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Thanks!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
My Kindle
Since my books will first be published in an electronic format, I decided I needed to check out the whole e-book format and ordered a Kindle.
Whoa, Nellie! Was that a great idea.
I just got it the other day and I already love it. It is lightweight, easy to read, has way to many fabulous features and, if I am feeling lazy (which happens on a fairly regular basis) I can set it to read to me. How cool is that!
If you are looking forward to a summer full of wonderful books, think about investing in an e-reader. You can download books for free and hundreds of them are available for $2.99. How can you beat that pricing?
*Note - This is not a paid advertisement for Kindle or Amazon. They don't know me at all, I just happen to love this product!
Whoa, Nellie! Was that a great idea.
I just got it the other day and I already love it. It is lightweight, easy to read, has way to many fabulous features and, if I am feeling lazy (which happens on a fairly regular basis) I can set it to read to me. How cool is that!
If you are looking forward to a summer full of wonderful books, think about investing in an e-reader. You can download books for free and hundreds of them are available for $2.99. How can you beat that pricing?
*Note - This is not a paid advertisement for Kindle or Amazon. They don't know me at all, I just happen to love this product!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Captain Cavedweller
This guy, my hubby, my very own Captain Cavedweller, is awesome.
Not only does he support all my efforts, he puts up with my random craziness, encourages my wild ideas, and melts my heart on a daily basis.
He provided a wealth of inspiration for our hero, Clay, in Heart of Clay.
Similarities I think they share include:
• Honesty and Integrity
• Big Hearts and Broad Shoulders
• Warm Blue Eyes
• The ability to joke and tease about anything and everything
• The ability to love unconditionally
• Hero worship from their wife
• An addiction to football, hunting shows and Pat McManus books
• Love of the most disgusting smelling sausages. Ever.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Knee-Deep in Clay
Trying to decide on the title for my first novel was a bit of an exercise in patience and creativity.
I knew from the start I wanted the title to include "Clay" but beyond that, I had no clue.
So I played around with phrases. Some started with Clay, some ended with Clay. For a while I thought I'd call the book "Bound in Clay" but it just didn't feel right.
Then, when I least expected it, the name just popped into my head and I knew it was exactly the name I'd been looking for.
"Heart of Clay" was perfect. It was a title that was fairly short, sweet and too the point. It really sums up what the book is about and I like the hidden meaning you can find in the title as well.
Watch for it soon...
Monday, May 23, 2011
What, When and Why
Last week, I wrote about the Who and the Where of my first novel.
Some other important details include the What, When and Why.
The What: As in what is the storyline? The story follows Clay and Callan, a mid-30s couple, who have fallen out of love and aren't even sure they like each other anymore. Clay discovers Callan has kept a secret from him that drastically alters life for them both. There is tragedy and heartache, but also some lighthearted fun. And I couldn't keep from throwing a bit of my bizarre sense of humor in there as well.
The When: modern day. These could be your neighbors down the street. I wanted to keep the characters real.
The Why: This is a hard one - why did I choose these characters, in this place in their life? Because I know them so well. They have been speaking to my heart for years, and I finally sat down and listened.
Some other important details include the What, When and Why.
The What: As in what is the storyline? The story follows Clay and Callan, a mid-30s couple, who have fallen out of love and aren't even sure they like each other anymore. Clay discovers Callan has kept a secret from him that drastically alters life for them both. There is tragedy and heartache, but also some lighthearted fun. And I couldn't keep from throwing a bit of my bizarre sense of humor in there as well.
The When: modern day. These could be your neighbors down the street. I wanted to keep the characters real.
The Why: This is a hard one - why did I choose these characters, in this place in their life? Because I know them so well. They have been speaking to my heart for years, and I finally sat down and listened.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Where Do They Live
Living in the Northwest, it seemed natural to have the setting for my first novel be somewhere in the Northwest as well.
Where, exactly, took a bit more time to figure out. I knew the hometown in the story needed to be within driving distance of a big city. It had to have a small town atmosphere. It needed to be somewhere there were changing seasons. Somewhere with rural roots, yet also a place of progress and growth.
So I did what any creative and desperate person would do and made up a town. A town named Tenacity. If it were a real town and on a map, you'd find Tenacity, Oregon, located just an hour southeast of Portland.
I realize the name is a little off the beaten path, but when I finally decided on Tenacity I knew it was perfect.
The perfection comes not from the town, but from the characters who live and work there. The characters in my stories. I'm excited for you to meet them soon. They are tenacious, stubborn, and determined. Especially the women. Most especially the women.
Which is why half-way through writing my first novel, I knew I would write two more stories set in this community. So it seemed only right to call the series The Women of Tenacity.
Where, exactly, took a bit more time to figure out. I knew the hometown in the story needed to be within driving distance of a big city. It had to have a small town atmosphere. It needed to be somewhere there were changing seasons. Somewhere with rural roots, yet also a place of progress and growth.
So I did what any creative and desperate person would do and made up a town. A town named Tenacity. If it were a real town and on a map, you'd find Tenacity, Oregon, located just an hour southeast of Portland.
I realize the name is a little off the beaten path, but when I finally decided on Tenacity I knew it was perfect.
The perfection comes not from the town, but from the characters who live and work there. The characters in my stories. I'm excited for you to meet them soon. They are tenacious, stubborn, and determined. Especially the women. Most especially the women.
Which is why half-way through writing my first novel, I knew I would write two more stories set in this community. So it seemed only right to call the series The Women of Tenacity.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
The Bees Knees
Today's random post has nothing to do with any book I am writing. Just giving you an advance warning.
Last night I actually heard the phrase "Bees Knees" used in a commercial - for McDonald's. I couldn't believe it.
I was convinced I hadn't heard it correctly, but when the same commercial came on again a short while later, there it was as plain as day, "Bees Knees."
I can't tell you how much I loved hearing that. Call me old-fashioned. Call me weird (you wouldn't be the first or the last, I assure you). But I love those old phrases that no one uses anymore.
Phrases like:
Bees Knees
The Cat's Pajamas
The Cat's Meow
Ab-so-lute-ly
Horsefeathers
Applesauce
Hittin' all Sixes
Glad Rags
I for one vote to bring some of those fun old phrases back.
For a great book that uses so many of those fabulous phrases, check out Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter. It's an oldie but a goodie!
Last night I actually heard the phrase "Bees Knees" used in a commercial - for McDonald's. I couldn't believe it.
I was convinced I hadn't heard it correctly, but when the same commercial came on again a short while later, there it was as plain as day, "Bees Knees."
I can't tell you how much I loved hearing that. Call me old-fashioned. Call me weird (you wouldn't be the first or the last, I assure you). But I love those old phrases that no one uses anymore.
Phrases like:
Bees Knees
The Cat's Pajamas
The Cat's Meow
Ab-so-lute-ly
Horsefeathers
Applesauce
Hittin' all Sixes
Glad Rags
I for one vote to bring some of those fun old phrases back.
For a great book that uses so many of those fabulous phrases, check out Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter. It's an oldie but a goodie!
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