Snowdance

My first novel, Snowdance, was released in August 2007. It seems hard to believe that it's been so long since Elinor "met" the world, but it has been.

Recently I was fortunate enough to receive a letter from a reader who had just finished reading Snowdance for the third time. I kid you not! How great is that? Reading that note made me feel like I'd just won the lottery! Truly, connecting with readers is one of the things that makes this author return to the keyboard day after day, year after year.

I thought I'd post a short excerpt from Snowdance. I hope you enjoy it!

She could hear it but she couldn’t see it. The grating
grabbed her attention, growing louder until it became a
roar. Her mailbox was nearly obscured, merely a lump at
the end of her drive. With the snow falling swiftly once
more, the snowplow sped past as a bright blur.

The slow-down must be over. I had thought just a little while
ago that maybe this storm was ending. I was wrong…it’s not
ending. It looks like it’s getting worse. Falling faster. As if…as if.
As if they’re running out of time, and the flakes need to get the job
done before the clock runs down. Is that it? Is time running out?

As if on cue, the grandfather clock in the hall chimed.

The clock—it is running down. For the snow. For me.

Holding tightly to the rectangle on her lap, she took
one long, deep breath. The box had a calming effect and
Elinor let her body loosen. The tempo of her heart slowed,
no longer affected by the rate of the snow.

The box. It was special to her, but to anyone else it
probably would be nothing more than a worn, old wooden
container. Of course Elinor realized that was the way it was
for everyone. The things that were dear to one were
inconsequential to another. One man’s trash, another man’s
treasure, isn’t that the old saying?

The plow made its return trip, spraying curtains of
snow in all directions. The driver moved faster now, she
was sure of it. Besides, hadn’t it just been by? How can it be
back so soon? She tried to recall precisely how long it had
been since the plow’s last sweep of the road. Well, no matter.
She saw the red taillights disappear and shook her head. He’s
here again, regardless of when he was here last.

With a sigh, she reached for the glass of milk,
expecting to find it warm. Instead, it was cool. Almost
cold. How had that happened? Was time running out so quickly
that an hour passed like a minute, a minute as swiftly as a second?

Busy Lives

I know that Kathy has been very busy recently, caring for her husband. Although Kathy mentions that she has missed reading, I am sure she has missed writing her wonderful novels too.

Is it woman thing? Do our lives become more difficult because we are more often carers, whether of children, relatives or friends? I know I do resent it when I get dragged away from my computer for more than an hour. I do have to grin and bear it but inside I am so frustrated. Does this happen to Stephen King - does he have to rush out of writing room because his wife cannot find something? Does James Patterson have to put his next thriller to one side because a loved one feels they cannot cope that day? Or is it not a woman/man thing. Is it because we are not rich and famous, that we cannot afford a legion of staff to take care of us?

What do you think? Am I far off base, or hitting the target.

The Things You Keep

You give up everything when you have a family member that's ill. Dinner becomes a banana eaten at the counter, holidays go uncelebrated and birthdays pass unnnoticed. That's the way we've been living for weeks. But my husband is doing better now and coming home today.

There are activities and volunteer jobs that I've permanently given up. But what I have really missed and joyfully returned to --is reading. For weeks I've been too tired to crack open a book until this week when I started reading THE SECRET OF LOST THINGS by Sheridan Hay. I had forgotten how magical and wonderful reading is. What a joyful reunion it has been to have a book in my hand and be transported to another world. Reading is definitely a habit I'm keeping.

Absolutely Beautiful!

A scene you will probably never get to see. This is the sunset at the North Pole with the moon at its closest point. You also see the sun below the moon. An amazing photo and not one easily duplicated.

JaNoWriMo

It's hard for me to believe that January's almost over, but it is. I feel like we went from early December to now in a flash. How did that happen?

Well, it's happened, so I'd best come to terms with the first month of the new year's fleeting nature--fast! Only a week left before we welcome February. Only a week left before JaNoWriMo is over...and I'm not nearly as close to finishing my January novel as I'd like to be.

With that in mind, I'm going to wish you all a wonderful weekend filled with lots of love and laughter before I head for my laptop to work on my JaNoWriMo novel. It's called Tango At Midnight and is woefully short of the necessary word count. But who knows? I've still got a week to work on it. Anything's possible in this bright new year, don't you think?

Hope your day is a happy one!

Review

Last week I printed a five heart review for The Substitute Bride, and did mention that I had another one, so here goes.

HIS OTHER WIFE PUBLISHED BY WHISKEY CREEK PRESS.COM

Fabio Hetherington has left an inheritance to a woman named Roxie Rawson. As executor of the estate Saul is able to find her in New Zealand. When he visits he's surprised to find she has an eight year old son who looks exactly like his dead brother. Fabio's widow and mother aren't happy with the news and set out in their own way to find out more about the woman and boy. Young Josh and his uncle become close but Roxie never wants to let herself feel anything for the man who is so different from his brother.

Margaret Blake weaves an interesting story about the separation of the classes of rich versus poor in England. Roxie is a spunky woman who refuses to cry over the spilt milk of life. She'd rather be poor than depend on the family that ignored her when she and Josh were at the lowest point in their lives. She's fought her way out of the doldrums to make a life for herself and doesn't feel the need for Fabio's family now. Saul is a persistent man whose search for the truth doesn't stop as he and Josh become close.

Ms Blake does an excellent job building her chracters. Roxie is such an interesting blend of insecurity in her personal life as opposed to her sense of security and fair play in her job. Saul has had to be strong from the time he was very young but like Roxie, he adapted through rejection and some of the insults dished out. The difficulty he and Roxie have in the communication department is much like that of any two people who have to learn to talk about their feelings. Though neither acknowledge it they're much more alike than diffeent. This is a well crafted romance with a little suspense thrown in that makes it a great read.
DEE DAILEY
Five Hearts from The Romance Studio.

Things Happen in Threes

Heard the expression, things come in threes? Ohmygod how true it turned out last week! Only it happened in fours! I can't help but wonder what's next?

As if the stinkin economy isn't bad enough. One of my co-workers suffered a heart attack at the age of thirty-six, another one was rushed to the hospital yesterday because she was having chest pains as well, and my dad called me to say he thinks he's very ill and dying. Okay, he's been saying that ever since my mom passed away. It's eventually going to come true. We all die. I'm not being flip about it, I love my step-dad but he's a little on the melodramatic side and he's never gotten over losing mom.

My daughter called me one night on her way home from work, crying because the company she's worked for the last seven years told everyone no more bonuses! Now granted, you're not supposed to count on a bonus but when you've received one every month for seven years, well, you count on it damn it! We're talking in the neighborhood of a thousand dollars in a good month. That's a lot of money for a young couple with a baby.

I wanted to cry with her. I wanted to fix it for her. I wanted to reach through the darn phone and hug her. My daughter is a very strong individual and it takes a lot to make her cry. But she was so frustrated, angry and of course worried. So I spent half an hour telling her what she had to be thankful for and convincing her there are other folks out there who have it worse. At least she still has a job. And she has options.

I guess what angered her the most is that the company she works for actually showed a profit last year. It is hard to understand how they could stop the bonuses for their employees knowing how hard it is to make ends meet right now. I think they're doing what a lot of companies are doing and taking advantage of the economy. There aren't any jobs right now so they can pretty much do whatever they want. If you want to keep your job you can't say a thing but are forced to go along with whatever.

Oh, and the fourth thing? My lap top crashed and I lost everything! My ebook library, my ebooks, all my pictures, programs I'd downloaded...good thing I had back up:)