What Eccentric Writing Habits Have I Never Mentioned? By Connie Vines

Most authors, of course, have personal eccentric writing practices. Fueled, no doubt by his or her

personal muse.  Agatha Christie munched on apples in the bathtub while pondering murder plots, Flannery O’Connor crunched vanilla wafers, and Vladimir Nabokov fueled his “prefatory glow” with molasses.

Then there was the color-coding of the muses:  Alexandre Dumas, for decades, he penned all of his fiction on a particular shade of blue paper, his poetry on yellow, and his articles on pink; on one occasion, while traveling in Europe, he ran out of his precious blue paper and was forced to write on a cream-colored pad, which he was convinced made his fiction suffer. Charles Dickens was partial to blue ink, but not for superstitious reasons — because it dried faster than other colors, it allowed him to pen his fiction and letters without the drudgery of blotting. Virginia Woolf used different-colored inks in her pens — greens, blues, and purples. Purple was her favorite, reserved for letters (including her love letters to Vita Sackville-West, diary entries, and manuscript drafts. Lewis Carroll also preferred purple ink, but for much more pragmatic reasons: During his years teaching mathematics at Oxford, teachers were expected to use purple ink to correct students’ work — a habit that carried over to Carroll’s fiction.

So how do my little eccentric (or never before mentioned) writing practices measure up?  Is my personal muse quirky, dull, or out of control?

Since my quirks are normal for me, I had to think about this for a bit.

• I always drink coffee that is part of my current ‘setting’.  When my setting is New Orleans I mail order my coffee from my favorite spot.

Café du Monde.  I have my cup and saucer, and a portable mug when I writing outdoors.   I have a blue coffee pot and matching tin cup when I writing westerns (yes, the coffee is VERY strong and black).  And of course, a Starbuck cup or a Disneyland mug when my novels take place in So.Cal.

• My music and my menu planning also is linked to my settings.  All within the range of normal.  Though I have more than my fair share of coffee mugs and cups.

• I listen to diction videos on YouTube so that I am not relying on my memory for the sound of a Cajun accent, Texan’s drawl, etc.

• I visit areas on Google Earth and Zillow.  Even if I have lived or vacationed there, I may have forgotten an interesting ‘something’ I can insert into dialogue, or find a way to describe a scene.

• I talk to myself.  Or not simple little sentences.  I’m talking about a two- way conversation: “Do you think that might work?”  “No.  No one is that stupid!”  “How about. . .”  This is the time my husband walks by to find out who’s on the phone, or if I’m asking him a question.  The dog even pokes her head in to see what’s going on.  I’m thinking this is a bit outside of the ‘normal’ range.

• When I write I have to make certain my work space in in perfect order.  I have colored folders/pens/notebooks that match and are exclusive to the story I’m working on at the moment.

• I never enroll in an online class when I’m writing—it’s guaranteed writers’ block.  I never talk about my WIP because I mentally clock that as writing time and lose interest in the story before it’s completed.

• Whatever story I’m am working on is my favorite.

• I survive on 3 hours sleep when I am deep in a story.  I know I drink coffee, but seem to run the story in my mind when I sleep too.

• I also pick up the quirks of my heroines.  I have several friends who are in theater and said it’s a bit like ‘method acting’. Fortunately, I’m back to my state of normal a couple of weeks after typing THE END.

I think all of this part of a writer’s voice.  It is what we, as readers, look for in a story.  Hopefully, it is what my readers, enjoy about the novels, short-stories and novellas that I write too.

Happy Reading!

Connie

Please stop by and visit every one participating in this months’ Round Robin Blog Hop:

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
A.J. Maguire  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Dr. Bob Rich https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/2016/09/24/is-my-writing-right-for-you
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca
Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.wordpress.com
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com

Sunday Snips & Stuff

Oh, Mercury retrograde. You are here, AGAIN. You have arrived on our collective doorsteps in all your messy glory. 

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, here we go. The planets are swinging around at all times, and their movements affect us all in different ways. All planets go retrograde, but Mercury’s journey seems to impact people much more than any other. (Even people who “don’t believe in astrology” often “believe” in the crazy aftershocks of Mercury retrograde!)

Why is that? It’s because Mercury rules communication, clear thinking, truth and travel, so when the planet goes retrograde — which means that it looks like it’s going backwards in the sky — all those things go backwards. They start to get ugly and tangle up. Mercury isn’t really going backwards, it’s just hanging out by the sun, but from Earth, that makes it look like it’s in reverse. It typically runs for a couple of weeks, a few times a year.

Check out these dates below and put them in your calendar!

In 2016, Mercury is retrograde from…
January 5th to January 25th
April 28th to May 22nd
August 30th to September 22nd
December 19th to January 28th (2017)

Note: We sometimes start to feel the effects of Mercury retrograde a few days early. It’s nice to give yourself a bit of leeway on either side of the prescribed dates!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MERCURY GOES RETROGRADE?

All sorts of things! It’s like everyone you know has suddenly gone mad! You might find yourself getting into bizarre arguments about nothing at all, being unable to finish sentences or barely even able to form a coherent thought. Your computer and other electronic equipment is more likely to go on the fritz. You could experience travel delays, too. Double-check your flights and take a book with you to keep you occupied while you wait for the train! We don’t tend to get all the information we need at this time, so it can be hard to make big decisions and it’s not always the best time to sign a contract, either.

Expect to hear super-loud complaining from your friends who are Gemini (me!) or Virgo, since both are ruled by Mercury! Mercury also rules a lot of industries like publishing, writing, editing, advertising, sales, public relations and anything to do with transport, like airlines, the post office and cabs! This means it can be particularly rough for Gemini train conductors and Virgo magazine editors, so be kind to any you know!

I often find that Mercury retrograde makes me want to go into hermit mode. I feel like half my brain is missing so I’m really not that interested in interacting with anyone, plus every conversation seems to go in an unusual, confusing direction. I feel much more irritable and frustrated and things just don’t seem to go how I want them to.

So that’s the bad news. Mercury retrograde can be a total kick in the teeth for those of us who normally pride ourselves on having our karmic shit together! The GOOD news is that Mercury retrograde provides us with lots of beautiful opportunities if we can just tilt our head and squint.

Mercury retrograde wants us to move back spiritually. It is providing us with a chance to re-examine various areas of our life which may need a little more work, so that we can move forward to a bright new dawn. Now, more than ever, the time is right to look at things with clear eyes. 

It’s also a terrific period in which to tie up loose ends. So many of us have unfinished projects… Maybe that door just needs another lick of paint, or you’ll decide to put away your ex-boyfriend’s love letters once and for all. 

One of the best ways to cope with it — as with anything, really — is to just “go with the flow”. When you fight Mercury retrograde, that’s when life gets really ugly. Just take some time, go slowly, be careful, don’t freak yourself out by expecting to be uber-productive-perfect right now. Be good to yourself and the people around you, now more than ever!

A QUICK GUIDE TO

SURVIVING MERCURY RETROGRADE!

 Be sure not to take things too personally. People will often say offensive things they didn’t mean around this time, because their thinking is clouded and their communication skills are on pause! If your best friend suddenly became the most insensitive person in the world, give her the benefit of the doubt.

 Back up your data!

 Don’t purchase any big ticket items, because they will often have flaws or issues that you weren’t aware of! Of course, life doesn’t stop just because of wacky planetary movement, so if you absolutely have to get that car, computer or iPhone, TRIPLE-check all the paperwork, and make sure you have a warranty!

 Take things with a grain of salt. Everyone is a bit confused, and people are much more inclined to change their mind once Mercury goes direct. Mercury can be a bit of a trickster — could it be that the next few weeks are a big karmic joke?!

 Read the small print on any contracts. Ask lots of questions. Again, you can’t put your life on hold just because of some silly planet, but adapt your lifestyle a bit so that things run more smoothly. Communication can be a mess right now, but do your best to get as much information as you can.

 Finish things you started a while ago. Home improvement projects? Wardrobe re-organisation? Short stories? Love affairs?! This is an excellent time to tie up loose ends and file things away forever.

 Get together with old friends, reminisce and laugh!

 Double-check any information you’re given, especially as relates to travel arrangements! During one particularly formidable Mercury retrograde, I actually caught a cab to the wrong airport! Check times, delays, baggage allowances, reservations… everything!

 Allow Mercury to nudge you in unusual directions. If you seem to find yourself “back to the future”, don’t just try to wriggle out of it — look at what the universe is trying to show you. What can you learn from this situation? This is a fantastic time to re-examine, accept and move on.

 Use the things you’ve discovered in the past to create a dazzling new vision so that you’re ready to blast ahead when Mercury goes direct!

See you next Sunday!

Please stop by and visit the members of our weekly blog hop!

Connie

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/Tricia McGill

http://yesterdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/   Juliet Waldon 

http://mizging.blogspot.com  Ginger Simpson

Sunday Snips & Stuff.

U Confrontation.  A noun.  A hostile argumentative meeting or situation between opposing parties.

Confrontation creates powerful drama.  I am am posting one scene that I've written that shows confrontation between characters in one of novels.

This scene in from "Lynx" Rodeo Romance.   

There was an undercurrent of Lynx's statement that made Rachel feel like a branding iron was placed on her body.  "You told your mother about Carson, didn't you?"

Lynx frowned at her. "Of course I did.  Dad had already made the connection."

Rachel wrapped her arms around herself to still her trembling and stepped away from Lynx.  Betrayal vibrated through Rachel's body and her voice shook with anger.  "How could you?  You told them without even asking me if it was okay?  What else do they know?" she demanded.

"That this is important to me, that you're beautiful and sassy and--"

A bitter, sour note left Rachel's throat.  She felt lightheaded and angry--angrier than she'd ever been in her life.  "So everyone's putting on a good show for the poor, unwanted rodeo orphan, is that it Lynx?  If you're really lucky, one of your father's friends will tell everyone about Carson's drinking binges.  Should we talk about that at the barbecue, too?"

"Or how about the time Lauren left me wandering the streets of Lordsburg, New Mexico, and Child Protective Services had to pick me up?    How would that be for meal time conversation?"

This scene is the dark moment in my contemporary romance novel.  This is the scene where  Rachel Scott must confront the man she loves, Lynx Maddox, with what she preserves as his betrayal.


Please follow the links and to these talented author blogs! 

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/

http://mizging.blogspot.com/

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

"Lynx" Rodeo Romance

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

Interview with Professional Bull Rider Lynx Maddox

Connie: Today’s rodeos feature the most skilled cowboys and cowgirls. They show off their roping, riding, and many other talents to the world. Being a rodeo cowboy, especially a bull rider, is a dangerous occupation where the only the strongest and smartest will take home the victory.
I’d like to welcome, Lynx Maddox, one of rodeo’s top bull riders, to Sunday Snippets today.

Lynx: “I’d like to thank all of the Sunday Snippets readers for logging on for my interview.”

Connie: “For the readers who aren’t familiar with PRO rodeo cowboys who support community projects for worthy causes. Lynx, you were at the Fairgrounds this weekend to support and build awareness for projects to prevent domestic violence, isn’t this correct?”

Lynx: “Yes. Dan and were at the Snake River Stampede last week where a local band helped collect donations to support a newly built women’s shelter.”

Connie: “I know you are reluctant to brag. . .but virtually all former and current world champions have competed at the Stampede at one time or another. However, few are as generous with donating their purse winning as readily as you are.”

Lynx: “Now, I wouldn’t say that. Everyone does what he or she can to help contribute to these worthy causes. . .be it in dollars or in time. . .Weren’t we gonna discuss the sport of bull riding?”

Connie: ”Yes, Wildcat, we are. According to the ABBI guidelines for judging bull riding, based on five categories: buck, kick, spin, intensity, and degree of difficulty. All of which sound extremely uncomfortable for the rider. Would you mind explaining what this all means?”

Lynx: Dry chuckle. “‘Buck’ refers to the height achieved with the front feet and shoulders as a bull begins each jump of a trip. Technically correct bulls will complete this action by kicking their hind legs, however not all will kick, and that is a separate category from buck. Bulls that “get in the air” and get their front feet a foot or two off the ground as they peak and break over get the most credit in the buck category. Another consideration is the number of jumps they complete during the course of the trip. Still another factor can be how much ground they cover.”

Connie: “I know the ‘Kick’ refers to the extension and snap of the hind legs at the peak of each jump. But I don’t know the determining factors for scoring.”

Lynx: “Again, the score is determined by how high and how hard the bull kicks, how much vertical body angle he achieves as he kicks, and whether or not he kicks each and every jump. Additionally, bulls that kick at the peak of each jump instead of waiting until their front feet reach the ground deserve more credit in this important category.”

Connie: “So at any time, a bull rider can find himself falling under one of the massive animals?”

Lynx: “Well, I reckon so, but that is not the aim of the rider. . .”

Connie: “Sorry, but. . .”

Lynx: “Heard about what happened–”

Connie: “In Cheyenne, Wyoming? Yeah.”

Lynx: “The ‘Spin’.” Takes a sip of coffee. “Also referred to as the speed category, spin is the most difficult to assess if a bull is only ridden for a jump or two. In this situation, a judge must assume that the amount a bull was spinning (or the number of rounds) would have continued at the same rate for eight seconds. For this reason, it is important, in order to achieve high marks in the spin department, to “turn back” or begin to spin as early as possible so that more time is spent spinning than covering ground.”

Connie: “The ‘Spin’ is assessed the same way?”

Lynx: “Basically yes.”

Connie: “The final category is ‘Degree of Difficulty’. Difficulty equals painful, I take it?”

Lynx: “Naw. By the end of the ride most bull rider’s bodies are numb.”

Connie: Smothering a laugh. “Please continue.”

Lynx: “There are a number of factors that can occur in a bull’s trip that elevate the degree of difficulty, and it is important to note that the bull that does everything else right automatically has a high degree of difficulty for that simple reason. Therefore, just because a bull is honest and doesn’t use tricks to get a rider off, he shouldn’t be penalized in this category for doing things right. Having said that, there are those elements of a trip that some bulls employ that make them harder to ride than bulls that don’t. These things don’t necessarily make a bull better, and again it should be mentioned that the most desirable methods of increasing degree of difficulty are by doing the core elements (buck, kick, and spin) well. Furthermore, the bull that is using time and energy performing some of the trickier elements generally associated with degree of difficulty is usually losing ground in some other area. The most generally defined elements of this category are: drift or fade, accomplished by a bull covering ground as he spins; moving forward in the spin; belly roll; drop; direction change; and lack of timing.”



Connie: “Lynx, thank you so much for taking time from your packed schedule to explain the element of rodeo to those of us here at Sunday Snippets. You make bull riding sound like everyone’s nine-to-five job. But we all know that isn’t true. Rodeo is a very dangerous sport.”

Lynx: “I can’t deny that fact.”

Connie: “Where are you off to tomorrow?”

Lynx: “Tonight. After I wrap things up at the Fairgrounds, I’m driving up to Running Springs, Montana.” Rising to his feet, he tips his hand and exits the booth.

Connie: speaking over the canned music, ‘The Yellow Rose of Texas,”Thank you, Wildcat. Let’s all thank Lynx Maddox for stopping by today.”

Lynx is 99 Cents at Amazon.com (Kindle).

Remember to stop by and visit these wonderfully talented who are members of the Sunday Snippets Blog Hop!

Ginger Simpson

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

Sunday Snippets 5/1/2016

This week's snippet is taken from chapter 3 from "Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow". (Kindle Unlimited this month!).

Summary:  Meredith's soon-to-be ex-husband stays with her during a financial crunch (his not hers).
Meredith frowned.  Something wasn't right.  Viktor was tidy, almost to the point of psychotic; ritualistic in his routine.  The scent of pine and snow were heavy on the air.  He smelled as if he'd spent the entire night tromping through the woods.  The cold had seeped into the pores of his skin, and his cheeks were wind burned.  Viktor was not an outdoors  man, he was a scholar.  Wasn't he?

Six months ago, she would have thought so with absolute certainty.  Now, who knew?  Viktor was different.  Less distant. . .more human.  She knew that didn't make any sense.  Of course, he was human!  He seemed vulnerable--yes, that was it--and less self-assured.

All of which is none of your concern, Meredith reminded herself.  Reaching for the paper filter and can of dark roast Yuban, she readied the coffee maker.  It was her day to make breakfast; she didn't need to concern herself with anything else.

Still, something about Viktor was different.  Meredith tried to push aside the feeling, but it continued to nag at her.  She'd noticed the change in Viktor the night he'd arrived.

Don't go there.

He was pale (toothpaste white was a more accurate description), his angular face shadowed with exhaustion.  He looked. . .dead, well--she should know; almost dead anyway.

(Please click on my buy links if you'd like to read my story.  

Please stop by and visit these wonderful authors and enjoy the snippets they are sharing.

Happy Reading!

Connie

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/

http://mizging.blogspot.com/

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

Inspiration for Writing By Connie Vines Sunday Snippets #6

It 

It hardly ever fails. Just when you sit down to write, no matter how long you’ve been waiting for the chance, you suddenly feel like doing anything else.

Check Facebook. Bake cookies. Scrub the stovetop.

Part of it is being tired. I know. Most of us are writing in the lean moments between the full-time job, school, cooking, cleaning, child-rearing and, life.

 If you wait to feel like writing, you never will. If you wait for inspiration to find you, it never will. 

You must make it happen.

Some writers swear that publicly committing to a deadline is the way to start.  I find this approach creates instant writer's block.

1. Blogging 

Commit to posting on a weekly on one blog, monthly on another.  I love to beig a guest blogger on a friend's blog and being interviewed on others.

2. Meet regularly with other Authors

Meeting regularly with a writer’s group or a critique partner.  I also judge writing contests, including the Rita's, Golden Heart, and local contest. You may wish to sign up for NaNoWriMo or the 3-Day Novel contest. 

3. Keep a favorite book close 

Is there a particular book that always gives you the urge to put pen to paper? A how to write reference book that gets you fored up to write? Keep it close to your writing space and read a few pages when you sit down to write. 

3. Develop a routine

 Choose the same time to write every day. Listen to the same type of music, drink the same type of tea/coffee/wine. In time, the sensory repetition will help to trigger that writing urge in you.

4.  Get your sleep, exercise, and drink a cup of coffee

I’ve heard some people need 8 hours of sleep per night, but personally, I function on 6 hours of sleep, 7 if I am fighting a cold. And when you’ve had a full night’s rest, caffeine doesn’t just resuscitate your zombie self – it makes you want to write and create and be generally brilliant. I decrease my coffee consumption throughout the week (e.g. four cups (during the day) Monday, down to a one cup on Friday.  I go to the gym two days during the week and both days (before I sit down to write) on the weekends.

6. Visualize the finished piece

Or visualize the book cover.  Visualizing the finished product is very powerful. Do you want to be  working on this book for the next decade? Or do you want to hold the hardcover/paperback or eBook edition in your hands? 

Personal vows

Fall in love with your heroes and create heroines you'd like as best friend. Create a sense of time and place, and, make your readers jump feet first into your story!  Most importantly, have a great time. If you love your story, so will your readers.

Happy reading,

Connie

Please visit all the members of our Sunday Snippets Blog hop.

http://mizging.blogspot.com/

http://www.jamiehill.biz/

http://www.vijayaschartz.com/

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

Sunday Snippets #2 ~ Gumbo Ya Ya by Connie Vines~ #SundaySnips

Thank you Ginger for including me once again in Sunday Snippets.
As promised last week, I've included the final two snippets from my Cajun anthology.  Gumbo Ya Ya--for women who like romance Cajun!  Five stores, five times the fun.

Ooooh, La La!

A Slice of Scandal

“Hey, now, ‘dis key lime pie’s like de one I serve at my restaurant. Simple to make and good ta eat!  Key limes perk up de mouth and makes you hoppy.”

Producer/Director, Julia Kincaid focused on her monitor and adjusted the mike of her headset. “Camera One, tighten that head shot.”  She watched as the camera feathered over the chef to capture the best angle. The camera should have loved Franklin. His height was average, his black hair, short and curly and his skin took on a polished bronze color under the harsh camera lights, but the camera didn’t like Franklin. There was something about his eyes: like dark agate, forbidding and expressionless that was difficult to erase.  

“Okay. Now hold it, while Chef Franklin pulls the second pie from the refrigerator. Follow him back to the island. Good.”

When the chef stood on his mark, Julia said,  “Cue the music. Okay, Two, scan the

audience. Back to Franklin.”

“It’s best to serve ‘dis chilled, a twist of key lime on the top. And, boy-oh, boy, does dis taste gooood!”

“Camera Two, pan the audience. . .focus on the pie. . .Camera One, close-up on the chef. . .Hold it.”

Julia heard the studio audience applause.

“Now, pull back. He cuts the pie. . .he puts it on the plate. . .now wait for the whipped cream and. . .okay . . .he’s got the fork. He’s taking a bite.”

The studio audience uttered a collective sigh.

“Let’s call it a day. . .” Julia said, pulling off her headset and allowing it to dangle around her neck. “Hey, hey, what’s he doing, now?” she asked. “This is where he says goodnight. What’s he doing?”  Snagging the mike that was clipped at her waist she barked, “Someone cue Franklin. He’s off his mark.”  It was times like this she questioned her sanity at trading a career in Hollywood daytime T.V. for that of the Good Eats Network in Orlando, Florida.

“What’s going on now? Why’s he grabbing his throat?”

From her left she heard J.D. groan. “Damn, Julia. Harvey’s gonna boil all of our carcasses in a stockpot for this one!  Franklin must be hitting the booze again. Jeeze, look at him!  Franklin’s spitting out the pie. Hell, there go the show’s ratings.”

1-800-FORTUNE

(T.A.R.A. Award, Paranormal) 

The moon was full tonight; huge in the sky, a brilliant iridescent orb that stared down at the earth. Enza felt the conscious energy feather over her as she removed the silk cloth protecting her Tarot cards.

            There are seventy-eight cards in a Tarot deck. Four suits of fourteen cards each. Swords, Cups, Wands and Pentacles, and twenty-two picture cards called the major arcane, the mysteries.

            Enza’s mother had told her she would learn to associate the picture cards with people she knew, and during her travels, she had met nearly all of them.

            The Juggler was a boy she’d loved and lost. The Hanged Man ran a mission on Canal Street, The Pope ran numbers for the Wiseguys. Of course, she’d married the Fool in an arranged gypsy marriage. Enza didn’t know where he was today, but she was certain he was still a fool. She’d never met Justice, nor had she ever met the Devil.

            She knew mean people, lairs, schemers, and cheats. But it takes more than being mean to make a person the Devil. The Tarot’s Devil is a special horror. He is the genius of evil. He is willful and proud, vengeful, greedy and cruel. The card also had another meaning. Yes, the Devil can come after you, but you can also go to the Devil. The Tarot is very clear in its meaning.

            Not for spells and chants are you damned but for the ordinary abuse of extraordinary things.

            Enza glanced out the window and into the moonlight washing across the cobblestone street outside the French Quarter. The Roma, through they traced their roots back to ancient Romania, never considered themselves twenty-first century gypsies.  They displayed no red palms upon the carts they set up on Canal Street nor did they dabble in the black arts--they followed the old rules, and the old ways.  Even though they prescribed to the art of making love potions and arraigning marriages, they did not cheat or scheme for excessive monetary gain.

             Clients who came to Enza purchased customized charms, scents, and herbal remedies.  In the past, Enza’s clairvoyant abilities amounted to parlor tricks; harmless indulgences, an innocent way to pass an afternoon for a tourist, but all of that had changed at Winter Solstice.

            Enza shuffled the cards, mentally saying a protection prayer, then extracted ten cards, placing them face down to form the ancient Kabalah Tree of Life on the table.

            She turned the first card face-up. 

            The Moon.

            Enza knew that the Moon was the unluckiest card in the entire deck, worse than Death.

***

Please stop by and visit the other authors participating in this event.

Happy Reading!

Connie

Tricia McGill

Jamie Hill

Vijaya Schartz

Ginger Simpson

My Guest Blog Post @: Inside Books We Love

Inside Books We Love: Research or Over-Research – Where Does a Writer Dr...: Every writer knows even when writing a nonfiction novel: making it up requires research. Like storytelling, the mind of the writer to res...

Halloween in the Quirky Suburbs of SoCal!

While other little girls played with Barbie dolls and latest version of baby 'cry and wet', I collected Universal Monster Collectibles and stayed up late at night to watch the horror host, "Moon-a-Lisa" introduce the classic Universal Studio Monster (black and white) movies.

One of my favorites was the 1932 version of The Mummy.

For those unfamiliar with the movie, I've created a plot summary:While other little girls played with Barbie dolls and latest version of baby 'cry and wet', I collected Universal Monster Collectibles and stayed up late at night to watch the horror host, "Moon-a-Lisa" introduce the classic Universal Studio Monster (black and white) movies.

One of my favorites was the 1932 version of The Mummy.

For those unfamiliar with the movie, I've created a plot summary:

In 1921 a field expedition in Egypt discovers the mummy of ancient Egyptian prince Im-Ho-Tep, who was condemned and buried alive for sacrilege. Also found in the tomb is the Scroll of Thoth, which can bring the dead back to life. One night a young member of the expedition reads the Scroll out loud, and then goes insane, realizing that he has brought Im-Ho-Tep back to life. Ten years later, disguised as a modern Egyptian, the mummy attempts to reunite with his lost love, an ancient princess who has been reincarnated into a beautiful young woman.

Yes, a new version was made in 1998.  However, I prefer Boris Karloff, and the stylized special effects. The flashback scenes in ancient Egypt were designed to resemble a silent film, with no dialog, exaggerated make-up and gestures, and a faster camera speed, to suggest the great antiquity of the events portrayed. 

And, if you are an avid fan of this genre, you will know that this is the only Universal monster of the time without a fictional antecedent. Large segments of the movie are scene-by-scene parallels of the movie Dracula (1931). An ankh symbol (the ancient Egyptian glyph for "life") is substituted for the crucifix of the earlier movie. Even Edward Van Sloan's character, Dr. Muller, is quite analogous to his Dr. Van Helsing from the vampire film.

So, it comes to no surprise that I really, really look forward to Halloween.  I throw a 'pre-Halloween' Spooktacular party for all of the youngsters in my family.  This year: Bloody Fingers (lean franks in a bun), Cat's eyes (glowing yellow jigglers with a sliver of a red grape), goblin toes, bat cupcakes, and bubbling witches' brew. (Visit my Pinterest boards for more info).

This is why I penned my Fun & Sassy Fantasy series.  I wanted to have a good time.  And more importantly, I wanted my readers to share in the fun!  My next novella, "Bell, Book, and Gargoyle" is set in Hollywood.  And "Walk Like An Egyptian" plays homage to my favorite Universal Studio classic.

Since I reside in Southern California, I can spent a day or two at Universal Studios.  I'm sorry so that much of the back lot was destroyed in a fire several years ago.  However, the pond that doubled for a Louisiana swamp in The Mummy's Curse, and provided close-up scenes while filming The Creature from The Black Lagoon, is still part of the guided tour.

I hope you enjoy my current release: "Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow" #10 on this weekend's Holiday list of most downloaded free novels on Amazon.  I am also being interviewed by
 I.B. Nosey, reporter on October 30th (http://feelingnosey.blogspot.com).  Please to login and participate in the fun (I.B. did mention prizes).

And, in case you are wondering. . . yes, I do collect Monster High Dolls :-).  (I am still searching for the Zombie doll).

Please visit my website: www.novelsbyconnievines.com  or click on: http://about.me/ConnieVines

Happy Halloween to all of my readers,

Connie

September Round Robin Topic: Abandoned Buildings

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Ah, the perfect soon-to-be Halloween topic: abandoned buildings.

www.novelsbyconnievines.com 

Since I reside in SoCal, Hollywood--past and present, provide ample inspiration for the creative mind (my mind, anyway).

Hollywood Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood, Blvd., 

Legend has it that the ghost of Marilyn Monroe still haunts the hotel. “There was a famous mirror in the lobby where people would take pictures and claim they could see Marilyn’s reflection above them." This full-length mirror once hung in Monroe’s poolside suite, and then in the lobby where it has since been removed. On the 9th floor, you can hear the late actor Montgomery Clift—who lived in suite 928 for three months while filming From Here to Eternity—practicing on his trumpet. “Guests have asked the hotel staff to tell the person in the next room to stop playing in the middle of the night. But the room was actually vacant.” 

 Lights and faucets are known to turn on and off on their own and the switchboard gets calls from vacant rooms.

Culver Studio, 9336 West Washington Blvd., Culver City, Los Angeles.

The studio complex where such legendary Tinseltown films as Gone with the Wind and Raging Bull were filmed was built in 1918 by silent movie pioneer Thomas Ince. Ince died in 1924, after falling ill on newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst’s yacht during a star-studded cruise and dinner, celebrating Ince’s 42nd birthday. While the official cause of death was listed as heart failure, legend has it that Ince was actually shot and killed by a jealous Hearst, who was supposedly aiming at (and missed) Charlie Chaplin, who had eyes for Hearst’s mistress Marion Davies. Some say Ince’s ghost still shows up for work at his beloved former studio, and can be seen and heard walking through walls and criticizing management.

And, my personal favorite, The Comedy Club.

Before this popular Sunset Strip comedy club appeared on the scene in 1972, it was Ciro's restaurant, one of Hollywood's hippest clubs during the 1940s and 1950s. Its owners had a close affiliation with the mob and the building still has peepholes in the upper walls of the main room that once allowed mobsters to see who was coming and going. Mickey “The King of the Sunset Strip” Cohen used the club as his base of operations. “West Hollywood was a gangster-run place with gun fights in the streets. The basement of the club was where they would take care of problem people. There is still a hole in the stairway that fits a gun, to shoot anyone going up or downstairs.” 

employees have claimed to hear voices, cries and even snarls coming from the basement. “After years of denying the ghost stories, the Comedy Store is now embracing its past and even started tours of the haunted basement."

How about you?  Do have an abandoned building story of your own to tell?

Watch for my Sassy and Fun Fantasy series.  "Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow" will be available on October 1st!  My book trailer will be on my web site, YouTube and Vimeo next week!

Visit Rachael Kosnski  to read her Round Robin blog. http://the-doodling-booktease.tumblr.com/

Lynx, Rodeo Romance Book 1 is available in paperback!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lynx-connie-vines/1114972573?ean=9781771452861

This is a great SALE at Barnes and Noble.  FREE shipping with a $25.00 order!

Looking for a sexy cowboy and a sassy heroine?  Then "Lynx" is the book you've been craving.

HOLT Medallion and Orange Rose Finalist and Award os Excellence Winner.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lynx-connie-vines/1114972573?ean=9781771452861

Characters Take Over #Round Robin, August

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This month's Round-Robin topic is about secondary characters taking over a story. I must admit that I have read stories where I found the secondary character more interesting than the main character or really wanted to read the story of the secondary character.  I believe that several of my secondary characters have tried to take over the story. However, to date, I have been successful in stalling the secondary character.  How? (More on this later).

My main characters aren't women who are easily elbowed from center stage.  Still, my secondary characters don't take kindly to keeping his/ her light beneath a basket, so to speak.  In Lynx, Rodeo Romance Book 1, Charlene Davis (Rachel's best friend) is a no-nonsense, extremely funny, redneck sorta woman.  Charlene is a loyal friend to Rachel.   In Brede, Rodeo Romance Book 2, Caldwell, the old cook, makes a valiant effort to take over story (Caldwell is mentioned on nearly every review), but my main characters do keep control of the story.

In my YA novel, Whisper upon the Water, the secondary take over was quite different.  When I plotted my novel I had planned on making Anna Thunder my main character.  However, as my plot line and characterization became more concrete, I discovered that Tayiana  was truly the heroine of the novel.  While Anna's story was also important-- Tay's story was more compelling, more haunting.

How have I stalled my secondary characters?  I bribed them, of course!  

Anna Thunder will appear in my Spirit in the Sky while Lynx"s sister was the heroine in Brede.  

As for Charlene and Caldwell, time will tell.

Sometimes a writer can introduce an unexpected characters whose personalities are stronger than those of the main characters. What matters is the story. Hopefully their presence will make the story more believable, add excitement and humor,  while  increasing the reader's enjoyment.

I hope you have enjoyed this month"s blog topic.  Please check in for updates on my releases:  Lymx, Rodeo Romance, book 1--in print!  And my sassy and fun novella, Here Today Zombie Tomorrow.  Followed by my anthology, Gumbo Ya Ya: for Woman who like Romance Cajun & Men HOT & Spicy

I thank you for stopping by.  Please follow the link to Geeta Kakade's blog.

Connie 

Geeta Kakade http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/

Those participating:
Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
Anne Stenhousehttp://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com
A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/ 
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.webs.com

Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Geeta Kakade http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://rhobinleecourtright.com