D.V. Stone's Blog, page 44

Sitting in the Green Apple Tree

Once upon a time...

That's the way so many tale began. As early as I can remember books were an important part of my life. My mom will tell you that from the time I was a baby, books were my toys. She says I never tore the pages or wrote in them. That they were always clutched in my hands. Little Golden Books are some of my earliest memories. The Pokey Little Puppy in particular sticks out. 
​
As I grew older the love of reading never left me. There were two apple trees on our property. One green and one red. The green tree was my favorite. On any nice day if you looked up, there you'd find me with my nose buried in a book. Animal books were some of my favorites and if they had horses extra bonus. This year during a trip to Lancaster Pa as one of our regular stops I found this This edition of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell has no date. I realized that I don't have any of my childhood books. We moved quite a bit when I was young and what you didn't need you didn't take. After picking this up memories of other horsey books came to mind. Seabiscuit, War Admiral, National Velvet. How many of you held Misty of Chincoteague and dreamed of having your own horse? How about the Black Stallion? I still think it was one of the most beautiful scenic movies made. 

I was one of the lucky girls. Three horses made their way into my life. Cocoa was an old man my parents bought from a riding stable. I still laugh when I remember how he was the houdini of the horse world. He could untie knots and open latches faster than Secretariat (If you're a horse person you know who that is). 

Carrie was my second horse. She was a beauty. A dark bay mare with a star (a white mark on her forehead) and one white sock. She was a quarter-horse/thoroughbred. It broke my heart to leave her behind after my father died and we had to sell the farm.

Years later Apache came into my life for a short while. He belonged to a friend who let me pretend he was mine. Apache was a cantankerous meanie at times, but we worked it out.
To this day the soulful eyes and smell of a horse brings me peace. My fantasy work in progress, Aimhirghin, Kingdom at a Crossroad, show the special relationship between Haana and her mare Fianna. 

Do you have a special animal in your life? Many of us do. Whether it's a horse, dog, cat, or some.other, leave me a note and tell me about them.  

I plan to explore the relationship of books and animals in our lives over the next months and hope you'll join me. Below is a tribute to one of the greatest horses. Do you remember when he won? I still get chocked up thinking about him.


The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact 
with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom. 
​Sharon Ralls Lemon

Welcome to the Campfire with today's guest C. Becker

​One of my favorite things to do, is sit around the fire. Whether it’s away in a campground, or at home in front the chiminea, some of the best conversations I’ve ever had, have been with a cozy flame and sparks drifting up into the night sky joining the stars. We were in the Pocono’s a few weeks ago and met a lot of wonderful people. Standing in the pool watching over the grand-kids, I struck up a conversation with a lady from Queens NY. One of her favorite things to do? Camping and reading a good book. Sounds about right to me. So, wherever you’re joining us from, relax. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Please feel free to leave comments or questions below. Also, don't forget to sign up for my Newsletter. ​If you would like to keep up with Around the Campfire and information, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. Okay, without further delay…
​ Newsletter Today I’m welcoming C. Becker, author to the Around the Campfire.  What’s your preference coffee, tea, cocoa, or wine?
Cocoa, thanks, with lots of marshmallows.
​
Marshmallows are a must have in our camper, whether for s'mores,on a stick or on your cocoa.  Now that we’re set tell us have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. If so, tent, trailer, RV? Where? Did you like it? If not, and no judgment here, would you like to someday? Where?
I’ve never camped in a trailer, but as a kid, I’d help my brothers and sisters throw blankets over the metal jungle gym in our backyard and erect our own tent. We slept outside a lot. Unfortunately, I always got asthma from the cold air. The dust mites in the sleeping bags might have played a part, too. I’d run into the house in the middle of the night and have to take medicine. When my mother saw me, she wouldn’t let me go back outside. (Sad face L) Besides our backyard campground, I’d toast marshmallows and hot dogs after doing yard-work with my family. We lived on a farm so work was plentiful and entertainment was scarce, but we had so much fun!
 
Improvised camping, I love it. We also did blankets over the furniture inside. So, C. Becker, tell us about your latest project. What’s the title and genre?
My most recent project is a suspense novel Finding Euphoria. The book is the first of a trilogy. The story centers on an exotic shrub from the Amazon Rain forest and the life of a woman Hailey Langley. Hailey’s current dealings with the shrub stem back to the death of her uncle when he experimented on a deadly chemical from the plant while he was in medical school.
 
Sounds exciting! Do you have a tagline?
The Search is as deadly as the high
 
Great line. One of the first questions I get after people find out I’m an author, is the process especially time. If you don’t mind me asking, can you tell us how long Finding Euphoria took from conception to fruition?
I don’t mind you asking at all. From start to fruition, the book took six years. LOL. I sure hope the second book comes a lot quicker. I think it will. The learner curve will be logarithmic!
 
What a fabulous word, logarithmic. It’s a new word for me and I love new words. I had to look it up. Writing and getting a book to market is not a quick process. I’m glad you stuck with it. But, did you ever hit the place where you threw your arm up in the air and said nope this is not going to work? If so, how did you get past it?
I haven’t gotten to the place where I give up. Though I get to the place where I wish I could lock myself into a room and write with no distractions. My writer’s group is phenomenal. They keep me on track and I love to discuss my story ideas with them.
 
Having a supportive group whether in the virtual or non-virtual world is important. Good for you. Next question, I have a myriad of projects at various stages of development, how about you? Anything you’re itching to get to?
I’m currently working on book 2—Losing Euphoria; Trust No one. The story takes place six years after the first story. I also write children’s stories under another name and just had one published this spring. Another children’s story is being illustrated as we speak. When I finish the Euphoria Trilogy, I have one story I started last year, but got sidetracked working on the Euphoria series. My youngest daughter and I also have an idea for a Christmas romance I want to write with her. There’s never enough time to do all the writing I long to do. (Sigh!)
 
Not enough hours in the day. I’m looking into the future and retirement soon. And children’s books must be fun. But, looking over your shoulder into the past, is there something you would tell your beginning self?
I definitely would have joined a writer’s group years earlier.

Excellent advice. Groups give  authors support and advice in a sometimes isolated world. Now the fun questions? Do you have a tattoo? If yes what is it? If you feel brave, where? Does it have a story you feel you could tell us? If not and you were to get a tattoo, what would it be?
No, tattoo. I know, I’m boring. But in my next novel I have a character with a tattoo. I never really thought of what I’d get, because I don’t have a desire to get one. Both of my sons wanted tattoos a few years ago, but I wouldn’t let them get them until they turned twenty-one. Now, that they’ve turned twenty-one, they don’t mention getting one anymore.
 
I don’t think it makes you boring at all. Personal expression is just that, personal. No ink, but have your traveled? What was the best vacation you ever took? Why?
This summer. Myrtle Beach with my husband and kids. We finally decided to get a house with a pool and it was the best. Instead of seeing shows every afternoon, we just hung out together in the pool, talked, and enjoyed the beach. We are already planning our vacation next year and hope to rent a house with a pool again.
 
Myrtle Beach is a fabulous place. There’s an all you can eat seafood buffet near there. My friends’ kids and I had a crab leg eating contest. They won. Years ago, there was a commercial which talked about a “Kodak Moment.” It’s a time you catch in a picture. One you never want to forget. What is yours?
The best Kodak Moment was a beach picture with my children. My husband photo bombed it to be funny. We still laugh at the picture.

Those are the ones, aren’t they? With family and close friends. I know you spoke of a writing group earlier, are there any mentors, authors, or books, other than yours, you would like to give a shout-out to?
My editor was super—ELF! I loved working with her. I’ve had great support with the authors at The Wild Rose Press. Namely, Mona Sedrak, Stephen King, Amber Daulton, CJ Zahner, Madelon Smid, Debbie Grahl, Barbara Bettis, CB Clark, Jean Grant, Tena Stetler, Katie OSullivan. Some have helped hosting me on their blogs and others have been valuable resources in writing and marketing.
 
Elf is my editor too! I recognize many of these names as well.  Wild Rose Press is a fantastic house. Here’s your final question. What does literary success look like to you?
Finding readers who seek out your books to read. I think every writer wants their books to be a best seller.
 
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Finding Euphoria on that best seller list.  C. Becker, thank you so much for joining me around the campfire today. I would appreciate you leaving us a blub and exert from your work. Don’t forget to add where we can purchase your book and how we can find out more about you below.
Thank you for having me today! I enjoyed chatting with everyone tonight. Bring on the S'mores!

S'mores for everyone! And don't forget to stop by next week when Linda Griffin, multi published author and scrabble player joins us Around the Campfire. Make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom to see this week's movie recommendations and recipe.

Until next week Be a Happy Camper!
​
​Hailey Langley refuses to be a victim and has moved on from her traumatic past. But her marriage problems worsen when a deadly illicit drug threatens to draw her into the life she left behind.
Mark Langley has allowed his job to interfere with his marriage, but he never suspected the secrets in Hailey's past might hold the key to solving both of his current investigations.
Together, they must unravel the mystery of the drug called Euphoria and find a way to save not only their marriage, but countless lives, before it's too late. 

Read a sample of Finding Euphoria by C. Becker
He turned the bottle around in his hand and set it on the end table. “Don’t put me in this position. You know what would happen. Grace is his mother. She’s the one who needs to stay with him.”
Regret tugged at her heart. “I wouldn’t take any time away from her.”
Parker groaned. “Just you being there would make her feel uncomfortable.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
“But I’ve stayed away for seventeen years,” she whispered.
“That was the adoption arrangement.”
She bit her lip. “I can’t stay away any longer.”
“You agreed to those terms in the contract. You terminated all parental rights.” Parker stood and paced to the kitchen.
“But it’s not fair!” She put down her water and began wringing her hands.
Straightening his arms, he leaned against the bar. “Hailey, please don’t start. I know how you feel…”
“You couldn’t possibly know how I feel. I need to see him.” She fought to control the bitterness in her voice.
“No.”
She rose, knocking over the water bottle. “He’s my son!”
“Not anymore, he isn’t.”
The rebuke stung. “He’ll always be my son!”
“When you gave him up, you promised to keep your distance.”
“I have.”
“Forever.”
The reminder lanced her heart. “You’re being unfair. He’s dying.”
He slammed his fist on the bar. “Don’t say that. He can’t die.” Parker pushed himself up and stomped near the window, raising his hands to rest on top of his head as he faced the curtain.
A muscle twitched in her hand. Her knees buckled. She sat on the edge of the couch, wringing her hands. “I was young. I couldn’t give Justin the life he deserved. I’m not asking to take him back. I only want to see him.”
Rubbing his jaw, he walked back to the couch and sat. The hard lines on his face softened. “The adoption papers were clear. No contact.” He placed his hands on top of hers and stilled them. “If the decision was mine, I would allow it, but Grace would lose it if she found out you’re Justin’s biological mother.”
Her hands squeezed into tight fists. The urge was unbearable. “I wouldn’t tell her.”
Parker ran a hand through his hair. “Argh! Don’t you understand? She’d take one look at your face and know the truth. Don’t forget, you’re the one who wanted us to protect him.”
She stood. “Well, you did a hell of a fine job, didn’t you? You divorced Grace and deserted him. Parenting takes sacrifice, Parker. You were too busy changing careers, and now he’s messed up with drugs. How did that protect him?”
Standing, he reached for her.
“No. You stay away from me.” She extended her hands and backed up a step. “Justin’s dying! Dying, Parker! And I don’t know him…You won’t let me see my own son.”
He wrapped his arms around her.
She pushed him, pummeling her fists against his chest with all her strength.
He silently took his beating.
To find out more about C. Becker and her book click the links below. 
http://cbeckerauthor.com/ or C. Becker website
Twitter C. Becker author
Facebook C.Becker Author
Amazon Author Page C. Becker
Instagram C.Beckerauthor
 You can find her books here...
The Wild Rose Press Finding Euphoria ebook link
Amazon Finding Euphoria ebook link
Amazon Finding Euphoria paperback
Barnes & Noble Finding Euphoria ebook link
Apple itunes Finding Euphoria ebook

​And since not everyone can get to the campfire here's an indoor recipe from the Food Channel
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/indoor-smores-recipe-1941607 Recommended Medical Movies
The Medicine Man (Bonus! Sean Connery is in it plus it's about the Amazon).
Awakenings (Another favorite of D. V. with Robin Williams).
​I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live. ~George Bernard Shaw

Welcome to the Campfire. Today's guest is Author N. Jade Gray

I can't believe summer is almost over. But that doesn't mean the Campfire is. The next few weeks I'll be heading to Maryland, Vermont, Cape May, and Pennsylvania. We even have a Driveway Camping date with my sister. Now that's a fire you'd wish you could be around, I never now where our conversation will go. Here's a shout out to all the sisters near and far. Fall campfires are the best. Crisp air with the scent of a wood fire is the ultimate. But before we give up summer, click on the virtual fire and let's welcome today's guest N. Jade Gray. I enjoyed reading her book Raider of Her Heart. Here she is to tell you her happening.  Oops, almost forgot. Signup for my newsletter for a chance to receive an eBook of Agent Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake, my mid-grade paranormal.  Newsletter #wsite-video-container-604681350593065380{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/81573318-373... } #video-iframe-604681350593065380{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-604681350593065380, #video-iframe-604681350593065380{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-604681350593065380{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } N. Jade Gray, welcome to the Campfire.  Coffee, tea, cocoa, or wine?
Interviewee All of the above, except the Coffee. And I’m fond of a good Italian Margarita every once in a while.

I never heard of an Italian Margarita. (Dashing to google) Oh my, that looks and sounds delish. I'll post a recipe below.  Now, as we settle around the fire tell us if you've had any camping experience.
 Growing up, my dad had a side business of renting campers and toppers to people to go camping. We, as a family, spent a lot of time camping, whether it be in toppers, campers, or tents. I had three brothers who were involved in Boy Scouts, so we did a lot of camping activities with that organization as well. Then I caught the Backpacking in Colorado bug when I was in High School. Five summers I went to Durango, Colorado to the San Juan Mountains and would backpack with a youth group from all over Oklahoma. We would backpack in the wilderness for two weeks. We made our tents out of tarps, so there were some wet soggy nights sometimes, but it was an awesome adventure, and I loved it! Nature is one of the best retreats with campfire being the best therapy. 
Now that I’m older I would love to try the Glamping, as you call it, in Covered Wagons and other cool ideas they’ve come up with. 

Hooray, a fellow camper. That sounds so exciting. You really were in the midst of the outdoor experience and visited some gorgeous places. You should try Glamping, all the comforts of home in the middle of nowhere. Now, tell us about your books. That's a big fire on the cover of Raider. What are you working on now?

My two previous books were Historical Romance Time Travels. I’m deviating in my current project. It is still Romance, but it’s a Christmas Contemporary story. The working title is Tangled in Tinsel. 

I think it's fun and stimulates the creative process when you color outside the lines. What a fun title. Do you have a tagline?
Interviewee No. I suppose I need to put this on my to-do list.

Welcome to the Campfire with Author Susan Antony

.Welcome back to the Campfire. ​I think what I enjoy about camping, besides the owlishly good time, is the sense of community. It reminds me of past days sitting on the porch, talking to the passing neighbors. A time when kids weren't afraid to say hello to strangers. So much has changed in our world I for one often unpack the memories. This week I'll be camping with some friends. Our kids grew up together and I'm sure we'll be hauling stories out and laughing, maybe crying, but making new memories as well. 
This week's guest is Author Susan Antony. You'll see from her photo she's bright, sparkly and interesting. I've read her book Cherokee Summer and loved it.
So, kick back, click on the virtual campfire and enjoy some conversation. Oh, don't forget to sign-up for my newsletter by clicking on the button. Newsletter #wsite-video-container-738274412858058712{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/81573318-373... } #video-iframe-738274412858058712{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-738274412858058712, #video-iframe-738274412858058712{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-738274412858058712{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } Hi, Susan. Welcome.  What’s your preference coffee, tea, cocoa, or wine?
How about Diet Coke? 
You’ve got it. I'm a coke girl too. My son only has Pepsi. A great debate for later. Tell me, have you ever camped?  
Many years ago, when I was living a feminine “On the Road” kind of life,
That makes me think of Wild starring Reese Witherspoon. Where  did you go? Did you like it? 
I camped in Yosemite in the winter and quickly developed an aversion to camping.  I do, however, enjoy a flaming backyard chiminea.  Susan Antony, author of 
​Cherokee Summer ​Me too. If we can’t at a campground the chiminea is next best.   So, Susan, tell us about your latest project. What’s the title and genre?
Cherokee Summer.  It is a YA Romance with a touch of suspense.
 
It's a great title. I love Young Adult. Some folks may think YA is for kids, because it focuses on the 12 to 18 year old. But I read a statistic almost half of the readers are adults. Certainly Cherokee Summer has a lot for them as well.  Do you have a tagline?
When two peoples lives mirror each other more than oppose, how can they not be together?
 
Nice. How could someone not want to check it out. Can you tell us how long it took from conception to fruition? 
My novel took about a year to write in between working a full-time job and single motherhood and then another to year and a half passed before publication.
 
It can be a long process and you’re a busy lady. Many writers can hit a "wall" sometimes in writing and sometimes during the editing, have you been there? How do you deal with it?
I’ve hit that place many times, but it usually solved by a good night’s sleep or a few days away from my project.  Once I get over my momentary dilemma, I find I'm more determined than ever to achieve my goal.
 
You have to take care of yourself. It’s easy to become overwhelmed. What else are you working on? Will there be more about Cherokee Summer?
At present I am considering a sequel to Cherokee Summer. I’ve written one chapter. I am also dismantling a YA Paranormal romance I wrote a few years ago to the bare bones. I intend to build it back up with a different story line.
 
Sometime reworking takes more effort than the first draft. I’ve been tearing one a part too. Speaking of paranormal, pull out your time-machine. What advice do you have for your early self?
Start marketing today.  Get your galley copy out for reviews. Being new to the process, I waited until after my novel went into print. I had an online presence prior to this date, but not nearly large enough. Big mistake, but we live and learn.
 
For those wondering no we're not talking about the galley of a ship, lol. A galley is a rough copy of a book. Not quiet ready for publication. It kind of tests the waters.  I think a lot of us make that mistake.  So, now to the fun stuff, do you have a tattoo? If yes what is it? If you feel brave, where? Does it have a story you feel you could tell us? If not and you were to get a tattoo, what would it be?
I have a tattoo on the inside of my wrist that reads …5,6,7,8—a dance count down.  I started out looking for one that represented my book, but changed courses. Dancing has been part of my life since I was eight years old. It is still a passion of mine today. I C&W line dance and partner dance the two-step, salsa, merange, and swing at least twice weekly. I’m open to another, one that represents my book, but I’m still looking. It must be the right one. I will know it when I see it.
 
Good plan. It’s not easy to get rid of if you change your mind. I love that you dance and so many different styles.My husband and I line-dance years ago. It's a great outlet and exercise.  Some of your dances sound so exotic.  Have you traveled?  What was the best vacation you ever took? Why?
I met up with my husband at the time—a sailor on sea duty—and I backpacked around Italy. I absolutely loved the food, the drink, the people and the atmosphere of the county. Roma is still my favorite city and I don’t do favorites well, so that saying something.
 
If you could freeze a moment in time, a “Kodak Moment”  you never want to forget, what would it be?
I have too many to pick just one. As mentioned in a question above, I am horrible with favorites. Even my favorite color changes due to the circumstances.
 
I’m glad you have so many happy memories. We're almost out of time, but I'd like to know, are there any mentors, authors, or books you would like to give a shout-out to?
My friend Susan Bickford. We met online in a writing class. Not only is she a talented writer she’s been the first responder to my writing crises over the years. And of course, my editor Kinan Werdski who helped me accomplish my dream.
 
We all need help at times and I think it's nice to acknowledge them. Final question. What does literary success look like to you?
I’ll let you know when I get there.
 
Great answer Susan. Thank you so much for joining me around the campfire today. I would appreciate you leaving us a blurb and exert from your work. Don’t forget to add where we can purchase your book and how we can find out more about you below.



​When Ace leaves home to spend the summer in Cherokee, North Carolina the last thing she expects to find is a boyfriend—until she meets Cherokee Tribe member John Spears. As Ace and John's friendship blossoms, they find their life experiences mirror each other and they fall in love. Despite hurdles thrown by well-meaning family members and jealous frenemies, the star-crossed lovers remain committed to their mutual belief that the universe has drawn them together. However, when Ace sends John a strange text and then suddenly disappears, the two must rely on their trust in each other to save both their lives and their love. Available on Amazon Barnes and Noble Susan's Website ​ In honor of Susan's favorite city today's movie recommendations are two of my favorites
Letters to Juliette
​Under the Tuscan Sun

Dutch Oven Ravioli
 
50campfires.com/dutch-oven-ravioli/
​
Author: Chelsey Janes
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients1 25 oz bag frozen sausage ravioli, thawed1 large 45 oz jar spaghetti sauce¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese (can use grated)1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese½ cup water
InstructionsSpray the dutch oven with cooking spray or ( I recommend this) --->  line with tin foil and spray with cooking spray . Put a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of a 12″ dutch oven. Place a single layer of the ravioli over the bottom of the oven.Cover the ravioli with half of the remaining spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle on the parmesan cheese. Place another layer of the ravioli on top of the sauce. Pour on the rest of the spaghetti sauce.Top the sauce with the mozzarella cheese and add a little more Parmesan cheese. Pour the water around the edge of the pan to add some additional moisture.Cook in the dutch oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling and the cheese will just start to brown. Enjoy the the days ahead and we'll see you next week and spend time around the campfire with Author ​N. Jade Gray When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck

Sitting around the Campfire with today's guest Colleen L Donnelly

​One of my favorite things to do, is sit around the fire. Whether it’s away in a campground, or at home in front the chiminea, some of the best conversations I’ve ever had, have been with a cozy flame and sparks drifting up into the night sky joining the stars. Sometimes silly, sometimes serious conversation go on around our fires. So, wherever you’re joining us from, click on the campfire video below and relax. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Please feel free to leave comments or questions below. Also, if you would like to keep up with Around the Campfire and information, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. Okay, without further delay… Newsletter #wsite-video-container-920195053800213579{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/81573318-373... } #video-iframe-920195053800213579{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-920195053800213579, #video-iframe-920195053800213579{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-920195053800213579{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } Hello, Colleen.  What’s your preference coffee, tea, cocoa, or wine?
COFFEE!!!!!! So black and thick even coffee connoisseurs shudder
 
Lol, no fancy drinks for you. But whether fancy or not, have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. If so, tent, trailer, RV? Where? Did you like it? If not, and no judgment here, would you like to someday? Where?
In a tent – from the massive army tent my grandfather gave us that humiliated us in campgrounds where most families had progressed to the more modern, sleek and colorful, practical tents…to something tiny and pinched, suitable for only one or two that a bear had no respect for, making me yearn for my grandfather’s thick, green canvas I’d been ashamed of as a girl. Camping evolved in location from alongside the tiny creek in the family’s timber, to lake campgrounds, then to the Rocky and Sierra mountains. As a kid, I thought there was nothing like it, but of course it wasn’t me trying to perk coffee with grounds by fire or manage biscuits in a skillet. And smelling like fishing worms or sweat didn’t bother a child who did what she could to avoid daily shower routines anyway. Now I prefer camping as a fond memory, something I refuse to sour by trying it again.

So, Colleen I can tell you’re a writer from your camping description, tell us about your latest project. What’s the title and genre?
Oddly enough, my current WIP (work in progress) carries the title of that creek my family used to camp next to when I was young. Hush Puckena, a tiny branch that doesn’t even make it onto maps. Even though the title is factual, this historical novel is pure fiction, building a romanticized reputation for that creek during the Civil War as a place where the clandestine remained hidden for years.
 
How interesting. My husband and I are history buffs. He especially Civil War. Do you have a tagline?
My current WIP doesn’t have a tagline yet, but my personal tagline is “Fiction with a heart.” If you look at the taglines of my previous books, you can see why – “My story has been whispered behind doors and hands, always by others. This time it’s Mine to Tell.” Or, “The need for love…to find that someone she is meant for, the one who will stay forever…” Also, “Husband needed. Purely business arrangement, able to take orders without taking over…” And, “She couldn’t love her enemy, because he did…”
 
Those are great. People often don’t realize how difficult a tagline is to create. If you don’t mind me asking, can you tell us how long it took from conception to fruition? It’s the most asked question for me.
My current WIP took a while to conceive and is nowhere near fruition yet. I had just given birth to a finished novel and needed time to transition from it and its characters to something of a whole new personality. That said, in general, most of my books from conception to fruition take a year. One much longer, but a year is my norm.
 
Each story has its own pace. Did you ever hit the place where you threw your arms up in the air and said, nope this is not going to work? If so, how did you get past it?
I have completely deleted only one full novel in my life. It wasn’t that the storyline was bad, but I wrote it at the wrong time. Reference my answer above about conception. Like a real family, a parent/body takes a breather, long or short, between children. I didn’t rest between books like I needed to, but pushed myself into the next before I was ready. On an even darker note, I also had a ‘throw up my arms’ moment about writing as a whole. It came with a critique that was veiled personal criticism. The damage was done before I discerned the difference between offerings that helped move my writing forward or those that just plain attacked me. It took time for my compulsion to write to surface again. But with the experience I was able to discern more clearly valuable suggestions, painful or not, and make sure when I reviewed or critiqued that my focus was for the good of the writer or reader I addressed.         
 
I’m so glad you shared this. Many writers get discouraged. I have a myriad of projects at various stages of development, how about you? Anything you’re itching to get to?
 When a story idea strikes me, I make a note of it. I have a jillion of them but I have yet to go back to any of them and follow through. Who knows why…but I keep jotting them down. When I do write, I tackle one project at a time. I write from inner inspiration, a connection to the heart of my character as they suffer through something, and in order to pour that suffering onto a page, I have to remain in touch with it so it can speak to me as I write.
 
I kind of envy your focus. With several books published and more in the works, looking over your shoulder, is there something you would tell your beginning self?
What I told myself in the beginning has carried me through to today. Again, reference one of my earlier answers, the one about throwing up my arms. Before I ventured into the writing world, I thickened my skin. I faced that not everyone would like my work, and that was okay. Also, that what I thought was brilliant, wouldn’t necessarily be so, and I had to accept that other eyes saw truths about my stories that I didn’t. I reapply that mantra almost daily. It helps me stick to my commitment of learning to write well, and brings good fruit from suggestions that though painful, move my work forward.
 
Do you hear that folks? Toughen up. Not everyone is going to like you. It’s okay. Now the fun stuff, do you have a tattoo? If yes what is it? If you feel brave, where? Does it have a story you feel you could tell us? If not and you were to get a tattoo, what would it be?
Nope, not a tattoo person. Maybe a necklace instead? A book, a pen, something of spiritual significance since I try to listen for the right words in my heart.
 
I don’t either but often admire them on others and the significance behind them. Your books are from different times and places, what about you. Where was the best vacation you ever took? Why?
Oddly enough, a group trip to New York City. Who would have thought a long bus ride with complete strangers could turn out to be the trip of trips! Somehow, we were all well matched in our interests, our enthusiasm, and our respect for the group. It was marvelous!
 
I’m originally from Brooklyn. I see New Yorkers as exactly that. Years ago, there was a commercial which talked about a “Kodak Moment.” It’s a time you catch in a picture. One you never want to forget. What is yours?
I was ten, it was my birthday, and I was standing curly-headed and possibly too animated at the edge of a bluff in the timber near the family home. I lost my balance and toppled forward. It was a long drop, but before I went completely over the edge, something grabbed me. It lifted me upright and balanced me on my feet again. I glanced around but no one visible was there. I stood still after that, and the Kodak Moment of what felt like hands saving me has vividly remained.
 
Wow, your guardian angel was on duty and we are so glad for that. Are there any mentors, authors, or books, other than yours, you would like to give a shout-out to?
As far as other authors and their books, I adore Louise Penny! She writes insight to the human soul in her mysteries, almost turning the genre into literary fiction. I also enjoy Laura Strickland’s fabled characters in her fairy tales retold. I have no direct mentor, but I learn from others’ works whether it be written, told, or acted.
 
Final question. What does literary success look like to you?
Every single one of my books has a purpose beyond entertainment. There is a reason for each one, and if that reason speaks to the reader and they can identify with it, my work is done and done well. Beyond that heart goal, being accepted by a traditional publishing house also meant success to me. It was an affirmation that I in particular needed.
 
Colleen L Donnelly, thank you so much for joining me around the campfire today. I would appreciate you leaving us a blub and exert from your work. Don’t forget to add where we can purchase your book and how we can find out more about you below.

Make sure you keep scrolling for this weeks movie recommendations and recipe. Don't forget to stop by the campfire again next week when we interview YA author and Line-Dancer, Susan Antony

​My first book, “Mine to Tell,” was an Amazon #1 Bestseller and has been enjoyed by so many, I will include its blurb and excerpt here.
Blurb:
Annabelle Crouse is determined to reopen her great-grandmother’s boarded-up house—and her shunned life. Many years earlier, after an unexplained absence, Julianne was relegated to a separate home by a rigidly unforgiving husband, and the Crouse women have suffered the disgrace of her assumed guilt ever since.
Despite her family’s strong disapproval, Annabelle is driven to pursue her mission through cobwebs and dust, finding the clues and the coded story left behind by her great-grandmother—Why did she go? And why did she return? Annabelle has to know.
Only one person, a man she grew up with but never noticed, stands with Annabelle as she discovers the parallels between her story and her great-grandmother’s—two women, generations apart, experiencing what love truly is.
​Excerpt:
“Mine to tell,” Kyle said suddenly. It was a jolt. I was yanked from my mental tumble into a pit of unredemption. Alex looked up too, a quizzical expression on his face. “Julianne left a story behind,” Kyle continued. “Some of it speculation and rumors by people who don’t know, and the rest of it by her own hand. It was a love story. One that was countered with suffering.”
We were all quiet. I looked at him, my heart melting as I heard his masculine voice speak of love and suffering. I wanted to lean across the table and hug him, but I was too afraid.
Alex leaned back in his chair. “What my father went through didn’t feel like love when we were little.”
“But maybe it was,” Kyle persisted, his tone smooth and even. “Does love always turn out the way we want it to?” Then he looked at me. “Julianne Crouse was a fine woman. We haven’t finished her story, but she suffered, and she was fine indeed.”
Tears came to my eyes. “Thank you,” I squeaked. Kyle stood and walked around the table to me. He helped me stand as he thanked them for their time. He retrieved Julianne’s picture, took my hand, and together we went to the door. Alex and his wife following us.
“I hope you’re right,” Alex said, running his hand through his thin, brittle hair as we stepped outside. “My father had some things to come to terms with, but he was a good man. A better man later in life, when he told us he was sorry. I never knew for what.”
Book Links:
Mine to Tell     http://amzn.to/1PNJo4S
Asked For    http://amzn.to/1TyflEu
Love on a Train   http://amzn.to/1m9eYCx
The Lady’s Arrangement   http://amzn.to/2qj7DE2
Out of Splinters and Ashes    https://amzn.to/2K0WTHt

http://www.colleenldonnelly.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ColleenLDonnelly
https://twitter.com/ColleenLDonnell
Movie Recommendations in honor of Guardian Angels
It's a Wonderful Life. I know it's hot but did you know the movie was shot during a heat wave in the summer of 1946
The Preachers Wife. I'm a huge Whitney Houston fan so, yes, another winter movie to cool you off.

What's cooking?
Find this weeks recipe here 
​www.freshoffthegrid.com/vegetable-campfire-frittata/
​


​INGREDIENTS6 eggs1 small onion1/2 small zucchinihandful cherry tomatoes1/2 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoons grated cheese, parmesan, cheddar, or gruyere would work (we used parm) INSTRUCTIONSOn your campfire grate or camp stove, heat oil in a 10" cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, zucchini, and tomatoes and saute until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.In a bowl, whisk the eggs and salt together until the yolks and whites are completely blended.Pour the eggs evenly over the vegetables. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil. If cooking over a campfire and using a cast iron lid, you can move some coals to the top of the lid to help the frittata cook more evenly.Cook over medium heat until the eggs have set in the middle. This can take anywhere from 10-20 minutes.Once the frittata has cooked through, remove from the heat, cut into slices, serve & enjoy! Have a great week!

Welcome to the Campfire

​Welcome to our second visit around the Campfire. One of my favorite things to do is sit around the fire. Whether it’s away in a campground, or at home in front the chiminea, some of the best conversations I’ve ever had, have been with a cozy flame and sparks drifting up into the night sky joining the stars. I hope your enjoyed meeting Daryl last week. I know I did. So, wherever you’re joining us from, click on the campfire video and relax. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Please feel free to leave comments or questions below. Also, if you would like to keep up with Around the Campfire and information, don’t forget to sign up for my Newsletter.  #wsite-video-container-214060171475860425{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/81573318-373... } #video-iframe-214060171475860425{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-214060171475860425, #video-iframe-214060171475860425{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-214060171475860425{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } }



Okay, without further delay…Today I’m welcoming author Leslie Bowes, around the Campfire.  What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, or wine, Leslie?
​Cocoa
 
Cocoa it is. Let’s jump right in. Have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. If so, tent, trailer, RV? Where? Did you like it? If not, and no judgment here, would you like to someday? Where?
I have gone camping. It was in NC, and we only had a tent, and I hated it because it was raining the whole time, which made everything wet. So, no, I will never go camping again.
 
Oh, no. I’m sorry that happened. That’s why it’s only an RV for me. I tent camped with a friend one time, and we ended up sleeping in the car and left at the crack of dawn, so I get it. On a more pleasant note, tell us about your latest project. What’s the title and genre?
My Book is called Heart Healer, and it’s a Time Travel, Romance, Historical, Contemporary
 
Wow, that’s exciting. A little bit of everything to interest readers of many genres. Do you have a tagline?
In the darkest hour, can time and love truly to heal all wounds?
 
Nice! A question many of us wonder. If you don’t mind me asking, can you tell us how long it took from conception to fruition?
I started writing Heart Healer in 2012, but it wasn’t called Heart Healer; it was called Rose Hill. But Rose Hill never got published. So I start on A Second Chance at love, but when I was in the middle of that I thought something was missing so I went back to Rose Hill and put those two together and it became Heat Healer, and on June 13, 2018, The Wild Rose Press published Heart Healer
 
That’s quite a crooked road you had to take, but we’re so glad it worked out for you. Did you ever hit the place where you threw your arm up in the air and said nope this is not going to work? If so, how did you get past it?
No, I am too stubborn to give up lol.                       
 
Stubbornness and perseverance are two of the must haves for an author, I think. I have a myriad of projects at various stages of development, how about you? Anything you’re itching to get to?
I have started working book 2 of the Heart Healer series called The Choices for Love.
 
We hope to see it soon. Tell us, looking over your shoulder, is there something you would tell your beginning self?
Yes, writing is more than fun for you.
 
Do you have a tattoo? If yes, what is it? If you feel brave, where? Does it have a story you feel you could tell us? If not and you were to get a tattoo, what would it be?
I do not have a tattoo and do not really want to get one. They are really not my thing.
 
I’m don’t either. I do think they are interesting though. What was the best vacation you ever took? Why?
I don’t really have best vacation because they were all the best vacation, I ever took in their own way
 
Years ago, there was a commercial which talked about a “Kodak Moment.” It’s a time you catch in a picture. One you never want to forget. What is yours?
The one my friends and I took after our high school graduation.  We know that we all were going our separate ways and when I look at that photo, I always remember the great friendship I had with them
 
Friendships can transcend the years. I hope one day you get to see them again. Are there any mentors, authors, or books, other than yours, you would like to give a shout-out to?
Nicholas Sparks he’s the one that got me into the romance genre.
 
He’s definitely a wonderful author. Final question. What does literary success look like to you?
Fans reading my book, and hopeful someday, my book becoming a movie
 
Leslie, thank you so much for joining me around the campfire today. I would appreciate you leaving us a blub and exert from your work. Don’t forget to add where we can purchase your book and how we can find out more about you below.

​ Catherine Andrews is an English woman living in the 1800's. Her father sells her to Blake Von-Clyer to be his wife to pay off debts owed to Mr. Von-Clyer. Catherine soon finds out Blake is a cruel and horrible man. On their wedding night, to escape his cruelty, she throws herself into the river. Death is better than marriage to a beast.
Christopher King is living in 2014 doing his best to raise his young son Ryan after his wife left him. One night, Christopher finds a woman in the river unconscious and barely breathing. She is also wearing old fashioned clothes. Christopher does everything in his power to help the young women. When Catherine regains consciousness, she finds herself in a strange and unbelievable situation. Terrified, she does her best to keep her guard up against Christopher. But as she gets to know him,  she can't help but fall for the man who saved her life. When Catherine's dangerous past                     
comes back to haunt her, it has Catherine and Christopher fighting for each other and their love. Excerpt
“That’s true, but I don’t need a servant. I need a wife.” Catherine dropped the spoon as her whole body shook. What was her father planning to do? Hard work? A wife? What was going on? She was not her father’s slave to trade as he wished. She was his daughter. Too nervous to turn around, Catherine prayed that she heard wrong. “What did you say?” her father asked, shocked. “You heard me.” Mr. Von-Clyer laughed. “You had no problem selling her to me as a servant Mr. Andrews, but now that I want her for my wife your conscience haunts you. What’s the difference? Either way your debt to me is paid.” “Catherine, get over here now!” her father yelled drunkenly. The longer she stared at the vein in her father’s neck; she realized that she was making him angrier than Catherine had ever seen before. She slowly walked over to the table and stood in front of her father. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she watched him drink his last bit of wine. “You will be Mr. Von-Clyer’s wife to pay off my debt.”  

​
Available at Amazon Facebook Heart Healer Movie Recommendations
Steel Magnolias because of all the Heart Healing that's needed.
​The Notebook to shout out Nicholas Sparks
 Bonus Rain Man because of Leslie's ill fated camping trip. Well, I'v been on many rainy day camping trips. Last summer it seemed we never had a nice weekend. So, what does a camper do? Hobo foil packs.  Easy peasy. You take squares of foil. I spray them with non-stick spray. What ever meat you like goes in. What ever veggies, the same. Add a pat of butter or a touch of oil. Twist the foil closed to make them look like a Hershey Kiss. Place them on a grate over the fire (or grill). Cooks for about 45 minutes.  Each person gets a bag. No mess. No dishes. What could be better?

Welcome to the Campfire with D. V. Stone

#wsite-video-container-983274192250299006{ background: url(//www.weebly.com/uploads/b/81573318-373... } #video-iframe-983274192250299006{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... } #wsite-video-container-983274192250299006, #video-iframe-983274192250299006{ background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and ( min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and ( min-resolution: 2dppx) { #video-iframe-983274192250299006{ background: url(//cdn2.editmysite.com/images/util/video... background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position:center; background-size: 70px 70px; } } Welcome to the Campfire.
One of my favorite things is sitting around the fire. Whether it’s away in a campground, or at home in front the chiminea, some of the best conversations I’ve ever had, have been with a cozy flame and sparks drifting up into the night sky joining the stars. I think what I enjoy about camping, besides the owlishly good time, is the sense of community. It reminds me of past days sitting on the porch, talking to the passing neighbors. A time when kids weren't afraid to say hello to strangers. So, wherever you’re joining us from, click on the campfire video (from the Pocono's this week) and relax. I hope you enjoy our conversation. Please feel free to leave comments or questions below. Also, if you would like to keep up with Around the Campfire and information, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. Okay, without further delay…
 
Today I’m welcoming Daryl Devoré, author to the Around the Campfire.  What’s your preference, coffee, tea, cocoa, or wine?
Cocoa, please. And can I add that I am female. Most people think of Daryl as a male. But it is also a female name – old Celtic. When it rhymes with Karl, then it is female. When it rhymes with Carol, then it is male.

One cocoa coming up. I thought you were male at first. It's so interesting about your name. I Iove the history and etymology of words and names. Tell me, have you ever camped, or as I call what I do, Glamp. If so, tent, trailer, RV? Where? Did you like it? If not, and no judgment here, would you like to someday? Where?
In my third year of my phys.ed degree, we did an outdoor education course. We went camping – in February – in northern Ontario. It was -40. We camped outdoors for 8 days. Luckily, my cousin is in the Canadian Armed Forces, and he had a military grade Arctic sleeping bag. The class had been divided into groups of 9 or 10. One night, it was so cold that all 9 of us slept in a 3-man tent. It was an experience.
Now when I go camping, it is with my parents and family, and we camp in their RV, which is nicknamed Harvey. After my winter camping experience, I prefer a built-in bathroom, shower, kitchen, and comfy beds.
 
I understand. This girl doesn't sleep on the ground anymore. I do like my comforts. So, Daryl, tell us about your latest project. What’s the title and genre?
Love My Fate is a reboot of a book that I received my rights back for. I created a new cover and added back in a couple of scenes that the publisher wanted deleted.
It is a hot romance about a business woman who meets the man of her dreams, except he isn’t real.
 
Sounds very interesting. I'm glad you got your rights back.  That's big for an author. I'm curious, do you have a tagline?
What's a woman to do when a voice follows her home and makes mad, passionate love to her?
 
That will definitely pull readers in. If you don’t mind me asking, can you tell us how long it took from conception to fruition? It’s the most asked question for me.
Only a couple of months. This was a fun, easy write.
 
Isn't it great when you get to do what you love and things flow, but did you ever hit the place where you threw your arms up in the air and said nope this is not going to work? If so, how did you get past it?
When I realized that I had to write a sex scene between a physical human being and voice, I knew I’d written myself into a tight corner. I do love a challenge.
 
When we challenge ourselves that's when things get interesting. Tell us. I have a myriad of projects at various stages of development, how about you? Anything you’re itching to get to?
I have one more book from the five that I got my rights back for. I have gone through it and adjusted and rewrote some little bits. Now I am making the cover.
I have several that are sitting on my hard drive waiting for their moment.
Also, I wrote a fantasy complete with dragons then sent it off to my beta. She’s fabulous. She came up with an idea of stretching the one book into an epic three. I am itching to get to that, but summer came along, and it is short and cherished, so I’ve been picking strawberries, weeding my garden and sitting on the dock eating ice cream instead.
 
Good for you. You have to take time to enjoy and participate in life.   Looking over your shoulder, is there something you would tell your beginning self?
Write your stories for you. There are a lot of people who will tell you how you are supposed to write. They will pontificate that this is the only way or never do that or that won’t sell, so don’t waste your time.
Ignore them. Write what you want to write. Every story is real.

​There's a lesson for everyone in that statement. Now, on a more personal note. Do you have a tattoo? If yes, what is it? If you feel brave, where? Does it have a story you feel you could tell us? If not and you were to get a tattoo, what would it be?
LOL – no tattoos. My friend and neighbour is a fantastic tattoo artist, and she is always saying – ooh – that spot (on my arm, my thigh, my back) I have the perfect tattoo for you. It’d be stunning.
So I don’t have one and have gotten really good at changing the subject. But I do have a henna tattoo at the moment. It is on the inside of my left wrist, and it is the word Shanti, which means peace. I love yoga. I attend several classes a week, and the Shanti is honouring a moment in my yoga practice.
At the end of each class, there is savasana – a moment of total relaxation. The music for this particular day created the vision in my head of a woman standing on the shore, and the wind is blowing her hair. She was looking for something. I became that person. At the end of the song, still in my head, I looked at my wrist and the word Shanti was there. I told my yoga instructor, and she got excited saying – you’re getting a tattoo. I laughed and said – nope! (Kinda scared of needles.)
But every so often, I have gotten a henna one, and it has been the simple word Shanti.


Very cool. I wouldn't do needles either, but Henna would be a fun way to temporarily express yourself.  Next question. What was the best vacation you ever took? Why?
Oh, wow. Too many to choose from. My family has always vacationed together.  But if I have to choose one, it would be the Cayman Islands a long time ago. I was snuggled down in a hammock strung between two palm trees, on the shore. I had a Diet Coke and journal and was happily writing. That’s when I decided that was my perfect place and I needed to be next to the sea.
 
I visited Grand Cayman on my honeymoon. I know exactly what you experienced. Along those lines, years ago, there was a commercial which talked about a “Kodak Moment.” It’s a time you catch in a picture. One you never want to forget. What is yours?
Again, it would be a family moment after a vacation. We were all lined up outside the condo in the Caymans, and we are tanned and happy except my 6 yr old daughter. She is pouting. The vacation is over, and we have to go back to a cold Canadian winter.
 
A beautiful memory.  I lived in Minnesota on a dairy farm for a couple of years. Not a lot of people understand that kind of cold. Are there any mentors, authors, or books, other than yours, you would like to give a shout-out to?
I’d tell you who my fabulous beta is – she is also an amazing author – but then you would all want her to beta for you. So, I am greedily going to keep her name secret and keep her all to myself. But she knows who she is.
 
Girl's got to have her secrets. Okay, final question. What does literary success look like to you?
Actually having a fan chat with me. I have corresponded with and am FB friends with several who are fans of my work. To have someone like your work so much that they want to chat with you – wow – that makes you feel pretty special.
 
How great is that! I'm sure you have many more of those experiences in your future. Daryl, thank you so much for joining me around the campfire today. I would appreciate you leaving us a blurb and excerpt from your work. Don’t forget to add where we can purchase your book and how we can find out more about you below.

​Daryl's book is erotic romance and meant for 18+. ​Corporate businesswoman, Capricious Gray, is dragged to a sex toy convention by her best friend. After a mysterious disembodied voice helps her with her purchases, it follows her home. Passion ensues, leaving Capri torn between lust for her fantasy lover and the desperate need for reality in her life.
 
Thall, son of one of the Fates, harbours the irrepressible need to be with the woman he's desired from afar for years. In order to make her his, once and for all, he must help Capri get past her fears, including the fear of what he represents - a fantasy.
 
Can fantasy become a reality for these two lovers?
 
Note: This book was previously published by New Dawning Bookfair under the title Capri’s Fate. The edition has a new title, new cover and has restored previously deleted scenes.
 
Excerpt
My erotic adventure began the moment he whispered, "Do you happen to own a pair of red, fuzzy handcuffs?"
~ * * ~
Well okay, it didn't exactly start there. If I'm going to be perfectly honest, I think it started with Kat's text: "Meet me at - insert name of five-star restaurant here."
Kat’s always getting me to take her out for expensive dinners. I don't mind, I'm a highly-paid executive, in a large global corporation, while she's a receptionist in a small dental office. Besides, I like good food and her company.
Kat and I have been BFFs since third grade. We were in each other's wedding parties and cried on each other's shoulders at our subsequent divorces. Now, we're each other's go-to person whenever the mood strikes. Obviously, the mood struck and it involved my credit card. I texted back a reply –"Xavier's. 6 pm."
~ * * ~
Kat waited outside the restaurant when my cab pulled up to the curb. "Timing or what? I just got here."
After the requisite cheek kiss, we stepped up to the Maitre D'. He smiled his I-must-be-friendly-because-they're-guests smile and escorted us to our table. We ordered drinks and chatted. We talked about the weather, her new dress, my job—you know, just old—no, scratch old, put long-time—girlfriend stuff.
After a diet conscious meal, followed by a calorie-loaded dessert, we waited outside for a taxi.
"Do you trust me?" With a goofy grin on her face, Kat's dark chocolate mellowed-from-too-much-wine, eyes gazed at me.
Having seen that innocent demeanour before; it meant nothing but trouble, I was a bit wary. Okay, a lot wary! The last time she'd gawked at me like that and asked the same brainless question, we ended up at a frat house beer slosh during Homecoming and I wasn't in college anymore.
A cab pulled up and stopped. She grabbed my arm and dragged me into it. "Convention Centre."
I slid next to her and shut the car door. "What's at the convention centre?"
"That's the trust me bit." She raised her hands and flicked two fingers up and down at the words trust me.
You have to love air quotes.
I checked my cell for messages then glanced at her. "Is this going to get me arrested? Again?"
She shook her head.
"Is it going to get me hit on—again—by horny, beer-soaked, college drunks?"
Kat giggled.
"Is that a yes or a no?"
"Nope. Not going to tell you. You need to trust me."
Air quotes.
Again.
 
Blog - Romance - Sweet to Heat
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Amazon UK – link coming later
Amazon UK - print
Amazon Australia - ebook
Amazon Australia - print
 
Pinterest page for Love My Fate In the spirit of invisible voices this weeks recommended movies are

Ghost with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir Jean Tierney and Rex Harrison

And in honor of our Canadian guest today's Recipe  Maple Pecan Pie

Welcome to the Campfire

 

​Hi Everyone,
Thanks for stopping by. Starting on July 20th I'll be introducing a new format for my blog. Some weeks you will still get Saturday's Adventures, with yours truly, but I have an exciting line up of guests over the next couple of months. 

Since I'm pretty new at this, it's been trial and error finding away to have fun. Honestly, I can blah, blah,blah myself to death. Not that I don't have things to say, but really every Saturday? Some of you may wonder how all this happens and I'm happy to share my journey with you. Hopefully you get some good take-away, Otherwise known as don't try this.

So, what can you look forward too? 

Mostly authors, who I invite to sit around the campfire and be real. Yes, we all have books we'd like you to buy and review, but come on, how about some questions that are fun and give you insight into the person across the fire. These folks will have unique beliefs and personalities. Genres will be varied. I hope you will find our talks enlightening, enjoyable and informative. 

I encourage you to ask questions and leave comments. I expect good manners like your mama taught you. Everything will be PG rated. We all come from different places but I believe that we can all come around the campfire, sip a beverage, and reinstate the long lost art of conversation.

I'm also going to add a Campfire Recipe like this one, but next time I promise I'll write it down. I usually just start tossing things in the pot.  I love open fire cooking. The tripod with a chain makes it easy for a must have Dutch Oven.  I haven't baked in it yet but I've cooked a lot of things in it. The tripod also has a grate. Unfortunately, I tend to drop quite a few things from it, so an over the fire-pit grate works best for me. There is still some open spots to be a guest blogger. The rules are PG, nothing to violent, and extra points for making us laugh. I write multiple genres and welcome them as well. So, if your interested, push the black button below.  If you've never blogged, fear not, I've made it simple.  If you're interested in being a guest Turn up your volume and enjoy one of my own campfires. The grand-kids call it magic fire. I think it's pretty magical too. One little pack burns and changes the colors for hours. I'll try to get better videos on our future trips and label them as well. 

We have a couple of Glamping trips planned. In the next couple of weeks we'll be hitting the Delaware Water Gap/Pocono KOA where I hope the grands will join us for day-camp. After that hubby and I will be traveling to Maryland and staying at Hagerstown / Antietam Battlefield KOA.  We love history and believe only by studying it, will the past mistakes be avoided. I remember visiting Gettysburg, Pa years ago. Standing in the field where so many died brought me to tears. All I could do was stare at the ground where so much blood had been spilled. 

On a more fun note we will pull out after four days and head to Lancaster, Pa. It's one of our favorite places. Antiquing and flea markets will fill our days.
On the author front, I recently got back what's called a first pass on Rock House. My editor at Wild Rose Press also worked with me on my back-cover. Once that's done, the book will go for cover development. I'm very excited about seeing what they come up with.  Check out my new Facebook page Romance and Recipes where we talk about our favorite foods and recipes. Romantic dinners and treats, and the books where love and food come together in the perfect dish. Romance and Recipes

What do Airway, Breathing, and Circulation have to do with writing

 
While in an author’s chat the other night and the theme was ABC’s of writing. What came to mind when with the letters of the alphabet. Right off the bat, I found my mind in a different thought pattern. A for others to the question, was art, author, ARC’s. My brain immediately went Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Old EMT’s don’t die; they just retire.
To me, the airway is the book, breathing the words and circulation the pacing. You need all three (and other things) to create a dynamic story. Let me break it down.
Airway =  
This would be the basics. What is the manuscript about? Who are the characters? Where and when does the tale take place? It would be like a blurb. For instance, in Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar, I would say
A fantasy romance adventure, where amid treachery and chaos, love blooms. Can Abelard, a human and shifter, Felice, come to terms with their individual pasts in order to move forward together into their future.
 
Breathing =  
To me, this would include style, grammar, punctuation. What is the author's voice? Is the book urban and gritty? I’ve read books whose prose is almost poetic in the use of language. What about dialect? Is it from the UK where the words don’t necessarily mean the same thing? Whose point of view is the story told in?
Circulation = Pacing
So, like a heartbeat, your novel needs pacing. It’s dangerous if your beat is to slow (bradycardia) or to fast (tachycardia). Also, an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) be a problem. The opening needs to strong, but so does the middle and end.  If your story is too slow taking off, it will not keep the reader engaged. The same applies to long lags between action, emotion, intrigue. I would hate for someone to get tired of waiting for something—anything to happen. A good healthy heartbeat has rests in it as well. This is the time to get to know the characters and the world you’ve built. Try to balance the highs and lows and don’t forget the rests.

 
Recommended Movies
Patch Adams
Awakenings
And yes, they are both Robin Willams movies.

What Good is the Delete Button

​
 
Hi Everyone,
 
My name is Donna and I write under D.V. Stone. Not for any particular reason except that is how I sign my name. I have two independently published books. Felice, Shield-Mates of Dar is a fantasy/romance. Agent Carter and the Mystery at Branch Lake is a mid-grade. Recently I have been signed by Wild Rose Press for Rock House Grill. This is a contemporary romance and first in the Impact Series.
I love all different types of books and my writing reflect this. Fantasy, romance, mystery I read it all and write the same. The common denominator is hope and love (whether romantic, family or friend).A friend gave me a key chain that says Live the Life You Love. I consider writing to be my career. One which I love. I still work a paying job, but every chance I get, out comes the laptop, pen, or camera. 


My husband, Pete and I purchased an RV. One of the requirements for the purchase was a place for me to work. Taking my passion for writing on the road with me.
Ideas and inspiration are everywhere. 

Recently, another friend asked if I needed to be at my desk to create. The answer was a resounding no for me. Take for instance, one of the songs in a work in progress called Kingdom at a Crossroad was written while I worked the lumber desk at one of my jobs. 

Books have always been a major part of my life. From Little Golden Books, through the children’s classics like Heidi, Black Beauty, and Misty of Chincoteague, I’ve always enjoyed slipping away to another world. 

The authors and genres over the years have by turn made me laugh and cry. Sometimes they scared me to death or pushed me to the edge of my seat. 

So, in that spirit I hope to one day gift others with those emotions. Sit and laugh, cry, scream, or quietly contemplate. To take an adventure and visit new places. Make new friends and conquer some enemies.

Maybe you to have the wanderlust and we’ll meet in a campground or rest stop. 
In the words of J.R.R. Tolkien.

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost. 

J. R. R. Tolkien
Why do I write?
Get the paddles STAT!
Developing a story line is like an ECG. It must move along at a steady pace. Unlike a healthy heartbeat there also needs to be regular surges caused by Adrenalin. These would be the exciting parts. 

Unfortunately, too often writing hits irregular beats where a good critique is needed. If adjustments aren't made in time, an Author risks the dreaded block or flat line.

The good thing is if you have good characters and are willing to consider changing your "lifestyle" and make hard choices the work can be resuscitated. 

I'm in that place now. My work in process Jazz House is on the stretcher. I have a decision to make about a recurring character in the Impact Series and it's going to be painful. 

How about you? What in your life needs to be assessed and changed
Why do I write?
My delete button is tired
My husband has a love hate relationship with a Holly bush in front of my house. For years he’s tried trimming it to keep it under control. This past spring he’d had enough. Grabbing his saw, he went to the ground and cut it down. Funny thing, a couple of weeks later green started sprouting from the stump. Now he is carefully trimming to keep it from becoming an overpowering entity it once was. Not only is the Holly healthier so are the plants around it.

Many people think editing is chasing down grammar and punctuation issues. That’s true, but editing a novel is so much more. Often, it’s like pruning a tree or a bush. 

In a rush of emotion, words pour over the page often in an unruly fashion. Cohesion and logic take a back seat to growth. Once you take a step back the delete key becomes your surgical scalpel and critique partners your nurses. 

Editing used to be my arch nemesis but over the years I’ve come to that same love/hate relationship as Pete and his Holly bush. Sometimes my work is overwrought and drastic steps need to be taken. 

In the end though I’ve found the worth of a worn out delete button.