Sisters in Sync

Testing the Waters

2011-03-24T21:20:00.001-04:00

So our hiatus turned out to be longer than any of us expected. I guess that's just how grief works. The process is different for everyone. But rather than stay on the shores hopelessly staring out at the murky water, I thought I'd dip my toes in and see if anyone wants to hold hands and jump off the bridge with me. Make sure you yell Cowabunga or Big Fat Pickles or some other crazy sounding phrase. Why? *shrug* Just seems like we oughta. Everything's better when you add a hint of crazy into the mix!

So what have I been up to? Oh! I'm so glad you asked. Well, I've been very busy with life and stuff. Oh, you want me to be more specific? I can do that!

In November I participated in National Novel Writing Month and I'm just now finishing that manuscript. I love it. I'm so ready to write "The End" and take the plunge. Meaning? Send it out. See if I get any bites.

Of course I'm still working hard at the day job and handling my family business. Meaning? Being a mom and wife.

I"ll end this with a couple of recommendations:

Movie: Red Riding Hood LOVE IT!

Music: Red Riding Hood Soundtrack LOVE IT!

It's been months! What have you been up to?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-04T13:38:00.000-05:00

Seasons Greetings, all! For those of you checking back, we're still on hiatus. We hope to be return to blogosphere after the first of the year. Please check back for updates. In the meantime we want to wish you all a safe and glorious holiday season. When it comes to gift giving, remember the true meaning of Christmas and perhaps consider a donation to a charity in the names of friends or loved ones.

Wishing you peace and joy!

SIS (plus Krys!)

Taking a Break

2010-09-29T19:01:00.000-04:00

Life intervenes so we're taking an extended coffee break. We're so grateful for those who drop by, read our posts, and share their thoughts. Thank you, thank you! We're not going away forever, just for awhile. Check back in November for updates and quite possibly a new format.

Be well, be happy, and drink lots of java (or something)!

Beth, Brenda, Barb/Elle, BJ/Aleena, Brandy, and Krys

Always Remember To:

2010-09-27T08:54:00.000-04:00

Love with your whole heart.

Laugh out loud.

Look up at the sky.

Hug the ones that mean something to you.

Enjoy coffee with friends.

Step away and then come back.

Be considerate.

Take a risk.

Change only if you want to.

Taste the food before you add salt.

Sip rather than guzzle.

Stop what you're doing and listen.

Go for a walk...with your eyes wide open.

Never wait until it's too late.

Now you add one!

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Autumn's Blessings

2010-09-23T08:01:00.000-04:00

The sacred wheel turns once again

Autumn has settled across the land.

Golden, russet, and crimson leaves

Blanket the land as they fall from trees.

The bountiful harvest fills our cups

We pour them forth when we've had enough.

As we gaze in wonder at the darkening skies

Autumns blessings fill our lives.

Building fires under the moon

Dancing with loved ones, what a boon!

*Aleena Ravenwood*

May our days be blessed and bountiful this harvest season.
And may my beautiful Smurfette have a wonder birthday.

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Conspiracy

2010-09-22T09:04:00.000-04:00

con·spir·a·cy- [kuhn-spir-uh-see]
–noun, plural -cies.

1. the act of conspiring.

2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.

3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.

Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy? Or were others involved? Some people think he couldn't have done it alone and that parties such as the CIA, KGB, FBI, Fidel Castro, the Mafia and many others were involved.

Was the Apollo moon landing real, or were the NASA pictures shot in a studio?

Was Princess Diana's car accident really an accident? Or was it some elaborate murder plan to prevent further scandal to the English throne?

Alien spaceship or top secret research balloon? What really crashed in Roswell in July of 1947? Were there aliens aboard? Did they survive?

Whether these events were conspiracies or not, they still make for great thought and discussion. I always find it interesting to read all the different conspiracies that people create. Some of them are very believable, and some of them not so much. I guess it's all a matter of opinion.

Are you a conspiracy theorist?

SIS Bren

LEFT HANGING...

2010-09-21T09:49:00.001-04:00

I just finished reading The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan. Being a vampire story, I was compelled to buy it as soon as I saw it on the shelf. I really enjoyed the book even though it was not what I was expecting. My typical vampire reads have sexy men and hot steamy scenes. This was completely the opposite. In this story, the vampires are disgusting!!

The thing that bugged me about The Strain, is that I didn't realize it was part of a series. I guess I didn't pay enough attention to this inside cover. Half way through the book it hit me... great I'm gonna be left hanging again!

I have gotten way too interested in too many series! It drives me crazy waiting for the next story to come out. There is the Fever series - it's the one that has me most on edge. The Black Dagger Brotherhood always keeps me in suspense wondering who's story is next. I have many others that I am always waiting on. So great... I just added another!!

Does it drive you absolutely nuts waiting on the next part of a series? Do you like being left in suspense?

SIS Brandy

What's Your Story?

2010-09-20T08:44:00.001-04:00

One's imagination is as unique as the body that holds it. I posted a stunning picture at Loud Whispers this weekend and asked people to just come up with a couple of sentences about it. What story did they see when they looked at it? What emotion did they feel?

The answers were amazing and some of the stories they came up with NEED to be told. I hope they will allow the picture to inspire them further.

I've decided to try it here. It doesn't matter if you're a reader, a writer, or just a fan of imagination. Don't hold back. Tell us a little about this picture:

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Taking the Plunge

2010-09-18T07:00:00.004-04:00

I like to sing. I also like to think that I can carry a tune in the shower or sing along to the radio with the best of them, which most likely isn't true. Although the thought of it is appealing on the surface, the one thing I haven't done yet is sing in public in front of a crowd. Not even once. The closest I've ever come to it is singing "Happy Birthday" at parties along with everyone else that was there.

It's not because I've never had the chance. I've been to Karaoke with friends more than a few times, and hung out with Brenda and Elle for several years while they were performing and could have probably begged/bribed my way on stage. Not once did I take the plunge, although I did briefly run the sound and lights for a band, so in addition to not singing I had the distinct pleasure of trying my best not to make -them- sound bad.

The reason I've never done it is simple: I'm chicken. Stone cold stark raving chicken. There, I said it. As much as I like to sing and the thought of a room full of people clapping in approval for me is appealing, I just can't bring myself to do it. I get too nervous and don't think I sound that good. Maybe someday I'll get up the courage and go for it, but not likely.

What artistic/creative endeavor that you haven't tried would you most like to try? Why haven't you tried it yet?

Slog through or Ditch?

2010-09-17T07:04:00.001-04:00

Awesome writer and my good friend Mary Stella's newsest blog post inspired this post. She's reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Please hop over to Postcards from Paradise for her humorous and intersting post inspired by the word: gallimaufry.

I'm going to copy and paste my response to her because it raises a question I want to ask you.

That book and series are all the rage at my library. I figured I should read it since it's so 'great'. I downloaded sample chapters on my Kindle. Midway through the 1st chapter I decided it wasn't for me. I couldn't get into it at all. When I confessed this to people who'd read and loved it they said things like, "The first three chapters are the hardest to get through" and "The first half of the book is slow but then it really takes off" and "It's too detailed and bogged down in Swedish politics, but if you ignore all that..." and lastly, "It's translated poorly which makes for a clumsy read, but..."

Um. None of these things enticed me to give it another go. On another note, someone who read the book and saw the Swedish movie, told me the movie cut to the heart of the story and was great. I'm thinking maybe that's more my cup of tea...

Then again... that same person told me that there is a an act of sexual violence in the film that is quite brutal and goes on for some time. So I don't know that the film is for me either, although I could look away at that point. But I digress. My question for you is:

Have you ever started a book and, even though you didn't like it, slogged through anyway thinking it had to get better? If so, were you glad you pushed on? Or... if a book doesn't hold your interest do you ditch it and move on to the next read?

SIS Beth

A Busy Life

2010-09-16T06:00:00.003-04:00

My days have been very busy lately. Smurfette is in volleyball four days a week. Two days of practice and two game days. She finally won a game, which was good for the team. They were starting to feel a little down about losing so many games. They practiced hard and the results were a very well played game.

Monster is having separation anxiety. She cries and clings to me when I take her to school. I have tried to walk away from her but she just runs after me. The school counselor has been very nice. He just pulls her away from me and as I walk away he walks with her to class. She stops crying as soon as I'm out of sight. It is heartbreaking to see her so upset about me leaving her. It makes me feel stressed for the rest of the day.

When I'm not dealing with my children, I'm working, cleaning house or doing laundry. I am in need of a vacation, of quiet time, of time in general. One of these days I am going to take a day for myself. A day where I do absolutely nothing, unless that nothing is something fun.

Do you ever feel that life gets in the way of, well, life?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Encouragement

2010-09-15T09:27:00.004-04:00

It seems that many people around me are experiencing difficulty in one way or another in their lives. I sometimes wonder if it has something to do with the alignment of the planets, or some unseen or unknown force. I think I remember hearing once that your life goes through phases. Something like life is great for a number of years and then negative forces move in and you struggle for a few years. If I had more time this morning, I would do some research.

But instead, I just wanted to share some positive quotes and offer encouragement to those out there that need it...including myself.

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning. ~Ivy Baker Priest

It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. ~Edmund Hillary

Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are. ~Arthur Golden, Memoirs of a Geisha

It's not easy taking my problems one at a time when they refuse to get in line. ~Ashleigh Brilliant

The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears. ~John Vance Cheney

Count the garden by the flowers, never by the leaves that fall. Count your life with smiles and not the tears that roll. ~Author Unknown

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind.
Some come from ahead and some come from behind.
But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see.
Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
~Dr. Seuss

Here's to brighter days for all! Have an incredible Wednesday!
SIS Bren

Then and Now

2010-09-13T08:53:00.001-04:00

Remember when Fabio was all the rage? When he graced the cover of what had to be about 90% of all books in the Romance genre?

The tan body, the long blonde hair, the rippling muscles...

The wind machine, the strong jaw, the intense gaze...

Yes, Fabio had his time to shine and he was bright for a very long time, but the trend has shifted.

The muscles are still there (that's for sure!) But we've got a definite crop of bad boys.

Darker looks. Tattoos, tattoos, tattoos. From tribal to serpents and everything in between.

We still get an occasional blonde, but the longer tresses are few and far between.

Who would've thought that bald would make the cover? Well it has and I believe it will continue to do so.

But we don't just get the bad boys. We do get pure innocence wrapped in a very nice package. This last model may very well be my favorite of all time:

Innocent, right?

So how about you? What type do you like to see on the front cover of your book? And for those that aren't interested in this type, what about certain covers draw you to pick up a book?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

It's Almost TV Time

2010-09-11T07:00:00.002-04:00

The new fall network television season is almost here, and there are several shows that I'm really looking forward to seeing. 'NCIS', 'House', 'Chuck', and 'The Mentalist' are at the top of my list. What's on your 'must see' list for this season?

Your Mission...

2010-09-10T07:01:00.000-04:00

... should you choose to accept it.

There are many thrilling aspects to writing books. Perhaps one of the most rewarding is seeing your completed novel, the story you sweated over for months, maybe years... on a shelf in a bookstore. The first time, the first book, as you can imagine is the ultimate high. But even after after fourteen published novels I still feel a sense of wonder when I walk in a store and see a Beth Ciotta book on the shelf with so many other authors. Some of them my long time faves!

I also get a thrill when someone sends me a picture of my book on a shelf. Earlier this year SIS Brandy sent me a picture of OUT OF EDEN on the shelf at a department store! So cool! Recently, reader and friend, Sherry Tew sent me this awesome pic of INTO THE WILD at a Borders in Florida!

Your misson, should you decide to accept it, is to snap a shot of INTO THE WILD (if you happen to see it in your travels) and to send it to me so I can post it and also save in my photo scrapbook. Be sure to tell me where you saw it! That's half the thrill! Oh! And phone pics are fine! Send to beth@bethciotta.com

Have a great weekend!
SIS Beth

Thoughts

2010-09-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

Thoughts, both mundane and spiritual, have been written in my journal. I have just recently started to keep one. I find it a refreshing way to end my day. I pay attention to things around me more. I notice that there are messages to be heard, image's to be seen. These things might have slid by me in the past, but now that I write about the things that go on throughout my day, they seem to pop up everywhere.

Something someone might say to me could have deeper meaning. A spider on a web might be an image that can lead to a poem (or a very funny moment). A scent might transport be back in time and remind me of better times. What I experience throughout my day goes right into my journal. Some day, many years from now, someone might find my journal and be inspired by it. Through my journal and my poems, I will live forever. That is true immortality.

Do you keep a journal?
SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Recommendations?

2010-09-08T08:46:00.000-04:00

I am in search of a book. Not just any book. A book that I just can't put down. A book that I think about constantly when I'm done reading it.

I love mysteries. John Grisham is one of my favorite authors. I've read many of his books and really enjoyed them. Two of my all time favorite books are The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. Those two books had me riveted from the get go.

I remember reading both of those Dan Brown books and taking breaks from them to go to the computer to look up things he was mentioning. I remember trying to decipher some of the puzzles.

I need a book that has nail-biting suspense and heart-pounding action. Anyone have a recommendation?

SIS Bren

Small town charm

2010-09-07T09:03:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, we went to visit Bobby. He lives in a very small town... if you can even call it that. There isn't even a gas station. On the way there, Pam warned me of the Labor Day festival that was going on. Lots of people and yard sales and games in town she says. She wasn't joking!

Every other home had a sale set up. There was people all over the place! Some were taking part in the festivities in town. There were game booths and food. A man sat up on the stage singing and playing his acoustic guitar. It was a pretty cool little festival.

Small town festivals always have a good feel to them. They may not be fancy or elaborate, but everyone is always having a good time. These festivals make me think of simpler times... simpler lives. Crafts, the dunk tank, relay races for the kids, homemade food, local talent, pie eating contests... ahhh sounds peaceful huh?

What local festivals do you like to go to? What is your favorite part?

SIS Brandy

Happy Labor Day

2010-09-06T09:31:00.000-04:00

The coffee's brewing. There's a storm outside. The sound of thunder woke me this morning as it rumbled past my window. Ahhh...It's a good day. Many don't care for a storm on a holiday, but I wouldn't be one of those. Today I'll cozy up on the chaise with a good book and then I'll do some writing of my own this afternoon.

And that's all I've got for ya, folks!

Enjoy your holiday!

Autumn Memories

2010-09-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

Autumn is by far my favorite season, and here's why. I was born and have lived all my life in a city in central Florida, which pretty much has two seasons a year, spring and summer. This past winter was an exception to that, but it's pretty rare. Some of the leaves here do change color with the seasons, but they're still pretty dull. About the only real giveaway that Autumn has arrived is that it's less humid and the mosquitoes become less numerous. A few of the churches in this area have fall festivals, but they're pretty much just carnivals.

About 25 years ago my parents bought some land near Asheville, NC after we took a family vacation there to see some property that my sister and her husband owned in the area. Almost every year after that until very recently, we always went back in late October right around the time the leaves were changing. We would rent a cabin up in the mountains and over the years made many fond memories, from horseback riding and whitewater rafting to gem mining and craft fairs and fall festivals. Even though we went every year for several years, it never got old.

There's something magical about a small town autumn in the mountains. The brilliant yellow, orange and crimson leaves contrasted by the turquoise blue of the sky. The clean, crisp smell of the air mingled with the scent of damp earth and leaves. The bounty of the harvest and numerous handmade arts and crafts on display at the roadside markets and fall festivals. Sitting on the porch of a cabin in the mountains at night gazing up at the multitude of twinkling stars overhead, a cup of hot spiced cider in hand.

I seriously need to stop now before I get too nostalgic! What are your favorite memories relating to Autumn?

Labor Day Weekend

2010-09-03T08:15:00.000-04:00

A list of my holiday plans...

1) Write blog posts
2) Create and send promo newsletter to my subscribers
3) Work on new proposal until it's done...write, brainstorm, edit, write, edit.

#3 will take the majority of every hour over the next three-four days

If perchance I fnish early or if I severely need a break, I will watch one of the four movies I brought home from the library (hoping for inspirartion). Oh, and of course, I'll squeeze in eating and sleeping.

I don't mind being holed up in my writing room over the holiday.

1) Hurricane Earl is pushing up the coast. Not that we're expecting horrible fallout. But it is grey and gloomy and the forecast is heavy rain and wind. Who wants to be out in that?

2) The sooner I finish this proposal, the sooner my agent can submit it. Currently two editors/houses are waiting to see this particular proposal. Talk about incentive!

So off I go to write, write, write.

What about you? How are youspending the holiday?

Averting Catastrophe

2010-09-02T06:10:00.000-04:00

Day: Sunday

Time: After dinner

My husband and I were in the kitchen getting ready to wash the dishes. The girls were in their room fighting (they were supposed to be cleaning). Suddenly, Monster started to cry. She yelled for me and said something accidentally broke. I go upstairs to see what 'accidentally' broke. Monster, who had become angry with her sister Smurfette, threw a blanket onto her own bed and broke an arm made of plastic off of a solar system that hangs over her bed. The solar system that I had spent a whole day painting and putting together.

Monster was crying hysterically, saying that her solar system was ruined forever. I told her that I would try to fix it with duct tape. I took it downstairs, dug around for some duct tape, and wrapped some around the broken arm. That didn't work. The planets were too heavy. I looked at Monster's sad face and knew that I had to come up with a way to fix her solar system. She loves anything to do with outer space and would be devastated if it couldn't be fixed. Plus, she wanted me to buy her another one but I don't really have the money for that. (And I didn't want to spend another day working on it.)

Then it hit me. Dowel rods! Long wooded sticks that are used for many things, including crafts. I grabbed the center of the solar system where the plastic arms go into and hopped in the car in hopes that the store would still be open and I could find a dowel rod small enough to fit in the holes.

Lady luck shined upon me that day. Not only was the store open, I was able to find dowel rods that fit. I bought two of them and went home to fix that darn solar system. I sawed the dowel rods in half with a steak knife (don't laugh, it worked). I put the four sticks into the center and hung the planets in the correct order. (Yes, Monster made sure they were right.) When I was done hanging the planets I took the solar system upstairs and hung it over her bed.

After the solar was hung and her tears dried up, I had a talk with my little Monster. " No more throwing things when angry with sis and please fess up when you do something wrong." I told her that the solar system didn't accidentally break, she accidentally broke it.

That's one catastrophe averted. I'm sure there are many more to come. Have you had any near catastrophes lately?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Stress Relief

2010-09-01T08:00:00.003-04:00

The bills, the kids, work, car troubles, computer problems....The list goes on and on. I am so stressed right now, I could scream and scream and then scream some more. Usually they say, when it rains, it pours, but in my case.....it's a freakin' category 5 hurricane. I swear! Calgon....take me away!

Anywho....I just sort of had a melt down, so I slapped some leashes on my two best furry friends and out into the night we went. We had a very brisk walk and walked quite a long time. I'm not sure that I was able to get rid of all the stress, but it sure did help. When I'm done with this post, I should probably go out again and maybe this time run.... or maybe I'll just finish the glass of wine I have sitting next to me. That's a much better idea.

Normally, I am productive when I'm stressed. I boot up my laptop and start writing...ah, but as I mentioned...computer problems. My WIPs are on my laptop and it isn't working at the moment. Probably should make copies of those, huh?

So...instead of writing on my laptop, I'm in my son's room, trying to type very quietly as he sleeps. I don't think it's working. He seems to be stirring around a lot.

I know this isn't all that thought provoking, but I need to wrap things up before I wake up Happy. My question to you is...what do you do when you are stressed? (Somehow I think we have asked this question before here at SIS, but alas, I am old and my memory sucks!)

SIS Bren

P.S. Someone help a SISter out...I can't even paste my pic because that's on my laptop too! :(

Shameless Self-Promo

2010-08-31T12:35:00.000-04:00

Popping in to let you know I'm being interviewed today at READING WITH TEQUILA. Oh, and there's a giveaway too! Hop over and check it out!

SIS Beth

I Can See It

2010-08-30T08:48:00.000-04:00

Ah, yes. The finish line is in sight. Yesterday I had a very productive writing day. One of many in the past week. The end of this book is near and I'm already starting my happy dance. Sure, I'll have to go back and make some pretty major revisions, but to know the bones are there and that I know every in and out of the story is a complete treasure to me. I had hoped to continue the momentum today, but unfortunately I have to go to my day job. No worries. I'll just jot down notes and then start writing again tonight. I so want to finish this one!

And since I'm in such a positive mood, I'd like to share these quotes. I challenge you to share one too!

Oliver Wendell Holmes~~
Man's mind once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimension.

Erma Bombeck~~
It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else.

Chinese Proverb~~
If you get up one more time than you fall, you will make it through.

Ferdinand Foch~~
The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire.

Sheila Graham~~
You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world.

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

And the Winners Are....

2010-08-28T08:19:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to Edie Ramer and Tura Lura!

Thanks to handy dandy random number generator, you won signed copies of my romantic adventure, INTO THE WILD. Please email your mailing info at beth@bethciotta.com I'll send out your books pronto. Thanks to all who chimed in for the giveaway!

Now.... scroll down for today's post written by Bro Krys!

SIS Beth

Under Pressure

2010-08-28T07:00:00.002-04:00

When it came time to brainstorm for today's blog, I came up with what I thought was a good topic. Then I read BJ's post and that took care of that. Great minds think alike, I guess. So that left me with Plan B. Unfortunately I didn't have a Plan B. Undaunted, I thought about my life and what's going on with me at the moment that I could blog about.

Nada.

So I perused the local and national news stories for some gem that I could post that would spark endless conversation or lively debate, or both.

Zilch.

Still not giving up, I thought about the television shows and movies that I've seen lately, and the books I've read. Surely that would inspire me to write at least a halfway decent Blog.

Nope.

It's now Friday night and I'm left with that sinking feeling that no matter what I do, I'm not going to come up with anything good. The dreaded creative block. So I'm going to do what I normally do and make the best of the situation, for what it's worth. As a creative person, which I believe we all are in one way or another, what do you do when you want/need to come up with an idea or inspiration to be creative and it's not happening?

Something To Talk About (and a giveaway)

2010-08-27T06:00:00.007-04:00

Once upon a time writers wrote the best darn story they could and their publisher handled most, if not all, of the promotion and advertising.

That was before my time.

I've been published since 2001. Even then an author was expected to invest time and money into self-promotion. Today... let's just say expectations are pretty intense. The average author is responsible for arranging their own interviews, news features, blog tours, newsletters, and booksignings. To order and purchase promo items such as bookmarks, book trailers, excerpt booklets, and (if they so desire) giveaways such as pens, notepads, buttons, etc...

A website is a must and a blog is pretty standard. Presently there's a big push for the author to engage in social networking via Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and readers' sites such as Good Reads, Shelfari, and Library Thing. Although I don't know the percentage, I'm pretty sure most of the ads you see in industry magazines and readers' websites are purchased by the author. And I'm here to tell you that can get really expensive.

Kudos to the authors who have the resources and time to cover and keep up with all, or even most, of the above. I truly envy and admire those marketing dynamos. Between working a full time job and writing two novels a year, I've had to learn to pick and choose. I've tried different things over the years. Some promo efforts work for me. Some don't. Presently, I'm convinced that the thing that lifts sales most is 'word of mouth'. I see this at work all the time at the library. One patron tells another about this great book they read and suddenly that person has to have it, reads it, loves it, and tells another person and so forth. Word spreads via blogs and social networks too. A personal recommendation is a powerful thing.

I want readers to talk about me, or rather my books, and especially just now my September release INTO THE WILD. So this time around I'm focusing on stirring up talk by giving away my authors copies. So far I've done this in my personal blog, Twitter, and Facebook. I also have a couple of guest blogs and interviews lined up and I'll give books away there too. Mid September I'm attending an Independent Bookseller trade show and I'll give away probably 30 - 40 books there. It may sound a little crazy because I guess you could consider those lost sales. But I truly believe that giving away books will generate sales... that's if the story is good.

I had a blast writing INTO THE WILD and the fact that it was voted TOP PICK by RT Bookreviews gives me hope that the story will win many a reader's heart. Hopefully, they'll be so charmed by Spenser and River's romantic adventure that they'll say to a friend, "I just read this really great story!"

This is one call she can’t resist…

When River Kane's fiancé abandons her at the altar for being too conventional, she's heartbroken. But everything changes when her estranged archaeologist father sends her his journal—filled with cryptic maps and a note indicating he's in mortal danger. Worried, River faces her greatest fears and flies to the Amazon to find him. But she needs a guide. Someone completely unlike danger-seeker Spenser McGraw.

A charismatic treasure hunter who thrives on risk, Spenser hosts the popular TV show Into the Wild, dedicated to locating lost treasures and mythical icons. But River's father's life depends on discretion, and too-sexy Spenser is all about publicity. Forced to team up, they embark on a jungle adventure ripe with temptation and danger…ultimately discovering a hidden treasure that could alter history—and a steamy love neither expected.

* * *

In an effort to 'get people talking' I'm giving away two signed copies of ITW here at SIS. For a chance to win, just comment and mention one of the last books you read that you think we just HAVE to read!

(winners chosen at random and announced Saturday morning)

SIS Beth

Autumn, I am waiting

2010-08-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

This morning, while I walked my youngest daughter to school, I noticed that there was a different feel to the air. It was cool and crisp, just like Autumn. I loved it. I am not a Summer person. As Barb says, I'm allergic. While I do like the warmth of the Sun, I don't like the scorching heat or the humid air. I don't like that it stays light for so long. I enjoy Summer most when it is dark and the stars are shining. I can light a fire, roast marshmallows and watch for shooting stars.

I feel more energetic and alive in the cooler seasons. I love Autumn and Winter and adore the warm sun of Spring after a long, cold Winter. During the Summer I could hibernate. If there was a way, you wouldn't see or hear from me all Summer long.

I am eagerly awaiting Autumn as the hot Summer ends. I will resume my walks in the woods. I will be a lot happier ( I'm grumpy when I'm hot ). Best of all, I will be more creative in the cooler months to come. Autumn, I am waiting, I will dance for joy when You are here to stay. All hail the coming of the Autumn winds!!

Are you a Summer or Autumn person?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Wahoo! It's Wednesday!

2010-08-25T07:40:00.001-04:00

Not that it means anything to me that it's Wednesday. I just felt like saying Wahoo! I'm a gomer like that.

I had the opportunity to watch a couple of movies this week. I rented both from the Blockbuster box at the local grocery store for $1. One was great, while the other was almost a waste of my $1.

We were in the mood for a comedy and decided between The Bounty Hunter and Date Night. The box was out of Date Night so first we rented The Bounty Hunter starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler.

From IMDb: Milo Boyd, a down-on-his-luck bounty hunter, gets his dream job when he is assigned to track down his bail-jumping ex-wife, reporter Nicole Hurly. He thinks all that's ahead is an easy payday, but when Nicole gives him the slip so she can chase a lead on a murder cover-up, Milo realizes that nothing ever goes simply with him and Nicole. The exes continually one-up each other - until they find themselves on the run for their lives. They thought their promise to love, honor and obey was tough - staying alive is going to be a whole lot tougher.

My husband asked if I thought Gerard Butler was a good looking guy. I said "ehh....not really". Then came the scene where he walks out of the bathroom with just a towel wrapped around his waste. I said, "He just got better looking".

Sadly, that's about the only good thing I can say about The Bounty Hunter. It wasn't awful, but I wasn't all that entertained.

The next night, Date Night, starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell was in. I had my fingers crossed.

From IMDb: Phil and Claire Foster are a couple who have been married for several years. Their days consists of them taking care of their children and going to work and coming home and going to bed. But they find time to have a date night wherein they go out and spend some time together. When another couple they know announce that they're separating because they're in a rut, Phil feels that he and Claire could be too. So when date night comes Phil decides to do something different. So they go into the city and try to get into a new popular restaurant. But when it's full and still wanting to do this, Phil decides to take the reservation of a couple who doesn't show up. While they're having dinner two men approach them and instructs them to stand up and go with them. They think the men are with the restaurant and want to talk to them about taking someone else's reservation. But it appears the couple whose reservation they took crossed someone and the two men work for this person. The men are after something, but whatever it is they don't have it.

In a case of mistaken identity, the couple end up running for their lives, trying to find what it is these two tough guys want.

We really enjoyed this movie. There were quite a few lines that had us laughing out loud. I thought Tina Fey and Steve Carell were great together and I can almost see a sequel.

Hope your Wednesday is wonderful, and if you have any recs, please share!

SIS Bren

A Day at the Faire

2010-08-23T08:43:00.000-04:00

My family and I attended the Renaissance Faire in Bristol, Wisconsin. It was a first experience for all of us and one we all enjoyed. I think our favorite part was the jousting, though if you ask Drama, her favorite part was all the shops. That girl never tires of browsing. Here are some of my favorite pictures:

The gentleman above was my absolute favorite costume of the day. The feathers, the leather, the boots, the tights...I loved all of it! The best part? He had a smile on his face every time I saw him. He made me think of the word "jolly". Good for him!

During the joust, we were all told which knight to cheer for depending on where we were sitting. The knight above is the one Drama and I chose. She informed me that she didn't care who they told her to cheer for, this knight was hers. I applaud her independence and her choice!

Is it any wonder why this was Drama's favorite knight? I must say the girl has taste! When she saw him sitting by this tree shortly after the joust, her face lit up and she insisted on a picture.

My son, Comedy, chose these 2 guys as his favorite characters. I wasn't surprised. They really do look like superheroes or maybe even villains. Either would be fine with him.

The man above actually hand crafts these amazing leather "costumes". The craftmanship was superb. Comedy wanted a pair of those clawed gloves. Unfortunately I didn't have an extra $200 laying around.

This lady (pictured above) was a hoot. Man, she had to be sweating her arse off.

And this picture is absolutely priceless. Nothing was going to stop this gal from getting her Renaissance on. I had to do a double take, but, yep, that's oxygen she's toting behind her. You, go, m'lady!

How about you? Ever attended a Renaissance Faire? What's your favorite part? If you haven't been, I highly suggest you do so. It's really a lot of fun. I'd like to go back next year, but this time I'd like to be in costume!

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Leap Of Faith

2010-08-21T07:00:00.003-04:00

I read a story last week that I wanted to share with you. An advertising executive was walking to a restaurant in Manhattan to join her friends for lunch when she was approached by a homeless man who asked her if she had any change she could spare. She didn't, but offered to let the man borrow her American Express Platinum Card. Needless to say, people who witnessed this were stunned by her apparent lack of common sense. She would never see him or her card again, they told her. They were wrong.

A few minutes later the man returned with deodorant, body wash, a pack of cigarettes and Vitamin water. He thanked her and returned her card. She said that she never once thought that he wouldn't come back with her card and he said that he never considered keeping it. Her act of kindness and leap of faith made a difference in the man's life and hopefully had a positive impact on those people who witnessed it and later heard about it on the news.

My own greatest leap of faith happened a little over ten years ago. I was single with not much of a romantic social life and still living at home. Then completely unexpectedly I met someone online that I could relate to. I met her in person, got to know her and moved in with her even though there were a few issues at the time. It hasn't always been easy, but we're still together and will be as long as she will put up with me.

What is the greatest leap of faith you've ever taken? How did it work out?

It's Friday? Seriously?

2010-08-20T06:00:00.005-04:00

What? WHAT? It’s Friday? My day to post? Um. I’ve got nothing. Nu-thing . I’m swamped with the day job and immersed in a new proposal for an editor who might, maybe, with luck, be interested in contracting one of my new stories.

I’m worried about our courageus brother who’s battling cancer. I’m . . . . overwhelmed. I have nothing of significance to write but I can at least post a picture that brings me joy. A picture snapped just last week when I went home to Indiana to visit Bobby. A picture of me with SISters, Barb/Elle, BJ and Brandy. The only one missing is Brenda. Rats!

Note the cornfield’s. Significant to our roots. Just sayin’.

Book Store

2010-08-18T08:10:00.000-04:00

I spent Monday with SIS Barb, Drama and Comedy casually strolling through an outside mall. The weather was beautiful and the company undeniably extraordinary.

While we shopped, we decided to browse the book store. SIS Barb went one direction while I followed Drama and Comedy to the children's section. I loved watching which books caught their eye. They would grab a book off the shelf and flip through it the same way I do when shopping for a book. Comedy suggested we plop down on the floor to take a better look at the super-hero book he had found, so we did.

As we were making our way to the exit, SIS Barb expressed how although she knows they will be a thing of the past, she would love to own a book store. I agreed that it would be much fun.

But wait....a thing of the past? Really? I hate to admit it, but she's probably right. How very sad.

I can't imagine that browsing for a book on a Kindle or Nook or various other e-readers could be nearly as enjoyable as walking into a book store, smelling the unique scent of paper, ink, coffee and pastries all mixed together and seeing the rows and stacks of books everywhere you look.

The discount table, the Best-Seller table and the Just-released table can't possibly look the same on a screen. How can you stroll up and down the aisles touching each book until your hand reaches one that has somehow intrigued you on a Kindle? How can you shop for books with your niece and nephew at the same time on a Nook?

While I know that the e-readers are convenient and hip, it saddens me to think that book stores, as we know them, probably will be a thing of the past. I'm sure they won't be gone altogether, but they won't be the same either.

What do you love most about your visits to the book store?

SIS Bren

The High School

2010-08-17T09:17:00.001-04:00

Today is this first day of school. I just got back from dropping off my two oldest girls. One was very excited. She's now in 5th grade and loves her teacher. The other is now a freshman. (makes me feel way old!!!) She was pretty nervous. She is worried about getting lost and not liking being the youngest. I assured her that everything would be fine and that she'll be loving it by the end of the week.

So, we pull up to the school. Some girls that she knows from guard come walking up. My girl jumps out of the car to walk in with her friends. All signs of nervousness are gone. She struts into the school looking totally cool and beautiful.

I look around me for a few moments. I am in a different world now! These kids don't look anything like the ones last year at the middle school!! Now mamma's nervous.

I watch a tall gorgeous blond glide in. She had on a short tight skirt, a sexy little button up blouse, and great heels. Whoa! When did girls start to look like this?!? We didn't look anything like that when I was growing up. I feel sorry for men. You think your checking out a 23 year old and then... surprise she's 15!

Then this man walks by. Well, I say man but I'm sure he was probably 16. My ten year old shouts from the back seat " Wow mom! That kid has a beard!" Yep - a full blown one.

Next comes many others. A few really handsome boys, some more too mature-looking girls. Yeah now I am totally nervous. Are these boys going to want to date my girl? Is she going to start to look like these other girls? I can see my hair turning gray as I type this!!!

Any thoughts?

SIS BRANDY

No One Puts Baby in the Corner

2010-08-16T09:23:00.000-04:00

First off, I'd like to thank everyone for their support and prayers for our brother. He is still fighting and being the true hero he is. While it is a tough time, we are so happy to be able to spend quality time with him and his family.

Something incredible happened this weekend. I know it'll be hard to believe, but I swear it's true. This weekend I became Patrick Swayze. That's right, folks. But let me be more precise. I was Johnny Castle from the Dirty Dancing movie. This movie just so happens to be one of my favorites. The soundtrack is fantastic and the dancing is just plain fun. How could I possibly just sit on the couch and watch? Not a chance. I sang, I danced and everyone laughed. I'm positive they were laughing because they were being thoroughly entertained and not because I looked like an idiot.

I know what you're thinking? Didn't Johnny have a dance partner? A love interest? Why, yes, yes he did. Baby was the second star of Dirty Dancing and I couldn't have just anyone channel their inner "Baby". No, no. This person had to be special. This person had to rise up to the challenge. They had to want it and want it bad. I didn't even have to pick. This person dove off the couch for a lift that would amaze the finest dancers at the New York ballet. Unfortunately I didn't catch her like Johnny caught Baby, but we made up for it by improvising! Ladies and gentlemen, Baby was played by no other than SIS Bren! She was amazing.

We sang every song, danced every routine and even though I'm sure it was quite annoying, I recited many lines.

But that wasn't the end. We were so inspired we decided to move on to Danny Zuko and Sandra Dee. I got to be the girl this time!!! Oh, yes! We rocked Grease for about 30 minutes, but then our energy started to recede and we ended up on the couch singing along for the rest of the movie. All in all, a fantastic night of movies and fun.

The look on our brothers face was priceless. I'm not sure if it was pride, embarrassment or wonder, but I do know that it was definitely fun and entertaining for all who were present.

Next time, I think Bren and I will charge admission!

How about you? Any favorite movies that you just have to act out? Who have you become lately?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Family Time

2010-08-08T22:21:00.000-04:00

In order to spend time with our amazing and heroic brother,

SIS will be taking a hiatus for the next week or so.

There's no other love like the love for a brother. There's no other love like the love from a brother. ~Astrid Alauda

Our brothers and sisters are there with us from the dawn of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk. ~Susan Scarf Merrell

To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time. ~Clara Ortega

~SIS Beth, Bren, BJ, Barb and Brandy~

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOBBY!

2010-08-07T09:26:00.000-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!!!

Today is our brother Bob's 47th birthday! Let's all sing....ready...one, two, three....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR BOBBY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

We all love you very much and are so proud to have you as our brother!

Hope your day is special!

Please scroll down the page now to read our honorary BRO's post for today.

Human/Nature

2010-08-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

Most people love a good mystery, and I'm no different. The origin of the Universe and everything in it has been a philosophical mystery the human mind has contemplated for many centuries. There are primarily two schools of thought on the subject, the religious and the scientific. Regardless of which you believe, there is one thing that they both have in common: The close connection between humans and the natural world.

Most religions have a Creation narrative that tells how everything that exists was created by a God or Gods. If they are true, than humans and the natural world are closely related because they derived from the same source. The same could be said for the scientific viewpoint. If the Universe and everything that followed was created by the Big Bang, again humans and nature would be closely connected because they came from the same source.

Until very recently in our history, we had little choice but to live closely connected with the natural world. Our very survival depended on finding food, water and shelter from the elements which we had no control over and could not predict. The only way to achieve this was to live as harmoniously with Nature as possible. Many early cultures successfully managed to do just that. Gradually that would change, however.

As mankind made more and more discoveries and inventions, we began to bend and shape the natural world to suit us. We created artificial structures to live, work, travel and play in, with artificially controlled environments. Wild animals were domesticated and transformed into useful tools for our benefit. The natural world is being dug up, burned down, paved over and replaced with an artificial world of concrete, glass and steel.

Do you feel as though you are closely connected to the natural world? Do you feel that it's important to be?

A Quote to Live By

2010-08-06T07:27:00.000-04:00

"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."

Jack London

American Author

SIS Beth

Inspired by the Celts

2010-08-05T06:00:00.002-04:00

There are two poems from Celtic Myth that inspire my daily life. One reminds me of the fact that we are connected to everything and everything is connected to us. The other speaks to me of what we may have been in past lives.

The Song of Amergin

I am the wind on the sea;
I am the wave of the sea;
I am the bull of seven battles;
I am the eagle on the rock;
I am the flash from the sun;
I am the most beautiful of plants;
I am a strong wild boar;
I am a salmon in the water;
I am a lake in the plain;
I am the word of knowledge;
I am the head of the spear in battle;
I am the god that puts fire in the head;
Who spreads light in the gathering on
the hills?
Who can tell the ages of the moon?
Who can tell the place where the sun rests?

(Translation by Lady Gregory)

from the Battle of Trees

I was lanterns of light for a year and a half;
I was a bridge that stretched over sixty estuaries;
I was a path, I was an eagle, I was a coracle in the seas;
I was a bubble in beer, I was a drop in a shower;
I was a sword in hand, I was a shield in battle;
I was a string in a harp enchanted nine years, in the water as foam;
I was a spark in fire; I was wood in bonfire;
I am not one who does not sing; I have sung since I was small.

(Translation by Patrick K. Ford)

The first poem is by the poet Amergin and the second is from Taliesin, son of the Great Goddess Ceridwen. There are many translations and meanings of the poems. These two are my favorites.

How do these poems speak to you?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Things I'd Like To See

2010-08-04T08:51:00.000-04:00

Every morning, I wake up and turn on The Weather Channel and Headline News. It's my only way besides Yahoo News of knowing what's going on in the world.

This morning on The Weather Channel, they've been talking about The Northern Lights, aka Aurora Borealis. What a magnificent sight, and one I'd love to see sometime in my life. I've always wanted to take an Alaskan cruise, so hopefully I'll get to see them WHEN I take my cruise.

There are a few things in the world that I would LOVE to see. I hope to some day be able to have the chance to experience some of these.

Here's my short list:

1. Italy (any or all of it)
2. The Grand Canyon
3. The Great Pyramid (and other Egyptian wonders)
4. Niagra Falls
5. The big giant statue of Jesus on the mountain top in Brazil (I know it has a name, I just can't think of it)
6. Jamaica
7. Hawaii
8. The Great Wall of China
9. The inside of Buckingham Palace
10. Graceland

What's on your list? I'm sure I've left out many exciting things!

SIS Bren

The Best Gift

2010-08-02T08:38:00.001-04:00

Main Entry: imag·i·na·tion

Pronunciation: \i-ˌma-jə-ˈnā-shən\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin imagination-, imaginatio, from imaginari

Date: 14th century

1 : the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality2 a : creative ability b : ability to confront and deal with a problem :resourcefulness c : the thinking or active mind : interest
3 a : a creation of the mind; especially : an idealized or poetic creation b :fanciful or empty assumption

The gift of imagination may have been the greatest gift of all. What would children do if not for the ability to escape into a world full of kings and queens, dragons and dungeons, tea parties and stuffed animals that talk?

What would teenagers do without images of a first kiss, a first date, getting a drivers license and getting out of their parents homes?

What would adults do in a world with no creativity, no wonder and no what-ifs? It's the unknown that keeps many of us going day after day. Each day is the same, yet different because we have the ability to escape into a world created within our mind. This world is full of treasure, whether it be the sparkling kind or the kind of miracles.

If we're lucky enough to have the desire to write, we get the ultimate pleasure of letting our imagination soar, take us to places we've never been and only dreamt of. We get to meet characters, take them out of our mind and introduce them to the rest of the world.

Imagine today. Escape.

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

SIS S.O.S.

2010-07-31T07:00:00.002-04:00

I've noticed that several of the bloggers of SIS have blogged about what's going on in their lives. Well I guess now it's my turn. I'll try to keep it short and to the point, and hopefully after I'm done you will read it all the way to the end, and out of the kindness of your hearts, offer me some advice which I may or may not take.

I was born with a birth defect called Spina Bifida, which is the most commonly occurring birth defect. Most babies born with it will end up permanently in a wheelchair. I was not one of those babies. I took my first steps when I was four and have been walking ever since. More like waddling, I would say, but it got me to where I needed to go. I played youth soccer for a year in my teens, and that was the pinnacle of my body's strength and stamina.

During the years that I went through puberty, I developed scoliosis, which is a side to side curvature of the upper spine, and lordosis, which is a front to back curvature of the lower spine. My right hip, which was malformed when I was born, slowly became arthritic. The curvatures of my spine stopped just short of the point where surgery would have been necessary. The past several years I have been walking with a cane, and for longer distances or when a lot of standing is involved I do have a wheelchair I use. Using the chair for long periods of time causes my shoulders and upper back to ache.

Fast forward to now. Every day is a crap shoot, and I never know what part of my body is going to hurt or how badly. I have very little feeling in my feet, which makes it easy for me to trip and fall on things like doorways or table legs or something of the like. There's nothing like tripping and falling to magnify the pain you already feel.

The way I see it, I have two choices. Try to ignore the pain and get as much accomplished as possible, which might cause more pain. Or take the meds I have for pain and get loopy and not accomplish much. I've done both and neither is a very good solution. It's getting very depressing for me and frustrating for my wife, because there's very little that she can realistically do to help.

I guess that's pretty much all you need to know. Some of you don't really know me that well, but I'd still appreciate any advice you could give me. Thanks.

Furry Joy

2010-07-30T06:00:00.022-04:00

It's been awhile since I shared pictures of the furry ones who bring me so much joy. Here's some of my new faves!

SISters in spirit -- Cheyenne and Nia

Also SISters in spirit. When they're not cuddling, they're wrestling. Nia and Sadie.

Pretty regal looking for a mutt, don't you think?

Someone's not awake yet.

They're favorite time. Snack time! Yes, they all sit and wait patiently like that. So cute!

I hope these pics made you smile. Have a great day!

SIS Beth

A Recommendation

2010-07-29T06:00:00.004-04:00

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood is truly a magical story. An easy read, I read it in two hours and will read it again soon. I loved it that much.

From the back cover:
In a snug New England town, Charlie St. Cloud tends the lawns and monuments of an ancient cemetery where his younger brother, Sam, is buried. After surviving the car accident that claimed his brother's life, Charlie is graced with an extraordinary gift: He can see, talk to, and even play catch with Sam's spirit. Into this magical world comes Tess Carol, a captivating woman training for a solo sailing trip around the globe. Fate steers her boat into a treacherous storm that propels her into Charlie's life. Their beautiful and uncommon connection leads to a race against time and choice between death and life, between the past and the future, between holding on and letting go - and the discovery that miracles can happen if we simply open our hearts.

As someone who is fascinated by death, I found this novel to be a hauntingly beautiful story about the love of two brothers and a women who comes into their lives. This story will teach you to live in the now. ( WARNING: This story is a tear jerker! )

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Grab Me!

2010-07-28T08:40:00.000-04:00

My son just started a new book yesterday. It's called The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. It's Rick Riordan's first novel and they've made a movie based on it which is now appearing in theaters. My son is thoroughly enjoying it, he read over one hundred pages yesterday.

While he read, I could see the excitement in his eyes, the enjoyment on his face, and even heard a few giggles here and there. I took great pleasure in watching him while he was reading and wondered what was going through his mind. I can tell that he'll devour this book in just a few days and be on to the next one.

I teasingly asked him if it was better than mine (he's read the first chapter of my WIP and says he loves it) and being the kind-hearted soul that he is, he answered no. I know he was just trying to make me feel good and I love him for that. But, now I can't wait to get my hands on that book so I can see what it is about the book that has him so enthralled.

For me, my enjoyment of a book is primarily based on the first few chapters. I'll admit it. There are plenty of books that I have tossed aside because they didn't grab me in those first chapters. It's a shame, because there have been books that I've forced myself to push through that ended up being great reads.

I like a lot of action in the first chapter. That's what grabs me. A lot of action that leaves me with a lot of questions. That's what makes me want to read more. I guess I don't need to learn tons about the characters right off the bat. I just like that initial excitement of the character being caught up in some sort of predicament.

So, in a few days, I'll be getting my hands on The Lightning Thief and picking it apart to see if I can gather any information that will help me in developing my novel and making it a great read. Maybe my novel will be so exciting that they'll want to make a movie based on it! One can only dream!

What is it that reels you in when reading a new book. Do you need a lot up front or can you wait for a story to slowly develop? What books have you read that you would like to see as a movie?

SIS Bren

I Won't Grow Up

2010-07-26T10:01:00.002-04:00

We have a tradition. One I inadvertently started about 7 years ago. Each year I take the kids "camping". Why the quotes? My idea of camping is probably a lot different than yours. We have a nice cabin known as a villa. It has air conditioning for the summer and a beautiful fireplace for when we choose to camp in the fall. It has running water, queen size beds and two TV's, which we only turn on in the morning to watch country music videos while cooking breakfast. So, you know...CAMPING!

Each year we have a great time and bring back a bundle of memories. This year was no exception. I'd like to share a couple of the best parts from our 2010 Jellystone Camping Trip.

Saturday evening we were all sitting around the campfire cooking burgers, brats, dogs and chicken when the foreboding clouds started to roll in. We'd been hit two nights in a row with TERRIBLE thunderstorms. Milwaukee was totally flooded and many have lost their homes. Granted, we were three hours away, but the thunderstorms were almost as bad. We decide to move dinner into the cabin and scramble to get all the food and drinks and children in. But wait! We didn't roast marshmallows yet. The raindrops start to fall and I yell for the kids to bring the mallows before the fire goes out. They laughed and laughed at the mad dash to cook as many as we could. No lightning, no thunder, just rain. So I decide it's time for a rain parade. I ran to the truck and grabbed 4 umbrellas. Why would I have so many? For just this very reason. The other adults love the idea so they also grab umbrellas from their cars. We take off our shoes and splash our way up and down the cul-de-sac, singing Elvis and The Judds the entire time. I only wish I had pictures of this. Our colorful umbrella parade is seared in my mind, never to be forgotten.

After about an hour the rain stopped and we got the fire going again. At about 11:00 we put the kids to bed and then my friend and I (let's call her Teri because that's her name) decide that we are going to go on a mission. You see, Teri just bought one of the cabins and she needs more landscaping. We tell her sister that we're going to go dig up some plants. Her sister laughs and says we'll get arrested. We say "No way. We'll be very covert."

(Me and Teri in front of our cabin)

Now Teri has 2 sons, the oldest is 21 and the other 18. They both brought friends and they were all off riding bikes, but we knew they'd be back soon. So here we are, creeping through the wet grass and over to Teri's new cabin (2 doors down). Teri proceeds to lay on the ground and roll up her sidewalk while I crouch between cars and laugh so hard I wet myself. I'm trying to keep this story short, but it's just too funny. She grabs the shovel from her porch and beckons me over. I walk as low to the ground as possible. Side by side, we tip toe between the other cabins. Oh, no! People are still awake. Time for the sniper crawl. Picture both of us on our bellies with a shovel and a poking stick (and for some reason, Teri also has a spatula) in tow, crawling under the windows so we're not detected. I told you...very covert. We make it two blocks over to the ghost town portion of the grounds. After the recession hit, some of the villas haven't been rented out, but things are looking up!)

Now one would think that if you want to make sure a building is unoccupied, you'd quietly peek in the windows. Oh, no, not Teri. She walks up and knocks on the door. I tell her that she's lost her mind and a good burglar would never knock. She says, "Good point." We look around to see what plants we want to steal. Of course we're not really going to do it. That would be wrong, but no way are we going back empty handed. Teri asks me for my hat and after I say what for, she snatches it off my head and puts it on the shovel. She said it's for her new friend. So now it's me, Teri and her new friend making our way back to her cabin. When we get there we grab the two potted plants she had bought at Wal-Mart earlier, put the shovel back and then creep around the back of the cabins. Two doors down and we can hear her sister and the boys on the front porch. Picture this, folks. Teri and I put the potted plants in front of our faces and pretend we are moving plants. It takes forever before they finally notice (I can't believe they didn't hear us laughing) but when they finally do, it was well worth it. They laughed and laughed and laughed and begged for us to take them on our next excursion. They said they had no idea we were so cool. They still thought we stole the potted plants which even added to our coolness. I confessed about an hour later because, well, stealing would be wrong.

The best part? It gave me an idea for a new book!! Major bonus!!!

So how about you? What's the most childlike thing you've done recently?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Fiction as Fact

2010-07-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

To those that know me well, it's no secret that when I do read for pleasure I usually prefer to read something supernatural or paranormal. I have been interested in both of those, in novels and real life, for as long as I can remember. From playing Dungeons and Dragons in my childhood to my first exposure to magick and witchcraft in my teens, the supernatural and paranormal have always fascinated me.

Of particular interest to me are the creatures themselves. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, demons, you name it. I am fascinated by every aspect of them, from how they developed throughout human culture and history to how it could be possible for them to exist in reality in today's world. Which brings me to my point.

My wife asked me last night how I would feel if I was suddenly faced with undeniable proof that vampires and werewolves really existed. Would I be be intrigued and want to know more? Would I run for the hills? I honestly didn't know at first and had to think about it for a little while before answering. In the end I decided that it would be both for me. I would be fascinated to know more about them but would also be very leery and cautious.

How would you feel if you were to discover that the mythological creatures you've read about were real? Choose any creature(s) that you identify with.

Countdown to INTO THE WILD!

2010-07-23T07:13:00.001-04:00

This is a repost from my personal blog. I'm on a mission to spread the word, and since I hardly ever post at my blog anymore, few people visit. Hence the repost. Enjoy!

I've been working extremely hard on several new projects. I hope to share some details about those soon, but in the meantime, I have a new book coming out in September! That's just 39 days from now! For those who like to preorder, you can do so by clicking here for Amazon or here for Barnes and Noble or here for Borders.

Behold my awesome new cover and a mini sneak-peek of INTO THE WILD...

Excerpt from CHAPTER TWO

Cajamarca, Peru, South America

Altitude 8,900 ft.

“What do you mean they canceled the shoot?”

“An executive decision.” Spenser McGraw thumbed his cell to vibrate and placed it beside his empty beer bottle as Gordo Fish, his friend and professional sidekick, dropped into an opposing chair. The popular café buzzed with good cheer, offsetting the men’s grim expressions.

They’d flown from the Scottish Highlands to South America to film an episode for the popular cable show, Into the Wild. Spenser was the talent. Gordo was the one-man camera/audio crew. Now instead of exploring The Legend of El Dorado, instead of searching for a lost city of freaking gold, they’d been ordered to cool their heels in Cajamarca until the show’s new producer and a board of equally young turks hammered out the details of a new adrenaline-charged adventure. Spenser met his friend’s baffled stare. “They want to introduce an element of danger into the show.”

Gordo frowned. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

“Something tells me Necktie Nate is behind this.”

The nickname they’d given to Nathan Crup, their new Armani-suited producer. “Probably.”

“Has that asshole watched even one episode from the past five seasons?” Gordo complained. “We’ve battled extreme elements and hostile people. Survived mudslides, cave-ins, avalanches, and assorted injuries.”

“None of them life-threatening.”

“Like hell. What about the time I got food poisoning in Cairo?”

Spenser found it amusing that a man who’d endured extreme temperatures, snake bites, and altitude sickness would label the time he’d hugged the porcelain goddess in a ritzy hotel room as a near death experience. “You weren’t even close to dying.”

“I ended up in the hospital.”

“Because you called an ambulance.”

“What I didn’t puke up shot out the other end. For three frickin’ hours. I’m telling you . . .” Gordo trailed off when he noticed the young woman standing next to them. “Sorry.” He squinted at her name tag. “Yara.”

Earlier, the sultry waitress had lingered at Spenser’s table, flirting outrageously as most women did, until he’d received the phone call from Los Angeles. Now she was back, and though she spared Gordo a glance, her focus was on Spenser. He winked, encouraging the infatuation. Yara’s pretty face and voluptuous curves were a welcome distraction from Necktie’s disappointing mandate.

Gordo cleared his throat. “Why, yes, I would like to order something. Thank you for asking, Yara.”

Spenser smiled at the woman then spoke in Spanish. “He’ll have what I’m having.”

“What are you having?” Gordo asked in English.

“Beer and tamales.”

“Forget the tamales.”

“They’re locally famous,” Spenser teased, knowing Gordo was still fixed on the Cairo incident and the ‘locally famous’ molokhiyya.

“Just a beer, please,” he said in Spanish. “Make that two. No, three. Two for me, one for him.”

Beaming at Spenser, Yara nodded and left.

Gordo rolled his eyes. “You’re hooking up with her later, aren’t you?”

Never one to screw and tell, Spenser just grinned.

“Why aren’t you more upset about the canceled shoot? You’ve been hot on exploring the possibility that El Dorado is located in Peru and not Columbia for months.”

Spenser shrugged. Granted, at first he’d been royally ticked. Not just because Nate had pulled the plug on El Dorado, but because that piss-ant had called his Indiana Jones’s schtick old hat, insinuating in the next breath that Spenser was over-the-hill.

A) He didn’t do schtick.

B) Since when was thirty-seven old?

Shaking off the insults, he now saw the hole in the producer’s new angle. “When the board reviews Necktie’s brilliant idea, they’ll squelch it.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because it’s been done.”

Gordo narrowed his eyes. “What does Necktie want us to do exactly?”

“To canoe down the Amazon, hack through the jungle, and to somehow connect with a fierce tribe—preferably cannibalistic.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Just about the cannibal part.”

* * *

Hope you enjoyed the sneak mini-peek!

SIS Beth

Circus City Days

2010-07-22T06:00:00.002-04:00

The small town I live in is known for its amateur circus. Every July local children perform amazing feats like the trapeze, high wire acts and many more. Not only is the circus going on, so is the festival. Half of downtown is closed off and they set up rides and vendor booths on the streets. I have been to our circus only a couple of times. Three hours of sitting on hard bleachers is not for me. If it was a little shorter I would go every year.

My favorite part of the festival is the food. Elephant ears, The Lions Club tenderloins, lemon shake ups, corn dogs, and of course cotton candy. Good thing I only go for one night. Imagine if I ate all of that every night for a week.

My girls love the rides of course. My oldest will go on anything, the faster the better for her. My youngest would rather go on something very slow. I still love the fast rides and use the excuse of not wanting my oldest to ride alone so I can enjoy them as well.

What about you? Do you like the circus, rides and fair food? What are your favorites?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Quotes

2010-07-21T09:05:00.000-04:00

I came across these quotes about writers and writing and thought I would share them with all of you. Enjoy!

I keep six honest serving men. (They taught me all I know); Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.

- Rudyard Kipling

Agatha Christie has given more pleasure in bed than any other woman.

- Nancy Banks-Smith

Make'em laugh; make 'em cry; make 'em wait.

- Charles Reade

The pen is mightier than the sword.

- Edward Bulwer-Lytton

This morning I took out a comma and this afternoon I put it back again.

- Oscar Wilde

What I like in a good author is not what he says, but what he whispers.

- Logan Pearsall Smith

Take care of the sense and the sounds will take of care themselves.

- Lewis Carroll

Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities and have them relate to other characters living with him.

- Mel Brooks

The beginning is easy; what happens next is much harder.

- Anonymous

Writing is easy: all you do is sit staring at the blank sheet of paper until the drops of blood form on your forehead.

- Gene Fowler

Your manuscript is both good and original; but the parts that are good are not original, and the parts that are original are not good.

- Samuel Johnson

Writing is a solitary occupation. Family, friends and society are the natural enemies of a writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking.

- Laurence Clark Powell

The most essential gift for a good writer is a built-in, shockproof shit detector. This is the writer's radar and all great writers have had it.

- Ernest Hemingway

Which of these quotes speak to you? Do you have any to share? My favorite is the quote from Gene Fowler. It really made me laugh.

SIS Bren

Self Discipline

2010-07-20T11:56:00.000-04:00

So sorry.... late with my post again!! I am in Washington again this week. The time difference always screws me up! Being late goes so well with my topic of the day, right?

I am a firm believer that the activities and such that we are involved in as children can really impact our adult lives. Even when these activities have no direct connection to our careers they still teach us things that can make us more successful and productive.

Growing up, I was extremely involved with horses. There were many responsibilities that came along with that. There was the everyday feedings and cleaning of horse stalls. I had to train almost everyday and the horses had to be kept clean. We even had to help bale hay... that's a hell of a workout!

All of this really taught me responsibility. It taught me to be a hard worker, to be dedicated, to set goals... self discipline. To be well rounded adults, we must have a good sense of self discipline.

I am on this subject because of my oldest daughter. She has never been very involved in any activities. Earlier this year, she tried out for color guard. She made it and seemed to really like it. The schedule is pretty tough, though. I think it's wearing her out.

The other day, she decided she was gonna quit. I was very disappointed. I just wanted to see her follow through with something. I think she needs this to instill the ever-important self discipline. We had talks about the commitment she had made. It effects all the other girls on her squad. The band director and even the principal got involved! In the end... she did the right thing. She's staying on the squad!

What activities were you involved in as a kid? Do you think they help mold you into the person that you are today?

At Your Leisure

2010-07-19T08:38:00.000-04:00

I've been working hard on my paranormal lately. It's getting to the part where I have to really move the story forward, start to wrap things up and ultimately get to the Happily Ever After. My goal is still the end of this month and while I'm not 100% positive that I'll make it, I'm going to try my best to get there.

It's interesting though. I found out this weekend that if I take the time to read amidst the writing, I write more and what I write is better. So get this! This weekend I wrote a ton of pages AND read three books. THREE! These were all written by the same author and while I devoured them for inspiration and research (how to become a better writer) I enjoyed them immensely.

This amazing author is none other than the fabulous Heather Graham. As many of you know, she is my all time favorite. Many of her books feature a cast of ghosts that can rival any corporeal being out there. They're haunted, tortured and many times hilarious. I'm left sad when some of them find closure and move on. They make me want my own ghost to hang out with. Um, maybe not...but then again, do I get to pick my ghost? Could be interesting.

Anyway, here are my recommendations: Ghost Shadow~~The Bone Island Trilogy. This is the first in the trilogy. It's a good one, folks. It takes place in the Keys and Ms. Graham did a great job of setting the scene. I felt as if I had been to the Florida Keys many times, when in fact, I've never been. It also has the perfect mix of romance and mystery. Book 2 comes out later this month and Book 3 is then released in August.

Nightwalker takes place in Las Vegas and this town I have been to. But I've never been to Indigo. It's a ghost town and a heck of a lot took place there many, many years ago. But what happened there is about to repeat itself...

And last but not least is Suspicious. Genetically altered alligators in the Florida Everglades? Murder? Greed? Sizzling romance? Oh yeah! There's that and much more in this 2005 release from Heather Graham.

What are you reading? Is it purely for pleasure or do you have an alterior motive?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Immerse Yourself

2010-07-17T07:00:00.001-04:00

Two important qualities that a successful author should have are creativity and imagination. Although I don't think that I have a very creative mind when it comes to coming up with fresh and new ideas and sustaining them into a full blown story or novel, I do have a very active imagination. One thing I am able to do quite well is to fully immerse myself in a book, TV show or movie that I like and imagine that I am actually there. The real world simply fades away and I'm transported into another realm.

I've been able to do it since I was very young, and can remember watching cartoons like 'Looney Tunes' and the Charlie Brown holiday specials and actually feeling like I was in a cartoon world and the action was happening around me. Everything seemed so innocent and simple there, so unlike the real world. Movies like the 'Star Wars' or 'Indiana Jones' series or 'Avatar' were also enjoyable to become immersed in because of the exotic locales and action, and TV shows like 'Twin Peaks' and 'Xena: Warrior Princess' were also fun to fully experience (A bad ass medieval chick in leather? Helllooo). Two of my favorite novels to lose myself in were 'A Christmas Carol' and 'Interview with the Vampire', both of which deal with the supernatural. Go figure.

If you could choose a novel, movie and/or TV show that you could literally be transported into and experience first hand, which one(s) would you choose and why?

Passion Writing

2010-07-16T08:58:00.000-04:00

No, I don't mean writing about passion (although I do do that). I mean writing with passion. For passion.

There was a time when I dreamed about writing for a living. I clung to that dream for a good many years. I worked hard to make that dream come true. So far it hasn't happened and I've sort of lost faith that it will. The publishing industry is in a tailspin. If you belong to any writers' loops, read writer or publishing blogs, or follow the publishing industry through internet or trade articles you know how this tailspin is effecting authors.

There is a current wave of writers scrambling to convert their backlist novels as well as unpublished stories to Kindle, Smashwords and the like. Smart since the ebook market is exploding. But I don't own the rights to any of my backlist nor do I have any completed unsold books lying around gathering dust. Yet. That could change and if it does then I will be exploring these self-published ebook avenues as well because, bottom line, I want to share my stories with the world.

I've experienced a lot of highs and lows in my writing career over the last couple of years and one thing I've learned is that I can't write for the money. Thus far concentrating on how much money I make via advances and royalties has only led to a sense of failure. I am not a failure. I don't want to feel like a failure. So I have to concentrate on the writing. If I want to be happy I need to write what makes me happy, what inspires me. I need to write for the passion.

I recently set aside a proposal I was working on because I felt I was forcing something I didn't feel. I delved into another proposal, something darker than what I typically write, but it's flowing and I feel it so I'm going with it. My goal is to finish and send this proposal to my agent by Monday. If all goes according to plan I will then have two proposals making the rounds in NYC. Two proposals that I feel very passionate about. I hope they both sell, but if not . . . I'm open to exploring new avenues, markets and genres. Because for me, it's all about the passion.

SIS Beth

This Little Piggy Went to the Market

2010-07-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

Farmers Market that is. I have been hitting farmers markets in search of some early fresh treats. Green beans, corn, tomatoes and lots of other goodies. We even found some home made dog treats for our dog. They smell just like the peanut butter cookies we eat. He loves them. They sell home made baked goods as well. The banana nut bread was delicious.

My favorite thing from the farmers market are the green beans. I love to snap them. It brings back childhood memories of sitting on Grandma Childers porch snapping green beans with my sisters. I love how green they are and how they still have a little 'snap' to them after you cook them.

Now you may ask why I don't grow my own veggies or bake my own banana nut bread? That's easy to answer. I have a black thumb and I don't like the kitchen enough to spend hours slaving over a hot stove and oven. I'll will let those who are best at it do it for me. Besides, it's nice to support local farmers, gardeners and bakers.

I can't wait 'till August when the farmers markets will be in full swing. I need to learn how to can so I can enjoy the food all year long. First I need to redecorate my kitchen so I will enjoy being in it. I already know what I am going to do with it. I just have to get motivated enough to tare down wall paper and start painting,

Do you go to farmers markets? If so, what do you enjoy most? If not, give it a try and eat locally.

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

What's For Dinner?

2010-07-14T08:53:00.000-04:00

The conversation is always the same.

“What sounds good for dinner?”

“I don’t know. What sounds good to you?”

“It doesn’t matter to me. I could eat anything.”

“Like what?”

“How ‘bout a salad?”

“No, salad doesn’t sound good.”

“Chicken?”

“No, I’m not crazy about chicken.”

“Well, what sounds good then?

“I don’t know. What do you want?”

This goes on and on and then finally a decision is made. Inevitably, as soon as my youngest finds out what we’re having for dinner, he announces that he doesn’t like it. I say “tough, you’re eating it anyway”, but then I always end up making him something that I know he likes to go along with the food he hates.

It seems as though I make the same dinners every week and I am in great need of some new, QUICK meals. Not to mention that we have two extra people living with us at the moment so these meals need to feed six. Well, my teen-aged son can eat enough for two or three so really these meals need to feed eight. And it would be nice if they were something that everyone in the house would like. Okay, I’m probably asking for too much. Just some new recipes would be nice.

Is dinner time at your house the same sort of hassle? Are you a wonder cook and can create meals that EVERYONE likes? Would you like to share some meal ideas with me, please?

SIS Bren

P.S. On a side note….Today is my puppies birthday…He’s 1! Happy birthday to MOOSE!

Don't Hold Back

2010-07-12T07:34:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday to all!

I'm currently working on the tail end of my paranormal. I can't wait to get to those last two words. "THE END." It's not that I'm not enjoying the story. It's just that I want to be able to say I completed it. SIS Beth sent me a link yesterday that really inspired me and gave me some ideas for not only getting to the end but making it more interesting. Many of you are familiar with the Romance University site and after reading this post: Paranormal Romance: Hot or Not, I know I'll stop by more often.

What I learned most was that I can't hold back. If I have an idea, even a crazy one, I should go with it and see where it leads me. Authors are coming up with amazing characters in the paranormal realm and I want mine to be just as fantastical, just as amazing! So I've now given myself permission to be a little weird, a little bizarre and a lot crazy.

How about you? Do you hold back in life or do you allow yourself to let loose? Writers: When you've gone a little crazy do you find it makes for better writing?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Musical Hindsight

2010-07-10T07:00:00.005-04:00

I was listening to the radio in my car this afternoon and they announced an upcoming concert by a band that I listened to and liked back in the good old days but never saw live in concert. I won't say exactly when that was, but suffice to say that it was during the heyday of so called 'hair metal' bands.

It got me thinking about all the different bands I used to listen to and have seen live in concert. There are quite a few, but unfortunately almost all of them were in the last ten years and not when they were in their prime. My wife and I together have seen Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Queensryche, Judas Priest, Tesla, Black Sabbath with Ronnie James Dio, Alice Cooper and Collective Soul, and my wife has seen Poison, Three Dog Night and B.B. King by herself.

I don't regret seeing any of those bands past their prime, but there are many more that I never got to see live in their heyday that I would have liked to: Pink Floyd, Rush, Iron Maiden, Journey, Foreigner, Aerosmith, and the list goes on and on.

What musicians/bands would you like to have seen in their prime? What was your favorite concert?

Writing Tips from the Fabulous Elmore Leonard

2010-07-08T09:23:00.000-04:00

Hi, all! I'm standing in for SIS BJ today. Ill-prepared, I dug through some old files that I keep for inspiration and education. I don't know about you, but I'll take all the writing advice I can get. It doesn't mean that I'll use it all or that it will work for me, but it always sets my mind working in new or broader ways. Here's a reprint of an article written by the incredible crime writer, Elmore Leonard. If you're not familiar with Mr. Leonard's books, be sure to pick one up soon. Riveting. Several of his novels have been made in to films. Two that spring to mind are Get Shorty and Out of Sight. The latter being a favorite of mine. Love the dialogue and chemistry between Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney. But I digress.

Take from these tips what you will. I'm particularly smitten with the word Hooptedoodle! And my favorite tip? Number ten. What's yours?

Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules of Writing

Easy on the Adverbs, Exclamation Points and Especially Hooptedoodle
from the New York Times, Writers on Writing Series.
By ELMORE LEONARD

These are rules I’ve picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I’m writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what’s taking place in the story. If you have a facility for language and imagery and the sound of your voice pleases you, invisibility is not what you are after, and you can skip the rules. Still, you might look them over.

1. Never open a book with weather. If it’s only to create atmosphere, and not a character’s reaction to the weather, you don’t want to go on too long. The reader is apt to leaf ahead looking for people. There are exceptions. If you happen to be Barry Lopez, who has more ways to describe ice and snow than an Eskimo, you can do all the weather reporting you want.

2. Avoid prologues.
They can be annoying, especially a prologue following an introduction that comes after a foreword. But these are ordinarily found in nonfiction. A prologue in a novel is backstory, and you can drop it in anywhere you want.

There is a prologue in John Steinbeck’s “Sweet Thursday,” but it’s O.K. because a character in the book makes the point of what my rules are all about. He says: “I like a lot of talk in a book and I don’t like to have nobody tell me what the guy that’s talking looks like. I want to figure out what he looks like from the way he talks. . . . figure out what the guy’s thinking from what he says. I like some description but not too much of that. . . . Sometimes I want a book to break loose with a bunch of hooptedoodle. . . . Spin up some pretty words maybe or sing a little song with language. That’s nice. But I wish it was set aside so I don’t have to read it. I don’t want hooptedoodle to get mixed up with the story.”

3. Never use a verb other than “said” to carry dialogue.
The line of dialogue belongs to the character; the verb is the writer sticking his nose in. But said is far less intrusive than grumbled, gasped, cautioned, lied. I once noticed Mary McCarthy ending a line of dialogue with “she asseverated,” and had to stop reading to get the dictionary.

4. Never use an adverb to modify the verb “said” . . .
. . . he admonished gravely. To use an adverb this way (or almost any way) is a mortal sin. The writer is now exposing himself in earnest, using a word that distracts and can interrupt the rhythm of the exchange. I have a character in one of my books tell how she used to write historical romances “full of rape and adverbs.”

5. Keep your exclamation points under control.
You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. If you have the knack of playing with exclaimers the way Tom Wolfe does, you can throw them in by the handful.

6. Never use the words “suddenly” or “all hell broke loose.”
This rule doesn’t require an explanation. I have noticed that writers who use “suddenly” tend to exercise less control in the application of exclamation points.

7. Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
Once you start spelling words in dialogue phonetically and loading the page with apostrophes, you won’t be able to stop. Notice the way Annie Proulx captures the flavor of Wyoming voices in her book of short stories “Close Range.”

8. Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
Which Steinbeck covered. In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” what do the “American and the girl with him” look like? “She had taken off her hat and put it on the table.” That’s the only reference to a physical description in the story, and yet we see the couple and know them by their tones of voice, with not one adverb in sight.

9. Don’t go into great detail describing places and things.
Unless you’re Margaret Atwood and can paint scenes with language or write landscapes in the style of Jim Harrison. But even if you’re good at it, you don’t want descriptions that bring the action, the flow of the story, to a standstill.

And finally:

10. Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
A rule that came to mind in 1983. Think of what you skip reading a novel: thick paragraphs of prose you can see have too many words in them. What the writer is doing, he’s writing, perpetrating hooptedoodle, perhaps taking another shot at the weather, or has gone into the character’s head, and the reader either knows what the guy’s thinking or doesn’t care. I’ll bet you don’t skip dialogue.

My most important rule is one that sums up the 10.

If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.

Or, if proper usage gets in the way, it may have to go. I can’t allow what we learned in English composition to disrupt the sound and rhythm of the narrative. It’s my attempt to remain invisible, not distract the reader from the story with obvious writing. (Joseph Conrad said something about words getting in the way of what you want to say.)

If I write in scenes and always from the point of view of a particular character—the one whose view best brings the scene to life—I’m able to concentrate on the voices of the characters telling you who they are and how they feel about what they see and what’s going on, and I’m nowhere in sight.

What Steinbeck did in “Sweet Thursday” was title his chapters as an indication, though obscure, of what they cover. “Whom the Gods Love They Drive Nuts” is one, “Lousy Wednesday” another. The third chapter is titled “Hooptedoodle 1” and the 38th chapter “Hooptedoodle 2” as warnings to the reader, as if Steinbeck is saying: “Here’s where you’ll see me taking flights of fancy with my writing, and it won’t get in the way of the story. Skip them if you want.”

“Sweet Thursday” came out in 1954, when I was just beginning to be published, and I’ve never forgotten that prologue.

Did I read the hooptedoodle chapters? Every word.

from the New York Times, Writers on Writing Series.

By ELMORE LEONARD

2010-07-07T08:21:00.000-04:00

Songs? Check. Name? Check. Equipment? Check. Web-site? Check. Promo package? Check. Gigs? Not so much.

What the heck? I’ve been singing for over 25 years now and you’d think I should be able to get a gig somewhere. There are plenty of places that offer live entertainment, so what’s the problem? Well, let me name a few.

Times are hard, so a lot of venues cut back on what they would pay a band causing most 5-6 piece bands to dismantle and form duos. There are a multitude of groups out there now all vying for the same spots. To make matters worse, most musicians just want to be out there playing so they really don’t care if they’re making any money at it. They just want people to hear their music and they want the adulation that goes along with it. They’ll go and play for a dinner and some beers.

Club owners have happened upon a wonderful idea. They buy some cheap back line equipment, (i.e. bass and guitar amps, microphones, inexpensive drum kit) and they invite musicians to come and “jam”. Asking a musician if he wants to jam is like asking a kid if they want candy. So the musicians all flock to these “jams” and these clubs benefit by getting free entertainment. It’s maddening!

I’ve been out and pounded the pavement, passing along our promo packages to club owners. One of the first things they ask is “where are you playing?”. Nowhere at the moment! We need a gig!

One café owner said we could come and play for free for a night and then he would ask the clientele if they enjoyed us and then he would think about booking us. He would give us sodas throughout the night. Now, I’ve done showcases (basically a 4-5 song audition), but this guy wanted an entire night for free. This is how he gets his free entertainment.

We have played two different venues and they loved us at both. One will book us when they get an opening. Their calendar is quite full at the moment. The other closed for renovations for a week and a half. That was over a month ago. They assure us that we’ll be playing there when they open, whenever that may be.

I’m not discouraged though. I know it will happen, it’s just a matter of time. In the meanwhile, any suggestions on different ways we might approach the matter?

SIS Bren

Just Dance

2010-07-06T10:18:00.000-04:00

Last week, Omar and I still had the Brady Bunch all together. We went to Dallas to see some family for a couple of days. Tuesday evening we headed out for our 4 hour drive back to our Texas house. Most car rides with all of the kids can be pretty frustrating. This time though, we had a blast!

Towards the end of our trip, everyone started dancing in the car. We had the music blasting... the kids loved it! Once in town had to return a movie to the Red Box at Mcdonald's. Omar decides to be Mr. Silly and gets out of the car. He starts dancing for my youngest. She jumps out to join him and the fun begins...

Next thing you know, all of the kids are out in the Mcdonald's parking lot breaking it down (with the exception of the oldest boy - he was quite embarrassed of the rest of the group). I sat in the car laughing so hard I couldn't breathe!

We then hit four different gas stations in town. We'd pulled in the lot, crank the music, and jump out to boogie down. I joined in the dancing and had a fantastic time. The kids were so excited - they kept saying "This is the best night ever!!!" Except for the embarrassed one who was getting mad at us by about the 3rd stop.

Everyone got quite a kick out of our antics. The gas station clerks loved it! Customers were yelling for us and honking. We gave everyone quite the show! Watch out... our drive-by dance show may come to your town soon. All the kids are ready to do it again. I think Omar is itching to also!

It felt really good to just let everyone be goofy like that. We all had a great time and shared lots of laughs. It is an evening we will probably never forget!

What silly things have you done in public?

SIS Brandy

Could Someone Hand Me A Towel, Please

2010-07-05T08:42:00.002-04:00

It's been planned for months. We've talked about it, counted the days and now it's finally here. Our family vacation! We try to take one a year and many times will either pick SIS Bren or SIS Beth's states because we rarely get to see them, plus they have the added benefit of living in places where there's tons to do!

This year we chose "The Sunshine State". A few days with Bren, a few days with Mickey (mouse) and a lot of fun in the sun. And now, I'd love to share a few pictures of our vacation so far:

I kid you not! It has been raining relentlessly. The sun has forgotten to shine. We drove to the beach yesterday for a little sight seeing. The rain started to pour so hard, we could barely see to drive. We (meaning my husband and I) have decided just to laugh about it, because really, what can we do? For me, it's just great to spend time with my sister, her husband and my nephews. My children, on the other hand, are a little peeved and a lot sad. I'm trying to teach them to have more positive attitudes, but I really do understand their disappointment.

I just hope Mickey's house is a little drier.

How about you? Any vacation stories to share?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-03T07:00:00.001-04:00

Happy 4th of July weekend everyone! A sure sign that summer is well underway, this holiday means different things to different people, whether it's a backyard barbecue or pool party with friends and family, a day of sun and sand at the beach, catching your favorite sports team on the boob tube while drinking a cold one, or 'oohing' and 'aahing' as you watch fireworks light up the night sky. But there's one thing that always has been and always will be associated with the 4th of July: Patriotism.

American history is full of examples of patriotism, many of which have led us to where we are today. If not for the courage of many men and women throughout our history, this country might not exist at all or might be something much different than what it is, and not necessarily in a good way. I could list many, many names here, but suffice to say we know who they are and truly appreciate them.

Nothing stokes the fires of patriotism like celebrating the birth of our country, except perhaps an epic battle of sports teams against a hated enemy. I will always remember watching the 1980 Olympic hockey team defeat the Russians on their way to the gold medal. Did that one game really change anything in the big picture? No, but back then you couldn't have told any American that. We were on top of the world and it felt good.

Politicians are also adept at stoking patriotism, usually to their own ends and for their own gain. It still amazes me that so many people, from all political parties and walks of life, fall for it. It seems like all a politician has to do nowadays is mention God or the 'good old US of A' that somehow has been hijacked by the enemy, and people are hooked and go nuts.

What are your thoughts about patriotism? What does it mean for someone to be patriotic? Do you know any real-life patriots?

Flexibility and Logic -- A Winning Combination

2010-07-02T06:00:00.028-04:00

I'm at a bit of a crossroads in my writing career. Currently, I am not under contract which puts me (and my agent) in the position of pitching new story ideas. Some writers (and readers, I suppose) are under the assumption that once you publish that first book the hardest work is over. That one sale guarantees another. Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. Many factors weigh in. Your sales record and current trends are just two. Others could be that you wrote a fabulous proposal, but your story idea comes too close to something else out there or an upcoming release. The list goes on.

I've spent the last several months working on a new story that's ingrained in my heart and mind. An urban fantasy with romantic elements. Different for me, but I sincerely believe it's some of my strongest writing yet. My agent believes in the story as much as I do, I'm happy to say, and the proposal is currently circulating among various publishers. The feedback thus far has been extremely encouraging, although the story has yet to find the right home. I have faith (as does Amy) that it will. However it could take some time.

That being the case, we recently decided that it would be smart (business wise) for me to set 'Zoe' aside for the time being and to work on a new proposal. Perhaps something more traditional. Fortunately, I have several ideas tucked away. The trick was deciding which one to pursue. The 'paranormal super-hero' series? The 'historical Victorian with hints of Steampunk' trilogy? The contemporary 'James Bond-ish' adventure? Or the straight ahead contemporary romantic comedy?

I have to say, the first three call to me greatly. Probably because it's fresh territory for me. But that's also the reason I decided not to tackle any one of those at this time. 'Zoe'--is fresh territory for me and, will not only require an incredible amount of time for research and worldbuilding, but it will also mean developing a new readership. Were I lucky enough to sell two proposals (call me optimistic), I believe it would be wise to keep one foot in familiar waters while the other navigates uncharted seas.

That said, I'm happy to report that four days ago I dove into the familiar and, instead of feeling like I was treading stagnant waters, felt inspired! The more I explore and map out this rom-com the more I discover the potential for a madcap romance with tender (and serious) undertones. It's what my former writing partner (Cyndi Valero) and I use to call the A&F factor. Angst and Fluff. Creating a story with just the right balance of angst and fluff is a challenge in itself. Although, it seems to come naturally for me. It would be silly not to embrace one of my strengths.

Summery of this ramble:

*Never put all your eggs in one basket. Keep a file of story ideas so that, if need be, you can immediately work up a new story.

*Be flexible. I could list many reasons for this. Let's just say things don't always go according to plan. You'll experience less stress and more success if you're willing to bend here and there, to explore alternate avenues, to go with the flow and build from there.

*Don't jump on the trend band wagon unless you have a serious passion for and/or natural ability to write that trend. Always write from the heart.

*Although we must challenge ourselves in order to grow, never forget to utilize your strengths.

*Never give up! Believe in yourself, in your passion, and persevere!!

Have a happy and safe Fourth of July holiday weekend! Celebrate freedom of speech and the freedom to pursue our dreams!

SIS Beth

Dance of Life

2010-07-01T06:00:00.001-04:00

Dance to the beat of Shamans Drum

Chanting Earths Sacred Song

Secrets held in the Dark of Night

Bats and Fears now take flight

Dark Moons Power fills the air

Death is ever standing near.

Hear the Words of the Ancient One

Rebirth comes with the Rising Sun

Under guise of Old Deaths stare

New life comes, do not fear

Dance to the beat of Shamans Drum

Chanting Lifes Sacred Song.

*ALEENA RAVENWOOD*

Book Titles

2010-06-30T08:44:00.000-04:00

I've been in bed for three days now and starting my fourth. Apparently I have some sort of bug that I can't quite kick. I'm hoping this will be my last day!

You'd think lounging in bed would be fun, but it's not. The first day wasn't so bad because I slept all but two hours of the day. The other days have been spent with sleep and then a couple hours of channel surfing and then more sleep. I'm freezing, I'm hot. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

Last night while in and out of sleep I happened to hear part of an Alan Alda biography that was on the television. They were talking about books he had written. I don't remember the first, but the second one I heard was titled Things I Overheard While Talking To Myself. I giggled a little and then went back to sleep. I thought it was a really humorous and clever book title.

So, I've been up for about 2 hours now, it's time for a nap. My question for you today is simply what clever book titles have you come across, if any?

Have a glorious day!

SIS Bren

Firecracker

2010-06-28T08:02:00.000-04:00

The time is almost upon us. I can already smell the heat in the air and the brats on the grill. I can hear the pop, the sizzle and the sound of a marching band as their boots (well, tennis shoes) hit the pavement in time. This is my favorite time of year. Some call it The 4th of July, I call it Independence Day. I think we can sometimes forget the meaning behind the holiday, but every parade I attend--and I attend many--reminds me never to forget.

I try to hold it in, but the tears stream down my face as the Navy band marches by, the veterans march with their canes and the firefighters drive by in their shiny trucks. I cry even more as the Dancin' Grannies groove by with dazzling smiles that light up their faces. The music skips and then stops completely, but they are not deterred...1,2,3,4 their arms are up, their arms are down, turn to the left, I turn to the right and tell my husband that that'll be me in 20-30 years. He says, "Get real."

I'm a fireworks fanatic. I love them. All of them. Whether it be the puny little ones we set off at home, or the Big Bang at the Milwaukee lakefront. I love the ooo's and ahhh's of the crowd and the barking of the dogs and the amazed look in the children's eyes. I love lying in bed and hearing the thunderous sounds of the finale on the nights I can't attend. I love Independence Day and everything that comes with it.

So how about you? What do you like about this holiday? Any dislikes?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Memories

2010-06-26T07:00:00.002-04:00

My wife Wendy had a milestone birthday Thursday (I won't say which one out of self-preservation) and she wanted to do something special to celebrate it. One thing she has always wanted to do since moving here was to stay at the Don Cesar Hotel, which is a 4-star resort on St Petersburg Beach. And it's pink. I hadn't stayed there either so we took the plunge.

It was an interesting mix, as far as I am concerned. There was the usual rich polished wood and shiny brass accents, crystal chandeliers and expensive statues and paintings on every floor. The staff were top notch as well. There were also reminders that the building itself was rather old: cracked plaster here and there that had been filled in and painted over and dusty, dingy air conditioning vents in the ceiling.

That didn't keep us from having a wonderful time, however. The suite that we stayed in was well appointed and clean, with a private balcony, separate bedroom and living room and even a television in the bathroom! We received a free selection of cheeses and breads shortly after we arrived in the room as well. That night we had a wonderful meal at the Maritana, a 4-star restaurant on site. The decor, food and service were wonderful and my wife even got a special birthday dessert.

Next was after dinner drinks at the piano bar. The pianist was nice enough to play a few of my favorite songs without being asked, but my wife was skunked. Ah well, she can't have all the fun now can she? After drinks we walked outside to the private beach to catch the sunset, which was absolutely beautiful. At midnight we had champagne, petit fours and chocolate covered strawberries to bring in her birthday in style.

Our stay concluded the next day with breakfast in bed, followed by a dip in the pool and some seashell hunting on the beach, which was thankfully devoid of any hint of oil. Before checking out we stopped in the ice cream parlor for ice cream and so Wendy could play Ms. Pac Man, her favorite retro video game. All in all it was a wonderful experience, one that I'm sure we'll both never forget.

My question is this: If you could have the most wonderful experience of your life but afterward would remember nothing about it, would you still want to do it? Are the memories of an experience more important than the experience itself?

Seeing is Believing

2010-06-25T06:00:00.005-04:00

Imagery is a powerful thing. Even though I pour my passion into spinning words, my stories play out in my head like movies. I see scenes as I write them. As added inspiration, I surf the net looking for actors or models who resemble my lead characters. I print out those pictures (adding my character's name) and tack those to my bulletin board. I glance up at them when I'm writing dialogue, imagine those words tripping off their tongue. or not. I refer to them when I need to write physical descriptions.

Meet the heroine of my WIP, Zoe Albright (telepathic Enabler) and the hero, Gabriel Bennett (Character Assassin)

As I scanned a stock photo site, all I knew is that I'd know Zoe and Gabriel when I saw them. It didn't take long and I didn't even second guess myself.

The thing that's slightly different about this story is that most of the locations are . . . let us say . . . otherwordly and atmospheric. For the first time ever, I needed a visual for a place. My husband had a calendar featuring photography of Simon Marsden. The topic? Haunted Realms. I saw several photographs that captured my eye and imagination.

Unfortunately I can't find a jpeg of the photo that inspired my 'enchanted' mansion, but here's a photo of what made me think of a portal to another dimension...

And this is a photo that resembles one that I chose as inspiration for Blackmoor Manor.

Treat yourself and visit Mr. Marsden's website. The photography is mesmerizing!

What about you? Are you inspired by imagery?

SIS Beth

PUFF

2010-06-24T06:00:00.004-04:00

"Puff, The Magic Dragon, lived by the sea, and frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee."

I dare you to read that line without singing it. I couldn't do it when my daughter picked this book out for her free book for joining the summer reading program at our local library. Like me, she has a love for dragons. We have the movie on VHS. Of course we no longer have a VCR to watch it. The book she brought home is by Peter Yarrow and Lenny Lipton. It is beautifully illustrated by Eric Puybaret. When I tried to read the book to my daughter, I couldn't help it, I had to sing it. It was nice to see her see smiling instead of covering her ears.

I love Peter, Paul and Mary. I used to have their greatest hits on CD. After reading the book and watching some of their videos on-line, I have to go out and buy it again. I have such a good time singing along to the songs. Leaving On A Jet Plane, If I Had A Hammer, Lemon Tree and of course Puff are some of my favorites.

What is your favorite Peter, Paul and Mary song? If you don't have one, what is one of your favorite songs to sing along to?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Ideas

2010-06-23T07:29:00.000-04:00

I recently read a book from Mary Higgins Clark and really enjoyed it. In her acknowledgments she said one of the questions she gets asked most frequently is "Where do you get your ideas?". She said that she reads articles in the newspaper or magazines and that for some reason they stick in her mind. Then she starts thinking "suppose this" and "what if" that, and all the ideas come together and soon she has a novel in the making. I thought that was a pretty interesting approach.

I've been working on something new for a short while now. I just finished the first chapter two nights ago and I'm pretty pleased. I have a long way to go, but I'm really excited about this book. I have quite a lot of ideas for this book. I just need to get plenty of sleep to finish it.

A lot of my ideas come to me in my dreams. I have wild, crazy, vivid dreams most nights. They really don't make sense in our "normal" world but I've found a home for them in my WIP. I can't wait to go to sleep every night and see what new idea will come my way.

My question to you today is where do you get your ideas? Do they come to you out of nowhere or do you have a process for thinking things out?

SIS Bren

The Real Life Brady Bunch

2010-06-22T10:07:00.001-04:00

For those of you who don't know, I have my own Brady Bunch. I have my three beautiful girls and Omar has three fabulous boys. Just like the show!!

Most of the time we are not all together, but when we do all meet up we have some very interesting moments. This last week we took the girls down to Texas... so the Brady Bunch was reunited! There, of course, isn't a dull moment (or a quiet one) to be found.

Most of the bunch is pretty close in age. We have two 14 year olds , one 12 year old, two that are 10, and the littlest brings up the rear at 4. The older they get, the more expensive it is to have them together. Just trying to feed them will break the bank!! The two oldest boys ( especially the oldest) could eat a whole cow for dinner. No joke - they are bottomless pits. My girls aren't much better.

We've been pretty thrifty with the activities for the group. Been doing lots of swimming and watching movies at the house. I think all the kids are having fun since we haven't heard any complaining.

Everyone in the bunch has been getting along great. Gone are the days of the power struggle between the oldest boy and oldest girl! It is nice to see them being good to each other. They all spoil the youngest... she must be in heaven. And the 10 years olds love to explore together.

Having everyone together is very tiring and hectic for Omar and I, but we definitely are not complaining. It is nice to be able to have the families together. It gives the illusion that we have normal lives - even if its only for a week or two at a time.

We should have our own show on TV. The modern day Brady Bunch. We could put a great spin on the original.

Is your life like any TV show? If you and your family had their own show what would it be called?

SIS Brandy

A Recommendation

2010-06-21T08:49:00.000-04:00

Last night I watched the pilot of "The Gates". I was hoping I'd enjoy it as I do love my vampires. I'm happy to say that I really liked it. I like their spin on vamps and weres. Very interesting. I think the cast is pretty but not too, if you know what I mean. I like the shy awkwardness of some of the teenagers and the issues within the adult relationships.

I hope this show continues. There is a lot they could do within "The Gates".

Did anyone else watch? What were your thoughts? What else is everyone watching this summer?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Animal Magnetism

2010-06-19T15:00:00.003-04:00

All our lives, my wife and I have been animal lovers. I remember watching 'Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom' and the National Geographic specials about wild animals. I have amassed quite a collection of useless facts about animals, and I still watch wildlife documentaries whenever possible. Although my wife and I both have many animals that we have soft spots for, we each have one animal in particular that is our absolute favorite.

For my wife it's horses. She likes the fact that they are powerful animals but can also be gentle. They are loyal and seem to have a knack for understanding people. They can be tamed but still retain their wild spirit, which can manifest itself at any moment. I came up with a perfect example of the dual nature of horses and it is this: Picture a herd of horses running full speed across a grassy plain, muscles straining and manes flowing as they kick up a cloud of dust while thundering past you. Now picture a single horse, patiently walking around a corral carrying a handicapped child that has never known what it's like to walk. That's quite a contrast.

We recently saw a show called 'Cavalia', which was put together by the creator of Cirque du Soleil and was all about horses. It was spectacular, and really showcased what horses are all about and the special bond that can develop between people and horses. There was also quite a variety of sizes and colors of horses in the show as well.

My favorite has always been wolves. I think it has to do with the fact that they are the epitome of Nature: They can be fierce predators, stealthy and always alert, but are also devoted to their pack and cubs. They are very intelligent and cunning, and also very misunderstood by the general public. And there's just something about their gaze that gives me chills. I remember going to a zoo several years ago that had wolves. It was the only zoo I have ever been to that had them, and as I approached the fence overlooking the enclosure one of the wolves lifted it's head and howled. I was literally moved to tears.

Do you have a favorite animal? What is it about them that you like?

Define Sexy

2010-06-18T06:00:00.003-04:00

Last week my husband and I went out to dinner to celebrate his birthday. In conversation he told me that he had a movie picked out to watch when we got home. He thought I would really like it.

“It stars your dreamboat,” he said.

I smiled. “George Clooney?”

“No.”

“Daniel Craig?”

“No.”

“Gerard Butler?”

“No.” He raises a brow. “Your other dreamboat. Irish.”

“Liam Neeson?”

He sighs. “Think badboy.”

“Oh! Colin Farrell!”

“Yes.” He shook his head. “You sure do have a lot of dreamboats.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

I thought about it minute. I guess I sort of do. Because I could also add Brad Pitt, Jason Stathem, Johhny Depp, Colin Firth, and a few others. But then I thought about how very different they all look—not all what I would classify as classically handsome. But all possess qualities that are attractive to me. Which brings about my question of the day.

What qualities or traits do you find attractive or sexy in the opposite sex?

I’ll go first.

1) A kind and generous heart

2) A sense of humor

3) Intelligence

4) Tolerance

(My husband, by the way, possesses all of those)

SIS Beth

Celebrating Sia and Blogosphere

2010-06-17T09:17:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, fellow blogger and all around great gal, Sia McKye, received an award for her fantastic blog -- Thoughts Over Coffee. Much deserved recognition for someone who features some of the blogosphere's most entertaining amd educational posts on writers and writing. Congratulations, Sia! If you haven't checked out Sia's blog, please do!

In yesterday's happy dancing post, Sia mention a few of her fave blogs and Sisters in Sync was one of them! Woo-hoo! A true rush for all of us here. Touching people in a positive way is a wondrous thing. Join us in our own happy dance and please spread the love.

What's one of your favorite blogs or websites and why?

Questions

2010-06-16T08:33:00.000-04:00

I wish that somebody could find a way to put a little more time in some days and a little less in others. Why is it that some days seem to drag and others fly by so fast they’re just a blur?

Well, yesterday and today are those blurry days, so I just have a couple quick questions for you. They’re not original, but I like these kinds of questions so here goes.

If you had to be stranded somewhere remote for the rest of your life, where would it be? (i.e. an island, a mountainside, the arctic…)

If you could only have one person with you, who would it be?

If you could only have one modern convenience, what would it be? (be specific, a refrigerator, a stove, a radio, a blow dyrer...)

And if you could have just one of your favorite things with you, what would it be?

Thanks for playing! I know it’s sort of lame, but I’m excited to hear your answers.

Have an incredible day!

SIS Bren

Pushing Through

2010-06-14T08:48:00.000-04:00

I'm sure we all go through times where we become a little lax, a little stagnant. During those times it seems to become harder and harder to get motivated, to push though. It's not as if things are going poorly. It's just that life may be a little smooth and when that happens, we'd be crazy to rock the boat. Right?

Wrong! I think that it's during those smooth times, when the water is crystal clear without a ripple on its surface, that we must push ourselves further, beyond our comfort zone.

My water is so smooth right now, it looks a little like ice. I think if I tried to skip a pebble across it, it would bounce back and hit me in the head. That would be the pebbles way of telling me to WAKE THE HECK UP!

I'm writing, I'm reading (something I've allowed myself to do to fill the creative well), I'm spending time with family, but what I'm not doing is pushing myself past a comfortable limit. I know I have a lot more in me. I can I can do more, be more, be better. And because I know this, I want it.

My fantastic CP, Alyson Reuben, has set a deadline for my Paranormal. I have to have it completed by the end of July. It doesn't have to be prefect, but it has to have an ending. I'm nervous. Really nervous. I won't disappoint her or myself. I will have it done. I must have it done. But what happens after that? Many things, that's what!

Speaking of Alyson Reuben...I'm guest blogging at Silk and Shadows today and I'd love if you could stop by.

I've also redesigned my website. Stop by. Let me know what you think.

And now for today's question...Are you awake? Are you pushing through? Are you jogging through life or doing everything you can to win the race?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

In the Good Old Summertime

2010-06-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

Now that summer is pretty much here, I find myself reminiscing about the summers I spent as a kid and the things I used to do. One of my favorite things to do was blackberry picking. There were some woods not far from my house and every summer they would be overrun with blackberry vines covered in juicy, ripe blackberries. The trick was getting enough to make the trip worthwhile while at the same time avoiding as many spiky vines as possible. Sometimes the basket of blackberries I had picked never made it back to the house.

Catching fireflies was another fun activity. Fun for me, not for the fireflies. I remember being transfixed by a jar full of them, their lights going on and off in random patterns. The beach was another mainstay of my youth. There's nothing like the smell of the beach on a hot summer afternoon. I used to put on a swim mask and spend as much time in the underwater world as my lungs would allow. If I could have stayed down there forever I probably would have. I also managed to get quite a collection of sand dollars and seashells. And sunburn. Ahh, good times.

Summer nights were the time for two of my most favorite activities: backyard campfires and watching meteor showers. The county I live in wasn't so developed back then so light pollution wasn't as much of an issue. It was also a challenge to see how late I could stay awake and how many shooting stars I could count. I used to know the names of the individual showers and how many meteors per hour were to be expected. Most of the time I was not disappointed, and I still catch myself looking up whenever I'm outside at night.

I would have a campfire in my backyard as often as possible, and luckily my Dad was the local Fire Chief back then, so it wasn't a problem doing it. Of course there were the obligatory s'mores, roasted marshmallows, hot dogs and ghost stories. There was something very primal about the whole thing, as long as you could forget that all the modern conveniences were just a few feet away.

What did you used to do as a kid during summertime? Do you still do any of them, either by yourself or with your own kids?

Letting Go, Paying Forward

2010-06-11T06:00:00.005-04:00

There’s something to be said for letting go of worries and self-doubt. For letting loose and pouring your heart into a project even though you have no guarantee it will be financially fruitful. For giving yourself permission not to work on said project but instead to fill the creative well. To immerse yourself in . . . life.

Last week I was a bit overwhelmed, perhaps overly concerned with the future of my writing career. Second guessing my choices and talent. Luckily, I have dear friends who gave me a cyber smack, advising me to relax and trust my gut . . . and talent.

So I did.

This past weekend was a three-day weekend for me. I ignored the urge to explore new writing projects and pushed ahead on the project that’s currently sitting with several publishers. I had a blast doing so! I also cleaned my house and shopped for flowers to plant in my backyard. I wanted create a reading garden and I did.

I read . . . a lot. I played with my dogs. I did domestic stuff. I watched movies and spent quality time with my husband.

I lived.

Over the past two days, out of the blue, I received an awesome opportunity to promote my most current release OUT OF EDEN. And the next day, an amazing offer to promote my September release INTO THE WILD. And then, only a few hours after, an invitattion to participate in a wondrous possible project spearheaded by a dear friend. The project isn't definite, so I can't speak about it yet. Still, to be considered is a thrill. I feel . . . blessed. And grateful.

More than ever I'm contemplating the phrase—pay it forward.

Has anyone gone above and beyond on your behalf lately? Have you considering ‘paying it forward’? If so, how?

SIS Beth

What Are You Reading?

2010-06-10T06:00:00.001-04:00

I am currently reading two books. One fiction, the other non-fiction. I find myself reading more non-fiction lately. I guess I'm like my 6 year old, I like learning from books. That is what she said to me when I took her to the library the other day. She is reading five books about science and space.

Back to the books I am reading. The fiction one is People of the Raven by Kathleen O'neal Gear and W. Michael Gear. They are a wife and husband team that write stories based on Native American history. They are both archaeologists and she is a historian. People of the Raven is loosely based on the Kennewick Man; a Caucasoid male mummy that was discovered along the banks of the Columbia River in 1996. The mummy is thought to be more than 9,000 years old.

The non-fiction book I am reading is Women Who Run With Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes,Ph.D. She is a Jungian analyst and cantadora storyteller. A cantadora is a keeper of old stories. From the jacket:

Within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing. Her name is Wild Woman, but she is an endangered species. Though the gifts of wildish nature come to us at birth, society's attempt to "civilize" us into rigid roles has plundered this treasure, and muffled the deep, life-giving messages of our own souls. Without Wild Woman, we become over-domesticated, fearful, uncreative,trapped.

I hope I can find my Wild Woman while reading this book full of mythical stories about women.

What book or books are you currently reading?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

The Bubble

2010-06-09T07:45:00.000-04:00

My eyes are open, but I don't see. I can hear, but I don't always listen. Everything is distorted in here. Everything is routine. Sometimes it's ordinary. Sometimes it's amazing. It's pretty small. I try to make room for others to join me, but I don't seem to be able to shrink small enough. It's just me. I'm alone.

This is my world from inside the bubble.

Unfortunately, the view is not quite this nice, but I do have my bubble decorated nicely. It's a little rustic and a lot cozy. It surrounds me as I go about my day to day routines. Somehow it doesn't burst as I take my morning shower, make my coffee, get the kids ready, head to school to drop them off, then it's off to work for me. Still, I'm in that bubble. The radio is on and I may hum along to a song, but ask me what song I was listening to after it's over and I probably can't tell you. It's the bubble. It distorts.

Current events? What's that? The news may be on. I see images. I see pain, suffering, sorrow, pointing fingers, back stabbing, stealing, murdering...But don't ask me who, what, when, where or why. I'm in the bubble and that kind of stuff doesn't happen in here. Ever.

Unless...I write it and it exists in the fictional world I've created. A fictional world that is also full of love and laughter, mystery and intrigue, danger and adventure. A fictional world that always, always ends with a Happily Ever After. After all, it is my bubble and I can do what I want in here.

Do you have a bubble? What's yours like?

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

On the Run

2010-06-08T11:05:00.001-04:00

I didn't forget my blog... I swear! I have just been running around like a chicken with my head cut off for the last week. Today is no different.

I am in Washington right now. In a beautiful small town in the cascade mountains. Everywhere I look, all I see is mountains and trees. It is very calming. I definitely am needing some calmness.

In the past week, I have been all over the place. Oklahoma, Texas... back to Oklahoma... back to Texas... home to Indiana... and now Washington. I am so worn out. I feel like I haven't stopped for even one second.

At home, I had a very jam packed weekend. It started off with a nephews birthday party as soon as I landed. Then, there was the preparations for my ex's wedding and a whole day of festivities for that.

After the partying, the girls and I went down to visit Bobby for a little while. It's scary to have him in the hospital but at the same time, it was great to see the way he looked. He was so much more rested and and looked really good!!

Sunday, we had my niece's graduation party to go to. Then there was the packing for my work trip. And getting everything arranged for the girls for the week. Then the flight here - I got here at 7 last night. AAHHH!! Such a crazy life!!!

So now here I sit. Looking at the beautiful scenery...trying to take it all in and calm my senses. I better enjoy it while it lasts. Work will keep me running for the next week. Then its back home to start the running all over again!

Have you been real busy lately? Do you need some calmness in your life?

SIS Bandy

Because God told me to...

2010-06-07T08:50:00.001-04:00

Yesterday morning started out like a normal Sunday morning. I woke up early and brought my pillow and blanket to my chaise lounge and prepared myself for my morning nap. After all, it took a lot of energy to get out of bed and walk to the living room so I was exhausted!

I flipped the television on and began scanning through the guide, trying to find the best program to help me sleep. It just so happened that Joel Osteen was on the channel that came on when I turned the TV on. I’ve heard his name before. In fact I’ve seen it on books at the book store, but I didn’t realize he was a pastor. Not that that matters, I just didn’t know. I always thought he was a self-help guru of some sort.

Anyway, while I was scrolling through the guide, I was half-listening to a story he was telling about a woman who had always promised her mother that she would go to college and at the age of 80 something, she finally made good on her promise. His message was to get out there and do the things you keep saying you’re going to do. I listened as he said, “God wants you to get out there and write that book, blah blah blah,…..”. I didn’t hear anything past “write that book”.

Was this a sign? It wasn’t so much that he said God wanted me to, it was just that the first example out of his mouth was “write that book”. How odd. Could he be speaking to me? I’m sure he wasn’t, but his words did speak to me. I’ve had two WIPs just sitting around for months now. I think the last time I wrote was in November. What the heck?

I remembered the passion I had when I first started writing my book and wandered where that had gone and why I had allowed life to get in the way of that passion. I know this is something we’ve talked about in the past, that we should write every day, no matter what. But I haven’t, and I’m not saying that I will from now on.

I’m just saying that sometimes, it’s the little things that kick you in the butt and get you going. Sometimes, all it takes is a few simple words from a stranger to make you realize you need to get back to your passions. I had neglected mine long enough.

So, I skipped my morning nap, got out my laptop and spent pretty much the entire day writing and researching. I didn’t get much further in my story, but I did improve upon it quite a bit and also got some really great ideas for future chapters. Yea me! It felt great.

Thank you Joel Osteen. And thank You, God, for wanting me to write this book. I hope You’ll enjoy it.

Have you ever been inspired or encouraged by something small someone has said to you or something you heard in passing?

SIS Bren

P.S. Please scroll down and read Krys’ post from Saturday if you haven’t already. He has started a story and invites us all to join in. I like where it’s going so far and hope you’ll add in your two cents…

Build-A-Story Workshop

2010-06-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

I've only seen this done a couple of times, but both times it seemed like a neat idea and it will allow everyone to participate, so here goes: I'm going to start a story, and the next person that posts will add whatever they want to what I wrote, and so on with each new post. Lets see what kind of story we can come up with!

It was a dark and stormy night. Flashes of lightning briefly lit up the darkness like electric spider webs, quickly followed by deafening claps of thunder. Wind-driven rain assaulted the massive Antebellum mansion that loomed atop a low hill overlooking an expansive bayou. Inside the mansion.....

My Public Face

2010-06-04T06:00:00.051-04:00

I consider myself pretty savvy concerning public relations. That's not to say I excel at it, but I do have a pretty firm grasp on how it works. A really good PR person or firm can spin an unknown into stardom, stardom that is not always deserved because sometimes the spin is based more on bullhoey than substance. Regardless, a star is born. Whether it shines or burns out often depends n the true talent of the artist.

I don't have a publicist, so I have to rely on my own creativity and derring-do to create and promote 'my public face'. I've been doing this for years via my website, blogs, interviews, articles (on-line and in print). I always try to be upbeat and professional.

"Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory." --Arthur Ashe

I also strive to be honest about my personal and professional life... but without giving up too much information. I deeply believe that some things should be kept private. Plus, I think there's something to be said for modesty and discretion.

"If you live your life without secrets, the wind will become bored of you and even the trees will stop listening."--Laura Moncur

Although my public face is that of a published author, in the past, I've always freely talked about my day jobs. At first that entailed my life as a professional performer. Now it's my role as a fulltime Senior Library Assistant. My reason for sharing that side of myself is twofold. It's part of what influences my writing. And... I think it's important for all struggling artists to know that not all 'successful' artists are able to make a living fully from their 'art'. I, by the way, do not equate success with income.

However, lately I've been wondering if my 'public face' would benefit more greatly if I simply focused on my life as a writer... period. No mention of a dayjob. I wonder if the general public perceives an artist as less succssful, less talented if they have to supplememt their artistic income? Would I inspire more of a following, more sales if the world saw me solely as a 'published author'?

"To establish ourselves in the world, we have to do all we can to appear established. To succeed in the world, we do everything we can to appear successful."-Francois la Rochefoucauld

I am at a crossroads in my career. I have an opportunity to reinvent myself and therefore I'm reevaluating how I represent/promote myself and by extension, my work.

What are your thoughts on an artist's public persona? Are you more intrigued by an artist who shares 'everything'? Someone who social networks daily and even hourly via Twitter, FaceBook, and the likes? Or are you equally intrigued by someone who only 'socializes' now and then?

Think hard and be honest, do you consider an artist less successful, less of a sensation, if you know they cannot fully support themselves via their craft? Even on an subconscious level?

SIS Beth

Awards Day

2010-06-03T06:00:00.002-04:00

Tuesday was awards day at my oldest daughter's school. I was surprised that there wasn't very many parents there for the fourth grade students. There should have been, because almost half of the kids made the A/B Honor Roll for the whole year. I thought that was very good. My daughter received 7 awards that day including the Honor Roll award. I am very proud of her for all the hard work she did throughout the year. You would think the Honor Roll award would be her favorite. Nope. It was the Spirit and Spunk award for "bringing joy and laughter to her class" that was her fave. I think she will always remember this award. I'll probably have to frame it for her.

My youngest daughter did good as well. She didn't lose a behavior stick all year. That is pretty good for kindergartner. She also was in a small reading group of children that were reading above grade level. They got to pick their own chapter books to read. I am very proud of her.

When I was in elementary school I received an award for Honesty. My teacher made the award just for me because I let her know that one of my answers on a paper was wrong. I had received an A+ that I didn't deserve. I will never forget that award, or the fact that the teacher made the award just for me. It made me feel very special.

Do you have any childhood awards that you will always remember?

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Biography

2010-06-02T08:41:00.000-04:00

I’ve said before that I’m really not all that interested in the private lives of celebrities. Apparently I am. I’ve watched a few episodes of the show “Biography” on A & E and I find these programs quite fascinating. I guess I find these interesting because they are not meant to be “gossipy” and not meant to hurt the person who is being featured. They just focus on the facts.

Yesterday, I was thrilled to tune in and see that this “Biography” was about one of my favorite movie stars of all time, Doris Day. Unfortunately, it was two hours long and I couldn’t take my eyes off of it, but it was two hours well spent.

I was intrigued by her story and kept reflecting on it all day long. I never would have thought that her life was as tumultuous as it was. To see all of her movies, her TV show, and photos of her, one would think her life was filled with happiness. She really had quite a ride!

Later in the show, they mentioned that she had written a book. I was surprised to find that I am really interested in reading this book. I realized that I don’t think I’ve read many, if any, biographies or auto-biographies. Her book, Doris Day: Her Own Story, an "as-told-to" work with A. E. Hotchner is definitely on my TBR list. I can’t wait to buy it and start reading.

What about you? Do you read biographies and do you have a story to recommend?

SIS Bren

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-31T09:28:00.000-04:00

Happy Memorial Day from all of us at SIS.

May your day be full of memories of loved ones who have moved on and may you make memories with those that are still here.

If It Ain't Broke

2010-05-29T07:00:00.002-04:00

When I first read BJ's blog on Thursday I thought to myself that I needed to come up with a new topic because somehow she'd read my mind and had talked about the same thing I was going to. Then I realized that wasn't exactly the case, so here goes.

Back in 1978 when I was 12, I had a huge crush on Olivia Newton-John. I don't know if it was the blond hair, the blue eyes, the accent, the voice, or a combination of those. I eagerly bought every album she made and kept up with every aspect of her career. I even went so far as to keep a photo album of newspaper articles and photos of her that I had collected. Then along came the movie 'Grease'.

It wasn't the best movie ever made, and Olivia certainly wasn't Oscar material, but at the time it didn't matter. I absolutely loved it and managed to see it 18 times in the theaters before it was gone, and my total viewings now stand at over 100. My wife simply rolls her eyes and quietly leaves the room whenever it comes on and tries her best not to listen to me recite the dialogue word for word. My crush on Olivia has faded, but the movie 'Grease' never will. Sorry, Olivia.

My initial happiness was to last four years. In 1982, 'Grease 2' was released. No Olivia, and only a couple of minor original characters were back. I made what was then the biggest mistake of my life and saw it. I will spare you the horrid details and me the agony of remembering it. Suffice to say I was very disappointed and almost angry. My favorite movie of all time had been desecrated with a lousy sequel. How dare they!

So here's my question: Is there a movie or TV show that means so much to you that you would hate to see it remade or have a sequel made?

My Book Expo Adventure

2010-05-28T06:00:00.003-04:00

Looks like I missed an interesting week of topics her at SIS. Apologies to my sisters for not chiming in. I had a whirlwind week preparing for and attending Book Expo America in NYC. BEA is a humongous trade show featuring publishers big and small of every genre imaginable. It is immense and overwhelming. Mostly the trade show is attended by librarians and booksellers. Publishers give away a lot of books in hopes of generating interest. Numerous big name authors were aplenty, each signing their latest... if you didn't mind standing in super long lines for a super long time. In years past I've done just that, but this year I wanted to roam and take everything in.

My primary reason for attending BEA was to sign and give away copies of OUT OF EDEN. I was lucky enough to have two scheduled signings. On Wednesday I signed in the RWA booth--48 books in 30 minutes. Woo-hoo! I met some incredible librarians and booksellers who had some very nice things to say about my books. It was an amazing experience.

On Thursday I signed in the Harlequin booth. My editor, Keyren Gerlach, was at my side the entire time, helping me open books to sign--96 books in 45 minutes! I was stunned as I signed one after another book. So grateful for the opportunity to get my books into the hands of people who can help spread the word about my work.

Another perk was seeing many friendly faces! Friends and uber talented authors, librarian friends (Hi, Nina!), reader friends (waving to Elsie and Laurie). I also spent some quality time with my editor and agent (such great ladies!) Unfortunately, there were several friends that I didn't see. I was actually only at the trade show a day and a quarter. Not enough time to see everyone!

I had my Flip video cam with me. I wish I would have been more creative. If I would've been thinking smart, I would've snapped vid of some big names like James Patterson, Debbie Macomber, Lemony Snickett.... But I sort of spaced on that end, taking random show shots. My one goober moment was standing in line for an hour to meet Rick Springfield (yes, the pop rock star) who just wrote an autobiography. THAT I got on my Flip.

Overall it was a wonderful experience... though exhausting. Below are snippets of my adventure. Enjoy!

I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

2010-05-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

That is one of my favorite lines from The A-Team. " I pity the fool" is another one. Hannibal, Faceman, Murdock and of course, B.A. Four men on the run helping people out of bad situations all over the world.

I remember watching The A-Team with my sisters. We would get so excited every time it would come on. We would laugh when B.A. would trow a fit about getting on an airplane. They always had to knock him out somehow. Hannibal coming up with the best plans, Face always getting the girl and Murdock doing something crazy. You knew how it was going to turn out, but it was so much fun to watch. I think Murdock was my favorite because he was so crazy and could get away with just about anything.

Now a movie has been made of The A-Team. I'm not sure if that is good or bad. I hope they stay true to the characters. I wouldn't want to see anything change about them. They were fun and lovable on the T.V. show and I think they should stay that way. I'll hold my judgment until I have seen the movie.

There are other shows that we watched together as children. MacGyver and V are two of them. V is now a new series. I watched a couple episodes and wasn't impressed about it. I would love to see what someone could do with MacGyver. That was my favorite show growing up. I still try to "MacGyver" things.

Did you watch The A-Team as a child.? If so, who was your favorite character? What childhood show would you like to see remade.

SIS BJ aka Aleena Ravenwood

Reasons I Love My Dogs

2010-05-26T08:02:00.009-04:00

Almost every morning I am aggravated at my dog, Moose. He’s not quite a year old yet so I try to give him some slack, but just one morning, I’d like to wake up on my own, with no whining involved. I don’t mean my whining…I mean Moose’s.

I understand that he needs to go outside and that’s fine. So, I grab my pillow and blanket, let Moose and Dizzy outside, and then make a bed on the couch to try to get just one more hour of sleep. I start to drift off, but then I hear crunch, crunch or ripping sounds or I feel his big, wet tongue on my face. He’s usually chewing on a bottle cap, or a pencil or pen that he’s stolen from the table, or like this morning, shredding a towel that he pulled from the laundry basket!

I feel bad that my day always starts out being aggravated, so I’ve decided to remind myself of why I love dogs!

1. They’re just so darn cute! This is Dizzy, my very faithful and loving Bichon Frise.

2. They’re comical! This is my mom’s dog, Brat. She may be funny looking, but she’s very sweet.

3. They’re inquisitive. I’m sure Moose probably grabbed the train right off the table after this picture was taken.

4. They’re athletic. I love to watch Moose chase my boys.

5. They have a sense of humor. It’s amazing what our dogs will let us do.

6. They’re just so darn cute! Ooops, I already used that one. But I love this picture and most people who see it let out an uncontrollable “Awwwwwww”.

Do you have pets? What do you love about them? What drives you crazy about them? And if you don’t have pets, what would be your dream pet?

SIS Bren

The Middle of Nowhere

2010-05-25T10:16:00.005-04:00

I feel like I am in the stone age this week! I am in Oklahoma in a teeny town of only 1800 people. It took me all morning to get my computer to log onto the internet.

This place is in the middle of nowhere. It is so small that there isn't even a Mcdonald's here! I thought every town had one of those!! And there is no Starbucks, Walmart, movie theater, or even a bowling alley. The town pretty much consists of the dealership I am at and a gas station with an old diner in it. I think there may be a grocery store somewhere but I'm not positive.

I have lived in the country most of my life, but I couldn't imagine living somewhere like this. Don't get me wrong, it is a pretty area. I would go crazy though. There is absolutley nothing to do. I bet the families around here make lots of babies! That's the only entertainment they have!!

Would you like living in such a remote area? Could you be happy without all of the conveniences we are accustomed to?

SIS Brandy

Making the Time

2010-05-24T08:00:00.007-04:00

What an incredible weekend! Great weather, a lot of work, a lot of fun and the payoff? Priceless. I'll admit I'm pretty sore, but I/we managed to pull every weed, mulch every bed, pull up an old fence and even take time for some fishing. At the end of each day I was exhausted and it felt good. I loved being outdoors with the family. As Beth mentioned in her post, the creative well runs low at times and sometimes, if we're lucky, it's just the little things that fill it to the rim.

Even though I could barely keep my eyes open, I wanted to write. I needed to move words and phrases around to maximize the effect. My word count may not have been high, but I was productive. I wonder if I would feel this way all the time if I lived in a warmer climate? Hmm...

I'm currently reading The Darkest Whisper by Gena Showalter. I've just started, but I'm already hooked! Reading is one more way to fill the creative well and also has the added benefit of making me a better writer. A chance to learn while completely enjoying myself. I'll take that opportunity any day of the week.

The following pictures are from this weekend. The first is another one taken at an absolutely gorgeous pond where we had the chance to fish and bask in the sunshine. The other pictures are what caused my back to ache...

Fishin' made easy! The trout were practically leaping onto the dock. Gotta love that!

I love hostas.

I don't have too many flowers blooming yet, but this proves it's bound to happen!

And now it's your turn. Share a small thing that helps you to relax and/or fill your creative well.

SIS Barb aka Elle J Rossi

Catching Some Z's

2010-05-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Up until Friday morning I wasn't sure what I was going to blog about, but after my third night in a row of getting very little to no sleep, it hit me. Or should I say, it slowly creeped into my fog shrouded brain, wrapped its clammy tendrils around me and stared into my eyes with an evil laugh as the energy slowly drained from my body.

Insomnia.

Now I'm not talking about only getting 3 - 4 hours of sleep one night instead of the usual 6 - 8 or so. I'm talking about lying there all night, staring up at the ceiling, knowing you want and need to sleep but not being able to for anything, no matter what. I'm talking about feeling brain dead, incapable of rational thought, and knowing what it's like to be an actual living dead zombie the next day. In fact, as I'm typing this I am silently thanking the cyber gods for spell check, even though I have had to go back several times already to correct typos.

Growing up I never really had any issues, and could sleep anywhere and anytime I needed to. As I get older it's becoming more of an issue, and I'm sure the biggest problem is me. My lifestyle and dietary choices make insomnia almost a given. I have to realize that I'm not 20-something and bulletproof any more. Mountain Dew is -not- one of the four food groups, exercise and sunlight won't really kill me, and if you want to go to sleep and get up at a reasonable time, you have to go to bed at a reasonable time.

The longest I've ever gone without sleep was 100 hours straight, and that was intentional for the most part. My long-distance girlfriend was in town at the time and I didn't want to miss a single minute with her. That was about 15 years ago but I still remember it well. I don't remember much about the time I spent with her, but I will never forget the feeling of depriving my body for 4 days of something that it so desperately needed, and I hope none of you have ever felt it or ever will.

Do you have any stories relating to insomnia, good bad or otherwise, that you'd like to share? If you've ever suffered from it, did you find anything that helped?

Embracing the Unknown

2010-05-21T06:00:00.003-04:00

For the first time in several years, I am not under a contracted deadline. All my responsibilities for my September release, INTO THE WILD, are met. I am 'out-of-contract'. It's liberating in a way. Scary in another. Let's examine the liberating part.

Without the pressure of having to write every free second of every day or night, I have been able to refill my creative well. I've been reading for pleasure. I've also been reading to learn. I've also been watching movies and mini-series. Although mostly that's for pleasure, I've also been absorbing screenwriters' unique styles of storytelling in hopes of enhancing my own. I've been spending more playtime with my dogs and more quality time with my husband. All of this has been refreshing and inspiring. And although I don't have to write I want to write. It's a wonderful feeling indeed.

I realize more than ever how important it is to continually refill that creative well. You can only dip into it for so long before drying up. I don't want to dry up. I want to flourish. I want to challenge myself. I want to grow.

Circumstances make this the perfect time for me to explore new worlds. I decided to explore an idea that's been simmering and morphing in my brain for two years. I gave my imagination free reign and it took me to a pretty incredible place. I've spent the past month polishing a proposal for a series that I very much want to write. In addition to a series overview and synopsis, I've written the first three chapters of book one and because I believe in the power of creative visualization, I've been writing forward, certain that some editor will be as crazy about the idea as I am. My dynamo agent is presently shopping this project. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't on pin and needles. Think positive thoughts for me because I really, really, really want to write this series.

That said, if this series doesn't sell, at least I know I gave it my all. At least I tried. I'll be disappointed, but not defeated. I have three other stories brewing in my brain. I get a thrill everytime I jot down an idea. Everytime I type a passage. My heart and soul are alive with the joy of Storytelling. Contracted or not . . . I am a writer. No matter what . . . I will write and somehow, some way, my stories will find a home.

Life is full disappointments and adversities, but it's also bright with opportunities. You don't have to be a confident, aggressive or bold person to succeed, but motivation and passion are key. The next time you run into a wall, kick a hole through it and embrace the unknown.

SIS Beth

Just a couple recs

2010-05-20T09:52:00.002-04:00

Let me start off by saying thanks to SIS B.J. for swapping days with me. I greatly appreciate it and it was great to see you for that short while on Tuesday. I hope our next visit will be a little longer. Now off to my ramblings…

I drove my mom back to Indiana on Monday. Dang, that’s a long drive. We listened to a lot of radio along the way and one song in particular stuck in my head. I loved it so much that I had to call SIS Barb and ask her who sang it. It’s called “I Pray for You” and it’s by Jarron and The Long Road to Love. It’s a country song, but you simply must have a listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rn041uWncU

While in Indiana, I got to spend some time with my brother. He was working when I got there, so I hung out with him at work for a while. Then we went to his house, had some awesome homemade vegetable soup (Thanks Pam) and then settled in to watch some movies.

The first was “I am Legend” with Will Smith. It was nothing at all what I expected, but still, it was pretty good and Holy Wow was Will Smith ripped.

I can’t even remember the name of the second movie and I was distracted with a Rat Terrier named Spot who relentlessly made me play fetch! He’s so cute!

The third movie was “The Blind Side” with Sandra Bullock. I really loved this movie. It’s based on a true story and not only was it a great story, it left me with a wonderful feel-good feeling all over and reminded me that sometimes, incredible things can happen.
Make sure you take the time to watch this movie, I know you won’t be disappointed!

Do you have any movie recommendations to share? Or maybe you can suggest a song for me to learn to sing with my duo. By the way, we had our first gig on Friday night and it was great! We’ll be returning to that venue on a regular basis. Wish me luck!

SIS Bren