Cathy Perkins's Blog, page 157
October 28, 2012
What keeps you watching/reading?
The muse is alive and well in 2012 with the new and returning crop of TV shows. From comedy to classics, fantasies to thrillers, it seems there’s something for every one. Gotta favorite? Here are a few of mine…
Last Resort, ABC’s thriller about a nuclear sub whose crew has taken over a NATO base after being attacked by some entity in the U.S. There’s political intrigue from within and forces without, including the local island mafia, and some hunky Seals. It keeps you guessing where it’s going...
October 25, 2012
WHERE IS INSPIRATION FOUND?
Our guest blogger today is M.J. Schiller whose novel, Taken by Storm, debuted Oct. 15. I’m reluctant to call it her first book, because she has completed 12 novels. Taken by Storm is her first published novel. Join me in welcoming M.J. to BIOTM. Don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the BIOTM Halloween gift bag. Winner will be announced late Oct. 31.
Since this blog is called “Blame it on the Muse,” I thought I’d talk today about what inspires me, where I find my muse. When people h...
October 24, 2012
Do You Believe in Zombies?
My daughter recently made me sit through back-to-back episodes of the Walking Dead. I love conflicting characters in a stark, dystopian tale, and this one was dripping with emotion. That’s not all that was dripping. It had me longing for the days of low-resolution cathode ray tubes.
My problem is I started to analyze too much (or maybe I shouldn’t be doing marathons of the show). I had to ask stupid questions like: Why do they need to eat human flesh if their bodies are decomposing? How do the...
Wacky Writer Wednesday
This isn’t a wacky blog post. Instead, this is a blog post by an author going wacky. Or maybe I’m already there. Hard to tell after a week of trying to plot a new story and ending with nothing more than a tangled mess, a headache, and well…a blog post. I guess one good thing out of three ain’t bad, but I would have preferred to end my struggles with a plot.
Is that so much to ask after hours of staring at a computer screen punctuated with bouts of mad pacing, long walks where people stare at y...
October 22, 2012
Grandma’s Literary Legacies
Today would have been my grandmother’s 113th birthday. When I figured that number out I was blown away – it truly seems like last month I was sleeping overnight at her house, eating her rice pudding, playing with the box of toys she kept in her bedroom for when my brothers and I visited. And it seems like yesterday she was holding my daughter, her first great-grandchild, in her arms for a four-generation picture.
But, in truth, she passed away 31 years ago—soon after that picture was taken.
An...
October 21, 2012
What a Father Hopes for …
Photo by SALTYRAVEN
A couple weeks ago, I experienced the incredible dream of handing my oldest daughter to the man she loves. With Zion National Park as her chapel, shetook a step into a new life withpromises and her husband’s name. It gave a father much to muse on when the excitement and emotion dissipated. As tradition dictates, I was the last to speak at the reception. For muse Monday, I’d like to share those words with you.
When we realized that you were a cash and carry, no return, no...
October 19, 2012
Until There Was You and Bestselling Author Jessica Scott
Today I am so excited to welcomeJessica Scottto the Muse.Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats, three dogs and two escape-artists hamsters, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She has commanded two companies, served in Germany, Korea, Fort Hood and Iraq, and been lucky not to get fired. She is a terrible cook and an even worse housekeeper, but she’s a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon. Somehow, her children are...
October 18, 2012
Caught in YA land – with a New Release by Dale Mayer
Hi everyone!
The title of this blog is so true in so many ways. Not only do I have kids at home in my YA target age group, but I’ve been caught in edits and promo work on not one but two different new releases! At the same time, I’m buried under the revisions of my adult romantic suspense book. Going from teen speak to hot sex between books…yeah, so not easy. 
But that’s my life at home any way – well the teen speak to adult speak bounce at least!
Life as a writer, in my case, is all about...
October 17, 2012
Reaching Blind Readers
Like many authors, I still have a day job. I currently work as a pediatric therapist, so the podcast subject at RWA regarding reaching blind readers caught my attention.
Whether you are author or a reader, you’ve most likely noticed the words, Text enabled or disabled on electronic readers. This greatly effects the blind reader. If it is enabled, then they buy your book. If not, then they are forced to buy your audiobook (although better with audible) this is typically a much more expensi...
October 15, 2012
Egypt and Greco-Roman Art, Mystery, Adventure and Romance
Years ago I traveled overseas for business and was gone for two weeks at a time. I traveled alone and kept my suitcase filled with paperback books. It was the perfect way to spend the evening after finishing up my reports and preparing for the next city.
On the long trip from New York to Egypt I consumed a romance mystery novel,The Mummy. It wasn’t the classic story, definitely a romance. I wish I could remember the author. I do remember the story taking place in the 1920′s. When I got to...
