A Thousand Words

Years ago, when I was on holiday in Mexico, I saw a large sign that read; "We believe in world peace through tourism."  It struck me then what a great thought that was, and to this day, I still think that exploring different cultures is the best way to truly fall in love with the world we live in.  While a picture may be worth a thousand words, there is no substitute for standing in a spot, and getting the full sensory experience of it.  As a writer, those moments for me, are priceless.

I've just returned from one of my favorite holiday spots, Cuba.  Yes, the beach was awesome, and ok, I had my share of Mojitos, but what I love most about Cuba is that it always sweeps me away, not just to another place, but almost to another time.  The beautiful old buildings, and the streets filled with old cars, are just part of the charm.  The rustic towns, farm fields, and mountainous regions sprinkled with towering royal palms, pulse with the lifeblood of what is real and unaffected.  To a city dweller like myself, its a breath of fresh air.



What I love most about travelling, in general, is how much scope there is for the imagination.  Wherever I go, inevitably I find a nook, or a vista, that sets my mind racing.  Inspiration can sometimes even come from something as small as an item forgotten on a chair or a table.  Who lost it?  Why were they in such a hurry to leave?  A multitude of ideas can come from just about anything, and the best way to find new treasures is to visit places you've never seen before.

A New Beginning

I sit.  It's quiet.  I happily type the words Chapter 1, and add a title for the section, that I know will likely change later.  The first line takes a little time.  Then the words come, as if they've been waiting to be found.  I see the fifteen foot stone wall, and it's heavy wooden doors.  I see the square, and begin to fill it with life.  My protagonist sits watching.  She's blissfully unaware of the journey I have in store for her.  It's going to be a difficult one.

My fingers move across the keyboard.  The words flow, then don't, then flow again.  Reread.  Rewrite.  As the scene unfolds, I see it clearer.  Faces emerge, sounds increase in volume, and there are smells in the air.  Images of what is to come flood into my mind, but I push them back.  It's not their time yet.

After three hours, I sit back.  There doesn't appear to be very much on the page, but appearances can be deceiving.  I smile.  The new series has begun.

Sportmanship is not dead!

As I enjoy a little hiatus between the completion of The Presenting Saga and my next series (yes, I've nailed down a concept, and will start work on it soon), I'm catching up on some reading and a few TV shows.  Tonight I was so blown away, yet again, by something that I have to mention it online because I think it deserves allot of mention wherever possible.  Are you watching the current MasterChef Junior?  If not, you should catch at least one episode, even if it's not your 'thing'.  You will not believe these kids!

While you may find it as flabbergasting as me that 8 to 13 year olds can cook like this, amazingly it's not that part that has me blown away.  In a time when it seems value is placed on cold ambition, and other reality shows seem to revere 'alliances' and sabotage aimed at eliminating the strongest competitor, these kids put their adult counterparts to shame.  The kids from MasterChef Junior don't just cheer each other on, they help each other.  When someone does well, they cheer for them, and when someone fails, they console and encourage them.  That's not to say they don't each want to win, they clearly do, but they are competing under a concept that I sometimes feared was gone; winning because you've worked hard to become the best at the task measured (not for your ability to ruthlessly eliminate competitors better than you).  What a wonderful concept, winning on merit instead of by default. 

 Kudos to those kids, and all the people in their lives who understand what it takes to build a great adult!

Jumpin' eReaders!

All I can say is WOW!  I am blown away at the great response to the ebook giveaway for Presenting last week.  Thanks so much to all of you who have downloaded a copy, and to those of you who sent me such kind comments.  It amazes me to think that my little story is being read by so many people, and that some are all the way on the other side of the world.  What a fantastic way to start 2015! 

I hope that those who are new to the story enjoy it.  For those who sent me compliments on the series covers, the kudos for those go to Laura Gordon at The Book Cover Machine.  It was alot of fun collaborating with Laura on the concepts, and it think she did a great job on all four covers.

Thanks again for your interest in my book, and I wish everyone every happiness in the New Year!

Time to Celebrate

I'm so happy to be able to do this.  In celebration of the release of Bonds and Alliances, and to end a four book writing journey for me, the first book of The Presenting Saga; Presenting, will be available for free ebook download from Amazon between December 27th to the 31st.  For anyone new to the story, welcome, and I hope you enjoy the ride :)

It is done!!!!

It's been such a long time coming that I can hardly believe I'm typing this post, but the final book of The Presenting Saga is done!  Bonds and Alliances is complete and available on Amazon world wide.

After staring blankly at the words 'The End' for a few seconds, it was happy dance time.  This is the longest book of the series, with more characters, more locations, and more action than any of the ones before it.  Questions get answered, new information comes to light, and hopefully readers will be surprised with a few twists I've added to the story.  I'm excited to deliver the culmination of Kaylee's journey to those that have travelled along on her path.  Thanks for taking the trip!

Ahhh, a chance to read :)

I've just come back from a holiday in Niagara Falls, and I swear I've never seen so many fireworks in my life.  As well as their regular shows, the Falls also lit up for Canada Day and Independence Day.  Then, if that wasn't enough, on the one evening where there were no fireworks, a lightening storm put on a spectacle of its own.  What a great show. 

The other thing that I got to do on my little break is read.  I love books (ah - duh), but I rarely get a chance to read when I'm busy writing.  So I took the opportunity of some free time on my holidays to catch up on some stories that I've been dying to get to.  The first book was Hover by Melissa West. This is the sequel to Gravity, and I enjoyed the second book as much as I did the first.  What's great about West's series is that it's a bit different from most other YA novels in that it's more of a sci-fi story than a paranormal one.  I like it's freshness, and I can't wait to real the third book, Collide.  The other two books that I FINALLY got to read are City of Bones and City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare.  I know, I know; I'm a little late to the party on these, but they've always been on my radar and I'm so glad I finally got to read them.  My only regret is that I didn't have time to read the rest of the series, but they are already loaded on my Kindle, waiting.  I love Clare's sense of humour and she's really weaved an intriguing story.  Gotta say, I couldn't put these books down.

As for my own book 4, I'm still at it.  There's allot that happens in this final piece of Kaylee's story so I'm really trying to make sure it all falls together properly.  As with the previous books, the world has opened up even further now, and the stakes have never been higher.  This will be the most action packed book of the series, and I really hope everyone likes it.