Barbara Edwards's Blog, page 19

Day Four. It was cold last night, down to twenty-seven, b...

Day Four. It was cold last night, down to twenty-seven, but the sun is out.

Meramac State Park, MO

We’re camped in the Meramac State Park overnight. Signs warn of flooding. And we take some photos before we leave. A little slow this morning. Up early, but had to check the electric again. Everything seems to be working. Whew!

The area around here has fairly high hills- otherwise known as the Ozarks. Things are greening up and the ornamentals are blooming. Saw a forsythia bush in bloom and one daffodil.

Again it is flat, flat flat. Cattle are visible by the thousands in white, black, brown and combinations of all. Also horses.

RV places dot the landscape. The radio stations are equally divided between music and religious programs. It makes a nice break from hip-hop, rap and that other stuff.

Its sunny and in the high forties by afternoon. We’re stopping near Tulsa. I’m pooped and I didn’t drive.

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Filed under: Camping, My Books

Day Three on the road by Barbara Edwards

Day Three in Ohio, Greencastle.

morning

The high winds shook the camper all night. Up top fifty mile per hour gusts and there is a wind warning this morning until ten am. No surprise since we’re on vacation. Heh.

Its currently warm, above seventy and there is snow predicted fot the Miami Valley tonight. Hopefully we’ll be south and west of all that.

The highway was crowded yesterday.

Empty land, goes on forever

This am  its empty. Of course its before seven.

Pouring rain and high wind is making me nervous. I hate driving in the rain. The wins cuts across the o Not even eight am. Stopped at a rest area and the o[‘pen fields and pushes the vehicle sideways. Truck area holds over five hundred trucks.

Doing a bit of shake-down repairs. Needed to buy a connection cord for the CB radio. Bill likes to listen to the trucker updates on road conditions.

Mississippi River in St. Louis

Casey’s Wind chimes

Then the electric failed to charge in the camper. Drast. Spent a couple hours checking the lines and connections until we found where the wire had pulled apart. Easy repair, but annoying.

Today we’ll stop for a windshield wiper since the one on my side is fraying. Typical travel problem.

Lots of road construction so far.

Caught a glimpse of blue sky a few miles south of Indianapolis. Rain is intermittent right now.

Stopped in Casey to see the world’s largest wind chime. It is huge but has a mellow sound.

Twenty miles to the border.

 

Filed under: Camping Tagged: Barbara Edwards,, Mississippi River, St. Louis

My husband and me Day One: April 12. I always am restl...

My husband and me

Day One: April 12. I always am restless the night before traveling and Friday was no exception. We were up and leaving by seven thirty with the goal of driving four hundred miles. My only request way that we stop every two hours so I could stretch my legs. Luckily, the dog needs to relieve himself so that is a given. The route from Connecticut West is familiar. I’ve been over it hundreds of times. Maybe it’s too familiar. The softly rolling hills are covered with Maples, oaks and a few Birches. Buds are small, not ready to show a hint of green because of the continued cold. New York, then Pennsylvania. Not much changes. The hills are considered mountains, but still roll. Wide valley; s are spanned by high bridges and I try to avoid looking down. Huge farms are spread along the road. Corn fields from last year are waiting to be turned, the chopped stalks spread around. Eventually it gets flat. I read the town names and am reminded that the area was settled by immigrants escaping religious persecution: Promised Land; Bethlehem; Sharon are interspersed by Stubenville, DuBois and other ethnic names. We cross the Allegheny several times and the Susquehanna. Both are muddy and high. There is a brush fire alonside the highway and I notice the fire trucks are blue. Finally we stop in Clearville, Pennsylvania, do some shopping at WalMart and set-up for the night. It’s warm in the low fifties and I fall asleep at eight while my husband is walking the dog.

Filed under: Camping, writing Tagged: Alaska, Barbara Edwards,

Savage Deception: review by Barbara Edwards

Savage Deception Review

 

In Savage Deception, R.T. Wolfe hooked me from the first page. I wanted to know why Nickie Savage was so deeply emotional about saving girls from underage prostitution. After all, she is a police Detective and able to control her feelings to do her job. She is involved with Duncan Reed, a handsome, rich and passionate artist with an eidetic memory who is willing to help her solve her cases. Their relationship suffers because Nickie can’t resolve her past until she finds the truth about the present. R.T. complicates the story again and again. I didn’t see the lies coming from every side although I did dislike the right people.

R.T. Wolfe enjoys creating diverse characters and twining them together in the midst of an intelligent mystery and a heart encompassing romance. It’s not uncommon to find dark chocolate squares in R.T.’s candy dish, her Golden Retriever at her feet and a few caterpillars spinning their cocoons in their terrariums on her counters. R.T. loves her family, gardening, eagle-watching and can occasionally be found viewing a flyover of migrating whooping cranes.

 

I don’t want to spoil the ending by telling you how Nickie and Duncan find the clues and fit them together. I can assure you that I will be reading the next offering in this series.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed under: My Favorite Books, writing Tagged: review, RT Wolfe, Savage Deception

Ready to roll by Barbara Edwards

For a long time—years if you want to be technical- I’ve been dreaming of a trip to Alaska.

I have sent for the brochures, checked the weather and we are going.

It’s not easy to drive from Connecticut to Alaska and return in time to go to Florida, but we are doing it.

Fifth wheel

First things first. I am moving the equipment form out 35 foot fifth wheel into a truck camper that fits on the eight foot bed of our Dodge Ram. Whooee! Not much room and only the vital items are going. Coffee pot, cooking gear, propane grill and clothes going into one 3×2 closet for clothes for three months. Everything must do double duty.

I’m so excited.

I also need to pack my laptop and printer. Only I can’t figure out where.

truck camper

I’ve been so paranoid that something would happen at the last minute to prevent the trip.

Yesterday, my husband was putting a few items in the basement. There was water spraying across the room. The city water pipe had sprung a leak. I stood at the top of the steps and watched water drip down the wall as I held my hand over my heart. Literally.

The water company sent an emergency van to the house. He called a plumper after struggling to shut off the water from the street for a long

My 1972 Gothic Victorian

time. Old pipes, old house, so it figures.

Luckily, nothing broke when they worked on the leak. It is fixed although they think it may need to have the pipes redone. When we get back. Whew.

I’m checking the national weather report daily.

I have the TripRik from AAA.

Maps and water bottles. Dog food and the long lead.

Oh my.

If we forget anything there are stores along the way.

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The cover for my newest release, Ancient Curse is posted on my website.

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Filed under: Camping, writing Tagged: Alaska, Barbara Edwards,, Truck Camper

Share a smile by Barbara Edwards

I’m on St George Island in the Gulf, a lovely place on the great migratory bird route. I wake every morning to a hundred different bird calls and wish I knew more about the birds making them.

There is a section of the dunes where the ‘bird’ people rope off the already forbidden area. Birds nest on the ground here.

bird crossing sign

This is already a 15 mile per hour area, but who wouldn’t want to be extra cautious–

These flightless birds are on the endangered list and need protection to survive.

Despite the lower than average temperatures and 20 to 30 mile per hour winds over the past month. the blue herons have set-up  housekeeping in the fresh-water ponds.

I counted six nests this morning. I think it must be a record of some kind. The birds fly to the slash pine area, pluck up dry twigs and build their nest. They are so graceful I could watch for hours.

 

 

 

Filed under: Camping Tagged: Blue Herons, nesting, St George Island State Campground

They’re back by Barbara Edwards

Blue Heron on St George Island

St George Island State Park at sunset

St George Island is located in the Gulf of Mexico, across a five mile long causeway from Eastpoint, Florida. Its a fishing village, summer resort and all around beautiful place.

This spring the cold weather, high winds and inches of rain made me wonder if the Blue Herons would return to the pond this year. Last year the rookery blew down during a wind storm and the birds left. 

This year the herons flew in just as the temperature fell below 32 degrees. They huddled in the thick swamp grasses. Snow fell twenty miles north and I really believed they would head for warmer climes.

Instead four pairs have decided to build their rookery in the slash pines along the small pond.They gather twigs and branches to weave into a loose nest  high above the surface. 

I’m hoping to see the eggs hatch.

Blue Heron nesting in Slash Pine

Filed under: writing

I adopted a dog by Barbara Edwards

Dixie

 

With the ever-swelling numbers of stray dogs and feral cats, I’m a firm believer that they should be spayed or neutered unless they are full-blooded for breeding.

That’s one of the reasons we adopted our last dog. Dixie was a Belgian Malinois. She had all the best features of her breed: intelligent, family-oriented, well-behaved and beautiful. She became ill with an inoperable bone cancer after almost ten years as a devoted companion and fellow traveler. It broke my heart to lose her.

Lots of people said to get another dog, maybe a puppy, another female, no a male. I didn’t want another dog. I wanted my Dixie back.

It’s been months. My husband asked about another dog. Hint, hint.

 I went on the Belgian Malinois adoption site to check what was out there. http://www.malinoisrescue.org/

There are some lovely dogs available for ‘forever’ homes.

But—a big but- you need to fill out the adoption forms.

Belgians are not an easy dog to own. Probably why so many are dumped at shelters or the pound. They need lots of exercise, they love to run and can be stubborn as a three year old child. Belgians love to work. They’ll herd children like a flock of sheep or qualify in competitions for the most agile, best herder, tracker, bomb sniffer, drug dog.

I also joined the American Belgian Malinois Club Rescue on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/132825836736322/

We filled the forms and had the home approval visit a few days before we left for our snowbird months in Florida. Since we have an electric fence instead of a wire enclosure we needed to look for a Begian Malinois who would obey the limits. Some of them need a high fence to keep them home.

Keno

A friend mentioned he’d seen a Mal at the County animal control and I went online to check. So many shelters put up photos of the available pets. I put in looking for a Belgian Malinois, either sex, young and got a hit at the German Shepherd Rescue in Dunellon, Florida. They had four Malinois. I expressed an interest in the female. So we went to visit.

I have to warn you. It isn’t easy to see all the animals begging to be taken home. I’m such a sucker. I liked the female but asked about the others and the handler let them out to play. They ran and barked and chased and begged for petting and I wanted to take them all.

I finally turned to my husband and demanded he decide—Which one do you like the most?

He picked out the two year old male named Keno.

Keno, a Belgian Malinois

Keno has a good amount of training: he heels, sits, comes, brings a thrown toy, and loves riding in the truck . He also thinks he’s a 70 pound lap dog and needs to be discouraged from climbing on my lap. Like all Mals, he wants to be with us constantly. Not a big problem since we’re retired and I like taking him for a walk four times a day.

Now we’re thinking about fostering another Belgian Malinois when we’re back in our summer home. Maybe we’ll wire fence the yard. All those sweet dogs who need a ‘forever’ home are tugging at my heart.

Keno will never replace Dixie in my heart, but he’s making a place of his own.

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Filed under: writing Tagged: adopt a dog, Begian Malinois, dog rescue

#CoverReveal: BATTLE CRY by Melissa Snark

Welcome my Friend and fellow author, Melissa Snark as she present’s her new book.

BATTLE CRY by Melissa Snark   A Victoria Storm novel

#3 Loki’s Wolves series

Genre:  Paranormal/urban fantasy

Coming in June 2014  * * *  Add to your Goodreads Shelf

 

“ We meet Valkyrie Victoria Storm in the middle of a blood bath, and we did continue on from there. I must say Melissa Snark has all the makings of an awesome story teller.”

Gloria Lakritz

Sr. Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild

“A definite must read for anyone who enjoys urban fantasy.”

Lisa Lester -  Fight For Your Write Blog

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better…

Battle Cry
by Melissa Snark

Blurb:

  War with human hunters has devastated the werewolf pack of Sierra Pines. Only Valkyrie Victoria Storm and a handful of female wolves still live. With her mate dead, there is no one to protect her or her unborn child. An unwelcome attraction to a hunter complicates her life even further.  She reluctantly agrees to attend peace talks with Jake Barrett, the notorious Hunter King, a man who believes she murdered his son.

Hunter Sawyer Barrett has been trying to kill Victoria Storm for so long, he doesn’t know whether he loves her or hates her.  Desperate to end the war he started, he’s willing to take chances with everything but his heart, but he harbors a deadly secret he’s determined to keep. 

When peace talks fail, Victoria does the only reasonable thing an angry Valkyrie can do: she kidnaps her worst enemy and makes her escape in a fire engine red convertible muscle car. All along an ancient evil plots the destruction of wolves and hunters alike.

 

Add BATTLE CRY to your Goodreads Shelf

  THE CHILD THIEF (LOKI’S WOLVES #1) is free on Amazon and Goodreads . 

Author Bio:

Melissa Snark is a paranormal and romance author with a particular interest in werewolf and Norse mythology. Her Loki’s Wolves series combines elements of both in a contemporary fantasy setting. She lives in Northern California with her husband, three children and glaring of cats.

Connect with Melissa

Website

The Snarkology

Email:  melissasnark at gmail dot com

Facebook

Twitter: @MelissaSnark

Goodreads

Amazon Author Page

Filed under: My Favorite Books, writing Tagged: Battle Cry, Melissa Snark, Valkerie

Down the Rabbit Hole by Barbara Edwards

Barbara Edwards

After finishing the edits and sending them back to my editor, I had plan. The next book in the series is more than a spark in my eye; I have several ideas for another holiday romance and am planning the promo for book three.

So what happened?

What happens every time I finish a book? I shouldn’t have been surprised. Writing is like giving birth and just as exhausting. I slept for twelve hours. And I didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. For three days I accomplished nothing. The fourth day I finally vacuumed the rugs washed the dishes and cleaned the counters. Whew. Got on the computer and cleared my email. Went to bed early and slept late again. For another three days.

Someone might call this depression. I might have at one time, but it’s not the classic diagnosis. It’s the writer’s version.

Any writer puts heart and soul into finishing that book. It is draining and foolish not to recognize the need to recover. The first time this happened I believed I had writer’s block and panicked. Oh my goodness, would I ever write again—

Well, I did. And the time after that, etcetera.

This time I recognized the need to let my mind go blank. Only it didn’t. I had dreams every night. I had plot ideas fluttering like butterflies through my head. I let it all happen.

Today I didn’t jump onto the computer and check my email. I decided to write this blog and let you know it isn’t unusual to fall down the rabbit hole. Like Alice we come out with a different perspective.

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Filed under: My Books, writing Tagged: Barbara Edwards,, depression, writing