Tag Archives: Amazon

Broad Enough Shoulders!

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I sometimes wonder if I have broad enough shoulders to be a writer. Criticism from professionals, well-meaning friends and acquaintances is all part of the writing process. But it is perhaps an oxymoron for introverted creatives whose work becomes an intricate part of themselves. Creating anything whether it is painting a picture with words or an artist’s brush, weaving clothes or baskets, scrapbooking or making jewelry, the result is a unique and personal invention open to perception from every eye that sees it. Oh, I agree, there is a right way and a wrong way to do things and the English language, although it has many versions, is perhaps more rigid than most. And I quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “Therein lies the rub,” an obstacle which storytellers like me have to get over if they want a perfect book. Unfortunately, and I can only speak for myself, it can appear as criticism, which it probably is not. This week I have had a double whammy as my latest book is being proofread and I designed the cover. First, a quick cover in an easy program called Canva, (in last week’s blog). After listening to it’s a nice cover but… and stifling my unreasonable reaction of indignation, I decided to brush-up on Adobe InDesign and create a professional looking cover. You guessed it, I still had comments, a little more encouraging, I like it but… at first, I am unrealistically hurt but I need to suck it up and get back to the canvas. There are days when my shoulders are broad enough and days when they are not but most days, I put on the big girl panties and get on with it, knowing I have done my best. At the end of the day, I am lucky enough to have people around me who care enough to critique my creative prose. Thank you to everyone.

Writing Updates: All writing suspended to make way for cover design.

 

Books I’m Reading: Fiction: I finished Gill Paul’s Another Women’s Husband which I enjoyed. I still have an issue about Princess Diana’s part but the Wallis Simpson story was excellent. I can highly recommend this book. My latest read is Susanna Kearsley’s The Winter Sea a 1706 time-slip romance about a writer who disappears into her story (now that’s a familiar place to be), I was hooked from the first page. Ms. Kearsley’s description of Slain Castle and the rugged coast of Scotland is enthralling, the characters I love and liked from the very first chapter. I am so looking forward to reading this book.

Nonfiction: Nothing this week.

Writing Courses:  First Sentence to First Sale – Course One – Get Rid of Page Fright opens for registration next week, at noon (EST) on Wednesday, Sept 12, 2018

https://just-for-writers.teachable.com

 

The books are available at online retailers. Click the title, make your choice

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

The Blue Pendant Book1 Anna’s Legacy Book 2 and Sarah’s Choice Book 3. E-books and print  at all online retailer

Check out the synopsis on My Books page. A great Book club read.

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download your gift of a free e-book   

The Squirrel Syndrome!

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The Squirrel Syndrome! Did I read that correctly? Miss Penny speaking. Oh, boy! This will be a good blog today. I love squirrels. When we go for our morning walk, I try to catch them. I want to play chase; up trees, down fences and across roads, although that’s a bit dangerous. Unfortunately, Susan keeps my leash tight so I can’t catch them… get this, they run up trees and chase each other around the tree trunk. Wow, would I like to do that? As good as any mid-way ride. And before you know it they are off in another direction and I’m confused; where did the squirrel go? Um… are you wondering what squirrels have to do with writing or reading. You have a good point, I’ll ask Susan.

The squirrel syndrome or sometimes known as the next shiny thing is about distractions. The most prevalent distractions today are the bings, peeps and buzzes from electronic devices, a message here, a text there and we feel compelled to answer, in fact, the sender now has an expectation that a reply is imminent. Like the squirrel darting from tree to fence to road, we find our minds jumping from our current occupation, which for me it is writing and breaking concentration to answer messages or deal with unrelated tasks; the result is a busy day with little to show for it. As a writer, I find this particularly disheartening and frustrating because accomplishing my writing goal depends on the number of words I write per day. The solution is simple; it is called a Do Not Disturb button. When pressed, like magic, the bings, peeps and buzzes go away, no more squirrel distractions. Try it, it works!

 

Writing Updates: Squirrel distractions seem to have grasped my creativity and this week. Perhaps because I have been working on the romance book cover—here’s a sneak preview—I thought about book two in the series and I have outlined a Christmas story for the Narrowboat Romance Series. That, of course, means that Sophie has taken a back seat for a while, but she’ll be back.

 

 

Books I’m Reading: Fiction – Gill Pauls’ Another Women’s Husband a time-slip novel, is turning out to be interesting. I’m on the fence about the believability of the protagonist’s association with Princess Diana but the Wallis Simpson story is engaging and interesting.

Nonfiction: – Nothing this week.

 

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release soon, we’re a little behind schedule so please stay tuned Click here for details

The books are available at online retailers. Click the title, make your choice

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

The Blue Pendant Book1 Anna’s Legacy Book 2 and Sarah’s Choice Book 3. E-books and print  at all online retailer

Check out the synopsis on My Books page. A great Book club read.

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download your gift of a free e-book   

Polish and Shine

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Hi! Did you miss me!

Good Day! I’m giving Miss Penny a rest today, although she likes to be the centre of attention, the subject of the blog is of a technical and serious nature and Miss Penny prefers playing. I have very much been in left brain mode this week, outlining and altering the Sophie series as we discussed last week and putting the finishing touches to the new writing course. It always amazes me the number of typos that seem to hide and then suddenly jump out at you when you are least expecting it, which brought me to thinking about the editing process.

Polish to a Shine, editing, is an essential part of writing, putting the final polish to many hours of work. As a reader, editing probably never comes into your head… unless… you find a typo or worse a piece that escaped the editor. Most professional writers would agree that editing is the most important part of the writing process and the most expensive both in time and money. Even then there are always the typos that escape all eyes and that could be three or four sets of eyes and 10 – 20 readings. I guarantee the reader will spot them. And, please if that happens let us know. In today’s digital world it is relatively easy to correct mistakes. 

However, sometimes the spelling is not incorrect, depending on the writer’s style of English. American English does not use U in words like neighbour or colour, British English uses S and not Z in words like realise and then there’s one L or two in the word counselling or counseling and just to complicate things more, Canadian English is a combination of British, American and Canadian. This is the style I use most of the time and that confuses everybody, except Canadians. When I asked a colleague, a British author who sells millions of books, what style she used, she answered, ‘American English, because if I use British spelling the Americans complain but when I use American English, no one complains.’ I guess I’m a purist but so far I have stuck to Canadian English and yes, I get complaints. Please forgive those pesky typos and mistakes but I can assure you, I do my best to keep them at a minimum.

Writing Updates: This week, as mentioned, I made major changes to Sophie, I have decided that the first book in the series will take place in London as we follow the nurses at River House, their work and romances and how Londoners fought their own battle with bomb ladened German Zeppelins. 

Books I’m Reading: Fiction – Twenty-one Days by Anne Perry an excellent book. Ms Perry’s long-standing mystery series about Charlotte and Thomas Pitt in Victorian London has evolved into the 1900s with their grown-up son, Daniel Pitt, who is as a lawyer, but has his parents aptitude for solving crimes. 

 

 

Nonfiction: – I’m still working on the cover design reading. 

Writing Courses: – First Sentence to First Sale – Part one is close to being finished. Much more work than I expected but at last I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Thanks to the Apple Store workshops. I have all the material and just need to blend the slides with the video. 

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release soon, we’re a little behind schedule so please stay tuned Click here for details

The books are available at online retailers. Click the title, make your choice

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on  2.99 A perfect summer read 560 pages of reading pleasure

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

Check out the synopsis on My Books page. A great Book club read.

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download your gift of a free e-book   

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After the Cut

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I knew it, I knew it! I am naked. This is Miss Penny, again, Susan is busy having an epiphany—whatever that is—as you can see I had a haircut, more like a skin shave, but I have to say my face and tail, nick-named happy tail because it wags very fast, both look good and the shaved part was inevitable as my fluffy undercoat had matted. I can’t say I like the look but it sure is nice and cool. Thanks to   Max & Kat’s Great place for doggie daycare and holiday stays. So this week has been boring as I mentioned Susan had this epiphany, judging by the reading aloud and the new comments about London in the Great War the epiphany seems to be about the Sophie series. After discovering that London was bombed by Zeppelin airships in 1915 causing death and injuries to civilians not unlike the blitz of WW2, Susan has decided that the first book in the Sophie series will be about London, which means Sophie won’t go to war until Book 2. In my opinion, and as we’ve mentioned in previous blogs, dogs have opinions, I think this is brilliant as the stories of London at war, on the home front, are heartbreaking and inspiring. Well, that’s it for today, I think Susan will be back next week. I almost forgot, if you would like to sign up for Susan’s Reading Group she will gift you an e-copy of Ruins in Silk just click here– Read about Sophie’s young an tragic life, from privileged young woman to hotel maid. Even then she was strong and resilient, or if you read the book or just want to join the reading group without the book click here.

Writing Courses: First Sentence to First Sale –  Thanks to the Apple Store workshops. Apologies for the delays. As is often the case there is far more work than expected. But it is coming soon.

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release soon, we’re a little behind schedule so please stay tuned Click here for details

The books are available at online retailers. Click the title, make your choice

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on  2.99 A perfect summer read 560 pages of reading pleasure

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

Check out the synopsis on My Books page. A great Book club read.

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download your gift of a free e-book   

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Fuel for Stories!

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Zoomed back into childhood; that happened to me this week. I was ten years old sitting in the dickie seat (a seat inside the boot/trunk of a sports car) of my dad’s grey Triumph Roadster with my friend Margaret, our hair blowing in the wind, waving, usually the royal wave, and giggling at the reaction from passersby. We felt very important. Pictures from Classic cars

One perk of writing historical fiction is the research, it can be boring on occasions but, more often than not, it’s intriguing and like my research this week it brings back memories. How I came across 1949 Triumph Roadsters when I was actually researching British cars in 1917, is a bit of a puzzle, no matter, because I love the happy memories. 

The 1917 car information was for my current book Sophie (working title). Carlos, Sophie’s lost-recently-found love is taking her to dinner in his car, a Model T Ford. Now, in 1917 personal cars were few as the War Office commandeered them for war services and the men who were the drivers, although that was changing, were fighting the Great War. Fuel, that would be petrol, was scarce and pretty much impossible to find for personal use. Another interesting fact I discovered was that gas, (the vapour kind not the North American word for petrol) was used as fuel. They attached a large inflatable balloon to the roof of the car or van, which fuelled the vehicle for short distances, the limit was about 30 miles. Um… not sure I would want to be driving around with explodable gas sitting on my head! Pictures from  BBC Schools 

Back to Sophie, Carlos is now, an orthopaedic surgeon, for those of you who read Ruins in Silk, you’ll remember he worked for Sophie’s father; we will catch up with his past life as the story unfolds. As a practising doctor, he would have a car and a petrol allowance, for emergency calls. Perhaps not intended for taking a lady to dinner, but if an emergency arose at the hospital while dining, he would need transportation.

If you would like to join Susan’s Reader’s Group online and receive a gift of the e-book Ruins in Silk. Click here or if you would prefer to purchase either an e-book or print book Click here

Writing Updates: The article above updates the progress of Sophie this week. However, I have interesting news about the contemporary romance Love’s Endings and Beginnings – A sweet romance novel – Heartbreak to second chance romance. My wonderful editor Meghan Negijn has worked her magic on the manuscript. I will correct it this week, write the front and back matter, design the cover and have it ready for you in a few weeks. 

Books I’m Reading…. Fiction – I am on the final leg of Elizabeth George, a new Inspector Lynley and DS Barbara Havers, mystery. I am finding this book very different from Ms George’s other Lynley books. There is a mystery, but it isn’t the main focus of the story. The story is more about the characters, in particular, DCS Isabelle Ardrey. The characters are well developed and interesting but for a 690-page book, I think I would like more mystery. Just my thoughts on The Punishment She Deserves 

Nonfiction – Not much reading this week mostly Google searches.

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release soon, we’re a little behind schedule so please stay tuned Click here for details

The books are available at online retailers. Click the title, make your choice

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on  2.99 A perfect summer read 560 pages of reading pleasure

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

Check out the synopsis on My Books page. A great Book club read.

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download your gift of a free e-book   

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Fog in My Living Room!

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Fog in my living room! First, I must mention that I hate housework, so I indulge in a cleaning lady, extravagant but worth every penny and I can get on with writing, which as you know is my passion. A couple of days ago I realized that the workman were on my balcony. If you remember back in April, I told you about the jackhammer noise as the balcony repairs continued on the building. Well, they moved around to my balcony this week.  I am in my office busy writing away on the new Sophie series, which is coming along nicely I’ll talk about that later, and the drilling starts… the noise coming from my living room is indescribable but that is not all. I decide to go check and the living rooms is so full of white fog I can’t see to the window. The fog is white cement dust. I had left the patio door open. Now here is my point, the guys working know the results of this drilling; they wear masks and protective gear; I felt sorry for them working in those conditions but not as sorry as I might have been had they done the courtesy of pulling my door shut; maybe they are not allowed to touch the door, or maybe they are just men and didn’t think. Whatever the reason, I am cleaning my living today. Grrr! 

Writing Updates: Forgive the repeat from last week but several readers asked me about the background for the new Sophie series.  Sophie Romano was the protagonist in Ruins in Silk and a character from The Blue Pendant. Sophie left the Sackville Hotel to become a nurse in the Great War. The story so far… Sophie is training to be a nurse. In 1915 nurses trained for three years but did you know as a probationer the training comprised scrubbing floors, doing laundry all menial tasks. Fast forward eighteen months and Sophie is nursing when a young doctor appears, a lost love from Italy, Carlos from Ruins in Silk. If you would like a free e-book of Ruins in Silk Click here

Books I’m Reading…. Fiction – I am two thirds of the way through my favourite mystery authors Elizabeth George, a new Inspector Lynley and DS Barbara Havers, mystery. I love long books, books that take me to far away places or deep into mystery. The Punishment She Deserves is 690 pages long, a perfect summer read.

Nonfiction – Dorothea’s War Dairies of WWI for research and films of that war also help in the research. 

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release soon, we’re a little behind schedule so please stay tuned Click here for details

 

All the books are available at online retailers. Click the title, make your choice

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on  2.99 A perfect summer read 560 pages of reading pleasure

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

Check out the synopsis on My Books page. A great Book club read.

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download your gift of a free e-book   

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Behind Closed Doors

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Hello! Miss Penny speaking. Susan is busy writing, the new Sophie book, so I told her I would write the blog today. We recently had guests staying, which was great, lots of ear tickles and tummy rubs, except for the bathroom door.  It was closed. I soon learned to scoot in fast before the door shut, but sometimes even when I raced across the apartment, I was too late and my nose hit the closed door. Now, this is a scary thing for a nine-month-old puppy, Susan and I are inseparable. What goes on behind closed doors? Is there a secret exit and Susan will disappear forever or mad dogs might attack her or it could be aliens, not that I know what aliens are but the grandkids talk about them. So I whine a little, I could howl but that might disturb the aliens. The whining does the trick; the door opens and Susan is fine, I, of course, inspect the bathroom but no mad dogs and no aliens; Susan is safe and I trot at her heels. But that bathroom is still a mystery. Why does the door open and close so often when we have visitors? 

Work in progress: Susan’s new book Love’s Endings and Beginnings – A sweet romance novel – Heartbreak to Second Chance is now at the editors, the lovely Meghan Negrijn. While that’s being edited Susan is researching nursing in the Great War for book 1 of the Sophie series.  Sophie is completing her nurse’s training and will, be heading for a field hospital in Passchendaele. Shush! I’ll tell you a secret, a long-lost love appears and it’s not Bill. Hee-hee! I’d better not say anymore, no spoilers or I’ll be in trouble. 

What I’m reading. Still reading Elizabeth George for fiction and researching WW 1 for non-fiction. So not much to report

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release soon, we’re a little behind schedule so please stay tuned Click here for details

 

All the books are available at online retailers. Click the title, make your choice

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on  2.99 A perfect summer read 560 pages of reading pleasure

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

Check out the synopsis on My Books page. A great Book club read.

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download your gift of a free e-book   

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Love That Hat!

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 Love that hat! I first heard this comment at an outdoor craft fair. I had rented a table to display and sell books. It was a hot summer day and nobody was interested in buying anything, except my hat, which was sitting at the side of my books. I giggled at the requests to buy my hat. It is a colorful baseball cap with some gold glitter giving it lots of bling. I wondered why the hat and not the books were appealing. Food for thought–perhaps I need more bling in the book display.

I’m waiting!

 That is not the end of the story. Walking Miss Penny in Britannia Park people stopped me to say, “I love that hat.” Even a group of cyclists, clipping along the bike path, yelled, “Love that hat.” It’s quite a conversation piece in my condo elevator. I thought of making up a story about the origins of that hat; after all, I am a writer and I have a vivid imagination. Maybe a famous Parisienne designer or the Queen’s milliner made that hat as a gift for little old me! Sadly, its origin is not as exotic. It was a $2 purchase from the Dollar Store right here in Ottawa. I love that hat, and… sorry… it’s not for sale.

Writing Updates … As you know I am starting a new historical fiction about Sophie Romano the protagonist in Ruins in Silk and a character from The Blue Pendant. Sophie left the Sackville Hotel to become a nurse in the Great War. The story so far…Sophie is training to be a nurse. In 1915 nurses trained for three years but did you know as a probationer the training comprised scrubbing floors, doing laundry all menial tasks. Fast forward eighteen months and Sophie is nursing when a young doctor appears, a lost love from Italy, Carlos from Ruins in Silk. If you would like a free e-book of Ruins in Silk Click here

 

Books I’m Reading…. Fiction – I am happy to be reading one of my favourite mystery authors Elizabeth George, a new Inspector Lynley and DS Barbra Havers, mystery. I love long books, books that take me to far away places or deep into mystery. The Punishment She Deserves is 690 pages long, a perfect summer read.

Nonfiction – Dorothea’s War A nurse’s dairies of WWI for research and films of that war also help in the research. 

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release soon, we’re a little behind schedule so please stay tuned Click here for details

 

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on  2.99

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

 

A gift of an e-book Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read. And the opportunity to sign up for Susan’s Reader’s Group.  

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

  Click to download free e-book   

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Jackhammer Guest

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Imagine having a jackhammer in your apartment; believe me until you hear it you have no idea what it sounds like. That’s the sound I’ve been listening to most of this week—concrete balcony repairs are in progress. It starts about 8:15 a.m., a short break around 10 and another break around 1 p.m., finishing at 4:30 in the afternoon; Monday to Friday as long as the weather holds; they don’t work in rain or high winds, which makes sense swinging up into the heavens on a little wooden platform is dangerous enough.  Our twenty-one story building, The Britannia, perched at the top of a hill overlooks an expanse of park and the mighty Ottawa River. Even a mild wind is gale force around The Britannia but the jackhammers continue.  Although it is a relief when the wind gets too gusty and stops the jackhammers, it also means it will take longer to finish the job.  It is difficult to work with such a noise, but not impossible, it’s a case of adapting. My morning writing time, which is before the jackhammers, continues, but recording videos for the online writing course is on hold.

Novel writing progress has been slow to none existent; my time has been spent editing, the new contemporary sweet romance Endings and Beginnings, which is now ready for the professional edit. My submission Romance at Mr. Booker’s Bookshop for the Ottawa Independent Writers anthology submitted. Many of you have asked when my next novel will be out. I expect to have the first of the new Sophie series (working title) out before Christmas. 

Sophie Romano the protagonist from Ruins in Silk and the headmaid from The Blue Pendant is the heroine for this new series. Desperately in love with a man who loves another, Sophie leaves The Sackville Hotel. The new series follows Sophie to London where she trains as a nurse and deploys to France to nurse injured soldiers in the Great War. Amid, the terrible conditions of war Sophie finds romance and even a lost love from her youth. So readers, stay tuned for regular updates.

Would you like to write? I hear this comment all the time. “I want to write a book?” But few people actually write. First Sentence to First Sale is an online writing course that helps you decide if writing is for you and gets you started on your writing journey.  Due for release at the end of April. Click here for details

Books I’m reading: No change from last week, I’m still reading Anne Perry’s latest and for non-fiction Donald Maas’s The Emotion of Character.

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on Amazon .99c

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

Free e-book available Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read.

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

Click to download free e-book

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Preparing for the Sun!

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Hello from Ottawa, Miss Penny speaking!   My boss, Susan, is busy getting ready for a trip to visit her son and daughter-in-law, in Costa Rica. How neat is that having a relative living in the sun? Our house is in chaos, not because of packing, I don’t think that has started yet, but because it is like a revolving door with activities and visitors. Granddaughter, Annabelle, left yesterday and I’m assuming the suitcase will come out today. Of course, Susan thinks that I don’t know what’s going on but dogs have a sixth sense about these things. I’m not averse to making Susan feel guilty about leaving me. I’ll be clingy, maybe whine a bit but secretly I’m looking forward to my own holiday. I’m going to visit my mom Leila. Leila lives in a house with a backyard, now that’s a great place to have a holiday when you’re a dog who resides on the ninth floor of an apartment.
Thank you to those of you who expressed sympathy when I lost my fur coat. I’m still reeling from the shock and walks in the park even with a jacket are cold. Although, this week saw the first day of spring and the fur is getting thicker. I’m doing okay.
Writing, editing and course planning has been going on all week but with so many interruptions not much progress was made. Psst! That makes the boss a touch cranky. She definitely needs a holiday. That’s all from me today, over to the boss.
I have little to add to Miss Penny report. I am preparing to unplug and enjoy a relaxing holiday. The suitcase is coming out today and it will be a joy to pull out the summer clothes. Reading is a major part of a holiday for me so I am scanning my bookshelves for easy beach reading and getting the sunscreen out.

 

Books I’m Reading:    I finished First Snow, Last Light by Wayne Johnson, I enjoyed this book. A very different kind of book with multiple points of view, which the author does brilliantly. The hook at the beginning draws you in and the resolution of the hook is not revealed until the very end. Excellent 5 stars.

 

 

I have moved on to my favourite author Anne Perry and her latest Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery Murder on the Serpentine, just released in paperback. Thomas, head of Special Branch that looks after the country’s security, is summoned to the Buckingham Palace by Queen Victoria. He is asked to investigate a suspicious death that might involve the Prince of Wales. Secrets, mystery and intrigue that Anne Perry does so well.

My holiday reading will be composed of Anne Perry’s An Echo of Death a William Monk series and two light romances by Debbie Macomber. If I have browsing time at the airport, you never know what I might pick up.

All books available on Amazon.

 

The Blue Pendant Book I     Anna’s Legacy Book II    Sarah’s Choice Book III

First in series The Blue Pendant  on sale on Amazon .99c

Anna’s Legacy and Sarah’s Choice E-book at all online retailers $4.99

Free e-book available Ruins in Silk prequel to the trilogy. A perfect summer afternoon read.

“Her mother’s death sets a path of tragedy; betrayal, misguided love and even murder ” 

Click to download free e-book