New Cover From Wild Rose-Fairy Dust

Here is the new cover for the Wild Rose Press release. Love it. So pretty and fairy-ish Don't have the pulication date yet but hopefully soon. Show some love and write a review or two when it comes out.

In the mean-time, an excerpt:

I hovered three feet from the ceiling in the Herb and Fairy Gardens Shop, praying no customers came in while I calmed down my fairy dust emissions and my temper.


“Bouddicca Andraste Ryan, get your fairy ass off the ceiling and come help me. I’m dying here,” Sierya, a six-foot elf with white hair, and half owner of the shop, yelled at me.

I went up higher. She had no patience with my iffy hold on magick, especially since we had an order from a coven for twelve flower wreaths, for a moon dance. They were due to pick up the wreaths by four, and it was already after two. It’s not my fault I’m only half Fae and not in total control.

I was named for a great warrior queen and a goddess. I felt like neither as I grabbed for my flying waist-length hair with both hands, avoiding the ceiling fan.

“You hold your skinny little horses there. I’m doing the best I can. What did youexpect? Tell me a team of Darklings from the Under is on it’s way to snatch the Titania amulet from me—and expect me to hold my temper? Not going to happen. It’s the only thing my father left me, my one tie to the Fae World. And it’s the focus that lets me use earth magick so well.”

Sierya’s laugh, a short bark, held no humor. “He didn’t leave it to you, he left it because he was in a hurry to avoid responsibility.”

I plummeted to the ground. “Ow. You don’t have to get nasty about it or diss my father.”

She turned on her heel, talking over her shoulder. “It was the best way I knew to get you down before you were caught. We have work to do.”

Elves can be so pissy. I stomped after her, making certain the front door wards were in place as I passed by. They would let people in but any magical creatures would have to leave their powers behind.

Welcome to the NEXT BIG THING blog hop.


What is a blog hop? Basically, it’s a way that readers can discover new authors, because with bookstores closing and publishers not promoting new authors as much, we need to find a way to introduce readers to authors they may not see in their local bookstore. So I get to give a shout-out to the wonderful author who invited me to this “dance” and then invite terrific authors at the end of the blog.

Debut thriller author Amy Shojai invited me to join the “hop.” Years ago we met at a critique group in Texas and we’ve been critique partners, and friends ever since. Her thriller suspense novel, Lost and Found, is suspenseful read with a child and animal in danger. See the links at the end for other authors you really MUST check out. Check out Amy Shojai's website here, and you can buy Lost and Found.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED!

In this particular hop, I and my fellow authors, in their respective blogs, have answered 10 questions where you get to learn about our current work in progress as well as some insights into our process, from characters and inspirations to plotting and cover decisions. I hope you enjoy it!

Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts and questions. Here is my Next Big Thing!

1: What is the working title of your book?

Bloody Murder is my most recent book, a cozy paranormal mystery, part of the Tali Cates series. The next in the series, Murder Most Fowl, is in the beginning stages.

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

I lived and worked in and around small towns in North Texas for twenty years. The town of Love, Texas incorporates events, locations and people from all over the area, as well as putting ordinary small town people in extraordinary circumstances. Add humor and unexpected magic and you have Love, Texas.

3: What genre does your book come under?

Cozy Paranormal Thriller

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

If I were every lucky enough, I’d love to see Sandra Bullock as Tali, Meryl Streep as Mumsie (really dreaming now.)

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Tali Cates must stop the murders at the county fair Queen contest before she becomes the next victim, oh, and is her new guy really a vampire?

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent publisher, or represented by an agency?

Privy to Murder is published by AWOC publishing, Deadly Niche

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

It took a couple of years due to working full time as well as writing and life events.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Maybe a little like the Sookie Stackhouse books due to the small town venue, humor and paranormal elements.

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I love cozy mysteries and paranormal, so I finally just wrote the kinds of books that I wanted to read.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

A good picture of small town politics when it involves kid competitions. Stage moms can be deadly.

Below you will find authors (in no particular order) who will be joining me by blog, next Wednesday. Do be sure to bookmark and add them to your calendars for updates on WIPs and New Releases! Happy Writing and Reading!

Janet K. Brown, Writing God's Message of Hope, DIVINE DINING - published by Pen-L Publishing December, 2012, VICTORIA AND THE GHOST - published by 4RV Publishing in 2012

Website: http://www.janetkbrown.com, Group blog: http://www.bookstowriteby.blogspot.com

Bloody Murder-Just in time.

Bloody Murder is now live! For a good Halloween read or anytime mystery read, add Tali to your faves.
Love the new cover, especially the reds as I'm a red person. My model is a sweetheart and fits the bill perfectly.

FOR SUSAN

My sister died the first of this month. This is for her.

What can I say about Suzie?  She had angels, three. I’m sure she is with them now, helping them organize white robes and halos in labelled boxes as only she could. She promised to stay with the angels to bring all of her loved ones up, one at a time to join her. Of course, being Susan, she planned to snatch us one by one.

Susan was a fierce protector of her loved ones and of her students. She had courage beyond the normal. Who else would have travelled half-way across the world, alone; to snatch the man she loved from Iran and bring him back with her?

When Susan was first diagnosed with cancer, she took the news calmly. But she was determined to fight the disease and win. Susan won for a while. For many years she managed her illness and lived five years in spite of the diseases attempts to win. She did so with elegance and grace, as she did everything.

The Susan I grew up with was snarky, smart and funny. She loved cats and Yul Brynner (a fact only appreciated by those of us old enough to fall in love with the bald king in The King and I. Don’t tell anyone, we thought he was better than Elvis.) She was a perfectionist, devastated by any grade under an A. She spent hours on her eyelashes, expecting perfection from them also, and she got it. Nothing and no one defied Susan if she wanted something.

Susan’s Soraya is a combination of the best of Mike and Susan and the two of them took care of her, with the help of Mollie the Cat, brought her home for as long as possible devoted their lives to her.

I’m going to miss my sister, the person who knew me when I was young, my biggest fan, who loved my books, hung my paintings in her house. She knew all my secrets and took them with her. Whether our conversations took place minutes apart, days or months, it was as if we had just paused for a minute.

I will so miss that person who knew me best, shared a sense of humour, love of cats, books, and family. My best friend, little sister Suzie, will be waiting for me to join her and finish that last conversation.
 

Writing, Life and the rest.

I went to a party last night. We watched a singer, very Sinatra, Andy Williams-ish. Enjoyed the party, wine, friends, music, watching people from work all spiffed-up. Had a great time, but missed having a partner to dance with. Love music, love dancing, no partner does complicate things. Still, eight years later, miss having someone to always watch my back, take over in the emergency, share the fun. Kids are great but not quite the same. They have their own families and lives.

Life has been creeping in more and distracting me from writing. It does get frustrating. Writing is supposed to be my escape, but life events seem to end up with my staring into space and getting no words on the page. I know it's my job to get through it and back to the writing job, but harder than usual this time. Mind over matter, compartmentalizing, not working so well. My mind just goes back to my sister, Karl, other worries.

Maybe I just need to go with it, get past this time and then back into the routine. Traveling works as a life interruption to. I'll be happier when we get back to a routine again and I can put my world back in order. That's my whine for today and yes, I want cheese with that, chocolate and all that good stuff.

It's been a stress full week. I'll address that in another post. Today I want to share some ways to stay sane that work for me and tell a funny story-at least to me.

First, sanity aids.

1. Watch birds.
2. Watch the sunrise
3. Watch the sun set
4. Watch the above happen over water.
5. Sit next to the ocean and listen to the waves.
6. Listen to favorite music (Vivaldi-Irish jigs.)
7. Watch the light change on mountains.
8. Listen to and watch small children play and laugh-or kittens and puppies.
9. Write-lists, poetry, anything you want.
10. Love someone
11. Be loved
12. Pray

Jaws and Soraya

My sister Susie had a cat named Jaws. I've written about Jaws the terror, who would come into the bathroom and flush the toilet while you were in a hot shower, causing a burst of ice cold water to shock you into consciousness. I really think that cat enjoyed the screams. She also loved to raid the refrigerator and abscond with any baked goods left around.

When Jaws behaviour became suddenly worse, Susie didn't think too much of it, a little hissing and loud meoooowers, were not end of the world, or missing the cat box. However, after Jaws decided the trick of the day was to pee on her feet, several times, Susie decided she had to do something. It was time for a trip to the vet.

After the marathon event that revolved around shoving Jaws into the cat carrier, they were off to the vet, Susie thankful that travel did not involve public transportation due to the tortured cat screams coming from transport. It sounded more like a wounded lion than a small cat.

Once Susie and Jaws made it back to the exam room, not without stirring up every other animal in the waiting room, the exam began.

After a few moments of examining an extremely docile black cat, the vet looked up.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant?"

A shocked Susan snapped back, "Of course not. And if I were, I certainly would not come to a vet for the diagnosis." She grabbed the carrier, shoved Jaws in and bolted out of the office.

On the way home curiosity overcame anger and Susie stopped by a drug store to make a small purchase.

At home later, the pregnancy test was positive. After a visit to her OB/Gyn, she found out she was four months pregnant. Jaws and the vet turned out to be great diagnosticians. Five months later Soraya was born, every bit as strong a personality as her mother and Jaws the cat.

Jaws is gone but never forgotten, his skill as a diagnostician will always be remembered, as will his toilet flushing skill.

Winds of Life

This was my beautiful, peacful place to journal, watch birds and enjoy the morning on days off. Now, thanks to Oklahoma wind, the chimenea is broken into several pieces, the tent is ripped and the blue umbrella is broken. Very sad. I refust to post a pic of the destruction. Could sit and watch hummers, pretend I was in Colorado.

Yes, I'm whining even though I know the losss is nothing compared to wild fires burning houses, tornadoes wiping out towns, but it was my little spot and I will miss it.

But, I will pick up the mess, go on, find another way to keep my peaceful safe spot intact. Like life, you pick up and go on, even when things conspire to make you sad. Your book doesn't sell,whatever plans you had fell through, sickness interferes with the way you want life to be.

Life just is, in spite of what we plan. We write in spite of life, and sometimes in order to live because if we didn't write, what would keep us sane? We have control of the words we put on paper even if we can't control a lot of other things about the writing, publishing game and about the world around us.

So, I'm reminding myself to keep on keeping on, write no matter what and live life the best I can, no matter what big or little obstacles life puts in my way. I can move, go around, over or through obstacles and end up where I want to be, even if it is only sitting at a table, drinking coffee, watching birds and journaling.