Characters who struggle to break Unhealthy patterns by Jay Lang

 

Click link to purchase book

http://bookswelove.net/lang-jay/

      In this first chapter, I wanted to show how trusting people who don’t value us can put us in compromising positions, and how hard it can be to break free from these unhealthy patterns.

Chapter One

An angry dark sky invades the bay and forces the rusty orange sunset to disappear into the horizon. Now that night has set in, I don't have much time. I grab anything I can to defend myself, a dull bread knife from the kitchen drawer, the heavy metal poker from the fireplace and a small wooden handled spade from the pantry. Setting everything down but the knife, I hurry through the cabin shutting lights off in every room. When I get to the kitchen, I start to `walk across the floor when I hear a creaking sound coming from the old wooden balcony. Instantly, a wave of terror creeps over me. They're here, I can feel them. I force a shallow breath into my lungs and slowly move toward the balcony. With each step, I try to silence the sound of my feet on the floor. Straining to see through the glass, but the darkness outside has turned the windows into mirrors and all I see is my reflection. My hand shakes as I grasp the wooden handle of the knife. The closer I get to the glass, the more I feel them watching, waiting.

* * *

After days of no sleep, I’m finally drifting off when a hard rap on the door jerks me back to consciousness. I lie motionless in hopes that the pest goes away. No such luck. A sequence of raps repeats followed by the sound of paper being slid under the door. No doubt it’s the landlord gifting me with a final eviction notice. A few seconds later, I hear footsteps walking away. I lie for a few minutes before succumbing to the growing worries in my head, where will I go? How will I feed myself? My job was a shitty one at best, working the night shift at a gas station, but it was a job and considering I have minimal education, I was grateful to have it. About a month ago, Johnny Savage, my brother, or the closest thing I have to one, decided to get hopped up on a cocktail of booze and drugs before stumbling into my work. I left him to watch the front while I quickly ran to the bathroom. Unbeknownst to me, he swiped cash from the till and filled his pockets with cigarettes and anything else 4 he could get his hands on. After viewing the surveillance tape, my boss said nothing, he just pointed at me and then to the front door. My anxiety gains momentum and I concede to the fact that I’ll be adding another evening to my sleep deprivation. Defeated, I get up and walk to the kitchen to make coffee. Just as I’m filling the machine with water, my cell rings. It’s Johnny. I know if I don’t answer, he’ll inundate me with calls and seeing as I’ve been applying for jobs all over Calgary, I can’t afford to turn the phone off. “I’m still pissed at you, Johnny.” “Freedom, I need to see you. It’s urgent.” His breathing is shallow and erratic. “Urgent? Like paying rent or buying food?” “I know, I know. I’m sorry about all that. But I have cash for you. You just have to come and meet me. I’m in big shit, sis and I need you.” Oh great, another rescue mission where I have to drop everything and run to him. Nine times out of ten, by the time I get there, he’s either passed out or he’s forgotten why he called me in the first place. This emergency, I fear, will result with the same outcome and right now, I’m not in the mood. “Johnny, I love you, but I can’t do this anymore. Just go to bed and sleep it off. As for the cash you said you’d give me for rent, I’m tired of waiting.” “Freedom, please. I’m dead serious. I swear I’m on the up and up. Please come,” he pleads with desperation. 

Here, Freedom has come to a fork in the road. She can succumb to Johnny’s plea’s and keep the vortex of co-dependency going, or she can make a stand and break free from his emotional blackmail.

Thoughts About Writing A Novel ~ Theme by Rosemary Morris

To learn more about Rosemary and her work please click on the image above.

Thoughts about Writing a Novel - Theme

 

The theme of a novel is different to the plot. It is the subject. The plot is action, it shows the reader what happens and answers the questions, Who, What, When, Where and How. The theme is often abstract and drives the plot forward. It might focus on the cause of conflict or a main character’s goals. An effective theme should not overpower the plot. It should be used as a background - the characters’ experience, the author’s individual style and word pictures which tie theme and plot together. The beginning of the novel should indicate the theme.

Some themes can be applied to any time and at any place e.g., conflict between family members, others are specific such as an event that could only take place in a country during a particular time, for example, the London Blitz in the 2^nd World War or an issue such as women’s suffrage. Religious intolerance or another form of intolerance also provide strong themes.

Emotion is a thread which can run through a novel and be employed as a theme that creates conflict, for example, any one of the following, fear, greed, hatred, jealousy, loneliness, love, revenge.

Explicit sex is also a theme but, although my novels are sensual, it is not one of my chosen ones.

www.rosemarymorris.

 

Rosemary Morris published by BooksWeLove

 

http://bookswelove.net/authors/morris-rosemary

 

 

Big News in the Sugarwood Mysteries Series by Diane Bator

 

Sugarwood Mysteries has 

a NEW LOOK and a NEW BOOK!!

Audra Clemmings loves Halloween. At least until she sees the display of voodoo dolls in the shop next door that resembles nearly everyone in Sugarwood, Ontario--including her.

Then there's the matter of the dead cowboy on the bench in front of her shop Stitch'n'Time...

A few great reviews:

"After reading the first book in the Sugarwood Mysteries, I became hooked on the characters, genre, and author. Ms. Bator penned a goodie in this murder mystery. Characters Audra Clemmings and Merilee Rutherford (best friends) hang in there together, always having each other’s backs through some terrorizing moments. Between the two of these women, figuring out the ‘who done it’ kept them guessing while wrapping the reader around their conjectures and info gathering. I enjoyed these women, completely enamored in their thought process. I adore cozy mysteries, and Ms. Bator just became one of my favorite authors of this genre." - Susan

"This is not your Wild West Cowboy story. No, this is contemporary and takes place in a small town. Yes, one of the shopkeepers in the charming downtown area is on the trail to find out whodunit. Lots of humor and speculation on who killed the cowboy and why, so I was not sure who the murderer was until the end of the book. Ms. Bator's description of the locations and the quirky fun characters engage readers in this well-written cozy mystery. Yes, I recommend the book to cozy mystery lovers." - Janet Glaser

"All the characters were well-crafted. One of my favorites is Miss Lavinia. She describes them so vividly it's as if you actually know them, great job.
Clemmings definitely has her hands full. However, in the end, she prevails. If you enjoy reading a really good cozy mystery then this is the book for you.
It has surprises, it's captivating, and keeps you wondering until the very end." - Digiecard

BWL Publishing Website:  http://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

AND THE NEW BOOK...

Christmas blooms in Sugarwood in the form of a brightly lit tree in town square, colourful ornaments, and a snowstorm. It’s just Audra Clemmings’ luck that she literally stumbles over the local butcher in Miss Lavinia’s shop. Then a witch doctor arrives in town. Can Audra solve the mystery before the killer turns their sights on her?

Here's a little snippet!

 As I grabbed my red parka from the closet, I smiled. The colour never failed to give me a lift, so I paired it with my favourite red hat and black gloves. I left Drake home to babysit Rex who, as predicted, fell asleep on the bed and still hadn’t returned to the couch. I was at the deli before I realized I could’ve taken the key and the car and then he’d be stuck there. Darn it! I was such a creature of habit.

At nine o’clock on the dot, I set a large black coffee on Officer Grant’s desk and asked, “Did you find out who owns that token?”

He scratched the stubble on his chin as he reached for the cup.

I moved it out of his reach. “Not so fast. I want answers.”

“And I want coffee,” he said, meeting my gaze. “If you think we’re at an impasse, keep in mind I’m the one with the gun and the handcuffs.”

“Good thing I’m not wearing my pajamas then.” The words sounded better in my head than they did aloud.

A nearby officer smirked.

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Jacobs,” Officer Grant snapped. “Last time I arrested her, she was wearing her pajamas out in public.”

Handing him the coffee before he bit anyone, I decided to consider it my good deed for the day. I sat across from him and asked, “So?”

He sipped the coffee. “Needs cream.”

“You’re welcome.” 

Dead Man's Doll Coming October 2022 

from BWL Publishing: http://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

To request additional review copies or an interview with Diane Bator, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com / 403.464.6925.    

We look forward to the coverage!

Meet our BWL Authors - Eileen O'Finlan and Victoria Chatham

 

Introducing Eileen O'Finlan

Eileen is a BWL Author from Massachusetts

 

I live in Holden, a town located in Central Massachusetts, very close to the city of Worcester.  I have lived here most of my life.  However, both of my parents are from Vermont and many of my relatives live there.  I dearly love Vermont and consider myself an “honorary Vermonter.”  I am 54, single, and the caretaker of my amazing 91 year old mom.  I also have two adorable cats (a Russian Blue named Smokey and a calico Maine Coon named Autumn Amelia.)   Books and cats are pretty much all I need to be happy!

 

I work full-time as an Administrative Assistant in the Tribunal Office for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester.  I also just started teaching online courses in theology for the University of Dayton, Ohio.  I have an undergraduate degree in history and a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Ministry.

 

 www.eileenofinlan.com   

 

 

Visit Eileen's Author Page:  https://bookswelove.net/o-finlan-eileen/

---

 

Introducing Victoria Chatham

Victoria is a BWL Author from Alberta 

 

Being born in Bristol, England, Victoria, Chatham grew up in an area rife with the elegance of Regency architecture. This, along with the novels of Georgette Heyer, engendered in her an abiding interest in the period with its style and manners and is one where she feels most at home.

Apart from her writing, Victoria is an avid reader of anything that catches her interest, but especially Regency romance. She also teaches introductory creative writing. Her love of horses gets her away from her computer to volunteer at Spruce Meadows, a world class equestrian centre near Calgary, Alberta, where she currently lives. http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca   

 

 

Visit Victoria's author page https://bookswelove.net/chatham-victoria/

BWL Publishing Inc. - New Releases September 2022

CLICK THE BOOK COVERS FOR AUTHORS' BWL PAGES AND PURCHASE LINKS

When a local rancher’s body is discovered in Tuzigoot National Monument, Doug and Jill Fletcher are dispatched to investigate the suspicious death. Horseshoe prints where the body was found point the investigation toward the dozens of local ranches and trail ride companies.

The clues lead the Fletchers into Cottonwood, a nearby tourist town with a blossoming wine tasting industry. It quickly becomes apparent that the victim was a bed-hopping cowboy, who has left behind a string of scorned women and angry husbands.

While riding along the Verde River in search of clues, Doug and Jill are befriended by Gunner, a young cowboy who’d been injured in a rodeo accident. Socially inept and somewhat slow, Gunner sees things that others overlook. His daily rides around Tuzigoot made him a reluctant witness to much of what happened following the murder.

Despite slowly developing confidence in his horsemanship, Doug is forced to ride “Lightning” when their prime suspect flees on horseback. He and Lightning follow, as Jill gallops off in pursuit of their murder suspect. The chase turns into a scene from a Wild West movie when the fleeing cowboy fires his six-shooter at his pursuers.

Writing Cars by Priscilla Brown

 

 

 

 

 http://books2read.com/Hot-Ticket

 

 

Callum, the subject of the 'hot ticket', lusts after both Olivia's red sports car and its stunning owner.

 Will she ever let him drive this magnificent piece of engineering? 

In my real life, I drive small elderly reliable car. In my writing life, I like to give my characters appropriate - or not - vehicles for their needs and lifestyles.  As an author of contemporary romance, I am always looking out for potential character and situation miscellanies. 

 

Yesterday, in a wet, windy and busy shopping centre car park with the indoor levels full of weather escapees, I had to park outside on the top level. This is an area where whoever designed it probably never 'park-tested' it, since the spaces white-lined between them appear to me to be suitable only for tricycles. As I waited in the car for my passenger to finish shopping, I scanned the nearby rows of 'shop mobiles'. In one, a shopper piled so may large bags onto the passenger seat that one fell out and spilled its contents, revealing the purchaser's choice of several pink underwear items. I was sorry for her that these pretty things acquired a damp and grubby surface. Her shopping now safely in her car, she drove away, its place immediately taken by a small truck. Two men, in shorts and t-shirts in spite of the weather, strode into the shopping area. They returned in minutes, carrying large coffee mugs. Reversing out, the driver had one hand on the wheel and the other holding his coffee to his mouth. Me, I can find  trouble reversing from a tight spot using both hands. And who knows, one day this guy may find a place in a story.

Some years ago, a story opportunity drove into the car park of a cafe in a small country town. As I dawdled over coffee and cake on the sunny veranda, I watched a blonde woman park a seriously impressive scarlet sports car, its top down.  She and her car deserved to appear in a romance, and she became  Olivia in Hot Ticket. 

A casual glance at an an advertisement in a road travel magazine sparked the idea of introducing a female car mechanic. Billie, who is better at fixing cars than at fixing her love life,  takes her place in Finding Billie   http://books2read..com/Finding-Billie

 As a writer who is otherwise not particularly interested in cars as long as mine takes me where I want to go, I do enjoy research matching vehicles to personalities. 

To the drivers among you, may you always find the perfect parking spot.

Love, Priscilla

https://bwlpublishing.ca

https://priscillabrownauthor.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tate's Little Slice of Heaven by Eden Monroe

 

Visit Eden Monroe's BWL Author Page for book details and purchase information

There’s probably no place closer to my heart than my grandparents’ farm and the countless hours I spent there as a child. My memories of that idyllic time often find their way into my storytelling, but perhaps none so much as in my latest book, Sidelined. It was in the nearby village of Cambridge-Narrows, not far from that farm, that Tate McQuaid of Sidelined returned to realize his dream of starting the Willow Wind Ranch.

Both the village and my grandparents’ farm are located on the shores of the Washademoak Lake. It’s not a true lake at all as it turns out, rather just a widening of the Caanan River, but beautiful nonetheless. True blue, dyed-in-the-wool country folks, my grandfather was a cavalry horseman during the First World War. My grandmother was a British home child who came to Canada at the age of nine and was taken in by the Akerley family of The Narrows (Cambridge and The Narrows amalgamated in 1966). The only girl in the household, she had six older brothers who adored her.

One of those brothers was Walter Akerley who, despite losing part of one leg while still a youngster (stepped on rusty horseshoe nail) he went on to live a full and productive life, all one hundred six and a half years worth. It was Walter who ran the general store mentioned as Bennett’s General Store in Sidelined.

Writing about the village and the farm was a heartwarming experience, a homecoming for me as well as for Tate because that’s where he’d spent much of his youth on his Uncle Arthur’s farm, which was really the farm of my childhood.

So Tate’s love for this place, is mine too, a wonderful full-circle moment.

A rodeo star, Tate has come back from the west to raise paint horses; to see the pastures on his ranch – lush and green - filled with handsome paints grazing peacefully under a warm summer sun, the scent of clover in the fresh clean air. It’s his own slice of heaven. Not much wonder the village calls itself the best kept secret in Canada. I’ll tell you, it doesn’t get much better than early mornings on the Washademoak, and I’ve seen a fair share of the world beyond that gentle valley.

Nevertheless Tate’s return to New Brunswick was bittersweet, because he’d chosen his own path in life much to the chagrin of his disapproving parents. They’d had a more cerebral career in mind for their only child than being a bull rider:

“The tension was palpable and his father’s arms were still folded as he continued to watch his son. ‘You say you’re back in New Brunswick for good, so where do you plan to stay, because if you think….’

Tate was one step ahead of him, holding up his hand. ‘If that was an invitation, Dad, I’m going to have to turn you down,’ he said tightly. ‘There’s a big spread up on the Washademoak, not far from where Uncle Arthur used to live near Cambridge-Narrows. The Willow Wind Ranch has three hundred glorious acres, barns, home to some of the finest paint horses in Eastern Canada. That’s where I’ll be.’

His father sighed. ‘At least you found a job, that’s something I suppose. When do you start?’

Tate shook his head, meeting his father’s eyes and holding his gaze. ‘I guess you could say right away. I’ll be working around the clock because I bought the place and will be naming it as soon as it’s up and running. It’s my dream to make it a premiere paint breeding facility, and I’ll realize that dream too, whether you believe in me or not. I’m not just some empty-headed cowpoke without enough sense to get in out of the sun, I’m a businessman and a retired athlete. I have made a success of my life so far, just not on your terms.’ “

When I finished writing Sidelined I decided to take a leisurely drive through the village, Tate so real to me now I half expected to meet him at the general store a short distance down the road when I stopped for a fill up. A little further along I pulled over for a closer look at the property I’d chosen for Tate’s fictitious horse ranch and imagined, just for a moment, that it was not just a story.  He lives only in my imagination of course, but on this cloudless summer day, crickets chirring in the heavy summer heat, I can almost see him walking up from the barn. He’s wearing a straw cowboy hat, stripped to the waist and tanned a deep brown. He stops and looks around, likely feeling as I do that there’s no place on earth he’d rather be. I see the lake just beyond, shimmering sapphire blue, the pastures stretching out before my eyes, and yes, Paint horses grazing contentedly. And then the moment passes and I move on, smiling as I glance back at the empty yard and fields. But still, it was a very good day to be in Cambridge-Narrows.

The Fall of the House of York

I tunes books

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Amazon

Amazon's kindle version:

http://amzn.to/2nEVWbC

Reviewers say:

"Juliet Waldron's grasp of time and period history is superb and detailed. Her characters were well developed and sympathetic."

"One of the better Richard III books..."

Crest and Motto of Richard III

On a sunny late summer morning in August, 1485, near Leicester, two armies faced one another. The King of England, Richard III, arose at dawn. Tradition, and Shakespeare, claim that he had had a bad night, although this can never be known now, 537 years later.  The King often traveled with his own bed. One night earlier, he had slept in his royal bed, for he had brought it along with his baggage train from Nottingham Castle. Perhaps too large and bulky to be used in a battlefield tent, the royal bed had been left behind at an Inn in Leicester.  Richard was known as a man who "slept ill in strange beds" and so preferred to maintain regularity in his sleeping arrangements.

Chaplains probably said Mass for the King on that fatal morning, as this too was standard practice on Medieval Battlefields, before he broke his fast with watered wine and bread. His esquires would have begun to armor him. His open crown, set with jewels, was set upon his helm, and then, mounted upon his favorite white charger, Whyte Syrie,* he began to direct the disposition of his army. 

According to John Ashdown-Hill, Historian and member of the Royal Historical Society: ..."When John de Vere, one of Henry Tudors most experienced commanders, saw the royal army advancing to oppose them, he swiftly ordered his men to hold back and maintain close contact with their standard bearers. In consequence the rebel advance ...ground to a halt..." This manuever drew the rebel forces into close formation, with the French mercenary pikemen held in reserve. Ashdown-Hill speculates on why, at this point, the sight of his hated distant cousin sent him charging to destruction. 

"Perhaps out of bravado, or from a sense of noblesse oblige, or possibly because he was suffering from a fever and not in full possession of his faculties, Richard called his men around him and then set off with them at a gallop to settle Henry's fate once and for all." 

http://amzn.to/2nEVWbC

The Amazon Kindle version

 Ashdown-Hill (The Last Days of Richard III) speculates on why, at this point, the sight of his cousin sent the king charging to destruction. (Certainly, Richard did not know what Henry looked like, but he would have seen his standard and known he surely stood nearby.) 

"Perhaps out of bravado, or from a sense of noblesse oblige, or possibly because he was suffering from a fever and not in full possession of his facaulties, Richard called his men around him and then set off with them at a gallop to settle Henry's fate once and for all."  

It was a risky move. In chess, this would be the same as sending one's king across the board to directly attack the rival king. 

Richard's legendary charge came near to succeeding. Richard himself slew Tudor's imposing standard bearer, William Brandon, but this is the moment when the wily foreign mercenaries Henry had brought with him drew together in a phalanx, protecting Henry and keeping him out of harm's way. Richard's cavalry hurled themselves into the pike wall so created. Many, including Richard, were unhorsed. At the same time, the remainder of the King's cavalry came crashing in behind. The  Yorkist army was now in dissarray.   

John de Vere and Lord Stanley, both still hanging back--de Vere because he was an experienced soldier, Stanley, waiting to see which way the battle would go--now seized their opportunity. Stanley's men fell upon the milling mass of the royal cavalry. They caught the King on foot and he was soon overwhelmed and slain by a pack of enemy soldiers. 

Richard's bravery has never been questioned, even by the Tudor chroniclers. 

"King Richard was slain, fighting manfully in the midst of his enemies." - The Croyland Chronicle.

When Richard fell, de Vere wheeled and attacked the Duke of Norfolk. During the initial clash, Norfolk lost his helmet and caught an arrow in the eye. The Yorkist side had now lost both captains. The leaderless army began to collapse. 

Michael Jones, whose 2016 military history, Bosworth, 1485, believes that Richard's charge, while a throw of the dice, was in fact "the final act of Richard's ritual affirmation of himself as rightful king." Ashdown-Hill says that Richard "acted in full accord with the late medieval literary tradition."  

After his accession, Henry Tudor would soon confirm this first impression, as the kind of man who preferred judicial murder to a face-to-face duel. While there would soon be a host of Yorkist family members executed on various trumped up charges by him, there is no record of Henry VII even lifting his sword at the battle which would establish his famous dynasty. 

What can I make of my own long fascination with this still controversial character, this long dead English King? In many ways, Richard was the last of his kind. His brief reign marked the end of the  Plantagenet Kings, and from this time forward, historians habitually date the beginning of modern times. Richard's pagentory charge was a medieval aristocrat's decision to play the role of king--a leader of his men--in the most heroic fashion possible. 

Henry was indeed a modern man, cut from different cloth, a man who had far less right to the throne than most of the people he exececuted, a man who had been poor and on the run, but who now intended to become rich by taking everything he could take from anyone who opposed him. The personal tale of Henry VII is a classic picture of a paranoid miser. This fruits of this monarch's gold hunger would--as is so often the case--be blown by his equally paranoid and indulged, vainglorious son, Henry VIII.  

I read the Daughter of Time (by popular mystery writer Josephine Tey) when I was eleven. Richard's story as she told it--here was a man "framed" by his enemies and maligned forever after--became an overriding obsession. I can still pick up my tattered Penguin paperback and find the bedraggled white rose I dried between the pages, oh, so many years ago! Today I can still remember all the kids at summer camp whose ears I talked off on a subject most of them had never heard of. Tilting at windmills in my own nerd way, I guess. 

Now, of course, I look at history--especially the kind of western history which I was taught in school--in a very different. In the great scheme of things, the innocence or guilt of an otherwise obscure English king doesn't matter much, but to this day it remains a heck of a great story. 

Roan Rose is my proud contribution to the Richardian genre. Here we hear the tale of the servant Rose, one who was privy to so much, yet still survived to tell it. 

Dear Rose! She is one of my favorite creations. I hope readers love her as much as I do.

~~Juliet Waldron  

All my novels at Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0089F5X3C

   

Falling in Love with Your Book-Hero By Connie Vines #Romance, #BWLPublishingInc, #Book-Hero, #Writing Romance

Authors often speak about how a dream will lead to a novel or how their books seem to plot themselves... 

And then there's the 'I hear voices".

This means the characters speak to the author, and away they go on a book adventure.

I wish 😐 my characters were so forthcoming.

My writing life:

#1 I always dream in color (technicolor). Unless the dream is a rerun, then I dream black and white.🎥

#2 If I do manage to dream about a book I'm writing, I never hear the dialogue. Why? Because a theme song is blaring throughout the dream. The decibel level in my head can be likened to "The Danger Zone" cranked up in a Dolby sound movie theater!  

#3 I do, however, hear the dialogue in my head in snatches. Just enough to start or end a scene. Picture yourself seated in a coffee shop, and a couple walked past you...it's like that.

#4 Authors always fall in love with their characters. I love each of my heroes. But my favorite (as it should be) was my first. Lynx Maddox.

Well, you know authors conduct research...

According to various sources (Wikipedia, Wikipedia How, fan blogs).

💖Falling in love with a fictional character is not unusual, and many people have found themselves emotionally attached to a surface in a book, movie, TV show, or video game. 

💞💑 Romance with a fictional character can also be an excellent opportunity to find an outlet for creativity and learn more about yourself and what you need from a relationship. 💒

Did you have a teenage crush?

Of course.💟

Who was your first book crush? 

Me: Edward Rochester (Jane Eyre).

Movie Hero?

Me: Sean Connery as James Bond (though I didn't see the movies until decades later).

Television hero?

Me: John M. Jackson as Rear Admiral A.J Chegwidden on JAG.

Alien? 

Me: Mr. Spock (Original Star Trek or movie version).

I'm sure you have your personal book crush.

Haven't decided?  Here are four choices 😉

Stop by my blog (Dishin' it Out) or log in to my FaceBook (author) page.

Happy Reading,

Connie

XOXO

https://bookswelove.net/vines-connie/

http://mizging.blogspot.com/

https://connievines-author.com/

I am a 100% Night Owl.

My personal photo of my Pumpkin Spice coffee

Decluttering your life, your WIP, your closet – by Vijaya Schartz

Find all my titles at: amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo

Minimalism is on the rise. In the aftermaths of the pandemic, we developed an appreciation for uncluttered living spaces. Besides, clutter is unhealthy, can cause depression… or harbor ghosts of your past. After decluttering, you will be healthier, happier, and free to move on with your life.

Eight years ago, I left a husband and his big house to live with my cat in a tiny apartment. Since then, I moved again, and each move is an opportunity to get rid of clutter. And despite the fact that I am a minimalist at heart, I still have to remind myself to declutter from time to time. Usually, it’s when I run out of hangers, or I can’t find the top I want to wear in the impossibly tight closet.

As our body changes, we buy new clothes but keep the old ones. Just in case? Why? Get rid of the clothes you no longer wear, like old bras that don’t fit anymore. If you ever lose the weight to fit in those skinny jeans again, they will be out of style and you’ll want to buy new ones anyway. Get rid of the shoes that hurt your feet, tired flannel shirts, cropped tops from another decade, work clothes from a previous job, etc.

As I’m turning in my October release to the publisher, ANGEL SHIP, Book One of a new sci-fi series with romantic elements titled Blue Phantom, I thought a few days of decluttering would keep me busy while waiting for the edits.

Here is the stunning cover of ANGEL SHIP
Find other books in the Azura universe: 
amazon - B&N - Smashwords - Kobo

But this is easier said than done. I still have favorite shirts from two decades ago. I know I can never wear them in public, but I still love them. I don’t go out very often, and except for maybe four times a year, I only wear yoga pants, sports bras, and loose tops while typing away at my computer or going to my Tai-Chi classes.

To make it easier on your soul, start with a smaller space, like your car. Then you can move to the trash, the broken things, the chipped mugs and plates, the reminders of unhappy times, the junk drawer, old jewelry. Trash the unflattering photos and digitalize the good ones. Get rid of expired medications, expired food in the fridge and kitchen cabinets. Extra kitchen utensils, bowls, pans, spatulas. Donate, recycle the empty plastic jars, have a yard sale, sell the good stuff on eBay, etc.

My dilemma is often what do I trash? What do I donate? Sometimes, it’s difficult to be objective, and I need another pair of eyes. A friend can give you sound advice in that matter.

As a writer, the same goes with your manuscript. Clarity is key. You don’t want to confuse the reader with too many characters and unnecessary details. You can sometimes consolidate two or three secondary characters into one who will serve the same purpose. Also, if a subplot doesn’t enhance the main story, get rid of it. Give your characters breathing room, so they can be free to express their true feelings on the page.

In the meantime, enjoy the last of summer. Almost time to take out the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations… Then it will be Christmas again… then New Year.

Happy Reading! Find all my books at:
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Vijaya Schartz, author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

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Tasmania, the Apple Isle—Tricia McGill

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This post was supposed to be about Tassie’s past, simply because my next historical will be set there, but it is set in the not so glamorous past when Tasmania’s Port Arthur was a penal settlement and prison. 

However, while looking up just why the wonderful island that I have visited so many times that I have lost count, is called The Apple Isle, I came across this great site that listed many of the island’s awesome facts:

https://www.lifesanadventure.com.au/15-awesome-facts-tasmania 

I am certain they will not mind me borrowing from their information about the place.  It seems that there are two theories on why it’s called the Apple Isle. The first one is its former status as an important apple exporter; however, some say it’s because the island’s shaped like an apple. 

Tasmania isn’t as small as most people think. It’s about the same size as the Republic of Ireland or Sri Lanka, and is situated closer to the equator than Rome or Chicago (mind you it does get chilly down there at times), and is the world’s 26th largest island. Almost half of the state is World Heritage Area, national park, or marine and forest reserves, has water so pure it produces the only bottled rainwater approved by health departments around the world.

Holland actually imports tulips that are grown in Tasmania.

Very interesting fact: Tasmania used to be attached to Victoria via a land bridge until 10,000 years ago when the polar caps melted, making the oceans rise. All that’s left of this land bridge is the Furneaux Group of islands of which Flinders Island is the largest.

Tasmania has some of the world’s most hilarious place names. There’s Eggs and Bacon Bay, Trousers Point, Penguin, Milkshake Hills, Stinkhole, Granny’s Gut, Awesome Wells, Satan’s Lair and Lovely Bottom.

Add to all this you will meet some of the most welcoming and friendly folks. My first visit there was soon after I arrived in Australia many moons ago. I travelled with my friend who was born there and has since resettled there. We would stay with her mother who used to take us on hilarious outings where we walked for miles to find a river where she would likely catch fish. I cannot recall her catching anything, but we did see a pair of platypus swimming by. Her picnics were like no other experienced before or since. And I also saw a ghost in a tiny cottage where we stayed onone visit to the west coast.

Most international visitors seem to head north when they travel to Australia, but Tassie has plenty to offer in my humble opinion, but perhaps I am biased. Now I really should get back to my research on Tasmania’s past. 

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My Links with 'Jane Eyre'

 

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My 'Links' with 'Jane Eyre'

I first read Charlotte Bronte's 'Jane Eyre' when I was about 11 and loved it. My mother took me to see a stage adaptation performed by our local repertory company, which was one of the events that led to my lifelong love of theatre, and I read the book more times than I can count.

About three years later, the story was serialised in 6 parts on BBC, in the old days of black and white television. Stanley Baker played Rochester and Daphne Slater played Jane. This was made doubly interesting by the fact that my class tutor at the time had been at school with Daphne Slater and used her 'connections' to get the autographs of both lead characters for us all (which I still have!) 

 

Fast forward about 30+ years. I started researching my family history and dscovered a link (in my father's family) to landed gentry in the county of Derbyshire. One of my ancestors was Robert Eyre (1390-1459) who fought at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. He owned land in the county and married Joan Padley, the heiress to other estates. They lived in the small village of Hathersage and when they died, their tombs were surmounted with brass effigies. These are the most famous effigies in the church.

Even more fascinating (for me at least) was the connection between these brasses and Jane Eyre. 

In 1845 Charlotte Bronte went to stay at the Rectory at Hathersage with an old school friend, whose brother was the vicar. It was here she started to write her novel about Jane Eyre. It is said that she was inspired by the brass effigy on the tomb of Joan Eyre (nee Padley).

So it seems Jane Eyre was named after my 15-times-great grandmother! Maybe that is why I have always had an affinity with Charlotte Bronte's novel?

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