I’m a procrastinator. I admit it. But today I finally got my snow tires put on. We usually have a bit of snow by now, but hey! I’m not complaining. At least I’m ready.
I’ve been watching winter creep up for several weeks now. The Loons on the lake are in their winter colours. I saw a pair of loons the other day – don’t usually see them paired up at this time of year, but I confess I got a warm and fuzzy feeling seeing them together. They’d work apart, then swim back together and have a chat, then swim off and go fishing again. Nice.
The coots are also swimming in rafts now. At least that’s what my Dad used to call it when they bunched up in the winter time. It’s a good way to describe them, as they swim so closely that seen from a distance it looks like a solid piece of black. Saw two big groups last week – about 300 and 400 would be my best estimate. It’s hard to tell with that many moving birds.
But give me a break! Christmas stuff in the stores already? I should be used to it by now, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
I’ve been busy finishing Book Three in the Gold Rush Romance series. It’s a fun one as well. I’ll post here when I have it ready. I read John Grisham’s new book last week and enjoyed it. Right now I’m reading a Scottish romance. Who doesn’t love those brawny Scots? Next, I think I’ll tackle Michael Connelly’s new Harry Bosch. Connelly has created a believable character in ‘ol Harry…
Back to work. See you soon.
This One Will Leave You Smiling
I debated about publishing this little short story on Amazon, but it’s so sweet and satisfying I couldn’t resist. Enjoy!
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OKZVQ2C
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OKZVQ2C
Here it comes…
… the blog about being thankful. A reminder to all of my non-Canadian friends: it’s Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada.
First of all, I’m thankful to be living in Canada. We’re not perfect by any means, but we’re known as being steadfast friends, both personally and internationally. In my opinion, that counts for a lot.
I’m thankful for my family. When I first married into such a large family I thought I’d never be able to keep them all straight. And I was right, but I enjoy seeing what they’re up to on facebook, and in the occasional phone call. On ‘my’ side of the family, my father was one of six brothers. Almost all of them settled in the Niagara peninsula of Ontario, and that’s where my cousins live now. I don’t see them often enough, but they’re great people. I had an interesting experience last summer when my sister and I visited. “The girls” were meeting in a restaurant, and when I heard the server mention Mrs. Angle, I looked around for my mother. She was referring to the wife of one of my male cousins of course, but it startled me, and reminded me that many other people still use the name I grew up with. And the men on that side of the family … let’s just say they all inherited the handsome genes, not to mention charm. They’re something else.
I’m thankful for my writing. Call me boring, but I enjoy the research before every book. There’s always something to look up. I’ve learned a lot of interesting facts since I started. Especially recently, while writing a historical romance series.
I’m thankful for my eyesight. I just finished cataract surgery on both eyes. Perhaps I should rephrase that: the doctor finished the surgery… I just lay there. I’m an avid bird-watcher, and having 20-20 vision again is more than I could have hoped for. But I have it, nonetheless.
I had intended to write a commercial-free post, but I don’t want to leave out the readers who have enjoyed my books. Just yesterday one of my books hit one hundred five-star reviews. What a gift! I appreciate every review on every book, but a milestone like that makes me want to keep writing. It also makes me want to get better with every book. So thank you.
Now it’s time to get back to Book Three in the Gold Rush series. These books don’t write themselves, unfortunately…
Exciting New Series
Once in a while a new series comes along that’s just different enough to propel it into top-sellerdom. Less Than Nothing is a series that just might do that. Book One, entitled – wait for it – Less Than Nothing – was released today, and readers are already raving.
It’s in the YA/Teen category, and is a romance. You can go here to get an idea of the storyline. While you’re there, you might just checkout the reviews by people such as Colleen Hoover, H.M. Ward, and Melissa Foster… need I say more?
So grab your copy, get your read on, and enjoy.
NHL Regular Season starts October 8th…
…What will you do while he watches the hockey game?
Okay, I have a confession. I love hockey, and I’ll be watching too. Especially my Canucks. We still have our core of excellent players, but this year we welcome some fresh, new talent. Not to mention new Coach and management. Should be a fun year.
But for those of you who don’t watch, here’s an idea. You can probably finish this delightful Romance novella while he watches the game. I loved writing this one, as it combines a delightful romance with the very real topic of violence in hockey. The best news of all is that it’s FREE, and is available everywhere – Amazon, Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Scribd.
Links for Between a Jock and a Hard Place:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009LAHAQ2
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id851499256
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1119041769?ean=2940149427239
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/between-a-jock-and-a-hard-place
And then, when another game rolls around this weekend, my other novella is free as well. No hockey in this one, but Fixing Freddie also takes place in and around Vancouver. I fall in love with all my heroes, but there’s something about Freddie I particularly like. Let me know if you feel the same.
Links for Fixing Freddie:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005A7RA88
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005A7RA88
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id826692563
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1107077647?ean=2940148233954
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/fixing-freddie-1<
Why do I offer these books for free, you ask? Because if you like my writing style, I hope you'll buy some of my other books, or tell a friend. It's as simple as that.
In the meantime, enjoy!!
This guy really gets it…
“If you feel somebody trying to put you on, you really feel it.”
… That’s the way I feel about my writing.
Are you ever reading along, not really enjoying a book, but reading it because you paid for it, or have time invested in it, and you come across a passage that simply doesn’t say anything? I suppose we all have. I may even have been guilty of writing some of those in my earlier work… back in the day when I was writing to the infamous ‘guidelines’ that were set out by the small handful of romance publishers who would look at manuscripts from people like me … people who weren’t big names in the business.
And then I was set free. Free to write from the heart, to use an overworked expression. It may be overworked, but it’s what makes writing worthwhile for me. I’ve learned to write from the heart recently. I put my characters in real-life situations and have them talk in a way that sounds honest, not the contrived romance-speak that was popular for so many years. It’s liberating, it’s fun, and my readers tell me it makes for a darned good read.
I think Leonard Cohen gets it more than anyone, with his gritty, honest song lyrics. If you’d like to read a great article from Rolling Stone, here’s the link. Happy reading, and happy listening.
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