Angel's Retreat #1 in Canadian Drama

Have you read Angel's Blessing 

It's #27 in Canadian Drama. 

The sequel Angel's Retreat

is now #1. 

My Husband Died Because of Me 

is #9,  and 

The Big Bump at Number 2

 is #22, 

Take a look at some of these novels and short stories. Most of them are set in Nova Scotia. I am in the process of writing a Vampire novel called The Vampire and the Lady, and also working on a fantasy short story called Random.

I like to move around in different genres from Romance to Mystery to Fantasy. It is fun that way and doesn't get monotonous. 

Hope you all are enjoying a beautiful spring. Isn't spring grand? Of course there are many days, espcially where I live where you get crappy weather, from a mix of lovely sunshine to rain/snow mix and grey skies. But when the sky does turn blue and the sun reigns in the heavens, it is such a glory to enjoy. The warm sun on your face and body which reaches upward to meet the sun and its lovely heat. Thank you all for hanging in here and being loyal followers. And if you haven't joined my website yet, please do so you won't miss any posts. 

If anyone has a request for a post or maybe a guest post, I will do my best to make that happen. Also, if anyone would like to see writings or excerpts from any of my novels or short stories, please just ask and I will easily make that happen. Cheers and have a good day. Happy writing and Happy reading everyone!

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE EATING?

Hello one and all,
Today I would like to be positive but what I have to say has a few negative tendencies in it. I am writing about Genetically Modified and Hybrid foods. 
This has been around for quite some time now, but it's getting worse. Soon that will be the only seeds you will be able to purchase for your garden. No one really knows what these GM seeds could do to us. And for the most part, no one really seems to care. 
Do we all have our heads so far shoved in the sand that we can't see what is in front of us? Just this week, President Obama has signed into law a spending bill that includes a provision dubbed the Monsanto Protection Act.
I'm not going to go into details here about all that it entails. Look it up if you are interested in your food and your health. This bill bars federal courts from ever being able to stop the sale or planting of GM crops no matter what the health consequences of the products might show up in the future. It's scary. Monsanto and other companies produce genetically modified organisms or genitically engineered seeds and crops. Already the corn has been ruined, along with a few other crops. 
So one of these days there will be no organic farmers, no chance to grow healthy products on your own property. It will all be controlled by the big companies and all be bad for us. But who cares? Seems not enough do.
In Canada so far, we have not been struck down like this, but oh, they are trying. In my area on April 9 there will be a rally to try and stop the production of GM alfalfa. Will it be possible? Who knows? But all one can do is try. If you don't try, then you have no reason to ever complain when you are sick and when all the food you eat is bad for you. Don't complain, because we have a chance to do something...if people will just wake up. 
I can't speak for Americans, I am Canadian. But I can darn well speak up in Canada and I will. It might not do me any good, but at least I will have tried. Anyone wishing to join a group to help stop GM alfalfa, can do so by visiting this website: Stop GM Alfalfa!
If you can't attend at least join and show support. And if there are events and rallies in your area, join up and protest. Stand for something. Stand for our food, our health and our farmers. Speak up, speak out, and join a group and protest. Your voice is needed before it's too late.
Here's a cute little video that explains things better than I can.Busy Bee

SEEING MOVIES IN MY HEAD.

                                     No, all my characters do not look like cartoons! :-)

Writing I assume is different for everyone. Every person that creates a story, a fictional story, probably does it differently. I shouldn’t say everyone because there are probably many people who do it one way, then writers who do it other ways. Maybe there are only so many different ways to create fictional characters and write about them.

I only know my method. If you write, please share yours. I am very interested in how writers see their characters before they put them down in a book. I see my characters as  a movie playing in my head.

At first when a story idea comes to mind, all the pieces are most always not there. But they develop over time and then all the pieces of the puzzle form together and I write an outline.

After that, if I am feeling really organized, I might write short chapter descriptions. I really like to have a plan to follow. But even if I do, once I begin to type and the characters start moving around and talking in the scene that is set for them, things change. For example, a character might come up with some line that I hadn’t even had in the outline or chapter description. Then it goes from there. I see them smile, hiss at one another, move around, scratch their head, fold their arms.

I am just the messenger who writes it down as it unfolds. After that, when I am done with them for the time being, I save what I’ve written and as I walk around doing other stuff or move on to another story to work on, those characters from back in the first story just go into frozen mode.

Sometimes if I think of them but I’m not planning to write anything new, I see them in a corner of my mind just standing or sitting about, frozen in time, waiting for their cue to move back on stage.

It is a fascinating procedure and I am so glad that this is how I write. So, how about you? How do you get inspiration for writing? Or if you are only a reader of other’s work, how do you see the book play out in your mind? Do you always, from the beginning, have a picture in your mind of what a certain character looks like? 

Most writers describe their characters, but some don’t. Some do to a point and let the reader use his or her imagination. I do describe my characters, but not all the time and not in full detail. I like to leave a bit up to the reader’s imagination. And here’s another question: Do you ever see a character looking like someone you know, or having qualities of someone you know and because of that, you associate that character with the person you know or have seen on TV maybe? And while doing that, maybe the character takes on the voice or body language of the person you know.

It’s all a wonderful exercise, this writing and reading. That is what is so delightful about books. Please tell me about your favourite character(s) and whether you have ever wished you could meet them in real life.

I have a story in a very crude draft form where the author of a book (not me, my character) has just finished up writing about a very scary and ruthless character. After she finishes the book, she begins to see sightings of this character or at least someone who looks like him.This throws my author character into a mental confusion. I hope to have fun with this book someday, when I find the time to pursue it.

Keep up your Happy Writing and Reading everyone. And remember to stay positive! 

JUST RELEASED: MISSING LINK

Hi all,
My latest book is now available at Smashwords and Amazon. Missing Link is the third book in The Dream Series. Book One is 1964: Chasing A Dream and Book Two is Facing Reality.

Here is a bit of Description of Missing Link with some back story on the other two as well.



Missing Link is the third book in the Dream Series which starts with 1964: Chasing A Dream. Marlee Sweet is pursuing her dreams of finding lasting love with Joe Fontaine.  After her travels and disappointments in the southern states, Marlee is once again heading back to Canada to wonder if her dream will ever come true. 

In the second book Facing Reality, Marlee makes some tough decisions which include marriage, a singing career, a divorce and finally an unplanned pregnancy. Leaving New York, she once again heads home to Canada to have her baby and to face the harsh reality of life. She thinks that life is worthwhile once again when she meets Sam Morgan. But like previous men in her life, Sam disappoints her. With two daughters now grown, Marlee strikes out on her own again to find her lost love, Joe.

In this book, Missing Link, Marlee purchases a cottage in Biloxi, Mississippi and heads south once again to be with Joe. But hardships and disappointments continue to fill her life. Her time with Joe is bittersweet, but finally they share something very special, something they could not attain in the younger years.

In Book Four which will be titled AfterGlow, we zoom in on the life of Marlee's daughter, Mariah and her husband Andre Butler. They've just had a new baby but Mariah is devastated when she learns that Andre has been unfaithful to her.
In Part Two of AfterGlow, we return to Marlee and Joe who are staying at the cabin because Joe has just been diagnosed with lung cancer and Marlee is looking after him.

There is one more book in this series which will be backstory and take place before Marlee's birth.It will be called Raging Nightmare and is the story of Marlee's parents.

If you enjoy any of these stories, please comment with reviews and ratings. They are very much appreciated. Happy Reading everyone, and Happy Writing!

HOW TO STORYBOARD, GUEST POST BY JO LINSDELL

Hello. I've been looking forward to presenting this guest post by Jo Linsdell. Today Jo is going to explain the ins and outs of storyboarding. 
If you don't know what storyboarding is, stay tuned. I've put a few newspapers together myself and I've done some storyboarding, however I'm anxious to hear what Jo has to say when it comes to storyboarding a children's book. 
I think we can all learn something interesting today, so let's get to it!

                                   
                         


Jo Linsdell is an award winning blogger and freelance writer living in Rome , Italy . She is also the author of several books including the popular Italian for Tourists, A Guide to Weddings in Italy  and the best selling children's picture book Out and About at the Zoo. Her latest book Fairy May was released on 1st February 2013. You can find out more about her at www.JoLinsdell.com

Fairy May

Written and illustrated by Jo Linsdell

Fairy May dreams of one day becoming a tooth fairy but she struggles at school and always seems to get things wrong. With hard work and determination she prepares for her test. Will she realise her dream and become a tooth fairy?

Creating a storyboard for children's picture books

By Jo Linsdell

Basically, storyboarding is a visual representation using illustration to map out the flow of your book. Standard children's picture books are 32 pages and so your storyboard will span out all 32 pages.

The storyboard is your blueprint and a useful tool when drafting your book. It helps make sure that your book flows nicely and includes all the right segments in the right places.

It's much easier to change something in a storyboard than it is on the individual pages of your book.

In this video I take you through how I create storyboards for my children's picture story books:

http://youtu.be/fm6M-udua9U

Do you use storyboards? Do you have any tips of your own about storyboarding? Please leave a comment and join in the discussion so we can feed ideas off each other.

Jo Linsdell is a best selling author and illustrator, award winning blogger and freelance writer. Originally from the UK, she now lives in Rome, Italy with her husband and their two young sons.

Review comments:

5 Stars

"More than a picture book, Fairy May teaches anything worth having is worth working for. A delightful read that teaches without preaching. A simple lesson beautifully told."

- By C. Bullard

5 Stars

"Fairy May is a story that will encourage little kids to not only to keep their teeth clean but also to try their best and work hard in school! A rhyming story filled with cute pictures, it would make a perfect addition to your child's book collection. I read it to my 1 1/2 yr old and he laughs and points to every picture!"

- By Virginia L. Jennings

5 Stars

"Fairy May is a story that will draw in younger children with it's colorful, playful illustrations and clever writing. Younger children will favor it as a bedtime read, while older children learning to read can choose it to practice their craft. Well produced with high quality!"

- By J. campbell

5 Stars

"We love the cuteness of drawings and the light, delicate colours.
We love the rhymes, a good exercise for non-mother-tongue children to improve their English knowledge.
We love the story, the strength of tiny May in following her dreams. We love the good example: if you want something you must be ready to work hard!
We love the highlight on dental hygiene, the importance of brushing teeth and we will download soon the extras!
We love to read it, and read it and read it again.... as we did with previous release by Jo Linsdell "OUT AND ABOUT AT THE ZOO."

We love the book itself. Fairy May is a new character in our life and we hope in future new adventures to be released!"

- By LaMarzia

5 Stars

"When a story is told using rhyming words, too many times it does not work, but this one surely does! The rhyming does not feel forced and the story line flows. I think it would be great for a beginning reader to use for practice as well as a fun read-aloud that reveals an important lesson!"

- By Neil Edwards

"This delightful picture book is bound to become the favorite book of anyone who believes in fairies. The rhyming verse and soft delicate pictures will take you into the fantasy land of Fairy May's; a land you won't want to return from. Linsdell will have you child wondering if Fairy May really makes it to be her dream- tooth fairy. A fun read-a-loud and wonderful for beginning readers, very easy to read. This book will help your child see that you can be what you set out to be."

- By Apple Blossom

"It’s like a gentle hum that makes you smile each time you think about it once you’ve put the book away."

-By Richa Jha

"Mum and toddler both love the story and pictures and like reading (and listening) to it over and over again.

All in all a delightful book that encourages children to achieve their dreams (and clean their teeth!).

Although Fairy May is a magical being, the way that she achieves her dreams is not achieved by magic, but by hard work and sheer determination. This gives children a realistic message that dreams cannot be achieved overnight just by wishing (or magic), but you do need to work towards them to make them happen.

Fairy May is not just a fairy tale, but a tale of moral tooth (I mean truth)!"

- By Hazel Nutt

Release Date: 1st February 2013

Product details:

Paperback: 32 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1481951424

ISBN-13: 978-1481951425

Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.1 inches

Purchasing links:

Amazon

Createspace

Video trailer:

http://youtu.be/wAGUrj7o_Ks

LIFE AMID A SNOWDRIFT

Anyone living in a snowbound area can attest to what most of us are feeling these days. After three snowstorms (blizzards) in a row for three weekends, I, for one, am tired of it! 

I just came in from shovelling that lovely, white stuff. Oh, the fresh air is nice, the tingly feeling that I have when I come inside. I agree, it's good for you to get out and enjoy the weather no matter what it is. BUT enough is enough. 

This is not meant to be a rant. I'm living in the snowbound area because I wish to be here. If i didn't, I'd be somewhere else, perhaps in the south looking both ways for the spring tornadoes, or the lovely summer hurricanes and wretch lightning storms. All part of nature and you can't escape it no matter where you live. 

That's why a couple of weekends back I wrote this simple ode to winter. Hope you enjoy it, and stay tuned for the guest post by Jo Linsdell about storyboarding a children's book. That's coming up on February 24.

                                                                  The Big Blow 2013


SNOWING –SNOWING ------SO FAR MILD AND NOT BLOWING

Quiet and peaceful, hypnotic in its own way

Makes one sleepy, dreamy and wistful

Takes me back to winters past and nostalgia of the old days 

Dreaming...dreaming...making plans and scheming

Changing, re arranging, wondering what the morrow will bring

Blustery snow? some rain? wind, sleet, or just quiet snow all Over again?

Take it as it comes, nothing else to do

Worry worry, give it up and try not to hurry

Days will come and days will go, sun will shine and wind will Blow

The wheel of life will continue to spin

For all of us then all of them

Good bye good bye, I bid you all adew, my time will soon come To leave all of you

You will watch the snow fall, you will listen to the rain, you are The future generations and it Will go on...all over again. 

Continue continue...a lovely spring it will bring you.

DEATH AND DECEIT

If you think the Internet can be a scary place sometimes, take a journey with Jessica in Death and Deceit and see where her online chat adventures led her. Can you really trust your best friend? Why does your brother act like a jerk? Is your boyfriend really who you think he is? And, you can trust a cop...can't you?

      When your life's threatened, who do you trust? Everyone looks suspicious... At first it seems to aerobic instructor Jessica Albright that she may have found love online when she meets Gary Burke. But just when things are warming up, her new acquaintance turns weird. Jessie swears off the chat line and is introduced to handsome Kent Morgan by her girlfriend, computer programmer Elizabeth Barrow. Jessie immediately falls for Kent who appears to like her too.

Threatening messages begin appearing on Jessie’s e-mail, and Jessie has reason to suspect Kent, when Liz puts doubts in her mind. But after Jessie's mom dies Liz does an about-face.

Confused and fed up, Jessie seeks police help from good-looking Ricardo Alvarez. But too late she discovers that Ricardo has his own agenda. Liz and Kent team up to try and save Jessie from the danger she's walked into. But can they outsmart the calculating and sick mind of Ricardo Alvarez? Or does Jessie have to do that herself?

Excerpt: 

Blonde, tousled hair fell across a woman's face. Ricardo

stared at her torn clothes and smeared lipstick. She looked up at him. "Help me. I was raped," her small voice begged.

"Liz?" Jessie yelled.

Ricardo's stunned face whipped from woman to woman. Suddenly, Kent slammed into the room and cuffed him from behind. Ricardo spun round and aimed his gun at Kent's head. Kent's flying foot kicked at the gun and sent Ricardo smashing against the dresser. The gun hurdled across the room but not before Ricardo had fired it. Kent's lifeless body folded like an accordion and lay face down on the carpet.

Ricardo struggled to regain his footing and noticed that the woman had untied Jessie, and that the gun now rested on the bed within Jessie's reach. 

In a flash Jessie seized the gun. She held it in both hands, arms outstretched, pointing it straight at Ricardo.

"Put it down," he commanded, "before you hurt someone."

The weakness in Jessie's arms caused uncontrollable shaking in her hands. She tried to concentrate, but the earlier sight of watching Kent crumple to the floor and lay motionless by the door was more than she could bear. She loved him and he was down...maybe dead. What mattered now? 

"Give me the gun, Jessica." Ricardo's smooth voice attracted her attention. She faced him with tears brimming in her eyes. How could she aim the gun with tears in her eyes? She'd never fired a gun, but this man deserved to die, and she was the only one who could end this tense situation.

"Give me the gun, Jessica," he repeated stealing silently closer to her, his hand reaching forward for the gun.

Jessie's finger pressed on the trigger. She squeezed her eyes shut and a trembling took over her body. The gun faltered and her grip was useless. She'd lost control and Ricardo was upon her like a fox with a chicken. In an instant, he reclaimed the weapon and slid it into his holster. He grabbed Jessie's arm pulling her from the bed like she was a rag doll.