Posted by: Author | May 24, 2011

“The Cellar”- a Review

This weekend, I read a zombie YA book called The Cellar – I enjoyed it. It was a fun little read.  The characters were acting out Romeo and Juliet as the school play. There was an element of the play as well in the plot of the  book as a whole- the star-crossed lovers with family issues. I enjoyed the  heck out of that Shakespeare tie in. 

There were definitely some icky scenes but what zombie story doesn’t have them? This book is by A.J. Whitten and it’s a quick read. If you like stories about monsters and also like Shakespeare, this is one for you. 

This book reminds me of a band I love called The National.  They have a song called Conversation 16.  One of the lines is “I was afraid I’d eat your brains”   check it out.  It’s a neat song.

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Posted by: Author | May 23, 2011

My Friend, the Psychologist

I spent the afternoon and evening yesterday with my dear friend that’s a retired psychologist whose specialty was treating combat veterans. She’s so amazing and cool. She really makes me think about things. One of the topics of discussion was my WIP based on the Queen Mary. I was telling her how it was whipping my butt and that I felt like it wasn’t going anywhere fast. We moved on to other things and talked about my trip to Los Angeles and Long Beach. Eventually, we got back to how I was feeling like the WIP was dull and unimaginative.

She had great insight as soon as I said that. She tied it all together for my little pea brain. The reason it was kicking my rear is because I knew too much. Having spent two nights on the Queen Mary and taking two tours and getting the real, true layout of where the elevators, dining room, pool, etc were is interfering with my ability to be creative. It’s too concrete.

She said a little research into your place is good but too much stifles the creative juices. So brilliant. Just brilliant.  I’m going to take another stab at it without focusing on all the details and see what I get.  Have I told you I adore her?? 

Corridor on the Queen Mary

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Posted by: Author | May 20, 2011

Friday Facts- May 20, 2011- The Righteous Brothers

I wrote a short story last weekend and part of the inspiration was the Righteous Brothers’ song that has lyrics about “If there’s a rock and roll heaven, you know they have a hell of a band.”  When I got the song stuck in my head, I decided to let you know this Friday Fact about them.

The Righteous Brothers aren’t brothers at all. They started as a multi member band called The Paramours. Eventually, Bill  Medley and Bobby Hatfield split off and made their own “group.”  Betcha you don’t know how they got their name. That info is your Friday Fact this week.  The two of them were onstage singing a duet when they were still in The Paramours. When they finished, a African American marine in the audience stood up and yelled, “that was righteous, brothers.”   AND there you have it.  How awesome is that?

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Posted by: Author | May 19, 2011

A Trend in YA Fiction That Has My Knickers in a Twist

There is a trend in Young Adult fiction that’s driving me over the edge. I like to read YA novels as they are usually quick reads and enjoyable escapism. The last few I picked up, though, have really ticked me off. I work hard to earn my money and I like to buy a book that is a complete story – with a beginning, middle and end. A denouement, if you will. 

I like a series of books as well as the next person. I like to revisit characters from the first story in a series in the second story.  What I don’t like and what is making me quite angry is this trend to not tie up loose ends in the first book in the series. In other words, try to manipulate the reader into being compelled to buy the next book in the series to see how the first one wraps up. I’ve read three YA novels in the last six months that have done just this- ended in media res- to find out how the character gets out of a situation, the reader must buy the next book.  This to me is cheating the reader.

It may be that the book publishers think this is the only way to insure readers for a series of books. Or they may think since kids have some discretionary funds that this is the way to get their dollars without having an adult question why the kid didn’t get a whole book the first time they spent $8.99. 

I say give me a compelling book that solves the problems of the character in a satisfying way and make me want to read the next one because I enjoyed the first one so much that I can’t wait for the second one, don’t try to manipulate me into buying a book. I won’t do it. I haven’t purchased the second ones on any of these and I won’t. I’ll go to the grave not knowing what happened to these characters just on the principal of the matter.

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Posted by: Author | May 18, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

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Posted by: Author | May 17, 2011

Two Things

Yesterday I shared my easy recipe for chicken pot pie at Over the Back Yard Fence,  a group blog where I play a minor role usually once a month on the first Wed of the month. The ladies there are awesome.  Check out one of my kid’s favorite recipes:  http://llblog2010.wordpress.com/

Today is my day of the week on this group blog: http://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/  We have a weekly theme on that blog and this week’s topic is our favorite movie couple. People that know me and know who one of my favorite actors is may be able to guess who it might be. And no, it’s not Alan Rickman.

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Posted by: Author | May 16, 2011

Special Guest, Inspirational Writer, JoAnn Carter

Today I have JoAnn Carter, an inspirational writer with Desert Breeze Publishing. She’s celebrating the release of her book named Paradox. It’s a great cover. Check it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JOANN: This morning while I was lying in bed in the early pre-dawn I heard a bird singing out a beautiful melody. Normally, this would make my heart happy, but then I’d just turn over and try to catch a few more moments of rest. But not today. Today was extra special. Why? Because crazy as this may sound, this little birdie was lifting it’s sweet praises in the midst of a thunderstorm. Amazing! God used two rather “ordinary” things to create and extraordinary experience for me—God showed me something awesome and real—a perfect picture of peace. Thunderclouds rolled in, lighting flashed across the dark gray sky, and rain teamed down the windowpane yet this bird was secure. In fact, it was more than secure, it was full of joy, willing and wanting to sing.

This sends Goosebumps up my spine as I think about it. It’s a paradox and truly a God thing. Especially since this word, paradox, has been near and dear to my heart. In fact, I kid you not; this is the very title of the book that I wanted to share with you today. Yet, perhaps paradox is not a word you’re familiar with, so let me explain. Paradox is flowers on snow, joy in the midst of trials, compassion for others as your own heart breaks. It’s what many of us just celebrated, Easter– Jesus laying down his life for me, someone sinful and undeserving. It’s victory and life born out of death and suffering.

Through this experience, God reminded me that He delights in using those ordinary things to accomplish His marvelous purposes. And that’s super news! If He can use Fishermen, tax collectors, birds, and thunderstorms, I know He can use me—a very average, ordinary person to do extraordinary things for Him. Perhaps you’re feeling “ordinary” today. Take heart, it’s through that very thing that God can show His creativity, His power, and even His love just like He did for me in the midst of this early mornings storm.

 A CONTEST TO HELP ME CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF PARADOX:

Win a gift box filled with goodies! (A paperback copy of Teacher’s Plans, a gift certificate, a mug filled with a package of Green Mountain Coffee, pen and a Tee-shirt.)

How? Help me spread the word about Paradox by sharing the link to this post on your FB, Twitter, blog, etc. then e-mail where you posted it to joannwrites@gmail.com with “Blog Blitz” in the subject line. A winner will be drawn 5/26/11.

JoAnn Carter writes stories that will encourage your faith through inspirational fiction novels and novellas. She resides in Vermont with her wonderful husband and four children.

JoAnn is available for speaking engagements to book clubs, reader groups, library groups, women’s ministries events, school events, and church retreats.

Find her here:

Visit JoAnn’s Web site

Connect with JoAnn on Facebook

JoAnn’s Blog

I hope you’ll be able to pick up a copy of Paradox today @ http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-168/JoAnne-Carter-Paradox/Detail.bok

You can watch the trailer here ~ http://youtu.be/mnOQeNeQuUE

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Posted by: Author | May 13, 2011

Friday Facts- May 13, 2011-First Anniversary

Today is the one year anniversary of this weekly feature called Friday Facts.  Back on August 13, 2010, I talked about the fear of Friday the 13th, triskaidekaphobia,  so you can refer back to that post on the Friday Facts page if you’re curious and I’ll talk about something else today instead.

The traditional gift for a first anniversary is paper or plastic and the modern choice is a clock.  If you’re thinking about getting me a gift to celebrate, I have a crap-ton of paper already. It seems like I have more paper than ever. The Federal court system here went paperless a number of years ago and all pleadings are filed electronically but attorneys are now the custodians of original documents so, there you go, more paper.  I could probably make a formal gown out of the paper we waste in my office every day.

As to plastic, please don’t get me that either. Most of it stays in landfills for eons.  I also have a bunch of those plastic cups that you pick up in restaurants and my spouse and kids love to drink out of them. I am a glass and crystal kind of girl myself.

As to the clock idea, time passes so fast anyway, who wants to watch a clock?  so, in other words, no gifts for me this anniversary. 

Anyway, I hope you’ve enjoyed these Friday Facts for the last year and keep coming back to see what I’m doing here every week.  It’s been fun for me to think about what would be good to share.  Peace out!

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Posted by: Author | May 12, 2011

Sue Perkins- IN THE HOUSE!!

I have Sue Perkins here from Desert Breeze Publishing to chat a bit about her new release, Blitz.  I’m thrilled to have her. It seems she sent me her article and cyber space needed a snack and noshed on it. Not sure if it was my server or hers that was hungry.  I have the trailer posted below in the earlier post today if you want to take a gander at it.  Without further ado, here is Sue:

SUE:

Now my novel Blitz has been released I look back on the research I did to ensure the historical facts were correct. The story was inspired by my parents true life story and while a lot of it is fiction, the setting had to agree with the world of World War II. 

As a writer of fantasy and romance I don’t usually need to do a lot of fact finding. The worlds grow in my mind and eventually become the background scenery to the story. Writing about 20th Century History is another ballgame altogether. 

Instead of whirling along non-stop, skipping bits I found too hard, then going back when I’d worked them out, I had to keep stopping to check on facts. Mostly of the Plymouth settings I’d grown up with, but were they around before and during the war? My grandfather’s name was inscribed on the Plymouth War Memorial but what did the sculpture on the top mean? I’d never thought to find out before – it was just there. 

Luckily there are plenty of websites dedicated to Plymouth, the Second World War and the landmarks of the city. This took care of the earlier part of the story, but continual checking was needed to ensure the settings and facts were correct. 

When I reached the war years it became harder to keep everything straight. The English parts were not too difficult to research. Jack’s sojourn abroad meant making a timeline to keep the fighting and battles in chronological order. Not an easy task as I wanted it to loosely follow my father’s war experiences. This was certainly not easy to weave into the romance between Velma and Jack. 

Velma and Jack’s romance continued despite the hardships and stress involved with living through a war. My research made me feel content, but something wasn’t quite right. I thought back to the time immediately after the war and realized some of the words we use today were not common in pre war Britain or during the war. Words like “okay” were brought over by the American GIs and were only gradually taken up by the British. 

Eventually I made it to those two little – but amazing – words “The End”. Then I had to recheck the dates, places and speech again. Now the book is released I believe it has all been worth it. Not only is this book dedicated to my parents but I believe it is also a book lover of historical fiction will enjoy reading. 

Thank you for inviting me to your blog Jillian. 

Blurb

A summer of love can last forever, but clouds of war darken the horizon. Velma and Jack’s happiness is overshadowed by an uncertain future. Jack must leave to fight the enemy. Velma remains at home and does her best to aid her country. Will they survive and live the future of their dreams? Or will bombs and fighting destroy their lives and love? 

Here is a link to my website where we can read some of my work:

http://www.sueperkinsauthor.com

Or my blog which is a bit more fun:

http://sueperkinsauthor.blogspot.com

Buy link for Blitz is:

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/StoreFront.bok

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Posted by: Author | May 12, 2011

Sue Perkins- “Blitz”

I was supposed to have a guest today but it didn’t work out.  Sue Perkins is a writer with Desert Breeze Publishing and she has a new book out this month. It’s called Blitz.  It takes place during World War II.  I’m posting the trailer, cover and a link to where you can buy this fabulous book.  http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-157/Blitz-Sue-Perkins/Detail.bok

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