Danica Winters's Blog, page 8
November 6, 2012
It’s Good to Be Bad by Guest Author Jennifer Chambers
I always preferred Veronica to Betty. Always felt more kinship with Rizzo than with saccharin-sweet, simpering Sandra Lee, and definitely felt a bond to Scarlett O’Hara even though she was bad and most certainly not as proper as the sainted Melanie. I don’t mean to say I didn’t feel for the feminine main characters of those stories. They are all fine.
But they’re boring.
To a certain extent, they’re supposed to be. Being good all the time isn’t real. Even Sandra Lee had her moments with the delicious John Travolta. Besides, who could forget those “leather” pants she wore in the final scene of the movie? That was fun.
It’s why the anti-hero(ine) was invented. We feel great being a little bit bad, and we want the characters we read to be like that, too. Think about Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum. She is prone to the occasional doughnut, and boy do I like that about her. There are scores of romance heroines that are bad girls with a doughy center. I love to write the characters who have every habit I deny myself or everything deliciously exciting I want to try but am too chicken to, like sky-diving or eating a live cricket. (Ok, I’d never actually eat a live cricket– but part of me wants to be the avant-garde, world traveler kind of person who would!)
It can be a challenge to channel my inner-bad-girl for a YA book. In my soon to be released YA novel The Curious Bookshop, the main character, Anna, is a bookish loner who, as a new kid at school, retreats into books for solace. The bitchy girls aren’t really the “mean girls” of recent pop culture fame, but we start to feel in this, the first book of the Curious Bookshop series, the effect of the mean girl on the heroine Anna, a seventh grader. They don’t get really mean until the next book- but we get a warm up by the way she deals with her stepsisters.
Part of the challenge in YA is not making the heroine too boring, as well. “Melanies” aren’t very much fun to read about because they have no fight in them. Nor, of course, do you want anything inappropriate in YA, so sassiness is definitely out. My character Anna instead learns in this book to fight back against the situation she finds herself in. She uses her brain—and she gets the boy at the end too. She learns to use her own strength to solve her problems, and comes into her own; the hero’s journey in small scale. That has been part of the delight in writing a series. Anna is able to become stronger and fight against social pressure the further you get in the books. Maybe not stereotypical “bad girl” behavior, but I felt that at its most subtle bucking the trend can make for a formidable heroine indeed, especially in the hotbed of seventh grade.
That is what truly makes the anti-heroine for me: the woman who fights for what she wants. Rizzo, Stephanie, Scarlett- they all went after it with all they had. I hope to make my characters do the same, no matter what genre. Even a YA girl can be a little bit bad.
About the Author:
Jennifer Chambers is an award-winning author who writes from a kitchen table in a full house in the Northwest. She has written horror, poetry, adult fiction, women’s fiction, and young adult novels. Chambers writes a weekly newspaper column and writes and edits for Groundwaters Magazine. Her work has been in national newspapers and magazines. She has been seen on television and radio. Recently, her passion is organic cooking, and she is currently researching her latest project combining sustainable agriculture with the food-to-table movement prevalent in the Northwest.
Available books and links:
Blurb: In Learning Life Again, Maggie McLeod, adult brain injury survivor mentors newly injured teen Sarah as they journey toward health, success, and fulfillment. Their struggle to regain physical and emotional ability after brain injury delves into universal feelings like anger, loss, and redemption. Learning Life Again explores the way we adapt to challenges and how we can learn to heal.
Feel Free to Check it out on Amazon!
When a family meets a mall Santa, they begin to wonder if this mall Santa is the real deal.
A Zombie horror collection sure to terrify the reader. Suspense and fear run amok as zombies terrorize the living in these tales from the dead side. Four stories from the best in horror fiction.
New York 2090 and the New Prohibition is in full swing with speakeasy joints offering their brew for the thirsty public. When people in search of the bootleg liquor go missing, it’s up to a G-man to find them and the brew they’ve been drinking.
Coming Soon from Jennifer Chambers:
The Curious Bookshop (November, 2012)
Imagine yourself an awkward, bookish twelve-year-old girl… and then take that girl and transport her into the body of young Queen Elizabeth the First. The Curious Bookshop combines mystery, historical intrigue and a story about two kids on a quest for the truth.
October 25, 2012
Life as a Vampire….A Character Interview
Today on the blog we have the distiguished honor of having the leading lady from The Vampire’s Hope, Ms. Ellie Smith. She has agreed to do an (Character) interview. I hope you enjoy!
Ellie, please tell us about your family.
Ellie Smith:There’s not a whole lot to tell. Usual sob story. Mom threw me on a porch the day I was born. And well, never knew my dad.
Some people used to laugh at me when I was in the system—but you know what? It never really bothered me. It’s a strange thing, but nothing really seems to bother me…at least not until I was turned Vamp. Then…well then, Ian opened up a whole new door to the world for me.
What one word best describes you?
Ellie: Savvy.
What was the scariest moment of your life?
Ellie: Most would think it was the day I was killed. But that didn’t really bother me, hell I looked forward to death. The scariest moment of my mortal or immortal life had to be the moment I thought I would lose my Ian.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Ellie: I sure as hell never thought I would grow up and be a dancer. (She laughs and takes a sip of her steadily warming beer.)
I never really hoped for anything. I guess I just wanted to grow up.
What songs are most played on your Ipod?
Ellie: I’m a HUGE Godsmack fan. Here are my favorite three songs:
1. Godsmack—Voodoo (My all-time favorite song.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SSUQxGjZZ4
2. Godsmack— Now Go Away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9ehGFOnPDs
3. Godsmack–Vampire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6KFSphpYAk
Who should play you in a film?
Ellie: Have you seen that movie, Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? It would definitely be that chic.
Morning Person? Or Night Person? How do you know?
Ellie: I’m a frigging Vampire. Really? I guess my other name should be Mary-freaking-sunshine.
What would we find under your bed?
Ellie: You don’t want to look under my bed.
What is the next big thing?
Ellie: Ian and I have only just begun our story. Keep an eye out for us. We’ve had some bad-ass adventures that only need to be written down.You wouldn’t believe what we’ve been up to.
Ellie, thank you for the great interview!
Danica Winters: I want to take a moment and thank you for visiting the blog. It is greatly appreciated. And I had fun doing this interview.
Thank you for coming to meet Ellie!
October 23, 2012
Digital Publishing: A Third Option by K.C. Maguire
Not so long ago, the only way to get published was to follow the traditional route – find an acquisitions editor prepared to publish your work or find an agent prepared to convince a publisher to take your work. Now, many traditional publishers have closed their doors to unagented submissionss. It’s tough for new writers to find an agent, and having an agent is no guarantee that you will sell your work.
One of the reasons the traditional publication route is becoming more difficult relates to the advent of digital publishing. As digital technology makes publishing and distribution cheaper, it is arguably harder for publishers to turn a profit. Publishers can’t charge as much for an e-book as for a hard copy, despite having to invest the same resources in editing, formatting, designing and marketing the books.
E-books raise additional concerns for traditional publishers, including the threat of digital piracy – much like the challenges faced by the music and movie industries as a result of 
digital content production and distribution. Alongside the threat of piracy, publishers also face new competition from those who self-publish their works online. Companies like Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble make it cheap and easy for writers to self-publish, and some of these authors have achieved remarkable success: for example, the Wool series by Hugh Howey, On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves, and the many young adult fantasy/romance books self-published by Amanda Hocking. While these examples are encouraging, not all new writers will be attracted to self-publishing. Many don’t have the time or skill to oversee professional-looking products or to manage solo marketing campaigns.
New writers can now consider a third option outside the traditional route or the self-publication approach. There are now several smaller publishers outside traditional publishing houses that have opened their doors to new authors. Most of them, like Books to Go Now, accept direct (ie unagented) submissions and generally respond personally to query letters. When they accept a work, they typically publish it as an e-book although some also offer hard copies depending on the agreement with the author. These publishers do most of the work of a traditional publisher including editing, formatting, cover design and coordinating marketing activities. They tend not to pay significant (or any) advances, but rather engage in royalty sharing arrangements with authors.
While this third option is potentially very attractive particularly for new and aspiring writers, there has been little discussion of it at writers’ conferences which seems a shame and a lost opportunity. As a new author, I have two stories in process with Books To Go Now, one is already published (Dear John, 2012) and the other is forthcoming (Destiny). The work on both manuscripts has been extremely professional and the editors helpful and responsive to my queries and concerns, which have been very few. They also publish a wide range of genres so there’s something for everyone. If you’re looking for a good romance, sci-fi, horror or adventure story, they’re worth checking out. And if you’re looking to start a writing career, send them something. What do you have to lose?
Blurb: Kelly Gilbert must choose between her life as a postal worker trapped in a dead end job to pay off her college debt, and a life of adventure and excitement with a mysterious man who may be hazardous to her health.
Kelly has returned to her roots in the Appalachian Mountains while she figures out what to do with her future. A chance encounter with a stranger living in a secluded house on her postal route changes everything. Ignoring rumors of his mob connections, she pursues a friendship with him and is soon embroiled in a game of life and death where the only way to buy back her life could be by staging her own death.
Poised to escape to a remote island off the coast of Africa, Kelly must decide whether her partner in crime is the man of her dreams or a dangerous threat. Could he be both? And can he be trusted?
Author Bio: K C Maguire is an author of short stories and flash fiction with an emphasis on romance and science fiction. Her first story, Dear John, was published by Books To Go Now earlier this year. She has a second sci-fi/romance story coming out soon with Books to Go Now entitled Destiny. She has published flash fiction pieces, and won several flash fiction contests, in venues such as WritersType, MidlifeCollage, Black Petals Magazine, Delta Women, Six Minute Magazine, Everyday Fiction and Tough Lit V. She has studied creative writing in the online programs at UCLA and Stanford and is currently completing her first novel, a science fiction adventure-romance. She is a mother of three based in Cleveland, Ohio.
Find her on Facebook!
October 19, 2012
The Job of Writing Paranormal Romance…
Recently I was asked to do an interview on Micheal J. McDonald’s blog. He asked such wonderful questions that I thought it was important to share it with my regular readers–so you could get a more in-depth view of the behind the scenes activites of writing. Please enjoy and feel free to share your thoughts.
1. We might as well start with the question writers always seem to get – what makes you write? Why do it?
There are a thousand reasons I am driven to write, but what keeps me going is the love of creation. I love creating scenes and people that entertain, that keep readers up and night, and that make readers want more. There is no better feeling than having a reader say, “I loved your book. Your characters were amazing!”
2. You’re clearly very active online, and a fellow Books To Go Now author. Do you treat your writing activities, such as marketing and keeping tabs on blogs and so on, like a job? Do you ever find it gets in the way of writing time?
Great question! I think if you are serious about writing and want to make it a profession instead of a hobby, you must be serious about marketing and building your brand. So many doors will open for you both as an author and as a professional if you just ‘keep swimming.’
As far as time, yes marketing and promotion does cut into my writing time. However, this is a concession I’m willing to make. I love interacting with my readers as well as other authors. I don’t write only for myself. I like to talk about books, reader’s lives and the ever-changing ‘real’ world.
3. Do you think having digital platforms like Books To Go Now and Smashwords has made a huge difference to the industry? Do you think this is bad or good for writers like us?
I have been publishing now (in several different genres) for a while. I have to admit I’m a huge proponent of digital publishing. I have published in paper, I have published in magazines, and just about everywhere else you can think of, but the downside with traditional paper is that once it is printed and out there it’s gone. You have a short window of opportunity to sell a million copies, and for first time authors the promotion that is necessary to do this is almost impossible unless you have a large publisher behind you.
With digital publishing your books never go out of print. They are always there on the shelf waiting for readers when they are looking for something to read. This gives authors a chance to build their reader bases and expand their reach. There are many success stories in which authors were turned down by large houses (they have specific needs at specific times, and often even if you write an amazing book, if it doesn’t fit they will not accept your work), only to go on and be digital best-sellers.
4. Is there a part of writing you enjoy the most? For myself, it’s the first draft, since I can just pour things out onto the page and create a new world. It’s a bit like being a god, not that I’m a megalomaniac or anything. Not at all. Anyway, what part of the process do you find yourself most looking forward to and having fun doing?
LOL I think there are those authors out there that are slight megalomaniacs, but I’m not one of them.
My favorite part of the process may surprise you, but it’s actually the act of closing my eyes and escaping into the world I’m creating. I like to get to know my characters, what makes them tick.
My friends in real life know when I’m starting a new project. I draw into myself. Or else I’m asking a million questions about what makes them act and think the way they do. It’s almost like being an anthropologist—seeking answers about culture, lifestyle, and language.
The research aspects of writing absolutely fascinates me. This week, I’ve been working on research for my next book and had the opportunity to go horseback riding into high mountain lakes one day and then spend the next on a Police ride-along. The adventures I have the opportunity to partake in make this job (and all its pitfalls, rejections, and criticisms) worth it.
5. What about the worst part of the process? For myself it’s the marketing, trying to get eyes on my pages and my books into people’s hands or digital devices, but some people really enjoy the chase. What part of being a writer could you do without?
I find that the first draft is the hardest. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and knowing that I have made mistakes and areas that will need rewrites bothers me. I have to stop myself from going back until I have finished the first draft, but the entire time I’m thinking about those little bits that need to be changed. I have learned that if I write myself digital notes then I won’t stress about the little things.
As for marketing, it is a tough thing to get used to. It would be great if I could simply disconnect from the world and focus on writing. Unfortunately, with the new age of technology and digital publishing authors must take an active role in marketing and promotion. Even the biggest authors out there (unless they’ve been doing it for decades upon decades) are visible—just look at J.K. Rowling.
6. Just as the writing industry is going through a transition between traditional publishing and a plethora of electronic outlets, the genre of paranormal romance is hugely in fashion and currently very popular. Do you see this as a bubble and do you worry it will burst? Do you think writing in a significantly popular genre makes it easier or harder to break into the market?
Wow, put me on the spot.
I think that there are waves in the publishing world. Paranormal is at the top of the wave right now, but just like everything that has been popular in the past, it will subside. The good news however, is that just like every other genre it will continue on in the background. There are those readers who will always love paranormal romance (and I’m one of them).
I have to admit I get tired of the same old thing. I like living in a bit of a fantasy world, where magic is real, and the unexpected can happen. The only thing that limits you in paranormal romance is your own imagination.
As for breaking into the market, I think it is possible to break into any genre as long as your writing is well done. Very few authors’ first books are amazing. In fact, very few authors’ second or third books are amazing either, but if they keep working on their crafts, attending classes, meeting other authors, and going to critique groups—then they can truly succeed. Like I said before, this is a business and to be great you must work hard and give it everything you have.
7. Paranormal romance, and romance in general, are sometimes stigmatised, or at best seen as a guilty pleasure. Does this perception bother you? Do you think it is changing as the industry and people’s reading habits are so radically changed by technology?
I would be lying if I said it doesn’t bother me. My work is about 0.5% what people expect of romance (i.e. physical intimacy). The other 99.5% is made up of all the other aspects of writing, publishing, marketing, promotion, and research. (I wrote a funny article on the subject. Please feel free to check it out: http://www.danicawinters.net/542/the-key-to-becoming-a-great-romance-author-is-having-a-sense-of-humor/)
When people cringe or berate me for my job, I force myself to smile because I know what the sales figures are; 90% of all book sales are in romance. That means 9 out of 10 readers out there love romance novels. Therefore, it is likely that the person sneering at me (or their wife) goes home at night, snuggles into their bed and flips open one of my books.
8. Is there anything else you’d like to say, or an upcoming project you’d like to mention?
I have to share a little bit of fun news. This week, I signed the contract for my next novel, The Nymph’s Labyrinth!
The Nymph’s Labyrinth is an edgy paranormal romance novel about a shape-shifting nymph, Ariadne Papadakis, who is ordered to stop the American archeologist, Beau Morris and his delinquent son, Kaden, from exposing the Sisterhood of Epione and the Labyrinth (of Minotaur fame). In the end, Ariadne is faced with a choice: face her over-bearing leader, Katarina, and fight for what she knows is right, or let herself continue to be overrun, pushed down, and criticized for the mistakes of her past. If Ariadne follows her heart and attempts to help Beau, she will no longer belong to the Sisterhood and her life (as well as Beau’s and Kaden’s) will be in danger.
I want to thank all those who took time to read this interview. It is greatly appreciated. Also, thank you to Michael for hosting.
-Danica Winters
October 11, 2012
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Blog by Author Elizabeth Inglee-Richards
I started writing the normal ‘burn out’ blog; you know the one about balancing family life, work life and your creative life. Then my life got in the way. On my twenty-forth day of work in a row my youngest grandchild had a seizure. Then later in the day one of the caretakers of a flock of sheep I manage was attacked by an animal that we were all very emotionally attached to.
Sometimes there is just no way to balance your life.
So how do you survive the times when you can’t balance and just have to soldier on?
Believe it or not I’ve done research on that very issue. Mental health professionals say the way to get through these times is to connect emotionally to something. It has to be a strong connection; you need to laugh or cry, or laugh and cry.
You need to spend a little time on yourself. I get about a half an hour to myself a day as well as my twenty minute commute. Most days that is all I have. So I have found a way to make that be all I need to balance out my crazy life.
When I feel things are getting away from me I turn off the radio and all of its ads and news in favor of recordings. Right now I have been choosing music that reminds me of my father who has been dead a little over a year now. My relationship with him was, and will always be, complicated and that is part of the trick. For the drive I just let myself think and feel and cry or laugh if I want to.
During my half an hour lunch I write. It normally isn’t anything inspired. Often I write about that moment when my hero and my heroine are finally together. That happily ever after moment. Sometimes I write the darkest moment that my characters are going to go through, that pivotal dark moment.
Forty minutes keep me going for another day.
I should say that the baby is out of the hospital, and, hopefully on the mend. These things are often one of events. The sheep – well we don’t know yet. He is isolated for now but it looks like we may be able to rehome him as a flock protector. In both cases I am hoping for the best.
But I know my car stereo will be turned up to eleven for the rest of the week.
Available Books:
It’s tough being a fairy in a human world and Alex seems to draw trouble wherever he goes. When that trouble involves other fairies, anything can happen!
How do you rebuild a hockey team of immortal werehyena? That is one of the problems facing goalie Jean-Mark Boulanger. How do you know when a player is the right fit for a team that isn’t just a team but also a family? Playoff hockey can be strange, and the strangeness doesn’t always stop at the boards.
Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004Z809EU
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rebuilding-year-elizabeth-inglee-richards/1100045868?ean=2940012571502
When an old leader is ready to step down Rob Grahame is the only one who knows. How do you take on a responsibility you aren’t sure you are ready for? Rob and his team are both over their heads, in the midst of the play-offs with the core of the team shifting. Will Rob be able to step up and be the leader no one expected him to have to be? Will the hyena follow him?
Links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-Game-ebook/dp/B0062O095E/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1320680129&sr=8-4
In the nineteen twenty’s the world of Ice Hockey was changing forever, spreading south into the US markets. Two young lovers from New Brunswick were preparing to get married when the young man is offered his dream job as a goalie for a team based in Halifax. The couple has no idea what changes they are going to have to make for the team that doesn’t just wear the Hyena, they become the hyena quite literally.
Links: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/237458
Barnes & Nobel: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/accrocher-ses-pantins-elizabeth-inglee-richards/1112959118?ean=2940015696080
Author Bio:
Elizabeth Inglee-Richards is a writer of urban, and suburban fantasy. She loves writing about fairies, werewolves, witches and what have you, all set in the modern world. She particularly loves the tension created when the paranormal world touches our real world. Her work is mostly set in Delaware or Massachusetts, the only two places she knows well enough to set fiction.
She lives in the second smallest State in the U.S. with way to many pets including; birds, turtles, cats, dogs and sheep. She loves animals, history and hockey.
You can learn more about Elizabeeth Inglee-Richards on:
Her Blog | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Books To Go Now
October 10, 2012
The Elusive Muse by Lexie Stewart
People often ask me where I get my ideas from. My answer: a combination of observation and inspiration.
You’ve probably heard of the 2003 film, Love Actually, that presents the idea that love is actually all around us, all the time. The same can be said of inspiration. No matter how uninspired you might feel, inspiration, actually, is all around.
If you’re feeling stuck for an idea, don’t just sit there glaring at the page/screen and tapping your pen/the keys impatiently saying, “Come on, come on, Muse. Where are you?” (And don’t go raid the fridge either. Your muse isn’t hiding in the biscuit jar!)
Go for a walk. Empty your mind and concentrate on your senses. What can you see? What can you hear? What smells are in the air?
If you see something strange, ask yourself what events could have lead to this occurrence. Why did the much beloved ginger cat on the ‘Have you seen Fluffy?’ poster run away from home? Why did the young man with the leather jacket slam his car door? Who are the lovers whose initials are carved into that tree in the park?
Many of my stories have started from a single, seemingly insignificant observation. For instance, one time, whilst passing through a friend’s kitchen, I noticed a basket full of scones sitting on the bench. It looked so sweet, so idyllic, the freshly baked scones covered with a blue-checked cheesecloth. It put me in mind of fairytales and paintings of girls with long hair and frilly dresses picking flowers along the garden path. An image of Little Red Riding Hood came to mind, basket of goodies hang over one arm, off to Grandma’s place.
It occurred to me that girls don’t do that these days. I tried to picture it. Why would a modern day girl be skipping about with a basket on her arm? And then there she was, Sally Hudson, making deliveries for her one woman business: Sweet Sally’s Bakery Treats!
She became the heroine for my story Worth Waiting For .
Sally, or Sweet Sally as she’s known, isn’t off to see one grandma but many, as she’s making deliveries to the residents of the Spring Haven Hill retirement village, namely a dear, old couple called Pat and Doris Elliot who are the grandparents of Sally’s ex, Flynn Elliot, with whom she’s still in love.
Worth Waiting For is not a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. That basket of scones and the images it brought up were just the spark, a starting point from which my story took off in a completely different direction and became a contemporary romance about two sweethearts getting a second chance at love.
A spark is all you need; the kindling is already inside you and it just takes a tiny spark to set your imagination ablaze. So, whenever you’re feeling stuck for an idea just remember that inspiration is, actually, all around you.
Thanks for reading,
Lexie.
Author Bio: Ever since I learned to read, I could always be found with my nose in a book–even when I was supposed to be doing something else!
I love the magic of stories, love following the twists and turns, love getting to know the strange and wonderful characters and experiencing their stories with them.
I remember a poster stuck to my bedroom wall when I was a kid. A wizard in splendid, purple robes was summoning a dragon in an explosion of red and gold flames. In a way, writers are wizards, summoning stories and souls from the wilderness of their imagination.
I live in Australia where I write and read and marvel at the blueness of the sky.
Available Books:
Jessica finds herself trying to choose between three men. She’s an up front, pro-active sort of woman. So instead of staying home alone or attempting to see each of her suitors behind the backs of the other two, she invites out the three men. Gym-junkie Brad, workaholic Saul and BFF Jimmy. She explains the problem of her conflicted heart and, she tells them what her solution is. She’ll date all three!
When Josephine takes her niece whale watching she has no idea what she’s getting herself into. Their little catamaran becomes the target of a wicked 19th century pirate called Captain Bloody who uses a magical device to plunder seafaring vessels from the future and use their technologies to make people in his own time think he’s a god. Josephine finds herself on a black-sailed Galleon in the wrong time, surrounded by bloodthirsty pirates and the captive of Captain Bloody who has taken her as his share of the ‘booty’. But before Josephine can say yo-ho-ho captain Bloody’s nemesis, the infamous Captain Breakheart crashes through the cabin window and steals her for himself! Now Josephine must team up with the pirate to find the magical device that will get her back to her own time to save her niece- that’s if she can survive the many dangers of their journey and resist the charms of the dashing captain Breakheart!
Three years after breaking Sally’s heart by mysteriously ending their relationship, Flynn Elliot is back in town. Sally soon discovers that she’s still in love with Flynn but he’s changed. Both Flynn’s new attitude and his new girlfriend are vain, shallow and materialistic.
Sally’s head tells her the man she loved is gone and she should forget about him but her heart tells her that there’s more than meets the eye to Flynn’s apparent transformation and behind the façade the real Flynn is still there and their love is worth giving a second chance.
Will Sally listen to her head or her heart?
Dora and her fellow models are called cats because they earn their money walking up and down a catwalk. But they have other feline qualities, such as grace, beauty, excessive grooming and, of course, an instinct for cattiness.
October 9, 2012
Guest Blogger Donna Del Oro and The Delphi Bloodline
Twenty-plus years ago, I became obsessed with exploring the facts and fictions of ESP phenomena. My cousin, a practicing clairvoyant, had inspired me to delve into the whole realm of parapsychology, or study of psychic phenomena. Highly skeptical about the whole business, I nonetheless signed up for a weekend ESP workshop, given by a Czech physicist who once worked for the Moscow Institute for Psychic Research. The workshop took place in a classroom at a local community college (Foothill College) in my Silicon Valley town of Los Altos Hills.
There were eleven of us, all total strangers—nine women and two men. The first day, Saturday, the Czech physicist lectured on the history of ESP and the various forms and types of ESP: Clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, precognition, telepathy, psychometry, psychokinesis, remote viewing and channeling. The study of psychic phenomena is called “parapsychology”. Psi (pronounced “sigh”) is the study of psychic phenomena from a psychological perspective. The Journal of Parapsychology defines psi as “a general term to identify a person’s extrasensory-motor communication with the environment.” Psi is a letter of the Greek alphabet and the first letter of the Greek word, “psyche”, which literally means “breath” in Greek and refers to the human soul. Basically, having ESP means that you are able to perceive someone’s thoughts, situation, or issues in life without using one of your five ordinary senses.
The Czech physicist leading our ESP Workshop claimed to be a former skeptic, himself, and a dedicated non-believer who, after working in the experimental testing labs of the Moscow Institute, became a convert. He had seen incontrovertible proof, in his opinion, that ESP existed in gifted intuitives. These intuitives were able to consciously apply knowledge they had accessed and processed in an unconscious, unexplainable manner, and that science could not explain.
Yet.
He ended that first day of the workshop with instructions to return on Sunday with a notebook and an inanimate object that had emotional significance to each one of us. The next day, the same eleven of us brought our own individual objects, which we all carried concealed in plain brown paper bags. Each of us put our paper bag into a cardboard box behind the physicist’s podium. Later, each of us approached the box and withdrew a paper bag that was not our own. After everyone had at his/her desk his chosen bag, he then told us to open the bag, take out the stranger’s object and hold it in our hands. Then he timed us. For the next fifteen minutes, we were to meditate on the object and write down any visions, words or impressions that came to our minds. We were not to censor anything, no matter how strange, puzzling or nonsensical the vision, word or impression seemed.
At the end of the timed period, he went from person to person and asked us to identify the owner of the object and to read aloud our visions, words or impressions. We did. What followed was truly astonishing and something I will never forget as long as I live. Nine out of the eleven of us correctly identified the owners of the objects. Eight out of eleven of us had made several—at least three to four–correct associations and revelations about the object, its owner and facts about the owner.
For example, I correctly identified the owner of the object I held—a macramé type of belt. I’d had visions of a shelf full of potted succulents and cactus plants. A red-brick apartment building, the kind you find in the Eastern U.S. Those two associations fit. The woman said she had a collection of cacti in pots and that she’d recently moved from Philadelphia, where she’d lived in a red-brick apartment building. There was also a scene of a little boy on a bike, which the woman could not place or relate to in any way. Who knows? Maybe it did later.
Well, the fact that I’d gotten three out of four correct got my attention. After that experiment, I became a believer. Other experiences followed, too, including two precognitive dreams. Many years later, the idea for THE DELPHI BLOODLINE manifested itself and I ran with it. Researching and writing that novel was one of the most enjoyable and most satisfying experiences of my life.
Blurb:
Present day descendants of the ancient, psychically powerful Delphi bloodline face the threat of extinction when an evil tycoon hunts them for his own nefarious intent, a global spy network.
When artist Athena Butler, the modern-day descendant of a powerful, ancient bloodline of psychic women, realizes she’s the target of mysterious and dangerous kidnappers, she gets help from strange sources—the spirit of an ancient ancestor and a handsome man who claims to be one of her bloodline’s Guardians. Her mental powers and his brawny skills keep them one step ahead of the mastermind behind these kidnappers. Until the time when an FBI task force decides to use Athena as bait.
Excerpt from The Delphi Bloodline:
Chapter One
Pyramid Valley, Nevada[Soft Break]Thursday AM
Athena Butler’s eyes blinked open and she sat up.
Coming back from The Flow was always jolting. Emerging from the stream of spirits was like a water skier lurching out of the water, pulled by a strong, invisible force. The mind caught up later to the body as if it required a rough snap to break free.
Likewise, to go there was like jumping out of a plane and feeling the air rush to your face, your limbs weightless and wobbly. Most of the time, it was a joy to enter this world of unseen spirits. Athena welcomed her visits, especially at night when she found herself invariably alone.
When she was a child, she’d often emerge from The Flow with a fearful whimper and a cry. She’d wept and wanted to stay in The Flow. Now, at twenty-six, Athena had grown accustomed to her mental flights. They were no longer fear-inducing for she understood their purpose. But her exits were still mind-wrenching and she often lay in bed afterwards, disoriented.
This morning, fear clutched her heart and she could barely breathe. With a trembling hand, she reached for her phone.
Breathless, she raked her other hand through her hair and kicked her legs over the side of the bed. Six AM, Nevada time. She punched her mother’s mobile numbers. It was nine o’clock in D.C.
“Thank God, Mama! Where are you?”
“I’m in Baltimore, near the—.”
“Mama, I had a dream about you. A Flow Dream. The spirits—they want me to warn you! Whatever you’re doing right now, get off the streets. Go home and lock the door. Call the police!”
Her heart felt like a ticking bomb in her chest. Athena could barely speak. But her mother knew her and understood her Flow dreams. They were seldom wrong though sometimes a little off in timing. Today, a threat was imminent. She knew it.
“Slow down, Thena. Take a deep breath and tell me slowly about your dream. I don’t doubt you but we must be able to interpret it correctly. You know how these Flow Dreams are. Sometimes the symbolism is strange and difficult to interpret.”
“Okay—just go home and lock the door. Now, Mama!”[Soft Break] [Soft Break]Athena had to swallow hard and take big gulps of air in order to speak. Losing her mother was unthinkable. She’d already lost her father, and in a way, her brother.
“Where are you, Mama?”
She inhaled and counted to five. Her mother wasn’t in Georgetown, where she lived with her second husband. Athena sensed water nearby, a large body of water. Her mind jumped ahead. The body of water in her terrifying dream was vast, a bay leading to the ocean. The Baltimore harbor—of course!
“Near downtown Baltimore. I’m heading toward a section of the city where I believe a little girl’s body was hidden. The police need the evidence from that location. They think she was hidden somewhere, killed and then a day or two later dumped into the bay. I think I’ve found the monster’s hideout.”
“Mama—”
“I had a session with the homicide detective last night. I handled a few articles of the poor child’s clothing, what she was wearing when they found her. I got some visions so I drove up here to pinpoint the location. It’s not in a very nice part of town but I thought I’d drive around, and then call Detective Bonner when I got something.”
Athena groaned. Her mother was at it again. Getting involved with homicide cases and trying to use her powers to bring killers to justice.
“Mama, get out of there, please! Go home—”
“I’ve had no sense of this danger, Athena, not to me personally,” her mother said. “Listen, we must talk soon. There are other dangers that I’ve seen…but don’t fret, my car doors are locked, I’m driving my big SUV. I’m in traffic, so relax.”
“Maybe you’re too focused on that homicide case,” Athena stressed. Her mother had no idea the danger she was putting herself in. First-hand experience had taught Athena that working with the cops was a dangerous business. Let them do their work and solve their own cases.
I’m done with all that.
Her mind darted back to the vision in her dream. She took a deep breath and steadied her voice.
“I saw you in your car, Mama. You stopped to get out. A black car pulled in front of you and another one—a long white one—blocked you in back. There was a woman driving the car in front and she was with men who had guns. Someone grabbed you and carried you to the white car. I could smell salt water and then they took you away. Some place far away. And then I was in the mountains, the Sierras, searching for you.”
Athena bent over, clutching the cell phone, her lifeline to the one person she loved most in the world. Her stomach cramped into a hard ball.
There was silence. “Mama, go home,” she repeated.
“Okay, Thena, I’m turning back toward the freeway. The harbor shops are on my left. Remember that eight-sided tower, the one with a great view of the harbor and breakwater. The octogon tower. You remember going there on your last visit here, don’t you?”[Soft Break]More silence followed then as an image sprang to Athena’s mind. Yes, they’d had lunch there…
Her mother gasped loudly. A screech of brakes, metal crunching, glass breaking. Her mother cursing a blue streak in her native Italian.
“What happened, Mama? Are you all right?”
“Yes, dear. Just a stupid fender bender. Merda! Daniel’s going to throw a fit. My second one this year! I’m getting so distracted with these cases—not paying attention to what I’m doing. I swear this car pulled right in front of me, cut me off. It’s not my fault this time.”
More angry muttering followed.
“Dio, I really smashed up that rear end! Thena, I’ll call you right back as soon as I exchange insurance information with the driver. Be right back, Thena.”
“Mama, don’t get out of the—”
The line went dead. With a cry, Athena sank to her knees on the cold, tile floor. Shivers of dread rippled through her. Her mind went numb with panic.
For God’s sake…Think! Get help!
About the Author:
My pen name is Donna Del Oro and I live in Northern California near the Sierra Nevada foothills and Folsom Lake. After retiring from high school teaching, I decided life was too short to waste. Thus, began a journey doing what I’d been wanting to do for many years–write fiction. I sold my first novel, OPERATION FAMILIA, right away and this book went on to win an award for the Best 2010 Latino Books into Movies Award. Following that first sale, I published three more women’s fiction books, then branched out into writing my first love, romantic thrillers. This year, 2012, saw the launch of A BODYGUARD OF LIES and THE DELPHI BLOODLINE, both ebooks and available on Kindle, Nook, Apple, and elsewhere. If you have read any of my books, I welcome your input. Leave me a review on Amazon and your name goes into a pile for a $50 gift card at B&N, my favorite bookstore. You can email me: donna@donnadeloro.com. Thanks for dropping by!”
October 7, 2012
Autumn in Montana
The greatest season is upon us in the land of ghostly hills and phantom sunshine. The scents of crumbling leaves and the sounds of footsteps upon the crisp early morning frost have invaded the world here in Montana.
For those of you who don’t know me well, I’m a cowgirl, a paranormal romance author, and an avid reader living in the timber and finding inspiration in a back-to-the-land lifestyle. And recently, we have spent many hours out in the hills readying our home for the harsh winter to come.
I am fortunate to work as an author—I can pack up my computer and travel to the tops of mountains where are all a person can see for miles are peaks so large that they act as speed bumps for the heavy fall clouds that try to invade. I have written novels at the tops of many a mountain, near gurgling waterfalls, and places that seem so desolate it’s easy to believe no person has been there before. I have written as snow falls on the car around me and then a few minutes later I’m forced to hide from the melting heat of the sun.
Here in the fall, we go back to a different time, we revert to the recipes of our ancestors, the ones who have gone before. In honor of the change of the seasons and as a thank you to my fans, who keep me writing, I wish to give you a piece of Montana in the only way I can. I wish to share a Montana recipe with you. Please enjoy this with your family and friends. And as you do so, think of the dusky blue mountains, the tall pines and the scents of a Montana Fall.
Kneplfa: (similar to a dumpling)
1 c. flour
Pinch of salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
Water
Bring pot of salted and buttered water to a boil. Mix ingredients until dough is stiff. Make into a ball and the cut with scissors into small chunks. Drop pieces into boiling water (carefully). Boil until they are floating and fully cooked.
(from here there are several different recipes that you can add the knepfla to i.e. chicken, pork, beef, and cream based soups etc.)
Next: Fry up a Smoked Kielbasa or Polish Sausage, add sauerkraut, and boiled knepfla. Serve hot.
October 2, 2012
Author Lorrie Struiff as her Character Winnie Krapski!
Hey there, thanks for having me on your blog today. I sure appreciate this opportunity to tell you a little bit about me.
My name is Winnie Krapski. Don’t laugh, after all I had to take my husband’s name. He’s been deceased for a long time now, may he rest in peace.
Anyway, one day I got a new perm. Well, driving home, it began storming. Now I’m not talking about a little storm, but one of those that you see lightning streaks everywhere in the sky, and the rain comes down in sheets. I pulled into my driveway and eyed the front door.
Of course I didn’t have an umbrella, so I put a newspaper over my head and ducked from tree to tree trying to keep my new perm dry. You all know what happens if a new perm gets wet.
I had just made it to my cherry tree when a blast hit my body like I never felt before and everything went black. I came to in the hospital. The doctor said I had a “near death experience.”
He said I was one lucky woman. Ha! If he only knew.
I developed a talent from that experience. One I could have nicely done without. When I visited a funeral home and saw the exact image of the body that was lying in the casket also sitting in a chair, I fainted.
Fat Phil Phillips revived me, drove me home, and explained my condition. Not only could I see the ghosties; I could also talk to them and hear them. Fat Phil had the same talent.
I don’t know how I let Fatty talk me into joining the “Call on the Dead Club” chapter in our area. I guess it was his smooth patter and all the good I’d do with my gift by granting one last reasonable request for the spooks so they could truly rest in peace.
If I had known all the trouble this talent would cause me, I might have wished I didn’t survive that lightning blast.
Let me begin by telling you two of the wild happenings trying to fulfill those last wishes.
I’ll be sure to tell you more soon.
Winnie Gets a Gift
Drafted into the C.O.D. Club (Call on the Dead) by Fat Phil Phillips, her mission is to grant the newly deceased’s ghost one last reasonable request. Can Winnie honor her oath?
Well, she tries. But, not before she stumbles into situations that almost get her killed. She’s one spunky broad.
The FBI calls on Winnie’s help. Jack Daniels, aka Double Shot, accidently got run over by his getaway driver on their last bank heist. He didn’t tell anyone where he hid the loot. Winnie’s job? Question his ghostie and find that money.
Follow her adventures!
Please check out Lorrie Struiff’s Books on Amazon!
September 26, 2012
Introducing Guest Blogger and Best-Selling Author Sharon Kleve!
Bestselling author Sharon Kleve is a Passionate Cook.
Food and love have had a long association, for Passionate Cooks: Free Recipes From Today’s Hottest Romance Authors, over 150 authors of the genre have put their pens and computers aside to don aprons, get down and dirty in the kitchen, and share their love of food.
Much like romance novels themselves, the dishes range from spicy to sweet. There is something for every taste and every level of culinary expertise. The cookbook includes bestselling author Sharon Kleve’s Lip Smacking Pork Roulade and New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Mari Carr’s “Wild Irish” Cream of Crab Soup recipe. Western GBLT author BA Tortuga contributes a dish as spicy and colorful as the straight-shooting author herself with Ranch Hands—a blend of Tabasco, salsa, onions and cumin, added to pinto beans, eggs, Canadian bacon and cheddar cheese and served in a tortilla. And for those of you who are feeling extra creative and sexy, there’s the Avocado Dip that doubles as body paint from mystery writer Marcia James.
Some recipes are simple, such as Down Home Mac & Cheese, while some are more exotic, such as Spicy Shrimp Risotto. There are even some gluten-free selections, like the Sweet and Spicy Gluten-Free Lo Mein-ish Noodles from erotica author Sommer Marsden. And a few are perfectly timed for a Halloween, such as Tracey H. Kitt’s Gamberi del Diavolo or Shrimp of the Devil.
Best of all, they are all FREE!
You can find the link on my website: http://www.sharonkleve.com/
And my blog: http://authorsharonkleve.blogspot.com/
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-passionatecooks-944744-174.html
Sharon’s Blog Hops and Stops
I’ll be spending the day at Lily Sawyer Books Blog on September 25th, Come join us. http://lilysawyerbooks.blogspot.com/
Please join me at Rosanna Leo’s Room on October 3rd for an exciting Blog stop.
http://www.rosannaleo.blogspot.com/?zx=80dd22c6d3317020
I’ll be joining Kayelle Allen at Romance Lives Forever on October 10th. Take a minute and come join us. http://romancelivesforever.blogspot.com/p/guest-blogger-faqs.html
I’ll be visiting Jen at Romancing The Book on November 7th. Come join me.
http://romancing-the-book.com/author/romancing-the-book-reviews
I’ll be visiting Marianne Stephens at Romance Books ’4 ‘ Us on November 16th. Come join me.
http://romancebooks4us.blogspot.com
I’ll be visiting Aimme Terry at The Window Seat on a Rainy Day on December 7th. Come join me. http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/
Contact me at:
http://authorsharonkleve.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/sharonrkleve
https://twitter.com/#!/SharonKleve
https://pinterest.com/srkleve/
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=tab_pro
You can purchase my books at:
http://www.amazon.com/Sharon-Kleve/e/B006JAH14S/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Sharon-kleve?keyword=Sharon+kleve&store=allproducts&iehack=%E2%A0
http://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=sharon+kleve
Blurb:
Corny is a hot chick with a great job that she loves. All that changed in the blink of an eye when her boss had an accident involving an oversized rubber band. She’s still a hot chick, but her boss is dead.
Steve Spears is a seasoned narcotics cop who ends up wanting to strangle Corny on a regular basis. After finding out Corny’s dream of opening a pet detective business, he decides he doesn’t want a girlfriend who routinely puts herself in danger. That’s his job!
Corny misses Steve, but she’s getting on with her life. She decides to get a month’s worth of dating out of the way in a single night, by combining her three favorite things—men, food, and alcohol.
Steve’s big gun and cop’s intuition saves Corny’s life, but not from another trip to the emergency room. He makes Corny promise never to get hurt again—she agreed, but has her fingers crossed behind her back.
Author Bio: Sharon Kleve was born and raised in Washington and currently lives on the Olympic Peninsula with her husband.
She loves romance. She loves reading romance, living romance, and especially loves writing about romance. She gets no greater feeling than watching her characters come alive in each other’s arms. Most of all, she loves giving her characters the happily ever after they deserve—with a few bumps and bruises along the way.
One of her favorite things to do is picking up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing herself in the emotions between the characters. She hopes to inspire her readers the same way her favorite authors have inspired her.
When not writing, she can usually be found either curled up in her recliner with her cat and a good book, or in the kitchen baking sourdough bread or bagels.
