I'm mostly back

I've been trying to upload more photos the last couple days but Picasa, Hello, and Blogger have been giving me fits. So I decided it was time to talk instead, lucky you! (And if a picture is worth a thousand words, that must mean a thousand words equals a picture, so we're gonna be here awhile.)

One of the photos I'd intended to post was of the flannel rag quilt I made for Jim, similar to the photo down below of the ones I made my girls. When I started cutting out squares back in October, he was really into the project. At one point he wistfully commented that it would be nice if I could make one for us *someday*. I truthfully told him I didn't know if that would ever happen as I was taking pain killers most days to keep the arthritic neck and shoulders under control (not to guilt my girls too much!) But it took me less time at the sewing machine to complete one quilt than I'd thought and I began to consider the idea of making a third one before Christmas.

I wanted to surprise him, and because he works out of town, that seemed possible. I decided that if I could find the right fabrics for it quickly, I'd push through and do the third one also. I figured I could just slow down on Jen's quilt and work on Jim's when he wasn't home. That way her quilt would still be the one laying around on the kitchen table, legitimizing that the sewing machine was still there. And it worked!

My last week at work (after I'd finished writing The Girl Who Cried Squid) I spent three and a half days snipping the seam allowances for the ragging on all three quilts. I truly wished I hadn't left them all to do at once, as I was sporting bandaids on thumb and fingers to keep the rubbing (from the scissors) from blistering. But done they were, and Jim was really surprised which was very worth it. I'll try to get the photo up yet, because I love the quilt so much, but its dark green with green and tan patterned squares. Gorgeous.

I was planning to post the photo of Jim's gift to me when I told about it, but that is the second photo that won't upload. So I'll just have to tell you about it! He bought me a Palm Tungsten E2 with a folding keyboard. Is this thing ever cool! I have a lot to learn about using it still but I'm loving the process. One of the truly neat things (besides that exceptionally cool little keyboard) is that it supports Word and Excel files to go. I'm looking forward to being able to tap in notes and stuff, especially during worldbuilding and outlining stages. Though some say they use a handheld for editing also, I'm not sure my eyeballs and brain would be up for long periods with it. But I'm really excited to try!!

I'm so thankful for Christmas this year. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if Jim could have gotten a couple extra days off work. As it was, he arrived home the morning of the 24th and left the evening of the 27th (the kids all cleared out the following morning). He tried to take off his night shifts on the 22nd and 23rd for my family's Christmas celebration but wasn't able. Still, the kids and I did have a good visit with my mom, my sis and b-i-l, their granddaughter, my niece and her hubby.

What a treasure for me to have my family together for five days: daughter, son-in-law, son, daughter-in-law. Words just can't express how much this meant to me. We haven't ever had Christmas together before, though it's the third Christmas since J&J were married. Many moments, many memories, many snapshots (on camera and in the mind) to tide me over until we can all be together again.

I still have a few days before I go back to work. I've started in on reading a stack of novels (the next few blog tour books are here) and a couple of writing books, The Writer's Guide to Fantasy Literature and Holly Lisle's Create a Culture Clinic. And I'm working some more on my website. Never a dull moment in Val's Little Worlds.

A close-up of the jewelry my daughter-in-law made me for Christmas Eve! 

Family picture, Christmas Eve 

The George-cat isn't quite sure what to make of these fake mice made out of little foil bags of tea. 

My kids on the ferry ride across Kootenay Lake on the 23rd. 

Two of the three flannel rag quilts I made for Christmas, wrapped up around my girls. 

Random thoughts on marketing of Christian speculative fiction

I've been surfing the net, checking out blogs and reading the pulse. You may recall we toured about Trackers by Kathryn Mackel last week and discussed the fact that her publisher dropped the third book in what was scheduled to be a trilogy. This is happening/ CAN happen to authors in Christian publishing and elsewhere as we've seen by Holly Lisle's concerns about the remainder of her trilogy started by Talyn.

What can readers do?

Katie Hart shares an open letter to publishers about the frustration readers face with unfinished stories.

Rebecca Miller shares a two part study on what readers can do: Part one is here and here is the second part. The comments are worth reading as well...some interesting conversation happening out there.

Also, Rebecca posted at the group blog Speculative Faith with an interview with editor Nick Harrison from Harvest House regarding Christian spec fic.

Karen Hancock has a new book up her sleeve, but she's not giving out much for hints!

Any other thoughts?

Goals for 2007

Time to think about the upcoming year and what I hope to accomplish writing-wise. There are so many things I need to do MORE of, and yet the days are the same length as they ever were. I'm not sure what to make of that. Priorities are a nasty thing.

In 2006, I wrote one new novel, The Girl Who Cried Squid, during Nano. That means I had gone 11 months without creative writing. It was too long. I either need to write two books next year or slow down (skip Nano) and let the writing of one novel take much of the year. Which means I would need to learn to multi-task, and THAT is a problem in its own right.

In 2006, I revised two novels and a partial. Yikes, that doesn't sound like a lot at all. I revised False Perceptions and I'm not happy with it (after feedback) so it's shelved, at least for now. I revised Marks of Repentance and all the crits are now back. I plan to go through it again as soon as I complete the partial, Quest to be Queen. I always have this problem. I like writing first drafts better than I like revising, but the honest truth is that if each novel takes at least two additional drafts, then I need to block that into my schedule.

I thought I would start contacting agents in 2006, but I haven't. Nothing has been ready. I refuse to send out something I don't like. So I'm hoping again for this coming year.

What else is there? Conferences: I'm keeping an eye on a couple that may work out in 2007. Reading in the genre: trying to. Reading outside the genre: trying to. Networking: trying to.

So what are my plans for 2007?
1. Finish this revision pass on Quest to be Queen.
2. Complete one (or, if needed, two) passes on Marks of Repentance and GET THE THING KICKED OUT THE DOOR!
3. Write something. Maybe two somethings.
4. Revise something else if time permits. Squid?
5. Work on the recipe book project.

Writing contenders at the moment? Well, there's the long-ignored 2yn project, Puppet Prince, but it's not yelling all that loud. Currently there is a fantasy romance floating around in my head, something to do with this site on the matchmaking tradition. I asked Kaesa nicely, but she doesn't want to play in the Puppet Prince world; she wants her own. **Rolls Eyes.

What are your goals for the coming year?

Book Tour -- Trackers Day 3

There has been a bit of talk around the Blogosphere regarding the cancellation of the third book in the The Birthright Project. The first book, Outriders, and the second book, Trackers, haven't done as well as hoped. I asked Kathryn Mackel to explain some of the processes regarding the cancellation of a novel. Here's what she said:

Unfortunately, there are no plans right now for a third book in the Birthright Series. Fantasy continues to be a tough sell in the Christian marketplace and the sales for Outriders weren't robust enough to continue through a third book. That said, a dear friend reminded me that if the Lord gave me a vision for Scouts - and He has - then it would be so. Not in my timing or in that of my dear readers, but in His. I wait expectantly but patiently for that opportunity to present itself.

As to whether the shortening of the series affected the second book, not much at all. We went with the story we had and, with the exception of asking me to resolve one character's struggle of the heart, WestBow allowed me to keep Trackers as written. Like any book in a series, Trackers stands alone as its own story but also builds on Outriders and leaves plenty of opportunity to continue on without leaving readers hanging.

Some readers have offered to "storm the gates" of WestBow and demand a third book. Better to pray and ask if this story yet has some value to expand the Kingdom or encourage the saints, then I have an opportunity to write it. If not, so be it. We have a thousand daily ways to serve the Lord and this tale - while a blessing to me - is only one of them!

Kathryn Mackel is also a writer of Christian chillers. Visit her website at KathrynMackel.com. And check out what my blog tour mates have to say about Trackers. (See yesterday's post for links to giveaways and interviews.)

Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Frank Creed
Gene Curtis
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at Karen¹s myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Terri Main
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
Eve Nielsen
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Hannah Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver
Mark Goodyear

Book Tour - Trackers Day 2

This week we're talking up Book 2 of Kathryn Mackel's The Birthright Project. If you're interested in a free copy of Trackers, here are the contests I've come across so far:

Shannon McNear is giving away 2 books, Trackers and the first book in the series, Outriders.

Mirtika Schultz has links to interviews with Kathryn Mackel as well as a contest to give away Trackers.

Beth Goddard has Part 1 of an interview with Kathryn Mackel up today (with another part following tomorrow). She also is giving away a 2 book set, Outriders and Trackers.

Stuart Stockton has some great links as well as a giveaway on his blog.

In other news,
Over at Gene Curtis' place you can read about publishing budgets and how they affect other books and series, not only The Birthright Project.

The Speculative Faith group blog has posted the entire first chapter of Trackers.

I can't miss this opportunity to plug my daughter's blog. I think she has some interesting comments to make about Christian science fiction in general and this series in particular. Visit Hanna Sandvig here.

Lots of other folks have comments to make as well. Visit these blogs for *more*!
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Frank Creed
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Todd Michael Greene
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at Karen¹s myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Terri Main
Rachel Marks
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
Eve Nielsen
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
James Somers
Steve Trower
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver
Mark Goodyear

Blog Tour - Trackers

About a year ago I wrote a blog post entitled: When I grow up, I want to be...Kathryn Mackel. This was in response to reading Kathryn's book Outriders, first in a series known as The Birthright Project. This week I'm happy to talk about the second book in the series, Trackers. I understand that this was originally projected to be a trilogy but that the third book has been cancelled. I'm really sorry to hear that. Not as sorry as Kathryn Mackel, I'm sure.

Trackers is here, sitting on my desk. I've read about a third of it so far and I'm enjoying it immensely.

From the back cover:

Far from home in a ravaged world, the Birthrighters struggle for survival.

Raised in a new ark beneath polar ice, delivered by whales to a blighted surface, the young men and women of the Birthright Project have pledged their lives to a risky and redemptive mission--perserving God's original creation from the ravages of the Endless Wars and human depravity.

They've roamed the earth tracking original species. They've succesfully battled sorcerers, warlords, and armies of mutants. But now a twisted new enemy is on the march. An explosive old secret lurks beneath the glitter of a decadent city. And the mysterious darkness that swallowed a mountain spreads toward an innocent mill town.

Before they can prevail, the Birthrighters must confront their most difficult challenge: overcoming their individual desires that threaten to betray the group.

Other bloggers talking about Trackers this week are:
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Frank Creed
Gene Curtis
Chris Deanne
Janey DeMeo
April Erwin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Karen Hancock
Elliot Hanowski
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at Karen's myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium
Terri Main
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
Eve Nielsen
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
James Somers
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver
Mark Goodyear

Winner!

Thank you all for entering! I got hubby to draw a name this evening. And the winner is...Random Walk Writer! Erin, I have your address on my other computer and will forward it to Sue in the morning. Feel free to nag me! Er...remind me. Not that I'll forget or anything.

Never Ceese giveaway

So far I have the following names entered in the draw: Maripat, Katie, Margaret, EJ, Random Walk Writer, Karenee, Hanna, and Todd. (Todd, I'm only entering your name once even though you posted three times! :P) If anyone else comes along that would like to enter their name, please post in comment to THIS post. If you don't have Blogger, email me at valerierco AT yahoo DOT ca.

Read the three posts about Never Ceese below if you're curious about the book.

I'll be picking a name at random this evening sometime and will post the winner then.

*The Girl Who Cried Squid* draft complete!

I've been so busy I forgot I hadn't posted it here yet! I wrote *The End* on Friday afternoon; the whole first draft came in at 59023. I'm at the stage where I'm relieved to have it done, sure that it's the worst first draft I've ever written. When I think back to my very first one...and to last year's Nano...I realize this one couldn't possibly be THAT bad, but whether it's any good or not remains to be seen. If I don't get back to it in 2007, it will next see the light of day in 2008. Revisions for next year have already elbowed their way into line, starting with the partially completed second draft of Quest to be Queen, the fantasy spoof, and followed by third pass on Marks of Repentance.

And I want to write more next year too. Seems silly when it takes two or three additional passes to clean up behind a first draft, but there you go. I need the creativity, too.

Meanwhile, though, I have Christmas prep to do and a store that looks like somebody totally ignored it for at least a whole month. Who, me?

Blog Tour - Never Ceese Day 3 and GIVEAWAY

Here today to tell you a little more about Never Ceese by Sue Dent is book reviewer Kevin Lucia. I stole his review from Amazon:


Werewolves and Vampires....oh my!

Centuries ago, two unfortunates were wronged in the worst way imaginable; they were cursed by evil forces they did not bring down upon themselves. One was made a vampire, a creature of the night, forced to find sustenance on the life-blood of others, and subject to whims and passions never meant for humankind to experience. The other was bitten by the wolf, and is now a prisoner to the wild beat of nature, running with the pack, lost in the primitive uproar of instinct and survival.

Perhaps worst of all: they are cursed to live with near immortality, to walk the face of the earth while those they love die, and if they do die while still in the grip of the curse; by either a silver bullet or a wooden stake, they will forever miss the chance of an eternity in heaven with those they love and care for.

They have one chance, as this unlikely pair is drawn together by unseen forces, to reclaim their mortality and a chance to pursue a normal life, a chance to go home to heaven when they die, and it lies buried in a riddle cryptic as it is contradictory, Two wrongs make a right. Richard, the cynical, sarcastic vampire and Ceese, a culturally naive werewolf inexperienced in the ways of human beings, leave the comforts of home and the wild behind as they travel from England to New York in search of the one thing they desire more than anything: an end to their curse.

However, working behind the scenes are forces that want them for other reasons, and none of them altruistic. As Richard and Ceese struggle to loosen the bonds on their souls, someone else lusts after what they have: immortality, power...and will stop at nothing until they have it for themselves.

In her first novel, Sue Dent has crafted an intriguing mix of two genres yet thought exclusive; Christian faith-based fiction and dark, noir-fantasy, and it comes off well. The key difference between her novel and others revolving around vampires and werewolves is its focus: Dent focuses on that which our two protagonists want most, an end to the curse and chance for a restored relationship with all that is good and holy, and not on the aspects of the curses themselves. However, her touch is light here: it is not a Sunday school lesson with a pretty red bow at the end; it is a story about enduring faith and love.

Richard is hopelessly sarcastic and cynical, evoking images of Tom Cruise's blond haired and egotistical Lestat, and Dent portrays Ceese as a poignant picture of what faith can do even in the thrall of the curse that damns her. Never Ceese is also rife with cultural humor and satire, and though the reader treads the dark streets of film noir and intrigue, they will find themselves chuckling out-loud just as many times as they shiver.

Ceese ends with surprising plot-twists that work well but perhaps could have been hidden a little better, and it may have a theological "bump under the rug" here and there - but who cares? It is a work of fiction, and a creatively imaginative one at that. The novel also successful wraps up the narrative while leaving a nice hook for its sequel Forever Richard.

**Remember, Sue has offered ONE READER of this blog a free copy of Never Ceese. Commenters may post until Sunday evening (whenever I get around to checking the blog...an inexact science!) and ask to be entered. So far I have Maripat, Katie, Margaret, EJ, and Random Walk Writer. Anyone else?

Blog Tour - Never Ceese Day 2 and GIVEAWAY!!

Since I started poking around at Sue Dent's website yesterday looking for information on her debut novel, Never Ceese, I discovered that this novel was published by a small newcomer to the Christian publishing market, Journey Stone.



The reviews I found here left me undecided whether the novel could be classified as a horror or a dark fantasy. I realize that there is often a fine line! Anyway, I emailed Sue Dent and asked her about it. Here's what she said:

The person I saw who referenced Stephen King was saying they liked Never Ceese as much as they liked Stephen King's The Stand, not that it was like The Stand. There's nothing horror about it. It's more hysterical than anything. I can write horror. Mr. Grabowsky who wrote Halloween IV, a true horror writer, said it was "adorable!" However, one woman didn't read it because even the thought of blood made her sick.

So, okay. Not fully horror, but a little. With a humorous side. I can handle that. Am I odd? When it was a horror novel, I was skeptical. Now that it's a vampire/ werewolf dark fantasy, I'm keen. Yes, okay, I'm odd. We don't need to go there.

So I was curious about how Sue found her publishing house and how she's liked the experience of working with a small house. Her opinion is against much of what I've read elsewhere, to be honest. I've heard that you should always shoot for the top...you have nothing to lose. (Except for the turnaround time, of course.) Sue felt differently. She had her manuscript professionally edited and then says:

I thought about agents but learned after searching, that they were basically just a middle man who couldn't do anything I couldn't do myself. There were arguments from others that I'd never get to the big publishers if I didn't go through an agent. My response was a hearty laugh and a sarcastic, "I'm not going to get to a big publisher anyway! It's my debut novel, not even an agent can get a big time publisher to look at it! Get REAL!"

She followed up by emailing every house that accepted electronic queries. Journey Stone asked for the manuscript. This company is set up for promotion of children's books, and Never Ceese is considered YA. After some time and discussion, a deal was reached and 5000 copies were printed, with another same-size press run due soon. As Sue puts it:

She's (referring to JS's owner) only small in that she's new. And you can't start off being big. She's getting geared up and I'm in on the ground floor. I do a lot of promoting that I wouldn't have to do if I were Ann Rice or someone like that but that's because I like to.

If anyone else is interested in this read by a new author, post in comments. Sue has graciously allowed me to offer ONE FREE COPY of her novel to a reader of this blog. Contest ends Sunday evening. So let me know why you'd like a copy of Never Ceese and say you'd like to be entered.

In case you were wondering

I *am* still making progress on my Nano novel currently (and affectionately!) known as The Girl Who Cried Squid.

You'd think that after six first drafts (Squid is my seventh) I'd have figured out some of my habits already. Noteably, that although I cannot work without an outline, my endings rarely resembe the ending the outline calls for. I'm thinking that as the characters come to life during the writing of the draft and peel themselves up off the page (in my dreams at least)--begin walking and talking on their own--and subplots grow and begin to flower like well-watered seeds, the original ending just doesn't encompass enough of the story to end any of it.

It's like creating a rope with several strong pieces of yarn and a dozen pretty and fun embellishments woven throughout, and then just tying two parts of the main yarn together and calling the rope finished. Not so. All the pieces need to be woven and tied up together at the end. When I'm writing the outline, I have a fair idea what the main yarn will look like and I may have gotten a glimpse or two of some fun ribbons and threads, but I really don't know all the parts I'm working with until I get there.

That's when I look at the planned ending and wonder who wrote this junk. Now I still think it's important for me to outline an ending. After all, the story does need a direction in which to go. However, I should stop being shocked when I hit a brick wall 10K from the end and realize it is time to analyze those yarns, ribbons, threads, laces--whatever all has been created and looped together--and look for new and more satisfying ways of weaving them together for those last bits.

So I've been doing the analyzing and creeping forward, bit by bit. I still hope to hit The End this week. The culmination will be much better for the slowed pace and will hopefully require less revising than if I'd shoved through with the original plan. In my dreams.

Book Tour - Never Ceese

You all will be thrilled to know that I got a bunch of books in the last week. You will be unsurprised to know that this week's tour pick was NOT one of them--nor were the last two, which means I still haven't read them. But I'm all set for January! :P

Anyway, let me tell you a bit about Never Ceese. In this novel, author Sue Dent sets out to prove that faith and fun can live happily in the same story, and that vampire/werewolf fantasy can have a spiritual message too.

Here's what I found out about the book (stolen from the CFBA site):

The story starts with the classic tale of an English manor owned by Richard, the vampire who righteously is the bain of his neighbor's existence, what with the missing goats and all!

Then enters Cecelia, better known as Ceese, the young werewolf maiden who's arrived via invitation by Richard's aging companion, Penelope.

Ceese and Richard would prefer to tear each other apart, literally, but they are drawn together by their mutual love for Penelope. She is dying and has one request...that the two of them love one another.

This is the overall theme throughout Dent's interesting tale of two who were wronged but learn to work together. Meanwhile they are threatened by an evil stem cell researcher who wants the immortality and power that he thinks their blood will bring him!

Dent's characters do differ from the stock ones we're all accustomed to in a very important way. They are not mindless, brutal killers. Bloodthirsty, yes, but they are constantly resisting the urge to kill and thus curse another human. Feeding on rodents or goats (virtually any warm-blooded animal) helps to satiate the never ending thirst for blood, but how long will they be able to resist that most delicious morsel--man?

There is a chance that their curses can actually be lifted if they can find the strength within to resist their selfish natures and act selflessly toward another. Will they succeed? That same basic choice lies before us all every day...

A vampire and a werewolf: one determined to--once again--be able to acknowledge what will get her to heaven, the other not so sure he can. A spiritual fantasy designed to spark the imagination, to speak to the heart as well as entertain.

And of course this gets added to the invisible pile of books I want to read!

The Business of Buying and Selling Books

I mentioned a few days ago here that Holly Lisle's great fantasy novel, Talyn is now available in paperback. I bullied my library into buying a hardcover when they came out, so I've read it.

In my small way, I want to support Holly's career and what she has done for thousands of aspiring writers. More than that, though, I LOVED Talyn.

So I ordered my own copy through my local independent bookstore on Saturday and recommended ordering additional copies. I don't have much hope, though. You have to imagine a store no bigger than most people's living room...and it includes a tiny coffee bar. The sff shelves total no more than 20 linear feet, if that. Jordan and Goodkind pretty much own the shelf space, and it doesn't show noticeable movement from visit to visit.

If you are curious about how bookstores order books--indeed, how the whole publishing gamut works--check out this post by Holly Lisle, and the intelligent questions and answers in the comments section. Then follow the link over to this post at Bookseller Chick. Very interesting, and very educational.

Landon Snow Give-Away

At this moment I have one name for the giveaway of Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum. Closes this evening, so if you're interested, get your name in today!

So far the only name is

Margaret Fisk

Not that I mind sending the book to Mar, mind you, but... :P

Although I did have a late entry (thanks, Katie!) I am declaring the winner to be Margaret Fisk. It will be on its way today, Mar.

Blog Tour Day 3 - Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum

As R. K. Mortenson's third novel about Landon Snow opens, Landon is now attending Winterwild Middle School and is playing on the school's football team. Unfortunately for Landon--in the midst of an important game--he loses concentration when it seems to him that the various opposing players are wolves, bears, hyenas, gorillas, and zebras. This is a hint for him that soon he will be off on a new adventure, and that it involves animals.

Landon's adventures always start at the library down the street from his grandparents' home in Button Up, Minnesota. In this adventure (with his younger sisters Holly and Bridget), Landon heads up a team to rescue the animals of Wonderwood from the place they have been hidden by the evil Malus Quidam: The Island of Arcanum.

Although this story is the third book of the series and showcases some characters from the earlier books (and alludes to their adventures), you will find Landon Snow and The Island of Arcanum to be an enjoyable stand-alone read.

To get a taste of a short Landon Snow story, check out Christmas Lights, published in the December edition of Clubhouse for Children, a Focus on the Family magazine.

Sunday is your last day to enter my contest for a free copy of Landon Snow and The Island of Arcanum. Just tell me in comments (on one of the three posts this week about this book) what child you would like to give this book to for Christmas, and one lucky commenter will receive it. I'll mail it out Monday (if I can get your address that fast) and only hope it will get where it's going faster than some other books have been traveling. If you're not sure I have your email address, stick it in the comment to save some turn-around-time.

Nano count...??

Well, I cleared the 50K and stalled. I'm an estimated 2 1/2 chapters from the end of the novel, but progress is slow. I am at the stage of the novel (every one is the same in this regard) where I say, "Who calls this an outline? This won't get Krin out of the hole I've dug for her! I need a PLAN!"

Obviously, a NEW plan...

Anyone got a sale on new plans? Store shelves seem rather bare of them.

Okay, I had Salesman-Who-Talks here this morning, so scratch 3 hours off my day right there. After lunch, I started listing characters and where I last left them, where I saw them going (and doing what). What threads my subconscious had thrown out into sub-plot-land that might come in handy already.

I'm still mulling, but at least I have lists to play with while I mull. Lists are my friend. Really.

One Small Child

In case you're not familiar with the words to my favorite carol, here they are (you have to imagine our worship team singing this...awesome!):

One Small Child

One small child in a land of a thousand
One small dream of a Savior tonight
One small hand reaching out to the starlight
One small Savior of life

One king bringing his gold and riches
One king ruling an army of might
One king kneeling with incense and canglelight
One king bringing us life

See Him lying a cradle beneath Him
See Him smiling in the stall
See His mother praising His Father
See His tiny eyelids fall

See the shepherds kneeling before Him
See the kings on bended knee
Oh, See the mother praising the Father
See the Blessed infant sleep.

One small child in a land of a thousand
One small dream of a Savior tonight
One small hand reaching out to the starlight
One small Savior of life

Ooo ... Oh ... Oh ... Oh ...
(Repeat to end twice):
One small child Oh ...
One small child Oh ...

Christmas Favorites

I found this over at Jean's place, and being as I'm killing time with a salesguy in and out of the store, I thought I'd play. If you want to play too, mention it in comments so we can come and read about your Christmas favorites as well!

Your Name: Valerie

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate most of the time!
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped...unless he did his shopping before Christmas Eve, in which case he simply can't wait. Or unless the store doesn't offer wrapping. Or...
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Multi-colored on the tree, white on the bushes outside.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Any time after the beginning of December.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? Cookies. Gonna be a problem this year.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: Going to my grandmother's house on Boxing Day (Dec 26 to all you non-Canadian types). My mom had 8 sibs (with a total of 33 cousins in my generation) and we all gathered for turkey dinner, games and all the mandarin oranges we wanted. And we made a Christmas program for the grandparents. Every year.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? We weren't ever a Santa family.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? As a child, always, all of them. My family has Germanic roots, so tradition. When we started our own family, we did Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with his, so it balanced out the gifts.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Lots of lights! Very nearly every single ornament on our tree is hand-made. I collect angels, so there are many choirs of angels.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love to look at it, HATE to drive in it.
12. Can you ice skate? Yep. I'm Canadian, after all...
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Books. And I had a cool Spirograph.
14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family. I'm really excited that the kids and their spouses will be home this year. Hyper, even. And remembering the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Besides baking cookies?
17. What tops your tree? An angel, of course. See #10!
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving. Especially hand-made gifts.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? One Small Child.
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? I can take them or leave them. They're great crushed...I make chocolate cookies, dipped in melted chocolate, dipped in crushed peppermint. Drat, I hate diets.

Wanna play? Please do!

Blog Tour Day 2 - Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum

This week's tour is about Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum, the third novel in an ongoing series by R. K. Mortenson.



The publisher, Barbour Books, has done a beautiful job on the presentation of this series. Cover and interior illustrations were done by Cory Godbey of Portland Studios; the cover was designed by DogEared Design. The cover captures both a child-like imagination and a traditional tooled design. Inside the book, heavier than average paper provides the look of a classic.

Kudos on an excellent cover!

Remember that you can tell me in comments (on one of the three posts this week about this book) what child you would like to give this book to for Christmas, and one lucky commenter will receive it. I'll mail it out early next week and only hope it will get where it's going faster than some other books have been traveling. If you're not sure I have your email address, stick it in the comment to save some turn-around-time. And if you can't leave a comment, email me at valerierco AT yahoo DOT ca.

Talyn by Holly Lisle

This fabulous fantasy book debuts in paperback today, says author Holly Lisle in this post.

If you like complicated, well thought out, well WRITTEN adult fantasy novels, give the world of Korre a try. The second book in the series, Hawkspar, is due out in '07. The continuation of the series will be determined by initial sales of TALYN in paperback.

This is one of my all-time favorite fantasy novels by a master of the genre, Holly Lisle. I bullied my library into purchasing the hardcover, so I've read it, but now that I know the paperback is out I'm off to buy my own copy. This book is a keeper, and I don't want the world of Korre to die out. If you have folks on your Christmas list that enjoy fantasy, consider buying TALYN. Precautionary note: There is adult content.

Blog Tour - Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum

You may remember a couple weeks ago the Christian Science Fiction Fantasy blog tour presented a children's fantasy novel. The original plan was for the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance tour to pick up the same novel the same week, so those of us in both tours would have been plugging the novel Monday to Friday. That would have been kind of cool, actually, but the CFBA tour was postponed because copies of Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum were late getting mailed. (What's ironic of course is that most of the other tour books this fall have been late getting to me--and everyone else)!

Being part of both tours netted me an unexpected dividend: TWO copies of this great book for young readers age 8-12 (or for parents to read aloud). My usual habit is to donate the books to my church's library, but there's no point in them having two copies of the same novel by R. K. Mortenson.

So...tell me in comments (on one of the three posts this week about this book) what child you would like to give this book to for Christmas, and one lucky commenter will receive it. I'll mail it out early next week and only hope it will get where it's going faster than some other books have been traveling. If you're not sure I have your email address, stick it in the comment to save some turn-around-time.

NANO complete!!

Just taking a few minutes out of my busy schedule to celebrate the *completion* of Nano. I just validated my word count at 50247. See?



Now on to finish the novel, which should take the rest of the week.

Nano: 49048

Sigh. So close, but being in the midst of a snowstorm is sucking my enthusiasm dry for finishing today. Looking at winter through a window is one thing. Driving in BC's version of winter is something entirely different. The roads are slick, slippery, slushy messes, and I'm heading home early so I'll beat the next freeze at dark.

Th-th-that's all for today, folks.

Nano: 45258

Today's count: 2593. Everything is so quiet in chat-land today with no word wars, no random links, no abstract discussions. Still, I'm happy with my wordcount and I'm expecting to cross the magical 50K line on Monday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

That's to all you Americans out there. We Canadians celebrate on the second Monday of October while we can still enjoy some of our fresh garden produce that we are thankful for...and before the roads get horrible with snow. I'm glad my family isn't traveling on the ice-and-snow covered mountain passes around our valley. Of course, we expect them home for Christmas this year regardless of the roads!

At any rate, do remember to be thankful for the many blessings in your life and remember that they came from God's hand.

As the old hymn goes:

Count your blessings,
Name them one by one,
Count your many blessings,
See what God has done.

Nano count 42665

Today's 3108 blew me past 40K with a good bit of breeze. At this stage, fun as the writing is--and the arguments--it's hard to share snips without context. So...sorry!

Blog Tour Day 3 - Calm, Cool & Adjusted

I still haven't had a chance to read Calm, Cool & Adjusted by Kristin Billerbeck. One of these days the rest of my books will arrive...and by then we'll be on to the next one. Or the one after that.

Nano total: 39557

Today's chapter was 3088. And I'm exhausted.

Blog Tour Day 2 - Calm, Cool & Adjusted

I did get a few book packages come in yesterday, but not nearly all that I've been expecting. Unfortunately for the blog tour, some of the ones that did NOT come are last week's tour book Scoop by Rene Gutteridge and this week's tour pick, Calm, Cool & Adjusted by Kristin Billerbeck.

I did go scrounging for some book information for you though. You'll find out a bit about Kristin and some of her previous novels on her website but nothing about her newest book Calm, Cool & Adjusted other than the cover pic and *coming soon*. From this I see that it is chick lit. Well, with a title like that, I'm not surprised. This gal looks like a happenin' person that's down to earth. Why not chick lit? The book description at Amazon's Editorial Reviews says this:

Best friends since Johnny Depp wore scissors for hands, "The Spa Girls" live very separate lives, but stay in touch with routine visits to California's Spa Del Mar. The third novel in the Spa Girls Series focuses on Silicon Valley chiropractor Poppy Clayton, who is as calm, cool and adjusted as they come. Or is she? Known for her bad fashion sense, a love for all things natural and the inability to get a second date, Poppy is beginning to wonder if she might be misaligned herself. Her route to self discovery will be an unnatural one - a plastic surgeon, a house in Santa Cruz and a wedding date from the dark side. It's all enough to send a girl - and her gal pals - running for the spa.

Cruising around the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance tour members, I'm guessing I'm not the only one who hasn't got her book yet, but there is an interview with Kristen here at Camy's Loft. You can also enter there to win a copy of this book. Another book giveaway is at Cara's Musings. Cara asks you to tell her why you need a good laugh today and she'll enter your name in her draw. Tell her you came from here. Then she'll KNOW you needed a laugh.

Nano 36469

Friday was 3195 and today, 2283. Still on par for a finish early next week. Here's a teensy snippet:

I decided to take a chance, for it seemed one had been offered me. "Amuran seems...evil."

She nodded slightly. "Perhaps more than you think."

That flicker of hope died as though a cold wave had squelched it.

Ah, the killing of hope. Such a nasty thing, but so necessary with so much book yet to be written.

Blog Tour - Calm, Cool & Adjusted

This sounds like a book I should read, lol. And of course, I would *IF* my books ever got here. I hope I can stop ranting about this problem soon!

Because you all down south of the border are celebrating Thanksgiving this week, the decision was made to slide the CFBA Blog Tour to the beginning of the week. I haven't even looked up the book yet, but I will later. Meanwhile, if YOU need some Calm, Cool & Adjusted in your life, here is the version by author Kristin Billerbeck. I'll scrounge up some goodies for tomorrow.

Blog Tour Day 3 - Scoop

Because my own copy of Scoop by Rene Gutteridge has not yet arrived, I went scrounging for information to share with you about the book. At the CFBA MySpace I found the following:

I give grand kudos to the author for fabricating another realistic and winning tale. Her laid-back style and easy wit draw me into all of her stories.

Hayden Hazard's parents, owners of the Hazard Clowns, are found dead while on vacation, leaving a huge hole in the family. Soon afterwards, the seven Hazard children meet together to discuss the family business' fate. Hayden's oldest brother has sold the company. As a result, sheltered Hayden must look for a new job and find her purpose in life. She receives this sage advice from her sister Mack: "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape." Easy for her to say.

Fast-forward five years. Hayden is interim assistant for Channel 7 News' Executive Producer, Hugo Talley. He struggles with anxiety and it's no wonder—he has an aged anchor who doesn't realize how old she looks on TV, a womanizing dolt for a weatherman, a too-nice God-spouting assistant (Hayden), and reporter Ray Duffey, who keeps to himself, but doesn't ever get the good stories. To describe the news team as wild and crazy is an understatement. With each approaching dilemma, Hugo feels as if he may go over the edge. Will Hayden's presence help or hinder the unstable atmosphere in the newsroom?

This wacky ensemble and a wonderful story line made for many out-loud chuckles throughout the book. I love the author's ability to explore serious spiritual issues and couch it with humor.

Here are the first few paragraphs of the novel:

Mack sighed, looking exhausted. "Mr. Stewart, they were not murdered. It was just an unfortunate incident."

"Incident? Accident? What?"

Mack glanced at Hayden. She looked desperate for relief, and Hayden smiled a little, hoping to assure her.

"Well?" Mr. Stewart asked.

"Look, we don't really understand it ourselves," Mack finally said, "but it boils down to an overly ambitious serenading guitar player, a hundred-foot extension cord, and a rack of mood lighting." Mack shook Mr. Stewart's had while his jaw dropped a little. "We'll talk soon."

I assume my own copy will be arriving soon and I'm looking forward to reading it.

Nano 30991

I cleared 30K today! **Happy Dance** Today's chapter came in at 2457.

The fairy kittens are recovering from being accidentally drugged:

I picked up Pico and dropped her; her wings fluttered out and she hovered in front of my face, indignant at the mistreatment. Good. She could fly. I repeated the process with Boots and Puff, shushing their squawks.

"It's time to head for home," I whispered to the fairies.

Blog Tour - Scoop

The book tour for the latter part of this week focuses on Scoop. This novel is a kickoff for a new series by Rene Gutteridge called Occupational Hazards.

On Rene's website I found these reviews about her newest novel, Scoop.

From Publishers Weekly
This humorous novel from Gutteridge kicks off her new series, the Occupational Hazards, featuring seven siblings in a clown family that disbands when the parents die in a freak accident. Twenty-five-year-old Hayden Hazard sheds her protected, homeschooled life to strike out on her own as assistant to Channel 7 news producer Hugo Talley. Her innocence, simple faith and good looks attract the attention of reporter Ray Duffey and egomaniacal weatherman Sam Leege. But trouble is brewing: an aging newscaster has overdone the Botox, giving her a permanent happy face while announcing the most terrible tragedies, and Ray is assaulted on the air while doing a story on pig zoning. An explosion at the waste-water treatment plant seems simple, but Ray discovers something stinks more than sewage or the pigs. Hugo pops blue pills for his stress, but even his medicated calm can't quell the looming disaster. As she did in her Boo series, Gutteridge clearly has fun with her story; the pages brim with quirky characters and plenty of laughs. Hayden's crusade against Hugo's antianxiety meds are the only questionable note in the book; readers may see it as a faith versus prescription antidepressants message. Drugs aside, this is a rollicking evangelical ride through the television news world, reminding readers why Gutteridge is such a delightful read. (Oct. 10)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


This is one of those great books that improves with the second reading and deserves being read out loud to a significant other who can laugh and cry along with you. Highly Recommended. --www.christianfictionreview.com

It looks like a book I will enjoy reading, and I'm particularly glad that it is the beginning of a series and not somewhere in the middle. There is a possibility my package(s) of books may arrive tonight... Here's hoping.

Nano 28534

The story streamed well today, but I can't find a snippet that makes any sort of sense at all without context. Today's words came in at 3173. I'm happy.

Blog Tour - Scoop!

Okay, this is one of those crazy weeks where the two blog tours overlap. I don't really have anything to say about Scoop by Rene Gutteridge because, sadly, I haven't received a shipment of books recently. So sad am I without these books that I called my friends in the USA (my postal brokers) to make sure nothing had arrived as I wasn't sure if we just hadn't connected lately. No boxes of books. I'm expecting something like 8-12 books at that address sometime in the last week. Or next week as the case may be. Either way, I'll try to find something more useful to say tomorrow. Like what the book is about, maybe?

Landon Snow Blog Tour Day 3

One more plug today for the great kids' fantasy series about a boy named Landon Snow. The third story Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum has recently been released.

I thought this might encourage some of the writers in our midst!

From the website:
Q: Are you a full-time novelist?

R.K.: Yes-I'm often working on a novel in my head from when I wake up until I go to bed.

No-My time spent at my computer writing averages between 1 and 2 hours a day. And for pay purposes? Well, it took me over 10 years to get my first publishing contract, and with the remuneration received from it so far I could almost support my family for one month.

Q: What is your day job?

R.K.: I am an active-duty chaplain in the U. S. Navy. I deployed for six months in 1999 aboard a carrier battle group from San Diego to the Persian Gulf. I was a destroyer squadron chaplain, meaning I visited ships that did not have their own chaplain onboard. I would fly by helicopter (the "Holy Helo" with a chaplain onboard) from the aircraft carrier to other ships and stay a few days conducting worship services, Bible studies and personal counseling.

After 2 years as squadron chaplain I went to Okinawa, Japan for 3 years with the Marines (Navy chaplains serve Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard communities). With the Marines I visited 10 other countries in Southeast Asia. Currently I serve as a staff chaplain at the base chapel in Mayport, Florida.

Q: What one piece of advice do you have for aspiring writers?

R.K.: Keep dreaming and driving toward your publishing goal. Second piece of advice: Attend a writers conference to network and learn about writing and the publishing industry.

UPDATE: Mortenson has recently left his post as a Navy chaplain and taken a ministerial position in a South Dakotan church. Hopefully this will spark his creativity even more (you have to admit there is more SNOW in South Dakota than Florida for him to LAND-ON) (Okay, that was a very sad joke, but I made you smile, didn't I? C'mon....)

Check out the following blogs for more info:
Janey DeMeo
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Frank Creed
Gene Curtis
Chris Deanne
April Erwin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at Karen's myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver

Think the books sound like a great Christmas gift for your kids or a family you love? Mirtika Schultz is giving away a set of all THREE Landon Snow books. Go on over and post a comment saying you want to be entered in her contest!

Nano count: 25361

Today's count was a little shy of my goal at 2232, but the scenes appear to be complete so I'm not sweating it. And besides, I cleared the halfway point!

Comic Relief

For today's most applicable comic, click here. Many thanks to Erin, lover of links. Krin's day just got worse. Enter: Squid, stage right.

Landon Snow Blog Tour--Day 2

Today we are focusing on the third book in the series, the title of which is Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum. From the website:

Landon Snow is back in his third adventure into the realm of Wonderwood. This time, Landon Snow finds himself on a wild adventure at sea. When a huge, ark-like vessel emerges, Landon - and his sisters - join a quest to find the Island of Arcanum, where the animals of Wonderwood are imprisoned. With the help of his old friends-a horse named Melech, elfish valley folk, a girl named Ditty, and the poet/prophet Vates-Landon seeks to unlock the island's dark secrets and escape with the animals. But he must battle storms and the villainous Arcans-pirates who hoard animals as treasure. Will Landon ever make it back to Wonderwood alive?

I enjoy Landon Snow a lot and rumor has it (from those with kids) that the stories hit their intended mark: children--and those who read to them. Landon's adventures happen whenever he visits the Button Up Library across the street from his grandparents' house. Landon's sisters Holly--who counts everything that is countable and some things that really aren't--and Bridget--who falls asleep every time she gets in the car or there's any lull in action--both accompany Landon on this biggest adventure yet. Author R. K. Mortenson (Randy) has a whacky sense of humor that shows up often in this great series for kids.

Check out the website for the series here and buy the book here!

I *think* this is a correctly updated list of links for the blog tour. My connection was so awful yesterday (dialup at home) that I couldn't go back and check it all. Apologies to anyone who tried to click through as there were several errors.

Janey DeMeo
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Frank Creed
Gene Curtis
Chris Deanne
April Erwin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at Karen's myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver

Think the books sound like a great Christmas gift for your kids or a family you love? Mirtika Schultz is giving away a set of all THREE Landon Snow books. Go on over and post a comment saying you want to be entered in her contest!

Blog Tour - Landon Snow

This week's blog tour features a book--and a series--that I have come to love. About a year ago I was privileged to blog about Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle. Unfortunately I missed book 2 of this terrific series for children Landon Snow and the Shadows of Malus Quidam. This week I'm happy to talk about the third book in what is currently projected to be a five-book series, Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum.

The idea for this series started late one night, when flute music woke author R. K. Mortenson from his sleep. As he stood at his window, trying to locate the source of the sound, he spied a library across the lawn. Suddenly he envisioned an eleven-year-old sneaking out of his bed and stealing to the library in the dead of the night. And thus, Landon Snow was born.

Whenever Landon's family visits his grandparents' home in Button Up, Minnesota, Landon loves to visit the historical library across the street. And I can assure you that engaging young hero will help young readers (and older ones) to find a lot of enjoyment in books, as well.

In Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum, I find that R. K. Mortenson's style is a wild conglomeration of Lewis Carroll (think Alice in Wonderland) and C. S. Lewis (think Voyage of the Dawntreader. (As far as I know, there is no *Lewis* in R. K. Mortenson's name!) Does that make these stories a rip-off of the classics? Not in the slightest.

Please consider purchasing Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum if you have a young reader on your Christmas list. Please consider purchasing all three books published to date! And if you don't have a young reader around, just pretend. I'm sure you'll enjoy the series as much as I have!

Check out what other bloggers have to say about this book:
Jim Black
Jackie Castle
Frank Creed
Gene Curtis
Chris Deanne
April Erwin
Kameron M. Franklin
Beth Goddard
Todd Michael Greene
Leathel Grody
Karen Hancock
Katie Hart
Sherrie Hibbs
Sharon Hinck
Joleen Howell
Jason Joyner
Karen and at Karen's myspace
Oliver King
Tina Kulesa
Lost Genre Guild
Kevin Lucia
Rachel Marks
Shannon McNear
Rebecca LuElla Miller
Caleb Newell
John Otte
Cheryl Russel
Hanna Sandvig
Mirtika Schultz
Stuart Stockton
Steve Trower
Speculative Faith
Chris Walley
Daniel I. Weaver

P.S. I see that a full three-book set will be given away over at Mirathon. Pop on over and comment on Mirtika's post to be entered!

Nano total -- 23129

Friday was unusually busy at work, so I didn't get my scenes finished. Got things wrapped up today (my nano day off) for a two-day total of 3126.

I'm off on a three day weekend in honor of Remembrance Day, so may not have new totals to display until Tuesday. See you later!

Bog Tour - The Cubicle Next Door Day 3

I think I mentioned once upon a time that when I received a requested review book from Harvest House Publishers, I got more than I'd bargained for. In addition to The Cubicle Next Door (the blog tour pick) by Siri Mitchell, there were three other books. Talk about Christmas in September!

I'd like readers to know a bit about the other books as well, as a sort of thank you to Harvest House. So here goes:

Blind Dates can be Murder
By Mindy Starns Clark

This is obviously the second book in a series that starts with The Trouble With Tulip.

From the back cover:

She's a sassy single woman full of household hints and handy advice for every situation...except matters of her heart. Her first romantic outing in months is a blind date--okay, the Hall of Fame of Awful Blind Dates--but things go from bad to worse when the date drops dead and Jo finds herself smack in the middle of a murder investigation.

With her neighbor Danny Watkins' help, Jo attempts to solve one complicated mystery while trying to figure out another--what on earth is going on with her love life?

This is labeled a smart chick mystery from Harvest House and is my kind of suspense. Even though there are real dangers involving Jo and her friends, the novel had a lighter feel to it that I thoroughly enjoyed, though I have to admit the ending frustrated me a little.


The Last Ten Percent
by Michelle McKinney Hammond

From the back cover:

Wondering what to do now, Tracy examines her priorities and choices. You'd think an intelligent woman with an impressive career, a coveted urban dwelling, and a closet full of the latest fashions could certainly find the man her dream desires.

But for Tracy and her four friends, there's more to happiness than simply finding Mr. Right. Adrian has always been the perfect Christian wife, yet even she finds that marriage comes with no guarantees. Muriel would just as soon lock her heart away where no man dare tread. Felicia could use a lesson in romantic restraint, and Carla wonders if God is punishing her for past mistakes.

As the future unfolds, these longtime friends discover that love comes in unique and amazing ways.

This is Hammond's first novel, though she has a number of non-fiction titles. I'd been really excited to read it because there has been talk around the internet from time to time about black authors and the uphill battle they face. I was all set to enjoy this glimpse into African American culture (a foreign concept to this rural Canadian girl) and that part did not disappoint me. Each of the major characters had distinct issues and personalities, but the book was really too short to give each one a full arc, so there were times I felt like bits of the middle were missing.

The biggest disappointment to me was the editing. I felt the entire book could have been much stronger if another editing pass had been made. As a writer as well as a reader, I'm sure my eye is much more tuned to those types of errors than many readers. I had to wonder if the editors brushed over it because of Hammond's previous non-fiction sales, treating her as an established author when in fact non-fiction writing is quite different. I was jarred out of the story on a number of occasions, which wasn't really the fault of the story itself.

All in all, I think this is the first novel I've written showcasing a black American culture and I did enjoy that glimpse a lot.

Seventy Times Seven
By Brandt Dodson

From the back cover:

Lester Cheek had everything a man could want...a beautiful home, a thriving business, and money to burn. But he was alone--very alone. Until he met Claudia.

The attractive and effervescent Claudia was everything Lester could hope for--she brought a joy into his life that his riches couldn't buy.

But then Claudia disappears...with no explanation and no trace.

Hired to find the missing Claudia, Colton Parker soon finds himself in a race against time to locate an international hit man and stop a murder for hire. But Colton must also wrestle with his personal demons...those that threaten to drive his young daughter away...and that can only be healed through forgiving past wrongs.

This is Dodson's second Colton Parker mystery. Aspiring Retail Magazine says: "Fans of Robert Parker's 'Spencer' novels will feel right at home. Recommended."

I don't read mysteries, and I enjoyed this.

So that was what was in my Christmas-in-September box. WooHoo!! Thanks, Harvest House.

Nano count: 20003

Today's count: 2906

Krin's life has not improved since yesterday. Please (shhhh) don't tell her how much worse it's going to get, okay? She's already got enough problems.

The dauntingness of three nights and days on these abysmal rocks shot through me. I raised my head to the sky and shouted as loud as I could, "Great God, if you're out there, right now would be a good time to start taking care of me. I'm cold and I'm wet and I'm hungry and I think this is a really bad way to treat those who are trying to follow in your way. It isn't fair!"

There was no echo, only laughter.

Laughter?

I had never imagined the Great God's laughter, but if I had, it wouldn't have sounded like my sisters.

And there we have it. Krin about to discover the mermaids. I did tell you there were mermaids, didn't I? Oh well. There are.

Blog Tour - The Cubicle Next Door - Day 2

Today I am flat-out stealing this review of The Cubicle Next Door from the Christian Fiction Blog Tours site. Did I not read the book myself? Why, yes I did. But I'm in the middle of Nano, and besides, I couldn't have put this more eloquently myself!

If you like blogging...which you must if you are reading this...you will think this book is blogarific. After each chapter, there is a blog entry. The book is written in first person and contains some hilarious blog antics.

Imagine that you are an anonymous blogger, one who uses a silly name instead of your own, then imagine blogging about your work. Now imagine blogging about your cubicle mate of the opposite sex and calling him by an anonymous name.

I know some who have done just that.

But now imagine that your cubicle mate has discovered your blog and begins to read it out loud to you. EVERY MORNING.

The Cubicle Next Door is set in a civilian's view of working on a military post. That in itself is funny enough...then add that the main character is a tree hugging, anti-SUV lover, with a thing for Bollywood movies. (Her favorite it Bride & Prejudice.) Suddenly this civilian hippie is thrown into a cubicle next to an Air Force Pilot/Teacher who drives...yep...an SUV. Can't you feel the love?


Also, The Cubicle Next Door has some wonderful moments of self discovery.

A delightful read...here is an excerpt for you:

The Cubicle Next Door

by Siri L. Mitchell Released Aug 06

Excerpt from Chapter 1:

“So what do you think, Jackie?”

What do I think? Funny Joe should ask me that. He’s just finished reading my blog. He’s just quoted me to myself. Or is it myself to me? Do I sound surreal, as if I’m living in parallel universes?

I am!

The blog—my blog—is all about Joe. And other topics that make me want to scream. But the clever thing is, I’m anonymous. When I’m blogging.

I’m Jackie, Joe’s cubicle-mate when I’m not.

And that’s the problem.

Joe is asking Jackie (me) what I think about the Mystery Blogger (also me). And since I don’t want Joe to know the blog is all about me and what I think of him, I can’t tell him what I think about me.

My brain is starting to short circuit.

So if I can’t tell him what I think about me, I certainly can’t tell him what I think about him, so I’m going to have to pretend not to be me. Not me myself and not me The Cubicle Next Door Blogger—TCND to my fans.

I have fans!

If I were clever I’d say something like, “Look!” and point behind him and then duck out of the room when he turned around to look.

But there’s so much computer equipment stacked around my desk and so many cables snaking around the floor that I’d break my neck if I tried to run away. So that option is out.

I could try pretending I didn’t hear him. “What?”

“SUVs. So what do you think about them?”

But then we’d basically end up back where we started.

So how did I get myself into this mess?

It was all Joe’s fault.

The style of the novel was enjoyable; I'd be happy to read other books by Siri Mitchell.

Nano count 17097

Today's count: 2881

And today's snippet (because I know you can't wait, lol):

Loud voices acclaimed Mythil's words, but he raised his voice above them all. "The sea has taken more of our men and has given nothing in return. We need a sacrifice."

"No," said Pathak. "She will go."

She will go? What she was he talking about? Where was she going? They couldn't be talking about me, could they? Was I to attend my rite of passage? Or be a sacrifice to Mythil's idea of a god?

CFBA Blog Tour - TCND

This week's pick for the blog tour is The Cubicle Next Door by author Siri Mitchell. This is chick lit, pure and simple, and a fun read even so.

Even so? I mean, I can't much relate to the thirty-something never-been-married gal who lives with her grandmother. I was married at 21--and a mommy at 22. I've never had a *real* career; I was a stay-at-home mom who later got a job to help keep family finances functional. To me, these gals (and I'm lumping much chick lit together in this statement!) who are ten years or more beyond that age and still acting like teenagers seem somewhat absurd. Isn't it possible to grow up without getting married? I don't get it. But I do need to remember that I am not precisely the target audience here!

My daughter (25 and married) and I have had some interesting discussions about Christian chick lit. Living in a college town as she does, she believes that many 20-somethings just continue to be older teenagers. Many young adults still live with their parents and continue with a generally less responsible lifestyle than those of previous eras. (Can't get your kids to leave home? Stop cooking with cheese, as the ad on tv goes...) Sheesh. I feel OLD.

Okay, I kind of got off topic. Tomorrow I'll actually talk about *this* book. Stay tuned!

Nano count: 14216

Today's count: 2872. Still right on track. And here's a snippet from today. Pathak (Krin's mentor) is trying to teach her rhythm.

"Krin, concentrate," he said. It must have been the fiftieth time he had said that.

I was concentrating. I was concentrating so hard my eyes hurt and my head felt like someone was squeezing it all the way around. If I concentrated any more I would explode like a dead and bloated sheep on a hot day. The thought distracted me for a bit, remembering the day... No. I had a job to do. I looked at Pathak.

"I'm trying."

Today I discovered that kitten fairies are not immune to catnip. Er, yeah. It was an interesting writing day.

Nano total: 11344

2830 today, but there isn't a snippet. I just squeezed the words under the time-wire and I'm not really fond of the chapter. I'm thinking too much telling, not enough showing, but figuring that out is a job for after November.

Hope you are all faring well...

Nano count 8514

Today's count: 2831, so I'm pretty happy. I'm right on schedule, which is writing weekdays and leaving my weekends free for farm and home tasks.

Today's snippet takes place when Krin's kittens meet her mentor's hound dogs:

Pathak's other two fairies erupted from the cot, yipping, yowling, and tumbling head over heels in mid-air. The first one launched, and all three shot towards me. I ducked as I heard the kittens hiss and snarl but there was little I could do to stop the ensuing melee.

Pathak bellowed "Stop!" and one of the hounds dropped to the ground, glancing sheepishly over its shoulder at Pathak. The maven whistled sharply, then clapped his hands twice. Another hound sank out of the fight, and the three kittens attacked the third one ferociously.

"Krin, call them off!" Pathak shouted.

How could I? I hadn't even named them yet! "Kittens?" I called. Of course they ignored me.

A Christian fantasy writer weighs in

Karen Hancock, author of the popular series Legends of the Guardian King discusses some of the many reasons why fantasy might be a truer representation of reality for believers than the books that tout contemporary settings and themes.

Check it out here!

Nano -- 5683

2574 new words today for a full nano total of 5683. Today's snippet:

Three kittens. What an unimaginable luxury. My heart sank as I realized of course Mama wouldn't let me keep them. I tried to think where I might hide them as I set the black one down on my chest beside the calico, who opened its eyes and licked the black one's face. They needed names. No they didn't. I couldn't keep them. Tiny pinpricks poked my arm and I glanced at the gray one, who yawned and stretched, tail high in the air.

Something didn't look quite right. I reached over to run my fingers through its fur and found something bony attached to its back. I must have startled the kitten, because it jumped in the air. And stayed there. The something strange and bony proved to be wings. I swallowed hard and stared, afraid that if I took my gaze off them for an instant they would disappear. Definitely wings. They fluttered and flapped, then tilted as the kitten returned to my bed. It stalked up my chest, wings sticking straight up in the air.

I should remember to breathe.

(Not promising one every day, by the way...)

Nano count- 3109

A successful first day. Here's a little snippet of Krin participating in a Dance of Ritual...or is she?

My hand jerked as Trafford pulled me forward. Already I was out of synchronization with the circle. Concentration was vital, but I knew it would not be enough. It never was. I went forward as everyone else stepped back. I pulled left, Trafford tugged me right. The drums pounded, the cobblestones throbbed, the lengthening shadows shimmered--and my feet would not send me in the direction of the dance.

"Enough!" shouted Mythil.

The music stopped in mid-beat. I looked up to see the aging satrap glaring at me. Hastily I stepped back into line beside Trafford.

"You! Out. Someone else take her place."

DKA Tour Day 3 and EEEEEEK Nano

Okay, if you're NOT doing National Novel Writing Month, you have plenty of time to check out the short stories and poems at Dragons, Knights, and Angels Ezine. And if you ARE doing Nano, maybe you need a short story or two to read to clear your mind at some point today. Check it out.

And now I'm opening that great white document and starting my Nano journey with Krin and the Giant Squid. See you later!