An author without a publisher

What’s a girl to do?

Due to the recent death of our publisher, Linda, her partner in the publishing company has decided to shut the doors on L&L Dreamspell. Amidst all the grieving that all of us are experiencing we have to decide what to do with our manuscripts. All rights have been reverted to me, including my sixth novel (At Face Value) that had yet to be printed.

I’m extremely saddened over the death of a friend and now have to grieve over the loss of publishing company that cared for its authors. Where else could you offer the publisher a bunch of chocolate if she printed your book a month earlier than planned? Who else would call you out of the blue just because you fell off the face of the earth for a month? Lisa and Linda took such amazing care of us and our books from the words to the covers, to the moral support and guidance. Even now, Lisa is focusing on her dream team of authors and making sure they get what they need to make their decisions and move forward.

So here I am, without a publisher and I have no clue what to do. I, for one, never thought I would be here. Here I am, asking, “What do I do?”

Should I submit to other publishers? Do I look for an agent? Or do I take a gigantic leap and self-publish?

If I submit to other publishers or an agent, do I submit only the book that hasn’t been put in print yet? Do I mention the other five books that now need an avenue to get to readers? Are there any publishers or agents that you think might best fit me and my romantic-suspense genre?

If I go self-pubbed is that riskier than traditional publishing? What is all the work I would have to do myself? And do you as a reader like to read self-published?

My biggest issue is making sure that the books are available in both print and ebook format.

In the back of my mind, as difficult as this situation is, and when I get past all the tears, I think this is an impetus to push me.  It’s a sign. Here is an opportunity to take the bull by its horns and turn my writing career into what I want. The question is, “How?”

Whether you are a reader, a writer, blogger, etc., what are your thoughts?

Life is precious and too damn short

Every week people ask me why I do some of the things I do. Why do I run? Why do I travel abroad by myself and without knowing anyone? Why learn to sing?

Today seems like a good day to explain why.

It’s only in the last three years that I realized life is meant to be lived. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It wasn’t as if I wasn’t living, but I was only existing. Going to work, coming home and shutting myself in. I did that for almost five years. If not for my writing, I probably would have gone insane.

You see, five years ago I was traumatized as that’s the only way to describe it, by a man who stalked me. No, he never physically hurt me, but did touch me, hacked my home network, would just appear places where I was, would send me gifts and cards. It became so bad that friends parked cars in my yard as a deterrent to him showing up where I lived. I filed complaints with the police and that didn’t stop him. When he tried to buy the house across the street from me TWICE (sight unseen), I finally went to court and got a restraining order.

Do you have any idea how hard it is to face someone like that in a courtroom? Everyone assumed he wouldn’t show, but here’s the thing about stalkers, it’s all about being near the person of their obsession. And it’s downright frightening to the person being stalked. When I pulled into the courthouse I saw him walking into the building. With my heart beating faster than a jackhammer, I turned tail to run. If not for the stubborn set of my ex-husband’s mind and words I wouldn’t have gone back. But I did.

For three years I was afraid to leave my house, afraid of any man who sat next to me, of any man who had a moustache, deathly afraid of going to a movie,  afraid of my own shadow. I was just existing. I finally woke up one day and realized, this was my life and that no one had the right to make me a prisoner in my own mind.

The first thing I did was learn how to shoot a weapon, to protect myself. I refused to get alarms on my home. Why? Because quite honestly, alarms are too late. By the time the alarm goes off the person is in your home. What do you do then?

After that, I started living again. Oh, it’s taken me a long time and I’ve changed my phone number several times since it all started, but in the last two and a half years I realized life was precious and too damn short. I’ve now conquered my fear (mostly) and I have started living. For five years I never went to the movies. This year I have gone twice. Yea me!

I’ve traveled to Ireland twice by myself and without knowing a soul. I’ve taken up running and traveling to places for various races. I’ve taken voice lessons. I go out to eat and don’t go into a panic attack if a stranger with a moustache sits next to me. Okay, I might slide a little to the other side, but I don’t bolt and I don’t breakout in hives. Yup, that was me.

This year, I am chasing a dream of running the Marine Corps marathon.

Why am I telling you all this? Why am I telling you today?

Today I lost a friend, a woman who made dreams come true for a lot of writers and for me in particular. She wasn’t old, hadn’t lived to a ripe old age. She fought a good fight against a killer disease. A disease that takes too many people, a disease that isn’t discriminating in its attack, but chooses at random to inflict pain and death.

Today I reflect on what life has to offer and how my friend not only chased her own dreams and lived her life, but she gave others their dream and in truth probably helped me get my life back.

If you get nothing more from this post, remember that life is precious and that it is too brief, so make the most of it and live it. If there is something on your bucket list, don’t wait. Go out and check off that bucket list while you still can. You were put on this earth not to just exist and work, but to live. Live your life to the fullest. I intend to!

Running is like Writing

You ever want something so bad that you become a Nervous Nellie about it? Or you become a Doubting Thomas, or in my case a Doubting Denise?

That’s me right now!

Does your stomach flip and flop? Do your palms sweat like a girl going out on her first date? Are you constantly asking yourself if you really want it or want to do it? Or maybe you question the sanity of it?

Yes to all of the above.

I had this same experience when I finished my first novel and was trying to find a publisher. You question and doubt yourself. And every time you send off a query you wring your hands as if they were part of the washing machine. But in the end it all worked out. Why? Because I refused to give up. Because I wanted it that bad.

Today and for the next four months, I worry about the Marine Corps Marathon. Not kidding! I want it that bad.

The farthest I have run to date is a half marathon. That’s 13.1 miles. And here I am thinking or wanting to run 26.2 miles. I must be nuts!

As a matter of fact, I think most distance runners have to be a little whacked. I mean seriously, who does that?

This year my one and only goal, well, okay, I have more than one. I have two important goals: Run the Marine Corps Marathon and finish, and finish writing my current novel-in-progress. Both are extremely important to me. I dread that without completing one I won’t complete the other.

Both goals have wormed their way into my heart and mean something very important and special to me. The book because it took a turn almost at the beginning and went in a direction I never expected and I don’t believe it’s coming back. Not that that is a bad thing. It’s just different and exciting and nerve-racking. But, I am determined to sit back and enjoy the ride as my characters drive me to the end.

The Marine Corps marathon is almost more plaguing. Not because I don’t think I can run or even walk 26.2 miles, but because there is a time limit on hitting two points in the race. I have to be at mile 17.5 within four hours and 20 mile marker in 5 hours. On a good day I can run a half marathon in three hours, a bad day in three hours and fifteen minutes. That leaves only 45 minutes to go another 4.5 miles to hit mile 17.5. Ugh!

See! Tell me that did not just scare the bejeezes out of you.

Oh, I have my good days. Those are the days where I finish a race in under an expected time and am ecstatic and I think, “Hey! I’m improving.” The other days the time is not as good as I hoped. It’s still consistent, but not what I want.

I guess it’s the same way in writing. Some days I can sit down and the story just flows and I end up with several thousand words or a couple of chapters. Other days I’m lucky if I can even correct a sentence or remember what color eyes my heroine has. (That’s actually true. I swear they change with my mood.)

Last weekend I ran a 5-mile race in one hour. That’s a minute per mile improvement from last year. Woohoo! Yea me!

Then I question why I can’t keep up that pace. Yeah, I know, practice and train. Practice and train.

I am!

But do you know how unexciting it is to go out and run on the streets for ten miles? Just me, my MP3 player, and hydration belt. It’s kind of like when you read or write a book but have no clue who your characters are so you write about stick figures.

Somehow though, the writer in me is able to picture those characters and bring them to life, make them real with personalities that make you want to learn more about them.

How do I make my running come to life?

So far, the only way I have found is the races. Ahh! All that energy, the music, the announcer, the runners and spectators. It’s like instant rush! How do I bring that to my training runs so it doesn’t feel like such a chore? Oh, to go run three miles is no biggie. I actually enjoy that. It’s short and sweet and kind of like a nice stretch at the end of the day.

Somehow I need to put character into my long runs and fall in love with them just like I do my heroes and heroines. Somehow I need to breathe life into a ten or seventeen mile run.

Writing and running really do have much in common. They both take hard work, dedication, and heart. They both require me to fall in love with something that is challenging, that may be out of my comfort zone and to not fret about the small setbacks or the character deciding to go left when you meant to go right.

With both running and writing I will have Nervous Nellie moments and Doubting Denise skepticism, but it’s the writer in me, the person who knows not to give up that will make me hit that 17.5-mile marker in 4 hours, I say with great hope and a roller coaster in my belly.

Or to quote Buddha: "The mind is everything. What you think, you become."

If that's true then this year I become a marathoner and an author of seven books!

 

What you reading Wednesday

Wow! Time flies when you're having fun or working too much. I completely flaked on this week's What you reading Wednesday post so here it is...on Friday.

What are you reading this week? Anything you love? Something you can't put down?

Me, I'm reading via audiobook on my morning and evening commute Total Control by David Baldcci. I absolutely love David's mysteries.

Book blurb:
Sidney Archer thought she had the perfect life: a loving husband, an adorable baby daughter, and a great career as a senior partner in a major Washington law firm. But when her husband is killed in a plane crash, her whole world begins to disintegrate. The FBI believes her husband is responsible for the bombing -- and that he may still be alive!

Since I like variety, on my Kindle I am enjoying Silver Angel by Johanna Lindsey.

Book blurb:
Abducted and sold into slavery, Chantelle Burke has been brought to the palace of the mighty Pasha. Vowing never to bow to this ruthless master's will, the young Englishwoman weakens within the silken splendor of his chambers, and after on glance into his piercing emerald eyes.

The stunningly handsome Pasha is a powerful, muscular figure yet he caresses the lovely addition to his harem with a fond tenderness that only succeeds in driving her wild. But beneath his exotic eastern garb, the cryptic Pasha shrouds his true identity -- one that he finds difficult to conceal when he wants so much to surrender his hearty and soul to the irresistible Chantelle.

Why I run

The other day I was out when someone asked me, "Why do you run?"

You know, I had to think about it. I had to think about it because it's just something I enjoy. Something that puts a smile on my face. Of course it also makes me sweat and cringe but it's the smile at the end that make me go back for more.

I am by no means a fantastic runner. I don't have the svelt and sleek body of a runner. What I do have is heart.

Running is in my heart and it makes me happy. There's something about going outside and putting one foot in front of the other and challenging myself. When I return home I have a smile on my face because I accomplished something. It doesn't matter that it was a training run or a race, or even my worst race on the hottest day. I went out and did something and finished.

It's the time I get to spend with myself that allows me to clear my head. I listen to music and forget about the work day or the day's frustrations.

If I'm in a race, I'm not in a race against the other runners, I'm in the race against myself. Can I take the monster hill that I know is ahead of me? Can I beat my best time and set a personal record?

Running is time for me. Even if there are five thousand other runners around me, I'm still there by myself.

It's a sport that is physically challenging and even more so mentally challenging. When the legs and lungs give out, it's the heart that keeps me going. The heart to trudge through the pain and exhaustion and push myself to that next burst of energy. The heart to say, "I'm going to do this," and make it to the finish line.

I've only been running for about 2 years and each year I challenge myself more. Last year I wanted to run a half marathon. I had barely trained when I did my first one in February and I admit I was not ready as my body will atest since it took me six weeks to recuperate. But you know what? I did it. By the time I got to that last mile I was smiling and gritting my teeth, but it's the grin that won out. When I got to the last quarter mile with my butt hanging and my feet crying, another runner came up beside me and said, "Come on, you've got this. Let's run the rest of the way." Inside, I thought the woman was nuts and I cringed, but for some unknown reason my heart took over and got my feet moving. I did it! I finished and under the time I wanted. Good for me. Good for anyone who finished!

Oh, it wasn't a pretty run, but you know what I can say, "I did it." And when I did the next half marathon, after having trained a little more, I did better. With each race I improve. It may be by only a second or it may be by ten minutes, but either way it's great. Because I got on that road, that dirt trail, or that monster hill and I finished.

This year, I am still running and still improving. Last weekend was the first time I actually ran the entire 5K. That was a ginormous feat for me. Since I started this new adventure of running I have only been able to run/walk so to be able to run the entire time was not only a huge day for me, it was that fact that I did it on a trail run, which I have never done before. It was the fact that I did it for a race that benefitted the Wounded Warrior Project that made it sweet success.

It's my heart that makes me a runner. Not my legs. It's the determination that my heart gives me to find a challenge and go after it. And to finish it.

This year, my big challenge is to complete the Marine Corps Marathon. I can honsetly say that I am scared witless. Not because I don't think I can finish 26.2 miles (Yikes!), because all I have to do is tell myself I'm going to finish and I will. Nope, I'm scared because I have to be at mile 20 by a certain time or the Marines pick you up, put you in a van and move you ahead in the race and then drop you back off to finish. That is NOT what I want to happen. I want to hit mile 20 on my own and on time.

Mile 20 is my challenge. Twenty miles in four hours and thirty minutes. I've got to maintain about a 13 minute per mile pace. Right now in my half marathons, I am at about a 14 minute pace. I have to improve by a minute a mile. Can I do it?

I guess time will tell, but if heart and determination have any influence in it then I say the answer is YES.

What you reading Wednesday

It's that time again. Time to share what you are reading.

 
This week in my work commute I am listening to David Baldacci's novel, Total Control. While I love David's books, I am not thrilled with the reader on this audiobook. The story is, however good. I would expect nothing less of David Baldacci.

Book blurb:

Sidney Archer thought she had the perfect life: a loving husband, an adorable baby daughter, and a great career as a senior partner in a major Washington law firm. But when her husband is killed in a plane crash, her whole world begins to disintegrate. The FBI believes her husband is responsible for the bombing -- and that he may still be alive!

 

At home I am reading  a book by Johanna Lindsey. The first in a series titled Fires of Winter. I appear to be in the mood for historical romances lately.

 

Book blurb:

Lovely and dauntless, abducted by invaders from across an icy sea, Lady Breena vowed vengeance swearing no Viking brute would be her master no barbarian would enslave her noble Celtic heart, but then came Garrick Haardrad, the proud and powerful son of a ruthless Viking chieftain. 

 

What are you all readung?

Characters who refuse to leave you alone

On Monday I was trying to do a little writing in my latest novel when this darn character kept popping into my head, waving his hands in the air, and saying, "Me! Me! Talk about me!"

You think I'm kidding? You think that the imaginary characters are stick figures with no personality?

I got news for you. Characters are real! They may not be flesh and blood, but they do come to life. Many times on their very own.

In this case, a character by the name of Caleb Jones kept nagging me. He has this wry smile, twinkling sapphire eyes, and a body that just won't quit. He knows he's sexy, he loves to keep secrets, and he loves a woman by the name of Alexandria (Alex for short). Caleb wears faded blue jeans and a black T-shirt and wears them well.

Check out what I ended up writing instead of working on my WIP. I'm thinking I really like Caleb! But he needs to wait his turn.

Alex nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a loud, persistent rap on her door.

“Hold on, Garth. Someone is at the door.”

With the phone pressed to her ear, Alex moved toward the insistent and now irritating sound. She twisted the knob and jerked the door open. The hand that held the phone dropped to her side. Her heart jumped into her throat and she blinked rapidly in utter amazement.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

The grin the spread across Caleb Jones’ too handsome face heated the old fury that she thought she had buried. Her jaw tightened and her gaze narrowed. She imagined daggers shooting out of her amethyst-colored eyes and landing in his heart. Oh, wait, Caleb didn’t have a heart.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

She instinctively took a step forward, blocking his way into her home. Invite him in? Her brows furrowed and she rubbed her hand across her forehead to smooth away the lines of frustration and irritation.

The sound of a yelling voice penetrated her mind. Without taking her eyes off Caleb’s blue gaze, she pressed the phone to her ear and spoke. “I got to go, Garth. I’ll talk with you later.” Alex shut the flip phone and cut off Garth’s response. She made a mental note to call him back later and apologize. After she got rid of the nuisance that stood on her front porch fouling her crisp, clean, country air.

Planting her fists on her hips, Alex took in the man who had once been her lover. He looked as rakish as ever, standing there in his faded and well-worn blue jeans and black T-shirt pulled tight across a broad and muscular chest. Quit staring at his chest!

She pulled her gaze upwards. His sapphire eyes glittered with heat. The slight upturn at the corner of his lips indicated his sardonic grin. It was as if he had a secret and wouldn’t share until he was ready.  Well, he could keep his secrets. She no longer cared what they were. He could take his secrets and shove them…

“Are you going to let me in? Your neighbors will start to wonder.”

She lived in a rural area where the nearest neighbor was a half mile away. “No.” She crossed her arms over her breasts. “What do you want?”

Caleb took a step forward entering her personal space and bent so his eyes were level with hers. His blue gaze narrowed and she would have sworn she felt heat burn her. Alex sucked in a breath and thought to take a step in retreat when her spine stiffened with stubbornness. This was her house. I’ll be damned if I let him intimidate me. Holding her breath, she held her ground and asked her question again, enunciating each word. “What—do—you—want?”

He smiled and his eyes lit with something devious yet sensual. Alex swallowed. Her heart hammered inside her chest. She wanted to close her eyes, but she found she couldn’t. She was caught in his spell.

“You.”

Honoring Memorial Day

Yesterday I ran the Wounded Warrior 5K in support of the Wounded Warrior project. It was not only a great run for an extremely good cause, but it was a day to smile at the amount of support that was displayed for our service men and women.

While at the race I saw a couple of people who wore T-shirts that had the saying "All gave some, Some gave all."

Today, Memorial Day, we honor those who gave all. Those men and women who lost their lives while protecting our freedoms. Some people will honor fallen soldiers by placing flowers or flags on graves. Some will join family and friends for a BBQ and raise a toast for a loved one lost in a battle.

However you choose to remember those men and women who gave their all, it doesn't matter, as long as your remember them. Remember an uncle, a father, a lover, a friend who chose to stand that wall and fight that fight for you, for us. They put their lives on the line so that today you could spend with family and friends however you choose. That freedom of choice is what our service men and women fight and sometimes die for.

Even if you don't visit a gravesite or raise a glass in a toast, please take a minute to remember someone, anyone who may have touched your life and lost theirs, because whether you knew it or not, he or she thought you and our way of life was worth fighting for and protecting.

While today is about our fallen, but not forgotten soldiers, please, if you see a Veteran or a soldier take a moment to just say, "Thank you for your service." Because of them you are here, safe and sound to enjoy that BBQ, that sunshine, and your family and friends.

I want to give a shout of thanks to men who I know who were/are soldiers. Thank you, Thomas Robbins, Dave Cacciotti, Brendan Daley, Duane Augustson, my grandpa Cohoon (who passed away when I was young) and I'm too far away to stop by and say hello. I know there are many more that I should say thank you to, but these are just a few who are near and dear and thankfully still a part of my life.

To the men and women who lost their lives while fighting for us, I want to say, "Thank you and know that I and many more honor you today and the sacrifice you made."

Hugs and love to all those that have lost a soldier to war. Thank you.

What you reading Wednesday

It's a dreary, rainy Wednesday here in New Hampshire. The perfect day for curling up with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa or a glass of wine and reading a book. Let the story take you away from the dreary to the delirious.

What are you reading?

I finished reading The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick last week so I decided that I should read the first book in the series called Crystal Gardens. Looking forward to reading the next book.

Book blurb: Evangeline Ames has rented a country cottage far from the London streets where she was recently attacked. Fascinated by the paranormal energy of nearby Crystal Gardens, she finds pleasure in sneaking past the wall to explore the grounds. And when her life is threatened again, she instinctively goes to the gardens for safety.

Lucas Sebastian has never been one to ignore a lady in danger, even if she is trespassing on his property. Quickly disposing of her would-be assassin, he insists they keep the matter private. There are rumors enough already, about treasure buried under his garden and occult botanical experiments performed by his uncle—who died of mysterious causes. With Evangeline’s skill for detection, and Lucas’s sense of the criminal mind, they soon discover that they have a common enemy. And as the energy emanating from Crystal Gardens intensifies, they realize that to survive they must unearth what has been buried for too long.

On my daily commute, I finished listening to Silken Prey by John Sandford and have switched gears from mystery to a romance.

This week, I am listening to Let Love Find You by Johanna Lindsey. I'm a sucker for a good historical romance.

Book blurb:

London society has its very own Cupid. Renowned horse breeder and occasional matchmaker Devin Baldwin pairs eligible young ladies with suitable gentlemen based on his theory of animal magnetism. Unafraid of ruffling the ton’s feathers, this darkly handsome Cupid doles out tips for bettering one’s chances of meeting a mate that are as pointed as the love legend’s sharpest arrows!

Lovely Amanda Locke, the daughter of a duke, is everything a nobleman could desire, yet she enters her third Season still searching for a match. Gossipmongers’ tongues are wagging, and her mystified family is considering drastic measures to find her a husband. But the insufferable advice of this Cupid fellow is the last thing Amanda wants.

When an earl passionate about horses becomes the target of her husband hunt, Amanda knows it’s time to overcome her fear of riding. With her sister-in-law Ophelia hastening the romance along by arranging riding lessons, Amanda is soon taking instruction from infuriating Devin Baldwin. Astonishingly, in her daily encounters with Devin—who treats her as an ordinary young woman, not a prize to be won at the marriage mart—Amanda experiences passion for the first time. Now, her search for a match takes her in an unexpected direction as she finds herself falling in love with Cupid himself.

Wondering what you're reading Wednesday?

It's Wednesday and I'm wondering what you are reading? Share with us the title, the author, and what you like about the book. Are you reading the book via paperback, hardback, Kindle, Nook, or maybe an audiobook.

I'm reading The Mystery Woman by Amanda Quick on my Kindle.

Here's the book blurb:

Show more

Show less

Under the plain gray skirts of Miss Beatrice Lockwood’s gown, a pistol waits at the ready. For Beatrice is a paid companion on a secret mission—and with a secret past—and she must be prepared to fight for her life at any moment.

 

Yet she is thrown oddly off guard by the fierce-looking man who joins her in foiling a crime outside a fancy ball—and then disappears into the shadows, leaving only his card. His name is Joshua Gage, and he claims to know Beatrice’s employers. Beyond that, he is an enigma with a hypnotically calm voice and an ebony-and-steel cane. . .

 

Joshua, who carries out clandestine investigations for the Crown, is equally intrigued. He has a personal interest in Miss Lockwood, a suspected thief and murderer, not to mention a fraudster who claims to have psychical powers. The quest to discover her whereabouts has pulled him away from his mournful impulses to hurl himself into the sea—and engaged his curiosity about the real Beatrice Lockwood, whose spirit, he suspects, is not as delicate as her face and figure.

He does know one thing, though: This flame-haired beauty was present the night Roland Fleming died at the Academy of the Occult. Guilty or not, she is his guide to a trail of blood and blackmail, mesmerism and madness—a path that will lead both of them into the clutches of a killer who calls himself the Bone Man. . . .

I'm also listening to John Sandford's latest novel, Silken Prey. I love the Minnesota based stories! I've read every one of them.

Here's the book blurb:

Murder, scandal, political espionage, and an extremely dangerous woman. Lucas Davenport’s going to be lucky to get out of this one alive.
Very early one morning, a Minnesota political fixer answers his doorbell. The next thing he knows, he’s waking up on the floor of a moving car, lying on a plastic sheet, his body wet with blood. When the car stops, a voice says, “Hey, I think he’s breathing,” and another voice says, “Yeah? Give me the bat.” And that’s the last thing he knows.

Davenport is investigating another case when the trail leads to the man’s disappearance, then—very troublingly—to the Minneapolis police department, then—most troublingly of all—to a woman who could give Machiavelli lessons. She has very definite ideas about the way the world should work, and the money, ruthlessness, and sheer will to make it happen.

No matter who gets in the way.

Phishing for a Book Review Giveaway

Every spring I try to do a book giveaway and it's that time again. I've been trying to think of a way to combine my love of writing, running, and hats into one blog and this is it!

Want a free book? Want a free hat? Want to support the Boston Be Strong One Fund for the people affected by the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy. Want to support an author? How about all of the above?

And it's so easy!

All you have to do is write a book review. Well, okay, maybe you actually have to read one of my books and then write the review. But it's that simple.

Read my latest novel, PHISH NET STALKINGS and write a book review. Then post that book review at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. Increase your chances of winning by writing more than one review. Write a review for several of my books. Read other novels written by me (IT HAPPENS IN THREES, KILLER BUNNY HILL, CONNECT THE DOTS, NEVER TEMPT DANGER)  and write a review.

Place a comment below and include the link to the review(s) and your email address so I may contact the winner.

A winner will be chosen at random and will receive a copy of one of my books and the B STRONG hat you see above. The proceeds from the hat, which I've already purchased goes to the ONE FUND in support of those hit by the Boston Marathon tragedy.

The winner will be announced Memorial Day, May 27!

There may be even more than one winner [WINK].

Happy May Day!

Whatever happened to May baskets on May Day?

When I was a kid, we would make little baskets and fill them with candy and flowers. Then we would run around the neighborhood, place a basket on someone's doorstep, ring the bell and run.

The idea was to not let the person you left the basket for catch you, otherwise they got to kiss you.

Hmm...back then that seemed icky. Now? I guess that depends on whose door I was a knocking.

I miss little things like this. It's the simpler things in life that make us and people around us happy, so why do traditions like this disappear?

Dewey Read-a-thon Wrap up

I made it thru another 24-hour Dewey Read-a-thon. Yea!! It's always fun to pick out books to read and share with other folks and even more fun to meet new readers, book bloggers, and hosts of the event.

This is an event that I do every year. I highly recommend it!

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?

The most daunting hour was at about hour 14. I had to get up, get some caffeine, eat some peanut butter, and walk outside to keep me going. But it worked!

2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

For me, what works the best is to read books under 300 pages. They are long enough to suck you in to the story, but short enough to keep you awake and move on to the next one.

3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Honestly, I cannot think of a thing that would improve the read-a-thon.

4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

The Twitter hashtag #readathon was tremendous! A terrific way to meet other participants and to keep up with the mini-challenges, etc. Love the cheerleaders!

5. How many books did you read?

This time I read 6 books. After the first two long reads I had to switch it up and grab a couple of short reads.

6. What were the names of the books you read?

'Til Death by Sharon Sala
Let the Dead Sleep by Heather Graham
Dark Fire by Elizabeth Lowell
Fever by Elizabeth Lowell
Sweet Wind, Wild Wind by Elizabeth Lowell
Dangerous Refuge by Elizabeth Lowell

7. Which book did you enjoy most?

I liked them all, but I am always partial to Sharon Sala so I loved 'Til Death.

8. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?

Are you kidding? I look forward to this event twice a year. I will be there in October...as long as it's not the same weekend as the Marine Corps Marathon. Please don't let it be the last weekend in October. :-)

The end is near

The end of the Dewey 24-hour Read-a-thon is near. Way to go!!

How'd you do? Did you stay awake? What snacks or exercises helped you do it?

My last book for this read-a-thon is Dangerous Refuge by Elizabeth Lowell.

Here is a little about the book:

On the surface Shaye Townsend has little in common with Tanner. He's a hard-edged big city cop come home to the historic Davis family ranch to settle his uncle's estate. She's working for an environmental conservancy that acquires and protects old ranches—and she wants to preserve the Davis homestead.

When the suspicious death of Tanner's uncle at his ranch throws the two opposites together, tempers flare and sparks fly. While they have trouble seeing eye to eye, Shaye and Tanner agree on one thing: They need to uncover the truth.

Combining their unique skills—Shaye's low-key approach and local connections and Tanner's experience as a homicide detective—the unlikely pair share long nights in the pursuit of justice. Before they know it, the friction they generate turns to heat, igniting a love neither ever expected to find.

They believe passion this intense cannot last. But when Shaye becomes a killer's target, Tanner realizes he'd give up anything to protect her—including his life.

Halfway point of Dewey Read-a-thon

I've made it twelve hours into the Dewey 24-hour read-a-thon and I'm still kicking. However, I have to change up the pace. I need a couple of quicker reads. I'm going to read a couple of shorter books, something around 200 pages.

How goes it with all you other readers? Have you caught some cat naps? Got those healthy or unhealthy snacks and loads of caffeine to keep you motivated?

Say hi and thanks to the cheerleaders!

My next books will be a couple of older books written by Elizabeth Lowell.

Here's a little about the Fever:

Lisa Johansen had been raised around the world in the most primitive cultures her anthropologist-parents could reach. Finally they sent her back to the United States to find a husband. But Lisa wanted something more…

Ryan McCall had been raised with the best his wealthy father could provide. Now his father impatiently awaited the arrival of grandchildren. But Rye wasn’t interested in any of the well-trained beauties his father kept sending. Rye wanted something more…

In McCall’s meadow, both of them find the fever that burns through flesh all the way to the soul. But can that fever survive the civilization beyond the meadow’s timeless beauty?

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Next up is Dark Fire. Here's a liitle about the book:

Cindy McCall wanted only one thing—to be loved for herself rather than for Big Eddy McCall’s fortune.

Trace Rawlings never knew his father or his mother, but he had made a home for himself in the beautiful, treacherous cloud forests of Ecuador.

When Trace accepts a job guiding Cindy McCall safely through the wild forests, he believes he is being paid only for his local knowledge. Cindy believes she has hired Trace for his skill. Both are wrong.

When Big Eddy’s deception is revealed, Trace and Cindy have to fight to hold on to what they found deep in the cloud forest--the dark fire of love.

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On to book two of the Dewey Read-a-thon

Five hours into the Dewey Read-a-thon and I just finished reading Sharon Sala's latest novel, 'Til Death. Excellent read! Of course I expect nothing less when it comes from Sharon.

Now I'm taking a quick break and getting ready to read a book by Heather Graham, Let the Dead Sleep.

Hope all you Read-a-thon readers are doing well and getting to read some good books. Keep going! Happy reading!

Here's some information about Let the Dead Sleep:

An object of desire? Or of fear?  It was stolen from a New Orleans grave—the centuries-old bust of an evil man, a demonic man. It's an object desired by collectors—and by those with wickedness in their hearts.  One day, its current owner shows up at Danni Cafferty's antiques shop on Royal Street, the shop she inherited from her father. But before Danni can buy the statue, it disappears, the owner is found dead…and Danni discovers that she's inherited much more than she realized. In the store is a book filled with secret writing: instructions for defeating evil entities. She'd dismissed it as a curiosity…until the arrival of this statue, with its long history of evil and even longer trail of death.  Michael Quinn, former cop and now private investigator, is a man with an unusual past. He believes that doing the right thing isn't a job—it's a way of life. And the right thing to do is find and destroy this object weighted with malevolent powers. He and Danni are drawn together in their search for the missing statue, following it through sultry New Orleans nights to hidden places in the French Quarter and secret ceremonies on abandoned plantations.
Cafferty and Quinn already know that trust in others can be misplaced, that love can be temporary. And yet their connection is primal. Mesmerizing. They also know that their story won't end when this case is closed and the dead rest in peace once again.

Ready, Set, Go!

Let's get this Dewey Read-a-thon started.

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

1) I'm reading from my home in New Hampshire where the sun is shining bright today.
2) All of them. This year I am reading the lasted novel from several of my favorite authors.
3) Oh! I've got these wonderful protein bars that I have stashed in the refrigerator ready to go.
4) I'm a writer as well as a reader. My next novel, At Face Value should be released sometime this summer.
5) This is my fourth read-a-thon. The thing to remember is that you are not in it alone. Get on Twitter and facebook. Check the 24hourreadathon site to see what is going on. And remember to thank those cheerleaders. When you feel your most exhausted and think you can't keeo your eyes open...walk outside for some fresh air.

Dewey Read-a-thon! Are you ready?

What a gorgeous weekend for the Dewey Read-a-thon! 24-hours of reading!!

Are you ready? Only 30 minutes before the clock starts on 24-hours of reading.

Have your To-Be-Read pile stacked up next to your favorite chair? Is your refrigerator stocked with cold sodas for when you need that caffeine buzz? Are your cupboards stuffed with snacks?

Is your Kindle fired up and battery charged or are you going the paperback route?

Me: Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

Got your blog all set to let everyone know what you are reading?

Me: Yes. I will post something about each and every book I read in the next 24-hours. I'm looking forward to reading other blogs and seeing what folks say on Twitter and Facebook.

Which book are you starting with?

Me: I'm starting with one of my favorite authors, Sharon Sala and her latest novel, 'Til Death. Cannot wait!

Here's a little about the 'Til Death:

He left in handcuffs. Now it's time to set himself free.

Nearly twenty years after he was wrongly convicted of setting the fire that killed his father, Lincoln Fox returns to Rebel Ridge, Kentucky. There, deep in the Appalachians, the truth of that terrible night lies buried—and he's sworn to uncover it.  His plans take an unexpected turn when, in the midst of a blizzard, he rescues Meg Walker from her wrecked car. Suddenly Linc discovers another reason to clear his name. Meg, his high school sweetheart, had always believed in his innocence, and if he wants a future with her, he has to show the world proof that she was right.  As the community chooses sides, those who once let a teenage boy take the fall for their crime are forced to raise the stakes. They kidnap Meg, leaving her to the mercy of the mountain. And a second rescue may be more than even Linc can manage….

Second thoughts about the Marine Corps Marathon?

This week’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon shocked and devastated the world. I personally spent days crying, not understanding the why. As someone who runs and loves it, I could not imagine anyone wanting to hurt an event as iconic as the Boston Marathon. I mean, we are just a bunch of runners, out there doing our thing, challenging our bodies to accomplish what most people wouldn’t even think of doing.

I wasn’t at the Boston Marathon this week, but I had a friend who was down at the finish line with his family waiting for his brother to cross. Mike and I had been texting and talking via cell all morning and early afternoon as I watched his brother’s stats and kept him up to date from where they stood at the finish line.

When I got word of the bombing, I was sitting at my desk at work. My cell phone started ringing off the hook, text messages poured in, and co-workers showed up at my desk to tell me the news. I actually hung up on my father without talking to him because I had to find Mike. I called and texted and generally freaked out when I got no response.

Of course, I called my father back, who, like so many other friends and family members wanted to make certain I was safe. (Thank you everyone who thought of me during that tragic event. You touched my heart.) Dad wanted me out of Boston…I obliged him. When a father asks you to do something, you do it. I left my office immediately, all the while trying desperately to get in touch with Mike.

Finally, about two hours after the explosion, I heard from Mike. They were safe. (Breath a huge sigh of relief.) Then I heard from Mike again when he and his family were well away from ground zero and then home. Throughout this week, Mike and I kept in touch via text. Whenever something new was aired, we touched base. Mike knew I was very solemn. How could one not be? I admitted to crying off and on all week. He admitted that I wasn’t alone. (Gotta love a man who makes those kind of admissions.)

Rita, a friend of mine who signed up to run the Marine Corps Marathon in October with me, texted me that night. She was in Florida with her family when she got word of the tragedy. She asked if I had second thoughts about running the Marine Corps Marathon.

I never even gave it a second thought before I responded, “Of course not. I am more determined than ever to run that race.”

As a member of the large running community, I will tell you this, we run for ourselves. We run for the love of challenging ourselves and seeing what we can do. While you might be on the streets with hundreds or even thousands of other runners in a race, you are only running against yourself.

While we run for ourselves, running is one of the few sports where if you see a man down you stop to help him up. If a runner is about to tip over, you will see two other runners grab her by the arms and help get her to the finish line. We cheer each other on and boost other runners to that finish line. That’s who we are.

You can wear the silliest clothes to the most simple, or technical. You can be a neighbor or friend, you can be a total stranger, and you may not even speak the same language. You can be fit as a fiddle, wide as a house, or somewhere in between. Maybe you ride in a wheelchair, push a stroller, or just walk. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you showed up and you make it to the finish. Those two things and you’ve earned the respect of every runner there.

If you’ve never been to a running race, you wouldn’t know that the spectators and the race volunteers are the other half of the equation. They are the people out there on their own time, handing out water or Powerade or operating a first aid station. The spectators hold up signs that make you laugh, encourage you to persevere even when the pain grabs your thigh or calf muscles and you think you can’t possibly go on. But you do! You do because the spectators and volunteers with their cowbells and banners in hands call out your name or number to let you know that they are behind you and want you to succeed.

That’s the running community! As a member of this amazing group of people, I can tell you that we will survive, we will heal, we will move forward from the tragic events at the Boston Marathon. We will be stronger, tighter-knit, and even better. It is in our nature and it is something we have to do or they (the bombers) win. That cannot happen!

I ran my first race since Monday's bombing yesterday and was happy to see so many people show up setting a record for the event. Nice to see that it did not scare people away. One volunteer there handed out blue and yellow ribbons for those of us who wanted to wear one to show our support for Boston. I was more than thrilled to pin it to my chest and will continue to do so.

I am dedicating every race this season to Boston, its courage and heart, and the people who came together in crisis. I will run every race this year with Boston on my mind and in my heart, and a blue and yellow ribbon attached to my shirt.

We are and I am BOSTON STRONG!

See you at the Marine Corp Marathon.

Dewey Read-a-thon Signup

Mark your calendar for April 27 and don't forget to sign up for the Dewey Read-a-thon.

Twice a year the Dewey Read-a-thon is put on and twice a year I sign up. You should too!

Got a large TO BE READ pile of books? Been wanting to read a really good book, but just haven't had the opportunity? Have a New Years' resolution to read a certain number of books or to read more?

Now is the time! Sign up for the Read-a-thon and make the time to read.

What is the Dewey Read-a-thon?

The Dewey Read-a-thon is a reading challenge, only everyone participates at the same time. For 24 hours! For 24 hours you read books, post in blogs about your reading, and visit other readers’ blogs. You also participate in mini-challenges throughout the day and win prizes.

It is 24 hours of self-indulgence. You sit in your favorite chair, under a nice cozy blanket and read. Since the read-a-thon is for 24 hours don't forget to pack up on the snacks and caffeine to keep you going.

Speaking of keeping you going...If you can't spare the time to read then why not participate in the read-a-thon as a cheerleader and egg those of us that are crazy enough to do it on? Sign up as a Cheerleader.

Help promote reading! Sign up, tell your friends and your relatives and have them sign up. Make an event out of the event.