Thursday, May 25, 2017

Canadian Historical Brides series books being reviewed by Publisher's Weekly.

Excerpt from the first of the reviews we're receiving from Publisher's Weekly for the Canadian Historical Brides series.



For the Canada’s Historical Brides series, published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Canadian confederation, Bell (Arabella’s Secret) competently takes readers to rural Ontario in the years leading up to World War I. Annie Baldwin is the youngest daughter of a large homesteading family from Ireland. She has much in common with her brothers and the orphan boys, George and Peter, who sometimes work on their farm, and little connection with her prim and proper mother and sisters or her father, a preacher and doctor. As the war encroaches on life even in rural Canada, with young men returning missing limbs or seriously shell-shocked, George decides he must enlist. He asks Annie to marry him when he returns. But George does not return, and Annie, now dangerously close to spinsterhood, must decide whether she and Peter can base a life together on their shared grief over George’s death. Plotting is strong enough to sustain interest, and there are good descriptions of the hard slog of farm life....

Randall Sawka - Back from the Year Long Journey




Spring has us springing across much of Canada to be closer to family. When the notion of moving from the sleepy Vancouver Island community of Oak Bay to the bustling city of Toronto crossed our minds it caused shivers-shivers of apprehension. We enjoyed nearly three decades in a community where your neighbours were friends with whom you shared vegetables and fruit from your garden and tea on the patio. A short walk to the ocean was a given. On the stroll to the esplanade we would perhaps meet three or four cars. Everyone you met said hello. The "main" street was really an English "high" street. A difficult place to leave.



The draw. What would coax us to make the move? Once we mulled it over the emotions moved from trepidation to exhilaration. Of course, the main draw is living closer to family. From a five hour flight to a twenty minute walk. Far better that video messenger. We listed the other pluses and made the decision to do what was described many times as brave. That word was annoying at first. Later we lived what was included in my previous posts, the ultimate pressure cooker. Was it always smooth sailing? Of course not. Non-writing work ended. No place to call home. Numerous flights. Never knowing for sure where we would sleep the following month. Now we are three days away from our new high-rise home in the heart of a big city.


So the year-long journey ends and we are thrilled with what we did and excited with where life has taken us. The city offers us nearly endless options for entertainment, food, and travel. The new start has even energized my writing. I'm working on two novels. One is nearly done and is set in deep space. The second was inspired by our research in to big city life. Once we take that final thirty minute drive to our new home I know that the ideas will gather quickly.
We are almost home.
--

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Writing with a Retiree - Writing or Spouse?

Writing with a Retiree – What takes priority?

Simple enough question, right? What takes priority? Writing – spouse?

Of course it would be your spouse...right? *smiles*




My husband and I couldn’t wait for the time when we could travel in a 5th Wheel, towing our fishing boat and free-wheeling where ever we decided to land for a day, a week, or a month…we’d make an adventure out of the visit.

That was our vision, our dream, our plan…but what happens when dreams change after the fact? *shakes head*

I resigned from my 8:00 – 5:00 job in 2000 and pursued a career in writing. I enjoyed some ghost writing, editing, short story writing, writing young adult fiction, articles, and spent a few years writing erotic romance (under a pseudonym I shall not name:).

I love writing, as all authors do; it’s something we’re lost without. And I can’t seem to live without it.

My husband officially retired in March 2016, although he stopped working in March of 2015. Let me say, it had been an up-down roller coaster for us, from “my” writing space in the house (which I had a favorite spot in a few rooms, depending on my mood), my time with grandchildren, our trips in the RV, to the television shows we watched. What was most important to my husband now that he had extra time on his hands, was rarely what was most important to me as I’d lived as a writer on my own in the house for fifteen years (until he’d come home in the evenings from his job).

Our house had gotten very small spending 24/7 together. *LOL*

We went on a few month-long trips in the RV, and then tried longer in Florida. After three months in the land of sun, I was ready to come back to Michigan – see my family. Three months was too long away from the familiar.

He had always been supportive of my writing, but there was an on ongoing tension/pressure at my not being readily available for him. I attempted to be creative while dealing with a myriad of interruptions, until we finally had a few heart-to-heart chats…and we updated our priorities. A little tougher than we figured, but it all shook out to a workable solution for both of us.



We gave up the 5th Wheel for a 34’ trailer and parked it at a lake about a half-hour away from our home.

It’s my husband’s fishing retreat and my writing retreat, close enough that my family can visit, or I can visit with them.

Now I can write uninterrupted and he can fish to his heart’s content. There’s a balance between us, having our own priorities and making them work…together. *Big deep sigh*

Halleluiah; )



DK Davis writes YA sci-fi, supernatural, and fantasy with a good dollop of all the relationships woven in between. When she’s not writing, editing, or reading, she’s hiking, RV’ing, fishing, spending time with grandchildren or her favorite muse (her husband) in Southwest Michigan. She also writes paranormal suspense-thriller romance as S. Peters-Davis, and all genre short stories as Susan Davis.
You can find DK Davis at these links: Twitter; FB; Website; Books We Love Ltd. Author Page; Amazon Author Page
Enter Books We Love Contest here: http://www.bookswelove.com/books-we-love-contests/


Samantha’s dealing with a lot of emotional blow-back from her mother’s new marriage. Then she discovers a gifted creature living in Wolf Lake, and life suddenly becomes all about keeping his existence a secret, earning his trust. That is until his life depends on her saving him. But she won’t be able to do it alone…


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