Brenda Whiteside's Blog, page 97

FEARLESS WRITER, FEARLESS HEROINES - Vijaya Schartz

FEARLESS FRIDAY You're in for a treat today. My guest, Vijaya Schartz, has a great tale of conquering fear.    Thank you Brenda, for having me on your Fearless Friday blog today.Before I start, I would like to mention my two historical fantasy romance bargain books in kindle today:Curse of the Lost Isle, special edition box set (3 novels in one download) for 99cts: http://amzn.com/B0091HX7EEand Chatelaine of Forez, Book 5 in the same series, discounted for the first time 99cts: http://amzn.com/B00I3T9VYG
When we say fearless, we are not talking about the absence of fear. Everyone has fears, it’s ingrained in our DNA. Fear protects us from doing dangerous things. Those who have no fear at all usually die young. When fear threatens to overcome you, however, the trick consists in finding peace and clarity of mind, despite overwhelming or dangerous circumstances. Like our heroes and heroines, when the time comes, we need to overcome fear, in order to do what needs to be done.
In the movie AFTER EARTH, the wounded hero teaches his young son, their only hope of survival after a crash on a hostile planet, to ignore fear, because fear is not real. The boy says, "How can I pretend there is no danger?" And the hero answers: "Oh, danger is very real, but fear is a choice."
I remember being about twelve, doing handstands in our small apartment, late at night. On the way down, my bare foot hit a heavy ceramic bowl, which broke, and a large shard gouged a hole in the top of my foot. Blood everywhere... for the first time in my life I saw my mother paralyzed by fear, babbling, unable to function. She could hardly breathe, she was so upset she couldn’t think at all. We had no phone, there was no 911 then. We had no car, it was a small town in France, no hospital, and that late at night, everything was closed.
So, I remembered my martial arts teacher saying “Stay calm. Think. What needs to be done? Do it.” So I did. I told my mother to get out of the room. I took a few deep breaths, then calmly asked my sister to get the first aid kit. I washed the wound in the sink, then cleansed it with alcohol despite the sting, and packed the hole, then bandaged the foot tightly to stop the flow of blood. Then I cleaned up the blood from the floor, the walls, the sink. Early the next morning, I limped to the doctor’s home office with my sister, and the doctor stitched me up. I wore a big scar on my left foot for decades.
Of course, some of us are thrill seekers. Conquering fear has since become a hobby of mine: jumping free fall out of perfectly good planes, braving the river wild, fighting opponents three times my size just to see if I can do it. I have to mention I stand barely 5 feet and a hundred and five pounds (on a good day) and was always picked by my various martial arts teachers for the time honored David and Goliath demonstration.
Skill, speed, balance, training, coordination, foreknowledge of the enemy, endurance, will power, clarity of mind, these are the elements of victory over fear. These are what drives a champion to the Olympic gold, what makes a fictional character worthy, what makes a soldier lethal. Although, in a soldier’s case, there is something to be said for a good exoskeleton... especially on alien planets where gravity can play tricks on you.
MY TECHNIQUE TO BECOME FEARLESS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS:
1 - Take a big breath, release it slowly, it calms your mind, slows your heartbeat.2 - Stop and focus. What needs to be done?3 - What’s the most effective way to do it?4 - Got it? Now, just do it.
You may be tempted to think of the worst that can happen. Forget the consequences. Get over it. Do what needs to be done. It will save your life, or someone else's life, and whether or not you become a hero, you’ll have the satisfaction of having done the right thing in difficult circumstances. The more you do it, the easier it gets. It’s that simple. I said simple, I never said it would be easy. Good luck.
About the author:Born in France, award-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life and on the page. She traveled the world and claims to also travel through time, as she writes without boundaries about the future and the far away past. Her love of cats transpires in most of her books. Her stories collected many five star reviews and literary awards. She makes you believe you actually lived these extraordinary adventures among her characters. Reviewers compared her stories to Indiana Jones with sizzling romance, and she takes that as a compliment anytime. Find out more about Vijaya and her books at: http://www.vijayaschartz.com
Now you know Vijaya writes kick-butt, fearless heroines (and heroes), and you can find them in all her romantic novels, whether in a futuristic, contemporary, or historical fantasy setting.
About the CURSE OF THE LOST ISLE historical Fantasy series:
From history shrouded in myths, emerges a family of immortal Celtic Ladies, who roam the medieval world in search of salvation from a curse. For centuries, imbued with hereditary gifts, they hide their deadly secret, stirring passions in their wake as they fight the Viking hordes, send the first knights to the Holy Land, give birth to kings and emperors... but if the Church ever suspects what they really are, they will be hunted, tortured, and burned at the stake. 5 stars on Amazon "Edgy Medieval!"
Vijaya Schartz Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick http://www.vijayaschartz.com Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz   B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/vijaya-schartz
FB: https://www.facebook.com/vijaya.schartz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Vijayaschartz  

Love Found - Remembering Where is the Problem

MUSE MONDAY
February is the month of love. You've seen numerous posts on the topic, and you've been bombarded with ads for all those things you need to buy your significant other so he'll love you.

My husband and I don't do Valentine's Day. Thank goodness. I can barely remember our anniversary date. In fact, it's only been the last few years that I have. There were numerous anniversaries I forgot and only remembered when he handed me a gift or took me to dinner. I'm so bad. What's more, we don't even agree on where we met. Honestly, I have this one, but if I can't remember the day we were married it does throw doubt on my memory. We do agree it was at a dance - we just don't agree which one.

I love stories of how people met. After all, I write about love so it's one of my favorite topics. One of my friends met her love on line - yep, on line dating. Another has married the best man at her first wedding. I know a few high school and college sweethearts that tied the knot. And one of those couples married, divorced and married again. I know another couple who are a few years apart in age. While she had a crush on him, she had to grow up and watched as he married and divorced twice before she caught his attention.

In my fiction world, love is found:

*she watched him sing a heartfelt country western song on a Las Vegas stage, married three months later
*she was the little sister of his best friend
*blind date
*woke up in bed with the guy she vaguely remembers from her best friend's wedding the night before
*she runs into his arms out of a dark alley where she's being stalked

I doubt any of my fictional characters will have trouble remembering where they met.

Tortuga, Teeth and Tractors

 Tortuga Thursday In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.
Fairy, newly painted and ready for spring.So much for going on hiatus as I blabbed about last time on Tortuga Thursday. Life on Tortuga Flats Farm never really takes a hiatus even if the farm part of life slows down in the winter. When some events started unfolding, I remembered what I promised back when I started this blog and decided I better post. Here's a piece of what I said:



What do you do for retirement when the main financial contributor to the household has been out of work for three of the last five years - thanks to the not quite a depression of the last several years - and your retirement accounts have been cut in half due to the same state of affairs? … Two years ago, in the midst of wondering what the last half of our life would be like, my son, Lance, called and proposed we join forces, create our own little commune. … You'll hear all about our trials and misfires and what works. Maybe my glimpse into retiring with nothing in the bank but love will inspire or scare others in the same boat. …Oh by the way, the retiring part is my husband. I will still be toiling away at my writing career.With that in mind, here's what's new and how we are managing.Half of a tooth fell away. I knew without going to the dentist I would need a cap. Unfortunately, the Indian Medical Center does not do caps. I can get cleaning, check ups and fillings but no serious work. A day later, I got a coupon in the mail for a free checkup and X-ray at a Chino Valley dentist. Free is good. As I suspected, I need a cap to the tune of about $1200. There are interest free payment plans but it would still cost $100 a month. If I take out their insurance, I can save $200. Forget about it...The tractor needs fixing. The estimate for that work is right at $1000. Bulbs are up and flowered a month early.Keep in mind, our pickle business is not yet off the ground, but we are so confident about our product that our hopes are positive. We have pickles piled up and although we have a few customers without even trying, we aren't in a position to start the income flowing yet. We did get some of the necessary registrations and fees taken care of, but there are more in order to do the Farmers' Markets. Takes money to make money is not just a saying. We have to spread out the expense. Our goal is to get going on the markets by the end of this summer.And speaking of our pickles and relish, the reviews are astounding. Which is how we got some customers. We asked a few people to do some taste testing for us, and they are now insisting on buying jars. One guy buys a half case at a time of the pickles. I've gotten some great ideas on how to use our relish. This relish is not just for dogs and burgers. One man makes to die for scrambled eggs with it. Another person always puts it on roast beef sandwiches. I'm so anxious to get out to the markets.  Garlic is much larger than this time last year.So seeds are ordered, the field is mapped out for planting and now we wait for warmth. We are so lucky to be able to keep on heading for our goal. It doesn't have to be easy, just worth it. I have another book coming out soon, I can work in the sunshine and hang with the family for mutually beneficial activities. Life is good.Tomorrow, the Old Farmers Almanac, 2014, is due in the mail. Sure hope it says the last frost will be earlier than usual because we are anxious to get started.

Time Travel with Nancy Pennick

MUSE MONDAY
Please welcome Nancy Pennick to Muse Monday. Time travel - love that concept!
First I want to thank Brenda for inviting me to guest blog about my series today. I thought I’d use time travel as a springboard to introduce my young adult books, Waiting for Duskand Call of the Canyon and the soon to be released Stealing Time.
Time travel… In 1895 H.G. Wells wrote of it in The Time Machine and it still piques our interest more than one hundred years later. The Time Traveler’s Wife is a recent addition to the genre and even became a movie.Waiting for Dusk slowly grew and changed into a time travel novel in my mind. My original idea included a dream world and reality. As I continued on, I thought, “Why not make this real?” The first thing I discovered was that time travel needs rules. You definitely need them and have to stick by them. There can be amendments and add-ons but the mainframe has to be set in stone--how the character gets there and how they return. I don’t want to give away too many spoilers but since my second book is named, Call of the Canyon, I can tell you that Katie goes back to the Grand Canyon in 1927.   Since Waiting for Dusk is a young adult romance novel, time travel becomes an important part of the story. It’s the only way she can get to see the boy she loves. In the beginning, she doesn’t know she’s time traveling and it becomes one of the major plot points of the book. Katie slowly begins to realize she’s not dreaming and that this world she visits could be real.Call of the Canyon continues the story of Katie and Drew.  It explores more in depth the affects of time travel on people’s lives. Their biggest worry is not to change history; just be observers. Somehow that doesn’t quite work out. It’s difficult to go somewhere and not interfere, participate or make suggestions. As soon as that happens, history changes. Questions also arise about age and returning to the same time period over and over again. Will there be multiples of one person? Do people remember you if they met you before? Do you stay the same age? Since my characters return to only one period in time, these questions needed to be addressed. With the resurgence of the “Doctor Who” BBC television show, time travel is becoming popular again. In my third and final book of the series, Stealing Time, there’s a shout out to the show. Fans, I hope, will chuckle at the subtle reference. Many people wish they could travel through time. Some would choose the past and others the distant future. Although we realize this could never happen, we can’t help wonder if there’s a slight possibility. And that’s why we read. To escape. To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before. To go back in time. To see the future. To time travel.

The Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk Win Fest

Hey, Readers, you're in for a treat! You can experience a taste of ten of the stories from the extremely popular Honky Tonk Hearts series and be eligible to win, win, win!This is a blog hop you are certain to enjoy. Gus Rankin himself has provided the instructions so read below.

Ladies, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking old Gus, owner of The Lonesome Steer honky tonk couldn’t have brought together all the lonely, broken hearts that he did. But I’m here to tell you I have. Not only do I have the pictures of these couples in my office to prove it, but there’s been a whole series of romances written about the men and women who found love at The Lonesome Steer. And just like every one of my couples, each of these romances is a keeper.
The authors of these books have put together a Valentine Honky Tonk Blog Hop, an easy way for you to get a sneak peak at every story. And there are prizes to put a bounce in your Texan Two-Step. To be eligible, visit each blog link below and leave a comment. The more hop stops you visit and comment on, the more chances YOU have to win a $50 gift card to The Wild Rose Press. In addition, the publisher has provided a second grand prize of a $25 gift card to The Wild Rose Press and a TWRP Mug for a random commenter (Sorry, US visitors only for the mug prize). Some of the ladies will also be giving away their own personal prizes. So whatcha waitin’ for? Happy hoppin’! 
LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS HERE ON MY BLOG AND AT THE BLOGS BELOW FOR MORE CHANCES TO WIN!

Nothing But Trouble by Jannine Gallant Sing to Me, Cowboy by Lauri RobinsonHonky Tonk Man by Sylvie Kay A Song for Sophie by Mackenzie CrowneThose Violet Eyes by Vonnie Davis Cowboy-sexy by Donna MichaelsLonesome Cowboy by Stacy Dawn Back Where You Belong by Vonnie Davis    Lost Memories by Sherri Thomas

Just for leaving a comment on my blog, you'll have a chance to win a $10 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press. So leave me a comment and then hop on over to all the other blogs for more prizes. Be sure to leave your email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win.
My story is entitled, The Morning After, the tale of Abigail who wakes up with a redheaded cowboy named Bobby next to her in bed - a cowboy she's never seen - who believes in love at first site. Below is an excerpt from a scene that takes place a the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk - the bar Gus owns.
THE MORNING AFTER Knees shaking, Abigail concentrated on the door of the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk, but as she came next to Bobby her heart hammered faster. Her neck stiffened, and in her peripheral vision, his glare seared her. Once she passed, rigidity turned to jelly; her chin dropped. The crunch of gravel beneath her boots echoed in the night, mingling with the muffled music inside the bar. She glanced at the boots of the man who strode beside her, boots that rightfully labeled Tex a shit-kicker.“I guess you need a little more time,” Bobby called across the parking lot. “I’ll be in touch.” She rolled her eyes. His lady friend must be so drunk he wasn’t concerned with her hearing him.The tall cowpoke opened the door, and music and laughter poured out. Abigail stole a glance back. Bobby’s fancy red truck remained parked, lights on, but the flashing sign atop the building reflected off the windshield obscuring the people within. Tex urged her forward toward the bar. The band covered Garth Brooks’s song, Mr. Right, sending Abigail’s mood into a downward spiral—one thing she did remember from her marriage night was two-stepping with her redheaded hunk to that song.Her new friend waited for her to take a stool and sat on the one next to her. She propped an elbow on the bar and rested her head in her hand. After a few minutes, time enough for Bobby and his woman to leave, she’d head out. Down the bar, Kiera Rankin waved in her direction while her father, Gus, stepped toward them. “We’d like a couple of Longnecks, Gus,” Tex drawled. Gus raised a brow when he looked at Abigail’s companion and darted a questioning look her way as he reached in the cooler for the beer. 
Now get on outa here and leave comments at all those blogs!

Writing Paranormal by JoAnne Myers

MUSE MONDAY Please welcome my guest, JoAnne Myers, back to Muse Monday.  When it comes to fiction writing, almost anything goes. That is why I love writing paranormal and fantasy stories. The author can go completely over the edge and make something unbelievable seem believable. When it comes to ghost stories, I get a lot of my inspiration from real life experiences. Not necessarily my own either. I watch television programs that partake of the supernatural and paranormal flare. Programs from ordinary people who claim they experienced either an afterlife experience, or a haunting.  Some of my stories from my upcoming release “Wicked Intentions” is based on actual hauntings. Some stories I read about in the newspaper, and others I watched on true life experience programs. So the next time you get “writer’s block” try switching on the television. You might find something to jolt your inspiration.   Blurbs for "Wicked Intentions"　　 BLOOD TIES- word count 15, 902　After the mysterious disappearance of twenty-six year old wife and mother Lisa Smalley, her twin, Audra Roper, begins having dark and disturbing visions of Lisa’s disappearance. Trying to survive while looking for Lisa, Audra’s life becomes a roller coaster of risks, heartbreak, and intrigue. 　　THE HAUNTING OF BARB MARIE- word count 9,845　Even as a child, Barb Marie saw dead people. This took an unhealthy toil on her throughout her childhood and young adulthood. 　SUMMER WIND-word count 13,039When twenty-nine year old Ginger discovers the old mansion Summer Wind, she is mysteriously drawn to it. . Immediately, the haunting’s have a negative and profound effect on the family.
THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LIES-laying the Norfolk ghost to rest-word count 23,943Solving the brutal murder of American born Ruthie Geil becomes a gauntlet of attacks and more murders for Federal Police Inspector Ian Christian. Between the victims family, ex-lovers, and ghostly occurrences on Norfolk Island, the killer is closer than anyone realizes.　　THE LEGEND OF LAKE MANOR-word count 8,297　For the young psychic Cassandra Lopez, coming to the infamous and haunted mansion Lake Manor, was more like a mission.
THE APARTMENT-word count 5,188When young newlyweds Bill and Gayle move into their new apartment, their lives are plagued with sightings of evil ghosts that threaten their marriage and lives.
DARK VISIONS-word count 5,170When Carrie Reynold’s starts having nightmares on her twenty-sixth birthday, she believes her “dark visions” can solve the twenty year disappearance of her father.
Other books by JoAnne:
Murder Most Foul-a detective/mystery bookThe Crime of the Century- a biography true crime novel
Upcoming releases:
Loves, Myths, and Monsters,- a fantasy anthologyFlagitious-a detective/mystery novella anthology
Buy links for “Wicked Intentions” A paranormal/mystery anthologyhttp://www.melange-books.com/authors/joannemyers/WickedIntentions.htmlhttp://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=wicked+intentions&categoryId=100501http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Intentions-JoAnne-Myers-ebook/dp/B00GNRUF40/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1384531716&sr=1-1&keywords=wicked+intentions+myers
Author Bio:
I have been a long-time resident of southeastern Ohio, and worked in the blue-collar industry most of my life. Besides having several novels under my belt, I canvass paint. When not busy with hobbies or working outside the home, I spend time with relatives, my dogs Jasmine and Scooter, and volunteer my time within the community. I am a member of the Hocking Hill's Arts and Craftsmen Association, The Hocking County Historical Society and Museum, and the Hocking Hills Regional Welcome Center. I believe in family values and following your dreams.
My books along with my original canvass paintings, can be found at: http://www.booksandpaintingsbyjoanne.com

Tortuga Blog on Hiatus

Tortuga Thursday In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.
Not much going on down on the farm in January and February. I'm not even sure how much will take place in March. Some seeds might get started inside under lights. Therefore, I'm going to suspend Tortuga Thursday until we ramp up again. If something breaks, something interesting happens, I'll make sure to post it. In the meantime, be sure to check in for Muse Monday and Fearless Friday.

Until then I'll leave you with some sunrise and sunset pictures. Love the skies on the prairie.

SUNRISE

SUNSET

Those Snarly Moments of Drama

MUSE MONDAY
A few days ago, I sent off the final round of edits for The Art of Love and Murder. Two days ago, I sent off the next book in the Love and Murder series, Southwest of Love and Murder. And now I'm tackling the third book, A Legacy of Love and Murder. This is one of my two moments of drama when writing a book.

The first moment of drama hits around chapter two. Which is where I'm at with A Legacy. The first chapter is the springboard and if the reader isn't launched into the book, they just might quit turning the pages. So I fret. Half of the time, chapter one is destined for the trashcan. Until I get to chapter three or four, I won't know for sure.

The second moment of drama is near the end of a novel. I know how it ends, I look back on what I've written and my inner insecure demon rises up and laughs at me. What? Not good enough? Too short? Too long? What? The moment sometimes lasts days. It isn't writer's block - I keep writing, but the bumpy road is difficult. It does smooth out; or at least it always has.

This is my first series. There are different types of series. Some, like many detective novels, have a main character who is in every book with a new crime or mystery. Other books are a continuing story that keeps you going on to the next book to find out how the story ends. Still other books are linked by a setting like a small town in the midwest where you learn about the inhabitants in each book. My Love and Murder books are linked by characters. Although book three will pick up a thread of plot from book one, each book can stand on its own. What I love most about writing is character building, hence the type of series I'm writing.

As more characters appear in subsequent books, more books are waiting to be written. For instance, there is a hotel clerk in book one who was supposed to be a minor character. Lacy, my heroine, dubbed this clerk The Black Fairy because of the way she dresses. I've not been able to get her out of my mind. She's screaming for her own story. But she has to wait. In book two, there's mention of a daughter of a secondary character. Only a mention! A story is bubbling. It will have to bubble quite a while as there are several in front of her.

I didn't know I'd enjoy series writing so much. And what it has lead me to think about is more promotion. Groan... but I have to spread the word. Now I'm thinking of Street Teams. How to find readers who would like to sign on? Certainly a topic to come.

Now, back to moment of drama for A Legacy of Love and Murder.

A Leap of Faith by SS Hampton

FEARLESS FRIDAY Please welcome my guest Stan Hampton back to Fearless Friday for another life altering segment of his life.
Hello!            So here we are again, Fearless Friday.            As I said before, people like a safe and known routine; most are not likely to do anything that requires a leap of faith to plunge into an unknown even though the rewards may be great.            Believe it or not, my decision to join the Army National Guard at the ripe old age of 52 was something I had to think long and hard about. I served in the Army from 1974-1985, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. Then I served in the Army Reserve from 1985-1995, attaining the rank of Sergeant First Class, as well as being mobilized for the Persian Gulf War (I never left the country; I spent the brief war stateside writing photojournalism articles). In 1995 I left the Army Reserve.            The idea of military service did not come up as a real possibility until the fall of 2004.            By then I had left Colorado Springs for Las Vegas, lived briefly in Arizona a couple of times, reconciled with my ex-wife (meaning that I decided not to hate her or the world and everyone in it anymore—I had spent most of my life consumed by anger) and saw an engagement fall apart. And there was 9/11. Just like the beginning of the Persian Gulf War, my Army was going to war without me.            In the fall of 2004 I was researching the Army National Guard as background for a story I was writing, and it came to my attention that I was eligible to enlist in the Guard. Before I knew it, I was speaking with a recruiter.            So, at age 52, unemployed, and living in a Las Vegas weekly (cross between a motel and an apartment), the idea of returning to military service dangled before me. I could come back as a Staff Sergeant, but upon retirement (if I stayed in the Guard), I would retire at my previous rank of Sergeant First Class. I would also retrain as a Human Resources NCO. My commitment would be one weekend a month, and two weeks during the summer.            As “dead end” as my current life appeared to be, it was still a known routine, perhaps even one I was, unfortunately, comfortable with. Yet, after visiting with a friend who I considered to be smart and to have a good head on her shoulders, I decided to enlist. I had always missed the military, and especially the camaraderie; it is a camaraderie that one may only find among the police and firemen.            While working for a temporary employment agency in support of a convention in Las Vegas, I enlisted in October 2004; the owner of the agency and my immediate supervisor were present to watch my swearing in.            Three weeks later I received orders mobilizing me for active duty with my Guard Cavalry squadron at Fort Irwin, California (they were mobilized for active duty in August 2004). Yes, I was nervous, and I had second thoughts. As I packed, I wondered why I enlisted.            On Thanksgiving Day I was doing morning Physical Training (PT) with my unit—the first time I did PT since 1985, and it was painful. Before PT ended, the Troop Commander had us gather in a circle, and the Squadron Chaplain spoke to us. That cold morning as the sun peeked over the horizon, the Chaplain reminded us that we were out there in uniform, on Thanksgiving morning, doing our job, serving our country, so that the rest of our fellow citizens could enjoy the holiday with their families.            Rhetorically, I wondered how many men my age were in uniform doing PT on Thanksgiving morning instead of being at home with their families. I felt a burst of pride in serving with my fellow Soldiers.            At that moment my remaining doubts disappeared.
THE GATES OF MOSES
BLURB: An engineer dedicated to saving Venice from the rising seas, fails in his task. As a severe storm and high tides threaten to burst through the flood walls, he resolves to remain in Venice with a ghostly lover who claimed his heart years before. A woman from his staff who loves him, does not evacuate, but remains to battle his ghostly lover before he dies in a sinking Venice… EXCERPT: The dull booms, like the measured beats of a primeval heart, echoed through the gray drizzling afternoon. Each boom was a countdown to a finely predicted cataclysm that man, through his mistaken notion that he could control nature, had finally admitted that he was powerless to hold back.            Dr. Gregorio Romano, tall, with dark brown hair and watchful hazel eyes, stood before the open tall narrow window of his corner office in the ornate, gilded Ducal Palace of the once La Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia, the Most Serene Republic of Venice, and peered into the gray drizzle toward the unseen barrier islands. The almost submerged islands of Lido and Pellestrina, with their channels opening onto the Adriatic Sea, formed the southeastern perimeter of the timeless Venetian lagoon. He listened to the echoing booms of the rising, stormy Adriatic, and thought of a mythical, prehistoric mother who gave birth to an imaginative species that dreamed of the impossible and often made it happen. And now the mother was ready to take back one of the greatest dreams of her children, ready to clasp it deep within her bosom.            “Gregorio?”            “Yes,” he replied as he gazed at the gray choppy waters of the lagoon.            “Have you reconsidered? Are you ready to evacuate?”            “Not yet.” Gregorio tilted his head slightly as a sleek dark gondola glided effortlessly across frothy, white-capped waters and halted before the flooded wharf, the Riva degli Schiavoni, in front of the Palace.            Patrizia Celentano, the first and last female gondolier of Venice, looked up at him and gave a friendly wave. He raised a hand in return. Her gondola was a traditionally built and shaped boat, but rather than the traditional black as required by law, she painted it a dark wine color. Though she offered to erect a shelter to protect Gregorio from the elements, he always preferred to ride in the open.            “We can evacuate you by force if necessary.”            “You won’t,” Gregorio smiled as he turned to face his computer on the polished wooden desk. The broad, bearded face of his boss, Dr. Niccolo Ricci, nodded in agreement. “There’s no need, and a helicopter is scheduled to pick me up from the roof of my home tomorrow morning at 0600 hours.”            “The calculations might be incorrect. The gates could break tonight...” www.melange-books.com/authors/sshampt... 



SS Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a divorced grandfather to 13 wonderful grandchildren, a published photographer and photojournalist, and a member of the Military Writers Society of America. He retired on 1 July 2013 from the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously served in the active duty Army (1974-1985), the Army Individual Ready Reserve (1985-1995) (mobilized for the Persian Gulf War), and enlisted in the Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle (2004-2006) and Iraqi Freedom (2006-2007). His writings have appeared as stand-alone stories and in anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy, Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others. Second-career goals include becoming a painter and studying for a degree in photography and anthropology—hopefully to someday work in and photograph underwater archaeology. After 12 years of brown desert in the Southwest and overseas, he misses the Rocky Mountains, yellow aspens in the fall, running rivers, and a warm fireplace during snowy winters. As of December 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Hampton officially became a homeless Iraq War veteran.
Melange Bookshttp://www.melange-books.com/authors/sshampton/index.html
Musa Publishinghttp://www.musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=50
MuseItUp Publishinghttps://museituppublishing.com/bookstore/index.php/museitup/mainstream/better-than-a-rabbit-s-foot-detail
Amazon.com Author Pagehttp://www.amazon.com/SS-Hampton-Sr/e/B00BJ9EVKQ
Amazon.com. UK Author Pagehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/SS-Hampton-Sr/e/B00BJ9EVKQ
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Researching Time Periods by Ilona Fridl

MUSE MONDAY


Please welcome my guest today, Ilona Fridl. Ilona is having computer problems but please feel free to leave a comment and she'll check in as soon as possible

It seems like the further back in time, the harder it is to find facts about the time periods and you can use some fictional license, but you can't do something like having Attila the Hun overrunning Australia. Anything that stretches credibility doesn't belong in historic fiction. You could probably get away with it in fantasy or science fiction, but not if you want to be historically accurate.
Archeology books and information is a good way of getting stories of early time periods. Jean Auel in her “Earth Children” series is a good example. Where there is no written history, the archeologists know where the civilizations were centered, even in the Ice Age.
The Bible is a great source on the Middle East history. You can get an idea of where the centers of trade and government were located. That combined with archeology information can give an picture of what life was like. Couple that with the vast works of the Greek and Roman Empire, that age is rich with history.
After the collapse of the Roman Empire and into the Dark Ages, the information gets sketchy. Here's the time we have a mix of truth and legend. Truth like the Crusades and legends like King Arthur and Robin Hood. It's perfectly acceptable to use the mythic legends if you stay true to the time period. Otherwise, you're getting into fantasy.
From the Renaissance and on we have a wealth of knowledge. Much of the writings and art give us an accurate picture of what was going on, especially in Europe and Asia. With the world exploration, more was being found out by chroniclers and map makers that traveled with the explorers.
About the middle of the nineteenth century, photography came into play. Now you didn't have the stylized paintings of the past, but images that showed the gritty reality. That evolved into motion pictures in the late 1800's and recordings of music and speeches about the same time. Media such as newspapers, magazines, and books are a wealth of information taking us up to World War II.
Each country has their own particular time line. If your story is centered on one country in the past, there are many books and internet sites dealing with the history of one country or region.
For Prime Catch I did a lot of study for 1920's Juneau, Alaska. I enjoy finding out about different parts of the world in different time periods. I guess that's why I love historical fiction.
I want to thank Brenda for inviting me to guest today. I'll try to comment if you have any questions.



Blurb: Someone is killing executives in a string of Alaskan canneries. Is it natives because their food supply is being cut short? Or is there another reason, another culprit? With racial tension running high, Juneau 's Sheriff Amos Darcy, a man of few words, is going to find out who it is, come hell or high water.Deputy Sarah Lakat, a Tlingit woman, knows her job, but she wants to prove her people aren't responsible for these vicious crimes. Her family and childhood friends give her access to clues the white sheriff would never have discovered, though, and she has to realize justice must be served no matter who the murderers are.Amos is married to his work and Sarah was badly hurt by a man in her past, yet as they work together in the investigation they grow close, facing danger and discrimination together. Can they solve the case even as they fight their attraction to each other?

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