It’s been a rough couple months  recovering physically for me.   Apparently it takes longer to heal when you get older.  I know the x-rays showed no broken bones, but I almost feel like they lied.  I still have pains in the injured areas, and complications  from the injuries.  Ibuprofen is my friend.  I quit taking the pain meds and muscle relaxers pretty quickly as they rendered me into a big pile of mush that just oozed onto the sofa.

I can make it about 15 minutes on the treadmill, then my hip catches and my lower back  pain begins.  the same goes for the elliptical, or the cycle.  Trying to strengthen the joints, while avoiding additional injury has been a real challenge for me.  Now, I’m not whining – you know I hate whine.  Just stating that I’ve had a few setbacks and am slower at recovering than I ever anticipated.

So, enough about me and my aches and pains.  I’m going to give you a little teaser for my new story over on Storytime.  It’s not as smouldering as some of my previous ones.

Here’s a sample from Oral Dilemma, Part 1.

I was honored today to learn authorAllison Bruning  chose to award me!  How cool is that?

Allison is the author of Calico and Reflections.

This is a new blog award, pretty cool huh?  Ironic that I am getting these now, as I’ve not been keeping up with the blog recently.    This is encouragement to get back to it.  I will admit, I’ve missed it, and the blogging seems to help me clear my head to be able to focus on my fiction writing. Has anyone out there missed me,  missed my specific brand of sarcasm and wit?  Anyone?  Beuller?

This isn’t my typical post, but then again lately – what’s typical?  Life gets busy sometimes, you know?  I’ve been prepping for a speaking engagement, which was April 27th.  It went quite well.  Last year around this time, and this same seminar – I wrenched my knee and tore the meniscus in my left knee and the interior ligament.  I was more careful this time.

I don’t think the presentation was nearly as dynamic as melting a mannequin with a blow torch but then again, there were no fire hazards.  No props, no fire, just a video clip from ‘The Incredibles’, and PowerPoint pictures of a medieval knight ( Sir Rustalot stayed home this time), a modern knight – a marine; and Ironman! I know, you’re scratching your head wondering how in the world all of that was relevant to the other  but I managed.  You know me – tie together vampires and butterflies, or did you miss that post?

Then I’ve been tackling a home DIY project – might even post some pics of my finished work.  The oldest daughter is getting ready to graduate high school and before planning a party I realized – OMG, I’ve got  to paint the bathroom.  Then upon looking around  -and the hall, oh and the bedroom needs fresh paint.  But, for now I am sticking just with the bathroom and the hallway.

Now, onto the award:  the rules are pretty simple.

1.  Display the award on my Blog.  (check)
2.  Link back to the person who nominated me. (check – link above to Allison)
3.  State seven things about myself. ( oh come on, you guys don’t really need to know this stuff – it’s boring)
4.  Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award  and link to them.  (fifteen????  scratches head bewildered.  Well

I ‘ll see what I can manage)
5.  Notify these bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements.

What fun!! It’s great when you win awards!   I’ve won a blog award!!  Cool beans! 

My friend Abyrne Mostyn ( http://abyrnemostyn.com/)   presented me with the Sunshine Award last week, which is presented to those who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.

Wow!  I am honored that he feels I positively and creatively inspire others.  Haven’t been feeling very inspiring lately, maybe this will kick my derriere in gear. 

Thank you so much Abyrne!   BTW – if  you want a good short read in erotica, Abyrne’s book Swingers is excellent! 

As a recipient, I’ve been asked to share some information about myself.  You guys sure you want to know this stuff?  Well, here goes anyways:

Favorite Color:  Red

Favorite Animal:  raccoons and dragons

Favorite Number:  12

Favorite non-alcoholic Drink:  Coffee

Facebook or twitter?  Facebook -  I’m still a novice at twitter.

Passion:  Absolutely.  Life without passion is boring and dull.  In everything have passion.  Passion for  cooking good food, passion for living , passion in pursuing dreams, passion for writing, passion in my relationship. . . . ABSOLUTELY PASSION!

Giving or Getting a present:  Giving.  I just adore surprising my friends and loved ones with gifts.  Sometimes it’s just little things and often not anything extravagant, but it’s a way to express that I care.  Of course, not opposed to getting either but I get great joy in giving.

Favorite Day:  I don’t know, I’ll let you know when it happens. (Alright technically, this isn’t true but I figured I’d throw  out the cliché’ days of wedding and children’s births. I’ve had accomplishments, and good days over the course of my *clears throat* years.  But My favorite day hasn’t happened yet, I have a specific goal in mind.)

Favorite Flowers: Lilacs – A lot of happy childhood memories associated with lilacs.  My mother always had a lilac bush and they are  a sign that spring has arrived.

I’d like to take my turn and pass this award on to a couple of aspiring writers who you all wanna be watching out for as I know they are well into some great writing!!

David Alvin – http://heroesdontkill.blogspot.com/

Cody Martin – Resonant Blue - http://codylmartin.blogspot.jp/

Vicki Locey - Thoughts from a yodeling Goat Herder

Reblogged from Kristen Lamb's Blog:

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To give characters depth, we have to be people-watchers. Study people. Know thyself. I strongly recommend reading books on psychology as part of research. For instance, I read a lot of FBI books on profiling.

As writers, characters need some amount of consistency without being predictable. If there is some deviation from the profile, there must be a good reason WHY, other than we need a character to act a certain way to move our story forward.

Read more… 1,249 more words

I’m  not really sure when the love/hate relationship began.  It seems like it’s been there forever, but surely when I was two it wasn’t present.  I am aware that by kindergarten it was firmly in place.  Somewhere between birth and the tender age of five I fell into the love/hate thing.  Always aware, always conscious that I  . . .was the fat girl.

I look back on pictures of myself in kindergarten, and know that my brothers tormented me calling me fatty fatty four by four.  Seriously,  I was a pretty average sized kid – but solid.  I’ve never been skinny, or  a waif.  By fourth grade I had pudged out to butterball proportions.  Indeed I became the labels that I was taunted with.

You know, it affects you hearing those names.   That old saying “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me”.   That’s a big fat hairy lie!  Words hurt far more than being beaten with a cane.  Words last a lifetime, being beaten with a belt or cane, or switch only lasts a short while.  Bruises heel but the word scars cut deep.  It was enough to perpetuate a lifelong struggle with weight.

Regardless of other issues of dysfunctional family life, or abuse, over eating became a self medicating action.   Think I”m lying?  Watch a kid that’s upset inhale a ton of sugar then buzz around until they literally crash.  Talk about setting up your system for problems.  I developed a sweet tooth at a very early age,  Sugar is one of the most addictive substances on earth.

Anyway, the love/hate thing: it’s a total mental game that I play with myself.  I try to avoid the scale because based on where the needle lands, I will either be ecstatic if it drops down even a fraction,or crushed if it goes up a fraction. How many of you know that is a poor indicator?  Do you know the average woman’s body can fluctuate as much as 6 pounds within 1 day?  That is a roller coaster set up for disaster.  I weigh myself once a week.

I think many women, especially American women battle with the love/hate relationship with their body.

I have decided that it’s time to settle things with myself.  There was a time when I felt good in my own skin.  I felt confident, I felt strong, healthy, alive and energetic.  Age of course has bearing on all those things, but my goal is that feeling I had;  a feeling of confidence, of knowing that I was capable.

If you’ve ever watched any episode of Biggest Loser, you know the contestants  biggest battle is in their mind.  We play these horrible mind games on our self.  We tell our self we can’t .  We tell our self we aren’t worthy.  We tell ourselves we aren’t good enough.  We tell ourselves – we aren’t pretty enough, smart enough, rich enough, tall enough, and a whole slew of other things of why we can’t have the good things in life.  Talk about a self-defeating attitude.

I refuse to engage in the self-defeating mind games any longer.  Instead of why I can’t, I ask myself why and how I can.  I preach myself encouragement.  Yeah, you may have noticed a few rounds of encouragement on my blog here, thanks for joining me for the lecture.

I’m not making any land-speed record for weight loss, but i am making progress.  Slowly but surely.  I fear it’s slower than a turtle but there is progress never the less. the biggest progress is on the inside.  Stopping the self-defeating track that has played for so many years.

I Know I spend a lot of time discussing weight loss also, there’s a reason for that.  This is the  biggest issue, my biggest battle that I face.  It’s like I can tackle pretty much anything life throws at me.  Reworking three years of work that someone destroyed – yeah, I didn’t give up.  Handling multiple roles in life – not that I really have a choice there.   Being responsible and teaching my children to be responsible adults – well I don’t really consider that an option either.  But this weight thing – it has kicked my butt for years.

NO  MORE!  It’s going down!  This last outpost for the love/hate relation is going to be destroyed.

Why is it such an issue in my life?  As I figure out the answers to that question, the walls come down brick by brick.  Sometimes we have to understand how the wall was built-in order to destroy it. I’m laying siege to the last bastions of  ‘fat chick’.  She’s not bullying me anymore.  She’s not ruling over my body anymore.  Like the metamorphosis of a butterfly – I kind of look at this soft exterior I currently have as a sort of cocoon, a chrysalis that houses the  emerging beauty of renewed life.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,  – why do I get so metaphorical?  Because the manifestation of the reality of who I am is only an internal vision right now.  Despite the lack of youth, despite the fact that I’m not going to have anymore children, despite my battle scars of stretch marks from the children I have, this chick is going to rock this joint!  I’m going to be the bet ME I can be.  Never going to look like Taylor Swift – I think she’s too skinny anyway.  Despite what my husband desires – I”m never going to look like Valerie Bertinelli because  – well, I just don’t look like Valerie Bertinelli.  I am a one of a kind original, made in the USA, unique and valuable being.

OH, and I’ve figured out a thing or two over my time on this rock.  Like, the inner voices lie! I don’t know who planted that track there but I’m ripping it out one paving stone at a time.  No more love/hate relations with my body.  I’m going to own it!  That’s right , you heard me inner fat chick – you’re going down!

What things do you struggle with?  Do you have a bad self-image? A love/hate relation with some part of your body? Or your whole body?  don’t be shy, speak up.  Together we are stronger, and speaking up shuts up the self-defeating talk.

Write on my friends, write on!

You know you’ve done something right in the cover art department when you see not one, but two just like it show up on your Facebook or Amazon feed. Only different titles and author names.

*sigh*

When Maiden Behind the Mask was first published, it had a home with a publisher. Now, the image I wanted and put on the art form was declared too expensive. If you’re an author, you’ve been there. With much grumbling and sighing, I searched for stock art images that looked like a Spanish woman in 1800′s Los Angeles (then a part of Mexico) dressed as Zorro.

That saying “looking for a needle in a haystack…”

Yea.

I found a blonde, I found an Asian with way-too-modern bangs, I found lace masks, beaded masks, feathered, masks, women half naked wearing weird masks, pointy-nosed masks, but no women Zorros.

We got as close as we could.

Three weeks later the publisher crashed and people told me I should get new art anyway. The art wasn’t working for them. (If they only knew how very hard it was making that cover…)

I had cover two for a while. It’s a great cover, but it began to irritate me. It would be perfect if my heroine was running around in a lace mask a dress with a pearl belt. Again, it was the closest we could find that was in the budget. The artist did a superb job.

Regardless, being the type of person who is just plain irritated by discrepancies in covers—they must match the story!—I made a third cover. It wasn’t a lady Zorro, but a Spanish senorita looking coyly over a fan. Because when Catalina Rodriguez isn’t saving damsels in distress, she’s a lovely senorita…with a lot of mischief up her sleeves…

Oh, I made such a good choice. Everyone loved it…and then I saw it twice more…the exact image with no changes made to it at all. Three identical book covers!

URGH!

But the good news is…that image the publisher said was too expensive? The image I originally wanted…is now my cover.

Who says dreams don’t come true? Perhaps this weird twist of fate was just a nudge toward getting what I originally wanted.

Behold…the new Maiden Behind the Mask artfully created by Christie A. C. Gucker!

When Catalina Rodriguez is attacked by a would-be rapist and rescued by the dashing Ricardo Garcia, she not only becomes more aware of the handsome man, but also vows that she’ll never be a damsel in distress again. Using the timeless method of blackmail, she convinces her uncle to teach her to fight and becomes a masked crusader in the night, saving other damsels from robbers and rough handling.

However, scandalous rumors and dwindling funds force Ricardo and Catalina to marry. Not immune to each other’s charms, their marriage starts fiery, but when one of Catalina’s nightly escapades results in dire consequences, she is forced to spurn her husband’s amorous advances…or reveal a secret that could turn him away from her forever.

Ricardo’s not a man to be cuckolded or left in the dark. Is his wife having an affair with El Capitan, the masked savior? If so…they will both pay.

Buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo

Thank you, everyone, for taking this cover art journey with me! DO leave me a comment *with your email address* and tell me which one you like best and why. One lucky commenter from each blog will be given a coupon code to download the book FREE on Smashwords! And yes, you can comment on more than one blog to increase your chances. I’ll be having my trusty canine sidekick choose names from her dog bowl Sunday night, the 31st.

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Tara Chevrestt is a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She is most passionate about planes, motorcycles, dogs, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing. Between her writing and her editing, which allows her to be home with her little canine kids, she believes she has the greatest job in the world. She is very happily married.

Her theme is Strong is Sexy. She shares a website with her naughty pen name: http://tarachevrestt.weebly.com/index.html and they have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tara-Chevrestt-Sonia-Hightower/218383211513877

I do not own this photo, it was a free wallpaper.

Ever have one of those major setbacks? Like a mid-season sports injury that ends the year for  you when this was going to be the year scouts were going to notice you and you’d get offered a scholarship to an ivy league school. Well no, I guess it  wasn’t quite that bad but it sure made things difficult for a good while.

One person is taken from your life unexpectedly, without  reason without warning.  Another betrays a trust, it can be nearly devastating.  Physical injuries from my car crash were easier to overcome than these things.  It took a good while for some of those injuries to heal, in fact I still have a huge knot on my knee, sore shoulder, some issues with my neck, and the two fingers that were jammed are ultra sensitive.  None of that compares to the loss of  a loved one or betrayal.

The grief of dealing with death is a part of life. It’s difficult, it hurts but the finality of it forces us to move forward even if it’s at a snail’s pace. The grieving process is not a fun journey at all but dealing with betrayal from someone close really knocked me for a loop.

I’ve been dealing with computer issues for a couple of weeks now, one of which was being locked out of my accounts, and having my personal accounts such as this one hacked into by a trusted person.  This same person destroyed – whether it was accidental as they claim or whether it was deliberate intent – it’s really irrelevant at this point.  Three years worth of work was destroyed.  Thanks to some great friends that have done some beta reading for me, I’ve been able to recover most of that.  Once before I had lost ten chapters, it was my own doing so I was just frustrated.  I rewrote it and I believe it ended up better than the first time.

I see some of my friends achieving their goals and am left sitting on the side of the road, unable to complete my race. Well this time around any ways.  I’m not going to just sit here and feel sorry for myself.  I’ve been in a bit of shock over this, and  had to take some time to regroup and refocus.

I will not quit will not relent.  If I have to rewrite everything from scratch I will.  It will be better, more thought out, less chaotic.  I still have my notes, my cards, partial files I can piece things together. If nothing I’ve learned some valuable lessons.  the biggest one being that I can not surrender my dreams ever again.  Nor will I allow a saboteur to steal them from me.

OK, supposedly it was an accident.  Well , sleep with one eye open because other accidents have been known to happen as well.  A trust betrayed will never be misplaced again. Opportunity abounds but closes for those who prove themselves untrustworthy. Never underestimate a woman, and especially a woman with a dream.

Write on my friends, write on. I certainly will be!

Yesterday, I posted my answers to the Dream Big Blog Hop.  Today, I am posting my  partner-in-crime’s answers.

I was invited to take part in the Dream Big Blog Hop.  I was originally scheduled to post on the 20th, but due to a car collision I was rather sedated and unable to attend to my blog, much less anything else for a short time.  Thankfully, I’ve been given a reprieve to go ahead and post this. 

Cody Martin was kind enough to invite me to participate in his Dream Big Blog Hop. Here are the questions and answers.

Writing is largely solitary, and sometimes a lonely endeavor. Sure, you talk to friends, experts for research, discuss what works and what doesn’t with your editor, and bounce ideas off of fellow writers. But in the end it’s one person pounding the keyboard or twirling the pencil. But what if it didn’t have to be completely alone? Who would YOU work with if you could work with anyone on your favorite project?

In this post, that’s what I’m asking. Choose a person for each category and tell why you want to work with them. If you want, feel free to post their picture, a piece of their work, or a link to something about them. The only rule is that the person must still be alive.

Writers dream. Now it’s time to dream BIG.

You have the opportunity to hire anybody as your cover artist. If you write children’s books or books that are heavily illustrated, who would you get for the interior artwork?

I really don’t know about artists to be honest, I mean I have always adored the work of Quentin Blake since given Dahl books as a child.I Think the Artisan series could justify a piece of his gorgeous sketch work.  As for Love Notes, I don’t know. I think Oleg Volk or Munger of Larue Tactical could do an amazing job with the weapons photography. I think so much would depend on the book really. I am also very fond of the artwork in Gail Simone’s reimagining of Batgirl post cure so it would really depend on the art style I and the publisher wanted. Although, I would be hugely tempted to contact my old friend Mark Holmes, who taught me what little I know about painting. The man can paint and draw amazingly well and make a painting look like a photo.

Obviously  we have different taste in art.  I’m sure we can come to some sort of agreement though, as long as I get my way.

Who would you co-write your next novel with? What genre? Why?

In many ways I have my dream writing partner working on Love Notes.  I mean, we work amazingly well together and Ellie Mack is amazing to write with, and for.   But gosh ,really I have to say other than Ellie, or Cecile Hardy who graciously covers on Storytime Trysts on occasion, I would have to go for Pratchett.  Because, well who wouldn’t want to spend time with an author who has so shaped their lives and their reading and writing style. Though I adore his work, I don’t think I am good enough to write satirical fantasy with him.  But hell, I would have a bloody good go.

Aww,  OK.  After saying such sweet things about me, maybe I’ll let him have a say in the cover art. (I have to agree, I’ve only read a few of Pratchett’s books but he would be amazing to work with.)

Your publisher wants to do an audiobook version of your novel and they’re not sparing any expense. Who do you think can narrate your masterpiece?

Oh God, I would love to send it to Fry but his voice is soothing and I would just drift off.

They’re really going all out! Your novel is getting a full soundtrack. Who should compose it? If your novel uses a lot of songs, list your compilation here.  

Um, I think it would be a mix of what I wrote it too really; Mitch Benn, the long blondes, Pulp, Voltaire, Avenue Q.   I would just go wild in the country or rather my record collection.

Congratulations! Your novel is being turned into a major motion picture. As the creator of the original work, you get to pick the director.

If I am being greedy, Tarantino or possibly Moffat.

Hmmm, again obvious difference of opinion here.  We’ll have to work on that.

The director has some ideas on who to cast, but you get to cast one character. What role/character is it and who portrays them?

Sir Oliver in Love Notes portrayed by Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo,  just this amazing, breathtaking comic but dark actor who could easily pull off the loved and lost motif I want, plus I could bag an autograph and a martini with him.

Dear Diary I would cast Laura; I’m not quite sure but I would want someone slighty larger than life, someone who makes Siam look small and waifish and who could carry the weight of being sexy and competent, caring and funny.   I have a friend I modeled her on, but I am not naming names, someone who can fill out combats as well as she can a strappy dress.

You’ve been hired to write a novel based on a preexisting character or franchise from another medium. Which character or franchise is it?

I think I would go for something in the warhammer 40K franchise.  There is now good no evil only war, a very dark setting for moral soul-searching, to what extent do actions and the ends justify the means, social soul-searching in scifi literature. Plus ,I am a huge fan of the games and books and would love to see my books being read and becoming part of the game world –  this world where everything is slanted and everything has a bias - everything you read could be propaganda.

It’s the anniversary of your favorite literary character’s debut. You’ve been hired (yay, work!) to write an anniversary novel. Who is the literary character?

Arsene Lupin – from a series by Maurice Leblanc.  He was the first counterpoint to the detective.  French, a criminal with real style, a gentleman thief.  The french raffles if you will.  He paid homage to another of my favourites the esteemed Sherlock Holmes and I would say, is the first real subversive literary anti-hero.  My love affair began reading a short story where when confronted with a notorious murderer on a train he robs him.  Leaves him bound and gagged for the constables with a note.  He was a subversive criminal but he had a line  and the frankness and charm of the character I found enthralling.  Mugging a notorious murderer and leaving the police a note of thanks and a bank account for the reward to be wired to,  all the while escorting and protecting the wife of a Prison governor that had imprisoned him.  The sheer joy of crime with elegance, with verve and beauty,  it is just a wow moment for a young boy.

Since I used his answer yesterday – as I was totally blank on this one, I shall field this one for you today.
Ramoth from Dragonriders of Pern.   I began Anne McAffrey’s Pern series when I was maybe 14.  I developed a love of her stories, an admiration for her world building before I understood what world building was.   Ramoth is the golden dragon. Ramoth was hatched from Nemorth’s last clutch, the last queen egg on Pern. She mauled two female candidates before Impressing F’lar’s choice, Ruathan-bred Lessa.

The dragons in the Pern world are western dragons, modeled after European legend and myths.  I think it would be intriguing to write things from Ramoth’s perspective.  Ramoth is  a hinge pin in the series.  To tell things from her species, from her perspective would be a challenge, but a delightfully interesting one.  Ruth of course would have to be mentioned, as he is the only white dragon and has some interesting powers of his own.

The Dreaming continues  with Abyrne Mostyn.  Don’t miss it.

Thank you Cody Martin, for including me in this!

(A little bonus blog from my co- conspirator.)

Write on my friends, write on!  When you dream, dream big!

I was invited to take part in the Dream Big Blog Hop.  I was originally scheduled to post on the 20th, but due to a car collision I was rather sedated and unable to attend to my blog, much less anything else for a short time.  Thankfully, I’ve been given a reprieve to go ahead and post this. 

I don’t know about you guys but so far this year has been horrible for me.  First the flu, then a week of drugged haze as the antibiotics and other meds affected every aspect of my life.  I played catch up for a short time then BAM!  Literally,  a head on collision.  My car is toast! See that picture up there?  Yeah, that was my baby.  It was a great little SUV.  It gave its life  for me, the paramedics said that in most head on collisions, the driver is usually seriously injured or dead.  I’m grateful to be alive and came out of it with minor injuries.  No broken bones.  Yeah, the Aztec was like a tank.  Ironically, the other ladie’s car is repairable.  RIP Aztec, or as my mother once said ” you know, one of those natural disasters” in referencing my car.  (She was thinking Avalanche but couldn’t remember that it was an Aztec.)

So, enough about that, moving onto the blog hop:

Cody Martin was kind enough to invite me to participate in his Dream Big Blog Hop. Here are the questions and answers.

Writing is largely solitary, and sometimes a lonely endeavor. Sure, you talk to friends, experts for research, discuss what works and what doesn’t with your editor, and bounce ideas off of fellow writers. But in the end it’s one person pounding the keyboard or twirling the pencil. But what if it didn’t have to be completely alone? Who would YOU work with if you could work with anyone on your favorite project?

In this post, that’s what I’m asking. Choose a person for each category and tell why you want to work with them. If you want, feel free to post their picture, a piece of their work, or a link to something about them. The only rule is that the person must still be alive.

Writers dream. Now it’s time to dream BIG.

You have the opportunity to hire anybody as your cover artist. If you write children’s books or books that are heavily illustrated, who would you get for the interior artwork?

I would choose Boris Vallejo for my cover art. When I was a teen I remember selecting my books based on the cover art.  Anything in the fantasy genre was better than the required readings of Chaucer, Shakespeare, Dickens, or even the entire works of Edgar Allen Poe.  I read voraciously.  I still do, although lately I’ve spent far more time writing than reading.   Boris Vallejo’s art was always inspiring to me.  He did the covers to the Conan books before Arnold or Jason Momoa ever brought Conan to the big screen.

Dragon tattoo by Boris Vallejo

Boris Vallejo’s Art

Who would you co-write your next novel with? What genre? Why?

Katie McAlister. Because I love her sense of humor, love her writing style and have greatly enjoyed all of her books.  Mostly romance and paranormal romance, Katie tops the list of writers I would love to have a glimpse inside their heads.   Unfortunately most of the others are dead.

I don’t recall ever reading any interviews where Ms. McAlister stated whether she’s a pantser or planner but I would imagine she’s a pantser. If nothing else it would be a blast to work with her.

Your publisher wants to do an audiobook version of your novel and they’re not sparing any expense. Who do you think can narrate your masterpiece?

Wow!  This would be totally awesome.  OK, I’m going to cheat here  and give you two, first I will have to consult my co-conspirator for Love Notes.

For Kiss of the Dragon I would choose  Clive Owen to do the narrative because he has a very sexy voice.  It is deep, resonating, and purely awesome. If I was allowed two more to do the lines for characters – I would have Charlize Theron do the voice of Isabelle, and Patrick Stewart do the voice of Zane.

For Love Notes I would choose Kate Winslett to do the narrative.  I think her voice is sultry yet soothing.  The perfect mix of sexy yet innocent to convey Stephanie’s personality.   If allowed to do the lines I’d select Alex Kingston to do Stephanie’s voice, and Sean Bean to do Rob’s voice.

They’re really going all out! Your novel is getting a full soundtrack. Who should compose it? If your novel uses a lot of songs, list your compilation here.   (Hmm, Ben what do you think about this?  He offers no opinion here.)

For Kiss of the Dragon:  I would use various artists for the different chapters, or scenes.  Evenescence Bring Me To Life would be the theme song for Kiss of the Dragon. Linkin Park Burn It Down,  Skillet Monster, Katy Perry  Wide Awake, and Tiffany Thornton magic mirror.

For Love Notes:  I would choose Kings of Leon Use Somebody  for the theme song.  Other than that, I really hadn’t thought about much of a soundtrack for this one.

Congratulations! Your novel is being turned into a major motion picture. As the creator of the original work, you get to pick the director.

This has got to be every author’s dream.  I know when I write I see it playing in my head as if it were on the big screen.  I try to write it down before the scenes are forgotten.  I hate those intermissions, sometimes they last a long time.

I would hire Peter Jackson to direct  for Kiss of the Dragon, as I feel he would do my dragons justice. 

I would choose Doug Liman to direct Love Notes.   He did an outstanding job on Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and Jumper.  I like his style and his visuals.

The director has some ideas on who to cast, but you get to cast one character. What role/character is it and who portrays them?

For Love Notes I would cast Michael Caine as Oliver Henry Winfield, the  head of the bureau; army buddy of Rob’s dad and godfather to Rob.  If we couldn’t get Caine for that role then Parker Posey to Play Danielle Vincenzi, Rob’s handler and spurned ex-lover.

For Kiss of the Dragon I would cast Sean Bean as Merryk, Zane’s friend and confidant.  (And the good thing is he won’t die!  Not only that he gets his own book (movie) later!)

You’ve been hired to write a novel based on a preexisting character or franchise from another medium. Which character or franchise is it?

Hehehe – I’d write a Richard Castle novel, based on his life before Beckett.  this is probably the only TV series that has captured my attention for a few years.  Since I don’t get to watch Game of Thrones, or True Blood.  *sigh*  There are aspects of living in the country that are less than stellar.

It’s the anniversary of your favorite literary character’s debut. You’ve been hired (yay, work!) to write an anniversary novel. Who is the literary character?

Hmmm,  I’ll let my co-conspirator field this one.  He’s been my consultant in certain areas, has added the male perception of Rob and has greatly improved my plot.

Arsene Lupin - from a series by Maurice Leblanc.  He was the first counterpoint to the detective.  French, a criminal with real style, a gentleman thief.  The french raffles if you will.  He paid homage to another of my favourites the esteemed Sherlock Holmes and I would say, is the first real subversive literary anti-hero.  My love affair began reading a short story where when confronted with a notorious murderer on a train he robs him.  Leaves him bound and gagged for the constables with a note.  He was a subversive criminal but he had a line  and the frankness and charm of the character I found enthralling.  Mugging a notorious murderer and leaving the police a note of thanks and a bank account for the reward to be wired to,  all the while escorting and protecting the wife of a Prison governor that had imprisoned him.  The sheer joy of crime with elegance, with verve and beauty,  it is just a wow moment for a young boy.

The Dreaming continues tomorrow with Colleen Rose.  Also, check out Abyrne Mostyn.  Don’t miss it.

Thank you Cody Martin, for including me in this!

Write on my friends, write on!  Never stop dreaming.

Ever seen a strange phenomenon and heard someone exclaim “There’s got to be a logical explanation.” ?

There are things in this world and out of them, that confound scientific explanations.  There are glowing gaseous balls that hover over the ground in rural fields.  City slickers would freak out over this but  it’s got to do with the methane gasses emitted by the cows that were in that field earlier in the day.

There are lights in the night sky that we don’t know what they are.  Automatically our brains go “Ooh, what if that was a UFO?”
OK, well not everyone’s,  the more practical minded amongst us say “There’s a logical explanation for that.”

Carolyn Keene drew on these “mystical events” like the glowing gas balls to  confound her readers.  It added to the sense of mystery.  Creative people think of “magical” answers.  Logical analyticals think of the sensible scientific explanation.

So, being the perpetual pot stirrer that I am, I did a little scientific experiment at the last  “gathering”.   There was a recent “unexplained ” phenomenon on the news.  I wasn’t the one that brought the subject up but I was the one that perpetuated it.    At first there were sensible, logical explanations thrown out.  Government training maneuvers, top-secret aircraft, weather balloons.  (Really?  Why does everyone always say weather balloon?  Have you ever seen one?    NO, just no.)

I threw out an idea, it was off the wall ridiculous but it got things moving.  It’s amazing , when prompted how bizarre some of the explanations people can come up with.  One particular one by a very logical, rational, engineer type that  rarely  accepts anything  other than scientific proof came up with a rare species of owl that is illuminated by a chemical in its blood akin to a firefly, said chemical allowing him to hunt his prey by his own light.    Not too bad for a stoic engineer.  I could write a story around that! An owl with a glow-in-the-dark butt because lightning bugs are like chocolate to him – it could happen!

Sometimes the illogical is the logical route.  For any creative, we understand the truth in this.  The logical thinking produces the same old stuff that already exists.  But illogical thinking sparks new inventive ideas like the one I got today for a whole new story.  A mad scientist of sorts who has rather unconventional means of experimentation.  But that would be telling, so you’ll have to wait until it’s written so I can show you.

So how’s your Monday?  Who says Mondays are bad, huh?  They are new beginnings, fresh every week, a world of opportunity crammed into a 24 hour period.  What new horizons are in your Mondays?

Write on my friends, and CARPE DIEM!