Cynthia Luhrs's Blog, page 22
October 26, 2013
Calling all writers…just in time for NaNoWriMo
Wonderful book by my local writer’s chapter. Just in time for NaNoWriMo!
“Created by writers for writers, Heart of the Matter is a gem of a book that’s overflowing with hard-won wisdom and heartfelt advice on all the joys and trials of becoming an author. Brimming with insights on everything from mastering the self-discipline it takes to learn the art of writing, to lessons on craft and career, to finding the courage to stay on track with your goals, Heart of the Matter will be a book you turn to time and again for help, support, and encouragement as you work toward your own writing dream.” – Kelly L. Stone, author of TIME TO WRITE: No Excuses, No Distractions, No More Blank Pages and THINKING WRITE: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind
“Wow! Where was this book when I started my writing career? A must-have compilation of rock-sound advice from writers who know what they are talking about. This is a book you’ll dip into time and time again to improve your craft, buck up your confidence or give you sound advice on the next step in your writing journey. There’s something for everyone in here from aspiring maybe-one-day-I’ll-be-a -writer to multi-published authors who are contemplating a career shift. This book has it all!” – Mary Buckham, author of the Amazon best-selling WRITING ACTIVE SETTINGS series for writers.
For authors in all stages of their careers, HEART of the MATTER offers 40 articles of instruction, guidance, and encouragement from the multi-published and talented authors from HEART OF CAROLINA ROMANCE WRITERS.
More buy links to come.
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October 25, 2013
Review Day – Extinction Point
Once a month or so I’ll share a book review. I grew up in a household where TV was rarely allowed but books…well, you could pretty much read whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted.
After I exhausted my library stash, I’d go through my dad’s pile of used books. Oh the worlds I discovered! Everything from Tom Clancy to Stephen King to Diana Gabaldon. Let me just say – reading Salem’s Lot, Jaws and IT as a child–I can still scare myself silly hearing a strange noise or feeling a fish brush up against me in the ocean – grins
Extinction Point is by Paul Antony Jones. Here’s the book description and then my thoughts:
Reporter Emily Baxter has a great job, an apartment in Manhattan, and a boyfriend she loves. All that changes the day the red rain falls from a cloudless sky. Just hours after the first reports from Europe, humanity is on the brink of extinction, wiped from the face of the earth in a few bloody moments, leaving Emily alone in an empty city. As she struggles to grasp the magnitude of her situation, Emily becomes the final witness to the end of our world… and the birth of a terrifying new one.
The world she knew and loved is dead and gone. Now Emily must try to find a way out of New York as the truth behind the red rain is revealed: the earth no longer belongs to humanity.
I like ‘end of the world’ books. There was a history article in the News and Observer talking about a ‘red rain’ that took place in North Carolina. I love when someone takes a headline and creates fiction. I’m not saying the author did that here but he could have. The story has a strong female lead on a journey of hope and I loved the sci-fi elements, especially the red trees. They sounded sinister yet beautiful. Unlike my favorite TV show, The Walking Dead, Emily did not have to contend with zombies but she doesn’t have it easy as she has creatures of her own to deal with. The author leaves you wanting more and I went straight to the second book. He leaves a cliffhanger for the 2nd book as well…guess I’ll have to wait for book 3 to find out what happens next.
Exodus is the 2nd book in the series and is just as enjoyable. Am looking forward to the 3rd book, coming out in 2014.
Similar books in the genre I also recommend:
Season of the Harvest by Michael R. Hicks
The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey
Cyberstorm by Matthew Mather
My next review: Carved in Bone.
Cheers!
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October 17, 2013
A whisper...
Good news - the ending is fantastic. Teaser - two secondary but favorite characters have to die... Bad news - you have to wait until Monroe's story (book 4) for the series to end.
So-book 3 may be delayed a month or two but it will be worth it. Now to shuffle things around...
Happy Thursday!
P.S. I can't wait to see the remake of Carrie!
Now or Later?
Do you DVR your favorite shows? Saving them to binge watch at a later date, telling everyone you know not to spoil it! Or maybe you save the shows until its convenient or the kids aren’t’ around? Have you started watching any of them in real-time again? Real-time? What is this some kind of trick question?! Isn’t that why DVRs were invented so I don’t have to sit though commercials?
No trick. No, I don’t work for any advertiser. Just a bit of fun. I’m on twitter (I’m on all social media but it’s my fave.) and I’ve noticed the networks and actors live tweeting during the show which to me makes it so much more fun.
Some of the folks manning the networks twitter accounts are really funny. And there’s always the chance your absolute favorite actor or producer will tweet back to you.
Norman Reedus and Donnie Wahlberg tweet a lot and they are both really fun to follow. Melissa McBride is incredibly nice and Orlando Jones makes me laugh.
I’ll use three of my favorite shows as an example:
The Walking Dead
Sleepy Hollow
Blue Bloods
Here are some of the tweets:
P.S. Feel free to follow me I’m @wickedgreens
Cheers and happy viewing!
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October 14, 2013
e-Book Cover Design Awards, September 2013
There’s a blog by Joel Friedlander called The Book Designer where he talks about ebook covers and everything having to do with “practical advice to help build better books”.
Every month they run an e-Book cover design contest. The winner for September is stunning. Go take a look.
Although there is only winner in each category, other covers that were considered for the award or which stood out in some exemplary way, are indicated with a gold star: ★
Desired by Shadow, Book 2 in The Shadow Walkers series was awarded a gold star with comments:
JF: Yep, a real mastery of the genre, great choices in type treatments, and colors, and I love how the warm bottom half supports the cooler more atmospheric scene at the top. ★
So thanks to my wonderful cover designer, Derek Murphy and Happy Monday!
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October 7, 2013
Thoughts for a rainy day
It’s raining, a soft gentle rain here in the Carolinas today. The cats are napping and I want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. But alas, I have the next novel due to my editor at the end of November so I will work and listen to the rain as it falls against the window.
I leave you with some thoughts on rain. Enjoy.
And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.
-G. K. Chesterton
A feeling of sadness and longing that is not akin to pain, and resembles sorrow only as the mist resembles the rain.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
-Langston Hughes
Some people walk in the rain, others just get wet.
-Roger Miller
A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods.
-Rachel Carson
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
-Rabindranath Tagore
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October 2, 2013
Caramel delight
Happy October!
Are you getting ready for Halloween? Enjoying cooler weather? My ode to Fall is a wonderful caramel sauce from the September issue of Southern Living Magazine. Great to dip apples in or drizzle on ice cream or be really decadent and put a spoonful in your steel cut oats for breakfast.
Disclaimer: I take no responsibility if you eat it all without sharing -grins
Easy Caramel Sauce
Bring 1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
and 2 tsp. lemon juice to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and boil 1 minute.
Remove lid. Boil, gently swirling often to check the color and temp about 4 minutes or until mixture is medium to dark amber. See the image for color. Note: on my solid surface cooktop it took about 15-20 minutes before it was done. My picture above is stopping the sauce at the medium color. I’ve also made it at the dark amber color and it’s fantastic.
Gradually whisky in 1 cup heavy cream. Cook, whisking constantly over low heat 1 minute or until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in 2 tsp. vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt.
Transfer to serving bowl and chill. Keep covered in refrigerator up to a week (if it lasts that long).
Enjoy!
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September 23, 2013
Listen or Read?
Do you listen to audiobooks? I didn’t until a few years ago when a friend raved about The Help. In the past I’d always preferred reading a book. It never occurred to me to listen to one. I read quite a bit, at least 300 books a year. But she was right. The audiobook was fantastic and added something more to the book.
Now I listen in the car or at the gym. Which got me thinking when I published my first book, Lost in Shadow. I decided to do an audiobook. It was a learning experience. And while the book was published in March, the audiobook just came out a couple of weeks ago.
You can find it at Audible, Amazon and iTunes.
Meanwhile, I’m working with a new narrator on the second book, Desired by Shadow. It will be available mid to late December. I hope this narrator will be the one I end up using for the entire series. She has a lovely British accent.
When you listen to audiobooks do you prefer the same narrator for a series? Or do you mind if the voice changes?
Happy listening!
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September 22, 2013
A time for new beginnings
Happy Fall!
Today is officially the first day of fall. This is the day when the Sun crosses the celestial equator and is also known as the Autumnal Equinox.
But to me, Fall is a time for new beginnings. Maybe it’s all those first day of school events throughout my life but whatever it is, I embrace this time of year. Instead of waiting until New Year’s I think it’s a great time to look back at the year and evaluate what you accomplished. And then set your goals for next year.
It’s also a time to prepare for Winter. A time to renew and recharge. To be quiet an reflect until Spring.
For me, I published 2 novels and my novella will be published in the next month. At the end of the year I’ll share my progress on the rest of my goals and tell you what I’m planning for 2014. 
What does Fall mean to you?
Cheers,
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September 17, 2013
Simply yummalicious!
Many of you know I have another blog called Wicked Green Smoothies where I talk about green smoothies and other healthy treats. I’ve started down this path with some detours but keep getting back on it. With that said I wanted to share a new greek yogurt I discovered. If you’ve already known about this, go ahead and roll your eyes – I am a bit of a laggard sometimes -grin
Have you tried Muller greek yogurt? I picked up the Blackberry & Raspberry flavor and let me tell you it was fantastic.
Blackberry & Raspberry
Creamy and dreamy, lowfat Greek-style yogurt and a side of luscious blackberries and raspberries. Because you should never have to choose when it comes to berries.
Enjoy!
P.S. If you haven’t stopped by Wicked Green Smoothies, come on over and say hello. -waves
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