Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff's Blog: #42 Pencil: A Writer's Life, the Universe, and Everything, page 14

The Puppy Breath Combo

Sometimes the doggy stuff happens faster than blogging every two weeks can keep up with, and they pile up over at my Wordplay blog. But this time there are puppies involved, so it’s totally worth putting two of those blogs together. Liiike…this!

In Search of Puppy Breath

Connery’s first baby picture–about three weeks old!

Puppy breath. Slightly sour, slightly tangy, a hint of skunky. No kind of smell that a person would normally crave.

At least, not until there’s a puppy in your hands and you su...

What Makes a Book Cover Great?

The short answer: it’s entirely a matter of opinion.

I was inspired to write on this subject by an article I spotted today whilst on my daily social media cruise: “The Best Book Covers of 2014″ by Nicholas Blechman, in the New York Times. It’s short; go ahead and look at it, then come back.

Mr. Blechman’s taste (what a great name – Blechman – have to use that for a character some time…) does not align much with mine. Of these twelve covers, I found two attractive, two others interesting, and th...

Story Excerpt Sunday: from Kokopelli and the Virgin by Pati Nagle

Kokopelli and the Virgin

by Pati Nagle

“Oh, better not move now, better not take your hand away or the world will fall!”

Rosa turned to see who had spoken, heart pounding with sudden fear. She hadn’t heard anyone approaching, but there was a little old Indian man standing on the trail a couple of steps away.

Black eyes gleamed in his weathered, gnome-like face beneath a cap of silver hair. He wore dusty old baggy trousers and a loose-fitting shirt of a faded dark red. A sash gathered in the shirt...

The Rambling Writer: Maui Winter Wonderland

Maui Dreams—Swimming in a Winter Wonderland

Even though I’m fourth-generation in the Pacific Northwest “4th Corner,” I get grumpy with the cold gray drizzle by December. Thor, from sunnier climes, experienced a weather meltdown in November and booked us a Winter Solstice vacation on Maui. So, up late the night before our flight finishing grading student creative-writing portfolios, I surrendered to Maui Dreams. Christmas with my extended family could wait until our return.

Maui Dreams: 1. Our f...

BVC Eats: Smoking Bishop

by Brenda W. Clough

It is said of modern novels that, whatever other problems the characters have, at least they can have a lot of sex. This cannot be said of literary characters of the past, when the emotional side of their lives mostly was ignored by the author (looking at you, J.R.R. Tolkien) in favor of Big Stuff like battles and wars. And it is one very obvious difference in, say, romance novels of the past and those of the modern day. A Nookie Tally and you can almost predict a novel’s c...

The Book View Cafe Boxing Week Sale Is On!

A mess of Book View Cafe ebooks are on sale from now through January 1. Discounts are automagically applied by the BVC checkout fairies. Fill up your e-readers and have money left over for a nice cup of tea or coffee to sip while reading.

More Than Decoration

A bunny angel tree topper!

Holiday decorations are a big deal in my family. I have sisters who teach elementary school—they are decorating pros. But it was my mother and her sisters who took Christmas decorating to new heights, and started us on our ornament collections. My Aunt Sue loves making curious, crafty things (I have an awesome tuna can spray-painted and with a small scene set inside it.) But her goal was simply that by the time we hit twenty-one all the cousins would have enough orna...

The 1899 Lynmouth ‘Overland Launch’

Here’s a feel good story for Christmas. It’s the true story of one of the most amazing lifeboat rescues ever. The 1899 ‘Overland Launch’ of the Lynmouth Lifeboat. It’s a story about people who go that extra mile. And then thirteen more.

On the evening of January 12th 1899, a severe storm hit the south west coast of Britain. It was one of the worst for years. At 7:52pm a telegram was sent to the Lynmouth Post Office. The Forrest Hall, a 2,000 ton 3-masted ship carrying 13 crew and 5 apprentices...

BVC Announces Triple Play III by Mindy Klasky

Triple Play III

Diamond Brides Series

by Mindy Klasky

Three hot contemporary baseball romances by Mindy Klasky, in one sizzling volume:

From Left Field: Left fielder Adam Sartain and Haley Thurman (literally the girl next door) are engaged in a bidding war on the neighboring Reeves Farm. He wants to develop condos, and she wants to house her no-kill animal shelter. Neither one is prepared for the heat when they realize they aren’t just neighbors any more.

Center Stage: Twice-jilted bride Lindsey...

Coming Soon: The Boxing Week Blowout Sale

The annual Book View Cafe Boxing Day Week half-price sale starts Friday, December 26. Mark your calendars.