When fiction turns into reality by J. S. Marlo

 

Red in the Snow

To buy, click Here

   

 

  

J. S. Marlo's Books

Last month, I published my latest novel Red in the Snow. Aside from my human characters, the story features Rusty, a three-legged dog.

I dedicated the story to my first granddoggie Coral, a very energetic and loyal little rat terrier. She was a stray found in the street that my son adopted when he was just a single young guy in university, and she stayed by his side for fifteen years.

Coral got a wonderful mom when he got married, and she became the big sister to two cute human girls. (In the pic, Coral is watching over her youngest human sister.)

Coral was fiercely protective of her family, just like Rusty in my story, and everyone was devastated when she passed away from cancer last winter.

I knew my son and daughter-in-love would eventually adopt another dog and I suspected they would look in shelters for another stray to love. Well, a month ago, they added Lucy to their family.

Lucy is a one-eyed rat terrier who was also a stray. She looks a lot like Coral, and she's as cuddly and friendly, but a little less energetic, which might not be a bad thing.

Where am I going with that story? Well, just before they got Lucy, there was another little female rat terrier that they were interested in adopting, but by the time they reached the shelter, someone else had already started the adoption process.

This is where fiction almost turned into reality. That female rat terrier they almost adopted before Lucy, she was a three-legged dog, just like Rusty in Red in the Snow.

The coincidence makes me smile. They're flying here at the end of October, so I'm looking forward to see all five of them.

Now, if you're curious as how my heroine Raven ended up with a three-legged dog, get a copy  of Red in the Snow. It's a wonderful read.

Stay safe! Enjoy fall! It's my favourite season.

Hugs!

JS

 

 

J. S. Marlo's Website

Found: A Book Lover's Paradise by Eileen O'Finlan

 

Click here for purchase information

A friend recently told me of an incredible place to buy used books. It's called The Book Barn, and it's in Niantic, Connecticut. It has three locations all within minutes of each other. Once I heard about it, I knew I had to go. So, on a recent, gorgeous fall day, my friend, Katie, and I took a ride south to check it out. 

Oh my, what a place! If you are a book lover and you're in the area, you must give the Book Barn a try. It's not just a store. It's an experience. Besides the main buildings of the three locations, there are loads of smaller buildings and stalls filled with books. Because they are all used books, the prices are low.               

The main site has an enclosure with some friendly goats available for visiting. Fortunately, they do not have the pellets available for (over)feeding, but you can purchase a few carrot sticks for 25 cents if you want to give the goats a treat.

Oh, and they also buy books at the Main Barn, so if you go don't forget to bring some books to sell. You can get a check or credit for them.

At Chapter Three, the site just 100 feet from the Main Barn, live several beautiful cats who patrol the store and sometimes even allow petting.

 These two sites are both on West Main Street. Then there's the Downtown Store on Pennsylvannia Avenue just about a mile away set in the heart of this lovely seaside town.

If you don't live are don't plan to be anywhere near Niantic, try to find a unique book shop somewhere. It's a balm to the book lover's soul.

My book haul for the day: 13 books. My joy level: Through the roof!

Do People Even Read Anymore? by Debra Loughead

                      

                                   (4) Facebook

The autumn equinox is well upon us and it’s time for getting cozy by the fireside, ensconced in a

plump armchair and opening up a book. Is there anything better than the smell of a new book. Or

that tactile feeling of dry paper between your fingertips as you turn each page.

Wait, what year is this? And yes I have to admit that I do find a lot of my stories

elsewhere nowadays because of all the streaming services available. But onscreen tales aren’t the

same as books; they preclude imagination, prevent us from seeing characters and situations as

they develop in our mind’s eye. Which is why I still allow time, and plenty of it, for reading. My

Libby library app is a godsend, because I can’t always afford to buy a brand new book (although

I did today, as a matter of fact.) And used books are a bonus if you can get past the musty scent.

But honestly, do people even read anymore? Well clearly you do, because you’re reading

this, and I thank you from the bottom of my cynical heart. But I truly miss the days when people

read books on public transit and in waiting rooms, or standing in airport lineups. Hunched over

their dog-eared novels or yes, even poetry books, much the way they hunch over their phones in

the 21 st century. Immersed in stories rather than irrelevant brain candy or, ugh, doom-scrolling.

For many of us writers, it’s becoming a concern, this paucity of readers. Yet we keep on

writing, because we have to. Because it doesn’t feel right if we don’t, and we always wonder, in

the back of our minds (well I do anyway) is anyone ever going to read the precious words we’ve

committed to the page after months or years of grinding out plots and characters? I’m almost

afraid to give my books away to friends and family in case they feel obligated to read them.

Don’t want to put any pressure on them, but seriously, please read my book!

I’ve heard excuses like ‘I’m afraid I’ll see myself in it’, or ‘I’m afraid I’ll hear too much

of your voice in it, and I won’t be able to separate you from the main character.’ (Eyeroll)

Please, just read the book and find out, and throw it at the wall if you hate it! (I’ve done that

before, in particular to One Hundred Years of Solitude, because I couldn’t figure out what all the

fuss was about and couldn’t be bothered trying anymore.) Do I even dare ask them to write a

review for me and post it online. (A few have, and I adore them for it!) But that might seriously

be far too much to ask.

Of course I do have an inner circle of dedicated readers who will always read anything I

write, (and I adore them for it). And I know so many people (women) who belong to those wine

and cheese clubs, oops sorry book clubs, and do their best to read each monthly selection. And

consider the lucky genre writers (who are fortunate enough to have agents) and have a rabid and

devoted reader fan base awaiting sequels with bated breath. (Imagine seeing your cozy mystery

or domestic thriller or paranormal fantasy novel front and centre in a book shop window display.

How cool would that be, I wonder?)

Nowadays I almost feel like hugging someone that I see reading an actual hard copy of a

book, and even E-books count at this point (after we thought that brick-and-mortar book shops

might be gone for good eventually, but they’re still out there, those wonderful indie shops, and

yes, that’s something to celebrate). The threat of AI encroaching on our territories always lurks.

Will we be replaced someday? Is all this writerly angst for naught?

And to all of you out there who are reading this, because you do actually still read books,

and enjoy reading about writers and writing, again, thank-you for keeping this arcane form of

entertainment alive and kicking. I’m hoping for blowback, hoping this is just a trend that will

fade away, this obsession with small screens and scrolling. I’m hoping that the deep appreciation

of being immersed in a good story will lure the masses away from the ‘black mirror’ that seems

to drag everyone down rabbit holes these days. That maybe we can eventually return to a time

when writers and their stories were treated with respect and appreciation. When people sat

huddled in a warm circle of light under a reading lamp and lost themselves in stories for hours.

Long live books and the readers who love them!

Opera, gyms, and shredded carrots – some of my unfavorite things by Donalee Moulton

 

                                            Search | BWL Publishing Inc.

Opera, gyms, and shredded carrots – some of my unfavorite things by Donalee Moulton 

 

I was recently interviewed about being a writer – and being a whole bunch of other things. Quick answers to fun questions. I’d like to share them with you. 

 

Things you never want to run out of: Chocolate, sweat pants, downward dogs 

Things you wish you’d never bought: White chocolate, stilettos, a gym membership 

 

Hardest thing about being a writer: Writing  
Easiest thing about being a writer: Talking about writing with other writers 
 

Favorite foods: Miso chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, baked gnocchi with Italian sausage  

Things that make you want to gag: Snails (even if you call it “escargot”), lima beans, coconut  

 

Favorite music or song: I like music I can move to or with lyrics that move me 

Music that drives you crazy: Opera (sadly) 

 

Last best thing you ate: Cider doughnuts  
Last thing you regret eating: Some waxy wrap thing with shredded carrots 

 

The last thing you ordered online: A catio for Wiley Bob so he can safely go out in the sunshine  

The last thing you regret buying: A wool winter coat that’s itchy to look at and itchy to wear 

 

Things you always put in your books: Humor  
Things you never put in your books: Blood, guts, gore (at least so far) 

 

Favorite places you’ve been: Sable Island, Thailand, Sweden  
Places you never want to go to again: Retreats with yurts 

 

Favorite books (or genre): Charlotte’s Web, Where the Crawdad’s Sing, The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four, and Five 

Books you wouldn’t buy: Horror 

 

Best thing you’ve ever done: Written books and stories and poems and articles  
Biggest mistake: Going to the opera ties with joining a gym 

 

The nicest thing a reader said to you: One reader posted a picture of themselves lounging in the sun reading Hung Out to Die. They captioned it “Perfect afternoon.” 

The craziest thing a reader said to you: Some readers see sexual tension between two characters in Hung Out to Die. I just don’t see it. 

 

Some real-life story that made it to one of your books: I can get up off the floor without using my hands. So can one of my characters. 

Something in your story that readers think is about you, but it’s not: Love of coffee. I don’t drink caffeine.