P.J. MacLayne

Happy New Year! We’ve made it to 2017 and have a chance to start fresh. At least, that’s what the pundits tell us. Over and over again. So let’s talk about making resolutions.

The experts also tell us we should use the new year to make resolutions. Things about ourselves that we want to change. Butt my question is, why wait?

So the simple answer to the question of “Do you make New Year’s resolutions?” is a resounding NO!

I prefer to make my resolutions throughout the year. No waiting for a new year. If I need to make a change in myself, I need to start now, not in a month or two. Or three.

Experience has shown that most people don’t keep their resolutions anyway. Ask the experts at the fitness places.

So what is my current resolution that I made before the New Year started? I owe my readers a couple of books, one in each series. I’d like to get them both published during the first half on 2017. I’m this close to finishing the first draft of Wolves’ Gambit, then I can go into an editing frenzy for both it and The Baron’s Cufflinks.

So do you make resolutions? You can tell me about them in the comments. And to find out what our other authors have to say, check out the links below.

January 2 – New Years resolutions or no? If yes, what are yours? If no, why?
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It’s the day after Christmas, and I hope that whatever holiday you celebrate, your day was happy. Although Christmas is about so much more than gifts, there’s no denying that most of us look forward to receiving a package or two. So this week we’re taking about the favorite present we ever got, as well as the ones we wanted and didn’t get.

The best gift I ever received? That’s an easy one. My daughter. She was born a few days before Christmas. The tree was up before I went into labor, thank heavens, and even at a few days old she appeared to watch the blinking lights. I was glad she was born before Christmas, on not on Christmas itself, so we’d always be able to make her birthday about her.

And the gifts I wanted and didn’t get? Two come to mind. The first was a Bible, interestingly enough. I think I was a sophomore when I asked for Bible for Christmas and didn’t get one. I never asked why not, but I got other things on my list. My parents were religious folks, so it didn’t make sense to me. That’s probably why I remember it. (When I got my first job, I bought one.)

The second thing I remember asking for and not receiving was a Carrom board. It was a wooden game board that had several different games—checkers, backgammon, a game loosely based on pool that used plastic rings instead of balls, and another game on the back. (see picture.)

And why, you may ask, does this one stick out from all the things I may have asked for and didn’t get? You see, my parents encouraged us to make lists from the Christmas catalogs so they had an idea of what we wanted. We all knew we wouldn’t get everything on the list and there was a limit to the money they’d spend, but at least we’d get something from the list. So what was so memorial about this particular toy?

One of my older brothers got it! I’m assuming he had it on his list as well. I remember being hurt when he unwrapped it, and knowing there wasn’t any way Santa had brought two. I’m sure I got other things on my list, and my brother did share it with all of us kids, but it always bugged me that he got it and I didn’t. I eventually bought a copy for myself.

So what did you always want for Christmas that you didn’t get? And what was your favorite present? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. And to find out what our other authors wanted, follow the links below.

December 26 – What your favorite Christmas present ever received? What’s the Christmas present you never got and wished you did?
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It’s the day after Christmas, and I hope that whatever holiday you celebrate, your day was happy. Although Christmas is about so much more than gifts, there’s no denying that most of us look forward to receiving a package or two. So this week we’re taking about the favorite present we ever got, as well as the ones we wanted and didn’t get.

The best gift I ever received? That’s an easy one. My daughter. She was born a few days before Christmas. The tree was up before I went into labor, thank heavens, and even at a few days old she appeared to watch the blinking lights. I was glad she was born before Christmas, on not on Christmas itself, so we’d always be able to make her birthday about her.

And the gifts I wanted and didn’t get? Two come to mind. The first was a Bible, interestingly enough. I think I was a sophomore when I asked for Bible for Christmas and didn’t get one. I never asked why not, but I got other things on my list. My parents were religious folks, so it didn’t make sense to me. That’s probably why I remember it. (When I got my first job, I bought one.)

The second thing I remember asking for and not receiving was a Carrom board. It was a wooden game board that had several different games—checkers, backgammon, a game loosely based on pool that used plastic rings instead of balls, and another game on the back. (see picture.)

And why, you may ask, does this one stick out from all the things I may have asked for and didn’t get? You see, my parents encouraged us to make lists from the Christmas catalogs so they had an idea of what we wanted. We all knew we wouldn’t get everything on the list and there was a limit to the money they’d spend, but at least we’d get something from the list. So what was so memorial about this particular toy?

One of my older brothers got it! I’m assuming he had it on his list as well. I remember being hurt when he unwrapped it, and knowing there wasn’t any way Santa had brought two. I’m sure I got other things on my list, and my brother did share it with all of us kids, but it always bugged me that he got it and I didn’t. I eventually bought a copy for myself.

So what did you always want for Christmas that you didn’t get? And what was your favorite present? I’d love to hear from you in the comments. And to find out what our other authors wanted, follow the links below.

December 26 – What your favorite Christmas present ever received? What’s the Christmas present you never got and wished you did?
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“Walking in the rain with the one I love …”

I’ve never been one to be afraid of being out in whatever weather the day throws at me. (with a few exceptions—thunderstorms and -20° temperatures come to mind.) Taking a walk in a gentle rain is a great way to clear my mind. Having lived on the Oregon Coast, I’ve experienced lots of rainy days and gotten wet (by choice or by accident) many times. Taking a walk along the beach (dressed properly for it) with your favorite person is an experience I hope many of you will have.

But sometimes, you want to stay inside. So what to do then?

The first answer is easy. Read. Better yet, put on some of my favorite music and listen while I’m reading. Add a cup of hot cocoa or tea and a favorite blanket and you have the makings of pure bliss. Do I need to even comtinue?

But I will, because if I don’t, this will be a ridiculously short blog post.  And what do you expect from an author but writing? A rainy day is as good excuse as any to avoid yard work and stay inside and write. The rain can be inspiring, bringing with it the scent of fresh air and moist earth, simple joys for a country girl.

Yes, I’ve danced a time or two in the rain when no one was watching. And I’m not a good dancer!

One more thing I like to do when it’s raining. It’s the perfect excuse for a long session of needlepointing. I spread my yarn over the nearest surface, settle into a comfortable chair, and watch the pattern develop as I weave the needle in and out of the canvas.

Want to find out what the other authors have to say? Follow the links below the next video. And feel free to tell me what your favorite rainy-day activity is in the comments.

December 19 – Describe a rainy day activity
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“Walking in the rain with the one I love …”

I’ve never been one to be afraid of being out in whatever weather the day throws at me. (with a few exceptions—thunderstorms and -20° temperatures come to mind.) Taking a walk in a gentle rain is a great way to clear my mind. Having lived on the Oregon Coast, I’ve experienced lots of rainy days and gotten wet (by choice or by accident) many times. Taking a walk along the beach (dressed properly for it) with your favorite person is an experience I hope many of you will have.

But sometimes, you want to stay inside. So what to do then?

The first answer is easy. Read. Better yet, put on some of my favorite music and listen while I’m reading. Add a cup of hot cocoa or tea and a favorite blanket and you have the makings of pure bliss. Do I need to even comtinue?

But I will, because if I don’t, this will be a ridiculously short blog post.  And what do you expect from an author but writing? A rainy day is as good excuse as any to avoid yard work and stay inside and write. The rain can be inspiring, bringing with it the scent of fresh air and moist earth, simple joys for a country girl.

Yes, I’ve danced a time or two in the rain when no one was watching. And I’m not a good dancer!

One more thing I like to do when it’s raining. It’s the perfect excuse for a long session of needlepointing. I spread my yarn over the nearest surface, settle into a comfortable chair, and watch the pattern develop as I weave the needle in and out of the canvas.

Want to find out what the other authors have to say? Follow the links below the next video. And feel free to tell me what your favorite rainy-day activity is in the comments.

December 19 – Describe a rainy day activity
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So, I’m old. I remember TV shows that are in the history books. Roy Rogers on Saturday morning. Ed Sullivan Sunday nights. The original Captain Kangaroo. Art Linkletter on the rare afternoons I stayed home from school because I was sick. Yep, back in the days when everything was in full black and white.

But those aren’t the shows I’d bring back. People have tried and failed.

The original Hawaii Five-O was interesting, but I haven’t seen the remake. The Rockford Files never really grabbed my attention although I may have had a bit of a crush on James Garner. I certainly had a crush on Dennis Weaver in McCloud. It was the story of a modern western lawman in New York City (horse and all!) Think Longmire goes to the big city. Small town cop out-thinks and outwits both the bad guys and the good guys. It gets extra points because one of the shows even had John Denver as a guest star. So                                                                                       that’s the first show on my list.

The second show I’d bring back is the Smothers Brothers. The show was a mix of comedy, variety and social comedy. Granted, some of the humor went over my head when I orginally watched the show, and I look back at some of the clips and go “My parents let me watch
that?” In some ways, the give-and-take between the two brothers reminded me of my own family. I had a soft spot for one of the continuing guests, Pat Paulson, who ran for president six times, starting in 1968. I’m not so sure he wouldn’t have won this year if he was still alive.

Because I like to do things in threes, I’ll give you one more show that I’d like to see come back to TV.  I might even be talked into watching it. I only saw the reruns because the show is older than me but I loved the idea of the noble lawman coming into town, righting wrongs, and disappearing into the sunset, leaving behind a silver bullet. The man behind the black mask was a superhero in his own way, long before Batman came to the small screen. Yes, I’m aware of the various reincarnations of the show, but nothing matches the original.

So that’s my short list. Honorable mention goes to Remington Steele. Although I wasn’t a chold when it was on, and I didn’t watch every episode, I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the two main characters played by Pierce Bronsan and Stephanie Zimbalist. I know other shows have tried (and failed) to emulate that partnership, but I don’t thonk it’s been matched.

So what shows from your childhood would you bring back? Let us know in the comments. And find out what the other authors have to say tn the links below,

December 12 – what television shows from our childhoods would we bring back and why?
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So, I’m old. I remember TV shows that are in the history books. Roy Rogers on Saturday morning. Ed Sullivan Sunday nights. The original Captain Kangaroo. Art Linkletter on the rare afternoons I stayed home from school because I was sick. Yep, back in the days when everything was in full black and white.

But those aren’t the shows I’d bring back. People have tried and failed.

The original Hawaii Five-O was interesting, but I haven’t seen the remake. The Rockford Files never really grabbed my attention although I may have had a bit of a crush on James Garner. I certainly had a crush on Dennis Weaver in McCloud. It was the story of a modern western lawman in New York City (horse and all!) Think Longmire goes to the big city. Small town cop out-thinks and outwits both the bad guys and the good guys. It gets extra points because one of the shows even had John Denver as a guest star. So                                                                                       that’s the first show on my list.

The second show I’d bring back is the Smothers Brothers. The show was a mix of comedy, variety and social comedy. Granted, some of the humor went over my head when I orginally watched the show, and I look back at some of the clips and go “My parents let me watch
that?” In some ways, the give-and-take between the two brothers reminded me of my own family. I had a soft spot for one of the continuing guests, Pat Paulson, who ran for president six times, starting in 1968. I’m not so sure he wouldn’t have won this year if he was still alive.

Because I like to do things in threes, I’ll give you one more show that I’d like to see come back to TV.  I might even be talked into watching it. I only saw the reruns because the show is older than me but I loved the idea of the noble lawman coming into town, righting wrongs, and disappearing into the sunset, leaving behind a silver bullet. The man behind the black mask was a superhero in his own way, long before Batman came to the small screen. Yes, I’m aware of the various reincarnations of the show, but nothing matches the original.

So that’s my short list. Honorable mention goes to Remington Steele. Although I wasn’t a chold when it was on, and I didn’t watch every episode, I enjoyed the back-and-forth between the two main characters played by Pierce Bronsan and Stephanie Zimbalist. I know other shows have tried (and failed) to emulate that partnership, but I don’t thonk it’s been matched.

So what shows from your childhood would you bring back? Let us know in the comments. And find out what the other authors have to say tn the links below,

December 12 – what television shows from our childhoods would we bring back and why?
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2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
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Everybody loves a list, right? Well, except when I leave my grocery list hanging on the refridgerator when I go to the grocery store ….

I toyed with what I wanted to list for you. Favorite mountains or places to visit, people I’d like to meet, favorite foods. It would be easy to give you another post filled with photos of mountains and wildflowers. But what do I love as much of the mountains? Books. I’m not only a writer, I’m a reader.

So here’s a Top 10 list of favorite series of books starting when I was a kid

Nancy Drew Mysteries (and Hardy Boys)
   Someone gave my mother a bunch of books that their kids had grown out of and several of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books were included in the box. (Yep, the old blue cover versions.) I loved them and that  became my go-to gift for the next couple of years. Of course, by that time the yellow ‘updated’ version of the books was in publication. I passed on my entire collection to another young reader when I left for college.

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
  I don’t remember how I was introduced to these books, I know we had the first one at home and I read the rest from the library. Bonus memory: Freckles and the Limberlost stories.

Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls)
        Although I never owned the set, my grade school library hasd the entire collection and I devoured them over the course of several months. This was before they were turned into a TV show.

Fellowship of the Rings (JRR Tolkien)
     I give my oldest brother credit for introducing me to these books. I believe he had to read them for school and he left them behind when he went to college. I still have those same paperbacks. (I’m not the only reader in my family!)

Narnia (C.S. Lewis)
     After reading the Lord of the Rings series, I went searching for other books in the same genre. Which somehow lead me to the Narnia series. I know, not the same at all. Still, I own the entire set.

 Dragon Riders (Anne McCaffrey)
    I’m not sure who recommended these books to me. I started, as you should, with Dragonflight and then just kept reading.I will sadly say that I’m no longer following the series since her son started writing the books. He doesn’t hold my attention as well.

Foxfire Books
   You may be asking, what is a series of non-fiction books doing on this list? Well, don’t forget I’m an old hippie chick, and my dearly beloved hubby’s family hails from the mountains of Tennessee. We’re absolutely the target audience for these books! In case you haven’t heard of them, they’re filled with stories from the older people who lived in the hills and knew how to make something out of nothing. These books preserve the techniques and traditions of the the Appalachian Mountain folk and do it in an entertaining way. If you’ve never heard of them, you should check them out.

Vows and Honor (Oathbound) (Mercedes Lackey)
     After reading several sword and sorcery genre books with make main characters, I really wanted to find some with female leads.I found these books from an on-line list. If course, it led to reading the other books in the Valdemar series and spin-offs. I think I’m behind on the most recent additions to the collegium chronicles. I need to fix that!

Cutthroat Business (Savannah Martin series) (Jenna Bennett)
     I read the first book because it was a freebie. Loved it. Emailed the author to tell her so. She offered to send me the second book for free as well but I turned her down and bought it. She’s up to book 13 (scared Money) now and working on book 14.

Longmire (Craig Johnson)
     I picked up the first book (The Cold Dish) from a bookstore display of local authors. (This was several years before it was turned into a TV show) Anyway, I enjoyed it and got the second in the series. Now I own all of them (except for some off the novellas and short story collections) He gets extra points because he lives in Wyoming.

Bonus books- James Bond. I won’t put them on my favorites list, (for reasons I won’t go into here)  but I’ll pick one up once in a while.

And a bonus picture, because I can! Mountain aspen and Colorado columbines.

To find out about everyone else’s lists, follow the links below. And if you have a favorite series tat I didn’t mention, tell me about it in the comments.

December 5 – Lists- We love lists. Top 10…. 5 Ways… Worst 3… List helpful hints for your topic of choice.
Rules:
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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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Everybody loves a list, right? Well, except when I leave my grocery list hanging on the refridgerator when I go to the grocery store ….

I toyed with what I wanted to list for you. Favorite mountains or places to visit, people I’d like to meet, favorite foods. It would be easy to give you another post filled with photos of mountains and wildflowers. But what do I love as much of the mountains? Books. I’m not only a writer, I’m a reader.

So here’s a Top 10 list of favorite series of books starting when I was a kid

Nancy Drew Mysteries (and Hardy Boys)
   Someone gave my mother a bunch of books that their kids had grown out of and several of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy books were included in the box. (Yep, the old blue cover versions.) I loved them and that  became my go-to gift for the next couple of years. Of course, by that time the yellow ‘updated’ version of the books was in publication. I passed on my entire collection to another young reader when I left for college.

Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
  I don’t remember how I was introduced to these books, I know we had the first one at home and I read the rest from the library. Bonus memory: Freckles and the Limberlost stories.

Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls)
        Although I never owned the set, my grade school library hasd the entire collection and I devoured them over the course of several months. This was before they were turned into a TV show.

Fellowship of the Rings (JRR Tolkien)
     I give my oldest brother credit for introducing me to these books. I believe he had to read them for school and he left them behind when he went to college. I still have those same paperbacks. (I’m not the only reader in my family!)

Narnia (C.S. Lewis)
     After reading the Lord of the Rings series, I went searching for other books in the same genre. Which somehow lead me to the Narnia series. I know, not the same at all. Still, I own the entire set.

 Dragon Riders (Anne McCaffrey)
    I’m not sure who recommended these books to me. I started, as you should, with Dragonflight and then just kept reading.I will sadly say that I’m no longer following the series since her son started writing the books. He doesn’t hold my attention as well.

Foxfire Books
   You may be asking, what is a series of non-fiction books doing on this list? Well, don’t forget I’m an old hippie chick, and my dearly beloved hubby’s family hails from the mountains of Tennessee. We’re absolutely the target audience for these books! In case you haven’t heard of them, they’re filled with stories from the older people who lived in the hills and knew how to make something out of nothing. These books preserve the techniques and traditions of the the Appalachian Mountain folk and do it in an entertaining way. If you’ve never heard of them, you should check them out.

Vows and Honor (Oathbound) (Mercedes Lackey)
     After reading several sword and sorcery genre books with make main characters, I really wanted to find some with female leads.I found these books from an on-line list. If course, it led to reading the other books in the Valdemar series and spin-offs. I think I’m behind on the most recent additions to the collegium chronicles. I need to fix that!

Cutthroat Business (Savannah Martin series) (Jenna Bennett)
     I read the first book because it was a freebie. Loved it. Emailed the author to tell her so. She offered to send me the second book for free as well but I turned her down and bought it. She’s up to book 13 (scared Money) now and working on book 14.

Longmire (Craig Johnson)
     I picked up the first book (The Cold Dish) from a bookstore display of local authors. (This was several years before it was turned into a TV show) Anyway, I enjoyed it and got the second in the series. Now I own all of them (except for some off the novellas and short story collections) He gets extra points because he lives in Wyoming.

Bonus books- James Bond. I won’t put them on my favorites list, (for reasons I won’t go into here)  but I’ll pick one up once in a while.

And a bonus picture, because I can! Mountain aspen and Colorado columbines.

To find out about everyone else’s lists, follow the links below. And if you have a favorite series tat I didn’t mention, tell me about it in the comments.

December 5 – Lists- We love lists. Top 10…. 5 Ways… Worst 3… List helpful hints for your topic of choice.
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.
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“Action with a Touch of Romance”

When I first started writing fiction, I didn’t put any thought into a ‘brand’ or”defining” myself as a writer. I was writing for the joy of getting words on paper and challenging myself to do something new and creative.

It wasn’t until I wrote my fourth book that I decided to dive into self-publishing, As I’ve told a few people, I’m just too damn old to wait around for traditional publishers and agents. Besides, I want my books to be my own, not stories dictated by what a publisher thinks will sell. I’m sure my Free Wolves’ series would include sex scenes if I wrote them to industry standards, and I didn’t feel the stories needed them.

But around my fifth book, I discovered something about myself. I was better at writing action than romance. Sure. my characters fall in love and look for that ‘happily ever after’ ending to their stories, but the romance is a subplot. My heroes (both male and female) are busy fighting other battles. Sometimes those battles include fighting for their lives. Who has time for romance when the enemy around the corner wants you out of the way and you aren’t even sure who the enemy is?

There are a couple of other common themes in my books. I write stories about strong women. Women who take life’s challenges in stride and carry on. That’s not to say they won’t accept help when they need it. That’s part of being strong—knowing when they can’t do everything by themselves and there’s no shame in accepting help from a friend.

I also have a rule about no cliffhanger endings. When I wrote Wolves’ Pawn, I thought it would be a stand-alone novel and I tied up all the loose ends. Or so I thought. Somewhere along the way, Tasha came along, and Wolves’ Knight came into being. Again, no cliffhanger ending, everything tied up in a nice neat package. Now I’m working on a third book for the series, tentatively titled “Wolves’ Gambit,” and it features yet another minor character from Wolves’ Pawn. Stay tuned for that one!

The same sort of themes run through my Oak Grove Mysteries, although they are written in a different style. They are much more of a continuing story, although the mystery in each is wrapped up in the end.  (I hate cliffhangers!)  I’d already figured out I wanted them to be a series when I finished the first one, The Marquesa’s Necklace, because Harmony, my main character, is such a blast to write. I’m working on the third book in that series as well. (First draft is done, now I’m editing, so it won’t be long now!) It’ll be called “The Baron’s Cufflinks.” If you lost track, the second book in the series is Her Ladyship’s Ring.

The best part is, ten books later, I’m still writing for fun. Don’t strain your brain trying to do the math and figure out that “ten” number. A couple of books that I completed will never see the light of day. Not in their current form, anyway.

To find out what other authors have to say, check out the links below. And I always enjoy reading your comments

November 28 – Pillar Post – In-depth posts that define your blog and brand
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