The H in my DH

In preparation for the Christmas rush of visitors to our humble home, I spent hours and hours in the kitchen; devising menus, finding recipes, doing advance prep when possible. More hours were spent cleaning said humble home. And still more in decking the halls inside and out.

You get the hair-frazzling frenzy.

Through it all, I had unflagging assistance with the scheming, cleaning, and decorating from my dear husband (DH).

That’s right, He of the Lost Recipe, knows how to help in more ways than creative filing.

Well, he's not that handy around the stove. But everywhere else, he was elbow-deep in holiday preparations. The man can wield a vacuum cleaner with the best of them. Not to mention a snow shovel. Or, bliss, a body massager.

So now all the guests have come and gone; fed, watered, and gifted. I sit at the table with my book and my mid-morning coffee before me. Blessed peace reigns over the sunny day.

The DH thanks me for all the hard work I’ve done to make another wonderful holiday. Just as he leans over to follow his lovely words with a kiss, the birds in the yard break into mad song.

“Listen to that,” says the DH, his brown eyes twinkling. “The birds want to kiss you, too.”

Sometimes, the H in DH stands for more than husband.

photo credit: Stuart Miles

A New Beginning!!

The end of the year always makes me think of the year passed, and the year ahead.  I’ve never been a big “resolution” maker.  Mainly, because if you don’t accomplish them…that can make the new year suck. 

But, I do try to set goals.  For me, there’s a slight difference in the two.  One puts me closer to where I want to be in life, and the other makes me feel like crap when I don’t accomplish it.  I know subtle, but it’s there J One of those goals was that by a certain age, I’d return to my hometown, and open my own business.  I’m here!  (I’ll have to keep you posted on the rest.)

This year, I spent the first Christmas with my family and friends in TN that I’ve spent in over 10 years!  Having lived outside of TN for over twenty years, I normally switched off the holidays with my ex, which is probably why Thanksgiving became such an important time of year for me.

Being only inches away from my niece and nephews as they opened their gifts, instead of mailing them and hearing from my brother of their excitement can’t be explained.  Spending months in my hometown, becoming a part of my family and the community I’d moved away from for so many years inspired a short story that I wrote for the holidays, Christmas’ Journey.

Christmas’ Journey is one woman’s attempt at giving back something to the community she loved.  Maybe, along the way, she can find a little holiday magic to help her, not only in giving back, but in finding a long-lasting love.

Blurb:  Christmas Davis wanted to give something back to the community she loved.  But, that opportunity was lost to her.  Although won by another, would his ambitions allow him to help those in need?

Presley Marino knew she might say no, but she was the only person he wanted.  Together, they could change things in the hometown they both loved.  That part would be easy, but convincing her and his brother wouldn’t.

Would they allow an uneasy history to silence a need for change, or would they force a new beginning?

I hope that y’all are enjoying your time with family and friends!  And I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Nothing much else to say today -- I'm off enjoying the day with family and friends, and I hope you're doing the same!

J L W

Reindeer as Pets by Paisley Kirkpatrick

This time of year, images of Santa’s reindeer appear in movies and TV shows shaping your children’s view of where they live and how they act. Sure, Santa’s reindeer are special – they can fly – but impress your kids by telling them there are more than just the ones living at the North Pole. A herd of reindeer can reach the thousands.

Most live in the forests and tundras of Northern Asia, Scandinavia, Siberia and Greenland. In some regions of Finland, Norway and Russia reindeer are kept as pets. They pull sleighs and can run up to 40 miles per hour.
These reindeer play games, too. They participate in races by pulling kids on sleds or skis around a track.

In Norwegian communities, reindeer are given as wedding gifts. They are strong swimmers, weigh between 200 and 700 pounds and eat 12 pounds of grass, lichens and plants a day. While they don’t have the glamorous job of pulling Santa’s sleigh your children should agree reindeer are pretty cool even if they can’t talk like they do on TV.

The year that my husband and I visited our exchange daughter in Sweden, she took us to Stockholm, Sweden. This unique city has a delightful place to visit with reindeer. I will never forget standing on the railing of the fence and petting the antlers of a huge reindeer. They were in the velvet stage and so soft. It almost felt like magic even to me as an adult. Every year at this time, I can vividly remember the day I met a reindeer.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

I’m a Santaholic

Christmas is only three days away and I cannot focus on my writing. Every December I fall in love with Santa Claus. I’m unable to help myself. We romance writers recognize the ultimate happily ever after. My addiction to everything Santa began decades ago when I married my husband and moved into his home. You see, our street is special. I know everyone reading this will say the same about theirs.

However, we not only decorate our homes we go a couple steps further with a tradition established long before I joined my husband. In December our block long street transforms into Candlestick Lane. In the daytime you can appreciate the long-ago artist neighbor who created the signage that invites you in.









Each house comes with two candy cane candles which miraculously pop up the first Sunday of every December. When you buy a house on our street you join a long line of neighbors who honor the past. A different neighbor hosts our Christmas party where we celebrate the season with young and old alike. We are known throughout our community. Cars motor up and down at night while children press their noses to the window glass.





It’s easy to understand their reason. We all yearn for traditions, familiar links that united us as human beings. I’m proud our street, with its shifting population of seniors replaced by young families, holds this faith close.

I’ve acquired a Santa ornament collection over the years which will ultimately pass on to our sons and their families. So I begin another tradition. I believe that’s the true meaning of this holiday. Pass on the love, the cherished memories and the fellowship.

What special tradition makes this time of year special to you?

A Gift

Nice things often come in small packages at this time of year. Here is a gift I found recently. I hope you like it.

F-A-D.

This is Evan Marshall’s memory aid for writing action or reaction sequences so your writing is logical and smooth. F-A-D stands for feelings/thoughts, action, dialogue.

A heroine’s feelings or thoughts come first. This may need a paragraph or a page, or she may have a split second flash.

The she reacts to what she has felt (or thought) with a physical action. She freezes. She smiles. She looks around frantically. She throws her arms around her lover’s neck. The action is justified by her just-stated inner state.

Finally she speaks. What she says will advance the story because it will invite a response reaction from whoever is in the scene with her.

Here’s a non- F-A-D sequence:
“I’m sorry, Brad,” Amy said. “I’m just not ready.” Her hand trembled as she stared down at the small, black jeweler’s box. Her mind raced through her now familiar list of marriage pros and cons.

Here’s the same sequence using F-A-D:
As she stared down at the small, black jeweler’s box, Amy’s mind raced through her now familiar list of marriage pros and cons. Her hand trembled. “I’m sorry, Brad. I’m just not ready.”

Which sounds more logical? Which sounds smoother and more polished?

I think F-A-D. It’s a gift that will keep on giving to me.

FRIENDS

Today I was tired and for a change watched old shows on the TV. In fact, four old episodes of FRIENDS. Particularly the one where Ross goes to London to marry his British fiancée, Emily. Joey, Chandler and Monica fly with him. Phoebe stays home because she’s pregnant and big. Rachel stays with her because she can’t stand to see Ross getting married. But she changes her mind and follows them, wanting to tell Ross she’s still in love with him, before it’s too late.

When she arrives at the hotel, she finds him kissing Emily, and just hugs him saying, “Congratulations.”
When the pastor tells Ross, "Repeat after me, I, Ross, take you, Emily, to be my wedded wife…”
Ross says, “ I, Ross, take you Rachel to be my wedded wife…”

Emily didn’t take it well at all! And I couldn’t stop laughing at Ross’ predicament.

Oops, wrong name blurted at the worst possible time. I couldn’t believe my eyes, because my new story starts with Mary-Beth blurting the wrong name while making love to her fiancé. Nothing like saying the wrong name to put the kibosh on wedding plans!

But what if the wrong name turns out to be the right one?

RIGHT NAME, WRONG MAN is a sexy romantic comedy set in France.
What’s a girl to do when she whispers another man’s name in her fiancé’s arms?

When forbidden dreams about the sexy French Dr. Yves Malroux assail her at every turn, Mary-Beth puts her wedding plans on hold. She signs up for a summer training program in surgery with Yves, and flies to France to confront her past and the man who broke her heart years ago.

But she never expected the French doctor--who’s also a count-- to insist on his trainees staying at his historical chateau. Sleeping under his roof, next door to his bedroom, is more temptation than Mary-Beth anticipated. Desire for Yves burns as hot as ever, especially when he focuses all his charm on Mary-Beth to convince her she needs passion in her life. While too many questions still swirled in her mind, her jealous fiancé summons her back home.

Will Mary-Beth let her heart decide who’s her right man? Will Yves break his no-strings-attached rule to offer love and commitment?

Excerpt:Chapter One


“Love you, Yves.” Marie-Beth Drake purred and cuddled deeper against her lover’s broad chest.

Already half-asleep, Steve squeezed her to his side, with a faint “Hmm”. Soon, his light snores filled the air. Sated and relaxed, she stroked his silvery hair. “Love you—”

She froze.

What had she called him?

Oh God, oh God. Had she said Steve or… Yves?

Her fiancé grumbled in his sleep. She immediately yanked her hand away from his head. Her fingers flew to her lips and her stomach somersaulted. She couldn’t have whispered the loathsome name? She’d buried it long ago and forgotten the sexy French doctor and his charismatic smile.

Had Steve noticed the slip of her tongue?

MYTHS ABOUT WRITING

Myths about Writing Novels

I’m working on my second novel with Laura Kelly, my eagle-eyed and talented editor from The Wild Rose Press.  I’ve been a serious author for ten years, but daily, my suppositions about writing and publishing get blown to smithereens.  

Myth #1  Stories pop out of a writer’s head, like Venus from the clamshell, fully formed.

So not true.  Stories might pop out of my experiences and my imagination in mysterious ways, but they are rarely fully formed.  No.  It’s up to me to sculpt the story myself, then grab an assorted group of critics to give me a feel for how my plot and characters play out for them.  More rewriting after that.  More critics.  More rewriting.  One final critique, then I’m ready for submission.

Myth #2  Once the novel is submitted, it is ‘fully formed.’

Don’t you wish!  From what I understand, publishers expect a novel to be 85% to 95% complete.  Makes sense to me.  Still, the editing of that 5% to 15% of the novel is a challenging, complex process, guided by an astute editor and a willing writer.  I have never worked so hard as I have on my story under the tutelage of my editor.  This is the nuance stage, the chance to perfect a novel.  Think word by word, sentence by sentence, scene by scene.  My editor and I rethink the whole book, making sure that the whole is truly the best sum of its parts.

Myth #3 Revision is painful…editor as dentist, writer as patient, book as a pesky root canal.

Definitely not true.  I love revising my novels under the watchful eye of my editor.  This is the ultimate experience of an artist…the big league, the BIG show.  As much as I adore my cadre of armchair critics, it’s in the capable hands of my editor that I feel the Venus of my story rising to perfection.   My editor knows my market, she gets my book and after years of editing, she also understands how to help a writer like me manage the tough job of revision.

Any thoughts about my myths?  Do you have more to add?  Am I nuts that I love revision so much?

My Latest Obsession

Not quite a month ago I got an email from one of my older publishers asking me what kind of promotion I was doing. Promotion? Not much at the moment. Why? I asked.

Well, because some of my old titles over at Amazon were selling quite a few more copies than they’d expected given how old the titles were.

I said, okay, that’s interesting and I checked it out and sure enough Promises To Keep, my first book in the Gaian series, was ranked around 1,200 over at Amazon. Even more, I was on a couple of best seller lists, including at number 11 on the Space Opera, just under one of Orson Scott Card’s Ender books, and above the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Okay, that’s just plain weird because I had no idea why a book I wrote in 2004 would be burning up the charts like that. It had good reviews, it had finaled in a published author’s contest but at its peak it never sold that well.

So I investigated a little more. First of all, it is the entry book to a series of four titles about a future time when a colony of Earth has gained its independence. Some of the titles take place during the war, some just after it ended. The premise is that some of the men from Gaia, the former colony, are desperate for wives so they start kidnapping women from Earth. You see unless a Gaian man finds a woman he matches he can’t have sex with anyone, so being guys they are pretty motivated to make that happen.

Add to it that Gaia has a shortage of women due to the destruction of one of their girl’s schools at the beginning of the war, so they have to look to Earth, even if the Earth’s military was responsible for the destruction.

This provides me with goals, motivations, and a lot of conflict for my characters since it is usually a guy from Gaia falling for a woman from Earth he might not otherwise want to be involved with. Also the guys tend to get very hot and bothered as soon as they meet the women, so it isn’t hard to add a sexual component, although I don’t write these books as sex romps the way I do some of my other books.

But these books have been out there for quite a while. The book Promises To Keep was published in 2004. Even with good, albeit older reviews on Amazon, it shouldn’t be outselling Hitchhiker’s guide.
So I have to make some guesses as to why that might be.

First there is the price of the first book: $2.99. That’s an interesting price point. Cheap enough so that people are tempted into looking at the book. The premise is interesting. Since most of the action takes place on the Gaian flagship “The Promise” I’ve sometimes referred to the book as “Mars Needs Women meets the Love Boat”. The cover is pretty good, a nice blue color and a half-naked hunk on the front. I think people are picking it up because there isn’t a lot of science fiction romance out there, the price is right, and the book shows as a recommendation when someone buys a similar book.

Which brings me to my latest obsession: Novelrank. Novelrank is a website that takes Amazon data and tracks it for different books, translating the data into approximate sales. If you are selling more than one book an hour, then their algorithm can miss some sales, but for books like mine, they claim to be pretty accurate. They update the data hourly as it comes in from the Amazon sales sites.

I’ve been following Promises To Keep for the past couple of weeks using Novelrank: http://www.novelrank.com/asin/B003XYEVIW as well as the other books in the Gaian world. Sales of the other books aren’t as good as the first book but for older titles they are respectable. Some of that might be that they are a dollar or two more than $2.99 and also some people will read the first book of a series and then not bother picking up the second or third or even fourth book.

But then there are the times I’ll see that there was a sale of all four titles in the same hour, and I just wonder. Did someone like my world so much they bought all four at the same time?

This makes me smile. You see, it isn’t really the money although when I get my next check I expect I’ll smile then as well. It is the thought that somewhere someone is reading my words and enjoying the world I built out of my head.

Next week on Wednesday I have chat to discuss the Gaian world on the NCP Network at 7PM EST. I'm looking forward to talking to people about my books.

RWA wants to know what I consider success? That’s success.

Janet Miller/Cricket Starr
http://www.cricketstarr.com

Christmas

Christmas was my favorite time of the year when I was a child.  Isn't it everyone's?  Even as my kids were little, I loved Christmas.  Seeing their faces when they opened their presents, the joy they had as they got older and buying gifts for people less fortunate then themselves.  It was a great time.

As time goes by, Christmas tends to stress me out more and more and I just don't enjoy it like I used to.  Trees are hard to find. We always cut our own, but I have developed an allergy to all Christmas trees except Scotch Pines.  They are becoming increasingly difficult to find and how I fight against having to get a fake tree.  Everything is so expensive.

This year as I sit in my living room looking at the bare tree, yet to be decorated, I remember the peace that comes with Christmas also. The evenings of sitting with the lights off, except for the lights on the tree, and just enjoying it. It really doesn't matter the amount of gifts around the tree, its the joy of always having my family close.  This year will be no exception as my oldest daughter travels from North Caroline to be home for the holidays.


The family grows this year with the addition of our first grandson who is just fascinated with the tree.  One of my fondest memories is of my kids being very little and sitting in front of the Christmas tree with just the lights on as we sang Christmas songs.  The simple things of being with family and just enjoying each other is really all I need for Christmas.  What's your wish for the Christmas season?