Talking Dirt-y

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Talking Dirt-y

No gardener worth her salt (whatever that means) would ever refer to soil as “dirt” but talking soil-y just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I write the Dirty Business mystery series and my amateur sleuth is named Paula Holliday..

When your main character is a cop, a lawyer, a bounty hunter, or a medical examiner it’s pretty easy to have two or three (or sometimes a great many more) dead bodies in your books and all manner of colorful sleazebags and lowlifes. There are countless professionals who will solve the crime, restore order and maybe even get the girl (guy) well before the next manuscript is due.

But what’s a poor amateur to do? Well, first she finds work that will throw her together with lots of different people (with lots of different stories and secrets.) With hours that are flexible enough so that she can go gallivanting all over town chasing down leads without getting the “boss” angry. It also helps if the profession gives her a certain freedom (to snoop) around other people’s homes or properties. Because no man – or woman - is an island she should have a friend or two who she can bounce ideas and theories off of.

And it’s not a bad idea to give her a profession that incorporates a little upper body workout so that if she ever gets in a jam all those hours spent digging trenches or moving heavy bags of topsoil will have given her enough muscle mass to hold her own against a bad guy. That’s how Paula Holliday came to be a gardener - she’s not afraid to get her hands dirty. And yes, it is a dirty business.

The third book in the series, Dead Head, (pb March 29, 2011) asks the question how well do we know our neighbors? Not very, when one of them turns out to be a fugitive from the law and Paula is asked to investigate by the woman's distraught family.

Rosemary Harris

About the Author

Rosemary Harris' debut novel Pushing Up Daisies was nominated for both the Anthony and the Agatha Award for Best First Novel 2008. Others in the series are The Big Dirt Nap, Dead Head and Slugfest (April 2011.) They've been given "4 1/2 Stars!" by RT BookReviews, called "a wild and funny ride"by Crimespree Magazine, "hilarious"by Kirkus Reviews and " the perfect summer read" by NPR (CT.)

Visit Rosemary on facebook and at www.rosemaryharris.com or folow her on Twitter @rosemaryharris1

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I am a survivor.

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I am a survivor.
by Megan van Eyck

I don’t say that too often. Not because of my fortitude, but because it’s embarrassing.

I had a treacherous childhood. My parents divorced when I was five. My father re-married and then divorced when I was ten. I suppose my mother harbored some hope that my father would come back to us, and when he didn’t, Mom quickly evolved into a destitute modern day Miss Havisham. Our life stopped for her despair. We lived in memoriam of her broken marriage. Dirty dishes remained stacked on the kitchen counter, with crusted bits of food left to decompose. She unplugged the refrigerator, leaving its contents untouched for years. Garbage bags piled up around the house, filling the house with the smell of rot. She recalled life with my father as if her memories had just happened. She blamed me for our tattered circumstances.

But unlike many abused children, I had a way out. My millionaire playboy father was only a phone call away. I could have easily retreated to a life of guaranteed comfort and normalcy, leaving my mother’s craziness behind. But, for four years I said nothing and stayed with mom. I understood that without me she would be homeless and impoverished. My father owned our house and was our landlord. We lived off of my child support checks. I believed I owed her the years of my childhood because my life would continue on without her. Even then, at age 12, I felt guilty for being a survivor, for knowing I would eventually leave her behind. I victimized myself, allowing her to neglect me and use me so that she would have a roof over her head. I stayed so she wouldn’t feel abandoned.

Years later, after college, therapists and friends told me I needed to address my suppressed anger and resentment if I was going to truly be able to let go of it. In therapy, I was given the freedom to stop blaming myself for my childhood-to hold my mother accountable for her mistakes. I took big cleansing breaths while remembering the gradual creep of decay that spread over our home. I wrote a letter to Mom asking her why the grief over her divorce was more consuming than her love for me. As directed, I never mailed it. I was able to get out my aggression by hitting pillow after pillow, recalling how she used me for cheap rent and child support checks. I fed my anger and resentment the way one would feed a baby bear cub, nurturing something small and weak that would one day turn into something fierce.

I was told I had made great progress. My anger was commended as a step forward. I pursued my own life. I married, had children, and was a very different kind of parent than I had ever known. My biggest achievement was that the cyclical nature of child abuse ended with me. I took the high road and allowed my mother into my children’s lives, never forgetting what had been. Over the years, my husband and I grew apart as a couple, but together as parents. While my marriage was far from perfect, my children had a perfect family. Back then, I would have done anything to maintain the façade of our family. I did not care that I felt unloved and alone. I knew I would endure it for my children.

I only figured out how much love mattered to me when I met a stranger who showed me how alone I felt with my husband. Our relationship began a with a casual one-night stand that evolved into an extramarital love affair.

Five-and-a-half years later, he died. He was the love of my life. I was devastated. Heartbroken.

Grieving him was very different as his mistress than it would have been as his wife. I had to get on with my life as if he had never been, as if I my heart hadn’t been shattered.

Instead of making breakfast and school lunches for my children, I wanted to stay in bed. I did not want to do laundry, make dinner, or clean house. I would have been content to wallow in my sadness and never shower again. I wanted to retreat to the memories of our happy moments, to my fantasies of what could have been. I had a frightening impulse to be like someone I’d always failed to understand: my mother.

Unlike her, however, I chose love over grief, my children over my memories. I was again, a survivor. But the insight gained by my sadness gave me the two things that had previously eluded me: compassion and forgiveness. Finally, I was able to understand how her actions had everything to do with her and little to do with me.

In the end, I was a better woman for my infidelity.

Given all of this, by which action you will judge me: as a survivor or an adulteress. Or both? Yes, I was the other woman. But I am also so much more. And in that I know I’m not alone. The modern-day mistress is more than her stereotype of bed crawling vixen.

With the divorce rate hovering at 50 percent, infidelity rates going strong, and more women straying from marriage than ever, the other woman is probably a woman who is more like your sister or best friend. She may even be you. Either way, odds are good she has children and a family that she loves and cares for; nurtures. She likely has a rich life busied with friends and a career. She is a person of substance who has something worthwhile to offer. She is not a whore.

I believe that accepting the humanity of the mistress means coming to terms with the fact that a man might stray for reasons other than sex and excitement; that she has value as a companion and as a human being. If you have been left for another woman, it means accepting the possibility that perhaps your marriage wasn’t what you thought it was; that maybe only you were happy. It is easy to be angry at the mistress; to make her the scapegoat for all that is wrong and to blame her for a faulty marriage and a wayward husband—to make her the villain. She was wrong, you were right. Yes, that is the easy thing to believe. But it is brave to make room for the notion that some affairs happen because of love—and that the mistress can be a woman worth loving-that she may be a woman who is more like you than not.

by Megan van Eyck

Great Villains

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Making of Great Villains and Believable Heroes by Cynthia Vespia

Hannibal Lecter, Darth Vader, The Joker, our contemporary American society loves our villains. Where would we be without that ruthless antagonist that we love to hate?

What is it about villains that draws us in? They come in various forms: movie, TV, books, even reality. Do you know a villain in your own world? You boss, an ex-wife, the nosy neighbor. The real villains are not as much fun as the fictional ones - but that's only because the fictional villains are an over the top extension of those evil bastards pulled from your reality.

But isn't it also true that there is some part of you deep down that can relate to the maniacal criminal genius or even the violent killer? People are made up of good and bad, yin and yang, the side we choose to nurture defines who we are. But, much like The Incredible Hulk, the other side - usually the darker side - slips out every once in awhile.

Time and time again I've heard actors tell me they have more fun playing the bad guy - why is that? Because villains have less rules to follow, they don't give a shit who they hurt as long as it benefits their own personal gain, and they usually strike fear into the common person until the hero comes along to thwart them. There is one major reason to not want to be the villain...they usually die in the end (unless they're carted off to jail awaiting the sequel).

The makings of a great villain, or "antagonist," in any medium has to start with their bottom line. Why are they doing what they're doing? Why do they want to blow up the world or kill that cops family? If the motive doesn't wash your villain falls flat and the audience is disappointed to say the least. The best villains believe they are in the right. They are following through with their destructive plans because in their mind it is what needs to be done to invoke change. And they'll stand behind that decree until the bitter end - they have to or there is no story. The flip side of that is the psycho. They know they're in the wrong and they just don't give a damn.

What is reality is that in order for a story line to properly proceed you need a villain worthy enough to challenge the hero, be it physically, mentally, or both. If the hero has no hurdles to overcome there is no story. So villains must be flushed out to the 9th degree before they are ready to be packaged and sold to the potential audience.

So now I thought it time to honor the other half, the "hero" or "protagonist." No matter whom your lead is in the story they have to be every bit as engaging , thought provoking, and relatable as the antagonist - more so really because they are the ones that drive your story. The protagonist is who the reader/viewer will go on the journey with.

Audiences today are far more intelligent than to accept the cookie-cutter "good guy" who can do no wrong. They want depth, a character with a true soul. In recent years the "anti-hero" has become popular as a leading character, ie: the rebel, the one who doesn't follow the rules or has a shaky or questionable past. It's important to give all of your characters multi-dimensions so they leap off the page/screen.

For my paranormal suspense Life, Death, and Back I had the creative freedom to explore my characters in a way that remained believable yet at the same time broke all the rules. No one can really distinguish what it is like to come back from the dead so I had alot of room to work within the boundaries. At the same time the characters have still draw from reality in a way that connects to the audience.

Life is spicy, readers demand their novels to have the same flavor of realism. One dimensional just won't cut it anymore. Use slice-of-life and make those characters "pop." I find characterization one of the most pleasing aspects to writing. You get to create an entire person with real attributes and a real past, goals, hopes, dreams, fears...anything you want really. That is the true beauty of fiction.

Cynthia Vespia
www.CynthiaVespia.com

The Grayton Beach Affair

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James Harvey, author of Grayton Beach Affair
www.graytonbeachaffair.com

When I started writing Grayton Beach Affair, I intended the book to be for the male reader. It was going to be a war, action, danger story that included German agents, escape from POW camps, French Resistance fighting, etc. Then I introduced Maggie and made her a strong female, willing to take control of her life, and the book began to evolve into more of a romance.

Truthfully, I would not call myself a romance author; I’d classify myself more mainstream. Grayton Beach Affair is my first novel. I did not write an outline before starting the manuscript, but allowed it to unfold as it went along in an "organic" fashion. There were many nights I would lie awake and try to figure how I was going to get a character out of a situation, and I found this a more enjoyable writing experience. Grayton Beach Affair turned out being a romance, cloaked in a war drama.

I realized I was walking a thin line in trying to create a story that both genders would enjoy, but it seems to be working so far. My targeted audience includes adult men and women who have an interest in reading about the subject matter, i.e., a World War II action, romantic thriller. It seems that most readers will be 40+ years old or older, and at book signings, most purchasers are in that age bracket.

I conducted extensive research for my book. I read several books on German U-boats, life on a U-boat and visited The Museum of History and Technology in Chicago. Because I grew up near Grayton Beach, I am familiar with the location, but I also researched websites for additional information on the history of the area. I read several books on German POW camps, researched France and the French Resistance primarily on the internet, and also visited the Resistance Museum in Lyon, France. I live in the Atlanta area and am familiar with the Atlanta landmarks such as Rich's Department Store, Piedmont Park, East Lake Country Club, etc.

A little on my background: My writing background has been in the business world, writing marketing material for IBM and commercial real estate development. I grew up on the Gulf coast near Grayton Beach, FL and heard stories of German submarines that cruised along the area during the War, sinking allied ships. When I discovered there were also German prisoner of war camps in the area during the war, I realized that a lot of people were unaware of both and began to think that it would be a good story to tell. Grayton Beach is also a popular vacation spot, and I believed that people would enjoy reading about that area. Simply put, I thought I had a marketable book – whether it was printed or an ebook.

I am seeing a lot of e-book sales for Grayton Beach Affair. I think having that option is a win-win for both the author and reader because of the low cost to produce and purchase. My book is most likely classified as a casual "beach read", not serious literature, and both paper and e-book format should meet the reader's needs.

I believe that the publishing industry is being turned upside down and now is a great time for an author to produce and sell books using the new technologies available. As more peopIe purchase e-book readers, I believe the e-book will be the primary format. The key to selling a book in either format is, in addition to writing an interesting story, also having a strong marketing and public relations program.

As far as my next project goes, I am doing research for the next novel, but it is still in a development stage. I write for my own enjoyment and not under a timeframe or deadline. Right now I am spending most of my time making readers aware of Grayton Beach Affair.



Amazon: Grayton Beach Affair

How I Influenced My Daughter's Entertainment Choices

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From Blues' Clues to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How I Influenced My Daughter's Entertainment Choices'

By Kimber An

It’s all about relationship.

You see, I was educated at the English Nanny & Governess School of Chagrin Falls, Ohio and I worked for years as a professional caregiver of one kind or another. I specialized in babies and toddlers, but I have experience with all ages.

I learned two extremely important things during all that.

If you want someone to listen to you, first you must gain their respect.
Children need personal supervision way beyond the legal age of twelve and I’m not talking about keeping them out of trouble. I’m talking about being with them, listening, and enjoying their company.

Through observing other parents who had healthy relationships with their teenagers and adult children, it seemed to me that the key to this was to engage in something we both enjoyed. I have lots of children, so it’s a good thing I have a variety of interests!

Toddler – We do sign language together. She’s a hearing child. She just likes it a lot.

Boy – STAR WARS!

Girl – BABIES! And also kittens (I think maybe she’s destined to be a nanny too.)

Teen – Books and Movies

Actually, I’ve read books to all my children since they were babies, but my Teen is as obsessed as I am and writes too. She reviews for me, homework permitting, at my book review blog, Enduring Romance. http://enduringromance.blogspot.com If you’ve got a Middle Grade or Young Adult novel for her to review, eMail me, the Mama Bear, and I may very well pass it on to her.

I bought a book, Mama, Do you Love Me? By Barbara M. Joose, illustrated by Barbara Lavallee, to bring with me to the hospital when I gave birth to my girl so long ago. Turned out, I was too exhausted to read to her after giving birth, but I got that book out when we got home. (Psst, each of my children have a ‘mama book.’ I’ll list them at the end.)
Starting from early infancy, I read to my children. At first, their little nervous systems can’t handle the stimulation of more than one tiny board book at a time. I lay on my back (learned this from a lawyer-mom I nannied for) with the baby on her floor-quilt and hold the book within her visual range, which is only about a foot or two in the early months. Gradually, we work towards several books a day. My toddlers watch baby sign language and Baby Einstein videos, and then they graduate to quality preschool shows, like Blue’s Clues. These shows are carefully researched and planned specifically for the developmental needs of their target audiences. This is why your three year old may love Barney when you hate it so much.

So, during the early years, I totally control and censor what my children are exposed to and I only expose them to the best. This way, they have a strong foundation in what constitutes excellence in storytelling and such. Gradually, as they move towards Middle Grade, I pull back so that by the time they’re twelve they’re making their own choices. Now that my eldest is a teenager, she tells me what to read!

I’ve often encountered the conflict between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight fans, because my guys in Sugar Rush are vampire-like. I tend to hang out with readers and writers of paranormal fiction. It seems to me the conflict is generational. The moms loved Buffy and with good reason! Although the vamps are kinda hokey, in my opinion, the series takes a seemingly stupid and defenseless blond and turns her into a Kick-Butt Heroine. That is so cool! And their teenage daughters tend to love Bella from Twilight. Being from a broken home, I totally get that too. (Ask me what I mean in the Comments, if you really want to know.) And, besides, the vamps are freakin’ awesome, in my opinion, and Carlisle is a studmuffin.

Besides generational, I think the conflict also involves love of the Heroine. The moms loved Buffy and she’s totally unlike Bella, so it’s hard to see how the latter could be strong too. Well, I am of the opinion that there are many kinds of strength.

Besides, I never watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer back when the other moms did! See, I’m just not interested in magical vamps. I’m into the Sci-Fi kind, like in Peeps by Scott Westerfeld.

Okay, Moms, ready for the bombshell?
I didn’t watch Buffy until my daughter made me. And, yes, she loves Buffy more than Bella.

Am I bragging? Well, yeah, I guess that maniacal laughter gave me away, huh?
I know there will be times throughout my girl’s adolescence and the rest of our lives when we won’t be able to stand each other. My hope is that, regardless, we will still be able to talk about the books we love.
Anyway, I like Peeps better than Bella or Buffy.

Here’s our other ‘mama books’-

Is Your Mama a Llama? By Deborah Guarino

On Mother’s Lap By Ann Herbert Scott

Elizabetty’s Baby by Stephanie Stuve Bodeen

***My Bio***

Kimber An never had enough books when she was a kid and the ones she had didn’t turn out the way she wanted. And so she started writing her own. She also loved babies a lot, but didn’t know how to talk to boys. Instead, she became a nanny and took care of other people’s babies. Finally, she moved to Alaska where she met a boy who understood getting whacked in the head with a wadded up piece of paper meant true love. She married him and now she reads books to her own babies, and is living happily ever after.

*** Sugar Rush Blurb***

Running and screaming will have to wait. A blood-sucking dead guy may be a vampire to you, but he’s an alien/human hybrid to Ophelia and she really must examine his olfactory nerve under a microscope first.

Ophelia longs to be free, free of Diabetes, free of her ex-boyfriend, free to live. Something transformed Martin and made her his drug. If he has his way, she’ll never achieve the freedom to learn his true nature and origin.

Adrian’s the new guy in school. He faked his identity to get close to Ophelia, knowing the monsters who took his Diabetic sister would try to take her, too. Then, he’d have them. But, he knew better than to get too close.

Oh, yeah, he did.

Seriously.

Note: Crushed Sugar, the prequel novella to Sugar Rush, is due out soon. It’s a much shorter tale of faints hearts and a fair maiden, and a blood-sucking dead guy.

My Main Site: http://www.kimberan.com