The Convention Phenomenon - by Vijaya Schartz

 

If you write popular fiction, you are probably familiar with RT BOOK REVIEWS MAGAZINE, and with their annual BOOKLOVERS CONVENTION. This year it will take place in LAS VEGAS, at the RIO HOTEL AND CASINO, and promises to be lots of fun. It always is.This type of event gathering authors and readers is becoming more and more popular among readers, because it's so much fun. They flock to take selfies with their favorite authors, for the lavish parties, for the food, and for the free stuff (prizes galore).

I've been attending RT off and on since the turn of this millennium. The sumptuous dinners involve themes and costumes. This year, Vintage and Steampunk promise fantastic photos, with a CIRQUE DU PUNK costume contest. With food and drink flowing, and authors and readers cutting loose, there is never a dull moment. For authors, it's an opportunity to meet with readers of their particular genre, since so many are represented.

Beautiful Evening gowns at RT 2009 with authors from Arizona: From left to right: Christine Jones, Eden Robins, Vijaya Schartz, and Beverly Petrone (Chris and Bev write for BWL as a team as Tia Dani)

 Although RT Book Reviews (initially Romantic Times Magazine) started reviewing only Romance, it has now grown to encompass all genres of popular fiction. Yours truly will be co-hosting an event called THE INTERGALACTIC BAR AND GRILLE, with the queen of sci-fi romance, Linnea Sinclair, and a dozen dynamic authors of the subgenre. We will have games, prizes, food, drink, and will forge a friendly bond with the 300+ readers of this particular genre attending the convention.

There are also panels with publishers, editors and authors, writing workshops, pitch sessions, and an award ceremony for the best books of the year in different categories, selected by the team of RT reviewers... It's also an opportunity to meet the most famous cover models, and take pictures, of course. They look even better up close, although they are all so tall, they make me feel like a dwarf.

 

I'll also be promoting my April release, DAMSEL OF THE HAWK, Book 7 in the Curse of the Lost Isle medieval fantasy romance series, already in pre-order if you don't want to miss it. Get it in kindle: http://amzn.com/B01CH93SNM 1204 AD - Meliora, immortal Fae and legendary damsel of Hawk Castle, grants gold and wishes on Mount Ararat, but must forever remain chaste. When Spartak, a Kipchak warrior gravely wounded in Constantinople, requests sanctuary, she breaks the rule to save his life. The fierce, warrior prince stirs in her forbidden passions. Captivated, Spartak will not bow to superstition. Despite tribal opposition, he wants her as his queen. Should Meliora renounce true love, or  embrace it and trigger a sinister curse... and the wrath of the Goddess? Meanwhile, a thwarted knight and his greedy band of Crusaders have vowed to steal her Pagan gold and burn her at the stake...

What a 300 author book signing looks like and this is only a small portion of the room (RT 2014 in New Orleans)

The giant book signing on Saturday will gather over three hundred authors, including the greatest, and many new, small press, and self-published authors. No point in naming names, I would make too many enemies. The list is on the site HERE

The registration fee and the hotel are not cheap, but you can share your room. And if you must fly, it can be an expensive experience, but if you've never done it, you owe it to yourself as an author to try it at least once. Since this year it's in Vegas, and I live in Arizona, I'll be driving and lugging my promotion material and givaway books, which cuts the cost by skipping airfare and shipping.

I'm sure this year's convention is sold out, but registration for next year will start in September. Here is the website for future reference: https://rtconvention.com/

 

I'll let you know how it went when I return.

 

Vijaya Schartz
 Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick
 http://www.vijayaschartz.com
 Amazon - Barnes & Noble - All Romance eBooks - Smashwords - iBooks - Kobo

More Great New Reads from Books We Love

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Rangeland Ruckus by Randall Sawka

Chet Mitchell left the mines of California to pursue a wife and raise cattle. He had his eye on a seemingly unaccessible valley near the town of Tanning. The problem was that Dave Tanning owned the town and most of the surrounding land. Indeed, the whole Tanning family didn't take kindly to strangers ranching land they felt they owned.
At first Everyone laughed at the thought of someone thinking they could access the valley surrounded by mountains and enormous rock walls. Many had tried. Many had died. Could Mitchell find a way to get cattle in to the valley? Jaws dropped and guns fired when Mitchel unveiled his surprise.
Dave Tanning had always got his own way but now he had to face Mitchell, a man who knew how to treat a lady and how to handle trouble.

Officer Down (Sam Stephens Crime Thriller Book 2) by Ronald Ady Crouch

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Constable Sam Stephens, now out of probation on the streets of Toronto, takes on new and demanding challenges. Inspector Althoff continues to go out of his way to make Sam’s life as miserable as possible. Water off a duck’s back to Sam. He is dispatched to the call from hell. “High school active shooter”. Sam, former Canadian Forces, Special Ops, enters the school to devastating carnage – Officer Down.

Books We Love's Latest Releases

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Seducing the Photographer (At First Sight) by Janet Lane Walters

Meg is sure she’s made a mistake when she agrees to pick up and Injured Steve, the magazine group’s photographer from the airport. The first moment she saw him, the Blakefield Curse took effect. She fell in love and she was a forever woman. He wasn’t. Spending time with him over the weekend only cements her feelings. She has rules of life and she breaks everyone of them even the new ones she added that weekend.
Steve has been intrigued by Meg and he enjoys her blushes. He’s found ways to raise them but something more is happening here. When she leaves abruptly, he wants to track her down but his broken leg makes pursuit difficult. Now he must find a way to win her over and that takes some time and clever moves. 

Sapphire Kisses by Joanie MacNeil

Amazon

Alexandra Jordan doesn’t anticipate the challenge ahead of her when she agrees to spend the summer as a research assistant for acclaimed author, David Meredith, who is gradually losing his sight.

David feels threatened by her presence in his home, his sanctuary, the only place he can be independent. He is determined to prove he doesn’t need help and wants Alex out of his life. She is equally determined to do the job she’s been paid to do. Once he accepts Alex isn’t like other women, her beguiling ways soon intrigue him…until he discovers her secret.

"Can these two wounded souls find happiness together? Fun to read, I enjoyed the way that David and Alex grew separately, facing their individual adversities and becoming stronger independently so that they could more fully give their love to each other." ~ Grace Atkinson

Previously published as Sapphire Summer  

I'd Like More Peace in Today's Bloody Politics by Sandy Semerad

 I've been reading a book on nonviolent communication, hoping to achieve more harmony in my life.

I write about murder, but I prefer to live in harmony and get along, rather than argue. This particular book gives the following advice on how to do that: Don’t judge. Observe and listen. Mirror back what the other person is saying. It also provides tips on how to express feelings.

When I express my feelings, rather than keep them bottled up, I’m less likely to get angry. It’s helpful to use words like I’m feeling happy, sad, frustrated, angry, etc. and not use judgmental words like rejected, abandoned and attacked, this book advises.

As I was learning how to communicate better, my mind wandered to the tumultuous political climate and the heated rhetoric spouted by some of our Presidential candidates. I’m wondering what the experts could do to diffuse their anger.

What would they advise Republican front runner Donald Trump? He wants to “Make America great again,” he claims. “Build a wall and make Mexico pay for it.”

While his supporters agree with him, the Republican establishment would like to stop Trump. Former U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney called Trump “a fraud,” but Romney’s denouncement didn’t seem to hurt Trump’s campaign.

Many of Trump’s adversaries have entered the fray. Even popular author and liberal democrat Stephen King has criticized the billionaire businessman. King wrote this slogan which he thought best represented Trump’s philosophy: “If you’re white, you’re all right. Any other hue, I don’t trust you.”

Trump usually fights back, going for the jugular. He shouts, “Get them out,” referring to protesters attending his rallies. Or he might yell, “I’d like to punch him in the face.” Recently, a Trump supporter did just that at one of his events.

Supporters of nonviolence have recommended a much more civilized approach, but I doubt the angry rhetoric and name calling will stop anytime soon in this heated political climate.

Trump called Texas Senator Ted Cruz a liar, and referred to another competitor Marco Rubio, as “little Rubio,” and the battle escalated. Rubio responded by saying Trump’s hands were small, insinuating his manhood was also small. 

Ohio Governor John Kasich wants to position himself above the fracas with his “positive vision for America,” he says. But Kasich’s message doesn’t seem to resonate with the majority of voters. He won his home state, but trails in the polls, and claims he wouldn't accept a Vice Presidential nod from either Trump or Cruz. Senator Rubio failed to win Florida, his home state, a death knell for him, so he dropped out.

Cruz says he’s "Reigniting the Promise of America.” But I’m uncertain as to what this means. When I think of America, I think of the American people, a conglomeration of men and women and children, all nationalities, all races, religions, enjoying the freedoms stated in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, and the Emancipation Proclamation, although I would add the word women, to insure all women and men are created equal.

Cruz also wants to “Take America back.” Does he want to take us back to the time when the thirteen colonies declared independence from Britain in 1776? I have no idea.

I prefer clearer messages, and I cringe when I hear name calling and combative words coming from someone who wants to be hired as our next President.  

On the democratic side, the candidates appear more cordial. They focus on the issues and the differences between them. Although Senator Bernie Sanders has riled up voters by saying, "A political revolution is coming." When he asks his packed audiences of young voters “Are you ready for a revolution?” they yell, “Yes.”

While I don’t “feel the Bern,” I see his appeal. When I was in my teens and early twenties, I wanted to be a rebel, too.

Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton offers a more practical approach. “I will work for you,” is one of her slogans. “I’m fighting for you,” is another one. She has also countered Trump’s message. “America is already great,” she says. “I want to make America whole,” and recently I saw this sign attributed to her: “A woman’s place is in the White House.”

When Hillary Clinton ran against Barack Obama and lost to him in the 2008 election, her slogan was, “Solutions for America.”

 President Obama, a dynamic campaigner, used this saying, “Yes we can.”

In President George W. Bush’s campaigns, he had several different slogans: “Compassionate Conservatism,” “Leave no child behind,” “Yes, American can,” “Moving America Forward,” “A Safer World and More Hopeful America.”

President Bill Clinton used these: “Building a Bridge to the 21^st Century,” “Putting People First,” and “Don’t Stop Thinking about Tomorrow.”

One of my favorite Presidents, Abraham Lincoln, used this catchphrase at a time when we were embroiled in a Civil War. “Don’t Swap Horses in Midstream.”

But as far as avoiding conflict, many of these political figures, past and present, seemed to have subscribed to the adage, “Politics is a blood sport.”

As for me, I prefer to avoid bloodshed and combative behavior. I’d rather leave that to the characters in my novels.

Here’s my latest novel, A Message in the Roses:

Buy Link

Please visit my website to find out more:

http://www.sandysemerad.com/

The Popular Pashmina by Victoria Chatham

One of the many aspects of writing historical novels is clothing your characters in the correct costume of the day. The Regency, my favorite historical period, was the most under-dressed era since the ancient Greeks emulating their draperies  with light and flowing muslin and silk. Imported from India by the East India Company muslin, especially white muslin, became the prerogative of the upper classes. Muslin had identical warp and weft and came in different weights and widths. It could be embroidered or printed and easily dyed. Muslin could be used for day or evening wear, but was not very warm. As houses could be cold and draughty and ladies dresses were rarely designed for warmth, the addition of a Kashmir shawl thrown around her shoulders or worn as a stole for evening wear would have given some comfort and protection from any chills.

Kashmir, or cashmere as we know it today, is the fiber spun from the soft, downy winter undercoat of goats, especially Asian goats. As the days grow shorter, this fine underhair grows longer. The wool is collected during the spring moulting season when the goats naturally shed their winter wool. If it is collected by hand and combing there is a higher yield of pure fiber. If the fleece is shorn it has to be separated from the coarse outer hair, which can be used for brushes and coarser fabrics. 

The founder of this industry is traditionally considered to be the fifteenth century ruler of Kashmir, a region in northwest India, Zayn-ul-Abidin, who introduced weavers from Turkestan. From pashm (the Persian word for wool), these weavers produced the wonderfully warm and soft pashmina shawls. These were introduced into Western Europe by the General-in-Chief of the French Campaign in Egypt (1799-1802) who sent one to Paris where it caused immediate interest.

Paisley became a popular pattern with which to decorate these shawls and could either be woven or embroidered in that pattern. The paisley pattern that we know so well today may have been derived from the buta or boteh, which is a droplet shaped design originating in Persia (Iran). It is also sometimes called Persian pickles in America and Welsh pears if used in Welsh textiles. However, the western name is likely derived from the town of Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland, which became the major producer of paisley shawls during the period 1800 – 1850.

Today we don’t have to worry about flimsy dresses or cold houses but still enjoy our pashminas in a variety of plain or patterned colors. They come in a variety of fabrics from wool to cotton and silk and various mixes of man-made fibers. They still add a touch of luxury and can enhance any outfit whether you choose to dress up or down, classy or casual and is one of the most versatile fashion additions to add to any wardrobe.

sources: 

Wikipedia

Jane Austen's World

www.paisleypower.com

Victoria Chatham

http://bookswelove.net/authors/chatham-victoria/

www.facebook.com/AuthorVictoriaChatham

http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca.

Where Does A Writer’s Mind Go In The Spring?

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Where Does A Writer’s Mind Go In The Spring?

Spring has sprung, the grass is rising, darn, need to break out my lawnmower again and start another year of mowering and cursering at how I plant one bulb and get eighteen hundred weeds and the raccoons made off with my bulb for a fabulous lunch. So how come they don’t invent raccoon-proof bulbs that taste like curry when they bite into them. Yes, it’s been well documented that while raccoons love Chinese food, especially chop suey, they won’t go near any curry houses’ garbage cans. Small wonder the total population of raccoons in India and most parts of England is zero.

                So spring is about to be thrust upon us once again and that means Easter as well. I’ve already seen geese heading north and hens scurrying about in fright clenching their nether bits in fear. I’ve decided to write about topics in this blog that no other writer has ever written about. How am I doing so far?

                I was going to start with the educational part and talk about how to remove candy floss from your cat’s fur. Only the cat moved every time I tried to stick it on him. Which led me to believe that felines hate candy floss, well except the mouse-flavoured variety.

                So instead I thought of writing about the weird varieties of birds living in the jungles of the planet Eriditae in the constellation of Chickadeea. This is easy to write about since no one has ever been there or even know if such a place exists, except in this universe of a billion, zillion to the one millionth degree of known galaxies. Which would make the sands of the Sahara desert look like a sandbox for fleas in comparison. Hey if I can think it, it has to be out there. And if I can dream it, I can invent it. Just ask Einstein.

                You know, the dude who said something clever before breakfast one morning like E=MC2. He was trying to explain that if E=coffee, M=sugar and C=cream squared, he’d be the first person to ask for a double double. Which he did say to a fellow Torontonian while sitting next to the penalty box during a hockey game. Unfortunately for Tim Horton, he was the fellow sitting in the box at the time. Tim, known for his great elbows and fast thinking wit tied that idea with selling discarded parts of the donut no one wanted. The holes or bits as he called them, gave up his skates and made a fortune, all thanks to Albert.

                Or I could write about how to be polite and not point to rhinoceros crossing the road holding Gucci handbags, but I think that was done before.

                Okay how about this for a topic from my vacation to Bora Bora, where, at Easter. The natives dress up as Elvis on Tuesdays (Yeah, I asked the same question and would have picked Wednesday myself). They dance around in tutus to Saturday Night Fever. But I doubt anyone would believe me, even though I’ve got pictures to prove it.

                Or I could write about the many advantages knitting has over crocheting, but I’m not about to upset my granny. I did ask her once and suffered through three hours, afternoon tea (eight cups), 21 chocolate biscuits and a rather boring lesson on how to properly drink tea while dining with the Queen. I learned my lesson and never dis anyone over seventy on the topic of yarn. I haven’t even mentioned the rude letters I got from disgruntled sheep threatening to see if I like having my hairs sheared. BAAaa-aad

Idea.

                But with spring in the air I realized that I’m not one to write about several silly topics that no one else ever has, well maybe one. No sorry, couldn’t lower myself to those standards and I hear the lawnmower muttering away, “turn me on and let’s have at those annoying green things popping up everywhere.”

                Do you think the Easter Bunny ever has this problem in the fall when he’s really bored? 

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Lego Card by Cheryl Wright

 

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This is a very simple, but quite fiddly card for a young child.

To make the Lego pieces, cut out squares of different coloured cardstock. Then using the same colours, cut or punch four small-ish circles of the matching colours. Pop them up with dimensional foam and add them to the center of each coloured square as shown. The greeting can be added wherever you wish. (I used white embossing powder for mine.)

The colours pop more if added to black cardstock.

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

Links:

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