My Two Blessings

A to Z Challenge: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

"The Waverleys have always been a curious family, endowed with peculiar gifts that make them outsiders even in their hometown of Bascom, North Carolina. Even their garden has a reputation, famous for its feisty apple tree that bears prophetic fruit, and its edible flowers, imbued with special powers. Generations of Waverleys tended this garden. Their history was in the soil. But so were their futures.

A successful caterer, Claire Waverley prepares dishes made with her mystical plants - from the nasturtiums that aid in keeping secrets and the pansies that make children thoughtful, to the snapdragons intended to discourage the attentions of her amorous neighbor. Meanwhile, her elderly cousin, Evanelle, is known for distributing unexpected gifts whose uses become uncannily clear. They are the last of the Waverleys - except for Claire’s rebellious sister, Sydney, who fled Bascom the moment she could, abandoning Claire, as their own mother had years before.

When Sydney suddenly returns home with a young daughter of her own, Claire’s quiet life is turned upside down - along with the protective boundary she has so carefully constructed around her heart. Together again in the house they grew up in, Sydney takes stock of all she left behind, as Claire struggles to heal the wounds of the past. And soon the sisters realize they must deal with their common legacy - if they are ever to feel at home in Bascom - or with each other."

It always amazes me when I discover a new to me author and get enthralled in a story to learn that he or she is so young. There are times I am reading a story and you get the feeling of a very old soul. One who knows, whose lived a dozen lifetimes. One whose been around a while, been writing forever. The ladies on the Well Trained Mind group have been talking up a storm about Sarah Addison Allen's novels so decided I must read one. Garden Spells is an incredibly charming story with an endearing cast of characters blending magical realism and romance with small town politics and secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed Garden Spells and look forward to reading more of Sarah Addison Allen.

ISBN-13: 9780553384833
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Pages: 320
Excerpt

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday

2012-01-24T17:16:00.000-08:00

Every Tuesday, Diane of Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometimes two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening paragraph. Feel free to grab the banner and play along!

The Passage by Justin Cronin

Before she became the Girl from Nowhere--the One Who Walked in, The First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years--she was just a little girl in Iowa named Amy. Amy Harper Bellafonte.

The day Amy was born, her mother, Jeanette, was nineteen years old. Jeanette named her baby Amy for her own mother, who'd died when Jeanette was little, and gave her the middle name Harper for Harper Lee, the lady who'd written To Kill a Mockingbird, Jeanette's favorite book--truth be told, the only book she'd made it all the way through in high school. She might have named her Scout, after the little girl in the story, because she wanted her little girl to grow up like that, tough and funny and wise, in a way that she, Jeanette, had never managed to be. But Scout was a name for a boy, and she didn't want her daughter to have to go around her whole life explaining something like that."

Nook book while doing Treadmill

Canyons of Night #3 in Looking Glass Trilogy by Jayne Castle

"Charlotte folded her arms on the glass topped sales counter and watched the two feral beasts come through the door of Looking Glass Antiques. One was definitely human, definitely male, and definitely dangerous. The second was a scruffy-looking ball of gray fluff with two bright blue eyes, six small paws, and an attitude. The dust bunny rode on Slade Attridge's shoulder and Charlotte was quite sure that in his own miniature way he could be just as dangerous as hsi human companion. They were both born to hunt, she thought."

Sunday Salon: Editing and emoting!

2012-01-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking of... Davide Restivo

Books that make you think. Workshops that make you think. Lessons that make you think. Is it ever possible to think too much? When my brain overloads, it's time to sit down and watch some mindless television show, let it all stew, then start over again. Last night, I had an epiphany with my story Blue Steel while trying to sleep. So instead of sleeping, worked on the scene in my head. I now have a new Mid Point Crisis which works quite well.

How are my fellow rowers doing? Find out here

The Savvy Authors Workshop Deep Story has been quite simply amazing. Hubby say he thinks I'm learning more with this class than I did while finishing my Bachelor's degree. Maybe. The thing is I can directly apply it to my manuscript and see results. Finally figured out my 18 threshold scene structure once I quite trying to fit every single scene written into it and just deal with the main overall story throughline. Which was the point of the whole exercise in the first place. *facepalm* Sometimes I make things difficult for myself.

Last night I went through all my notes, reorganized and changed some of the plot points to make more sense. Which is probably why my brain had a hard time shutting down for sleep and I ended up writing scenes in my head. Have moved on to next step which is determining what emotions and emotional responses want to provoke in each scene and figuring out what events will trigger each plot point, pinch point, turning point and emotional turning points. Has your brain exploded yet? Will be using The Bookshelf Muse Emotion Thesaurus to help me. Quite a handy resource.

Sir John Edward Poynter "an Evening at Home"

I finished Ahab's Wife Friday night. Yes, I enjoyed it. It's one of those books that leaves you thinking and with the idea you'll want to revisit it because it so full and rich, it takes time to digest. Methinks I'll be getting the hard copy version so I can go back and reread and dissect portions at a time. It's not a light read so you have to be in the mood for it.

This week I'll be starting my c books for the 52 Books A to Z alphabet challenge. The Passage by Justin Cronin and Alafair Burke's Close Case. Will probably start with Cronin's book first which is a chunky book at 784 pages and ought to keep me busy a while. I'm slowly working my way through "Reading Like a Writer" by Francine Prose for writing craft study and just started Chapter 4. Plus I'm listening to J.D. Robb's In Death series in the car and currently on # 5 - Ceremony in Death

So proud of myself. My team mates from Change Write Now have been great incentive and did the treadmill every day last week except for Monday. Three cheers for me!!! Networking though with my fellow rowers was a dismal failure so twenty lashes with a wet noodle. Vowing to do better this week. Still need to type up those last 20 pages so going to seriously try and get that done, if not today, then this week.

Check out Jennifer Blanchard's (formerly procrastinating writers) new site Inky Bites - Nourish your creativity. She always has something wise or helpful to say.

Happy Sunday!

TLC Tour: The Silent Oligarch by Chris Morgan Jones

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Silent Oligarch

Chris Morgan Jones

Synopsis: Deep in the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources sits a nondescript bureaucrat named Konstantin Malin. He draws a nominal government salary but from his shabby office controls half the nation's oil industry, making him one of the most wealthy and feared men in Russia. His public face is Richard Lock, a hapless money launderer bound to Malin by marriage, complacency, and greed. Lock takes the proceeds of his master's corruption, washes them abroad, and invests them back in Russia in a secret business empire. He knows little about Malin's true affairs, but still he knows too much.

Benjamin Webster is an investigator at a London corporate intelligence firm. Years before, as an idealistic young journalist in Russia, Webster saw a colleague murdered for asking too many hard questions of powerful people; her true killers have never been found. Hired to ruin Malin, Webster comes to realize that this shadowy figure might have ordered her gruesome death, and that this case may deliver the justice he has been seeking for a decade.

As Webster peels back the layers of Malin's shell companies and criminal networks, Lock's colleagues begin dying mysteriously, police around the world start to investigate, and Malin begins to question his trust in his increasingly exposed front man. Suddenly Lock is running for his life- though from Malin or Webster, the law or his own past, he couldn't say.

Chris Morgan Jones debut novel in the United Stated The Silent Oligarch was previously published in the UK as An Agent of Deceit. It was interesting story but got off to a slow start with more drama than thrills. It had all the elements of a classic espionage story and though it was well researched and well written, the characters failed to leap off the page. I like my stories with a bit more emotion and heart pounding, nail chewing suspense and unfortunately it was lacking. All the elements were there, just didn't quite hit the mark.

Be sure to check out the rest of the tour and find out other thoughts and experiences about the story.

Other thoughts: (uk version An Agent of Deceit)

It's a Crime:
"This is a very solid debut from Morgan Jones and one in which he achieves a rare thing: making the machinations of the backroom boys intriguing. And on this outing, I suspect his further novels will be even better."

Hugh Carnegy of FT.Com
"An Agent of Deceit is a worthy entry to the long line of spy yarns, and a reminder of how little we still know of wealth and power in Russia, for all the public visibility of the 21st-century oligarchs."

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Every Tuesday, Diane of Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometimes two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening paragraph. Feel free to grab the banner and play along!

Readalong with 52 Books

Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund

Nook book

"Captain Ahab was neither my first husband nor my last. Yet, looking up—into the clouds—I conjure him there: his gray-white hair; his gathered brow; and the zaggy mark; I saw it when lying with him by candlelight and, also, taking our bliss on the sunny moor among curly-cup gumweed and lamb's ear. I see a zaggy shadow in the rifting clouds. That mark started like lightning at Ahab's temple and ran not all the way to his heel (as some thought) but ended at Ahab's heart.

That pull of cloud—tapered and blunt at one end and frayed at the other—seems the cottony representation of his ivory leg. But I will not see him all dismembered and scattered in heaven's blue—that would be no kind, reconstructive vision; no, intact, lofty and sailing, though his shape is changeable. Yesterday, when I tilted my face to the sky, I imaged not the full figure but only his cloudy head, a portrait, glancing back at me over his shoulder.

What weather is in Ahab's face?"

**********************************************************************

Review Book - January 20 TLC Tour


The Silent Oligarch by Chris Morgan Jones

"Chapter one:

High in the air Webster watches the unbroken desert flow past, a deep copper red in the dawn, the sand ridged like waves rolling down toward the south. Next to him Inessa lies curled up, sleeping through the jolts of turbulence and the drunken songs of the Russian engineers across the aisle.

Below, the sand gives way to grass on the vast Kazakh plain and in the distance, if he presses his face to the window, he can see the Altai mountains rising and stretching east into China. He glances across at Inessa; she's small enough to be comfortable in her rigid seat, her knees pulled up against her chest like a child. It's rare to see her be still, rare for her to be silent."

Sunday Salon: Disaster, complications, clues

2012-01-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

Studying the craft: Happy Sunday. I'm still brain deep into analyzing Blue Steel and figuring out the scene structure. I was having trouble with it since I hadn't finished typing up the story. Managed to type up 20 pages yesterday and have 20 more to go. It helped me remember parts of the story I had forgotten which helped with figuring out the scene structure. Dominoes. The workshop is more casual than expected and if you don't have the lessons completed by the end of the month, you can continue in the yahoo group loop. I'd rather push myself, stay on track and with the group. I work better with structure and deadlines.

Reading about craft: I'm in the middle of chapter 3 sentence in Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose. Between her and the 18 scene structure breakdown with Deep Story, I'm learning how to see stories in a whole new light.

See how everyone else is doing here and give them some encouragement

Exercise: Thanks to ChangeWriteNow and my teammates, I did the treadmill every day except Thursday. I also cut out eating any snacks after dinner and if I get hungry, have a cup of hot tea.

Networking: Unfortunately was pretty much a fail and need to work on visiting at least 5 ROW bloggers a day. I'm also the host of 52 books challenge and managed to visit all when signed up. I need to work on visiting those who post links to their book reviews so will set a goal of 3 per day.

Pleasure Reading: I finished reading Dean Koontz "By the Light of the Moon." First time author read and thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn't spooky gory. It was spooky, chilling, psychological paranormalish suspense story. Look forward to reading more of his stories. Also finished "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt. Didn't realize it was nonfiction until midway through. Was so annoyed the narrator didn't introduce himself at all and described in great detail all these weird colorful characters. I kept wondering where's the plot. Note to self - read the back cover more carefully.

Started a readalong today of "Ahab's Wife" by Sena Jeter Naslund with participants of Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks. I began reading it Saturday afternoon. The first couple pages were a bit tough for me to get, but once got into the story, it really grabbed me. Jump in and join us. There are 167 chapters averaging 4 pages each for a total of 667 pages. You can read at your own pace and when we come up for air on Saturday January 21, we'll see where we all stand and take it from there. Or read 48 pages a day which will have you finishing in two weeks.

I'm also reading a review book "The Silent Oligarch" by Christopher Morgan Jones which is being released on the 19th. Not sure how I like it yet but reviewing for TLC book tours on Friday, January 20th so will give it a chance.

Off to plan lessons, do laundry and try and finish typing up those last 20 pages. Oh and do the treadmill for one hour. :)

The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie

2012-01-12T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Rose Labyrinth

Titania Hardie

"A single sheet of parchment and a silver key. A secret passed down through generations. A mystery waiting to be unlocked."

B&N Synopsis: Before his death in 1609, Queen Elizabeth’s spiritual consultant, astrologer, and scientific adviser John Dee hid many of his most astonishing written works, believing that the world was not yet prepared to face the shocking truths that they revealed. For seventeen generations, his female descendants have carefully guarded the secret of his hiding place, waiting for the right moment to bring Dee’s ideas to light. That time is now.

In The Rose Labyrinth, popular British author Titania Hardie masterfully blends historical fact and fiction as she introduces readers to Lucy King, a beautiful, young documentary producer based in London. With the help of a brilliant group of friends, Lucy races through London, France, and New York to decipher the clues that will eventually lead her to the hidden treasure of the Rose Labyrinth. Along the way she finds true love with Alex Stafford, the doctor who saw her through a life-threatening heart condition and transplant. A sweeping adventure for readers who loved The Da Vinci Code and The Expected One, The Rose Labyrinth is a decadent, romantic novel with a historical twist. It features a wonderful mix of literary references, from Shakespeare, to the Romantic poets, to Gabriel Garcia Marquez; the folklore and history of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Paganism; and of course, astrology and numerology, of which Titania Hardie is an expert. As the Rose Labyrinth tells us, the world we think we know is not all that it appears to be."

It's hard to figure out where to start with The Rose Labyrinth by Titanie Hardie. One of the fun things about this book is it comes with a beautiful hard cover which includes parchments of riddle cards tucked inside the flap for you to read and try to figure out the puzzles along with the characters. History and a bit of mysticism, philosophy and puzzles, plus a mixture of time periods makes for a very interesting read. Think DaVinci Code but better written, well researched and the characters likable. Plus it makes you think and want to look things up, do a bit a research along the way, find out more. It's not one of those books you want to rush through, but read slowly and absorb it a bit at a time. Makes me want to pull Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude off the shelves and read it now, instead of later.

Row80 1/11 Mid Week check in - 3 act structure

2012-01-11T11:14:00.000-08:00

To see how the rest of my row buddies are doing, visit them here

I'm in the midst of Lesson 3 for Deep Story workshop through Savvy Authors and finally seeing the light. Part one of building your story and it's all about the 3 act structure. Carol came up with the most awesome template showing the 18 mandatory scenes which includes the 12 stages of the Hero's Journey and how to weave in the 5 Character Arc scenes. I'm a visual person and have been reading about the 3 act structure on another author's website but just not getting it. Now I do and stoked about it. While reading through the scene structure, different portions of my story kept coming to mind and it is also helping to see what was missing. Loving this workshop. Haven't gotten alot of writing done except for morning pages. Yes, I'm back to doing those again. Very helpful in working out story issues as well as clearing my brain of whatever's floating around bothering me. Deep cleansing breath and move on.

Came across a great post about writers and how to get your brain to work positively for you on Writer's In the Storm called Talking Back to Your Brain. It really coincides with the small manageable goals we are all working on in our writing journeys and life in general.

"Try asking yourself how you can take a very small step toward becoming a productive writer. Think really small. Can you think about your WIP for fifteen minutes and write down your thoughts? Set a timer to keep it small. Can you write a paragraph about what your main character wants? Don’t make promises like “every day without fail.” That pretty much guarantees failure. Just gradually build up and let your brain do its work. You’ll find that one small success will lead to another and another."

Check out Patrick Ross of The Artist's Road. He's been blogging about his 2nd two week residency for his MFA in Creative Writing. Lots of nuggets to chew on.

I'm being sold more and more on the benefits of plotting versus being a pantster. Check out this latest post from The Plot Whisperer on The Benefits of Plot Planning.

In the midst of reading Dean Koontz "By the Light of the Moon." He really has an interesting way of writing, but once you get into it, realize it really sets the tone for the whole story. Loving it so far.

Time for math lessons. TTFN

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday

2012-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

Bibliophile by the Sea

Every Tuesday, Diane of Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometimes two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening paragraph. Feel free to grab the banner and play along!

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

A to Z Challenge book by title - paperback

"He was tall, about fifty, with darkly handsome, almost sinister features: a neatly trimmed mustache, hair turning sliver at the temples, and eyes so black they were like the tinted windows of a sleek limousine - he could see out, but you couldn't see in. We were sitting in the living room of his Victorian house. It was a mansion, really, with fifteen-foot ceilings and large, well-proportioned rooms. A graceful spiral stairway rose from the center hall toward a domed skylight. There was a ballroom on the second floor. It was Mercer House, one of the last of Savannah's great houses still in private hands. Together with the walled garden and the carriage house in back, it occupied an entire city block. If Mercer House was not quite the biggest private house in Savannah, it was certainly the most grandly furnished. Architectural Digest had devoted six pages to it. A book on the interiors of the world's great houses featured it alongside Sagamore Hill, Biltmore, and Chartwell. Mercer House was the envy of house-proud Savannah. Jim Williams lived in it alone."

A to Z challenge by Title - Nook Book

By the Light of the Moon - Dean Koontz

"Shortly before being knocked unconscious and bound to a chair, before being injected with an unknown substance against his will, and before discovering that the world was deeply mysterious in ways he'd never before imagined, Dylan O'Conner left his motel room and walked across the highway to a brightly lighted fast-food franchise to buy cheeseburgers, French fries, pocket pies with apple filling, and a vanilla milkshake."

Sunday Salon: Pinch points and throughlines and subplots, Oh My!

2012-01-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

Studying the Craft: Well, this has been an interesting week. I'm taking an online workshop through savvy authors from Carol Hughes about Crafting your Deep Story. It's making me analyze Blue Steel and helping me figure out how to edit the story. Realized my bad guy was in the background for the majority of the story, plus it's supposed to be a romantic suspense story and there isn't a whole lot of romance happening. Carol's Deep Story workshop is teaching me all about the layers and throughlines in a story. Did you know there are four throughlines to every story? Makes sense now that I've heard about them.

1) Overall - which is your overall story line

2) Main Character - which is the protagonist's character arc

3) Obstacle Character - which follows your obstacle character such as my bad guy

4) Subjective - which follows the relationship between the protagonist and contagonist (my lovers)

Then she gets into how to figure out character arcs, plot point and pinch points. Plus The Hero's Journey as described by Joseph Campbell. I knew about his mythology series which we have on the shelves but I'll admit haven't read any of them...so didn't know about the Hero's Journey. Talk about head spinning. But it is helping me see what is lacking in the story so far. It's going to be an intense four weeks.

Reading about Craft: Read the first chapter Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose. Decided to make it my breakfast book otherwise I'll keep setting it aside for something else.

Writing: To busy editing so backing this down to writing one page a day in my journal until I get back into the writing phase. Still need to type up all my handwritten pages of Blue Steel so that's a goal for this week.

Exercise: Did the treadmill 5 times this week and I still need to figure out what to do for Monday and Thursday. Can't seem to get motivated on my work days. Goal is to exercise every single day for at least 20 minutes. Change Write Now challenge is great because I have to check in with my team mates every day. Keeping me on the straight and narrow.

Networking: Managed to visit more than 5 rowers a day. Will stick with goal of 5 a day and if it ends up being more than that...it's a plus. Need to work twitter in at least once a day - we need a twitter meet up time - otherwise feel like I'm talking to myself.

Pleasure Reading: I finished "The Rose Labyrinth" by Titania Hardie. Didn't think I'd ever say it, but it was so much better than DaVinci Code. It was so much better, more interesting and the characters are more likeable. The characters really delve into history, philosophy, and religion while trying to solve the puzzles and is a lot to absorb. Not something you can read fast. I also read Sarah Addison Allen's "Garden Spells" while treadmilling. A really charming story. Also decided to spice up my A to Z challenge by choosing only new to me authors to read. Have many in my TBR pile. This week I'll be reading "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" by John Berendt and my nook book to read while treadmilling is "By the Light of the Moon" by Dean Koontz.

52 Books in 52 Weeks: The challenge is off to a great start and have 100 plus people who are joining in and posting links on the blog. Check it out - we have an eclectic group reading all sorts of interesting books. New post and check in posted every Sunday.

Blog goals: Attempt to be less sporadic with posting. Commit to Tuesday - First Chapter, First Paragraph; Wednesday - Row 80 short chatty check-in; Thursday - Book Review; Sunday - Sunday Salon. Now let's just see if I can start pre-writing and scheduling posts and get ahead a bit, especially since I don't come online until 4:00 most days. May be biting off more than I can chew. We'll see how this week goes.

See how other ROWers are doing here and leave them a bit of encouragement.

Oh and did I mention I mentioned my Year of Writing Deliberately on the NaNoWriMo forum Year of doing Big, Fun Things Together and fellow Nanowrimoian Kaelyn loved the idea and is now setting up a Year of Writing Deliberately website to track those who decided to join in and list their goals and achievements. Stay tuned for more developments.

Happy Reading!

"There are books so alive that you're always afraid that while you weren't reading, the book has gone and changed, has shifted like a river; while you went on living, it went on living too, and like a river moved on and moved away. No one has stepped twice into the same river. But did anyone ever step twice into the same book? ~Marina Tsvetaeva"

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday

2012-01-03T17:02:00.000-08:00

Bibliophile by the Sea

Every Tuesday, Diane of Bibliophile by the Sea posts the opening paragraph (sometimes two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening paragraph Feel free to grab the banner and play along! I've decided to start playing along

I'm reading two books - one relaxing book and another on my nook while doing the treadmill.

The Rose Labyrinth by Titania Hardie

"St. George's Day, April 1600 at a inn on the road to London: A snow-bearded, elderly man is seated at the head of a refectory table, close to a fire, with his head bowed. He grasps a dark, shiny object in the slender fingers of his right hand. Blooms of Rosa Mundi--white petals streaked pink-red--carpet the table in front of him. Thus, all those who are seated at the trestle know that what will unfold her is secret, a marriage of the spirit and the soul of everyone present, and the birth of something unique, which they await: the Philosopher's Child. Against the bubbling din of other inn patrons behind closed doors in adjacent rooms, they are hushed, waiting for his words. A door softly opens and closes, then a sudden shuffle of feet around him intrudes into the silence. A note from a servant, who has entered largely unobserved, is put into his fine hands. This he reads slowly; his high forehead--surprisingly smooth for a man of his years--creases into a dark frown. After a long moment, he looks at every face in turn, gathered around the long table. Finally he speaks, his voice hardly more than a vesper."

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

"Every smiley moon, without fail, Claire dreamed of her childhood. She always tried to stay awake those nights when the stars winked and the moon was just a cresting sliver smiling provocatively down at the world, the way pretty women on vintage billboards used to smile as they sold cigarettes and limeade. On those nights in the summer, Claire would garden by the light of the solar-powered footpath lamps, weeding and trimming the night bloomers - the moon vine and the angel's trumpet, the night jasmine and the flowering tobacco. These weren't a part of the Waverley legacy of edible flowers, but sleepless as she often was, Claire had added flowers to the garden to give her something to do at night when she was so wound up that frustration singed the edge of her nightgown and she set tiny fires with her fingertips."

Enticing, Intriguing.... What do you think?

ROW80 First quarter goals

2012-01-02T18:57:00.000-08:00

A new year and another round of A Round of Words in 80 Days hosted by Kait Nolan begins today. The first round runs from today through March 22nd. I already established my goals for the year, now just need to break them down in easy, manageable gulps. One thing I've done is purchased my own name domain name (does that make sense?) and instead of moving everything lock, stock and barrel over there, I may just set it up as my writing site. So I'll be playing around with the idea, the design and what not and see how it goes.

Studying the Craft: I finished my first draft of the 2011 Nano story at the end of December so ready to start editing. I'm great at editing correspondence and business documents but not so great with WIPs. I started looking at the classes offered by Savvy Authors and signed up for two which hopefully will give me the guidance I need. For January I'm taking "What Does Nora Robert Know That You Don't?" which is all about story structure, plotting, and characterization. In February I'll be taking "Editing The Heck Out Of Things: Intensive 4-Week Polishing, Rewriting, Deleting, And Generally Improving The Draft For Submission" So starting off the year running.

Reading about Craft: I have a few books I plan on reading this year and going to start with Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose and Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell.

Writing: I'm going to shoot for writing 1000 words a day which include journaling, story ideas and bits and pieces of the story that keep popping into my head to finish. This week will be my test mile to see if I can maintain that or need to back it down a bit. Plus I need to type up the remaining pages of the first draft

Exercise: I joined Change Write Now which is based off the book The Game On (which I downloaded and reading this week too. I am committing to at least 20 minutes per day of exercise. The plan is to do the treadmill 1 hour every day except Monday and Thursday. I still have to figure out the plan for those days which are my work days - maybe wii fit or yoga.

Networking: Visit 5 ROWer's every day and comment on their posts.

Pleasure Reading: My first book of the year is The Rose Labryinth by Titania Hardie. And reading aloud with my son The Dreamer, The Schemer and the Robe by Jenny Cote.

All this and home school lessons too and committing to staying off the internet until 4:00 p.m. every day until lessons are done.

Check out what the other rowers are doing this row. We have lots of newbies. Brand new year and lots of shiny ideas.

Sunday Salon: 2011 Reading year wrap up and Mount TBR challenge

2012-01-01T12:43:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Like everyone else, I am looking back at what worked and didn't work in 2011 and what hope to change and accomplish for the new year! I outdid myself this year and read 200 books. Yep, 200.

Out of those 200 books, 107 were e-books, 54 were new to me authors, and I read 23 series. I only managed to review 37 out of which 20 were for author or book tours. Kind of went on a Paranormal and paranormal romance bent this year when I discovered Laurel K. Hamilton and read the entire Anita Blake Vampire series and Merry Gentry Series. Which lead to Marjorie M Lui's Dirk and Steel series, Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter stories and Christine Feehan's Ghostwalkers.

Besides the authors above, there are a few books that stood out this year and my top ten are:

1) Outlining Your Novel by K.M Weiland (non fiction - writing)

2) The Silver Eagle by Ben Kane (Historical fiction)

3) Murder in the Marais by Cara Black (parisian mystery)

4) Soulless by Gail Garriger (steampunk)

5) The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund (christian historical fiction)

6) Janeology by Karen Harrington (psychological thriller)

7) Death of the Red Heroine by Qui Xiaolong (political mystery)

8) Before I go to Sleep by S.J. Watson (thriller)

9) In the Woods by Tana French (murder mystery)

10) The Memory Collector by Meg Gardner (psychological thriller)

2012 Plans

For 2012 I'm going to slow it down a bit, read more deliberately, read some non fiction books on writing and delve into more classics. I'm also instituting a buying ban for the next 6 month and going to read only the books in my TBR pile so joined My Reader's Block Mount TBR Reading challenge with the goal of reading 40 books even though it will most likely be more. I'm also limiting myself to one or two book and author tours a month. My challenge fortunately are all overlapping and I have many new to me authors already in my stacks and ereader.

Happy New year and Happy Reading!

2011 Reads

2012-01-01T12:13:00.000-08:00

2011 Reads

First Book in Series or Stand Alone

New to Me Authors

Alicia Dean - Heart of the Witch
Ann Patchett - State of Wonder
Anne Bronte - The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
Anne Marsh - Bond with Me (ebook)
Ben Kane - The Silver Eagle
Bill Cameron - County Line (ebook)
Bram Stoker - Dracula
C.J. Darlington - Thicker than Blood (ebook)
C.J. Lyons - Warning Signs - (e-book)
Cara Black - Murder in the Marais
Claire Farrell - Verity (cursed 1) - (ebook)
Claudia - LeFeve The Fury (short story) - (ebook)
Danielle Trussoni - Angelology
Devon Monk - Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom series) - (ebook)
Eleanor Brown - The Weird Sisters
Elle Newmark - The Sandlewood Tree
Gail Carriger - Soulless
J.D. Rhoades - Safe and Sound
J.T. Ellison - The Immortals
Jody Hedlund - The Preacher's Bride
John Gilstrap - Hostage Zero
John Lutz - Mister X
Karen Harrington - Janeology
Kelley Armstrong - Waking the Witch
Kenneth Wishnia - The Fifth Servant
Kristen Hannah - Night Road
Lauralynn Elliott - A Rocky Path (ebook)
Libby Fischer Hellmann - An Eye for Murder (e-book)
Lilith Saintcrow - Night Shift (Jill Kismet Series #1) - (e-book)
Lisa Unger - Beautiful Lies
Lynne Truss - Eats, Shoots and Leaves (nf)
Mark Twain - Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Mary Daughtridge - Sealed with a Kiss - (ebook)
Michael Romkey - Vampire's Violin
Nicole Young - Love Me If You Must
Patrick Taylor - An Irish Country Doctor
Qui Xiaolong - Death of the Red Heroine
Raeanne Thayne- Light the Stars
Rebecca Branstetter - The Teachable Moment - (nf - ebook)
Richard Castle - Heatwave
S.J. Watson - Before I Go To Sleep
Sasscer Hill - Full Mortality (dnf)
Simon Van Booy - Everything Beautiful Began After
Susan Bischoff - Hush Money - (ebook)
Tana French - In The Woods
Tess Newman - Anno Dracula
Tess Oliver - Camille (ebook)
The Memory Collector - Meg Gardner
Traci L. Slatton - The Botticelli Affair
Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture

Known Author

Brandilyn Collins - Always Watching (ebook)
Daniel Palmer - Delirious
Diana Pharaoh Francis - Crimson Wind
Diana Rowland - Secrets of the Demon#3 (Kara Gillian Series)
Gary Chapman - The Five Love Languages - (nf)
Erin Kellison - Shadow Touch (short story) (ebook)
George Bernard Shaw - An Unsocial Socialist
Iain Pears - An Instance of the Fingerpost
Julie Lessman - A Heart Revealed
James Rollins - Altar of Eden (ebook)
Karen Rose - You Belong to Me
Leo Tolstoy - Anna Karenina
Keri Arthur - Mercy Burns (Myth and Magic #2)
Mercedes Lackey - Intrigues
Miriam Zimmer Bradley - The Forest House
Patricia Briggs - River Marked
Rebecca York - Shadow of the Moon
Rachel Vincent - Blood Bound
Sue Grafton - L is for Lawless - (ebook)
Ted Dekker - Green
Yann Martell - Beatrice and Virgil

Series or more than one book by author

Hush - Cherry Adair
Riptide - Cherry Adair
Undertow - Cherry Adair (e-book)

Kiss of Heaven (midnight breed series) - Lara Adrian (ebook) (new to me author)
Kiss of Midnight #1 (Midnight Breed Series) (ebook)
Kiss of Crimson #2 (ebook)
Midnight Awakening #3 (Ebook)
Midnight Rising #4 (ebook)
Veil of Midnight #5 (ebook)
Ashes of Midnight #6 (ebook)
Shades of Midnight # 7 (ebook)
Taken by Midnight # 8 (ebook)
Deeper Than Midnight #9 (ebook)

Cinders - Michelle Davidson Argyle (new to me author)
Monarch - Michelle Davidson Argyle

Wild Man Creek (Virgin River Series # 12) - Robyn Carr
Harvest Moon (Virgin River Series)
Bring Me Home for Christmas (Virgin River Series)
Just over the Mountain (Grace Valley series) (ebook)
Deep in the Valley (Grace Valley series) (ebook)
Down by the River (Grace Valley series) (ebook)

61 Hours (Jack Reacher)- Lee Child (New to me author)
Worth Dying For (Jack Reacher)

Giving Chase #1 - Lauren Dane (ebook) (new to me author)
Taking Chase #2 (ebook)
Chased - #3 (ebook)
Making Chase #4 (ebook)

Ruthless Games (Ghostwalkers) - Christine Feehan (new to me author)
Shadow Game (Ghostwalkers #1) (ebook)
Mind Game (Ghostwalkers #2)(e-book)
Night Game (Ghostwalkers #3) (ebook)
Conspiracy Game (Ghostwalkers #4) (ebook)
Deadly Game (Ghostwalkers # 5) (Ebook)
Predatory Game (Ghostwalkers # 6) (ebook)
Murder Game (Ghostwalkers # 7) (ebook)
Street Game (Ghostwalkers # 8)
Wild Rain (Leopard Series #2) (e-book)
Savage Nature (Leopard Series #5)
Dark Prince (Dark Series #1)(ebook)
Dark Desire (Dark #2) (ebook)
Dark Gold (Dark # 3) (ebook)
Dark Magic (Dark # 4) (ebook)

Back in Black - Lori Foster (ebook)
When You Dare #1
Trace of Fever #2
Savor the Danger #3

Out of Time - Alton Gansky
The Incumbent (e-book)

With No Remorse - Cindy Gerard (ebook)
Seal of My Dreams anthology – Cindy Gerard, et all (ebook)

Guilty Pleasures (#1 Anita Blake Vampire) - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)(new to me author)
The Laughing Corpse #2 (e-book)
Circus of the Damned #3 (e-book)
The Lunatic Cafe #4 (e-book)
Bloody Bones #5 (e-book)
The Killing Dance # 6 (e-book)
Burnt Offerings #7 (e-book)
Blue Moon #8 (e-book)
Obsidian Butterfly #9 (e-book)
Narcissus in Chains # 10 (e-book)
Cerulean Sins # 11 (e-book)
Incubus Dreams #12 (e-book)
Micah# 13 (novella) (e-book)
Danse Macbre #14(e-book)
The Harlequin #15 (e-book)
Blood Noir #16 (e-book)
Skin Trade #17 (e-book)
Flirt #18 (novella) (e-book)
Bullett #19(e-book)
Hit List #20 (e-book)
A Kiss of Shadows (#1 Merry Gentry Series) (e-book)
A Caress of Twilight #2 (e-book)
Seduced by Moonlight #3 (e-book)
A Stroke of Midnight #4 (e-book)
Mistral's Kiss #5 (e-book)
A Lick of Frost #6 (e-book)
Swallowing Darkness # 7 (e-book)
Divine Misdemeanors #8 (e-book)

The Best Gift (#1 Sisters and Brides) - Irene Hannon(ebook)
Gift From The Heart (#2 Sisters and Brides)(ebook)
The Unexpected Gift (#3 Sisters and Brides)(ebook)
Fatal Judgment

Unclean Spirits (Black Son's Daughter # 1 M.L. N. Hanover (e-book) (new to me author)
Darker Angels (b.s.d. #2) (e-book)
Vicious Grace (b.s.d. #3) (ebook)

Changeling Moon - Dani Harper (new to me author)
Changeling Dream

Styx's Storm (breed series) - Lora Leigh
Navarro's Promise - Lora Leigh
Live Wire (ebook)

Tiger Eye (Dirk and Steele series #1) Marjorie M Lui (new to me author)
Shadow Touch (Dirk and Steele Series #2)
Red Heart of Jade - (Dirk and Steele #3)
Eye of Heaven (Dirk and Steele Series # 5) (ebook
The Last Twilight (Dirk and Steele series #7 (e-book)
The Wild Road (Dirk and Steele #8)(ebook)
In the Dark of Dreams (Dirk and Steele) (ebook)
Within the Flames (Dirk and Steele) (ebook)
The Mortal Bone (Hunter Kiss #4) (ebook)

Angels Everywhere tale 1 A Season of Angels - Debbie Macomber (ebook)
Angels Everywhere tale 2 Touched by Angels (ebook

Devil's Eye - Kait Nolan (e-book) (new to me author)
Forsaken by Shadow

Kiss the Moon - Carla Neggers
The Whisper (E-Book)
The Mist

Chasing Fire - Nora Roberts
The Next Always
Treachery in Death - J.D. Robb
New York to Dallas (In Death #33)

Quicksilver - Amanda Quick (e-book)
The Perfect Poison (arcane series) - Amanda Quick (ebook)
Midnight Crystal (Arcane Society) - Jayne Castle (ebook)

Angel's Blood (Guild hunter #1) - Nalini Singh (ebook) (new to me author)
Archangel's Kiss (GH#2) (ebook)
Archangel's Consort (GH3)(ebook)
Archangel's Blade (GH4) (ebook)

Almost Home - Mariah Stewart
Hometown Girl

Face of Danger -Roxanne St. Claire (e-book)
Shiver of Fear (e-book)

Crave (fallen angels series #2) - J.R. Ward (e-book)
Dark Lover (Dark Lover series #1)- J.R. Ward

A Man Called Outlaw - K.M. Weiland (new to me author)
Outlining Your Novel - K.M. Weiland (non fiction)

An Obrien Family Christmas - Sherryl Woods (ebook)
Beach Lane
Tea and Destiny

Welcome 2012!

2011-12-31T20:46:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Blogging Authors Reading Project

2011-12-29T16:48:00.000-08:00

2012 Blogging Authors Reading Project

The Blogging Authors Reading Project started a couple years ago and I'm going to continue in 2012. I have discovered quite a few authors who blog and enjoy reading new to me authors. I have been following a few group author blogs and made it a goal to read at least one of each of their books. Hence the Blogging Author Reading Project. The goal is simple - to read books by authors who blog. I'll be starting with the books I already have in the stacks since one of my goals this year is to whittle down my current TBR pile.

My favorite site Murderati has made a few changes in the past year - lost some old favorites and added some new ones. The current roster includes:

From the old and current guard on Murderati, I've already read stories by Toni McGee Causey, Louise Ure, J.D. Rhoades, Tess Gerritsen, Robert Gregory Browne, J.T. Ellison, Alex Sokoloff and Allison Brennan. Other group blogs include The Kill Zone, Murder She Writes and The Deadline Dames. I'll be exploring their books as well.

Currently on the shelves and carrying over from 2011

Alafair Burke - Close Case
Allison Brennan - Original Sin
Brett Battles - Shadow of Betrayal and Sick
James Scott Bell - Watch your Back
Toni McGee Causey - When a Man Loves a Weapon
Richard Doetsch's - The 13th Hour
Diane Emley - The First Out
Susan Helene Gottfried - Shapeshifters Demo tapes 3
J.T. Ellison - Judas Kiss
Jayne Ann Krentz aka Jayne Castle aka Amanda Quick - Canyon of Night and Charmed
Kait Nolan - Red
John Scalzi's of Whatever - Old Man's War

These are just a few of the blogging authors I have on the shelves. Will most likely be adding more over the next year.

Do you follow any blogging authors? Jump right in and join me.

2012 Writing Deliberately

2011-12-28T15:50:00.000-08:00

2012 Writing Deliberately

Goals

I'm ready for another Year of Writing Deliberately. A Year of Writing Deliberately was born back in 2010 when I read about Jennifer's idea of the Year of Reading Deliberately, the thoughts started rolling about in my head about being deliberate with not only my reading, but also writing as well.

Deliberate - "Done with or marked by full consciousness of the nature and effects." How often do we go through our days on auto pilot, not giving conscious thought to what we are doing. Never fully in the moment, but thinking about what needs to be done next, splitting our attention away from what actively doing at the moment.

I discovered through Julia Cameron's The Artist Way the best way to go about things is to be there in the moment, stay positive and write goals: Daily, weekly, yearly. To help me with my writing goals this year, I am going to continue to be a part of A Round of Words in 80 Days, the brainchild of Kait Nolan. Click here to participate

The challenge will run in 80 days increments, 4 times a year with a break between.

Your goal can be anything you like as long as it is MEASURABLE. If you’re already in the middle of a WIP, that’s fine. Tailor your goal to suit that. You may even want to set mini goals (I want to finish the last 40k of this novel. Then I want to spend the last 20 days revising it at x pages a day.). There are a lot of elements to writing a book other than the writing itself. Plotting. Outlining. Character Interviews. Whatever. Set your goal to match wherever you are right now on your WIP. If you want to use your Round for editing a novel, that’s fine too. Just know that this is, at heart, a writing challenge, so all the weekly inspirational posts will be geared in that direction.

There’s no mandatory daily word count. Every writer is different, everyone has different schedules. You set a goal that works for you. Find a way to make writing a priority in your life in a way that FITS. But set SOME kind of schedule and be CONSISTENT.

I have 5 works in progress started during National Novel Writing Month: 2007 - Floating on the Surface, 2008 - Winter's Illusion, 2009 - Eyes in the Ashes, 2010 - Red Thief and

2011 - Blue Steel. I've reviewed each story and since my brain is totally immersed in Blue Steel, going to work on it first.

My goals for 2012

1) Blue Steel: Update novel Bible, research story points, complete characters sheets, edit, and polish, find beta readers and ready for querying.

2) Breakdown into measurable weekly goals.

3) Take an online Writing Course through Savvy Authors and/or Gotham Writers Workshops.

4) Join IRL or online Critique Group.

5) Write at least 2000 words a day which equals 4 handwritten pages front and back. I hand write all my stories, then type them up essentially completing a 2nd edit.

6) Develop 2012 Nano story - Green Ice (working title for now) and utilize K.M. Weiland's suggestions in Outlining Your Novel to prepare the story first.

7) DYI MFA - Read and study the following craft books.

Reading Like a Writer - Francine Prose
Revision and Self Editing by James Scott Bell
Characters, Emotion and Viewpoint by Nancy Kress
Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
Story Engineering by Larry Brooks
On Writing Romance by Leigh Michael
Art of Romance Writing - Valerie Parv
Writing Mysteries - Edited by Sue Grafton
Art of War for Writers by James Scott Bell
Elements of Style by Strunk and White

Now we just need to work on our Health, Home school and business goals which I won't detail here.

What goals are you setting for yourself for 2012?

~Cheers to a wonderful, happy, creative, imaginative, writing new year!

A to Z Challenge by Title and Author completed

2011-12-27T00:01:00.000-08:00

I finished the A to Z Challenge hosted by Becky of Becky's Book Reviews with just 5 days left to the year. I committed to reading 26 books alphabetically by Title and 26 books alphabetically by Author. It was actually kind of fun and had to get creative with a few letters but managed to find some really interesting books. I reviewed all the books read by title but didn't quite get to the ones by authors. Half of the books were new to me authors.

Alphabetically by Title

A. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
B. Beatrice and Virgil - Yann Martel
C. Cinders - Michelle Davidson Argyle
D. Delirious - Daniel Palmer
E. Eats, Shoots and Leaves - Lynn Truss
F. Forsaken by Shadow - Kait Nolan
G. Green - Ted Dekker
H. Heatwave - Richard Castle
I. In the Woods - Tana French
J. Janeology - Karen Harrington
K. Kiss the Moon - Carla Neggers
L. L is for Lawless - Sue Grafton
M. Murder in the Marais - Cara Black
N. Night Road - Kristin Hannah
O. Out of Time - Alton Gansky
P. Dark Prince - Christine Feehan
Q. Quicksilver - Amanda Quick
R. Riptide - Cherry Adair
S. Soulless - Gail Carriger
T. The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown
U. Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture - Apostolos Doxiadis
V. Vampire's Violin - Michael Romkey
W.Worth Dying For - Lee Child
X. Mister X - John Lutz
Y. Love Me if You Must - Nicole Young
Z. Hostage Zero - John Gilstrap

Alphabetically by Author

A. Alton Gansky - The Incumbent
B. Patricia Briggs - River Marked
C. Cherry Adair - Hush
D. Debbie Macomber - Angels Everywhere
E. Elle Newmark - The Sandalwood Tree
F. Diana Pharoah Francis - Crimson Wind
G. Gary Chapman - The Five Love Languages
H. Libby Fischer Hellmann - An Eye for Murder (e-book)
I. Irene Hannon - The Best Gift (e-book)
J. Jody Hedlund - The Preacher's Bride
K. Ben Kane - The Silver Eagle
L. Lara Adrian - Kiss of Heaven
M. Mercedes Lackey - Intrigues
N. Kim Newman - Anno Dracula
O. Tess Oliver - Camille
P. Ann Patchett - State of Wonder
Q. Amanda Quick - Quicksilver
R. Karen Rose - You Belong to Me
S. Mariah Stewart - Hometown Girl
T. Traci L. Slatton - The Botticelli Affair
U. Lisa Unger - Beautiful Lies
V. Rachel Vincent - Blood Bound
W. J.R. Ward - Dark Lover
X. Qui Xiaolong - Death of a Red Heroine
Y. Rebecca York - Shadow of the Moon
Z. Miriam Zimmer Bradley - The Forest House

Looking forward to doing it all over again in 2012.

A to Z Challenge: Uncle Petros through Hostage Zero

2011-12-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Mini Reviews of books U to Z for A to Z Challenge by Title

Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture by Apostolos Doxiadis is a novel of mathematical obsession. Petros Papachristos devotes his life to trying to prove Goldbach's Conjecture, the deceptively simple claim that every even number greater than two is the sum of two primes. It's an interesting read and if you are like me, not mathematically inclined, then you discover many mathematical forums you've ~~never heard of~~, err, don't remember from school.

Michael Romkey's Vampire's Violin is about a Vampire who after centuries of living has just two passions left: blood and music. The Vampire has the voice of angels and makes anyone who plays it a master player. It disappeared many years ago. He tracks it down to a young woman in college who inherited from her grandfather who had bought off a German soldier during the war. It had been hidden in his attic for 50 years. Now it's come to life again and the vampire wants it back.

I just finished reading 61 hours and had to find out what happened to Jack Reacher. He lives on, of course, in Worth Dying For by Lee Child. He stumbles upon a town that is controlled by three evil brothers. He's ready to move on, but decides to get involved when he drives the drunken doctor to treat the broken nose of the wife of one of the brothers. After he breaks the nose of the brother, because he doesn't like wife beaters, he gets involved in an old missing child case and he just won't let go until it's solved.

John Lutz's Mister X is about a chilling serial killer who slices his victims throats, then carves an X in their chest. The killings stopped 5 years ago and recently another victim with the same mo has surfaced. And Detective Frank Quinn is asked to investigate by the twin sister of one of the victims. The story is full of twists and turns, chock full of action and just when you think you got it figured out and know who the killer is, you realize you don't.

Nicole Young's Love Me if You Must is book one in the Patricia Amble Mystery Series. Patricia is a ditzy gal who falls in love at the drop of a hat, has a history she doesn't want revealed and thinks there is a dead woman buried in the basement of the house she just purchased to renovate. She is easily startled and screams alot. Reminded me of a B movie.

John Gilstrap's Hostage Zero is a non stop thriller. Two boys are kidnapped from a boarding school that houses kids for incarcerated parents. Both are drugged - one is left to die in a field somewhere and the other taken for a helicopter ride to who knows where. Jonathan 'Digger' Graves and his team set out to rescue the boys and run into a government conspiracy that may just finally get him killed.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

Immanuel is with us by James Seward

Whispers White

The snow comes down in whispers white
And covers everything in sight
Making all that Heaven might
Know that this is Christmas Night.

Swirls and swirls of flying flakes
Dance, then glance the heavens, and makes
Me thank the Lord for no mistakes
In delivering his Son for all our sakes.

The snow comes down in whispers white
And covers everything in sight
Making all that Heaven might

Know that this is Christmas Night.

~anonymous~

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

2011 A Round of Words in 80 Days wrapup

2011-12-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

A Round of Words in 80 days is wrapping up today. I am very thankful to Kait Nolan for creating the writing challenge. It encouraged me to set writing goals and to stick with them. Unfortunately my eyes were bigger than my stomach and I didn't accomplish as much this year as I wanted too. At the beginning of the year, I had planned on finishing Red Thief, editing another story and getting it ready to query and take a writing course. I set a goal of writing 500 words a day which ended up not being a bright move for me because I didn't finish my first draft of Red Thief until September. Well, I do have finishing my Bachelor's Degree as a good excuse because it did involve a lot of writing. Anyway, it gave me two months to do other things and then I jumped right back into the Nanowrimo pond with Blue Steel. Since Nano I have kept up the daily writing of 1667 words and the story is progressing nicely. I hope to have the first draft done by the end of the year. I'll have some nifty new goals to work on at the beginning of the year. For the past month or two, I spent a lot more time writing and a lot less time online. I hope to get back to visiting everyone on a regular basis again soon, soon, soon. I miss my blogging buds.

A side benefit of ROW80 was being involved with a wonderful community of writers, making new friends, discovering some interesting books and learning alot from everyone. Getting a look into the writing life of another writer is always enlightening.

How did everyone else do with their goals. Go see here.

Welcome Winter, Merry Christmas and I'll see you round the virtual water cooler. ~cheers~

A to Z Challenge: Dark Prince through The Weird Sisters

2011-12-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

Mini Reviews for books I've read for the A to Z Challenge

Christine Feehan's The Dark Prince is the first book in the Dark series about an ancient race of Carpathians in modern times. Basically vampires who don't kill. Michael the prince is tired of life and about to step into the sun when Raven, a telepathic hunter of serial killers speaks to him in his mind and makes him want to live. The characters are very intense and emotional and the writing is along the same lines as how Dracula was written. There are 22 books in the series. I tried a couple more and gave up. Too over the top for me. I'll stick to her Ghostwalker series.

Amanda Quick aka Jayne Ann Krentz's Quicksilver is book # 11 in her Arcane Society Series which are set in the past, present and future. This particular story is set in the late Victorian England. Virginia Dean is a glass reader and can see what has happened in the past through whatever glass was in the room at the time. Owen Sweetwater and the Arcane Society think her magic is a ruse. However, it just may come in handy in solving a murder.

Cherry Adair's Riptide is book two is her Cutter cay series. Princess Bria Visconti is trying to convince Nick Cutter of Cutter Salvage group to refund the money her bankrupt prince brother invested in a treasure dive. Little does she know she walking into the middle of a dangerous situation. Once you start reading, you won't want to put it down. The story is action packed, fast paced and full of twists and turns. You never quite know who to trust.

Soulless is Gail Carriger's first book in her Parasol Protectorate series and is my first foray into steampunk. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Set in Victorian London, the main character Alexia is charming, amusing and gets into all kinds of trouble. Mix in werewolves, vampires and Victorian high society and morays and it makes one entertaining story. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Eleanor Brown's The Weird Sisters was quite an interesting read. The three Andreas Sisters are all adults now and have returned home to help take care of their ill mother. They all have issues and the story is one of them actually growing up finally, taking responsibility for their lives and making peace with each other. Relationship stories usually aren't my cup of tea, however the sisters grow on you. Brown does an excellent job of creating three distinct, yet flawed women who end up balancing each other out. Well worth the read.
(and yes, just this once I'm using The for my t book)

Little town with big christmas spirit: - Hallelujah Chorus

2011-12-16T12:19:00.000-08:00

Combine a teacher, 5th graders and the small town of Quinhagak, Alaska, the Hallelujah Chorus and see what you get. Guaranteed to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Row80: Swearing over the goalposts...

2011-12-14T18:26:00.000-08:00

I have gotten derailed and may have to move the goal posts. Sick kid and hubby and cats and Christmas decorating and life have collaborated to derail my writing progress.    Somebody get me a violin. I haven't made much progress in the past week. I'm sitting at 66,000 and my projected goal for the day is supposed to be 74,000.   I have some work cut out for me. The past couple days I've sat down to write and it hasn't gone smoothly. So, today and I know you aren't suppose to do this because it is a rough first draft after all, I went through the entire thing, organized and outlined what scenes I do have to figure out where I was, because it is a mystery after all and what did I do with the dang clues. I think I have a handle on it now and am ready to proceed forward.    Yaahoo!

Also, I came to a decision about my main character. She is a prosecuting attorney and since she can't swear in court, I decided she won't swear in the rest of the her life.   It was interesting because I had never really given it much thought before. An attorney has to be articulate so it stands to reason, right. They can't be telling the judge the ruling is f'ed up or the defense attorney, well I think that is bs. Can you imagine? *facepalm* I decided that in order for her to not to slip up in court, she just wouldn't use those words at all. It seems to have rubbed off on the rest of the characters as well. They find themselves catching it and changing a word midstream in order not to swear around her.

I noticed something interesting the other day.   You remember orange county choppers? We hadn't watched it in a long time. I just can't stand shows in which folks can't communicate without using the f word in every single sentence.   Hubby got me to watch the American Chopper Live Build off and I have to say I was really proud of Paul Tuttle Jr.   Through the whole show he took the high road and I don't think I heard one swear word come out of his mouth. He refused to say anything negative and I think he deserved to win. I think Senior thought so too and wanted him to win, which is why he came out with such a bizarre design. Senior and potty mouthed Jessie James couldn't censor themselves for anything and it just goes to show, money doesn't buy you class. Paul Tuttle Jr exhibited true class and when he started acting like an articulate adult, people started taking him more seriously.

What do you think. Is it more effective to have only the bad guys swear?

That's my insight for the month. Row80 ends in another week. However my goal is to finish the first draft by the end of the month, so I have 16 days left. Going to do my darnest to make it. Wish me luck.

Check out how everyone else is doing here.

2012 Read 52 books in 52 Weeks

2011-12-12T20:54:00.000-08:00

For the fourth year in a row I am hosting the Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks reading challenge. I am having so much fun with this challenge, coming up with weekly posts about books, books and more books. This past year I've enjoyed exploring different themes and introducing folks to books they never considered reading before.

The goal is to read one book (at least) a week for 52 weeks. It can either be easy and casual or kick it up by exploring new authors and genres. I enjoy discovering new authors. There are several mini challenges to make it fun which include:

12 in 2012: Read 12 books in 12 different categories

A to Z challenge: Read books alphabetically by title and/or author.

Jane Austen: Read all things Jane Austen

Mind Voyages: Explore the hugo and nebula winners, take side trips through the different decades reading the nominees.

Well Educated Mind: Explore the classics in five categories: Fiction, Autobiography, History/Politics, Drama and Poetry.

To sign up and find out more, check out Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks.

One more: Tea and Books reading Challenge

2011-12-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

I found one more reading challenge that is right up my alley. I have a few heavy tomes sitting on the shelves that I just haven't tackled yet. I'm joining The Book Garden's Tea and Books reading Challenge. Here's what it is all about:

This challenge was inspired by C.S. Lewis' famous words, "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."

You better settle in with a large cup of tea, because in this challenge you will only get to read ... wait for it ... books with more than 700 pages. I'm deadly serious. We all have a few of those tomes on our shelves and somehow the amount of pages often prevents us from finally picking them up. You may choose novels only, no short story collections or anthologies, and in case you're trying a short cut by picking large print editions of a book, well I'm sorry, those do not qualify for this challenge! Let's battle those tomes that have been collecting dust on our shelves, so no re-reads, please!

2 Books - Chamomile Lover

4 Books - Berry Tea Devotee

6 Books - Earl Grey Aficionado

8 or more Books - Sencha Connoisseur

I'm going for the Earl Grey Aficionado since it if my favorite type of tea after all.

Row80 Mid Week Check in: plugging away

2011-12-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact I've had a cold and finally getting over it, I've managed to do another 10,000 words for a total of 60,000 words on my current wip - Blue Steel. Hubby has been very supportive of my personal nano bootcamp efforts and encouraging me to keep up with my word count. He's a keeper. I'm getting a good handle on my characters. Throwing all kinds of things their way to mess with them and handle. I did some additional brainstorming and almost gave myself a panic attack thinking this is getting too complicated. Then I took a deep breath, reminded myself it is a rough draft and to keep plugging away. As long as it isn't stalled and I'm not writing in circles, I'm happy.The story is progressing.

My goals are simple: continue 1667 words a day and take off my blinders and visit and comment on 5 blogs a day. As you can see my internal editor is still on vacation. Way too many ands.

How is everyone else fairing with their goals?

Reading wise

I'm in the midst of finishing the a to z reading challenge. Have completely given up on the books I had planned on reading for Fall reading Challenge. Don't know why I just didn't plan on the books for a to z. With 15 days left to go, let's just say I'm revising the list. *grin*

Also I'm working on the 2012 Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks Reading Challenge. Will be coming up with some new mini challenges within the challenge and revamping the website for the new year. Will be announcing sign ups in the next week or two.

Happy Reading! Off to do some Christmas decorating.

"We all have choices" my mother said.

2011-12-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

One of my mother's favorite sayings our whole life has been "We all have choices." My brother recently posted this on facebook at the request of my niece. You never know it's getting through until suddenly they say yes, they were listening. My brother is the eloquent one in the family and says it best:

"Throughout my life, I've had many mentors - my dad, martial arts instructors, teachers, friends - and learned a lot by making my own big mistakes. And each of these have taught me specific lessons, different details about how to continue to grow and change. But there is one person who taught me one lesson when I was very young. Who has throughout my entire life taught me ONE singular lesson. It's become such a common refrain that it's become sort of a joke among our family. And yet, I have recently come to realize it is THAT lesson which has become the foundation of all my other thoughts and how I've lived my life.

It didn't matter if it was clothing, dating, staying up too late, jobs or food. My mom's philosophy was unwavering: We all have choices. Which I have taken to mean: Know the implications of the options available to you, make a choice, and then accept the consequences. No excuses.

"We all have choices" sounds like a pretty basic idea, right? It's catchy, it would fit well on a bumper sticker or t-shirt. But it has far-reaching implications if you embrace it as a foundation for how to live.

The first implication is that options always exist. There are no if/then statements that are infallible. There is no set of circumstances that can result in one and only one response (we're talking interpersonal stuff here, not math). There are ALWAYS options beyond the ones that seem obvious to us.

One of the most memorable books I've read with this topic was Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Bartelby the Scrivener." One day Barteleby simply decides, "I'd prefer not to." He chooses not to work. When told to leave work, he chooses not to do that. He chooses not to eat. Eventually he dies in prison and starved to death. It's not a comedy. But it makes a good point - even the things we think of as "mandatory" are not. We always have choices, we just may not like the consequences.

Let me restate this again. There is no situation with only one response. We can choose to respond to anger with kindness, to betrayal with forgiveness. We can choose at any moment to eat differently, drink differently, dress differently. We can choose to drive on the wrong side of the road, rob a bank, or quit our jobs. There are always options.

The second implication of "We all have choices" is the reason most people cannot embrace this idea. It is the implication that WE create our lives. Where we are in life right now - our health, our jobs, where we live, our friends, every relationship - is a result of OUR choices.

Oh, I'm not blind to the fact that we are presented with various "stimuli" that create challenges for us or that may seem to bias us in a particular direction. But here's a few thoughts...

We do not control other people, but we do control how we react to them.
We do not control the genetics in our body, but we do control how we treat our bodies.
We do not control the economic status we were born into, but we do control our motivation, drive and work ethic.
We do not control the tragedies that are inflicted upon us, but we do control whether they make us stronger or destroy us.

Let me share a couple of true examples:
There were 3 brothers, born into a family where the men traditionally died of heart failure by 45. 2 of the brothers accepted "fate" and lived normal lives, both dying middle aged. The third brother ate right, exercised regularly and reduced his stress with things like yoga and meditation. He is soon to celebrate his 85th birthday.

There were 5 siblings, born into a low-income family in a bad neighborhood. 2 died before 20 from drug overdoses. 2 were in jail multiple times before ending up in prison for life on various charges. One worked odd jobs to pay his way through college, became a counselor, got married, had a great son and is a joyful positive person who has passed on that gift.

Here's where I seemingly have a big disagreement with a lot of people. I look around us and see that we are trained to be slaves. Through school, society, our upbringing, our churches, television, movies, our political structure, you name it. There is a vested interest for lots of people in controlling us. Whether it's to get our obedience, our money, our vote, our affection, there's hundreds of motivations for other people and institutions to convince us that we are powerless. That only they can tell use what to do or think. To convince us that some stimuli have only one response. Or to convince us we can only choose from within a narrow range of options. In short, that we have little to no choice about anything.

And we buy into it. The iconic 80's band Devo said it perfectly when they sang, "Freedom of Choice is what we've got. Freedom from Choice is what we want.". We find comfort in allowing ourselves to be bound by structures because it absolves us of personal responsibility for our choices (and we give up our freedom for the comfort of being "part of something."). Those structures cross every boundary. The Liberal, the Libertarian, and the Conservative, the Christian, the Pagan and the Atheist all are capable of being mindless slaves to a structure. This is not to say these structures don't have value - it is to say that for too many people, once they choose to identify themselves with one, they then shut off their minds and allow that identification to become all that they are. I don't believe in "my side right or wrong." Everyone is right sometimes and everyone is wrong sometimes.

Where was I? Oh yes, ranting... So, we are raised to give up control - to accept that we have no choices in life. Even if we manage to retain our independent thought from a raft-load of "institutions" who can benefit from our mindless loyalty, we are brought low by the biggest lie of all - that we are not responsible for anything we do.

Instead, we have hundreds of reasons for our actions:
I have ADHD. I'm bi-polar. I was abused. I was ignored. I was an only child. I was abandoned. My parents were divorced. I'm just an angry person. I was raised in a bad neighborhood. I'm an alcoholic. I'm a drug addict. I have a disease. I'm poor. It's the government's fault. The rich people's fault. The poor people's fault. The aliens from Mexico's fault. The aliens from Mars's fault.

Or, "That's just who I am."

And the biggest radioactive-monster mother of all reasons, "That's how I feel."

All of that, by the way... all those reasons... those are crap. Those are not reasons that create behavior, they are excuses we use to rationalize that how we behave is acceptable. Yes, when you are a child in a kept environment your choices are very limited. And yes, we have programming from those experiences that haunt us through our lives. But some people choose to rise out of abuse and hatred, break the cycle and become wonderful people. And some people choose to wallow in their pasts forever.

That entity that enslaves us the MOST; that entity that whispers in our ear that we have no choices, that entity that tries to convince us we are not responsible for our own lives, is not an institution. It lives inside of us. There is no jail more effective than believing you are not free.

Call it whatever you want - the horse, the Shadow, the Anima/Animus, the Id - it is basically a collection of memories, experiences, childhood traumas, beliefs, biological programming, chemical reactions, even reactions to foods we eat, that creates an impulse. Those impulses manifest as unconscious thoughts and ideas that drive our behaviors. Most of the time we self-identify these impulse as our "feelings."

Guess what? There is absolutely nothing sacred about these feelings. Somehow, at some point, we bought into this crap that if we "feel" angry, we must act upon it. That saying, "I feel X" excuses any reactions that result from that feeling. People say, "Well, I'm just an ass," or, "I'm just a bitch," as if that excuses their poor behavior and decision-making. It does not.

Feelings excuse nothing. The belief that we have no options is illusory. And the very first choice is choosing to believe that we have choice. Because our programming is so strong, we may have very little choice how we FEEL. But we have tons of options on how we BEHAVE. Including not creating situations that elicit those negative feelings in the first place.

But I digress. Everything else is details. Choosing how we spend time. Choosing our external environment. Choosing our relationships. Self-control. Awareness. These are steps along the path - they are concrete tools to help us take control of our lives. Of living from Conscious thought rather than reaction.

But the first choice is deciding to choose. It is accepting that there are always options. It is accepting that we have the power to create options and make decisions. To be fair, this is a disquieting way to live. Because it means accepting responsibility. Understanding that we each live the life we've chosen. That each person is ultimately responsible for our own success or failure. For our own happiness. Whether we believe in God, Allah, the Goddess, Cthulu or the Great Space Turtle - they have better things to do than spend each day making us happy or miserable. Whether by science or miracle, we are each possessed of life and options. Everything else is up to us.

We all have choices. What will you choose?"

December personal nanowrimo bootcamp

2011-12-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

December word count chart

December is designated as my own personal novel writing boot camp. I am determined to finish the first draft of Blue Steel by the end of the year instead of dragging it out over several months. So I am pushing onward and upward, 1667 words a day. Made up my own little blackboard for incentive and pressing on.

2011 What's in a Name Challenge Completed

2011-12-01T12:52:00.000-08:00

Rah Rah, zisk boom bah! I completed the What's in a Name 4 challenge hosted by Best Fish Reads. The goal was to read 6 books in the following categories:

A book with a number in the title: The Fifth Servant - Kenneth Wishnia
A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Red Heart of Jade - Marjorie M Liu
A book with a size in the title: Long Gone - Alafair Burke
A book with travel or movement in the title: Heat Wave - Richard Castle
A book with evil in the title: Secrets of the Demon - Diana Rowland
A book with a life stage in the title: Wild Man Creek - Robyn Carr

Check out what other folks read here. Thank you to Candace of Beth Fish Reads for hosting such a fun challenge. Looking forward to the 2012 What's in a Name 5 and figuring out which books to read.

Novemberish wrapup: Writing and reading mania

2011-11-30T18:07:00.000-08:00

November has been a month of balancing my time and energy. You'd think after 30 days of NaNoWriMo, I would be ready to take a break. But no...I'm still deep into my story "Blue Steel" and eager to push on and finish it. Although I think both Father and James are glad the month is over. It's been a month of blank looks, uh huh's and late dinners while I'd write, then push to type all my scribblings up in order to make sure I'm keeping up. I'm going try and keep the same momentum going with the writing, push for the 1600 words or at least 5 written pages a day and finish the story by the end of December. That way I can start the year fresh and dive into outlining and editing and researching.

I had a plan during the month of November to read unputdownable books so that I wouldn't get caught up in a story at breakfast time, decide to keep reading and then find my writing time had completely disappeared. I soon discovered, I rarely choose books that are unputdownable. *grin* So I ramped up the willpower and used them as rewards for making my daily goals. The books I read during the month were:

The Next Always - Nora Roberts
Soulless - Gail Carriger
Waking the Witch - Kelley Armstrong
The Whisper - Carla Neggers (E-Book)
The Immortals - J.T. Ellison
Warning Signs - C.J. Lyons (e-book)
The Memory Collector - Meg Gardner
61 Hours - Lee Child
The Immortals - J.T. Ellison
Seal of My Dreams anthology - Cindy Gerard, et all
Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture - Apostolos Doxiadis
Blood Bound - Rachel Vincent
Beautiful Lies - Lisa Unger
Vampire's Violin - Michael Romkey
Worth Dying For - Lee Child

I did find myself slowing down a bit, analyzing, absorbing their writing styles, picking out what I liked and didn't, learning as I read and finding I could still enjoy the story in the process. I also acquired some fabulous writing books and during December will be putting together my list of craft books to study during 2012.

I've picked out the remaining books to read to finish the A to Z challenge and just have x, y, and z to complete. For X I found Death of a Red Heroine by Qui Xialolong and Mister X by John Lutz. For Y Shadow of the Moon by Rebecca York and Year Zero by Jeff Long. Z is Hostage Zero by John Gilstrap and Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey. Wish me luck.

Time to get back to normal or as near normal as possible. See you around the Blogosphere!

Sunday Salon: Nanowrimo winner!

2011-11-27T18:35:00.000-08:00

November has flown by in a blur and yes I know there are three days left, but I did it and as of today have written 50,197 words. Happy Happy Joy Joy. There are holes as big as Montana and there are scenes yet to be written and and an ending to find. I just derailed my main male character by having an old love show up and steal away the main female character. Where does her heart truly lie? I don't know at the moment, because I'm really liking the old love. He kind of jumped in and took center stage and kind of has me rethinking part of the story.

I discovered something this month as well. The goal I had throughout the year of writing at least 500 words or one hour a day, well, was just stupid and very limiting, for me. I should know better than to limit myself. The words just flowed and felt so good, putting my all into it. I found myself writing, in the morning, afternoon and evening. Didn't matter what time it was. I'm no longer going to relegate to a certain part of day. Nano always resets my writing clock and the momentum usually stays with me part of the year. Here's hoping I can keep it up throughout 2012. At least that way I'll get a lot more done. I'm looking forward to brainstorming more on this story, outlining it and researching my plot and characters in heavier detail.

Cheers to all the row80 NaNoWriM0 participants who have made it and are still plugging away. Thanks to everyone who cheered us on. Think I'll treat myself to a winner's shirt.

Row80 and birthday Bounty

2011-11-23T18:41:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple weeks since I checked in. I've been writing like crazy on Blue Steel for NaNoWriMo and happy to say as of last night at 36953 words. Hubby and son have been most supportive in helping around the house. James has a new chore - cleaning his own bathroom. Not a so happy byproduct (to him) of the craziness of November. I've been bad and haven't stepped foot on the treadmill. Too busy typing up my daily scribblings.

I scored bigtime for my birthday and received some excellent writing books.

Happy Dance! I also have received Lee Child's "Worth Dying For" and Jasper Fforde's "One of our Thursdays is Missing." James is campaigning for a dog so he got me the DK "The Encyclopedia of the Dog." It was fun looking through it and the pictures reminding me of all the different dogs we had and those of our old long forgotten neighbors and friends as well. Prompted some great memories and stories to share. Plus a great new cookbook - Moosewood Restaurant cooks at home. Yummy new recipes to try. Yeah!

Haven't had a whole lot of time to visit other rowers but will make up for it in December. Please check in on them and see how they are fairing. Chow for now. Back to writing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's a celebration!

2011-11-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

Help me celebrate turning a marvalous

--- 52 ----

Have a glass of virtual champagne.

~clink~ ~clink~

2012 Reading Challenges

2011-11-19T11:37:00.000-08:00


Josephine Wall's Harp Angel

It is that time of year again when everyone is announcing their reading challenges for next year. Keeping it simply for 2012 and joining in on just a few.

Beth Fish Reads What's In a Name challenge is always fun and has interesting categories:

Between January 1 and December 31, 2012, read one book in each of the following:

A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title: (ie: Black Hills, Purgatory Ridge, Emily of Deep Valley)
A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title: (ie: Moon Called, Seeing Stars, Cloud Atlas)
A book with a creepy crawly in the title: (ie: Little Bee, Spider Bones, The Witches of Worm)
A book with a type of house in the title: (ie: The Glass Castle, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, Ape House)
A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title: (ie: Sarah's Key, The Scarlet Letter, Devlin Diary)
A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title: (ie: Day of the Jackal, Elegy for April, Freaky Friday, Year of Magical Thinking)

Jackie of Literary Escapism's New Authors Reading challenge which is all about exploring new authors. My goal will be to read 25.

Random Widget for now :)

Whether Becky hosts the A to Z Challenge, someone else decides too or I just go it alone, I will be doing it again for 2012 and reading 26 alphabetically by Author and 26 alphabetically by Title.

Which all works in with my Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks reading challenge I will be hosting again and my Blogging Authors reading project for 2012.

Lots of new and interesting Reading Challenges for 2012. Be sure to check them out at A Novel Challenges which Brianna of The Book Vixen and her helpful gang of book elves have taken over.

What challenges are you joining for 2012?

Randomness will lead somewhere - really!

2011-11-14T00:01:00.000-08:00

A tip for staving off writer's block

Open an encyclopedia to a random page, and read an entry. You might get one good detail (the sacred 'ibis' was revered in ancient Egypt) or a whole line of exploration (St. Dunstan's, a British organization that cares for those blinded in war, was founded by a blind newspaper owner) to shake you out of your stupor. (Pocket Muse by Monica Wood)

Actually works wonderfully well - I know!

TLC Book Tour: Hometown Girl by Mariah Stewart

2011-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Hometown Girl

Mariah Stewart

Back cover: " Life was always just about perfect for Brooke Madison Bowers. She was the prettiest, most popular girl in small-town St. Dennis, Maryland, a prom queen, local pageant star, and the pride and joy of her loving parents. She even married the man of her dreams. But the promise of happily ever after fell to pieces when her husband was killed while serving in Iraq. Brokenhearted and longing for the solace of better days, she returns to the idyllic world of St. Dennis, and the familiar comfort of the family farm. Surrounded by her loving family and friends, she’s determined to build a new life, complete with her own cupcake bakery. She’s equally determined never to fall in love again.

For Jesse Enright, life has been a challenge. A fourth-generation attorney, he’s spent his life fighting to escape the shadow of his irresponsible father. Now he’s moved to St. Dennis to run the family law practice, and he’s ready to find the right girl, get married, and settle down. But his carefully laid plans go out the window when he meets Brooke and finds himself caught between the unbreakable law of attraction and Brooke’s resolve to go her way alone—despite the undeniable feelings Jesse stirs in her. But just like catching lightning in a bottle, is it possible to fall head-over-heels, heart-and-soul in love all over again?"

Hometown Girl is the fourth book in Mariah Stewart's Chesapeake Diaries series. I love the fictional little town of St. Dennis, Maryland in Chesapeake Bay and the characters that reside there. The series takes us back to the cozy little town from her murder mystery Last Words. (excellent story, part of the Lost series, and well worth reading as well.)

After losing her husband two years before, Brooke is working hard to be a good mom to her 8 year old son, finish her Bachelor's Degree and get her cupcake business off the ground. She's dated off and on since her husband died, but never one man more than once. Jessie has always liked her but never made a move. According to her brother Clay, if she's pursued, she'll walk away. Wait for her to ask him out. When she comes to him for help with her will, he arranges it so their meetings are during lunch time or dinner. He's prepared to be patient and win her over without scaring her off. We also get to see Dallas and Grant and Steffie and Wade finally marry. The book is perfect as a standalone, but you'll want to read the first three to really get the flavor of the characters and the quaint, cozy town of St. Dennis. Hopefully you'll end up loving them as much as I do. And be sure to check out Mariah Stewart's other books including Mercy Street and FBI Series.

Thank you to Lisa and TLC BookTour's for asking me to be a part of the tour, the publisher for providing a courtesy copy of the book and Mariah Stewart for writing another wonderful installment of the Chesapeake Diaries series. Check out what the rest of the folks on the tour had to say.

Read an Excerpt here

I have a theory!

2011-11-07T00:01:00.000-08:00

Sunday Salon: Being creative

2011-11-06T20:34:00.000-08:00

Variations by Richard Messenger

I'm plugging on my NaNoWriMo first draft of Blue Steel. I started with an outline, then decided to write the scenes that have been floating about in my head. I had three variation of the same scene so am writing them all and see which clicks and moves the story forward. Kind of freeing not writing linearly. I checked out scrivener and see the beauty of the program but because of the learning curve will utilize it when I'm done with Nano and not under pressure. One less thing to stress over. I usually write every thing long hand and type it up later. Have been trying to type the days writing up in the afternoon, however it doesn't always work out. The pressure to get er done was relieved when I found this clause on the Nano site:

How do I verify if I’m writing by hand?:
Invoke the Luddite Clause!

What you do is write your 50,000 words, then have someone you trust verify that it is, indeed, 50,000 words. Then using something like the Lorem Ipsum generator, submit a file of the exact number of words of your handwritten manuscript to our word count validator.

So I may be invoking the Luddite Clause later in the month. Mentioned it to hubby and he gave me a really weird look. However, I going to try really hard to keep up. The time change has given me my extra hour back in the morning and I'm loving it. I popped out of bed at 7:00 bright and bushy tailed (well, not really) and ready to write. I never really did adjust when we sprang forward in the spring. I could hardly drag myself out of bed until 8 something and dinner was constantly late. Back to a normal schedule now. We'll see how long it lasts. *grin*

Trying not to read unputdownable books for the during of November so I'm not tempted to continue reading when breakfast is over. Finding there aren't many of those in my TBR pile. Nora Robert's latest book "The Next Always" came out November 1st and of course had to read it as soon as possible. Never take a book to bed that is unputdownable. *yawn* I also discovered Gail Carriger's "Soulless" was also not an easy book to put down. I'm now looking forward to reading the rest of the Parasol Protector steampunk series. I did find one book that was putdownable and managed to limit my reading to breakfast, so won't mention the name since it seems it would be an insult to the author. Nor that it was boring, just not exciting enough. I'm currently reading C.J. Lyons (new to me author) medical mystery "Warning Signs" which is the 2nd book in her Angels of Mercy series. Not sure why I didn't start with the first book, but its good and not having any trouble following. Sort of unputdownable so saving it as a reward for the afternoons. Will Power!!!!

ROW80 goal - 1667 words a day for the month of November. Check out how everyone else is doing here Have a great weekend!

2011 Books completed

2011-11-01T22:12:00.000-07:00

2011 Book List

Post rotates to the first of the month every month

I will be keeping track of the books I read for 2011 in this post. Posts with links lead to my review of the book. Reviews may be posted later than when finished the book.

Safe and Sound - J.D. Rhoades
Tiger Eye (Dirk and Steele series #1) Marjorie M Lui
Shadow Touch (Dirk and Steele Series #2) Marjorie M. Liu
Secrets of the Demon (Kara Gillian Series) Diana Rowland
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Red Heart of Jade - (Dirk and Steele #3) - Marjorie M. Liu
Beatrice and Virgil - Yann Martell
Cinders - Michelle Davidson Argyle
Delirious - Daniel Palmer
The Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman (nf)
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall - Anne Bronte
An Eye for Murder - Libby Fischer Hellmann (e-book)
Eats, Shoots and Leaves - Lynne Truss (nf)
Full Mortality - Sasscer Hill (dnf)
Forsaken by Shadow - Kait Nolan
Wild Man Creek (Virgin River Series # 12) - Robyn Carr
Wild Rain (Leopard Series #2) - Christine Feehan (e-book)
The Fifth Servant - Kenneth Wishnia
Green - Ted Dekker
Heatwave - Richard Castle
Devil's Eye - Kait Nolan (e-book)
Night Shift (Jill Kismet Series #1) - Lilith Saintcrow (e-book)
In The Woods - Tana French
Angelology - Danielle Trussoni
The Incumbent - Alton Gansky (e-book)
River Marked - Patricia Briggs
Angels Everywhere tale 1 A Season of Angels - Debbie Macomber (ebook)
Angels Everywhere tale 2 Touched by Angels - Debbie Macomber (ebook)
Hush Money - Susan Bischoff (ebook)
Harvest Moon - Robin Carr
A Man Called Outlaw - K.M. Weiland
Bond with Me - Anne Marsh (ebook)
The Teachable Moment - Rebecca Branstetter (nf - ebook)
Almost Home - Mariah Stewart (TLC Tour)
Chasing Fire - Nora Roberts
Unclean Spirits - M.L. N. Hanover (e-book)
Darker Angels - M.L.N. Hanover (e-book)
The Sandlewood Tree - Elle Newmark
Hush - Cherry Adair
Face of Danger -Roxanne St. Claire (e-book)
Shiver of Fear - Roxanne St. Claire (e-book)
Undertow - Cherry Adair (e-book)
Treachery in Death - J.D. Robb
Ruthless Games #8 - Christine Feehan
Crimson Wind - Diana Pharaoh Francis
The Best Gift (#1 Sisters and Brides) - Irene Hannon(ebook)
Gift From The Heart (#2 Sisters and Brides) - Irene Hannon (ebook)
The Unexpected Gift (#3 Sisters and Brides) - Irene Hannon (ebook)
Janeology - Karen Harrington
The Preacher's Bride - Jody Hedlund
Kiss the Moon - Carla Neggers
Shadow Game #1 - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Mind Game (Ghostwalkers #2) - Christine Feehan (e-book)
Eye of Heaven (Dirk and Steele Series # 5) - Marjorie M. Liu (ebook)
The Perfect Poison (arcane series) - Amanda Quick (ebook)
The Silver Eagle - Ben Kane
Kiss of Heaven (midnight breed series) - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain (Class)
The Last Twilight (Dirk and Steele series #7 - Marjorie M. Lui (e-book)
Styx's Storm (breed series) - Lora Leigh
Night Game (Ghostwalkers #3)- Christine Feehan (ebook)
Conspiracy Game ( Ghostwalkers #4) - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Deadly Game (Ghostwalkers # 5) - Christine Feehan (Ebook)
Predatory Game (Ghostwalkers # 6) - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Murder Game (Ghostwalkers # 7) - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Street Game (Ghostwalkers # 8) - Christine Feehan)
Beach Lane - Sherryl Woods
An Unsocial Socialist - George Bernard Shaw
Kiss of Midnight #1 (Midnight Breed Series) - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Kiss of Crimson #2 - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Midnight Awakening #3 - Lara Adrian (Ebook)
Midnight Rising #4 - lara Adrian (ebook)
Veil of Midnight #5 - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Ashes of Midnight #6 - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Shades of Midnight # 7 - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Taken by Midnight # 8 - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Deeper Than Midnight #9 - Lara Adrian (ebook)
Navarro's Promise - Lora Leigh
Savage Nature - Christine Feehan
Before I Go To Sleep - S.J. Watson
The Wild Road (Dirk and Steele #8) - Marjore M. Liu (ebook)
In the Dark of Dreams (Dirk and Steele) - Marjorie M. Liu (ebook)
Changeling Moon - Dani Harper
Changeling Dream - Dani Harper
Vicious Grace (Black Son's Daughter #3) - M.L.N. Hanover (ebook)
Midnight Crystal (Arcane Society) - Jayne Castle (ebook)
Just over the Mountain (Grace Valley series) - Robyn Carr (ebook)
Deep in the Valley (Grace Valley series) - Robyn Carr (ebook)
Down by the River (Grace Valley series) - Robyn Carr (ebook)
L is for Lawless - Sue Grafton (ebook)
Thicker than Blood - C.J. Darlington (ebook)
Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom series) - Devon Monk (ebook)
Intrigues - Mercedes Lackey
With No Remorse - Cindy Gerard (ebook)
Back in Black - Lori Foster (ebook)
A Rocky Path - Lauralynn Elliott (ebook)
Live Wire - Lora Leigh (ebook)
The Fury (short story) - Claudia LeFeve (ebook)
Shadow Touch (short story) - Erin Kellison (ebook)
Altar of Eden - James Rollins (ebook)
Always Watching - Brandilyn Collins (ebook)
Sealed with a Kiss - Mary Daughtridge (ebook)
Anno Dracula - Tess Newman
Camille - Tess Oliver (ebook)
County Line - Bill Cameron (ebook)
Everything Beautiful Began After - Simon Van Booy
Giving Chase #1 - Lauren Dane (ebook)
Taking Chase #2 - Lauren Dane (ebook)
Chased - #3 - Lauren Dane (ebook)
Murder in the Marais - Cara Black
Making Chase #4 - Lauren Dane (ebook)
When You Dare #1 - Lori Foster
Trace of Fever #2 - Lori Foster
Savor the Danger #3 - Lori Foster
Night Road - Kristen Hannah
Verity (cursed 1) - Claire Farrell (ebook)
Guilty Pleasures (#1 Anita Blake Vampire) - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
The Laughing Corpse #2 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Circus of the Damned #3 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
The Lunatic Cafe #4 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Bloody Bones #5 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
The Killing Dance # 6 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Out of Time - Alton Gansky
Burnt Offerings #7 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Blue Moon #8 -Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
State of Wonder - Ann Patchett
Obsidian Butterfly #9 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Narcissus in Chains # 10 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Cerulean Sins # 11 - Laurell K. Hamilton(e-book)
Monarch - Michelle Davidson Argyle
Incubus Dreams #12 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Micah# 13 (novella) - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Danse Macbre #14 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
The Harlequin #15 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Blood Noir #16 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Skin Trade #17 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Flirt #18 (novella) - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Bullett #19 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Hit List #20 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
A Kiss of Shadows #1 Merry Gentry Series - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
A Caress of Twilight #2 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Seduced by Moonlight #3 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
A Stroke of Midnight #4 - Laurell K.Hamilton (e-book)
Mistral's Kiss #5 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
A Lick of Frost #6 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Swallowing Darkness # 7 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
Divine Misdemeanors #8 - Laurell K. Hamilton (e-book)
A Heart Revealed - Julie Lessman
Tea and Destiny - Sherryl Woods
Light the Stars - Raeanne Thayne
You Belong to Me - Karen Rose
Crave (fallen angels series #2) - J.R. Ward (e-book)
An Obrien Family Christmas - Sherryl Woods (ebook)
Angel's Blood (Guild hunter #1) - Nalini Singh (ebook)
Archangel's Kiss (GH#2) - Nalini Singh (ebook)
Archangel's Consort (GH3) - Nalini Singh (ebook)
Archangel's Blade (GH4) - Nalini Singh (ebook)
An Instance of the Fingerpost - Iain Pears
New York to Dallas (In Death #33) - J.D. Robb
Dark Prince (Dark Series #1) - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Dark Desire (Dark #2) - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Dark Gold (Dark # 3) - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Dark Magic (Dark # 4) - Christine Feehan (ebook)
Quicksilver - Amanda Quick (e-book)
Heart of the Witch - Alicia Dean
Fatal Judgement - Irene Hannon
Riptide - Cherry Adair
The Botticelli Affair by Traci L. Slatton
Hometown Girl - Mariah Stewart
Mercy Burns (Myth and Magic #2) - Keri Arthur
Dracula - Bram Stoker
Outlining Your Novel - K.M. Weiland
The Mist - Carla Neggers
The Next Always - Nora Roberts
Soulless - Gail Carriger
The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown
Waking the Witch - Kelley Armstrong
The Whisper - Carla Neggers (E-Book)
The Immortals - J.T. Ellison
Warning Signs - C.J. Lyons (e-book)
The Memory Collector - Meg Gardner
61 Hours - Lee Child
The Immortals - J.T. Ellison
Seal of My Dreams anthology - Cindy Gerard, et all
Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture
Blood Bound - Rachel Vincent
Beautiful Lies - Lisa Unger
Vampire's Violin - Michael Romkey
Worth Dying For - Lee Child
Death of the Red Heroine - Qui Xiaolong
Dark Lover - J.R. Ward
Mister X - John Lutz
Within the Flames (Dirk and Steele) - Marjorie Liu
Love Me If You Must - Nicole Young
Shadow of the Moon - Rebecca York
Bring Me Home for Christmas - Robyn Carr
Hostage Zero - John Gilstrap
The Forest House - Miriam Zimmer Bradley
An Irish Country Doctor - Patrick Taylor
The Mortal Bone (Hunter Kiss #4) - Marjorie Liu

2011 Reading Challenges

2011-11-01T18:21:00.000-07:00


		Fairy Bubbles by Josephine Wall

It's that time of year when all the reading challenges are being announced for next year. I won't be going challenge crazy again for the new year. I'm limiting myself to three or four (or try to) and will be instituting another buying ban until I've read the majority of my TBR Pile. Books in italics are ideas for the challenges. The challenges I will be joining are


Beth Fish Reads "What's In a Name 4"

The goal is between January 1 and December 31, 2011, read one book in each of the following categories: Completed

A book with a number in the title: The Fifth Servant - Kenneth Wishnia
A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Red Heart of Jade - Marjorie M Liu
A book with a size in the title: Long Gone - Alafair Burke
A book with travel or movement in the title: Heat Wave - Richard Castle
A book with evil in the title: Secrets of the Demon - Diana Rowland
A book with a life stage in the title: Wild Man Creek - Robyn Carr

Carrie's Ireland Reading Challenge

The challenge runs from January 1 through November 31 and the goal is to read books written by an Irish author, or set in Ireland, or involving Irish history or Irish characters, Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, audiobooks and children’s books apply.

The committment levels are: Shamrock level with 2 books, Luck o’ the Irish level with 4 books or Kiss the Blarney Stone level with 6 books. I'm going with the Shamrock Level.

Completed the Luck o the Irish Level

1. In The Woods - Tana French
2. Treachery in Death - J.D. Robb
3. Dracula - Bram Stoker
4. New York to Dallas - J.D. Robb


Jackie of Literary Escapism's New Authors Challenge

The challenge runs through the end of the year and the goal is to read authors that are new to you. The choices are 15, 25 or 50 books and I'll be going with 15. Completed

1. An Eye for Murder - Libby Fischer Hellmann
2. Delirious - Daniel Palmer
3. Five Love Languages - Gary Chapman
4. the Tenant of WildFell Hall - Anne Bronte
5. Forsaken By Shadow - Kait Nolan
6. Fifth Servant - Kenneth Wishnia
7. Heatwave - Richard Castle
8. Night Shift - Lilith Saintcrow
9. In The Woods - Tana French
10. Hush Money - Susan Bischoff
11. A Man Called Outlaw - K.M Weiland
12. Ann Marsh - Bond with Me
13. The Teachable Moment - Rebecca Branstetter (nf - ebook)
14. The Sandlewood Tree - Elle Newmark
15. Unclean Spirits - M.L. N. Hanover (e-book)

Florinda of The 3 R's Blog

Completed

1. Safe and Sound - J.D. Rhoades
2. Cinders - Michelle Davidson Argyle
3. Forsaken by Shadow - Kait Nolan
4. Green - Ted Dekker
5. Night Shift - Lilith Saintcrow
6. Susan Bischoff - Hush Money
7. A Man Called Outlaw - K.M Weiland
8. The Preacher's Bride - Jody Hedlund
9. Janeology - Karen Harrington
10. The Perfect Poison - Amanda Quick
11. Thicker than Blood - C.J. Darlington
12. Midnight Crystal (Arcane Society #9) - Castle


A to Z Challenge with Becky

Completed

Titles: Alphabetically by Title - 26 books

A. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

B. Beatrice and Virgil - Yann Martel

C. Cinders - Michelle Davidson Argyle

D. Delirious - Daniel Palmer

E. Eats, Shoots and Leaves - Lynn Truss
F. Forsaken by Shadow - Kait Nolan

G. Green - Ted Dekker

H. Heatwave - Richard Castle

I. In the Woods - Tana French

J. Janeology - Karen Harrington

K. Kiss the Moon - Carla Neggers

L. L is for Lawless - Sue Grafton

M. Murder in the Marais - Cara Black

N. Night Road - Kristin Hannah

O. Out of Time - Alton Gansky

P. Dark Prince - Christine Feehan

Q. Quicksilver - Amanda Quick

R. Riptide - Cherry Adair

S. Soulless - Gail Carriger

T. The Weird Sisters - Eleanor Brown

U. Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture - Apostolos Doxiadis

V. Vampire's Violin - Michael Romkey

W.Worth Dying For - Lee Child

X. Mister X - John Lutz

Y. Love Me if You Must - Nicole Young

Z. Hostage Zero - John Gilstrap

Authors: Alphabetically by Authors - 26 Books

A. Alton Gansky - The Incumbent
B. Patricia Briggs - River Marked
C. Cherry Adair - Hush
D. Debbie Macomber - Angels Everywhere
E . Elle Newmark - The Sandalwood Tree
F. Diana Pharoah Francis - Crimson Wind
G. Gary Chapman - The Five Love Languages
H. Libby Fischer Hellmann - An Eye for Murder (e-book)
I. Irene Hannon - The Best Gift (e-book)
J. Jody Hedlund - The Preacher's Bride
K. Ben Kane - The Silver Eagle
L. Lara Adrian - Kiss of Heaven
M. Mercedes Lackey - Intrigues
N. Kim Newman - Anno Dracula
O. Tess Oliver - Camille
P. Ann Patchett - State of Wonder
Q. Amanda Quick - Quicksilver
R. Karen Rose - You Belong to Me
S. Mariah Stewart - Hometown Girl
T. Traci L. Slatton - The Botticelli Affair
U. Lisa Unger - Beautiful Lies
V. Rachel Vincent - Blood Bound
W. J.R. Ward - Dark Lover
X. Qui Xiaolong - Death of a Red Heroine
Y Rebecca York - Shadow of the Moon
Z. Miriam Zimmer Bradley - The Forest House

Books on the Nightstand

2011-11-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

What's on the Nightstand

Post rotates to first of month every month

I am updating the list as books come in, whether purchases or review books in order to keep better track of what is in the stacks. I won't be reading them in any particular order just by mood or randomly picked using Random.org. Advanced Reader Copies will be read and reviewed around their release dates. Review books will be read within a reasonable time frame. Challenge books throughout the year and by the end of the Challenge. I have a whole slew of non fiction books but won't be listing all of those. Those also will be read by when the mood strikes and I probably won't review them, unless its something that really strikes my fancy.

Nightstand

A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals #1) - Kresley Cole (ebook)
A Killing Tide - P.J. Alderman (ebook)
Across the Universe - Beth Revis
An Eye for Murder - Libby Fischer Hellmann (ebook)
An Irish Country Doctor - Patrick Taylor (gift)
Benjamin Pratt and Keepers of the School - Andrew Clements
Bishop - Steven James
Blind Alley - Iris Johansen
Blood of my Brother - James LePore (ebook)
Buried Prey - John Sandford
Canyons of Night - Jayne Castle (ebook)
Charmed - Jayne Ann Krentz
Cleopatra - Stacy Schiff (gift)
Close Case - Alafair Burke
Cold Dawn - Carla Neggers (e-book)
Crashers - Dana Haynes
Deadlock - Iris Johansen
Deadly Sanctuary - Sylvia Nobel (e-book)
Death and Restoration - Iain Pears
Death Comes for the Archbishop - Willa Cather
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep - Philip K. Dick (gift)
Dr. Zhivago - Boris Pasternak (gift)
Dragonfly in Amber - Diana Gabaldon
Dragonkeeper - Robin Hobb (won - literary escapism)
Elyon - Ted Dekker
Emma - Jane Austen (e-book)
Everlasting - Kathleen Woodiwiss
Everywhere that Mary Went - Lisa Scottoline (ebook)
Fade to Black - Leslie Parrish (ebook)
Faithful Place - Tana French
Finder's Fee - Alton Gansky
Fit to be Tied - Robin Hatcher
Genesis - Bernard Becket
Getting Old is Tres Dangereux - Rita Lakin
Greatest Knight - Elizabeth Chadwick (ebook)
Guilt by Association - Marcia Clark
Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress #1) - Jeaniene Frost (ebook)
Harbor - Carla Neggers
Hard to Hold (Hold #1) - Stephanie Tyler (ebook)
Heart of the Witch - Alicia Dean (ebook)
Here the Dead Cry - Charlie Price (gift)
Hiding in the Shadows - Kay Hooper
Hostage Zero - John Gilstrap (ebook)
Hour of the Hunter - J.A. Jance (ebook)
Hunter's Choice - Shiloh Walker (ebook)
Hunter's Prayer (Jill Kismet #2) - Lilith Saintcrow
Hunting Fear - Kay Hooper (ebook)
Judas Kiss - J.T. Ellision (e-book)
Justice Hall - Laurie R. King (ebook)
L.A. Noire - Rockstar Games (ebook)
Last Breath (Rayne Tour Series #2) - Amberly Collins
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott (e-book)
Locked Rooms - Laurie R. King
Long Gone - Alafair Burke
Lover Eternal (Black Brotherhood #2) - J.R. Ward
Mansfield Park - Jane Austen (e-book)
Map of Bones - James Rollins
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
Mirror Image - Dennis Palumbo
Moonlight Mile - Dennis Lehane (Gift Arc)
Murder in the Palais Royal - Cara Black
Museum of Thieves - Lian Tanner
Never Let You Go - Erin Healy
Never Tell a Lie - Hallie Ephron
Nick of Time - Ted Bell (ya)
Old Man's War - John Scalzi (gift)
Only Milo - Barry Smith (prize)
Original Sin - Allison Brennan
Overton Window - Glenn Beck
Persuasion - Jane Austen
Pirate Latitudes - Michael Crichton
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Proust's Overcoat - Lorenza Foschini (shelf aware)
Red - Kait Nolan
Rose Labyrinth - Titania Hardie
Rules of Prey - John Sandford
Salamander - Thomas Wharton (gift)
Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
Schindler's List - Thomas Keneally
Shadow of Betrayal - Brett Battles
Shapeshifters Demo tapes 3 - Susan Helene Gottfried
Sick - Brett Battles (ebook)
Silence (Hush Hush #3) - Becca Fitzpatrick (ebook)
Snakes Pass - Bram Stoker
Soft Apocalypse - Will McIntosh (ebook0
Sons and Princes - James LePore (Review book)
Spider's Bite (Elemental Assassin # 1) - Jennifer Estep (ebook)
Stealing Shadows - Kay Hooper
Switched (Trylie Trilogy #1) - Amanda Hocking (ebook)
Templar legacy - Steve Berry (ebook)
Tenth Stone - Bodie Thoene
The 13th Hour - Richard Doetsch (ebook)
The 39 Clues #1 - Rick Riordan
The Aedyn Chronicles - Alister McGrath
The Apothecary's Daughter - Julie Kalssen (ebook)
The Black Echo (Harry Bosch #1) - Michael Connelly
The Dead Whisper On - T.L. Hines
The Emerald Atlas - John Stephens
The Fall of Lucas Kendrick - Kay Hooper (ebook)
The Magnificent 12 - Michael Grant (ebook)
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson
The First Out - Diane Emley
The Hollow Man - Dan Simmons
The Immortals - J.T. Ellison
The Journey that Saved Curious George - H.E. Ray
The Last Child - John Hart
The Likeness - Tana French
The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan (ebook)
The Man in the High Castle - Philip Dick
The Murder at the Vicarage (Miss Marple) - Agatha Christie (e-book)
The Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith (e-book)
The Memory Collector - Meg Gardiner
The Passage - Justin Cronin
The Pawn - Steven James (ebook)
The Priest's Graveyard - Ted Dekker
The Raphael Affair - Iain Pears
The Road to Jerusalem - Jan Guillou (gift)
The Rossetti Letter - Christi Phillips(prize)
The Sherlockian - Graham Moore (gift arc dec)
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (ebook)
The Summoner - Layton Green
The Templar Legacy - Steve Berry (ebook)
The Tower of Shadow - Drew Bowling
The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin
The Wheelman - Duane Swierczynski
The Winter Sea - Susanna Kearsley (ebook)
The Wrong King of Blood - Declan Hughes
The Wrong Side of Dead - Jordan Dane
Think of a Number - John Verdon (shelf aware)
Tough Customer - Sandra Brown
Vanity Fair - William Thackeray (e-book)
Warrior into the Wild - Erin Hunter
Watch your Back - James Scott Bell (ebook)
When a Man Loves a Weapon - Toni McGee Causey
Where There's Smoke - Sandra Brown
Winter Sea -Susanna Kearsley (ebook)
www.watch - Robert J. Sawyer
Year Zero - Jeff Long

It begins - Nanowrimo 2011

2011-11-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T00:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Sunday Salon: October Wrap Up

2011-10-30T12:04:00.000-07:00

Doorway to the stars by Josephine Wall

October has been an interesting reading month. I discovered Nalini Singh Guild Hunter series and explored 17th century England in Iain Pears An Instance of the Fingerpost. Dipped my toes into Christine Feehan's Dark Series and the world of the Carpathians and thought the characters were way over the top emotional until I read Bram Stoker's Dracula and saw the connection between the two. I hung out with Eleanor Brown's The Weird Sisters in the town of Barnwell and visited again with Eve Dallas in J.D. Robb's 33rd book in the In Death Series New York to Dallas. And I chewed my fingernails to the quick as angel Jim in J.R. Ward's Fallen Angel series 3rd book Envy battled evil Devina for yet another soul. I seem to be on an angel versus demons kick lately.

Plus I finally learned how to properly outline with K.M. Weiland's Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success.Wonderful, wonderful, book with great advice that really hit home and made so much sense and really gave me a kick in the right direction. Has been really helpful in preparing the story will be writing for Nanowrimo. It was released at just the perfect time.

As I been working on my characters back stories, I'm getting to know them better and coming up with more ideas for the story. Still need to get a handle on my Villain and will be working on he and his henchmen for the next couple days. I revised my synopsis and it seems to make more sense now and be a bit intriguing at the same time.

"Three German shop owners who specialize in repairing antique grandfather clocks have died within 3 months of each other. Homicide Detective Quinton Donovan is positive their deaths are connected. Then he receives reports some of their customer's homes being broken into and clocks stolen or damaged. His investigation leads him to Elizabeth 'Jersey' Lee, an assistant district attorney who is investigating Brian Finnegan, owner of a large microchip design firm and son of one of Boston's prominent rich families for fraud. Jersey and Brian once had a tumultuous relationship which ended badly and now they hate each other. So why were both their fingerprints found in the clock maker's shop?"

So while I'm partaking in NaNoWriMo, decided that when it comes to reading, I need to find some books that are not unputdownable. I read during breakfast and if the book is too good, then want to continue reading instead of writing. Books are so distracting. *grin* My Row80 goals will be quite simple for the next month: 1667 words a day. Anything else will be icing on the cake.

I have a few scheduled posts (thinking ahead for once) that will be coming up so you won't be bored while I'm writing my little fingers to the bone. (key violin music) Hee Hee!

Off to carve pumpkins.

Monarch by Michelle Davidson Argyle Giveaway Winner

2011-10-28T21:58:00.000-07:00

Have you been waiting with bated breath for the winner of Michelle Davidson Argyle's book Monarch. Sorry it took me so long. Distractions don't you know. Without further ado - Drumroll please!

The winner is:

Melanie Leeson of Beauty and the Armegeddon

Congratulations!

Row80 Mid Week Check in - A bouquet of sharpened pencils!

2011-10-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Melissa Doroquez

Shiny Pencils: In the midst of prepping for Nanowrimo 2011 and getting all my duck in a row which includes a nice new shiny notebook and sharpened pencils. I discovered my creativity flows best writing it all out rather than staring at a computer screen. Just have to make sure not to write too fast and my writing's legible so when I go back can actually read what I wrote. Have had a few head scratching moments in the past trying to decipher cryptic sentences. *grin*

30 days - 30 scenes: Have a simple outline of 30 scenes and then got to a point where wasn't sure which direction I was going to go in, so stopped and turned to researching characters. It'll either become clear as I think about it or will come to me by the time I get there.

Nesting: Between researching and planning, have been cleaning and decluttering. Feel like I'm nesting. Blogging will probably sporadic during November so may be doing quickie row80 check-in's on group facebook page.

Check in with other ROWers and see what they are doing.

My gift to everyone participating in Nanowrimo - A bouquet of shiny, sharpened pencils. Have fun!

Sunday Salon: Reading and Planning

2011-10-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

"I'm thinking of" courtesy of Davide Restivo

I finished reading Dracula by Bram Stoker today. I think I know why it took me so long to get around to reading the story. Age. As I get older and learn more about writing, the more I appreciate the classics. It was interesting finally getting to know Jonathan Harker, Van Helsing, Lucy, Mina, and Dr. Seward. It was written back in 1887 and in a unique format - in a series of letters, diary entries and telegrams. Makes for an interesting read. Since it is the Victorian age, the dialogue is long, flowing, pretty at times just to say the simplest thing. I enjoyed it.

I'm still working my way through K.M. Weiland's Outlining Your Novel. I now have pages and pages of notes and now need to organize a bit. I came up with my premise sentence or in other words - elevator pitch. I read it to Father and he started talking about run on sentences and grammar, etc. Not the point, dear. He's a stickler for that stuff. After he got past it, he said he liked it. He's been enjoying helping me brainstorm. Every time I come up with an idea, he has much to contribute. He's great for the technical and spy stuff.

I'm working on scenes, setting, and character background and backstory. I always considered myself sort of a pantster with a little bit of plotting thrown in. This time I'm plotting with a bit of pantster thrown in. We'll see how it goes. A lot to do with only 8 days left to November, however.... My timing is perfect. We just completed 7 weeks of lessons and are taking a week off. We usually home school year round with 3 to 4 weeks on and one week off so we all are quite ready for a break. Will have plenty of time amidst making James Sonic the hedgehog costume for Halloween. I also printed off Randy Ingermanson's Snowflake Method which I finally get it and will be incorporating it because he has some really great suggestions.

Speaking of suggestions, be sure to check out Em and Lena's weekly mashup of writing links on the Fun Not Fear! Nano support group blog.

Plus I've been checking out Literature and Latte's Scrivener and after having completed the tutorial, am in love. Going to give the window's beta version a try for Nano. I'll be spending the week typing in my notes and exploring it a bit more. Should know by the end of the week if it's doable for me.

You know how I asked this question in last sunday's post: "At what point does your mind blow up from too many characters and different story lines? Is it possible to channel them all and keep the stories straight?" The earth is in alignment and there once again is synchronicity. I received Holly Lisle's weekly tip email and the question was exactly that. Her answer:

I strongly recommend working on one project at a time.

If you work on multiples, then I recommend having one in planning,
one in first draft, and one in revision AT MOST.

I do not EVER recommend working on two first drafts, two revisions,
or two planning stages simultaneously.

The reason is:

1) With one project at a time, you stay focused and get it done.

2) With three projects, but each in a different stage of production, you can still maintain your focus because each sort of work is different enough to require different parts of your brain, different actions, different ways of thinking.  You can maintain a clear separation between each project and what you're doing on it (though it's hard).

3) With two or more projects at the same stage of development, you   end up wasting time going between notes on your different characters and worlds, trying to keep your stories straight.

Thank you Universe! Check out how how ROWers are doing and be sure to leave them a note of encouragement.

An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears

2011-10-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

An Instance of the Fingerpost

Iain Pears

Back Cover: "It is 1663 and England is wracked with intrigue and civil strife. When an Oxford don is murdered, it seems at first that the incident can have nothing to do with great matters of church and state. Who poured the arsenic into the victim's brandy? The evidence points to Sarah Blundy, a servant girl...She confesses to the crime and is sentenced to be hanged."

An Instance of the Fingerpost is a standalone novel by Iain Pears, author of the Flavia di Stefano Mystery Series. I was introduced to Pears books a couple years back when was asked to review Stone's Fall. I enjoyed it and have since acquired several of his Stefano mysteries, plus this book. I finally decided to dive in and read it for Fall Reading Challenge.

It is an intriguing historical fiction novel, a bit long winded at 752 pages, but it's that long for a reason. The story takes place in 1663 in Oxford, England and is told in 4 different stages, each stage narrated by a different man in first person point of view. Each man different as well as arrogant and attempting to tell the story their way. You are never quite sure whose telling the truth. First there is Marco da Cola, a young Italian doctor, then Jack Prestcott, who doesn't believe his father is a traitor and is trying to clear his name, mathematician Dr. John Wallis. Lastly Anthony Wood, an antiquarian - student of history. The story is full of history, archaic medical theories, religious persecution, political intrigue and deceit. It's quite convoluted and complex and not an easy read, but it will capture your interest detailing 1600's science and medical practices and the politics of the age.

Pages: 752

Publisher: Berkley Books

Released: March 1, 1999

Source: Personal Copy

"When in a search of any nature the understand stands suspended, then instances of the fingerpost shew the true and inviolable way in which the question is to be decided. These instances afford great light, so that the course of the investigation will sometimes be terminated by them. Sometimes, indeed, these instances are found amongst that evidence already set down."

--- Francis Bacon, Novum Organum Scientarum

ROW80 Mid Week Check in

2011-10-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to K.M. Weiland's Outlining Your Novel, I've spent the past few days 'what iffing' ideas about my upcoming Nano story, Blue Steel. I'm currently on Chapter 5 and taking scads of notes. Much seems like common sense, but I'd never thought about doing the 'what if's' before. It has lead to some interesting scenarios and a plausible sub plot. Last night I sprang it on Father and he liked my ideas which made me feel good. He also came up with some interesting input which may make it into the story. We'll see - sometimes he goes over my head with electronic jargon and leaves me with my brain about to explode from trying to absorb it all.

I know there are only a couple weeks left before Nano but I'm going to try and plot as much as I can this time. Something I've discovered about myself is I can't read craft books while in the midst of writing a first draft. I start thinking more about the mechanics then the story and there goes all my creativity. I'm getting in the Nano mode so modifying my goals to concentrate totally on story planning. Less is more at this point, so everything else is sort of going out the window.

Wonderful Michelle set up a Row80 group over on the Nanowrimo forums in the writing groups: link

and I just discovered you can subscribe to threads now through rss. *grin* So cool!

Check in and see how everybody else is doing.

ROW80 check in: Brainstorming

2011-10-16T11:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday my darlings! It's an absolutely gorgeous day and listening to the birds singing outside my patio window is always delightful. ROW80 wise, I've done pretty well this week.

1) complete character study on Layla - incomplete. The character clinic is giving me insight into her so hopefully will get there soon.

2) Start Section one of Character Clinic - worked through 1/2 of the section completing writes up on character need, idea of work and play, wants from past, present and future. Had an epiphany about Layla which will help with plot of story.

3) Read Chapter one of Outlining Your Novel - Actually read three chapters so far and completely sold on the aspects of outlining. I love the idea of brainstorming. Something my father taught me long ago. K.M. suggests brainstorming what if's, don't censor, focus on the senses and listen to your gut instinct and write it all out in longhand so you aren't tempted to edit. I love this quote from K.M.

"The two sides of our creativity - the conscious and the unconscious - working in harmony, the one pulsing and pounding ahead, the other slowing and refining, are capable of fantastic things." pg 55

4) Organize Novel Bible - I got as far as buying the notebook. :)

5) DYI MFA - Work on reading list.

Discovered Gotham Writer's workshop site has some great lists. Leaning toward mysteries or suspense with romance and these two lists here and here provides great starting point and suggestions for books to read.

6) Treadmill workout - one hour a day 4 times a week - Check

7) Visit and comment on at least 5 rowers every day. I managed to drop by the majority of rowers and leave a comment or note of encouragement. Discovered a system that works quite well. Visit all who end with 1's, then 2's, then 3's and so on. Elana Johnson taught me the secret of give yourself an hour, opening up tabs at the same time on all the folks you want to visit, and leave comments. It's actually quite effective.

I also decided to do Nanowrimo so will be adding nano prep to my list of goals for each week. The brainstorming technique K.M. talks about in her book will help here. All I have is an inkling of an idea and a direction and perhaps a way to tie it into Layla's story. Then I'd be killing two birds with one stone with world building.

To be honest, I'm missing Sabrina and Richard from Red Thief and started reading some of the story yesterday. Makes me want to finish typing up the story and..... At what point does your mind blow up from too many characters and different story lines? Is it possible to channel them all and keep the stories straight.

Check in on the other rowers and see how they are doing. Don't forget to leave a note of encouragement or just say hi.

The Botticelli Affair by Traci L. Slatton

2011-10-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Botticelli Affair

Traci L. Slatton

Back Cover: "She's a high-spirited woman with a sordid past, trying to go straight. Enter gorgeous John Bolingbroke, a half-vampire with special powers and news of her beloved missing father. From New York through Paris, Amsterdam, and Rome, while fleeing ruthless vampires, Laila searches desperately for her father and a lost Botticelli painting that holds a coveted secret."

When I was asked if I wanted to read The Botticelli Affair by Traci Slatton, I jumped at the chance because it had all the things I enjoy in a story - vampires, art history and romance. The story was interesting and highly entertaining - all the makings of a B movie with the cheesy dialogue and non stop acting. Laila is definitely a high spirited young woman and shouted, cried, chirped, panted, whispered and raced across the pages. I've never seen so many exclamation marks in one story before. It was a good cozy paranormal mystery with all the elements for a great one. I just couldn't take it seriously. If you are looking for a good beach read, check it out.

Thank you to Leyane of FSB Associates for providing me with a courtesy copy of the book and Traci Slatton for writing such an entertaining story.

Row80 Mid Week Check in -- Eating my words

2011-10-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

I lied.

I swore up, down, right, left and till almost blue in the face I wasn't going to do it again.

But then....I saw her

Yes, it's just a wig mannequin, but that hair, that face, those cheek bones just yelled at me to tell a story. Tough, leather jacket, smart spoken. Then a name came to me - Jersey Lee. So I gave in and spent yesterday looking at pictures, coming up with names, finding the guy, thinking of a story. Couldn't stand the thought of not doing it. I'm free this year...no classes to distract. I just love the idea of locking up my pesky internal editor and just letting it flow. So...... Yes! I'm doing NaNoWriMo again. I'm not going to kill myself to win by stressing about the numbers and adding filler. Just going to go with it and see what happens. If I win, great. If I don't. At least I'll have the beginnings of another interesting story. My handle is mytwoblessings if you want to add me as a writing buddy on the site.

Need help prepping for NaNoWriMO:

Check out mystery author Alexandra Sokoloff's series of Nano prep posts

Larry Brooks of Story Fix and his 31 Empowering Posts in 31 days

In the meantime I'm going to continue on editing Eyes in the Ashes and all the stuff I mentioned earlier. Which is going well by the way. I'll recap on Sunday.

See how everybody else is doing here.

A to Z title Challenge: L is for Lawless through Out of time

2011-10-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

Mini reviews of the books I've read for the A to Z Title Challenge

In L is for Lawless Sue Grafton put her favorite PI Kinsey Milhone through the ringer. Her landlord asks her for a simple favor - to help his neighbor find the evidence proving his grandfather served in the military so he can be buried with honors. Sounds easy except Kinsey finds herself flying cross country following a young pregnant woman who took something from the neighbors home. A fun adventure considering takes place during the 1980's before the advent of internet and cell phones.

Murder in the Marais is Cara Black's debut novel and the first in a series of now 11 books following the exploits of Private investigator Aimee Leduc in Paris, France. I discovered Aimee is a feisty chick who jumps into situations fearlessly, throws herself body (literally) and soul into her investigations. Sound like another private eye we know (hint - see above book) *grin* She isn't afraid of a few bruises and once she's on somebody's trail, doesn't let go. I was amazed at this character's tenacity. I was exhausted just reading the story. Paris is more than just the setting, it is also a living breathing character that helps bring the story to life.

First time author read for me of Kristin Hannah's Night Road and it was an emotional read. When young Lexi Baill moves to Port George, Washington, she soon becomes fast friends with Mia and her twin brother and is absorbed into the family. One night they go to a party and get very drunk. Unfortunately they decide to not call their mom and drive home thinking it's only a mile or so - what could happen? Beautifully written and gut wrenching at times, but well worth the read.

Alton Gansky's Out of Time is one of his J.D. Stanton mysteries. J.D. takes 5 troubled teenagers of military families out on a week long cruise in hopes of turning their lives around. They get a lot more than they bargained for when a mysterious storm takes out all the electronics on board. Then a pre wwII battleship appears out of the fog - with no one on board. A ghost ship. Then more weird things start happening.

Sunday Salon: What a character!

2011-10-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

Captain Jack Sparrow

My mind has been on characters lately especially since my son is on a Pirates of the Caribbean kick and we've been watching the first three movies over and over again. Thankfully the movies are interesting so the repetition lends itself to studying the characters, noticing different things each time. Makes me wish I could draw faces better because I get a picture in my mind's eye of what my characters should look like and makes me want to see them since I'm a very visual person. Their looks gives me insight into their character. KWIM. Which is why love the internet and all the wonderful professional model and talent agency sites out there. Have always been able to find a picture to match the idea I have in my mind's eye of the character. I found my Layla and Paul.

Aren't they cute. Now I can start working on their profiles. Plus, a couple years back I downloaded Holly Lisle's Create a Character Clinic but never did anything with it. Guess I needed a couple more writing years under my belt to make use of it. I printed it all off yesterday, put it in a binder and will be working on the course for this round. One of my goals at the start of the year was to take a writing course of some sort. Now I'm ready for it. I also excited because K.M. Weiland's just launched her latest book Outlining your Novel and it arrived UPS on Friday. I love her blog - she always has something wise to share.

As far as my goals last week I failed. I was overly ambitious in thinking I could complete character sheets for 4 characters. Lots of distractions. I started the Novel Bible but need to get a bit more organized. My brain had been totally wrapped up in my last WIP and finishing the first draft. Guess I needed a break to refocus my brain on Eyes in the Ashes. So my goals this week are

1) complete character study on Layla

2) Start Section one of Character Clinic

3) Read Chapter one of Outlining Your Novel

4) Organize Novel Bible

5) DYI MFA - Work on reading list

6) Treadmill workout - one hour a day 4 times a week

7) Visit and comment on at least 5 rowers every day - We have lots of newbies this round so lets give them alot of encouragement.

Speaking of which, ROW80 has a group on Facebook and the twitter hashtag is #row80. Check out how everyone else is doing and what their goals are for this week.

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~Toni Morrison

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman

2011-10-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

Anno Dracula

Kim Newman

Back cover: "It is 1888 and Queen Victoria has remarried, taking as her new consort the Wallachian Prince infamously known as Count Dracula. His polluted bloodline spreads through London as its citizens increasingly choose to become vampires. In the grim backstreets of Whitechapel, a killer known as 'Silver Knife' is cutting down vampire girls. The eternally young vampire Genevieve Diedudonne and Charles Beauregard of the Diogenes Club are drawn together as they both hunt the sadistic killer, bringing them ever closer to England's most bloodthirsty ruler yet."

My father in law called the other day and has recently gotten a kindle. He is enjoying reading the classics and loves to discuss what he is reading with me. The last time he called he asked what I was reading. I explained I was reading a vampire novel in which Count Dracula has married Queen Victoria and taken over England. It has made being a vampire fashionable and there are many characters who have turned or been brought back as vampires such as Jack the ripper, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Professor Moriarty, Henry Jekyll, and Dr. Moreau to name a few. Complete silence on the other end of the phone. Certainly wasn't what he expected to hear. *grin*

If you like vampire stories you'll like this one.There are many characters both fictional and historical who have been brought to life in the story as noted above. It is quite fashionable to host a salon and have a vampire as the guest of honor. Young female vampire prostitutes are being murdered by someone emulating Jack the Ripper. Has someone unearthed the ripper and brought him back as a vampire.... Anno Dracula is a suspense story full of horror, politics, romance, deception and intrigue. Kim Newman has quite an vivid imagination and put it to good use in this story. There is a 2nd story called The Bloody Red Baron in which Newman imagines if Dracula had fought for the Kaiser during WW2. Will be adding it to my wishlist.

Pages: 560

Publisher: Titan Books

Reprint Edition May 2011

Source: Personal copy

Row80 Round 4 Check in #1 - contemplating

2011-10-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

I haven't accomplished much in the past two days. I got a bit distracted online while checking out the goals for the other participants. I didn't get very far because you never quite know when you check out someone's blog where it is going to take you. As I came to the end of my studies for my Bachelor degree earlier in the year, thoughts of going on for my Master's degree rolled through my brain. Did I want to go on to get a Master's in Liberal Arts, Literature or perhaps creative writing. Which lead to researching MFA's and discovering there are a lot of folks who have strong feelings about them - pro and con. Just today I came across an excellent post by Eric Wyatt - To MFA or not and asks the question: “What do you want to do with the degree?". Contemplating the answer.

Which lead to thinking about perhaps just dipping my toes in the water and taking some online creative writing courses before committing to a Master's program. Plus why couldn't I just come up with my own private creative writing program like an MFA without the major expense. But where would I begin? So, a couple days back with the start of Round 4 of Row80, I dropped in on Gabi who has decided to join in the fun. Synchronicity. She just started DYI MFA - Do it yourself Degree in Creative Writing. *sigh* The first two steps take stock of where you are starting from and put together your reading list.That I can do. I love the blogosphere!

Round 4 is off to a rockin start - check out the party here.

Round 4 of A Round of Words in 80 Days

2011-10-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's October already and only 15 more weeks left to the year and the last round of A Round of Words in 80 Days is beginning. I finished the first draft of Red Thief during the last round which I'm quite happy about. I'm going to let it rest while I get back into another story I started last year. A bit too long to let it sit and fester on the shelf, leaving my poor characters in a state of limbo. This round is going to be all about world building, getting to know my characters better, outlining the story and as Lazette Gifford suggests in rewriting the beast look at the big problems first before getting into the minutia of the story. I've decided not to do NaNoWriMo this year, even though I have a Detective by the name of Donovan knocking about in my head asking me to tell his story. Don't know where he came from - he just sort of popped into my head, wandering down a dark, dank, hallway looking for a murderer. Hmm!

My goal for this week will be to set up and start a Novel Bible for Eyes in the Ashes. I want to complete characters sheets for Layla and Paul who turned out to play bigger parts in the story than expected. I'll be working on their back story as well as getting into more detail with my main characters Isabella and Gregory. After reading Natalie Whipple's Pros and Cons of Character sheets, I decided not to be overly ambitious and will stick with the 4 characters this week, hoping to complete one per day.

Check out how all the new and returning rowers and give them some encouragement.

Plus we going to have a party, virtually that is on twitter on October 5th. There's going to be all kinds of things going on:

On October 5th, the #ROW80 hashtag is going to light up like the stage at a teen rock concert. There’s going to a be a 24-hour celebration for:
All the participants who just finished Round 3 of ROW80.
Anyone who plans to post their goals and dive into Round 4.
The amazing people who supported the ROW80 writers throughout the year (y’all REALLY deserve a drink!)
Party Details:
Theme: “Rock the Row”
However you want to work that in is great. I leave it to your outrageously creative imagination!
Date: October 5th, 12:01 AM to 11:59 PM ET in the U.S.
This also happens to be the first day of check-in so there should be a ton of ROW80 fun happening around the blogosphere.
Party will be held at the #ROW80 hashtag.
Fire up your Tweet Deck or HootSuite and let’s get jiggy with it.
Photo Competition:
You can start now…we won’t tell. Start digging for or taking photos that reflect the theme. We’ll do our best to gather them and decide on the best to spotlight in a post at the ROW80 blog. Once the readers vote, the 1st place winner gets a copy of Kait Nolan’s latest book, Red, in e-book format!! (And maybe some others–updates coming)
Friendly Blog Competition
We will also post a mash-up of favorite ROCK THE ROW posts at the Row80 blog.

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett and giveaway

2011-09-30T15:36:00.000-07:00

STATE OF WONDER

Ann Patchett

Book Synopsis: Years ago, Marina Singh traded the hard decisions and intensity of medical practice for the quieter world of research at a pharmaceutical company, a choice that has haunted her life. Enveloping herself in safety, limiting emotional risk, she shares a quiet intimacy with her widowed older boss, Mr. Fox, and a warm friendship with her colleague Anders Eckman. But Marina's security is shaken when she learns that Anders, sent to the Amazon to check on a field team, is dead-and Mr. Fox wants her to go into the jungle to discover what happened.

Plagued by trepidation, yet propelled by her sense of duty, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the unknown, down into the Amazonian delta, deep into the dense, insect-infested jungle to find answers from the company's research team. Led by the formidable Dr. Annick Swenson, the scientists are looking into the development of a new drug that could have a profound impact on Western society. But the team has been silent for two years and the daunting Dr. Swenson does not like interlopers inserting themselves in her work, as Marina well knows. The eminent and fiercely uncompromising doctor was once her mentor, the woman she admired, emulated, and feared. To fulfill her mission, Marina must confront the ghosts of her past, as well as unfulfilled dreams and expectations-a journey that will force her to make painful moral choices and take her deep into her own heart of darkness.

A rich narrative dense with atmosphere and full of deeply realized characters, packed with amazing twists and surprises-encounters with an anaconda, cannibals, death, and birth-State of Wonder is Ann Patchett's most enthralling and confident novel, a tale that will leave readers in their own state of wonder, examining their own values and beliefs.

I've never read anything by Ann Patchett before and when HarperCollins asked if I was interesting in reading and reviewing the story, back when it was released in June, I said yes. Unfortunately the book got buried in the bottom of my tbr pile and set aside with all the rest during my efforts to complete my last college course. My bad. I finally got around to reading it and have to say was completely taken with the story and the characters. Marina seemed like the last likely person to be picked to go to the amazon to follow up on Dr. Swenson's research and to find out what happened to Dr. Eekman.   She is meek, full of doubts and fears and hides away in the research lab. The trip totally takes her totally out of her comfort zone and forces her to face herself and her life, helps her discover a new strength and purpose, while battling not only Dr. Swenson but the amazon itself. Yes, there are times you want to grab Marina's shoulders and shake some sense into her.

Patchett makes the Amazonian forest come alive and it's just a much a character as the people are. Man against nature, man again man, man against self - the story has it all. State of Wonder is not a book to be read fast - her writing forces you to slow down. To think, absorb, and yes, wonder as the characters wonder down the amazon and through the forest. As the characters wonder about their choices and the ethics of science. I don't usually get emotionally vested in a story, but have to say the ended left me happily teary eyed.

Thank you to Ann Patchett for writing such a wonder story and I'm looking forward to reading Bel Canto and her other books. Harper Collins very nicely provided me with two copies of the ARC so I have one copy to give away to one of my lovely followers. The giveaway is open to U.S. residents only through October 8th. Leave your name and email address in the comments and the winner will be picked via Random.org.

Pages: 368
Publisher: Harper Collins
Released: June 7, 2011

Other Thoughts:

S. Krishna:

"Patchett fills the book with her glorious writing, ethical issues, and character exploration, and the result is a beautiful, wild, and utterly devastating novel on the nature of science and humanity. If you’re looking for a gorgeously written novel that will really make you think, this is definitely a novel to seek out."

The Little Reader:

"a modern-day Heart of Darkness with a female protagonist, State of Wonder beautifully captures the joys and fears associated with nature, and the essence of human connections and disconnections, in love and in friendship."

MariReads:

"Every word written with purpose, every nuance of character important to the story. It was so hard to put down and so hard to stop thinking about when I did."

Sunday Salon: Row 80 3rd round wrap up and Fall Reading

2011-09-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

"There is a harmony
In autumn, and a lustre in its sky,
Which through the summer is not heard or seen,
As if it could not be, as if it had not been!"
- Percy Bysshe Shelley

Happy Fall, my darlings! I just realized it is time to change my header again so will be on the look out for a beautiful fall picture to go with the new season. So much going on. 6th grade lessons started a couple weeks ago and so far, thumbs up. James mental math skills have kicked in, plus he and father are getting used to the new science program. A lot more work this year and we are all adjusting to the new schedule.

The third round of A Round of Words in 80 days has come to an end and I'm happy to say I accomplished my goal of finishing the first draft of Red Thief. Happy dance! Going to let it sit on the shelf and rest while I work on editing another WIP3 Eyes in the Ashes. I started WIP3 during 2009 NaNoWriMo and am ready to get back into it. Have been reading over the story and realized that I have 3 couples involved in the story and possibly the makings of a series. So during Round 4 of ROW80 going to be doing some major world building, character workups and outlining and making lots of notes on what have so far. Also discovered that I never finished typing up the rest of the story. Once NaNo was over, went back to handwriting the tale and then let it rest.

I had a wonderful time being a sponsor on this round, providing some encouragement and getting to visit with all the participants. Speaking of which, check out here how everyone else faired with their goals. It isn't too late to join in for the last round which will run from October 3rd to December 22nd. Click here to join in on Round 4. During the break, I'll be reading and studying up on editing methods and figuring out which works best for me.

Speaking of reading, it's time for Katrina of Callapidder's Day's Fall into Reading 2011 casual reading event. There are a few books on my nightstand that have been calling my name a bit loudly lately that I'm looking forward to reading.

1. An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears - a historical art mystery

2. Map of Bones by James Rollins - one of his sigma force murder mystery novels

3. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

4. Tenth Stone (A.d. chronicles) by Bodie Thoene - historical biblical

5. The Priest's Graveyard by Ted Dekker - Thriller

6. Death comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather - classic

7. The Snake's Pass by Bram Stoker - Stoker's first novel

8. Promissory Payback by Laurel Dewey - mystery and part of the Spread the word initiative.

I'm keeping the list short this year because I'm sure there will be other books that spark my fancy, taking my attention elsewhere. Speaking of that, I have joined the Spread the Word initiative being led by publisher Lou Aronica and Peter Miller of The Story Plant.

Their authors include Michael Baron, Laurel Dewey, James LePore and Emily Sue Harvey.

They are still looking for readers to help spread the word about their upcoming titles. Participants will receive electronics copies free of charge as long as you help spread the word by posting a review at online bookselling sites and sharing your opinion with friends on facebook and twitter. Email them at StW@thestoryplant.com if you are interested.

What's on your reading list for fall?

A Heart Revealed by Julie Lessman

2011-09-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

A Heart Revealed

Julie Lessman

Back Cover: "Ten years ago, Emma Malloy fled Dublin for Boston as a battered woman, escaping the husband who scarred her beautiful face. The physical and emotional wounds have faded with time, and her life is finally full of purpose and free from the pain of her past. But when she falls for her friend Charity's handsome and charming brother, Sean O'Connor, fear and shame threaten to destroy her. Could Sean and Emma ever have a future together? Or is Emma doomed to live out the rest of her life denying the only true love she's ever known?"

A Heart Revealed, book # 2 in Julie Lessman's Winds of Change series brings us to Emma and Sean's story. Having gotten to know the characters through Lessman's Daughters of Boston series and the new Winds of Change series, I was thrilled to read their story finally. The story takes place in the early 1930's during the great depression and continues the saga of the the whole O'Connor family beginning with Katie and Luke's wedding. Sean and Emma take center stage, however we also get to see the struggles between Katie and Luke, Mitch and Charity, and Marcy and Patrick. The ladies get quite emotional in this chapter of their lives and the men end up sleeping on the couch quite a bit.

Sean struggles with his attraction to Emma. She never divorced her abusive husband and she keeps trying to push Sean into the arms of another woman because she wants him to be happy. There are some interesting twists to their story which keeps you guessing whether they'll end up together or not. Lessman has written an excellent, emotional charged story without preachiness or sermons while portraying the passion of true love. I highly recommend it. While A Heart Revealed can be read as a stand alone, I highly recommend starting with the Daughters of Boston. You'll probably grow to love the O'Connor family as much as I have.

A HOPE UNDAUNTED NOW FREE ON AMAZON KINDLE, CBD.COM, B&N.COM, SONY E-READER AND ANY OTHER E-BOOK FORMAT TILL SEPTEMBER 30. Can be downloaded on PCs, Macs, Droids, i-Phones, i-Pads, etc courtesy of Julie Lessman.

Thank to Donna and The Baker Publishing Group for providing me with a courtesy copy of the book. It in no way influenced my review.

Pages: 505

Publisher: Revell

Released: September 1, 2011