Stephanie Faris's Blog, page 11
May 15, 2017
Mystery Monday: Dog Suicide Bridge
It's Monday, which means it's time for another...
Every day, across the globe, owners walk their dogs. Usually they do so on a leash, especially if they're on vacation...
Yet there's a bridge in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, where people throw caution to the wind. Despite seeing this warning, people still cross the bridge without putting their dogs on a leash.
This is especially surprising because the bridge has a pretty telling nickname: "The Dog Suicide Bridge."
Yes, you read that correctly. Since the 1950s, legend says that one dog each year has jumped from the bridge for reasons that are unknown to everyone. As you can imagine, the strange occurrence was a favorite of supernatural theorists. Could it be a demonic spirit, luring the dogs to their death?
Some sort of disruption in the time-space continuum? A doorway into another dimension? A disturbance in the magnetic field?
Naturally, experts want a more scientific explanation. An animal habitat expert named David Sexton set out to determine whether a scent was drawing the dogs toward something. He concluded that mink urine odor was luring dogs to leap to their deaths.
Another expert questions whether dogs have been committing suicide in large numbers at all. While he did find that some dogs have leaped since the 1950s, he believes the number is much smaller than "one per year."
Why do you think dogs jump from the bridge?
Every day, across the globe, owners walk their dogs. Usually they do so on a leash, especially if they're on vacation...
Yet there's a bridge in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, where people throw caution to the wind. Despite seeing this warning, people still cross the bridge without putting their dogs on a leash.
This is especially surprising because the bridge has a pretty telling nickname: "The Dog Suicide Bridge."
Yes, you read that correctly. Since the 1950s, legend says that one dog each year has jumped from the bridge for reasons that are unknown to everyone. As you can imagine, the strange occurrence was a favorite of supernatural theorists. Could it be a demonic spirit, luring the dogs to their death?
Some sort of disruption in the time-space continuum? A doorway into another dimension? A disturbance in the magnetic field?
Naturally, experts want a more scientific explanation. An animal habitat expert named David Sexton set out to determine whether a scent was drawing the dogs toward something. He concluded that mink urine odor was luring dogs to leap to their deaths.
Another expert questions whether dogs have been committing suicide in large numbers at all. While he did find that some dogs have leaped since the 1950s, he believes the number is much smaller than "one per year."
Why do you think dogs jump from the bridge?
May 8, 2017
Mystery Monday: Emma Fillipoff
<!--table {mso-displayed-decimal-separator:"\."; mso-displayed-thousand-separator:"\,";} @page {margin:1.0in .75in 1.0in .75in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in;} td {padding-top:1px; padding-right:1px; padding-left:1px; mso-ignore:padding; color:black; font-size:12.0pt; font-weight:400; font-style:normal; text-decoration:none; font-family:Calibri, sans-serif; mso-font-charset:0; mso-number-format:General; text-align:general; vertical-align:bottom; border:none; mso-background-source:auto; mso-pattern:auto; mso-protection:locked visible; white-space:nowrap; mso-rotate:0;} .xl64 {font-weight:700;} </style> <br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's Monday, which means it's time for another...</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9X5lT_BsQR..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9X5lT_BsQR..." width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Few mysteries haunt true crime fans like the disappearance of this beautiful young woman:</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P8VXUY_iKC..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P8VXUY_iKC..." width="220" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Emma Fillipoff was a free spirit, artistic in nature. She grew up in Perth, Ontario, Canada as one of four kids to a schoolteacher and a painter. Emma wrote and danced and was always looking for new adventures.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xuevRlPt7K..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xuevRlPt7K..." /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">She was a very giving, open person, which made it easier for someone to attach to her. This is exactly what happened with a man named Julien, who befriended Emma and pursued her relentlessly. He repeatedly called her house and showed up places he knew she'd be. Emma was too nice to let him down roughly.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2bHxWwhdy..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R2bHxWwhdy..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Image credit: Finding Emma, The Fifth Estate</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />Julian Huard was infatuated with Emma, but he claims it was nothing more than a crush. He also says it was sheer coincidence that when Emma chose to move to Victoria, British Columbia in 2011, he moved to the area, as well, only a few months later. He "happened to" run into her on the street soon after.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4JclzioKQ..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I4JclzioKQ..." width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Emma worked briefly as a chef at a restaurant called Red Fish Blue Fish, but the work was seasonal. When the summer season ended at the end of October 2012, she told everyone she'd be back in the spring.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U3w9Lhs6I1..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U3w9Lhs6I1..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>Image credit: Finding Emma, The Fifth Estate</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, things already weren't going well for Emma. Her family didn't realize she'd been living at a women's shelter since February and in November, she was seen on security footage at a YMCA. She entered and exited the building six times, behaving as though someone was outside.</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5GqqxNEID..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5GqqxNEID..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>Image credit: Finding Emma, The Fifth Estate</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Her behavior during this time was reported as odd, both by her "admirer" Julien and workers at the women's shelter. The women's shelter workers said she moved a bunch of furniture from inside the shelter to the front lawn, complaining that the items were talking to her. </span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pe7JDmeqmB..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pe7JDmeqmB..." width="193" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Julien said the first time he ran into her, she seemed happy to see him but during subsequent run-ins, she was distant and cold. The final time he saw her, he claims to have made the decision to leave her alone because she seemed to not want anything to do with him.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWufk6K6eW..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zWufk6K6eW..." width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the day of her disappearance, November 28, 2012, Emma left the women's shelter early in the morning. Security footage captured her at 8:30 a.m. at a 7-Eleven, buying a $200 prepaid credit card.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zWEwa_mtRs..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zWEwa_mtRs..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>Image credit: Finding Emma, The Fifth Estate</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />That evening, she returned to the same store to buy a prepaid cell phone. Emma had never owned a cell phone before, so it was odd for her to suddenly buy one. After buying it, she didn't leave, though. She stood at the door, looking out, pacing back and forth.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IxSPh6LXle..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IxSPh6LXle..." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i>Image credit: Finding Emma, The Fifth Estate</i></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the days leading up to her disappearance, Emma had written in her journal that she felt like someone was following her. She finally left the store, but didn't get far. She got into a cab and asked to go to the airport, but said she didn't have the fare. (She did.) She had him drop her off near where he picked her up. She got out of the car. A man recognized her and saw her behavior as odd. She was standing at a crosswalk, refusing to cross, but looking around as though searching for someone.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lmeVjIr3IJ..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lmeVjIr3IJ..." width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After standing with her for a while, the man ducked into a nearby business and called the police. They showed up and interviewed her, but let her go when they saw no reason to detain her. Emma was never seen again.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UiRWGrD8ha..." imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UiRWGrD8ha..." width="308" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Perhaps most haunting are the words Emma herself wrote soon before disappearing:</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>to everyone</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>from dead Emma</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>hello</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>I figure someone will be on this computer at some point and will read this</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>okay, so I'm dead </i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>floating about on energy or not</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>watching dying stars, reviving stars</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>and dreaming milky dreams and shadow dancing on your timelines</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>or whatever</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>good luck everyheart</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>I love you</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>--Em</i></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">What do you think happened to Emma Fillipoff?</span>
May 3, 2017
IWSG: Researching Can Be Fun
It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means hundreds of us will be posting about our insecurities. If you haven't yet, join in. You'll be glad you did!
Each month we have a question. This month's question is:
What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?
This is an easy one for me. I landed my agent with a series about tweens who ghost hunt for fun. It came close to being bought, spending eight months with one big publisher who finally passed because by then the ghost hunting craze was dead...but a movie with the same title as my series came out in 2016:
I've never done more "research" than I did while I was writing my Ghost Patrol books. We took a day trip to see this haunted place in Kentucky:
We stayed in this haunted hotel and even did a little amateur ghost hunting. But the only thing going on there was a cross-dressing beauty pageant.
Taking it a step farther, I actually took a ghost-hunting class at a local community college. I learned that I'm probably never going to see a ghost...not sure why. But that doesn't stop me from being fascinated by them.
Video clip credit: Ghost Hunters
Have you ever done something fun in the name of "research?"
Each month we have a question. This month's question is:
What is the weirdest/coolest thing you ever had to research for your story?
This is an easy one for me. I landed my agent with a series about tweens who ghost hunt for fun. It came close to being bought, spending eight months with one big publisher who finally passed because by then the ghost hunting craze was dead...but a movie with the same title as my series came out in 2016:
I've never done more "research" than I did while I was writing my Ghost Patrol books. We took a day trip to see this haunted place in Kentucky:
We stayed in this haunted hotel and even did a little amateur ghost hunting. But the only thing going on there was a cross-dressing beauty pageant.
Taking it a step farther, I actually took a ghost-hunting class at a local community college. I learned that I'm probably never going to see a ghost...not sure why. But that doesn't stop me from being fascinated by them.
Video clip credit: Ghost Hunters
Have you ever done something fun in the name of "research?"
May 2, 2017
Open-Ended Stories: Guest Post by Olga Godim
Today is a very special day. Half the blogosphere has a new book out. To celebrate, the very talented Olga Godim is stopping by to discuss the challenges of writing a series. After reading his post, be sure to scroll down to read all about Hero Lost: Mysteries of Death and Life.
Open-Ended Stories
By Olda Godim
If you want to write a series of stories or make the world you created for one story fit for many others, you need to make that world open-ended. I don’t mean a cliff-hanger at the end of the current plot. No, I mean a potential for future conflict, consciously introduced by the writer. There are several ways to achieve such a goal. I’ll touch on the three that are used consistently in genre fiction.
1. A story set in a small business or a shop, with the proprietor as the protagonist. It could be a PI office, but it also could be a bakery or a book store or even a school. Every customer who comes through the door is a potential catalyst of a new story. Sometimes, the protagonist knows her visitors: neighbors, schoolmates, or friends. They have common interests and frequently swap gossips, and those gossip exchanges often set up story after story. Many mystery series follow this approach, while hardly any is set in Walmart or another retail or industrial giant. The corporate business model perceives all their employees and customers as faceless, uniform, and thus diminishes the open-ended potential of a small business.
2. Protagonists with large families. Historical romance writers often adhere to this route. They concoct families with a plethora of brothers, sisters, and cousins and then proceed to write a separate novel for each sibling. A variation of this method is a group of buddies instead of a family: officers from the same unit or members of the some ladies’ club. In this case, each member carries his own story.
3. Political instability. This is the domain of speculative fiction writers. They make up their own worlds and often draw maps of such worlds. Different countries on such maps have different rules and rulers, and the potential for conflict is bottomless. Racial discrimination – yes. Territorial aggression – yes. Treachery – yes. Religious persecution – yes. Succession squabbles – yes. Dragons vs. humans – sure. Magically animated cucumbers vs. kangaroos – why not. Inexperienced writers might want to cram all of the above into one story, but the more savvy wordsmiths reserve one conflict per one story and stretch a series into years and decades of writerly bliss. Going back in history in each of their imaginary countries on their imaginary maps provides them with even more material for new stories.
My short fantasy story Captain Bulat in the anthology Hero Lost combines a couple of the techniques mentioned above. My protagonist Altenay is a Finder. She uses her magic to find lost things and people. Small business approach qualifies, and every new client of hers might turn into a new story, if I wish it.
The second potential for conflict is Altenay’s ethnicity. She is a Bessar, an ethnical minority in the kingdom where she lives. She is not worried. Young and optimistic, she thinks that every neighbor is a nice guy, and nobody would stir trouble over her hair color or her choice of headwear. She might be wrong. I, her writer, am much more attuned to the people’s moods. I’m sure some of Altenay’s neighbors dislike Bessars in general and resent Altenay’s success in her business in particular. There might be ugly tribulations ahead of my heroine. I don’t know if I ever write another story about her, but if I do, I have already created the framework for new stories and new conflicts. Just in case.
Bio:
Olga is a writer and journalist from Vancouver, Canada. Both her children, a son and a daughter, have already flown the nest. To sustain her nurturing instincts, she now collects toy monkeys. She has over 300 monkey figurines in her collection. As a journalist, Olga writes personal profiles of the local artists, actors, and musicians. As a fiction writer, she prefers fantasy. In the past few years, her fantasy and magic realism short stories have been published in multiple internet and print magazines. Her book SQUIRREL OF MAGIC is a collection of urban fantasy short stories. Her novels EAGLE EN GARDE and ALMOST ADEPT are parts of her ongoing sword-and-sorcery fantasy series. In 2015, EAGLE EN GARDE won EPIC eBook Award in the Fantasy category.
Author Links:
Website and Blog | Goodreads | Wattpad | Twitter
Blurb:
Can a lost hero find redemption?
What if Death himself wanted to die? Can deliverance be found on a bloody battlefield? Could the gift of silvering become a prison for those who possessed it? Will an ancient warrior be forever the caretaker of a house of mystery?
Delving into the depths of the tortured hero, twelve authors explore the realms of fantasy in this enthralling and thought-provoking collection. Featuring the talents of Jen Chandler, L. Nahay, Renee Cheung, Roland Yeomans, Elizabeth Seckman, Olga Godim, Yvonne Ventresca, Ellen Jacobson, Sean McLachlan, Erika Beebe, Tyrean Martinson, and Sarah Foster.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these twelve tales will take you into the heart of heroes who have fallen from grace. Join the journey and discover a hero’s redemption!
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N
Open-Ended Stories
By Olda Godim
If you want to write a series of stories or make the world you created for one story fit for many others, you need to make that world open-ended. I don’t mean a cliff-hanger at the end of the current plot. No, I mean a potential for future conflict, consciously introduced by the writer. There are several ways to achieve such a goal. I’ll touch on the three that are used consistently in genre fiction.
1. A story set in a small business or a shop, with the proprietor as the protagonist. It could be a PI office, but it also could be a bakery or a book store or even a school. Every customer who comes through the door is a potential catalyst of a new story. Sometimes, the protagonist knows her visitors: neighbors, schoolmates, or friends. They have common interests and frequently swap gossips, and those gossip exchanges often set up story after story. Many mystery series follow this approach, while hardly any is set in Walmart or another retail or industrial giant. The corporate business model perceives all their employees and customers as faceless, uniform, and thus diminishes the open-ended potential of a small business.
2. Protagonists with large families. Historical romance writers often adhere to this route. They concoct families with a plethora of brothers, sisters, and cousins and then proceed to write a separate novel for each sibling. A variation of this method is a group of buddies instead of a family: officers from the same unit or members of the some ladies’ club. In this case, each member carries his own story.
3. Political instability. This is the domain of speculative fiction writers. They make up their own worlds and often draw maps of such worlds. Different countries on such maps have different rules and rulers, and the potential for conflict is bottomless. Racial discrimination – yes. Territorial aggression – yes. Treachery – yes. Religious persecution – yes. Succession squabbles – yes. Dragons vs. humans – sure. Magically animated cucumbers vs. kangaroos – why not. Inexperienced writers might want to cram all of the above into one story, but the more savvy wordsmiths reserve one conflict per one story and stretch a series into years and decades of writerly bliss. Going back in history in each of their imaginary countries on their imaginary maps provides them with even more material for new stories.
My short fantasy story Captain Bulat in the anthology Hero Lost combines a couple of the techniques mentioned above. My protagonist Altenay is a Finder. She uses her magic to find lost things and people. Small business approach qualifies, and every new client of hers might turn into a new story, if I wish it.
The second potential for conflict is Altenay’s ethnicity. She is a Bessar, an ethnical minority in the kingdom where she lives. She is not worried. Young and optimistic, she thinks that every neighbor is a nice guy, and nobody would stir trouble over her hair color or her choice of headwear. She might be wrong. I, her writer, am much more attuned to the people’s moods. I’m sure some of Altenay’s neighbors dislike Bessars in general and resent Altenay’s success in her business in particular. There might be ugly tribulations ahead of my heroine. I don’t know if I ever write another story about her, but if I do, I have already created the framework for new stories and new conflicts. Just in case.
Bio:
Olga is a writer and journalist from Vancouver, Canada. Both her children, a son and a daughter, have already flown the nest. To sustain her nurturing instincts, she now collects toy monkeys. She has over 300 monkey figurines in her collection. As a journalist, Olga writes personal profiles of the local artists, actors, and musicians. As a fiction writer, she prefers fantasy. In the past few years, her fantasy and magic realism short stories have been published in multiple internet and print magazines. Her book SQUIRREL OF MAGIC is a collection of urban fantasy short stories. Her novels EAGLE EN GARDE and ALMOST ADEPT are parts of her ongoing sword-and-sorcery fantasy series. In 2015, EAGLE EN GARDE won EPIC eBook Award in the Fantasy category.
Author Links:
Website and Blog | Goodreads | Wattpad | Twitter
Blurb:
Can a lost hero find redemption?
What if Death himself wanted to die? Can deliverance be found on a bloody battlefield? Could the gift of silvering become a prison for those who possessed it? Will an ancient warrior be forever the caretaker of a house of mystery?
Delving into the depths of the tortured hero, twelve authors explore the realms of fantasy in this enthralling and thought-provoking collection. Featuring the talents of Jen Chandler, L. Nahay, Renee Cheung, Roland Yeomans, Elizabeth Seckman, Olga Godim, Yvonne Ventresca, Ellen Jacobson, Sean McLachlan, Erika Beebe, Tyrean Martinson, and Sarah Foster.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these twelve tales will take you into the heart of heroes who have fallen from grace. Join the journey and discover a hero’s redemption!
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N
May 1, 2017
Mystery Monday: The Missing Sodder Children
It's Monday, which means it's time for another...
***Warning: Today's mystery involves children.***
The date was December 24th, 1945. Like many families, the Sodder family opened their gifts on Christmas Eve. The three youngest children--Martha (12), Jennie (8), and Betty (5)--were so excited about their gifts, they asked to stay up late to play with them. They were told they could stay awake until the two oldest children--Maurice (14) and Louis (9)--went to bed. There were four other children, but one was staying with a friend that night.
Parents George and Jennie went to bed. At 12:30 a.m., Jennie was awoken by a ringing phone. She went downstairs to answer it. On the other end of the line was a woman, asking for the name of someone she didn't recognize. Jennie could hear clinking glasses in the background. She noticed the curtains had not been drawn and the lights were still on--two chores the children would normally have taken care of before retiring to the attic where they slept.
Jennie with her son John
Around 1 a.m., Jennie woke once again after hearing the sound of something hitting the roof. It was followed by a rolling sound. Approximately 30 minutes later, she smelled smoke. When she investigated and found one of the empty rooms was on fire, she woke her husband and they evacuated with three of the children. However, five of the children were still upstairs and they couldn’t get to them because the stairway was on fire.
George and Jennie Sodder did everything they could to get to the children. They tried to get help by phone. George tried to smash a window, managing to cut himself in the process. All efforts to save them failed.
The home burned for more than six hours before the fire department finally arrived. In the rubble that remained, no sign of the missing five children were found. While many people think of cremation, a house fire doesn’t burn hot enough to completely cremate a body — bones and skeletons should have remained. They were simply missing.
The site was investigated and examined many times over the years, with no sign of the children. The parents are convinced they were kidnapped that night, with the fire set to disguise the crime. Up until their deaths in 1969 and 1989, George and Jennie believed their children were still alive. They maintained this billboard in the hopes it would lead to answers:
What do you think happened to the Sodder children?
***Warning: Today's mystery involves children.***
The date was December 24th, 1945. Like many families, the Sodder family opened their gifts on Christmas Eve. The three youngest children--Martha (12), Jennie (8), and Betty (5)--were so excited about their gifts, they asked to stay up late to play with them. They were told they could stay awake until the two oldest children--Maurice (14) and Louis (9)--went to bed. There were four other children, but one was staying with a friend that night.
Parents George and Jennie went to bed. At 12:30 a.m., Jennie was awoken by a ringing phone. She went downstairs to answer it. On the other end of the line was a woman, asking for the name of someone she didn't recognize. Jennie could hear clinking glasses in the background. She noticed the curtains had not been drawn and the lights were still on--two chores the children would normally have taken care of before retiring to the attic where they slept.
Jennie with her son JohnAround 1 a.m., Jennie woke once again after hearing the sound of something hitting the roof. It was followed by a rolling sound. Approximately 30 minutes later, she smelled smoke. When she investigated and found one of the empty rooms was on fire, she woke her husband and they evacuated with three of the children. However, five of the children were still upstairs and they couldn’t get to them because the stairway was on fire.
George and Jennie Sodder did everything they could to get to the children. They tried to get help by phone. George tried to smash a window, managing to cut himself in the process. All efforts to save them failed.
The home burned for more than six hours before the fire department finally arrived. In the rubble that remained, no sign of the missing five children were found. While many people think of cremation, a house fire doesn’t burn hot enough to completely cremate a body — bones and skeletons should have remained. They were simply missing.
The site was investigated and examined many times over the years, with no sign of the children. The parents are convinced they were kidnapped that night, with the fire set to disguise the crime. Up until their deaths in 1969 and 1989, George and Jennie believed their children were still alive. They maintained this billboard in the hopes it would lead to answers:
What do you think happened to the Sodder children?
April 28, 2017
Best Books of April
Spring is here, bringing plenty of time to sit outside and read. Since it's the last Friday of the month, it's time to tell you all about the great books I read this month.
First up is this fun book from one of my co-writers on my upcoming book Best. Night. Ever. I love Alison Cherry's writing, and I know you will, too!
In Willows vs. Wolverines, pranks are the name of the game. But Izzy's desire to fit in has her telling a bit of a fib about her brother. When her cabinmates won't take her prank suggestions seriously, she tells them that her brother is the king of pranks, having earned a reputation as a legend. The pranks were off-the-hook fun in this one, but there's also an underlying message about the cost of popularity and the importance of honoring real friendships.
Next up is this fun read by a rare specimen in children's middle grade fiction: a male author. Not only is Brooks Benjamin's title captivating, but check out this eye-catching cover!
My Seventh-Grade Life in Tights introduces us to Dillon, a lovable seventh grader who just wants to dance. It seems everything is working against him in reaching that goal, though, including a dad who wants him to play football. But he sees his chance when he hears about a very important audition and his friends sign off on him giving it a shot. Of course, there's a catch--after his audition, he's supposed to speak out against the cause. I love the fact that this MG book shows just how difficult and athletic dancing really is. You'll be hooked on this one from the first page!
I was reading Beth Ellyn Summer's blog before she sold her first book. So you can imagine how excited I was to be able to load it onto my Kindle earlier this month!
In At First Blush, we meet Lacey, who takes us along on an internship at a fashion magazine. Lacey is a beauty vlogger on YouTube, where she offers makeup tutorials. Her internship gives her plenty of one-on-one time with a famous pop star named Tyler, who seems to have a crush on her. Books like these take me back to adolescence, when I loved reading books about young girls who go on big-city adventures. I only wish it had been around 30 years ago!
I was excited to read the next book from the moment I heard the premise. Karen Helene Walker has gathered a group of highly-talented authors to reflect on aging.
I actually learned from Still Me, and I'm not so young myself! The overriding theme of this book is that no matter how old you get, you don't really feel that age. Writers battle the war between missing their younger skin, joints, and vitality and embracing the comfort they feel with who they are. These essays are inspiring...and they make you realize you have a lot to look forward to. As one author quoted, considering the alternative, aging isn't too bad at all!
By now, I know that when I download a Medeia Sharif book, I'm going to love it. She's not only prolific, but she's megatalented. Her latest book is an intense thriller with a premise that draws you in.
Girl Without a Face is my favorite kind of thriller: the kind that keeps you guessing until the end! At the beginning of the book, Destiny gets into a car accident that leads to amnesia. Over the course of the book, though, we begin to see that some ominous clues and we start to realize things aren't as they seem. It just takes Destiny a little longer to realize it. A riveting read no matter what age you are.
What's the best book you read in April?
First up is this fun book from one of my co-writers on my upcoming book Best. Night. Ever. I love Alison Cherry's writing, and I know you will, too!
In Willows vs. Wolverines, pranks are the name of the game. But Izzy's desire to fit in has her telling a bit of a fib about her brother. When her cabinmates won't take her prank suggestions seriously, she tells them that her brother is the king of pranks, having earned a reputation as a legend. The pranks were off-the-hook fun in this one, but there's also an underlying message about the cost of popularity and the importance of honoring real friendships.
Next up is this fun read by a rare specimen in children's middle grade fiction: a male author. Not only is Brooks Benjamin's title captivating, but check out this eye-catching cover!
My Seventh-Grade Life in Tights introduces us to Dillon, a lovable seventh grader who just wants to dance. It seems everything is working against him in reaching that goal, though, including a dad who wants him to play football. But he sees his chance when he hears about a very important audition and his friends sign off on him giving it a shot. Of course, there's a catch--after his audition, he's supposed to speak out against the cause. I love the fact that this MG book shows just how difficult and athletic dancing really is. You'll be hooked on this one from the first page!
I was reading Beth Ellyn Summer's blog before she sold her first book. So you can imagine how excited I was to be able to load it onto my Kindle earlier this month!
In At First Blush, we meet Lacey, who takes us along on an internship at a fashion magazine. Lacey is a beauty vlogger on YouTube, where she offers makeup tutorials. Her internship gives her plenty of one-on-one time with a famous pop star named Tyler, who seems to have a crush on her. Books like these take me back to adolescence, when I loved reading books about young girls who go on big-city adventures. I only wish it had been around 30 years ago!
I was excited to read the next book from the moment I heard the premise. Karen Helene Walker has gathered a group of highly-talented authors to reflect on aging.
I actually learned from Still Me, and I'm not so young myself! The overriding theme of this book is that no matter how old you get, you don't really feel that age. Writers battle the war between missing their younger skin, joints, and vitality and embracing the comfort they feel with who they are. These essays are inspiring...and they make you realize you have a lot to look forward to. As one author quoted, considering the alternative, aging isn't too bad at all!
By now, I know that when I download a Medeia Sharif book, I'm going to love it. She's not only prolific, but she's megatalented. Her latest book is an intense thriller with a premise that draws you in.
Girl Without a Face is my favorite kind of thriller: the kind that keeps you guessing until the end! At the beginning of the book, Destiny gets into a car accident that leads to amnesia. Over the course of the book, though, we begin to see that some ominous clues and we start to realize things aren't as they seem. It just takes Destiny a little longer to realize it. A riveting read no matter what age you are.
What's the best book you read in April?
April 26, 2017
The Claw vs. The Granny
As I listened to yet another millennial ridicule the way we wore our hair in the 80s, I found myself sighing out loud. She even referred to it by a name I'd never heard before: The Kansas Claw.
The claw referred to that thing we did to the top of our head. It was shaped like a claw, I guess? Most of us were aiming more for something that looked like Blair Warner:
Yes, I get it. We looked ridiculous. But do we look any more ridiculous than they did in the 70s?
Or the 90s?
And what were young men to their hair doing a few years ago?
Flash forward to today when young women are intentionally doing this to themselves:
I'm not saying any one haircut is better than the other. I'm saying that you can't tell us we're the only generation to look back at our fashions and hairstyles years later and say:
What do you think is the worst hairstyle of all time?
The claw referred to that thing we did to the top of our head. It was shaped like a claw, I guess? Most of us were aiming more for something that looked like Blair Warner:
Yes, I get it. We looked ridiculous. But do we look any more ridiculous than they did in the 70s?
Or the 90s?
And what were young men to their hair doing a few years ago?
Flash forward to today when young women are intentionally doing this to themselves:
I'm not saying any one haircut is better than the other. I'm saying that you can't tell us we're the only generation to look back at our fashions and hairstyles years later and say:
What do you think is the worst hairstyle of all time?
April 25, 2017
Introducing Project Best Friend by Chrissie Perry
Today's book birthday is more of a "relocation." A very adorable, spunky, beloved character in Australia is coming to America. Penelope Perfect is a fun chapter book series by Chrissie Perry about a girl who just wants to be perfect. I can't wait to start reading this series!
Blurb:
Penelope Kingston tries to convince the new girl in town to become her best friend in this charming start to the brand-new Penelope Perfect chapter book series.
Penelope Kingston wants to be perfect. And most of the time she is good, sensible, and calm. But then sometimes Penelope is bossy, angry, and frustrated. She is never quite sure which side of her personality is going to be stronger on any given day.
But there’s one part of her life that is definitely not perfect: she doesn’t have a best friend. It is time for Penelope to get a best friend of her own.
But it isn’t easy finding a best friend, and it definitely isn’t easy trying to be perfect all of the time. Penelope learns that sometimes the best idea is to forget to try!
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N
Bio:
Chrissie Perry is the author of over thirty books for children and young adults, including thirteen books in the popular Go Girl series and the award-winning Whisper. She lives in St. Kilda with her husband, three children. Like Penelope Kingston, Chrissie believes it’s great to aim for excellence. But she also has a sneaking suspicion that going with the flow every now and then can also work out just fine.
Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Goodreads
Blurb:
Penelope Kingston tries to convince the new girl in town to become her best friend in this charming start to the brand-new Penelope Perfect chapter book series.
Penelope Kingston wants to be perfect. And most of the time she is good, sensible, and calm. But then sometimes Penelope is bossy, angry, and frustrated. She is never quite sure which side of her personality is going to be stronger on any given day.
But there’s one part of her life that is definitely not perfect: she doesn’t have a best friend. It is time for Penelope to get a best friend of her own.
But it isn’t easy finding a best friend, and it definitely isn’t easy trying to be perfect all of the time. Penelope learns that sometimes the best idea is to forget to try!
Buy Links:
Amazon | B&N
Bio:
Chrissie Perry is the author of over thirty books for children and young adults, including thirteen books in the popular Go Girl series and the award-winning Whisper. She lives in St. Kilda with her husband, three children. Like Penelope Kingston, Chrissie believes it’s great to aim for excellence. But she also has a sneaking suspicion that going with the flow every now and then can also work out just fine.Author Links:
Website | Facebook | Goodreads
April 24, 2017
Mystery Monday: Heather Uffelman
It's Monday, which means it's time for another...
When you love true crime, as I do, you'll find you're often asked if you have any hometown crime stories. My own hometown was relatively boring. However, I do have a crime story that comes a little too close to home. This story takes us back to the early 90s, when I was in college here:
Jeremy Rolfs managed the student TV station, complete with nightly newscasts and original programming. I won't say our broadcasts were anything you'd want to watch...they were on the amateurish side. But Jeremy was a talented supergenius who kept things running smoothly.
Jeremy Rolfs
In my senior year, Jeremy fell in love with another student who worked at the station. Her name was Heather Uffelman and she was one of the nicest people you'd ever meet. They soon were engaged.
Heather Uffelman
In September of 1992, Jeremy was working for a Nashville music video company when he was asked to deliver some equipment to a man named Tom Johnson. Tom had responded to an ad and wanted Jeremy to meet him at a Knights Inn in Marietta, Georgia so that he could purchase it.
Jeremy and Heather arrived at the motel at 7:30. Tom said his partner hadn't shown up yet with the check, so Jeremy and Heather went to breakfast. When they returned at 8 a.m., the business partner still wasn't on site, so Tom suggested they load the equipment in his car. Afterward, they stood in his hotel room, chitchatting for a while, before Tom suddenly pulled out a gun.
Composite of Tom Johnson via Unsolved Mysteries
After forcing them to roll themselves in bedsheets, Tom beat the two of them with a hammer before cleaning the dresser in case there were fingerprints. He ran from the room, leaving the two for dead.
Heather died from her injuries, but Jeremy survived. After an appearance on Unsolved Mysteries where his identity was concealed, he joined the Peace Corps. Sadly, in 1997, Jeremy died in a car accident in South Africa. The other driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel.
Heather's murder was never solved. However, less than two years later, a couple was vacationing in Nashville when the wife was approached by a man offering to help the husband land a record deal. Kellie and Robb Phillips apparently fell for the ruse because later, when he showed up at their hotel room, they let him in.
Robb and Kellie Phillips
He tied Robb up, beat him to death, then sexually assaulted Kellie and beat her to death, as well. His name? TOM Steeples. His occupation? He owned a computer company in Nashville. The equipment he was buying from Jeremy and Heather the day he assaulted them? A computer.
Tom Steeples was arrested for Robb and Kellie's murder and later committed suicide in jail. I'd like to believe the police checked for connections with Heather and Jeremy's case. What do you think?
When you love true crime, as I do, you'll find you're often asked if you have any hometown crime stories. My own hometown was relatively boring. However, I do have a crime story that comes a little too close to home. This story takes us back to the early 90s, when I was in college here:
Jeremy Rolfs managed the student TV station, complete with nightly newscasts and original programming. I won't say our broadcasts were anything you'd want to watch...they were on the amateurish side. But Jeremy was a talented supergenius who kept things running smoothly.
Jeremy Rolfs
In my senior year, Jeremy fell in love with another student who worked at the station. Her name was Heather Uffelman and she was one of the nicest people you'd ever meet. They soon were engaged.
Heather Uffelman
In September of 1992, Jeremy was working for a Nashville music video company when he was asked to deliver some equipment to a man named Tom Johnson. Tom had responded to an ad and wanted Jeremy to meet him at a Knights Inn in Marietta, Georgia so that he could purchase it.
Jeremy and Heather arrived at the motel at 7:30. Tom said his partner hadn't shown up yet with the check, so Jeremy and Heather went to breakfast. When they returned at 8 a.m., the business partner still wasn't on site, so Tom suggested they load the equipment in his car. Afterward, they stood in his hotel room, chitchatting for a while, before Tom suddenly pulled out a gun.
Composite of Tom Johnson via Unsolved Mysteries
After forcing them to roll themselves in bedsheets, Tom beat the two of them with a hammer before cleaning the dresser in case there were fingerprints. He ran from the room, leaving the two for dead.
Heather died from her injuries, but Jeremy survived. After an appearance on Unsolved Mysteries where his identity was concealed, he joined the Peace Corps. Sadly, in 1997, Jeremy died in a car accident in South Africa. The other driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel.
Heather's murder was never solved. However, less than two years later, a couple was vacationing in Nashville when the wife was approached by a man offering to help the husband land a record deal. Kellie and Robb Phillips apparently fell for the ruse because later, when he showed up at their hotel room, they let him in.
Robb and Kellie Phillips
He tied Robb up, beat him to death, then sexually assaulted Kellie and beat her to death, as well. His name? TOM Steeples. His occupation? He owned a computer company in Nashville. The equipment he was buying from Jeremy and Heather the day he assaulted them? A computer.
Tom Steeples was arrested for Robb and Kellie's murder and later committed suicide in jail. I'd like to believe the police checked for connections with Heather and Jeremy's case. What do you think?
April 19, 2017
Kick-Ass Girls of YA Blog Hop
Today I'm participating in a fun blog hop hosted by Fire & Ice YA Books. The challenge? Write a blog about a kick-ass woman in young adult fiction--either one that currently exists, one we're creating, or one we'd like to see.
I'm cheating a tad bit...my kick-ass heroine is from a middle grade book. But it fits because I'd like to see something like this portrayed more often in YA. It is an issue that affects so many young girls and women: weight.
I've chosen Celeste, the 13-year-old heroine of this book:
In Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies, Celeste has a dilemma. She's always been an overeater, relying on oversized clothing to disguise her excess weight. When her mom signs her up for a modeling challenge for overweight girls, she launches a plan: lose weight so she'll no longer qualify for the pageant.
Why is Celeste a kick-ass heroine? Because she resists delicious cookies and battles a real-world problem so many of us face every single day.
Anyone who can fight the battle to be healthy and WIN is my total hero. If you write YA, please, please, please create heroines like Celeste!
Below is the linky list. Be sure to visit the other blogs participating today!
I'm cheating a tad bit...my kick-ass heroine is from a middle grade book. But it fits because I'd like to see something like this portrayed more often in YA. It is an issue that affects so many young girls and women: weight.
I've chosen Celeste, the 13-year-old heroine of this book:
In Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies, Celeste has a dilemma. She's always been an overeater, relying on oversized clothing to disguise her excess weight. When her mom signs her up for a modeling challenge for overweight girls, she launches a plan: lose weight so she'll no longer qualify for the pageant.
Why is Celeste a kick-ass heroine? Because she resists delicious cookies and battles a real-world problem so many of us face every single day.
Anyone who can fight the battle to be healthy and WIN is my total hero. If you write YA, please, please, please create heroines like Celeste!
Below is the linky list. Be sure to visit the other blogs participating today!
