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Friday, July 6, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
How Amateur Astronomy Connects to My Writing
Several years ago when I struck up an interest in amateur astronomy,
my passion for that soon became mirrored in some of my books. In the beginning, I took a basic “backyard
astronomy” class at a local community college and used my dad’s old binoculars,
which weren’t too bad, in terms of their clarity. (I even identified a few of the closer galaxies
in them—a thrill for a beginner!) Soon
my basic education wasn’t enough to satisfy me, and I joined the Rose City
Astronomers here in Portland, Oregon. I purchased“giant”
binoculars, specifically intended for stargazing—the kind sold in catalogs
for telescopes. And I chose the
binoculars instead of a telescope because I loved the flexibility in being able
to sweep the skies, as opposed to staying “stuck” in one part of it. (The binoculars were very heavy, and
eventually I purchased a tripod-type mount for them.)
I also bought astronomy manuals, star charts, and the red-lighted
flashlights for reading the charts. (White
light interferes with one’s night vision.)
After about a year, I earned the Messier Binocular Deep Sky award for
having identified 100 deep sky objects. What
a challenge and what a thrill! For
several years, every summer, my husband and I attended their annual Star Party
in the high desert of Central Oregon, many miles away from the closest
town. The night skies there, the darkest
I’d ever seen, were spectacular, especially the Milky Way with its myriad of glittering
star clusters in all sorts of fascinating shapes and forms. The event, attended by several hundred other
astronomy enthusiasts, also gave me the opportunity to schmooze with others who
shared my passion.
Well, I could go on and on, but the point is: I wanted to share my love for astronomy in my
books as well, hopefully give my readers a taste of its glories. And so in Her
Sister’s Keeper, my most recent book with Books We Love, I’ve created a romantic
scene that portrays a summer meteor shower.
Herein my heroine Logan R.N. and the sexy pediatrician, Dr. Zack whom
she works with, are camped out together on a mountain hillside while they watch
this breathtaking show of celestial fireworks.
There, far away from city lights—plus the other campers--they ooh and aah
at the trails of light streaking through the dark skies. They also share kisses every bit as breathtaking.
After Her Sister’s
Keeper, I published additional books with astronomy scenes, plus a handful
of articles with astronomy-related themes in national magazines. And I will continue to portray the splendor of
the night skies in my writing—a celestial treasure trove, really—whenever the
project seems right for that.
So, if you’re planning on a writing venture in the near
future, take stock of your passions and “write what you know”—even better, write
what you love. Your readers will be glad you did—and so will
you!
Her Sister’s Keeper: http://www.amazon.com/Her-Sisters-Keeper-ebook/dp/B007ULHBXQ/ref=la_B001JRZ0DU_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340391749&sr=1-1
Logan Corbett, registered nurse, suddenly becomes the
guardian of her 10-year-old sister, Kim. A former prizewinning gymnast, the
girl was seriously injured in the same plane accident that killed their
parents. Logan admits she's overly protective of Kim, but only wants what she
thinks is best for her. Dr. Zachary Dellinger, a pediatrician at the hospital
where Logan works, suggests that Kim should attend a summer camp for children
with special needs. Logan agrees, but on one condition--that she will volunteer
to be the camp nurse so she can keep a close eye on Kim. Under starlit skies
and breezy summer days, Logan struggles with her growing attraction to the
handsome pediatrician--all the while, battling the urge to hold on too tightly
to Kim. Will Logan ever be able to let go enough to allow love into both their
lives?
"Her Sister's Keeper is a wonderful story of sisterly love and devotion. Delightfully written characters are a key part of this believable and enticing tale...a highly recommended read for contemporary romance readers..."
-Penny, Fallen Angel Reviews
A wonderful tale of the ability not only of the adult, but definitely for the children to survive life's foibles. You will gain a better understand of overcoming adversities whether you are young or old.
--Rendezvous Magazine
"Her Sister's Keeper is a wonderful story of sisterly love and devotion. Delightfully written characters are a key part of this believable and enticing tale...a highly recommended read for contemporary romance readers..."
-Penny, Fallen Angel Reviews
A wonderful tale of the ability not only of the adult, but definitely for the children to survive life's foibles. You will gain a better understand of overcoming adversities whether you are young or old.
--Rendezvous Magazine
Logan Corbett, registered nurse, suddenly becomes the
guardian of her 10-year-old sister, Kim. A former prizewinning gymnast, the
girl was seriously injured in the same plane accident that killed their
parents. Logan admits she's overly protective of Kim, but only wants what she
thinks is best for her. Dr. Zachary Dellinger, a pediatrician at the hospital
where Logan works, suggests that Kim should attend a summer camp for children
with special needs. Logan agrees, but on one condition--that she will volunteer
to be the camp nurse so she can keep a close eye on Kim. Under starlit skies
and breezy summer days, Logan struggles with her growing attraction to the
handsome pediatrician--all the while, battling the urge to hold on too tightly
to Kim. Will Logan ever be able to let go enough to allow love into both their
lives?
"Her Sister's Keeper is a wonderful story of sisterly love and devotion. Delightfully written characters are a key part of this believable and enticing tale...a highly recommended read for contemporary romance readers..."
-Penny, Fallen Angel Reviews
A wonderful tale of the ability not only of the adult, but definitely for the children to survive life's foibles. You will gain a better understand of overcoming adversities whether you are young or old.
--Rendezvous Magazine
"Her Sister's Keeper is a wonderful story of sisterly love and devotion. Delightfully written characters are a key part of this believable and enticing tale...a highly recommended read for contemporary romance readers..."
-Penny, Fallen Angel Reviews
A wonderful tale of the ability not only of the adult, but definitely for the children to survive life's foibles. You will gain a better understand of overcoming adversities whether you are young or old.
--Rendezvous Magazine
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Joan Hall Hovey - Art Lessons Granny Taught Me
Art Lessons Granny Taught Me
By Joan Hall Hovey
This essay, in large part was my first published story. It was published more than 30 years ago in Home Life Magazine. This updated version was published in Mystery Readers Journal. I hope you enjoy it.
The illustration is by Padgett.
***
She was 71 and lived alone in the cluttered attic of an old, two-story frame building with her easel, her paints, her brushes and sometimes, me. Her name was Lillian May (Watts) Hall.
When neighbors spoke of my grandmother, they said, “A nice woman.” Then frowning and in whispers, the added, “but kinda funny.” And in the early fifties, to the people who lived in our small, unsophisticated town, there was indeed something ‘kinda funny’ about an old lady who sat alone in her attic room and painted pictures. At first glance, she was not unlike a million other grandmothers of her time - the same iron-gray hair drawn back in a bun, wire-rimmed glasses, a dark, high-buttoned dress with long sleeves and detachable lace collar, and a cameo brooch clasped modestly at her throat - but there the similarity ended. Granny, a tall, angular-boned parcel of nervous energy, was not the average storybook grandmother.
Every day Granny would lose a prized possession. It might be a valued brush, a particular tube of paint or a piece of canvas. And while I stood on the sidelines, she would tear through her private disaster area, sending papers, books, talcum-coated hairpins, an unmated stocking, and her pink garters helter-skelter – all the while looking remarkably like an enraged bird.
Almost always she would find what she was looking for, but occasionally I would be the one to spy the object of her frenzied search. “Here it is, Granny,” I’d say, proud of my Sherlock Holmes tendencies. She would smile sheepishly, relief flooding her face.
“Now, wasn’t that foolish of me to get so upset,” she would apologize. “I’m just a silly old woman, dear. Don’t pay me any mind.” Then, calm and serene once more, she would begin the gentle strokes of her brush on the canvas.
I often stood at the small, rickety table beside her, a piece of Bristol board and a brush in front of me. I was even permitted to use the valued paints (which she could barely afford for her own work) so that I could play artist.
After hours of painstaking work, Granny would set her brush to rest, stand back with a critical eye, and appraise the completed painting. When it had dried sufficiently, and she was satisfied that it was of some worth, she would don her coat and hat and with the painting under one arm, off the two of us would go, door to door, in an effort to sell it.
She walked with a brisk, sure step, and many times I found myself breaking into a run to keep up with her. But we never had to walk far before making a sale. Although neighbors found her way of life strange, they liked and bought what she painted. It was hard times, and the return for her efforts was meager, yet sufficient to pay the rent on the attic, buy a few groceries at the corner store, and keep the coal bucket filled during the long winter months.
I had a friend whose grandmother spun for her many fascinating tales of her girlhood. But even there, Granny fell short. In fact our roles were quite reversed. It was I who spun the tales for her. One story still causes me to cringe when I remember it. It was during summer vacation and I had just returned from a day at the beach.
“Granny! Granny!” I shouted excitedly as I flung open the door. “A man fell off the diving board at the lake today and I jumped into save him. He almost pulled me under with him, but I punched him on the jaw and knocked him out, and then I swam back to shore with him under one arm. Everybody on the beach cheered,” I finished breathlessly.
“Oh, my dear child,” Granny said with concern. “You certainly did have a busy day, didn’t you?” Then abruptly the concerned expression changed to amusement and she broke into a gale of laughter. Rocking back and forth in her wicker chair, she laughed and laughed, absolutely delighted, but not for a moment fooled. Every few seconds she would remove her glasses and wipe the tears from her eyes. By this time I was writhing inwardly and trying in vain to twist my story into something more plausible, but it was no use. I was caught in the web of my lie. (Lesson 1. If you want your reader to suspend disbelief, you must make sense.) I suspected she knew even then that I had the makings of a storyteller. And I’m absolutely certain she knows now.
Granny has not been with me for a good many years, and indeed I am a grandma now myself. In fact, a great-grandma. The year I turned fifteen, I was working as a housemaid when the telephone call came telling me that Granny had been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.
The hallway was in flames, making escape impossible. Granny had climbed out of the dormer window and crouched on the ledge below it. A passerby heard her cries for help and called up to her to stay there until he returned with a ladder. Then the man fled to put in a call to the fire department. Whether the heat from the flames became unbearable or whether Granny simply panicked, I’ll never know. But she didn’t wait for the man to return with the ladder. Instead, she jumped from the ledge and fell in a crumpled heap to the ground below. Her back was broken. In two months she was gone. I stumbled around, lost, for a long time. I felt betrayed by God. And then I grew up. After a fashion. But the child in us never goes far.
~*~
In my third suspense novel (I have written five, the last The Abduction of Mary Rose) Chill Waters, my heroine deals with loss and betrayal on several levels. Following the breakup of her marriage, after learning of her husband’s infidelity, Rachael Warren retreats to the old beach house in Jenny’s Cove, where as a young girl she lived with her grandmother. It is the one place where she had always felt safe and loved. But she is about to learn that ‘a safe place’ is mostly an illusion. And that evil can find us no matter where we go.
Jenny’s Cove is located in St. Clair, a fictional St. Andrews, a small town in New Brunswick, Canada. St. Andrews lies on the Passamoquoddy Bay, and is close to the American border. A place of charm and beauty, St. Andrews/St. Clair is a magnet for tourists and artists alike. The beach house in Jenny’s Cove, however, is isolated. Waves crashing against the rocks, and the sudden summer storms that visit Jenny’s Cove add to that sense of isolation. As a child, Rachael had found the violence of the storms and the sound of the sea comforting. As a woman stalked and terrorized, that will change.
I like the blending of light and dark in a novel. Using shadowing to enhance dramatic effect, as in a painting.
I also enjoy writing about women who struggle against great odds and triumph, as did my grandmother. But, as in life, it’s never easy. In books, it must be even harder, damn near impossible. And in the suspense novel, there are always unseen dangers.
My own life provides fodder for my imagination. But it is my grandmother who taught me the art of concentration. When she was painting, the house could have fallen down around her and she would have paid it little attention. You knew not to talk to her then. Only the brushes, canvas and the work at hand held any reality for her. All else faded into the background. Her focus was that of a child’s in the midst of intense ‘play.’ (If you have ever watched a child at play, and we all have, you know there is no one quite so serious.) and she never stopped learning. It was not about fame or fortune for her, as it is not for her granddaughter – but about the work, and the pursuit of excellence. In her seventies, she was still taking art lessons when she could afford the few coins, from a Mrs. Holt on Elliott Row, a respected art teacher in Saint John, New Brunswick. Sometimes she took me with her and I’d wait in the foyer. There were always books to read.
As Mrs. Holt’s lessons were important to my grandmother, my grandmother’s were crucial to me.
To quote author Willa Cather, “Most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen.”
I believe that’s true.
WHAT IF EVIL VISITED THE ONE PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL THE MOST SAFE?
But Jenny’s Cove
has changed. From the moment of Rachael’s arrival, a man watches. He has
already killed, and mercilessly will do so again. Soon Rachael becomes a
target for a vicious predator whose own dark and twisted past forms a
deadly bond between them.
---------------------
WHAT IF EVIL VISITED THE ONE PLACE WHERE YOU FEEL THE MOST SAFE?
Following
the breakup of her marriage, Rachael retreats to the old beachhouse in
Jenny's Cove, where she once lived with her grandmother. It is the one
place where she had always felt safe and loved. Devasted and lost,
Rachael longs for the simplicity of her childhood.
And sets her on a collision course with a crazed killer.
". . .you will find yourself with cold fearful chills running up and down your spine as you race to get to the ending." ~ Kathy Thomason, Murder & Mayhem
"Chill
Waters is a sure bet for those who like suspense thrillers with a hint
of romance. It is easy and fun to read. Ms. Hovey creates a warm, cozy
setting that seems to keep danger at bay. But just as you get
comfortable, terror finds its way in. She weaves the tale tighter and
tighter until you are neck deep in Chill Waters." ~ S. Loper-Herzog,
MysteryRadio.net
Friday, June 15, 2012
Thanks Michelle for the gorgeous new covers for my Kelly McWinter PI series. Looking at Jimmy on these covers definitely helps keep me inspired to get Deadly Consequences, book three, coming in August/September finished.
Writing a series can be inspiring and fun, but there are some pitfalls. It's so easy to fall into forget that your reader doesn't necessarily know all about that fantastic new nightclub you described so vividly in book one. Oh yes, and the reader doesn't know that your heroine absolutely cannot stand pink, or that your hero is allergic to shellfish. Oh yes, lots and lots of easy little traps to fall into.
Of course, as with all writing, there is always the temptation to go do something else -- like me -- over here visiting on the Blog instead of writing. Sigh! Nice to chat with all of you, but if we're ever going to see Book 3, I guess I'd better put my nose back to the grindstone. Enjoy Kelly McWinter - a/k/a Jimmy Thomas.
Behind the Cover: Images selection
By Michelle Lee
BWL Art Director
I’ve been called a Cover Goddess a couple of times, and as
typical of me, I shrugged it off. But
now, I have decided, that if others are going to award me Goddess-ness, then I
am going to start using it. So in true Goddess fashion, I have a few
proclamations!
- No professor shall require a term paper to be written for any class that I am attending during my graduate coursework. All term papers are to be voluntarily done for extra credit.
- No final shall be comprehensive. In fact, finals shall be abolished!
- This crap with “self-teaching” is not going to happen anymore. I am paying you, as my professor, to instruct. Don’t tell me my learning is going to be self-guided. If I wanted that, I would just buy the textbook and read it.
Wait … what? You just
want to hear the ones in regards to cover art.
You sure? Cause I have a few
more. Well, okay …
Cover Art Proclamation 1:
No character, from this day forward, shall have hair. None.
No wavy golden locks, no straight raven tresses. Nadda, nothing. Zero, zilch hair.
Number 2 …
What? I can’t
proclaim that characters can’t have hair anymore? Why not?
Artistic freedom! The
heck you say! But I am a Goddess … but,
but …
*Insert several minutes
of whining and whimpering*
Well fine then!
I guess I will return to the original topic I meant to
address this blog post – image selection and how they relate to covers and
artists.
The images that are picked for a cover are crucial. CRUCIAL I say. For, after all, they are the core of the
cover. And the cover is what a reader
sees first. Before the blurb, before the
excerpt, generally they see the cover.
So you want a nice one.
You also want a sane cover artist. S.A.N.E.
Got that? Which means when you
are selecting images to suggest, think about what you are asking for.
What I mean by that is, if the image has a woman with
fly-away hair (you know what I am talking about, where it looks like a fan was
turned on during the photo-shoot) and you don’t like the background, find a new
image. Isolating hair in images is
tricky, so it is better if it lies fairly flat in the image.
Also, don’t pick a real dark image of a person, where they
fade into a black background, and expect it to work with a sunny day beach
scene behind him/her.
It’s hard, as an author, to pick images. I know – I am also an author. So I know that there is a certain way a
character is supposed to look, and often times, stock art is just too limited
in options. But doing photo-shoots for
each and every e-book an author does is not cost-effective or practical.
So authors have to, in some ways, settle for what is
available. Which can be hard.
But if you take the time to make sure and pick images you
are happy with, and that are easy to work with, you and your cover artist will
both wind up happy with the finished product.
To that end, I am offering just a few suggestions, off the
top of my head:
- Don’t pick images with fly-away hair (see above) unless you LIKE the background
- Don’t pick dark images, with dark background, and expect a bright background to be put in replacing it. (Also see above)
- Think about how many images you are suggesting. Often, most covers have 1-3 images. Any more than that gets costly.
- Think about the perspectives of the images. If you are looking flat on at a couple, and upward at the background you want behind them, it isn’t going to work together.
- Make sure you know if the image is a photograph or computer generated. Some times, a computer generated background can work in a cover – other times, it just doesn’t.
For example, here’s one where it does work:
- If you KNOW you are doing a series, and using the same characters, make sure there are other images of the SAME model that you like for future covers, and that there are enough for however many books you are planning.
- If you know you are doing a series, think about the style of image, and make sure you can find other images in the same style to match your future characters.
- Consider your images carefully – have you seen it/them on a ton of other covers? If so, you should probably find something else unless you are just absolutely, completely in love with that image and it just fits perfectly and you have to have it or the world will just end in misery.
- Be open to changes … I can’t stress this one enough. Just because you suggest an image does not mean that it will be used. Often times there is a very good reason why the cover artist will not use it (such as the sizes not being right, it is more long than tall – such as a woman laying down, it doesn’t match with the other images you selected, it can’t be isolated to fit with the other images, or there are terms that don’t allow for the image to be used on commercial items)
- Speaking of isolating images, when you pick an image of a person, you want at least one side of their body to fully be in the image, not both sides running off of the image. That allows for the person to be isolated from the background and merged with other images. (Unless, that is, you just want that ONE image on your cover).
For example:
The image for CODENAME: ROMEO is one that I would not be able to move to the side. Whereas the woman in WILDING NIGHTS I could move around the cover as needed.
- If you are want the person moved into another background, be careful that you don’t pick an image with something from the foreground blending into the image. For example, grass or wheat stalks, snow or rain, etc. Both of these images work because they fit the changed background. Had the author wanted either of these women at the beach, it wouldn’t have worked.
Well that’s all that I can think
of right off. Hope it makes selecting
images just a little bit easier!
As for how I work them together,
well, it’s not really something I can put to words. I have to look at the angles/perspective of
images, the colors and brightness/contrast to them, and just play around some
times to get the right fit.
I do keep in mind previous covers
I have done for the author, and also the genre. The hardest covers for me are
mysteries and dark themes, since I like doing light covers. I like happy couples – and especially SEXY
couples. Which can cause some problems,
since I like sexy images, and some romances are sweet. (So half-naked people just don’t work).
When I select images, I also keep
my own “do/don’t” list in mind. I also
look at colors, and sharpness/starkness of images. It a couple has almost a harsh lighting on them,
then I won’t put them on a real soft focus background.
Also, while brown/red hair can be switched fairly decently to the other, turning an image of a blond into a raven haired person, vice versa, etc isn't that easy. So I try my best to find images that fit the hair color as well as I can.
Eye color on the other hand is something that I can modify - so I never worry about it when I pick an image, because I know that I can modify it as needed (provided I know what color to change it to - so be sure to provide that info in your CAF).
Other than that, a lot of image
selection for me is just flipping through images on stock sites and seeing if
anything jumps out at me. From there, I
work all other elements around the image I selected.
If period clothing is required,
then I will focus on the person, and worry about making the background fit.
If a setting is pivotal, and the
couple’s attire isn’t that big of a deal, then I find a background that will
work and then find a couple to fit.
And so on …
Labels:
Behind the Cover,
Cover Art,
Kat Attalla,
Lee Killough,
Michelle Lee,
Shirley Martin,
Tina Gerow
Born to ride on the back of dragons, to journey among the stars in a ship traveling faster than light, or to dance the night away in the arms of a mysterious vampire, Michelle Houston willingly shares the worlds in her mind in an effort to bring them to life.
Writing everything from short and sweet stories, to hot and spicy tales of kink, from contemporary tales of romance to erotic romances featuring Greek Gods, vampires and were-creatures, she has crossed sexualities and has gone wherever her mental muse has guided her. A journey she has never regretted.
CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR PRINCESS OF BRETAGNE
The reviews keep pouring for PRINCESS of BRETAGNE. This one is a 4-ribbon from Romance Junkies. it says:
“Her attention to the harsh conditions of this violent time period is spot on, and starting with a brutal Viking raid caught my attention immediately. She brings the world of Pressine to life with vivid details of daily life, clothing, customs, manners, Celtic history and the conflict between the early Christian church and the old pagan beliefs of the goddess.
This story is filled with action and danger and there are many interesting secondary characters that help drive the plot forward. I particularly like Gwenvael, Pressine’s brother, who has extensive scenes in his own viewpoint scattered throughout. Look for the just released, PAGAN QUEEN, to continue the saga of these two lovers.”
You can read the entire review at:http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/historical/Princess_of_Bretagne.shtml
This review certainly made my day.
Vijaya Schartz
Swords, Blasters, Romance with a Kickhttp://www.vijayaschartz.com
Vijaya on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz
“Her attention to the harsh conditions of this violent time period is spot on, and starting with a brutal Viking raid caught my attention immediately. She brings the world of Pressine to life with vivid details of daily life, clothing, customs, manners, Celtic history and the conflict between the early Christian church and the old pagan beliefs of the goddess.
This story is filled with action and danger and there are many interesting secondary characters that help drive the plot forward. I particularly like Gwenvael, Pressine’s brother, who has extensive scenes in his own viewpoint scattered throughout. Look for the just released, PAGAN QUEEN, to continue the saga of these two lovers.”
You can read the entire review at:http://romancejunkiesreviews.com/artman/publish/historical/Princess_of_Bretagne.shtml
This review certainly made my day.
Vijaya Schartz
Swords, Blasters, Romance with a Kickhttp://www.vijayaschartz.com
Vijaya on Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/author/vijayaschartz
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Imagine being forced to give up custody of your child.
That’s exactly what happened to Vanessa Gleason. A fairy tale marriage turned into a nightmare, Now, alone in the world, Vanessa vows to fight her wealthy ex husband for custody of her daughter. Was it fate that brought her to the little church on Christmas Eve?
Vanessa locked herself in a hotel room for two weeks after her husband threw her out. Cried out, devastated and lonelier than she'd ever been in her life, she knew it was time to move on. Time to make a plan.
First thing she did was get a newspaper and circle promising jobs in the classifieds. After a few phone calls, it didn't take her long to realize Christmas Eve wasn't the time to look for a job. Scared, bored, and half out of her mind with grief, she decided to leave the small room and take a drive. Anything to avoid thinking.
She ended up in the heart of town among last minute shoppers and Carolers. Hurrying past them, she found herself in front of a small church. Something drew her inside. Inside and up to the Nativity Scene. There she discovered an infant in a car seat. Before she had a chance to decide what to do, the back door slammed and someone walked down the aisle toward her. Could he help her win her child back?
What happened next changed Vanessa's life forever.
Elusive Mission is available from Amazon.
Excerpt:
Vanessa locked herself in a hotel room for two weeks after her husband threw her out. Cried out, devastated and lonelier than she'd ever been in her life, she knew it was time to move on. Time to make a plan.
First thing she did was get a newspaper and circle promising jobs in the classifieds. After a few phone calls, it didn't take her long to realize Christmas Eve wasn't the time to look for a job. Scared, bored, and half out of her mind with grief, she decided to leave the small room and take a drive. Anything to avoid thinking.
She ended up in the heart of town among last minute shoppers and Carolers. Hurrying past them, she found herself in front of a small church. Something drew her inside. Inside and up to the Nativity Scene. There she discovered an infant in a car seat. Before she had a chance to decide what to do, the back door slammed and someone walked down the aisle toward her. Could he help her win her child back?
What happened next changed Vanessa's life forever.
Elusive Mission is available from Amazon.
Excerpt:
Vanessa’s stomach tensed. She had to get out of here.
Needed some air, needed to escape. She got in her car and started driving, to
where was anyone’s guess.
The quaintness of Strongsville, Ohio, especially the
town square with the gazebo with all the Christmas decorations, brought fresh
tears to her eyes. Vanessa wiped them away and parked the car. Shoppers and
carolers filled the sidewalks. Ignoring them, Vanessa hurried past decorated
shops until she came to a small church. St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, the sign
out front said. Two huge wreaths hung on the heavy oak doors. The small white
building beckoned to her.
Vanessa opened the door, walked up the steps and stood
at the entrance. The quiet of the empty church filled her soul. It had been too
long since she had attended services. Charles wasn’t particularly religious,
but he had allowed her to have Alyssa baptized. She should have gone to church
more often by herself, but after spending Saturday evening at the club, it was
all too easy to sleep in on Sunday morning, and eventually it became a habit.
Light showed
through the stained glass windows, illuminating the red carpet-covered aisle
way. A nativity scene at the front captured her attention and drew her forward.
Memories from her childhood flashed through her mind.
Her father always helped set up the nativity at church
when she was a little girl, and they let her put Baby Jesus in the crèche. A
noise came from the side aisle, interrupting her thoughts. Vanessa stopped, saw
a flash of red, and the side door slammed. Funny, she hadn’t noticed anyone
else when she came in.
Oh, well, Vanessa shrugged and continued to the front
and knelt down. What in the world? Next to the nativity scene sat a car seat.
An infant, three, maybe four months old with blonde curly hair, opened almond-shaped,
dark eyes and reached its chubby arms out to her.
“What have we
here?” Vanessa unbuckled the seat belt. “Hello, precious.” She picked up the
baby, and a note fell on the diaper bag next to the car seat. Vanessa picked up
the paper and read the scribbled words.
Please take
care of my baby. Her name is Grace. Mary.
“Who could leave someone as precious as you?” Vanessa
looked around. No one lurked in the shadows. Who left the baby? How long had
she been here? God, what should she do? The baby cuddled against her, and
Vanessa inhaled the sweet smell of baby lotion. Tears filled her eyes. For a
minute, she was tempted to take the baby and leave, but she couldn’t do it.
Startled, when the door at the back of the church
slammed, Vanessa turned toward the sound. A shadow loomed at the entrance,
moving toward her. A tall figure walked down the aisle, checking the pews along
the way. Vanessa hugged the baby against her, held her breath, and let it out
when she saw who it was.
“Father, I’m glad you’re here. I came in here and
found this baby. I was just about to call the police.”
“I’m a minister, not a priest. Pastor Dan Jacobson,
Pastor Dan will do,” he said. “You found a baby?” A glint of gold glistened in
his copper brown eyes below raised eyebrows. “Who do you suppose it belongs
to?”
“Yes, I ... uh.” She could easily have pretended Grace
was hers. He wouldn’t have known. “When I came in someone ran out through that
side door. I came up here to see the nativity scene and….” Vanessa walked away
and sat in a pew, cradling the baby against her chest. What was the use, he
didn’t believe her. She didn’t need this. Not now. She had enough problems of
her own.
“I see, pretty little thing, boy or girl?”
Vanessa stood and took a step closer to him. “Girl.”
She stopped next to him. “You aren’t suggesting this child is mine, are you?”
Vanessa looked him straight in the eyes. How dare he? Minister or not, what
gave him the right? “Look, I came in here and found the baby. I told you
someone ran out that door.” Vanessa took a deep breath, let out an angry sigh.
“Here.” She pushed the note toward him. “This was lying on the diaper bag. I
didn’t touch anything else.”
Pastor Dan stared at her, studying her. Vanessa stared
back. Disbelief showed in his face. Like she’d try to pull off such a stunt?
Imagine her abandoning a baby like this. The memory of Alyssa, clinging to her
when Charles tore her away, flashed in her mind. Even now, Alyssa’s cries, when
Charles slammed the door, ripped her apart.
Pastor Dan’s voice brought her back to awareness. “I
see. Well, I guess we’ll have to call Social Services.” He read the note, then
picked up the diaper bag and looked through it.
Grace squirmed in Vanessa’s arms and began to cry.
“Probably hungry.” Vanessa rocked the baby.
Pastor Dan pulled a bottle of formula from the diaper
bag.
The warmth of the baby against her chest opened a hole
in Vanessa’s heart, making her miss Alyssa even more. Her insides trembled,
tears burned her eyes, threatened to fall.
“You have children?” Pastor Dan’s tone softened.
A tear escaped, fell on her cheek. She nodded, a lump
caught in her throat.
“How many?”
“One.” Vanessa choked out the word.
How old?”
“Two.” The tears burst forth as if a damn had been
unleashed. “I’m....” Vanessa couldn’t speak. She turned away, held back the
tears, and paced across the front to the nativity scene, leaving him standing
there.
Labels:
BWL Ltd.,
child abandonment,
lawyers,
love story,
ministers,
romance,
Roseanne Dowell
As the second youngest of six children, I always had a vivid imagination and loved to make up stories. I often sat and daydreamed about imaginary characters and lost myself in books and make-believe worlds.
My love of writing began as a teenager, but only recently pursued it seriously. With encouragement from fellow book-club members, NEORWA and my husband, I began writing and submitting my work.
Although Satin Sheets was my first published novel, I have over forty articles and stories published in magazines such as Good Old Days, Nostalgia, and Ohio Writer along with several online publications.
Besides teaching three writing courses for Long Story School of Writing, I taught a writing course at Cuyahoga Community College.
In my spare time, I enjoys spending time with my six children, fourteen grandchildren and great grandchildren. My hobbies include ceramics, knitting, quilting, and jewelry making. But after my family, my first love is writing. I reside with my husband of forty-eight years in Northeast Ohio. You can visit my website at: http://www.roseannedowell.com
Sizzling Summer Spectacular
SIZZLING SUMMER SPECTACULAR
Stock
your shelves with spectacular summer reading. Win one of five $20.00
Amazon gift certificates. Gift certificates will be drawn monthly. Two
on July 5, Two on August 5, and One on September 5.
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WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN NEWSLETTERS.
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Monday, June 11, 2012
Spectacular Summer Novel Sale at Books We Love
Only $2.99 each
FIND THESE TITLES BY COPYING AND PASTING THE ASIN IN THE SEARCH BOX AT AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/
A Double Opposition by Janet Lane Walters
ASIN: B0057AFA26
Alien Lockdown by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B00495XUT0
Ancient Enemy Book One –
Anaz-Voohri by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004A90FZM
Ancient Enemy Book Two –
Relics by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004GNECGK
Ancient Enemy Book Three –
Kicking Bots by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004NEW1HO
Archangel Book One –
Crusader by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004HO69RS
Archangel Book Two –
Checkmate by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004KKY6CY
Blood Games by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0042HNBKI
Blood Hunt by Lee Killough
ASIN: B004J17GPI
Cabin Fever by Sheila Claydon
ASIN: B007H2AJMI
Carousel by Barbara Baldwin
ASIN: B004HW7NAM
Cachet by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B00452V8OQ
Daring Masquerade by Margaret Tanner
ASIN: B0081CJECY
Dark Spirit by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0082MOVNU
Deadly Betrayal by Jude Pittman
ASIN: B003YJEWSA
Deadly Secrets by Jude Pittman
ASIN: B003YJEWQ2
Destined to Love by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006GCW41O
Dream Weaver by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006HA3APY
Echoes by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B005H5GGR4
Ellie's Legacy by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007U61O1Q
Embezzled Love by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B006IGU2US
Eye of the Storm by Renee Simons
ASIN: B00772ZAT0
Family Secrets by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004478IN6
Family Ties by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B00457XJMK
Finding Freedom by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005HEEZP0
First Degree Innocence by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B004A90CXM
Forbidden Love by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B007EZF6S0
Gemstones by Janet Lane Walters
ASIN: B0056HOBE8
Genesee by Juliet Waldron
ASIN: B004BSH1R2
Hide and Seek by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004HW6G46
Into a Dangerous Mind by Tina Gerow
ASIN: B006MN847A
Killer Karma by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0042RV8MQ
Kidnapped by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007UDUE60
Love in a Small Town by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005II64GS
Male Wanted by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005G5VCRY
Magnetism by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B005GGT8YC
Mozart's Wife by Juliet Waldron
ASIN: B004XNZVXQ
Night Secrets by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006CWIU16
Night Shadows by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006CRF2DA
No Ordinary Killer by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0083IWOK0
O'Malley's Cottage by Ronald Ady Crouch
ASIN: B005U8GTNY
One More Tomorrow by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006WSJZLO
Pagan Queen by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B007Z8F7IA
Princess of Bretagne by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B007K1EGAM
Ransom Love by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0083PUB2G
Red Magic by Juliette Waldron
ASIN: B00774BXDA
Revenge by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B00845CLYG
Run to Me by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004M8S95Y
Sacred Ground by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007XJFYHK
Safe Haven by Renee Simons
ASIN: B0072XIWV2
Sarah's Heart by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007ZF9E5K
Sex, Love and Murder by Sandy Semerad
ASIN: B007Z3TY34
Snatched by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004QZ9V78
Spithandle Lane by Ronald Ady Crouch
ASIN: B007CVK2TY
Stone Maiden by Tina Gerow
ASIN: B007XA9V3C
The Last Cowboy In Texas by Pat Dale
ASIN: B007PJ5SQA
The Sacrifice by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B007SRU0P8
The Taste of Magic by Gina Rosavin
ASIN: B005PR5HO2
The WisdomKeeper Collection
by John Wisdomkeeper
ASIN: B001ELKZMW
Time Tantrums by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007TOS7BO
Trusting Evil by Mary Leo
ASIN: B0072NYPE0
Truths of the Heart by G.L. Rockey
ASIN: B007LQ7X2E
Web of Smoke by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B00727LNUU
Whispering Sun by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007OM0QS8
Whispers by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B006G75O6G
Whistler's Murder by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey
ASIN: B005FSOQSE
White Berry on the Red Willow
by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007U121ZE
Wilding Nights by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0043XXIAO
Winter Fire by Kathy Fischer-Brown
ASIN: B004BA5GMM
Wishful Thinking by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B00774H8LQ
Witchcraft and Anchovies by Jamieson Wolf
ASIN: B004WF4ILQ
A Double Opposition by Janet Lane Walters
ASIN: B0057AFA26
Alien Lockdown by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B00495XUT0
Ancient Enemy Book One –
Anaz-Voohri by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004A90FZM
Ancient Enemy Book Two –
Relics by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004GNECGK
Ancient Enemy Book Three –
Kicking Bots by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004NEW1HO
Archangel Book One –
Crusader by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004HO69RS
Archangel Book Two –
Checkmate by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004KKY6CY
Blood Games by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0042HNBKI
Blood Hunt by Lee Killough
ASIN: B004J17GPI
Cabin Fever by Sheila Claydon
ASIN: B007H2AJMI
Carousel by Barbara Baldwin
ASIN: B004HW7NAM
Cachet by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B00452V8OQ
Daring Masquerade by Margaret Tanner
ASIN: B0081CJECY
Dark Spirit by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0082MOVNU
Deadly Betrayal by Jude Pittman
ASIN: B003YJEWSA
Deadly Secrets by Jude Pittman
ASIN: B003YJEWQ2
Destined to Love by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006GCW41O
Dream Weaver by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006HA3APY
Echoes by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B005H5GGR4
Ellie's Legacy by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007U61O1Q
Embezzled Love by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B006IGU2US
Eye of the Storm by Renee Simons
ASIN: B00772ZAT0
Family Secrets by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004478IN6
Family Ties by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B00457XJMK
Finding Freedom by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005HEEZP0
First Degree Innocence by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B004A90CXM
Forbidden Love by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B007EZF6S0
Gemstones by Janet Lane Walters
ASIN: B0056HOBE8
Genesee by Juliet Waldron
ASIN: B004BSH1R2
Hide and Seek by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004HW6G46
Into a Dangerous Mind by Tina Gerow
ASIN: B006MN847A
Killer Karma by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0042RV8MQ
Kidnapped by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007UDUE60
Love in a Small Town by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005II64GS
Male Wanted by Betty Jo Schuler
ASIN: B005G5VCRY
Magnetism by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B005GGT8YC
Mozart's Wife by Juliet Waldron
ASIN: B004XNZVXQ
Night Secrets by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006CWIU16
Night Shadows by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006CRF2DA
No Ordinary Killer by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0083IWOK0
O'Malley's Cottage by Ronald Ady Crouch
ASIN: B005U8GTNY
One More Tomorrow by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B006WSJZLO
Pagan Queen by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B007Z8F7IA
Princess of Bretagne by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B007K1EGAM
Ransom Love by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B0083PUB2G
Red Magic by Juliette Waldron
ASIN: B00774BXDA
Revenge by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B00845CLYG
Run to Me by Jamie Hill
ASIN: B004M8S95Y
Sacred Ground by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007XJFYHK
Safe Haven by Renee Simons
ASIN: B0072XIWV2
Sarah's Heart by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007ZF9E5K
Sex, Love and Murder by Sandy Semerad
ASIN: B007Z3TY34
Snatched by Vijaya Schartz
ASIN: B004QZ9V78
Spithandle Lane by Ronald Ady Crouch
ASIN: B007CVK2TY
Stone Maiden by Tina Gerow
ASIN: B007XA9V3C
The Last Cowboy In Texas by Pat Dale
ASIN: B007PJ5SQA
The Sacrifice by Shirley Martin
ASIN: B007SRU0P8
The Taste of Magic by Gina Rosavin
ASIN: B005PR5HO2
The WisdomKeeper Collection
by John Wisdomkeeper
ASIN: B001ELKZMW
Time Tantrums by Ginger Simpson
ASIN: B007TOS7BO
Trusting Evil by Mary Leo
ASIN: B0072NYPE0
Truths of the Heart by G.L. Rockey
ASIN: B007LQ7X2E
Web of Smoke by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B00727LNUU
Whispering Sun by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007OM0QS8
Whispers by Erin Quinn
ASIN: B006G75O6G
Whistler's Murder by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey
ASIN: B005FSOQSE
White Berry on the Red Willow
by Rita Karnopp
ASIN: B007U121ZE
Wilding Nights by Lee Killough
ASIN: B0043XXIAO
Winter Fire by Kathy Fischer-Brown
ASIN: B004BA5GMM
Wishful Thinking by Shannah Biondine
ASIN: B00774H8LQ
Witchcraft and Anchovies by Jamieson Wolf
ASIN: B004WF4ILQ
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Spring Fling Event Winners
* Winners! *
Teresa Balderas
wins a Kindle Fire in the Spring Fling Event!
Teresa says, "I can't believe I won the Kindle Fire. I hoped that I would win it but, never dreamed that I would. Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Thank you all so much!!! I can't
wait until it arrives to start using it. Have a beautiful day...you've sure made mine much brighter."
Val Pearson will receive an autographed print copy of Mary Leo's latest thriller, Trusting Evil!
Val, please send your snail mail address to bookswelove@shaw.ca so Mary can mail you the book.
Val, please send your snail mail address to bookswelove@shaw.ca so Mary can mail you the book.
Debra Guyette will receive the ebook series Love, Lore and a Wee Bit of Larceny. Debra, please email us at bookswelove@shaw.ca to receive your prizes!
Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who entered. Check out our Sizzling Summer Spectacular Contest, going on now
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