The Chronicles Of Zee & Zoey by Deborah Barnes

Our pets, for the most part, live a carefree life embracing the challenges of whatever comes their way.

We, their human caregivers, could learn a great deal from this philosophy of life if we’d just pay attention. Our stressful, busy lives makes it hard to see how extraordinary everything can be.

Author Deborah Barnes was among those loving their pets, but not fully understanding all they could teach until an unthinkable event occurred. Through the subsequent awaking and chain of events, Barnes came to understand ordinary can become extraordinary. From the lessons she learned, she fulfilled a dream of writing with the recent release of THE CHRONICLES OF ZEE & ZOEY: A JOURNEY OF THE EXTRAORDINARILY ORDINARY.

Living in Florida, Barnes and her fiancé, Don Power, shared their home and lives with a number of pets including Zee, a male Maine Coon cat, and Zoey, a female Bengal cat. Planning to have Zoey spayed, Barnes missed the chance to do so due to a busy holiday schedule. Before long the family was joined by 4 kittens, Mia, Rotz, Peanut and Zeuss.

Barnes began sending weekly e-mails to family and friends updating them on the kittens progress including photos. Then the unthinkable happened. On the same day, she and her fiancé both lost their jobs. Over the course of the coming weeks Barnes struggled to remain positive in the face of a bleak economy.

Watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show daily for a boost of positive energy, Barnes was joined on the sofa by the kittens. She began to see how the kittens took an ordinary day and made it extraordinary. During one of the shows, Barnes had an epiphany that resulted in THE CHRONICLES OF ZEE & ZOEY.

Taking the kittens’ daily journey and combining it with what she had learned from them, Barnes has created a wonderful look at the life of a cat and a cat lover. Written in a free-flowing conversational tone, Barnes points out how the cats can teach many things including responsibility, love and respect, and results from hard work. They also teach how simple things such as a cardboard box can, with imagination, become extraordinary. In addition, she includes 16 cat rules in the book that will delight any cat lover.

THE CHRONICLES OF ZEE & ZOEY is an amazing collection of fascinating photographs (taken by Power), custom illustrations and beautiful artwork arranged around Barnes’ well-written story. The glossy, thick pages of the book give it a special look and feel. The story following the love affair of Zee and Zoey is heart-warming and inspirational. It will bring you to tears and then replace them with smiles and laughter.

THE CHRONICLES OF ZEE & ZOEY is a great addition to any cat lovers’ library, but even a non-pet person will find this an inspiring read. The magic of cats can teach us much if we take the time to enjoy and learn. This is one of those books you really have to read yourself to fully appreciate its content.

Author Deborah Barnes’ website is http://www.zeezoey.com/ and she blogs at http://zeezoey.com/blog/ where you can also see beautiful photos of the cats.

The Chronicles of Zee & Zoey: A Journey of the Extraordinarily Ordinary by Deborah Barnes, ZZP Publishing, @2011, ISBN: 9780983440802, Paperback,  175 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the author in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. 

What have you learned from your pet today? Thanks so much for stopping by.

Author Jessica Bell Stops By On Her Virtual Book Tour

It’s my pleasure to welcome the multi-talented author Jessica Bell as the special guest blogger here today as she makes a stop on her whirlwind virtual blog tour.

Jessica’s fiction debut, STRING BRIDGE, was released Nov. 1. There is also a soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, which accompanies the novel.

Jessica has graciously consented to answers some questions for me about her self and her writing.

Mason - If you could have only 5 books in your library, what would they be and why?

Jessica - Housekeeping, by Marilynne Robinson, for her mouth-watering prose. Her writing is a true example of how to make words sing. This is the book that made me want to be an author. 

The Robber Bride, by Margaret Atwood. For the gripping story line and concise yet elaborate descriptions, all while maintaining its literary value. 

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, by Rebecca Miller. This is women’s fiction without all the frills. Love it. I wish she had more than two books out! 

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott. This book helped me get a little more perspective on myself as a writer. I’ll dip into this book again and again. 

Any collection of Gwen Harwood’s poetry. She’s an Australian poet, whose poem, ‘The Sea Anemones,’ sparked my initial interest in writing poetry at about fifteen. 

Mason - If you could collaborate with any author (living or dead), who would it be and what genre would you write? 

Jessica - Definitely Marilynne Robinson, and I’d stick with literary fiction. It’s my true love. 

Mason - When your characters come to life, in what order are they created - name, physical description or traits? Is it the same for each character? 

Jessica - My characters develop as I write them. They start off just being voices, and then I gradually give them bodies. It’s not always the same. It depends whether I’m in a plotting or spontaneous mood. I’m usually spontaneous, though. 

Mason - Which do you find the hardest to create - name, physical description or traits of your characters? 

Jessica - Neither. These things develop as I write. My work is very character-driven, so I think my characters traits automatically generate without me having much say. I’ve never noticed myself paying much attention to them, actually. They must develop sub-consciously. 

Mason - What is the worst advice you have been given about writing? 

Jessica - That I had the perfect voice for commercial women’s fiction. I listened, and spent four years trying to write like someone else, and I was miserable. Everything I wrote sounded so flat and lifeless. But I suppose it was a great learning experience. In the end I discovered who I really was. 

Mason - Given today’s economy and the book market, do you think print books will one day fade away and be completely replaced by eBooks? 

Jessica - Definitely not. As long as we, who love print books, instill the same love in our children, I think they will always be around. Can you imagine a world without print books? The local library would probably become an electronic slot in a wall, like an ATM. Ha! Horrible … 

Mason - What advantages and disadvantages do you see with eBooks over print books? 

Jessica - I have a Kindle and use it quite a lot, especially for reading fellow writers’ manuscripts, but I’m still pro print. All practical matters aside, I love the smell and feel of a print book, and the sound of pages turning. There’s something very romantic about it, don’t you think? 

eBooks, in my opinion, have many great qualities, one in particular being so very convenient for traveling. But even then, they can pose a problem. For example, what if you forget to bring the charger? With a print book, all you need to rely on are your eyes and the book’s existence. No external power necessary. 

Mason - Have you considered making STRING BRIDGE an audio book? If so, who would you like to narrate it? 

Jessica - No, I haven’t considered it. I’d actually like to do it myself as I do voiceovers professionally. If I didn’t do it myself, I’d love Nicole Kidman to do it. J 

Jessica, thanks so much for guest blogging. I’d hate to see our libraries turned into ATM-style facilities. That would be horrible. I could see fellow Australian Nicole Kidman doing the voiceover if you couldn’t. 

Now let me share a bit of background on Jessica and some links where you can find out more about STRING BRIDGE. She is a literary women's fiction author, poet and singer/songwriter who grew up in Melbourne, Australia, to two gothic rock musicians who had successful independent careers during the '80s and early '90s. 

She spent much of her childhood traveling to and from Australia to Europe, experiencing two entirely different worlds, yet feeling equally at home in both environments. She currently lives in Athens, Greece and works as a freelance writer/editor for English Language Teaching publishers worldwide, such as HarperCollins, Pearson Education and Macmillan Education. 

In addition to STRING BRIDGE, Jessica has published a book of poetry called TWISTED VELVET CHAINS. A full list of poems and short stories published in various anthologies and literary magazines can be found under Published Works & Awards, on her website. 

Jessica will be hosting the Homeric Writers' Retreat & Workshop on the Greek island of Ithaca, home of Odysseus, in September 2012. 

For more on Jessica and her writing, visit the STRING BRIDGE website, find her on Goodreads, check out STRING BRIDGE merchandise, find Jessica at her website at http://www.jessicacbell.com, drop by her blog, The Alliterative Allomorph, find her on Facebook, or on Twitter.

 

STRING BRIDGE can be purchased at the following locations:

eBook:

Amazon.comAmazon.com

Amazon UK

Paperback:

Amazon.com 

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

Soundtrack: 
iTunes

Amazon.com

Amazon UK

 

Here’s the book trailer of STRING BRIDGE for your viewing pleasure:

To follow Jessica on her amazing tour and find out about her 10 Day Contest, check out her tour schedule. 

Thanks for stopping by and visiting with Jessica today. What are your thoughts on the questions I asked? 

Sunday Salon: Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams

  

It’s time again to get comfortable, make sure your cup of coffee is filled and discuss the books we’ve enjoyed this past week as another edition of Sunday Salon has arrived.

Today I have a cozy murder mystery to share that has deep Southern roots, yummy recipes, and a whodunit to keep you guessing.

HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE by Riley Adams

Beauty pageants, a popular event in the South, can be fun but cause hard feelings among competitors and judges alike.

Pageant coach Tristan Pembroke is at the top of the list of those judges disliked. She can’t even get along with her own daughter, Steffi.

Aunt Pat’s Barbecue Restaurant, located in the heart of Memphis, TN, is known for having the best barbecue around and a family-feel atmosphere. Lulu Taylor, owner of Aunt Pat’s, can’t help but step in to help when she sees someone in trouble. She hires Steffi as a waitress and gives her a place to stay when Tristan kicks her out. 

Later Lulu; her daughter-in-law, Sara; her friend, Cherry Hayes; and Steffi attend an auction at Tristan’s. Unfortunately Sara and Tristan argue over a portrait Sara had done of Tristan. When Lulu goes searching for Sara, she founds Tristan instead and she’s dead.

Finding dead bodies seems to becoming a habit for Lulu. Before she gets deep fried for murder, Lulu teams up with Cherry to find the killer. The more they search, the more suspects they uncover. Can they find the real killer before it’s too late?

Author Riley Adams demonstrates Southern culture through the actions and voices of her core cast of characters. She makes her characters lovable, but realistic with flaws and problems - not counting the murder.

Each new installment in the Memphis BBQ Mystery series draws readers into the world of the Taylors and their friends just a bit more. The characters continue to evolve as we get to know them better. The cast of supporting characters adds spice, flavor and just enough zaniness to have you laughing at times.

Despite Lulu’s uncanny ability to find murder and mayhem, HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE gives you a feeling of family and friendship, caring and concern, warmth, and hospitality. The delicious recipes included at the end are an added bonus.

Pick up HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE and step into the fascinating world of suspense, murder and intrigue topped with a big dollop of Southern virtues, lip-smacking recipes, and good wholesome fun.

HICKORY SMOKED HOMICIDE is the 3rd book in the Memphis BBQ Mystery series, but is a stand alone read. New fans just finding Lulu and Aunt Pat’s will want to check on Lulu’s earlier adventures in DELICIOUS AND SUSPICIOUS and FINGER LICKIN’ DEAD.

Riley Adams is the pseudonym of Elizabeth Spann Craig, who blogs daily at Mystery Writing Is Murder and on Wednesdays at Mystery Lovers' Kitchen. 

Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams, A Memphis BBQ Mystery, Berkley Prime Crime, @2011, ISBN: 9780425244609, Paperback,  288 pages

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

What was on your reading schedule this past week? Thanks so much for dropping by. 

Romance, Young Adult, And Historical Photos

Did I make you wonder a bit with that title?

Well, it’s all about reviews and of course, they’re all different genres. First up is romance with HEARTBREAKER by Diana Palmer. Second is a YA fiction, I’M NOT HER by Janet Gurtler. Last is a coffee table-style book featuring beautiful photos of American history in THE WHITE HOUSE by Vicki Goldberg.

HEARTBREAKER by Diana Palmer

Tellie Maddox had always been strong, independent, and a fighter. She lost the last of her family at age 14 and was taken in by J.B. Hammock. J.B. sent her to live with his sister, Marg, and her 2 girls.

Tellie idolized J.B., following him everyway, and taking care of him when no one else could. As she got older, those feelings changed to love but Tellie knew she would never matter to J.B. He changed girlfriends as often as the pages on the calendar changed.

J.B. vowed to never marry and never cared much for the women he dated. He treated them well, but made it clear there was no future. He carried a dark secret that ate at him, causing his heart to harden.

The summer of her college graduation, Tellie came home to work before returning to advance her degree. At 21 Tellie had focused more on studies than a personal life.

 

Through a series of events, Tellie was crushed by J.B.’s lack of concern. The final straw came when she went to tell J.B. that Marg was in the hospital. Fleeing from the house, Tellie crashed her car and lost her memory. As she struggles to remember, J.B. works hard to redeem himself in her eyes.

HEARTBREAKER is a delightful, witty romance filled with bits of suspense. The journey Tellie and J.B. take is filled with bumps and turns but smoothes out for a pleasant ending and well worth the ride.

Phil Gigante does a fantastic job narrating the story. His dialect makes each character unique in their own way. His rich, sexy voice is perfect for the story’s cowboys. He gives a good example of why J.B. is a ladies’ man with his deep, husky interruption. Gigante brings the characters to life sharing the story’s emotions through his vocalization.

Author Diana Palmer brings the elements of romance and modern-day cowboys together for a pulse-pounding story. HEARTBREAKER is a good book to listen to (or read) during the cool nights of autumn.

Author Diana Palmer’s webiste is www.dianapalmer.com

Heartbreaker by Diana Palmer, Read by Phil Gigante, Brilliance Audio, @2011, ISBN: 978-1441883797, Unabridged, 5 Discs, Listening Time: 5 Hours 32 Minutes

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

I’M NOT HER by Janet Gurtler

High school can be a turbulent time and when you’re the younger sibling of a popular student, it can be even harder.

Tess Smith has always been in the shadows while her older sister, Kristina, took the spotlight. Kristina is pretty, athletic, outgoing and extremely popular at school. Tess is the exact opposite and has few friends.

Things take a drastic turn when Kristina is diagnosed with bone cancer in her knee. The family doesn’t want anyone to know. When Kristina becomes absent from school, Tess finds herself the center of attention as everyone is trying to find out about her sister.

While adjusting to the change at school, Tess also has to cope with changes in her family. She appears to be the only one handling the situation so she has to be strong enough to hold everyone together. Then a tragic event bears heavy on her, her sister and a number of their friends.

I’M NOT HER is a heart-warming story of coming of age, courage, examining the bonds of sisterhood and friendship, and one’s own personal growth. Written for young adults, it’s also a good reminder for adults as to the many problems youth face.

Author Janet Gurtler has created wonderful characters that embody typical teens, as well as the emotions they encounter when facing very grown up problems. She gives the characters very realistic actions that will make you laugh and cry throughout the story. The story flows smoothly and you will easily be absorbed into the story in minutes.

I’M NOT HER is a good read for all ages.

Author Janet Gurtler’s website is www.janetgurtler.com

I’m Not Her by Janet Gurtler, Sourcebooks Fire, @2011, ISBN: 978-1402256363, Paperback, 304 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

THE WHITE HOUSE by Vicki Goldberg

The structure at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. not only houses bits of our American history, but is itself a part of history.

Photography critic Vicki Goldberg, in cooperation with the White House Historical Association, has compiled some of the structure’s history in the beautiful format of THE WHITE HOUSE: THE PRESIDENT’S HOME IN PHOTOGRAPHS AND HISTORY.

This coffee table-style book contains more than 250 photos, both color and black and white, depicting the White House and its occupations. In addition, there is background information on each photo. Some information is brief, while other is quite informative.

The book is broken down into chapters. These chapters include: The East Rome; Weddings and Funerals; President’s Portraits; President’s Families; Cameras at the White House; White House News, Media and Image; The White House and Technology; Animals at the White House; and The People’s House.

The beginning of the book also features a list of all the presidents, the dates they served, and the names of their first ladies. Former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry provides the foreword for this delightful book.

The featured photos show a wide range of topics from important meetings of world leaders to First Lady Grace Coolidge’s pet raccoon, from John Travolta and Princess Diana dancing at a gala to President John Kennedy’s casket, from First Lady Betty Ford dancing on the Cabinet Room table to cowboy Monty Montana lassoing President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

THE WHITE HOUSE is filled with a wealth of information about America’s presidents and their temporary residence. This would be a great book for students to learn by, as well as a lovely addition to anyone’s library collection.

Author Vicki Goldberg’s website is www.vickigoldberg.com

The White House: The President’s Home In Photographs And History by Vicki Goldberg, Little, Brown and Company, @2011, ISBN: 9780316091305, Hardcover, 240 Pages 

FTC Full Disclosure - This book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Hope I shared something today that caught your eye.

How An Idea Became A Column, Then A Book, A Blog And A Newsletter–Author Morgan St. James

It’s my pleasure to welcome ‘new-to-me’ author Morgan St. James here as the special guest blogger to talk about how an idea transformed into so many different things.

Morgan is the author of WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE: 39 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ABCs OF WRITING FICTION. She is also the co-author of VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS, a Silver Sisters Crime Caper. 

I’ll let her explained how a simple idea expanded into a column, then a book, a blog, and a newsletter.

I began to write fiction about fourteen years ago, but my first book wasn’t published until 2006. You see, although I’d written many published magazine and newspaper articles, fiction was something new. Something that required learning the “tricks of the trade.” 

I teamed with my sister Phyllice, also a published writer but not in fiction, to cook up a mystery series—Silver Sisters mysteries—featuring identical twin amateur sleuths as different as Gucci and Goodwill and their 80-year-old mother and uncle who are former vaudeville magicians. We came from a zany family and had unlimited material to draw upon. Goldie and Godiva, the twin sleuths, are modeled after us, but I always say I’m not as selfish as Godiva, don’t live on a Beverly Hills estate although I once lived two houses outside of Beverly Hills and don’t write an advice column although people constantly ask me for advice.

On the other hand, Goldie, the over-the-hill flower child who owns an antique store in Juneau, Alaska, is pure Phyllice. My sister lived in Alaska for over 30 years, did own an antique store and has been known to dress in some pretty way-out vintage ensembles.

The idea was good and the writing was polished (had we been writing non-fiction). As the rejection letters rolled in, we realized something was radically wrong. You bet it was. The problem was we didn’t know the ins and outs of writing fiction.

A year with a manuscript consultant resulted in us landing our first publisher for A CORPSE IN THE SOUP, which was named Best Mystery Audio Book 2007 by USA Book News. Several years of attending workshops and writers’ conferences followed, and with that I began to design and give workshops and talks about all the things that had torpedoed our manuscript years before. 

In 2009 I wrote my first columns for the Las Vegas edition of www.examiner.com. Once a week I reported on happenings in the writers’ community and eventually expanded to a second column called Spotlight, profiling local and visiting authors, events, organizations and more. That led to also taking on the Los Angeles Writing Examiner column a year later. By this time I had four novels in print and was working on a fifth. But, I wasn’t happy with the What’s Happening column. 

At long last I realized that my readership was largely composed of writers or people who would like to write. I shut down What’s Happening and replaced it with Writers’ Tricks of the Trade. I’d learned so much over the years and I’m a good teacher. Years in marketing taught me to present even complex topics in plain, easily understandable language. Every week I tackled another facet of writing tips and techniques in both the Las Vegas and Los Angeles editions, and it caught on.

With hundreds of columns under my belt, I realized I had more than enough material for a book. Whenever I gave a talk, people asked if I had a “how to” book. I didn’t. But I do now. WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE: 39 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ABCs OF WRITING FICTION was released in September 2011. While it was in the editing phase, I decided to launch a blog of the same name. http://writerstricksofthetrade.blogspot.com.

I’d been editing the newsletter for the Southern Nevada chapter of Sisters in Crime for nearly three years when we were forced to close the chapter because we couldn’t get volunteers to serve on the board. The newsletter had been such fun to produce that I found myself missing it. So what did I do? I segued to the Writers’ Tricks of the Trade Newsletter, with a much larger distribution and topic base than On the Prowl. The new newsletter publishes on the 15th of each month and is filled with information-packed articles from guest contributors all around the country, listings of writers’ conferences, brag pages for the readers and more. The link can be found on the blog or it loads automatically if you visit my personal website, www.morganstjames-author.com. 

Meanwhile, the third Silver Sisters mystery, VANISHING ACT IN VEGAS had also been released in September and the fourth one, DIAMONDS IN THE DUMPSTER, is in work.

By now you might have gotten the impression that I’m an incurable workaholic, and if you did you are absolutely right. I find myself speeding up at a point in life when many my age are slowing down. After being successful in a variety of careers, I found my passion back in the late nineties when I began to write with serious intent. It’s funny, but at this point I’ve come full circle. My writing career kicked off back in August 1978 with an article for Designers West, a prestigious interior design magazine, and here I am, 33 years later, writing “how to” books and articles once again in addition to my fiction.

Besides the new Silver Sisters mystery, works in progress include CONFESSIONS OF A COUGAR, (a memoir of my first trip to Europe), BIG TROUBLE IN PARADISE, a completed manuscript that has yet to find a home (Hint: Paradise is a fictional federal prison), and a book I just decided to write last week, but haven’t firmed up yet. All I can say is that writers are often advised to write what you know. I firmly believe age is just a number—as a very active senior, that’s something I know a lot about. Perceiving someone as young doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve been shot full of Botox or have spent enough on procedures to buy a car. There is a lot more to it and that’s what I’ll explore.

You can find out more about me at www.morganstjames-author.com, www.silversistersmysteries.com and http://morgan-stjames.blogspot.com. My books, written as Morgan St. James or two under a pseudonym, Arliss Adams, can be found at most online booksellers or ordered from your favorite local bookstore.

Morgan, thanks so much for guest blogging. My, you do stay busy. I enjoyed learning how your book and newsletter came about. You just never know where life is going to lead us sometimes.

Now a little background on Morgan. A self-described workaholic who splits time between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Morgan is an entertaining speaker, frequently appearing on author’s panels and presenting writing workshops. She co-authors the award-winning Silver Sisters Mysteries series with her sister Phyllice Bradner, also writes as Arliss Adams, and her short stories have won awards. They appear in CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL books, and other anthologies including her own anthology, “Women on the Edge.” 

Her “Spotlight” and “Writers Tricks of the Trade” columns appear weekly in Los Angeles and Las Vegas editions of www.examiner.com, and inspired her recently released book WRITERS’ TRICKS OF THE TRADE: 39 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE ABCs OF WRITING FICTION.

What are your thoughts on today’s post? Do you think someone should slow down just because of their age? Have you ever had an idea mushroom into other projects?

Author Rochelle Staab: Are You Superstitious?

Having loved books for as long as I can remember, I’ve thought of authors as celebrity-types, unreachable by their fans. Blogdom has shown me a different side to authors and I am honored to call a number of them friends. Among those friends I’ve made is a very fascinating author who’s cozy mystery, WHO DO VOODOO?, made it’s debut appearance this week.

I’m delighted to welcome the multi-talented author Rochelle Staab as the special guest blogger here today. I had the pleasure of meeting Rochelle through one of her critique partners, VR Barkowski. VR is an author, blogger, friend and fellow Georgian. Thanks VR for pointing Rochelle in my direction. You’re a gem.

In chatting back and forth with Rochelle about her book, I was enchanted by her characters and the storyline. I was amazed at the research she had done. She’ll tell you more about that in a second. Here’s a brief synopsis of WHO DO, VOODOO? the first novel in Rochelle’s thrilling new Mind For Murder Mystery series features no-nonsense Liz Cooper, a Los Angeles psychologist forced to embrace the occult to clear her best friend of murder.
 
When Liz Cooper’s friend Robin Bloom finds an unusual tarot card tacked to her front door, Liz writes it off as a prank. Robin refuses to ignore the omen—her late husband drew the same card, the three of swords, in a reading the night before he was killed in a car accident. As more cards and darker threats appear, Liz realizes someone very dangerous is upping the ante.
 
Liz turns to her brother’s ex-college roommate, occult expert Nick Garfield.  As Nick leads her into the voodoo community to locate the origin of the deck, she can't ignore their attraction to each other. Then a woman is found murdered and Robin becomes the prime suspect. Determined to clear her friend, Liz joins forces with Nick to unravel otherworldly secrets and seek help from beyond—or risk being outwitted by a cunning killer.

 

Rochelle has joined us today to talk about superstitions and tell about the detailed research she did for her book and series.

My family was superstitious. No hats on the bed (bad luck), shoes on the table (an argument), and we tossed spilled salt over our shoulders to keep away the devil. Children are magical thinkers and I bought into it. Doubt seeped in when my persistent wish for a magic wand just didn’t come true. In a way, maybe it did. My pen is sort of a magic wand—a tool to write mysteries. Mysteries with a supernatural twist.

Voodoo made a deliciously dark and threatening component to toss in a murder mystery set in Los Angeles, a city with psychic shops on every mile, séances held in Hollywood homes, and fortunetellers at parties. Intrigued by the ubiquitous psychic shops around town, my idea for WHO DO, VOODOO? originated with a character—Nick Garfield, a professor of religious philosophy and specialist in alternative beliefs, who on the side consults LAPD in occult-related crimes. 

Enter Liz Cooper—a clever, but skeptical psychologist dismissive toward the supernatural. Liz seeks Nick’s help after her friend Robin is harassed by a series of tarot cards, the same menacing cards drawn in a reading the night before Robin’s husband died in a car crash two years earlier. Liz sets out to find the source of the tarot deck and punish the prankster.

The research on Liz and Nick’s resulting adventure gave me a series of memorable experiences. Opening the story with the right tarot card seemed simple enough. I thought I could find enough information online to make my tarot card a reasonable threat. But which card? Google led me to hundreds of sites, curiosity drew me to books, and the books (along with a few live tarot readings) convinced me that the only way I could accurately write about tarot was to actually learn the art of reading tarot. Four months and sixteen tarot classes later, I can read a spread with confidence. My scenes gained authenticity and my new skill comes in handy at parties. Avoid the Tower. Hope for the Nine of Cups.

I added the voodoo twist to the WHO DO, VOODOO? plot following a trip to New Orleans. My curiosity about voodoo—the mysterious Haitian religion shrouded in Catholic imagery—began during with a New Orleans visit. I was drawn to the folk art imagery, even the French Quarter commercialization of what I considered black magic. I wanted to know more about the practice and culture. On my next trip I had a free afternoon so I hired a voodoo priestess for a voodoo tour of the French Quarter. Wow! After an amazing lecture on the Spanish-French-Creole history of New Orleans while strolling through the Quarter, she took me on a back room tour of several voodoo shops. There I saw the sanctuaries and ritual sites that inspired several scenes in WHO DO, VOODOO?

 

My tour culminated at St. Louis Cemetery #1 in front of the tomb of Marie Laveau, the Louisiana Creole voodoo legend, where my priestess guide spat whiskey on the tomb in an honoring ritual. She made me toss nine pennies over my shoulder as we left. Her explanation: restless spirits were bound take the coins to their leader instead of possessing our souls on the way out. Broad daylight. I did it anyway. Following our escape we headed to Café Du Monde for beignets. 

I have Nick’s curiosity about belief systems. I’m also a bit like Liz, the doubter. She likes rational explanations, even when she attends a séance where something scientifically unexplainable occurs. Like Liz, I’ll hold onto my misgivings and spurn signs but there are times…well, take the hairpin incident this morning. 

Lately I’ve been researching superstitions for the third novel in the Mind For Murder Mystery series. This morning I read about the baseball “Lucky Hairpin” superstition in the early/mid-20th century. If a baseball player found a ladies’ hairpin on game day, a win was guaranteed or a hitting streak would continue. Quaint, I thought. Back then, hairpins were everywhere securing buns and holding curls in place. So yester-century’s news.

I went to the gym, forgetting all about baseball players and hairpins. As I set my keys into a cubbyhole, a ray of sunlight flashed on a thin piece of metal at my feet—a woman’s hairpin. The only hairpin I’ve seen in years, maybe decades. Odd enough on a normal day. After just reading about the hairpin superstition? You bet I picked up that hairpin and brought it home…just in case.

Thank you so much for inviting me here today, Mason! 

I’d love to hear which side of the superstition/supernatural debate your readers are on. Real? Ridiculous? Or “I proceed with caution…just in case.”

Rochelle, thanks so much for guest blogging. I’m fascinated by the research you did for WHO DO VOODOO? The book has been a great read and knowing its background makes it that much more mystical.

Now for a bit on Rochelle. She is an award-winning former radio programmer and music industry executive. She’s a delightful writer who would rather talk about her characters than herself. The second installment in her Mind For Murder Mystery series, BRUJA BROUHAHA, is slated for release in the summer of 2012.

For more on Rochelle and her writing, visit her website at www.rochellestaab.com, find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rochelle.staab, on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/rochellestaab, and on Goodreads at http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4705211.Rochelle_Staab

Thanks so much for stopping by today. Be sure to share what side of the superstition/supernatural debate you’re on.

 

Author C. Elizabeth On Writing Backwards

It’s always fun to meet ‘new-to-me’ authors, discover new intriguing books, and be able to share all of that with you. I do that today as I welcome author C. Elizabeth here as the special guest blogger.

C. Elizabeth is on her second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book! Her debut release is the contemporary romance, ABSOLUTE OBSESSION. Here’s a brief synopsis: Triggering an intervention of fate, 42 year old Rose Gerbaldi, discovers her heart and soul have been forever united with beautiful, 30 year old, British movie star, Michael Terrance – - a discovery that compels her reality to fiercely reclaim her, ultimately devastating the very lives fate had so lovingly entwined. Forsaken by a woman he’s never met, unable to control the debilitating agony, Michael seeks solace on the darker side of Hollywood. Meanwhile in Western Canada, having been doubly devastated, Rose relinquishes to a life of loneliness. Both are certain they’ll never again find that for which they long for – - each other. Foolish people – fate is infallible. 

At the end of the post C. Elizabeth and Pump Up Your Book! invites everyone to an Author Chat/Book Giveaway Party. Now C. Elizabeth joins us to talk about writing her book backwards in ‘Back to the Beginning.’

One fateful day in November, 2009, a flow of words started forming in my head and within a half an hour the ending to a story that had yet to be written revealed itself to me, along with the title, ABSOLUTE OBESSION. Now this ending was stubborn, refusing to go to the back of my mind, constantly replaying over and over again, like a song that gets stuck in your head and you end up humming it to yourself for the rest of the day. Except what I was hearing wasn’t music, it was words, lots and lots of words that formed into chapters, all being dictated by Michael and Rose – telling me their story. 

No, Michael and Rose didn’t want to tell me their story through the normal process, they decided they wanted me to think I was crazy by telling it to me backwards. Every chapter started at the end and worked its way to the beginning, easily revealing all their names, their personalities, what they looked like and not to mention the weaving of the plot in reverse so the outcome was known first with each twist and turn. Needless to say with approximately 93,000 words bouncing around in my head, it consumed me while I changes were being made here and there, until things flowed nicely and then finally, there was nothing more to be done, except write it down.

 

I had never aspired to be a writer and had never written a thing before in my life. Because of that I opted not to tell anyone, thinking that if I did they would think me foolish and laugh at me. However, Michael and Rose were very persuasive in their plight to get their story out for the world to read, not letting up at all and at times so overwhelming it felt like I was going to burst. 

Once my fingers hit the keyboard, I can honestly say it flowed so quickly that I don’t remember the words as they lay across the screen and only when the last paragraph was finally in its rightful place just above the words “the end” did the whole story come to light. The first draft of ABSOLUTE OBSESSION took 11 days to write, even the quotes that are at the beginning of each chapter were written before the chapter was, me knowing exactly what was going to happen next.

Elizabeth, thanks so much for guest blogging. I love how Rose and Michael’s story came about. That is most unusual.

Here is a bit of background on C. Elizabeth. She lives in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. She stumbled upon writing, it found her. She finds writing a peaceful escape and is very excited to have her characters come alive in her readers’ minds. For more on C. Elizabeth and her writing, visit and blog with her at www.celizabeth.ca, connect with her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/search/users/CElizabeth4 and find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1567713637. 

You can read an excerpt from ABSOLUTE OBSESSION. Here is the book trailer for your enjoyment.

 

Now for the giveaways, contests and prizes. Join C. Elizabeth at the Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat / Book Giveaway Party on Friday, November 18, beginning at 8 p.m. (EST)! You could win a beautiful copy of ABSOLUTE OBSESSION simply by attending the chat and asking her a question. That’s all there is to it! For details on the chat, visit the official chat page for the November authors at Pump Up Your Book Live!

What are your thoughts on a book that is written backwards? If you’re a writer, have you ever had your characters work you backwards through a story? Thanks so much for stopping by today.

Enjoy A Moment Or Two

Today I’d like to share a couple of autumn scenes with you. 

The fall can be a beautiful time of year with all the brilliant yellows, reds, and browns mixed in with the greens. It’s a great time to stop and take stock of one’s surroundings.

The photos below were taken early one morning when the fog was quite heavy. With my little digital camera the fog almost appeared to be rain drops.

My wish for you today is that you have the time to stop and enjoy the beauty nature has to share with you no matter what season of the year it is where you are. There’s no telling what it could inspire.

Please be sure to stop back by tomorrow when ABSOLUTE OBSESSION author C. Elizabeth joins us to talk about writing backwards (and it my not be what you think). As always, thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day.