Guest Bloggers Wanted!

 

If you are a writer, poet, book illustrator or designer, playwright, reader, actor/actress, songwriter, performer, publisher, blogger, or work in publishing, I want to hear from you! I am looking for guest bloggers for The Demon Stole My Pencil. Your guest post must be on the writing industry in one of the subjects listed. I am looking for artists of all genres, but horror/sci-fi/fantasy artists are my main focus, though I am open to other genres.

Comment below, if you are interested. Leave your email like n o r a w i n s t o n at gmail.com, so you are not picked up by filters. I will contact as you soon as I am able. Serious inquiries only. I will provide guidelines in the email I send you.

Thanks, demon hunters!

Between the Covers - Book Review #12

Well, another hospital visit for continued health issues has led to more bed rest, pain meds, and me falling further behind in my blogging. I have Godzilla size stack of books to review and while my eyes are half-open tonight, I think I'll get one of these installments out for you, my constant demon hunter/reader.  These three selections are all good, so choose and enjoy!

1) Herb Magic for Beginners: Down-to-Earth-Enchantment by Ellen Dugan was not as good as her other books I've read, but still one for the witchy library. I wish the book had gone into a little more detail on a few topics, but it did broadly cover herbs for beginner magical purposes. And what I really liked -- the herbs she discussed are very common and easy to grow or find at your local health store/metaphysical shop. She uses her by now familiar humorous and conversational tone to discuss herb growing, proper tools and gathering times, and a slew of herbal spells for any practical situation. If you're looking for an in depth read, though, skip this one. But if you're looking for a non stuffy beginner primer, than this one's for you!

2) Naked City is one of Ellen Datlow's latest urban fantasy short story collections. As usual, an entertaining read with lots of my faves in the business, including Holly Black, Patricia Briggs, and Kit Reed. This collection breathes new life into the Fair Folk and I discovered some new authors. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good fairy story, the urban fantasy genre, or is looking for something new.

3) Hedgewitch: Spells, Crafts, & Rituals for Natural Magick by Silver Ravenwolf is written in the same style as her classic To Ride a Silver Broomstick. However, I found this one more conversational and approachable -- basically, less stuffy. The book is intended to be used as a course over two short weeks, but you can pace yourself and take as long as you need. I just read the book. I haven't actually participated, yet, but all the materials needed are easily attainable and not too expensive. This book is also in my opinion, less about ceremony and more about getting in touch with your own witchy self and the earth around you, which I liked. You could easily adapt this for a coven or a grove as well, if you are not a solitary practitioner. It also makes great research for any fantasy writer.

4) The Fairy Godmother, the first Five Hundred Kingdoms fantasy novel, by Mercedes Lackey does not disappoint. I will be reading every single book in the series. The great thing about is this series is that the books stand alone; you can read them out of order and you don't really miss integral plot points. This first one explains how all the fairy godmothers in the kingdoms are selected and trained. There's romance and intrigue and everything a great fantasy novel should have. I recommend it for a good escape. Better yet, it sets gender stereotypes on their head and gives feminine power more oomph!

As always, happy reading and happy writing!

Between the Covers - Book Review #9

It's time for another installment of Between the Covers! I've still been recovering from a foot injury, so my reading is off the charts. Here goes!

1) The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff is a devilishly delightful Young Adult urban fantasy suitable for adults. Daphne, the daughter of a demon and a fallen angel, is determined to find her missing brother Obie. She'll need the help of the only human who knew him, Truman, a suicide survivor with a severe drinking problem and a death wish. Daphne falls in love with Truman, though she is unfamiliar with human emotions and extremely worried about controlling her hellish desires. I loved this book.Yovanoff's version of Hell is wonderful and her characters are charming. Beelzebub is a favorite of mine in this one. I recommend this book to anyone who's burned out on hell stories or paranormal romance. This is a unique book.

2) The Everything Wicca & Witchcraft Book  by Marian Singer is a skip. The information included is useful, but the format is annoying. All the little green blurb boxes distract from the main dialogue. The facts don't add much to the book. And I found the order of the information presented to be a little backwards and the style of writing felt rushed. This book isn't very useful.

3) 7 Days of Magic by Ellen Dugan is a must-have for any witchy collection. This book explains in plain terms the correspondences between the days of the week, deities, herbs, colors, and other witchy knowledge to give your spells, charms, and rituals the most bang for your broom. I highly recommend it. It's a quick read and a reference keeper. Another plus, her spell supply lists are simple, affordable items. Whether you are a witch or just looking for some great writing research, this is the book for you.

4) The Ancient Art of Faery Magick by D.J. Conway discusses the different types of Fae, including guided meditations and rituals to bring more faery magick into your life. I tried a few of the meditations and rituals out myself. I found them inspiring. This book isn't a dry read and is quite interesting. It would be useful for writing research or for a witch who wants to get in touch with her/his inner Fae. And these rituals won't bust your wallet.

5) Medicine Road by Charles de Lint is another beautiful addition to the Newford series with a mystical look at the world of magick from a Native American perspective. Alice Corn Hair (a shifter jackalope) and Changing Dog (Jim, a shifter red dog) are given one hundred years by Coyote Woman to discover their true love. If after one hundred years the two haven't succeeded, they must return to their animal form forever and leave behind the world of the two-leggeds. Time is running out. Alice has found her true love in Thomas, but Jim is still single. Will he find true love and be able to stay in the human world or will Alice have to say goodbye to her one true love forever? Read and find out. You're guaranteed to fall in love with this cast of whimsical characters.

6) Yarrow by Charles de Lint introduces us to Cat Midhir, a writer with a horrible case of writer's block who soon discovers something or someone is stealing her dreams in dreamtime and cutting her off from her beloved cast of characters, who actually exist in their own world! Will she succeed in fighting the eater of dreams stalking her and her friends or will she lose her writing cast of characters forever? Read and find out. This book will not disappoint.

Excerpt from Into the White - A Short Story

I'm still searching for a home for this one. Inspiration struck when I researched mourning customs online one day and Victorian mourning jewelry. I discovered there's an entire profession dedicated to recording a loved one's likeness, as they are ill and crossing over into The Beyond (whatever that may be for you.) I wondered, "What would happen if I wrote story about this profession?" And Into the White came forth from the sea of my imagination.

Into the White
by Nora B. Peevy


“Death doesn’t scare me. Pain scares me. I wanted it to be quick -- a flash of lightning in the dark. I didn’t want to be a piece of fruit rotting on a vine.”

I nodded to Sean, quiet. My name’s Demetrius. I’m a memorial portraitist. It’s my job to record the likeness of the dying, to give them companionship and their families some closure. People often ask me where they go when they die, and my reply is always the same, “Where do you want to go? Because that’s where you’ll end up.”

 Truthfully, I don’t know what lies beyond death’s door, but I do know what lies before it, people who are suffering. What harm is there in easing their pain before they go? Most of them, like Sean, just want someone to listen. I squinted, erasing a line here, smoothing a line there, and shading in another shadow with my charcoal, the soft whisper of my pencil recording life passing on paper. Sean is dying of cancer, something I am trying not to focus on because of my own scare right now.

“I used to do what you do.” Sean’s lips, cracked with sores, bled. The nurses gave him some medicine, but it didn’t help much. Of course, that is not the way I drew him. He hired me, not his family. And he wanted his portrait done, minus the physical imperfections Death bestowed on him.

“Really?”

I sat up in my hospital chair; it’s one of those supposedly comfortable recliners, inevitably always broken and more uncomfortable than the nights I spent as a kid, camping on the hard ground in my backyard. It isn’t often I meet someone in my profession. It’s sad; a fellow artist lies before me, underneath a piece of generic hospital art with a plastic-lined pillow and a bland beige blanket tucked in around his shrinking frame. I wonder if I will have the same courage as Sean does when I go; I don’t know. I won’t sleep well on crunchy pillows, though.

I tried imagining Sean in his youth, picturing him as a grand character from The Great Gatsby with a quiet, regal aura about him. I find a sense of calm in his eyes, misty with cataracts, but once a bright blue. He’s suffering from dementia or so the nurses say. Frankly, I have no idea what they are talking about, but maybe, he’s having one of his good moments. Still, it is sobering to think it will be me lying in a similar bed one day. I shift in my chair, imagining the quiet tumor growing in my groin. I want to scream and run away and rip myself from my own skin.

Sean reached a shaking hand for the glass of water beside his bed and I noticed he wore a wedding band.

“What did your wife think of your profession?” I worked on perfecting his hands as he spoke.

“Oh, she didn’t mind it. She likened me to a spiritual counselor for the dying. She always loved my work -- said I had the eye of an eagle and the hand of a gentle shepherd. I drew her portrait for our first wedding anniversary.”

“That’s nice.”

“Do you see them leave?”

 “I’m sorry. I don’t understand -- see who leave?”

 “The people whose portraits you draw. Do you see them pass over?”

 “No. I’m usually not there when that happens.”

 “But you’re one of her helpers.”

 “One of whose helpers?”

 “Why, Death’s. You’re one of Death’s helpers, aren’t you?”

“I wasn’t aware that Death needed any helpers. I thought it was a one-person job.”


End of excerpt

Author Teresa Frohock Discusses Giving a Successful Book Reading

Please welcome guest blogger and author, Teresa Frohock.

Raised in a small town, Teresa Frohock learned to escape to other worlds through the fiction collection of her local library. She eventually moved away from Reidsville and lived in Virginia and South Carolina before returning to North Carolina, where she currently resides with her husband and daughter.

Teresa has long been accused of telling stories, which is a southern colloquialism for lying. Miserere: An Autumn Tale is her debut novel.

Teresa can be found most often at her blog and website http://www.teresafrohock.com. Every now and then, she heads over to Tumblr and sends out Dark Thoughts http://teresafrohock.tumblr.com, links to movies and reviews that catch her eye. You can also follow Teresa on Twitter http://twitter.com/TeresaFrohock and join her author page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teresa-Frohock/134892453223242.

I’d like to thank Nora for asking me to share my experience with giving a book talk. It’s not something I gave a lot of thought to when I was writing my novel. That’s a good thing, because I am such an introvert, I probably would have hemorrhaged at the very idea of standing up in front of people and reading them scenes that I wrote at two o’clock in the morning with a box of Kleenex at hand.

I’ve done two book talks now; one went splendidly, the second one not-so-good.

The first talk I gave was at my release party. It went extremely well, lasted about forty to forty-five minutes, and I was very comfortable sharing why I had written the novel with family and friends. I even read a few pages for them. They were an appreciative audience and that helped immensely.

The second talk I did was at the library where I work. That was a lot scarier, not because I was speaking before complete strangers, but because these were co-workers and colleagues.  I knew I would be nervous; however, I had no idea that my brain would immediately cease to function the moment I got behind the podium. Since the first session had gone so beautifully impromptu, I thought I would be able to do it a second time with nothing more than a bulleted list of speaking points.

Not so.

I experienced some form of Vulcan mind-wipe, stuttered horribly, and suffered long pauses of silence. Frankly, I couldn’t possibly imagine anyone being as interested in this stuff as I am. I mumbled when I read passages from the book, because I was sure they would hate it and see it as trite. I only became comfortable toward the end of the talk when I was engaged with the audience. It was horrible—for me and I’m sure for my audience too.

Since I have an opportunity to redeem myself at an upcoming function, I decided to make a list of things that will enable me to do a better job. Other than the obvious pointer of practice, practice, practice, I thought I would share some things I intend to do differently in the future:

Ask the coordinator of the event how long they want you to talk. I try to keep the talk at forty minutes with plenty of time for questions and answers after the talk. This time-frame gives me twenty minutes to play with, so if I find a topic really engages the audience’s interest, I can expand on it.

Have everything written down. This is where I really blew it on my second talk. I should have had everything that I wanted to say written down. BUT! [you say] Doesn’t that kill the spontaneity of the talk? No. If you get up behind the podium and your mind suddenly goes blank, you’ve got actual words in front of you. This enables you to fake it until you feel yourself engage with the audience. You don’t have to use it, but it’s there if you need it.

Turn off the negative voices. You know which voices I’m talking about: the ones that say, “I’m not good enough” or “OMG, he’s yawning, I’ve bored him death” or my personal favorite “They don’t want to hear about my book, they want to hear about a REAL writer.”

Those voices. Turn them off. You ARE good enough, people took time out of their schedules to be with you and hear about YOUR book, not Neil Gaiman’s books or Stephen King’s books, but YOUR book. There are hoards of other book events going on all the time. If people have come to hear you talk, then it is your responsibility to talk about your book. Speak well of it.

Plant a friend in the audience. Sounds silly, but if you find you can’t turn those voices off, ask a friend to go with you. Have them sit in the back. If at any point during the talk, the voices start to yammer, look up and make eye contact with your friend. The friend’s job is to smile and nod encouragingly at you. After a while, it will feel like you’re talking to your friend and not a group of strangers.

Pay attention to the time and your audience. If people start to wiggle in their chairs, it means their butts are going to sleep; this often interferes with brain waves for some reason. If you see people getting squirmy, either call a break or try to wrap things up, depending on what you’ve worked out in advance with the coordinator of the event.

Have fun. This is not about impressing people with your vast literary knowledge. If people want to hear about Literature-with-a-capital-L, they will take a college course in Literature-with-a-capital-L. People want to hear your story too. They want to know that you’ve endured the same trials and tribulations toward publication that they have. They’re not expecting you to divulge some deep literary secret; they just want to hear about your book; what motivated you to tell this particular story and how you went about the process. If you’re having fun, they will have fun, and that is what it is all about.

A book talk is a lot like teaching; you need to know your subject, but it’s also a performance art. Both of my audiences were incredibly tolerant of my failure and my success, and they were pulling for me to do well, I could see it in their eyes. Admit to them that you’re nervous, there’s nothing wrong with that. Most importantly, be yourself. You and your novel are worth their attention. Your audience knows it or they wouldn’t have come to hear you talk.

Miserere Book Trailer

Miserere: An Autumn Tale (http://www.nightshadebooks.com / July 1, 2011)

Exiled exorcist Lucian Negru deserted his lover in Hell in exchange for saving his sister Catarina's soul, but Catarina doesn't want salvation. She wants Lucian to help her fulfill her dark covenant with the Fallen Angels by using his power to open the Hell Gates. Catarina intends to lead the Fallen’s hordes out of Hell and into the parallel dimension of Woerld, Heaven’s frontline of defense between Earth and Hell.

When Lucian refuses to help his sister, she imprisons and cripples him, but Lucian learns that Rachael, the lover he betrayed and abandoned in Hell, is dying from a demonic possession. Determined to rescue Rachael from the demon he unleashed on her soul, Lucian flees his sister, but Catarina's wrath isn’t so easy to escape. In the end, she will force him once more to choose between losing Rachael or opening the Hell Gates so the Fallen's hordes may overrun Earth, their last obstacle before reaching Heaven's Gates.

Read the first four chapters of Miserere FREE here http://www.nightshadebooks.com/Downloads/Miserere_%20An%20Autumm%20Tale%20%28Sampler%29%20-%20Teresa%20Frohock.pdf

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #22

It's time for another book review. Since I've still been recovering from my leg injury, my library card's gotten a killer workout. I have four fab selections for you.

The first is A Walk on the Darkside: Visions of Horror.  This was a solid collection from editor and author John Pelan.  Three stories stole the show for me. Parting Jane by Mehitobel Wilson told the sad story of a young girl trapped in a hospital bed by her parents to harvest her body for her ailing sister. Tom Piccirilli wrote a disturbing tale called These Strange Lays about a man who encounters a crazed sex kitten while visiting his father's grave; he follows her back to the asylum and soon discovers just how depraved the insane really are. And Brian Hodge wrote An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Flesh, which while  first published in this collection in 2004, still deals with the relevant topic of school bullying and how some seek revenge. I recommend this for a little light horror reading before bedtime.

My second pick is The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. This YA novel is also for adults. I haven't had writer's envy in a bit, but this one stoked the green-eyed dragon with its wonderful heroic journey of young twelve-year old David. David mourns the death of his mother and soon discovers the fables and stories they loved are more than just stories. The books are alive at his stepmother's house. David hears his mother's voice calling to him one night and enters the mysterious abandoned sunken garden. He soon realizes he is not at home anymore and has stepped into the world of his stories. David completes a quest to return his mother to the land of the living and soon discovers all the dark secrets of The Crooked Man, a sinister, shady character who wants David to reign as King and give him his brother, Georgie, so he can live another lifetime. If you are a fan of Neil Gaiman or the movie, Labyrinth, this book is for you. Beautiful prose, a unique story, and great characters make this one shine.

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull is my third pick. This YA debut novel from 2007 is a joy to read. I picked it up on someone's recommendation. If you like Terry Pratchett, Delia Sherman, Kelly Link, Midori Snyder, and Charles de Lint, you will enjoy this fast-paced story. Seth and Kendra are dumped off at their grandparents' for two weeks. Prepared for boredom and awkwardness with the family they don't know, they soon discover there's something magical about Fablehaven.  Fablehaven is a sanctuary for the fantastical world and Grandpa Sorenson is their caretaker. When Grandpa Sorenson and Grandma Sorenson disappear on Midsummer's Eve, the children soon discover the world of the Fae can be dangerous. Seth and Kendra race to save their family and the preserve they love from the clutches of an evil witch determined to release a demon from his prison, so he can rule Fablehaven once again. And there are more books out in the series to read after this one! Can't wait...

My last pick is Horns by Joe Hill. Joe Hill hits another home run with his second novel. Iggy Perrish used to have the perfect life -- family, friends, money, and a girl who loved him. Then one morning he wakes up to find he's grown horns. Iggy attempts to have the horns removed, but discovers this is not an easy task. His horns influence people to focus on their deepest, darkest desires and are not helping him get back to his old life. Iggy struggles with his new identity as the devil while still reeling from the loss of his girlfriend, Merrin, who was raped and brutally murdered. Worse yet, now that Iggy is the devil, he is privilege to what everyone truly thinks of him. And everyone thinks he killed Merrin, but he knows differently. Iggy discovers the truth about Merrin's murder with his super devil powers and takes matters into his own hands. Raw and darkly humorous, this story keeps your interest until the last page. Don't miss it.

As always, happy writing and happy reading!

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #20

Wow! Summer is almost gone, my stepson is back in school, and I haven't posted a book review all month. It's been busy here, though in the last half-week I've had more than enough time to catch up on a few books. I bring you four picks today -- all fiction.

The first is by Charles de Lint, The Blue Girl. This YA novel takes place in the fictional town of Newford where many of his stories are set. I personally wouldn't mind living there with all the fae and wood folk and interesting characters. Imogene doesn't fit in with anyone at her new high school; she's punk with an attitude, smart, and confident. She befriends a mousy girl named Maxine. Maxine longs to express herself, but since her parents' divorce has fallen prey to her mother's bad wardrobe choice of girly, prim skirts, blouses and frilly dolls in pink. Together the two of them set out to discover the mystery of the ghost haunting the halls of their high school. Enter Imogene's childhood imaginary friend, Pelly. Pelly turns out to be real and so are the brownies -- those mythical fae that like to clean up for you, but they aren't as nice as they seem to be. Did they cause the death of the boy? Did they put Imogene's life in danger? Read and find out.

I liked this book because it deals with the current topic of bullying, a topic we need to take seriously in our schools. It also deals with the question of finding yourself in those troubled teen years. The cast of characters are colorful and fresh and the plot moves along quickly. I highly recommend this for adults and teens alike.

My second pick is Miyuki Miyabe's Brave Story. Miyuki Miyabe is a popular contemporary Japanese author. This YA novel is a long read, but worth it. Wataru, the main character, comes from a newly broken home with a suicidal mother. To save the family he loves so dearly, he ventures into the fantastical land of Vision, which is created from his own imagination. He must face his own demons and gain the knowledge he needs to get his wish from the Goddess. On his travels, he makes some loyal friends, including a kitkin and a dragon. Wataru learns the importance of integrity and friendship as he rushes to complete his five quests before another traveler, so he can get his wish. But what does he wish for in the end? This book is a great read for teens and adults. I especially recommend it for any young adults coping with divorce or suicide in their family. Miyabe handles these topics creatively.

My third pick is a collection of vampire shorts edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, Vampire Slayers: Stories of Those Who Dare to Take Back the Night. This collection of stories is not for the lovers of Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer. There are no Lestats or Edwards lying between these pages -- no sparkling vampires and no vampires looking for love or redemption or questioning their own creation. Nope. The vampires lurking between these pages are raw, gritty, and vicious. They are blood-hungry and will stop at nothing to sake their thirst, and they need to be hunted down. The stories in this collection are all previously published, but they represent a wide variety of authors spanning decades from the pulp fiction of the 1950s to the present. This is an enjoyable read and quite refreshing.

My fourth and last pick for you, is the eleventh Sookie Stackhouse novel by Charlaine Harris, Dead Reckoning. Now, I am a fan of Sookie Stackhouse's and I love my True Blood series as well, but by the latest book, I seriously hoped Sookie would have left Eric and Bill in the dark and gotten herself a new boyfriend. Sadly, such is not the case. While this book is enjoyable, it predictably showcases Sookie as the damsel in distress, AGAIN. Someone is out to kill Sookie. Surprise, surprise. *eye roll* Like we haven't seen this plot before. However, we do learn more about her interesting fae history and there's a promising hint that her fae cousin is not staying with her just to be nice. Disappointingly, at the end of the book she is still with Eric, though they aren't really speaking and Bill has AGAIN, proclaimed his love for Sookie. Again, what a surprise. *eye roll* Not! Maybe, next time around she'll get to date a Were again and Eric and Bill can go suck a dry one. And Sookie, girl, do you really need all those men to save you in every book? Why not save yourself?A girl can dream, can't she?

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

My 2011 Earth Day Book List

Okay, it's Earth Day! I usually don't participate in holiday/day themed posts, but this one is important to me since I live and write on this blue and green ball.

A little background on Earth Day: Earth Day was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson in April 22, 1970. In 1990 the event went international with Denis Hayes.

Here's a little something for the Earth Day reader...

A Small Earth Day Book List (in no particular order)

1) Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver: She is a favorite author of mine. The prose in this book make you want to cry. It's written that well. Beautiful! A story about a wildlife biologist observing coyotes in the Appalachian Mountains with a cast of great characters.

2) The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling: This collection of themed short stories will make you want to write your own Green Man tale! Entertaining as always, this duo of editors is a real gift to modern literature. For the fantasy lovers out there, recommended!

3) Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit by Daniel Quinn: The gorilla Ishmael can teach everyone a few lessons about life, the world, and all the important things we humans forget. The sequels to this book are also recommended.

4) The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield: I own and have read this book twice now and learned something new each time. Discover a new way of looking at the little coincidences that happen around you in everyday life and spirituality. *hint* You might never look at plants the same way again.

5) Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman: An oldie, but a goodie. One of my favorite poetry collections by Walt Whitman, the great American poet. My copy on my bookshelf is worn!

6) Silent Spring by Rachel Carson: Learn the truth about pesticides and weed killers. First published in 1962 this book is now an environmental classic and has saved lives.

7) Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon: If you are looking for an inspiring travel book this one is for you. Explore small town American and meet the people who populate your part of the plant or try another travel book, if you don't like this one or live in the U.S. *grins* This book is wonderful. I own it.

8) A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins: This is the first travel book I ever owned and read. The sequels are just as great. "I started out searching for myself and my country," Peter Jenkins writes, "and found both."

9) The Lorax by Dr. Seuss: This children's book is still relevant today. Funny, I had to take an essay test for a class in college on this book. The perfect book to share with your little ones on Earth Day!

10) Second Nature: A Gardener's Education by Michael Pollan: A beautifully written book detailing the journey of one gardener's re-education by nature. This is a well-worn book on my bookshelf as well.

I hope you find something on the list to enjoy this Earth Day!

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

More on My Snow Faery Short Story

I'm still on vacation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where there's snow. It reminded me of the snow faery short story I am revising for submissions soon. A sister and brother find a small faery in the snow outside their house. He's been wounded by a cat. The sister, Nell, wants to help him, while her older brother, Natty, wants to hold him hostage until he grants him a pot of gold. Originally, the title of the story was The Snow Faery, but that seemed to lack punch. As the plot progressed, I realized that the snow faery was going to seek revenge for the abuse he suffers at Natty's hands. In order to do that, I had to make him more than just a faery. He had to be the biggest mythological character there is -- Jack Frost. Now the story is titled: Fool's Gold because of Natty's obsession with obtaining riches from the faery. Obviously, he's uneducated about faeries in the story or he would know not to piss them off! Of course, then I wouldn't have a very interesting story, would I? *winks*

I had some time this afternoon to walk around and take some photos outdoors, one of my favorite relaxing hobbies. These photos I snapped reminded me of Jack and the story I am completing, which will be up on Critters for critique as soon I can get it there! I will post when it's up for review and then you can all read my work in progress in its entirety. Here are my photos. Maybe, they'll inspire you to write something. If not, at least they're pretty.

You can read the opening scene from Fool's Gold in my previous blog entry:

http://norabpeevy.blogspot.com/2011/02/there-are-no-snow-days-in-writing.html

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #7

I've been reading, but I've been so busy I haven't had time to post about the books, until today. It's warmer here in Dallas, so my extra cozy down comforter is packed away. I am mourning its extended vacation while I curl up with my books at night. 

Now on to my book blogging selections...

I finally finished Patricia A. McKillip's Od Magic. Ms. McKillip is a fantasy writer and I love her work, but sometimes, as you probably all have experienced, if you're in a mood, it's hard to get into a story. Even though this book is beautifully written, it took me two months to read it! Anyone who knows me realizes I live on books, not air. This was a huge deviation from habit for me! That said -- the book had a great message for me. Fiction is subjective, so maybe you will take away a different one. The plot centers on the Od School of Magic, which is controlled by the King and his court. They don't want anyone practicing illegal magic that could harm the kingdom, so they monitor everything very strictly. There are a few love interests along the way, but for me, the message was that freedom of speech and the right to the pursuit of happiness are wonderful!

After reading Od Magic, I moved onto Delia Sherman's Changeling. This YA book is a delightful trip through the world of the Fae in Central Park, New York, and The New York Between. If I had a daughter, I would share this book with her; it's that entertaining! The main character, Neef, a young changeling, violates the Green Lady of Central Park's geas during the summer solstice. She eventually meets the fairy that she was switched with at birth and they go on a quest to get back to their rightful homes. Along the way, you meet so many colorful characters; I can't name them all here, but my favorites definitely center around Neef's fairy godmother and her time spent in the museum. This is a quick read, but a memorable one.

Then I switched gears from fairies to ghosts in Sarah Waters's gothic novel, The Little Stranger. This book had a really great depressing ending. Nothing ended happy and I love that she went there. The story centers on a rundown mansion in 1940s rural Warwickshire, England, Hundreds Hall. Strange happenings are afoot, beginning with the odd party incident surrounding the Ayres's family dog, Gyp, and a visiting girl. However, while this ghost story kept my interest, I think it could have been a bit shorter. It did seem to drag at times, but I still recommend it, if you are a lover of gothic novels.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #6

I have to tell you how dedicated I am to you, my readers. I was up at dark-thirty again in the freezing cold, snuggled under my covers waiting to find out if my husband got a snow day from work. I had only two pages to go in the most recent novel I'm blogging about today, when the power went out. Naturally, it conveniently occurred right after my husband had mentioned we might have rolling blackouts in Dallas today every fifteen minutes. For you reader, only for you, okay, and well for me too because I was mad and wanted to find out how the book ended, I grabbed my trusty flashlight and finished reading in the dark. Now let's pray to the book review gods that my computer doesn't need charging during this post and the power is out. That I cannot fix!

I have three books for you today. The first is a nonfiction book about the tattoo industry. Tattoo Machine by Jeff Johnson was a rocking read. Mr. Johnson has eighteen years experience tattooing. This book changed my entire view of the tattoo world, which until now had been based solely on my few personal experiences and shows like L.A. Ink. This book is not a fluffy, Hollywood glam piece. This book tells you the dirty truth about the tattoo business -- the good and the bad. Jeff Johnson even shares some of his own personal tattooing mistakes, which I respect because a lot of artists would just gloss over that part. His writing has a bite and will leave you laughing at the most insane stories. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the truth about tattooing.

The second book I just finished reading is Carol Goodman's The Ghost Orchid. I got this book as a recommendation from Wendy Webb's book jacket, which is an excellent example of how I learn about new authors. If I like a book I always check out all the authors mentioned on the jacket. (I previously blogged about Wendy Webb's book The Truth About Halycon Crane in What Are You Reading Between the Covers? - #5). The Ghost Orchid is a beautiful modern gothic murder mystery set in a historical artist's retreat in upstate New York. There are so many twists and turns in this plot that when you are finished, you'll need to lay down and mull it over for awhile. It's very good storytelling. The characters are well-developed and the setting is beautiful.

And the third book I have to share today is Midori Snyder's Hannah's Garden. This book is close to my heart because Midori Snyder lives in my hometown, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you are a fan of myth or fairytales or both, then you need to read this story. The woodland Fae in this book are imaginative and whimsical and the story is a treat. It's about a young woman discovering her true family tree and reconciling her relationships with her mother and her grandfather while coming into her own. If you are a fan of The Word and the Void Trilogy by Terry Brooks or The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, then you will definitely not want to miss Hannah's Garden.

For all you readers buried under snow and ice today, keep warm!

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

There Are No Snow Days in Writing

I was nestled under the covers with the cats, sleeping peacefully, and then the phone rang at dark-thirty this morning. The Texas weather gods had smiled on my husband. He got a snow day. I found myself thinking two things:

1) When you're a writer there are no snow days. You can write from anywhere.

2) It's a horrible thing to be awake, cold, and still tired, and unable to sleep at dark-thirty in the morning.

It seemed the gods of sleep had eluded both me and my husband, so we trudged out of bed and downstairs while the sun was creeping over the apartment roofs. I am writing this blog entry with my Kensington Flylight 2.0 while my husband catnaps on the couch next to me. It's a pretty nifty holiday gift from a friend; the light plugs into a USB port on your computer and you can sit in the dark with your keyboard illuminated. Perfect for mornings when you are awake at dark-thirty, tired, and blogging.

I ventured outside to document the snow day. Brace yourself. It's not very dramatic for some, but you have to keep in mind that we're in Dallas, Texas and there is a lot of ice coming our way with a light snow mix. This is the wily culprit that caused the snow day:

It may not seem like a formidable storm, but if you were born and raised in the Midwest like me and knew how Texans drove in any form of frozen precipitation, you would be scared too. (For any Texans reading this, I love how welcome you have made me feel in your state, but you need to learn to drive in snow).

Might I add, having been spoiled by the balmy weather gods with 75 degrees just two days ago, this is a cruel punishment and I want to know what we mortals did to incur your wrath! Perhaps, it was my lovely neighbors' fault who keep littering in the parking lot that pushed you over the brink. I know I'm teetering on that brink myself, if one more person doesn't pick up after their dog.

Appropriately this morning, I am working on a new piece, Snow Faery. I am unsure whether this will be a shorty story or something longer; storytelling is a wild animal and you just have to grab it by the mane and go! I don't create plot outlines before I sit down at my computer; I just have a vague idea like: Hey, let's write a story about a snow faery held hostage by a mean child. What would happen in that situation? And then I go find out...

Here is a small excerpt of the work in progress:

Nell stood, staring in horror at the tiny body of the man curled up next to their igloo. He clutched a small bowler hat in his right hand to his chest. If he had been standing upright in her palm, he would have been only a few inches tall.  His face was translucent blue.  She could see the tiny threads of veins running across the hard angles of his face. His jaw was pointy like an icicle.  His hair was the color of fresh snow in moonlight.

And that's about all I will share with you. I don't like sharing works in progress much outside my close circle of friends, but the snow day was a serendipitous moment I could not pass up.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!

And today, happy snow day to all!

Godzilla Falls in Love with Hello Kitty

In my demented writer's mind this actually happened last year! I haven't published the short story yet, but am putting it up on Critter's, the online writing forum, for peer review very soon. I saw this Beanie Baby today and just had to get it to keep Godzilla company in my writing toy collection.

The short story is currently titled:  Godzilla Falls in Love, but I am thinking about changing it. The new title is:  It's About Damn Time! To find out what it's time for, you will have to come visit me on the Critters writing forum. I promise it will all make sense, or you can choose to wait until it's been accepted by a publication. However, if you are at all curious about a work in progress and following a story to completion, you might be interested in jumping on Critters and viewing the critiquing process.

The premise of the story is that Godzilla and Hello Kitty meet at a support group for movie stars with phobias, one of the featured characters being King Kong who suffers from acrophobia, the fear of heights.  The support group meets at The Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  This is a real center connected to a wonderful nature preserve near where I used to live.  The nature preserve is 185 acres of undeveloped land with hiking trails through the woods, down to Lake Michigan's beach, through a native Wisconsin prairie, and even a pond with turtles and other wildlife. I've seen wild turkeys, deer, coyotes, and more on my hikes there. It was the perfect setting for my short story.

While I was photographing Godzilla and Hello Kitty for their world debut here online, Derrick, one of my bearded dragons, got quite upset. He decided to fight Godzilla to defend Hello Kitty's honor.

Then he asked Ms. Kitty if she would pose for a picture with him. I had no idea that Derrick had such a crush.

Ms. Kitty was flattered by Derrick's amorous advances, but assured him that she and Godzilla will be together for a long time.

I wonder what their babies would look like, if they had any.  If you're interested, you can email your artwork on the subject and I will post it on my blog.

As always, happy writing and happy reading to all!