The Sanctuary

I've been off the blog radar for some time now--finishing my new novel. It's called The Sanctuary, and like its title, I took "refuge" in writing it. For awhile, I didn't think I'd ever finish it. My real life went into "stall" mode, while I helped my sister battle some of her health problems. That stall made my creative life stall as well. But now, as the year comes to an end, I'm filled with hope and optimism. Little by little, day by day, hour by hour, I worked on the manuscript. I figured if I couldn't write for hours at a time, I could at least write one hour at a time. It's funny how your creativity understands that, and gets on board. I managed to finish and edit the manuscript in less than a month. I still have one final rewrite before sending it off to my publisher, but I'm pleased that I didn't abandon the project half way in (which would be SO not like me. Good, bad, or indifferent, I always finish what I start).

Like the characters in The Sanctuary, I can sense a new adventure awaits in 2015 for me (and my readers). I can sense it with every fiber of my being. I wish, though, I had empathic talents like my heroine, Sonny Blake. I'd love to touch a person and be hurled into a vision of that person's life. What an adventure that would be! Or maybe not. What's the old adage? Be careful, what you wish for? My hero, Logan Reed, certainly got what he wished for, but not in the way he expected.

Tomorrow is New Years Day, and my greatest hope is that our world manages to fix itself in 2015. I don't know quite when the human race became so hate-filled, but now that it has, I long for peace and love to fill her hearts once more--like the good old days. And yes, there were good old days. They were days when we didn't judge our neighbor, or our spouse and children, and we cared more about helping them, rather than killing them to solve a problem.

So from my house to yours, Have a happy and safe New Year.     

Saying Goodbye

I've been silent for awhile due to my best friend, Ellie, being terminally ill. She passed away last week. She had been suffering from Cancer for a long time, and she finally gave up the good fight. Her death has me remembering all the wonderful, remarkable times we had together--56 years of them. Whew! Has it really been 56 years? We met when I was 12, and she was 11, so I guess it has. It was a friendship that endured from the 1950's until now. And during all that time, I'm proud to say we only had one argument. 56 years with only one argument? Again, whew! How many people can say that?

Ellie was the kindest, most caring, and decent person I've ever known, (next to my best friend, Sheila), and I miss her. She was truly my "other world" soul mate (her hubby, Larry, took the prize of her soul mate while here on Earth). She was my biggest fan and supporter (again, next to Sheila), and I like to think I returned the favor. 

Though she's moved back to the astral world, I can still feel her all around me. Not even death can part soul mates, you know. I'm sure I'll see her again on some distant plane, and we'll forge a new friendship. We'll go out and live those new adventures with as much fun and zest as we did this lifetime.

As you know, I've always tried to make this blog center around the theme of Between Two Worlds. And today, that theme is more relevant than ever, because Ellie is one world and I'm in another. Yet the connection between her and I stands strong. She knows she can "communicate" with me through one of my Tarot card readings, or influence me through the characters in my novels. I must admit I look forward to her bold, brassy insights--even if they're just bubbling up from my sub-conscious. It means our friendship hasn't been broken, and never will be.

I love you, Ellie. And when you're not busy bossing everyone around over there, let me know how you are.... 

Magic and Mayhem

Some days being a writer is nothing but frustration, disappointment, and the desire to chuck your writing life and go do something easier with your time. But then your heart reminds your head that if it was TOO easy, there'd be no satisfaction in doing it. It's the hard things we do that define our lives, as well as show us that words strung together in a specific manner, can have a far-reaching impact on the person reading those words.  So, on those frustrating, disappointing days, I let my head and heart each have a say in what I'm writing (or editing), and before I know it, I'm in the writing "zone" again, feeling refreshed and renewed.

And then there are those days when you get  an E-Mail from your publisher which reveals that your book is now part of a wonderful box set of other paranormal romance novels. They send you the cover of the box (which is awesome), and you feel that same euphoric high you felt when the book was first published on its own. Why? I think it's because your work is now part of a much bigger family. You are in tune with other writers who had frustrating, disappointing days, and rather than chucking it all, they let their whole being spur them on.

Having said that, take a peek at the cover of the box set that "The Kindred" is now a part of. Magic and Mayhem--uh, yes, an apt title for the novels bundled together. I am so proud to be part of this set of novels, and I'm so proud that seven other writers have become members of my "writing world".

Maine Vs. Florida

You may have noticed I've been away for a few weeks (you lucky devils). My sister and I visited friends in Maine where the leaves are turning the most beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows. The climate was also beautiful and it made me realize that my life constantly centers around the theme of this blog--between two worlds. 

Maine is delightful, with the air pungent with the smell of pine, and the sun is less warm, or so it seems. Florida is delightful too, only not so much this summer as the humidity has been off the charts. Still, it was fun to hop a plane, and in less than six hours, be in a different environment entirely. 

I think that must be what it is like to move from the human world to the astral one, when our life here on earth is through. Our souls literally "fly" to another environment and enjoy the "scenery". I think that's what my novels always try to express to the reader--that the connection between the two worlds is not as far as it appears--or as frightening. After all, if I can hop a plane and be in Maine in six hours, surely my soul can be in the astral world in the blink of an eye.  It's something to think about, isn't it? 

I'm glad to be back home though. It's always great to visit other places, but when it gets down to the nitty-gritty, Dorothy from Kansas was right. "There's no place like home", "There's no place like home". Now, click your heels and make a wish. Voila! You're home.
  

CHANGE IS IN THE AIR

You may have noticed I have been away from my blog life for a while. I’ve been busy working on two novels at the same time. My writing buddies call me insane, but, like the trees that are in the state of changing their leaves, I find it exhilarating to live in two worlds at the same time.

When my Creative Muse runs dry on one story, I hop on over to the other, and “wham, bam, thank you m’aam”, I’m off and running again. Of course, if I don’t pay strict attention to the change, the name in one story might stroll on over to the other, and take up residence there. That’s when I’m able to cackle gleefully: “They’re right. I am insane.”

But then the little button called “find and replace” comes galloping in, and I’m redeemed.  And of course, then I’m off again, finding love, romance, and spiritual intrigue wherever I can find it. And isn't that what writing paranormal romance stories should be? The magical journey of two souls—writer and reader—sharing an exhilarating experience with two heroic characters, and like them, being changed by the experience?
                                         
What makes writing multiple stories so engrossing? For me, it’s because I’m a hopeless romantic who loves manipulating words.  I love finding the magic of writing in the arms of two star-crossed lovers seeking forgiveness, or redemption, or a love to last a lifetime—or maybe, a love to last through many lifetimes. I love how with each book I write, I’m changing, and growing, and discovering new and wonderful things about myself.   

Yep, the key words here are: I’m changing, and just like Sonny Blake, the heroine in my new novel, “The Empath”, I can “see, touch, and feel” a life devoted to love and magic, with some healing properties thrown in for good measure.  After all, when we effect change in the outer world, it’s a proven fact that our inner world will mirror that change. Our thinking is literally transformed from “not doing”, to “doing.” Ah, the beauty of words.

Summer Blues equals Creative Muse

Here it is the first of August and the summertime blues have caught up with me. It's blistering hot where I live, and the humidity is off the charts. Is it any wonder that my brain is frazzled and unable to make heads or tails of the new novel I'm writing? It's just too damn hot to concentrate--or is it?

As usual, my Creative Muse enjoys making a fool out of me. Just when I think, I'll never write my way out of the story/plot dilemma I've put myself in, the characters solve the problem for me. For weeks, I've been wondering how to get my characters from A to B, and using psycho-babble to get them there (the dialogue really sucks, folks). And then, they take over and begin writing where THEY know I should go. They literally hi-jack the novel, and begin writing the story for me.

Suddenly, the Creative Muse is hot--as hot as the blazing sun outside my windows. I find the spine of the story at last, thanking the characters for their love and support (and putting up with all my fervered "damns" and "hells"). If nothing else, it's clear, they want their story told, NEED to have it  told.  And isn't what we paranormal romance writers live for? A chance to let our readers experience the lives of ordinary people, struggling through extraordinary circumstances? As my mother used to say instead of a simple yes: "You bet your sweet bippy".

  

Strangers

I just finished reading a sci-fi book called "Strangers", and it left me pondering the question: Is there really such a thing as a stranger? Long story, short. The story revolved around a group of travelers who stayed at a motel in the desert the same night. "Something" transpired during their stay (unknown to them), and when they returned home, their lives suddenly shifted. For some, the altering was positive; for others, the altering lead to self-destruction. But for all, they knew "something" had happened to them and they felt compelled to learn what that "something" was.

Again, long story, short. The "strangers" soon began to remember something called the "moon", and eventually they began to remember each other. AND they were all compelled to find each other and return to the motel, or lose their sanity. Needless to say, their journey back to the motel is fraught with suspense, as they try to stay alive long enough to piece together their fragmented memories.

After reading this book, I thought of my novel, The Kindred. In it, the five lead characters are psychics who are strangers meeting for the first time, and thanks to a 300 year old murder, they are thrown into a life-and-death situation that changes their lives forever.

Now, here's the point and the interesting part, I hope. I never read "Strangers" before, yet the theme of the book is similar to The Kindred, leaving me to wonder about the unconscious connections we writers share with each other. Are writers really strangers? I don't think so. Do our creative muses (and juices) ride along the same strands of thought? Yes, I believe so. Is the union of writer and their creative imagination an undefinable "something" that is meant to change our lives forever? I sure hope so. I pray so. What do you think?
   

False Memories

One of my favorite pastimes is re-reading a favorite book. Usually, I choose a romance novel (just to keep my romantic juices flowing). However, I often re-read one of Dean Koontz's novel (just because he is my writing hero).

I recently finished re-reading his novel, False Memory. The book explores the  theme of brain-washing, the ability to manipulate and reprogram the mind--for good or evil. With just the use of a code word (and a Haiku poem), the hero and heroine are plunged into a nightmare world, where they lose hours of real time, and begin to think (and do) inexplicable things. They are literally caught between two worlds--the physical and the mental.

Their plight made me think of my hero, Psychic/Magician, Adrian Magus, in my novel, The Kindred,  At the start of the story, he is at a turning point in his life, struggling with his real world and the world of illusions he creates nightly for audiences on a Las Vegas stage. Which is the real and which is the illusion?

That question had me wondering what you all think. Are you living the life you were born to live, or are you living the life you've been "programmed" to live--a life created by your parents, your friends, the world at large?  Let me know. Leave a comment. 

For myself, I know that as I got older, I began to live the life I wanted to live, rather than the one everyone else wanted me to live. That knowledge was so freeing (and addictive), that I've never wavered from the task. What about you? 

Book Marketing Challenge--a Haunting Tale of Discovered Ghosts

Thirty days ago, I was a Book Marketing newbie. I was literally a ghost without a house to haunt. I had all the right "stuff"--the  rattling chains, the appropriate moans and "boos"--but I was floundering in the sea of "What to do", "Where to do it", and "How to do it" Luckily, immersing myself in D'vorah's Book Marketing Challenge supplied all the answers I needed.

What did I learn in 30 days? Sooooo much, but here are some of the highlights.  The challenge helped me to understand that marketing is a grand scale thing, and that the only way to "master" it, is to divide it in small goals, and then perform one or two action steps every day to reach that goal. (Literally, The Ghost finding the Right House to Haunt).

Secondly, I learned who I am as a paranormal romance writer (my brand), and I learned what my message is, and where to go to deliver that message (my target audience for The Haunted House). I also learned many "entertaining tricks of the trade" to make the audience fans of my Haunted House, and thus, inclined to visit it on a regular basis (my website/blogs).  Lastly, I realized Beth Barany was right when she said, "It's never to late to re-discover our dream" or "revive it". Over the last 30 days, I know I've revitalized mine.

Just like the ghosts in my first novel, The Kindred, I've discovered that communication with an intended target is the key to releasing an imprisoned soul (there's that ghost-haunting thing again).  So, if you like, entertaining stories that ride the edge of two worlds--the human and spiritual--I hope you'll think of reading The Kindred or The Sacred Circle. But more importantly, if you need some one to read and review your novel, I'm only a short E-Mail away. 

Now, on to Blog Hop and the finish line...P.S. Thanks to D'vorah and all the bloggers, who so graciously gave of their talent and time. You rock!

Paranormal Book Covers

As part of a Book Marketing Challenge I'm doing, I've been perusing book covers that relate to my genre (paranormal romance). I have to say that 80% of these covers are dark, gritty and sometimes extremely graphic, especially when it comes to the romantic part (read that to mean, sex).

After exploring at least thirty of these covers, I realize that my perception of paranormal and the young generation now writing this genre of stories, is as far apart as the Earth is to the Moon.  Don't get me wrong. I have no objection to werewolves, vampires or shapeshifters doing their "thing". Even if that "thing" is killing or blood-letting. After all, the stories come from a creative muse that isn't real (or shouldn't be, anyway). And I have no objection to explicit sex scenes. It's the violence that dominates these scenes that makes me feel really old (and really sad).

I've been reading romance novels since I was a kid, and I have seen the change in storylines mirror the change in the world as it grows and evolves (or devolves in some cases). Both Film and TV are riddled with violent crimes and sex scenes that push the boundaries of our moral center into the stratosphere. And lately, when I turn on the nightly news, another teen has lashed out at his teachers, classmates, or his parents in an extremely violent manner. 

Where will it all end? I wish I knew. I only know that dark, gritty and sexually explicit book covers don't fit the paranormal world I know and love to write about.  Call me old-fashioned. Call me a prude. I probably deserve it.  But, as my Dad used to say when we were playing poker. "If you show all the cards in your hand too soon, you've nothing to bluff with. Leave a little mystery. It adds spice to the game and makes you a much more interesting player".  Ah, yes. Dad was certainly wise.   


     

Hello, Mama....Happy Birthday.....

Today is my mother's birthday.  If her soul was still on the earth plane, she would be 101 years of age.  101! A full century! Though she passed from the human world when she was 95, I can still feel her "presence" all around me.  She's pops in on me from time to time, to frighten, scold, or give me comfort.  It doesn't matter that she has no human body anymore.  Her spirit is still going strong, and she's still doing what she always did--"mothering" me.

Sometimes, but not as often, I can feel my Dad's presence. He pops in to give me pointers on the mechanical things of life.  My car, problems around the house that need fixing, lawn mowing and landscaping, etc.  Sometimes, I can tell Mom's right beside him--just like she was when they were living their human life together. Other times, he comes alone, but doesn't stay long. I think he's anxious to get back to Mother's side.

I know that birthdays come and go, and most of them are unspectacular, but when I think of Mom passing her time on the other side, she looks young again to me, like the photos in our family photo albums.  That thought makes me think she is putting that vision in my head to remind me that time is a "human" word--not a spiritual one. I think she wants me to remember that our human, physical bodies are only temporary, but that our time in the spirit world is everlasting. Without an aging body, our soul is able to be any age in the spirit world--young, middle-aged, elderly--you name it, we can be it.

So on what would be my Mom's 101st Earth birthday, I say...Happy Birthday, Mom.  I miss and love you, and I'll see you again down the road.  (Not  quite yet, though. I still have some lessons to learn here in the human world. As soon as they're finished, I'll let you know to come pick me up!)

PubSmart Conference in Charleston, SC

I just got back from the PubSmart Conference in Charleston, and I couldn't wait to blog about the experience.  Why?  Because I came away inspired (and invigorated) by what I heard in the master classes, and by the writers I met while there. Some writers were in my genre, some not; but we all found we share a common theme--a passion for writing and getting our stories out into the hands of readers.

In retrospect, I know I went to the conference to get a better handle on how (and where) I fit in the scheme of the writing world; however I came away with so much more. I found out that I am ahead of some writers, but behind others. I found out that after the writing is done, a writer takes off the "creative" hat and dons the "business" one.  Marketing, PR, Strategic Planning--all become necessary to get the word out on your book. 

Am I comfortable with the "business" hat?  Not at all, but I'm smart. After all, if I can use my imagination to think up characters and wild stories, I can certainly use it to re-think how I can find a loyal fan base of readers. Will it be easy? Nope.  It will be a struggle, and defintely a challenge, but it's one I'm willing to take. In fact, I've already started my "to-do" list--which is growing longer by the minute, dammit!

So now that I'm home and back in "Rachel" mode, what's next? A lot of thinking. I realize the conference was named PubSmart for a reason. It was a chance to get smart about my writing and the publishing world as it exists today. Emerging Authors. Emerging Avenues. Those were the specific sub-headings of the conference, and it lived up to every bit of the hype as the two worlds collided for two days. Am I an emerging author? You bet! Are there emerging avenues out there for me?  Again, you bet! Am I going to merge the two worlds from here on out? Damn straight!

TV as a Writing Muse

We are at the end of March, and regretfully at the end of the TV season (at least for me). Why regretfully? Because watching TV has made me a much better writer this year. How so? I know it sounds corny but watching TV programs this season (news shows excluded) has made me pay attention to the sound of words. The dialogue TV writers have used this season to get across the drama, or comedy, of their shows has filtered to my ears, as well as my eyes.

Now, as we approach the final weeks of some TV shows--from the big wedding on "How I met Your Mother" to "The Walking Dead" on AMC--the cliff-hangers are building.  And as a writer, I appreciate those cliff-hangers, because they mimic my writing world. Like the finale of a well-crafted sitcom or drama, I'm always trying to write a book that will take my readers to a precipice with the characters, and then plunge them over the edge with the outcome uncertain (and scary) as they fall. 

Building up to the cliff-hanger at the end of the season has always been a major part of the TV writing world, but in a novel writer's world, keeping the suspense alive throughout a book, is a must. It insures the reader will keep turning the pages, and keep coming back for the author's next book, and the next--the same way TV viewers come back the next season and the next. Staying tuned, they watch the new adventures of their beloved characters, and it puts a lift in their day, or touches an emotional cord of understanding in their hearts. Either way, words, (and the use of them), feeds us with the knowledge that we are all masters of our own stories.

This week, we are saying goodbye to old friends--some for the very last time. Will we ever see the likes of Barney, Ted or Robin again? Or Rick, Daryl, and Carol who are battling zombies in an apocalytic world? The answer is of course we will, in re-runs on TNT, TBS, and numerous other cable stations. Will there be new characters for us to fall in love with in the new season? Absolutely. Will we find a new book that mirrors something deep within us that we can't define, let alone articulate?  Again, absolutely.

So, as of today, I'm going to go with the flow, and enjoy the TV finales currently going on on around me.  But I'm also going to remember that everything has its season and, though I don't always like it, endings must occur.  It's the rhythm of life. So good bye, March Madness, and hello, April Fool's Day. Without you, there would be no promise of new beginnings, and certainly no new paranormal romance story for my fans to look forward to.

 

"Bitten" SyFy Series

When I bought my first E-Reader, I decided to purchase some free books first--just to get acquainted with how this whole E-reader revolution works.  The first book I downloaded was "Bitten" by author Kelley Armstrong.  I fell in love with the book so much that I immediately downloaded the other books in the series.

Armstrong's stories revolve around shapeshifters--wolves, ito be exact.  But we're not talking werewolves here. No blood-letting or violent attacks on humans. These shifters live human lives, away from cities, and have very human jobs--teachers, artists, etc. They live in packs with a head Alpha male, and they change forms only for the freedom of running--the way humans jog in parks across the country every day to stay in shape.

Imagine my delight, when SyFy introduced "Bitten" to audiences a few months ago.  At first, I was afraid that the Hollywood version of the books would take the stories to places the author never intended. (And as a fellow author, I would hate that).  However, after seeing Kelley Armstrong's name as one of the Executive Producers, I knew she had found the Holy Grail. She was one of the lucky authors, blessed to get the chance to bring her book to life on the TV screen in the way she intended it to be viewed in the first place. 

As most of you know, I grew up in the world of acting, so it's been a double delight to see "who" Armstrong chose to bring her characters to life on the TV screen. The male wolves are all hunks, of course; you gotta make the ladies salivate over their buff bodies, don't ya?  And the lead female is a gutsy beauty that would make any red-blooded male want to take her to bed for hours.

The series has been good at showing the CGI effects of the transformation from human to wolf as well. And thank goodness, the CGI effects never overpower the story-telling. So far, six weeks into the series, the script is staying true to Armstrong's books. There have been little tweaks here and there, but when you change mediums--written to visual--changes must occur to keep the story cohesive and interesting.

So, if you enjoy stories of forbidden romance, shapeshifters, all things paranormal, like I do, go to www.kelleyarmstong.com and read one of her books.  Better yet, tune in to SyFy Monday nights at 8 PM and enjoy a sexy escape into the world of pack wolves and the mutts (rogue wolves) who are trying to annihilate them.  Hopefully, you'll become as obsessed with the series as I am.

Writing Mentors

Recently, I had lunch with an old writing buddy I hadn't seen in a long, long time (Michael).  It was invigorating to touch base with him and find out where his writing life had led him.  In truth, his writing life had literally stopped--an ending of the Muse, he said.  He no longer heard her calling his name and no longer felt compelled to write stories.

At first, I was saddened because in my case the Muses hadn't stopped calling my name. I write every single day, because, as my BFF Sheila always says, I can't not write.  But then I realized that some writers hold the title of being mentors to others. I suddenly remembered that during my years in the writing workshop with Michael, he always made great suggestions about what I wrote.  And listening to his own pieces of writing, I became a better writer.  Perhaps, that's why he stayed in my life such a short span of years. He had something to give, and I had something to receive. And when we each got what we needed, our lives drifted apart.

During our lunch, I said as much to him and he agreed totally with me, except that he said thanks to Sheila and me, his life had matured--by writing his "Will" stories and hearing our critiques.  He had matured as a person and then, after the demise of the workshop, he had found a new artistic calling, namely, woodworking. As I listened to how passionate he is over his ability to shape wood into something rare and beautiful, I realized once more that people go in an out of our lives for all different reasons. That we are all between two worlds.  Astral-Human, Teacher-Student, Writing-Woodworking. It doesn't matter what the calling is; the only thing that matters is we answer the call.

When lunch was over, we wished each other the best that life has to offer.  We also agreed that neither of had any idea why we had found each other again after such a long span of silence. I think it's because both of us needed a way for our souls to gauge how far we had come in fulfilling our dreams. And now that we see how far we've traveled, and are grateful, it's time for us to keep moving forward. I think that brief two hour lunch proved that trying to live in the past serves no purpose. We must always keep moving forward.  Even if we have to leave a treasured friend behind.

A New Year of Finding Romance

We're two days into the New Year and I'm already waxing philosophic about reading and writing paranormal romance books.  "Off with the old, on with the new". That's the mantra my mind keeps playing like a broken record. So, what is the old I need to get rid of? Nothing, I can see at this point. I finished writing my second novel, The Sacred Circle, in November of 2013, and it's sitting on the Amazon.com shelf ready for downloads and reviews. And I've read some spicy, sexy romance books this year as well. So, the old has already moved out of my world into the great Beyond. That leaves only one question to answer: What's the new I need to put on? Duh! It can't be anything else but writing another book filled love and romance.

In terms of yearly writing goals, I have one and only one every year:  to write an entertaining story that people will love. It doesn't matter what the subject matter is.  It can be supernatural or just plain modern-day. As long as I can take the reader into a world they've never been to, and have them meet characters to root for (or hate)--well, that's total euphoria for a romance junkie like me.

Hunky Heros. Feisty Heroines. That's my criteria for writing a killer romance story.  And of course, lots and lots of sizzling confrontations between the pair as their attraction grows. And then a killer ending with a happily ever after must happen every single time.  Don't we have enough "not so nice" endings out in the real world already? Shouldn't we be able to escape the real world for a few hours and enjoy the escapades of star-crossed lovers as they battle the world and each other? 

I think so, and now that I really think about it, I know that I will be luckiest person in my neighborhood in 2014, for I will be  creating interesting new worlds, fascinating characters to live in that world, and then I will be going to that world for however long it takes to tell their story. At the same time, as an avid reader of romance books, I will be escaping into my fellow writers' worlds.  I'll be enjoying plenty of steamy sex, heated confrontations, jealousy, revenge, and soul searching--all of it ending in a love to last a lifetime. Sigh. Sigh. Sigh.