Creating or Destroying #OpenBook Blog Hop

January 28, 2019

Are humans better at creating or destroying?

In nature, destruction and creation are part of a never-ending cycle. A forest fire helps ensure the health of a new forest. A dead flower contains the seeds for new plants. A volcano destroys existing land to build more. A wolf will take down its prey to feed its cubs.

But humans are different. We have the ability to destroy for the sake of destruction and we use it. We've given the world the atomic bomb and the holocaust. The responsibility for the disappearance of hundreds of species- the dodo bird, the California grizzle bear, the passenger pigeon and hundreds of others- rest on humans. Of course, there's the current ongoing debate about global warning and its potential effect on human civilization.

On the flip side, humans are capable of creating things of great beauty. Powerful music that stirs our emotions. Books that make us laugh or cry, or both. Lovely paintings and other artwork that touch our souls.

So which are humans better at?  Destruction can be easy, thoughtless, and swift. Being creative takes thought and effort. It can take months for a musician to write a song, years for an author to write a book, a lifetime for an artist to create a masterpiece. 

So I'm on the side that humans are better creators. It's harder, but worth the effort. Now let's see what the other authors have to say.

January 28, 2019

Are humans better at creating or destroying?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

What Keeps Me Up at Night #OpenBook Blog Hop

January 21, 2019

What keeps you up at night?

When I was younger, I could sleep through just about anything. Thunderstorms, cars honking, my husband snoring, Babies crying was the exception. I'd always wake up for my babies.

 But I've added a few years and I don't sleep as well as I used to. Thankfully, I can still roll over and get back to sleep fairly quickly. And there are a few things that keep me awake.

I suspect my author friends are going to recognize this first one. If I've been struggling with a scene, searching for the right words, I'll continue to mull it over when I've gone to bed. Sometimes, I'll find the right way to move forward and hope I remember it in the morning. (Yes, I keep a notepad and pen by the bed- I've never used it!)

Then there's the battle with the thermostat. (Not over the thermostat, with the thermostat.) I don't understand how the temperature that was perfect when I crawled under the covers can suddenly get too hot in the middle of the night- and the thermostat hasn't been touched. Gremlins. Gremlins are the only explanation.

Some nights, I worry about the health of family members. I'm not worried about mine because I'm in pretty good shape for my age. Not all of my family is so lucky. At least they are getting the proper medical care and that helps.

On rare nights I find myself thinking about my day job, going over checklists, making sure everything that had to be done got completed. Or trying to figure out ways to make the job run smoother. 

Those infrequent nights when I can't shut down, I have a few tricks to turn off my mind and go to sleep. I call up my memories, I stand in front of my childhood home, and remember it how it was. Or, I take a walk up the dirt road that led past it. There was magic in the fields and woods, and that magic can still send me to sleep when I look for it.

Now, before I fall asleep, let's go find out what keeps the other authors up at night.

January 21, 2019

What keeps you up at night?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Blogger

Author Services #OpenBook Blog Hop

January 14, 2019

Have you ever been duped by a so-called service to authors? And what is the best service you've ever used?

I'll be the first to admit that sometimes I over-analyze and over-research simple things. I'll spend several hours deciding which hotel to stay in on a trip. I'll take at least that long or longer figuring out the best of several routes to take to our destination.

So it shouldn't be a shocker that I do the same with my limited writing budget. I read endless posts to the writers groups I follow, check out the Writer's Beware page from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and hunt down reviews for services I'm considering.

As I result, I don't think I've ever been scammed. Sure, I've tried out services that I wasn't happy with, but I've always received some results. Maybe not the ones I'd hoped for, but something.

For example, for my last release, I hired a publicity company. They got me lots of blog spots, facebook posts, twitter feed, but I still didn't sell many books. They developed a nice banner for the release and several memes, but the book never grabbed the attention of readers. So, I don't consider them a scam, just disappointing.

I tried out someone claiming to be an editor, but she was only a proofreader (and found a few things that needed corrected). I've paid for book promotion spots that didn't get result even though they were sent to the mailing list.

But I've had some good experiences as well. Robin Reads and ENT  (Ereader News Today) are my favorite book promotion newsletters. (I haven't tried BookBub yet.) Granted, Robin Reads is starting to get on the pricey side in comparison to sales, but they still sell books. And ENT does a great job reaching an audience.


My next 'big" experiment will be in trying to get reviews. I think almost every author out there knows what a struggle that is. But I'm not ready yet to take the plunge and join a paid site. I need to do a lot more research first. Anyone have any experience they'd like to share?

While I'm waiting, I'm going to check out what our other authors are sharing, so I can find out what to avoid and what to add to my list of trusted services! 





January 14, 2019

Have you ever been duped by a so-called service to authors? And what is the best service you've ever used?


Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

#Recipe From a Book #OpenBook Blog Hop

January 7, 2019

Share a recipe for a food that comes from one of your books.

Harmony Duprie, from my mystery series, lives a simple life. (With the exception of her salsa-red Jaguar.) She lives in a small apartment, buys used furniture, rarely eats out, preferring to cook her own food. Naturally, the food she cooks reflects that simplicity.

In the upcoming book, The Contessa's Brooch, I have Harmony cooking hamburger soup for Lando and Scotty. (Remember them from Book 1? Yes, they are making a return to Oak Grove!) She puts them to work helping her chop the vegetables, figuring it was time to wean them away from fast food.

Cutting up the vegetables is the most time-consuming part of this recipe. (Besides the cooking time.) I suggest you do it before you start the actual cooking process.

Hamburger Soup

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (or do half and half of hamburger and Italian sausage for an extra kick in flavor)

3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups shredded cabbage
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped ( I like to use one green, 1 yellow and 1 red pepper for eye appeal)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
4 cups beef broth (I usually end up using more)
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

( I like to add chopped carrots for added color)

Brown ground beef , onions, celery, garlic and pepper until meat is no longer pink. Add cabbage and cook together. (In real life, unless you have a really big frying pan, you aren't going to fit all that cabbage in it. I just add a little to the meat mixture to cook it, and throw the rest in the soup pot.)

Drain the meat mixture, then add the seasonings. Transfer the meat and vegetables to a stock pot, add the beef stock and tomato sauce. Mix. Simmer 30-35 minutes. 

I like to serve with a sprinkling of cheese on top and rolls for dipping. 

It's the perfect dish for supper on a cold winter day.

Now that my mouth is watering, I'm off to see what the other authors are cooking!

January 7, 2019

Share a recipe for a food that comes from one of your books.


Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants' blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person's blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

Favorite Questions #IWSG

What are your favorite and least favorite questions people ask you about your writing?

Thanks to this month's hosts,  Patricia Lynne, Lisa Buie-Collard, Kim Lajevardi, and Fundy Blue!

Let's start with my least favorite question- are your mystery books written for young teens or tweens?

Let's start with the answer first. No, my books are written for adults. They may not have sex scenes, but they do deal with adult topics and contain adult language. 

And it took me awhile, but I get it. The covers give the wrong impression. So they'll get redone in the next few months, and switched to a more 'mature' design. Hopefully, the change will put an end to that question.

And my favorite question? When someone wants to talk about one of my characters. Usually it's Harmony Duprie, the main character in my mysteries. And I understand why - she's not the poster child for common sense. I've 'lived' with her for four years and almost four books, and she still surprises me. That's why readers fall in love with her. And why I'd like to sit on her steps and drink ice tea and spend an afternoon with her in real life.

But sharing her adventures with anyone who cares to read my stories is the next best thing. That's why people asking questions about her is one of my favorite things.

For those of you dropping by from the hop who aren't familiar with my books, here's an excerpt from The Marquesa's Necklace, the first book in the mystery series.

    The folded, bright orange paper that must have been stuck between the screen door and the main door caught my eye. I almost dropped my laptop bag when I snatched it from the clutches of a sudden gust of cold wind threatening to send the sheet sailing. But I managed to hang onto it with my free hand, using my hip to push open the heavy wooden door.
Curious, I set down my laptop and purse and unfolded the paper without even kicking off my shoes first. Totally not like me. I sank down on my old brown couch.
    A crudely drawn skull and crossbones adorned the top half of the page. On the bottom half, scrawled in red ink, were the words “You got lucky this time.” I took a deep breath, picked up the landline phone, and hit memory five—Detective Thomason’s direct line.
    I was sitting at the bottom of the stairway, patting Piper, and practicing breathing exercises to calm my nerves when he arrived in a squad car, sirens wailing. To my shock, Piper didn’t even growl. The uniformed cop with him dashed up the stairs, his hand on the butt of his gun. The detective sat beside me and pulled the evidence out of my still-shaking hand. He flipped open the sheet, glanced at it, and folded it in half. His lips tightened into a thin line as he stared at the crack in the concrete beneath his feet. We sat there, not looking at each other, until the policeman came stomping down the stairs.

You can find links to all of my books Here