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Tuesday, May 26, 2015

#NewRelease -- MILE MARKER 59 by B. J. Betts -- Giveaway!

Marissa Daniels is returning home from a trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota, with her fiancé Brody James and their best friends Evie and Tyler Brooks. From out of nowhere a huge wolf like creature jumps up on the hood of the car, its red and yellow eyes glaring, its jagged fangs gnashing together dripping blood and ooze from its mouth. A deep howl rumbles from its chest piercing the night. Brody tries frantically to dislodge the beast from the car hood by turning the car in rapid succession. He loses control and the car careens down the embankment throwing Marissa through the windshield.

Marissa lands in a cornfield and watches in horror as the car explodes with Brody, Evie and Tyler trapped inside. From out of nowhere the wolf- like creature pounces on her chest pinning her to the ground. Marissa struggles with the beast holding it at arm’s length as it goes for her throat!

As the sound of sirens fill the air the wolf turns and pricks his ears. Instead of going for her throat-- it instead takes a huge bite out of her rib area and bounds off into the night.

Weeks later Marissa does recover from her injuries, but when she tries to tell others about her encounter with the wolf no on believes her, not her family, not her friends and not Cutter's Landing sheriff, Michael Morris. She returns to Cutters Bend looking for answers as to how the wolf like creature came to be. A creature left to roam, torn between this world and that of the outer world wreaking havoc where ever he goes.

EXCERPT
     Like a man who had gone too long without food or water, he devoured her lips. She met him kiss-for-kiss, loving the feel of his lips on hers.
     The two hadn't made it to her bed, but had made love on her living room carpet. After making love, they had snuggled together on her sofa. The words Brody had whispered in her ear that night, "Now that I've found you, I'll never let you go," still thrilled her. She smiled at the memory and her cheeks flushed in the darkness…
     She turned back around and leaned over the seat and removed the lid from the cooler, her fingers skimmed over a cold can of soda.
     "What the hell!"
     At Brody's shout, Marissa jerked and turned her head. A creature, a dark, obscenely–shaped wolf, sat on the car hood. Wild, red-rimmed, yellow eyes glared through the windshield like a predator stalking its prey.
     Its long, black snout opened. Jagged fangs dripped dark blood, and it snarled like a rabid dog.
Brody gripped the wheel and swerved. The headlights danced crazily in the night sky, then held steady on Mile Marker 59.

Be sure and leave B. J. a comment so you'll be entered in the drawing for a free copy of MILE MARKER 59.

BUY LINKS            B&N NOOK            SMASHWORDS         KOBO



Friday, May 15, 2015

CTRL+F Is My Editing Friend: THAT

I recently had a manuscript edited by a professional editor. When she returned my document, I noticed every THAT in the document had been highlighted.She suggested I review each instance I used the word to see if I could change it to another word or eliminate it completely.

She made a comment to the effect the latest trend among editors is they believe the word THAT should be eliminated from the English language. I think she still likes me even though I gave her my opinion. Trends come and go, probably at the whims of the editors from the big New York publishing houses. Several years ago, the "trend" revolved around whether to use THAT or WHICH, with THAT tending to be favored. If I don't like the trend, I'll just wait five years, and maybe it will change.

However, I did realize I really did use the word THAT an awful lot in my manuscript. Like many writers, I tend to overuse the word. I truly felt grateful she pointed it out to me. In fact, do you have any idea how many times so far while writing this blog post I typed the word THAT only to delete it and reword my sentence? More than a handful.

I am not ready to ban the word THAT from the English language or my writing. However, I have decided from now on I need to review each use of the word THAT in my manuscripts. Can I eliminate it, use another word instead, or reword the sentence completely to create a more effective sentence?

Figure 2
The easiest way to accomplish this is to use the <CTRL> plus F feature on the computer keyboard to bring up the Find and Replace box. If you have never used it, you can access it by holding down the CTRL key usually found at the bottom of your keyboard and at the same time pressing the letter F. When you do, you will bring up a little box that looks like this (figure 2)
:

figure 3
In the Find what: window, type the word that. Then click on the Find Next button. By doing so, the feature will take you from the point of your cursor in your document to the next instance that the word appears. You will note that it highlights the word in your Word document.

Need to cut a couple hundred words from your manuscript? Try using CTRL+F to find all the times you use the word THAT in your manuscript.

By going through your document in this manner, you can review each time you use the word THAT to see if you want it to stay as is, or if you want to make a change. The following is a section of rough draft from my current work in progress. (Oh, all right, I admit I salted it with a few more thats than I originally wrote.) But, by seeing how I originally wrote the sentence and reviewing some possible changes, it can give a writer an idea of how she or he might improve her/his writing style.


     She had lost everyone that was important to her in her life. Since the time that she had been little, she had heard how the War Between the States had been hard on the Parmley family. Her father, Jacob, had fought, caught up in that bloody conflict between Missouri and Kansas. Her older brother, Jacob Junior, called Jake, was a product of their parents still being together before he enlisted at the start of that war. Evidently, Papa had come on leave long enough for her to be conceived, although the war was over before he saw her at two years old. Then had come her little brother. Thinking back on her father's tendency for depression, Lulu realized that because of the war, in some ways, her father had left the family emotionally long before his life ended.
     First, her mother and younger brother had died while the family still lived back in Missouri. That had left her father with two small children to care for along with his failing farm. Eventually, the lure of gold and silver strikes plus the desire to leave behind everything that reminded him of the war had tempted him to sell his farm and take his two children west.

     She had lost everyone who had been important to her. Since the time she had been little, she had heard how the Ward Between the States had been hard on the Parmley family. Her father, Jacob, had fought, caught up in the bloody conflict between Missouri and Kansas. Her older brother, Jacob Junior, called Jake, had been a product of their parents still being together before their father's enlistment. Evidently, Papa had come home on leave long enough for her to be conceived, although the war had ended before he saw her at two years of age. Then had come her little brother. Thinking back on her father's tendency for depression, Lulu realized because of the war, in some ways her father had left the family emotionally long before his life ended.
     first, her mother and younger brother had died while the family still lived back in Missouri. The loss had left her father with two small children to care for along with his failing farm. Eventually, the lure of gold and silver strikes plus the desire to leave behind him everything reminding him of the war had tempted him to sell his farm and take his two children west.

My editor friend would be proud of me. Not one time did I use the word THAT when I rewrote those two paragraphs. But, be kind and keep in mind it is still a rough draft. Those words may be changed even more before I get this story ready to submit for publication.



Robyn Echols writes using the pen name, Zina Abbott. Her novel, Family Secrets, has been published by Fire Star Press and is now available on Amazon HERE and on Barnes & Nobel for Nook HERE

Also available from Prairie Rose Publications:

Big Meadows Valentine, on Amazon Kindle HERE and on Nook HERE . The second novella in the Eastern Sierra Brides 1884 series, A Resurrected Heart, is available on Amazon Kindle HERE and on Nook HERE.


Tuesday, May 12, 2015

#NewRelease -- PRINCE CHARMING WORE SPURS by Nan O'Berry -- #Giveaway!

Growing up, I remember sitting for long hours watching the line up of cowboy shows that were in their hayday in the 60's. So when I was looking around for an idea, it accured to me, that cowboys were the American fairytale. They were, and still are, our knights in shinning armor. Therefore, it wasn't a stretch of the imagination to come up with Logan Malone. The trick was coming up with a twist. Something timely, that my readers might enjoy.

Sitting around with my fellow plot buddy, we were talking about music and I mentioned growing up how I loved Rodgers and Hammerstien's, Cinderella, with Stuart Damon and Leslie Ann Warren. We laughed about it, but I think the kernel was sown. That night in my dreams, I saw Gillian, all that riot of curls and her charming smile. The story seemed to take over and almost write itself.

As you are reading, I hope you invision Miss Celeste Holmes as Celeste Tate, the matchmaker, fairy godmother. Its always fun to see who people see as the hero and heroine. I can't wait to hear who your choices are. Please, enjoy Prince Charming Wore Spurs and come meet the Malones of the Bar M, Logan, Jason, and Troy as they navigate the sometimes wild ride to find their true loves.  -- Nan O'Berry  http://oberrynan.wix.com/nanoberryauthor

BLURB

Fairy tales do exist—just ask Gillian Malone!

When rancher Logan Malone drags his feet on finding love, his five-year-old daughter, Gillian, persuades a local matchmaker to help her find a new mother.

Enter Delaney Holmes, a Washington socialite fleeing from the press after being left at the altar. Swearing off men, she takes the job as a nanny to a precocious five-year-old in a backwoods Texas town called Indigo Springs.

But Logan Malone is a six-foot cowboy hero complete with white hat and a swagger that puts John Wayne to shame. Can he put away the ghost of Gillian's mother to follow the rules of the Fairy Tale Code in order to win Delaney's heart? Or will Delaney's secret past keep him from proposing?

With true love at stake, there’s only one thing for sure—in this real life fairy tale, PRINCE CHARMING WORE SPURS—and it’s going to take some powerful magic to ensure a “happily ever after” ending!

EXCERPT

     “So, Gillian, do you mind telling me why you asked me to come?”
Gillian Malone placed her cake fork beside the plate. “You always tell my daddy you will do anything for us.”
     “Yes, I do. Your granddaddy and I are good friends,” Celeste said.
     Gillian swallowed and pressed her hands down the front of her pink dress. “Well, I need something badly…very badly.”
     Celeste held up a finger to silence the little girl while the waiter served them a bowl of fresh homemade ice cream. When he was out of earshot, she said, “Continue.”
     “I’m going to be this many this summer.”
     Celeste watched her hold up six fingers.
     “And I don’t have a mother. Daddy is too busy to bring one home.” She took a deep breath and looked straight into Celeste’s face. “I would like to hire you to find me one.”
     Celeste Tate blinked. Her hand paused over the bowl, and she stared at the child. 

Be sure and leave a comment to enter the giveaway.  Nan will be giving away a free ebook to one lucky winner.

BUY LINKS                           B&N Nook            Smashwords



Friday, May 1, 2015

The People and the Forest -- Spring Is Here by Jae Hall

Cat, Blackie and Kamisha
May is here and that means five birthdays in my family.
So starting today May 1, Happy Birthday to Carl, Scout, Venice, Migel, and Frank. I know we'll be celebrating on the ranch with cake and maybe a pizza or bbq.

The forest provides a wide variety of foods and medicines, so it's time to gather even more plants for future use.

I was going to spotlight chaparral, but due to my camera dying, I haven't taken enough good photos. Also the toxic bloom is raising cane with my allergies. I'll save that special herb and it's uses for later in the summer so this  blog is about a variety of spring topics, and of course plants.

I've been out gathering  and it's always fun to take the family out and learn something new. A plant we call Princess Pine has been used in our family for many generations. The tea can be used for arthritis and kidney illnesses. Always use caution and test for allergies.
Hunter picking Princess Pine
Scout

Great Grandma Betty and Scout 
Hunter and Scout
Princess Pine



Dogwood
Dogwood Tree
A tree that has beautiful blossoms in the spring is our wild Dogwood tree. This year due to a very mild winter, lack of water and impending drought, our Dogwood is blooming early.










Pussy Ears

We generally take a day drive up into the mountains at the end of May to gather Dogwood blossoms along with other wild flowers. We use them to decorate our family graves for Memorial Day. This year everything is blooming 4-6 weeks early so our flower supply will be limited.
Here are a few of our annual flowers that are currently blooming in the northern California  forests.

Mule Ear Daisy
Trillium
Siskiyou Lewisia
Miners Lettuce


Copper and blooming Chaparral

Red Bells

Lupine
 Spring Colds and flu have hit many hard around here.

Young Western Red Cedar
Mature Western Red Cedar

Cold and flu season has depleted my supply of  Western Red Cedar.

Cedar is our go to for chest congestion and respiratory illnesses. Always remember to identify plants correctly before using. We only use the Western Red Cedar. Other varieties may have similar or different properties and uses.

These photos are of  young Western Red Cedar and a mature tree.

I gather the green foliage and dry for a tea. We use it in place of, or in conjunction with, commercially produced flu remedies.
I gather the berries for decorations and jewelry. Again. know your plants and if possible go out with someone knowledgeable.

After 30+ years,  I'm still not used to the idea that my husband no longer fells timber and there will be no summer long camp-outs in the forest. The time I've spent living in the deep forest and taking pictures of trees and plants has contributed to the background information in many of my stories. Spending weeks away from modern conveniences is at the top of my fun list.

Some of my photos of my husband cutting down danger trees near roadways and tourists camps have become a part of on my book covers.

My children are also in the forest/logging industry and work to keep the forest healthy as our family has done for countless generations.

At the end of the day we all give thanks that we are able to spend our life out in nature passing down generations of knowledge and skills, enjoying good company, and watching the sun set on yet another great day in the northern California forest. It's our Shasta tradition.
Jae Hall lives in far Northern California with her husband, the Shasta tribal Chief, family, cats, dogs and over a dozen horses. She is the co-author of Arcadia Publishing history books Western Siskiyou, Gold and Dreams, and Shasta Nation. Through PRP is the novel TimberBeast and she has Indie published the second book in her TimberBeast series, DutchMan.
More fiction and non-fiction books are coming soon.