Write a Novel...It Will Be Easy--And other Fairy Tales By Connie Vines #Connie Vines author, #BWL, #Fragrance #book teaser

Connie is motivated by jewelry or colorful baubles.

 "You should be a writer," my maternal grandmother said while sprinkling the top of the Kolacky cookies with powdered sugar. "My mother. Your babi (bah-bee) was from Bohemia...she loved her romance stories...."

My grandmother, in her youth

The paternal side of the family held another opinion regarding novelists.

My paternal grandmother, born and raised in Texas, didn't voice acetates for my father's cousin, Clarence "Clancy" Carlile, a published author. My grandfather was Clancy's uncle. 

Clancy's first novel contained a gripe/scene featuring breakfast oatmeal.

My grandmother practically spit nails whenever the subject was mentioned. So, I dutifully vowed "never to read "that" novel.

Oklahoma Reservation/ 1938-1942
My father (far left), Clancy beside him. My grandparents are on the far right. 

Of course, I was still an early reader when I made that vow. 

Later, as I transitioned from writing magazine articles and nonfiction to writing Western romance, I recalled my promise to my late grandmother.

Although the book was out of print, I found a copy in my late twenties. My first novel (Lynx) opens in a  "Honky-Tonk" as a nod to my Uncle "Red" Clancy Carlile. 

That is what is known as "Back Story".

Information a reader must know to tie into a current scene or a future plot point :)

This information also hints at "Character Motivation" or an "Inciting Incident".

In this blog post, you can understand how my life influences my writing (though I'm seldom aware of it until it jumps out at me or a sibling points it out).

All this is good, but it doesn't fulfill the title's promise (which is obviously tongue-in-cheek).

My Findings:

1. Writers are often introverts because they are energized by time alone with their minds. They may love being with people, but it tires and drains them. I spent many years feeling guilty because I turned down invitations to "events"

2. I focus on research. Therefore, I allow one day a week to indulge in my obsession. 

3. I'm easily distracted. Therefore, I have to push myself along. 

4. I post reminders (I love sticky notes!) around the house and on my office whiteboard: 

Why I started writing the story in the first place.  

Possible characters/plot for the next book in the series, etc.

5. I set deadlines and reward myself (coffee break or sitting in my garden with my 2 pups). 

 6. Place images representing your goals (future novels, etc) in your writing area.

7. Gather memories and experiences from your life. This will trigger emotions and remind you how much others have influenced or inspired your novels.

8. Though I'm an introvert, I do interact with others. I'm a huge fan of events like "Charmed Writers." We (Members of OCRW) write nonstop for days—well, almost nonstop for days. We log in our time and page count on the Facebook group page and add a mini update/and/or gifs. 

My Charms: Handcuffs, for 6 straight hours of writing. Owl, writing from midnight to sunrise.

 

And believe it or not, the early bird was when I crawled out of bed before sunrise to write.

Updates:

At the moment, I am on my computer writing the first book of my Fragrance and Love Series. 

While I'm not sharing snippets of my work-in-progress, I'm sharing the story that inspired the series!  

 "Gumbo Ya Ya"  "Love Potion No.9" is the second story in the anthology.

*

It is said that the sense of smell is the most intimately linked of all our senses to memory, and I believe it to be true. One whiff of a familiar scent, even one we have not encountered in years, can transport us to a time and place long forgotten, even before we consciously recall the memory.

*

"Don't shake your finger at me, Simone Basso. I know what I'm doing." Persia Richmnd said, holding a pipette to fill a crystal half-ounce atomizer with perfume. The top notes of peach blossoms and bergamot,  and the mid-notes of gardenia, honey and tuberose tantalized... 

The fragrance was New Orleans, culture at its most upscale moments and Mardi Gras at its naughtiest... Ooooh, La La!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57681480-gumbo-ya-ya

https://books.apple.com/us/book/gumbo-ya-ya/id1560874874

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1077128

Or at your favorite online Book Seller

Happy Reading!

I hope you enjoyed my post.

Connie

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Award winning series about the French Revolution, by Diane Scott Lewis

 

To purchase Escape the Revolution, click HERE

To purchase the sequel, Hostage to the Revolution, HERE

A writer goes through many drafts of their manuscript. This one I worked on the longest, being my first completed novel.

A novel that grew so big I had to cut it in half. Who knew publishers shied away from large novels, though it didn't stop Diana Gabaldon.

I even visited Cornwall and Paris, where my main character lived, struggling to solve her situation.

Settle back, and enjoy this journey through a determined young lady's experience.

The northern coast of Cornwall, England where Bettina works in a tavern

I researched the French Revolution to add flavor to the story of a young countess who is tricked by a trusted servant into fleeing to England to deliver important papers. When she arrives she discovers the paper are blank and she's left penniless and adrift. She must find a way to reconnect with her mother. And uncover the truth of her father's death. She finds herself embroiled in a murderous plot. Escape the Revolution takes place in England, where Bettina must find work to pay her way. With no real skills, she ends up in a bawdy tavern on the Cornish coast where she meets a man who is rumored to have killed his unfaithful wife. Will an attraction happen between them?

The Luxembourg Palace in Paris where Bettina must go to ask a favor of Napoleon

The second novel, Hostage to the Revolution, takes place in New Orleans and France. Bettina discovers the truth of her father's death, and kidnapped by rebels, she escapes into war-torn France to save the man she loves. Through it all, she grows in courage and shrewdness, ready to face any difficulty that comes her way. 

Read an excerpt, the first meeting of the main characters:

“Affreux!” Bettina recoiled from Stephen. “You are … a rutting pig, and have no reason to say that to me!”

He grabbed her upper arms as she tried to shove past him. His bared teeth turned him wolfish, wiping any attractiveness from his features. “A pig, am I? I’ll show you a pig, froggie!”

“Let go of me!” She struck and pushed at him with her fists. But the harder she struggled, the more he laughed. Stephen hauled her to his chest, then brushed his damp lips on her jaw when she whipped back her head. Bettina wrenched up a hand to scratch his cheek.

A horse clopped up. Someone dismounted, jerked Stephen around and punched him in the face.

The young man sprawled on the ground, kicking furiously at the dirt. “Damme! Who the hell—oh!” He staggered to his feet and sped off into the twilight, his footfalls echoing across the cottages.

Bettina froze, her hand at her throat, heaving for breath. Facing the person who came to her aid, she took in a tall figure in cape and hat silhouetted against the darkening sky.

“Are you all right, young woman?” The man spoke in a deep, resonant voice. The clean, faint scent of spice floated around him.

“Yes … merci,” she uttered through tight lips. "Who are--"

“Then if you don’t live far, you had better proceed home.”

Bettina didn't wait for more and hurried up the road. Once she reached the inn porch, she looked back to see the man mount his horse and ride away. With a ragged sigh, she brushed tears from her cheeks. She’d little doubt she just came face to face with the nefarious Everett Camborne.

The story is about coping, survival, passion and heartbreak.
Then victory under dire circumstances. A rousing adventure.

"...wonderfully researched and the reader is taken right into the drawing rooms, kitchens and taverns of the dark days of late eighteenth century England."
- Historical Novels Reviews blog

Diane lives in Western Pennsylvania with one naughty dachshund.

Meet Louisa and Vivian by Eileen O'Finlan

 

Click here for purchase information

Last month I began introducing the new Cat Tales characters with Buster Parker. This month I'd like to introduce Louisa and Vivian.

Louisa is a great blue heron and Jasmine's business partner. If you've read the first book in the Cat Tales series, All the Furs and Feathers, you'll know that Jasmine is a Russian Blue cat and Smokey's best friend, and you may remember Louisa who made a very brief appearance as part of Jasmine's web design team for Oneness Park. In All in the Furry Family, Jasmine and Louisa have teamed up to form Blue Landing Web Design. Smokey's not sure how she feels about Louisa. She finds her standoffish, but if she's being honest with herself, she's really a little jealous of Jasmine's growing friendship with Louisa and worries she'll lose her best friend.

Vivian is a flamingo and an old college friend of Louisa's. When she stops by to visit Louisa on her way to meet her dance troupe for a competition in the Canary Islands, Louisa brings her to a Hunter's Moon Night party at Smokey and Autumn Amelia's cottage. 

In this excerpt from All in the Furry Family, Louisa and Vivian regale their hosts and the other party guests with tales of their college exploits. Vivian has just described a prank Louisa pulled on one of her professors. The guests ask for more stories and Vivian obliges:

"Well, there was the time she had a huge test she was not ready for. So, on the morning of the test, instead of studying, she made a huge banner with the words, 'All classes canceled this afternoon' and flew over the campus with it tied to her tailfeathers, hoping no one would show up for class and the test would have to be rescheduled."

"Did it work?" asks Rivet.

Vivian snorts and Louisa groans.

"No," says Vivian. "But she did get out of the test after she flew straight into a tree and spent the rest of the day in the infirmary."

"Louisa!" Jasmine exclaims.

"Don't remind me," says Louisa, covering her face with her wing. "That was the worst headache of my entire life," she tells Vivian. "You were at that party, too."

"But I did not have a test the next day."

"Oh, yes, the model student. But what about the time we went to the Bahamas?"

Vivian sits taller. "We had a lovely time."

"Sure, until the last night. Remember the beach party?"

"Oh. That," says Vivian, trying to stifle a giggle by wrapping a wing around her bill.

"What happened?" asks Sam.

If you'd like to know what happened, you'll just have to read All in the Furry Family, but let's just say when you party on the beach with drunk iguanas things can get out of control quickly.

If you'd like a chance to win a signed copy of All in the Furry Family, go to the "Giveaways" page on Goodreads to enter anytime before March 30, 2025. Winners will be chosen in April.

Click here for purchase information (just the book, not the cat!)

Further Adventures in Historic Canada by Diane Scott Lewis

 

After a long hiatus due to personal and health problems, I am excited by the new Canadian Historical Mystery series. I 'm posting a post about my Canadian historical On a Stormy Primeval Shore, the establishment of New Brunswick, mixed with danger and romance. Part of the Canadian Historical Brides series. 

I hope you enjoy this foray into the eighteenth century right after America's revolution chased the loyalists to Canada.

To purchase this novel, click HERE

Amelia: an 18th century Englishwoman in the wilderness of New Brunswick.

In writing my Canadian-based novel, On a Stormy Primeval Shore, I wanted not only a strong heroine, but not the usual ‘beautiful’ woman who strikes every man to his core with her ravishing looks. I wanted a woman not considered beautiful by traditional standards, but one who must struggle and fight her way to be taken seriously, and forge her own happiness.

Amelia Latimer arrives in New Brunswick in 1784, just as this western portion of the colony is breaking away from Nova Scotia. Her father is a captain in the British army stationed at Fort Howe. He’s requested her long journey from Plymouth, England, to betroth her to one of his officers, Lt. Harris.

           
                                    Fort Howe Blockhouse

Amelia, because she isn’t beautiful, at four and twenty years had few marriage prospects in England; but she still hated to leave her mother who is ill with consumption. She's also intelligent, spirited, and determined to find happiness and a purpose. Her first meeting with Harris doesn’t go well and deeply insulted, she plans to return to England.

But soon New Brunswick, with its startling beauty, rugged shoreline and pastoral interior, charms her.

Captain Latimer wants her to return home on the next ship since she’s refused his choice of a husband, but after hearing of her mother’s death, Amelia has ideas of her own.

The remote colony is a mixture of many cultures. The aboriginals, mainly the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet tribes, who settled the land first. The French Acadians, in what was once New France, who were expelled—even slaughtered—when the English took over, then slowly allowed to return. And the Loyalists who fled north after the American Revolution, and now flood the country in need of land, food and occupation.

                          Saint John harbor from Fort Howe's hill.

Amelia wants to cultivate herbs for medicinal purposes, but can she survive the harsh Canadian winter, and will a most unsuitable man steal her heart?

Gilbert is an Acadian trader, one of the original French settlers. He is fighting to keep his and his mother's land. Land the incoming Loyalists want to appropriate. Then he saves a young woman from a marauding bear. Her bold spirit sparks his interest, but she is off-limits being the daughter of an English soldier. Does he dare meet her in private as his feelings grow?

Diane lives in western Pennsylvania with one naughty dachshund.

Character Birthdays & Akashic Records

 

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My childhood hero, Alexander Hamilton, was born on January 11th on the little volcanic island of Nevis. Carrying the Edwardian novel I'd discovered in a used book store, I traveled with my mother to the place of his birth. Mother had her drawbacks, but she certainly took me to some interesting and (by Americans) rarely visited places back in the 1950's, for which I remain grateful. January cannot pass without a retelling. 

I hope you will forgive me for this often told tale, but I am getting older and there is a certain compulsion to leave something behind which someone might remember. That Edwardian novel, short on facts though it proved to be, gained us entry to a little "hotel" on the island, because the owner regularly refused would-be guests if they had children. Being a quiet, polite child with a passion for this illustrious native son got us in the door, even though the lady of the house was quite ready, upon seeing me, to cast us out, literally, into the night. 

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January 27th is Mozart's birthday, so his natal day has just passed. Here's a character who took over my life for years--and years. Recently, I had an Akashic reading from a clairvoyant, who uncovered some material relating to this long obsession. I have never ventured into this territory before and had absolutely zero expectations. 

First, however, I need to talk a little about what I understand concerning the Akashic records.  I will quote Wikipedia: "In the religion of Theosophy and the spiritual movement called Anthroposophy, the Akashic Records are believed to be a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred in the past, present or future..." This includes all sentient entities and life forms, not only "humans." Akasha is a Sanskrit term meaning "aether", sky or atmosphere and the foundational notion came West from Buddhist philosophy. 

Akasha became Akashic via Helena Blavatsky, founder of Theosophy, who spoke of "indestructible tablets of astral light." Later esoteric philosophers, C.W. Leadbeater, Rudolf Steiner, Alice Bailey and Edgar Cayce, enlarged the concept. Akashic Records were likened to the entire experience, past, present, and future, of every life form in the universe--a kind of vibrational, spiritual "cloud" storage for infinity. These "files" could be retrieved by skilled practitioners and revealed to individuals.

You can go further down that particular rabbit hole and never escape. For instance, Ervin Laszlo's 2004 book "Science & the Akashic Field": An integral Theory of Everything, which attempts to explain mysteries of quantum physics via this philosophical structure. Therefore, I'll return to the original subject, my unexpected experience with an Akashic reading. 

Many people seek Akashic readings hoping to find connections with famous historical heroes/heroines, but I wasn't one of them. The whole idea seemed absurd to me. If we are reborn, why shouldn't most of us have been some kind of working stiff, just one of the "cast of thousands" "another brick in the wall" character? 

Here's what happened to me. I was told I had spent many years reliving and remembering a past life, evading the tasks of my present soul/life on this planet. Long story short, my informant said it would be best to stop. I could honestly reply I'd left that "addiction" behind, because I knew exactly what the clairvoyant was talking about, the decade spent exclusively on  all those Mozart books/research/music. Apparently, according to the reading,  I was, a few lifetimes ago, a part of his circle. The feeling was not "wow!" but more like the calm which descends when you find a puzzle piece for which you've been searching and snap it into place.

Don't misunderstand, those "Mozart" books are the first born of my novels, and I love them--and their characters--dearly. However, becoming a slave to a compulsion which drove me to total immersion did some real world, actual, harm. Jobs were lost; security endangered, important relationships neglected, while I spent all my time and energy "in" the 18th Century. 

This, of course, sounds more than a little unhinged, but I intend to read more on the subject, especially the recent material linking systems theory to "reverence for natural systems."

"There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy..." 

~Juliet Waldron

Sources: Wikipedia articles on Theosophy, Collective Unconscious, Anthony Peake, Ervin Laszlo, Rudolf Steiner, Madam Blavatsky, Edgar Cayce et al.

New Age, New Answers to Deep Questions by Ruta Sevo, PhD

momox.org/pythia  Akashic Readings

The Importance of Reviewing

 Find novels by Eileen Charbonneau HERE

January is a great reading month. Do you that you as a treasured readers have the power in this digital age, to give your favorite authors a boost?

How?

Reviewing!

There is nothing as sweet to an author's eyes as the sight of a satisfied reaction to all her moths of hard work to bring you the best storytelling she can manage!

Reviews help authors find new readers, too. And they help your favorites pop up in search features. If we want our books to move on the online marketplace, they must have reviews attached.

Some places to post reviews are: 

Amazon

Goodreads

bn.com

bookbub

kobo

Storygraph

And of course you can post the same review on all these places. So dear readers, give authors a nice boost, short or long, good or even disappointed this time out...we'd love to hear from you.

Here are some of of my favorites reviews of Spectral Evidence from readers I treasure....

"The characters are well written. I loved how the author portrayed the bond between Charlotte and her father and how she seamlessly wove several fascinating subplots into the story."

"This book should have great appeal for all who love historical fiction and/or mysteries. It works on the levels of both adult fiction and YA."

"The authors draw their readers back to colonists in Newfoundland, who, in 1692, wanted to stay out of Old World politics."

"Spectral Evidence is a well-written novel with interesting historical fictional characters." 

"While reading I learned much about Newfoundland and fishing. This material was woven into the story so skillfully it neverstuck out. This is a historical mystery and much is different than today in mysteries. Think of no fingerprint data,no DNA. The detectives were ordinary people and they had to use what thy knew and what they could learn."

Planning a Book Launch

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My new novel, A Killer Whisky, was published in December. For my previous books, I've held book launches close to the release date, but December isn't generally a good month for these events. Booksellers who host launches are busy with Christmas sales and everyone is shopping and attending parties. They find it hard to fit an additional activity into their hectic schedules. 

So, I postponed my book launch event to the new year. Due to other commitments from January through mid-March, I'm looking at late March for the party. The period between now and then will be my soft launch and planning time. 

The first step is to settle on a venue and date. My local bookstore, Owl's Nest Books, doesn't have space in their premises for our hoped-for number of attendees. I'm considering a couple of options and waiting for more information and confirmation of the date.  

Next, I'll plan the launch program. The last few times, I've prepared PowerPoint presentations. I enjoy doing them and the 1918 setting of A Killer Whisky provides more scope than my contemporary novels. I'll discuss Calgary history in relation to the book and show archival photographs as well as photos I've taken on my visits to story locations. In the past, I've liked inserting readings from the novel along with an image of the scene's setting.  

I imagined one of these preserved 1912-13 Calgary workers' cottages as my novel protagonist's home 

It's customary at launches to serve wine and light refreshments. I had the idea to shake this up by serving whisky, which is in the novel's title and plays a large role in the story. But one venue I'm considering makes providing alcohol problematic. So, how about a Prohibition theme with virgin cocktails? Prohibition features prominently in the novel.  

Theme is key to a successful launch I learned from a speaker at a writers' festival last summer. The best launches create a vibe and atmosphere that brings the world of the story alive. Venue, decorations, activities, food, drink, and music chosen to fit the theme. I'll probably stop short of appearing in period dress. 

Unfortunately, my Roaring Twenties costume is a few years after A Killer Whisky's era

During this soft launch time, I've lined up some online happenings that build to the actual launch. First up is an interview by my friend Shaun Hunter, a Calgary writer and literary historian. You can read the interview, which includes historical photographs, on Shaun's website. 

In February, I'm scheduled to appear on BWL author J.Q. Rose's blog.  I'll also participate in an online discussion with two fellow Sisters in Crime writers in an event called Between the Covers.    

I'll keep my eyes open for other soft launch opportunities during these next two months of planning and preparation that are turning out to be less relaxing than I'd expected. 

Happy New Year  

 

 

                       

 

 

Bookstores at Christmas

 

                                            Find my BWL books here!

     Is there any place more magical than a bookstore at Christmas? I am so lucky to live in Vermont, where independent bookstores abound. I can walk to a wonderful one in my town -- Village Square Booksellers. Yes, it's straight out of a Hallmark movie, as you can see!  It's presided over by the wonderful Myles, a local young man who recently purchased the store after working there with the previous owners, Alan and Pat, who are heading into a busy, community-serving retirement.

A bounty of holiday gift ideas

A great place to shop for children and grandchildren

Our bookstore supports local authors!

On a recent visit I found a perfect book of poetry and illustrations, and a short story collection of New England ghost tales for my sons, some travel-ready easy reading chapter books for my grandchild to read to me on our upcoming car ride to Lego Land, and some delicious Christmas Tea for our visiting guests as we gather around the fireplace.

What books will you be gifting to loved ones?

Blessings of the Season of Light, dear readers, and a joyous year ahead for you and yours. 

Coming in Early 2025: All in the Furry Family by Eileen O'Finlan

 

Click here for purchase information

I am delighted to announce that the second book in the Cat Tales series, All in the Furry Family, is scheduled for a February 2025 release. If you've read the first book, All the Furs and Feathers, you've met sister cats, Smokey and Autumn Amelia and their friends in Wild Whisker Ridge and Faunaburg. Now, join them for the wedding of the century when Abigail Fluffington marries their cousin, Greyson. That is if Abigail can stop being a bridezilla long enough to finalize the wedding plans.

On top of all the wedding chaos, Smokey is now Abigail's partner at Fluffington ArCATechture and Autumn Amelia is running Mama Cat's Kitchen in Oneness Park. It seems they've both achieved their dreams, but something odd is going on. Smokey is being stalked by two strange cats, and Autumn Amelia is running her paws off trying to juggle managing her own restaurant and bake two days a week for Furry's Confections. When Autumn meets her new neighbor, a handsome cat named Buster, and wants to spend more time with him, she knows something has to give. But what?

Join Smokey, Autumn Amelia, and all their furred and feathered friends as they try to navigate the many changes in their lives. Lots of new characters and loads of surprises await readers in All in the Furry Family Book 2 of the Cat Tales series.

Click here for purchase information

To Story Is Human

 

my latest storytelling adventure

                   My page at BWL Publishing

My friend Juliene likes to say "we're hot-wired for story." I agree. It's one of the things that make us human. We find evidence for this in the very earliest cave paintings...daring tales and the handprints of those telling the story.

We choose our stories for many reasons...to inform and educate, to delight, to feel less alone.

We witness stories too...an argument at the grocery store, a look between lovers. Sometimes we choose to step into the stories going on around us and become part of them.

We think about stories, and allow them to change our perspectives, increase our understanding of an event, a person, a long-held belief.

We may even engage in the creative act of storytelling ourselves...in a heartfelt letter to a friend, a journal entry, a story to a child at bedtime.

And we support each other in our storytelling by sharing a treasured poem, novel, a performance.

My friend Juilene and I have been supporting each other over our 30 years of hot-wired for story friendship.. I hope you have a friend like mine.

Eileen & Juilene

                  As always, happy reading, friends!

 

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Notions of Promotions

 

A lovely promotion for Seven Aprils!

Find my books here!

A writer acquaintance of mine once achieved her lifelong goal...to have one of her books reach New York Times best seller list. This was a great promotion in her mind. She said, "Now I know how my obituary will start-- 'New York Times best-selling author...'"

In life as well as art, we receive many promotions. My dad served in the United States military (National Guard and Army) for much of his long life. He first achieved the rank of Sergeant. His men loved the way he looked after them and called him "dad" even though he was in his twenties. While in Europe during World War II, his superiors thought him officer material. They sent him for a crash course in recently liberated Paris, after which he became a lieutenant and back into the field of war with new duties. So, as he often laughed about later, a scrappy son of Irish and French Canadian immigrants from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, who dreamed of going to West Point, became a commissioned officer and a gentleman by way of the Sorbonne, Paris. What a promotion!

Sgt. Charbonneau

I love my promotion to mother. For the rest of my life, I will be known as the mother of three wonderful human beings, Abby, Marya, and Lawrence.

More recently, daughter Marya's decision to become a mother gave me another promotion...to grandmother. Wow, this one is totally undeserved and great fun! 

Desmond and his grandma up to no good together

In my work life, I was so pleased to be asked to become a co-author with Jude Pittman of the Canadian Historical Mystery Series. I've long been a reader and admirer of the series of novels based in the Canadian provinces that BWL publishes. So to be asked to contribute to it? A great honor and promotion!

What are the promotions of your life, dear readers? I hope you've had many and that they've brought you joy.

Mixing Business with Pleasure by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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Near the start of September, I had the pleasure of doing a book tour in Vermont with my fellow BWL author, friend, and cousin, Eileen Charbonneau. Eileen was promoting her book, Spectral Evidence, while I was promoting The Folklorist.

A lot goes into preparing for a book tour. Presenters have to decide upon which aspect of the book they want to focus and either write a script or assemble notes (the former for me, the latter for Eileen C.) For this tour, we each created PowerPoint presentations to go with our talks. For us, it was an easy choice since Spectral Evidence has a strong connection to the Salem Witch Trials and The Folklorist to the New England Vampire Panic. Witches and vampires make a good team so we decided to focus on the folklore behind both that European immigrants brought to America. The title we decided on, "Witches and Vampires: When Old World Nightmares Invaded the New World" seemed to express well the essence of our presentation.

While working on our talks, we had to contact libraries and bookstores explaining our presentation and availability in hopes that they would agree to host us. We endured our share of "no thank you's" as well as a number of no responses, but were gratified to be enthusiastically welcomed by four Vermont libraries.

Once all of our dates were scheduled, extra book copies ordered (both the featured book and backlist), talks practiced, and arrangements made to stay with my cousin in Ferrisburgh for when we headed to the Champlain Valley for our last talk of the tour we were finally ready to go.

Packing boxes of books, swag, awards, table cloths, and whatever else might be needed along with my suitcase, that by the time I was through I could barely lift, into the car definitely qualifies as work. But once I was on the road headed up to Bellows Falls, Vermont, the pleasure part kicked in.

I should explain that Vermont is my favorite place as both of my parents came from that state and the very best memories of my childhood and teen years were made there during visits to grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Not to mention, the state itself is incredibly beautiful. The fact that I was on my way to stay with Eileen and her wonderful husband, Ed, only added that much more joy to the adventure.

All of our talks went well. Every one of the librarians were gracious and helpful hosts. We were delighted to meet and engage with interested readers. Chatting with attendees after our talks concluded was the best part for me. As is always the case, we encountered both larger and smaller than expected turnouts, but in either case, those who attended were enthusiastic and made us feel more than welcome. Overall, it was a successful book tour.

                                       

        Reading from The Folklorist at the                                              Presenting at the Rockingham                Springfield Town Library                                                             Public Library

Eileen O'Finlan and Eileen Charbonneau taking questions from the audience

In addition, there was the pleasure of spending time with Eileen and Ed. Whenever Eileen and I get together we always have a great time. I want to thank Ed for playing roadie for us, driving us to all locations, lugging all of our books, setting up our laptops and getting us online, and generally making sure we were ready when it was time to start. In addition, Ed did most of the cooking when we ate at their home - another bona fide treat! (Eileen, please let Ed know that I still want his recipe for lentil soup.)

While in the Bellows Falls area, we also made time to visit the local farmers market, hit up the Vermont Country Store in Rockingham, and enjoy a fabulous dinner at a French restaurant in Walpole, New Hampshire followed by dessert at Burdick's Chocolates next door, and take in the new Beetlejuice movie.

That was some good hot chocolate!

Once the first leg of the tour was complete, we headed up to my cousin's home in the gorgeous Champlain Valley. Two nights at her house with Lake Champlain in her backyard was heaven.

I was especially grateful that I got to visit with my 90-year-old uncle who is the last one left of his generation. I have been mining him for family history and stories ever since I realized that he's the only one left who knows them. Sharing them with me seems to be energizing him as he keeps supplying me with answers and requesting I ask him even more questions. 

With Uncle Harold and Aunt Theresa

It was a great trip that generated what I'm sure will be lasting memories.

Eileen and I have one more talk to do together, but this time she'll be coming to Massachusetts. On Tuesday, October 29th we will present at Tidepool Bookshop in Worcester at 5:30 p.m. The format for this one is a bit different. Instead of each of us giving a talk, we'll be interviewing each other about our books. If you're in the area, we'd love to see you there!

Meet the Cat Tales Characters by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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I recently acquired a new skill - creating images using A.I. I know there's a lot of controversy over A.I., but the images I've created likely don't fall into a controversial realm. They are all images of the characters in my Cat Tales series. These characters are all highly anthropomorphized animals. They hold jobs, drive cars, go shopping - all the stuff humans do while retaining most of the characteristics associated with their species. They also have to learn to live in harmony with one another. That's not easy to do when Smokey is designing a cat park that will abut Rodent Way. Not if Jerome J. Rately has anything to say about it. And, he does have plenty to say.

I learned how to create these images a few weeks ago while I was home recovering from COVID. I had noticed that my friend and fellow author, Jane Willan, had been creating images of her characters and using them in her Facebook posts. They looked terrific so I asked her to teach me to do it. In one Zoom call, she showed me how it's done. Then I got to work making my own. It's actually very easy to do. And it's fun. So, here are a few of the characters from the first book in the Cat Tales series, All the Furs and Feathers:

                                                  This is Smokey, one of the main characters.

                                                  She's employed as an architect at Fluffington

                                                  ArCATechture.

                                              This is Autumn Amelia. She's the other main 

                                              character, Smokey's sister, and a baker who works

                                              from home.

                               

    Here we have Greyson. He's cousin                                 Abigail Fluffington is the owner of

    to Smokey and Autumn Amelia. He's                              Fluffington ArCATechture and Smokey's

    the retired CEO of PAWS UNITED.                               boss. She's a very astute businesscat.

                          
    This sweet kitty is Dusty Fluffington.                                Jasmine is a web designer and Smokey's

    She's an amazing designer and seamstress.                        best friend. They're both Russian Blues

    She's also Abigail's sister. They both live                           and are often confused for twins.

    in Abigail's luxury apartment, but poor

    Dusty is terrified to leave the building.

    Until she meets Autumn Amelia, that is.

Not all the characters in the Cat Tales series are cats. There's a wide variety of animals in the series. Here are just a few of the non-cat characters:

                                     

    This is Rufus Tailwagger. He's a PR                                       Jerome J. Ratley is the head of the         

    professional. Rufus is a great guy. Just                                   Rodent Placement Agency. He's also

    stay out of the way of his maniacally                                      an activist for rodent rights. And he's

    wagging tail.                                                                            not at all happy about the idea of the cat

                                                                                                    park Smokey is designing that will abut

                                                                                                    Rodent Way.

                                                 Sally is a sous chef who works for                                            Here are Simon and Sam Squirrel

    Chef Gustav, a snooty world-famous                                        on their tandem bike. They work for

    chef, at Miguel Gato's private club.                                           Autumn's boss, Tabby Furry who owns

    Sally likes Miguel, but she'd rather not                                     Furry Confections. The Squirrel                have to work for Gustav.                                                           brothers are curriers who deliver the                                                                                                           baked goods Autumn makes to be sold

                                                                                                       at the bakery.

These are only some of the images of the characters from All the Furs and Feathers. There are more on my website. You can check them out here. More will be coming in early 2025 when the second book in the Cat Tales series, All in the Furry Family, is released. Meanwhile, here is a sneak peak of a couple of the new characters from the second book:

  

                                          

    Meet Buster Parker. He's a printer,                                               Give a warm welcome to Professor

    but he also owns a boat. I don't want                                            Chewy. He teaches botany at Verdant

    to give anything away, so I'll just say                                           University. He's also Smokey and

    he'll become important to Autumn Amelia.                                  Autumn Amelia's new neighbor.