Pamela Schloesser Canepa's Blog, page 69
July 20, 2017
A Visit to Jax. Beaches… Echoes of My Neighborhood #photos
This morning I enjoyed a beach walk with my son. It is much too crowded on the weekends, so now is the time! The dunes are beautiful at our beach. There are signs telling people to ” stay off.” For good reason, I am sure.
Walking the beach is something we both like to do. He is quiet comp, but as we walk, I feel any stress melting away. I imagine that’s why he likes it so much. We broke my heat survival rule: must hit the beach before 9 a.m., but optimise of iced coffee got me through!
After walking, we stopped by Breezy Coffee Shop Cafe on 8th St. so I could get my iced coffee. It is a small, cozy cafe in a quaint two story house, located next to a surf/ clothing shop with this beautiful mural on one side. I love the Arts in Jacksonville!
Speaking of the Arts in Jacksonville, I got my copy of Folio Weekly at the coffee shop which features an article on a woman who has opened several businesses that support the Arts in Jacksonville. I included this photo because it says a lot about my town. The Folio reflects our town quite well every week, in fact!
I apologize for not taking a photo of my coffee. My phone was acting up in the coffee shop. The iced coffee was great, though, and an excellent reward after the walk. At least there is a breeze on the beach when you walk! It was nice to get out and away from the computer. I’ll have to do this next week, as well.
*Echoes of My Neighborhood is a weekly blog theme established by fellow blogger Jackie at acookingpotandtwistedtales.com. She has been somewhat of a blogging guru to me since I started on WordPress a little over a year ago. I recommend you visit her blog and her Echoes of My Neighborhood at https://acookingpotandtwistedtales.com/2017/07/20/hibernating-in-the-malls-echoes-of-my-neighbourhood/ !
July 19, 2017
Blazing a Trail with Detours in Time…Maybe? Check out this Kindle Countdown
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Doesn’t every author want to picture themselves taking the reading world by storm, blazing a trail toward notoriety and fame, imagining his/her name (or title) being emblazoned in lights? Do we all have what it takes to battle to get there? I don’t know, because as I envelope myself in the comfort of this world of words and my imagination, I at times imagine myself sequestered like Emily Dickinson, closing the door to fame or popularity and retreating with my delicious words that will never fail to please me. Oh, they’re not always pleasant words, but at least I created them. Yet, I so long to share my words with others. I want them to be read.
At any rate, it has been a good week for reviews of Detours in Time. There have been three more reviews that are four star and five star reviews. The latest is by a book blogger, a 5 * review, and can be found at https://literarytitan.com/2017/07/19/...
I value my writing and the work I put into it, however, I am all for the promotional opportunities that are offered by Amazon. Detours in Time is on Kindle Countdown until 7/25 for just 1.99 in the U.S. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711ZW6XF and also in the U.K. for a comparable discount, http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0711ZW6XF. I urge you to get your own copy today!
July 17, 2017
Friday Fictioneers, #flashfiction. Resist.
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Photo credit, (c) Janet Webb.
Overwrought with emotions, Mary took out pen and paper. Tomorrow the family of the man she was arranged to marry, as was the custom in those days, would visit.
He was a man of means, something she should desire. He was not the man of her dreams, who’d gallop in, rescuing her from this lecher who’d touched her backside like he owned her.
By candlelight, she wrote a goodbye letter, surrounded by the trappings of femininity. They’d stay behind.
She stuffed her brother’s clothes into a satchel, grabbing a blade. Her hair dropped in one swift cut. Practice pays off.~
*Exactly 100 words.
*Directions: Write a story in 100 words or less in response to the photo prompt. Give the photographer credit. Enter your link to the inlinkz button. Respond to others.
*Friday fictioneers is a blog/writer’s challenge hosted weekly by Rochelle at https://rochellewisoff.com/
July 16, 2017
Side Character Sunday. A glimpse into the #scifi novel, Detours in Time
These are some of the side characters from my latest sci-fi novel, Detours in Time, a sci-fi tale of time travel and the mess we can make.
From left to right: Elise, a vintage throwback in (2047), Amy (1997), Salamanca (2047), below is Tomas (2047) Click to see Tomas.
What would each character tell you about herself/himself?
*Elise: (2047) “Yeah, you could say I’m a throwback to a better time. What can I say? I’m not sure about where this world of ours is going. I have a decent job, and those bots can’t replace me. Oh, and I get evenings off. Gives me more time at the dance hall.” *Winks.
*Amy: (1997) “I’m Tabitha’s best friend; we met in Art school. People look at me like I’m strange, but to me, it’s all about self-expression. I’m used to people staring at me. Tabitha’s not really like that, though.”
*Salamanca: (2047) “I met these two, Milt and Tabitha, by complete accident. She couldn’t stop staring at me, must be the wings I just got. I was passing by; I thought I’d just have a quick smoke. I’m really trying to quit, trying to straighten up my act. Do you like my wings? They have special meaning for me. Helping me remember my momma and her angels.” From the book: “It’s okay. I’m just a tad bit moody. Sorry guys, I’m really working on my patience!”
*At bottom above, Tomas: (2047) “Milt and Tabitha were such a lovely pair. I don’t know where they’re from, but it’s obviously not here. Still, they needed a little help. Milt was so appreciative of everything and very curious. I never could get too much information from them, though. Still, I was honored that I could be of some help to them.”
Next to Tomas is a representation of what his arm tattoos might look like. Tomas is an avid fisherman for a living, and his tattoos reflect that. He also dabbles in art on the side.
Stephen Pring, (2018) and Jared Hansen (1997), Pinky’s wayward brother.
*Stephen: (2018)- “They came from out of nowhere, and saved me. Everything happens for a reason. I’m telling you, I will make sure we win this war. People say I should bow out now because of the injury. Not on your life. I will make a difference.”
*Jared: (1997)- “Well, yeah, I care about Tabitha. She hasn’t heard from me in so long, because I’m trying to get my life together. I don’t want to lean on her. We all have our own stuff, our own garbage to deal with. That, and the days sometimes just seem to blur into each other.”
To quote a snippet from the most recent review: “I found it quite interesting and some of the ideas and characters brilliant and well developed.”
Find out about Detours in Time for yourself at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711ZW6XF It’s available free in Kindle Unlimited, or on a Kindle Countdown for 1.99 from 7/18-7/25 for Kindle edition! (Normally priced at 2.99 for Kindle).
July 15, 2017
#WeekendCoffeeShare. Of Yoga, Food, and Family.
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Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Diana at parttimemonsterblog.com. Of course, we’ll make mine iced, as pictured above, unless you can stand my a/c being set at 72 degrees. Woo, it’s scorching outside. If we were having coffee today, on 7/15, I’d tell you:
*It has felt like a busy week, what with Monday and Tuesday being taken up by teacher training on dealing with tough or troubled kids. It was a serious topic, but the fun was in role-playing that they gave us, the fact that I took this training with two good friends, and the opportunity to go somewhere for an hour lunch with my teacher friends. (Teachers get 30 minutes for lunch during the school day, but when walking your kids to lunch, something always delays it). So, I turned to comfort food to make the heavy topics in training more bearable. We ate at Stan’s one day, and at Olive Tree Mediterranean the next. I love their gyros! Since I promised last week that I’d talk about food, here you go. 
July 13, 2017
Detours in Time, Main Character Intro.
As part of my book launch for my first full-length novel, Detours in Time, I held a Facebook launch. It lasted several hours, and I did have a few people who kept me company online for the event. At any rate, one of the elements I loved the most was sharing my visual representations of the main, and side, characters in this sci-fi, time-travel novel. So, I thought I’d share it with the WordPress community. Side characters will be presented in a few days. Today, I’ll share my main characters, Dr. Milt Braddock and Tabitha Hansen. I hope you enjoy!
Photos courtesy of Pixabay.
From the top left, we have two representations of Dr. Milt(on) Braddock, a Science professor, because he is truly a mix of the two pictured men. He has a lot of hair like young photographer, yet he is a little older, with the smile lines of the second guy, and yes, he wears spectacles when needed. I guess the hair is what gives him a little bit of a sexy edge, despite being older and super-intelligent. By the way, intelligence is quite sexy!
Quotes on Milt:
“Obviously, being the scientist made him an authority at times. At other times, she could tell he was struggling to behave in socially appropriate ways. It was actually quite endearing.”
“He was odd, quirky, and comfortable alone.”
“He let it down slowly and hesitantly, as if having been forced to choose between the bug and Pinky. He was like a teenage boy when it came to bugs, worms, caterpillars. Pinky hated bugs, but still found his excitement amusing. He was truly a young soul in that fifty-year-old body, that honestly didn’t look fifty, anyhow.”
“While at times he felt she was wasting her time with him, he also felt incredibly lucky.”
Tabitha (Pinky) Hansen is the woman pictured above, a struggling artist who was hired to clean Dr. Milt Braddock’s office by his colleagues, years before the plot of this novel begins which is in 1997. At the point of this novel, she works in an art gallery. On her off-time, she is normally dressed in jeans, Doc Maartens, and a band t-shirt, with lots of hair. She doesn’t wear much make-up except for special occasions. She is a good bit younger than Milt, yet not as socially awkward. She is quite independent due to having lost her parents when younger. She is also just a little stubborn and not as open-minded as Milt.
Quotes on Pinky: “She had a big voice for such a small girl, along with even bigger dreams, first, to become a dancer, and later, to break into the Art scene.”
“Anyone who knew Tabitha well never asked why, at thirty, she wasn’t married yet. She was fiercely independent and moody.”
“She was the realist of the two of them.”
“Milt liked raising Pinky’s ire at times, just for fun.”
Milt and Pinky don’t agree on everything, but they make each other laugh and get along pretty well. That’s probably helpful when you get into a sticky situation.
The bottom line is, when you are setting out on a time-travel journey, it is best to take a friend. Be sure it’s someone you can trust and can stand being around for days…..
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Detours in Time, the tale of a sci-fi, time-travel journey, is available on Amazon in Kindle, in paperback, and free on Kindle Unlimited.
July 11, 2017
Detours in Time, Book Promo Graphic. (A Mad Scientist’s Reflection)
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So you contrive a powerful piece of machinery that can take you to the past or the future. Only, it in itself is not foolproof. There are always bugs to be worked out…
Then, you contrive a list of rules for time-travel to avoid sticky situations and a possible paradox. Except, your time-travel companion has a different moral compass than you. Can you make her adhere to your made-up rules when they start to challenge her sense of ethics? With two people of completely different mindsets, can a compromise be reached, or does one of them have to bend?
Read Detours in Time and its tale of time-travel and the messes we can make. What the heck. It’s summer! Time for a journey….
I thank the two people who have reviewed my book this last week! The review goal is truly an uphill climb, but they are coming in. This is my first full-length novel, after all.
Detours in Time is 305 pages long, available in Kindle and paperback, or free to read on Kindle Unlimited. Look it up at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711ZW6XF and add it to your Kindle or bookshelf!
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July 8, 2017
#WeekendCoffeeShare, I’ll Keep Dancing ‘cuz I Love Dancing!
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Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Emily at nerdinthebrain.com and soon to be hosted again by parttimemonsterblog.com. As you can see in the photo, there are many days lately where my coffee of choice is ICED! The heat here in Florida is amazing lately. This coffee drink was iced mocha. Yum! I actually met with some friends and fellow writers Thursday for a fellow writers’ chat. Hence, the above photo, which is perfect for summer! If we were having coffee today, on the 9th of July, I would tell you:
*Book News: Most days this week, I have sold one or two of the Detours in Time books at Amazon. Some days, I think it’s because of the book postcard I gave to the cashier or customer service manager at the grocery store or the coffee shop. This is one way I’m getting the word out. I got a graphic designer to make this design, and then I ordered the postcards to be printed. I hand them out in many places, and Wow! They look very professional, and they make me look legitimate, so they make me talk to people about my writing! Imagine that! People don’t know I’m an author. I need to tell them! I should be proud! I worked hard on this book. I paid for editing, cover design, graphics, postcard, formatting, and there’s something I missed, but you get the drift. I should be proud. Plus, I really enjoyed the writing of this book. I do this because I enjoy it, so I should be proud. I’m working on this poem in my mind about it. It’s like, I’m displaying my talent and hard work, so I don’t want people to ignore or to look away, even if I am only earning a few dollars on it. Well, there are some days it seems no one sees my Facebook posts, and sometimes you’ll have some days without a sale. Come on, you indie authors know what I’m talking about! Anyway, I’ll likely order more postcards. It has been fun talking about my writing with strangers. (It’s helping me develop my elevator pitch).
July 6, 2017
Today’s Book Promo Graphic for Detours in Time, a.k.a Fun with Canva
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The question is: Who would YOU bring to the future? Read the time-travel novel of two friends who take a fun journey that becomes an intense and challenging maze of danger and difficult decisions. Detours in Time, in Kindle and paperback, or free on Kindle Unlimited! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711ZW6XF
Let my latest sci-fi release take you on a journey!
I’m loving this latest graphic, because it looks like an album cover, and to me, it looks like summer, and it screams, “Let’s go on a journey, you and me!” Be sure to take someone you trust, someone you could stand getting lost with, and someone who can think quickly in urgent situations.
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Teaser:
“He (Milt) let it down slowly and hesitantly, as if having been forced to choose between the bug and Pinky. He was like a teenage boy when it came to bugs, worms, caterpillars. Pinky hated bugs, but still found his excitement amusing. He was truly a young soul in that fifty-year-old body, that honestly didn’t look fifty, anyhow.”
Author’s note– (I actually had to answer this in one of my blog interviews)
By the way, if I got stuck with a character on a deserted island, I’d totally choose Milt. How fun that would be with his childlike wonder and curiosity! He’d chart the stars for us at night and tell me stories about the constellations. He’d know the best way to build shelter. He wouldn’t mind getting dirty either, nor would he care if my hair got frizzy. Awkward scientist trying for the part of book-boyfriend. Works for me!
July 4, 2017
#FlashFictionforAspiringWriters. I Took the Fall.
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Photo credit, Kecia Sparlin.
I headed back to the yard with my garden hoe. I hate killing living things, but this bugger looked poisonous. He was further back in the brush.
“Sure, you keep your distance now.” I sat on the ground, sweating.
“You would too, Missssssssss.” His tongue darted out.
I jumped. “What?”
“Yesssss. It’ssss me. Come on, I am alwaysss judged by my outer cover, my ssscales sssso to sssspeak. It’sss not fair. All because of Hisssstory, mythology, the Bible, whatever.”
“I’m sorry.” I looked at him through new eyes. It had to be a he, though who could tell?
“Yessss. Imagine what it’sss like. Way back when, Armadillo sslipped up. You know he’s a good candidate to stand for evil. But no, I defended him. I took the fall for him.”
He actually looked sad.
It seemed he’d started to trust me. He’d slithered out from the bush. The garden hoe was resting next to me, forgotten.
Suddenly, he sprang at me, and I was overcome, knocked down.
“S-ssssucker!”
I took the fall.
~The end~
(c) Pamela Schloesser Canepa
****Approx. 170 words.
From Fffaw: This is a flash fiction challenge (stories in 100-175 words or less) and each story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Therefore, no serial (continuation) stories. They become too complicated for our readers.
A prompt photo is presented every Monday, and the challenge runs to the next Monday. Add your story to the InLinkz Link-up (Blue Froggy button). Please let me know if you need link-up instructions. See other instructions at https://flashfictionforaspiringwriter...
