Of Birthdays, Lucky 7's and Base Spirits

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. Before I get too deep into this week's post, I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your birthday wishes last Thursday the 22nd. My wife was away at a school track meet and my oldest was on the central coast for a high school band trip. That left my 14 year old and I alone to celebrate the day. My parents picked us up and we went to dinner, which was followed up by some great cake. Anybody like German Chocolate? I still have some left!

In any event, there is nothing like having your iPhone buzz all day long as about 150 people dropped by Facebook to wish me well. I'm 43 now for those of you who are counting. I teased some of my female classmates on FB. I told them how unfair it was that we went through school together, but somehow they're still 39!?! Thanks again, you guys. *hugs and kisses* For those of you sporting facial hair, here's a strong handshake. ;)

I have come before you many times over the past year or so, sharing some amazing reads with you. You may have noticed that I have never come before you to share a miserable read, and I promise you that trend will continue. If I don’t like the book, as we discussed a month or two ago, I will refrain from telling you about it. Truthfully, I may simply “pretend” to forget that I ever read the book, and leave others to decide its review fate. Until someone hands me money and commands me to give my opinions, I’m not doing negative reviews here, or anywhere.

Having said that, I just had a very interesting reading experience this past week that I would like to tell you about. It was interesting because for much of the experience, I found myself completely uncomfortable and disarmed. The novel was written through the points of view of two very interesting women, both suffering through spousal abuse or at least domineering husbands. It was uncomfortable subject matter, and there were seemingly only a few really likable characters in the whole thing. Half way through, I found myself wanting to quit. Why didn't I? I kept going for two reasons: the potential of finding out what would happen and because Ruth Barrett is a brilliant author.

Here's the synopsis of her novel:

‘Murder has took this chamber with full hands
And will ne’er out as long as the house stands.’
~A Yorkshire Tragedy, Act I, Sc. v

In 1605, Sir Walter Calverley’s murderous rampage leaves a family shattered. The killer suffers a torturous execution… but is it truly the end? A noble Yorkshire house stands forever tarnished by blood and possessed by anguished spirits.

Some crimes are so horrific, they reverberate through the centuries.

As an unhappy modern couple vacation in the guesthouse at Calverley Old Hall, playwright Clara, and her scholar husband, Scott, unwittingly awaken a dark history. Clara is trapped and forced back in time to bear witness to a family’s bloody saga. Overtaken by the malevolent echoes, Scott is pushed over the edge from possessive husband to wholly possessed…

Inspired by a true-life drama in Shakespeare’s day, this is itself a play within a play: a supernatural thriller with a historical core.

Only one player can survive.

I was not very happy with Barrett there for a while, and I want to strongly caution you. The book begins with the execution of Calverley in 1605 for his terrible crimes against his family. We are told of how he had killed his children. Later, as Clara supernaturally relives those terrible events, we actually get to "see" him do it. In Horror Fiction, there are times when children have been murdered, but few authors actually show it to you. Barrett was very brave to take this step. As a parent, I didn't appreciate those horrible moments, but I got through them.

I am positively reviewing this novel for two main reasons. Barrett writes with beautiful prose and she nailed everything that was required of an author doing a period piece. That's what got me through the unsavory subject matter of abuse, as well as the murder of those beautiful children. When Clara and her husband were in present day, we were there with them. It was present day; anyone could pull that off! More importantly, however, when Clara began seeing through Lady Calverley's eyes, Barrett was able to fully transport us there, too. She nailed the culture, the dress, the language, the pacing, the lifestyles - everything! I found myself thoroughly impressed with Barrett here, and am convinced that no one but a master could have pulled that off.

Ultimately, that is why I will be back for Barrett's future works. You can find the author on her blog here.

Lastly, many of you have been tagged with the Lucky 7 meme. I have as well. In fact, I was tagged by a couple of you at least. My thanks to Melissa Smith, Emily Bullock and best buddy, Jane Isaac. If there was another, I have sadly forgotten and beg forgiveness.   


Here are the rules:
1) Go to page 77 of your current WIP.
2) Go to line 7.
3) Copy down the next seven sentences, lines, paragraphs (I've seen it done many ways).
4) Tag 7 other authors.
5) Let them know.


With that in mind, here is my entry. It is from the forthcoming sequel to Dance on Fire, entitled: Flashpoint. One of the surviving vampires from the first book has returned and she is not alone. The motel staff in a tiny motel in Morro Bay, California, a tourist town on the Central Coast, have been unwittingly hosting them... 

   “Hey!” she said, suddenly snapping her fingers before his face. “Wake up. I’ve got work to do. What is it?”

   “Well, I’ve got less work for you,” he began once he had dropped the recollection.

   She appeared stunned. “You’re firing me! You can’t fire me!” Her voice was loud once again.

   Lucas spun around, worrying that she was making a scene that was being enjoyed by others. “Who said anything about being fired? You’re not fired!” He raised his voice to counters hers’, but now returned it to a whisper. “You know I can’t fire you. That’s not what I wanted to tell you.”

   “No?”

   “No.” Lucas paused. Even he was beginning to feel sorry that they had ever spent more than work together. He straightened his red vest and rolled up sleeves in an attempt to regain some composure. “You were off yesterday, so I just want to warn you that we are staying clear of room 108. I checked somebody in the other night very late, and they asked that no one disturb them. I was paid long term and they promise to let us know when they need anything.”

   “Who was it?” she asked, wondering what the big deal was.

   "Don't worry about that. There were two women and one guy. They acted like they were family. In any event, I don't want you going in there. I told everyone yesterday, and now I'm telling you. Just leave them alone. Okay?"


So there you have it. Who recalls the Meatloaf classic Bat Out of Hell album? Let's have a show of hands. Thank you. Do you remember the song "Two Out of Three 'Ain't Bad"? Good. I'm only doing 3 of 5 rules with this. This thing has been nearly everywhere and it might take me all day to find seven lucky victims. *grins* So, if you haven't been asked and would like to try it: go for it! Consider yourself asked.


We'll talk soon.

Asylum Lake

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I have something for you. It’s just a simple plastic bracelet. There’s nothing to fear about that, right? Here, allow me to put it on you. Thank you. That’s nice. It used to belong to me, but I’m giving it to you. Notice how you can hear my voice in your head now? Good. Now I have some things that I need you to do for me…

Oh, and you’ll do them. *laughs maniacally*

My friends, I just read a marvelous book. That’s why we read, isn’t it? It’s the potential to be amazed, surprised and very often blown away. Such a thing happened to me this past week as I (finally) opened my Kindle and began reading something that had been whispering to me for quite awhile. It is called Asylum Lake and it was written by the wonderfully demented and extremely talented R.A. Evans.

I’ll let him tell you about it first:

“The State’s second largest Psychopathic Hospital opened in 1917 on 600 wooded acres overlooking a small lake near Bedlam Falls, Michigan. Through its doors came the weak and the weary, the disabled and the discarded, the frail and the forgotten. But an open door is an invitation, and some visitors, once invited, are loath to leave. The hospital abruptly closed in 1958 under a cloud of mystery. It has remained empty and silent, save for the memories trapped both within its walls and far below the surface of the nearby lake that bears its name. At the bottom of Asylum Lake, the unremembered are growing restless.

Brady Tanner is trying to outrun memories of his own. After the sudden death of his wife, Brady retreats to the small town where he spent the summers of his youth. But he soon learns small towns can be stained by memories…and secrets, too. As Brady is drawn into unearthing these secrets, as he discovers a new love in an old friend, he is also drawn into the mystery of Asylum Lake and the evil that lies submerged beneath its sparkling surface. What is the source of this evil – and what does it want with Brady Tanner?”

The novel opens with a young man being found guilty of murder. We leave that scene and are introduced to our main character Brady Tanner. The book was nice and well-written during this time, and my first thought was that is was going to be an "okay" story. If you find that to be true as well, just hold on. It isn’t too long before we get to the chapter, entitled: "Crimes Against Humanity". From there, Evans blows the roof off, and if you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to put it back down again until you’ve consumed the entire book whole.

It was such a brilliant moment, as if the story was written by two different authors. We went from quaint story with a bit of creepiness to full-out horror. It’s tough in that house, if you happen to have a nervous stomach. I highly advice you to cover your face and read through splayed fingers. A subsequent chapter is entitled: "House of the Dead", if that's any indication.

I found the characters well written and conceived. If you read Patricia Cornwell’s Scarpetta series, you may notice a similarity between her Pete Marino and Evans’ retired sheriff Frank Griggs, but I liked him a lot, and eventually he made me forget all about Marino. The villains in this are also well-conceived, imaginative and memorable.

The pacing is done very well and is often told through flashbacks. I know this turns some folks off, but I found it easy enough to follow, thanks to time and date stamps before those chapters. Music plays a large part of what goes on and I loved that, being a huge music fan myself. The pieces selected were well chosen and not at all forced fed into the story (as some authors have done - as if the they simply wanted to use their favorite songs). I commend Evans here. He is also extremely witty and intelligent, and uses those attributes to pepper his story like a great chef would an otherwise fine dish, making it stand well above the rest.

Really, my only complaint had to do with formatting, and, if memory serves, those issues were being corrected.

This is a well written novel. It is as good and as gripping as anything that you might find on your local book shelves, and certainly deserves a spot there. What’s more: there is a sequel coming and I really am so impressed with this novel that I can’t wait for its arrival. This novel has everything: a great central plot, along with several meaty sub-plots; it is horror, paranormal and a great detective story as well. With a series, we can sometimes feel as if the story has been stretched in order to produce more books. In Asylum Lake, Evans doesn’t give us half a story, he gives us an entire story that he is telling in two parts.

Be warned. There are a few squeamish moments regarding children, but I highly recommend this fantastic novel. At first, I thought it might be good, but when that moment came - the moment when the afterburners were lit and everything just took off, I cursed happily under my breath, knowing at that moment that this ride was going to be something special. I think you will as well.

If you have yet to meet Mr. Evans, you can find him at his site here.

Get in the truck and he'll take you there. Remember: you’re still wearing that bracelet.

We’ll talk soon.

Keeping From Drowning

Greetings and salutations, Fire Enthusiasts. Thanks so much for dropping by and hanging out with me for a few minutes. I realize that there is plenty of competition for your time and hardly any of that as it is! And this is precisely what I have come to talk about this week.

You see, I feel bad when I don’t spend enough time with you guys. When I started writing again a few years ago, finished the novel and found my publisher, it was all about me. It was about the first of many novels which would propel me into the consciousness of the world, or at least my little part of it. *laughs* Back then, I had no idea that any of you were here already or about to join me in this crazy pursuit that more often than not consumes us and drives us beyond normal means to get our words out into the world.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that there was a wonderful community of writers and/or readers out there. During that first year, many of you held me up and tirelessly encouraged me to hold the course in spite of newbie roadblocks, obstacles and potholes in the road before me…and us. Now, I feel like one of those tireless encouragers (is that even a word?), and I love that!

My part of the Packaging Department Office. Forgive the tape on the window.

The Problem: You’ll recognize it because it’s probably your problem, too. I have between 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm, and that’s it. During this time it's shuttling kids around, appointments, eating dinner and cleaning the kitchen, and occasional performances at the schools for those kids that I mentioned. It makes it tough to keep up with everything that you guys are up to, though I try.

Working and writing: I have an 11 hour day job (which I have whined about many times) which I have to wake up for at an ungodly hour. I sneak my writing in during coffee breaks and finally on Saturday morning where I have a chunk of time before the house wakes up.

Reading: I pretty much only read before bed. This also helps to tire my eyes and to induce sleep. When I’ve got something really good to read, I take trusty Kindle to work with me and read there. That’s good news for many of you guys because I’ve only been reading indie books for a year and a half. That’s how well written your books are to me. *raises glass in toast* Speaking of reading, my TBR pile is literally a mound of books. I’m getting through them as fast as I can, but…

When I need to get away from the house noise, I retreat to the bedroom.

Networking: Throughout the day I am attached to my trusty iPhone, constantly sorting through e-mail and blog posts that I have delivered to my inbox (As a side note, if you have yet to add this feature to your sites, I highly recommend it. It saves so much time, rather than readers having to go hunting for your posts). I save the ones that I really want to address and delete the rest. It hurts, but there is no time for them all. When I get home I go through what I have saved and visit everyplace that I can.

Promotion: Throughout the day, I might tweet or Facebook post about my book or my one blog post a week, but I really try and keep that to a minimum. I get so much more enjoyment re-tweeting, sharing and "liking" what you guys have going on. Any more promotion than that is really only spam, isn’t it? Eventually, it becomes invisible, skipped or deleted without a second thought. It’s sad, but the reality.

The reason my left knee hurts now. Lol!

The Why: Why did I explain all of that? Really, the answer is because I care, and want you to understand that more often than not, I’m barely treading water. You'll notice that I didn’t mention anything about articles that I write or housework or the treadmill that we just bought to help defeat this rapidly increasing middle of mine. My hope is that by the end of the week, I will have “liked” a post or two of yours, re-tweeted, or shown you some #Writer Wednesday and #Follow Friday love, and said hello to you on your blog or website. Often I read your posts but have little to add, and the last thing that I want to do is simply add some lame comment that takes up more of our time. There’s already very little time in the day as it is. #justsayin’

By the way, if I haven't thrown you some Twitter love, blame the Follow Friday app that I use. I could never forget any of you. *grins*

How do you guys keep from drowning? I'd love to hear your advice and recommendations. We've been holding each other up for a couple of years now, haven't we?

I think my cat has the best idea yet. 

We’ll talk soon.

Perspective, Treadmills and iTunes

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. So glad to have you stop by. In fact, I'd like to thank everyone who dropped by this past week as we discussed errors in novels and the meaning of it all in the grand scheme of things. If you haven't read that post yet, I encourage you to do so. You can do it now, if you'd like. Go ahead. We'll wait...

*laughs*

In all seriousness, you were right. The novel is being enjoyed and many readers have been asking for the sequel (It's coming. I promise). No one seemed to have even noticed the errors that I had discovered, so why should I worry about it. I have heard back from my publisher and am told that the errors will be corrected in the near future, which is fabulous news.

In any event, I was getting so many visits to the post, and so many comments, that I didn't have time to stop and think about what I would post this week. Can you tell? Speaking of comments, what did the powers that be do this time? Did we just lose the ability to follow replies now? *sigh* Can't they just leave well enough alone? I'm sure it's only at Blogger, but it is very frustrating. I suppose I should keep my complaining down just in case Big Brother is watching.

I'm just kidding. I love Blogger! I think it's the greatest site evah!!

Courtesy of CBS

Yes, Sheldon. That was sarcasm! Do you guys watch The Big Bang Theory? It's hysterical, isn't it?

Alright, let's move this thing along, shall we? Last weekend we had a treadmill delivered. For those of you who remember, I used to run after work. I ran between 2 and 5 miles nearly everyday. I stopped that for a while and began doing floor exercise instead. I ended up stopping that as well. Due to too damn much writer stuff (mini rant), I lost interest as I tried my best to juggle everything. Now I have ten pounds that I need to get rid of! Hence the treadmill!


The only issue that I ever had with running was with my feet, but Inserts cured that. So, I stretched and ran to my heart's content; 3 miles the first day and 4 the next. Since then, not so much! I messed up my left knee, pushing myself too hard. Now I'm working my way back. That has been very frustrating, too. I suppose I should worry that I damaged the knee more than just overworked it. We'll see. I'm sure it has less to do with the 3 and 4 miles I ran, then it does with the 43 that I will be turning later this month. *grins*

Next, on Friday night, while I had 100 windows open on trusty laptop, it froze on me and the screen went black. Eventually, the music that I was listening to came back, but nothing else. I forced it to close, but when it came back up, my iTunes library had been wiped out. Now, everything was on my hard drive and was reloaded, but my OCD is screaming because I have duplicates of too many songs and my album covers have been...ahem,  messed up.


It is a darn good thing that the mini rant is long over or that could have been ugly. ;)


Perhaps it is a due to last week's gained perspective or just because I am too darn busy to worry about it, but I have yet to begin repairing that music library. In the past I would have locked myself in a room in order to finish it before going to sleep. Right now, however, I really am not going to worry about it.

There's no way in hell I'm going to be plugging my iPod or iPhone into my computer, however.

If my library gets wiped off of my iPod, there will be no mini rants forthcoming! I may be maturing in my old age, but not that much! One last fact for you: I was listening to John Mayer when this dreadful thing took place. I blame him.

We'll talk soon.

Of Typos and Perspective

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. It's always great to have you drop by for a visit. I know there is a lot of competition for your attention each and every week, and I really appreciate your visits. I have basically only been posting once a week on Mondays and it has helped free me up to visit your sites as well, but still not as often as I would like. There is just not enough time in the day, is there?

So, I came here today to tell you a story that happened to me this past week. It's not a very good story. In fact, I'd rather keep the whole thing to myself, but I feel compelled to share it, since it affects everyone who reads my debut, Dance on Fire.

Thursday night, I sat in a room in Fresno, Ca. with local authors, Marilyn Meredith and Lorie Ham. We have been doing library events periodically. This was our third. The three of us also contribute articles for Lorie's on-line magazine, Kings River Life. In any event, when it became my turn to speak, I introduced myself to the few who had joined us that evening. Once that was done, I read the blurb for the book and then launched into a reading. I feel bad for the other two, having to listen to the same bit of my book each and every time; however, it is a very good place to share and very convenient for me. I started reading and saw the mistake immediately. My heart sank! I had taken twenty years to write this novel, and had been reading the same passage for two years, and I had never caught the error before. I continued on as if nothing had happened, but I felt my temperature rise and the beginning of some perspiration start to develop.

I managed to finish and hold it together, but I was pretty devastated. The error is so juvenile, so Bush League, as they say in baseball terms. I really don't want to draw any one's attention to it. It has to do with time and occurs early in my story, but if no one has caught it as of yet, I really don't want to taint the book. Perhaps it has been caught, but no one wants to bring it up - I don't know. If you have seen it, thanks for ignoring it and not allowing it to detract from what I think is still a very good story.

I have contacted my publisher to see whether we might be able to correct this as well as one other thing. A buddy of mine just pointed out that I had used the word "peek" with the incorrect spelling (waves to Natalie). That drives me crazy, too, but not nearly as bad as the time goof that is sitting there and threatens to outlive me.

As I mentioned, I was really upset by this turn of events. However, on Saturday morning, I sat in a church and offered my support to a friend of mine that I went to school with, who was burying his young daughter (nearly 19), who died tragically the previous weekend. I won't dishonor my friend or the memory of his child that he has lost by offering her as fodder for one of my posts, except to say that it gave me some perspective on the whole thing. He and I are the same age and my sons are just a few years younger than his son and daughter, and now just son. It could very easily have been me sitting in that front row.

My perspective is this: it's a good book. Is it great? I'm guessing not, but many people have come to me, whether in person or on the world wide web to say that they liked it, and that is enough for me. Have I learned some lessons? Yes, and I darn well better get some other eyes to read my manuscripts from now on! Any beta readers out there? *begs* I had hoped that I had a clean book after all of this time, but much better novels than mine have had egregious errors and have lived to grace many famous book shelves and have been considered classics. I will strive to do my best to never let this happen again as I get better as a novelist.

Yet, in the grand scheme of things, there are far worse things to be devastated about. My love and deepest sympathies to my friend, his ex-wife, their son and entire family as they attempt to carry on without her.

We'll talk soon.

The Cellar and The Well

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How is everybody? I am great! I say this because as I pen this post on Sunday afternoon, I am anticipating one more day off as Monday is President's Day in America. Typically these posts are scheduled for midnight in California and I am at work as the first comments begin to come in. They make my day, by the way, so I thank you for that. Tomorrow, I will get to sleep in and then get some writing done as I begin to receive visitors.

I have entitled this post, The Cellar and The Well, because I wish to speak about two similar things which weigh heavily on my mind at the moment.

The Cellar:

Can you smell that? It's the smell of a freshly cut lawn. Well, not a lawn exactly, but grass anyway. How about the scent of chalk? No? How about peanuts, hot dogs and beer? Now perhaps you see what I'm getting at. I rarely speak of sports on this page, but with Spring Training starting this weekend, I just can't help myself. Baseball is in the air! My beloved Chicago Cubs have added another year since their last World Series Championship. That last one coming in 1908. In fact, they haven't even reached the grand stage since 1945. Pretty sad, isn't it? It doesn't stand to get any better this year either, I'm afraid. The team is rebuilding and may very well finish...(you guessed it) in the cellar of the division standings. It will most likely take a few years before the team is very good. However, we are under new management this spring, and when you are a Cubs fan, hope springs eternal.

The Well:

I just finished reading an utterly marvelous novel, The Well, by Author Peter Labrow. And when I write that I just finished it, I mean exactly that. It has taken me a bit longer to get through, but that was more to do with my schedule not allowing me time to read. So, wanting to finish the novel, I did not turn on Trusty Laptop Sunday at all, electing instead to shut myself in my bedroom to finish a most captivating book.

First, I will let the blurb speak for itself:

Trapped. Missing. Cursed. Fourteen-year-old Becca Richards and her stepbrother have fallen to the bottom of an ancient well. Their parents are away; they won't be missed for days. The predatory man who had been stalking Becca now switches his attentions to her best friend. Two women who know where Becca is trapped are desperate that she should never escape. Over the course of a week, family, friends and strangers are drawn together by a terrible shared fate - from which not all will escape. 'The Well' is a darkly gripping tale about how we respond to the hand fate has dealt us - and the consequences of our choices. The Well deftly intertwines a story of supernatural horror with a tale of one of the greatest fears of modern life. As the book progresses, the two stories become one - driving relentlessly towards a single, thrilling finale. The Well is a fast-paced, riveting story that will grip you - and keep you guessing - until the very end.

Show More

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The amazing tale is three very good works in one: it has Horror, it is a great Crime Drama and it is a Thriller that is immensely that. In the beginning, I sat down, preparing myself for horror. When it became a crime story, I was pleasantly surprised. I found myself slightly disappointed when it suddenly turned paranormal on me; however, in the end, it all worked together beautifully. Labrow could have settled for his story simply being a Thriller, and he would have had a very good novel. Yet he did not. He went for the trifecta, and nailed it.

 

The story is a tantalising tale, but it very well might be the many subplots that keep you flipping pages. They weave in and out, back and forth, as if the author had been sipping from the same fount as Dan Brown, but, dare I say, with a bit more substance to each chapter, not merely settling for stringing his readers along with one cliff hanger after another. Without revealing too much, I just loved the way that separate characters came together, not just for the missing Becca, but by the very determined young girl, Sammy, who refused to stand idly by and allow another to suffer.

 

This is a great story, as I have already alluded to; however, what makes it more than just a fun way to pass a weekend, are the brilliant characters. The phrase 'three-dimensional' gets tossed about a lot when writers discuss the craft of creating believable characters, but let me tell you something: Labrow nailed that, too. From the heights of leads such as trapped Becca and the "gifted" young Sammy; to the supporting cast of best friend Hannah, Sammy's mother Abby, Becca' s mother Sarah and boyfriend Jim; to even the creepy Randle, troubled Ed and members of the police force - this novel is the fabled Lost Ark. It raises the bar for all of us! You may submit for me a novel that contains a better story, but I defy you to list one that sports better characters.

 

 

 

I have mentioned recently how I have spent most of my reading time on Indie authors this past year or so, and have been pleasantly surprised and impressed with the quality of their work. If there was a part of me that was ready to get back to the big established authors, Author Peter Labrow and his incredible novel banishes and caps that thought right down inside The Well.

 

Have a great week, my friends.

 

We'll talk soon.    

Dance on Fire: Flashpoint

Greetings and salutations, Fire Enthusiasts. I hope this post finds you doing well, whenever it is that you find it. I know how many posts are vying for your attention each week, so I certainly appreciate you stopping by.

Thanks to all of those Romance Enthusiasts (and even closeted ones, like me) who visited last week, and my thanks to all of the returning Horror Enthusiasts who left scratching their collective heads. I’m just like all of you, aren’t I? We’re all multi-faceted and not easy to pigeonhole. I do read and write horror, but neither exclusively. I like my classic rock and heavy metal, but also appreciate most other types of music.

Speaking of music, it was such a damn shame to see the passing of Whitney Houston over the weekend. If only, if only, if only... *sigh* Such a talent!

The Update:

Many of you in the real and virtually world have been asking when you can expect to see the release of my second novel. I come before you today bringing some news, although not yet concrete information. What I can tell you is this, it is still entitled, Flashpoint. It hasn’t been decided whether it should come with a badge that signifies that it is “A Dance on Fire Novel”, although I do believe that it should. What do you guys think? I was originally thinking “The Dance on Fire Chronicles”, but have drifted away from that. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recall thinking there was something that I did like very much; however, I can't recall it now. If you’ve got a solution to this, I would love to see it.

My faithful publisher is hard at work on the edits at the time that I pen this post. The plan is to have the editing completed by the end of March, at the very latest. If we can all meet this deadline, then we should have both the e-book and softcover by the third weekend in May. Why is this date important, you ask? Those who have read Dance on Fire will recall that it is the weekend for the Kingsburg Swedish Festival, a real event which I use in the plot of my novel. Although I have attended the festival many times, last year was the first where I actually had a booth. I sold about thirty copies that weekend, if memory serves. I could look it up but am far too lazy now. *grins*

We do have a working cover which I am not yet prepared to share with you, but it should be soon. We’ll probably be tweaking it just a bit, but we’ll see.

The synopsis:

Five years after the death of their only child Tiffany, Steve and Angie Rosen receive an unexpected guest to their Morro Bay, California home: their daughter. She comes with a tale of having suffered a terrible head wound in the fire that took their Kingsburg home, causing her loss of memory and migraine headaches that force her to hide from daylight in order to prevent. Tiffany's reemergence is treated like Manna from Heaven; however, her story is only half true. Tiffany is a vampire and their daughter in name only. She sleeps during the day and hunts for human blood during the night, and has come back to enact a twisted revenge upon those who ruined the plans of her master, the notorious vampire, Vincent. And she is not alone.

Five years after the terrible events that reshaped the Swedish Village, Kingsburg lies unsuspecting as five vampires descend upon her with a great evil in their black hearts.

Five years after old wounds have finally healed and the old fires were thought extinguished, Police Chief Michael Lopez and Officer Mark Jackson and their families find themselves surrounded when fires blaze anew. The good vampire, Nathaniel, has pledged his service to these people, but he is no longer among them. He lives high in the Oregon Mountains near the California border, seeking whether God might have a place in His kingdom yet for him.

When Nathaniel discovers that Tiffany has returned, will he be too late to stop her? And will his desire to protect his friends destroy what God has begun in him?

It will all begin with a Flashpoint.


Okay, so there it is. What do you think, my friends, fellow writers and peers? For those of you who have blessed me by reading Dance on Fire, what do you think of this?

If you have any suggestions for the blurb, cover, badge, etc., I would love to hear it.

As to the status of the first book, it continues to garner very good reviews. Last time I looked, it was still the fourth Highest-Rated Horror novel at Smashwords. My thanks to all of you for making it so.

We'll talk soon.

Losing My Street Cred...Again

Hello, Romantic Enthusiasts… Wait! What? Pardon me a moment. Apparently I haven’t had enough coffee this morning as I pen this post. Let’s try that again, shall we? I mean, after all, this is a place of horror and fire, right? Romance? *nervous laughter* C’mon! Are you kidding me?


*clears throat*

Hello, Roman… Oh, hell!


Horror aficionados, I guess I’ll catch up with you next week...

My friends, once a year I disclose far too much. And today’s the day that I do it...Again.

You see, in spite of the fact that the book shelf that I showed you last week is filled with the likes of Barker, Michael Slade and Uncle Stevie (Mr. King for those of you out of the loop); my Kindle is filled with Greg Sisco, Andrew M. Boylan, Carole Gill, Timothy Hobbs, Ania Ahlborn and others; and my DVD library is stacked with Halloween, The Exorcist, Alien, etc. – you probably will be shocked to find out that it is another genre altogether which moves me the most.

Notting Hill, Love Actually, Somewhere in Time, An Affair to Remember, Possession; these are examples of the films that move me. I am already firmly on record as saying that my favorite novel is Pat Conroy’s masterpiece, Beach Music.

 

Having prepared you with all of that, please allow me to share with you the book that moved me this past week. It is entitled, Again, and it was written by the incredibly talented Diana Murdock.

Eryn and Bryce are a beautiful and accomplished couple, seemingly having everything. They have the total package of looks, money and career. What they do not have is real love. Eryn has lived her entire life for others, ignoring her aching heart. Suddenly, her senses begin to become assaulted by visions, dreams and recollections of some past-life that she could not have experienced, beginning to shake her foundations. Not one to believe in such things, Eryn finds herself questioning everything yet becoming caught up in the desires of those around her, with no one concerned with her own.

The Lady Catherine in the year 1501 lives the life of nobility. Servants take care of everything about her while she lives the life of a queen. Her father rules their lands in peace and the knights keep that peace, led by the greatest of all, Galen. Catherine has known Galen her entire life and it is only a matter of time before she consents to marry the handsome and wonderful knight. Although she adores Galen, she does not love him. When she meets the merchant Jonathan, who speaks of the freedom of the seas and living life to its fullest, her world is shaken, and she finds a love that she never thought possible. And one that she can never have.

Somehow, someway, could it be that the love for that embattled union was never extinguished, but instead has found Eryn five hundred years later to save her from repeating the same terrible mistakes that plagued Catherine and Jonathan?

Let me say that I started reading this novel, thinking that I would support a friend and give myself a break from horror novels, only to find myself caught up in a fresh and wonderful tale that would not let go of me, long after I read the last page. Murdock did a superb job of treating the duel story lines as if it had been two different authors that penned them. She really captured the essence of characters five centuries apart, never once failing to keep their mannerisms, speech and cultures clearly separated. Although I found a few typos (especially towards the second half of the book), I thought the writing was of the highest quality.

Were I the editor, I might have advised to back off on the “weak knee”and “butterfly” moments during the meet-cutes just a bit; however, it really was a minor thing. I could have also used a bit less of the bedroom scenes. I have been lucky enough to be in the bedroom a few times, so I know what goes on there and don’t need to see it. ;) Having written that, I want to be fair. Murdock wrote these scenes so well and so beautifully that we do end up in the bedroom with the characters and get swept along just as they do. The lovemaking wasn't robotic, nor were the scenes written as if by dancers who had never danced those steps before. One time, when the action finally goes to the place where the reader wants it to go, there toward the end of the story, I had to put down my Kindle and give myself a break. There were no cold showers to be had at my day job! I don't write that to bring embarrassment to myself. I do so, to speak of the quality of Murdock's words, pacing and richly created characters.

Having that little time to read each day, I found myself stealing more moments than perhaps I should have, but I couldn’t help myself. I loved this book! With great pacing; a fresh and imaginative plot that reminded me just a hair of the film, The Lake House; and several characters that I loved and rooted for – Again by Diana Murdock was just delightful.


You can find Murdock at her website here and the book here.  

Okay, I’m going back to horror books now…at least for a while. ;)

We’ll talk soon.

An Interview

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. I realize that it is only Friday... Believe me, I do. I just wanted to share with you that I had been interviewed by someone new that I have just recently met along the World Wide Web. Her name is Dallas Woodburn. She's cute as a button and has done so much in such a short time that I found her to be quite astonishing. I am terribly impressed by her accomplishments and am honored that she asked me to be her subject.

I'd love for some of you to drop by and say hello, if possible. You can find her at her blog.

We'll talk soon.

To Review or Not to Review...

This is my actual book shelf. Pretty soon I will have just as my books in my Kindle!

...That is the question that I pose to you, Fire Enthusiasts.

Greetings. I do not have a book review for you this week. Well, that is not entirely accurate. You see, I did complete a book this week and begin another; however, I have no plans to share anything about it with you here. Why am I being such a tease, you ask? It is because I thought that the book was merely only okay.

It would not be difficult for you to figure out which book I am referring to. We are all on many of the same sites, are we not? It would probably only take you a few moments to discover which book I'm referring to, but I hope that you won't actually attempt to figure it out. I would rather that you find the book and like it or not like it all on your own. The book didn't suck! Many of you might actually like it, and by all accounts, many have thought highly of it. I just thought it was a bit of a miss.

So, what's the big deal, you ask? The big deal is that although I do not really know the gentleman, I know of him. He's like me, and he's like many of you as well. No doubt he dreamt a lot about being a writer, and probably spent a lot of time dreaming up that book. He researched, outlined, wrote, rewrote, revised, edited and is now hard at work promoting the hell out of it, much like all of us. Knowing what I know about that whole process, I just don't feel the overwhelming urge to do anything but reach out and shake that man's hand, pat him on the back and wish him well.

I have one book written, and although it has received some pretty sweet reviews, I am quite certain that there are more than a few people who probably think I might be better off working my 11-12 hour day job and spending the rest of my evening watching television. *laughs* I also have my second book in the editing stages, as you know. Lastly, I started writing my third novel during Christmas vacation when that much publicized cold (read: whining blogs/Tweets) had begun to dissipate. I'll want lots of people to read all three of those books when they are all on a shelf together one day, virtual or otherwise, and not have someone go all negative on me.

Is that why I chose not to review that book, because of Karma? Absolutely not. I may write horror and listen to classic rock and 80's and 90's heavy metal on volume 20, but I also love to be moved by my books, movies and music. That means I have to have some feelings within me. And it is because of those feelings that I chose to be respectful and simply leave an "okay" review on one of the book social networks.

I want that author to keep writing, to keep perfecting his craft, regardless of what this guy thinks. What do you folks think? Should I have been respectful, but also specific? I know that some have gotten into it on the Internet due to negative reviews. I don't want any part of that. Probably no one does. Should I simply have pretended to "forget" that I had ever read that book and leave the reviewing to others?

What are your thoughts? I'd love to hear them.

Before I go, let's forgive Blogger together, cross our collective fingers and hope that you're able to leave a comment. I know things haven't been great in that regard, especially this past week. If you do have issues, you can always drop me a quick line on FB or Twitter. Sometimes that's much easier anyway.

We'll talk soon.