You're Never Too Old by M. Flagg

 I am aging. No doubt about that. Even though my body doesn’t always do what I want it to do without aches and pains, my mind is sharp. I thank God that medical issues haven’t altered my creative spirit. In fact, I’m writing more than ever before. In my 70s, I’ve completed six new novels: my very first YA Paranormal, four more books in my series, and one self-pub.

Not bad for someone over seventy, right? So, I feel blessed… Every day I sit at my computer ready to write. Or edit. I love to edit.

Aging is a gift. I had a wonderful career as a music teacher and as a school administrator. For me, retirement isn’t an end. It’s a beginning, another blessing that many never get to experience. To watch my children mature into fine, responsible adults. To bend with the twists and turns, the curveballs life throws at us. To experience everything with new meaning. To sometimes snicker and smile saying, “Been there. Done that. And I survived.”

I may have regrets, but I love my life. I love the freedom that comes with aging. You’re never too old to grow. You’re never too old to learn. You’re never too old to love and be loved.

My next book is out October 2^nd. Night of the Crescent Moon is a sweet, paranormal romance between a good witch and a mystical warrior. And yes. I still believe that love conquers all.  

M. Flagg’s imaginative world is full of mystical warriors, witches, the not-so-normal vampires, and now, teenage ghosts. With five novels in the paranormal genre, spinning tales about the paradox of love is a passion, and there is always a twist of fate involved. Mickey is a contributor in a book on urban music education and has published a piece in Still Standing, a web-magazine about loss and healing. She is a life-long New Jersey resident, a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers, NJ Author Network and NJRW. Learn more about Mickey’s thoughts on writing and her books at  M. Flagg | Author of Paranormal Romance (mflagg-author.com)

Book Blurb:

Some wounds never heal.

Martine, a good witch and ER nurse must enlist Lukas, a mystical warrior to save her patient who is under the spell of a dark witch from the Second Realm. But she pushed Lukas out of her life years ago. When Lukas agrees to return to the realm where he was once held captive, he faces unexpected danger to bring the dark witch back to lift the spell.  Many assist Lukas, but few are trusted through his travels in a realm with ugly memories.  Will Lukas succeed in saving her patient from a fate worse than death? Will Martine open her heart, or lock Lukas out again? 

Night of the Crescent Moon – available for pre-order at Night of the Crescent Moon (The Champion Chronicles): Flagg, M: 9781509256884: Amazon.com: Books

Night of the Crescent Moon (The Champion Chronicles) Martine, a good witch and ER nurse must enlist Lukas, a mystical warrior she had pushed away years ago, to save ...

Many thanks. Many blessings. 

Mickey Flagg 

Paranormal Fiction with a twist of fate.

http://mflagg-author.com 

Michele Flagg (@flagg_michele) 

Facebook page - M. Flagg

A Holiday For Each Season

by Diana Mccollum

Diana is a paranormal and fantasy author. For a free story sign up for her newsletter on her website.

Ah, the seasons! There are so many different kinds of seasons. There are weather, growing, personal, life etc. seasons. And many have been touched upon here on this blog.

 

I’m going to share some of my favorite holidays that come with each season.  

 

Favorite Holidays

 

The first season, winter, from December 21^st  to March 20^th my favorite holiday is New Years! Not because so many get dressed up, and go to parties for the countdown to midnight, but for a time of reflection, and a time of setting new goals for myself. It’s a new beginning! Twelve whole months to achieve my goals. Sometimes those goals may change along the way, and that’s okay. I have my road map, I feel confident, and hopeful.

 

The second season, spring, March 21^st till June 20^th my favorite holiday is Easter. Another time of renewal. Easter has always been a time of family gatherings. Although, we live far away from our family, this year we will be celebrating with them. I have such fond memories of the kids and grandkids hunting for eggs. When my kids were little I hid their Easter baskets, I always made red-beet eggs, a family tradition, and of course all the messy fun dying Easter eggs. And the promise of daffodils peaking up out of the ground to announce Spring is on the way!

 

The third season, summer, June 21^st till September 22^nd my favorite holiday would have to be July 4^th! The tradition of celebrating America makes me so proud. We are a nation of mixed nationalities, a pot of different cultures and traditions. My ancestors were from Ireland, Germany, Scotland, France to name a few. They came to a new land with hopes and dreams. They fought for our rights and freedoms. Every July 4^th I love to watch the parades, hear the music and feel the pride of being American.

 

The fourth season, fall September 23 till December 20^th my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Another holiday for reflection. It’s a time to give thanks for all the goodness in my life. Things that mean the most to me like family, friends, and Zoom!

 

Whatever your favorite holidays are I hope you enjoy each and every one of them this year. After the pandemic year of 2020, and with the vaccine on the horizon, 2021 is shaping up to be a great year!

 

Do you have a favorite holiday?

Turn! Turn! Turn!

By: Marcia King-Gamble

www.lovemarcia.com

How many of you remember the old Byrd’s song?

To everything (turn, turn, turn)
There is a season (turn, turn, turn)
And a time to every purpose, under heaven.

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep.

To everything (turn, turn, turn.)

I find as I get older, and spend more time reflecting, this song has even more meaning.   Seasons aren’t necessarily Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. There are many seasons to life, and actions can be deemed appropriate or inappropriate at a particular time in life or history. More importantly, times change, and evolving people need to change with them, or we become obsolete.

Take for example the recent brouhaha with the decision to not publish six of Dr. Seuss’s books because of their racial insensitivity.  People were incensed. They’d been brought up on those books and felt this was an overreaction by the cancel culture.

I get it. Political correctness can take the fun out of jokes we grew up with and the reading material that put us to bed. Where was the hue and outcry back then? The truth of the matter is we were living in a different time when racial sensitivity was ignored. People went for the laugh, and minorities were afraid to speak up because you lived in a nation where you were outnumbered.

Back then, books were not written for a diverse readership, and people of color were perceived as non-readers. I’ve had that said to me when I tried to get one of my books placed at a local drugstore in the affluent Jersey Shore town where I once lived. What?

But back to Dr. Seuss and Dr. Seuss Enterprises. They deserve a loud applause for taking a stand and deciding not to publish six books that “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”   Those are their words not mine.  While the books might have been acceptable in the years written, they are not now.

The season has changed and of note is the browning of America. Pundits claim that in 2045 whites will be 49.7% of the population, Latinx 24.4%, Blacks, 13.1%, Asians 7.9% and the remaining percentage will be biracial. Time to step away from the stereotypes don’t you think? While it’s taken decades, we’ve finally acknowledged  that gays, transgenders and non-binaries exists in our wortd.

As children we thought nothing of Ali Baba, the Arab thief, Shylock the Jewish money lender and that the N word was used 200 times in Huckleberry Finn. Another classic, Little House on the Prairie paints Native Americans in a negative light, refers to blacks as darkies, and promotes minstrel shows. These books and depictions while acceptable back then, had their season. Today is a different world.

Another recent situation that created a stir is Bachelor host Chris Harrison’s response to former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay. This was about another contestant vying for the current bachelor’s (a black man’s) attention. Recently it was discovered she attended an antebellum party and had given the thumbs up to a picture with a confederate flag. “Well, Rachel, is it a good look in 2018? Or is it not a good look in 2021? Because there’s a big difference.” This is what Chris said.

Is there a big difference? I don’t see the season as having change much in 3 years, do you? The bottom line is that after all the horrible events of  the last few years, companies are pushing diversity and committing to sensitivity training and we need to practice what we preach.

‘Tis a new season. A season of change.

A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late.

Other news- I've updated and released This Way Home, originally written in 2003. You can find it here.

 https://www.amazon.com/This-Way-Home-Updated-version-ebook/dp/B08XP1D525/ref

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-way-home-marcia-king-gamble/1005839137?ean=2940162567660

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards.  Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Be sure to join her newsletter mailing list.

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One Characteristic of Light Paranormal

By Diana McCollum

 

Light Paranormal

 

In light paranormal one might find fanciful or funny characters. Perhaps the sidekick of the vampire is a dentist best friend. Or a teenage mermaid who when coming on to land loves watching the Disney movie The Little Mermaid.

I chose two in my book The Witch with the Trident Tattoo.

A few weeks ago  I wrote about James who was cursed to live for a few years as an octopus. He never lost his love of shoes, and collected them even though he couldn’t wear them.

Today I’d like to introduce you to Mischell. She is a teenage mermaid. Cursed to live and learn some manners as a mermaid till she turns 20. 

Mischell is a typical teenager, when on land. When in mermaid form in the ocean she is subject to her pod of 3 mermaids who are raising her and teaching her right from wrong.

Ella my heroine, a sea witch, can also swim under water or be on land. In this scene Ella is about to leave in her truck.

 

 

“She opened the door to her truck to find a teenage girl, short shocking-pink hair sticking out every which way, sleeping on the seat. Ella shook the girl till she rolled over. Mischell, youngest of four mermaids roaming the waters off the shoreline lay on the front seat, sound asleep. Her hair would turn lime-green when she reached adulthood.

“Mischell, wake up.” She shook her harder.

“Hey, watch the shoulder. Aren’t you pleased to see me?” Mischell pushed herself up to sitting, stifling a yawn. Her crown of short pink hair stuck out every which way. In human form, she preferred steampunk clothes. Today she sported a black leather bustier decorated with chains, gears and a zipper, black tights and a short black skirt.

“Nice clothes,” Ella said, holding in a giggle. Mischell was a typical teenager even if she was a mermaid; she dressed to please herself and no one else.

“Do you like my shoes? James found them for me.” Mischell pointed her foot in front of her. Bright sunshine gleamed on silver ballet flats.

“Oh, my, they…are lovely.” Her shoes didn’t really match her outfit, but Mischell seemed pleased with them. “Why are you here? Your training isn’t over for two more years.”

“I’ve evolved enough I can come on land for longer periods of time. James helped me get here.” She slid out of the truck. “I’m here to give you a message. James was called away by his lordship, and I’m to check clothing bins at the thrift shop, clothes for me and shoes for James. He is extremely specific on what colors he wants.” She counted them off on her fingers. “First he wants purple shoes, preferably sequin, second, black riding boots, third, brown work boots, and yellow shoes, if I can find any. Oh, and only matching pairs.” She rolled her eyes.

The odd odor of too many people mixed together reached Ella’s nose. “Did you get your clothes from the thrift shop donation bin?”

“No one wanted them, so I took them.”

“Mischell, you need to go back in the ocean. You’re not through growing. When you stay out of the water there’s always a chance you’ll change back and die on land.”

Silver bracelets jangled against a steampunk gear bracelet as Mischell crossed her arms. “It’s not fair. You can come and go whenever you please.”

“I’m not a mermaid like you, I’m a sea witch. Do you understand?” Ella squeezed Mischell’s shoulder. She’d always had a special spot in her heart for the young mermaid. 

Mischell had been banished from Atlantis because she had a desire for shiny pretty things. Unfortunately, some of those things belonged to others. So she was sent here to learn some manners and rules of the ocean. Her training was put in the hands of three other mermaids, who were not thrilled being held responsible for the child. Ella could still remember cries of protest from Mischell when she was taken from the only home she’d ever known, and at such a young age. “How long can you stay?”

“I’ve only been here a short time, so maybe five hours?” She clasped her hands under her chin, her face glowing with expectation. “Can I stay today, please, please? I won’t be any trouble, I promise.”

“Okay, for a couple of hours. Now, what message do you have for me from James?”

 

I hope you enjoyed this scene from The Witch with the Trident Tattoo.

 

Do you like it when the author springs an unexpected character in the book?

 

Adding Humor to Lighten the Tone of Your Paranormal Story by Sarah Raplee

What is the difference between light and dark paranormal stories?

In my opinion, it’s mainly the tone. Lighter stories tend to include much less graphic violence, and more humor than darker stories.

I’m going to share a few tips on ways to add lighter touches to a story.

Surprise your readers

In Diana McCollum’s book, The Witch with the Trident Tattoo, her sea witch protagonist has a Familiar who is an octopus with a shoe fetish. Taking a well-known character type (witch’s familiar, usually a black cat or a raven) and turning it on its head (octopus with a shoe fetish) is funny because it’s unexpected and ironic (he has no feet.) The fetish also predictably gets him in trouble, which the reader looks forward to, expecting a funny scene or two—which the author delivers.

Relatable characters with a Paranormal twist

In Diana’s current work-in-progress, The Twilight Witch, she uses a familiar character in a less-familiar setting, namely the Overbearing Mother. Opal is a witch and a wildlife biologist working in the wilds of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Her mother has dropped in unannounced.

Opal filled the tea kettle and set it on the wood stove to heat. “I apologize for snapping at you. Okay? Now it’s your turn Mother, out with it, why come now?”

“I told you dear, I spoke with Abe and he …”

“How did Abe see you when you witch-walked? He has no magick in him, does he?” Now she was beginning to doubt what she did or didn’t know. She placed two cups on the table. “Tell me Mother, how?”

“Oh, Opal, why do you ignore your magick? As far as your friend Abe goes, I might have had a hand in him moving to these woods, and him befriending you. After all, this was your first job out of college. I wanted to be sure someone was watching over my only daughter. Goddess only knows why you chose to isolate yourself in these woods.” She stood, pushed the curtain aside and looked out the window.

“I’ve told you about my research on the coywolves, or have you forgotten?”

Opal picked up the whistling tea kettle and poured hot water into their cups, plopping a tea bag in each one.

Hespera nonchalantly picked up a spoon, adding a spoonful of sugar to her cup, and with a flick of her hand, set the spoon to stirring on its own.

Opal grabbed the spoon. “Really, Mother, you know I don’t like magick for everyday things. It only takes a few seconds to stir your own tea.”

“I was sure you would tire of that, it is so mundane, so…human.” Hespera brushed a few wolf hairs off her black cape. “Where is Bowie? I thought he was with you?”

Readers will roll their eyes along with Opal. They know this woman. She can be used for comic relief.

Kids say and do the funniest things

In my story, “Enchanted Protector”, from the anthology, Love and Magick, not-quite-eight-year-old Star has Second Sight. Prince Rolf, who has been changed into a wolf by an evil gnome, learns she can read his thoughts. She’s the only human who recognizes his true nature. Her older sister and guardian, Ruby, doesn’t know what to make of him after he saves her from an attacker and nearly dies. In this scene, the sisters are nursing him back to health.

Against all odds, Ruby cared about him. She believed him a hero. He held the knowledge of Ruby’s affection for him safe in his heart as he lapped up the bitter brew.

When he had finished, Star set the bowl aside. “I thought you would like to be Ruby’s hero,” she said. “You’re sweet on my sister, are you not?”

His tail thumped the floor like a drumstick. He could not seem to control the unruly appendage.

“Well then,” Star said in a stern tone, “you must finish your quest and return to your human form. Otherwise, how will you marry?” She began to stroke his side with her gentle little hand.

It touched him that Star trusted his intentions toward Ruby to be honorable. However, when he closed his eyes, he found himself speculating about the possibility of a wolf-human mating. He forced his heavy lids to open. He could not risk the innocent child reading those thoughts.

To distract himself, he concentrated on the Riddle of the Hoard.

A pet that is more than a pet

In my Paranormal Psychic Agents book, BLINDSIGHT, blind wedding singer Meli’s canine Guide, Freddy, is an exceptionally good communicator and problem solver. By laying the groundwork early in the story, I was able to make his character believably special throughout.

“Saying ‘that’s only a dog’ is like saying ‘Ben Franklin was just an old bald guy’,” she said. “We’re partners. Together, we can do virtually anything. Freddy’s a dog genius.”

Later, a little boy who is an Animal Telepath relays some of Freddy’s thoughts to the other characters, another opportunity for humor.

Watch your word choice

My final piece of advice is to choose specific verbs and descriptors to finesse the tone of your story.

I hope I’ve given you food for thought. Do you have any more tips to share? ~Sarah

The Twilight Witch by Diana McCollum

My wip (work in progress) is "The Twilight Witch". 

My story is about Opal, a witch by birth and a conservationist/biologist studying the Coywolf pack in Nova Scotia. She is an albino and rarely goes out in the day time. Her familiar is a white wolf named Bowie. She lives & works in the New Breton forest. The leader of the Coywolves is tragically killed & she begins to suspect dark magic is at work.

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beautiful albino women free picture

The love interest is a back country skier who gets caught in an avalanche and is rescued by Opal and Bowie. Unbeknownst to her he is cursed and to break the curse he has to complete a task for a warlock. That task is to find the witch, Opal, and bring her to the warlock.

 I watched a documentary on PBS tv a few years ago about a hybrid wolf/coyote breed, nicknamed a coywolf. It seems the wolves in Eastern Canada have traveled down to Nova Scotia and inter-bred with coyotes. I Googled, don't we all?, to find out more. (Check out the above links for more info).

In the mean time, the warlock is doing his own hybrid experiments on turkey vultures, and human DNA. He is also experimenting with the DNA of the coywolves. Will Opal be able to stop him?

What do we have? A) a heroine who is a witch, and who is working to protect the environment and study the coy wolves. B) a familiar who is a white wolf C) a hero who is cursed, and who will have to make a choice once he finds out Opal is the witch he is searching for. D) the warlock who is playing "God" trying to create a new creature.Here's an excerpt from the rough draft.

Draft 1: Twilight Witch                                       Chapter One

      

On a bright winter morning in January, conservationist Opal Willows snowshoed through the woods of the Cape Breton, Nova Scotia forest. Winter was her favorite season, the one she was born in. Cloudy days were her friend and less harsh to skin and eyes of an albino like her. Today though, the sun and snow were brilliant. Her witch’s familiar, white wolf Bowie leaped through the recent snowfall and sent glistening plumes of crystalline snow into the air. He stopped to roll in it now and again

Opal stopped at a large balsam fir and detached her trail camera from the trunk. She checked the information screen and grinned. More than one hundred photos had been taken overnight! She removed the video chip and inserted a new one, and then secured the cam once more to the tree. She was thrilled the cam had showed more than one hundred photos. Busy night in the forest. She smiled to herself. One never knows which way to turn the cam to get the most pictures. I hit the jackpot last night.

Bowie’s howl came from deep in the dark forest. “Bowie! Come!” She shaded her eyes from the harsh sun, straining to see through the dark Polaroid sunglasses she wore to protect her eyes.

Bowie bounded out of the dark woods. He sat down thirty feet from her and stared intently. Opal knew that look the wolf had found something out of the ordinary. He turned and loped back into the woods. She followed the great white wolf into the forest. She flipped her sunglasses up on top of her head, to see better in the shadowy woodlands. The snow crunched under her snowshoes as she followed Bowie. Ahead of him she saw a spread of crimson on the snow, Bart, the alpha coywolf from pack CW 10, lay dead. One treacherous bullet hole through his spine. He was one of her favorite study subjects. Opal unlatched her snowshoes and fell to her knees.

Opal sucked in a breath as sheer black fright swept through her. “No, no, no! Not Bart, not now.”

She pulled her hands free of the warmth of her artic mittens. Shocked to her core she unzipped her jacket and clasped the stone of her magic opal pendant in her left hand.

A lot is going on in this paranormal. I'm about 1/2 way through writing it.Do you enjoy paranormal stories? If yes, what is the title of a paranormal you've read and liked?

Stay safe and sane in these crazy times.

How Did I Get Here? #scifi #superhero #paranormal #romance

Hi, I'm Pippa Jay, author of sci-fi and supernatural stories to engage your emotions.

Despite fish, a gecko and chickens, my kids asked for a cat. Being a cat person myself, I was okay with having one in principal, but know the costs in reality. 'When I get a job that pays well enough,' I promised them. Writing didn't even pay me a living wage, and even going back to work part time didn't provide what I thought would cover any potential costs. But at the start of this year I went back to work full time as a science technician in a secondary school, and that's when the badgering really started. 'You PROMISED!'. Sigh.
Years ago we had two rescue kittens, so we decided to rescue again, especially as we planned for these to be indoor cats. Adopting from a rescue centre meant getting a house check for approval. I'm not house proud - I keep the place clean and tidy mostly - but the idea of a stranger poking around my home was unsettling. I cleaned and cleared the downstairs to the point of even vacuuming up all the spider webs and moving a lot of stuff temporarily into our summerhouse (much to hubs' disapproval), to the point where my older boy told me the house looked weird because it was too tidy.
And after all that, the cat rescue guy spent 10 minutes chatting to me in the back room, ending with an arrangement to bring the kittens over the following weekend for a month's trial fostering. O.o
On his way out, he spotted the three pictures on the wall that I have of three of my favourite book covers (shhh, don't tell the others!).
"Are you an author?"
"Yes, but not a famous one."
"How many books do you have?"
I had to think about that. I've mostly stepped out of the publishing bubble and remembering everyone's birthday is testing enough.
"18...?"
"I shall look you up on Amazon."
I don't know if he did but it felt kind of weird to be talking about my books again. I'd almost felt like I'd closed that door behind me, but I guess you never really leave them behind. It got me thinking again about how far I'd come in seven years and actually achieved. Eighteen titles. I don't think I really appreciate what an accomplishment that is, especially now I'm working a full time job that doesn't leave me time or energy to write (for now).

And how did I get there? For me it happened quite quickly - eighteen months from finishing my novel to an actual offer from a small digital press, and with my debut work too. I remember having to read the email several times over to be convinced it wasn't another rejection. 

Those first edits were sooooo hard, but I learned so much (though sometimes it feels like I didn't learn anything at all when my editor tells me off for the same things, lol). I really thought writing would get easier, and while some parts of it are, things like finding new ways to describe experiences, emotions, characters etc without repeating yourself becomes much, much harder. Publishing has definitely become harder. After losing a couple of my publishers and others changing their terms, I'm now completely self published. More freedom but much more work and much less support. I've experienced burn out, and this year will be the first when I don't release something. I miss the writing but not the publishing so much. I still plan to release more but I'm not quite ready to throw myself back in. It'll all be on my terms, for my pleasure, and if a few other people like it, that's good enough for me. Eighteen titles is still something to be proud of. 

Find more at http://pippajay.co.uk

Even Paranormal Authors Do Research!

by Diana McCollum

I write mostly paranormal stories. You might wonder how much 'research' goes into a book for a paranormal author. Well, not near as much as a historical author. Still, I do have to do a certain amount of research.

Some of the details I garner from reading other paranormals. I keep notes on books I read, word choices and other details.

Word choice in any genre is to me what paints the picture of the story. For instance, in my book "The Witch with the Trident Tattoo" I had to do some science research, some mythology research, and commercial fishing research to come up with an interesting and believable (as far as one can believe a paranormal story) book.

My heroine, Ella, is a scientist and a sea witch. Poseidon, Ruler of the sea, is who she reports too. Her familiar is an Octopus named James. So a little more research here on Octopus habits and what grows in the ocean etc.

Here is an excerpt as James gives Ella a ride to see Poseidon, who has requested a meeting with Ella.

"James wrapped one long tentacle gently but firmly around her waist. She linked her arms around two of his. On a whoosh of water, he propelled them to Poseidon's waiting submersible.

       One of her favorite things to do was ride along with James Her hair streamed behind her and they virtually flew over the bottom. Starfish dotted rocks close to the island, seahorses darted in and out of kelp, and her favorite, sea ferns, swayed with the current.

    They dove to ninety feet where the devastation brought a heaviness to her chest."

    As a scientist Ella has been studying the dying ocean off the coast of MA. This is why Poseidon has requested her to report to him. Not only is she studying the ocean as part of her job, but also at the request of Poseidon.
 
    When the reader meets Poseidon, I'll give you the generic sentence first, bare minimum.
    "Poseidon sat on a chair. On top of his head of black hair sat a gold crown. He was naked from the waist up except for two gold bands on each arm." Does that paint a picture of this man? Not a very interesting one!

This is what the reader reads as Poseidon is introduced. "Poseidon reclined on blue silk and green satin pillows set inside an enormous clam shell. On top of his black dreadlocks sat a golden crown encrusted with sparkling gems. Naked from the waist up except for two gold bands around each massive forearm." The reader gets a better picture of Poseidon with this description.

     The hero, Noah, is the captain of a fishing boat. When he takes Ella out for a ride a storm kicks up.
 So I researched nautical terms, and weather terms etc.

     "The radio crackled before he could form a response. "Mayday! Mayday! This is the Red Moon, Oscar Aldrich...taking on water. . .' The radio continued to crackle.

    Noah grabbed the microphone from his Marine Radio 'Oscar! Noah Drago here, what's your position, over?'

   Noah wrote down Oscar's coordinates. 'He must have run into the squall we came through. I'm heading back---I won't let this sea claim another friend.' He steered his boat back the way they had come, chasing after the storm.

    Gray clouds were leaden, almost black, and towered above the horizon. The hull slapped against waves, the sea churned beneath them."

   On this same boat trip, Noah witnesses Ella doing Magick for the first time.

   "Ella come back inside!" The sea tried to wrench the wheel from his hands. He struggled to control the helm.

   He looked again and she had raised her hands toward the sky. Clouds parted, the sun broke through encircling the boat. The seas calmed, flattened, identical to a lake on a summer day. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The squall continued to rage around their circle of calm."

   Then there is the fun of creating spells! Here's an example.

       "Green leaves of Hemlock,
         And mighty twigs of Hemlock,
         I know you hold Magick.
         Release your power to save the sea,
         For this you've been handpicked,
         So mote it be!

     Ella set her grinder down and picked up a stirring rod. Gently she stirred her Magick portion, a foundation to start with.

        'Round, round and round the sea you'll go,
         to bind your Magick three drops of wax from this enchanted candlestick,
         So mote it be!'

   She held a binding candle over the beaker, continuing to stir whilst three drop of wax dropped into the bubbling mixture. A ball of magical energy began to form."
 
   Well, I had fun going back through "The Witch with the Trident Tattoo", to find these examples.
Now you know that there is research involved for Paranormal and Fantasy stories too!

Have you ever read a book that had too much researched info in it?

Ghost Cat,

I first wrote this post in 2014 for this blog. It is our 8th Most popular post of all time, so I'm reprising the post for our 8th Blog-o-versary! I hope you enjoy it...

The Ghost Cat visited our house again last night.

We've lived with this possible pussycat for five years. Doors on cupboards full of nice soft towels and blankets--exactly the sorts of places a kitty might choose to curl up in--seem to open when we're not looking, even when our alive-and-kicking cat, Freckles, is shut in 'his' room in the basement. When we're in bed for the night, sometimes what seems to be Freckles jumps on the bed and lies down--but when one of us reaches to pet him, poof--he's not there.

That's just freaky.

Would Ghost Hunters Jason and Steve from TAPS
( http://the-atlantic-paranormal-society.com/ ) suggest that vibrations we don't notice affect the cupboard doors? Maybe we dream the cat-on-the-bed incidents--but why would two people dream the same dream, sometimes at the same time?

Tonight, we had a new experience. Freckles jumped onto the couch beside me, eyes dilated, tail swishing, and spent ten minutes playing with something that wasn't there. He acted exactly as though he were playing with another cat. He's never, ever done that since he moved in with us seven years ago.

At least whatever-it-is, is friendly.

And playful.

That's good, right?

~Sarah Raplee

Pulled in a Different Direction

by Diana McCollum

In 2010, or there about, I had two stories I was developing plots for, and writing, a historical romance and a contemporary romantic suspense. Working a full time job with a round trip commute of two to three hours a day left me too tired at the end of the work day to write. So my writing time was on the weekends.

This made for slow going for me, anyway. My husband was working out of town and only home on the weekends, so that was our honey time.

During this same time frame I started posting once a month on this blog and every couple months on the free short story blog Judith Ashley and Sarah Raplee used to run.

I found I enjoyed writing short stories. They were really short stories of 1,200 to 2,000 words each.

Feeling quite depressed one day, I complained to Sarah about the slow progress I was making with my historical and suspense stories.

She had an idea!

Judith and Sarah had been discussing self-publishing an anthology of short stories. Sarah asked me if I would be interested in writing two short stories to be included in the anthology. I said, “Hot, doggie! Sure I would.”

I knocked out two short paranormal stories, around 20,000 words each. And guess what I discovered? I enjoyed writing paranormal romance! My two stories, “Ghost of a Chance” and “The Crystal Witch” were fun to write. 

Along the way, I learned a lot about editing (hired an editor), choosing art for a book cover and working with a designer, I learned how to use Jutoh a publishing program, and create space for print books, and marketing etc.  And at the end of the learning curve was our anthology, "Love & Magick".  

It has been one great learning experience. Not at all the road I thought I was traveling on.

I now have a spin off novella, “The Witch with the TridentTattoo”, featuring one of the characters from “The Crystal Witch”.

I never would have guessed my first published book would be an anthology. But that’s the path I landed on.

The historical romance and romantic suspense I was working on? They are filed in a doc on my computer. Someday I’ll get back to work on them. Right now I’m having too much fun writing the “Twilight Witch”, the next story in the Coastal Coven series.

Have you started down one path, only to find you end up on another path

altogether?

My Scary Trigger

By Courtney Pierce

Chills. Thrills. Tension. Danger. It’s not what I see, but what I don’t see that defines a scary novel or movie for me. I’m easily suckered into a good ghost story. Graphic images of severed body parts and gushing blood do nothing for me, but I love the suspense of an unseen force. Suspense makes my heart race. My imagination is so much bigger than what any special effects team could show.

For example, take The Haunting or The Legend of Hell House, both movies based on books. These classics ooze with the dire stakes of “Don’t go into the nursery” and “Do you feel that? A cold spot”. The only thing one sees is a door slam shut or the steam of a character’s breath. Yeah, the premise is predictable―characters gather in a presumably haunted house for a week with a can't-miss offer―but it’s such a great hook. Time for a potty break when a shadow of an erotic statue comes alive on the ceiling!

Skepticism morphs to fear; shock clarifies to belief. Finally, there is understanding and strength. All the emotions I want, and need, to feel take us to a satisfying conclusion.

One of the best romantic ghost stories is Rebecca by Daphne De Maurier (and the rare triumph of book-turned-movie version by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940). The implied ghost of Maxim de Winter’s dead wife, Rebecca, is everywhere, even in her embroidered monogram on a linen napkin and on her embossed custom stationary. Rebecca’s luxurious bedroom―off limits to all but the creepy maid―swirls with sheer curtains that billow with a breeze from the sea. The camera pans from the soft touch of furs and lingerie in the closet to a framed photo of Maxim on the dressing table. The maid even mimes the "hair drill" brushing of Rebecca's hair. The unseen ghost of Rebecca wedges herself right between Maxim and his naive young wife. The poor thing is so diminished by this ghost that the reader (or viewer) is never even told the new wife’s name. She’s only referred to as “Maxim’s wife” or “Darling”, much to the disdain of the mansion’s housekeeper. Rebecca's not a real ghost, but she's certainly an overwhelming emotional presence that drives the suspense.

Brilliant!

I was so taken by De Maurier’s crafty technique that I used the scaffolding of the story (sans the creepy housekeeper) to end my Dushane Sisters Trilogy series, only in reverse. In the upcoming final installment, Indigo Legacy, it is the ghost of my heroine’s dead husband that torments her male love interest. The presence lives in the wedding ring that my character can’t get off her finger. To overcome the challenges of a death bond is not only painful but suspenseful. A hacksaw finally severs the gold band in a hospital Emergency Room, but it’s not quite over. Invisible baggage makes my characters stumble and fall. I had fun infusing my own humorous take on the road map of De Maurier’s story. It’s due out in 2017.

I watch and read scary stories to vicariously experience the emotions of what the characters feel. It’s a break from the mundane work-a-day world, an escape when characters want so desperately for life to be normal while invisible forces get in the way. The characters must conquer their fear of something that is totally out of control. And when they do, their lives will forever be changed.

Like watching the news. That’s a scary story these days. We writers are better positioned to change lives by crafting a good book.

Courtney Pierce is a fiction writer living in Milwaukie, Oregon, with her bossy cat. She writes for baby boomers. By day, Courtney is an executive in the entertainment industry and uses her time in a theater seat to create stories that are filled with heart, humor and mystery. She has studied craft and storytelling at the Attic Institute and has completed the Hawthorne Fellows Program for writing and publishing. Active in the writing community, she is a board member of the Northwest Independent Writers Association and on the Advisory Council of the Independent Publishing Resource Center. She is a member of Willamette Writers, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, She Writes, and Sisters in Crime. The Executrix received the Library Journal Self-E recommendation seal. 

Check out all of Courtney's books at:

courtney-pierce.com and windtreepress.com. Both print and E-books are available through most major online retailers, including Amazon.com

The Dushane Sisters are back in Indigo Lake. More laughs, more tears...and more trouble. Protecting Mom's reputation might get the sisters killed―or give one of them the story she's been dying to live.

New York Times best-selling author Karen Karbo says, "Courtney Pierce spins a madcap tale of family grudges, sisterly love, unexpected romance, mysterious mobsters and dog love. Reading Indigo Lake is like drinking champagne with a chaser of Mountain Dew. Pure Delight." 

Colorful characters come alive in Courtney's trilogy about the Dushane sisters. Beginning with The Executrix, three middle-age sisters find a manuscript for a murder mystery in their mother's safe after her death. Mom’s book gives them a whole new view of their mother and their future. Is it fiction . . . or truth? 

Get out the popcorn as the Dushane Sisters Trilogy comes to a scrumptious conclusion with Indigo Legacy. Due out in early 2017.