Book Review - Tempting Mr. Townsend by Anna Campbell

Suffering from historical fever? Burning to read about past-times filled with heroes & heroines?

Then an Anna Campbell romance is the perfect cure.

In TEMPTING MR. TOWNSEND, author, Anna Campbell once again captures the incurable romantic heart. In this dashing widow selection, Lady Deerham has known and lost true love. Comfortable in her widow’s shell, Fenella’s resolved to raise her son alone and spend her remaining years without the comfort of a man’s presence. That is . . . until a bear of a man burst into her quite proper drawing room, and conveys her cross country to find her son.

Anthony Townsend has never wanted a woman as he does Fenella, and he’s determined to storm her carefully shielded heart. Mr. Townsend will use all his remarkable negotiating tactics to convince, cajole, and even seduce the proper Lady Deerham into his life – forever.

Author: Anna Campbell

Book Review - Michael's Blood by SS Bazinet

Michael’s Blood by SS Bazinet, is a unique exploration of angels – amongst us – and re-incarnation.

Have you ever turned your head just right, cut your glance quickly to the side . . . and believed that there was another presence over your shoulder? Surrounding you? Then you have already stepped across the threshold of guardian angels.

How about those tingles along your spine when you simply knew something – no true explanation for that insight, that glimpse of fact or feelings, but in your deepest soul, you knew them to be accurate?

Author, SS Bazinet takes readers on a journey into the concept that past-lives are more than New Age language, and might easily explain the fabric of our everyday world. Carefully woven into Michael’s Blood is the presence – warm and comforting – that none of us are truly alone as guardian angels stand the test of our stubbornness and never forsake their ‘keeps’ through the ages.

Michael’s Blood – the Vampire Reclamation Project – is so much more than another simple fantasy story.

When vampire protagonist, Arel, is given the gift of angel’s blood, his troubled past filled with tortures, old fears, and years of horrific abuse must be cleansed. In the process of Arel’s journey, which takes him from present to past to present again, he begins to build a new family. SS Bazinet breathes life into hero, Arel, as a complicated, scarred, stubborn, and needy soul: all identifiable characteristics in today’s world.

If you are searching for a story that crosses genres and dimensions, then Michael’s Blood is a read for you.

Author: SS Bazinet

Writing It Right with Wordle.net

Breathing new life into an older manuscript brought me back to Wordle.net

WRITERS

Do you want to know your most commonly used words in a chapter?
In a Blog post?
In a letter to your editor?

DIRECTLY FROM THE WORDLE WEBSITE:

'WORDLE is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to your own desktop to use as you wish.'

Wordle.net is a FREE Service that doesn't demand any Google Chrome EXT additions.

However - WORD ON INSTALLATION - you'll need Java RunTime in order to access Wordle, and you will need to download the 32bit version (actually, shows as X86 on the Java download site, which is old school for 32bit). My laptop is roughly a year old and the Win 10 version on my system is 64bit. Just be aware that you might need to handle this conversion depending on which version of Windows is loaded to your desktop/laptop, and which BIT size as well. If Java is currently downloaded to your system, Wordle should open. Also, there is a Wordle trouble-shooting help guide. I used Internet Explorer - not EDGE - just good ole Explorer to access Wordle, and it worked perfectly. Hopefully, these install tips will ease your Wordle path.

Pssst - any program that demands a Google Chrome EXT should be handled with extreme caution.
Check for reviews or malware alerts on these programs before you complete install and allow the EXT full access.
You might find your browser taken over by the EXT . . . never a good result.

CHASING DESTINY - CHAPTER ONE

Through the Wordle process, my nemesis of 'back' revealed its ugly redundancy,
and I dived into the chapter to obliterate its overuse.

The point of this exercise is to make certain - that you, the author - are fully aware of the most commonly used words, and phrases, in your writing.
Does the Wordle picture reflect the language that should float to the top like wonderful cream?
Or have you fallen into a vocabulary trap where the same tired words appear over and over?

Wordle is a bit of visual creativity to color our written world of black-and-white.

Ready to learn more? Additional writing tips @

Snapping Photos? Here's how to Breath LIFE into your Writing

Learn the Art of a Writer's Magic

The Language Garden: The Apostrophe Hummingbird

I have been re-reading ‘Eats, Shoots & Leaves’ by Lynne Truss.

Glutton for punishment?

Hardly.

Like the majority of authors, I constantly hone and refine my skills. There is no 'quick grow' method to sound writing. No short-cut or easy season. Study time, butt-in-chair effort to learn basic and advance grammar is still the most effective method for a good crop of sentences.

As to EATS, SHOOTS, AND LEAVES: if you haven’t read Lynne’s witty take on grammar and its sad decline, you are in for a treat. She entertains and educates – no easy feat.

If you’re new to writing, then best advice: learn the grammar rules.



A past critique partner, albeit a brilliant woman, continually brought her weekly pages with numerous grammatical errors. When we groused, as writers are want to do, about the continual mistakes, she informed us that learning all those pesky rules slowed her creativity and she knew we’d correct her anyway.

NEWSFLASH TO NEWBIES

**Your writing buddies, your critique partners, and heaven forbid, your readers don’t want to slog through your grammatical mistakes.**

FIRST - SINGLE IT OUT

Start simple: pick one aspect that you 'just' don't get and research that grammar rule. There are scads of grammar research sites.

GrammarBook.com

Your Dictionary

Grammar Girl (Quick & Dirty Tips)


My suggestion is check a couple of sites. Not all research sites are created equal -- true. But often when you study from more than (1) source, a real understanding of the rule will become clear.
Simply put: the rule will just make sense.

So, to Single it out: In this case, let's talk about the Apostrophe. NOT all aspects of its use: JUST ONE.

The tiny apostrophe is actually quite a work-horse in grammar. Perhaps, I should liken it to a hummingbird. Always around, busy, and cheerful if used correctly.

SECOND & THIRD: STUDY THE USAGE & STAY FOCUSED

Here's my exact point: there are hundreds of articles/blogs/grammar quips written about the Apostrophe and its multiple usages. It would be easy -- ridiculously so -- to become overwhelmed. You started with a purpose to learn more about the apostrophe so pick (1) aspect, study the usage, then stay focused on that aspect.

Don't cross your eyes and click off this blog. I have no intention of sending you into GRAMMAR doldrums with a list of apostrophe purposes.

One aspect: Plural Possessive (a plural word that needs to show it 'possesses' something.) The house of Cassey = Cassey's house; The pencil of the boy = the boy's pencil. Got it. Except in the case, we're talking about plural possession. ****

Very specifically –
A) men
B) women
C) children
D) oxen
E) brethren (general usage in today’s time to denote spiritual brothers. Depending on the religion or denomination, women can be brethren as well.)
F) neofen (newcomers to science fiction; fans who are extremely new and inexperienced with the genre.) Wiktionary
G) kneen (obsolete form of knees – plural) Your Dictionary

There is the school of thought that ‘chicken’ belongs in this list; that chicken is the plural for chick. However, Old English scholars believe that ‘. . . chicken, the –en ending isn’t a plural, but a diminutive, expressing small size or affection, which also turns up in kitten and maiden.’ World Wide Words


TO our lesson:

Is it Men’s Locker Room? Or Mens’ Locker Room?

As MEN is already plural, more than one man can go into that smelly, sock-infested locker room and hang out, doing whatever men do in that inner sanctum, and it’s all good. Therefore, Men’s Locker Room will nicely suffice.

Was it the Women’s Suffrage Movement? Or the Womens’ Suffrage Movement?

Again, WOMEN is already plural; the apostrophe goes BEFORE the ‘s’. Women’s history can be charted back to the early start of women’s rights when female abolitionist activists gathered and gave birth to the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Note where to place the apostrophe. The PLURAL of women stands quite nicely on its own.

Should we name the new play area: Children’s Playground or Childrens’ Playground?

By now, the pattern should be clear.

In your writing, if the word is already plural through the use of an ‘–en’ ending, then any possession must take place with an added apostrophe then s.

Some are blatantly common: MEN, WOMEN, and CHILDREN.

Some are dated, almost part of our quietly buried English language: KNEEN, BREATHEN, and OXEN.

Others are new to our language: NEOFEN.

FOURTH & FINALLY, SIMPLY SCRIBE SENTENCES (that means WRITE). Practice this Grammar Rule. Set aside 5 minutes a day, study the rule and practice a few sentences. Make the new Grammar Rule a HABIT.
Personally, if I find it's a rule that continually boggles my mind, I won't just research it, or practice, but I'll write it up in my 'HOW TO' folder. I'll include links, diagrams, and my OWN explanation of the rule. From my brain, through my fingertips, and onto page: the rule becomes mine. (Feel free to steal this trick if it will work for you. My HOW TO folder is massive with all sorts of tips and insights. Word of caution: dumb down naming your research. There's nothing worse than knowing that you saved tidbits and then can't find them.)

In the garden of language, new words sprout and bud; their usages, and meanings offering color to a black and white landscape. Grammar rules are the raised beds, the lattice work, bits of string and twine that allow our ever-evolving language to blossom.

Don't Slow That Pace

Slowing the pace or resolving a major character conflict at the end of the chapter or scene gives your reader an opportunity to:

1) put down your fabulous writing
2) turn off the light
3) and dream about some other author's characters

Not quite a Kiss Goodbye - but too close for any aspiring author who has designs on a Best Seller list.

Make your readers hang around and hang on, forcing them to read through what would be a natural place to break.

How?

Use strong hooks.

As writers, we WANT to finish the thought, to build to the end - always pushing the conflict up the next notch. BUT - and it's a huge BUT, resolution is the last thing that needs to happen at the end of a chapter. Break the action right in the middle, leave the reader asking the question, ‘What happens next?’ or even ‘OMG, I’ve got to find out more.’; and you’ll provide all the incentive readers need to keep . . . well, to keep reading.

Character answers are a must.
Readers won't tolerate being left hanging or in the dark - indefinitely.

But like good whiskey - a shot at a time is the best way to enjoy.

Instead of wrapping a chapter - Weave the answer through the beginning of the next chapter or scene. Leave the thread dangling until the reader absolutely needs to know. There is power in the payoff with this technique.

Certain notable authors published their works as serials: Louisa May Alcott in A Long Fatal Love Chase, early Louis L'Amour works, and YA author, Gary Paulsen, started his work in 'shorts'.

THE POINT?

They believed and used . . . the HOOK.

If you're unfamiliar with STRONG HOOKS, then familiarize yourself with the above listed authors. Sometimes oldies really are golden.

Still not convinced?

Are you watching this season's AGT?
Before every commercial break . . . here's what's coming -- stay tuned, don't leave the room, keep watching.
How about the news? Pick any station broadcast. They honestly spend more time telling you what they're going to tell you, than the actual 'telling' of the news story. Why? . . . here's what's coming -- stay tuned, don't leave the room, keep watching.

What do these major entities know that is important to writers?
Stay tuned, don't leave the room, keep . . . reading.

If you wrap the scene up, put a bow on it, give the package away . . . guess what? Your readers aren't forced to 'stay tuned and keep reading'.


From my WIP - The Grave Digger - protagonist, Emma McBride has come to town to visit her godfather, Gus, who owns The Red Belly Bar. Gus is Emma's closest living relative, and the man who has protected her for years. To catch up on the latest news, Emma is pumping Margot, long-time friend, and the godfather's secret crush.


“Burke? Who is Burke?” Emma searched her memory, drawing a blank, but not liking the fact that some man, some stranger had convinced her godfather what was best. “Is that one of the infamous card buddies?”

“No.” Margot seemed to draw out the answer. “I thought Gus had spoken to you of this matter.”

“What matter?” Tension knotted in Emma’s stomach. She might only happen through town twice a year, but she checked in on a weekly basis. “What is it I don’t know?”

“Gabriel Burke, he runs the business. Each day, for the last six months. Shortly after your last visit, he came.” Margot's snow white brows knitted in concentration. “No one expected him to stay. Then one day, he is a partner with your godfather at the Red Belly bar.”

With a nudge against the china, Emma pushed away the remains of her snack and focused all her attention on her companion. “Exactly how sick is Gus? And tell me the straight of it. ”

Confusion then a bit of anger sparked the older woman’s gaze. “I do not keep the secrets from you, child. But it would seem your godfather has kept too many.”

* * *

If storms came in the form of gauzy lace shirts then the gypsy-like creature, who’d just whirled through the Red Belly bar’s front door, appeared to be a heavy-duty downpour. Faded jeans hugged all the right curves and stopped above a pair of slim ankles. Some nonsense of strappy leather sandals crisscrossed her feet. Pure California or some reincarnated flower child was Burke’s first thought. Until she pulled free the wide-brimmed hat and shook her head. A waterfall of blonde strands unfurled like golden silk down to her slim waist. Then the woman turned and Gabriel Burke stopped thinking at all.

This scene is in Chapter One, the closing of Emma's POV and her scene, and then the opening into Gabriel's POV and his scene. *** marks the spot. The conversation is designed to leave the reader asking questions. It's already established how much Emma loves her godfather, how she visits this specific town to spend time with her godfather, even how Emma expects - as we often do - that her godfather will live forever. Now, she's learned he's ill. That someone - some stranger - has influenced her godfather's decisions. Someone who's only been in town a short time, and now has partnership in her godfather's bar. You bet she has questions, and so does the reader.

Share a hook from your WIP, or one from your favorite books.

As always, you’re welcome to drop by my back porch. It’s heating up here in the deep south. BBQ is on the grille (Veggies, too) and beer in the cooler. Drop on by anytime.

Until next time
~Sandra

Don't Bungle your Blogging (or Become a Better Blogger - Writer)

In my daily perusal – read – of a multitude of blog and websites, I’ve discovered some uh-oh moments. Despite the type of blog, the number of individuals involved with the blog, or the purpose of the writing, the mistakes exist. No Grammar Police hat worn here. But I will say that on-page mistakes threaten our reader's pleasure.

Good writing is hard work. More importantly, easy reading is harder work.

GOOD GRAMMAR -- Wait! Don't stop reading yet.

I know . . . I know . . .The word GRAMMAR should be issued in a whisper.
Ears snap closed like a gator before his midnight snack.
Patience, Padawan - this could be useful information.


I’m aware of the Kurt Vonnegut Tweet circulating that condemns the semicolon as a useless brush with higher education and writers would do well to exorcise (not quite Linda Blair in The Exorcist, but close) the tiny punctuation mark from their prose.

Well, you caught me. I did go to university. I did study English (English Composition minor). So, I’m guilty of exercising - not exorcising - advanced punctuation. However, if you don’t know the difference between a semicolon (;) and a colon (:) and when to use each, then you have a writer's duty: learn it.

WHY? Is that your writer's duty?

Q: How can you possibly break grammatical rules if you don’t know them?
A: You can’t.

Kurt might have hated the semicolon, but the man knew how to use it before tossing it out of his literary realm.

Brief explanation –
Use a semicolon to bring together two complete sentences (related sentences) without a conjunction.

**The hard-drinking party girl closed down the bar; her next day was spent hugging the ceramic throne.**

Two related sentences. Same subject in both sentences. Second sentence demonstrates the result of the first sentence.

The much-maligned semicolon certainly sports more uses than the one above, but to strengthen writing without sending the brain into grammatical shock – pick out one aspect of a semicolon and develop the habit.

Painless? Not necessarily.
Guaranteed writing growth? Probably.
Stronger reader comprehension? Absolutely.

And if you’re taking the time to share your thoughts, advice, information with readers, make it worth their reading while.

I’d planned a short discussion on comma and phrases and clauses and then realized . . . there is no such thing as a short discussion for the comma.

Lengthy subject: The Chicago Manual of Style, 7th Edition, dedicates fifty-five (55) pages to the use of the comma.

Please, if your version of the manual style has a different page count on the ubiquitous comma, don’t notify me. I’ll take your word for it. Suffice it to say, the comma covers a great deal of written ground. If unfamiliar with the comma, consider some of the suggested reading listed below.

However, grammar lessons isn’t over – in this knock-out round, let’s discuss,

Subject – Verb VS. Subject - Predicate

I chose this picture because I’m envious of anyone with this conditioning. Ring-side managers would need to call out paramedics/chiropractors if I even managed to get my leg in this position.

Yet, the picture is accurate for many of us (I’ll include myself here, thank you very much) in readily knowing and understanding the difference between Subject – Verb and Subject – Predicate.

For bloggers, who venture to amazing places, enjoying delicacies I can often not pronounce or engage in hang-gliding, sky-diving, rock-climbing that I’d not be brave enough to try; for the newbie writers finding their literary feet; for the article innocents preparing for the world of submission and rejection, I beg you to learn the basis of sentence structure for Subjects & Predicates.

Simple sentence:
She jumped.

She is the subject.
Jumped is the verb. (A verb that shows action.)

I said it was a simple sentence, but now it gets a bit trickier.

What if the verb didn’t show action? What if the verb was one of those sly ‘state of being’ verbs?

Forms of to be

be, am, is, are, was, were, been, being

Other Linking Verbs

appear, become, feel, grow, look, seem, remain, smell, sound, stay, taste, turn

Simple sentence:
She tasted.

What? What did she taste? Isn’t taste an action? I always thought so, but if it’s an action verb, why doesn’t the sentence seem complete?

Because taste is a tricky linking verb and now needs a predicate to modify – to complete the sentence.

She tasted the sweet flavor of the season’s first apple.
She tasted the bitterness of defeat.
She tasted salty. (Tasted salty? Who would think that, much less write it?)
As he nibbled her neck, she tasted salty.

Don’t wrinkle your nose. If you’ve read a handful of romance books, you’ve encountered something similar.

The point is:
What comes after ‘tasted’ is vital to sentence comprehension, which means ‘tasted (verb required for a predicate) the sweet flavor of the season’s first apple’ is in fact a PREDICATE.

A PREDICATE or better known as that which modifies the subject of a sentence. In this case, the subject is ‘she’.

All right, before your brain explodes from grammar TNT, I’ll remind you that as a writer, you must possess – and actually – read grammar HOW TO books.

A few healthy examples : The Chicago Manual of Style

English Grammar for Dummies

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips.

If you want to be considered a Professional Writer, even a semi-competent writer, then EARN IT!

Homework doesn’t end just because you are an adult. If anything, it’s a more serious form of homework.
Whether Ms. Smith gave you an A on a writing composition isn’t nearly as important as if your readers enjoy the stories you share, the information you impart, or the wisdom you reveal.

Don’t bungle your blogging.

Oh, and if you've been paying attention, you'll have a read a number of colons (:) in this blog: find them.

Summer is in full 'steam' on the back porch. Do drop by again.

Sly as a Fox

Common phrases can be trite and throw-away.

Or they can layer on depth and provide alternative options to explore characterization.

Today animal phrases are roaming (pardon the pun) through my brain.

Why?

On an early hours’ walk, a fox crossed my path. Not unique for loads of people who enjoy country living, but considering that I’m buried in a ‘metropolis’ of suburbia, pretty unusual for me.

So the fox crosses my path and now I’m wondering (at a quick pace, I might add) what does it mean?

Is it like the crossing of a black cat? (bad luck)
Is it like crossing paths with a crow? (change on the way)
Is it like a path-crossing tortoise? (A sign to stay steady, stay true to the course)

A visit to an ‘animal symbol' site: What’s Your Sign (catchy), a click on the fox and I discovered that depending on the ancient belief system of choice, the meaning will alter.

Celtic beliefs – the fox successfully negotiated the twists and turns of the forest and it was viewed as a guide.

Native American beliefs – (Northern Tribes) viewed the fox as an animal of wisdom and as that of a messenger.

Another site – Spirit Animals holds that the fox is again a guide and will foretell of resolutions to problems. ‘Solitude and Silence’ are required as the fox is a stealthily animal.

(Note also that when the fox hunts, he/she will point straight toward the prey and be fully focused.)

Not a bad thought for the writer's life.

From a phraseology standpoint, I discovered a number of common ‘catch’ phrases:

Sly as a fox.
Clever as a fox
Cunning like a fox
Crazy like a fox

Whatever the phrase, remember how long the wily fox has existed in literature:

• The Gingerbread Man – folk tale. ...
• Fox In Sox by Dr. Seuss. ...

• The Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl. ...
• Aesop's Fables. ...

Breaking characters down into bit pieces and then connecting the pieces in an interesting puzzle-like fashion is the goal of any established writer.

A few famous characters that could easily be likened to the fox:

1) Sherlock Holmes
2) Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo
3) Agatha Christie’s Mrs. Marple
4) Flynn Rider in Rapunzel

5) Will in Robin Hood
6) Vizzini in The Princess Bride
7) Even the everyday run of the mill – teenager.

Point made?

Characteristics of the clever and sly fox can be artfully woven in a written work, can show intrinsic layers and depth to a character, and can provide reader insight with the clarity of minute details.

Whether protagonist or secondary lead, hero or heel, victim or villain, the fox can add complexity to any character.

At times, the simplest of phrases can open doors of development for characters.

A cliché, trite and overused, never belongs on page . . .

but the deeper meaning, a clearer understanding of the cliché can mean the difference between readers who root for a character, cheering them on, shedding tears for their losses, and would never dream of putting the book aside until all is resolved . . . and readers who can and will toss away an author’s earnest words.

Here’s hoping that ‘the turn of a phrase’ makes all the difference in your writing.

I'm finished . . . I'm finished . . . doing that happy dance!

This weekend, I typed The End on my 92,000 romantic suspense. This baby has been awhile in birthing -- frankly, if I'd carried kids as long as it took me to finish this book, there would have only been one bouncing baby in my house.

That said, this manuscript has seen me through a tough loss: my father's year-long illness and passing, which seriously made me question whether I could ever finish this book. Then came my evolving literary skills: the dawn of my true Texas voice and the huge learning curve for any serious suspense plotter -- as in I bit off more intrigue than I knew how to write at the time. Months of research and cultivating the muse finally revealed the end.

Hopefully, those challenges will make these completed words on page all the sweeter. The accomplishment certainly made me do the happy dance around my desk early Saturday morning. Yes, it really was an early start -- 5:45am and I typed the last words at 10:07am (I had a NTRWA (writer's meeting) and I wasn't going one more month without being able to list the completion of my manuscript.) All of us need deadlines!

So, now the next tasks is to meld together the working synopsis with what's actual on page, get the book into the editor--agent rotation, and start on the next manuscript.

So help a gal out, please.

Here's is the first run at the teaser for Trickle of Lies. Tell me what works, what doesn't.

Someone murdered her best friend, and attorney Kyra Malone will have justice. Unfortunately, her evidence-gathering journey to drought ravaged West Texas has netted a ‘temporarily borrowed’ sports car she can’t explain, a husband she didn’t plan on, and an unstoppable killer on her tail.

Until the red-haired stranger shows up on his front porch, County Sheriff Boston Donavan – burned by his big-city, conniving ex-wife prized two things: honesty and his small town – now, he’s caught in a Trickle of Lies not of his making and a passel of bad guys set to destroy the peace.

It's beautiful here on my back porch -- cool morning temperatures, a Grackle or two cawing in the still air, and not a mosquito in sight. It really is the small things that make me happy.

Here's wishing you a great Monday.
Do drop by the porch again,
Until then,
~Sandra

All Things English . . .

I'm not ignoring all my blog friends, but writing to the end. Long days, and some fairly long nights have dragged (yep, that's the verb I want) my current work in progress (WIP) across the threshold of writerly 'hold' and into the close-to-finished stage. Presently, Trickle of Lies is sitting at 84K on the word count, showing a 397 on page count -- lots of dialogue in this manuscript. So, I'm close, really close. The way to finish is not go on the Internet, so I've banned myself from the fun stuff I love.

However, that said, the following "English Rules" was sent to me in an email -- yep, even those are far behind -- but as most who visit my site are lovers of the English language, I hope you'll enjoy.

There isn't anyone to give credit to this compilation of English wonder. So, if you know where it started, do make sure to comment and fill in the rest of us.

Happy Wednesday to you all.
Stop by the porch again.
Until then
~Sandra

THIS CRAZY ENGLISH LANGUAGE!


THIS TOOK A LOT OF WORK TO PUT TOGETHER!
Read all the way to the end.............................. !!!

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.
2) The farm was used to produce produce .

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present .

8) A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.
11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row .

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
19) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

20) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Let's face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant, nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France . Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.

And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth, beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane.. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which, an alarm goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race, which, of course, is not a race at all. That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible.

PS. - Why doesn't 'Buick' rhyme with 'quick' ?

You lovers of the English language might enjoy this .

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is 'UP.'
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP ?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ?
Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report ?
We call UP our friends.
And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver; we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.
We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.
At other times the little word has real special meaning.
People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.
A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP..
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night.
We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look the word UP in the dictionary.
In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.
If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used.
It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP .
When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP...
When it rains, it wets the earth and often messes things UP.
When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.
One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now my time is UP, so........it is time to shut UP!
Now it's UP to you what you do with this email.

Another article up at Ezine Articles . . .

How fun! Another article -- Creating Extraordinary Writing from Ordinary Phrases has been accepted by Ezine Articles.

Hubby is hard at work pushing my articles out and about, so I'm really clueless as to where all my articles have spidered (technical Google term) at this point. It's possible to see my by-line on any number of Internet sites as a result of his marketing tenacity.

The article writing is part of my self-promotion plan -- building a readership from all spectrums. For those interested in submitting to Ezine just click on that link. As an article author, you are required to open an account with Ezine. No, it doesn't cost anything. Word of warning, they do send a slew of information emails. There maybe a 'disable' function for the emails. Hubby has it set to drop the emails to us, and we're learning the ins and outs of publishing articles. Helpful information is contained in the emails, so you might want to accept them for a bit and then decide. Particularly helpful are the emails regarding Titles. Maybe they are just helpful to me, as I'm title-challenged. Just ask my critique partners. Hubby is titling my articles, but we're learning together how to pack punch into a few words and increase readership -- always a valuable tool to employ.

Is Ezine just for writers?

Absolutely not.

For my teaching friends -- pearls of wisdom from this front are always useful.
My career cronies -- time management, new sales, office negotiation, all topics that could find a home on Ezine.

Bottom line is if you know 'stuff', then writing (and publishing) an article is possible.

How to can pickles that family and friends will love.
How to repair the garage door opener without paying a professional.
10 things to know before buying a MP-3 player.

All of us, with a little age to our teeth, know things. It's called LIFE. Any number of the experiences can be shared as an article.

Not great at grammar?

Then definitely keep the Ezine Information articles coming in. Each week, valuable insights on navigating grammar waters are provided.

Bonus . . . when one of your friends asked what you've been doing . . . it's lovely to say, "Oh, just getting my articles published."

Happy writing (article or not) to you all.
It's still raining on the backporch, but we're sloshing through. Even my dog, who hates the rain, has finally conceded defeat and will take a stroll through the fat drops when Mother Nature calls. As for me, I did actually find my umbrella. Yep, it even works.
Drop by the porch again.
Until then,
~Sandra

Sunday Muses . . .

On board with TWITTER. I needed to join in order to keep up with the kiddo at Texas A & M. Not specifically her, but the campus as a whole. After the Virginia Tech incident, A & M launched their Code Maroon alert program. Students, staff, employees and parents, who had emails on file, were notified of any emergency situation through text and email messages. This year A & M changed to TWITTER. Students still gets the emergency text, but parents must follow TWITTER.

So as I'm on TWITTER, if you want to follow me, just search my name, and then send a TWITTER alert to me. If you're already Tweeting, then watch for LoneStarMeander . . . yep, that's me. I'm not totally sure that short burps (and yes, that's the right word for it) about my day are exactly exciting, but I decided if I was on-board I might as well play the whole game. It is fun to keep up with some of my favorite authors (Rosemary Clements-Moore, Candy Havens, and Geralyn Dawson-- several tweet on and off during the day. It's kind of like living in their backpocket without being creepy about it.

Chapter 19 (TRICKLE OF LIES) is done and in the completed pile. I'm really pleased with the finished result. I had the basis of the chapter when I sat down yesterday, but so much needed to be filled out. The plot is turning very tight at this point so every revelation is massively important. Not to mention the internal turning points. Yes, I know that there are only 3 or so real turning points (excluding black moment) in each novel; however, there are a massive # of small internal turning points -- rising and falling points. To me as the action ratchet up another notch, then the TPs must happen quicker and with as much precision as possible. Surgical precision, if you will.


As this is more of a Sunday morning ramble, I'll digress onto my dreams last night. Lady Muse decided to visit about my completed chapter, which is totally OK, but she didn't show up as I drifted off to sleep. That lovely land where writers can still pry their eyes open and jot down the notes. Oh no, she showed up literally in my dreams, layers deep in REM sleep. Short of nightmares, I've never managed to extricate myself from REM for note-taking. I tried for 4 years in college and believe me, if I was going to master the technique it would have been then. So, I took the dog for a long walk, hoping to recapture any part of the dream. Unfortunately and fortunately, it's raining in Texas -- kinda all over the state, which is awesome considering our drought status. So despite my desire to drift along in oblivion while the doggy did her duty, I was too busy negotiating rivers of run-off and soggy shoes. Maybe I'll try a long hot shower after breakfast and see if any part of the dream comes back. Worst part -- is that the additions were really perfect. Even in sleep I can remember thinking, "That's exactly what I want to happen."

Happy Sunday all. It's cooler on the porch this morning. Perfect but for the Texas mosquitoes, which are hatching in the droves. I actually think they're feeding on my supply of OFF.
Until next time
~Sandra

Moving to the end . . .

Over the top and goofy excited because I've actually finished a workable ending to Trickle of Lies. I've written several endings, but none have rang true . . . or more importantly, tied up every loose thread with a bow. I've invested too much time and effort at this point to not be totally in love with the end.

I've read, and I know you have as well, far too many books where it seemed the author just threw an ending on page. Okay, so it answered all the plot questions, but it was far from satisfying. How many of us started because we read a story, fell in love with the characters, and then desperately wanted a different ending? Tell the truth! Every writer has more than one book they've kept on a shelf because they yearn for a different ending. For me, there are some that I want to rewrite; others that have such a perfect ending, I long for the strength to write something so worthy.

I had an epiphany on the way to work two mornings ago. I'd already decided to just write another ending -- any ending to finish the silly thing. I wasn't pleased with the decision, but I want it done. Maybe that's what Madam Muse was waiting for: the show-up-now-declaration-or-I'll-write-something-crappy decision to kick it into high gear. So, here's to writing into a corner and then finding a way out.

By the way, the boy came up with a book jacket for me. A little tidbit to keep me motivated and moving to the end. Gotta love computers -- and those who are computer literate -- which is not me. As I'm fond of saying, I don't need to be all that smart, just surround myself with smart people.

>


Wish me luck on the way to the end.
See you around the porch soon.
Until then,
~Sandra

Monday Madness . . .

Another Grammar article -- Dealing with the Comma -- picked up by EzineArticles.com. Wahoo, for me. My written word floating around the web is always a good thing. Besides, I'm a little partial to getting the use of the comma corrected. Too many extraneous commas -- missing ones for that matter -- in basic writing today. A good grammar book should be a must for all. Not, just writers! I can think of few careers into today's job market where a certain amount of writing is not required. Yet, folks by the hordes throw words at a page and assume they'll stick in the proper, punctuated order. Not hardly. So, writing grammar tips on the comma was another of my simple attempts to save the English language.

I've been hard at work through the weekend discovering a lost manuscript. CHASING DESTINY as it stands is a contemporary romance. Decent plot, good characters, dynamite backstory and strong motivation, mediocre writing. CHASING DESTINY was only my second completed manuscript, so my writing level has increased significantly since then. It's good to know that the book is salvageable, if . . . and here's the biggie, I need a suspense plot woven into the story. As all my books now fall into the Romantic Suspense category, and this book shares one of the same characters from the Donavan series, it should all be shelved together. See how positive I am? One day, when all my books hit the NYT best-seller list, I want the readers to find them all together. The difficulty I'm encountering with the suspense element is that my heroine has suffered through a painful history. Not ancient history, but recent, so it becomes a matter of how much bad luck can any individual be expected to survive. Then there's the whole coincidence issue -- contrived coincidence is always the kiss of death for realism. I must find the balance between a suspense that naturally evolves around her, without seeming to dump on her head. I've finished my read through CHASING DESTINY and brainstormed several suspense twists. Now, I'll leave it alone for a little fermentation. Maybe, just maybe, like great wine, I'll have something wonderful to pour out of the bottle of my brain.

Also, been working hard and heavy on finishing TRICKLE OF LIES. It's way past time.

My critique partners, Sherry Davis, Mary Karlik, and LA Mitchell, have submitted like crazy over the past few months, totally shaming my lack of effort. They, collectively, have received a number of 'no's, but they're closer to a 'yes' simply by their efforts of continual submission. I have a great beta reader lined up for TRICKLE OF LIES as soon as I can type The End. All said, there's no reason not to plant my fanny in the chair and write.

I'll keep you posted from the back porch.
A spurt of lovely weather has sailed into Texas. Highs today in the upper 80s. That is lovely for us.
Happy Monday to you all, and drop by the porch again.
Until then,
~Sandra

What you know and how to write it in an article . . .

Article writing 101 . . . actually, it's more like pre-101, however, it's been tremendous fun sharing a number of the writing lessons I've learned. Good writing is important for everyone -- a point I'm constantly making to my kids. Whatever the career, whatever the emphasis, everyone needs to know how to communicate, and communicating through written word is crucial. Apparently, EZine magazine thinks it's important, too, because they've accepted several of my articles regarding writing.

They sent this link: ezinearticles for my Clear and Concise Writing.

For those of you who don't think you could write an article, consider all the things that you know how to do -- there will be a lot! If you can break it down into steps, then you can become an article writer.

It's hot here on the porch -- matter of fact there is no sitting on the porch until we pull out of the 100s, 17 days so far this summer. Upswing is that it's even too hot for the mosquitoes.

Until next time
~Sandra

More Books Sold

The first half of this year has zoomed by. I can barely remember taking a deep breath from New Year's until now.

Partial because of the amount of work I'm doing outside the home, and partly because of the 'life' stuff that seems to show up on a day-to-day basis.

The writing schedule doesn't hold up as well as I'd like and following up on my previously released book seems too distant to comptemplate.

That said . . .

It was a lovely surprise to get my numbers in from The Wild Rose Press, my publisher, and see that my book, Harm's Way, is still selling. Both digital and hard copies are being purchased.

From a promotional aspect, I learned that my website is not garnering the attention that I wanted because then those hard copy sales would have come through my site, and I'd been able to autograph the copies -- always a neat thing.

All that said, it means that my book blurb and the reviews for Harm's Way are doing their jobs -- sell more copies.

So here's a cyber toast to residual sales.

And a kick in my own pants to get the next one finished.

Happy weekend to you all, and drop by my porch anytime.
~Sandra

Characterization . . . should be this real!

As writers, all our characters should be this alive:

She's addicting, isn't she?

We watched this video over and over in my office. Whether the viewers had kids or not, found her annoying or adorable, or even liked chatter or not; everyone was mesmerized.

When characters hit the page, writers often flatten them out -- cardboard imitations.

Watch the video again. Note each movement. Notice how she attempts to engage those around her. Take in the reaction of her father, and the voice in the background that I assume is mom.

This little girl's chatter should be burned into your mind. This is true 3-D, and as authors, each writer has the job of bring characters to life. Great published authors employ this level of development in each book. It's what keeps readers continually coming back for more.

Watch again. What mannerisms can you draw from her behavior? Her father's?

Ever been to the mall? For more than shopping? Take a seat in the food court and observe human behavior. See if you can determine who is happy, sad, angry, rushed? How did you know? What were the clues? Facial expressions? Dragging their child through the mall at break-neck speed? Set of the shoulders, mouth, jawline? Listen for voice inflections? Pick a group of teenagers, then an older married couple, or a young couple with little ones in tow. What is differences in conversation? Voice inflection? Happiness level?

These are all attributes that writers can bring to the table when serving up the perfect character.

Don't short-change the reader's hunger for meaty characters.

Remember the chatter and let your characters come to 3-D life.

Thanks for dropping by my back porch.
Until then.
~Sandra

Upcoming Speaking Engagement

Saturday, June 20th at 10:30am, I'll be speaking at the June meeting for NTRWA (North Texas Romance Writers Association). The meeting is held at the La Hacinda in Grapevine.

This is blurb I sent for the newsletter:

I will discuss how and where to expend promotional money and effort. In addition, I will explore advertising areas from branding to blogging; from websites to words (keywords for web advertising, that is); from signings to speaking engagements and how to make the moments away from the writing add up to the most successful promotion possible.

Several months ago I discovered in talking to new members of this group that the whole concept of promotion seemed overwhelming. The wheres and whys of how to advertise 'oneself' seemed daunting. To that end, I spoke with a few on NTRWA's executive board and suggested this topic for a seminar. (I kinda thought they'd ask some of our multi-published and brilliant authors to speak on this topic). Oops, I was wrong. The powers that be asked me. I'm not multi-published unless one considers the articles I've published, and brilliant is beyond me on the best of my days, however, I do believe this is a worthy conversation for all writers so I've decided to offer my tree of knowledge, such as it is.

Luckily for me, my husband has researched loads of promotional information; I do know some additional brilliant people who are willing to share their learned expertise; and I've managed a few different endeavors for promotion. All together, I'm excited about the knowledge I've gained and the opportunity to share.

One of my critique partners has agreed to digital record the event, so hopefully I'll find a way to upload and share a few spurts of it here.

On a side note . . . who's found a way to get rid of pesky gnats? I've tried the vinegar water solution and even added a bit of dish washing soap to capture them, but the experience only met with limited success. Someone out there knows the gnat cure.
Do share!

Drop by my porch again soon. The oldest kid is moved home (back from college again) and I have great pics and funny stories to share.

Until next time
~Sandra

Hooking the reader . . .

Slowing the pace or resolving the conflict – any conflict, even a little one – at the end of the chapter or scene gives your reader an opportunity to put your book down and turn off the light. Bad news for any author aspiring who has designs on the New York Times Best Seller list.

Make your readers hang around and hang on, forcing them to read through what would be a natural place to break.

How to?

Use strong hooks.

As writers, we want to finish the thought and build to the end always pushing the conflict up the next notch. So resolution is the last thing that needs to happen at the end of a chapter. Break the action right in the middle, leave the reader asking the question, ‘What happens next?’ or even ‘OMG, I’ve got to find out more.’, and you’ll provide all the incentive readers need to keep . . . well, to keep reading.

Answers are a must – but only in small doses. Weave in the answer through the beginning of the next chapter or scene, or leave the thread dangling until the reader absolutely needs to know in order to increase believability.

At this point, my critique group is accessing my WIP, TRICKLE OF LIES, in chunks. Reading through the first 100 pages for posting, I noticed a number of chapter hooks that were designed to keep my readers forging through to the next page.

I picked a random hook: Boston Donavan waited for the first sheet to finish printing from his fax machine before snagging the page. The ‘receive’ light glowed amber as another piece of paper rolled into the printer. Across the cover page, Dump (his deputy) had scrawled notations regarding the origin of the documents.
A second sheet popped free and Boston immediately recognized the Austin police letterhead. It took only minutes to scan the contents then he crumbled the page’s edge in his fist.
With a glare, he focused on his closed bedroom door. As though he could see the woman lying in his bed, he swore. “Son of a bitch, she’s lied to me again.”

Does the reader know what’s on the pages printed from Boston’s fax? Nope, but they know it has to do with a police department and that whatever has been revealed means he’s been deliberately lied to, or at the least, misled and the woman doing the lying is in his bed. Uh-oh. This hook is designed to keep the reader moving forward and pushing toward the end of the book.
Share a hook from your WIP, or one from your favorite book.


As always, you’re welcome to drop by my back porch. Actually, it’s cooling off a little here in Texas. BBQ is on the grille and beer in the cooler. Drop on by anytime.

Until next time
~Sandra

Coloring Your Way to Better Writing

Several months ago, I delivered a short blog about COLORS and what they mean to a writer and a reader. A more fleshed article was submitted to my local RWA chapter and has since been picked up by the additional publications: Great Vancouver Chapter, WisRWA, Diamond State Romance Authors Craft Loop, Chicago-North Loop RWA, and MERWA eloop.

Since so many have enjoyed the elongated article, it's now here for your perusal. Hope you find something worth use to enhance your writing and move you toward that goal of being a better writer.

The first box of Crayons was released in 1903 and sold for a nickel a box. All right, cool trivia tidbit, but is that all? Originally, only eight (8) colors were in the box: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, and black – limited, even dull by current standards and certainly not enough to enhance the reading experience for today’s visually-bombarded reader. Colors have blossomed and bloomed in the past one-hundred years, and writers, just as Crayola did, need to expand their ‘color’ vocabulary.

Crayola has utilized buyer’s input to add, eliminate and re-invent color choices. Prussian Blue gave way to Midnight Blue in the 50s. Flesh became Peach during the Civil Rights movement in the 60s. Even Indian Red changed to today’s version of Chestnut. Each of these colors is a part of history and brings images to mind.

What about these colors?
Cotton Candy
Deep Sea Blue
Purple Heart
Fire-engine Red
Tar
Head-light White
Sunshine Yellow

Is there a heartbeat flash? A lightning strike of recognition? How many have never eaten Cotton Candy? Or at least been to a fair or a carnival and seen the sticky stuff? Word of caution: if the writing is destined for heavy distribution in overseas markets, not all of these words will work. For most readers, however, Cotton Candy is universal and provides instant color association. Even in a 95,000-word work of fiction, no writer wants to spend ten words to produce color recognition, when one or two will do. Consider options when describing shades. Use personal history. Each of the above images belongs to my background. What shades come from your history that will enhance your good writing?

Still grappling with sensory perception? Here are a few more examples to get started (the last listing in each line belongs from my Crayola box):

Purple: plum, violet, lavender, lilac, Purple Mountain Majesty

Pink: orchid, fuchsia, shrimp, carnation, rose, blush, salmon, Wild Strawberry

Gray: steel, slate, iron, dove, metallic, silver, Timber Wolf

Blue: sky, aqua, Bluebonnet, navy, periwinkle, Denim

Green: lime, sea-green, kiwi, celery, emerald, grass, avocado, leaf, Granny Smith Apple

Yellow: sunshine, lemon, banana, mustard, dandelion, SunGlow

Red: crimson, blood, Christmas red, auburn, scarlet, apple, Terra Cotta, brick red

Black: coal, ebony, asphalt, midnight, tar, ink, onyx, Outer Space

Here are a few extras thrown in:
Ghost, carrot, sienna, blueberry, blackberry, ocean, aqua, ruby, topaz, school-house red, fire-engine red, cinnamon, sand, clay. Be careful with this one. If you live in parts of west Texas, the color would be red clay (and dust – just ask a west Texan); if you live in north to east Texas, it would be the notorious black clay that dries to the durability of concrete; if dealing with modeling or sculpting clay, the color would be slate gray.

Are you getting the point that many tangible items come with inherent color recognition? Use those immediate connections to strengthen the reader’s enjoyment and produce better writing. Loss, sadness, joy, anger, and even love are images and emotions that can be enhanced by selecting the right color word. Purchase a box (super-sized) of Crayons, or an enlarged color wheel. Walk through the nearest market, the winery, the flower garden. Color descriptions will spring to mind. Spend a few moments reliving the past and thinking of shades that not only produce emotions, but bring back clear memories. Make a list of the combined efforts and keep it by the computer. Readers trust a writer to provide the most vivid journey into the world of make-believe possible. By choosing the right color word, writers can paint brilliantly hued words across the page and deepen any reader’s experience.

A few extras for your enjoyment!

So spill those crayons across the page, and color your writing!

Did you learn something? Just enjoy reading the article? Please share.

Thanks for stopping by my back porch. Do come again.