As a reminder: If you’re in the Kansas City area Feb. 23, be sure to attend a reception and presentation about Alex’s work hosted by the Kansas City Public Library! More details and RSVP link here.

* * * *

John Pilate Mystery fans, your wait is over!

The small but vocal cadre of fans asked for a follow-up to the acclaimed mystery thriller Pilate’s Cross, and author J. Alexander Greenwood delivers it with Pilate’s Key.

Since publishing the first book in 2009, Alex has enjoyed meeting with numerous Kansas City–area book clubs and had a book signing in Omaha in 2011.

“I really enjoyed hearing the likes–and dislikes–of my readers at book clubs as well as meeting new fans at the book signing at The Bookworm in Omaha,” he said. “The book clubs overwhelmingly asked me to hurry up on writing the sequel.”

The book’s popularity in Kansas City made it possible for him to be honored with a speaking engagement at the Kansas City Public Library as part of their author series.

“Anyone who knows about the incredible library system in Kansas City will recognize immediately what an honor this is for me and my books,” Alex said. “I keep pinching myself when I think about being invited!”

The Kansas City Public Library will host the author event at the Plaza Branch (4801 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64112) Feb. 23 at 6:30 p.m. The event will include a reception followed by a multimedia presentation by Alex about what inspired his novels and his life as a writer. A book signing session with Alex and award-winning book cover artist David A. Terrill is also scheduled. The Library encourages patrons RSVP for this event. Click here for the event RSVP link.

Pilate’s Key was published as an ebook in January 2012 and in paperback in February. It follows John Pilate to the sands of Key West, Florida.

Life’s A Beach for John Pilate…

On the mend from a near-death experience in the snowy Midwest, John Pilate is taking it easy on the sun-soaked beaches of Key West. Umbrella drink in hand, Pilate is writing a book and getting some much-needed therapy to deal with his imaginary friend Simon. He’s also pondering the future with his new love, Kate. Life is looking up for John Pilate…until he is drawn into a world of murder, pirates, conch fritters and smart aleck remarks from invisible men.

He has blood on his hands, a mysterious poker chip in his pocket, shadows over his shoulder and a sexy cop in his bed. John Pilate is in trouble again–and the only way out is to find the key…Pilate’s Key. (From the book jacket)

* * * *

“The word from readers is so encouraging…usually along the lines of ‘I liked the first book, but Pilate’s Key is even better.’ Better editing, snappier dialogue, the works–I take that as a high compliment,” Alex said.

Like the first book, Pilate’s Key is available on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, iBooks and wherever ebooks are sold. It’s also a print-on-demand paperback–available on Lulu now and soon from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and on order from your local bookstore.

Alex looks forward to future book club appearances–whether in person or via Skype.

“Technology has made it possible for me to appear at book clubs all over the world, and I’m certainly ready to do so.”

Alex won the 2011 Shelf Unbound Short Story competition for his popular story Obsidian (available on Amazon.com). Besides writing Book Three in the John Pilate series, Alex is working on a multimedia project with artist David Terrill. For more information and for book club discounts and appearances,

Connect with Alex

Website

Facebook

Email: author (at) pilatescross.com

Twitter

Congratulations, Alex on your new book! Thrilled for you and can’t wait to read it, eden

I’ve had the pleasure of corresponding with Janis over the past couple of weeks. She has graciously agreed to support Indies Unite for Joshua, the IndieGoGo campaign for author Maxwell Cynn’s son who is fighting leukemia. Janis’ philanthropy is well documented with her charity, The Pearl Foundation, named after her incredible mother. Given her iconic status, it is an unbelievable honor to have Janis lend her name to our fundraiser. I’d like to give a huge shout-out to poet and editor, R. Jeffreys for making the introduction.

Released in 1975, “At Seventeen” is a bittersweet commentary on teenage angst. I still have the 45 and know the lyrics by heart because I played the record over and over and actually wrote down all the words.

“At Seventeen” was nominated for five Grammys—the most any female artist had ever been nominated for at the time. It won the 1976 Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, beating out Linda Ronstadt, Judy Collins, Olivia Newton-John and Helen Reddy. The song’s parent album, Between the Lines, also hit #1 and went platinum.

“At Seventeen” is a brilliantly composed song which is deeply personal, but the lyrics are as relevant today as they were when the song was first released. Have a listen …

Here is Janis performing “Society’s Child” when she was just sixteen years old on the Smothers Brothers Show.

“Society’s Child” rocked the nation at a time when the Supreme Court had yet to repeal the laws against interracial marriage, and when civil rights unrest was cresting. It was banned across the country by radio stations as “subversive”, a position that was later reversed when the brilliant composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein became Janis’ most vocal supporter. The song went to #1, and Janis was suddenly hanging out with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, appearing on television shows, and getting hate mail. (Portions excerpted from Janis Ian’s website)

Both “At Seventeen” and “Society’s Child” were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.

Learn More About Janis Ian

I’ll return with Janis next Monday to list the items she is generously donating for Indies Unite for Joshua. In the meantime, go to her website and see all the wonderful work she has done and continues to do—including a tour starting in April, recording an audio version of her autobiography Society’s Child, and her work for The Pearl Foundation.

You can also find Janis on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Thank you Janis for your amazing kindness and lending your support for Indies Unite for Joshua.   

eden

Rules: Write a 100-word story inspired by a song.

This week’s song is The Black Crowe’s “Hotel Illness”.

* * * *

I stumbled out of the hut and on to the beach. The sun was setting, and it looked huge–bigger and more fiery than I’d ever seen it. I reached out to touch it and saw my hand push right through it. The orange and red morphed around my fingers and pulled me in. I grabbed it with my fist and ran toward it, holding it as it slowly sunk lower behind the horizon.

An incoming wave splashed my feet and up my ankles. I immediately stopped to watch the water recede. When I looked up, the giant orb had disappeared.

* * * *

Please welcome the wonderfully talented A.J. Aalto.

* * * *

Who is A.J. Aalto?

AJ Aalto is an unrepentant liar and a writer of  blathering nonsense offset by factual gore. When not working on her horror novels, you can find her singing old Monty Python songs in the shower, eavesdropping on perfect strangers, stalking her eye doctor, or failing at one of her many fruitless hobbies. Generally a fan of anyone with a passion for the ridiculous, she has a particular weak spot for smug, pseudointellectual assholes and narcissistic jerks; readers will find her work littered with dark, imperfect creatures and flawed monsters. Her first novel, Touched, is available for Kindle or Nook.

AJ cannot say no to a Snickers bar, and has been known to swallow her gum.

Touched blurb:

The media has nicknames for Marnie Baranuik, though she’d rather they didn’t; twice-Touched by the Blue Sense, a rare dual-talented psychic with a doctorate in preternatural biology and a working knowledge of the dark arts, she was considered without peer in the psychic community. 

Her first big FBI case ended with a bullet in one shoulder and a chip on the other, a queasy heart and a serial killer in the wind, leaving her a public flop and a private wreck. When the FBI’s preternatural crimes unit tracks her down at her remote mountain lodge in Ten Springs, Colorado for her insight on a local case, she isn’t particularly eager to stick her neck out again, but her quiet retirement is promptly besieged by a stab-happy starlet, a rampaging ghoul, and a vampire hunting jackass in tight Wranglers. Marnie figures the only real mystery is which one will kill her first.
Too mean to die young, backed up by friends in cold places, and running with a mouth as demure as a cannon’s blast, Marnie Baranuik is about to discover that there’s no such thing as quitting time when you’re Touched. 

Inside A. J. Aalto’s Mind

What is your idea of perfect happiness? A thunderstorm, candlelight, good food, fine company, a scary movie. A walk at night, the smell of fallen leaves in a ditch.

What turns you on creatively? I get fired-up when I read about abnormal psychology and aberrant behaviour, unexplained phenomenon, mysterious creatures, unexplored places.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I say “totally” a lot, and I swear constantly; I should totally fuckin’ knock that shit off.

What quality do you most admire in a man?  I love the way a man’s face changes the instant someone asks for help. *bing!* Something primal shines inside them; it’s fascinating on an anthropological level.

What quality do you most admire in a woman? Anyone who is lucky enough to have close female friends know they are the most nurturing people. The support my female friends have shown me in these past few years, as they’ve encouraged me to finally publish, has been amazing. Don’t know what I’d do without my chickies.

What is your greatest regret? I don’t believe in regret or remorse; both are pointless exercises and a waste of time. I prefer to look to the future, with the help of Denial and booze lol

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I’m terribly shy, and fear prevents me from doing some of the things I’d like to do. I’d pay a sizeable chunk for a vial of condensed bravery.

What is your greatest fear? I am terrified of clowns, and if one were to show up in my house, or at my window, I think I’d have a heart attack.

Which living person do you most admire? Tom Waits; I love the cadence of his talent.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d make a fair private investigator: I’m nosy, I like paperwork, I dig photography and I can sit in a car for a really, really long time.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? If human wasn’t an option, I think I’d love to be a pampered house cat.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? The day I wrote ~the End~ at the bottom of the page and knew it was the truth. I’d finally finished a book, after seven false starts and fatally-flawed manuscripts; I had one that felt right, one that worked, one that pleased me enough to share it.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Intolerance. When someone says “all <these> should be shot” or a variation thereof, it makes me sad.

What is your greatest extravagance? I don’t buy large things, and rarely buy small things; I spend most of my money on food. I love food.

What is one thing you want to do before you die? I need to see polar night in Finland.

What are some of your favorite curse words? Twatwaffle, ratfuck, nerdhole, douche-nozzle, asshat, dickpuddle … there are so many to choose from!

What is your motto? Write every day. Every. Damn. Day.

 * * * *

Thanks A.J. for being a wonderful guest. Readers, please leave a comment for A.J. and say “hi.”

* * * *

Connect with A. J. 

Blog

Twitter

Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate love, and really … who doesn’t? Here’s my take on what eternal love might look like.

* * * *

The man across the table looked at me with skepticism in his eyes. I had repeated my story three times, but it was obvious he was looking for inconsistencies as he scribbled in his notepad.

“I know you think I’m crazy,” I said, “but I’ve known Emily since we were five, and there’s no other explanation for her disappearance other than what I’ve told you.”

“Miss Martin, what you’re saying is highly unusual, so we have to get the facts straight.”

I sighed—loudly. “I understand, but the story is not going to change no matter how many times I tell it. I’m tired, and I want to go home.”

He looked over at his partner who merely shrugged. I hated the whole “good cop, bad cop” routine they’d been playing for the past two hours. I was losing patience. Emily was my best friend, and I had no reason to lie about what I thought had happened to her, even if it was … highly unusual.

“Miss Martin, we all want to go home, but tell it to me once more. I promise you this will be the last time.”

* * * *

The cryptic note left for Emily’s mom read:

Dearest Mom,
Please don’t worry about me. I am well and happy and wish the same for you.
With all my love, always,
—Emily

Her mother was understandably distraught. She called me immediately after finding the note and said it was uncharacteristic of Emily to be so irresponsible, to vanish without saying a word. She would never leave like this …

Yes, but her mother didn’t know my friend the way I did. To her, Emily was the good girl who had done everything right from day one. As an only child, she had been an “A” student her entire academic life. She had always been there for her mom since her dad died when Emily was just an infant. The pressure to be the perfect daughter was not easy, and Emily had constantly wrestled with her mother’s inability to move on with her own life.

Emily was completing her master’s degree in metaphysics when she disappeared. As long as I had known her, she’d been interested in the idea of parallel universes. I had read some of her papers, and though they struck me as fascinating, my understanding of another dimension was rooted in science fiction, not science. Emily, on the other hand, believed there was something more and was determined to find it.

She hadn’t dated anyone in a long time, so I was naturally intrigued when she confided she had met someone. Over coffee one afternoon, Emily told me about the new man in her life. She described him as having hypnotic eyes, a deep voice, and charisma that had her dreaming about him almost nightly.

“I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something dark and mysterious about him,” she said.

Ever the cynic, I replied, “Oh, seriously, Em…”

“I know it sounds cliché, but it’s true. He’s not particularly handsome—not in the classical sense anyway, yet somehow I’m drawn to him.”

“And has he noticed you?”

“Not really, no more than any of the other students. His teaching style is not interactive. He stands behind the podium for the entire two-hour lecture, and he barely moves. He just tells us which chapters to read, and occasionally, he reads out the chapters verbatim.”

“He’s probably your type though—you like them a bit strange.”

“Ha! No, he’s not strange—he’s deadly seductive. His voice makes me think of dark chocolate—thick, delicious, and his lips, my god …”

“What does the rest of him look like?”

“… Plus he has this flawless complexion. With the auditorium lights reflecting off his skin, his face is radiant.” She took a gulp of coffee, lost in decadent thought. “Sorry, what was your question?”

I had never seen Emily so taken by a man before. “I asked what the rest of him looks like.”

“Gorgeous. He’s over six feet tall, appears in great shape, and has fierce, dark brown eyes with a hint of crimson.”

“Hmm…the way you describe him can only mean one thing.”

“What?”

“He’s a bloody vampire!”

We both doubled over laughing. It had always been a joke between us to unabashedly label men as fictional characters. Between us, we’d dated a werewolf— hairy dude with the bad teeth; a zombie—guy with the dead eyes who walked with a shuffle; and gladiator man—my last boyfriend who had the rugged looks of Russell Crowe and a temper to go with it.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Emily said. “How do you get vampire from what I’ve told you?”

“Come on, he’s hypnotizing, can stand for hours without moving, and has a flawless complexion. He must be a vampire!”

That was the last time I saw Emily. After that, we continued to exchange e-mails and phone calls, and she told me about her escalating crush on her professor. He’d invaded her thoughts so thoroughly that she awakened nightly with wet dreams, her body trembling and flushed. She even found evidence of small marks on her breasts and around her neck, which she referred to as love bites. Although this alarmed me, Emily just laughed it off, saying she couldn’t wait to go to bed every night.

I was envious hearing about the passion in her dreams! It was better than any sex I’d experienced in a long time with a real man.

We made tentative plans to get together for dinner. Emily promised she had some exciting news to share and even hinted she wanted me to meet her professor. I gathered their relationship had moved beyond her dreams. Thrilled and excited for her, I was looking forward to our dinner to find out more. When I called to confirm our date on the morning we were supposed to meet and couldn’t get a hold of her, I was concerned, but not all that worried. I sent a follow-up e-mail but received no response. It was only when Emily’s mother called a few days later that I first suspected something was wrong.

* * * *

Numb from exhaustion after the four-hour interrogation, I kicked off my shoes upon entering my apartment and threw my coat on a chair. The emotional turmoil of the past week had completely stressed me out. Emily’s mother had no idea her daughter had been seeing someone, and I was beginning to wonder about it myself. It wasn’t as if I had actually met the man. I didn’t even know his name and had nothing concrete to offer the police about him.

I brewed a cup of tea and prepared to watch the news before going to bed. I don’t recall when I fell asleep, but I awoke with a start to realize I was still on the couch with the television blaring, and my cup of tea knocked over on the coffee table.

“Shit,” I whispered, running to the kitchen to grab a dish towel.

As I pushed aside the pile of magazines to wipe the table dry, I saw an envelope peeking out beneath my latest issue of Vogue. I had not noticed it before and pulled it out. It was addressed to me in a handwriting I knew well. My heart raced as I opened it and read the note.

Dearest Amy,

You are the only person who’s ever understood my desire to know more than just what this life has to offer.
You were right about the professor. With him, I have found everlasting life … and love. Please understand I have chosen to be with him. He is the one.
Your friend forever, love,
—Emily

The bittersweet pang of loss swept over me. Emily was gone. She had found the portal to eternal love.

Feel free to read more of my short stories here

“I Will Not be Broken” summed up my past week, and it sets the tone for the coming weeks as well.

Enjoy,
eden

Be sure to watch the video for her latest book, Never Gonna Let You Go.

Please welcome the lovely Jessica E. Subject.

* * * *

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.

Never Gonna Let You Go blurb:

Caught in a tangle of lies, Calla Jacobs must sort through the truth to discover where she truly belongs. A biologist for Planet Core, she finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit. Sent to Airondelle, she must work with a team to prepare the newly discovered planet for colonists from Earth. But the mission does not go as she expected. Her former lover, Erik Edwards, shuns her, sending Calla into the arms of Melina Holloway, their commander, for the attention she craves and more. A confrontation among the trio leaves her with a broken heart, and fleeing from the two people she trusted most.

Attempting to break free from the lies that bind her, she discovers Planet Core has deceived everyone. And when she returns to Earth, Calla learns just how far Planet Core’s control reaches.

Inside Jessica E. Subject’s Mind

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Hmm, I think that would be hiking up the side of a waterfall with my husband and kids. It’s a very peaceful experience for me, and my youngest is just old enough that he can walk up by himself.

What turns you on creatively? So many things. A book I enjoy, a picture, an experience. Sometimes the creativity flows when I’m in the shower.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? But, And… I’ll probably learn more when I receive my next set of edits.

What quality do you most admire in a man? Integrity, although I enjoy a sense of humor as well, even if it’s different from my own.

What quality do you most admire in a woman? Integrity as well.

What is your greatest regret? Not knowing what I wanted to do in terms of my career when I went to University.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My time management skills. There just never seems to be enough time in the day and I don’t do well without sleep.

What is your greatest fear? Being alone. I don’t mean for short periods of time, as I rather enjoy those moments. I mean, forever.

Which living person do you most admire? There are so many. My mother for a lot of reasons, and Lorna Suzuki and Rebecca Royce, just to name two of the authors on my list. These women exemplify what I strive to be.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’m happy doing what I’m doing. I finally found something I enjoy that provides a challenge every day and never makes me regret my decision to start writing.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? An alien? I’d love to see other worlds. I’m not sure if the soul can travel across the universe though. And I’m not yet ready to find out.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Signing a contract for The Zurian Child, my science fiction romance novel. It is the first thing I ever wrote and has been through many rounds of revisions and to many critique partners. I’ve learned so many things since I wrote the first draft, but writing it made me realize a lifelong dream. I could finally admit it to myself.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Closed-mindedness. Some people fail to see what’s right in front of their eyes simply because someone else told them it’s not possible or wrong.

What is your greatest extravagance? Books. My mother always told me that you could never waste money buying books. Maybe I take that a little too literally.

What is one thing you want to do before you die? Learn to fly a plane. I’ve never even been in a plane before, so this is a huge goal for me.

What is your present state of mind? Stressed, frazzled, but I think I work better this way.

What are some of your favorite curse words? Fuck and shit. They’re not original, but being around kids all day, I have to keep those words inside, saying things like ‘fuzzy sock suckers’ instead.

What is your motto? Because everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after…

 * * * *

Thanks Jessica for being such a lovely guest. Readers, please leave a comment for Jessica and say “hi.”

* * * *

Connect with Jessica

Website & Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Google +

Dalma Heyn and Richard Marek have written, edited, and published numerous books. This new venture is their first collaborative effort as writers. I’m sure you’ll enjoy getting to know them better.

Please give a warm welcome to Dalma Heyn and Richard Marek.

*  *  *  *

 Buy links:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Apple iBookstore   Kobo

Watch the video

In Dalma’s own words … 

For years, I’ve written about women’s deepest feelings about love, sexuality, marriage, in my nonfiction books,  beginning with The Erotic Silence of the American Wife, and moving on to Marriage Shock: The Transformation of Women into Wives, and then Drama Kings: The Men Who Drive Strong Women Crazy. And my husband, Richard Marek, had edited four books by James Baldwin, discovered Robert Ludlum, and published Thomas Harris, Peter Straub and Richard Condon, among many others. So when we wanted to collaborate on a love story, we had me, this woman’s advocate, filled with women’s stories in my head; and this pace master,  a thriller expert….and we had to figure out how to make our skills work together, and well.

In A GODSEND: A Love Story for Grownups , we wondered: Can two busy, independent adults living on opposite coasts, both with plenty of emotional baggage;  neither one using Facebook or Twitter;  iPads, Match.com or even cell phones… and who have absolutely no desire for another relationship; fall in love?

And if they meet, how will they get together if, combined with their ambivalence,  they don’t use social media or cellphones? This is the crucial question sticking in the quiver of The God of Love, whose career as a matchmaker is on the line unless he can prove he’s still relevant in this world of tweeters, texters and sexters who seem to do nicely without his services. His boss gives him one more chance to work his old magic and get a great love affair going…..or else he’s out of a job.

Enter Evan and Eve. Evan is an outdoorsman, car enthusiast and book anthologist who has given up on love; Eve is a former ballerina who now runs her own Vermont maple sugar farm. When an ice storm threatens to destroy Eve’s maple trees, and Evan’s ex-girlfriend, now ill, begs him to take her in, their love implodes.  The God of Love is powerless to intercede. But the soul of a man and the heart of a woman are stronger even than the will of the Gods, the treachery of mortals, and the power of social media.

Richard and I had a great time collaborating, easier than we had thought—although it took us a long time to get the tone, voice and pace the way we both wanted it. I think the fact that we shared different thoughts about what make characters come alive, and how much time to spend on various parts of the novel, made our journey more fun than it would have been if we’d both come from the same literary place. We love the story, and hope readers will, too. And we welcome, most of all, readers’ thoughts and input.

Read two excerpts: 

Yes, he thought, I’m ready for a woman like you, now. Everyone before Eve was a little girl; even his own sexual experience, in retrospect, felt partial; teenaged. This was a woman to contend with, a woman who needed a grown man. 

He smiled down at her, and his eyes reassured her. “Let’s go,” he said.

“Let’s go,” she moaned. And together, they went.

Eve, rocked beyond joy, felt infused with an immense gratitude, a global sensation of thanks. The pleasures and successes to which she had given her life until now seemed to pale next to this feeling. She understood the price she’d paid for her art….why she’d for so long felt a nagging loss in her heart, in her bones, in her skin. It was not just a hunger for a certain kind of love; it was a need to feel part of the world, of the universe, even. It was a need for this.

* * * *

This was what she most feared in herself—in herself in relation to men, anyway; this reflexive impulse toward cookie-baking goodness, even here in her own home with a stranger. She’d boldly invited this man to visit her for the purpose of an affair, yet here she was nattering on self-consciously like a young girl being hustled off to a drive-in movie by a horny teenager. Could she not successfully play the role of the seductress without feeling as if she were about to be hurled under a train, or hurl herself under one, a la Anna Karenina?….God knows she wouldn’t call herself repressed. Yet some impulse left over from her girlhood had crept over her, something to do with proving to a man you’re virtuous. Something to do with earning love.

Congratulations, Dalma and Richard on your newest venture. May you have every success with your book!

Readers, please take this opportunity to connect with Dalma and Richard and ask them questions!  

Image courtesy of Pam Barkentin Blackburn

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Amazon Author Central ~ Open Road Media 

Dalma Heyn’s books, The Erotic Silence of the American Wife; Marriage Shock; and Drama Kings are published in 34 languages and have been bestsellers both here and abroad.  Richard Marek spent 40 years in the publishing business, rising from a junior editor at Macmillan to President and Publisher of E.P. Dutton. During that time, he discovered Robert Ludlum, edited four books by James Baldwin, and published Thomas Harris, Peter Straub and Richard Condon, among many others. He is the author of a novel, Works of Genius.

Rules: Write a 100-word story inspired by a song.

This week’s song is Radiohead’s “Idioteque“.

* * * *

I bang my head against the desk—twice—still numb. My lower lip curls under my front teeth, and I bite down hard and taste blood. At least one of my senses is intact.

Cramped legs, aching back, and blurred vision set in. The empty bottle of bourbon ferments inside me. I hear my name but ignore it. Instead, I paw the keyboard until my finger depresses the letter “z” and watch it fill up the screen for several lines.

“James,” she screams again. “Come to bed. You can finish your damn masterpiece tomorrow!”

I grunt and black out atop my keyboard.

* * * *

This post is dedicated to my friend, Edda, who passed away October 30, 2011—missed, never forgotten.

” … Oh me, oh my
Who’s gonna count my time
Oh me, oh my
Who’s gonna count my time

Time will go, it never stops
Memory locked in her passing
Try, oh try to cling to her
Until she becomes everlasting …

Oh me, oh my
Who’s gonna mark my time 
Oh me, oh my
Who’s gonna mark my time …”

eden

Lorna Suzuki has written so many books I can’t fit them all on one blog page. Aside from being an accomplished writer, she’s also a 5th-dan practitioner and instructor of the martial art Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu—in other words, she’s deadly!

In early 2011, the first three novels of the Imago Chronicles series were optioned for a major motion picture trilogy. Book One A Warrior’s Tale is now in development and pre-production is underway!  It’s what many writers dream of, so you’ll definitely want to know more about this talented lady.

Please welcome the exceptional Lorna Suzuki.

* * * *

When Lorna is not writing the next instalment of the Imago series or her new Young Adult Fantasy Series, The Dream Merchant Saga, she is a scriptwriter specializing in biographic documentaries for TV. She is also currently a consultant/scriptwriter on the PBS TV series ‘West Coast Adventures’.

Find all of Lorna’s excellent books on Smashwords and Amazon.

* * * *

Inside Lorna Suzuki’s Mind

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Doing what I love to do with the people I love.

What turns you on creatively? Good music to fit my writing mood.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I think I tend to say ‘bloody hell’ as in ‘what the bloody hell was that?’ too much.

What quality do you most admire in a man? Compassion

What quality do you most admire in a woman? Integrity

What is your greatest regret? I’ve made a few mistakes in my life, but I can’t say I really regret anything… I think of them as learning opportunities! Yeah, that’s it…

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? At this point in my life, I wish I wasn’t so forgetful. I have to read and re-read my own novels when I’m working on the next installment because I keep forgetting what I wrote. I understand there are some natural remedies for this, but I can’t remember what it’s called. (Gingko Bilbo or something like that.)

What is your greatest fear? I’d say it would have to be finding out I’m as vertically challenged as people claim I am.

Which living person do you most admire? I do admire the past Governor General Michaelle Jean, but I also admire author J.K. Rowling. There are some parallels in our lives, having both lost our mothers too early, knowing what it’s like to struggle with poverty, being able to rise above depression to name a few. But mostly I admire how Rowling had been able to take control of her life on so many levels, creatively and from a business aspect!

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’ve worked as a researcher/writer for TV shows, but I’d love to produce nature documentaries so I can educate the masses on how our actions are sending this world, our one planet, to hell in a hand basket and what we can do to change it. Failing that, maybe a hula dancer…

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? Fictional character? Yoda, so I can put my lack of height & martial arts knowledge to good use (plus, we can pass as twins). Real person? I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be than me, and with that said, I want to do things right in this life so I don’t have to come back for a do-over. Now, if you’re talking about coming back as an animal, then definitely not a salmon. They run the gauntlet to survive in the wild, and when they do their grueling migration as adults, they struggle to return to their home stream where they have one big orgasm, and then they die.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? I’ve been fortunate in my life that I’ve accomplished most of what I had set out to do. Whether it was breaking into the field of law enforcement when women were just getting into the field, becoming a martial arts instructor in an all-male dojo, having my novels optioned for a major motion picture trilogy, and more, there is one thing that stands out the most for me. This will sound hokey, but in all honesty, when my daughter tells me I’m such a good mom to her, it tops all of my achievements. This to me is a great achievement when you consider I lost my role model when I was only 9-years-old. I think in this day and age, the fact that I brought up a wonderful, talented, caring and compassionate child is my greatest achievement to date! Call me biased, but she’s the best, and now, she even writes YA fantasy with me!

What is the trait you most deplore in others? I like people who are confident, but when confidence becomes arrogance? Arrrgh!

What is your greatest extravagance? When I received the option fee for my book to movie deal, I splurged on a white gold, diamond & smoky topaz necklace and earring set because I didn’t want all the money going toward the mortgage, bills, etc. I wanted something just for me to mark this special occasion, other than that I rarely splurge on anything for me.

What is one thing you want to do before you die? I’d like to get the first in the movie trilogy on the big screen so I know my family will be taken care of before I take a dirt nap. With my heart condition, it’s important because you just never know…

What is your present state of mind? Contentment

What are some of your favorite curse words? I really don’t swear, unless you consider “bloody hell’ curse words.

What is your motto? Illegitimi noncarborundum (Don’t let the bastards grind you down!)

Thank you so much for inviting me to your blogsite, Eden! This interview was so much fun!
Thanks Lorna! I’m happy to have you here, and you’re welcome to come back anytime! Readers, I invite you to leave a comment for Lorna. She’s a lovely and gracious author to know.

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Connect with Lorna

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Youtube

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A short time ago, several authors and I read a post that affected us deeply. It was about fellow writer and friend, Maxwell Cynn, whose 21-old son Joshua was diagnosed with leukemia.

You can read more about it on Max’s heart-wrenching post.

In a little over a week, a group of authors and artists have banded together to help raise money for Joshua to allay the costs of his treatment. Our goal is to collect $10,000 over the next four months as part of “Indies Unite for Joshua.”

I’ve listed all the wonderful authors who are donating their e-books, print books, and guest spots on their blogs. Some have donated multiple or unlimited copies. There are more contributions on the IndieGoGo site. The response has been phenomenal.

My sincere thanks to everyone who has been so generous on such short notice. ♥

And because all great teams have mascots, this kick-ass baby embodies the spirit of Joshua and the people behind him.

On behalf of “Indies Unite for Joshua”, we’d like to say,

“You can beat this, Joshua, and we’re standing with you every step of the way. We also know you like Metallica.”

Rock on young man,
eden
xox

We're all rooting for you!

Go to “Indies Unite for Joshua” and donate what you can.

Together, we can help Joshua, Max, and his family fight this horrible disease.

Use hashtag #IndiesUnite4Joshua in your tweets!

Please help us spread the word.

Participating authors & blogs

My February 2012 schedule is now up, and it begins with an IndieGoGo campaign. You can find it under the Schedules tab.

eden

Today, I write about “Rude Behavior on Twitter”

Enjoy,

eden

Filed under: Black Ink, White Paper ]]> http://edenbaylee.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/blogging-at-black-ink-white-paper-4/feed/ 6 edenbaylee BIWP2 http://edenbaylee.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/musical-mondays-bright-eyes/ http://edenbaylee.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/musical-mondays-bright-eyes/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:01:36 +0000 eden baylee http://edenbaylee.wordpress.com/?p=7749 ]]> Life is so much brighter when shared — a sweet song to close out the month.

Listen to “First Day of My Life.”

eden

You can also hear me read this story on:

Episode #22 of The Word Count podcast.

The prompt was “I washed the blood from my hands…”

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I could tell what he wanted the moment he sat next to me. He showed me what he had in his duffel bag and invited me to his place. He was aggressive, which was ironic. I had to follow through, or I might not get another chance. The six beers, three glasses of wine, and two Tequila chasers made me brave. My ex always said to me, “Never mix your fruits with your grains. You can’t handle it.” He should know. He’d experienced more than his share of my violent outbursts.

* * *

Goddamn it, what the hell was I thinking? I couldn’t even recall how I got here. Thoughts tumbled around in my head like clothes in a dryer. I was in the dingy bathroom of his apartment, staring at my ruddy complexion in the mirror. My eyes were puffy and bloodshot, my mouth dry like I’d been sucking on a tennis ball. I spit out a blob of brownish phlegm, turned on the water, and watched the thick mucous swirl down the drain. With my chest heaving, I managed to gulp two handfuls of water.

“Hey, are you almost done?” he yelled. He was already in the bedroom, and the only thing separating us was the flimsy lock on the bathroom door.

“Yeah … just give me a minute.” I left the water running to mask the sound of my coughing. I spit once more and took several deep breaths before I unlocked the door.

He was on the floor, naked, save for the dog collar around his neck and the leash in his mouth.  My first instinct was to bolt, but it’d be pretty difficult to run with swollen feet inside five-inch heels.

He crawled over to me on all fours, and dropped the leash at my feet. “I’ve been a bad dog. I couldn’t wait for you and had an accident.” He whimpered and rubbed his face along the side of my leather pants. Sure enough, there was a puddle in the corner of the room. I suppressed my gag reflex and again thought of running.

“You are a bad dog.” Did those words really come out of my mouth?

Proceeding to the bed, I sat down awkwardly as a wave of nausea hit. He followed behind me, panting like a lovesick puppy. I crossed my legs and extended one in front of him. “Lick my shoe. Now!” I demanded.

Relieved with my quick recovery, I waited for my stomach to settle, but my discomfort only increased. His flabby body spilled out in front of me in full view. I, on the other hand, was stuffed like a sausage into my corset unable to escape. Listening to this fat slob slurp my stiletto and suck on my heel made me sick. I just wanted to get it over with and vomit.

“Bring me your whip,” I said.

He stopped tonguing my shoe and crawled over to his duffel bag. Using his teeth, he unzipped it and burrowed his head inside like a truffle pig.

With my heart hammering inside my chest, I quietly removed both shoes and gripped one in my sweaty hands. As I neared him, he craned his neck and saw me just before I stabbed the heel into his eye with all my strength. His body stiffened, and he let out a high-pitch yelp. He scrambled to his knees, frantically grabbing at the embedded shoe in his face. From the opposite side of the room, I watched as he twirled around like a wind-up toy and then slumped forward until his head hit the floor.

Inside the bathroom, I washed the blood from my hands, scrubbing my skin raw. Next, I knelt over the toilet bowl and vomited, immediately feeling better. After a few moments, I got up and braced myself against the sink. There was half a bottle of mouthwash in the medicine cabinet, and I used it up. When I  saw my reflection in the mirror, I frowned and wondered who the stranger was staring back at me.

Feel free to read more of my short stories here

Darcia is an author of suspense novels.  Like me, she’s addicted to words, has a sense of humor, and never outlines her stories. This last point is all the more reason to be impressed by her prolificacy. She has eight books out!

Please give a warm welcome to the beautiful and funny, Darcia Helle.

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Darcia Helle lives in a fictional world with a husband who is sometimes real. Their house is ruled by spoiled dogs and cats and the occasional dust bunny.

Suspense, random blood splatter and mismatched socks consume Darcia’s days. She writes because the characters trespassing through her mind leave her no alternative. Only then are the voices free to haunt someone else’s mind.

Join Darcia in her fictional world.

The characters await you.

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Quiet Fury is a state of being that we’ve all experienced; calm on the surface, rage bubbling underneath. For most of us, that is a brief moment. Restraint takes over. We grumble and walk away. Some allow the rage to marinate until they are consumed. They cross the line, seek revenge, retribution. Or is it satisfaction? These stories explore each individual’s breaking point. Which will win, the Quiet or the Fury?

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Max Paddington refuses to go into the light until he finds his killer. This presents a dilemma, since Max is even less competent as a spirit than he was as a live person. No one sees or hears him and he can’t manage to get anywhere or do anything on his own.

Joe Cavelli is a private investigator, living an ordinary life. Then one day he walks across a parking lot, gets yelled at by a ghost, and his life only gets stranger from there.

Max and Joe team up to find Max’s killer. In the process, they form an unlikely friendship and change each other’s lives in ways they never expected.

All of Darcia’s books with excerpts and buy links available here. 

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Inside Darcia Helle’s Mind

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Perfect happiness would be having all my bills paid but I have yet to reach that euphoric state in this lifetime. In lieu of that, I find bliss in books, music, sunny days, spending time with my dogs and large vats of ice cream. I should add my husband to that list, even though he occasionally irritates me.

What turns you on creatively? Words. Okay, that’s rather vague. Unique phrasing turns me on. (Creatively speaking.) The ability to paint a portrait with a sparse amount of words. Words and lyrics that make me feel something, good or bad.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? I use the word ‘brilliant’ too much. I blame that on the incredibly talented indie authors I’ve gotten to know. Their work is brilliant. Therefore, my overuse of that word is entirely their fault.

What quality do you most admire in a man? Sincerity. And really strong arms.

What quality do you most admire in a woman? Sincerity. And long thin legs. (Because mine are short and not thin.)

What is your greatest regret? Right now, I’d have to say the excessive amount of ice cream I just ate. Overall, I try to let go of all regret. Everything I’ve gone through in my life, good and bad, has led me to this point in my life. And I’m happy in this space I occupy.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Just one? Yikes! This is actually an easy question. I have chronic, late-stage Lyme disease. I would eliminate that and undo all the damage it has caused neurologically.

What is your greatest fear? Spiders. They are evil.

Which living person do you most admire? The Dalai Lama. His sense of inner peace and his view of humanity are beautiful things.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would love to be a singer in a rock band. But my singing voice even scares my dogs.

If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? This is a difficult one. I’m assuming that your use of the word ‘what’ rather than ‘who’ means that I cannot choose to come back as a rich, wildly successful, gorgeous human with superpowers. Setting aside the human species leaves me with an interesting array of options. I wouldn’t want to be a dog because I’d likely get stuck with a miserable owner who’d tie me outside in the cold all day. I love tigers but they hunt down and eat other animals and that does not appeal to my vegetarian nature. Cockroaches can survive anything, including having their heads cut off, but no one likes them. I’m pretty sure they don’t even like themselves. I don’t want to be an animal that people would hunt and/or eat and I don’t want to be an insect that people would spray insecticide on or squash with huge hands.

I think I’d choose to be a beautiful, unique flower because then I could bring a smile to someone’s face.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Maintaining my sanity while raising two boys, one with a major case of ADHD and the other with an equally extreme case of lethargy.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? Deceit.

What is your greatest extravagance? My two collections – books and music. I have somewhere around 800 print books, another couple hundred ebooks, and close to 2,000 CDs. Someday I will be found buried beneath the avalanche of my collections (obsessions).

What is one thing you want to do before you die? Read all of my books and listen to all my CDs. Given the volume of my collection and my constant additions, I figure I’ll need to live to be approximately 892.

What is your present state of mind? Cluttered and slightly dusty. My state of mind mirrors the condition of my desk.

What are some of your favorite curse words? I like ‘damn’. As curses go, it’s not much. I like the way the word flows. Depending on how you say it, the word can have a hard edge of a soft murmur. For the most part, I think that curse words are so overused that they’ve lost their ability to make a big impact.

What is your motto? Live free or die. No, wait, that’s New Hampshire. “Live and let live” would probably be my life’s motto. I also love the quote, “You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note.”

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Thanks Darcia  for being so brilliant! I love that word too! 

Readers, I invite you to leave a comment for this lovely lady and say “hello.”

Connect with Darcia

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Please welcome the lovely, Kadin Seton, as she gives her interpretation of “new beginnings.”

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When Eden proposed that I fill a guest spot on her site, my first thought was that I’m not much of a blogger. Then she mentioned her January theme: New Beginnings. I thought about my life and realized those two words perfectly described the direction I was headed in this year. Eden is very wise!

My writing history is filled with years of scripting long dry training documents… and for fun, several dozen short stories.  Like everyone, I dreamed of writing a novel… you know, something really great.

As the years whizzed by (as a side note, I find it totally unfair that time accelerates exponentially as you get older), I hit a huge valley in my life. Three people close to me were diagnosed with cancer and one didn’t make it. Yet for some reason, during those emotionally nightmarish days, I was finally able to put on paper the book I longed to write. Admittedly it wasn’t great, but after years of dreaming about it, I finally did it! Yay! I even hired an editor and received some incredibly useful feedback. Yet it all came to a halt as I slammed into a brick wall.

What happened you ask? Well, the literary demons showed up. No one had warned me about the little gremlins who tell you that your work sucks and you should just throw it out. Tiny evil voices that whisper things like… don’t embarrass yourself by letting anyone actually read this junk! I soon realized the demons were right (stupid me!), so my novel sat on a shelf and collected dust. I felt stuck and permanently stalled-out.

I should also mention that losing people you love and/or seeing them suffer through illness, puts a whole new perspective on your priorities. In the past, I worked in the fast paced business world. It was a world that wasn’t always pretty, but it paid well and as an extra bonus, provided a steady stream of stress that jeopardized my own health. After some serious consideration, at the end of 2011, I reorganized my priorities and accepted a new job. I decided to walk away from the high stress environment, take a BIG pay cut, and work for a non-profit company. I was excited by the concept of giving back, rather than taking.

Learning a totally new industry, and a complicated one at that, was much harder than I expected. Yet, as difficult as the change was, I immediately noticed that I wasn’t stressed out. Coincidently, as 2012 rolled around, it suddenly occurred to me that the literary demons had moved out. No more creepy voices telling me I sucked.  Where did they go? I had no idea, but they were gone. Furthermore, I didn’t feel pessimistic about my novel any longer and I couldn’t wait to dive back into the process of rewriting. Words, ideas, character arcs… seemed to fall into place without the usual self recrimination.

As 2012 unfolds, an interesting sensation of being at peace with myself has emerged. It occurred to me that finding ‘new beginnings’ wasn’t about making an annual new year’s resolution. It’s not about losing weight, exercising more or promising to walk the dog daily. It’s bigger than the short term resolutions we make, and then break, each year. It’s about pointing your life in a direction that gives you balance and satisfies your soul.  I guess the literary demons are abhorrently repelled by notions like that.

As I feel myself grow happier with my chosen direction, I can see my writing loosening up as well. My words are more candid and ‘from the heart.’ With a little luck and some elbow grease, I hope to have my book, Descent Into Darkness, published later this year.  If you’re curious, the tale is a post-apocalyptic science fiction adventure which takes place in the not-too-distant future. The story centers around a young girl who comes of age during very dark times. No literary demons allowed!

May 2012 be a year of new beginnings for you too… and good health.  From the bottom of my heart, I wish everyone a year of good health!