Linda Joyce's Blog, page 9

Hot sounds. Cool Zazz. A Friday listening treat.

Friday with Friends

Music moves my soul.

What about you?

What genres of music do you groove to?

Often I listen to the sounds of silence when I’m writing, however, I’m a big Blues and Smooth Jazz fan. I discovered Vandell Andrew, smooth jazz alto saxophonist, on Twitter, then discovered he’s a NOLA musician now living near Dallas—I had to investigate his music.

Please click on the link and listen to Vandell play as you discover more about him. http://www.vandellmusic.com/live/

(Make sure you click SOUND ON the website on the right corner to hear Vandell play.)

OR click on the YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/vandell05

(Make sure you click SOUND ON the website on the right corner to hear Vandell play.)

Please meet Vandell Andrew.

I first started on the trumpet at 13. My mom is a musician, she plays the flute. She pushed me to play music for years and would always talk to me about what instrument I wanted to play before I actually began playing.

I started on the trumpet at jazz summer camp in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans. I wasn’t really good. The next summer my teacher, who was a sax player, suggested the saxophone. I thought Greg Dawson was a cool guy and I made the switch.

I was 14 when I started playing the saxophone, my freshman year in high school. I enrolled in the marching band St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. The Marching 100 is the school’s marching band.

(Okay all you bloggie readers out there, I’m sure you remember Pamela Mason’s guest blog post from November of 2012, but if not here’s the link. Why is this important? Because it shows The St. Augustine High School band parading! http://www.lindajoycecontemplates.com/2012/11/02/mardi-gras-laissez-les-bons-temps-rouler/ )

This band was the first African American Band to integrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans and the band has performed for several presidents and played high profile events. During my four years of high school, I performed all over the world and in many parades throughout the U.S., including the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, CA and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. It was the best. During my senior year, I lead the band as a drum major.

Through all of this, I realized I loved playing music.

I am also educated in all different types of music, from soul to funk to jazz. That’s where I got my love of jazz. I’ve also cut two CDs.

I play at several wineries in the Dallas area, also the Crossroads Winery in Frisco,TX and La Buena Vida Winery in Grapevine.Tx. As well as bars like Club Memphis. Sherlocks, and Sambuca as a sideman with a few different bands.

Linda: I’ve got more for you about Vandell, Hear him on BlogTalkRadio on the Talking Smooth Jazz. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/talking-smooth-jazz/2011/03/15/saxophonist-vandell-andrew

(After you click on the link, move the line to the 2:00 minute mark and skip the advertising and get right to the interview Vandell does with the Jazz Queen.)

Vandell’s Career Highlights

*** Has opened and shared the stage with Legendary Jazz artist such as Kirk Whalum, Tom Braxton, and many more.

*** Composed and recorded with Grammy Nominated Producers, Darren Rahn and Nate Harasim (Dave Koz, Boney James, Wayman Tisdale), and Emmy Award Winning Josh Goode.

*** Toured nationally and internationally.

*** Reached #11 on the Amazon.com Top Best Sellers Charts hit single “Anniversary”.

(Cover for CD will be inserted here)

I hope you enjoyed meeting Vandell. His website is robust and has videos and sorts of information about him. Here’s where you can purchase his music:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_14?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=vandell%20andrew&sprefix=Vandell+Andrew%2Cpopular%2C298&rh=i%3Apopular%2Ck%3Avandell%20andrew

You can connect with him at

Twitter: https://twitter.com/vandellandrew

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VandellMusic

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/vandell05

And check out his website for more links for connecting: http://www.vandellmusic.com/live/

Vandell’s bio:

Hailing from the “birth place of jazz”, Vandell Andrew’s destiny found him. He began studying at a local jazz summer camp in the musically famous Treme area of New Orleans. There he learned to play the trumpet. After a whole summer of the horn, Vandell was approached by one of his teachers with the suggestion that Vandell’s embouchure would be better suited to the saxophone. He considered that teacher the COOLEST sax player in the world. Vandell took an ultimatum as a compliment.

Soon after learning to play the alto saxophone, Vandell joined the infamous St. Augustine “Marching 100” band. Following high school, Vandell enrolled in music classes at Southern University at New Orleans, and studied with the legendary Edward “Kidd” Jordan.

About a month later, Hurricane Katrina took the city of New Orleans by storm. Vandell relocated to Dallas, Texas. This experience challenged him, but Vandell began to discover opportunity there. He began writing and working on his own original compositions. This has led to him sharing stages with many local acts, at many different venues. As well as nationally known acts like Kirk Whalum, and Tom Braxton.

In June of 2011, Vandell released his debut album, titled Years Later… This album is a collection of original songs all written since Vandell relocated to Texas. The “Years Later…” album has received amazing reviews from smooth jazz fans and critics across the globe.

Keep your ears ready for Vandell Andrew!

Leave us a message and let us know how much you enjoy the music.

Happy November!

Linda Joyce

Les le bon temps rouler!

Let the Good Times Roll!

www.linda-joyce.com

First Kiss. Let’s dish. Plus secrets of Mine…And a Giveaway!

I can’t say with 100% certainty that ALL of you have had a first kiss, but I’m a betting woman, so I’ll fudge on the figure and suggest 99%.

Did your first kiss come as a surprise? Or did you know it was coming? Did you initiate the kiss…or someone else?

I’m sharing over at Writing with Fey about Biloxi Dutrey and Nick Trahan’s first kiss.



In Bayou Bound, the second book in the Fleur de Lis series (with a soon-to-be-released date) Biloxi steps out of Branna Lind’s shadow and tries grabbing for the brass ring she’s always wanted.

Please visit Chrys Fey’s blog: Writing with Fey and leave a message. Anyone who leaves a comment is entered to win an eBook of Bayou Born so they’ll be ready for Biloxi’s story when it’s released.

On Friday, I’ll pick a winner from those who’ve left a comment.

ALSO: I’m visiting with Author Angela Hayes at her blog. She’s asked some interesting questions and I’ve answered…sharing some of the secrets in my closet.

For example, what Three Words do I use to describe myself? You might know. And you can hop over there and find out. There’s lots of new insights about how Fleur de Lis came to be. AND THERE’S a GIVEAWAY there, too!

Happy Reading!

Smiles,

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Spaceage for you…How to find a Virtual Assistant

Friday with Friends.

I met Coline Walther online and her business intrigued me. Like so many newbie writers (being an author is really like having your own company), I can’t afford a fulltime assistant, but having someone help me now and then could sure make life easier. But where and how to find someone?

Coline to the rescue. She’s going to introduce you not only her services, but also how to find someone suitable to assist you.

Please meet Coline Walther

As a Virtual Assistant, I often use Elance.com to find clients. When I was first starting out on Elance, I had to do a lot of research, and there was a lot of trial and error, learning how to build an effective profile, and write proposals that get results. So now I want to share what I have learned with others who are interested in Elance, or who are just getting started there.

There are many types of freelancers finding work through Elance, but for this post, I’m going to focus on tips for authors, bloggers, and editors. I’m also going to look a bit at LinkedIn, and how you can make connections there, as well.

Elance is a good place for authors to find work. It is also a good place for buyers who are looking for article writers, bloggers, and editors and proofreaders for their books. So if you are a freelance writer or blogger, you may want to check out some of the paid gigs on Elance. It is also a good idea to start building connections with journalists and people in the PR industry, by utilizing LinkedIn

Elance for Freelancers

Building your profile: You want to emphasize what you can do for the client. Make sure your profile is as complete as possible; include as much detail as you can, include your job history, and add samples of your work to your e-portfolio.

Skills: There is a section on your profile where you can list your skills; Elance also offers online tests for several different skills, so buyers can see your test results, if you choose to display them, and how your rank in relation to other freelancers. This is a very nice feature, and Elance does not charge for you to take these tests.

Finding jobs and clients: this starts with only taking on jobs that you know you can handle.



Managing your job: hopefully when you land the project, you have chosen a job that you know you can handle. Make sure you stay in contact with your client, find out their preferences of how often they want to receive updates.

For the best view of the screen shot, please click here: https://www.elance.com/s/cawalther/

This is a screen shot of my Elance portfolio, and the link, so you can see a completed profile. Notice the company profile on the right side that shows my freelancer rating. This is one of the reasons to choose jobs you can handle; I know it is tempting to take anything and everything when you are starting out; I’ve been there. But seriously, you don’t want to risk a bad rating or a bad review by taking on a project where you are in over your head.

Elance for Buyers

This is helpful information if you are looking to hire some on Elance. There are a few important things to remember, so that you can gain a good reputation on Elance as a buyer, so that you can attract freelancers who are at a higher level:

1. Respond to questions from freelancers

2. Thank everyone who submitted a proposal; whether you chose the proposal or not. This will help you stand out as an in demand buyer.

You can search for freelancers, limit their search by region, city, or even zip code. You can also specify the skills you are looking for, and look for freelancers with a certain number of reviews, or a specific hourly rate.

The way to get good proposals from freelancers is to put as much detail as you can into your RFP. It may be a good idea to include your website address so that freelancers can learn more about your company before they submit the proposal. Be as clear as possible about what skills you are looking for, and what criteria you will use to choose a freelancer.

Making quality connections on LinkedIn

I hear many people say not to use boiler plate messages when you send connect requests. I have tried it both ways; I did everything the “experts” told me to do. I studied the profiles of people I wanted to connect with, and wrote a personalized message, putting a lot of effort into it, and mentioning something personal from their profile, and blah, blah, blah blah, blah. Half the time, these requests were ignored. I finally said, “forget this” and I started sending boilerplate “Hi, I’d like to add you to my network!” messages. I get about a 90% success rate. Or better—I haven’t actually done the math. Do what you will with that information. Sometimes an expert really is an expert and sometimes they can’t do themselves, so they tell other people how to do, instead.

For all the advantages that Elance offers; the really good buyers are few and far between, on Elance, compared to the buyers who just want the lowest price. Unfortunately, if you are a freelancer on Elance, you are facing competition from both U.S. freelancers, and overseas freelancers who are able to work for a low rate, which makes it hard to compete. I’ve been there, too. The cost of living here is just too high to reasonably compete. This is where it helps to have a complete LinkedIn profile as well, and actively network with potential clients there. This also frees you from the restriction of having to accept payment solely through Elance.

Building your profile

Build your profile in much the same way as you built your Elance profile. Include as much information as you can, fill out each section as completely as you can. If you have an e-portfolio, you can include the link in your summary, you can also include a link to your blog; I did all of these things with my profile, and included an About Me video. My About Me video is not anything fancy; it’s just me sitting at my desk talking to my webcam; I felt it was important to have a video up there, to stand out from the crowd.

Here’s the link to my LinkedIn profile, so you can see how I set it up:http://www.linkedin.com/in/colinewalther

This information is to get you started, and how to build a solid foundation by building a complete profile on Elance and LinkedIn. To be a successful freelancer; keep making those connections, with potential clients, journalist, people in PR, and connect with and learn from fellow freelancers. Keep learning and keep adding to your skills in order to stay competitive.

About Coline Walther Coline is a blogger and Virtual Assistant specializing in Marketing, Social Media, and Team Building.

More info about Coline is available here: This information is to get you started, and how to build a solid foundation by building a complete profile on Elance and LinkedIn. To be a successful freelancer; keep making those connections, with potential clients, journalist, people in PR, and connect with and learn from fellow freelancers. Keep learning and keep adding to your skills in order to stay competitive.

About Coline Walther: Coline is a blogger and Virtual Assistant specializing in Marketing, Social Media, and Team Building.

More information about Coline is available here: http://thevirtualvirtuoso.wordpress.com

I hope you enjoyed meeting Coline. Let us know if you’ve ever hired a Virtual Assistant before. If so, how did it go? If not, if you’re in the market, Coline is available to help.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Alaska remains a wild frontier…and a place for Prime Catch!

Friday with Friends.

Learning about history is like discovering the intimate details of a life— only this life exists through the lives of others. The story of Alaska cannot be told without profiles of the intrepid searching for a new life, one that might contain gold. I have actually panned for that sparkly bling (okay, it was only for a day, but those little specs gave me a quite a fever) and watched a master craver create a totem pole, which is why author Ilona Fridl’s book grabbed my attention.

Here’s a video to give you a glimpse into Juneau, Alaska. Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55BE0QZaO_A

The YouTube video is compliments of http://www.livinglandscapeshd.com/ : The Living Landscapes HD Collection brings the World’s Most Beautiful Places to life through the magic of high definition video and 5.1 surround sound.

Now, please meet Ilona Fridl:



Juneau, Alaska

A History

In my Dangerous Times series, my main characters Addy and Zeke were being stalked by the mob in Los Angeles. I needed a place for them to run to. Zeke’s brother, Josh, had just bought an old opera house in Juneau, Alaskan Territory, so they escaped to Alaska. This was in the 1920′s, so it was still a gold rush town in many ways.

It was founded in 1880 by prospectors, Richard Harris and Joe Juneau, who discovered gold at Gold Creek with the help of the local Tlingit Chief Kowee. The town is set on a shelf at the base of Roberts and Juneau mountains next to the Gastineau Channel. It started out as Harrisburg, but was changed to Juneau when Richard Harris fell out of favor for some reason.

Gold started out as the principal industry with the Alaskan-Juneau mine that operated until 1944. Most of the gold was locked in quartz and had to be crushed to release it. There were mines across the channel in Douglas, which is on an island and is now connected with Juneau.

When the territorial capitol was moved to Juneau, it grew in importance. People came there for both business and travel. You can only get to Juneau by ship or airplane. There are no roads or railroads leading to it.

In my new book, Prime Catch, my characters of Sheriff Amos Darcy and Sarah Lakat were minor players in Golden North, the second book in the series. They were so popular that I gave them their own book. There is a lot of scenes out and around that area of Alaska.

Here’s the blurb: Someone is killing executives in a string of Alaskan canneries. Is it natives because their food supply is being cut short? Or is there another reason, another culprit? With racial tension running high, Juneau’s Sheriff Amos Darcy, a man of few words, is going to find out who it is, come hell or high water.

Deputy Sarah Lakat, a Tlingit woman, knows her job, but she wants to prove her people aren’t responsible for these vicious crimes. Her family and childhood friends give her access to clues the white sheriff would never have discovered, though, and she has to realize justice must be served no matter who the murderers are.

Amos is married to his work and Sarah was badly hurt by a man in her past, yet as they work together in the investigation they grow close, facing danger and discrimination together. Can they solve the case even as they fight their attraction to each other?

I want to thank Linda for giving me a chance to guest on her Friday with Friends blog!

I hope you enjoyed meeting Ilona. Prime Catch is now available at The Wild Rose Press

or at Amazon

You can connect with Ilona through

Facebook

and

Goodreads

Want to know more about Alaska? Leave Ilona a note.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

A Mercenary and A Maiden: Silverhawk

Friday with Friends

I traipsed all over Missouri when I lived in Kansas. I met many people from St. Charles, Cape Girardeau, Springfield to Kearny, but in the twelve years I spent there, I never met Barbara Bettis. However, in May when I returned to Kansas City for the Romantic Times Convention, we connected. She’s a delightfully, elegant woman and I can’t wait to read her book.

Barbara is my guest today, and she’s sharing tidbits of information that bring us insights to history.

What history?

Keep reading and you’ll find out.



Please meet Barbara Bettis…

Researching the medieval era for my debut romance was such fun, I often had to force myself to stop looking up ‘just one more point’ so I could get back to writing. But I turned up some fascinating information, and I’d like to share a little of it with you.

With temperatures turning cooler now, I thought it might be fun to look at a few points surrounding living conditions of the lords and ladies that we often gloss over.

Disclaimer: The Medieval period or Middle Ages, comprises several hundred years and what might be true, say, just before the Norman Conquest in 1066, would be sadly out of date by the time of my story, set just 130 years later. So what I’ll share with you is a generalization and applies mostly to the earlier part of the period. There will be exceptions, of course.

DID YOU KNOW: In the early Middle Ages:

**What we call the ‘keep’ or the central part of the castle where the lord and his family usually lived was called the ‘donjon.’ The term ‘keep’ was applied later; one source says that name came into use in the 16th Century. Most historical romance writers refer to the living area of the castle as the keep, I suspect because that’s what readers have come to accept. (I once had a contest judge take me to task for referring to the ‘donjon’ when “everyone knows it’s called a keep.”)

**The main room was the Great Hall, one big room that served as living room, dining room and, for servants and occasionally knights, the bedroom. Pallets, thin mattress stuffed with straw or other such material, were rolled out on the floor when bedtime came. Sometimes they were placed on a kind of low wooden support, but more likely just put directly on the floor. During the day, they were rolled up and stored along one of the walls of the hall. At night the tables used for dining were shoved against the walls.

**The floor of the great hall could be stone or rough wood planks or dirt, depending on the location of the structure and its design. The floor was often covered with rushes (wide leaves of plants.) A good housekeeper made sure the rushes were replaced periodically (and sweetened with good-smelling herbs), because diners often threw the bones and other food detritus onto the floor. Sources have talked about dogs roaming the room, looking for food dropped or tossed on the floor. (Kind of like these days). Yes, sleeping pallets were placed over that stuff.

**Oh, and—in the early days, when hawking or using falcons was a popular means of hunting—some records show lords would bring their prize birds to the table with them and set them on stands nearby. Imagine the floors in those halls.

**Most great halls were on what we could consider the second level or floor of the donjon, for defensive purposes. Access was via wooden stairs which could be burned if the enemy got through all the defenses and attacked the main quarters. With the stairs destroyed, the enemy couldn’t get up into the main room to get at the defenders.

**The first or ground floor went through various incarnations through the years. The area could be used to house the fighting men. Later, when the barracks were moved to other areas, it was often used for storage (the undercroft).

**In early Middle Ages, residences of the nobles had one large room, with no separate bedrooms. The lord and lady slept in the great hall or common room with everyone else. Later a corner was partitioned off to give the lord and lady a little privacy. Still later, various rooms were constructed as well as separate sleeping chambers. By the High Middle Ages, the separate rooms included solars. They were used as sleeping rooms or as rooms the ladies could have to themselves.

**These early residences, even of the nobles, had the main fire in the center of the room—the fireplace as we know it—set along a wall—was introduced later in the Medieval period. (Again, a generalization, but true of many parts of the country.)

**Kitchens were in separate buildings, to cut down on the danger of fire. Food frequently was cold by the time it arrived at the tables. Kitchens became part of the structures later, of course.

**Castles were cold, damp, drafty, smelly, often moldy. Tapestries were used not just for decoration, but to cut down on drafts and warm the place up.

One last story I’d like to share, this one about what expectant mothers faced.



**In early medieval times, males who served as doctors usually were not allowed to assist women in childbirth. Those women were attended by midwives or village ‘wise women.’ In those early times, birthing chairs were often used on which women sat or knelt. One picture here from a German text shows midwives attending a birth while the mother sits on a three-legged chair. The other is a drawing showing a birthing chair. (I found both on the internet.)

Thanks for sharing these research tidbits with me today. My debut, Silverhawk, is set in the High Middles Ages. Castles had become more developed and more complicated in construction, especially when some of the lords brought back ideas for design from Europe and lands further East.

Here’s the blurb for Giles and Emelin’s story: He’s everything a proper lady should never want; she’s everything a bastard mercenary can never have.

Sir Giles has come to England to kill his father, who seduced and betrayed his mother. First, however, he’ll seek sweet revenge—kidnap the old lord’s new betrothed. But when Giles uncovers a plot against King Richard, he faces a dilemma: take the lady or track the traitors. What’s a good mercenary to do? Both, of course.

Lady Emelin has had enough. Abandoned in a convent by her brother, she finally has a chance for home and family. Yet now she’s been abducted. Her kidnapper may be the image of her dream knight, but she won’t allow him to spoil this betrothal. Her only solution: escape

Rescuing the intrepid lady—while hunting traitors—is a challenge Giles couldn’t anticipate. But the greatest challenge to Giles and Emelin is the fire blazing between them. For he’s everything a proper lady should never want, and she’s everything a bastard mercenary can never have.

Now, more about Barbara:

Barbara Bettis has always loved history and English. As a college freshman, she briefly considered becoming an archeologist until she realized there likely would be bugs and snakes involved. And math.

She now lives in Missouri, where by day she’s a mild-mannered English teacher, and by night she’s an intrepid plotter of tales featuring heroines to die for—and heroes to live for.

Visit her at: http://barbarabettis.com and www.barbarbbettis.blogspot.com

Facebook

Twitter

The buy link for Amazon

The book will be in wide release in Nov. 15.

I hope you enjoyed meeting Barbara. I find her to be an interesting woman, the kind you want to sit and talk with about all sorts of topics over tea and scones.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Friday with Friends – I’m running as fast as I can!

I’ve still got my head attached, but I think my brains are scrambled.

Thank goodness for planning calendars. It’s been a whirlwind of a week, and I’m loving it!

I’m a guest of Jill James, Romance Writer on her blog with a cover reveal and the first and only published excerpt from Bayou Bound. I hope you’ll check it out. Let me know what you think of the cover and…of Biloxi and Nick.

Click on Jill’s name to hop over to her blog and see my new amazing cover!

I’m headed to Isle of Palms for a writer’s retreat. How I managed to land a spot is still a mystery to me. House on the beach. Personal chef. Yoga and meditation to start each day. Silence for writing until mid-afternoon. There will be a few outings, like kayaking, shopping in Charleston, and a plantation visit. I’m going to write my heart out.

I’m coming home a day early so I won’t miss the Books Down South festival on Saturday, Oct. 26th. I’ll be signing along with forty other authors. I’m sharing a table with author, Marilyn Baron. There will be giveaways, so head over join in the fun! I’m making up a very special basket that someone’s going to win. It could be you! You can find out ALL the news on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/booksdownsouth

And Twitter https://twitter.com/BooksDownS

Here’s the info: The event is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, and will be held at the former Rivers Elementary School on Sandy Creek Rd. in Fayetteville.

Then, I’m headed to Birmingham, Alabama for Southern Magic Reader’s Luncheon. I’m excited to be hosting an table as an author. It’s my first time. Each person at my table will receive a goody bag with very special, personally selected treasures. Shopping for the goodies has been fun. My current book, Bayou Born will be included in each bag. I also have a wonderful basket for the raffle. If you hurry, you might get a seat. Tickets are on sale until October 27th.

At my first conference after I moved to Georgia, the Southeastern Writer’s Association, I met an author who said repeatedly, “Writers write. Authors speak.” I’m taking that advice to heart. Now, back to my calendar. I’m checking everything twice to be sure I don’t miss anything.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

Website: http://www.linda-joyce.com

Facebook Author Page

Twitter: @LJWriter

Goodreads:

Fresh Fiction

Pinterest

Places to purchase Bayou Born:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble Nook

kobo

All Romance eBooks

Bookstrand

The Wild Rose Press

eBook

Cover Reveal: Bayou Bound ~ Book 2 in the Fleur de Lis series

It’s not just the crisp air,

or the leaves changing

green to gold, red, and orange.

It’s not just the shortening days

or longer nights

allowing me to rest longer.

It’s the coming-forth

the birthing, of Bayou Bound ~ Book 2 in the Fleur de Lis series from The Wild Rose Press.

Yes, Branna and James are there, however, Biloxi Dutrey and Nick Trahan take the center stage.

To see some of their world, check out my Pinterest

page.

Now for the BIG REVEAL:

Biloxi Dutrey grounds her jet-setting photography career and returns to Mississippi when she learns her family home, Fleur De Lis, is headed for financial ruin. She plans to save it by scooping up the job of Keeper. But that means breaking tradition, and her family isn’t cooperating.

Veterinarian Nick Trahan is new in town and wants folks to stop matchmaking. He won’t settle for just a pretty face. He wants the perfect woman, one who believes in family and commitment—the exact opposite of his parents.

Nick rescues Biloxi during a raging storm, but the squall is tame compared to the tempest between them. Soon they experience the backlash from the long-standing feud between their families. If Biloxi surrenders her dreams for Fleur de Lis and toes the line with tradition, will she also be forced to give up on “forever love” due to the hate their families still harbor?

I hope you’ll share this with your family and friends.

I’ll keep you posted on the release date. When launch time comes, get ready to party and for lots of giveaways.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Friday with Friends and Moi

Friday with Friends.

Today you get ME.

Tidbits about moi. Let’s chat.

The sun is just barely cresting the horizon. The alarm shocks you awake. What’s your morning beverage of choice? Coffee or Tea?

I drink both. Mostly, I drink coffee from a paper cup made by a smiling barista. On the rare occasion I make coffee at home, I like Peets http://www.peets.com/ but since I only drink decaf beverages, (caffeine is to me what LSD was to Timothy Leary in the ’60’s) I prefer tea. My ‘go-to’ hot a.m. drink is Rishi Earl Grey Rooibos…and I still don’t know how to pronounce “rooibos.” What language is that from?

For a southern girl who doesn’t drink sweet tea—I prefer lemonade—and the Hafu-Japanese in me who never pollutes her green tea with any additional flavors, on any given morning, I sip Earl Grey only with cream and sugar.

What side of the fence are you on about food?

I am a foodie. Are you?

Not only to I seek out farm-to-table restaurants, but also I want a wonderful dining experience. There is nothing worse than awful service and awful food. Now that may sound as though I’m extremely picky, and the truth is, I am. However, I don’t go into a waterfront bar and expect haute cuisine. I do expect good beer and any seafood on the menu to be cooked properly. Nothing worse than rubbery shrimp.

One of my favorite local places is Chicken and the Egg I lifted this photo from their website: Fried Green Tomatoes with Country Ham, Pimento Cheese Fondue and Tomato Jam. YUM!!

Recently, I was in Biloxi, Mississippi, (yes, the city where I was born) and looked forward to breakfast at a local cafe. I ordered: Grits, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, and Toast. The grits were crusty, and I swear I was eating sand. Scrambled eggs? No, hard-boiled eggs chopped up and dumped into a small bowl. The grease on the bacon was so thick I could scrape off and use it like butter on the biscuit. When I questioned the waitress about the unusual consistency of the eggs, she shrugged and said, “I didn’t cook them.” At that point, after only one taste of the food, I went to the register, and offered to pay only for my hot tea and left.

How do you find good eats when you’re traveling?



Coming from New Orleans, where food is sensual, sumptuous, and abundant, I find that Urban Spoon and Yelp assist me in locating eateries. I also use Open Table. Sadly, I don’t often leave reviews…maybe that’s a resolution for next year?

Dogs or Cats?

It’s always the $64,000 question in a new relationship.

When I first met my husband, my menagerie contained two cats, Mercedes and Prissy.

Then, I added a dog. Taji was an elegant trotting Afghan hound. His coat flowed when we pranced. He was always quick to show affection, and since he joined the household as a puppy, the cats adopted him. He mistakenly thought he was one of them.

Taji didn’t take to another man in my life. He always joined us when we sat on the floor and watched TV. He’d lay down, face us, then creep until he’d wedged his long hound nose between us, then he’d rise up on all fours, do a ballet turn, and wiggle his butt between us.

Unfortunately, hubby is very allergic to cats, so we are a canine family.

At this moment, Beau and Jack have their noses pressed to the windows and are staring down the squirrels burying nuts in the backyard. Reni is napping in the living room. Quiet dogs are a gift from heaven.

Adult Beverages. What’s your signature drink?



Recently, I discovered Angry Orchard Crisp Apple Hard Cider. That’s my go-to in the fridge, though honestly, I rarely drink. When I do, I believe an adult beverage must provide an uplifting quality to life, therefore, I prefer Prosecco to Champagne. Here’s a website about the wine, however, fair warning, you must understand Italian. http://www.ruggeri.it/

The Wine Enthusiast reviews the beverage here: http://buyingguide.winemag.com/catalo...

Over the weekend, I tasted Moscato for the first time, a sweet sparkling wine. I also enjoy various martinis, and I’m quite partial to a Bloody Mary. Thick with tomato juice with a splash of clam juice and beef broth. I like a buffet with my drink: olives, celery, lime and lemon. Even pickled okra.

What’s your good news today?

Depending on my good news, my husband is the first to know…or maybe the dogs since there with me 24/7. Then, I take to Facebook and Twitter.

The good news I’m sharing now: I’ve seen the long awaited cover of Bayou Bound! And hopefully, as early as next week, I’ll be sharing it with the world. I’m very excited. I think’s its beautiful! I hope you’ll agree.

Now tell me about you. Together we’ll lift our cups and salute the coming weekend. TGIF!

Happy Reading,

Linda Joyce

www.linda-joyce.com

Ever felt a Hand-Felted Sweater?

Friday with Friends

What’s a felted sweater?

My educations is lacking. Thus when Mary Schanuel started her business, I couldn’t wait to learn.

Several years go, I met Mary when we connected through a woman’s group when I lived in the Midwest, and we have stayed in touch though I moved south. She posses an entrepreneurial spirit and is making something new, but I’ll let her tell you all about it.

However, before I turn things over to Mary, I want you to know that her GiVeAwAy starts now and runs until midnight on Sunday.

On Monday, I’ll select a winner…so keep reading to find out all the details!

Please meet Mary.

I once owned the most gorgeous pair of purple bellbottom pants – six narrow panels of rayon crepe that hugged my thighs, then flared dramatically at the hem. And yes, I wore them with a fringed leather vest (which dates my teen years).

I adored those pants, until the fateful day they went through the laundry and came out six inches shorter, totally ruined.

After that, you’d never catch me washing rayon, wool, linen or other fussy fabrics. But a year ago, I discovered sweater felting and I’ve been happily shrinking wool and other natural fibers ever since.

As owner, chief designer and seamstress of Little Lamb’s Wool, I rescue abandoned and otherwise misfit thrift shop sweaters, “felt” them, and transform the fabric into hats, purses, potholders, hand warmers and whatever else strikes my fancy.

Every step of the felting process is hands-on and somewhat mysterious, which calms my brain after a workday, drops me deep into the moment, and kick-starts my creativity for other projects, such as finishing my novel. (Nordic Snowflake and Beads clutch purse.)

Felting begins with thrift store shopping, where I scoop up armloads of sweaters that are at least 80 percent wool, cashmere, mohair, angora or other animal fibers. I stuff them into pillowcases to contain the lint, then wash and dry them HOT, HOT, HOT until the wool fibers loosen, tangle and then lock together to create a thick, natural felt that can be cut without fraying.

Thus begins the mystery. Even with 100 percent wool, I never know how a sweater will felt. Some shrink perfectly with just one washing. Others require two or three rounds of abuse in the washer and dryer before emerging as a lovely thick fabric. And surprisingly, some of the ugliest sweaters turn into the most fascinating felted fabrics.

The next step is design, a lofty term for a process that is quite freeform. I usually remove the sleeves first, although certain Nordic sweaters with patterned yokes tend to glare back when I approach them with scissors. On those, I might trim off a chunk of torso for a pair of potholders and some coasters, then come back later to see what the beautifully patterned yoke wants to be.

Those sleeves also have definite ideas about their next incarnations, often suggesting a second life as a clutch purse, mittens or a hat brim. Large pieces are usually harvested for potholders. Wool, by the way, is the very best protection in the kitchen, impervious to hot panhandles, searing steam, even direct flame. Who knew? (Felted wool hat and rosette brooch with vintage rhinestone/bakelite button)

I turn smaller pieces of felted lambswool and cashmere into luxurious coaster sets, four to a bundle. Scraps, zipper and button plackets, even the long, thick seams I remove from sleeves pile up in a special box, waiting to become coffee cup sleeves, rice-filled hand warmers, beverage can cozies, pincushions and embellishments for hats. (Child’s felted wool hat & rosette brooch with vintage button.)

These creations and more are available at my Etsy shop littlelambswool.etsy.com and at a country store near my home that sells organic, local and handmade items.



Would you like one for yourself? You can win this Coffee Cup Cozy by visiting littlelambswool.etsy.com and click Favorite on the shop or an item. Or Like my Facebook page at facebook.com/LittleLambsWoolShop. Either way, come back to this blog and post about your favorite items. Linda will pick a winner at random.

Mary Schanuel is owner of Little Lamb’s Wool, a novelist and a marketing/public relations professional.

Did you know…

Did you know…

Did you know the October edition of Hidden Desires Romance magazine is out?

My story, Cupid’s Arrow, is featured there. This is the fourth edition of the magazine. Readership is growing. Don’t miss out!

Message from the Publisher: The October issue of Hidden Desires Romance is Ready for your reading pleasure. We have new authors with wonderful stories and poetry to share. Please visit our website and read free, never a charge, we appreciate you stopping by to visit.

www.valterramagazines.com

Did you know that I am published in more than Romance?



Did you know that Patchwork Path published my first story? It’s in the Friendship Star anthology. My story is Painting Friendship, a very personal story about a friend who taught me about paying it forward.

I went to Amazon to check out the book. Here’s what it says: Mention friends and everyone has a story or memory to share. This Patchwork Path volume, Friendship Star, is a collection of those heartwarming, inspirational, and funny stories from authors across North America including: Valerie Adolph, Beth Brown, Stephen Carrington, Linda Joyce…

Did you know that the Historical Society of Johnson County, Missouri featured my poem, True American Music at the Smithsonian traveling exhibit, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music?

Did you know the Coal City Review published my poem, My No-Name Island Home?

Did you know Storm Country: The Anthology has a Best of the Month award by Amazon? My story, Arctic Arkansas is part of the anthology created to raise money for the victims of the Joplin, MO tornado. The book is collaboration by the Missouri Writers’ Guild, Joplin Writers’ Guild chapter, the Missouri Humanities Council, and Mozark Press. Proceeds from the sale of Storm Country go toward books and learning materials for the Joplin school libraries and Teacher Resource Center.

Did you know that I’m waiting on a release date for the second book in my Fleur de Lis series, Bayou Bound? I’m on pins and needles waiting for the cover.

Did you know that I’m working on a second romance series, Harvest, set in Kansas? It features Amelia Britton and Lucas Dwyer, both trying to put their lives back together. Lucas returns home from Afghanistan to find father lost the family farm, and Amelia is trying stay on her family farm after her parents die in a car accident, but Amelia’s older brother has different plans for both Lucas and Amelia.

Did you know I’m also working on women’s fiction manuscript? The working title is Four Secrets.

Did you know that I’m signing Bayou Born this Saturday at the Hilton in Norcross, GA from 4:30-6:00. If you’re in the area, please come out and see me.

Happy Reading!

Linda Joyce

Website: Linda Joyce

Facebook Author Page

Twitter @LJWriter

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