Someday, When I Grow Up #OpenBook Blog Hop

Dec 4, 2023

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Cowboy. Astronaut. Doctor. I didn’t want to be any of those. The first thing I remember wanting to be when I grew up was a hermit. The idea of living in a small cabin in the woods filled with books seemed like an ideal setup. (And no, there was no cat in the picture.)

Of course, I was too young to think of the practicalities. How would I get food? I also always wanted to be a pioneer. Davy Crocket or Daniel Boone, depending on my mood. They were pretty interchangeable to my young mind.

As I got older, I wavered between wanting to be a librarian or a forest ranger. I considered a career with the CIA, probably inspired by Dorothy Gilman’s The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax series. (I gave up when I realized I was no good with languages other than English.)  I had no interest in traditional female jobs like teaching or nursing.

I’ve done many jobs in my life, but the only one from the list above is librarian. I worked as a part-time librarian in a small town public library. The job only lasted about a year because we moved away. I never got to be a hermit—although life in Covid-years made it feel that way sometimes—and the closest I got to being a forest ranger was introducing girls in Girl Scouts to the joys of the out of doors. The career I retired from didn’t exist back when I was a child.

 

How about you? What did you want to be when you grew up? Find out about our authors and there plans by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

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My Favorite Bookstore #OpenBook Blog Hop

Nov. 27, 2023

Do you have a favorite bookstore?

The nearest bookstore to me is 35 miles away. I haven’t been there. There are a few second-hand stores nearer that have a small assortment of books, but no extension selection. None of them are my favorite.

There’s always an on-line store. You know the name. I’ll buy an occasional e-book from them.

So where have I bought my new books this year?

If you follow me on social media, you know about all the events I participated in this past year. Everything from an organized book signing to a comic book con to local community festivals. I’ve met a lot of other authors and bought and traded books. I did nine events this year and I believe I ended up with seven books. (There were two events that I was the only author at.)

The number of authors was limited, but they were all ‘local’ and represented a variety of genres. Local to the bookstore’s location, anyway. 

So, my favorite bookstore is over 100 miles long and about 40 miles wide. I hope to expand that next year. It includes dozens of small towns, farms, and state game lands. Places like Oleopolis and Frizzleburg.  Maybe I’ll even make it into a few ‘real’ bookstores. That’s my goal if I get my work in progress ready for release in time. (I’m making progress. I’m at about 59,000 words. It has gone places I didn’t expect and hasn’t gone a few directions I’d planned!)

What about you? Do you have a favorite bookstore? Tell us about it in the comments.

Don’t forget to check in with the other authors on this hop and find out about their. Just follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Nov. 27, 2023

Do you have a favorite bookstore?


Literary Characters I Identify With #OpenBook Blog Hop

Nov. 20, 2023

Is there a literary character you identify with? (not one of your own)

This is a tough one for me. At first thought, no one comes to mind. There’s lots of characters in books I admire, but don’t identify with. Thing is, I read books to escape my reality. When reading fantasies, I don’t expect to find characters that lead simple lives and aren’t in the public eye. I’ve been married for close to fifty years, and my personal romance beats anything in a book.

I don’t expect to identify with a sword and sorcery heroine as much as I enjoy their stories. Same for sci-fi characters. And in literary fiction, there’s always some characteristic of the main character which sets them apart from both the reader and reality.

I don’t even identify with my own characters. Sure, there may be overlap between my life and theirs, but I work hard to make sure they have their own personalities, their own lives. Of course, they are a big part of making sure that happens. They tell me who they are and what motivates them. (Then there’s Annie, the main character in my work in progress. My graphic artist says I’m not just writing dark, I’m writing black.)

Back to the question — is there a literary character I identify with? I’m not a hero or the chosen one. I’m just another person you might run into in your daily life and I prefer it that way. The best I can do is try to bring a smile to someone. And who wants to read about that? I’m probably missing someone obvious, but there you are.

How about you? Is there a literary character you identify with? How about the other authors on this hop? You can find out by following the links below.

As always, please stay safe until the next time.

Nov. 20, 2023

Is there a literary character you identify with? (not one of your own)

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


How It Started…Origin Stories #OpenBook Blog Hop

Nov 13, 2023

Do you have an ‘origin’ story for any of your stories? Where do your ideas come from?

I’ve told this story many times. The Marquesa’s Necklace, the first book in my Harmony Duprie mysteries, started off as a paranormal romance called The Ghost Who Loved Me. It was a take on The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, a TV series from the late 1960s. I don’t remember ever following the show, but I must have caught bits and pieces of an episode or two. That may have been during a period when the family didn’t have a working TV. (Not because my parents couldn’t afford one, they just didn’t think we needed one.)

But back to The Ghost Who Loved Me. . . Harmony was created as a librarian in a small town library who encounters a ghost in the stacks. Eli. Of course, it takes her a bit to figure out he’s a ghost. You can still see throwbacks to that plot in the book.

It was difficult to judge because I was sitting on the floor, but I guessed him to be taller than me. His wavy sand-brown hair was the perfect length to run my fingers through, although I had no expectation of that ever happening. His clothes—white shirt, brown slacks and brown blazer with elbow patches—reminded me of a college professor out of a movie from the 1970s. As he turned and I could see his eyes, the cell phone is my jeans pocket vibrated. By the time I looked back up from the screen, he’d disappeared.

and:
That’s when I ran into him the second time. I was doing my normal thing of walking through the 940s with my nose in a book and I almost bumped into him. A sudden rush of cold air made me stop in my tracks and look up into a pair of eyes such a light blue they were almost gray.

“Oops, sorry about that.” I reached out to stop myself from falling, but he backed away. I managed to latch onto a shelf instead, so I didn’t end up with my face on the floor. My book did fall, and he bent over and picked it up. Without so much as a smile, he handed it to me and walked away without a word. Annoyed, I stood there with my mouth open and watched him turn the corner and vanish from my view. As I returned to my book, I smelled the most unusual thing. I don’t know if it was his aftershave or what, but it made me think of freshly-turned dirt.

Anyway, Harmony and Eli wouldn’t stand for it, and they let me know in no uncertain terms that Eli was flesh and blood. He had reasons for his elusive nature, which were revealed by the end of the story. The plot also went from romance to mystery, although a romantic subplot remained. As a tribute to the beginnings, I often added in a touch of paranormal to the mysteries. The house that Harmony renovated had a ghost that inhabited the third floor. Or was that just the old house creaking in the wind?

I still love the original title. Maybe I’ll use it for another book.

Bonus story: But in that first book, I also introduced Jake Hennessey, Eli’s cousin and Harmony’s ex. He was meant to be a throwaway character. One and done.

And what did he do? Turn up in book two, Her Ladyship’s Ring. He invited himself in, grabbed a beer, took a seat, and hung out for the rest of the series, getting in my way. I tried to write him out numerous times. but he kept coming back.

For example, in The Baron’s Cufflinks:

“Call me when you get there.” I leaned into the Charger planning to kiss Jake on the cheek. His trunk and back seat were stuffed with suitcases, boxes, and bags of his clothes and belongings, and I worried he’d have a hard time seeing traffic around him.

He turned his head at just the wrong moment and I ended up kissing his nose. Jake being Jake, couldn’t resist the opportunity. He pulled my head down farther and planted a big, juicy kiss on my lips. “If you ever get tired of Eli, you know how to reach me,” he said, grinning. “Chicago isn’t that far away.”

But later in the story

Still mapping out my plans for the morning—where would I park? Did I need to buy a pair of binoculars first?—I pulled into the parking lot of the bar I’d chosen for a drink. Just one, to get the lay of the land. It looked like the kind of place where cheaters would go. A little on the trashy side, but not taken over by meth-heads. A place where a private eye might hang out to catch a straying spouse in the act.

And there, holding court at the bar, was the last person I expected to see.

Jake.

That wasn’t what I’d planned. Not even close. But it worked and I went with it.

When I finished The Ranger’s Dog Tags, the last book in the Harmony series, I was ready to move on. I had two different stories I was toying with. I even started one. Then Jake happened. He popped into my head and informed me I was going to write his tale. I told him he’d lost his turn when he refused to talk to me several years earlier, when I tried to figure out his origin. He just grinned and told me nope, I wouldn’t be able to shove him aside. What’s a writer supposed to do? So, I wrote The Fall Of Jake Hennessy, followed by The Rise of Jake Hennessey. 

 

Check out the origin stories from the other authors on this hop by following the links below.

As always, please stay safe until next time.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 


Best vs Favorite Opening Paragraph #OpenBook Blog Hop

Nov. 6, 2023

What is the best opening paragraph you’ve written? (inspired by a comment by Richard) Do you have a favorite one that is different?

Finding the right ‘spot’ to start a story is hard. Creating an opening that does it justice and grabs the reader’s attention is harder. Picking my best one is nearly impossible. I’m rather fond of the one in my work-in-progress, which is still unnamed, (I’m always attached to my WIP!) so I’m going to pick it.

Fair warning. This hasn’t been edited, other than the usual tearing it apart and putting it back together a million times again that I do with all my openings. There may be errors, and this isn’t its final form. I’m open to suggestions.

The mellow voice of Hank Jr. disappeared as she closed the bar’s door behind her. When Annie McGregor stepped outside to clear the cigarette smoke from her lungs, the alley behind the Flats Lounge stunk as bad as she expected. The stench of stale alcohol, piss, and rotten eggs courtesy of Pittsburgh’s remaining steel mills, assaulted her. It wasn’t enough to disguise the coppery odor reminiscent of the time her grandpa had butchered a cow during her summer visit to his farm.

Do at least some of you know who I’m referring to as Hank Jr.? Do I need to add his last name?

For my loyal readers—no, this isn’t a Harmony Duprie book. Don’t worry, she’s still enjoying her retirement.

Now, for the second part of the question—which first paragraph is my personal favorite?

I’m fond of the opening paragraph of The Ranger’s Dog Tags. It’s short, but sets the stage. And I’ve always loved writing scenes that feature Dolores.

The squad car screamed down the street, its red and blue lights tearing through the darkness. I feathered the gas pedal and waited for a second set of headlights to pass. Dolores, my salsa-red F-type Jaguar, growled in anticipation.

I wrote almost an entire chapter (that didn’t make the cut) before this part. Remember what I said about finding the right place to start? It’s not easy.

I’m looking forward to reading the opening paragraphs of the other authors on this hop. Check out the links below.

As always, please stay safe until next time.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Nov. 6, 2023

What is the best opening paragraph you’ve written? (inspired by a comment by Richard) Do you have a favorite one that is different?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 


It’s NaNoWriMo Time Again #IWSG

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
The awesome co-hosts for the November 1 posting of the IWSG are PJ Colando, Jean Davis, Lisa Buie Collard, and Diedre Knight!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

November 1 question: November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

I almost missed this month’s posting! November 1st snuck up on me.
 
Yes, I’ve participated in National Novel Writing Month. . In fact, that’s what got me hooked on this little endeavor. I didn’t ‘win’ with my first attempt-I only reached 49.000 words- but I realized how much I enjoyed it. I rewrite that book several times, including switching the point of view, but I could never make in into something worth publishing. It was overly-derivative of someone else’s story.
 
But I learned a lot from the attempt. A year later, I tried again, and that year I reached the goal of over 50,000 words in November. That book wasn’t good enough to take further either, but I learned even more about the process of writing. I have written books during NaNoWriMo that I have published.
 
I won’t be trying this year. I need to put all my efforts into my WIP. It’s up to 42,000 words and I’m feeling good about it. I’m really stretching my abilities in my current effort, but I think it’ll be worth it.
 
For folks who haven’t attempted NaNoWriMo and are considering it, I say unleash your creativity go for it. Even if you don’t make the  goal, you still win.
 
By the way, Happy November!
And until next time, please stay safe.
 
 

Writing While On The Road #OpenBook Blog Hop

Oct 30, 2023

Do you write while you are traveling? How do you make it work?

Late nights. Lots of them.

My traveling days are pretty much over. Last trip I made was a year ago, when I drove to Florida in the middle of a tropical storm to help take care of my daughter and her family after she was injured. Other than that, I spend my time at home, enjoying the place we bought for our retirement. and transforming it into my small slice of paradise.

When we were traveling, we had a habit of returning to our hotel or campground early to relax. While my husband would turn on the TV to browse through the channels, I would reach for my laptop or whatever notebook I was working in. Then we’d sit side-by-side and relax, each in our own way.

Our trip planning always specified that wherever we stayed had internet access. That way I could post the prompts for this hop and keep social media active, even if on a limited basis.

When I was still working, traveling was a way to clear my mind and refresh my creative spirit. (Although the job required me to be available 24/7 in case of emergency, so I could never ‘turn off’ completely.) I could write without worrying about all the bits and pieces of the daily grind.

I still do most of my writing in the evenings-force of habit, I guess, after years of working a day job. But I’m often planning ahead in my head even when I’m doing something else, twisting words I’ve already written to see how they can be improved, arguing with my characters, figuring out where the story wants to go next.

How about our other authors? Do they write while traveling? Find out by following the links below.

And, as always, please stay safe until next time.

Oct 30, 2023

Do you write while you are traveling? How do you make it work?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 


My Introduction to Epic Fantasy #OpenBook Blog Hop

Oct 23, 2023

What is a book you admire for something specific: world building, characters, dialogue, setting, plot twists, etc.

As a kid, I read a book a day. I slowed down in high school, but still read lots of books. But a ‘breakthrough’ read for me was The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which one of my brothers brought home from college and left behind. (I’ve mentioned this in an earlier blog, but I still have those books. They’ve put on more miles moving back and forth across the US than some people I know.) They were my introduction to epic high fantasy and fantasy in general. What a great place to start!

I’d always been intrigued by tales about King Arthur, but the adventures of the hobbits and their companions were a far different type of storytelling. The idea that it extended over multiple books was new to me.

Sure, I’d read series like Nancy Drew, but each of those was a self-contained tale and had little in the way of an overall story arc. The four hobbit books opened up a new twist in writing. But I don’t remember feeling that there were artificial cliffhangers at the end of each book. Of course, I did binge-read them and didn’t have to wait for the next book to be released. I’m not that old. (No, I don’t like cliffhangers at the end of books, and I won’t write them, either.)

I didn’t immediately delve into additional books in the fantasy genre, but I haven’t avoided them either. There may be a slight preference for women authors, but it isn’t a determining factor for the books I read. But few of them compare to the magnificence of The Lord of the Rings.

I’m looking forward to learning what books have influenced the other authors on this loop., To join me on the journey, follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Oct 23, 2023

What is a book you admire for something specific: world building, characters, dialogue, setting, plot twists, etc.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

 


Songs of the Times #OpenBook Blog Hop

Oct. 16, 2023

If your WIP had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it? Do you write with some sort of background noise or do you prefer silence? (We may have touched on this before, but it’s a great way to discover new music.

The mellow voice of Hank Jr. disappeared as she closed the door behind her.

That’s the current opening line of my WIP and it sets the soundtrack for the rest of the story. Unlike many of my stories, there isn’t a mention of John Denver in sight. Sure, I mention other genres of music, but the basis is hard luck country all the way. Not my normal standard, but I’ve been having fun delving into the songs of the times.

What’s funny, is that many of the artists who had top 100 songs aren’t artists I think of as country. George Strait is pure country, but Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is more folk, right? And I’m familiar with Alabama as Southern Rock, not country. Willie Nelson is country, but has crossed the lines between types of music many times. There are lots of artists in the top 100 that I don’t even remember. Eddie Raven?

On the soundtrack? Songs about lost loves, hard women, cheap whiskey, guns and pick ’em up trucks. And good ‘ol dogs, of course. How about “A Fire I Can’t Put Out” by George Strait? Or “José Cuervo” by Shelly West?

It’s one of the many rabbit holes I’ve gone down while working on this story. I spent an hour finding the songs used for Jazzercise (and then didn’t mention any of them!) I spent another hour listening to songs as I was writing this post! (Or not writing, because I was busy listening.)

Here’s one to add to your playlist, although it doesn’t match the mood I’m shooting for—George Jones and The One I Loved Back Then. https://youtu.be/uoGqL8_CU3s

These posts are always fun, and I’m looking forward to hearing new songs based on suggestions from the other authors on this hop. You can, too, by following the links below.

As always, please stay safe until next time.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Oct. 16, 2023

If your WIP had a soundtrack, what songs would be on it? Do you write with some sort of background noise or do you prefer silence? (We may have touched on this before, but it’s a great way to discover new music.

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 


Ewoks and Redwoods #OpenBook Blog Hop

Oct 9, 2023

Has a book or movie ever been based somewhere you’ve lived? How did it compare?

Many years ago, the world was taken by storm by the phenomenon of Star Wars. A few years later, work started on the next film, the Return of the Jedi, and was eagerly waited for by fans.

Part of the film, the scenes with the Ewok village, were filmed near where I lived at the time. It was an open secret that the filming was happening, but I don’t know of anyone who tried to show up on the site. Parts of the filming took place at Jedediah Smith State Park, about 10 miles away, more of it on nearby private land.

And the backgrounds in the movie were realistic. Redwoods and the underlying bushes are marvels of nature. I often went for long walks in the various forests. Note: Part of the private land is now the site of a maximum security prison. Other areas, including the state parks, have been ravaged by forest fires. I don’t think any of the bigger redwood trees have been destroyed.

It’s hard to describe the impact of seeing a redwood for the first time. I’ve left a piece of my soul with them.

 

 

 

 

 

The scenes in the movie are enhanced, naturally, but they hold true the spirit of the area. (No, there are villages high among the trees. Not for humanoid creatures, anyway.)

I’ve lived in several area that have had books written or movies made about them (Cheyenne and cowboys, anyone? How about Daytona Beach?) but the redwoods are the most memorable.

How about anyone else? Where have you been that has been memorialized in a book or movie? Let’s follow the links below and see what the other authors share.

Until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Oct 9, 2023

Has a book or movie ever been based somewhere you’ve lived? How did it compare?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.