Author Archives: Calisa Rhose
Push through the ruts ~ NaNo Day 8~ #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #keepwriting
Osiyo~
So technically this post should be the one on nutrition, but I didn’t know this one was coming. lol I can only thank Silver James for this. LOL (Good thing I love ya!)
I will reiterate that eating is important. I’m one of those who, when I get into a writing groove, the words fly, adding up and before I realize I’ve reached or passed my daily goal…and lunch or dinner with it. Those are days I love, but suffer for the most. 😆
So, we move into week two with a better handle on my characters and their story. Words are coming easier now that I’ve passed 500 for at least five times over the past two years. Yes, this is a new story, because I haven’t been able to find the right beginning, so ten pages into it I would lose the thread, the motivation, the whatever-it-is-I-need-to-keep-the-story-moving forward. Some of this is because I’m more panster than plotter. Part is that I’m writing the story wrong, and my characters don’t cooperate, won’t “talk” to me, until I finally get it right.
Eventually I work my way through the rut and all will be okay again. 🙂 Most of the time this is by writing. I won’t say daily, because I can’t always write. But when I can, I do. Sometimes that nets me five words and six deletions, but it’s writing, all part of the process.
Day 8- 1382
Onward!
Dodadagohvi~
It’s YOUR story~ NaNo Day 7~ #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #petsdontwrite
Welcome to the last day of week 1!! We’ve made it seven days, though my word count is suffering drastically by this time. This week I’ll have to make up the difference by padding my word count each day. I’ll let you know how it goes right here each day. I appreciate you hanging with me as we go through November NaNo.
Here’s Silver James‘ Day 7 meme for your pleasure.
Since I don’t have my precious Trouble kitty, I’ll have to entrust my new Bitsy Boop to take over. If she could, but for all her cuteness, she can’t write MY story. Only you can write your story, so distractions aside, keep writing even if all you manage to squeeze out is ten words a day. That’s ten words you didn’t have before you sat down.
Day 7- 203
If you need inspiration, visit the NaNo site. There are forums, tips, ect. Join in and get the boost you need.
In the meantime, I have more writing to get done just to catch up. Check in tomorrow and see what progress I make.
Dodadagohvi~
Send your muse on vacation ~ NaNo Day 6~ #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #NaNOmuse
Osiyo~
This week is the first Monday of the month which means UnCover Monthly time. To give that post, and the authors who waited so patiently to have their covers shown, respect I decided to pause on my daily NaNo blog. Now, of course, I have a three day catch up to get done. It’s just too bad I can’t count all the blog posts I’ve racked up this week as NaNo word count! I’ll make these next three short and sweet (so I can get back to my NaNoing!), then later tonight or tomorrow I’ll post today’s post.
To start off I have another fun NaNo badge from the most awesome Silver James. Folks, when I say this woman is awesome, or any number of nice things, it’s not simply courtesy from one author to another. She truly is a sweet and kind and patient (one of the most patient I know) woman. I am also proud to call her a friend and fellow Okie. If you want to meet someone who you’ll love, visit Silver and say hi. Seriously! She’s letting me steal her NaNo badges! 😆
where he sits when I ignore him
So, I’ve been doing pretty good at not rereading or editing every word (too much) while I write during NaNo. Choppy has been pretty quiet this first week, which I thought might be why I haven’t been able to write a lot. Well, I’ve told him to stay on the back burner and just let me write, make mistakes, write horrible content, during this month. He didn’t like that, but he’s been compliant (notice where he insists on sitting when I ignore him –>).
<– Ok, so he butts in once and a while. Yes, I let him. Have you met Choppy? We-he-l-l-l, let me introduce you…
While you get acquainted… 😆
Day 6- 139 words
At the Orthopedics office, for Andee’s appointment to get results of her knee MRI, I was able to open my wip (Word version since I haven’t purchased the Android/Windows Scrivener app yet) on my phone and wrote while we waited. People, I don’t have a ten inch phone and my 10 inch tablet was at home. I wrote these words on a small 5.5″ screen. LOL Just goes to prove anything is possible if we try. 😉
Unfortunately I didn’t have a chance to write more Tuesday with a day of errands, but it’s more words than I’ve been getting.
As my Daddy always said–God rest him–Tomorrow, the good lord willing and the creek don’t rise, is another day. 🙂 Happy NaNoing!
Dodadagohvi~
Calisa Rhose presents~Uncover Monthly #Nov2017 #mfrwauthor #coverlove
Osiyo~
Welcome one and all!
I welcome guest authors with their beautiful covers to the new and improved UnCover Monthly!
Go HERE to get the application, read carefully, then hurry and submit your covers! Remember, the early bird gets the earliest slots. 😀
For now, enjoy more awesome cover art by the incredible authors, publishers and artists who make them possible for you to gaze upon each month.
It would be great if you leave a comment letting everyone know what you think about them and maybe even check out a few author links to meet those behind the books. Or just say hi. Don’t forget to tell your friends to stop by so they can appreciate some greatness, or get in on the fun, too!
This feature is only to highlight the authors and artists (though if you see one you want to buy I’m sure the authors won’t mind 😆 ). Enjoy this months’ covers to ogle and explore. If there is one provided, you can follow the artist links by clicking on the name, if there’s an artist link provided, to learn more about the amazing creators of these beautiful covers.
There’s a heat level rating for covers, one through four scale, for your benefit. You should never see a *5* rating on the Ranch since I don’t feature anything erotic in nature. If there’s anything else you’d like to know about covers being revealed here, please don’t hesitate to let me know. You can leave it either in a comment or by my contact page https://calisarhose.com/say-hey/.
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Title: Counterfeits
Author: Kris Bock
Website: www.krisbock.com
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Pig River Press
Cover Artist: Alan Erickson
Release date: November 17, 2013
Painter Jenny Kinley has spent the last decade struggling in the New York art world. Her grandmother’s sudden death brings her home to New Mexico, but inheriting the children’s art camp her grandmother ran is more of a burden than a gift. How can she give up her lifelong dreams of showing her work in galleries and museums?
Rob Caruso, the camp cook and all-around handyman, would be happy to run the camp with Jenny. Dare he even dream of that, when his past holds dark secrets that he can never share? When Jenny’s father reappears after a decade-long absence, only Rob knows where he’s been and what danger he’s brought with him.
Jenny and Rob face midnight break-ins and make desperate escapes, but the biggest danger may come from the secrets that don’t want to stay buried. In the end, they must decide whether their dreams will bring them together or force them apart.
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Title: Journey to Honor,
Knights of Honor, ok 4
Author: Alexa Aston
Weblink: www.alexaaston.wordpress.com/
Genre: Medieval Historical Romance
Length: Novel (232 pages)
Heat Level: 4
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing
Cover artist: Dar Albert
Release date: June 27, 2017
When twin boys are born, a servant with a grudge switches their birth order . . .
1366 A.D. – Kenric Fairfax is raised as the second son of the Earl of Shadowfaire. The day of his Knighting Ceremony, a tragedy takes place—and Kenric flees the north of England, putting his past behind him as he swears he will never marry. He becomes a trusted knight in service to Lord Michael Devereux, who asks Kenric to lead an escort party from London in order to bring his wife’s sister home to Sandbourne.
Avelyn Le Cler has spent a year as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Philippa and finds the treachery at the royal court not to her liking. She looks forward to a summer visit with her sister Elysande, who will soon give birth to her first child. While journeying from London, Avelyn discovers a secret about Sir Kenric Fairfax that could change his life—if he believes her.
But Avelyn is plagued with doubts since she has no proof to present Kenric. As the couple fall in love, Avelyn knows she must reveal to Kenric the truth she has learned about his birth—even if it costs her everything.
Join Kenric and Avelyn as the truth rips them apart—but their enduring love brings them together again.
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Title: So About the Money,
Holly Price series, Book 1
Author: Cathy Perkins
Weblink: www.cperkinswrites.com
Genre: Romantic mystery
Length: Novel
Heat Level: 3
Publisher: Red Mountain Publishing
Cover artist: Gwen Campbell Cook
Release date: November 2016
When Holly Price trips over a friend’s dead body, her life takes a nosedive into a world of intrigue and danger. With an infinitely sexy cop—Holly’s pissed-off, jilted ex-fiancé—threatening to arrest her for the murder, the intrepid accountant must protect her future, her business…and her heart…by using her investigative skills to follow the money, before the killer decides CPA stands for Certified Pain in the Ass…and the next dead body is Holly’s.
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Title: Song of the Nightpiper
Author: Hannah Meredith
Weblink: www.hannahmeredith.com
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Length: Novel – 370 pgs
Heat Level: 4
Publisher: Singing Spring Press
Cover artist: Hannah Meredith
Release date: August 22, 2017
Magic is disappearing from Fallucia and Rennic. Each country blames the other and hoards what power remains. Magical Talent is prized above all else.
In Fallucia, magic is concentrated in the families of the Lords of High Places, but Lady Anlin hasn’t the least glimmer of ability. What she does have is a will of steel, forged in despair and tempered by years of slavery in Rennic. She also has a plan to rescue the son taken from her while she was enslaved. She needs but one thing—a champion.
Sir Faulk is a landless knight whose life has stripped him of all illusions. But he still harbors two impossible dreams—to have a fief of his own and to find someone to love who will love him in return. His fighting skills have now placed the first of these dreams within reach.
Chance, however, intervenes, and the personal choices Anlin and Faulk make could suddenly reshape nations and overturn centuries-old beliefs.
Author’s note – This book is intended for an adult audience.
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Title: Stormy Hawkins,
Bk 1, Prairie Hearts Series
Author: Ana Morgan
Weblink: www.anamorgan.net
Genre: western historical
Length: Novel, 68,000 words
Heat Level: 4
Publisher: SoulMate Publishing
Cover artist: Anna Spies
Release date: September 27, 2017
Blade Masters has finally spotted his ideal Dakota Territory ranch, where he can live alone, forget his cheating ex-fiancée, and bury the shards of his shattered heart. All he needs to do is sweet-talk the ailing owner, and his spitfire daughter, into retiring.
If she weren’t desperate, Stormy would never hire a cowhand. She’s learned the hard way that she’s happier working her family’s ranch alone. But, the greedy banker who holds their mortgage just demanded payment in full—or her hand in marriage.
Will this handsome drifter protect her? Or does he have designs of his own?
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Title: The Cowboy’s Make Believe Bride,
Bk 2- Wyoming Matchmaker Series
Author: Kristi Rose
Weblink: www.kristirose.net/
Genre: Western romance
Length: Novel
Heat Level: 3
Publisher: Kristi Rose/Vintage Housewife Books
Cover artist: The Killion Group
Release date: October 24, 2017
Searching for a new future…
Fortune “Fort” Besingame left ranch life years ago, joining the Navy to escape the shame of his father’s gambling addiction and the enormity of his losing the ranch on a bet. Now Fort has returned to Wyoming, to his mother’s ranch in hopes to start a new life. A former Military Police, he wants to run for Sheriff… but convincing the townsfolk Fort intends to put down roots in the small community is going to take more than words. He needs a bride.
Running from the past…
Cori Walters realizes she will never become the photographer she dreams of being in the town where her father’s – former mayor turned cattle rustler – legacy taints everything she attempts to accomplish. When her friend offers her a temporary job posing as a fiancé, Cori decides going to Wyoming might be just the new start she needs. Until she realizes her pretend groom-to-be is someone she knows from high school… And hates her.
Somehow Fort and Cori have to put aside their family differences long enough to get Fort elected.
If they don’t kill each other – or fall in love.
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Title: The Duchess Lydia
Book 2
Author: Liza O’Connor
Weblink: www.lizaoconnor.com/
Genre: Historical Romance
(Pride & Prejudice Spin off)
Length: Novel,
Heat Level: 3/4
Publisher: New Authors Online
Cover artist: Liza O’Connor
Release date: November 7, 2017
Thanks to the Duke of Rochester’s generosity and the death of Wickham, Lydia Bennet is now a wealthy, independent woman. When Lydia takes residence in the finest house in the West End, her brother-in-law, Darcy, is concerned that she is ‘over her head’.
Despite his concerns, Darcy retrieves his sister, Georgiana, from Pemberley and places her in Lydia’s home. The two young ladies, both recently widowed, form a strong sisterly bond and soon set out to find love again.
Unfortunately, the man Lydia wishes to marry, David, the Duke of Rochester, is already contracted to marry another woman. When Lydia discovers the fiancée plans to murder David and his sons, she rallies her servants and friends, determined to stop the woman at all costs. Will Lydia’s love of David and his boys triumph, or will the “Lady of Death” continue her path of destruction?
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Title: The Lawman’s Christmas Proposal,
The Hitching Post Hotel, #3
Author: Barbara White Daille
Weblink: www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Genre: Contemporary romance.
Length: Novel
Heat Level: 2
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Cover Artist: N/A
Release date: December, 2015
A HUSBAND FOR CHRISTMAS?
Mitch Weston’s back in Cowboy Creek, and self-proclaimed matchmaker Jed Garland has his single granddaughter Andi on his mind. Mitch is a lawman, good with the little ones and easy on the eyes. He and Andi were high school sweethearts, for heaven’s sake! Why can’t they see they’re perfect for each other?
Because Andi already lost one husband to a dangerous job, and now she’s all about playing it safe, for her sake and her children’s. Being a cop is everything to Mitch. After discovering Jed’s plan, Mitch and Andi come up with their own: they’ll pretend to get engaged and then break up due to irreconcilable differences. Jed’s got his work cut out for him—because this match needs a Christmas miracle!
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I want to thank all the authors who submit their covers
and make this a special place to share!
To see YOUR cover here visit the
UnCover Monthly
page for detailed instructions.
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Nutrition is Crucial~ NaNo Day 5- #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #NaNotips #dontforgettoeat
Osiyo~
Still hanging in there? Awesome!!!
Ready for more Silver James NaNo inspiration? Are you borrowing her badges too? She said it’s ok. 😉 So, Day 5. Her badge makes me remember I forgot to eat lunch, so I guess nutrition is a good tip for today.
Good thing hubby made me breakfast early this morning. But a midday snack never hurts progress at the keyboard, which I totally spaced on today. Do you have a “writing treat” you must have when pounding the keys?
In case you missed my hint the other day, I keep Hot Tamale candies close at hand most days to nibble on, and sometimes a Milky Way Simply Caramel mini bar, those two bite sized ones in a pack of 6. Hubby gets half of those. 🙂 I also have either water, coffee or Dr. Pepper at the ready.
I’m not a total junk-food-junkie, I also try to keep something protein at hand.
Okay, on to NaNo word count.
Day 5- Two sentences or about 23 words.
Not great by a long shot, my characters are giving me a bit of a hard time. Then it’s my turn to make them suffer. <evil grin>
But a wise woman said today, “Even if you only write 5 words, 500 words, 5000 words, or 50,000 words, it’s a win because 1) new words, but more importantly, 2) YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT WRITING!!!” ~ Silver James
She doesn’t even know I’m quoting her. I prefer to think I’m “sharing her wisdom”! 😆 I believe that’s what counts in the end though.
Of course, she also went on to say she’d gotten almost 3000 words yesterday… Some people just make it look too easy. LOL
If you are struggling with keeping up a steady 1667 words per day with NaNo (I am), it’s ok, and it’s ok to tell yourself it’s ok. If I don’t finish Nano…well, hell. I’ve already done better this year than I did in 2016, which I dropped on day 2 because I had a lot of stress going on in my personal life and I couldn’t handle my world, much less a fantasy one.
This year is different. This year is the first I’ve wanted to write in four years! Oh, I wrote here and there, but not always on the same WIP, which doesn’t get me very far on any one. But 2017 is MY year to make a comeback and I’m thrilled you are here for the ride!
Glad you stopped by! Tune in Monday for a new NaNo post and UnCover Monday will also go live at midnight tonight.
Dodadaghvi~
Are you having fun? Day 4! Week one NANO back stretch! #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #amwriting #lovemyjob
Osiyo~
I love today’s Silver James NaNo badge! If it looks like coffee, I’m on board. Seriously!
Why not go let her know what you think by clicking any of the badges from any of my NaNo posts.
Writing is work. Hard work at times. No one who ever tried to write, seriously write, anything will tell you it’s easy. At least, I won’t. But at any job, whether you write full time or work at a job place, you should be able to have some fun, be able to enjoy the job. If you can’t, why do it? While working at my retail day job over the last two years, I did not particularly like my blah job where I had to wear solidblackonblack (my least favorite color) every day (except on OU game days I was allowed to rock the crimson 😉 ), but I still had fun when I could.
This last year was spent using one arm because I injured my right shoulder and had to wear a sling at work until surgery. But even though I was in pain more often than not, and hated the painful bi-weekly PT I had to do, I still tried to have fun with my co-workers, whom I loved.
Writing, for me, is like that. I have to enjoy what I’m writing at any stage, yes, even through a gajillion repeat edits. 🙂 Don’t we all just love those like an ingrown toenail? LOL
After all, if we don’t love what we’re doing, again, why bother?
What about you? Do you write because you love it? Or, maybe you’re more like me. Even though I enjoy writing, sometimes ask myself what the point is when there is so much tough competition out there. All those others are so, so much better than I am, right?
No. Not even a tiny bit right.
But writing is a challenge, and I write because I can’t NOT write. It’s in my veins, it’s who I am.
I’m. A. Writer.
I love that about me.
So keep writing. If you love it, don’t let anything discourage you. And if you’re NaNoing, buddy me! If you aren’t, that’s okay. Thanks for reading and commenting. Who knows? Maybe we’ll be buddies next November!
For now—
Day 4- this blog post (and only because I’d written most of it last night, too).
0 NaNo words
Hubby had me helping him today, so I planned to write until bedtime (or 1 am, which ever came first). Again, why I avoid planning very often. My pc suddenly went to a blue screen shortly after writing this post last night, so the ‘0’ stands for this day. Thankfully, the blue warning screen seems to be resolved after a restart. I’d forgotten time fell back last night, now I’m wondering if that had anything to do with the blue screen? At any rate, I didn’t get to post this so it’s a day late, which means I need to spend time this evening writing today’s day 5 post. That’s fine. I’m also trying to get UnCover Monthly put together and scheduled to go live at Midnight+01, but it’s still early. Plenty of time! 🙂
Yesterday I ended up doing a restore on my pc to try to get rid of spammy game sites that kept ghosting open with every link I clicked on, anywhere. At times there would be upwards to ten individual windows open! Grrr So far, so good. Keeping fingers crossed. 🙂
In the meantime, I can always use more NaNo buddies, so hit me up! For those doing NaNo, how is your week shaping up? Better than mine I’d guess. 😛
Dodadaghovi~
PS. For anyone who is new (or maybe forgot), or merely curious, osiyo means “hello” and dodadaghovi loosely translates to “until we meet again” in Cherokee, of which I’m one fourth and proud. 🙂
NANOWRIMO Day 3! Don’t give up! #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #amwriting #noedits
Osiyo
I’m sharing the third NaNo badge, courtesy of author Silver James. Click on any of her badges to visit her website.
When working on any WIP, we, authors—and yes, as-yet-unpublished writers ARE authors!—are encouraged NOT to edit along the way. The goal is to get the words out of our pretty heads and onto paper, or monitor. Editing slows the creative progress, ‘they’ say. I guess some writers may have a hard time actually completing that manuscript (MS) when we start each day editing what we’ve written the day before. And editing again, and again, before we start adding new words to the end count.
As 79% pantser, 21% plotter (I just pulled those numbers out of my writer’s hat so they are probably not accurate lol), I am not one of these writers as a rule. My daily goal is to get words down, out of my cluttered brain without worrying about what went on the day before. And that is a total lie. I can waste a day editing one sentence! I just try hard not to. I think there may be a club for people like me. LOL So don’t feel bad if you’re a member too.
BUT— But, as an editor…holy hot tamale do I have a devil of a time NOT editing every little thing I’d wrote ten minutes ago, never mind what I wrote a whole day ago!
Come on, now. I can’t even watch a good movie anymore without editing scenes I have absolutely NO control over! What makes ‘them’ think I won’t edit MY OWN work…that I DO have control over??? (And now I want hot tamales, the candy…and I’m fresh out. 
)
Anyway, with NaNo it is actually harder for me to edit along the way. I (we—all NaNoers) have to write 1667 new words per day, while at the same time moving closer to that all important 50,000 word count by November 30th. That’s not December 10, or December 1. And if I spend all my time fleshing and fluffing pre-written words, I’ll never get to The End by the last day of the NaNo month, November 30.
Which, of course, is the whole point of NaNo. 🙂
So, I haven’t edited anything…yet. Unfortunately, it’s just the end of day 3… So many words ahead… Oy.
Day 3- NaNo blog post catch-up, 0 words (at the publishing of this post)
Luckily, I’m a night owl and there’s plenty of night ahead still!
On to a new day, in which I will post all progress I make, as well as any words I manage to get down tonight. Again, I would love to be NaNo buddies so find me here, and thanks so much for following my NaNo progress.
Dodadaghovi~
Day 2 NaNo! Buddy with Calisa Rhose! #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #amwriting
Osiyo~
A quickie thanks to amazing author Silver James for creating these AWESOME NaNo daily inspiration badges and letting me steal them a day at a time! I added the frame on mine. Feel free to save-to-borrow your own copy, as she said to share them! Click on any of these badges all month to get to her website and check out her books.
It was a busy day today. I had a full day with minimal interruptions planned to write, write, write. Well, this is a perfect example of why I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Planning ahead rarely works out for me. J
First thing, I checked a few emails. I do this each morning before starting a day of writing. Get that out of the way so I don’t get tempted to check it all day. Then I got side tracked.
My 12 year old granddaughter (gdd) whom lives with us hurt her knee in a bicycle crash last summer. Just when we thought it was nothing, it began hurting a lot, every day. So I took her to our Dr. who treated it with a cream to cure bursitis. He said he hoped it would help, because if not bursitis, then she likely broke her patella (knee cap) in half. Yikes! That would require surgery to put in pins to heal it. Not what I hoped to hear. Especially when, after two weeks, the cream had not helped at all.
I called to let the Dr. know and he came back with a referral to an orthopedic Dr. We saw that Dr. last week and he took x-rays and reviewed them with us. Thankfully, she did not break her patella. In fact, he said there was a calcium spur on the side of her knee but he had no way of knowing what caused it, or when. But nothing is broken. YAY!
Well, not quite. Since it’s not broken, now we don’t know what is causing her the extreme and constant pain. Next he ordered an MRI for Nov. 1. It didn’t get in the way of my writing, though having gdd calling to be picked up three hours before school was out because she couldn’t take the pain did sort of slow things. Actually, it slowed writing quite a bit, because that’s how I am when it comes to The Girl. Family always must be first for me. So I picked her up and later we went to get the MRI. We have an appointment Monday afternoon to get those results. I’ll keep you posted.
But in all the kid stuff I still got 631 words down. Not bad.
Today, day 2, not so good. The Girl woke up crying and in pain, so she stayed home from school and rested her leg all day with heat on it. I had research to do on the NaNo project, so I didn’t get any actual words written, though I did work on it. That’s ok. I’ll make up what word count I’m short along the way. J
Day 2- research, zero words
And on to another day.
If you think you want to NaNo, I urge you to give it a shot. It’s addictive!
If you already NaNo, look me up and we can be buddies! You can find me here. I think. I hope. If this link isn’t right, just type in Calisa Rhose. LOL
Until tomorrow…
Dodadaghovi~
NANOWRIMO is here! Are you in? #nanowrimo2017 #mfrwauthor #amwriting
Osiyo~
It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about the holidays, though they are also crowding in much too quickly (I’m trying to ignore that right now 😀 ). I’m talking about National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo (NaNo).
A special thanks to friend and amazing author Silver James for creating these AWESOME NaNo daily inspiration badges and letting me steal them a day at a time! I added the frame on mine. Feel free to save-to-borrow your own copy, as she said to share them! Click on any of these badges all month to get to her website and check out her books.
Since I only decided last night to blog my way through NaNo, I’ll be posting days 1-3 today to get caught up. Each day I will share a little something and along with my daily word count progress.
Day 1- 631
A slow beginning to be sure, but it will pick up. 🙂
What is my NaNo project this year? Well, some of you read my short Halloween blog hop ghost story two years ago right here on my blog. It was a prequel to a two-book series in which you were introduced to Mason Baker, an equipment tech for PRU (Paranormal Research Unit, and Elise Crane, e-zine reporter-turned-paranormal investigator when she was unwillingly made a believer in all things that say “BOO!”
Now, it’s Juliet’s turn. She is twin of Romeo Tucker, both of whom you got a sneak peek of in the 2015 Snarkology Blog Hop I participated in. Read The Non-Believer if you dare. But hurry! I will be reworking this short before publishing it, so on November 10th, next Friday, it will be taken down from my blog. I’m hoping to also have at least two (maybe three) more short stories to go along with the novels as production continues.
I am dragging my muse kicking and squealing back to work. To kick-start my writing again, I’m giving Jules, as she prefers to be called, her story. Hopefully, she’ll have a lot to say about it. 🙂
Coming soon—or at least by next Halloween if all goes well—is book one of this series.
Celestial Visions, Chances Are: Juliet
If getting dumped at a funeral was unspeakably depressing, being forced to go inside haunted Marschalk Manor, with the man who kicked Jules Tucker’s heart across the cemetery, was equivalent to a death knoll. And there was something not quite right with her ex-boyfriend’s sudden determination to contact his cousin’s ghost. The request seems off kilter, but she couldn’t put her finger on why…
Everyone in Marschville knew the rumored secrets of the manor—that the veil between earth and the other realm opened wide and freed the spirits of those who died, to cause all sorts of mayhem within the mansion walls, during the week leading up to a blue moon. Luckily, blue moons weren’t a regular occasion, but Jules was absolutely sure the mayhem would affect her if she had to enter that…place…during that time.
Thankfully, any spirits not safely back on the other side, far away from Jules, will wither and die at the end of the blue moon. Problem solved.
Of course, it’s all rumor… Or is it?
Jules suddenly finds herself running from her ex, and running to him at the same time. How is it possible her boyfriend is stuck on another plane, while his evil cousin lives happily in Raze’s physical body, free to torment her?
The one thing Jules is more afraid of than never finding true love is…ghosts.
Can she take the chance and embrace her “gift” to save Raze? And what will happen when twin brother Rome discovers she can go into the other plane at will?
She has to make a literal life and death choice. To get up close and personal with her fear, or risk losing Raze forever. She will have to become the thing she spent her life running from in order to free Raze’s soul from his demented cousin’s trickery before the next blue moon—in that one cursed week.
***
Since this is a work in progress (WIP) anything can change between now and publication. This blurb will almost certainly change :D, but it should give you an idea of what to expect in Jules’ story.
I’ve done NaNo several times since 2006 and it’s always fun, if not productive for me. For the first time I’m using the Scrivener program for NaNo, instead of basic MSWord. If you’re NaNoing, and haven’t tried the program, you can get Scrivener at a 20% discount during NaNo, or get one of their other offers for it, also at a discount. Believe me, even at full cost, it’s well worth every penny! If you aren’t sure you want to buy Scrivener yet, there’s a special NaNo trial version available as well.
So, are you NaNoing? Do you want to?
It’s only Day 3 and not too late to join the fun! Just check it out and you might be ready to NaNo next November.
Happy NaNoing!
Dodadaghovi~
Calisa Rhose~Tuesday Roundup Features Leanna Sain #mfrwauthors #magicalsuspense
Friday Fanfare Welcomes:
Leanna Sain – Half-Moon Lake
How did the writer’s journey begin for you?
My novel writing journey began at a Halloween party where I saw the “Gate to Nowhere” (the title of my first novel) and the stories just keep coming. My “Gate” books have stacked up numerous awards, from Foreword Magazine’s Book-of-the-Year to the Clark Cox Historical Fiction Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians. My fourth novel, WISH, is a stand-alone, YA crossover.
My Southern romantic suspense or “GRIT-lit,” showcases my plot-driven method of writing that successfully rolls the styles of best-selling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Nicholas Sparks, and Jan Karon into a delightfully hybrid style that is all my own. Regional fiction lovers and readers who enjoy suspense with a magical twist will want my books.
Tell us three things about you-the writer-readers wouldn’t typically know.
- I’m one of the fastest goat-milkers I know.
- I’m terrified of heights
- Wasp/Hornet spray stuns a rattlesnake so you can kill it (voice of experience talking here), but you have to unload the whole can on it.
Well, I know what I’m reaching for next time I see a rattler! LOL
It all began when…
It all began when my husband and I were doing a furniture delivery down in the Nantahalla Valley. The kudzu inspired it.
Where did you get the premise for this book?
I was on a ‘twins’ kick. I wondered about something bad happening to one twin that resulted in their death and the psychological trauma causing amnesia in the remaining twin.
Interesting. What stands out about this story that made writing it different for you?
It was my first book written in 1st person. I actually wrote this one before Red Curtains (the first book in my GRITS series). Everything is in Kate’s POV. It was so much fun I decided to do all the GRITS books in 1st person too.
Were there any difficult challenges or special subject matter you came across while writing this book?
No difficult challenges, but since kudzu plays an important part in the story, I had to do a lot of research about the plant. I wove what I learned into the story. There’s more to it than just an invasive vine.
I thought that said invasive wine. I was about to grab my glass! 😆
What about this book would make us want to read it more than others of similar taste?
I think my characters are just more believable and although it’s a suspense/mystery, it’s a FUN read. I made myself laugh…out loud. Plus Levi is just plain HOT!
LOL!
What do you want readers to take away from this book?
I want them to love the book so much that they can’t wait to go out and get all my other books.
Tell us about the finished book. Is there anything special we might not know after reading it?
When Kathryn Dorne is summoned to Half-Moon Lake for the reading of her father’s will, she discovers a shocking truth: everything in her life—including her name—is a lie.
Learning that her name is Katelyn Eubanks is only the first surprise. Second, she had an identical twin sister who drowned at the age of nine. Since Katelyn can’t remember anything prior to that age, it seems more than mere coincidence. The biggest surprise is that her father, a man she never knew existed, left his entire estate to her, enraging other would-be heirs.
With her unremembered, but closest childhood friend, Levi, as well as help from the estate’s deaf-mute gardener, and the outspoken cook, Katelyn searches for answers to questions that have plagued her all her life, but doing so, opens the proverbial Pandora’s box. As her memories return, so does the terrible danger she escaped fifteen years earlier.
I hope readers get their curiosity piqued when the story mentions Half Moon, the Cherokee Indian medicine woman, and the MacKinlay family (see the Gate to Nowhere Trilogy).
Where can readers find you and your books?
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/half-moon-lake/id1241572035?mt=11
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/half-moon-lake-leanna-sain/1126450434?ean=2940157456566
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/half-moon-lake-1
Is there anything else you want to share or add?
I love talking to book clubs or women’s groups. If your group is within an hour or two of western NC, I’d love to come see you. Contact me at http://www.LeannaSain.com
I wish I lived closer! Thanks for visiting Leanna!
K folks, it’s a nasty, rainy day here in Oklahoma, and I don’t have a fireplace. So, I’ll gift one commenter with a copy of my ebook Risk Factors if you share this post on FB and Twitter then post both direct links in comments. I’ll draw the winner Sunday night.
Dodadaghovi~
I write contemporary and paranormal romance, with sensuality as the key ingredient and spice for kick.
Pen of The Dreamer 