Creative Hodgepodge

Sweet Saturday

2012-02-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome back! This week I'm continuing the scene fromAegean Intrigue in which Francie hasboarded the ferry from Athens to Paros. She finds herself seated next to Alex,the Project Director of the archaeological dig she is working on:

Taking the packet from Alex, she began to read. Thankfully,he allowed her to read on her own rather than pointing things out to her. Itwas unnerving enough to have to sit next to the man. It would be worse to havethose dark brown eyes focused on her, his melodic voice sounding in her ear…

She blinked and brought her mind back to the page infront of her. When she got to the page describing the sleeping accommodations,Francie frowned. “You’re staying with us the entire time?” she asked.

“Of course. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve never known a Project Director to stay on site.You’ve probably got a half dozen other projects you’re working on, don’t you? Iexpected you would just take care of the planning, the designating, and thenleave.”

His eyes narrowed. “I don’t operate that way.”

The sudden coldness in his expression unnerved her.She merely nodded and looked back at the page, but the symbols made no sense toher. She could read English, Greek, and French, but in her agitation she couldn’tdecipher anything on the page. Why had he become so angry?

He cleared his throat and his tone gentled. “Oursponsor is an exacting man. He expects detailed reports each evening. I don’t haveany other projects going in Athens at the moment, so…” He paused and shrugged beforecontinuing, “I decided to take a working vacation.”

Francie felt her tensions drain away. Maybe she hadmisread his facial expression. At least he wasn't angry with her. She looked atthe document again, and this time the words made sense.

****

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, orbetter yet, check out Aegean Intrigue byclicking on the book cover at the top right of the page. It's available atAstraea Press, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

More samples are offered from other authors at Sweet Saturday Samples.

The Leibster Blog Award

2012-02-08T16:51:00.000-05:00

About fifteen years ago when Idecided I wanted to write a book, I joined a group called the Mid MichiganRomance Writers of America. I soaked up all the knowledge I could at theirmonthly meetings and met some really cool people, including real authors -people who had actually published books that I could buy or get at the library.

My kids started getting older and Iencouraged them to be involved in activities. They complied and my weekends gotfull, so I wasn't able to make it to a lot of meetings. But I kept up mymembership and I still attend sporadically. The email loop has allowed me tokeep in touch. Still, I sometimes feel like a peripheral member, lurking on theoutside.

So I was thrilled and pleasantlysurprised to find I've been the recipient of a special award from a fellowMMRWA member, Teresa Blue. She's a newly published author at The Wild RosePress. Her first novel, Night Bird, willbe released in early May. She presented me with the Liebster Blog award, whichis supposed to be given to "up and coming bloggers who have fewer than 200followers". Teresa's blog,Thingfinder, is an eclectic collection of thoughts. I love to peruse and seethe various things (and thoughts) she collects. Thank you so much, Teresa!

All that's required to accept thisaward is:

1. Thank the person who gave it to them and link back tothat person's blog.

2. Copy and paste the award to your blog. (It's up at thetop!)

3. Choose 5 blogs to award in kind and break the news bycommenting on those blogs.

4. Hope those people pay it forward in turn by accepting andawarding "The Liebster Blog Award" to blogs they'd like to honor.

So for #3, I'm choosing these fivebloggers (my apologies if you have more than 200 followers!):

Stephanie Michelsat Chunking up the Page, one of my savvy critique partners and a fabulous proofreader

JC Hanks at AWriter in the Making. JC is anauthor with a million story lines and a fascinating collection of sewingmachines. If had all those machines I'd never have time to write!

Lynn Doezema at A Writer's Whimsy. Lynn is avery energetic and supportive writer. She's just getting started, but I knowshe'll go far!

Cheryl Sterlingat Cheryl Sterling Books. Cheryl creates unique worlds and entertaining stories,like Tall, Dark, and Slayer, The Apprentice Fairy Godmother, and What Do You Say to a Naked Elf?

Mrs. VanAmberg atJust the Five of Us. This lady is a former collegue and amazes me with hertalent as a photographer, her savvy with technology, her creativeness atcrafts, and her involvement with her children - on top of her full timeteaching duties. I wonder when she sleeps.

So there are my five nominees. Now I just need to notifythem. Thanks again, Tereasa, for the nod!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2012-02-03T18:29:00.000-05:00

Welcome back! I'm jumping back into the present withan excerpt from my newly released Greek island novella, Aegean Intrigue. Here, Francie is boarding the ferry to travel fromAthens to the island of Paros:

Stepping off the escalator, she made her way past thecafé and gift shop to the reserved seats. Whoever is funding this dig certainlyhas deep pockets, she thought. The heavily padded “airplane-style seats” wouldbe a special treat. She could snuggle in and close her eyes.

“Good morning.”

Turning toward the voice, her gaze met that of thevery man who had haunted her dreams the last few weeks. As usual, Alex lookedcrisp and well rested, unlike the majority of the passengers on the earlymorning shuttle. A light blue polo shirt fit snugly over

his muscled shoulders and arms, and crisp khaki pantscompleted his outfit. He looked as if he had stepped from a gentleman'smagazine. The battered brown satchel lay across his lap, a sheaf of paperslying on top of it.

“Good morning,” she managed. Breaking eye contact,she glanced down at her ticket to check her seat number and nearly groaned. Herseat was right next to his.

So much for the relaxing trip, she thought. What had she done to deserve four fullhours seated next to this disturbing man?

Her face must have reflected her dismay. “I apologizeif my presence distresses you. I had hoped to go over some of the details ofthe dig while we had time before our arrival.”

“Why would you want to go over them with me?Professor Theo is in charge of the dig.”

“On paper, yes. But you are his assistant. Has heshared the details with you?”

She frowned. “No, he hasn’t.”

“I thought not. He is known for his forgetfulness. Ihave made an extra copy of his materials for you, including a dossier on eachof the other participants.”

She made no move to sit, and he sighed. “I can moveto another seat once we have gone through the details.”

She unlooped the straps of her backpack and sat,chiding herself for appearing so childish.

****

Thanks for stopping by! Aegean Intrigue can be purchased online at Astraea Press, Amazon,and Barnes and Noble (click on the company names to go to their websites).

Continue reading excerpts from other authors by goingto Sweet Saturday Samples. Have agreat weekend!

Introducing...

2012-02-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

I am so pleased to announce therelease of my third novella, Aegean Intrigue! This story is also published byAstraea Press, but it's a bit different from the other stories in several ways.Unlike The Legacy and The Christmas Phoenix, Aegean Intrigue takes place inGreece. I had the pleasure of visiting that country almost four years ago whenmy daughter did a semester abroad on the island of Paros. I talked a friendinto going with me to "check out" the school she attended and seethat she was safe. We spent a week on the island, and then two days in Athensbefore flying home. It had to be one of the most fascinating times in my life.If you ever have the opportunity to go, take it! There is so much to see anddo. Of course I'm a history buff so I had a wonderful time checking out theruins and reading about the places we visited.

I had to do quite a bit of researchfor this book, because the story line takes the characters on an archaeologicaldig. Since I don't know too much about archaeology, I had to read about how adig was set up, who the major characters are, and how they do their jobs. Ihope I represented the job accurately. And then I threw in a romance - becauseI love a happy ending!

So I would be ever so grateful ifyou would do a few things for me:

1. Go to Amazon and "like" my book. Click on the work LINK (you can buy it there, too!)

2. Buy the book (you can get it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble,or from Astraea Press if you want a different format) and read it!

3. Tell me what you think by giving it a rating (at Amazon,Barnes and Noble, or Goodreads - or all three!

Actually, I would be happy if youwould do ANY of the above - but if you could do two, or three, I would beecstatic! If you click on the picture above it should take you to the page where you can purchase it from Astraea Press. Later on today (or maybe tomorrow), it will be available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

You can actually have a chance towin a free copy. I've been participating in blog hops, and almost each time Igive away a free book. The next one is the Valentine's Day Hop. Watch myfacebook page for details. Oh, you haven't seen my facebook page? Well, there'sa facebook "badge" here on this page that you can click and"like" and then you'll see news about my writing life as soon as ithappens. Isn't technology cool? Well, most of the time it is. When it works.But that's another story.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2012-01-28T07:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome! I haveanother short sample from my historical novel. Hiro, a former samurai soldier,has come to Hanako's farm in northern Japan and offered to help her for theseason. Here, he is fishing in the stream behind her home:

Hefound a sturdy old tree with a thick branch overhanging the stream. Carefully inching out on the branch, hefound that it could accommodate his weight, and lay face down along itslength. He waited, his swordpoised and ready for his prey. Therippling water played a calming melody, and the shade from the rest of the treeenveloped him in a blanket of security that he hadn’t experienced in years.

As a warrior in theelite forces of the bushido, he had not known serenity, only anger anddeath. What would it be like tolive in peace and beauty, instead of constant pain and needless bloodshed?

Asplash in the water below reminded him of his task. A school of carp, making its way upstream, swam into hisvantage point. Drawing on hissurvival training, he lowered his sword, spearing the largest of the group. Quickly he raised and lowered the swordagain and again, until the still-moving fish covered half his blade.

Thewater beneath him turned murky, and his arm froze as the haunting memory ofanother time, another knife, overtook him. His stomach churned as he remembered a man he had known allhis life, one he loved and revered, dying by his own hand. Though Hiro had fought nobly and hadobserved the death of many, this time it had brought him to his knees. It was then that he knew he could notcontinue as a warrior.

****

Thanksfor stopping by! Find samples from other great authors by going to Sweet Saturday Samples. Please leave a comment!

Just Get it Done!

2012-01-26T13:22:00.003-05:00

I've mentioned the piles ofunfinished projects that lurk in every corner of my house. Two of them arequilts I should have finished years ago for my daughters. I kept t-shirts fromtheir childhood (t-ball, choir, band, sports, etc) and planned to make a quiltfrom the fronts of the shirts. I've had all the materials for the quilts and started the process, but never got them done. My older daughter graduatedfrom high school in 2002 and her sister graduated in 2005. But the quilts keptgetting set aside for other projects.

A couple of weeks ago the youngerdaughter decided she'd had enough. In very strong language she announced shewanted her quilt done and said she would find a way to finish it if I didn'thave it done by February. I knew it wouldn't take long so I said okay. But thenlast weekend she decided the time was NOW and I needed to drop everything andfinish it. Of course that was when another family crisis popped up. My momneeded some legal forms filled out this week and I had to chase them down andhelp her fill them out.

My point is that with two familymembers breathing down my neck I had to plan my time very wisely this week. Istill had to show up at both jobs, grade papers, and pay attention to myhusband and grandkids. So I had to make adjustments. I skimmed through emails,deleting most and answering only the most pressing. I've spent a lot less timeon facebook, although I discovered I'm supposed to create something called ablog button (anybody know anything about these?) for a promotional opportunity.But that can be relegated to the "to be done" pile, like the quiltswere.

Anyway, the quilt is out and on itsway to being finished. As you can see from the picture, the squares are cut andarranged. I hope to have it done this weekend. I am very tired and willprobably fall asleep at my granddaughter's first birthday party this weekend,but I won't have the quilt hanging over my head any more. The shirts would probablystill be in the box if she hadn't made an issue of it. It was annoying, but Ican't stay annoyed with her for pushing me to finish what should have been donea long time ago.

I think I'm making progress. Oneproject at a time. Now if I can get her to nag me to finish the novel, the papers to be graded, the housework...

Sweet Saturday Sample

2012-01-21T02:45:00.000-05:00

Welcomeback! This week I've decided to revisit my historical romance about theadventures of a former samurai soldier during the late 1870s. Here we meetHiromasa's friend, Ginjiro, who has come to work on Hanako's farm:

Justoutside the doorway, Ginjiro froze in place, listening intently. He had come to ask for instructionsabout crops in the west end of the field, but the voice he heard from insidewas not Hanako’s. Caution had himstopping to assess a possible threat to his mistress, but the words spoken inthe cultured, melodious voice were not threatening, and he decided Hanako wasnot in danger. He allowed himselfto listen to the mystery woman’s voice and let himself be drawn in by thesoothing tones. During his yearsas a warrior, he had been in the presence of noblewomen, but the shrill voicesof the pampered, empty-headed ladies had held no appeal for him. Certainly none had held his attentionsimply with the sound of her voice.

Hehad to see the owner of the voice. Carefully, he bent his upper body toward the doorway, not wanting togive himself away. Hopefully her attention would be focused on Hanako, whocustomarily knelt at the table with her back to the door. That meant the guest would be facingthe doorway.

Hisupper body was nearly level with the ground, but he couldn’t quite see farenough into the room to get a glimpse of the voice’s owner. Perhaps if he just took one more step…

Carefully,he lifted his left foot and moved it toward the doorway. Unfortunately, his right foot was inthe way, and his eyes widened in horror as he realized that he was falling intothe house. He landed face down, his limbs arranged in an inelegant heap on thefloor. Thank goodness he and Hirohad installed the tatami flooring, or his face would be covered with dirt.

Perhapshis tumble had gone unnoticed. Perhaps he could just back out, and the women wouldn’t know …

“Ginjiro!” Hanako’s footsteps scurried towardhim. “Are you all right?”

Ginjironodded, wincing when the motion scraped his face on the dry reeds in theflooring. Despite the discomfort,he kept his face to the floor, scooting backward, hoping to leave before she-

“Itseems the samurai has injured his head in the fall,”

Ginjirogroaned, mortified to be caught in such an embarrassing position. How on earth could he explain hisclumsiness?

Hisgroan of frustration was interpreted as a sign of pain. “Oh, Ginjiro,” Hanako cried, “Forgive me, Ginjiro. You must have tripped in that trench Idug for the plants outside the door. And now you are hurt!”

“Perhapswe should move him inside so that we can tend to his wound.” The warm contralto voice that hadmesmerized him before floated into his mind from his other side. He turned his head toward the voice,and nearly yelped from the pain of the movement.

****

Thanksfor stopping by! Be sure to visit Sweet Saturday Samples, where you'll findlinks to blogs from other authors who are offering excerpts of their work!

Speed Mentoring

2012-01-19T10:26:00.005-05:00

Last week our regional writinggroup met. The program for the day was "speed mentoring" and it wentpretty well. The tables were arranged in a circle. The published or nearlypublished authors in the group sat inside the circle (we were the mentors), andthe "waiting to be published" authors (mentees) took chairs on theoutside. Our Vice President kept a timer and each pair had five minutes todiscuss whatever aspect of writing the mentee wanted to talk about. After fiveminutes the outside circle rotated to their right and talked to the nextmentor. This continued until every mentee had the opportunity to talk to eachmentor.

The exercise was fun. I had thechance to speak with newer members I had seen at meetings but hadn't gotten toknow, as well as four guests who had come to check us out. It also got methinking about the things I'm doing as a writer. What exactly do I do topromote myself? How do I get people to visit my blog? How do I keep myselfaccountable for writing on a regular basis? How do I decide where to submit mywork? All were excellent questions, and they got me looking more closely at myself. Am I doingenough?

My family will cheerfully agreethat I'm not the most organized person. I have lots of interests and hobbies aswell as two part time jobs, not including my writing. Stuff gets piled uparound here. So it's painful for me to think about organizing my time andefforts to promote what I've already spent time writing. Yet, if I want to besure people are going to read what I write, I have to get over my hesitationand get myself out there. I need to be diligent about promotional opportunitiesand follow through on them. I may end up being a nuisance, but at least peoplewill know who I am and what I write.

And that reminds me—I have a guestblog to finish...

****

I wanted to have some toys aroundfor my youngest granddaughter to play with when she's here. I have no shortageof fabric and when I found instructions for these soft blocks I decided tocopy them. They're made from scraps of fleece, so they're nice and soft, and Iused more fleece scraps to stuff them. Hope she likes them!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2012-01-14T02:00:00.000-05:00

Trowel image from About.com

Welcome to my first Saturday Sampleof the new year! I've been hard at work revising Aegean Intrigue, which will hopefully be released soon. Here is ashort sample from that novella. Francie, a doctoral student in archaeology, ispreparing to participate in a dig on the beautiful Greek island of Paros:

A few days before departure, acourier arrived with a packet of final instructions. She was told to ride theearly ferry to the island of Paros, and Dimitri would meet the crew at the dockand take them to the dig site. Her ferry ticket was included in the packet, andshe danced for joy at another expense she didn’t have to bear.

Carefully,she packed for the trip. She wouldn’t need much in the way of clothing: sturdywork boots, heavy socks, shorts, light tops, a hat, underwear, and sunscreen.Then she packed her tools: her notebook, a camera, and her trowel. The last waspolished and wrapped in an old T-shirt. It had been a gift from her father, oneof the few items she had ever received from him. He had given it to her afterthey’d gone on their last dig together. Nothing could have been more preciousto her than this verification of his approval of her as an archaeologist. Sincethen, the beloved trowel had accompanied her on every dig, been cleaned everynight, and stored safely in her knapsack.

Maybe someday, her father would askher to go on another dig with him.

****

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure tocheck out samples from other great authors. You can find their links at Sweet Saturday Samples.

Waiting Patiently

2012-01-13T06:42:00.001-05:00

Patience has never been my strongsuit. I like things to happen right away. I wanted to grow up and be an adult,and then I wanted to be a mom, and then I wanted to retire and travel. So nowI've done all those things and I want to have my stories published.

I've had two novellas publishednow, and after hearing about how long other people have to wait to see theirbooks available, even in ebook form, I've been blown away by how quickly mynovellas were put out. So it's been a puzzle as to why my third novella istaking so much longer.

I submitted the story in Septemberand it was accepted right away. But I didn't get a cover design until December,and then the content edits finally arrived just before Christmas. I sent myrevisions in a week ago, and am back to waiting. My head knows that this is notan unreasonable time line, but I'm still checking my email to see when thestory is going to be finalized. My bookmarks and magnets have been ordered andI want to start handing them out!

In the meantime, I should beworking on new projects. If I could get immersed in something else I wouldn'tbe obsessing over how long this other project is taking, right? Plus I'd havesomething else to submit. After three short stories, I should be polishing offmy full-length novel. I should have an outline fleshed out for my local writinggroup's winter writing challenge. I should...well, you get the picture.

My point is the story will come outeventually. The bookmarks and magnets will keep until it's time to pass themout. I can't let the worry keep me from being productive. It's just not goingto do me any good.

But I can't stop checking my email,just in case.

****

My daughter and my mom love to wearscarves. I found some filmy scarf-like fabric in my stash that I originallyplanned to make some skirts out of. But I don't wear skirts that often, and Ihave trouble finding patterns for skirts that don't make me look like I'm aswide as I am tall. So I decided to cut the fabric into long scarves. All I hadto do was stitch around the edges and I now have a set of three scarves foreach of them! I'm thinking they'll make nice Mother's Day gifts. If I wrap themup now, hopefully I won't forget about them in May.

Today I'm participating in a Friday the 13th Blog Hop! There are prizes at each stop, and the prize for going through all the blogs is a brand new Kindle! Begin the hop by clicking here:

Let's Try This...

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I decided I needed a newway to stay accountable for my goals for three areas of my life. I've given ita lot of thought and I have a few ideas. So here is my plan for 2012:

Weight loss, lifestyle healthychoices, etc: These goals will be outlinedmore specifically, but not here. I want to keep this blog for my creativeoutlets. So I started another blog, dedicated entirely to my pursuit of ahealthy lifestyle. It's at my new Time for a Change blog. I'llpublish my plans, as well as my successes and failure there. If you have aninclination to see how my progress is coming, you're welcome to watch byclicking here. My end goal is to be at least a size smaller for my trip toParis this summer, and healthy enough to walk on all the tours!

Writing: I am going to continue writing a minimum of 750words per day. This website doesn't sound like much but it has really donewonders for me. I know that I have to type a certain number of words every day,and I usually try to do it first thing in the morning, even when I have to be atwork at 5 am! Sometimes I add to a manuscript, other times I write blog posts,or reminder lists, or whatever else I know I need to work on. It's helped mefill out at least three manuscripts and I believe this is what motivated me tofinish them. If I haven't written by 9 am I get an email reminder. It's amazingwhat I'll do to avoid getting that email message! And my end goal is tocomplete two historical novels and at least two contemporary novellas thisyear.

Creativity/crafts/sewing: Ineed to use up the things piling up all over the house. So at the risk ofboring you, my plan is complete at least one project each week and post apicture here. If I don't post a picture, you and I and everyone on the planetwill know that my junk is still in the same place as last week! My end goal isto have a basement my grandkids can play in. Happily, I completed somethingalready this week. Here is a quilt top I made from some fabric my friend Cherylgave me. She's apparently a lot better at getting rid of stuff than I am.Anyway, she had a bunch of squares already cut out, so I put them together andadded a few borders. The ladies of the quilt guild at church will put ittogether and give it to someone who needs a little comfort.

So there's my plan. Now I know whatI want to accomplish and I've got a plan for keeping myself accountable. Themethods will probably change as the year progresses, but the goals will remainthe same. Let's hope this works!

My Year in Review

2011-12-30T00:50:00.004-05:00

A year ago, I posted three major resolutions here. And for a while afterward I wrote weekly progress reports so that the cyber world would see how successful I was at keeping them. But soon life got in the way and I slacked off. At least, that happened for two out of three. So I guess the usual thing to do would be to do a recap and then next week I'll start out with my new resolutions.

My three resolutions were simple: Write more, weigh less, and create stuff. The third resolution was designed to make me start using up the basement full of craft supplies. Seriously. My basement is FULL of fabric, threads, wooden pieces, paint and other miscellaneous items only crafters would get excited about.

The writing resolution became easy to keep because I started to go somewhere with it. I finally submitted a story to a publisher and it was accepted. That kind of opened the floodgates and I've been writing steadily ever since. I've had three stories accepted so far, so I can't complain about my lack of progress there.

Weighing less is another matter. I like to eat. I like to put off things I find unpleasant, like cleaning my house and editing my writing. Eating is a way of avoiding them. Also, my husband is a very good cook. I don't want to insult him by not eating the fabulous meals he puts in front of me. That just wouldn't be right!

Sewing is one of my favorite things to do. I make time for it by working with two charities, making fleece hats with one group and quilts with another. Tuesdays are my sewing days. I go and meet with these groups and sew. I feel good about that. But this isn't helping me get rid of the stuff in my basement.

What am I going to do? As someone wise once said, we all have the same number of hours in a day. And since I'm basically retired (sort of) and my kids are self-sufficient, there's no reason I can't handle these three goals. I'm going to make a new plan and see if I can't get a little more balance in my days. Next week I'll start on it and share my ideas here. Like last year, I think I'll be able to stay more accountable if I'm sharing my progress with the world (or whatever part of the world happens to come here).

Wish me luck!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

This year, our family will celebrate Christmas a week late. That's because our daughter and her family will be traveling several states away to spend the holiday with her in-laws, who are anxious to see their son and granddaughter. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. The biggest advantage is I have an extra week to get ready for the festivities. I'm almost done with my shopping, but I can take my time cleaning and wrapping, and I have more time to write. The disadvantage is that Christmas Day is going to be super quiet with just the hubby, our younger daughter, her dog, and me.

On the other hand, the quietness will be kind of nice. Everyone but me will probably nap. I will have the entire afternoon to myself. There are a million projects around here waiting to be finished. Sewing and craft projects, reading material, cleaning, and of course, writing projects. The difficult thing will be deciding where to start. Generally I just work on what needs to be done next.

So I guess my Christmas gift to myself is time to indulge in whatever I feel like doing. I have no idea what it will be, but it will be something I WANT to do, rather than something I HAVE to do. And I'm not going to feel guilty if something else isn't done.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Christmas and that the next year brings you every happiness.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-12-17T11:28:00.011-05:00

Welcome! I have one last sample from my Christmas novella, The Christmas Phoenix. Hope everyone has a blessed holiday season!

Jess munched happily, enjoying her meal, realizing this was the first meal her son had prepared for her by himself. He had helped Doug fix her birthday and Mother’s Day breakfasts, but that was long ago. He really was capable of feeding himself. Her dad had mentioned Rory needed more responsibility.

“You’re spoiling your son,” he’d said. “He’s going to turn into a wimp.”

She’d thought he was being too hard on his grandson. “He’s only fourteen, Dad,” she’d insisted.

A part of her knew her dad was right. But it was so hard. She’d start to ask Rory to take more responsibility, and she’d remember him standing at his father’s grave, so lost. And then she’d do the work herself.

“Mom, have you ever heard of a phoenix?” Rory’s question brought her back to the present.

She swallowed her bite before answering. “Sure. It’s a mythical bird that lives for a long time and when it burns, a new phoenix comes to life from the ashes. Why?”

“We’re studying myths in Language Arts. We’re supposed to write about a myth that applies to our lives. I think the phoenix’s story is a lot like us.”

“Why?”

“Because we had to start over again after Dad died. It was really tough for a while, like the fire and the ashes. But I think we’re starting to make it.” He bent his head over his notebook.

Choking on the lump in her throat, Jess couldn’t have responded if she’d tried.

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out more excerpts at Sweet Saturday Samples.

Birthdays

2011-12-16T13:12:00.002-05:00

I had dinner with my second eldest granddaughter last night. She's now eighteen and finishing high school. A huge difference between last year and this one is that she met me at the mall rather than me picking her up! She has her own car and works for a lot of the things she has. We talked about her college and career plans, as well as how her senior year is going. We shopped for her birthday gift and then she helped me find some Christmas gifts for her siblings. And then she drove herself home.

I've been taking her out for birthday dinners since she was about four years old, so I've watched this young lady grow from a precocious toddler into a strikingly beautiful, intelligent young woman. She's a caring individual, and to use an old phrase, "she has her head on straight." She's been through some great times and some tough times, but she's going to succeed, I just know it.

So I guess the point of this post is that I am so proud of my kids for raising such good kids. What a wonderful legacy. Life is good.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-12-09T18:36:00.005-05:00

Welcome! Here's another short scene from my Christmas novella, The Christmas Phoenix:

"I imagine youʹll be busy for the next month, with the

holidays coming up."

"I suppose. The orders are starting to come in, now that

some people have seen my work. But my sister Donna is expecting

me at her house in Chicago for Thanksgiving."

"That's next week."

Jake's hands froze. His jaw dropped, and his eyes opened

wide. "Next week? Oh, no. I've gotta go shopping. We're

exchanging Christmas gifts because she and her family are going

on a cruise in December." He put the bowl down and started to

pace. "I hate to shop. I never know what to buy." He looked up at

Jess. "What should I get her?"

Jess laughed. "How would I know? I've never met her."

"Well, no, but you're a woman. I thought…well, never

mind."

She took pity on him. "When do you leave for Chicago?"

"My flight leaves on Wednesday morning."

"You've got plenty of time. Finish your vases for the

banquet, and then if you want me to help you shop, call me. I've

got Monday off from the hotel."

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and check out the samples from other fine authors at Sweet Saturday Samples.

Guest Blogging

2011-12-09T10:09:00.002-05:00

Today I'm a guest at Brea Essex's blog. I'm talking about strong women as characters. Come and visit - and leave a comment!

www.breaessex.blogspot.com

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-12-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

Chainsaw picture from Mike's Garden Blog

Welcome! Here's another scene from my newly released Christmas novella, The Christmas Phoenix, available at Astraea Press. Jake finds himself encouraging Jess' teenage son to get up and help his mother:

Rory shuffled into the kitchen, poured himself a glass oforange juice and took it into the den, where he plopped down onto the couch andpicked up the television remote.

“Mom, the TV’s not working.”

“I know. The power’s out. That’s why I’ve been outsidegetting wood.”

“Oh.” He put down the remote and picked up a video game.

Jess’ phone rang and she excused herself to answer it.While she talked, Jake looked over at her son.

He was taller than his mother, and lookedpretty healthy. Why was he sitting there on the couch while his mom did all thework?

"Hey, kid."

The boy's fingers stopped, but his headdidn't move. It was difficult to see his eyes through the hair covering hisface. He'd just have to assume he had the kid's attention.

"Your mom's been working pretty hardout there. Why don't we help her out?"

The boy didn't move for a while, and Jakewondered if he'd overstepped. Finally the boy shrugged, and stood. Jake stoodalmost eye-to-eye with him. He wanted to shake the kid and ask why he would lethis tiny mom work so hard, but held himself back. He didn't have the right.Better to just suggest strongly and hope the kid got the message.

"If the power is out for a long time,you two will need a lot of wood. More than what she has out there. I'll startcutting, and you can bring it to the side of the house. Okay?"

His words were again met with a shrug, butat least the kid was up. Jake wondered what it would take to elicit a verbalresponse, but decided a shrug was better than a refusal. Best to pick hisbattles, he supposed.

He held his tongue again when the boygrabbed a sweatshirt before following him to the shed. Did he really think asweatshirt was good enough to protect him from the sub-zero temperature? Well,the boy was old enough to know better.

Jake found the chainsaw and got it to work.He and Rory went around to the north side of the house.

Hearing a door open, he turned and saw Rorygo back inside. He took a deep breath to calm his anger. How had Jess saddledherself with such an irresponsible punk? Grumbling to himself, he pulled thechain and started to cut. He had a dozen or so pieces cut when a pair of glovedhands picked one up. Ah. The kid had finally realized he needed to dress forthe weather. He now sported a snowmobile suit and a pair of boots.

The suit was a few sizes too large for theboy. It must have belonged to his dad. But though it hung loosely, the arms andlegs were just the right length for him. Rory apparently had his father'sheight. Must be the dad’s boots, too. Poor kid.

He went back to cutting wood.

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and be sure to visit other great authors and their samples by going to Sweet Saturday Samples.

Christmas Projects

2011-12-01T23:18:00.001-05:00

I'm no Martha Stewart, but I loveto make things for Christmas. One of my holiday traditions is to make stockingsfor each of my children and grandchildren. They're not huge stockings - justbig enough for a candy cane and several pieces of chocolate. The kids alwaystake their stockings home, so I don't know if they're kept or not. But they'velearned to expect their stockings, and I'm happy to make them.

Another annual project is fleecehats. I belong to a group called Warming Ears Ministry. Twice a month, fourfriends and I bring our sewing machines to my friend Diane's home and we spendsix hours or so creating warm fleece hats in various styles and sizes. Most ofthem are given to charities - shelters, food banks, and other missions. Othersare given to schools and others places expressing a need. Though most of thehats are distributed in the wintertime, we sew all year long. This year the sixof us made over three thousand hats!

Last year, the Warming EarsMinistry had a last minute request for hats from a local charity. We had enoughstarted, but they needed finishing. I offered to take them home and asked mytwo oldest granddaughters to help me complete them. I explained to them who thehats were going to, and they both readily agreed. We spent a fun afternoonsewing, cutting fringe, and tying knots. They shared their school experiences,and we finished the hats in no time at all. They felt good about themselves,and I was so proud of them.

I think the best gift we can giveour children and grandchildren is the spirit of giving. The gifts don't have tobe large or expensive, but when given with love, they benefit not only thereceiver, but the giver. When we do that, we begin to understand the miraculousgift that is the basis of the holiday we call Christmas.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-11-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

Eagle picture from Images in Ice

Welcome to my blog! Iam so excited about my new release, The Christmas Phoenix, available now at Astraea Press! You can click on thebook cover at the right for ordering information. But to give you a taste ofthe story, the scene below is the second meeting for my two main characters—Jess,an overworked mom, and Jake, a world-weary ice sculptor:

The huge, glass-coveredbuilding had to be the hotel. That was the only convention-sized building onthe block. He pulled into the circular drive, where a shivering doormandirected him around to the service drive. Jake pulled around and found thecorrect entrance, and parked. He took out a sturdy collapsible cart andcarefully loaded his sculpture onto it.

Now, he had to findthe "Wolverine Room" and get this eagle to the Audubon SocietyBanquet before it started to melt. He entered the building and followed thesigns to the banquet rooms.

His cart suddenlyjerked to the right and he reached out a hand to keep his sculpture fromfalling off.

"Oh!"

A red-haired spritelay in a heap on the left side of his cart. White linen napkins covered thefloor all around her. She lookedvaguely familiar.

"Are youokay?"

The sprite pickedherself up, not making eye contact with him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I need tolook where I'm going." She started picking up her napkins. I'll need tore-wash these and fold them again. Looking at his cart, she perked up."Wow, this is fabulous! I hope I didn't break it."

Oh, drat. He'd been soworried about the sprite he'd nearly forgotten. A quick inspection revealed afeather broken off from one of the eagle's wings, but it was barely noticeable."No harm done. I'd help you with those napkins, but I need to get thisdelivered. Which room is the Wolverine Room?"

"Huh? Oh, it'sthe next room down the hall on your right. The manager, Max, should be inthere. He can help you."

"Thanks."

Wheeling the carttoward the banquet room, Jake realized the sprite had the same husky voice asthe snowplow operator. He turned around to get another look at her. Shepresented an enticing view as she bent over to pick up her napkins.

No, it couldn't be thesame person.

Thanks for stoppingby! Please leave a comment, and then visit other authors and read their samplesby going to Sweet Saturday Samples.

To read more about The Christmas Phoenix, visit my "Release Party! Mini Blog Hop" page (click on the tab above). Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of this story!

Author Spotlight: Iris Blobel

2011-11-24T06:51:00.001-05:00

Growingup, I loved reading about people in faraway places and wondered what they werelike. In the movies, I watched actors like Paul Hogan and Olivia Newton-John,listened to singers like the BeeGees and Dame Joan Sutherland, and cheered onathletes like Evonne Goolagong Cawley. I devoured every article I could findabout their fascinating country. I'd still love to visit Australia someday, butfor now I'm thrilled to make the acquaintance of a real live Aussie, IrisBlobel. She's a fellow Astraea Press author, and she has a brand new novelcalled Journey to her Dreams. Irisis here today to share with us a little about how she creates her characters,

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Thanks,Patty, for having me today on your blog.

Pattyhad a wonderful post on her blog a few weeks back called “What a Character” where she had asked fellow Astraea Press authors “If you could becomeany one of your characters, which one would it be, and why?". It was agreat post and you should hop over and have a read ... not now though!

Anyway,the post made me think about how we/you/authors choose their characters, theirpersonalities, faults, looks etc. Do they have a certain person in mind? Or is it indeed all a “creation”?

Isat back and thought about how I “shape” my characters. I wondered whether theywere part of me or whether they were something I’d like to be. Afterconsidering and thinking and head scratching – no, they’re not like me. Would Ilike to be like them? Probably a little bit.I suppose deep down inside I’m hoping for the readers to be able to relate tomy characters because “they’re real”. They should have flaws, yet know theright from wrong.

Inmy latest book “Hollie” is my main character. I really like her. She’s loving,loyal and strong inside, but she gets easily hurt and takes the saferoad. My male characters are usually (and hopefully) sexy and charmingand the counterpart sexy as well, yet with a flaw I don’t like in a man at all.It usually is an interesting balance.

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ThanksIris!

Here'sthe cover, blurb and order information:

Would youtravel around the world to uncover the reason for your dreams?

Hollie, ayoung woman from Tasmania does, and during her journey to Ireland, she isdetermined to find out what is behind those dreams about “the other woman”.Yet, during her quest for answers, Hollie finds more than just the reason forit.

Journeyto Her Dreamsis now available at every major online book store or here:

~ Amazon~~ BookStrand~~ All RomanceBooks ~~ Barnes &Noble ~~ Astraea Press~

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-11-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome! Thanks for coming to my corner of the blogging world. If you've been here before on Saturdays, you may have already met Jess, a widow with a snowplowing business, a waitressing job, and a teenager who doesn't help much. This week I'd like to show a little about Jake, her handsome, rugged neighbor:

Thesnow in front of the house had no paw prints. Charlie was probably in the back.Jake went out the back door and whistled, and soon the little bundle of energyraced around the house to greet him.

Jakehad learned to come prepared with something to play fetch. He drew the neongreen tennis ball from his pocket and tossed it as far as he could. Charlieraced after it and Jake laughed as the puppy bounced around in the deep snow,looking for the ball. After a quick search, Charlie brought it back. Like thewell-trained animal he was, he set it gently down at Jake’s feet and steppedback. Jake picked up the ball and prepared to throw it again.

Justas he raised his arm, a succession of cracking sounds pierced the air. Jakefroze. For a moment he was transported back to Iraq. All around him, men fell,screaming from their wounds. He sank to the ground and started in surprise whenhis face hit the cold snow.

Snow?In the desert?

Slowly,he lifted his head. He wasn’t in the desert. There were no soldiers fallingaround him, but the cracking noise continued. Firecrackers.

Thanks for reading! The story now has a title: The Christmas Phoenix, and it's been accepted for publication at Astraea Press for this holiday season! As soon as it's available, I'll have a link above where you can order it.

Be sure to check out more great samples at Sweet Saturday Samples!

Author Spotlight: Jean Joachim

2011-11-17T21:42:00.001-05:00

I'm learning that self-promotion takes up a lot oftime I'd rather spend writing, or working on my crafting hobbies. For peoplewho are self-publishing, promotion is even more important. So I'd like tointroduce one of those self-motivated people who not only writes, but takescare of ALL the tasks that go into producing a book, as well as promoting it.Meet Joan Joachim, who is the author of two romance series as well as a brand newThanksgiving novella. Since most of these books have been published in the pastyear, I asked her to tell me about herself and how she managed such a hugeoutput. Here's her answer:

"I live inNew York City, am married, have two sons and a pug dog named Homer. My writingcareer started with non-fiction. My first book was “Beyond the Bake Sale, theUltimate School Fund-Raising Book” published by St. Martin’s Press. I had twoactive boys and was heavily involved in their activities, running the PTA,fund-raising, coaching soccer, leaving little time or energy to write. Iprogress to writing a movie review column for parents, which I have been doingfor the past 11 years. Once my youngest went off to college, I had the time tostart writing fiction and all the stories that had been piling up in my headcame tumbling out. So I’ve been prolific this year, four novels and there willbe four novellas by the end of the year. But two of those books I wrote lastyear. I have two more from last year I am editing and another I wrote this yearwith a partner that is almost finished. I write fulltime and find it hard tostop to make dinner. Sometimes, I don’t!"

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Her two newest books are Now and Forever 2, theBook of Danny and The MarriageList. Read on to find out whatthey're about:

Now and Forever 2, theBook of Danny is the second in theNow and Forever series. In the first book, Now and Forever 1, a Love Story, you met Callie Richards and Mac Caldwell and watched their love story evolve. Thissecond book is the story of Danny Maine, brotherto Callie’s fiancé lost in Iraq as well as thecontinuing story of Callie and Mac.

Danny Maine leaves the Armyafter becoming an expert sharp shooter, killer and womanizer. He hopes a jobteaching English at Kensington State Universitywill propel him into a normal life.

Onhis first day, he meets Eliza Baines, a beautiful widow, and is smittenimmediately. Danny works to overcome post-traumatic stress syndrome and make anew life when his drunken and abusive father is released from prison and seekshim out. Struggling to leave his horrific past behind, Danny attempts to forgea new path that includes love, success, friends and having his own family butdark forces and emotional obstacles block his way. The Book of Danny is apoignant story of love, loss and ultimate triumph that will touch your heart.

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I asked Jean to tell me why this book was so special to her. She said:

"What's so special aboutThe Book of Danny is that themain character is an ex-Army man, raised by his brother, Kyle, who wassubsequently killed in Iraq. Kyle’s death filled Danny with rage, so he wentthere to get revenge but ended up losing some of his humanity.

"He came to me and toldme his story of love and loss and I was compelled to write it. Danny is animperfect man, sexy as hell, smart, educated, but stuck with the horrors of warmessing up his life. With help from friends, family, a counselor and the peopleof a small town, he is able to break through and overcome the obstacles keepinghappiness out of his reach. His return and search for the right woman,fulfilling work and a place to settle feels very real. I think Danny will grabyour heart in a way no other hero will. He did mine."

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Inaddition to The Book of Danny,Joan has a Thanksgiving novella out called The Marriage List. Here's the cover and blurb for that story:

Can happily ever after start with a list? GreyAndrews thinks so. After ten years of working, saving and investing, Greyfinally achieved a level of wealth that allows him to do what he wants with hislife. He needs a woman to share it with, but not any woman, the perfect woman.A woman who has the three essential qualities on his marriage list. But afterthree years of searching he isn’t any closer to finding her than he was when hestarted out.

Carrie Tucker, an aspiring mystery writer anddivorcée struggling to make it in the world of advertising, turned her focusfrom men to her career after dating too many creeps and losers. She’s finallyearned her big break, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the firstfemale creative director in a hot New York ad agency. So what if it meansworking nights and weekends? It’s not like she has a social life anyway.

Is the marriage list a failure or will a chancemeeting at a fiction-writing conference prove the list to be the key to Grey’shappiness after all?

All of Jean'sbooks are available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

The Book of Danny is available at these links:

http://www.amazon.com/Now-Forever-Book-Danny-ebook/dp/B0067964RQ/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1107349184?ean=2940013595156&itm=1&usri=now%252band%252bforever%252b22c%252bthe%252bbook%252bof%252bdanny

http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nowandforever2thebookofdanny-641722-148.html

TheMarriage List is available by going to any of these links:

http://www.amazon.com/Marriage-List-York-Nights-ebook/dp/B0064ERU7M/

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-marriage-list-jean-joachim/1035912246?ean=2940013576827&itm=2&usri=the%252bmarriage%252blist

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/103001

You can also get more information about Jean and her books by going to her blog.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-11-11T22:55:00.001-05:00

Welcome! Today I'm sharing a sample from The Legacy, a novella available at Astraea Press.

She stepped into the motel office to find Jenna sprawled in her office chair, snoring. A tiny black and white television was tuned to the local nightly news.
"Jenna, wake up."
The snoring stopped, and Jenna's eyes blinked. A mop of shaggy, strawberry blonde hair shook as she woke up and tried to focus on her.
"Leigh, it's you! Did you get bored and come to keep me company?"
Leigh instantly felt guilty. She and Jenna had been good friends in high school, but after graduation they had gone in different directions. Jenna had married, and had two children in two years. Now divorced and living with her mother, she worked the third shift at the motel to make ends meet. The arrangement allowed her to be at home with her children during the day, when her mother worked.
"I guess I can stay and talk a while, Jenna," she told her friend. "But I'm going to need a room for the night."
Jenna frowned. "Again? Leigh, you've got to get out of there. One of these days your step-dad is going to force himself on you. You won't be able to get away. And it won't be pretty."
Jenna was the only person who knew about her father's problem with alcohol and had first-hand knowledge of the way Frank took his troubles out on Leigh.
"I'm working on it, Jenna. It's just that mom—"
"—will be able to take care of herself," her friend insisted. "She's always gone, anyway. There are a couple of apartments open where mom and the kids and I live. They're affordable, too. It'll be fun, Leigh. Why don't you check it out? Tomorrow."

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and be sure to find and read other samples by going to Sweet Saturday Samples.

The Mozart Effect

2011-11-10T10:23:00.001-05:00

Recently, a fellow author posted arequest on facebook. She wanted us to compare our writing output when insilence to writing while listening to Mozart. A few people took it a stepfarther and recorded their results while listening to a different genre ofmusic. The consensus? It was very inconclusive. Some people wrote morelistening to Mozart, and a few found theirresults were poorer. I was one of those people.

Because I've spent so much timelistening to and performing music, I feel it's difficult for me to relegate itto "background noise." Often, when I listen to instrumental music, Iremember myself sitting in an orchestra, playing the notes. I rarely listen tomusic without really hearing it. It's worse when there are lyrics. As I'mtyping this, my husband has his Pandora Station (set to Josh Groban) playing onour television. I just listened to Josh sing a wonderful melody from his latestalbum, and now I'm listening to "All I Ask of you" from Phantom ofthe Opera. I'm trying to type, but I find myself listening to the quality ofhis voice, and the words to the song. If this were suitable background music, Iwouldn't be able to name the music, it would just be—there.

I downloaded an album called "Creativity"by Steven Halpern. It's instrumental music, but there are no recognizablemelodies in it. That seems to work best as "white nose" for me. I'mnot humming along with the vocals because there aren't any. I'm not "playingalong" with the instruments, because I'm not familiar with the tune.

Does this make me a strange duck? Ihope not. I think it just means I'm wired differently than a lot of people. Ilove to listen to Mozart - in a concert hall, or any time I can devote myattention to him. But when I write or do anything else that needsconcentration, I need to listen to soft, dreamy stuff that blocks everythingelse out.

Sorry, Wolfgang.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-11-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome! Once again, I'm sharing a scene from mywork-in-progress, which I hope to have finished this weekend! Jess, a widowedmom, is struggling to make ends meet. Here, she finally finds a chance to rest—atleast she thinks so!

Shegrabbed a glass of water and went to her favorite recliner. Leaning back, sheput her feet up, and closed her eyes. Ahh. All her thoughts blended into apastel haze. Her hubby was back, taking care of her, massaging her feet,telling her not to worry. And then he dropped a rock. A rock? A whole bag of rocks, and they bounced across herfloor. He kept picking them up and dropping them. Why did he keep doing that?Rory was there now. He was talking to someone. Someone with a deep voice. Andthen he yelled.

"Mom!"

Shetried to open her eyes, but her lids wouldn't move.

"Mom,there's a guy here."

Aguy?

"Mom!"Rory sounded worried now. She felt his hand on her shoulder, shaking it.

"Mister,I don't know what's wrong with her. I gotta call 911."

"Hasshe been sick? Is she on medication?" Who did that deep voice belongto?

"No,I don't think so. I don't know. She was okay when she took me to school thismorning. She was mad because I forgot my books and stuff again. Mom, wake up! Ipromise I'll do my homework. Right now. Wake up!" His voice soundedfrantic now.

Shetried to answer, she really did, but all that came out was a groan.

Alarge, warm hand felt her forehead, and then her cheek. It was a rough hand,the thick callouses scratching her skin, but curiously it felt comforting,reassuring.

"She'snot feverish. That's a good sign."

Shefinally pried one eye open. "Hmmm?" She still couldn't form anywords.

"She'swaking up! Mom, what happened?"

Twofaces came into view. One a familiar dear face. Her son. Her baby boy. Helooked worried. The other face was vaguely familiar. Rough and rugged. Butequally concerned.

Shetook a deep breath. "Who rr you?"

"Shesaid something! What did she say?"

"Shewanted to know who I am. I think.”

"There’sa glass of water on the end table. Here, mom."

Therugged one took the water from Rory. "Wait just a minute." He broughtthe glass to his nose, sniffed it, and tasted it. Then he held it to her face.

"I'mnot drinking that." Finally, her tongue started to work.

"Whynot?"

"Youdrank out of my glass."

"Ihad to make sure it was water, and not - something that would put you back tosleep."

Rory'sface looked less worried now. More stern. "Mom, have you beendrinking?"

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and findother great samples at Sweet Saturday Samples!

A Mother's Guilt

2011-11-04T14:50:00.000-04:00

My daughter recently write a blogpost about balance. She and her husband recently started a blog dedicated torecording their journey toward financial independence. Both of them work fulltime, and they own a cute little house (a nice little starter home in awell-kept urban area) and have a beautiful eight-month-old daughter (I supposeI'm a little biased, but grandmothers are allowed to be!).

Anyway, she wrote that one of thehardest things for her is being away from her daughter. She's experiencing thesame feelings of guilt that plague working moms everywhere. Guilt athaving days when she spends more time at her job than with her daughter. Guiltat enjoying her job. Guilt at making financial security a priority, taking awayfrom quality time with her child.

Having been a working mom, I wantedto reassure her. I responded under my pseudonym and made no references thatwould identify myself as her mother. I empathized with her feelings, because Ihad felt them when I had left her with others. I tried to make her see thatLittle Miss B is happy and healthy because her mother took the time to choosethe right person to care for her. And I reminded her that she and her sisterhave grown into happy, confident adults.

I'm not sure if my daughter has seenmy response. I hope so. I'd like to think that I was able to a little bittoward assuaging her fears and concerns. Those concerns are valid, but she'smaking the choices she needs to make. If, someday, their circumstances change,she may re-evaluate and move in another direction. And I'll be there to cheerher on. Because I'm her mother.

But for now, hopefully, my wordscan make a difference.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-10-29T00:01:00.000-04:00

Welcome!This week I'm sharing a scene from one of my works-in-progress, which I hope tohave completed and submitted soon! Jess is a widow, working hard to keep herhusband's snowplowing and lawn care business going, while keeping her sanity asa mom intact.

Shefound "old Jerry's" house, which thankfully had a short, straightdrive. She plowed it, left a bill in the doorway, and made her way back home.

Rorywas on his way out the door when she pulled in. She held her hand out to him,and he grimaced but gave her his backpack to check. It was nearly empty.

"Whereare your books?"

"Didn'thave any."

"Youhad your math book when you came home last night."

"Ohyeah."

"Getit. Did you do your work?"

"Idon't know."

Shesighed. He was going to miss the bus again.

Theytracked down the book, under his desk. Sure enough, he hadn't done his work.She got him some notebook paper and sat him down at the kitchen table to finishhis assignment while she made his lunch and changed clothes for her dayjob.

Theypacked up, loaded into the truck and got to the school building with twominutes to spare. Like a good, invisible mom, she dropped him off on theopposite side of the street and refrained from giving him a goodbye kiss.

Thenshe drove on to her waitressing job, already feeling like she had put in a fullday. Things had to get better, soon.

Thanks for stopping by!Please a comment, and be sure to read more great excerpts. You can find thelinks for them at Sweet Saturday Samples.

Mother and son picture from sodahead.com

Our First Conference

2011-10-28T06:49:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday I went to the "I've always wanted to write a book" conference hosted by the Grand Rapids Region Writers Group. It was held at the Radisson Hotel just north of downtown Grand Rapids, and was our group's first effort at hosting such an event. I haven't seen any numbers yet, but my overall impression is that it was a success. There were several new faces there (by new faces I mean people I didn't recognize from either of the writers' groups to which I belong), and a few expressed interest in coming to our meetings. The agent who accepted pitches made several people very happy by asking to see chapters and/or full manuscripts. The panels I attended generated lots of good questions and detailed answers. And we had enough attendees to break even. Wonderful!

As with any conference, there were times when I had to miss something that interested me because another session took precedence. But the ones I went to were great. I attended (and moderated) Maris Soule's presentation on writing mysteries, and then went to Margaret Yang's time management session. The keynote speaker, Jacqueline Carey, followed this. Then we had a delicious lunch in the hotel's restaurant. After that, I went to a panel on e-publishing, followed by a Young Adult panel. This was followed by a Q&A session with an editor and agent, and then the book signing. That wasn't so successful for me (I sold exactly ONE book!), but it was fun schmoozing. I sat by Dr. Sandra Portko and we had a nice chat.

So, what did I learn? Actually I had a few things drummed into me that I knew but probably didn't want to accept. I waste a LOT of writing time. I need to make adjustments in order to grow and succeed. I am VERY lucky to be published by a publisher. I don't want to self-publish. I feel like I'm already putting myself out there more than I would like, and wouldn't want to spend even more time working on it. I learned that, should I decide to try and make the move to traditional print publishing, I must know my niche. Right now I seem to be all over the place. I have a long historical and several short contemporaries. Some of those lean toward mystery, and some are straight romance.

I learned that there are a lot of great people out there who are willing to help me succeed in my drive to have a writing career, but that I have to put in the time and effort. This goal of mine is starting to become more and more attainable. It's been a dream that kept getting pushed farther and farther back. But someday is now. I will do it!

What a Character!

2011-10-25T16:48:00.036-04:00

With Halloween right around the corner, people all around me are deciding what character they want to become for the evening. I asked my fellow Astraea Press authors this question: "If you could become any one of your characters, which one would it be, and why?" Take a look at their answers. If you find one you like, you can click on the author's name to read more about the story and find ordering information.

So please allow me to introduce my newest friends who have graciously shared their idea of a Halloween makeover!

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Kay Springsteen, author of Lifeline Echoes and Elusive Echoes: I would be any one of the McGee women in the Orson's Folly series, because once their men fell in love with them, there was no one else in the world for those men. But of all of them, I admire Sandy Wheaton McGee (sexy bar owner and singer) the most because of her self-confidence and resilience.

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Meg Mims, author of Double Crossing: If I could be a character in Double Crossing, I would be Lily Granville -- young, wealthy, and adventuresome. I am NOT any of these, LOL. I tend to be a "stay-at-home" and plenty chicken. Which is why I love writing characters who are so different and who live exciting lives!

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J. F. Jenkins, author of Vala: Agendas: If I could be anyone from one of my stories, I would have to say it's a tie between two characters. First would be Jewl from "Vala: Agendas" because she's already a lot like me, but more importantly I think it would be super awesome to be a summoner. I'd probably have a little too much fun with that one. My other character of choice would be one of the flying dragons from the Dragon's Saga. Who wouldn't want to fly through clouds for a day and see the world?

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S. G. Rogers, author of The Last Great Wizard of Yden: I've always admired artists; so much of what they do seems so otherworldly. So if I had the chance to be a character from my novel, I'd be Jon Hansen. His wicked artistic talent translates to something even more fantastic on the magical world of Yden...everything he draws comes to life. How awesome is that?

****

Sherry Gloag, author of From Now Until Forever (coming soon!): I'd like to be the heroine, Melanie Babcot, in my upcoming Astraea press book, From Now Until Forever, because she is a fighter, sassy, loyal and when she gives her heart it is for keeps.

****

Chynna T. Laird, author of Blackbird Flies: Of all my characters, I think I'd want to be Payton from my YA novella, Blackbird Flies. The story is actually based on one of my real-life experiences but Payton made much better choices than I did in the same situation. He's stronger, more focused and surrounded with more goodness than I'd been. I love him. =)

****

Linsday Downs, author of Emily Dahill, CID chose her canine hero. When asked why, she had Dakota answer for her: Patty, come on get serious, to start with I’m sexy as all get out. Check out my beautiful soft brown eyes. Eyes that any woman could and would lose herself in.

Besides being every woman’s dream guy, I’m smart as all get out, have a great sense of smell. I can also out run and out think just about any human except Emily.

Let’s put it this way folks, I’m the best hero any author ever came up with. Oh, and I work for table scraps, as long as the morsels are sirloin or porterhouse steak tidbits.

****

Iris Blobel, author of Sweet Dreams, Miss England and Journey to Her Dreams: The character I like most in my books is Daniel, from Sweet Dreams, Miss England. He’s a wonderful character, the Peter Pan of today – he’s charming, thoughtful and kind. An Irish man who loves to live life. I’d like to be like him (though I’m getting better at being Peter Pan-ish).

****

Joselyn Vaughn, author of Hauntings of the Heart: I want to be Minnie Schultz, from Hauntings of the Heart and CEOs Don’t Cry, when I grow up. She’s strong, fit and confident and happy with where she’s at. And she’s a heck of a lot of fun.

****

Many thanks to my fellow Astraea Press authors for introducing us to their favorite characters! As for me, I'd like to be Francie, one of the main characters in Aegean Intrigue. As soon as I get the cover, I'll share it!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-10-22T00:01:00.002-04:00

Welcome! Here's a view of Mount Olympus in Athens, from world-work.net. Today I have another scene from my novella, Aegean Intrigue:

"I’m grateful for the dig opportunity. It’s the perfect excuse for leaving Athens." She frowned. "Of course, I will need to replace the income from the restaurant, unless you need another cook besides Dimitri." She turned her beautiful brown eyes toward him, and his heart melted at the hopefulness in them.

Alex cleared his throat, forcing himself to concentrate on the conversation. "With such a small crew, he shouldn't need an assistant," he explained.

Her face fell and the first seeds of doubt took root in Alex’s mind. If she was as guilty as Zotis claimed, why would she be so anxious for menial work? Wouldn’t she have been compensated for prior heists? Besides, she was the daughter of a world-famous scientist and a Hollywood actress. Surely she didn’t have to provide for herself? Something wasn’t right.

"Perhaps I can suggest something for now." Glancing to confirm he had her attention, he continued. "I'm sure the professor knows what he's doing as far as the actual dig, but he seems to be a bit unsure about electronic communication. Several of his reports need to be turned in online, and I know he would appreciate your help. There has also been interest in keeping a blog, so students elsewhere can see what we’re doing. You would, of course, be compensated for your time."

The glow lighting her face made Alex’s heart soar. He would have promised her anything to keep it there. But he quickly dampened his eagerness. He could not, would not, take on the responsibility for someone else’s happiness. It led only to heartbreak. He forced himself to remember the pain of that last betrayal. He looked away, only half-listening to Francie express her gratitude and promise to do her best.

It was going to be a long summer. If he had any sense at all, he would leave her now and go back to his office. Instead he heard himself ask, "Have you eaten lunch yet?"

Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check out excerpts from other great authors at Sweet Saturday Samples.

Something to Talk About

2011-10-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

"Let's give 'em something to talk about" was the song I heard from the stage last night. The Bonnie Raitt tune is what my daughter chose to sing for her second round of Lakeshore's Got Talent. I like the song and thought it went well with her voice.

But the words were also special. It got me thinking. Although the meaning of the title refers to something different entirely, I thought about how they could apply to me. This weekend I'm attending the "I've Always Wanted to Write a Book" conference in Grand Rapids. We've got a great lineup of speakers and panelists. They're going to talk about everything from how to handle our stress to how to sell our books. We'll get to commiserate with other authors about the frustrations of getting published, and "get away from it all" at the beautiful Radisson Hotel on the banks of the Grand River. I can't wait!

So for me, "Giving them something to talk about" means writing a killer story and putting it in people's hands so that they can enjoy it. It means managing my life so that I have the time and the skills to write. It means getting crafting the story in a way that it will catch a publisher's eye and sell it.

It means I want to be famous. And I want to do it now.

P.S. My daughter made it to the final round! Go, Robyn!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-10-15T00:01:00.002-04:00

Welcome! If you've been here before, you might have read previous selections from my recently accepted novella Aegean Intrigue. The story will be available sometime from Astraea Press. Here's another sample:

"The Project Director is coming today to give us more specific information. He is in contact with the major investors—oh, here he is, Mr. Alexandros Leonidis."

Francie turned her expectant gaze toward the door and felt her blood freeze. There had to be a mistake. The mystery man from the restaurant, the man who had rescued her from Kostos’ advances, was the Project Director? Maybe she should rethink joining this dig. There was really no question she would go, of course. It would be good for her resume. She needed the work, and she needed to get away from Kostos.

But would she be trading one problem for another?

Against her better judgement, her gaze traveled down the length of the man. A battered brown satchel hung from his left shoulder, conflicting with the polished, yet casual appearance of his clothing. Perhaps the satchel had sentimental value. Or perhaps he was a practical man, not requiring new things simply because what he had was worn.

Her father had had a similar leather satchel for his digging tools. He had used it long after it showed signs of wear, repairing the rips and tears. One Christmas, she had given him a new one, hoping to please him. He had thanked her, but continued to use his old one. During her last visit to his home, she found her gift stuffed in the bottom drawer of a cabinet, unused.

She forced her mind back to the present. The stranger from the previous night was definitely not Georges Vasileiou. Unlike her father, this man moved with purpose. His eyes were clear and focused. And right now they were focused on her.

Thanks for stopping by! Check out more excerpts at Sweets Saturday Samples. Happy reading!

Lakeshore Has Talent!

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

Last night I went to a talent show. The city of Holland hosted an "American Idol" - like event in which twelve participants showed their stuff, and three judges gave their input. Their votes, as well as the votes of the audience, determined who would go and who would stay. Of the eleven who started, one was eliminated. The ten remaining will perform again next week. At that time, the field will be cut down to five, and then on the third week the winner will be determined.

My youngest daughter was one of the eleven brave souls who got on stage and opened themselves to public scrutiny. And she was one of the ten who will perform again next week! So if you are anywhere near Holland, MI next Thursday, please come to the Park Theater at 7 pm and cast your vote for Robyn!

I've always loved hearing her sing. When she graduated from college, I was afraid my days of going to her performances were over. But she's realized she misses singing onstage and is pursuing other venues. I'm so proud of her. She's defining what she wants in life, and she's going after it.

What more could a mom ask for?

Another Interview!

2011-10-11T17:26:00.002-04:00

Today I'm being interviewed by fellow author Joanne Troppello. She has a wonderful blog at http://joannetroppello.weebly.com/1/post/2011/10/author-interview-patricia-seino-gordon.html

Come and visit. If you leave a comment, your name may be drawn for a free book download!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-10-08T00:01:00.003-04:00

Welcome! This week I've decided to share a scene from one of my Works-in-Progress. It's a fun switch for me, writing about a couple a little closer to my own age:

“What do you mean, you don’t want to go? When we first got married, you said you wanted to travel and see the world because you’d never been anywhere!”

He shrugged his shoulders, but his hands continued to spread the mayo, meticulously covering the bread in precise strokes. “That was then. I’ve changed.”

She stared at him. “Who are you, and what have you done with my husband?”

Finally, a reaction. He frowned, a stern look that reminded her of her father. “Not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be funny. You told me you’d always wanted to travel, but never had the chance to when you were young. We promised each other we’d see the world when we saved up enough. So let’s do it!”

He laid the piece down slowly. A chill creeping up her spine told her that she wasn’t going to like what Dave had to say.

“I can’t do it, Sylvie,” he began. It had been a long time since he had used the name he coined for her in the early days. “I just can’t make myself waste all that money on a trip.”

“How can you say it’s a waste?”

He sighed. “We’ve been over this, Syl.” He picked up another piece and began to cover it with mustard . “There’s no reason we need to go to Mackinac Island. Yes, it’s pretty, and yes, the fudge is good. But we have pretty beaches less than thirty miles from here, and you make a killer fudge. So I don’t need to spend several hundreds of dollars to sit on a bus with a bunch of smelly senior citizens and ride four hours to sleep in an overpriced hotel and shop in stores for stuff I don’t need.”

Sylvia counted to ten. At least, she thought she did. She may have missed a number or two, but she was so angry she wasn’t sure. “Okay, then. Where would you like to go?”

Another shrug. “I don’t need to go anywhere.”

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and be sure to check out other Sweet Saturday Samples.

Is Anybody Out There?

2011-10-07T06:00:00.001-04:00

I've been a published author for about three months now. I've received one statement of sales, and they were not bad for the first three days. But then the following month there were absolutely none. It's definitely not a blockbuster hit. I've seen other authors crow about the wonderful reviews they've gotten from other bloggers. I've googled my title and pen name and gotten exactly zero hits. So I finally coerced my son-in-law to write a review, which he very graciously did. I got a rating from him as well as two friends who read the book. So now I actually have a rating.

I set up a facebook author page and now have sixty-six "likes". That makes me feel good - I know other authors who have been writing longer and have fewer likes. I don't get many reactions to things I post there, but at least some people are seeing my progress. It keeps me motivated.

I volunteered to be interviewed at a fellow author's blog. That went pretty well. I advertised it on my facebook page as well as my own wall. I sent out email notices to both my writing groups as well as a few family members who stubbornly refuse to get caught up on facebook. Result? I got a four "likes" on that, but no comments. The interview itself got five comments. Samantha, the hosting blogger, told me there were sixty-some hits. So there were a lot of people looking at the interview, but not many who offered reactions. And I got several email responses from one of the writing groups congratulating me.

I moaned about this to my kids last night (neither daughter had seen the facebook announcement about the interview!) and they both assured me that lots of people read things without commenting on them. I had to think about that. I'm often asked to rate an online purchase and don't. I read other people's books and don't often rate them or write reviews. Sometimes I assume my thoughts aren't going to matter to the author, especially if it's someone who is famous. I mean, what difference is my opinion going to make, especially if there are already five hundred comments? But I guess I'll have to re-think this. Especially if I notice there aren't many other people who have weighed in.

So, my friends, if you have read The Legacy, or any other book written by a beginning author, please take some time to give feedback. Go to Goodreads, or Amazon, or Barnes and Noble and leave a rating and/or a review. Let the author know what you think! Your comments WILL be appreciated. And I will make more of an effort to comment on things my friends post.

Author Interview

2011-10-04T15:50:00.002-04:00

Today I'm being interviewed at Samantha Combs Writes! Here's the link: http://samanthacombswrites.blogspot.com

Stop in and leave a comment!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-10-01T00:01:00.013-04:00

Welcome! I'm taking a break from my historical romance to celebrate the recent acceptance of my contemporary Greek island story, entitled Aegean Intrigue, to Astraea Press. This is my second sale to that wonderful publisher. Here's the opening scene:

He was staring at her again.

She knew it, despite his outward lack of interest. His long, lean frame was draped casually into the wooden chair in the outdoor section of the Appolon Grill. Dark shades covered his eyes, but the jet-black eyebrows above them rose and tilted her way every time she moved. Unlike locals, who occasionally threw friendly greetings her way, this man stayed in his seat and silently watched her.

Francie Vasileiou bent her head and focused her attention on the textbook in front of her. Inwardly, she was flattered by his interest. But she reminded herself she was here in Athens to further her education, not to find a man. She sipped her water and struggled to ignore the man and concentrate on the words on the page.

The warm breeze calmed her nerves as she sat at her usual table in the back corner of the restaurant. Most tourists preferred to sit at the outer edges of the seating area, with a view of Mount Olympus and the spectacular sunset. But here, next to the kitchen, she was not distracted by the conversation and the view. The light from the kitchen allowed her to continue reading until Kostos closed down for the night.

Her job here at the restaurant was perfect. She worked enough hours so that she could pay her living expenses, and when she wasn’t cooking or waitressing, Kostos allowed her to use one of his tables for studying. Even with the commotion from the kitchen and the restaurant patrons’ conversations, this setting was much better for concentrating than the noisy apartment building where she lived.

It took some effort, but finally the words on the page became concrete ideas, and she was transported back in time to the world of ancient Greece, to the time of the patricians. The structures on the Acropolis were not ruins but proud, gleaming works of art. Toga-draped people walked the dusty streets, while the less fortunate hawked their wares from makeshift stalls.

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and be sure to check out other great Sweet Saturday Samples.

Going Outdoors (hey, it's a stretch for me!)

2011-09-30T04:00:00.000-04:00

I'm not an outdoors kind of person. Even when I was young, if I had a choice between going outdoors to play or reading indoors, I'd always choose the indoors activity. It's not that I don't like being outside; it's just that it doesn't occur to me to go outside when there's so much to do inside the house. Of course this affects my health. There is a lot more of me than there should be, and my doctor keeps telling me I need to exercise more.

This summer when a high school friend posted on facebook that she wanted to start a morning walking club, I knew I needed to join her. Not wanted - NEEDED. I need to move. So this summer we logged a lot of miles, sometimes walking the beautifully shaded Kent Trails, and sometimes hiking up and down the hilly rural roads through Jamestown. It's been really wonderful reconnecting with her. Dawn and I were good friends all through grade school, junior high and high school. We went our separate ways after graduation, but now live only a few miles apart! Our children are about the same ages, so we've had a lot of the same experiences. So we have a lot to talk about on our hikes.

My daughter has inspired me to walk in 5K events, and so I have to walk regularly to be able to complete the entire distance without falling over. We recently signed up for our second "race" to take place at the end of the month. She told me that in order to get an official time, we have to complete the course in 45 minutes. Oh boy. That's going to be a much faster pace than I take now!

Sometimes it's hard to squeeze walking time into my crazy schedule. And when Dawn went on vacation last week I walked only once. But I need to do this. The three or four hours a week I spend walking are work, but they're necessary. And the benefits are endless. I feel so much more energized after walking, and I've spent time with a dear friend. What could be better?

I took the picture above during our walk yesterday morning. It was a foggy day, and we passed a farm with some very friendly horses! I guess they need their exercise, too.

Sweet Saturday Samples

2011-09-23T23:36:00.004-04:00

This conversation follows the scene from last week's sample. Again, it's from my historical, set in Japan in the 1870s. My main character is a former samurai soldier.

"You could afford to stay in the finest hotels, and learn about farming from a wealthy landowner," Hanako argued.

“But the wealthy landowner would not be able to show me the pleasure of working with the soil, of creating something from nothing. He would not show me the beauty of the sunrise, the wonderful fresh smell after a spring rain or the musical melodies of the insects in the evening. If I stayed in a fine inn, I would not understand all the difficulties you face and see how you manage in spite of them. You are a far better teacher than any moneyed landowner, and your lessons are worth far more than what I have paid for your livestock and taxes.” He stopped speaking then, realizing he had said more than he’d intended. He stirred his culinary creation then pulled two new bowls from his bottomless pack and scooped a generous portion onto one. Then he brought it to her, with a new pair of chopsticks.

Hanako was stunned at the novelty of having a man serve her, as well as the poetic way Hiro had described her life. Could it be that he understood why she stayed here, despite all the hardships and advice against it? Was it possible that a man who had been raised to destroy could actually embrace a life that celebrated growth? Could she trust him? But no, he wasn’t offering a lifetime. He was only here temporarily. Soon he would pack his swords and leave. If he wanted to continue farming, he would purchase his own land, and she would go back to her dreary existence. She refused to think of that.

Instead, she simply smiled and said, “I am glad that you are pleased with your experience here. I will work hard to ensure you learn enough to make it worth your investment. But I insist that when the harvest is in, you must share in the profit.”

He regarded her silently for a moment, and then turned to fill his own plate. He took his time pouring himself some tea and carefully brought his meal over toward her futon. He settled himself on a cushion and began to eat. Hanako wondered if he planned to ignore her assertion and was about to repeat herself when he finally answered. “There is one way that we can settle the matter of money owed and profit shared.”

“How is that possible?”

“We could marry.”

Thanks for stopping by! The characters above say "honor", another of the samurai virtues.

Be sure to check out more Saturday Samples by clicking HERE:

Making Time for Music

2011-09-23T06:00:00.001-04:00

Recently I decided to add another weekly event to my already crazy schedule. I truly think I was busier when the kids were young, but of course, I was a lot younger then too! Anyway, I finally decided that I needed to dust off my oboe and join a band. I don't like the thought of auditions (been there, done that), so I found a local community band rehearsing about a fifteen-minute drive from my house.

I think it's been over a year since I played my oboe. The thought was kind of depressing. Back in high school and college I would play two or three hours a day. After I started teaching, I played in a community orchestra, and I taught private lessons, but having a full time job cut back on my playing time. It was more like four hours a week.

But then the children arrived. My priorities changed, and I stopped playing in the orchestra. I kept my union membership (I'm actually still a member) but other than the occasional gig on the Fourth of July or a random church that would call and ask me to play, I didn't put my time into it.

So now the kids are all grown up. No more excuses. I don't get too many calls to play (I did play on the Fourth of July, but was asked to bring my clarinet instead of oboe), so I finally decided I needed to go back to the basics. And I went to the first rehearsal of the season. I was a little worried I'd forgotten everything I learned. But the fingers remembered where to go, and I didn't get lost trying to read the music.

My chops (lips) were another story. After not playing for so long, that tight embouchure (the way you set your mouth on the instrument) was torture. The rehearsal was only an hour and a half - not very long by rehearsal standards - but by the time it was over my jaws and lips were HURTING!!!

Am I going to quit? NO!! I'm going to go back and do it again. It's kinda like walking that 5K last month. Now that I know I can do it, I have to make a habit of it. I always loved playing and making music. And now I have the time to do it again. What could be better? It's not fattening, immoral, or bad for my health. So I can keep going with a clear conscience.

Now if I can just remember where I put my glasses...

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-09-17T00:01:00.002-04:00

Here's another sample from my historical romance, set in 19th Century Japan. It follows the scenes shared in my samples for the last two Saturdays:

As she drank the light green liquid, she watched in amazement as he made himself at home in her kitchen. How had he learned to cook with such mastery and flair? He reached for her knife and carefully sliced the vegetables. These were placed in the hot grease to cook. When the food began to sizzle, he told her about his mission in Hakodate.

“I visited the Office of Finance. They were interested to hear about your visit from Ishikawa-san.” He paused as he concentrated on cutting a slab of beef into paper-thin slices. “It seems that he did work for their office, but that he was dismissed from his position more than a year ago.”

“A year ago? But the message came only last fall.”

“Yes. Apparently he took several items with him when he left the office, including an official signature stamp, some papers, and the enclosure ribbon. He has used them to send tax notices to people who will not question authority - widows, small business owners; anyone he thinks will take him seriously. The directives instruct the victims to send the ‘taxes’ to his own address.” He took the vegetables out of the pan and added the meat to the sizzling fat.

“He kept the money himself? How terrible. But how did you know that the bill was not official?”

“I wasn’t sure, but I became suspicious when I read the message and saw the money was to be sent to him, at an address that was not near the government offices. I paid a visit to my cousin, who is with the Department of Justice. He was able to get an edict for his arrest.”

“So I don’t have to pay the fines and taxes?”

“You do have to pay some taxes, since your husband did not pay them before he died, but they are not nearly as high as the amount Ishikawa demanded of you.”

“How much will I owe?” A knot of unease started to grow in the pit of her stomach.

“The amount was so minimal, I paid it. It will be easier for you to repay me than to send the payment to them.” He tested the vegetables to be sure they were done, and then added the beef.

Her unease flared into irritation. How could he be so arrogant as to pay her bills and demand payment? “Repay you? How can I do that? You know that I will not have any money until the harvest!”

Thanks for stopping by! The character above says "justice", one of the samurai virtues. Please leave a comment, and be sure to check out the samples offered by other great authors. Click HERE.

Quiet, Please!

2011-09-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

There are exactly two people left in our house. That means the noise level around here is a lot lower than it was five or ten years ago. So I've been able to get a lot of the "want to do" things on my list done in the last few years. This is really nice. I can enjoy the kids and grandkids when they're here, but I can wallow in my pretend worlds when they're not.

Except the darned television and radio. The other person in my house likes to have noise around him. He's very cooperative about not talking to me when I'm trying to write, but he's got to have other voices around. So as long as he's awake, there is some sort of electronic device going, blasting music or talking (usually very opinionated politicos or sports commentators) going on. I can usually turn off most of the talking, and the music is nice, but the sitcoms get a little annoying, especially if I've already seen them several times.

I've tried going to one of the bedrooms or the living room to work. But then he feels guilty and offers to turn off the television. And then I feel guilty and tell him I just need to do some cleaning in the other rooms (this is actually true, but it doesn't happen very often). One of my daughters suggested I turn one of the extra bedrooms into a study. Not a bad idea. Maybe after I sell my blockbuster novel I'll actually do it.

I've tried putting on headphones and listening to music. Classical music works best for me. Unfortunately, the other person in my house doesn't hear too well, so his electronic devices are turned to volumes that overpower the music on my playlist. I need those special headphones that deaden the outside noise. Again, this is on my someday list.

If you're thinking I'm ungrateful he's here, I'm not. He really is a nice guy. And he's a great cook. I don't want him to go away, and I don't want to leave. I think I'm just more comfortable with silence than he is.

Right now, I've resigned myself to getting more work done when he's not awake. He goes to bed early. So I ask him to turn the tv off. And then I can play my solitaire games in silence. Oh, and write.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-09-09T22:00:00.011-04:00

Here's another glimpse at my historical novel, set in 19^th Century Japan:

"The Office of Finance has realized this farm has not been registered properly in the court records. You are thereby required to pay a fine, plus the taxes due for the past five years.”

He heard Hanako’s gasp of dismay, and gave her shoulder a squeeze before bowing to the man. “Ishikawa-san, I am afraid there has been a mistake. My name is Tanaka, and this is the widow of the land owner. I am sure that she was unaware of the registration requirement, as well as the taxes.”

Ishikawa was undeterred by Hiro’s pronouncement. “Nonetheless, as the widow, she is responsible for the debts incurred by her husband. She must pay the fines and taxes, or the prefecture of Hokkaido will take ownership of the land.”

“How is it that Hanako-san was not notified of her husband’s oversight?” Hiro persisted. “She cannot be held responsible for fines of which she was never made aware.”

“She was notified by courier last fall. The missive specifically told her she had one year to pay all debts.”

Hiro turned to Hanako, who seemed to have shrunk even smaller. “Do remember receiving this message?”

She turned sad eyes up to meet his. “I remember a courier came with a message, but I had no idea that it was a demand for money. It was… just after Kenji was killed in the raid and our crops were all destroyed.”

Indignation rose in Hiro, and he inhaled deeply to keep his composure.

“How dare you come here, demanding so much from a woman who has nothing? Has she not suffered enough?” His words whipped at Ishikawa like steel shards, and the courtier stepped back as if to avoid their sting.

Backing up to his waiting chair, Ishikawa delivered one last blow. “She can have four more months, but the debt must be paid.” He scrambled into his chair and squeaked a command to his lackeys to return him to the city. His head appeared through the window as he issued a parting threat. “I will return after the harvest.”

****

Thanks for stopping by! By the way, the character above says "samurai". Please leave a comment, and then enjoy more Sweet Saturday Samples by clicking here:

The "I've Always Wanted to Write a Book" Conference

2011-09-08T20:07:00.006-04:00

I am getting excited about the "I've Always Wanted to Write a Book" Conference hosted by GRRWG (that's Grand Rapids Region Writers Group) coming up in October. This is my first writers' conference since being published, so I'm going with the goal of promoting, rather than searching for a publisher. There is going to be a booksigning event, and I hope to participate (that's paperwork in my "to do" pile).

It's going to be a great time! Even though the conference is a whole 13 miles from my house, I'm spending the night at the hotel, so I can mingle with my writing friends. We'll have some great speakers, and a lot of give-aways (otherwise known as SWAG – Stuff We All Get).

I wanted to add something to the goody bag, so I made a bunch of pseudo-book thongs out of stuff I already had. I used my business cards, some ribbon, and some paper cutouts (they're cheaper and easier to handle than beads). On the back of the business cards I attached a sticker (address labels from Vista Print) featuring a picture of my book cover. I hope people like them! The picture above isn't a great shot, but you get the idea.

So anyway, if you've always wanted to write a book, go to the GRRWG blog and register online! Here's the link:

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-09-02T17:20:00.011-04:00

Welcome! Today I'm sharing another scene from my historical novel, set in 19th century Japan:

Hanako turned to look at the owner of the voice. The stranger stood head and shoulders above the unsavory Sato-san, with muscles born of hard physical work, yet his facial features radiated intelligence, and his bearing hinted at an aristocratic upbringing. The fact that he wore two swords identified him as one of the mighty warriors of the samurai class.

“I am Hiromasa Tanaka. Since I am not familiar with the merchants in this area, I sent my intended to find the livestock and supplies we need. If all is ready, I will pay you, and we will be on our way.”

“Your intended? But this woman just told me she is still grieving for her late husband,” Sato-san sneered.

“Yes, she still grieves. It is normal. But her husband was a cousin and a longtime friend. I promised him I would care for her. When she is ready, we will marry. Until then, I will take care of the business of the farm.”

Before Hanako could blink, the stranger completed the purchase and was leading the cow from the stockyard. Ignoring her frustrated glare, he indicated with a nod of his handsome head for her to pick up the cage of chickens. Without a word, he began walking down the road leading away from the village. Helpless to do anything else, she followed at the customary three paces behind him. He had the animals she wanted. Nothing would be gained by making a scene here.

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and then sample some more great excerpts at Sweet Saturday Samples!

The Phone as a Research Tool

2011-09-02T07:00:00.002-04:00

Lately I've read two great posts from author friends who have blogged about interviewing people who can give you details about the subjects and scenarios in your book. Maris Soule wrote about several people who have helped her create believable scenes and characters in her novels. And Bronwyn Green wrote a hilarious account about a man who was good enough to give her the information she wanted, and was a great sport about the ribbing he got when named as a source in her book.

So I decided to follow their examples. After all, they're both great authors, and I want to be like them when I grow up. I'm starting on a new project in which one of the main characters is an ice sculptor. (The reason for that is kinda long and convoluted, so I'll skip that.) I know nothing about ice sculpting, so I went to my usual sources – the library, and the internet. No luck. There's very little out there on the process of ice sculpting. So I asked my fellow writers if anyone had an acquaintance I could interview. And I looked online and found a local company. It happened that the fabulous Tanya Eby knew someone – and that someone owned the company I had already contacted! So I asked for someone I could interview, or at least send a list of questions to. And I got an answer – with a phone number and invitation to call!

I took a week to get my questions in order, and when I had full pages of them, I called. The time I called didn't work, but he gave me another time to call – and I kept my appointment. I had a wonderful half hour conversation with Randy Finch, co-owner of Ice Sculptures, Ltd. Randy and his company were featured in several episodes of The Ice Brigade, airing on The Food Network. I was so impressed by how friendly and open Randy was. He answered all my questions – even the silly female ones, such as "What's the difference between a wood-cutting chainsaw and an ice-cutting one?" It turns out Randy has co-authored a book about ice sculpting, which is used as a textbook in culinary classes. So he's definitely an authority on the subject.

I feel great about this interview. I learned so much, and I can now say I've had a conversation with a television personality. Now I just need to find a physical therapist, a snowplow operator, a caterer, and a wounded veteran. And then I can finish the details on this story.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-08-27T00:05:00.003-04:00

Welcome! Today I'm sharing another scene from my historical novel, set in Japan in the 1870s.

Hanako stood her ground and tightened her lips, struggling to maintain a measure of decorum and respect toward the unkempt man before her. The buzz of springtime activity in the marketplace faded to the back of her mind. She had work to do.

Sato-san peered down at her, a menacing scowl adding more wrinkles to his sagging jowls. Drawing himself up to the fullest extent of his limited height, he looked down his nose and deigned to speak. She managed not to cringe outwardly from the stench of his stale breath.

“And why is your husband or father not here to purchase this livestock himself?”

Hanako ground her teeth to prevent herself from lashing out at the pompous merchant. She curled her fingers into fists, lest she should give in to the temptation to claw out his eyes. Sato-san knew very well why her husband was not here to purchase his own livestock. But she needed his cooperation, so she answered.

“The men in my home live no more,” she replied. “My father has been gone these past five summers, and my husband perished during the raid of the ronin last year.”

“Then you must take a new husband.” Sato-san grinned widely, displaying the few brown crooked teeth that remained in his mouth. “You are still fairly young. Perhaps I could be persuaded to give up my bachelor ways. A beautiful widow should not be left to fend for herself on a lonely farm. Even though the shoguns have declared peace, there are still dangerous men roaming the countryside.”

Hanako had first hand knowledge of the dangers. The memory of the attack last summer still haunted her dreams. Still, the thought of becoming Sato-san’s wife was even more repulsive than the bloody memories. She willed herself not to shudder visibly.

Thanks for stopping by! Please leave a comment, and then go back for more Sweet Saturday Samples.

Another School Year

2011-08-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

Classes start next Monday at GVSU. I'm going to teach two sections of my class. But for the first time in three years, I'm not going to be a student. My Japanese language class was canceled, due to lack of enrollment. I'm so disappointed, because I feel I'm starting to make progress. Learning to speak a new language is fun, but sometimes frustrating. All the things I learned in English grammar, such as "every sentence must have a subject and a predicate" do not apply in Japanese. And many words we consider verbs are not treated that way.

So, if I'm going to make any more progress I'm going to have to do it on my own, or look for alternate venues. I have a few options. One is to join a conversation group. There are actually a few in the Grand Rapids area, which would require a drive to get there and back. There will also be some groups forming on campus. I'm really hoping that someone will start an online group. Things like Skype and Google+ make that a viable option!

Another way I can practice is to communicate with Japanese people who don't speak English. My cousins and I have been e-mailing each other ever since I went to visit last summer. This has been such a good experience. Sometimes I have to ask mom for help, but I'm starting to figure out more and more on my own, with the help of a few online aids.

I guess that even though I won't be sitting in a classroom, I'll be a student forever. And that's okay with me. Life would be pretty boring without learning new things every day!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-08-20T00:05:00.002-04:00

This week I'm sharing a sample of my historical novel, set in 19th Century Japan:

Disgusted, Hideyori removed his outer robe and threw it, not caring where it landed. The garment landed on another rock with a "clink."

Clink?

Out of habit, he turned to call for a servant to retrieve the garment for him, but then realized there was no one to hear his summons. Grumbling, he rose from his seat and took the two steps to his robe. The garment was heavy, made of thick brocade, and the long, hanging sleeves were lined with several layers of silk. He picked up the robe, checking under it. Finding nothing there, he inspected the robe itself. The brocade was worn thin, the fraying threads a testimony to his dire financial status.

Turning the garment inside out, he noticed the silk was dingy. When he had a full staff, his court seamstresses would keep track of these things and replace the linings at regular intervals. But there were no more seamstresses. He was stuck with this lining. There were holes here and there, and the seams were worn. He smoothed the lining down. When he regained his fortune, one of the first things he would do would be to order some new clothes. No one would take him seriously as a leader if he had to wear rags like this.

His hand ran across a hard bump in the fabric. Had the holes become so large a rock had lodged in between the layers? He inspected the bump more closely. No, it wasn't a rock. Eagerly, he picked at the fabric, trying to scratch a hole in the weave. No luck. He needed something sharp. Casting a frantic look around, he spied a short branch under a nearby tree and scurried over to retrieve it.

Ten minutes later, the robe was in tatters, but Hideyori didn't care. He held a beautiful hand-painted fan and its elegant lacquer case. For once, a servant had actually followed directions. He remembered the day he had instructed the little maid to "hide the valuables somewhere the emperor's men will not find it." The girl must have hidden the fan in the lining of his robe. Clever girl. Too bad he hadn’t been able to keep her.

His growling stomach was forgotten as he went back into the hut to look for other hidden treasures in his clothing.

Hope you enjoyed it! Find more great excerpts at Sweet Saturday Samples by clicking here.

My Recycling Project

2011-08-19T07:34:00.003-04:00

I realized it's been a while since I've written about anything except writing. And that's because it's been a long time since I've really indulged in any of my creative pursuits other than writing! Having something published really motivated me to push on and write more, so that's been my main focus for several weeks.

It's not that I don't do my other crafts at all. Every Tuesday morning I'm sewing, either at church or at my friend Diane's house. And once a month I get together with a group of friends and scrapbook. I have a crochet project sitting beside my recliner, so when I'm too tired to think but too keyed up to sleep I can sit here and stitch for a few minutes. But all those are part of my routine and didn't seem exceptional enough for me to expound upon.

So, I guess it's time for me to take a break. My plastic bag tote is project I'm really proud of, so I'll share that with you. I'm not the environmentalist my younger daughter is, but I don't like to waste things. Unfortunately I forget to bring my reusable shopping bags with me to the store, so I end up using their bags to bring my stuff home. And then the bags pile up.

One day at sewing, Marcia mentioned the tote bags she saw in Florida. She told me how ladies would cut up their plastic bags and crochet them into purses and other bags. They would use different color bags from various stores to make them into pretty stripes. So I went home and found the instructions HERE. And I went to work. The bag in the picture above is what I came up with. I love it! It's lightweight but strong. It's the perfect size for my lunch. And I take it to outdoor events with my water bottle, bug spray, and other stuff. I've shared the online direction with other friends.

Give it a try!

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-08-13T00:01:00.003-04:00

Here's another scene from my still unnamed Greek Island story:

"Dimitri said he had planned to make spetzofai tonight. All the ingredients are here, so we’d better get started." He glanced at her, and she nodded in approval. He hauled the sausage and vegetables out of the refrigerator. "I can handle the main dish. Would you like to make the rice and perhaps a salad to go with it?" Without waiting for her answer, he went to work, oiling the large saucepan and chopping the peppers and tomatoes for the savory sausage dish.

The man definitely knew his way around a kitchen. His movements were efficient and precise. She turned and measured out the rice, putting it on to boil.

"Were you a chef in another life?" she asked.

"My father’s family owned a restaurant on Santorini. We all helped out in the kitchen."

Francie thought about her father, so brilliant in many ways, but utterly helpless in domestic affairs. When he remembered to eat, he depended on someone else, or he went out. Alex didn’t seem to be helpless in any situation, but most of the men in this country had definite ideas about division of labor between the sexes.

"Francie?"

She turned to him. "Yes?"

"Are you planning to do anything with that knife?"

She looked down. Her right hand was wrapped around the handle of a large chopping knife, but nothing was on the block in front of her. She had been caught daydreaming. Her mother would often say living with her and her father was like living alone. "You both get so caught up in your other worlds," she'd say, "that I might as well not be here." And then she would leave. Again.

She shook herself, mentally. "Sorry, I was somewhere else."

"Wherever you were, I hope it was a pleasant place. I’d hate to see you wield that knife when you’re angry." He went back to tending his grill.

Francie stared at him a moment. There had been no censure in his voice, only mild teasing.

Thanks for stopping! Please leave a comment. You can find more samples by clicking HERE:

The BIC Method

2011-08-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

This week I'm getting a lot of BIC time. That's a technique I heard about from another writer. The acronym stands for "Bottom In Chair". The B actually stands for something else, but that's what I'll call it. Anyway, the BIC technique is crucial for finishing my writing projects. Unfortunately it's also an easy way to waste time.

I'm participating in a Writers' Retreat at Grand Valley. It's offered for faculty members three times a year, and even though I'm an adjunct, I've managed to snag a spot every year. First priority is given to full-time faculty who are writing their dissertations or other scholarly writing projects. If there aren't enough takers to fill all the spots, the opportunity is opened to the rest of us. We're each given a six foot table, a place to plug in our laptops, fed lunch, and given all the coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and snacks we can consume. It's a wonderful opportunity!

So far this week I've finished a short story, revised two chapters on my six-year-old work in progress, and started a new project. Just like at home, where I have a dozen craft projects in various stages of completion, I tend to jump from manuscript to manuscript. I always thought I was ADD!

On the down side, with internet access here, I've also racked up a lot of facebook time, as well as game time. I have to really watch that. But I try to limit myself - I don't allow myself to play a game until I've written at least five hundred words. Or I don't check facebook more than once every few hours. That seems to help. And my compulsion to write every day at 750words.com helps to ensure that I do actually write SOMETHING.

So I guess the BIC method works for me, as long as I put limits on myself.

Please come back tomorrow for my Sweet Saturday Sample! I'm joining over two dozen writers who will offer a glimpse into their works.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-08-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

Thanks for stopping in! This week I'm sharing a scene from my Yet-To-Be-Named Work in Progress. It's a contemporary short story, taking place on the Greek Island of Paros:

The music stopped, and the dancers paused as an elderly gentleman made his way to the head of the men’s line. His gait was slow and unsteady, but his face was determined. She saw the doubtful looks on the faces of the other dancers, but tradition dictated the eldest person would lead the dance, and the rest had to follow. Would this man be up to the task?

And then he was there. Alex stood next to the old man, but instead of taking the man’s hand, he wrapped his right arm around the man’s frail body, holding him upright. The other men wordlessly fell into place behind Alex, and the music began. The line moved, Alex supporting the patriarch’s weight with one arm. Up and down the street they went, cheers and applause coming from those not dancing. The music soared, and the old man's wide, toothless smile tugged at Francie’s heart.

When the dance was over, Alex guided the man back to his seat in the tavern. Several of the villagers patted his shoulder in acknowledgement. A woman pressed a huge piece of baklava, wrapped in a napkin, into his hands. "Efharisto - thank you," she whispered to him before she returned to her seat beside the old man.

Alex Leonidis was a special man. But he was Greek, he was powerful, and he was charming. Francie knew if she weren’t careful, she could fall in love again with the wrong man. Doing so would be sheer stupidity.

Too bad her heart didn’t want to listen.

Hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a comment. You can return to the Sweet Saturday page by clicking here.

Putting Myself Out There

2011-08-05T00:53:00.002-04:00

I'm continuing to network and meet other authors. Most of the meetings are virtual. I joined a facebook group of authors from my publisher, Astraea Press. It looks like I joined at a great time. Someone came up with the idea of posting short excerpts of our writing on a regular basis, and linking our blogs together so that readers can hop from blog to blog, sampling our writing and perhaps finding an author or two that they like. The idea is that readers will purchase some of our publications. And our blogs will get more readers, too.

The discussion resulted in the creation of "Sweet Saturday Samples". Each week we sign up to join, and each Saturday we post our samples. You, as a reader, can go to the "Headquarters" from which you can choose an author (either a familiar one, or one at random) and read the sample from her blog. When you're finished, leave a comment if you like, close that window, and then you'll be back at the main page from which you can choose another author's work. Last week twenty-four authors participated. I know I got more traffic than usual at my blog, because I had nine readers leave comments!

I'm excited about this new adventure. Since my body of written work isn't large, it's going to keep me on my toes. I'm going to have to share excerpts from things that haven't even been submitted, let alone published. But I'm hoping to get a lot of experience form this. It's going to keep me accountable, and it's definitely going to keep me writing! And that's what it's all about.

Give it a try tomorrow! Go to www.sweetsatsamples.wordpress.com and enjoy a great weekend of reading. All the excerpts are supposed to be G-rated, and should contain a warning if the book itself is not. Have fun! Be sure to leave comments if you enjoy what you read.

Sweet Saturday Sample

2011-07-30T07:00:00.003-04:00

Here's a scene from my The Legacy, my new release at Astraea Press!

Seated at his desk in his home office, Frank Becker turned on his computer. While waiting for it to boot up, he poured himself a stiff drink. He stared at the screen, his mind blank. What was the use of sending out his resume to more places? No one was going to hire him.

Nobody wanted him. Even his wife didn't want him. She found excuses to be out of town, even out of the country, whenever she could. No errand was too small or too out of the way for Kirsten Becker. Twenty years ago, her ambition was what had attracted him to her. She could do anything—win a case in court, come home and fix a gourmet meal, and then go out and party. It had been such a boost to his ego when she had agreed to marry him. Her cute little five year old had come with her. And now the daughter was looking more and more like her mother. Like her mother had looked. Except without the cutthroat tendencies. Leigh was a softer, gentler version of her mother.

Too bad he couldn’t have waited to marry the daughter instead.

Thanks for stopping by! Here's a link back to the author page: Click here.

It's Here!

2011-07-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

My short story, the Legacy, is now available at Astraea Press! The link went live late last night. I am so excited! It's a great feeling to see something I created, with validation from a publisher. It's such a high.

Another reason I'm eager to have people read it is the fact that it's a fund raiser for a cause close to my heart. Proceeds from the sale of the story will benefit people far away, in the land where I was born. I'm not able to contribute much in the way of funds, but I can write, I love to write, and I did write! So please read! It's online at Astraea Press and it's only $3.00. It will be a pdf. format so you can read it on your computer screen.

Here's an FAQ:

Q: I want to read it. Where/how can I get it?

A: Go to www.astraeapress.com and select "New Releases" from the left hand menu. Then click on my book cover (the book is titled The Legacy), then click "Add to Cart" and go through the screens where you have to pay for it. Then you'll get instructions for downloading it. You have to have Adobe Reader on your computer to open the file.

Q: Does it have a bunch of yukky romantic stuff in it?

A: Two people fall in love. They kiss and hug and talk about falling in love, but they don't do anything else.

Q: Is it long? I get tired and bored reading long books.

A: The file is 37 pages long. There is a title page, a dedication, and an author bio. So the story itself is only 34 pages of reading.

Q: I don't like to read. Can I buy it anyway?

A: Absolutely! Go for it! And thank you!

If you have any other questions, please put them in the comments box and I will get back to you!

New Website

2011-07-22T06:30:00.000-04:00

This week, I set up my website. What fun! I've tried to model it after other authors' websites, but with a bit of me showing. I had to call tech support for both GoDaddy (from whom I bought the domain name) and Vista Print (where I get hosting - I wanted to use their template), but as soon as I got the answers I needed there, I was content to work on my own. I got my five pages set up, and put the content I wanted on them. Since I've only got one short story published, there isn't much content, but hopefully I'll be able to change that soon.

I let my daughters know about my success. My younger one, the one who reads and answers her messages, let me know that she was proud of me. She says I'm not going to be one of those grandmas who's always calling her kids and grandkids for tech support. What a high compliment! I probably will have to call them once in a while, but as long as I'm working with programs that have "help" options and phone numbers to call, I'm good.

In other news, I'm up to walking 2.7 miles! The 5K is next weekend, so I need to be in shape for it. I've been walking fairly regularly, and as long as it's not a scorcher, I should be okay. I'm so thankful I was talked into walking this. I've never felt better and more motivated! Just goes to show that having goals makes it easier to get things done.

So now, I'm going to write. I have to sell something that pays, so I can pay for that website! Check out patriciakiyono.com and see what you think. I can't wait have more stuff to add to it!

Going to the Symphony

2011-07-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

Tonight I’m going to the Picnic Pops. The Grand Rapids Symphony does a series of outdoor concerts every summer at the Cannonsburg Ski Area. My mom and dad volunteered at every concert for many years. After Dad died, I promised mom I would make sure she could continue. I’ve had a great time working in the kitchen with her, serving a meal to all the other volunteers. Other people are busy directing traffic, driving golf carts so that people with walking difficulties can get to their spots, selling and taking tickets, and doing countless other duties.

This is my third summer at the Picnic Pops. During the academic year I’ve also handed out programs at their concerts at St. Cecelia, as well as at DeVos Hall. It’s well worth the time. Where else can you hear a nationally recognized orchestra for only $5?

If you’ve never volunteered at a Grand Rapids Symphony concert, you should give it a try! You get to hear a fabulous concert for a very reduced price, and you meet lots of wonderful people. Annamarie Buller does a wonderful job of coordinating Symphony volunteers all year long. Contact her by going to the symphony website (http://grsymphony.org/support/volunteer) and filling out the online form, or by emailing her at abuller@grsymphony.org.

Celebrations

2011-07-08T08:47:00.003-04:00

The beginning of July is an exciting time for me because it always involves celebrations. It's the birthday of our nation, and it's my birthday. Last week I wrote about it being this blog's birthday as well. While I didn't celebrate Creative Hodgepodge's anniversary, I did observe the other two.

My oldest daughter always throws a huge Fourth of July potluck and fireworks party. It gets larger every year. She and her husband provide hot dogs, hamburgs and drinks, and everyone else brings a dish to pass. And then we have fireworks. What a show! This year the party was held on my birthday. I told my son-in-law it was very nice of him to invite all those people over to celebrate my day!

Two days later, on the actual holiday, I played in a lakeside concert, which was followed by more fireworks. I enjoy playing in a band, but don't do it very often. I'm looking into joining a community band soon. Gotta keep up my skills so my mouth doesn't feel so sore after playing!

As for my birthday, the celebrations were all spread out. The day before, my youngest daughter took me to a show at the Civic Theater. We spent the actual birthday at the picnic at my oldest daughter's. This week my husband took me out for lunch. And my other daughter sent a card saying she was going to take me out for a mom/daughter day. Love it!

Celebrations are fun. They mark milestones, like my fifty-sixth year of life, and the two hundred thirty-fifth birthday of our nation. It's good to recognize these milestones because they are an affirmation of life. The United States is still going strong, and so am I.

Life is good.

Happy Birthday, Creative Hodgepodge!

2011-07-01T07:25:00.005-04:00

Two years ago, on July 3, 2009, I posted my first entry on this blog. I had just turned another year older, and was trying to focus on certain areas of my life. I was enjoying retirement, but felt too many of my days were wasted. I needed accountability, the type groups like Weight Watchers use to get results. By setting goals putting them out in public, hopefully I get more motivated to follow through. So I decided to start with two areas of my life that were most important to me, and get the ball rolling.

So how has this plan worked out? Well, I'd say there's been a moderate amount of success. In the writing side of my life, I've written in this blog every week for one hundred and four weeks! My first novel is almost finished, and a short story is going to be published this month. I'm still super excited about that.

In the arts and crafts side, I've made hundreds of quilt tops for the church Quilt Guild, hundreds (maybe thousands) of fleece hats for Warm Ears ministry (fortunately the materials are provided for both groups), knit and crocheted a couple of afghans, a few baby items, a lot of flower vases and some other miscellaneous projects. There HAS to be less fabric and yarn in this house than there was two years ago! And of course there's scrapbooking. I tend to purchase for myself, my daughters, and occasionally my granddaughters, so I can't say that I've cut down on scrapbooking stuff. In fact, I bought myself a Cricut cutter, so the scrapbooking stuff takes up more room than it did before.

Once in a while a granddaughter or a daughter will come over to help me "organize". We'll work together and get maybe half a room done, and then it's time to eat, or one of us has to leave. Let's just say organization still isn't a strong point around here.

I've had to add another goal to the original two. I've had some health issues, so some of my publicly stated goals have had to do with weight loss, or general health. I've lost - and regained - about twenty pounds. Last week I signed up for a 5K walk, so now I've got to get in training for that. I've been walking, so I need to keep that up.

So, on this second birthday of Creative Hodgepodge, I'm raising a glass (actually, it's a mug of decaf coffee) and toasting myself. Goals are good. Reaching them is even better.

Flying High

2011-06-24T00:39:00.003-04:00

More great news! The cover artist at Astraea Press has already designed a cover for my book. Here it is! I love it. It's simple and tasteful, and reflects the mood of the story very well. I wish I knew what kind of flowers those are, but I forgot to ask. Anyway, seeing the cover with the title and my pen name on it makes this all seem more real. The release is to be "sometime in July" - so I'll be checking their website often!

So aside from celebrating and checking astraeapress.com several times a day, I've been motivated to dig out an older project. It's a story I wrote a few years ago after I got back from a ten day visit to Greece. Like Japan, Greece is a beautiful country with a long and noble history. I was inspired to write a story about a young archaeologist and an investigator. I got most of the story done, but couldn't get it to a good novel length. Astraea Press happens to be looking for short (12K to 25K) stories, so I decided to take another look and see if I can maybe get a second title to put with my new persona!

So far I've shared this publication news with those of you who read my blog two weeks ago, and my immediate family (most of whom do not get on facebook or read my blog). I'm looking at things like business cards, websites, and business e-mail addresses. What a whirlwind! Thanks for all the words of encouragement. I'm really hoping this Charity Line makes a lot of money for Japan Relief.

But then, of course, daily life brings me back to earth. The socks and undies are not going to fold themselves and float into their respective drawers. Dishes won't get done, bills won't get paid, and the floor won't be swept unless I get up out of my chair and do all these things. Maybe someday, when my best-selling novel is made into a blockbuster movie...

The Wait

2011-06-17T09:04:00.000-04:00

Last week I shared the fabulous news that my short story, The Legacy, was accepted for publication by Astraea Press. Since then, I've been busy with the pre-publication stuff the company has sent me. I filled out a cover artist information form (listing details about the story so that the cover artist has an idea about what to put on the cover), an author information form (so I can get paid once the six month charity run is done), and I've re-formatted the entire manuscript according to a style sheet they sent me. That took the longest. It's kinda like being in college and finding out what each professor wants.

Fortunately, computers have wonderful tools to help me with a lot of the editing. I can "turn on paragraph marks" to find out where I've put extra spaces. I can do a "find" search to locate the words I've used too often, like "really" and "very". And when I decided to change a character's name, I just do a "find and replace". It couldn't be easier!

So now that I've submitted the "pre-edit", I wait. Patiently. Sort of. I check my mail at least six times a day looking for something from the publisher - more instructions, a cover for the book, or maybe another request for revisions. I check the publisher's website often, looking for other new books in the Japan Relief series. So far there are three. I wonder how many there will be?

It's always difficult to remain patient. It's not one of my strong suits. Fortunately I have a lot of other things to do - like finishing several other writing projects, craft projects (a friend got married last summer and I still don't have her wedding gift done!) and a house that really, really needs to be cleaned. I'm not sitting here, bored.

I'm really thankful for the words of encouragement, as well as the congrats that have been sent my way (not through this blog, but verbally and on facebook). They give me the ambition to go on and write more. So I'm going to open up one of my partially finished projects, polish it off and send it in. There are three novels, three essays, and a short story waiting to be sent off.

Guess I'd better get to work.

The Call

2011-06-10T10:45:00.001-04:00

It's been an exciting week for me. I finally got what used to be known as "The Call". Except now, in the electronic age, it's "The E-mail." Last week I wrote that I finally finished a short story and submitted it to Astraea Press. I expected to have to wait at least six weeks to hear whether or not it had been accepted. But six days after sending it, I got a message from the Editor-in-Chief herself, telling me that my story will be published! I've been celebrating since then.

There are a few down sides to this acceptance. The story is part of an anthology dedicated to Japan Relief. All the money from sales of this story (and others in the series) will go to charity, so I won't get a dime for at least six months. After that time, the publisher may offer me a regular contract in which I will receive a royalty.

But even without the monetary return, I figure this is great news because:

1. It's a foot in the door. If they like this story, hopefully the publisher/editor will like more of my stories.

2. It's a start. Perhaps I can get some name recognition as an author.

3. It's a way for me, as well as those who purchase the book, to contribute to charity.

4. I'M A PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!!

So please keep your eyes open for my new short story, which will be available as an electronic download beginnning next month at Astraea Press - they're at www.astraeapress.com. I'm not sure what the cost will be - it looks to me like most of their short stories are running $3.00. I'll have notices on facebook as well as here.

By the way, you may not recognize my pen name. It's Patricia Kiyono. Kiyono is an alternate pronunciation for my maiden name, Seino. So basically, it's my name anyway.

Which brings me to another dilemma: If I'm asked for an autograph, should I sign it in English, or Japanese?

The End - of Something

2011-06-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

This week I FINALLY completed a writing project. I suppose it could have been polished a bit more, but I got it done enough so that I submitted it to a publisher. Now the wait begins. An automated reply says that I should hear something in four to six weeks. It’s a 12K short story that took over six weeks to write. That’s two thousand words a week – it sounds like a lot, but I need to be a little more prolific if I want to get anywhere.

I gave myself a day off from writing (other than my daily 750 Words at 750words.com) and then plunged back in. I worked on my seven-year-old Work in Progress, and started a short article for Chicken Soup. If I keep busy, maybe I won’t keep worrying about whether or not the editors at Astraea Press liked my story enough to include it in their anthology. And if I keep writing, I’ll have something else to submit – soon.

In my other creative projects, I’ve managed to make several quilt tops, and my afghan is getting larger all the time. But now this counted cross stitch project that I started last summer needs to be done! The person I intended it for is moving. It’s crunch time again! When will I stop procrastinating?

Probably never. If I always got things done when they should be done, I wouldn’t be me. And I need to be happy with me.

Going to the Faire

2011-05-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

Last Sunday I went to the Mayfaire Fenaissance Festival with both daughters, my son-in-law, and my granddaughter. Bridget is only four months old, so it was her first Festival. We want to make sure she gets a rich cultural education!

It was a beautiful sunny day. We arrived about an hour after the faire opened, and people dressed in period costumes greeted us, acting in character. Even the parking lot attendants were entertaining! There were games, shows, booths, and lots of food.

Festivals like this are fun, but they come from a desire to escape the busy, goal-oriented lives we live. It's a return to simpler times. Of course nothing would make me want to give up a lot of my modern conveniences, especially my internet! But at a renaissance festival it's fun to listen to the music, (less complex) watch the games (the rules are easy) and stroll about with the most pressing decision being "What's for dinner?"

Being an avid reader and writer, I enjoy the festivals because my thoughts turn to tales about the knights in armor and the fair damsels. It’s a great place to stir my imagination. Granted, in my stories the armor looks a bit different, and the hoop skirts give way to kimonos. But the ideas of chivalry and justice are universal. The hero always wins the hand of the fair maiden, and the villain always loses. No matter the language, or the culture, everyone understands the idea of “Happily Ever After.”

On this holiday weekend, my hope is that the sacrifices of our young men and women in the service of their country result in a “Happily Ever After” for our world.

What Would They See?

2011-05-20T08:00:00.001-04:00

It's mid-May, and the school year is winding down. This is the time of year for concerts and outdoor sports events. Last week I went to see Scottie's orchestra concert, and next week Gabe's band concert is coming up. Abby has been busy with her soccer and softball games. I love to attend these things. It's a wonderful thrill to see what the kids have been working hard on. I firmly believe it's important that kids get involved in extra-curricular activities in order to become well-rounded.

I was once busy with extra-curricular activities. I was fortunate that my parents supported everything I did and were always there to cheer me on. It makes me wonder: if the kids and grandkids were to come to see me perform something now, what would they see me do? I haven't played any of my instruments lately, so if they were to attend a concert, they would be sadly disappointed. I am not athletic by any stretch of the imagination. I have spent most of my free time sewing and writing. I've completed several quilt tops, but other people finish the quilts, so it would be a show of incomplete projects. I haven't completed any writing projects, so I wouldn't have anything to offer for a book signing, even if I were to go with self-publishing.

I recently read a blog post with the mantra "Just Finish It". I've been polishing and polishing, but maybe I need to just put some things out here and seeing how they are accepted. I need to have something to show the world what I've been up to. And I don't want my output to be a whole bunch of unfinished projects.

So this week, I am going to finish something, and put it out for people to see. I’m not sure yet exactly WHAT that something will be, but I’ll let you know next week!

Another Daily Goal

2011-05-13T12:40:00.001-04:00

On Monday afternoon I had my annual "meds check" appointment to make sure my meds were doing what they should. The allergy medication seems to be doing its job - I've had a super winter and spring. My blood pressure was high, but that could be because the cuff didn't work the first time. Or it could be because I've gained weight since last year. Which brings me to another health issue. Last year I had to go on a diet because my liver function numbers were off. I discovered I have fatty liver disease, and my liver was working too hard because of all the fat deposits in my liver. So I had to cut back on the fat. I lost twenty pounds and the numbers went back to normal.

Unfortunately I didn't keep the twenty pounds off. I love to eat, and the foods I REALLY love to eat aren't conducive to keeping weight down. So I need to start over again. Next week I go in for more blood tests to see the actual damage my weight gain has caused. I'm not looking forward to it. Why do I keep doing this to myself? Why can't I be happy with an apple instead of a big slice of cake?

There's got to be an answer somewhere. Last year I was scared enough to take the weight off to get things fixed. But apparently I wasn't scared enough to continue to eat right. It's kinda like getting my car fixed in order to drive it in a drag race. Stupid.

Maybe I need to add an eating goal to my daily list. Five daily goals sounds like stretching it, but I'll try anything for a week. There are some days when I can’t do four of them. But if I don’t put things in writing, often nothing gets done. So here we go:

1. Write 750 words

2. Do something creative for at least an hour

3. Clean or organize for at least a half hour

4. Walk a mile

5. Limit myself to one small treat per day

Not much, but it's a start.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-06T08:00:00.001-04:00

This mother's Day we will have four generations celebrating together. Four generations of first-born daughters, each of us making our mark in our own way.

Mom was the eldest of five children. She survived the Second World War, and later married a Japanese-American soldier and moved to America. I was her eldest, arriving before my two brothers. I became the first to graduate from college, the first to marry a non-Japanese, and later became the first working mom in the family. Mandy was my first-born. She is a world-traveler, and a first-class school psychologist. And now her first-born, Bridget, is here to begin another generation of strong women.

What's in store for her? Her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother are all eager to find out.

A New Job

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

I am going to start a new job next week. I am so excited about starting this job. I'm anxious and nervous about doing well, but mostly I am thrilled to have this opportunity. I will have to drive about a half hour to get there, and then another half hour home, and I will do this four days a week. The pay is not great, but the benefits are too good to pass up.

I will be the Day Care Provider for my new granddaughter. I have agreed to take care of her for six weeks while her parents are working. This will enable my daughter and her husband to take their time finding and checking out various day care possibilities for their daughter, and saving them the hassle of toting a newborn out every day until she is a little older.

I'm finding out very quickly that caring for a newborn is quite different from when I had children. So many of the "must dos" back then are no longer done. So I will do my best to do things "the right way" so that my granddaughter grows up healthy and strong - like her parents, who were raised the old way.

This will be bonding time for us. I probably won't get another chance like this for a long while. Or it might come up often. I don't know. But I'm going to take advantage of this now, and hug her all I can. It goes without saying that I will take lots and lots of pictures (after disabling the tracking device on my iphone, of course), and will put them in my scrapbook.

So what does this mean for my goals? I'm thinking I will still be able to reach them. You see, she's young enough that she still sleeps a lot, so hopefully I can use that time to write and/or work on sewing, crocheting, or other craft projects. She has a stroller so I can take a walk with her every day to the nice park at the end of the street. So I should be able to complete three of my four goals every day while I'm there. On the fifth day, I'll be home long enough to do them here. I think.

Ah, I love it when a plan takes shape. Hopefully they will work out. I've done okay so far this week. I'll have to make a conscientious effort to keep it up, and create a plan for doing so.

Wish me luck.

Starting Again

2011-04-22T17:12:00.001-04:00

I didn't do so well with my mini goals this week. I managed to write 750 words each day, but I walked only about three days, and cleaned maybe two days. Maybe not even that. I did manage to either sew or crochet every day, and my afghan is getting larger and larger. That's about it. So I'm going to start another week, and try again. Sometimes life gets in the way and I have to just deal with it and start over.

That seems to happen in other areas of my life, too. My afghan is actually the third one I've started with this yarn. My first two tries didn't turn out so well. It was supposed to be a square but it was more like a flower. It was really ripply on the sides. I was trying out a pattern I had seen someone else do. But I guess I did it wrong, because it wouldn't lie flat. So I started over with a tried and true granny square pattern, and now it looks nice.

I have a story I'm working on. I want to submit something to a publisher who is looking for short stories. I have one short story almost done. But it's not the right type of story. I could maybe try and tweak it into what they want. But then I would have to change all sorts of other things. If I change the location, then I have to change the occupations of the main characters, or at least one of them. And if I do that, then I have to change the whole premise of the story. Best to start from scratch.

Sometimes it works to make adjustments. But other times it's a lost cause. How do you know when it's time for that? I guess it's just one of those things that comes from experience.

Or maybe not having the energy to change too many things. But that’s another story.

Achievable Goals

2011-04-15T08:00:00.001-04:00

Mini-goals seem to work for me. I have this little chart, just like the job charts my kids used to have. I have four daily tasks:

1. Write 750 words

2. Clean or organize for at least a half hour

3. Do something creative (other than writing) for at least an hour

4. Walk a mile

Since last Friday, I've managed to do at least three of the four every day. If I know I'm going to have trouble doing all four, I try to manage it so I don't short-change the same goal two days in a row.

So what have I got to show for it? Well:

1. I have a dozen new scenes in a new short story

2. My kitchen floor is cleaner, I have a clean bathroom, and I found a newspaper article I wanted to put in my scrapbook.

3. My granny square afghan is getting bigger.

4. My knees hurt like heck. But I guess I've eaten fewer snacks - it hurts too much to get up and grab them.

I guess I'm going to print out another copy of the sticker chart. Maybe I'll use stickers on it this week instead of check marks. And I guess I'll treat myself to a Starbucks if I manage to earn more than 20 stickers - because I found a Starbucks gift card with $5 still on it!

Revamping Goals

2011-04-08T16:27:00.001-04:00

So, this is week two of April. I don't seem to be able to get things done. Still. I guess it's back to the drawing board with mini-goals and making them achievable. I need to be specific and have goals in different areas of my life. I also tend to do better with daily goals rather than weekly or monthly. For example, if my goal is to blog weekly, I’ll wait until the last minute on the seventh day to write! So it's gotta be daily.

Here goes.

Writing: Each day, I need to write at least 750 words. This can include blogging, or creative writing, as well as journaling.

Creativity: Each day, I need to spend at least one hour doing something creative. This can include sewing, scrapbooking, knitting, stitching, or crafting.

Organizing: Each day, I need to spend at least half an hour doing something to make the house look better. This can include clearing off a surface, putting away clothing or other stuff that's not where it should be, or actual cleaning.

Health: Every day, I need to walk at least a mile (this is definitely going to go up as the weather gets better!). It can be outdoor walking, treadmill walking at the gym, or with my wii Fit.

I have made a chart on which I will track my progress each day. And hopefully by this time next week I won't feel like such a failure!

Another Start

2011-04-01T15:19:00.004-04:00

Another month begins. Another attempt at organizing my life. Another long list of things I need to do.

Will this be the month I succeed? I suppose I will be able to cross a few things off my list. The college semester ends this month, so in order to turn in my grades on time I will definitely get all these papers graded. And I suppose a few other things will be completed.

But it would be so nice to be able to snap my fingers and get instant results. A clean room, a completed manuscript, a slimmer, fitter body. I sure could use a genie or a Mary Poppins.

Unfortunately, that's not in the cards. So I need to get myself going. It's April 1, but I'm no fool. The only way this stuff will get done is to do it myself. So I will write those words, walk those miles, file those papers. A little at a time. Some of it will get done, and some of it won't.

At least I'll have more done than I do now.

And now my blogging is done, for another week.