Please Welcome My Guest...

Please welcome my guest Mimi Barbour.

How do you encounter your own characters?

 

Thank you Katherine for letting me visit your blog today. It's great to meet up with new people in a different setting. Because I personally believe that the characters driving a story are the most important part to making it a hit, I wanted to share with your readers the technique I use for creating mine.

 ***Do you make a composite of your characters before you start writing your story? Here are mine for the characters you'll find in my introductory short called Partners, book one for the hot new Vegas series. Book two, Roll the Dice, carries their stories further.

My Characters:

Aurora Morelli – heroine –

- Sapphire blue eyes, long dark hair, compact body. Looks feminine but hates it.

- Has always tried to overcome her size by the strength of her personality. There's a chip on her shoulder that she nourishes. It's her protection from getting hurt—that and sarcasm, many times humorous.

- She wears high-heeled boots and walks tall, with her head up and shoulders back to add height because she hates feeling inadequate for being so short.

- Concealed under those boots, she has ankle bracelets and painted toenails.

- She hates her bitch of a mother because the woman killed herself in a drunken rage and never, ever gave her daughter any inkling that she mattered. Therefore the little girl hiding inside Aurora still craves those missing hugs.

- She's a secret romantic, loves the happy endings and hides her romance books all around her apartment.

- She's a little Miss Homemaker, has recipes books and bottles of fancy oils in her kitchen. There are homemade quilted pillows on her sofa and herb plants on her windowsill.

- Born and raised in Casa Grande, loves the Coyotes and has a favorite souvenir coffee mug. Her lieutenant grew up near her and they know each other's backgrounds, and therefore they have a special attachment.

- Las Vegas detective for 5 years and has worked with a female partner, Debbie, who she loves more than anyone else. They've formed an attachment closer than sisters, and Debbie is the only person who she's let inside her protective armour. From the night Debbie gets assaulted, Aurora has a mission. Find the serial rapist who hurt the person she loves most. Then put the animal away.

- When Debbie becomes pregnant, takes leave, and gets married to none other than the lieutenant, knitted within Aurora's happiness, feelings of envy emerge. One day, she wants to get married and have her own baby.

- She's had lovers, but never anyone who matters enough for her to change. The men she's actually attracted to aren't the men she chooses to date. It's the hotshot, sexy, cowboy type that sets her heart beating faster, especially if they have the charisma of a lover and the looks to back it up.

***Do you make a detailed analysis or a short, spotlight into each person? A kind of profile to give you an idea of what drives each person to act the way they do under any situation.

Kai Larson – Hero

- This man is a Bruce Willis lookalike, has a bald head and his eyes are deep and blue.

- He's a natural tease, a bit of a smartass, and sharp as a whip. Likes to take control.

- He carries a computer case that looks like a purse and wears tight blue jeans, cowboy boots, and favors t-shirts.

- Being that he's from L.A., it isn't hard to believe that his favorite hockey team is the L.A. Kings.

- In L.A. he's a sergeant and has turned down multiple chances at moving up the ladder. He likes working the streets and is good at it.

- He was in the army with Aurora's lieutenant, and after their stints were up, they went to the same police academy. When Kai needs to move to Las Vegas to find and kill the man who'd raped his sister, he places a call and the move is on.

- Except that when he arrives, he's forced to take on a partner. A woman partner who's fixated on getting the same man he wants, only she wants to put him in jail. A woman walking around with a huge chip on her shoulder, and he soon realizes that it turns him on.

- Blessed with good parents, a happy childhood and a gift of attracting the females, he grew up unconsciously feeling entitled.

- Then his sister was raped. From that day he's changed. Made a vow of vengeance. She lost her life and so will the man who'd made her feel such despair that her only way out was to kill herself.

***Or like me, do you fill in these characteristics as the story grows? I find that it's only by how they deal with each conflict I throw at them, that their personalities start becoming clear. And I do love conflicts!

I have a fairly good idea of their looks, because, before I ever put any words on file, I've lived with the characters in my head for a few weeks. By then I can see them as clear as if I was remembering an old friend.

It's how they react under different sets of circumstances that's still a mystery which gets solved as I write their story.

***How do you deal with the people in your story? It'll be interesting to see how many of us work in the same way.

 "Vegas" Contest Rules

(Sept 15 – Sept 30th)

1. Read the book called "Roll the Dice".

2. Write an honest review for Amazon.

3. Send a copy of Amazon's notice to

mimibarbour@hotmail.com

Then…

you'll have a chance at being the lucky winner of a

$50 Amazon Gift Certificate

I've purposely set the price of the book from $3.99 down to $.99 for the duration of this contest.

Good Luck!

My contact information is as follows: I do love to hear from readers so please drop me a line.

Blog- Believe!: http://mimibarbour.blogspot.com

Website: http://www.mimibarbour.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MimiBarbour @MimiBarbour

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/mimi.barbour

Amazon page: http://amzn.to/Qy67qM

LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/TCa7cL

Please Welcome My Guest...

Please welcome my guest, Kathryn Knight.   

As a child, Kathryn kept her parents on a constant quest to find enough reading material to last her through each week.  An early fondness for books about horses later gave way to a lasting preference for both love stories and ghost stories; as a writer, the paranormal romance genre is a perfect fit.  Silver Lake is Kathryn's first novel; her second novel, Gull Harbor, has also received a contract from The Wild Rose Press and will be released in 2013.  She lives in New England with her husband, her sons, and a number of rescued animals.  Please visit her at www.kathrynknightbooks.com or on Facebook at Kathryn Knight books.

 Tell us something about yourself both writing and not writing related.

Sure!  But first, I’d like to thank you for having me on your blog.  Let’s see, I started writing my first novel, Silver Lake, on notebook paper on an 8-hour car ride.  On the completely unrelated to writing side, I teach fitness classes every morning.  I’ve been an instructor for 21 years and I still love it.

You're welcome. I'm happy you're here.  Do you have a writing routine?  Where do you usually do your writing?

I do my writing on my laptop at my kitchen island.  I don’t keep a strict routine, and I’m too busy to just sit in front of the keyboard if the words aren’t coming.  Instead, I jot down ideas and lines as they come to me, and sit down to do the writing once the scene has been worked out in my head.

I jot down ideas and bits of dialog as they pop into my head too. Why do you write in the genre/sub-genre that you do?  Any plans in the future to write in a different one?

I absolutely love a good ghost story, and my second paranormal romance was recently contracted by TWRP.  For me, the mix of a mysterious and spooky paranormal element combined with a tension-filled romantic relationship is the perfect recipe for an exciting read.  However, I would like to try my hand at historical romance some day.

Congratulations on your new contract!  How do you stay motivated when writer’s block hits or your muse won’t cooperate?

I don’t handle writer’s block very well…I’m not a patient person.  I usually talk it over with my husband, and try to distract myself while I let my mind turn things over.  If I simply just don’t feel like writing, I don’t…I realize my writing will suffer if I force it.

I like that you talk it out with your husband. If I start talking about a current WIP, most of my family members' eyes start to glaze over. LOL.  What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?

Probably going on a ghost tour of an old New England town, and then calling the tour guide later with follow-up questions!  I’ve also visited with mediums and had personal readings done.

I love ghost tours. We have quite a few in my state - We have an old asylum for the insane that's reputed to be haunted. I've never been there though. I did the ghost tour that's held every Halloween a few blocks from my neighborhood.  What’s the best writing advice you were ever given?  

Two things: to put the conflict out there in the first few pages, and to tighten the manuscript until the pacing is just right.

Good advice.  What do you like to do in your leisure time?

Read, read, and read some more!  A good book and a glass of wine is the perfect end to a busy day.  I enjoy gardening and exploring new places with my family as well.

I'm the same way.  If I have any free time, I can usually be found with a book in my hand.  Tell us about your current release in a couple of sentences.

Silver Lake is both a love story and a ghost story.  The basic premise involves a group of former friends who reunite after 5 years to try to solve the mystery of their friend's disappearance.  Amidst the escalating paranormal activity at the lake house, the two main characters, Rain and Jason, get a second chance at romance.

Sounds like a great story.  Can you tell us a little about your next project?

My next paranormal romance, Gull Harbor, will hopefully get a release date soon.  In the meantime, I’m mulling over plot lines for two different ideas, and trying to decide which one to pursue first!

Please be sure to let us know when you get your release date for Gull Harbor.  Anything else you’d like to share?

Another big thank you for having me today, and a thanks to all visitors helping celebrate my release week!

You're very welcome.  I love introducing different writers to readers.  

Check out the great blurb and excerpt from Silver Lake below.

Blurb:

Rain Anderson can't decide which is more unsettling—encountering the ghost of her missing friend, or reuniting with the man whose love she foolishly rejected. But one thing is certain: the past has come back to haunt her, quite literally.

Five years ago, Rain's tight-knit group of high school friends unraveled when one vanished during their senior year. Now, a parent's deathbed request has reunited the friends at Silver Lake, including Jason Lansing, the man Rain discarded. Rain and Jason discover the powerful attraction between them has survived, but though Jason is willing to forgive, he can't let himself forget. The possibility of falling for Rain again is too risky.

Slamming doors, crashing objects, flaring fires—clearly the ghost has a message to share. As Rain and Jason struggle to unravel the truth, they must face a desperate spirit in need of help…and a burning passion that refuses to die.

 Excerpt:

             “I saw...a figure.  A figure with dark hair, and I think it was Brandy.”  She shuddered and put her forehead back on his chest. 

Reluctantly, he moved their bodies apart a bit and scanned her face.  He held on to her shoulders and asked calmly, “You saw Brandy?  Brandy is here?”

            She shook her head.  “No, I saw… like… an image of Brandy.  I woke up, because it was cold, and I saw something moving.  It was Brandy, I’m sure of it, although I didn’t see her face clearly.  And then she, um, disappeared.”

            “An image of Brandy?  Are you saying you saw a ghost, Rain?”  He was pretty sure she’d had another nightmare, but the way she had flown out of her room gave him the impression it had been an extremely vivid one.

            “I know, it sounds ridiculous.  But that’s what I saw.  And she sort of, well, went through the wall.  I’m sure you don’t believe me,” she added miserably, lifting her stormy eyes to his.

            He pulled her back into a hug before he could stop himself.  “I absolutely believe you.  Whether you were awake or asleep, you saw Brandy and that’s scary.  I don’t think we can deny that weird things are happening here.”

            Jason smoothed her hair and waited patiently for her trembling to subside.  If a ghost really was lurking in her bedroom, there wasn’t a whole heck of a lot he could do about that.  A rare sense of powerlessness caused his jaw to clench in frustration.

He stopped watching the door and instead focused on the gorgeous woman in his arms.  She clung to him, and his body responded to hers with a familiar ache.  He knew he was losing the battle to keep his feelings platonic.

 You can purchase a copy of Kathryn's book at the links below.  We also included various ways you can contact her.

Buy link TWRP  http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4973

Buy link Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Lake-Kathryn-Knight/dp/1612173853/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345749376&sr=1-1&keywords=Silver+Lake+Kathryn+Knight

 Kathryn Knight
~Passionate Romance with a Paranormal Twist~
SILVER LAKE, available now on Amazon

Facebook Author Page
Website
Twitter

 

Fall

I have to admit I'm not a big fan of the fall season for one very big reason -- Winter comes right after it.  I hate the snow.  While I'm not particularly fond of the cold either, at least I can do something about that by wearing a sweater or warmer clothing.  Unfortunately, I'm not Mother Nature and cannot control the amount of snow we get each season or when it will happen. 

 That being said, I enjoy a lot of the things the fall season brings, I like the crisp, cooler temperatures in the middle 60's, I like the crunch of freshly picked apples, I like carving pumpkins, roasting the pumpkin seeds, I like the smell of fall, I like the colors of the leaves as they turn from green to deep reds, oranges, and yellow.  (I do not like raking those same leaves though.)  I like Halloween and Thanksgiving and the gatherings of friends and family that those holidays bring.

But what I like most of all about fall is a steaming cup of hot apple cider, spiced with a cinnamon stick and sometime an orange slice and some cloves.  I love the way it makes the house smell when I'm heating it on a pan on the stove.  I like curling up in the corner of the sofa with a good book and a cup of hot apple cider on a cool Sunday afternoon.  

How about you?  What do you like best about the fall season?

This I know for sure...

I've had to work longer hours this week - two extra hours each day.  It's amazing how much I used to get done in those two hours every day.  My writing has been pretty much nonexistent due to the loss of those precious hours. 

I've decided I'm glad this was just a short term assignment that required the longer hours because I hate losing my writing time, I hate getting up at 4:45am, and I hate knowing longer hours may become more frequent in the next couple of months.

While, it sounds like I'm complaining and maybe I am a bit, let me say I'm very grateful that I have a job when so many others aren't so fortunate.

Please Welcome My Guest...

Please welcome my guest, Lisa Rayns.  Lisa is an author of wonderful paranormal romance novels and I'm thrilled she's consented to an interview.  So without further ado, let's get this interview started.

Hi Lisa, tell us something about yourself both writing and not writing related.

The strangest thing about me is that I come from a family of non-readers. They might read magazine articles or the paper but they don’t read novels so they have a hard time understanding why I spend so much time doing what I do. I’m the black sheep, I guess. 

Do you have a writing routine?  Where do you usually do your writing?

I don’t really have a routine. I write whenever I can and when I’m not writing I’m usually thinking about it until a scene strikes me. Then I’m writing again.

I work in a bright pink room with things around me that inspire me. On the wall, there’s a picture of an artist painting an enchanting scene which always reminds me to “paint it beautiful.”

I love that - "Paint it beautiful."  Why do you write in the genre/sub-genre that you do?  Any plans in the future to write in a different one?

I write in the paranormal genre because I found it was more fun than the regular romantic suspense. I do write in other genres. I have an urban fantasy novella out and a psychological suspense in the WIP stage.

I'll have to look up your urban fantasy novella. It's a genre that's new to me but that I'm enjoying it immensely.  How do you stay motivated when writer’s block hits or your muse won’t cooperate?

I don’t. I find it helpful to take time away from writing when my muses don’t want to play. If I’m not into the story, readers won’t be either.

I agree. I feel if I'm bored by what I'm writing then the reader certainly will be. What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?

That’s an awesome question and one that requires thought. Hmm, I think it was Googling how blood changes when someone dies. That would also qualify as the most morbid.

What’s the best writing advice you were ever given? 

Read.

That's advice I won't have any problem following. :o)  What do you like to do in your leisure time?

In my leisure time, I like to hang out with my family. Watching my boys grow is an exciting experience in itself. I learn a lot from my kids.

Tell us about your current release in a couple of sentences.

Wanted: Vampire - Free Blood is a dark paranormal romance with many surprises. Alexis Hall wakes up married to a handsome man with a major secret but a simple misunderstanding sends her running into the arms of a vampire.

Sounds fascinating. I'll be adding it to my TBR list. Can you tell us a little about your next project?

I’m planning four books in my Wanted: Vampire series and right now I’m working on the second book which is centered around Tara, Alexis’ best friend. She’s a witch with more problems than she cares to admit. The third book returns to Alexis and the fourth…well, I’m going to leave that a surprise for now.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Sure, I’d like to invite you all to stop by website or blog or friend me on facebook. I’d love to meet all of you!

Website: http://www.lisarayns.com

Blog: http://lisarayns.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lisarayns.author

Check out the blurb below for Wanted: Vampire - Free Blood.  It's great! 

Blurb: 

Three years ago, death blew out the candle in Alexis Hall’s life and left her devastated. Nothing could replace what she’d lost, not even the sexy stranger she awoke married to. Still, she finds it hard to ignore the dangerous sparks he triggers within her. She knows Bradley Cox took advantage of her. What she doesn’tknow is he holds a secret that will change everything.

But Bradley isn’t her only concern. In a moment of desperation to somehow reclaim what she had lost, Alexis made an offer to a vampire––free blood. Her blood. 

In a story of heartbreak and obsession, a simple ad changed Alexis' life forever and on one fateful night her dreams and her nightmares will collide. Can she trust Bradley? Or is he her worst mistake? Can she retract her offer to the vampire? Or will she fall under his deceptive spell? 

Buy eBook at The Wild Rose Press: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4952  

Or at

 

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B0091JCWWK

 

 Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Katherine!

You are very welcome.  Thanks for being my guest.   

Always On My Mind

The last few days I've had a song stuck in my head. I wake up with it in the morning, find myself humming it to myself during the day, and go to bed at night with it still playing in my mind.  The strange thing is I listen to the radio on my way to and from work and in the office during the work day and still the song is there always waiting for that time of silence to pop up full blast in my thoughts.

You would think, okay I would think, that after listening to the radio for nine or more hours of the day, the song would be erased from my subconscious replaced by one of the many songs I'd heard on the radio.  Nope.  I woke up in the middle of the night last night to the sound of a pretty strong thunderstorm and while I was drifting back off to sleep, the words to the song scrolled through my mind.

One of the maddening things about having this song stuck in my head is that I don't know all the words, just the chorus. So I keep singing the same lines over and over again.  The other maddening thing -- I haven't heard this song in years. Years. So I have no idea how it came to get stuck in my brain.

What's the song you ask?  As far as I know it was first recorded as a jazz song by Louis Armstrong in the 1930's though I do know it was originally a Belgian Christian hymn.  Still don't know what the song is?  It's When The Saints Go Marching In.  Strange what becomes embedded in our brains, isn't it?

This I know for sure...

In a certain area of my life, I've been spending a lot of time alternating between disappointment and hope.  Surprisingly enough, it's not my writing life.  A writer should expect to experience quite a bit of these emotions during the pursuit of publication. 

What I've learned is that I'm tired of acting like a yo-yo.  First I was up and full of hope and then I was down full of disappointment when I hadn't heard from the person who would make the decision that affected me.  After too many weeks of this, I made the decision this week that I wouldn't dwell on the hope part. If I didn't have my hopes up, then I didn't suffer the feeling of disappointment.  I would just let whatever was going to happen and not dwell on what could be, what I hoped would be.

Yesterday afternoon I finally heard from the person making the decision that would affect me.  The outcome wasn't what I was hoping for, what I really wanted to happen, but the strange thing is that I don't really feel all that disappointed.  Could it be because I stopped hoping?  Or was it because I told myself the decision was taking too long and that meant the outcome wasn't going to be in my favor?  Either way, I learned that living up and down alternating from one extreme of emotion to another is no way to live.  In the future, I going to do my best to just let go and let whatever happens happen and not dwell on what could happen good or bad when I have no control over a situation.

Please Welcome My Guest

Please welcome my guest, LaVerne Clark.  

LaVerne lives in the beautiful coastal town of Nelson at the top of the South Island, the sun capital of the country.  She is a member of Romance Writers of New Zealand.  I am so very pleased to have her as my guest today.(And intensely jealous that she lives in the sun capital. I'd love to live in a sun capital.)

Tell us something about yourself both writing and not writing related.

I adore writing from the villain’s POV. I think the fun is writing from a ‘normal’ person’s perspective, and twisting it slightly. I’ve often been asked how such nastiness can come from such a nice person. :o)   I tell them the truth – it was the character talking – not me!

When I’m not writing, I take my greyhound out for a run on the beach [I watch her run – not join in ;)] and play social netball pretty badly. If you’ve read my books, you’ll notice greyhounds feature in both of them. I’m involved with an organization here in New Zealand that helps to re-home retired racers. They really DO make the best pets and are the ultimate couch potato. I’m madly in love with my one.

I'd like to take a brief moment and thank you for your work with former Greyhound racers. I have a friend who does similar work with retired racehorses. It's amazing how many owners no longer want the animal once they stop winning.  Okay, back to the interview.  Do you have a writing routine?  Where do you usually do your writing?

I write every day but Fridays. With a preschooler at home, I’ve found it impossible to do any writing while she’s here. Instead, I write in the evenings on the computer in the bedroom. After hubby goes to bed, I’ll continue on the laptop in the lounge till around 12 - 1am. It’s lovely at the moment with it being winter here and the fire roaring to keep me warm.

I'm jealous of your roaring fire.  I live in upstate NY and the leaves are just starting to change and the days and nights becoming cooler.  I'm dreading the upcoming winter season.  Why do you write in the genre/sub-genre that you do?  Any plans in the future to write in a different one?

I love writing suspense and although my latest is a fantasy, elements of suspense still managed to find a way into it. It is what excites me and what I find interests me most in my chosen reading material. Blame all those Linda Howard, Tami Hoag and Nora Roberts books I’ve devoured over the years.

Linda Howard is one of my favorite suspense writers.  How do you stay motivated when writer’s block hits or your muse won’t cooperate?

I’ve got a fantastic online group of writing buddies that include people from Australia, Japan and America. I swear I’d be lost without them in my life. They’re very good at giving me a kick-in-the-butt when I need one. 

Going to my desktop on the computer and seeing the covers of the two books I’ve managed to produce so far is always a motivating factor too. It’s still such a cool and inspiring sight to me.  :o)

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?

My husband is a 5^th dan black belt in jujitsu, so a couple of times, he’s allowed me to ‘try out’ a character’s actions on him when in a fight scene. It’s so much fun! I’m just glad the neighbors didn’t see us, or they might think us even stranger than they do!  :o)

What a great husband! I love that he helps you work on your fight scenes.  What’s the best writing advice you were ever given? 

That definitely had to be during my first attempt at NaNoWriMo. Even if you don’t feel like it, sit down in front of the computer and make yourself write something – anything – for at least half an hour. Writing is a habit.

Great advice.  Monday through Friday, I make myself sit down and write when I get home from work and before it's time to start dinner even when I don't want to. Usually I can get a few pages done in that hour or so.  What do you like to do in your leisure time?

Oh – to have leisure time! Sigh… No, seriously. I love catching up with girlfriends, spending time with my family and dog at the beach, reading, riding my bike or playing netball. Anything that takes me away from housework is a wonderful day for this stay-at-home-mum.

Tell us about your current release in a couple of sentences.

Jenna’s family moved to NZ after the atomic bombing at Hiroshima changed their lives – and their DNA. Years later, living a quiet life isn’t possible when Jenna saves a young boy from drowning in extraordinary circumstances, bringing her unwanted attention not only from the media, but the policeman in charge of the case, and a power-hungry villain bent on revenge.

Sounds great!!  Can you tell us a little about your next project?

I’m nearing completion of my first full-length novel as we speak J Although I’ve delved into the paranormal slightly again, this book is a suspense through and through. True to form, I’ve particularly enjoyed writing the villain. I don’t think I really want to know what that says about me J

Anything else you’d like to share?

I’ve really enjoyed this interview Katherine and am thrilled to be on your blog. Thank you for having me. :o)

If you’d like to visit me or know more about me and my writing, you can find me here:

Blog (Novel Natterings) – http://www.laverneclark.blogspot.co.nz

Twitter - https://twitter.com/LClarkAuthor

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLaVerneClark 

 Blurb:

In the wrong hands, Jenna Thomas’s legacy could be a curse—in her mind it already is.

As a child, a routine x-ray awakened an abnormality in Jenna’s DNA giving her the ability to “call” creatures and take on their attributes. Labeled a freak since then, Jenna’s learned to keep everyone at a distance. But all that changes the day she saves a young boy from drowning, and the story goes viral.

Nick Hawke, an off-duty policeman, witnesses part of the drama. Captivated by Jenna’s exotic beauty, he decides to investigate, not sure what to believe. Jenna puts his cynicism to the test—even as the attraction between them grows.

As word of her extraordinary rescue spreads, a dangerous man who will stop at nothing to control Jenna’s abilities draws near. With her feelings for Nick putting him in danger too, can Jenna risk everything to protect them both?

Excerpt:

“Back off everyone, give us room,” boomed Nick with authority. Everyone took a step back. An attractive woman holding a microphone stepped into the created space. Her phony smile flashed teeth like a shark. Circling, she came in for the kill, her cameraman capturing the moment. 

“Are you the lady who jumped in to save the boy? What made you do something so heroic? Witnesses say you were under for over ten minutes. How is this possible?”

The questions fired at her like a volley of bullets. Jenna flinched as each one hit its mark. She couldn’t answer honestly without sounding like a freak. So she said nothing, burying her head into Nick’s chest. His arms tightened around her. The subtle turning of his body shielded her from all those eyes. 

He pitched his voice to address the crowd. “It’s been a traumatic event for everyone involved, and as you can imagine, it’s not over for us yet. We’ve no comment to make at this stage, so please, give us some time to come to terms with what’s happened. Thank you.”

“Could you at least give me a little snippet, Sergeant Hawke?” pouted the reporter, pushing her chest out and fluttering her lashes. 

Jenna’s spine went rigid. A sick feeling of dread settled in the pit of her belly.

Police. Nick is a policeman. Dear God, I’m in trouble.

 Her head pounded and her hands shook. His arm tightened when she tried to pull away, holding her firmly in place. Any other person she could have fobbed off. Now she understood his aura of authority, his all-seeing gaze and concern at the thought of a child left alone in her car. He would be relentless uncovering the truth. 

Buy Links for Affinity:

The Wild Rose Press - http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_139&products_id=4888

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Affinity-ebook/dp/B008EX2MSS/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345365492&sr=1-3&keywords=affinity

Barnes and Noble – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/affinity-laverne-clark/1111794241?ean=2940014625913

Great blurb and excerpt, LaVerne.  Definitely putting Affinity on my TBR list.  Thank you for being my guest today.  I enjoyed learning more about you and your writing process.

 

A Hard Lesson

My nephew had his laptop stolen out of his dorm room a few days ago. He's in his senior year and had numerous roommates during the time he's attended this university. Many times he would talk about he and his roommates leaving their dorm room unlocked or leaving the door open all together and not once was anything taken. Both his mother and I would often warn him about being too trusting

This semester he's in a single room with no roommate so one would think the chances of him being a victim of theft would be much, much lower. (I'm not in any way saying that I think any of his former roommates would steal, just that with the door left wide open all the time, the probability of a theft occurring would be higher.)  Unfortunately, he left his dorm room unlocked for a couple of hours so his girlfriend could come in and use his laptop while he was in class. Her laptop was being worked on by the university's IT department so she didn't have her own at that time.

When he came back after his class, his laptop was gone. He called his girlfriend to see if she took it back to her dorm room, but no luck.  When he called campus security, he found out his laptop was the second one stolen from his building in three days.  The strange but good thing was his Ipod, XBox, TV, and wallet weren't taken, just the laptop. 

While he is without a laptop until his mother can deliver a new one to him, (he goes to school four hours away) at least the one that was taken was insured.  He has said he won't be leaving his door unlocked again for any reason.  What a way to learn the lesson that if the opportunity to take something that doesn't belong to you appears, someone will always choose to become a thief.

This I know for sure...

This is an update to a prior blog post about our rogue tomato plant.  As some of you may know last year I tried container gardening but the squirrels and a homeless bunny kept eating or stealing the tomatoes and peppers.  Well, a squirrel left a half eaten tomato at the side of our porch and before I had a chance to clean it up it disappeared.

Well, I've found it.  I have a tomato plant growing out of a crack in our sidewalk next to our house.  Here are some pictures showing how it's grown from that earlier blog post.  We actually have tomatoes growing, but not ripe yet and amazingly enough, the wild life is leaving them alone. 

Pretty cool, huh?

What I'm Reading Wednesday

I just finished the wonderful book, Taming an Impossible Rogue by Suzanne Enoch, last night which I would recommend to anyone and everyone.

I started Against The Law by Kat Martin this afternoon during my lunch break.  It's the third book in the Raines of Wind Canyon series.

I won't be posting what I'm reading for a while as I'll be having different authors visit for the next few weeks.

Happy New Year?

January 1st is the official start of a new year but I've always viewed the first day of school in September as the beginning of a new year.  Teachers and children go back to school, routines change as after school activities start anew, and the changing of the season from summer to fall begins.  I think all those years of school and college (although I started in mid-August when I went to college) is what first made me start to view September as the beginning of a new year. 

Don't get me wrong, I celebrate New Year's Day on January 1st just like everyone else.  I even set my goals in January with various end dates throughout the year but all of those goals are met by December 31st. (I hope.)  But there's something about September that makes me want to start new and fresh.  Maybe it should be Happy New Beginnings Day although I can't imagine too many kids are happy school is going to be back in session.

Between family obligations, various doctor appointments, and a work schedule where I didn't always get out on time (which cuts into the writing time), I've been struggling to find time to write the last few weeks.  So with a new school year starting and the coming fall season, I've decided to look past all those empty calendar days where there's no notation of what I'd written on any given day and begin again.

I've set a goal beginning today of writing every day for 100 days straight.  Even if I can only manage a paragraph due to time constraints, I will attempt to write every day.  I'm hoping it will help me get back into a daily writing schedule, help me get past the point in my manuscript where I've been stuck for the last few weeks, and to help me reach my goals I set at the beginning of 2012. 

I have much I want to accomplish and it's time to get started.  Happy New Beginnings Day.