Author Charlene Raddon Discusses Pioneer Homes

Please help me welcome my guest, author Charlene Raddon, who will tell us everything we’ve wanted to know about pioneer sod homes. Read all the way through to find out about her special giveaway.
Homes of the Pioneers

Sod House

Dugout
Dugout, 1850-1920 — Dugout dwellings were, of course, partially subterranean, dug either into level ground--up to approximately six feet deep--or, more commonly, into a hillside, preferably south-facing, to capture sun in the winter. Floor dimensions of 12’x 12’ were common. A wall of log, earth, stone, or sometimes brick was sometimes built above ground around the perimeter, high enough to provide adequate head room. The roof might be flat, sloped, or a have a shallow-pitched gable. The roof consisted of flat boards or heavy wood poles spaced evenly as rafters. Willows or other saplings were placed between poles and covered with straw or bundles of brush. A thick layer of dirt made the final layer. Such a roof did little good in heavy rain, and often caved in, especially if livestock was allowed to roam freely on top of the roof.

Single-Cell House
Single-Cell, 1847-1910—A single-cell house is a single square or rectangle unit not subdivided into rooms. It may be one, one and a half, or two stories tall, and is sometimes called the “square cabin” or “hall house,” an English form found in all sections of the United States.
Double-Cell, 1847-90 — The double-cell house has two square or roughly square units arranged axially, one, one and a half, or two stories tall, usually with a façade having two front doors and either two or four symmetrical windows. Chimneys were at the gable ends or in the center of the house.
Hall-Parlor, 1847-1910 —The hall-parlor house consists of a single square room (the hall) with a smaller room serving as the best room (parlor) attached to the side. Though one room deep, there may be one, one and a half, or two floors. The internal plan is always asymmetrical, but a characteristic three-or five-bay symmetrical façade masks the imbalance. Chimneys stood either internally or at the gable ends.

Central Passage House
Central Passage, 1847-1900—A central-passage house is a modification of the hall-parlor type, with a passage or hallway (usually containing a staircase) between two square or roughly square rooms. One, one-and-a-half, and two-story examples of the house have been recorded, and both three-and five-bay forms are common (bays are window or door openings). From the outside, the placement of internal chimneys flanking the central hall identifies it as this type of house.
Pair House, 1853-90— The pair house has a distinctive three-room-wide floor plan. It differs from the central-passage type by the central room being more than a passageway. Usually it is either the kitchen or the living room. This one also was built with one, one and a half and two stories, with either gable-end or internal chimneys. The paired internal chimneys (more widely spaced than central-passage chimneys) identify it as a pair house. Usually has three or five bays.
Double Pile, 1847-80— The double-pile house was two rooms deep, a regional modification of the Georgian detached house (which has two rooms on either side of a long central passage.) Other double-pile forms extend the hall parlor, pair house, and double-cell types one unit to the rear.
Side Passage/Entry Hall, 1847-1920— This house has a square or rectangular plan with an entrance passage on one side of the main floor, giving the house a distinctive asymmetrical appearance. The side-passage house is one and a half or two stories and was used in styles ranging from the Greek Revival to the Prairie School. The side-passage form originated as an 18th-century variant of the Georgian detached house—two rooms on either side of a central passage.
Saltbox, 1847-70— The saltbox is defined mainly by its roof shape rather than its plan. This house has a two-story front section and a one-story extension, or outshut, to the rear. The entire house is covered by a long sloping roof, with a continuous, unbroken roofline, giving it the shape of an old-fashioned salt storage box.
Temple Form, 1847-75—The temple-form house has its entrance in the narrower side of the house, usually under the gable end of the roof. These houses may multiple storied, and may use different floor plans, including the double-cell and side-passage. There may be wings on one or both sides. By 1850, several new types, such as the cross-wing and cruciform, were becoming important new forms.
Cross Wing, 1880-1910— The cross-wing house consists of two wings placed at right angles so the floor plan resembles a “T” or an “L.” The stairway is often situated in the side wing. Usually one and a half stories tall, although some are two stories. Smaller one-story examples were often called simply “T-cottages.
Shotgun House, 1875-1910— The shotgun house is narrow, one story tall, one room wide, and two or more rooms deep.  The narrow gable end faces the street and typically contains a single entryway and window.  Each room is placed behind the other in single file, with no hallway.  The roof ridge is perpendicular to the street.

Charlene Raddon
I hope you found this blog informative and useful. Please leave a comment and your contact information for a chance to win my soon-to-be released e-book, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, in which the heroine lives in a dugout she dug herself with a broken shovel after her home was washed away in a flash flood. January 24 was the release date for this book.



Find Charlene at
http://www.charleneraddon.com
http://www.charleneraddon.blogspot.com
Find her books at http://www.amazon.com, http://www.smashwords.com, http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com, and other e-book stores.
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Thank you, Charlene! Readers, do leave a comment and your contact info to be entered  into a drawing for a copy of Charlene’s latest book, TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, and a $5 gift certificate.

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop

What, you may ask, is a blog hop? It’s a way that readers can discover new authors they may not see in their local bookstore. You’ll get information about me, what I’m working on now, and FATAL FORTUNE, the first book in my Lottie Baldwin mystery series, of which reviewer Nikki Andrews wrote, “Fatal Fortune is an engrossing read, replete with the intricate web of small-town connections and an understanding of what drives people to extreme actions. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.” Also see links below to other authors you might like to check out.

In this particular hop, I will answer ten questions about my current book and work in progress, as well as some insights into the writing process, from characters and inspiration to plotting and other decisions. I hope you enjoy it! Leave a comment to share your thoughts and questions.

I’d like to thank fellow authors Loretta Jackson and Vickie Britton for tagging me to participate. Here’s a little information about them and their books.

Sisters Loretta Jackson and Vickie Britton have co-authored more than 40 novels and currently write three mystery series. The sisters, who live in Kansas, are drawn to out of the way places.  Inspired by the rugged mountains of Wyoming and Colorado, they find the lonely, high country region a perfect setting for their novels.

WHISPERS OF THE STONES is the newest entry in the High Country series.  They also write the archaeological Ardis Cole series and the Pre-Columbian mystery series. They have traveled to exotic places to create background for these series.

WHISPERS OF THE STONES: Sheriff Jeff McQuede finds 'Bartering Bill' Garr murdered at his rural antique store. Only one item is missing -- a rare artifact believed to be the Pedro Mummy. First discovered in a cave in Wyoming, the Pedro Mummy was reported missing in the 1950s. Dr. Seth Talbot, newly arrived in town, has put out a fifteen-thousand-dollar reward for any information on the mummy, hoping that modern technology will prove his theory that a tiny race of people actually existed: one the Shoshones call the Nimerigar, or Little People.  As he investigates, McQuede finds himself is drawn into an elaborate hoax that threatens his career and places him in grave danger.

The blog for Vickie and Loretta is “Writing Tips and Fiction” at http://www.vbritton.blogspot.com/.

Here are my answers to the ten questions I told you about:

1: What is the title of your book? My book is called FATAL FORTUNE, the first in the Lottie Baldwin mystery series.

2: Where did the idea come from for the book? I saw a news item about a psychic who helped the police find missing children. I wondered what would happen if a psychic lived in a place where her special talents were scorned. Would she go after the criminal herself?

3: What genre does your book come under? I’d call it a cozy mystery with paranormal overtones.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie
rendition?

Lottie would be played by a young Joan Blondell. She looks the part, and would be a perfect fit for sassy, independent Lottie.

Harlan would be played by a young Robert Redford. He’s got a great sense of humor, and has no trouble being strong when it counts.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? When Lottie Baldwin’s best friend’s husband disappears, Lottie uses her tarot cards to find him, despite the danger.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher,
or represented by an agency? FATAL FORTUNE is published by Tirgearr Publishing, a small independent publisher.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I worked on it, off and on, for a couple of years.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? I like to think Lottie is unique, but she feels like a cross between Katherine Hepburn in “Bringing Up Baby” and Jane Seymour in “Live and Let Die.”

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book? I became interested in the tarot, and after buying a deck of tarot cards and learning a bit about them, I thought it would be fun to write a character with psychic talents, who uses the cards to solve mysteries.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? FATAL FORTUNE is set in a fictitious small town in North Dakota, a state that’s not over-used in fiction.

To check out FATAL FORTUNE for yourself, click here: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Delisi_Elizabeth/fatal-fortune.htm

Here is some info on another terrific author you’ll definitely want to read.

Vonda Sinclair’s favorite indulgent pastime is exploring Scotland, from Edinburgh to the untamed and windblown north coast. She also enjoys creating hot, Highland heroes and spirited lasses to drive them mad. She is a past Golden Heart finalist and Laurie award winner. She lives with her amazing and supportive husband in the mountains of North Carolina where she is no doubt creating another Scottish story.

Vonda is working on her upcoming release, My Daring Highlander. Her last release was My Brave Highlander: A man long believed dead, Dirk MacKay returns home to a den of murderous conspirators in Durness, Scotland. Along the icy trail north, he rescues Lady Isobel MacKenzie from a snowstorm. He would never steal the neighboring chief's bride, would he? The tantalizing lady fires up his passions, testing his willpower and honor at every turn, even as some of his own clansmen plot his downfall.

http://amzn.com/B008N1UZVC

www.vondasinclair.com

http://fierceromance.blogspot.com/

Thanks for visiting my blog today. Happy reading!

Vote Today

Get out there and vote. Vote. VOTE!!!

Anyone who doesn’t vote, has no right to complain later about how things are going.

Guest Author Kemberlee Shortland

Today I’d like to welcome guest author Kemberlee Shortland. She’s going to tell us a bit about her book, RHYTHM OF MY HEART. Also, she will give away a free copy of A PIECE OF MY HEART, the first in the Irish Pride series, to one lucky commenter.

Kem, glad to have you here! Tell us a little about yourself, and what inspired you to become a writer.

Kem: I’m originally from the Monterey Peninsula in Northern California, but I’m currently celebrating my 15th year in Ireland. Came over on a long vacation, stayed for a man ;-)

I can’t remember how long I’ve enjoyed writing, but I do remember the moment when I thought seriously about it. I’d already started reading romances (from about the age of 12), and one night I was listening to the radio and heard the Beatles’ song ‘Paperback Writer.’ I listened to the lyrics and thought, “I can do that!”

Liz: Tell us what RHYTHM OF MY HEART is about.

Kem: RHYTHM OF MY HEART is about Kieran Vaughan, a down-on-his-luck blues guitarists looking for his big break, and Elish Kennedy, who is an artist’s representative looking for a big break of her own. Her boss, Fergus Manley, fancies himself a lady’s man, and since Eilis is the only woman to tell him ‘no’, he’s even more insistent in getting her into bed. Eilis has discovered some good talent, but she need to find that one great talent to get her promoted out from under Fergus’s thumb. He’s dangerous and she knows it. When Eilis discovers Kieran, she knows he’s that break she’s looking for. He could be the Garth Brooks of the blues, if only he’d believe in himself.

But it’s not that simple. It never is. On first meeting, Eilis puts her foot in her mouth, really embarrassing herself. But when Keiran tells her he wants to kiss her, her emotions go every which way. Could there be something more between them than a contract? Not if Fergus has anything to say about it! Her constant refusal to sleep with him only infuriates him, driving his libido into overdrive. He vows he’ll have Eilis on her back, no matter the cost.

Liz: It sounds fascinating! Tell me, if you were casting the movie version of Rhythm of My Heart, who would you choose for the leading roles?

Kem: Well, despite the hunkalicious guy already on the cover, I’ve kind of envisioned Jason Momoa who played Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, season one, as my Kieran. Woof!! Would have loved a photo of him on the cover. Your typical Irishman isn’t so brown, but Kieran has Jason’s hair and eyes, his strong chin . . . and that mouth . . . {swoon}

For Eilis, model Mia Taylor, but with coppery red hair. Mia is one of Mick Jagger’s daughters (actress sister is Liv Tyler). Mia is a very wholesome, full-figured woman, but very sexy like Eilis. Mia has the look of a very strong business woman, yet at the same time, a certain innocence that shines through her sensuality. And I think she’d look great on Jason’s arm ;-)

Liz: Great casting. Now, let’s get a little personal. Tell us about a hidden talent you have that most people don’t know about.

Kem: I don’t think I have any hidden talents, and anything I do, most people know about already, like knitting. When I was younger, though, I could backbend far enough to pick things up in front of my toes. I could do that up until I was about 35.

Liz: Pretty flexible! What’s your favorite season and why?

Kem: I like them all for various reasons. Growing up in Northern California, we kind of only had one season. Living in Ireland, we usually get all four. Sometimes in one day! ;-) I think, though, I really love the summer, particularly around the end of June and into July, as those are the longest days of the year. When we have good summers, those long, hot days are really lovely. It stays light until after 11pm and starts lightning around 4am. If there’s a full moon, it can be dusk-like from 11pm to 4am.

Having said that, I think it’s a novelty in December for the shortest days of the year. Something odd about it not getting light until after 9am and being dark at 4pm. Not really very nice when there’s bad weather, or the cloud cover is so heavy it’s like dusk all day, but novel at the same time.

Liz: Tell us about anyone famous you’ve met.

Kem: I’ve met loads of famous people. It was part and parcel of my family’s business when I was growing up. Probably the most famous person I’ve met was Clint Eastwood. He was always a customer in our business because his famous Hog’s Breath Inn (a restaurant and bar) was directly across the street from us. And I eventually went on to work for him. He’s really a super person. I liked him a lot on many levels . . . of course as an actor, but also as a person. He’s a great philanthropist, loves his family, and he’s funnier ‘en hell, as they say.

Liz: Ooh, Clint Eastwood! Lucky girl. So, what’s your favorite comfort food?

Kem: The question should be ‘what isn’t my comfort food’! I’m a real foodie, and it depends why I’m in a particular mood that dictates what I’ll grab for comfort. When I’m homesick, it’s usually tacos, of all things (that’s usually when the family all gathered around the dinner table for a meal). If I’m feeling nostalgic, it’s pecan cinnamon rolls (when we went camping, we used to strap a big foil wrapped package to the exhaust manifold on dad’s old van so they’d cook on the way. About an hour into the trip, we’d stop for cold milk and break out the piping hot and fully cooked rolls!) If it’s winter and I’m getting the blues from the lack of daylight and not being home for the holidays, I’ll make big pots of beef stew in wine. Really, I can very easily pick a food and a mood and put them together.

Liz: LOL! Okay, now let’s talk about writing. Are you an outliner or do you write by the seat of your pants?

Kem: I do a little of both, actually. I start with a basic outline. Like a car journey, I need a starting off point and a destination. There are things I want to see along the way so I’ll mark those between points A and B then see where they take me. Sometimes the writing veers off to see something really interesting, and sometimes what seems really interesting isn’t and I have to back up to the last junction and find something else interesting. Most of the time, once I get into the journey, the characters put ME in the backseat and do the driving themselves. That can be very interesting!

Liz: If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Kem: Probably back working with animals. I have a diploma in pet nutrition and studied pet behavior for a while. And when I worked in the pet business, I also ran obedience courses. I really enjoyed that line of work and would probably still be in it if I hadn’t been injured on the job. Of course, I was also writing back then, so while I might not be published while still in the pet business, I’d still be writing. I’ve always written first and foremost for myself. It’s just a bonus that others want to read my work too.

Liz: And finally, what’s your favorite non-writing-related website?

Kem: That’s a tricky one. Just about everything I do these days is about writing in some form. Even the hours I spend on Facebook (not a favorite but a necessary evil in many ways). Of the few sites I do visit from time to time, I guess Ravelry has to be the favorite non-writer one. It’s an international online niche venue for people with addiction . . . to yarn and other creative fibers! I’m an avid knitter and Ravelry is a great place to look up yarns and patters, and they have a place one can display their work. I used to be very active on the message boards, but I haven’t had time for them in the last year or so. Still love the pattern section though.

Other than that, I love any site with great historical info. I’m a closet archaeological enthusiast.

Liz: It’s been great to have you here today. Anything else you’d like to share?

Kem: Thanks so much for asking me to be here today. For more information on my books, here are a few links.

Kemberlee’s website – http://www.kemberlee.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/kemberleeshortland

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/kemberlee

Tirgearr Publishing - http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com

I love hearing from readers, so drop me some messages below! One lucky commenter today will win a copy of the first book in the Irish Pride series, A Piece of My Heart.

Blurb —

Artist Representative, Eilis Kennedy, gave up a singing career so that other women could have a fair chance at having their music heard. Having suffered rejection from callous men in the industry, she thought she would get away from ‘casting couch’ mentality. But when she finds herself in the office of Fergus Manley, all bets are off. Disgusted by his continual come-ons and lewd invitations, Eilis is looking for ‘the one’ who will take her career to the next level, getting out from under Fergus’s controlling thumb.

Aspiring blues guitarist, Kieran Vaughan, is looking for his big break. But after suffering near bankruptcy at the hands of an unscrupulous business partner, Kieran is left picking up the pieces. He’s unsure if the debts will ever be paid or if he’ll ever have a chance to do something with his music. At his whit’s end, he’s about ready to throw in the towel and find a full-time job with real hours.

When Eilis discovers Kieran playing in a seedy pub in Dublin’s Northside, she knows he’s the one rare talent she’s been searching for. With her know-how and his talent, Eilis will finally get everything she’s been waiting for. Neither of them count on the powerful attraction from first meeting. Eilis is so rocked by Keiran’s forthright words that it sends her running. Kieran risks being arrested as he chases Eilis across Ireland.

Seeing what’s happening between Eilis and Kieran, anger wells inside Fergus and he steps up his pursuit of Eilis. Refusing to let Kieran get in his way, Fergus vows to add Eilis’s notch to his bedpost, whatever it takes.

Will Kieran be able to protect her?

Excerpt —

She swallowed hard, then entered the pub.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the dark room. The few men sitting around the bar turned their gazes in her direction. Understandably. A well-groomed businesswoman in the pub was surely a novelty. These men were long since retired, or long since employed. Their stubbled faces meant they hadn’t shaved in several days, or possibly weeks. The dim light hid the worst of their unkempt appearances, but nothing could disguise their unwashed clothes. A pong in the room wafted into her nostrils, causing her stomach to lurch again.

Shoulders back, she strode to the bar.

The same man from last night stood behind the counter. He was short and pudgy with missing front teeth. His disheveled appearance made him look like his patrons. Had he not been behind the counter she wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference.

His striped brown and white shirt had frayed cuffs and was open to mid-chest, showing a sweat-stained t-shirt underneath. His brown trousers had seen much better days and were held together not with a button or belt, but with a bit of twine looping between his belt loops, his round belly spilling over. The only thing holding up the trousers was his equally round bum. It seemed to push the waistband up in the back as his belly pushed it down in the front. The sight would have been funny if her stomach hadn’t been flip-flopping.

Her voice cracked when she first spoke, but it picked up strength in her determination to make something of this horrid trek. “A-are you the proprietor?”

A broad gap-toothed grin creased the man’s face and, loud enough for his patrons to hear, he said, “I’ll be who ever ye want me to be, luv.”

His friends burst into laughter. Eilis felt the flush rise in her cheeks. Not because she was embarrassed, but from frustration. She just wanted to get this meeting over with and she wasn’t in the mood to spar.

She stood her ground. “I’m looking for the man who played guitar here last night. Kieran Vaughan. We have business. Will you please tell me where I can find him?” She looked the man in the eye, much as she could, considering she stood a good half-foot taller than him, even without her heels.

“No, miss, I doubt you have any business with himself. ‘Speshly a fine lass such as yerself. Now, if ye were to come home with a real man like meself, well . . .” He left the rest unsaid, the insinuation hanging in the air.

Her gaze never wavered as she stared the little man in the eye.

“Sir,” she smiled sweetly, honey dripping from her words. She leaned over the bar just enough to give him a glimpse of the swell of her breast through the opening of her blouse. “I doubt you have anything I would be interested in. Besides, you don’t really want me to find out why this place is called The Little Man, do you?”

This earned the publican long oohs and sniggers from the patrons, who were now on the edges of their seats waiting to hear the disagreeable little man's response.

Obviously taken aback by such a brazen retort, the man stood gaping red-faced at her for a moment before he got his wits about him. He winked at the men around the bar. “Oy does like me birds feisty!” That only encouraged more laughter.

Eilis could have enjoyed the banter if only the man wasn’t so repulsive. All she wanted to do was meet Kieran Vaughan and get out of Finglas as quickly as possible.

When the laughing stopped, Eilis’s gaze never wavered as she said, “Well?”

“Well what, loov?” he asked, wiping the tears from his eyes with a dirty bar towel.

“Are you going to tell me where to find Kieran Vaughan?” He was trying her patience, but she did her best to keep the frustration out of her voice.

Then she sensed someone step up behind her and straightened instantly. Somehow she knew it was Kieran. The feral scent of him permeated her senses and quickened her pulse. Butterflies replaced the strange ache in her stomach that had been there just moments before.

She turned slowly and looked up at the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life. She found herself instantly speechless.

She'd seen him on stage the night before and knew he was handsome. But this close up . . . Never before had she seen such blue eyes. And as she gazed into them, they changed from the light steel blue to the color of storm clouds heavily ringed with gunmetal. That he had dark brows and thick lashes only made his gaze seem more intense.

“Ye’ve found him, loov,” said the little man, taunting her. “Now what are ye goin’ ta do with him?”

The hammering of her heart and the pulsing blood in her temples blocked out the noise in the room as she looked into Kieran Vaughan’s eyes. To her dismay, her knees actually quivered.

Something in the pit of her belly ached. No, something else. It was like warm melting honey running through her marrow. In that moment she longed to touch him, to brush the unruly wave of his dark hair away from his face, to feel his lips against the pads of her fingers, to . . .

When he spoke she almost didn’t hear him.

“Like the man said, now that you’ve found me, what are you going to do with me?” His eyes sparkled with unabashed mischief.

“Anything you want me to,” she heard herself whisper.

Bio —

Kemberlee Shortland grew up in Carmel-by-the-Sea as Kemberlee Lugo. When she had the opportunity to see Ireland on an extended trip, she jumped on it. She has just celebrated 15 years living in Ireland and about ready to celebrate her 13^th wedding anniversary to her very own Irishman.

Over the years, Kemberlee has traveled extensively around Ireland, which gives her a distinct perspective on using Ireland as a setting for her books. After publishing several short stories, set in both Carmel and Ireland, Kemberlee’s first Irish set novel, A Piece of My Heart, became an instant hit and established her as a foremost author of Irish Romances.

Her current release, Rhythm of My Heart, was just published on 16 July to great appreciation by her readers. Also set in Ireland, this story promises readers another exceptional Irish romance.

Kemberlee is not just celebrating the release of Rhythm of My Heart, she is also celebrating her first six months as a publisher. She and husband Peter launched Tirgearr Publishing in February this year and have attracted many established authors, including a well known and titled British thriller writer.

Additionally, Kemberlee is not just an author and publisher; she is also an avid blogger who publishes articles on writing, book reviews, travel, crafts and anything else striking her fancy. When she’s not found sat in front of her computer, she can be found traveling with her husband, spending time with her two Border Collies, Daisie and Poppy, knitting or watching reruns of Castle.

My Work Space

I'm blogging today about my writing space. Come check it out: www.heartoffiction.blogspot.com/2012/08/elizabeth-delisi-fatal-fortune.html

We’ve also chatting about tarot cards, and our  pets, and are open to other topics, too. And you can tell us what your office space is like, or your ideal office.

Come join us. Hope to see you there!

Guest Blogger Author Charlene Raddon

Today it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Charlene Raddon, author of FOREVER MINE. Hope you enjoy the interview below!
Liz: Welcome, Charlene! You’ve been writing western historical romance a long time, and your book, which was just released as an e-book, Forever Mine, was originally published by Kensington. How many books have you published?
Charlene: Kensington published five of my historical novels, one—The Scent of Roses—under the pseudonym Rachel Summers. Forever Mine is the first of my backlist to be made into electronic form, but I hope to have all of them out there soon.
Liz: I hope you do. Why historical? Have you ever written a contemporary romance?
Charlene: I love historicals because of the way they can immerse you in a whole different world, a whole new way of living. As for contemporaries, I have tried my hand at them. I wrote a contemporary fantasy set in Wales about a frog princess, which I need to try to sell one of these days.
Liz: A frog princess? In a contemporary? That must have been fun.

Charlene: It was. I also started two other books, one about a woman who buys an old Native American necklace, puts it on and instead of herself in the mirror, she sees a white girl in Indian garb who appears to be pleading with her, but in a Native tongue the heroine can’t understand. My other partial features a woman psychologist on the run who hides out at a working beefalo ranch for troubled teenage boys.
Liz: You come up with great ideas. What is a beefalo ranch?
Charlene: They raise cattle cross-bred with buffalo. Fantastic meat.
Liz: Well, tell us what’s next on the slate for you. Will you have another book out soon?
Charlene: Yes, by the end of the year, I hope. I’m proofing my book Tender Touch, an Oregon Trail story that was the second book I ever wrote and a Golden Heart Finalist.
Liz: That should bring you some new fans. But Tender Touch is another from your backlist. Are you working on anything new?
Charlene: Yes, sort of. I’m reworking the first book I ever wrote, a time travel called Time Weaver. The heroine is the descendant of a much respected Ute medicine woman in charge of keeping their songs, dances, and stories alive and in use. Now she’s been called back to the past to relearn everything so she can return to the future and help today’s Ute people find their way back to the path.
Liz: You certainly have a fertile mind, Charlene! Your stories all sound fascinating. Tell us a little about Forever Mine, your new e-book.

Charlene: The heroine of Forever Mine, Ariah Scott, agrees to travel from Cincinnati to the Oregon coast to marry an assistant light keeper, but falls in love with her intended’s uncle before she ever reaches the lighthouse. In love with one man, promised to another, and running from a secret that could endanger them all, Ariah is in real trouble. I call this my Ethan Frome with a happy ending story. The hero, Bartholomew Noon, the man Ariah falls for was tricked into marriage by a shrew of a woman who locked her bedroom to him and made his life miserable. Bartholomew never knew a woman as lovely, generous, and vivacious as Ariah existed, let alone that she would return his affection. It’s a tender but passionate love story in a wonderful setting. When it was first published, Forever Mine received a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award nomination and was an Affaire De Coeur Reader/Writer Poll finalist for favorite historical.
Liz: Sounds wonderful, Charlene. I’m sure it will be a huge success. Thank you for visiting with us today.
Charlene: Thank you, Liz. It’s been fun. As you know, I’m holding a drawing to go with this post. Everyone who enters a comment and leaves their e-mail address will have a chance to win a copy of the Forever Mine e-book.
Visit Char at her blog: http://www.charleneraddon.blogspot.com/
and her website: http://www.charleneraddon.com

FATAL FORTUNE Review

Wanted to share with you a lovely review for FATAL FORTUNE. Hope you enjoy it!

 

Lottie (Madame Carlotta) Baldwin’s flamboyant ways ruffle the feathers of the small town in which she is a decided outsider. She is outspoken, claims psychic powers, and lives in a house designed for a witch. Worse, she reads the Tarot. Accurately. None of which endears her to the stolid citizens of Cheyenne, ND, and least of all to Sheriff McCarthy, who rejects and resents everything she stands for.

This creates a problem for McCarthy’s Chief Deputy, Harlan Erickson, because he is madly in love with Lottie. Unlike his boss, he trusts her intuitive senses and has often relied on them in difficult cases. But now Harlan and Lottie must join forces to investigate a murder and rescue a kidnapped child.

Elizabeth Delisi creates a cunning story of deceit, resentment, jealousy and greed in Fatal Fortune. Through it all she weaves a thread of the Tarot. Whether or not you accept the validity of the cards, you will be engrossed in the plot and in Lottie’s interpretation of the patterns she lays out. The cards serve as both meditation and foreshadow, but it is up to Lottie to pursue the clues they provide. With or without Harlan’s cooperation, she puts herself in danger to solve the mystery and prevent further mayhem.

Fatal Fortune is an engrossing read, replete with the intricate web of small-town connections and an understanding of what drives people to extreme actions. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

For more information or to buy/download:

http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Delisi_Elizabeth/fatal-fortune.htm

~~~Nikki Andrews, writer/editor

Framed

Chicken Bones

A Windswept Star

www.nikkiandrewsbooks.com

www.scrivenersriver.blogspot.com

FATAL FORTUNE Now Available

FATAL FORTUNE, a paranormal mystery and the first in the Lottie Baldwin mystery series, is now available in multiple electronic formats from Tirgearr Publishing.

Here’s the blurb:

No one in Cheyenne, North Dakota believes in Lottie Baldwin’s psychic abilities; especially not Harlan Erikson, Lottie’s boyfriend and Chief Deputy in the Sheriff’s Office.

When a friend’s husband disappears, Lottie can’t leave it to Harlan to discover what happened to Harry.

Armed with her courage and her tarot cards, Lottie tries to solve the mystery herself, regardless of who attempts to stop her: Harlan, her friend—or the criminal.

Go to my page on Tirgearr Publishing to read an excerpt or purchase your copy. Happy reading!

Life

Oh, I love this! Hope it gives you a laugh, too.

 

Word Play

“Can bees fly in the rain? Not without their little yellow jackets!”

--sign seen on local business

Hee hee hee! This really made me laugh when I  saw it. It’s a clever play on words.

Writers need to come up with original phrasing in order that their prose won’t be trite or a repetition of everything that’s come before. Yet it’s a delicate balance between originality and reaching, painfully, too far. Some of my students are so in love with similes and metaphors that they weaken their writing with strained analogies.

I just heard a bit of a show on NPR talking about Shakespeare and all the original words and phrases he invented in his work. Check it out here: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/09/15/140520535/things-we-say-today-and-owe-to-shakespeare

Who’d have thought one man could so affect the English language? He even came up with the beginning of that classic joke: “Knock, knock!” “Who’s there?”

While we can’t imagine how these new phrases must have sounded to Shakespeare’s audiences—did they say, “How clever!” or “What the heck does that mean?”—we can be careful to be sure our own prose says what we mean without being too flowery or too obtuse.

To practice, take a standard saying like “as sweet as pie” or “as mad as a wet hen.” Remove the pie or wet hen and come up with your own variation. Example:

As sweet as honey.

As sweet as a baby’s smile.

As sweet as a first kiss.

And, there’s no need to keep the intent or meaning of the original phrase. Try these variations:

As sweet as a tax collector.

As sweet as a dentist’s drill.

As sweet as a tornado.

Just be sure you don’t overdo it with too much description, or comparisons that everyone might not recognize:

As sweet as iced tea with six tablespoons of sugar.

As sweet as an entire pound package of Oreos.

As sweet as my mother.

Have someone else read your prose and let you know how the metaphors and similes work for him or her. Remember, you don’t have to be Shakespeare…but it’s a worth goal to aspire to.

MIRROR IMAGES Free Today

My short story collection, MIRROR IMAGES, is free today at Amazon in Kindle format:

http://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Images-ebook/dp/B0045EOO2M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332361818&sr=8-1

Check it out! And if you like it, I hope you’ll consider posting a review.

Description & Setting Course

I’m teaching a course on description and setting at Writer’s Digest University, beginning February 23. Here’s the course description:

“In this course we’ll consider the importance of description and setting in creating a fully believable, fully realized fictional world. More importantly, we’ll consider what makes description effective—how precise language, combined with surprising ways of looking at familiar things, creates a full experience for a reader—and how you might begin employing these techniques in your own work to create characters and settings which hum with life.

“Using Ron Rozelle’s Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting as your guide, you will see how striking, yet credible, description is formed—and what such description allows you to accomplish in your own work.”

For more details, or to sign up, go here: http://wdu.register.fwmedia.com/Course?CourseId=1077-10

Hope to see you in class!

New Cover Art

The publisher of my two short story anthologies, Books We Love, has done new cover art for  my books. I just love them! So I had to share.

Here’s the cover art for PENUMBRA:

I think it’s very evocative, and really captures the spirit of the stories…in particular, the first one, which happens to have been written by my great-grandfather.

And here’s the new cover art for MIRROR IMAGES:

This one definitely goes well with the title and story of the same name.

What do you think?

Free Book Today

Today, the Kindle version of my short story collection, MIRROR IMAGES, is free on Amazon. Check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Images-ebook/dp/B0045EOO2M/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1326303005&sr=1-1

Go pick up your copy while it’s still free. Enjoy!

New Website

I’m so excited to announce, I have a new website! I had my old one redesigned, and I just adore how it looks.

Check it out here:

http://www.elizabethdelisi.com

I’d love to hear what you think, if there’s anything else you’d like to see, if you have trouble navigating any of the links.

It was done by Tirgearr Design. You can contact them at http://www.tirgearr.com if you want to have your website redesigned, too.

It’s Not Nice to Insult Mother Nature

Okay, I guess my last post must have made Mother Nature angry. She dumped two feet of snow on us, and since it was a heavy, wet snow, there were trees down everywhere, taking out lots of power lines. We had two days with no power, trying to stay warm in a 47-degree house. Brrr! But we’re lucky as many people are STILL powerless, three-plus days after the storm.

I heard it was the third worst storm, considering how many people lost power, in New Hampshire history. The first and second worst storms were also within the past few years. Global warming, anyone?

It’s amazing how much we depend on electricity for heat, hot water, lights, clocks, computers and the internet, hot food, keeping food cold or frozen, washing clothes, coffee, not to mention charging up all our electronic equipment. You sure don’t realize how much you need it till it’s gone!

It’s also amazing how many hours of darkness there are when you have no electric lights. Candles take the edge off, but really don’t provide much usable light. Flashlights are good when you need to go from one room to another without breaking a toe, but if you run them steadily, they eat up batteries. I suppose before electricity, people slept longer?!?

I am SO thankful to have the power back. I just hope this storm wasn’t a warning shot across the bow, letting us know Mother Nature has a doozy of a winter in storm for us. Fingers crossed.

Surely You Can’t Be Serious?

October 27-28.

Srsly?!?

Along Came A Spider

Last summer, a very…um…interesting spider appeared in our garden. At first, it terrified me. I mean, it was an inch and a half or two inches long, black and  yellow, and evil-looking. I did some research on the Internet, though, and found out it’s harmless—to humans, anyway.

I intended to take a picture of it, but somehow I never got around to doing so, and before I knew it, it was fall and she was gone.

This year I’ve been looking for it in the same spot every day since spring, to no avail. Then, the other day, I was looking at a flower in a different part of the garden and there was that distinctive spider with the unique web. So you better believe I ran for the camera, and here it is:

Creepy, eh?

It’s a Black and Yellow Argiope, or Black and Yellow Garden Spider. You can read more about it here: http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/black_and_yellow_argiope.htm

Fun facts to know and tell: the Black and Yellow Garden Spider builds her web in a spiral out from the center. The zigzag portion is built by the smaller, drabber male spider. Also, she eats (yes, eats) her web every night and builds a new one in the morning. Talk about a fanatical housekeeper!

She dies after laying her eggs…sad. The baby spiders (up to a thousand—no wonder she dies) spend the fall and winter in the egg sack, then hatch in the spring and head out to find their own bit of garden. You better believe I’ll be looking for them next spring, and I’ll tell them all how much they look like their mom.

Saying For The Day

Here’s an optimistic view on life that we’d all do well to adopt!

“I plan to live forever. So far, it’s working.”

It’s Not Easy Being Green

I received this in my e-mail. Not sure of the author—if anyone knows, let me know so I can give credit where credit is due.

Enjoy!

Sentimental Journey - The Green Thing

In the line at the store, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment."

He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts of electricity -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana.

In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.

When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water.

We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service.

We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Hope for Soaps

My dear husband, bless him, brought home an article from the Wall Street Journal, as he knew I’d be interested.

You bet I am! It says the two soaps ABC is cancelling, “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” have been licensed to Prospect Park, a company that produces original scripted shows shown strictly online. Prospect Park says they expect to pick up the story lines and continue from where they leave off.

Now, there are a lot of questions about an online show: will we have to watch it at a set time or can we view it any time of day? Can we copy/download it to view later? Can we get it through a game system, perhaps, to show on our big-screen televisions?

There is a suggestion that the “production budget” will be lower. I assume that means cheaper sets, budget wardrobe, fewer exotic locales, etc. Frankly, I don’t care. It’s the stories and characters that count. Erika Kane can wear a burlap bag and live in a cave, and I’d still watch every day.

So, I’m cautiously optimistic that the soaps I’ve watched for 30+ years will continue. And I’ll be right there watching for the next 30!

Sign Up Now For Accelerated Fundamentals of Fiction

Summer is the perfect time to take a writing course. And what better course to take than an accelerated one, that lets you finish in record time?

I’ll be teaching “Accelerated Fundamentals of Fiction” starting Thursday, July 7, and it runs for six weeks. Here’s the info:

In this course you will:

• Develop effective creative writing techniques that can be applied to any long or short fiction form
• Develop believable characters and let them speak—and act—for themselves
• Learn how to set the stage, and make readers feel as if they are right there with your characters
• Discover the basics of plot—enough to prepare you to tackle any kind of fiction project.

Who should take this course:

• Beginning writers who want to start writing now
• Writers interested in Fiction (any genre)
• Writers who want to learn numerous time-tested techniques and the key components of successful fiction writing

To check it out, or sign up, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=coursedetail&id=3058&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=Show+All+Workshops&misc=448&courseinternalaccesscode=&coursetype=0?utm_source=wdukrsite063011Workshop-widget

Let’s write!

Still Time to Sign Up

My section of “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” at Writer’s Digest University has been pushed back to start on May 26, so if you hurry, you can sign up for it!

It’s a great course for both beginner and experienced writers, with something for everyone. If you’ve never tried a Writer’s Digest University course, this is a great one to start with as it’s not too long and at a level that works for everyone.

Workshop Length: 8 weeks

You will learn:

• How to attune your writer's radar to interesting details and story ideas from real life
• How to balance showing and telling in constructing a convincing narrative voice
• How to build your fictional world and descriptions so they serve and illuminate character, motivation, tone, and theme
• How to engage the senses—and even allow them to cross and overlap—in order to form compelling, potent descriptions, and
• How to balance the familiar and the unfamiliar in description and setting in order to show the everyday in clear, and surprising, new ways

Who should take this course:

• Beginning writers who want to strengthen their description and setting skills
• Novel writers of any genre
• Short Story writers
• Creative Nonfiction writers

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=browse&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=WGF%3A+Description+%26+Setting&misc=143

Hope to see you there!

Description & Setting Course

I’ll be teaching a section of “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” at Writer’s Digest University. The starting date is May 12, so if you hurry, you can sign up for it!

It’s a great course for both beginner and experienced writers, with something for everyone. If you’ve never tried a Writer’s Digest University course, this is a great one to start with as it’s not too long and at a level that works for everyone.

Workshop Length: 8 weeks

You will learn:

• How to attune your writer's radar to interesting details and story ideas from real life
• How to balance showing and telling in constructing a convincing narrative voice
• How to build your fictional world and descriptions so they serve and illuminate character, motivation, tone, and theme
• How to engage the senses—and even allow them to cross and overlap—in order to form compelling, potent descriptions, and
• How to balance the familiar and the unfamiliar in description and setting in order to show the everyday in clear, and surprising, new ways

Who should take this course:

• Beginning writers who want to strengthen their description and setting skills
• Novel writers of any genre
• Short Story writers
• Creative Nonfiction writers

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=browse&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=WGF%3A+Description+%26+Setting&misc=143

Hope to see you there!

Another Place to Protest

Check this out: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2011/04/18/6492909-hoover-sides-with-soap-opera-fans

I’m not the only one upset about the impending cancellation of AMC and OLTL. It seems Hoover, a major sponsor, is pulling ads from ABC in protest. Yay, Hoover!

They’re also gathering e-mails protesting the cancellation. Please click on the link above, where you will find the article and e-mail address to send your protest notes to.

At least we’re not going down without a fight!

Protest! Protest!

I know this is supposed to be the Friday Happies, but I am seriously peeved.

Why?

ABC has decided, in their infinite wisdom, to cancel two of the three soaps I watch, “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.” I’ve watched those two shows for 31 years, since 1980, and they are a cherished part of my life. And from all the negative comments posted on their website, I know I’m not alone in feeling that way.

ABC’s reasoning for the cancellation? A vague “the changing viewing pattern of the audience.” The shows to replace AMC and OLTL? “The Chew will focus on food from EVERY angle -- as a source of joy, health, family ritual, friendship, breaking news, dating, fitness, weight loss, travel adventures and life's moments” and “The Revolution, a daily show about health and lifestyle transformations.” Just what we need, another two cookie-cutter “reality” shows.

But if you go here: http://abc.go.com/site/abcdaytimenews and check out all the comments protesting their decision, you won’t find a single “Wow, great new shows!” All you see is, “What were you thinking?”

If you’re as unhappy as I am to see these long-standing veteran soaps disappear, please go to the above URL and let ABC know what you think. At least we’ll have the satisfaction of making our thoughts known.

Okay, crawling back into my little well of gloom.

Friday Happies 3/25/11

Given how Monday’s snowy picture made me grumpy, it’s a cinch to figure out why THIS picture makes me happy.

Crocuses blooming = spring on the way!

Oh, I was SO happy to see them starting to come out. It always seems like the first sign of spring. Brave little crocuses, poking their little heads out when the snow is barely melted.

We should all be like the crocuses! Go for all the life we can get!

Okay, enough philosophizing. Just wanted to share the joy.

Monday Gripes, 3/21/11

First day of spring.

Snowing heavily outside.

Ugghhh.

Two Upcoming Courses

I have two courses I’m teaching coming up shortly, so I thought I’d share the info with you.

First is The Essentials of Mystery Writing:

Do you read mysteries and think "I wish I could write that?" Well, you can. Work with a published mystery writer to learn about the subtleties of the mystery genre, and begin working on your own page-turning mystery. By the conclusion of the workshop, you will have written 2500 words and had critiqued up to 2500 words of your mystery novel or short story. Workshop starts Thursday, March 17th.
Learn More!

And second, Writing the Breakout Novel:

Discover what makes a novel stand out from the rest in all its aspects—from premise to plot to character to theme—using Donald Maass' bestselling Writing the Breakout Novel as your guide. Breakout novels are built from the foundation up, beginning with a breakout premise which is plausible, original, emotional, and rich in conflicts to explore … and which will inspire and guide you as you build on that foundation. This workshop, then, will begin with the premise and build over eight weeks just as the breakout novel builds: with careful attention to craft and an openness to those creative leaps which will make your novel exceptional. Workshop starts Thursday, March 24th.

Learn More!

Hope to see you at one…or even both!

E-Book Sale

In honor of Read an Ebook Week, March 6-12

All BWLPP titles regularly priced $2.99 or higher are on sale for half price at Smashwords! Find the coupon code on each book page, and have fun shopping!

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bookswelove

Mystery Writing Course

Another course I’m teaching. This is always a fun one.

Featured Workshop: Essentials of Mystery Writing
Do you read mysteries and think "I wish I could write that?" Well, you can. Work with a published mystery writer to learn about the subtleties of the mystery genre, and begin working on your own page-turning mystery. By the conclusion of the workshop, you will have written 2500 words and had critiqued up to 2500 words of your mystery novel or short story. Workshop starts Thursday, March 3rd.
Learn More!

Hope to see you there!

Monday Gripes, 2/28/11

You’ve gotta know by now that my gripes lately are about the weather. And today is no exception. On top of the weekend snow accumulation of somewhere between 8 and 10 inches in two separate storms, today it’s sleeting and/or freezing rain. It’s switched to all rain now, but with the temperature hovering near freezing, it’s making an icy, slushy mess of everything. Just had to go pick up the car at the garage (it wouldn’t start on Saturday so had to be towed), and I could only get it halfway up the driveway on the way home. (sigh)

But! Something that happened over the weekend is still giving me a smile. We visited our daughter and grandchildren on Saturday. When we got in the car to take them out to lunch, the two grandkids were arguing about who would sit next to whom at lunch.

Our daughter said, "Everyone will be nearby, so don't worry about it. You’ll be able to see everyone."

I added, "You'll be close enough to make faces at anyone you want."

There was a brief silence, and then my seven year old grandson said, "Why would I want to do that?"

I said, "Because you're a kid."

He retorted, "Yeah, but I have manners!"

That was good for quite a laugh.

Friday Happies, 2/25/11

Well, the term “happies” is relative. We’re having yet another snowstorm, with sleet and freezing rain thrown in for good measure. I’m happy we “only” lost power for two hours and hope that’s the end of that issue, because you never realize how much you depend on electricity until you don’t have it.

For instance, we have oil heat—the oil burner heats up a big tank of water, which then circulates to the radiators. But it has an electric ignition, so—no electricity, no heat. No hot water, either, which means cold showers or no showers.

We have an electric stove and of course the microwave, so no power, no hot food. Or coffee. And no power to the fridge, which means you should avoid opening it if possible, so no cold food, either. How long can we live on peanut butter and raisins and chips from the cupboard?

The computer has a battery so I can work for a while offline, but no way to recharge it with no power. And of course, no Internet connection with no power.

No lights with no power, unless you’re into candles. And no TV, which doesn’t seem bad until you don’t have it!

No washer or dryer, so you better hope you’re stocked up on clean clothes.

And no telephone, since we only have cordless phones. (Well, we do have a cell phone for emergencies, but once the battery runs out, no way to recharge it.)

I guess I would never make it as a pioneer woman.

Still Time to Sign Up for Description & Setting Course

Guess what? You still have time to sign up to take “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” at Writer’s Digest University. The starting date has been pushed back to February 24, so if you hurry, you can sign up for it!

It’s a great course for both beginner and experienced writers, with something for everyone. If you’ve never tried a Writer’s Digest University course, this is a great one to start with as it’s not too long and at a level that works for everyone.

Workshop Length: 8 weeks

You will learn:

• How to attune your writer's radar to interesting details and story ideas from real life
• How to balance showing and telling in constructing a convincing narrative voice
• How to build your fictional world and descriptions so they serve and illuminate character, motivation, tone, and theme
• How to engage the senses—and even allow them to cross and overlap—in order to form compelling, potent descriptions, and
• How to balance the familiar and the unfamiliar in description and setting in order to show the everyday in clear, and surprising, new ways

Who should take this course:

• Beginning writers who want to strengthen their description and setting skills
• Novel writers of any genre
• Short Story writers
• Creative Nonfiction writers

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=coursedetail&id=2943&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=Show+All+Workshops&misc=337?utm_source=wdupromo&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=wdusite02032011-widget

Hope to see you there!

Friday Happies 2/11/11

First of all, I’m happy it’s Friday. TGIF! Who isn’t?

And second, I’m happy it’s NOT SNOWING. This winter has been miserable, and there are still snowdrifts piled up everywhere over my head. Plus the below-freezing temps means there’s ice everywhere. I think I’ll stay in bed with the covers over my head till spring.

At least the sun is shining today and it seems possible there will be a spring, sometime. Someday. Maybe the groundhog was right?

How many of you have seen “Groundhog Day” with Bill Murray? And how many of you watch it every February? I love it…so much fun. Someday I’m going to go to Punxsutawney and check it out in person.

But winter tidings aside, today I’m especially happy about what’s going on in Egypt. A peaceful demonstration (for the most part) leading to a peaceful change in government…that’s a wonderful thing to witness. That’s what democracy means, and I wish the very best to the Egyptian people with their new government. May they grow in peace, prosperity and joy.

Description & Setting Course Starts Feb. 10

I’m teaching a course for Writer’s Digest University beginning February 10. It’s called “Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting” and is a terrific course both for beginning writers, and for experienced writers who want to brush up on their descriptive techniques.

In this course you'll consider the importance of description and setting in creating a fully believable, fully realized fictional world. More importantly, you'll consider what makes description effective—how precise language, combined with surprising ways of looking at familiar things, creates a full experience for a reader—and how you might begin employing these techniques in your own work to create characters and settings which hum with life.

Using Ron Rozelle's Write Great Fiction: Description & Setting as your textbook, you will see how striking, yet credible, description is formed—and what such description allows you to accomplish in your own work.

For more information, or to sign up for the course, go here: http://fwmedia.gosignmeup.com/dev_students.asp?action=coursedetail&id=2943&main=Online+Workshops&sub1=Show+All+Workshops&misc=337?utm_source=wdupromo&utm_medium=site&utm_campaign=wdusite02032011-widget

Hope to see you there!

Friday Happies 2/4/11

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…

NOT.

Oy. I am so sick of snow! Check out this picture out my front door. See that little lump there? That’s the top of the head of  my three foot tall lion statue, barely poking out and wearing a snow cone cap.

And that was before it finished snowing. And before the additional inches we’re due to get tomorrow.

At least it’s not snowing TODAY, for which I’m very grateful. And I’m thankful we haven’t lost our power, and the roof hasn’t caved in! All good things.

And I’m happy the Steelers are playing in the Superbowl this weekend. Go, Steelers! I’ll be rooting for you! Wish I had a Terrible Towel to wave.

How has Mother Nature been treating you? How much snow have you  had, or are you one of the lucky few who hasn’t had to deal with flakes?

Monday Gripes 1/10/11

I’m horrified by the shootings in Arizona. How can a man so obviously mentally disturbed be allowed to buy a gun? Changes need to be made. What will it take for us to learn that?

My thoughts and prayers are with Rep. Giffords, and the victims and their families.

Friday Happies 12/31/10

It’s a lovely day today, unseasonably mild, and that makes it a nice day automatically. 51 degrees and sunny; the snow is melting.

Tomorrow we start a new year and for once, I’m not making resolutions. I’m just going to try to stick with the good habits I’ve developed this past year (mostly out of necessity, for health reasons) and try not to beat myself up too badly about those I’m still working on.

Sticking to my exercise plan got easier when my husband and daughters bought me a Wii and the Wii Fit Plus system to go with it for Christmas. Now I have a lot more variety in my exercise. I particularly like the balance activities; my balance can sure use improvement. And if I ever feel I need a particularly hard workout, I still have the treadmill.

As 2010 ends, I have to say, I’m happy it’s over. It’s been a rough year, or rather, a rough 15 months…starting with losing our dog Max last September, losing my brother-in-law Dave last December, losing our cat Burt in February, then being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in August. That’s a lot of loss, a lot of grief, a lot of stress.

So instead of that resolution (“This year I’m gonna lose weight! Really!”), I’m going to start the new year grateful for all the good things I have, especially my family and friends. Oh, and I’ll cross my fingers that 2011 goes more smoothly!

Are you making resolutions? Just wishing wishes for the new year? Here’s hoping 2011 is your best year yet.

Monday Gripes, 12/27/10

I really have very little to gripe about today. Only the ton of snow that’s fallen on us last night and today, and the shoveling that awaits if I want to get the mail out of the mailbox…

Oh, and all the pounds I’ll be putting on from all those leftover Christmas yummies! My willpower absolutely disappears at holiday time.

Christmas was definitely a wonderful day. My two daughters and two grandchildren were here, which made for a great time for Dan and I. Christmas is best when viewed through the eyes of a child! The excitement, the wonder, the joy…that’s what Christmas is about.

Of course, that’s not to say *I* wasn’t excited, too. Family, fun, presents, food…what’s not to like?

So now it’s hard to return back to work from such a lovely break. But I’m trying.

How was YOUR Christmas? Was it just as wonderful as you hoped?

Monday Gripes…But Not Really

Today I’m supposed to gripe. But I’m feeling so good, due to finding out I don’t need a biopsy after all (long story that I won’t go into here), I just can’t find anything to grumble about. The sun is shining, the weather is fine, and I’m healthier than I imagined.

I can, however, find something to laugh about! Here’s a sign we saw on a recent drive, at a combination gas station/convenience store/food stop. See if it gives you a laugh too:

It made us laugh so hard, we had to stop and take a photo.

What has made YOU smile today?

Friday Happies…and Stocking Stuffers!

Like many Americans, my “happy” for today is remembering yesterday, gathered around a Thanksgiving table with my husband, mom, sister, daughters and grandchildren. When we can be together, problems fade into the background as we enjoy each other’s company. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving also, with lots of family, friends, food and fun.

And for those of you braving the Black Friday crowds today, I have a terrific alternative gift idea for you that won’t require leaving the house and fighting the crowds: an e-book!

It just so happens that two of my books, MIRROR IMAGES and PENUMBRA, have been recently re-released for sale in many e-book formats, so you can read them on just about any electronic device you choose. MIRROR IMAGES and PENUMBRA are short story collections, tales you might encounter in the Twilight Zone.

PENUMBRA:

Travel deep into unknown territory, where life and death are not as they seem; where machines dominate your days; where you have to be careful what you ask for, because you might get it; where magic is the norm, and stars really do grant wishes. These stories will take you beyond the realm of the solid and real, into the deepest, darkest corner of your imagination. Don't forget to bring your flashlight...

MIRROR IMAGES:

When Cassie buys an antique compact, little does she know it can foretell the future--her future. Marjorie, a Florida girl unwillingly transplanted to Vermont, learns there's more to fear from the alien snowfall than just the cold. Neil Dallas's jagged descent from rock and roll singer to drug-addicted has-been is unstoppable...or is it?

Let these eerie tales take you to a place where nothing is as it seems--where the only thing you can rely on is unexpected.

* * * * *

For more info or to order  your copies, visit the Books We Love Publishing Partners blog: http://bwlpp.blogspot.com/2010/11/sweet-holiday-specials.html Only $1.99…how can you beat that?

Let the holiday shopping begin!

Monday Gripes, 11/15/10

Another gray day today. I don’t think it causes my anxiety and worry, but it sure complements it.

I am SO sick of feeling anxious and terrified and worried about things that either don’t deserve worry, or that can’t be controlled. I want to be strong. I want to be tough. I want to be happy. Not hysterically happy…just calm, pleasant, relaxed. I’d gladly give up those infrequent glorious highs in order to get rid of the frequent depressing lows. No question.

I wonder why mornings are so rough. Maybe it’s because during the day, I worry for  a while and either finally make peace, or just run out of adrenaline. Whereas when I’ve just woken up, it all hits me anew after a night of peaceful sleep.

(sigh) Oh well. I’m still in there swinging, and that’s something.

Got my mom moved up to my sister’s place over the weekend. I wasn’t allowed to do much because of my back, so I did small things and paced a lot. She’s moved in now, not unpacked of course. That will take time. But the hardest part is done.

Regardless of all my worries, I’m so grateful for my husband, my children, my grandchildren, my parents and my sister. Family is one of the best things you can have in this world, and I hit the jackpot with mine. Definitely something to counteract the woes!

What are YOU grateful for in your life?

Blogging is sooooo complicated...

Trying to import (export? copy?) this blog into the blog on my Amazon author page. There used to be a unique blog there, but I guess they got rid of it.

Anyway, it asks me to put in the address to the feed. To me, "feed" is when I sit down to dinner. :-) I know in the vaguest sense that there are different types of feeds for different blogs. I believe this blog uses atom. (Which I learned about in high school science class. Hah.)

But. I have no idea how to find the correct address to use. So I took the blog address, added "atom.xml" to it as they showed in an example, crossed my fingers and gave it a shot. Supposedly it's done...we'll see if it works. I guess I'll know if/when this entry shows up on my Amazon page.

I desperately need a course in the technical aspects of blogging, creating and maintaining a website, creating book trailers, etc. Anyone have a great suggestion?

Monday Gripes, 11/8/10

I have a confession to make. I fell off the exercise wagon over the weekend. Admittedly, I was busy; Saturday helping my sister paint in preparation for my mom moving up there this weekend, and Sunday doing all the work I didn’t get to do on Saturday. Besides, painting is exercise, right?

Apparently, my nervous system doesn’t agree. Had a few twinges of anxiety over the weekend, but nothing big. Today, though, was worse. Getting out of bed to start my day was a Herculean effort. So I guess it is true that exercise helps chase the anxiety away. Got back on the treadmill today and will try (again) to keep going.

But tell me this: why is it that I have to do something I hate to avoid something else I hate? Exercise is, at best, the lesser of two evils.

Of course, it only added to my problem that it’s a gray, rainy, cold, blustery day. And because of turning the clock back Saturday night and being on the edge of a time zone, it’s 4 p.m. now and nearly dark. Oy!

So I’m griping in fine form today. And hey, never let it be said I’m not good at it.

What’s your best negative talent?

Windows Live Writer

I just downloaded Windows Live and am trying out the Writer component. But to tell you the truth, I don’t know why I would use this program over going to my Blogger dashboard and posting a new blog entry there. Does anyone have tips?

 

A sunset image. I played with it a bit with the Photo Gallery app, but can’t get it as colorful as it was in person. Still, it’s improved.

I do like the ease of inserting a photo here, rather than going through an upload process, and also how simple it is to resize the photo.

Okay, will try hitting the “Publish” button and see what happens.

Hmm. I wonder if I could list all my blogs, and publish to all of them at once?

Friday Happies 10/29/10

Sometimes it's not a question of happy; it's a question of laughing at yourself, or crying.

I bought a new windbreaker jacket a few weeks back. Have worn it several times, most recently yesterday morning while taking a walk.

Today I passed it, hanging in the laundry room, and saw it still has a price sticker prominently displayed, hanging from the back of the left arm.

Hahahaha. At least it wasn't toilet paper stuck to my shoe, right? (eye roll)

But I do have things to be happy about. I'm looking forward to seeing my grandchildren in their Halloween costumes and going trick-or-treating with them (and my daughter).

I'm happy to be able to watch the Steelers play on Sunday night.

I'm glad my Christmas knitting is coming along!

And I'm delighted to have a house to live in (even if it is teeny), food to eat, a place to sleep, safety, and love. What more can you ask for? (Besides a big bag of money. Still working on that one...)

Monday Gripes 10/25/10

I'm trying to think of a gripe, but I can't because I'm still on a humor-induced high.

My daughter Helen and I had an awesome time in Concord on Saturday at a booksigning for Red Green, real name Steve Smith, the star of the long-running PBS comedy, "The Red Green Show." Set in the fictitious Possum Lodge, the show features Red and his friends, always good for a laugh and ready to fix anything with a roll of duct tape, "the handyman's secret weapon."

I can't believe how many people were there...we waited in line an hour and there were as many people behind us when we got up to him as had been in front of us at the start.

My husband couldn't come, but he had given me a good question to ask. So when I went up to Red, after shaking his hand and saying what a pleasure it was to meet him, I said, "My husband says the Man's Prayer every day, and he'd like to know if there's a Woman's Prayer." (For those of you who have never seen the show, the Man's Prayer goes like this: "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.")

He looked pleased and smiled and said, "You know, there was one episode where a woman's group took over Possum Lodge and they did have their own prayer."

I asked what the prayer was and after our picture was taken and while he was signing our books, he said the prayer was: "I'm a woman, hear me roar, I'm in charge, get used to it." Then he laughed and said, "You know, at one of these events, a woman showed up with the entire thing written out on her t-shirt."

I told him I'd never seen that episode, and he said, "You will." I told him how we'd loved watching his show in Kansas, but it wasn't on when we moved here to NH. Then it showed up recently. He said that was because he'd starting touring and part of the money for each appearance went to the local PBS stations. ;-) So I said, "Please keep touring, then! We want the show to stay on."

And then the store employees who were handling the whole thing hustled us on so the next in line could move up.

He was very pleasant and friendly, and didn't seem at all tired although he must have been, from all the pictures, signing, and smiling.

So there you have it...the story of the event! And the reason why I'm still smiling today.

If you're looking for the perfect gift for the home handyman (or handywoman) in your life, pick up a copy of Red's book, How to Do Everything, From the Man Who Should Know". And to check out his Facebook page (doesn't everyone have a Facebook page these days?) go here: Red Green.

As Red would say: keep your stick on the ice!