Sandra Cox's Blog, page 283

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Color of Snow

Guest Post by Brenda Stanley

The Color of Snow has been described as dark or mysterious.  I feel most of my writing fits this description because I enjoy looking at the strange and unusual things in life.  My novel will definitely make some people uncomfortable.  I like to look at situations and issues and try to figure out how people will react.  For years I was a crime reporter, so I enjoy investigating stories and learning about the parts of life most people try to hide.  When I wrote The Color of Snow, I was working on a story about a young girl who went missing years ago and has never been found.  I started thinking about what would happen if she were to suddenly show up now.  I loved putting myself in Sophie’s shoes and seeing things for the first time.

Sophie’s relationship with Damien is both intense and tempered.  Her father has raised her to believe that she will destroy anyone who truly loves her, so she is torn between her love for Damien and her fear of causing him harm.

The story changes between what is going on with Sophie and what happened in her parent’s past that brought her to where she is.  I wanted readers to experience the often isolated feeling of living in a vast rural area, but also the mental confinement of a small town.

Mental illness, teen pregnancy, religious intolerance, and racism are all big parts of The Color of Snow.  I like my characters to face challenges and see them grow from them.  It is not only the conflicts with the other characters that keeps the story going, but also those within the person’s own mind.

I wanted Sophie to be unusually beautiful so that people treated her strangely and therefore made her feel even more alien when she is first discovered.  She has transformed from a tragic kidnapping victim to a mythical ghost from the past and this makes her transition into her new life even more difficult.

My ties to the Mormon Church go back to my great-great grandparents.  I was raised in the teachings of the Mormon religion and even though I am no longer a member, I have many friends and family who are still very active in the church.  My descriptions of the Mormon culture are how I view it and how I feel someone who has never been exposed to it might see it.  I think there are a lot of people who are curious about the Mormon religion and have misconceptions.  I feel I’ve been both candid and fair in my portrayal.


The Color of Snow Excerpt

Malad, Idaho, early spring 2009

Spring had spread across the fields and pastures. Cottonwood trees fluttered their newly sprouted greenery, and purple asters covered the rolling hills. The snow had melted and Stephanie and I started taking the horses on rides up the valley. It was incredibly liberating to roam and wander without fear.

There was a trail leading from the foothills up into the forest, and once we were in the midst of the wild spruce and lofty pines, the noises of cars and life around the ranch disappeared. The sound of hooves on early spring dirt was solid and steady. The breeze was still crisp, but the sun reached down and warmed our shoulders. For almost an hour we rode in silence. We both were in awe of the day and the splendor that was ours alone to enjoy.

At the top of the hill, the trail opened up to a small plateau and a blue mountain lake. I gasped at the incredible beauty of it. I smiled at Stephanie and she nodded in acknowledgement. Her eyes were bright and her freckles seemed to glow in the sunshine. The horse she rode was a black mare my grandfather was going to sell. Stephanie loved the white diamond-shaped patch on her forehead, and scolded him for even thinking about selling Black Bean. My horse was an old buckskin gelding named Clyde. He lumbered along and rarely went faster than a slow trot, but for a beginner like me he was perfect.

Stephanie turned her horse down the hill and toward the lake. “Do you want to go swimming?” she called back.

“I don’t know how,” I answered.

She giggled as she reached the water’s edge. “You don’t need to. The horses do it all.” Her hair was pulled into two short pigtails and they bounced with each step of her horse.

I waited and watched as she urged Black Bean into the water and out into the lake. As the water got deeper, the splashes became larger around its legs as it pushed forward, and soon they were floating along smoothly.

“Come on!” she yelled, waving me in. She had her legs pulled up on the sides, trying to avoid getting completely soaked. They were pale and freckled like her face, and seemed to make up most of her body. Stephanie wasn’t much taller than I, but her legs and arms were long and made her look gangly and even thinner than she was. She waved so hard she almost fell off the horse, and started laughing as she steadied herself.

It looked like fun, but I was terrified. The water was immense and dark. The largest amount of water I had ever been in was my own bathtub. I wondered what would happen if I fell off in the middle. Stephanie and Black Bean were in the center of the lake and they looked like a serene harmonious duo.

I gave Clyde a slight nudge and he walked to the shoreline. The water lapped as I waited and watched Stephanie continue to beckon. She looked like she was having a marvelous time and wasn’t worried in the least. I patted Clyde and prodded him with the heels of my sneakers. He seemed unconcerned as he clopped loudly into the water. I took a deep breath and told myself to keep looking forward and it would be okay. Clyde had no hesitation, which helped ease my fear.

The sun beat down on us and made splashes of water light up as Clyde moved forward into the water. The splatters that hit my exposed skin were freezing and made me realize how cold it would be if I did fall in. I fixed my eyes on the opposite shoreline and put my faith in Clyde. The horse had a wide back, and as we got deeper into the lake, I curled my legs back the way Stephanie did and clung to his mane. We were riding bareback that day, because Stephanie didn’t want to spend time putting on saddles.

I held my breath as we got further away from the shore and closer to the very center of the lake. At one point I looked down, staring deep into the abyss. There was no bottom, and I felt my stomach turn, knowing I would surely die if I left Clyde’s back.

As the horse rhythmically propelled us along, I began to feel a sense of buoyancy and freedom. When we crossed the center point and were on our way to the other shore, my confidence turned to elation. I started to breathe again and smiled at what I had accomplished. I sat up straight, closed my eyes and imagined I was flying, gliding along on my winged unicorn, soaring through clouds and racing the wind. When I opened my eyes, I giggled at my foolish imagination, but couldn’t help beaming at what an amazing adventure it was.

When the horse’s hooves made contact with the lake bottom and we started to emerge from the water, I wanted to burst from relief and joy. “That was the most wonderful thing ever!”


Brenda Stanley's Bio:
Brenda Stanley is the former news anchor at her NBC affiliate KPVI in Eastern Iadho. Her writing has been recognized by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, the Idaho Press Club and the Society for Professional Journalists. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Brenda lived for two years in Ballard, Utah, within the Fort Duchesne reservation where the novel is set. She and her husband live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses and dogs.


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All You Have To Do....

Is Enjoy The Weekend The beast placed one huge paw in front of the other as it lumbered along the cave’s ledge.
Hungry, it whined.~-~Minder

Something's Lost.....

Title: Something’s Lost and Must Be Found: Seven Short Tails of Inspiration on a Long Leash
Author: Lisa Begin-Kruysman
Publisher: Self
Length: 99 pages/23,500 words
Genres: Non-Fiction, Animal Care & Pets, Dogs

Available at:Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle Edition)
Currently boasting 37 Five Star Reviews on Amazon! Recently nominated as a "give-away" for World Book Night by an avid dog-book reader.
Blurb The seven short tales in this collection were written by a dog-lover to be enjoyed by those who cherish or are guardians of man’s best friends. Each story stands alone, connected only by a theme of things “lost and found.” In each instance characters find resolution through the help of some search and rescue dogs of the soul; a mother coping with a tragic loss, a father trying to reconnect with his son, a teen-age girl dealing with some weighty issues, a jobless young man attempting to regain his humanity, a single woman searching for self-worth, and a loyal dog-owner watching over his beloved dog that is searching for his “true and happy home.”
These stories evoke that feeling a human gets when after letting a dog off-leash to run freely, their best furry friend returns for a mini-reunion, requesting to be led back home. At that moment all is right in the world. Even those who aren’t among the legion of dog-loving Americans can make a personal connection with these stories, one that resonates in some area of their life.
Excerpt From Title Story I walked down the road calling “Tony, Tony,” like a robotic recording, wandering down to the shoreline where happy beachgoers and their dogs scurried and skidded in the sand, darting in and out of the foamy residue of receding waves. Scanning the horizon I hoped for a glimpse of Antonio, trying not to think of his fate if he’d been pulled out to sea by the tide.
Not ready to return home, I left the beach, traveling on a path that led away from the condo. Above me, twisted branches of Live Oak dripping with feathery grey Spanish moss arched and met forming a canopy. In the dark tunnel of trees I cursed this place, a place I had trusted to help me heal, no longer a last resort for hope; but a tourist trap of lost souls.
What had happened to my heart? I wondered bitterly. It had become so hardened that I’d been unable to offer love to a poor little dog when he’d needed it mos. Now I would probably never get another chance.
About the Author: Lisa Begin-Kruysman lives in Ocean County, New Jersey, with her husband, Rich and Portuguese water dog, Hooper. Her short fiction has garnered national recognition in writing competitions sponsored by Calliope Writers and Writer’s Digest Magazine. In 2010, the author launched a blog dedicated to the venerable National Dog Week Movement established in 1928. With over one-hundred posts to-date, she has learned that now, more than ever, there is a need for an intelligent exchange about the state of the dog in the states of the nation. To learn more about National Dog Week and to be part of the next chapter, please go to http://nationaldogweekbook.wordpress.com. In an informed and enlightened world, every dog can have its day and hopefully its week, too.a Rafflecopter giveaway  


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The Quintedssential Gemini

With us today is Linn Halton. Tell us Linn, are you a plotter or a pantster?Both (laugh)!  I always tend to ‘over-prepare’ but because I never say one word when I can say twenty, then I prepare too much material.  Recently I’ve come to realise that ad-libbing is not a problem for me, I can easily over-run no matter how long a spot I’m given.  So I’ve started writing cue cards with trigger points to keep me on track.The problem I find is that I’m very passionate about things I believe in and my enthusiasm simply runs away with me.  Everyone should have several passions in their life and I firmly believe that life is what you make it.  Seek out the happiness and spread the sunshine.Do you have critique partners or work alone?I work alone but then have a small network of people who read whatever I’ve written.  My husband is always the first to read whatever I write and he has an inquiring mind, so will pick up on anything loose ends if I’ve missed them!  One of my advance readers only usually reads biographies or psychic/spiritual self-help books, so that’s really useful.  When someone reads something in a genre that doesn’t interest them the feedback tends to be very honest!What is your zodiac sign and what characteristic of your sign aids you as a writer?I’m a Gemini, but what compounds that is that I could easily become obsessive compulsive about virtually everything in life.  I’m a ‘clean and tidy freak’, love order in everything and use spreadsheets and lists to organise myself.  However, over the years I have learnt to relax and think about what is important, rather than let a compulsive nature completely take over my life.I love being a Gemini and feel I’m pretty typical but I also think that some of the family traits I have inherited mean that some of those qualities are magnified.  However, it is clear from following my star charts that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing at this stage in my life.  Whilst I always knew from a young child that I would sit down and write at some point in my life, it wasn’t until 2009 that the ‘me’ time presented itself.  My stars at that time indicated, and often mentioned, I would be spending my time creatively and even suggested writing a novel.  So I take each day as it comes and see where it takes me.What are Gemini characteristics?Geminis tend to be adaptable, versatile and very lively.  Youthful throughout our lives in the way we look at things, eloquent and our communication tends to be edged with a sense of humor.  On the dark side we can be nervous and tense, overly-inquisitive at times – always mentally active, even when we are trying to relax!  It’s a real mixed bag of traits and one of the worrying factors is that sometimes we get so caught up with the task in hand that it is easy to forget to enjoy the moment.  Remembering to have some ‘down’ time, rather than working constantly is a big issue for me, but my husband helps keeps an eye on that! Tell us something that would surprise us about you.When I was a teenager I trained to be a dancer.  From the age of seven through to sixteen I trained at least three nights a week and most weekends.  I had a dancing partner and entered many competitions winning a box full of medals.  I was also an assistant teacher at one of the class groups from the age of fourteen.  I lived to dance and Latin American was my all-time favourite. The paso doble in particular I found fiery and enthralling – it was a good way to spend my youth!Title: The Quintessential GeminiAuthor: Linn B. HaltonPublisher: Sapphire Star PublishingLength: 305 pagesGenres: Contemporary Romance
Available at:Sapphire Star Publishing
Blurb:For twenty-one years, the focus of Katherine Dale’s life has been her work. Love interests and hobbies came and went, but what has always been there for her—her only constant other than her cat delightfully named No. 4—was her nine to five habit. Until she’s replaced.
With her confidence dented, Katherine is angry at life and at herself.
She’s ignored hints of “changes to come” in her horoscope forecasts, written by the wonderful and renowned astrologer, Mark Ainsley-Thomas. 
Mark is now an “A” list celebrity in the UK and his new Agent is determined to raise his profile in America, so he has to take on the new, but talented, astrologer James Kingman to help him run his web-site.
Katherine lives her life according to her daily horoscope. When Katherine finds James has been writing her daily horoscopes rather than Mark, Katherine’s life explodes in confusion and, unexpectedly, love as the three lives become inextricably tangled.  Insecurity, self-doubt, guilt, stress, and frustration, coupled with village gossips and merciless reporters wanting eye-catching headlines leave Katherine feeling vulnerable and in need of guidance. 
Now Katherine has to learn that the stars might be telling her that love is going to feature in her life, but when Katherine finds herself implicated in the headlines ‘Mystic Love Triangle Surprise’ she’s just as surprised as everyone else! None of the men in her life are love interests – so what exactly does fate have in store?
Excerpt: My life is falling apart. I knew it, Mark isn’t writing the forecasts and a guy named James has now admitted this to me. I don’t have a problem with that at all, but what I need at this particular moment in time is Mark’s insightful guidance. He seems to be able to tap into the very essence of my life and give simple, yet incredibly relevant, clues. James, on the other hand, is probably catering for the masses; hence, I’m finding I can’t relate to anything he says. It took me all day yesterday emailing James, whom I assumed was Mark, to get to the bottom of the problem. Today is Wednesday and the talk is on Friday evening. Everyone in town is buzzing about it and this could be major humiliation. What should I do?
I finally emailed James, asking very politely for Mark’s personal contact details. He came back with a standard, “Mark unfortunately isn’t available to…” I didn’t panic, just took a deep breath and turned to the internet. I found an interesting article about Mark and learned that he gives personal readings. Yes. Thankfully, the email address is different to the one on the Website. I dashed off a few words, asking whether he was available, and what I needed to do. That was four-thirty yesterday and I haven’t had a response yet.
I was up at six this morning and have been frantically checking my emails virtually every ten minutes. It’s now eleven thirty and the strain is beginning to tell. I can’t write, can’t eat, and can’t think straight. If Friday night is going to be a flop, then I need advance warning so that I can cancel. I’m having problems thinking of an excuse that doesn’t sound lame. If I say I’m unwell, it probably means leaving it to the last minute and then I’ll be scrutinized and will have to hide for a week. If I say something like “I’m too busy” or even tell the truth, that I’m really just a novice myself, the locals will probably think I’m not taking them seriously. In my defense, I never said to Tom I was a writer, I just said I was writing a novel. The problem is that Tom seems to be basking in some sort of local glory for being in the know and, I hear, regularly having coffee with our famous local writer. This I found out when I was in the library the other day and overheard two women talking. Everything is getting out of hand and I don’t know what to do next.
No. 4 flounces into the room with a loud meow, walks around the kitchen table twice, and then just as quickly disappears. Even he can sense the tense atmosphere that hovers like a rain cloud in the room. Suddenly I spot a flashing icon on my screen and I dash over to the table and sit down. It’s from Mark, well his representative, the person who books his personal appointments.
From: Kate on behalf of Mark Ainsley-Thomas
To: Ms K Dale
Dear Katherine
Unfortunately, Mark is touring this week, attending a number of book signings around the country. He is sorry that he is unlikely to be able to commit to a personal sitting for at least three months due to his unusually busy schedule.
I am able to offer you an individual, full chart reading service, which Mark oversees personally, and I can arrange this upon receipt of the detailed information listed on the attachment. This service is available at a cost of £19.95.
Thank you for contacting Mark and please do not hesitate to let me know if you would like the full chart reading service.
Yours sincerely Kate Personal Assistant to Mark Ainsley-Thomas
I suddenly feel like I have a lifeline.
About the Author: Linn B Halton lives in the UK, in the small Gloucestershire village of Arlingham, on the banks of the River Severn with her adorable husband and cat with attitude – Mr Tiggs! She writes romantic fiction with a psychic or astrological theme and many of the paranormal events that feature in her books are real life experiences.
Linn is also a featured new Author on http://loveahappyending.com/ and Editor of the feature ‘Author & Associate Catch-Ups’ including ‘Reader/Author Team Reports’ on the website’s magazine-style blog.
SSP Author Page: http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/linnbhaltonLinn’s Author Page: http://loveahappyending.com/linn-b-halton/Twitter Account @LinnBHalton: http://bit.ly/ksXMDSFacebook Author Linn B Halton: http://on.fb.me/mnvJJs


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Happy 4th of July and 50% off Muse Books

Enjoy Your 4th

All my books at Smashwords are 50% off this month and Shardai is free. Just use the coupon code SSW50
smashwords.com 

No Winged Visitors Today

Instead of winged, our latest visitor was of the hooved  variety. Isn't she something? I was in the house and she was a bit of a distance away but she looked straight at me through the window. She knew I was there. She stayed around till I stepped out on the screened-in porch. At that point, she must have caught my scent because she left immediately.

More Than Just Another Pretty Piece of Tail

Got your attention? Our guest, Nadia Scrieva, is going to talk about exactly that.
What makes a mermaid a mermaid? If you ask anyone, their first answer will probably be that mermaids have tails. Now, there would be advantages to having a tail when it came to mobility in the water, but what about breathing? Can mermaids even breathe underwater? Most folklore says they do. If this is so, then how exactly do mermaids accomplish this feat? Certainly not with their tails. Fish do not breathe with their tails—they use gills near their mouths to draw the oxygen from water. It seems there must be more to the legendary creatures than meets the eye. Are mermaids then marine mammals, similar to dolphins and whales? Do they travel to the surface frequently and hold their breaths for long periods of time? Most folklore does not have mention of mermaids running out of air and needing to travel to the surface. These are some of the questions I considered when researching the biology of the mermaids in the Sacred Breath series. As an Anthropology student, I wanted the creature to be believable and realistic, with a side helping of mythical and cryptic. It seemed necessary to me that mermaids should be able to breathe underwater, but the tails seemed ridiculous and unnecessary. It could be possible for humans to have amphibious lungs in order to process both air and water. While researching this, I discovered many biological human oddities, such as women who had two uteruses, and it inspired me to craft a second pair of lungs. It could have begun as a genetic mutation which was honored and preserved—a person with the ability to breathe underwater could have been considered divine or holy, and encouraged to bear many children. Humans do exist who are able to hold their breath for longer periods of time, because their bodies require less oxygen. There are so many special cases that I believed that the mermaid could exist as a secretive human being who had branched off from society and thousands of years ago, possessing only a few important differences: ·         A second pair of lungs. These lungs are the “balloon” type with a larger surface area which allows the mermaids to breathe underwater. 
·         Reduced bone density in their legs and increased muscle tone and flexibility to allow for better swimming.  This provides a disadvantage as their legs grow tired easily on land.
·         Albinism. Reduced melanin when in deep water to allow for vitamin D absorption. This is a rare trait only found in the royal families, which turns their hair white and skin fair underwater. Conversely, they tan heavily above the surface. 
·         Night vision. If mermaids spent their time deep in the sea and far from sunlight, it would be useful for them to see in the dark. Many mammals have a reflective layer in their eyes called a tapetum lucidum which promotes enhanced night vision. It was not too much of a stretch to give my mermaids this ability.
·         Extended lifespan, or decreased senescence. Some of the oldest living organisms are marine creatures, and there are even many which are considered “biologically immortal” such as lobsters and jellyfish. This was my reasoning for making it so that the maximum lifespan of mermaids was approximately 10x that of humans. They can live to about a thousand years instead of just a hundred. 
·         Stronger vocal chords for underwater vocalizations, although they mostly communicate with a universal sign language. This attribute makes them excellent singers when above land. 
As you can see, the mermaids of the Sacred Breath are rich and complex beings with bodies primed for life under the sea. In addition to these handy biological traits, they also possess intricately developed traditions, belief systems, and politics which have also been developed under the influence of their aquatic environment. Unlike inaccurate portrayals in most media, the bodies of mermaids should be closer to humans than fish; they are definitely more than another pretty piece of tail! 
Drowning Mermaids Blurb:
Deep under Arctic waters lies an ice kingdom carved into a glacier. Those who dwell within it possess magnificent biological secrets. Due to the dangers of impending war, the Princess of Adlivun is forced to flee her undersea utopia and regroup with her sisters in Alaska.

Captain Trevain Murphy is a successful king crab fisherman who has spent his life building his empire above the sea, and knows nothing of the empire beneath it. When he meets a mysterious dancer whose father has recently died, he extends kindness towards her, unaware of her unique genetics and royal lineage.
Trevain's attraction to the enigmatic Aazuria Vellamo will involve him in dangerous designs that will forever change his life, and his perspective on himself and his world. He embarks on perilous journeys in which he will need to release all of his insecurities and inhibitionsin order to survive.
Excerpt:
It was his angel. He knew her, although she looked nothing like before. She was his Aazuria, his mythical heroine. In the dancing glow of the oil blaze, she was simply too dazzling to be real and he knew that he must be dying. As she hovered in suspension before him, her skin and hair were almost luminous in the dark water, almost phosphorescent. Perhaps she never had been real. It did not matter—she was firmly grasping his hands, and it sent a feeling of comfort and tranquility through him. He knew that she loved him.
He could see forgiveness and acceptance in her expression. None of the turmoil between them mattered any longer in this pacific moment. In her benevolent gaze, he could finally forgive himself. He smiled at her, although his vision was fading, and the world was disappearing. He tightly gripped her hands to thank her for coming back for him. He could not bear the thought of letting go; he did not want to be robbed of her touch. He tried to keep his eyes open for as long as possible, to keep looking into her unfamiliar ultramarine orbs. So this was what she really looked like, in her element. He wished he could have known her true form. It was mystical.
Trevain could imagine no better way to die. No better sight to see the last time he closed his eyes. A peaceful smile descended on his face, and the captain’s tired eyes closed for what he knew to be the last time ever. 
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
[image error] Nadia Scrieva was born in 1988 in Toronto, Canada. She studied English and Anthropology, graduating with an Honors B.A. from the University of Toronto in 2011. She likes knives. Writing has been the most meaningful part of her life since she was a child. Nadia loves receiving feedback from readers, so do not hesitate to contact her with any of your comments, questions, ideas, or just to say hello. 
Website: www.NadiaScrieva.com  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NadiaFansTwitter: https://twitter.com/#!/NadiaScrievaBlog: http://nadiascrieva.blogspot.ca/


Nadia will giving away an eBook copy of Drowning Mermaids to one randomly drawn commenter at every stop. Don't forget to leave your email addie.
Here's the tour dates. The more comments the better your chances of winning.  http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2012/05/virtual-book-tour-sacred-breath-series.html

And The Winner of The Minder Contest Is......

Sapphyria! Congratulations.

Yay, It's Friday

Enjoy the weekend.....................