Karilyn Bentley's Blog, page 10

@sloanebcollins RWA is like Christmas in July #PlottingPrincesses #rwa16 #MFRWorg #ChristmasinJuly #amwriting

We’ve all heard of Christmas in July.  Several channels are running holiday movies, some shows have craft and cooking segments showing you how to make holiday foods and gifts.  For me, it really is Christmas in July, my favorite time of the year for another reason: the annual Romance Writers of America conference.
I’ve just returned from this year’s conference in San Diego, and I got so many presents!  Here’s my top 10 list of “gifts”:
1.      Rooming with my best friend and fellow Plotting Princess, Sasha Summers.2.      Our hotel room faced the marina, so we had sail boats and water views! 
3.      Networking with 2000 other authors and industry professionals4.      Free books!5.      Cool weather!6.      Fantastic workshops on so many topics, such as the craft of writing, the writer’s life, careers, etc. 7.      Did I mention Free books!8.      Making new friends in my fellow authors9.      Setting new goals for my writing career10. Having my bestie help me figure out the ending to my work in progress, then adding in a surprise to really make the stakes even higher for my hero
Most of the workshops I attended are about the craft of writing.  I’m always searching for that One Big Secret that will give me all the answers I need when it comes to writing.  From almost every workshop I attended, I took away at least one tidbit that will go in my writer’s toolbox.  In a few of them, I took notes as frantically as I could, because there was a wealth of information provided by the presenter.
"Networking" with authorsI'm the type of person who avoids conflict as much as I can in my own life, so I have a hard time torturing my characters.  But in order to make a story interesting for the reader, conflict between the hero and heroine is what’s needed so when they finally get their “happy ever after”, it’s well worth the journey the author has just taken the reader on.  
My bestie and I worked out some surprises to add into the story that will help drive the conflict, and even though I wasn’t sure about it at first, I’m fully on board with it now.  And just today I figured out how to make the black moment for Nash something that will knock him to his knees.
So all of the above reasons are why the RWA conference is like Christmas to me. Now if the conference had just been THIS week, maybe I could have caught a glimpse of Sammy and Dean at Comic Con in San Diego.  Now THAT would be a great present!
Where's my present?As much fun as I had, however, it was good to get home to my kitties and husband.

As a reader, do you go to conferences, and if so, what is your favorite part?  It can be any type.
Authors, did you go to San Diego? What was your favorite part?

Tales from the Crate - Moving Adventures with #Crazydog by Karilyn Bentley

Hello wonderful Readers! It's been awhile since I've posted on here and longer since I've written about The Kraken, aka Crazydog. Here's why: we moved to a different state. Yep, we no longer live in Texas, we are now official residents of cool, colorful Colorado.
mountains seen on hikeAnd how's The Kraken liking her new digs? Well.... now that is the real adventure.

First off, she doesn't enjoy car rides. Not even when they led to someplace fun (like doggie daycare or agility). She really hates sixteen hour car rides, especially when they start with a near collision in a rainstorm on a twisty under-construction highway (here's looking at you stretch of I35 in Lewisville). In case you were wondering, near collisions cause loss of bowel control, perfuming a car in a way guaranteed to make a long car ride even more enjoying.

But the biggest issue arose when we arrived at our new place after driving along dark and twisty mountain roads in a thick drizzly fog. That's when we discovered blocking the upstairs in our two-story house in Texas led The Kraken to believe she cannot walk stairs. At all. Never mind that stairs are similar to her favorite agility equipment, the A-frame, she refused to go down them. A bit of a problem seeing our new house sits on a hill and the only way to get outside is down, you guessed it, stairs. I attempted to help by giving her leash a gentle tug and speaking encouraging words, but she slipped on the laminate floors and, poof, she found a fear of laminate flooring faster then you can say oops. Unfortunately for her, the majority of the house flooring is laminate. And did I mention the stairs?

After carrying her up and down the stairs too many times to count, she finally realized she could walk the stairs herself. Yay! One problem down. At least she could go potty on her own. However, the laminate floors still gave her problems. So we coated the floors with moving blankets, which seemed to help. Then we slowly removed the blankets.

Will she walk on the floors? Well, sort of. She's just now started to walk in the kitchen, but she still slinks along the walls from the living room to the carpeted bedroom. She's starting to use the doggie door (although you need to tell her it's okay to use it) and we put a rug by her food and water bowls so she will eat and drink now.

Poor Kraken. On the plus side, she LOVES being outside. She likes watching the deer and elk and saying hi (aka barking at the top of her lungs) to the neighborhood dogs. She's even "gifted" us with several mice. Her favorite thing is hiking. Mainly because she loves to run through the tall grass.
The Kraken in grass on hike
That's the crazy dog adventure for now. Maybe next time she'll be using the doggie door (I've never had a dog take this long to learn the concept. They usually get it in five minutes). Until then, check out my newest release, Demon Kissed, book two of the Demon Huntress series.

If you have any suggestions for The Kraken, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Until next time,
Karilyn and The Kraken

www.karilynbentley.com
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#Movie Ponderings - You #Tarzan, Me Wish I was #Jane

Fourth of July weekend was the first time I've 'officially' taken off in a year. And you know what? I had a hard time not writing. Not that, at the moment, I have anything huge hanging over my head. But, after going and going every single spare minute, I found my mind didn't want to turn off.

My last Harlequin Western is in and I'm waiting on my edits. I hit send on my latest MS, The Wolf's Son, and was waiting on confirmation that my editor received it... And man, it was super hard to say bon voyage to that cast of characters. Nothing like writing tension-fraught yummy werewolves to make you excited about your writing for the day :) Nevertheless, I went from always writing to a full-on stop.

And my brain wasn't cooperating.

What could I do? Why find some good stories to savor to recharge my noggin, of course.

Tarzan... *sigh* and another rapturous *sigh*

With Tarzan taking the lead over like... everything. It was familiar, yet wonderful. I loved this movie. Like serious warm fuzzies, people. I laughed, got a little teary-eyed, and fell completely in love. What a love story - *swoon*. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a movie on this level. At the end of it, I was satisfied and happy. And, let's face it, that's what we want when we're done with a great story, right - in whatever format. And Tarzan delivered. 5 stars, 10 out of 10, whatever your rating system: Go See This Movie. It will distract and please your brain. And, yes, the scenery is incredible too!

And now I have such phenomenal hero inspiration - so it was a total win-win!!!

#Move Ponderings - You #Tarzan, Me Wish I was #Jane

Fourth of July weekend was the first time I've 'officially' taken off in a year. And you know what? I had a hard time not writing. Not that, at the moment, I have anything huge hanging over my head. But, after going and going every single spare minute, I found my mind didn't want to turn off.

My last Harlequin Western is in and I'm waiting on my edits. I hit send on my latest MS, The Wolf's Son, and was waiting on confirmation that my editor received it... And man, it was super hard to say bon voyage to that cast of characters. Nothing like writing tension-fraught yummy werewolves to make you excited about your writing for the day :) Nevertheless, I went from always writing to a full-on stop.

And my brain wasn't cooperating.

What could I do? Why find some good stories to savor to recharge my noggin, of course. And, since my kids are home (all teens mind you), movies made the most sense. A few have been fun: Sisters, How to Be Single, Two Night Stand, and Central Intelligence (HILARIOUS stuff here - Highly recommend). A few scary: The Boy (big reveal took a cool movie and made it ho-hum), Whiplash (yes scary - I know it's about a drummer BUT OMG!), 10 Cloverfield Lane, and The Revenant (I wan't blown away but the bear scene - :( ). On the big screen only Central Intelligence and Tarzan have stood out.

Tarzan... *sigh* and another rapturous *sigh*

With Tarzan taking the lead over like... everything. It was familiar, yet wonderful. I loved this movie. Like serious warm fuzzies, people. I laughed, got a little teary-eyed, and fell completely in love. What a love story - *swoon*. It's been a long time since I enjoyed a movie on this level. At the end of it, I was satisfied and happy. And, let's face it, that's what we want when we're done with a great story, right - in whatever format. And Tarzan delivered. 5 stars, 10 out of 10, whatever your rating system: Go See This Movie. It will distract and please your brain. And, yes, the scenery is incredible too!

And now I have such phenomenal hero inspiration - so it was a total win-win!!!

Michelle Miles: The Great Sir Dexter the House Cat

Meet Sir Dexter.

He's a Domestic Short Hair. I got him in 2011 from a rescue place.

Let me back up a little. On July 4th weekend in 2011 I discovered my cat, Sampson, had cancer. I was devastated because I had to put him down. I must have been real pathetic because the husband told me I could get another cat even though he is highly allergic.

So one day we were in PetSmart and there was a cat adoption going on and there was Dexter. Casually laying in the cage looking around, all calm. The description for Dexter was this:

Dexter was the friendly cat everyone knew but belonged to nobody in particular. He just strolled into town one day and made himself at home on the neighborhood lawns. Petted by all and fed on many a porch, the neighbors decided Dexter needed a chance to have a family of his own.

Dexter likes to lounge in sunny windows must of the day. He's happy to have some chin scratching and always ready for a snack. This is one laid back cat!

It's right on. I've managed to keep this description of him in a folder devoted solely to the cat-cat. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm sentimental?

One of his favorite things to do is lay in the window (or door) and watch the birds. He "chirps" at them. I think this must be an outside cat thing because my previous cat (who was strictly indoors) didn't do this. Dexter likes to "talk" to them.

Another thing he likes to do is watch me while I'm cooking or doing dishes. I am fairly certain he's working it out in his feline brain how to cook. I swear he knows where all the dishes are because sometimes when I come home from work, the cabinets are open just enough for him to peer inside. I've wondered if I should put child locks on the doors but he's never climbed inside. At least not that I've seen. I think he's just inherently curious. Can you see him in this picture? This is what I see when I'm in the kitchen. He has a scratching post that is just the right height for him to get on top of and peer over the edge of the counter. He also likes to knock things off - like pencils and pens and whatever else happens to be lying up there. He knock whatever it is to the floor, look down at it in triumph as if he's really glad it's on the floor and not bothering him on the counter. It's funny.

He also likes to help me do yoga. I call this his kitty corpse post. He's pretty good at it. However, doing yoga with a cat taking up half the mat is rather difficult.

I have to get up at 6:30 am every morning - even on weekends - to feed him because he's on a diet and can only have 3/4 cup of food a day. If I don't get up by 6:30, he'll sit at the foot of the bed and meow at me until I get up. I'd like to say that's cute, but it's not. :)

All in all, though, Dexter is a really good cat. He doesn't do any of those annoying cat things that I dislike - like get on the kitchen counters or sleep on the placemats (my previous cat did that - yuck). He knows he's not allowed on our bed, so when the teenager is here, he sleeps with him. According to the boy, Dexter likes to head butt his hand in the middle of the night for pets. He loves pets. He also loves to head butt our shins for pets.

And when we have guests? He's 100% Mr. Friendly. They're always happy to see him at the vet, too, so when I board him I know he's in good hands. Of all the cats I've had, he's by far my favorite.

What about you? Do you have a favorite pet?

A New Love(s) @sloanebcollins #PlottingPrincesses #amwriting #Yellowstone #GrandTetons #MFRWorg

Last month, I fell in love.

With bears and moose, mountain bluebirds and coyotes, owls and bison.
To clarify, I fell in love with Yellowstone National Park and Grand Tetons National Park. While it was my husband’s third trip there, it was my first.

The above-mentioned wildlife were just a few of what we saw on our adventures in Wyoming. It ranks now as one of my top favorite vacations of all time (and I think I’ve mentioned a time or twelve how much I love Maine, right?). I’d move to Wyoming or Montana in a heartbeat.

It was a vacation that fed my soul. I got to be creative with photography, relax and look at beautiful countryside, and get inspiration for the Cowboy series I’m writing, which is set in Montana. (YES! We saw a real live cowboy rounding up cattle!)

I grew up surrounded by the Franklin mountains in El Paso, and have taken other vacations in and around mountains. The Grand Tetons are now my favorite of all. And I came up with an idea for a series set in that area! I think it has a bit of a unique twist. But I can’t say anything yet…

I’ve already been able to use some of what we saw in Yellowstone in my WIP. The first time we saw this momma and her two cubs, I think I shed a few tears. I definitely cried when we left. They are
“our” bears now, and I didn’t want to leave them.

 A list of what we were lucky enough to see: • A zillion bison, and a lot of baby bison. • A million elk – including a mom elk nursing her baby, which is rare, because they hide their babies! • A grizzly and her cub • Two separate black bears, each with two cubs • Another momma black bear with a yearling • Two older sibling black bears • Two moose • Two badgers • Four marmots • Two different species of owls • Two cinnamon teal (ducks with RED eyes) • Three coyotes • Bald eagle • Five mountain bluebirds • A fox • Four herons • A bird that has really groovy fringey feathers • SNOW!!!!

Now I plan to work in to my series as much of what we saw and experienced as possible to honor this beautiful country we have, and the wonder of God’s creation.

 Have you ever been to Yellowstone or the Tetons? What’s the most exciting wildlife you’ve seen?

75 Years & Counting: My love for M&Ms #MFRWorg #chocolatecandy #RssosSisters #romantic comedy

Seventy-five years and Counting
 
Each Sunday after lunch, my family and I visited my grandparents. Our first stop was to my dad’s parent’s house, an old prairie-styled home on a street lined with others similar to it. While my parents chatted with my grandparents, my sisters and I climbed the trees in the parkway, jumped off the front porch railing, and sang songs. As we departed, my grandmother gave each of us a quarter and a package of M&Ms, sometimes plain, sometimes peanut.
And thus began my love for the coated chocolate candies with peanuts inside. This year, M&Ms celebrates 75 years. Here are some tidbits:

1. Forrest Mars created his recipe during the Spanish Civil War, and patented in 1941.
2. M&Ms were first packaged in cardboard tubes
3. In 1954, peanut M&Ms were introduced
4. In 1954, the slogan "The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”
For more information, go to: Inventors M&M
When my romantic comedy mystery, Temporarily Employed, launched a friend gave me this:


 Why? Because my heroine loves M&Ms. Here’s an excerpt: about her chocolate obsession:

However, lately, my mind had been occupied with other significant matters, items like the necessities of life: Finding employment, paying overdue bills, and, more importantly, procuring much-coveted peanut M&Ms. Now, I was sure to get a stupid-stupid-stupid citation and missing taillights and bumper to add to the equation. At the rate things were headed, I’d have to ditch the chocolate and move in with Mom and Dad. My body shuddered.


Find Temporarily Employed at: Amazon

So Happy Birthday, M&Ms! Long may you reign and satisfy my chocolate needs. What’s your favorite variety?

Guest Princesses: Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi - The Setting Thesaurus Books Are Here! #PlottingPrincesses #RocktheVault #WritersHelpingWriters #SettingThesaurus #MFRWorg

It is a writer's job to draw readers into the fictional story so completely that they forget the real world. Our goal is to render them powerless, so despite the late hour, mountain of laundry, or workday ahead, they cannot give up the journey unfolding within the paper-crisp pages before them.

Strong, compelling writing comes down to the right words, in the right order. Sounds easy, but as all writers know, it is anything BUT. So how do we create this storytelling magic? How can we weave description in such a way that the fictional landscape becomes authentic and real—a mirror of the reader's world in all the ways that count most?

 Well, there's some good news on that front. Two new books have released this week that may change the description game for writers. The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to City Spaces and The Rural Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Personal and Natural Spaces look at the sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds a character might experience within 225 different contemporary settings. And this is only the start of what these books offer writers.

 In fact, swing by and check out this hidden entry from the Urban Setting Thesaurus: Police Car.
 
And there's one more thing you might want to know more about....

Becca and Angela, authors of The Emotion Thesaurus, are celebrating their double release with a fun event going on from June 13-20th called ROCK THE VAULT.

At the heart of Writers Helping Writers is a tremendous vault, and these two ladies have been hoarding prizes of epic writerly proportions.

A safe full of prizes, ripe for the taking...if the writing community can work together to unlock it, of course.
Ready to do your part? Stop by Writers Helping Writers to find out more!  

Pondering #Writing, #Birthdays, and #Thor

The last year has seen some incredible highs and devastating lows. On the up side, I think I'm stronger because of it. I know I'm abundantly blessed. I have a day job, a dream job, four awesome kids, and a tribe of amazing friends to keep me going. The days of, 'I'm bored' are long gone - which is a good thing. I like to feel accomplished. Even if I'm sometimes scrambling to get even part of what needs to be done. (How my two teenage sons, barely a week into summer vacation, proclaim boredom has already found them, I'll never know. Too bad they don't see doing laundry as a solid means of boredom prevention.)




I'm 42 years old today. 42. Not so old. Not so young. I'm thinking it's just right. I like me, so that's comforting. I mean, are there things I'd change - sure. I'd find my waist, for one thing. I'd worry less and laugh more. I'd churn out more pages in less time. I would have no idea what procrastination means (yes, this post should have been up at 5am). I'd be better friend/wife/mother/writer.




So I thought I'd share a Five Things I want to do or be better about before I'm 43 here:




1. Exercise (weight isn't the issue - health is)
2. Do more with my kids - vague I think quality is the key here
3. Stop procrastinating and start doing
4. Travel someplace new
5. Learn to dance - dancing lessons maybe




Okay, so some are more tangible that others but they're all do-able!




Where does Thor come into this? He's my hero. Like-always. And I believe Thor makes everything better. Including birthdays and rambling blog posts about a middle-age woman on her birthday. Here, see... Better? Right?
You're welcome.

Michelle Miles: It's Summertime!

You know how I know it’s officially Summer? It’s finally stopped raining (at least here in North Texas), school is out, Memorial Day is over, another birthday has come and gone and it’s June.

This weekend the husband and I were doing our weekend chores and I stopped to think how much it’s starting to feel like summer. With the early morning sun leaving slashes of light on the floor to the sounds of summer—baseball on the TV, lawn mowers, weed eaters, leaf blowers, the hum of the AC—it’s hard to believe we’re already in the sixth month of the year. Where does the time go? Does it speed up when I’m not looking? Or am I just so busy that I don’t realize the days are flying off the calendar?

At any rate, I can’t believe it’s summer. The rest of the year always seems to go so fast once we get into June and before we know it the holidays will be here. But right now I’m thinking about vacation and RWA Nationals and getting through the hottest months of the year (July and August) and writing. Lots of things are happening in my world—things I can’t talk about yet—but I’m going to be one busy girl this summer.

Plus I’m looking forward to re-releasing my Realm of Honor series on July 25 starting with the first three books. This is so exciting to me! They have beautiful new covers and I’m putting them in print. I’m working on the proof prints right now and I’m so excited to get them into readers’ hands I can hardly stand it. If you haven’t read the series yet now is a great time to start! Check out these gorgeous covers!



Aren’t they pretty? I love One Knight Only with the jousting in the background. I can’t decide which one is my favorite. I love them all!

They are all available for preorder, too. Here are the buy links:

ONE KNIGHT ONLY:
iBooks | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

ONLY FOR A KNIGHT:
iBooks | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER:
iBooks | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

Perfect for your summer reading, right? :)

Happy summer!