S.K. Nicholls's Blog, page 44
July 7, 2014
Red Clay and Roses Proceeds to go to The Russell Home for Atypical Children
All future proceeds from book sales of Red Clay and Roses will be donated to The Russell Home for Atypical Children. Most of my readers know that my mother died when I was age eight, I lived in foster homes, and then The Ethel Harpst Home for Children and Youth in Cedartown, GA.
For several weeks, I searched the Orlando area for a similar type children’s group home and found none. There is a thrift store run by The Russell Home near my daughter’s house. We shop there and always buy our Christmas trees from them. I got information from them and toured the facility last week.
Ideally, atypical children are best served in their own homes. I worked pediatric extended care for eight years as a registered nurse and know that there are some situations when that simply is not possible. Foster Homes for children with special needs are not easily found. Some need a permanent home and some need a temporary residence.
The Russell Home for atypical children was established sixty years ago. Vaguely familiar with them from donating bicycles and furniture, I have learned a lot about their services. Started by Mrs. Vantrease “Grandma” Russell, who died in 2003, it operates without any government support. It is now run by her heirs. The Home is the only private, non-profit facility of its kind for severely handicapped children in Central Florida. In addition to your thoughts and prayers, cash contributions are their primary means of support.
Red Clay and Roses was published in March 2013. With the December promo through Ereader News Today, the book finally earned enough to pay for the costs of publishing. I am a retired nurse and write as a hobby. If the hobby should blossom into something more that would be great, but it is not a goal for me. The point is now that the book has paid for itself, I would like the money earned by the book to go to a worthy cause and I believe The Russell Home is most certainly worthy.
Last night, my husband and I sat down and discussed our charitable contributions that we make every year, along with our finances. We decided to MATCH book sales with our own personal pledge. The combined total will be contributed to The Russell Home quarterly.
As author, it puts a serious purpose behind promoting the book. A promotional started today through Ereader News Today, so buying your copy now also means you will be supporting this organization. Just 99 cents!
If you would like to donate more you can HERE!
Help spread the word!
You can tour the facility here:
Buy the book here:
July 6, 2014
Summertime Sale: Red Clay and Roses
I have been planning a summertime sale of Red Clay and Roses for over a month now and wanted it to coincide with a promotional I am doing with Ereader News Today. It took a while to reschedule with them because I was out of town the last time they approved a promo and missed their email, so it was cancelled.
The sale officially begins tomorrow, but the sale price has already been set! Red Clay and Roses is on sale for 99 cents! This sale will last a week, but ENT gets a cut on the first two days of the sale. With a 35% royalty and ENT getting a cut, I don’t plan on buying a new car with the proceeds, or anything like that, but I did want to let you know about the sale in case you have an interest in picking up the book.
Blurb:
A fictionalized true story of life in the Deep South during the time of Jim Crow Law, and before Roe vs. Wade. Women were supposed to keep quiet and serve, abortion was illegal, adoption difficult, and racism rampant. The discovery of an old ledger opens a window into the dynamics of the 1950s-60s.
Unspoken secrets are shared between Beatrice, The Good Doctor’s wife, and Moses Grier, their black handyman. The Grier’s daughter, Althea, suffers a tragedy that leaves her family silent and mournful. Her brother, Nathan, a medical student, looks for answers from a community that is deaf, blind, and dumb.
A summer romance between Nathan and Sybil, an independent, high-spirited, white woman, leaves more unresolved. Nathan is thrust into the center of the Civil Rights Movement. Sybil is torn between living the mundane life of her peers, or a life that involves fastening herself to a taboo relationship. Witness social progress through the eyes of those who lived it!
Red Clay and Roses is a roman à clef . Pronounced romanaclay, Wikipedia defines a roman à clef as, “A novel about real life, overlaid with a façade of fiction.” The technique was used historically in writing about controversial topics and/or reporting inside information of scandals without giving rise to charges of libel; the opportunity to turn the tale the way the author would like it to have gone; the opportunity to portray personal, autobiographical experiences without having to expose the author as the subject; avoiding self-incrimination or incrimination of others that could be used as evidence in civil, criminal, or disciplinary proceedings; and the settling of scores.
Being a fictionalized true story based on personal family member’s lives, I promised that I would not use real photographs to portray my characters. Sybil is a cousin in real life. For giggles and grins, I once did a casting call for the movie using popular actors and actresses today.
I got on the internet a while ago and tried to find a 1950s entertainer that I thought best represented Sybil Hamilton, a main character in the book, and came up with Peggy Lee. Her hair styles remind me of the images I had of young Sybil in my mind as I wrote the story.
Peggy Lee was a an actress/singer and her work includes the soundtrack for Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp.” All of her recordings are bluesy and jazzy, like the music of the era I listened to while I was writing. Enjoy.
If you haven’t read it yet, pick up your copy today.
Reviews are appreciated.
RED CLAY AND ROSES
July 5, 2014
Book Review for Rosie’s Challenge: Business As Usual by E.L. Lindley
The perils of the human trafficking underworld and prostitution get a close examination in this book. It is book one of the Georgia Connelly series.
This was a refreshingly clever change from typical police procedural, detective, private investigator type crime fiction. Georgie Connelly’s business is making documentary films with some seriously dangerous subjects. A British woman in Los Angeles, she is a bit of a loose cannon and tough as nails, but has a soft and vulnerable side wherein she displays her insecurities. Her heart is pure, even though she can come off as brassy, sarcastic and insensitive, she means well. The cast of characters that surrounds her is well rounded and interesting. James Finn, a former military man assigned to protect her, tries desperately to predict and understand her behaviors. Her friends are like family, loyal and supportive. The antagonists are ruthless and cruel, despicable.
The plot starts off with Georgie having to do community service work as a teacher due to her alcohol issues. She likes her wine. A teenage boy confides in her that his female friend is missing. There is one disaster after another. Georgie uses her documentary/journalism skills in an effort to expose Max Petrov, a Russian gentleman’s club owner, while being hunted down by a psycho from a previous documentary.
I enjoyed this book immensely. It started off slow for a crime thriller and I thought it was going to be more of a cozy mystery, but around 10% the action kicked in and it DID NOT lull at all throughout the entire book. There is a camp that says all crime novels should start off immediately with a bang in the midst of an action scene. It is a tradeoff, really. The character development in this novel is superb. The plot is an intelligent weave of colorful threads with both knots and bows. There are a few typos and repetitive adjectives, but the story was very well written and well organized. I highly recommend if you are looking for a fast paced, interesting, and absorbing read.
Five out of Five Stars
Amazon.com
Business As Usual (The Georgie Connelly Stories Book 1)
Amazon.CA
Business As Usual (The Georgie Connelly Stories Book 1)
Filed under: Book Reviews and Books Tagged: Business As Usual by E.L. Lindley, clever, crime fiction, exotic dancing, gentleman's club, Georgie Connelly, human trafficking, prostitution, series, unique
July 1, 2014
Got Shining Approval From Alpha Reader on First Chapter: Naked Alliances
I’m so excited I have to share. *giggles*
The rocket scientist read my rewrite of chapter one and he said, “This is great!” He went on to say that it really changed his perspective on the interrelation of the two plot lines. He really likes it!
I tightened it up and was able to work the first chapter in a way that it not only starts off with intense action, but introduces both the murder mystery and crime thriller at the very beginning. This way, you are not reading through to chapter three before ever getting into the crime thriller part. Originally, I had started off with info about the cold case. It was interesting, but did not have the necessary punch to grab a reader and pull them into the story.
A bonus is that four main characters are introduced in the first chapter, so you get to know them all from the very beginning.
This will make for a much better “Look Inside”.
I started off planning a prologue, and wrote what ended up being a complete character profile of Cara Kieu and her history. It did NOT work at all, but gave me some really good ideas for a chase scene.
I scrapped it and started reworking the first chapter. It has guns, villains, the P.I., a high speed car chase, Brandi, Cara, the murder victim’s surviving husband, and introduces both cases in 2793 action packed and informative words. There’s also a small amount of revision to be done in subsequent chapters, so it does NOT necessitate a major rewrite.
AND, most significantly, the alpha reader loves it! :)
Okay, I’m done. *breathes*
Now for this entertaining commercial break:
An important message about gun safety!
Filed under: Uncategorized, Writing Process/WIPs Tagged: alpha reader, chapter one, crime fiction, crime thriller, improvement, look inside, murder mystery, Naked Alliances, rewrite, The Naked Eye Series
June 30, 2014
Love: Lost and Found is now available on Kindle!
Another poetry collection is ready by Pamela Beckford! Pick up your copy today!
Originally posted on Poetry by Pamela:
I’m thrilled to announce that my new book is now available on Kindle. There are over 90 poems representing over ten different forms of poetry. Filled with angst and longing, as well as exhilaration and joy. Love: Lost and Found is sure to please lovers.
Only $1.99 and ready to 1-click today. Spread the word, buy the book, write a review. But mostly, enjoy the variety of poems of love.
Pamela Beckford began writing poetry just one year ago. She has delved into various forms and enjoys painting pictures with words. An avid reader, writing has been a great creative release for Pamela.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Value of a Prologue
My writers’ group challenge for the next two weeks is to write a prologue. I am not so fond of long ones myself. Sometimes they bore me and I just want to get on with the story, but sometimes they entice me to read more.
I have two started for my WIP, but not sure if I will actually use one on this crime novel.
I do have a question for you though. (Or three or four.)
Would you rather read a prologue that gives you back story and history on a character that would give that character more depth, or would you like to see an action scene involving that character?
A) Cara Kieu came from Vietnam. I thought about a prologue that tells her story. It was a perilous journey, which brought her into an even more perilous current situation.
B) Cara is also an ancillary character (really one of the main characters of this particular book in the series, but she isn’t the MC or his sidekick). I could open with an action scene that demonstrates how she ended up at the gay club.
What do you think?
Her story, or the action scene?
C) Do you think I should work on a scene that maybe includes elements of both?
What is the purpose of a prologue to you?
Is it different as a reader than as a writer?
Entice the reader to read more, or fill in the blanks?
I know, I know, lots of questions. Always your student.
Filed under: Writing Process/WIPs Tagged: action scene, back story, Cara Kieu, Prologue, purpose, writers' group challenge 
June 29, 2014
Book review challenge series – Ionia Martin
More great reviewer tips and more great books to choose from! Pick one for review. They are free!
Originally posted on Rosie Amber:
Day 5
Today our guest is book reviewer extraordinaire Ionia Martin. Please join me in welcoming her to the blog. Plus we have author Adrienne Vaughan’s views on the importance of book reviews, posting a review to Amazon and gearing up to write your own review.
1) Where can readers and writers find your blog?
You can find me at http://readfulthingsblog.com
2) Where do you post your book reviews as well as your blog?
It depends on the book, but I usually cross-post to Amazon.com US and UK as well as posting to Facebook, Linked-in, Goodreads and Twitter. If the author has a publisher site I will sometimes post there too.
3) What type of books will you consider for review?
I don’t do sci-fi books. Otherwise, I accept almost anything that doesn’t include graphic material. If a 15 year old couldn’t read it without blushing or getting sick, I…
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Filed under: Uncategorized
June 27, 2014
Finding Independence at Forty
Independence Day is just around the corner and this is the time when we are supposed to celebrate living in a democratic society and the freedoms we declared coming out from under British rule.
Funny, I never think of that. I always think of my own personal struggle for independence.
I was officially emancipated at the age of fifteen. A ward of the state, I had a wage paying job, a pregnancy, and a marriage that indicated that I was prepared for independent living. HA! Yes, laugh.
The job lasted six months, the pregnancy nine, and the marriage seventeen.
Life got better. I got a college degree in nursing, other jobs, another marriage, had two more children.
Then, the kids grew up. The husband became strange(r). We got divorced. Trust me, it needed to happen.
I could have stayed in the area, but I opted to come to Florida to be near to supportive family. It was a culture shock. From conservative, small town, U.S.A., to a nudist resort in a diverse community where “anything goes” was the rule. Finding yourself at age thirty-six, the prime of your life, single, with a good paying career, in a Florida resort sounds like heaven. I was sipping pina coladas in the sunshine, for about two weeks. It gets old faster than you think.
BTW: Being a nudist does not imply low morals and no self-respect, just in case you are wondering.
I had my independence. I could pay my own bills, manage my own bank account. Not be responsible for somebody else’s crap. I could come and go at liberty. My responsibilities were my own. But I was alone. I had fallen off the edge of the earth.
For the first three years I sat in my house and listened to the clock tick. I had one five month relationship that ended when I learned the guy replaced his dying wife’s cardiotonic with herbal vitamins in an effort to hasten her death. Seriously, shit gets scary.
I had left a world of social structure that included being soccer mom, Girl Scout cookie chairperson, Den Mother, youth group chaperone, softball coach, Varsity Cheerleader mom, Tae Kwon Do mom, PTO & Church secretary, Women’s League co-chairlady farmer’s wife… those All American roles that had made me who I was, and became simply me. All of the things the other women my age were doing were gone.
Being a single woman in your mid-thirties is challenging. Being independent also meant I could pick and choose my company, but that was not as easy as it sounds. I hung out at Cheeks, the bar and grille at Cypress Cove, and found most of the men to be superficial and shallow. They were there for a good time. I wanted more for myself. But I was 500 miles from home and becoming single for the first time in my adult life, had no clue how to proceed.
After three years, I finally decided to venture out alone. I would go to restaurants alone, and feel like everyone was staring at me sitting there with no partner…the poor girl who probably got stood up. I would take in a movie, sit in the rear…and watch the backs of pairs of heads leaning against each other. AND I cried in these places, real tears of loneliness and despair.
I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and go out to meet people of my own age. Where? I had fallen out with the Church. I won’t go into that here, but that was not an option. There were bars and clubs and volunteer organizations, where I could meet people who; perhaps, shared my own interests. I joined a canoe club, a waterways cleanup crew, The Wilderness Trekkers, the Audubon Society, and Artist’s League…and waited on them to post their next meeting dates. Meanwhile, I was going to brave the world and go out, alone.
One night, I left Cypress Cove, way out in the wilderness, and went to downtown Orlando for the very first time, alone. I found a cute little Irish Pub with a Peter, Paul, and Mary band singing folk music. I ordered a drink and sipped it for an hour. There was a man at the bar. An American Indian with nicely chiseled features, long black hair, and suntanned skin standing there in a suit coat looking like he was saying, “Come with me and my wolf to traipse through the forest of my world.” Our eyes met. He sent me a second drink. Within a few minutes he was seated at my table and we were talking about Florida wildlife and sixties music, books we had read and movies. I had finally met somebody interesting.
He asked if I had dinner yet. I had not. He offered to take me to a deli downtown. Not knowing anything about where I was going in Orlando or the parking provided, I left my car blocks away in the public parking garage. He was parked in a lot just outside the pub. I agreed to join him. (Mistake number one: never get in the car with strangers. Didn’t your mother teach you that when you were four?”)
We rode away, up and down unfamiliar city streets to a quaint little deli. As small as it was, it was crowded, and I thought he was really nice to take me somewhere so popular. The waitress came and I ordered food. I thought it was strange he had invited me to dinner, but only ordered coffee for himself. It was getting late and the crowd began to thin as I was finishing up my simple sandwich meal. He looked at me and said,
“Look, you’re thirty-something, I’m thirty something. We’re obviously attracted to each other. We’re adults here. What will it be, my place or yours?”
“Well, this is very nice,” I said softly, “But I’d really like to get to know you better. We’ve just met.”
With that, he stood up and started screaming, “That’s it! I’m done! You women are all alike!” Heads turned in our direction. People stopped eating and stared. “We buy you drinks and dinner, and you always want more. More dinners, more drinks, more stuff. I’m outta here!” He threw down his napkin and proceeded toward the door. “Find somebody else to take advantage of!” he yelled back over his shoulder as he pushed through the door.
I sat for a few seconds smiling at the onlookers. Then, to the clerk who had come out from behind the counter to sweep the floor, “Check, please. And could you call me a cab?”
Here I was pushing forty, and taking a cab back to my car across town. I didn’t think things would ever change. I was destined to remain alone. I laughed all the way home!
After that, I went back to isolating myself at the Cove. I met the Canadian Cowboy a couple of weeks later. This was a nice guy who came to the Cove. Tall, blond and handsome with sparkling blue eyes, and hung like a horse. He was always sporting a white cowboy hat, and nothing else. We had talked off and on. He asked me on a dinner date. We went out of the Cove to Pebbles. A lovely restaurant at the Crossroads by Disney. This was about twelve miles from my home. We went from my house in his car. A real freakin’ date.
After dinner, he groped me the whole way home. I’m thinking, “Okay, you’re pushing forty…there’s a certain expectation.” We had sort of gotten to know each other. He was kinda nice. He was smart, good looking, polite (up to a point). Time to release your inhibitions girl and go with the flow.
We got back to my house. I put on some music. He stripped off his clothes. I started lighting the candles around the house. I was trying to set a mood. He followed me to the bedroom where I was lighting the last candle, and said, “So you have some crazy, fucked up ritual you have to perform before sex. I’m good with that, but it makes me feel like some animal that’s about to be sacrificed to the Gods.”
Whooosh! Out went the candle. I went around the house blowing out all of the candles, one by one. I handed him his clothes and pushed him out the front door. Okay, I’ll admit, I had issues. I laughed myself to sleep!
Dating got a lot better after those first couple of experiences. I vowed to date any man who asked. I dated over a hundred. Most of them I would not date twice. Some got one to three. There were a few short term relationships, a couple of long term relationships. I was non-committal and not looking for a marriage partner. For seven or eight years into my forties I learned a lot. Most significantly: How to take what was beautiful from one relationship into the next leaving the baggage behind. That culminated into knowing exactly what I wanted in a relationship. I was not willing to settle for anything less.
Rules:
Learn to laugh.
Never say never.
The best dates aren’t the expensive ones, but he should buy you dinner and you should order anything off the menu without a thought. After all, you’ve colored your hair, manicured your nails, responsibly managed your feminine needs, applied your make-up and perfume, dressed in your nicest attire, including those stockings and uncomfortable heels, bought all that sexy lingerie. I could go on. Bottom line: respect yourself. Buy him dinner, too!
There should be several dates, real dates. You deserve to be courted and wooed, even if it takes a while. If he is THAT impatient, he’s not worth the time.
You don’t have to have a man on your arm to know that you are desirable.
If he can’t listen as well as he talks, he’s not going to hear you. (That works two ways.)
There are probably more but those are the ones that easily come to mind. I could tell you stories about other dating adventures, but I’ll save them for another holiday. Now I’m eighteen with thirty six years of experience.
Just so you know, before age fifty, I met the man of my dreams, but he told me I would not have liked him if I had met him sooner. He’s perfect, funny, charming, a real renaissance man having traveled the world, a real genius in many ways, a handyman, supportive and kind. We are more interdependent than independent or dependent. We both have our own interests, but those we share in, as well. We were married six years ago this October. No regrets.
We met online through Great Expectations dating service. It cost money. I figured the men would be really desperate or really serious and it was up to me to decide which. I was ready for serious. Our first date was Austin’s Coffee Shoppe, where we talked for three hours. He was the first guy I met, and he was on the payment plan, so it took me three years to pay off that contract. Well worth it and he helped with that. Just saying there is hope if you are waiting for the right one to come along.
They won’t come knocking on your door.
Get independent.
Put yourself out there.
Face your fear.
Filed under: Humor Tagged: dating, divorced at thirty something, First date after divorce, getting back in the groove, Independence Day, learning to laugh, man of my dreams, never say never, self respect
June 26, 2014
White Wolf in My Dream
I stopped trying to interpret dreams many years ago. When I studied religions, I also studied dreaming. (Psychology, sociology, political science and a host of other inter and intra personal relations.)
The spiritual symbolism of the white wolf goes back eons. For a wolf or wolves to appear in a person’s dream we can learn about our subconscious. “From singular or family groups, we can learn about the nature of the dreamer or people that the dreamer is connected to in their life. It can also reveal information pertaining to their spiritual growth and internal changes such as emotional growth, decisions surrounding personal relationships or even career goals.”
Last night, around 2 am, I was dreaming. I don’t often dream. My meds knock me out and my mind goes blank. I may be dreaming, but I am not aware.
My dream involved my characters in a book I am editing and I can’t recall much about it. In an instant, an aggressive white wolf image was up close, his face in my face. It startled me and I jerked to jump two feet off the bed. My heart was racing and the fight or flight response kicked in. I was scared! More like a flash of nightmare than dream.
Of course, as soon as I opened my eyes, it was gone. That didn’t take but a second. The ordeal was short lived, but quite impressive.
This morning, with the internet at my fingertips, I found this really neat article on wolf dreams by Debbie Edwards, a psychologist.
WOLVES in Dreams – Meanings and Interpretations
I like the way Ms. Edwards lays it out on her page.
Wolves are surrounded by notions of mysticism, magic and folklore.
Color: black, gray, white , red.
Lone or Group.
Behavior: timid, aggressive, protective, playful, sleeping, invisible.
Environment: day or night, clear skies or storms, stars and moon
Here is how my dream interprets:
Regarding the dreamer: A white wolf can represent someone or something that is directly influenced by spiritual communication or teachings. Someone that would be very knowledgeable or connected spiritually could be represented by a white wolf. It can also represent the purity of a message that is delivered by a spiritual presence. It can also represent someone who is pursuing a stronger connection to their faith, spiritual practices or ceremonial activities.
[One thing in my book I have been trying to do in my writing is offer insights in the narrative. I’m also trying to develop more of a spiritual connection to my characters. My alpha reader is giving me guidance.]
The lone wolf: If a wolf appears to the dreamer without the company of his or her pack, it is important to pay attention to a specific person or situation that is relevant to the dreamer which would describe more of an isolated or detailed situation or person.
[I am still processing the alpha reader’s impression of my book and its characters. He has been giving me examples over the last few days.]
Aggressive- An aggressive wolf can represent defensive postures or fear based movements in life. Is the dreamer feeling under attack by someone or others? Is there an aggressive person in their life who is trying to intimidate them?
[I’ll say. I’m defending my baby.]
Night or day- A wolf appearing at night will reveal things either hidden in the subconscious or things that may not be “visible” in the dreamers perception. Something is happening that the dreamer is given an inside view on that otherwise has been elusive from view.
[My alpha reader is most likely right and I am wrong. Like it or not!]
This was my dream interpretation, whether accurate, or not.
Do you dream?
Have you ever felt a need to have a dream interpreted?
Do you dream about writing, or your characters?
Filed under: Spirituality Tagged: aggressive, alpha reader, characters, dream, interpretation, intimidation, invasive, learning, lone wolf, night, nightmare, spiritual, subconscious, teaching, white wolf, wolves
June 25, 2014
Book review Challenge Series – How I write a book review
An awesome guide for book reviewing by Rosie Amber. Great tips for those who might like to support authors in this way. Also some good reasons for doing so by Martin Sisters Publishing.
Originally posted on Rosie Amber:
Day 1
Welcome one and all to our Book review challenge, I just want to thank everyone who is supporting this series it means so much to me. So what have we got for you?
I truly believe that books and book sales are changing as people browse virtual book stores to buy their books. This is where the book review really will help sell a book in a market place full of millions and millions of books. If I had a £1 for every-time someone said to me in the last week “Since I starting writing my book I’ve come to realise how important book reviews are” well, we’d be well on the way down to the nearest bookstore to stock up on books!
So today I’m in the spotlight talking about book reviews and giving you some simple easy tips to start you off book reviewing. I’ll get…
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