Act as if What you do Makes a Difference #SundaySnippets

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.  -- William James

As writer I tend to think in scenes and storylines.  I know that every story makes two promises to the reader: an emotional one, and an intellectual one, since the function of a story is to make you feel and think.  However, there is also a beginning to each day, where I, as a human being, must function in the act of day-to-day living.

As part of this day-to-day living, I am very much aware of how actions, words, and attitude have either a negative or a positive effect on others.

Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.

In addition, if you are aware of Native American Culture, the Lakota know that what you choose to do at any given time, be it a good deed or an evil one, the consequences of that deed impacts seven generations.  Seven generations!

This is why in both my writing and my living, I try to take the high road.  I am not saying I always succeed, but I at least aim for the target.

 I also strive to keep my characters in check.  Even when my villains do truly terrible things (Sister Enid to Tay in Whisper upon the Water), I show motivation and life events so that the reader understands why this event took place; but I never paint the behavior as acceptable.

Beginnings to a story should give the reader a person to focus on, yet in your life's story: you are the main character.

Look at some of the beginnings in your own life.  What have you learned, what stories do you have to share?

Ummm. . .what have I learned?  I've learned that gators can run. . .very fast.  I learned that on a family vacation to a South Georgia swamp.  While that did not make a particularly wonderful life event (especially at the beginning of the day), but it will make a great scene in a novel or short story.

I also strove to set an example.
1.  I did not scream as I ran. I prayed that my sons would not witness their mother being chomped on by a bellowing alligator.
2. I explained that my actions (going down to the water's edge) weren't very wise.
3. We discussed what we might watch for so the event was not repeated.
4.  After we left the swamp we stopped at a local eatery for fried gator tail. Yes, not taking the high road here.  We called it 'regional food' and left it at that!

If you have a moment or two, please download my Rodeo Romance Series:
Lynx (contemporary romance), Brede (romantic suspense), or my YA novel, Whisper upon the Water. 

Also, visit my friends and wonderfully talents authors:

Juliet Waldron

Trisha McGill

Dishin' It Out

Happy Reading,

Connie Vines

Celebrate Mother's Day The Cowboy Way by Connie Vines #Sunday Snippets

Today's world is one of online purchases, mass produced greeting cards, and restaurants.

There was a time when life was simpler.  Moments were savored, celebrations heartfelt and home made.

A time when a cowboy came home with a bouquet of r remember of fresh flowers that he had picked off of the side of the roads.  He did that several times a week.  His wife loved it.  She felt special because he had taken the time to stop to pick them and there’s nothing like having fresh flowers around your house to liven it up.  

This is also a wonderful tradition to begin in a family--for a father to pass on down to his son, or his daughter.

Or if your cowboy knows his way around the kitchen or a camp fire, breakfast will be on the Mother's Day horizon.

Cowboy Hash Skillet
Recipe type: Breakfast
Prep time:  15 mins Cook time:  25 mins Total time:  40 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
3 large potatoes, washed and cut into ½ inch cubes (it's up to you if you want to peel them, I didn't because it gives it a more rustic look)
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 lb. chorizo sausage, casings removed
4 large eggs (one egg for each skillet hash)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

In a large skillet, cook the potatoes with 2 tbsp. of olive oil for 5-7 minutes until they start to get soft and the outsides are starting to brown. Then add in the green pepper, red pepper, and small onion. Cook until they're soft.

Add in the chorizo and cook until the meat is thoroughly cooked through and veggies are completely soft, about 10 more minutes. Make sure to mix and stir all the ingredients together so they get coated with the spicy chorizo. Salt and pepper, to taste.

While the chorizo is cooking with the veggies, cook an egg sunny side up or however you like it. I cooked mine sunny side up because I liked the runny yolk atop of the hash. Set aside.

Once all the veggies and chorizos are done cooking, plate them in a large bowl or individual skillets (if you have them). Top the hash with your eggs.

Enjoy!


 Happy Mother's Day everyone!

Hop over to each of my friend's blogs and see what they have to say.

Janet Waldron

Ginger Simpson

Trisha McGill

Sunday Snips from Connie Vines #Sundaysnips

Thank you Ginger Simpson for inviting me to participate in Sunday Snippets.

I am sharing a few snippets from one of my works in progress:
Gumbo Ya Ya: for women who like romance Cajun!

This anthology is filled with five stories and five times the fun!  Ooooh, La La!

MARRYING OFF MURPHY

Settling into his office chair, Professor Murphy Flynn glanced at the faxed copy of OP News. “I Want To Get Married,” the headline read. When he realized the grainy photograph was of him, he upended his coffee mug, sending the liquid perilously close to a six-inch stack of ungraded papers. 

He snagged the papers with one hand, using the other to dab at the puddle with his tie. His gaze locked on to the name of the submissions editor: Sylvie Dupree. The memories hit him hard and fast, leaving Murphy to feel like he’d taken a direct blow to his solar plexus.

Determined and intelligent, Sylvie Dupree had been his stepsister’s college roommate for three years.  A dark-haired Creole beauty with a soft-as-sin smile, she had captured his interest with her quick wit and charm. Only later, after too many pizza-and-study nights spent in her company, had she also captured his heart. Much to Murphy’s perpetual torment, she’d kept him in the friendship zone. 

LOVE POTION #9

“Don’t shake your finger at me, Simone Basso. I know what I’m doing.” Persia Richmond said, filling a half-ounce bottle with perfume. The warm scent of spice, magnolia, mimosa and a hint of something unnamed and mysterious wafted across the narrow processing room.

The fragrance was New Orleans; culture at its most upscale moments and Mardi Gras at its naughtiest! A smile of supreme joy curved her mouth and success warmed her soul.

Persia had dreamt of creating a signature fragrance since the time her grandpapa had begun her tutorage in perfuming.

 “I’ve done warned you and warned you about messing with love potions!”

THE PIRATE OF GOMBI ISLAND

Celeste Brossard stared up at the turbulent sky above the gulf.  The water churned and slapped choppy waves against the levee’s edge, but she still heard the click-click of stiletto heels on the cobblestone street.  As was their usual Sunday custom since high school, Francine Grant always brought breakfast after Mass while Celeste secured a table and ordered coffee at the café. 

After taking a hurried sip of her mocha latte, Celeste scooted over so that her best friend could slide into a vacant bistro chair.

 “Girlfriend, you look like you need substance.”  She tilted the white paper bag between her French manicured fingertips and offered Celeste a warm beignet.

 Celeste snagged the donut-like, powder-sugared covered confection, and took a healthy bite.  “We’ve got to get another habit,” she managed to say around the tasty mouthful.

Francine grinned and reached for her cup of chicory coffee and poured in an unhealthy amount of cream. “We’re both in our early thirties, single…still.  What other habit were you contemplating?  Bar hopping?”

‘No!  Something healthier. I was thinking more along the line of adding fiber—“

“Fiber?  Girl, what is wrong with you?”

Celeste shrugged her shoulders.  “Work, work, and more work.”

Her friend rolled her eyes. “Tell me something I don’t already know.  What happened with that guy—“

“What guy?”

“You know, the know guy in the office down the hall?”

“Married.”

“Oh.  What about that Spanish guy—you know the sea captain with the funny name?”

Celeste gave an unladylike snort that sent sprinkles of powdered sugar down the front of her silk-print waist dress. “Bocanegra?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. You were all excited about him”

“Francine, I’m cataloging the University’s latest acquisitions.  Therefore, whomever I’m excited about is dead.  Dead, as in no longer living.”

“That’s a real problem.”  Francine popped the final bit of her beignet in her mouth and brushed her hands together to remove the powdered sugar.

#

I did say those Cajuns stories was fun. . .and as exciting as, well, New Orleans and the wild bayou.

Join us next month for more snippets. I will be featuring the final two stories from my anthology.  Including award winning T.A.R.A paranormal romance, 1-800- FORTUNE,  and action packed Cajun crime mystery, A Slice of Scandel.

Can't wait?  

Visit a few of my links and spend some time with my Rodeo Cowboys featured in my Rodeo Romance series,  Or perhaps a little fun and sassy fantasy novella will make your evening.

Remember to stop by and see what my author friends have in store for you.

Happy Reading,

Connie

http://triciamcgill.blogspot.com (Tricia McGill)

http://www.jamiehill.biz (Jamie Hill)

http://medievalnovels.blogspot.com (Vijaya Schartz)

Round Robin Blog, May 24, 2014, SETTINGS

What is the most inspiring, romantic, or dangerous setting you ever read or written?

Round Robin Blog with Connie - #RndRbn May 24, 2014

Welcome to another Round Robin Blog event, held 

once a month and hosted by Rhobin Lee Courtright.  

This month's topic:

What is the most inspiring, romantic or 

dangerous setting you ever came across 

while reading or imagined while writing?  

Do you have a preference for a certain time 

and place for a story?

Rhobin comes up with some great topics for

discussion, and this one gave me pause (hence

my posting on Saturday morning rather than late, 

late on Friday night).  While my current two series are westerns (historical YA andcontemporary 

 romance), I do write in multiple genres, and with a wide range of settings. 

Book 2 of my Rodeo Romance Series (Brede) is romantic suspense, set in New Mexico.  

When I have an idea for a new story, it begins with with dialogue.  The only way to explain this is 

to say, "It is like someone is including you in a private conversation".  Not a whisper, exactly, 

more of a casual 'coffee shop' conversation.  When a close fried places her hand on your 

shoulder to give you a clue in on what's going on around you. Even though my characters 

drive my stories, I am a pragmatic writer. 

I write a backstory, outline and include chapter summaries, motivation, and the computer 

equivalent of 3 x 5 cards to to develop my scenes.  My research is time consuming :-), 

I interview, I read the local newspapers, I vacation in the area (umm, sounds a bit like stalking) 

and I post photos in my office, cook regional foods and listen to the music my characters 

would have save to his/her iPhone.

 The result of my 'dangerous' setting(s).  My YA histoical novel Whisper upon the Water delves 

into one dark area of American history.  The treatment of Native Americans, and that of their

children, after the Indian Wars.  The setting is dangerous for my heroine, and many of the children 

who lived with their tribes/bands and were forcibly relocated to government run 

boarding schools. All across the western plains (especially in the Dakotas) is still place, 

on and off of the reservations, where life is. . .often unsafe . . .

Brede, Rodeo Romance Book 2, is a suspense novel.  I was visiting a descrated ruin in 

New Mexico when I was involved in the Title 9 program and serving on PAC committees 

involving Native American Affairs.  The times were troubling and often deadly.  

This became the driving force for this current release.

I don't wish for my readers to think my novels are filled with 'darkness'.  

Lynx, Rodeo Romance Book 1, is filled with humor, rodeo action, and smoking hot cowboys!

My education series (YA and children's short-stories)  Medicine and Magic in Ancient Egypt 

and A Candle in the Dark, are informative and draw children into, and, help children experience 

'every day life' hundreds, if not thousands of years ago.

Fall of this year will provide my readers with new adventures:

My Cajun Anthology, My Zombie (think "War Bodies" minus chomping), novella, 

and hopefully, Book 3 of my Rodeo Romance (with a ChickLit slant) titled, Rand.

My current releases are available on Amazon. 

Next on the Round Robin Circuit is:

Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/

This is the line-up of authors participating in today's Blog Event!
* Lynn Crain at http://lynncrain.blogspot.co.at/
* Anne Stenhouse athttp://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
* Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca
* Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
* Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/
* Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
* Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
* Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com
* Margaret Fieland at http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog 
* Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com
* Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com

Heidi Thomas at I http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com/ 

My Interview @ Books We Love

Dear Readers,

It’s 2014 and an unexpected 73⁰ here in SoCal!   Let’s all settle in at the Books We Love Blog.  I’ve tuned into SlackerRadio.com on my iPad.  New Orleans Jazz is blasting, a mug of Starbucks' Christmas blend coffee with a dash of leftover (nonalcoholic) eggnog is at my elbow, and I’m ready to rock!

BWL: Why did you choose the genre you write in? Is it your favorite to read, or another reason?

CV:  Western Contemporary Rodeo Romance is an action-paced, yet down-home genre—one of the reasons it appeals to me.  I was blessed in living both a rural and urban--somewhat nomadic life-style during my childhood.  I enjoy the sport of rodeo and when my children were young, Pro Rodeo events were included in our vacations.  My father is from Texas, competing in bronc riding during high school years.  As you can see, my familiarity with the sport is one reason I include Western Romance in the genres I write, however, it is not the only reason.  For those of you who have visited the Western states, you know how intensely rugged the geography can be; and have encountered the strong-minded and independent thinkers (both men and women) that this type of remoteness fosters.  Just placing individuals such as these in a room together creates memorable heroes and heroines, don’t you think?

Look at Lynx Maddox and Rachel Scott; Brede Kristensen and Amberlynn.  The mountains of Montana, the remoteness of New Mexico, and the state of Texas & its cowboys--these are the real-world settings that my readers remember and write to me about.  Lynx and Brede are the heroes that my readers fall in love with.

BWL: Describe yourself using 5 words.

CV:  Curious. Friendly. Complex. Reflective. Witty. 

BWL: What might a reader be surprised to learn about you?

CV:  (I still can’t believe I did this!)  Mr. Theodor Geisel (Dr. Suess) requested to read my short-story, twice.  And I refused. Twice. (What can I say? It was junior in high school, and I didn’t wantanyone reading what I wrote).

BWL: What was your favorite book as a child or young adult?

CV:  Jane Eyre.  My favorite quote, “I do not think, sir, you have any right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because have seen more the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience.”  Delightfully spunky, our Jane!

BWL: What super power would you like to have and how would you use it?

CV:  Healing.  Not only could I heal minor injuries like cuts and bruises, but I could also help ease the pain of people suffering from serious illnesses. Cancer, Alzheimer’s, and AIDS would all be history.

BWL: If you could go back in time for one day, which time period would you like to visit?

CV:  47 BC, Alexandria, Egypt. Before Julius, Caesar ordered the ships in the harbor set on fire. At that time the Library of Alexandria held over half a million documents from Assyria, Greece, Persia, Egypt, India and many other nations.  Over 100 scholars lived there to lecture or translate.  I can’t even begin to comprehend all the knowledge that was lost. Plus, getting a glimpse of Cleopatra would be a real perk!

BWL: Choose one person, living or dead, you’d like to share a meal with.

CV:  Nigella Lawson.  She is a delightful television personality, has lived a very interesting life --and I’d really like to know how she comes up with so many ways to prepare green peas.

 

BWL: Name one thing you’d like to change about yourself if you could.

CV:  Quit being a night owl.  (Going to sleep at 11:30 or 12:00 and getting up at 5:30 AM is nuts!)

BWL: What’s one genre that interests you, but you’ve never tried to write?

CV:  Epic.  The idea of a celebrating the exploits of a hero appeals to me, yet my ability and the attention span to produce a 404k novel eludes me. 

BWL:  Thanks Connie!

Please come back over the next couple of days to read excerpts from Connie's BWL titles. Find her books here:  http://bookswelove.net/vines.php

My Interview at Books We Love

http://bwlpp.blogspot.com/

Stop by an see my interview.  Surprising questions! And even More surprising answers!

Excerpts from my novels will be posted starting tomorrow.

Remember to sign-up for he contests and giveaways Books We Love run each and every month.

BREDE is a FREE download at Amazon until October 14!

http://www.amazon.com/Brede-Rodeo-Romance-Connie-Vines-ebook/dp/B00DRPHILY

Readers please keep downloading my FREE Rodeo Romance, Book 2, BREDE.  

I am much nearer to making the TOP 100 list at Amazon!

Two FREE downloads of Two of my Novels during October! Yay! A Read Fest

http://www.freeebooksdaily.com/2013/10/brede-by-connie-vines.html

Book 2 of my Rodeo Romance, "BREDE",  is FREE until October 15th!  

Please download to your Kindle, or via the free kindle app.

Readers almost pushed "Lynx" to Amazon's top 100 list!  Please keep clicking for a 

FREE download of "BREDE".

I will keep you posted as we edge closer to the goal.

Remember, I am blogging on Rhobin's Ramblings Blog on October 26

(the same day as my Spooktacular Dinner Event).  And, as always, my menu, 

photos, and recipes will be posted on my culinary blog before Halloween.

🎃👻🔮

http://www.freeebooksdaily.com/2013/10/brede-by-connie-vines.html

Cut and paste this link into your browser, or go to Amazon.com and type in Connie Vines.

I am Guest Blogging!

I am guest blogging this week on Lorrie's author blog, please stop by for a visit!  I always love hearing from

my Readers,

http://lorriejuly.blogspot.com/