Maria Hammarblad's Blog, page 51

Welcome Patty Froese!

One of the biggest perks of being a writer is all the interesting people you meet both in cyberspace and in real life. Some pass by quickly, others become friends who share both joy and tears. For me, Patty Froese belongs to the latter category. She's a wonderful person with a great sense of humour, and I start most days with having a cup of coffee and reading her blog. Today is the release day of Patty's new novel, Legally Wed, and I have the pleasure of welcoming this brilliant Canadian writer to my blog!

Welcome Patty Froese!

It's great to see you here! How does your family feel about having a writer in the family? Do they read your books?
Having a writer in the family is different from having a romance writer in the family... They were always very supportive of my writing, but when I turned to romance, they mocked me heartlessly! LOL They still call me up with "genius plot lines" for me to consider and grossly inappropriate titles.(I write Christian romance, so you can see how naughty titles would give them the giggles...) Gotta love family! They keep me entertained!

Too funny! Do you have a favorite object pertinent to your writing? (Pen, coffee cup, pet, blanket, chair…?

My computer, I would say. As long as I have my computer, I'm a happy camper. My husband is a techy guy, so he's always wanting to get me a Mac or something. But I don't like my skill set messed with. Besides, I have everything saved where I want it, and I hate starting new with a new computer.

I can relate to that. I love technology, but changing computers always freaks me out. What do you love about your latest book?
This one was just fun to write. I loved following two couples, especially Mildred, the scorned wife whose husband leaves her for the secretary. I felt like I could really crawl into her skin. She's plus-sized, she's gray, she thought she was secure, and then her husband left her. She really kept things interesting for me!
Can you tell us something behind-the-scenes about this book that the readers would love to hear - something not easily found on your website?

Mildred is based on an ex-boyfriend's mother. Oh, it's true! (Now, every guy I ever dated is going say, "You calling my mama fat?") LOL! But real people worm their way into my books on a regular basis. I can't help it... Especially women! Women intrigue me, and when I find a woman I admire or just find infinitely interesting, aspects of her will show up all over the place.

Ahaha, I bet you'll get a few phone calls now with people trying to find out who she is. Anything else you want to share?

Yes! Come by my blog and share the quirky life of a Christian romance writer. http://pattyfroese.com
Or Facebook--I'm there a LOT. http://www.facebook.com/pattyfroese
I love to connect with readers and other writers. Keeps my feet on the ground. ;)


You have an amazing blog. I love it! Thank you so much for coming over!


Legally Wed Blurb:
When Rich McConaughey comes back to town, divorce papers in hand, he's in for more than he bargained for. Lisa Young, the woman he was married to for six months, hasn't changed a bit. His mother has though... she's gone from matronly to meow, and his father has taken off with the secretary. Does anything last anymore?

Lisa Young feels chained to the hardware store her family has run for generations. How can she tell her father that she hates the family business? When Rich walks back into her store asking her to finalize a divorce she thought was behind her, she thinks that the answer is to sign on the dotted line and move on. Except, Rich isn't making it so easy... and God has other plans.

For better or for worse, when you're legally wed, things can get complicated.



For more information:
Visit Patty on FacebookLook her up on TwitterRead her blogSee Legally Wed on Amazon.comSee Legally Wed on the Publisher's Website
My review of Legally Wed

Legally Wed by Patty Froese follows Lisa, single woman and owner of a hardware store in Charlbrook, a small town where everyone knows everyone. Her life seems planned and straightforward. Not necessarily exciting, but safe. That is, until her ex-husband walks in and claims they're not really divorced.

This is a Christian romance, and Christian readers will not be disappointed; Lisa and several other characters go to church and talk to God. It is also humorous, endearing, and entertaining. The fate and happiness of several people are at stake, and Froese makes you care about the characters.

I read through the book in two sittings; I HAD to see what would happen to everyone. I give Legally Wed five stars out of five, and warmly recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet, humorous, and entertaining read.

Interview with Tiffinie Helmer

Today is a treat for me. I met Tiffinie Helmer in an author's group on Facebook. We tweeted each other's books for a while, and she fascinated me with saying she would be off line over summer because she was going fishing in Alaska. I'm sure I answered something eloquent along the lines of, "You're going to what and the what? Wow!" After a few months of chatting (yes, I'm slow, lol) I decided to try one of her books, and ended up reading nonstop for three days until I had plowed through all of them. I a delighted to introduce her here on my blog!

Tiffinie Helmer, Romancing Exotic Alaska!

Welcome Tiffinie, please tell us your latest news!

Maria, thanks for the invite.  It has been great getting to know you! 
BEARING ALL, the 4th book in the Wild Men of Alaska Series was just released.  I love this book.  Love, love the characters.  In one word, BEARING ALL is untamed.  Here’s the blurb:

All he wants for Christmas is her…
Former Russian spy, Sergei Lavinsky, code name The Bear, is hibernating on the edge of Alaska.  He lures the woman he loves to the Edge of Reason Lodge, hoping enough time has passed that her heart has softened and her knives have dulled.

All she wants is revenge…
Kate “No Mercy” Mercer is a CIA Agent sent to assassinate him.  Again.  This time she intends to succeed without ending up in his bed.  She has a dozen reasons to kill him, and one of them is personal.
They’ll be completely unwrapped before the holiday is over…

I love how the characters in your books intertwine; it's like revisiting old friends. Do you have all that planned out in advance, or does it just happen?  

It kind of just happens.  Character is the first thing that comes to me.  I am fascinated by people and why they do what they do.  As a writer, it’s fun playing God and doing things to my characters and seeing how they react.

Are any of your characters based on real people?  

I wish.  I’d like to meet them.  Talk about hanging with your peeps.  Plus, the men are HOT.  

Your books make me want to visit Alaska, and it's clear you know what you're talking about. Was it difficult to move away? Do you miss it?  

I miss it a lot.  Luckily, I do get to return for the summers, though commercial fishing is no vacation.  I love that “wildness” that living “Outside” in the lower 48 doesn’t allow me.  I need to be a little more civilized when I’m in Utah, where we live for the rest of the year.  Both my husband and I are from Fairbanks, Alaska and have lots of family all over the state of Alaska. So its home.  This time of year it’s killing me not seeing the Northern Lights. 

The fishing-in-Alaska part fascinates me. Is it something you've always done? A family business, maybe?

My immediate family started commercial fishing in 1977.  My grandparents and my uncle started in 1967.  So, yeah, we know what we’re doing.  When my kids were little my husband went fishing.  Now I take the kids (he has to stay because of his job) and they fish with me.  They are teenagers now.  Nothing like having teenagers work and earn money while all their friends are getting into trouble or wasting their summers.  I have great kids who know how to work and have serious skills in knowing how to survive. 

When did you discover you are a writer? Was there a specific catalyst?  

I always had a great imagination.  I used to get called out for “making up stories” when I was little.  That sounds so much better than lying. But in junior high writing saved me.  It was the best escape…and revenge.  You can do things to people with a pen and paper that you don’t get punished for.  Just change the names to protect the innocent and you are good to go.

Hahaha, I can relate. What type of scene do you enjoy writing the most? 

Well, with what I just revealed above you might be able to guess.  Killing scenes are my favorite.  Those and when the characters are rapidly firing with dialogue.  Love dialogue.  Believe it or not, the love scenes are the hardest (no pun intended, well, maybe a little).  For a love scene there has to be a reason for me.  It has to move the story and reveal more than what’s under the clothes.  They are difficult and time consuming.  I’d rather kill people. 

What's the biggest challenge you've faced in writing?

Time.  There is not enough time to do all that I want to.

Do you have a favorite object you need when you write?   

Music.  It helps me set the mood.  Most of BEARING ALL was written to tango music.  I hope, when readers read it, the music comes through with the action and the dialogue. 

What’s your favorite place you’ve visited?  Do you have a “must see” destination on your bucket list? 

FINLAND!  I was a foreign exchange student to Finland in high school.  The people in Finland and Sweden (I was so lucky to have spent a few days) were the nicest people.  Loved the place, the people, and the cheese!  I can’t wait to return and visit all of Scandinavia.

Yay! Finland is beautiful, but I'm patriotic, so I'll say Sweden is the best. LOL. Is there something funny about you people don’t know?  

I love onion rings but hate onions.  Go figure.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Check out the webpages below for more information on Tiffinie and her books!

Webpage: http://www.tiffiniehelmer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffiniehelmerauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TiffinieHelmer

See "Bearing All" on Amazon
Check out "Bearing All" at Barnes and Noble 

Sidetracked onto... trees? Who would have thought.

From time to time, I do serious research for my books. Enrolling in a college class type of serious. Most of the time, Google is fine. It sidetracks me, though. I mean, is anyone able to even get near Google without ending up reading something super-interesting they didn't intend to see? Same thing with Facebook. I can't even count the times I've gone on Facebook for a quick peek, and found some of my author friends have been researching something interesting enough to post. Wham, a couple of hours gone and head filled with new and useless information.

Working on the re-write of Brand New World, I stumbled over some really interesting facts.

The world's oldest living tree stands in my home country - Sweden. It is a 9,550 year old spruce. Actually, the trunk is "only" 600 years old, but the roots are 9,550 years. The photo to the right is taken by Leif Kullman at Umeå University's department of Ecology and Environmental science.

The world's oldest plant is a 13,000 year old oak that survives by cloning itself. The Californian bush started its life during the last Ice Age.

There's something even older. It's not an individual tree, but a colony of Aspen in Utah. The 105 acre colony is made from genetically identical trees connected by a single root system, and got its start over 80,000 years ago. It's hard to measure the age of something as ancient as this - some scientists think the colony could be over one million years old. It weighs 6,615 tons, and it is the heaviest living organism on the planet.

Isn't the world fascinating? I also learned some really interesting things when researching the novella High Gravity. I'll tell you all about it when the re-write is done.

Potential new covers for the Embarkment novellas

The inside of the Embarkment 2577 novellas are getting a major rewrite. The first one - Brand New World - is almost ready, and work on High Gravity is proceeding well. I now know how spoiled I have become with Desert Breeze Publishing's amazing cover artists and editors. This is hard work, but thanks to support from lovely Christy Elkins, I'm moving forward.

Anyway, in order to reflect the major change, I want the 2nd edition to have new covers as well. These are the current working ideas - graphics from canstockphoto.com. What do you think?

Setting the Halloween Mood, a creepy excerpt from A Legacy of Lies.

Stephenia H. McGeeJust in time for Halloween, Stephenia H. McGee kindly shares a creepy excerpt from her book A Legacy of Lies. It will get us in the right spirit!

I have to admit I haven't read the book myself yet, even though it's on my TBR list, so I looked up a review from my author friend Patty Froese.

She says, "This book has it all: a nice quick plot, a massive castle, cowboys, a dark mystery, a cold seductress and a story that leaves you thinking about it long after you've finished the book." Sounds pretty good!

Excerpt from A Legacy of Lies


It was cold.

Too cold.

The eerie silence of a moonless, starless night engulfed him.

Jim shivered. It had been high noon only a few minutes ago. Had he fallen asleep? He didn't remember being tired. He shook his head and tried to focus his groggy mind. He peered around cautiously. Where was his horse?

A rustling sound in the bushes startled him. His eyes darted to investigate.

Nothing.

No, wait. There it was again. Off to the left. His eyes strained, searching for the slightest movement or shape. Something. Anything.

Silence.

He felt like a kid afraid of the dark.

Get a hold of yourself, man.

Fingers of fear teased along the back of his neck. The hairs stood on end. He shivered. Where was that horse?

"Ciervo!" His voice sounded weak even to his own ears. He tried again. Now he was completely hoarse.

Swallowing the panic rising from the pit of his stomach, he took a cautious step forward. He heard stirring in the woods behind him. Squirrels? He listened intently.

The noise came again. No. Definitely not a squirrel. Something was pacing in the woods. Deliberate. Stalking. Jim's mouth went dry.

Mountain lion.

His heart raced and he looked desperately around, scanning the darkness. Blackness blanketed the meadow. Jim hoped Ciervo hadn't wandered too far. He started to walk. Slowly. Calculating. He couldn't tell in what direction he moved.

His cell! He could use it as a light source. Jim's hand brushed at his hip. It wasn't there. He frowned. It always stayed on his belt. He never left the ranch without it.

Jim's eyes strained, but he could barely make out his surroundings. The farther he walked, the darker it got. His breathing came in quick, rapid intakes.

A shrill sound broke the silence. His heart leaped.

"Ciervo?"

Where was he? Was the mountain lion after him?

Hoof beats. Thank goodness.

They were pounding quicker than his rapidly drumming heart. A shadow appeared about thirty feet in front of him.

It wasn't his beloved horse. It looked like something galloping up from Hell.

The horrid creature ran wildly toward him. The cold air caused the hot breath to billow from its nostrils like a smoking dragon.

The monster's eyes looked like no earthly thing he had ever seen. The bulging orbs had a luminescent shine that came from deep behind the pupils. In the pitch black they glowed like a ghostly beacon.

The horse-shaped beast lowered his head. The creature was preparing to slam into him. Jim threw himself out of its path and landed sharply on his hip. His right thigh slammed into a large, extruded boulder. Fire shot down his leg. Ignoring the pain, he jumped to his feet, eyes probing the darkness for the crazed brute. The ghostly version of Ciervo had vanished.

Despite the cold, he began to sweat. Jim felt eyes boring into him. Someone or something watched him. He was exposed. Unprepared. His heart hammered in his chest. His body refused to move.

Another sound. Different. It wasn't rustling limbs or bushes, and it certainly wasn't the horse's wild hoof beats. It was quiet, like a soft whisper. Crying? No, calling out for something.

He strained to catch the garbled words. The voice grew louder. More urgent. Still he couldn't make out the woeful tone. Then, as if his brain finished translating some cryptic code, the word became clear.

"James!"

Again. Louder this time. "James... James..." The voice rose and fell in the darkness. Its eerie sound slithered into his ears.

"Hello?" His voice echoed hoarsely. He held onto a feeble hope the voice came from someone nearby lost in the dark along with him. No one here knew him by that name. He stood holding his breath, listening.

Suddenly, a freight train of frigid air knocked him backward. Terrified, he dared not to move. The voice came again.

"You must help. Soon it will be too late--"

An insidious roar erupted around him. Hot, musty breath bathed Jim's face. He struggled backward. He couldn't quite make out the figure standing over him. The silhouette was enormous. Its shoulders spanned at least four feet. An odd-shaped head swayed from side-to-side.

It growled.

Paralyzed with fear, Jim lay helpless. The creature rose to stand upright. Seven. Eight feet tall. Jim gasped for air. His feet tore into the soft ground, trying to gain footing. Desperately trying to get away. The creature came crashing toward him.

A Life Built on a Legacy – A Legacy Built on Lies

Sarah Sanders was always the reasonable sort, until she kissed a cowboy against her better judgment. Feeling strangely drawn to this mysterious ranch hand with a dark past, she finds herself swept up in an adventure that will force her to question everything she believes.

Jim Anderson’s cowboy gig is going pretty well. Except for one thing – he thinks he's going insane. Night terrors, hallucinations, and now a girl he has no business falling for. It’s better to keep his distance. But when Sarah is nearly killed, he will risk it all to save her.

When tragedy brings him back to the home he tried to escape, Jim will have to face the truth behind his strange circumstances and hope that Sarah will believe him. Digging up the answers to questions long buried, does he have the strength to face the dark family secrets that threaten to destroy them both?

Buy the book at Desert Breeze Publishing or on Amazon. It is also available at Christianbook.com.

Hear me babble - blog radio!

Considering I suffer from a slight fear of phones, finishing a phone interview is a big deal for me. LOL! With a house filled with dogs, there are also some practical problems. I mean, a landline wouldn't really help me get better sound - you'd just hear them barking at the mailman better...

I ended up promoting my car to mobile office and phone booth. It worked well in the sense that it's pretty quiet in there, but it became warm quickly. I was done just in time. As I hung up, a truck filled with landscapers came to work on the median - there's a pretty planted thingy in the middle of the road outside my house - and right now I can barely hear myself think.

Anyway, Hear me at 2012 writers Alive! I talk about my books, about Desert Breeze Publishing and the wonderful editors they have, and about Ewenity Farms Border Collie Haven.

While you're there, you can also check out the interview with lovely Christy Elkins!

My ongoing blog tour.

I haven't blogged these past few days. Partly because I'm engulfed in the re-write of the Embarkment novellas, and partly because I'm on a blog tour. After a few stops it's hard to find new things to say. It's fun though, and I like the tours through Bewitching Book Tours because they take me to places and new people I'd never find on my own. If you want to check out the stops this far, I've been here:

October 22, Guest Blog at Day Dreaming Book ReviewsOctober 23, Guest blog with Melissa StevensOctober 24, Guest blog at Avril's blogOctober 24, Spotlight at Books AmourOctober 25, Guest blog with Paranormal Romantic SuspenseOctober 26, Spotlight at Reginamayross's BlogOctober 27, Interview at the Creatively Green Write at Home MomOctober 29, Interview at Sugarbeat's Books

Upcoming stops are:

October 31, Interview with Michelle @ Mom with a Kindle November 1, Guest Blog at Lisa's World of Books November 2, Promo at SmartMouthTexan November 2, Spotlight at evolvedworld.com November 5, Guest Blog with Sarah Ballance November 5, Review of Undercover by Storm Goddess Book Reviews

If you ever want to have an author - not just me - as a guest on your blog, just ask. Most of us are delighted to visit.

Today is an exciting day, by the way. I'm recording a podcast interview, and I'm a little nervous. Recording interviews on the phone is not a good idea when one suffers from fear of phones, LOL. (Long story, I'll tell that some other time.) I guess it's good to take on tasks outside one's comfort zone, and this will be one of them. I'll get back with info on where the interview is posted, so you can hear my random babble.

For other news, I have something from Stephenia H. McGee scheduled for Halloween. Come back on Wednesday and read a spooky excerpt from her book. =)

Time for a re-write!

I've been wanting to do it, and now I've begun. Begun what? Exercising? No, but it's on my list. ;-) I have learned so much from the wonderful editors at Desert Breeze Publishing, and yearned to apply it on my older, self-published books. Last night, I started a complete re-write of Brand New World.

I wanted to start with something easy, something I can get through and be able to pat myself on the back. "You did good, Maria." The Embarkment novellas seemed appropriate, because they're short, and in dire need of a re-write. I intend to make a second edition of all of them, probably with fresh covers as well, to symbolize the inner change. Right now, my optimistic thought is, "This shouldn't take all that long." We'll see how it turns out in reality...

The new version of Brand New World will start along the lines of:

The world was a bank of fog that came and went like waves on the sea, interrupted occasionally by the blackness of night, or maybe death. My confused mind couldn’t determine which. At times the fog was thinner, and revealed a world so surreal it must be feverish dreams or visions in a coma. Soon, these brief images appeared real, and life as it had been resembled a dream.

Chapter 1

When consciousness returned it came painfully and I gasped for air, overwhelmed by a flood of impressions. There were memories that must surely be dreams, dreams appearing much too real, and sounds and smells I didn't recognize.

A light came from above, much too bright for my eyes, and I squinted, trying to make out anything besides abstract shapes. My body was too heavy, and moving my head completely impossible.

"Look who's awake. Welcome back."

The female voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it, and I couldn't see her.

As my eyes adjusted, I saw bright cones hanging from the ceiling. The walls were slightly curved, and the shapes of shadows from objects outside my view much too tall and distorted. Was I in a hospital? Maybe I'd been in an accident. The thought was logical, and much more appealing than the alternatives.

Another voice spoke. “Doctor Ima to the Captain, our time traveller is conscious.”

That comment didn't make any sense at all. I hadn't been on a boat, so why would there be a Captain? Time-traveller? Maybe I was still unconscious after all, trapped in a weird dream.

I groaned, “I guess I’m not dead after all.”

What a dumb comment. Why would I say such a thing? I had no reason to think I was dead, did I?

The voice sparkled with held back laughter. “No, you most certainly aren’t dead anymore.”

Everybody together now, let's say, "Weeeeeee!"

This weekend is the Florida Writer's Conference, with a banquet for the Royal Palm Awards. I wanted to go to the conference, but for a number of reasons it just didn't work out. For a while I thought I'd be able to pop over to Orlando and at least go to the banquet, but my car started to act up, and I got vivid images of being stranded by the side of the road in the middle of the night. With a to-do list long as my leg and a nearly empty bank account, it just wasn't meant to be.

As I ran around all day yesterday, trying to get at least most of my must-do list ticked off, I forgot all about it. That is, until I got a message on Facebook, saying, " Congratulations! Not only did you win First Place in the Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Awards for your screenplay, you also won the Dahris Clair Award for best new writing!"  

I bounced and yelped, "Mikey, pause the movie, you've gotta see this!" 

I knew I was a finalist, but I didn't think I'd win anything. Not in a million years! Seriously, I'm Swedish, I learned English in school. When I grew up I had a patch on my jacket saying, "Have a Nice Day." I asked my mom how to say it, and she sounded it out in a very Swedish way. I went around saying something like "Hawe a nieese daawy" for about a year.

Anyway, in the off chance I'd win, I asked George Mindling from the Sarasota chapter of FWA to pick up my award for me. Just in case. I'm so happy I did, and that fate prevented me from going myself: I can imagine an overwhelmed version of me stuttering, forgetting English, probably crying too. I'm pretty good at speaking to large groups of people, but last night I almost forgot how to talk sitting at home in the sofa! (I'll go next year. I need to start going to the chapter meetings too.)

George sent me photos of the awards. This is the most handsome golden dude I've ever seen!




Waking up today felt like Christmas Morning. Yesterday, I woke up as a double-working student with a to-do list big enough to cover the kitchen table. Today, I woke up as an award winning screenwriter. Life is good!

Review: Animal Instincts by Tami Dee and Lynette Endicott

Last night I read a book by two of my Desert Breeze Publishing colleagues; Tami Dee and Lynette Endicott. I think it's really cool how they're able to collaborate with their writing.

The book is a sweet romance - the name Animal Instincts refers to actual pets - with a dab of magic woven into the story. Here is my review:  
Animal Instincts is the first novel in the Time after Time saga, following a line of cursed women as they struggle to find happiness. This book is set in 1977, and tells the tale of Allison, a veterinarian in the little town of Medicine Springs, Missouri.
Allison's life is perfectly reasonable until a normal morning takes a twist for the unpleasant when an old friend, Meredith, bangs on her door, in tears over a man's betrayal. To make things better, Meredith wants to kill Allison's cat. The day grows even stranger as a newcomer to town comes running into the clinic, carrying a large dog acutely ill from a bee sting. Once events are set in motion there's no stopping destiny, and Allison soon finds herself in the middle of myth, epic love, and mortal danger.
I enjoyed the book, especially the parts with the cat and the dog. When it comes to the love story I kept forgetting the book was set in the 70's and not in present time, and thought, "Oh come on, just do it already and get it out of your system."
Tami Dee and Lynette Endicott work very well together, and it's impossible to figure out who wrote what. The characters are believable, the book is a pleasant read, and I loved the portions with magical objects, ancient documents, and the wonderful prophetess. I would absolutely recommend it.

Blurb: 
The first book in a new series - Time After Time - is a collaborative effort. Authors Lynette Endicott and Tami Dee are working together and anticipate a series of six books. Each woman is taking the lead on half of the books.

The first to be published is Animal Instinct, set in the 1970s. Allison Green is a veterinarian and the descendent of a line of women who bear the Heartmark, a heart-shaped birthmark that identifies them as the target for Mildreth, an evil time-traveling enemy. Sean Barnett is the new detective in town. An evil from the past threatens to destroy the love developing between Allison and Sean. Will ancestral memories hold the key to freedom, or overwhelm them with fear? Will Sean be the man to help her break free of the ancient enemy who has traveled through time in order to cheat her of love?  
See the book on Amazon