WRITING ON THE EDGE

BACK N' BLACK

2009-07-13T19:49:00.002-06:00

I realize how hard it is to re-start a conversation with readers and other writers when you've been gone as long as I have - November 2008! However, I've streamlined this blog and hope to reconnect with those of you who graciously followed me by email while I was recovering from my shoulder accident.

This summer I've missed THRILLERFEST and am now missing RWA's Nationals in Washington, DC. Prior to this year, attending these conferences seemed to be so far away I had them listed under my "Five Year Goals"! Well, no more! They're under "One Year Goals" now and I'm hard at work on two new manuscripts.

The links to the right all work and all have much to offer those of us who shovel ourselves deep in to a pit when the Muse isn't cooperating. Just reading a few posts from some of these agents and authors can brighten your day.

My name is opposite, but I'll be writing under a pen name - Milena Edwards. My writing will always be "writing on the edge" because that just seems to be the kind of writing I do - edgy, sometimes dark, full of second chances, sacrifice and redemption. I'm excited about my new projects, and I'm excited to be back and sharing with you.

If you've dropped by, please leave a comment and tell me how you're doing with your own writing, career, or just life in general. And look for me on Facebook under my real name - Laurie Wood. I'd love to "friend" you!

REMEMBRANCE DAY

2008-11-11T17:36:00.002-06:00

In memory of every soldier who's died in the past five years in Afghanistan and Iraq. May you rest in peace.

A QUICK NOTE....

2008-10-29T14:21:00.002-06:00

Sorry I've been AWOL the past two weeks, but I'm suffering from a bad back spasm that's ruining my life at the moment. If I sit down, I can't get up; if I lie down, I can't get up; I've been reduced to sleeping in our Lazyboy to get some relief!

As November 4th approaches, I hope and pray that all my American friends and family take a last, hard, look at their candidates and make a strong decision for their country. By this time next week, it'll all be over - and a new direction for America beginning. So, get out and vote! Exercise your right to freedom and democracy, and vote - tell your students, co-workers, adult kids, grandparents and parents, to do the right thing and vote for the future of your country - however you see it.

And thank you to those of you who read my review for Loreth Ann White and responded to it! I'm now working in a large bookstore (and in heaven!), and enjoying hand-selling books to customers, and being able to tell them I've actually reviewed a book they have in their hands. (If you follow this blog, you'll know I've done a few reviews in my time :) )

I'm going to try participating in NaNoWriMo this year, which may involve writing on my laptop on the kitchen counter, as I just can't seem to sit without seizing up. I hope to get alot done on either of two projects I have on the go.

If anyone has a cure/relief suggestion for a stubborn lower-back problem, please let me know! In the meantime, please keep up with the fabulous agent and author blogs I've linked to, while I'm recuperating. And get out and vote! :)

REVIEWING "MANHUNTER"

2008-10-20T19:26:00.004-06:00

I was honoured to get an author's copy of MANHUNTER from Loreth Anne White. MANHUNTER will be part of November's Silhouette Romantic Suspense line-up but the difference with this book is: a) not only is it a Canadian story set north of the 60th parallel, it's the start of her new series, "Wild Country". Here's the back blurb....

"Sergeant Gabriel Caruso arrived in the remote Yukon wilderness with one goal: to erase all memories of the serial killer who had ruined his life. But he soon discovered that the madman was hot on his heels - and after anything that touched Gabe's heart. Including local tracker Silver Karvonen.

As Silver plotted with Gabe to stop their predator, she matched more than wits with the Mountie. Even the icy tundra couldn't muffle the heat simmering between them. But for Silver and Gabe, love could very well be a matter of life and death."

I've been in a remote, northern, Indian (okay, Aboriginal) town in Ontario. That's not the Yukon but it's pretty close what with the long dark winter, the trackers, the police, and doctors who're stranded with no roads out of there. You could only get in by bush plane from Timmins Ontario, and I can attest to the fact that a six-seater bush plane can give you a gigantic migraine.

Loreth's research has captured everything wonderful about the North and its inhabitants. The wild landscape, unforgiving of human mistakes in judgement; the people who rely on each other for survival, the police who're the only law enforcement in an area of 5000 miles. She developed the romance between Gabe and Silver at just the right pace...unsure, untrusting, while they relied on each other in the wilderness to capture a killer who's far from the average serial killer in romantic suspense. She's managed to take your common ritual killer a step further into one with an incredible background and the motivation to match.

Anyone who loves a fast paced read, with a fix of love and danger, and has an interest in Canada and its vast region of somewhat uncharted territory, will love this story. I'm so glad to see Silhouette taking the chance on publishing a major story set in Canada - and not just one story, a series by itself. It's been a long time coming!

And for those of you who've always wondered about our Horsemen in Red up here, you'll love Gabe Caruso. Loreth did a tremendous amount of research with an RCMP officer and she's got every detail down.

Grab it while you can, and with the cold winter fast approaching all of us, curl up with a fabulous love story - a heroine unlike any typical kick-butt woman, and a man who'll make your toes curl in delight. I promise!

A SAD DAY....

2008-10-10T15:28:00.002-06:00

Another Snowbird pilot has died while flying in our out-dated, worn-out Tutor airplanes used by our nine-man exhibition team. We knew Capt. Mitchell personally, so this is a very sad day for us.

My family and I send our sincere condolences to Capt. Mitchell's family and loved ones.

As Capt. Mitchell is the second Snowbird pilot in two years to die in a crash, it's about time our Department of Defense took action with our government and either get new planes asap, or scrap the exhibition program until there are safe planes to use.

Capt. Mitchell, rest in peace. You will be lovingly remembered by your family, your friends, and your congregation at Moose Jaw Alliance Church.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO MY FELLOW CANADIANS!

2008-10-10T15:26:00.002-06:00

Wishing all my fellow Canadians, friends and readers, a wonderful, safe and happy Thanksgiving this weekend!

DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR...

2008-10-09T11:44:00.002-06:00

I've been "away" judging contests, reading books to review, and getting in touch with my MUSE for my current WIP. When hopping about the blogosphere, I found an agent by the name of Nathan Bransford who's with Curtis Brown. Yesterday he posted the question "What's the worst writing advice you've ever been given?"

Well, I hope Mr. Bransford doesn't mind if I paraphrase a few of the most common answers from the 125 comments he got on this topic...yes, I read every one of them! It was illuminating to say the least.

Here's the TOP FIVE that seemed to be repeated over and over:

1) Send your submission in right away because your friend/mother/crit group, think it's "GREAT!".

2) Send a full Manuscript in to an editor/agent when you haven't bothered to query first - sure, they'll take it!

3) My personal favourite: have a published author teaching a class tell you your query letter is "perfect" - submit it only to have it come crashing back in your inbox within two hours, with a "thanks but no thanks & oh, btw, don't bother submitting anything else". Show your query to another published author and she can't believe *anyone* would tell you to send it to *anyone* in the condition it's in.

4) Take out all the COMMAS, DIALOGUE TAGS, NARRATIVE, OR DIALOGUE QUOTATION MARKS.

5) Your professor/creative writing teacher/correspondence writing teacher tells you you have no talent. When you get published, send them a copy of your book cover!

You can find Nathan Bransford at his cool blog here: NATHAN BRANSFORD

I love finding people in the industry who're willing to share their expertise and actually help writers. So, Mr. Bransford, you're being linked to the right, and thank you for taking the time to educate writers about the "biz".

THE NEW TV SEASON IS HERE

2008-10-01T16:36:00.002-06:00

I posted on my Facebook page that I need to stop watching all these premieres and get some sleep! It's true - my husband and I love to watch the premieres of our favourite shows, and never miss the finales either.

On the right I've posted some of my all-time-never-miss-an-episode TV shows, which you can access via those links to receive full shows downloaded from Amazon.com. I think it's a great idea whose time has come.

Is there anybody else out there who loves these shows? Especially the new kid on the block - FRINGE? I was trying to describe it today to a friend. It tops the X-FILES, in my opinion, and the FBI heroine is a refreshing change from all the "kick-ass" heroines we've been subjected to in TV and books for the past five years or so. It's nice to see a woman use her brains for a change, instead of her bone-crushing martial arts skills. But that's just me - a woman who wants to be known for her brains, because her days of martial arts are over!

Check out this new service from Amazon. I'd love to hear your feedback on whether it's valuable or a time-saver for you. I think this is the wave of the future, begun with iTunes.

THE LAUNCH IS HERE....9 HOURS FROM NOW

2008-09-30T15:25:00.003-06:00

MARCHER LORD PRESS is officially launching at Midnight when the clock changes over to October 1st, 2008

I'm presenting a review of one of the three books being launched: Summa Elvetica: A Casuistry of the Elvish Controversy, by Theodore Beale. Mr. Beale is also published by Pocket and Simon & Shuster, in the field of Christian speculative fiction.

Summa Elvetica takes place in a fantasy world so detailed it might rival Lord of the Rings. Certainly, anyone in love with that trilogy will delight in this book. Here's the book cover:

"...Beale brings us a delightfully speculative what-if scenario: what if the Catholic Church (or something very like it) existed in a fantasy world in which dwelt non-human intelligent races like orcs, trolls, and elves? At some point in such a world the leading ecclesiastics would have to wrestle with the questions of whether or not these demi-humans have souls and therefore ought to be the subject of evangelization by the Church. Summa Elvetica is the story of the young priest whom the Church assigns to investigate the matter. Along the way to his conclusion, he falls in love with an Elven princess and finds himself in the middle of a racially motivated war. More than the curiosities of high clerics hang in the balance as he comes to declare whether or not elves have souls."

Theodore Beale combines philosophy, traditional Christian teaching, demonology, and the paranormal powers of magic in all its forms, to render a story that's rich with metaphor. The world is a fantasy based on the Roman Empire. The Christians are led by the Sanctiff, similar to the Pope. He has Michealine priests based on the tenets of St. Michael the Archangel - the Defender. Our hero, Marcus Valarius, must journey to the Elvish Kingdom to begin his investigation into the story premise - do elves have souls, and are they created beings of God?

The story is slowed down by the telling of historical tales on the journey to see the Elven High King. It reminded me of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Once there, however, Marcus is rapidly drawn in to the controversy. His is a spiritual as well as a physical journey, and his actions and discoveries mirror those many of us have also had in our own quest for a relationship with God.

This book is multi-layered and should be read slowly and carefully to get the fullest experience. I found it rich in its concept, and Beales' use of humanistic philosophy versus Christian teachings. For those who love their fantasy, as well as Biblical teaching, this book will be a feast.

I have one caveat: at the beginning of each chapter there are quotations written in Latin. These are explained in translation at the end of the book. At first I found it odd, as I have no knowledge of Latin. However, the explanations at the end of the book are the "Summa" that Marcus writes to end the debate.

Summa Elvetica: A Casuistry of the Elvish Controversy by Theodore Beale, available October 1 from Marcher Lord Press, $12.99

Be sure to register at the site for special prizes, as well as the Grand Prize Draw - a trip for two to the 2009 comicCON in San Diego.

I have no relationship with MARCHER LORD PRESS in any way, and am not contracted by them for a work of fiction. I offer this review simply to engage readers in what they can expect from this new and adventurous publisher.

CRIME FICTION, OR, "THE ART OF KILLING PEOPLE"

2008-09-28T19:35:00.002-06:00

You may have seen this elsewhere, but I wanted to share this clip of Craig Ferguson from the Late, Late Show interviewing Lawrence Block. It aired June 24/08, so I'm a bit late to the party, but I enjoyed hearing Block's take on his two big characters, Keller, and Matthew Scudder. I had no idea Block's now 70 years old. It just goes to show that writing can be a long, lively career. (providing you're as prolific as Ludlum, Elmore Leonard, and Block, to name a few crime writers)

While we don't learn a lot of new things, it's enjoyable just to see Lawrence Block in person.

CONTEST SEASON AND THE GOLDEN HEART ARE HERE

2008-09-26T10:41:00.002-06:00

I’ve had the privilege of judging three contests recently. I’ve judged fantasy, mainstream romantic elements, and inspirational. It’s been a revelation to see how many great writers are out there, with work that’s in near publishable condition. What a wonderful reflection of Romance Writers of American, whose Chapters sponsor these contests, train judges and use both PRO and published authors.

I know we’ve all read articles on how to write for contests. I’m not about to reiterate all those points here. There are a few areas I found consistently strong, or weak, so I thought I’d point these out and hopefully, you can take some of my comments and consider them for your next contest entry.

1) Is there an opening line or paragraph that immediately hooks the reader into the story?

This had to be one of the weakest areas I found across the board. The opening lines were often clichéd, or didn’t set up the first paragraph. I’m not going to give examples, because someone might recognize their work! However, another major problem was not starting the story in the right place. I’m guilty of this myself. When you’ve written a couple of drafts, and changed things around many times, it’s important to have someone else “beta” read your final results – even if it’s just three chapters and a synopsis (especially the synopsis!), to find out where things don’t make sense, or notice you’ve dumped back story, or started with the wrong POV. Once you’ve finished your manuscript, or the contest entry, it’s important to go back and “hook” that reader with action, or a question from a character, or something related to the story question. This seems to be what editors/agents want – they all say they want to be “immediately drawn in to the story”.

2) Does the story hold your interest to the end of the book?

All the contests I judged had an unjudged synopsis, which was a great feature to allow fairer judging. If you don’t have a synopsis of the complete story, how can a judge tell whether the story will hold your interest? While we all shudder at writing a synopsis, doing one for a contest allows the judge to have a wider view of your entry and better elaborate on the scored areas. So, polish up those synopsis skills before you enter the next contest!

3) Does the setting support the story without intruding?

We’ve all read, “don’t describe the weather”. However, weather, storms, tornados, severe blizzards are all good plot devices when used judiciously. if you’re writing an historical, make sure you have your facts straight about the where and when. Nothing pulls you out of an entry faster if you read about a castle with crenulations, gargoyles, or what- have-you, when the story is set in Norman England. They usually built what would be considered “forts” with wooden stockades.

This doesn’t mean your setting should take over the story. Unless you’re writing a gothic, “support your story” by layering in setting to provide the reader with an accurate idea of place and time. Lengthy descriptions of rooms, cities, or countryside are going to slow down your pacing.

4) Are your characters appealing?

Here’s the most subjective area of judging, in my opinion. Every reader’s going to have his or her unconscious bias. This doesn’t mean you can’t write characters with depth, and show strong goals, motivation, and conflict. (GMC) The conflict should especially be up front and center at the beginning of your story. Whether you show the external conflict first, or the internal conflict, this can usually be drawn with a few sentences sprinkled throughout the first chapter. This makes your character appealing as it draws the reader towards identifying with the character.

5) Is there a good balance between narrative and dialogue, showing and telling?

Ah, the show vs. tell debate. Nothing slows your pacing down faster than “telling” your reader back-story, how a character does something, or giving us long passages of narrative. “Show” your character grinding out a cigarette beneath those killer stilettos. This conveys anger, frustration, sarcasm, or a character out for revenge as soon as she steps back in to that party. If you waste time telling us how she lit the cigarette, tasted it, flicked it on the ground, and then stepped on it, the emotional impact is lost.

6) Do sensory details (sight, sound, touch, smell, taste) enhance each scene?

I found this to be another weak area, and it made me step back and re-read some of my own writing. We don’t need all five senses in a scene. Stick to two or three at the most. In every entry I judged, the main senses were sound and touch. Smell, taste, and sight were forgotten by most writers. How things smell, or how your heroine perceives a smell is a good way to show characterization. For example, I can’t stand the smell of lamb cooking, or the smell of parmesan cheese. They make me gag for some reason. A negative reaction from a character can tell you something about them. Or, a character might like the scent of ripe oranges because it reminds her of Christmas. The sight of blood might not matter to a hero; or he might feel that gag reflex no matter how he tries to harden himself to the sight of blood. My husband used to react with fear at the sight of needles. He’s used to them now because of his job in the military. However, it was a process, and a device like that can show character growth.

Contest season is ramping up for the winter and spring. I hope some of my comments are helpful to those of you who choose contests based on either writing feedback, or to final in a category where you want to get in front of a specific editor or agent. And, it’s time to enter the Golden Heart. Good luck and good writing!

THE PERSONIFID INVASION

2008-09-22T18:19:00.003-06:00

The Personifid Invasion is the sequel to R.E. Bartlett’s The Personifid Project, launched by Realms in 2005. You don’t have to read book one, but it’s helpful to get to know the characters, as The Personifid Invasion picks up right after the first book.

A Personifid is an artificial body, which a person can choose from pre-designed formats, so they can have the body they’ve dreamed of - forever. Do you love violet hair? Do you want perfectly formed features, sapphire eyes, or athletic abs? They’re yours if you can afford them. Better yet, Death doesn’t exist for you, although your body parts may become damaged and need repair from time to time.

R. E. Bartlett has created an entertaining futuristic world with innovative gadgets, talking robots, and computers that can produce whole rooms of furniture if required. Don’t let the world-building fool you – her premise is whether these artificial bodies created and inhabited by foolish humans can still be possessed by age-old demons. Evil still wreaks havoc on a planet decimated by Man’s ignorance and unconcern for the environment.

A human brother and sister search for another sister who they lost through adoption when they were children. Their sister has become a Personifid and lives in a city dominated by Interterrestrials – a new Earth word for demons. Entering the city of demons is deadly unless you’re under the protection of the Tri-Une. The brother is a Follower of the Tri-Une Soul, while his little sister is still struggling to decide whether to believe in the Unseen, or believe in what her male friend, who is an Interterrestrial, allows her to see.

While I would’ve liked to see deeper characterization of the three main characters Antha, Aphra, and Ashley, Bartlett’s action-adventure story gallops along and immerses you in this bleak, technologically perfect world. The supporting characters are Followers as well, and they provide a nice counter-point to younger sister Aphra’s spiritual struggle with the Interterrestrial, Datricius.

I thoroughly enjoyed the unfolding of this story and its wonderful world building created a strong backdrop for Bartlett’s premise. The idea of producing your own pre-designed body in order to live forever went far beyond the usual cryogenics or cloning plot. The question of whether artificial bodies showing “soul signs” of life can be demon -possessed makes for an intriguing and thought-provoking story.

You can find R. E. Bartlett at her website here R. E. Bartlett, and an interview with her publisher at MARCHER LORD PRESS Be sure to visit MARCHER LORD PRESS to sign up for the Launch Day Grand Prize of a trip for two to comicCON 2009. There will be plenty of other giveaways, and free books if you buy two books on October 1st/08.

The Personifid Invasion, R. E. Bartlett, Marcher Lord Press, October 2008, $12.99

JUST WHEN THE EXCITEMENT IS OVER....

2008-09-21T19:50:00.004-06:00

Something new hits the blogosphere! I've been nominated by Mommy C over at QUIRKY CHILDRENS LIT to receive the Brilliante Weblog Promo Award. Thank you, Mommy C, and especially for the kind words you said about my blog. I'll put the rules at the end, but here are the blogs I check every day when I'm first up with the second cup of coffee:

TONI ANDERSON, a "Dangerously Romantic" suspense author, who I'm looking forward to interviewing this fall when her new book HER SANCTUARY becomes available.

TED DEKKER, one of the best suspense writers in the past few decades - jmho, of course, but check out his website and trailers. He's a cutting edge writer!

LEE LOFLAND, whose police and crime site has more writer resources for the police procedural/suspense/thriller than anything I've found on the Web so far. His book is wonderful and a must-have if you're writing in the crime field.

My two favourite agent blogs that I check every day:

RANTS AND RAMBLINGS OF A LITERARY AGENT - Rachelle Gardner is an agent with Wordserve Literary Agency. She doesn't represent exactly what I write, but her blog is full of topical information, reader contests, and personal experience. She's a lovely lady with a helpful attitude if you write her in the comments section.

PUB RANTS - Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency. She's mentioned as a nominee elsewhere, but her sharp, witty, style make her a must-read. I love the fact she shows who she is behind her job, and keeps us apprised of what's playing on her iPod at all times!

My favourite writer resource site that I check every day:

WHERE THE MAP ENDS - while this is a site primarily aimed at sci-fi, fantasy, speculative fiction writers (and there's nothing wrong with that!) Jeff Gerke provides resources on what publishers look for, how to polish up for submission, where to find story/character/setting generators, and a weekly piece on editorial articles designed to make you take another look at your manuscript. Read these - you'll learn more than in any craft course. Jeff Gerke's been an acquisition editor for about twelve years, and he knows whereof he speaks.

Here's the rules:

1. The Award may be displayed on a winners blog.
2. Add a link to the person who you received the Award from so anyone can backtrack.
3. Nominate up to seven other blogs - sorry, I stuck with my *every day* blogs!
4. Add their links to your blog post.
5. Add a message in the comments section of each winners' blog that you've passed on the Award to them.

I hope you all enjoy these "daily reads" of mine. They're great people and love writing!

IT'S THE LAST DAY OF BBAW!

2008-09-19T12:28:00.002-06:00

Our final draw winner is Amanda, who writes:

I read book reviews because...
I'm always looking for new books, new authors, etc. There are so many authors and books out there that I would never be able to find them all without reading reviews. Besides by reading the reviews and seeing how the reviewer scored new books, and perhaps some old books I've read, I can see whether or not I would potentially like the book rather than just blindly reading the book. It kind of helps to weed out the possibilities on the long list of TBR books I've compiled and more times than not adds more to my ever growing list.

Amanda, you've won a copy of DIRTY SWEET, a book by John McFetridge which I reviewed here last year. It's from ECW Press in Toronto, Canada, and is a trade paperback.

Here's a bit about the book:

"In the middle of the afternoon, a man is shot in the head while behind the wheel of his SUV. The killer drives away before the light changes. Road rage? Premeditated murder? Or is it an opportunity - for everyone involved?"

GANGSTERS, ONLINE PORN, REAL ESTATE...CLOSING THE BIG DEAL IS MURDER

It's been my honour to participate in BBAW, and I hope it becomes an annual affair. Thank you to the winners and readers of my blog. I hope you enjoy the books!

BBAW IS ALMOST OVER!

2008-09-18T11:32:00.003-06:00

I hope you've enjoyed this week of rolling around the blogosphere and meeting new bloggers and entering as many Giveaways and Contests as possible. :) Here's todays winning response from a Blogger who has the most personal Blogs I've ever seen!

"This Book Blogging Appreciation concept has been wonderful. I have found so many new book review blogs - my mind is in overload! There is just not enough time in any given day to be able to read through and comment on so many great blogs. I have been able to find sites that appeal to all my tastes in reading: vampire, mystery, thriller, Young Adults and general reviews, just to name a few.

And the give-away - OMG, I have signed up for several, but there are so many!"

Bobbi at BOBBI'S BOOK NOOK, you've won a copy of WILD THING by Mike Harrison. This is the second Eddie Dancer book, a trade paperback from ECW Press in Toronto, Canada. I reviewed it last year and it's a tight, suspenseful, thriller. Please email me with your snail mail addy so I can get it off to you soon!

Tomorrow's the last day for BBAW, so make sure you check out the link from Day One and get in on the last of the Giveaways!

Oh, for those of you wondering, that pic up top is one of the two rivers that run through Winnipeg, my home town. :)

INTERVIEW WITH JENNIFER BOGART, BLOGGER OF "QUIVER FULL FAMILY"

2008-09-17T13:30:00.002-06:00

As promised, here's my interview with Jennifer Bogart. Her site's at QUIVER FULL FAMILY

1) Jennifer, I know from reading your blog you're a homeschooling mom as well as an avid reader and book reviewer. I have family members who've also homeschooled their children. What is it about homeschooling that makes it so special for both the parent/teacher, and their children?

Even before we had children we wanted to keep them at home with us! Raising and teaching our own wee ones is vitally important, and a major goal for our family. I love seeing the spark of understanding as they grasp new concepts, and listening to them pick up new vocabulary from our read alouds. They are also able to have rich and vibrant multi-age relationships with us as their parents, and with their other siblings. Now that we are Christian’s we believe that one of the most important tasks that our Lord has given us is to disciple and raise our children to love, know and serve Him! When we homeschool our children it makes the task much easier – we can point them to God and His wonders in even the smallest incidents throughout the day.

2) Do you pre-review or pre-read the books you use for homeschooling your children?

Some I do, some I don’t. If I pre-read everything we intend to use, wow, I don’t think we’d ever get any schooling done! Most of the read-alouds we just dive into, and I try to verbally edit as I read if I find some inappropriate content. Sometimes I miss inappropriate content, and then we need to thoroughly discuss what we’ve just encountered. My husband and I do skim through spines, such as history texts that we are evaluating for future use in our homeschool.

3) What kinds of books do you like to review? What are your favourite genres?

Through my blog I review mainly Christian titles, but through my work as a writer for http://blogcritics.org I also review secular titles that pique my interest – children’s books, knitting, poetry and others that catch my eye. I’d love to review more homeschooling books and curriculum, and just this morning I learned that I’ve been selected as part of a group through The Old Schoolhouse that may allow me to offer more reviews geared towards homeschooling parents. I love to review children’s books, and always read them aloud with my little ones first. I also adore Christian fiction that guides readers into self-examination and a closer walk with the Lord, and well-written Christian non-fiction.

4) Do you review any books a publisher/author/friend sends to you, or are there some kinds of books you'd turn away with a "thanks, but no thanks"?

I’m just now coming to the point where I am having to turn down titles that are offered to me. I receive some emails from publicists that don’t require a response, I’m just on their list, and some of those I definitely let slide. There are so many books available to review that unless I am passionately interested, chances are I’ll pass on it. Because I review many Christian titles, I am sometimes put onto the general ‘spirituality’ mailing list for reviews, so I get some pretty off-the-wall book offers in my inbox. I definitely don’t review books that encourage New Age beliefs (been there, done that), because they just wouldn’t be edifying for me. I’m also not a big romance, horror/thriller reader, and am choosey on my fantasy/science fiction.

5) Do you have any formal relationship with publishers who ask you to review their books full-time, or part-time?

I have had one publisher open up the doors to pick and choose from their titles, and that has been a real blessing! I need to get more of their books read! I’m not sure if this counts as a formal relationship though. I have dreams of a Christian publisher offering me a stipend to review books for them full time...ah....bliss.

6) What is your favourite book you've reviewed in the past six months?

Hmmm, I definitely have a few top picks. I’ve only been reviewing for around that long! I’d have to say...oh this is a hard choice, I have around three favourites! Let’s go with A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers. It’s the first book in the Mark of the Lion series. I’m a Rivers addict now!

7) Have you ever thought about writing a book yourself?

Of course! Who hasn’t? As a child my family and the schools I attended encouraged me to write. I was pulled from Math for special ‘writing time’ sessions (sadly, I’m still Math challenged), chosen to attend writing conferences for youth etc. Unfortunately this just seemed to push me further from writing, and for years I wrote...nothing. Writing book reviews and blogging has me writing more than I ever have, and is such a high-reward way to write. Pieces are short and focused, so you have instant satisfaction when you’re done! I don’t think I’m very good at waiting for delayed gratification.

My husband thinks it would be great if we could one day write a family memoir of our off-grid, homesteading adventures in faith. Maybe after the children are grown?

8) What genre would you write in, if you could wave a wand and have a book typed up and out of your computer?

I love accurate Biblical fiction, whether it’s written for children and young adults or an adult reading audience. If a book has a strong basis on the historical aspects clearly covered in the Bible and then goes on to add cultural details and richly developed characters, I’m hooked . If I could crank one of those out, I’d be delighted.

9) Who're some of your favourite authors?

I’d have to say Francine Rivers (see above!), Angela Hunt, Jerry Jenkins has shot up to make the list with his recent title – Riven, Dave and Neta Jackson for their Christian biographies for young readers, the Bluedorn family for their wonderful picture books and homeschooling resources, Max Lucado’s children’s books. I still have a lot of exploring to do in terms of authors. I had actually taken a long sabbatical from reading (other than the Bible) after we got saved a couple of years ago. Now I’m busy learning about the many Christian authors and genres available. I’m sure I’ll have many more favourites by this time next year.

10) What books are in your *personal* TBR pile right now?

Personal TBR pile?! What’s that? ;) I do have one actually, but it is even more vast than my reviewing TBR pile. It’s cross-over, because I try to review books I’d normally enjoy in any case, most of my reviewing pile could cross-over into my personal TBR pile in an instant. It would actually be easier to tell you what we’ve read recently from the pile: Stuart Little by E.B. White (what an odd little book), An Echo in the Darkness (Mark of the Lion #2) by Francine Rivers – loved it, working on A Mother’s Heart by Jean Fleming – terribly convicting.

Here are a few titles from my personal TBR pile: The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace, Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl, Walking the Bible by Bruce Feller, my oldest daughter has added A is for Adam by Ken and Mally Ham to the up next list for her. It’s a BIG pile, even larger than my review TBR pile! I still buy books for myself and my family. What can I say? I’m a bibliophile, and I think it’s catching!

Thanks for trading interviews with me Laurie, I’m so excited to be a part of BBAW!

THIS JUST IN....

2008-09-17T10:15:00.004-06:00

As part of Book Bloggers Appreciation Week, we're taking turns interviewing each other to find out more about the people behind the blogs. Sometime today or tomorrow, you can read Jennifer Bogart's interview of me at her site QUIVER FULL FAMILY. Jennifer also runs a book review blog, and I'll have her interview with me up shortly.

Also, I hope you're checking in daily at the OFFICIAL BBAW GIVEAWAY LIST and entering for fabulous prizes - not just books! Spa finds, chocolates, teas, goodies galore!

Stay tuned for Jennifer Bogart's interview, and be sure to click on her site to check out her interview with me. (you may learn some things you didn't know about me, or you may learn some things you wish you hadn't, lol!) I appreciate Jennifer taking the time to team up with me.

BBAW - DAY THREE

2008-09-17T07:51:00.002-06:00

Good morning, all! I hope you're finding your way around My Friend Amys Blog, which I posted on Day One, and having fun checking out all the participating bloggers.

Here's what Christine had to say about why she reads book reviews:

"A hundred words! Boy howdy.

I read book reviews because I read books -- and thus I like to keep abreast of what's happening in the book world. Did I miss a new release by a favourite author? That book I've had my eye on in the shop -- is it wonderful or terrible? I read reviews because I love the conversations they can open up about people's favourite (or un-favourite) books.

I also read reviews because I write them as well, and I like to compare myself with others whose words I read (in a gentle way, of course)."

Congratulations, Christine, you've won a copy of ALL SHOOK UP, by Mike Harrison. It's the first "Eddie Dancer" PI novel and I reviewed it last year. I *loved* it! Here's the back blurb:

"ALL SHOOK UP is a fast-paced, hard-edged, energetic page-turner featuring Eddie Dancer - Canada's newest and toughest private eye. Two years as a city cop have convinced Eddie- the kind of guy who might have learned his craft with Robert B. Parker's Spenser, Robert Crais' Elvis Cole, or Lawrence Sanders Archy McNally - he's better off working for himself. When he's hired to track down a tough, professional bank robber, Eddie has no idea he's about to pry the lid off a very nasty can of worms - worms who will stop at nothing to put him in the ground. Running up against a pair of disgraced ex-bikers, he uncovers a macabre connection between them and the "fate worse than death" that has befallen many of the city's hookers. The unexplained attacks leave the women, irreversibly, in a vegetative state - evidence of a conspiracy that stretches from the back streets and tattoo parlors to the very top of the prison system food chain. Can Dancer's closest friend, Danny Many Guns, save him from the "fate worse than death"? Or will the bad guys finally get their revenge and leave Eddie All Shook Up?

This is a trade paperback published by ECW Press in Toronto, Canada. I loved it, and I'll be giving away another Eddie Dancer book tomorrow, so stay tuned!

BBAW- DAY TWO

2008-09-16T08:26:00.003-06:00

This is our second submission for our Giveaways, and I appreciate this ladys' honesty. Even reading a page or two a day can help with depression. I hope you are able to cope with life soon! You've won Kathy Reichs book CROSS BONES,a story about Temperance Brennan's visit to the Middle East to work on a site which may contain ossuaries of the family of Jesus. Congratulations, and I'll be in touch to get your snail mail addy.

"I read book reviews because I am a avid reader and it's important to me to try and pick the very best books I can, to keep me reading. Reading is therapy to me since suffering from severe depression and I don't ever want to get frustrated in my reading. That's why I go on these book blogs to see what books are coming out and what people are saying about them. I have found so many wonderful books this way and it has enhanced the way I buy books. I am almost always happy with the books I've purchased from reading book reviews."

To everyone else, make sure you take time today to check on the ongoing Giveaways and goodies offered at the link I posted yesterday!

IT'S SEPTEMBER 15TH! BOOK BLOGGER APPRECIATION WEEK

2008-09-15T09:01:00.008-06:00

BOOK BLOGGER APPRECIATION WEEK is to celebrate all the Blogs that review books, and give back to our readers who faithfully follow our Blogs and take our advice on the books we find that just have to be added to your TBR pile. We're celebrating the wonderful authors who continue to thrill us, educate us, and leave us breathless with "happily ever after" endings.

This is the first post from last week which I feel best expresses reader's sentiments about reading reviews:

"I love to read book reviews because there are so many books out there that I wouldn't find otherwise. I love to read a book's preview, but reading another's review is often times beneficial too because you get to see the book from a different perspective than the straight cut blurb view.

Additionally, I love browsing the book blogs because you meet lots of great people who have the same reading tastes as yourself. Reading someone's review helps me connect with them because I can understand more about the person and how they relate to the books that they read."

Rebekah

Congratulations, Rebekah! You've won Kathy Reichs BREAK NO BONES. Please send me your snail mail addy so I can send it to you, and thank you for participating in our special week!

Check out the list of Book Bloggers who have GIVEAWAYS this week at MY FRIEND AMY. There's a list of participating Bloggers, the GIVEAWAYS, and there'll be Awards each day to the Best Blog in the categories I posted last week.

AN UPCOMING AUTHOR CHAT....

2008-09-12T20:39:00.002-06:00

A reader left me this note:

"Abunga.com is a family-friendly bookstore and is hosting an online chat with Dillon Burroughs and Marla Alupoaicei to discuss "Generation Hex" on Wednesday September 17th from 2-3 EDT. Please join us if you can at Abunga.com/AuthorsAtAbunga. You will be able to ask authors questions directly to help you learn more and speak with others about it."

I hope you can join in the chat and "speak" directly to these two wonderful authors who've done so much research in to Wicca and pagan religions.

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON.....

2008-09-12T17:22:00.003-06:00

Thank you to those who've left comments for my BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST that starts Monday, Sept.15th. You still have till midnight to answer the question "I read book reviews because...".

I'll also be posting a list of the winners in each Blogging Category next week, as well as some of the great Blogs you can visit during the week to round out your personal Blogosphere. I've met lots of wonderful women working up to next week's celebration.

If you haven't yet picked up WRITER'S DIGEST, or THE WRITER for September, I urge you to run out to your favourite book store and grab some copies. Debbie Macomber has an article in WRITER'S DIGEST entitled "How To Spot Trends". There's an interview with Tess Gerritsen in THE WRITER called "Building On The First Draft". There's something to be said for adding some general inspiration to your writing craft reading!

LEADING UP TO BOOK BLOGGER APPRECIATION WEEK

2008-09-09T09:14:00.002-06:00

Many of you know that I've regularly reviewed books here, and I love putting out the word on new and exciting authors and their books. In honour of BBAW, or BOOK BLOGGER APPRECIATION WEEK, I'm giving a book a day away to one lucky person who comments here. The comments will be saved up till the BBAW WEEK of September 15-19th, and I'll post the best, more humourous, most thoughtful, most helpful, comments each day. :)

All you have to do is start your comment with:

I READ BOOK REVIEWS BECAUSE...

What am I giving away? I'm glad you asked...

"Break No Bones" by Kathy Reich
"Cross Bones" by Kathy Reich
"All Shook Up - an Eddy Dancer Mystery" by Mike Harrison
"Wild Thing - an Eddy Dancer Mystery" by Mike Harrison (the sequel)
"Dirty Sweet" by John McFetridge

They're all gently used, and the last three mysteries are books I've actually reviewed on this site, if you check back in my archives.

I want to support fellow bloggers who a) review books regularly, and b) the suspense/mystery authors out there who make our lives happier by thrilling us with fear, intense emotion, and well-written, wicked tales of the human condition.

So, I'm accepting your 100 word comments till Saturday, September 13th, and hopefully you'll participate and win a great book. Cheers!

GENERATION HEX...by Dillon Burroughs and Marla Alupoaicei

2008-09-01T19:04:00.007-06:00

When I got the chance to review GENERATION HEX, I jumped on it. One, because my knowledge of Wicca, or "white witchcraft" is next to nil, and two, because I wanted to see how realistic and detailed a Christian book would be about the subject of "witchcraft". Historically, the two religions haven't exactly met in the middle. I wanted to read the book for myself to see if two Christian authors could write a book that was authentic, non-judgemental, and easy for the average person to understand, when they don't know much about paranormal, or so-called "occult" subjects.

The book is called GENERATION HEX because the current teenage generation has been bombarded by information about the occult and "witchcraft" (there are various things which pass for witchcraft, as you'll read in the book). The media/TV is filled with shows: Medium, Ghost Whisperer, Reaper, to name a few. I was a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" fanatic myself when the show was on - at least until the last two seasons when things just got plain weird with Buffy and Spike, and Angel was out of the picture. However, the importance of that show was that Buffy's best friend, Willow, became a "witch", cast spells, invoked demons, and took Buffy's little sister under her wing to indoctrinate her as well.

When I was a teenager in the 1970's, the occult was becoming very mainstream after John Lennon and other celebrities brought it in to the open during the 1960's. I owned a ouiji board, Tarot cards (and regularly gave readings to friends - whether they meant anything beyond fun I highly doubt), crystals, books on reincarnation - in fact, I won a public speaking contest using reincarnation as my subject. My friends thought these things were all normal and everyday, and so did my parents. Although we went to an Anglican church, they also regularly read books on clairvoyance, Edgar Cayce (a famous clairvoyant at the turn of the century), astral travelling, telepathy, and meditation through "spirit guides". All of these books were freely available to my sisters and I to read, and I admit we were better versed in all manners of the occult, then we were in what the Anglican church taught and stood for.

Hence my interest in reviewing a book about Wicca and witchcraft. While I've spurned the occult and the hold it had on me in the past, I'm sensitive to how Christians deal with others of different religions, and beliefs. There's nothing I hate worse than a judgemental Christian. Although we all should know what we believe about God, His son Jesus Christ, and what salvation is, that should also mean that we're able to examine what others believe, so we can relate to them in a positive way and share what we have to offer in Jesus.

I'm happy to say that GENERATION HEX: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca lays out the Wiccan belief system, how many Wiccan "churches" or "covens" there are, historical facts, and how the "subtle dangers" of allowing teens to see these things as normal is detrimental to a Christian worldview or lifestyle. At no time did the authors put down Wiccans, pass judgement, or say anything that would prevent an intelligent person having from having a conversation with a person who practices Wicca.

I'm not going to repeat their highlights here - you need to read the book to get the information. But at 176 pages, it's a fast read and easy to assimilate. It makes it easy for parents to talk to their teens about what they're thinking, or doing with friends at school, when their teens start drawing pentacles on their notebooks, and making "altars" of flowers, crystals, and candles in their bedrooms.

Wicca is the fastest growing religion in the world - faster than the rise of Islam. When my mother-in-law worked in a maximum security prison, she made regular "appointments" for male and female Wiccans (or witches, as some of them prefered to be called) to meet with prisoners who asked for them. This religion was the first on her list of requests, beating out requests for Muslim clerics, any Christian denomination, or Jehovah Witnesses. It behooves all of us to educate ourselves about something this powerful, because it affects families, friends, and people our children may encounter through school or sports clubs.

I encourage everyone who has a young person in their life to read this book. Learn the truth about Wiccan beliefs, and how confused teens usually are about what they're finding on the Internet. Dillon Burroughs and Marla Alupoaicei have done a fantastic job in researching and interviewing at least 20 practising Wiccans for this book. Please enjoy my interview with them below:

GENERATION HEX: THE BOOK

Where did you get the idea for the book?

Dillon: I had already worked on three world religion books where I had included some material on Wicca. However, most of my research showed most people were either unaware of Wicca or were misinformed. I thought a book that included talking with Wiccans and sharing what they had to say before comparing it to my faith made the most sense. Our publisher, located in Eugene, Oregon, is in a very strong Wiccan community and saw the need for the project. We did our homework on the proposal and after sharing our passion for it at a meeting during ICRS in 2007, were offered a contract in less than 30 days.

Marla: Dillon asked me to partner with him on the book to provide the female perspective on Wicca and to interview women who are involved in the practice.

What are the major themes of the book?

Dillon: It’s simply one, two: “What is Wicca?” and “What Should I Do about Wicca?” In 176 pages, we cover the basic of what Wicca is, why it matters, and how to influence those involved in it with the love of Christ. I guess you could say it’s part awareness, part outreach.

Marla: Each chapter addresses a different element of Wicca or witchcraft. We talk about Harry Potter and other media and their influence, the history of Wicca and witchcraft in America (including the Salem witch trials), the practices of Wicca, what Wiccans believe, how you can share the gospel with a Wiccan, how Wicca is spreading on college campuses, what Wiccans believe about the God and the Goddess, and much more.

What kind of research did you have to do for the book?

Dillon: Marla and I stopped by Barnes and Noble one day and took notes from every Wicca book on the shelf. We got a lot of weird looks! We read hundreds of pages of online content and magazines. We interviewed over 20 people involved or formerly involved in Wicca. I read every conceivable publication on Wicca, both by Christians and Wiccans. It has been my toughest book to write so far because I became part-researcher and part-journalist in seeking out personal stories from people on the inside.

Marla: We did quite a bit of research at libraries, on the Internet, at bookstores, and personally. We interviewed many Wiccans personally and read at least 20-30 books on the subject.

How did you decide to co-author a book together?

Dillon: Marla and I have known each other for years (since she’s my sister-in-law). We are both from Indiana and both attended Dallas Seminary. Both writers, we’ve spoken often about trying to do a book together at some point. Generation Hex provided a need in which I required a female voice to really relate with and understand the females involved in Wicca. Marla’s theological skills and writing abilities were a perfect fit.

Marla: Dillon asked me to co-author the book. We’ve talked about writing a book together for some time, and this one turned out to be a natural fit.

What do you hope to accomplish with this book?

Dillon: My overarching goal is that people who practice Wicca will experience the love of Jesus. This requires helping Christians understand the point of view of Wiccans, promote positive friendships between Christians and Wiccans, and provide examples and ideas of how to share Christ with those involved with Wicca. We’ve already seen some Wiccans turn to faith in Christ through our book, which lets us know God is already at work in accomplishing this goal.

Marla: The ultimate goal is to magnify Jesus Christ and to give people involved in Wicca/witchcraft the opportunity to come to a saving faith in Jesus. Secondly, we want to educate and equip Christians to know what Wicca is and what it is NOT so that we can teach our children about it, be aware of this powerful spiritual trend, and share God’s truth in a gracious way with those caught up in the practice of witchcraft.

Where are you headed next?

Marla: I just submitted the final manuscript for my next book, flow: Inspiring Devos for the Creative Soul (Regal Books, 2009). I am working with the president of East-West Ministries to get one of his books, The Call for Courage, written/edited and ready for publication, and I also am going to be starting on a new book on intercultural marriage called Taking the Intercultural Leap for Moody Publishing that is due on January 15, 2009. So I’ve got lots of books in the pipeline!

Dillon: In 2005, I had zero books in print. In January 2009, my 20th book will be released. People ask me how I do it. All I can say is that I do the book that’s due next. It’s all God.

Thank you for sharing with us today! For those of you who want to learn more about the authors, you can check out DILLON and MARLA at their home sites.
To find GENERATION HEX, click on AMAZON.COM. Check out AN EXCERPT here.
Others who are participating in this Blog Tour are:

A Peek at My Bookshelf
Aspire2 Blog
Be My Guest
Bible Dude
Blog Tour Spot
Book Room Reviews
Camy’s Loft
Christy’s Book Blog
read DB
Fictionary
Footprints in the Sand
From the desk of Flutecrafter
Gatorskunz and Mudcats
Good Word Editing
His Reading List
i don’t believe in grammar
iamhealed.net
In the Dailies
Leap of Faith
Lift My Noise
Lighthouse Academy
L’Chaim
Morehead’s Musings
Mystery, Suspense, and God, Oh My!
One Voice in a Big World
Portrait of a Writer . . . Interrupted
Quiverfull Family
Reality Motherhood
Refresh My Soul
Reiter’s Block
The Friendly Book Nook
The Reel Katie Morgan
The Sosbee Story
Wide Eyed Fiction
Windows to my Soul
Write by Faith

I hope you find this book as enlightening as I did!

BOOK BLOGGER APPRECIATION WEEK....

2008-08-27T16:03:00.006-06:00

I'm signed up for BOOK BLOGGER APPRECIATION WEEK from September 15-18/08. You can click through the block on the right to find out more about it. I'm asking for your nominations for my Blog for this event - shamelessly! Clicking on the block for BOOK BLOGGER APPRECIATION WEEK will tell you where to go to nominate my Blog. :)

Nominations are accepted at: Bbawawards@gmail.com until August 31st.

Here are the various categories: (and you can nominate *any* blog you desire by participating!)

Best General Blog

Best Thriller/Mystery/Suspense Blog

Best Published Author Blog

Best Romance Blog

Best Literary Blog

Best Book Club Blog

Best Christian/Inspirational Blog

Best KidLit Blog

Best Non-Fiction Blog

Best YA Literary Blog

Best Book/Publishing Industry Blog

Best Challenge Host

Best Community Builder

Best Cookbook Blog

Best History/Historical Fiction Blog

Best Design

Most Chatty

Most Concise

Most Eclectic Taste

Best Name for a Blog

Best Book Published in 2008

Best Meme/Carnival/Event

Most Extravagent Giveaways

Best Book Community Site

Most Altruistic Blog

Funniest/Most Humourous Blog

Best Sci-fi/Fantasy/'Horror/Spec-fic Blog

Best Commenter/Commentator Blog

Invite all your favourite bloggers to participate, and nominate as many Blogs in as many categories as you like. If you decide to participate and want to donate a "giveaway" contact mypalamy@gmail.com and let her know the particulars.

This is a great way to expand your friendships, knowledge of the blogosphere, and meet other like-minded bloggers.

I can think of a couple of Categories my Blog could be nominated in - how many can you think of? :)

ANNOUNCING A NEW CHRISTIAN PUBLISHER WITH A DIFFERENCE

2008-08-24T15:50:00.009-06:00

For those of you who love speculative fiction, and have languished in the Christian wasteland of prairie romances, women's issues, and stultifying family stories, take heart! There's a new guy in town by the name of JEFF GERKE, and his new publishing company named MARCHER LORD PRESS is launching October 1/08 with three fabulous titles - two from previously published authors, and one a debut author.

Here is a paraphrased description of what MARCHER LORD PRESS is looking for in submissions:

"We specialize in Christian fantasy, science fiction, time travel, supernatural thrillers, spiritual warfare, near-future techno-thrillers, alternate history, chillers, and superhero fiction."

JEFF GERKE has spent twelve years working in Christian publishing, as an acquisitions editor at Multnomah, NavPress, and Strang/Realms. He's also the author of six near-future techno-thrillers himself, and you can check them out at http://www.jeffersonscott.com/, his author site.

The difference between MARCHER LORD PRESS and the "big" Christian publishers, is that a) you don't need an agent, b) all distribution and promotion will be through the Internet, and c) your royalties will be quadruple what you'd receive from an established print Christian publisher. There are a few caveats, however, but check them out on the site. I will note that while MLP is a print on demand publisher, it is NOT a vanity press or self-publishing entity, and you will never pay for any part of your book's publishing, cover art work, or set up fees.

MLP is having a GRAND PRIZE drawing on October 1st, along with dozens of other select prizes you won't want to miss. The GRAND PRIZE is a trip for two to the 2009 ComicsCON in San Diego. Talk about getting a leg up on your contacts, inspiration, and just plain enjoyment.

I was thrilled to find MLP's sister site: http://www.wherethemapends.com/. The resources on this site (also run by Jeff Gerke) are amazing and I bookmarked many of them for my current WIP. Those of you who write in this field, even without a Christian worldview, will find these resources invaluable. Where else can you find Author Interviews, Booklists, Tools for Writers, Fantastic Visions, Special Features, Forums, a Store, and a monthly newsletter, just for writers of speculative fiction?

I am not an employee, freelance editor, or contracted author of MARCHER LORD PRESS. I'm just hyped about the new opportunity this publisher represents to those of us who love books by Randy Alcorn, Ted Dekker, Sharon Hinck, and many, many others who give us quality fiction in a new way.

TAG! YOU'RE IT!

2008-08-23T16:02:00.003-06:00

I've just been tagged by my newest blogger friend, Mommy C, over at The Barn's On Fire, The Horses Are Out, and Someone Has a Stinky Bum. She's a children's/YA author with a very, very, interesting life, so run over and check out her blog.

Meantime, here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.
4. Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each person's blog to let them know they've been tagged.

Six Unspectacular Quirks About Me:

1. I can eat nearly 1/8th of a slab birthday cake - icky icing on the corners and all - all by myself if left to my own devices. :)

2. I wear outrageous nailpolish colours, eg. teal green, midnight plum, lagoon blue, even though I'm, ahem, in the middle of my life. (according to the calendar, anyway, not in my head!)

3. I figured when my dh had a mid-life crisis and decided to overhaul his life and join the Canadian Air Force, it was better for him to fall in love with planes, than another woman, so I came along for the ride.

4. I've been on a Caribbean cruise before the age of 40, and I've visited Costa Rica, Las Vegas, Edinburgh Scotland, Orlando, Florida, and all but two of our Maritime Provinces on trips.

5. I'm the only person I know who's dh didn't ask them to marry them - he merely had the maitre'd hand me a silver dessert dish with the ring on top. :)

6. I can drink a pot of coffee by myself when my crit partner and I get together to work - she only drinks decaf!

Okay, I don't know six people who'd give up their inner/outer quirks easily but let's hear from TONI ANDERSON, CJ LYONS, KELLIE FINLEY, KERRY BLAISDELL, and LINDA WINFREE.

All of these women are talented writers and have great blogs, give wonderful online courses, and have all helped me out with writing at various times. And don't forget to go back and check out MOMMY C, who started all this in the first place!

END OF THE WEEK....

2008-08-22T13:37:00.004-06:00

I'm afraid I'm suffering from Olympic "hangover". I can't stay away from watching it till late at night, and catching up on the medals and spectacular moments. As with every Olympics there's been stories that will stick with it's history: the spectacular Michael Phelps, the controversy over the Chinese "womens" gymnastic team (don't even get me started on that topic!), Canada pulling off medals *finally* in the second week, and only a couple of disqualifications for doping.

And, we lost another three soldiers this week to IED's. France lost ten soldiers. It's obvious to anyone with grey brain cells that NATO needs to get tough with "participating" countries and get those boots on the ground and out there - not hiding behind their personal camps and doing the easy work. The Taliban can be defeated, just as Hitler was, with the free world coming together to beat it back in to oblivion. It's going to take commitment, money, talent, and willpower.

I still can't type well enough or long enough to do any serious writing. I've been busy beta reading for a friend, and am getting ready to judge another contest in September. In the first week of September, I'll also be hosting another blog tour for co-authors Dillon Burroughs and Marla Alupoaicei on their new release GENERATION HEX - Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca.

In the meantime, keep writing!

IN REMEMBRANCE OF OUR LATEST SOLDIERS KILLED IN BATTLE....

2008-08-15T08:56:00.002-06:00

In the last two weeks, while we've all been enjoying our summer sunshine and activities, Canada's lost our 89th and 90th soldiers to the war in Afghanistan. In their honour, I've reprinted below a January 2007 article that ran in the London UK Sunday Telegraph. Canadians must be proud of their contributions to the security of the world, our service to peace-keeping and peace-making, and our willingness to team up with our allies and join whatever fray threatens the rest of the world. Although this article was written for the four Canadian soldiers who died in "friendly fire" from an American fighter jet while on exercise in Afghanistan, I believe the article should be thought-provoking to all Canadians about what our national heritage is in terms of the loss of our precious soldiers, airmen, and sailors. (and I include our female counterparts in those titles).

Lest We Forget

This came from a British newspaper
Sunday Telegraph Article
From today's UK wires: Salute to a brave and modest nation
Kevin Myers, The Sunday Telegraph
LONDON - Until the deaths last week of four Canadian
soldiers accidentally killed by a U.S. warplane in Afghanistan,
probably almost no one outside their home country had been aware that
Canadian troops were deployed in the region. And as always, Canada
will now bury its dead, just as the rest of the world as always will
forget its sacrifice, just as it always forgets nearly everything
Canada ever does.
It seems that Canada 's historic mission is to come to
the selfless aid both of its friends and of complete strangers, and then,
once the crisis is over, to be well and truly ignored. Canada is the
perpetual wallflower that stands on the edge of the hall, waiting for
someone to come and ask her for a dance. A fire breaks out, she risks
life and limb to rescue her fellow dance-goers, and suffers serious
injuries. But when the hall is repaired and the dancing resumes,
there is Canada, the wallflower still, while those she once helped
glamorously cavort across the floor, blithely neglecting her yet
again.
That is the price Canada pays for sharing the North
American continent with the United States , and for being a selfless
friend of Britain in two global conflicts. For much of the 20th
century, Canada was torn in two different directions: It seemed to be
a part of the old world, yet had an address in the new one, and that
divided identity ensured that it never fully got the gratitude it
deserved. Yet its purely voluntary contribution to the cause of
freedom in two world wars was perhaps the greatest of any democracy.
Alost 10% of Canada 's entire population of seven million people
served in the armed forces during the First World War, and nearly
60,000 died. The great Allied victories of 1918 were spearheaded by
Canadian troops, perhaps the most capable soldiers in the entire
British order of battle.
Canada was repaid for its enormous sacrifice by downright
neglect, its unique contribution to victory being absorbed into the
popular Memory as somehow or other the work of the "British." The
Second World War provided a re-run. The Canadian navy began the war
with a half dozen vessels, and ended up policing nearly half of the
Atlantic against U-boat attack. More than 120 Canadian warships
participated in the Normandy landings, during which 15,000 Canadian
soldiers went ashore on D-Day alone.
Canada finished the war with the third-largest navy and the
fourth-largest air force in the world.
The world thanked Canada with the same sublime
indifference as it had the previous time. Canadian participation in
the war was acknowledged in film only if it was necessary to give an
American actor a part in a campaign in which the United States had
clearly not participated, a touching scrupulousness which, of course, Hollywood has since
abandoned, as it hasn't any notion of a separate Canadian identity.
So it is a general rule that actors and filmmakers arriving in Hollywood keep
their nationality - unless, that is, they are Canadian. Thus Mary Pickford,
Walter Huston, Donald Sutherland, Michael J. Fox, William Shatner, Norman Jewison,
David Cronenberg, Alex Trebek, Art Linkletter and Dan Aykroyd have in the popular perception
become American, and Christopher Plummer, British. It is as if, in the
very act of becoming famous, a Canadian ceases to be Canadian, unless
she is Margaret Atwood, who is as unshakably Canadian as a moose, or
Celine Dion, for whom Canada has proved quite unable to find any
takers.
Moreover, Canada is every bit as querulously alert to the
achievements of its sons and daughters as the rest of the world is
completely unaware of them. The Canadians proudly say of themselves -
and are unheard by anyone else - that 1% of the world's population has
provided 10% of the world's peacekeeping forces. Canadian soldiers in
the past half century have been the greatest peacekeepers on Earth -
in 39 missions on UN mandates, and six on non-UN peacekeeping duties,
from Vietnam to East Timor, from Sinai to Bosnia.
Yet the only foreign engagement that has entered the
popular on-Canadian imagination was the sorry affair in Somalia , in
which out-of-control paratroopers murdered two Somali infiltrators.
Their regiment was then disbanded in disgrace - a uniquely Canadian
act of self-abasement for which, naturally, the Canadians received no
international credit.
So who today in the United States knows about the stoic and selfless friendship
its northern neighbour has given it in Afghanistan ?
Rather like Cyrano de Bergerac , Canada repeatedly does honourable
things for honourable motives, but instead of being thanked for it, it
remains something of a figure of fun.
It is the Canadian way, for which Canadians should be
proud, yet such honour comes at a high cost. This week, four more
grieving Canadian families knew that cost all too tragically well.

2008-08-13T14:01:00.011-06:00

I'm thrilled to be part of TRISH PERRY'S Blog Tour for her latest release, THE BEACH HOUSE. Below she answers some questions on how she came to write this book, which is Inspirational chick-lit, and a nice summer read. I hope you enjoy her interview, and please click on DOWNLOAD A SAMPLE, so you can check out an excerpt of this light, and lively book!

Download a sample.

BEACH DREAMS - The Book

Where did you get the idea for the book?

I wanted very much to write a book about Jeremy and Tiffany, who were secondary characters in my first two books (The Guy I’m Not Dating and Too Good to Be True). I started to write the third book with the same setting as my first two, but then Harvest House asked if I would move the setting to fit The Beach House Series, the first two books of which were written by Sally John. So I started over and made my east coast protagonists travel across country to sunny San Diego. It was fun to create that facet of their story—it added quite a few layers to the plot. In fact, the circumstances of their getting together was completely different than what I originally planned.

What are the major themes of the book?

The importance of seeking God’s guidance constantly surfaces in my stories—the different circumstances that drive my themes usually fit under that umbrella.
Situations aren’t always as they appear, for example, and we can be fooled or we can misjudge others if we don’t constantly seek God’s wisdom and guidance. And sometimes we can miss out on His blessings if we fail to see situations as He means us to.
Another theme that emerged was how difficult it can be when a believer is drawn romantically to a nonbeliever. I’ve touched on the subject before, but in Beach Dreams, the nonbeliever is someone who feels almost real to me (and many readers) at this point. I feel a renewed empathy for Christians in these circumstances. Again, God’s guidance and strength are so important.

With which character do you identify the most and why?

Certainly Tiff. I’ve never deliberately been mean, as Tiff was in my first two books, but I identified with her in Beach Dreams. She struggles continually to shrug off her less-than-Christian thoughts and desires, and that’s a constant in my life. Christ gave us a beautiful, one-line prayer in Gethsemane: “Yet not as I will but as You will.” Wow, that’s my daily battle—trying to surrender to His will. And I saw that in Tiffany.

What kind of research did you have to do for the book?

I relied on Sally’s first two books for the specific setting (since all of The Beach House Series books are set at the same beach house, with different characters). And, since I’ve never been to San Diego, I spent a great deal of time researching the various places available to tourists and residents of the area.
I also researched Bristol, England and Kings College, London, because both sites figure in Jeremy’s background, and his father visits from Bristol.
Certainly the research tasks were simple compared to those required for historical writing, and for that I’m grateful!

Was it difficult to write a book in a series, following someone else?

It was a new challenge, but Harvest House was clear with me that I had significant leeway in my approach. We didn’t want the book to disappoint Sally John’s readers by being wildly different from her style, but we also wanted to maintain a style my readers had come to expect. I think we accomplished a happy medium.
Why did you decide to bring back characters from your previous books?
There was such an unfinished feel for me with regard to Jeremy by the time I finished my first draft of Too Good to Be True. He had become so lovable, but he was still alone and spiritually lost. Both my editor and I hoped there would be an opportunity to do a third novel, with Jeremy and someone falling in love and Jeremy getting a clue about Christ. Because Tiffany had been such a pain in The Guy I’m Not Dating and for much of Too Good to Be True, it was fun showing how God could reach even her. So her development became intriguing to me, too. Surprisingly, I received requests from many readers to throw these two characters together. I’m not such a unique thinker after all!

What is a mistake - big or small - that you’ve made that you could later see God used for a specific purpose and how did he use it?

I was deeply into adulthood when I went back to school to earn a degree. Rather than fretting over having waited so long, I focused on the fact that now I knew what I really wanted to be. A psychological therapist. You couldn’t have found a more attentive, diligent student, and I did well. So, when I neared graduation and realized I had developed an overwhelming desire to write fiction, I freaked out just a little. How could I switch gears yet again? Had I just wasted years earning a degree I wasn’t going to actually use? That felt like a huge mistake.
But God knew what He was doing. If you want to do an in-depth study of character goals, motivation, and conflict, you go on out there and earn a degree in Psychology. I may not be too quick in the plotting and scene-setting departments, but my psychological training comes in handy when creating characters and walking with them through life. I think that’s why God led me to get that degree, and now I know I didn’t waste a moment learning what I did.

WAS I RIGHT, OR WAS I RIGHT?

2008-08-09T16:00:00.002-06:00

Joshua won the title America's Favourite Dancer, and he certainly deserved it! I don't feel sorry for Twitch, Katee, or Courtney, because as the show put on cameos of other finalists and winners, their careers are going nowhere but UP.

Now for September's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE - CANADA. :)

Spending a nice quiet weekend world-building a new idea for a novel, and filling in charts. It's about all I can do with an infection now settled in my shoulder. However, something done for writing is better than nothing.

Next week, I'll be hosting author Trish Perry who's just released a funny and topical book called THE BEACH HOUSE. It's the third book in a continuity series that takes place in this Beach House on the coast of San Diego. I'll have a review and interview with Trish up next week, so stop by and check it out. It's not too late to buy another book for your TBR pile, or to take to the cottage for a last minute holiday.

AND THE WINNER IS.....DUM DUM DE DUM!!

2008-08-07T16:26:00.002-06:00

Okay, I'm obviously biased and love Joshua. I'm sure he's going to win as "America's Favourite Dancer". However, I think Courtney might be a "sleeper" the way Sabra was last year. Sabra didn't expect to win, and had in fact, stepped back from the other dancer and Cat Deeley.

My personal peeve - NIGEL LITHGOE!!! Could anyone BE more obnoxious on a season finale??? He made it SO obvious that he favours Katee and Twitch, I was nearly ready to throw something at the TV. Except that my dh waited a LOOONNNG time to get that 50" HD TV, so I knew I had to restrain myself.

I think the jokes on Nigel tonight....hello, Joshua! And if it isn't Joshua, it should've been, but then, I'm very, very, biased. :)

An aside: go check out THE KILL ZONE, which is a new blog just up today with Michelle Gagnon leading six fabulous authors in the thriller genre. Yep, go to my links and click away. I love new, informative blogs which keep you posted on new books and new authors.

I'm sure I'll have plenty to say tomorrow about what happens tonight on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE....for good or bad. Have a fun night watching the countdown, and at least TIVO it if you can't watch it live. Cheers!

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE....TOMORROW'S FINALE!

2008-08-05T20:27:00.003-06:00

I know I raved about this show at the beginning of the season, and it's hard to believe Aug.6th is the big finale. As I predicted to my dear, dear, dh - Twitch and Joshua are in the finals, and do they ever deserve to be there! This is the first season they've had more than one African-American dancer - this year there were five, and two of the three most gorgeous male hunks in dancedom are going to be wowing us tomorrow night. I can't wait!

Did any of you see Joshua and Katee do their Pas e doble (sp?) last week? I've rewatched it at least a dozen times with my dd. Those two are magic up on that stage.

And remember Robert - the weird "popper" from the auditions who quit because he couldn't do any of the other dance styles? We just saw him tonight on an IKEA commercial! Proof that shows like SYTYCD, American Idol, and Canadian Idol (although you'd never know it by this season's Canadian Idols, but never mind...) can really get you places with their exposure.

I hope you tune in tomorrow p.m. AUGUST 6TH at 8 p.m. to see the dance show of the year. I'm rooting for Joshua to win. What a talented, well-mannered, and gorgeous guy. :)

OH, HOW I WISH I WAS THERE!!! :)

2008-08-01T15:16:00.001-06:00

Romance Writers of America's annual Convention being held in San Francisco this July, hits the Today Show. Enjoy!

TRAGEDY ON A MANITOBA HIGHWAY

2008-08-01T14:42:00.003-06:00

Tim McLean, age 22, was brutally attacked and murdered on a Greyhound bus traveling from Edmonton to Winnipeg. I'm not attaching any news video clips - you can see plenty of them on CTV or CNN news sites. What I want to say is, first:

How grieved I am for Tim's family and friends at this time. Words cannot express enough sympathy for the unbelieveable circumstances of this violent death. This young man was truly, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I'd also like to express my disgust with international bloggers who've been calling the bus passengers "wussies" (among other things I wouldn't publish on my own blog), for not rushing the assailant and "disarming him". How easy to be arm-chair quarterbacks! Someone wrote that yesterday in Pennsylvania an armed gunman tried to shoot up a store, and 27 people rushed him before he got a shot off. Well, good for those people in Pennsylvania. Too bad some airplane passengers hadn't rushed the two box-cutter wielding terrorists before they managed to fly the planes into the World Trade Center. It's easy in the aftermath of terror to decide who should've been heroes.

In the split second of an attack such as was perpetrated on Mr. McLean, human nature takes over and survival is the natural instinct. There were children on that bus - one mother near the back of the bus reportedly "threw" her toddler forward over the seats to get her child out of the way of the knife-wielding assailant. It's only police officers, firemen, and soldiers who run *towards* danger and the possibility of their own deaths. None of those on the bus qualify as being in any of those jobs.

Congratulations go to the bus driver, truck driver, and Mr. Caton, who armed themselves outside the bus, got back ON the bus to face the attacker, and were driven back by the sight of what he'd done to Mr. McLean. I can't even type the words. The bus driver had the forethought to disable the bus to contain Mr. Li. The three men pushed the passengers back off the shoulder of the road - who knew if this man also had guns? A guy packing a huge survivalist knife might easily have had extra knives or guns hidden on him. Those three men who contained the situation till the RCMP and our ETF force got there, deserve heroism medals, and no doubt they'll receive them in due time.

But to call them all "wussies"? Such idiots have obviously never encountered a full-throttle, violent, attack from an armed assailant. It's a horrific, and terrifying experience. I once had an Inspector from my police force demand to know why I hadn't "shot through the door", at a violent scene. *He* was arm-chair quarterbacking the morning after the event. Well, duh, I would've ended up shooting the nine year old boy who I could clearly see who was sitting in my line of fire.

I'm not a cop anymore. I hate armchair quarterbacks with a passion. I'd rather have a nine year old boy alive, than be a cop, and that's what happened to my career.

And I'm glad those passengers got those children and themselves off the bus and did what they had to do. None of us were there to know just how horrific it was on that bus.

Again, to Mr. McLean's family and friends, I offer my sincere condolences to you for the loss of your son, brother, friend, and companion. May he rest in peace.

A TRIBUTE TO BRAVE CHILDREN EVERYWHERE...

2008-07-29T15:52:00.000-06:00

MIXING THE CHRISTIAN AND THE SECULAR

2008-07-27T19:53:00.003-06:00

You may have noticed I cleaned up my blog this weekend. (It's amazing how much you can get done with only your left hand!) I cut out all the dead links, the blogs that no longer seem to be current, and threw together everything I like and find helpful. I hope you do too.

It caused a friend to ask me - a) aren't you going to turn off readers who aren't Christians?, and b) shouldn't your blog be one thing or the other?

Not being one to run from much of anything - for those of you how know me - I decided to address these questions, because they're good ones. If readers are going to keep up with my writing journey, and any great research sites I have to offer, they deserve to know these answers. I want people to keep checking in with me, and be assured I haven't developed a "split personality".

I am who I've always been - a Christian who's doing her best to live in a secular world. I'm a firm believer that we as Christians have become way too incestuous in only having Christian friends, attending "Christian" events, and going on so-called missionary trips to build clinics or put the roof on a church in Equador, or Chile, or some other worthwhile Third World country; or worse, taking "our youth" to another city to "study" the plight of the homeless or delinquent youbg people when we have plenty of that in our own backyard. (there's the subject of another post, right there!)

So, I hope I don't "turn off" readers who arern't Christian. Anyone who sees my Christian links (and I love the group Edgy Christian Fiction Writers) and doesn't want to click on them, doesn't have to but I hope they do. We can all learn a lot from each other as writers and fellow travelers in life. There're some Christian agents listed to the right, but you'll have to click on all the links to find them!

Because I don't choose to live my life "one way or the other", I don't see why my blog can't address both secular and Christian authors and subjects. I'm curious about life, politics, crime, sociology, ethics, book reviews, current affairs, and what's going on in "Christian fiction" as well as "secular fiction". I love standing up for the underdog, the Canadian military, and battered women and children and the homeless are special passions of mine.

I love all the authors I've linked to under "Favourites". I read a lot of secular fiction in the genres I love: thrillers, suspense, romantic suspense, romantic comedy (thank you, Toni, for introducing me to the incomparable Susan Elizabeth Phillips),and memoirs such as The Kit Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I also love Robin Lee Hatcher, Francine Rivers, Robert Liparulo, Randy Alcorn, and Ted Dekker. To name just a few!

It's that simple. If we can't integrate all parts of our life, we're not doing our job as Christians. I used love to shock Christian audiences whenever I gave "talks" on street youth, and one of my favourite lines was that if Jesus came back today, He'd appear in a strip club before He'd ever walk in to a church. He didn't mind "mixing it up" with the secular world. Everyone He came in contact with learned from Him.

So, I say let's not worry about being one thing or the other. I'll keep posting great links and resources as I find them - for every author and friend to take advantage of. Please keep coming back if you like posts on "edgy" topics, "edgy" books and their authors, and mixing it up in the world. God bless!

LOOKING AHEAD...

2008-07-26T15:54:00.003-06:00

I'm six weeks past my shoulder replacement, and can now type for short periods of time. My physiotherapist is thrilled with my progress in my mobility, although I still can't reach straight out to the front of me. If I don't hold my right arm up with my left hand, it just falls to my side. This is my worry - that I won't be able to strengthen those muscles the surgeon had to cut and reattach, and therefore won't be able to drive. However, we don't know that yet, so here's to the daily exercises!

I'm excited because the countdown to my critique partner's visit is only four days now. :) Robin Matheson still lives in my hometown of Barrie, Ontario. Since I moved away three years ago, we've never failed to email each other every day. She's going to be here for an entire week of brainstorming, plot outlining, and visiting. As we're both compulsive workaholics (and won't have a car, lol!) I'm looking forward to getting a book outlined for each of us.

I'm also excited because I have a new online critique partner, Nannette Chapman. So far, we're burning up the internet getting her edits ready for her requested resubmission to SAPPHIRE BLUE PUBLISHING. Although I can't write/type for very long at this point, I'm thrilled to be helping a fellow Kiss of Death writer prepare for her new career with this new epublisher.

My recovery is going much better than my first shoulder surgery. I'm enjoying the summer months off work, reading out in the backyard, and spending time with my kids and golden retriever. Things are looking up, and I'm thankful for the friends and family who've seen me/us through this long rehabilitation.

ACT TWO, a Novel in Perfect Pitch... by Kimberly Stuart

2008-07-22T20:08:00.005-06:00

I'm busy recuperating and reading everything I can get my hands on. This book is a fabulous "beach read", or in my case, "backyard read", for the summer. It's laugh-out-loud funny, with just a light spiritual touch that shouldn't offend mainliners and will remind Christians to count their blessings.

Here's the back blurb:

"New Yorker Sadie Maddox is the toast of the classical-music world - and a bit of a diva. But lately her CD sales are sagging, not to mention parts of her anatomy. Maybe it's time for a change. So when her agent suggests a professorship at a small liberal-arts college, Sadie decides to give it a go. Besides, she needs the money.

But the college is in rural Iowa. Sadie's colleagues are intimidated, her students aren't impressed, and she has to live far too close to farm animals. When Sadie meets Mac, a veterinarian, she assumes they have nothing in common - he is, after all, a country-music fan - and she's counting the days until she moves back to New York. Yet, when Sadie is forced to spend time with Mac, she likes him. Her students really need her. And this quiet midwest community begins to grow on her.

But when the semester ends, Sadie packs up and decamps for the city that never sleeps...and finds she can't either. Will she find the courage and grace she needs to embrace her ACT TWO?

This is Stuarts' third book and she's refined her craft for romantic comedy. Sadie's a just-turned-forty, single career woman, and frankly, it was a relief to meet a heroine so well written and realistically portrayed. The premise may seem familiar, but Stuart's writing style, imagery, and character relationships bring it to life in a fresh, new way. Her romantic touch brings to mind Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I'm looking forward to Stuarts' next book!

Run and check out her website at KIMBERLY STUART and enter her contest to win an iPOD. All her books can be bought on AMAZON.COM.

TAKING A BREAK....

2008-06-13T12:45:00.002-06:00

My blog will be silent for the next 2-3 weeks at least. On Monday June 16th, I'm going in to have a total shoulder replacement. This plate and bolts idea just hasnt healed and has given me a lot of health complications.

As I'll be in a sling for approx. 6 weeks, I won't likely be typing too fast with just my left hand. :) I will however, be checking in on my blog links, as I can still point and click. I hope you will check on my links, as well, as they're all great sources of information, frequently have contests, and are worthy writing artists.

I hope you all have a wonderful month, and great progress with your WIPs.

CHANGING GOALS...

2008-06-07T19:57:00.003-06:00

I met an interesting nurse this week, while I was having my nuclear heart stress test prior to my shoulder replacement surgery June 16th.

While I was lying there, reacting to the dye they were injecting me with, she chatted me up and asked a lot of questions about why my dh had gone into the Air Force at age 40. I told her it was a "male mid-life crisis", lol, and we talked about where we've lived. She said she noticed that I'd turned the big 5-0 this year, and so had she. She then asked me if I was where I'd thought I'd be in my life, at this age.

I had to say "no". I'm nowhere near where I thought I'd be right now. I thought I'd have gotten published (came awful close once), we'd be living in a bigger house, I'd have my own home office - not a corner of the family room, I'd be going to RWA Nationals every year...I could go on and on.

She said she wasn't where she'd wanted to be either. I said, "at least you have a career" (a very specialized field). Surprisingly, she said it wasn't what she started out training for, but had been divorced at age 27 with two little kids under the age of four, so she'd had to train for something that would pay the most money.

It got me thinking about how we re-assess our goals in life. Do we do it consciously? (and I think we should) Do we float along with whatever life throws at us? Did we ever think when we got married how much our life could - and notice I say couldbe restricted by our partners career, needs, health, etc.? Did we ever consider that we might end up divorced? Or, alone, with a great career, but no close family?

We think about all these things relating to our characters. We know we have to "turn up the torch" to teach them the lessons they need to learn from life. We love our HEA because they rarely happen in real life. We read inspirational books that tell us to "take risks", "fight for your success", or conversely, "live for your family", and "a person on their deathbed never thinks about all the hours they spent at the office; they regret the hours they didn't spend with their family".

We all make choices throughout our lives for various reasons: contingency commitments, health issues, financial ups and downs, staying in a marriage or relationship because it's either great, or because it's miserable, but we think we'd never survive on our own.

The "mid-life" crisis is a very real emotional and developmental phase of life. I believe it happens to men *and* women. It's a time of changing our goals, and we hopefully can make more informed choices than we did in our '20's or '30's. Rather than flail about in depression at not achieving all we wanted to by a certain birthday, how much better to concentrate on what we have achieved, and realize that we can accomplish more now that we've got some life experience under our belts. If it's time to change your goals, take the time to really think things through. The second half of your life is about completion, renewal, and growth.

If we want all these things for our characters, how much more should we want them for ourselves?

P.S. If you only see one movie this summer, take in "Prince Caspian: The Chronicles of Narnia. It's a wonderful action movie, with strong allegories on how to live your life to the full. Your kids will love the adventure and sword-fighting, and I guarantee you'll love the layered story by C.S. Lewis. Now, there was an author who understood about changing goals, and recovering from the sufferings of life. And look what he achieved? A successful career, a joyful marriage, and a series of books that have inspired millions.

THANKS TONI, THIS IS COOL!

2008-05-29T20:23:00.000-06:00

Your Gemstone Says...

You are a person of high morals and ethics.

You have a lot of personal integrity, and you are very loyal.

You are a very charitable person, and you have faith in others.

Almost everyone is very impressed with you.

The Gemstone Test

OKAY, O'BOY...

2008-05-29T20:01:00.002-06:00

All right, all right, y'all know what I'm going to talk about today! If you took my advice and tuned in to Wednesday night's SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, then you saw 25 yr old. Brett Banford from Salt Lake City, Utah audition for the show.

Brett has Down Syndrome, and stated he was there to show people, that people with disabilities can do whatever they want to. He's a Special Olympician and they showed a clip of him running with the S.O. Torch. He performed a wonderful hip hop routine with some martial arts thrown in, and told Cat Deeley, the host of the show, that he loved her.

If you go to MY FOX UTAH and click on Local News on the left hand side, then hit page two at the bottom, you'll find a video of Brett's performance and his interview at his home. I was so proud to see the local news station feature him and his family on the 11 p.m. news last night.

Brett's mom deserves an ovation herself. She's raised a fine young man, with a positive attitude and loving spirit. Even though Brett knew he wouldn't get on the show, he tried anyway to bring attention to the fact that people with "dis"abilities aren't really "dis"abled.

My arm is going to be "dis"abled from now on. It's going to affect my typing and writing and my quality of life. But when I look at my two beautiful children who have Down Syndrome, and at Brett who's so full of life, I know that my arm is the least of my problems.

I encourage you to visit MY FOX UTAH tonight if possible, to see the clip of Brett. By tomorrow, it'll likely be off the website, but you never know.

Brett Banford, you're my hero. My kids loved watching you dance, and I had tears in my eyes as I watched you perform. He's a fantastic ambassador to the world. Dance on, Brett!

THE FIRST SHOW....

2008-05-27T13:48:00.004-06:00

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE rebroadcast their audition show from last Thursday. I thought Monday p.m. was the premiere night, so my apologies. I feel I must apologize for the completely disgusting and unprofessional performances by Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy, and Mia Micheals last night as well.

I'm apologizing only because I've raved about this show, and they demonstrated an uncommon talent for humiliating some of the people auditioning. The guy who calls himself SEX (David Stollar) comes to mind. Being the soap-box orator and disabilities advocate that I am, I went on SYTYCD's discussion boards yesterday and today, trying to educate the obviously uneducated public about SEX and his mother, as well as The Golden Helmet.

I know a bit of something about a lot of disabilities, and a lot about several. It's my belief (and I'm not a doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist) that David Stollar may suffer from a disability called FRAGILE X SYNDROME. Women have two XX's and men have XY chromosomes. In FRAGILE X SYNDROME, the X chromosome is cut in half, or shows a "leaky" structure, hence the name. This causes mild to moderate mental delay (or retardation if you're not politically correct), and some differences in physical condition. These people have low muscle tone, coordination problems, speech problems, cognitive delay, and a hard time knowing what's "real" and what isn't.

When Nigel ripped into David about his performance, you could tell from the camera on David's face that he knew he was being mocked and humiliated. These people (like my own children who have Down Syndrome) aren't stupid, they're justslow. They know when someone's making fun of them, being mean, or ripping them apart. Yes, David and his mother are delusional in believing he's actually a dancer and deserves to be on the show. I strongly suspect, however, that he's been encouraged to dance all his life, by physio-therapists and support workers who've known that this is one way of exercising his whole body, building up tone, and helping him with his memory, coordination, and love of music.

The same is likely true of The Golden Helmet, although I suspect his problems are likely more mental/emotional. Perhaps he's got terrible burns on his face? Perhaps he is cognitively delayed and thinks of himself as a Superhero who dances? Who cares? Does he deserve to be laughed at, humiliated, and shrieked at? Obviously any person with common decency would say, "no".

I hope this doesn't taint anyone's ideas about the show. It usually is an excellent exhibition of amateur and professional dancers (they let pros in on season two). I'm still tuning in Wednesday for the two hour show to see if it can possibly live up to last years season. And I hope I've done a tiny amount to educate the public over at the SYTYCD forums. In fact, one blogger did thank me for bringing it up. So there are people out there with some compassion and human kindness.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE!!

2008-05-26T09:34:00.000-06:00

I know AMERICAN IDOL is the reality show of choice for many writers/editors/agents, and I've seen ongoing blog posts about it. :)

However, my dh and I have been watching SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE since it's premiere four years ago, and for a man who doesn't watch much dancing or skating, believe me this is a BIG deal! My macho man loves the various dance styles, the competition, cheering on our favourites, and the continuity. (the only problem is if you live in Canada, you can't vote!)

Some of the judges leave something to be desired - ballroom judge Mary Murphy with her constant screaming comes to mind. However, the fact that each pair has only five hours with their choreographer to learn the dance of the week (which they pick from a hat so they never get the same dance in a row)and they produce such polished results is simply amazing.

From watching the audition show last week, the level of dancers is much higher this year. They show plenty of bloopers and stupid people who've obviously never seen the show, or only want their one minute on TV. That's the same as AMERICAN IDOL, CANADIAN IDOL, and LAST COMIC STANDING. (another show that's just started and we love to watch)

If you want to see some terrific ballroom, jazz, hiphop, "crumping", contemporary, or "Broadway" dancing this summer, you must tune in to FOX on Monday nights. I guarantee you'll quickly become as addicted to this show as you are to AMERICAN IDOL.

I only wish my template allowed for full viewing of the element on the right. However, I plan on posting each Tuesday about what's happened on the show and who the best and worst competitors are - it's a great adventure to watch these kids vie to become "America's Most Popular Dancer". They may only get $250,000.00 to win, but that win also guarantees them being picked up by a dance group, show, or training to become a better dancer or choreographer. It's "made" the careers of the past three winners, and I can't wait to see what this season will bring.

ME-ME-ME...MEME!

2008-05-23T12:46:00.002-06:00

I got this MEME from my friend Amelia at THE BELL WETHER, which is a super business for handspinners and weavers. Amelia sells wonderful fibers, spindles, and spinning wheels. Anyway, on to the MEME:

1) What was I doing ten years ago?

Hmmm....in 1998 my kids were six and four years old. I was a SAHM who spent a lot of time at their school and various doctors/specialists because they have special needs. There was no part-time job imaginable that would allow me the kind of time off I needed for all their appointments: speech therapy, occupational therapy, physio-therapy, program meetings, etc. etc. I was happily raising English and French Angora rabbits, along with a few Fuzzy Lops and Holland Lops. I used the angora for spinning, and bred and sold all four breeds as a "backyard business". I made a lot of "bunny" friends and "spinning friends".

I was also beginning to write and wrote my first novel - a medieval taking place during the Third Crusade - during this year. It did well in contests, but didn't garner any requests for the full manuscript. Nevertheless, it was the beginning of my writing towards publication. :)

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today? (in no particular order)

a) go to the specialist and find out when my shoulder replacement surgery's going to be.
b) buy "National Treasure 2" on Blu-ray for family watching tonight!
c) get groceries on the way home from the doctor
d) try and do my homework assignment from THE JOURNEY CYCLE - hmm...that might go over to tomorrow! :)
e) wave goodbye to my neighbor whose porch I fell on in January, smashing my shoulder and making the past five months horribly miserable. They're moving to Cold Lake, Alberta today. Nice knowing them!

3) Three snacks I enjoy:

a) raw pineapple just before it goes too ripe
b) chocolate ANYTHING!
c) butter tarts/squares

4) Four things I would do if I were a billionaire:

a) Have a private Foundation for grants to groups supporting kids with Down Syndrome, Autism, ADHD, and any cancer or cardiac problems.
b) Buy a restaurant franchise across the country to employe disadvantaged or at-risk youth and give them their first trained job experience - with a decent wage.
c) Buy myself an island get away. :)
d) Buy myself a ranch so I could raise sheep, alpacas, llamas, and any dog breed I wanted - all so I could show them, do agility training, and sell their fiber/wool.

5) Five places I've lived:

a) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
b) Barrie, Ontario, Canada
c) Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada
d) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
e) Sudbury, Ontario, Canada - guess it counts as I lived there till I was five.

6) Peeps I want to know more about:

TONI, KERRY, and WANDA

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

2008-05-10T21:34:00.003-06:00

Tonight my kids both hugged me and said "Happy Mother's Day, Mom!" They're a few hours early, but who cares? I don't need cards or flowers - their loving arms and hugs meant everything.

They've been so great since my accident in January, I feel as though we should be celebrating "Kid's Day". They've both showered me with cold packs, blankets, helped me up the stairs, helped me out of the car, and every single day after school come home and said, "how's your arm, Mom?" They haven't missed a single day.

About six weeks after the accident, I had a "homemaker supervisor" in to "assess" our needs re meals and light housekeeping. She couldn't bend her mind around the fact that although my teens are 15 and 18, they have Down Syndrome, and are really like having 7 yr old twins. I explained over and over that I couldn't think of one friend whose 7 yr old was capable of cooking an entire family meal, or doing the family laundry. She seemed to think that I was somehow lacking as a mother because I haven't "trained" (her word, not mine, believe me) them to cook, clean, and do all our laundry. Well, they can make toast, sandwiches, cereal, and eat bananas. They like to vacuum. (it's still "fun")

However, if you have a seven year old who can buy your groceries, make a meat/potatoes/salad meal, and keep up with your laundry and dry-cleaning, I suggest you rent out him/her and make yourself a fortune. :) In the end, I got my "light housekeeper" and won the argument.

The truth is, this Mother's Day, I owe them for their loving kindness, their patience with me when I've been crabby over the ongoing pain, their smiles and hugs at the end of the school day. They've kept me going and given me a reason to get out of bed in the a.m. (even if I go back when the school bus goes). We pay so much commercial attention of being "thankful" for our mothers - and yes, they did raise us, and yes, we're raising our own - that I think we forget that without these warm bodies sitting around our dining table, we wouldn't have the privilege to be called Mom's.

If we can live up to their delight in us, their love for us, then we are truly blessed to be mothers. It's a symbiotic relationship; this giving of life, providing life, and nurturing it to adulthood. Without our kids, we wouldn't have this wonderful journey of learning about how to love what's important and lasting in our lives.

Even if they can't cook a pot roast. :)

THE JOURNEY CYCLE

2008-05-01T12:16:00.002-06:00

THE JOURNEY CYCLE is an online course provided by the Kiss of Death Chapter of RWA. Instructor Robin Matheson will be teaching the plotting structure of the Hero's Journey using Fairy Tale motifs that we can all relate to. There will be 2 assignments, as well as the opportunity to use your own work when you need help with trouble-shooting.

You can still sign up for this course today - I'm in the class, and really looking forward to it, if only for the brainstorming potential! You can find it at the Kiss of Death's website KISS OF DEATH, under the KILLERINSTINCTS online class line-up. You don't have to be a member of KOD to join in.

Register today and start Saturday off by learning how to work your way through your WIP with structure and expertise! Robin is a wonderful instructor and has five published novels she'll be using to share examples of THE JOURNEY CYCLE.

NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM....A REVIEW

2008-04-28T14:13:00.004-06:00

This is JORDAN DANE'S debut novel and Publisher's Weekly says "Dane's smooth style, believeable characters, and intense pacing will remind readers of Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag". I read all of these authors, and love them, but to me this fabulous novel ranks right up there with Linda Howard. Here's the back blurb:

Burdened by grief, she hunts a killer

They never found her sister's body, but Detective Rebecca Montgomery knows her murderer is still out there. In the five months since Danielle went missing, there have been two more brutal abductions. A savage menace stalks the women of San Antonio, and the relentless detective will do anything to find him.

And a seductive stranger shadows her every move

But her latest case - the discovery of a young woman's remains inside the wall of a burned-down theater - plunges Rebecca from her grief into a brand-new nightmare. She soon meets handsome, mysterious Diego Galvan at the crime scene, and his shadowy connections will lead to her first break in both cases. But when Rebecca submits to his considerable powers of seduction, she will leave herself vulnerable to a merciless killer...and when he attacks, no one will hear her scream.

JORDAN DANE has captured the thriller genre right by the throat, and this book doesn't let go until the last page. I read the whole thing in six hours straight. I just couldn't put it down. With the above-average portrayal of a female police officer with real issues to deal with, to the "just right" alpha male hero, the plot tears along, careening from one twist to the other. Jordan has the right mix of a steamy romance with a touch of tenderness, and a thriller action story to keep you wanting more after the book ends.

Some "wow's" for readers: Jordan's website contains fantastic photos of the real places in San Antonio she uses in the book. Her book trailer is so well-done you'll dream of having one this good for your own novel. This book has been out since March 25th, so if you can't find it in stores anymore, search HarperCollins and you'll be able to order it online.

Her next book out is No One Left To Tell - coming April 29th - that's now, so hit your favourite bookstore, and then No One Lives Forever on May 27th. There're excerpts to both books at the back of No One Heard Her Scream.

This book is exceptional, no question. It's so exciting to find a new author who's work you just can't get enough off!

Finally Got The Pictures Up!

2008-04-21T08:11:00.007-06:00

Here's a couple of my spindles to show you what I was talking about in my last few posts. The two with the pink fiber on them have 50/50 silk and merino wool on them. The one on the left is made of maple and is store bought. The one on the right is made of Walnut and is also store bought.

The other spindles were made by my dad out of exotic woods. The top picture is a bobbin on my Lendrum spinning wheel of plain grey wool which has a long outer hair in dark grey.

I was using my maple spindle Saturday p.m. watching the hockey game, which Boston won by a nose. :) Our company was routing for Montreal so were very disappointed. Anyway, just wanted to share what a spindle looks like in this day and age. I hope some of you check out those websites I mentioned. It truly is a relaxing hobby!

The Unconditional Love of a Pet....

2008-04-20T17:04:00.002-06:00

This is my golden retriever, Tessa. She's a purebred with a fabulous pedigree from both sides of the border. She's helped get me through the past three months of recuperation, and no doubt will help me during and after this next operation.

She's eight years old and still highly active. I spin her fur, and have enough saved up that I hope to blend it with some wool to make it stretch so I can either knit mittens for next winter, or a tam. (with our temperatures at -47 degrees this winter, dog fur should really help!)

I took pictures of my spindles, but am such a Luddite I can't download them from my camera! I'll have to wait till hubby wakes up and tells me how silly I am that I can't figure out ZoomBrowser. argh...

Anyway, when I get the pics I'll post some here so you can all see what I was talking about in my last post!

SOME STRESS RELIEF WHILE YOU WRITE...

2008-04-18T16:18:00.002-06:00

I'm sitting around waiting to hear when my shoulder replacement surgery's going to be booked. Hopefully, I'll hear next week. In the interest of keeping my mind busy I went through our boxes and dragged out my spinning wheel, my hand spindles, and an entire toy chest of fiber and spinning supplies. I'm missing a whole box from this move, which held other fiber that was precious to me (and preciously expensive!), but maybe it'll still turn up.

Hand spinning on drop spindles has been done for over 6000 years. The spinning wheel didn't come in to being until the industrial revolution in England/Europe when wool/linen/flax had to be produced quicker and sent off to the textile factories to be woven up for cloth.

Hand spindling takes some practice - I used to be very good at it but am now clumsy and a bit frustrated. I'm blaming it on my shoulder, although it's possible to use a hand spindle by holding it horizontally and spinning the fiber out that way, or by rolling the spindle against your thigh.

Spinning is very soothing and relaxing - you get in to a "zone" where the rhythmn of what your hands are doing becomes so automatic your thoughts can run free, or, if you're so inclined, can shut down. I think it's a perfect hobby for writers because of the stress-relief factor. If you're blocked and frustrated with a scene, plot point, or characters talking back at you, you can sit or stand for ten or fifteen minutes and spin. It'll put things on the back-burner as well as let you do something creative and artistic in another way.

Just going for a walk to relax from writing has never done it for me, although I know walking, running, going to the gym, etc. work for others. I'm recommending the following drop spindle makers/spinning wheel makers so you can browse some websites and check in to this wonderful hobby.

The Journey Wheel: Sheila and Jonathon Bosworth have been in the business for nearly twenty years. Jonathon does everything by hand, using exotic woods in all his products. He invented his own folding spinning wheel, and I personally knew a woman in my old spinning Guild back east who owned one. She loved it. I've also known people who own their drop spindles, which spin wonderfully and put out lovely yarn. They also offer specialy spindles from mammoth tusks, and mammoth teeth. I've got my name on their waiting list for a mammoth tusk spindle - it's about a three year wait! I also have my name on their waiting list for a "Moosie" spindle, which are made from moose antlers. That list is only a year long. :)

Grafton Fibers: another husband and wife team, they make the most beautiful spindles, accessories, and knitting and crochet hooks. Linda Diak used to have a new drop spindle per month which was hand-painted. She featured a different sheep breed a month, allowing sheep breeders to pick their own breed, or a favourite breed, and have it on a spindle. She's bringing back that series soon. In the meantime, you can feast your eyes on the lovely things they have available.

Golding Fiber Tools: another hand-craftsman, his custom and vintage drop spindles are amazing to behold. They are true works of art.

Jenkins Woodworking: this is another husband and wife team. Mr. Jenkins hand-tools beautiful crochet hooks, knitting needles, tapestry supplies, among other accessories. If you're a knitter or crochet-lover, you'll enjoy checking out this website as well.

Next week I'll post some sites where you can find videos on how to drop spindle. It's much easier to see it done, than to explain doing it! Meanwhile, everyone have a great weekend, and enjoy "web-shopping" if this ancient art appeals to you.

FAREWELL TO A TRUE "GENTLE" MAN

2008-04-15T20:19:00.002-06:00

Today our beloved General Rick Hillier resigned as of July 1st/08. For my friends below the 49th Parallel, General Hillier is our Chief of Defense Staff and is responsible for all three branches of the Canadian Forces. He's led us through the last three years of the Afghanistan war (there - I said "war"), and brought amazing changes to how the military in Canada does things.

It was Hillier who bought us four C-17's so we could stop borrowing yours to transport our tanks and armoured supplies and soldiers to the Middle East. It was Hillier who fought the government on putting money into military housing, and resources for military families to be able to put up with long distance relationships when they have/had to. He brought back our morale, our pride in our Forces, and the awareness that we have a place on the world stage, and it's not just to sit by and do nothing.

My husband met him at a Wing function here in Winnipeg. The General was kind enough to spare a few words to an officer who he doesn't know personally. But, he took the time to show in a quick minute that he appreciated my husband as a military member.

The Canadian Forces haven't seen strong leadership like General Hillier's since before the Korean War. His boots will be hard to fill. We can only hope that his successor has half of his courage both on the battlefield and off it. He will be truly missed.

MARMOT LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW!

2008-04-15T20:07:00.003-06:00

A friend sent me this spring picture of a marmot to cheer me up. I have no knowledge of marmot's, but this guy's cute so I thought I'd share with you!

Spring has finally come to Winnipeg - or WINTERPEG, as we locals call it. The grass is drying up and I can now take Tessa, my golden retriever, out back to the dog park. It's nice that it's right behind my house, because I still can't drive a car. I can't lift my arm out front more than to my waist, on a 45 degree angle out from my waist to the side, and forget about putting it behind my "behind".

My surgeon gave me the stunning news that I need a complete shoulder replacement - just like the hip and knee replacements you think of when you see senior citizens crawling along the mall with their walkers. I was so stunned, it took me four days to be able to share with my husband. The thought of going through another surgery, not being able to dress myself, feed myself, etc. was catastrophic. But, I'm over it now. It beats an amputation!

So, that's why my friend sent the marmot picture. It has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with anything. And isn't that the beauty of sharing with friends? I'm lucky to have quite a few of them. I hope spring has sprung, wherever you live!

IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SPRING!!

2008-03-27T21:24:00.002-06:00

Today was the first day I ventured outside to walk my dog in the snow that continues to stick around like an unwanted relative at a garden party. Other than going out to physio for my shoulder, and church on Sunday, I've been avoiding the ice and snow in fear of falling again and having no one near to get me up - or worse, breaking the rest of my right arm!

It's perfectly sunny but still cold enough that the blasted snow isn't melting. Last year at this time when we came house-hunting before we moved over from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, the yards were green and saturated with water; the sidewalks full of melted water and mud. I was glad to see that the basement of our proposed house was nice and dry, considering the deep water outside. It seems we'll have to wait longer this year for the snow to disappear. All the more time for my golden retriever, Tessa, to wallow in her snowbaths!

The picture up top is the famous "Golden Boy" on top of Manitoba's Legislature building in downtown Winnipeg. It was the brightest spring picture I could find, seeing as our parks and zoo are still under snow. I can't believe I'm trying to book summer camps for my kids!

Work called today - wondering when I'd be coming back, and offering me a "modified duty" position. Trouble is, I can't drive yet. I can't even feed myself with my right hand, although I can get the hand up to the vicinity of my mouth. I'd love to stand around, smiling at people, but I'm frustrated at not being able to jump in the car whenever I want, and depend on others to take me places. It's like being a senior citizen!

Which brings me to my mid-life crisis...I wasn't having one till I had this accident and have been sitting around for 8 wks on Tylenol 3's with ice packs on my shoulder and arm. A swollen arm, at that. I guess I've been too busy working and taking care of the kids, to notice that my life is half over and I need to find something else to do with it besides wait for the kids to get off the bus. I know this isn't a new phenomenom, and doesn't even warrant a blog post, but have other writers gotten a mid-life crisis?

Ever been so discouraged with your writing and not breaking through, that you can't go on? Ever been so stressed by life and your marriage and everything else in your world that the words just won't hit the page (or computer screen)?? Ever thought that making beaded jewellery was the best thing you could do with your life? :)

Come on, there's got to be somebody out there who's been through the desert in their writing life. Any words of wisdom, laughter, or stories of victory over the dreaded WRITER BLOCK or I CAN'T WRITE WORTH BEANS scenario, are greatly appreciated!

P.S. What, if anything, are you doing for EARTH DAY this Saturday? Are you in a safe enough neighborhood to turn off all your lights? I plan on lighting scads of candles and turning off the %#@$%% Playstation 3 and 2 for an hour. Hubby & kids just don't know it yet. :)

EASTER...HE IS RISEN!

2008-03-21T18:58:00.003-06:00

On Good Friday, Christians around the world celebrate with solemnity the crucifixion and death of Jesus outside Jerusalem. Traditionally, the Pope washes the feet of his Cardinals, in a re-enactment of Christ's foot-washing of His disciples. Believers carry a cross down the Via Delarosa in Jerusalem and follow the path tradition holds that Jesus walked up to Calvary.

We were invited to attend a new church today, and I was relieved to see a simple wooden cross draped in purple, with a crown of thorns hung on it. I didn't expect to see such a display, considering the denomination of this church, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the familiar cross at the front.

It is so easy for us to forget the true torture that the cross represents. The Gospels give us the story of what Jesus experienced, but the words are so familiar that they can wash over us if we don't stop to consider what Jesus really suffered. Years ago I heard a Good Friday sermon that changed my life. It was the first time anyone had explained to me what crucifixion entailed.

Jesus was whipped with leather strips that held metal pieces in them - the better to rip flesh from the back of the prisoner being beaten. The "crown of thorns" was likely a woven circle of heavy barbed nettles, drawing blood from the scalp and cutting in to His head.

Crucifixion was invented by the Romans and remains the cruelest form of execution known to man. Being electrocuted is far more humane. To be nailed to a heavy cross through the hands and crossed feet was only the beginning. The cross was then lifted and pushed down into a pre-shoveled hole, with rocks and earth poured down and around it to hold it upright. The person's body weight then sank totally downward from the arms. Aside from the arms being pulled out of their sockets, the internal organs fell prey to gravity and began sinking inside the body; tissues ripping and tearing as the person being crucified took a long time to die.

The heart and lungs also sank, making it difficult to breathe and putting extreme pressure on the heart to keep pumping. Every sinew, ligament, tendon, and muscle that holds the body together were stretched to their limit; torn and ripped with excruciating pain. Eventually, most prisoners who were crucified died through a combination of dehydration, asphxiation, and their hearts literally bursting in their chests.

Scripture tells us that a man offered Jesus "wine to drink, mixed with gall". Tradition says that women of Jerusalem customarily furnished this pain-killing narcotic to prisoners who were being crucified. The anonymous man realized Jesus' suffering, and offered Him a way out while the mob mocked and jeered at Him. Jesus refused it because He knew that to fulfill the prophesies from Isaiah, He needed to be conscious until His death. (Matthew 27:34)

From the Gospels we also know that Jesus hung on the cross for three hours - from the "sixth hour", which was the Roman time of noon, until the "ninth hour", which was three in the afternoon. This was after twenty-four hours of torture and deprivation.

Whether or not you profess to be a Christian, here's a thought. No other religious leader or teacher has ever died such a horrific death, never mind willingly gone to His death to fulfill prophesy and demonstrate His ultimate commitment to His God. Not Buddha, Mohammed, or Confucious - all human men who began world-reaching religions.

As we spend Good Friday fasting, meditating, or worshiping in church, we acknowledge the human aspect of Jesus the man. On Easter Sunday, we will celebrate the divinity of Jesus - the mystery of Jesus the Son of God. But for today, let us remember His cruel death, the mortal fear of His disciples who expected to be nailed to the cross after Him, and the Romans and Jews who stood around the cross and watched Jesus cry out before He died. Those people witnessed the most momentous event in history.

If you've never explored Christianity, I highly recommend C.S. Lewis's book MERE CHRISTIANITY. C.S. Lewis was an Oxford scholar and teacher who was a life-long atheist. He became a Christian through a series of remarkable events, and is beloved as one of the foremost 20th century Christian scholars. His words in MERE CHRISTIANITY are far more eloquent than mine can ever be.

I wish everyone a blessed and holy Easter weekend - filled with thoughtfulness, awareness, and the love of friends and family. May God bless you this Easter.

Contest Alert!

2008-02-27T20:41:00.003-06:00

I have the link to this blog on the right, but here it is again: Bookends Literary Agency. I highly recommend checking out their last week of posts. Jessica and Kim ran a contest for the first 100 words of paranormal romances. They revealed the Honorable Mentions today, and the reasons why they picked them are educational. Not to mention, the entries themselves are fabulous!

If you scroll down, you'll find book promo tips from one of their new authors. Again, very educational and encouraging to see a "newbie" starting her publishing career.

They've started a 100 word entry contest for erotica - and all of you know I'm not an erotica fan, but again, check them out regularly because Jessica as an agent lays it all out for you as to what they want and don't want. They're a hard agency to get into with a query letter, but you can learn alot from their blog.

Just passing it along! :)

Robert Latimer Paroled

2008-02-27T16:06:00.003-06:00

Most of you in the US have probably never heard of Robert Latimer. He was convicted in 1997 of the 1993 murder of his severely disabled daughter. He originally received a second-degree murder conviction: to serve 10 years to life before parole. This week, he'll be paroled after serving only 7 years.

Robert Latimer gassed his 12 yr. old daughter who suffered from severe cerebral palsy, in his truck in a garage or shed on his farm while his wife took their other children to church. His defence was that he had to end her suffering and this seemed to be the most humane way to do it.

Originally, his bid for parole was rejected by the National Parole Board, but he's won an appeal of that decision, based on the theory that "he poses no risk to reoffend". Well, la de da. Of course he doesn't pose any risk to reoffend. He has no other handicapped children to gas in his shed. He's been ordered to "stay away from any handicapped children". If ever I've lost faith in our justice system, this is the time. How frivolous! How ridiculous! He poses no risk to "reoffend". Gag.

We've let murdering rapists out on parole...why not child killers? Because that's what he is, whether you want to get wrapped in the debate on mercy killing or not. He murdered his own child, and he knew what he was doing at the time. He planned it, his wife knew about it, and heaven only knows how they explained it to their other children.

I'm ashamed of the Canadian justice system in this case. His lawyer is looking for a "bed" in an Ottawa half-way house. I wonder how his housemates will view him?

The Look of Love....

2008-02-15T16:13:00.002-06:00

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Page/document/video/vs?id=RTGAM.20080214.wvgaze0214

This certainly beats the "key" parties of the 1960's, where the man would put his car keys in a bowl provided by the hostess, and the wives would pull out a key chain she knew didn't belong to her husband. The newly paired duo was then expected to enjoy "open sex" to "free" their marriages from boredom, rigidity, and endow them with new experiences.

I think there's something to this eye-gazing idea. Eye-gazing is one of human's most intimate behaviours. It ranks after: a) a quick peek at the other sexual party, b) flipping hair or the man raking his hair back denotes some interest in the person looking at you, c) coming in to the other person's body space, and THEN d), gazing deeply in to their eyes. In a regular bar setting: a), b), and c) allow either party to break off the contact - no harm, no foul. But at these eye-gazing parties, you're allowing a stranger to have access to your full face, and therefore vulnerability, right at the beginning.

A recent Canadian Press survey says that 55% of Canadians believe in "love at first sight". Of course, it may be that men are more prone to "lust at first sight", but still, that's a pretty high figure to be relying on looking at someone and "knowing" that you're in love with them.

Trust San Francisco to come up with such a cool idea for singles! I wonder how long it'll take to cross to the east side of the continent so we can all enjoy gazing into a stranger's eyes - and hoping they're not the eyes of a con artist or worse!
(yes, I always take the worst possible twist on something, I know!)

Try gazing into your spouse or significant other's eyes for as long as possible, and see what happens. Go on, I dare you! Let us know what happens (following Blogger's terms of propriety, of course!)

CORRECTION

2008-02-11T20:59:00.001-06:00

The website for the book THE BIRTH HOUSE is THE BIRTH HOUSE. Sorry for the confusion! :)

Inching Along

2008-02-11T20:34:00.001-06:00

When pain is one's constant companion, you find out things about yourself - like how bitchy you can be, how little things your kids do never used to bother you but now they seem like mountains to be overcome, how you HATE to be dependent on others and not just jump into the car and head off to do whatever...

However, it also makes you pesevere and if I'm anything, perseverance is my middle name (to anyone who really knows me, that is!). I can now lift two coffee mugs out of the dishwasher at a time, but I can't raise a full coffee mug to my lips. I can balance myself again with my right arm, but I can't carry anything of much weight. I can get dressed myself again, but can't quite reach across my body to scratch my left arm. These are small victories! It makes me realize that as a writer, I should've been keeping some kind of computer journal all along, as I can't think of the words to describe the initial pain and experience. When you're IN the experience, it's far easier to put in to words that are visceral and evocative.

As you can imagine, I've had lots of time for reading! My SIL sent me two books, my MIL sent me one, and another SIL lent me the above book, THE BIRTH HOUSE. It's available on Amazon.com and you can read all about it at it's website THE BIRTH HOUSE.

I couldn't put this novel down, and if you're looking for a change from romance or genre reading, this book is for you. It's about the turn of the century village of Scots Bay in Nova Scotia (Canada), which still exists today. The heroine is Dora Rare, who becomes a midwife by default, and the story deals with all facets of her life; her reluctant midwifery, failed marriage, family relationships. The history of the change in obstetrics from women having babies at home as a matter of course, to being "made" to have them in hospitals via a patriarchal medical profession is dealt with through various women's eyes.

The book recounts the use of home remedies mixed with some superstition, as well as the real worth of herbal medicine. McKay even includes some of the herbal recipes at the back of the book, as well as the recipe for "Groaning Cake" which was traditionally made by a woman's friends during her labour. It's part of the story, and when you read the ingredients you can see how it would benefit a woman after childbirth - lots of sugar and carbs to rebuild your strengh!

The book is set against the backdrop of WWI, the suffragette movement, and the Halifax Explosion disaster, as seen through Dora's eyes and as a part of her life. McKay uses just enough historical references to let you know where you are, but they never take over Dora's story.

I highly recommend it for anyone who's had children, wants to have children, or like myself and Dora - can't have children. It's a universal story of women caught up in giving life and living with whatever dice life has thrown them. It's bigger than "women's fiction". McKay's nearly finished her second book, and is now writing a novel based on her grandmother's experiences as a female doctor at the turn of the century. I can't wait for them, and will be trolling her website above for more news
of their availability.

Hope all of you who're busy writing can take some time to grab this book. Written in "scrapbook" fashion, with the judicious use of the magical and superstitious, it's a treat to see how an author can create a straight-forward story with these techniques. Let me know if you do read it, and what you think!

Already MIA in the New Year...

2008-01-30T20:32:00.000-06:00

I've discovered that just when you figure your life is nearly over because your Muse isn't visiting, everyone else is getting published besides you, etc. etc. - all the
"poor me" topics I blogged about pre-2008....something will happen that REALLY knocks you for a loop and makes all those irritating things like the above (and car whiplash, job hours, etc.) fall into their proper perspective.

Basically, who cares? Haven't come up with a story idea in 6 months? Who cares? Friends passing you on the publishing highway at the speed of light? Wish them well.

Because, there's always, always something worse that can happen to you. And, if you were whining as much as I was, it'll usually happen sooner than later.

I fell two weeks ago, and broke my humeral ball (the part we all call the shoulder "ball") - I flaked 3 big pieces off it, and broke the bone right under it clean in two. I'm now held together with a 6 inch metal plate and 9 bolts.

I got my staples out today and am looking at lots of fun and painful physio. However, not having made any New Years Resolutions before, I make one now: I WILL NEVER WHINE ABOUT STUPID THINGS I CAN'T CONTROL, NOT HAVING STORY IDEAS, OR WORRYING ABOUT FRIENDS WHO'RE PUBLISHED, EVER AGAIN.

There! You've got it in writing! Other than the current strain it's placing on my family, this could be one of the best things that's every happened to me. Sure gets your head back in the game. I may not be around here as frequently, but hopefully I'll have more interesting, pity, and funny, things to say about life.

Oh, and one piece of advice? Watch out for wet wood decks on cold days!

HAPPY NEW YEARS 2008!

2008-01-01T21:16:00.000-06:00

We had the surprise of our lives December 22nd - we had one hour to pack and catch a military flight back to Trenton Air Base, Ontario, in order to get home for Christmas. We threw presents, toothbrushes, and clothes into duffle bags and raced to the airport. Luckily, our kids were wonderful travelers on their first plane trip. No crying or barfing made my life a lot easier, especially when we didn't get in to our barracks suite till 5 a.m. and had been up all night.

It was a real pleasure to shock all of our parents and siblings by showing up. This Christmas was one of those rare times when there was no family friction and everything went off smoothly. Even though I went in to the trip exhausted, the adrenaline of being "home" after two years made up for it.

I read a lot of books during Christmas week. Various genres, a literary book, and a couple of quick reads through some inspirational non-fiction. It made me relax about my own writing and I've decided to look at some things differently, and try out a few new things. We'll see what happens. It was one of those serendipitous times when I was able to "settle" away from our constant rush here, and actually think about some of the things I want to do. And not do!

I'm making some positive resolution statements to start off 2008:

1) I'm NOT losing weight - I'm "conquering" my daughter's new Dance Evolution to work on my cardio.

2) I'm NOT outlining stories/novels - I'm "writing outside the lines".

3) I'm NOT going to worry about writing within certain genres or even for the "market" - I'm going to write for myself.

4) I'm NOT going to sweat whether I snag an agent or get published this year - I'm going to enjoy the process of writing.

5) I'm NOT going to tell myself I have no time for my hobbies - I'm going "to play" with all of them and not feel guilty.

Five new affirmations is plenty. 2008 will be a big milestone year for myself and my family in many, many ways. I don't want to waste a minute of it, and I hope you'll still tune in once in awhile to keep me accountable and check on my progress.

Somewhere in the midst of working, housework, kids, pets, writing, and keeping a marriage on the front burner, I'm planning on grabbing more of those spontaneous, serendipitous moments and "go for it".

I wish you all the best of the New Year, and much success in 2008! May we all experience the best life has to offer. Cheers!

The One Week Countdown to Christmas....

2007-12-17T22:51:00.000-06:00

I must confess: I really, really, envy my writer friends who're still going strong and have not just one, but many stories in the works...in spite of the Christmas rush. So there, you know my terrible secret. I'm envious!

Maybe it's because I've been feeling so lousy for two weeks, hobbling around like an old lady, and taking enough Robaxecet to choke a horse. Maybe it's because our lives have been turned upside down this fall by the military yet again!

I just can't think of one, single, original plot line. I can come up with characters...they fall on to the page at will. But can I put them together into some kind of twisted, original, never-before-thought-of, plot line? Nope.

I have some writing talismen over my computer though - a card of a medieval maiden my MIL sent me, beside my medieval print of a damsel giving her knight a ribbon to wear before he goes off to joust. And a picture of one of my best friends and I. Her dedication to her writing inspires me.

But as we count down to Christmas Eve next Monday, I'm enormously happy that my daughter is still thrilled to make a gingerbread house with me. I love wrapping presents, and have time to actually bake cookies this year - something I've missed the last few years. I think I'll even try to bake my old-fashioned tortieres for Christmas Eve.

At church these past four weeks we've been studying "practising Christmas" throughout the year. I guess I could start by not being envious of my writer friends! Lol! And thinking of the little things that keep my family foursome happy, and taken care of, because that's my job. Christmas isn't just one day to open presents. It's a religious celebration that alot of Christians don't stand up for these days. It's a state of mind. It's the way you live with your fellow humans - kindly, friendly, helpful when others are in need.

So, to all my good writer friends who're deep in the midst of your books - I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and all the best of the publishing world in 2008. And maybe, just maybe, I'll get an idea over the holidays that'll get my blood racing at the computer again. If not, I'll have a gingerbread house to eat. :)

Time to Deck the Halls

2007-12-13T11:04:00.000-06:00

I realize I've been MIA for three weeks. Sorry about that - I had a fender-bender which gave me whiplash and the inability to sit at the computer for any length of time. The painkillers also didn't help. I'm on the mend though, and ready to get back to regular posts.

A friend sent me this Christmas meme, so I thought I'd share it. I've put my own answers in after the questions - please feel free to put your answers in the Comments section. :) If you feel you're ready to change a family tradition maybe someone elses' answers will give you some ideas. Or, this may help you to appreciate your own traditions even more.

1. Wrapping paper of Gift Bags?

Definitely wrapping paper - it takes longer to get to the gift and therefore makes it more satisfying! Plus, there's nothing like the sight of a Christmas tree with lots of wrapped boxes piled under it.

2. Real Tree or artificial?

We've had an artificial one since the kids were toddlers. We succumbed to the fear of fire. In the interest of "being green" for the environment, however, I got it second-hand and it's about 15 years old and still going strong.

3. When do you put up the tree?

December 1st if I can manage it. This year it was December 7th due to my accident.

4. Do you use collectible ornaments, theme ornaments, a collage of memorabilia, or traditional glass ornaments?

We have memorabilia from various places we've visited, ornaments the kids made in grade school, and collectible Disney ornaments that mean a lot to my children (and me - a perennial Disney lover!) Someday maybe I'll have a smaller "theme" tree, if I ever have a house big enough for a front hall. :)

5. When do you take the tree down?

January 3rd or 4th. I always feel it's such a shame to put it all away, when we use Christmas decorations for such a short time.

6. Do you like eggnog?

Bring on the RUM and eggnog! Of course, if you're counting calories this is a pass, and the lower-fat variety tastes like yuck.

7. What was your favourite gift received as a child?

I got a "real" Raggedy Anne Doll (shows you how old I am!) with a "real" heart on her chest and lovely pioneer clothing. I'd asked Santa for it, and it was the first Santa gift where I remember actually getting what I asked for - usually Santa brought "surprises" at our house.

8. Do you have a Nativity Scene?

I have a Precious Moments one, given to me by my in-laws the first Christmas we were married, and an Ecuadorean one made of hand-crafted baked and glazed figures. Also given to me by my in-laws after a trip down there.

9. Hardiest person to buy for?

Parents and In-laws - they already have everything they need, so you have to get into theater tickets, trips, spa days, etc. :)

10. Easiest person to buy for?

My kids. They start making their lists in November and seldom change anything.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

A see-through mint green robe (NOT my colour!) minus the nightie that went with the set...and it still had the sale price tag attached to it!

12. Mail or email cards?

We always make up personalized photo cards to mail. We also make calendars for the parents of pictures taken during that year. So far, they've been a big hit.

13. Favourite Christmas Movie?

Got to love the old-fashioned "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" :)

14. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

In November, once I know my kids aren't likely to add anything else to their lists. Earlier, when I find gifts that might suit parents or siblings.

15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? :)

I can proudly say "never", although I know I've been *given* recycled gifts. I have a friend who loves to tell you that she got this gift from so-and-so, and now would like you/me to have it. Also, a relative once dug out an evening bag that I'd seen her with, and gave it to me for Christmas. (always remember how often you've used the "gift" previously!)

16. Favourite thing to eat at Christmas?

Apart from the traditional turkey dinner, my passion is SHORTBREAD, either home-made or store bought, I don't care! Just give me that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookie and I'll make a glutton of myself. :)

17. Clear lights or coloured on the tree?

This year, I bought new lights that rotate between red, blue, and green - fade away and then start over. We love them.

18. Travel for Christmas or stay home?

Definitely stay home, although we usually have Christmas dinner with relatives.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? :)

Ummm...Dancer, Prancer, Donner, Blitzen, Comet, Cupid...he has more, doesn't he?

20. Angel or star on top of the tree?

I used to have my parents original star with Santa on it - it got broken one year and I replaced it with an angel. Some year I'll replace her with a fancier angel.

21. Open presents Christmas Eve or morning?

All the presents go under the tree Christmas Eve while we fill stockings. Then we open presents Christmas morning, coffee with liqueur in hand, and take endless pictures of the kids opening every present. I used to wear my PJ's, but now I think I should start getting dressed for those "candid" shots, lol!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

Working in a retail store with miserable, angry, pushy customers who treat you like some mindless idiot because your store a) doesn't have, or b) never had, some bizarre item they HAVE to have RIGHT NOW! Eg. burning logs that have coloured flames, right now, for a party TONIGHT!!!

23. What I love most about Christmas?

Buying and wrapping presents, decorating the house, the anticipation on the day of Christmas Eve, making chocolate-chip cookies on Christmas Eve with my daughter - to leave for Santa on her "Santa plate".

24. The best Christmas you've ever had?

The Christmas my husband gave me my "Millenium" ring - a ruby and diamond ring that was a *total* surprise. He's never been so extravagant. (sadly, the ruby fell out of it and was lost - I hope to replace it one day)

How about you?

Death of an Innocent Man - Canada's Shame

2007-11-22T20:18:00.001-06:00

This picture shows Robert Dziekanski in Poland where he worked as a construction worker. I realize he died over a week ago, but I wanted to wait till the furor had eased off so that my blog on this tragedy wasn't overridden by the thousands of other bloggers who've already commented on his death.

Regular readers know that I'm pro-police (having been one) and pro-military. I told myself I wouldn't watch that terrible video showing his death - "the original Canadian snuff film", as someone called it. Being human, I finally watched it on the Globe and Mail main page and was sickened by it.

Back in the dinosaur age when I was a police officer, we were taught certain strategies in a) self-defense, b) defusing situations with mentally/emotionally/distraught people, and c) using *real* police techniques like "talking a person down" and entering into a situation in a way that safeguarded us and the person in question.

RE: a) self-defense. If someone came at you with fists, or hit you in any way, you pulled your baton. I became quite good with my baton, as I only weighed a measly 120 lbs. at the time and let's face it - when you're a cute but skinny woman in uniform, it's every rednecks dream to take you on in front of his drunken buddies. But, I digress. If someone came at you with a tire iron, plank, or other large weapon, you pulled your revolver. (yes, back then we carried .357 Magnums) IF you pulled your revolver, you had to be prepared to use it. And no, we weren't taught to shoot someone's knee out or hit their shoulder, we were taught to aim at center mass and shoot to kill. Most people don't realize that alot of people who're shot will still come at you - it can take several shots, even emptying your weapon, to put down a suspect who's drunk or high. Their adrenaline's flowing and they don't feel pain.

RE: b)defusing situations with mentally/emotionally/distraught people. Unless there was immediate danger to someone's life, or the person was about to jump off a bridge, you took your TIME. You ASSESSED the situation, and you sure as heck TALKED to the person(s). You gave them SPACE so they didn't feel cornered; you called them by name (if they gave it to you, or someone supplied it) so you could connect with them. Your *best* weapon was your mouth and how you used it: no macho talk, no threats, and you told them whatever was necessary to calm them down. Sometimes you might tell a white lie, but if it defused the situation, who cared?

These skills required THINKING on the part of the officer. Also, being able to think quickly on your feet - both in connecting with the person and engaging them in eye contact and emotion. My best weapon was my mouth - I was a good talker, had been great in theatre arts and various stage plays, so I could *act* and put myself into whatever role was necessary. It was something that boggled the guys I worked with, and sometimes ticked them off too, as I was very good at defusions.

RE: c)I think I've already covered the main points in "talking a person down". The main thing is: you WAITED. No pressure - get the wife there - we took off our hats so we weren't an authority threat, we took the bullets out of our guns before getting out of the car so if the person managed to get our gun off us, no one would get shot. Does this seem foolhardy? No, it was common practice back then, and even if we were scared, we STILL dealt with the person humanely. If they eventually (or suddenly) needed to be jumped on and subdued, that's where four guys and a baton came into play. And usually me, being the smallest of the pack, on top of the persons' back putting handcuffs on him/her. (seriously though, I never lost a fight -even one on one - and I *always* got the arrest. I got injured plenty of times - broke my wrist twice for eg. - but I always used a) and b) and got the job done.)

Now, contrast the good ole days with the RCMP debacle committed at the Vancouver BC airport in regards to Robert Dziekanski.

If you saw the video, you saw several people try to calm him down. God bless the woman who came up to him, gesturing with her hand, and putting her hand out to him. She deserves a medal for her compassion.

The security guards were useless and obviously had no training to do any of the above. THEN, we have four RCMP cowboys on the scene, and we hear a male ask them as they go by, "are you going to taser him?"

We can't hear the answer, but hello, in they go, force Dziekanski up against the counter with his back to the glass and immediately zap him with 50,000 volts of electricity. Then, because he's screaming and rolling around on the ground, the guy zaps him again for good measure. THEN, the four of them jump on top of him, hit him with a baton (once or twice) and when he finally stops moving and screaming, get up and decide - hey, maybe we should check his pulse!

Dziekanski was a) obviously agitated and emotional so he falls under the category of a mentally/emotionally/distraught person. Did they do b) above? or c)? No, too trigger-happy with the latest technical toy, they figured zapping a grown man at point-blank range would solve the situation when all the guy had done was put a few chairs in front of the door, and throw a computer (not even a harddrive) on the ground. He was sweating, speaking a foreign language, and trembling. Did even ONE of the four officers (they looked quite young, so I'm guessing they might've been inexperienced) do a), b), or c)? Obviously, they weren't looking at him for clues as to his emotional state, they didn't listen to what the people looking on were telling them ("he speaks Russian" and "can somebody get an interpreter down here?") - they didn't give him space or time.

They just Tasered him. In my day, they would never have lasted on the street. Someone would've chucked one of them under the nose and then sucker-punched him. And he would've deserved it. Why? Because he didn't have the skills necessary to survive on the street - no common sense, no ability to connect with people, no ability to *listen* and *learn* about what was happening before he decided to take action. Sometimes you only had a split-second - but more often, you had plenty of time - 2-3minutes would get you all the info you needed to deal with a situation.

If you saw TV reports, or read reports about journalists who "volunteered" to get Tasered in order to "prove" how safe they are, remember this - NONE of them were Tasered without being held UP by two officers. They didn't feel the full effect of 50,000 volts hurling them backward to the ground, and once hitting the ground, it would have the same effect as a lightening bolt hitting a metal pole. It would be nothing like what Robert Dziekanski experienced in his last four minutes of life.

He wasn't screaming because he was afraid, or at the cops to scare them. He was screaming because of the pain. Anyone feel like volunteering to get zapped with 50,000 volts of electricity, just for the heck of it? I didn't think so.

Too bad no one took those four losers back to the detachment garage and Tasered them.
I'm not always pro-police. When a travesty occurs such as this, and innocent people are killed/hurt, the police should be held to a higher standard then the general public. If they were under my command, these four would be suspended without pay, and about to face a police tribunal. At least Stockwell Day, our Public Security Minister, called for a complete inquiry. How could he not? The rest of Canada and the world saw every mistake those four cowboys made, and we're ashamed of them.

May Robert Dziekanski rest in peace.

Keeping Your Brain Fit - Keeping Your Creativity Alive

2007-11-20T08:05:00.000-06:00

I've been bugging my dh for a Nintendo DS Lite for Christmas - I mean really bugging him! There are lots of games for adults on this system - which is a compact-put-it-in-your-purse harddrive for video games, and comes in white, black, red, and pink. You use a stylus to maneouver through the games. (I'm probably not telling you anything new if you have kids - this is one of the best-sellers out this Christmas)

There're three "Train Your Brain" type games for the DS Lite: Brain Age I, Brain Age II, and Brain Academy. These games are based on the research of a Japanese neuroscientist, Professor Ryuta Kawashima, who's work in neuroscience has proven that the more we exercise our brains via puzzles for memory, concentration, spatial awareness, and math, the "lower" our "brain's age" will be and the higher our mental acuity.

So, this is what I wanted for Christmas and have been ceaselessly mentioning the pink version to my dh, , as a way to help get back some of my creativity and concentration.

Always the enterprising fellow, my dh found an online version of the DS Lite game, which you can download for $20.55 Canadian to your PC, as opposed to paying $139.99 for the DS Lite, plus $17.98 per game. (The other games are higher prices and vary considerably, but I'm only dealing with the Brain Age games here).

I've been doing the 14 day free trial of the PC version, and I must say it's fun, clever, and does challenge you considerably as you move into the higher levels. You get 30 free sessions of five different games to work on math, language, perception, attention, and cognitive reasoning. You can play these games as many times as you want to in the 30 days. Frankly, it's a real bargain. (so much for my dh's research abilities!)

The link is: Brain Train Age, which is a slightly different title to get away from copyright issues with Nintendo. However, Professor Kawashima designed both versions.

I highly recommend trying the 14 day trial as a "wake-up" to your daily writing regime. It's already helped me tremendously and I'm only on Day Three. It's fun, addictive, and challenging. And let's face it, the price is right. If you have a laptop, you can take it with you the same as carrying that cute pink/red/white/black compact computer in your purse. But if you want to splurge and get yourself one of those Nintendo DS Lites, you may have to share it with your kids, as they'll find out quickly enough how many fantastic games you can play on it, besides Brain Age!

P.S. If you lose your stylus, you can buy them three for $5.88 at WalMart, plus the DS Lite comes with two already. So, don't let anyone talk you out of it if you want to splurge on something fun and different for yourself this Christmas. We can all use a mental work-out that's more fun than banging our heads against the wall over plot points and descriptive narrative.

Have fun!

P.P.S. I have no idea why half of this post is under-lined. I couldn't fix it, and apologize for making it look like I've been writing for half-wits! If anyone knows how to fix this problem, plse put instructions in the Comments Section.

Again, have fun, and let me know if this works for you!

Veteran's Week and Not Writing

2007-11-14T20:11:00.000-06:00

Yes, I missed blogging on Remembrance Day - I know, unheard of for me to let a military highlight go by. I claim innocence by the fact that I actually had 3 days off work, one of them being Remembrance Day, and that was my last weekend off till after Christmas.

However, this is "Veteran's Week", so I thought I could throw something against the wall and hope it sticks. We attended the city-wide Remembrance Day ceremony at Winnipeg Convention Centre, with my dh in full dress blues, as was everyone else - army and air force. Funny, only Sea Cadets in attendance out here on the Prairies - no Navy.

It's actually a good thing I'm blogging about this late. I was offended and irritated at the same time by the hour-and-a-half long ceremony that was obviously put on for political purposes to satisfy every special interest group in the city, and NOT our vets. It was put on by some "Joint Veterans Committee", so maybe that's where the problem started.

It took an actual twenty minutes to lay the wreathes; every Nurses Association, Kiwanis, whoever, had to lay a wreath. Ridiculous. The speaker's remarks were cut to almost nil, but there were so many people "participating" that it strung out the service to the breaking point. The final insult was the traditional "March Past". Normally, it's made up of a Colour Party (military personnel carrying flags), veterans, and military people serving now. This travesty included not only the Air and Sea Cadets (okay, maybe if you stretched it, they're "serving" members), to Girl Guides, Brownies, Sparks (5 yrs old), Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts. These children "marched past" the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, supposedly to pay tribute to his office and the solemnity of the day.

It was an insult to everyone there wearing a proper uniform, and serving in the Canadian Forces. I've never seen anything like it. Perhaps the idea was to teach the kids about what Remembrance Day stands for, but seeing parents take pictures of their kids as they marched by left a bad taste in my mouth.

It was bad enough that no acknowledgement of our current war in Afghanistan was made, nor the names of our dead veterans of this war read out, but the whole thing smacked of everybody fighting to get in their little bit. Contrast this to the ceremony held in Ottawa on Capitol Hill, where the crowd chanted "We support our troops! We support our troops!" at the end.

That is the sentiment of Remembrance Day - remembering what came before and the sacrifices made for all of us, and remembering the current soldiers fighting in the cold of Afghanistan (it's winter over there - people I know are sending mittens for the local kids) and facing IED's every day.

Off my soapbox now.

Re not writing - I have no idea what's wrong with me. I know I'm curdled by my wicked hours at this job that started out part-time and has grown two heads. I know we've had two cross-country moves in two years, and the stress is starting to show. But, I also know of other authors who've been able to write through tragedy, illness, and divorce. So, what's my problem?

I have to refocus. Start remembering when I found joy in writing, and wasn't just churning out yuck. (well, it's yuck to me anyway) With having to work up to and including Christmas Eve I doubt the "Christmas spirit" will inspire me very much. I'm lucky to have good friends around me, who still encourage me, and believe in me. I'm going to focus on that, and write down the many, many stories that could come out of this job experience.

The other day I confronted two identified "cruisers" from a professional theft-ring and made sure they left my store without stealing anything. It gave me great personal satisfaction, and the thrill I used to feel back when I wore a uniform and gun to work. And it felt good indeed. One for the good guys!

We Mourn Another Slain Mountie

2007-11-07T12:37:00.001-06:00

Two of our RCMP officers have been murdered this month in our remote Northwest Territories. For those of you who haven't been in touch with the news yesterday, Constable Douglas Scott was shot in the head at approximately 11 p.m. Monday night, while answering a possible impaired driving call. He had been in the village of Kimmirut, on Baffin Island in the Arctic, for only six months and had just graduated from RCMP Depot in Regina, Saskatchewan. His picture above is his graduation photo from Depot. He was only twenty years old.

The RCMP have announced that they were intending to put "through" a policy next month that would make it essential for two officers to answer nighttime calls in remote regions. Kimmirit is only a village of four hundred people. It proves again that it only takes one person with a gun to undue all the great work Cst. Scott had done with the village youth, at the school, and in his daily contact with friends and villagers alike.

This new policy comes too little, too late, for Constable's Worden and Scott. It's another example of the government's actions well after the fact of a tragedy. I'm sure it'll be little consolation to Cst. Scott's family and friends.

They announced that he worked in this tiny village with an "experienced Sergeant". Two officers to two hundred people, so it was deemed appropriate staffing. When I began policing in 1984, there were forty-four officers on our municipal force, with a ratio of one officer to one thousand people. However, although we were one-man cars, we could count on back-up from anybody else on our shift, and we were obviously in a smaller area.

An inexperienced officer - with only six months service - shouldn't have been stopping an impaired driver without back-up. We don't know yet whether this man was impaired, mentally ill, on drugs not alcohol, or why he felt compelled to shoot this officer while he had his child in the car. So far, he's in custody but not charged, which raises a number of questions I won't go into here.

The fact remains - another young Mountie's life has been cut short. A young man who'd dreamt of being a police officer since he was ten years old, and who comes from a family of police officers - a long, and proud, tradition.

If you want to send Cst. Scott's family your condolences, you can go to Canada.com, find his name, and sign the guest book. I'm sure his parents, siblings, and extended family will appreciate it.

Rest in Peace.

New World, Different Time

2007-11-05T20:31:00.000-06:00

I'm supposed to be doing a 50K word novel this month during National Novel Writing Month. I've joined up, and am reading and responding to alot of threads on historical fiction. I haven't gotten much writing done, due to the new job and my inability to concentrate as I try and pull the family into another "Mommy's working" routine. I likely will get something written, as I'm an over-achiever and don't want to admit I've missed this golden opportunity. But, having a day job (which really means working till 11 p.m.)sure is a kicker for your Muse! Only having half an hour for lunch doesn't allow for any creative scrawlings, even on a napkin.

My big interest today is the revealing of King Tut's full mummified body. Now we know the poor King had buck teeth and an underbite. That he was nineteen and probably not murdered, although the anthropologists haven't figured out yet how he died. (If they have, plse point me in the way of an article, because Egyptology truly fascinates me.)

What struck me is that the body didn't look any different than the creations of such bodies on shows like BONES. My husband and I never miss a show, and I've read all her books, including Bones to Ashes. Obviously, their special effects team on that show have done their homework! King Tut could just as well be a corpse on Tempe's autopsy table.

The ancient Egyptian obsession with life after death, and preparing for life after death, has no equivalent in history. You were "wealthy" if you could prepare a reasonable family tomb for yourself and your extended family. The treasures in King Tut's tomb have been eulogized for the past 85 years. Whatever he died of, his family and immediate people around him loved him very much to have ensured he would show up in the land of Seth (right god?) with such an extravagant face mask, gold, and treasure even our modern world has trouble calculating. The beauty of his tomb lends a beauty to his mummified face, if I can put that idea forward. Most mummies are horrible charicatures of the people they once were - how can they not be?

King Tut, on the other hand, has lost none of his majesty because his Egyptian guardians have removed his death mask and robes. A boy of 19 years, not a fabulous King, but likely destined to rule quietly and justly. A peek into a 3000 year old past, brought to life again with modern day technology.

This is why I love time travel novels so much. We get the joy of a look at the past, along with a good story in the present. Hmmm, maybe there's something there for NaNoWriMo!

At any rate, I hope his mummified body survives in that air-controlled glass case, and we can learn more from him about his culture and his life.

Dumbledore Is Gay...

2007-10-23T14:15:00.000-06:00

Sorry, I've been away for awhile, adjusting to a new day job (and probably have lost half my readers!), but I couldn't let this go by.

Before anyone accuses me of being homophobic, I'd like to weigh in on JK Rowling's US/Canadian tour, and her "huge" revelation that all this time, inspite of never mentioning it in her seven books, Dumbledore is/was gay and in love with Gellert the wizard.

How's that for a publicity stunt? Because, that's all it is - a way of shocking/stimulating people into talking about her books again, and hopefully, buying more to go back and read where she may have dropped "hints" about this so-called love relationship. I suspect she fought with her publisher over the idea of having the teacher/wizard gay relationship, and lost to them. Now, she's happy to spread the "news" that she really had gay characters all along, and stir up some much-needed publicity for Deathly Hallows.

I mean, PULLEEEZE! The woman is the richest author/woman in the world. Isn't that enough? She has to have the last word on her characters, despite the fact her publisher's made her deliriously wealthy?

The Toronto media is busy wasting ink and web space on this mighty revelation - wondering how it'll "affect" the children who've read the books, whether it'll bring a "new generation" into accepting homosexuality as a responsible lifestyle.

I can't wait to see Craig Ferguson (comic) make fun of JK in his monologue tonight. Anybody with any common sense can see this for the cheap trick it is, and how shallow it makes her seem. Because she's going for shock value - not true compassion about gay people - and she's trying to broaden her market to sell even more books.

I'm all for promotion and publicity - but it would be nice to see someone with her kind of success go for the high road, especially when she's dealing with the children's market. Just my humble opinion, of course!

Another Cop Killer on the Loose

2007-10-09T15:30:00.000-06:00

All right, those of you who read me regularly (or fairly regularly!) will know I couldn't leave this death of a young Mountie alone. There were 40 comments on the Globe and Mail Forum regarding this senseless death, all armchair quarterbacks with political comments on the Canadian gun registry, the 3 strikes law, putting drug dealers in jail for life, etc. Nowhere did I read that putting cop killers in mandatory 25 years to life was a great option for reducing police officer shootings. Or perhaps bringing back the death penalty - which we used to have for cop killers and prison guard killers.

One idiot actually commented that the media was making too much of this, as firefighters and construction workers have just as dangerous jobs! And someone (who obviously thinks alot like I do) replied that the difference is no one is SHOOTING at firemen or construction workers while they're working.

Most of my readers know I'm an ex-police officer. I can tell you that at two times in my career I was in dire straits needing back-up that didn't come on time. Once I was in a life and death fight with a guy bigger than me, but hopped up on some drug that made him ten times stronger. I had a cadet with me, and between the two of us we couldn't subdue him. The dispatcher did the same thing as the dispatcher in this sad case: she continued to call "Car 3, what's your location? Car 3, what's your location?" for about ten minutes. Not as long as the 45 minutes this RCMP dispatcher kept calling Worden. I've no doubt she's got her butt in a sling for her stupidity.

In my case, it took cars over 20 minutes to reach me, and the guy nearly strangled me to death. If I hadn't been able to pull my gun, and have him realize in his drugged state that it actually *was* a gun, I have no doubt he'd have finished me off. Timing is everything. In a medium-sized city, ten minutes on the dispatcher and 20 minutes for my back-up to get there was not acceptable in terms of getting help to me. I only had a cadet with me because it was summer time - all other seasons we were one-man cars. Or in my case, one-woman cars.

Cst. Worden should've had back-up when going into a well-known drug and weapon-related area. The problem was, there wasn't any to be had. The Ontario Provincial Police operate in the same way in small towns and have large areas to cover in between them. It's not unusual for an OPP constable to be an hour or more away from another one.

Five a.m. is what we used to call "the twilight hour", even though it was in the morning. People who've been up all night drinking and doing drugs are at their most dangerous then. People who've been fighting all night with their domestic partners are their most dangerous then because they're over-loaded on adrenaline and short on sleep - not to mention, alcohol is usually a factor as well.

No doubt that apartment complex seemed quiet on an early morning at 5 a.m. Most cops don't go to the door of an "unknown" complaint with their guns drawn. If someone's waiting for you on the other side with his gun drawn, you've got exactly two seconds to draw and fire. In that two seconds, he'll have fired and the shot will be on it's way to you, unless you can duck and weave at the same time you're drawing and firing.

I doubt Cst. Worden had a chance. Even the fact that he was found beside a spruce tree "next" to the complex shows the suspect or others pulled him over to the tree and left him there to die. He might have been concious enough to hear his dispatcher "calling" him, on and on, but obviously couldn't respond. Or, we can hope he died instantly and didn't suffer.

If the person(s) who dragged him over to that spruce tree weren't the suspect...and they didn't call it in, I hope the RCMP find them and charge them as accessories after the fact.

The RCMP has a massive recruiting drive on right now. They need a minimum of 600 recruits per year for the next four years to compensate for the retirement attrition.
It's a wonderful career for someone who wants to "live on the edge", help their communities, and do some good. If you fall within the 19-35 age bracket, consider it as a valid choice. More cops live then die. We only hear about those tragic deaths, like this one; not about the quiet heros who go about their business keeping the rest of their communities safe.

May they find "Justin Elise" quickly and deal with him severely.

My sincere condolences to Cst. Worden's wife, daughter, family, and friends.

An Unknown Tragedy

2007-10-05T16:30:00.000-06:00

Woman Arrested in Airport and later died in police custody

When I look at this video, the first thing I notice is that you can't see what the woman is doing to cause a commotion. No one's looking at her; people are walking by her with their suitcases; suddenly we see a couple of cops approach her and talk to her. This quickly turns into one grabbing her right arm, one her left arm, and before you know it, she's face down on the floor.

You'll also note that it takes about four officers to "subdue" her, before she's raised to her feet, in handcuffs, and taken off to "wherever" - likely a cruiser waiting outside. I also note with interest, how many airport security guards stood around and watched the police "arrest" her.

With no knowledge of what "disorderly" conduct the woman was doing at the time of her arrest (that was the reason given for her arrest), we can't tell if she was "high", intoxicated, suffering from a diabetic or epiletic seizure, or other health problem. That she was only in police cells for 6 to 8 minutes, allegedly yelling her head off, and it was only when things got quiet that a cop went to investigate why she'd suddenly shut up, is a very small amount of time to transpire.

The fact that officers were in the vicinity but not looking directly at her contravenes just about every normal police department protocol I've ever heard of - even back in 1984 we stationed an officer on a chair, within 3 feet of the person in the cell, in order to assure their safety. Later, video cameras where set up in the cell block, so that officers were protected from legal action in cases that were "he said/he said".

This report makes no mention of a video camera being used, and that is in itself suspicious. A police department the size of Phoenix should be able to afford video cameras, and not doubt the family's lawyer is busy asking the hard questions.

This should never have happened, and regardless of what life-saving measures were taken to save her, the autopsy results should prove interesting.

Having been an officer wearing a blue uniform and having to cuff a suspect facedown on the floor, I know that it frequently takes four or more people to subdue someone who doesn't want to be arrested. Did they check her over for health issues *before* putting her in the cell? Was she searched properly to see if she carried pills, small items to choke on like paper clips, pins, gum, small pieces of paper (you'd be surprised what people will swallow to bring attention to themselves)...you get the idea. My guess is neither was done, or not done well or according to procedure.

On the other side of the equasion, the officers involved will all be suffering from shock and fear concerning what happened. In a case like this, there are no good answers, and only the tragic early death of a woman who didn't even look like she needed to be arrested in the first place. Was she screaming obscenities? The video doesn't let us hear that - was she delirious? Delusional? Hallucinating?

If you ever use a similar situation in a MS, you can be sure that the human element of inaction, over-emotion, negligence, or officers relying on others to do what they should be doing in the first place, are all things that are realistic. On the other side, the fear and "what could I have done?" haunt most officers that find themselves in such a situation.

For the "suspect" who dies, their final moments haven't been seen, but we can only add our imaginations to what might have been, what did happen, and what should've happened.

Rest in Peace, Carol Anne...

Canadian, eh?

2007-10-03T09:38:00.000-06:00

Well, it's official. There's a full-time cop patroling my kids high school hallways, and the city's putting full-time cops in most high schools across the city. What seemed to be an American phenomenon has finally reached our fair cities, and we now work with "lockdown" procedures in case of stabbings or shootings.

Last week, a student was stabbed in the chest with a butcher knife at a local high school. Over a girl, no less. Kids seem to be carrying knives, machetes, and brass knuckles as their weapons of choice - to "feel safe". Schools are clamping down on Facebook accounts, and cell phones for their picture-taking abilities. Kids bully other kids by setting up Facebook "groups" to target unfortunate kids, and put cell-phone pics on YouTube and the net in general, as bullying tactics.

A teenage girl was attacked in the bush are behind her school, by a 14 yrs old, 16 yrs old, and another 18 yrs old. They tortured her, and beat her face so badly she's almost unrecognizable. This also happened back in Barrie, Ontario when I was running the street crisis shelter for youth. That particular young teen was attacked at a "party" because she refused to take an Ecstasy pill. She was beaten to a pulp also.

I have no answers, only prayers that my kids, and all the kids at their high school will be safe.

When we put violence in our novels, it's imaginary, happening to characters who're fictional even if they seem "real" enough to us as writers.

When the violence reaches out to our kids, it becomes something different. It feels like a Steven King novel, except that every time you see your kids get on their bus, you know they're not "characters" in a fictional world. They're your kids, your flesh and blood, the ones you love more than anything in the world.

And violence takes on a whole new meaning.

Daily Drama and some new Links...

2007-09-25T14:34:00.000-06:00

There I am, falling off the balcony of my real life...a dear friend wrote to me "This too shall pass", and I know she's right. Will it pass soon enough? is the question!

While tripping around the blogosphere, I came across two new crime writer links I just had to add to my list of Favs.

There's EVIL-E, a refreshing look at an anonymous writers take on what's going on in the Thriller World. It looks like it's going to be worth taking a daily, or at least a twice-weekly look.

Also, I found a terrific new crime writer (and cop) at JAMES O. BORN He's got three books out and the next one in the series is coming in February 2008. Check out this blog for worthwhile information on his pet peeves about mistakes TV and book writers make in their research.

In the meantime, I'm tying a knot in my rope and hanging on! I've always been a tough cookie, and I'm not going to change my MO now.

Have a great writing day!

Bad Week for Commenting on the Globe and Mail...

2007-09-22T16:24:00.000-06:00

I rarely post on the general forums re articles in our national newspaper The Globe and Mail. In fact, these forums are so ferocious as boards go, I use another name. This week I got slammed on posting about two major articles. That's okay, I've got broad shoulders! However, I thought it might be interesting to comment on them here as well.

The first article was about the Ontario Supreme Court striking down the recent addition to the Adoption Act. This addition allowed birth parents to locate their adopted children, and vice versa, freely with complete identification. The law was struck down on Constitutional grounds - the right to privacy.

Imagine my surprise when the usual liberal blatherers on this forum attacked this because of the prevailing belief in the "right of adopted children to know their heritage". Okay, before you throw tomatos at me, let me say that I have nothing against people knowing "their heritage". I *do*, however, have something to say about birth parents or siblings arriving on my doorstep to check on my adopted teenagers. I'm *thrilled* this law was eliminated, as I believe strongly in my right to privacy, and the privacy of my children.

My post on the forum was shot down by several sarcastic and nasty people who told me I was "insecure" and "paranoid" about whether or not my adopted children love me. Well, I know they love me, my husband, and we love them. We're just a regular family. :)

The reason I was protesting on the forum was to try and educate these lunatics: at adoption, adoptive parents are provided with as complete a file as possible on their child's birth family - right down to extended family, their "heritage" in terms of ethnicity, the facts surrounding their health at birth, the health of the birth family - even what city/town/county they came from. How is having this information not letting an adopted child "know their true heritage"??? I found it ludicrous.

We even know that my son's extended family members were good at woodworking. My son loves to do woodworking shop. Obviously, a talent passed on. If such detailed information is given at the time of adoption, I fail to see why birth parents/family should have the right to check on my address. They received just as detailed a dossier on us as a family, minus that kind of identifying information.

I say kudos to lawyer Clayton Ruby (a very controversial Canadian lawyer) who worked hard to have this law struck on Constitutional grounds. My children know "their heritage". Every adoption is different - the circumstances, the extent the birth family wants to be involved or not involved, and whether the records are sealed.

Am I insecure and paranoid? Nope - I just expect the laws of my country to protect my privacy and that of my family.

The second article had to do with genetic research. It stated that Geneticists are against using their research to screen pregnancies for rare diseases, or conditions such as Down Syndrome. In this case, they were talking about Gaucher's disease - a common disease found in Eastern European Jews and their descendants, which is quite treatable. However, the number of abortions obtained by expecting parents who think they "can't cope" with this disease is scary.

"Selective abortion" in the case of multiple births is common knowledge. Every woman who "tests" positve for a Down Syndrome baby is given the option to abort. However, it's also common knowledge that these genetic tests done in utero are not infallible - whether for Downs, Gauchers, or spina bifida. And yet thousands of women abort in the fear of having an "abnormal" child.

So, I got on my soapbox (anyone who regularly reads this blog knows I have one!) and protested that the Nazis murdered thousands of "mentally retarded" and "mentally ill" people, while they were busy gassing Jews. They also murdered as many gay people, or people accused of being gay, as they could get their hands on. People were outraged, once the Nazis started zeroing in on those with brown hair and brown eyes. They ignored the suffering Jews and the above people, until the Nazis started rounding up those who didn't have blonde hair and blue eyes. And yet, what were the Nazis practising? "Selective cleansing" based on genetics.

My point? If we start using genetic testing in utero, we're playing God and deciding what's "normal", what's "appropriate", and who can or can't "cope" with various medical conditions their child may have. Who's to say a person who's disabled can't have a full and worthwhile life? Hello, Steven Hawkins!

Should society project fear on to parenthood? Should we allow ourselves to be brainwashed that it's not "possible" to cope with various medical situations that may rear their heads when our babies are born? Are we that weak? Are we so used to being pushed around by our governments that we can't think for ourselves at all?

Rhetorical questions. If the geneticists in Canada are afraid of the ethical use of their research, then society should take note, and doctors should do some serious thinking before they counsel parents to abort what may or may not be a healthy fetus. We're not God, and we can't predict the future happiness and well-being of a child who may be born with some kind of "defect". If people are so unwilling to accept anything less than a "perfect" baby, I suggest new parents look in the mirror and decide whether their less than "perfect" medical history would have been grounds for aborting them. (cancer, anyone? high blood pressure? heart disease in the family?)

Instead of testing pregnancies already in progress, it makes more sense to test a couple's DNA before they create a baby. If there's problems with their DNA combining, that's the time to find out. Not when mom is carrying a four month old fetus.

Okay, off my soapbox now!

PRISON BREAK

2007-09-18T19:24:00.000-06:00

Prison Break premiered last night - did you catch it? Another heart-pounding episode guaranteed to suck you back in to the story. The writing on this show is tight, the dialogue smooth and exactly the way editors tell us to "do it", and I love the characters and their conflicts.

Last night's highlight for me was the FBI agent intervening in Michael's fight and killing the henchman. Maybe that sounds bloodthirsty on my part, lol, but the set-up to his saving Michael was solid and made me think about some of my foreshadowing and character actions. Watching a show like this can teach you alot about writing. JMHO.

And if fall and winter have to come upon us all, at least fall brings all the great shows back to help us get through another long, dark, winter.

What's your favourite TV show in the current line-up?

Sweet, sweet, Madeline....

2007-09-12T15:15:00.000-06:00

I know I'm not the only blogger to post about this ghastly situation involving Madeline McCann, the four year old all of Europe has been looking for since May. The kidnapping of a child is a parent's worst nightmare.

As an ex-police officer, I knew immediately that the Portuguese police would be looking at her parents in regards to her disappearance. Parents and close family are always the first suspects in a family members disappearance. They're normally grilled for hours - right away - and the only explanation I can think of for the McCann's not making it into the interrogation room before this past weekend, is that the police had their suspicions but no hard evidence. They obviously do things differently in Europe, or the McCanns would have been held for a bail hearing and not allowed to return to England. And I think the McCann's will find out that the DNA evidence is damning at best. But for the police and prosecutors, knowing something is true, and proving it to be true, are two different things.

Their pitiful story about leaving Madeline and their 2 yr. old twins asleep in their hotel room while they went to dinner, would earn them a "child endangerment/abandonment" charge in Canada. People do all kinds of stupid things, but leaving three children four and under alone in a strange hotel, has to be #1 on David Letterman's Top Ten List of "Reasons Some People Shouldn't Be Parents".

I've heard people on the news say that "no mother could have pleaded so convincingly" for her child to be returned. Ridiculous. Susan Smith did it, and she'd pushed a car containing her 3 yr old and 1 yr old boys into a lake and watched their frantic little faces screaming at her as they went under the surface. Diane Downs, a famous US killer, murdered one daughter, paralyzed another, and traumatized her 4 yr old son when she pulled over on a dark, back road, and shot them point blank in the rear seat of their car. Her story was that a black man had tried to car-jack them (on an unlit and untraveled road), and shot her in the forearm (it was later proven she shot herself, giving herself a flesh wound) while she was trying to protect her kids. Strangely, he disappeared in to the bush and didn't take her car after all.

So, is it so bizarre that these parents would try to palm off the story that an u/k kidnapper took their four year old out of a locked hotel room, and she hasn't been found in the past four months?

I only wish the "kidnapping" had happened in Britain, Canada, or the US, where our laws would prevent them from being out on bail, and they'd face the investigation they undoubtedly deserve. Whether Madeline died "accidently" or not, these two doctors have had a part in conspiring to hide her body, have hid her body, and at the worst, have murdered her.

It's Jon-Benet Ramsay all over again. And in the justice system, it's unfortunately true that some people can get away with murder. If in later months, I'm proven wrong, I'll gladly say the same on this blog.

My New Home

2007-09-07T20:01:00.001-06:00

It's taken a couple of weeks, and long days packing and unpacking, but we're finally in our new home. Our kids are in a fantastic school program, the city is gorgeous, and I can't believe that it only takes five minutes for me to drive to ten stores all in one place.

I loved Saskatchewan, and I'm sure glad we lived there, but this new adventure promises to be an exciting and invigorating environment. I do hate unpacking, reorganizing, putting up pictures, hanging blinds, and figuring out how to find new doctors, dentists, and dance classes. However, the kids are so happy, my dh *will* be happy once he gets his teeth into work again, and I'm happy to be somewhere where I've got friends and relatives once again.

And my computer's finally hooked up and ready for me to hit the keyboard again. I've got some thoughts for a new story, and am searching for an agent - someone who'll see my potential and if my first or second submission isn't quite right for her/him, will still let me learn on the fly. I know this is possible, because it's happened to other author friends of mine. I'm looking for an agent with sales, great contacts, and who'll have faith in me.

It's going to be a fast and furious September! How was your summer?

Taking a Break...

2007-08-21T13:49:00.000-06:00

We're finally moving to Winnipeg, where I'll be so happy to join fellow author Toni Anderson! I'll be gone for a week, so will return when I'm online again.

Meanwhile, I've added two links at the right: TITLE WAVE and LONE STAR MEANDERINGS. These are great new blogs I discovered and they're well worth a look.

Have a great week, everybody, and I look forward to being back online asap! :)

Welcome to my special guest...JUDITH ROCHELLE

2007-08-20T09:07:00.000-06:00

LW: Judith, please introduce yourself to our readers. How did you start writing in this genre and what drew you to it?

JR: I live in the Texas Hill country with my husband and our three little kittens. All of our children are out on their own so our time is pretty much as we choose it. Writing had always been my secret passion but although I worked as a journalist and wrote for several magazines I had to wait to begin writing fiction until I retired. My wonderful husband is my Number One fan, and very supportive. I always thought I’d write mysteries, because that’s what I always read. But after three months when I was still looking at the same three dumb chapters, I figured out I was doing wrong,. My introduction to the romance genre came when I read Cry No More by Linda Howard and after that everything changed for me. I finished my first manuscript in two weeks – of course it was so gawdawful I had to rewrite it about twenty times to submit it, but I felt so accomplished!

LW: You have an exciting new romantic suspense coming out - REDEMPTION. Can you give us a blurb about it? When is it coming out?

JR: REDEMPTION is built around a man named Ethan Caine, a mysterious, burnt-out warrior who has a murky background. Ethan is based on the friend of my son’s and the book was exciting to write. My heroine is a woman who has suffered unbelievably through a destructive marriage, the murder of her husband, and now the kidnapping of her son. Three months after the ransom’s paid, Jamie has still not been returned. When everyone else fails to find him, her only recourse is through Ethan Caine. As they search for Jamie together in the lush Quintana Roo jungle, barriers begin to fall and they wonder, with a successful rescue, can they each put their lives back together and move on together? As I wrote it, it was interesting to me to watch Lisa, my heroine, driven out of her shell by anger, become this very strong, very determined woman. And to see Ethan barely hope that this is the woman who can pull him back from hell.

LW: What was the "idea" behind the book?

JR: I’ve become really fascinated with Special Ops and covert operations. My model for Ethan Caine is someone I’ve known for ten years and one day just had the itch to put him in a book. When I started I had just his profile and one line. See if you can guess which line when you reads the book. I’ll send a pen and maybe some other goodies to everyone who sends in the right answer.

LW: You told me there are two more books in this series - what characters are you featuring in each book?

JR: In book Number 2 a woman from Ethan’s past arrives on his doorstep afraid for her life. With her is a child, who turns out to be Ethan’s. Killers are after them, and Ethan keeps the child at his home but gives the woman for safekeeping to Dina Brancuzzi, from REDEMPTION, a supposedly retired covert operation running fishing charters but doing black ops contract work for the government. This is his story.

LW: How did you present this series to your publisher?

JR: I sent the manuscript for REDEMPTION and when they bought it and it was released, I told my editor I had ideas for sequels,. She asked me to send them to her, which I did, and she wants me to write the next two books. So that’s very exciting!

LW: You also have a brand new book out in September. Tell us about this book and the series that's sprung from it!

JR: This is an exciting new genre for me – psychic romantic intrigue. The book is called ALWAYS ON MY MIND. I was asked to write it by the managing director of The Lotus circle, sister imprint to Ellora’s Cave. It’s an area I’ve always been interested in but never explored. The hero and heroine discovered in their teens they could communicate telepathically. They are very tight as friends, but suddenly that friendship turns into something much deeper. But Mark is in Delta Force and unwilling to make a long-term commitment while in the service, so Faith works very hard at writing successful political thrillers. Then Mark’s mission is leaked and almost all the men on his team are killed. He’s captured by the terrorists he was there to eliminate and his only contact with the outside world is through Faith. The story is about how she finds a way to rescue him. In the course of that, she meets the men of Phoenix, a covert agency doing contract work for the government and corporations. Now each of those four men will have their own book, and the women they find will have some type of psychic ability. The second book is called VISIONS OF DARKNESS, and my heroine, Mia Fleming, has precognition. I am very, very excited about this. The books are being released by The Lotus Circle, sister imprint to Ellora’s Cave.

LW: How did you get the idea for this series?

JR: The idea for the first book came from a song by the late Townes Van Zandt called, IF I NEEDED YOU – “If I needed you, would you come to me, would you come to me, for to ease my pain.” Lying in bed one night, with that song playing in my head, the story line just popped into my mind. Then as I wrote the book, the men of Phoenix became very personal to me and I thought they should each have their own story. The director agreed so we’re on to the next one.

LW: How do you like to write - are you a plotter or a pantser?

JR: A little bit of both. I start with an idea and much of the time will write some sort of synopsis, just so I don’t forget where I’m going. But otherwise I’m really a pantser, letting my characters take me where the need to go.

LW: Do you have a strict routine? How long does it take you to write one book?

JR: That depends. I can actually do it in one month if pushed and I put everything else aside – like eating and sleeping, LOL! - but two months is more realistic.

LW: What advice can you give unpublished writers? (beyond, never give up!)

JR: Definitely that. The other thing is figure out what kind of books you like to read-those are what you should write. I was so in love with the hero in Linda Howard’s CRY NO MORE that I wrote RUN FOR YOUR LIFE to create my own hero. Don’t be discouraged. Check the web for romance writers Yahoo groups. There are always helpful discussions going on. Find a critique group. You really need other input into what you right. And don’t let rejection letters get you down. We all have tons of them. Just keep on writing.

LW: What kinds of things do you like to do when you're not writing?

JR: That’s easy – read, read, read. Play golf. And from August through December I watch every football game eon television. I am the original football maniac. I take my laptop and sit on the couch, writing and watching two games at a time.

On the 23rd I’ll be blogging at the Killer Passion Blog and on the 24th I’ll be doing an author stint on ebooklove. I’m also running a contest through August 31 to celebrate the release in print of LOVE WITH A PROPER RANCHER, the first in a trilogy, and two weeks later, CUTTER’S LAW in ebook. Jump on over to my web site at www.judithrochelle/com and get the details and enter the contest. Lots of great prizes. Rancher, like REDEMPTION, is available at amazon.com and barnes&noble.com

I have also started a Yahoo group, just for announcements and for my readers to discuss my books. You can register at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/authorjudithrochelle/ And I’m running a contest there for signed books just for members of ther group. All you have to do is join.

Below is an article I wrote on Where Do Ideas Come From:

So many people ask me the question “Where do writers get their ideas? How do they come up with plot lines? With characters?” I used to ask the same question myself before the writing bug bit me, and I took all the suggestions I’d been given and figured out how to use them.

For one thing, always carry a notebook with you – big, small, tiny enough for a purse, it doesn’t matter. Just something to keep notes in. Say you’re in a restaurant having Shrimp Louie and a chilled glass of Chablis and the people at the next table begin arguing about wine. Okay, what if they are co-owners in a winery. One wants to sell, the other doesn’t. And if it’s a family winery all the more intense. So you jot down the gist of their conversation and maybe a word or two about the people themselves so you have character references.

Another good place to people watch is a mall. Every kind of humanity will pass before your eyes in the space of an hour. You can look at each one and play the “What If: game. What if that guy covered with tattoos is really part of a biker gang running drugs? What if the couple looking so romantic are actually married – to other people? What if the old woman sitting across from you is really a millionaire looking for someone to give money to, but her family is fighting it, trying to have her declared incompetent? Well, you get the idea.

Newspapers are a great source, too. Even letters to the editor. I read one in our local paper from a woman who had just moved to town and was renting a house, gone jogging and was caught in a downpour and a very nice man in a truck – with a dog – gave her a ride home. From that I came up with the idea for a romantic suspense about a woman who returns to her hometown after leaving it twenty-five years before. No one knows her after all this time. She’s changed her name, she’s a true crime writer and she’s back to solve the mystery of her sister’s murder.

You can even steal a little bit from television. I watched an episode of CSI in which a couple left their dead baby for the police to find and faked a kidnapping. The baby was actually killed by their five-year-old child. It was an accident but they didn’t know what to do. Okay, here’s where the “What If” came in for me. What If a family had a child that was really a bad seed, had would they find a way to remedy the situation? Watch for ECHOES OF THE PAST, out in May from Triskelion Publishing, to find out how far I took the “What If” game with this one.
When something triggers an idea in your mind, pull out that little notebook and jot it down. You never know how you can flesh it out at a later date. Describe people you see who fascinate you, places that might make good settings for stories. Anything that you find interesting, someone else will like, too.

But the most important thing to remember is that ideas come from YOUR MIND. So give your imagination free reign. Nothing is too absurd or off the wall. New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart said, “If you write a page a day, at the end of the year you’ll have a book.”

So start watching what goes on around you and putting those ideas down. Maybe at the end of the year you’ll have finished your book.

LW: Judith, thank you for spending the time with us today! Good luck with your new series. Again, anyone who wants to check out Judith's website for book or contest information, visit
JUDITH ROCHELLE

Make Sure You're Here!

2007-08-17T15:50:00.000-06:00

On Monday August 10th, JUDITH ROCHELLE will be my guest blogger. She writes erotic romantic suspense under her pen name Desiree Holt, and inspirationals as Emily Brevard. Her sexy romances are published throughThe Wild Rose Press, and we're going to talk about her new book due out in September, as well as the two series she's got on the go!

I'll be giving a prize randomly from any comments or questions put on my Blog.

Make sure you check in Monday to learn about Judith's approach to writing, and her essay on "Where Do Ideas Come From".

THE AUTHORS ASSISTANT

2007-08-15T09:54:00.000-06:00

I've put a link through to my friend Pollyanna Lundy's site under LINKS at the right hand side. She's a fantastic web designer and offers full services to authors. You can see samples of her work at her site. She's very reasonable, which is helpful to budding unpubs or debut authors.

I recommend her highly! Check out The Authors Assistant if you're new, or are looking to change up your website.

WHAT YOU DISCOVER WHEN PACKING

2007-08-15T09:17:00.000-06:00

1) You decide you'll never be a size 10 or 12 again (never mind a "medium"), so you clean out your closet ruthlessly. You end up with two garbage bags for Sally Ann.

2) You have renewed angst over the fact that out of you and your two sisters, you received the ugliest silver ware and silver tea set to be had in the family.

3) You discover bags and bags of school memorabilia for both kids - dating back to 1998. Oh yeah, you planned on sorting all that out when you moved here a year and a half ago - stuff everything back in the bags!

4) Your dh refuses to give up his MBA textbooks, which are taking up a whole shelf of your "writing" bookcase. This means you'll finally have to pick up the piles of writing books on the floor of your office and stick them ????

5) You find a whole file of notes for your fourth novel, which you thought was "lost". Great rejoicing ensues!

6) Your movers inform you that contrary to your LAST move, you now have to take apart your entire patio set (make sure you keep your bolts yourself), and ALL your Canadian Tire metal shelving in the basement.

7) Your movers inform you that now they no longer transport photo albums, scrapbooks, or photos of any kind, in case they lose them. Piles of these will have to go in your own vehicles - since when are movers supposed to "lose" anything???

8) You have to count every DVD, video, CD, and Playstation game in the house and list them on a new form: the "highly valuable" form. When you're done that, you can list all your signed, limited edition prints, and collector books too.

9) Your mother chooses this time to have a major "crisis" - and you're 3000 miles away so it stands to reason you're the one who has to talk her through it.

10) You discover your file of contest certificates. You realize that in spite of it all, you'll still be a writer no matter where you live - it's all just a matter of getting from Point A to Point B. :)

BEFORE THE MOVE.....

2007-08-13T09:52:00.000-06:00

I know I've been MIA for a few weeks, but it's been crazy here trying to coordinate everything before we move, *and* trying to keep up on my revisions. Moving creates "Lists of Things To Do", and I keep crossing things off, and finding even more things to put on another List. Thankfully, dh is great on helping organize and take things off my plate, such as booking reconnections for utilities, the "Net", etc. at the other end.

I can't believe how much stuff we still have to "purge" - things we don't need/use anymore, that I don't want to drag with us this time. It's definitely true that we're a consumer society and have too many material things piled up. I didn't think I could ever accuse myself of that, but as I make lists for the movers of DVD's, videos, our Folio collector books, my writing books....it's clear we've fallen into the entertainment trap just like everyone else we know.

We went to a formal Mess Dinner last Friday p.m. for the graduation of three of my dh's classmates who're going on fighter jets. It was wonderful to take part in all the Air Force traditions, even the "stranger" ones such as the men/women in uniform getting up on their chairs and putting their right foot on the table (white linen, no less) while the Air Force Anthem was played, and then yelling "AIR FORCE!" before pouring a shot down their throats. I was wishing I'd known about it before hand and gotten a quick picture of it.

At Mess Dinner's there's an empty table set, with a chair leaning up against the table as though it's "saved" for someone. The glasses are all turned upside down, to symbolize that no one will sit there, there's a wedge of lemon on a plate to symbolize the bitterness of the loss of our comrades in arms, a bowl with salt in it to symbolize the tears shed by the families of lost loved ones, a single red rose to symbolize the blood shed for our country, and a red ribbon around it's vase to symbolize the current member's pledge to shed their blood for their country. The description of this table setting is read at the start of every Mess Dinner, and it's very touching.

I'll try and pop in and keep up with other's blogs and news before we move. Sorry it's sporadic, but those closets are calling my name right now! Hope everyone's having a great August, and getting every last squeeze out of your summer. :)

Why Criminals?

2007-08-02T11:26:00.001-06:00

Someone asked me why I talk about criminals and crime so much on my Blog. Well, I'm a crime/suspense/romantic suspense writer, and I find news stories to be inspirational. I also scope out research on how the criminal mind works.

Most importantly, I used to be a police officer, and I also worked as Program Director for a Young Offenders correctional facility. In 1991, I opened the first street youth crisis shelter in my home city, and received a Governor-Generals' medal for the honour.

I've had significant experience with crime, criminals, and what makes them tick. Of course, I have personal opinions on these issues, which most cops/ex-cops do. For example, I have a sister-in-law who's a clinical psychologist and specializes in treating sex offenders. She believes they can be rehabilitated - from my experience, in my opinon, they cannot be. She's much more liberal in her thinking than I am, but we all have our different perspectives!

So, I hope I can percolate your thinking with some of these posts, as to what happens in true crime situations. I hope this is useful to suspense/romantic suspense writers. Like everything else, there's the victims story, the suspects story, and the police who deal with both of them. Their stories; how police officers cope, and their unique views on the world, are what I try to recreate in my books.

Police Capture Wanted Murderer

2007-07-31T22:04:00.000-06:00

This week on the Clues-N-News eloop of the Kiss of Death Chapter we've been debating the differences (if any) between a sociopath and a psychopath. The man above is James Imeson, 22 yrs old, who was finally captured today after nearly two weeks on the run. He was heading east to Quebec, when all police forces thought he'd head west because he had family out here.

This man allegedly murdered three people - one in his own apartment, and an elderly married couple in their home, during what was likely a home invasion to find food and money.

So, look into his eyes. What do you see? Evil? Despair? A con man? A ruined man? A man with no conscience?

I see a young man with nothing to lose. He's likely a sociopath due to the fact that he allegedly killed two unarmed retired people by shooting them - something he didn't have to do, but they were in his way. He'll show no remorse for any of the murders, and the murder in his apartment in Windsor was probably personal in nature -a debt, something about his two year old daughter, a rival for his lover...a writer's mind can go on and on with the possibilities.

His was the last face those three people saw. Now, we'll see his face on the news for the next month or so, while he's arraigned, bail is set, his lawyer hired.

We discussed the nature or nurture question, regarding sociopaths. In his eyes, I see the lack of nurturing, the abusive background, the jail time, and solitary living. His one redeeming feature may be that they think he was going back to Windsor to get his little girl.

It was time he was caught - a desperate man with nothing to lose is dangerous, especially when he's already killed three people. Whatever has caused James Imeson to be what he's become, he's going to spend most of his adult life in federal prison.

Such a waste of a life.

Jason H Presents Canadian Forces Tribute

2007-07-31T18:50:00.001-06:00

The news is full of the political posturing between our Defense Minister, Gordon O'Connor, and our Chief of Defense Staff, General Rick Hillier. Personally, I believe Gen. Hillier is the only one with a true vision of what it's going to take to get the Afghan Army up and running. In the meantime, I've posted this tribute to our Canadian Forces to remind us all that this mission is worthy of Canadian participation.

A New Woman's Sport

2007-07-30T10:24:00.000-06:00

HighHeelSprint

Click on the link above to see what's new in Russia - a Chick-Lit writer's dream event! Personally, I confess to a shoe addiction which I've never been able to afford - I love shoes; high heels, glitzy, red, gold, satin, stiletto sandals, you name it - I love it! Guess that's why my current heroine wears stilettos while undercover.

Unfortunately, I'm usually stuck with a SAHM's usual runners or slip-on sandals. But the day is coming.... :)

What kind of shoes do you favour? Are you a secret collector? Do you still have your prom shoes? (I have my wedding pumps securely tucked away in tissue in a sealed box)

Some women collect charm bracelets, earrings, shoes, or rock concert Tshirts. What do you like to collect?

Collateral Damage

2007-07-23T15:11:00.000-06:00

Eleven year old Ephraim Brown was slain this past weekend when two gangs opened fire on each other outside a kid's birthday party. Ephraim had the misfortune to be standing on the wrong spot on the sidewalk, and was shot in the neck, dying almost instantly.

His older sisters were interviewed on TV asking the North End Toronto gangs to break their code of silence, so police could find the killer(s) of their little brother. So far, the police have arrested one suspect, Akiel Eubank, aged twenty-one. "Mr." Eubank's well-known to police as a gang-banger with a long criminal history.

As usual, I'm "preaching to the choir", as I did last Dec.26th, when I say that until the black community comes together and does something about their gang problem, more shootings and deaths will continue. Ephraim's sisters are correct - the black community must stop living in fear of retaliation from these animals, and take back their neighborhoods. Easy to say, maybe not easy to do. Ephraim's not the only child to die this year from a gang shooting. If the black community leaders who lobby City Hall constantly for other considerations do their job, Ephraim will be the last child murdered by Toronto gang-bangers.

A Week of Holidays....

2007-07-18T15:21:00.001-06:00

Saskatchewan truly is the "land of living skies". I love the huge vistas of grain edging upon the horizon. The skies are either pure azure blue, blue with fluffy clouds, or splashed grey with thunder coming. The sun never seems to stop shining, and the breeze Saskatchewan is known for, never stops blowing, whether softly or in wild passion among what few trees there are here. I'm going to miss the wide, open spaces so much when we move.

I wanted to share the beauty we've found on our holiday.

WORKING AWAY...

2007-07-11T17:15:00.001-06:00

I had a great writing day today - 15 new pages! At this rate, I may make my personal deadline yet.

How's everybody else doing? Or is everyone at RWA Nationals except me? :)

NEW DEBUT AUTHOR!!!

2007-07-11T14:27:00.000-06:00

MIRA books has a new debut author - Rachel Vincent. Her book STRAY is out now and she's got plans for a trilogy on this fantastic heroine who's a grad student by day and a werecat whenever the situation calls for it. Her next book is ROGUE, to be followed by PRIDE.

Her world-building is spectacular - I don't think I've ever read an author who can pull you in so quickly to accepting the laws and boundaries of this world she's created. It's nice to see a change from werewolves too, although they have their place for all you paranormal lovers out there! Werecats are sleek, sexy, and heavy on the mystique.

I urge you to run, not walk, to your nearest WalMart, Borders, Barnes & Noble, or get on Amazon.com to get this book before copies are sold out. You won't regret it. I promise.

Click on RACHEL VINCENT to visit her website and learn all about this fascinating new author. She's going to be to the paranormal, what Lisa Gardner is to romantic suspense thrillers. And you heard it here, first!

TRUE CRIME

2007-07-09T22:17:00.000-06:00

Canadian justice has come into it's own at last. Today a court convicted a 13yr old girl on three counts of first-degree murder. And boy, did she have this coming to her. She's the youngest person ever to be convicted in Canada of such a heinous crime.

For those of you who don't read online or get Canadian papers, let me just say that this little psychopath cooked up a plot to murder her parents and eight year old brother with her then 23 year old boyfriend. They sent emails and love letters back and forth figuring out how to do it - she was upset because she was being grounded all the time, and she "hated" them. She even drew a picture of the three members of her family being burned alive, which was admitted into evidence.

The maximum this chickie'll get is 10 years, with only 6 yrs to be served in a maximum jail setting. Luckily, they didn't buy her meek, whispery voice, or the defense that she was caught up in a sexual/co-dependent relationship with an "older man".

Right after the murders, she took her mom's ATM card out of her purse, called a cab, and went to a friend's house. She partied with her now cleaned up boyfriend (he did much of the stabbing and killing - she held her eight year old brother down in a choke hold just to help her boyfriend along.) She even copped to stabbing him once in the chest, but the killing wound was a throat slash that severed his jugular, and larynx. Eight years old, and she testified that he was pleading with her to save him.

Karla Homolka has nothing on this kid - at least Karla was 19 or so before she offered up her drugged little sister to her then-boyfriend, Paul Bernardo, as a "virgin offering".

What can possibly explain this kind of psychopathic behaviour in a 13 yr old girl?

Evil. Pure, unadulterated evil. We don't like to talk about it, we like to sugar-coat things and put psychological labels on them.

But these two are evil. Plain and simple. If any of us had thought up this plot, it's grisly details might have turned most editors off.

Six years from now, she'll have finished high school in prison, because in Canada we pay for things like education, both high school and university for our prisoners. She won't be rehabilitated because no system can possibly reach a girl who can coldly, and callously massacre her entire family.

For her mother who was a naturopathic healer, her father who was a hard worker in an industrial field, and her poor, innocent little brother, I can only hope that somehow they're at rest and at peace.

Evil. Sometimes we don't like to face it.

We're Making Progress!

2007-07-05T09:27:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I wrote 10 brand new pages, which is alot considering the small amount of time I've got alloted during the day. That's approx. 2500 words, whoopee! I know alot of writers can go faster, but I'm realizing that I've taken this story in a much farther direction than I first thought. That's what happens when you let your characters do the talking. :)

I've put up new pics of JC, my hero, and Leanne, my heroine, to keep me inspired. Hope your characters are behaving for you all!

AGGRAVATING WEDNESDAY....

2007-07-04T14:14:00.000-06:00

I've just had two major things happen - well, they're major to me, lol! and I figured, why not share them with you? :)

1) My 14 yr old washing machine died in the middle of a load. A load which included most of our towels, and is now sitting there half full of water. Anything like this ever happen to you? The repairman can't come till 10 a.m. tomorrow, and as it sounds like the motor's seized, we'll likely have to buy a new one. Just when we're moving and have all THOSE expenses to consider. (Like paying $300.00 for our pets to be vaccinated and documented just so we can cross the Saskatchewan border into Manitoba - give me a break!) So, ARGH!! It's ruined my stream-lined writing day, not to mention if we have to buy a NEW washer, it won't get here till next Tuesday. (see Laurie in the town's seedy laundrymat - we only have one, and I'm afraid we'd pick up iggly-wiggleys, and goodness knows what else!)

2) I just called our Worship Pastor (who's the only guy around - our new Senior Pastor doesn't start till Sept.1) to rant about our church having to cancel the final week of Vacation Bible School - we only run three weeks, and they had to plead from the pulpit this past Sunday for more volunteers just to get through next week. (I'm one of the volunteers) We only need 14 people to run a week, we've got kids on a waiting list, and only four people volunteered for the third week. It seems most women like dealing with the preschoolers, and not the grades 4-6 kids.

I'm absolutely appalled that a church with over 500 people can't come up with 14 for a week of volunteering. And I know the problem isn't just with my church - it's a universal problem to get volunteers out of the pews and off their butts in just about ANY church. I "volunteered" to speak on the platform about how the congregation needs to be held accountable for this unbelievable lack of desire to minister to children - and they're not just "church" kids, which is the whole point of having a Vacation Bible School. (He just laughed, and I know he won't let me anywhere near the platform! But he did promise to address it)

How does a church solve this problem? How can a church get people motivated to actually *serve* in their churches??? Back in Ontario, we belonged (over the years) to two churches who had to BUS kids in from the country, and run shuttles from meeting points like shopping malls to the church. People signed up in March to be volunteers, and we had an average of 180 kids per WEEK!!

I don't think this is just because Saskatchewan is an under-populated province. This is a 35,000 person city, and also draws from the rural areas. I think it's the old "someone else will do it", syndrome.

If you're reading this, and you haven't volunteered to do something at your church for their Vacation Bible School, please reconsider your time commitments and get out there to help your leaders. VBS reaches children in a different way than just going to Sunday School, and it's easier to get their friends to sign up with them. VBS can have a direct impact on a child's spiritual journey. It's a crucial program in any church.

Okay, enough ranting. If you're not serving in some capacity in your church already, please check your Biblical concordances and look up "servanthood" and "ministry". Maybe it's time to get out of the pew and into the trenches. Just think about it, and after that, like Nike says, Just Do It!!!

A BELATED 'HAPPY CANADA DAY' !!

2007-07-02T21:08:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, June 30th, Margaret Wente, a columnist with the GLOBE AND MAIL - one of our national newspapers, wrote "254 Solitudes, and Counting". It was a dreary, depressing, and cynical essay on why Canada's not working, and why we've lost our "values and aspirations". Let me quote:

"If Canada has one claim to fame, it is as the immigration country that works. Wherever I travelled in Europe last fall, people would ask me, "How do you do it?" And I would smile sweetly and pretend that Canadians are simply more tolerant, more welcoming, and more eager to celebrate diversity than any other nation in the world. Let's hope they don't find out the truth...In 1981, Statistics Canada identified six "ethnic enclaves" across the country - communities where a single visible minority group made up more than 30 per cent of the population. Twenty years later, there were 254."

Margaret doesn't list which 254 minorities comprise Canada today, but she has alot to say about how "the job of civic society is to overcome these tribal resentments (she's talking about how people of one ethnic group tend to live together and resent the "majority"), and replace them with a set of values and aspirations that are shared. But our age is all about accentuating differences. We're supposed to not just recognize and tolerate these differences, but to embrace and celebrate them."

Hmmm, good thing you "smiled sweetly" last fall, Margaret. It is a fact that Canada has the highest immigration rate in the world. It's also a fact that yesterday on CTV Live, I saw many, many, different races of people, and their children wearing red and white hats, wash-off tattoos of our flag, and waving flags vehemently as our Governor-General arrived on Parliament Hill. Why were they all waving flags and happy to be here?

Because Canada does have strong values and aspirations that our immigrants have come here for,and for good reason;

1) Freedom of speech, liberty, and safety of persons. Ask anyone from Afghanistan, Somalia, the Czech Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba (need I go on?) how they feel about residing in a country where they're not afraid of soldiers taking away their children, they can practice their religion in freedom, and don't have to submit to policed road checks, whether they enjoy living here. Bet they'll say "Thank God!", Margaret.

2) Class-free education for everyone, universal health care, and suitable housing. We Canadians put a high price on our educational system, health care, and keeping our homeless off the streets.

3) We value dignity for all, the *inclusion* of all in our society, and educate our children to value this as well.

Margaret Wente would have us believe that the only values taught in our schools today are "anti-bullying and recycling. These are good things, to be sure. But maybe not quite enough to build a whole society on."

A "whole society"? We have a whole society, Margaret. We're not perfect, and there is some inherent racism, as there is in any society. But I'd submit that by celebrating and tolerating the differences in the immigrants who come here, we're preventing the repression of the second and third generations of immigrant's children who rise up in search of their "real" identity. The UK and Europe have taught us that much.

Our "whole" society allows people to be who they are - and if they feel divided between being "Afghanistan-Canadian" or "African-Canadian" or "First Nations Canadian", then that is their personal problem, not the society they live in.

If we fail to tolerate each other's differences, we are on the slippery slope to something the '40's called "Nazisim" - the idea of a supreme race over every other race. And that is something Canada will never tolerate - our Charter of Rights and Freedoms attests to that.

I know several family members, and friends, who don't share my views. They're afraid of the "Asian incursion", the "al Quada kids" who live in the projects (referring to Muslims, of course), etc. They feel they're in the minority where they live. Well, there's a solution for that - if you don't like living in "Chinatown", then move. If you can't stand the sight of little girls walking to school wearing head scarves, then move somewhere else.

The first immigrants to this country were French and English. Then later, the Irish, the Hutterites and Mennonites running from religious prosecution, the Germans and Ukranians who populated our Prairies, the Chinese who built our trans-Canada rail road, the blacks who came North during the Civil War...they built this countries economy, infrastructure, and developed it into what it is today.

Let's face it, Margaret, the only people who weren't immigrants, were the First Nations peoples. And their history and inclusion in our society is our only weak link in an otherwise empowering, tolerant, and compassionate Canada.

But that's the source of another blog! I hope everyone had a great Canada Day and long weekend!

Missing in Action...

2007-06-29T14:18:00.000-06:00

I spent last week trying to finish up work, and do Kiss of Death's BIAW at the same time. I actually managed to write 23 pages in one day! A personal best. "Outside of the house work" is now officially done, and I can get back to communing with my Muse.

I've got all my new characters sketched out, my synopsis done (Thanks to Lethaladies at KOD), and am finally writing the new subplots and putting all the pieces together. Although I'm an outliner, I find I still discover great ideas as I go along.

This time, I don't have time to make a collage, or do the usual binder-thingy I usually do. I'm hard at it and just want to get the thing ready for submission.

How about you? Are you close to submitting something, have submitted something, or are you planning to take the summer off?

(Btw, the picture above was taken by my dh and shows the rippling highway going off to the horizon of Saskatchewan. We *do* have a few hills and valleys!)

So, What Movie Genre Are You?

2007-06-13T20:28:00.000-06:00

This is a hoot, because I don't write erotica at all. Guess the quizz had different ideas! I do write suspense/thrillers - how much of a thriller my books are will be up to an agent/editor in the long run. I truly believe agents/editors also buy potential, as well as what they see on the page. If they can see that spark of real talent, they'll find a way to nurture it and you.

Erotic Thriller

You've made your own rules in life - and sometimes that catches up with you.
Winding a web of deceit comes naturally, and no one really knows the true you.

Your best movie matches: Swimming Pool, Unfaithful, The Crush

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

The World of Romance...

2007-06-13T14:34:00.000-06:00

In honour of my DH's being away for the week, I thought I'd post something he brought home from work. Personally, I thought it was hilarious, considering a guy wrote it. Hopefully, it won't offend anybody!

In the world of romance, one single rule applies: Make the woman happy. Do something she likes, and you get points. Do something she dislikes and points are subtracted. You don't get any points for doing something she expects. Sorry, that's the way the game is played. Here is a guide to the points system:

SIMPLE DUTIES
• You make the bed ....................+1
* You make the bed, but forget to add the decorative pillows.... 0
* You throw the bedspread over rumpled sheets...................-1
* You leave the toilet seat up.............-5
* You replace the toilet paper roll when it is empty............ 0
* When the toilet paper roll is barren, you resort to Kleenex...-1
* When the Kleenex runs out you use the next bathroom...........-2
* You go out to buy her extra-light panty liners with wings.....+5
* in the snow...............+8
* but return with beer..........-5
* and no liners....................-25
* You check out a suspicious noise at night....... 0
* You check out a suspicious noise and it is nothing............ 0
* You check out a suspicious noise and it is something..........+5
* You pummel it with a six iron...........+10
* It's her cat.........................-40

HER BIRTHDAY
* You take her out to dinner................ 0
* You take her out to dinner and it's not a sports bar....+1
* Okay, it is a sports bar..........-2
* And it's all-you-can-eat night....-3
* It's a sports bar, it's all-you-can-eat night, and your face is painted the colors of your favorite team......-10

A NIGHT OUT WITH THE BOYS
* Go with a pal.........................+5
* The pal is happily married............+4
* Or frighteningly single...............-7
* And he drives a Ferrari...............-10
* With a personalized license plate (GR8 NBED)........-15

A NIGHT OUT WITH HER
* You take her to a movie...............+2
* You take her to a movie she likes.....+4
* You take her to a movie you hate......+6
* You take her to a movie you like......-2
* It's called Death Cop 3...............-3
* Which features Cyborgs that eat humans....-9
* You lied and said it was a foreign film about orphans.....-15

YOUR PHYSIQUE
* You develop a noticeable pot belly.............-15
* You develop a noticeable pot belly & exercise to get rid of it ...............................+10
* You develop a noticeable pot belly and resort to loose jeans and baggy Hawaiian shirts.......-30 *
*You say, "It doesn't matter, you have one too."......-800

THE BIG QUESTION (a no win question)
* She asks, "Do I look fat?" * You hesitate in responding.....-10
* You reply, "Where?"............-35
* Any other response.............-20

COMMUNICATION
When she wants to talk about a problem:
* You listen, displaying a concerned expression...... 0
* You listen, for over 30 minutes....................+5
* You listen for more than 30 minutes without looking at the TV..................................+100
* She realizes this is because you have fallen asleep....-200