Carlene Havel's Blog: Carlene, page 7

It's Alive!

Daughter of the King is now available at http://goo.gl/5WLKj It's the story of Princess Michal, daughter of King Saul, the first monarch of ancient Israel. The events of Michal's life are in the Bible, first and second Kings and Chronicles. In an age when fathers arranged marriages, she dared to fall in love with one of her father’s soldiers—David, from the little town of Bethlehem. How could any woman resist him? Not only was David revered for killing the giant Goliath, the young man was handsome, courageous, an expert musician, and writer of touching poetry such as the famous 23rd Psalm. Through war, infidelity, disappointment, and betrayal, the one constant is Michal’s love for David.

The ebook is on Amazon now--bargain priced at $2.99--and should be on the Barnes & Noble website in a day or two. If you enjoy reading “Daughter of the King” as much as Sharon Faucheux and I enjoyed writing it, you’re in for a treat.

Carlene Havel
Co-author, “Daughter of the King”
http://goo.gl/5WLKj

Christmas in South Texas

On the whole, South Texans are an agreeable bunch of folks, with our own set of traditions and social guidelines. When it comes to clothing, denim is almost always appropriate. Properly accessorized, jeans can go to all but the most staid gatherings. Boots—and that of course means cowboy-style boots—are an excellent fashion choice anytime, anywhere south of Austin. They are good with a short skirt, long skirt, evening dress, pants, jeans or a wedding gown. Boots look simply marvelous with a tuxedo.

A South Texan who stays home during the holidays can hope to see a white Christmas once or twice in a lifetime. When it happens, we take photos of the Alamo and Spanish missions frosted with snow. These pictures appear on Christmas cards and greetings for the next couple of decades.

We buy decorations, lots of them, but they lose something in translation. A house near me has three huge, inflatable penguins sitting in the front yard. Two penguins perch on a sled appearing to glide across a perfectly flat expanse of still-green grass. A third penguin stands nearby, brandishing a snow shovel. San Antonio had a big snowstorm in 1985, so who knows? Maybe it’s time for another one. Above the heads of the rubber penguins, strands of Christmas lights twinkle merrily among the fronds of a pygmy palm tree. Top all this off with fake icicles hanging from the eaves of the house and friends, you’re a strong contender for one of the neighborhood association’s numerous decorating awards.

Note to national clothing buyers: it’s too hot to wear those bulky wool sweaters you send to chain stores in the southern half of Texas each November. We would appreciate an assortment of short-sleeved Christmas tee shirts next year. Some Santa Claus shorts would be nice, too. Merry Christmas, y’all!

Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://goo.gl/s6EQS
http://goo.gl/Iz7yz http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
co-author of “Daughter of the King” – soon to be released

See It on You Tube

Wanna see something cool? Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsVUR6... . Yes, it’s a commercial, but it’s not a crumby commercial like the one handed to Ralphie in A Christmas Story. This two minute clip would be worth a visit for the music alone. Oh, BTW, I’m co-author of the book the trailer plugs…surely that would never affect my objectivity, would it?

Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://goo.gl/s6EQS
http://goo.gl/Iz7yz http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
co-author of “Daughter of the King” – soon to be released

My Fifteen Minutes

Please visit this URL on Monday, December 10th: http://jacquelinedhopper.blogspot.com/>. Jacqueline Hopper has been kind enough to feature my current Christian romance, A Hero’s Homecoming, and my soon-to-be-released historical love story, Daughter of the King. Here it is, the author’s equivalent of fifteen minutes of fame! Of course it’s longer than fifteen minutes—it’s all day. To balance that longevity, appearing on one highly popular blog may not stand the test of becoming famous.

Jacqueline will have excerpts of both books, along with some interview questions and what we refer to as blurbs. That’s an attractive sounding word, isn’t it? Saying it gives me the feeling I should follow up with “excuse me, please,” As you probably know already, a blurb is an attempt to encapsulate a fifty to sixty thousand word novel into one or two pithy paragraphs that fit the dust jacket of a physical book. Never mind that more and more novels are ebooks these days. It’s tradition, for crying out loud.

Here is information about Daughter of the King that didn’t make it into the blurb. I wanted to write the story of a Biblical woman. Ruth and Esther are always obvious choices. However, their stories are quite complete in the books of the Bible by those names. I searched for a plot that left plenty of room for imagination. When I read of a spat between King David and his wife Michal, it occurred to me she might be the character I wanted. The more I researched and read about Michal, the more excited I became. Who wouldn’t want to write the story of a princess who loved and married one of the most famous kings of antiquity?

So that web address again is http://jacquelinedhopper.blogspot.com/>. Check it out! Jacqueline has some interesting material even when someone other than yours truly is the star.

Carlene Havel, author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carle... http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...

Packaging

Just so you know at the outset, today’s blog has nothing to do with reading or publishing. Perhaps there’s a tenuous connection to writing, since the adventure began when I bought thumb drives to store creative work away from my computer. These little objects came in a set of three (cheaper than individuals). Each device is less than three inches by one inch by one-half inch; i.e., small. The package was one foot wide and about fourteen inches high, made from a combination of thick cardboard and extraordinarily strong plastic.

How much manufacturing cost, storage space, and transportation outlay could have been saved by using a bag approximately the same size as the items being sold? How much smog went into the air to create that industrial-strength plastic? And how many trees were made into unnecessary cardboard? Then there’s the effort it took to unwrap my purchase once I got home. Tools, time, frustration, fussing—you’ve been there, so I won’t belabor the point.

Maybe electronic items could be sold similarly to groceries. Could I take my own bag, avoid a surcharge, and also not have to tear up a fingernail or two? It could save a little time, some materials, a planet…


Carlene Havel, author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carle... http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...

Addictedtoebooks

Check out this website for the latest scoop on free and bargain ebooks http://addictedtoebooks.com/ . Yes, of course, I have a personal interest! My Christian romance “A Hero’s Homecoming” was highlighted there this week.

Please note that the name of the site should be stated as “addicted to ebooks”, not “addicted toe books”. Consider. What could a toe get addicted to? A particular kind of sock or a comfortable shoe? Maybe one of those portable machines that provide a foot massage and water bath all in one? Hmm, that last one sounds pretty good. So maybe a toe could develop an addiction. However, even with the massage thing thrown in, I’m thinking for those not in the throes of a foot fetish, toes have more limited appeal than the ever-popular ebook.

If you haven’t caught the ebook fever yet, this might be the Christmas to take the plunge. After the initial expense, hours of free/cheap entertainment await you. Besides, you’ll look so technologically up-to-date sitting in the doctor’s reception area, reading from your nook/kindle/ipad, while waiting to have your toe treated for that embarrassing addiction to corn plasters.

Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carle... http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...

Favorite Book

What’s your favorite book? May as well ask which is your favorite child, or what’s the best city in the world to visit. Why try to consolidate all those wonderful options into a single choice? My usual answer is either the last book I read or the one I’m about to read now. And it’s true—each book is my favorite while I’m enjoying it. I’ve known people who could read the same book or watch the same movie over and over. Not me. “The End” really is the end for me. It’s not that I mind knowing what’s going to happen. I enjoy biographies even though the general outline is known before the book starts. There’s no surprise when Jacqueline Bouvier falls in love with the handsome young John Kennedy. The adventure is in finding out how an author tells the story, even when the tale is draped over known facts. When the mystery of that adventure is complete, it’s time for a new book!

Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carle... http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...

Only Once

I am by nature curious. Over the course of a lifetime, this has led to some wonderful experiences—along with many I never wish to repeat

As a child, I helped churn butter. Once. Believe me, it takes a whole lot of shaking to end up with a small amount of butter.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I’ve never made a second batch of homemade pasta. The investment in labor far exceeded the payoff of my so-so pasta.

I went skiing once. It’s a wonderful sport for people who can get past the requirement that it must be done on snow, meaning the weather is cold. It gets a lot colder when your body goes hurtling down a mountain, creating your own little mini-noreaster of icy breeze. One attempted schuss and I retreated to an overstuffed chair by the fireplace to sip hot chocolate.

Another normal human activity I’ve given up on is the scary movie. The logic of that kind of 'entertainment' escapes me. Why would I want to pay to enter a theater with the expectation I’ll be frightened half out of my skin? If I feel the need to be scared, I can watch the evening news, at no additional cost.

I’m just added a new item to my list of things I never need to do again—going to the mall on Black Friday.

Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carle... http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...

Short Story - "The Rescue"

Here's how it works: The short story begins here on my blog. The entire story, beginning and end, is at http://prismbookgroup.com/blog/
Friday evening, six-thirty. As if the arrival of another weekend wasn’t bad enough, the holiday season was looming. Loretta Buckley put down her pen, looked at her office clock, and sighed. What excuse could she use for not going home this year?
Walking down the hallway of the Buckley TempPlacements, Loretta hoped to find someone else still working. No luck. Desktops were clean, typewriters covered, lights off. The click of her high heels echoed through the empty corridor as Loretta wandered into the employee break room. The percolator was unplugged, meaning the last of the coffee was already down the drain.
Inside the refrigerator she found a bottle of ketchup, milk for the coffee drinkers, and half of an unwrapped cinnamon roll. Slamming the fridge door shut, Loretta regretted skipping lunch. Now hunger would prevent her from working her usual two or three more hours. Maybe she should call her friend Doris and see if they could get together for drinks and dinner.
After returning to her office, Loretta walked to the window and lifted a slat of the Venetian blinds. Traffic was flowing normally, thinning out somewhat. She dialed Doris’s number. No answer after twenty rings. Probably a bad idea anyway. Doris would want to talk about holiday plans, and Loretta was in no mood to discuss that topic. Still, listening to Doris would be better than eating alone again.
The mechanical buzz of a floor buffer droned from the floor below, occasionally drowned in the sound of flushing toilets. A nondescript woman wheeled a huge barrel to the door of Loretta’s office. “Good evening, ma’am. Will it be all right if I empty your trash?”
“Certainly.” Loretta pulled the circular can from beneath her desk and set it within easy reach. “How are you this evening?” she asked.
“I’m blessed, thank you.” The woman smiled broadly, emptied the paper from Loretta’s wastebasket, and moved down the hallway.
“Blessed, indeed,” Loretta muttered to herself. “Old as the hills and working for minimum wage on the night shift.” She sat at her desk and looked through the latest vacancies. Lots of temporary Christmas help through the holiday season, simple placements. She had several good applicants for the car dealer’s billing clerk. Nothing out of the ordinary, other than a requisition for someone to fill in for an ailing hotel concierge.
Loretta was taken aback by the sound of a man’s voice. “Excuse me. Is this where I apply for a job?”
“It would be if we were open,” she said, resuming her review of the paperwork in front of her. She waved a hand in the man’s direction. “Come back next week, during normal business hours.”
“I’m sorry if I startled you,” he said.
Loretta shot him what she hoped was an icy stare. “How did you get in here?”
“I just walked in,” he said. “I’m John Harrison, and I’m willing to do any kind of work. I did all sorts of odd jobs in college, and when I saw your sign I thought—”
“The cleaning crew must have left a door unlocked, but we are closed.” Loretta had no interest in hearing a hard luck story. “Come back Monday and someone will take your application.” The man was handsome, tall, well-built, with a resonant voice.
Harrison raked his fingers through the thickness of his dark hair. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to impose, but my situation is getting desperate.”

...Continued on the Prism Book Group website. Enjoy!


Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Carle... http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...

The Christmas Answer

I just finished “The Christmas Answer” and simply loved it. What a wonderful, heartwarming story! This quick read is perfect for the holiday season—or any time you need the Christmas spirit in your heart—and only 99 cents on Amazon! If you’re like me, you kind of like to need a tissue or hanky as you’re getting to the end of a beautiful story. “The Christmas Answer” definitely fits that description. This would be a wonderful story to read aloud to your family on Christmas Eve. Isn’t it nice to find a book you can enjoy and share without being embarrassed? One that acknowledges the hand of God in human affairs? If your taste is anything like mine, you’ll love Kim Jackson’s sweet story. It’s available at http://www.amazon.com/The-Christmas-A...

Carlene Havel, author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...