STORY CORNER

EXPLORING FAVORITE AUTHORS -- JAN. 17

2012-01-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, I enjoyed a few hours curled up in my bedroom, with breakfast, some movies, and burrowing my nose in a book by a favorite author.

This book had been on my stacks for awhile...I actually couldn't believe how long. Yes, the book is rather long, but reading it doesn't feel like a chore. It is more of a journey with some intriguing characters in lovely settings, like the English countryside, London, etc.

Almost a Crime, by Penny Vincenzi, is turning out to be one of those reads that I savor. Do you have books you love to linger with, enjoying the descriptions, the dialogue, and the anticipation of what might come next?

Today I excerpted from it for Teaser Tuesdays.

After visiting blogs and adding MORE books to my staggering TBR stacks, I worked for awhile on one of my WIPs, rereading and tweaking some passages. Editing is a tedious process, but I am pleasantly surprised that there are enjoyable parts to the exercise. I am loving these characters I created, and even when I notice something that needs to change, it doesn't feel like a negative experience. It feels as though I'm learning as I go along in the process.

Here's a section from Defining Moments, in which we see the MC, Jillian McAvoy, a retired English teacher turned writer slowly lose herself in her work and on the Internet. She is suddenly realizing how out of touch she is with the ordinary world:

I worked for a couple of hours before finally turning away from the computer.

Stretching a bit and moving slowly toward the living room, I glanced around and suddenly felt appalled by the condition of my house. When was the last time I’d even bothered to straighten up? I blushed, as I recalled that Ernestine had just been here and undoubtedly noticed the state of affairs. I knew that I had stopped paying attention to my own clutter because of the pull of work, but that was no excuse.

First I collected all the stray clothes that dotted the surfaces, tossing them finally into the laundry room. Then I studied the books and magazines that littered the tables and even the sofa. Once I collected them and returned each item to its rightful place, I felt better. Maybe it had been Ernestine mentioning David that had me so tuned in to my environment finally, but whatever the reason, I had to be more alert. Who knew when someone might suddenly appear? Megan might even decide to drop in, although that seemed unlikely since she lived in San Francisco. Then I thought about my bedroom. Lately, I hadn’t even bothered making the bed.

For years, that had been the first thing I’d done each morning, even before coffee or computer time. Maybe because I would be going out the door to work. Old habits seemed like an intrusion into my new work.

So now I entered my bedroom reluctantly and studied the colossal mess. Covers tossed and dragging on the floor; sheets looking definitely worse for wear; and on the adjacent bathroom floor, I saw wet towels! Feeling myself blushing again, I quickly straightened up the area, and then changed the sheets.

Afterwards, I felt a little better. I even straightened the books on my nightstand and put the movies back on the shelf.

When I finally returned downstairs, I realized that I hadn’t eaten anything since my lunch with Sheila and Marianne, and glancing at the clock, noticed, even before I observed that it was dusk outside, that the clock read six-thirty. Where had the time gone?

Peering into the fridge, I tried to remember when I’d last gone to the market. There were some take-out containers, one yogurt, a rather shriveled apple, and when I grabbed the milk, a rancid smell almost knocked me over. I picked up the yogurt, reached for a spoon, and began eating eagerly. Then I grabbed a memo from the magnetic pad on the fridge and began making a list. I really must be more in tune with the real world!

A cautionary tale, perhaps, that I had once thought of calling Lost in the Blogosphere.... Does it strike a chord with anyone?

INTERIOR DESIGNS: EXPLORING CHARACTERS & EXCERPTING -- JAN. 3

2012-01-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

For the past several months, I've been tweaking and polishing one of my WIPs called Interior Designs. The MC was the woman scorned and abandoned in my novel Embrace the Whirlwind; now she is exploring her interior world, examining her motivations, trying to understand her behavior with the hopes of changing it. Perhaps if she is successful, she can move on with her life.

Along the way, she turns to her best friend Maeve for validation and support.

Who is Maeve Kinkaid?

In my WIP Interior Designs, she is a best friend or sidekick of Martha (MC). The two have been BFFs since early days in the Catholic School they attended.

Martha likes to think of Maeve as the feisty, courageous, and adventurous one of the two of them. Where Martha is concerned about how she appears to others and doesn’t want to be ruffle any feathers, Maeve is just as happy to stir things up a bit.

Often the two of them ended up in the principal’s office in school, but for pranks that Maeve instigated.

Her red hair and green eyes, along with her Texas drawl, add up to a fun-loving prankster who would give an arm and a leg to support those she cares about. As the mother of three, she has been married for several years to her high school sweetheart. Nowadays, though, Maeve thinks ruefully of her husband Buzz as an overgrown “frat boy.” His charms are wearing thin.

Here is an excerpt that further shows us a bit about Maeve:

At Maeve’s house, the girls ran up the stairs, leaving us standing in the kitchen for a few minutes, chatting about nothing except the daily minutiae of life. “Want a drink?”

Maeve’s offer sounded good, actually, because what was I going to do now? Go home and obsess about the weekend lunch that would turn into nothing at all? So I nodded.

We sat down in the family room, our wine in Maeve’s best crystal goblets. She noticed me studying them and laughed. “For awhile, I only brought them out for holidays, but then I reminded myself that I should enjoy them more. So why not use them on a Friday night with my best friend?”

“I need to do more of that myself,” I agreed. “When I’m alone, sometimes I eat from the pot or standing at the counter. How rude is that? It’s like I don’t value myself enough to celebrate my time alone. From now on, I’m setting the table, bringing out the china and crystal, and telling myself that I deserve it! Or at least I’ll fix up a fancy tray for the family room,” I added, realizing that my reality was more about eating in front of the TV. But I could still celebrate.

Maeve nodded her approval, but then leaned toward me, whispering: “So are you all tied up in knots?”

“I am,” I sighed. “What if it’s all a horrible mistake? He could be a total toad, you know. And judging from my recent explorations into the world of ‘relationships,’ that’s the most likely scenario.”

“Here’s my advice,” Maeve continued. “Don’t expect much. Just tell yourself you’re havin’ a lunch date with an old friend and approach it like somethin’ you’re doin’ just for fun. Just to catch up.”

“So tell me about you and Brody,” I burst out, turning the conversation about Duane on its head. “Is he turning into a wonderfully surprising treat? He sounds absolutely marvelous, and so totally unexpected.”

“Well, I don’t want to jinx it, you know, but he is pretty amazin’. I think I’ll just try to relax and savor it.”

After we finished the wine, I stood up reluctantly. “Well, guess I should go home and straighten up my house a bit. Just in case, even though we’re actually meeting at a restaurant. He’s going to call when he’s on his way, and we’ll agree on a place. Which one should I choose?”

“Probably not a place you’ve gone with Zach or anyone else, lately,” she mused. “How about that new steak house near River Park? Guys always seem to love their red meat.” She chortled at this tidbit, and we both imagined men, red meat, and all those masculine proclivities.

We hugged good-bye, and I slowly drove toward my house, my thoughts turning toward actions I could take tonight that would successfully distract me from tomorrow.

SHARING STORIES

2011-12-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

One of my other blogs is like an online journal. Snow Chronicles, A Writer's Journey, is a place where I share excerpts from my published books and my works-in-progress.

Today's entry (linked above) is a continuation of one I wrote earlier...and it's a familiar scene in my WIP Interior Designs. Two old friends that have been there for each other over the years are now sharing some secrets.

Secrets are the backbone of my stories and shine a spotlight on family dysfunction. For more stories of this nature, check out any of my published novels, as well, beginning with Embrace the Whirlwind, where we can find the origins of the stories in Interior Designs.

In the first novel, MC Amber Cushing has an obsessive relationship with Hal Cummings, married to Martha. Since Martha was desperate to save her marriage, she did some things that now, in retrospect, she regrets.

Martha's story and how she begins an interior journey to understand and change her behavior is the thematic core of the sequel.

What kinds of secrets do you like to know more about? Do you pick up a book about relationships in disarray and hope to discover what motivates the characters?

WINTERIZING THE BLOGS

2011-12-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again!

In October and November, the pumpkins paraded across my blogs; now it's time for Christmas trees, holly, and snowy things.

Today I've been adding Christmas backgrounds, a few Christmasy headers, and trying to deck the halls...like I did with my house a few days ago.

All of my decorations are the familiar ones I pull out every year. But this year, I decided to go with "less is more," and I'm not bringing them all out.

It's just too hard to put them back afterwards!

Are you reading any holiday books this season? I think it would be a great time for a cozy mystery, but nothing comes to mind. But Debbie Macomber often brings us something, like this one:

Or how about this one from another of my favorite authors?

What are your favorite holiday treats? I love anything chocolate, and on one of my blogs that I've named Chocolate & Mimosas, I do feature a few chocolatey things...some of which are cozy mysteries. Like this one, which is coming soon:

Now that you're thinking cozy thoughts, come on by and share your own seasonal favorites!

ANNIVERSARY THOUGHTS OF 11-22-63 -- NOV. 22

2011-11-22T05:46:00.000-08:00

Forty-eight years ago, an event occurred that would change the world.

Speculation circled around for many years afterwards, with investigations, conspiracy theories, and wonder.

Now with Stephen King's new book, 11/22/63, out this month, we will continue to explore this event, but with a fictional twist.

Here's a brief synopsis that spotlights the story:

On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Stephen King’s heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination—a thousand page tour de force.

Following his massively successful novel Under the Dome, King sweeps readers back in time to another moment—a real life moment—when everything went wrong: the JFK assassination. And he introduces readers to a character who has the power to change the course of history.

Now that our thoughts our zeroing in on this event, we have other books that also reveal that time. The time later dubbed as Camelot.

In my book Chasing Stardust, set in the sixties and seventies, the character Merrilee Hennessey is working in a small legal office in Modesto, CA, when the news blares out on the TV playing in the break room.

Gwendolyn stood staring into the fridge with the door open, investigating its contents. As she pulled out a stash of leftovers, Jonathan entered and turned on the TV. A soap opera character peered into the face of another, their intense conversation suggesting secrets and betrayals. Laughing, Gwendolyn reached up to switch the channel when a newscaster broke in with an announcement.

All three of them stood in shock and horror while Walter Kronkite broke the news. In Dallas, Texas, President Kennedy had been gunned down while traversing the streets in his motorcade. And, in Parkland Memorial Hospital, just a short time later, he had been pronounced dead.

A fallen prince, Merrilee thought, feeling detached, as if her mind stood over her body.

And as if that thought led logically in another direction, a series of pictorial images flashed through her mind, like a TV camera playing them for an audience. She and Julie standing before the TV at the library less than three years before, watching the inauguration; Jackie and Jack entering a church, with that trademark lace mantilla covering Jackie’s bouffant hairdo; newspaper and TV photos of little Caroline and John-John, playing in the White House. Images of Camelot. Broken into shards by one violent act.

Next she felt Gwendolyn’s arms enfolding her, and realized that her body shook with sobs.

They all listened and watched like robots as the news features brought bits and pieces of information, revealing over and over again the images of Jackie in her pink suit covered with blood. As the day progressed, they saw and heard that someone named Lee Harvey Oswald had been apprehended.

In the end, they closed the office for the day and just hung out, talking and watching TV. But despite their camaraderie, a mournful feeling hung like a dark cloak around them. They ate, drank coffee, and later, sipped the Scotch that Jonathan poured.

Shaking herself back into another reality, Merrilee thought about Colin and her responsibilities at home. And about Julie, who would be devastated. Grabbing the phone, she dialed the familiar number.

“Oh, Merrilee!” Julie’s voice sounded strangely surreal when she answered the phone. “Isn’t it horrible? I don’t think I can go on!”

Something about the words and tone chimed in her ears like a warning bell. But choosing to credit it to the situation they were all facing, Merrilee responded in kind. “I know, I simply can’t believe it!” And then she was off, reminiscing about the Kennedys and all the media images that had surrounded the Prince and Princess of Camelot during their brief time in the White House.

“Anyway,” Merrilee concluded. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m staying on here at the office for awhile, if that’s okay. Is Esther able to keep Colin a little longer?”

“Oh, sure,” Julie replied, but her voice now sounded detached. “Take your time. It’s fine.”

Hanging up the phone, Merrilee poured another drink and tried to forget that sound in Julie’s voice. Focusing instead on mourning their lost prince, she and Gwendolyn and Jonathan drank and smoked and talked late into the night.

***

During those eventful days and weeks, I, too, was living in Modesto, CA, ready to embark on my new life as a married woman. I was starting my junior year in college.

Everything seemed to change afterwards, and the moments will not be forgotten. Do you have memories from that time? If the events happened before your time, what do you first recall learning about this day?

VINTAGE MEMORABILIA -- NOV. 19

2011-11-19T14:38:00.000-08:00

The other day, I was flipping through the pages of one of my favorite magazines—one that showcases lovely flea market finds—and happened on a set of these aluminum tumblers.

Then, of course, my mind started traipsing backwards in time and I thought about how colorful tumblers like these came into my life.

Cottage cheese! Yes, you could buy these in the store with cottage cheese inside. Afterwards, they served nicely for drinks at lunch or dinner.

I'll bet my mother still had a few of these somewhere, but I never stumbled over them when going through some of her things.

Perhaps someone else did. At any rate, seeing them in the magazine made me think that I could probably find some like them, and I wouldn't even have to go to a flea market.

Of course I discovered them on Amazon, my go-to site for almost anything and everything. Yes, they're new and not the actual "vintage" item, but they'll show off nicely in one of my country cupboards, like this one that spotlights some Coca Cola stuff and some cute dinnerware.

I'll have to rearrange a few things, but now I can't wait to do just that!

The mid-century ones would probably be fun to have, though, and whenever I do go to a flea market or collectibles shop, I'll have my eyes peeled.

What kinds of items ignite your collectible fancy? What do you collect?

FINDING MY MUSE....

2011-10-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, our Muse finds us in unexpected places.

Moving things around a bit can help us spur things on. Like finding a nice sitting area near the windows. Or bringing together a new conversation grouping, like this chair, left...and below, the grouping.

This morning, I decided to sit near the open windows and ponder my day.

I had just rearranged this chair, next to the little dropleaf table...and perpendicular to this little loveseat where I like to curl up and read.

I do enjoy looking around at my new "corner" of the living room. Here I can sit, have something to drink, and feel the breeze through the open window. And I can still see the TV, where today I watched my recordings from last night's Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. Favorites of mine.

Later I'm going out to have lunch at my daughter's work—she's a bartender at a popular watering hole—and sometimes, if I want to spend time with her, I have to go where she works. The bartending gig is only one of her jobs, though; she's a very talented hair stylist. And I catch up with her there, too, when she does my hair every month.

Here's another glimpse of my newly arranged room. See the ghost holding a pumpkin? My grandson Noah reminded me the other day that the ghost is his.

Now I'm going to share an excerpt from one of my two WIPs.

This one is from Defining Moments:

My MC Jillian has been exploring a new relationship, and even though she's not sure what will unfold, she's enjoying it immensely.

On the weekend, David and I decided to go to the beach.

We had discussed it briefly and agreed that the Central beaches were more promising, like Cambria and Pismo Beach. So we’d booked a room in a cozy hotel that overlooked the water.

Now as we drove slowly up to the hotel, I inhaled the scent of the ocean and felt totally renewed.

Unlocking the door, we dropped the bags, opened the windows, and stood there in each other’s arms, enjoying the scent of the ocean, along with the brisk breeze. A basket of fruit, wine, and cheeses had greeted us, so with hours until the dinner we had planned in that little restaurant up the coast, we opened the goodies. David poured wine into the complimentary stemware while I slowly unwrapped the cheese and displayed the fruit.

“This is total bliss,” I murmured softly, sliding into his arms while we sipped the champagne.

“Um-hum,” he replied. “Why didn’t we think of this sooner?”

“Better late than never,” I quipped, and then reached up to ruffle his hair, enjoying his masculine aroma.

We barely had time for a few nibbles and sips before we were lying on the bed, unclothed, and ravishing each other.

Could life get any better than this?

As the languorous afterglow descended, I sighed blissfully. Reaching up, I ran my fingers through David’s dark hair, enjoying the sensory moments. And felt blissful at his special touches.

“Sometimes I’m almost afraid when I’m this happy,” I murmured softly.

“I know what you mean…but that’s just our past rearing its ugly head, don’t you think? We’ve had some unpleasant experiences, so when we’re happy, we expect it to end badly…”

“Yeah…I mean, what could possibly go wrong, now?” I laughed and sat up, glancing around and taking in every detail of the space. Over there, the snack tray still awaited, with a few nibbles left, and in just a couple of hours, we had our reservation at that wonderful restaurant in Cambria.

Following my gaze, David raised his eyebrows questioningly. “More cheese? Champagne?”

I nodded, and while he poured the champagne and handed me the cheese tray, I promised myself that I wouldn’t borrow trouble.

REDESIGNING MY SPACES

2011-10-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

Whenever I get that restless feeling, or when I see something in a magazine or even a movie, I start plotting how I can rearrange the things in my world.

Since I got a new bookshelf for my TBR stacks (see my quest here at Potpourri), my restless energy has taken me to what I'm showing here today.

In the photo above left, note the bookshelf, which replaces the shelving on the right.

Now isn't that much better? But, of course, I couldn't stop there. I was watching a movie about Woody Allen and Mia Farrow, and the set decorations showed a rolltop desk in Mia's bedroom. I remembered the same set-up in the movie Hannah and her Sisters...and loved the cozy feel of it.

Well, of course I had to move my rolltop desk from my entry way to the bedroom. Here I can pay bills (yeah, right!). Or write letters. Remember those? Or balance my checkbook.

Here's another view of the newly reconfigured bedroom.

A few months ago, I rearranged a few things to accommodate my exercise bike.

Do you ever get that itchy feeling that takes you to places you wouldn't have thought about? Does your rearranging of objects satisfy something within your creative soul?

I hope you'll stop by with your thoughts.

THE MOMENTS THAT DEFINE US -- AN EXCERPT

2011-09-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

In one of my newest WIPs (Defining Moments), I spotlight a character named Jillian McAvoy, and zero in on some of the events that seemingly shape and sometimes upend her world.

Life has taken some inexplicable twists and turns for her, and suddenly, just when she thinks that she has finally found her groove, events take over and she finds herself totally out of control.

I didn’t go to bed that night. Often I didn’t bother, usually just hung out in my office. Sometimes I would lie down on the office sofa for awhile with my eyes closed. This night, I stayed in front of the computer, clicking on various sites. I must have dozed off, though, because I had the feeling of being abruptly pulled back to my little universe. And then I realized that something was very wrong. I had tried to open my web browser, but nothing had happened.

I started slowly toward the desk phone across the room. I’d purposely placed it on the long library style table that held reference books and various paraphernalia, so it would be hard to reach. Less distracting. And when I picked up the receiver and didn’t hear a dial tone, I looked down at the cord. Had I pulled it from the wall? But it was there, plugged in. Something was definitely wrong with the connection of the Internet and the phone. I had the same provider for both.

I grabbed my cell phone out of my bag nearby, but saw that it, too, was dead.

And then, suddenly, as if some other world had taken over mine, the lights blinked out and the computer turned black. Oh, no!

Frantic, I stumbled toward the front door and then outside, swinging my gaze from house to house, wondering if there was some major power outage. Or maybe the world was coming to an end.

I didn’t see anyone else out and about, and I scarcely noticed that the sky was still dark with dawn. Nobody else seemed to be up and about. Then I noticed a boy on a bicycle…was he throwing papers? I called out to him, as if for help, and then sank down in the middle of the street.

Right now, I'm in the midst of a creative challenge. One of my goals is to turn two WIPs into published novels. I am in the process of finding more Beta readers.

For anyone interested, e-mail me at chezraine(at)gmail(dot)com

CREATING NEW INTERIORS...AND NEW EXTERIORS

2011-08-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

As the summer months gradually slip away, and as we face the changes that come with fall, I've been doing some rearranging of my space.

Pulling that wicker bench up next to one of my bookshelves offers an opportunity to curl up and read, especially when the days and nights turn cool again.

In this second photo, you can see another perspective on the cozy sitting space.

But fall is also all about the new school year, too, which is why I enjoyed doing a little shopping with my granddaughter Fiona...and then asking her to pose for some photos.

Here she is modeling some of her new outfits.

And here is another one...a favorite.

New clothes weren't quite enough, though, so on Tuesday, off we went to the hair salon, where my daughter Heather took charge and created a new hairstyle (and color!).

I'm still reeling from this last change.

What do the upcoming fall months bring to your life?

HAPPY HOLIDAY! AND PONDERING CHANGES....

2011-07-02T07:39:00.000-07:00

As the weekend begins, the anticipation mounts. Many of you will be celebrating with fireworks, picnics, trips...and whatever you do, have a safe, sane holiday!

Today I'll be seeing a movie with a friend. This is one I've been anticipating for awhile.

Afterwards...a nice, quiet lunch.

Now for the changes I referenced in the blog title. Since I live in California, I fall victim to a recent change in the law that has discontinued the Amazon Associates program for residents. Yes, sadly...

At first, the e-mail I received indicated that nothing would change until September...and even alluded to the possibility that things wouldn't change. But then the law passed, and it's all over.

So I removed all of my Amazon "buy buttons," since they go nowhere now. Except for one that leads to the page where I bought the e-book myself. Apparently that one still works. But no affiliate payments. Nada.

Now if I've learned anything in life, it's that the one constant is change. So you'd think I'd be used to it by now. It's not like the world has ended, or the bottom fallen out...but sometimes, when change requires various adjustments like this one, it does feel like "the end."

Some of you may know of other recent changes impacting daily life for those of us who are "soap opera" fans. Cancellations, etc.

Well, maybe something new will come along and take the place of the old. We can hope.

Meanwhile, on this blog, and on my Rainy Days and Mondays site, I've adjusted the layout; next I'll be pondering substitutions to fill the void on my page.

I'll also be visiting other friends who use Blogger for new, creative ideas!

EXPLORING PAST BEHAVIORS -- AN EXCERPT

2011-06-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

In one of my latest WIPs, which I have called Interior Designs, I have created a story for a flawed character from Embrace the Whirlwind. Martha's story shows that, beneath the surface, there are explanations for some of her behavior, and that there is something redeemable about her.

The memories of my childhood insecurities had bombarded me constantly after the demise of my marriage. Almost as if I could point to the exact moments when my future failures had been ingrained in my psyche.Those moments when I realized that I wasn’t “good enough” to warrant the attention of either of my parents.

Oh, they hadn’t been negligent—not really—but their focus had always been on each other. Us kids were gifted with the occasional glance, or the necessary care; almost like an afterthought.

We knew what it meant to be children of parents who had eyes only for each other.

Now, though, I realized that I could retrieve some of that old persona, the façade that had protected me in the past—if I wanted to do so.

And I did want to strut my stuff for Zach. To showcase some of the finest moments available in my repertoire, in order to see how impressed he might be with my efforts. Sort of like wearing a great outfit or showing off a new hairstyle.

Which reminded me: how long had it been since I’d changed my style?

So I’d booked an appointment with Javier, in my favorite salon. When I sat down in the chair, I turned to him and said the words he could never have imagined: Reinvent me, Javier.

At first he’d laughed, thinking I was joking, but then he quickly started playing around with my hair, lifting, visualizing, and then he began.

I emerged a couple of hours later scarcely recognizing myself.

My former bob had been transformed into a very up-to-the-minute chic style that reminded me of a French runway model I’d seen in a magazine. I would never have imagined a style this short on me, but it worked. I turned from side to side, admiring the shape of the cut and how it made my cheekbones pop. My eyes looked larger, too, and I exclaimed: “Wow!”

Javier laughed. “You approve?”

“Oh, definitely. How easy will it be for me to keep it up?”

“Very simple,” he replied, and then proceeded to tell me exactly how to recreate the style, including which products to use.

Back home that afternoon, I made a list for the menu I’d chosen. And then I took a glass of white wine out to my gazebo, along with a book I’d decided to read. Putting my feet up, I visualized a life of leisure and love.

When was the last time I’d even taken a vacation? Work had been the centerpiece of my life.

Maybe it was time for a change. But I couldn’t just disappear from my obligations. There was, however, no reason not to book a cruise of my own this summer. Who knew? Maybe by then I could persuade Zach to join me.

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

2011-05-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

The other day, I was "tagged" by Lady D Books.

Here's my mission:

1) If you could go back in time and relive one moment, what would it be?

     Oh, wow, that's a difficult one. Maybe I would participate more in the small moments. Enjoy them more.

2) If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would it be?

     To expand more on the previous question, I'd take my time to savor the moments; to smell the flowers, if you will.

3) What movie/TV character do you most resemble in personality?

    Oh, another difficult one....Shirley MacLaine?

4) If you could push one person off a cliff and get away with it, who would it be?

    Ha-ha....Rush Limbaugh.

5) Name one habit you would like to change in yourself.

     Perhaps I could work on being more easy-going and less compulsive.

6) Describe yourself in one word.

    Compulsive

7) Describe the person who named you in this meme in one word.

     Creative

8) Why do you blog? Answer in one sentence.

       Well, check my answer to number six! LOL

       Actually, I began in order to spotlight my creations, but I stayed because I love connecting with other bloggers.

Now I'm supposed to tag three more people. So here goes, and I hope none of you are annoyed.

1. Staci, at Life in the Thumb

2. Valentina, at Carabosse's Library

3.   Esme, at Chocolate & Croissants

So that's it! I hope you'll let me know when you post your answers...Enjoy!!

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

2011-05-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who joined me here to celebrate my Third Blogoversary! April 21, 2008 was my entry into the blogging world.

And even though it would be another year before I actually started really participating in the blogging community, I am very happy to mark that beginning moment in time.

The winner in my blogoversary giveaway was SUKO. A copy of The Paris Wife will be wending its way to her. CONGRATS, SUKO, AND THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING.

Hope all of you have a fabulous new week!!

THREE-YEAR BLOGOVERSARY & GIVEAWAY

2011-04-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Wow! I almost forgot this very important date! April 21, 2008 was the creation of this, my very first blog.

You can probably forgive me the oversight, since I have fourteen blogs...but to forget the THREE YEAR BLOGOVERSARY here...well, tacky.

But thanks to Teena, of Toronto, I did remember!

I was just glancing through some ARCs on my shelves and thinking I needed to give some away.

So here's what we're going to do. For each comment, you can earn one entry. If you tweet about this giveaway, another point. If you post about it on your blog...still another. If you follow my blog...a fourth (and final) point. Please list which book you'd like, and leave your e-mail address.

Here are the books:

My Formerly Hot Life, by Stephanie Dolgoff

The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain

The Four Ms. Bradwells, by Meg Waite Clayton

The Book of Tomorrow, by Cecelia Ahern

Reading Women, by Stephanie Staal

Mary Ann in Autumn, by Armistead Maupin

Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog, by Lisa Scottoline

Contest Ends on 4-30-11!

CHANGING UP MY SPACE

2011-03-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

Recently I had to acquire a new bookshelf. I didn't have room for a large one, since I only had a bit of space in my office. It didn't take long to add several books to the shelves.

Once I finished doing that, though, I started eyeing my other rooms, and did a bit of rearranging in my bedroom, too. That's where I have my largest number of TBR stacks, but they're tucked away and off to the side.

There they are, next to the cart that holds the little red DVD/TV combo that the grandkids used to use—before they graduated to the big TV and DVD player.

Next I moved a table that used to sit at the foot of my bed over toward another table...with dolls, etc.

Here I can sit and pay bills...or use a laptop, if I had one. Hey, I need to get one...and soon. There are times when I want to nest in my bedroom, rather than head off to the office. It would work perfectly, don't you think?

Here's another view of the room, with the wall-to-wall shelves and another chair. Minnie Mouse has taken up residence on this one. And to the left, you can catch a glimpse of the bear wearing a red feather boa...

Another view of the table, hall tree for hats and handbags, and another bookshelf behind the chair.

Now for the new bookshelf, in its full version. More books will be added everyday, as I finish each one.

This shelf is in my office. Off to the right, beyond the TV, is my computer station and desk. Another bookcase (below) divides the computer area from the rest of the room.

So that is the extent of my redecorating. It cost only the price of the bookshelf...and a bit of muscle aching after moving things around in the bedroom.

What do you like to do when your "interior designer" kicks in? I hope you'll stop by and share.

CREATIVE OUTLETS -- AND PROCRASTINATION

2011-02-27T06:11:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday, and Mimosa time! Okay, I'll admit that I don't always wait until Sunday....

But today, I am procrastinating. I should be working on my WIP—actually, I have two that are in progress—but instead, I'm diddling around the blogosphere, posting my Sunday Salon and visiting other blogs.

Yesterday, in addition to continuing my read of Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen, I did a little furniture rearranging.

Just an odd tweak of the screen, which was kind of "bunched up" and not showing its best face...LOL

Anything to avoid doing what needs to be done. Today, I'm hoping to find another bookshelf for my office. I have accepted the fact that I'll probably need to get something that has to be assembled...alas! Since my once-upon-a-time go-to site for "shabby chic" stuff no longer seems to carry anything I like or want.

I know...when I got "Sparky," my Kindle, and when I donated a lot of books to the library before Christmas, I thought that I had solved the shelf issue.

Not so much.

In the past two months, I've finished 28 books, which, naturally, had to be shelved. Moved from the on-the-floor stacks to the "finished books" shelves.

I didn't think I had room in my office for another shelf, but as I study the rather antiquated piece of furniture that is displaying some of my fairytale stuff....well, I can live without that!

I would love a writer's room that looks like this one:

Except for the very oddly uncomfortable-looking chair, this space looks wonderful!

What are your fantasies today? Are you thinking about the novel you're writing, or the books you're reading? Or will you, like me, procrastinate and do oddly irrelevant things?....

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

WHAT ARE THE ANSWERS? READ ON....

2011-02-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

Okay, the time has come to reveal the answers to the questions. Just in case you've forgotten the rules: Share five things about ourselves, with four of them partially true and partially fictitious, and one of them - totally factoid.

Here are the answers I gave (with the corrections):

1. In the ~~sixties,~~ I protested against the war in Vietnam and cut classes in protest to the Kent State killings;
     (this happened in the seventies)
2. I once lived in an old Victorian house in downtown Sacramento, and we formed our own commune;
     (My son lived in that old Victorian house, but it was the fictional model for the home of some of my characters in Miles to Go.)

3. For a brief time, my second husband and I lived in Canada.

     (We thought about moving to Canada, but didn't)
4. My children all grew up to be Republicans.
     (Some Republicans, some Democrats)

5. I wrote a book about my life in those times.

Number Five was totally true.

So there you have it....Now I'm very curious about what the rest of you (awarded bloggers) wrote. Let me know by sharing your link...

TWO LOVELY AWARDS! -- MY GUILTY SECRETS & MY FICTIONAL LIFE

2011-02-17T06:28:00.000-08:00

You know that I'm seriously behind when I have two awards that I have not yet posted about. But to be fair, I only got the first one about a week ago.

So here goes.

The Irresistibly Sweet Award came to me from Lady D Books.

The rules are simple. List 4 Guilty Pleasures and give the award to other bloggers.

Guilty Pleasures (Uh-oh!)

1) I am addicted to blogging! This probably doesn't surprise any of you, though. I have fourteen blogs, and the fun is creating, tweaking them, and just playing around with them;

2) I love schmaltzy Lifetime Movie Network flicks, even when I've seen them umpteen times;

3) I am a soap opera addict. I DVR them so I won't miss any episodes, and when two of my old favorites went off the air, I added two new ones!

4) I love coconut ice cream. I developed a passion for it several years ago, and for a time, the producers stopped making it and I couldn't find it anywhere. I went through withdrawal...LOL

Now that I've 'fessed up, it's your turn. Bloggers to whom I'm gifting this one:

1. Tea @Read With Tea

2. Sharon @Gently Mad

3. Emily @Southern Fiber Reads

4. Sugar Creek Cottage

Thanks to Lady D for this really "irresistibly sweet" award, and to the bloggers I'm passing it on to, thanks for having such lovely sites to visit.

***

Now for the second award, gifted to me from Ellie, at Books, Fitness, & Other Stuff.

This one has a fun little twist to it, too. We are supposed to share five things about ourselves, with four of them partially true and partially fictitious (this is really fun for us writers!), and one has to be totally factoid.

Try to guess which one is true, and then come back to the post in which all is revealed!

So here goes:

1. In the sixties, I protested against the war in Vietnam and cut classes in protest to the Kent State killings;

2. I once lived in an old Victorian house in downtown Sacramento, and we formed our own commune;

3. For a brief time, my second husband and I lived in Canada.

4. My children all grew up to be Republicans.

5. I wrote a book about my life in those times.

So...what do you think really happened? Come back with your comments and guesses....

Now for the Seven Bloggers to Whom I Gift This Award:

1. Diane, @Bibliophile by the Sea

2. Natalie, @The Book Inn

3. Sheila, @Book Journey

4. Mysteries & Cupcakes

5. Selena, @The Enchanted Book

6. Diary of a Domestic Goddess

7. Too Many Books, Too Little Time

Now I'm very eager to find out YOUR LITTLE FICTIONS & FACT.

Hope to see some of you here, commenting and guessing and sharing your own thoughts.

And thanks again to those who gifted me with these awards!

WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE?

2011-02-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

Back in the day, I considered myself sort of a flower child. I espoused many of the causes of the sixties and seventies, and in my second marriage, we created our version of that lifestyle. We joined a food coop, we grew some vegetables and became vegetarians (for awhile), and our kids looked a bit like the children of hippies.

Case in point: Our little flower child above. And here's another memento of that time:

But, like many aspects of the various movements, we were sidetracked by our mainstream lives, like earning a living and trying to fit in a bit more.

A few years later, we split and went our separate ways. My own journey took me toward a more career-oriented path, but it would be many years before I would write a fictional chronicle of our lives back then. Miles to Go was the first novel I finished, but I didn't publish it until after three others.

Nowadays, I think fondly of that time in my life, but I'm happy that I changed my pathway. Writing about that life is more rewarding than living it, if that makes sense. A part of me never really connected with that particular journey, although it's an experience for which I'm grateful.

My life has never really been all that "mainstream," even after the flowers were gone. I'm quirky, unconventional, and enjoy hearing a different drummer. It's a good thing that my career allowed me that individuality. And now I enjoy the fruits of that labor in pensions. Which allow me, finally, to indulge in the one journey that suits me perfectly: writing and blogging.

Now I'm writing a couple of very different novels: one about a woman who becomes obsessed with blogging until she ends up in a psychiatric hospital (Defining Moments); and another one that follows the journey of a woman scorned, and how she begins to create a new life for herself (Interior Designs).

I've been so engrossed in reading this past week, that my writing has not progressed as much as I'd like. I will rectify that...

For more about my Creations, check LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

POST-HOLIDAY ANGST....

2011-01-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

Usually I am really happy when the holidays end, but for some reason, this year felt different. Perhaps because I didn't connect with everyone I wanted to over the holidays; or maybe it was having to clean up the usual detritus afterwards.

But I am glad to have my house back into its usual shape. After the holidays, I often take the opportunity to rearrange a few things, too. Giving me a feeling of something new in the New Year.

I made a few resolutions, joined a few challenges, and created pages on my Curl up and Read blog for tracking my reading this year.

I've also had some restless energy, which I explored HERE.

One day, while feeling restless, I ordered the movie you see depicted above. The Social Network is one I missed when it was in the theaters, and since I'm an obsessive Facebook member, with all my blogs networked there, I thought it would be fun to explore it.

Today I plan to review this book, which explores one woman's journey through feminist texts, and how these experiences changed her life.

I'm also enjoying my Kindle, which I talked about a bit on Rainy Days and Mondays.

So now I think it's time to get off the computer, but just in case you do a Sunday Salon post, you can check out mine.

Visit me here at LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS.

AT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS...

2010-12-09T08:50:00.000-08:00

Awhile ago, I promised an update on my holiday decor. Not that it's fabulous, or anything, but it does help me get into the Christmas spirit. The photo above is filled with sentimental objects, including photo frames that showcase each of my grandkids.

For those who may not know, I used to be the current embodiment of Scrooge. Yes, I kid you not! I'm not sure when it happened, exactly, but I had totally morphed into that person who grumbles and complains and hates the holiday.

Maybe it was the whole shopping in crowds thing. I'm not a fan of that scene. Or maybe I had lost my holiday spirit when all the kids moved out, one by one. They did come back through that revolving door a few times, but usually they, too, had lost the Christmas spirit.

Then a few years ago, I "serendipitously" found myself working in a foster family agency that went ALL OUT for the holidays. Yes, seriously, everyone in the small office was called into service to decorate the rooms, beginning with the main reception area, and extending to our individual offices. Yes, there were contests, too. And I loudly grumbled, but then decided to bring a few goodies to the office. I even went shopping for some of the decorations. Here's what my office looked like:

From that point on, I gradually began to revel in the holidays again. I found a unique shop where I could get some of my favorites, and I've saved them. I bring them out year after year and arrange them in some quirky fashion.

Or how about these goodies?

And here's another miniature tree keeping company with Fantasia Mickey.

For this tree (above), I find quirky ornaments like Betty Boop, Elvis, and country themed items.

That's it for now, folks, but here's something else I found on the Internet the other day...it almost makes me want to bake! Or at least find a shop that sells these goodies....

Visit me here: LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

HOLIDAY FAVORITES

2010-11-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

The scent of turkey has barely faded from the rooms when out come the Christmas decorations. Today my youngest grandson is coming over to help me showcase some of my old holiday favorites.

Like the miniature trees, the Disney holiday figurines, and large teddy bears dressed in Santa clothes.

Above, and in the header, you'll notice a stack of my creations posed next to some holiday favorites, like one of the miniature trees.

Here are some other mementos from Christmas past.

And here are some others....

Later, I'll be posting some of this year's selections, which will include many of these old favorites in new arrangements.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

MONDAY RAMBLINGS....

2010-11-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about creative impressions. And expression. All about those moments in life that we store in that treasure trove of memory, to pull out later for whatever we're working on.

My thoughts also led me toward the images I post and the headers I choose. And I decided that it was time to revamp my headers here, and on Rainy Days and Mondays. Should I abandon the hippie dolls? Not necessarily, but I think it's time I display what's really going on in my life nowadays. Like the photo above, in which I've surrounded my creations with objects that I pulled from another cupboard and placed here. Otherwise, I look around me and don't see my treasures at all!

When I capture images and save them in my photo album, or on my computer, I can then look back and retrace my steps to where I am now.

Speaking of memories, that took me back to yesterday, when I was reading the Sunday newspaper, which is like an event for me on that particular day. But the article I perused made me think a lot about memory and what we keep. To read more, check my Potpourri blog.

What treasures do you like to revisit? What do you keep around you, and why? I hope you'll stop by and share.

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

AUTUMN LEAVES, NEW BEGINNINGS, CREATIONS....

2010-11-07T13:48:00.000-08:00

If you've read any of my blog posts ever, you'll know that fall is my favorite season. Just as red is one of my favorite colors. In autumn leaves, you can see reds, oranges, yellows—all the great colors.

Today I came over to this site to change up some buy buttons (check them out!) and ended up adding autumn leaves to my background.

Visiting the various Sunday Salon posts today, I've noticed many bloggers talking about fun fall activities. To visit my salon, click here.

In both of these posts, I talk about my writing journey this month, which is, of course, NaNoWriMo

Of course we just finished with Halloween, and I grabbed some favorite costumes and posted them on one of my sites, talking about creativity and worrisome moments.

But back to NaNoWriMo...I'm happy to report that I'm ending the first week with a total of 16,280 words. Since our goal is 50,000 words by Nov. 30, I'm well on my way. I've been noticing amazing progress amongst all of my writing buddies, too. Let's toast to that!

If you're participating, I wish you the best...and please feel free to stop by and share your excitement, your progress, and anything else....

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

MORE CREATIVE EXPLORATIONS....

2010-11-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

In a recent series spotlighting the Berlin Festival of Lights, my eldest son, Craig, Berlin Photographer, has done it again.

Isn't it magical? I wish I could have been there to see these scenes, but barring that, photos that bring the magic to us are a nice substitute.

Here are some more:

And now, for my own creative pursuits today. I started my NaNoWriMo participation, which, in case you haven't been following the blogs lately, is a creative writer's "pie in the sky" novel-writing experience that takes us from November 1-30, with a total output of 50,000 words.

Now that's only 1667 words per day. Today I finished at 1817 words, and I may pick it up again later. Just in case I hit one of those slow spots later on. I know that can happen, having been here before. Not this particular challenge, but others.

The best thing about these challenges is how they can propel us forward when we've been distracting ourselves with other things—in other words, in a slump or stuck.

So for all those out there who are also going for the "burn," let's make every word count!

I hope some of you will stop by and show us what you're doing.

AN ARTISTIC EXPLORATION....

2010-09-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

What happens when the artist (photographer) appears in front of the camera? When Nathan Wright, freelance photographer, somehow persuaded Craig Robinson, Berlin Photographer, to pose in FRONT of the camera, here are some of the results.

Has he discovered a new creative outlet? What do you think?

CREATIVE OBSESSIONS

2010-09-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Before I get too far into deconstructing my obsessions today, I'd like to mention a review on Shellie's blog Layers of Thought. In addition to her lovely new Halloween header, she has been spotlighting "moi," Laurel-Rain Snow. Thanks, Shellie, for sharing your thoughts.

So now, on to my obsessions. I have many, but lately the blogging obsession has gotten a bit out of hand. At one point, I was up to twenty blogs! Okay, now to point out some of the whys, you have to understand that the joy I feel when creating something new, even a blog, is similar to that euphoric high others might get from a drink. Like the one in the picture above, looking like an innocent glass of OJ; hidden inside the orange liquid is that touch of champagne. The bubbly fizz that sort of brings to mind the moment of creativity.

Maybe that's why drinking and writing (or creating) seem to go together.

At any rate, that's what I felt when creating the blogs. But maintaining them and posting something even remotely tantalizing...not so much.

So being a semi-reasonable person, I decided that I needed to step back. To merge, if you will. So the journey toward balance began. You can now read about that journey HERE.

Long story short, I deleted some and merged them with others, so now I have THIRTEEN blogs. A part of me might think that thirteen is an unlucky number, and I used to believe that. But then one day, back in the seventies, my daughter was born on Friday the Thirteenth. After three boys, I considered this a lucky day and a lucky number.

On to other creative obsessions. I do constantly arrange and rearrange my space. I get bored, and I also get that same high from seeing my stuff in a new light. An alternative to buying new stuff!

Here's some of what I did last Sunday.

This is the area to the right of the entry, and before you see the dining area, pictured below.

My space is pretty small, so I'm limited to what I can change. For example, the sofas are pretty much stuck where they are.

Now I need to do something about this office, which is very MESSY AND DISORGANIZED.

The stacks you see all over the coffee table reflect my attempt to plan my upcoming reads. Yeah, right!

Actually, this view of my desk doesn't look as bad as I thought it would!

But anyway, you get the picture. My obsessions toward rearranging things should definitely extend to this space!

What do you do to bring order and balance to your life? I hope you'll stop by and share your thoughts.

SUNDAY THOUGHTS....

2010-09-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Sundays are a time of reflection for me. A day when I wake up slowly, enjoy my coffee, play on the computer a bit, and then read the Sunday paper.

I posted my Sunday Salon, visited a few blogs, and now I'm pondering what to do next. I have a post about my blogging journey over at Potpourri, in the Journeys category, so after rereading that, I realized that I had been neglecting this site. My very first blog!

When I come here, I think about how I was feeling when I created this site. I knew nothing at all about blogging; my first posts didn't even have photos. And I certainly didn't have a custom header. Later I would learn how to do those things, as well as how to create widgets, etc.

Now that blogger has the designer template, I can even create backgrounds. This one is like a crazy quilt, and the hippie dolls are significant, too. They are iconic images for some of my books that spotlight the sixties and seventies. Rainbow is a character in several of my books, as we see her at various times in her life. Her communal days; her days as a struggling artist; and finally, her days as a shop owner.

You can find excerpts from my books at my various sites spotlighting my creations, like Miles to Go.

Speaking of creations, my previous post here was all about rearranging creative objects, and I was fussing about my displays. Since then, I added a new backdrop for my birdcage/birdhouse displays on my hearth.

Now my "vignette" looks almost serene....

Searching for serenity sometimes means having to change my immediate environment. So that's what I did.

What do you do to recreate the world around you? Do you rearrange things, or completely discard and start over?

If you have time, I hope you'll visit me at my website HERE.

REDISCOVERING CREATIVITY....

2010-08-23T07:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as I curled up on my sofa reading, watching movies, and more reading, I looked across to this vignette on my hearth and thought....boring!!

So naturally I started rearranging things. After I had shuffled things around a bit, and even stashed a few of the bears in the hall closet, I thought...hmm, something is still missing. What could it be?

Well, maybe that birdcage will look great as the focal point....but only if I lighten up the backdrop. A dark fireplace screen doesn't work for me. So today I'm going to be searching for something to use to lighten up that area.

I like my giant Mickey here, though; if I can't find a lighter backdrop for the birdcage, maybe Mickey can go center stage. He might just like that!

I remember when I first saw this Fantasia Mickey...he was sitting outside one of my favorite shops—the one that is now closed!—and he seemed to be a one-person (mouse?) welcoming committee. Naturally I had to have him!

Later I came back and got the smaller version of Mickey, which I use occasionally to showcase my reading...

See how he seems to be pointing to a specific book? I created a logo with him pointing to books...and I use it on Teaser Tuesdays.

He's also great with my own creations, which you can find HERE.

Here you get a better idea of his size (in comparison to Fantasia Mickey).

What do you like to do when restless or bored? Do you rearrange your stuff? Go shopping? Clean house??

Hope you'll stop by and share.

MAILBOX MONDAY

2010-08-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Mailbox Monday, hosted this month by Chick Loves Lit.

This is my first Mailbox for two weeks, so I'm really excited to be back. Okay, I didn't get anything in the mail this week, either, but I did stop by Barnes & Noble and participated in a sale.

Here's what I got...a wonderful book by that author who gave us The Friday Night Knitting Club, Kate Jacobs, with her delicious portrait of female friendship, Comfort Food.

Don't you just love this cover? Here's what Amazon gave us in a blurb:

Jacobs follows The Friday Night Knitting Club with another multigenerational tale, this time on the foodie circuit. Popular Cooking with Gusto! host Augusta Gus Simpson, a widowed mother of two adult daughters who's about to turn 50, is tiring of her many obligations, which include throwing an annual birthday bash for herself. That trial pales, however, in comparison with the introduction of saucy former beauty queen and YouTube star Carmen Vega as Gus's cohost: Carmen is younger, hotter and very tight with the boss. It's soon apparent on the set that this new situation isn't working, so the two are packed off, along with a forgettable cast of secondaries, to a corporate team-building weekend, complete with New Age guide. When the resort's head chef calls in sick, a team-building opportunity presents itself. Jacobs gives Gus a reasonable love interest and provides the requisite bickering and backstabbing, but the foodie moments lack passion, and the results yield no stars. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

And my next purchase needs no introduction, since it's a wonderful book that's 50 years old this year; and that one, of course, is To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. I got the 50th Anniversary Edition.

Okay, this one wasn't on sale, but after getting a good deal on the first one, it felt like it!

One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many distinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal). HarperCollins is proud to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the book's publication with this special hardcover edition.

These two lovely books are more than enough for me this week!

What did you get (or buy or borrow?) I hope you'll stop by and tell us all about it.

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

MAILBOX MONDAY -- AUGUST 2

2010-08-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

Good morning, and welcome to Mailbox Monday, hosted for the month of August by Chick Loves Lit.

This delightful meme is all about sharing the goodies we received in the mailbox (or bought in the store!), and then clicking around the blogosphere to see what everyone else got. It usually ends up with everyone having HUGE TBR lists and/or stacks.

This week I hit the jackpot (for me!), and received three books in the mail; then I went to Borders and bought a couple on the sale table.

Here's what I received:

1) Private, by James Patterson (audio), received from My Life In Not So Many Words.

Here's a snippet from Amazon:

Former Marine and CIA agent Jack Morgan inherits his father's renowned security and detective business--along with a case load that tests him to the breaking point. Getting to the bottom of an NFL gambling scandal and an unsolved LAPD investigation into 18 school girl slayings would be enough. On top of all that, Morgan takes on solving the horrific murder of his best friend's wife.

As Morgan fights the urge to exact brutal revenge on that killer, he has to navigate a workplace imbroglio that could blow the roof off his elite agency. And it's an especially explosive situation . . . because the love affair is his own.

Next, I received two books from the Amazon Vine program:

2) Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives, by Josie Brown

Here are a couple of tidbits on Amazon:

"Poignant and funny! Josie Brown’s protagonist is strong, resilient and unflinchingly honest; she has all the skills she needs to navigate the ‘mean streets’ of the gated community of Paradise Heights. A great read!" -- Wendy Wax, author of Magnolia Wednesdays

“Brown proves that a story with suburban bodies can be just as suspenseful as one with dead bodies! Secret Lives of Husbands and Wives is a probing, entertaining fishbowl of married life in a well-heeled, wayward neighborhood. Loved it!” - Stephanie Bond, author of Body Movers

3) Let's Take The Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship, by Gail Caldwell

A couple of reviews on Amazon tell us this:

"There are as many shadings to our griefs as there are lost loves to grieve over. Friendship, as Gail Caldwell's memoir gracefully testifies, asks a special, liberating eloquence."—Richard Ford

"An exquisite testament to the bittersweet depths of love and loss. If you've ever had a soul mate, whether human or canine, this book was written for you. If you haven't, this honest and liberating memoir will help you find one."—Patricia B. McConnell, author of For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotions in You and Your Best Friend

Now for the books I bought:

4) The Dead Lie Down, by Sophie Hannah

Check out this tasty blurb:

Starred Review. Det. Sgt. Charlotte Charlie Zailer and Det. Constable Simon Waterhouse face one of their strangest cases yet in this superb thriller from Hannah (The Wrong Mother). Ruth Bussey, who suffered a violent attack years earlier, arrives at the police station in the English town of Spilling and explains that her boyfriend, painter Aidan Seed, confessed to murdering a woman named Mary Trelease. Charlie and Simon—who recently got engaged, despite their bizarre relationship—are reluctant to take Ruth seriously, especially after they learn that Mary, a reclusive painter, is alive and well....

5) Dismantled, by Jennifer McMahon

Just a tease from Amazon:

Starred Review. A prank gone wrong drives this outstanding novel from bestseller McMahon (Island of Lost Girls). The summer after graduation, four friends, who formed an art group called the Compassionate Dismantlers at Vermont's Sexton College, live together in a remote cabin and commit increasingly brash acts of sabotage. When they go too far and their leader, Suz Pierce, dies, the group disbands, vowing never to speak about what happened....

So that's my scrumptious mailbox for today. Hope you'll stop by and share your own goodies....

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

EMBRACING OUR TEMPESTUOUS SELVES -- A SYNOPSIS

2010-07-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

This morning, I've been reading, posting on blog sites, and "summerizing" my Connections site. It just took a blue theme called "Pool" to make me feel that summer breeze. And then I snapped a couple of photos of Noah having a magical summer day.

Now as I come here and contemplate my creations, I decided to peek into the whirlwind world of some of my characters in Embrace the Whirlwind.

Seemingly compelled by unseen forces, Amber Cushing whirls through her life, from one poor choice to the next. Even as she bemoans the impulses that govern her, she cannot seem to control them. Isolated and estranged from family, she drifts from Sacramento, to San Francisco, to LA, and finally, in the early nineties, finds herself in the Central Valley town of Fresno. Pregnant and discarded by a charming cowboy, she unexpectedly meets Hal Cummings, with whom she develops an obsessive and sometimes self-destructive relationship.

Happy at last, she is suddenly confronted by Hal’s wife, which precipitates premature labor. With her newborn daughter, Ariel, she returns to Sacramento, finding temporary refuge in the home of her mother, Hilary Redmond, successful attorney and the source of her deepest insecurities. Her emotional pain drives her into therapy, and in one of her sessions, she discovers a long-buried secret and the origins of some of her darkest impulses....

Instead of staying and facing down her demons, Amber whirls off into still another series of poorly thought-out scenarios, but by some stroke of fate or destiny, finds herself back in San Francisco, and a resident of a unique boarding house. The proprietor, Denise Richardson, is a retired social worker with her own demons; she has made a mission of taking in young women down on their luck, and welcomes Amber into the fold.

Among the residents is another young woman, Savannah Chacon, who, with her young daughter, has sought refuge from a past. A victim of child neglect and a graduate of the foster care system, she strives to begin her life anew.   Savannah obtains her college degree, and in an unexpected departure, takes on a special assignment as a surrogate mother for a couple, Bill and Leslie Noble, from Sacramento. Surprisingly, the Nobles have a unique connection to another resident in the house, Amber Cushing.

Despite her efforts to put her relationship with Hal behind her, Amber finds herself caught up once again in the impossible, yet compelling relationship. Hal pursues her, promises her a future, and before she knows it, she is hooked yet again.

Unfortunately, her relationship hits murky waters when, in an effort to hide assets as a precursor to his divorce from Martha, Hal takes on some nefarious clients. Another associate and former friend of Amber’s, Miranda Templeton, is discovered, mysteriously murdered in a dark alley in Fresno’s Chinatown after selling secrets to Hal’s wife, Martha.

Meanwhile, Amber sinks lower into the pits of despair, further retreating from her support system; she takes up residence in the beach house Hal bought for her, trying to forget her past. But the specter of pain and fear lurk behind the next corner, and another twist of fate finds her at death’s door, with nowhere to turn.

But then, destiny brings Hal back to her side, as he realizes her importance in his life.    Recovered, Amber starts a whole new life with Hal in Sausalito, embraced by love and safety.

Then, in a surprising stroke of good fortune, and engineered by her young house residents, Denise Richardson comes face to face with a part of her past she believed was lost forever. Reunited with her estranged adult children, Denise discovers that sometimes, fate bestows kindness even to those with tempestuous pasts.

To further explore this book, or my other creations, visit me HERE.

MAILBOX MONDAY -- JULY 26

2010-07-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

Good morning and welcome to Mailbox Monday.

We gather together to share the excitement of what our mailboxes brought throughout the week.

After last week's "bonanza" (for me!), this past week was slim indeed. I received one book from the Amazon Vine program, but it's one I'm looking forward to reading.

It's a short story collection from Joyce Carol Oates, called Give Me Your Heart. (Tales of Mystery and Suspense).

Don't you love that cover? Here's what I found on Amazon:

The need for love—obsessive, self-destructive, unpredictable—takes us to forbidden places, as in the chilling world of Give Me Your Heart, a new collection of stories by the inimitable Joyce Carol Oates.

In the suspenseful “Strip Poker,” a reckless adolescent girl must find a way of turning the tables on a gathering of increasingly threatening young men—Can she “outplay” them? In the award-winning “Smother!” a young woman’s nightmare memory of childhood brings trouble on her professor-mother—Which of them will “win”? In “Split/Brain” a woman who has blundered into a lethal situation confronts the possibility of saving herself—Will she take it? In “The First Husband,” a jealous man discovers that his wife seems to have lied about her first marriage, and exacts a cruel revenge, years after the fact. In these and other powerful tales, children veer beyond their parents’ control, wives and husbands wake up to find that they hardly know each other, haunted pasts intrude upon uncertain futures, and those who bring us the most harm may be the nearest at hand.

In ten razor-sharp stories, National Book Award winner Joyce Carol Oates shows that the most deadly mysteries often begin at home.

What books did you receive or buy this week? Please stop by and share!

Visit me at LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

SLEEPWALKER -- A JOURNEY INTO THE DARK SIDE

2010-07-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

Photograph by

Craig Robinson, Berlin Photographer

In this excerpt from Sleepwalker, a short story, Phoebe begins to confront the deep, dark secrets of the past.

Phoebe Welch?”

Glancing up from the magazine I’d been nervously skimming, I stand cautiously, as if trying to get my bearings. Then, rather shakily, I move toward the doorway and the beckoning voice; but then I hesitate for just a fraction of a second.   As if I’ve somehow shored up my courage, I resolutely follow the receptionist down the corridor to Dr. Holmes’s office.

I had started these therapy sessions a few weeks ago after I’d ended an especially disturbing relationship…unable to understand how, at the supposedly mature age of thirty-nine, I could so compulsively self-destruct on such a regular basis. Especially since I’d reached a modicum of success in other areas of my life.

Today the hypnosis would begin.

“How are you feeling, Phoebe?” Dr. Holmes, a woman in her mid-fifties, sits behind a desk piled high with files and against a backdrop of walls lined with books placed helter-skelter, with no logical design. My curiosity about her office arrangement is probably more of a function of my own compulsive tendencies than an indictment of her messy habits.   Noticing my sweeping glance, she smiles as if she can read my mind, and then peers at me quizzically over her half-glasses; her forehead creases with her ever-present look of concern.

I shrug and squirm around in the chair for a moment, feeling like a child brought to the principal’s office for some misbehavior. Being on this side of a desk always makes me feel subordinate, even when I’m not on the hot seat.

For the rest of the story, click HERE

To visit more of my creations, visit LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

MAILBOX MONDAY

2010-07-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Good morning and welcome to Monday Mailbox, that place in the blogosphere where we meet and greet each other while we celebrate the books we received (or purchased).

I am happy to report the receipt of three books this week.

1) Guest House, by Barbara K. Richardson, was received from Sheila, at Book Journey (contest win).

Here's a tidbit from Amazon:

On a summer afternoon, Melba Burns witnesses a nightmare collision. The unknown bicyclist dies in her arms, ending Melba's desire for success at any cost. She settles into her boxy old farmhouse trying to find a simpler peace. But Melba's stunning new roommate JoLee Garry only magnetizes messes and trouble-she brings a series of unexpected guests who transform Melba's fruitful solo life into something different, darker, and better.

2) Where's My Wand, by Eric Poole, was received from The Girl From the Ghetto (contest win)

I like this little teaser:

"A quirky, irreverent story of growing up odd in the 1970's, when people still wrote letters, loved shag carpeting and used carbon paper..."

3) Fly Away Home, by Jennifer Weiner (I bought this one—bad girl!) But technically, it, too, came in my mailbox, since I ordered it from Amazon!

A blurb on Amazon:

Sometimes all you can do is fly away home . . .

When Sylvie Serfer met Richard Woodruff in law school, she had wild curls, wide hips, and lots of opinions. Decades later, Sylvie has remade herself as the ideal politician’s wife—her hair dyed and straightened, her hippie-chick wardrobe replaced by tailored knit suits. At fifty-seven, she ruefully acknowledges that her job is staying twenty pounds thinner than she was in her twenties and tending to her husband, the senator....

What did you get in the mailbox this week? I hope you'll stop by and share your tidbits.

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

SHROUD OF SILENCE -- A SHORT STORY BY LAUREL-RAIN SNOW

2010-07-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

In this short story, moments in a long-ago summer inform the lives of the characters for years afterwards.

Overhead, the blue sky hung, thick as a quilt; like tufts of cotton, the puffy white clouds dotted the sky on that hot summer day. In the air around me, the scent of fruit rotting in the nearby orchards assaulted my nostrils. I scrunched up my nose as a swarming fly zoomed in for a landing; eager to reach my destination, I pushed down harder on the pedals of my bicycle. It wasn’t every day that I got such an unexpected reprieve – an afternoon to hang out with my friend, Casey Ayers – and I didn’t want to waste a minute of it. Casey and her four siblings lived just down the road and around a corner from our house, probably less than a quarter of a mile. Sometimes it seemed to take forever to get there; today, for some unknown reason, the wheels of my bike didn’t sink into the hot asphalt. Instead, they smoothly sailed along as if my bike tires had sprouted wings.

Rounding the last turn in the road, I caught a glimpse of Casey’s blond curls pulled back in the familiar ponytail; I waved ecstatically. She jumped down off the fence and ran toward me, her mouth agape to release her shout of greeting. I pulled into the yard and jumped off the bike, tossing it down against the bushes that jutted out near the stoop. We hugged and then ran quickly through the back door and into Casey’s room, tucked away like a lean-to in back. As the oldest girl, she had the biggest half of the room, divided from her younger sister’s space by a thick curtain hung on a rod. But today, her sister Cary was nowhere in sight. We threw ourselves onto the bed in a burst of glee and immediately started whispering our secrets to one another. At twelve, we had our whole adolescence ahead of us and we couldn’t wait for all the excitement to begin.

We read Casey’s latest issue of Seventeen, oohing and ahhing over the outfits, the hairstyles, and the makeup. Her eyes huge with anticipation, Casey opened a top drawer in her dresser, showing off three different shades of lipstick lying neatly in a row, just waiting to be sampled.

Click HERE for the rest of the story.

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

MAILBOX MONDAY

2010-07-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Mailbox Monday is a weekly meme that spotlights the books received (or bought) during the week. Hosted by The Printed Page, we get to network with other bloggers and see their mailbox receipts.

This past week, I received one book from Amazon (which I purchased myself!), but it's a book I've been eagerly awaiting from an author I enjoy.

As Husbands Go, by Susan Isaacs, is a rare mix of wit, social satire, and suspense.

From Amazon, we read this review:

She may not be as brainy as her famous Manhattan plastic-surgeon husband, Jonah, nor as proper as his snooty rich parents. And she may be clueless about mothering, thanks to her wildly deficient Brooklynite parents (picture schlumpy, depressed Roz Chast characters), but nonetheless Susie loves her triplets, three rambunctious four-year-old boys. She also takes unabashed pleasure in her happy marriage, her floral design company, her humongous Long Island home, and her designer wardrobe. She may be shallow, as she’s the first to admit, but she does have heart. And ethics, even though she’s not sure what that means. And so when her husband is found stabbed to death in a prostitute’s apartment, Susie is devastated, skeptical about the open-and-shut case touted by the district attorney and her impossible in-laws, and determined to unearth the truth about Jonah’s killer. Her best ally turns out to be her glamorous renegade grandmother Ethel, a woman so cold she abandoned her daughter. But maybe Ethel is due for a thaw as these two queens of chutzpah and couture conduct a brazen investigation. Isaacs’ latest Jewish-gal-in-distress adventure purrs along perfectly––sharply funny, all-knowing, and marvelously diverting. --Donna Seaman

I'm thinking that one of this kind of book is more than enough to please me this week.

What did the rest of you buy or receive? I hope you'll stop by and share.

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS

FAMILY VALUES -- A SHORT STORY BY LAUREL-RAIN SNOW

2010-07-09T10:04:00.000-07:00

Can you ever really go home again? And if you do, can you turn the detritus from the past into something positive? In this excerpt from Family Values, our characters must answer these questions...and more.

They huddle around the table like so many crows perched on a fence, all in their own little worlds. At the head of the table and assuming his rightful role as patriarch, Father dictates the flow of the platters, gesticulating and grunting, but otherwise ignoring the assembled family members. To his left, the mother of the four adult children watches and waits, assuming her role of keeping glasses of water filled and platters of food replenished.

The eldest son, Irving, has taken up his position at the opposite end of the table, while, on his left, his sister Skye’s children sit across from their mother, their Aunt Sara, their Uncle Sidney, and their grandmother (when she isn’t hopping up and down to serve!).   Back home after two years away filling in for professors on sabbaticals—one in Canada and another in Hawaii—he feels like the conquering hero in some ways. Resting on his laurels and sitting back to receive the long-awaited kudos for his prestigious new job in Southern California…a permanent professorial position this time. Now Irving Franklin is basking in the holiday ambience, just waiting for the long-anticipated praise from his parents and siblings for his accomplishments. After all, he has a Ph.D., the first family member to earn post-graduate degrees.

He feels mildly disappointed that Skye, the older of his two sisters and the mother of those four rather annoying children, has seemed so underwhelmed by his accomplishments. Not that she has done anything overt, exactly. She simply nods and smiles distantly and listens only half-attentively as he describes the past two years. But then again, what can one expect from a hippie! He feels a sudden wave of disgust as he thinks about how she is still stuck in that whole sixties thing…After all, it is 1979, and the eighties are right around the corner.

Skye, who was born Sabrina Katherine, took on this alternative name a few years back. She spent three or four years living in a commune, after her divorce from the father of her two oldest children, boys with the trendy names of Lance and Heath. And while up in Northern California, she gave birth to the younger two. Nobody talks about who their father or fathers might be, or why Skye has suddenly moved to the Central Valley and taken up what passes for a profession….social work. Although, now that Irving thinks about it, she did earn a degree in psychology before chucking her marriage and the conventional life to hang out with those rabble-rousers. He remembers vividly the time he spent in the National Guard, in the sixties, and he still sees instant replays in his mind, like flashbacks. He feels angrier when he thinks about her blithe disregard for the law. And how, at almost thirty, she should have moved beyond all of that adolescent fervor.

FOR THE REST OF THE STORY, CLICK HERE.

LAUREL-RAIN SNOW CREATIONS