Travel to the Dorset Coast and Lyme Regis

There are lots of things I don't like about the Internet (you know what I mean. Dangerous stuff. People trying to spam you or steal your identity or people who write really awful things in the comments section of online newspaper articles. People tend to go a little crazy at times just because the Internet allows them to be anonymous).

But...I also love lots of things on the Internet. I get to meet people from all over the world. I have access to so much information and so much...oh, just fun stuff.

If I want to travel, I can look at the place first to see if I really want to go there. I can even look at the inside of the hotel. And here on this blog, I can share that fun stuff and also take you on tours of some awesome places.

One of my favorite places ever is Lyme Regis on the Dorset Coast of England. There are other wonderful places there, too, that I haven't visited yet (but I've seen them online and I want to go). But Lyme Regis was a place we simply stumbled upon once and then we went back later. It's this wonderfully picturesque little town, known for its fossils, its cliffs, beaches and pretty buildings. It's also a place that Jane Austen wrote about in her book, Persuasion. John Fowles lived in Lyme Regis for 35 years and based his novel The French Lieutenant's Woman  there. When the movie was filmed, the town had to be made to look like a town of 1867, and the opening scene where Meryl Streep walks out onto the Cobb (a harbor wall that snakes into the ocean), has been stamped into the memories of tourists for years.

I wanted to find an all-inclusive  good video of the place, but many of them were either very long, had music that didn't quite fit the mood or were blurry. So, here is, first of all, a map showing Dorset and Lyme Regis:

Followed by some pictures (taken from the Lyme Regis official site www.lymeregis.org:

One of the few videos I found that wasn't overly long (you can click off the advertising at the bottom):


A good view of the Cobb in my favorite form (time lapse). You can see the tiny people walking out onto the Cobb:


And here's the trailer from The French Lieutenant's Woman (which I saw so long ago that I don't remember anything about it other than that awesome beginning scene on The Cobb):



I'm not sure I'll ever get back there again, so it's nice to be able to "visit" online. If you'd like to see more of the area, you can go to their website, click on their virtual tours and be treated to panoramic views of the Cobb, the gardens, the town and the beach (use the controls beneath the picture to stop the auto-turning or go full screen). Click here to enjoy your virtual tour of Lyme Regis! (It takes a few seconds to load).

Best Wishes and happy traveling!

Postage Stamps as Art

I love it when people get really creative and repurpose objects. In this case, artist Pete Mason creates amazing works of art (portraits, landscapes) using postage stamps. Here's the latest, a portrait of William and Kate.

And here's a link to an article on Pete Mason (via Presurfer) at at 1800recycling.com where the artist talks a bit about his process and you can see more of his work.

What do you think? (I think I might not have the patience to do this. I'm in awe of people who can knit whole sweaters when I pretty much stop at rectangular objects). I guess we each have our strengths and talents. So have you ever or do you now dabble in art? Crafts? Writing? Gardening?

Have a great day doing...whatever it is that you enjoy.

Best Wishes,

Meal in Less Than 30 Minutes - pasta salad

When I'm rushed for lunch, I want something fast but filling. So, I like to throw together a pasta salad as a side dish for dinner and make enough to get me through several lunches. No exact measurements here. Just use as much or as little as you like.



Pasta (I like tri-color rotini for visual appeal but you can use any kind of pasta)
Chopped green onions or chopped red onions
Chopped green and/or red peppers
Cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half or quartered
Sliced Pepperoni (I usually quarter it, too) or you could substitute chopped ham or bacon
Sliced black olives and/or any other veggies of your choice (broccoli, celery, shredded or grated carrots)
Shredded or cubed cheeses of your choice.
Your favorite Italian dressing (or whatever dressing you like. Be creative).

Cook the pasta, toss everything together, chill and you have a side dish for dinner and a filling lunch with the leftovers.

What's your favorite go-to fast lunch or dinner dish?

Best Wishes,

Dream Furniture

I get emails from Craft Gossip and I saw this piece from decorhacks.com on there. The desk is located at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.


I know that some people will be appalled at using books this way, but as is pointed out in the article (or maybe it was in the comments) there are so many books that end up unwanted, out of date and unused that this seems like a great way to save some of them.


What about you? Can you think of anything creative to do with unwanted books? (I liked the idea someone posted about making a lamp). How about affixing one to a standard metal or wooden bookend?

Here's the link to the article in Decor Hacks, if you're interested. 

Have a great day! Read a book! (Or save a book)?


Best Wishes,

Yesterday

I'm not sure if I lost anyone yesterday, but just in case anyone had trouble getting on the site, I'm extending the contest one day (and adjusting each week accordingly). I was unable to access the site for most of the day (some problem with the place where my site is registered and which forwards my domain name to Blogger), but I was assured that most people could see it even if I couldn't. So, my apologies if you got one of those "unable to access the site" pages. Hopefully, everything is fine now. Page down for today's true post, a look at video clips from all the versions of the movie Jane Eyre that have been made over the years. See you there!

Best,

Jane Eyre Through the Years

Jane Eyre was one of the first love stories I ever read, possibly the very first, and it remains one of my favorites. It has been made into a movie many times, the latest in release now. So, here's a walk down memory lane. I tried to find a trailer from all the Jane Eyre films that were ever made (not sure if any are missing). And since a trailer wasn't available for most, short clips have been substituted. (I wanted to keep them short, so you'll see the  first meeting of Jane and Mr. Rochester several times. Apparently the horse scene is one of the shortest clips available). Here they are, in order, from earliest to most recent:

1934 -


1943 - Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine


1970 - Susannah York and George C. Scott


1973 -


1983 - Timothy Dalton


1996 - the Franco Zeffirelli version with William Hurt


1997 -


2006 -


2011 -


So, what do you think of Jane Eyre, and if you've seen any of these movies, which was your favorite?
I've only seen a couple of them, but I do want to see this latest one.

Best Wishes!

Reminder - We're Having a Contest!

Just a reminder for new visitors. We're having a contest. Just post a comment and you'll be entered to win an Amazon gift card. Details on the contest page.

Is it Vacation Time Yet?

We like to camp and hike when we get the chance, so we've visited a significant portion of the national parks in the US. We've met a lot of new people that way (always fun!) and many of the people we've met have been from other countries, so this chart doesn't come as a surprise to me. Still, wouldn't it be nice to have an entire month of vacation a year? Sometimes I think we'd all be a lot calmer and work harder if we knew we had some major vacation time waiting for us. (And I'm not trying to be unAmerican. I'm just...fantasizing).

via bitsandpieces.us

What are your favorite places to go when you're on vacation? I love Bar Harbor in Maine, Yellowstone, San Diego, and Banff in Canada, just to name a few. Any fun or funny vacation stories? I've had a few incidents with winds that broke my tent poles, hiking up on a mama bear with her cubs, and 4 straight days of rain in Nova Scotia so that my rain poncho practically attached itself to my body.

And is there any place you've never been that you seriously are longing to visit? (I've never been to Hawaii or the Netherlands or France and would love to go to any of those. I'd like to revisit England, too).

Best Wishes,

Rose Blooming - Double Post Day!

Just in case you live in a part of the world where it feels as if warm weather will never get here, here's a shot of summer:

Best Wishes!

What Makes a Hero?

I spend a lot of time with heroes (and I don't mean just the fictional ones), so I've often asked myself what it is that sets a hero apart from other men. Looks?

Well, a broad set of shoulders, a nice smile, long legs, muscles…those are all nice, but those aren't the real draw when push comes to shove (after I finish looking).

Neither is perfection. Perfection is boring, so a hero may come across as overbearing or even a bit unprincipled at first. As long as he eventually changes his colors and does the right thing, I'm good with that. In fact, the journey from problem guy to good guy makes him more interesting and intriguing.

So, what characteristics must a guy have for me to consider him a hero? The list changes now and then. It's always evolving, but here are some of the attributes I've come up with that shout "hero" to me:

A sense of humor, first and foremost. If he can't laugh and make me laugh, there's  a problem.

Staying reasonably cool during times of stress. I'm not sure if that's just no-nonsense me or if it's more universal than that, but I need a hero who doesn't fuss or lose his head. At least not too often. He can get angry or upset. He just can't run screaming into the night.

My idea of a hero is also someone who is unswayed by peer pressure (or any other kind of pressure) but who is willing to listen to reason and will change his mind if he decides that he was wrong.

He'll always look out for those weaker than himself.

He'll try to do the right thing rather than the expedient thing.

Intelligence is key.

In the end, what I'm looking for is a man I can't ignore, one who commands respect and admiration. He's larger than life. He's strong with strong opinions, but the heroine makes him weak. However, in the end, she also makes him stronger, a better man than he was in the first place. How can you not love a guy like that?

Here are a few of my favorite heroes from fiction or movies (some of these are old).

Christian from Laura Kinsale's Flowers from the Storm

Reginald from Mary Jo Putney's The Rake and the Reformer

WALL-E (come on, he was a true hero and very romantic)

Rhett Butler

Shrek (not physically attractive, but Fiona brings out the best in him and he goes

    to his fate willingly, even eagerly. He makes sacrifices for love).

Sebastian in Loretta Chase's Lord of Scoundrels

James Garner's character in The Notebook (sorry, I didn't read the book)

Peeta from The Hunger Games

Dan Calebo from Susan Elizabeth Phillips' It Had to Be You (or pretty much any

  of her heroes)

Shane from Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer's Agnes and the Hitman

I could go on, but I don't want to bore you to tears (Run! Save yourselves)! Instead, I'll just ask, what traits have I missed or what do you want to see in a hero that differs from my list?

And here's the fun part (I think). Name some of your favorite heroes. I'm always looking for new books and movies.

Best Wishes and Happy Reading! 

Inventive Facebook Profiles

I'm always looking for interesting blogs and websites (I know. I have no life, but...I do. I really do. I just like it when people get inventive in ways I never imagined). One of the places I visit now and then is oddee.com. Here's a story they did on people who went above and beyond with their Facebook profile. What do you think? Awesome? Too much? Kind of creepy? Fun? For that matter, what do you think about Facebook? Do you use it? If you do, how has it helped you? Or hasn't it?

Here's the link to the story at Oddee.

Come back and visit. The contest goes on!

Best Wishes,

A Trip Down Memory Lane...

Time Magazine did a story on the 100 greatest toys of all time, so of course I just had to see what made the cut. Some of them just didn't do it for me (I don't know why, but I was just never a big Sock Monkey man. Love the car commercial with the dancing, rapping stuffed animals, but to play with the real toy? Not for me). Others, such as Chatty Cathy, brought back funny memories (the doll was a Christmas present and, somehow, the string had gotten snagged and the "present' started talking before I had actually opened it). And some just left me with a warm glow of favorite childhood memories:

I'm not sure if Golden Books really should rank as toys, but they certainly figured prominently in my childhood I also loved those comic books based on classic books. Long gone, and they're now collector's items, but lots of fun and a good intro into the full book. I believe that Warner is now publishing graphic novels based on the classics. I think that's a great idea!

Here's the complete list and the article (via Presurfer):

All-Time 100 Greatest Toys

Full List of 100 Greatest Toys

So, are any of your favorite toys on that list? Are there any of your favorites that didn't make it? What toys or games take you on a warm trip down memory lane? And the big question...do you still have any of them? (I confess that I have Barbie dolls in my attic. I'm afraid to look and see what shape they're in. I know for sure that Barbie had a little tear at the neckline, so that her head kept falling off. And Ken? Oh, poor Ken. He was one of those with fuzzy hair, and part of his hair wore away, so a good friend and I colored his blond hair black with a marker and then coated it with clear nail polish so that it would stay. What a sad experience for a hero)!

I hope your toys fared better than that!

Best Wishes, happy memories and happy reading!

New Contest! (second post for today)

I'm beginning a new contest here at the website, one which will be tied to the Comments section of the Blog (or Home page). All you have to do is comment on the blog and you'll automatically be entered. You can enter once a day. The only restrictions are that you must be 18 to enter. Comments (in order) will be assigned a number and the numbers will be fed into a random number generator to decide the winners.

The prizes this time will be Amazon gift cards, as follows:
Today, March 22-March 31 - one $10 gift card
April 1-April 7 - one $15 gift card
April 9 - April 15 - one $20 gift card

And remember, you can always check the Contest page for current contest information.

Best Wishes, 

Okay, Monday's Over and It's Tuesday. On to the Tough Stuff

A fun quiz for people who know everything (well, maybe almost everything). Via Miss Cellania

And yes, no matter how you do on this quiz, just remember, "We're all special. That makes all of us winners."

A quiz for those who know everything

Have fun with it, enjoy your day and happy reading!

Best Wishes, 

How's Your Monday Going?

Oh yeah, for some of us it's one of those kinds of days. Time to put my head back under the covers.

Actually, no, I'm good (early riser and all that). Disgusting, I know, if you're not a morning person. But rest assured, you get payback on us early risers. Just when you're ready to party at night, our eyelids are drooping and we miss all that fun. How about you? Early or late riser? (Oh, and no, this cat doesn't belong to me).

Double Post Day! - How Do You Like Your Chocolate?

I'm a chocolate lover (as in if chocolate had a lot fewer calories, I might eat it for breakfast). I think a lot of women are.  Here's an article I found about the Chocolate Hills in the Phillipines. There's no real chocolate involved, just some very cool hills that look, as the article says, a lot like chocolate kisses. Awesome, and yes, I would like to know more, but mostly right now I'd like some real chocolate.

Read About the Chocolate Hills

Are you a chocoholic or one of the people who keep wondering what all the fuss is about? And if you are, how do you like your chocolate? In cookies, cakes, pies, ice cream or will only the real deal (straight milk or dark chocolate) do?

Insurance Questions for Writers (updated)

I'm slowly feeding in articles that appeared on my other website, but as I do that, I'm editing and updating them. As always, feel free to ask questions. I'm more than willing to discuss writing.

INSURANCE QUESTIONS FOR WRITERS

          QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE BOOK

by Myrna Mackenzie

1.   What is the conflict?

2.   Does the book start with a bang and a hook that makes it

       impossible for the reader to put the book down?

3.   Who is my hero and who is my heroine?

      What incidents in the past motivate them?

      Are they sympathetic? (If the answer is yes, prove it. 

      Give 3 or 4 concrete examples of why a reader will

       believe in this character).

4.   Does every scene in the book serve a purpose (move the

       plot along)? If so, be able to state the purpose in one or

       two sentences.

5.   Does every secondary character have a good reason for

        being there? Again, be able to state the purpose in a couple of

        sentences.

6.   Do you have compelling scene and chapter endings that make the

        reader want to continue reading?

7.   Why (concrete reasons) does the hero fall in love with

        the heroine?

      Why does the heroine fall in love with the hero?

Obviously this question is tailored for romance writers. If you're writing suspense, you'll want to ask yourself other things, such as: Have I left clues (logical but not too obvious) along the way? Have I inserted a few red herrings? Does the resolution of the mystery make sense and have I introduced the perpetrator early enough in the book? (No fair bringing the person in late in the story or having it be a character who doesn't actually appear in the story. I once read a contest entry where the criminal was a relative of one of the characters, someone the reader had never actually even heard of. Nothing will make your reader more angry than, essentially, tricking him or her. On the other hand, writing a villain who is in plain sight and keeping the reader guessing as to who the culprit might be is what makes writing and reading suspense so much fun).

8.   How does the hero change by the end of the book? Why?

      How does the heroine change by the end of the book? (Again, why)?

       (Or, if this is a different type of book, simply: How do my major

       characters change by the end of the book? And what makes them

       change)?

9.   What is the black moment?  Is it strong?

10.  How is the conflict resolved?  Do the main characters

       solve their own problems? (They should).

Yes, I Am a Confessed House Nut...

Following up the article on tree houses I posted, I might as well confess one of my weaknesses. I'm one of those people who loves to tour houses even if I don't really intend to move. If I had the money, I'm sure I'd have a revolving array of residences just because I am fascinated by anything to do with buildings. So, This Old House and Ask This Old House are must sees for me. And when I first started writing, I collected those wonderful magazines with drawings of houses (and house plans you can order). I used them for the settings of several of my hero's houses. (Nowadays my heroes tend to live in houses that are far too large and unique to find them in lists of house plans). Of course, I adore estate sales (I adore them anyway, but getting to see the inside of a house I've walked past hundreds of times is an added bonus), and if I didn't feel it was unfair to a poor, struggling Realtor, I'd frequent open houses. Just because it's so much fun. Empty houses are like Fantasyland for me, more fun than an amusement park.

So, now that I've made that more than clear (sorry for gushing), here's an article on some totally awesome and wild houses made from water towers. Can you imagine? Do you see any you'd want to live in? I think I'd really like to at least see the inside of the first one, the one that looks a bit like a lighthouse. Is that great or what? (And yes, I will admit that even to a house lover like me, a couple of these looked a bit creepy inside, a bit like a horror movie set. Not sure I'd want to be there at night).

Water Tower Houses  (via Presurfer.com)

So what do you think? A dream home? A horror? What's your favorite type of house? (I'm not sure what mine is. I like so many of them, but I know I like big, sweeping staircases and a lot of open space).

Have a wonderful day! Best Wishes,

Everybody Manga!

Sorry, but doesn't the word manga sound like some sort of dance?

Of course that's not the case. Manga are Japanese comics, and I've finally had my first reprint (At the Billionaire's Bidding) translated into the Manga format. I know it sounds silly but I've been hoping for this, and I'm so excited that I just had to share! Who knew one of my romances would ever appear in comic form?

Here's the cover:

And here's part of the inside (sorry it's a bit crooked, but you get the idea):

Forgive me for being so bouncy about this. (I know I've gone a bit over the top here).

Best Wishes and Have a Great Day!

It's That Time Again...

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, the day when all the world is Irish!

And as part of my annual celebration, here's Danny Boy (and yes, my son was in the choir at the time this was recorded):



And from a list of Irish Blessings:

"May the saddest day of the future be no worse then the happiest day of your past."

Have a wonderful, happy and very green day!

Best Wishes,

The Appalachian Trail in Under 5 Minutes

If you've always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail but don't have time to walk more than 2100 miles, here's an amazing stop-motion video of the trail someone put together (you may want to let it load a couple of minutes). Also, if you want to read a great book about hiking the trail and have never read Bill Bryson's A WALK IN THE WOODS, it's a must read. Fun and funny and informative.



Enjoy and happy virtual hiking!

Another Fascinating Time Waster (I Love These Things)!

There is something about time lapse photography that catches my attention every time, I mean, how awesome is it that I can, in 30 seconds, watch something that took 3 whole months to take place?

I've always been drawn to the concept of speeding up time and can still remember my third grade teacher showing us footage of flowers opening. I was mesmerized. So, if you have a few seconds to kill, here's a video (found via presurfer.com) of grapes turning into raisins.



Enjoy!

A Note About Series Books...

Over the years, I've taken part in a number of book series, a couple all my own, but mostly with other authors. Some have been written within my regular line, the Silhouette and Harlequin Romance lines, and some have been completely separate. As I add to my Bookshelf and ebook pages, I'll try to include those other books so that you can see the complete series. But for now, while I'm still getting up to speed (yes, it's taking longer than I'd like), here are the series in question:

The Wedding Auction Series (there were 2 sets of 3 books each, all by me)

The Brides of Red Rose Series (written by me)

The Maitland Maternity Series (a 3-book series with Marie Ferrarella, Stella Bagwell and myself)

Family Secrets (a 12 book series with multiple authors)

The Lone Star Country Club (a 4-book series with Beverly Bird, Martha Shields, Elizabeth Harbison and myself)

The Fortunes of Texas Reunion (a 12-book series with various authors)

Montana Mavericks: Wed in Whitehorn (part of a 4-book series with multiple authors)

(this is one of 3 different covers that have appeared on this book)

In a Fairy Tale World (6 books, 6 authors)

Shakespeare in Love (a 3-book series with Elizabeth Harbison, Karen Rose Smith, and myself) 

The Wedding Planners (a 6-book series with Linda Goodnight, Melissa James, Shirley Jump, Melissa McClone, Susan Meier and myself) 

And Girls Weekend in Vegas (a 4-book series with Jackie Braun, Shirley Jump, Melissa McClone and myself)

Some of these feature stand alone books (books that are linked to the others, but which have no mystery or thread which is woven through all of them); some of them are linked more tightly. What are your feelings on series? Do you enjoy them? If so, do you like longer series? Shorter? More tightly linked? Less tightly linked?

Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

Where Would We Be Without Artists?

I'm always in awe of people who can draw and paint and create works of art. The imaginative ideas they come up with are often inspiring. And as a writer who is always reaching for the nearest pen or pencil, I'm especially appreciative of this artist who carves designs in pencils. Amazing!

Pencil Art

I could never do something that clever and talented, but I'm so glad that someone else can (and did). By the way, this artist, Dalton Ghetti , is carving a graphite teardrop for each 9/11 victim, a project he anticipates will take him 10 years.

Best Wishes,

The Beauty of Science

Sometimes you see something that's so fascinating and awe inspiring and beautiful that it's difficult to look away. Here (via BBC News and a site called everlasting blort) are images from this year's Wellcome Image Awards. These images are really scientific and not meant to be art. They have an important purpose, even a noble purpose, but they're also incredibly striking (and interesting).

Science as Art

Enjoy and Best Wishes!

Herbed Salmon - Meals When You Don't Have Much Time

Here's another quick and easy meal for those days when you're rushing around (the way I seem to be all the time). I originally found this on All Recipes and changed it slightly to suit our tastes:

Cover the bottom of a baking pan with foil.
Lightly brush a little olive oil on the foil (or if you have spray olive oil, give it a spritz).
Put the salmon on the foil skin side down.
Brush the salmon with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder and italian herbs.
If you have spray olive oil, lightly spray the salmon to hold the herbs in place.
Broil for 12-14 minutes. Delicious!

Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

Come On, Spring!!!

I always feel impatient at this time of year. When the first above freezing day appears, I'm grateful for any shred of warmth. But after a few weeks (now), I want more. I'm greedy. I want green, birds, flowers, some sign that winter is going to be over soon.

Has anyone seen a robin yet? (If so, where are you? I haven't seen one...and I want to).

How about a crocus?

Or a snowdrop?

Or the first green tips of a tulip? Too soon? Am I just being childish? (Probably). How about you? Are you ready (more than ready) for spring?







Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

Double Post Day!

Just because I know not everyone here is interested in articles on writing books (I try to keep them to once a week or so) and because there's something about this song (I think it's from Pete's Dragon) that touches me. And also because all the flowers remind me of spring (which is, hopefully, going to make an appearance very soon)!



I hope you enjoy!

Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

How to Stay Sane While Writing a Book

In the middle of every book, there comes a point when I insist on believing that I don't know what I'm doing. This in spite of the fact that I have written over 40 books and I have survived all of them and even won an award or two.

Still, writing can be a scary process. There are no real rules, which makes it both wonderful and frightening. Without rules, there is no blueprint, no "this is how you do it." I suppose that's a good thing. If one could "write by number" simply by following the rules, the accomplishment of writing a book would be a lot less special.

And it is special. Finishing is wonderful. Knowing that you have a whole story with characters who come to life on the page is an extraordinarily fantastic sensation.

So…how to make things a bit less stressful while getting from Page 1 to The End? Here are some things that have worked for me. (I'm not going into plotting here. Not everyone plots, even though I do).

1. Make a timeline. This may be something you do before you begin or it may be a work in progress as you go along. Depending on your book, it can be very detailed or very sketchy. I just find that it helps me to know where I am in the book. It grounds me.

2. Somewhere, scribble down what your conflict (and all of its components are). It's easy to lose sight of the main problem once you get into the details. Don't lose your way. Write it down.

3. Keep a list of characters as they come on the scene. As I'm writing along, sooner or later, I'm going to add a character I hadn't planned on. If I don't write that person's name down right then (and their role in the story), I can guarantee that somewhere down the line, I'll need to remember their details and unless I've written that info down, a hurried search will follow. (Note: don't forget the animals' names if there are any).

4. Have all the details of your main characters at hand (eye color, background, problems, relationships with other characters). It saves time (and keeps you from making mistakes, especially if you've written a lot of books and a lot of characters).

5. If you have a question about some fact (or word) and you don't want to lose your flow, highlight that section on your computer or post a note. Just remember to go back and fix that later.

6. Start collecting a set of reference books or a list of websites that will help you when you need help fast and keep them at your fingertips. Whether it's something as simple as dictionary.com (which is also the same site as thesaurus.com), a grammar site, a fact checking site or the one that holds the key to your heroine's career details, it helps to have all of that at the ready. You don't want to have to stop for too long once the story is moving.

7. If you have difficulties with certain types of punctuation or a tendency to use the words "and then" (or whatever your problem words or phrases may be) all the time and you know these things, stick a big old note card on a bulletin board or the wall to remind yourself to go back and do a search for these things at the end. That takes the pressure off yourself now. You can worry about it later.

8. Even if you're not a plotter, you'll (eventually) need to have certain things happen for your story to be tense and compelling. If it helps (but not if it doesn't), stop and think about what major events (problems) have happened and what still needs to happen for you to carry the story through to a satisfactory ending. Sometimes when I start to feel that I'm wandering off the path, it helps for me to stop and take stock of where I've been and where I'm going. Occasionally, I'll discover at this point that I've included a scene that doesn't really help the plot or I'll find that a scene has been written from the wrong character's viewpoint. If that happens, I may have to go back and rewrite. I'd rather do it now than continue down the wrong road, but this is a very personal choice. (I have been known to write brief notes titled "what must happen" just to keep myself on track. These are mere scribbles, but they work for me. They probably won't work for everyone).

9. If it helps for you to edit as you go (I edit yesterday's pages before I write today's pages), don't let anyone tell you that you have to finish the book before editing. If this works for you, do it. If it doesn't, don't do it.

10.  Scribble out a brief description of the main places where your book will take place, or even print out a picture (or put it on your computer) if you can find one. Knowing where everything is and not having to worry about whether you've inadvertently moved things around helps.

These are just some of the things I do (and I don't do all of them with every book) to make things easier on myself. Use what works for you and discard the rest. And if you have any tips of your own, please share them in the comments section.

Best Wishes and Happy Reading (and Writing)! 

It's Mardi Gras!

It's Mardi Gras and in honor of that, here's a video on New Orleans from Lonely Planet.



And because...well, here in Chicago, Fat Tuesday is Paczki (poonch-key) day, here's a whole lot of Paczki!



Happy Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Paczki Day!

So, If You're Afraid of Heights, You Might Not Want One of These...

Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain. - Mark Twain


I have a confession to make. I have done a lot of hiking in my day. And a lot of upward hiking. To high places. Sometimes very high places. Mt. Washington, Mt. Lassen, Mt Champlain, Mt....okay, you get the picture. It's beautiful when you get to the top. Amazing. Wonderful. With fantastic, far reaching views of...everything. There's nothing quite like that sense of accomplishment, that feeling that you're alone with nature. 


And yet, I'm afraid of heights. Especially if there isn't a railing, no matter how skinny and rickety the railing. I want it. I need it. I don't like precarious stuff, or shaky stuff or "Look at that! If you took one more stop you would fall all the way down there," stuff. In fact, if you read my books, you'll find more than one character who also has a fear of heights. Hmm, wonder where that came from. 


But despite that fear, I'm also fascinated by people who do dare to go up rather than down. Willingly. And I'm especially intrigued by people who choose to build high things. High, towering things. High, shaky, towering things that you might easily fall out of if you leaned too far or if the wind blew or if the tree fell down.


Tree? Did I say tree? Yes, here direct from the brainz.org site, is an article on 10 Most Precariously  Placed Treehouses on Earth. I'm not going up in any of those...but I want to. I want to be that strong, that fearless. And heck, I just want to be able to say that I did it. I want the t-shirt and the photo from on high.

And you? What are your big (but not too big) fears? Heights? Snakes? Birds that talk? Crying babies? And how do you deal with them? Head on or avoidance? (And do you now or did you ever have a treehouse or at least get to go up in one? I never did, and now I'm obsessed with treehouses? They are awesome)!


Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

Time Wasters...but in a Good Way

Regret for wasted time is more wasted time. - Mason Cooley, O Magazine, April 2004

There are weeks when I feel as if I'm simply spinning my wheels, trying to accomplish something and yet seemingly accomplishing very little. This is usually when I have a plot problem I can't figure out, when a character has said "I don't want to do that. Find something else for me to do" or when I have a particularly distasteful job to do. 

During those times, the Internet, which is usually this wonderful, magical place (what I think of as "fun at my fingertips") develops this irresistible pull. Like the best chocolate. Like your first glimpse of snow capped mountains. Like romance. Okay, scratch that. Maybe the lure of the internet doesn't even rank anywhere near what romance does, but still, it's very difficult to keep myself from wandering around looking for all kinds of awesome things.

Amazon is one of the places I hang out. I have a saved list of interesting items that would break the bank if I even bought half of the things I find there. Etsy is another one. Visiting Etsy is like wandering into a maze or a very thick forest (a beautiful forest) and instead of looking for the way out, I just keep moving deeper and deeper into the woods (or the maze) until long periods of time have slipped away and I'm not even close to the exit. The intrigue of all of those handmade items, some clunky, some useful, some amazingly beautiful and some absolute works of art totally captivates me. Home-based soapmakers, jewelry makers, personalized items, things that aren't mass produced. It's positively riveting, but...tick, tick, tick...where did that hour go? It slipped away, but you know? I don't feel as if it was wasted time. I found new treasures. While I was there a story idea came to me. I did some birthday shopping, came up with ideas for next year's Christmas and, on the days when I bought something, I helped a small business person move a step closer to achieving their dreams. Entrepreneurship lives, and I can feel good about that. 

Lately, I have a new time waster, although it may not be new to you. Have you ever clicked over to Mental Floss and looked at their Amazing Fact Generator? There's something totally hypnotic about it. Click and a fact (an amazing fact!) pops up. And like potato chips, you can't have just one. You have to click again. And again, until you have a whole brainful of facts! (brainful: new word--just made it up, I think. If not, kudos to whoever did make it up. I like it). I just know that at least one of these facts is going to show up in one of my books someday. So see there, universe, I wasn't wasting time. I was doing research. I just didn't know it at the time!

What are your favorite time wasters? They don't have to be Internet-related. I have a word game I play that also sucks up a lot of minutes when I let it (usually I don't. This one gets me through my time riding the stationary bike). Any activity will do. Kite flying. Reading television guides. Even (shock!) housework! It's all good and somehow (in my "let's rationalize this" mind) I think that we use all that stuff. Eventually. At least I hope I do. 

Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

Some of My Greatest Heroes and Heroines Have Been Teachers...

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.  ~Henry Brooks Adams

I've been thinking a lot about some of my favorite teachers lately, how they changed my life, where I would be now without them.  I'm sure I wouldn't be a writer. I owe my career in large part to a mother who was an avid reader, leading by example, and to those caring and inspiring teachers.

Each one of them taught me something and some taught me a great deal. A few literally turned my world in a different and exciting direction, setting my feet on a new path. There was the one who first taught me how to unlock the wonders that lay inside books. There was the teacher who made me realize that math could open doors for me that had been closed before (and yes, even writers need math). There was the eighth grade teacher who pulled me out of my shy shell and helped me learn to (joyfully) face an audience as a public speaker and as a very bad junior high actress, the high school teacher who first said, "You seem to have a talent for writing," and the college professor who pulled me aside and told me that he would like to see more of my stories.

These were not minor events in my life, even though I didn't always recognize them as major at the time. These were people who, despite low pay and not very good benefits, evenings spent grading papers and planning lessons when they would probably rather have been with their families, came to school every day...and inspired students like myself to believe in possibilities, to believe in themselves. What a wonderful gift! I haven't named them here for fear of leaving someone out and because this is a public forum and I haven't asked their permission to name them, but to those of you who teach...thank you. You are valued. You are valuable.

If you'd like to read about some famous teachers, here are a few:
John Dewey
Booker T. Washington
Julia Richman
Jaime Escalante

Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

Reading to a Dog? What Could be More Fun?

If you're here, I'm assuming that you're a reader. I'm a reader, too, of course, but I used to be a teacher, and in my years of teaching, I came across many children who really wanted to read, but they lacked confidence. They were uncertain and afraid that people would laugh at them if they made mistakes. Here's a story about a wonderful idea and a wonderful dog who helps children read by being their nonjudgmental audience of one.

I love it whenever someone comes up with an idea to bring the joy of books and reading to more children!

Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

Royal Wedding Anticipation

The days are flying by, and we're going to get to see another royal wedding! But in this town, people are actually getting invitations.Wouldn't that be awesome?



So are you excited about the upcoming wedding? Will you be staying up to watch it?

Best Wishes and Happy Reading,

It's Coming! Spring is Coming!

February 28th marked the last day of meteorological winter, so...even though spring won't officially be here for several more weeks, I'm already eagerly looking out the window waiting for the first robin, the first green buds and the first crocus to arrive.

In fact, after reading that I could plant poppies by scattering them on the snow (in winter no less!), I planted my first flowers of the season. I'm not really expecting them to come up. I'm not much of a gardener. Still, it felt as if I had taken a stand for spring. How about you? Are you ready for winter to end?

Best Wishes and Happy Reading!

World Compliment Day

Today is World Compliment Day. What a great idea to have a day not associated with any commercial endeavors (no cards, no gifts), just saying nice things to each other and recognizing how much we all need to appreciate each other. So to anyone visiting, I really appreciate your presence. You are special and remarkable and I hope that you have a fantastic day!

Best Wishes,

Building Things

I would love to be a person who builds things. To make a house out of nothing, to actually understand everything that goes into building structures and have the skills to make an actual home or something physically substantial. But each of us has our own special gifts and that's not mine. So, I enjoy the things that others build.

I hope you enjoy this little piece from How to Be a Retronaut, portraying what Stonehenge would be like if it had been packaged by IKEA. (Please click the link to see the whole piece at the original site).

What are you good at building? Is it a story, a favorite recipe, a garden? What do you consider to be your gifts?