Hello everyone,
I'm late with this post because I was unable to get online earlier.

Hopefully these 3 deals will still be active.

For the writers who subscribe to the wonderful Mary Buckham's newsletter, you may have already noted that Jon Franklin, one of the authors she interviews this month, is giving away his book, MOLECULES OF THE MIND, and it can be downloaded at no cost from his web site http://www.jonfranklin.com/

Second, Walmart.com has the Honeywall 0.19 cubic foot fire protector for your important documents (think--manuscripts) At $39.00, including shipping, it's a great deal.

Third, if you'd like to really pamper yourself this month, check out the Kate Spade website. There are several handbags at 60% off. True, these handbags are expensive, but add the code GLAMBAG for an extra 25% off and free shipping.

Happy shopping!

"I can't afford to save any more money."--Favorite quote

Okay, keeping in mind I'm only about 8 hours late on this blog, I profusely apologize. One thing in my favor, I waded through the proverbial mud and made it here. Again let me say I am so sorry to be posting so late.


This has been a crazy month for me and the Black Rose Line. We are suddenly busier than ever with submissions. Yay! That means we are doing our jobs and putting the line out there and keeping it visible. I am also excited to announce that we have just unveiled our new Black Rose Blog and I have been busy with the setup and invites and on and on... I know Mama knows all about that. Please drop by and meet the editors and authors. September is introduction month and we will be in full swing as of October 1st.

Also, at the Black Rose Line we have the much anticipated release of the Got Wolf? anthologies. If you remember we celebrated last year with the kick off of a writers' contest, namely Got Wolf? Well those winning stories are included in two anthology collections(Volume 1 to release 10/9 and Volume 2 to release 10/16).

We will be celebrating the releases and Paranormal month at TWRP on the blog with give-aways and author spotlights all month long. Get to know the books, the authors, the creatures they write about and the history behind them. Also, we will have articles on the history of Halloween/Samhain itself and how it is celebrated all over the world.

Don't miss the festivities this year. It promises to be lots of fun. TWRP itself will be having lots going on as well. When I have more details on this, I will certainly let you all know. Paranormal month at The Wild Rose Press includes both Black Rose and Faery Rose Imprints so it will definitely be a blast.

Please do drop by the blog and check us out. Black Rose is always looking for that unique dark paranormal story with an unexpected twist on the traditional creatures who dwell in the darker side of the garden. For more detail on submissions guidelines please visit our submissions page.

I'm here if you have any questions. Thank you for having me here today or should I say this evening.

Callie Lynn Wolfe
Senior Editor, Black Rose Imprint
The Wild Rose Press
callielynnwrp@aol.com

I suspect some of us awoke this morning without considering the date.I seldom know what date it is.

On September 11, eight years ago, the United States of America experienced an attack that saddened us, angered us, and ate at our sense of security. That we might forget is human, as is the fact that December 7, no longer stands out as an historic date. That one brought our country into a world war.

Please take stock of the significance and get on with making your life count and your country proud.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program.

If you haven't read Autumn's blog yesterday, scroll down and read it. You'll be glad you did!

Be here tomorrow to see what our own editor, Callie Wolfe has to say!

Late last evening, feeling angst and sporting a headache that throbbed against my skull, I took a walk in the dark. My only companion, the moon. With his hair over one eye, he watched over me—saved me from the dark shadows. I gazed up into his face and wondered about the billions of people who’ve gone on to the next world before me, the ones who had dumped their troubles on him. The ones who had shared with him their dreams. The ones who had laughed and loved under his twilight.

I wondered about their stories. Some are known by all of us. Some by a few.
As I walked, I gaze over the valley that was my great grandparent’s farm, now divided among their children’s children. I know my great grandparent’s names. I can tell you they lay in the cemetery on the rise to the east. I can tell you their birth and death dates. However, I don’t know what they were like as people. Did they enjoy music or reading? Were reserve or outgoing? What was their favorite time of the year? Or their favorite foods? Did they believe and trust in the Almighty? What were their dreams?

We have pictures of course with names scribbled on the back, but by who? We have ledgers and invoices of transactions stored in the old farm house attic, but no personal memoirs. Knowing this, sadness crept in my heart as I crossed an open field. I wished someone had left behind their words for me. Told me who they were. Left a clue as to who I called my pass.

At that moment, the moon winked at me and from within I heard, “You were given the gift of the written word. Why haven’t you left behind words for your children or grandchildren or great grandchildren? Not all will seek them, but there will be one who will. Like you, they will cherish the memories you share and pass them on to another who well cherish their heritage. And so on.”

Stunned, I gaped into his one eye. The ancient man was right. He winked again and turned into a cloud, probably to advise someone else. I finished one swallow of crisp night and with a light step headed for home. I pulled from a drawer a diary given to me one Christmas years ago and wrote; September 9th, 2009. Within these pages you will come to know who I was, what I felt passionate about, and what were my dreams. My hope is I will teach something of the pass, something that will make you a stronger person and that I’ll touch you in some way. With love, your heritage.

The little box I'm holding in my hand isn't a "box o' chocolates" or a fruitcake tin. I have a new computer! And I have to brag a little. When I made my 1543-mile drive from Orange County to Iceberg Country, my e-Machine rested on the back seat, wrapped in towels and packed inside its shipping box, wedged among with my printer, scanner, and monitor. When I unpacked and reassembled it, it didn't appear to have survived the trip very well; the screen had developed a very obvious tremor, it took anywhere from five to seven minutes to simply boot and switching from one website to another was a nightmare.

In desperation, I admitted there was only one thing to do-and in keeping with my promise to my son-I decided to buy a Mac this time around. With his advice, I chose a Mac-Mini, and thus far, I've had very few problems. Of course, I've had to learn Mac procedures and forgot the PC machinations I've done for the past 30 years, but this old dog can learn new tricks, you better believe it! At the moment, I'm struggling with learning how to make movies with I-Movie (after having finally mastered Window Movie Maker's many quirks and glitches.) But-don't worry-I'll conquer it, just like I did WMMV!

Let me tell you some of the Mini's finer points. According to Apple, it's the greenest Mac Mini yet. It has wireless connectivity-my old wireless printer, keyboard, and mouse work fine with it, as does my scanner. The only thing I have to buy is a new camera. Anyone want to buy a barely-used Logitech Webcam?

Remember when computers were so big they had to have a room of their own, which had to be refrigerated to keep them from overheating? The Mini measures 6.5 insures square and is 2 inches tall. It weighs 6.4 pounds. It also (according to the Amazon description) has a 2.0 gigahertz Intel Core 2 Duo and a 120 gigabyte hard drive with 1 gigabyte of RAM. (This is good, I've been told.) I've certainly got more room on my desk top now, and no more crawling under the desk to fiddle with the computer tower when it vibrates itself loose and disconnects. It also has 5 USB ports.

These are its other features as well, which only those computer geeks amongst us will understand, but I don't though I'm told they're all good. In deference to the computer-illiterate among us, I won't enumerate them.

And when I turn it on? No bending over--just a touch of the finger-and Presto! It's up and running. I'm still adjusting to that, expecting it to take the almost-ten minutes the other one did, which generally leaves me sitting there staring into space while the computer's booted up in four seconds and waiting for me to wake up and notice it.

All in all, I'm happy as a clam with my new toy.

Woundwort: the generic name for yarrow, achillea, was granted this herb in honor of the Greek warrior-god, Achilles, who used this herb to stop the bleeding wounds of his soldiers after using the leaves successfully on himself. It has been used extensively since Achilles’ time to stop bleeding in battle wounds and has earned the folk names: soldier’s woundwart, knight milfoil, staunchweed, and herbe militaris. Yarrow is also used for the treatment of colds and flues.

Yarrow roots have been used by many Indian tribes as a local anesthetic. Scrubbed and crushed to a pulp, this medicinal mash is applied to wounds to dull the pain.
Washes made from boiled leaves and stems are also considered effective for bathing injuries. Yarrow acts as a coagulant to help stop bleeding. A healing paste can also be made by crushing the entire plant. The leaves are an aide in treating rashes, bites, inflammations, infections…you name it. A tea made from the leaves is boiled and drunk for a variety of ailments.

Yarrow is a powerful herb with many uses. An ointment for wounds made by blending the leaves with lard provides an old fashioned antiseptic/anesthetic salve. Yarrow has also been relied on as a contraceptive–don’t go there. We have better options these days.

Native Americans shared their vast storehouse of knowledge regarding herbal treatments with early colonists who used these remedies in combination with those lauded cures they brought with them from the British Isles and Europe.

*Common wild yarrow is the white variety pictured above.

Several of my favorite medicinal herbal/plant books are: Field Guide To Medicinal Wild Plants by Bradford Angier, published back in the 1970's and given to me by my beloved late grandmother. Mr. Angier's work is brilliant and so useful. And, A Modern Herbal by Maud Grieve, a two volume in-depth resource published in the early 20th century, so it's not really very modern, but excellent.

I used woundwart/yarrow in American historical romance Enemy of the King and light paranormal/historical Daughter of the Wind.

For more on my work please visit: www.bethtrissel.com

Butter pie is on the back burner for now. Not that I've given it up: if the Internet fails me, I may go all the way to Lancashire and a Preston North End football game to find out what butter pie is really supposed to be like.

Butter tarts, now: they're a Canadian specialty. When I was a kid, we always had them at Christmas. I hadn't had them for years, but what made me start thinking about butter tarts again was the Surrey International Writers' Conference, held every fall in Surrey, BC. I went two years in a row. It's a great multi-genre conference, not too big, not too small. I had a great time, but the highlight of the conference both times (for me) was the butter tarts. There were trays of them on the dessert table, and since the American attendees, by and large, didn't know what they were, that left more for those in the know, such as me.

And then, on another trip out west, I found the World's Best Butter Tarts, served at a cool little bakery/café. I don't remember the name of the café, and I think it was in Lillooet, which is a small town north of the famous Whistler ski area, but I can't say for sure.

All of which led to a major case of butter-tart homesickness, so I got a recipe from my sister and tried making them myself. Miracle of miracles, they worked! I gorged myself on them for several days. Here goes:

Pans: My mother used tart pans. I couldn't find any, so I used both mini and medium muffin tins. Both worked fine.

Pastry: You can make your own, or buy pre-made tartlets or pre-rolled pie pastry which you cut to fit the tart or muffin pans. I did the lazy version of make your own. I used a recipe from my old, battered, and very reliable Joy of Cooking. It's called Quick and Easy Pie Crust. You don't have to roll it out – you just pat it into the pans. My butter tarts didn't look all that gorgeous, but they tasted great.

Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the ingredients together and fill the pastry-lined muffin or tart pans about 2/3 full. Actually, they'll take a bit more than that, but if you over-fill them, the filling bubbles over and may burn. It still tastes good, though.

Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. The recipe is supposed to make 12 to 15 tarts. I got a dozen minis plus nine mediums.

As my sister advised me – enjoy, but not all of them at once!

The king that Jeremiah Jordan opposed in my American Historical romance, ENEMY OF THE KING, was the long-lived George 111. Great Britain had a king named George from 1714 until 1830. Best known as the tyrant king during the American Revolution, George 111 was not directly responsible for the laws that ultimately drove the colonists to rebellion. However, once the fires of revolution swept through the colonies, his indignant reaction to the challenge of British rule and determination to make an example of his errant subjects caused him to extend the conflict beyond all reason. Loss of the colonies was a blow from which he never fully recovered.

Also known for his ‘madness,’ George 111 was unable to rule during periods of his reign as the result of an illness that caused mental derangement and ranting, likely a rare blood condition called porphyria. By 1811 he was so incapacitated Parliament passed the Regency Bill, appointing his eldest son to rule as Prince Regent. Only one monarch has ruled longer than George 111 and that was his granddaughter Queen Victoria.

On a more positive note, George 111 is also remembered for his virtuous ways and steady leadership through the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Affectionately called Farmer George because of his strong interests in agriculture, he was a keen gardener/gentleman farmer and interested in improving the quality of farm animals. He cultivated crops and let sheep graze on the lands around his home at Kew Gardens.

He met his wife of many years, Queen Charlotte, on their wedding day but remarkably he never took a mistress (in contrast to his grandfather and his sons) and the couple enjoyed a genuinely happy marriage. They had 15 children.

For more on this unusual monarch, I highly recommend the movie, The Madness of King George.
For more on my work please visit: www.bethtrissel.com

Yesterday I blogged at EveryoneNeedsALittleRomance on why the designation of RWA PRO exists. It may come as a surprise to some PROs that it's to educate on the business side of publishing and not the craft side. If you didn't get to read yesterday's post, I've linked it above.

As we were chatting about PRO programs, PRO members, etc, it dawned on me that since some PROs may not have ever read the RWA National site for PROs, they may not be aware of four PRO Committees that they could get involved with.

The first is the PRO Steering committee. This committee is responsible for the direction PRO. It can be chaired by the PRO Liaison, but doesn't have to be. The committee is comprised of the members of three sub-committees:

• PRO-Advocacy Responsible for the PRO Career series and the PRO Mentor of the Year
• PRO Education Responsible for the PRO online BootCamps (If you don't know what those are...why not? It's free education for PRO members)
• PRO Communications Responsible for the PRO Newsletter (What? You didn't know there was a PRO newsletter! It's wonderful) and for the PRO section of the RWA National website.
  

These are time intensive commitments...About 2 hours a month. Who can't give two hours a month to an organization who has given you so much. Two hours. That's nothing. That's only two Castle shows!

So here is my challenge to you. Tell me why you don't get involved (NO judgment on any answer) What would encourage you to get involved? How could RWA PRO help you to further your writing career?

The Founding Colonies – New Hampshire

In case you’re new to this blog, I’m on a citizenship quest and I’m determined to know each state one by one. I’ve started with the Thirteen Founding Colonies, and I’m doing those in alphabetical order. After that I’m going to go through the 33 states as each one joined the constitution.

I visited New Hampshire once for a training course. While I have vague memories of pretty countryside on the way to and from Manchester and the airport, I didn’t manage to see more of the state other than that. The reason for the visit was a brutal training course on presentations. The day we arrived, the course began with a videotape of each participant doing a presentation on a topic given five minutes before the actual presentation began.

They replayed the video and everyone in the course had to give six positive and six negative comments on the presentation. Now bear in mind, I was the only woman in a roomful of around forty males.

The following day they trained us on body language, inflection, eye contact, you name an aspect, they covered it. That night they assigned us into random teams of two, gave us a topic, forty minutes, and then we had to present. Every step of the way someone was declared a winner.

The last day reverted to individual presentations with the prize being the number one spot and a chance for a week’s vacation in St. Croix.

Three months later, the DH and I vacationed in St. Croix. I have very fond memories associated with New Hampshire.

So below are the New Hampshire facts.

New Hampshire

Capital: Concord
Size: approximately 8,969 square miles with 13 miles of coastline
Size Rank: 45
Bird: Purple Finch
Admitted to Statehood: June 21, 1788, 9th Constitution
Population: 1,235,796
Presidents (birth): Franklin Pierce
Vice Presidents (birth): Henry Wilson

One name caught my eye in the list of famous New Hampshirites (cute) - Alan Shepard, the astronaut. Until I was twelve my driving ambition was to become an astronaut. I started studying astronomy, I wrote to twelve American Universities explaining my ambition and requested information on programs and admission requirements. To my utter dismay, each reply contained a requirement I could not fulfill, you had to have been born in the United States.

Notwithstanding the devastating disappointment, I retain to this day a near-obsession with NASA and space. I have five people I consider my heroes, Neil Armstrong’s on that list, but Alan Shepard barely missed a spot. The first American in space, the fifth man to walk on the moon,

Shepard began his career in the Navy (Rear Admiral) and earned his wings in 1947. In 1959 he received an invitation (along with 109 others) to join the newly formed National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Just thinking about all the changes he saw and was part of over the following three decades boggles my mind. What I would have given to meet him, spend an hour (or fifteen - I am such a greedy-guts) interrogating him (nicely) on his experiences.

Can you imagine the courage it took back then to volunteer to be the second man to orbit the earth? To take a trip to the moon not knowing if you’d ever return?

Hell - if I had the money I would buy one of Branson’s tickets to the moon and pray fervently the trip would happen in my lifetime.

Would you?



Cheers,


Jianne Carlo

Today Trinidad and Tobago celebrates 47 years of independence.

Talk about come a long way, baby!

Back in 1962, principally white. British citizens held all the top positions in the country whether it was Government, business, or society.

In a country ten (that’s right -10) degrees above the equator, men wore three-piece suits to work. That’s right, jacket, vest, and trousers (okay, the latter is still necessary except at Carnival time). The point here is the vest, not to mention the tie.

School girls, particularly this one school girl - moi, had to wear a long sleeved shirt, a tie, a hat (talk about keeping the heat in), a pleated woolen ((you read right - woolen) skirt, a full slip beneath all the aforementioned, and tall socks pulled up so not a hint of knee showed. The first day of school, I fainted.

On this day in 1962, the first television station began broadcasting. I remember my dad went out and got a TV immediately. The picture was so fuzzy you had to squint and get real close to the screen to figure out what was what. For about the first couple of years we had two hours of television daily, the news from 5-6 p.m. and then one hour of British documentary.

The newspapers reported the first broadcast of Bonanza! I fell in love with Hoss and Little Joe.

Today, Trinidad is referred to as the “Hong Kong” of the Caribbean is now reffered to as “the Murder Capital.

With the only oil and methanol reserves in the Caribbean, the country grew wealthy off the oil boom of the 70s, and the riches rolled through the population creating something rare in the Caribbean, a stable middle class.

During the last decade that stable middle class began voting with its feet by immigrating (I’m a prime example).

Several Factors prompted the erosion of the middle class: two Coup D’états (is that a plural?), drug trafficking as a major source of income for the poor and money laundering as a major source of income for the rich, a police force and government riddled with corruption, an education system in disarray, legendary traffic jams, and a legal system mired in legislative swampland.

There is also the fact that the murder rate has doubled in the last two years. In a sixty- by- forty island, there were 550 homicides during 2008. And as for the kidnappings for ransom, there are no figures available.

Here’s a list of accomplishments by Trinidad and/or Trinidadians.


• A Trinidadian created the only musical instrument invented in the Twentieth century, the steel drum (steelpan in Trini-speak)
• Trinidad is the birthplace of calypso and the limbo (contrary to popular belief, Jamaica can only lay claim to reggae)
• The Trinidad Carnival is the greatest festival on the earth - take my word for it, Brazil is second and New Orleans a poor third (sorry Lynn)
• The Trinidad Soccer team made it to the World Cup finals, amazing for a country of its size
• Peter Minshall, a brilliant Carnival ‘Mas leader and artist, helped design the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1987 Pan American Games, the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the 1994 Football World Cup, and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
• Sir Vidiahar S. Naipaul – Writer – Nobel Prize Literature, 2001
• Trinidad has won the Miss World and Miss Universe contest three times since 1966
• Brian Lara , a Trini is regarded as one of the finest batsman in the sport of Cricket - ever
• Hasley Crawford – 1976 Montreal Olympic Gold Medal 100m.
• Ato Boldon – 2000 Australia Olympic Sliver Medal 100m, Bronze Medal 200m; 1996 Atlanta Olympic Bronze Medal 100m & 200m, and co-broadcaster for track and field events during the last Olynpics
• Edwin Roberts, Wendell Mottley, Edwin Skinner, Kenneth Bernard – 1964 Toyko Olympic Bronze Medal 4 x 400 m Relay
• Wendell Mottley – 1964 Tokyo Olympic Sliver Medal 400
• Edwin Roberts – 1964 Tokyo Olympic Bronze Medal 200m
• George Bowell – 2004 Athens Olympic Bronze Medal Men 200m Individual Medley Swimming
• Rodney Wilkes – 1948 London Olympic Sliver Medal Men’s featherweight Weightlifting, 1952 Finland Olympic Bronze Medal Men’s featherweight Weightlifting
• Lennox Kilgour- 1952 Finland Olympic Bronze Medal Men’s 90Kg class Weightlifting
• Jean Pierre – 1979 World Netball Champion Competition.

It makes me wonder, how a country so rich in natural resources, so rich in the talents of its people stumbles and fritters away the chance to establish paradise.

Cheers,

Jianne Carlo

“The Magic Key. Who has it?” She leans closer and whispers, “Or is it a Magic handshake?”

I look at her, studying her, trying to decide if she can handle the secret that will open the publishing world to her. After a very long ten seconds I say, “You really want to know?”

Her head joggles like a bobble head doll as she reaches for her pen and notepad.

My eyes shift around the room. I slant toward her and say, “Five words.”

I can see a speck of moisture form at the corner of her mouth as she waits for the tidbit.

“Trial and Error. And hard work.”

The raring-to-go newbie’s spine stiffens. The sparkle in her eyes dim. “That’s it? That’s not a secret.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I guess you don’t know it.”
I shrug. “If you don’t believe me, then go ask Nora, Sherilyn, Suz, Kasey, Jan, Brenda, Nancy, Vicki, Ann, Deb, Jordan, Misty, Steph, Beth, Linda, Carolyn, Allison, Charity, SEP, Karen, Jen, Kathy, Hank, or Roni,? I can give you a few more names. ”

“Humph.” She walked away already in search of someone else to befriend in hopes of finding the magic key.

Success is earned through gaining knowledge of your industry, hard-work and determination. JMO.

While I'm not yet published, I read a lot and I have taken a ton of writing workshops and read writing books. I also taught writing for 15 years.

Once upon a time we wrote our stories in longhand or typed them, or did both. Some people still write their stories in longhand. I would if I could read my handwriting.

We read what we had written, then made changes and recopied the pages or retyped them. Some of us worked with sections until each suited us before going on. Others began at the beginning and read all the way through, making changes on the current draft, then typed the whole thing again.

Since the computer allows us to edit as we read, it can be tempting to expect to do the whole story in one draft. That means we might not like making big changes or we can cut and paste ourselves into a less than clear whole manuscript.

Proofing means looking for typos and errors in spelling or punctuation. You must do this or even get someone to read your work with a fresh pair of eyes.

Editing is a bigger process. Editing should make your book better, stronger and can use the suggestions below.

I suggest you write the story before you try to pack every scene with all the elements other writers say you need in your stories. Keep your pace and let your characters speak to you. Even if you plot and do character sketches, you can learn things from your characters as their story progresses. If you learn something so big it changes the beginning of the story, take a limited time to go back and make the changes you need, or make notes to yourself to go back and fix things after you finish the story. These suggestions here can be used to help you write yourself out of a slump or writer's block.

Once you have a completed draft, you can go back and build in layers.

If you know what you want your reader to get from each scene or chapter you can play with the words. Each time you infuse emotion, you seduce your reader into caring more. Add emotional words and strong verbs. Go back and look for things to clarify or sharpen.

As you read, look for places where you told the reader things she doesn't need to know at that point or at all.

Read scenes and see if they serve a purpose. Don't dump scenes until you finish the story and see what you need and what you don't. At the end of each scene have you given your reader a reason to keep reading the next scene? At the end of each chapter have you teased the reader into reading just the first page of the next chapter, then one more, then one more?

Texture includes adding the sensory details to make a story mean more to readers. We can't control our readers' frames of reference or likes and dislikes. We can't make every reader love our characters and stories. We can use things that mean something to us and make us feel. Look at each scene and see if a reader can see, smell, hear, and taste? Remember that we feel hot and cold, rough and smooth. Different fabrics have different textures. Foods have different textures and tastes and smells. Have you used these to evoke reactions in us as readers or in the characters? Do these mean something to the characters? Can you let your characters experience memories or react to what they touch, smell, hear, taste, etc.?

I find doing this in stages, scene by scene, helps.

Telling a good story is the most important part of writing novels, but doing it well helps. Write your story. Fill it with interesting characters. Refine it with the tools you have, using words that pack a wallop. Arrange them in an order that shows what you want me to see or feel or smell, or hear. Make me read nonstop and take me on a journey I don't want to end.


Comments or suggestions? Don't leave me alone here!

I admit it, I’m a procrastinator. A major, died in the wool, card-carrying, put-it-off-as-long-as-possible procrastinator. My motto appears to be “never do anything today that can be put off until tomorrow.” I’ve had this affliction all my life. I come from a long line of procrastinators. My daddy, rest his soul, was a procrastinator, as was his dad before him. I’m not quite sure why I took after daddy rather than momma, who was a get it done now type lady. The only excuse I can offer is that her “get it done now,” usually involved me doing something. I sometimes think my abhorrence of housework is rooted in that period of my life, of course, that could just be a convenient excuse for not doing housework that can patently be put off until later.

Over the years I’ve learned to deal with my affliction. Notice I’m careful not to say conquer, cure or get over it. No one ever gets over being a procrastinator. I am thoroughly convinced the affliction is genetic. We are not in control of the make up of our genetic disposition, so it is left for us to find ways to cope with the little foibles we inherit.

I’m a teacher. This requires massive amounts of work to be completed and recorded on time. It is not an easy feat for a true procrastinator. I learned to survive by making lists and following routines. I live by them.

My desks, both at school and home, are a study in organized chaos. No one can find anything there, but I know exactly which stack to look in for what I need. DO NOT touch my desk. Don’t try to organize me. Leave my clutter alone. Once my students cleaned my desk in a good natured attempt to be helpful, it was the beginning of the next school year before I found some of my paperwork!

Now I find myself with a dilemma. I have another request for a complete manuscript. I’ve written just over three chapters. I want to finish this manuscript quickly, yet I find my procrastination demons ruling when I need to lock them securely in the closet. Even now, I know they are running the show, because I’m writing this blog instead of working on my manuscript.

I’ve decided to try once again to turn over a new leaf and over-come the procrastinator gene! Baby steps, little by little. Tonight this blog, tomorrow chapter four.

What about you? Are you a procrastinator? If you are, how have you over come it? If you are one of those lucky over achiever gene people, please share with us how you motivate yourself to keep working.

The Founding Colonies – Massachusetts

In case you’re new to this blog, I’m on a citizenship quest and I’m determined to know each state one by one. I’ve started with the Thirteen Founding Colonies, and I’m doing those in alphabetical order. After that, I’m going to go through the 50 states as each one joined the constitution.

I’ve been to several conferences in Boston, the extent of my travels in the state of Massachusetts. I loved the European flavor of the city, the parks the trees, the wide waterways, and even more, that people are always walking about. It feels like a livable city, like there’s a sense of community, and of course a great deal of pride.

The DH says the culture of the state revolves heavily around politics and sports. With teams like the Boston Red Socks, the New England Patriots, the Celtics, and the Boston Bruins, and four presidents and three VPs, it may be that he’s right.

So below are the Maryland facts.

Massachusetts

Capital: Boston
Size: approximately 10,555 square miles with 192 miles of coastline
Size Rank: 44
Bird: Chickadee
Admitted to Statehood: February 6, 1788, 6th Constitution
Population: 6,349.097
Presidents (birth): John Adams, John Quincy Adams, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, George Herbert Walker Bush
Vice Presidents (birth): John Adams, Elbridge Gerry, George Bush

The list of famous Massachusetts residents is astonishing ranging from Benjamin Franklin to Bette Davis. I had not realized that Louisa May Alcott was born and raised in the state.

Home schooled by her father and friend to both Emerson and Thoreau, Louisa wrote her first book, Flower Fables, to entertain Emerson’s first daughter. Determined to contribute to the family income she went to work taking jobs considered below her station, working as a servant, a seamstress, and during the civil war, as a nurse.

The letters Lousia wrote to her family during the war were published under the title, Hospital Sketches. Shortly after that she published her first novel, Moods, and Little Women followed four years later in 1868.

I don’t know about you, but Little Women was one of my first books, and it still remains one of my favorites. Most experts consider the book autobiographical with Louisa being played by Jo March. Whenever HBO replays the recently made movie starring Winona Ryder, I always watch it. Such a heartwarming movie.

Susan B. Anthony, the famous suffragist who's credited with starting the movement for equal rights and pay for women, was also a Massachusetts resident. She is the face of the one-dollar coin minted from 1979 to 1981, and again in 1999.

Clara Barton, the founder of the American Red Cross, was also from this state. During the civil war she organized supplies, nursed soldiers in camps and battlefields and eventually became known as the Angel of the Battlefield.

After the war President Lincoln charged Clara with locating missing prisoners and identifying those dead in battle. In Europe for a conference after that, the Franco-Prussian war erupted and she stayed to work with the International Red Cross. Shortly after returning to the U.S. Clara founded the American Red Cross.

How inspiring, the lives of these two women, and what a great way to start the day with such success brimming in my brain.

Cheers,

JC

I am delighted to welcome author Autumn Jordon, a fellow Golden Heart® finalist and Wild Rose Press author anticipating her first release, Evil's Witness. I've lobbed some questions at her which she's fielded very well. I enjoyed getting to know more about this exciting new author. Thank you, Autumn, for being with us today.


What do you think makes (your upcoming book) different? What will draw readers to it?

Hmmm. My voice is what will make Evil’s Witness different than other suspense novels, and the twists. We all wonder what we’d do if thrown into extraordinary circumstances. Evil’s Witness is a story about an ordinary woman who’s life is becomes a nightmare after she witnesses a murder. Readers will fear for and cheer for my heroine, Stephanie, as she fights for her life and the lives of her children.


How long have you been writing?

Seriously, about eight years. But, I wrote a short story I believe in the fourth grade which sold two copies—one to my mother and the other to my best friend. I was also a reporter and then editor for my high school paper. After college, life took over and I put writing aside and raised a family until I decided now was my time.

Are you a Plotter or a Pantser?

I’m a hybrid. I usually begin a story by writing the first three chapters. Then I jot down a short synopsis where I highlight my characters’ GMC and ARC. Afterwards, I just write. One or two of characters always take the lead and the story changes and in the end, sigh, my synopsis has to be rewritten.

How would you describe your voice?

I’ve been told I have a very strong voice. While suspenseful, it’s laced with humor.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

I love editing. The basic story is puked out and I’m relaxed. I can pick apart every sentence making it clearer, stronger and as interesting as it can be.


Where do you find your inspiration? Come up with your ideas/plots?

Are you kidding, inspiration is everywhere. I see something or hear a bit of a conversation and think what if? Ideas pile up from there. For example, I work for a trucking company. We hauled a few loads for the US Treasury. I wondered what if the tractor-trailer was hi-jacked. The question led to the story line for Evil’s Witness which was a 2009 Golden Heart Finalist and will be released by The Wild Rose later this year.
'

Do you write in long periods or short stretches?

Definitely shorter. I’m up early every morning. During the week, I write for about forty-five minutes before heading out the door to work. On the weekends, I get to write for a couple of hours while the family sleeps in. My motto is: Word by Word. Line by Line. Page by page. I’ve finished five novels, several short several and about a hundred articles this way.

Do you write in silence or listen to music?

It depends. During my usual forty-five minutes, I listen to Yanna, Eyna or classical. But there are times that silence feeds the muse.


Do you research your story before you write it? Or as you go?

Both. There is always the preliminary research that needs to be done, but since I write by the seat of my pants new elements are always popping up. Like is there cell service on top of Mt. McKinley? Or how would the villain take out a whole motorcade in one swoop? You get the picture.

What have you learned through research that you will remember for the rest of your life?

Check several sources. You’d be amazed how many professed experts there are who really aren’t experts at all.

Does all your writing take place on a computer or do you ever write using pen and paper? Do you ever act your scenes?

I write on the computer, edit on hard copy. No, I’m not an actor. I do play out scenes in my mind though, like watching a movie.


How long do you wait once your story is finished to revise it?

I usually let it sit for two weeks, while starting a new project and then I go back and start the first round edits. Then it sits another couple of weeks before I start again. I do this over and over, until I feel the WIP is the best I can do. Then I send it to my critique partner and she tears it apart. Then I advise again.

Do you allow family and friends to read your writing?

No. Family and friends tend to tell you how good it is when it’s really not publishable. I learned this lesson writing my first book.
I want to make my stories the best they can be. My critique partner and I have an understanding. We don’t say it’s good unless we can’t change one word to make the work stronger.

Do you have a favorite character?

My villain in Evil’s Witness, Victor.
I found myself falling in love with him. I have this thing for bad boys. LOL. I wanted to keep him on for the series. And no, I’m not saying another word about that.

What is one thing your readers would find interesting about you?

I’ve been in involved in two cases of armed robberies. Not as the perp. As the victim. I won’t talk further about the experiences.


Has your writing journey been a smooth or bumpy ride?

I would describe my writing journey as a steady ride up an incline. Sometimes the slope seemed to be very steep, but I kept (and still do) putting one word in front of the other.

What advice would you give to a new/ aspiring writer?

NEVER stop believing in yourself. Study the craft and write everyday!

What is your favorite writing memory?

Getting my scores back from the very first contest I entered. I didn’t final. I didn’t expect to, but the feedback and encouragement was priceless. I will add, go with gut when accepting feedback. Don’t change your story because someone said so. It’s your story. It has to feel right to you.

For more on Autumn's work, please visit her website at:
http://www.autumnjordon.com

We are avid readers who enjoyed books since a tender age. Our pink fuzzy slippers warming our feet, we love to snuggle in front of a cozy fire and immerse ourselves in a beautiful romance.

We are dreamers who rearrange the present, linger in the past, jump into the future, or keep bouncing between centuries. Some of us travel to fairy words they create or change their human appearances while a few share their experience in soul-lifting stories.

We are writers who weave love stories, challenge our characters with obstacles and conflicts but grant them a happy ever after when they reached the goals we set for them.

Come and meet us:

Mary Marvella:
I am the blog Mama (Moderator sounds so formal.) of the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers blog and I have completed novels in paranormal romance, romantic suspense, women’s fiction, and good old contemporary romances: The Gift, Protective Instincts, The cost of Deception, Protecting Melissa, Haunting Refrain, Cheerleader Dad, Margo's Choices, Forever Love, The Demon's Daughters (Sisters Four)


~~I live in Georgia. After teaching English/language arts and working as a school counselor, I became a story teller, a writer and a tutor. I have beautiful daughter, handsome son-in-law, and 2 grand dogs.


Linda Nightingale:



I write paranormal romances. Black Swan released February 25 from The Wild Rose Press.


Originally, this story—or part thereof—was written for an anthology called Loving the Undead, but it was rejected with a nice note saying that it wasn't quite what she had in mind. The characters walked on stage to tell me about being Black Swans, mortals who submit to the vampire's kiss to experience euphoria and sexual ecstasies. At birth, Black Swan had a twin story. My wonderful editor, Callie Lynn Wolfe, told me I had one story, and with her help, the Black Swan and Swan Song became one spicy vampire story.


Beth Trissel:
I'm an award winning historical/light paranormal romance author. I have four releases out with the Wild Rose Press: Somewhere My Love, Daughter of the Wind, Enemy of the King and Through the Fire, were all voted Best Book of The Week at the Long & Short Reviews and are bestsellers at TWRP. Through the Fire was nominated for Golden Heart award. Somewhere My Love, was winner of Preditor's & Editor's Readers Poll.


~~Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with children and multiple animals. The beauty of the valley and surrounding mountains are my inspiration, as are my roots which go well back into Virginia's history.


Joanne Barnada aka Josie Riviera:
I write historical, 80,000-100,000 word manuscripts. Fatal Fortune, Fatal Flaw and Fatal Fascination, my current whip. The manuscripts are set in the Tudor era, with a young King Henry VIII on the throne, and were carefully researched for Gypsy traditions, superstitions, spells, and language. Fatal Fortune has won the Virginia Fool for Love, the prestigious Golden Pen, and the Dixie First. Fatal Flaw has won the Golden Acorn, the Wallflower, and is currently a final in the FTH Golden Gateway.


~~When I am not writing, I am teaching at my music school, tending to my Ebay music store, "A Grand Time," finding "Deals of the Day," and ferrying my "model" teenage daughter to her modeling auditions and jobs. I've been married to my wonderful husband for 34 years. We are northern upstate NY transplants now living in sunny and warm South Carolina. We also have two adult sons, both professional musicians, who thankfully live near us.


Mona Risk:
My romantic suspense novels are published by Cerridwen Press: To Love A Hero, set in exotic Belarus and French Peril, set in the historical Loire Valley. I also write sweet and spicy medical romances, published by The Wild Rose Press: Babies in the Bargain, was voted Best Book of The Week at the Long & Short Reviews and is a bestseller at TWRP, and Rx for Trust is due in December.

~~A former chemist and Analytical Director of an environmental company I visited over fifty countries on vacation or business trips and I love to set my stories in the foreign places I enjoyed. I have been married to my hero for many years. Now that our son and daughter are married and have their own families, my husband and I settled in sunny Fort Lauderdale but often visit with our four adorable grandchildren. Recently, I have been spending my days next to my sick mother writing, editing my new manuscripts or answering emails and blogs. When I can spare a moment for myself, I swim in the ocean.


Barbara Monajem:
My paranormal romance, Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil, will be published by Dorchester Publishing next spring. Recently, I sold a historical short story to Harlequin, which will also come out next year. I have won several writing awards, including the Daphne du Maurier, the Jasmine, and the Maggie, and am currently at work on more paranormal and historical romances.

~~Now my kids are adults. I live in Georgia with an ever-shifting population of relatives, friends, and feline strays.


Mary Ricksen:
I write paranormal romance, Tripping Through Time is published by The Wild Rose Press and was a bestseller. The sequel, Burned Into Time, is due next year. Love, happiness, a little bit of magic, and a hunky hero with a happily-ever-after ending is my favorite thing to read or to write. Especially if they are time travel.

~~ I live in Florida, but love Vermont and North Carolina in the mountains and animals, horses, cows, and critters who live in the wild. Small town life is my future haven after big city madness. I made up my mind that someday I’d be back in the country, even in just in her books.


Dayanna Knight:
I picked up a pen at a very young age and kept going with it. Love all things paranormal and gothic. I have several published works including poetry, short stories, craft articles, and novels. Curse of the Marhime, Eternal Obsession, Bestial Cravings, published at The Wild Rose Press. Eternal Obsession earned a perfect review and Bestial Cravings was a bestseller at TWRP.


~~I live in sunny Florida and juggle a fulltime job and writing.


Judy Keim:
I started out writing children's stories for magazines before turning to women's fiction and bigger children's stories. The following are three stories that were published: Jonathan's Great Idea - Children's Playmate ; The Easter Pig - Jack and Jill; The Secret of the Red Wagon - Highlights for Children . Land of Fire and Ice: The first book in a series of books about Agor, a young boy who lives in a primitive land of long ago. Summer in Mossy Creek, Belle Books; Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul, Stories Celebrating the Wisdom, Fun and Freedom of Midlife.


~~Presently I live in Florida, with my husband Peter. We've been married many years, have two sons and two granddaughters, and have enjoyed a good life together. We've had the opportunity to do quite a bit of traveling and, always, I've been amazed at the beauty of the world. Simple things, like the sound of ringing cow bells falling down the mountains in Switzerland or gazing at the flowers in my own back yard, bring me great joy. It is this idea of the magic of it all, the logic of it all, that I hope comes through in my stories and touches the child in each of my readers, young and old.


Jianne Carlo:
I love writing sensual romances where East meets West, cultures collide, passion sizzles… Available at Loose-id, Manacled in Monaco, Notorious in Nice and White Wolf are set in Mediterranean cities and have earned raving reviews. D is for Desire, T is for Temptation are published by Siren Publishing.


~~I went to college in Canada where I met my own hero. We married and raised three wonderful sons and live in sunny Florida. I work as a software expert during the day and write at night and whenever I can steal time.

Toni V. Sweeney:
My friends say I am a prolific writer!! Here are the books I wrote under my own name:
Spacedogs' Best Friend; The Rose and the Dragon; Dragon in Chains; Murder in Old Blood; Bloodseek (Book One of the Chronicles of Riven the Heretic)Blood Curse (Book Two of the Chronicles of Riven the Heretic)Sinbad's Last Voyage (Book One of the Adventures of Sinbad) (audio and print)Sinbad's Wife (Books Two of the Adventures of Sinbad)Walk the Shadow Trail (Audio and print)Vengeance from Eden (audio and print)Blood Sin (Book One of the kan Ingan Archives)"Love, Vampire Style"; "Demon in Blue Jeans"; Serpent's Tooth (TBA)numerous short stories for amazon.com/Shorts and assorted magazines

I also write under Icy Snow. Here are Icy Snow’s Books: The Irish Lady's Spanish Lover;Three Moon Station; Jericho Road; Earthman's Bride (winner of the 2009 "Reveal Your Inner Vixen" award for best alternate/fantasy romance, by Missouri Romance Writers Association (MORWA); When the Condor Returned (TBA); Bargain with Lucifer (TBA)

~~I was born on a Sunday--Married on Saturday, gave birth on a Friday, divorced on a Thursday-- Moved to Nebraska on a Monday, to California on a Friday, back to NE on a Wednesday-- Signed my first book contract on a Tuesday, my last on a Sunday,and that's the story of Toni V. Sweeney.

Good afternoon readers! I am just plain tuckered out. And why would that be you might wonder?( Like you're just panting to know? Ha!)

Well, Scarlet and I fed out brains with a smokin' hot writing workshop in Birmingham, Alabama. For some folks that's not a long way to go. But from Atlanta, Georgia, that's not just around the corner. There were folks there who had driven farther than I did and I know they're tired. Southern Magic, the Alabama chapter of Romance Writers of America hosted us and even fed us hot dogs with all the fixin's and desserts to tempt anyone's sweet tooth and sabotage my diet for the day.

FROM THOUGH TO PLOT, A Break into Fiction @Program given by the illustrious authors Dianna Love Snell and Mary Buckham was intense and awesome. I won't give away the workshop but the ladies used personality profiles and worksheets to give us insight into ourselves. Then we looked at how we could use the personality trait charts to make out characters more real. I must say the exercises were eye opening!

Yes, I could have stayed home and had all day to write but I needed the workshop to feed my brain. If you write, you need to do workshops when you can. There are many online workshops about everything. RWR, the magazine from Romance Writers of America has articles about writing every month. Writer's Digest has articles anyone can buy in a bookstore and even get online. They even have tons of craft books for sale and a book club to make it easier.

As writers we need to read books, as many as we can! Fiction writers need to read fiction, any genre books or shorts. Harlequin has a community at eHarlequin.com to sell books and to showcase their writers and offer articles about writing and explain what they want in each of their lines, writer's guidelines and a way readers can know what to expect in books in each line.

Now, I'm headed to a local hardware store to see if liquidation prices are really bargains and maybe buy a few things.

Feel free to add any sources for brain food for writers or anyone else. I promise to return and add lines and tell you if there were any good looking guys at the hardware store.

I'd like to discuss something we all can't do enough of and that is PROMO. Once you get the promo bug--Thank you, Catherine!--you constantly strive to find different ways to keep your name and books in the proverbial limelight.

Loops, blogging, visiting all the blogs you can manage, belonging to any loop, group, network you can helps but there are downfalls to this. One problem I find is there is not enough hours in a day, days in a week for me to be everywhere I need to be! Escpecially when you work a full time job as well. So how do I manage all this? I can't really. No honestly, it is very hard to be everywhere at once, so what I try to do is cycle around to everyone's blogs and pick and choose the networks I join.

If you have been following my blog I am constantly striving to find new ideas to gain followers. I have joined networks like Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook, which have been advantageous. And I have to say easily maintained. I have pages at WDRF, Coffee Time Romance and am guilty of not keeping them up as diligently as I should. Lord knows, I would love to be on top of it all.

I belong to PFSW, TWRP Author's loop, LASR loop and many others but again it is sooooo very hard to keep up with them all. How many of you find you also have difficulty keeping up? I'd like to hear what you do to keep visible.

Some things I have done:

~Keep blog and website current. This is a major priority for me.

~Let the public at Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook know what I am up to at least once a day.

~Visit blogs at least every week and leave comments.

~Keep up with friend's invites for new releases and blog events.

~Read and review new releases.

~Grab attention to your blog by coming up with new ideas to draw visitors, IE, recipes, craft articles and issues such as my "Pirating" article which drew a lot of interest and commentary.

~Newsletter and a loop "Dayana's Happenings" which clues members in monthly at what I'm up to.

~Be active in local Chapter groups and join local activities such as booksignings, writing groups, etc. Socializing with peers is a wonderful thing to do as well and build lasting friendships.

~Create a Fan Page at Facebook. I really haven't figured out how much exposure this will be but I do try to update it at least weekly and push people over to view it when I think of it.

~Give peers the opportunity at promotion on your blog which draws them attention and you more attention as their following will discover you! Guest bloggers are fun and my newest venture is offering "Author Spotlights" weekly. I already have a list of authors to schedule:)

The key to keeping attention on you is to keep it fresh. Keep venues updated and interesting. Investigate new avenues. Perfect example is Catherine Bybee's video blogging. I'm not that techno but hey! maybe sometime in the near future:)

Anyway, I hope this article has been advantageous and helpful. Thanks for dropping by and reading. As always, comments welcome.

Dayana~

 

                             

I’d like to welcome Catherine Bybee to the Pink Fuzzy Slipper Writers blog today. Catherine is an incredibly talented author whom I met through The Wild Rose Press. She has a great blog herself on which she does video shorts, which are informative and very cool. Let’s give her a warm welcome and a cup of hot chocolate with the slippers we gave her.

Thanks for having me here today, Mary… and all you Fuzzy Slipper Ladies.

You’re welcome Catherine, I am thrilled to have you! Tell us about your newest book.

I’m celebrating my second release this month. Soul Mate is my werewolf novella from Red Rose Publishing.

Here is the blurb: Kari Pearce lives the life of a lone werewolf. No one knows of her affliction, not even her sister. When she hears of a missing child up in the Sequoias, Kari goes on the hunt to find the child and her abductor before tragedy can occur. Saving the child is easy, avoiding the FBI agent associated with the case, is not.

Agent Nick Murdock knows he's seen Kari before but damn if he can remember where. There's one thing he knows for sure. Kari Pearce with her blonde hair and piercing blue eyes is hiding something. And Nick is going to find out what.

Ah, a paranormal suspense! I just love shapeshifters. It takes a great author to be able to capture your audience and you Catherine had no problem grabbing my attention.

Excerpt:

As she walked away, his eyes followed the gentle sway of her hips. Damn, she was something to watch.

Once out of sight, he turned in his seat and brought the coffee cup to his lips. As he swallowed, his eyes landed on the car keys sitting next to Kari’s empty plate.
With a wicked smile, he covered them with his hand and headed toward the door.
Outside he watched her fumbling through her purse while standing in front of a four-wheel drive rental car. A strand of blonde hair slid over her face; she tossed it back in frustration and mumbled a curse.
“Looking for these?” He held up the keys and shook them with a jingle.
Her head shot up, eyes narrowed.
“You left them on the counter,” he found himself explaining.
Taking a step in his direction, she reached out to capture them from his fingers. Nick playfully pulled them out of reach. She cocked her head to the side and dropped her hand.
“Have dinner with me,” he spoke before she could say anything.
“What?” She looked at him as if he was crazy.
“You know, dinner. Kind of like breakfast, only later and with wine.”
“Are you always so forward, Mr. Murdock?”
“Nick.”
“Are you always so forward, Nick?” she emphasized his name to express her annoyance.
“I believe in being direct.”
She took another step in his direction and smoothed her hair back. Her tongue shot out and moistened her lips. The action shot heat to his groin. “I’m glad to hear that, Nick. I believe in being direct, too.” Stepping closer, she brought one hand up between them, tilted her head back to gaze into his eyes. Low lashes fluttered in a way that proved she knew her affect on him.
A small shock registered when she trailed a finger down his arm. “I think you are very attractive.”
“That’s a start.” His voice grew husky. “But...”
“But,” she sighed and walked her fingers down his arm. “I don’t like being held hostage for a date.” With that, she grabbed her keys from his hand and turned to walk away.

Now you have grabbed my attention. I love a woman who is sassy but classy.

Kari knows how to handle herself. It’s Nick that needs a few lessons from her. lol

What was your biggest moment in the publishing process?

Most people would say that their biggest high is getting “The Call” However; in the e-publishing world, we don’t receive a call so much as an e-mail. Even then, that wasn’t my favorite moment in this process. Long before I worked up the nerve to submit a manuscript to an agent or publisher, I told my BFF Sharon M. to read the beginning of Binding Vows. I printed out the first three chapters of my very rough draft and gave them to her.

Then, during a very boring PTA meeting a few days later, she leaned over and said. “Oh, my God, Cathy… This is really good.” I went on to tell her she didn’t have to say that if she didn’t like it, I’d understand. Besides I knew she didn’t even read romance novels. After her continued gushing, I worked up the nerve to sub Binding Vows. I’m happy to say that book will be out in December both in e-book and paperback.

And well, you know there’s a follow up book to that one, Mary. One I’m very excited about. Proving to my self that I could carry characters through a full-length novel and then onto a trilogy, has been huge for me.

Writing a full-length novel takes a lot more effort.

I actually feel that writing a full length is easier. You have more time to develop your characters and more time to make everything believable.

What is the biggest help to your writing process?

There are two things that come to mind. You may think I’m crazy when I say this but, the biggest help has been all those rejections in the beginning. If it wasn’t for those, I wouldn’t have sought after a critique partner. And in doing that, my writing has grown enormously. Without a CP’s set of looking over my work, I’d have received even more rejections.

I know that a critique partner or two is one of the biggest helps an author can have. They see things you cannot see. Sometimes just a word or two of help from your critique partners and your story comes alive!

Was there a moment when you realized you really were an author?

The first time an agent asked to see an entire manuscript. It didn’t pan out at the time, but I knew then that I had some talent for this business.

When I write, it has to be totally quiet, for some reason I am easily distracted.

Do you need quiet when you write, or can you write through anything?

I can listen to music when I write, but if my kids are harping on me to do something for them my brain turns to mush. I’d love to be able to block them out and write… but I can’t. This isn’t always a bad thing. They’ll only be young for so many years and I don’t want to miss any of them. Well, the teenage thing is a bit overrated. I could skip the attitude and hormones without loosing sleep. LOL

I just entered a contest where the prize is $100,000. I’ve been dreaming about what I’d do with it.

If you won $100,000 dollars, what would you do with it?

I’m not going to say pay bills or invest… That would be beyond boring! I’d buy that lil’ Mercedes convertible. Take an all-inclusive trip to Scotland and buy some clothes. LOL. And a few books for the plane ride.

A trip to Scotland, wow what a thrill that would be! I’ve never been any further then

Canada. It could end up being very romantic for you and your DH.

So when you figured out your talent was with words you decided to write a book.

What made you want to write romance books?

Romance is my first love of reading. I gobbled them up at 16 and learned more about sex from a book then I ever did my parents. And thank God for that. My family tree is full on step this and step that. The 60’s & 70’s were great for my gene pool. Even grandma was married seven or eight times. The last time she married, she was pushing 88 and she married a man in his early 40’s… No shit! I’m not making that up. I told her on the phone, “Don’t expect me to call him grandpa when he’s younger than my husband.”

Boy didn’t I get scorned for that sassy comment. But you have to admit, it was funny.

Romance novels and their ever present happily ever after is all I need to escape.

Grandma was married eight times. And the last one was in his 40’s, she must be one hot grandmother!

I agree the happily ever after is a big appeal, and so are the hunky hero’s you write about.

We all spent a good part of our childhoods thinking and dreaming about the future.

When you were growing up did you have a dream? And did it ever come true?

I wanted to find a wonderful, stable and awe inspiring husband. And I did. My lovely hubby and I have been married for 16 years and together for 21. I live a Diva’s life and I have time to enjoy my children. I am living the dream and loving it.

Thanks again for having me here today. To download your copy of Soul Mate step on over to Red Rose Publishing: http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/

To find out more about me, and my future books visit my website at: www.catherinebybee.com

Don’t forget to catch Catherine’s unique blog. When she does the videos, I just can’t pass it up! Romance By Catherine at www.catherinebybee.blogspot.com.

Thanks Catherine for taking the time to blog with us and for a look into the mind of a great author. Anyone who can come up with the title ‘Kilt Worthy’ has a great imagination. Your August 5^th blog had a short video commercial on it which I loved. It sure shows the reason we all love a ‘Kilt Worthy’ man. I sincerely wish you great success with your newest release. I expect to see it on the bestseller list at TWRP for a long time to come.

The last thing I’d like to say Catherine, with a big sincere smile on my face is that I am so glad to call you my friend. What better accolade could a person get?