Monday, October 26, 2020

Summer is a coming in—Tricia McGill

Visit my author page for links to all my books

 

At least it is in my part of the world, being Victoria, Australia. Melbourne and South Victoria have the dubious reputation of often having four seasons in one day. This is no lie, for it can be teeming with rain in the early part of the day, brighten up around tennish, be beautiful until teatime and then the temperature can dive within half an hour and then often be followed by a storm. This can be annoying if you left washing drying on the line while you were out and just before you arrive home, it pours. I love these changes to be honest and could not live with the temperature, let’s say in Darwin up north, where it can be what I call uncomfortably high most of the year. 

Anyway, this is not about the changing of the seasons but more about our plant life. I inherited a nice, smallish garden when I moved here about 15 months ago—just enough to keep my doggies and me happy. I have no lawn, a bonus as therefore we do not need a gardener periodically invading our serenity with his smelly mower. The saddest part about leaving my previous home of 26 years was leaving my beautiful garden behind. I do hope the new owners are taking care of it. I brought along about 6 or 8 plant tubs with me and have since purchased a few more. I now have a dwarf nectarine tree


which last season produced about 6 fruit—I am hoping for more this year. I also have a miniature pear tree, and cannot wait to see if it bears fruit. I worried at first that no bees were visiting to pollinate, but since the sun began to shine brightly each day, they are there, and seem to favour my lavender bush. I curse the councils who have no concern for bees and merrily continue with their pesticide spraying.


One of my favourite bushes is the hydrangea. I was not successful with them at the old place as the soil was not right for them, and to my delight I now have about 6 of them and since feeding them am hoping to get really nice blossoms before Christmas. One lovely bush that I have inherited is a Snowball bush (Viburnum). It currently has about 6 or 8 flowers but within a week or two will be covered in all its glory. Unfortunately, the blossoms do not last long and soon the ground below them looks just as if it has snowed recently (Something snow never does in this part of the world).

After moving in, a neighbour gave me small clusters of a ground covering plant called Grannie’s Bonnet. The ground where I planted this gets hard as rock in summer, but this hasn’t deterred this sturdy little plant as it flourishes.


I think I should say that in no way am I a gardener, more a potterer. I have a couple of plants that I have no idea what their names are, but they are currently flowering. The nearest guess I can take at this one is some sort of Myrtle. My roses of all colours are now budding. Whoever planted this garden originally must have loved roses and hydrangeas, bless them. A while back, I asked one of our village gardeners to get rid of an oleander for, as beautiful as they are, they are also toxic and I care more for my dogs than one colourful plant. I just realised that currently my plants all have white blossoms, but wait a few weeks until all my rose bushes are flowering and my garden will be a mass of colour.


Today as I write this it is 20c (68f) but within a few weeks the temperature will be rising drastically and can be anything up to 36c to 40c (100f) plus so for now I am relishing the lovely sunshine. My point is, no matter that in my part of the world we are still in lockdown, that I had to cancel my long awaited holiday in May, that I am forced to shop online or go without, Mother Nature still goes her merry way and brings pleasure into this strange world where we currently live.

 


Sunday, October 25, 2020

Elegant Orchids by A.M. Westerling

 




My local grocery store just received a shipment of beautiful orchids. 

Most orchids are tropical plants. They symbolize fertility, elegance and love and because of this are often given to new parents as gifts. Also known as Orchidaceae, they are a beautiful flower with long lasting blooms in vibrant colours such as pink, magenta, white, yellow and purple.

I’ve had orchids over the years and every time they finished blooming, I would toss them as I had the impression they were difficult to grow. However, last Christmas I received one as a gift from a dear friend and decided to accept the challenge of keeping it. After it finished blooming, I put it in my office and other than giving it an ice cube once a week, pretty much ignored it.

The only thing I knew was that orchids are dormant for 6 to 9 months after flowering so at the end of August, I moved it to an east facing window and gave it some all purpose fertilizer. To my delight, it’s putting out a new leaf!

 


I’ve since done a bit of research to aid in my quest to bring my orchid to bloom and have discovered that orchids in fact are one of the easiest house plants to grow. Although some varieties grow in dirt ie lady slippers, which grow in the loamy jungle soil, most orchids in the wild grow on tree bark which explains why the growing medium is not soil. The orchid uses the tree for support but receives its nutrients from animal droppings that wash down or organic matter decaying in the crooks of branches. Orchids are epiphytes which means their roots have adapted to absorb water from the humid jungle air. Many types deal with times of abundant water and periods of dryness so their thick stems, called pseudobulbs, allow them to store water for the dry times.

A few basic tips for proper orchid care:

-     Don’t overwater! That’s one of the most common mistakes people make in growing these beautiful plants. A clear pot helps determine water requirements. If you see condensation, it doesn’t need to be watered. Healthy orchid roots are green. If you’re overwatering, they’re brown and mushy and if you’re underwatering, they are grey. Mine are looking pretty good. 😊

 


-     Feed weekly or monthly (depending on the variety). I’ve been using 20 20 20.

-   Place your orchid in an east or west facing window. 

-     Repot in fresh orchid mix (not soil!) when your orchid stops blooming.

-     After flowering prune the old flower stalk near the base of the stem.

-     They grow best at 16 to 24 C

-     Mist regularly if you live in a dry climate.

With proper care, they can live for years. I’ll see how I make out with this one!

*****

Although you won't find orchids in this book, you may enjoy reading Sophie's Choice, a romance that Coffee Time Romance calls "an excellent Regency".  You can find it at your favourite online store HERE. Also available in print. 



Find all my books on the BWL Publishing website.

 

Saturday, October 24, 2020

Featured Author Diane Scott Lewis

 

 




I’m an historical author at BWL Publishing, Inc. My pen name is Diane Scott Lewis. You can find my books at https://www.bookswelove.net/lewis-diane-scott/

 

I’ve always loved history and traveling in my mind to other places—that’s what spurred me to be a writer.

 

I grew up in the bustling San Francisco Bay Area. I’ve always loved to write since I first discovered the written word and could put pencil to paper, revealing the imaginative stories in my head. My first novel took place in ancient Egypt and Rome, written at age ten. My second was an Alfred Hitchcock style murder mystery, also at age ten (a productive year evidently).  The grand movies of the time influenced my stories: Cleopatra, Mutiny on the Bounty, and Marnie.

Reading was always a big part of my life. Our house had shelves of books, especially history, which fueled my interests.

In high school I had a short story submitted to a literary festival. I didn’t win, but my teacher’s faith in me excited my ambition.

 

After high school I joined the navy to see the world. I worked in communications, stationed in Nea Makri, Greece, where I met my husband. Traveling and living in Puerto Rico, San Diego, and Guam, I put writing aside to raise my two sons.

When we settled in Virginia, and my husband retired from the navy, my drive to write re-surfaced. Did I still have my writing muse? I wrote long rambling manuscripts, then learned the art of editing and revision. I traveled to England and France, where my first novels were set. I wanted to walk where my characters walked in these foreign locales.

I studied the eighteenth century through old books I found at the Library of Congress, later, on-line texts, and reading novels published in that era. I joined critique groups to hone my craft.

 

The road to publication wasn’t easy. I finally found a publisher, but then they sold out, changed hands, and I wasn’t happy with the new situation.

Meanwhile, I attended writers’ conferences, workshops, and made solid friendships with other authors. A close author friend introduced me to BWL, publishing, Inc. And my career has taken off. I strive to write what History and Women has said, “authentic characters and setting.”

 

My novel, The Apothecary’s Widow, an historical murder mystery, takes place in Truro, Cornwall, England in 1783. A squire with a murdered wife fights his attraction to the widow who prepared the tincture that killed her. Excerpt:

Branek stumbled into the apothecary shop and called out. “I’ve…been shot.” The room seemed to tip. He pressed against the wall and trembled with a sudden chill.

A-barth Dyw! Where? Where were you shot, sir? In the stomach?” Jenna hurried close and clasped his upper arms.

“In my left side.” He grunted and tried to take a decent breath. The pain pierced like a sword deep inside his flesh.

Jenna slipped her arms around him as he tottered. “Dear me, sir. We probably need a surgeon; oh heaven help us.” She gasped. “Can you stand while I bring you a chair?”

He straightened, then sagged against her. She held him securely under the arms. Her breasts pressed against his chest. Her hair smelled like lemons. “Help me to...to your kitchen.” He was determined not to sink to the floor, or fall under her spell, but her embrace was a comfort.

 

On a Stormy Primeval Shore is set during the founding of New Brunswick, 1984, part of the Canadian Historical Brides series. A bride who rejected her soldier-betrothed and a handsome Acadian trader meet for the first time:  Excerpt:

At the bear’s growl, Amelia stepped back. She slipped, tumbling down the short embankment, rocks poking into her flesh. Her gloves were ripped off as she groped. She struggled to rise amid her tangle of skirt and petticoats and scrambled to her feet to scuttle up the hill to help her cowering maid.

Nearing the crest, dirt dislodged above her, sifting down on her face and scalp. Amelia blinked up, her pulse hammering. She heard movement, footsteps.

A large man with a black beard, wearing buckskin clothing and a leather hat, stood at the top of the slope. He aimed a musket in the direction of the bear. The animal growled louder.

“Don’t move, either of you, mes jeune femmes,” he commanded in a French accent.

 

My newest, Her Vanquished Land, begins in 1780 Pennsylvania: a young woman spies for the British during the American Revolution. Rowena tries to trick a rebel spy. Excerpt:

Fergus reached into his frock coat pocket and snatched out a small knife. “Now, if you’ll be so kind, tell me the truth. You’re lying about your mission.”

How could Rowena talk her way out of this? She slid a step back. “You are far too disturbed. Think about what you’re doing. I will call for help.”

Fergus grabbed her shoulder, pulled her close, and touched the side of the blade to her throat. His stink of breath gushed over her, the blade cold. “Not if I slash your gullet.” He blinked. “Trust me, I don’t wish to hurt you.”

“You’ve lost your senses, sir. I swear I’m only a messenger from…” She shoved at his arm and swung away from him, across the tiny office. Her hip bumped into the smaller desk. She plucked her muff pistol from the inside pocket and aimed it at him. “Step away from the door.” She had him, Fergus was a spy for the rebels. She must take him to the King’s men.

 

I currently live in Western Pennsylvania with my husband and one naughty puppy.

 

For more info on me and my books, please visit my website: http://www.dianescottlewis.org

 

 

Friday, October 23, 2020

Titles Tell All by Victoria Chatham

 


Available Here

You spend weeks/months/years writing your novel. You type THE END. And then it hits you. You haven’t got a title.

Titles come easy to some, not so easy to others. But how important is that title? In a word, everything. After all those thousands of words in your content, you now must encapsulate them all in a few words. Not as easy as it sounds because choosing a title needs as much attention as your characters, plot, and setting.

Available Here
A good title should be easy to remember and be appropriate to the book. It must hook the reader into picking up your book to find out what is between the covers. Is it clear what your genre is? Is there a hint of intrigue in the title, or does it have a hidden meaning such as Nancy Bell’s Dead Dogs Talk or
Stephen King’s It

Does your title state who your character is? Think of Connie Vines’ Lynx, or Jane Austen’s classic Emma

Place can also be a character, such as Eileen O’Finlan’s Kelegeen or James Michener’s Texas

All these book titles tell their own tale and give the reader a clear clue about the content of the book.

Available Here

Authors who write a series or link books will often have ‘follow on’ titles as in Mary Balogh’s First Comes Marriage, Then Comes Seduction, At Last Comes Love or Donna Alward’s Larch Valley or Cadence Creek series. The titles of these books set readers up with what to expect. There is no cheating in them and there should be no disappointments.

There are tools to help you, like the any one of several book title generators you can find on the Internet. Or you can create your title from your content, create your own list of possible titles and run a contest for your followers to choose one, or appeal to your fellow writers or critique partners. 

There isn't much doubt about Loving That Cowboy. It's a contemporary western romance and the title says it all. However, no matter how good the title or how attractive the cover, there really is no substitute for a good story. With National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO) looming in November, it's time to get writing the next good story.

 

 

 

 

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Featured Author: J.Q. Rose

 

BWL Publishing Mysteries by J.Q. Rose
Click here to discover JQ's mysteries at BWL Publishing

Hello and welcome to the BWL Publishing Insiders Blog. Thank you to BWL Publishing for featuring authors on the blog. Today it's my turn to introduce myself to you.

Life Experience is Fodder for Authors by J.Q. Rose

Terror on Sunshine Boulevard
I always thought of horror writers as eccentric, peculiar people. But my perception changed when a horror story sprang from my own mind. You can imagine my surprise when my first publisher categorized my novel as a mystery/horror tale. That made me a published author of horror stories. BWL Publishing released that revised horror story as Terror on Sunshine Boulevard, the perfect read for this scary month.


Right away, I must tell you I am not an eccentric, peculiar person. I am just a regular woman who is an aunt, sister, sister-in-law, wife, mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. I like eating a burger at McDonald's, shopping at Walmart, and reading mystery novels. But, perhaps some would think my childhood was different. You see, my father was an embalmer and funeral director. I was reared in a funeral home.

An author’s life experience shapes the stories in their minds. I based my romantic suspense, Deadly Undertaking, on growing up as a funeral director’s daughter. The story is fiction, but my funeral director brothers helped me with some details for the story. So, it is loosely based on the real funeral business. The keyword here is loosely.

Deadly Undertaking

In the story, I include how I helped my mom and dad in the business. I dusted caskets, set up the display of funeral arrangements for the visitation/funeral, hauled them to the church for the funeral service and rushed in after the service to load up the flower car to race out to the cemetery to set the flowers up around the gravesite. I always felt the colorful flowers from friends and family helped to soften the stark setting of the casket among the tombstones. I loved working with my parents and doing something to comfort grieving families.

Arranging a Dream: A Memoir
                                       To be released by BWL Publishing on January 1, 2021 

My husband, Ted, and I dreamed of being entrepreneurs in the greenhouse business because he had a hobby house attached to the garage at our home in Marseilles, IL. Instead of working at his dead end job in a windowless building, he was ready for a new challenge and so was I. We made that dream a reality when we purchased a greenhouse operation along with a flower shop.  I used the knowledge I gained from setting up the funeral arrangements in my future role as a floral designer.

Revealing my life experiences as a mom, floral designer and business owner, I penned my memoir, Arranging a Dream a Memoir. BWL Publishing will release the paperback book in December and the digital book on January 1, 45 years to the day we became entrepreneurs. This work of creative non-fiction is about that first year when we became shop owners and moved to a town of strangers with our one-year-old baby girl. We had no friends or family in that city and no experience in the fresh flower business!

Come along with me and discover the laughter and tears, the struggles and triumphs that first year as I learn about the floral industry, floral arranging and motherhood.

About JQ:

            J.Q. Rose, author
Whether the story is fiction or non-fiction, J.Q. Rose is “focused on story.”  She offers readers chills, giggles and quirky characters woven within the pages of her mystery books. Her published mysteries are Deadly Undertaking, Terror on Sunshine Boulevard and Dangerous Sanctuary released by 
BWL Publishing. 

Using her storytelling skills, she provides entertainment and information in articles featured in books, magazines, newspapers, and online magazines J.Q. taught elementary school for several years and never lost the love for teaching passed down from her teacher grandmother and mother. She satisfies that aspect of her character by presenting workshops on Creative Writing and Writing Your Life Story. 

J.Q. features writing tips on the Focused on Story blog and hosts guest authors from diverse genres.  When J.Q.  isn’t writing, she stays out of trouble with photography, Pegs and Jokers board games, and traveling with her husband. They spend winters in Florida and travel up north in the summertime to be with their four grandsons and granddaughter.


Connect online with J.Q. Rose

J.Q. Rose blog 

BWL Publishing

Facebook 

J.Q.  Rose Amazon Author Page 

Goodreads

The Rose Courier October 2020 Edition
Want to keep up-to-date, with JQ? Sign up for the Rose Courier delivered to your inbox once a month. Click here to subscribe for articles, excerpts, prizes, freebies and more.

 

Thank you for stopping by.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!


 

 

 


Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Vampires with Napoleon? by Diane Scott Lewis


October, the month of Halloween, or All Hollow's Eve, the one night when the division between the living and the dead is at its thinnest. People would set a place at the table for their lost loved ones, hoping to see them one more time.

Ghosts, witches, and vampires. Many believe these entities really exist. The legend of vampires is usually traced back to the Romanian nobleman, Vlad the Impaler, in the fifteenth century. A man who took care of his enemies in a brutal manner-his name says it all. Next, in 1818, when Mary Shelly wrote her famous novel, Frankenstein, another participant, Dr. Polidori, penned his short work of prose: The Vampyre. Of course, Bram Stoker's Dracula, published in 1897, made the creature who rises from his grave and lives off human blood famous.

Throughout history similar creatures were mentioned in fables. A Saxon grave in England had men, women, and children, nailed down to prevent their rising and walking among the living. Though that sounds more zombie than vampire.
It was thought if you wore garlic around your neck you'd be protected. A wooden stake through a suspected vampire's heart was supposed to kill him. But since vampires are already of the 'dead', perhaps it's to keep him in place in his coffin. Vampires could also change into bats and fly where they wished, to await their next victim.
Vampire, 1895, by Edvard Munch

Years ago I'd written a novel set on the remote, South Atlantic island of St. Helena. I had so much research about the oddities of this isolated rock in the ocean, its strange flora and fauna, and the man who made it famous: the exiled Emperor Napoleon. After Waterloo, and Napoleon's surrender, the British wanted him as far away from Europe as possible.
An old map of St. Helena

What better place than an island at the bottom of the world. An island of mystery. Discovered by the Portuguese in the 1500s, St. Helena was eventually taken over by the British as a way-station, a place to drop off their sick sailors, and obtain more water and food for long voyages.

I came across a novel written about vampires involved with Napoleon's army in Russia. For my novel, A SAVAGE EXILE, to add conflict and danger, I decided to include a few vampires. In Napoleon's entourage and ones already on the island, who is hiding a dark, dangerous secret? The seductive Countess de Montholon? His officers? Napoleon's devoted valets? The Emperor himself? And who is the monster rumored to live and hunt for prey in the hills? People with strange bite marks on their necks are found murdered on the island. The beautiful maid Isabelle, who serves the feckless countess, is determined to find who is responsible before another person is killed.


 Isabelle is likable heroine, and I enjoyed watching her make the best of a bad situation. Anyone who enjoys historical romance with a paranormal twist might want to check it (A Savage Exile) out.
~ Long and Short Reviews


To purchase my novels, and my other BWL books: BWL

Find out more about me and my writing on my website: Dianescottlewis

Diane Scott Lewis lives in Western Pennsylvania with her husband and one naughty puppy.

Popular Posts

Books We Love Insider Blog

Blog Archive