A Writing Life

2010

2010-03-30T06:29:00.000-07:00

Here it is March of 2010 and I haven't used my blog for over a year. What a shame. What a waste. BUT, I'm finally back to writing and therefore to writing on my blog. I am on page 127 of the sequel to my Saratoga Summer: 1863. The books is Saratoga Winter: 1865. It tells the story of the youngest of the five O'Malley brothers who migrate to America. Connor was the hero of the summer book and Egan is the hero of the winter one.

It took me 127 pages to get all the players in Saratoga where the scary things happen. I can't wait to see what all occurs.

Scottish Humor

2008-08-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

Some of these gave me the giggles......

Exercise
After a lifetime of hearty eating of all the wrong kinds of food, Davie
McFlannel was as wide as he was tall (OK - he wan't very tall...). One of
his friends suggested to him that he should exercise to lose some excess
weight - even a short walk (to the public bar, perhaps) rather than driving
there and back might help. Davie glowered and commented, pointedly: "I like
long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me." Then he
added: "The only reason I would take up exercising is so that I could hear
heavy breathing again....."

Lachlan's Laws - # 71
That great Highland philosopher, Lachlan McLachlan, propounded a number of
irrefutable laws of life, the universe and everything, usually after a
"bevvy" in the Auchenshuggle Arms on a Saturday night. Here is another
example: "Eve and the apple was the first great step in experimental
science". It has to be said, however, that the Scots' author and playwright
James Bridie may have made the comment first.

Bad Grammar
Wee Donald wasn't very good at grammar and spelling at Auchentoshan Primary
School and the teacher kept testing him in the hope that he would
eventually learn. One day the teacher asked Wee Donald "Give me a sentence
beginning with 'I' " Wee Donald thought for a moment and then began "I
is..." The teacher angrily interrupted him and firmly said: "How many times
do I have to tell you that you must always say 'I am' !" Wee Donald looked
crestfallen and resumed: "All right. I am the letter in the alphabet after
H...."

Saratoga in 1863

2008-08-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

This little article is about my favorite city--Saratoga Springs, NY. In fact, I used to live there during the summers with relatives, who have since moved south. But, my love for that city remains--so much so that I wrote a historical novel, SARATOGA SUMMER: 1863, that describes the movements of a family from the Conscription-riot action in new York City to the rural placidity of Sartoga. And they did it all just in time for the first legalized racing in that city. Saratoga Flat Track is the oldest continuously viable track in America, I believe.

It’s an equine attraction
Racing Museum is destination for fans of the track in Saratoga
Saturday, August 2, 2008
By Bill Buell (Contact)
Gazette Reporter

— There are enough museums in Saratoga Springs to satisfy most history buffs, regardless of their particular interest, but if it’s the middle of summer and you’re in Saratoga, then the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame is definitely the place to be.

“Our attendance increases significantly in the summer. So July and August are by far our busiest months of the year,” said Mike Kane, communications director at the museum. “We get a lot of racing fans who come in the morning and then go to the races in the afternoon.”

With Saratoga Race Course being dark on Tuesdays, you might think the Museum and Hall of Fame would be particularly busy on that day. Not so, according to Kane.

“I think Tuesday tends to be a transition day in Saratoga,” he said.

“People who have been here for a week go home, and other people who are coming for the week are just arriving. If you’re looking to pick out a day to come to the museum, Tuesday’s a pretty good one. You won’t feel at all crowded like you might think.”

New exhibit
Visitors to the museum, 191 Union Avenue, will see a new exhibit on equine medicine that opened just last month.

“It’s an exhibit that ought to be appealing to people of all ages and interests,” said Kane. “We realized that the public really got involved in following the Barbaro injury and how he was treated, and the difficulties in trying to treat horses. It’s got a video component and lots of photographs and graphics. It’s a wonderful exhibit, and it’s an exhibit that might make you cry.”

Another new exhibit focuses on a number of U.S. presidents and their fascination with horses, while other museum highlights include a 90-minute documentary on the 2006 Kentucky Derby.

“And real racing fans will want to see the Hall of Fame and read some of the plaques, like Eddie Arcaro’s or maybe check out the Secretariat plaque,” said Kane. “There’s a lot of history here with plenty of familiar names.”

He said that most people, if they don’t take in the movie, can get in and out of the place in about two hours and see pretty much everything. That leaves lovers of military history, dance, automobiles and general Saratoga history an opportunity to visit one of Saratoga’s other museums.

History galore
“There’s a lot of wonderful history in Saratoga Springs and the place to start soaking it all in is the visitor center,” said Mary-Jane Pelzer, director of the Saratoga Springs Visitor Center, 297 Broadway.

“We tell some of the Saratoga story right here, and we have all the information people need about the other museums. People who love history will love spending time in our city.”

Being LAX

2008-07-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

I know I've been very lax in doing my blog every day, but I feel I have a reason. Immediately after having two shots of cortisone in my herniated discs, the very next day, I was involved in a terrible auto accident. Fortunately, it seems that nothing was broken but I now have to get two more MRIs, one on my shoulder, which slammed into the left side of the car, and one on my knee, which got jammed in the procedure.

After doing all that and returning the rental car to Bennington, on Thursday, I'm going to a friend's cottage on a Long Island beach. Sevan gals from the local Red Hat contingent are going. We won't be back until Sunday and I'm looking forward to the trip................there's nothing like lying on the sand, staring at the sky.

I have made a promise to myself that, after the weekend is over, I will get back to my suspense novel--FULL FORCE. I have done little or no writing since I first started have the severe back pains due to the disc problems. I will take my therapy sessions for four weeks and write like a demon. On the 8th, the Cambridge Fiction Writers (CFW) will begin to meet again, and I'll be glad to see them all. But most of all, I'll be glad to restart the novel--or rather--continue where I left off.

Stuff for research

2008-07-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

I'm putting this information on the blog, because it's the sort of thing I use for researching when writing my historical novels. I want to keep it where I can get to it easily,
. Check out Charles I. He is the king in my novel, Clan Gunn.

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Monstrous monarchs

Are there too many awful rulers to pick the worst?
With the pressure of ruling and the stress of succession, perhaps it is no wonder that so many of Britain's kings and queens have made a mess of their reign.

On Tuesday, Today spoke to historians taking part in a debate organised by English Heritage, which seeks to answer the question of which British monarch should be considered the biggest failure.

Their nominees - Edward II, George IV and Mary, Queen of Scots - are certainly contenders for the dubious honour of Britain's worst monarch.

But following the programme, listeners emailed us to disagree with the selection.

It seems there is barely a name in the royal lineage - from Vortigern to Victoria - not considered by someone as an utter failure.

Perhaps the only way to avoid controversy is to rule in the style of Edward VII who, as historian John Cannon says:

"Loved uniforms, was good on names and didn't outstay his welcome."

The contenders

There were calls for William the Conqueror to be added for conquering England and Harold for being conquered.

Victoria got a mention for being miserable and Richard the Lionheart for being absent (and spending all England's money on crusades).

Alexander III ruined a good reputation by falling off his horse at an inopportune moment and Lulach the Simple was nominated for, well, being simple.

So who did you nominate? The top three contenders in our highly un-scientific survey are as follows:

HENRY VIII

An egotist who murdered two wives for failing to provide a son, who destroyed an entire culture to satisfy his own desires and launched failed, unnecessary wars

Robbie, Blackburn
Among the most popular contenders is Henry VIII.

Ironically, he was in the frame for last year's debate on the best British monarch.

However, in his personal life he did little to secure public popularity.

Historian John Cannon, editor of the Oxford Companion to British History, agrees with our emailers' sentiments.

"He is a horrid beast. It turns one's stomach over a bit - when he looses his taste for a wife he has their head cut off.

"He is then marrying and dancing within a week. Perfectly dreadful," he says.

Cannon says that Henry inherited a kingdom in rude health with no debts and little conflict. He left it split, bankrupt and, the worst crime for any monarch, without a clear successor - leading to a long and destructive battle for the throne.

CHARLES I
In the 17th Century, it took an unprecedented combination of deviousness and political incompetence for a king to end up tried and executed as a tyrant, murderer and public enemy

John, London
Another popular choice, not mentioned by the panel, is Charles I.

He was a monarch who believed so fervently in his divine right to rule that half the country rose up against him.

Eventually, of course, Charles was beheaded on 30 January 1649. Called martyr by some, many Today listeners branded him incompetent instead.

Historical biographer Lady Antonia Fraser agrees he should have been included on the list.

"He was a weak king in a situation that demanded a strong one.

"He was ended by his own actions, making inevitable a civil war that brought no great good to anyone," she says.

MARY I

She was a religiously bigoted tyrant full of prejudice and narrow mined religious fervour. Her reign held terror for any that did not conform to her ideals

Jane, Derby

And who could ignore the ignominious reign of Mary I?

After attempting to return England to Catholicism, she unleashed vengeance on unlucky Protestants so fierce she earned the title 'Bloody Mary'.

Professor David Loades can understand why Mary I is still so unpopular.

"She burned about 285 protestants in the course of three and a bit years.

"When you consider that the Spanish inquisition probably burned about 30 or 40 it was a very severe persecution.

"No-one at that time had any scruples about burning heretics, but she did burn rather a lot," he says.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Tuesdays programme the panel of experts taking part in the English Heritage debate nominated their worst three monarchs.

Here are the charges against Edward II, Mary Queen of Scots and George IV.

EDWARD II

After being forced to abdicate, Edward was imprisoned and brutally murdered
Edward ruled from 1307-1327. In that time he not only lost the war with Scotland that his father started but was also imprisoned by his estranged wife and forced to abdicate on grounds of incompetence.

Historian Alison Weir nominated Edward II. The charges are as follows:

A poor soldier during the war with Scotland.
Saw English defeat by Robert the Bruce in 1314, therefore failing to realize his fathers dream of a united Britain.
Irritated the nobility by lavishing money and rewards on his male favourites.
Forced to abdicate on grounds of incompetence following imprisonment by his own wife's army.

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS

Mary was next in line to the English throne at the time of her execution
Scotland's queen from 1542 to 1567 managed to be implicated in murder and treason, forced into exile, imprisoned for 19 years and executed.

Historian Sarah Gristwood nominated Mary, Queen of Scots. The charges are:

Suspected involvement in the murder of husband (and second cousin) Henry Stuart at Kirk o'Field in 1565.
Marriage only three months after the murder to the Earl of Bothwell, also a suspect in the murder. This caused Scotland's Protestant Lords to rise against her.
Decision to flee to England, where she thought Elizabeth I would protect her, but where she was imprisoned for 19 years.
Suspected involvement in numerous plots to assassinate the English queen, eventually leading to a trial for treason - and execution.

GEORGE IV

George became obese from eating one too many lavish royal banquets
The Playboy prince ruled Britain as Prince Regent during his father George III's madness and as King from 1820-1830, following his father's death. Despite seeing Britain's victory in the Napoleonic Wars, George's reign was notable mainly for his lavish lifestyle and womanising tendencies.

Historian Martyn Downer nominated George IV. These are the charges:

Serial womaniser.
Scandals with his mistresses and extravagant spending while Britain suffered the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars.
Married his cousin Caroline of Brunswick to please his father and clear his debts.
Barred his (by then estranged) wife from his coronation.

Autos and accidents

2008-07-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

Am recovering from an auto accident last Tuesday. Am bruised and battered but not broken. Am definitely lucky. Car is about $7000 sick and is being fixed. Am recuperating, sitting on my bed with the laptop. I just found this article and thought the described in all her facets, would make a wonderful character...........

- Born Livia Aurelia Magnus, in northern Gaul, in 55 BC

- Daughter of a Roman Centurion and a landowner

Livia’s mother was consistently ill while she was growing up, and her father almost always away on military campaigns under the command of first Crassus, then Julius Caesar. She was therefore responsible for the running of the land, and for making decisions regarding the welfare and disputes of the peasants and farmers occupying their land. The responsibilities were many and continuous, and as so many men were away at war, she never married.

She was known for being incredibly strict with lazy or insubordinate servants, and used corporal punishment without a second thought. However, in several instances she intervened on behalf of destitute women, including a woman whose husband was executed by the state, and a woman whose daughter was raped and impregnated.

Livia was educated by Greek tutors, and could read and write in four languages. She was interested in science, astronomy and agriculture.

In the summer of her 31st year, she was notified that a carriage of female nobles were passing through the area. She made ready the estate for their arrival. The four women arrived in the night, brilliantly dressed. The Strangers, though clearly wealthy, never supplied their names. They were shown their rooms and brought food and wine. The following night, Livia visited the eldest of the Strangers in her chambers to see that they were pleased with the accommodations. The woman asked her to sit and talk with her. They sat for many hours and conversed about philosophy, astronomy and statecraft. The evening stretched on and seemed, pleasantly, to last an eternity. Just before dawn, Livia felt light-headed, as though she were going to pass out. It was in this moment that the Stranger “sired” her. When she awoke at dusk the following evening, the Strangers were gone, and Livia knew everything would be different.

The following events happened swiftly, almost instinctively, for Livia: She waited for her father’s return home; then murdered both her parents, most of the slaves, and sold the land and cattle. The few young female slaves she spared, she kept in her service as she travelled to Rome.

She conducted much of her business in men’s dress, but revealed her womanly aspect when, after amassing great wealth, she approached the realm of the Caesars. Livia was never a woman of great sensual desire while she breathed, or thereafter, for she had never found a man worth the true effort, but she developed the ability to seduce and manipulate the stoniest of all men. Her chief interest was profit, strategy and the science of winning.

For hundreds of years, Livia bought and sold property, while setting up international trade systems, and moving precious commodities through the Roman Empire. When the Empire dwindled, Livia moved further north into Europe, changing her name many times, and finally settled in Ireland. She found her seat at the sea.

Throughout the dark ages, she stored the great literature, art and documents that were thought lost to the world. She read, she thought, and she feasted on the local villagers. She rarely sought any company, let alone that of others’ of her kind. But she would, very, very rarely, take a particular interest in the plight of a resourceful, young peasant woman who could not seem to transcend the circumstances of poverty. When the family of one of these young women reached the peak of its’ suffering, she would swiftly murder the parents, feast on the brood, and then transform the young woman into one of her own kind. The young woman would do as Livia had done; sell the property and disappear into the world like a ghost. One of these young woman, whom Langstrom found in the early 1860s in the southern United States, was Laura Watson. Though Livia would never have considered it in this sense, she was giving birth to the children she never had… or never even knew she desired.

By the early 19th century, Livia was now living under the name Elizabeth Langstrom. The first name she chose after the most notorious female serial killer in history, Elizabeth Bathory; the last after the English gentleman whose property she had appropriated in Switzerland, and in which she was now living.

One weekend in June, in the summer of 1816 (“The Year Without a Summer”), Langstrom hosted a group of English poets at her villa in Switzerland. Dejected, bored and disillusioned by her too-long life, she usually kept company away, but her interest was piqued by this self-indulgent group of romantics. For three nights, she silently watched the group read from Tales of the Dead, and create horror stories of their own. They were high on laudanum, but their gothic imaginations, and the language they used to express their dark desires, took hold of her. Among this group was P. B. Shelley, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron and an unassuming doctor and man of science, John Polidori.

Only Langstrom foresaw the massive effect the meeting of these souls would have on the world of romantic poetry. But even she did not realize the obsession that would take hold of her. Long after they were gone, she could not shake the impression that the stern, elegant Dr. Polidori had on her. She felt he kept a secret from her that she had to discover, but did not even know its’ nature. For years, she kept a watchful eye on his life, his family, his literary work. And though she never made her presence known to him, she sensed he was aware of her.

When Polidori died, she stood at his grave during the funeral, wondering at the meaning of her obsession. Polidori’s first-born son looked up at her, and she realized that the chain had not broken.

The next two centuries played out with great ferocity for Langstrom. She did not know what her fate was, but she felt a palpable awakening coming, and she acted with purpose, and with passion. She killed with passion. She exploited with passion. She destroyed and built empires with passion. Her sense of humour returned, and her personal powers grew. And all the while, she knew every step of every son in the long line of Polidori’s descendants.

In 1970, Simon Polidori, the great-great-great grandson of Polidori, emigrated from his home in Cambridge, England, to the East Coast of Canada, with his wife, Sophie. For many years, Langstrom had had her minions report his actions. But their reports came back elusive. He was elusive. It was as if he was intentionally and skillfully avoiding her detection. Shortly thereafter, she was told that he had died. Childless.

In the spring of 1978, Langstrom, who had located to Los Angeles, where she had assembled a massive media empire, travelled to Nova Scotia. She was drawn there, as though her fate was linked with Polidori, despite his passing. When she found herself at Harker’s Cove one evening in June, she felt herself staring at her own fate; at what had led her there after one and a half centuries: The young David Manners, only 8 years old. Here was her soul’s match that she had waited two thousand years to claim.

At this point begins the story of Elizabeth Langstrom, in Eternal Kiss.
Posted by Paul Kimball at 11:16 PM
Labels: characters, Elisabeth Langstrom

Auto accidents

2008-07-19T08:04:00.001-07:00

Saratoga Summer

2008-07-12T07:40:00.000-07:00

On the 23rd of July, Saratoga Flat Track opens for the summer season. The track is one of the loveliest in the East. I have fond memories of going there as a child, of seeing Onion beat Secretariat (something which made me cry like a baby-I loved that horse.)and of spending many happy days there with the gal who trained me to ride a hunter.

I think those memories are what made me interested in writing about the city of Saratoga Springs. I wanted to know how thoroughbreds got started in the city, what brought the people there in the first place and how the sport of thoroughbred racing has continued. I found lots of material and was surprised to learn that the first legal track started during the Civil War. That really seemed strange to me so I researched more and more. I found that in July 1863, riots took place in New York City, something I had not been aware of although I had lived in New York state most of my life.

The shock of learning those things forced me to finally write a book, called SARATOGA SUMMER: 1863. The book takes in both events and tells the story of the oldest and youngest of the five Irish O'Malley brothers. I drag those two young men through the trials and tribulations of a vicious riot and then drag the older one on to Saratoga in time for the first legalized racing there. The sequel to that book should come out in 2009.

Article on Ancestry

2008-07-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

For those of us who like to know who we're writing about. This article came from the Ancestry Magazine and is excellent but quite long.

If Wishes Were Ancestors
What if you could handpick the people sitting in your family tree? Would you choose rich ancestors? Beautiful ones? Ancestors who could get you the best seats at the finest restaurants or the kind whose mere mention would get you out of a parking ticket? Would healthy relatives be your choice? Great storytellers? Or would you just want to have relatives you might have had a chance to meet because they lived to be 100 years old—or more?

We challenged four family historians with the task of selecting people for their own dream trees—but we did so with a hitch: each would be relative would have to fit very specific criteria. Albuquerque Tribune columnist Mary Penner was asked to pick ancestors because of the material goods she would have inherited from each. Katherine Hope Borges, founder of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy, was to select ancestors because of their DNA. Aha! Seminars president and author of The Official Guide to Ancestry.com, George G. Morgan, was asked to pick ancestors simply based on the fact that each left a great trail of records. And Ancestry Magazine columnist Myra Vanderpool Gormley was asked to fill her family tree with people whose lives and tales would make good cocktail party conversation. So who did they choose? See for yourself.

When the Goods Are Better
Eye color, hair color, height, and even some of our personality traits are inherited. But so are good oldfashioned material possessions. While we know that no self-respecting family historian is in the hunt for a financial windfall, it’s fun to dream, right? That’s what we asked Albuquerque Tribune columnist and family history pro Mary Penner to do: dream. And make sure those dreams come with an inheritance.

While meandering through my ancestral past, I’ve discovered many wills written by my ancestors. Not one of them mentions me—not too surprising, since most of them died before I was born.

Even so, some of my ancestors could have had the forethought to pass down something special to an appreciative descendant (like me). Most of my ancestors’ wills, though, list practical objects like chairs, kitchen paraphernalia, and farm equipment. One ancestor thoughtfully bequeathed to his oldest son the gift that kept on giving—his moonshine still. But that inherited gem somehow didn’t make it to my generation.

While my family tree has its share of notorious and interesting characters, they didn’t dabble in national or international affairs or hobnob with the rich and famous. No personal letters penned by George Washington, no Civil War officer swords, and no expensive doodads from Paris sit on my mantle.

What do I wish I had inherited? Pencil these five dream ancestors into my family tree, and I’d consider myself a spectacularly spoiled descendant.

A great writer. I’m not picky about this dream ancestor. Any of my favorite authors would do: Shakespeare, Poe, Twain, Dickinson, Wordsworth, Whitman, Thoreau. I once worked with a woman who was a descendant of Charles Dickens. That impressed the heck out of me. In addition to bragging rights about my famous literary ancestor, I would love to have inherited documents penned by the author—notes, drafts of manuscripts, even everyday correspondence. Just the thought of having a document handled by Thoreau with words he scribbled on it sends shivers through my writer’s veins.

Abraham Lincoln. Having presidents in your family tree is an ancestral windfall because their lives, and their genealogies, are well documented. Actually, I do have a president in a side branch of my tree—John Tyler—but Lincoln trumps Tyler any day. Lincoln’s iconic stature in American history is hard to beat.

I would have liked to have inherited an original photograph of President Lincoln. Many photos were taken of his famously chiseled face, which may not have landed him on the cover of a 19th-century GQ. Yet there’s something about his countenance that’s both inspiring and haunting. A daily glance at Abe in my family tree would remind me about his life and times and also about what’s important in life.

An ambitious entrepreneur. Sure, my ancestors were hard workers. But they spent most of their time working to keep a rickety roof over their heads and feed the dozen children running around the four-room farmhouse. They weren’t wheeling and dealing their way to wealth.

Money isn’t on my wish list, though. After a generation or two of reckless heirs, the trickle-down trust fund would probably be nearly dry. I wish I had a wealthy entrepreneurial ancestor who had left me an exquisitely crafted Tiffany lamp straight from the sitting room of the cavernous family mansion. That would be a thing of beauty in my humble family room.

Rembrandt. Whenever I see one of Rembrandt’s paintings, drawings, or etchings, I’m left stunned. More than once I’ve stumbled through museums dabbing tears from my eyes after absorbing the sheer weight of his genius. His artistic eye was an extraordinary gift, and fortunately he exercised his gift often. The 17thcentury Dutch artist was downright prolific, creating more than 2,000 works—plenty to hand down through the centuries to art-loving posterity.

I wish I had my own private collection, direct from the master himself. That way, when I looked at them, I could cry in private and not make a spectacle of myself in public.

A hot-rod-loving car junkie. I never felt cooler in my entire life than when I drove my brother’s 1969 Corvette Stingray. It was a gas-guzzling, bone-rattling, eardrum-splitting machine, and I loved it. When that car rocketed down the highway, it felt like it pulled up the pavement in its wake; it was that mean and that sweet.

These days muscle cars typically flunk the environment-friendly test. Nevertheless, I wish I had a fast-car-loving ancestor who left me my very own hot rod, just to take out for Sunday afternoon spins. Sweet.

So, those would be my dream inheritances from my dream ancestors. My real ancestors didn’t leave me any heirlooms that would cause a stir on Antiques Roadshow. But I do have my grandmother’s watch and my grandfather’s pipe. Valuable? No. Sentimental? Yes. In reality, though, I inherited something from all of my ancestors far more valuable than any of my dream inheritances: I got my grandparents, my parents, my aunts and uncles, my siblings, my nieces and nephews, and my daughter. Sweet.

According to Science …
Which would you find more fascinating—an ancestor who drove a fancy car or an ancestor who invented that car? If science is your raison d’etre, odds are good that you have DNA results lurking somewhere behind the family tree. But what if you had your choice of DNA—who would be in your family tree then? That, says Katherine Hope Borges, founder of the International Society of Genetic Genealogy, would depend on what you wanted to learn or earn from that DNA. Borges would suggest the following:

In screenwriting, there is a term called a “MacGuffin,” which is the plot device that motivates the characters. It is the statuette in the Maltese Falcon. It is the Ark of the
Covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark. In genetic genealogy, it is having the DNA that everyone wants. The following is a list of my top five DNA MacGuffins:

Royal DNA. Czar Nicholas
Romanov, Czarina Alexandra, Prince Philip, and Marie Antoinette all have published DNA profiles. While the Romanovs and Marie Antoinette do not have any living descendants, a DNA match to them may reveal that you share a common ancestor. The biggest royal MacGuffin might be “Niall of the Nine Hostages,” a legendary fifth-century Irish High King (who may or may not, in fact, be a legend). Niall is one of the most prolific of royal progenitors, and as many as 3 million men are estimated to carry his Y-chromosome. A match with Niall not only reveals descent from his clan but also confirms Irish DNA. I have yet to locate a relative who matches Niall, but perhaps I will when a Kennedy cousin tests.

Mayflower DNA. I often wonder whether, when Dr. Samuel, Mayflower passenger and Compact signer, set foot on Plymouth Rock, his DNA changed right along with the change he made by colonizing the New World. While I don’t know for certain if the famed change in Fuller DNA occurred in Dr. Samuel or in his son Samuel, I do know his son had it and passed it on to his sons. What change? A very rare mutation. Samuel Jr. is known to have had DYS 393=12, whereas his brother, Edward, and his cousin, Robert Fuller of Rehoboth, had DYS 393=13.

In the genetics world, this mutation is akin to hitting the DNA jackpot. This is because that rare change in the DNA identifies a specific ancestor. If Dr. Samuel Fuller was my ancestor, not only would this allow me to join the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, but I would be thrilled to claim this unique Pilgrim and progenitor of very unique DNA in the New World.

Jewish DNA. Judaism is a religion, but because people who practiced Judaism tended to marry within their religion, this has created a “Founder Effect” in which their DNA has been passed down the generations, creating the ability to identify “Jewish DNA.” My earliest known maternalline ancestor immigrated to the United States from Ireland during the potato famine. Much to my surprise, my mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, does not fall into any of the groups that are common in Ireland, but rather is one of the known maternal Ashkenazi Founder lineages—with the exception of one little letter in the DNA. In one scientific study, that changed letter says I am not Jewish. A later scientific study includes Ashkenazi lineages with my change. Do I have Jewish DNA or not? Who knows when advances in DNA testing might answer that question.

Native American DNA. My fatherin-law once told me that he thought he had Native American ancestry. I never found a paper trail for it, so I thought I might try DNA. I tested my son’s autosomal DNA, and his results were 92 percent Caucasian and 8 percent East Asian. I was perplexed by the East Asian result, but later learned that Native American DNA sometimes returns East Asian results. I know that I don’t have any Native American ancestry in my heritage, but there is still the possibility that my children do. DNA testing for Native American ancestry may realize a dream for some people. Some Native American tribes are examining the use of DNA to qualify for tribal membership, and at least one tribe has already accepted it.

Famous DNA. Everyone is descended from a common ancestor at some point in time, thus making us all cousins, but how often do we have the documentation to claim kinship to celebrities? Without DNA testing, I would not know that I am more closely related to Today show host Ann Curry than I am to Katie Couric. Granted, our common ancestor lived at some point within the last 60,000 years, but if it was not for this technology—and the fact that it’s often very easy to find family history information on famous people—I wouldn’t have this knowledge. So what are you waiting for? A simple swab of saliva from inside your cheek may be all that is separating you from knowing your DNA dream MacGuffins.

Start with the Easy Ones
Not every task has to be a challenge. Whether you’re making dinner or remodeling the living room, it’s nice to hit an occasional stretch of road in which you get to coast. Same thing holds true with family history: when you’re ready for a little break in a tough-to-populate tree, finding an easy-to-locate relative who left plenty of records can be a nice diversion.

Who would George G. Morgan, author of The Official Guide to Ancestry.com, want to find in his family tree on those days he was craving a bit of rest and relaxation? Here’s who he chose. And why.

Theodore Roosevelt. Teddy Roosevelt is one of my favorite historical figures. He was a dynamic individual who filled many roles: naturalist, explorer, author, soldier, governor of New York, Secretary of the Navy, and 26th president of the United States. He was responsible for breaking up corporate monopolies and trusts and encouraged “the Square Deal” for average citizens. He led the Rough Riders in Cuba in the Spanish-American War. He negotiated control of the Panama Canal and its construction. A dedicated conservationist, he championed the creation and preservation of national parks. He won the Nobel Peace Prize for negotiating an end to the Russo-Japanese War. I’d like to be descended from this heroic man so that I would have an excuse to read and research more about him.

Lost Colonists of Roanoke Colony. The story of the Roanoke Colony has long fascinated me. Sir Walter Raleigh was granted a charter by Queen Elizabeth I to colonize Virginia. A first settlement was established on Roanoke Island on the outer banks of present-day North Carolina in 1585 but was abandoned in 1586 after relations with the Indians deteriorated. A second group of colonists arrived in July 1587 and sought to reestablish friendly relations with the local Indian tribes. Virginia Dare was the first English child born in the New World, arriving on 18 August 1587. A relief ship arrived three years later to find the settlement deserted.

What happened to the colonists? Theories abound, including one that suggests the colonists were assimilated into the local native tribes. It would be wonderful to work with the Lost Colony Center for Science and Research to help analyze this theory using DNA. Not only would I have the opportunity to learn more about genetic genealogical research, it would be terrific to help finally solve this historic mystery. Plus, if there were an ancestor from the Roanoke Colony in my family tree, I’d have little problem finding out more about his or her life as a colonist through the volume of material that has been published about the group. Finding out what happened to that relative after the colony’s demise? Well that’s another wish entirely.

Margaret “Maggie” (or Maggy) Tobin was born in Hannibal, Missouri, in 1867. She grew up to become a gutsy, ambitious young woman who wanted to care for her family. She moved to Colorado and in 1886 married miner J. J. Brown, who became wealthy through gold and copper mining. They moved to Denver, became part of local society, and were great philanthropists.

Maggie’s claim to fame? She survived the sinking of the Titanic by taking command of her lifeboat and rallying her fellow survivors. Her heroic efforts won her the nickname of “the unsinkable Molly Brown.” She went on to become a national political and social figure, an author, and a great patron of the arts. Her rags-to-riches history is well documented in census records; city directories; marriage, divorce, and death records; newspaper and magazine reports; and biographical works. Her courage and determination are a source of inspiration. And her life? Even Hollywood found it fascinating.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, better known as Lewis and Clark in history books, are two men I wish had been my ancestors. Their historic expedition began on 31 August 1803 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They then traveled to the Pacific Ocean and returned to St. Louis a little more than three years later. Along the way, they created maps and wrote descriptions of the areas they traveled, and they observed and documented 178 plants and 122 animal species and subspecies.

The exploration of Lewis and Clark expanded knowledge of the West and interest in westward settlement. In the process, they encountered and established the first diplomatic relations with the Native Americans in the areas they visited. My love of geography, old maps, and history fuels my interest in having either of these two pioneering explorers in my family tree. The fact that tracing their footsteps is simple; that their lives are well documented in their own journals, print, and even a Ken Burns film; and that their travels helped shape America would make them wonderful finds in a family tree.

John Pierpont Morgan. Finally, I am often asked if I descended from any famous Morgans. My reponse? All of my Morgan ancestors were farmers and merchants in
North Carolina. If I could change that, however, one of my dream ancestors would have been John Pierpont Morgan, the American financier, banker, and philanthropist. He was responsible for building General Electric, U.S. Steel, and a huge financial empire. A nice inheritance from J.P. Morgan’s estate would always be welcome, but even if I were from a side of the family that received no monetary bequest, the paper trail and corporate histories associated with J.P. Morgan’s business endeavors would provide me with endless reading.

Back to my reality, my true Grandfather Morgan was a banker, but his bank failed during the Great Depression. Still, I am forever proud of him and his accomplishments. I am even more pleased that I don’t have to dream about him being one of my ancestors—I have the documents and memories to prove that he already is.

If It’s Stories You Want
Forget money, genes, and research luck—there’s something that trumps them all: good, old-fashioned stories, the kind that keep people mesmerized at dinner parties and put the teller center stage. Those stories are even better when they come from someone in your family tree.

And who knows a good ancestor story better than Ancestry Magazine’s own Myra Vanderpool Gormley, whose own family tree holds some of the most colorful scoundrels anyone could ever hope to find. Now, if that tree sprouted a few more branches, who would Gormley want sitting there?

Picking only five dream ancestors out of the multitude that could be classified as American legends was more difficult than picking an all-time all-star baseball team. However, in the spirit of diversity and my personal interest, I’d probably want the following at my next family reunion:

Indian Princess. Pocahontas (a.k.a. Matoaka and Rebecca; 1595–1617), daughter of the Algonquian chief Powhatan, is the Indian “princess”—a misnomer apparently created by the English. She was only about 23 when she died, but, by the Englishman John Rolfe, she left a son, Thomas. Thomas Rolfe married Jane Poythress, and their only child, Jane Rolfe, married Colonel Robert Bolling—and from that line come numerous illustrious descendants.

Wayne Newton, the Las Vegas entertainer, claims to be a descendant of Pocahontas; if so, he would certainly add some glitz to my family tree. The Pocahontas link also would give me a rich, early Virginia pedigree.

Salem Witch. Rebecca Towne Nurse (1621–1692) of Salem, Massachusetts, was 71 years old when she was hanged on 19 July 1692. Two of her sisters—Mary Eastey and Sarah Cloyce—also were accused of witchcraft. (Mary was hanged on 22 September 1692, while Sarah was transferred to confinement in her home and then removed to Framingham, where she died in 1703.) Several years earlier their mother had been accused of witchcraft, but she was never tried. However, local gossip during the infamous 1692 trials suggested that the witch profession was handed down from mother to daughters.

Rebecca, Mary, and Sarah were the daughters of William Towne and Joanna Blessing of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Their family settled in Salem Village in 1640. About
1645 Rebecca Towne married Francis Nurse, a tray maker. They had eight children. Rebecca frequently attended church, and her family was well respected. She had “acquired a reputation for exemplary piety that was virtually unchallenged in the community”—making her one of the first “unlikely” witches to be accused.

Much has been written about Rebecca Towne Nurse, including articles, books, plays, and several movies. With her historical place in America firmly documented and with her family’s English roots, she would make an excellent addition to my pedigree, which has a need of some New England–English branches and a pious, brave woman.

Frontiersman and Politician. Davy Crockett, whose real name was David Stern Crockett, was a legend in his own time. He was born in 1786 in eastern Tennessee. Charismatic and a natural storyteller, Davy Crockett enthralled his audiences. However, he used some rough and probably exaggerated images of himself as a soldier (War of 1812) and hunter to win elections.

He served two terms in the Tennessee Legislature and then was elected to the U.S. Congress, where he served from 1827 through 1833. After years as a Jacksonian Democrat, he broke ties with President Andrew Jackson regarding Western settlers and the Cherokees and became a Whig. Upon being defeated by a narrow margin for a fourth term in Congress, Crockett commented, “Since you have chosen to elect a man with a timber toe to succeed me, you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas.”

And he did—dying at the Alamo along with one of my kinsmen, Micajah Autry.

Perching Davy Crockett in the family tree would add a colorful character in a coonskin cap and evidently some more French blood. If, as some claim, his Crockett line winds back to France, where the surname was de Crocketagne, it would force me to brush up on my high school French.

Hmm. Davy, Davy de Crocketagne, King of the Wild Frontier. Alas, it doesn’t have quite the right ring, does it?

Iconic Wild West Character. From dozens of potential candidates, I think Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp (1848–1929) fills the bill. Plus, I have already done some family research on him.

Earp was a farmer, teamster, buffalo hunter, lawman, gambler, saloonkeeper, miner, and adventurer. He wandered back and forth across the West and as far north as Nome, Alaska. While best known for his participation in the “gunfight at the O.K. Corral” in Tombstone, Arizona, along with Doc Holliday and two of his brothers, Virgil and Morgan, he’s been the subject of various movies, TV shows, biographies, and works of fiction.

I first encountered Wyatt Earp in Dodge City, Kansas, when I visited its Boot Hill Cemetery. At the time we lived in western Kansas, and that early introduction to him, Bat Masterson, and other Wild West personalities whetted my appetite to learn more.

The seven or eight women who married or lived with Wyatt and his brothers add spice and mystery to a tree that has more than its share of bigger-than-life individuals.
Researching this family dispelled many myths and preconceived notions I had about 19th-century Midwestern folks and how they conducted themselves. There’s a lot that the history books don’t tell us.

Recently a nebulous clue turned up in Iowa that might link my family to Wyatt Earp. Now that would be ironic if after all these years I discover we are cousins.

Oregon Trail Emigrants.
I was 16 the summer we first visited Independence Rock in Wyoming, where I learned that years earlier some 19thcentury travelers had carved their names on it. In a defining moment, an early interest in family history was created.
I wondered if any of my family had been there before and if so, had they carved their names?

During the migration on the Oregon Trail, the wagon parties bound for Oregon or California usually left the Missouri River in the early spring and attempted to reach Independence Rock near the Sweetwater River by 4 July. By doing so, they greatly enhanced their chances of reaching their destinations before the first mountain snowfalls.

While I didn’t find any names that I recognized that day, I realized I could have had some unknown cousins or relatives who made the trek to the West Coast. Turned out I was right.

Between 1843 and 1869, the number of overland emigrants was probably close to 500,000. Some of them left diaries or journals, which are rich in details about the trip and include names of others—and sometimes family history nuggets. Many pioneers of the West were interviewed, and their stories have been compiled and preserved in various localities. They tell fascinating tales of adventure, tragedy, and personal histories that are just waiting for family members to uncover.

Wagons, ho! I can hardly wait to add some more overland emigrants to my tree.

Tips from the pros:
But Maybe They’re Your Ancestors
So you want to know how to find out if any of Mary’s dream ancestors are in your family tree? Try her tips:

1. Search for ancestors with literary talents in the massive Literature Resource Center available online through many public and school library websites. The LRC includes databases, such as the Dictionary of Literary Biography and Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature, where you’ll find thousands of author biographies.

2. Read all about U.S. presidents on this University of Virginia website . Also, check for presidential genealogies in print and online.

3. See if your entrepreneurial ancestor could afford a Tiffany lamp by scanning Schedules of Manufacturers. These statistics related to individual businesses and industries were gathered in several 19th-century census years. Visit the National Archives website for an overview: .

4. Hoping for Dutch ancestors or maybe even Rembrandt? Take a look at the Genlias website . Search the more than 45 million names extracted from civil registers, which include births, deaths, and marriages. Don’t read Dutch? Click on the “English” tab at the top of the page.

5. Even if your ancestors didn’t drive a hot rod, they surely used something besides their own two feet to get around. Check out the “Transportation History” page at Encyclopedia Smithsonian to discover how your ancestors got from point A to point B. You may find something equally as cool.

Do genealogy DNA tests reveal medical information? Usually no. However, 2007 saw the debut of several new DNA companies offering “personal genome” (PG) tests. These tests are not diagnostic medical tests and will not tell you if you have a disease or disorder, but whether you have an increased risk for an ailment compared to the general population. PG tests range in cost from $900 to $350,000. Most companies provide very detailed information, and some employ on-staff genetic counselors to answer questions. PG tests do contain ancestry-related DNA results, but this same information is available from other companies at more affordable prices. The exception would be the “full genomic sequence” (FGS) mitochondrial test, the most refined genealogical DNA test for your direct maternal lineage. The FGS test may reveal a predisposition to a mitochondrial disorder, though this seems to occur rarely. To learn more about PG tests, visit .

Getting Answers—Fast
The quickest way to discover your genetic ancestry is by taking a DNA test and then uploading the results to all available databases for comparison. For Y-chromosome results, upload to and . For mitochondrial DNA results,upload to , or you can upload both Y- and mtDNA results to . Each of these sites lets you upload results from other DNA testing companies and provides an opportunity to contact your genetic matches. Remember, if you are a female but you want to know about Y-DNA, you will need to test male relatives from the line you are researching. For example, if you are a female Fuller, you will need to test your father, brother, or Fuller-surnamed cousin to discover whether you are related to the Mayflower Fullers.

How close are you to fame, genetically speaking? You can compare DNA results on the “Famous DNA” pages maintained by the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG) at .

And if you follow all of these steps and don’t find a match, don’t be discouraged. DNA testing is still a relatively new tool for genealogists, and while hundreds of thousands of people have taken tests, that’s a small percentage when compared to the total population. As the databases grow, you never know who you might find in your genetic family tree, so check back often.

Not All Politicians Are Bad.
Politicians are a boon to researchers. Yesterday and today, their every move is recorded by the press, and their very public job means you’ll have no problem finding a trail of legal acts a politician made (some personal ones will probably show up, too). Where should you look? After you’ve looked in the usual haunts, like census records, move to newspapers, government documents and proceedings, and history books. You may also find published collections of their letters, transcriptions of official meetings, copies of their signatures on documents, photos and biographies in local—and sometimes grander—histories, and more. Be sure to check sources including the National Union Catalog of Manuscripts Collections and state historical societies.

Watch What You Wish For
You may wish you were related to famous or fascinating people. Your “dream ancestors” can be individuals or groups of people who inspire you or pique your interest. They may be some of the most remarkable people in history—or they may be your own ancestors and relatives.

You may determine that your “dream ancestor” is someone with a unique character or personality trait, someone who has fame or notoriety, or someone who is wealthy or has enjoyed extraordinary luck. He or she may have taken some action or achieved something that makes you eager to research and learn more. But those factors don’t have to mean he or she was famous.

Regardless of who you consider to be your own “dream ancestors,” you will always want to research every possible resource to learn more. That will include the places where they lived and the historical events of the times and their roles in them. You will want to learn more about the social and political conditions that influenced them, their hopes and dreams, and the details of their everyday lives.

Start with what you think you know about the person or group, and then research and verify that and other new information you discover. Work backwards, document and record your findings, and cite your source evidence. In the process, go beyond census records and birth, marriage, and death certificates (these should be some of your first steps): exhaust city directories, local histories, newspapers, and of course documents you’ll find in your own attic or those of relatives. Find out what you can at the next family reunion. Post questions on message boards. Conduct name searches in the obvious places—Ancestry.com and RootsWeb—as well as through search engines, including Google.

Your goal is to learn everything about the person or people, place them in context of their place in time, and really get to know them. Along the way, you will learn more about genealogy research and will discover more about yourself.
Learning About a Witch in the Family Tree
Plenty of stories have been written about the infamous Salem witch trials, but for family history information, Gormley suggests the following works by Gary Boyd Roberts:

Article: “Notable Kin: The Progeny of ‘Witches’ and ‘Wizards’: Some Descendants of the Rev. George Burroughs and William and Joanna (Blessing) Towne, Parents of Mary Easty and Rebecca Nurse,” NEHGS NEXUS 9 (1992).

Book: Notable Kin, Volume Two (Santa Clarita, Calif.: Carl Boyer 3rd, 1999), 79–86. Look at the bibliography for ancestors and progeny of 15 witchcraft victims who left more than two generations of known descendants.

Still not up to writing much

2008-07-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

Due to a severe amount of pain--at times--I haven't been able to do much writing since my two herniated discs have had their way with me. The pain comes in odd minutes. For a long while, I'm just fine and try to do things around the house, Then, quite suddenly, the pain stops me.

I've tried to do some rewriting, which is often easier for me, but even that hasn't been easy to do. I have done a lot of reading and have found some new authors (for me). Barbara Delinsky has become an author I like to read, along with Hunter MOrgan. Right now, I'm reading an older novel of one of my favorites, Nevada Barr. Her FIRESTORM is interesting, although not one of her best.

I've been reading using my Ebookwise Reader. I find it easy to read, especially on these hot days. I can turn off all the lights and just use the backlighting on the device. Even though the reading is great, I can barely wait until I get the cortisone shot in my spine on the 14th. Why do we get all our good ideas when we're unable to really write them down?????

Another site

2008-07-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

I belong to a group called Readers' Station. I just found that I have a blog, or a page, there, too. Stop by and give me a "HELLO"

http://readersstation.ning.com/profile/DoriceNelson

Bad days in Bedrock

2008-07-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

A fact of the day.........The Battle of Bannockburn ended on 24 June 1314. The Scots used an infantry formation called a schiltron - a cluster of soldiers armed with extra long spears rammed into the earth to break enemy cavalry charges. King Robert the Bruce won a resounding victory against the English army despite being outnumbered three to one.

This made me wonder if I should do another Clan Gunn book, taking the grandfather into consideration. I loved him in CLAN GUNN: GEREK. He was able to control all but his own daughters. This book, if I wrote it, wouold predate Gerek by far too many years...so I would have to go to a great-great-grandfather. I don't think I'm up to it.

What I need to do is finish VENGEANCE IS MINE, the suspense. I'm in 85 pages and see so much that I'm missing in it. I'm trying to keep going but sneak peeks at back chapters in order to catch up. That along with my back trouble, trying to pay the bills in our present economy and taking care of everyone takes a bit chunk out of my day.

So far, I've been to the Health Clinic three times. I have had an MRI and have been to the neurosurgeon. I now have an appointment to see another doctor who is going to stick a needle filled with cortisone or some other such nonsense, into my spine. Hopefully that will help the back condition, which is caused mainly by getting older. I guess I'll just have to suffer until the 14th.

Suffering

2008-06-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

I'm having a bit of pain on the left side, waist down. Have been to the docs twice, had an MRI and will be seeing a neurosurgeon on Tuesday. Can't sit for long, can't lay down for long, can't walk for long---so you see that's why I haven't blogged.

A Wonderful Site

2008-06-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

I got this from Nikki Leigh's blog. She's one author who is willing to share whatever information she gets and is a helleva friend to writing and promotion.

I just stumbled on a interesting and helpful resource. I have not had time to study each page, but I had to share this with you. When I start to write a new book, I have many ideas racing through my mind and lots of research details that need to be coordinated. So, I plan much of my book before I start writing. There are plenty of people who bash this approach, but it works very well for me and helps me write at a much quicker pace. Even with plans, I am totally open to the idea of making changes as I write the book. That is all part of the process, but having a definite plan is very helpful when working on a series which will tie parts of the books together. It is also helpful because I write historic novels and I incorporate real events into the stories and being organized helps me ensure that things happen when and where they should :)

This document is called the Novel Notebook and you can download a PDF of Text file. I downloaded the PDF - but will probably download the text file too in case I find things I would like to change or tweak :) Feel free to take a look.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/2309303/The-Novel-Notebook

Nikki Leigh
www.nikkileigh.com
www.virtualblogtour.blogspot.com

An Undying Interest of Mine

2008-06-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

I love horses. I hate what is often being done with them after they've served mankind.

Unwanted Horses: How Serious a Problem?

By Tom LaMarra

Posted: Wednesday June 18, 8:49 PM at BloodHorse.com

It tends to get lost in the shuffle because it’s not as sexy as anabolic steroids, race-fixing, or catastrophic breakdowns from a media perspective. But talk to people who work in the horse industry every day, and they’ll tell you the issue of unwanted horses is serious and so broad it impacts the entire United States, not just the horseracing industry.

Perhaps it’s time for a wake-up call.

“We need to focus our efforts on the front end of the problem rather than the rear end of the problem,” said Dr. Tom Lenz, a past president of the American Association of Equine Practitioners who is active with the Unwanted Horse Coalition formed after an AAEP-sponsored summit in 2005. “Honestly, the average horse owner hasn’t thought about this issue, but they need to give serious thought to changing the way they operate.”

Lenz offered his thoughts June 18 during the day-long “Unwanted Horse Forum” sponsored by the American Horse Council and the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. The forum was fairly subdued even though the lightning-rod issues of horse slaughter, euthanasia, and consumption of horsemeat colored much of the proceedings.

The USDA titled the forum “The Unwanted Horse Issue: What Now?” It was timely by accident; the United States Supreme Court two days earlier denied an appeal from an Illinois slaughter plan that challenged an Illinois law prohibiting the killing of horses for human consumption.

The meat at the Illinois plant and two in Texas that closed in 2007 was mostly shipped overseas for consumption.

According to USDA data through 2006, about 70,000 horses per year were slaughtered in the U.S., 25,000 a year were shipped to Canada, and 7,500 a year were sent to Mexico (that number jumped to 40,000 last year). There are about 20,000 un-adopted feral horses and another 6,000-8,000 waiting to be adopted. It all adds up to about 100,000 unwanted horses in the U.S. each year.

“I have no doubt there is an unwanted horse problem in this country,” Lenz said. “We cannot completely eliminate it, but we can certainly minimize the problem.”

Can't escape slaughter issue
The Unwanted Horse Coalition, which falls under the AHC umbrella and has about 25 member organizations from various breeds and disciplines, has focused on education given the fact it can’t issue mandates. The coalition published an “Own Responsibly” guide, while the AHC issued in booklet form care and handling guidelines for horse owners.

The Humane Society of the United States, which has been quite active on the slaughter issue, has an equine division and prints horse-care guides. But the HSUS position often is at odds with horse industry groups given its campaign to end slaughter.

“We are definitely anti-slaughter,” said Holly Hazard, chief innovations officer for the HSUS. “Our position is slaughter is inhumane. I think the issue really is whether slaughter is adding to our ability to create a more humane world for horses. I don’t see that’s true.”

And that’s the major split: Does the shutdown of U.S. slaughter plants help address the unwanted horse issue or make it worse?

“Is there a chance things could become worse than the scenario right now?” said Camie Heleski, coordinator of the Michigan State University Horse Management Program. “The public doesn’t always have all the facts when it comes to making decisions, and that has complicated the issue even more.”

Former Congressman Charles Stenholm of Texas took it even further. Stenholm, current a senior policy adviser at Olsson Frank and Weeda, a Washington, D.C., law firm that specializes in regulatory affairs, served as a member of the House Committee on Agriculture for 26 years and spent a lot of time on the slaughter issue.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” Stenholm said, “but everyone is not entitled to their facts.”

Stenholm, who has been a lobbyist for the three U.S. slaughter plants, said the issue of the unwanted horse as it relates to horse slaughter is in need of hard facts rather than emotion, which he said has led to anti-slaughter legislation in Congress. Stenholm said those in the animal industry “all agree today that all animals should be treated humanely from birth to death,” but there are various opinions on what qualifies as humane.

The former lawmaker said the HSUS “did a beautiful job politically” in lobbying for anti-slaughter measures. But those who disagree, he said, see a problem that could only worsen.

How about private property rights?
“At some point, you are going to have horses that have no place to go,” Stenholm said. “When you begin to address the real world, I do see a little problem. This has become a 50-state issue...Horses are livestock, folks. Be careful of arguing that horses are pets, because you might get what you wish for. Pets are not tax deductible.”

Stenholm said he is disappointed the Supreme Court, in its Illinois slaughter ruling, didn’t address private property rights in terms of horse ownership. “We’re getting on very thin constitutional ice that has serious ramifications,” he said.

States are now studying the unwanted horse and slaughter issues, and a committee was to be formed perhaps June 18 to look at the issue from a national standpoint. There are hints that the U.S. hasn’t seen the end of slaughter plants despite the developments of the past two years.

“A lot of people are beginning to take a look at this with a realistic eye,” Stenholm said. “(Slaughter) has been an acceptable practice in the U.S. since we became a country. Only recently has this become un-American. If we lose this one, it’s over.”

U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky was scheduled to speak along with Stenholm, but moderator Richard Reynnells of the USDA announced Whitfield had a conflict that prevented him from attending his scheduled 45-minute session. Whitfield’s wife, Connie, is director of development for the HSUS.

Working on solutions

Tom Persechino, senior director of marketing for the American Quarter Horse Association, outlined potential solutions and options, such as rescue and retirement facilities, asking friends with acreage to take horses, contacting colleges and universities that have equine programs, and using horses for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.

Persechino said it’s not practical to force breeders to limit the number of horses they breed, but it is feasible to educate them. He said the Unwanted Horse Coalition “believes teaching people to own responsibly will help lower the number of unwanted horses.”

“The proposition that there are large numbers of unwanted horses in this country in need of slaughter can be answered with a resounding no,” said Hazard of the HSUS. “There are many horses in need of the commitment of the people with a stake in the horse industry to take responsibility for reducing the numbers that are bred, educating novice horse owners about proper care and training, creating new equestrian opportunities that allow more people to become a part of the equine community, and calling for an end to the unnecessary brutality of slaughter.”

Karin Bump, a professor at Cazenovia College in upstate New York, recommended a signal organization be in charge of collecting and maintaining data so there is no confusion. That, she said, would go a long way toward unifying the disparate groups.

It’s generally believed all the groups in play on the unwanted horse issue agree 90% of the time. It’s the other 10% that puts the unwanted horse at the mercy of politics.

“I think five to 10 years from now we’ll have a pretty good grip on things, but it’s going to take some time,” Lenz said.

Being a horse lover

2008-06-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

Being a horse lover and using horses in all of my novels, I was thrilled to read the following from BloodHorse.com

Court Rejects Horse Slaughter Ban Appeal

Updated: Tuesday June 17, 8:57 AM
Posted: Monday June 16, 12:47 PM
The Supreme Court has declined an appeal from the owners of a horse slaughtering plant who challenged an Illinois law prohibiting the killing of horses for human consumption.

Cavel International closed its plant in DeKalb, Ill. last year after a federal appeals court upheld the ban. The company urged the justices to step in to allow the facility to reopen. The court did not comment on its order June 16.

The plant was the last horse slaughterhouse in the United States. About 40,000 to 60,000 horses were processed there annually, and most of the meat was shipped to be eaten by diners overseas.

Two other U.S. plants, both in Texas, also closed in 2007.

Fathers' Day

2008-06-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

I wasn't able to get much done today, but I did get the Synopsis Contest article done for the Saratoga Romance Writers. I'm chairing the in-chapter contest and had to get something out to one and all. Now that it's done, I'll send it off to the president and the newletter editor. My job is done until the contest itself.

I also got a few things in the earlier chapters of VENGEANCE IS MINE. Once in a while, something occurs to me and I have to write in the notebook I keep, then get it into the novel where it belongs and cross out the material in the notebook. It's the only way I can keep track of what's going on.

Today we had company. Tomorrow, I have a luncheon I must attend, and I must also try to get in touch with Carla Neggers, who will hopefully do a workshop for the SRWA chapter, in November. Once those things are done, I need to get back to Writer's Village University's Word Slinger study group. I've been lax and want to give the feedback the folks there deserve. I might even post something myself.

In the office

2008-06-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

I'm in my outside office and hoping that it doesn't get too hot. I want to work on the feedback I got the last time I presented something to the Cambridge Fiction Writers. I never got a chance to work on it last week and it's killing me to have wasted all that time. I intend to make up for it during this coming week.

I want to have over 100 pages revised and awaiting a final edit. I'm at 61 pages as of today, so the over 100 isn't too much of a burden. I will push myself to do way more.

Yesterday's meeting was good. We did more talking about the craft than we usually do and had only one presenter, whose writing is extra-special good to begin with. She had 16 pages, which kept us busy for a good part of the afternoon and gave us much to talk about regarding writing. I just love that group.

Nothing done = NOTHING

2008-06-13T09:09:00.000-07:00

I have done nothing worth doing this entire week. Today is Friday the 13th and I don't dare do anything except go to my writer's meeting. I won't even have anything for them to critique, but maybe others will.

Later today, I will sit down at this computer and work on the revisions from last week's meeting. Then I'll be able to go ahead. I am up to page 61--but that isn't far enough if I intend to finish this novel before the end of summer.

The Belmont

2008-06-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

When Big Brown didn't win the Belmont and become the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years, I was devastated. For the first time in a long time, I was quiet, depressed and out of sorts. I'm still not over it.

I'm reading all the BLOOD HORSE magazine news now by email (magazine itself coming later) and there seems to be controversy over Big Brown being "pulled up." I sort of wondered about that myself, but thought that the horse might have gone lame. So far, nothing seems wrong with his health. I'm still watching the news to hear more about the problem(s).

Right now, my problem seems to be the heat. I don't do well in such hot weather. In fact, once it gets over 80 degrees, I rush to a cool air-conditioned room. I probably won't be writing much today.......maybe I'll work on the laptop, in the house instead of the office. The house AC is better.

I spoke with my publisher and she wants the manuscript as quickly as she can get it. I'm only up to page 61--but it's coming.

THE BELMONT--third leg of the Triple Crown

2008-06-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

The only horse that might have had a chance against Big Brown in the Belmont has been scratched. I will be watching the Belmont festivities and the races all day, so the same information is on both blogs................

From the BLOOD HORSE

Casino Drive is out of the Belmont.

By Ron Mitchell
Saturday June 7, 9:51 AM

About an hour after giving the all-clear for Casino Drive to run in the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), trainer Kazuo Fujisawa said the colt was favoring his left rear hoof and was scratched from the classic.

Earlier, Fujisawa was all smiles after watching Casino Drive canter three furlongs and gave a thumbs up for colt to run in the Belmont.

But when the colt was being bathed following the exercise regimen, he was favoring his foot and the trainer decided to scratch.

"He is sound," Fujisawa declared earlier, after watching Casino Drive leave the track following a three furlong canter. Winner of the Peter Pan (gr. II) at Belmont, Casino Drive is considered one of the leading contenders to upset Big Brown's Triple Crown quest.

The colt's status was thrown into doubt Friday when he did not go to the track because a stone bruise had been detected in the left hind hoof.

Accompanied by Nobutaka Tada, spokesperson of owner Hidetoshi Yamamota, Fujisawa followed Casino Drive to the track at about 5:30 a.m. The colt and a stablemate walked the circle in the paddock for about six laps before going onto the track for his exercise.

Tada said the colt appeared to be favoring the hoof and the trainer decided to scratch. He said a veterinarian, whom he declined to name, inspected Casino Drive and confirmed the right decision had been made.

Tada said Casino Drive would ship to Japan Tuesday with his stablemates and would return to the U.S. later in the year.

The Novel

2008-06-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

VENGEANCE IS MINE is going great. I'm up to page 61 now and rolling along at a good pace. I'm revising some of the stuff I'd written before and should be over 100 pages by the weekend...allowing for time out to watch and scream for the horses on Saturday.

The Belmont is set to go off then and I'm in a tizzy. I hope to blue blazes that Big Brown wins the triple crown. I don't like his #1 post position, because I feel the other horses will crowd him in. I'd love to know the training going into that. I guess his hoof quarter crack is much better and that nothing happens to him during the race. I don't think I could stand another Eight Belles.

Irish Surnames

2008-06-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

I have two Irish attorneys in my suspense novel, VENGEANCE IS MINE. The older one's name is Leo Sullivan, changed from another name that didn't suit. He's a wonderful guy, intelligent, law-abiding and grand.......... The other is Devlin O'Hara. I just adore most Irishmen..........

Irish Family Surnames - O’Sullivan family History and origins
Sullivan is an Irish surname and is actually the same as O’Sullivan. In Irish both names Ó Súilleabháin.
Variations on the name are many. Sullivant, Sillivant, Silliphant, and Sillifant.
The actual meaning of the same name is not clear. The root of the name is the word Suil – eye, but whether the full name means one-eyed or indeed hawk-eyed is still disputed.
The O’Sullivan clan are descendants, like so many of the Irish clans, of Milesius who were the first Celts to colonize Ireland. The Milesians were originally settled in North West Spain where they had a city Brigantia. The migrated to Ireland about 800 B.C and indeed after the fall of Gaelic Ireland to foreign conquest the O’Neil fled to Spain where he saw many ruins associated with Milesius over 2400 years earlier. The Milesians conquered the people that lived in Ireland at that time, the Firbolg and the Tuatha de Dannan. Irish mythology is full of the stories about this this period.

The O’Sullivans are descended from Eoghan (Owen) Mor, the father of the famous Oilioll Olum, they were, with the O’Callaghans, the MacCarthys and the O’Keeffe, one of the leading families of the Munster Eoghanacht. Suilleabhain himself was a direct descendant of Finghin who was a king of Munster in the year 620 A.D. Suilleabhain was born 8 generations later which would place him in the year 862.
The name O’Sullivan is the most common name in the province of Munster and the third most common name in Ireland. Today almost 80% of all Sullivans live in Munster, their original area of rule.
In 1169 the Normans launched their first invasion of Ireland, the beginning of just over 800 years of foreign invasion and occupation. The O’Sullivan clan was driven southwards from their original territory of Tipperary in 1193. They moved to west Cork and south Kerry. Soon after, they divided into two groups - O’Sullivan Mor (Mor indicating larger or greater) in south Kerry, with their principal castle at Dunkerron on the shore of Kenmare Bay and O’Sullivan Beare in west Cork. The Beare suffix came from the Beare peninsula that was named for the Spanish princess Bera, the wife of the first King of Munster. The war with the Normans continued and a notable victory was achieved by the clan, with their O’Donahue and McCarthy allies in 1261 at the battle of Caisglin near Kilgarvan and just north of Kenmare, Kerry.
The O’Sullivan Beare clan was further divided in 1592. When Donal O’Sullivan, the chieftain, was slain in 1563 his son of the same name was but a child two years of age. The Irish succession laws of Tanistry required that the title of chieftain be passed on to the most capable of the dead chief’s family. As a result the clan decided that Owen, one of the brothers of the dead chief, would take over control of the clan and become Lord of Beare and Bantry. Owen acknowledged the English crown and was made a knight by Queen Elizabeth. In 1587 young Donal, now twenty-six years old, decided to claim leadership of the clan. He petitioned the authorities in Dublin, using as the basis for his claim English lineal law, whereby the oldest son should inherit his father’s title regardless of his age at the time of his father’s death. The English Commission wished to see English law implemented across Ireland and sensing the opportunity to divide the O’Sullivans approved his claim.
Owen O’Sullivan had also lost influence due to his partaking in the Desmond rebellion. The O’Sullivans and other clans provided shelter to 12 year old Gerald FitzGerald when Henry’s troops sought to capture him, the last member of his family and the heir to the Earlship of Desmond. The war of the Munster allies continued through the reign of Elizabeth. In the late 1590s, it was the O’Sullivan Mor clan and their close allies the McSweenys that bore the brunt of the fighting with the English forces. Donal O’Sullivan, now chieftain of the O’Sullivan Beare clan, held back from the fighting until the O’Donnells and O’Neills, the great clans of Ulster and those who would have claimed the title of High King of Ireland except for the invasion, entered the campaign.

Munster was in 1600 was a land at war. The Munster clans were being evicted from their lands which were being handed over to colonists.

King Philip III of Spain agreed to send help to the Irish under the command of Don Juan D’Aquilla. Rather than landing in Ulster, as suggested by O’Neill, the Spanish forces landed at Kinsale in County Cork to avoid encountering the English warships in the Irish Sea. The war weary and decimated Munster clans had difficulty mustering an army to join the Ulster and Spanish forces. Donal O’Sullivan Beare was given command of the Munster forces which consisted mainly of soldiers of his clan and those of the O’Driscolls, McSweeneys, and O’Connor Kerry. Daniel O’Sullivan Mor could only contribute token support because of the losses he sustained in the previous years.

The Spanish soldiers were given the responsibility of forming the garrisons for the castles of the O’Driscolls and the O’Sullivans so as to free the Irish troops for the battles to come. The rest of the four thousand Spanish soldiers remained at Kinsale to await the arrival of the Ulster forces. Donal marched to Kinsale with an army of one thousand men. He sent a letter to King Philip swearing allegiance to him as his sovereign. The letter was intercepted by English agents and was later used as reason for denying him pardon.

On December 24, 1601 at the coming of dawn the battle began. It was over in a matter of hours. It was a resounding defeat for the Irish forces. This was due in large part to the reluctance of the Spanish troops to leave the protection of the walled city of Kinsale and join the battle until it was over. O’Neill retreated back to Tyrone with his battered troops. O’Donnell handed over command of his soldiers to his brother and embarked for Spain to plead for more help from King Philip. General Aquila sued for peace and Lord Mountjoy, commander of the English, was only too happy to accept his request. Aquila agreed to surrender the castles his troops were defending. This meant that the O’Sullivans and the O’Driscolls had to fight the Spanish to regain their castles. Donal O’Sullivan wrote to King Philip complaining about the behavior of Aquila. When Aquila returned to Spain he was held in contempt by King Philip and put under house arrest.

Many of the O’Sullivan clan’s non-combatants were sent to the island of Dursey to keep them out of harms way. An English force led by a John Bostock attacked the small garrison guarding the island. They butchered the entire population of the island, women, children, and the garrison. They cast their bodies, some while they were still alive, onto the rocks below the cliff overlooking the sea. It was a dreadful omen of Ireland’s future.

The Lord President of Munster, George Carew, now moved to destroy Dunboy castle, the O’Sullivan Beare principle fortress. After two days of cannon fire the castle was almost destroyed but still the gallant defenders fought on, though only 143 in number. It was now the last rebel stronghold to hold out against the English. Meanwhile Donal was waiting at Ardea for reinforcements and weapons, and gold to pay his troops. He had been promised money and supplies by the Spanish. After two more days of fighting the remaining defenders, having retreated to the cellar of the castle, attempted to surrender. It was accepted but they were treacherously hanged the next day.

Donal O’Sullivan now realized that the Spanish reinforcements were not coming. It was obvious that all was lost in Munster. Famine conditions now existed and though he had considerable Spanish gold, there was little food available. With one thousand followers consisting of soldiers and civilians they began a long journey to Leitrim to the castle of his ally the Ó Ruairc (O’Rourke). He believed that he could hold out longer amongst his northern allies, the O’Donnells and O’Neills. . Throughout the 300-mile (480 km) trek they were attacked by English forces and treasonous Irish that were loyal to Elizabeth. The country-side had been ravaged by war and famine; the people along the way were trying to stay alive themselves. They could ill afford to provide any aid or food. Of the 1000 odd who set out only 30 odd made it. It had been an unusually cruel winter and the conditions are described in detail by Philip O’Sullivan Beare, a cousin of Donal O’Sullivan.

Idea for Clan Gunn book

2008-06-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

I just read this snippet of a fact about Scotland. It got me to wondering if there were folks interested in geology--around 1650. If so, it would be a wonderful and exciting interest for Baen Gunn, the second hero (redeemed) in the sequel to Clan Gunn: Gerek. What a wonderful hero an author could make of Baen Gunn..........part of the Henderson Clan.

From: www.scotsman.com News -Fact of the Day

On this day in 1726 James Hutton, the father of modern geology, was born in Edinburgh. Hutton was one of the first scientists to challenge the biblical conception of time and replace it with one based on the scientific calculation of the age of rocks. He came to this theory while studying rocks from Arthur's Seat, an exctinct volcano located at the heart of Edinburgh, and at Siccar Point in East Lothian.

Nephew visit

2008-05-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

My nephew Ned Lochaya came to vist for the Memorial Day weekend. He's kinda' of a funny energetic guy. He really helped me this time. We went to a friend's house, dug up a bevy of tiger lily plants and planted them in the hardest ground in my whole yard. It was a daunting task, but we did it. Ned, of course, did most of it.

I helped a bit, but since I can't get onto my knees, my nephew had to do most of it. There we were, digging, planting, watering. And in the midst of it, he decided we needed to put grass seed down where the builders had left big spaces of dirt...so he did that too. Since our ground is so hard, I'm just hoping that the grass comes up.

Naturally, I didn't get a bit of work done over the holiday. Nada, Zip, Zilch. He goes back today, so I'll work like the devil tomorrow.

Working hard

2008-05-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

I'm finally up to page 45 in VENGEANCE IS MINE. The book is really going well--at the moment. I'm taking eight pages to the Cambridge Fiction Writers' meeting and will let them pick away at it. I don't intend to change it much. I now have the necessary things in it to Chapter 4. I'm ready to send it to a contest or two. Should be interesting.

Saturday, I'll bring another section to the SRWA to see what suggestions they might have.......and will post it on WVU. It's like getting an editing job done with many different opinions. I only have to decide what I want in the novel. Feedback is a win-win situation.

News from Angela Hoy

2008-05-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

BookLocker Files Class Action Lawsuit Against Amazon.com

BookLocker.com has filed a class action lawsuit against Amazon.com in response to Amazon’s recent attempts to force all publishers using Print on Demand (POD) technology to pay Amazon to print their books. You can read the complaint here.

This article may be quoted and/or reprinted in its entirety.

BookLocker.com has filed a class action lawsuit against Amazon.com in response to Amazon’s recent attempts to force all publishers using Print on Demand (POD) technology to pay Amazon to print their books.

You can read the complaint here.

Amazon began their clandestine effort earlier this year by phone (nobody there seemed to want to put anything in writing), approaching POD publishers, and telling them they must pay Amazon to print their books or their active “buy” buttons would be turned off at the Amazon.com website. What this means is Amazon customers won’t be able to purchase those books directly from Amazon.com (and would not qualify for free shipping), but only through third-party resellers on the site.

Under the Amazon/BookSurge contract, Amazon:

* Controls the printing price of the POD books - The prices can change at anytime, at Amazon’s discretion, with 30 days notice.

* Controls the retail price of the POD books across the board - Publishers would not be able to sell their books for a lower price through “any other channel” (including other bookstores), and would not even be able to sell their books for less to their own customers under any circumstances.

* Controls the wholesale price of the POD books - Amazon’s new contract demands a 48%-52% discount (different contracts have been sent to different publishers). Many small, independent publishers can’t afford to offer this discount to bookstores and would be forced to raise their book prices, which will ultimately hurt book buyers.

* Controls the digital setup and scanning fees for each POD title - After the initial dump of current books, publishers would be charged approximately $50 per title (again, different publishers are receiving different contracts) in setup fees and/or varying scanning fees payable to Amazon/BookSurge. These fees can change at anytime, at Amazon’s discretion, with 30 days notice.

* Controls the formatting specifications - Many publishers can’t absorb the massive number of man-hours required to reformat every single book interior and cover file in their inventory to match Amazon’s specifications.

* Controls the quality of the books - Refer to THIS ARTICLE for details and links. It’s no secret that BookSurge has a poor reputation for quality, including complaints about pages falling out of books, upside-down pages, and more. If a publisher pays Amazon to print their books, their reputation could suffer due to any possible BookSurge quality problems with that publisher’s books.

* Attempts to control the public’s knowledge of who has signed the Amazon/BookSurge contract, along with the details of that contract, through a confidentiality clause, so that publishers signing it may feel they can’t talk about it at all.

* And, Amazon controls the golden nugget - that coveted “buy” button that book buyers want (so their order can qualify for free shipping).

In a public statement, Amazon offered only one alternative to publishers, which is their “Advantage Program.” However, they did not divulge in the public statement that the terms of the Advantage Program are even worse than their printing contract. The Advantage Program requires POD publishers to give Amazon 55% of the list price, pay them $29.95/year, and pay the shipping costs for books going to Amazon.

STRONG DISSENT FROM INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES
The Author’s Guild, the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA), The Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN), YouWriteOn.com (the U.K.’s leading writer’s website) and the National Writer’s Union have all issued strong statements denouncing Amazon’s attempted power grab of the industry.

OUR STORY
After hearing rumors of Amazon’s alleged activities, we spoke to an Amazon/Booksurge representative by phone on March 26th. You can read what transpired that day HERE.

After reviewing all the materials presented to us, and after talking on- and off-the-record with publishers, authors and industry representatives at all levels of this controversy, it is our opinion that Amazon may be positioning itself to directly print and control every book it sells. By forcing publishers to sign their extraordinarily oppressive contract, Amazon gains the power to charge publishers whatever printing and distribution costs it desires, as well as controlling the retail, discount and wholesale prices of the books it prints, and, through this contract, automatically positions itself to control the market.

We cannot say for certain if what Amazon is doing is legal or not at this point; that is for the Federal courts to decide. However, in our opinion, the seemingly covert manner in which Amazon has conducted itself in this matter seems to make their actions highly suspicious.

WHAT’S NEXT?
Amazon has already taken control of publishers’ ebook sales on the Amazon.com website by requiring ebooks to be available for their ebook reader, the Kindle. Now, Amazon is attempting to take control of the printing of all POD books. We wonder if traditionally published books are next. Some are speculating that Amazon won’t stop until they are being paid to print every book they sell.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
You can read more information about this situation HERE, including a time-line of the events that have transpired. You can comment on this situation HERE.

ARE YOU AFFECTED?
According to Amazon’s public statement, ALL POD books will be affected. If you are a POD publisher (this includes self-published authors who publish their own POD books through a printer), or a traditional publisher using POD technology for some or all your books, and would like more information, please contact:

Angela Hoy, Publisher
BookLocker.com

2008-05-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

Since writing the contemporary suspense novel, VENGEANCE IS MINE, I've become interested in all things forensic and otherwise--things that would fit a suspense/mystery novel...so today, I've posted the same article on both my blogs.

Since wriPolice hope new forensic techniques can identify murderer

Date: 21 May 2008
By ALASTAIR DALTON
IT WAS a brutal crime that shocked the country but has remained unsolved for a quarter of a century.

When Sheila Anderson, a 27-year-old mother of two, was found with horrific crush injuries in Edinburgh on 7 April, 1983, police launched a hunt for her killer. But with no apparent motive and little in the way of clues, the investigation ground toADVERTISEMENTa halt.

Now a fresh attempt at tracing her killer has been launched by detectives who said advances in forensic techniques had prompted them to re-examine the murder.

They said new tests on flecks of paint found on Ms Anderson's clothing could help solve the case.

Lothian and Borders Police said Ms Anderson was found dying from "horrific injuries" in Gypsy Brae, Granton, and died in hospital hours later.

Detectives also confirmed that Ronnie Wilkinson, a former officer with the force, had never been considered a suspect.

They launched an appeal for witnesses yesterday as part of a new attempt to find the killer of Ms Anderson.

Officers said they were following "several positive lines of inquiry".

Detective Inspector Steven Reed, who is leading the investigation, said he was confident the paint on the clothing would be identified, and confirmed the victim had been struck by a car.

However, he said there was no evidence to suggest she was run over repeatedly.

He said: "Minute particles of paint were found on Sheila's clothing and efforts were made to trace vehicles, witnesses and people who may have been with her in the hours before her death.

"In this tragic case we believe advances in forensic science may help us resolve some of the unanswered questions.

"This was an apparently motiveless killing and I am appealing to anyone who has information about the circumstances of Sheila's death to come forward. It was 25 years ago and I appreciate that memories might have faded."

DI Reed said people who might have felt reluctant to come forward at the time will hopefully now be willing to talk.

Inquiries at the time revealed the victim left her home in the Drylaw area about noon on 7 April.

There were various sightings of her during the day in west Granton and Leith. The final confirmed sighting was in Commercial Street, Leith, about 11:30pm.

Ms Anderson's handbag was found two days later near a car park at Longniddry Bents in East Lothian. She left two boys, aged seven and two.

DI Reed said Mr Wilkinson, a former detective sergeant who found the handbag, had been re-interviewed as a witness as part of the new investigation and had supplied a DNA sample.

The force said he had voluntarily provided a routine witness statement as part of standard practice, and had at no time been considered a suspect.

Ms Anderson's family welcomed the case being re-opened.

They said in a statement: "Sheila was a loving mother, wife, daughter and sister, and her death in such tragic and sudden circumstances was a shock to us all.

"She was taken from us at far too early an age but we still hold in our hearts the happy memories that we all shared.

"Latterly in her life she suffered personal problems. But despite that and everything she endured, Sheila maintained her wonderful sense of humour. We remember Sheila as a gentle, loving, caring woman.

"She touched the hearts of all who knew her and was much loved by us all.

"As a family, we welcome the re-investigation into her death and hope that, after many years, we will obtain the answers to the questions that we have."

Mother's last hours before she met a killer with a car

Here is a timeline of events surrounding the murder of Sheila Anderson.

Noon, 7 April, 1983 – The victim left her home in the city's Drylaw area.

Afternoon – Various sightings of Ms Anderson, including in Leith's Blue Triangle of Commercial Street, Coburg Street and North Junction Street.

7:30pm – Ms Anderson was seen in the Willie Muir pub, West Granton.

11:25pm – Two plainclothes police officers saw her outside Lindean House on Commercial Street in Leith.

11:55pm – Ms Anderson was found unconscious with multiple injuries on a track by a sea wall at Gypsy Brae, off West Shore Road in Granton, by two CB enthusiasts, who immediately called an ambulance.

Early hours, 8 April – Ms Anderson died in Western General Hospital, Edinburgh.

7am, 10 April – The victim's burgundy suede shoulder bag was found near car park No1 on the shore at Longniddry Bents on the B1348 coast road from Musselburgh to North Berwick in East Lothian.

18 May, 2008 – A Sunday newspaper claims Ronnie Wilkinson, a former Lothian and Borders Police detective sergeant, is considered a suspect in the case.

20 May, 2008 – Cold case review announced by Lothian and Borders Police.

Officers said minute particles of paint found on Ms Anderson's clothing would be subject to new forensic testing.

Detectives leading the inquiry said Mr Wilkinson had been interviewed and given a DNA sample as part of standard procedure, but he was not a suspect.

Legal issues that leave murder cases gathering dust

THERE are more than 50 unsolved murders in Scotland, with some high-profile prosecutions collapsing due to lack of evidence.

One of the most notorious cold cases is Edinburgh's infamous World's End murders.

Detectives have never closed the investigation into the murders of Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, both 17, who were beaten, raped and strangled in 1977, shortly after drinking in the World's End pub. Their killer or killers were never traced, despite unprecedented publicity.

Angus Sinclair, a convicted paedophile and killer serving a life sentence in Peterhead Prison, appeared in the High Court in Edinburgh in August and September last year, accused of the rapes and murders. However his trial collapsed after Lord Justice Clarke said the Crown had insufficient evidence to proceed.

Since 2006, the Serious Crime Review Unit of Lothian and Borders Police has also reinvestigated the 1995 murder of Robert Higgins, whose body was discovered in a quarry in West Lothian. A suspect was identified and brought to trial last year, but the jury returned a not proven verdict.

On 21 January, 1987, the naked body of Ann Ballantine, 20, was discovered, naked and bound hand and foot, in the Union Canal, 100 yards from her flat in Polwarth, Edinburgh.

Police believe she was asphyxiated by a ligature round her neck. Her killer has never been caught.

Although a suspect was named and a report submitted to the procurator-fiscal, there was not enough evidence to prosecute.

Another interview

2008-05-20T10:40:00.001-07:00

I have an interview on a blog. Thought some of you might enjoy reading it.

http://rainedelight.wordpress.com

Clan Gunn

2008-05-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking over ideas for the sequel to Clan Gunn: Gerek I watch all the historical news of Scotland and came across this just today.

"May 29 1630 - King Charles II born.
May 29 1660 - King Charles II returned to England. Royal Oak Day."

Now, my sequel is going to take place during 1650-51. So now I know that in 1650, Charles II was twenty years old, and I will take that into consideration. I wonder what my Baen Gunn had to do with Charles and if it was something I could use in the book. It's fun thinking about things......

Yesterday, I spent from noon until seven watching the Preakness. I was thrilled to see Big Brown win--and by such a length. Now, I'm looking forward to the Belmont which takes place in three weeks. I'll be rooting like crazy.

The Preakness

2008-05-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

I'm off to watch a day of racing. The Preakness at Pimlico Race Track is the second leg of America's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred racing. I hate to miss races, so I intend to spend the day watching the tube. Would rather be there but that's not possible............so this is one time that I thank the world for TV.

My suspense novel involves thoroughbred racing, breeding and showing--so I'd better be at the TV to watch whatever I can.

Scene 2

2008-05-16T08:58:00.000-07:00

Hurray! I have the second scene of the first chapter done and am already working on the third scene. So, so far, I have the Prologue, which introduces the villain, the first scene of the first chapter which introduces the heroine and a murder. I'm on my way and am feeling great about it. I might even get this damned novel done.

Today, I have a meeting of the Cambridge Fiction Writers, but I won't have anything to present. They've alreaday offered the comments on Chapter 1 Scene 2 and I've revised the scene to make it easier to read. Next week, I'll present Scene 3 for their feedback.

I got some wonderful feedback from one of the gals in the Writers' Village University group called Word Slingers. She gave me some spot-on comments on the first scene in Chapter 1. I revised that and it goes quickly...which is good, for it's the murder scene.

Tomorrow is the Preakness at Pimlico so I probably won't be writing on the blog. Gotta' watch my races.........lol

An Interview

2008-05-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

I've just had an interview posted in an Internet newsletter. If you'd like to read it, I'm posting the URL below.

http://jozette.webs.com/authorinterviews.htm

Scene 2

2008-05-14T08:16:00.001-07:00

I finally got the second scene of the first chapter done, adding the information the Cambridge Fiction Writers group critique felt I needed to put in. I think it's better now, more understandable.

I also got a critique from one of the Word Slinger's group at Writers' Village University. The feedback for the first scene of Chapter 1 was right-on. The gal mentioned what worked and what didn't, where I had lost the thread of the scene, allowing it to falter and where I had done a good job. It was the first time she had written something so spot-on and I was thrilled. It showed me that she has learned a lot in the years that she's been with the group, is able to express herself vividly and catches all the faults in a given post.

Editing someone's work is a hard thing to do. If it's a friend, you're always afraid you will hurt their feelings and they'll never like you again. BUT, if you're a real friend, you take that chance and edit as truthfully as you can. It might hurt your friend's feeling, but if they're really your friend, they'll understand that you wanted to help them. I have a friend that lives in the Adirondack Mountains. She often critiques my work. Sometimes she makes me cry, but she always tells me why something is good or bad. It treasure her, and every heartfelt bit of feedback.

Finally

2008-05-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

Finally got a start on the revisions for Chapter 1 Scene 2. I wrote a million scenes before this one and found that not one of them moved the story forward, so I jumped. I tossed those scene in a file and went on to the next one in order. I found I was able to get all the information I needed for the story into the next day.

It was kinda' hilarious when I wrote a cop scene, an EMT scene, an ME scene, talk between the police and the medics and a host of other things--only to find they weren't necessary. All I needed to have in the next scene was the information as to where everyone (on the farm) was on the night of the murder. It's amazing to me how much you have to adjust your scene to the nearest bit of info necessary. I even managed to get a bit of suspense in the next day scene.

Now, I think I'll be able to eliminate the Memorial scene and go on to what's really important. It's like putting together a puzzle........and fun.

Blog, blog, blog

2008-05-11T15:55:00.001-07:00

Blogging has gotten away from me this week. So has writing. For some unknown reason, something seems to be happening every day and I can't get to the office. And right now, my laptop won't get me to the internet and I'll have to call the computer guru to get it fixed.

Hopefully next week will be better. I almost has to be.

No time

2008-05-08T14:20:00.001-07:00

No matter what I do, it seems that everyone else has something they think I should do. It never seems to stop. I have been trying hard to finish the second scene of the first chapter of Vengeance Is Mine.

Everything gets in the way: the wash, the meetings, the occasional luch with friends, the gym program, the dogs, cooking, cleaning, getting the outside ready for enjoyment. Why oh why can't I seem to get anything done.

I feel like a writing slouch, and I hate myself. One thing after another and I leave the writing for the last. I'm going to try to rearrange my schedule and try to do the writing first. Of course, after exercise............I feel so useless.

A friend in the Can of Cancer

2008-05-03T08:34:00.001-07:00

A dear friend of mine, Alice Orr, is having great difficulty with the problem of cancer. Alice is a helleva gal and is coping well. She is writing in her blog, waiting out all the operations and continuing to keep her spirits up. I'm sending a great deal of ZEN to her.

Unbeknownst to her, she has been a mentor of mine from the very first day I met her at an International Women's Writing Guild (IWWG) conference at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. I didn't actually meet her then, merely sat in a workshop she was giving. But, she blew me away. I had never heard a woman speak with so much knowledge and conviction. She instilled a sense of writing in me that I have never forgotten. She was dynamite and was the reason that I continued to go to IWWG conferences for thirteen more years. If she's not there, the activities seem to pale.

In later years, by the time I got a chance to read Alice's book, No More Rejections, I was thoroughly into her way of setting up a book. I had been practicing her "Characters from the Inside Out" for years. The only time I didn't use those techniques, I got a rejection saying that "my characters were not strong enough for the conflict of my novel." Well, you can be sure I went back and have now done all my characters using that method and will continue to do so.

In the meantime, I wish and want Alice to beat this current problem over the head--as she appears to be doing so. I want her around for a long time. I admire and respect her so ver much............

The Radio Show

2008-04-30T10:54:00.000-07:00

I've just heard that there were 25 downloads of the Radio Show I did with Nikki Leigh--and she hasn't even promoted it yet. I hope that's a goodly number, but I will leave it up to my readers to download some more and listen to it.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nikkileigh

Just go down the page and you'll see the show with Dorice Nelson. That's me. I listened to it myself and horrors--I even enjoyed it. Nikki Leigh is one sweet gal for doing all those things for all the people she does things for, on a daily basis. I have never met another person who is so willing to share.......nice gal.

Another rainy day

2008-04-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Today is one damned gloomy day. No sun. Rained in the morning. I was depressed so I decided since I was already there, I should do the income tax. We always get an extension because our accountant is so busy during the usual time for taxes. Anyway, I did the whole bloody thing and got it done by two p.m. And I'm still out of sorts.

I need to go into my bedroom, close my eyes and think up a storm. I have the prologue and the very first scene of Vengeance done. I've also written out several other scenes that would follow the first one, but, after going through them and being bored out of my mind, I found that they could be cut. They just didn't move the story forward and looked more like a police procedural than anything else--so they are gone. I do have one good scene that follows the first one and will probably work on it this afternoon.

In fact, I'm going to do that right now. Why don't you all go and listen to my Radio Show Interview. It was fun. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nikkileigh

Radio show

2008-04-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Today I did a radio show with author Nikki Leigh, a wonderful, helpful gal. We talked about writing for an hour, mentioning all my novels, my publisher and my plans for the future writing. Believe it or not, it was hard for this gal to sit still with a phone to her ear for the entire hour, but I managed--I think because Nikki is so very interesting and interested. If anyone would like to listen in, go to

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nikkileigh/2008/04/28/Author-Dorice-Nelson-Talks-with-Nikki-Leigh

I really enjoyed doing the show. It was fun, and she asked some really pertinent questions. Stop by--listen.

Interesting newsletter

2008-04-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

Subject: [CynthiaSterling] Market News for week of April 20, 2008

Lace and Blade is accepting submissions for its second anthology of "elegant, sensual, romantic fantasy, emphasizing sharp verbal repartee as much as sharp pointed weapons, rapier rather than broadsword." Editor Deborah J. Ross is interested in "characters - both men and women - with vibrant personalities, complex, dashing, and very sexy. I'm particularly interested in stories that have magic and action, but in which conflict is resolved not by violence but by insight, creativity, and compassion. I'd love to see "win-win" endings, sense-of-wonder, plot twists and turnabout. Alternate sexuality is welcome; eroticism a definite plus; exotic, non-Western European settings also encouraged. Please read the first volume to see what I'm looking for." The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2008. There are no minimum or maximum lengths, though Ross says longer stories must be "extraordinary." Ross will pay a 2 cents a word advance against royalties. The book will be released Valentine's Day, 2009. Complete guidelines are available at http://www.norilana.com/norilana-lb-guidelines.htm

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Plays is a magazine of one-act plays for children and teens. Editor Liz Preston is looking for plays about contemporary topics such as friendships, relationships within peer groups and family and community and school activities. She also welcomes plays about inspirational figures from history, comedies, mysteries, melodramas and skits. The plays must have plenty of action, believable dialogue and a fast pace. Pay is $75 to $250, on acceptance, for all rights. Go to http://www.playsmag.com to read sample plays from past issues. Submit your one-act play to Liz Preston, Editor, Plays, P.O. Box 600160, Newton, MA 02460

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My friend, Katriena Knights (http://katrienaknights.kabeka.com/) did a terrific video for my upcoming book, A Soldier Comes Home. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--bbG3cediI

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As always, feel free to pass along this newsletter and to encourage others to sign up to receive it. If you reprint or forward the newsletter, all I ask is that I be given credit for it. Anyone can sign up by sending a blank email to cynthiasterling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Cindi Myers
A Soldier Comes Home, Super Romance, June 2008
www.CindiMyers.com, www.myspace.com/CindiMyers

Intentions

2008-04-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

Today, after running to the drug store, Curves and the post office, I intended to get some work done. I had started by clearing off the desk so I could use it for writing, which meant I have to clear out all the Romance Writer Reader (RWR) magazines I had thrown there. I had taken out all the good articles from 2006 and had them in a folder and only needed to do the same for 2007. Well, I did that today.

I was half-way into it when friend Carla Neggers called. We hadn't talked in a long time, so we had some catching up to do. And boy did we ever. I also had a question to ask her for the Saratoga group and did that. It was great hearing from her. She's one of my favorite people.

Once I had all the articles, agent/editor and market news separated from the magazines, I needed to go to lunch. That was about 1 p.m. I no sooner finished than my artist friend, Barbara Garro, called and wanted to stop over--and so she did. It is now 3 p.m. and I'm waiting for the handyman to show up. It doesn't seem like I'll do any writing today. You know--I'm getting sick of all this.........lolol

Mondays

2008-04-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

For some odd reasons, Mondays seem to be the day to get multiple errands done. You think if you get them done on Mondays, the rest of the week will be free so you can write. How come it never works out that way?

My office is already so hot that I can barely work in it, but the handyman will be here tomorrow. Hopefully, he'll be able to set my AC up and get the deck ready for play-time. Maybe, he can even put up the screen house we have. If he can, then I can enjoy the outside without all the bugs. Wasps are having a field day this year and are out earlier than ever.....many more than all last year put together.

This afternoon, I'm off to Bennington, VT. I have a doc's appointment, then a meeting with the gal who does framing. The appointment is so late in the afternoon that it seems to kill the whole day.

Today, I wanted to work on the "finding the box" scene in Vengeance Is Mine. I have to have the heroine trying to load a fractious two-year-old thoroughbred on a two-horse trailer. I know it's often not an easy thing to do, so I will make it particularly hard for her. . .need to have her too busy to pay attention to the box and where it's going. Then the last scene in the first chapter--in her dad's attorney's office, for what might be a shocker for her. I hope to end the chapter with that.

A Movie to see

2008-04-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

I just read this discussion on a site and thought those of you who are iinterested in Kipling might enjoy this movie.

IN discussions of Kipling, no word comes up more often than paradox: he was the prophet of both empire and its decline, a white supremacist and a connoisseur of exotic cultures, a fabulist and a master of realistic detail, a friend of the common man and a foe of democracy. But never had his conflicted nature caused him so much grief as when he used personal influence to wheedle a commission in the Irish Guards for his severely myopic son John, known as Jack. With tragic inevitability, Jack, who was just 18, was killed in his first military engagement, the Battle of Loos, in September 1915.

TV Review | 'My Boy Jack': A Different Kind of Kipling Adventure (April 18, 2008) The anguish that Kipling inflicted on himself and his family is the subject of “My Boy Jack,” a co-production of the British company Ecosse Films and the ITV network with WGBH, Boston, to be shown as part of the “Masterpiece” series on Sunday on most PBS stations. (Check local listings.) Adapted by David Haig from his play of the same name, the film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Jack; Kim Cattrall as Carrie, Rudyard Kipling’s American wife; and Mr. Haig himself as Kipling.

To add to the paradoxes, the film was shot primarily in Ireland with an Irish crew. Though many of Kipling’s most popular early characters (Private Mulvaney in “Soldiers Three,” Peachey Carnehan in “The Man Who Would Be King” and Kim in the novel of the same name) are Irish or half-Irish, Kipling grew virulently anti-Irish in response to the rise of the Irish independence movement in the early 1900s. He called Dublin a city of “dirt and slop,” and the Irish Home Rule Bill of 1912 an invitation to “Rebellion, rapine, hate,/ Oppression, wrong and greed,” as well as the domination of Ireland by the Roman Catholic Church. Under these circumstances Kipling must have found it mortifying to discover that Jack’s only military option was an Irish battalion.

Mr. Radcliffe noted that a scene in which Kipling addresses a “roomful of Republic of Ireland children, about 50 of them, all waving Union Jacks” carried a “massive political irony.” The film’s director, Brian Kirk, a native of Northern Ireland, observed that the scene originally ended with the “entire audience singing ‘God Save the King.’ ” This idea was scrapped, he said, to avoid having the British anthem sung with a “Dublin lilt.”

The creators of “My Boy Jack” were aware of Kipling’s torturous relationship with the Irish but felt it had to be omitted from the story. For Mr. Haig, the family’s reaction to its loss was the strongest component of the drama. “The Irish nationalism was something I was prepared to sacrifice,” he said.

The film tells the story of Jack’s induction and military training; depicts the Kiplings’ squirearchal lifestyle at Bateman’s, their Jacobean manor house in Sussex; and explores the family tensions over Jack’s brave but foolhardy enlistment. It builds rapidly to an extended trench warfare sequence, portrays the soldiers’ terror in raw detail, then hurls them onto the battlefield, where Jack soon disappears and is reported missing.

Next comes the more somberly hued aftermath, when, as Rebecca Eaton, the film’s executive producer, put it, the Kiplings must face the “unspeakable” possibility that they have lost a child, one they “have purposely put in harm’s way.” To find their son the Kiplings exploit every avenue: the Red Cross, army hospitals, influential friends.

In the latter part of the film Ms. Cattrall, who earlier relied on, in her words, “silence and subtlety” to convey the strength and will beneath Carrie’s placid Edwardian demeanor, shifts to a higher dramatic gear. Without a hint of Samantha Jones, she takes charge of the process, refusing to sleep as she pores over 4,000 photos of captured English soldiers. Later she murmurs, “I’ll find you, Jack.”

The revelation of Jack’s fate comes with an added psychological dimension. Pvt. Michael Bowe (Martin McCann), the sole survivor of Jack’s Irish platoon, arrives at Bateman’s and gives a shattering account of Jack’s last hours, speaking in a pronounced brogue. The whole family achieves a measure of catharsis, and even the self-assured bard finally disintegrates into sobbing.

These sequences may be consistent with the filmmakers’ overall design, but the real-life Kipling never broke down. And, it can be argued, he used his art to avoid the truth rather than face it, versifying that his son “was killed while laughing at some jest” and that at least “he did not shame his kind.” No one really knows how Jack died.

Asked if he thought Kipling would have liked “My Boy Jack,” Mr. Haig replied, “On one level he would have resented any deepish investigation into his family.” But he said he liked to think Kipling would have found a “generosity of spirit and sensitivity” in the film.

Kipling might have been quite pleased by what is, after all, a meta-Kipling yarn. Like Harvey, the adolescent hero of “Captains Courageous,” Jack transcends a cosseted boyhood to become part of a manly, rigorous corps, inspiring his somewhat hapless Irish recruits, besting them in push-ups and, despite weak eyesight, in marksmanship as well. Later he leads them valiantly “over the top” and dies almost as heroically as Akela, the venerable wolf chieftain in the first “Jungle Book.”

As for the Irish, they figured in Kipling’s major act of authorial contrition. His two-volume history “The Irish Guards in the Great War,” published in 1923, was a commemoration of the English officer class represented by his son but also a rediscovery of the loyal Irish Tommies of old. (He quotes one as saying, in a drenching rain, “We was just dhrippin’ Micks.”) In this role Kipling almost managed to love them again.

Meetings

2008-04-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

The Cambridge Fiction Writers met today. We conducted our meeting outside on the deck. The weather was too beautiful to be indoors. We only had two folks that shared their work, but the feedback was fascinating. We're getting away from line by line critiques. I get the feeling that we're all becoming better writers, noticing more about the craft and giving better feedback. It sure feels good.

Tomorrow, the Saratoga Romance Writers meet. One of the gals and I drive over to Saratoga together and get a wonderful chance to chat. The meetings there are a bit different. I think the gals there are quieter about giving feedback. Nevertheless, I still learn something new.

I've written the Memorial Service scene and have pretty much decided what scenes can be cut from the first chapter. Tomorrow, I'll write some more..........

A bit more

2008-04-17T13:24:00.000-07:00

I finally got the Memorial Scene onto my Alphie and am about to put it on my computer. I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm writing my first draft by hand (in pencil or pen, whichever comes first and is available), then I'm copying it onto my AlphaSmart and then relaying it onto the computer.

I've lost track of my Book in a Month work, but I felt it was crucial and it gave me ideas, that I think I'll go back to it. I'm going to start all over again, instead of just trying to restart from where I left off.

I also did the scene between the cop and Ayden--but I don't know how much of it I'm going to keep. In fact, I don't know how much of any scene I'm going to keep in the novel--or whether I'll keep a scene in. I guess I have to write in a linear fashion so I know where I am and where I'm going for any given moment. Not all the scenes I write are necessary to the story. Much of some of them can be put elsewhere--so my main claim is: I have to finish the first draft of what has become an entirely new book, a new Vengeance Is Mine.

Still working

2008-04-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit pleased today. Over the weekend, I wrote the first draft of the final scene. Of course, it was in order, but the idea came to me and I thought I'd better get it down before I forgot what I wanted to say. After writing it, I finally put all the things I'd written (in order) into my Alphie and have since transferred them to my computer. I will do the flash drive before I leave the office for the day.

I have the opening scene pretty well done--starting with the antagonist. Chapter 1 will be all the set-up information needed for the protagonist--whose name I decided to keep Ayden, which some folks tell me is just a guy's name. Not so. Scene 1 will contain the first murder, scene 2 might be when she wakes up or I might jump right to the Memorial scene or go to the Lawyer scene. My goodness, such decisions to be made. Maybe I'll write them all and see which I like best...just as long as I go on.

Dentists-blah

2008-04-09T11:32:00.000-07:00

So far this month, between my husband and myself, we have over six doctor or dentist appoinments. Now, for some reason, I find that excessive. Who can pay all those people in one month, even if you do have insurance.

Tomorrow, we go to Bennington, VT for tooth extractions. I drive, he suffers having his teeth pulled out. While he is in the dentist's chair, I'm going to rush off to Staples and get a bunch of stuff copies.........63 pages worth, done three times. A friend of mine and I intend to use the papers along with the Book in a Month by Victoria Schmidt.

I'm also going through all my 2006 and 2007 Romance Writers Report magazines. I'm taking out the pertinent information and articles and tossing the books. I have no more room in my office. And, of course, anything that keeps me from writing is okay but bad for my system.

Restarting

2008-04-08T14:12:00.000-07:00

Restarting what I'm supposed to be doing--every day--is a swift pain. I never seem to get ahead of the writing game. Something else to do most often gets in the way. Doctor and dentist appointment seem to be taking up the first week of this month.

I did get a start and slowly wound down to doing just the emails and the blogs--and not ever doing those in any rythmic way. I am now wasting my time going though two years worth of "Romance Writers Report." I am taking out all the craft,market update, agent/editor, and RWR News articles, throwing the magazines away and keeping the good stuff. Will I ever get to read this? That is certainly the question. I'll try. I know I will, but will I get bored and toss it all away--probably.

I did manage to start a scene while waiting in the dentist's office today. I figured out that it was going to be important later on in the novel. This is the first time that I have written in other than a linear fashion, but it seems like fun. As I get an idea for something, I write it down and make a scene--at least, of dialogue--and save it to the computer, via the Alpha Smart. Let's see how this works.

An Important Article for Authors

2008-04-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

From the Wall St. Journal I thought this article was important enough to post to my blog a second time today.

HarperCollins Turns Page in Publishing
New Imprint to Squeeze
Advances to Authors,
Won't Take Returns
By JEFFREY A. TRACHTENBERG
April 4, 2008; Page B7

Marking a radical departure from traditional book-publishing practices, HarperCollins Publishers says it will launch a new book imprint that won't accept returns from retailers and will pay little or no advances to authors.

To be headed by veteran publishing executive Robert S. Miller, the imprint also likely won't pay for more desirable display space in the front of bookstores, a common practice. Instead, the as-yet-unnamed unit will share its profit with writers and focus much of its sales efforts on the Internet, where a growing portion of book sales are shifting.

The new venture is aimed at improving the economics of book publishing, which has long been hobbled by the need to pay for space in stores and take back unsold books from retailers at full price. The practice of paying authors advances -- offset against future royalties -- also can be costly for publishers when books bomb.

HarperCollins's decision to try a new approach comes at a time when book publishers and retailers are battling to generate new sales and attract more readers. "This is the right time to experiment with a new business model," said Jane Friedman, chief executive of HarperCollins. "We have to look at a changing marketplace."

HarperCollins is a unit of News Corp., which also owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

Of all the changes proposed by the new imprint, the end to book returns may be the most far-reaching. The current practice encourages retailers to order huge quantities of potentially hot new titles, sending back those that don't sell. Publishers, keen to snare as much retail space as they can for new titles, are happy to oblige. But it means publishers are printing far more copies of books than they need to -- between 30% and 40% of all consumer books shipped are returned to publishers, according to publishing veterans. Returns are also common in the DVD and music businesses, and affect some videogame titles.

HarperCollins hopes to cut retailers' returns. Above, sale books at a Barnes & Noble in Illinois.
How retailers will respond to nonreturnable books isn't clear. A spokeswoman for Barnes & Noble Inc., the largest U.S. book chain by sales, said the retailer will need to learn more about the plan before commenting. Several years ago, Barnes & Noble Chief Executive Steve Riggio said in an interview that he would like to be able to mark down books rather than returning them. Eliminating returns, he said at the time, would "revolutionize the book business and revitalize the book business."

Eliminating returns has been tried before -- unsuccessfully. Back in 1980, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc. announced it would provide retailers with larger discounts and end returns. Orders fell off, however, and the publisher reversed itself.

Now, though, the book industry -- both publishers and retailers -- is under intense economic pressure. HarperCollins's operating income fell slightly in the six months to Dec. 31, News Corp. reported in February, on lower revenue. This year is expected to be tough for book sales. Both Barnes & Noble and Borders Group Inc. have warned investors that their results will be affected by the economic slowdown. Borders last month put itself up for sale, warning it faced a potential cash crunch in coming months. The retailer Wednesday delayed filing its annual report with the Securities and Exchange Commission because it is in new financing discussions intended to address its liquidity issues.

"Other publishers have tried to sell their books on a nonreturnable basis in the past, but this might be the right time," says Lorraine Shanley, a partner in consulting company Market Partners International Inc.

Mr. Miller, who is stepping down as president of Walt Disney Co.'s Hyperion book publishing arm to run the new imprint starting April 14, said in an interview that booksellers are also unhappy with the returns system. "There's so much inefficiency in our business, so much waste, that it's time to at least experiment with approaches that can eliminate waste," Mr. Miller said.

The new venture is expected to publish about 25 titles a year, emphasizing shorter hardcover titles priced at about $20.

Mr. Miller, 51 years old, said that many authors who currently receive large advances won't be interested in the new model. However, he thinks he will attract major authors who have a book in the desk drawer that doesn't fit their image, as well as up-and-coming writers.

Mr. Miller, who started Hyperion in 1991, will be succeeded at that label by Ellen Archer, who will retain her existing position as publisher.

Write to Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg at jeffrey.trachtenberg@wsj.com

Working somehow

2008-04-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

Despite the many doctor appoinments this past week, I have managed to do some writing. There's something about Waiting Rooms that seem to push me off in other directions.

I am working through (although not completely successfully) Book in a Month, by Victoria Schmidt. I am following her directions and reading the proper material for each and every day. Sometimes, by the time I'm finished reading and trying to work out what she's asking for, I don't have a lot of time to write on the actual novel itself.

Today, I intend to get all that I've written so far onto my computer, including my version of her worksheets. Once I have them so that I can print them out, I should be able to fill in the blanks and still be able to write on the novel itself. Am going to try it right now..............

A Scottish Mystery

2008-04-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Mystery of severed head found on Arbroath beach from Scotsman.com This might make for a wonderful new suspense novel. I'll keep it in mind............

View Gallery
By Frank Urquhart

THE two little red-haired sisters were playing happily on the beach in the spring sunshine, without a care in the world, when they spotted a black plastic bag among the flotsam near the high-tide mark.
Curious, the girls, both younger perhaps than ten, peered inside. A split second later, they were running for home – horrified after finding the severed head of a dark-haired woman.

Last night, the gruesome discovery – and the subsequent find of a severed hand in a similar plastic bag less then 100 yards away – had sparked what was, in all but name, a huge murder inquiry in the seaside town of Arbroath.

There have been further developements this morning as police investigating the discovery of the body parts announced that they have found a second hand.

As detectives sealed off the area and began a detailed forensic examination of the beach where the remains were found, police forces throughout the UK were flashed details of the discovery in the hope of identifying the victim. DNA tests, dental records and fingerprints will be used in an attempt to find out who she was.

Tayside Police said they could only treat the macabre discovery as a "suspicious death". But once the cause of death is established, it is certain to turn into a murder investigation.

The drama began shortly after 10:30am yesterday, as the sisters played on the Seagait beach, which is overlooked by a row of private homes and holiday cottages. They spotted the black plastic bin bag on the beach and decided to peek inside.

The terrified children then ran to their home nearby to tell their mother, who immediately telephoned the police.

Officers found the hand in another bag 100 yards closer to the town's bustling harbour.

John Carswell, a builder working on a new house only 50 yards from where the head was discovered,

said neither of the two bags had been there when he removed debris from the sand-and-shingle beach the night before.

He said: "I cleaned up that beach at 4 o'clock last night – every bit of rubbish on it – and there was nothing there. I have given the police the bag of rubbish I collected at the time. There was some clothing in the rubbish I collected – that's all."

His son, also called John, had been working in the new house when he spotted the two girls on the beach.

He said: "I was working in an apartment, fitting a bathroom beside a window, looking down at the beach.

"There were two red-headed little girls, one aged about six, and the other four or five, and they were playing at the water's edge. They were on their own – everyone around here looks out for the kids and makes sure they're OK.

"I saw them poking about a black bin-bag, when they suddenly took off screaming in a hurry, which I thought was a bit strange.

"I saw them come back with their mother, and I asked her what was going on.

She said she thought the girls had found a head, and that she had called the police. Police officers came down, and then CID arrived. They went to the black bin-bag, and when they opened it up, I saw some hair, and it was plainly a head."

The bag containing the head was covered by a fish box until a forensics team arrived to begin a detailed examination.

Officers later produced a blue tarpaulin to cover the gruesome find, which was then removed so it can be given a more detailed examination.

Detectives have said it is too early to indicate whether the two bags had been deliberately dumped at the site or had been swept in on the high tide.

The investigation is being headed by Graham McMillan, who was promoted to the rank of detective chief inspector only yesterday. He said: "The remains have been found in what are very much suspicious circumstances.

"This morning, two girls were playing on the beach when they made the discovery. They had looked inside the bag and suspected it was a human head.

"They were obviously very distressed by that and went home and reported the discovery to their parents, who reported it to the police. Officers who arrived confirmed that it was the head of a woman.

The bag was close to the tide line and there is the potential that it was washed up on the beach. There were fairly rough seas and it was quite windy last night.

"A hand was then found in another bag further along the beach towards the harbour. From a cursory inspection, it appears to be a female hand."

He declined to reveal how long the remains may have been in either of the bags.

Mr McMillan said that officers had swept the beach for about a quarter-of-a-mile in each direction of the grim discoveries but had found no further evidence of human remains.

He praised the two little girls who made the find. "They were obviously upset by their discovery, but they did the right thing. They are being supported by their parents now," he said.

The Home Office Large and Major Crime Enquiry System (Holmes) is being used by Tayside Police to assist in the investigation.

Mr McMillan said: "We are investigating the national missing persons database, and so on.

"We are obviously checking for reported missing persons to see if there is potential there, but we would also like to appeal to anyone who has maybe got concerns for a friend, relative or an acquaintance that they haven't seen for a wee while."

It is understood, however, that no-one whose description matches that of the woman whose head was found on the beach has been reported missing in the area.

Jim Millar, a local councillor, said the gruesome find had stunned the Angus town.

He said: "The community is very shocked, and we are obviously very sorry for the two children who made this grim discovery.

"This is something you might find in a Rebus book rather than our seaside town."

GRISLY FIND ECHOES PAST CASE

THE case recalls that of Barry Wallace, whose severed body parts were found dumped in Loch Lomond and in the sea near Troon, in Ayrshire, in December 1999.

The 18-year-old was last seen staggering away from a taxi rank towards a nightclub in Kilmarnock at about 1:30am on 5 December, 1999, having spent the evening at a Christmas party with colleagues from the Tesco store where he worked.

A huge search was launched when Mr Wallace failed to return home. Police divers discovered his dismembered arms and legs during a training exercise at Rowardennan, Loch Lomond, later that month.

Mr Wallace's head was found a week later by a dog walker at Barassie Beach, near Troon, 60 miles away.

His torso was found after a police search at Manse Bay, Balmaha, Loch Lomond. Mr Wallace's killer, William Beggs, then aged 37, took him home before sexually assaulting him and dismembering his body.

Beggs was extradited from the Netherlands to stand trial for murder in Edinburgh in 2001. Judge Lord Osborne ordered him to spend at least 20 years in jail.

Writing a little

2008-03-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

I'm managing to write a little every day. On April 1st, I intend to start a 30-day regime, whereby I write something every day. I don't want to overburden myself and aim too high, so I will strive for at least 1000 words a day.

I've been doing better by writing by hand. It seems that the ideas flow better with a pen or pencil in my hand. I then type it onto my AlphaSmart--revising a bit as I go along. Once it's on the Alphie, I can easily let it flow onto the computer.

I've been making all sorts of notes to myself. As I go along in my thinking about the new track of Vengeance Is Mine that I've decided to try, I find myself using the Alphie for the notes and keeping track of them on the computer. I now have a seperate file for all my notes and am slowly printing them out.

I recently got an "all-in-one" HP printer and will try to copy some of the pages in the BOOK IN A MONTH--for my own use. They're different pages indicating ways to keep track of what you're writing. I think I might find them useful.

Everything is worth a try..............

Reading to Learn

2008-03-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

Although I've published three historical novels, I still continue to read writing books for the idea they present. Right now, I'm reading a marvelous book, MAKE A SCENE. It's one of the best books I've read on doing scenes. The author's style says many of the things I already know, but he says them in a different way. He provokes my imagination and, because of the book, I have made many notes for scenes in my Vengeance Is Mine. I'm determined to finish that book before going on to the second book of the Saratoga series.

I'm also reading BOOK IN A MONTH, which I mentioned yesterday. The book is interesting and I'm hoping that it spurs me on to write every day--no matter what comes up. I have surely been lacking in drive in the past year. A friend and I will be working the book together, starting on April 1st. We have agreed not to discuss our stories, but merely to consider how much we have put together in a given day or week. We both need to write and do little else.

Despite all the doctor appointments in April, to which I must drive to Bennington, I will write in each and every office. I find that I'm more confortable writing by hand, so once I have a scene started, I will put it on my Alphie and finish it. Then, and only then, will it go on my computer--AND I WILL NOT GO BACK OVER ANYTHING UNTIL THE FIRST DRAFT IS COMPLETED.

30 Days to a Novel

2008-03-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

A friend and I are going to start a 30 day novel-writing bit. We're going to be working through Book in a Month by Victoria Schmidt. We each work in different ways, but hopefully, our outcome will be a good start on a novel. Perhaps, we'll even have a first draft. So it's surely worth a try. April will be one busy month. I haven't decided how many words or how many pages, but I'm thinking about it. Not too sure that I should settle on a definite number...might defeat myself before I start.

I find myself thinking about a dear friend of mine, Alice Orr. She's not feeling up to par and for such a dynamic woman to be ailing is almost a crime. So, here I am, thinking about her and sending much New York ZEN to her.

Sad News

2008-03-25T08:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Authors,

I don't often share much personal stuff about myself or what is going
on with me, so I never thought I would be coming to any of you with
this but sometimes life comes at you and you have to deal with it,
and this is one of those times for me.

I could beat around the bush here but that's not me. You deserve the
truth even if it is painful for me to talk about.

I have found out recently, very recently, that my cancer has
returned. For those of you who do not know, this is my 6th time
around with this in a little over 10 years. It started as cervical
cancer 10 years ago and each time has gotten worse and spread to
other places. I will be starting chemotherapy and radiation
treatments shortly and as I have been through these same treatments
twice already, I can honestly say it isn't pretty.

After discussing the issues and options with Susan and Billi, and
then Gretchen and Brenda, it was decided for a few reasons that I
will discuss below, that the only option was to close Dark Eden as of
April 1st. I have to devote my energies and my time to getting
better, and to my daughter.

One reason for closing is the treatment plan itself. I will be in no
shape to run a company, much less take care of anything else.
Another reason is with Brenda having gone back to work fulltime, that
would leave just Gretchen to do it all and as great as she is, she
can't do it by herself. Billi works fulltime and does her part of
the business in the evenings and on weekends. Susan has health
problems that she didn't have when we started this company and
wouldn't be able to do the things that I do. It was hard enough
after the house fire to keep things running smoothly and even then
they were getting some help from me. They pitched in and ran things
beautifully after the fire but that was only for a few months, this
would be for the next 6 months at the very least.

The last reason is all of you. All of you deserve an owner who is
going to be here, who is able to get the things done that need to be
done. I don't want my authors trying to figure out why I haven't
answered emails for a couple of days, or why royalties are late, or
wondering when the things that need to be taken care of are going to
get done, when the reality is that I will be too sick to do it.

I will spend the next two weeks preparing letters to release your
book rights to you, doing March royalties, and closing the readers
group. I will then begin shutting down all the DEP email addresses
except for my own and forwarding all mail from that to my personal
email address. By May 1st, I would hope all payments have cleared
the bank, and on that date I will also close the author group.

On a personal level, I feel horrible that this has to be done to all
of you. I have come to know almost every one of you personally and I
feel as if I have let you all down when you trusted me with your
stories, and I am so sorry for that. You trusted in the fact that
DEP would be around for a long while and I am truly sorry that we are
not going to be.

If you have any questions or problems, please don't hesitate to email
me as I will be working to get last minute things tied up over the
next several weeks.

Please feel free to post this on your blogs or websites as you see
fit. I would rather have the truth out about why we are closing,
even if part of it is a personal issue, than to have DEP's name
trashed across the blog universe. Lord knows some of those people do
not have enough to do but sit around and pick their next victim. I
do not want it to be this company.

If I have not told all of you lately, it is and has been, a pleasure
working with all of you gifted writers and DEP's fantastic staff.

Debra Durham
President

Interview with Patricia Guthrie

2008-03-24T08:15:00.000-07:00

Wanted to post this early in the morning but wound up taking two dogs to the Vet's. Abbey has a stomach ailment and is on one kind of medication and Barney is on another, for sore and stiff back end. I finally got back to the office and it is now after ten.

But here is the interview with Patricia Guthrie, who wrote In the Arms of the Enemy.

This story is dedicated to those horses lost to man’s greed and inhumanity and to those humanitarians whose mission is to save and protect them.

Questions;
1) What gave you the idea of writing about horse racing fraud and its outcomes?
The seed was planted around those horse show scandals. I had horses in a couple of barns in the northern suburbs of Chicago. I showed a little. Not much. When I moved to the south suburbs I moved into a great barn that specialized in dressage. I’ve ended up in western pleasure. But, believe me everyone knew about the Helen Brach disappearance and the murder of the show horses.

2) What kinds of horses are you writing about and what kind do you ride?
The prologue is set at a race track. Maggie is a trainer and Adam’s father owned many of the horses Maggie and her fiancee trained. The rest of the story takes place at Maggie’s father’s boarding barn. Maggie rides an old quarter horse named “Playboy”. A horse she rescued from the track.

3) Tell us about your main character, please. Is it a horse?
This is a romantic suspense, so there are two protagonists. Adam Blakely and Maggie O’Brien. Adam thinks Maggie had a hand in killing his father’s race horse and its trainer, thus causing his father’s fatal heart attack. The police already have made up their mind that his father was responsible, so Adam goes undercover to try and catch a killer. Only problem, he falls in love with her. This is a story about greed, murder, deception, love and horses. Its motto: Keep your friends close; but your enemies closer.

4) Are you aware of the scandal that went on in the Horse Show business over the deaths of horses, several years ago?
Yes. That’s the seed that planted the story in my mind.

5) Do you intend to write more about the horse business? Yes. I’m plotting another one out right now. It should take a while to get it together.

6) If so, what phases are you going to explore next?
My next book that will be coming out in the spring is called Waterlilies Over My Grave. This is about a woman who leaves a career and an obsessive ex-husband to take a job in a resort town, only her ex follows her with deadly intentions. It’s a romantic suspense. There is a collie in this book named Lady. (I have three collies at home who help me write) and she helps get the bad guys. She’s in quite a few of the scenes.

After that, I’m working on another romantic suspense where the heroine inherits a castle in Romania inhabited by drug dealers. This one has a horse in it that belongs to a nine-year-old boy. The horse wears a straw hat. I haven’t worked out her name or breed yet.

For much more information about Patricia Guthrie and In the Arms of the Enemy, please visit her virtual book tour page at http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Patricia+Guthrie

Saturday and Sunday

2008-03-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

The Cambridge Fiction Writers' group met on Friday at the usual time. Since I was just beginning my Vengeance Is Mine again for nth time, I mentioned that I did not want a line to line critique--it was a first draft. I wanted them to be readers and see if what I wrote made sense or if it confused. Doing a line by line doesn't help when you're just writing a scene for the first time. The meeting went well and I came out of it encouraged rather than discouraged. After the meeting we had a pot-luck birthday party for two of the gals who were born in March.

Saturday, I spent a good part of the day helping the neighbors with cleaning out our cellar. There was water-damage and we sent two truck loads to the dump. Our neighbors were fantastic and helped immeasureably. Shel and I couldn't have done it by ourselves.

AND TODAY: I want to tell you that I will be hosting author Patricia Guthrie. who wrote In the Arms of the Enemy, a book about what's often done to horses for the insurance money. I read the book and enjoyed it tremendously. Hope you all like the interview............

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080320/ap_on_bi_ge/borders_group_sale

2008-03-20T12:00:00.000-07:00

For those interested in what is happening to Borders Book Store.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080320/ap_on_bi_ge/borders_group_sale

New York

2008-03-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

The Washington Post had a fine article on the 'high-jinks' in New York State. I'm beginning to wonder about politics...........Where do we all go from here?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/13/AR2008031303169.html?referrer=emailarticle

Finally

2008-03-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

I think I got my groove on today. I started redoing the characters of Vengeance Is Mine because some folks couldn't tell that Ayden was a woman or a man. Once I got started on that, I found that changing the names of some of the characters helped me get a new slant on the novel. I also found that I had 96 pages already done and am intending to rewrite it all the way I want it. As often happens, I've gotten new ideas and have conquered a problem that bothered me--how did the killer find the person to be murdered. I've got it all now.

I have paid the bills and should be free for the rest of the month. I have fixed two different folders--one for Vengeance and one for Saratoga Winter. I am also reading the book, Book in a Month, which should help me work harder by giving me a method and helping me to outline both stories.

I got another book, Make a Scene. I love to read and every time I read some other author's approach to writing, I not only learn something but I get ideas for my own novels. It's an interesting concept. I know some authors don't read books about writing. I guess they all know more than I do.......but I don't care. I learn something new every day. Now, if I can only apply it to my novels, I'll feel great.

Just a bit of writing

2008-03-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

Today, I'm doing a lot of reading, trying to find the cause of my blocks. I'm reading Book in a Month by Victoria Schmidt. What she's got listed covers every excuse I've ever used for not writing. It all embarrassed me so I wrote a couple of paragraphs--but her book looks good and I think I'll try to follow it--see what I can do in the course of a month.

I want to finish the suspense--or die. At the SRWA meeting on Saturday, it got creamed but the folks there gave me some good ideas. I'm going to use those ideas and the novel has taken another turn. I realize now that I hadn't figured it all out properly. It was okay as a romantic suspense, but it didn't come close to the chiller I wanted it to be. Now, I have a better grip on the book.

Saturday's Meeting

2008-03-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

Today, the SRWA had the largest writers' meeting since I rejoined. There were nine of us. We had a short meeting, lunch and then critiquing. I submitted a new beginning for my suspense and they ripped into it. Actually, they gave me some good solid ideas and I can't wait to work on them.

After the meeting, I went to Staple and bought another flash drive, so that Shel can have one. I will give him the one that works without much trouble. I think I have the right one. If necessary, I'll give him my easy-to-work one and I'll fuss with the new one.

I keep looking at the All-in-One Printers. I'm dying to get one. They look like they work great. If I had one, I could get rid of my two printers, give Shel a better one. My new office has gotten kinda' crowded with all the equipment I have on and under the desk.

Meetings galore

2008-03-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

This was the week of meetings. Monday evening, the Cambridge Historical Society met. I'm a board member and had to be there. I got their late, since they had decided at the meeting I missed to start a half hour earlier. They swore they sent me the minutes and didn't really believe me when I said I hadn't received them. But this time, I got the minutes, along with the envelope with the wrong address on it. The wrong address was crossed out and the correct printed with pen. I'll take it to the next meeting.

Tuesday morning at 8:30, the same Society had a breakfast meeting for the Membership Committee to plan for the annual Membership Mixer.

Wednesday was my meeting with Doc R for my annual physical. Got a shot to prevent Shingles, but was told I was otherwise quite healthy. The Doc made sure that I was given two more doctor appointments and one for a mammogram.

Thursday, I had to pick up medicine for little Abbey--at the Vet's. The medicine, a bucket of glucosomine for both dogs and a certain kind of kibble that keeps their teeth clean set me back about $200. Heavens but setters are expensive.

Friday, the Cambridge Fiction Writers met and we worked on three works from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. I didn't get a chance to have the members read mine, so I'll take it to the Saratoga Romance Writers' meeting on Saturday.

Sunday, I'm going to hide in my office................

Still in water mode

2008-03-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

The water in our basement has gone down quite a bit--but not entirely. I want to get down there to remove all the wet stuff before it starts to smell funky.

Today, I did nothing but catch up with my emails, blogs and WVU work. Tomorrow is a mammogram in Vermont, which will take up a good part of the day.

As you can see, I have done little to no writing and am in a funk about it. I just don't feel like writing--bothering to torture myself, but I do know I have to get busy. My publisher is waiting for one of the two novels she's been promised.

Battling floods

2008-03-11T09:14:00.001-07:00

I haven't written on this blog all weekend and not even on Monday. We've been battling a flooded cellar. A foot and a half wended its way into our basement. The fire department came twice to pump us out. We were lucky and had our hot water heater and furnace up on blocks and they're fine. Our freezer and the food therein are probably gone. Once the water recedes enough to get downstairs (with big rubber barn boots) I'll try to plug the freezer back in. Oh well...

I did want to tell you that I'm going to interview Patrica Guthrie on the 24th of this month. Here's some info.

For much more information about Patricia Guthrie and In the Arms of the Enemy, visit her virtual book tour site - http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Patricia+Guthrie

Book Summary
WANTED: ASSASSIN TO KILL RACE HORSES ON DEMAND
FLEXIBLE HOURS-GOOD BENEFITS
Light Sword Publishing announces the release of Patricia A. Guthrie’s first published novel “In the Arms of the Enemy.”
When the death of a racing stable’s prize horse and his trainer is blamed on the stable’s owner; his son, Adam Blakely, goes undercover convinced that the trainer’s partner, Maggie McGregor, is the killer.
Determined to leave the tumultuous world of horse racing, Maggie returns home to try and find peace. When a handsome horse owner moves his horse into her father’s boarding stable and asks Maggie to train his horse, family finances dictate that Maggie accept--and that’s when the accidents begin.
Drowning in deception and lies, Maggie and Adam search for a killer and uncover an insurance scam so insidious, it threatens to rock a horse racing empire and bring the killer to their doorstep. They need to learn to:
Keep your friends close; but your enemies closer.
Review magazine "Affaire de Coeur" says, "With a strong mystery and a sizzling romance, Ms. Guthrie captivates readers from the start. This is an enjoyable thriller with a plot that will keep you guessing until the climactic end.”
* * * * * Rated five stars

AUTHOR BIO
Patricia A. Guthrie is a resident of Park Forest, Illinois. A recently retired music teacher from the Chicago Public Schools (May Community Academy and Chicago Vocational Community Academy) and former opera singer, Author Patricia A. Guthrie is now an avid horse owner, dog obedience trainer and writer. Ms. Guthrie lives with three feisty collies who act as “ghost writers” and help her write at every given opportunity.
This story is dedicated to those horses lost to man’s greed and inhumanity and to those humanitarians whose mission is to save and protect them.
In the Arms of the Enemy By Patricia A. Guthrie
www.paguthrie.blogspot.com
www.patriciaanneguthrie.com
www.myspace.com/paguthrie

An idea blossoms

2008-03-06T10:52:00.000-08:00

I finally got a good idea for Vengeance Is Mine. I have been reading book after book for months now without anything clicking in my head, and I finally read a Mira Book that inspired an idea. While my idea is not as extensive as any of the books I've been reading, I have some thoughts. I guess I've been learning for the past few years.

Finally, I feel like I want to write again. I don't know whether I've had writer's block or what. I've always thought the block was in an author's head. Well, it sure has been in mine. It's like being in a wasteland.

Nothing you write sound good even to you. If others read it, it sounds terrible..........worse, it makes you feel like you can't write at all. One of my critique groups has had me down in the dumps, as if not one single sentence of mine should be left unchanged. At this point, my only solution is write what I feel is necessary for my story but not present it to the group. At least, not present it until you've done the first draft.

Of course, my husband's concept of what I should be writing, how I should be writing it and how futile my efforts are is certainly not helping. I guess he believes that he's the only author in the house, and I'm there to do his bidding--change his work into RTF, send it to the publisher in the proper format, print out his pages when he needs to edit or whatever......cook (although he does sometimes), clean, take care of the dogs, the house and the bills--and, best yet, keep my bloody mouth shut, except to answer, "Yes." Right now, I don't intend to share anything I write or do with him. He can be the big author that everyone cheats, ignores and doesn't appreciate.

Boy, I guess I'm in a tizzy--but the time for the end of such moods is coming to a close. I have an idea................I intend to write Vengeance Is Mine as if it's a totally new book and not rely on any rewrites from the old one.

Looking for new facts

2008-03-04T16:10:00.000-08:00

1863 - American Civil War: Battle of Chattanooga begins - Union forces led by General Ulysses S. Grant reinforce troops at Chattanooga, Tennessee and counter-attack Confederate troops.
1867 - The Manchester Martyrs were hanged in Manchester, England for rescuing two Irish men from jail.
1869 - In Dumbarton, Scotland, the clipper Cutty Sark is launched - one of the last clippers ever to be built, and the only one still surviving to this day.

Saratoga Summer: 1863 takes place during the Civil War. The Conscription Draft Act riots play an important part in the book and the information is historically accurate. I merely dragged my characters through how New York City was in 1863, down to one of the first elevators and the burning of a black orphanage. I also take my characters further north, just in time for the first legalized racing in that city--and during the War.

Since I'm working on the sequel now, I've started doing some of the necessary research. I do know that there was a large fire in Saratoga that year--and some racing. I already have some idea of how I'm going to play those things.

At the same time, I'm researching later years because, at least, two more sequels are coming. I just don't know the time frames but I gave myself some facts to look at for the later books. Doing sequels are hard unless you do one after another--something I haven't done, but I'm learning.

Hate Mondays

2008-03-03T08:16:00.000-08:00

As an author, I hate Mondays. Today, I decided to go directly to the office. I did not pass GO (Curves) because I wanted to get to the first of the month bills. Went right into the office with the hopes of being able to write on one or the other of my novels.

Before anything else, the dogs started barking in the house, so my husband let them out, screaming to me that they wanted to come into the office. In they came. I started with the bills. They have to be paid, although I'd like to throw some of them out. Every time I sat down with the checkbook in hand, the damned phone rang.

I got a call from Sally's daughter about some plans to be made or not.
I got a call from the Membership chairwoman of the Cambridge Historical Society for a breakfast meeting next Tuesday. We have to do a big membership drive.
I got a call from the Treasurer of the SRWA about cancelling the Tuesday meeting because of the weather report--snow, sleet and freezing rain. We cancelled--then I had to send out an email to everyone (I'm the VP of the group.) so they'd know we cancelled--and I also had to call two people in case they don't read their email right away.
I got a call confirming a doctor's appointment later in the week.

I finally got the checks written out, bills paid, sealed, stamped and ready to post, and I'm so frazzled that I don't even feel like writing. I've let the dogs out once already and they're still walking around this small office, driving me crazy............but at least, the husband is able to write in his office. He has nothing else to do.

And people think I make lots of money doing this--trying to write. Hell, no!

Author Moods

2008-03-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we can't control how we feel about situations. While I was writing my suspense, Vengeance Is Mine, and having trouble with it, my husband suggested that I might be more comfortable writing my historical sequel. So I started Saratoga Winter 1865 and got to Chapter 3. His next suggestion, since I seemed to be having trouble with the historical, was that I really seemed to like critiquing more than writing. Now, I don't even feel like writing at all...not even on my blogs. I guess it's difficult to have someone so close tell you that you are not succeeding in anything you're writing--even though you know it yourself.

It's funny, my publisher is interested in getting both of the above mentioned books. My writing sells for her. She keeps asking me about them and I'm nowhere near completion on either. It's a bit daunting, having my husband critique my very behavior and three different writing groups critique my pages, until not a word I've written is worth reading.

Actually, I would like to go back to the suspense. I really like to write and will start doing it for myself and myself alone, if that is what is necessary. I guess having two writers in the house is a bit much, so I will work quietly in the background. I am going to start sneaking into my outdoor office and writing on the sly.......so much for cooperation.

Snow-To-Go

2008-02-27T16:31:00.000-08:00

We have enough snow here right now that I'm willing to sell some to anyone who would like to decorate their lawns in white. It's been snowing for 24 hours. It's stopped everywhere else around us, but we seem to be in some sort of valley that has a cloud hanging over it........and the snow comes down and down and down.

This morning, I shoveled the deck and the path to the office. Then I went to exercise and out to lunch. I didn't get back until after one and haven't done a thing since. Shel, on the other hand, pushed the snow around on the deck, since it hasn't stopped coming down. And tonight, I shoveled the front porch. All this exercise is tiring me out. I didn't do a single useful thing in my writing today.

Disgusting isn't it?

Doctor Days

2008-02-26T19:50:00.000-08:00

On the days that either my husband or I have doctor appointments, I just don't seem to get much writing done. I did some this morning on the beginning of Vengeance Is Mine. But, it's hard to work on something when the time you get to spend on the writing is broken up by other things.

I'm curious, with this snow storm, if the school will be closed. On days that it is, I seem to get much more work done. I spend a part of the morning shoveling snow off the deck--for the dogs--and then shovel snow off the walk to my outside office, where the big computer sits and waits. Once the shoveling is done, I go to the office and work for a long period of time. The only thing wrong with that office is the fact that I have to come into the house for lunch--or to go to the bathroom. "Mighty inconvenience," I say.

I am anxious to go to the office. There are things I want to get done on each of the novels I'm working on. Each day, I make a list of what needs to be done--and my greatest pleasure is to draw a line through each thing accomplished.

Gone to the lists

2008-02-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

I've had it with my foolish ways. I am making a list of everything I need to do in the course of a given day. Each day, I will do my household stupid errands in the morning. My writing activities, other than a blog or two, will get done in the afternoon--unless I can get some done in the morning, especially these blogs.

For today, I have seven items on my list. I have done two of them, will do a third within the hour and am writing this blog a bit earlier than planned. I will be able to save the afternoon for some writing exercises--although, I must admit, I snuck in some writing this morning before even getting showered and dressed for the day. I'm cheered up already.

I have some monumental writing to accomplish. I must definitely rewrite pages 9 through 15 of Saratoga Winter 1865. It seems that, in transferring those pages from flash drive to computers, I have lost my original rewrites. It's a pain in the tush, but I guess I'll have to redo them--and hopefully make them better.

Also, I brought two complete chapters (excluding pages 9 through 15) to the SRWA Winter Retreat. The attendees critiqued them all, not the exclusion, and I have those to go over. I also have to work on Vengeance Is Mine, having gotten some good ideas written down. All that should keep me busy for the rest of this week--writing-wise, that is.

Took a Hiatus

2008-02-24T09:58:00.000-08:00

Didn't bother to write on the blog for a couple of days. I went into thinking mode, grew discouraged and had to berate myself. Sometimes the things Shel says to me cut to the quick. His latest bit of sweetness was so comforting. He thought that I enjoyed critiquing someone else's writing rather than writing my own. He's touted me off the suspense novel, which I am going back to with a vengeance, telling me that I seem to write historical novels so much easier and without a struggle. Frankly, the whole conversational twist had me in a funk, but I'm about to reembark on a new path.

I will write every day, whether I'm working on the suspense or the historical. I will find some time to do the writing, no matter other things come up to get in my way. It's merely a question of deciding to write instead of hanging around, watching TV or reading, which is one of my first loves. If necessary, I will forego all TV, in order to write and will not allow myself to turn the blasted machine on until some writing has occurred on that day.

I don't know which novel I will work on in a given day. Perhaps, I will be able to squeeze both into my schedule. I am going to have to write around meetings that keep getting in the way and all the other sort of CRAP. I will write. It's a promise I'm making to myself.

The Days slip by

2008-02-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

Days slip by before I realize they are all gone. I had planned to do much over the weekend but did nothing of note.

When I tried working on Saratoga Winter 1865, I wound up rewriting the beginning of the suspense, Vengeance Is Mine. I must be in a learning spurt. I'm reading a lot and that makes me want to try different writing techniques. I feel I can always learn. I must have seen something in what I was reading because I immediately thought of a new way to start the suspense.

It's strange though. When I'm writing the historical, I think about the suspense--but when I'm writing the suspense, I can't concentrate on the historical. I can't figure out which I am more comfortable with and enjoy writing more. I also know that I enjoy working on the big computer, rather than the laptop, but I tend to use the laptop more in the evenings. Transferring things gets to be a problem. At the Retreat I went to, I found that pages 9 through 15 were of the old start. I somehow lost the new revisions and am only now catching up. What a waste of time--yet I thought I had everything done correctly on my Flash drive--but obviously, NOT. Now, I have to rewrite something that had already been revised.

I haven't kept up with my Writer's Village assignments and have to visit there today. I really have been lax.

Just Another Lazy Day

2008-02-13T19:24:00.000-08:00

Today we had a snow storm, an ice storm and rain. What more can the weather bring--more from what I heard. I guess it's going to be a mess until tomorrow afternoon and then again over the weekend. We certainly are getting our fill of messy weather. It's the climate up north.

Although I spent most of the day inside because of the icy rain, I merely wrote something for the first chapter of Vengeance Is Mine. All the time I'm thinking about Saratoga Winter 1865, ideas come to me about the suspense and the historical gets cold. Strange how those things work. I guess if I want to do something on the historical, I should be writing on the suspense and vice-versa.

Waiting for the Storm

2008-02-12T16:58:00.000-08:00

I love storms, even snow storms. I did nothing writing-wise today. Drove my husband to several different doctors, went to get his new medications and bought a few groceries to weather the storm.

Although I didn't feel great yesterday, I had to feel good today. My husband doesn't drive anywhere except around the village we live in. I do all the driving--to doctors, to dinners out and everywhere inbetween.

Tomorrow, I'll shovel my way to my outside office and try to do some work on writing. I do have corrections to make to my first two chapters. The Retreat was the first time I had anyone read them through altogether. Even I could see what worked and what didn't and I can't wait to get started on fixing the holes in the chapters--and then they can rot until I go far enough forward.

In the next week or so, I'm going to have an author, who's written a mystery about horses, speak on the blog. I have to write up some questions to ask her and once she stops here, perhaps some of you might ask some questions as well.............

The Retreat

2008-02-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

The Saratoga Romance Writer's Retreat was wonderful. The president, Sally Booth, did her usual fantastic job of putting everything together. Of course, Jennifer Burton made most of the hotel arrangements and they went off smoothly.

Eight members went and it was just the best size group for critiquing, which is what we do most. Those that brought chapters had them critiqued and both days were spent doing so--along with many laughs and fun times.

Stupid me got sick on Saturday night. A bit of flu, but after being sick to my stomach, which I emptied, I managed to make the Sunday meeting. Once I got hom, I put everything away and went right to bed. I stayed there today as well. Regardless, the Retreat was great and I am so glad I went. Tomorrow is the time to get to work and redo all the suggestions made on my chapters.

Lots of work

2008-02-07T16:03:00.000-08:00

Today, what with the storm and snow, I spent part of the morning shoveling the deck so the dogs could get out without a lot or trouble. I had to do it again in the afternoon because it was caked with ice. I also shoveled the path to my office, outside the house.

Then, a million and one errands took up most of the morning. I had to run to the Vet to get some more medication for little Abbey, the English Setter. I'm going to a writer's retreat tomorrow and wanted to be sure there was enough medication at home. I even got some Glucosamine Chondroitin for them both. I know it won't repair whatever damage has been done to their bones but maybe it will stay any further deterioration.

I went to the office today and worked myself silly. I printed out 8 copies of the Scene and Sequel Workshop I intend to present at the retreat. I also printed out 8 copies of my first two chapters of Saratoga Winter 1865. Everyone does feedback at the retreat and I'm looking forward to some suggestions on the beginning of the novel. Every little bit helps.............

Attacking another chapter

2008-02-06T09:26:00.001-08:00

Since I revised yesterday's Chapter One beginning, I decided I needed to go on. I began Chapter Three and can't seem to get a handle on it. I want the scene to be between a father and son--as in Chapter One--although with a different father and son. I need to show the contrast between the two families.

Maybe what I need to do is list the differences in the two families--the one in Ireland and the one in New York City. Of course, the different locales might add to or detract from the normal differences between any father and son. It's hard growing up today, but I'm sure it was just as hard in the 19th Century. In that century, fathers expected more of their sons--harder work to help support th entire family, perhaps less education. Boys in 1865 were expected to be men, but still had the same emotions of boys today. They were just better able to conceal what was not considered nice then. 'Tis a puzzle.

But the main thing is--I am writing.

Setting the scene

2008-02-05T10:31:00.000-08:00

I just wrote the beginning of my Saratoga Winter 1865. I had the entire scene written but didn't have a good setting or intro. I managed to write one this morning and wound up rewriting some of the scene itself. It works so much better now and leads the reader into the novel so that the reader will know where he or she is in the story.

I sat and thought about it for an hour this morning. Something about the beginning just hadn't set well with me. I knew it missed something but what was the question. I was so excited when I came up with the beginning. It's done now and a nice start for the book. I had to remember that this is a historical and needs to set the scene.

I have it on my computer now and on my flash drive. I will put it on the big computer tomorrow and print out six copies for the Retreat, which starts on Friday. I'm even more pleased about the Retreat now that I have a good beginning. Boy--things sure done come easy.

What a difference a day makes

2008-02-04T11:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the day of the Super Bowl. Who can possibly write on a day like that? Not me. I even bet on the game--didn't win, but my team did. I can't even believe that the Giants got to the Super Bowl, much less that they won. I cheered and cheered. Of course, today, I'm hoarse as can be and loving every minute of it.

Plus, my little Abbey is feeling better day by day. She coughed up a hair ball, one Saturday and then again on Sunday. I have never known a dog to do that, but the Vet said it's possible. Nevertheless, she's doing better, jumping up onto the sofa and onto one of the lower beds. She even barked to go out today. I hate her bark because it's so hig-pitched, but today it was a most welcome sound.

I had energy because she's doing better and barking. I started getting my workshop ready for the Saratoga Romance Writers Retreat this coming weekend. Just looking back on articles I've read and some I've written, I learned a bunch of new things...things that spurred my desire to write. I hope I'm getting back into it. It's been a long haul of nothing but a few scenes here or there or some revisions. Not good. I used to enjoy writing so much and want to get back to that old feeling..............................

A quick note

2008-02-03T13:34:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd just stop in and see what was going on--not much that I saw. I put an article about Riding Horses in Ireland on my Celtic Musings blog, if anyone wants to see it.

I've been taking care of Abbey. She finally slept through the night, didn't pee in the house and seems in better humor. I just want her to get better. It seems that she hasn't had too much of a good life until she got here where we spoil her. We don't know how old she really is because the information we got might not have been correct, but we figure she's about 9 or 10--a senior lady. We will continue to do our best to make the rest of her days, happy and healthy. She's a treasure.

Her brother, Barney, has gotten somewhat protective. If Abbey is outside and wants to come in, he stands there and barks for her, knowing that someone will come. Once we do, he goes off on his own to explore the back yard.

Consequently, I haven't done much writing, but I've made the Chili for the Saratoga Romance Writers' Winter Retreat, which will happen next weekend. I also have to present a short workshop on Scene and Sequel. I will write up and print out the pages that I intend to present, on Monday. I'm looking forward to the days away and doing nothing but something to do with writing.

Waste

2008-01-31T16:51:00.000-08:00

Today was a totally wasted day as far as writing goes. I ran a million errands in the morning, accomplished very little and cooked all afternoon.

Abbey is still not herself and that's beginning to worry me lots. I don't know what to do for her when she whimpers. This morning, I had the devil of a time putting her pill in her mouth. She screamed and hollered and cried. But, none of this seems to have affected her appetite except for her carrot treats. She won't eat those. She wants cheese. Of course, she might be working a con-job on me, knowing I'm a softy when it comes to having a pup in pain.

Consequently, I didn't do a single bit of writing and here it is--8 p.m. and I've done nothing constructive. Some days, the writing comes last.

Sick Pup

2008-01-30T07:42:00.000-08:00

Monday I rushed my little Abbey, English setter, to the Vet's. When he called later in the day and said he wanted to keep her longer, so that he could X-ray her, I knew something was up.
By the time 5 p.m. on Tuesday came around, I was a wreck. I had the feeling that it was something serious--and unfortunately, I was right.

My poor little female has severe hip dysplasia. She was groggy when I brought her home and couldn't settle down anywhere she hurt so bad. She cried most of last night, sometimes in her sleep, and I had to take her outside twice during the night. She seems a bit better today and is on the pill the doctor gave her. We will have to wait several days to see how effective they are.

Consequently, I'm a wreck, only did a tiny, miniscule bit of writing Monday and Tuesday because I couldn't concentrate. Today I have to go to Red Hat luncheon for a gal who used to work at Curves and then go to Bennington to get several huge foam rubber mattress toppers. I'm going to make some comfortable beds for Abbey...knowing full-well that Barney will used them, too.

A break

2008-01-28T09:28:00.000-08:00

I obviously took a longer break from the blog than I had planned. Saturday, I went to the Saratoga Romance Writers meeting. It's about 50 minutes away from where I live, but we had a Board meeting (I'm the current Vice-President.) and then a regular meeting. One of the gals gave a workshop on "Beginnings and Endings," something she's learned at the New Jersey Conference last October, and I found it very interesting.

After lunch, we did a bit of critiquing and I presented the next scene in Saratoga Winter 1865. They always do a nice job of giving feedback, but it still amazes me that there are so many different opinions on every paragraph. But it all helps.

Of course, on Friday, I had presented a different scene to the Cambridge Writers.......they really take the entire presentation apart and help me put it back together again, better than it was before. The Cambridge Writers have several folks that give much the same feedback on a constant basis. I try to learn by it--it is much the same advice that my friend from Tupper Lake often gives me. I guess I tend to overwrite...........so I am very willing to cut.

Saturday and Sunday presented an other-than-writing probelm. One of my English Setters was not acting right. She seemed to be in pain and is at the Vet's today, until he finds out what's wrong with her.

Critiquing and Revising

2008-01-24T17:33:00.000-08:00

Today, I made some financial decision--like, don't buy anything..........lol
I also revised my Chapter Two, Scenes 3 and 4. Tomorrow, I'll present them to the Cambridge Fiction Writers for their feedback and then, when corrected more, will put them into the novel folder. I will not touch the chapters and scenes in the folder until I'm ready to do a final revision.

I also posted the first scene in the Word Slingers' group at Writer's Village. The group is finally back together again after the University changed much of its direction on the website. Now that we're all together, we'll begin posting small portions of our novels for feedback. The feedback I get from them is usually pretty darned good.

As always, no matter what kind of feedback you get from friends, other writers and even strangers should be taken with a grain of salt. There is no way an author can please all people at any given time, so, in the end, an author must rely on his/her own judgment. This is particularly true when you start a novel. No one can know what you have in your head. They can only see a piece of work from their point of view...........and as all of us know, POV is very important.

A Website Day

2008-01-23T16:17:00.001-08:00

Although I printed out Chapter Two, Scenes 3 and 4 of Saratoga Winter 1865, I decided to work on learning more about doing my own website. I'll do some reworking of the scene after I watch American Idol tonight, but, in the meantime, I'm reading a book on how to do a website in Front Page, which is no longer on the market.

I spent a good deal of the afternoon trying to get another copy of the program, since I can't find my original disk. I called Microsoft (in the Phillipines) four times and now have more Microsoft numbers than I can possibly use. Front Page is kaput. They now have a new program called Expression Web. Since I can't do the easy one yet, I'll be dipped before I spend money on another program. I then went to Amazon, E-Bay and several different stores but no one seems to have copies of the entire program. They sure do have a lot of books on it, but I already have three.

Nevertheless, I am reading up a storm and understanding a bit more each time I read. Tomorrow, I'll get back to the novel and work on the scene so I'll have something ready for the Cambridge Writers' Fiction group. They give such good feedback that I can't afford not to have something ready for them.

New Ideas

2008-01-21T17:04:00.000-08:00

Today was a day for learning new things. I didn't have time to write it all down, but I think I might be able to duplicate what I did today. As you can see, my books are up on the blog, so readers can go directly to Amazon. com and order them. I'm thrilled.

And I have to tell you all, that I couldn't do it without Nikki Leigh, who has written several fine books, including a Promo 101, which leads an author to all kinds of different promotion ideas. She's in the middle of writing the second book on the subject, but she was gracious enough to help me out. She made me feel good enough to experiment--so if my blogs go crazy, it's because I'm playing, trying to make them better and better..........especially since my website is not online, at the moment, having been hacked twice.

I didn't do much writing today because of all the Internet fooling-around. I will get to the story tomorrow. I did manage to put my latest edit of Saratoga Winter: 1865 on the big computer. I used my flash drive and moved it. At least, I've learned to do that.

It's Sunday

2008-01-20T16:40:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday and the games before the Super Bowl. Having unexpected company today was kinda' a drag. We went out to breakfast at the new place down the road and met some acquaintances, who decided it would be fun to stop over and watch the Patriot game.

I did manage to edit a bit of Chapter 2, Scene 3 of Saratoga Winter: 1865 and have that scene ready for a bit more action. I need to keep setting up the heroine so that I get her to Saratoga, then I'll get the hero there. There was a big fire in 1865 and I think I'll incorporate that into the novel...........if it falls at the right time. I can't wait to get Egan reunited with Connor.

I'm curious about heroes and heroines. What do some of you consider the most important aspect of their personalities?

Writer's Meetings

2008-01-18T16:38:00.000-08:00

I consider myself a lucky person. I am the member of a top-notch writing critique group. The Cambridge Fiction Writers are only seven in number--with only one missing right now and hiding out in Florida. Two of the gals are professional editors, one is an extraordinary writer of extremely lyrical mainstream, one is a fine romance writer, my husband writes legal novels on the subject of zoning, and I have gone back to my historical novels. Surprisingly, we meet each and every Friday. There are days that some can't make it but we're never less than four. We have been meeting every week since the late spring. I find it wonderful that everyone in the group is so committed--and we all write so differently.

So far, I have submitted the first two chapters of Saratoga Winter: 1865. Their comments on the story are usually right on and their grasp of grammar and the craft of writing is phenomenal. Consequently, I feel like the luckiest writer in the world.

Being a Dunce

2008-01-17T13:03:00.000-08:00

Being a total computer dunce is a hard life. It took me hours to find the card I'd written that had my email and password on it. And I keep a file, but the darn card had three different things on it. I have to go through all the different emails, all the different passwords, until I found the right one. Thank God for the friend who told me to keep a record. Anyway, here I am, back at last. I think I'll be using this blog until such time as I can get a new website up, since the old one has been hacked twice.

I would like to catch up with what I'm doing. I have put Vengeance Is Mine aside for a time. It just wasn't going the way I wanted it to go. I love reading suspense but not as sure about writing it, so I have had to fall back in order to go ahead.

What I'm doing now is working on a sequel to Saratoga Summer: 1863, which was about Connor O'Malley, the oldest of the five O'Malley brothers. Saratoga Winter: 1865 is about Egan the youngest brother, who arrived in America with Connor. When Connor went to Saratoga during the course of the Civil War Conscription riots in New York City, Egan stayed in the City. What happens to him is quite a bit different than what happened to Connor, but he, too, manages to get to Saratoga. Egan has a rich, full life and is a "hunk". I will be writing a lot about him in this blog.

Also, Monday evening, I was on an Internet Radio Program, hosted by Phil Harris. The entire experience was delightful, including the host. I also got a chance to hear the voices of many people I've met on the Reader's Station loop. Nikki Leigh, Elena Bowman and Arline Chase, my publisher, were on with me. Two gentlemen stopped by to chat and it was quite lively. I'm anxious to do this again.

Back again

2007-12-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Someone hacked into my website and my computer person had to take it down. She's got it back up but I don't think I'll be able to work on my blog there -- as I used to. I might not be able to accept comments, so I decided to open a new blog. My old one at Blogger (Celtic Musings) no longers works--haven't written on it in about a year. It's still there but I can't seem to get into it.

So here I am, starting out all over again. At my age, starting over is a hard thing to do, but I will survive. I haven't really had the urge to write on the blog of late. In many years, I had never been hacked and I feel violated--as if my privacy has been invaded.

For those of you who have been following my blog, I just want to thank you for all the correspondence and hope that you will continue to drop me a line. I have put the suspense novel, Vengeance Is Mine, down for a bit. I was getting tired of fighting with it. I am now writing the second book in the Saratoga series, Saratoga Winter: 1865. This is the story about the youngest of the O'Malley brothers, Egan. Egan is the one who journeyed to America with the oldest brother. He's kinda' a fascinating guy, strong-willed, determined and yet compassionate. We'll have to see how he develops.