Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Wrapping Up the Black Moment #MFRWauthor Writing #Black moment
When you believe you have the Black Moment nailed down, the time has come for you to check to make sure the moment is really dark. There are things to consider and to check.
Which character has the most to love? This makes for a strong black moment. Of course there can be two characters in the story to have this moment but save the strongest one for last.
Which character has the most to gain? This may not be the same character and is stronger when the one who has the most to gain is the one triggering the black moment.
Have you built up to the moment throughout the book? Throwing the moment without the proper foundation will make it fall flat.
Has the moment come from the character's experiences, inner fears and desires? This makes for a strong theme.
Are the motivations strong? Has someone stepped in and added a new problem? Have I used coincidence?
Here's an important thing. Was the moment triggered by a misunderstanding that could have been solved with a few words? Makes for a weak moment.
Have you milked the scene for the greatest impact?
Monday, July 30, 2018
Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #BWL Publishing #Poem #Writing
Meander 1 Zombie Living
Marching, marching, row on row.
Painted faces, frozen smiles.
Listening to the drums of living
Being safe and being led
Zombie bodies that move in rhythm
Never breaking the treadmill patterns
Arms that swing in a self-same pattern
Back and forth and back and forth
Swelling voices chant a chorus
Dead dean voices expressionless.
Meander 2 Weather - I remember reading somewhere that this was to be a hot, dry summer. It has definitely been hot. Also wet. We just finished a four day stretch of rain. Yesterday, the sun shone and then clouded up and more rain appeared. Today the sky is blue in spots but there are clouds. Will it rain today? i hope not.
Meander 3 Writing. I am working hard to finish a book. Due before September first. Not sure I'll make it. This is the last time I'm going ot set a deadline. From now on, I'm going to wait until I'm almost finished with a book and then let the publisher know she can schedule it whenever. I like that plan.
Marching, marching, row on row.
Painted faces, frozen smiles.
Listening to the drums of living
Being safe and being led
Zombie bodies that move in rhythm
Never breaking the treadmill patterns
Arms that swing in a self-same pattern
Back and forth and back and forth
Swelling voices chant a chorus
Dead dean voices expressionless.
Meander 2 Weather - I remember reading somewhere that this was to be a hot, dry summer. It has definitely been hot. Also wet. We just finished a four day stretch of rain. Yesterday, the sun shone and then clouded up and more rain appeared. Today the sky is blue in spots but there are clouds. Will it rain today? i hope not.
Meander 3 Writing. I am working hard to finish a book. Due before September first. Not sure I'll make it. This is the last time I'm going ot set a deadline. From now on, I'm going to wait until I'm almost finished with a book and then let the publisher know she can schedule it whenever. I like that plan.
Sunday, July 29, 2018
Sunday's Book Moon Pool ##MFRWauthor #Zumaya #Jane Toombs #paranormal #romance
In the center of the maze at an Adirondack resort lies a spring-fed pool. Legend says that if you look into the serene depths under a full moon, you’ll see the face of your true love. In this collection of four novellas, the magic of the Moon Pool touches the lives of eight people for whom love seems to be a dream that can never be reality:
Thea — who lost her one true love because she couldn’t bear the scorn of others.
Faith — who has given up on love in the face of responsibility.
Lynn— who settled for practicality when she yearned for poetry.
and
Cynthia — whose reputation for selfishness was no match for love.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Saturday's Blurbs featuring Books by Caroline Warfield #MFRWauthor #Historical #Canada #Bengal #China
My current series is called Children of Empire.
Series
Blurb
Children of Empire
Three
cousins, driven apart by a deceitful woman rebuild their lives in the far
corners of the Empire. Love will bring them home, if only they have the courage
to embrace it.
The Renegade Wife, Book 1
Desperate and afraid, Meggy Blair will do whatever it takes
to protect her children. She’d hoped to find sanctuary from her abusive husband
with her Ojibwa grandmother, but can’t locate her. When her children fall ill,
she seeks shelter in an isolated cabin in Upper Canada. But when the owner
unexpectedly returns, he’s furious to find squatters disrupting his
self-imposed solitude.
Reclusive businessman Rand Wheatly had good reason to put an ocean
between himself and the family that deceived him. He just wants the intrusive woman gone, but it isn’t long before
Meggy and the start breaking down the defensive walls he’s built. But
their fragile interlude is shattered when Meggy’s husband appears to claim his
children, threatening to have Rand jailed.
The only way for Meggy to protect Rand is to
leave him. But when her husband takes her and the children to England, Meggy
discovers he’s far more than an abuser; what he’s involved in endangers all
their lives. To rescue the woman who has stolen his heart, Rand must follow her and
do what he swore he’d never do: reconcile with his aristocratic family and
finally uncover the truth behind all the lies. But time is running out for them all.
***NOTE*** To celebrate my new release, this
book will be free July 24-16
The Reluctant Wife,
Book 2
When all else fails, love succeeds…
Captain Fred
Wheatly’s comfortable life on the fringes of Bengal comes crashing down around
him when his mistress dies, leaving him with two children he never expected to
have to raise. When he chooses justice over army regulations, he’s forced to resign
his position, leaving him with no way to support his unexpected family. He’s
already had enough failures in his life. The last thing he needs is an
attractive, interfering woman bedeviling his steps, reminding him of his
duties.
All widowed Clare Armbruster needs is her brother’s
signature on a legal document to be free of her past. After a failed marriage,
and still mourning the loss of a child, she’s had it up to her ears with the
assumptions she doesn't know how to take care of herself, that what she needs
is a husband. She certainly doesn't need a great lout of a captain who can't
figure out what to do with his daughters. If only the frightened little girls
didn’t need her help so badly.
Clare has made mistakes in the past. Can she trust Fred now?
Can she trust herself? Captain
Wheatly isn’t ashamed of his aristocratic heritage, but he doesn’t need his
family and they’ve certainly never needed him. But with no more
military career and two half-caste daughters to support, Fred must turn once
more—as a failure—to the family he let down so often in the past. Can two
hearts rise above past failures to forge a future together?
The Unexpected Wife,
Book 3
The Duke expects work to
heal him. He doesn’t expect to face his past and find his future in China
Charles
Wheatly, Duke of Murnane, accepts an unofficial fact finding mission to the
East India Company’s enclave in Canton, China on behalf of the queen. He anticipates
intrigue, international tensions, and an outlet for his grief over the death of
his young son. He isn’t entirely surprised when he also encounters the
troublesome offspring of his mentor, the Duke of Sudbury, but the profound love
he discovers for the determined young woman is unforeseen and untimely. Charles
certainly doesn’t expect to also face his troubled marriage in such an exotic
locale. The appearance of his estranged wife in the company of their
enemy throws the entire enterprise into conflict, and tensions boil over when the woman he loves is put at risk
by his wife’s scheming—and the beginnings of the First Opium War.
Zambak Hayden seethes with frustration. A woman her age has occupied the throne for over a year, yet the Duke of Sudbury’s line of succession still passes over her—his eldest—to land on a son with neither spine nor character. She follows her brother, the East India Company’s newest and least competent clerk, to Macau to protect him and to safeguard the family honor—if she also escapes the gossip and intrigues of London and the marriage mart, so much the better. She has no intention of being forced into some sort of dynastic marriage, and she may just refuse to marry at all. The greed and corruption she finds horrifies her, especially when her brother succumbs to the lure of opium. She determines to document the truth. When an old family friend arrives she assumes her father sent him. She isn’t about to bend to his dictates nor give up her quest. Her traitorous heart, however, can’t stop yearning for a man she can’t have.
As an epic historical drama unfolds around them, both Charles and Zambak must come to terms with a love that neither expected.
Launches on July 25. Pre-order now:
Friday, July 27, 2018
Friday's Guest - Caroline Warfield #MFRWauthor #Who She Was Before #historical #China
1. What were you in your life before you became a writer? Did this
influence your writing?
I have been a variety of things in
my life: traveler, librarian, poet,
raiser of children, bird watcher, conference speaker, indexer, tech writer,
genealogist—even a nun. I spent thirty years
working in library shared services and IT, a task that require diplomatic and
people skills linked to a knowledge of technology. I always say I have four
great passions: faith, family, travel, history. All of that informs my writing.
How can it not?
2. Are you genre specific or general? Why? I don't mean genres
like romance, mystery, fantasy etc.
My published works are all
historical romance. All my novels and most of my novellas have interrelated characters. However, I have also
written middle-grade historical novels, straight up historical fiction, and an
unpublished historical romance.
3. Did your reading choices have anything to do with your choice
of a genre or genres?
Absolutely! History has always been
my reading preference, even when I was very young. I think historical periods
are my fantasy world. I read historical romance, historical mysteries, historical
fiction…you get the
picture.
4. What's your latest release?
The Unexpected Wife, set in China in 1838, will
be released on July 25. It is the story
of a charming, impish duke. A secondary character in the previous two books, he
almost took them over. He’s had a tough time. Trapped into marriage by an
ambitious harpy, Charles raised their disabled son alone. He sees no way to
create the life he wants and throws himself into work, but love surprises him.
The trailer is here:
Readers can find more about it here:
5. What are you working on now?
I’m currently polishing a novella to
appear in a boxed set in November. It is set in 1919, when the hero, a Canadian
soldier, is struggling with the Spanish flu while desperately searching for the
heroine, a French widow whose love gave him reason to live in the dark days of
trench warfare. It is a sequel to “Roses
in Picardy,” a novella I published last year.
6. Where can we find you?
I’m so glad you asked! I am here:
Amazon Author http://www.amazon.com/Caroline-Warfield/e/B00N9PZZZS/
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/caroline-warfield
(Embedded Versions)
Thursday, July 26, 2018
Thursday's First Scene - The Leo Aquarius Connection #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #Medical #romance #Leo #Aquarius
As Caleb Winstone rode the elevator to the fifth floor of
Eastlake Community, the familiar aromas shouting hospital engulfed him. Though
slightly different than the scents of his last placement, they smelled of coming
home. Exhaustion threatened to swamp him but he had places to visit and things
to accomplish before he sought sleep.
The indicator flashed five. The doors parted and he
stepped out to face the nurses’ station. A half dozen women stared and
collectively sighed.
“Enter the handsome doctor.”
Gasps and giggles greeted him.
Caleb felt his face heat. Had he really said that? He
considered a strategic retreat but the elevator doors had closed. Though he’d
been called handsome often enough, he had no reason for the blatant
announcement.
A burst of male laughter interrupted his swirling
thoughts. “Hello, Caleb. You certainly know how to make an entrance.” A tall
blond man rounded the end of the desk and offered his hand,
“Alex Carter, good to see you again.”
Alex clasped his hand. “Are you in town for good?”
“Looks that way. I’ve joined Joe Grogan’s practice.” Caleb
grinned. “Blame my announcement on jet lag. Arrived this morning from London
“Have you been home?”
Caleb shook his head. “Came straight here. Decided to
complete the paperwork and get my parking pass and then go to the office before
I go home. I’m meeting Joe at one thirty at the office. Actually, I’m in no
hurry to reach the stone mansion.”
Alex nodded. “Are they still upset over your career
choice?’
“Naturally. They equate my straying from the financial
sphere as a betrayal like they did when I chose swimming over football in high
school.”
“Shame. Let me introduce you to today’s crew. Alex walked
to the desk.
The nurses smiled. Were they hiding laughter? He felt sure
his appearance and words would make the rounds.
Alex grinned. “Ladies, this is Caleb Winstone the newest
addition to our staff. He’s joining Dr. Joe and vying for the handsome doctor
award.”
Caleb shook his head. Years ago Alex had been a tease. His
first wife’s behavior had soured him. The second marriage had brought a welcome
change. “I’ll get you.”
Alex mentioned name after name until they reached the tall
brunette at the end of the desk. Her lab coat marked her as the unit’s nurse
manager.
“Caleb, Jenessa Bradshaw, acting nurse manager. Her
husband is Director of Nursing.”
“Glad to meet you,” Caleb said. “Sorry about the grand
entrance.”
She laughed. “You said what we were thinking.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Alex said. “Half the girls in high
school followed him around.”
“The other half followed you.” Caleb turned to Jenessa.
“Why are you just acting nurse manager?”
“Our newly hired one was to start two months ago but a family
emergency intervened. She’s starting on Monday.”
“She must be special.”
“She is. She’s a nurse practitioner.”
“I’m impressed.”
Jenessa smiled. “Let me give you a quick tour.”
Caleb walked beside her. “Is the name of this new nurse a
secret?”
“I forgot you weren’t here during the selection process.
She’s a friend from my class at Grantley.”
Alex nodded. “She’s one of the infamous Grantley Gang. You
were seldom home back then to know about their antics.” He turned to Jenessa.
“Are we holding a welcoming party to celebrate the event?”
“I would tell you to ask your wife but just the Gang minus
Rick,” Jenessa said. “She’ll be tied up at Rehab getting her brother settled.”
Caleb halted. “Just who is this person?”
“Suzanna Rollins,” Jenessa said. “She
worked at City.”
Caleb held in a groan. Not
her. Not here. He prayed his face didn’t show his feelings. Of all the
women in the world to invade his space. Suzanna Rollins had no use for him.
Their days of dating hadn’t ended well.
“Do you know her?”
Caleb shrugged. “I may have seen her a time or two.” Or more. They had dated for several
months until the night he’d asked her to give up her job and move in with him.
All her expenses would be paid. All she had to do was warm his bed.
His cheek still stung with the memory of her reaction.
She’d walked away. He’d managed to avoid her and had leaped at the chance to
spend three months in London
He covered a yawn with his hand and followed Jenessa on a
tour of the patient rooms. Most were semi-private. Two nurseries held four
cribs each. There was one isolation room. She pointed out the playroom where children
could escape their rooms. She pointed out the patients being cared for by his
new partner. Several of them had respiratory problems. He needed to see their
charts and decide what new ideas he
could suggest. Of the twenty patients on the thirty bed unit, nine belonged to
his new practice.
Before he left to have lunch in the cafeteria he reviewed
the charts. As he ate, he thought of the irony of working with Suzanna. He was being drawn into a whirlpool with no
escape. Could he see her every day knowing she was not his to touch? Not to
mention facing the contempt he knew she felt.
He cleared his tray and drove to the office he would share
with his new partner. According to the information Joe had sent him, the second
floor of the five story building was theirs. Instead of using the elevator, he
opted for the stairs.
Before heading home to crash, he wanted to spend several
hours organizing his office and learning about the practice. He exited the
stairwell and entered the waiting room. Several patients waited with their
mothers.
The receptionist looked up. “Dr. Winstone, welcome. Dr. Joe
is waiting.”
“Thanks.” Caleb walked down the hall and paused outside
the room with his partner’s name on the door. He knocked and stepped inside.
Dr. Joe looked up. “Glad you’re here. Welcome.”
“Glad to be here.” Caleb sank onto the chair before the
desk.
“You look like hell. When did you arrive?”
“Six AM. Then through customs and claimed my car. I drove
straight here and headed to the hospital. Put in my paperwork and have my
parking pass. What do you want me to do?”
The older man rose. “I’ll have Gloria show you around.
Then, set up your office. There’s a stack of boxes that have been here for
months. How was London
“Great and I learned a lot.” Caleb paused at the door. “I
can see patients and I want to talk to you about the asthma kids.”
“No need to see patients. It’s a light afternoon.” He reached
for a chart. “The asthma kids are yours.” He paused beside Caleb. “Suppose
you’ve heard about the new nurse manager. Bright young woman. Her being a
practitioner is a plus.”
“I’m sure she’ll be an asset.” Though working with Suzanna
would be a challenge, he must manage each encounter with grace. He pushed to
his feet. “Let me organize my office and take the tour.” He yawned. If he sat
any longer, he would crash.
“Do that, then go home.” Joe grinned. "You can make
hospital rounds tomorrow and skip office hours.” He paused. “There’s a teenage
boy arriving at the Rehab
Center
Caleb found his way to the office that would be his. For
several hours, he unpacked boxes, hung his licenses and diplomas. He fitted
reference books on the shelves and hooked up the computer sitting on the
extension of the mahogany desk. When he finished, he found Gloria. She showed
him the treatment rooms and supply closets.
When the tour ended, he walked to the door. Time to go
home where he really didn’t want to be.
MY PLACES
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Wednesday Murder and Mint Tea #MFRWHooks #BWLPublishing #MFRWAuthor #Cozy mystery #Maine Coon Cat
Join me and the other authors at http://mfrwbookhooks.blogspot.com for some interesting excerpts and perhaps find a new book to real. Mine is up at http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com and is a cozy mystery and about a neighborhood's troubles. In this excerpt you'll meet Kathrine's new tenants
BLURB:
Katherine is a retired nurse and a retired church organist. The small Hudson River village where she lives in her Victorian “Painted Lady” makes her the neighborhood matriarch. Along with her Maine Coon Cat Robespierre, she guards friends and families.
When amoral Rachel moves into the first floor apartment of Katherine’s house, trouble erupts. The murder weapon is one she recognizes and makes her fear for her friends and family. Finding the killer becomes her goal.
Editorial Review
Murder and Mint Tea is a gem in its genre, combining the voice of a classic American whodunit with that of a traditional British detective novel. Murder She Wrote meets Miss Marple in a beautifully crafted tale that makes the reader want to reach into the pages and dispense justice to the villainess themselves. ~ Writer Gail Roughton
EXCERPT:
When Ted Thomas’
silver Mercedes with a rusty trailer in tow pulled in at the curb, a giggle
escaped. Andrew’s best friend always
considers his impression on others before he acts. The sight beyond my window was enough to
shatter his suave playboy image.
A blonde woman
left the car. Two children erupted from
the van and tore across the year running through one of the flower beds. I raised the window in time to hear their
name-calling. Two men opened the door of
the van and carried pieces of furniture to the house. A couch, two easy chairs, a dinette set,
several dressers, a bed, mattress and some tables. I thought of the odds and ends of furniture
in the attic. Would the offer of beds
for the children offend my tenant?
As soon as they
unloaded the van, the man carried boxes from the trailer. The children dashed up and down the
walk. Ted and the blonde stood like
Siamese twins joined at the hip and watched the progress. Tem had attempted to disguise himself by
wearing dark glasses.
The phone
rang. Without missing a second of the
unfolding drama, I answered.
“Just me.” Sarah said.
“What’s she like? Are the kids
nice? Is that Ted Thomas?”
“It is.”
“Is that all?”
“You know as
much as I do.”
“Didn’t they
come for the keys?”
“Andrew must
have given them a set.” A black Lincoln
“What’s so
funny?” Sarah asked.
“Ted. He’s acting like he’s about to be caught
performing an illegal act. He’s wearing
dark glasses. Maybe he’d like a false
beard.”
“If he’s afraid
of being seen, why offer to help?”
“I can’t answer
for him but I’m sure I’ll learn.”
“It’s not like
he can’t be seen with her. He’s divorced
and so is she.”
Sarah was right. Ted has been divorced for five years. Though he and Andrew are buddies and Ted’s
ex-wife is a member of Sr. Stephens, I’ve never learned the details of the
split. “Talk to you later.”
“Good
enough,” Sarah said. “Shame you’re an invalid. Otherwise you could make a neighborly call.”
“Goodbye.” None of my family or friends knows how far
toward independence I’ve traveled.
Yesterday before Bessie left I’d reached the landing. Today I intended to go to the first floor.
The van backed
out of the driveway. Ted got into his
car. As the Mercedes and trailer pulled
away the blonde blew a kiss.
Curiosity as
strong as the cat killing kind egged me into action. I rubbed Robespierre’s head. “Too soon to go down.”
An hour later,
Robespierre pawed my face and startled me awake. He jumped from my side and padded to the
kitchen. The cat door flapped. I hobbled to the kitchen and took the tray
from the refrigerator and set it on the table.
Then with extreme caution I started down the stairs. After a brief rest on the landing I
continued. In the foyer I wiped my
sweat-drenched forehead and felt as if I’d worked hours in the garden on a
sultry day. I rang the bell to announce
my arrival.
After a short
wait, the door opened a crack. “Who’s
there?” a child asked.
“Katherine
Miller from upstairs.”
The crack
widened. Eyes the blue of summer skies
seemed to be the only feature on a dust streaked face. A mass of tangled brown hair hung down the
girl’s back. Her gaze focused on the
crutches. “What did you do to your leg?”
“Slipped and
broke it.”
“Susie, who is
it?” A woman’s voice, strident with
anger, echoed in the near empty apartment.
“The lady from
upstairs.”
“Can’t you ever
do anything right. I told you not to
open the door.” The girl seemed to
shrink. Her shoulders hunched as if
expecting a blow. “Find out what she
wants and get back to work.”
“There’s a
platter of cold cuts and salads for you.”
I raised my voice in an attempt to remove the child from the
communication line. “Moving day can be
hectic. I wanted to welcome you.”
A boy sauntered
to the door. “Snoop. That’s what you are. You come to snoop. You’re an ugly old witch.”
His verbal
attack stunned me. “This is my house.”
He pushed a lock
of honey blond hair from his forehead.
“Don’t believe you.”
“Bring the tray
in,” the woman called. “Susie, put water on for coffee.”
“She don’t have
anything,” the boy shouted.
“The tray’s
upstairs. I’m on crutches. I came down to see if one of the children
could fetch it. Don’t bother with
coffee. I know you’re busy.”
“Stay. I need a break.”
“Then I will.”
Planting my
crutches firmly on the slate I crossed the foyer and entered the living
room. The few pieces of furniture seemed
lost in the L-shaped room. Years ago a
concert grand had dominated the space.
“Be just a few
minutes. Lord, I’d forgotten what real
neighbors were like. In the apartment
complex where I lived, I was lucky if anyone spoke.”
“You’ll find
this is a friendly neighborhood.” Hoping
she would appear I continued through the living room. A conversation with a disembodied voice is
eerie.
“Snoop,” the boy whispered. He sat on the floor in front of the
Television and ate chips from a bag. Why
wasn’t he helping?
My Places
My Places
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Tuesday's Writer's Tip - Black Moment Gone Awry #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #amwriting #Blackmoment
When the black moment goes awry, the search for what has gone wrong has to be discovered. A flat black moment can't bring the reader any excitement. So just what can go wrone.
In your book, you may have a number of important characters. Choosing the wrong one to have the moment when they believe all is lost makes the moment fall flat. yes, you can have more than one character have this moment but they shouldn't be back to back. Having say the hero, the detective or whoever have the black moment and then have their opposite have one at the same time. We'' as a reader, I would believe the story was totally boring. So choose the right time as well as the right character. Then that character can decide to try a different approach to his or her goal. Only then can the opposite character have their momentof belief.
Other things is basing the black moment totally on the outside force. The black moment has to address something in the main character. If the character is poorly motivated the black moment will fall flat.
Another way to go wrong is to use coincidence to bring the black moment about. Coincidences happen in real life but shouldn't in fiction. If you're going to use what looks like a coincidence, you'd better plan it carefully. Misunderstandings give the same result as coincidences. A misunderstanding can be used for a minor bit but clear it up quickly.
The last way a black moment may feel forced or wrong is to have it happen abruptly. Black moment in three paragraphs or less isn't going ot convince your reader that the hero or heroine believes all is lost.
So plan for your black moments and when they occur play them out to the full.
MY PLACES
In your book, you may have a number of important characters. Choosing the wrong one to have the moment when they believe all is lost makes the moment fall flat. yes, you can have more than one character have this moment but they shouldn't be back to back. Having say the hero, the detective or whoever have the black moment and then have their opposite have one at the same time. We'' as a reader, I would believe the story was totally boring. So choose the right time as well as the right character. Then that character can decide to try a different approach to his or her goal. Only then can the opposite character have their momentof belief.
Other things is basing the black moment totally on the outside force. The black moment has to address something in the main character. If the character is poorly motivated the black moment will fall flat.
Another way to go wrong is to use coincidence to bring the black moment about. Coincidences happen in real life but shouldn't in fiction. If you're going to use what looks like a coincidence, you'd better plan it carefully. Misunderstandings give the same result as coincidences. A misunderstanding can be used for a minor bit but clear it up quickly.
The last way a black moment may feel forced or wrong is to have it happen abruptly. Black moment in three paragraphs or less isn't going ot convince your reader that the hero or heroine believes all is lost.
So plan for your black moments and when they occur play them out to the full.
MY PLACES
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/
Monday, July 23, 2018
Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #BWLPublisher #Reviews #Poetry #Writing
Meander 1 _ Poem Birth Pangs
Labor's contractions wrack my soul.
The blow of pain is pulsing,
Roaring, filling me with fear.
And yet it will not stop.
I need a midwife to aid the birth
But there is no one to hear.
I must bear down
And birth myself
To still my cries of pain.
Meander 2 _ Reviews - Writing them is what this is about. I seldom write long ones. Just stating if I liked the book and maybe a bit about the characters or the plot. To me many reviews are too long. At one time I write reviews for several sites and they had to be at least one paragraph and preferable more. I also have a problem writing a review. If I can't be favorable and maybe have only one nit to pick that's fine. I recently read a book. The beginning was great. The ending was great. But the middle - the writer got on a soapbox and bored me to tears. The nit I found was too big for me to write this review. Sad since the writer had some good movement at the start and at the end. I kept think move this story alone. I don't need sermons. So I won't write the review.
Meander 3 - Writing. Am coming to the end of the plot draft and the time is coming to turn this book into a great story. We'll see but I keep slogging along.
MY PLACES
Labor's contractions wrack my soul.
The blow of pain is pulsing,
Roaring, filling me with fear.
And yet it will not stop.
I need a midwife to aid the birth
But there is no one to hear.
I must bear down
And birth myself
To still my cries of pain.
Meander 2 _ Reviews - Writing them is what this is about. I seldom write long ones. Just stating if I liked the book and maybe a bit about the characters or the plot. To me many reviews are too long. At one time I write reviews for several sites and they had to be at least one paragraph and preferable more. I also have a problem writing a review. If I can't be favorable and maybe have only one nit to pick that's fine. I recently read a book. The beginning was great. The ending was great. But the middle - the writer got on a soapbox and bored me to tears. The nit I found was too big for me to write this review. Sad since the writer had some good movement at the start and at the end. I kept think move this story alone. I don't need sermons. So I won't write the review.
Meander 3 - Writing. Am coming to the end of the plot draft and the time is coming to turn this book into a great story. We'll see but I keep slogging along.
MY PLACES
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Sunday's Book - The Leo Aquarius Connection #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #romance #medical #Leo #Aquarius
The nurses stare as he exits the elevator on the Pediatric Unit. “Enter the handsome doctor.” Those are Doctor Caleb Winstone’s words as he steps off the elevator. Though he’s embarrassed, this Leo doctor rolls with the punches.
He’s returned home to join an older doctor in the practice. Before long he learns the new nurse manager of the unit is a woman he knows. Of all the women in the world, she is the last one he wants to see. How can he manage to work daily with her? Before the day ends, he discovers his mother has decided who he should marry and the woman is quite willing. Not for him.
Suzanna Rollins is an Aquarian and now the guardian of her half-brother who was badly injured in a car accident. She takes the position as nurse manager of the Pediatric unit for several reasons. One is the move from the city re-unites her with college friends, the Grantley Gang. The other is for the excellent Rehab Center. On the day of her arrival, she encounters Caleb. What is he doing here and why? Can she work with the man she fell in and out of love with the night he offered her less than marriage?
Caleb’s interest in helping her half-brother gives them more together time than they imagined.
MY PLACES
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/
Saturday, July 21, 2018
Saturday's Blurbs feature Books by Sydell Voeller #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #romance
THE FISHERMAN’S DAUGHTER
Psychology
professor Vanessa Paris receives word that her father has disappeared from his
fishing boat in Puget Sound and rushes to her childhood home in the San Juan
Islands to try to help find him. Tragedy has been no stranger to Vanessa--years
ago her mother died and more recently, her brother. The possibility of losing
her father now is almost too much to bear.
But when Vanessa arrives at the family owned tourist lodge, she meets Lowell Maxwell, who offers to help her search for her father. Back in high school, Vanessa harbored a secret, unrequited crush on Lowell. Now, he's a tough, jaded cop on leave from L.A., working for her father as a carpenter on a temporary basis, and even more dangerously appealing.
Vanessa and Lowell are like sunshine and darkness. Despite her losses, she focuses on positive action and the good in people. Lowell, however, chases down the bad guys, flirts with danger, sometimes even death--and he's determined he'll soon return to the force in L.A.
Is there still a chance of finding Vanessa's father alive and well? Can she take a chance on loving Lowell, risking the possibility of his dying too? And what is the dark secret that has driven him back home, a secret that has convinced him there's no longer any room in his heart for love?
But when Vanessa arrives at the family owned tourist lodge, she meets Lowell Maxwell, who offers to help her search for her father. Back in high school, Vanessa harbored a secret, unrequited crush on Lowell. Now, he's a tough, jaded cop on leave from L.A., working for her father as a carpenter on a temporary basis, and even more dangerously appealing.
Vanessa and Lowell are like sunshine and darkness. Despite her losses, she focuses on positive action and the good in people. Lowell, however, chases down the bad guys, flirts with danger, sometimes even death--and he's determined he'll soon return to the force in L.A.
Is there still a chance of finding Vanessa's father alive and well? Can she take a chance on loving Lowell, risking the possibility of his dying too? And what is the dark secret that has driven him back home, a secret that has convinced him there's no longer any room in his heart for love?
Amazon buy
link:
Barnes &
Noble (Print Book)
THE HEART LEADS
HOME:
Sarah
Pendleton, a first grade teacher in Portland, Oregon, feels duty-bound as she
returns to her hometown of Mistletoe Valley--and to her conflicted past. While
growing up in her small, rural community Sarah lived with her grandparents, who
served their community well--especially her grandfather, a pastor. Yet Sarah
despised being the “perfect preacher’s kid” in a small town where everyone knew
everyone else’s business. Rebellious, she fell for a stereotypical “bad boy”
during high school and after graduation, they married. When they learned she
was pregnant, he left her for parts unknown. Unable to support the baby, Sarah
gave her up for adoption, yet ever since, guilt has consumed her. She believes
she doesn’t deserve to have a second chance at being a mother.
Now a decade later, she is the sole inheritor of her grandparents’ estate. She must decide whether to sell the property, or make the painful choice of staying in a town where folks remember her rebellious past.
She meets the strikingly handsome real estate agent Rich Stevens. He also works as a youth pastor at the church where her grandfather had served. Her attraction to Rich is immediate and powerful, but she’s faced with not one, but two prickly thorns: He is a grieving widower, and his 8-year-old daughter, Carly, is grieving too. He believes that there can never be another woman in his life, and he can succeed in raising his daughter alone.
Sarah grapples with her own push-pull feelings for Rich. Should she hire him to sell her grandparents’ property, knowing full well he’s more than just a business acquaintance to her? Should she stay in Mistletoe Valley, or go back to her job in Portland? The truth is, if she were to fall in love with him, a man of the collar, she’d be right back to where she started as a child—struggling in vain to live up to others’ expectations. Worse, Rich’s daughter, Carly, is the embodiment of the baby she left behind, and if Sarah allows herself to get too close to Carly, that would only complicate her feelings for Rich.
Can Sarah and Rich overcome their personal demons and making a lasting commitment to each other? Can the two of them—plus Carly--become a forever family?
Now a decade later, she is the sole inheritor of her grandparents’ estate. She must decide whether to sell the property, or make the painful choice of staying in a town where folks remember her rebellious past.
She meets the strikingly handsome real estate agent Rich Stevens. He also works as a youth pastor at the church where her grandfather had served. Her attraction to Rich is immediate and powerful, but she’s faced with not one, but two prickly thorns: He is a grieving widower, and his 8-year-old daughter, Carly, is grieving too. He believes that there can never be another woman in his life, and he can succeed in raising his daughter alone.
Sarah grapples with her own push-pull feelings for Rich. Should she hire him to sell her grandparents’ property, knowing full well he’s more than just a business acquaintance to her? Should she stay in Mistletoe Valley, or go back to her job in Portland? The truth is, if she were to fall in love with him, a man of the collar, she’d be right back to where she started as a child—struggling in vain to live up to others’ expectations. Worse, Rich’s daughter, Carly, is the embodiment of the baby she left behind, and if Sarah allows herself to get too close to Carly, that would only complicate her feelings for Rich.
Can Sarah and Rich overcome their personal demons and making a lasting commitment to each other? Can the two of them—plus Carly--become a forever family?
Buy Links:
Google Books:
(Print books only)
SKATEBOARD BLUES (Young Adult):
Jessica
Williams wishes she were anywhere other than her small town in Oregon. All the
kids there are the same except for the few skateboarders her father cannot
stand. Life is pretty dull for Jessica until Cam Easton moves into her
neighborhood. But when Cam teaches Jessica how to skate, and her father runs
for mayor of Preston, her involvement with the skaters poses a threat to her
father's campaign. Can the skateboarders prove themselves worthy of the
community's support? And most of all, can Jessica and Cam resolve their
differences and discover the true meaning of love?
Buy Links:
Friday, July 20, 2018
Friday's Guest - Sydell Voeller Who She Was Before #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishers
What were you in your life before you became a writer? Did
this influence your writing?
Initially I worked as
a registered nurse, but I like to think of myself as a writer before I became a
nurse. In high school, I was the associated editor of the school newspaper, the
editor of the creative writing publication, and I kept my own journal for
several years. The journal, describing my topsy-turvy teen experiences proved
an excellent resource for my writing years later. In a word, it sparked many ideas for my first
published teen romances novels via Silhouette’s “Crosswinds” young adult line
and Bantam’s “Sweet Dream” series. I
also wrote short stories for a church-related magazine for young teens.
Are you genre specific or general? Why?
My books are genre
specific: sweet contemporary romances (both young adult and adult). The reason I settled on writing in this genre
is because that’s the type of novel I enjoy reading. Also, my first publisher for adult
contemporary romances required clean “family reading,” and so that became my
writing style.
Did your reading choices have anything to do with your
choice of a genre or genres?
Yes. Not only did I
enjoy reading in my genre, I used this as a tool to learn what the publishers
were looking for and what they were buying.
What’s your latest release? The Heart Leads Home, a contemporary adult romance.
What are you working on now?
The title of my
work-in-progress is Echoes in Time, an adult contemporary romance set in my
home town on a beach in Washington State, although the town’s name in the story
is fictitious. At this point,, I’m
subscribing to the old theory that if a writer talks too much about her current
project, she will lose the motivation to write it. So please stay tuned...
Where Can We Find You?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sydellvoeller
Website (Blogger): http://sydellvoeller.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Thursday's Third Scene The Cancer Capricorn Connection #MFRWauthor #BWLPublishing #medical #romance
When Cate saw Rick and an older man choose a nearby booth
her shoulder muscles tightened. The last bite stuck in her throat and she
feared she would gag. From his startled expression, she knew he’d seen Maddie
and realized the child was his daughter. She prayed he would ignore them but he
wouldn’t. Maddie was his only blood relative unless he’d married and had
children, a distinct possibility. Why else had he chosen a house with five
bedrooms?
She pulled several bills from her wallet and tossed them
on the table. “This should cover mine and Maddie’s lunch. We need to hit the
grocery story.”
Lauren looked up. “There’s food in the basement freezer
and the fridge is stocked. My welcome present.”
“I saw what’s there but we’ll need some cleaning supplies
and Maddie’s favorite cereal.” She slid from the booth and signaled her
daughter. Somehow she had to solve the new dilemma without upsetting Maddie.
“Cate.” Rick’s deep voice caressed her name.
She kept walking, hoping he would realize she didn’t want
to speak to him.
Maddie tugged on her hand. “Mom, I think that man knows
you.”
“We went to college together.” She chewed on her lower
lip. There were things she couldn’t tell her daughter. Like we were friends. We
fell in love. We had sex. I was pregnant. He rode away.
“Don’t you like him? I saw your friends talking to him. He
lives in the house across the street.”
Cate paused beside her car and unlocked the door. “In and
seatbelt on, please.”
“I will. You didn’t answer my question.”
Cate considered her answer. “Years ago we were friends.
Right after graduation he left without saying goodbye. I guess I’m not a
forgiving person like my friends.”
Inside she shook. She had to tell her daughter her father
had surfaced. Any questions Maddie asked should be answered in a neutral voice.
She didn’t want her daughter to hate the man who had fathered her. Right now
she was too angry to talk about him. Still, she’d had his name placed on the birth
certificate.
Her mother had been furious. Their conversation popped
into her thoughts.
“You’ll give him a
way to claim her.”
“If I ever see him
again, he has a right to know.”
“Does he? Just like
your father he left. Do you think I enjoyed answering your questions? How will
you deal with her?”
“When the time is
right I’ll know.”
Cate released a held breath. Her mother had answered her
questions with bitter remarks. Never had the older woman allowed a fact to
emerge.
The time to tell her daughter about Rick had arrived too
soon. Was Maddie old enough to learn about her father and his actions in the
past? Did it matter? A way must be found before he acted.
She parked at the grocery store. She and Maddie walked the
aisles selecting cereal, bread and other needed staples. Cate picked up
microwaveable popcorn for the movie they planned to watch this evening.
At the house while stocking the pantry she weighed her
options. Though her new job was a challenge, if Rick made trouble, she and Maddie
could leave Eastlake
Rick had seen Maddie. His failing to realize she was his
daughter fell into the area of impossible. Every time she looked at her child
she saw him. Hair and features. Only Maddie’s eyes were green instead of deep
brown. She pursed her lips. She had to tell her daughter but not today or even
tomorrow. She needed the right time and the right words. She also needed to
know more about him. In nine years a person could undergo changes.
Maddie ran to the kitchen door. “I’m going to swing.”
“Enjoy.” Cate walked to the living room. The doorbell
rang. Tension froze her. She wanted to run but there was no escape. When she
saw Lauren relief nearly made her black out.
“What’s wrong?” her friend asked. “You’re as white as a
sterile four by four.”
“I thought you were Rick.”
“Who is Maddie’s father.”
The clipped words helped Cate regain her inner balance.
“He is and…I feel like running and hiding.”
“Don’t chicken out. Face him. Clear the past so you can
more forward.”
“I wish I could.”
“Look at me. I fell in love with Alex when I was a teen.
He married Rhonda. I ran from seeing them and went to work for that
international health group. When I returned he was a widower. I remained deeply
in love while he wallowed in the past. I stayed and found happiness. So can
you.”
“I’d just like to push this all aside.”
“No matter what happens I’ll back you. So will the others.
Face Rick and let him know what you feel.”
“I need to tell Maddie first and that’s difficult. We’ve
never talked much about her father.”
“Don’t delay too long and don’t feel guilty that you
didn’t look for him. You weren’t the one who took off for parts unknown.”
Lauren’s words struck Cate as the truth. On graduation day
the well of anger and hurt. Today, tendrils of guilt entered her thoughts. She
had let him go and hadn’t tried to let him know about their daughter. “Do you
want to come in?”
“I can’t. On the way here Johnny fell asleep. I just
wanted to make sure you were okay. You did dash off. See you Monday. Have you
found anyone to watch Maddie?”
“Your father-in-law enrolled her at the Community Center.”
“Liz’s boys are there as are many children whose parents
work at the hospital.”
After Lauren drove away, Cate made a green bean and tuna
salad for dinner. At five she called Maddie inside. Once they finished dinner, they
unpacked their suitcases.
With this done Cate popped a bag of corn and they watched
the latest animated feature. When the movie ended Maddie yawned. “Upstairs. Bath
‘I had fun today. Thank you for the swing set. Johnny and
the twins really liked it.” She ran off.
A short time later, Cate followed. She kissed her daughter
good night. As she walked downstairs she felt thankful. Her daughter hadn’t
asked about Rick.
She carried a glass of iced tea outside and sat on the
swing. The moon shone brightly. As she gently rocked, she saw a car parked in
Rick’s driveway. Before long she had to face him and have that talk with
Maddie. She couldn’t allow anger to color either conversation. Hopefully she
would find the right words.
http://wwweclecticwriter.blogspot.com
BUY MARK
http://bookswelove.net/authors/walters-janet-lane-romance-fantasy-suspense-medical/