Helen B. Henderson's Blog, page 68

Taking Me Back #mfrwauthor

It's Friday and time for more soul searching. Again, it's a topic that at first glance feels like a repeat of last year's. Then the memorable event was the fall of the Twin Towers. I didn't want to relive those days again so I'm going with another day. An event that popped into my mind was a Pennsylvania airshow that was known not only for its aircraft, but a military vehicle rally.

It was my first overnight assignment as a correspondent without my other half. Remember back then digital cameras didn’t exist, let alone be as omnipresent as they are now. At something like an airshow, you basically got one attempt to capture an image. Talk about pressure. Anyhow, dressed in battle fatigues (sans mark of rank) and with a press badge hung on my belt, three pens and a small steno pad in my pocket, I drove to the airfield gate, where I was promptly stopped by a sentry.

After identifying myself, he telephoned ‘headquarters.’ A few minutes later, a soldier rode up on a restored WWI bicycle with my ‘orders.’ At that point I knew things were going to be interesting. Per orders, still in uniform, I mustered with the reenactors and rode in a vintage jeep as part of the caravan of military vehicles. Now I've been on military bases before (just not in uniform) but until we reached the city proper, while we road through farm fields time reversed itself and we were a World War II expeditionary force.

That set the stage for what made the assignment one of the most memorable. Even now years later,  reliving the experience will make the hairs on the back of my neck still stand up. To set the scene. You are standing beneath the wing of a B-17 bomber. The men around you were in sharply-pressed fatigues while the women wore the long skirts and sported the swept-back hairstyles of the 1940s. The big band tune being broadcast over the loudspeakers stops mid-note. “Pearl Harbor has just been bombed,” echoes over the tarmac.

Even after the crowd of thousands realized it was a replay of a broadcast from December 7th, 1941, they remained in attentive silence, many rubbing goose bumps from their arms. As a side note, I had a similar reaction years later when I stood on the boardwalk near where I live and saw the twin towers shrouded in smoke.

That same announcement was repeated later in the day and since I knew it was combing I was able to watch those around me. Different day, different group of people, and the same eerie feeling. This second day the feeling of being pulled back in time was heightened by the firing of a heavy aircraft engine as soon as the broadcast ended.

If you care to read last year's post on a memorable event, it's the story of my personal experience on a day now simply referred to as 9-11.

There are other memorable events to visit. The list follows.
~till next time, Helen

Hooked on First Change, The Dance #MFRWHooks

The dragshi are more than just a man or woman. Each are two beings–one a dragon, the other a human–sharing one body in space in time and able to change forms with the other at will. Their world and the adventures of the dragon shifters are recorded in the Dragshi Chronicles.

Within each of the chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and teachers of the present, recount some legend. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost. Sometimes embellished, the ceoltiers use the stories of times and actions past to educate and inspire.

Unlike the previous works in the series which related to the trader girl Anastasia and Lord Branin Llewlyn, First Change features the real story behind the legends told in the previous volumes. First Change contains five stories of duty and honor, love and loss, happiness and despair from the chronicles. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost.

Last week's excerpt, The Festival, from MAGIC AND STEEL, had Kedar escorting the Lady Mairin to a festival. Among the things on his mind was her obstinancy, threats to her life--and his attraction to her. They've arrived at the event and as a beautiful woman (let alone a dragon shifter) Mairin is the center of attraction. Every man wants to dance with her including the one from the alley.

Now this week's excerpt:

From the shadows behind him, Faoth’s low growl proclaimed the dog’s displeasure. Mairin’s gaze rounded on those gathered before her, then lingered on Wislo who smirked with arrogance. <Kedar?>

Her single word carried an honest request for advice, so he answered as truthfully as he could without revealing his own feelings. <Wislo is who Faoth tracked on our way here. She doesn’t like him.>

<I’m not sure I do either,> Mairin admitted.

<Accept his offer if you want and find out. Nothing untoward will happen here and I’ll be close at hand. You can always mindspeak me, if need be and I’ll have Birog signal the ceoltiers to end the music fast.>

The smile she turned on him thawed some of the chill, but Kedar was glad for the comfort provided by the weight of the knives strapped to his forearm and those in his boots. Weapons were more effective at defense than smiles.

“I am honored to have so many local dignitaries vying for my hand,” Mairin said and pulled the small embossed card from her silken belt pouch. “As Wislo was here first, he shall have the next dance. However,” and she held up a hand to quiet the rumblings of those not selected, “because you three showed such enthusiasm, you will have those that follow.” Scribbling the names of the now-smiling men on her card, she slipped the note back into her bag and held out a hand for Wislo.

Controlling his urge to wipe the smile from Wislo’s face, Kedar allowed himself the luxury of a final warning to Mairin. <Watch him.> Then he added in a silent vow. I will.

Quick steps took him to the edge of the dance floor where he could keep an unobstructed view of Wislo. Each time the other man shifted a hand from Mairin’s waist or tried to lean in for a stolen kiss, Kedar had to restrain himself from dragging the other man to a dark alley. Only the fact that Mairin didn’t seem bothered prevented the rash action.

<I’m fine, Kedar,> she sent from the other side of the now-crowded dance floor. <I handled advances like his long before my First Change.> Her tone darkened. <Although there is something about him.>

Kedar didn’t wait for her clarification. <No more research. I’m ending this. Now!> He reached out to Birog who signaled the lead musician. A moment later, the group on the stage played a few transition notes and ended the set. Wislo escorted Mairin to Kedar’s side, but the raider did not bow and leave. Instead he glared at Kedar, before shifting his gaze to the woman in front of him. “Please, my lady. I beg the boon of another dance.”

Mairin stretched to her full height. “I’m sorry. I am only marking a few dances ahead and those are spoken for.” She moved into the protection of Kedar’s arm. Feeling the tremble in her frame, he projected reassurances to her. “My wife,” he said, emphasizing the relationship, “has given you all the time that she wishes.” He felt his lips twitch into a cold smile. “There are other pleasures here, Wislo. I suggest you enjoy them.”


~ * ~

Buy Links: One Click to ebook sellers

Additional excerpts from the three novellas (and two bonus short stories) in First Change.

The Best Gift Ever Is Personal #mfrwauthor

As I sat down to write this, a television commercial provided inspiration. The advertisement was for an easy way to send money from a smart phone. Not memorable these days. However, the theme was that one of the characters didn't use the mobile app to send money, in fact he didn't buy gifts (or contribute to communal ones) but instead chose to give everyone a poem as their holiday gift.

Handmade items or heritage gifts that have been handed down from generation to generation are not unknown in my family. More than one original poem has customized a store-bought card, or been used to create a handmade one. When the great nieces were little, each of them received a gift written just for them. A generation earlier, handmade baby afghans welcomed nieces and nephews. But I wouldn't call any of those the best gift I ever gave. That will be the short story that became Dragon Destiny.


The short story was used to help someone relearn to read during recovery after a coma. Years later when the characters demanded their full due and the short story became a novel, chapters were used as a reward during post-surgery rehabilitation. After a successful session of physical therapy, a chapter was read to help pass the time as knees were iced down.

So that is the greatest gift I ever gave. Bragging rights for a proud mother and mother-in-law. 

Hooked on First Change, Festival #MFRWhooks

The dragshi are more than just a man or woman. Each are two beings–one a dragon, the other a human–sharing one body in space in time and able to change forms with the other at will. Their world and the adventures of the dragon shifters are recorded in the Dragshi Chronicles.

Within each of the chronicles, the ceoltiers, the keepers of the past and teachers of the present, recount some legend. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost. Sometimes embellished, the ceoltiers use the stories of times and actions past to educate and inspire.

Unlike the previous works in the series which related to the trader girl Anastasia and Lord Branin Llewlyn, First Change features the real story behind the legends told in the previous volumes. First Change contains five stories of duty and honor, love and loss, happiness and despair from the chronicles. As with all such tales, some contain larger than life deeds. Others are the simple story of a man or woman doing what must be done, regardless of the cost.

Last week's excerpt, Shadowed Night, from MAGIC AND STEEL, had Kedar escorting the Lady Mairin to a festival. Among the things on his mind was her obstinancy, threats to her life--and his attraction to her.

Now this week's excerpt:

Kedar's gaze lingered on a man coming out of an inn. Dark red hair marked him as a member of a northern clan. Although the stranger’s clothes were those of a merchant, his movements told of a familiarity with weapons—or the mercenary life.

Faoth’s snarl from a few paces behind agreed with Kedar’s assessment of the man’s threat, and confirmed who amongst the crowd had triggered his alert. “Faoth, track,” he hissed. The gold blur that was the dog slipped around into the street, then fell into position to follow the tall stranger. Moments later, Faoth disappeared into an unlit alley.

His fingers gripping the hilt of a hidden knife, Kedar didn’t slow his approach. He merely dropped his arm from around Mairin and stepped to her left, placing himself between her and the alley.

...They passed the alley without incident. Swept along by the thickening crowd, Kedar maintained his tense surveillance. Footsteps hurried up behind them. Trapped by the narrowed entrance onto the beach, his shoulder tensed, awaiting an attack. None occurred and the newcomer, an apprentice in a flour-covered apron, veered off into a bakery.

A light brush on Kedar’s leg heralded Faoth’s return. She padded at his side, her head swiveling back and forth as if tracking someone. After a whimper, the dog looked up for instructions. He dropped a hand down to pat Faoth on the head. “It’s okay, girl,” he said in a low tone that couldn’t be heard above the conversations of the other partiers. “We’ll find him later.”


~ * ~

Buy Links: One Click to ebook sellers

Additional excerpts from the three novellas (and two bonus short stories) in First Change.

The Worst Gift - Piracy #mfrwauthor

It's Friday and time for another topic in the #mfrwauthor challenge. We're supposed to write about the best gift we've ever gotten. However, birthdays, anniversaries, certain holidays are time for reflection and no "best" came to mind. Instead I happened across an article by a reviewer about reviewers selling advanced reader copies. And I instantly thought, "worst gift." 

And that is how I came up with the topic worst gift and the focus is Piracy. Print books are being offered on pirate torrent sites in multiple digital formats. Sometimes without the author even selling a single copy. Imagine your anger/resentment/despair when you've found out that for every book you sell, 10,000 are downloaded for free -- stolen from you. I think that qualifies as a bad gift, the gift of theft. Or at least a very bad day.

Especially if someone adds insult to injury by sending you the following email. "I enjoyed Book 1 of Series X so much, but don't want to pay for the rest. Won't you send Books 2 through 5 to me for free? Not to review, just to read and then pass on. I have a site I upload books to."

A digital ebook is NOT for passing on like a hard copies. It needs to be treated like software and like that other digital product is subject to copyright protection and infringement enforcement.

Now nothing is going to stop the pirates when they play the shell game with their names. More and more publishers are telling their authors to ignore the pirate sites and not to even bother to send a DCMA notice.

Those who can make a difference are those who repeatedly upload a copy of a book as soon as a copyright violation request takes one down. When a book goes down, let it stay down. You're not really helping by uploading to a torrent site. Just because you received a book for free in exchange for a review or as a gift at a conference, doesn't mean it's free for EVERYONE. I hope you'll read the article, Reviewers selling ARC's.

People who download a book for free from known or obvious pirate sites aren't stealing from big corporations who can afford it. Then could literally be taking away the food an author needs to live on. And the money you pay for a subscription to a pirate site could be better put to use by buying the books from a legitimate venue.


Pixabay Image. Used under Creative Commons license.Next time rather than download a "free ebook pdf" from a torrent site, get it from Overdrive via your local library or one of the legitimate subscription services so that the author will at least get a few cents.

An even better option would be to consider buying the book. An author will thank you.

~till next time, I'm off to play whack a mole and see how many more hundreds of sites my latest print book is available for in digital format. Thanks for listening to my rant. Helen

I'm Not Social #mfrwauthor

Welcome to this week's Friday post in the 2018 MFRW challenge. This week's topic required some thought. First off, I don't enjoy hanging out just for the sake of it. There are too many parts of my life that require attention and time. Connecting for me is a one-on-one effort, not a shotgun blast out into the ether. Then there is the question of an almost identical 2017 topic.


Rather than recap the 2017 challenge post which covered online hangouts, the official 2018 topic is "Favorite Social Media Hangouts." So, rather than rehash last year's post, I thought I'd look at how things have changed.

Facebook is changing their algorithms yet again. Long gone are the days when every friend or follower received your post in their timeline so I tend to focus more on groups.

My sharing on Twitter has increased through participation in MFRW programs especially the monthly Retweet Party.

Goodreads is still where I connect with readers both through the cross-posting of my blog and through groups. However, even that contact has changed now that the costs to do a giveaway can exceed the lifetime earnings of a book.

Although some wouldn't consider a blog as social media, I would say my favorite social media site is my blog. It allows me to share craft and life. I share news of my writing, notes on writing life, and bits too long for Facebook and Twitter. A really good day is when a review is posted or a reader leaves a note.

Now that I've shared some insights, to find me at the hangout of your choice, click on the icons on the sidebar or the links below. Hope to hang out soon. And be sure to visit the other authors in the challenge.

~till next time, find me at the hangouts below. Helen

Facebook   Twitter  Goodreads  Google+   Pinterest 


  

Hooked on Hatchlings Curse, A Mate Lost? #MFRWauthor

The dragshi are more than just a man or woman, but two beings—one human, the other a dragon. The pair share one body in space and time and are able to change forms with the other at will. But be warned, a dragon form comes with more than just the freedom of the sky.

The Dragshi Chronicles-- action-filled, romance-laden fantasies.

After millennia of waiting...and searching, Branin and his dragon counterpart, Llewlyn, have found their intended mates.
 
For the dragshi, the freedom of flight comes with a price--childlessness. Now Branin has to find a cure. Cryptic references to mating flights offer hope, but dark references about the deaths of suitors threatens not only his life, but the dreams of all dragon shifters.

Last week's excerpt ended with Branin being wounded when he served as wingman for the mating flight of his two friends. Since there were requests to see what happens next, a scene that answers the question.

Excerpt:

Anastasia raced off the ledge. Between one step and the next, the changing mist surrounded her and she emerged on the wing. Blocking out the pain of Branin’s wounds, she rushed toward the aerial fight.

Another searing wave of agony surged through her veins. Redness clouded her vision. It felt like her arm had been severed from her body. Twisting her head, she expected to see her limb hanging uselessly at her side, but it still beat in symphony with the other. It was not her pain, not her body being clawed and torn. <Hang on, Branin,> Anastasia cried. <I’m coming.>

Her searching gaze found what it feared. A black spot plummeted to the ground, growing closer with each heartbeat.

<Branin, no!> Anastasia screamed.

The link with Jessian throbbed with the power the dragon fed through it. <We will save them.> Then in an even stronger cry the dragon soul called out to her mate. <Llewlyn, live for me!>

Anastasia’s entire being focused on the falling Branin. I will save him... or die.

She reached him and moaned at the sliced hide flapping in the wind. In an intricate maneuver, she placed her body directly beneath the amber dragon, bearing his full weight on her back. Muscles strained as she fought to slow their descent.

Her burden was too great and the jagged mountain peaks too close. In a final attempt, Anastasia circled into an updraft, using the mountain itself to aid her quest. Heartbeat after heartbeat, she balanced the opposing forces until she crashed through tree branches to the ground. With a gentleness of a mother with a babe, she eased her burden to the thick moss. Glacial ice surrounded her heart at the limp wings and boneless neck.

From deep in her mind came a questioning. Would healing fire work on the dragon form?

* * *

Buy Links:   One Click Link to major ebook sellers.
Click here for another excerpt and a free read of the first chapter.

In Honor of Strong Women

Mother’s Day seemed an appropriate time to post about the tales of strong women in the multi-genre anthology Dreamspell Goddess. Westerns, paranormal, romance, science fiction and fantasy are all represented in the works of the talented authors.

Writing as Jessie Treon, Ambush Luck is a historical western.  Crossing genres, it joins my two fantasy series: the Dragshi Chronicles and the Windmaster Novels. A common theme among them is strong women who have a strong sense of honor and duty. And the last commonality, at least one character in each of the works is based on one of my ancestresses’.

The premise of Ambush Luck reflects a new twist on the traditional gunslinger tale. Married and happy in her life as wife and mother, Helen Rawlings thought she had put her past as a fast gun behind her. Her peaceful life ends when a gang kills one of her adopted sons, and tries to eliminate the only witness - her other son, Josh. Helen risks everything to once again become the notorious Hell Lost, gunslinger and defender of the righteous, and confronts those threatening her family. If she survives, she would be faced with the biggest crisis of all, rejecting the lure of the adventure of the high mountain trails to let her past disappear once again.

Although out of print, limited copies of Dreamspell Goddess are still available at Amazon

~ till next time, celebrate Mother’s Day by forming a memory. To all the mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers, have a great day.  Helen

Sunset and Diamonds #mfrwauthor

Welcome to the 2018 MFRW writing challenge. If you've been following me in this year's posts you might remember I'm memory challenged. So to write this post I started with another of this year's projects. A goal of 2018 is to start cleaning out boxes of pictures and records. The business records won't help with the post, but I hoped something in a snapshot would trigger a memory.

So what is my most romantic memory?


It could be me and my hubbs of more than four decades sitting on the porch swing of a mountain cabin watching the sun set over the lake. The majority of our vacations over the years were camping trips so there were many nights under the stars in front of a bonfire.

Or, as earlier in our married life, strolling hand-in-hand down Bourbon Street in the French Quarter and along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain.

 Pixabay Image
But I decided to go with a different walk and a different sunset--hunting for Cape May diamonds while watching the sun set on Sunset Beach. This little stretch of Delaware Bay beach at the end of Sunset Boulevard is popular for the usual beach stuff like kite flying, fishing, taking pictures, and watching the sunset. It is also a site for hunting for the pieces of quartz called Cape May diamonds.


~till next time, I hope you'll visit the other posts. Helen

Hooked on Hatchlings Curse, Price of Friendship, #MFRWHooks

The dragshi are more than just a man or woman, but two beings—one human, the other a dragon. The pair share one body in space and time and are able to change forms with the other at will. But be warned, a dragon form comes with more than just the freedom of the sky.

The Dragshi Chronicles-- action-filled, romance-laden fantasies.


After millennia of waiting...and searching, Branin and his dragon counterpart, Llewlyn, have found their intended mates.
 
For the dragshi, the freedom of flight comes with a price--childlessness. Now Branin has to find a cure. Cryptic references to mating flights offer hope, but dark references about the deaths of suitors threatens not only his life, but the dreams of all dragon shifters.

The following excerpt begins at the end of a mating flight between two true dragons. Exhausted from the competition, Branin can't rest. An unplanned mating flight between two of his friends requires his assistance--even if it means his death.

Excerpt:

A yellow shape crossed Branin’s path. Dealan, she’s risen. Fear for his friends took over, overriding the pain of his wounds.

Dealan swooped down over her struggling mate. Her bugle taunted and teased. In a whoosh of wind, Liam headed for her.

<Liam, stop.>Branin yelled. <It is too dangerous. You are too tired and cannot fly high enough. Wait.>

In the passion of mating, Liam’s entire being broadcast a single determination—he would wait no longer. He trumpeted his defiance. <I will fly Dealan. No one will stop me.>

Only the physical demands of flight and the strength of his friendship allowed Branin to maintain a splinter of reason against Dealan’s siren call. It had been hard enough to resist the mating urge when it was between the true dragons. Now his tenuous hold over his own will weakened and he grabbed onto Llewlyn’s comfort as he had so many times before.

Back in control, Branin watched the pair above him. A moan escaped his throat. The irrefutable fact was they were too close to the ground.

<We will save Gwennteir and Orfhlaith,> Llewlyn said, assuredness in his tone. <And their human selves.>

A new energy surged through Branin’s body. The pain from the wound Drak inflicted reduced to a low throb. With assistance from Llewlyn, Branin resolved to stop Liam any way possible, except the use of fang or talon. With mock attacks and dives, he blocked Liam, preventing him from reaching Dealan.

Liam raked Branin with his talons.

Blood streamed from the neck wound to fall in a shower of red droplets.

Screaming in rage, Liam struck again, this time ripping down the shoulder and across Branin’s wing. The pain of a thousand knife cuts tore through Branin’s body. He faltered. Every wingstroke became an agony.

* * *

Buy Links:   One Click Link to major ebook sellers.
Click here for another excerpt and a free read of the first chapter.

And if you missed Dragon Destiny, an excerpt for the first book in the series can be found here.