Hello Friends!
You know I like to introduce to you places where readers and writers connect. Well I've discovered a couple more.
Today I'd like to introduce (or re-introduce) Simply Romance Reviews.
SRR has been listed in the "Areas of Interest for Authors" here on the blog, but they have continued to grow so much I thought I'd fill you in!
Along with their blog, SRR now has a yahoo loop called - SRR Authors and Readers Connect. This loop will regularly host authors from different publishing companies as well as regular posts.
SRR also has a new message board, The Tea Room!
So if you're ever in the mood for romance, visit theSimply Romance Reviews sites and see what they have to offer!
I'll be guest blogging on the SRR blog in December, so stay tuned for details.
Until later...take care, God Bless and remember to stop and count your blessings - you'll be amazed at how fortunate you are.
Pamela S Thibodeaux
"Inspirational with an Edge!" (TM)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Mark Your Calendar!
We have a release date from The Wild Rose Press for Winter Madness - March 11, 2009!
I know, seems like forever but hey at least we know it's coming. :-)
Tomorrow I'll be guest blogging at my friend and fellow author, MaryAnn Arkins' blog - Reading, Writing & Stuff That Makes Me Crazy!
If you get a chance drop by and leave a comment - I'd love to hear from you!
Don't forget, Saturday I'm spotlighting Mary Connealy and her book Calico Canyon so be sure and come back!
Until later remember....Love or Madness? Same difference if you ask me LOL!
"Inspirational with an Edge!"
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Saturday Spotlight - MaAnna Stephenson
Wow have I got a treat for you with this week's Saturday Spotlight!
MaAnna Stephensen is the Author of The Sage Age – Blending Science with Intuitive Wisdom.
Bio: While currently known as a visionary thinker and new author, MaAnna Stephenson is a true Renaissance woman. From an early age she was exposed to a myriad of influences including her father's engineering and artistic endeavors, her maternal line of intuitives, and an intrinsic fascination with sound and music. Born in the small town of Humboldt, Tennessee, MaAnna began her journey as the youngest of three children with a huge age gap between her siblings and herself. Constant inclusion in the world of adults led to an early maturity and perhaps a different view of the world than most children experience – especially with the special gifts of the adults in her family. None of it was lost on young MaAnna. "My mother was also an intuitive, aswere all the women in my immediate family. Having psychic senses was quite normal and the information derived from these methods was respected and adhered to. I became accustomed quite early to the fact that there were things - forces and powers - which could not be measured with a ruler but were just as real as anything I could see or touch."
Sage Age Summary: Combining the knowledge of physics with intuitive practice is no small task. The two disciplines often use the same words to mean entirely different things. Written for the seeker with more than a casual interest, The Sage Age – Blending Science with Intuitive Wisdom demystifies complex ideas with intelligent analogies and examples designed to appeal to both the scientist and the natural intuitive.Four years in the writing, this expansive new work combines knowledge from the physical sciences and the intuitive arts to present a visionary perspective that harmonizes these diverse disciplines into one body of knowledge.With a well-researched approach to its subjects, The Sage Age covers a broad range of material from ancient to modern thought, frontier science and current intuitive practice to deliver a depth and breadth of understanding that culminates in a holistic perspective for our time.Living up to its mantra of "new models for new thought," The Sage Age is certain to be a catalyst for dialogue and is destined to be a major work in its field.
Wow, isn't it wonderful to finally see more emphasis on the value of Scientific and Spiritual?
I think so and it's long overdue.
Hope you've enjoyed this week's Saturday Spotlight, join me next week when I host author Mary Connealy and her book Calico Canyon!
Until then take care, God Bless and remember....balance your life between the practical and the spiritual and you'll have much success!
"Inspirational with and Edge!" (TM)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Christian Review of Books
We all know how important reviews are to authors, but as a reader, they can be just as important. Readers check out reviews in order to get info on a title before they buy it.
Another great place for authors and readers to get/read reviews is Christian Review of Books.
I found out about the site through fellow author, Julie Lessman's website and immediately contacted Roseanna White to not only get my books reviewed but to share information with you all about this great website!
Here is what Roseanna said about how CRoB came about....
It came to us sitting in a restaurant almost five years ago, talking about a best-selling novel: there needed to be a site dedicated to reviewing books from the Christian perspective. At the time, there were none. So in typical us-fashion, my husband David and I decided to fill the hole we saw, and we launched the Christian Review of Books, CRoB for short.
Our vision was to review books in all genres, fiction and nonfiction, mainstream and Christian, offering that perspective that comes from a core belief in the Lord. At first we reviewed what was on our own shelves, even buying some bestsellers. Then, as word about our site spread, we began receiving review materials from publicists, authors, and all the big CBA publishing houses. As our to-be-read stack grew, we opened our doors to other reviewers, amassing a staff of volunteers to share the burden and the joy. Over the years our reputation as a quality review site has brought us thousands of subscribers and also earned us a place as endorsers that appear on and in new releases.
At the core, our work at the CRoB comes down to two things: passion and ministry. Passion for the written word that has shaped us into who we are, and a ministry to help readers know what is available to them and also to help authors promote the work of their hearts. It is our constant prayer that through our reviews, someone will pick up a book that will touch them. If we achieve that, then we have done our job.
Authors and Readers check out CRoB for your next book!
Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT
Another great place for authors and readers to get/read reviews is Christian Review of Books.
I found out about the site through fellow author, Julie Lessman's website and immediately contacted Roseanna White to not only get my books reviewed but to share information with you all about this great website!
Here is what Roseanna said about how CRoB came about....
It came to us sitting in a restaurant almost five years ago, talking about a best-selling novel: there needed to be a site dedicated to reviewing books from the Christian perspective. At the time, there were none. So in typical us-fashion, my husband David and I decided to fill the hole we saw, and we launched the Christian Review of Books, CRoB for short.
Our vision was to review books in all genres, fiction and nonfiction, mainstream and Christian, offering that perspective that comes from a core belief in the Lord. At first we reviewed what was on our own shelves, even buying some bestsellers. Then, as word about our site spread, we began receiving review materials from publicists, authors, and all the big CBA publishing houses. As our to-be-read stack grew, we opened our doors to other reviewers, amassing a staff of volunteers to share the burden and the joy. Over the years our reputation as a quality review site has brought us thousands of subscribers and also earned us a place as endorsers that appear on and in new releases.
At the core, our work at the CRoB comes down to two things: passion and ministry. Passion for the written word that has shaped us into who we are, and a ministry to help readers know what is available to them and also to help authors promote the work of their hearts. It is our constant prayer that through our reviews, someone will pick up a book that will touch them. If we achieve that, then we have done our job.
Authors and Readers check out CRoB for your next book!
Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
TWRP Wants YOU to Win a Sony EReader!
Hey Friends,
I'm sure you've seen the "Win Me" Sony Ad here on my blog for the last month and may be wondering what it is all about. Well here's the scoop.
The following authors are sponsoring TWRP’s Fall 2008 SONY eReader giveaway. Between September 22 and December 15, 2008 purchase any title from any of the authors listed below and you will be eligible to enter the contest. Once you make your purchase whether at TWRP’s bookstore or any of their distributors, send a copy of the order number and the title purchased and the date you purchased it to sonyreader@thewildrosepress.comIf you purchase several titles in one order you may send in as many entries as you have titles.
For questions, please contact either Rhonda Penders at rpenders@thewildrosepress.com or Martha@thewildrosepress.com
Click on each author's name to link to thier books in the TWRP bookstore.
Jean Adams (Champagne - Book out in October)
Kim Amburn (Crimson Rose)
Clare Austin (Book due out soon)
Clover Autrey (Faery Rose)
Carol Braswell (Crimson Rose)
Sharon Buchbinder (Champagne Rose, Last Rose of Summer)
Anne Carrole
Lynda Coker (Yellow Rose)
Wendy Davy (White Rose)
Tabitha Gibson (Sweetheart Rose, Champagne Rose, Crimson Rose)
Devon Gray (Scarlet Rose)
D.K. Harper (Champagne Rose, Last Rose of Summer)
Cierra James (Crimson Rose)
Paty Jager (Cactus Rose, Yellow Rose)
Jennifer Johnson (Champagne Rose)
Sylvia Kaye (Scarlet Rose, Yellow Rose)
Dayana Knight (Black Rose)
Renee Knowles (English Tea Rose)
Sharon Lanergan (English Tea Rose)
Liana Laverentz (Champagne Rose)
Hywela Lyn (Faery Rose)
Cara Marsi (Crimson Rose)
Bess McBride (Faery Rose, Last Rose of Summer, Vintage Rose, Champagne Rose)
Lily Rose Moon (Faery)
Skyhe Moncrief (Black Rose, Faery Rose)
Beth Morrow (Champagne Rose)
E.G. Parsons (Faery Rose)
Victoria Pitts-Caine (American Rose, White Rose)
Amber Polo (Champagne Rose, Faery Rose, Sweetheart Rose)
Sky Purington (Faery Rose)
Rynne Raines (Faery Rose)
Judith Rochelle (Yellow Rose, Crimson Rose)
Jocelyn Saint James (Last Rose of Summer, Champagne)
Jan Scarbrough (Faery Rose)
Tarah Scott (English Tea Rose)
Susan Shay (Yellow Rose)
Patti Shenberger (Champagne Rose)
Robin Shope (Book due out soon)
Linda Swift (Book due out soon)
Margaret Tanner (Vintage Rose, Champagne Rose)
Sara Thacker (Crimson)
Pam Thibodeaux (White Rose)
Deborah Tompkins (Last Rose of Summer)
M.K. Trent (Champagne Rose)
Beth Trissel (American Rose)
Shereen Vedam (Faery Rose, English Tea Rose)
Lisa Wells (Champagne Rose)
Anne Whitfield (Vintage, Last Rose of Summer, Champagne)
Sandy Wickersham-McWhorter (White Rose, Faery Rose)
Patrice Wilton (Faery Rose)
Michelle Witvliet (Champagne)
For questions on this contest, please contact Rhonda Penders at rpenders@thewildrosepress.com Please put the words SONY eReader contest in the subject line.
No purchase necessary. You may also enter the contest by mailing a postcard to The Wild Rose Press, P.O. Box 708, Adams Basin, NY 14410. Write down the titles of three books or short stories by three different participating authors and we will put your postcard in the general drawing.
Okay, now you have it!
As you can see I am one of the participating authors so if you haven't purchased any of my titles from TWRP, now is your chance to get them and get entered to win.
Good luck and God's blessings!
PamT
I'm sure you've seen the "Win Me" Sony Ad here on my blog for the last month and may be wondering what it is all about. Well here's the scoop.
The following authors are sponsoring TWRP’s Fall 2008 SONY eReader giveaway. Between September 22 and December 15, 2008 purchase any title from any of the authors listed below and you will be eligible to enter the contest. Once you make your purchase whether at TWRP’s bookstore or any of their distributors, send a copy of the order number and the title purchased and the date you purchased it to sonyreader@thewildrosepress.comIf you purchase several titles in one order you may send in as many entries as you have titles.
For questions, please contact either Rhonda Penders at rpenders@thewildrosepress.com or Martha@thewildrosepress.com
Click on each author's name to link to thier books in the TWRP bookstore.
Jean Adams (Champagne - Book out in October)
Kim Amburn (Crimson Rose)
Clare Austin (Book due out soon)
Clover Autrey (Faery Rose)
Carol Braswell (Crimson Rose)
Sharon Buchbinder (Champagne Rose, Last Rose of Summer)
Anne Carrole
Lynda Coker (Yellow Rose)
Wendy Davy (White Rose)
Tabitha Gibson (Sweetheart Rose, Champagne Rose, Crimson Rose)
Devon Gray (Scarlet Rose)
D.K. Harper (Champagne Rose, Last Rose of Summer)
Cierra James (Crimson Rose)
Paty Jager (Cactus Rose, Yellow Rose)
Jennifer Johnson (Champagne Rose)
Sylvia Kaye (Scarlet Rose, Yellow Rose)
Dayana Knight (Black Rose)
Renee Knowles (English Tea Rose)
Sharon Lanergan (English Tea Rose)
Liana Laverentz (Champagne Rose)
Hywela Lyn (Faery Rose)
Cara Marsi (Crimson Rose)
Bess McBride (Faery Rose, Last Rose of Summer, Vintage Rose, Champagne Rose)
Lily Rose Moon (Faery)
Skyhe Moncrief (Black Rose, Faery Rose)
Beth Morrow (Champagne Rose)
E.G. Parsons (Faery Rose)
Victoria Pitts-Caine (American Rose, White Rose)
Amber Polo (Champagne Rose, Faery Rose, Sweetheart Rose)
Sky Purington (Faery Rose)
Rynne Raines (Faery Rose)
Judith Rochelle (Yellow Rose, Crimson Rose)
Jocelyn Saint James (Last Rose of Summer, Champagne)
Jan Scarbrough (Faery Rose)
Tarah Scott (English Tea Rose)
Susan Shay (Yellow Rose)
Patti Shenberger (Champagne Rose)
Robin Shope (Book due out soon)
Linda Swift (Book due out soon)
Margaret Tanner (Vintage Rose, Champagne Rose)
Sara Thacker (Crimson)
Pam Thibodeaux (White Rose)
Deborah Tompkins (Last Rose of Summer)
M.K. Trent (Champagne Rose)
Beth Trissel (American Rose)
Shereen Vedam (Faery Rose, English Tea Rose)
Lisa Wells (Champagne Rose)
Anne Whitfield (Vintage, Last Rose of Summer, Champagne)
Sandy Wickersham-McWhorter (White Rose, Faery Rose)
Patrice Wilton (Faery Rose)
Michelle Witvliet (Champagne)
For questions on this contest, please contact Rhonda Penders at rpenders@thewildrosepress.com Please put the words SONY eReader contest in the subject line.
No purchase necessary. You may also enter the contest by mailing a postcard to The Wild Rose Press, P.O. Box 708, Adams Basin, NY 14410. Write down the titles of three books or short stories by three different participating authors and we will put your postcard in the general drawing.
Okay, now you have it!
As you can see I am one of the participating authors so if you haven't purchased any of my titles from TWRP, now is your chance to get them and get entered to win.
Good luck and God's blessings!
PamT
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Saturday Spotlight - Beth Caudill!
Hello Again Friends!
Back in the hallway, she closed the door behind her and said, "Well, that was anticlimactic." Laughing to herself, she decided to take the clothes downstairs and go home. She could honestly claim no one was home when she came to deliver the clothes. No reason the owner should know she strolled around his house.
From behind her, growling shattered the quiet night. Turning toward the noise, she gasped at the sight of a large gray wolf standing at the end of the hallway. He stalked towards her, his large teeth bared in a snarl. She inched toward the stairs hoping to beat him there. Just before she would have reached them, the wolf leapt at her. Swinging the clothes bag with all her might, she slammed the animal into the wall but lost her grip on the bag as the plastic became entangled in its feet.
The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she dashed down the stairs. Her only thought—to find a chair to beat the thing off. Reaching the bottom floor she turned the corner toward the back of the house where the kitchen and dining room were located. Then remembered there were no stools at the bar so she quickly moved to the dining room.
"Crap!"
Stopping in the center of the room, she looked around in disbelief. Earlier on her tour, there had been a dark walnut table large enough to seat eight people. Now the room stood empty. Even the matching china cabinet and buffet table were gone. She had to escape.
Moving toward the opposite entrance, she stopped when growling once again came from behind her. Turning slowly, beautiful, glowing milk chocolate eyes captured her gaze. Those luminous eyes terrified, and restrained her. At its mercy, Melinda had nothing but her hands to defend herself and no hope of out running the wild animal. She screamed as the wolf leapt on her sinking its teeth into her shoulder and clawing her belly. Thankfully when they hit the hardwood floor, she hit her head and blacked out.
Time for another Saturday Spotlight and today I'd like to introduce to you a fellow TWRP author, Beth Caudill and her new release, Informally Yours.
Bio: Beth grew up in West Virginia but now resides in North Carolina with her husband and two children. She has a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and previously worked as a quality assurance computer software tester. Reading has been her favorite activity for as long as she can remember and her home has more books than shelves to store them. While being a full-time parent, she is pursing a writing career. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and her local chapter Heart of Carolina Romance Writers.
Blurb: Everyday Melinda Jenson goes to work at Formally Yours, a high-end formal wear store, unaware the customers and owner are members of the local supernatural community. On Halloween night, Melinda's boss asks her to make a simple delivery. Unwilling to disappoint her niece and nephew, she arrives late and has an unexpected encounter with a wolf. Now she's chasing cute, furry forest creatures, and mated to a man she barely knows. "May you live in interesting times," just took on a whole new meaning.
Excerpt: Chapter Three
Walking the third floor hallway, Melinda heard the grandfather clock chime downstairs. Standing before a door with a soft yellow glow around the doorframe, she knocked several times but no one answered. As the last strikes echoed through the house, the door swung open. In the silence that followed, Melinda entered the brightly lit room. Here she found signs of life: clothes lying on a chair next to the antique four-poster bed, books piled on a nightstand, and a tower of CDs beside a stereo across the room. Examining the bathroom, she found it empty but cluttered as well.
Walking the third floor hallway, Melinda heard the grandfather clock chime downstairs. Standing before a door with a soft yellow glow around the doorframe, she knocked several times but no one answered. As the last strikes echoed through the house, the door swung open. In the silence that followed, Melinda entered the brightly lit room. Here she found signs of life: clothes lying on a chair next to the antique four-poster bed, books piled on a nightstand, and a tower of CDs beside a stereo across the room. Examining the bathroom, she found it empty but cluttered as well.
Back in the hallway, she closed the door behind her and said, "Well, that was anticlimactic." Laughing to herself, she decided to take the clothes downstairs and go home. She could honestly claim no one was home when she came to deliver the clothes. No reason the owner should know she strolled around his house.
From behind her, growling shattered the quiet night. Turning toward the noise, she gasped at the sight of a large gray wolf standing at the end of the hallway. He stalked towards her, his large teeth bared in a snarl. She inched toward the stairs hoping to beat him there. Just before she would have reached them, the wolf leapt at her. Swinging the clothes bag with all her might, she slammed the animal into the wall but lost her grip on the bag as the plastic became entangled in its feet.
The hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she dashed down the stairs. Her only thought—to find a chair to beat the thing off. Reaching the bottom floor she turned the corner toward the back of the house where the kitchen and dining room were located. Then remembered there were no stools at the bar so she quickly moved to the dining room.
"Crap!"
Stopping in the center of the room, she looked around in disbelief. Earlier on her tour, there had been a dark walnut table large enough to seat eight people. Now the room stood empty. Even the matching china cabinet and buffet table were gone. She had to escape.
Moving toward the opposite entrance, she stopped when growling once again came from behind her. Turning slowly, beautiful, glowing milk chocolate eyes captured her gaze. Those luminous eyes terrified, and restrained her. At its mercy, Melinda had nothing but her hands to defend herself and no hope of out running the wild animal. She screamed as the wolf leapt on her sinking its teeth into her shoulder and clawing her belly. Thankfully when they hit the hardwood floor, she hit her head and blacked out.
Well Friends, hope you've enjoyed finding out about Beth and her new release, Informally Yours!
You can purchase a copy of Informally Yours or one of Beth's other titles from The Wild Rose Press
Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Back to Square One
Hello There Dear Friends and Readers,
Due to unusual and unforeseen circumstances I have invoked the ‘kill clause’ in my contract and pulled The Visionary from Enspiren Press. Therefore, it will not be out early next year as expected. I am currently seeking the representation of a literary agent for this novel as well as my other project, Circles of Fate and will keep you posted on the progress.
Now for some good news!
If you read my post about being tagged earlier this month, in the comments you'll see that I won an award from author Debbie Wallace - The 'I Love Your Blog Award!
The rules for this award are:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!
This is so much more fun than tagging LOL but so difficult to pick only seven!
The seven blogs I picked:
Mirella Patzer's "Best of Italy" Blog
Rita Gerlach's "InSpire" Blog
Melissa Alvarez aka: Arianna Dupre's Blog
Amber Leigh Williams' "For the Love of Writing" Blog
Angie Dilmore's "Trials & Triumphs" Blog
The Seekers "Road to Publication" Blog
This has been lots of fun. I hope the bloggers I've picked enjoy it as much as I do.
Until later remember...when one door closes, God opens a window.
PamT
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
New Place for Writers to Gather and Share!
Every now and then I come across a great place for writers to meet with other writers and to learn and share information. Today I'd like to tell you about one of those places.
Run by Jo Linsdell, Writers and Authors is a place for people in the writing industry to gather and share experiences, tips and advice, not to mention promote their latest work and discuss various topics related to the writing industry.and is being relaunched this month!
Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer and author of ‘Italian for tourists’ and ‘A guide to weddings in Italy’ which are available to buy from www.lulu.com/jolinsdell along with her various ebooks. Originally from the UK she moved to Rome, Italy in 2001 where she now lives with her husband and their baby son. She is currently working on the ‘Italian Home Study’ series of ebooks and a pocket size edition of her book ‘Italian for tourists’. As well as writing she is the creator and manager of the Writers and Authors website and she is here today to tell us a bit more about it.
Why ‘relaunch’?
My baby son was born in December 2007 after a difficult pregnancy, so I’ve been away for a while. Having to spend 8 months on bed rest meant I had a lot of time on my hands, which I used to work on my various writing related projects. The Writers and Authors site was a big success and my plan is to make it even better now I’m back online. To make sure everyone gets the chance to take part and see the great opportunities on the site I thought it was a good idea to have a big relaunch party to celebrate and spread the word.
What changes have been made to the site?
The new format will be as follows:Mondays: Opportunities for writers. This will include paying markets, competitions, online courses etc…Tuesdays: Featured Authors.. This will include author interviews and samples of their writing. Wednesdays: Publishers, editors, etc... This section will include interviews with publishers, editors, etc… and explain how the industry works and give helpful advice on the more technical aspects of the writing industry e.g. what they look for, how to query, etc…Thursdays: Book reviews. This will include reviews about any type of book. I’m particularly looking for reviews about self help for writers books (and related) but will also post reviews about fiction, poetry and basically anything else. Fridays: Upcoming events. This section will include dates and details about conferences and other events for writers online. Also author chats online, virtual tours etc…
How can people get involved?
For those of you interested in being interviewed for the 'Featured Author' section please send me an email (writersandauthors@yahoo.it) giving some details about yourself and your writing. Please also include your website address.
Calling all publishers, editors, marketing experts, cover art designers, etc... I need YOU! To be interviewed please contact writersandauthors@yahoo.comAs you can see, I also want to include a section with book reviews. You are welcome to review any type of book (e.g. self help for writers or a fiction or poetry book). In fact I'll be all the happier to have a good mix. If your new to writing reviews and want some pointers check out http://library.queensu.ca/research/guide/book-reviews/how-write for some tips.
Please send your review in the body of the email to writersandauthors@yahoo.it with 'Book Review' in the subject line.
How can people support Writers and Authors?
Nominations (e.g. Writers Digest 101 best sites- any others are good too J), blog postings, interviews, putting a link on their sites, spreading the word to others.
Tell us about the Virtual Tour?
To relaunch this site in it's new format I'm organising a virtual tour starting from October 1st 2008. Anyone who is interested in hosting me for an interview or featuring the Writers and Authors website on theirs, please send me an email to the new address writersandauthors@yahoo.it with virtual tour in the subject line. A copy of the Virtual Tour calendar is on the site so you can keep track of the events.
Well, Friends, Writers and Authors sounds like another great place to visit and you'll see it listed in my "Areas of Interest for Authors"
Remember to come back Saturday when I spotlight author Beth Caudill!
Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT
Run by Jo Linsdell, Writers and Authors is a place for people in the writing industry to gather and share experiences, tips and advice, not to mention promote their latest work and discuss various topics related to the writing industry.and is being relaunched this month!
Jo Linsdell is a freelance writer and author of ‘Italian for tourists’ and ‘A guide to weddings in Italy’ which are available to buy from www.lulu.com/jolinsdell along with her various ebooks. Originally from the UK she moved to Rome, Italy in 2001 where she now lives with her husband and their baby son. She is currently working on the ‘Italian Home Study’ series of ebooks and a pocket size edition of her book ‘Italian for tourists’. As well as writing she is the creator and manager of the Writers and Authors website and she is here today to tell us a bit more about it.
Why ‘relaunch’?
My baby son was born in December 2007 after a difficult pregnancy, so I’ve been away for a while. Having to spend 8 months on bed rest meant I had a lot of time on my hands, which I used to work on my various writing related projects. The Writers and Authors site was a big success and my plan is to make it even better now I’m back online. To make sure everyone gets the chance to take part and see the great opportunities on the site I thought it was a good idea to have a big relaunch party to celebrate and spread the word.
What changes have been made to the site?
The new format will be as follows:Mondays: Opportunities for writers. This will include paying markets, competitions, online courses etc…Tuesdays: Featured Authors.. This will include author interviews and samples of their writing. Wednesdays: Publishers, editors, etc... This section will include interviews with publishers, editors, etc… and explain how the industry works and give helpful advice on the more technical aspects of the writing industry e.g. what they look for, how to query, etc…Thursdays: Book reviews. This will include reviews about any type of book. I’m particularly looking for reviews about self help for writers books (and related) but will also post reviews about fiction, poetry and basically anything else. Fridays: Upcoming events. This section will include dates and details about conferences and other events for writers online. Also author chats online, virtual tours etc…
How can people get involved?
For those of you interested in being interviewed for the 'Featured Author' section please send me an email (writersandauthors@yahoo.it) giving some details about yourself and your writing. Please also include your website address.
Calling all publishers, editors, marketing experts, cover art designers, etc... I need YOU! To be interviewed please contact writersandauthors@yahoo.comAs you can see, I also want to include a section with book reviews. You are welcome to review any type of book (e.g. self help for writers or a fiction or poetry book). In fact I'll be all the happier to have a good mix. If your new to writing reviews and want some pointers check out http://library.queensu.ca/research/guide/book-reviews/how-write for some tips.
Please send your review in the body of the email to writersandauthors@yahoo.it with 'Book Review' in the subject line.
How can people support Writers and Authors?
Nominations (e.g. Writers Digest 101 best sites- any others are good too J), blog postings, interviews, putting a link on their sites, spreading the word to others.
Tell us about the Virtual Tour?
To relaunch this site in it's new format I'm organising a virtual tour starting from October 1st 2008. Anyone who is interested in hosting me for an interview or featuring the Writers and Authors website on theirs, please send me an email to the new address writersandauthors@yahoo.it with virtual tour in the subject line. A copy of the Virtual Tour calendar is on the site so you can keep track of the events.
Well, Friends, Writers and Authors sounds like another great place to visit and you'll see it listed in my "Areas of Interest for Authors"
Remember to come back Saturday when I spotlight author Beth Caudill!
Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT
Monday, October 13, 2008
Another Monday Already!
Wow, seems like just yesterday was Monday and here we are again...
I guess time does fly when you're having fun LOL!
Saturday I'm spotlighting Beth Caudill and her newest release, Informally Yours!
Looks like a busy but fun week, hope to see you here!
PamT
I guess time does fly when you're having fun LOL!
Tomorrow I'll be over at The Long and Short of It for their "Tell All Tuesday Feature"
Wednesday I'll be chatting on LASR's yahoo loop
Saturday I'm spotlighting Beth Caudill and her newest release, Informally Yours!
Looks like a busy but fun week, hope to see you here!
PamT
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Saturday Spotlight - Lili Fournier!
Well here we are, time for another Saturday Spotlight!
Today I'm hosting Lili Fournier and her Quest for Success DVD which is on Virtual Book Tour. You may wonder why I'm hosting a DVD instead of a book this week - well, let me tell you!
If you've followed my blog for long you'll recall that I've been studying The Law of Attraction and The Secret. Well, this Quest for Success DVD fits right in with all that information.
About Lili Fournier - LILI FOURNIER is the producer/director and host of the award winning Quest series of specials on PBS. Critically acclaimed as the best of its genre for its in-depth approach to contemporary life issues, the series features a mastermind group of America's most influential thinkers on personal achievement and well being, including Thomas Moore, Stephen Covey, Deepak Chopra, Caroline Myss, Marianne Williamson, John Gray, et al. You can read more on Lili Here.
Summary of Quest for Success PBS DVD- Today’s most influential thinkers, visionaries, authors and heroes share their wisdom and key principles to success, and personal and societal change. These people include: Sir Richard Branson, Russell Simmons, Stephen Covey, Jack Canfield, John Assaraf, Harv Eker, Marci Shimoff, Byron Katie, Wayne Muller, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dahli Lama.
This Quest For Success explores what it takes to live a life of true happiness, personal fulfillment and authentic success. This is an extraordinary journey on that most profound of human longings, our search for happiness and fulfillment, and the wisdom we will need to find it.Each of us has a heroic path to walk. This is a call to greatness that begins with you. And igniting that spirit, that passion for the possible, is where the journey begins.
For additional information visit http://www.questforwealth.org/
To learn about all of Lili Fournier's products, visit http://www.questthejourney.com/products/products.html
The complete list of tour stops is available at: http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/09/quest-for-success-dvd-directed-by-lili.html
Well Folks, hope you've enjoyed this week's Saturday Spotlight! Hope to see you next week when I host author Beth Caudill!
Until later....take care, God Bless and remember....the Quest begins with YOU~
Today I'm hosting Lili Fournier and her Quest for Success DVD which is on Virtual Book Tour. You may wonder why I'm hosting a DVD instead of a book this week - well, let me tell you!
If you've followed my blog for long you'll recall that I've been studying The Law of Attraction and The Secret. Well, this Quest for Success DVD fits right in with all that information.
About Lili Fournier - LILI FOURNIER is the producer/director and host of the award winning Quest series of specials on PBS. Critically acclaimed as the best of its genre for its in-depth approach to contemporary life issues, the series features a mastermind group of America's most influential thinkers on personal achievement and well being, including Thomas Moore, Stephen Covey, Deepak Chopra, Caroline Myss, Marianne Williamson, John Gray, et al. You can read more on Lili Here.
Summary of Quest for Success PBS DVD- Today’s most influential thinkers, visionaries, authors and heroes share their wisdom and key principles to success, and personal and societal change. These people include: Sir Richard Branson, Russell Simmons, Stephen Covey, Jack Canfield, John Assaraf, Harv Eker, Marci Shimoff, Byron Katie, Wayne Muller, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and His Holiness the Dahli Lama.This Quest For Success explores what it takes to live a life of true happiness, personal fulfillment and authentic success. This is an extraordinary journey on that most profound of human longings, our search for happiness and fulfillment, and the wisdom we will need to find it.Each of us has a heroic path to walk. This is a call to greatness that begins with you. And igniting that spirit, that passion for the possible, is where the journey begins.
For additional information visit http://www.questforwealth.org/
To learn about all of Lili Fournier's products, visit http://www.questthejourney.com/products/products.html
The complete list of tour stops is available at: http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/09/quest-for-success-dvd-directed-by-lili.html
Well Folks, hope you've enjoyed this week's Saturday Spotlight! Hope to see you next week when I host author Beth Caudill!
Until later....take care, God Bless and remember....the Quest begins with YOU~
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Author Spotlight - Shobhan Bantwal
Hi Friends,
As you know, I've started a new feature this month called Saturday Spotlight where every Saturday I'll spotlight a different author. Multi-published authors may appear several times throughout the year so that each book will receive equal attention.
Sometimes though, you'll see an Author Spotlight during the week...these are folks who are on virtual book tour.
Today, I'm please to introduce to you author Shobhan Bantwal and her book The Forbidden Daughter.
About Shobhan Bantwal –
Shobhan Bantwal is the author of THE DOWRY BRIDE and THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER. Both novels are set in India and released by Kensington Publishing Corp. Shobhan’s short story titled WHERE THE LOTUS GROWS is scheduled for publication in an anthology in spring 2009 and the proceeds will be donated by the publisher, Freya’s Bower, to a battered women’s shelter.
As a freelance writer, Shobhan frequently writes columns for India Abroad. Since 2002, Shobhan’s articles and short stories have also appeared in a variety of other publications including The Writer magazine, Little India, U.S. 1, Desi Journal, India Currents, Overseas Indian, New Woman India, Kanara Saraswat and Sulekha. Her short stories have won honors and awards in fiction contests sponsored by Writer’s Digest, New York Stories and New Woman magazines.
You can visit Shobhan Bantwal at her website – http://www.shobhanbantwal.com/
Summary of The Forbidden Daughter –
When a young widow refuses to comply with her in-laws' dictate to abort her unborn child, will her rebellion turn out to be the greatest mistake of her life, or a blessing in disguise? This is the story of one mother’s valiant fight to protect her daughters in a society that often frowns on female children, and the only man who will help her in her battle when the stakes become impossibly high.
THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER is woven around the hot-button social issue of vanishing girl children in contemporary India, where gender-based abortions and female infanticide continue to be practiced in some areas despite laws to ban the practices.
Prologue for The Forbidden Daughter
Oh, Lord, I beg of you.I fall at your feet time and again.In my next incarnation, don't give me a daughter; Give me hell instead . . .
Folk Song from the State of Uttar Pradesh, India
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Your child will come at the harvest full moon,” the old man said.
Jolted out of her dark, melancholic thoughts, Isha Tilak looked up, and stared in astonishment at the man who had uttered the startling words. He was obviously addressing her, because there was no one else in the immediate vicinity.
His strange remark captured her attention, thrusting aside her private musings.
“It is called Kojagari Purnima. It is the night when Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and abundance, descends from her heavenly abode to bless her devotees,” he added, stroking his luxuriant salt-and-pepper beard that more than compensated for the total absence of hair on his large, misshapen head.
He was supposedly a sadhu—a sage or holy man. He was certainly dressed for the part in his faded saffron robe—typical garb for Hindu holy men. Perhaps because she continued to wear a baffled look, he smiled. The simple motion transformed and softened his austere face, creating deeper furrows in his gaunt cheeks. “Yours will be a female child who will bring light and abundance to the people around her.”
She shook herself out of her stunned silence. It took her a moment to comprehend his words. Then natural curiosity took over, prompting her to goad him, test him. “How do you know my child will be a girl?”
He ignored her question. Instead he said, “Your daughter comes as a gift from Lakshmi, so she will enjoy prosperity and many comforts in her life, and, being generous, she will share them with others.”
“But my in-laws think she’s a curse,” Isha informed him, the bitterness in her voice hard to conceal and the despondency in her tear-swollen eyes a testimony to her despair. “In fact, they have forbidden me to have this child.”
“I know,” he said, with a thoughtful nod. “I am also aware that there is something which some evil doctors use to eliminate female children before they are born. It is one of the many scourges of kaliyug. Modern society.”
The Forbidden Daughter can be ordered at: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Daughter-Shobhan-Bantwal/dp/0758220308
For more information about Shobhan Bantwal’s virtual tour, visit – http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/09/forbidden-daughter-by-shobhan-bantwal.html
Wow, sounds like an interesting read!
Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this author spotlight. Stay tuned Saturday when I host Lili Fournier and her Quest for Success DVD on Saturuday Spotlight!
Until then....take care and God BLESS!
PamT
As you know, I've started a new feature this month called Saturday Spotlight where every Saturday I'll spotlight a different author. Multi-published authors may appear several times throughout the year so that each book will receive equal attention.
Sometimes though, you'll see an Author Spotlight during the week...these are folks who are on virtual book tour.
Today, I'm please to introduce to you author Shobhan Bantwal and her book The Forbidden Daughter.
About Shobhan Bantwal –
Shobhan Bantwal is the author of THE DOWRY BRIDE and THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER. Both novels are set in India and released by Kensington Publishing Corp. Shobhan’s short story titled WHERE THE LOTUS GROWS is scheduled for publication in an anthology in spring 2009 and the proceeds will be donated by the publisher, Freya’s Bower, to a battered women’s shelter.
As a freelance writer, Shobhan frequently writes columns for India Abroad. Since 2002, Shobhan’s articles and short stories have also appeared in a variety of other publications including The Writer magazine, Little India, U.S. 1, Desi Journal, India Currents, Overseas Indian, New Woman India, Kanara Saraswat and Sulekha. Her short stories have won honors and awards in fiction contests sponsored by Writer’s Digest, New York Stories and New Woman magazines.
You can visit Shobhan Bantwal at her website – http://www.shobhanbantwal.com/
Summary of The Forbidden Daughter –
When a young widow refuses to comply with her in-laws' dictate to abort her unborn child, will her rebellion turn out to be the greatest mistake of her life, or a blessing in disguise? This is the story of one mother’s valiant fight to protect her daughters in a society that often frowns on female children, and the only man who will help her in her battle when the stakes become impossibly high.
THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER is woven around the hot-button social issue of vanishing girl children in contemporary India, where gender-based abortions and female infanticide continue to be practiced in some areas despite laws to ban the practices.
Prologue for The Forbidden Daughter
Oh, Lord, I beg of you.I fall at your feet time and again.In my next incarnation, don't give me a daughter; Give me hell instead . . .
Folk Song from the State of Uttar Pradesh, India
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Your child will come at the harvest full moon,” the old man said.
Jolted out of her dark, melancholic thoughts, Isha Tilak looked up, and stared in astonishment at the man who had uttered the startling words. He was obviously addressing her, because there was no one else in the immediate vicinity.
His strange remark captured her attention, thrusting aside her private musings.
“It is called Kojagari Purnima. It is the night when Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and abundance, descends from her heavenly abode to bless her devotees,” he added, stroking his luxuriant salt-and-pepper beard that more than compensated for the total absence of hair on his large, misshapen head.
He was supposedly a sadhu—a sage or holy man. He was certainly dressed for the part in his faded saffron robe—typical garb for Hindu holy men. Perhaps because she continued to wear a baffled look, he smiled. The simple motion transformed and softened his austere face, creating deeper furrows in his gaunt cheeks. “Yours will be a female child who will bring light and abundance to the people around her.”
She shook herself out of her stunned silence. It took her a moment to comprehend his words. Then natural curiosity took over, prompting her to goad him, test him. “How do you know my child will be a girl?”
He ignored her question. Instead he said, “Your daughter comes as a gift from Lakshmi, so she will enjoy prosperity and many comforts in her life, and, being generous, she will share them with others.”
“But my in-laws think she’s a curse,” Isha informed him, the bitterness in her voice hard to conceal and the despondency in her tear-swollen eyes a testimony to her despair. “In fact, they have forbidden me to have this child.”
“I know,” he said, with a thoughtful nod. “I am also aware that there is something which some evil doctors use to eliminate female children before they are born. It is one of the many scourges of kaliyug. Modern society.”
The Forbidden Daughter can be ordered at: http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Daughter-Shobhan-Bantwal/dp/0758220308For more information about Shobhan Bantwal’s virtual tour, visit – http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/09/forbidden-daughter-by-shobhan-bantwal.html
Wow, sounds like an interesting read!
Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this author spotlight. Stay tuned Saturday when I host Lili Fournier and her Quest for Success DVD on Saturuday Spotlight!
Until then....take care and God BLESS!
PamT
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
I've Been Tagged - AGAIN!
My Friend Judy Leger tagged me and trust me, I will get even :-)
Judy is a great friend and wonderful writer. I'm not much on fantasy or paranormal, but I'll read hers. Check out her story, The Witch Within available now from The Wild Rose Press!
I'm supposed to tell you 6 things about myself and tag six friends so here goes:
1) I'm Going to be a Grandmother Again! My daughter found out last week that she's expecting.
2) I live with my husband in Iowa, LA, we have one dog.
3) I am a Licensed Insurance Sales Producer
4) I am the co-founder of the same writers' group Judy belongs to, Bayou Writers Group
5) Although I can be found enjoying an occasional movie with my husband, TV is not my bag, I'd rather read.
6) I too, have Cherokee blood in my family, on my father's side.
Darn this is difficult so early in the morning, LOL!
Okay now I'm tagging the following people:
Angie Dilmore is a talented writer who moved to Louisiana about a year ago. She too is a member of Bayou Writers Group.
Mindy Blanchard is another talented writer and new member of Bayou Writers Group; she has taken over our newsletter and doing a wonderful job!
Mirella Patzer is not only a wonderful writer but an excellent editor. Her book, Bloodstone Castle is well worth whatever it cost you (time, $$, energy) to read!
Kim Smith is a writer whom I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot about in the future!
Ron Adams is a new friend, we've met as a result of publishing contracts with the same publisher.
Rosemary Morris is another talented writer with whom I share a publisher.
Hope you find these friends as interesting as I do.
Don't forget, tomorrow I'm spotlighting Shobhan Bantwal and her book, The Forbidden Daughter on her virtual book tour!
Until later...take care and God Bless.
PamT
Judy is a great friend and wonderful writer. I'm not much on fantasy or paranormal, but I'll read hers. Check out her story, The Witch Within available now from The Wild Rose Press!
I'm supposed to tell you 6 things about myself and tag six friends so here goes:
1) I'm Going to be a Grandmother Again! My daughter found out last week that she's expecting.
2) I live with my husband in Iowa, LA, we have one dog.
3) I am a Licensed Insurance Sales Producer
4) I am the co-founder of the same writers' group Judy belongs to, Bayou Writers Group
5) Although I can be found enjoying an occasional movie with my husband, TV is not my bag, I'd rather read.
6) I too, have Cherokee blood in my family, on my father's side.
Darn this is difficult so early in the morning, LOL!
Okay now I'm tagging the following people:
Angie Dilmore is a talented writer who moved to Louisiana about a year ago. She too is a member of Bayou Writers Group.
Mindy Blanchard is another talented writer and new member of Bayou Writers Group; she has taken over our newsletter and doing a wonderful job!
Mirella Patzer is not only a wonderful writer but an excellent editor. Her book, Bloodstone Castle is well worth whatever it cost you (time, $$, energy) to read!
Kim Smith is a writer whom I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot about in the future!
Ron Adams is a new friend, we've met as a result of publishing contracts with the same publisher.
Rosemary Morris is another talented writer with whom I share a publisher.
Hope you find these friends as interesting as I do.
Don't forget, tomorrow I'm spotlighting Shobhan Bantwal and her book, The Forbidden Daughter on her virtual book tour!
Until later...take care and God Bless.
PamT
Monday, October 6, 2008
Happy Monday!
Wow, is it Monday already?
We've got a busy week coming up with an Author Spotlight on Shobhan Bantwal and her book The Forbidden Daughter on Wednesday and with Lili Fournier and her Quest For Success DVD as our Saturday Spotlight!
On a personal note, I've started editing a novel I wrote a long time ago and haven't touched in several years. Circles of Fate is a romantic saga that is set at the tail end of the Vietnam War era, and covers nearly twenty years in the lives of Shaunna Chatman and Todd Jameson as they are constantly thrown together and torn apart by fate. The characters are continually forced to choose between love and duty, right and wrong, standing on faith or succumbing to the world’s viewpoint on life, love, marriage and fidelity. Secondary characters are equally important to the plot as, with intriguing twists and turns, fate brings together people whose lives will forever be entwined. Through it all is the hand of God as He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
This is a very long (over 300 pages!) novel with intricate twists and turns throughout and it is looking for a home. So, if you are an editor or know one who is interested in these types of novels, please contact me or send them my way.
Also, don't forget Friends, Thursday is Yom Kippur or "The Day of Atonement." Although this is a Jewish holiday, all Christians should remember that Jesus was Jewish and that He died in order to atone for our sins...therefore, it's a good day to fast and reflect.
Well that's about it for today...hope to see you again soon!
Until then....take care and God Bless!
PamT
We've got a busy week coming up with an Author Spotlight on Shobhan Bantwal and her book The Forbidden Daughter on Wednesday and with Lili Fournier and her Quest For Success DVD as our Saturday Spotlight!
On a personal note, I've started editing a novel I wrote a long time ago and haven't touched in several years. Circles of Fate is a romantic saga that is set at the tail end of the Vietnam War era, and covers nearly twenty years in the lives of Shaunna Chatman and Todd Jameson as they are constantly thrown together and torn apart by fate. The characters are continually forced to choose between love and duty, right and wrong, standing on faith or succumbing to the world’s viewpoint on life, love, marriage and fidelity. Secondary characters are equally important to the plot as, with intriguing twists and turns, fate brings together people whose lives will forever be entwined. Through it all is the hand of God as He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
This is a very long (over 300 pages!) novel with intricate twists and turns throughout and it is looking for a home. So, if you are an editor or know one who is interested in these types of novels, please contact me or send them my way.
Also, don't forget Friends, Thursday is Yom Kippur or "The Day of Atonement." Although this is a Jewish holiday, all Christians should remember that Jesus was Jewish and that He died in order to atone for our sins...therefore, it's a good day to fast and reflect.
Well that's about it for today...hope to see you again soon!
Until then....take care and God Bless!
PamT
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Saturday Spotlight - Cheryl St. John!
Well Friends, as promised we're starting our Saturday Spotlight with prolifc author, Cheryl St John and her story A Baby Blue Christmas from The Magic of Christmas Anthology.
Enjoy!
Excerpted First Chapter of A BABY BLUE CHRISTMAS
The Magic of Christmas Anthology
October '08
READ CHAPTER ONE
Chapter One
November, Ruby Creek, Colorado
There was always at least one rude traveler for the duration of a stage ride, and this time it was an overweight and cloyingly perfumed woman in a bright green traveling suit. She’d slept nearly the entire trip since Salt Lake City, snoring in snorts and whistles that punctuated every tedious, bone-jolting inch of the way.
Gabrielle couldn’t complain.
She was exceedingly grateful it was Snore Lady beside her and not Whiskey Breath. From his seat directly across from her, the man with the bristly brown-stained beard gave her sidelong looks that made her skin crawl. The one time she’d erroneously met his gaze, he’d smiled. His teeth were brown and decayed. One of the rules of etiquette required that he offer to share the bottle, and he’d done so begrudgingly. Only one passenger had accepted his invitation. Gabby wouldn’t have touched her lips to that bottle if she’d been dying of thirst.
Gabby had taken only short trips with the Wells Fargo Overland in the past. Heat and dust were definitely worse during summer months, so late November was marginally better for a hasty and ill-planned trip. Being packed in like sardines was an advantage this time of year and in this unfamiliar part of the country.
The coach hit another rut and her teeth jarred yet again. Snore Lady gasped in her sleep and then lapsed back into vigorous and prolonged inhaling and exhaling.
The driver struck the side of the coach to gain their attention, and a gentleman in a gray wool suit opened the flap to listen to his message. A flurry of snow filtered in and dusted the buffalo robes.
Gabby stared at the flakes glistening on the dark fur. She was from the Steptoe Valley in eastern Nevada and had only seen snow in stereoscope slides. Having been forewarned about winter, she’d bought a warmer coat at a layover in Utah.
“Last bend before Ruby Creek,” the gentleman traveler conveyed.
Having been delayed most of the afternoon for wheel repair, they were finally reaching her destination in darkness. Gabby prayed the hotel would check her in at this late hour. To hurry her travel, she’d brought only one small satchel. All she needed was a place to lay her head for the night.
She’d been following her cousin for weeks, traveling by any means available and inquiring from town to town. She had learned that Willow had come to Ruby Creek only a day or two ago. This was the closest Gabby had come to finding her since starting out a month ago. She didn’t let herself think about what could happen if she was too late. Willow always landed on her feet, but the baby she was about to give birth to was defenseless.
With a final lurch, the stagecoach slowed, turned a new direction and came to a halt with a screech of springs.
Snore Lady roused. “Where are we?”
“Ruby Creek,” Whiskey Breath replied.
The obese woman raised the flap and peered out into darkness. “It’s late! Nearly bedtime.”
Gabby exchanged a glance with the man in the gray suit.
The coach rocked as the driver and a passenger climbed down from the top seat. The door opened outward, a bitter cold draft and more fascinating white flakes swept inside.
“Ruby Creek!” the driver called. “Those goin’ on will have to find a room for the night on Well’s Fargo’s tab. We’re half a day behind, but we cain’t go no farther in the dark. Too dangerous for the horses.”
The reflection of the moon and stars on the snow lit the night with an odd silent brightness. Gabby stepped down into the freezing inch-thick blanket of white. Her thin-soled shoes made a squeaking sound with each step. Drat. She’d bought the coat, but hadn’t thought of warmer footwear.
Eager to be on the road, Gabby had been the first passenger aboard the coach that morning; her bag was buried between crates and trunks. Waiting impatiently as the driver and a man from the freight line unloaded, she turned to cast a look at the town.
Four gas lamps burning at uneven intervals lit Ruby Creek’s Main Street. She made out hanging signs for the hotel, a livery, mercantile and pawnshop. Other signs painted on windows were indistinguishable in the dark. Dissipating smoke curled from half a dozen chimneys.
Within minutes, the cold seeped through her shoes and chilled her toes. Beneath her coat and dress, frigid air encased her legs. Within seconds numbness set into her thighs.
By the time the men uncovered her satchel, she was the only one left standing at the station. She took her bag with a weary thank you and pointed herself toward the sign that read Friberger Hotel. The frosty layer that had settled on the boardwalk made her final steps treacherous. She slipped and slid and finally grabbed the doorknob as a lifeline. The door opened and she slid into a chilly lobby, relived to at last be indoors.
“Full up!” A wiry man with hair standing in pewter-colored tufts around his ears called to her as soon as she closed the door behind her.
Now what would she do? Her whole body ached, and she was so tired, she could have fallen asleep standing there.
Carrying a no vacancy sign, the proprietor limped toward the front door. The crown of his head was bald and pink. “Just let the very last room.”
He hung the sign in the front window.
Gabby set down her bag. “I need a place to stay.” Refusing to give in to desperation, she thought quickly. “I’ll share a room with someone and pay the entire cost.”
The man obviously wanted to get back to his bed, but he sighed and obliged her by plodding up the stairs. He was gone a long time, so Gabby looked around for a chair. There was only a long narrow bench beside the door. She remained standing.
At last he returned. “Won’t nobody share. The new arrivals ain’t payin’ their own way, so they don’t care.”
With her hopes in shreds, she closed her eyes against the discouragement crushing in. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Sometimes Miz Sims takes a border overnight. How long ya stayin’?”
She only wished she knew when she’d find Willow and be able to head home. When she’d made up her mind to do whatever she could to get to her in time, Gabby’d had no choice but to come on this trip alone. There was no other family besides her parents. Besides the fact that they’d given up on Willow, they had a business to run. “I’m not sure.”
“Other’n that, maybe the reverend. No, come t’ think of it, he’s a widow man and don’t take in no females on account of propriety. Sometimes Turner over t’ the livery lets a fella stay the night with his horse. ‘Specially in poor weather. Ya might ask ‘im.”
Tired, hungry, supremely frustrated, Gabby picked up her bag and tugged her collar around her neck. She forced herself to thank the man politely. In the morning half the travelers would move on and, if she hadn’t found Willow, she’d still be in need of a room by tomorrow night.
#
Long about three o’clock, Ruby Creek and the day closed in on Turner Price. He tended the horses as usual, did chores and ate simple meals, but come nightfall and the locked silence of the businesses along Main Street, he saddled his gelding and rode out, staying away from the hills and the creeks and finding clear moonlit trails.
Often, no matter the weather, he dismounted and walked, his Mexican spurs jangling and silencing night creatures as he passed.
This snowy November night made for a bitter cold ride and a colder walk, but he was accustomed to the elements and had dressed warm. With the stars spread overhead and the frigid air biting his lungs, it was easier to keep his thinking focused on the present.
Snow glistened in the moonlight and brightened the landscape. His horse didn’t care what Turner said or didn’t say, didn’t have an opinion or feel pity. Comanche just plodded along at his side with an occasional snort or soft whinny for companionship. Comanche didn’t demand Turner talk or feel or change, and Turner liked their relationship just fine.
Judging by the stars, it was time to head home. He mounted and urged the Appaloosa toward the livery. He reached the door, dismounted, and rolled the wood sideways to lead the gelding inside.
One of the other horses nickered from its stall and Comanche responded with a soft snort and a shake of his head.
Turner hung his coat and hat, unsaddled Comanche and picked up a blanket to dry him. “Hold on, I’ll get you dry and warm and you can settle in for the night.”
He was brushing the animal’s withers when a sound arrested his attention. His hand fell still. A cat? A pair of cats? Not impossible that felines had sought lodging in the warmth and safety of the building for the night. But why in tarnation were they making so much racket?
The sound registering more clearly, Turner rolled around additional possibilities. He was either losing his mind or….
Lying down the brush, he gave his horse a pat on the shoulder and grabbed a lantern that hung from a nail on a beam. His spurs jangled a beat as he strode down the long row of stalls.
The horses were agitated, stamping and moving restlessly. A bay he was boarding for a traveler pinned his ears back and rolled his eyes, a distinct reaction to a disturbing smell. More than Turner’s late return was exciting these horses. Something--or someone--had disturbed them.
The high-pitched sound had grown louder and was definitely coming from the back of the barn. These end stalls were always the last rented.
Turner’s gut clenched at the sound he now recognized as a baby’s cry. And not just one slender reedy trill--two.
The stall gate was unlatched, and he swung it outward to enter. Two impossibly tiny infants wrapped in bright-colored cloth lay on a mound of hay, their tiny fists flailing in the chill air.
For a full minute, he couldn’t make sense of what his eyes told him. He stopped breathing to simply stare and absorb.
Just looking at them hurt.
He’d been gone only a couple of hours at the longest. How could this be? Hesitant, but unerringly drawn, he stepped forward and knelt. Their eyes were squinched shut, their faces red with agitation. Turner touched one finger to the nearest infant’s matted damp scalp. Like newborn colts, these babies still bore evidence of their recent birth. They were mere minutes old, barely over an hour at the most.
An unsettling sense of trouble clawed at his nerves. Where was their mother? Unwilling to leave them alone, he glanced around as if their parent would appear or he’d find the answer in the wooden enclosure.
Both infants’ stiffly held arms trembled as they screamed. They kicked at the cloth covering their legs until the material pushed aside. Boys, both of them. Hungry, frightened, tiny boys.
Stricken by the unexpected sight and the tormenting effect on his mind and heart, Turner acted instinctively.
Shrugging out of his heavy flannel shirt, he knelt and--one at a time--gingerly placed the babies against the warm fabric and tucked the bulky garment around them. He folded back the excess, careful not to bury their faces.
He lifted the bundle gently and held it against his chest, his mind racing. Turning on his heel, he inspected the stall, the space leading to it, and each of the surrounding pens. Twelve contained restless horses. Eight were empty.
None hid a woman.
He checked the tack room and even walked back to his quarters. The room held everything he needed for his sparse existence: A bed, a small coal burner, a table and one chair.
Warmth and motion soothed the babies. Nestled against each other in the soft bundle of his shirt and against his heart, they grew silent.
He studied their miniature features, and a torturous ache weighted his chest. He didn’t want to look at them, didn’t want to add to his misery, but he couldn’t keep his gaze away. The child with the most hair had a hand splayed against his cheek, and his fingers were unbelievably tiny with perfect little nails. The other opened his heart-shaped mouth and turned his seeking face against the flannel. Turner couldn’t catch his breath for seconds. His head swam.
Tiny and helpless and alone. The fact that someone had abandoned them chafed Turner’s temper. The act was inconceivable.
And now what in blazes was he to do with them? They wouldn’t survive a day without milk and proper care. He stirred the ashes in the coal burner and added fuel to get the room warm.
The bell outside the entrance clanged once, then silenced abruptly as though someone had placed a hand on it. It was rare that anyone came for his mount or to leave a horse this late. He’d heard the stage earlier, though, and occasionally, if the small stable behind the freight station was full, the drivers boarded animals here overnight.
He placed the babies on his bed, making sure they were bundled snugly before he strode through the building. He hadn’t tethered Comanche. His horse had wandered to the other side of the open area and stood with his head lowered. “I’ll get you bedded down in a shake, boy.”
Two lanterns still burned on either side of the entrance. Turner opened the door and peered out.
A feminine form in a dark coat and fur-lined hat moved into the glow of the lantern. “Pardon me for disturbing you so late.”
So here she was. He looked her over, suspicion sending a warning signal to his senses. Her hat was pulled low so that it almost hid her eyes, and her nose was red. “Who are you?”
“My name’s Gabrielle Rawlins. I need a place to stay. The hotel’s full, you see. The man there told me--.”
“What were you tryin’ to pull?”
“Pardon me?”
“Takin’ off like that?”
She glanced over her shoulder and repeated, “Pardon me?”
“Looks like a mighty warm coat you’re wearin’ there.”
“It’s sufficient. What I need is--.”
At that moment, a thin wail rose from the back of the building and echoed through to the front. It was immediately joined by a second.
The young woman’s eyes widened and she stared at Turner.
“Had somewhere important to go?” he asked, narrowing his gaze.
“I told you, I--.”
“Tell me anything you like, but what kind of woman leaves two spankin’ new babies alone in a horse stall?”
The squall was unmistakable. Her shocked gaze traveled past his shoulder. Eyes a rich tawny color like dark honey widened.
“Yeah, I found ‘em. What did you think would happen?”
So quickly that he didn’t have time to stop her, she slipped past him and ran toward the source of the pathetic cries.
Taking note of her bag sitting in the snow, he moved it inside before he bolted the door and followed.
Hope you enjoyed this spotlight. Check back every Saturday for a new author and more great books!
Until later...take care, God Bless and remember....Christmas is right around the corner and Books make PERFECT gifts for the readers on your list!
Enjoy!
Excerpted First Chapter of A BABY BLUE CHRISTMAS
The Magic of Christmas Anthology
October '08
READ CHAPTER ONE
Chapter One
November, Ruby Creek, Colorado
There was always at least one rude traveler for the duration of a stage ride, and this time it was an overweight and cloyingly perfumed woman in a bright green traveling suit. She’d slept nearly the entire trip since Salt Lake City, snoring in snorts and whistles that punctuated every tedious, bone-jolting inch of the way.
Gabrielle couldn’t complain.
She was exceedingly grateful it was Snore Lady beside her and not Whiskey Breath. From his seat directly across from her, the man with the bristly brown-stained beard gave her sidelong looks that made her skin crawl. The one time she’d erroneously met his gaze, he’d smiled. His teeth were brown and decayed. One of the rules of etiquette required that he offer to share the bottle, and he’d done so begrudgingly. Only one passenger had accepted his invitation. Gabby wouldn’t have touched her lips to that bottle if she’d been dying of thirst.
Gabby had taken only short trips with the Wells Fargo Overland in the past. Heat and dust were definitely worse during summer months, so late November was marginally better for a hasty and ill-planned trip. Being packed in like sardines was an advantage this time of year and in this unfamiliar part of the country.
The coach hit another rut and her teeth jarred yet again. Snore Lady gasped in her sleep and then lapsed back into vigorous and prolonged inhaling and exhaling.
The driver struck the side of the coach to gain their attention, and a gentleman in a gray wool suit opened the flap to listen to his message. A flurry of snow filtered in and dusted the buffalo robes.
Gabby stared at the flakes glistening on the dark fur. She was from the Steptoe Valley in eastern Nevada and had only seen snow in stereoscope slides. Having been forewarned about winter, she’d bought a warmer coat at a layover in Utah.
“Last bend before Ruby Creek,” the gentleman traveler conveyed.
Having been delayed most of the afternoon for wheel repair, they were finally reaching her destination in darkness. Gabby prayed the hotel would check her in at this late hour. To hurry her travel, she’d brought only one small satchel. All she needed was a place to lay her head for the night.
She’d been following her cousin for weeks, traveling by any means available and inquiring from town to town. She had learned that Willow had come to Ruby Creek only a day or two ago. This was the closest Gabby had come to finding her since starting out a month ago. She didn’t let herself think about what could happen if she was too late. Willow always landed on her feet, but the baby she was about to give birth to was defenseless.
With a final lurch, the stagecoach slowed, turned a new direction and came to a halt with a screech of springs.
Snore Lady roused. “Where are we?”
“Ruby Creek,” Whiskey Breath replied.
The obese woman raised the flap and peered out into darkness. “It’s late! Nearly bedtime.”
Gabby exchanged a glance with the man in the gray suit.
The coach rocked as the driver and a passenger climbed down from the top seat. The door opened outward, a bitter cold draft and more fascinating white flakes swept inside.
“Ruby Creek!” the driver called. “Those goin’ on will have to find a room for the night on Well’s Fargo’s tab. We’re half a day behind, but we cain’t go no farther in the dark. Too dangerous for the horses.”
The reflection of the moon and stars on the snow lit the night with an odd silent brightness. Gabby stepped down into the freezing inch-thick blanket of white. Her thin-soled shoes made a squeaking sound with each step. Drat. She’d bought the coat, but hadn’t thought of warmer footwear.
Eager to be on the road, Gabby had been the first passenger aboard the coach that morning; her bag was buried between crates and trunks. Waiting impatiently as the driver and a man from the freight line unloaded, she turned to cast a look at the town.
Four gas lamps burning at uneven intervals lit Ruby Creek’s Main Street. She made out hanging signs for the hotel, a livery, mercantile and pawnshop. Other signs painted on windows were indistinguishable in the dark. Dissipating smoke curled from half a dozen chimneys.
Within minutes, the cold seeped through her shoes and chilled her toes. Beneath her coat and dress, frigid air encased her legs. Within seconds numbness set into her thighs.
By the time the men uncovered her satchel, she was the only one left standing at the station. She took her bag with a weary thank you and pointed herself toward the sign that read Friberger Hotel. The frosty layer that had settled on the boardwalk made her final steps treacherous. She slipped and slid and finally grabbed the doorknob as a lifeline. The door opened and she slid into a chilly lobby, relived to at last be indoors.
“Full up!” A wiry man with hair standing in pewter-colored tufts around his ears called to her as soon as she closed the door behind her.
Now what would she do? Her whole body ached, and she was so tired, she could have fallen asleep standing there.
Carrying a no vacancy sign, the proprietor limped toward the front door. The crown of his head was bald and pink. “Just let the very last room.”
He hung the sign in the front window.
Gabby set down her bag. “I need a place to stay.” Refusing to give in to desperation, she thought quickly. “I’ll share a room with someone and pay the entire cost.”
The man obviously wanted to get back to his bed, but he sighed and obliged her by plodding up the stairs. He was gone a long time, so Gabby looked around for a chair. There was only a long narrow bench beside the door. She remained standing.
At last he returned. “Won’t nobody share. The new arrivals ain’t payin’ their own way, so they don’t care.”
With her hopes in shreds, she closed her eyes against the discouragement crushing in. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Sometimes Miz Sims takes a border overnight. How long ya stayin’?”
She only wished she knew when she’d find Willow and be able to head home. When she’d made up her mind to do whatever she could to get to her in time, Gabby’d had no choice but to come on this trip alone. There was no other family besides her parents. Besides the fact that they’d given up on Willow, they had a business to run. “I’m not sure.”
“Other’n that, maybe the reverend. No, come t’ think of it, he’s a widow man and don’t take in no females on account of propriety. Sometimes Turner over t’ the livery lets a fella stay the night with his horse. ‘Specially in poor weather. Ya might ask ‘im.”
Tired, hungry, supremely frustrated, Gabby picked up her bag and tugged her collar around her neck. She forced herself to thank the man politely. In the morning half the travelers would move on and, if she hadn’t found Willow, she’d still be in need of a room by tomorrow night.
#
Long about three o’clock, Ruby Creek and the day closed in on Turner Price. He tended the horses as usual, did chores and ate simple meals, but come nightfall and the locked silence of the businesses along Main Street, he saddled his gelding and rode out, staying away from the hills and the creeks and finding clear moonlit trails.
Often, no matter the weather, he dismounted and walked, his Mexican spurs jangling and silencing night creatures as he passed.
This snowy November night made for a bitter cold ride and a colder walk, but he was accustomed to the elements and had dressed warm. With the stars spread overhead and the frigid air biting his lungs, it was easier to keep his thinking focused on the present.
Snow glistened in the moonlight and brightened the landscape. His horse didn’t care what Turner said or didn’t say, didn’t have an opinion or feel pity. Comanche just plodded along at his side with an occasional snort or soft whinny for companionship. Comanche didn’t demand Turner talk or feel or change, and Turner liked their relationship just fine.
Judging by the stars, it was time to head home. He mounted and urged the Appaloosa toward the livery. He reached the door, dismounted, and rolled the wood sideways to lead the gelding inside.
One of the other horses nickered from its stall and Comanche responded with a soft snort and a shake of his head.
Turner hung his coat and hat, unsaddled Comanche and picked up a blanket to dry him. “Hold on, I’ll get you dry and warm and you can settle in for the night.”
He was brushing the animal’s withers when a sound arrested his attention. His hand fell still. A cat? A pair of cats? Not impossible that felines had sought lodging in the warmth and safety of the building for the night. But why in tarnation were they making so much racket?
The sound registering more clearly, Turner rolled around additional possibilities. He was either losing his mind or….
Lying down the brush, he gave his horse a pat on the shoulder and grabbed a lantern that hung from a nail on a beam. His spurs jangled a beat as he strode down the long row of stalls.
The horses were agitated, stamping and moving restlessly. A bay he was boarding for a traveler pinned his ears back and rolled his eyes, a distinct reaction to a disturbing smell. More than Turner’s late return was exciting these horses. Something--or someone--had disturbed them.
The high-pitched sound had grown louder and was definitely coming from the back of the barn. These end stalls were always the last rented.
Turner’s gut clenched at the sound he now recognized as a baby’s cry. And not just one slender reedy trill--two.
The stall gate was unlatched, and he swung it outward to enter. Two impossibly tiny infants wrapped in bright-colored cloth lay on a mound of hay, their tiny fists flailing in the chill air.
For a full minute, he couldn’t make sense of what his eyes told him. He stopped breathing to simply stare and absorb.
Just looking at them hurt.
He’d been gone only a couple of hours at the longest. How could this be? Hesitant, but unerringly drawn, he stepped forward and knelt. Their eyes were squinched shut, their faces red with agitation. Turner touched one finger to the nearest infant’s matted damp scalp. Like newborn colts, these babies still bore evidence of their recent birth. They were mere minutes old, barely over an hour at the most.
An unsettling sense of trouble clawed at his nerves. Where was their mother? Unwilling to leave them alone, he glanced around as if their parent would appear or he’d find the answer in the wooden enclosure.
Both infants’ stiffly held arms trembled as they screamed. They kicked at the cloth covering their legs until the material pushed aside. Boys, both of them. Hungry, frightened, tiny boys.
Stricken by the unexpected sight and the tormenting effect on his mind and heart, Turner acted instinctively.
Shrugging out of his heavy flannel shirt, he knelt and--one at a time--gingerly placed the babies against the warm fabric and tucked the bulky garment around them. He folded back the excess, careful not to bury their faces.
He lifted the bundle gently and held it against his chest, his mind racing. Turning on his heel, he inspected the stall, the space leading to it, and each of the surrounding pens. Twelve contained restless horses. Eight were empty.
None hid a woman.
He checked the tack room and even walked back to his quarters. The room held everything he needed for his sparse existence: A bed, a small coal burner, a table and one chair.
Warmth and motion soothed the babies. Nestled against each other in the soft bundle of his shirt and against his heart, they grew silent.
He studied their miniature features, and a torturous ache weighted his chest. He didn’t want to look at them, didn’t want to add to his misery, but he couldn’t keep his gaze away. The child with the most hair had a hand splayed against his cheek, and his fingers were unbelievably tiny with perfect little nails. The other opened his heart-shaped mouth and turned his seeking face against the flannel. Turner couldn’t catch his breath for seconds. His head swam.
Tiny and helpless and alone. The fact that someone had abandoned them chafed Turner’s temper. The act was inconceivable.
And now what in blazes was he to do with them? They wouldn’t survive a day without milk and proper care. He stirred the ashes in the coal burner and added fuel to get the room warm.
The bell outside the entrance clanged once, then silenced abruptly as though someone had placed a hand on it. It was rare that anyone came for his mount or to leave a horse this late. He’d heard the stage earlier, though, and occasionally, if the small stable behind the freight station was full, the drivers boarded animals here overnight.
He placed the babies on his bed, making sure they were bundled snugly before he strode through the building. He hadn’t tethered Comanche. His horse had wandered to the other side of the open area and stood with his head lowered. “I’ll get you bedded down in a shake, boy.”
Two lanterns still burned on either side of the entrance. Turner opened the door and peered out.
A feminine form in a dark coat and fur-lined hat moved into the glow of the lantern. “Pardon me for disturbing you so late.”
So here she was. He looked her over, suspicion sending a warning signal to his senses. Her hat was pulled low so that it almost hid her eyes, and her nose was red. “Who are you?”
“My name’s Gabrielle Rawlins. I need a place to stay. The hotel’s full, you see. The man there told me--.”
“What were you tryin’ to pull?”
“Pardon me?”
“Takin’ off like that?”
She glanced over her shoulder and repeated, “Pardon me?”
“Looks like a mighty warm coat you’re wearin’ there.”
“It’s sufficient. What I need is--.”
At that moment, a thin wail rose from the back of the building and echoed through to the front. It was immediately joined by a second.
The young woman’s eyes widened and she stared at Turner.
“Had somewhere important to go?” he asked, narrowing his gaze.
“I told you, I--.”
“Tell me anything you like, but what kind of woman leaves two spankin’ new babies alone in a horse stall?”
The squall was unmistakable. Her shocked gaze traveled past his shoulder. Eyes a rich tawny color like dark honey widened.
“Yeah, I found ‘em. What did you think would happen?”
So quickly that he didn’t have time to stop her, she slipped past him and ran toward the source of the pathetic cries.
Taking note of her bag sitting in the snow, he moved it inside before he bolted the door and followed.
Hope you enjoyed this spotlight. Check back every Saturday for a new author and more great books!
Until later...take care, God Bless and remember....Christmas is right around the corner and Books make PERFECT gifts for the readers on your list!
Friday, October 3, 2008
New Interview Up!
Hey Friends,
Today I'm pleased and honored to be interviewed on the blog of a very lovely lady.
Nicola Martinez (aka: Nicola Beaumont) is not only a talented author, but terrific editor and wonderful cover artist!
Check her out @ http://www.inicola.net/ and my interview on her blog!
Remember, tomorrow starts my new feature "Saturday Spotlight" with Cheryl St. John.
Wednesday I'll be hosting Sholhon Bantwal on her virtual book tour, so check back often!
Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT
Today I'm pleased and honored to be interviewed on the blog of a very lovely lady.
Nicola Martinez (aka: Nicola Beaumont) is not only a talented author, but terrific editor and wonderful cover artist!
Check her out @ http://www.inicola.net/ and my interview on her blog!
Remember, tomorrow starts my new feature "Saturday Spotlight" with Cheryl St. John.
Wednesday I'll be hosting Sholhon Bantwal on her virtual book tour, so check back often!
Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
New Month - New Feature!
Wow, is it October already?! How quickly the months have flown by. Days are shorter, nights cooler, colors are changing. Fall is upon us. I know, not "officially" but all the signs of Fall are here :-)
And with the changing seasons, I'm making a change on my blog.
As you know I've hosted an "Author Spotlight" at various times here, well beginning this month, I'm changing that to "Saturday Spotlight."
Every Saturday, beginning this weekend (October 4th) I will host a different author and his or her book(s). Some authors will share with you all of their titles in one post, and some will be posted at different times with a different book.
So if you are an author or know one, tell them to shoot me an email at pthib07@hotmail.com and I'll schedule their spotlight(s).
This weekend I'll be hosting Cheryl St. John and her book The Magic of Christmas: A Baby Blue Christmas.
Hope to see you here!
IMW, take care and God Bless!
PamT
And with the changing seasons, I'm making a change on my blog.
As you know I've hosted an "Author Spotlight" at various times here, well beginning this month, I'm changing that to "Saturday Spotlight."
Every Saturday, beginning this weekend (October 4th) I will host a different author and his or her book(s). Some authors will share with you all of their titles in one post, and some will be posted at different times with a different book.
So if you are an author or know one, tell them to shoot me an email at pthib07@hotmail.com and I'll schedule their spotlight(s).
This weekend I'll be hosting Cheryl St. John and her book The Magic of Christmas: A Baby Blue Christmas.
Hope to see you here!
IMW, take care and God Bless!
PamT
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