Lizzi Tremayne's Blog, page 19
July 23, 2015
Blogging on over at Anastasia Pollack’s Blog AND at The Romance Reviews!
Today I’m blogging at not one, but two other sites, about New Zealand and a BEAUTIFUL place there, and how it happened that seeing the sign, and then the place, radically changed the ending of my third novel, A Sea of Green Unfolding!
The first (because it was really yesterday) is at
The Romance Reviews
and the second is at
Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers
the blog of Anastasia Pollack,
crafts editor and reluctant amateur sleuth!
Come on by with your cuppa, have a read and comment!
Enjoy!
Goodnight!
Lizzi
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: 1860, A Long Trail Rolling, A Sea of Green Unfolding, Aleksandra, Auckland, historical, horses, Hunua Falls, immigrant, Lizzi Tremayne, Maori, New Zealand, New Zealand; north island; writing; care; short story;, The Hills of Gold Unchanging, warrior, warriors, Xavier
July 22, 2015
In Praise of Coffee Table Books
Great blog on bringing the world into your home…with coffee table books. :)
Thanks E.!
Lizzi
Originally posted on Authors of Main Street:
A rather loud thunderstorm on Sunday afternoon got me thinking about things to which I hadn’t given two seconds of thought in years. Coffee 
table books! No one bothers with coffee tables anymore. They are completely passé, thank goodness! The number of times I’ve crammed my toes on the legs of those things… (My mom used to swear if I didn’t run barefoot all the time, I wouldn’t have a problem.)
When I married, I soon discovered the coffee table was a clutter catcher. It was also a great place for folding laundry. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the money to spend on coffee table books, and there was no point in 
showing off my intellectual genius, as I barely had time for such pursuits anyway. Besides most of my friends were in the same boat as I was. Furthermore, they wouldn’t have cared if I was fluent in French, found…
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July 15, 2015
On Giving Up. For authors, and, well, everyone else.
Great post, thanks Bob! Reposted here. :)
Originally posted on Write on the River:
“Look to your left. Look to your right. One of you won’t be here by the time this is over.”
That seems to be the refrain for many authors now (actually it would be more accurate to say: none of you will be here if you believe that BS). I’m reading the ranting and raving about Amazon changes in KU, about the planets not being in cycle, about a monopoly by Amazon (while still selling your books on it) about this and that, and frankly, my dear, I don’t give a shit.
The opening statement was one we got at the start of Beast Barracks at West Point and most of the schools we went to in Special Ops. From the Special Forces Q-Course, Ranger, Jumpmaster (we graduated 14 of 87, and all were already Spec Ops qualified—tough, smart men), Danish Fromandkorpset Combat Swim, Mountain Climbing, Winter Warfare, Survival, Aardvark…
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May 26, 2015
A Long Trail Rolling by Lizzi Tremayne.
Nice, Bob! Thanks! L
Originally posted on Bobs Books Blog:
A Long Trail Rolling by Lizzi Tremayne. Pub.Blue Mist Publishing, 2015.
I was so glad to read this High School/Young adult novel because it embraced two of my favourite genre, westerns and romance, but it is a lot more than that with the author herself describing it as historical/adventure fiction.
Set in the Utah Territory of the 1860’s it is about an 18 year old immigrant Polish girl named Aleksandra who disguises herself as a boy and becomes a rider on the Pony Express, a job advertised only for skinny, young, expert riders, preferably orphans.
Before this happens her father is murdered by a Cossack henchman of the Czar of Russia called Vladimir who has followed Aleksandra and her family to America because they possess an elixer made from a plant found on the Steppes that not only treats depression but gives the user incredible stamina and strength. The Czar…
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May 6, 2015
Teachers…Which special ones do you remember?
Hi all,
A recent FB post made me sit down and write a little about some of the teachers in High School who made a huge difference to my life…
Pescadero High School, Pescadero, CA… a huge place, with all of a hundred students from 9-12 grade. Some of us came from nearly Woodside, some 45 minutes to an hour on the bus, especially those as far away as the Bergmans on Skyline Boulevard. :)
Here’s what I remember about my HS teachers…
:) Patty O, you did so much for me. Western Civ, Yearbook, Newspaper, English… you’ll be pleased to know I’ve just published my first novel, A Long Trail Rolling, a western historical romantic adventure fiction… and the second and third are half done…I’m sure you’re watching me from above with your yardstick… best get it right… Tony Magagnini, always will love you to bits! You made Civics bearable, and were brave enough to teach us all to drive, AND took us up to San Fran for the last drive with us… Amazing. Thanks for coming for dinner with us all when we were over visiting from NZ, Miss Light, I’ve done lots of bio AND cooking! Mrs. Morgan.. your Espanol held me in good stead in University, until met a professor from ARGENTINA… the only class I ever QUIT… Mr. Raney, sorry I didn’t realise until way too late just what a spectacularly gifted man you were… and having taught guitar at primary schools when my sons were taking it, I now understand just what you did with the brats from three primary and one high school… you were amazing. I’m sure you’re watching from up there, with your balding pate shining in the sun of the gods as you smiled your way through yet another rendition of the Chambarita tune… you were amazing. Mrs. Curry, you taught us maths… You’d be pleased to know I ended up doing heaps of maths (uni calc) and sciences on my way to vet school, and through it….Oh yeah, and now I’m teaching high school… mostly sciences and maths… in NZ. Thanks for the great role models. XXX
SO, guys and gals, which high school teachers do you remember made the biggest impact upon your life? Would love to hear!
Thanks!
Back to writing!
XX
Lizzi
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: A Long Trail Rolling, civics, English, Espanol, History, La Honda, math, music, newspaper, Pescadero, Pescadero High School, science, Skyline, Spanish, teacher, Western Civilisation, Woodside, yearbook
April 23, 2015
You’ll Have to Excuse Me…
If you’re not horsey, but those of you who ARE will completely understand this.
XX
Just when I thought it was safe to get in the car and drive.. and this comes up. :)
Riders, read it and weep… oh, it’s for their partners to weep.. DRIVE!
Even better in a combined drive carriage behind warmbloods!
:)
Good evening, all!
L
Check this out…. (click on the “this” link…. :P)
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April 17, 2015
…And… Blogging again, at Jessie Clever’s site! (short notice!)
HI ALL!
I’m blogging today (at short notice!) at http://wp.me/p33WNt-tz , Jessie Clever’s site!
Come on over to hear more lurid details about my writing!
:)
XX
Lizzi Tremayne
Filed under: Uncategorized
April 15, 2015
Blogging NOW (yes, today, for the next 24 hours or so!) at TRS, in the UK
I’m blogging right NOW on over at TRS, in the UK, so they should be waking up to it, at this link…
The Romance Studio Blog– TRS
Come on over and take a look!
Please Share? Thanks so much!
FOR any of YOU from Polska!!!
Plenty of Polish bits, including my own recipe for Zurek and Zakwas!
:)
XX
Lizzi
Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: 1860, A Long Trail Rolling, Aleksandra, California, character arcs, drive, historical, horses, immigrant, La Honda, Lizzi Tremayne, New Zealand, Poland, Pony Express, pony express station, Russia, suspense, writing
April 14, 2015
Book Review: A Long Trail Rolling, by Lizzi Tremayne
The official Book Review!
Originally posted on Available in selected bookstores nationwide.
Enter here for a giveaway of this title.
An impressive debut from a New Zealand (ex-American) author. A Long Trail Rolling takes the reader on a journey to the wild west, to the trials and conflict faced by the enterprising souls determined to tame it and make it their home.
This is a romance, a western, and an adventure story, all rolled up into a compelling read. Our heroine, Aleksandra, lived with her father, a fur trapper, in an isolated canyon in Utah. When she finds his body, murdered and discarded in a crevice, her life takes a sudden and dramatic turn. Her father had a secret, and someone else – somewhere deadly and dangerous – is after it, and will stop at nothing to seize it.
Aleksandra must leave her peaceful life behind her, retreating with little more than her sturdy pony, Dzien. She…
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A Long Trail Rolling–Aleks and Xavier meet…and sparks fly…
Hello All!
Here’s a bit of the story from when Aleksandra and Xavier have just met… and clashed, just a little… :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She saw the men exchange glances over her head.
‘Aleksandra, is that safe? You know about the unrest between the Pah-Utes and the settlers’ army, don’t you?’ Xavier brushed his hair back from his face with his hand, the light reflecting off the signet ring on his middle finger.
She scowled at the dark Californio. ‘My father is blood-brother to the ShoshoneChief,’ she tossed her head at him, ‘of course I’ll be welcome in their village.’
Xavier’s face shadowed and his lips tightened to a fine line. ‘It’s your funeral.’ He turned from her and moved to stand just outside the door, staring off into the distance.
‘Children, children,’ Scotty muttered under his breath and shook his head. ‘Aleks, I’m sorry to remind you of him, but who’s this “Vladdie”? We need to get word ’round so we kin bring ‘im to justice.’
She dragged her gaze back to Scotty from where she found it, perusing the handsome stranger’s broad shoulders and trim hips in snug leather leggings.
‘That’s the scary part, Scotty,’ she paused and looked back at Xavier. Despite her anger, she had to admit he was a fine figure of a man, with raven blue-black hair past the collar of his buckskin shirt and sparking brown eyes, nearly black when she fell into them as she awoke…
She shook her head and refocused, turning to Scotty.
‘Vladimir Chabardine. Cossack arms master, servant of the Tsar, armed and extremely dangerous. Papa’s nemesis.’ She looked down at the ground, pausing until her voice returned.
‘OKyy….’ Scotty ventured, eyebrows raised. ‘How will we know ‘im?’
‘Unfortunately, I don’t know what he looks like. He’s Russian or Ukrainian. Papa said he had blond hair, probably gray by now, and a strong accent. He’s ten years older than Papa. He’ll handle a horse and a shashka like a Cossack, but further than that, I know nothing,’ she said, dropping her eyes to the floor and looking away.
‘Sure that’s all y’know?’ Scotty raised his eyebrows at her.
Why do I get the feelin’ there’s somethin’ she ain’t tellin’ me?
‘Well, Rogan’s missing,’ the trader saw Aleksandra bite the side of her cheek, ‘so I imagine he’ll have taken him. He’s an unusual horse for these parts, wouldn’t you think?’ Aleksandra’s eyes seemed to hold a challenge and this time she didn’t look away.
Scotty tilted his head sideways and pursed his lips. ‘What else, girlie?’
Aleksandra squirmed and was silent for a moment before she burst into action and spun toward the door. ‘Well, gentlemen, thanks for the shut-eye, but it’ll be dark before I get home as it is, so I’d best get going,’ she said, then stopped short.
‘Oh no, the Furs! And Dzień!‘ she wailed and turned back to face the men.
‘Dinna fash, mo nighean. I kept the buyer here since yeste’day ’cause I knew ye were comin’. He’s paid fer yer pelts ‘n gone.’ Scotty rumpled her hair.
She smiled her thanks, color returning to her cheeks.
‘And that pony, he’s got a heart o’ gold. Ye dinna need to go, yon wee man’s in the stable, munching’ away with me old geldin’.’
Aleksandra’s chest heaved in a deep sigh. ‘What would I do without you, Scotty?’
‘It’s the least I kin do fer you and yer da,’ Scotty remarked, his voice becoming gruff as he spoke, and a tear glistened in his eye.
‘Papa wouldn’t have been pleased to see Dzień abused so, but there was nothing else for it. He never even slowed down.’ She looked at the floor.
‘Aye, but he’s a bonny one.’ Scotty smiled.
‘It would’ve meant the world to Papa, knowing we made it on time and our year’s work wasn’t for naught.’ Scotty was pleased to see a hint of the girl’s normal glow showing in her eyes, beneath the wet lashes.
‘Right ye are, missy.’ He raised his brows at her. ‘Now, d’ye want me to hold some o’ the money fer now so it canna be taken off ye by highwaymen?’
‘Thanks, Scotty, please keep it all here. I don’t need it yet.’
‘Are ye sure ye need t’leave tonight?’ Scotty was unconvinced. ‘It’s getting’ mighty late, we could make you a bed o’sorts.’
Aleksandra’s eyes narrowed at the dark man still standing in the doorway.
‘I’d rather risk the highwaymen and the wild animals for tonight, thanks. I’ve got my shashka and bow.’
There was a choking sound from the entrance, then Xavier mumbled something about checking the horses and disappeared outside. Scotty turned away and coughed to hide his chuckle from the pair.
Xavier was harnessing Dzień to the wagon when Aleksandra came outside.
‘I can do that,’ she snapped, rushing to the side of the pony, her blue eyes icy and cheeks flushed pink. Xavier smiled at her back as she hurried around to the pony’s other side to finish.
‘I’m sure you can, Querida, but I’m happy to help,’ he said, wrapping a breeching strap around the shaft and buckling it snugly.
‘Thanks,’ she gritted out, looking away as her hands slid down Dzień’s rump towards the crupper.
‘Any possibility you might tell me just why you went loco on me back there?’ Xavier watched her brows drop as she stared at a strap she’d just buckled too tightly. Her lips tightened further as she readjusted it.
‘I want nothing to do with people who insult my friends.’
‘Como, what?’ He shook his head and blinked at her.
‘My friends, the Shoshone, the only friends I have left alive, other than Scotty,‘ she said from between clenched teeth, and then slumped, sobbing, against Dzień.
Cautious of her all-too-effective looking sword, Xavier slowly approached her. He slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him, watchful for any fast moves on her part, not caring if her tears soaked his shirt. How long they stayed like this, he neither knew nor cared. Once her sobs quieted, he slipped his fingers under her chin, lifting her face to stare into the watery depths of her blue eyes.
‘OK now, Querida?’
‘As OK as possible, I guess.’ She dropped her head again. ‘The Shoshone are like family to me, especially since Mama died,’ she murmured into his shirt.
‘Are you sure you won’t stay here? I’ll sleep in the stable, if it would make you happier.’
She closed her eyes and was still.
‘No, it’s OK. I’m sorry, Xavier. I’m upset, but that’s no excuse for my nastiness. Thank you for this.’ She nodded her head at his tearstained chest.
‘De nada. It is nothing.’ He smiled. ‘May I accompany you to your home, at least?’
‘No, really, I’m fine, thank you again. I’d better go farewell Scotty, it’s getting late.’
‘If you’re sure…’ Xavier shook his head and followed Aleksandra back inside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you enjoyed that tidbit, other excerpts here, or go to the Store page!
Take care!
Lizzi
Filed under: Book promotion A Long Trail Rolling, The Long Trails series Tagged: 1860, A Long Trail Rolling, Aleksandra, bellyband, carriage, crupper, dogcart, drive, driving, gig, harness, historical, horses, Lizzi Tremayne, Poland, Pony Express, reins, romance, suspense, Utah, writing
