Winnie Winkle's Blog, page 5

New Funny Fantasy book release and cover reveal!

Boogie Beach, a funny fantasy is a blast to read; fast paced, well written, and snarky… and this new series release brings the laughs! For my readers here on wwinkle.com, check out this sneak peek at the new cover!

Two bars, one magical and one human, lie in the exact same space. That should work. It’d better; I run those joints and we’re under attack.

I live a pretty weird life—as in gods in speedos, powerful witches with little patience for mere humans, and shifters whose vibrations make my guts quake. Plus, an oceanside bar and a magical book run my existence.

Beach life and eccentric are besties. The record picked me, Cleopatra O’Keefe, to be the next Keeper. I took over the book and started chronicling the intersection and occasional asininity of the human and magical worlds. That’s when eccentric plunked its butt on the deck next to mine and we careened into the world of funky oddities seasoned with occasional mayhem.

I’ve juggled the two worlds for almost twenty years, but my pier is under attack from the one entity feared by gods and magicals alike. Between slinging drinks, writing the history, and trying to keep the worlds in balance, I’m discovering that the Keeper’s job has way more depth than the magicals told me. Who’s lying? Which bits are truth?

I’m at a crossroads and it’s time to make a choice. Toe the line and live, or save the world and die?

Typical Tuesday.

The first three books in this series all release this summer, in June, July and August. Get ready for a long summer of snort-laughs. You can pre-order ebooks on Amazon here.

Paperbacks and ebooks for other devices are in the works. Check back next week for all the goods. Thank you, as always, for your incredible support. Have a blast with Boogie Beach… I sure did!

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Hats

In my life I’ve worn several, some with greater aplomb than others. Party girl was a good fit. Motherhood was one that stayed the longest, but I’ve worked an oddball lot of jobs, starting out drilling bowling balls for the JCPenney sporting goods department before moving upstairs to run their old school printing press (placing one letter at a time). I worked in offices, for direct mail companies, did some bookkeeping, was an aide for the US government, and worked in sales for a couple of educational technology companies. Along the way, I built skills and odd talents, but mostly, I acquired life.

Writers should work in weird nooks and dusty corners, but also in busy, over lit offices and shiny conference rooms. It’s how you learn to choose the word that sets the tone, flavors the emotion, and gives the reader the sense of being in the moment with your characters.

So, here’s to hats. May you wear many, and wear them well.

P.S. Don’t forget your Freebie!

P.P.S. Go grab “To Walk in the World”. My email is blowing up with happy fans.

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Beginnings

This past weekend has been a bookend of several sorts. My daughter graduated college, and we traveled to beautiful Sarasota to celebrate her milestone. Her life is stopping and restarting in exciting ways as she heads into a gap year before pursuing her masters. She’s taking on the expenses and responsibilities of a young adult life, but her exuberance is contagious.

For me, this is the end of being tied, albeit loosely, to the dependent she was. She’s in flight, and in a way, so am I. These minutes bookend our parent child relationship and open new chapters as peers. Watching her poise and humor throughout the weekend filled me with a great sense of peace. All is well, Mama. She’s a fledgling no more.

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Boogie Beach – new series almost ready to release!

A while back, I mentioned that writing in different genres gave me a way to stretch and find my voice. This past year, I’ve written a new series, and it’s a hoot!

Set on a Florida beach, a bar on the intersection of the human and magical worlds is the scene for Cleopatra O’Keefe to manage both sides of the line while slinging drinks and preventing the collapse of not one, but two civilizations… in her arsenal are her wits and her humor. It’s a romp.

Cover reveal coming soon!

The post Boogie Beach – new series almost ready to release! appeared first on Winnie Winkle.

To Walk in the World now available in paperback!

“To Walk in the World” is now available in paperback. If you’re old school like me, holding a book and falling away to revel is one of life’s great joys.

This story took a while to sculpt. 2017 feels like ages ago; in a way, it is. When I lost my mother, the grief was raw and encompassing. “I’ll write it out,” I told myself, fingers tapping. “Purge it from my system then try writing something more commercial.”

So I did, and put it aside. Except this story would not let go. Then Covid hit, and I became blocked and couldn’t make headway on my current work in progress. I set it aside, pulled “To Walk in the World” out, and fell in love all over again, flaws and all.

Flaws can be fixed, and I leapt down that rabbit hole, loving the new shape of the story and the genuine emotions that gripped and helped tell the tale.

Thank you so much for your readership and support. It means more than you know.

Order your copy here.

One of the pleasures of writing is the chance to meet other authors at various workshops, classes, and conferences, which is how I met the incredibly talented Jill Wallace, author of “War Serenade”. Jill’s new book, “Zebra”, is available for preorder.

Jill started her writing career as a screenwriter. Her first script was twice optioned by producers for movies. When disappointment flooded in with the collapse of her dreams, an author friend said, “To hell with them. Write a book.” So she did. It took her three years.

War Serenade won a number of awards, the most recent are the Golden Quill Contest Winner Desert Rose RWA, and Rone Awards 2020, for best audio book.

Zebra is Jill’s second novel and is largely based on her husband’s experiences, is set in South Africa and spans 4 decades.

Learn more about the author and her books at http://www.jillwallace.com

Friends by fate. Enemies by destiny.

A young white boy and a Zulu teen grow up together, building an extraordinary friendship as they explore the rugged Drakensberg mountains around a remote South African hotel during the apartheid era. 

Jock and Papin forge an indelible bond while learning to love and appreciate each other’s cultures. Despite whispers from intolerant guests, the boys are oblivious to the consequences of their friendship. “There goes the zebra,” guests remark, claiming they can’t tell where the white boy ends and the black boy begins.

But the boys’ friendship is strong enough to conquer all—until society’s impossible expectations wrench them apart, leaving bitter disappointment and soul-deep wounds that will not heal.

A decade later, these long-lost friends converge on opposite sides of a harrowing battlefield, one a reluctant soldier, the other a passionate freedom fighter. Their intimate knowledge of the other’s way of life could be the very tools that save them…or destroy them. And an unimaginable choice will put Jock and Papin’s once unbreakable bond to the ultimate test.

Jill Wallace, author of the multi-award-winning World War II novel War Serenade, brings together a fascinating coming-of-age story with a compelling tale of human connection in Zebra.

Check out this wonderful review from a beta reader:

Ok. I’ve just this moment finished ZEBRA. All I can say is Wow. I have tears in my eyes. I don’t have the words to articulate my feelings right now…Bravo. Bravo. Bravo. Now I sleep, but tomorrow I start reading ZEBRA again from the start.

~ Frank Giaramita

My note: I loved “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtenay and I suspect this coming of age tale in Apartheid South Africa will pack a similar punch. Can’t wait to dive in!

The post To Walk in the World now available in paperback! appeared first on Winnie Winkle.

It’s Official! To Walk in the World now available in paperback!

2017 feels like ages ago; in a way, it is. When I lost my mother, the grief was raw and encompassing. “I’ll write it out,” I told myself, fingers tapping. “Purge it from my system then try writing something more commercial.”

So I did, and put it aside. Except this story would not let go. Then Covid hit, and I became blocked and couldn’t make headway on my current work in progress. I set it aside, pulled “To Walk in the World” out, and fell in love all over again, flaws and all.

Flaws can be fixed, and I leapt down that rabbit hole, loving the new shape of the story and the genuine emotions that gripped and helped tell the tale.

“To Walk in the World is now available in paperback. If you’re old school like me, holding a book and falling away to revel is one of life’s great joys.

Thank you so much for your readership and support. It means more than you know.

Order your copy here.

One of the pleasures of writing is the chance to meet other authors at various workshops, classes, and conferences, which is how I met the incredibly talented Jill Wallace, author of “War Serenade”. Jill’s new book, “Zebra”, is available for preorder.

Jill started her writing career as a screenwriter. Her first script was twice optioned by producers for movies. When disappointment flooded in with the collapse of her dreams, an author friend said, “To hell with them. Write a book.” So she did. It took her three years.

War Serenade won a number of awards, the most recent are the Golden Quill Contest Winner Desert Rose RWA, and Rone Awards 2020, for best audio book.

Zebra is Jill’s second novel and is largely based on her husband’s experiences, is set in South Africa and spans 4 decades.

Learn more about the author and her books at http://www.jillwallace.com

Friends by fate. Enemies by destiny.

A young white boy and a Zulu teen grow up together, building an extraordinary friendship as they explore the rugged Drakensberg mountains around a remote South African hotel during the apartheid era. 

Jock and Papin forge an indelible bond while learning to love and appreciate each other’s cultures. Despite whispers from intolerant guests, the boys are oblivious to the consequences of their friendship. “There goes the zebra,” guests remark, claiming they can’t tell where the white boy ends and the black boy begins.

But the boys’ friendship is strong enough to conquer all—until society’s impossible expectations wrench them apart, leaving bitter disappointment and soul-deep wounds that will not heal.

A decade later, these long-lost friends converge on opposite sides of a harrowing battlefield, one a reluctant soldier, the other a passionate freedom fighter. Their intimate knowledge of the other’s way of life could be the very tools that save them…or destroy them. And an unimaginable choice will put Jock and Papin’s once unbreakable bond to the ultimate test.

Jill Wallace, author of the multi-award-winning World War II novel War Serenade, brings together a fascinating coming-of-age story with a compelling tale of human connection in Zebra.

Check out this wonderful review from a beta reader:

Ok. I’ve just this moment finished ZEBRA. All I can say is Wow. I have tears in my eyes. I don’t have the words to articulate my feelings right now…Bravo. Bravo. Bravo. Now I sleep, but tomorrow I start reading ZEBRA again from the start.

~ Frank Giaramita

My note: I loved “The Power of One” by Bryce Courtenay and I suspect this coming of age tale in Apartheid South Africa will pack a similar punch. Can’t wait to dive in!

The post It’s Official! To Walk in the World now available in paperback! appeared first on Winnie Winkle.

Adventure Time!

When my kids were small we were junkies for this show. Finn the Human, Jake the Dog, and their post apocalyptic shenanigans were a hoot and we loved them.

Adventure takes many forms, some grand, some internal, but embracing adventure is accepting change as your norm. It’s choosing to diverge from safe and predictable.

Divergence means separation, it implies a growing distance. This morning’s muse is how good this is for the soul. Sameness stultifies, it’s living your life in tar. The stickiness builds up, slowing your feet. You don’t see what is missing when you can’t get there to decide if that chance is the one you’ve dreamed of taking.

This is not a poke at committing to a path, a person, or a life. I am grateful to know many people living vibrant lives full of commitment and love. In those lives they continue to learn, try new things, and they keep it joyful. It’s a good way to live a big life.

What I’m driving at is the substitution of fear, or exchanging growth for security, or closing your heart after being hurt, these all stick to your feet and slow your soul. “Why not” is a valid question. It’s probably lifted more people out of their personal tar pit than any other.

If I hadn’t quit my job, I’d have never written, then published a book. Having just released my 6th book, with three more coming this year, if I hadn’t leapt, my feet would still be stuck. When you can, leap into your dream; it’s why you’re here.

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Cha Cha (Excerpt from To Walk in the World)

Excerpt from To Walk in the World

The house was old, and she loved that part. Undiscovered charm hid under layers of paint, wallpaper, paint on wallpaper over plaster, yikes, plus various home improvement attempts arrayed on a scale of WTF to WOW, and a vibe. 

God, what a vibe! 

When she walked onto the porch with the Realtor, she didn’t even make it inside before she knew she would buy it. In the beginning, she christened it the ‘House of Beige’ because every surface within was the essence of oncology waiting rooms. 

“Man, do you need me,” she told her house. 

“I am so much more,” the house whispered back. 

That began a love affair consisting of roofing and windows, tête-à-têtes over refinishing and paint, and secret rendezvous with appliances. 

She bought it also for the apartment, attached yet private, ideal for independence on the wane. With a friend, she updated and painted it so the colors felt welcoming, and they did. For the finale, she hung art, added flowers, made the space sing, and marked the time. Tick, tock, tick.

On her side, beige vanquished, the home returned to a sunny place of color, music, and kitchen dancing. 

“We haven’t kitchen danced since…,” Sad Heart murmured.

“To be expected,” Standby Platitude interjected.

“Hey, I’m dancing,” she protested. “I hit the floor last weekend and groove in my car. But no, not in the kitchen. Not for a while; not since death started scratching at the door four years ago. It hasn’t been a goal.” 

Dancing had always been one of her things. 

Hmm, I suppose that I don’t dance as much as let music take a ride in my blood. It pumps, I bump, and we move. When I watch other people grooving, they have two or four patterns they repeat and that’s their way of expressing the song. I can’t do that; I move to the song itself, it’s not just the beat. Dance pushes me into the realm of unpredictable, bumping into the set-pattern people because the music needs to change up at this precise moment. Not spastic, not flailing, but it is a one-hundred percent interpretive escape. When dancing, I joy. As a verb. I will require space.

In her kitchen, before the slope grew sad and inevitable, she punked out by herself. Sometimes she listened to the old stuff that she played when the kids were little, Tina Turner or the Pointer Sisters. Tunes that got the car seats rockin’. 

I need to rediscover dancing at home and give that back to myself. Maybe it’s as simple as starting to dance and letting the joy find me. 

“Alexa, play Iggy Pop.”

Iggy’s baritone seeped into her bones and she tried groovin’ a bit, wiping counters, watering plants and dogs, tossing Rocco’s ball, and putting away the dishes. It felt pretty okay. The jangle of “Gardenia” opened, and a smile crossed her face. She let the song dance with her. The kitchen filled, and it was good. Iggy and she ebbed and flowed until she was sweaty, both empty and full.

Riding that wave, she decided tossing the flowers, sent by kind hearts to ease a birthday with no guest of honor, was bearable. She pulled the florist cards with gentle resignation. Small and stiff, she held them, running a fingertip over the surface, tracing the words. She ignored the haphazard stacks on the dining room table and placed the cards on a pile, then scratched Piper’s and Rocco’s heads.

“One step forward, two steps back,” she told Sad Heart and Standby Platitude. “Cha-chaing at a funeral. How’s that for kitchen dancing?”

(Excerpt from: To Walk in the World: Twin Tales of Inception, released 4/19/2021)

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Cha Cha

The house was old, and she loved that part. Undiscovered charm hid under layers of paint, wallpaper, paint on wallpaper over plaster, yikes, plus various home improvement attempts arrayed on a scale of WTF to WOW, and a vibe. 

God, what a vibe! 

When she walked onto the porch with the Realtor, she didn’t even make it inside before she knew she would buy it. In the beginning, she christened it the ‘House of Beige’ because every surface within was the essence of oncology waiting rooms. 

“Man, do you need me,” she told her house. 

“I am so much more,” the house whispered back. 

That began a love affair consisting of roofing and windows, tête-à-têtes over refinishing and paint, and secret rendezvous with appliances. 

She bought it also for the apartment, attached yet private, ideal for independence on the wane. With a friend, she updated and painted it so the colors felt welcoming, and they did. For the finale, she hung art, added flowers, made the space sing, and marked the time. Tick, tock, tick.

On her side, beige vanquished, the home returned to a sunny place of color, music, and kitchen dancing. 

“We haven’t kitchen danced since…,” Sad Heart murmured.

“To be expected,” Standby Platitude interjected.

“Hey, I’m dancing,” she protested. “I hit the floor last weekend and groove in my car. But no, not in the kitchen. Not for a while; not since death started scratching at the door four years ago. It hasn’t been a goal.” 

Dancing had always been one of her things. 

Hmm, I suppose that I don’t dance as much as let music take a ride in my blood. It pumps, I bump, and we move. When I watch other people grooving, they have two or four patterns they repeat and that’s their way of expressing the song. I can’t do that; I move to the song itself, it’s not just the beat. Dance pushes me into the realm of unpredictable, bumping into the set-pattern people because the music needs to change up at this precise moment. Not spastic, not flailing, but it is a one-hundred percent interpretive escape. When dancing, I joy. As a verb. I will require space.

In her kitchen, before the slope grew sad and inevitable, she punked out by herself. Sometimes she listened to the old stuff that she played when the kids were little, Tina Turner or the Pointer Sisters. Tunes that got the car seats rockin’. 

I need to rediscover dancing at home and give that back to myself. Maybe it’s as simple as starting to dance and letting the joy find me. 

“Alexa, play Iggy Pop.”

Iggy’s baritone seeped into her bones and she tried groovin’ a bit, wiping counters, watering plants and dogs, tossing Rocco’s ball, and putting away the dishes. It felt pretty okay. The jangle of “Gardenia” opened, and a smile crossed her face. She let the song dance with her. The kitchen filled, and it was good. Iggy and she ebbed and flowed until she was sweaty, both empty and full.

Riding that wave, she decided tossing the flowers, sent by kind hearts to ease a birthday with no guest of honor, was bearable. She pulled the florist cards with gentle resignation. Small and stiff, she held them, running a fingertip over the surface, tracing the words. She ignored the haphazard stacks on the dining room table and placed the cards on a pile, then scratched Piper’s and Rocco’s heads.

“One step forward, two steps back,” she told Sad Heart and Standby Platitude. “Cha-chaing at a funeral. How’s that for kitchen dancing?”

(Excerpt from: To Walk in the World: Twin Tales of Inception, released 4/19/2021)

Wonderful Reviews

To Walk in the World is getting wonderful reviews, and I’m dancing! Take a look:

Few moments are as frustrating as writing, editing, agonizing and finally publishing a book just to have an immediate review that pans it.

It hurts. Especially when you aren’t certain they even read it. Trolls live under author’s bridges, too.

So grateful this book is resonating!

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