– Gilbert Highet
Friday, May 17, 2019
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Thursday, May 16, 2019
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Advice From Elizabeth Meyette
The Write Way Café welcomes Elizabeth Meyette, a prolific author who offers great advice, surprises, and a lot of heart.
Tell us a little about The Last Crossing.
First let me thank you for inviting me to your lovely blog today. I always enjoy visiting with you, Lynn and HiDee.
The Last Crossing blurb
It was the whistle of the train at midnight that signaled another ghost.
Jesse Graham wants to concentrate on planning her wedding to Joe Riley. But try as she might, she can’t escape the spirits who haunt her.
This time the ghost is seven-year-old Timmy, whose disappearance fifteen years earlier coincided with the abduction of several boys. His family is convinced he drowned, but Jesse suspects something more sinister.
Until Timmy appeared, Jesse’s biggest problem was that her best friend, Maggie Keegan, aka Sister Angelina, a Catholic nun, might not be allowed to be her maid of honor. But that pales in comparison to what Jesse faces now: Timmy was Maggie’s little brother. And Jesse knows that if Timmy is ever to find peace, he needs to reveal the mystery of his disappearance—which could subject Maggie and her family to some painful secrets and truths.
As for Maggie? Well, she’s been navigating her own crisis of the heart and soul, as she tries to deal with—and resist—her deepening feelings for local cop Marty D’Amato. Learning about Timmy’s appearances only drives her further into confusion and anguish, but pray as she might, she’s finding no answers.
To complicate things even more, Jesse’s investigation into the fifteen-year-old cold case has tapped into someone’s fear of being caught. She receives anonymous threatening notes, followed by a destructive attack on Bert, her beloved Volkswagen Beetle. And now, the mysterious assailant has escalated his attacks, putting Jesse in mortal danger.
It looks like this time her spectral encounter is too personal, and it may cost her a friendship. It may even cost Jesse her life—unless the ghost of a seven-year-old boy can keep her safe.
The Last Crossing is available at Amazon (both Kindle and paperback) and at Barnes and Noble (paperback only).
If The Last Crossing was made into a movie, who would play your main characters, and why?
I hesitate to say who I picture in the roles of my characters because readers tell me who they think would play them and it’s usually different than who I think would. For me, it would be a mix of cross generational actors plus a prince, but all of them at about age 28-30.
Jesse would be played by Julia Roberts. She’s a stubborn, intelligent, independent redhead who is beautiful (though she doesn’t realize it and decries her long red curly hair). She resists her attraction to Joe in The Cavanaugh House, but, well, who can resist Joe for long?
Jesse’s fiancé, Joe Riley, would be played by Prince Harry. If that’s not possible with his royally busy schedule, then James Norton, the British actor who plays Sidney Chambers on Grantchester would be lovely. Joe is tall with light red hair and hazel eyes. He’s laid-back with a lazy grin and patience, until things go too far putting Jesse in danger. He’s desperately in love with Jesse and will do anything to keep her safe.
Maggie (Sister Angelina) would be played by Audrey Hepburn, as Jesse states in the book. Maggie is gentle and intelligent and petite with short dark hair and dark brown eyes. She’s the kind of friend who tells Jesse the truth no matter if it makes Jesse mad. Marty D’Amato, the Italian cop would be played by Matt LeBlanc, Joey on Friends. Marty has thick black hair that is usually mussed up, and he’s loud and funny and adores Maggie. He teams up with Jesse to help her solve crimes.
What or who has been instrumental in or to your writing journey?
My husband, Rich, has been incredibly supportive. We have “staff meetings” though some might call them “cocktail hour.” He listens to me work through story problems, wrangle with stubborn characters, and float new story ideas. Usually, he just listens—he’s a great listener—while I talk a lot, circling around the same point, doubling back, and finally reaching an “aha” moment. At that point, I jump into his arms and thank him for helping me. He always says, “I’m happy to help.”
Rich has done the covers for all my mysteries and for my historical romance, Love’s Courage. He’s a fabulous photographer, and I’ve had many readers tell me they bought my books because of the covers. We’re a great team.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given? What’s your best writing advice for others?
The best advice came from my Journalism professor, John Palen, who told me to put away my writing for a while, then revisit it. Looking at a rough draft with fresh eyes enables me to see plot holes, character arc issues, and necessary revision that I might not notice without some time away.
My best advice for other writers is HOKBIS. Hands on Keyboard, Butt in Seat. Also, what works for others may not work for you. Listen to your inner voice. My family has a saying: “Don’t should on yourself.” There are so many “shoulds” in the writing industry, from whether you should always plot a book to when a first kiss should occur. Rules and conventions are good up to a point, but a writer needs to listen to her inner voice and do what is right for her.
What “keepers” are in your home library?
I have so many! In non-fiction I have Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, Stephen King’s On Writing, Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead, and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
In fiction I have Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Nora Robert’s The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Karen White’s The House on Tradd Street series.
If you could be a character in any book you’ve read (or written), which character would you be and why?
I would be Jesse Graham from my Finger Lakes Mysteries series. I just love how brave she is. And impetuous. And we share an Irish temper. I love her fierce independence, yet her ability to love Joe Riley so passionately and deeply. I love her years-long friendship with Maggie, and her “buddy” friendship with Marty. But I didn’t have to search for a family the way Jesse did. I was born the ninth child in a wild and rowdy Irish family.
We’re adding books to our Café menu. Would your book be a drink, an appetizer, an entrée or a dessert? What would you call it?
I would have to say The Last Crossing is a dessert. A delicious chocolate devil’s food layer cake. There is the ghost layer, the mystery layer, and the family relationships layer. The icing on the cake and between the layers would be the romance in the book. So, the ghost and mystery are rich and dark, the romance is sumptuously sweet.
Do you have any compulsions you must do for no particular reason?
Yes. I am admittedly OCD. I must close closet and cupboard doors. Rich has one foible—leaving cupboard doors open while he’s cooking. I trust you see the irony here. Also, I must use the bathroom before I leave the house—even if I did so five minutes earlier. I must straighten things like the vertical blinds on the sliding glass door from our sunroom to the deck. And don’t get me started on how to load the dishwasher.
Tell us about the book in your closet.
I am researching a book based on Rich’s ninth great-grandmother. She was accused of being a witch in Quebec, Canada back in the mid-1600s, and her experience is the first recorded occurrence of poltergeist activity in Canada. The French did not treat witches like the Puritans of Massachusetts did. Instead of hanging them, they cured them. And his grandmother was cured and lived to marry and have eight children. Thank goodness!
What is your favorite social media? Why?
My favorite way to connect with people online is my blog, Meyette’s Musings. Though my initial vision was, “Sharing the Joy of Writing,” now I blog about all sorts of things like washi tape, tornado prep (Yes, I included a photo of me under a desk in the basement with a bicycle helmet on, much to my children’s dismay), and supernatural visitations. My post from July 2013 called “Chakras, Totems, and Finches, Oh My!” still gets at least one view a day where readers share similar sacred visits they’ve experienced.
And now for the fun stuff!
What is your biggest shopping downfall?
Office supplies—hands down. I can cruise through clothing stores, furniture stores, shoe stores, you name it. But get me near sticky notes or pens and I’m reaching for my credit card. Book stores are next.
Are you a glass half empty or glass half full personality?
Glass half full. I make Shirley Temple look like a Goth girl.
I try to see the silver lining. I believe in quotes like “If you can dream it, you can do it.” ~Walt Disney. Except for golf. I dream the most beautiful shots, and then I walk twenty yards to where my ball actually landed.
What is something you do that people would be surprised at?
I sing and act. I’ve been cast in Brigadoon (chorus), To Kill a Mockingbird (Mrs. Dubose), Company (Sarah), and Les Misérables (the Hair Hag and an old prostitute). None of this was type-casting.
What is your favorite season and why?
Spring because it’s so beautiful with all the trees and flowers blossoming, and summer is still ahead of us. There is no green like Spring green. And, isn’t it Spring when “a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love?” (A nod to Alfred Lord Tennyson.) And don’t we all love to read about that?
If you had to write with a pen instead of a computer, what type of pen would be your preference?
Actually, I still have my handwritten first draft of Love’s Destiny written on yellow legal pads. I used a ballpoint pen then, but if I had my druthers, I’d use a beautiful fountain pen.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Funny you should mention that. So often do my good ideas come to me in the shower that my daughter gave me Aqua Notes for Christmas. They’re a specially treated pad of paper secured on a suction cup so you can hang them in the shower and write on them even when they’re wet. I let them dry before I bring them to my desk.
It’s been delightful visiting with you today. Thanks for inviting me.
Her Finger Lakes Mystery series includes The Cavanaugh House, Buried Secrets, and The Last Crossing.
These mysteries are set in 1968 in the Finger Lakes region of upstate
New York. Her historical romance series, The Brentwood Saga, includes Love’s Destiny, Love’s Spirit, and Love’s Courage , historical romances set during the American Revolution.
Tell us a little about The Last Crossing.
First let me thank you for inviting me to your lovely blog today. I always enjoy visiting with you, Lynn and HiDee.
It was the whistle of the train at midnight that signaled another ghost.
Jesse Graham wants to concentrate on planning her wedding to Joe Riley. But try as she might, she can’t escape the spirits who haunt her.
This time the ghost is seven-year-old Timmy, whose disappearance fifteen years earlier coincided with the abduction of several boys. His family is convinced he drowned, but Jesse suspects something more sinister.
Until Timmy appeared, Jesse’s biggest problem was that her best friend, Maggie Keegan, aka Sister Angelina, a Catholic nun, might not be allowed to be her maid of honor. But that pales in comparison to what Jesse faces now: Timmy was Maggie’s little brother. And Jesse knows that if Timmy is ever to find peace, he needs to reveal the mystery of his disappearance—which could subject Maggie and her family to some painful secrets and truths.
As for Maggie? Well, she’s been navigating her own crisis of the heart and soul, as she tries to deal with—and resist—her deepening feelings for local cop Marty D’Amato. Learning about Timmy’s appearances only drives her further into confusion and anguish, but pray as she might, she’s finding no answers.
To complicate things even more, Jesse’s investigation into the fifteen-year-old cold case has tapped into someone’s fear of being caught. She receives anonymous threatening notes, followed by a destructive attack on Bert, her beloved Volkswagen Beetle. And now, the mysterious assailant has escalated his attacks, putting Jesse in mortal danger.
It looks like this time her spectral encounter is too personal, and it may cost her a friendship. It may even cost Jesse her life—unless the ghost of a seven-year-old boy can keep her safe.
The Last Crossing is available at Amazon (both Kindle and paperback) and at Barnes and Noble (paperback only).
If The Last Crossing was made into a movie, who would play your main characters, and why?
I hesitate to say who I picture in the roles of my characters because readers tell me who they think would play them and it’s usually different than who I think would. For me, it would be a mix of cross generational actors plus a prince, but all of them at about age 28-30.
Jesse would be played by Julia Roberts. She’s a stubborn, intelligent, independent redhead who is beautiful (though she doesn’t realize it and decries her long red curly hair). She resists her attraction to Joe in The Cavanaugh House, but, well, who can resist Joe for long?
Jesse’s fiancé, Joe Riley, would be played by Prince Harry. If that’s not possible with his royally busy schedule, then James Norton, the British actor who plays Sidney Chambers on Grantchester would be lovely. Joe is tall with light red hair and hazel eyes. He’s laid-back with a lazy grin and patience, until things go too far putting Jesse in danger. He’s desperately in love with Jesse and will do anything to keep her safe.
Maggie (Sister Angelina) would be played by Audrey Hepburn, as Jesse states in the book. Maggie is gentle and intelligent and petite with short dark hair and dark brown eyes. She’s the kind of friend who tells Jesse the truth no matter if it makes Jesse mad. Marty D’Amato, the Italian cop would be played by Matt LeBlanc, Joey on Friends. Marty has thick black hair that is usually mussed up, and he’s loud and funny and adores Maggie. He teams up with Jesse to help her solve crimes.
What or who has been instrumental in or to your writing journey?
My husband, Rich, has been incredibly supportive. We have “staff meetings” though some might call them “cocktail hour.” He listens to me work through story problems, wrangle with stubborn characters, and float new story ideas. Usually, he just listens—he’s a great listener—while I talk a lot, circling around the same point, doubling back, and finally reaching an “aha” moment. At that point, I jump into his arms and thank him for helping me. He always says, “I’m happy to help.”
Rich has done the covers for all my mysteries and for my historical romance, Love’s Courage. He’s a fabulous photographer, and I’ve had many readers tell me they bought my books because of the covers. We’re a great team.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given? What’s your best writing advice for others?
The best advice came from my Journalism professor, John Palen, who told me to put away my writing for a while, then revisit it. Looking at a rough draft with fresh eyes enables me to see plot holes, character arc issues, and necessary revision that I might not notice without some time away.
My best advice for other writers is HOKBIS. Hands on Keyboard, Butt in Seat. Also, what works for others may not work for you. Listen to your inner voice. My family has a saying: “Don’t should on yourself.” There are so many “shoulds” in the writing industry, from whether you should always plot a book to when a first kiss should occur. Rules and conventions are good up to a point, but a writer needs to listen to her inner voice and do what is right for her.
What “keepers” are in your home library?
I have so many! In non-fiction I have Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird, Stephen King’s On Writing, Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, Brene Brown’s Dare to Lead, and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
In fiction I have Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming, Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner, Nora Robert’s The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy, Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, and Karen White’s The House on Tradd Street series.
If you could be a character in any book you’ve read (or written), which character would you be and why?
I would be Jesse Graham from my Finger Lakes Mysteries series. I just love how brave she is. And impetuous. And we share an Irish temper. I love her fierce independence, yet her ability to love Joe Riley so passionately and deeply. I love her years-long friendship with Maggie, and her “buddy” friendship with Marty. But I didn’t have to search for a family the way Jesse did. I was born the ninth child in a wild and rowdy Irish family.
We’re adding books to our Café menu. Would your book be a drink, an appetizer, an entrée or a dessert? What would you call it?
I would have to say The Last Crossing is a dessert. A delicious chocolate devil’s food layer cake. There is the ghost layer, the mystery layer, and the family relationships layer. The icing on the cake and between the layers would be the romance in the book. So, the ghost and mystery are rich and dark, the romance is sumptuously sweet.
Do you have any compulsions you must do for no particular reason?
Yes. I am admittedly OCD. I must close closet and cupboard doors. Rich has one foible—leaving cupboard doors open while he’s cooking. I trust you see the irony here. Also, I must use the bathroom before I leave the house—even if I did so five minutes earlier. I must straighten things like the vertical blinds on the sliding glass door from our sunroom to the deck. And don’t get me started on how to load the dishwasher.
Tell us about the book in your closet.
I am researching a book based on Rich’s ninth great-grandmother. She was accused of being a witch in Quebec, Canada back in the mid-1600s, and her experience is the first recorded occurrence of poltergeist activity in Canada. The French did not treat witches like the Puritans of Massachusetts did. Instead of hanging them, they cured them. And his grandmother was cured and lived to marry and have eight children. Thank goodness!
What is your favorite social media? Why?
My favorite way to connect with people online is my blog, Meyette’s Musings. Though my initial vision was, “Sharing the Joy of Writing,” now I blog about all sorts of things like washi tape, tornado prep (Yes, I included a photo of me under a desk in the basement with a bicycle helmet on, much to my children’s dismay), and supernatural visitations. My post from July 2013 called “Chakras, Totems, and Finches, Oh My!” still gets at least one view a day where readers share similar sacred visits they’ve experienced.
And now for the fun stuff!
What is your biggest shopping downfall?
Office supplies—hands down. I can cruise through clothing stores, furniture stores, shoe stores, you name it. But get me near sticky notes or pens and I’m reaching for my credit card. Book stores are next.
Are you a glass half empty or glass half full personality?
Glass half full. I make Shirley Temple look like a Goth girl.
I try to see the silver lining. I believe in quotes like “If you can dream it, you can do it.” ~Walt Disney. Except for golf. I dream the most beautiful shots, and then I walk twenty yards to where my ball actually landed.
What is something you do that people would be surprised at?
I sing and act. I’ve been cast in Brigadoon (chorus), To Kill a Mockingbird (Mrs. Dubose), Company (Sarah), and Les Misérables (the Hair Hag and an old prostitute). None of this was type-casting.
What is your favorite season and why?
Spring because it’s so beautiful with all the trees and flowers blossoming, and summer is still ahead of us. There is no green like Spring green. And, isn’t it Spring when “a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love?” (A nod to Alfred Lord Tennyson.) And don’t we all love to read about that?
If you had to write with a pen instead of a computer, what type of pen would be your preference?
Actually, I still have my handwritten first draft of Love’s Destiny written on yellow legal pads. I used a ballpoint pen then, but if I had my druthers, I’d use a beautiful fountain pen.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
Funny you should mention that. So often do my good ideas come to me in the shower that my daughter gave me Aqua Notes for Christmas. They’re a specially treated pad of paper secured on a suction cup so you can hang them in the shower and write on them even when they’re wet. I let them dry before I bring them to my desk.
It’s been delightful visiting with you today. Thanks for inviting me.
About Elizabeth Meyette:
Believer
in dreams-come-true and self-confessed chocoholic, Elizabeth Meyette is
the author of a little history … a little mystery … a little romance.
Before
pursuing her writing career full time, Elizabeth taught English,
Journalism, and Library Science/Technology. After retiring from
teaching, Elizabeth embarked on her writing career full-time and, in
addition to her six novels, has published poetry, magazine articles and
her blog, Meyette’s Musings. A friend said of her, “You haven’t retired, you’ve refired!”
Her Finger Lakes Mystery series includes The Cavanaugh House, Buried Secrets, and The Last Crossing.
These mysteries are set in 1968 in the Finger Lakes region of upstate
New York. Her historical romance series, The Brentwood Saga, includes Love’s Destiny, Love’s Spirit, and Love’s Courage , historical romances set during the American Revolution.
Elizabeth is an Amazon Best-selling author, a PAN (Published Authors Network) member of Romance Writers of America. She
is also a member of Sisters in Crime, Grand Rapids Region Writers’
Group, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Elizabeth
and her husband Richard live in west Michigan where they enjoy the
beauty of the Great Lakes. They have an agreement that she cannot cook
on writing days after he endured burnt broccoli and overcooked chicken. Fortunately, Richard is an excellent cook.
Visit Elizabeth at:
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
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By:
HiDee
Renewing Writing Opportunities
Identity is a hot topic these days.
I identify as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a reader, a writer…and an administrative assistant. But as of today, I have 47 calendar days (33 business days) until I retire from my day job. After almost 32 years of working for eight faculty, two academic professionals, and up to 40 graduate students in my department at my university, I’m looking forward to being my own assistant!
My husband and friends have warned me the transition from working to retirement could be difficult. It’s probably a good thing I’m making the change during the summer. At first, it will seem like I’m on vacation. I’m looking forward to sleeping in, to taking long walks and enjoying sunshine and warm weather. We hope to do a little traveling, with lots of hiking thrown in to refuel my creative wells.
Before too long, though, I plan to start a new routine. Retirement presents the opportunity to focus on writing! I want to reorganize and decorate my office as a place where I feel creative and inspired. I want to reread and work through materials from online workshops such as Pinterest and Canva that I signed up for but had limited participation in; they will enhance my writer’s toolbox. I want to set up a website, and be more active on social media. I want to engage with readers and other writers.
Most importantly, I’ve started a new book and I want to WRITE! Ideas are churning in my head. I'm excited about this story and I can't wait to have more time to work on it!
But, as family and friends have suggested, it may take some time to transition to full-time author. I'll have to work at finding a new balance between all the things I enjoy now and establishing serious writing time.
My position has enabled me to hone communication and organizational skills; to proof, edit and budget; and to multi-task and prioritize a heavy workload in order to meet deadlines. So although I will lose my administrative assistant identity upon retirement, the experiences and skills I’ve gained through my work will serve me well as I create my new and improved writer identity!
What suggestions do you have for making a smooth transition from working to retirement?
HiDee Ekstrom never goes anywhere without a book or a pen and paper. Reading, writing, and chocolate are important elements of her daily life that inspire her to write. She also finds inspiration in and enjoys photography, scrapbooking, camping, hiking, and spending time with her family. Writing as Lainee Cole, two of her short-stories have been self-published in anthologies: Captured by Christmas and At Midnight. Follow Lainee at Facebook Author Page, Facebook Author Profile Page, and on Twitter.
I identify as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a reader, a writer…and an administrative assistant. But as of today, I have 47 calendar days (33 business days) until I retire from my day job. After almost 32 years of working for eight faculty, two academic professionals, and up to 40 graduate students in my department at my university, I’m looking forward to being my own assistant!
My husband and friends have warned me the transition from working to retirement could be difficult. It’s probably a good thing I’m making the change during the summer. At first, it will seem like I’m on vacation. I’m looking forward to sleeping in, to taking long walks and enjoying sunshine and warm weather. We hope to do a little traveling, with lots of hiking thrown in to refuel my creative wells.
Before too long, though, I plan to start a new routine. Retirement presents the opportunity to focus on writing! I want to reorganize and decorate my office as a place where I feel creative and inspired. I want to reread and work through materials from online workshops such as Pinterest and Canva that I signed up for but had limited participation in; they will enhance my writer’s toolbox. I want to set up a website, and be more active on social media. I want to engage with readers and other writers.Most importantly, I’ve started a new book and I want to WRITE! Ideas are churning in my head. I'm excited about this story and I can't wait to have more time to work on it!
But, as family and friends have suggested, it may take some time to transition to full-time author. I'll have to work at finding a new balance between all the things I enjoy now and establishing serious writing time.
My position has enabled me to hone communication and organizational skills; to proof, edit and budget; and to multi-task and prioritize a heavy workload in order to meet deadlines. So although I will lose my administrative assistant identity upon retirement, the experiences and skills I’ve gained through my work will serve me well as I create my new and improved writer identity!
What suggestions do you have for making a smooth transition from working to retirement?
HiDee Ekstrom never goes anywhere without a book or a pen and paper. Reading, writing, and chocolate are important elements of her daily life that inspire her to write. She also finds inspiration in and enjoys photography, scrapbooking, camping, hiking, and spending time with her family. Writing as Lainee Cole, two of her short-stories have been self-published in anthologies: Captured by Christmas and At Midnight. Follow Lainee at Facebook Author Page, Facebook Author Profile Page, and on Twitter.
Monday, May 13, 2019
|
By:
The Write Way Cafe
Monday Morsels: The Cowboy's Perfect Match
THE COWBOY'S PERFECT MATCH
by Cathy McDavid
Rarely did anyone beat Bridget O’Malley to the kitchen. Most mornings, she rose by 5:00 a.m. and was elbow-deep in preparing breakfast before her younger sister, Molly, stumbled through the door at six thirty. Grandma Em didn’t arrive until seven.
Roll out croissant dough. Soften butter. Slice strawberries and squeeze oranges. Grind coffee beans.
Bridget mentally reviewed the tasks ahead while crossing the spacious parlor, her feet barely making a noise as she expertly avoided the floorboards she knew would creak.
Entering her most sacred of sanctuaries, she drew up short at the sight of both her sister and grandmother sitting at the kitchen table, nonchalantly sipping coffee and eating yogurt parfaits that were intended for Sweetheart Ranch’s guests.
“What are you both doing up so early?” Bridget sighed with mild annoyance—she’d have to make more parfaits—and grabbed her apron off the hook. With the practiced ease of someone who’d done this every day of her life since she was fifteen, she slipped the neck loop over her head and knotted the belt.
“I have some things to go over with the two of you before work starts.” Grandma Em motioned for Bridget to join them at the table. She didn’t live at the ranch, so her early appearance was even more unusual. “This is the only time today all three of us are free.”
Bridget put a kettle of water on the stove before sitting. Her brain didn’t fully function without the assistance of her ritual morning tea. Steeped, thank you, with boiling water poured slowly over a bag. No instant or those little pods for her.
“Are you wondering about the hayride and cookout tonight?”
“Among other things,” Molly answered. “All twelve guests have signed up. Did you finalize the menu?”
“Not quite.” Bridget grabbed a stack of guest-meal requests off the table and shuffled the papers like a deck of cards. “Our most recent newlyweds in cabin two want the zucchini, bacon and Gruyère quiche for brunch this morning. Cabin three is gluten-intolerant and cabin five is pescatarian.”
“What’s that?” Grandma Em asked.
“Eats fish and seafood but no meat.”
“Ah. Learn something new every day.”
Sweetheart Ranch boasted six cabins in total and construction was scheduled to begin in the fall on another two. Business had been booming since the ranch recently appeared in the Valentine’s Day issue of Southwest Bride magazine. According to the article, it was one of the top-ten most romantic wedding venues in Arizona.
Additional cabins weren’t the only planned expansion. Starting this week they’d added a hayride that ended with a campfire and cookout. Once they hired a full-time wrangler, they’d offer guided trail rides and a monthly “cowboy day.” The food part of the operation was also growing. In addition to wedding cakes, continental breakfasts and a specialty honeymoon brunch, light catering was now available.
That last idea had been Bridget’s. Grandma Em was owner of the ranch and head wedding coordinator. Molly assisted their grandmother and was in charge of guest relations. Bridget handled the food. Sweetheart Ranch wasn’t just a family-run business, it was truly a labor of love. In more ways than one.
I’m thinking of surf and turf,” Bridget said. “Grilled shrimp for the pescatarians and anybody else. Steak for the rest. I can easily roast ears of corn on the fire. Then side salad and rolls, both regular and gluten-free.”
“Doesn’t sound cowboyish enough,” Molly mused. “We are a Western-themed wedding ranch.”
“I’ll add beans.”
She shrugged. “I like that.”
Not pinto beans, Bridget decided as she shut off the stove and prepared her tea. She couldn’t bring herself to serve the unimaginative cowboy standby. Instead, she’d prepare Mexican charro beans with just a few poblano peppers for a touch of heat.
Grandma Em went on to talk about their upcoming weddings. April was going to be a busy month for them, as were May and, especially, June. They’d recently set a ranch record on Valentine’s Day. Eight ceremonies over a twelve-hour period. They’d be having almost as many ceremonies every Saturday in June.
Several couples had made unusual requests that required extra attention. Everything from a paralyzed groom walking with the aid of a robotic exoskeleton to the ranch’s first-ever canine ring bearer to a surprise flash-mob procession down the aisle that would be a huge surprise to the guests.
“The Literary Ladies book club requested a lunch on the sixteenth.” Grandma Em consulted her paper calendar. She was old-school.
Bridget preferred her electronic tablet and was seldom without the device. Not only did she store her recipes and research potential new menu items, but she also kept a detailed calendar and multiple lists without which she’d be a disorganized mess.
“I’m free that day. Do you know what they want?”
“They’re thinking along the line of finger sandwiches.” Grandma Em passed Bridget a piece of paper. “But I told them you’d call this week and finalize the details. Here’s the contact info.”
“This is great!” Bridget entered the name and number, her to-do list growing. She’d been considering adding wine tastings and English high teas to the ranch’s offerings. The Literary Ladies’ lunch would be a good test run.
Molly then brought up their projected reservations and several housekeeping issues, after which she distributed the first-quarter financials.
Giving the reports a cursory glance—the finances were really Molly and Grandma Em’s department—Bridget looked at the clock. Six forty-two! At this rate, she’d never get the continental breakfast served in time. Guests started wandering into the main house around seven o’clock, their stomachs growling.
###
He may not be perfect…
But he’s perfect for her!
Ryan DeMere is definitely enjoying the perks of being Sweetheart Ranch’s new wrangler—the best is working with head chef Bridget O’Malley. He’s fallen head over spurs for the talented and determined beauty. There’s just one hiccup. Bridget is holding out for Mr. Right—and Ryan doesn’t quite meet her requirements. But he’s determined to win Bridget over, because Ryan may not be perfect…but maybe their love could be.
As a sophomore in high school, NY Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestselling author Cathy McDavid won a local writing competition with her self-illustrated children’s book. Who knew that small triumph would eventually lead to a career writing award-winning contemporary romances with over 1.3 million books sold, most of her 47 titles with Harlequin. Cathy is also a member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll. This “almost” Arizona native and mother of grown twins is married to her own real-life sweetheart. After leaving the corporate world four years ago, she now spends her days penning stories about good looking men who bust a bronc, fight fires or serve and protect, all while sweeping the girl off her feet. It’s a tough job but she’s willing to make the sacrifice.
Friday, May 10, 2019
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Thursday, May 9, 2019
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By:
The Write Way Cafe
Getting to Know Nancy A. Hughes
The Write Way Café welcomes Nancy Hughes, whose enthusiasm for life and interest in murder produces intriguing mysteries.
Tell us a little about The Dying Hour.
I first envisioned The Dying Hour as a relationship story between an old veteran and a mute little boy who had suffered an unknown trauma. By itself, there wasn’t enough meat. And how could my protagonist, Charlie Alderfer, solve the little boy’s grandmother’s murder from his VA hospice bed? I brought the serial medical murderer to Charlie.
If The Dying Hour was made into a movie, who would play your main characters, and why?
A newcomer! Someone whom audience would not confuse with other identities. Movie Charlie would be six feet, have a shock of straight white hair, a still face and soft, kind eyes. Even stuck in hospice, he’d be particular about his grooming and determined to regain his self-sufficiency.
What or who has been instrumental in or to your writing journey?
My high school English teachers and my Penn State professors. Professionals willing to answer my questions, friends, and the Mystery Writers of America, where I found kindred spirits and a wealth of information.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given? What’s your best writing advice for others?
Best advice, “Keep going. It’s good.” For others? Write the book that you have to write. Don’t chase trends. And don’t wait until your mother is dead.
What “keepers” are in your home library?
The “Howdunit” series, including “The Book of Poisons” and “Forensics.”
If you could be a character in any book you’ve read (or written), which character would you be and why?
Nancy Drew. In all those mysteries, she never failed to back her roadster out of the driveway in one try.
Characters often find themselves in situations they aren't sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?
My five-year-old boy was set to testify in court, having picked his grandmother’s murderer out of a lineup. In Pennsylvania, a child must be ten years old to testify. I had to find another ploy to include what he knew.
What book do you wish you could have written?
Rebecca by Daphne duMaurier.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The worst from a mentor program, wanting me to give away the whole story in the first 50 pages. A close second, in a published book, “There’s a typo on page 46.” The best compliment: From readers who say they have read all my books and can’t wait until the next is published. Family and friends will buy one book out of loyalty, but repeat stranger-buyers are awesome.
We’re adding books to our Café menu. Would your book be a drink, an appetizer, an entrée or a dessert? What would you call it?
Definitely a dessert! I want readers to remain unsatisfied until they digest my last morsel. “Murder’s Delight.”
What is your favorite social media? Why?
Twitter is easy and fast. Facebook totally messed up my author page, losing 800 of my author friends, making it in operable. There’s no one to call.
Do you have any compulsions you must do for no particular reason?
I would love to smash any electronic device that misbehaves longer than 30 seconds. I restrain the urge and scream at it instead.
Tell us about the book in your closet.
My fourth Trust novel-in-progress. Shhhh! I haven’t approached my editor about it.
And now for the fun stuff!
If you were a punctuation mark, what would you be?
An ! mark. As a (usually) joyful extrovert, I’m high on life, which I’d describe in superlatives!
What is your biggest shopping downfall?
Nurseries. Garden shops are magnetic. I’m devoted to our shade gardens, and will try whatever promises to grow in minimal light.
Are you a glass half empty or glass half full personality?
Half full. And make it a nice, chilled white with the other half waiting in the ice bucket.
What is your favorite season and why?
Spring, when nature comes alive. In PA’s zone 6, that starts with snowdrops in February when the snow melts, followed by Lenten Roses, daffodils and tulips, then flowering trees and shrubs we’ve nurtured for years. Benner Deer Fencing keeps out hungry, drooling deer.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done in the name of love?
Married the man of my dreams, an agricultural banker, when I’d dreamed of writing award-winning ad campaigns in Manhattan. There haven’t been cows and plows in NYC for two hundred years. He was worth it. Our wonderful kids agree.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
I get my best inspiration in the shower. I swear hot water spurs the blood flow to my brain.
Charlie Alderfer’s grandfather survived the Battle of the Bulge and his father, Omaha Beach. Wounded in Vietnam, Charlie was sent home where he married, raised two daughters, and lived a quiet, productive life. Now, twenty years later, a medical catastrophe nearly kills him.
Not expected to live, the widower awakens in a VA hospice ward, only to face three final battles. An inoperable aneurysm lurks in his chest; a mute and despondent five-year-old visitor harbors a terrible secret and needs compassionate help; and a nocturnal intruder is murdering Charlie’s roommates, one by one.
When Charlie reports that they did not die of natural causes, no one believes him and label him as confused. But when the five-year-old boy finally tells Charlie his secret, the former soldier quickly realizes that the death of the boy’s grandmother and the death of his terminally ill roommates could be related.
Is there really a serial killer roaming the halls of the VA hospice, preying on defenseless old veterans? And if so, how can Charlie stop the killer? Using himself as bait, Charlie faces certain death. But if there’s one lesson he internalized being a soldier, it’s that “freedom isn’t free.”
Amazon Barnes & Noble Black Opal Books Kobo
Scribd iTunes Preview Smashwords
About Nancy: Journalist turned murderer? How did that happen? Nancy Hughes followed her dream from PR, community, and media relations to writing mystery novels. Her debut book, The Dying Hour, was released in 2016. The Trust series followed: A Matter of Trust and Redeeming Trust, both in 2017, and Vanished: A Trust Mystery in 2018. Her publisher is Black Opal Books.
Living in rural Pennsylvania with her husband, she is inspired by her beloved garden; her “big green cathedral.” Working with perennials and flowers clears her mind, letting inspiration enter about good gals and bad guys and which poison mushroom or weapon to choose.
Nothing encourages her more, however, than visiting old friends and making new ones at the Mystery Writers of America’s New York chapter meetings in Manhattan. MWY, Sisters In Crime, and International Thriller Writers energize her with industry news and professional direction. She hopes her novels entertain, inspire, and provide escape for readers who love a mystery.
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Tell us a little about The Dying Hour.
I first envisioned The Dying Hour as a relationship story between an old veteran and a mute little boy who had suffered an unknown trauma. By itself, there wasn’t enough meat. And how could my protagonist, Charlie Alderfer, solve the little boy’s grandmother’s murder from his VA hospice bed? I brought the serial medical murderer to Charlie.
If The Dying Hour was made into a movie, who would play your main characters, and why?
A newcomer! Someone whom audience would not confuse with other identities. Movie Charlie would be six feet, have a shock of straight white hair, a still face and soft, kind eyes. Even stuck in hospice, he’d be particular about his grooming and determined to regain his self-sufficiency.
What or who has been instrumental in or to your writing journey?
My high school English teachers and my Penn State professors. Professionals willing to answer my questions, friends, and the Mystery Writers of America, where I found kindred spirits and a wealth of information.
What’s the best writing advice you’ve been given? What’s your best writing advice for others?
Best advice, “Keep going. It’s good.” For others? Write the book that you have to write. Don’t chase trends. And don’t wait until your mother is dead.
What “keepers” are in your home library?
The “Howdunit” series, including “The Book of Poisons” and “Forensics.”
If you could be a character in any book you’ve read (or written), which character would you be and why?
Nancy Drew. In all those mysteries, she never failed to back her roadster out of the driveway in one try.
Characters often find themselves in situations they aren't sure they can get themselves out of. When was the last time you found yourself in a situation that was hard to get out of and what did you do?
My five-year-old boy was set to testify in court, having picked his grandmother’s murderer out of a lineup. In Pennsylvania, a child must be ten years old to testify. I had to find another ploy to include what he knew.
What book do you wish you could have written?
Rebecca by Daphne duMaurier.
What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The worst from a mentor program, wanting me to give away the whole story in the first 50 pages. A close second, in a published book, “There’s a typo on page 46.” The best compliment: From readers who say they have read all my books and can’t wait until the next is published. Family and friends will buy one book out of loyalty, but repeat stranger-buyers are awesome.
We’re adding books to our Café menu. Would your book be a drink, an appetizer, an entrée or a dessert? What would you call it?
Definitely a dessert! I want readers to remain unsatisfied until they digest my last morsel. “Murder’s Delight.”
What is your favorite social media? Why?
Twitter is easy and fast. Facebook totally messed up my author page, losing 800 of my author friends, making it in operable. There’s no one to call.
Do you have any compulsions you must do for no particular reason?
I would love to smash any electronic device that misbehaves longer than 30 seconds. I restrain the urge and scream at it instead.
Tell us about the book in your closet.
My fourth Trust novel-in-progress. Shhhh! I haven’t approached my editor about it.
And now for the fun stuff!
If you were a punctuation mark, what would you be?
An ! mark. As a (usually) joyful extrovert, I’m high on life, which I’d describe in superlatives!
What is your biggest shopping downfall?
Nurseries. Garden shops are magnetic. I’m devoted to our shade gardens, and will try whatever promises to grow in minimal light.
Are you a glass half empty or glass half full personality?
Half full. And make it a nice, chilled white with the other half waiting in the ice bucket.
What is your favorite season and why?
Spring, when nature comes alive. In PA’s zone 6, that starts with snowdrops in February when the snow melts, followed by Lenten Roses, daffodils and tulips, then flowering trees and shrubs we’ve nurtured for years. Benner Deer Fencing keeps out hungry, drooling deer.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done in the name of love?
Married the man of my dreams, an agricultural banker, when I’d dreamed of writing award-winning ad campaigns in Manhattan. There haven’t been cows and plows in NYC for two hundred years. He was worth it. Our wonderful kids agree.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
I get my best inspiration in the shower. I swear hot water spurs the blood flow to my brain.
Not expected to live, the widower awakens in a VA hospice ward, only to face three final battles. An inoperable aneurysm lurks in his chest; a mute and despondent five-year-old visitor harbors a terrible secret and needs compassionate help; and a nocturnal intruder is murdering Charlie’s roommates, one by one.
When Charlie reports that they did not die of natural causes, no one believes him and label him as confused. But when the five-year-old boy finally tells Charlie his secret, the former soldier quickly realizes that the death of the boy’s grandmother and the death of his terminally ill roommates could be related.
Is there really a serial killer roaming the halls of the VA hospice, preying on defenseless old veterans? And if so, how can Charlie stop the killer? Using himself as bait, Charlie faces certain death. But if there’s one lesson he internalized being a soldier, it’s that “freedom isn’t free.”
Amazon Barnes & Noble Black Opal Books Kobo
Scribd iTunes Preview Smashwords
About Nancy: Journalist turned murderer? How did that happen? Nancy Hughes followed her dream from PR, community, and media relations to writing mystery novels. Her debut book, The Dying Hour, was released in 2016. The Trust series followed: A Matter of Trust and Redeeming Trust, both in 2017, and Vanished: A Trust Mystery in 2018. Her publisher is Black Opal Books.
Living in rural Pennsylvania with her husband, she is inspired by her beloved garden; her “big green cathedral.” Working with perennials and flowers clears her mind, letting inspiration enter about good gals and bad guys and which poison mushroom or weapon to choose.
Nothing encourages her more, however, than visiting old friends and making new ones at the Mystery Writers of America’s New York chapter meetings in Manhattan. MWY, Sisters In Crime, and International Thriller Writers energize her with industry news and professional direction. She hopes her novels entertain, inspire, and provide escape for readers who love a mystery.
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Tuesday, May 7, 2019
|
By:
The Write Way Cafe
Tuesday Special: The Jesus Parallel
PETER ROSSFOUR
What is the 'David Line' and how does all this relate to Jesus Christ?
Joshua Nazareth, an American award-winning journalist and top-selling author, decides to research a book on Jesus by visiting Israel?
Is the truth about Jesus far more involved than he had been led to believe? Has the Church been propagating a lie for millennia?
Did Jesus really die on the cross? Was he married?
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‘The Jesus Parallel’, Is an interesting, exciting and sometimes exotic story that will captivate and take you to a place far away and yet so familiar. A work of fiction based on fact that will sweep you along and let you wonder long after you have put it down whether we have Jesus, and even God, all wrong?
Few people living in our modern world of mass and instant communication which has reduced the world to a global village, have not heard the name of Jesus. Throughout the Western world Easter has just been celebrated, the Christian belief that Jesus was raised from the dead and that he lives. The cry on many a believer’s lips, “He’s risen!”
But is that true? Not ever in the history of mankind has any individual returned from the dead, been raised to life after dying. Why would Jesus have been an exception? And why, in over two thousand years, has such a startling incident not been repeated? Even with our highly advanced technology we cannot bring someone back from the dead. Death to all of humanity is final, there simply is no return. Yet billions fervently believe one man, more than two millennia ago, beat the odds. And not only did he return from the dead, but he was taken bodily into heaven to sit at the right-hand side of no other but God himself.
Is this a rational belief? Every sinew of sane, logical thinking shouts NO! IMPOSSIBLE! Yet billions of sane, logical thinking individuals deny what their mind tells them and fervently cling to the belief that after three days he rose from the dead, briefly walked the earth, and ascended into heaven. How rational is that?
Why is this phenomenon taking place throughout the Western world, and why has it done so for centuries? Because they have proof or because they have been told it’s the truth? Because it’s been passed on from generation to generation? In devout Christian families children from a very young age are taught about gentle Jesus.
The very foundation of the Christian religion is built on the premise that Jesus was crucified, died on the cross, was buried in a tomb, rose from the dead and now sits at God’s right-hand side, atoning for mankind’s multitude of sins. But why did one man, over two thousand years ago, have to be crucified, a slow painful death reserved for the lowest of the low, criminals and dissidents, to atone for mankind’s wayward ways? What kind of God sacrifices his son, his “only begotten son” to appease his wrath against his own creation, man?
It simply doesn’t make sense. Unless of course it’s all a carefully constructed and orchestrated undertaking to ensure people follow its beliefs and observes its tenets. The Catholic Church is ample proof of this. The Vatican City, a glittering treasure house, bears ample testimony to just how successful this enterprise has been, still to this day, basically selling salvation, the very thing Jesus riled against. Christianity is one of the world’s major religions, and growing on a daily basis, only rivaled by the radical plagued Islamic religion which is unfortunately, gaining ground throughout the world.
Is Christianity a bad thing? No, not at all. Although built on a false premise, it has served to keep mankind sane for millennia. Many a battered and hopeless soul has been saved by a fervent belief in Jesus, turning their sordid lives right around. Whole communities are kept intact by the local church which offers grace and fellowship. Many a country has been kept on the straight and narrow because of being a Christian country.
But is it all light and salvation? Unfortunately, not. Christianity has been used and abused for monetary gain, the usurping of power, and the control of masses. Witness the influence of the super-wealthy TV evangelists for instance. They rake in millions, live in absolute luxury, and use Jesus and God as a very lucrative milk-cow. The Monsignors in the Vatican City live like kings, haughtily parading around their own personal fiefdom. Pastors start a new church, depending on how glib the pastor’s tongue is, the enterprise soon grows. Soon the devout pastor has a thriving business. In a city familiar to me there is a “church” that owns various commercial buildings, a few hotels, a holiday resort, and various other businesses. Not the congregation mind, you, just the pastor and his wife. But every Sunday the venue, a vast hall, is full to capacity and the collections flow like water. And of course, the members of the congregation are actively encouraged to tithe!
Why does this continue? Because people, especially in these stressful times we live in, need to hear about how Jesus can change their lives, they need something to cling to, to assure them there is meaning to life.
So is it all bad news, all wrong? No, people need institutions like the church, and there are many that are not about monetary gain, but spiritual wellbeing. Amazingly, one man, an unassuming Essene priest by the name of Jesus, who lived and died more than two millennia ago, has remarkably been the foundation upon which the true church has been built.
Who was this man? Because man he was, like the rest of humanity. Unique, amazing, yes, but certainly not the “son of God”. Interestingly, he never claimed to be such, the early Church, started by Paul in Rome, found it advantageous, in order to compete with the multitude of other religions abounding at the time, to propagate the myth of a virgin birth and portray Jesus as the Son of God. When Jesus was crucified due to his political alliance with Simon Magus, Paul saw it fit to spread the idea that Jesus died on the cross, was resurrected, and ascended into heaven.
If you are keen to find out who Jesus really was, read The Jesus Parallel available in E-book format from the following outlets:
Peter Rossfour is a retired general
factotum, living with his precious and beautiful wife, Sue, and a variety of
much-loved cats and dogs, in a small seaside village on the East Coast of
South Africa.
Having studied a large variety of
subjects, his all-time passion is the amazing, nearly incomprehensible, but
very real, phenomenon of Parallel Realities, a theme which forms the foundation
of his Y/A and older trilogy, The Three
Mirrors, of which the first volume, A
King Rides Through - Books One and Two, is in the process of being
published by Black Opal Books USA, and will be available as paperback, E-book. and
Audio, early 2020. The Jesus Parallel,
a fiction-based-on-fact book, available in E-book format on Amazon and
Smashwords, featuring in this guest appearance, also utilizes this premise.
Having devoted a lifetime of study into
the workings of the human mind, he is the first to admit he still knows next to
nothing and will probably never understand human behavior, as is clearly
illustrated in his, The Supreme Bloody
Joker, and GULLIVER, also
available on Amazon and the like.
His fascination with Jesus stems from an
unfortunate incident in his dim and distant childhood, and his inability to
understand how God could possibly have a son when He does not have a divine spouse.
If the traditional Biblical explanation
is to be accepted it strips God of His divinity, as is explained in the
upcoming fiction-based-on-fact book, Running
Bear’s Conversations with The Great
Spirit, God.
He loves playing the piano and paint in
oils, his speciality being renditions of ducks in flight, just landing on a
pond, and various other activities, as well as commenting on various business
and political sites in South Africa.
All in all, a very ordinary fellow!
Please feel free to contact him on – ross4p@gmail.com. His Twitter handle is Peter
Rossfour @GARTHAUME. He also dabbles now and then on
Facebook.
In the process of building a website,
which should be functioning in the near future.
This photo of Peter Rossfour was taken
by his lifelong friend, Fred Blesing, in The
Oar House restaurant near Dahlonega, North Georgia on a trip to the States.
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