Living and Loving the Dream #OpenBook Blog Hop

December 7, 2020

If you had unlimited money to start and maintain a business, what would it be?

Nobody says the business has to be conventionally successful, correct? Because I have all the money to maintain it? Including a salary for me?

Then this question is too easy. I want a combination bookstore (new and used)  and needlepoint supplies business. The best of my addictions in one spot.

I loved when I used to shop for needlepoint yarn at this  shop that had drawer after drawer of yarn in various colors and textures. Then there was more draped from hooks on the walls. How much fun could I have recreating that feeling and sharing it with others?

And the books? I could open up the shop to the many authors I’ve met. Not only the locals or the big names, but everyone like me who is struggling to find a place in the literary community. I propose readings once a week, with a small donation requested to help cover the cost of refreshments. Maybe I could mix the middle list and big name authors with the lesser known ones. Two authors at each reading. The readers would get a favorite and a new favorite.

The shelves would also have lots of books on the art of needlepoint, along with patterns for my crafters. Big, soft chairs for the readers to enjoy as they browsed through books.  I’d love to have some shop cats, too, but that might be a problem with all the yarn. 

What else? Music playing in the background and a few CDs for sale. Native American, Celtic folk songs, local musicians, whatever struck my fancy. And I’d be open to my customers suggesting new styles to add to the mix.

I’d better not forget a small play area for the kiddos, so mamas can have a little extra time to browse books.

I think that will do it! Got any suggestions to add to my shop? I’m open to ideas! And tell me about your dream business in the comments. I’m waiting!

Don’t forget to check out the other authors on this hop by following the links below,

And, until next time, please be safe!

December 7, 2020

If you had unlimited money to start and maintain a business, what would it be?

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

 


There’s a Stranger in Town #OpenBook Blog Hop

November 30, 2020

Every story starts with a stranger in town or a journey. “Pa, we’re takin’ the wagon to Virginia City,” every story ends with “Golly gee, Wally. I thought we were goners.” True or False?

I really wanted to say, ‘nope, that’s not the way it works.’ And if I dig hard enough, I can probably find examples to contradict it. But there’s lots of truth to the premise.

Let’s start with my Free Wolves series. It’s backwards from the theory because each of my main characters is the stranger that came to town. Dot, Tasha, and Lori are the outsiders trying to fit in and find their place. Here’s Tasha’s (from Wolves’ Knight)  beginning:

Her tactical knife slid easily from its ankle sheath. With a curse, Tasha leaped out of the leather chair and slid across the wooden conference table, praying she’d make it in time.

Although the stories are from the same ‘world’ they feature different characters and each story can be read as a stand-alone. Each story introduces a new stranger and a new situation.

The Harmony Duprie Mysteries are different. The Marquesa’s Necklace, the first one, opens with the stranger in town.

I first noticed him at the other end of the row when I glanced up to find another book. I recognize most of the regular patrons, and he wasn’t one of them.

But because each story is told in the same world, the little city of Oak Grove, the villain may not be a stranger but someone from Harmony’s town. Perhaps someone she didn’t know well, or doesn’t know at all. Or perhaps it’s someone she thought was a friend. (I’m trying not to give too many clues!) The Samurai’s Inro is a good example of this. (Yes, a minor character is from out of town, but the book doesn’t begin with him.)

In the sixth and final book of the series, the Ranger’s Dogtags,  Harmony becomes the stranger in town after going on a journey. I got both tropes covered there! 

How about those endings? “Golly gee, Wally. I thought we were goners.”  There’s lots of books that this doesn’t hold true for—I’m thinking mostly of women’s fiction and romances. For my own books, I’ll argue that one a technicality. My stories combine romantic elements with action and adventure. Yes, my characters are placed in life-threatening situations, but I wrap every story up with the romance. Because I believe in happily ever after. 

The next thing I knew, he’d pulled me into his arms and his lips were devouring mine.

I may have been a wee bit distracted with kissing him back, but I swear my toes curled, birds sang, and fireworks exploded in the background.

And magic happened.

Let’s find out what our other authors have to say by following the links below.

And, until next time, please stay safe,

November 30, 2020

Every story starts with a stranger in town or a journey. “Pa, we’re takin’ the wagon to Virginia City,” every story ends with “Golly gee, Wally. I thought we were goners.” True or False?

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

 


Gift Giving – The Bad and the Ugly #OpenBook Blog Hop

 

November 23
The holiday season is just around the corner. What’s the worst gift you’ve ever received? What’s the worst one you have ever given?

Sure, I know all about the languages of love. I’m an acts of service type of person when it comes to giving, and the gift of words when I’m receiving. (Does that surprise anyone? An author wanting to hear affirmations?) But physical gifts are good too, except I’m terrible at coming up with ideas for other people to give me. Jewelry used to be my fallback, but I’ve got so much now I can’t wear it all. With the pandemic, I’m not wearing any. I have to remember to put in earrings once in a while so the holes in my ears don’t close.

Now that I think about it, I was probably the same as a kid. I valued kind words and was hard to buy for. It wasn’t that I got bad gifts; it was more that I didn’t get the gifts on the top of my wish list.

There was the year I asked for a Bible for Christmas. I might have been in ninth grade at the time, but I’m not sure. You’d think that wouldn’t be a strange request in a religious family, right? But come Christmas, a Bible wasn’t one of the presents under the tree. I can’t tell you what I did receive, but I never understood why I didn’t get the Bible. I bought myself one when I got my first job.

Or there was the year I asked for a game board that was a combination checkers/chess/billiards set. I didn’t get one, but my older brother did. (Can you imagine my parents scratching their heads about that dilemma?) I ended up getting one from my husband the first year we were married. (And they still make them!)

My hubby is pretty good at giving gifts. But I made a rule early in our marriage that he wasn’t allowed to give me appliances as gifts unless I specifically requested them. He’s been really good at sticking to it.

Now, what’s the worst gift I’ve ever given?

You can probably guess that I’m bad at giving physical gifts, but not for the lack of trying. I need a list. Don’t tell me ‘whatever.’ I may get the right band but the wrong album. Or the wrong genre of music altogether. The wrong color or size of shirt. Or one that shrinks the first time it’s washed!

What’s the worst gift I’ve ever given? I don’t know. I’ve learned from it (I hope!) and wiped it from my memory. 

Do you want to tell us about the worst gift you ever got? Head down to the comments and share. That way I can add them to my list of things never to buy. 

Don’t forget to check out all the other authors on this hop by following the links below.

Until next time, stay safe out there!

November 23
The holiday season is just around the corner. What’s the worst gift you’ve ever received? What’s the worst one you have ever given?

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


Writing in the Time of Covid #OpenBook Blog Hop

November 16, 2020

Has the pandemic affected your writing? If so, how? Have your writing habits changed in reaction to the ‘different’ world we are faced with?

I started working from home way long ago (back in March, but it seems like forever).  My first thought was it would be ‘interesting,’ but was happy to think of all the extra time I’d get to write because I didn’t have to travel back and forth to work. All I had to do was walk downstairs to my computer.

At first, it was true. Sure, I missed the face-to face-interactions with my coworkers, but we got our work done, despite all the extra things thrown our way.  What I didn’t count on was the pandemic lasting this long.

But here we are, nine months later, with things getting worse and no end in sight. Although I’m still writing, I’m finding myself become more reflective about the words I’m putting on paper. That might be because I’m working on the last book in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries and I want to make it the best of the series. Or maybe because I don’t foresee having the opportunity to participate in book signings, so I’m not in a rush to meet a deadline.

And I’ve given myself the month of November to ‘play.’ If you’ve never heard of it, November is NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. The idea is to try to write 50,00 words in one month. It’s tougher than you might think, especially for someone with a full-time job. I’m writing a story from Jake’s point of view (Jake in the anti-hero in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries) and he’s full of surprises. I don’t foresee there being a market for the story, but I’m writing it anyway.

The biggest difference I see in myself is that I’m finding it harder to keep my focus, in my writing, in my work, and in my personal life. And  I miss interacting with potential readers at events. I should have been in Estes Park last weekend, at the Deadly Realities book show. And next weekend, I should have been at the Steampunk event in Loveland. Hey y’all, how are you?

What does all this mean for me when we get to the other side of this crisis? I don’t know. I hate making predictions. No promises, but I should have a new book ready for you.

And because I’m having fun with it, here’s a totally unedited snippet from Jake’s story, with an early interaction between him and Harmony. Please excuse any and all typos and mistakes.

“Can I at least get a goodnight kiss?”
He hoped she’d step off that final stair so they’d be on solid ground, but she stayed where she was. Instead, she took his face between her hands and stared into his eyes. At the moment when he couldn’t take it anymore and was ready to pull her into his arms, she brought her mouth down to meet his. It was a soft kiss, lips only, but it set his senses on fire. Her flowery scent enveloped him, the softness of her hands soothed him, the sweetness of her lips made him hungry for more. He wasn’t ready for the moment when she pulled away. 
“Good night, Jake,” she said as she turned and ran up the stairs. 

Any other woman he would have followed, but not her, Jake thought, as he swirled his bottom-shelf whiskey in the chipped glass.

Let’s find out how everyone else is doing by following the links below.

And, until next time, stay safe!

November 16, 2020

Has the pandemic affected your writing? If so, how? Have your writing habits changed in reaction to the ‘different’ world we are faced with?

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

 


The Eyes Have It #OpenBook Blog Hop

November 9, 2020

What would be the hardest thing for you to give up?

It’s one of my deepest fears. That someday I’ll go blind. Oh, I know that I’d be able to “read” books on audio, and even train myself to “write” using one of the dictation programs out there, but they wouldn’t make up for the loss of sight.

I can’t imagine never seeing another snowfall glittering among the pine trees. Or watching my grandchildren grow, even if it is by internet calls in these days of distancing. It would be hard to be unable to create another needlepoint piece or even sew a button back on a shirt.

Image by Helmut Strasil from Pixabay

It hurts to wonder what it would be like to never gaze upon the glory of the mountains or experience the joy of stumbling upon a field of mountain wildflowers. To feel the warmth of sunshine on my skin but never see the light. To live in darkness.

I can’t imagine the sadness of lying by my husband, to feel him, to touch him, to smell him, but not to see him.

The hardest thing for me to give up? My eyes.

To find out what our other authors don’t want to give up, follow the links below.

Until next time, stay safe.

November 9, 2020

What would be the hardest thing for you to give up?

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.

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Laughing At Myself #OpenBook Blog Hop

November 2, 2020

Is humor an important element is your stories? Do you ever laugh at something you’ve written?

Once upon a time, I attempted to portray myself as a comedian in a school talent show. It didn’t go well.  I’m much older now, and my sense of humor has changed and warped. I’ve learned well from some masters of sexual innuendo and dark humor.

But neither of those work for my Harmony Duprie mysteries. I have to rely on humor of a more subtle persuasion. For example, this selection from The Baron’s Cufflinks:

I take pride in being able to finish every book I start but this one tested my limits. I’d picked it up on a whim, but I couldn’t take the idea of a billionaire vampire dinosaur shifter as a hero seriously. That may have been the point, but I wasn’t in the mood for a romantic farce disguised as a cozy mystery.

Even drunk, I wouldn’t be able to read it, and I couldn’t foist it off on any of my friends with a clear conscience. I wondered if there was time to ditch it in the camper, buried in the bottom cabinet behind the pots and pans. If my friends ever found it, they’d never connect it to me.

Come on, tell me that’s a little funny. But thank heavens, I don’t have to support myself as a stand-up comedian.

The Harmony stories are the perfect tool for a touch of lightheartedness. Her friends believe she takes herself too seriously and try to get her to loosen up. It doesn’t always go well, but they try. 

Here’s a quick example of Harmony overthinking life from The Marquesa’s Necklace:

The bus ride home seemed longer than the morning’s trip as I studied each person getting on for a potential threat. Was the little gray-haired lady with the oversize purse and shopping bag packing a handgun? Did the teenage boy wearing a long black coat keep ninja stars in his pockets? And the woman in her mid-twenties holding a little girl’s hand? Was the child was just a prop, borrowed for the afternoon, solely to throw off suspicion? In reality, was the woman a super spy waiting for a chance to drug me and cart me off to her remote hideaway?

The Free Wolves stories are different. There may be moments of humor, but I don’t try to include it as a major part of the books. Like Harmony, the characters in the books take themselves seriously. And for good reason. They’re trying to save their piece of the world.

So, back to Harmony. In The Ranger’s Dogtags, the book in progress, opportunities for humor are slim. I didn’t even try to be funny, and rely on secondary characters to supply breaks from the action. Harmony is in over her head in this story, (more than usual!) and I’ve tried to make the writing reflect that. I’m hoping my readers will forgive me for the change.

About the second half of the question. Do I ever make myself laugh? Truth is, it takes a lot to make me laugh, but next to nothing to make me smile. And yes, Harmony and her friends make me smile. I hope they make the reader smile, too.

I’m hoping Phil is going to throw some outrageous piece of prose at us and make me grin. It’ll be interesting to see what everyone else on this hop shares this week. You can find out by following the links below.

Until next time, stay safe!

November 2, 2020

Is humor an important element is your stories? Do you ever laugh at something you’ve written?

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

 


Let It Snow! Fires and Halloween #OpenBook Blog Hop

 

October 26, 2020

Halloween/Fall is coming, do you celebrate? What does that look like? Is it different this year? 

My answer for this week’s prompt has changed today from what it would have been yesterday. You see, after a glorious but short fall, winter is already here.

Growing up in Pennsylvania, a light snowfall before Halloween was part of the tradition. Our costumes would allow us to wear light jackets or sweaters when we made the rounds through the neighborhood. Ghosts were a popular choice. 

As an adult, the years I spent in Oregon and Florida were different. Costumes were more elaborate and kids and parents put more effort into them, (Or spent more money on them!) and I loved handing out treats and taking our children to collect theirs. The biggest worry was was the rain. Luckily, umbrellas are a thing.

Here in Wyoming, the weather is a guessing game.  After warm temperatures earlier this week, we’re in the middle of a winter storm, with 10 inches of snow predicted. I think we’ve received closer to a foot, (the drifts make it hard to tell) and it’s supposed to snow for a few more hours. I shoveled out the driveway this morning to take my son to work, but by later afternoon, it had already filled back in.

I’m not complaining about the snow. We have several major forest fires in the area, and the snow will help get them under control. The fires have shut down Rocky Mountain National Park, required evacuations, and many people have lost their homes. If you haven’t heard of them, check out the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome Fires. I mentioned a few weeks ago about some of my favorite parts of the world burning, and it’s only gotten worse.

Back to Halloween. The hubby and I were discussing whether to participate this year. (The city hasn’t shut it down.) But the numbers of people infected with the virus-that-shall-not-be-named is skyrocketing locally, and we never got that many kids anyway. 

So, sadly, this year we are skipping Halloween. Oh, I’ll keep a bag of candy handy in case some brave kids stop by, but I suspect we’ll end up eating most of it. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it. Maybe by next year, things will settle down and we can enjoy the holiday again.

How about you? How are you handling Halloween this year? You’re welcome to share in the comments. I’ll be waiting for you! In the meantime, you can also check out what our other authors are doing by following the links below.

Until next time, stay safe.

October 26, 2020

Halloween/Fall is coming, do you celebrate? What does that look like? Is it different this year?

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

 

 


He Said, She Said: Embracing Dialogue #OpenBook Blog Hop

 

October 19, 2020

Do you embrace dialog or narrate your way around it? Why?

“Evening, Ms. Duprie,” he said, as he took the brim of his hat between his thumb and index finger for the briefest of moments. “Welcome back.”  from The Marquesa’s Necklace

And welcome (or welcome back) to all of you! 

I couldn’t resist. Despite recently coming across a “rule” that you should never start a book with dialogue (does that count for blog posts, too?) I had to do it. Open with dialogue, that is. 

Because yes, I’ve fully embraced dialogue in my stories. Because no matter how well-written, it’s hard to read page after page of prose with long paragraphs and few breaks. For me, anyway. I used to be able to do it, but my mind doesn’t work that way anymore. And if I can’t read it, I certainly don’t want to write it.

That doesn’t mean I ignore narrative prose. I also don’t want to read page after page of dialogue, like reading a script for a play.  The trick is in finding a balance between the two. And using that balance to move the story along. 

The first thing I noticed when walking into my apartment was the afghan I kept on the back of the recliner. It was on the floor and hadn’t been like that when I left. “So who’s been sitting in my chair?” I asked. “Eli?” I called hopefully to no response.

Then I noticed the dirty dishes in my kitchen sink. “So who’s been eating my porridge?” I whispered to myself. Surely a thief wouldn’t have stopped to make himself a sandwich.

I tip-toed down the hallway, holding my breath. The bathroom was empty, but my bedroom door was partially closed. I carefully pushed it open and peeked inside. A familiar head nestled on my pillow. “So that’s who’s been sleeping in my bed.”  from Her Ladyship’s Ring

That was a fun scene to write. Even though the dialogue was one-sided, it moved the plot forward.

It can be tough to write dialogue for more than two people in the scene. The standard “he said” or “she said” dialogue tags don’t work when there’s more than one he or she.  That’s when the use of actions and descriptions come into play. 

“You waiting for someone?” a gruff voice asked to my right.
“My ride,” I answered blandly, without looking up. I didn’t want to show any interest.
“The night is young,” came a second voice from my left.
I was in trouble. The voices held no hint of helpfulness. “And I have an early morning. So it’s time for me to go home.”
“Don’t you want to party with us?” The smell of alcohol lingered heavily on the first man’s breath.
“No thanks.”
The man on the left reached out and grabbed my arm. “Sure you do.” from The Baron’s Cufflinks

The rules are different for non-fiction and screenwriting, of course. We have at least one screenwriter in this group and I’m looking forward reading to her post. (You can follow the links below to find the other posts)

One more thing before I go. I checked twice, and either dialog or dialogue are acceptable spellings according to the grammar police. So, let’s not start that argument! 

Until next time, stay safe!

October 19, 2020

Do you embrace dialog or narrate your way around it? Why?

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 Favorite Fruit Dish #OpenBook Blog Hop

October 12, 2020

What is your favorite fruit dish? Can you share a recipe for it? Do you include food in your stories? While we’re talking about food, pumpkin, yea or nay?

Throw a bunch of different kinds of fresh melons (cut up in chunks) into a big bowl. Add some blueberries and a sliced-up  banana. Skip the grapes. Scoop out enough to fill an average cereal bowl. There you go. We’re done.

Oh, You were looking for an actual recipe? Well, I was going to reveal the secret to this great ‘pie’ made with blueberry and cherry pie fillings, and  cream cheese and a other goodies, but it’s been a few years since I made it and I can’t find the recipe. 

So, let me tell you about Mrs. Sherman’s Berry Cobbler.

Mrs. Sherman was this sweet little old lady my hubby and I rented from for a few years. None of her kids lived nearby, and  we kind of adopted each other. We helped her with her yard work, she’d give us a break on rent. We helped her with her vegetable garden, she gave us space to grow our own veggies. We maintained her apple trees and got to share in the fruit.  Come harvest time, we swapped the results of our efforts. Sometimes, we’d invite her for supper and she’d fall asleep on our couch watching TV. Anyway, this was a recipe she shared.

Image by Beverly Buckley from Pixabay

Mrs. Sherman’s Berry Cobbler (Best made with the wild blackberries that grew alongside the edge of the garden)

preheat oven to 350°F

1/4 cup soft butter (Can use shortening but the butter is better)

1/2 cup sugar

Cream together until light and fluffy.

1 cup sifted flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Sift together and stir into butter/sugar mixture, alternating with 1/2 cup milk. Beat until smooth and pour into a greased oblong pan.

Over this batter, spoon 1 1/2 cups washed and drained berries of your choice. (or more, if you want, depending upon the size of your pan.) Sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar over the berries, then pour 1 cup berry juice over the whole thing. Bake about 45 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Enjoy!

Now, do I include food in my stories? Absolutely. I haven’t shared any recipes, but so much of my dialogue occurs over meals or snacks, it’s only natural. That, and Harmony, my main character in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries. does a lot of cooking for herself to save money. The food she had pre-made and frozen for her meals  became a minor plot point in Her Ladyship’s Ring.

Almost cheerful after talking to Eli, I headed home. My stomach growled as I unlocked the door to my apartment and pushed it open, reminding me the only thing I’d eaten at the Flamingo were peanuts. The package of frozen lasagna thawing in the fridge awaited me. Although leftover lasagna always tasted better when I rewarmed it in the oven, the microwave would have to do for once.

After flipping on the light, tossing my purse on the easy chair and hanging my coat on the coat tree, I headed towards the kitchen. As I filled a glass with water from the pitcher I kept in the refrigerator, I hesitated. Where did the package of lasagna go? I was sure I’d put it on the second shelf, right under the water.

“I must be losing my ‘friggin mind,” I muttered and set the glass on the cupboard to free my hands. Either that, or I was still asleep and dreamed the whole thing. Not like I believed either one. Still, I moved aside everything from the front of the shelves and opened every drawer, and didn’t find what I was looking for. I did find an out-of-date yogurt container, which I promptly tossed in the garbage, but no lasagna.

Puzzled, I opened up the freezer. Maybe it had been just my imagination. But no, there was an empty spot right where the package had been.

I considered the mystery as I warmed up a can of tomato soup, even checking the garbage to make sure I hadn’t accidentally put the lasagna there. Sitting on top of the cereal box I’d emptied at breakfast, I spotted the balled up foil, all that remained of my lasagna.

While my soup cooled off, I rushed through the apartment, looking for something, anything, out of place or missing. I should have called 911 but experience told me they would find nothing. I certainly did. Even the ring was untouched and it was in plain view on my dresser.

Although I wasn’t hungry anymore, I couldn’t waste the soup. After reheating it, I sat at my kitchen table and ate the soup straight from the pot. No sense in dirtying another dish. Whoever had been inconsiderate enough to eat my supper had been considerate enough to wash their own dishes. The contradiction puzzled and annoyed me.

Find out more about Her Ladyships Ring here:  https://www.pjmaclayne.com/?page_id=245

As for pumpkin? Sure, in small amounts. It gets old fast.

Now, let’s go check what everyone has to say. Just follow the links below.

Until next time, stay safe!

October 12,2020

What is your favorite fruit dish? Can you share a recipe for it? Do you include food in your stories? While we’re talking about food, pumpkin, yea or nay?

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

 


Creating a Series Book Bible #OpenBook Blog Hop

 

October 5, 2020

When writing a sequel or series with the same characters, do you ever have to refer back to your first book because you forgot what you wrote about a certain character?

When I started writing The Marquesa’s Necklace, I didn’t expect for the book to turn into a series. Even halfway through the first draft, when I had an inkling there might be a second book, I didn’t expect to ever need to refer back to the first book. When Harmony convinced me to write a series, I had no idea what I was in for.

The second book, Her Ladyship’s Ring, wasn’t bad. Sure, I had to go back and verify descriptions here and there, but the first book was still fresh on my mind, so it wasn’t a lot of extra work.

But the third book in the series, The Baron’s Cufflinks, was interrupted by a story in the Free Wolves series. Tasha, from Wolves Pawn, demanded I write her story. Immediately. So, I did. And by the time I got back to Cufflinks, I’d lost track of details, and I had to refer back to books 1 and 2 on a regular basis. Things got complicated.

By the time I hit the fourth book in the Harmony Duprie series, I wished I had a book bible – a list of characters, descriptions, which books they were in,  whether they were good or bad. It was getting harder to keep track of names I’d used for minor characters. (I didn’t want to repeat them.) I started a list, but it wasn’t comprehensive. I added some to it working on The Samurai’s Inro, book 5, but it still wasn’t complete.

And here I am on book 6, The Ranger’s Dogtags. I thought it would be easier because I took Harmony out of Oak Grove and away from most of the continuing characters. But in typical Harmony fashion, things didn’t go as expected, and a character I thought I was done with from book 1 showed up.  And yes, I had to go back and look up the name and description.  You’ll have to wait to find out who.

But this is the last book in the Harmony Mysteries, (Well, for now) so I haven’t worked on the spreadsheet.  But, lesson learned. When I start my next story, I’ll keep track of characters as they come along.

Now, let’s find out what the other authors on this loop have to tell us. Just follow the links below.

Until next time, stay safe!

October 5, 2020

When writing a sequel or series with the same characters, do you ever have to refer back to your first book because you forgot what you wrote about a certain character?

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