Returned

Hi folks, I’m back. This time of year can easily become a whirlwind of busy. That is putting it mildly. However, it has been one of the best Christmases/ Yuletides ever. First we managed to get Charis into the country and into our arms in time for Christmas. Awesome for us all.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas / Happy Holiday everybody!

Love and Hugs from our house to yours.

New Author, Shah Wharton

Hi folks, this will be my final post before Christmas. It’s time to introduce you to another great new author. This is one hard working great storytelling lady; her name is Shah Wharton.

Shah met many authors and bookworms galore when she began blogging in 2010, after she moved to Dubai with her husband. She’s since learned a lot about blogging and writing, mostly from the awesome advice of her online peer-group.

She uses her imagination to write short horror stories as well as poetry, but stumbled into writing her first novel after falling in love with Luna, a character in a short story she wrote back in 2010. That story grew into Finding Esta, the beginning of Luna’s journey to self-discovery. 

Finding Esta is her début novel and the first of The Supes Series.

Her passions include blogging, writing, reading, movies, photography, music, theatre, travel, and fine dining. Her qualifications include BSc (Hons) psychology, counselling, and mentoring and she's worked in retail, counselling, and social care. Her favourite genres include anything dark with fangs and/or that will make her squirm or jump or scream out an expletive. She is an avid Kindle abuser and adores the indie writing community and being part of the e-publishing revolution.

She also has one short story published 'The Dead Party' & two poems published in anthologies.

After three years of writing, re-writing, beta readers, editors, cover designing, book trailers, yet more edits and many agonizing hours of formatting, the first installment of The Supes Series if ready and finally up on Amazon. There are five e-copies (your choice of file: ePub/Mobi or PDF) up for grabs, so please have a go and get Finding Esta FREE for Christmas. It's $2.99 on Amazon, and will be for sale on Smashwords and Kobo in by February.

RAFFLECOPTER CODE

<a id="rc-01fc3111" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/01fc3111/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script>

BRIEF Blurb: A young journalist sets off to find Esta, but is unprepared for all she finds, and soon realises it's a journey from which she may never return. This is a new adult, urban fantasy about one woman's struggle to retain her identity while everything she knows crumbles around her. Finding Esta is the first book of The Supes Series.

Please enjoy the book trailer

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tfUUr2NjvSk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

BLURB

An unusual young woman and fledgling journalist, Luna has various restrictive oddities, all of which prevent any kind of physical intimacy. Abusive parents take pleasure in Luna’s misery and isolation, yet Luna strives to make them proud, to finally earn their elusive love – something she craves almost as much as the painless touch of a lover.

When she learns of a tragic story involving the kidnap of baby Esta, she jumps at the chance to investigate, dragging her Shadows along for the ride within the murky depths of her mind.

Meanwhile, a dark stranger visits Luna’s dreams and stalks her reality. In lieu of the real thing, their intimate moments excite rather than terrify. Nestled within his presence, she begins to sense an urgent message of danger - a message she struggles to interpret, until they finally meet....

Her investigations lead Luna to a vibrant seaside town, hiding copycat aliens and an underworld of Supernaturals. Here, she comes face-to-face with her own, terrifying identity. Confronted with life-changing decisions and the harshest of truths, Luna questions her sanity, searching for logic, feeling deceived by both.

Is Luna trapped in a newfound supernatural world, or within her own delusions? And will anyone care enough to save her?

Get Social With Shah

BLOG - Amazon - Goodreads - Email - Facebook - Google+ - Linkedin - Pinterest - 

RSS - StumbleUpon - Twitter

Acknowledgements.

Praise to Derek Murphy at Creative IndieCovers who developed the incredible book cover

& AubrieAnne at Who's Your Editor? who did a wonderful job of the final edit.

And huge thanks to all the beta readers, patient and enduring online friendships,

and to the mass of wonderful writer resources, all of which took me from thinking,

 "Could I do that?" to "Hell yeah!"

Happy Christmas to everyone and good luck on the giveaway!

_________________________________________________________________

Success

It is going to be a Merry Christmas after all. We now have Charis safely across the border and all is well here in the north. 

However, with all the upset and confusion, I haven’t got a lot of writing done, as you might guess.

I have, however, made a good start on the next book in the Novan series, I have finished most of my Christmas shopping, I have wrapped the gifts, and am looking forward to a few days of a slower pace.

Let me now wish all of you the happiest days of the season, no matter what name you give it. May it be a season of peace and joy, of love and sharing, of hope for a better and brighter year to come.

Now for the last Row80 check-in of this round.

Goals:

1.      Write 5000 words per week until first draft of WIP is complete.

Not much accomplished this week.

2.      Accept more requests for interviews. (Currently I only do about one in five. Bad me!

I’m told I need to open up and get over my shyness.)

There were no requests this week.

3.      Read and comment on at least one blog per day.

I did manage this one, but just barely.

Well that’s the round for me folks. I started off with a bang, but ground to a halt near the end. How did you all do? Successful, I do hope.

Saddened and Outraged

This was supposed to be a happy day, the day our friend Charis arrived to spend six months with us. Instead, K and I are still in shock by what has transpired.
Last night K got a Facebook call from Charis. She was in Toronto and being detained by Customs and would not be allowed to enter the country. Why? Because she was honest about her circumstances.

She had a one-way ticket. When asked who bought it, she told the official her friends had bought it for her. Strike number one.

She doesn’t have a bank account, doesn’t have piles of money, so she had to find someone to move into her trailer, to change the utility account over, etc. The officer asked her if she had any other “assets” in the USA (read: reasons to return). She mentioned the second cat, the one she couldn’t bring with her because the airlines would let a single person travel with two cats. The second cat wasn’t enough as it was too easy to abandon. She has no bank account balance. She has family and friends, but apparently having a utility bill in her name would be considered a better reason. Strike number two.

She was then asked how she would support herself while she was in Canada. She replied that her friends had invited her to stay for up to six months and had agreed look after her while she was here. She in turn would help out around the house, watch our dogs from time to time, etc. The Customs Officer then informed her she would be taking a job away from a Canadian (because I guess if we can afford to host our friend, we must be able to afford paid domestic help?). Strike number three.

K asked to speak to the Customs Officer to verify her story that we had indeed agreed to support her. He called her number and informed her that Charis understood and “was in full agreement” with the reasons why she was being denied entry. (So because she didn’t argue or cause a fuss she must be in agreement?) K broke down on the phone, but was calm and civil as she did not want to aggravate the situation. 

According to Charis, he suggested to her later that K had given him a very hard time on the phone. I guess he didn’t appreciate it when K told him she was never so ashamed to be Canadian as she was at that moment. Our friend who has been hit hard by the recession, who needed a break from the crap she has been dealing with was being denied entry into our country to be hosted as our guest because Customs thought she was a bad return risk. Merry Christmas to you too Mr. Customs Officer!

So in the wee hours of Sunday morning, she was escorted to a detention area and told she would be deposited back across the border in the morning with her luggage and the little bit of money she has in her pocket. She spent the night on the floor, cuddled up to her poor cat who was still in the carrier, trying to catch a nap while K watched over her via Skype and her laptop.

Charis managed to talk Customs into sending her to New York. K has just finished sending info to the hotel desk to cover her bill and she is on her way there now to sleep and get her cat out of the carrier for a few hours. We have no idea what will happen next.
Since when did it become a crime to accept a friend’s offer of help? Since when did being responsible about your obligations turn a person into a “bad return risk?”

If anyone in Internet land has any suggestions regarding how to help Charis get here for Christmas, please let me know. Please share our story. Someone out there must be able to help us make this right for her.

Row80 update. Not much accomplished.

Advice Taken, Problem Solved

Hi folks, sorry this post is a bit late. I had internet connection issues and was off line for a few days. Actually it was a bit amazing what all I managed to get done without the distraction. It is a bit scary really.

Last post I was in a bit of a quandary as to the direction I should take with my writing. I got lost of great advice and feedback, some in the comments section and some by e-mail. The consensus seems to be that I should write whatever story my muse is telling me and not try to schedule it.

Heeding that advice, I began the third book in the Novan Witch series. Assassin of Nova should be coming in late January. The working title of the third installment is Beyond Nova and I hope to get it out by summer. Wish me luck. I've already got a good start on it.

http://www.amazon.com/Novan-Witch-Revised-Nova-ebook/dp/B007P3RF3K/ref=la_B0079XOY8U_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1355414548&sr=1-6

Now for the ROW80 check-in.

Goals:

1.      Write 5000 words per week until first draft of WIP is complete.

I've already managed 4000 words on a new project.

2.      Accept more requests for interviews. (Currently I only do about one in five. Bad me!

I’m told I need to open up and get over my shyness.)

No requests for interviews this week.

3.      Read and comment on at least one blog per day.

I love reading blogs and am always on the lookout for something new. This one was easy and I may have set the bar a bit low here. Ah well, it was a success and I’ll take it.

Well, that’s it for me today folks. It is getting harder and harder to stay focused with Yuletide almost here. How are you doing? All ready for the holidays? Yes? Good for you, you’re my hero. 

No? Welcome to my world. Stress! Eek!

Busy Thinking

Hi folks, I've got a rainy day going here and a house full of people and dogs who are all asleep. It would be a great time to get some writing done, but my thoughts seem to be a bit scattered.

The problem? I write in two genres. After I finish a sci-fi adventure I like to turn to a romance for the next project. The difficulty is in getting my focus back into the different genre. Another part of the problem is that I have at least three series on the go right now and shifting from one to the other is tricky. Gotta keep the characters straight, right?

So, in that vein I am wondering if I should shift my work habits a bit and focus on each series in turn. Finish the six books in one series before starting on the next. I’m pretty sure I can get a lot more done that way, a lot more. I am giving this some serious thought.

(me giving serious thought to a problem)

Ok, on to the ROW80 check in:

Goals:

1.      Write 5000 words per week until first draft of WIP is complete.

Sadly, I only managed two thousand words last week. Gotta pick up the pace here somehow.

2.      Accept more requests for interviews. (Currently I only do about one in five. Bad me! I’m told I need to open up and get over my shyness.)

Didn’t get a request this week. sigh

3.      Read and comment on at least one blog per day.

I managed this one, no problem.

Well, that’s it for me today, folks. I would seriously be interested in your thoughts about my dilemma. Please don’t be shy, tell me what you think. J

Interview Questions

Hi folks, it's time for me to introduce you to another of my favorite authors. Today we have the lovely and talented Jennette Marie Powell with us.  

Jennette, thanks for coming and letting and letting us learn more about our favorite time travel author.J

JMP: Thanks so much for having me, Prudence!

P.M. Are you a full time author or do you have a day job too?

JMP: I have a full-time job as a software developer, which I’ve been for fifteen years. Prior to that, I worked as a graphic designer. It takes a lot of time, but it’s all been great preparation for publishing, as I’m a professional who can design my own covers and format my own books!

P.M. Tell me, why the fascination with time travel?

JMP: I have always enjoyed wondering, “what if” that happened differently? For example, I was supposed to go on a date the night before Labor day many years ago, but after talking to the guy a couple of times on the phone, knew he wasn’t for me, so I canceled. I went out with a friend instead, and met the man who would become my husband! Having that happen differently is not a what-if I like to contemplate, so I’m happy to stay in the present, and let my characters figure it out. J

P.M. One outstanding feature of your books is tension. Woman, you just never let those poor characters rest. I got tired just reading about them. Where did you learn to do that?

JMP: LOL I do love putting my characters through hell, and then watching them claw their way out! I’ve taken many writing workshops over the years, but one I most remember is agent Donald Maass’s “Breaththrough Novel” workshop. He told us that there should be tension on every page, and to ask questions like, how can this be worse? What would this character never do – and then put him in a situation where he’s forced to do that very thing.

P.M. What’s one of your favorite ways to come up with a character?

JMP: Often, I think of a situation first, and then ask, what kind of person would be most challenged by this? But sometimes, the characters just show up and tell me their names. Sounds easy, huh? It’s not – they don’t give up anything else that easily, I have to pry it out of them. Sometimes, a minor character ends up taking on a life of her own, which is what happened with Taylor Gressman, who got her own story in my Christmas short, “Time’s Holiday.”

PM. Quick stuff.

Book or e-reader? Both!

Pen and paper or computer? 

Computer – my hand cramps if I write very long, but I do use pen and printouts for revision.

When you work, dressed up or jammies?

Dressed – I write after I get home from work. One weekends, I still get dressed so I’m in a mindset to work, although usually in jeans or sweats.

Plotter or pantster? 

Plotter, big-time! For me, to not plan is to invite writers’ block.

Weekend of camping in the wild or weekend of shopping?

Hmm, I’m not too fond of either, to be honest. However, I enjoyed camping when I was a kid, so let’s go with that – provided there’s plenty of food and equipment, the weather’s nice, the bugs aren't too bad, and I have plenty of books with me!

Prefer to write…Short story or novel?

Novel - I've completed seven. “Time’s Holiday” is the first short story I've written since creative writing class in college (a looooong time ago).

P.M. Okay, time to promote one of your books. What’s it about, where do we buy it?

Time’s Enemy is the first in my Saturn Society time travel series. It’s about an unwilling time traveler who only wants to do one thing: change the past, and prevent his daughter’s death. Unfortunately, that makes him the target of the powerful Saturn Society – which includes the woman he loves.

Time’s Enemy is available at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo Books | Smashwords | Apple  and many other online retailers.

P.M. Where else can we find more of your work?

J.M.P. My free short story, “Time’s Holiday,” is a prequel to Time’s Enemy. 

Along with Time’s Fugitive, Saturn Society Book 2, it’s available at Smashwords, Kobo Books, Amazon,* Barnes & Noble,Sony, and Apple.

More information is available on my website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Jennette, this was a lot of fun. Thanks for stopping in today.

Alright folks, run right over to the store and buy one of Jennette’s books, they’re great!

Lights and Reflections

It’s a dark and dreary day here on the Rock. It has warmed up a bit, but hasn't rained as yet. It was a perfect chance to put up the Christmas Lights. First there is the hunt, you know the one. First you hunt up the ladder to the attic, you find the right box, you locate simple things like the hangers, the big outdoor ladder, the outdoor extension cords, and only after you have assembled all this are you ready to put up the lights. I’m still missing one extension cord. Okay, task complete. Here’s what it looked like on the studio last year.

At the age of 63 I wonder how many times I have performed this hunt and hang ritual. How many more times will I be able to do it? Okay, I'm getting depressed, time for some eggnog and a chat with friends. That always cheers me up. :) 

Now for the ROW80 check in.

Goals:

1.      Write 5000 words per week until first draft of WIP is complete.

I've managed 1K so far this week, not a good sign. I've still got a bit of the NaNo burnout going on. sigh

2.      Accept more requests for interviews. (Currently I only do about one in five. Bad me! I’m told I need to open up and get over my shyness.)

No requests to interview me this week, but I did interview an awesome author. I will post that interview this Friday.

3.      Read and comment on at least one blog per day.

This I did manage to do. You knew I’d get this one easy. J

So that’s it for me today, folks. Let me know how you’re getting on as the busy season begins to hit high gear.

Please come back Friday and meet the amazing Jennette Marie Powell, author extraordinaire, and full time super woman.  

Turtleduck Press

Hi folks, today I have a real treat for you. Today I want to introduce you to Siri Paulson. Siri will tell you all about Turtleduck Press and what’s they've got that's new on the market. All right, Siri, you’re on.

Thanks for hosting me, Prudence!

I edit and write for an indie publisher, Turtleduck Press, and I'm here to talk a little bit about why we're doing what we're doing.

First off, I'm a strong believer in making room for diverse stories from many voices, that don't necessarily fall into neat slots. The mainstream publishers are getting better at this, but small presses and indie writers have an unparalleled ability to experiment.

Turtleduck Press was born on this premise two years ago. One of our members was writing GLBTQ novels that couldn't find an agent or a publisher, and she was pretty sure the reason was not the quality but the content. She believed in her work and wanted to share it any way she could. Then she discovered that she wasn't alone. Others wanted to take the same path.

We pooled our talents and settled on a hybrid model based around collaboration. Everything we publish is vetted and thoroughly edited that so the Turtleduck Press label means something – it's a marker of quality. At the same time, because we're a small press on a shoestring budget, we're free to take risks with content and form.

One of us writes gay science fiction romance, with some action/adventure thrown in for good measure.

One of us writes both poetry and science fantasy.

One of us writes YA that doesn't fall into the boundaries of what's popular right now.

One of us (me!) writes all over the science fiction and fantasy spectrum, and sometimes outside of it, and sometimes right on the edge.

We're thrilled to be able to experiment together.

Our latest project is just such an experiment. We decided to write an anthology of longish short stories (a nearly unpublishable length) set in a shared universe...but not one with firm rules. We agreed on a loose premise – a planet where the seasons stopped changing a century before – and each found her own angle to explore.

The four stories that emerged are not obviously in the same world, unless you squint a bit. One is firmly on the fantasy side, one is post-apocalyptic steampunk, one is science fiction with a magical realism flavour, and one is dystopian. But they all explore the theme of lost seasons...or unending seasons, depending on how you look at it.

Seasons Eternal is available from  http://www.turtleduckpress.com/toybox/index.php/turtleduck-works/43-longworks/221-seasons-eternal.

Now folks, let me tell you a bit more about Siri and where you can find her online.

Siri is a science fiction / fantasy writer and an editor of both fiction and (in her other life) non-fiction. She recently moved into a big old house in Toronto and is still wondering what she got herself into. In her spare time (when she has any) she dances, knits, and dissects movies.

Blog: http://siripaulson.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/siri_paulson

So that's it for today folks, say hello to Siri then go check out Turtleduck Press and their newest book.

Knitting Patterns and NaNo Burnout

It is true confession time folks. Each time I do the NaNo I hit burnout afterwards. Usually I don’t do much except whine about it for a week then go back to work. Tee hee!  This year is different. I’ve had a number of requests for the knitting pattern for those fingerless gloves.

The problem is, the pattern is in my head. So this week, the only writing I’ve managed is to try to get the pattern into a document. If it doesn’t work, please don’t shoot, this is my very first attempt to write a pattern.

Author Introduction, Alberta Ross

Hi folks, today I want to introduce you to an author whose work I have read, reviewed, and thoroughly enjoyed. Please welcome Alberta Ross. 

Now Alberta, tell us about your fascination with fairy tales.

Fairy tales eh!

How many of us developed our love of words, imagination and desire to read on the strength of those folk tales gathered, collected and read to us as small children. For some of us the desire to read translates into writing, to create our own worlds of fantasy.

Six decades plus ago my fairy tales were truly horrendous, not just in the content but the, sparse, illustrations in our books were, on the whole, black and white reproductions of wood cuts.  Disney had begun to dress favourite tales up in pink gossamer but he hadn't reached my neck of the woods in any real way.  I cut my teeth on grim and loved every word.

But, and there is always a but in my life:)

Downer + an Interview

I am working through the downer these days. The downer? That’s what I go through after I have just finished a major project. First comes the euphoria of ‘I did it!’ and then comes “So now what do I do?” That’s where I am today. I just finished and validated my NaNo project.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/252723

Assassin is now ready for the editor, new cover, and final name. I will leave the most of it on Smashwords for a few more days if you want to read the first draft.

It’s Starting!

The madness has begun folks. November is drawing to a close and December is almost upon us. The shopping bug has bitten many people already and even now if you go into the city you can feel the stress building in the air.

Fortunately for me, I often start my Yuletide gift works in January and plug away at it all year long. Usually I am somewhat prepared by the time December arrives and this year is no different. I usually make most of the gifts I give. Here is a small sample of this year’s efforts.

Getting There

Hey folks, it’s time for that Friday NaNoWriMo report. Things have been going really good so I took the day off to go to the city for some shopping. Silly me, I wasn’t aware that the madness that grips Americans on what they call Black Friday had infected my fellow Canadians. Dear gods, I haven’t seen traffic like that since I was last in downtown Vancouver on a Friday afternoon before Christmas. It’s enough to give a gopher the heartburn.

Cooling Off

These past few days the weather has been cooling off at last.  It was warm and rainy for a number of weeks and my poor old joints didn't like it at all. They do, however, seem to enjoy the cold dry air.  That’s a good thing, for it has allowed me to catch up a bit on my work.  

Fan Mail

Hi folks, 

I've had my head down over the keyboard working on the NaNo thing this past few days. That’s about all I can say, except that today I found a couple of sweet fan letters in my e-mail. Actually they were comments on my blog, but they count. I’ll share them with you.

Nose to the Grindstone

Okay, it’s Friday and time for another NaNoWriMo check-in. I've had my nose to the grindstone for days now, and I am seeing results. Good productive results that I can be proud of.  I have just crossed the 33 thousand word mark and I am pleased with the way the story is going. So, here’s me hard at work…

Taking a Break

Hey folks, I’m about to take a break and indulge myself in one of my favorite pastimes. Knitting. November is always a tough month for me and NaNo doesn't help the stress any. I've been chained to the computer for days now, so today I decided to give myself a brain break.

First some fresh air with family.

Treadmill

Ever feel like you’re on the treadmill of life and some joker keeps turning up the speed? It can get like that sometimes. In our modern world, we seem to be a lot busier than the folks of previous generations. The more labor saving devices we collect the more work we seem to have to do.  I’m retired for pity sake; I’m supposed to have time to smell the roses.

Playing Catch-up

A personal NaNoWriMo update.

I can’t help it; I love a challenge, perhaps too much. I was ill for weeks in October, and just starting to feel better when I got the brilliant idea to sign on for NaNoWriMo.  Okay, easy enough, just click a few buttons, blab to your friends, and away you go. There was just one problem. I had no idea what to write about, then a friend told me it is okay to start in the middle, just write 50K words or more. Bingo.

Revival!

Okay, for the past few posts I've been whining about my cold. Well it seems to be fading away and I’m back to top form once again. This means I've chained myself to the computer to try and catch up on NaNoWriMo a bit.  I’m working on a sci-fi project and here is the interim cover.

The Witch and the NaNo

Hey folks, I’ve been struggling with a cold these past few days, so I may have been MIA. Actually I slept for two days and lost a lot of time. All I managed to do was sign up for NaNoWriMo.

Say what? You did what? Yeah, well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. (Perhaps that was the cold meds talking. Tee hee) I will start to post NaNo check-ins later this week, perhaps on Fridays.

My Fault

Apparently it’s all my fault. Recently I was in a car accident. I got broadsided. 

Fortunately I was unhurt, at least physically. I have been hurt in other ways. What ways you ask? To start with, I’m being held completely responsible for the accident because I was pulling out of a parking lot. Did the other car pull out of a line of traffic to race ahead? Yes. Was the other driver texting? Probably for her eyes were not on the road. Did the other driver touch her brakes? No, she continued to accelerate, further evidence that she was not paying attention to the road. However, this is all meaningless. I am being held completely responsible responsible.

What does this mean for me? Well my car is gone and I cannot afford to replace it.  The insurance company gave me $4800 for the car, but now they want $4400 per year for insurance. 45+ years of a clean driving record means nothing. The fact that, during those years I have spent well over $100,000 on car insurance means nothing. The simple fact now is I live in a rural area and can no longer afford to own a car.

Thanks a lot, insurance company. I hope the payouts from hurricane Sandy drive you into bankruptcy.

Okay, I’ll stop whining now. On with the good stuff. Time for the ROW80 check-in.

Goals:

1.      Write 5000 words per week until first draft of WIP is complete.

So far I have about two thousand words written. I should be able to make it.

2.      Accept more requests for interviews. (Currently I only do about one in five. Bad me! I’m told I need to open up and get over my shyness.)

I did actually agree to an interview at some future date.

3.      Read and comment on at least one blog per day.

This one was easy and a pleasure to do. Succeeded here!

Okay, I know I’m not the only one who is disappointed with their insurance company. Care to share, folks? Should we start a support group?