Devorah Fox's Blog, page 46

Spring has sprung!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

We’ve had some dicey weather lately but it’s still Spring and of course I have gardening fever. Everyone who knows me knows that I have a black thumb. I’d love to have gardens like these but knowing my limitations, I don’t challenge myself with anything too ambitious.

 

Still, I’ve had pretty good success with herbs like rosemary and basil. And this year for the newest member of the family I’m planting catnip and cat grass.

 

So I’ve collected all the necessary tools and gardening supplies: rake, shovel, trowel, wheelbarrow and some starter plants. I don't want to be out there weeding every weekend so another really great tool is mulch.

Mulch like Scotts Florida Select Natural Eucalyptus Mulch prevents weeds naturally. A three-inch layer helps to block their growth and their access to sunlight.

How to Use Mulch

Mulch works most effectively when used and applied properly:

Spread it three inches deep. Keep mulch several inches from tree trunks and house foundations or other wood structures.

Apply it around trees, shrubs, flowers or vegetables after seeds have germinated and plants have developed.

Don’t apply it before seeds have germinated or around underdeveloped plants and don’t spread it within several inches of house foundations or other wood surfaces.

A 2 cu. ft. bag will cover the following:

At a depth of 2 inches, 12 sq. ft of bedding area

At a depth of 3 inches, 8 sq. ft. of bedding area.

At a depth of 4 inches, 6 sq. ft. of bedding.

My Floridian readers will want to know about Florida Select Mulch. Florida Select Mulch is made from 100% Florida-grown Eucalyptus. It being a Florida-grown product, using it helps to support the local economy. It’s also:

SUSTAINABLE: Sustainably-harvested and plantation grown Eucalyptus is considered a renewable resource because it re-grows up to 4-times faster than Cypress. sustainable gardening

NATURAL: Made from 100% plantation-grown Eucalyptus trees. Eucalyptus Mulch is guaranteed free from any construction, demolition, pallet, or other waste materials.

Not in Florida? Check out Scotts® Nature Scapes® Scotts Nature Scapes mulch. It comes in 3 different colors: Classic Black, Sierra Red, and Deep Forest Brown. These mulches are natural forest products. They contain no waste wood and come in a variety of textures. Scotts Mulch helps to maintain moisture, prevent weeds and create a groomed landscape all year long. Low maintenance and great results, even for someone with a black thumb like me!

THE NEXT BIG THING BLOG HOP 2.0

What is a blog hop? Basically, it’s a way for readers to discover authors new to them. I hope you’ll find new-to-you authors whose works you enjoy. On this stop on the blog hop, you’ll find a bit of information on me and my books and a link to another author you can explore!
My gratitude to fellow author Alesha Escobar for inviting me to participate in this event. You can click the following link to learn more about her work: http://www.aleshaescobar.com

She asked me to answer ten questions about The Lost King and my latest work-in-progress (giving you a sneak peek). I’ve also included some behind-the-scenes information about how and why I write what I write: the characters, inspirations, plotting and other choices I make. I hope you enjoy it!

Please check out Alesha’s work and feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions. Here is my Next Big Thing!

1: What is the title of your book and what other possible titles did you come up with before settling on the official title?

The working title for my current project is The King’s Ransom although I haven’t ruled out my first working title, The Changeling Prince.

2: What inspired you to write your book?

It’s a sequel to The Lost King. I got to the end of that book and realized that there was more to tell about King Bewilliam. Plus, readers have been clamoring for more.

3. If you had to sum up the story in a few sentences, what would you say?

The King’s Ransom finds Robin, the hero of The Lost King, at sea both literally and figuratively. At first directionless and purposeless, he determines to reunite with his sons and with them restore his shattered kingdom but Fate has different plans for the lost king. Driven far from his home in the Chalklands, Robin pits his will against a dragon, a fortress’s duplicitous and deadly guards, high winds on the open water, and a horrifying sea monster only to meet his most formidable challenge.

4: Are your villains bad, super-bad, or the spawn of the devil?

The sea monster is scary bad, but the other villains are perhaps more destructive because they are insidious, devious, covert. Robin doesn’t realize that they’re working against him until the damage is done.

5: How would you describe your hero or heroine?

Though he’s a king, in many ways Robin is just a regular guy trying to put his life back together after a crisis tore it apart. He’s stubborn and strong willed. That gets him into trouble but also serves him well when he’s faced with overwhelming challenges.

6: What was the greatest compliment you received regarding your book?

I have had a number of readers tell me that they wouldn’t usually read a fantasy book but they loved The Lost King. I even had one reader tell me that he hadn’t read “anything to speak of” in decades but The Lost King revived his interest in fiction. What greater encouragement could a writer ask for?

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Like The Lost King, The King’s Ransom began as a project for National Novel Writing Month. I wrote about 50,000 words during the month of November, 2012. This month, during another writing marathon, Camp NaNoWriMo, I’m aiming to add another 30,000 words.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

As a reader, I’m just starting to explore the fantasy genre. Like The Lost King’s fans, fantasies are not my usual “read.” I’m as surprised as anyone to find that I wrote one but that was how the story wanted to be told.

9: Are there any “writing rules” you’ve broken in your book (and do you have a good reason for doing so)?

I’d have to say “no.” The story has a beginning, a middle and an end. It has characters and action and dialog. It even has a dragon!

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

They’ll get to go sailing–without motors or electronics (no GPS in the 13th century!). They’ll discover that the way books get published and sold today doesn’t differ much from how it was done in the Middle Ages. And the story includes one recipe. Sort of.

 

Project Graduation Fundraiser

Update on the fundraiser for Project Graduation Saturday, Apr. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Tim Burdick Studio on Tarpon Street: there will be appetizers and libations, and live music provided by A Follett and J Amundsen. A serious PARTY around ART.

Putting the Art in PARTY

Poets will read their work and  artists will exhbit and auction off creations inspired by the poems, all to benefit the PAHS Project Graduation 2013… more

Postcard from camp

If it seems that I’ve been scarce lately it’s because I’ve been “away” at camp.
Yes, I’m at it again, doing another writing marathon. This will be my fourth. I’m using this marathon to finish the project I started in November, 2012. Working title: The King’s Ransom. It’s the sequel to The Lost King which started as a National Novel Writing Month project in November, 2010.

You can track my progress, or lack thereof, at my camper info page. And I use the term “progress” loosely. Writing the final chapters of this book has been like breaking rocks with a tack hammer. Like pulling teeth with a tweezer. Like…well, you get the idea. It’s going slowwwwwly.

I think you’ll like it when it’s done, though. It’s got some great adventures, wonderful new characters and a few old favorites. (Yes, Meeyoo is in it.) I’m aiming for a Summer 2013 release.

Sneak peek

Here’s a sneak peek at the cover for the upcoming novel, Made to Forget by Samantha LaFantasie.

 The book is due out in June 2013 but here’s a hint of what’s in store:

There’s something that lies within my memory. Hidden in the dark. Something that can kill me and those that I love. But I was in an accident, covered in mystery and deception. And my memory…was lost. There are those who want me to remember. I don’t trust them.  And those I do trust…are fighting for me to forget. 

In Made to Forget, Elsabetha Ellery wants to get her memory back, even if it kills her. After waking up in a hospital with no memory, Elsabetha quickly learns those who claim to be her friend are anything but. And those who are her true friends keep themselves unseen. Stuck with piecing together her broken memories alone, Elsa struggles with having faith in those she trusts and heeding the warnings of the dangers in recovering her memory. Ignoring them, she faces heavy consequences. Ones she doesn’t see until it’s too late and loses those she loves.

And, because you know me and I know the author, Samantha LaFantasie, you get a chance to sign up for notification the minute the book is released.

If that doesn’t work use this link:

You can also enter this contest for a chance to win  $50 amazon.com gift card.

Curtain up! Light the lights!

Have you been to the Rialto Theater in Aransas Pass?
The Rialto Theater serves as both an art gallery and community theater. Housed in an old movie theater building that has stood since 1937 the Rialto offers a place where local artists can display their talents, actors young and old perform monthly plays and musicians get together to jam.

For example, this month the Rialto is hosting artist Betsy Bowen, a Minnesotan who divides her time between Marais, MN and Port Aransas. The scenes and subjects of her woodblock prints reveal her “dual citizenship.”

Her exhibit kicked off with an opening on March 15 which was also the first performance of Almost, Maine by John Cariani. Almost, Maine, a comedy set in a remote, mythical northern town, “explores the mysteries of the human heart, touching audiences with laughter, heartbreak and hope,” It broke attendance and box-office records in Maine, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Australia. Yes, Australia, and it had extended runs and exceeded ticket-sales records in playhouses across the country. It’s Cariani’s first play and premiered in 2004 at Portland (Maine) Stage Company. It went on to become the most successful play in that stage’s 32-year history.

Doors open for the performance at 7 pm. The curtain goes up at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15.

The Rialto also has weekly free music jams/song circles every Tuesday at 6:00 p.m., so there’s something going on at least once a week at the theater.

A historic building, eye-catching art, live music and great theatrical performances–why wouldn’t you check out the Rialto? If you haven’t been there, or even if you have, you definitely should go on Saturday, March 23. Get there at 5:30 p.m. Why? Because not only can you see Almost, Maine, and Betsey Bowen’s art you can enjoy a “Meet the Authors” reception before the play. Ruby Stell, Mimi Zollars, Alice Marks, Richard Mueller and Fallon Zollars, contributors to the recently released anthology, Texas Island Style, will be on hand to read selections from the book which features poems, short stories and memoirs. Gary Moeller who contributed song lyrics to the anthology will provide live musical entertainment and there will be refreshments. The reception is being sponsored by the Rialto Theater Supporters to encourage writers, poets and songwriters. The program will be emceed by yours truly, Devorah Fox, author of The Lost King.

Copies of Texas Island Style and The Lost King will be available and since the authors will be on hand you can get your copy signed. The reading and book signing will be in the Rialto’s main gallery while in the stage area actors will be getting ready to go on for that night’s performance of Almost, Maine.

For more information visit the Web site at www.rialtotheater.org. Send an email to art@rialtotheater.org or call 361-758-0383. Or, just come by 327 S. Commercial Street in Aransas Pass.

Wining and dining

Enjoy dishes from Cafe Phoenix, Venetian Hot Plate, Marcel’s and Lisabella’s and sample wine at the “Meet the Chefs” event…more

Heart Song

[image error]Author Samantha LaFantasie is celebrating the six-month anniversary of her novel, Heart Song, by offering it FREE on Kindle, March 8 through the 10th.

The Cult of Me

Lately I’ve been reading books where the main character is able to slip into other people’s minds. Liliha in Francene Stanley’s Still Rock Water used this ability to solve crises. On the other hand, the protagonist in Michael Brookes’ novel, The Cult of Me, is devious and destructive, yet somehow engaging.

Curious about the author of such an anti-hero, I had a chance to ask Michael Brookes some questions about himself and his writing:

Where were you born and where do you call home?

I was born up in the north of England, but I now live in the East, in probably the flattest part of the country, near Cambridge.

What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 30 or less words, what would you say?

My latest book is called Conversations in the Abyss. It is about a man who has stolen Lazarus’s miracle and now finds himself imprisoned in a monastery wall.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?

It is the second book of a trilogy called The Third Path. The first book is also available and called The Cult of Me.

As a writer of dark stories, do you worry that readers might wonder if you, the author, have a dark nature?

I think that probably happens for most horror writers. I have been asked where some of what I write comes from. I hope I’m not as dark as my stories!

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Keep on writing. One of the joys of writing is the constant improvement you can find. Also make sure to listen to other people’s advice, but make your own decisions.

Do you keyboard your writing or write in long hand? Do you outline or free write?

I write on my laptop.I do plan in advance. I like to have the chapters mapped out before I start writing the draft.

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

I like to tap away on my latop during the day at the weekends (if I’m not at work).I just wish I could do this everyday.

What contributes to a good writing day?

It depends on what stage of the book I am at, although generally speaking 2 or 3 chapters completed is good progress.

One of your favorite quotes?

I’ve no idea where its from, but I’ve always liked:

“Be nice to other people, they outnumber you 6 billion to one.”

If your book was made into a TV series or movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters?

I think Gabriel Byrne would make an excellent of playing the Friar.

Where can your readers find you and your books?

You can follow me on my blog: http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/

And on Twitter: @TheCultofMe

Here are my book links:

The Cult of Me: http://www.amazon.com/The-Cult-Third-…

Conversations in the Abyss: http://www.amazon.com/Conversations-A…

An Odd Quartet: http://www.amazon.com/An-Odd-Quartet-…