Bonnie Vanak's Blog, page 22

Trains!

Earlier this month we were on vacation and missed the train meet at the park. DH is a member of the Tradewinds and Atlantic RR club. They have riding trains for children and adults and DH and his friends built a model railroad track to run their G-scale trains. The new layout was a lot of work, and the results are gorgeous. Kids love seeing the trains, like this one, which is called a Triplex. Many of DH's trains have sound systems. He even has cattle and sheep cars that feature animal sounds!







It's a great hobby.







Our vacations are usually spent at locations that offer old-fashioned steam train rides. One of our favorites is Chama, New Mexico. They have a narrow gauge railroad, one of the last remaining ones in the country, and the railroad yard is an open train museum. We spent a few delightful hours combing through the yard, looking at locomotives, parts, tankers, you name it.







One of my favorite ways to relax when I get home from the day job, when the weather gets cooler, is to sit outside on our patio with a glass of wine and watch DH run the trains in our back yard. Our layout runs the length of the patio. On holidays, when his dad came over, we'd have dessert in the backyard or his dad would sit and watch Frank run the trains. I miss my FIL...the holidays are going to be a little rough this year without him. But at least we have lots of good memories to keep him in our hearts.

Great review of The Shadow Wolf

This review is by Xeranthemum from The Long and Short of It Reviews. Five books! Yay! The Shadow Wolf is out August 23, but available for pre-order on Amazon , B&N and eHarlequin.

"On the run from authorities, gutsy Megan Moraine knows shadow wolves like herself have no place in this world. But she's still prepared to do anything to protect her young charges. That resolve is tested when the trio is captured by Gabriel Robichaux. Everyone knows that Gabriel is a ruthless bounty hunter, a member of an elite group called the Enforcers. Why then is Megan so attracted to her enemy—a wolf who hunts his own people? A wolf whose languid, sexy drawl makes her dream the impossible?

I bit my nails, ground my teeth and flipped through the pages at a furious clip because I never knew what was going to happen next and the suspense kept me glued to my chair. The Shadow Wolf has the emotional punch to make what happens to the hero and heroine matter to a reader.

Right off the bat, Ms. Vanak introduced characters that would appeal to a reader. She painted a scene of despair, hopelessness and fear while showcasing the heroine's determination, strength and loyalty. The first chapter presented the main players who have the most to lose and gain during the course of this story and sets up the initial conflict between the hero and heroine. And wouldn't you know, just as I'm writing this I realized something about one of the characters that I read about early on. I'm in shock. Oh, my gosh! I didn't catch it on the first read through. That really twists the knife. And now I understand all the ramifications. I'm officially blown away. Oh poor, Gabriel.

Yes, Ms. Vanak created characters I cared about. Once the hero, Gabriel bared his heart, there was only one option open to me and that was to fall in love with him too. I wanted to hug him, care for him and wanted him to be happy. He eventually gets all those things from Megan, the heroine but not without some seriously suspenseful and heartbreaking moments along the way.

Megan has had to fight tooth and nail to get where she is and to get where she's going. She has been hurt so much and so badly, trusting someone else is a huge stumbling block for her. And yet, for all her doubts and fears, she tentatively reaches out to Gabriel and the action begins.

The twins are adorable and important. They are little kids who've seen too much and yet still retain some of their innocence and charm. They are the glue that holds the little group together initially until the bigger picture gets painted for a reader and the scope with which they're up against is revealed.

The suspense of not knowing who to trust, why what is happening is happening and will they get away and survive intact is a constant. Not knowing if both Gabriel and Megan can get beyond their own fears and reach out to the other is another effective hook in this story. What is really going on and why everything is so perverted is another question to be answered. So many threads weave through this book and Ms. Vanak didn't let one dangle. Eventually everything comes to light in a spectacular confrontation.

There are different levels of secondary characters and some are more important than others. The most fascinating for me was Tristan. He can be a cool dude one second and the other, he's popping footballs. Amazing man with a hint of omniscience, I'd love to know more about him. The others have supporting roles or shed light on the hero. The heroine doesn't really have any friends so that's an emotion tugger.

The conflicts are many but the solution comes down to a decision that only Megan and Gabriel can make. Once they do, it was thrilling to see the intense and volatile scenes that followed. And it was a WOW! moment when it was revealed just what Gabriel really was. Never saw that coming and it made me wonder why they were hunted in the first place. Something tells me it was the other nasties that arranged it all those many years ago. Interesting thought and it makes sense.

The happily ever after is tender, sweet and well earned. In fact it was the icing on the cake. Right before the charming part, their coming together was its own happy ever after and it was sensual, poignant and well written. If a reader is looking for well written physical expressions of love, they'll find it here.

The Shadow Wolf is one heck of a ride that will leave a reader breathless. I think my TMJ got a workout from all the teeth clenching I did during the suspenseful parts – of which there were many. At one point I thought the heroine was spiraling down into a cliché but no, she dodged that one with style and true grit. This story has dark depths and a meaty plot sure to appeal to paranormal romantic suspense readers who look for a quality written story. The editing is perfect, the characters extremely well formed and the dynamics between the hero and heroine are wonderful. I was thoroughly entertained and can say with all confidence that readers are in for a treat and a great read when they pick up their own copy of The Shadow Wolf."

Rest in peace, LA Banks

I'm just back from vacation and heard the news this morning. The talented, awesome and all-together wonderful human being and author LA Banks has died.

She had late stage adrenal cancer. A group of friends and authors had held fundraisers to help pay for her medical bills.

To celebrate her life, and her talent, I'm providing a link here to her latest book .

Rest in peace, Leslie, you were an amazing person.

The Panther and the Pyramid now on KINDLE

Graham Tristan has been tormented too long. He is physically strong: during his childhood exile, he rode with the Khamsin - Egyptian Warriors of the Wind. He has learned their code, is called The Panther. Now he has returned to his rightful place as the Duke of Caldwell. And there is a new face - that of a woman - that haunts his dreams.

Hair the color of blood. Eyes the color of emeralds. The memory threatens to consume him. In his dreams, this woman threatens all he seeks to protect, all he thinks to hide. She is more perilous even than the ancient treasure that draws him back to Egypt. This woman will uncover his heart.

Click here to buy on Amazon Kindle .

In other news, I've accepted an offer to write two more Nocturne Cravings, which hopefully will be out next year, and my evil twin Blair will be publishing another erotic romance with Ellora's Cave. I'm very grateful to both my editors for being so understanding with the recent illness and death of my beloved father-in-law, Frank. It's been a very emotional time for my husband and myself, but we are slowly healing. Thank you everyone who sent condolences and expressed sympathy.

Taken by the Alpha Wolf now available

On Kindle and Smashwords, a new, original Draicon werewolf story for only 99 cents. This is Etienne's story, the eldest Draicon brother.
From the moment he saw the pale-haired beauty, Draicon werewolf Etienne Robichaux vowed to claim Cindy Parker as his mate. Nothing will stand in his way. After learning she's targeted by a Columbian drug mob, the former Navy SEAL will do everything in his power to protect her.

His touch ignites her passion and his tender concern touches her soul. But Cindy has a deadly secret she hides from Etienne, one that not only risks losing her heart to handsome shifter, but her very life.





Buy at Amazon .


Buy at Smashwords .

How to plan for RWA in NY

RWA is a week away and what have I done to prepare? I've printed business cards with the cover to The Shadow Wolf. That's it.

And then I look at the calendar and realize I have one week left to get my act together before leaving for RWA. I have a blizzard of meetings at the day job next week, and two ART fact sheets to fill out for Harlequin for my upcoming stories, Hunted by the Jaguar and Mated to the Wolf. I need to get organized. Now.

So this blog post is devoted to advice on planning for national.

First, take a deep breath. Breathe. Just breathe. You can do this.

Now, budget a few minutes to make a list of things you must take care of before you leave your family/responsibilities. Children, husband, pets, etc.

Make another list of essentials for the conference to pack (here's a little trick I learned from traveling internationally...take a backpack to carry on and pack with essentials such as a change of clothing, business shoes, etc. you'll need if your checked luggage gets lost.)

Comfortable shoes
Business attire and some casual outfits for lounging
List of nearby restaurants that are affordable
Granola bars or snacks (come in handy for quick energy in pricey NY city)
Print out of RWA schedule
Airline tickets, car rental info, etc.
Other personal essentials (such as laptop, if you are bringing one)

Next, preprogram important cell numbers into your phone: ie: agent, editor, roommate, friends, etc.

Now for the schedule. It looks daunting. So much to do and so little time. Here is where you narrow down your choices.

Set your priorities for this conference. Ask yourself, "What do I need to get out of this?"

If your goal is to meet with a particular agent or editor, make that the Number One priority and schedule that accordingly. If your goal is meeting friends or critique partners to discuss the market and upcoming projects you have, make that your Number One priority. It's your conference.

For myself, my priorities are always meeting with my agent and my editor. Business first. Then I schedule workshops and time for lunches/meetings with friends/fellow authors. I look at the RWA schedule of workshops. To access, click here.


Pick workshops that feature areas you wish to hone. Are you weak on plotting? Select a plotting workshop. Need to learn to write a stronger heroine? Look for those. Yes, there are lots of booksignings where authors give away free books. But what will serve your writing goals more...getting autographed books or attending a workshop?

You can buy the workshops on tape, but let's say you don't have any time when you return home to listen, because your editor appointment resulted in a request for a full manuscript. Now you have to polish that book. And if you get such a request early on in the conference? Look for a workshop that can aid you in polishing your book. Take advantage of the wealth of knowledge before you.

It all comes down to prioritizing. You are the only one who can pick and choose goals for yourself at this conference. Align your schedule according to those goals. And don't forget to make time for friends at the bar. The bar is always where the action is at; where news is exchanged, market updates are provided, where you learn the real nitty gritty of what is going on.

When you have the list of workshops and appointments, program them into your phone for quick reference.

If you're shy and don't know many people, remember there are probably a lot of conference attendees who are the same. You are not alone. Force yourself to pick a table at a luncheon filled with strangers. Start a conversation about how they are enjoying themselves, if this is their first visit to NY. You never know who you'll meet.


Now, go take another deep breath, relax and say to yourself, "I can do this!"

And have fun in NY!

The Shadow Wolf

Here's the cover. This book includes Darkness of the Wolf, my Nocturne Bite that was previously released in ebook form.





The cover is the scene where they first make love by the lake.





In writing news, my muse has awoken (yay!) and I'm coming down the home stretch with a new short story. Details to follow!

Reflections

This week, I've been thinking about the day job. I guess it stems from meeting new people at work and having their eyes nearly pop out of their head when they discover I've been doing this kind of work, traveling to poor countries and writing about poverty, for more than 17 years.

One country that I frequently travel to is Haiti. Haiti and I have a love/hate relationship. One guy I know said it best. "Haiti's she's a bitch, but you have to love her. "

One of the love aspects is getting to help children who are in dire need. A girl from one of our orphanages recently graduated from college in the US. She's a success story that always makes me smile. Smart kid, I know she will go far.

And then there are the girls who were rescued off the street, and were in desperate need of hope. Merline, featured in these photos, was one of them.

I met Merline on a trip to our girls orphanage in 2002. It was the first year I got published. I remember seeing her expression. As if she'd lost all hope. She was skinny, had suffered from parasites and was starving. The home's administrator told me she'd been found wandering the streets of Cite Soleil, a huge and grim slum.

Cite Soleil is rough, violent and no place for an innocent orphan. Merline was hungry, homeless and afraid. She was unresponsive to questions, to smiles, to coaxing a smile from her. Still, I sat next to her, chatting in English, hoping for some kind of response from this girl who had already, at 7, experienced far too much pain.



I remember how she didn't say anything, didn't react and then all the sudden, she rested against me and slipped her hand into mine.

It broke my heart. Without words, she told me, "I need to know someone cares."

The rest of our visit, I held her in my lap, chatting with her. She never did smile. But I had hope.

Two years later, I was visiting our girls orphanage and asked about Merline. I found her. This time she was dressed in a pretty gingham school uniform. And she was smiling. A big, beautiful smile from a lovely girl who received a chance to start over in life.

The kids in Haiti, they are the ones who always tug at my heart. They are a reason I keep returning to Haiti, hoping that the future will be brighter, and better for them.

Sex with Oded Fehr...

To mark the first day of the 2011 hurricane season, I'm reposting a blog from 2005, the year my house got clobbered by Hurricane Wilma and a tree punched through our roof. This post still makes me laugh, and these days, while we are currently "weathering" a family crisis, all laughs are much appreciated. It's titled, "Sex with Oded Fehr."

Last night I dreamed I had sex with Oded Fehr. (See photo at right. He's begging me, "Please, Bonnie, have sex with me now!")

We were married and he came home from work in this funky red jacket, dark trousers, white starched shirt and red silk tie. He threw down his briefcase and said, "I can't wait to make love to you, right now."

Oh. Okay.

But trouble was, it was … meh. I couldn't climax. He asked me what was wrong and I told him I was tense.

Then all the sudden, he shapeshifts. Changes before my eyes… and changes to…

Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel. Complete in his raingear, talking about hurricanes. I screamed, "noooooooo!"

It's not a deep dream, I know what it means, See, Jim Cantore has the knack of picking areas to broadcast from that get slammed by hurricanes. So what does all this, and my dream mean? Simple.

If Jim Cantore shows up anywhere near you, you're f**ked.

Haiti

People frequently ask me, especially after I return from a trip for work, "Has Haiti improved any since the earthquake?"







Good question. My quick answer is, "Yes, the rubble is mostly gone."




And the long answer is, "The people are still suffering, but there is hope."




But last week I visited an area that I saw days after everything collapsed and killed more than 250,000 people, and it's like a knife to my heart.

It was in downtown Port-au-Prince.



Downtown is where much of the colossal damage took place. By that I mean, five-story buildings pancaked, entire government buildings destroyed. The presidential palace with its pretty wedding cake cupolas.



And the nearly 100-year-old cathedral, with its beautiful pink stone and soaring arches. I was there, long ago, for a prayer service. The cathedral was a peaceful place in a heavily populated city, a landmark for all who lived in PAP and a stronghold of religion for many. I remember seeing the elderly homeless on the steps. I also remember how my NGO built them a village where they can live out their last days with dignity and comfort.

I've been traveling to Haiti for nearly 18 years. I visited the cathedral days after the earthquake, and saw the bodies crushed by falling debris.



I was there a few days ago, and except for the fact the rubble is now gone, the structure is still the same. Still standing as an eerie skeletal frame, a pink scar on the downtown cityscape.



It was painful for me to see the church still standing as if the earthquake were last month, not last year. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it is for Haitians. A constant reminder of that horrific day.

How can you push on and forge a future when the wreckage of your past still stands like a tragic moment suspended in time?

Haiti has a new president now. I am cautiously hopeful. Not because of the new government, but because I have seen the resilience and courage of a beleaguered people who have suffered much, and keep going.

And enduring.

Again.

And again, against all odds.