Karilyn Bentley's Blog, page 40
August 6, 2013
@SylviaMcDaniel: A Ring From The Past?
Most people have two reactions when you talk about family reunions. It’s either they can’t wait to be with all the people they’re related to or they groan and say I try to avoid at all costs. Most of the time the people who enjoy these reunions are older folks, parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles who I personally think want to show off their families. This year I traveled to Alamosa Colorado for the Sartain family reunion. This was my grandfather’s family, and I had visited several of the relatives when I was a kid, but I’d never attended their reunion. The people were lovely, the weather was fantastic and the food delicious. I met my cousin that had gotten me in trouble when I was nine years old when we crossed the river to climb the sand dunes in Alamosa. My mother had strictly forbidden me to get in the water, as I had pneumonia. But hey, how often does a kid get a chance to climb sand dunes. But the neatest part of the reunion was going out to my great-grandparents homestead. The land is set way back off the main highway, and the house is gone. The views were incredible, and I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if they still owned the land. About ten of us walked all over the area that once belonged to my great-grandparents, searching for anything that might have been theirs. I found a glass bottle, a snuff can and some broken bits of china. As we walked along, I stared at the muddy ground, and saw a silver band in the dirt, half hidden by a bush.
I dug it out, wondering what this silver circle was. When I pulled it out, I noticed it said sterling silver on the inside. It appeared to be some kind of ring, maybe even a wedding band. Excited, I called my uncle over and he verified that I had indeed found a ring. We don’t know if it belonged to anyone in the family, or if it was a hiker who maybe lost the band, or where it came from. All I know is that I found a silver wedding band on my great-grandparents land in about the same location where we think their home stood. Unfortunately, none of their children (fourteen of them) are alive to tell us if this could have been my great-grandmother, Corabell Sartain’s, wedding ring or if it belonged to one of her children. My writers mind has been spinning ideas over the last few days with story ideas. Part of me believes I was lead to this ring. That may sound crazy, but for me to find something of my great-grandmothers a hundred years later is amazing. My great-grandparents were very poor, so it’s possible that Corabell didn’t even own a wedding band, and it belonged to some unfortunate hiker. For now, I’m going to take the ring to my jeweler and ask him if there is any way he can verify the time period or tell me anything about this silver band while my brain plots.Tell me do you have any weird things that have been found from your family’s past?You can follow me on Facebook - SylviaMcDanielAuthor, Twitter - @SylviaWriter, or www.SylviaMcDaniel.com 
A Ring From The Past?
Most people have two reactions when you talk about family reunions. It’s either they can’t wait to be with all the people they’re related to or they groan and say I try to avoid at all costs. Most of the time the people who enjoy these reunions are older folks, parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles who I personally think want to show off their families. This year I traveled to Alamosa Colorado for the Sartain family reunion. This was my grandfather’s family, and I had visited several of the relatives when I was a kid, but I’d never attended their reunion. The people were lovely, the weather was fantastic and the food delicious. I met my cousin that had gotten me in trouble when I was nine years old when we crossed the river to climb the sand dunes in Alamosa. My mother had strictly forbidden me to get in the water, as I had pneumonia. But hey, how often does a kid get a chance to climb sand dunes. But the neatest part of the reunion was going out to my great-grandparents homestead. The land is set way back off the main highway, and the house is gone. The views were incredible, and I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if they still owned the land. About ten of us walked all over the area that once belonged to my great-grandparents, searching for anything that might have been theirs. I found a glass bottle, a snuff can and some broken bits of china. As we walked along, I stared at the muddy ground, and saw a silver band in the dirt, half hidden by a bush.
I dug it out, wondering what this silver circle was. When I pulled it out, I noticed it said sterling silver on the inside. It appeared to be some kind of ring, maybe even a wedding band. Excited, I called my uncle over and he verified that I had indeed found a ring. We don’t know if it belonged to anyone in the family, or if it was a hiker who maybe lost the band, or where it came from. All I know is that I found a silver wedding band on my great-grandparents land in about the same location where we think their home stood. Unfortunately, none of their children (fourteen of them) are alive to tell us if this could have been my great-grandmother, Corabell Sartain’s, wedding ring or if it belonged to one of her children. My writers mind has been spinning ideas over the last few days with story ideas. Part of me believes I was lead to this ring. That may sound crazy, but for me to find something of my great-grandmothers a hundred years later is amazing. My great-grandparents were very poor, so it’s possible that Corabell didn’t even own a wedding band, and it belonged to some unfortunate hiker. For now, I’m going to take the ring to my jeweler and ask him if there is any way he can verify the time period or tell me anything about this silver band while my brain plots.Tell me do you have any weird things that have been found from your family’s past?You can follow me on Facebook - SylviaMcDanielAuthor, Twitter - @SylviaWriter, or www.SylviaMcDaniel.com August 3, 2013
#PlottingPrincesses : August #newsletter & #Anniversary Party
Is Coming August 10! For more information, connect with our newsletter at:
http://ymlp.com/archive_guusjyegjge.php
July 31, 2013
DECORATORITIS -- I HAZ IT - by Kathy Ivan
It's my turn to blog again and here I sit looking at a blank screen wondering what in the world I should talk about. I feel like I've covered just about everything of interest and y'all are bored to tears every time you see my name come up on your screen. (I hope that's not the case, but . . .)
Looking around my home office, inspiration finally struck. No, not writer-type inspiration. I'll need that later tonight when I start working on the book.
Decorator inspiration. See, I bet that's something new you didn't know about me. I love finding ways to decorate the spaces where I live on a budget. Although I get easily bored if I've looked at the same things over and over for months (or years) on end, the decorating bug will hit and I'll start making changes.
I just redid my bedroom on a very tight budget. I bought new bedding to change up the color scheme from dark chocolate browns and blues, which I've had for a couple years. I lightened the color palate, going lighter, brighter, and a bit bolder. A new bedspread with a white background, and green palm trees with small coral/orange-colored flowers sporadically throughout. I added a couple of bright orange pillows for pops of color and voila, instant change. A green vase on the dresser and it's done. It didn't cost a lot of money because most of it was on sale, (hey, I never pay full price for anything) and the paint color on the walls didn't need changing. But it feels fresh and new.
While I can't afford to completely redo my whole house, I'll often do something small which can make a big impact. Maybe some new throw pillows for the sofa, or a new mirror for the wall. (Sometimes I'll already have the pillows in the closet, so a no-cost change—which is always a great thing.)
So, if you start feeling claustrophobic or need a jump start of inspiration, try a little home decorating. It can be as simple as moving something from one room to the next. Try it for yourself next time you feel the need to be adventurous.
Remember, change isn't always a bad thing . . . little tweaks can make all the difference.
Kathy Ivan writes hot sexy romances with lots of suspense and a dash of paranormal. She currently lives in Texas, where she'll do just about anything to avoid the heat. She's currently deep in her writing cave, plotting her next suspense-filled adventure.
Looking around my home office, inspiration finally struck. No, not writer-type inspiration. I'll need that later tonight when I start working on the book.
Decorator inspiration. See, I bet that's something new you didn't know about me. I love finding ways to decorate the spaces where I live on a budget. Although I get easily bored if I've looked at the same things over and over for months (or years) on end, the decorating bug will hit and I'll start making changes.
I just redid my bedroom on a very tight budget. I bought new bedding to change up the color scheme from dark chocolate browns and blues, which I've had for a couple years. I lightened the color palate, going lighter, brighter, and a bit bolder. A new bedspread with a white background, and green palm trees with small coral/orange-colored flowers sporadically throughout. I added a couple of bright orange pillows for pops of color and voila, instant change. A green vase on the dresser and it's done. It didn't cost a lot of money because most of it was on sale, (hey, I never pay full price for anything) and the paint color on the walls didn't need changing. But it feels fresh and new.
While I can't afford to completely redo my whole house, I'll often do something small which can make a big impact. Maybe some new throw pillows for the sofa, or a new mirror for the wall. (Sometimes I'll already have the pillows in the closet, so a no-cost change—which is always a great thing.)
So, if you start feeling claustrophobic or need a jump start of inspiration, try a little home decorating. It can be as simple as moving something from one room to the next. Try it for yourself next time you feel the need to be adventurous.
Remember, change isn't always a bad thing . . . little tweaks can make all the difference.
Kathy Ivan writes hot sexy romances with lots of suspense and a dash of paranormal. She currently lives in Texas, where she'll do just about anything to avoid the heat. She's currently deep in her writing cave, plotting her next suspense-filled adventure.
July 30, 2013
#PlottingPrincesses welcome @ReeseRyan! & Making the First Move
Howdy, Reese, and welcome to the PP. Put on your tiara and let's have some fun!
Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary fiction filled with colorful characters and sinfully-sweet romance. She secretly enjoys torturing her heroines with family and career drama, reformed bad boys, revealed secrets, and the occasional identity crisis, but always rewards them with a happily ever after.
Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Central North Carolina with her husband and young adult son who tolerate her propensity to sing and dance badly. A self-proclaimed Bohemian Southern Belle, she treads the line carefully between being a Northerner and a damned Yankee–despite her insistence on calling soda pop. Reese gauges her progress by the number of “bless your lil’ hearts” she gets each week. She is currently down to two.
What are your three favorite books of all time? Pride & Prejudice, Little Women, and Water for Elephants
Morning, afternoon, or evening person? I’ve learned that I work best in the early hours of the morning. Unfortunately, I don’t always go to sleep early enough to take advantage of this fact.
Music--with or without? What kind? I write with music most of the time. My musical taste is very eclectic. What I’m listening to is determined by either my mood, or the mood I want to set in the scene. I listen to everything ranging from Classical & Jazz to Rock and Hip-hop.
First or third POV? My debut is in first person. My second novel—which releases December 30th—is third person, alternate view point. Right now I’m preferring third person alt, but for me the choice is based on the story and characters.
How's tricks? Do you juggle multiple projects? I’ve got that crazy, monkey mind going on so I’m always thinking of new ideas. I have two completed manuscripts that I need to revise, several partial manuscripts I plan to get back to, and a couple of new stories brewing. So yeah, I definitely juggle multiple projects.
What's harder: beginning, middle, or the end? The beginning and the end are so crucial. They both stress me out.
Revisions: Love 'em or hate 'em? Revisions are tough. That’s where the real magic happens. But I enjoy it. It’s a thing of beauty seeing a scene or the overall story really come together after a tough round (or two) of revisions.
How did you come up with that title? Actually, the original title for Making the First Move was Too Good to Be True—which kind of says it all. Another Harlequin author has a book by this title already, so the book was renamed.
Best advice anybody ever gave you? I’ve gotten so much great advice from fellow authors. But the most helpful advice to me, as a writer, came from a podcast I heard where best-selling author Kimberla Lawson Roby talked about the importance of outlining. I’m not as much of a stickler for it as she described, but at the time I imagined myself a pantser—yet I didn’t have any completed manuscripts. Once I started to outline—first just scenes, then eventually sketching out the overall story—I completed three manuscripts in a relatively short period of time.
Fill in this blank: My ideal fictional hero would think me gorgeous no matter… I’m gonna borrow a line from India.Arie. “I’m not the average girl from your video and I ain’t built like a supermodel.”
What's your favorite dessert? If I had to pick just one, right now I’d say it’s a Gigi’s Cupcake piled high with buttercream frosting. Don’t ask me to pick just one kind though. Trying a new flavor is the best part.
What's your favorite type of hero/heroine and why? I prefer heroes and heroines that are more like real people, with real people problems. So I’m a fan of the flawed hero and heroine. I love sharing the character’s journey of growth and redemption.
Blurb: Melanie Gordon has spent the past five years obsessing over her career to dull the pain of a devastating breakup and the loss of her father. Her effort pays off when she receives the promotion that could be her big break. Only it means returning to her hometown to face her past while leaving behind the man who could be her future.
Excerpt:
I follow the tantalizing aroma of breakfast. Raine stands at the stove barefoot in jeans and an undershirt. He turns toward the sound of my footsteps. His eyes light up and he breaks into a grin that flexes every muscle in his face. The last time someone was this glad to see me, I had to take him for a walk and give him doggy treats.
“Morning, sleepyhead.” He leans in to kiss me then quickly returns his attention to the skillet. “Hungry?”
“You cuddle. You spend the night. You make breakfast.” I shake my head. “Are you for real? ’Cause I’ve seen this in Lifetime movies. It doesn’t end well.”
When he looks away quickly, I’m afraid I’ve offended him. But then the right side of his mouth turns up in a half smile.
“Consider yourself the beneficiary of two decades of trial and error,” he says. “Or maybe this is all part of my evil plan.” He raises his eyebrows up and down manically.
“So there is an evil plan. Well, that’s a relief.” I smile. “But I shouldn’t be surprised. There’s a lot more to you than you let on.” I gently trace the sword tattoo on his right arm with my fingertips.
Raine offers a quick smile before he focuses on his cooking again. He slides a spatula underneath the omelet he’s cooking and gently flips it. “Like I said, things were crazy for a few years. My mother likes to call it my ‘Tattoo Period.’”
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Making-the-Firs...
Barnes & Noble Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/makin...
iTunes Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/maki...
Website: ReeseRyan.com
Making the First Move Blog Tour Grand Prize * $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card
* Digital copy of Making the First Move by Reese Ryan
* Digital copy of The Winning Season by Alison Packard
* Digital copy of Knowing the Score by Kat Latham
* Digital copy of Personal Assets by Kelsey Browning
* Digital copy of Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary fiction filled with colorful characters and sinfully-sweet romance. She secretly enjoys torturing her heroines with family and career drama, reformed bad boys, revealed secrets, and the occasional identity crisis, but always rewards them with a happily ever after.
Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Central North Carolina with her husband and young adult son who tolerate her propensity to sing and dance badly. A self-proclaimed Bohemian Southern Belle, she treads the line carefully between being a Northerner and a damned Yankee–despite her insistence on calling soda pop. Reese gauges her progress by the number of “bless your lil’ hearts” she gets each week. She is currently down to two.
What are your three favorite books of all time? Pride & Prejudice, Little Women, and Water for Elephants
Morning, afternoon, or evening person? I’ve learned that I work best in the early hours of the morning. Unfortunately, I don’t always go to sleep early enough to take advantage of this fact.
Music--with or without? What kind? I write with music most of the time. My musical taste is very eclectic. What I’m listening to is determined by either my mood, or the mood I want to set in the scene. I listen to everything ranging from Classical & Jazz to Rock and Hip-hop.
First or third POV? My debut is in first person. My second novel—which releases December 30th—is third person, alternate view point. Right now I’m preferring third person alt, but for me the choice is based on the story and characters.
How's tricks? Do you juggle multiple projects? I’ve got that crazy, monkey mind going on so I’m always thinking of new ideas. I have two completed manuscripts that I need to revise, several partial manuscripts I plan to get back to, and a couple of new stories brewing. So yeah, I definitely juggle multiple projects.
What's harder: beginning, middle, or the end? The beginning and the end are so crucial. They both stress me out.
Revisions: Love 'em or hate 'em? Revisions are tough. That’s where the real magic happens. But I enjoy it. It’s a thing of beauty seeing a scene or the overall story really come together after a tough round (or two) of revisions.
How did you come up with that title? Actually, the original title for Making the First Move was Too Good to Be True—which kind of says it all. Another Harlequin author has a book by this title already, so the book was renamed.
Best advice anybody ever gave you? I’ve gotten so much great advice from fellow authors. But the most helpful advice to me, as a writer, came from a podcast I heard where best-selling author Kimberla Lawson Roby talked about the importance of outlining. I’m not as much of a stickler for it as she described, but at the time I imagined myself a pantser—yet I didn’t have any completed manuscripts. Once I started to outline—first just scenes, then eventually sketching out the overall story—I completed three manuscripts in a relatively short period of time.
Fill in this blank: My ideal fictional hero would think me gorgeous no matter… I’m gonna borrow a line from India.Arie. “I’m not the average girl from your video and I ain’t built like a supermodel.”
What's your favorite dessert? If I had to pick just one, right now I’d say it’s a Gigi’s Cupcake piled high with buttercream frosting. Don’t ask me to pick just one kind though. Trying a new flavor is the best part.
What's your favorite type of hero/heroine and why? I prefer heroes and heroines that are more like real people, with real people problems. So I’m a fan of the flawed hero and heroine. I love sharing the character’s journey of growth and redemption.
Blurb: Melanie Gordon has spent the past five years obsessing over her career to dull the pain of a devastating breakup and the loss of her father. Her effort pays off when she receives the promotion that could be her big break. Only it means returning to her hometown to face her past while leaving behind the man who could be her future.
Excerpt:
I follow the tantalizing aroma of breakfast. Raine stands at the stove barefoot in jeans and an undershirt. He turns toward the sound of my footsteps. His eyes light up and he breaks into a grin that flexes every muscle in his face. The last time someone was this glad to see me, I had to take him for a walk and give him doggy treats.
“Morning, sleepyhead.” He leans in to kiss me then quickly returns his attention to the skillet. “Hungry?”
“You cuddle. You spend the night. You make breakfast.” I shake my head. “Are you for real? ’Cause I’ve seen this in Lifetime movies. It doesn’t end well.”
When he looks away quickly, I’m afraid I’ve offended him. But then the right side of his mouth turns up in a half smile.
“Consider yourself the beneficiary of two decades of trial and error,” he says. “Or maybe this is all part of my evil plan.” He raises his eyebrows up and down manically.
“So there is an evil plan. Well, that’s a relief.” I smile. “But I shouldn’t be surprised. There’s a lot more to you than you let on.” I gently trace the sword tattoo on his right arm with my fingertips.
Raine offers a quick smile before he focuses on his cooking again. He slides a spatula underneath the omelet he’s cooking and gently flips it. “Like I said, things were crazy for a few years. My mother likes to call it my ‘Tattoo Period.’”
Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Making-the-Firs...
Barnes & Noble Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/makin...
iTunes Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/maki...
Website: ReeseRyan.com
Making the First Move Blog Tour Grand Prize * $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card
* Digital copy of Making the First Move by Reese Ryan
* Digital copy of The Winning Season by Alison Packard
* Digital copy of Knowing the Score by Kat Latham
* Digital copy of Personal Assets by Kelsey Browning
* Digital copy of Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 25, 2013
Plotting Princesses Kelly Lee: How You Know You're a #Mom
Hi all, I'm one of the quiet princesses unless I have something to say, but this really tickled my funny bone so I thought I needed to share. It hit me recently as I was rushing around in that harried-mom sort of way, I find myself in uniquely "mommish" situations that in a million years I never would have otherwise, except for the blessing (or curse) of motherhood.
As I spent a full twenty minutes searching my jewelry box for a matching set of earrings (none of them are paired anymore), the litany of mom-only problems I encounter daily cartwheeled around in my head, bouncing off my skull. Then I realized it wasn't thoughts banging around in there, but the beginnings of a headache that only a glass of wine would cure.
After enjoying said glass of wine (or three), I got the giggles with my another mommy, and we made a list of the top 5 ways you know you're a mom. Now granted, yes, you already know you're a mom since you squeezed out the little 8 pound bowling ball of joy first-hand.... but it's funnier this way. So go with it.
Top 5 ways you know you're a mom:
5. You haven't gone to the bathroom alone in years.
4. The tiny people running around your house are bathed, coiffed, and hygienically sound, but you haven't washed your hair in two days.
3. You listen to "Kidz-Bop" versions of contemporary songs even when you're alone because it doesn't have "all the language".
2. Every shirt you own has snot stains on one shoulder.
1. You'd rather eat cut glass than attempt to trim the nails of the short person running through your house.
Bonus roll: Plate? What's a plate? Doesn't everyone just eat the leftovers off a highchair tray?
To all the other mothers out there - I salute you!!! United we stand.... until someone breaks out the wine, then "united we collapse on the couch" and laugh our patooties off!
Hugs to all,
Princess Kelly
www.kellyleefiction.com
As I spent a full twenty minutes searching my jewelry box for a matching set of earrings (none of them are paired anymore), the litany of mom-only problems I encounter daily cartwheeled around in my head, bouncing off my skull. Then I realized it wasn't thoughts banging around in there, but the beginnings of a headache that only a glass of wine would cure.
After enjoying said glass of wine (or three), I got the giggles with my another mommy, and we made a list of the top 5 ways you know you're a mom. Now granted, yes, you already know you're a mom since you squeezed out the little 8 pound bowling ball of joy first-hand.... but it's funnier this way. So go with it.
Top 5 ways you know you're a mom:
5. You haven't gone to the bathroom alone in years.
4. The tiny people running around your house are bathed, coiffed, and hygienically sound, but you haven't washed your hair in two days.
3. You listen to "Kidz-Bop" versions of contemporary songs even when you're alone because it doesn't have "all the language".
2. Every shirt you own has snot stains on one shoulder.
1. You'd rather eat cut glass than attempt to trim the nails of the short person running through your house.
Bonus roll: Plate? What's a plate? Doesn't everyone just eat the leftovers off a highchair tray?
To all the other mothers out there - I salute you!!! United we stand.... until someone breaks out the wine, then "united we collapse on the couch" and laugh our patooties off!
Hugs to all,
Princess Kelly
www.kellyleefiction.com
July 23, 2013
#PlottingPrincesses: Who's in the house? Rayne Golay!
The PP Gals welcome Rayne Golay, guest author of The Wooden Chair. Hi, Rayne! How did you get from your day job to writing romance? When offered early retirement, I jumped at the chance. Now I was finally free to pursue my lifelong dream to write. I procrastinated for a couple of years during which I traveled extensively with my late husband. I had all sorts of excuses why I wasn’t writing, among them that I didn’t have the right tools. Instead of going out to buy myself a PC, I complained that I didn’t have the right means with which to write. Part of the reason for why I dragged my feet was fear of failing at the thing I’d always wanted to do. When my children gave me my first lap top as a birthday gift, they removed my last obstacle. Now I had to do it, write.
What are your three favorite books of all time? “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Eugenides
“The Egyptian” by Mika Waltari
“The Senator’s Wife” by Sue Miller
Morning, afternoon, or evening person? I love the evening hours when all the have to’s are out of the way. It’s happened that I get up in the middle of the night to write. There’s something both peaceful and exciting about the late hours when all is still, and I’m alone, just me and my characters.
Music--with or without? What kind? Quiet, quiet, genius at work! (LOL) Much as I love music, chiefly classical like Beethoven, Sibelius, Bruch, it intrudes on that space inside where my characters live.
First or third POV? Third. I tried my hand at first person, but had to rewrite the dratted thing, because I couldn’t get the right depth and scope and vision on the whole thing.
How's tricks? Do you juggle multiple projects? While my soul dances from joy my mind puzzles on the next disaster. Outside of writing, I’m a multi-tasker, but a full length novel (100.000 words isn’t unusual for me) takes all my concentration.
What's harder: beginning, middle, or the end? I call it The Beginning, The Muddle and The End. I think that says it all. When I start a new novel, I know the beginning and end very well. I usually even have a title, which was the case with both LIFEIS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE and THE WOODEN CHAIR. The middle is a sorry bog.
Revisions: Love 'em or hate 'em? With a good critique partner, I love revisions. It’s wonderful to see how, with the help of a pair of objective and constructive eyes the story takes shape, sets to flow. How did you come up with that title? Best advice anybody every gave you? Meaning THE WOODEN CHAIR? Leini, the protagonist is four years old early in the book. She tries to cuddle in her mother’s lap, but mother is stiff and unwelcoming. Leini finds mother’s lap as hard and uncomfortable as the wooden chair in their kitchen. There it is, right there, in mother’s lap, THE WOODEN CHAIR. Apparently my publisher, Untreed Reads Publisher, liked it as well because we never discussed the title.
Fill in this blank: My ideal fictional hero would think me gorgeous no matter… Despite some wrinkles, age spots and what once was a cleavage, but now is a peach pit.
What's your favorite dessert? Would you believe cheese? Yes, cheese. I don’t care for sweets.
Do you write at home or someplace else? I’m such a creature of habit, LOL. I write at home, by my desk. Sometimes, weather permitting, I write by the pool with a can of caffeine free diet soda within easy reach.
What's your favorite type of hero/heroine and why? My favorite hero is Ralph de Bricassar in Colleen McCullough’s “The Thorn Birds.” All his live he’s so very much in love with Maggie, but his love for the church is strong as well. True to himself, he does what his conscience dictates.
Female heroine is the protagonist in Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca,” inexperienced, used and lied to, but who’s love for Maxim gives her strength. I find her intriguing, not least because she has no name, other than “Mrs. de Winter” or “The second Mrs. de Winter.”
Excerpt from The Wooden Chair:
As the doorbell rang, Mira’s brow furrowed in several horizontal creases, irritation vibrant inside at being disturbed. She glanced at the meat-and-vegetable soup simmering on the stove.
After she turned off the gas and wiped her hands on a towel, she took a deep puff of the cigarette smoldering in an ashtray and crossed the small sitting room to the entry hall.
Mira sucked air into her lungs at the sight of the child and fought the urge to slam the door. She glared at the woman who clutched the child’s hand. Leaning over Leini, Mira grabbed her arm.
Leini winced and tried to pull away.
“You hopeless number,” Mira hissed. “Where have you been?”
Leini twisted her arm back and forth. “Mamma, you’re hurting me.”
Letting go of Leini, she turned to the policewoman and made a supreme effort to paste a pleasant smile on her face.
“I’m Mira Bauman. Thank you for finding my daughter. She wanders away. Does it often.”
Tuula introduced herself. “Yes, she was alone, singing at the marketplace. I took it upon
myself to bring her home. Your daughter is lovely.”
“You don’t know the half of it. She’s a little monster. In the company of people she’s all right. At home with me she’s quite a handful.”
The look in Tuula’s eyes told Mira that she’d said too much. Using a more pleasant tone, Mira apologized for Leini’s behavior.
“No trouble. We enjoyed her singing, but she’s much too young to be in the streets on her own.” Smiling at Leini, Tuula bent to touch the child’s cheek with the back of her hand. “There could be a bombardment any minute. Then what would she do? She doesn’t seem to know where she lives. I looked in the phone book for your address.”
“She’d manage. She always does,” Mira said, a slight quaver in her voice.
Find Rayne at:
Web site
Blog
Goodreads Author Page
Untreed Reads Publishing
Thank you, Rayne, for being with the PP today!
July 18, 2013
PP Linda Steinberg: #Confessions of a #Happy Pessimist? HMMMMM
GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?
It’s said there are two kinds of people in this world. The optimist sees his glass as half full; the pessimist, as half empty. The optimist sees the rainbow, the pessimist, the rain.
Presumably the optimist is always cheerful, sees the best in people, and is hopeful for the future. If there are several possible outcomes for a situation, the optimist looks to the brightest one, confident that his or her good attitude will help it come to pass. There is even a book, The Law of Attraction, which purports that if one believes something positive will happen, that belief will attract the outcome one desires.
Pity the poor pessimist. Extrapolating from the above, a pessimist then must be a grumpy, gloomy person, always looking to find fault with others. Where the optimist sees a silver lining, the pessimist focuses on the cloud. Surely misfortune must follow him everywhere because he is expecting the negative at every turn, and it will find him. True?
Not.
I confess, I am a pessimist. And I am a very happy person. How can that be? Well, where an optimist is always looking at the bright side, I am always thinking, What’s the worst that could happen? If I follow a certain path, what’s the most dire consequence that could befall me? Could I live with that? If the answer is yes, I will usually go ahead and take the path. If the worst happens, well, I knew what I was in for and I accepted it. And if the worst doesn’t happen? Well, then, I’m happy.
Truthfully, ‘the worst’ rarely happens. And whereas an optimist is often disappointed, sometimes heartbroken, when things don’t pan out as well a hoped for or expected, since I have such low expectations, whatever does happen is usually a plus for me.
As I get older, I wake up more mornings than not with aches and pains. Does this make me depressed? Not at all. What’s the worst that could happen? I could not wake up at all. Those aches and pains let me know I’m still alive. And
Life is good. I embrace every day.
So, which are you? Optimist or pessimist? Glass half full or glass half empty? Optimists, share your secrets. Pessimists of the world, speak up!
It’s said there are two kinds of people in this world. The optimist sees his glass as half full; the pessimist, as half empty. The optimist sees the rainbow, the pessimist, the rain.
Presumably the optimist is always cheerful, sees the best in people, and is hopeful for the future. If there are several possible outcomes for a situation, the optimist looks to the brightest one, confident that his or her good attitude will help it come to pass. There is even a book, The Law of Attraction, which purports that if one believes something positive will happen, that belief will attract the outcome one desires.
Pity the poor pessimist. Extrapolating from the above, a pessimist then must be a grumpy, gloomy person, always looking to find fault with others. Where the optimist sees a silver lining, the pessimist focuses on the cloud. Surely misfortune must follow him everywhere because he is expecting the negative at every turn, and it will find him. True?
Not.
I confess, I am a pessimist. And I am a very happy person. How can that be? Well, where an optimist is always looking at the bright side, I am always thinking, What’s the worst that could happen? If I follow a certain path, what’s the most dire consequence that could befall me? Could I live with that? If the answer is yes, I will usually go ahead and take the path. If the worst happens, well, I knew what I was in for and I accepted it. And if the worst doesn’t happen? Well, then, I’m happy.
Truthfully, ‘the worst’ rarely happens. And whereas an optimist is often disappointed, sometimes heartbroken, when things don’t pan out as well a hoped for or expected, since I have such low expectations, whatever does happen is usually a plus for me.
As I get older, I wake up more mornings than not with aches and pains. Does this make me depressed? Not at all. What’s the worst that could happen? I could not wake up at all. Those aches and pains let me know I’m still alive. And
Life is good. I embrace every day.
So, which are you? Optimist or pessimist? Glass half full or glass half empty? Optimists, share your secrets. Pessimists of the world, speak up!
July 16, 2013
Michelle Miles: In Which I Talk About Vacations
I have vacation on the brain. It’s short-timers-itis, I think. Where all I can think about is getting away from the office and doing something FUN. Ya know? Do you ever get like that? Last summer, husband, kid and I traveled to West Texas and New Mexico. We had this grand idea to go to the Davis Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns. We were going to drive. Now, if you’re not all that familiar with Texas let me tell you…it’s, um, big. We live in the Dallas/Fort Worth so heading west meant it would be about 10 hours before we got to the mountains. At the time, I was driving a 2006 Kia Spectra. Two days before we left for the trip, the air conditioner broke. I thought it might just need to be recharged but no such luck. And getting it fixed on the weekend before we left? Didn’t happen. No one could get in fixed in time. I was mad. I decided we were going anyway, dammit. Of course last summer was almost as hot as the summer of 2011. We had a lot of 100+ days. And no rain. It was a long, hot, miserable drive. Husband started the trip and we agreed to take turns driving. By the time it was my turn to drive, we were all sweating and dying of the heat. But we persevered. We made it to the Davis Mountains and stopped for ice cream and a cold drink. When we got back in the car, with the sun blistering and no AC, I pulled out of the parking lot (which was gravel by the way) and blurted, “My eyeballs are hot!” My husband cracked up. We say that a lot now whenever we’re feeling twitchy about the heat.
We made it to the hotel to blessed AC. By that time, though, I don’t think any amount of cool air would make us feel better. Once you’re hot like that…it’s hard to get cooled off. But we had a great time at McDonald Observatory and Carlsbad Caverns. Of the caverns, my son said it was the “most extraordinary place” he’d ever been. :D He’s right, too. It’s a pretty cool place. And it was 52 degrees in there. We actually wore jackets. I never wanted to leave. The day we headed back home it was supposed to be 102 for the high. Which means it really feels like 120. We opted for driving home starting at sundown and into the wee hours. It was a trip we will always remember and laugh about even if at the time I felt like I was going to burst into flame every 2.3 seconds. I finally did get the AC fixed on that miserable car…and then traded it in. What are some of your best vacation memories, either as an adult or a kid?
July 13, 2013
A Quick Peek at what the Plotting Princesses are up to!
Plotting Princesses' June Newsletter for your reading pleasure
Extra! Extra!
The PP June Newsletter…
Is out! Catch up on what's happening with the Plotting Princesses. We have links to great articles written by PPs Liese, Kathy, Vicki, and an extra special one about the PP at RomCon written by Michelle. There's breaking news and sneak peeks at great covers.
Go to: http://ymlp.com/zJJ72d
Thank you for your support!
Extra! Extra! The PP June Newsletter…
Is out! Catch up on what's happening with the Plotting Princesses. We have links to great articles written by PPs Liese, Kathy, Vicki, and an extra special one about the PP at RomCon written by Michelle. There's breaking news and sneak peeks at great covers.
Go to: http://ymlp.com/zJJ72d
Thank you for your support!
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