AUNTY CINDY EXPLAINS IT ALL!

More "Spare Time" Projects

2012-01-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012!

So far it has been a GREAT year weather-wise. Our December was one of the driest on record, which means instead of the dreary, wet, overcast, we've had clear (but cold) sunshine. So far, January is following the same pattern. I know I'll regret it later in the year when "the powers that be" declare we are in a drought, but for now, I really LURVE this weather.

I've been working hard trying to get my newest release up on Amazon. Unfortunately, I didn't make my Dec. 31st goal, but I'm still chugging away and planning for January. I didn't do much for the holidays since I was ensconced deep in my writing cave. But when I did venture out to watch a movie or the evening news, I made some gifts for a few family and friends.

Here are three scarves I did in a technique called "woven crochet." They were gifts for my best friend, Shirl, and my sister and her hubby. If you guessed the blue one was for my brother-in-law, give yourself a gold star!

I'm a very slow knitter because I do it with my non-dominant (right) hand. But this year, I got bitten by the knittin' bug and wound up making these three scarves for my niece, her hubby, and their toddler son. I haven't made it to the post office yet with these three, but I'm sure it will be plenty cold enough to wear them for several weeks still.

Did you make any hand made presents this year? Do you like to receive them? And how has 2012 started for you?

Number 21

2011-12-25T12:24:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I just returned last week from cruise #21. The DH and I usually go on a cruise this time of year to get away from all the holiday madness and soak up some nice warm sun.

And what better place to do that than sunny Mexico?

Okay, it wasn't quite as warm as it has been in past years, but check out that gorgeous blue sky! This photo was taken from deck 3 on the port side of our ship looking out at Land's End, which is the very tip of Baja California. Check out a map of North America and you'll see exactly where I was.

On the starboard side (right side facing the front of the ship) is the harbor of Cabo San Lucas. Because the harbor is shallow, all the cruise ships have to anchor out by Land's End and use small boats (called "tenders") to ferry passengers back and forth.

Here's a shot of the Sapphire Princess (the ship we were on at this time last year) anchored near us. Also, if you squint, you can see part of a tender boat in the lower right corner.

We saw some very interesting "folks" on this trip...

Here's a shot of the DH with some Day of The Dead art in a public plaza in Cabo San Lucas.

There were lots of pieces of "art" on board our ship also. Here's Aunty a little uncertain about the spray painted but otherwise naked male mannequins. Aunty's uncertainty springs from the location of these two "art objects." They were standing just outside the door of a music venue reserved for children ages 6 -- 10. *AHEM* Glad these two were not anatomically correct in front, just sayin'...

The whole purpose of this cruise was to celebrate Aunty's birthday. Seriously, who could turn down a birthday present like a cruise?! Cruising on my birthday is on the verge of becoming a tradition with us, and I don't mind a bit.

So here's a shot of Aunty celebrating with our three wonderful waiters -- Putu, Enrico, and Kanang -- who all happen to be from Indonesia and were super-nice as well as giving excellent service. I must say that all the staff on cruise #21 were particularly outstanding!

Hope everyone reading this has a WONDERFUL HOLIDAY and that 2012 is a FANTASTIC YEAR for you and your loved ones! BIG THANK YOU for hanging out with me in 2011!

Cindy Woolf's Winner!

2011-12-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

CONGRATS!!!

Kay Alber (C.K. Alber)

You are the winner of Cindy Woolf's Centauri book. Please contact her at: cindy AT cynthiawoolf DOT com
to claim your prize.

BIG THANX to everyone who took time from their busy holiday plans to come over and comment with Cindy. We both really appreciate your support!

I hope to have more interviews and giveaways with more GREAT Indy authors in the very near future.

Interview with Author Cynthia Woolf

2011-12-20T00:36:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm pleased to feature an interview with Indy Author Cindy Woolf. Not only does she have a really cool name (okay, so I'm biased!), but she also writes really cool romances.

Cindy was born and raised in Colorado and lives there still, so it is no surprise that she writes western romances. Her book Tame a Wild Heart is available on Amazon in both print and Kindle editions. She also has a fantastic science fiction romance series called The Centauri Series. But I'll let her tell you more...

AC: How long have you been writing?

CW: I started writing seriously in 1990

AC: What made you start writing? Did anyone inspire or encourage you to write?

CW: I wouldn’t say anyone inspired me to write, but my family definitely encouraged my efforts. My husband is my biggest cheerleader.

AC: Plotter? Pantser? Or something in between?

CW: I’m a definite pantser. If I plot the story, it’s done and I don’t need to write it. LOL Of course, this causes me no end of sagging middles and writers block, where I don’t know where the story is going. When that happens, I just start writing, something, anything. Just to get the process started.

AC: Please share some of the highlights of your writing journey thus far.

CW: My biggest highlights have been to be published. To actually have my book out there for people to buy and more importantly, they like it. The reviews have been good and all three books have been well received.

AC: Any advice you’d like to give unpublished or recently published writers?

The best advice I can give is WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. You can’t publish what you haven’t written. Get a good editor, have covers done that you like. And don’t wait for a publishing house to tell you what to write. Write what you love, write how the story comes to you. You can always go back and change it but let it out first.

AC: Please tell us about your current release/project. What’s next for you?

My latest book is CENTAURI TWILIGHT. It is Book 2 in the Centauri Series. Below is a short excerpt. My next book is CENTAURI MIDNIGHT, Book 3 in the Centauri Series. I hope to have it out in January 2012.

Excerpt from CENTAURI TWILIGHT

From Chapter One

Anton needed an escape. All this happiness made him nauseous. In the last two weeks since the announcement of his brother Darius’ wedding to Audra, Queen of Centauri, he’d witnessed more kissing, smiling and cheerful familial festivities than he could stand. Now the ceremony was finally over. All he had to do was manage to not look as grim as the bitter taste in his mouth made him feel, as he survived these last few hours of dancing and merriment.

Taking advantage of a lull in the festivities, Anton pulled Darius and Audra aside. “I’m leaving tonight.”

Audra took his hands in hers, the soft fabric of her wedding dress brushed against his legs. He forced his feet to remain planted. No need to offend his new sister by moving out of arms reach. “Are you well enough to leave?” she asked with a frown. “This isn’t going to be an easy mission for you.”

Anton used the one argument he knew Audra would not stand against. “Sweet sister, I’m well enough. The sooner I leave, the sooner I’ll find Jondalara and bring her home.”

Audra leaned up and kissed his scarred cheek. “Anton, how will I ever be able to thank you?”

Regardless of his own internal agony, it had nothing to do with Audra and Darius. He couldn’t stop a genuine grin escaping. “Name this baby after me.”

Audra slumped against Darius. “Baby?”

Darius held his new wife close to his side. “What baby?”

Anton smiled then chuckled. Should he be upset that his brother had made love to his lifemate, even though she was to have been Anton’s bride? Maybe, but he could not. It was too difficult to find your lifemate and impossible for a Coridian man to resist her once he found her. “It appears you two already had your wedding night.”

Audra’s hand automatically went to her stomach. Nothing was showing, there was no bump, not that it would have shown under her wedding dress anyway. “But, but...how could you know? I don’t even know yet. I mean I haven’t…” Audra sputtered, unable to voice the words.

Darius laughed, rich and loud, uncaring that he was drawing attention to the three of them. “It is one of his gifts, Sweetheart. Ask my mother sometime what happened when he was five and told my mother to expect me.”

Oblivious to everyone else, Anton knew they were in love. Audra leaned again into Darius and he wrapped his arms around her. “A baby,” she sighed and rubbed her stomach. Then she turned back to Anton, the happy bride gone and only the Queen remaining. “I don’t care what it takes, bring my sister home.”

Audra had found Anton half dead in Zelton Slavarien’s dungeon after escaping Slavarien herself. She was resourceful, his sister-in-law. He’d been beaten to within an inch of life and tortured in many other ways by Slavarien who wanted to know where Audra was.

He heard the doctors, while he was in the med tech unit, say how lucky he was. That a few more hours and the damage would totally have been irreversible and he would have died. He wished he had, along with the rest of his company of soldiers. They’d been sent to bring back Zelton Slavarien for trial, but just outside his citadel a trap had been laid. One designed to capture Anton and solicit information from him in any way possible. Torture was the preferred method employed by Slavarien.

She’d saved what was left of his miserable life. He’d do this one thing for her before he let the darkness and guilt over losing his men in the ambush, claim him. He and Darius both knew the odds of survival were low, of finding the princess even lower. But he’d demanded the mission anyway. The planet Delaz was a long way off, a lifetime from the world he knew. And a return to the dominion of the evil Slavarien family.

None of it mattered.

He’d find Jondalara or die trying. This was the one thing that Audra wanted above all else, the one thing he could do for her to repay his debt.

“I will, Your Majesty. I will bring her home to you.”

AC: OOOO! Can't wait to find out what is in store for poor Anton in his attempt to rescue Princess Jondalara!

Thanks so much for being with us today Cindy, and for letting us have a peek at Centauri Twilight!

Please leave a comment and be entered into a drawing for a copy of the set of both the Centauri Series books, CENTAURI DAWN and CENTAURI TWILIGHT.

CW: Thanks Aunty Cindy for letting me blog with you today.

AC: My pleasure!

Now it is your turn. Do you have a question for Cindy about her books or her writing process? What other stories have you read, seen or heard in which the hero must rescue a Princess? Star Wars? Shrek? Any others?

I think Anton will be in for a few surprises! What about you?

Hola! And Excerpt #2

2011-12-14T17:09:00.000-08:00

HOLA!

Right about the time this blog posts, this should be the view I'm seeing. That pretty sunset and twinkly lights are in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico at the very tip of Baja California. Yes, I'm on cruise #21 taking in a little warm Mexican sunshine for my holiday. Wish you could all be here with me!

I love cruising the western coast of Mexico -- called the Mexican Riviera in many travel brochures. In fact, that is what inspired me to write a book or two set on a cruise ship, so the first story just naturally had to be on a ship sailing along the Mexican Riviera.

As you may recall from the previous excerpt, High Seas Deception opens with Adventure Cruise Line's ship Intrepid docked at the harbor in Puerto Vallarta (one of the prettiest cities in Mexico, in my opinion). Here's a view of some condominiums near the cruise dock (this shot was taken from deck 12, the top deck of our ship on a previous cruise), but the more picturesque part of town is about four miles away. I'll be thinking of all of you as I'm strolling along the Malecon (walkway downtown next to the beach).

And to give you a little idea about the exciting life aboard ship, here's a brief excerpt from High Seas Deception:

“I’m telling you something weird is going on today,” Skylar Davidson declared as she unkinked the power cord from the electronic Bingo board, and helped her roommate and assistant cruise director, Avery Knox maneuver the unwieldy piece of equipment into place.

Avery swiped a golden lock of hair out of her eyes. “You worry too much. People lose their sea pass cards all the time. Can you plug this into the power strip?”

Squatting down, Skylar did as Avery asked, but she stubbornly insisted, “This is different. I don’t know why, but I know it’s not just a coincidence.”

“Honestly, Skylar, this is a long way from LAPD. Relax! The worse thing you’ve done yet is roll some drunk out of one of the lounges, or separate two little old ladies fighting over the last blueberry waffle in the breakfast buffet. That’s how it is onboard.”

As she watched the board’s lights blink to life and the corresponding overhead screen flash on, Skylar gave a little shrug of defeat. She knew Avery was right, but old habits were hard to break. Her days were filled with busy work, not crime, and her surroundings were beautiful.

This was exactly what she’d wanted, needed, which was why she’d chucked everything and signed on. Why did she insist on looking for trouble?

“All right, unless you’re expecting a riot from your two dozen frothing Bingo players, I’m going back to the buffet and check for a drive-by fruiting.”

“See you at the sail-away party at seven,” Avery replied.

Which would you rather be doing right now? Playing bingo? Relaxing by the pool? Shopping in downtown Puerto Vallarta? Or maybe you have other plans? Please share with us!

5 Things to Hate About The Holidays

2011-12-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

This is NOT my favorite time of year.

There, I said it. I'm a big ole Grinch when it comes to the holidays. It's not that I have a heart 3 sizes too small (or maybe I do).

I actually LIKE the concepts of the holiday season -- families getting together, gift giving, celebrating the old and new. However, what actually HAPPENS during the holiday season, I don't much like.

BIG DIFFERENCE between concept and reality. At least my perception of it. So here then are

5 Things I Hate About the Holidays:

The weather -- I realize this doesn't apply to everyone, but in my little corner of NorCal the weather during December and January is generally miserable. It's cold, rainy and dreary. Okay, not cold enough that there's six feet of snow on the ground, or even much frost. But the temperature at 2 PM is usually only five or 6 degrees higher than it is at 2 AM. And if it isn't raining, it's foggy. We can go for over a week with the sun never really peeking through the clouds or fog bank. UGH!
Crowds and Traffic -- Because really, those two are the same, too many people and too many people in their cars. No matter where you go: grocery store, gas station, the mall (shudder) you fight a crowd and wait in long lines. Plus, nobody compensates for that bad weather I just mentioned. Cars go barreling down wet or fog enshrouded roads like it was a perfect sunny day. Every time I drive somewhere, I narrowly escape being involved in an accident. Every night, I get to hear on the news about the people who weren't as lucky.
The music --I like the wonderful old holiday tunes as much as the next person. But by the 19th time I've heard a song, most of it's charm has worn off. This year, I first heard Christmas carols on Halloween, so this started happening... Oh along about Nov. 2nd! And why is it that every year, they seem to single out a new ditty to totally destroy any possible enjoyment by playing it incessantly? One year it was Feliz Navidad. The next it was that horrid joke song (that I didn't find the least bit funy) Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. A year or two ago, one of my favorites Carol of the Bells was played to the point that I was ripping out my hair within the first few notes! ENOUGH ALREADY!
Spending too much money AND time on gifts -- Everywhere I look, I'm being urged to BUY BUY BUY! Life just won't be the same if I don't buy all the latest and greatest toys, clothes, electronic gadgets. My dearly beloved is suppose to buy me a bunch of diamond jewelry (which I wouldn't wear even if he did) and I'm suppose to buy him a CAR! Um, no. I fell into the buying trap once. It was the first year I was a single mom and I felt so guilty that I ran out and bought everyone I knew lots of gifts. Of course, I had no money, so I charged them, and was still paying for them six months later! Never again. Plus, almost everyone I know (myself included!) already has everything they need and want. I really am a firm believer in "it's the thought that counts." I'd much rather have a tin of homemade cookies than any other gift.
Forced Holiday Cheer -- People who would not normally spit on me if my hair was on fire (and it's mutual) feel obliged to wish me "happy holidays." And I'm expected to do the same. Granted, this was a lot worse when I worked in an office, but the expectations have not changed. Everyone is suppose to be in happy and love their fellow man (women, children, small furry animals) and not let all the stress of the holiday season show. Sorry, but that is SOOO NOT HAPPENING! Reality is that stress is worse this time of year, probably due in no small part to reasons #1, 2, 3 and 4. Sorry, but I have no intention of "faking it" with my holiday greetings. So if I do say, "Happy Holidays!" to you, rest assured that I really and truly mean it. And if I don't, just chalk it up to the fact that I'm a Grinch and have at least 5 good reasons for hating the holiday.

So please tell me I'm not the only ole Grinch here! Is there something that really bugs you about the holiday? Dare I hope you even HATE something about the holidays?

Please share a rant with Aunty!

Excerpt Time

2011-11-30T09:41:00.000-08:00

Can't believe November is almost over. Just a few more hours until the December "madness" begins. Though I'm afraid the "madness" that is the holiday season started before Halloween this year. (heavy sigh)

I'm happy to report that Santa heard my plea, and is sending me my very own Kindle! In fact, with a small assist from my DH (LOVE that man!) my lovely little ereader will arrive in a few days. I hope you have your very own ereader too, because my new release High Seas Deception (Can't get enough of that gorgeous cover!) will be available in electronic format. Of course, even if you don't have an ereader, you can still download the story and read it directly from your laptop or desk top.

Here's a little excerpt to whet your appetite:

From the balcony of the ninth story condominium, the Irishman drained his coffee cup and walked to the railing. Lifting a pair of small field glasses to his eyes, he focused on the boxy white ship gliding across the smooth waters of Banderas Bay. Through the early morning haze, he took a moment to distinguish the black, stylized ‘A’ on the vessel’s smokestack, but once he did, the tingle of anticipation zipped along his nerve endings. Adventure Cruise Lines Intrepid – his objective, was right on time. He saw the harbor master’s gleaming metallic cutter rushing out to meet the huge ship and guide her into the port. Slipping the field glasses into his pocket, he walked back inside to ready himself for his own meeting with Intrepid.

Forty minutes later, he slumped in the shade on a wrought-iron bench and sipped a bottle of water. Through his sunglasses, he watched the first passengers emerge through the gate in the chain link fence that separated the pier from the tiled plaza in front of the flea market a few meters to his left.

A score of eager taxi drivers descended on the new arrivals, crying out in accented English.

“I take you on a tour of the city…”

“… to Mismaloya…”

“… to the tequila factory…”

“… good price!”

“… cheapest price!”

He’d seen the same scenario in every tourist port he’d ever landed in, though he had to admit that as tourist towns went, Puerto Vallarta was one of the prettiest. When the first hardy group negotiated their way past the gauntlet of aggressive drivers, he tossed his empty water bottle into the nearby trash bin and listened closely to their chatter. Their accents matched his intel which said most of the eighteen hundred passengers were from the US or Canada. He’d have no problem posing as one of them.

As a second, larger group made their way toward the shops in the flea market, he looped his backpack over his shoulder and joined them. Ignoring the calls of the pushy vendors, he took less than five minutes to spot a likely mark. The man at the counter stood close to his own height, though huskier in build. His personal identification stuck out of the back pocket of his shorts when he pulled out his wallet to pay for a tube of sunscreen.

This really is child’s play, the Irishman thought as he side-swiped the man’s shoulder. Then he murmured, “Lo siento mucho,” at the same time his unsuspecting benefactor said, “Excuse me.”

The man scooped up his change, dropped the pesos in the bag with the sunscreen and hurried out the door, wallet still in hand. The Irishman followed at a safe distance just to be sure the American didn’t notice his missing ID card.

The Irishman glanced briefly at the white and blue plastic sea pass card before he zipped itinto the inner pocket of his backpack.

“Thank you, Robert Adams,” he murmured under his breath.

So what do you think? Is the Irishman a good guy or a bad guy? Can a hero be a thief? Do you want to read more?

New Cover!

2011-11-25T21:38:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Thanksgiving here in the US and I have a lot to be grateful for this year. My family and I are relatively healthy (outside the usual aches and pains), and we are happy in spite of a lot of changes and challenges we've faced in the past twelve months.

I'm also thankful for my network of supportive friends (though they seem to be in rather short supply lately). But most of all, I'm grateful for my readers!

Earlier this year, I made the decision to bring my work directly to my readers through self-publishing electronically. My first self-published work went up on Oct. 7th -- a 14,000 word novelette, The Sidhe Princess. My next release will be a full length romantic suspense novel set on a cruise ship and titled High Seas Deception. I hope to have the editing and formatting complete before Christmas, but right now, I'm excited to share the fantastic cover with all of you. And here's a brief teaser about the story:

In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a mysterious Irishman steals a passenger’s identification and slips aboard Adventure Cruise Lines’ Intrepid. His mission is to intercept a dangerous package before it can be delivered to Los Angeles. However, he is discovered by ACL’s junior security officer Skylar Davidson, formerly with LAPD. Is he “one of the good guys” as he claims? Or the ruthless mercenary Skylar remembers from a bloody shoot-out at LAX airport? With the lives of over two thousand passengers and crew at stake, can Skylar trust her instincts? What about her heart?

What about you? Please share some of the things you are most thankful for this holiday season.

Special Guest Jill James

2011-11-18T00:36:00.000-08:00

Since dipping my toes into the vast ocean of Indie publishing a few months ago, I'm met some many other outstanding Indie authors. I've decided to take the blog in a slightly different direction by introducing you to a few of these wonderful folks, starting TODAY!

The lovely and talented Jill James is my guest today. Her debut Indie release is a contemporary romance called Divorce, Interrupted and you can buy it for your Kindle here:

http://www.amazon.com/Divorce-Interrupted-Second-Chances-ebook

So without further adieu, let's ask Jill a few questions...

AC: How long have you been writing?

JJ: Since I could hold a pencil in my hand. LOL I wrote plays and puppet shows as a kid for the neighborhood to perform in and attend. Poetry was my first love until I found romance novels. I started writing seriously in 2004 and joined RWA.

AC: What made you start writing?

JJ: Romance novels, plain and simple. I fell in love with love stories. I wanted to write my own. I wanted to have a hero and heroine who seemed like they would never be together, and I could give them that happily-ever-after.

AC: Did anyone inspire or encourage you to write?

JJ: Mrs. Whitaker, my fifth-grade teacher had us write a story every week and read it aloud to the class. She was so encouraging of my writing. I still remember The Run-Away Chevrolet and The Peanut Butter Airplane.

AC: Plotter? Pantser? Or something in between?

JJ: I think I must be something in between. Some stories I plot and some I just go with the flow. But I am a linear writer. I start with Chapter One and go straight through until I reach The End. No random dialogue or scenes. Point A to Point Z.

AC: Advice you’d like to share with unpublished or recently published writers?

JJ: Don’t give up. The day from Hell, when you receive that thousandth rejection, when the words won’t flow, when you hear your subgenre is dead – Don’t Give Up. That is the day that tests how much do you want this. Your success is just around the corner if you hold on. The quote goes something like this – The only difference between a published author and an unpublished one is the published author didn’t quit.

AC: Please tell us about your current release/project.

JJ: Divorce, Interrupted is my first Indie/Self release. I wanted to explore how some divorces aren’t the end but really a new beginning.

Here's the Blurb: Newly-divorced Todd and Lisa Miller are stranded at their mountain cabin. There to divide a lifetime of memories, they soon are in danger from more than the anger between them. A vicious storm forces them to rely on each other to survive.

Can they trust the one person they lost belief in? Or are their hearts in danger from more than floods and frigid weather?

AC: What’s next for you?

JJ: Book 2 of the Second Chances series, Trust In Me. Should be available in a couple of weeks.

Thanks so much for being here today Jill. Your Second Chances series sounds great and the cover of Divorce, Interrupted is beautiful!

Okay readers, now it's your turn. Do you believe in a second chance in romance? And if you have any questions for Jill about her books or her writing process, please feel free to ask!

Ten Random Facts

2011-11-09T22:49:00.000-08:00

Several weeks ago, my buddy Jennifer Tanner tagged me on her blog, Romance and Other Legal Stimulants (http://jennifertanner.wordpress.com/) to do a post on Ten Random Facts. Try not to faint, Jen, but I have finally gotten that famous "round tuit!"

Here then in no particular order are my Ten Random Facts:

I've always lived in California, and of all the places I've visited, the #1 place I'd chose to live is... CALIFORNIA!
I first heard (and liked) classical music on Bugs Bunny cartoons.
My all time favorite flavor of ice cream is Rocky Road.
If my son had been a girl, I planned to name him Nicole Susanna. His great-grandmother was Susie and his grandmother (my mom) was Anna. I just happened to like the name Nicole.
My dog is named for the designer of the Shelby Cobra sports car.
My favorite part of watching American football is "the huddle." All those lovely muscled rear-ends are great eye candy!
My mother told me I was left-handed from birth, but I successfully do two things right-handed: knit and cut with scissors.
I refuse to own a cell phone!
I saw Jim Morrison and the Doors in concert. My son considers this the coolest thing I have ever done.
I think the coolest thing in the world is FAN MAIL!

Okay, the ten things was difficult enough, but this is the part really hanging me up... I'm suppose to "tag" four other people with blogs to do their own "Ten Random Facts." I'm afraid I've only come up with two. Both are Chaptermates: Jansen Schmidt who was my guest a couple of weeks ago and just started her own blog (http://jansenschmidt.wordpress.com/), and Caroline Hanson whose blog is also the title of her debut novel Love Is Darkness (http://carolinehanson.blogspot.com/).

Now it's YOUR turn. Please share some random facts with Aunty!

Autumn

2011-10-25T15:48:00.000-07:00

Eight years ago yesterday, I rescued my pug-wa-wa from the city pound.

I was working with a dog rescue group and went there to see another dog the rescue coordinators were interested in. That dog had already been adopted. But as I walked by the building that housed the small dogs and puppies, one puppy was howling, squalling, and making quite a racket.

When I stepped inside, this pretty little tan dog in the cage next to the noisy puppy looked up at me with pleading eyes that plainly said, "Please, get me OUT OF HERE!" I called the attendant and took the little dog out for a walk. Three things immediately became apparent to me:

She was leash trained.
She was also potty trained.
No way was I leaving her there!

Luckily the vet was on premises that day, and she confirmed what I guessed (by the scar on her belly), she was already spayed. Two hours and eighty dollars adoption fee later, I took the pretty little tan dog home with me.

It was a beautiful autumn day (just like yesterday, and today!), so I named her Autumn. Turned out she was also crate trained, and a fierce guardian (in spite of a bark that sounds like a wind-up toy) of all she considers hers. Whomever lost her (she was picked up on the street) lost a jewel, and I am thankful everyday that I was lucky enough to find her!

Being part pug (as I was assured by a Pug Rescue group) she does snore like a buzz-saw, but other than that, she is THE WORLD'S MOST PERFECT DOG!

Have you "found" a pet? Or had one "find" you? Weren't they THE GREATEST?!?! Please share your story with Aunty and everyone.

The intimidating world of blogging

2011-10-14T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Here I am at my very first blogging experience and I'll be honest, it's a little intimidating. As an unpublished author I kept telling myself that it isn't necessary to have a blog. After all, I don't have any readers to connect with. Who's going to read a blog from an unknown writer? What could I possibly have to say to those lucky people who even bother to find my blog? Well, that my friends, about sums up exactly how inexperienced I really am.

Sure, I don't have any readers - yet, but there are thousands of people out there I can connect with right now. The more connections I make now, the more potential readers I will have when I'm finally published. How exciting to have people start routing for me right now!

And it's absurd to think that I have nothing to blog about. I'm a writer for crying out loud! I have completed 3 full length manuscripts, several short stories, and I have dozens of ideas floating around in my head for many more. If I can finish a full length manuscript and I have ideas waiting to come to life on paper, of course I can write a one page blog. What a silly notion that I can't.

So here I am, with the help and this awesome opportunity from my dear friend Cindy, reaching out to the world with the hope that the world will embrace me and my efforts.

I'd love to connect with people like myself who are just starting out, trying to stay afloat in the gigantic sea of advice, information, disappointment, and madness known as writing. I'd also love to connect with experienced authors who have managed to not only stay afloat, but have built rafts and ski boats and yachts, and those super over-achievers, with cruise ships. While it all seems nearly impossible from down here in the churning, cold, shark infested waters with no life preserver, I keep looking up at those big shiny cruise ships and saying, "someday soon, I'll be up there with them."

Starting in November, I will be blogging each month from my website jansenschmidt.com. I'd love to have you all stop by and watch my progress and offer encouragement and advice. I'll be looking for you! And of course in the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

At this time, I'd like to ask you, what is your best advice for me regarding my new blogging adventures? I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts and suggestions for not just staying afloat, but for building my own fleet of cruise ships! Bon Voyage!

Thank you Aunty Cindy for this wonderful opportunity to experience blogging in a safe and fun environment. I look foward to being your guest again.

The Sidhe Princess Is Available!

2011-10-09T20:20:00.000-07:00

I'm THRILLED to announce that my novelette The Sidhe Princess is now available on Amazon (just click on the title of this post to go to the Amazon page)!

I hope you will take a look and "like" (just click on the box below my author name) my story. It will be available on SmashWords and other ereader platforms in a few days.

The world of books and publishing is undergoing major changes even as I type this post, and I'm excited to be a part of it. The release of The Sidhe Princess marks a milestone in my writing career, as it is the start of my journey as an "Indie Author."

As an Indie Author, the good news is that I am the one responsible for all aspects of getting my book out there for my readers. The bad news is that I am the one responsible for all aspects of getting my book out there... Yep, definitely a two edged sword, that responsibility! Success or failure is all tied to how well I handle that responsibility. But I firmly believe that getting my work out there for my readers IS a big success.

The Sidhe Princess is a real departure for me in that it is NOT a romance and is not even a novel (at 14,000 words it doesn't even quality as a novella)! No traditional publisher would have even considered publishing it, so self-publishing was really my only option. But I'm not only happy to have this option, I'm pleased to be able to offer my readers a story through this option.

So here's a brief excerpt from The Sidhe Princess, which is about 16 year old Moira Mullins, who sees and hears other-worldly creatures that no one else does:

Nine days later, Moira first saw the new apparition. Mum and Da went off on their usual Saturday shopping expedition, and Moira elected to stay home alone.

Though Mum looked worried, Da actually took Moira’s side. “She’s not a wee lass any more, Mary,” he scolded. “You don’t need her right by your side every waking moment.”

He’d given Moira a wink behind her mother’s back when they climbed into the ancient farm truck that was their only means of transportation. With hearty calls of “Be home for tea!” they rumbled off in a cloud of dust.
The day was far too fine to stay inside ironing, so a couple of hours later, Moira slipped her little yellow transistor radio into her apron pocket and went outside to simply enjoy the sweet autumn sunshine. Even if she felt relief at coming and going as she pleased, she did feel oddly alone after the constant voices and presence of the staff and patients in the sanitarium. Not that she missed the place, far from it!

She missed her sister.

On the radio, the Beatles crooned about “…please me like I please you…” and she sang along. But by the end of the song, the signal was fading. She turned the radio off and wished she’d asked Mum to pick up new batteries while she and Da were out.
As she slid the radio back into her pocket, her fingers brushed over Fiona’s letter. Moira had already read it more than once. In fact, she’d given Mum her reply to mail in the village today. But she walked over to the stump at the edge of the yard to read the letter yet another time.
Something about the letter wasn’t right. It wasn’t so much the things Fee wrote, but more like what she hadn’t. Moira couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling that not all was well. However, she also knew Fee wouldn’t say anything for fear of worrying Mum and Da.
The thin onion-skin paper rattled like the waxy stuff wrapped around the fancy scones that came from the village bakery. Moira smoothed the folded sheets across her lap and read Fee’s sprawling script, heard her voice in the written words as she described the crazy city traffic all going in the wrong direction. The Richardsons had a brand new Lincoln Town Car and Mrs. Richardson intended to buy herself a car too, as soon as she found one to her liking.
Moira closed her eyes and imagined what it must be like to be so rich you owned two new cars and a fine house so big that your three children each had a bedroom and the nanny had one too. While she pictured the lovely wall-papered room Fee had described, the sound of childish laughter invaded Moira’s daydream. Her eyes popped open and she scanned the brushy border of the fens, catching a glimpse of a white figure.
“Who’s there?” Moira cried, shoving the letter back into her pocket and jumping to her feet.
The fens could be a dangerous place for a child, full of boggy spots and stickery piles of brambles, as Mum had never failed to tell her. But as Moira crossed the over-grown expanse of the meadow and drew closer to the fens, she heard the giggling again. A scrape of doubt tugged at her mind, making her hesitate. Something about the sound wasn’t childish. Or even human.
While she paused, the being came into view. Small as a child of nine or ten and clad in a long gown of gauzy white, the girl’s golden hair streamed behind her, strands of it braided around bird feathers or woven into bits of metal or bright colored beads. Her skin was almost the same shade as her hair, like rich honey, and when she stopped to regard Moira, her dark eyes shone with the same flecks of gold.
One of the fae, Moira guessed, and the most exquisite wee thing she’d ever seen.
“You can see me as well as hear me, can you not?” asked the small woman. The proud way she stood and the commanding tone she used were not the least bit childlike.
Moira nodded mutely and twisted her hands into her apron. ‘Twas not the first time she’d seen and even spoken to other-worldly creatures, though never before had one been so bold in approaching her. Nor so beautiful.

Please join me in celebrating this new direction in my writing life. I hope you enjoy The Sidhe Princess!

Along with taking my writing career in a new direction, I'm going to be trying some different things on the blog too. I hope to do more interviews with Indie Authors and maybe give away more prizes. Also, this Friday, my friend and chaptermate Jensen Schmidt will try her hand at blogging for the very first time. Be sure to check back and see what she has to say!

Have you read other Indie Authors? What do you think of electronic books instead of traditional paperback or hard cover books? Is there someone or something you'd like to see on this blog?

New Winners!

2011-10-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

Hey All! You read that correctly WINNERS!

Jo wanted me to give a BIG THANX to everyone who came by and helped her celebrate her second release The Avenger. She also apologized for not naming a winner sooner, but she was struck down with a nasty bout of food poisoning. ACK! No shared recipes were involved, don't worry.

Anyway, Jo would like to give away a free download of The Avenger to TWO commenters:

CONGRATS TO

Loretta

and

Paisley Kirkpatrick

Ladies, please contact Jo at jo.lewisrobertson @ yahoo.com (without the spaces) to claim your download of The Avenger! I just know you're going to enjoy it!

Aunty will be inviting Jo back in the not-too-distant future when her third book in the Bigler County series The Traitor is released.

Jo Robertson and The Avenger

2011-10-05T01:34:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm excited to welcome back to the blog my fantastic critique partner Jo Robertson. Jo's first romantic thriller, The Watcher came out in August and reached the Amazon Top 100 for Romantic Suspense!

SUPER CONGRATS! Please tell us a little about your second book, The Avenger.

JR: Thanks, Cindy, and thanks for inviting me back to your blog. The Watcher keeps moving in and out of that Amazon Top 100 List, but it's pretty exciting because I've never made a list before. It's my little fifteen minutes of fame!

AC: Previously, you told us the idea for The Watcher came from a psychology class you took. Where did you find the inspiration for The Avenger?

JR: I can't be absolutely sure where the idea came from. You know, we writers have brains that are more like warehouses than workshops, and all kinds of weird and strange stuff meanders around there firing up our synapses!

[NOTE: Aunty knows that all too well!]

JR: But I think I've always had a fairly strong grasp on religious ideologies and how they influence history. It's always been interesting to me that so many events – wars, in particular – are inspired by religious fervor. The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, a Jihad. So I played with the idea of what motivates people who are deeply religious, but also are psychopathic killers. And I came up with the villain in The Avenger.

The title is a bit misleading because "The Avenger" is a term the killer applies to himself, but the hero, Jackson Holt, is also an avenger in the sense that he's trying to speak for the dead victims and repudiate the wrongs he's done himself while working for a secret organization over the years.

AC: I think the duality of the title is fascinating! Please tell us how this book is tied to your previous one, The Watcher, and your next romantic thriller, The Traitor.

JR: All three books are tied by setting to Bigler County, California, which is a fictional county based on the county where I live. It's nestled at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain, and the sheriff is Ben Slater (the main protagonist in The Watcher). The books can all be read as stand-alone novels because the resolutions are settled in each book and the happy ending guaranteed for the hero and heroine.

In The Avenger Slater's and Olivia Gant's childhood friend is Jackson Holt, the hero. Something happened years ago when Jack "betrayed" them in a sense, but no one knew the full story. This book brings the issue to closure.

AC: You seem adept at creating very scary and memorable villains. Any idea why? Are they your favorite characters to create?

JR: Trust me, I've lain awake at night wondering why my villains speak so clearly to me. I may need a lot of redemption for my "thoughts" in the hereafter.

Just kidding, of course, but villains who are two-dimensional, flat characters have never appealed to me. I've always preferred the complex, rounded villains. I find it extremely interesting to discover what makes people turn out to be the kinds of folks they are, good or bad. Are we hard-wired a certain way or does environment really affect a person significantly?

AC: What is next for Jo Robertson?

JR: I'm nearly finished with the third book in the trilogy which introduces a new hero, Ashraf Hashemi, a DEA agent at odds with ADA Isabella Torres, who played a role in The Avenger. In The Traitor Isabella focuses on putting an end to human trafficking because she believes her beautiful older sister Maria, who disappeared on a graduation trip to Mexico years ago, was actually kidnapped and is alive. Rafe is looking at the same man, Diego Vargas, for instituting new drug trafficking routes in California.

I'm having fun bringing Vargas' lawyer/bodyguard, Gabriel Santos, back as a major player in this story.

[AC rubs her hands together with gleeful anticipation because Santos is a GREAT character!]

JR: After these three books have a chance to reach readers, I'm considering publishing my two historical suspense books, both inspired by real events. I hope readers will enjoy them.

Finally, I'll be returning to Bigler County for the fourth and last book in the not-trilogy (ha, ha), an untitled book which will actually be about Gabriel Santos, who's an interesting and complex villain with his own unique moral compass.

A question for the readers of today's blog: Do you enjoy seeing recurring characters in books, especially secondary ones who get their own stories?

Have you ever been fascinated enough by a "villain" that you'd like to see if he/she has a story of their own to tell?

What's your favorite fall dessert? Ha, gotcha!

Seriously, leave a good recipe for fall on Aunty Cindy's blog and I'll enter you in a contest to win a download of either The Watcher or The Avenger.

Number 20

2011-09-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Just returned from cruise # 20. Had a great time and have lots of piccies to share.

This cruise departed from New Orleans, so here is Aunty ready to sail away down the mighty Mississippi. No, we did not go under that bridge. The ship was too tall, plus that was UP river. The captain had to turn the ship around when we were ready to leave.

First stop: Belize! Okay, I know I'm hopelessly dating myself, but back when I studied geography, it was called British Honduras. They were preparing to celebrate their 30th anniversary of independence on Sept. 21st.

We took a shore excursion to some FABULOUS Mayan ruins called Atun Ha. They are still excavating and restoring the pyramids at this site, which they've dated back to 250 B.C. YAY! Something older than Aunty!

Here I am standing in front of the largest of the partially restored pyramids. This one is dedicated to the Mayan sun god.

The DH climbed to the top of the pyramid (even though we were advised not to because it was threatening to rain) and took this great piccie of the view of one of the smaller pyramids.

Yes, those tiny little figures are people. It was a loong way up! An estimated 10,000 people lived in this area back in the day.

Next stop: the island of Roatan, which belongs to Honduras.

Here's the DH standing in front of the map at the Visitors' Information Center. As you can see, Roatan is a long, narrow barrier island. In other words, built a lot like my DH!

We docked at Mahogany Bay and took a taxi ride into the nearby town of Coxon Bay. On the way in to town, we saw groups of school children practicing their marching. Our taxi driver told us there was a big parade planned on Sept. 15th for Honduran independence day.

Meanwhile, back at Mahogany Bay, Aunty put on her Bandita bucket boots and took a pot shot at this scurvy knave, who claimed to be related to the Lair's Golden Rooster!

Last Stop: Cozumel, which is also an island just off the Yucatan and belongs to Mexico.

The waters off Cozumel are the clearest and prettiest I've ever seen! You can get a bit of an idea from this piccie, but trust me, it is much more gorgeous in person!

Here's a picture of one of the downtown plazas with a HUGE Mexican flag. There were tons of flags flying everywhere and a carnival in one of the main plazas because (wait for it)... They were celebrating Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16th!

What IS IT with Central American countries declaring independence in September? Aunty can only conclude that there was something "revolting" about September back in the 1800s (and right up to the 1980s in the case of Belize)!

Finally, back 'home' in New Orleans, the DH and I took a walk through the Vieux Carre or French Quarter as we tourists call it.

Here's a shot of the DH on Royal Street with one of the beautiful wrought-iron balconies for which the city is famous. New Orleans is probably the most European-feeling city in the US and I ADORE visiting there. And of course, I brought back a strand of Mardi Gras beads!

So there, in a quick encapsulation is Aunty's Cruise #20!

Have you ever visited New Orleans? What about the Caribbean? Which place have you been to that has the prettiest, bluest water?

Sailing and Celebrating

2011-09-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

SHHHH! I'm not really here.

By the time this post comes up on the blog, I'll be sailing the high seas on cruise #20.

This time, the DH and I are doing something different. We are sailing out of New Orleans a short way down the Mississippi River and into the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. I hope our timing is right and we manage to miss the latest tropical storm (not yet designated a hurricane) spinning out in the Gulf. In addition to seeing Cozumel, Mexico, we will be visiting Roatan, Honduras and Belize City, Belize. I'm excited to add two more countries to my growing list! Plus I've already booked us an excursion to a Mayan pyramid, which I'm really looking forward to seeing.

So much for the sailing portion of this post. As for the celebrating... I'm setting this to post on Sept. 14th in honor of the fourth anniversary of the day I received "The Call." On Sept. 14, 2007 at 8:30 in the morning, an editor called with an offer to publish my book that eventually became The Wild Sight. Of course I said yes!

That call changed my life. In one sudden swoop, I went from unpublished and aspiring writer to the lofty ranks of about-to-be published author. I knew my writing was at a professional level, but it was another thing altogether to have someone in the publishing business validate that belief. Basically, I was still the same person with the same capabilities, but that phone call changed everything!

At the 2006 RWA National Conference, Christina Dodd gave a wonderful speech in which she described all writers as moving along the same sidewalk. The sidewalk represented our writing journey and it was different for each person, but in some ways it was the same too. We all move along at a different rate, but we have similar milestones and cross-roads. Sometimes a writer trips, or falls off the curb, but most get back on the sidewalk and keep moving.

After publishing three books in three years, I reached a cross-roads of sorts. Or maybe it was more of a stumbling block. But I've been trying to crawl back up on the sidewalk. This month, I will finally make it, I think, when I release my novelette, The Sidhe Princess.

This is a part of the writing journey that none of us really anticipated back in 2007, but I'm excited to forge ahead on this next phase of my own journey and bring my stories directly to my readers in electronic format. I hope you will join me on this new venture. I plan to have The Sidhe Princess available before the end of the month.

But first I have a pyramid to see... and a boatload of wonderful food and entertainment to enjoy!

Do you have any travel plans in the weeks ahead? If you could cruise anywhere, where would you go?

Lucky September

2011-09-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe another month has gone. Summer is almost gone. Heck, the YEAR is almost gone! I'm barely used to writing 2011 when I date things, and now it is September already. Actually I'm glad because September has always been a lucky month for me.

My paternal grandmother was born in September.
I quit my Dreaded Day Job in September, 2003 to pursue my dreams of travel and writing.
On September 14, 2007 I received "The Call" every writer dreams about, an editor called and offered to publish my novel, The Wild Sight.
In September, 2009 the book of my heart, The Treasures of Venice was released.

You can see why I feel like September is my lucky month! And I hope September, 2011 will continue that streak of good fortune. I plan to release my novelette, The Sidhe Princess later this month. It will be available electronically on SmashWords and Amazon Kindle.

I'm still undecided on whether I will have a print version because it is very short and would probably be a very slim volume. I will share the Amazon link here as soon as it is available.

Do you have a favorite month? What makes it your favorite? And do you have any plans for September?

Winner! Winner!

2011-08-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

BIG THANKS to everyone who turned out yesterday to support my FABULOUS CP, Jo Robertson in the release of her debut novel, THE WATCHER!

I really appreciate your support and Jo was overwhelmed with your wonderful, positive responses.

As for the winner of a free download of Jo's romantic thriller, THE WATCHER...

CONGRATS KATHLEEN O!

Please contact Jo at:
jo.lewisrobertson AT yahoo DOT com to arrange for your FREE book!

Jo Robertson and The Watcher

2011-08-25T01:03:00.000-07:00

Today I'm happy to welcome a special guest, my fantastic critique partner and fellow Bandita Jo Robertson! We're going to talk about her debut book THE WATCHER and give away a free ebook to one lucky commenter.

JR: First, Aunty Cindy, thanks for inviting me to blog with you today. You are my CP extraordinaire!

AC: Thanks a bunch for being here, and for your wonderful critiques of my work! But, tell us about your current project.

JR: I'm very excited that THE WATCHER, my Golden Heart-winning book, is available on Amazon, both in paperback and as an electronic download.(Just click on the title of this post to go to the kindle page on Amazon!)

THE WATCHER is the first book I completed that didn't have to be stuffed under the bed never to see the light of day again! It's the story of forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers and Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater who work together to solve a serial murder crime. Both Kate and Slater are struggling to leave the dark places in their lives. As they take this dangerous journey to capture a killer, they must learn to trust and rely on each other.

Here's the back blurb:

Forensic psychiatrist Kate Myers believes the killer of two teenage girls in Bigler County, California, is the same man who savagely murdered her twin sister over fifteen years ago. Working with a single-minded tenacity, she sets out to prove it.

Deputy Sheriff Ben Slater hides his personal pain behind the job, but Kate's arrival knocks his world on its axis. He wants to believe her wild theory, but the idea of a serial killer with the kind of pathology she proposes is too bizarre.

Together they work to find a killer whose roots began in a small town in Bigler County, but whose violence spread across the nation. A Janus-like killer, more monster than man, he fixates on Kate. The killer wants nothing more than to kill "the purple-eyed girl again."

AC: THE WATCHER has an unusual kind of villain. Where did you get the idea for him?

JR: Actually, I got the idea when I was taking a Women's Psychology course at our local college. I was fascinated by one of the true cases our professor told us about. I took that concept, tweaked and twisted (really, really twisted) the idea until I came up with the very unusual kind of serial killer in THE WATCHER. Since the book's a romantic thriller, I don't want to spoil anything!

I get many of my ideas from TV shows or movies, classes I've taken, lots of administration of justice class which are really fascinating, or books and magazines. It only takes a kernel to spur a writer's imagination.

AC: I completely agree about ideas coming from everywhere. Why do you write romantic suspense?

JR: The two genres I most enjoy reading are historical romance (preferably with a daub of mystery) and romantic suspense. Everyone's saying the RS market is soft right now, but I figure that's what I like to read and it's the easiest for me to write.

This particular book definitely came out of the psychology case I mentioned earlier. I won't say too much, but I will say that the crux of the mystery involves the idea that sexuality isn't the fluid kind of thing psychologists once thought. It's much more complex than that, and sometimes a person's genetic makeup is in opposition to his/her real sexuality.

AC: I loved this story and I'm thrilled to have this book released so that everyone can read it. What's next for Jo Robertson?

JR: The second book, THE AVENGER, in this loosely connected trilogy will be available on Amazon in September. It's another serial killer book and involves two childhood sweethearts who are tragically separated and then meet again to solve a current case. We'll see Sheriff Ben Slater return in this one as a secondary character.

I've also completed two historical suspense stories and most recently a young adult paranormal, which made the first cut in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest.

AC: I'm lucky enough to have read THE AVENGER and it is another GREAT read! Plus we get to see Ben Slater again -- YIPEE! I've read Jo's other work too (Being her CP has definite perks) and enjoyed all of them. I'm sure readers will be just as happy as I am to have these books available!

Thanks so much for joining me today, Jo. Now get back to work on THE AVENGER!

Jo was inspired by her psychology class. What was your favorite class when you were in school?

Jo will be giving away a free download of the electronic version of THE WATCHER to one lucky commenter. Also, if you'd like a postcard of either THE WATCHER or THE AVENGER, or even a postcard of Aunty Cindy's THE SIDHE PRINCESS send your snail mail addy to: cindymm18 AT gmail DOT com

5 Landmarks

2011-08-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

August is winding down and here in Nor Cal so are vacations. As mentioned in a previous post, we took an early vacation this year to Mackinac Island and had a fabulous time. But then, I seldom have a bad time on vacation!

I love to go and see new places and I've been lucky enough to visit so many of the wonderful places I read about as a child and young adult. All this led me to thinking about some of my favorite landmarks that I once studied in school and got a chance to see for myself up close and personal.

Here then are my Top 5 Landmarks In the USA:

The Grand Canyon -- Truly lives up to all the hype. I've been to it several times -- even got food poisoning there once! -- and am always awestruck.
Mount Rushmore -- Ever since I saw the movie "North by Northwest" when I was a kid, I wanted to see "the faces" as my DH calls them. We finally made it there about ten years ago and it was well worth the trip! I found the film about how the carvings were done every bit as interesting as Rushmore itself.
The Washington Monument -- As far as man made landmarks go, this is a BIGGIE in my opinion. On my very first trip to Washington DC back in the mid-1990s, I found the Washington Monument way more impressive than either the Capitol or the White House.
Old Faithful -- I'd seen a gazillion photos, films, even cartoons about the famed geyser, so of course, it was the first place I headed on my first visit to Yellowstone Park. The whole park is full of fantastic sights, but Old Faithful truly is the crowning jewel. I had to sit around waiting for 45 minutes, but once the geyser actually erupted it was spectacular!
The USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor -- Being a history buff, I'd read and seen tons of info on the memorial built over the sunken battleship. Since WWII was before my time (and even before my parents' time) I didn't think visiting the memorial would be such a moving experience. I was wrong. I've gone back every time I've been on Oahu because it truly is that compelling. I even took my then-15-year-old nephew once and he was equally moved.

I had a really difficult time narrowing down my list to only five! So please, tell me what are some of YOUR favorite landmarks? And you don't have to stick to the US.

The Sidhe Princess Blurb

2011-08-14T12:24:00.000-07:00

Next month I plan to release my first attempt at Indie publishing -- my paranormal novelette, The Sidhe Princess.

Here's my GORGEOUS cover, created by the lovely and talented Kim Van Meter (see more of her covers at
http://bit.ly/pbVV45 )

And here is a first look at the "blurb" for the story:

In the rural Northern Ireland of the 1960s, sixteen-year-old Moira Mullins is newly released from her second stay in a mental institution. Her problem is that she can't seem to escape the notice of the other-wordly inhabitants of the wild lands bordering her family's farm. Creatures nobody else can see or hear.

When one of these beings, a fairy princess called the Maid of Ulster, offers to foretell the future, Moira jumps at the chance. But the Maid has ulterior motives that could have tragic results for Moira, who learns the future is sometimes better unknown.

I'll be sharing more details about when and where you can purchase The Sidhe Princess when I know them.

In the meantime, if you'd like a post card of the cover, email me (via my website, link on the sidebar) your snail mail addy and I'll be happy to send you one!

WTH HAPPENED?!?!?!

2011-08-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that all the pictures have disappeared from my blog.

ME TOO!

WTH?!?!?!?!

Okay, I'll admit, this was partly my fault. A couple of weeks ago, I volunteered to be a beta tester for a new Google online community. Why not? Sounded like fun, and it was for a few days. Then, to my HORROR, I logged onto my "profile" in this community and discovered that in addition to the photos I'd downloaded, ALL my photos-- personal, family and vacation shots, the works -- were sitting there on my profile just waiting for someone to come along and... ACK!!!

I admit, I freaked out more than a little and rushed to delete those "photo albums" that I had not downloaded. No, I did not read the fine print. I was too flustered. But Google, in its infinite wisdom, also deleted those pictures from ALL Google products. Since this blog is a "Google product" (on a Google platform) --

CHOP! CHOP!

I've filled out their customer service forms, but to no avail it seems. And I'm too old to possess the time or patience to go in and add pictures to over four years worth of blog posts.

So... as of today, I'll be starting again to include pictures in my blog... HERE!

Olde Analyst Seeks Hard Data

2011-07-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

I write stories.

It's what I've always done.

It's what I need to do, because I've discovered that I'm not really happy unless I am writing. And the absolute BEST thing about writing stories, is having people read and enjoy them.

However, back in the "not-so-good, old days" when I slaved away at a Dreaded Day Job, I worked for many years as an analyst. I learned how to gather data, study and manipulate it, and make some assumptions and conclusions based on it. Over the years I actually became quite good at my job. But just like lots of things in different parts of my life, my analytic tendencies carried over from my professional realm into my personal, and you know what they say about old habits.

When I quit my Dreaded Day Job and started writing with an aim toward publishing novels, I figured my analytic days were done. After all, two complete opposite sides of the brain were involved in these two activities -- the logical side and the creative side.

But the Olde Analyst in me refused to go quietly. Before I sold my first book, the Olde Analyst insisted I look at data from each editor and/or agent before I sent out a submission. Exactly what kinds of books were they acquiring? Not just length, sub-genre, and setting, but also frequency, and ratio of new to existing authors. Yes, crazy I know, but it did help divert me from all those many rejections.

However, once I did sell, and more than one book, Olde Analyst became obsessed with a new mission: What makes a reader buy a book?

Believe me, Olde Analyst is full of theories! Do blog tours sell books? Print advertising? Reviews? Book signings? Giving away swag? Tweeting? But she can't seem to reach any conclusions because there is a shocking lack of hard data!

I mean, there's plenty of ANECDOTAL info... Everyone has an opinion, after all! But where are the actual numbers? Sadly, there aren't any. Or none that are reliable (meaning I can verify them).

I FEEL that the more often readers see my name (like on blog tours), the more likely they are to seek out and buy my book.
I FEEL that the two print ads I placed in Romantic Times Magazine resulted in more sales (I know they resulted in those books getting reviewed by the magazine).
I FEEL like good reviews help (and bad reviews hurt).

But I can't find any numbers to back up my feelings.

As for book signings, swag, tweets, and a whole host of other things -- I have absolutely no idea! And that drives the Olde Analyst bonkers.

So tell me, dear readers, WHAT MAKES YOU BUY A BOOK? Do blogs, book signings, tweets, or reviews matter? And if they don't then what does?

Have mercy on the Olde Analyst and give her some numbers to crunch!

I DO NOT Talk to Recordings!

2011-07-22T15:23:00.000-07:00

It happened again this morning -- the phone rang at 8 AM.

This was the third time in a week, and yes it woke me up. Not from a deep sleep, the dogs did that at 7:30, but I always take a lovely little snooze for about an hour after I let them out. But sleep is sleep and I do NOT like my lovely little snoozes interrupted.

Because we had a family emergency last week, when the phone jangled me awake, I leaped up to answer, fearing the worst. I pressed the button and squeaked out hello, only to be treated to that annoying robotic voice: "This-is-an-im-por-tant-mess-age-for..." and then mispronounced my name. I'm sure I uttered a most unladylike expletive as I hung up the phone.

If this mess-age is so very IM-POR-TANT, then have a LIVE PERSON call me! I am sick and tired of companies using automated calling systems. Nine times out of ten, if I press the number the recording tells me to, I'm put on hold for several minutes. If it is so very IM-POR-TANT, why do I have to WAIT?!?! And once I do get a live person, they usually ask for someone I've never heard of, but who has my last name (which they always mispronounce). Since when is it logical to assume that I know every person who has the same last name I do? Or that they ALL live with me and share the same phone? Brilliant logic in place there -- NOT!

More than once I've been connected to YET ANOTHER recording telling me to call a completely different number (NO WAY until I know WTH this is about!) or to call back "during our business hours."

EXCUSE ME?!?! It's okay to disturb ME during NON-business hours but not you? I won't even dignify that with a non-expletive laden response.

I've signed up for every Do-Not-Call list I can find, but apparently it doesn't matter. If my telephone number is listed in the phone directory, I'm fair game for every so-called business that can buy an automated calling device or service.

MAKE IT STOP!!!

I'm sorry to say that on the rare occasions I DO actually get a live person, I am NOT polite to them. But what do they expect? I tend to be downright cranky when I'm awakened for a recording that has nothing to do with me! I'll also confess to sometimes being so frustrated that I shout at the recording. Aggravation will do that to a person, especially when it is the third time in as many days.

So as of this morning, I've made a vow: I WILL NOT RESPOND TO ANY RECORDINGS!

Have a live person call, or you won't reach me! Oh, and if you don't know how to pronounce my name, then you don't know me and I am not talking to you!

Okay, rant over for today... until the next phone call.

How do you feel about automated phone calls? Do you respond? Hang up? Get annoyed? (Please don't tell me I'm the only one who rants and raves at recordings!)

Ideas From The News

2011-07-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

Writer get asked about ideas a lot, as in "Where do you get them?" The snarky answer is to say, in full out serious mode, "From the idea store."

Yes, I admit, I've said it a few times.

But the truth is that ideas (at least for me) come from EVERYWHERE! And yes, I do keep an "idea file" where I jot down interesting tidbits that might someday find their way into one of my stories. Or even become an entire story. I never quite know.

For example, the local news last night had two pieces that could easily be turned into books. Now I'm talking just my local area, not international news where something like a major corporation was found to be wire tapping all kinds of famous people's phones. Or even national news like the mother who was exonerated for killing her toddler even though she blatantly lied to authorities about the child's whereabouts. These two stories were equally tragic, but involved people who live only a few miles from me.

First was the newlywed couple who were on their honeymoon in the Bahamas. They were in a double parasail and the harness broke. She was killed and he was seriously injured. How sad, but also great fodder for characters.

Second was the charter fishing boat that sank in the Sea of Cortez in the middle of the night in an unexpected storm. There were twenty-seven people on board and as of last night six were still missing. There were several local men on that boat who survived the harrowing ordeal. One man was interviewed on two different local news stations. He survived by grabbing the lid of an ice chest and floating on it for several hours. Then he swam five miles to some rocks jutting out of the water, climbed on them, and waited until daylight to be rescued by some other passing fishermen.

The part that really stayed with me about this man's story was how he described being flung into the water as the ship was struck by a huge wave. He said when he got back to the surface and looked at the ship, it's bow was underwater and the stern was sticking straight up in the air "...like the Titanic" and then it sank.

Truth really is stranger than fiction, and nothing drives home that point better than watching the news! I don't know if I will ever use either of these real-life happenings in a story, but they are definitely going into that "idea file."

What about you? Have you heard or read any story worthy ideas lately? Please share them with all of us!

Picnic Time!

2011-07-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Here in the US, we are enjoying a long holiday weekend. Our Independence Day happens to fall on Monday this year, so we are taking three days to celebrate. The 4th of July has always been a day for picnics and/or bar-be-cues because the weather is usually warm and most businesses close for the holiday.

What could be more perfect than a summer picnic?

So based on a totally unscientific survey of my friends and family, here are the top 5 foods that will be served this weekend at neighborhood bar-be-cues or picnics:

Hamburgers (I happen to like them juicy with ketchup, mustard, and lettuce.)
Hot dogs (These tend to give me indigestion so I generally avoid them.)
Watermelon (Melons don't 'agree' with me, but I do LOVE watermelon!)
Ice Cream (GIVE ME A SCOOP! Any flavor will do.)
Potato salad (Make mine with hard boiled eggs, please!)

What about you? Are you having a picnic or bar-be-cue this weekend or in the near future?

What are your favorite foods to eat at a picnic?

Stepping Back In Time

2011-06-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

Recently the DH and I took a step back in time... well, as close as you can come to going back to the 19th century without forsaking all modern conveniences. (I want my hot running water and electric appliances, thank you very much!) We made a brief visit to Mackinac Island.

For those who don't know, Mackinac Island (pronounced mack-in-naw) is a quaint little island of about 500 inhabitants located between Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas in Lake Huron. Here is a piccie of part of the "old fort" walls overlooking the harbor and what is now Marquette Park (used to be a common grazing area).

One of the most notable things about the island, besides it's numerous fudge shops, is that the only means of transportation is bicycle or horse-drawn carriage. Here is what a traffic jam looks like on one of the two main streets of the town. Even taxis are horse-drawn!

I'm sitting in the front of our carriage and the black horse directly in front of me is Glen. Most of the horses are Percherons, and the teams are matched for size and color.

We took a carriage "tour" of the island and here is our three horse team: The beautiful grey in the center is Jenny, the black on the left is Eddy, and the black with the white blaze on her face is Addie. The carriage held 35 people not counting the driver, so these are incredibly strong horses!

I enjoyed the leisurely pace of the horses and it was lots of fun imagining what life was like back in the 1890s. I wish we could have stayed longer.

Have you ever been to a place that made you feel you'd stepped back in time? Please share your experiences!

New Story New Cover

2011-06-16T01:39:00.000-07:00

Lately it seems that when two or more writers get together (online, in person, on the phone, where ever!) the talk inevitably turns to E-books and self-publishing. I've been reading and listening with great interest and I've watched the use of Kindles, Nooks and other e-readers grow by leaps and bounds in the past few months.

I'm afraid didn't get my nickname Cynical Cindy from nowhere. But in the past year, I've changed from being outright skeptical of e-publishing in general and self-publishing in particular, to realizing that this is a viable new option for writers to connect with readers. I became a believer when the sales of all three of my books took off after The Wild Sight was offered as a free read on Kindle!

So I've decided to take the plunge and self-publish directly to Amazon. I'm going to start small with a novelette that is a prequel to The Wild Sight, set in Ireland, of course. Also, since one of the most exciting parts of releasing a new book is seeing the cover, I went ahead and commissioned one from my friend and professional designer, Kim Van Meter. I think she did a fabulous job (THANK YOU, Kim!) and I'm thrilled to share it here!

I hope to have The Sidhe Princess available for sale sometime in July. I'll be sharing more details as soon as I know them!

Meanwhile, I'd love to know your opinion of e-readers: Love them? Hate them? Which one do you like best?

And I hope you love my new cover as much as I do!

5 Landmarks

2011-06-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

I've noticed in lots of movies that they will include a glimpse of a particular landmark to instantly give the audience a 'sense of place.' It's a simple technique but particularly effective, in my opinion.

Of course that started me thinking (always a scary proposition) about which landmarks are the most familiar to audiences (and I'm talking man made objects, not natural wonders). What can you immediately recognize with just one quick look?

Here are the first five that sprang to my mind:

The Sphinx -- virtually every movie set in Egypt has a shot of this icon structure. They even use it in cartoons!
The Great Wall of China -- anytime I see that sinuous structure winding through the hills, I get a thrill-ripple down my spine. The Great Wall has fascinated people for centuries!
The Eiffel Tower -- that open framework silhouette is unmistakable! Has there ever been a disaster movie made that didn't include a shot of the Eiffel Tower?
The Golden Gate Bridge -- There are lots of famous bridges, and maybe I'm a wee bit biased (being a native Californian and living close to San Francisco), but this bridge is the granddaddy of 'em all!
The Parthenon -- I had a hard time choosing between this one and the Taj Mahal. But even as a child, I remember seeing pictures of the Parthenon (even if I didn't know what it was) and I was a young teen the first time I saw a piccie of the Taj Mahal (yes, it was new construction then ).

I could add more but I'll stop for now and give you a chance to comment or give me your own list. Hmm, I just realized that I've actually been up close and personal with four of the five landmarks on my list!

Okay, your turn: Did you recognize all of my landmarks? Are there others you think are more easily recognized? Remember, these are man made structures. We'll save the wonders of nature for another post.

Number 19

2011-05-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

Just got home from cruise number 19 and I still feel like I'm onboard the ship. In other words, I can still feel the floor swaying under my feet and I'm 'listing' from side to side. ACK!

Yes, it was a fun time, even though the seas were somewhat rough on our last day coming home (no doubt why I'm still 'listing). This was the ship we were scheduled to take in January, but engine repairs took longer than expected and we were forced to reschedule.

Yes, we went to the Mexican Riviera yet again. People ask me why I keep going back to the same ports, but honestly the destination is secondary to the cruise itself. What's not to love about having someone serve you, clean up after you, and unlimited access to GREAT food?!?!

Besides, there's always something different to see. This time we spent two days in port in Cabo San Lucas, which we'd never done before. Here's a photo I took of the lights of Cabo at sunset.

Most of the other ships who depart from California ports go to Alaska starting in May, so we were the only cruise line in western Mexico and had the port's of call pretty much to ourselves. However, in Puerto Vallarta we shared the marina docking area with these two "pirate" vessels.

There's always plenty of 'wildlife' to see along the way. I didn't see a whale, but several other passengers told me they did. And there's always a pod of dolphins that like to race along with the cruise ships near Cabo.

Then there are the towel animals that the room stewards leave on my bed at night. Here are a couple of my favorites from this cruise:

This cute little elephant was chill-axing on the end of the bed while I worked on my laptop on my WIP. I'm happy to report he was very quiet.

So was this adorable bunny, who decided to take a snooze on my pillow.

They offered a class to teach passengers how to make some of these adorable towel creatures, but I decided not to take it. My collection of towels is pretty rag-tag at best. Plus, I don't need to have one more way to procrastinate!

Have you resisted learning something new because you didn't want yet another way to waste time?

What vacation plans do you have on your horizon?

Spare Time Projects

2011-05-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did write the "Spare Time" in this title with my tongue firmly planted in cheek. I don't have a lot of that elusive thing. But on those rare occasions when I do sit and veg out in front of the TV (watching Netflix!) I almost always have to keep my hands busy. My preferred activity is knitting or crocheting. I learned to do both so many years ago that they are more like a self-soothing exercise than anything else. Plus, I've discovered that while I can't read in a moving car (gives me a horrid headache every darn time) I CAN knit or crochet! So when we have to make a long car trip and the DH is barreling down the freeway at 60+ mph (100+ kph), I can sit in the passenger's seat happily knitting or crocheting away.

I've never been a fan of projects that required me to sew a lot of little pieces together in order to complete. I much prefer to make one or two large pieces and then I'm DONE! That means I make lots of scarves and lap throws or afghans. One of my favorite patterns uses a long stitch that makes the piece look something like the old hound's tooth check fabrics of the 60s. I made four in this pattern in various colors for Christmas presents for my four nieces.

Here are a couple of my recently finished projects...

My son has been a HUGE fan of the New York Jets since he was a little boy. So I crocheted this afghan for him in Jets' colors -- black, white and green. Turned out great and he loves it. One little problem is that our fawn colored Pug Wa-wa's hair really stands out on the black and green. She loves this afghan too!

Here's my current crochet-work-in-progress. It's just about at the halfway point, and I'm afraid I don't know yet what its fate will be. But it is going in the car with me for a trip to SoCal very soon...

Meanwhile, back to one of my favorite patterns, the gigantic Granny Rectangle (as opposed to Granny Square). I love to use this pattern for baby afghans. It's easy and turns out so pretty. See what I mean?

This pretty little throw is for a special friend's newest grandson.

I've heard from several sources that "needlework is becoming a lost art." I hope that's not true! It may not be cheaper than buying a blanket or throw at the local discount store, but there's something very special about a handmade item.

What do you think? Hand made or store bought? Do you have a crafty vocation?

Brenda Novak's Online Auction

2011-05-17T15:13:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again.

Every May, Brenda Novak holds an online "auction" to raise money for diabetes research (click on the title of this post to go to the site). This is a cause very near and dear to me and I've donated things for the past three years.

This year, my Banditas and I decided to have our very own listing on Brenda's sidebar. You can see it here under Romance Bandita: http://bit.ly/lpl5rN

We have things for readers:

A gift "basket" with ten different books by various Banditas (including a copy of The Wild Irish Sea), a mug and some chocolate

Autographed Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of books by
Jeanne Adams,
Kate Carlisle, and
Christie Kelley.

For writers we have critiques by
yours truly,
Jeanne Adams,
Donna MacMeans,
Beth Andrews,
Tawny Weber,
Tricia Mills,
Christine Wells, and
Anna Sugden.

For everyone we are offering:

A Romance Bandits T-Shirt

Golden Rooster cookie cutter and TimTams

and Golden Rooster earrings and brooch

I also have an autographed copy of The Wild Irish Sea in a "basket" of books donated by my local RWA chapter the Sacramento Valley Rose.

The auction has tons of great stuff from jewelry and gift items to vacations. I hope you'll stop by and check it out and maybe bid on something since it is for such a great cause.

Lots of things are great bargains!

You still have plenty of time because the auction doesn't end until May 31st.

Cinco De Mayo

2011-05-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

Today was Cinco de Mayo, which we celebrate vociferously here in California. Actually, I think if asked most people here in NorCal have no idea what Cinco de Mayo represents other than a good excuse to drink lots of tequila and Mexican beer.

If asked, a few might come up with Mexican independence day, which it is not. Cinco de Mayo actually celebrates the Battle of Puebla in 1862. In spite of being outnumbered almost three to one, the Mexican forces emerged victorious over the occupying French.

Considering we Americans were a bit preoccupied in 1862 with our own Civil War, I suppose we can be forgiven for being ignorant of a day that many Mexicans have considered one of the most glorious in history. But I can't help but feel a little sad that the true meaning of yet another holiday is lost to a crush of advertising.

Of course, I'm not sad enough to pass up the chips and salsa! Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Did you celebrate today? Or have you even heard of Cinco de Mayo? Any other holidays you'd care to share with Aunty?

Fan Mail and Andorra

2011-04-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Ever since The Wild Sight was offered as a free download back in March, all three of my books have experienced an upsurge in sales of their ebook versions. I'm thrilled, of course, because that means more readers are finding and enjoying my stories.

This is the reason I write -- to entertain readers!

A nice benefit of gaining new readers is receiving fan mail. Hearing from readers really does make all the other hassles that go with being a published author worthwhile! When someone takes the time to send me a note to tell me they liked one of my stories, I am so very gratified!

NO! I never get tired of getting fan mail as one reader asked not long ago. While it is true that I don't receive lots of mail, I can't imagine a time when I wouldn't be excited to hear from readers. For example, last week I got a post card from Andorra!

I've wanted to visit this tiny country on the mountainous border between Spain and France for years. I first learned of Andorra's existence when I was a young teen and read Mary Stewart's book Thunder on the Right, which is set in the Pyrenees near that area.

Well, one of my readers went on vacation there recently and she took a copy of The Wild Sight on her Kindle to read while on her holiday. And she was nice enough to send me a post card while she was there.

So BIG THANX to Hidi! And to everyone who has taken the time to write to me and let me know that you read one of my books and liked it! I truly appreciate your support more than I can say. Please keep those cards, letter, and emails coming!

What is the last out-of-the-way place you visted? Or maybe there's one on your list of places to see? Please share with Aunty and the rest of us!

Trish Milburn and Living In Color

2011-04-22T00:44:00.000-07:00

My good friend and Bandita, Trish Millburn has a new book out, a lovely "women's fiction" story called Living in Color. It is available on Amazon for Kindle and Barnes & Noble for Nook. Since Trish was nice enough to "blog sit" for me in the past while I was off cruising, I couldn't resist the opportunity to have her back while I was actually here to enjoy her visit!

Welcome back, Trish!

Thanks for having me back, Cindy. Always fun to hang out with you.

Please tell us a bit about Living in Color. Was there something in particular that inspired you to write this story?

Here’s the blurb for the book:

After the death of her father, Sabrina Bishop offers to take her mother on a road trip to expose her to a world she’s never seen in her sheltered, abuse-filled life. The trip becomes a journey of unexpected healing and self-discovery not only for her mother, but for Sabrina as well.

I really like road trips, long stretches of road where you can see all kinds of things that you can’t when you fly over them. I also thought about all those hours in a car is a good time to have lengthy conversations, so the idea for a story about a mother and daughter with a strained relationship popped into my head. During their travels, they find out things about each other and themselves that they never expected.

This book is a bit of a departure from your previously published books. Do you have more women’s fiction in mind for your readers?

I’ve written one other women’s fiction book that I need to go back over again. It’s been a while since I’ve looked at it, but it’s a story I really like too, one of those coming-back-home-from-the-place-you-fled stories. And now that I’ve dipped my toe into the women’s fiction waters, I’m sure my brain will be looking for new ideas for stories.

What’s next up for you in terms of books?

Right now, I’m in the midst of revising the first book in a new trilogy coming from Harlequin American, probably in 2012. Then it’s quickly on to revising the second book and finishing writing the third. I’ll also be working on some young adult projects too. So, busy, busy, busy.

I know you love visiting National Parks. Did any of your real life experiences make their way into this story?

Two of the places Sabrina and Ruby visit in Living in Color are Mt. Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. So I was able to use descriptions of those places from my personal memorial, particularly Yellowstone, which is one of my absolute favorite places. Though it’s not a National Park, they also end up visiting the Gulf Coast of Florida, another of my favorite places. It’s so much easier to write about places you’ve been.

Which National Park that you haven’t yet visited is at the top of your ‘bucket list?’

Oh, so many of them. I’d say the top two are the Grand Canyon and Yosemite in the continental U.S., and all of those gorgeous, enormous parks in Alaska.

Having been to both the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, Aunty can vouch that they are indeed FABULOUS and actually live up to all their hype! I've only been on the coast of Alaska (yes, on a cruise) and it was breath-taking, so I'm sure the interior will be equally stunning.

What about the rest of you? Have any road trips planned for the near future? What about those on the top of your 'Bucket List?' Please share with us!

The Tax Man Cometh

2011-04-13T11:44:00.000-07:00

"Let me tell you how it will be; There's one for you, nineteen for me. " Taxman by George Harrison

We're coming down to the wire. This is the last week before Federal (and in most cases State) taxes are due. I know plenty of people who have not only already filed their taxes, but have already received (and in most cases spent) their refunds. I've never been quite so organized. But I am happy to report that I did mail off both my tax returns a few days ago. I'm getting a small refund from the Feds and an even smaller one from the State. In fact, my refund from the State will cost more to process than the amount of money involved but, by gosh, it's MY MONEY and I want it back.

Paying taxes is a hot topic and always has been. I mean, our forefathers rebelled against the mother country over "taxation without representation." Can't get much more American than that! I remember when my son was around ten or eleven, I had to explain to him why we pay taxes. The conversation went something like this:

He: Why do we have to pay taxes anyway?
Me: See all those nice roads and freeways? Taxes pay for those. That nice park you like to go to with your friends to play? Taxes pay for it to be clean, the grass cut, and the equipment to be in good repair.
He: (thoughtfully) Really? Okay, I guess we should pay taxes.

If only it really were that straightforward. The California state tax return has a whole list of charitable organizations that you can donate all or part of your refund to. If only they had a list of places you could designate where your tax dollars went! I don't think any local roads, parks, schools, fire and police protection would be strapped for funds if there were. Unfortunately, taxes tend to be more like George Harrison's song:

if you drive a car, - I’ll tax the street;
if you try to sit, - I’ll tax your seat;
if you get too cold, - I’ll tax the heat;
if you take a walk, - I'll tax your feet.

And I don't even want to think about the consequences of NOT paying your taxes.

Many years ago, my ex decided to get 'creative' with a few of our deductions and we wound up being audited. The memory still throws me into a cold sweat. Trust me when I say that every horror story you've heard about audits are TRUE! That's why whenever I am asked what I'm afraid of, I always answer the IRS! After all, the notorious gangster Al Capone was brought up on many, many charges, but the only one the authorities ever made stick was tax evasion.

If the IRS brought down Capone, then you better believe I am afraid of them!

Have you paid your taxes yet? Did you get a refund? If you have to pay, do you wait until the last minute, like I do?

Rita Finalist Kendra Leigh Castle

2011-04-04T01:57:00.000-07:00

Friday, March 25th was an exciting day for romance writers everywhere, because that was the day the finalists were announced in the Golden Heart and Rita contests -- the two BIGGIES in the world of romance!

This year, I was thrilled when I learned that my buddy Kendra Leigh Castle is a Rita Finalist in the Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure category! So without further adieu, here's Kendra talking about being a Rita finalist...

Thanks for letting me come over to celebrate, Aunty Cindy! I’m still doing the Dance of Joy. Well, okay, it’s more like a really happy shuffle by now, but I’m still really excited.

Did I sit around on Friday the 25th wishing for my very own “You’re a RITA finalist” call? Well, duh, yeah. But did I actually expect to GET a call? Nope.

Don’t get me wrong. RENEGADE ANGEL is a book I’m very proud of, one of those stories that showed up in my imagination and insisted I write it right now (and of course, I was writing a contracted book at the time, so it gave me fits trying to hold a big, bossy fallen angel at bay while I worked on something else that people were, you know, paying me for).

But lots of amazing authors enter the RITAs. Finaling isn’t something you expect. It’s just something you dream of, something you hope for. I’ll tell you what, though. Dreaming of how it would feel to have a member of the RWA board call me up and tell me my book was a RITA finalist was nowhere near as amazing as having it actually happen.

I’m never going to forget the sound of Jeanne Adams’ voice, and how lovely it was to have someone to be excited with me in that moment. She’ll probably remember me as the least coherent finalist she spoke with…I have vague memories of my mouth opening and increasingly high-pitched sounds coming out of it. And some words, which may or may not have made sense when strung together. I’m thinking “not”. Still, she was very nice. And I’m glad I waited until I hung up to sound my barbaric yawp (complete with booty-shaking victory dance).

RENEGADE ANGEL is a book that means a lot to me, for a few reasons. It marked a new chapter in my fledgling writing career, the beginning of my relationship with Harlequin (which is awesome, btw), and apart from all that, was just a hell of a lot of fun to write. Raum will probably always be one of my favorite heroes—see the picture I used for his inspiration and try not to melt—and I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s found a way to get even more attention for his big, black-winged self.

It isn’t really important whether or not I win. I mean, yeah, I would love to! But right now, I’m just busy being honored that I’ve been singled out among all my amazing peers for contributing something special. Thanks for letting me share my excitement with you!

Thank YOU, Kendra for sharing your story and your very YUMMY hero with us! Oh, and thanks for telling us about your call from my lovely Bandita Le Duchesse, Jeanne. Actually, Aunty would be curious to hear that yawp and see your booty-shaking victory dance. If you do win (and my fingers are xxed that you will!), will you do an even more vigorous version of that dance? Will sequins be involved?!?!

Do any of you readers have any suggestions for Kendra when she goes up on stage to claim her Rita award on July 1st? Any dance moves or costume suggestions?

I happen to know that Kendra is taking her dad as her date for the big awards ceremony, but if you could go, who would you ask to go with you? And what would you wear?

Too Lion-ish!

2011-03-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

Just three weeks ago, I was musing that March didn't know if it was coming in like a Lion or a Lamb. Unfortunately, it soon made its intentions known...

This month has been waaaay too Lion-ish for me! To say the weather has been nasty would be a gross understatement. We've had TWO tornadoes touch down in my neck o' the woods, something UNHEARD OF in NorCal! Please excuse me while I whine:

WHERE THE HECK IS SPRING?!?!?

I don't remember previous years being so wet and blustery. My son and I went to lunch and then grocery shopping a few days ago and the rain was coming down so hard we could have been in a car wash! Then the winds would gust and send it sideways, so an umbrella was worse than useless. My favorite local weatherman said last night that our rainfall is at 157% of normal.

ENOUGH ALREADY!

When I first moved to this area more than three decades ago, I visited the Donner Memorial State Park. I'll never forget seeing the "stumps" of trees the ill-fated Donner party used for firewood, because those "stumps" were fifteen feet tall! That's how deep the snow was at their camp back in the winter of 1846-47.

Well, last night on the local news, they reported that a ski area about 60 miles east of my house had six hundred inches of snow! Yes, you read that correctly, OVER FIFTEEN METERS (for you metric readers and 50 FEET for the rest of us)! People literally can not find their vacation homes. Here's a shot of one of the main roadways less than an hour's drive from my house.

Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere near all that snow. I'm too busy worrying about the Sacramento River, which is less than two miles away. It went over its "critical" stage last night. ACK!

But all the local weather forecasters are in agreement that the winter storms are over and spring will arrive before the end of the week. I'm not so sure I believe them.

Has spring (or fall) arrived at your house? And do you believe the TV meteorologists?

Smells Like Home

2011-03-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

The DH and I have been down and out with an upper respiratory "crud" for two weeks. Luckily, my son was able to come over and help us out with the dogs, run errands, and he even cooked dinner one night.

My son is actually a pretty good cook when he puts his mind to it. I started teaching him to prepare meals when he was in junior high school, because that's when I started to learn myself. I taught him the old stand-bys like mac & cheese and mashed potatoes. Plus, I passed along some old family favorites like my grandmother's recipes for Spanish rice and meatloaf.

I knew I was on the road to recovery when my stuffy head cleared enough for me to smell the delicious scent of Gramma's meatloaf wafting through the house. AHHH! I've heard more than one real estate agent say that before they hold an open house, the homeowner should bake something that smells great, like cookies. Just the scent of something tasty will leave the buyers with a more positive impression of the house. I have to agree!

I'll never forget one particular Thanksgiving when I went to visit some very good friends who had recently relocated from California to Savannah, Georgia. My friend had a new range with a special timer feature. She prepared and stuffed the turkey late that night and set the timer to start baking. There were several over-night guests and I had slept on the couch. At about 7 AM I was awakened by the most heavenly smells of roasting turkey! YUM!

Another smell I associate with childhood holidays is my mother's yeasty rolls. They were a real hassle to make since you had to let the dough rise, punch it down, and let it rise again. All that on top of the rest of the meal and trying to ride herd over four kids was why she only made them about twice a year. Usually at Easter and either Thanksgiving or Christmas. The scent of them cooking was fantastic!

I've only attempted her roll recipe once. Unfortunately, my oven didn't heat evenly and they came out like rocks. After all that work I said NEVER AGAIN! But if I drive by the local bakery at just the right time, I can still catch a whiff of that wonderful smell.

What about you? Are there certain smells that bring back fond childhood memories? What are your favorite scents when you or someone else is cooking?

The Wild Sight Is #1!

2011-03-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited, I had to share the news.

Yesterday I discovered that the Kindle edition of The Wild Sight is being offered for FREE on Amazon. Plus, it was #1 on the Free Kindle Bestseller list!

Seeing one of MY books on a Bestseller List -- ANY bestseller list is a huge thrill!

If you don't own a copy of The Wild Sight (or even if you do) hop on over to Amazon and download a free copy. And, of course, if you decide to buy Kindle editions of my other two books, that would be GREAT too.

Do you pay attention to bestseller lists? Ever read books just because they are on a list? Do you buy and read electronic books?

Lion? Lamb? Goats?

2011-03-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

My grandmother used to quote that old saying, "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." Or "March comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion."

So far, I can't tell which it is this year because the weather can't seem to make up its mind! We've had bright sunshine one day and blustery wind and rain the next.

I usually like the month of March because it is changeable. It isn't spring, but it isn't exactly winter either. I always think of the lines from the ee cumminngs poem:

in Just-
spring when the world is mud-
luscious

That sounds like March to me.

But, lion or lamb? Decide already!

Okay, maybe it is neither... Maybe it is GOATS!

My sister lives on a two acre parcel in rural Oklahoma and in addition to her dog and two cats, she also has chickens and goats (the little pygmy kind). Actually, it all started when someone who works with her husband was moving and gave him four chickens and a male goat. Well, since they had to build a chicken coop for just four chickens, they went ahead and bought six more baby chicks at the feed store.

Fast forward a few months, my sister has become well acquainted with the people who run the feed story, so they know she has a pygmy goat, Stinky. One day the clerk tells her someone else in the area is looking to give away a female pygmy goat. Since my sister has never met a stray animal she didn't adopt, Honey moved in. Well, I bet you can guess what happened last spring...
Honey and Stinky had a baby boy whom my sister christened Trouble. And that is how my sister became an accidental goatherd!

So the count was up to one dog, two cats, ten chickens and three goats... UNTIL LAST WEEK! You guessed it, Honey and Stinky became parents again. My sister was hoping for twins, but oh no. Honey had TRIPLETS! Three little baby girl goats! I know goats often have twins, but apparently triplets are fairly common too. So my sister's goat herd doubled over-night!

March definitely came in like a goat in Oklahoma!

At this point, the triplets are still unnamed. My sister didn't like my suggestion of naming them Inky (one is black), Dinky, and Blinky. Do you have any suggestions for names? And how has your March started?

Academy Awards

2011-02-26T16:49:00.000-08:00

Sunday night is the big awards show -- the Academy Awards or the Oscars.

Of course I'll be watching. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to see all those celebs in their fashion do's and don'ts. Okay, mostly I like the don'ts, so horribly fascinating.

But I do love movies, though these days I watch almost exclusively at home on DVD. I used to try and watch all the films nominated for Best Picture. However, since I've become a DVD watcher rather than a movie goer, I usually don't see everything. Plus, the academy went and doubled the number of films nominated so I've definitely faced an uphill battle the past couple of years.

This year, I've actually managed to see five of the ten nominated pictures:
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
Winter's Bone

From what I've heard and read, none of these are front runners to take home the Oscar for Best Picture. In fact, everyone I know who has seen The King's Speech has LURVED it. If it wins (as is predicted), I guess I won't be disappointed.

Of the five I've seen, Inception is the most likely winner, in my opinion, but I honestly don't think it is "Best Picture" worthy. Winter's Bone might be, but such small budget movies almost never take home the Oscar. Ditto on animated features, even though of the five contenders I've seen, I have to admit Toy Story 3 is my favorite of the bunch!

TS3 has wonderfully likable characters and a charming story line that teaches some powerful and important lessons without being preachy. Now honestly, what more can you ask of a film?

I'm sure I'd have enjoyed Inception more if I'd seen it on a big screen. All those mind-blowing special effects lost some of their oomph on my TV. On the other hand, I doubt I could have followed the extremely complicated and convoluted plot in the theater. As it was, I found myself hitting "rewind" several times because there was so much going on that I knew I'd missed some key ingredients. Also, by the last third of the movie, I found myself tracking what was going on out loud so that I could keep up with all the various layers and simultaneous happenings. I doubt anyone sitting near me in a theater would have appreciated my mutterings.

I did not share the critics' LURVE of The Social Network. Like Inception, it went on way too long, I could have easily edited 30 minutes out without losing a bit of story. And speaking of the story line, this one suffered from non-linear telling. The device of revealing the main story through flashbacks from two different legal proceedings felt way too cumbersome to me. Not that I would have enjoyed a straight forward telling much better because I simply did not like any of the characters. Worse, I had a hard time distinguishing who was who most of the time, and so did the DH who fell asleep halfway through and when I woke him up said, "Don't bother, it's just not holding my interest."

We both had a similar reaction to The Kids Are All Right. The title pretty much covered it -- all right. Basically, this was a cozy and well-done story of a family and how each member deals with the almost-grown children finding their birth father. The fact that the main couple at the nucleus of the story are homosexual women might have been new and different, or even controversial twenty years ago. But today? Not really, at least not for me or anyone else I know who saw the film. It was an enjoyable, if predictable, movie. But Oscar worthy? I didn't think so.

Finally, what can I say about Winter's Bone besides OMGosh?!?! I won't be forgetting this gripping and intense film for quite awhile. I happen to think it takes a lot to shock me and make me uncomfortable, but this movie did it. However, the gritty and graphic realism of this film will probably be too much for a lot of audience members, and I must admit, I thought it crossed the line into unnecessarily gross in more than one scene. Winter's Bone was one of those films that part of me hoped like heck wasn't totally realistic, while another part of me knew it was.

So there are my subjective opinions of some of the Best Picture nominees. What about you? Which movies have you seen lately and which do you think deserve the Best Picture award?

Elephant Seals

2011-02-19T16:30:00.000-08:00

About a month ago the DH and I drove to the central California coast. At the time, it was cold, wet and miserable here at home and we knew the coast would be sunny.

While there, we stopped off at a beach near Piedras Blancas lighthouse to see the elephant seals. Every year the seals start arriving around the end of November and stay through most of March. December and January are when most of the calves are born and the beach is so crowded with seals that you can hardly see the sand.

You can see in this shot that there's still a bit of room left on the beach. However, by now (mid-Feb.) there probably isn't! The seals tend to stay in groups. One male will have all the females in his harem close to him.

Here are a couple of female elephant seals and the smaller, darker one is a baby. This baby is probably a couple of weeks old. To give you a bit of perspective, the female elephant seals weigh around 1500 pounds or three-quarters of a ton. The males are about three times larger than the females -- yes around 5,000 pounds or roughly the size as an SUV! They are named elephant seals for a reason!

The babies weigh about 70 pounds at birth and quadruple their weight in a month. One of the park rangers told me that for every pound the baby gains, the mother loses two. YIKES! That is one diet I'll gladly skip.

Here's one more photo of that crowded beach. These are the first photos with my new camera so I'm trying them out here on the blog.

Notice the lovely blue sky and the relatively calm ocean. Both were a welcome reprieve from our dreary January.

LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO NOT BE AT THE BEACH!

Where In The World Is Tokelau?

2011-02-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

I have a data collection program attached to my website (www.LoucindaMcgary.com), and one of the things it collects is the country where visitors to my site are located. I have to admit to being such a big geek that I check the thing several times a week because I get a real thrill when I see hits from places I've never been, like Bulgaria and Malaysia (those were both listed this week)!

Well this week, a first happened for me. I got a website 'hit' from a place I'd never heard of!

If you've spent more than five minutes on this blog, then I don't have to tell you what a travel fanatic yer olde Aunty truly is. Plus, I've been to places that many of my friends and relatives scratch their heads over, not to mention my plans to visit at least a score more that almost nobody puts on their destination list. So for me NOT to have heard of someplace it must be pretty darn remote!

So WHERE in the world IS Tokelau?!?!

Turns out it is three tiny coral atolls located about 300 miles north of Samoa in the South Pacific. (Yes, I looked it up!) The three little islands have a combined population of about 1500 people.

Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand and receives support from there. That also means that some English is spoken in Tokelau because it is taught as a second language in the schools. Plus, a large number of Tokelauans live in New Zealand -- more than actually live on the islands!

Maybe that is where someone on Tokelau heard of me? They visited New Zealand and saw or heard about one of my books? Or someone went to visit their relatives on Tokelau and just happened to be surfing the net and wound up on my website?

However it happened, I am astounded at the very idea that someone on a tiny island in the South Pacific might have heard of me! Okay, I'm resisting the urge to start humming "It's a Small World!"

Have you ever heard of Tokelau? Any other unusual place you know about that might be new to yer olde Aunty?

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2011-02-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!

I've been to Chinatown in San Francisco (the largest in the US) many times around Chinese New Year and I always thought the signs in the windows that said Gung Hay Fat Choy meant Happy New Year. Um... not really.

About twenty years ago (gosh, can't believe it's been that long), I had a Chinese exchange student live with me for a year. "Ray" (the Americanized name he used) was from Shanghai, and when I said Gung Hay Fat Choy to him he gave me a funny look (actually he gave me a lot of funny looks in the time he lived with me, but that's another story).

I said, "Doesn't that mean Happy New Year?"

He said, "No, it means 'I hope you will be rich.'"

To which I replied, "That would make my year very happy!"

He laughed and agreed.

Anyway, this is the Year of the Rabbit (or hare). One of the twelve animal signs of the Chinese zodiac. I was born in the Year of the Rabbit so I feel like this is "my year!" In case you aren't familiar with the twelve animals (most Chinese restaurants here in California have them somewhere -- placemats, menus, posters on the wall) they are:
Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Goat
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Pig

According to one Chinese zodiac site I visited, those born in the year of the Rabbit are popular, compassionate, sincere, and they avoid conflict. They also like to be surrounded by friends and family. Now honestly, who doesn't? And who would argue with that description?

This same site says Rabbits are good communicators and good careers for them include actor, teacher, fashion designer, or writer! Okay, looks like they got that one right.

Interestingly enough, my DH was also born in the year of the Rabbit... or maybe not. His birthday always falls very close and sometimes ON Chinese New Year. So it's possible he's actually a Tiger, which would explain a lot... Oh, and careers for Tigers include artist.

What is your Chinese zodiac sign? Ever been to a Chinese New Year celebration? Please share the details. Oh, and gung hay fat choy -- I really do hope you'll be rich!

Ask Not... 50 Years Later

2011-01-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's inauguration.

What a shock to think this happened a whole half-century ago!

I am one of that ever-shrinking number of people who were around in 1961 and actually remember the inauguration. Well, parts of it anyway.

I was in third grade and my teacher Mrs. Smith took our class to her house (she lived three blocks from the school so we walked) to watch the event on her television. Before we left she told all of us to pay careful attention to an old man who would be reading a poem. She said, "His name is Robert Frost, and he won't be alive very much longer."

And that's exactly what I remember from the inauguration -- an old, thin man with a shock of white hair. The wind blew his paper away, but he kept talking. I don't remember seeing the President take the oath of office, or hearing him deliver his famous, "Ask not what your country can do for you..." speech. I don't remember seeing Jackie or anyone else standing near him.

But I remember Robert Frost.

Mrs. Smith was right too, Robert Frost died two years later in 1963. I also keenly remember that terrible day in 1963 when Kennedy was assassinated. But that is a sad story for another time.

What historical events do you remember from your childhood?

Happy Birthday Aunt Liz!

2011-01-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my DH's Aunt Liz celebrated her 91st birthday and I wanted to take a moment to send her a few cyber good wishes!

I've been truly lucky to have this remarkable lady in my life for over twenty years!

Liz grew up during a time when not many people went to college, especially women. But she did, and took her degree from the University of California, Berkeley just after World War II broke out here in the States. Immediately after college graduation, Liz joined the government to do her part for the war effort. She wound up as a civilian inspector of munitions trains in Slidell, Louisiana. After the war, she settled in Flagstaff, Arizona and married a college professor.

During the 1960s Aunt Liz was a single mom who went back to school, got her teaching credential and taught 3rd and 4th grades. In the summer, she would take her two kids and her nephew (my DH) on camping trips to places like The Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Zion National Parks.

By the time I met Liz in 1989, she had retired after 20+ years of teaching. She had an active life that included membership in the Sierra Club and the San Francisco Opera. An avid hiker, tennis player and bird watcher, she also continued to travel. Liz was instrumental in helping my DH overcome his fear of flying and she traveled with us a lot, including our first trip to Turkey, a couple of forays to Europe, and once to China. In fact, Liz enjoyed China so much that a couple of years after we traveled there, she went back on her own to see the Xian warriors and cruise the 3 Gorges area of the Yangtze River!

These days, Liz spends most of her time at home enjoying her flower garden and playing with her cats Sammy and Ralphie.

So HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Liz! You have enriched my life beyond measure and I hope to stay around for many more years!

Do you have a special friend or relative who has reached a milestone birthday? Please share some stories with Aunty!

Accentuate the Positive!

2011-01-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

It's a new month and a new year. As I said in my previous post, the last one went out on a pretty negative note, so I'm determined to start this one by concentrating on POSITIVES!

So let me focus my attention on things that make me HAPPY...

First of all, I'm so grateful for all the wonderful friends and readers I've encountered online, and I want to let everyone who reads this blog know how very much I appreciate your support.

In addition to wonderful friends, books have always had a very positive influence on my life. Reading and writing never fail to lift my spirits.

I am happiest when someone tells me they enjoyed one of my books! More than anything, I want to entertain my readers. I want my stories to be enjoyable escapes. I want them to pull the reader in, be exciting and interesting enough to keep them reading, and when they reach the end, I want my readers to smile and give a satisfied sigh.

Happy 2011! As Jay Leno said the other night in his monologue, "Twenty Eleven sounds like an upscale Seven Eleven!"

Help Aunty look on the positive side. Please share some of the things that have made you happy lately. And please tell me the last book you read that made you sigh happily when you finished it!

Good-bye 2010!

2010-12-31T16:48:00.000-08:00

It's New Year's Eve!

HURRAY!!!

I must admit, I'm glad to see 2010 end. All and all it has been a CRAPtastic year for me, one I don't care to repeat.

Overall, I know I had positives happen, but the overwhelming negatives left such a pall that they are the only parts of the year I remember.

More than anything,2010 hammered home the point that my life can be changed in an instant. Forever altered (usually for the worst) in one split second.

I hope and pray for no more such life altering moments in the coming year. I want my life to change in a positive direction. I've had enough negative to last me for the rest of my life!

All right, no more whining from me. HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR to all!

Merry Merry!

2010-12-26T16:21:00.000-08:00

Happy Boxing Day!

I sincerely hope that all of you who pass through this little corner of cyber-space had a wonderful holiday.

May 2011 be a bright and prosperous year for all of us!

This year my most unique (and therefore my favorite) present came from my BFF Whit. Since she now resides on the East Coast and I remain here on the West, her present came via the good old US Postal Service, but I dutifully waited until yesterday to open it.

I was quite perplexed as to why she would send me a can of Spam and several common household items like mouthwash, chewing gum, and Cottonelle wipes. But then I read the letter, which I followed instructions and opened last. Here's what I found:

Cruise Ship Survival Kit

How to survive your next "Luxury" voyage on the high seas

This kit includes a variety of items to help anyone survive an emergency on the high seas! Keep it with you at all times (or at least under your fancy bed) to provide security and comfort in any circumstance.

Includes:

Spam -- This delicacy can be consumed any number of ways and is considered a delicacy by many. Fried, baked, grilled or tartare, Spam will fill the empty place inside you.

Ritz Crackers -- The word Ritz says it all! What better tableau could your Spam ask for?!

Blueberry Toaster Pastries -- Not just for breakfast anymore! These delicious fruit-filled tartlets are a hand-held joy, and as everyone knows, buleberries are packed with antioxidants. Healthy and scrumptious -- what more could you ask for in such a small package?

Crest Mouthwash -- Water may be at a premium when the power goes down. You can't just dip some out of the ocean! For that just-brushed feeling without the brush, Crest is the way to go!

WinterFresh Chewing Gum -- Not only does it freshen your breath, it helps keep your mouth from drying out when liquid refreshment is wanting.

GermBlaster Hand Sanitizer -- Bathing may not be possible unless you jump in the pool, and it will probably be full of other dirty people! "Nuff said...

Washcloth -- If you DO jump in the pool, you will need something to scrub your happy skin with!

and finally...

Cottonelle -- Must I spell it out for you???

Gotta admit, I'm still laughing as I retyped this! THANX WHIT! You made my day!

What about you? Did you receive a funny and/or unique present? Please share with Aunty!

Name That Christmas Carol

2010-12-21T01:39:00.000-08:00

Seasons Greetings!

I have a post up today on Romance Bandits as part of our 12 Bandita Days of Christmas. (Just click on the title of this post to go there.)

I've taken the titles of some familiar Christmas carols and rewritten them in bureaucratic style!

Here are a few more just for fun:

The Christmas preceding all others
Monarchical triad
Listen, the celestial messengers produce harmonious sounds
Expectation of arrival to populated area by mythical, masculine perennial gift-giver
The quadruped with the vermilion proboscis

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!

Have you finished your shopping?

Done your decorating?

Care to help Aunty with hers?!?!

WORST Month Ever!

2010-11-30T21:18:00.000-08:00

I try to live by the old adage my mother taught me about saying nothing if I can't say something nice, especially here in the blog-o-sphere.

I try to keep it light and positive, but this past month has had so many negative things that I just can't come up with any upbeat posts.

I started out the month getting mugged and my purse snatched while we were in Mexico. I'm still dealing with the aftermath of replacing all the things I lost with that purse. Of course, some of the things in there were not replacable (like the pictures inside the camera and other momentoes). This is only the second time in my life I was the victim of a physical crime against me (I was held up at gun point on my very first job at age 17) and I truly hope it will be the last! I know I was lucky that I was not badly injured, but I still don't feel particularly lucky.

Then last Friday, I had a near-tragic event. My little pug-wa-wa was attacked by a German Shepherd and almost killed. My dog was on a leash taking a walk two blocks from my house. The shepherd was running loose and attacked with absolutely no provocation. The teenaged boy who must have owned the other dog, rushed up, snapped on a leash and promptly disappeared.

Almost a thousand dollars and major surgery later, my poor little baby is recovering from her wounds. How or if she will recover from the psychological trauma is anyone's guess. I have a feeling I WON'T!

It was also not a good month to some of my close friends.

One of my Critique Partners lost her sister-in-law to liver cancer.

Another CP's mother had a stroke from which she is not expected to recover.

Sorry to be such a whiner, but I think you can understand why I'm glad to see this month end. And I hope to NEVER have another like it!

Please share your POSITIVE news and thoughts with Aunty! She is in sore need.

"Never Tell Me the Odds!"

2010-11-22T16:49:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about the 'luck factor' in publishing, and how very difficult it is to keep going, much less break into this crazy biz! Back in April, 2009 on Romance Bandits, I did a little 'fictional statistical analysis' about the odds of getting your first romance novel published.

I'm reprinting it below for your amusement and/or amazement...

I'm sure you recognize the title of this post. It is one of my favorite movie quotes and is from the original Star Wars (now called Episode 4). C3PO has just told Han Solo the statistical probability of successfully navigating through an asteroid belt (a truly astronomical number) and Han snarls in reply, "Never tell me the odds!"

In my previous career, I toiled as an analyst for the State of California. I played with numbers and statistics every day and got to do fun things like budget change proposals and cost benefit analyses. Ah yes, Aunty loved to 'run those numbers' and make them yield answers!

Then I entered the crazy world of writing for publication, and numbers ceased to be my friends or even my friendly tools. The numbers I discovered in my pursuit of publication were not the answers I wanted to hear. "Never tell me the odds!" became my rallying cry!

If I had stopped to think about the odds, I probably would have never entered the Golden Heart. Only 70 entries were selected as finalists out of 1000. My manuscript had to be judged in the top 7%. YIKES! And yet all 20 of us Banditas beat those odds and went on to final in the Golden Heart in 2006!

The many other successes we Banditas have had since 2006 led me to start thinking about the odds. I found some very interesting "food for thought" and I'd like to share a little hypothetical situation and the resultant numbers:

Let's pretend that there are 1 million people who decide they are going to write a romance novel for the very first time. (Yes, the number is probably much higher but play along with me for now.) Based on what Aunty has seen and read over the years, out of those 1,000,000 only 10% (or probably much less) will ever finish writing that novel. (It's a lot more work than most people think!)

So in our imaginary sample, we now have 100,000 finished (at least in the first draft) romance novels. Probably only 25% of those will ever be submitted anywhere. I'm not talking queries or partials here, but full manuscripts. And out of those 25,000 only half or 50% will be submitted to someone who even publishes romances (sad but true, I've read this on many editors' blogs)! Or if they do publish romance, they don't accept the sub-genre of romance the writer has written.

We are now left with 12,500 novels that have even a glimmer of a chance of being published out of our original 1 million hopefuls. Or slightly over 1%! Only 1 out of 100. So now you know, if you have ever finished writing a manuscript and submitted it somewhere, you are very special indeed!

But if you think those numbers are depressing, consider this. There were slightly over 8,000 romance novels published in 2007 (according to the ROMStat report in the Sept. 08 RWR). Now before you tell Aunty that 12,500 books vying for 8,000 slots doesn't sound that bad... REMEMBER: these are first time novelists. The vast majority of the 8,000 romances publishers will buy are written by existing authors. Someone with a 'track record.' Someone with a 'readership base.'

Aunty's best guess is that only about 5% of those 8,000 books published will actually be by first time authors. Those 12,500 hopefuls are vying for 400 slots. Yes, dear readers, only about 1/3 of 1% of those 12,500 writers will ever see their book published! But in the spirit of Han Solo, some new writers will fill those 400 slots. Someone will beat those odds!

Writing is definitely not for the 'faint of heart!' Nor is it for those who are intimidated by long odds. After all, 1/3 of 1% might be an abysmally small number, but it is still better than the probability of successfully negotiating an asteroid belt!

Have you ever defied the odds? Please share your story with Aunty!

No, Not THAT Cruise Ship

2010-11-12T15:33:00.000-08:00

I've received several calls in the past few days from friends checking to make sure I was not on the Carnival Splendor.

You know, THAT cruise ship! The one that floated off the Pacific Coast of Mexico this week with no power, no hot water, and very little food. Everyone seemed to be talking about Splendor and her predicament which started with an engine fire -- late night talk show hosts, local and national news reporters, Facebook and Twitter. Apparently some folks from my neck o' the woods were on board, and local reporters rushed to interview them as soon as communication was restored.

The more I heard about the ship and how the passengers were suffering with no air conditioning, no elevators, and for awhile, no flushing toilets, the more I thought about how it used to be to travel by ship. On one of our many trips to the east coast, the DH and I visited Plymouth Rock (definitely unimpressive) and saw the replica of the Mayflower. This was back in our pre-cruising days, but even then I remember being aghast at how small that ship was! I shuddered as I pictured dozens of people crowded into the small areas below deck, and enduring a voyage that lasted several weeks instead of days.

Imagine being in close proximity all that time with screaming babies, whiny adults and sea-sickness? How in the world did they cook on those little wooden tubs? And I really don't want to think about the lack of sanitary facilities! UGH!

Like most Americans, somewhere down the line, my ancestors sailed to this country on a ship very much like the Mayflower. All I can say is, "Better THEM than ME!" Much as I like to think of myself as adventurous, I know that deep down I am not. If my ancestors had been more like me, they'd have probably stayed in Ireland and starved to death, so thank goodness they were brave (or perhaps foolhardy) enough to make that voyage.

As for me, happily I was not on THAT cruise ship, at least not this week. However, I am scheduled to cruise to Mexico on the Splendor in January. Let's hope they have all the issues resolved in the next two months!

Did your ancestors have to make a long sea voyage? Do you think you could make the same voyage? Or are you a wimp like Aunty?

Where Do Characters Come From?

2010-11-03T00:55:00.000-07:00

(Thought I'd start November out with a blog that I used in my "tour" for The Wild Irish Sea this past summer.)

Today I'm going to tell you where my characters come from.

Relax, this isn’t going to be a blog about the birds and the bees or one of “those talks” your mother had with you shortly before you hit puberty. I’m going to talk about how I create my fictional characters.

Other than “Where do you get your ideas?” (short answer: Everywhere!), the questions I’m most often asked are about my characters. Are they based on real people? (short answer: sort of) How do you name them? Do you do charts, interviews and all that other writerly stuff? I’ll answer this last question first: No, I’m afraid I’m not nearly that organized.

The truth is that for me, most of my main characters arrive in my imagination fully formed with their first, middle, and last names intact. Please don’t call the men in the white coats, but before I begin a new work in progress (WIP), I hear my characters talking inside my head. Usually, my heroes arrive first. At least this was the case for my first two published books, The Wild Sight and The Treasures of Venice. But for my current release, The Wild Irish Sea, my heroine Amber Elizabeth O’Neill and her twin brother Parker Anthony O’Neill popped into my mind first.

Ten years ago, my niece gave birth to the first set of twins in our immediate family, and the momentous event sparked my interest in twins. So it really didn’t surprise me at all when a set of twins arrived in that creative portion of my brain where my characters reside and demanded that I write about them. And while my niece’s fraternal twins were boys (and only nine) and I couldn’t very well base my fraternal twins on them, they were certainly the inspiration behind Amber and Parker.

Now, back to that place in my brain where my characters talk to me… Actually, they do more than talk. Somewhere along the line, as they are revealing their backstories and other deep dark secrets to me, I start forming an image of what they look like. Usually at this point, I go in search of photos of people who match the image inside my head. Most of the time, the photos I select are celebrities since there are far more pictures of them available. But while I may use a celebrity in a certain photo as a physical model, my characters’ personalities are definitely all their own, just like each has their own distinctive voice. For example, Hugh Jackman was the physical model for my hero of The Wild Sight, Donovan O’Shea. However, when I saw Hugh on a late night talk show, I found it very jarring that his voice didn’t sound like Donovan!

For The Wild Irish Sea, I had the easiest time finding a model for Parker. This is probably because I had such a clear image of him in the opening prologue out on the ocean in a rowboat. With Parker’s voice firmly in my ear, I went searching for a picture of a lanky, brown haired man and almost immediately found the perfect one… of Luke Wilson. Since then, Luke has been in a ton of phone commercials and it bugs me no end, because he neither looks nor sounds like Parker, who was actually inspired by my two wise-cracking brothers.

I had a much harder time finding a model for Amber, and in the meantime, my hero Kevin Hennessey showed up. Unlike my previous heroes, he was tortured and very close-mouthed about his past, but I knew exactly what he looked like. I put my search for Amber temporarily on hold and began the quest for Kevin. Finding just the right tortured but hunky guy proved a challenge, but eventually I found a picture of Christian Bale (I know, I know, he’d not Irish) that fulfilled my requirements quite nicely.

But I still had no Amber… None of the American actress I saw seemed quite right. Then I remembered seeing Gemma Arterton in Quantum of Solace. I looked up pictures of the red-headed Bond girl called Strawberry Fields and – Happy Day! – I’d found my Amber O’Neill at last! Of course Gemma is British and actually a brunette so my heroine really isn’t much like the prototype, but she’s close enough to the image of Amber in my imagination.

Well there you have it, a little insight into where my characters come from. They are sort of based on real people in that I do pick out physical models to match the images in my head. The main characters usually arrive with their names already decided, though I will admit that for some of my minor characters I do use one of those lists of baby names that you can sort by ethnicity and Irish census records broken down by county. And while I don’t do formal character charts and interviews, I know far more about each of my characters’ backgrounds, aspirations, and secrets than ever makes it onto the pages of my novels.

Do you like to know who the author pictures for a character or do you prefer to develop your own image?

Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos)

2010-10-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween to those who celebrate the holiday!

In Mexico the celebration goes beyond trick-or-treat and involves communing with your dearly departed friends and relatives on the Day of the Dead, which is actually on November 2nd. Cemeteries are cleaned and decorated and shrines to the dead are built, sometimes at home and sometimes in public places.

Here's a pic of a beautiful Day of the Dead shrine I saw in Puerto Vallarta a couple of years ago. Skulls and often skeletons dressed in fancy party clothes are common sights on these shrines and in celebrations. Skull candy is really popular. Candles and flowers are popular too, especially marigolds which are sometimes called flor de los muertos (flower of the dead).

Like many other holidays, Day of the Dead was originally celebrated by indigenous people in Mexico (some say the Aztecs) two or three thousand years ago. But the holiday got adapted and incorporated into Christian practices and celebrations.

Unlike Halloween celebrations here in the US which tend to focus on the scary and spooky aspects of ghosts and goblins, Day of the Dead takes a positive approach. Those fancy dressed skeletons are happy, and people are pleased to send up prayers and offerings to their dead relatives and friends.

I like this kind of celebration much better! It feels comforting to me to think that my beloved friends and family members are closer to me on one particular day of the year.

Do you celebrate Halloween? What about the Day of the Dead? Ever hear of it or celebrate it? What other unusual holidays do you know about? Please share them with Aunty, who is always looking for more fun things to celebrate!

Aspen Gold

2010-10-19T12:33:00.000-07:00

Popping in to share some exciting news:

The Treasures of Venice is a finalist in the Heart of Denver RWA Aspen Gold contest!

I'm not sure when the winners will be announced, but I'm thrilled to be in the running (click on the title of this post to see all the finalists) in the romantic suspense category. My good friend and Bandita Anna Campbell's book Tempt The Devil is a finalist in the historical category.

It's always a nice feeling of validation when judges like your work. But even more important to me, I enter contests to get my books into the hands of readers who might not otherwise pick them up. Word of mouth truly is the most effective advertising, so if a contest judge likes my book and tells a couple of their friends, then they each tell two or three of their friends...

Now you know the "method to my madness."

How do you find new books to read? Do you take recommendations from friends? Read reviews? Just browse the bookstore? Aunty would love to know!

Happy Thanksgiving, Oh Canada!

2010-10-10T12:27:00.000-07:00

Did you know the second Monday in October is Thanksgiving in Canada?

I didn't until about a dozen years ago when the DH and I were off on one of our short jaunts that generally involved a three-day-weekend, and a good deal on an air flight.

Back in the days when I slaved away at the Dreaded Day Job as a faceless bureaucrat, I lived for holiday weekends. One of my favorites was Columbus Day, usually celebrated on the Monday closest to the actual holiday (Oct. 12th). I liked this long weekend because most other people did not get the day off with pay, so there were no 'holiday crowds' and the weather was relatively good where ever we decided to go.

For this particular trip, we found the farthest place that we could book with our frequent flyer miles AND get a good deal on a car rental. After a bit of research, the DH came up with Toronto. YAY! At that time, we hadn't been to anywhere in eastern Canada. Plus, it looked like a fun drive to Niagara Falls. We'd never seen the falls and were excited to go there!

So off we flew on a Saturday morning and arrived in Toronto that evening. As we were going through the customs line, the very nice man who checked our passports asked if we'd come for Thanksgiving. We said we wished we could but we were not able to stay that long. He gave us a funny look and said, "But Thanksgiving is Monday!" REALLY?!?! Neither of us had a clue when we booked the trip.

After a brief jaunt up the CN tower (the tallest structure in North America) the next morning, we headed out for Niagara Falls. We arrived after dark, and you can hear the roaring water going over the falls long before you can see them. Both the American falls (shown in this piccie) and the Canadian falls (far more spectacular, in my opinion) are lit up in different colors at night. What an amazing sight!

However, I think the sheer grandeur of all that tumbling water is even more beautiful on its own in natural sunlight. We saw plenty the next morning. And later in the day, we had a full-blown Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce in the restaurant that overlooks the Canadian falls.

Truly our most memorable Thanksgiving EVER!

The next morning we left and drove to Algonquin National Park where the fall colors were beautiful and we went canoeing (OW, my shoulders!) for my first and last time. The following day found us on Georgian Bay, where we took the next-to-last boat excursion of the season to see a few of the region's 30,000 islands. (Sorry, this was in the pre-digital days so no pictures that I can post.)

We returned home after a very jam-packed week of memorable sight-seeing. And of course, six weeks later we had a second full-blown Thanksgiving dinner. It just wasn't the same without Niagara Falls.

Have you ever seen Niagara Falls? Other waterfalls? Had an unexpectedly memorable Thanksgiving or other holiday? Aunty would love to hear about it!

Just Had To Share...

2010-10-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

... a couple of cute piccies recently sent to me by friends.

First off, from one of our Bandita Buddies, Kim in Hawaii. Yes, this is on the beautiful island of Oahu, and the lovely model is Jami, the daughter of Kim's good friend. Jami is showing off some Bandita Booty won by Kim -- a Romance Bandits T-shirt and a copy of The Wild Irish Sea.

All right, I gotta say that in spite of her excellent taste in shirts and books, Jami appears to be a bit too young to read The Wild Irish Sea! I'm afraid some of the "adult" content isn't appropriate for readers under sixteen.

This next piccie was taken in July at my book launch party for The Wild Irish Sea. BIG THANX to my good friend Debbie J. for sending it, and thanx to my wonderful reader Dorci for snapping the photo!

That is my good friend Sharen, holding her adorable granddaughter Isabella (who will need to wait ten years to read Aunty's books). Next in green is yours truly, and peeking over my shoulder is my 'surrogate' daughter, Andrea. The lady in black is my BFF (and Andrea's real mom) Shirl, and next to her is the lovely and generous Debbie J! As evidenced by the grins on all our faces, a good time was had by all! I hope to have another launch party someday in the not-too-distant future.

So what was the last book you read? What are you reading now? What's next on your To-Be-Read list?

Some Thoughts On My Writing Process

2010-10-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd start the month off with a post I wrote on my blog tour for the release of The Treasures of Venice, which is up for a Maggie award this Saturday night at the Moonlight & Magnolia's conference in Atlanta! I'm afraid my crazy writing process hasn't changed since I wrote this over a year ago.

Not long ago, I got an email from my good friend Sue who said she was just passed the half-way point in my second book, The Treasures of Venice (Here's a piccie of Sue and me at one of my book launch parties). Like any true friend, she told me how much she loved the story thus far and then she asked, “How do you do it? How do you come up with all these characters, the plot and all the details?”

My friend JoAnne had a similar reaction when she finished reading my debut release The Wild Sight. Her first question was, “How did you come up with all those words?”

I always hear about writers who “court their muse” or wait for “inspiration” but I’m definitely not one of them. I fall into the category of those who just keep showing up and forcing the words out. For me, writing is a lot like any other skill (like tennis or knitting), the more I do it, the more I want to do it and the better I get at doing it.

I am NOT a morning person. Everyone who knows me knows better than to call me before 9:00 AM because I’m seldom awake before then, and I’m not really fully functional before 10:00. My optimal writing time is between 1 and 6 PM so that is when I write.

Okay, I also like to go out to lunch with friends, so I often don’t get started until 1:30 and sometimes I’ll sneak in another hour or two after dinner. But my writing routine generally consists of doing emails, blogs, and other correspondence in the mornings. Then every afternoon, Monday through Friday, I write from about 1 until 6. Saturdays and Sundays I am not so disciplined, but I often do revisions and critiques on those days. Plus, my DH is a big auto racing fan, so I am a ‘racing widow’ on Saturday nights during racing season (March to October). If I am ‘on a writing roll’ or I have a deadline, I’ll write on Saturday nights, often into the wee hours of the morning.

I am what we writers call a ‘pantser,’ which means I write by the seat of my pants. The opposite of a ‘pantser’ is a ‘plotter.’ This is someone who lays out everything before they write one word of their story. Heaven knows I have tried to be more of a plotter. I went so far as to write an eleven page outline of The Wild Sight before I started writing the first draft. Unfortunately, my characters had other ideas, and by the third chapter, I’d gone so far astray from the outline that it was useless.

When I wrote The Treasures of Venice, I was totally ‘pantsing’ the whole thing! I knew who my characters were, that the jewels had been stolen and somehow they must be found again. But I didn’t have a clue how.

Part of the beauty of being a ‘pantser’ is that my sub-conscious is constantly working on my story whether I am writing or not. I distinctly remember I was in the middle of writing Chapter 6, when one morning I woke up and BAM! I knew the ending! I knew exactly where and how they were going to find those jewels. I felt great!

If only my writing process always worked that way, but unfortunately it doesn’t. Sometimes I write myself into a corner and I have to stop working on the story, go away and do something else for awhile and let my sub-conscious sort things out. Luckily, within a few hours it usually does. And then there are the days when I’m on that ‘writing roll’ I mentioned. Those are the days it is truly wonderful to be a ‘pantser!’ The words just flow and I almost feel like I am ‘channeling’ my characters. I love those days.

So, in a nutshell, that’s how I do it: Show up everyday, give my sub-conscious free rein, and hope that my characters take over. I’m not exactly sure why this works, and I definitely don’t recommend every writer try it. I only know it works for me.

More NZ Pics

2010-09-25T19:03:00.000-07:00

All righty then... when I put up the previous post, it just made me wish I could go back to New Zealand, especially now that it is spring, and take in more of the beautiful scenery.

Here's a shot looking DOWN the Whangarei Falls. The drop is at least the height of a three story building.

One of the things that made this waterfall so unique is that it's right in the middle of a suburban neighborhood. We were surprised to turn into what appeared to be a typical city park and heard the roar of the falls. We walked over a small rise and there was the river roaring over the side of the hill!

This is the clearest picture I got of the Tutukaka coast, not far from Whangarei (a couple of hours north of Auckland). Unfortunately it was rainy and windy the day we took this spectacular drive along the water and this photo does not begin to do the place justice. If you have been on seen pictures of the road to Hana on Maui, this area is very similar. Oh, and so is the road!

The only real 'freeways' we encountered were in Auckland and Wellington. Everything else was narrow, two-lane roads.

Here is a shot of the Sky Tower in downtown Auckland. No we didn't go up. However, they have a very similar structure in downtown Sydney that we did go up when we were in Australia. Also, we've been up to the observation deck of the CN Tower in Toronto, which is the tallest structure in North America. It looks almost exactly like this tower, too.

And speaking of Wellington, here's a shot of the capitol city and a bit of the very beautiful harbor. Maybe because we were there on a Sunday, Wellington felt like a much more easily managed city than Auckland. I know which of the two I'd prefer to live in...

Of course, if I decided to move all the way to New Zealand, I would rather live someplace where I had a view like THIS -- a quiet cove on the Bay of Plenty!

Do you have a dream hideaway where you'd like to live? Is it near the ocean? In the mountains? In a city? Please share the details with Aunty!

Te Puia

2010-09-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, I got to visit the number 1 place on my "Bucket List" -- New Zealand!

It was a FANTASTIC trip and the country was just as beautiful and the people even nicer than I anticipated. One of the most fascinating places we visited on our recent trip was the city of Rotorua and the area surrounding it. The region is visually stunning with gorgeous lakes, mountains, and geothermal hot springs. But also the most native New Zealanders, the Maori, live in this area, which has historically held deep spiritual significance for them.

The city of Rotorua is built on the shores of a beautiful lake of the same name, and has lots of geothermal hot springs and other natural wonders within the city and close by. One of the places I enjoyed seeing the most was a Maori historical and cultural center called Te Puia which showcased two geysers (shown above) and all things Maori.

The entrance to Te Puia.

A closer look at one of the elaborate wooden carvings, which are tributes to a family's ancestors.

There is also a carving school on the premises which teaches traditional Maori carving techniques like these as well as construction of things like buildings and war canoes.

The local Maori also give several performances daily in traditional dress. They do dances, songs, and even some fighting moves. Here are a couple of Maori warriors in authentic costumes, inside a beautiful meeting house built with traditional decorations.

Here is the outside of the meeting house (called a wharenui). The red color was originally derived from local clay.

I was surprised at how many place names and cities in New Zealand are from the Maori language, which is Polynesian in origin (so there are lots of vowels). Besides Rotorua, we also visited Whangarei, Paihia, the Tutukaka coast (gorgeous but I didn't get any good piccies due to rain), Taupo (including Haku falls), Otorohanga, and Mangere, to name a few!

I'll stop for now but will post more pictures of the simply stunning landscapes later. Since we stayed on the North Island for this visit, we will have to go back for a tour of the South Island! I can't wait!

Three Years Later

2010-09-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, September 14th marked the three year anniversary of the day I received The Call and sold my first book. In some ways that feels like a very short time, but in others, it seems like a lifetime ago.

One of the things I found most ironic was that as soon as I got The Call that someone wanted to publish my work, other people suddenly wanted to hear what I had to say (either in person or on paper) about writing and publishing.

One day I was just another struggling writer. The next day an editor offered me a contract and I was an instant expert! Of course, I didn't know anything more than I had before, but having sold a book gave my work validity. Proof positive that perception is everything. No matter what or how much I knew before, it had no value until I became a "published author."

Of course, all of this comes with the hindsight of three years. If I were doing it all over again, you better believe I'd do some things differently! But my road to publication and beyond has been quite a ride and I'm certainly glad I've made it this far.

Speaking of traveling, I have a post up today on Romance Bandits (just click on the title of this post to go there) about my recent trip to New Zealand. I'll be posting more pictures and a bit of commentary on here about the trip in a few days. Meanwhile, here's a piccie of a beach on the western shore of New Zealand on the Bay of Plenty.

Did you have a day that changed your life? Please share the details with Aunty.

NO Info Dumping!

2010-09-12T00:35:00.000-07:00

Last night the DH and I were watching a movie, same as we do three or four nights per week, every week. This one was actually pretty interesting, but suddenly in the middle, the action ground to a complete halt and one main character gave a five or six minute monologue about his background to the other main character. In the midst of this recitation, my DH muttered, "What an info dump!"

I was almost overcome with pride, because a) it really was a terrible and, for the most part, unnecessary info dump, and b) the DH recognized it as such, which proved that he actually DOES pay attention to some of the things I say!

Info dumps are one of my pet peeves. To me, nothing marks a beginning writer faster than a pile of information just sitting there, usually at the beginning of a story, doing nothing.

Sometimes info dumps are some interesting bits of research the writer uncovered and just can't wait to tell it to the reader.

WRONG!

No matter how interesting the research is, I (the reader) want to read about THE STORY first and foremost.

If the writer absolutely must impart this information (and sometimes it is germane to the story and the reader really DOES need to know) then please weave it into the dialogue or show it through the point-of-view character's thoughts or actions. Please don't toss it into the middle of the scene like a point in an academic lecture that somehow wandered into a novel.

I had to practice what I preach while writing The Wild Sight. I stumbled across an absolutely fascinating piece of scientific information called the Niall Marker during my research and I knew I just had to include it in my story. In fact this interesting tidbit on genetics became an important turning point in my story. But I couldn't just dump the info out there, so I stuck it into dialogue instead.

Rylie could feel her hopes plummeting as Brenna McRory spoke. "How long does that take?"

"Oh, only a day or two," the older woman reassured. "I've all my equipment set up and I was preparing a batch of specimens for my own research project. I've isolated a specific genetic marker and tied it back to the Irish High King, Niall of the Nine Hostages."

"He was the original forefather of the O'Neill clan," the professor interrupted his wife. "And quite a prolific old carouser." He cast a sly glance at Donovan. "I'd say our Donovan would be a good subject to include in your study, Brenna. With his dark hair and blue eyes, he appears to be the only true Celt amongst us. I don't have the marker myself." He brushed at his sandy brown hair and added, "Too much Viking blood."

"I don't mind being part of your study," Rylie quickly volunteered. "Even though I know I'm half Polish."

"A most kind offer," said McRory's wife. "But I'm afraid this marker is gender specific, only found on the male chromosome."

I like to think that was much more interesting than merely sticking in the facts:

The Niall Marker is a gender-specific genetic trait that has been traced back to fifth century High King of Ireland, Niall of the Nine Hostages. Research studies indicate that as many as fifteen percent of the men in Ireland carry this trait.

And I was able to show (not tell) a bit about the characters too.

I'm also not the only one who has a 'thing' against stinking up prose with info dumps. Mary Buckham recently passed along in her newsletter an article from Writer's Digest about what agents and editors hate to see in Chapter 1. Miriam Hees, an editor from Blooming Tree Press said, "I hate seeing a 'run-down list:' Names, hair color, eye color, height, even weight sometimes."

Or as my DH would say, "What an info dump!"

Have you experienced any info dumps in books or movies lately? Care to share with Aunty? Pretty Please?

Water, Water Everywhere

2010-09-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

Here's another blog from my recent tour to promote The Wild Irish Sea...

Not long ago, my critique partner and I were discussing our current works-in-progress. After we finished our line-by-line assessments of each others’ chapters, we started to discuss overall themes and motifs in our work. She made the observation that water figured prominently in all my novels.

My first reaction was denial. Astrologically, I’m a fire sign and I’m not attracted to earth or water signs. And I’m not keen on being wet in my everyday life either. Rain is fine, as long as I’m inside, not out in it. I’ve never been much of a swimmer… okay, I can barely keep myself afloat, and I hate water in my ears or nose! Large bodies of water scare me a little. Confession time – when I’m on a cruise (and I’ve been on sixteen of them), I’m always a bit nervous if I can’t see land.

For an aqua-phobe like me to write about water made no sense. But then I looked at my three finished books and my WIP and saw that she was correct! Every one of my stories contains a strong water related element.

My first book, The Wild Sight has a number of scenes in a marshy area called the fens. These particular fens are connected to the largest fresh water lake in Ireland, Lough Neagh. And if that’s not enough, one of the characters drowns in the lake. Yes, my CP was correct. This book had a ‘watery’ connection.

Book number two was The Treasures of Venice. The story is set in Venice, Italy which is known for… CANALS!

Big DUH moment.

All the characters spend quite a bit of time in boats of every description, motorboats, barges, gondolas. In two key scenes, the hero winds up taking a very chilly dip in a canal. No point in belaboring the obvious any further, this book has a major water element.

Let’s move on to my current release, The Wild Irish Sea. As if the title weren’t a big enough no-brainer, there’s even crashing waves on the cover! Um, look a wee bit lower than that open shirt… See?

Once again, the main characters spend a lot of time in various kinds of boats, row boats, motor boats, even a sail boat. As the title suggests, the sea plays a major role in this story both literally and metaphorically. Not only is the sea wild, but it is also mysterious and dangerous, as well as life giving.

My characters in The Wild Irish Sea also interact with marine mammals, namely seals who play an important part in the story. I’ve always had a fondness for seals and sea lions, and I greatly admire how agile and graceful they are in the water, unlike me. Plus there were all those wonderful Celtic legends about selkies. In case you aren’t familiar with selkie lore, here’s a brief explanation by one of my Irish characters:

Parker shifted his weight to a more comfortable position before he admitted, “Actually, I’m not even sure what a selkie is. Can you fill me in?

The teen looked askance, like he couldn’t believe a grown man could be so ignorant. “Why they’re seals, of course. Enchanted ones who can shed their skins and look like humans." He crossed his arms and huffed out a dismissive breath. “Can’t believe someone named O’Neill never heard of selkies. Even if ya are a Yank.”

“Clearly my education has been sadly lacking,” Parker said, sorting out this newly discovered information. “Why would a selkie want to be human?

Connor’s brow furrowed, as if he’d never considered such a question. “I expect they’re curious. Or maybe even bored. The thing is, if you find their selkie skin and hide it, they can’t turn back. They’re stuck in human form, but they pine for the sea forever"

Parker made a sour face. “Too tragic. Nope, definitely don’t want to be a selkie."

The boy appeared unconvinced.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little glimpse into my watery stories, especially my new release The Wild Irish Sea. Have you read other books with references to water in them? What are some objects or motifs that your favorite authors use?

Past and Proper Perspectives

2010-08-28T00:12:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it, I have a hard time keeping things in perspective sometimes. I'm amazed at how easily I can forget how far I've come and how much I've accomplished in the past few years.

Ten years ago, I was working in a stressful job that I hated, but I knew I had to do it for a certain length of time for my eventual retirement. I had twenty-six people working under me, and several of them resented me and were determined to make me look bad. A few were even openly hostile. My boss didn't support me, and the employees knew it and would whine to her if they didn't like a decision I made. I worked 40+ hours every week and had to play office politics for far too many of those hours. I found myself with very little time to do any of the things I enjoyed.

UGH!
GRIM! GRIM!! GRIM!!!

Five years ago, I no longer had my stressful day job.

YAY!

True, I had very little money, but my time was my own to do what I liked to do (writing). However, I was struggling to find an agent, a publisher... anyone who would read my manuscripts. I felt like I was beating my head against a wall and getting nowhere.

Eventually (about four years ago), all that changed. DOUBLE YAY!!

I finaled in a couple of contests and I SOLD A BOOK!

Today, I have three published books on the shelf and they've each sold thousands of copies. Not as many as I'd like, but certainly more than I ever dreamed possible ten, or even five years ago! Not all has been going smoothly in my writing life these past few months, so I need to stop and remind myself of all the things that have gone RIGHT.

Do you have any methods or tricks you use to keep things in their proper perspectives? I'd love to hear them!

Old Book, New Review

2010-08-23T15:33:00.000-07:00

It's always a thrill when new readers "discover" my books. While it is true that none of them have been around that long, the very nature of publishing and promotion has forced me to move my focus to each new book as it is released. So a few weeks ago, I was very pleased to discover a new review of The Wild Sight!

The lovely Diana at Book of Secrets discovered my books when she started a "reading challenge" to read books set in Ireland or that had Irish characters. Here's part of what she had to say in her 4.5 heart review:

"I loved this book! I was captivated from the first page until the end. This enthralling story was a perfect blend of romantic suspense, paranormal romance, mystery and even some Irish history - all of my favorite genres. The author has a talent for describing a place in rich details where I could easily picture myself there too. She avoids postcard perfect descriptions of Ireland, but rather gives us the beauty and charm combined with the sometimes harsh reality of daily life....

"...The plot is fast-paced and full of twists and turns that will hold your attention. Fans of paranormal romance and romantic suspense will be pleased with this book. Highly recommended!"

THANK YOU, Diana! I'm so glad you enjoyed The Wild Sight, (to read the entire review, just click on the title of this blog post) and hope you like my other two equally as well.

If you'd like to find out more about the Ireland Challenge go here: http://booksandmovies.colvilleblogger.com/ireland-challenge-2010/

Arches

2010-08-19T17:54:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, the DH and I took a little jaunt to celebrate our anniversary. This time around we stayed pretty close to home, only a few states away. We went to Arches National Park near Moab, Utah and close to the Utah/Colorado border.

As anyone who knows Aunty will attest, she is NOT an outdoorsy type. But the sights at Arches were just too spectacular to view strictly from the car window. Within an hour of our arrival in the park, I actually found myself doing something I literally had not done in years --HIKING! But there was just no other way to see these fabulous rock formations, which are unlike anything I've ever seen anywhere else.

Here are a few of my piccies so you can see what I mean:

The Windows

One of the most famous formations in Arches National Park. Individually they are the South Window (on the left in this picture) and the North Window. They, and all the other fantastic rock formations in the park are the result of wind and water erosion over hundreds of thousands of years.

To put the size of the Windows into perspective, here's the DH (all 6 feet 5 inches or 1.97 meters of him) standing in the middle of the South Window.

I'm standing about 100 yards down the hill so that I can fit the whole thing in. And yes, it was a stunning day, as evidenced by the clouds and blue sky behind the South Window.

Delicate Arch

Probably the most photographed and therefore the most famous of all the formations in Arches is this one. Also called "Bloomers" or "Cowboy Chaps" for obvious reasons. I viewed it from a very long distance and let the DH hike the extremely steep three mile trail for a closer look.

Delicate Arch stands 52 feet (or 16 meters) tall, and sits all by itself on the edge of a rocky plateau in the absolute middle of nowhere. This photo does not do the bright red and orange coloring of the arch justice. It is absolutely striking (even through binoculars down in the parking lot)!

Landscape Arch

This is the longest arch in the park, and I'll have to take DH's word that this is it. Once again, I stayed behind and read a book while he make the arduous hike through the Devil's Garden to view this arch and the other formations. It does look like the other pictures I've seen of it, so I guess I can trust his word that this is the genuine article.

One of the rangers told us that ten or fifteen years ago, a piece of rock cracked and fell from the center of Landscape Arch. Luckily it happened at a time when very few tourists were around and nobody was hurt!

The Three Gossips

Finally, a formation that is not an arch. The guide book described these gigantic pillars that look like over-sized human figures as the Three Gossips. I personally thought they resembled the Three Wise Men of New Testament fame. Or perhaps three ancient Egyptian dieties.

The park is full of pillar type formations. Some of them were undoubtedly arches whose middles collapsed. Other formations look like giant ships or castles. I won't bore you with any more of my less-than stellar photos. If you check Google Images, you'll see many fabulous ones.

Better yet, take a trip to Arches National Park yourself. Aunty guarantees you won't regret it!

First Kisses

2010-08-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

Here's a blog I'm especially fond of because it deals with a subject I enjoy: First Kisses! This post originally appeared on Moonlight, Lace, and Mayhem as part of my blog tour for The Treasures of Venice.

Recently one of my critique partners and I were discussing favorite scenes in books, what we liked and why we liked them. After throwing out a few and analyzing our choices, my CP came to the conclusion that she consistently liked scenes where the hero and heroine kiss for the first time. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I liked those scenes too! I loved reading them and writing them.

Unfortunately, the details of Aunty’s very first kiss are somewhat blurry. It was so very, very long ago… (I think, perhaps, it may have been Og and he hit me over the head with his club before he dragged me by my hair, hence the faulty recollection.) But I have very fond memories of first kisses from special ‘dates’ over the years. Usually the anticipation of those kisses proved more enjoyable than the actually lip contact, but AH! – the build-up!

Maybe that is why first kisses in fiction make such enjoyable scenes? The author can take her time building up all that wonderful tension between the hero and heroine and the actual moment of contact never has to be disappointing. Unlike real life, no clubbing, hair-pulling, bad breath, or tangling of tooth braces need ever happen! The author can revise and reinvent to her heart’s content, and the reader can savor all the lovely anticipation as many times as she wants.

Since my new release, The Treasures of Venice has a dual storyline and two sets of lovers, I got to have all the fun of writing the ‘first kiss’ scene twice! Here is the first kiss between my contemporary hero, Keirnan Fitzgerald, and my heroine, Samantha Lewis:

She stopped abruptly and pulled her hand away. Keirnan followed her gaze across the street where white letters on a green cloth awning proclaimed “Bello Giardino.” Window boxes filled with pink and yellow primroses decorated the front of the four-story hotel.

“Looks like we’re here.”

His libido suddenly over-rode his conscience, and urged him to do more than walk away.

Impossibly bad timing! He fought back the urge.

“Thank you again for being such a good sport, Samantha.”

When had he raised his hand? But he must have because it was poised next to her face. Of their own volition, his fingers cupped her cheek. Her smooth skin felt overheated in the cool air. Those ten thousand volts sizzled up his arm and made his pulse hammer.

“And I meant what I said back there on the Bridge of Sighs. He’s a fool. You’re better off without him.” And me.

Though shock flickered across her expressive eyes, she said nothing, the tip of her tongue moistening her bottom lip His hand moved from her cheek to cradle the back of her head, the silky strands of her hair flowing over and through his fingers. He lowered his head and slanted his mouth across hers, his own tongue lightly following the path of hers. She tasted warm and sweet. But without warning, the painted image of Serafina Lombardo flashed behind his closed eyes.

Saints in heaven, he was losing it! Keirnan pulled back and dropped his hand, but instead of releasing her as he’d intended, he grasped her hand and raised it toward his mouth.

“Take care, Samantha, luv,” he murmured and pressed his lips lightly against her palm.

Blood roared in his ears, but somehow he managed to drop her hand before he made an even bigger and far more stupid blunder.

And here is the first kiss between my Renaissance couple, Serafina and Nino:

Nino paced the open space in front of the bench. His graceful movements made her think of dancing. Who had he danced with during Carnevale?

“Well, he was right about the Doge’s niece.”

Serafina shifted her voluminous skirts so that he could sit next to her on the bench. He hesitated for a moment before he sat down.

“Maybe so, but he should not have poked fun at you.”

“I…” As at the cemetery isle, warmth seemed to radiate from him to her. “…don’t mind. Besides, I may not have a wart on my nose, but my jaw is too square and my mouth is too small.”

She repeated the faults her mother so frequently pointed out, except she never should have mentioned mouth. The instant she spoke the word, her eyes immediately went to his.

She watched in fascination as his lips parted and he spoke. “Your mouth looks perfect to me.”

“Not…” Her hand moved of its own accord. “…so perfect as yours.” Her fingers lightly brushed across his cheek and traced the edge of his lower lip. “Yours feels so soft.”

Serafina lifted her face and his warm smooth lips touched hers. The unexpected contact jolted them apart.

“Forgive me!” Nino leaped to his feet.

“Kiss me again,” she whispered, pulling him back down beside her.

Now THAT is a woman after Aunty’s own heart! I’ll bet she could even handle Og.

What about you? Care to share some memorable first kisses, either your own or fictional?

Exotic Settings

2010-08-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

With my latest blog tour behind me, I've decided to "recycle" a few of my guest blog posts here (from all three of my 'tours'), especially posts that I felt didn't receive a wide audience.

I'll start with one I wrote for my most recent tour for The Wild Irish Sea (though all three of my books figure in it) about my exotic settings.
Everyone who knows me, or who has looked at my website or one of my blogs, knows I’m a travel fanatic. I’m always on the go to some new place foreign, domestic, or sailing off on yet another cruise (sixteen so far with number seventeen booked for November). I’ve always had the yen to see new and exotic locations, but my dream finally started to come true in the mid 1990s when my DH overcame his twenty year fear of flying.

Once he cleared that not-inconsiderable hurtle, we became a pair of traveling fools! At last count, we have visited 47 states and 32 foreign countries. I believe that travel broadens a person’s outlook in a way that few things can. I’ve discovered fun and fascinating things in almost every place I’ve ever visited, and almost everywhere I’ve been I have met lovely, friendly people.

Before I became the traveling fool, I loved to read books with exotic settings and enough lush details that I felt I was right there with the characters. Mary Stewart was one of my favorite authors who was a master at this. Whether you were on a Greek Island or a cottage in the English countryside, you were right there experiencing the sights, smells, and feel of the flora, fauna, views, and everything else surrounding the characters. Diana Gabaldon is another author whose settings are so real I feel like I’ve been in the Scottish highlands, or onboard a wooden sailing ship, or in a log cabin. When I decided to seriously commit myself to writing with the intent to publish, I wanted my novels to have settings that put the reader firmly in the place with my characters. Fortunately, by then I’d been to a lot of wonderful places and soaked up plenty of experiences that I could draw upon for authenticity in my writing. But one thing I never know is what will come in handy, or turn up in my prose.

For example, the childhood home of my hero in The Wild Sight was actually the house where my DH’s grandmother was born and raised. It still remains in the family and I remember the first time I saw it, I kept thinking about raising ten children in two rooms and a loft with no running water or electricity! Here’s a peek at the house as I described it in an opening chapter of The Wild Sight:

“…Rylie looked around the room, which was dominated by an enormous stone fireplace that had once served for both cooking and warmth. She peeked through the open doorway into the adjoining room, where the same fireplace had a second hearth. …

“Cold seeped from the flat gray stones of the floor through the rubber soles of her sneakers, a testament to the uncomfortable reality Donovan had mentioned earlier….

“…He motioned to a steep set of stairs build into the wall behind the front door. ‘My sister and I slept in the loft, same as my mother and her sister had done… The roof was thatch when my mum and Aunt Fee were little, but my grandfather replaced it with tin.’”

I’ve always thought Venice was one of the most unique, atmospheric, and romantic cities in the world. It was a no-brainer for me to set one of my books in such an exotic but at the same time recognizable location.

I’ve only visited Venice once, but it was a very memorable three days. I always keep travel journals where ever I go along with photographs. So even though it had been several years since I’d been in Venice, when I sat down to write, after a few hours of pouring over my photos and journal entries, I was instantly transported back. Here’s a scene from the book that eventually became The Treasures of Venice based on a late night walk my DH and I took through the streets of La Serenissima:

“It was eerily dark out on the street… Mist hung in wet wispy spirals over the water, and deeper shadows pooled in the darkness beside buildings. The chilly dampness distorted sounds so that the creaking of wood and slapping of water seemed to come from living entities….

“Sam followed as Keirnan snaked his way down a tight path right next to the water. The four and five story buildings on either side of the minor canal blotted out all light….

“Another diminutive bridge, this one with iron railings, arched up next to them where another canal intersected the one they followed. Instead of crossing, Keirnan crawled down next to the footings, then motioned her to join him.… A pale light filtered down from a second story window to reveal a profusion of orange peels and cigarette butts floating in the nearly motionless canal…. Sam scooted slightly to one side and noticed the building had a yawning mouth of black water where the first floor would have been.”

Sometimes places that aren’t actually in the location I’m writing about fit into the story so beautifully that I take ‘artistic license and put them in anyway. This was the case with my current release The Wild Irish Sea. When the hero and heroine discover a sea cave being used by a colony of seals, I remembered a couple of visits I’d paid to Sea Lion Caves on the Oregon coast and was inspired to include my impressions (especially of the smell!) even if the actual cave was far away from the Irish coast:

“Nearly overcome by the stench, Amber followed Kevin inside the cave without further protest. After climbing down and around a pointy sentinel of rock, they were out of the rain. She heaved a sigh of relief and almost choked on the over-powering odor.

“They scrambled over a few more jutting rocks onto a stone ledge. A large pool of water spread below, and on the sandy shore opposite their perch lolled dozens of seals…. More than half seemed to be babies and the cave echoed with their cries.

“Trying not to breathe too deeply, she leaned an elbow against an upright boulder and surveyed the interior. The shelf where they stood appeared to be the only flat spot on their side of the rocky cavern, and it looked too high for the sea lions in the pool to climb up.”

So whether it’s a tiny cottage in the Irish countryside, a Venetian canal, or a mysterious sea cave full of seals, I hope I’ve given you some insight into the way I use my travels to create exotic settings for my books.

Rita and Golden Heart Awards

2010-07-28T16:30:00.000-07:00

The Romance Writers of America's annual conference starts TODAY and ends on Saturday night with their big awards ceremony. Awards are given in several categories for published authors (the Rita) and unpublished authors (the Golden Heart). Having been a finalist in the Golden Heart once, I know how exciting it can be! (for a list of all the Rita finalists just click on the title of this blog post)

I'm sorry that I won't be in attendance this year, because I have five good friends who are finalists in the Rita and Golden Heart and I'd love to be there to cheer them on. But even if I can't be part of the excitement that is going on in Orlando even as I type, I wanted to give a shout-out and special good luck wishes to these five finalist.

My Bandita Beth Andrews whose book A Not-So-Perfect Past is up for a Rita in the Contemporary Series Romance category. Beth and I both made our first sales very close together. Her stories have engaging characters and lots of genuine emotions. I'd love to see her become the first of the Banditas to bring home that lovely silver statue!

Tina Ferraro is nominated in the Young Adult Romance category for her book The ABC's of Kissing Boys. I was lucky enough to make Tina's acquaintance way back in the days when we were both struggling AYUs (As Yet Unpublished) and she helped me a lot when I was writing the story that became The Treasures of Venice. Not only did she read first draft chapters for me, but she took a whole slew of pictures of San Michele En Isola when she was vacationing in Venice, and sent them to me! She was also my roomie at my very first RWA National in Reno in 2005 shortly after she'd just made her first sale. Tina's YA books are brimming with adorable characters in very real situations and I'd love to be cheering on my true blue friend in person.

Brenda Novak is a chaptermate of mine and one of the nicest people I've ever met, not to mention her tons of enthusiasm and generosity! She's always willing to share her time and knowledge of writing with aspiring and fledgling authors (like the fantastic cover quote she gave moi for The Treasures of Venice). Plus there's the incredible effort she makes every year toward research for juvenile diabetes. I'll admit I haven't yet read her Romance Novella finalist On a Snowy Christmas, but Brenda is a wonderful writer and she deserves to win just on her reputation alone!

Now for my two friends who are nominated (neither for the first time) for Golden Hearts:

My Bandita KJ Howe is probably the only person I know who has visited more exotic places than I have! Honestly, I am bewildered that KJ hasn't won several Golden Hearts already and been multi-published because she is a fantastic suspense writer! She's a finalist this year in Contemporary Series Suspense/Adventure and I'll have every digit crossed that she brings home "the gold!"

Keli Gwyn is also a chaptermate of mine and another genuinely nice person! I happen to know and admire how hard she has worked at perfecting her craft and building her author-presence. Her wonderful blog Romance Writers on the Journey showcases new authors and is just one example of Keli's generosity and commitment to all romance writers. She is nominated for a Golden Heart in the Inspiration Romance category with a manuscript that has been burning up the contest circuit all over RWA and should definitely be rewarded, along with its author, with a win and a fat publishing contract!

So there you have my admittedly very biased choices for a few of the Rita/Golden Heart winners in this year's competition. Do you have any favorites who are nominated for awards? I'd love to hear about them!

Parties, Contests, and More

2010-07-18T16:49:00.000-07:00

My in-person launch party for The Wild Irish Sea was last Sunday and a fun time was had by all! I saw lots of friends, many for the first time in a very long time, and made a few new ones. We ate plenty of yummy pizza and chocolate cake, along with a special treat -- two packages of Tim Tams! I managed to get one from each box, but they didn't last long.

After my horrible week, it was so nice to have something positive happen. I was also gratified that every person who had already read TWIS told me how much they loved Parker and wanted to read his story.

I was also happy that most everyone had found a copy of the book at Barnes and Noble or ordered it from Amazon. Unfortunately, it appears that Borders in my area are not stocking it. BOO! HISS!

But BIG THANX to Venus (one of my lovely followers on this blog) for sending me this very cool picture of The Wild Irish Sea on the shelf in the Barnes and Noble in Honolulu! I only wish she had put her own smiling face in the piccie. Or better yet, that I could go there, see the book for myself, and take my own photo of Venus. If anyone else out there has seen TWIS in your neighborhood bookstore, or even on your own shelf, PLEASE email me a photo! I'd love to post it here on the blog!

Finally, because good things really do come in threes, last Friday I received an exciting phone call from the Georgia Romance Writers chapter of RWA. The Treasures of Venice is a finalist in their published Maggie Award contest! I'm so surprised and thrilled to be a finalist. Thrilled because not only is this a prestigious contest, but the Maggie award itself is a beautiful sterling silver pendant. Surprised because the contest doesn't have a romantic suspense category and I had to enter in the single title category and thought there was NO WAY I would final. Goes to show how wrong I can sometimes be!

So now it's YOUR TURN! Share some of your good news with me!

In a Crazy Daze!

2010-07-14T22:13:00.000-07:00

The Wild Irish Sea officially hit the shelves last week, but I've been a crazy frenzy of blog tour, personal crises, and heat exhaustion to the point that I haven't been able to enjoy anything.

BOO! HISS!

That old saying couldn't be more accurate -- When it rains, it really does POUR!

Both the DH and I had car problems in the past two weeks. UGH! Nothing worse than having the car just stop running. Mine turned out to be a simple fix, his not so much. But the good news on his car was that it was completely covered under warranty. Still, running back and forth to the mechanic and coordinating times and places and vehicles is a huge hassle.

Plus I've been having some medical issues and was not happy with my primary care physician. Push finally came to shove and I had to go out and find a new doctor. Trying to find someone you trust to provide your medical care is even worse than car problems.

Then, of course, there's my ongoing blog tour that requires me to write NINETEEN insightful and/or witty blog posts in four weeks (not counting my usual blog posts on Romance Bandits and Casablanca Authors). And I'm also obliged to visit the various blogs who are kind enough to let me be a guest. Yes, it's fun but also exhausting. Plus, since I have yet to find a way to quantify the effectiveness of a blog tour, I can't quite escape the nagging feeling that the whole thing is a waste of my time and effort.

What do YOU think? Do you read posts of authors on blog tours? Have you ever purchased a book because you read about it from an author's guest post?

Do you think the fact that it will be 102 degrees (farenheit) for the next three days has upset Aunty's equilibrium?

TODAY'S THE DAY!!!

2010-07-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

It's FINALLY HERE!

Today is the "official" release day for The Wild Irish Sea!

I'm having a launch party over on the Casablanca Author's blog (just click on the title of this post to go there) and I'm giving away a copy of the book. All you have to do is leave a comment for a chance to win.

This is my third book to make it into print, and I have to say that I'm just as thrilled to see this one on the shelf as I was the previous two! I don't think this will ever become 'old hat' for me. Each journey to publication is unique and the final result is sooo gratifying!

I've already heard from two friends this morning that they have seen copies on the shelf at two different local book stores. I'm off this afternoon on my own search. I'll be the one clutching my 'Signed by Author' stickers and grinning like a fool!

If you find The Wild Irish Sea on a shelf anywhere... even in your home, PLEASE send me a photo! I'd love to put some up here on the blog.

More Reviews!

2010-06-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of hearing about The Wild Irish Sea yet?

I hope not because I'm getting more wonderful reviews and I just have to share some of them. Besides, it's MY blog and I'll do what I wanna! (Boy, has this heat wave made me cranky.) LOL!

Yesterday, I was a guest on My Book Addiction and More and was so thrilled that Wendy gave me this terrific review: "I have to say first that I wasn’t sure I’d truly enjoy this story. That was until I began reading. Then I hated to stop for any reason. The story completely pulls you in...The story is deeply moving, enchanting and so wonderfully written you’ll honestly hate to turn that last page. I highly recommend THE WILD IRISH SEA to all readers."

You can read the entire review here: http://mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/the-wild-irish-sea-by-loucinda-mcgary-a-review/

Long and Short of It Reviews gave The Wild Irish Sea 4 1/2 books and a glowing review that will undoubtedly be one of my favorites for years to come: "...a captivating story that snares the reader, captures the interest, and steals the heart. Author Loucinda McGary has written a book that is so unique and unforgettable that once you start reading, you will be unable to stop. ...Fantastical elements aside, this is a book about people, relationships, and hope, and Ms. McGary never allows you to forget that. Well written and fast paced -- with tons of action, steam, and suspense -- you’ll soar through The Wild Irish Sea and finish before you’re ready."

Here's the entire review: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/wild-irish-sea-by-loucinda-mcgary.html

And finally, I haven't actually seen the magazine yet, but one of my Banditas shared the 4 STAR REVIEW that RT Book Club gave The Wild Irish Sea: "... In McGary's richly drawn novel, the mystery will keep the pages turning, while the romance will warm the heart. Readers will thrill to believe in magic and most of all, in the magic of love that will conquer all."

Okay, that's enough for now. If you absolutely MUST hear more about The Wild Irish Sea, you can join me at any or all of my blog tour stops.

Better yet, give me YOUR review of the book!

Author Copies & Shirtless Hunks

2010-06-27T21:33:00.000-07:00

I received my author copies a few days ago, and Amazon says they are shipping copies, which means that The Wild Irish Sea should be showing up on bookstore shelves any day now! Yes, it's over a week early, but the same thing happened with The Treasures of Venice.

So please, if you DO see the book on a store shelf, LET ME KNOW! And I'd really appreciate it if you would pass the word along.

I will admit that I am not as thrilled as I have been the other two times I received my author copies. Yes, the book looks BEAUTIFUL! Even more than the jpeg... However, I was surprised to see that my publisher changed the back cover copy and didn't tell me. The new back cover doesn't make any mention of paranormal elements or mental telepathy, which I believe are crucial ingredients in this story. I'm afraid that readers who LIKE paranormal elements might not buy the book, and I'm even more afraid that readers who do NOT like anything paranormal will buy the book and be disappointed.

Here is the new back cover copy, and I'd LOVE your opinion:

Drawn to a force he can't resist...
Former police officer Kevin Hennessey is running from his past-choosing to battle smugglers instead of dealing with his personal demons. When a desperate, rain-drenched American woman appears on his doorstep with wild tales of danger, Kevin is drawn to helping her, despite his reservations...

She never saw him coming...
Amber O'Neill knew without a doubt that her brother was in mortal danger. Rushing heedlessly to the rocky shores of Ireland, Amber was stunned to find her rescue mission derailed by a gorgeous, but deeply flawed Irishman...

The tumultuous sea, the intertwined fates of the coastal villagers, and unearthly tales of a hidden selkie prince bring Kevin and Amber together in a connection of mind, body, and soul that neither can deny...

I also received another wonderful review from Kay at Pudgy Penguin Reviews: "Once again Loucinda McGary managed to mentally transport me to Ireland entertaining me along the way with a little bit of romance, mixed in with a few dangerous characters and some magical elements. Let's just say I'll never look at a seal again with the same feelings. Are they really seals? Some of it may have been a stretch of the imagination, but it still made for a fun story."

However, she wasn't very enthusiastic about my cover (and neither were several of her commenters): Despite the book having one of "those" covers, I did enjoy it. Honestly, the cover would have grabbed me just with the spume beating against the rocks and the thatched cottage in the background.

I will admit that she is not the first reader who disliked the "shirtless hunks" on my covers. People either seem to LOVE them or HATE them. Once again, I would love to have your opinion!

Please tell Aunty what you think of book covers with shirtless hunks?

Big Bad Blog Tour for TWIS

2010-06-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been incommunicado for a couple of weeks... More about that later.

But now I'm gearing up for my blog tour for The Wild Irish Sea which will be releasing in
15 more days!

ACK!!!

Of course, the good news is that I'll be all over the blog-o-sphere for three or four weeks giving away copies of The Wild Irish Sea to those who take mercy on me and leave comments. Plus I'll be posting some occasional excerpts starting on the Casablanca Authors blog (click on the title of this post to go there) on the 22nd. But then, if you join my newsletter group you'll get LOTS of excerpts... but I digress, as usual.

Here are the stops on my Big Bad Blog Tour for The Wild Irish Sea:

June 25 Much Cheaper Than Therapy
June 29 My Book Addiction and More
June 30 Mama Writers
July 2 Launch Party on Romance Bandits and
Wendy's Minding Spot
July 5 Anna's Book Blog
July 6 Launch Party on Casablanca Authors and
Literary Escapism
July 7 Romance Writers Revenge
July 8 Fresh Fiction
July 9 The Romance Dish
July 12 Romance Reader at Heart's Novel Thoughts
July 13 Martha's Bookshelf
July 14 Thoughts in Progress
July 16 Paranormal Romantic Suspense Reviews
July 18 Regular blog day on Romance Bandits
July 19 Book of Secrets
July 21 Sia McKye's Thoughts Over Coffee
July 22 Book Junkie
July 26 Romance Junkies

WHEW! I'll be a busy little blogger, but I do have a few "holes" in the tour. If you have a blog and would like to interview me or have me visit as a guest (and give away a copy of The Wild Irish Sea) PLEASE LET ME KNOW!

6 Things about TWIS

2010-06-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!!!

The wait for the release of The Wild Irish Sea is almost over! It is scheduled to hit the bookstore shelves on July 6th in one short month.

So far, I received some lovely, positive reviews, and I'm thrilled that readers are enjoying this story. What do they love? Here are a few things:

Kevin Hennessey -- Okay, what's not to love about a tough, but vulnerable Irish hunk of a hero?
Parker O'Neill -- I knew the heroine's twin brother was going to steal some hearts as soon as he burst onto the pages of the story and started stealing scenes.
Ronan Lafferty -- This wee little lad may be only eight years old, but he already shows the makings of a potential Irish hunk, just give him another dozen years or so...
Those big brown eyed seals -- What can I say? I'm a sucker for adorable animals.
That adorable cottage by the sea -- I always wanted to live in one of those, so putting my hero and heroine in one was the next closest thing.
All those cute Irish sayings and scrumptious brogues -- Honestly, even curse words sound good with an Irish lilt!

I'll stop for now but I hope those 6 things intrigued you and gave you something to look forward to when you read The Wild Irish Sea.