Season of Giving and our Veterans

Some people might think the season of giving starts on Halloween when you’re at your door handing out candy to all the little ghouls and goblins that come trick or treating. Most people believe the season of giving begins the day after Thanksgiving and continues until the day after Christmas.

Me? I’m different. I believe in giving every single month, week, day. I am grateful every day for the people in my life; my family, friends, the complete stranger I meet.

There is one group of people I am most thankful for and I do spend more time and energy in trying to thank them and that is our Veterans. I don’t believe there is enough that can be said or done to thank the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe and free.

We are the land of the free because of the brave.

I truly believe this sentiment so every year I save my change and dollars and this year my fives so that I can give back and say thank you to the service men and women. There are two things I do this time of year.

1.       On Veterans’ Day I go to a local business (Just Naturals (https://www.justnaturals.com/) in Bedford, NH) owned by a friend of mine who puts up a Veteran’s gift tree. On that tree are tags with the first name of a retired Veteran in a home. It lists his or her first name, age, and branch of service. It also has a list of what that Veteran would like for Christmas. I take anywhere from 5 to 10 tags and then I get to play Santa Claus…or in my case, Denise Claus.

I shop! I find everything they want on their list, and let me tell you, those lists are pretty simple. Usually they ask for modest items like Gold Bond Powder, candy and cookies, books, winter hat and gloves, and last year there was a demand for sweatshirts. Oh, and last year several gentlemen wanted after shave. Who knew guys still use that. After the shopping is done then all my friends who also go pull from the Christmas tree come to my house and we wrap. We make it all pretty and put in gigantic gift bags. Then we deliver back to Just Naturals for them to give to the Veteran’s homes and our retired heroes.

2.       Also at this time of year, I pull together (with the help of my friends) items for our At-Risk Veterans. These are the Veterans who are either homeless or just getting off the streets and need an extra boost. For this, I go to local Veterans shelter and check their wishlist or I can also choose from the other tree that Karen puts out at Just Naturals, which is a list of items a local shelter is in need of for our Veterans. Or, hey, be like me do both!!

Again, time to shop! Here is the thing about this list, while some of the items like rain jacket, backpacks, and even socks, warm socks can add up there are other items on the wishlist; toiletries, food products like Ramen Noodles, Peanut Butter, Mac & Cheese, Granola and Protein Bars that don’t break the bank. Any of those items make a difference.

Last year we pulled together 25 waterproof backpacks filled with toiletries, food, fleece blanket, scarf, flannel shirts and socks. According to Karen, the man from the Veterans’ shelter who picked everything up was filled with so much joy that his eyes overfilled with tears.

We delivered another 30 pull string packs filled with toiletries, food, and socks to the Liberty House (http://libertyhousenh.org/) in Manchester, NH; a local Veterans shelter.

What will this cost you? Time. But isn’t it time well spent when you are buying something for someone who is so deserving. Money. A few pennies really. Let’s face it folks, you can buy a bottle of shampoo, bar of soap, a box of Mac & Cheese, or even a pair of socks for less than $1 each.

Now you know why I save all my change and my dollars. It goes a long way and benefits the greatest group of people.

Sounds fantastic, doesn’t it? Makes you want to get up and do something to say thank you to all our Veteran heroes! Great because we have a lot of work today and an even bigger goal this year, but I know if we pull together, we can do this.

This year I would like to see us give 100 bags to the Veterans.

Why 100? Because I found this amazing group of people I reached out to called Warmth for Warriors (http://warmthforwarriors.com/). I was searching for hats for our Veterans and found their site. What’s special about this organization? Well, they hand knit every one of their hats to send to our active military. I found that to be completely amazing! I also wondered, well, if they would do that for active military would they do that for our Veterans? Why not ask. This is key, folks. You never know if you don’t ask.

I asked and I swear to you in 15 minutes I had a response. They were intrigued because no one had reached out to them before, but hey, why not support our service men and women at home as well as abroad. Ten days later I had two boxes of HANDMADE hats! I thanked them for their generosity and decided that if they could give me 100 hats then we could put together 100 bags for our Veterans.

Ready to help? Here’s how:

Run to the bank and cash in all your loose change or the next time you are standing in line at the grocery store or drugstore, or clothing store take whatever money you have in your pocket and trade it in for any of the following.

Toiletries:                                                                           Food:                                                   

Shampoo                                                                            Peanut Butter                                                   
Conditioner                                                                        Mac & Cheese                                                  
Toothpaste                                                                         Ramen Noodles
Toothbrush                                                                         Canned Tuna or Chicken
Shaving Cream                                                                   Canned Soup
Disposable Razors                                                             Pasta and Sauce
Deodorant                                                                          Granola Bars
Body Wash                                                                         Protein Bars
                                                                                             Canned Vegetables
                                                                                             Fruit Cups
                                                                                             Beans

** HINT – for toiletries and food items I have found the best deals at Walmart or my local grocery store.

Clothing:                                                                             Other:

Warm Socks                                                                       Backpacks
Rain Jacket                                                                         Sleeping Bags
Fleece Jacket                                                                      Blankets
Gloves/Hats/Scarves                                                        Can Openers
Winter Clothing/Outerwear                                           Tarps
Thermal Underwear                                                        Hand Warmers
Sneakers (all sizes)                                                           Dunkin Donuts Gift Cards
Thermal shirts (all sizes)
Men’s Boxers (all sizes)
Winter or Work Boots (all sizes)

** HINT – I just discovered a place that has all kinds of socks and they are MADE IN THE USA. Checkout this place: https://usamadesocks.weebly.com/

You’d be amazed how many businesses will give a little extra discount if you tell them it’s for the Veterans. Last year when shopping two different cashiers at my local Macy’s gave me an extra 20% off.

Also, look for the buy one - get one type deals.

If you are like me and want to do as much as possible for as many as possible then search the web for wholesale deals.

Last year for toothbrushes I found a company called Vitality Medical https://www.vitalitymedical.com/.

For the drawstring bags and backpacks I discovered a website called 24 Hour Wristbands (https://24hourwristbands.com/).  

Check with your local shoe store if they have any leftover, last season (NEW) shoes they would be willing to donate or give a deep discount. Remind them that they are just sucking up space anyway so why not give them as a way to say thanks to a local hero.

These are just some of the things I’ve learned and discovered. Have fun with it and let me know when you have something you want to add to the bags or if you have a bag you want to give.

One more thing to note. If you can’t afford to give anything, no worries, but do me a favor and when you see one of those men or women who have served this country say, THANK YOU. Those two little words mean a lot. And if saying thank you to a stranger makes you nervous, or you’re shy like me, then try handing a Veteran a little thank you card or leaving a note on his or her windshield. Here’s a place called Operation Thank You (http://www.sohelpmegodstore.com/product_info.php?products_id=101)  I found where you can order a few cards.

Before you go…THANK YOU! Thank you for helping me reach my goal and for saying thanks to our HEROES, our Veterans.

Dad is my hero!

My father is my hero.

Today is my father’s birthday and today I wanted to take the time to share with you how much I love, admire, and respect him. I want to share with you why my father is my hero.

As some of you may know my dad recently decided to leave his wife behind and come spend Thanksgiving at my place. Thanks, mom for letting Dad go for the week. [GRIN]

He arrived the morning before Thanksgiving and we hung out the first night and had a great steak dinner. . .that I did not cook. Thank goodness for Longhorn steakhouse.

Thanksgiving morning we both woke up early, oh, about 4 AM. Without an alarm! Now I know where I get my early rising habit from. We had breakfast and then we got ready to go run/walk in the Feaster Five annual road race. You see, before my father told me he was coming to visit I had already signed up for the race thinking it would be a good way to work off the day’s food before I even ate it.

My father, being the good man that he is, he agreed to do the walk with me. Well, okay, I coerced him into it by signing him up. See the picture to the left of him standing on the corner in Andover waiting for the race to begin. Now something you should know is that my parents live in Florida so dad is not exactly used to the chilly mornings or winters that we have up here. And Thanksgiving morning was definitely a wee bit cold. Okay, it was dang blustery.

But the holiday music was playing, the hot cocoa was flowing, and the number of runners dressed in various if not freaky attire was growing. A great place to people watch!

When the gun went off signifying the start of the race, we inched our way up to the start line. Seriously, ten thousand people crawled, shoulder-to-shoulder to the start line on their to an end goal of receiving a free apple pie at the end. Yup, anyone who finished the race received their dessert for the holiday table.

Dad and I crossed the finish line, hand-in-hand. What a great way to kickoff a visit with my father and a holiday. Now if I can convince him to make this an annual event. HINT! HINT!

After that wonderful Thanksgiving, the rest of my father’s visit was spent on my “Daddy Do” list. Yes, I had a list.

He got up in the crawly area of my attic and put in more insulation for me. This is the space that I tried to get up in and freaked out once I found out how small it really was. Then, of course, he helped me re-do the other part of the attic cuz I did it wrong. Sheesh! We put insulation in every outlet throughout the house.

Dad changed the ceiling fan out in the master bedroom. This is no easy task when the ceiling is 13 feet tall and he’s sitting on a ladder doing this. He fixed my garage door opener do-hickey that allows me to open the garage from the outside while playing in the yard. He’s so smart, he even taped the instructions on getting it to work to the garage door opener. . .just in case.

He replaced the outdoor light above the garage. This light now illuminates my driveway and part of my yard. It will prevent friendly visitors from running over flowers that I leave in my driveway before planting them. Uh, yes, that has happened. I have squished mums. But not no more! At least I hope.

Last winter I had the carpet in the spare bedroom replaced and when the wood swelled, guess what happened? The bottom of the closet door would scrape along my beautiful new floors. Yikes! Ah, here is where dad comes in. Dad took the door off and sanded it down for me. Voila! No more scraping.

OH! And one of the best things dad did was build a TV riser. I have been wanting one for months and months but could never find one that was the right size. Who needs to buy one when you have a handy dandy dad! Dad is a regular artist when it comes to woodworking. Seriously! You should see some of the things he has made. Dressers, nightstands, jewelry boxes, game boards, headboards, grandfather clocks. He’s a true genius.

So what does dad do? He built a TV riser out of maple. It is wonderful!
Speaking of wood. . .my father is a true guy. He saw my tree limb pile in the backyard from the tree that crashed against the house this summer and my firepit. So what does he want to do? He wants to get out the chainsaw and cut some wood for my firepit. Not kidding! Power tools!! Such a guy!

And of course, after we cut some wood we then had to start a fire and share a bottle of wine. Yup, we did, two nights in a row. It was fantastic!

This is my dad. Is it any wonder I think he is my hero?

Happy birthday, Dad!
Hugs and kisses - XOXOXO

Cars, Hero, and Personalities

What does the car your man, boyfriend, or hero drive say about his personality?

Every once and a while I look out my car window, okay, more than once and a while, but the point is I look out the window and notice the driver inside a car next to me. Or when I'm out and about I meet someone and notice what they drive. Yeah, admit it, you’re checking out the car they drive as much as the guy’s ass in the faded jeans. If you’re a man maybe you’re checking out the woman’s assets.

What does that car tell you about that person? How does that relates to your hero/heroine in your story?

It depends on what they drive. Now, this is not a scientific survey, but something that swishes around in my mind. In fact, this started when I was younger when a girlfriend (older friend as I was not driving or dating at the time) of mine used to only date guys who drove "hot" cars. Seriously. She firmly believed the car told her a lot about the guy. Now at age ...oh never mind that...I would have to say that I somewhat agree.

For example, if a man drives a white Oldsmobile Cutlass what does this say about him and does it make good hero status? Here’s my example of how this guy fits or doesn’t fit the hero mold.

My thought on this granny mobile driver is that he doesn’t have a set of you know…balls, gonads, cojones. One of the engineers I work with shot back, “Or they’re hanging too low to the ground they get kicked.” This is the type of guy who would ask you out. Wait! He wouldn’t actually ask you out himself, he would have one of the waitresses at the little local restaurant you visit ask you out on his behalf.

How about a man who drives a Hummer? Not the baby Hummers they came out with, but the original behemoth. What does this say to you?

First, if the guy has to jump out of the Hummer instead of gliding his feet to the ground after opening the car door then he is too damn short to be driving the Hummer. Is your hero an accountant who wears a suit every day to the office, but drives a Hummer?

Then honey, what the heck is he overcompensating for and do you really want to find out?

Let’s say you run into this gorgeous hunk of a man at the gas station, he introduces himself and asks you out on a date. Odd scenario, but it could happen. When you watch him walk away, cuz of course you do, you see that he hops into and drive off in a mini-van. What is the first thing that runs into our heroine’s mind?

The dude is married! He has a wife and 3.2 children at home along with a dog and a mortgage he can’t afford. His “real” car is a ten-year old Chevrolet sedan. You know what this says? This tells you that the dude probably has minimal education and has a job that pays him too little.


Oh! Here’s a good one. You’re standing on the street waiting for the street light to change and a little red sports car zooms by and zips over to the curve. Tipping your sunglasses down on your nose, you take a closer look at the little red Honda S2000 two-door sports car?

Sports car? This is not a real sports car! This is a wanna-be sports car. It makes all the right VROOM VROOM noises, but under the hood does not beat the heart of a Corvette or Porsche. The man who drives this toy is a guy who wants to be perceived as a player when in reality he drives the Honda because it’s safe and cost-effective. This is a guy who takes no risks and is all flash with no action.

What about a truck driver? Hm…this depends on the truck. Are we talking about a Ford Ranger or Nissan Frontier or are we talking about a F-150? How to put this nicely…If a man is tooling around in a 4-cylinder truck, he is not a man, he’s a boy trying to mirror his father only his nuts haven’t dropped yet so he has to wait before he can get a big boy’s toy.

Now, if the man is driving a F-150 and you see a gun rack hanging on the back window and a Confederate flag hanging from his pole…no not that kind of pole, the antenna pole on the truck then darlin’ you better not run for the hills because that is where this hillbilly is heading. And he’ll be hanging out with his cousin, his other cousin, and his cousin’s cousin…it’s a very close family – if you know what I mean.

Note: Beware of the man who drives a truck with a cab on the back…he may be a serial killer in disguise of a local fisherman.

SUVs are for people looking for adventure or maybe they drive off-road, backroad, or any kind of dirt, bumpy road in the boonies. Okay, the living in the boonies can be a scary thing but in the end if you want some quiet time alone with your hero a little bumpy ride to the sticks will get you there. Besides, the man who drives a Jeep Wrangler not the Jeep Liberty sissy mobile (come one, chicks drive that SUV) is likely to go surfing, snowboarding, or off-roading in the mountains for a picnic by a stream.

Whew! This is just a small list of automobiles and the personalities that they portray about the driver, but you get the idea. My girlfriend from long ago was right. Only date guys with the right kind of car.

My neighbor is my real-life hero...

As an author, I write about heroes all the time. Fictional heroes with qualities that may or may not exist in people we know. Today, I'm sharing with you one of my real heroes, not in the sense of saving me from some unknown danger...although, my neighbor has done that.

Actually, my neighbor has come to my rescue more than once. He watched out for me when I had an experience with a stalker when I first moved into my home. He constantly checked up on strange cars showing up in my drive. He was instrumental in preventing the person from buying the house across the street from me.

And you all remember earlier this winter when I accidentally locked myself in my office and had to scream out the window for someone to come get me? This is that neighbor. He truly is my hero.

His name is Kenny and he owns Pellerin Siding in Salem NH. I LOVE him! In a neighborly way. :-) His wife, Donna, might get upset if I don't add that in there.

A couple of week's ago I was chatting with Kenny's wife and I told her how what a shame it was that the builders who constructed my house didn't make the deck bigger so it extended to the dining room part of the house. Then they could have put in an 8FT slider instead of an 8FT window. Two things happened then. First, she laughed because she wonders what else I will come up with to do in or to my house. Then she reminded me that decks and stuff is what Kenny's company does.

Next thing I know, Kenny comes down, takes some measurements, gives me a quote and BAM! Yes, I am extending my deck. DOUBLE the width!! Not only did we make the arrangements but they started it...in the snow.

Yesterday morning when I woke and was getting ready to leave I glanced out my window and saw floor boards on the deck. WOOT! I took pictures Oh - and if you look real close you will see the offending ladder that broke my finger last weekend in the window. GRRR!

After leaving the house at 6:30 AM, having my Saturday morning bagel with friends, attending the WZID Women's Expo (great event), finally locating two lampshades I needed for my spare bedroom, I returned home about 3:30 in the afternoon. When I arrived, I found two Pellerin trucks in my driveway and the guys packing up. My deck was done!!

Holy cow, can you believe it? I wake up and it's more than halfway there and before I go to bed, I have a new deck. Truly, it was only a matter of days.

It's beautiful. They are my heroes! Wouldn't they be your heroes too?



Thank you Kenny, Paul, Paul, David for the terrific job. Can't wait to do the door next and maybe a front porch. Thank you Donna for the great suggestion.

Now my summertime writing spot will be so much nicer! Bring on the sun, flowers, and BBQ. Time to write outdoors.

Meet my favorite hero!

Last week I posted a blog asking authors to interview their favorite hero and post their answers. The link to that blog post is here. We want to meet your hero! Check out who has posted.

Well, in my haste to set that blog post up, it kind of slipped my mind that, oh, duh! I might want to share my favorite hero too. What can I say, yes, I am a blonde.

Anyway, please meet Jake. Sometimes a secondary character, always a lover of women, and my favorite hero.

Interview of Jake:
1. What is the name of the book where we would meet you? What genre is it?

“You first meet me in It Happens in Threes, a romantic-suspense, Denise has coined techno-romantic thriller. Of course, Denise loves me so much, she had to include me in her second novel, Killer Bunny Hill.

As a matter of fact, she was halfway through the writing of Killer Bunny Hill when she started putting my name in place of the hero’s. HA!” [He slapped his well-worn cowboy hat against a jean-clad thigh.]

"My story, where you really get to know me is Connect the Dots."

2. Who wrote the book?

“That would be Denise Robbins.”

3. What do you think of the author? You can tell us the truth.

“Denise is this short, funny blonde, spitfire of a woman that likes my southern drawl and my ass in a pair of jeans. What do you think? [Jake spun on booted heel and flashed his butt and a wicked grin.]

“On the other hand, she did take three novels to get me and mine out there for the world to see. Sheesh! Did she really need to take so long?”

4. Tell us a little about yourself. How would you describe your appearance? More than cute or drop dead gorgeous, give us enough detail to get a clear idea of how you look.

“Well, I can tell you when Shugar, oh, sorry. When Ruby, my boss’s fiancée from It Happens in Threes meets me, she refers to me as a Neanderthal.” [Jake leaned back and rubbed his hand over his chin.]

“As a matter of fact, so does Samantha in Killer Bunny Hill. I’m a rather tall guy and my size does tend to intimidate. . .at first.” [A sly grin spread across his face making Jake’s green eyes twinkle.]

“But then, I have a way with the ladies. I flash my mist green eyes at them, give a wink, and lay on my southern drawl and snap.” [Jake snapped his fingers.]

“The women become my ally and I’m theirs.” [Jake sat down in a chair, stretched out his long legs in front of him, and crossed his lean, muscular arms over the chest that fit his polo shirt.]

5. What character are you in the book? Are you the hero, the best friend, the sidekick, or someone else?

“That depends on the book, Darlin’. In the first two books I get to play keeper of the women or bodyguard, whichever term you prefer. It’s a tough job but somebody has to do it.” [He winked then set his hat on his knee.]

“In Connect the Dots, I am the finally the hero. [Jake drew out the word finally long and breathy.]

6. Is there a specific reason why you are in the story? Don't give us any story spoilers, but share some teasers if you want.

“Well, yeah, I have to save the ladies. You know the whole damsel in distress thing.” [At this statement, Jake chuckled making the ripples in his stomach muscles tighten and pop underneath his shirt.]

“Just kidding on the damsel in distress. Actually, I’m a trained special agent, who catches the bad guys. I’m kind of the ‘go to’ guy for my boss, Mickey.

“In It Happens in Threes and Killer Bunny Hill, I am called in to keep an eye on the little ladies, who, by the way, can take care of themselves. But I’m there to protect and end up getting involved to the end.”

[Jake leaned back and raked long fingers through chestnut-colored hair.] “In Connect the Dots, I return home from an overseas trip. Hate those. When I get home I find myself with a new neighbor, a very gorgeous, if not citified woman. That’s okay, I won’t hold it against her.”

7. What time period do you live in?

“Oh, Hon, I’m in the here and now.”

8. Where are you from?

“Well, that’s difficult to say. I’ve been everywhere, seen many things, and where I live now is who I am.”

9. Do you live in the same place now?

“Now, I own a nice, old farmhouse in the boonies of New Hampshire. It’s quiet and beautiful, and just what an active field agent needs when he returns from places that would make your skin crawl. I can sit on my farmer’s porch in the chairs that I made myself, drink a beer, and enjoy the sunset.” [A wistful look slid across Jake’s face as he described his place.]

10. Tell us about your hometown and your current home.

“I bought this huge plot of land from my old neighbor with this old rundown house on it. My friends Mickey and Ruby thought I was nuts, but I like doing the work on it by myself.” [He held his large hands out in front of him and flipped them back and forth.]

“I get the greatest sense of accomplishment when I do the work with my own hands. Every time I step on my front porch, I know I built them.”

11. Tell us how your hometown or your current home affects you, the things you do and how you feel about life?

“I live in one of those small towns where everybody knows everyone. You can’t fart without everyone else knowin’ what it smells like.” [He chuckled behind his hand.]

“Sorry, that was a little too descriptive. Basically, we’re an old-fashioned community of people, each with our own talents and skills, who will help each other out in a heartbeat. I love it there.”

12. What is your job? Do you like it?

[Jake leaned in and pressed a finger to his lips.] “Shh. I work for a secret government agency.” [He sat back grinning.]

“Do I like it? Heck, yeah! Why do a job if you don’t love it? Life is too short, Darlin’, to spend more hours in a place you hate, doing a job you despise than at home loving the woman of your dreams or your family. But make sure you cherish that time with your woman and your family every chance you get.”

13. How does your job affect your love life?

[Jake scratched the top of his head and his eyes glanced away.] “That’s a good question. At first, I did not get involved with women. Yeah, I like to flirt.” [He shrugged his wide shoulders and let them drop.]

“But getting involved with someone can be dangerous for them, even deadly. I don’t want to be the cause of a woman losing her life.”

[A gleam shimmered in his gaze.] “Then I met Charley.”

14. What special skills or abilities do you have?

“Besides the sweet talkin’, I am a dog with a bone. I know many languages, some computer skills of which I am getting better and better, how to investigate and research, solve puzzles, infiltrate known organizations, kick ass, and when necessary as it is in most occasions, be diplomatic and stealth.”

15. How do those affect your part in the story?

“Sweetheart, they are the story. I can put 2 and 2 together and when I come up with 5, I know something is wrong. I read body language better than my girlfriend.” [He slapped a hand over his mouth then removed it.]

“Don’t tell Charley I said that. She’ll kick my ass.”

16. Are you happy with the story?

“I think the story surprised me as much as it did Denise. It was so realistic it pretty much scared the bejeezes out of me a couple of times. And when Charley –”

[Jake clamped his lips shut.] “Don’t want to give anything away, but suffice it to say the title Connect the Dots fits well.”

17. Do you have some ideas that the author should consider about the story? You can share them with us. We're all friends here.

“Yup. I think Denise should go ahead and name places. Who cares if the CIA throws a little hissy fit because she, along with a little help from me and Charley, figured out where things are at.”

18. Tell us about your past. Can you share one good experience and/or one bad experience? I know that bad experience can be tough, but it would tell us more about what you have been through.

“Pasts are for the past. Leave it there and it can never haunt you or anyone else around you.”

19. Who is the most important person in your life? Tell us about him/her.

“Most important person in my life is my woman, Charley. She is this citified, pansy-ass, who underneath all those fine clothes is the toughest, smartest, and most feminine woman I have ever met. I’m the luckiest guy there is.”

20. Is that person in the story we are talking about?

“Charley is my new neighbor in Connect the Dots. She starts out as an intriguing pain in my backside, not to mention a liar, but after awhile she grows on me. Yeehaw! The woman knows how to bake cookies and take a man down.”

21. What do you see in your future?

“A lot of Charley and more traveling as a couple.”

22. Do you think your author is going to write another story about you? Or, are you part of a series?

“Well, all her stories so far have been standalone even though I do show up here and there. Do I think Denise will write another story about me?” [A slow, crooked grin tipped the corner of his lips upward.]

“She darn well better, but I know she has to finish that ‘pink undie’ story first and then do that sequel to It Happens in Threes for Mickey and Ruby. Too many people been asking about that. Of course, that means I will probably show up, even if it is to help my good buddy and boss’s fiancée out.”

[WINK WINK] “Watch out, Mickey. Just kidding. Mickey’s kinda the jealous type.”

23. Do you like being a character in a book? Why?

“Absolutely. It’s fun, creative, and I can wreak havoc on Denise’s plans whenever I want just by whispering in her ear.” [Jake chuckled.]

“The woman is like putty in my hands.” [He cupped his hands together then wrapped them over each other.]

24. If someone ever decides to make a movie based on your story, who should play you in the movie and why?

“I’m kind of one of a kind, don’t ya think? But, if I had to choose someone to play me. . . Hmm.” [He sat back, crossed his legs, causing his thigh to bunch up and tighten beneath faded jeans. A few seconds later, he threw his arms open wide and dropped them to his side.]

“I got nothing, nobody. How about you tell me?”


Well, I hope you enjoyed meeting Jake as much as I have enjoyed making him come to life.

If you haven't shared your favorite hero, feel free to do so now.

Calling all authors! We want to meet your favorite male character.

Have you written a hero you love? Has a sidekick jumped off the page and become your hero in another story? Have you fallen for this character and wish you could meet him in real life?

We want to know about him! We want to meet him.

This is a great opportunity for you tell show us the kind of characters that you create and a little about your book.

Put on your hero's hat and come be interviewed. Let us ask your favorite male character some questions.

Are you ready? Here are the questions:


1. What is the name of the book where we would meet you? What genre is it?

2. Who wrote the book?

3. What do you think of the author? You can tell us the truth.

4. Tell us a little about yourself. How would you describe your appearance? More than cute or drop dead gorgeous, give us enough detail to get a clear idea of how you look.

5. What character are you in the book? Are you the hero, the best friend, the sidekick, or someone else?

6. Is there a specific reason why you are in the story? Don't give us any story spoilers, but share some teasers if you want.

7. What time period do you live in?

8. Where are you from?

9. Do you live in the same place now?

10. Tell us about your hometown and your current home.

11. Tell us how your hometown or your current home affects you, the things you do and how you feel about life?

12. What is your job? Do you like it?

13. How does your job affect your love life?

14. What special skills or abilities do you have?

15. How do those affect your part in the story?

16. Are you happy with the story?

17. Do you have some ideas that the author should consider about the story? You can share them with us. We're all friends here.

18. Tell us about your past. Can you share one good experience and/or one bad experience? I know that bad experience can be tough, but it would tell us more about what you have been through.

19. Who is the most important person in your life? Tell us about him/her.

20. Is that person in the story we are talking about?

21. What do you see in your future?

22. Do you think your author is going to write another story about you? Or, are you part of a series?

23. Do you like being a character in a book? Why?

24. If someone ever decides to make a movie based on your story, who should play you in the movie and why?

What makes a good detective in a mystery?

While we are reading "A Little Murder" by Cindy Davis, I thought it appropriate to discuss writing mysteries.

Let's start with the DETECTIVE.

The trick to a good mystery or any novel is to create believable and interesting characters. In the case of a mystery, the detective is the character readers will identify with first and foremost.

Rules for the DETECTIVE:

Curious

We have all heard the saying "show, don't tell"?

The best way to show that the detective in a mystery novel is the curious sort, who HAS to know the answer, put him/her in a job that seems to attract curious types. The obvious examples are private investigator, police detective, and investigative reporter. The not so obvious might be a photo/journalist, a scientist, a researcher, a librarian, or even a computer hacker (my personal favorite). Not only will the readers accept the detective as the sort who will chase down answers, but also these jobs often lead to fascinating plots.

Abilities

Consider your detective's occupation. Will it allow time out to go solve a puzzle? If the detective’s job does not allow for time to unravel the mystery of his best friend’s death then there has to be a credible way to excuse all the time the detective is away from his/her “real” job. Perhaps he/she is on vacation. Maybe the detective is on holiday or a vacation. Keep it real to be believable.

The detective will be in personal danger at some point in the novel and will therefore have to be strong. Showing the detective as regularly performing some physical activity like jogging five miles a day, swimming ten laps in a pool before bedtime, or taking a dance class will give he or she the appearance of being strong.

Why is this necessary?

When the detective faces the danger of having to kick a gun away, fight an armed assailant in frigid water, or wriggle out of constraints it will be easier to believe that he/she is capable of performing such feats.

Remember when you first started writing and one of the first things you did was interview your characters, get to know them in-depth? In a mystery, it is helpful to know the hobbies and skills the detective is involved in and will HELP in solving the mystery. Stamp collecting may not be of much use unless the mystery revolves around the death of a small town stamp collecting storeowner. Is she a computer whiz? Does he teach a psychology class once a week at the community college?

Friends of the detective are also useful. Having a pal on the police force or at the Town Clerk’s office can come in handy. A neighbor who is a lawyer or a computer geek can be of use to a detective at different times.

Bloodhound

There has to be a reason the detective is compelled to find the solution. In police procedurals or private eye novels, this is easy. The detective is hired to do the job. That is not exactly compelling. Perhaps the detective needs the job because she just opened her private investigative firm and wants to prove herself as competent.

One of the best ways to have an amateur sleuth continue the hunt for clues and the answer is to either make him/her a suspect, or have someone he/she care for a suspect. If the police have determined that he must have "dunnit", then no one else is looking for the real culprit. Another effective motive is if the detective or someone he/she cares about is in danger. She has to proceed with the investigation, regardless of the danger.

Intelligent

The detective in a mystery novel, whether amateur or professional cannot bumble his/her way through investigation and just happen upon clues and answers. This character is going to solve a puzzle. It must be believable that he can unravel the mystery.

Tune in tomorrow when we discuss the VILLAIN.

What attracts hero to heroine and heroine to hero?

We've all read books that have a little attraction between a guy and a girl or a man and a woman. Heck, even some of the hard core mysteries have a little romance in them, right? They do if real life seeps into the story.

I thought a fun discussion topic would be what attracts a hero to a heroine and what attracts the heroine to the hero.

Is it that the guy can actually match his clothes when he gets dressed in the morning all by himself or that he washed his morning whiskers down the sink?

Is it that the woman doesn't cake her makeup on so she reminds him of his grandmother or that when he asks her what she would like for a dinner out she actually answers him and says chicken wings?

Let's see what everyone has to say. Share your ideas/thoughts in the categories below. Share what you believe or what you've read or written about in books.

Hero to Heroine: (What attracts hero to heroine?)

The way the heroine carries herself when she walks into a room (like she knows what she is doing)
An independent woman who does not rely on the man
Someone who is fun and outgoing
A woman who is not afraid to challenge him
The way her hips sway when she walks
Her smile
Her laugh
Her intelligence and that she's not afraid to show it

Heroine to Hero: (What attracts heroine to hero?)

A guy with a sense of humor
Nice butt in a pair of jeans
His intellect
His crooked grin
That the hero is not an easy catch
The deep sound of his voice

My hero needs a name - HELP

My hero for book number 5 needs a name.

This is the hero from the Pink Undies story I have written bits and pieces of through the writing prompts I have posted. We know the heroine's name is Jane, but we have no clue what the hero's name is. So I need your help.

Here's what we know. The hero is a detective, he has dark hair, steel-blue eyes, is well-built, and one night he got caught wearing ladies' lingerie. No he does not do this on a normal basis. BUT, because of that scene, the hero's name needs to be very strong and masculine sounding.

Last night while getting my haircut, my hairdresser and I discussed several options and came up with a shortlist. Tell me what you think.

1. Dominic
2. Garrett
3. Sloan
4. Blake
5. Chase
6. Remy

Post a comment and let me know your opinion. If you have another suggestion, feel free to share. But I am desperate to stop calling my hero, Detective Pink Panties!!

Name that Hero Contest!

Step right up and name that hero!

As you know, I have this story for book number 5 going off in my head and in the various writing prompts that I post and you write to. At the moment, I call it the "Pink Undie Story." The real title will hit me when I actually get to focus on that book.

In the meantime, if you hadn't noticed, I have yet to name the hero, the cop who got caught wearing those pink undies. The heroine is Jane and will remain Jane. For some reason her name just fits.

The hero. . .his name has not popped out and hit me yet, and said, "My name is. . ."

Here is the contest part. From now until Saturday, post a comment back and make a suggestion as to a name that I should use for my hero. I

f you want to know more about him, read some of the previous writing prompt posts. The name cannot be Michael, Max, Lucas, or Jake. Those are my other heroes.

The name needs to be very strong, especially after the guy gets caught wearing girl's panties.

What do you win?

Hm. How about an autographed copy of IT HAPPENS IN THREES and a You don't say no to girls T-shirt.

Hurry though! You only have until Saturday!

I will announce the name and the winner on Saturday evening. Good luck!!

The Home Stretch

Had an amazing day of writing yesterday. Wrote several chapters and in the last one kind of peterd out so this morning I had to revise it. I do believe it is much better.

But now, I'm literally on the last or second to last chapter and I haven't a clue of how it should go. Every time I start an idea I end up not liking it. I think I've started this chapter at least 3 times.

I even tried going for a drive, thinking that would clear my mind enough to get past my writer's block and get it done.

Is this happening because the end is near, I'm in the home stretch, or because I should have planned this?

With my last book I didn't have this big of a problem, although I did write it twice. I had an original idea but during the actual writing of it, the chapter took on a life of its own. The girls in my writers group straightened me out on that one so of course I fixed it.

But this one is killing me. I need the hero and heroine to catch the bad guy and the heroine to tell the bad guy she loves him. I mean come on! How hard can it be?

OK - enough ranting. Any suggestions on how to get past this would be greatly appreciated.

Have you ever noticed...?

Have you ever noticed that the busier you are the more creative you are?


On Sunday when I planned to sit with the football games on television and do nothing but write and eat homemade soup I couldn't write more than two sentences.


Yesterday, in between phone interviews, making homemade soups, and getting ready for my Saturday Holiday Open House (kicking off the shopping season with chocolate and friends), I managed to write over 2000 words (not a lot, but decent). Plus, I revised the last chapter I had written and even if I do say so myself, it is way better. Much more tension andit jumps off the page.

SO why did this happen? I have no clue, do you?

Anyway, it's after 5:30 AM my time and I have to get up and get ready for what I hope will be another productive day of writing and other. Gotta see if I can get my hero's chapter to jump off the page. Wish me luck.

What's in a name?

What does a romantic suspense writer name her cats?

Mischief and Mayhem, of course. See photos on the left. :-)

When you name your cats or dog or characters do the names have to fit?

In the case of my characters...I think yes. Look at it this way. When you hear or read the name "Ralph", what do you immediately envision? Me, I envision a Beagle with big floppy ears who just kinda does things at his own pace. Why? Because when I was younger a neighbor had a Beagle named Ralph.

Now, try the name "Jake". What do you envision? I envision a taller than average guy, who likes to be outdoors and work with his hands. Jake describes the kind of guy when he walks down the street us ladies do a double-take.

Would I ever name one of my female characters "Charlotte"? Maybe, if I shortened it to Charley. I like strong female characters, and calling an intelligent, spirited, and independent character Charley comes across in the name.

What about you? What names do you like for a hero, heroine, or villain? Why?