I was tagged for a WiP game by a sister blogger with a fantastic book, Luccia Gray. Check out her blog, Rereading Jayne Eyre (http://lucciagray.com/all-about-jane-eyre/) and her book, All Hallows at Eyre Hall. She’s currently finishing the next book of her trilogy, Twelfth Night at Eyre Hall. The rule: Post the first sentence of the first three chapters of your current WiP. My current WiP is the next book in the Rhe Brewster mystery series, Death in a Dacron Sail. I’m currently doing the line edits, so what you read is what you will get with this book. Chapter 1 The lobster boat rocked violently against the pier as I backed down the ladder and extended my foot onto its heaving deck. Chapter 2 The midnight shift in the ER at Sturdevant was normally quiet, but it was a Friday night and a full moon, which meant a lot of loonies would be out. Chapter 3 Bob Morgan proved as pesky as ever, and I had three messages, all from him, on my cell phone when I finished my shift at the hospital around 8 PM. I hope you’ve read the first book in my series, Death in a Red Canvas Chair. Death in a Dacron Sail will be out late this fall. Look for it! I’m currently working on Death by Pumpkin. Think on that… I’m nominating my four of my favorite authors to carry on this WiP hop: R.M Byrd (http://byrdwords.wordpress.com/), Terry Tyler (http://terrytyler59.blogspot.com/) , Stepheny Houghtlin (http://stephenyhoughtlin.com/author/stephenyhoughtlin/), and Trisha Sugarek (http://www.writeratplay.com/ . Do check them out! 0 0
I’m a member of Rosie Amber’s book review team, and this week I reviewed Cleaver Square. Here is my review: Cleaver Square by Daniel and Sean Campbell is a British police procedural in the genre of the books by P.D. James and her character, Inspector Adam Dalgliesh. I was not disappointed in the story line, which kept me reading eagerly to the end, and with few exceptions, the main characters were interesting and well-drawn. Brothers Daniel and Sean have been writing together since 2012. Their first collaboration was Dead on Demand, which they wrote in 90 days, on a bet. In this book, DCI David Morton comes to life again, as he investigates the death of a child whose body is found frozen in a marshy area in London. The child appears to have no name until the very expensive watch found on the body leads Morton and his team to the foster system. There they find another child who is the real owner of the watch – or is he? Early in the investigation, Morton is the victim of identity fraud, leaving his and his wife’s bank accounts and retirement funds drained. Despite this rather huge distraction, Morton is determined to find the identity of the dead child, assisted by his team: the dedicated Bertram Ayala, a smartly dressed Detective Inspector, and his second in command, Detective Inspector Tina Vaughn, a young Welsh woman who more than admires her boss. The authors keep the pressure on Morton via his superiors and do a good job of interweaving the investigations of Morton and the members of his team with the story of the two boys. Only two things were somewhat distracting in this entertaining read: a little too much time spent on the procedures required legally for the case to move forward, which slowed the action, and the fact that Morton’s relationships with the two main female characters – Sarah, his wife, and Tina Vaughn – did not completely resonate with this reviewer. Perhaps the first book establishes the nature of these relationships more clearly. Notwithstanding these points, I recommend this book to mystery readers, especially those who like British mysteries, and look forward to reading more of DCI Morton’s adventures. Four of five stars 0 0
My friend, Elizabeth Hein, invited me to participate in a Meet the Main Character blog hob. Took me a bit, but I am honored that she chose me to participate. I encourage you to visit her blog site: http://scribblinginthestorageroom.wordpress.com Elizabeth is not only a sister blogger, but a member of a critique group we’ve both enjoyed for nearly five years. She is a very talented writer, authentic and creative and has taught me so much!. Her new book, Climbing the Eiffel Tower, comes out in October, and I plan to promote it here on saylingaway. It’s five star. Here are her questions, pertaining to my book Death in a Red Canvas Chair. What is the name of your character? Is he/she fictional or historical? My protagonist is Rhe (rhymes with the cheese brie) Brewster. She is a fictional 36 year old wife, mother, and emergency room nurse. When and where is the story set? The story is set in Pequod, Maine, a coastal town with small liberal arts college, Pequod College. What should we know about her? Rhe has a natural nose for investigation and a yen for adrenaline. She is a take charge character, as suits her profession, but she tends to leap before she looks. She is loyal to her friends and a good mother. 4. The very things about her character that make her interesting also create conflict at home with her husband. When she decides to help her brother-in-law Sam, Pequod’s Chief of Police, discover who murdered a young girl she herself found on her son’s soccer field, her husband Will objects. He only agrees when Sam hires Rhe as a consultant and pays her for her work. Messing up her investigation is Bitsy Wellington, the Dean of Students at Pequod College. Bitsy is an old frenenemy from her childhood, who is also making life at Pequod difficult for Will, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the college. What is the personal goal of the character? To find the murderer, care for son Jack, learn to cook (she’s a known disaster in the kitchen), and try to save her marriage to Will. Is there a working title for this novel, and can we read more about it? Death in a Red Canvas Chair is available on Amazon and Kindle. The next book in the Rhe Brewster murder series, Death in a Dacron Sail, is scheduled to be out this fall. When can we expect the book to be published? See number 6. 8. Tap several more people to highlight their books. Tricia Sugarek, http://www.writeratplay.com/, author of the World of murder series Luccia Gray, http://lucciagray.com/, author of All Hallows at Eyre Hall Terry Tyler, http://terrytyler59.blogspot.com/, author of Kings and Queens. Luccia is fascinated by everything to do with Victorian England (including everything Neo-Victorian). Jane Eyre is her favourite novel. She couldn’t live without it, so she has to reread it every single day. She adores Gothic novelists, especially Wilkie Collins and Mary Shelley; Detective novelists, especially Arthur Conan Doyle; Romantic novelists, especially The Brontë sisters; and social novelists, especially Charles Dickens and George Elliot. She likes to think of herself as their literary descendant or reincarnation. She hopes you’ll enjoy her Literary Blog, Rereading Jane Eyre, where you will find short articles on Victorian Literature and Neo-Victorian Literature in general and especially Jane Eyre. You will also be able to find out more about her debut novel, All Hallows At Eyre Hall, the first novel in the Eyre Hall Trilogy, and preview parts of the second volume, Twelfth Night at Eyre Hall, which she is currently finishing. Terry Tyler has published seven novels ~ ‘Kings and Queens’,’You Wish’, ‘Nobody’s Fault’, ‘The Other Side’, ‘Dream On’,’Full Circle’ and ‘What It Takes’ are ‘exclusively available’ (!) on Amazon Kindle Store. A collection of short stories, ‘Nine Lives’, is also available. She is currently working on the sequel to ‘Kings and Queens’, which is called ‘Last Child’ – aiming for Jan/Feb 2015. Coming in July 2014 – a novella called ‘Round and Round’. She also writes for The UK Arts Directory, about self-publishing. Author, playwright, and poet, Trisha Sugarek has been writing for four decades. In the early days, her writing focused on play scripts. She has since expanded her body of work to include fiction, books of poetry and Haiku, and a group of children’s books. As an actor and director she enjoyed a thirty year career in theatre. Writing full time now, she remarks, “I’ll step back onto a stage to direct something that is on my bucket list but I’d rather write and let someone else do the directing…” Originally from Seattle, she has worked in theatres from coast to coast. Her plays have been produced across the country and internationally. Trisha makes her home in the beautiful city of Savannah, Georgia with her two golden retrievers Rocky and Gus and her cat, Fiona. She has recently launched a series of murder mysteries, The World of Murder: The Art of Murder, The Dance of Murder, The Act of Murder, and The Angel of Murder. 0 0
This year will always be known to us as the Year of the Weddings. We attended a wedding on Cape Cod in June, which was held on a beach and officiated by a wonderful woman. I swear it was a Wicka ceremony, though. Can’t ever recall being told to whisper wishes for the bride and groom into my cupped hands and then blow them to the couple. Or point to the sky, then the sea, then the land for their blessing. But it was charming and heart-felt, and the officiant did say, “By the power vested in me by the State of Massachusetts…”, so I’m sure they’re married. This weekend my niece will be married to a wonderful young Greek man with a huge family. We will probably meet them all tonight at the rehearsal dinner. Good thing the groom’s parents pays for that. It’s begun well enough, with a call at 2AM from my daughter saying she and her fiancé had missed the plane in LA and hoped to be here by 3:30 this afternoon. Nice to know, since it’s a two hour drive to the dinner and I’d rather not exceed the speed limit. The next wedding is that of a former graduate student. She is now a rising Assistant Professor at The University of Ohio (I’ve been told you need to include the “the”) and is marrying a widower with three children. Instant family. If anyone can make a go of it as a stepmother, she can. I only hope she manages to get the affair organized, since she’s always got more on her plate than she can handle and tends to do things at the last minute. I’m trusting I won’t be helping her with the centerpieces. Finally, in October, my daughter’s wedding. Although the ceremony and reception are going to be at a place that supposedly handles all the details, there are still a million to work out. I’m sure all the MOB’s out there are intimately familiar with this. The invitations are not done yet, although the Save the Date cards went out and there is a wedding web site. How the heck did I get married without a wedding web site, a videographer, buses to take our guests to the site, and favors for each guest? It’s like a Hollywood production…but then, my daughter does live in LA. Stay tuned for more wedding adventures, and I’d love to hear about yours! P.S. Yes, there will be a dog in the processional (not this one, but close). He comes with his own tux! 0 0
Luccia Gray, author of All Hallows at Eyre Hall and mistress of the blog Rewriting Jane Eyre (http://lucciagray.com/) has nominated me for the Liebster Award. The award has German origins – the word “liebster” has several definitions: dearest, sweetest, kindest, nicest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, welcome – and it follows similar principles as a chain letter, in the sense that it should be passed forward to bloggers whom you’d like to recognize and promote. Thank you, Luccia, for the nomination! In her blog today, Luccia is offering a free copy of her book to anyone who would like to read it. I have, and it was a great read. I hope all the Jane Eyre aficionados out there will go to her blog. Luccia has asked me to answer the following questions: What motivates you to blog? I’ll be perfectly honest and admit I was told, as a writer, I should have a blog. For a year, it went nowhere; I posted only occasionally, had maybe 5 followers, and couldn’t see the purpose of it. Then I enrolled in the A-Z Challenge, had a good time doing my first every-day blogs on odors. Few more followers. I started following a bunch of bloggers and suddenly I discovered I was enjoying reading others’ blogs more than mine. A short story by Kate Loveton and a cup of coffee is a wonderful break; pictures and memoir from Australia by Irene Waters, history and pictures from Luccia Gray; a book review by Rosie Amber. Plus I’ve gotten a lot of support, some reviews of my book, and met an amazing group of women. A post you’d like us to reread. I re-posted it last week. It’s one I wrote on friendship, which my blogging sisters remind me about every day. 3. What do you feel strongly enough to discuss for hours? Politics. But it will never be part of my blog. It’s currently too divisive a topic. Alexander de Toqueville, a French politician and historian best known for his two volumes, Democracy in America, and who traveled widely in our young country after 1831, wrote that politics was the one topic about which each American he met was passionate! Write the first line of a novel: When the Jeep was finally tugged and pushed from the gripping goo of the mud flat, an arm, fingers pointing to the overcast sky, emerged from the muck. And yes, I’ll probably use this! Write the last line of a poem: They arrived, wondering and weary, with dreams in their pockets and the clothes on their back. It would be dedicated to my grandmother, who came through Ellis Island in 1885, and my father’s ancestors, who apparently came to Maine from Ireland during the Potato Famine. Where would you live if you could live anywhere? While I have found many places that stir my soul and fill my heart – Maine, San Francisco, Boston, Prague, London, Hawaii, the Bahamas – I think I’d live right here in Chapel Hill. My roots run deep in the clay soil, and it’s where my family grew up around me. Plus it’s relatively close to both the Crystal Coast and the Appalachian Mountains! Which book(s) would you take with you to a desert island? How big could the suitcase be? It would have to be books that I’ve never grown tired of re-reading: The Ring Trilogy by Tolkien, Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, the plays of William Shakespeare, the poems of Robert Frost, and yes, the Bible. It never fails to amaze. What historical person would you like to have lunch with? Since I am an anatomist, hands down, Leonardo da Vinci. Not only an extraordinary mind, a painter extraordinaire, and a mechanical engineer of the future, but the first real anatomist. Although artists earlier than he had dissected human bodies, he was the first to do perfect anatomical drawings of much of what he observed. He also annotated his drawings, did them from several perspectives, and in some was brave enough to discount the anatomical knowledge of Galen (130-200 AD). Galen’s anatomy, incorrect in so many aspects, was still being cited as late as the 18th century by members of the London College of Surgeons. If he had succeeded in publishing an anatomical atlas, he, rather than Vesalius, would be the father of modern anatomy. Which book would you have liked to write? That’s a tough one. I think Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck is not only a powerful writer, but the subject of the book – the Great Depression and the Dustbowl migrants from Oklahoma – has always fascinated me. The characters are magnificent and Steinbeck is unflinching in his depiction of tragedy, but also of the incredible strength of the human spirit. 10. What is the next book you are planning to read? Good grief, there are so many on my TBR list! Probably The Goldfinch, since I’ve read so many positive and negative comments about it from reviewers. I want to make my own decision. Here are the fellow bloggers I am nominating in turn, because I am never bored by what they write. Trisha Sugarek, Writer at Play, http://www.writeratplay.com/ Tara Ford, Tara Ford-Author, http://taraford.weebly.com/ Stephenie Forgue Houghtlin, http://stephenyhoughtlin.com/ Irene Waters, Reflections and Nightmares, http://irenewaters19.com/ Bob Byrd, Birdwords’ Blog, http://byrdwords.wordpress.com/ Here are the five questions I would like to them to answer: 1. What is the goal of your blog? 2. Do you have other creative outlets besides writing? 3. How and from where do you get your inspiration to write? 4. If you could be any well-known, published author, who would that be and why? 5. What is the one story, or artistic endeavor, that you yearn to complete but have yet to do so? Thanks again, Luccia! 0 0
Terry Tyler’s book, Kings and Queens, is a fast-paced romp through the life of England’s Henry VIII, but set in modern times with modern characters. For anyone who knows the story of Henry’s six wives (divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived) and for those with a wicked enjoyment of the foibles of historical figures, this book roars. Even if you are not a fan of English history and know nothing of the metaphors and references the author has slyly inserted into the story, this book will draw you in as contemporary fiction, demonstrating that the human foibles are ageless and that a historical family drama can repeat itself. Harry Lanchester, red-headed, fun-loving, ne’er do well, inherits the reins of a large property development company when his older brother Alex, the heir apparent, is killed. His story is told by the contemporary counterparts of each of Henry VIII’s six wives – actually five wives and a nanny who loves Harry but is rejected. The calm and insightful perspective of Will Brandon, Henry’s best and oldest friend, weaves together their unique and compelling voices. The author has done a yeoman’s job of integrating historical figures from Tudor times. Charles Brandon, for example, was Henry VIII’s oldest friend, once married to his sister, Mary Tudor. The modern Will Brandon was married for a time to Harry’s sister Dahlia. Other names with Tudor ties – Rochford, Blunt, Wyatt, Seymour and Dudley – find their way into the narrative. The characters are wonderful – from the self-indulgent, over-bearing, charismatic Harry, to the motherly older Cathy, the stunning and driven Annette, the sweet and simple Jenny, the frumpish but practical nanny Hannah, the former lap dancer Keira, and the patient and understanding final wife, Kate. These women lead you down the twisting, never-boring road of life in the Lanchester family. This is a great read, and I’m looking forward to a sequel featuring the Lanchester children, especially the son Harry wanted so much he was willing to marry again and again to get: the spoiled and entitled Jasper. Kings and Queens is rich in the sins and peccadillos of the wealthy and entitled, those that captivate readers across the board. Bravo to Terry Tyler for giving us such a sumptuous read with a grand historical twist. 0 0
All those people who planned on having a wonderful Fourth of July on our east coast have just gotten the bad news: Hurricane Arthur is going to make the weekend miserable and possibly dangerous. North Carolina’s Hatteras Island was given the word early yesterday to evacuate and there were long lines of cars at the Hatteras Ferry and others streaming north on the single highway cutting through the Outer Banks. I wish the home owners along the coast well, because there have been some devastating hurricanes since we moved here in 1981. Living in Chapel Hill, we always felt we were immune…until Hurricane Fran in September of 1996. We’d been told it would move up the coast, as usual, and not to expect anything except some high winds. So take in your porch furniture. This was probably the last time I took at face value anything from a TV meteorologist. Instead, Fran moved inland, then turned north, so Chapel Hill was caught on the worst edge of the storm, the northeast. The winds picked up after dark, and the house shook. I had put our two children, and one of my son’s friends who was staying over, to bed around 9. By midnight, the first jarring blow to the house occurred – a huge loblolly pine on the roof. Then another jar. And another. By this time the kids were up. My son opened the garage door and came running in to tell us two of our cars had been crunched by trees. Ten minutes later, our old station wagon bit the dust. In the meantime, water and tree branches were coming into an upstairs bathroom through a smashed skylight. I swabbed up the water and glass and placed pans in judicious spots. Water was pouring through the recessed lighting in the kitchen. My husband figured it was coming from the attic, where he was placing fish tanks under the holes created by the trees on the roof, and mopping up the rest with towels. By 3 AM, we seemed to have matters under control. I had placed a phone call to a roofer in Durham (we had a landline that miraculously held), who promised to be here at first light. Then the kids and I went to sleep on the floor in the most protected room on the ground floor. Gene kept watch. Dawn brought the realization that all the trees around our house had been blown down, lying in a huge circle around the property. What we had experienced on our exposed hilltop was a microtornado! Aside from the three trees on the roof and the three on top of the cars, one tree had been driven through the wall of a back bedroom. And another huge loblolly lay in the pool, having crushed our fencing. The roofer, true to his word, arrived that morning with a huge tarp to put over the trees and the roof. He and his assistants, along with my brother and his chainsaw, had had to walk over a mile to reach our house, because the road was blocked by fallen trees. We couldn’t get out any of the doors to our house because they were all obstructed by fallen debris. Gene and my brother spent the day chain sawing their way around the house. We had no electricity for two weeks, and you could hear all the generators in the neighborhood roaring. We actually didn’t have one; a friend of ours went to a store where I’d heard there were some coming in, and lay down on top of the last one until she could get our credit card number to pay for it! We bought two new cars later that week – had to have some transportation – with a loan from my mother. The car dealer regarded us a great customers after that. Graduate students came over and went in the pool with chain saws to take out the tree. We shared our pool water with anyone without running water; they came with buckets, in a line. We also shared meals of meat from the thawed freezers, the smell of grilling wafting from house to house. It was a month before we could get the trees lifted from our driveway, cars and roof – it took a large crane and thousands of dollars. And fourteen months to restore our house and yard to where it was before Fran: new fencing, new roof, new siding on the house, a new skylight, and lots of painting inside. We had a company come and take away all the downed trees for the cost of the wood. I am still frightened at heavy winds and worry each time a hurricane approaches. May the coastal homeowners and we be well and safe. And to every one: Happy Fourth of July in this most wonderful of countries, where I count my blessings each and every day. 0 0
It’s been some morning. Downloading chapters of my new book to send to my eagle eyed line editor (she likes hard copy). Phone call: a social service agent from Harnett County – two deceased individuals and she needs to know what to do because they are unclaimed (my job as Chair of the NC Commission of Anatomy). Wrapping a bridal shower present for my niece. Phone call: some close friends – the wife gave birth to their second daughter this morning. Death and life. Writing out two recipes for my niece on impossibly small recipe cards with bad handwriting. Phone call: a company wanting me to use their publishing services for the second book, extra services but $$$. Blogging. Tuna fish salad for lunch, on a diet. Fourteen pounds so far but so hard… Life and death and writing and family events and tuna fish salad. What will the afternoon bring? 0 0
For those of you who are not a regular follower of Rosie Amber, you need to appreciate what this amazing woman does every day by reviewing books, doing good deeds and taking care of a household and family. She approaches Wonder Woman status in my opinion. For next month, and in her copious free time, Rosie has organized a book review event whereby authors can send her their books for review and everyone else can volunteer to review them. She is even offering tips about how to write a good review, beginning tomorrow, written by authors and reviewers who know whereof they speak! Of course I have an iron in this fire, since I sent her my first book, Death in a Red Canvas Chair, for review. The books she’s offering are all genres, so you’re certain to find one that will appeal to you among the offerings. All you have to do is let her know you’ll be a reviewer (or contributor!). She will send out e-copies of the books (free!) on July 1. So if you’ve ever been interested in becoming a good or better reviewer, check out her blog and the books: Monday Update on Books For The Book Review Challenge Go on, take the challenge! 0 0
My mother, in addition to being just plain smart about lots of things, including how to handle my Dad’s whims, was also very handy. She had painted all the rooms in the house, replaced panes of glass, and could do a rewiring job if necessary. She could hook rugs and was also a darned good cook. The one thing she had never mastered was sewing. My grandmother, whom we called Memmere, was a whiz with the needle and had made her grandchildren’s clothes for years, but this was something Mom had avoided. One summer, she decided to make me a bathing suit. A bathing suit seemed like an easy place to start. It was a cotton knit affair, which she made because I’d grown up and out so quickly in the past year that my old suits had become dangerously revealing. What Mom didn’t recognize is that with the development of breasts, I’d become hideously self-conscious. One of the things I did very well at the pool where I swam was swim fast, really fast. Technique was not my forte yet, but I was taller and stronger than my teammates, and I could power my way to the end of the pool quicker than anyone in my age group. The bathing suit was a lovely color blue, and I decided to wear it at a swim meeting, the day after it was completed. A lot of the girls were wearing two piece suits and I wanted to be fashionable as well as fast. I lined up as always at the deep end of the pool for the start of the freestyle race, proudly sporting the newly constructed bathing suit. It occurred to me, rather belatedly, that unlike my old suits, this one had not been tested for its swim-worthiness, let alone its ability to stay in place during a racing dive. At the sound of the gun, I hit the water in a flat, extended position and began to swim mightily, pulling out to an easy lead by half the length of the pool. Unfortunately, I discovered at that half the length, I had nothing around my chest. The ties to the bra of the suit had pulled out, and the top of the suit was now wrapped around my waist. I continued swimming for a few strokes, then stopped and pulled up my top, while spectators looked on. Instant, grinding mortification. I don’t remember how I managed to get to out of the pool, but it was certainly without even a modicum of dignity. I never wore that bathing suit again, and my mother never asked why. As I grew older and swam more seriously, the focus of what I wore became just as serious and I never, ever wore a new suit for a race, not once. 0 0
