Go Team!

I'm watchng the U.S vs Canada hockey game today, so forgive me for not putting up a real post. See you tomorrow.

Bits and Pieces and Earthquakes (Oh, My!)

I just tweeted the definition of a blog to someone who asked (facetiously, I believe) "Whats a blog?"

My answer: "A blog is a type of headache, kinda like a migraine."

I'm just kidding though. Even on the days when I can't think of much to say, I still like stopping by to tell you about it.

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Today's topic is not a lighthearted one, however. The earthquake in Chile and the tsunami warnings for Hawaii and other Pacific locations are on my mind. There's nothing going on in my life that's more frightening or more interesting than that. I keep going back to the television as though I'm driving past a horrid car accident. I don't want to look; I try not to look; I look anyway. My thoughts and prayers are with the folks in Chile and those in the path of the tsunami.

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Have you ever looked at the USGS online map of "Latest Earthquakes in the World?" Check it out. I was interested to see that Japan also experienced an earthquake yesterday, one of 7.0 magnitude. I hadn't heard about that. I also didn't know Chile has experienced more than 50 earthquakes of greater than 5.0 magnitude today. Argentina had a 6.3 earthquake today.

I've only felt one earthquake in my life. It was 5.2 magnitude and hit southern Illinois in 1968. I was working on the fourth floor of a downtown building in Champaign, Illinois (east central part of the state), when we heard a sharp bang and felt the building shudder. We thought the elevator had crashed four stories and hit ground level. We finally realized we were experiencing an earthquake when the building continued to sway and the floor seemed to roll under our feet. That was a minor quake. I can't even imagine how a massive earthquake like the one in Chile would feel. I'd rather not find out.

While I was cruising for news about these events, I came across a Denver Post article about the swarm of small tremors that hit Yellowstone National Park in January and February this year. Over 1,800 of them. That's the second largest swarm in Yellowstone's history (at least, in its recorded history). As soon as the earth trembles in Yellowstone, scientists get nervous and bloggers get all excited and everyone starts talking about harmonic tremors versus tectonic tremors and what's going to happen next.

There's a volcano down there, you see. Right there in Yellowstone National Park. That's in Wyoming. Just to the north of Colorado.

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To all who are in harm's way, we're thinking of you and praying you'll be okay. Be safe.

Talking About My Town in Northern Colorado

My Town is famous. My Town is in the news all the time.

We got yer internationally famous balloon boy hoax.

And we got yer medical marijuana dispensaries spreading like weeds.

And we got yer burlesque booty school at the Cupcake Cabaret.

And we even got yer zombies.

My interview with Brian Kaufman (the zombie writer) is a guest post today at Paul Brazill's blog:

I hope you'll stop by and check it out. It's kinda fun.

The Prolific Blogger Award

Carol Kilgore at Under the Tiki Hut was sweet enough to include me on her list of bloggers to receive the Prolific Blogger Award.




Congratulations for winning the award yourself, Carol, and thanks so much for giving me the nod when you passed it on. I often feel like the blogger on the award looks...a bit frazzled because he has no idea what to write about today.

Be sure to stop by Carol's place and pay her a visit. She has a great sense of humor, and she demonstrated it well in her post called Bad Hair and Writers.

I don't have to reveal any secret information or tell any lies for the Prolific Blogger Award. I do, however, need to pass the award on to seven other prolific bloggers. This is always hard, because there are so many blogs I love to visit, but I'm going to throw a little love to:

Stephen Tremp at Breakthrough Blogs

Karen Walker at karen...following the whispers

Rayna M. Iyer at Coffee Rings Everywhere

Carolina Valdez Miller at Carol's Prints

Kiersten White at Kiersten Writes

Ann Elle Altman at All Write with Coffee

Jemi Fraser at Just Jemi

I hope you find someone on this list you haven't met before. Happy blog-hopping!

More About Zombies

I thought yesterday's comment about zombies would get your attention. Here's the scoop:

A member of our Raintree Writers critique group, Brian Kaufman, has just released his new novel, Dead Beyond the Fence: A Novel of the Zombie Apocalypse. That's Brian over there on the left.

The cover photo on the right is a picture of the Raintree Writers at one of our critique group meetings. I think they were dissecting my submission the night this was taken.

Okay, just kidding.

I never thought much about zombies before Brian joined our critique group. You can bet they're on my mind now.

Brian's launch party and zombie event was last night. I did not dress up like a zombie, nor did I let the makeup artists apply zombie goop to my face. I claimed that I never wear makeup because it makes my sensitive skin itch, and they believed me.

There were quite a few creepy characters present. Two of the best dressed are in the photo on the left . It's a wonder I didn't have nightmares. This fellow on the right is also in my critique group. We'll call him the smiling zombie. On the other hand, I could also call him Zombie Ken.

Brian's new blog is Food, Politics and Zombies.

Brain Freeze

Uh oh.

Brain freeze.

Okay. Here we go.

Three Reasons Why I Shouldn't Write a Serious Writerly Post Today:

1. The sun is shining.

2. I'm attending a zombie walk tonight.

3. I skipped lunch.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Revising That Ugly First Draft

I'm a little crazy, I guess, because I enjoy the revision phase of novel writing even more than I like the creative phase. Here's how I go about it.

Step One: Sort all the critique pages from my critique group. I have feedback for the first thirteen chapters so far. I put them in page order within chapters, discarding the pages that have no comments on them.

Step One is done. The pages now sit to the left of my desktop computer keyboard.

Step Two: Work my way through the first thirteen chapters, making changes and corrections based on the critique comments that I think will improve the novel while retaining my voice and style. I will begin on Wednesday.

Step Three: Read through the rest of the novel, carrying forward any changes that impact the story. During this process, I make notes when I see problems with the story arc, backstory, characters, or descriptions.

Step Four: Using the notes from Step Three: Fix the problems.

Step Five: Print out the novel and read it again. Make notes and corrections on the pages. Add needed scenes (handwritten) and mark where the insertions go.

Step Six: Enter all of the changes into the manuscript file on the computer.

Step Seven: Read the manuscript aloud from the monitor, making additional changes and corrections as I go.

Step Eight: Do all of the Self-Editing steps I have as part of my routine. There are ten of them, including word searches for the words I tend to repeat (really, pretty, and back among others), excessive use of adverbs (-ly), and passive verbs (was, were). I posted my self-editing series at The Blood-Red Pencil blog and will summarize the process here when I get to this step.

Step Nine: Print the novel again and read it aloud from the hard copy. I'm always amazed at how many small errors and typos I find during this process.

Step Ten: Stop fiddling with the manuscript and get on with queries and submissions (and agent or editor pitches at conferences). My goal is to complete Step Ten by March 25th. I need a completed manuscript in order to keep my agent pitch appointment at the Northern Colorado Writers Conference at the end of March.

I'll have my nose to the grindstone over the next thirty days, so don't be alarmed if I disappear from time to time. I'll still try to post every day, even if it's only to whine about the mistakes I find in this ugly first draft.

Winner of the Second Box of Books

The winner of the second mystery/thriller book giveaway is:

Marvin D. Wilson

Marvin lives in Michigan (lots of snow there, I bet). He blogs at The Old Silly's Free Spirit Blog and is on Twitter as @Paize_Fiddler.

My scientific method of selection: I number the entries as they come in, make up little entry papers with numbers on them, fold them and throw them in a box, shake and stir, then pull out a paper. First number drawn wins. I then match that number with the entry e-mail to announce the winner.

Congratulations, Marvin. I think you'll enjoy these good reads.

First Sentences from the Giveaway Books

Tomorrow's the big day. I'll conduct my scientific selection of the winner of the box of mysteries and thrillers and then will post an announcement here.

U.S. residents may enter up to midnight tonight (Mountain Time). The list of books I'm giving away and the giveaway rules are in my February 7th post.

Let's look at first sentences for five of these novels:


From The Doomsday Key by James Rollins.

"The ravens were the first sign."


The Witch of Agnesi by Robert Spiller

"Thursday was shaping up into one of those days that made Bonnie Pinkwater wish for a dart gun, the kind used to put rhinos, or in this case teenagers, to sleep."


From Wild Indigo by Sandi Ault

"I got there too late to save Jerome Santana."


From Isabella Moon by Laura Benedict

"Kate was surprised when the stern-looking young woman at the duty desk told her to take a seat instead of just asking her name and sending her on her way when she announced, in a voice she could barely keep from shaking, that she knew where they could find the body of Isabella Moon."


From To Hell in a Handbasket by Beth Groundwater

"Claire Hanover's knees slammed up toward her chest."


When I'm in a library or bookstore, and I take a random book off the shelf, I'm influenced by the author's name if it's someone I've heard of, the cover art, the front flap synopsis, and the first sentence.

If you're just browsing with nothing special in mind, what makes you buy a book or check it out of the library?

Bits and Pieces on Another Gray Day

Snow on the Tulips

Yep, it snowed again. The forecast says we'll get more this weekend. It's not a lot, not a blizzard or anything like that, but the skies are constantly overcast. I'm spoiled, I guess. Since moving to Northern Colorado in 1998, I've grown accustomed to lots of sunshine. This dreariness is affecting my mood and my energy level. Sigh.


Winter Olympics

At least I have the winter Olympics to cheer me up. Nothing like watching skiers and snowboarders take enormous risks, then crash and slide. Seems like most have a pretty good attitude about losing, though. Most of the crying and sobbing has come from the winners.

I admit to being a big fan of ice skating and ice dancing. I stayed up to watch all of the men's long program last night. What a thrill to see an American pull out the gold for the first time since 1988 when Brian Boitano won. The great events leave a lasting impression.


A Blog Carnival

Kerrie Flanagan at The Writing Bug has posted a blog carnival for Northern Colorado Writers members. Since our membership includes all kinds of writers and businessfolks who work with writers, this is a very diverse carnival. Check it out.

And I've linked to a fun post from Scattershot for you. This one made me laugh out loud.


The Prairie Grass Murders

The eHarlequin Online Store is the only place to buy the mass market paperback edition of my first Sylvia and Willie mystery. The second book in the series, The Desert Hedge Murders, is scheduled for release in September.


Dead Beyond the Fence: A Novel of the Zombie Apocalypse

My friend (and critique group partner) Brian Kaufman has a new release. His launch party will be a zombie event at Reader's Cove Bookstore in Fort Collins, CO on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 from 6:00 to 8:00. I've never been to a zombie event before. Or eaten zombie cookies (promised in the promo announcement).

I'm betting the turnout will be huge. I'm seriously thinking about switching from mystery to gore, just so I can throw a great launch party with trolls and ghouls and...and...yeah, even vampires.


Haeley Vaughn

The Fort Collins Coloradoan had a nice article about the Fort Collins 16-year-old who made it to American Idol's top 24. I think she's going to have strong support from Northern Colorado.


What I'm Doing These Days (besides watching television)

1. Reading. I'll finish Heart of the Hunter (Deon Meyer) tonight. I'm not sure what I'll read next.

2. Writing blog posts. I'm doing a couple of guest posts, and I'm a contributor to The Blood-Red Pencil. And I'm still posting daily on my own blog, even when I have absolutely nothing to say.

3. Getting ready to apply critique suggestions to the first thirteen chapters of the first draft of my suspense novel.

4. Putting together a handout for the Social Media for Beginners workshop I'm teaching on March 1st at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio.

5. Trying my best to get organized. The rest of this afternoon I'll be working on my To Do List, brainstorming with myself to come up with new blog post topics, and making a plan to clean up my office space.

6. Thinking deep thoughts. Really.

Two Colorado Girls Make It to American Idol's Top 24

Colorado has two girls in the top 24 of American Idol this season. I'll be cheering for Lillian Scott from downtown Denver and Haeley Vaughn from Fort Collins (and others as I start seeing real performances).

Haeley just turned 16 in 2009 and might be the youngest of this year's contestants. She was a cheerleader her freshman and sophomore years, but decided she'd give that up so she could try out for Idol. Looks like that was a good move.

Lillian sang the National Anthem at Mile High Stadium when she was only five years old.

Check out the golden ticket interviews at the American Idol site for Lilly Scott and Haeley Vaughn.

Are you an American Idol fan (like me)? If so, have you already picked your favorites from the auditions?

A Couple of Bookish Thoughts

"The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read."
---------------Abraham Lincoln

My copy of Kelli Stanley's new release, City of Dragons, the one I won at reviewingtheevidence.com, arrived today. And I received an e-mail that Stephen King's Under the Dome had shipped from barnesandnoble.com. But some bad news: the copy of Hester, which I had pre-ordered, has been delayed.

I'm currently reading Heart of the Hunter by that South African thriller writer I've been telling you about, Deon Meyer. This is good multiple point of view writing with great plots, interesting characters, and a fascinating setting.

"If you re-read your work, you can find on re-reading a great deal of repetition can be avoided by re-reading and editing."
---------------William Safire

Then there's my own resting manuscript. I'll begin re-reading, revising and self-editing next week, so I'll post updates about the process -- what I do and how I do it. Don't worry. I'm not going to drag you kicking and screaming through every horrid detail. I'm not that cruel.

I'll be back tomorrow, but I must hurry off to fix something to eat and get ready for an evening of Olympics and American Idol. I think our lovely young lady from Northern Colorado (Fort Collins) made the top 24. See you tomorrow.

Reminder About My Book Giveaway

"I cannot live without books."
----------Thomas Jefferson

And that's why I'm giving some of mine away. I've ordered a couple more, and I'm feeling the urge to hit the bookstore. You know how it is.

You still have through Saturday, February 20th, to enter if you live in the U.S. The list of books and the easy entry rules are in the February 7th post.

Interview with Author Paula Reed

Colorado author Paula Reed will launch her historical novel, Hester: The Missing Years of the Scarlet Letter, at the Highlands Ranch (Colorado) Tattered Cover on Friday, February 19th, at 7:30 PM. This tale, the continuation of The Scarlet Letter, follows Hester Prynne and her daughter, Pearl, to England where Hester’s perceptive talents are used by a dangerous Oliver Cromwell to ferret out traitors. You can find out more about the novel and about Paula at her website. Hester is available now for pre-order.


Me: Thanks so much, Paula, for letting us learn more about you and about Hester’s story. According to the bio on your website, you had dreams of becoming an actress when you were younger. Instead, you became a high school teacher of English. When did you first try writing fiction?

Paula: In the late 1980’s. Before that, I actually considered myself a straight non-fiction, essay writer. It wasn’t that I didn’t think creatively. It just hadn’t occurred to me that the stories I made up in my head to amuse myself on long car trips or during random bouts of insomnia were worth writing down.


Me: You’ve had a successful career as a writer of historical romance, even saw some of your novels translated into Portuguese, Dutch, and Russian. Why did you choose this genre for your first books?

Paula: As an English major, I’ve read a wide sampling of all kinds of literature, but I had consumed literally hundreds of romance novels, so I felt like I had a really good handle on that genre. Also, most of the plots I thought of were traditional romance plots. Add to the mix my love of history (largely gleaned from the romance novels of the 1970’s) and it was a natural starting place.


Me: According to your bio, you began writing seriously as an escape from the memories of that tragic day at Columbine High School in 1999. Would you tell us about writing as therapy? Why did it work for you?

Paula: I’ve learned that facing your demons is overrated. There comes a point where what you’re doing is ripping the scab off the wound over and over again, never allowing it to heal, and it was impossible to avoid because my job forced me back into the scene of my trauma every day. It was so freeing to be able to spend hours away from it. Perhaps the most important part, at first, was the guaranteed happy ending of romance. I was just so done with “life sucks and there’s nothing you can do about it.” I got to be goddess, and in my worlds, good people were rewarded while bad people got their comeuppance. Eventually, I came to be able to incorporate my experience into my writing, too, but it was in such a different context that I was able to work it through safely. (In my second romance novel, my heroine deals with PTSD symptoms from a childhood incident.) At last, I moved past even the need for a guaranteed happy ending, so I branched out from romance with Hester.


Me: There must have been a great deal of extra research to do for your novel. When you decided to fill in the blanks of Hester Prynne’s story, did you begin with what you knew and immediately start to write, or did you do more research first? Do you have any idea how much time you spent on research for this novel?

Paula: The only thing I knew for sure that I would use from Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter was Hester’s acute perceptiveness of the sins of others. (Some reviewers have given me grief about giving Hester this ability, but Hawthorne was the one who gave it to her, not I.) It was the perfect conflict in what I knew to be Puritan-dominated England. (Hester disappears in The Scarlet Letter roughly from 1650-1660. I have this weird thing about Puritans, so I knew they were in control of England during that time.) From there, I went to research. I knew that a third man would come into Hester’s life, and I knew he would be a libertine, because he had to be someone she couldn’t spend the rest of her life with. After all, Hawthorne had already designated the framework within which I had to work. That meant digging into the philosophy of the time. After deciding John Manning would be reacting to Descartes, I started to look at the political situation in England at the time and began to frame which events from that period Hester Prynne and a disillusioned student of Descartes might find themselves involved in. At that point I wrote three chapters for my agent (who loved them) and a rough outline. I gathered pages and pages and pages of research and highlighted like crazy all through the spring and most of the summer, fleshing out the outline, before I sat down at the keyboard and started writing again. So the preliminary research took about five months, and of course, I kept having to research as I wrote. There have to be six or seven total months of research invested in that book.


Me: Would you tell my readers a little about your writing process? For instance, do you outline? Do you create character bios before you begin? Do you write chapters in sequence or create random scenes to assemble later?

Paula: It varies a bit from book to book, but generally I write character sketches, then write a rough outline, then write the first three chapters. Those chapters usually give me a better understanding of the characters and the story, so after those I go back to the sketches and turn them into full-fledged bios and flesh out the plot outline. From there, I write like crazy. I don’t force myself to follow the outline, but I don’t end up veering from it too much. The book I just finished writing (but am still editing) was a little different. I let it develop organically for about 100 or so pages before I wrote the outline. I almost always write in sequence—like 99.9 percent of the time. I wrote one scene out of sequence in Hester, and it ended up getting seriously truncated and turned into a newspaper obituary by the time it found its way into the book. I’m a hard-core concrete-sequential thinker.


Me: Do you have something new and exciting in the works? Is it historical? What else can you tell us about it?

Paula: Well, as I said, I just finished writing a new book, but I haven’t even told my agent much about it. I really, really wanted to write it, and I was afraid if she said she didn’t think it would sell, I’d get discouraged and not do it. I find I write much better if I don’t worry about the market and just tell whatever story is fighting to get out. It’s a time-travel between the recent past (1990-2005) and a post-apocalyptic future that feels very much like the long distant past. How’s that for a description? Will it sell? I have no idea.


Me: When and how did you find your agent?

Paula: I found her in the fall of 2002. I stayed at Columbine long enough to see the freshmen who were there during the shootings through graduation. Then I took a two-year leave of absence. The local paper did a “where are they now” article about teachers who’d left, and I ended up on the list. Kristin Nelson, my agent, had just opened up shop, and she read the article, which said I’d taken a leave to write romance novels. She contacted the reporter, who contacted me, and the rest is history. I have since finished that leave and am back teaching at Columbine very happily, in addition to writing.


Me: What one piece of advice would you give a writer who is just beginning his first novel?

Paula: Write the story of your heart, but don’t forget to learn the craft. Notice the structure of the novels you love. How do other authors reveal the characters’ backstories? Notice how each scene adds to the overall story. When I first started out, I learned so much at writers’ workshops. I will also tell you what I tell my students: there is no such thing as a good writer, only a good rewriter. Be critical of yourself and listen openly to the criticism of others; a good critique is probably right about 85-90% of the time. At the same time, it’s your story. Don’t let anyone else take it over. If it stops feeling like the story you wanted to tell, you’ve gone too far.

Me: A special thanks to Paula for taking the time to respond to my e-mail interview questions. I first met Paula in 2009 when she made a guest appearance at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio in Fort Collins (Colorado). At that time, it seemed this publication date was a long, long time away. Time sure flies, doesn't it?

Happy Valentine's Day!

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I wish you roses and chocolates and (most of all) sunshine.

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Don't forget you can still enter the Second Mystery/Thriller Book Giveaway through Saturday, February 20th.

The list of books and the entry rules are in the February 7th post.

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And please drop in tomorrow to read my interview with Paula Reed, author of the upcoming release, Hester.

Interview with Author Shannon Baker

Today’s post is an interview with Shannon Baker, author of the recently released Ashes of the Red Heifer from L&L Dreamspell. Shannon is a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (RMFW). She will be appearing at Old Firehouse Books in Fort Collins, Colorado, on Wednesday, February 17th, at 6:30 PM where she will sign along with Colorado authors Carol Berg (Spirit Lens) and Janet Fogg (Soliloquy).


Me: Hi Shannon, it’s great to have this opportunity to find out more about you. According to your bio, you’re an accountant by day. Whatever possessed you to write a thriller in your spare time?

Shannon: Hi Patricia, thanks for having me! I write thrillers because I tried to write a memoir and it even put me to sleep. Seriously, big stories with outside conflict are easier to write than stories that only explore the inner workings of someone’s mind. I love books by writers that can pull that off—Carol Shields or Anne Tyler. But I need lots of action to hang my characters’ arcs upon.


Me: Ashes of the Red Heifer is set in Israel. How did you go about researching the location and culture of this exotic location?

Shannon: This question always makes me cringe a bit. I lived in Nebraska when I wrote this so I know the landscapes, smells and feel of the sun are authentic. I’ve never been to Israel so I spent hours reading personal accounts, talking to people who had been there, having them read what I wrote, going on virtual 360 degree Internet tours. I am sure there will be certain details that I haven’t included in the book that would be obvious to me if I’d spent time there. I just hope I got it close enough it doesn’t mess with people’s enjoyment of the story.


Me: When I read your blog bio, I couldn’t help noticing your great sense of humor. Your novel synopsis, however, is quite serious. Does your fictional character, veterinarian Annie Grant, have a humorous bent, even though she faces a chilling dilemma?

Shannon: I think that’s one thing that keeps me from wanting to be Annie’s best friend. She’s so darned serious. She’s got a smart ass streak to her but she could stand to lighten up. I think as she goes forward from her adventures in this book, she’ll be able to have more fun in life. My current work in progress, though also a thriller, has more humor.


Me: How did you find your publisher, L&L Dreamspell?

Shannon: I did an exhaustive agent search for this book. It pains me to say that I had a lot of close calls but no one grabbed it. I decided it was time to move on but my supportive partner, Dave, nagged me in a very nice way. He said I could put the book in a drawer, dead and gone, or I could try for a small press. I searched on the Preditors and Editors site for small presses that 1) paid a royalty 2) published in both print and e-formats and 3) published thrillers. Happily, Dave was right, which happens with annoying frequency, and I love L&L Dreamspell.


Me: Your current project is called Sacred Balance. Would you tell us a little bit about that novel and where you are in the writing process?

Shannon: When I moved to Flagstaff three years ago, I was fascinated to learn that the local ski area owners planned to pump treated waste water onto their slopes for man made snow. The area is on a mountain sacred to several local tribes, featuring into their creation stories. What a great conflict! I love spiritual mystique and mixing that with outstanding landscapes and man’s ambitions. I’ve finished the first draft and RMFW’s own Margie Lawson is editing the first 75 pages as we chat.


Me: I know you lived in Colorado for a while, but you grew up in California and spent your college years and more in Nebraska, part of that time on a cattle ranch. Do you have any story ideas that might require a Nebraska setting? California or Colorado?

Shannon: Ashes of the Red Heifer has several Nebraska scenes. I wrote a story loosely based on my great-great Uncle AB Wood, who was the first newspaper publisher in western Nebraska in the 1880’s. Truly awful craft but I love the characters and story, so I might go back to that sometime. I would love to write a thriller set in the wilderness areas of the Rockies—I’m sure more backpacking and hiking would be needed for research (I would hate that).


Me: Tell us a little about your writing life. When do you write, where do you write? Do you have any special rituals or routines to put yourself in the writing zone?

Shannon: Last year I was really fortunate to participate in an intimate writing workshop with Terry Tempest Williams. She spoke of always setting a bowl of water in her writing area when she worked. I thought that was so cool. Other writer friends burn candles or have meaningful rituals that tap into their creative spirit. I wish I was that in-tune with the universe, but frankly, I’m pretty shallow. I usually write first thing in the morning before I go to work. Just up and at it without preamble because I have such little time. On a weekend, a good writing session for me might include taking the laptop to the backyard and sitting in the sun, getting my words down before the cold beer accumulates in my veins. I’m a true believer in not waiting for the muse, just pounding through and getting the word count on a daily basis.


Me: What one piece of advice would you give an author who has just finished the first draft of his first novel?

Shannon: Participate in a good critique group. There are writers, such as CJ Box or Joseph Finder, who have never done critique, but I think they are the exception. I had a finished manuscript the first time I attended the Colorado Gold (RMFW’s conference). I was devastated to find out just how poorly written and how amateurish it was. But that knowledge set me on the road to learning how to craft a publishable book.


Me: My last question for you is a fun, “what would you do if?” On your website, you say that of all the places in the world, you would love to visit Machu Picchu. If you had been one of the tourists stranded there recently when rains washed out the railway and the hiking trail, how do you think you would you have reacted?

Shannon: Obviously, I wouldn’t be the middle-aged woman screaming hysterically and throwing small children out of the way to be the first to board the evacuation helicopters. I would be the woman with the serene smile playing around the corners of her mouth, offering gentle humor and comfort to those alarmed at the rain and delays. I’d share my meager portion of food with others and work tirelessly to keep everyone calm and organized…. Either that or I’d be curled into a ball with my thumb in my mouth.

Me: I was pretty sure Shannon would give us a fun twist with that last question. She definitely did not disappoint. Shannon, thanks so much for agreeing to this interview. I wish you the greatest success with Ashes of the Red Heifer.

I'm a Winner!

I Won a Book!

Would you believe it? In spite of my blahness, I won a copy of Kelli Stanley's new release, City of Dragons, at reviewingtheevidence.com. Kelli's debut novel, Nox Dormienda, was released by Five Star in 2008 and has been awesomely successful. In addition to great reviews and good sales, Nox Dormienda was nominated for a Macavity Award and won the Bruce Alexander Award for best historical mystery. Kelli's new release is from St. Martin's Press. Her blog is called Writing in the Dark.


My Second Mystery/Thriller Book Giveaway

You still have plenty of time to enter my second mystery/thriller book giveaway. The deadline is February 20th. The list of books I'm giving away and the entry rules are in my February 7th post.


Coming Attractions

Tomorrow I'm posting an interview with Shannon Baker, author of Ashes of the Red Heifer.

Monday's post is an interview with Paula Reed, author of the upcoming release of her historical novel, Hester.

Be sure to drop by for some insights into the writing lives of these two interesting ladies and learn a bit about their paths to publication.

"I Just Ain't Hitting."

Yogi Berra once said: "Slump? I ain't in no slump. I just ain't hitting."

That's exactly how I've been feeling since Monday. I ain't hitting. I've weaseled out of attending two evening events. I wanted to be there, I was in the mood to listen and participate in the discussions, but I couldn't make myself get ready and go out in the cold. I have a To Do List a mile long, but writing blog posts seems to be the only thing I can finish. I fixed a stir fry meal last night and served it without rice because I didn't have any of the microwave packets, and it was too much trouble to fix regular rice. See what I mean?

Maybe I have spring fever. I'll admit to being a little weary of snow and cold. My office is cold today but I don't have the energy to turn on the space heater (because I have to get up and plug it in first).

It could be the post-first-draft blahs. This suspense novel took a long time to write and I still have revisions to do. I was on top of the world when I finally finished the first draft, but today I'm thinking my main character is a wimp and my plot full of holes. Just the usual stuff writers experience at this stage of the writing process.

I might be coming down with something, I suppose, but I don't have a fever, and my aches and pains are just the usual ones I get when I sit at the computer too long...

I give up. I'm going to fix a cup of hot tea, a bit of toast (with blueberry jam) wrap up in a cozy afghan, and finish reading Stephen J. Cannell's Three Shirt Deal, a Shane Scully mystery (and a darned good one, too). If that doesn't fix me up, nothing will.

Bits and Pieces

REMINDER: My second mystery/thriller book giveaway is open until February 20th.

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Random Thoughts

I'm working my volunteer shift at the Northern Colorado Writers Studio this afternoon, drinking cup after cup of decaf and trying to ignore the Lindt truffles someone left at the coffee bar. I'm dieting, but I have very little will power when it comes to chocolate. I can hear their sweet little voices calling: "I'm delicious, take me." "No, no, I'm dark chocolate. I'm good for you. I'm the one you want." Talking truffles. Who would've expected that?

Right after I posted the photo of tulips peeking up through the ground and mentioned snow would surely follow, it snowed. Northern Colorado is funny that way. The sun is shining today, so even though the temperature is in the 30s, it seems warmer. We have lots more sun than clouds in this neck of the woods. Even though that flower bed was briefly covered by snow, the tulips have now been joined by daffodils. They're so hardy that they'll keep on growing, and then they'll bloom, no matter how many times it snows along the way.

Reminds me of some people I know. No matter how life tries to knock them down, they bounce right back up and keep growing. I think writers are like that.


An Interesting and Helpful Site for Authors

Here's a useful site for those of you who are about to be published for the first time (or even if you've been out there awhile and need new ideas): 1st Turning Point: Authors Teach, Share, & Learn -- All About Promotion. There's a focus on marketing and social media, including a series on building your website, an article called "What's Your Blog POV?", and another called "Marketing for the Author: Keeping Track of What Works." Some of you may also be interested in submitting articles.


I just went over and moved the Lindt Truffles out of sight, and I closed the bag to mute their tiny voices.


Chuck Sambuchino's Guide to Literary Agents Blog

If you aren't a follower of Chuck's blog, you need to check it out. There are agent interviews, guest posts from authors, and more. I especially enjoy a series called 7 Things I've Learned So Far "where writers at any stage of their career can talk about seven things they've learned along their writing journey that they wish they knew at the beginning."


A Man's View of Shopping

I got such a big kick out of Galen Kindley's Imagineering Fiction blog post Picking on Donna... that I had to put the link here. Galen has a wonderful sense of humor, so his take on shoe shopping with Donna is priceless. I just don't understand how she got him to go shopping with her...I'd have to hogtie my hubby and stuff him into the car (gagged, of course), and then drag him inside the store. I'm thinking Donna should start a blog of her own in self defense. I'd like to know the story behind the story...

"Any Dream Will Do"

REMINDER: My second mystery/thriller book giveaway is open until February 20th.

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I watched the film Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat starring Donny Osmond for the first time this weekend. I saw a road performance of the stage play in Muncie, Indiana (a long time ago) and liked the music, but I'd never paid much attention to the title or lyrics of Joseph's signature song, "Any Dream Will Do."

For some reason, maybe because I'm always looking for a new blog topic, those words caught my attention yesterday, and I began making connections to goal-setting, reaching for the stars, and living the dream.

There are all kinds of rules for goal-setting if you're into rules. The goal should be attainable, for instance. If you can't carry a tune and you have a six-note voice range, aspiring to be an opera singer does not constitute an attainable goal.

Establishing what is an achievable goal for a writer, however, is not so easy. If your knowledge of grammar and punctuation is good, if you're a reader, and if you have an idea for a unique story, why shouldn't you aspire to The New York Times Bestseller List or the Pulitzer Prize for Literature? Who's to say you can't do it?

There's another song about dreams, of course. This one is from Man of La Mancha -- "The Impossible Dream."

Do you dream the big impossible dream, or do you choose realistic and attainable goals, taking joy in small accomplishments? I went for what seemed the big impossible dream: getting published. It took a long time, but it finally happened.

"Any Dream Will Do." Does that work for you? Or do you go for "The Impossible Dream"?

Second Mystery/Thriller Book Giveaway

The Second Mystery/Thriller book giveaway is officially open. I have a nice selection for you, so I hope you'll enter. Each is gently read and in near perfect condition. Most are signed by the author.

I apologize for once again restricting this giveaway to readers from the U.S., but the cost of mailing a box of books outside the country is quite high. Within the states, media mail is relatively speedy and very affordable.

This mystery/thriller package contains the following:

Wild Indigo by Sandi Ault (signed)
Wild Inferno by Sandi Ault (signed)
Calling the Dead by Marilyn Meredith (signed)
A Real Basket Case by Beth Groundwater (signed)
To Hell in a Handbasket by Beth Groundwater (signed)
The Witch of Agnesi by Robert Spiller (signed)
Death Roll by Marilyn Victor and Michael Allan Mallory (signed)
Isabella Moon by Laura Benedict (signed)
A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver (signed by author)
The Doomsday Key by James Rollins


How to Enter:

1. Send one (and only one) e-mail to:

info at patriciastoltey.com

(you already know you have to put the address together with the @ sign in the appropriate place so I won't explain all that). :)

2. Put "Second Book Giveaway" in the subject line.

3. Include your real name and your mailing address in the body of the e-mail. I will never give away or sell your mailing address nor will I put your address on a personal mailing list.

4. The deadline to enter this book giveaway is February 20, 2010 (official cutoff is midnight Mountain Time).

5. Any entry that does not follow the four rules listed above will be discarded.

Give it a try. You know you want to.

Bits and Pieces

Jan Morrison's Friday Challenge

See yesterday's post for the link to Jan's Crazy Jane blog and her Friday challenge. I took my camera along on my short walk and brought back proof that spring is just around the corner, after a few more snows, of course. Here's what I found:


I think these are tulips, although I know there are daffodils and crocuses in the same flower bed. It's not unusual to see the tulips up and blooming early in Northern Colorado and then have to watch them slowly get buried by a big spring snow. They're tough, though, and will spring right back if the snow is brushed away.


Countdown to Conference Contest at Northern Colorado Writers

In honor of the upcoming conference (March 26-27) and the wonderful speakers and presenters who will be there, Director Kerrie Flanagan is holding a Countdown to Conference Contest. Drop by the Northern Colorado Writers website to enter. This week's prize is a copy of Three Shirt Deal by our opening keynote speaker, Stephen J. Cannell.

While you're there, check out the conference schedule, peruse the list of visiting agents and editors, and think about joining us at the Fort Collins Hilton for an informative and fun event.


The Second Mystery/Thriller Book Giveway

I've finally selected all the books for my next giveaway. I'll post the list of titles and the entry rules tomorrow. I think you'll like this one.


My Thoughts on Multi-Tasking

Don't.

Multi-tasking wastes time and energy. It does not lead to quality output.

Try focused serial-tasking instead. Set priorities. Make a schedule. Tackle one task at a time.


Stephen Tremp's Review of The Desert Hedge Murders at Breakthrough Blogs

Blogging friend Stephen Tremp, author of the thriller novel Breakthrough, was kind enough to read and review my second Sylvia and Willie mystery. Book reviews are not as easy as they look, and I have a lot of respect for those who write them. Many thanks to Stephen for posting this review on his blog and for spreading the word.


While My Manuscript is Resting

The first draft of my suspense novel is doing deep-breathing exercises in preparation for my brutal attack on its flaws during the revision and self-editing phase.

Meanwhile, I'm working on blog posts, putting together the 90-minute seminar on social media for Northern Colorado Writers, and working my way through a very long To Do List (one task at a time).

Crazy Jane's Friday Challenge

I want to send you to someone else's blog today, just because I think she's onto something good. Check out the Friday challenge at: Crazy Jane.

No, I'm not kidding. That's the name of Jan Morrison's blog. Crazy Jane: On Living the Complicated Simple life.

Jan has given her readers a challenge:

Here is today's challenge - a walking quest. Yes! Get off your duffs and walk somewhere in your neighbourhood or near where you work. This can be a short walk but you are to bring back something creative.

If you want to learn more and participate, you'll have to visit Jan's blog. I'll be heading out a little later this afternoon. I'm taking my camera so I can show you what I found in tomorrow's post.

Don't Say I Didn't Remind You...

Mystery Writers of America -- Monthly Book Giveaway

If you love mysteries and thrillers, don't forget to visit the Mystery Writers of America website and register to win February's box of books -- 18 novels plus a copy of the new MWA anthology, The Prosecution Rests.

The February books are:

Traffyck by Michael Beres
Sudden Death by Allison Brennan
Raining Cat Sitters and Dogs by Blaize Clement
Blood Alley by Tom Coffey
Shoots to Kill by Kate Collins
Vampire Sunrise by Carole Nelson Douglas
Dying Gasp by Leighton Gage
Eggsecutive Orders by Julie Hyzy
Death at the Alma Mater by G.M. Malliet
Tularosa by Michael McGarrity
The Brotherhood of the Rose by David Morrell
Cat Striking Back by Shirley Rousseau Murphy
A Treasure to Die For by Radine Trees Nehring
Iron River by T. Jefferson Parker
Stranger Room by Frederick Ramsay
A Bolt from the Blue by Diane A.S. Stuckart
The Fashion Hound Murders by Elaine Viets
Death Will Help You Leave Him by Elizabeth Zelvin

And don't forget to check back here often. I'll announce the list of books for my next giveaway very soon.

The Tudors and Fictionalized History

I've been watching the Showtime series The Tudors on our television screen on streaming Netflix, thanks to that little Roku box my son bought us for Christmas.

I love everything about this option, but above everything else, I love The Tudors. The writing for this fictionalized history is excellent. I like all of the actors. The costumes and settings are wonderful. I'm nearing the end of Season Two, and I'm sad that Season Three is not yet available for instant play. I'll have to order the DVDs instead. Didn't take me long to get spoiled, did it?

The Tudors chronicles the loves and lusts of Henry VIII as well as the politics of the times. I'd forgotten how much I love reading about this era. I just queried "The Tudors" on amazon.com and found plenty of titles to whet my appetite even more. And I recently read in the Publishers Lunch newsletter that a new novel will be coming about Ann Boleyn's cousin, the one Ann encouraged to have an affair with the king so Ann could better spy on his activities. Wow! What a great idea.

Hmmm, that didn't sound right. I meant "what a great idea for a novel."

I love the idea of writing a big novel of fictionalized history. I'm not sure I love the idea of doing all the research required to get it right.

Do you read much historical fiction (or fictionalized history)? If so, which novel is your all-time favorite? I think mine is Lincoln by Gore Vidal, but I can think of several others that would make my top ten list.

Bits and Pieces

Paperback version of The Prairie Grass Murders

Originally released in 2007 as a hardcover, and in 2008 in audiobook, The Prairie Grass Murders is now available in paperback from Harlequin Worldwide Mystery. Books may be ordered through eHarlequin's online store.

I'd be really happy if you would pass that link around to your friends and family. The Prairie Grass Murders is set mostly in central Illinois in the farm country where I grew up, but wraps up in South Florida, which is where my main characters now live. Sylvia Thorn, age 59, is a Palm Beach County circuit court judge. Her older brother, Willie Grisseljon, is a Vietnam veteran. When Willie finds a body on his Illinois vacation, he and a deputy sheriff don't see eye to eye on Willie's right to wander the countryside. It's up to Sylvia to sort out the resulting mess.


New Book Giveaway Coming Soon

I found a box just the right size. Next step is to select the books so there's a nice mix of mysteries and thrillers. I'm working on that.


On Blatant Self-Promotion (yes, I see the humor of using this quote today when I'm blatantly self-promoting)

Get someone else to blow your horn and the sound will carry twice as far.
---------------Will Rogers (at brainyquote.com)

On Writing

When asked, "How do you write?" I invariably answer, "one word at a time."
---------------Stephen King (at brainyquote.com)

On the Winter Olympics

The problem with winter sports is that - follow me closely here - they generally take place in winter.
---------------Dave Barry (at brainyquote.com)

Thank goodness I can watch the Oympics on television.

Mystery/Thriller Book Giveaway--We Have a Winner!

I'm pleased to announce Donna Volkenannt of Missouri, as the winner of my Mystery/Thriller box of books. Donna is also a fellow blogger who blogs about (surprise) books! They're obviously going to a good home. Congratulations, Donna! I think you'll enjoy these good reads. I'll have your package in the mail no later than tomorrow (Tuesday).

My scientific method of selection: I number the entries as they come in, make up little entry papers with numbers on them, fold them and throw them in a box, shake and stir, then pull out a paper. First number drawn wins. I then match that number with the entry e-mail to announce the winner.

There was so much interest in this giveaway that I plan to do another one this month. After I've chosen the books, I'll publicize the giveaway here and at other sites, giving readers plenty of time to sign up. Stay tuned...