things, it involved her problems of acceptance as that strange being, a woman who wanted to do a man's job.
At one point, the moderator asked for our thoughts about a certain scene. I remembered the scene well, and remembered my thoughts when I read it. Then I listened as one of the other women in the group spoke of what the action meant to the woman doctor. Others chimed in with similar thoughts, and further ideas on how the woman could or should have handled the situation.
I realized my thoughts about the scene had been completely different. I had considered the author's intent about writing that scene, on the words she used, and even on her skill at arousing the emotions that drove the reader (me) to quickly turn the page to read the next scene. I was reading like a writer!
Okay, I don't always read like a writer, for I read a lot, and enjoy reading immensely. However, for this book, I had known there would be a discussion, so I read it in that frame of mind. To be sure, I was a little distressed that the others hadn't discussed the writing skill that brought them the book. But upon reflection, I should have been pleased with their comments. To them, although the book was fiction, it was true. And to me, on first reading, it had been true as well. That's exactly what any author wants.
Now, since I am a writer, I do sometimes read as a writer. I devour writing magazines and blogs, looking for any scrap of advice that can improve my writing skills. I often glean bits of news or parts of stories that spark an idea—possibly a location, a quirky character, accounts of unusual events, even a turn of phrase or a strange fact. But those ideas are only a by-product of a pleasurable reading experience.
The final question remains. If I can read like a writer, can I write like a reader? And I answer that—definitely. I find that I leave out the parts I would skip, like long descriptions, meandering thoughts, and especially the road or walking trip that takes my character from one spot to another with every step or turn along the way. I trust my reader to follow along. Maybe, in my heart, I know exactly what the waitress or next door neighbor looks like, but does that really matter? Maybe I could add a few hundred words by describing every cloud in the sky, but does any reader actually read those words? So, as a writer, I'm a reader first. I want to get to the action. I hope my readers do too.
At one point, the moderator asked for our thoughts about a certain scene. I remembered the scene well, and remembered my thoughts when I read it. Then I listened as one of the other women in the group spoke of what the action meant to the woman doctor. Others chimed in with similar thoughts, and further ideas on how the woman could or should have handled the situation.
I realized my thoughts about the scene had been completely different. I had considered the author's intent about writing that scene, on the words she used, and even on her skill at arousing the emotions that drove the reader (me) to quickly turn the page to read the next scene. I was reading like a writer!
Okay, I don't always read like a writer, for I read a lot, and enjoy reading immensely. However, for this book, I had known there would be a discussion, so I read it in that frame of mind. To be sure, I was a little distressed that the others hadn't discussed the writing skill that brought them the book. But upon reflection, I should have been pleased with their comments. To them, although the book was fiction, it was true. And to me, on first reading, it had been true as well. That's exactly what any author wants.
Now, since I am a writer, I do sometimes read as a writer. I devour writing magazines and blogs, looking for any scrap of advice that can improve my writing skills. I often glean bits of news or parts of stories that spark an idea—possibly a location, a quirky character, accounts of unusual events, even a turn of phrase or a strange fact. But those ideas are only a by-product of a pleasurable reading experience.
The final question remains. If I can read like a writer, can I write like a reader? And I answer that—definitely. I find that I leave out the parts I would skip, like long descriptions, meandering thoughts, and especially the road or walking trip that takes my character from one spot to another with every step or turn along the way. I trust my reader to follow along. Maybe, in my heart, I know exactly what the waitress or next door neighbor looks like, but does that really matter? Maybe I could add a few hundred words by describing every cloud in the sky, but does any reader actually read those words? So, as a writer, I'm a reader first. I want to get to the action. I hope my readers do too.
October 7, 2012
I'd like to welcome Donna Crow to my blog.
Norma, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today. And since this is a blog exchange, as soon as your readers finish here I hope they'll come on over to my blog and read your article there: http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/arti...
And we want readers to know that we're both part of the 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back tour. If you enjoy magazine columns and Chicken Soup for the Soul books, then you're sure to enjoy our collection of essays, designed to warm your heart, raise your spirits and compel you to examine your own life. Read about school days, quirky jobs, romance, raising a family, hard times, the writing journey, and find out what makes your favorite characters tick.
Get a full listing of authors, essay titles and retailers here: http://ning.it/OknwVR
Follow the 25 Years in The Rearview Mirror Blog and Radio Tour schedule here: http://ning.it/NZpHrP
The 25 Years in 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back Mirror essays are really a good introduction to something I've been thinking about lately— What do you look for first in selecting a book, especially if the author is unknown to you? An exciting plot? Captivating characters? An enticing background? Of course, we want all of that in our stories. Along with a meaningful theme, beautiful prose and. . . Well, the list goes on. But it seems that more than anything else, it's the people that matter most.
This really came home to me when I received that all-important, long-awaited acceptance letter for A Very Private Grave , the first book in my Monastery Murders series. The editor said, "We think that Felicity is a heroine readers will really care about.” That was it. Well, of course, I was thrilled. I didn't really care why they accepted it just so long as they did! But what about my breathtaking, intricate plot that I had lost so many nights of sleep over? What about the amazing background development of sites that I had slogged through mud and wind to visit? What about all the history I had pored over in cold libraries to get just right? What about. . .
That was an excellent lesson to me. I had loved Felicity and had worked hard to make her a living, breathing character, but my editor's comment really highlighted how vital the characters are. And he's right, isn't he? We love Pride and Prejudice because we suffer with Elizabeth (well, and also because Mr. Darcy is so gorgeous!). We reread Jane Eyre countless times because living Jane's life vicariously is such an amazing experience.
Felicity started out a very different woman. Because I was using my daughter Elizabeth's experiences as background Felicity also studied classics at Oxford, found she disliked teaching school in London, went off to study theology in a college run by monks in rural Yorkshire. . .
It followed that for the first few chapters of my rough draft, Felicity was Elizabeth— sweet, devout, compliant. Fabulous qualities in a daughter, but in a heroine B-O-R-I-N-G.
So the real Felicity was born— brilliant, impulsive, loyal, headstrong. Felicity went off to become a priest so she could set the world right with no doubts that she would be able to do so. At the end of A Very Private Grave she tells Antony, "I thought I knew everything. Now I realize I don't know anything."
Antony replies, "I can’t think of a better place to start."
In A Darkly Hidden Truth Felicity, who never does anything by halves, has decided she's going to be a nun— in spite of Antony's pleas that she help him find the valuable stolen icon, in spite of the fact that her mother is about to arrive from the States unexpectedly, in spite of the fact that a dear friend has disappeared. . .
Again, Felicity has a lot to learn, and, even though it seems she must learn everything the hard way, she is making progress. Especially when it comes to choosing the course for the rest of her life. Will it be the veil or Antony?
A Darkly Hidden Truth, The Monastery Murders 2:
Felicity Howard, a thoroughly modern American woman, is studying theology in a seminary in a monastery in Yorkshire. Father Antony, her church history lecturer with whom she has solved a crime before, needs Felicity’s help to find a valuable stolen icon. But Felicity can't possibly help. She's off to become a nun. Then her impossible mother turns up unannounced. And a dear friend turns up murdered.
Felicity and Antony are launched on an adventure that takes them from remote Yorkshire to London to the soggy marshes of the Norfolk Broads. Felicity learns the wisdom of holy women from today and ages past and Antony explores the arcane rites of the Knights Hospitaller but what good will any of that do them if Felicity can't save Antony's life?
Donna Fletcher Crow is the author of 40 books, mostly novels dealing with British history. The award-winning Glastonbury, A Novel of the Holy Grail , an Arthurian grail search epic covering 15 centuries of English history, is her best-known work. She is also the author of The Monastery Murders: A Very Private Grave and A Darkly Hidden Truth , as well as the Lord Danvers series of Victorian true-crime novels and the romantic suspense series The Elizabeth & Richard Mysteries. Donna and her husband live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 adult children and 11 grandchildren. She is an enthusiastic gardener.
To read more about all of Donna’s books and see pictures from her garden and research trips go to: http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/
You can follow her on Facebook at: http://ning.it/OHi0MY
Norma, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog today. And since this is a blog exchange, as soon as your readers finish here I hope they'll come on over to my blog and read your article there: http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/arti...
And we want readers to know that we're both part of the 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back tour. If you enjoy magazine columns and Chicken Soup for the Soul books, then you're sure to enjoy our collection of essays, designed to warm your heart, raise your spirits and compel you to examine your own life. Read about school days, quirky jobs, romance, raising a family, hard times, the writing journey, and find out what makes your favorite characters tick.
Get a full listing of authors, essay titles and retailers here: http://ning.it/OknwVR
Follow the 25 Years in The Rearview Mirror Blog and Radio Tour schedule here: http://ning.it/NZpHrP
The 25 Years in 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back Mirror essays are really a good introduction to something I've been thinking about lately— What do you look for first in selecting a book, especially if the author is unknown to you? An exciting plot? Captivating characters? An enticing background? Of course, we want all of that in our stories. Along with a meaningful theme, beautiful prose and. . . Well, the list goes on. But it seems that more than anything else, it's the people that matter most.
This really came home to me when I received that all-important, long-awaited acceptance letter for A Very Private Grave , the first book in my Monastery Murders series. The editor said, "We think that Felicity is a heroine readers will really care about.” That was it. Well, of course, I was thrilled. I didn't really care why they accepted it just so long as they did! But what about my breathtaking, intricate plot that I had lost so many nights of sleep over? What about the amazing background development of sites that I had slogged through mud and wind to visit? What about all the history I had pored over in cold libraries to get just right? What about. . .
That was an excellent lesson to me. I had loved Felicity and had worked hard to make her a living, breathing character, but my editor's comment really highlighted how vital the characters are. And he's right, isn't he? We love Pride and Prejudice because we suffer with Elizabeth (well, and also because Mr. Darcy is so gorgeous!). We reread Jane Eyre countless times because living Jane's life vicariously is such an amazing experience.
Felicity started out a very different woman. Because I was using my daughter Elizabeth's experiences as background Felicity also studied classics at Oxford, found she disliked teaching school in London, went off to study theology in a college run by monks in rural Yorkshire. . .
It followed that for the first few chapters of my rough draft, Felicity was Elizabeth— sweet, devout, compliant. Fabulous qualities in a daughter, but in a heroine B-O-R-I-N-G.
So the real Felicity was born— brilliant, impulsive, loyal, headstrong. Felicity went off to become a priest so she could set the world right with no doubts that she would be able to do so. At the end of A Very Private Grave she tells Antony, "I thought I knew everything. Now I realize I don't know anything."
Antony replies, "I can’t think of a better place to start."
In A Darkly Hidden Truth Felicity, who never does anything by halves, has decided she's going to be a nun— in spite of Antony's pleas that she help him find the valuable stolen icon, in spite of the fact that her mother is about to arrive from the States unexpectedly, in spite of the fact that a dear friend has disappeared. . .
Again, Felicity has a lot to learn, and, even though it seems she must learn everything the hard way, she is making progress. Especially when it comes to choosing the course for the rest of her life. Will it be the veil or Antony?
A Darkly Hidden Truth, The Monastery Murders 2:Felicity Howard, a thoroughly modern American woman, is studying theology in a seminary in a monastery in Yorkshire. Father Antony, her church history lecturer with whom she has solved a crime before, needs Felicity’s help to find a valuable stolen icon. But Felicity can't possibly help. She's off to become a nun. Then her impossible mother turns up unannounced. And a dear friend turns up murdered.
Felicity and Antony are launched on an adventure that takes them from remote Yorkshire to London to the soggy marshes of the Norfolk Broads. Felicity learns the wisdom of holy women from today and ages past and Antony explores the arcane rites of the Knights Hospitaller but what good will any of that do them if Felicity can't save Antony's life?
Donna Fletcher Crow is the author of 40 books, mostly novels dealing with British history. The award-winning Glastonbury, A Novel of the Holy Grail , an Arthurian grail search epic covering 15 centuries of English history, is her best-known work. She is also the author of The Monastery Murders: A Very Private Grave and A Darkly Hidden Truth , as well as the Lord Danvers series of Victorian true-crime novels and the romantic suspense series The Elizabeth & Richard Mysteries. Donna and her husband live in Boise, Idaho. They have 4 adult children and 11 grandchildren. She is an enthusiastic gardener.
To read more about all of Donna’s books and see pictures from her garden and research trips go to: http://www.donnafletchercrow.com/
You can follow her on Facebook at: http://ning.it/OHi0MY
September 30, 2012
Tracy Krauss and I are exchanging blog visits today. We are both part of the 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back tour. If you enjoy magazine columns and Chicken Soup for the Soul books, then you're sure to enjoy our collection of essays, designed to warm your heart, raise your spirits and compel you to examine your own life. Read about school days, quirky jobs, romance, raising a family, hard times, the writing journey, and find out what makes your favorite characters tick. Get a full listing of authors, essay titles and retailers here: http://ning.it/OknwVR Follow the 25 Years in The Rearview Mirror Blog and Radio Tour schedule here: http://ning.it/NZpHrP
Tracy, I grew up in Washington state, just south of the Canadian province of British Columbia where you live. But that isn't where you set your latest novel. Could you tell me a little bit about your setting?
I grew up in a small prairie town. I remember well the smell of grain dust in the air in the fall during harvest time, the constant chirp of crickets in the evenings, or the way the wind grazing over the tops of the grain fields made me think of a cat's silky coat being stroked by a giant invisible hand. I loved watching a thunder storm out my front room window, taking in the power and awesomeness from the safety of the indoors while the whole thing played out across the huge expanse of sky that is such an important part of the prairie landscape. These are the memories of my childhood, and even though I no longer live there, there will always be something special about the place where I grew into an adult. I think the openness of the land and sky has a profound effect on those that are connected to it, and sometimes I long still for that sense of freedom that only comes from wide open spaces.
My latest novel, Wind Over Marshdale , is set in a town very similar to the one I grew up in. In fact, I modelled Marshdale after my hometown of Mossbank , and those that are familiar with the area will recognize many of the unique geographical features, even though the names have been changed. For instance, there is a large, shallow, alkaline lake near my hometown which is a bird sanctuary of sorts and which is considered a prime hunting area for ducks and other water fowl. Old Wives Lake was named after a Cree legend of the 'Old Wives'. In the days before the arrival of the 'white men', there were some warring tribes in the area. In order to save their village, some elderly women stayed behind in the camp near the lake and kept the fires burning. This allowed the rest of the people to escape. When their enemies saw the smoke from the fires, they raided the camp, but found only the 'old wives' – the rest of the people made it safely away to a new spot where they were no longer threatened by their enemy. I invented a new legend and call the lake 'Old Man's Lake'; still there is some similarity.
I wanted to highlight the rich cultural heritage of the area, especially the indigenous aspects, while also bringing about some modern conflict. In my book, a Cree man is heading up an archaeological dig in the area, but is met with a lot of opposition – much of it racially based. Of course, there is also romance, and some other surprises, too. I love writing about interesting characters and this book is full of them. Many of them are what I consider to be 'types' that you find in every small town. I've moved a lot in my life and most of the time I've lived in small towns. Believe it or not, you really do find these same people everywhere – the town drunk, the town 'crazy', the town busybody… I know it almost sounds cliché, but these people really do exist in almost every town I've been to! I certainly did not base any one character on a particular person, but took characteristics that I've noticed are 'typical' and created my own cast of very unique individuals.
Of all of my novels so far, I feel a special connection to WIND OVER MARSHDALE, possibly because of the memories that were invoked as I described the setting in such detail. I hope readers will sense the authenticity of the place. In a way, when you read it, it is like stepping into the world I grew up in.
The cover blurb for WIND OVER MARSHDALE by Tracy Krauss
Marshdale. Just a small farming community where nothing special happens. A perfect place to start over… or get lost. There is definitely more to this prairie town than meets the eye. Once the meeting place of aboriginal tribes for miles around, some say the land itself was cursed because of the people's sin. But its history goes farther back than even indigenous oral history can trace and there is still a direct descendant who has been handed the truth, like it or not. Exactly what ties does the land have to the medicine of the ancients? Is it cursed, or is it all superstition?
Wind Over Marshdale is the story of the struggles within a small prairie town when hidden evil and ancient medicine resurface. Caught in the crossfire, new teacher Rachel Bosworth finds herself in love with two men at once. First, there is Thomas Lone Wolf, a Cree man whose blood lines run back to the days of ancient medicine but who has chosen to live as a Christian and faces prejudice from every side as he tries to expose the truth. Then there is Con McKinley, local farmer who has to face some demons of his own. Add to the mix a wayward minister seeking anonymity in the obscurity of the town; eccentric twin sisters – one heavily involved in the occult and the other a fundamentalist zealot; and a host of other 'characters' whose lives weave together unexpectedly for the final climax. This suspenseful story is one of human frailty - prejudice, cowardice, jealousy, and greed – magnified by powerful spiritual forces that have remained hidden for centuries, only to be broken in triumph by grace.
Link to an excerpt: http://tracykrauss.yolasite.com/wind-...
Other links for Tracy Krauss:
Website: http://www.tracykrauss.com
Blog: http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpre...
FB: http://tinyurl.com/Tracy-Krauss-Autho...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TracyKrausswrtr
Amazon: http://www.kraussamazon.com
Tracy, I grew up in Washington state, just south of the Canadian province of British Columbia where you live. But that isn't where you set your latest novel. Could you tell me a little bit about your setting?
I grew up in a small prairie town. I remember well the smell of grain dust in the air in the fall during harvest time, the constant chirp of crickets in the evenings, or the way the wind grazing over the tops of the grain fields made me think of a cat's silky coat being stroked by a giant invisible hand. I loved watching a thunder storm out my front room window, taking in the power and awesomeness from the safety of the indoors while the whole thing played out across the huge expanse of sky that is such an important part of the prairie landscape. These are the memories of my childhood, and even though I no longer live there, there will always be something special about the place where I grew into an adult. I think the openness of the land and sky has a profound effect on those that are connected to it, and sometimes I long still for that sense of freedom that only comes from wide open spaces.
My latest novel, Wind Over Marshdale , is set in a town very similar to the one I grew up in. In fact, I modelled Marshdale after my hometown of Mossbank , and those that are familiar with the area will recognize many of the unique geographical features, even though the names have been changed. For instance, there is a large, shallow, alkaline lake near my hometown which is a bird sanctuary of sorts and which is considered a prime hunting area for ducks and other water fowl. Old Wives Lake was named after a Cree legend of the 'Old Wives'. In the days before the arrival of the 'white men', there were some warring tribes in the area. In order to save their village, some elderly women stayed behind in the camp near the lake and kept the fires burning. This allowed the rest of the people to escape. When their enemies saw the smoke from the fires, they raided the camp, but found only the 'old wives' – the rest of the people made it safely away to a new spot where they were no longer threatened by their enemy. I invented a new legend and call the lake 'Old Man's Lake'; still there is some similarity.
I wanted to highlight the rich cultural heritage of the area, especially the indigenous aspects, while also bringing about some modern conflict. In my book, a Cree man is heading up an archaeological dig in the area, but is met with a lot of opposition – much of it racially based. Of course, there is also romance, and some other surprises, too. I love writing about interesting characters and this book is full of them. Many of them are what I consider to be 'types' that you find in every small town. I've moved a lot in my life and most of the time I've lived in small towns. Believe it or not, you really do find these same people everywhere – the town drunk, the town 'crazy', the town busybody… I know it almost sounds cliché, but these people really do exist in almost every town I've been to! I certainly did not base any one character on a particular person, but took characteristics that I've noticed are 'typical' and created my own cast of very unique individuals.
Of all of my novels so far, I feel a special connection to WIND OVER MARSHDALE, possibly because of the memories that were invoked as I described the setting in such detail. I hope readers will sense the authenticity of the place. In a way, when you read it, it is like stepping into the world I grew up in.
The cover blurb for WIND OVER MARSHDALE by Tracy Krauss
Marshdale. Just a small farming community where nothing special happens. A perfect place to start over… or get lost. There is definitely more to this prairie town than meets the eye. Once the meeting place of aboriginal tribes for miles around, some say the land itself was cursed because of the people's sin. But its history goes farther back than even indigenous oral history can trace and there is still a direct descendant who has been handed the truth, like it or not. Exactly what ties does the land have to the medicine of the ancients? Is it cursed, or is it all superstition?
Wind Over Marshdale is the story of the struggles within a small prairie town when hidden evil and ancient medicine resurface. Caught in the crossfire, new teacher Rachel Bosworth finds herself in love with two men at once. First, there is Thomas Lone Wolf, a Cree man whose blood lines run back to the days of ancient medicine but who has chosen to live as a Christian and faces prejudice from every side as he tries to expose the truth. Then there is Con McKinley, local farmer who has to face some demons of his own. Add to the mix a wayward minister seeking anonymity in the obscurity of the town; eccentric twin sisters – one heavily involved in the occult and the other a fundamentalist zealot; and a host of other 'characters' whose lives weave together unexpectedly for the final climax. This suspenseful story is one of human frailty - prejudice, cowardice, jealousy, and greed – magnified by powerful spiritual forces that have remained hidden for centuries, only to be broken in triumph by grace.
Link to an excerpt: http://tracykrauss.yolasite.com/wind-...
Other links for Tracy Krauss:
Website: http://www.tracykrauss.com
Blog: http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpre...
FB: http://tinyurl.com/Tracy-Krauss-Autho...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TracyKrausswrtr
Amazon: http://www.kraussamazon.com
September 22, 2012
The week after Cara guested on my blog, I guested on hers. Both of us are part of the blog tour for 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back.
This is how I started: Weather is a big deal when you're on a small boat. My husband and I knew that, for we had sailed on the Intracoastal Waterway and into the Pacific Ocean. Storms can come up suddenly. We had weathered wicked storms in shallow lakes and rivers. We knew that there would be times when we battened down the hatches the summer we headed north from Chesapeake Bay all the way to Canada’s Trent-Severn Waterway System.
Cara included several of my pictures. To see them and read about the boat trip my husband and I took from Chesapeake Bay, through canals in New York and Canada, then back, follow this link. http://girlstrektoo.com/blog/2012/09/...
To follow all the posts for our blog tour, follow this link: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/25-years-in...
This is how I started: Weather is a big deal when you're on a small boat. My husband and I knew that, for we had sailed on the Intracoastal Waterway and into the Pacific Ocean. Storms can come up suddenly. We had weathered wicked storms in shallow lakes and rivers. We knew that there would be times when we battened down the hatches the summer we headed north from Chesapeake Bay all the way to Canada’s Trent-Severn Waterway System.
Cara included several of my pictures. To see them and read about the boat trip my husband and I took from Chesapeake Bay, through canals in New York and Canada, then back, follow this link. http://girlstrektoo.com/blog/2012/09/...
To follow all the posts for our blog tour, follow this link: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/25-years-in...
September 6, 2012
I'd like to welcome Cara Lopez Lee, one of my fellow authors from the brand new e-book 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back. Cara is stopping by as part of the 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror Blog Tour. (More about that below.) Cara, my first guest on this blog, is a woman with many stories to tell. She lives her life—but let her tell you how she does it, and how you can too.
Your Life is A Story
By Cara Lopez Lee
Imagine your life is a story. How will you live it? Traveling through twenty countries and most of the 50 United States has taught me the value of approaching life as an adventure. Authoring, editing, and ghostwriting a dozen books has taught me the value of approaching life as a story. I've found that the elements of a great story parallel the elements of a great adventure.
Consider this quote from one of my favorite travel writers, Tim Cahill: "An adventure is never an adventure while it's happening. Challenging experiences need time to ferment, and adventure is simply physical and emotional discomfort recollected in tranquility." Now, let's replace the word "adventure" with the word "story": A story is never a story while it's happening. Challenging experiences need time to ferment, and a story is simply physical and emotional discomfort recollected in tranquility. If we all looked through that lens, I believe we'd find more joy and less pain in life's challenges.
What's more, this kind of thinking has practical implications for writers and travelers. Consider these ways that good storytelling requires a sense of adventure, and vice versa:
The Call to Action
In storytelling, a protagonist faces obstacles to achieving something he or she desires. The resulting conflict implants a dramatic question in the reader’s mind: "Will the protagonist get the ______? find the _______? escape the ________?" It all starts with a call to action that sets the protagonist on a quest that will ultimately answer the question.
My memoir, They Only Eat Their Husbands, is the story of my nine years in Alaska, where I landed in a love triangle with two alcoholics, and the year I ran away from that life to trek around the world alone. The call to action was the explosion of my love triangle, which prompted me to leave romance behind and pursue a solo trek. The book's opening line, "Running away is vastly underrated," implies the dramatic question: "Will running away help Cara escape her addiction to dysfunctional relationships?"
Conflict
Without conflict there is no story. A story moves forward when a character faces obstacles to his or her goals. Those obstacles create conflict, which forces the character to change course. That is how a character changes and grows.
Let's rewrite that last paragraph, replacing the word "story" with "adventure," and the word "character" with "you": Without conflict there is no adventure. Your adventure moves forward when you face obstacles to your goals. Those obstacles create conflict, which force you to change course. That is how you change and grow.
One day in China, I was riding a bike to the marketplace in Xizhou. When I stopped at a hamlet to ask directions, I accidentally walked into an Islamic mosque just as the imam began calling the men to prayer. I was wearing shorts. I was terrified I had offended the villagers, but soon I found myself surrounded by people trying to help me. Dealing with those sorts of conflicts increased my confidence in myself and in the abundance of love in the world. I began to let go of my fear of being alone, a fear that had long dominated my relationships. In short: I grew.
One Moment in Time
Even big stories are made up of small moments, called scenes. Those small moments each stand in for a bigger idea. In a scene, the writer slows time down so that the reader can experience the moment more fully.
Similarly, adventure calls on us not to speed up, but to slow down, to stay in the moment. When I was in Thailand, I once climbed down a steep cliff using only a knotted rope with no harness. I knew that if I lost my grip I might die or break a limb. My sense of time slowed down.
On the other hand, sometimes time slows down because we're not fully engaged. I recently had a long wait at the DMV and I'd forgotten to bring a book. Instead of letting boredom take over, I chose to enjoy the waiting room's photo exhibit about the history of the local neighborhood. I'd never known much about Denver's Five Points neighborhood before, and I decided to return later to learn more. That's the mindset of a traveler.
Patterns Reveal the Theme
One of the human brain's unique survival skills is its tendency to seek patterns. When we write or read stories, whether fact or fiction, we're sifting life’s chaos for patterns that give us a sense of meaning.
In my memoir, I sifted my experiences for the most compelling conflicts: with the men in my past and with the people I met on my travels. With that, a story emerged about clinging to dysfunctional relationships at all costs and then journeying alone to a healthier relationship with myself. As I greeted the people of the world with a sense of adventure, I discovered that love was not something to search for, but a place to come from.
The Hero
I once took a workshop with filmmaker Alexander Phillipe, who said, "Any story is about what your protagonist desperately wants." If the character's needs come in conflict with his or her wants, even better: that creates dramatic tension. The protagonist is usually also the hero, but not always. The hero is the only person who can achieve the story goal.
In your life story, you're the protagonist. Wouldn't you also like to be the hero? This won't always mean you get what you want, but as I put it in my memoir, "The purpose of my life is not to get what I want. The purpose of my life is to become who I am."
With that in mind, let me up the ante. The next time you face a challenge, ask yourself this: "What would I do if I were the hero of my own story?" If the answer leads to unexpected things, please let me know. That's a story I'd like to read.
***
About The Author:
Cara Lopez Lee is the author of the memoir They Only Eat Their Husbands, (Ghost Road Press, 2010),
co-author of the novel Back in the Real World (Graham Publishing Group, 2011), and one of the contributing authors to the new anthology 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror (Thunder Horse Press, 2012). Her Girls Trek Too blog and workshop are dedicated to inspiring women to live life as an adventure. She has written for The Los Angeles Times, Denver Post, Wazee Journal, HGTV, and Food Network. She and her husband live in Denver, Colorado.
Visit Cara's blog, Girls Trek Too, subtitled The Life of an Adventurous Woman at: http://girlstrektoo.com/blog/
About the blog tour:
As promised above, here's more about the 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror Blog Tour. We 52 authors are so excited about the e-book, 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back, we are blogging, speaking on the radio, and reaching out to readers to tell you a little about the book.
If you enjoy magazine columns and Chicken Soup for the Soul books, then we're sure you'll enjoy our collection of essays, designed to warm your heart, raise your spirits and compel you to examine your own life. Read about school days, quirky jobs, romance, raising a family, hard times, the writing journey, and find out what makes your favorite characters tick. Get a full listing of authors, essay titles and retailers here: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/25-years-in...
Your Life is A Story
By Cara Lopez Lee
Imagine your life is a story. How will you live it? Traveling through twenty countries and most of the 50 United States has taught me the value of approaching life as an adventure. Authoring, editing, and ghostwriting a dozen books has taught me the value of approaching life as a story. I've found that the elements of a great story parallel the elements of a great adventure.
Consider this quote from one of my favorite travel writers, Tim Cahill: "An adventure is never an adventure while it's happening. Challenging experiences need time to ferment, and adventure is simply physical and emotional discomfort recollected in tranquility." Now, let's replace the word "adventure" with the word "story": A story is never a story while it's happening. Challenging experiences need time to ferment, and a story is simply physical and emotional discomfort recollected in tranquility. If we all looked through that lens, I believe we'd find more joy and less pain in life's challenges.
What's more, this kind of thinking has practical implications for writers and travelers. Consider these ways that good storytelling requires a sense of adventure, and vice versa:
The Call to Action
In storytelling, a protagonist faces obstacles to achieving something he or she desires. The resulting conflict implants a dramatic question in the reader’s mind: "Will the protagonist get the ______? find the _______? escape the ________?" It all starts with a call to action that sets the protagonist on a quest that will ultimately answer the question.
My memoir, They Only Eat Their Husbands, is the story of my nine years in Alaska, where I landed in a love triangle with two alcoholics, and the year I ran away from that life to trek around the world alone. The call to action was the explosion of my love triangle, which prompted me to leave romance behind and pursue a solo trek. The book's opening line, "Running away is vastly underrated," implies the dramatic question: "Will running away help Cara escape her addiction to dysfunctional relationships?"
Conflict
Without conflict there is no story. A story moves forward when a character faces obstacles to his or her goals. Those obstacles create conflict, which forces the character to change course. That is how a character changes and grows.
Let's rewrite that last paragraph, replacing the word "story" with "adventure," and the word "character" with "you": Without conflict there is no adventure. Your adventure moves forward when you face obstacles to your goals. Those obstacles create conflict, which force you to change course. That is how you change and grow.
One day in China, I was riding a bike to the marketplace in Xizhou. When I stopped at a hamlet to ask directions, I accidentally walked into an Islamic mosque just as the imam began calling the men to prayer. I was wearing shorts. I was terrified I had offended the villagers, but soon I found myself surrounded by people trying to help me. Dealing with those sorts of conflicts increased my confidence in myself and in the abundance of love in the world. I began to let go of my fear of being alone, a fear that had long dominated my relationships. In short: I grew.
One Moment in Time
Even big stories are made up of small moments, called scenes. Those small moments each stand in for a bigger idea. In a scene, the writer slows time down so that the reader can experience the moment more fully.
Similarly, adventure calls on us not to speed up, but to slow down, to stay in the moment. When I was in Thailand, I once climbed down a steep cliff using only a knotted rope with no harness. I knew that if I lost my grip I might die or break a limb. My sense of time slowed down.
On the other hand, sometimes time slows down because we're not fully engaged. I recently had a long wait at the DMV and I'd forgotten to bring a book. Instead of letting boredom take over, I chose to enjoy the waiting room's photo exhibit about the history of the local neighborhood. I'd never known much about Denver's Five Points neighborhood before, and I decided to return later to learn more. That's the mindset of a traveler.
Patterns Reveal the Theme
One of the human brain's unique survival skills is its tendency to seek patterns. When we write or read stories, whether fact or fiction, we're sifting life’s chaos for patterns that give us a sense of meaning.
In my memoir, I sifted my experiences for the most compelling conflicts: with the men in my past and with the people I met on my travels. With that, a story emerged about clinging to dysfunctional relationships at all costs and then journeying alone to a healthier relationship with myself. As I greeted the people of the world with a sense of adventure, I discovered that love was not something to search for, but a place to come from.
The Hero
I once took a workshop with filmmaker Alexander Phillipe, who said, "Any story is about what your protagonist desperately wants." If the character's needs come in conflict with his or her wants, even better: that creates dramatic tension. The protagonist is usually also the hero, but not always. The hero is the only person who can achieve the story goal.
In your life story, you're the protagonist. Wouldn't you also like to be the hero? This won't always mean you get what you want, but as I put it in my memoir, "The purpose of my life is not to get what I want. The purpose of my life is to become who I am."
With that in mind, let me up the ante. The next time you face a challenge, ask yourself this: "What would I do if I were the hero of my own story?" If the answer leads to unexpected things, please let me know. That's a story I'd like to read.
***
About The Author:
Cara Lopez Lee is the author of the memoir They Only Eat Their Husbands, (Ghost Road Press, 2010),
co-author of the novel Back in the Real World (Graham Publishing Group, 2011), and one of the contributing authors to the new anthology 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror (Thunder Horse Press, 2012). Her Girls Trek Too blog and workshop are dedicated to inspiring women to live life as an adventure. She has written for The Los Angeles Times, Denver Post, Wazee Journal, HGTV, and Food Network. She and her husband live in Denver, Colorado.Visit Cara's blog, Girls Trek Too, subtitled The Life of an Adventurous Woman at: http://girlstrektoo.com/blog/
About the blog tour:
As promised above, here's more about the 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror Blog Tour. We 52 authors are so excited about the e-book, 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back, we are blogging, speaking on the radio, and reaching out to readers to tell you a little about the book.
If you enjoy magazine columns and Chicken Soup for the Soul books, then we're sure you'll enjoy our collection of essays, designed to warm your heart, raise your spirits and compel you to examine your own life. Read about school days, quirky jobs, romance, raising a family, hard times, the writing journey, and find out what makes your favorite characters tick. Get a full listing of authors, essay titles and retailers here: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/25-years-in...
July 30, 2012
What does an author do with an inspiring subject on her blog? If you are innovative author Stacy Juba, you collect 52 guest blogs, compile them by subject into a book, hire your equally talented husband to craft a cover, and, with enthusiastic cheering from the guest bloggers, publish a book. That's the story behind 25 YEARS IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR: 52 AUTHORS LOOK BACK.
I happen to be one of the 52. As such, I'll let you know when that book arrives. Some of us are guesting on other blogs. I'll have a few on this blog as well. Not only that, but I, and others, will be giving away free copies.
Stacy is setting up a site for those interested in sharing their past memories, chatting about memories with each other, and getting a free peek at the works of 52 authors. What's not to like about that?
I'd put a picture on this blog, but I haven't figured out how to do that. Instead, I'll share the link to Stacy's blog telling you the whole story. Here it is: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/25-years-in...
Look for my first guest here on September 7. See you then, or before.
I happen to be one of the 52. As such, I'll let you know when that book arrives. Some of us are guesting on other blogs. I'll have a few on this blog as well. Not only that, but I, and others, will be giving away free copies.
Stacy is setting up a site for those interested in sharing their past memories, chatting about memories with each other, and getting a free peek at the works of 52 authors. What's not to like about that?
I'd put a picture on this blog, but I haven't figured out how to do that. Instead, I'll share the link to Stacy's blog telling you the whole story. Here it is: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/25-years-in...
Look for my first guest here on September 7. See you then, or before.
June 18, 2012
You know what they say about buying or selling a home. The three most important attributes of a home are location, location, and, of course, location. How about a mystery? Maybe location isn’t all three of the top choices, but it does play an important role.
This was the question I answered for Debrah Goldstein's blog today. See more of my answer at http://debrahgoldstein.wordpress.com/...
This was the question I answered for Debrah Goldstein's blog today. See more of my answer at http://debrahgoldstein.wordpress.com/...
June 1, 2012
I just read a list of first lines in the May issue of The Writer. These were, of course, for the edification (Don't you just love that word?) of the writer. I am a writer, but first I'm a reader. One thing I absolutely love is that first paragraph of a new book. Hesitantly, I pull a volume from the shelf, look at the cover, both front and back, read the blurb, then...open to the first page.
Only then will I decide. Shall I take this book to the check-out or shove it back on the shelf?
Here's a few lines I've gleaned from old favorites, new reads, and a couple from my TBR (to be read) pile. Gotta tell you though...they are all mysteries.
Three months to the day after my husband left me, I landed facedown in a cow patty. Play It Again, Spam by Tamar Myers.
Nora Halloran hurried through the hospital's parking garage, shoulders back, pepper spray clenched in shaking hands. Urgent Care by CJ Lyons.
"Orchard? What orchard?" One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly.
My teacher always told me that in order to save a patient you'd have to kill him first. Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle.
There had definitely not been a body on the second floor landing when I had run upstairs to the attic earlier in the evening. Orange as Marmalade by Fran Stewart
I drove across town following Chicken Boy, anticipation fluttering in my chest like the big yellow feathers flapping through the open window of his truck. Relative Danger by June Shaw.
The body was smack in the middle of my freshly scrubbed kitchen floor. Fred the Funky Chicken, minus his head. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly.
I had become so used to hysterical dawn phone calls that I only muttered one halfhearted oath before answering. "Peacocks," a voice said. Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews.
A full moon pierced the low mist; spreading a silver sheen over the Stellar Investigations Office Building. Nidhi sat on the steps, looking royal in a blue velvet collar, her paws curled.... The Astral Alibi by Manjiri Prabhu.
And, I rather like this one from my first mystery.
If a woman goes on vacation and leaves keys in her drawer, I say they're fair game. Yesterday's Body by Norma Huss.
This list touches only those within my immediate grasp today. Others decorate my overburdened shelves. What about you? How do you choose a book to read? Do you have a favorite first line?
Only then will I decide. Shall I take this book to the check-out or shove it back on the shelf?
Here's a few lines I've gleaned from old favorites, new reads, and a couple from my TBR (to be read) pile. Gotta tell you though...they are all mysteries.
Three months to the day after my husband left me, I landed facedown in a cow patty. Play It Again, Spam by Tamar Myers.
Nora Halloran hurried through the hospital's parking garage, shoulders back, pepper spray clenched in shaking hands. Urgent Care by CJ Lyons.
"Orchard? What orchard?" One Bad Apple by Sheila Connolly.
My teacher always told me that in order to save a patient you'd have to kill him first. Homicide In Hardcover by Kate Carlisle.
There had definitely not been a body on the second floor landing when I had run upstairs to the attic earlier in the evening. Orange as Marmalade by Fran Stewart
I drove across town following Chicken Boy, anticipation fluttering in my chest like the big yellow feathers flapping through the open window of his truck. Relative Danger by June Shaw.
The body was smack in the middle of my freshly scrubbed kitchen floor. Fred the Funky Chicken, minus his head. Curiosity Thrilled the Cat by Sofie Kelly.
I had become so used to hysterical dawn phone calls that I only muttered one halfhearted oath before answering. "Peacocks," a voice said. Murder With Peacocks by Donna Andrews.
A full moon pierced the low mist; spreading a silver sheen over the Stellar Investigations Office Building. Nidhi sat on the steps, looking royal in a blue velvet collar, her paws curled.... The Astral Alibi by Manjiri Prabhu.
And, I rather like this one from my first mystery.
If a woman goes on vacation and leaves keys in her drawer, I say they're fair game. Yesterday's Body by Norma Huss.
This list touches only those within my immediate grasp today. Others decorate my overburdened shelves. What about you? How do you choose a book to read? Do you have a favorite first line?
