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Showing posts from October, 2009

What I'm writing in YEAR OF THE DOG

I just finished writing Year of the Dog ! It had a massive plot hole that I had to fix which turned out to be more work than I expected. Here’s a snippet: “Hey, Auntie Nell.” He wrapped his arms around her, bussing her on the cheek and breathing in pikake flowers and shortbread cookies. And suddenly he was nine years old again, and her solid presence had made his chaotic world stable once more. “What are you doing here?” He usually took her to dinner on Wednesday nights, but today was Tuesday. The edges of her smile faltered a little before brightening right back up again. “What, I can’t visit my nephew?” She angled around him to enter his home. “Is this your new house? Looks lovely.” Which was a blatant lie, because the fixer-upper was barely livable, much less acceptable to a neat-freak like his aunt. She also left four matching pink and purple floral suitcases on the stoop behind her. Only then did Ashwin notice the cab driver standing slightly to the side of the walkway. “Can ...
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Excerpt - LAST BREATH by Brandilyn and Amberly Collins

Today's Wild Card author is: Brandilyn & Amberly Collins and the book: Last Breath (Rayne Series #2) Zondervan; 1 edition (October 1, 2009) ***Special thanks to Lindsey Rodarmer of ZONDERKIDZ for sending me a review copy.*** The suspenseful and emotion-filled second book in the Rayne series begins where the first book ended…with a dying man whispering four stunning words into Shaley O’Connor’s ear. Should she believe him? After two murders on the Rayne concert tour, Shaley is reeling. But she has no time to rest. If the dying man’s claim is right, the danger is far from over. Shaley’s quest for the truth leads to the mysterious and wrenching past of her mother and father. Could what happened to them so many years ago threaten Shaley’s life now? ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Brandilyn and Amberly Collins are a mother/daughter team from northern California. Brandilyn is a bestselling novelist, known for her trademarked "Seatbelt Suspense". Amberly is a college student in southern...
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Interview at Nora's blog

I'm over at Nora St. Laurent's blog today in an interview! You find yourself in a life threatening situation who would you pick to save you? You are the author her you can be creative, the sky is the limit. Aragorn from Lord of the Rings. Because he's HOT! Click here for the rest of the interview
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Excerpt - eye of the god by Ariel Allison

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing eye of the god Abingdon Press (October 1, 2009) by Ariel Allison ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Allison is a published author who lives in a small Texas town with her husband and three young sons. She is the co-author of Daddy Do You Love Me: a Daughter’s Journey of Faith and Restoration (New Leaf Press, 2006). Justin Case , the first of three children’s books will be published by Harvest House in June 2009. Ariel is a weekly contributor to www.ChristianDevotions.us and has written for Today’s Christian Woman. She ponders on life as a mother of all boys at www.themoabclub.blogspot.com and on her thoughts as a redeemed dreamer at www.arielallison.blogspot.com . From Ariel: I am the daughter of an acclaimed and eccentric artist, and given my “unconventional” childhood, had ample time to explore the intricacies of story telling. I was raised at the top of the Rocky Mountains with no running water or electricity (thi...
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Laundry droppage

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.27.2009 I’m not known for my neat eating, so the other day, I dropped something on my T-shirt, right in front. Now, it wasn’t a HUGE mess, just a dime-sized drop. Okay, maybe a quarter sized drop. Captain Caffeine looks at it in dismay. “You’ve got something on your T-shirt.” “I know, I spilled something.” Not a surprise. “I think it’s caramel sauce.” The Captain eyes the brown dot. “Wait, is that my T-shirt?” “No, I pulled it out of my drawer.” “I think it is my T-shirt.” He looks at the tag. “X-Large. It is my T-shirt!” “It was in my drawer so I thought it was mine.” “Don’t you check the size when you put on a shirt?” “No, because you gave me some of your T-shirts to wear.” “I didn’t give you that one.” I shrug. “You must have put it in my laundry basket and I washed it and put it in my drawer.” “It could have fallen out of my hamper into your laundry basket.” I sniff. “I am not responsible for laundry droppage.”
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Excerpt - Double Cross by James David Jordan

Today's Wild Card author is: James David Jordan and the book: Double Cross B&H Books (October 1, 2009) ***Special thanks to Audra Jennings of The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.*** Double Cross continues the story of Taylor Pasbury, a heroic young woman introduced in James David Jordan's novel, Forsaken ("highly readable...Taylor is a character worth another visit" —BookPage). Raised by a father who was a former Special Forces officer, Taylor is beautiful and brilliant and knows how to take care of herself. But she is haunted by her past and the sacrifice her father made to save her from a brutal rape when she was seventeen. After a controversial stint in the Secret Service, she has become the most prominent private security specialist in America. When she discovers the body of a former client's top assistant, all the evidence points to embezzlement and suicide. But Taylor has no way of knowing that her mother, who ran out when Taylor was ni...
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Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.23.2009 Let me start off by saying that I’m normally not a games person. I’ve never really gotten into games, both computer games and regular games. (Although I will confess that sometimes the games we played with the Junior High kids at church which involved inflicting physical pain and suffering on them was rather amusing to me, although I’m sure that says something frightening about me psychologically.) All that aside, I am completed addicted to the Bejeweled Blitz game on Facebook. I don’t know why it is, because I wasn’t particularly good at Tetris back in the day, and this is a lot like Tetris. Anything involving looking ahead and planning moves and logic is rather hard for me—it kind of makes my brain hurt—so why I like Bejeweled is a mystery. Actually, I think I know why. High scoring moves involve lots of explosions and blowing up sounds. :) Camy likey explosions. Anyone else play this game on Facebook?
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Le Femme Nikita (Peta Wilson version) rant part 2

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.22.2009 I watched Season 5 and it was like watching a train wreck happening and being unable to stop it. It’s as if the entire production flushed their brains down the toilet. No one bothered to question or correct any of the logic disconnects. No one asked, “Why would Character A do that if Fact B is true?” or if someone did ask, the management ignored it. The ending was interesting if bittersweet, although him giving his life for someone else’s son was a bit hard to believe. Still, the theme of sacrifice and all that. In general, it was a really good series. That’s probably why I’m so disappointed at how it/the writing degenerated. Ah, well. And in case you didn’t know, executive consultant Joel Surnow went on to create the TV series 24 , which I love. Good job, Joel. Now I need to watch some Pride and Prejudice to wipe the bad taste from my mouth.
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Le Femme Nikita (Peta Wilson version) rant

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.21.2009 (Warning: spoilers ahead, but I’ll tell you when I’m about to reveal) I’ve been watching the TV series Le Femme Nikita (Peta Wilson) on Netflix, and while the first DVD didn’t thrill me, it hooked me by the second DVD of Season one. And the writing and acting really pleased me, for the most part. I enjoyed all the way up through most of season four. Then it tanked for me. I liked how the plot twists and turns in each season, developing new nuances of character and relationships. There are a few “throw away” episodes that just fill up the slot in the season, but most of the episodes embellish on character or backstory or plotline. But then the stories started to fall apart logically, in my thinking. There’s a lot of “Let’s have the character do something unusual” and then reveal some hidden agenda behind it all—except the reasoning behind the character’s actions aren’t always logical in the writing. There’s also too much of the same th...
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Excerpt- EMMY'S EQUAL by Marcia Gruver

Today's Wild Card author is: Marcia Gruver and the book: Emmy’s Equal Barbour Books (October 9, 2009) ***Special thanks to Angie Brillhart of Barbour Publishing for sending me a review copy.*** Emily Dane doesn't want to give up city life to move with her aunt to a ranch in barren, uncivilized South Texas. Then she meets ranch foreman Diego Marcelo and finds her resolve slipping. Diego is attracted to pretty, vivacious Emmy, but the boss's son starts to court her, so Diego grudgingly steps aside. When Emmy's family and Diego's boss are overdue returning from a cattle drive, Diego sets out to find them—and Emmy insists on going along. Can Diego overcome his jealousy before he loses Emmy forever? And will Emmy ever be able to give up her frills and petticoats for boots and spurs? ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Marcia Gruver lives with her husband in Huffman, Texas, and has published various articles, poems, and devotionals. Her novel, Love Never Fails (renamed Chasing Charity ),...
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Excerpt - Love is a Battlefield by Annalisa Daughety

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.19.2009 Love is a Battlefield by Annalisa Daughety Left at the altar, her old job filled by someone else, all Kristy O'Neal wants is for life to return to normal. But working as a seasonal park ranger at Shiloh National Military Park alongside Ace Kennedy, the man who stole her job, may be more than Kristy can handle—especially when she realizes she's falling for him. But Kristy doesn't believe in true love anymore. With the history of her beloved park and his own ancestors in his arsenal, Ace begins the battle to prove to Kristy that true love does exist. . .before he loses her forever. Excerpt of chapter one: If someone had told Kristy O’Neal that the battlefield at Shiloh would see another casualty nearly one hundred and fifty years after the battle ended, she’d have thought they were crazy. Yet, two weeks ago, one last soldier had been injured on the majestic field. And Kristy had the battle scars to prove it. Admittedly, her...
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My birthday dinner at Forbes Mill

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.16.2009 You all know how much of a foodie I am, right? Well, we heard great reviews of Forbes Mill steakhouse in Los Gatos, so Captain Caffeine took me there for my birthday dinner a few weeks ago. Look what they did for me! This is the insert for the daily specials that they put in the regular menu! Isn’t this totally cool? The food was divine. I started with a pear and gorgonzola spring salad with cherry tomatoes (the yellow things) and candied pecans (or was it walnuts? I can't remember now). The Captain had a Caesar's salad that we didn't bother to photograph. For his entree, Captain Caffeine ordered this blackened steak smothered with caramelized onions and some delectable sauce (I have no idea what it was, but it was to die for) and a small lobster tail on the side. I encouraged him to get the lobster since I know for a fact that I certainly can't cook lobster well at home, whereas the restaurant can. And this was my meal, a ribeye s...
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