Mystic Monday

Education and the Government

On Friday, I knew what I wanted to write about today. On Saturday, it changed, and then on Sunday, I forgot all of the ideas, and then watched some of my weekly programming and remembered what it was I wanted to blog about today.

Usually, I don't bring political topics here, but this one isn't just political because it involves our kids.

In recent weeks, there have been some bills that have people in a tizzy about schools. One has been about food offered in schools, and the most recent one allows the parents be graded by the school on their participation.

In fact, The Talk, a CBS talk I watch (not regularly, but I DVR every episode and watch them at the end of the week, lol!), brought up both of these topics for discussion on their show.

Yeah, okay, so I'm a little late discussing this topic, but it's a topic that people can't stop talking about or the existing problems will be forgotten about or put on the back burner.

The problem topic is our schools. This one is close to me not because I necessarily have any kids in schools - though my some of my nieces and nephews are still in school - it's because of what I myself witnessed as a student.

Yes, there are public schools out there that are really great, but there are also schools out there that suck...in more than one way! The government is beginning to see a true need for action, and is stepping in, which is why it has everyone in an uproar. The problem is, the individual states and school systems themselves aren't stepping up to the plate to make things happen - they just accept what's going on and go about their business because they feel there's nothing they can do.

Because of this, the government is stepping in. Now, some people might feel that it's over-stepping the bounds, but it's not. The government is acting because our schools are failing our kids and nothing is being done about it, even though people have been trying! They are being met with opposition from state reps, which is why things are being done on the Federal level. In my opinion, it's about time!

First Topic - Changing the Food in Schools

This topic came to mind as I was walking through the Bradley Center with my food on Saturday. Someone was rude enough to make a comment saying that it, "wasn't Michelle Obama approved food". Now, I have no idea whether he was trying to be nasty to me, or make a general comment about the crappiness of the food there. (Other people do like the food options available at the BC but as far as I'm concerned, it's all just junk food and not very good either.)

No, the fries, cheese fries and burger are not considered healthy by Michelle Obama, but they aren't by me either. I wouldn't be eating there, but the Milwaukee Bucks gave us $100 in free food vouchers when we resigned up for our half-season package to their games. Well, we decided we were going to use it rather than let it go to waste because - for those who don't really see the truth of it - it's the Bucks' way of giving money back to the Bradley Center. When I use my card at one of the food places, chances are I'm supporting one of the local school organizations, and that's fine with me.

However, there really isn't anything all that healthy to eat. I would honestly prefer to eat a grilled ham and cheese or even a sliced beef or pit ham sandwich, but they do not have anything like that. Here's what they generally offer:

hot dogs

brats

pizza

nachos

hamburgers

chicken fritters and fries (buffalo or plain)

chips, fries and other assorted junk foods

Pepsi products only

Everything they offer is either high fat, deep fried or just plain junk food and it's ridiculously expensive that I honestly wouldn't pay those prices for the low-quality food I get if I went to a restaurant. In fact, the food you'd get at a restaurant would be better, taste better, and the prices would be cheaper or equivalent.

There aren't any healthy options available, which is why most of us usually eat at home or at one of the places on Water Street (or near there) before we get to the Bradley Center anyway.

Why is food at places like schools and event centers putting people in such a tizzy?

Well, you have those who feel the government doesn't have the right to tell you what it can and can't eat, and then there are those who actually read the whole thing, and understand what the real issue is. The target of the legislation here is the Federal School Lunch Program.

Many public and private schools and daycare facilities participate in the School Lunch program. If you've ever eaten the food, you know it's high fat and not really the best we could be giving our kids.

Yes, there are arguments that people can pack the healthy stuff, but why should those kids that have to eat the school meal programs (most likely the only meals some of these kids in poorer areas get) - because many of the state welfare programs say they have to - be subject to high fat and bad food?

It's a known fact that we have an obesity epidemic in this country, and bad or good eating habits start when the kids are young. So, why shouldn't the school lunch programs encourage better eating for everyone?

The bill does not say that your child wouldn't be able to have pudding or any of that. You would be free to send it with your child. The point is, the food choices for lunch leave a ton to be desired in terms of health.

Studies show that good study and other habits stick with kids when the schools and the parents work together, so what's so wrong about the school lunch program working with parents to offer better food choices?

In my opinion - Nothing! In fact, it would be nice if community event places offered better food instead of the cheap fried crap you can buy in bulk from your local food stores.

Topic 2 - Schools Grading the Parents

Recent studies have shown that parental involvement in his/her child's school life can greatly improve that child's chances for success. I've heard both sides to this, and I think both sides have good ideas:

The Bill - grade parents for their participation (how prepared is your child, are they there on time, are you doing what you're supposed to be doing - signing permission slips, etc.)

The parents - if you're going to grade me, I want to be able to grade the school and teachers too.

Both ideas are fair.

We have too much disparity between school districts, and I'm not talking about number of students or tax dollars, I'm talking about what's offered to the students.

This has people in an uproar because many people don't want to have their tax money go to support poor people.

Here's the bigger picture that most people aren't seeing:

1. Poor education leads to poor job choices and less of a chance to get into a college.

2. Poor job choices combined with a lack of intelligence tends to encourage kids into making bad life choices because they feel they don't have any other options. In you saw what some of the schools in these areas look like, you'd feel the same way too.

3. Bad life choices can lead to a life of crime.

This problem isn't new, in fact it's been around for decades. Many of you who went to college in the 90s have probably had to read Jonathon Kozol's Savage Inequalities. If you haven't read it, read it. It's an eye opener. This discusses how schools in underprivileged areas don't offer classes like other schools do because, in effect, they do not believe the underprivileged kids are smart enough to do anything other than work in the service industry and train them in such manners.

Another one to read is Dumbing Down Our Kids by Charlie Sykes. This one discusses the degradation of the education requirements in the school system that has been perpetuated by the "No Child Left Behind" reforms. While a nice idea, it went about them incorrectly. Instead of forcing schools to work with those struggling to learn, it brought down the overall standards to make it appear that we are doing better, when in fact studies show that our graduates are far behind the mark when it comes to intelligence.

In light of the recent knowledge that kids are intellectual sponges when they are young, we should be pushing kids harder - challenging them to learn. Sure, not all will rise up and meet those challenges, but it shouldn't mean that all children should be denied the opportunity to get those challenges either.

If all kids are offered the same good education - many more of them will succeed and make something of themselves, and not be stuck in a poverty situation. Sure, there will be some that fail, but a lot less than there are now. In fact, there would be a reduction of violence on our streets if we all cared enough about kids who didn't ask to be born in a poor living situation to parents who can't take care of them.

No, they didn't ask for it, yet every time someone says, "Why should I pay for poor kids to get anything?" and fights legislation and reform bills that work to level the playing field, think about how that innocent child could become corrupted because he or she didn't have anyone capable enough of looking out for their educational needs.

Kids don't ask to be poor. They don't ask to have bad parents. The reality is that it happens.

If we, as a society, want to reduce crime rates and murder rates, then we need to step in and take care of the children of the poorer society. We need to change the schools so that kids feel safe when they are within the walls of a school and can feel free to think, learn and feel emotions other than fear.

If you aren't willing to help change the schools in your poorer sections of your area/state, then you have no right complaining about the increasing crime and murder rates.

If schools were regulated so that all schools offered the same types of classes - then these schools could also then be allowed to work together to offer more to their students.

We still have oppression in this country and it's perpetuated by the inequality of education that exists from one school district to another.

If you haven't seen it yet, you may want to buy or rent Waiting for Superman (pictured above). If you buy it, money from the purchase goes to help those schools in need.

Want to learn more?

Check out the site: www.waitingforsuperman.com.

What about you? What are your feelings on this topic?

PHANTASM FRIDAY

Want a chance to win a KINDLE? Well, here's your chance. Decadent Publishing will be at Coffee Time Romance (http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/) all day on February 1st. They'll be giving away a KINDLE with 6 preloaded books. So don't miss your opportunity to walk away a winner!

Twilight Thursday

Today We Welcome Author

Joss Ware !!!

She picked a good name, or maybe not. I say this because I can't help it. Every time I go to type her full name, I have to stop myself from writing Joss Whedon, lol!

Good thing because she'll forever be connected to a great creative mind (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel). Bad thing because his name comes up first, and not the other way around, lol! :) I say this all in good fun because each of her storylines and ideas have intrigued me. She's on my list for new authors to read right behind Lori Handeland. I usually pick a new author each summer to focus on - read everything I possibly can in those months - and this past year, my focus was Leslie Parrish (Black CAT trilogy and Cold Sight) besides catching up with some of my favorite authors.

However, the more I learn about her new series, the more I'm thinking I might just have to push her closer to the top of the pile. Enough of my rambling! Let's get you to the good stuff, her interview!

MLM: Do you have any holiday memories from 2010 that you would like to share with us? (Memories can be nice and sweet, naughty, or just plain goofy!)

JOSS: Hmmm…how about mimosas made from freshly-squeezed orange, grapefruit, tangerine and pineapple juice by the pitcher on Christmas Day?

MLM: With the beginning of each New Year, many people make resolutions to change something about their lives. Do you make resolutions each year? Why or why not? In other words, what’s your philosophy behind your decision to make or not to make resolutions?

JOSS: I don’t make resolutions as much as review my goals for the year. Maybe it’s just the word “resolution” that rubs me the wrong way. ;-) Maybe it’s because it has the connotation that it’s only temporary. :-D

MLM: The buzz all over Tweetland and Facebook is how stressful many of us tend to find the holiday season (Thanksgiving through the New Year). This year they’ve seemed to be even more so with everything that’s been going on in the US and abroad. Stress isn’t usually conducive to writing, so we need to shed that stress, clear our minds so the words will follow. How do you plan on recharging your soul? Any relaxation tips you’d like to share?

JOSS: I actually had the busiest, craziest last six months. I wrote five books in about 13 months—finishing three of them since September---plus traveled to Italy to promote my books (such a hardship…not really, but it was in the middle of three very tight deadlines!). By the time I finished my last book on December 15, I was already in relax mode. So I spent my holidays reading for pleasure and hanging out with my kids and husband without worrying about deadlines hanging over my head.

I love to do yoga to relax my soul, and I love hot baths…and watching TV with my family. Those are things that seem to help.

MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:
a.)What area of the country/world are you from?
b.)What are the average temperatures of your area?
c.)What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?
d.)What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

JOSS: I live in the Midwest United States, in Michigan. The temperatures range from 0 degrees Fahrenheit to 103 degrees. We have a saying here: if you don’t like the weather, wait a minute, and it will change.

We don’t have tsunamis, earthquakes, or even very many tornadoes. We do get lots of snow and have every type of weather.

MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, and it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why?

JOSS: Both places, actually. J There’s nothing like a hot tub in the snow…but there’s also nothing like one in front of the fireplace. Can I have two??

MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for the holidays, where would you choose to go? Why that destination over others?

JOSS: I would go back to Italy. I loved it but didn’t get to see as much of the country as I wanted to. I’d also like to go back to London and Paris…so maybe a European tour?

MLM: We’ve had our fun, now it’s time to switch the focus to your writing. Why Paranormal? Why Futuristic? What was the draw for you?

JOSS: I don’t really have a good answer to this…I don’t necessarily set out to write in a certain genre…the ideas just sort of come to me and they are what they are.

However, someone did suggest to me a couple years ago that I should try writing a post-apocalyptic romance novel. At first, I couldn’t see how I’d do something like that…but the idea sort of fleshed out and here I am! J

MLM: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please look beyond words hot, steamy, mysterious, paranormal etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

JOSS: I think I’d go with honest.

I like to tell stories about people with paranormal elements in their lives—either their own or ones that are part of the world they live in. But at the core of every story is about a man and a woman who find each other, who find a life partner that understands and accepts them for who they are.

I try very hard not to build on misunderstandings, I try very hard to keep the relationships—even in these unique worlds—true and honest and real. I try to make the words and the actions and the emotions honest, so that the reader can relate to them on some level.

The book that’s just released, Night Betrayed, was strongly influenced by people I’ve met in my life, or read about, who are hospice workers: ones who give of themselves to help us and our loved ones pass on with dignity and ease. I hope there’s some honesty in that as well.

MLM: Earlier we discussed stress and the holidays. While stress may not always be conducive to writing, do you find that the holidays disrupt your writing schedule? If so, how? How tough is it to get yourself back in writing mode? What does it take to get you back on track?

JOSS: Yes, I find myself very disrupted over the holidays. That’s why I try really hard never to have a deadline between Dec 1 and Feb 1…because it’s just too crazy.

But even though I get disrupted, I find that within a day or two of the kids getting back to school and our household getting back on its schedule, that I, too, can get back into the swing. J

MLM: Who decides what the characters/creatures you write about do, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one pouring the soap in the Jacuzzi?

JOSS: My muse, when she bothers to show up to work, often dictates what happens. I generally just go along for the ride…unless she’s too busy making the absolute best hot tub experience…then I’m usually dragging and pulling her back to work. J

I usually start with a basic idea of what’s going to happen, then I just let it roll. (That’s often easier said than done!)

MLM: Of all the stories you’ve written, which creature/character did you have the most fun creating and why?

JOSS: Oooh. Neat question. Um…I think I’ve had the most fun creating the concept of the Strangers in my Envy Chronicles series. The idea of the implanted crystals causing their bodies to live forever is fun.

The zombies, which are featured in Night Betrayed, were also very interesting to create…in a more morbid, depressing way.

MLM: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why?

JOSS: I don’t know! That’s really tough. Probably Remington Truth.

MLM: Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

JOSS: Any of the zombies!

BLURB: The Change that devastated the earth didn't destroy Theo Waxnicki. It made him something more than human eternally young, eternally beautiful ... but not immortal.

When he dies on a mission against the Strangers, he is lost to the darkness...until a miracle lady brings him back.

Born during the apocalyptic storms and earthquakes that left the world in ruins, Selena has dedicated her life to easing the pain of others. But Theo is the first in her care to actually survive. Responding to Selena's tender touch, Theo starts to live again, to feel and desire again.

But joined in a world of terrors, the secrets they can never share make them targets. And love could be the ultimate betrayal.

EXCERPT: “Selena!”

She couldn’t focus, could hardly move or breathe. But it sounded like Theo. Theo. Oh, God, no...no, she had to be dreaming.

But then suddenly, he was there. Impossible. But he was. Somehow, pulling and beating at the monsters that crowded around her. Tearing through them to get to her. Oh, God, Theo.

She couldn’t think what this would mean, now. Not now. Later.

“Selena,” he shouted, as he found her with his eyes from outside the ring. “Come on!”

He swung something large and heavy—a massive branch—and it crashed into the skull of one of the monsters. Selena cried out in horror as the bone crunched, and the creature staggered back, collapsing onto the ground. Dead.

But still trapped.

“No!” she shouted at Theo. “Stop!”

Tears stung her eyes, her battered body wouldn’t move...she couldn’t breathe but she had to stop him before he killed any more of them. “No, please,” she cried, trying to make her voice work, even as she grabbed the hand of a creature close to her.

The surge bolted through her, and this time it brought her gasping to her knees. But she held the gaze of the old man until the orange glow went out and he was freed.

“Go, Theo,” she cried when she caught her breath. “Let me do this!”

“I’m not leaving you,” he shouted back, and whaled again at the zombies.

Click here for Excerpt 2 - Note: a bit steamier than this one!

To learn more about Joss Ware, click on her name at the top of the blog or visit:
her website: www.josswarebooks.com
on facebook: www.facebook.com/joss.ware
Readers are in luck because right now there is a sale on her books!
Click image to find out more!

Wistful Wednesday

How Knitting and Writing Are Similar

For those of you who read last week's post by me, you know that I shared something that I do when I'm not writing - knitting! Here are the details on my latest ambitious project. I jumped into this project with a gung-ho attitude, confident in my past successes and then it happened - I hit the wall, scrapped the project and started something else. But an email from my older daughter prompted me to try again. Which then prompted the topic for this week's post. Don't you just love it when that happens? So here it is, my take on how knitting and writing are similar:

1. First and foremost, they are each a craft. Yes, there is some talent involved and some people will excel at their craft more than others, but crafts are a learned thing. I truly believe that, if you can understand and follow directions, you can learn to do just about anything. The key to this is patience and time. Don't expect it to happen overnight. Don't try to take shortcuts. Pay attention to what you are doing now and don't focus on the finished project and what to do with it then. That's how mistakes are made. Stay in the moment, pay attention to the craft, and the future will take care of itself.

2. The next similarity is simple: They each begin with an idea upon which the foundation is built. For this knitting project, I wanted to make a hat, so I searched for a pattern and when I found the one I wanted to try, I started to gather together the supplies I would need to accomplish it - knitting needles, cable needle, stitch counter and, of course, yarn. When I write, I decide which idea I want to tackle and gather the tools I need to accomplish that - computer, notebooks, research, and the germ of an idea. This brings us to:

3. The beginning. In knitting, you begin by casting on the stitches you need to build the foundation of your project and then the first row is the establishing pattern - the setup. In writing, you decide where you want to start your story, then you lay your foundation with a hook that will draw your readers in and establish the story - the setup. In the beginning, it might not seem like much and you might look at your project and wonder how you're going to get it from this starting point to the fabulous end product you see (either on the pattern or in your head, depending upon whether you're knitting or writing), but by the time you reach the middle, you will begin to see a clearer pattern/path develop. All you need to do is press on through the oft-times difficult middle to get to the more difficult end. 

4. Speaking of the end, sometimes it doesn't come out quite the way you expected. Case in point: While knitting my hat last week, I hit the wall - the one where I realized, after several rounds of knitting, that the project was not coming out the way it looked in the picture. While doing the decreases to shape the crown, the pattern of the flowers was completely lost. Stitches no longer aligned with one another. I kept on going for awhile, thinking maybe it wouldn't be that noticeable once I tied up all the loose ends (literally), but then I stopped and decided not to continue for one reason: It would be noticeable - to me. Being a perfectionist, I felt that I just could not slap it together like that, even if it was only for my pleasure. So I tore it completely apart and actually started to make another hat with the yarn. But then I got the email from my daughter and she had checked out my post and was really excited about seeing the finished project. So I decided to give it another try. And I pulled apart the other hat (it wasn't the right yarn for it, anyway) and started again. Only this time, I am paying closer attention to the pattern to figure out where I went wrong. How does this relate to writing? One word: Revision. How many writers have gotten to the end of their story and realized that some of it didn't gel but tried to finish it anyway, didn't like the result and abandoned the project? Only to revisit it after some thought, go through it with a fine-tooth comb to figure out where it went wrong and finish it properly? Thank heavens for second drafts!

5. The end product. If you follow through, pay attention to the details, persevere, and just keep at it, in the end you will have a project you are proud of - one you might even debut in public!

So there you have it, how knitting and writing are so similar. With each one, you can make a whole lot of something out of nothing!

Mystic Monday

Mardi Gras Time in WI!!!

Sorry I'm late with my post this week - I new it wouldn't take long for me to get back to my night owl ways, lol!

Besides my night owl ways, it was a very exciting day/night last night as I got to watch my Green Bay Packers beat the Chicago Bears to become the National Football Conference (NFC) Champions! We're going to Super Bowl XLV (45)!

The Packers haven't been there since 1998. Yeah, it's been that long! I admit, I've been a Brett Favre fan even after he left Green Bay. While I always wished him well and wanted him to have a good game, I wasn't as invested with his team winning. However, when he became a Viking - one of our major rivals - I wanted his team to lose and I wanted him to sacked! I just couldn't help it.

Aaron Rodgers took over the team for Brett Favre. I can honestly say that I reserved judgment for Rodgers. I didn't immediately jump on his bandwagon because I wanted to be sure that he was going to "stick". Players get injured all the time and we basically got spoiled with Brett Favre. He played in every game he started with the Packers, even if he was injured. So, I didn't want to put all of my expectations onto a new guy because...well...that just wouldn't be fair.

Not only that, I wanted to make sure he could get out of Brett's shadow. He seems to have done that this year. Yes, I want us to win the Super Bowl, but if they lose I'll still be proud because they made it this far against some very big odds. Besides the injuries that have plagued us this season - including Rodgers suffering 2 concussions - they barely slid in to the play-off wild card spot as the 6th seed with a record of 10 wins and 6 losses. After having lost to the Falcons in Atlanta at the end of November (Week 12), getting past the second round seemed like it would be a miracle. However, they managed to beat the 1st seeded Falcons in Atlanta in a 48-21 rout.

Next was the Bears. To say that I was nervous about this game was an understatement. The Pack lost to the Bears in Soldier Field at the end of September (Week 3), and we were going to have to go into Soldier Field to play the 2nd seeded and NFC North Division Champs, Chicago Bears. Yeah, that's right, the we're in the same division as the Bears.

However, I do need to point out that their win-loss record was just 11-5 while ours was 10-6. If we had not lost to the Lions in Detroit on Week 14, we would have been tied with the Bears...sort of.

Anyway, the game started off seeming like we might run away with it with a quick TD in the 1st quarter and another in the second to make it 14-0 by the end of the half, which stayed that way until the 4th quarter when the Bears sat their 1st and 2nd string QBs for their 3rd string QB Caleb Hanie. He played less time than Cutler, had better stats, and got the Bears a quick TD.

14-7 and I was biting my nails. But then, BJ Raji stepped up and not only intercepted a pass, but ran it in for a TD to make the score 21-7.

The Bears managed to score again and looked like they were going to tie the game and possibly send the game into OT when Tremon Williams came up with a game-saving interception with 37 seconds left in the game.

That's right, it wasn't until there were 37 seconds left in the game that I could finally breathe easy, knowing we won the game.

It felt sort of anti-climactic though because, for the first time in our relationship, he was not in front of the TV to watch the game. He was playing in a disc golf tournament. Even though he listened to the game while playing, he came home and we sat and watched the game a second time. Yep, I watched the game twice!

It's like a surreal party up here because there were so many points in the season we weren't sure the Pack would make the playoffs, let alone go to the Super Bowl! Sure, we all wanted them to get here, but the odds seemed so stacked against us.

So, in honor of this joyous event, here's a few songs that I felt appropriate for the day:

PHANTASM FRIDAY

BIG NEWS FROM MY PUBLISHER

DECADENT PUBLISHING

Decadent Publishing announces the release of a Paranormal-romance fiction anthology rooted in rock ‘n roll and ripped straight off the Sunset Strip.

Run Devil Run, an L.A.-based rock band well known locally for their dynamic live performances, diverse musical talent, and humorous video antics has lent their faces, titles and lyrics as inspiration for a five-book series with the publisher. The stories are penned by popular and award-nominated authors Rachel Carrington, Mari Freeman, Susan DiPlacido, Valerie Mann and Becca Dale, and will be released first in ebook format, then later in print.

“I’ve seen RDR play live several times and they are impressive. When this idea came to me, they were a natural fit. Paranormal romance lends itself easily to the Rock vibe,” says Heather Bennett, Co-owner of Decadent Publishing. “Customers who buy the series off our site will be treated to a free download of the coordinating song so they get the whole multi-media experience.”

Mari Freeman writes,” Music has always influenced my writing, but creating a story, characters and an entire world based on the lyrics of a song has been one of the most unique experiences. The collaboration between Decadent Publishing and Run Devil Run has found a creative way to take that musical influence and share it with readers. Read the book, get the song that inspired it. That rocks!”

Remarks Jackie Joyride of Run Devil Run, ”The fact that our music could inspire authors of this caliber to bring characters to life, I mean, it’s a thrill for us. It’s been great working with Decadent Publishing and to see these stories come together around our music…it’s an ego boost for sure!”

To visit Decadent Publishing click HERE to go to their website.

TWILIGHT THURSDAY

A DAY IN THE LIFE

by Sarah Ballance

By most writerly-type accounts, I have a dream job. Or - more specifically - I don't have a job at all. Cue the tickertape parade, ya'll, because I'm a full time author. A full time author with a bill-paying spouse and absolutely zero income requirements.

Does it get any better than that?

Snort.

Now, before you go thinking I've got it made – or, even more laughable – that I've "made it," I'd like to invite you to be me for a day. Brace yourself for the glamour, my friends - this is one reality show yet to make prime time.

5:00 a.m. – Alarm goes off a full hour before necessary. It's the "writing alarm" – the one you set so you can get up and amass wordage before the kids invade the day. You are excited. TODAY is the day you'll get your characters off the floor where you left them and out of the first chapter. You can feel it! Today will be different!

5:01 a.m. – You're still listening to the alarm. The bed is warm, you're comfy, and you know the H will get annoyed and cut off the alarm so you have zero motivation to move. Your characters will be perfectly fine on the floor for another hour.

6:30 a.m. – The H is late for work - his fault for doing the whole alarm-cutty-offy thing. He's not amused when you mumble this from beneath a thick, fluffy pile of blankets while he pulls on layers after layer of long underwear to face a 20 degree morning.

8:00 a.m. – You awake to the distinct odor of a three-year-old wearing a wet pullup sitting on the bed somewhere in the vicinity of your head. If you're lucky, you only smell pee. He repeats "Good morning, Mommy" – louder each time - until he wakes up the baby.

8:10 a.m. – You're up, the baby is up, the offender has been banned from your bed for life. You need coffee or, rather, Sam's Club brand vanilla cappuccino. It's instant, so you put a cup of water in the microwave.

8:11 a.m. – There's not a whole lot you can get done in the two minutes it takes to heat water in the microwave, so you unload the dishwasher.

8:12 a.m. – Then you load it.

8:30 a.m. – Feeling accomplished with the dishwashing thing, you open the handy dandy netbook to add more brilliant words to your WIP. A mere two seconds after you vow not to go online until you've written at least a full page, you are so distracted by what you might be missing in your inbox that you decide it's more prudent to take a quick look than it is to lose writing time to incessant curiosity.

9:30 a.m. – Still online. 'Nuff said.

9:35 a.m. – Kids want pancakes or French toast. You feel guilty knowing you're going to try to make up that lost writing time later in the day, so as a pre-emptive strike on your conscious you agree to make pancakes or French toast. (Well, there's that and there's the idea of a steamy, buttery stack of stuff covered in syrup.)

11:00 a.m. – You're still flipping breakfast over a hot stove. You vow to use the griddle next time, because getting it out can't possibly be more trouble than making 30 whatevers one at a time for a herd of five ravenous children (plus a baby with only two teeth).

11:30 – You find the forgotten cappuccino water in the microwave. Reheat.

12:00 – Two of your six children are still asleep. You've yet to find time to eat your cold breakfast, and now the other kids want lunch "because it's noon." The pan is still hot from breakfast. You threaten them from the kitchen with it.

1:00 p.m. – The kids are working on their home school assignments, no one has questions, and there's peace on your two acres of Earth. Time to tackle your manuscript.

1:05 p.m. – A squabble erupts over a pencil (you don't know why because they each have a set of 24 personalized pencils that promised to put an end to this). You referee. The sound of the world ending wakes up the baby.

2:00 p.m. – After almost an hour of howling interrupted-nap-woes, the baby has returned to peaceful slumber. The other kids are (literally) in their corners, Pencil Gate resolved, accomplishing things. You experience a twinge of envy.

2:02 p.m. – The computer is open. You can't remember the file name of your manuscript. (Yes, I'm serious.)

2:10 p.m. – The mailman is at the door. It is at this point you realize you are still wearing pajama pants and have yet to corral the girls with a bra.

2:11 p.m. – Everyone went careening from their work stations to see what package came today, so you go ahead and do the group lessons. Ancient Assyria, here we come.

3:00 p.m. – Writing time. And this time you mean it. Right after you check your email.

3:45 p.m. – You've just finished telling every friend, message board, and social network you know about the stellar review or awesome reader e-mail you just found in the inbox you were not supposed to be anywhere near.

4:30 p.m. – … and now you've squealed in turn over their great news, fab reviews, and left comments at their blogs. You know you haven't made adequate rounds, but it's past time to start the bread dough for dinner.

7:00 p.m. – The meal rivaled anything Paula Deen might put on the table to acquiesce the guilt you're about to feel about shutting the bedroom door so you can work on your manuscript. After piles of homemade mashed potatoes, fresh baked bread, home-grown veggies, and a roast worthy of Sunday dinner, you realize you didn't exercise today.

7:10 p.m. – Your readers and peeps have left emails and messages in response to your emails and messages. You reply.

8:00 p.m. – You remember you have a blog / guest blog / interview to finish. Yesterday.

9:00 p.m. – One of your delightful offspring is asking for the 10th time in two hours if you'd like anything to drink. You give up on "no thanks" and ask for cappuccino, at which point you remember the cup of water in the microwave. You hope the kid is smart enough to reheat the water.

9:05 p.m. – Cappuccino comes, and with it word spreads that the barrier of the closed door has been successfully breached with no fatalities. Bringer-of-cappuccino demands a quarter for his services. You decide you like his business acumen and glare until he goes away, quarterless.

9:06 p.m. – Having seen a sibling return from your territory unharmed, ten-year-old boy comes in to discuss the garden. (The one that's a good three months from going into the ground.) You close the computer and give him your full attention because (a) your kid is beyond excited about gardening and doesn't care a lick about video games and (b) not only is he still speaking to you in these tween years, but he clearly values your opinion. This is way better than fiction.

9:34 p.m. – You really don't care this much about the garden.

11:00 p.m. – The other writing stuff is done. Rather than opening your manuscript at this late hour, you set the alarm for 5:00 a.m. and vow you'll get up early to write. You don't have to go to work, so you'll have all day to get those characters off the floor and out of chapter one. And you're almost too excited to sleep.

Tomorrow will be different.

Sarah stays at home with her six precious children, each of whom are adorable when they're asleep. Contrary to what you might expect after spending a day in her life, she only contemplates murder within the pages of a book. The cast of her first romantic suspense, RUN TO YOU, is getting killer reviews ( click here ) while the characters from her new novel are getting cramped up after a few weeks in the same position on the floor. But no worries. She'll work on that … tomorrow.

Wistful Wednesday

How Are YOU Surviving The Snow?

It seemed rather appropriate to me, given last week's post and more snow this week - and still yet more to come this weekend, grrr - that I do a follow-up post on what I do when I'm snowed in. Besides writing, that is. So here it is, what I do - knit hats! Kind of appropriate, don't you think? Since I love to knit and it's cold out there, I was inspired to knit myself a new hat. And not just any hat. No, I trolled the web until I found one that inspired me, called The Day's Eye Hat. I bet you want to see it, don't you? You will - but first, here are some pictures of the process:

The lovely yarn:

Just starting out, it looks kind of like this: 

And further on, it's like this:

And when it's done, it will look something like this:

I bet you're wondering how. Stay tuned! Will post pictures when it's done.

(Note: For anyone who's interested, they can see the pattern and more pictures of the hat here. Another note: I decided to use dpns for the beginning round because I tried it with the circular and didn't like the way it came out - yes, I knit pretty far into the pattern before I ripped it out and started over - and feel I have more control with the dpns.)

Mystic Monday

Today's Dilemma
What do I write about in this post?

I'm late with it because I wasn't sure what to write about last night, and I had an appointment to have my sinuses scanned today. Not to mention the fact that I woke up with a headache at 6am and it's been snowing all day. That meant leaving the house much earlier than planned to arrive early...

To make matters worse, it feels like a Tuesday to me because the Packers played on Saturday night. Sorry, but when you get a pattern going, sometimes one tiny change can throw off the whole thing. Seriously, I woke up early Sunday morning thinking that it was Monday, but it didn't feel right, so I had to turn on the computer to verify that it was indeed Sunday.

Well, I felt off all day yesterday, and I still feel off, lol! :)

On a better note, I'm happy that the Packers won. At first, it seemed as though we were going to fall apart, again, but the team pulled their act together and beat the Atlanta Falcons.

Currently, as I write this, the Milwaukee Bucks are struggling with the Houston Rockets. So yeah, I've been very distracted by sports.

On a different note, I finally watched Akeelah and the Bee. I really liked that movie and thought it was well done, even if the end was a bit Hollywood. The kids did a great job playing their parts, all of them. I hope to see more of them soon.

...

I got distracted looking up the kids on IMDB. The one that hasn't done anything else was the kid that played Dylan Chiu. Which is kind of sad really, because I really liked his character and thought he played it very well. Both Sean Michael Afable (Dylan) and Tzi Ma (his father) did very well at playing these rolls. Very talented and worked well together.

Oh, and I love Lee Thompson Young! The entire movie, I couldn't figure out where I knew him from and it drove me crazy. Finally looked it up - he's in the TNT TV Rizzoli & Isles. He plays Rizzoli's new partner, Detective Barry Frost. Besides being a couple years later, Young has hair on his head and a mustache, so it was hard to make the connection, lol!

Anyway, I really liked the movie.

What about you?

Watch any good movies lately?

PHANTASM FRIDAY

Insert "EDITS" for "PC" in this photo! :P

REALITIES OF EDITS...AN AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE

Are edits a hair tearing frustration for you? Or a joyful ride down memory lane relearning all the delightful quirks of your characters?

For me, it is a smidgen of both. I'm exhausted from a week of edits, so I really have nothing to say. I sent in the edits yesterday and I feel brain dead, like I need to reboot my brain so I can actually focus on something else.

These edits weren't minor (at least not to me). They were overhauling edits that altered the storyline. Altered so much, I'll have to fine-tooth my way through book 2 to make the necessary changes. In the beginning I was frustrated by the request to alter the storyline somehow. After being forced to rethink my story, I started to see what the editor was saying. So, I cranked up my creative dial and demanded Muse spew forth something awesome. (Muse was not happy with me. *evil giggle* It's always fun to get him back for the torture he inflicts on me.) Not sure if I came up with something awesome, but I'm very proud of and excited about what my Muse did create!! That's progress, right?

But...what will my editor think? Yikes! I feel like a fresh-faced teenager whose bestfriend has just told the hot boy in third period I like him. My belly is twisting with excitement and dread. Because what if the boy doesn't like me back? Ahem...I mean what if my editor doesn't like the changes as much as I do? You see my dilemma? I respect my editor's opinion (even if she thinks I don't) and I really, really want her to love this new storyline! *bites nails as I endure the wait*

Share your editing misery with us! Or editing joy if you're brave enough to rub it in our faces. ;-) I'd love to hear from our editors too!! Come tell us how awful us authors are, how irrational and whiny. LOL I know we are and so do you!

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

~huggles~

Gracen

(All photos were snagged from Photobucket. I do not own these photos and no copyright infringement was intended.)

Wistful Wednesday

Snowed In!

I don't know about anywhere else, but here in Massachusetts, they big topic is snow. We are in the middle of a nice Nor'easter here in the Bay State and it's only going to get worse before it gets better. So I thought I'd post some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

This is the view from my back balcony/deck, looking out over what is usually the drive, which we call "the circle," around my apartment complex:

And here is a picture of the woods behind my building, my view from my back door:

NOTE: Pictures taken by my older daughter, Leah. Not bad for a nursing student, huh?

So what's it like where you live? Please share where you live and what the weather is like. Curious minds want to know.

TANTALIZING TUESDAY

The Moonlighters Welcome A. Faris

Please welcome A. Faris into the Moonlight. A. Faris is the author of Out of Joint and The Golden Harp, which will be released by Decadent Publishing.

Now, it's time to create a little mayhem and get to the good stuff by revealing all of A. Faris' deepest darkest secrets in the moonlight. LOL Yeah, you wish! ;-D Grab your favorite wicked drink, sink your teeth into something decadent, sit back, relax and enjoy getting to know A. Faris.


MLM: Do you have any holiday memories from 2010 that you would like to share with us? (Memories can be nice and sweet, naughty, or just plain goofy!)

A. Faris: My sister loves to travel and when she came to visit me last December, she insisted on going around in the dead of winter. I refused to take any part in such foolery but sisterly affection has a way of working on one. Which was why I had found myself at the top Broadway Tower (in the Cotswold) in the middle of the coldest winter England has seen. My three-year old hugged me tight, too cold to whine, just burrowing into my neck, trying to escape the wind.

My sister took one look around at the fantastic view, then said, “Let's go back.” This, the woman who helped build a school in Cambodia despite a gastric flu bug, travelled in deep snow to get to Avebury, and climbed the Jungfrau with no winter coat (having forgotten it, bless her).

Finally, something has defeated the tourist who knows no illness, weather or inconvenience. English weather. Gotta love it.


MLM: With the beginning of each New Year, many people make resolutions to change something about their lives. Do you make resolutions each year? Why or why not? In other words, what’s your philosophy behind your decision to make or not to make resolutions?

A. Faris: No. There's no philosophy, just plain laziness. I have a vague life plan and that is enough for me.

MLM: The buzz all over Tweetland and Facebook is how stressful many of us tend to find the holiday season (Thanksgiving through the New Year). This year they’ve seemed to be even more so with everything that’s been going on in the US and abroad. Stress isn’t usually conducive to writing, so we need to shed that stress, clear our minds so the words will follow. How do you plan on recharging your soul? Any relaxation tips you’d like to share?

A. Faris: The television is very good for numbing the brain, I must say. But sometimes, even that can get to be too much for me. What I like to do is spray on a comfort scent (Ambre Narguille by Hermes is my favourite at the moment but anything that makes you happy works), put on some music (KYO, a french rock band, Andrea Bocelli and Maria Callas are some favourites), and lie in the dark.


MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:

a.) What area of the country/world are you from?

A. Faris: I live in Oxford, England.

b.) What are the average temperatures of your area?

A. Faris: 2-3 C

c.) What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

A. Faris: Thermal underwear, sweaters, winter coats, hats. But there have been a few nutters in short-sleeves and short skirts (when I say short, I mean really short). Really, someone should explain to me how these people keep warm.

d.) What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

A. Faris: Good boots. I had bought a cheapie which fell apart on me in one month and my feet weren't exactly happy with me in that month either!


MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, and it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why?

A. Faris: Outside the cabin. It sounds insane, but I can vouch for this option, having actually gone for a dip in a hot tub in winter while in Rotorua, New Zealand. The cold against your face while the rest of you is wonderfully warm, and the litter of stars above you. Fantastic.


MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for the holidays, where would you choose to go? Why that destination over others?

A. Faris: Mexico. Why? Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza. That's pretty self-explanatory, isn't it?


MLM: We’ve had our fun, now it’s time to switch the focus to your writing. Why time travel and fantasy? What was the draw for you?

A. Faris: I am just starting out, so I am actually experimenting with many sub-genres of romance. I can't say that I will always write fantasy romances, or time travel romances, although I have had a great time with both. The former was an off-shoot of an idea I had while telling my son the fairytale 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. The former...I think I might have been watching too much Dr. Who at the time!

One thing is for certain, though, I LOVE writing romance. You won't find me apologizing for it, years down the road, I hope. LOL. I find the character development love can bring (in real life and in books) fascinating and the draw of romance, for me, is that change love can bring, despite the circumstances.


MLM: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please look beyond words hot, steamy, mysterious, paranormal etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

A. Faris: Believable.

No matter what story I am writing, at no point do I want the reader to think “Jeez, that is just stupid. No one would ever...*insert character's behavior*” Even if it is a fantasy, time travel, space age, apocalyptic (and other variations thereof) romance, I wish for the readers to be able to identify with the heroine, want to meet the hero, and pretend to inhabit the world I have created.


MLM: Earlier we discussed stress and the holidays. While stress may not always be conducive to writing, do you find that the holidays disrupt your writing schedule? If so, how? How tough is it to get yourself back in writing mode? What does it take to get you back on track?

A. Faris: Holidays are a paradox. While I find it disturbs my schedule, the forced break from writing always produces many ideas for exploration later. It is actually quite good for the creative process, but not for the actual writing itself. But I don't really find it hard to get back into writing mode. I get back on track as soon as I get over jet lag!


MLM: Who decides what the characters/creatures you write about do, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one pouring the soap in the Jacuzzi?

A. Faris: I like to think my muse and I are in a partnership. She gives me ideas and I make sure they are presented in the best way possible.


MLM: Of all the stories you’ve written, which character did you have the most fun creating and why?

A. Faris: Jack in The Golden Harp. I have a tendency to favour beta-males with strict codes of honour in my stories and Jack is unlike my other heroes. It was fun to write an alpha-male with an uncertain moral compass. He could act in ways that is less than ideal, yet I found him appealing. Maybe I am developing a taste for bad boys? :)


MLM: Thanks so much for joining us, A. Faris! It's been a treat getting to know you better!

Website: http://afariswrites.wordpress.com/

Buy Link: http://www.decadentpublishing.com/

You can also find me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/people/Allyson-Faris/100001634614828

BLURB:

“Out of Joint”

Rebecca Guthrie is a governess in the Wentworth house. In love with Bennett Wentworth, brother to her young charge, she does not realize the family harbours a secret, well beyond the scope of her imaginings. Ashamed of the family curse, the werewolf hero has vowed never to marry, denying the very real attraction he feels for her. It takes a tangle in time to uncover their secret passions, and bring the two together. The only problem is the same glitch in time threatens to tear them asunder.

“The Golden Harp”
Serving a bond of debt, Callie Harper chafes under the rule of the ogre, Alfred. When a new girl escapes Alfred's clutches, Callie is sent to retrieve her from the protection of Jack Spriggins, the upstart looking to undermine Alfred's rule of the criminal world.

All Callie has to do to gain her freedom is to overcome her conscience, and her blossoming love for Jack.

Mystic Monday

What Makes a Good Adventure?
Definition of adventure (taken from dictionary.com):
1. an exciting or very unusual experience.
2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.
3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.
4. a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.

Considering this, indicates most romance novels I've read contained adventure as a major ingredient. No, not all of them have been futuristic, sci-fi, fantasy or paranormal. Many of them have been historical romances.

Yep, many historical romances tell tales where the characters go through adventures. From Mary Jo Putney to Nora Roberts to Amanda Quick - adventure seems to be a favorite story additive, especially when you consider the huge popularity of certain movies:
Twilight quad
Star Wars (IV, V, VI)
Indiana Jones
The Mummy
Pirates of the Caribbean
Harry Potter Saga

These are some of the biggest films out there, and they've been enjoyed by viewers of all ages.

What do they have to do with anything? Despite the fact that they're paranormal, fantasy and/or sci-fi, the adventure is what makes them popular. Yes, they add to the escapism, transport you to another place or another time, but that's not all they do. These movies take the reader on a fantastic adventure with danger and excitement around every corner.

What these movies do is no different from what Mary Jo Putney did in her story, Silk and Secrets. I don't have the book in front of my because I read it quite a bit ago, but I remember that I liked it, I remember that the main character, Ross, went on an adventure, why this time, I can't remember. I just know that this adventure takes place in foreign, dangerous lands and there are some very well-done action scenes with desert tribes.

Ice Blue, a contemporary novel by Anne Stuart, takes place in the US (California, I think, but I can't remember exactly where) and overseas, sort of. Basically, the two main characters are enmeshed in a dangerous web and need to survive. Sure, you could say it's "survival," but isn't that just a fancy name for adventure?

No matter the setting, adventure is adventure, and that seems to be what I seek. However, I've come to expect certain things from regular adventure stories. Story staples I guess you could call them. The best adventure stories I read usually have the following with them:
1. Map of the area the story takes place in, to help the reader orient themselves and get a feel for the terrain.
2. Glossary of terms and/or people - not required, but when there are a lot of different terms whose definitions are integral to understanding the story or a lot people to keep straight, a list can be essential and prevents the need for repeating certain information, unless it's absolutely necessary.

For example, this latest book I'm reading, Servant of a Dark God by John D. Brown, both references are handy because there are a lot of different types of races to keep straight, and the relationships from one race to the next can be complex. Plus, the territory isn't something you're automatically familiar with, so the map helps to orient the reader within the setting.

Not all adventure stories have these two things, but they do a superb job of creating the setting with narrative and dialogue as well as developing the characters through dialogue and actions.

That being said, every time I read an adventure story - historical, contemporary, futuristic, etc. - if there isn't a map and the characters travel to multiple locations during the story, I always wish there was a map so you could get an idea of where these different locations are relative to each other. I don't know, I guess I just like to look at maps, know where the characters are going because, generally speaking, I'm going along for the ride and I always like to know where I am! :)

Besides a map and list of terms/people, something else extremely important to an adventure story is character development. Sure, yeah, I know that most of you say this is a must for any good story, but I say a requirement for an adventure story.

Why is character development more important for an adventure story over others?

Well, as with stories in other genres, as lame as the adventure itself might be, the characters will be carrying the story, but that's not the only reason. Given any adventure, there are lulls in action - down times - for the characters while they wait for the next part of the adventure to begin.

Well-defined characters will always present interesting situations during those "down" times. For example, in a romance novel, the down time is usually when the first (or expected) sexual/sensual connection will occur. But that's not usually the case with non-romance adventure stories. Down time does not have that kind of fallback to move the story along. Sometimes, the chapter ends when the character goes to sleep and picks back up when they're awake or a scene break occurs and the reader gets a glimpse into something happening in another area of world.

However, resting points for the characters are great way to inject chaos and mayhem. One of the characters may run into an old friend who happens to be able to supply information that seems unnecessary at the time. Or, bump into someone, making them angry. Of course there's also one of my favorite ploys - a bounty hunter or someone the character is trying to avoid shows up, forcing some funny or dangerous situations.

These ploys are not unlike some of the situations in Amanda Quick novels. In one of them (sorry, can't remember the name), the main characters (man and woman) find themselves trapped in a brothel they were searching by the villain(s) of the story, so the pair hides in a prostitute's room, but realize that bad guy(s) isn't leaving, so they need to change the plan a bit - they pay the prostitute for some of the clothes she has, dressing the high society lady as a brothel wench, effectively disguising her enough to get her out of harm's way for the moment.

Injecting chaos and mayhem is important to most stories because it adds some humor, but it also complicates matters and makes the end goal that much harder to reach. Adventure stories need obstacles and side missions to stretch out and interfere with the task at hand to add complexity and depth to the story line.

However, these scenes don't work if the character isn't well-defined. The last thing an adventure reader wants to do is question why a character does what he or she does. By this I mean that the character's actions must match their personality. Do they apologize to the guy they bump into...stare them down into silence...ignore them?

Of course, what the character does here will reflect the personality painted from the beginning.

If a character is quick to believe something about someone or believe information from them, readers want to really be able to understand why. If a character doesn't confront another character about something, they want to know why, and that reason must make total sense to the reader and jive with what the reader knows of the character or the reader may not continue reading.

I'm getting sleepy now, so off to nap!

Twilight Thursday

Welcome Author

Dana Davis !!!

The Last time Dana joined us, she was promoting

her Desert Magick Paranormal Fantasy Series:

Today, she's here promoting her newest Fantasy Trilogy,

The Teadai Prophecies

Before we get to the books, let's take a look at our interview with Dana:

MLM: Do you have any holiday memories from 2010 that you would like to share with us? (Memories can be nice and sweet, naughty, or just plain goofy!)

DANA: Funny you should ask. Three days into our holiday staycation, hubby and I were biking. He decided to turn left and I went right. I rear-ended him and found myself flat out on the street. Turns out I cracked a rib. So instead of all the hiking and biking we’d planned, we spent our two weeks off playing Scrabble and watching videos. Hubby made some yummy treats and I think my butt got bigger. Yep. It did. I’m still healing and hope to be back on my bike in another couple of weeks or so.

MLM: With the beginning of each New Year, many people make resolutions to change something about their lives. Do you make resolutions each year? Why or why not? In other words, what’s your philosophy behind your decision to make or not to make resolutions?

DANA: Resolution, what’s that? But seriously, I love my life and I don’t do a specific New Year’s resolution because I tend to make little ones all year long. Like, get more writing done. Or take more breaks from writing to work out. Or do more little things for hubby to let him know I love him. Stuff like that. I’ve found that if I make them a little at a time, I tend to actually get them done.

MLM: The buzz all over Tweetland and Facebook is how stressful many of us tend to find the holiday season (Thanksgiving through the New Year). This year they’ve seemed to be even more so with everything that’s been going on in the US and abroad. Stress isn’t usually conducive to writing, so we need to shed that stress, clear our minds so the words will follow. How do you plan on recharging your soul? Any relaxation tips you’d like to share?

DANA: I used to stress out over every little thing and still have tendencies in that direction. But I’ve gotten a lot better dealing with it. For me it’s exercise, meditation, and reading. Some people have genuine things to worry about so you really have to put things in perspective and decide what’s really worth stressing over and what isn’t. Your holiday dinner not coming out perfect won’t cause the universe to implode. And I know this from experience because I’m still here. After having been through multiple job losses and family deaths, dealing with an inner ear disease, and having our house on the market, the holidays are a breeze for us!

MLM: One of the greatest things about the Internet is that we can connect with writers of all kinds from all over the globe so we want to know:

a.) What area of the country/world are you from?

DANA: My home is Los Angeles, California but hubby and I have been living in the Phoenix, Arizona area for the past twelve years.

b.) What are the average temperatures of your area?

DANA: Phoenix is a desert so summers are scorching, above 110F degrees most days. Winter days are usually in the 60s with 40s at night. We joke about fall and spring being a great week out of the year.

c.) What type of clothing would most residents be wearing today?

DANA: Desert rats are wimps when it gets cold. And this goes for those of us from LA, too. Our highs are in the low 60s this entire week so jackets are in order here.

d.) What tips do you have for people to “survive” the weather where you are?

DANA: In summers you need to stay inside from around 10am – 3pm. That’s the hottest part of the day. When you do go out, make sure to have plenty of water with you, wear a hat and lots of sunblock. And wear sunglasses year-round. The sun is so strong here that it can cause eye problems if you don’t protect those lovely orbs.

MLM: Say you’re at a cabin in the mountains, and it’s not exactly warm out and you had the option of where you wanted your hot tub to be. Would you have the hot tub inside or outside the cabin? Why?

DANA: I love being outside in a hot tub, but being a wimp about the cold and all, I would only go in when the sun is out. Or else buy one of those patio heaters to put next to it. Okay, those of you from colder climates can stop laughing now.

MLM: If you could go anywhere in the world for the holidays, where would you choose to go? Why that destination over others?

DANA: Well, hubby and I love to travel and have been to many places around the world, so our holidays are spent at home and we really like it that way. We’re hoping to move back home to LA this year if possible. Arizona is nice but there’s nothing like being in California for the holidays. We really miss the beach and walking on the strand in winter or hanging out at the pier eating seafood.

MLM: We’ve had our fun, now it’s time to switch the focus to your writing. Why fantasy? What was the draw for you?

DANA: I’ve always loved fantasy, even as a kid. I’m an escapist, I guess. When the real world is ticking me off or just plain stressful, I can get lost someplace else very far from this reality. I used to get in trouble for daydreaming in school. And I grew up in the entertainment field. I worked in Hollywood and for Disney. Can’t get much more fantastical than that.

MLM: If you could describe your writing with a word or phrase, what would it be? Please look beyond words hot, steamy, mysterious, paranormal etc., and delve into the core of your writing to tell us what word or phrase you want readers to take with them when they've finished reading your story.

DANA: Escape and enjoyment about sums it up.

MLM: Earlier we discussed stress and the holidays. While stress may not always be conducive to writing, do you find that the holidays disrupt your writing schedule? If so, how? How tough is it to get yourself back in writing mode? What does it take to get you back on track?

DANA: The only time my writing is disrupted is when we have company or hubby is off and we want to play. This past holiday I actually got more writing done than I thought I would since I’m injured. I can’t do too much physical stuff just now but typing doesn’t hurt. It’s very easy for me to get back to my writing after a break because my head would explode if I didn’t get all those stories out of it. I tend to get cranky when I don’t write.

MLM: Earlier we asked you about where you’d put the hot tub. Does this show through in your writing? If so, give some examples how, please!

DANA: One of my characters has a hot tub in the Desert Magick series. Does that count? I tend to have my characters outside quite a bit, especially in my fantasy books. Even though I don’t enjoy camping, I love going on nature walks and just being outside. I think that comes through in a lot of my work. In the Teadai Prophecies trilogy, nature is important so the characters do a lot of outdoor living. They also do a lot of traveling.

MLM: Who decides what the characters/creatures you write about do, you or your muse? What kind of influence do you have over your story, or is the muse always the one pouring the soap in the Jacuzzi?

DANA: My muse is a busy and bossy lady so I get bossed around by my characters all the time. In one of my books, I had originally planned to kill off a certain character. When it came time to write the scene, she wouldn’t let me. I tried and tried to get it to work but it just wouldn’t. In another novel, I ended up killing a character that I hadn’t planned to because it didn’t work any other way. That, and he told me to do it. Really.

MLM: Of all the stories you’ve written, which creature/character did you have the most fun creating and why?

DANA: I have fun with each book I write or else I wouldn’t be interested in telling the story. Same goes for characters. I enjoy creating strong female leads so readers will find them in all of my novels. When you get two or more headstrong women together, things tend to get interesting, especially when they’re stuck together in a situation they don’t particularly enjoy. And of course villains are always fun to write. I get to do things I would never do in real life and get away with it.

MLM: If you had the opportunity to meet just one of your characters in real life, who would it be and why?

DANA: I’ve been asked this question many times by many different people and my answer is always the same. I would be afraid to meet any of my characters in real life. They’d beat the living daylights out of me for what I do to them in my novels.

MLM: Which of your characters would you never want to meet under any circumstance and why?

DANA: Hmm, let’s see. That would be any character with magical powers. Any who know how to use a weapon or could beat me up. And any character I’ve done bad things to. So, that pretty much covers all of them. Okay, those who scare me the most in the Teadai Prophecies series are also the most beautiful. The Vedi are husband and wife leaders of the Gypsies. As a go-between for the Goddess and their people, their magic surpasses all the others, and they could do really nasty things to me if they wanted to. Even in my dreams.

Intrigued yet? How about some videos...

Now for some excerpts...

Book 1 - Deadly Fate

BLURB:

What do a mysterious woman, a tavern wench who counts to calm her fears, and several annoying adolescents have in common? They are destined for a magical and uncertain future together. Whether they want it or not.

EXCERPT:

Saldia glanced up. The moon was two days from full harvest glory. Her heart leapt into her throat and her legs began to quiver. She realized she’d stopped when the other woman tugged on her arm.

“Come along, Saldia Trich.” Haranda sounded as though she spoke to a wayward child. A cold breeze rustled the leaves around them but her candle barely flickered. She looked tired, exhausted even.

Saldia flogged back her fear and walked alongside the woman. “I’m Gypsy folk?”

“Yes.”

“But I don’t have powers.”

“You will.”

The two were silent and Saldia counted the trees closest to the road to try and still her dread as she thought about her future. Powers? What kind of Gypsy workings would a tavern wench possess?

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Stay tuned until after City of Gods' excerpt!!!

Book 2 - Sage Truth

EXCERPT:

The ledge dropped sharply into the canyon below as the full moon rose above the cliffs and created shadows against the landscape. Adelsik wedged her otherself between a boulder and a massive tree to keep from falling, her back pressed against wet dirt. Rancid smells from nearby putrid root plants caused her to gag, so she envisioned a scarf, and when it appeared, carefully tied it around her nose and mouth. If that didn’t keep her stomach under control, she would secure yet another across her face. It worked and the smell no longer made her gut heave. Distant howls filled the stagnant night air and she shivered. More illusions to frighten her, make her submit.

This isn’t real. It’s just the Netherworld. I’m slumbering.

The ground gave a sudden shake and she lost her footing. One hand managed to grip a large branch that cut into her otherself’s skin, and she struggled to keep from plunging into the canyon below. She still harnessed the Energy from previous attempts at changing this nightmare the stranger had created and put all her fear and strength into altering the landscape once again. The

quake stopped and the canyon began to turn into the sandy beach she was so familiar with here in the Netherworld. But the image didn’t last. Sweat slicked the skin of her otherself from failed attempts to change the landscape, and she clung desperately to the jutting branch as her feet dangled off the edge of the cliff.

Book 3 - City of Gods

EXCERPT:

Pim laughed and Cass couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped. Eletha wasn’t one to go into water without at least her tunic and underbreeches, said it felt too much like bathing. Perhaps the recent tree deaths had knocked all sense from her. Cass caught movement in her corner vision.

Brak, a large man even if he wasn’t Bankari, stopped short of the bank and scratched at a facial scar. “You mad, woman? Get yourself out of there before you catch a death.” He never said much to the others but always had an opinion where Eletha was concerned.

The little, fiery-haired woman, who seemed to enjoy taunting him, laughed and splashed the shore in a flurry of arm and leg movements. “You big dolt! Gypsies don’t get ill!” A huge grin revealed a number of teeth.

With that, Brak grunted and walked off, mumbling to himself.

Eletha splashed around until he disappeared behind one of the supply wagons before she climbed out, shivering. She didn’t seem concerned with covering her nakedness.

Pim eyed her up and down. “That a way to get attention. Not a man alive can keep eyes from a naked woman.”

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