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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Posted by: Author | May 11, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

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Posted by: Author | May 10, 2011

Graduation, ACT and Migraine

We had a busy week in my family last week. #1 son graduated from architecture school in Ft. Lauderdale. It’s a five year degree and they have one year of graduate level classes. They don’t get a master’s degree though- how odd is that?  Anyway, #1 son was one of only 4 of his graduating class of 30 to get an award. His was a research award for graduate level thesis work. He got a certificate and a book for the award.  The spouse and I, along with my mother, traveled down to see the awards ceremony and the graduation. This is the kid most like me- driven and type A.

In the meantime, #2 son stayed home with my father as he had to take his Advanced Placement tests for this school year. He’s a junior in high school.  He got his ACT scores this week- he made a 30 overall with a 34 in the English section- this score is in the top 98% in Fla and 96% nationwide- but guess what? He’s not satisfied. He wants to take it again. To get at least a 34. Geez. 36 is the best you can get.  What the heck is the deal? His 30 would get him in anywhere he might want to go. AND this is supposed to be my laid back kid. Who is this boy?

And lastly, migraine. I hate and despise migraine headaches. I’ve been cursed by them my whole life and got hit with a whammy of one while down south for the graduation. I missed one of the celebratory luncheons but decided I couldn’t or should I say, shouldn’t, embarass the kiddo by vomiting in front of the whole restaurant so I stayed at his apartment and lolled about. I absolutely hate it when these things hit. They’re debilitating and make me miserable. Crying does no good but I always seem to think it will. I had to get on a plane home with it and that was awful, too. When I got home finally, as I staggered out of the airport, one of my favorite local policemen was there at the security gate. He hugged me and was nice enough not to tell me I looked like the hell I felt.  LOL!  Gotta love friends that let you keep the delusion! 

Everything has settled down now and I feel better. Looking forward to the weekend, though!

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Posted by: Author | May 6, 2011

Friday Facts- May 6, 2011- Boca Raton

For the last five years, my son has lived in Boca Raton, Florida as he attended college at Florida Atlantic University. He graduated yesterday with a degree in architecture (a five year program)- I’m very proud of him as he had a full scholarship and did quite well. But enough bragging. This is Friday Facts after all, not Friday Sentimentalities.

Today’s fact is Boca Raton. It is a town on the East Coast of Florida. The word Boca in Spanish is mouth and is used to describe an inlet. Raton is Spanish for mouse.  The Spanish sailors that first came to Florida used the term mouse to describe the small rocks that scraped their ships’ hulls. So, Boca Raton basically means Rocky Inlet.  The original area that the Spanish referred to was Biscayne Bay near Miami Beach but sometime in the early nineteenth century, the name mistakenly was  used to refer to the current Lake Boca Raton. The name thus migrated northward by some forty odd miles. The actual city of Boca Raton was founded in 1925.

That area of my state is much different than where I live. It’s much more tropical. My son’s first impressions was that there were no trees there.  He’s right. The city is lovely with its palm trees but it can’t hold a candle to the panhandle with all the pines, oaks and lush vegetation. Here’s a picture of him on the beach-

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Posted by: Author | May 5, 2011

Character Interview with Viktor Bacau

Today I  have with me the wonderfully handsome Viktor Bacau. He’s a character in The Wolf’s Torment by Strphanie Burkhart which released on May 1, 2011 from Desert Breeze Publlishing.  I was lucky enough to read this book as an ARC and let me tell you, the title is appropriate.  My heart hurt for poor Viktor. It was an excellent story but I did feel angst for Viktor- I think that’s a sign of a great book-  Way to go, Steph!  Without further ado, let’s get to the man of the day.

VIKTOR: Thank you for having me.

JILLIAN: How did you meet Mihai?

VIKTOR:  In London. We both went to University together. When my brother stopped sending my tuition, Mihai gave me his spending money to help. Mihai studied politics and I studied journalism. Our favorite place to go was “Saxon’s Tavern” on Friday nights. The ale was good and the food hearty. We were young, but leaned and laughed a lot.

JILLIAN: What did you think of Sonia when you met her? What was your first impression?

VIKTOR: Sonia is Mihai’s sister. I thought she was Aphrodite personified. I had a very physical reaction to her. My heart beat faster and I had to wipe the sweat off my hands onto my pants – very casually without drawing attention. That was a challenge. I waned her to think I was a gentleman. Once we started talking and I learned how generous she was and how she enjoyed nursing, I discovered what made her beautiful on the outside was her inner beauty.

JILLIAN: Describe Sonia on your wedding day. What did she look like? What was your first thought when you saw her enter the chapel?

VIKTOR: Sonia and I are Orthodox, so the ceremony is very involved. To begin, the wedding party gathers in the vestibule where the rings are exchanged. When I first saw Sonia in her wedding dress, simple, yet elegant, my heart fluttered. The dress went down to her ankles and had a long sleeves. It was decorated with lace and pearls. Her father presented her to me and Mihai exchanged our rings. The happiness of that day will forever linger in my heart.

JILLIAN: What is a traditional wedding meal in Moldavia? What was your favorite part of the day?
VIKTOR: My favorite part of the day was the wedding night! My second favorite part was when I crowned Sonia. She knelt before me in front of the altar and I placed the marriage crown on her head. In that moment she was mine. For our wedding meal, we had a roasted lamb, crepes, and Tuica, a Romanian plum brandy.

JILLIAN: Where did you go on your honeymoon? What was the favorite part of the trip?
VIKTOR: I look Sonia to Odessa, in the Ukraine. I wanted to show her the Potemkin Stairs and show off our beautiful city, but our honeymoon was a disaster. There is little for me to cherish. The only happiness we shared was our first night on the boat. Despite Sonia’s illness, I was delighted to discover she was carrying my child.

JILLIAN: Are you hoping for a girl or a boy?

VIKTOR: A boy.

Visit the Book Trailer on You Tube and give it a ‘like’ at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzHE2spBeeU

The Wolf’s Torment is available as an ebook only on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Sony Ereader. Formats include: PDF, html, and epub which can be found on the Publisher’s Website at:

http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-163/Stephanie-Burkhart-Moldavian-Moon/Detail.bok

About the Author: Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. She also served as an MP in the US Army. Multi-published, she has a children’s book, “The Giving Meadow” with 4RV Publishing. She’s an avid reader , loves coffee in the morning, and her favorite movie “werewolf” is David Thewlis, Lupin from Harry Potter

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Posted by: Author | May 4, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

By the way, it’s my monthly appearance at Over the BackYard Fence. Come help me celebrate May. http://llblog2010.wordpress.com/

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Posted by: Author | May 2, 2011

Reading and Being Anal

I started reading a new book this weekend and I really love the author’s voice and her imagery. One of the reviews said it was very Dickensian and it really is. The villains are people you love to hate and the good people are ones that you can truly root for their lives to improve.  The thing that is driving me mental is the math error in the beginning of the book.  If it’s not a math error, it’s a typo or a historical fact error.  Anyway, the prologue is dated Paris, 1765 and the heroine is 5 years old. She meets the Dauphine (Marie Antoinette) on her way to Versailles and the prologue says the Dauphine was about 10 years older than the heroine.

Chapter one is titled September, 1781. Sixteen years after the prologue. BUT THE HEROINE IS DESCRIBED AS BEING 16. Ok. NO!! That ain’t right.  And as the book goes on, the error is compounded. She thinks back two years to when she was 14 and then two years later, she’s 18.  By my calculation, 5 plus 16 is 21.  HELLO?? How was this not caught by someone?

Then we come to historical accuracy.  Marie Antoinette was born in 1755 in Austria. She was sent to France at age 14 which would have been 1769. A much better year for our heroine to have been 5, right?  Closer to being 16 in 1781, right??  So, which is it? A typo or a math error?  Either way, it’s sending me over the edge.

Other than that, I can recommend the book. It’s called The Queen’s Dollmaker. It’s by Christine Trent.  I think it’s a wonderful story.

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