Monday, September 14, 2015

Life really does imitate Art by Sheila Claydon


Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life . . . Life holds the mirror up to Art, and either reproduces some strange type imagined by a painter or sculptor, or realises in fact what has been dreamed in fiction. Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde isn't the only writer who said so but his quote is possibly the best known.Until recently I shrugged and laughed whenever I heard it because hey, it's just a cliche isn't it? Well actually, no it's not. Why do I say that? Well in a very small but personal way, I've just experienced it.

In 2013 my book Mending Jodie's Heart was published. It's set partly in London but mainly in the North West of England, which is where I live. The idea for the story came when I took my dog for his daily walk and discovered we could no longer use the local bridleway. This narrow sandy path that wound its way through tangled woodland and past a derelict, boarded-up farmhouse had been closed. The untidy briars and bushes that partially hid the entrance had been cut down and in their place was a shiny new gate complete with padlock and a 'Trespassers will be Prosecuted' sign.

Someone very wealthy had bought the old farmhouse and the adjoining fields and woodland and then discovered that a public bridleway skirted his estate. Anxious about the effect this would have on the safety of his young family his decision to close it off was understandable. What he didn't do, however, was consider the locals...walkers and riders alike.  It had been a shortcut to the beach ever since anyone could remember and they campaigned to have it reopened. Eventually the wealthy new owner capitulated. He re-opened the bridle path and protected his privacy instead with wire security fences which were eventually hidden by a thick laurel hedge.

Why am I telling you this? Well the writer in me was already intrigued. Why would someone, however wealthy, close off a well used footpath without considering the effect it would have on local people. Did he have something to hide?  And what was he doing building a swimming pool before knocking down the old farmhouse and building a new house of his own? And what about the trailer that had been erected. Did he live in it or was it just a temporary estate office?  There were a lot of common-sense answers to all those questions but I didn't want to hear them because Marcus, the imaginary hero of my book, had begun to inhabit the house. Not long after that he met Jodie and her horse, and thus Mending Jodie's Heart was born.

By the time it was published the new house had been built and the wealthy man and his family had moved in. Nobody knew what it was like though because by then, like Sleeping Beauty's castle, the estate was surrounded on all sides by high banks, expensively planted laurel, new trees, and the insidious creeping tangle of briar and seaside plants that had been there before and were determined to find their way back. Happy with my own imaginings I didn't care. I'd never wondered what the house was actually like inside because in my mind it was as I'd imagined it when I was writing the book. As far as I was concerned it belonged to Marcus and Jodie, and when several local fans of my books told me they felt the same way I was delighted.

Then the strangest thing happened. The wealthy owner put the hidden house up for sale and naturally curiosity got the better of me. I went onto the sale site on the Internet to check it out, and that's when life really did began to imitate art because it WAS Marcus' and Jodie's house. Every room I'd imagined was there, including the music room, the stage, the separate annexe for Luke, the wonderful master bedroom, the stables...everything, right down to the decor.  There was even room for Jodie's horse therapy school. To say I was astonished was to put it mildly. How could I have imagined this house down to almost the last detail when the last time it was visible to the public it was still a half built, empty shell. Or was it the other way round? Had some magic conveyed my thoughts to the wealthy owner, someone who I've never met. 

For a few days it had an unsettling effect then I began to wonder about other places in other books. Do they exist somewhere outside my imagination as well? It's an intriguing but slightly scary thought because, if they do, then what about the people who live in them...who are they?



Find all Sheila Claydon's books at:




You can also visit her blog and find her on Facebook



Sunday, September 13, 2015

Hiking the Chilkoot Trail by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey





www.joandonaldsonyarmey.com

I am so happy to say that some of my children and grandchildren will be joining me in hiking the Chilkoot Trail-the trail the Klondikers took to get to the Klondike gold field at Dawson City in the Yukon. My husband and I hiked the trail in 1997, on the hundredth anniversary of the gold rush. We were in the Yukon and Alaska so I could research the state and territory for my travel book Backroads of Alaska and the Yukon.

     Many of the first men and women who went to the Klondike in the first year starved and froze because they hadn't brought along enough supplies. To combat that, the Northwest Mounted Police decreed that the prospectors had to have 907 kg (2000 lbs) of  provisions in order to cross the border from Alaska into British Columbia and then onto the Yukon. The NWMP set up a scale to weigh each person's supplies before letting them climb the Chilkoot Pass.

     My husband and I each carried about 16kg. (35 lbs) on our five day hike up to and over the pass.

     The following is what I wrote in the book about my hike. I imagine there have been many changes in the twenty years since and I am looking forward to making a comparison of the differences between my two hikes. And there have been a few changes with me. I am twenty years older and twenty pounds heavier. I'm looking forward to making a comparison of my abilities and endurance between the two hikes.

 

    Hiking The Chilkoot

The Chilkoot Trail was called the `poor‑man's route'. It ran from Dyea to Bennett Lake following an old native path. Because of the isolation and cold winters the NWMP decreed that each man had to have at least 907 kilograms (2000 pounds) of supplies before they would allow him to enter the Yukon and continue on his journey.

     The men had to haul those supplies up and over the summit. Some were able to hire natives to help but many had to do it themselves. They would carry as much as they could up the `Golden Stairs' (steps cut into the solid snow of the pass), then slide back down to their cache and begin again. Most made 40 trips to do so. Once a miner got onto the steps he didn't dare get off until the top. If fatigue forced him to step out he seldom managed to make it back on.

     By the spring of 1898, three trams had been built to help haul the loads up the Chilkoot. Also in the spring the people who had made it over the pass during the winter and had camped at Bennett Lake made boats from the trees around the lake. Over 7100 crafts set sail down Bennett Lake beginning the 900 kilometres (560 miles) journey to Dawson City. Records show that about 30,000 people travelled from Bennett Lake to Dawson City in 1898. By the time they got there the best claims had been staked by the prospectors who already lived in the area.

     The trail closed in 1900 when the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway was completed.

     The 53 kilometre (33 mile) long Chilkoot Trail is called the `Longest Museum in the World'. There are 10 campsites along it so when you book your time you will have to decide how many kilometres you wish to hike each day.

     Most of the people who started for the Klondike were Cheechakos, a native word for `greenhorn'. It was after a person had spent a winter in the north that he or she became known as a Sourdough.

     The trail starts out with the Taiya River to your left. You will be continually climbing and descending beside it until you reach Sheep Camp. And until Sheep camp you are walking through a rainforest with tall trees creating a nice, cool shade on hot days.                                                              You will climb over tree roots, stumps and rock and in places there is a drop so make sure your pack is secure and doesn't wobble. You cross a number of bridges, made of metal, split logs, planks or boardwalks. If you are here in June or early July there is two places where you will want to put on your sandals. One is to cross some water over the path and the other is through a mud bog.

     For about 1.6 kilometre (1 mile) you will be going through private land. There are signs up so watch for them. On the private land you will come to the remains of an old vehicle and a building. The trail is as wide as a single lane road for a short distance.

Soon after leaving the private land you reach Finnegan's Point, the first campground on the trail. It is 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the beginning. There is a shelter where you can dry out your clothes if it is raining and cook your meals. Once you have washed your dishes drain the water down the screened in pipe for gray water and scrap any food particles off the screen to be put in your garbage. Make sure you hoist your food and garbage up on the bear pole to keep it from attracting bears into the camp. Never keep any food with you in your tent.

     This point was named after Pat Finnegan and his two sons who set up a ferry service here in 1897. Later they built a road through the damp, boggy areas and charged a toll. This worked only in the summer because the prospectors pulled their goods on sleds on the frozen ice in the winter. This point was also used as a cache where the stampeders left their first bundles of supplies while they went back to Dyea for the rest.

     There is a spot on the Taiya River here for you to relax, take off your boots and soak your feet if you wish.

     4.8 kilometres (3 miles) from Finnegan's Point you come to Canyon City campsite. The shelter here is log and it has a verandah with a table for you to eat outside on a pleasant day.

To reach the actual site of Canyon City, continue down the trail 0.8 kilometre (0.5 mile) past the camp until you reach a sign with the distances to places: Canyon City Shelter 0.5 mile; Dyea 8 miles: Sheep Camp Shelter 5 miles; Chilkoot Pass 8.5 miles.

     Follow the path to the left, cross over the wooden bridge and then the suspension bridge and you will reach a sign that states: Canyon City Historical Site. You are now walking where Canyon City stood over 100 years ago. You will pass an old, rusted, cook stove and come to a huge, rusted boiler. This 50 horsepower steam boiler was used to operate an aerial tramway between here and the Chilkoot Pass. It cost 16.5 cents per kilogram (7.5 cents per pound) to send goods over this tram and not everyone could afford it.

     Stamped on the boiler is: Union Iron Works SF 1886.

     Pleasant Camp is 4.5 kilometres (2.7 miles) from Canyon City. The climb out of the canyon between the two camps was thought to be the worst part of the trail by some stampeders.

A little ways past the camp you cross a suspension bridge over a series of cascades. And in 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) you reach Sheep Camp beside the Taiya River. At this camp, the last stop before the Chilkoot Pass, a ranger gives a talk about the conditions of the pass at 7:00pm Alaska time. Other words of advice are to leave by at least 7am, drink 2 litres of water on the trail and expect to take 10 hours to reach Happy Camp.

     When you leave Sheep Camp the ground is level for the first ways and you come across a building that looks almost like a train station. After you begin climbing there is an old log building with glass windows, little patio and cooking utensils hanging on the wall. You are climbing mainly on a path but sometimes over boulders and you start to come out of the trees and into alpine meadows.

     When crossing the boulders watch for the piles of rocks on them that mark the trail. If you keep your head down and don't watch you could get off the trail and become lost.

_________________________________________________

SIDEBAR Helpful Hints

You can expect snow, rain, wind, sun, mist and cloud no matter what time of year you hike the trail. When travelling over snow bridges undo the belt on your pack so that if you fall through you can get out of your pack easily. Do not walk close to the boulders sticking out of the snow. The sun heats the rock and the snow beneath the top layer melts leaving an overhang near the boulder. This overhang will collapse if you get too close. Stop near a boulder and listen. You will hear the water gurgling around it.

     When a group is walking through an avalanche area spread out.

     Bring sandals to wear around camp and also to put on when crossing wet areas or streams to keep your boots dry. Have a rope for hanging your food and garbage out of reach of bears. Carry an extra set of clothing in case you get wet or cold. Never wear blue jeans as they will chafe your legs and prevent freedom of movement.

     The bears like to use the trail so if you see one on it get far off into the trees and let him have the right of way.

     Some who have hiked the Chilkoot Trail and climbed the Chilkoot Pass have loved it, while others stated that it was the worst trail they had ever been on. You will have to decide for yourself.

_________________________________________________

 

     Up until mid‑July and beginning in September, you could be walking on snow the higher you go. It is a 6.8 kilometre (4.2 mile) climb to the Scales. This is where the prospectors who had hired professional native packers had to reweigh their goods. The packers wanted more money, up to $2.20 per kilogram (1 dollar per pound) to carry the supplies up and over the pass. Consequently, many items were left behind and some still can be seen today.

     From the Scales you can see the Chilkoot Pass down the valley and you cross alpine tundra to reach the base. On the other side of the Chilkoot is Peterson Pass, a longer but easier alternative to the Chilkoot which was used by some Klondikers.

     Those who travelled the trail in the winter climbed the 'Golden Stairs' cut in the ice and snow up the side of the pass. Those who came in the summer, when the snow was melted, had to traverse over the huge boulders and loose rock left from a slide. This is what you will be climbing on.

     The climb is steep and you must lean forward. If you straightened up the weight of your pack could pull you over backwards. Some people go slowly working their way from solid rock to solid rock, while others hike up it like they would stairs.

     Watch for mountain goat either across the valley or beside the slide and for the Rufous hummingbird flitting about. It is attracted to red clothing. If you are not afraid of heights, stop and look down to see how far you have come.

     Near the top you reach a plateau, then you climb a bit more to the top. On the plateau look up to your right and you will see a cairn marking the border between Alaska and BC.

     When you reach the summit you have climbed 823 metres (2700 feet) from Sheep Camp. At the summit is a shelter and outhouse. Stay only long enough to warm up and eat because it is still a 6.4 kilometre (4 mile) hike to Happy Camp and storms can come up suddenly at the top.

     As you hike down the Canadian side of the summit you have the most magnificent view of Crater Lake, alpine tundra and mountains. The wind blows almost constantly here and there are a lot of streams to cross. Some have rocks to hop on while at others you just have to look for the shallowest spot. Again, depending on the time of year you could be walking on snow in places.

     Watch for the short colorful flowers‑‑purple, white, red, yellow, pink‑‑and the grasses of the alpine tundra. Don't walk on the tundra; it is not easy for the flowers and grass to grow here.

At Stone Crib there is a pile of rocks that anchored the cables for an aerial tramway on this side of the summit. Here also is a large saw blade from a sawmill that someone decided he didn't need any more.

     If it was cloudy on the Alaska side of the summit look back as you are walking and you will see the gray cloud hanging over the summit as if it was stuck there. It doesn't get any closer but sometimes mist rolls this way from the summit.

     Happy Camp is on a river between Crater Lake and Long Lake. The food cache here is inside a section of the shelter. For a short distance after Happy Camp you will be walking on loose gravel. When you reach a sign pointing for Deep Lake turn in that direction. You will climb and soon be up above Long Lake. There were ferries on Crater, Long and Deep lakes for those who could afford the price.

     You hike up and down hills then suddenly you'll come over a rise and see a lovely lake, a bridge over a river, trees, and a camp in the centre of the mountains. You cross that bridge and reach Deep Lake Camp. A wagon road ran from here to Lindeman City and you can see some old sleigh runners.

     When you leave Deep Lake Camp as you walk beside the lakeshore watch for a metal boat frame. After you leave the lakeshore you follow along Deep Lake Gorge.

     The further you go the more trees there are. It is very beautiful and peaceful in here as you walk through the tall pine trees and reach Lake Lindeman Camp (4.8 kilometres (3 miles) from Deep Lake Camp. There are two campgrounds‑one close to the lake and one further away. You might want to take the one further away because the wind coming off the lake can be strong and cool.

     The Klondikers set up a tent city here and some built boats during the winter for sailing across Lake Lindeman. At the other end they portaged around the rapids between Lindeman and Bennett lakes. Others carried their supplies along Lindeman Lake and built their boats at Bennett Lake.

     Do not disturb the historic sites at Lindeman and plan to visit the tent museum near the river. As you are leaving Lindeman Camp, there is a small, roof‑covered panel with a drawer. Inside the drawer is a book for you to record your name, the date, the number in your party, the number of tents and where you are going from here. This is so the wardens can keep track of who has passed through in case of an emergency.

     Watch for the Rufous hummingbird along this part of the trail. If you are wearing red, one might come and hover over you then dart off to sit in a tree. Keep your camera handy.

     If you like the haunting call of the loon plan to stay at Bear Loon Camp 5.1 kilometres (3 mile) from Lindeman Lake Camp. Shortly after Bear Loon is the cut‑off to the tracks of the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway. Many hikers only go this far along the trail and hike along the tracks to Log Cabin. Although this is a popular way of getting off the trail, the railroad warns that you should not walk on or beside their tracks. If you do decide to walk to Log Cabin find out the schedule of the train. And even if there is no train scheduled, watch for speeders carrying the maintenance crews.

     Bennett Lake campground is 6.4 kilometres (4 miles) from Bare Loon. This was where the two long, tired columns of Klondikers met and spent the winter. And an instant tent town was established. In the spring the stampeders built boats for the sail across the lake and down the Yukon. Bennett grew after the railway reached it from Skagway in 1899 and it had warehouses, shipping offices and steamer docks.

     The St. Andrews Presbyterian Church was built in 1898 by volunteer workers and it is the only gold rush building still standing in Bennett. There is also a train station here.

_________________________________________________

SIDEBAR  907 Kilograms (2000 Pounds)

     There was a list of items, deemed necessary by the NWMP, that the Klondiker needed before being allowed into Canada to continue his journey to the gold rush. Depending on what you read the lists vary as does the amount of each food item. The following is an inventory without the weights.

     Clothing: flannel over shirts, pants, sweater, stockings, wool socks, underwear, overalls, mitts, leather gloves, coats, vest, mackinaw, moccasins, rubber boots, high land boots and stiff brim cowboy hat.

     Sleeping accommodations: sleeping bag, wool blankets, waterproof blanket, rubber sheet and tent.

     Food: beans or split peas, flour, bacon, rolled oats, butter, rice, sugar, cornmeal, condensed milk, coffee, tea, salt, pepper, baking powder, baking soda, yeast cakes, mustard, vinegar, beef extract, ground ginger, hard tack, Jamaica ginger, citric acid and evaporated peaches, apricots, apples, onions and potatoes.

     Cooking Utensils: coffee pot, pie plate (for eating off, not for baking), cutlery including large spoon, fry pan, cup, saucepan, pail and sheet iron stove.

     Toiletries: wash basin, soap, towels, toothbrush, medicine chest, handkerchiefs, mirror and comb.

     Panning Equipment: pick and extra handle, shovel and gold pan.

     Building Equipment: axe and extra handle, axe stone, nails, pitch, chisel, tape measure, rope, single block, rivets, saws, plane, files and hatchet.

     Miscellaneous: canvas sacks, matches, buttons, needles, thread, pack straps, knife, compass, candles, candlewick, dunnage bag and mosquito netting.

_________________________________________________

 

Making Arrangements

The Canadian government has a policy of limiting the number of people to cross the border into Canada via the Chilkoot Trail to 50. This was done to preserve the fragile tundra on the Canadian side. When you register you will be charged a reservation fee and be told where you can pick up and pay for your back country permits which you will need before starting the trail.

There are many options for getting to the trailhead and getting back to your vehicle once you have completed your trek.

1. You can leave your vehicle at the Dyea campground and at the end of the trail take the charter boat across Bennett Lake to Carcross. From there you can catch the highway bus to Skagway and take the shuttle bus back to Dyea campground.

2. You can leave your vehicle at the Dyea campground, make your hike and then follow the railway tracks out to Log Cabin where the shuttle bus will take you back to your vehicle at the campground.

3. You can leave your vehicle at Log Cabin and ride the shuttle bus to the Dyea campground. When you hike out to Log Cabin, your vehicle is waiting for you. (Remember that hiking the tracks is not recommended by the railway.)

4. A fourth option is to find out when the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway train is making a scheduled trip to Bennett Lake and arrange your hike so that you will be at Bennett Lake when the train arrives.

Friday, September 11, 2015

Remembering September 11, 2001

I asked Karla if I could exchange dates with her for today, as this day has a special meaning for me, and she graciously said yes. We lost friends on this day, and this was my memorial to them, and to all who died that day.

It was almost midnight, September 11, 2001. My husband and I were exhausted. We had been glued to the TV since early morning, watching this unthinkable tragedy unfold before us. We had wept, together, privately, and I could take it no more. I told Richard I needed some time alone, and went out for a walk.

Outside, it was eerily quiet. Usually at night, you can hear frogs croaking, the crickets churring, the night wings of a bird late to roost. Bright eyes from some small animal would peer out of the bushes, or a possum or rabbit coming back from a late date would scurry across the street. Tonight it was strangely silent.

I leaned against the old wooden fence at the end of our road. It surrounded a farmhouse that had been there for over 100 years. Horses and cattle grazed along the hillsides, but tonight they were gone. All of them. Something else unusual.

I looked up at the sky and saw the moon and stars. But tonight, the moon just didn't look right, and the stars weren't twinkling. The moon looked like it had a fine layer of something red covering it. The logical part of my mind that was still operative said, it's just some kind of atmospheric event. It's not what you think. But the rest of my mind said, No, the moon is covered in blood.

There was a whirring of wings, and a large bird flew over my head and landed on the post next to me. It was a Golden Eagle, one of those who live and nest in my area of California. I was startled, as an eagle seldom lands without a warning scream. She was so close I could have touched her. She sat and stared at me. I stood quietly and stared back. We had a 'stare down' for several minutes. She wasn't about to move, and neither was I.

Finally, she stretched out her neck until her beak almost touched my arm. Then she gave a scream, flapped her wings, and flew off. She circled me once, almost touching my head. I wasn't afraid but I had no idea what she was doing. She circled me twice more, that gave a cry that sounded like someone screaming in pain, and flew off into the night.

I came home, sat down and wrote this poem.

And The Eagle Cried

She spread her wings and flew across the blue skies,
Rejoicing in the brilliance and freshness of the new day.
She swooped and swerved high over the towers below
Until the steel monster from the Land of Hate
Flew beneath her.

She watched, not understanding, as the towers she teased
Burst into fire, and flames and smoke turned her world dark.
She found a perch and folded her trembling wings
As all that she stood for crumbled around her.

And the Eagle cried.

She saw her land, her America, her land of Freedom,
For which she so proudly stood as a symbol
Falling, falling, falling into heaps of ash and debris.
She saw humans on fire, falling from what was left of the towers.
She saw fear turning into abject terror.

She watched her people cry, scream, run away
From a scene only imaginable in horror films.
But she knew this was no movie from which
She could easily fly away. There was no escape here.

And the Eagle cried.

The personification of Evil sat across miles of ocean
And clapped his hands, laughing as the pictures of
Death and destruction came to him over the television.
He couldn't have been happier: America was dying!

He was wrong. As Evil most often is.

They came from everywhere: the firemen, the police,
the doctors, nurses, the people on the street.
They gave no thought to their own lives or safety,
For they had a common purpose: to save those they could.
Many of those everyman and everywoman also died that day.

And the Eagle cried.

But America does not give in to those who exemplify hate,
Who would render God's grace and love impotent.
America is one land, one nation, one people
Indivisible by those who spread Hate around the world.

Americans will join hands around this great country
And show the world the Courage, the Dignity, and the
Unity we Americans are known for.

We wept today. We grieved today.
We will never forget today.
Today will join that other one and will live in infamy forever.
But we will be stronger, and we will be nobler because of today.

We are a grieving nation, but with that grief comes strength.
Our flags will fly higher and more proudly than ever.
Our tears will cleanse our souls, and God will hold
All of America in the palm of His hand, and give us solace.

And the Eagle will never cry again.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Masculine Card by Cheryl Wright



Most card makers I know struggle with making cards for men, and also teenage boys.

I'm pretty sure the problem stems from the fact we can't use all those lovely girly embellishments we use on feminine cards, such as ribbons, sequins, pearls, and glitter.

I can't ever recall a time where I've felt stalled making a girly card, but I certainly have with making masculine cards.

It was recently hubby's birthday, so I had to put my thinking cap on, and get stuck in. Here's what I came up with:







I decided to combine masculine with vintage, which is why I've used a vintage car image. This is from a very old Tim Holtz set - so old I can't remember the name of the set.

The paper is from a Kaisercraft paper pack, which is also old, but only from last year. It's called Garage Days, and I thought the background paper worked well with the image. (I distressed the edges to give it an old feel.)

The silver banner is from the same pack, and the newsprint-looking banner is exactly that - I cut it from a newspaper. If you look closely, I even used text from the car sales section!

The greeting is from Inspired by Stamping, which is an Australian company. I do love their images, and have a lot of their stamp sets. This set is called Masculine Tags.

Where possible, I keep the theme going inside. Here's what I did to with this card:



 I hope you've enjoyed this card. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next time!

















Links:

My website:  www.cheryl-wright.com 
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cherylwrightauthor 
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/writercheryl
BWL website: http://bookswelove.net/authors/wright-cheryl/

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

SPECIAL BUYS AND NEW RELEASES FROM BOOKS WE LOVE





If you haven't visited our main website in awhile you'll notice some exciting changes, especially the lineup of bargain books.  Here you'll find some of our most popular selling books priced between .99 cents and $1.99, and, best of all the books are easy to purchase in any format you need for your eBook reader.  Simply click the book cover and you'll be taken to the book description page where you can make your choice.   The pictures below represent a few of the exciting books being offered in our bargain store.   Make your way to http://bookswelove.net   and while there, be sure and click the Contest Button, where you can enter our contest to win your choice of any one of three popular eBook readers: Kindle, Nook, Kobo.  AND, if you'd like to be the first to purchase one of our fall new releases click this link where you'll find the latest Books We Love New Releases.

http://bookswelove.net/new-releases/



 




 

Monday, September 7, 2015

Domino Theory by Tia Dani

                                             Click to purchase from Amazon



Self-editing is tricky. For example as the author you are so familiar with your story you could absentmindedly forget to include information along the way...say an important point you thought of but, without thinking, left out.

Keep this point in mind while editing, a reader knows only what you have actually told (or shown) them on paper.

When we go back through our stories during the editing process we try to remember this and work together to make sure that we haven’t left out important details and confused our readers.  Plus, we don’t want our writing to be choppy and sound like there are two writers. We have worked very hard to create the Tia Dani voice.

We call this particular part of our editing process the Domino Theory.



Imagine you have spent hours, aligning hundreds of dominos, narrow-end up, across a flat surface. You’ve placed the black, shiny tiles perfectly so they form an intricate and unusual pattern. Once finished, your finger is poised at the beginning. You tap the first domino lightly. With pride you watch as the line tumbles gracefully, one clicking against another, until the formation comes to a glorious end.

Writing a well-designed story is very much like setting up the dominos. Each sentence, paragraph, scene, and chapter must be aligned in your intricate formation. The writing dominos you work with generally are combinations of showing vs. telling, description, view point, senses, mood, voice, plot, dialogue, characterization, humor, and motivation. If any of the writing dominos are off-centered or missing entirely, your beautiful story will falter or even fail.

Writers who understand the power of correct placement look upon their manuscript as an exciting challenge. They instinctively study a newly finished scene and ask themselves what needs adjusted, added, or deleted. Will they need a domino from their bag of writing tricks for a missing slot? Or carefully adjust an off-centered tile so it aligns perfectly with the others?

For beginners (and for those who haven’t yet developed this gut instinct), condition yourself to recognize what a missing or an off-centered domino looks like. If time is available, put the work aside, return later and reread with fresh eyes. Or have a trusted friend read the scene and ask if anything seems unclear. Don't ask them to edit, just read for clarity. After while you will begin to see a pattern of how you misaligned your work or left something out entirely. The bottom line here:  Knowledge comes with practice, hard work, and common sense. It is also called pay-attention-to-what-the- reader-sees.

For examples, let’s look at some obvious missing dominos.

Problem:  Imagine paragraphs one through twelve has Katy in the house washing dishes and talking to her mother on the phone about her lack of boyfriends. Suddenly in paragraph thirteen Katy is outside washing the car and talking to her dog about going for a walk.

Solution:  Transition Domino. Add a short paragraph between twelve and thirteen to show why Katy ended mom’s phone call and went outside with her dog. Voila! You’ve filled in the missing slot.

Problem:  Veronica is home, alone, with only a dozing cat for company. She’s just finished reading a romantic love scene in one of her favorite books and is staring dreamily into the fire. Suddenly Veronica throws the book across the room and jumps to her feet, dislodging the sleepy animal from her lap. She mumbles something under her breath then walks slowly into her darkened bedroom to get ready for bed.

Solution:  Motivation Domino. Let’s say the author used the correct dominos needed to build a believable scene; such as the five senses, description, and mood. However why did the character suddenly throw her book? The author neglected to explain poor Veronica hasn’t had a date for over a year and she feels that her chances of meeting an interesting man are nil to none.

Problem:  A scene takes place outdoors. The day is sunny, horribly hot with no wind. The characters walk and engage in a captivating conversation which has drawn the reader in, yet something feels not quite right.

Solution:  Off-centered Domino. The characters appear to be totally unfazed by the high temperatures. This scene requires one of the five-senses realignment. With a few short sentences the author can adjust the scene to show perspiration dripping from HIS brow or SHE rapidly fans her face with her hand.

Problem:  Envision a scene where Charles is hiking and has stumbled across a rattler. The snake coiled, ready to strike. Yet paragraph after paragraph, the author goes to great detail in describing the beauty of the reptile, the sound of the animal’s ominous rattle and the texture of the sand surrounding it.

Solution:  A 'mis'-aligned domino. The detail, though well-written, is not pertinent to Charles view point. Charles would not be noting sand textures here. The snake is about to strike! Try going back over the scene and weave in some extra dominos so that the emotional dominos and descriptive dominos form a dance in time with each other. It might take some work but will be worth it when completed.

Here are some important points to remember.

* A domino line can be fixed at any time by concentrating on one very important rule. For every action there must be a reaction. Use it as a mantra.

Beverly Petrone                   Christine Eaton Jones



Tia Dani is the writing team made up of good friends, Christine Eaton Jones and Beverly Petrone. Together they create endearing and realistic characters, humorous dialogue, and unusual settings. 






To find out more about the writing team Tia Dani and our books visit us at:

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Countdown to Seenager! By Gail Roughton


Sometimes Facebook really nails it.  That poster says it all, doesn’t it? In eight months, one week (as of the date of this post), that’s going to be me!  And I can’t wait for glorious retirement.  While I’m waiting, though, I’ve heard from both sides of the early retirement versus the “What would I do if I retired? I’d be bored to death! And broke!” factions.  

“But…but…you’re only 62! Why don’t you wait and retire when you can get full benefits?”  That’s the most common question.  My answer?  “Because, sugar.  By then I might be dead.” I hope I’m not, you understand.  I certainly don’t expect to be, but then, I don’t think anybody does. I’m blessed in not having any health issues, neither does my already retired husband (well, that’s not exactly true on the already retired part, seeing as how he’s “Granddaddy Day Care”, the man really earns his keep) and trust me, I know how fortunate I am to be able to say that.  It’s cause for celebration, and what better way to celebrate it than to retire and enjoy it? 

“But…but…nobody else can do my job the way I can! I don’t know what my boss/company/firm would do without me!” My response to that?  “Darlin’, I don’t care what my boss/company/firm is going to do without me.”   Let’s face it. If I (or anyone else) should be killed in a car accident this afternoon, another warm body would be at my desk (or anyone else’s) the next day. Because no one is irreplaceable. I’ve spent the last forty years in a law office as a legal secretary/paralegal.  I’m good at my job. I’ll go further than that.  I’m very good at my job. I do the best job I can under all any circumstances. I always have, and I’ll do that until the day I walk away. That doesn’t mean nobody else can step in after me and do the same thing. Maybe not as well, not at first.  But they’ll learn.  Who knows?  Maybe they’ll even be better at it than I am. And the world will keep right on turning in its assigned orbit, now won’t it?

“But…but…I’d be bored!”  Really?  My sympathies. Because I won’t be. Oh, granted, I have the small advantage of being a writer, and being a retired Seenager will finally give me the time I don’t have now to dive right into that next plot waiting over the horizon, or that one over on the side that’s been brewing for these last few years, or that one that just sprang up, full-blown, from a chance conversation overheard in the check-out line at the grocery store. I have not one but two coming soons, covers over on the side of this paragraph, that have been coming soons so long  my fans (yes, I really do have one or two) don't even ask when anymore.  (But before I retire, I promise, I'm workin' on 'em, I'm workin' on 'em,) But even without that—because writing’s definitely not the only way I’ll be spending my time—I have growing grandchildren two miles away to play with, a husband to go shopping with in the middle of the day if we want to, pets to nuzzle my face with wet noses, television shows and movies to watch, sunsets to marvel over, hoot-owls and crickets to listen to in the evening twilights. Again, I’m blessed.  And I know it. And again, what better way to celebrate such blessings than to enjoy them?

“But…but…I can’t afford to retire!”  I’ll admit that’s a personal decision no one can make for another, and whether that statement’s true or not for any individual depends to a great extent on personal preferences and lifestyles. Me, I’m a simple country girl. I always have been.  If my dream retirement consisted of world travel, well, no, I couldn’t afford to retire. Of course, I couldn’t afford to do that if I didn’t retire, either, so that’s kind of a moot point.  Fortunately for me, I don’t even like to travel. We have the home we always wanted which is comfortable, but not fancy, set squarely in the middle of a fifty-acre wood we couldn’t have afforded if we lived in any other area of the country.  In short, I have everything I ever wanted and I don’t want anything I don’t already have. Blessed.


Would I turn back the hands of time and do things differently if I had that magical power?  Change my life? Nope. I wouldn’t be a day younger than I am right now if you paid me.  Because everything that’s ever happened in my life has made me who I am, right now, at this precise moment in time. And being a Seenager is going to be a lot more fun than being a teenager! Bring it on! 

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