Diane Bator's Blog, page 3
December 24, 2023
A Merry Drama Llama Christmas Featuring Dash Allman and Gumdrop
Dashiell Allman—Dash for short—isback! If you didn’t meet her this summer in On Beach Time, Dash loves long walks onthe beach, Jimmy Buffet music, and a good mystery, which is why she became aPrivate Investigator and lives in a cottage on the beach. So far Dash has appeared in three short stories in Aconite Cafe Anthologies:
On Beach Time, in A Beach of a Crime
Son of a Witch, in A Witch of a ScandalIn Visions ofGumdrop, a story in A Prob-llama of a Holiday, a run in with a llama on the beach leaves Dash shaken and draws herinto a whole new mystery! When a goat goes missing from a petting zoo at theChristmas Market and other items are stolen, she begins to dig into the crime –Gumdrop, the drama llama as a sidekick. As soon as Dash can figure out how toget Gumdrop to stop spitting at her and fainting!
Visions of GumdropBy Diane Bator
JimmyBuffett had just started crooning about Christmas in Hawaii when I got a text urgingme to “Stay indoors until further notice. Escaped animal on the loose.”
Mystomach lurched and I shot a quick reply to the sender, my on-again off-againboyfriend, Rob Gwynn who was a local police officer. “What kind of animal?”
Ididn’t wait for a reply. It was the last Saturday morning before Christmas andthe local market would be in full swing in fifteen minutes. No way was Imissing it. I had shopping to do. Besides, no one would be dumb enough to transporta dangerous creature this close to a populated beach, would they?
Iopened my front door anyway. After looking both ways for large, furry beastsand witches on rollerblades, then stepped into the sunshine and locked thefront door of my beach cottage-slash-office. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve beena curious cat, which made me an ideal detective. Not the best one money couldbuy, but definitely in the top one hundred on the coast.
Definitely,the only one with the oddball name of Dash.
The joke in my family was that my mom fellin love with Dashiell Hammett at first sight, which made child hood rough forthe little girl she named Dashiell Allman. Not funny. Although, the nicknameDash did make me feel faster when I ran. People tended to call me out ofcuriosity since my name made me sound like a strong, male detective.
Once they met me in person — a short,blonde, beach bum usually sporting a cast of some sort — some ran. Most laughed.A few took pity on me.
Crossingthe beach, I aimed for the wet sand where the waves could caress my toes on myway to Ricardo’s food truck. I woke up craving a Breakfast Dog. My growlingstomach finally got the best of me as I’d finished the paperwork from my lastcase. Visions of cheese, a hot dog, a hashbrown, tomato, bacon, and a friedegg, over easy had danced through my head for the past hour.
Theair was a bit cooler than earlier in December. A reminder that I still neededto pick up gifts for my two favorite police officers.
RobGwynn, aka Officer Athletic and my current boyfriend, was big into actionmovies, working out, and muscle cars. I still wasn’t sure what to get him.
AlexCarson, his partner and the man I’d called Officer Pasty for years, was easier.He was a foodie who loved to cook. A couple of weeks ago, I’d discovered agreat booth at the market that sold homemade spices and rubs. I’d finallydecided which ones to get him and planned to hit the market. Right afterbreakfast.
Somethingwet brushed against the back of my right shoulder. I brushed it off like a bug.Then it tapped me again.
“Veryfunny, Rob,” I said as I stopped to turn around. “What the…?”
Myjaw dropped and my eyes grew wide as I came face to face with an elongated noseattached to a furry creature that looked like a cross between a horse and atall sheep.
Itsnostrils flared before phlegm hit me square in the chest. Then it yelled“Mwah!” and collapsed into the sand.
“Whatthe flying fig just happened?” I took a couple steps back.
“Whatdid you do to it?” a familiar voice asked.
Oncue, Rob and Alex loped across the beach, more concerned about the creaturethan the fact I’d been accosted.
Iheld up my hands in protest. “Nothing. It just fell over. I don’t even knowwhat it is.”
“It’sa llama, Dash,” Alex told me with a chuckle. “Didn’t you learn anything inschool?”
Scowlingat the two-hundred and fifty pound officer, I shook my head. “I’ve seenpictures of them, but I’ve never looked one in the nostrils before. What’s itdoing on the beach?”
Roblooped a rope around its neck, flinching when the llama rolled away from him tosit in the sand. “It’s part of the petting zoo at the market today. While thefarmer was unloading the animals, this little guy escaped.”
“Little?That thing’s a full head taller than you and smells like a barnyard.”
Hegrinned, petting the creature like an overgrown dog. “Aww, did the grumpydetective scare you, Gumdrop?”
“Ha.The grumpy detective nearly peed her pants.” I took one last look at the llama.If I were a social media-type person, I would’ve taken pictures. No one in myfamily would believe I came face to face with a llama, let alone one thatfainted on the spot.
Foreveryone else who knew me, it wouldn’t be much of a surprise.
AsGumdrop rose to her cloven feet, I backed away. “Seems like you two have thiswell in hand. I’m going for breakfast.”
“Letme guess,” Rob said. “A breakfast dog?”
“Yougot it.”
Alexgroaned. “Oh, Dash, those things are heart attacks on a bun. You need to stayaway from them.”
“Maybe,but they’re tasty.” Turning away, I continued up the beach only to hear acommotion behind me. I refused to help. They were on their own with the stinky,shaggy beast.
“Lookout, Dash!” Alex shouted.
Ispun around in the sand only to end up nose to nose with Gumdrop once more. Itspit at me again. The llama had good aim. Loogie number two landed right besidethe first one.
“Seriously?”I yelled.
Gumdropdropped to the sand.
Ipointed to the drama llama. “That’s exactly what happened the first time.”
BeforeRob could take hold of the rope dangling from the creature’s neck, a group ofmen strode toward us. Two more police officers. A man in an elf costume. A thinguy wearing jeans, a red nose, and a plaid shirt. A large Santa whose paddinghad shifted to the right of his belly. Bringing up the rear was a man in denimoveralls and a torn t-shirt, likely the farmer.
“Ohgoodie. Backup. Have fun. I’m outta here.” I announced as the llama sat up andspit at me again.
Shakingmy head, I aimed for Ricardo’s food truck near the pier. Drama llamas were notmy thing. With no clients on my schedule, I looked forward to a much needed dayoff.
Like what you read? Buy your copy of A Prob-llama of a Holiday and laugh all the way through the book!
https://www.amazon.ca/Prob-Llama-Holiday-Mystery-Tribe-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0CNM4FKWJ/
https://www.amazon.com/Prob-Llama-Holiday-Mystery-Tribe-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0CNM4FKWJ/
December 23, 2023
Shirley deKelver Launches Survival: Climate of Fire, Book 1
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SHIRLEYBIGELOW DEKELVER
I wasborn in Calgary, Alberta, raised as an “army brat”, and lived in Germany, andin many of the Canadian Provinces. From an early age, I would tell stories tomy sisters and my brother, and when I didn’t have my nose in a book, I would bedrawing and painting. It wasn’t until later in life I discovered I had apassion for photography as well.
Imarried my high school sweetheart, Don, and we have two wonderful children,Angela, and Gregory. Our family has expanded to four grandchildren, and twogreat-grandchildren. I worked as a paralegal and corporate administrator inCalgary law firms for over 40 years. My choice of career was never boring as Ifound it challenging and rewarding.
In 2004 Ireceived by correspondence a diploma for Writing for Children and Teenagersfrom the Institute of Children’s Literature, and in 2006, I received a seconddiploma Writing Children’s Books: The Craft and the Market. In 2007 Don and Iretired and moved to the Interior of British Columbia. We live in our “cabin inthe woods”, located at White Lake, in the Columbia-Shuswap, with a panoramicview of the lake, mountains, forested hills and valleys.
PUBLICATIONS:
BWL PUBLISHING INC. Publisher of my trilogy, Climate of Fire,Book One – Survival (released November 2023), Book Two – Treachery, and BookThree – The New World.
SOLSTICE PUBLISHING INC. Publisher of The Trouble with Mandy,Lilacs & Bifocals (five-star review from my editor), and Child ofthe Ancients.
VOICES FROM THE VALLEYS (51 contributors), short non-fictionstory, Nature’s Precious Gift, Anthology compiled and edited by JodieRennie, Author, and Editor, with all benefits being donated to Doctorswithout Borders- Canada.
ASKEW’S FOODS’ WORD ON THE LAKE 2014 WRITING CONTEST - second placewinner-young adult fiction, Ziggy’s Revenge.
SHUSWAP WRITERS’ GROUP KALEIDOSCOPE V ANTHOLOGY – three short stories, Oneof a Kind, Abigail, Grey Mist Manor and a poem, Wilderness Path.
AFFILIATIONS:
INSTITUTE OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE, Connecticut, USA
SHUSWAP ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS -Secretary for Boardof Directors, Member of the Planning and Selection Committees for the three-dayWORD ON THE LAKE WRITERS’ FESTIVAL, and coordinator and emcee for CAFÉ LITCOFFEE HOUSE, which launches the festival.
THE FEDERATION OF BC WRITERS.
SHUSWAP WRITERS GROUP, Past Member, and president
WRITERS’ UNION OF CANADA
WRITERS NOOK (Past Member-closed due to Pandemic)
GRACESPRINGS COLLECTIVE – creates publishing opportunities forits members and shares their work with the public in joint reading and events.
WEBSITE AND OTHER LINKS TO SOCIAL MEDIA:
WEBSITE: www.shirleydekelver.com
OTHER LINKSTO SOCIAL MEDIA:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Shirley-Bigelow-DeKelver/277792382290133
https://twitter.com/ShirleyDeKelver
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirley-bigelow-dekelver-3a534450/
https://www.instagram.com/dekelver_shirley/
What genre do you write?
Young Adult, Coming of Age, and Speculative Dystopian Fiction. My first novel THE TROUBLE WITH MANDY, was an adventure, nature story for middle aged readers; my second novel LILAC & BIFOCALS (five star review from my editor) was an historical time travel for young adults; my third novel CHILD OF THE ANCIENTS, a high fantasy for young adults, and my fourth novel, CHILD OF THE ANCIENTS – BOOK ONE – SURVIVAL, the first book in a trilogy, is Speculative Dystopian Fiction/Science Fiction.
Do your reading choices reflect your writing choices?
No, I read all genres, fiction, non-fiction, mystery, romance, fantasy, historical, drama, and more.
Which type of characters are your favourite to write?
I took a four-year correspondence writing course from the Institute of Children’s Literature and have never regretted it. Writing for young adults requires a great deal of discipline, copious amounts of research (which I genuinely enjoy), and identifying with your subjects, all I feel contribute to my writing skills. I generally create strong-willed female protagonists, facing personal and emotional struggles, danger, and heartbreak, and eventually finding harmony and contentment.
Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the characters you want readers to love?
Generally, my characters are developed from my imagination, although, at times, I have simulated their actions and personalities from real life.
Do your characters come before or after your plot?
Before I start writing my book, I prepare in-depth synopsizes of both my characters and my story plot which I tend to follow closely. Believable characters are a must.
How do you choose a villain and how do you make them human?
Because of the genres I write, my villains often face internal upheaval, deep resentment, and at times animosity. Generally, they learn a life-saving lesson, and are forgiven for their vulnerabilities. However, CHILD OF THE ANCIENTS, had an evil warlord, and a sorceress, half Ancient/half Elf, who confronted each other and fought to the death.
SURVIVAL
The year is 2045,global warming escalates, and wildfires are rampant. Vancouver has beendevastated by an earthquake and tsunami. Those who have survived have movednorth or taken up residence at Little Mountain, the highest point in the city.Food and water are scarce, there are more violent storms and risingtemperatures. The ashfall from the volcanoes increases daily, making itdifficult to breathe.
Four young adults,Taylor West, Carlie Fleming, Mai-Li Wong, and Willie Arbuckle, and threechildren, twin brothers Rusty and Eddie Coleman, and Debbie, who has DownsSyndrome, have gravitated together, forming a motley crew of survivors, livingin constant fear of the violent gangs.
Making a life-savingdecision, they decide to walk to the Interior, hoping to find a better life.Inexperienced, they face unknown obstacles, daily hardships, and hunger.Traveling across the devastated Wastelands is fraught with danger withunexpected complications making the journey more treacherous than they everimagined. Reaching a sanctuary and indeed their very survival hangs in thebalance. Relationships are tested time and again. What will remain strong andwhat will shatter?
Buy link for Kindle ande-book:HTTPS://WWW.AMAZON.CA/SURVIVAL-SHIRLEY-BIGELOW-EKELVER/DP/B0CJ45J868 OR personalizedpaperback from author at shirleydekelver@gmail.com or sdekelver@telus.net.
December 22, 2023
WINE WITCH ON FIRE: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much, by Natalie MacLean
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WINE WITCH ON FIRERising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much By Natalie MacLean
I enjoyed this book so much, I thought I'd share it again!!
This National Bestseller is a great holiday read! Get it for yourself and for someone on your gift list here: https://www.nataliemaclean.com/blog/retailers-2/
More than 3.7 million wine consumers visit Natalie MacLean's website for wine recommendations, the largest review site in Canada. She and her team of writers have a combined following on social media of 550,000 followers. Natalie is the regular wine expert for CTV's The Social, Canada's largest daytime television program, CTV News and CityTV's Breakfast Television, the country's largest morning show.
Natalie is also the host of , named one of the 7 best drinks podcasts by the New York Times and one of Apple's Best Listens of the Year.
She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards, and has won four James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards. She is the only person to have won both the M.F.K. Fisher Distinguished Writing Award from the James Beard Foundation and the M.F.K. Fisher Award for Excellence in Culinary Writing from Les Dames d'Escoffier International.
Her books — Red, White and Drunk All Over: A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass and Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World's Best Bargain Wines — were each selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year. Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much is her debut memoir. It's been shortlisted for the 2024 Gourmand International Book Awards in the category of Wine Writing.
Natalie studied the Romantic Poets at Oxford University with Jonathan Wordsworth and graduated with honors from the Master's of Business Administration at Western University. Before joining the wine world, she worked at Procter & Gamble in brand management, and then at the supercomputer company SGI in Mountainview, California, now the headquarters of Google.
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Wine Witch on Fire: Rising from the Ashes of Divorce, Defamation, and Drinking Too Much (Dundurn Press) is powerful memoir of how one woman resurrects her life and career in the wine industry. Natalie MacLean, a bestselling wine writer, is shocked when her husband of twenty years, a high-powered CEO, demands a divorce. Then an online mob comes for her career.
Wavering between depression and determination, she must fight for her son, rebuild her career, and salvage her self-worth using her superpowers: heart, humor, and an uncanny ability to pair wine and food. Natalie confronts her insider role in the slick marketing encouraging women to drink too much while she battles the veiled misogyny of the wine world.
Facing the worst vintage of her life, she reconnects with the vineyards that once brought her joy, the female friends who sustain her, and her own belief in second chances. This true coming-of-age story is about transforming your life and finding love along the way.
Reviews for Wine Witch on Fire:
Zesty, vibrant, meditative, edgy, structured, intense—these words Natalie MacLean might use to describe wines all apply to her Wine Witch on Fire. Dire, yes, but the book is funny and a page turner. Anyone at a crux will be buoyed by this writer’s grit and grace. - Frances Mayes, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Under the Tuscan SunNatalie MacLean has been through hell and back — misogyny, sexism, social media trolling — but her words are heartfelt and her journey inspiring. - Barbara Fairchild, former editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit magazine
Natalie MacLean is living a life that is the definition of resilience. In her empowering new memoir ‘Wine Witch on Fire’ she takes us on her incredible journey filled with love, anguish and fearless determination. Natalie’s story is an inspiration and guide to living well and fearlessly. A fabulous read! - Traci Melchor, Senior Correspondent, Etalk
Told with equal parts poignancy and humour, Wine Witch on Fire is a spirited tale of determination lived on the terroir of Natalie's amazing and inspiring journey. - Danny Meyer, Founder & Executive Chairman, Union Square Hospitality Group and New York Times bestselling author, Setting The Table
Courageous—that’s the first word that comes to mind while reading Natalie MacLean’s new memoir Wine Witch on Fire. MacLean is an accomplished wine writer, but this deeply personal book takes us behind the scenes, revealing one woman’s journey and extraordinary determination. - Karen MacNeil, bestselling author of The Wine Bible
Rousing, funny, and insider-y, Natalie MacLean’s soul-baring memoir paints an evocative and compelling picture of what it’s like to be a woman in wine. - Nell McShane Wulfhart, bestselling author of Off Menu and New York Times columnist
This deeply personal memoir tells the inspiring story of a talented woman navigating the treacherous currents of the wine industry, finding her voice and regaining her power through a true connection to time and place, human terroir. - Chef Michael Smith, bestselling author of ten cookbooks, Food Network host
Filled with grit and vulnerability. A read filled with healing and hope. - Victoria James, bestselling author of Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America’s Youngest Sommelier
There’s a lot of underbelly in this memoir. This book is a significant gesture to push the wine industry toward greater inclusion of people who’ve been marginalized. Natalie, you done good. - Terry Theise, bestselling author of Reading Between the Wines
This decade's Eat Pray Love. - Morgan Mullin, Arts & Culture Editor, The Coast Magazine
Natalie MacLean's literate and literary writing informs and entertains with a blend of analytic detail and a healthy dose of humor, much of it self-effacing. Her beautiful prose is elevated with hard-earned wisdom. - Neal Hulkower, PhD, The World of Fine Wine Magazine
Natalie has crafted her experience into what could pass for an unputdownable thriller. It’s all the more jarring because it’s based on fact. I loved the tension and fast-paced writing. Any man who has a daughter, sister, or mother should read this book. Women with a little witch and fire within them will enjoy it too. - Steven Laine, bestselling author of Dragonvine
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December 21, 2023
Drop by to learn more about author Joan Soggie and her books Prairie Grass and Rikka.
Welcome to Joan Soggie, a fellow BWL Author! Joan writes some fabulous stories of the Canadian Prairies where she lives. I look forward to learning more about her!
I live and writein a small Saskatchewan town, set beside a lake that was a river, surrounded byfields of canola that once were a buffalo plain. My lifelong curiosity has ledme to explore the natural history of the land as well as the centuries-longrelationship between the land and the First Nations, and my own family’ssettler history. The multifaceted beauty of the prairie and its convolutedhistory is a continual source of inspiration.
My firstfull-length book was Looking for Aiktow, a non-fiction regional historyfocusing on pre-settlement times. The restrictions of footnotes and citationsdrove me to seek another way of telling the land’s story. Historical fiction was the natural choice.
The resultingnovels, Prairie Grass and Rikka, are firmly rooted in time andplace.
http://bwlpublishing.ca/soggie-joan/#content-content-inner
http://www.facebook.com/lookingforaiktow
http://saskjoan.wixsite.com/looking-for-aiktow
How many hours aday do you write?
I would love tosay I write every day, and maybe I do, but often it is just emails or notes ora haiku. Life gets in the way. When I work on a project, I tend to lose trackof time. My workspace is a studio in thegarage and sometimes my husband will phone me from his recliner in the house, adozen yards away, to remind me that we must eat. Thankfully we are both retiredand have few urgent commitments.
How do you choosewhich stories you will write?
It often feels asthough the stories choose me. An idea might come from a strange circumstance orsomething I have just read coinciding with a glimpsed photograph, or an anecdotetold by an acquaintance. An idea grabs me and will not let go. Sometimes thepoint of the story does not become clear to me until I have worked my way into thenarrative. I have several partly finished pieces that are still waiting forthat “Aha!” moment, which may or may not ever come!
What is the mostdifficult part of your artistic process?
Waiting for that“Aha!” is no doubt the most difficult part of the process for me. It seems tome that the subconscious must do a lot of the creative work, and I am not surehow much good it does to keep slogging away at something until that part hascaught up. Sometimes it seems best to just wait, and go to work on somethingelse, something that requires attention and careful research but does notdemand much imagination. Or just go for a long walk.
Five years fromnow, where do you see yourself as a writer?
Five years fromnow I will be 86, and my husband will be well into his 90s. That is just fact. Agedoes not define us. And yet, I recognise that age imposes limitations. If I amable, I will still be writing short stories and poems, as they seem more manageablethan full-length novel. I plan to continue doing what I am doing as long aspossible. There are so many stories to tell, so many ideas to explore, so manyreaders to meet!
How manyunpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Right now, I haveone partly finished book that may or may not find its way to a conclusion. Ihave a plethora of unpublished stories, some of which I plan to eventuallycompile into a book as many of them seem to fall under one recurring theme.
Was there a personwho encouraged you to write?
Doesn’t everyoneneed someone to believe in her, make her feel it is possible to do what shedreams of doing? I have been fortunate to have had several wonderful encouragers.The first were, naturally, my parents, who instilled in me a love of goodstories and a deep respect for the truth embodied in them. A few good teachers gaveme help. There were decades (!) however when I showed no writing to anyone andtherefore got no encouragement. That was a big mistake. When I finallysubmitted something to a magazine, it was a huge boost to have it published.Nowadays, my dear husband lets me read aloud to him anything I want to analyze,and some precious friends still read whatever I send them and comment on it. Andmy own children and grandchildren give me feedback! What a lucky old duck I am!
Merry Christmas toall and special blessings on the encouragers!
Prairie Grass takes the reader on an adventure that spans two centuries of Western history and travels the length of the Great Plains.
Gabby Mackenzie knows little and cares less about prairie people or their history. She sees her assignment to interview a hundred-year-old settler as nothing more than a bump in her hazy career path. But as she gets to know old Mr. Tollerud, she finds herself drawn into the interwoven stories of the settlers, the Metis, the First Nations who came before them, and the land that binds them all together. And her own life changes.
https://books2read.com/Prairie-Grass
Rikka is based on the true story of one of Western Canada’s female immigrant pioneers.
“Rikka remembered her teacher’s words. Spirit needs muscle.
Not only muscle of flesh and bone, she thought, but the muscle of a spirit inured to hardship and suffering. Surely, we have had enough of that to make us strong!”
Rikka’s journey takes her across an ocean, a continent, and a lifetime. She plumbs the depths of her own heart and discovers the beauty of life beyond grit and endurance.
December 20, 2023
Just in time for the holiday season! Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas, by Freddy Cruz
Just in time for the holiday season!!!
Allow Me to Ruin YourChristmas
An audiobook by critically acclaimed media host and ownerof Speke Broadcasting, Freddy Cruz
He just discoveredwhy his dad died. Now ‘tis the season for a rampage of revenge…
Beckett needs his eyes bleached.Catching his mom and his favorite podcaster doing things that will get them onSanta’s naked and naughty list is enough to turn his stomach. And after heagrees to officially meet the new boyfriend, his slightly nauseous Yuletidecheer devolves into rage when he learns the guy was involved in his father’sdeath.
Driven by the need for vengeance, theincensed son sets out to stuff the home-wrecking grinch’s stocking with burningcoal—by going after the loser’s wife and daughter. But as Beckett'sgore-trimmed plan descends into chaos, another ghastly secret could send himinto murderous overdrive.
Is he about to unwrap ano-holds-barred retribution spree?
Allow Me to RuinYour Christmas is aperfectly gruesome revenge thriller. If you like characters pushed over theedge, dark acts, and family drama, then you’ll love Freddy Cruz’s bloodstainedholiday treat.
Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas, nowavailable in audiobook form. Subscribe now, wherever you get your podcasts.
Cruz keeps the twists coming...James Patterson fans will bepleased." - Publishers Weekly.
“If you like your festive stories dark and twisted, Freddy Cruz has agem for you. Allow Me to Ruin Your Christmas is packed full of secrets, liesand diabolical characters you’ll love to hate.” _ Adam Hamdy, bestsellingauthor of The Other Side of Night.
Speke Broadcasting:
At Speke Podcasting, we want to break the status quoand show individuals, businesses, and organizations that they can take trueownership of their brand’s messaging.
The company’s name pays tribute to Sparrow and Zeke.And the voiceless among us whose stories have yet to be shared with the world.
About Freddy:
Freddy Cruz is the founder of Speke Podcasting, a boutique media companyin the Greater Houston area.
As a podcast producer, he has assisted TheRose Breast Center of Excellence and The National Museum of Funeral Historywith the launches of their podcasts, Let's TalkAbout Your Breasts and The FinalCurtain Never Closes, respectively. The former landed at #8inside the Apple Podcasts Nonprofits chart while the latter landed at #29 inthe same category.
Freddy’s work spans twenty-six years, threewith the iconic KDWB/Minneapolis-Saint Paul and twenty-one with the legendary,two-time Marconi Award winning KRBE/Houston. From copywriting and voiceover toaudio production and big picture ideas, he’s the quadruple threat you want tohelp you elevate your brand
The Greater Houston area has heard Freddy’svoice for more than seventeen thousand hours via weekday shows, communityaffairs shows and podcasts. And he has elevated world class brands by means ofover fifty-eight thousand hours worth of production elements and traditionalads. When he's not in the lab creating auditory satisfaction, you can find himnose deep in a book, snuggling with his dog Sparrow, or jogging on the trail(trying hard to not sound like a horror movie villain).
Torequest additional review copies or an interview with Freddy Cruz, pleasecontact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity:mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.
We lookforward to the coverage!
December 19, 2023
Featuring another fantastic Canadian author, Reed Stirling!
Reed Stirling lives in Cowichan Bay, BC, and writes when not paintinglandscapes, travelling, or taking coffee at The Drumroaster, a local café wherephysics and metaphysics clash daily. Beforeretiring and taking up writing novels, he taught English Literature. Severaltalented students of his have gone on to become successful award-winningwriters.
Literary output:
Shades Of Persephone, published in 2019, is a literarymystery set in Greece.
Lighting The Lamp, a fictional memoir, was published in March2020.
Set in Montreal, Séjour Saint-Louis (2021),dramatizes family conflicts.
The Palimpsest Murders, a European travel mystery, was published in September2023.
Shorter work has appeared over the years in a variety of publicationsincluding Dis(s)ent, Danforth Review, FickleMuses, Fieldstone Review, and Humanist Perspectives.
Intrigue isof primary interest, with romantic entanglement an integral part of the action.Greek mythology plays a significant role in underpinning plots. Allusions toart, literature, philosophy, and religion serve a similar function.
LINKS:
reedstirling@gmail.com
https://bookswelove.net/stirling-reed/
ReedStirling@Facebook
ReedStirling@Instagram
ReedStirling@LinkedIn
ReedStirling@ X
Howmany hours a day do you write?
Whenworking on a project, my next novel, for instance, I busy myself at thekeyboard every morning, often for three or four hours. I try to come away fromthe desk having achieved at least a workable page. In the evening, I reviewwhat I have written and see to emendations. Frequently what comes of my effortamounts to no more than a paragraph, a single sentence, or a metaphor thatmight work in a context yet to be imagined.
Havingcoffee out or nursing a beer in a pub can lead to observations that connect tothemes I’m developing. I make note of them, adding them to the material for thenext day’s effort.
Favouritechildhood book?
Hardy Boys. I also collected Classic Comicsthat gave me insight into important works of literature, for example,Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Caesar’s Conquests.
Whatinspired you to write this book?
In response to this question, I will focuson my latest published novel, ThePalimpsest Murders.The plot revolves around thirty or socharacters who have embarked on a week-long Boat and Bike excursion. Thestoryline begins in Amsterdam, continues in Paris, and ends in Greece. Duringthis time, two murders happen in real time and other suspicious deaths areuncovered as part of the backstory. All are reflected in events that echo theclassical past. Significantly the name of the boat is The Iphigenia.
I subtitledthis novel, which is literary in tone, A European Travel Mystery. In some waysit fits the cozy mystery genre but in no way is it all that cozy because itnecessitates travel, even in the imaginative sense, and a basic familiaritywith characters in Homer’s The Iliad, especiallywith the royal murders involved in the aftermath to the Trojan War.
The idea for this novel arose when I took aone-week Boat & Bike excursion through the Lowlands. All was agreeableamong the thirty guests onboard. Very enjoyable. But why not, my imaginationprompted me, introduce the clash of different personalities in close quartersand have that lead to inevitable conflict that would result in two murders? GeoffCanter, a sound editor with a penchant for figuring things out, becameprotagonist and narrator.
Most fun in moving theplot along: what songs to havesalient characters sing, when the group engages in a karaoke session onboardthe Iphigenia, that points them inthe direction of either victim or perpetrator. For instance, given his paternalpersecution, Boyd Alexander’s rendition of Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” orFlex’s version of “Mack the Knife” following shortly after his sudden and unexpectedarrival.
Fiveyears from now, where do you see yourself as a writer?
I plan tosee my current WIP, another European Travel Mystery, published. Eros, the Greekgod of love and desire, is my narrator. I think he will prove the mostinteresting character of the lot I’m calling into being. He will certainly havemuch to say about himself and the individuals he feels impelled to observe,eavesdrop on, and take shots at with his arrows.
I also see myself continuing to promote myliterary output where best I can, and getting back to the easel, brush in onehand and glass of Irish whiskey in the other. As far as all that goes, I don’tsee myself living off the proceeds of my novels or my landscapes.
How many unpublished andhalf-finished books do you have?
Ihave one abandoned novel begun in 1970. I eventually came of age! Working on ittaught me much about writing full-length fiction.
I have one unpublishednovel. It proved to be too controversial in content for my publisher. Itsthemes are playing out in real time even as I write these words.
Wasthere a person who encouraged you to write?
Ican’t say any one person encouraged me to write. As a teen in high school, Iwrote poetry, mostly about girls I felt attracted to. I never sent the poems tothe person(s) in question. Imagery! I just didn’t get it.
Later, at university I wrote prosepoems and dedicated them to co-eds that I felt attracted to. Those ersatz lyricalovertures are still in the box. I had to get outside of the box, get over myshyness and reticence.
Novelist Joyce Carol Oates oversaw myMA thesis. She was an inspiration. No poems for her, however, just essays. Butshe did lead me into the realm of serious fiction. Subsequently, John Fowlestook hold of my brain with The Magus.My muse got closer to me and eventually I got a short narrative published. Iwas off and running. Over the following years, I’ve had many literary piecespublished in journals and reviews and more recently four novels with BWL Inc.
THEPALIMPSEST MURDERS
Day one:check-in on the Iphigenia, a Boat& Bike home for thirty guests of diverse backgrounds on a one-weekexcursion through Holland and Belgium. Personalities clash, conflicts arise.
Day seven:a body is found in canal waters at the stern of the boat. And then a secondbody is discovered.
Who amongthe cyclists is hateful and motivated enough to kill? Twice. In what ways arethe two murders related? How does the gold death mask of Agamemnon lead toresolution?
Determiningthe truth entails travelling from Amsterdam to Bruges to Paris to the ancientsite of Mycenae in Greece where what’s past is shown to be prologue.
https://books2read.com/The-Palimpsest-Murders
SHADESOF PERSEPHONE
A literary mystery: the fusion of history, philosophy,espionage, and romance, the centre of the mystery being the contemporaryidentity of mythological Persephone.
December 18, 2023
Tales of Christmas Villains, A new spin on the Christmas Anthology featuring USA Today Bestseller, DC Gomez
Tales ofChristmas Villains
A newspin on the Christmas Anthology featuring USA Today Bestseller, DC Gomez
Released by T.A.L.E.S.
The book is available worldwide in ebook and print format
Ruined holiday plans and stolen gifts are onlythe beginning in this collection of villains gone wild for the holidays!!
Tales of Christmas Villains bringstogether the most mischievous batch of scrooges, thieves, and humbugs out towreak havoc on the Christmas cheer.
Featuring a chilling ice fairy who feeds on her victims' souls,chaotic criminals disguised as grinches, and the infamous Jack Frost meetinghis match in a plucky mermaid, these wicked adventures will have you howlingwith dark delight.
If you think you've got enoughspirit to take on these troublemakers, think again. The naughty list just gotlonger and more sinister! So watch out this season and prepare for someseriously spirited scroogery - Tales of Christmas Villains is coming to town!
Not only is DC Gomez one of thecontributing authors for the collection, she is a co-publisher for the series.Tales of Christmas Villains is DC and Jaime Dalton’s second published book inthe Tales Collections. This collection provides authors an opportunity to bepublished in a curated collection based on specific holidays. ChristmasVillains brings together five authors for a new twist on the holiday season.
What readers and critics are saying about DC Gomez:
“I enjoythe Cat Lady books. This one took me a minute to get back into the story line(I should have re-read the 1st book). But I easily remembered the fun andquirky characters. As always, quite the unexpected adventure and great to watchthem figure out the mystery and claim it.” _ Saxy D
“D.C.Gomez delivers another fun and crazy mystery with Angela and the Silver HairedGang. Can't wait for book 3!” _ LM Texan “I am sohappy I read this story! It's not at all what you think it's going to be! Iloved the snark, I loved the humor, I loooooooove The Silver Hair Gang, and youhave to love Bonnie & Clyde (the cats)? I mean, when a woman puts her mindto getting back to living after a dirty rotten scoundrel leaves you high anddry? How can this not be the best story ever?” _ BookLvrKat Other Books in TheSeries:
A Red Moon Rises this Halloween, so heed the howls and enter aworld of wonder, danger and desire. Tales of Howloween presentsa thrilling collection of nine supernatural tales that will keep you guessinguntil the final stroke of midnight.
In "Forest Fated", wolf shifter Cassius captures renegademage Ariella, sparking an electric connection hinting at a prophecy older thanthe forest itself. As an evil wizard spreads, Cassius and Ariella must team upagainst all instincts.
Nature spirits Cait and Milo struggle to find their place in"A Red Moon Rises" grim future world. And when reality itself isquestioned in "The Midnight Pack", logic-seeker Avalon finds herancestry holds secrets unlocking a world she never believed.
You will fall in love with these spellbinding romances,"Moonlit Desires" where a fated meeting awakens new possibilities. Aswell as "White Falls Haunt" where a magical marriage isn't what itseems. In "Celestial Rescue" where an alien rescue leads to cosmicdesires, satisfy all cravings for chills, thrills and intimate encounters.
A twisted tale of football players turned werewolves in"The Wolves" while keep you guessing, as the team seeks for easy waysto win.
The magic continues in the fun shape-shifting mystery of"For Shuck's Sake." Sometimes an accident will change your life.
Join the Reapers Crew in the Urban fantasy adventures"Bloodstone" as they tried to stop a cult from waking the God Set.
So stalk these pages and feel themoon's call. Delve into a menagerie of mischief and magic under star-prickedskies. But be warned - mysteries abound in these Woods and ghosts linger beyondthe last page. The howling has only just begun...
Tales ofHowloween (The Tales Short Story... by Gomez, D C (amazon.com)
About DC Gomez
D. C.Gomez is an award-winning USA Today Bestselling Author, podcaster, motivationalspeaker, and coach. Born in the Dominican Republic, she grew up in Salem,Massachusetts. D. C. studied film and television at New York University. Aftercollege she joined the US Army, and proudly served for four years.
D. C. has a Master’sDegree in Science Administration from the Central Michigan University, as wellas a Master in Adult Education from Texas A&M- Texarkana University. She is a certified John Maxwell Team speakerand coach, and a certified meditation instructor from the Chopra Center.
One of D. C. passionsis helping those around her overcome their self-limiting beliefs. She writes both non-fiction and fictionbooks, ranging from Urban Fantasy to Children’s Books. To learn more about herbooks and her passion, you can find her at www.dcgomez-author.com.
Torequest additional review copies or an interview with DC Gomez, please contactMickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com /403.464.6925. We look forward to thecoverage!
December 17, 2023
MJ Moores dishes on her upcoming NEW RELEASE - The Hollow Kiss: White Raven Book 1!
Imagine procrastination and stubbornperseverance getting together and procreating – that would be what MJ faceswhen she looks in the mirror every day. Her stubborn mind-set has gotten herinto trouble more often than she’d care to admit.
But, that spunk and tenacity shine inher eyes when you speak with her, and it carries in the excitement of hervoice. Get her talking about writing and the world of publishing, next thingyou know she’s outlined the manuscript of your life and you can’t wait to writeit. Granted, the instant MJ is required to do something she’s not particularabout, procrastination tendencies creep in like assassins in the night.
MJ’s love of reading and writing at ayoung age drew her to adventure books of all genres. While she currently enjoyswriting science-fiction and fantasy, her focus is on balancing the internal andexternal journey her characters make as they learn about themselves and facetheir darkest fears – this might take place on another planet, on a universitycampus, or in a magical realm; but there’s always an exciting adventure tospice up her work.
MJs dedication to hercraft shows not only in the twenty-odd books she's written, but in the factthat she continues to share her knowledge with writers at every stage of theirjourney through networking, seminars, and workshops. These days, she's taken tocoaching Indie Authors on the basics of DIY publishing as she readies to launcha new urban fantasy series.
Websiteand social media
@AuthorMJMoores (bothFacebook & Twitter)
What would you say areyour strengths as an author?
Hmm, strengths come inmany different shapes and sizes (lol). I would have to say it's my ability tokeep an open mind and to trust both my instincts and the process. I havedeveloped a healthy balance of pantsing and plotting (plantsing?) now that Ihave a decade of publishing behind me and several decades of learning thecraft. I have honed my storytelling telling ability but not my ego (lol). Yes,I trust myself and my process, but without the equal trust I place in mywriting partner, critique groups, and editors, I would not be the writer I amtoday.
How often do you write,and do you write using a strict routine?
In my bio, you may havenoticed my mention of a stubborn mindset. Frankly, I don't likebeing told what I can or can't/shouldn't do. I immediately have to prove themwrong or rebel in some way. Even if it's me giving the guidelines to myself :PSo, nothing is set in stone. Do I like writing in the mornings? Not particularly.But it's a general habit I've gotten into because evenings are too busy withother things. Do I write every morning? Heck no. I work part-time at thelibrary and some days my shift is the early one. Generally, on days that Idon't get to write in the morning, I will spend the afternoon working on clientprojects or my own editing. My goal at each writing session is to completeeither a scene or a chapter. This usually spans between 2-3 hrs of steadywriting time.
Five years from now, wheredo you see yourself as a writer?
Ha! I'd love to sayworking on my writing full time and supporting my family with my earnings, butthat was my goal five years ago! Realistically, I see myself continuing to putout two or more novels a year, starting a new pen name for my contemporary writing,and doing my best to help other writers reach their goals.
If you could offer oncepiece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Keep writing. Even on daysyou can't find the muse, write anyway. Write about the weather or what you didthat morning or why you hate cheese (personally, I love cheese but at times ithates me!). By practicing your craft, and reading in the genres you like towrite in, you will absorb intrinsic storytelling knowledge and grow and improveand challenge yourself. Always be open, but filter any advice or criticism withan eye toward your personal goal for that work, and what experience that personbrings to the table. Stay true to you, but don't forget to learn and grow.
What would you consider tobe the best compliment a reader could give your book?
When they say, "Icouldn't put it down. Where's the next one?" LOL! It means I did my jobwell.
What areyou working on now?
I amgetting ready to launch my brand new urban fantasy trilogy. The HollowKiss: White Raven Book 1 encompasses everything I ever wanted to write:the world, the characters, the magic system, the wild supernatural beings, theadventure, and the emotional ups and downs. This isn't the first story or thelast I'll ever write, but it's the one I was meant to write. The one all thispractice and research and studying and reading and more reading (lol) grewinside me. Book one will launch December 11th, 2023, book two is set forFebruary 2024, and once I've written book three, I'll let you know when that onewill come out ;) All kidding aside, the trilogy will be complete by spring of2024. And if the world likes it, I'm ready to turn it into a full-blown series:D
Bloody Walls and Supernatural Espionage Were Not on the Final ExamGraduation meant a whole new world away from the labels of outcast and freak, but a supernatural abduction leaves Corvina Dray with a hole in her memory and a deadly kiss.
Inexplicably drawn to a dark stranger in a back alley, Dray’s soul-sucking lip-lock lands her with a DB and the local PD on her trail. Then, a girl she doesn’t remember shows up out of nowhere and helps her dispose of the corpse.
Dray’s dead-body-bestie initiates her into an underground world with only one rule— expose the fae and suffer the consequences. But navigating this piranha-paradise to hunt down the maniac responsible for her transformation is likely to kill her… or worse.
Can Dray reverse the curse before she spends the rest of her life in an orange jumpsuit?
MJ Moore dishes on her upcoming NEW RELEASE - The Hollow Kiss: White Raven Book 1!
Imagine procrastination and stubbornperseverance getting together and procreating – that would be what MJ faceswhen she looks in the mirror every day. Her stubborn mind-set has gotten herinto trouble more often than she’d care to admit.
But, that spunk and tenacity shine inher eyes when you speak with her, and it carries in the excitement of hervoice. Get her talking about writing and the world of publishing, next thingyou know she’s outlined the manuscript of your life and you can’t wait to writeit. Granted, the instant MJ is required to do something she’s not particularabout, procrastination tendencies creep in like assassins in the night.
MJ’s love of reading and writing at ayoung age drew her to adventure books of all genres. While she currently enjoyswriting science-fiction and fantasy, her focus is on balancing the internal andexternal journey her characters make as they learn about themselves and facetheir darkest fears – this might take place on another planet, on a universitycampus, or in a magical realm; but there’s always an exciting adventure tospice up her work.
MJs dedication to hercraft shows not only in the twenty-odd books she's written, but in the factthat she continues to share her knowledge with writers at every stage of theirjourney through networking, seminars, and workshops. These days, she's taken tocoaching Indie Authors on the basics of DIY publishing as she readies to launcha new urban fantasy series.
Websiteand social media
@AuthorMJMoores (bothFacebook & Twitter)
What would you say areyour strengths as an author?
Hmm, strengths come inmany different shapes and sizes (lol). I would have to say it's my ability tokeep an open mind and to trust both my instincts and the process. I havedeveloped a healthy balance of pantsing and plotting (plantsing?) now that Ihave a decade of publishing behind me and several decades of learning thecraft. I have honed my storytelling telling ability but not my ego (lol). Yes,I trust myself and my process, but without the equal trust I place in mywriting partner, critique groups, and editors, I would not be the writer I amtoday.
How often do you write,and do you write using a strict routine?
In my bio, you may havenoticed my mention of a stubborn mindset. Frankly, I don't likebeing told what I can or can't/shouldn't do. I immediately have to prove themwrong or rebel in some way. Even if it's me giving the guidelines to myself :PSo, nothing is set in stone. Do I like writing in the mornings? Not particularly.But it's a general habit I've gotten into because evenings are too busy withother things. Do I write every morning? Heck no. I work part-time at thelibrary and some days my shift is the early one. Generally, on days that Idon't get to write in the morning, I will spend the afternoon working on clientprojects or my own editing. My goal at each writing session is to completeeither a scene or a chapter. This usually spans between 2-3 hrs of steadywriting time.
Five years from now, wheredo you see yourself as a writer?
Ha! I'd love to sayworking on my writing full time and supporting my family with my earnings, butthat was my goal five years ago! Realistically, I see myself continuing to putout two or more novels a year, starting a new pen name for my contemporary writing,and doing my best to help other writers reach their goals.
If you could offer oncepiece of advice to a novice writer, what would it be?
Keep writing. Even on daysyou can't find the muse, write anyway. Write about the weather or what you didthat morning or why you hate cheese (personally, I love cheese but at times ithates me!). By practicing your craft, and reading in the genres you like towrite in, you will absorb intrinsic storytelling knowledge and grow and improveand challenge yourself. Always be open, but filter any advice or criticism withan eye toward your personal goal for that work, and what experience that personbrings to the table. Stay true to you, but don't forget to learn and grow.
What would you consider tobe the best compliment a reader could give your book?
When they say, "Icouldn't put it down. Where's the next one?" LOL! It means I did my jobwell.
What areyou working on now?
I amgetting ready to launch my brand new urban fantasy trilogy. The HollowKiss: White Raven Book 1 encompasses everything I ever wanted to write:the world, the characters, the magic system, the wild supernatural beings, theadventure, and the emotional ups and downs. This isn't the first story or thelast I'll ever write, but it's the one I was meant to write. The one all thispractice and research and studying and reading and more reading (lol) grewinside me. Book one will launch December 11th, 2023, book two is set forFebruary 2024, and once I've written book three, I'll let you know when that onewill come out ;) All kidding aside, the trilogy will be complete by spring of2024. And if the world likes it, I'm ready to turn it into a full-blown series:D
Bloody Walls and Supernatural Espionage Were Not on the Final ExamGraduation meant a whole new world away from the labels of outcast and freak, but a supernatural abduction leaves Corvina Dray with a hole in her memory and a deadly kiss.
Inexplicably drawn to a dark stranger in a back alley, Dray’s soul-sucking lip-lock lands her with a DB and the local PD on her trail. Then, a girl she doesn’t remember shows up out of nowhere and helps her dispose of the corpse.
Dray’s dead-body-bestie initiates her into an underground world with only one rule— expose the fae and suffer the consequences. But navigating this piranha-paradise to hunt down the maniac responsible for her transformation is likely to kill her… or worse.
Can Dray reverse the curse before she spends the rest of her life in an orange jumpsuit?
December 16, 2023
Featuring Laura Cameron with her books An Abecedarium of Ornaments and 40 Ways of Looking at Manhattan
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I'm thrilled to introduce Laura, who is one of my writing friends through the Natalie Goldberg Writing Course! Along with Stefania and Patricia, we have built a wonderful little group to help each other on our creative journeys! AND Laura has compiled a fascinating book about Christmas ornaments that I couldn't wait to share!!
Laura Cameron is the Editor at theWashington State Auditor’s Office. Her role ranges from story development torewrite to line-edits, making complex performance and accountability auditsinto readable, compelling reports. A writer and editor for 35+ years, she hasworked for state and county governments, community organizations, and privatebusinesses in the United States and United Kingdom. Laura earned her MA inJournalism at the University of Bournemouth, England, and her BA in medievalhistory, literature and music at SUNY Purchase. She serves as secretary on theEducation Fund Board of the American Copy Editors Society[https://aceseditors.org/], and is a past officer of the National Writers Unionand the UK’s Women Writers Network. She is also a director on the board of theConservation Burial Alliance [https://www.conservationburialallianc...]
Website: https://www.artforartssakepress.com
Author page on Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B07T8QD7HP
An Abededarium of Ornaments (on Amazon):
40 Ways of Looking at Manhattan available in hardback and paperback through print-on-demand. EmailLaura [at] artforartssakepress.com for details.
How many hours a day do you write?
Highly variable, and driven by projectdeadlines! My day gig allows me to work four, 10-hour days a week, whichdoesn’t leave me a lot of brainpower on those weeknights. On the remainingthree days, I write most diligently when I have a deadline, whether set by afreelance client or publication, or self-imposed. I would say four to fivehours a day, three days a week, when I’ve a project in hand. I participated inNaNoWriMo 2023, and wrote in 25-minute “sprints.” On weeknights, I managed twosprints totaling 60 minutes; on free days, especially over the five days ofAmerican Thanksgiving weekend, it was probably closer to five to seven hours aday to get my word count up.
How do you choose the stories you’llwrite?
The story calls out to me, and I listen. Ifit keeps talking, I’ll start jotting down ideas and making sketch diagrams,free-associating what kinds of material might fit into the book. Since I writenonfiction, and these days mostly memoir, the writing process and the resultingbooks gives me space to remember, grieve and celebrate my dear ones. Forexample, The Abecedarium of Ornaments captured in photographs and shorttales the happy memories attached to the hundreds of souvenir and specialornaments on 40 years of Christmas trees. 40 Ways of Looking at Manhattanhonored my late husband’s black-and-white photographs of our old home town. Thework-in-progress, Dad’s Cooking Tonight: A life in 52 recipes, tells hislife story through his 200+ cookbooks filled with dates and preparation notes.It was prompted by finally unpacking 15 or 20 boxes of Dad’s batterie decuisine, plus endless glassware and table settings, from my parents’ home.
What’s the most difficult part of theartistic process?
For me, recognizing that not every story --no matter how funny or meaningful or interesting to me -- belongs in this book.While researching Dad’s Cooking Tonight, I learned so much about Dad’sfirst family and Scots ancestors, I could write an entire 300-page book justabout them, but then it wouldn’t be his story anymore. For example, Tim’s deathwas incredibly important to me, but is a very small moment in the book becausethe narrative through-line follows my mother. She survived another six yearsafter my Dad died and three years after Tim’s passing. After her stroke, Itried to use tastes and aromas from his recipes, along with anecdotes from ourfamily’s past, to keep her memory active.
Where are you as a writer five yearsfrom now?
[puts on my rose-tinted glasses] Inaddition to seeing the paperback edition of Dad’s Cooking Tonight onbookstore shelves, I envision its sequel -- Dad’s Cooking Again Tonight:Recipes from a lifetime of travel -- selling briskly. I’ll use my thirdNaNoWriMo to draft a book about my mother’s growing up in the New York City ofthe 1920s and 1930s. Her mother’s story will add some fascinating detours.Gramma was a Lithuanian immigrant, arriving in Manhattan at the turn of thecentury, who found herself courted by a scion of a well-to-do doctor’s family.The Whites weren’t exactly the Astors, but they had deep American roots and didnot take kindly to their son’s choice of bride...
How many unpublished and half-finishedbooks?
I abandoned a coming-of-age novel aroundthe 140-page mark, 15 or more years ago. I realized I didn’t read enough ofthose kinds of stories to make my own terribly successful. I might return to itas memoir, since it was set in the club scene of Lower Manhattan in the days ofpunk and New Wave music -- a period having a bit of a fashion-moment thesedays. Otherwise: If I start it, I’m going to finish it, and I tell my friendsand colleagues what I’m doing to help ensure a little accountability!
Was there a person who encouraged youto write?
I had so many excess credits in high schoolthat I was determined to graduate a year early -- to meet state requirements,all I needed was a 12th grade English elective. The easiest classwas TV Studio, so I took that. The only other girl in the class wanted to domake-up and costuming, and the guys wanted to act, shoot and direct, so Ioffered to write quite a few scripts. The teacher took me aside at the end ofthe year and told me he thought I should seriously consider making writing mylife’s work. Oh, and once I graduated from college, I should marry a dentist tosupport me until I got my first Pulitzer/Emmy/Oscar. This would have been aswell idea except I was terrified of dentists: I ended up at a TV productioncompany but writing press release, not scripts. So much for my Emmy!
From apples, representing the Big Apple of her childhood, to a souvenir of York Minster that commemorated years of living and working in the United Kingdom, Laura Cameron has cataloged and described more than 300 ornaments. Far more than a laundry list, this memoir in photographs brings to life stories from four decades of Christmas trees.
There are camels of olivewood from the Holy Land and Italian ceramic ducks; wooden hedgehogs and reindeer of clothespins; stars, icicles, and snowflakes made of crystal, stainless steel, and antique tinsel. Every one has a story to tell, and because memory fades, each has its tale committed to the page in this unusual little abecedarium of ornaments. As the author notes, what is as random as the order of the alphabet? Only a Christmas tree, where eggs and elves share a branch with cats and steam trains, cardinals and baubles.
An Abecedarium of Ornaments (on Amazon):
It's well known that New Yorkers have strong opinions, and don't mind sharing them with friends and strangers alike. One of their favorite things to talk about is their nabe' -- their neighborhood -- which they are quick to tell you no one knows better than they do. This photo album is a little tribute to the island of Manhattan. It's told by a photographer and author who left its shores long ago, but returned regularly to see what had changed in their old neighborhoods.
40 Ways of Looking at Manhattan available in hardback and paperback through print-on-demand. Email Laura [at] artforartssakepress.com for details.
