Inspiration - JB Lynn...

I am so pleased to welcome JB Lynn to the blog today. As you know from my Friday post, Whatcha Reading, I read and loved JB's Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman. Quirky characters, laugh out loud moments and a plot that keeps you turning the pages - my kind of book! So it's no surprise that I asked JB to join us for an interview on Inspiration Wednesday.

Have you been writing long, JB? Was writing a part of your life as a teenager or did you come to it later in life?

I’ve been writing forever. Okay, maybe not "forever" but pretty darn close. When I was in second and third grade and the teacher gave an assignment to draw something, I’d ask for permission to write something instead. Hence my drawing skills are sadly lacking. 

Well, thank goodness you didn't pursue the drawing! Can you give us your 'call' story? I find call stories so inspirational.

Like all aspiring novelists, I couldn’t wait to get "THE CALL". It took me a couple years and over 100 queries. I revised for an editor three times, but he ultimately passed. I revised for a couple of agents. I finally landed an agent….but got no call, instead I got an email that said, "You've done a terrific job of revising this. I'd very much like to take it on." It was rather anticlimatic, lol.
Then the agent couldn’t sell the book and she didn’t have any interest in repping CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN, so we parted ways.

So I set about querying again. I got an invitation to Revise and Resubmit from Carina Press. I revised the book yet again and finally got THE CALL from the Editor in Chief (at least I think that’s her title). Since she tweets when she is making her acquisition calls, it wasn’t too much of a surprise…more like overwhelming relief at that point.

I’ve since landed another agent, the lovely Victoria Marini. Again the offer came via email, but she was all sorts of gushily excited which made me feel better. When I sold CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN to Avon, Victoria informed me via email, so no CALL there.

Ah, the joys of modern life - technology making 'The Call' a totally different animal! But still The Call!!

My characters seem to come at me for no rhyme or reason - there they are, fully formed and with a black moment I need to write to and 'solve'. Did Maggie, Patrick, Paul, God and the other fabulous characters of Confessions of a Neurotic Hitwoman find you - or did you go looking for them?

I had to go looking for them. I first wondered why there are never any stories on the news about hitwomen and then I got to thinking about why someone would become a paid assassin. I developed Maggie from there. She actually has a pretty good reason for agreeing to kill someone. Everyone else was developed to sort of highlight different aspects of Maggie’s personality.

And of your cast of characters, which would you want to go out to dinner with and why?

Hmmmm if I wasn’t happily married I’d say Patrick, but since I am, I’ll go with Armani, Maggie’s best work friend. She semi-psychic, ballsy, loyal, and she makes me laugh. BUT I would not share any food with her (have you seen her disgusting food combos??) and there’d be no Karaoke.

I love Armani - and can't wait to see how she develops in the next book, Further Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman.

My byline is Reading, Writing and Running (on Canada's East Coast) so I have to ask - Do you have a top ten list when it comes to books? If so, would you share maybe a couple of the titles with us?

The Top 10 that come to mind (probably because I’ve read them all multiple times):

Where the Wild Things Are -- Sendack
Horse of Two Colors -- Balch
To Kill a Mocking Bird -- Lee
Thank You for Smoking -- Buckley
Kiss the Girls -- Patterson
The Spellman series by Lisa Lutz
IT -- King
Room – Donoghue
The Non-Runners Marathon Guide for Women -- Dais
Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook -- Maass

I loved Room, by Emma Donoghue! And you already know how thrilled I am that you suggested The Non-Runner's Marathon Guide for Women. Which leads us perfectly into the next question. You're a runner and I know that you started training for a half marathon while waiting for word on a manuscript submission. You've obviously got the bug - what's the best thing about running?

Okay, let me make something clear. Even though I’ve completed three half-marathons, I HATE running. The best thing is being finished. BUT it does have a couple of redeeming qualities. It’s a great stress reliever and as you tick off the miles you do have a sense of accomplishment. But seriously, I hate it. On the other hand my husband who took it up eighteen months ago and is way faster than me LOVES it.

See, I knew there was a reason why I felt a connection, JB - that and the fact you're a Pisces!

And since this is Inspiration Wednesday, I have to ask - what inspires you, JB?

People who try new things. People who leap out of their comfort zone. People who have enthusiasm and passion….even if I don’t share those passions (or in the case of those who rock climb or sky dive, people I think are out of their ever-loving minds). People who persevere. People who learn. People who grow. People who are willing to try. People who are willing to fail spectacularly.

And coffee….coffee is definitely inspirational. J

CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN

Maggie Lee is not your average hitwoman. For one thing, she's never killed anyone. For another, after hitting her head in the car accident that killed her sister, her new best friend is a talking lizard—a picky eater, obsessed with Wheel of Fortune, that only Maggie can hear.

Maggie, who can barely take care of herself, is desperate to help her injured and orphaned niece get the best medical care possible, so she reluctantly accepts a mobster's lucrative job offer: major cash to kill his monstrous son-in-law.

Paired with Patrick Mulligan, a charming murder mentor (who happens to moonlight as a police detective), Maggie stumbles down her new career path, contending with self-doubt, three meddling aunts, a semi-psychic friend predicting her doom, and a day job she hates. Oh, and let's not forget about Paul Kowalski, the sexy beat cop who could throw her ass in jail if he finds out what she's up to.

Training has never been so complicated! And, this time, Maggie has to get the job done. Because if she doesn't . . . she's the mob's next target.

FURTHER CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN

Take three wacky aunts,
two talking animals,
one nervous bride,
and an upcoming hit,
and you've got the follow-up
to JB Lynn's wickedly funny
Confessions of a Slightly Neurotic Hitwoman

Knocking off a drug kingpin was the last thing on Maggie Lee's to-do list, but when a tragic accident leaves her beloved niece orphaned and in the hospital, Maggie will go to desperate lengths to land the money needed for her care.

But the drug kingpin is the least of her worries. Maggie's aunts are driving her crazy, her best friend's turned into a bridezilla…and a knock on the head has given Maggie Dr. Dolittle abilities—she can talk to animals. Unfortunately, they talk back.

It's just another day in the life of this neurotic hitwoman…

THE HITWOMAN GETS LUCKY

A novella about the further misadventures of Maggie Lee and the rest of the cast of zany characters from CONFESSIONS OF A SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC HITWOMAN:

 Maggie Lee’s a lot of things:

The daughter of a mom in a mental institution and a dad serving time;

The niece of three meddling aunts;

The aunt (and now legal guardian) of her beloved niece, Katie;

The friend of a snarky lizard, a dyslexic Doberman, and a semi-psychic co-worker;

A contract killer.

But one thing she'd never thought she'd be is a thief.

That's about to change as she heads to the casinos of Atlantic City to

help her sexy murder mentor, Patrick Mulligan, steal something from a professional thief.

Maggie's never been lucky in love or money. Will this gamble pay off or will she lose her shirt, her heart or even her life?

 

AUTHOR BIO – JB Lynn

Besides being a writer, JB Lynn is a compulsive reader, a runner (of sorts), an enthusiastic cook (who doesn't get the appeal of the Food Network), and someone who has an irresistible urge to eavesdrop at all times.

JB has a great love of her husband, dogs, coffee, purple ink, spiral notebooks, running gear, hot showers, and '80s music. Given enough time, all of these things will eventually show up in her books.

Website: www.jblynn.com

Follow JB on:

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/jb_lynn_author

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/jb.lynn.14

Thanks so much for joining us today, JB! If anyone out there has a question for JB, just post it in the comment section. To end, here's a inspirational quote from JB herself:

Focus your energy on what you really, truly, down-deep-in-your-soul WANT. Not what society wants, or your family, or your friends, but what YOU want. Not what common knowledge says can be done, but what your wildest dreams can imagine. ~ JB Lynn

 

　

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner...

Sorry about the delay, but we finally have a winner from Wednesday's guest post. Alannah Lynne placed all the names of those that commented into random.org and....

Karyn - your name was drawn!! Alannah will be sending you a copy of LAST CALL, but first she needs your e-mail and which format you'd like it in. Please e-mail Alannah at alannahlynne at gmail dot com (you know the drill - symbols and spaces are for the trolls). Congratulations!!

Friday! Yay! I have a run planned for today, the Day Job stuff (bleh) and yummy Taco Surprise on tap for supper:

Taco Surprise

1/2 pkg cream cheese
1/2 container of cottage cheese
taco seasoning
- Give it a go in the food processor (measurements are basically eye-balled and to taste - and you can use as much or as little as you want depending on how many people you're feeding)
- Spread into a shallow serving dish and top with (in order):
Salsa
Chopped lettuce
Green onions (chopped)
Tomatoes (chopped)
Green peppers (chopped)
Grated cheddar cheese
*Ingredients are flexible - toss whatever you want on top of the base of cream cheese yumminess and salsa heat!
- Use taco chips to scoop out this delicious dip while sitting on the couch watching a movie and drinking a cold Mexican beer (with lime, of course).

As for the movie, I think I'm going to try and get Rock of Ages! Has anyone seen it yet?

The rest of the weekend? Book club tomorrow, chicken dinner tomorrow night (we've purchased a Big Green Egg BBQ - Sara's John being a big influence on that decision and The Husband wants to try Spatchcock Chicken!), and, with the leaves at their height of color, a drive through the country on Sunday!

How's your weekend shaping up, People of Blogland?

Running and Recipes...

Great day on the blog yesterday - thanks again to Alannah Lynne for joining us on Inspiration Wednesday. She'll be making the draw for the give-away this morning, so when I get the information from her, I'll post it here!

For those interested, I am updating my pages! If you click on the tabs above, you come along on my running journey with me. I'm updating that page the most since that's my main focus these days...getting back in shape and working hard to follow the marathon plan.

Funny, I was asked the question yesterday after explaining how much I hate getting out there to run (it's usually a struggle) - Do you ever like it? And I had to be honest and say no! It's hard! I get my butt out the door and force my legs to run while my brain is complaining how hard it is and how slow I am. Beth over at Shut Up and Run had a post this week about having a bad running day. This was eye-opening for me, because these ladies who run and blog make it sound like a slice of heaven every.single.day! I was glad to hear that other serious, die-hard runners had bad days. But, as I told my friend, all of my days are usually bad.

Don't get me wrong - I've had a few bouts of runner's high. These are usually at the end of a run, the legs are feeling good (not like two 700 pound weights are attached to them) and I'm not screaming for my next breath! But they are few and far between. Running is hard! It never seems to get any easier! And some days I wonder why I do it...

But I do. And you can follow the agonizing journey on my Running Page!

One of the reasons I put myself through that misery is so I can eat yummy stuff like this:

Pumpkin Bread w/Maple Butter (or Maple Cream Cheese)

15 oz (473ml) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
1/2 c veg. oil
1/2 c applesauce
2/3 c water (just realized I didn't add the water when making this the other day and it turned out beautifully)
2 c sugar
3 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger (I heaped all spices and wouldn't hesitate to add even more next time)

Mix together well the pumpkin through sugar ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the dry (flour through spices). Add dry to wet and mix until incorporated. Divide between two large loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Serve with flavored butter (or cream cheese):

1/2 lb butter (or cream cheese)  mixed with 3 tbsp maple syrup

I'm not sure where I got this recipe, but I do know I've changed it radically (the applesauce, the extra spices, lessened the sugar dramatically AND now eliminated the water). It really is yummy!!!

BTW - this recipe is now included in my Recipe Page :)

Inspiration - Alannah Lynne...

As I said yesterday, a full circle...three years ago today I ran my first Inspirational Wednesday post with thanks to Alannah Lynne for the idea (as she did a once-a-week motivational quote on her blog) and now, she's here (inspirational once again). Welcome, Alannah!!!

Janet – Thanks so much for letting me spend some time with you and your readers. I miss you terribly, and wish we got to visit more often!

Gone Fishing!

Once a year, if everything goes as planned, I get to say these magical words: My family has gone fishing!

It’s an annual tradition with the men in my mother-in-law’s family. They gather at the marina in a small South Carolina town, load their gear onto boats, and head off to an uninhabited barrier island. It sounds dreadful to me, but it’s heaven to them… all twenty-five to thirty of them, ranging in age from seventy to sixteen.

This year is the 31st Annual Roundup, and it’s something they look forward to all year long. My son couldn’t wait until his 16th birthday, so he could finally participate in this rite of passage.
But what the men don’t know, is that their wives/mothers also count down the days to Roundup, and probably with more eager anticipation than the men.

I love my family, but every wife and mother will tell you there are few things in life as precious as having the house to themselves.

My quiet time is going to be spent writing. I’m 2 months behind on one story and have had to push another story’s release back indefinitely. I need the quiet. I need the space and time to think and get back onto the writing track, and this alone time is going to be my ticket.

One of my FB friends said she would sleep as late as possible, eat Oreos for breakfast, then stay up as late as she wanted reading. Another friend recently spent her alone time catching up on some of her favorite new fall episodes.

What about you? If you had forty-eight hours alone, how would you spend the time?


Alannah believes there’s nothing more magical than finding the other half of your soul, experiencing fiery passion, and knowing you’ve found happily-ever-after.
She loves going to work each day (in sweats and a T-shirt) and writing about hot heroes and feisty heroines who torment each other in the most delicious ways before finding their happily-ever-afters.
She lives in the coastal region of North Carolina with her husband, who also happens to be her best friend and biggest fan. They have two sons, a dog, a cat and an outrageous number of ducks and geese that inhabit the pond on their farm. She loves chatting and making new friends, so visit her on the web at www.alannahlynne.com/ or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authoralannahlynne

Alannah has two books - SAVIN' ME and LAST CALL. A copy of LAST CALL will be given away to one lucky reader who leaves a comment...and SAVIN' ME, um, is free!!!

SAVIN’ ME is free at All Romance Ebook and Kobo - here are the links for it:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-savin039me-964582-340.html
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Savin-Me/book-0uddSWL_ZEa1n2_gSc9gSg/page1.html?s=8sECtghjP0CSu2AqGBj_hA&r=2





LAST CALL can be found at all the usual places:
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Call-Heat-Wave-ebook/dp/B009KEXBC6
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/last-call-alannah-lynne/1113105916?ean=2940015526622
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-lastcall-964768-149.html
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Last-Call/book-LGu2Kxl4BUCD__DH97x5Fg/page1.html?s=THMgc0GOFEaR_cHvHXa_Pw&r=3

It's Me (*waving hello*)...

Well, hello there! I know, I haven't been very regular with this blog lately, but my excuse is busy, busy, busy! That and the temperatures were crazy hot, so I've been getting out early for my runs and bike rides - the time I'm usually sitting at the computer blogging away!

Yesterday, in case some of you missed it because I wasn't thinking straight on Tuesday night and posted my guest blogger's post immediately instead of scheduling it to post on Wednesday morning, Jana Richards stopped by to celebrate the launch of her new book, HOME FIRES. If you didn't get a chance to read her post, I encourage you to do so today - she's got some amazing research stories about war brides. Jana has really taken a liking to this era of history (HOME FIRES being her second book set in WWII - her first, FLAWLESS, is a brilliant read). Jana's also doing something interesting with her launch - she's giving away a free book with the purchase of HOME FIRES! Here's the details from Jana's website:

And the goodies don't stop there! Between July 4 and July 18, I'm offering a bonus gift to anyone who purchases a copy of "Home Fires" or any of my other titles. Send me an email at jana.richards at hotmail dot com (the ats and dots are my, Janet's, attempt at deceiving the trolls) with the receipt number of your purchase, and I'll send you an free PDF copy of my romantic comedy "Rescue Me".

Check out all the details at Jana's website: http://www.janarichards.net/ (info under 'contests').

****UPDATE: The winner of Jana's book, HOME FIRES, is Connie! Congrats, Connie - Jana will be in touch!******

On the running front - signed up for another half marathon in August, so the training has ramped up! I had a glitch with my running watch (for those who don't know, I love my running watch, so a glitch was like a total disaster). I could still use it, but it wouldn't transfer the data to my computer. Now the whole point of the watch is to have it on my runs so I know how fast I'm going (don't want to go out to fast and burn out before the end of the run) and how far I've gone. But the fun part is seeing the data on the screen. The little elevation graph, the chart that shows my pacing and whether or not I was steady-eddy or fast, slow, fast, fast, slow, slow, dead. So to not have that drove me nuts.

I ended up in contact with the watch's support team - nice people - and they suggested a couple of things. In the end, I had to do a complete overhaul and default my watch back to factory settings. That meant all my totals were lost. Thankfully they told me that - so I wrote them down: Since receiving the watch for Christmas 2010, not using it until March 2011, letting it go dead over a couple of winter months 2011 - 2012 (was on the treadmill, so still running) I've logged 744.05 miles over 147.37 hours! Wow, I was impressed!

And check this out - I love this! Please feel free to substitute anything you feel passionate about in place of running. I find that if I use 'writing' it makes perfect sense, too - well, except for the babe running in the desert, but I imagine a babe sitting at a desk typing away on her keyboard (oh, yeah, that babe is me and I bet you didn't know that Nova Scotia was actually a desert)!

Hey, it's good to be back - missed you all.

Inspiration - Jana Richards

Please help me welcome Jana Richards to the journal today. Today's launch day for her new novel "Home Fires" - congratulations, Jana...and WELCOME!!!

Research for “Home Fires”

Researching the story of Canadian war brides of World War Two was a labour of love for me. I’ve long been fascinated with these young women, mostly British, who gave up everything familiar to marry and move to a new country and a new life, even though they may have only known their husbands for a short time. Their courage awes me.

I started my research by searching for books at my local library. I read several but, one book I found especially helpful was “Brass Buttons and Silver Horseshoes: Stories from Canada’s British War Brides” by Linda Granfield. I also read dozens of the brides’ stories on websites such as Canadian War Brides, and listened to interviews, like this one on CBC radio with author of ‘War Brides’, Melynda Jarratt. 

I loved the stories told by the war brides in their own words. The stories were in turn funny, sad, and poignant. One funny story I loved was from a war bride who came to Winnipeg, where I live now. After years of rationing during the war, she went a little nuts when she hit the stores of Winnipeg:

“…my first stop was the Bay. I was in sheer amazement at all the beautiful things. I went crazy, buying Coty perfume, lipstick, stockings, and new bras. As for the bras, I was tired of making my own from scraps, looking like two fried eggs. Now I would have points like the Canadian girls.”

One bride was surprised to learn she’d be living on a farm, instead of in a city: 

“We drove out to the farm we were going to live on (another surprise!) along a dirt road, which was very narrow, and there was thick brush on either side. Imagine my thoughts, surrounded, except for my husband, by complete strangers. My father-in-law was a very sweet person, but he had said, “Let’s get her home tonight before daybreak, because if she sees Carrot River in the daylight she’ll go back right away.” We laughed about that years later.”

Another bride discovered that although Canadians and Brits both speak English, language could still be a problem:

“In England, if a woman’s husband has a good job, people say he “makes a good screw”. One day, I was talking to my new neighbours in Westville [Nova Scotia], and I mentioned to a woman that her husband must make a good screw. The woman became distant, and I didn’t know what was wrong. I told Arthur what I’d said, and he explained I shouldn’t say that in Canada!”

The sad stories were the hardest to read. Having a romantic heart, I wanted everyone to live happily ever after. But it wasn’t always that way:

“My husband started beating me. He always had a temper. I paid for him to go to barber school, but he wouldn’t work. For a while he had a job as a mailman. He would pick up the mail and burn it later in our backyard…Our marriage never got better, so in 1960 I walked out with nothing.”

“My grandmother died in 1959 and left me an inheritance. My husband wanted it in his account, and I refused. Our marriage ended…”

“Unfortunately, I became a deserted wife when my Canadian-born son was a year old.”

The poignant stories broke my heart. In the 1940s, moving to another continent often meant a total break from family:

“I never thought the time would come when I would leave my mother. She knew how much I loved this Canadian boy, and how much he loved me. She knew that my stubborn nature and sense of adventure would take me away. We didn’t realize how heart wrenching the pain would be as the train pulled out of Glasgow station. My last view of my mother was of her running alongside the train as we both wept. It was the last time I saw her.”

“I last saw my Nana the day I left. She was crying at the garden gate in Beckenham, Kent. She gave me a silver St. Christopher mirror as a parting gift, and I still use it today. My mother escorted us to the train station in London. In tears, she gave me these words to survive by: If you are ever lonely, look up the moon and know that we are looking at it too.”

Though some of the marriages didn’t last, the majority of war brides remained married to their dashing soldier-husbands for many years. These women were determined to survive their new lives:

“I wanted to go home – but I didn’t. The girls the Canadian soldiers brought home as brides were tough, but then we had endured more than five years of war, hadn’t we?”

Though homesickness was a big problem in the early years, and times were often hard, the brides learned to love their new country. A common sentiment is shared by this war bride:

“Life in Canada has been good for us, and I consider it home now. After fifty years, I would not want to live anywhere else.” 

I loved learning about the war brides and I feel privileged to talk about their remarkable journeys.

Home Fires by Jana Richards

She whirled around to glare at him, her eyes blazing. “No! I’m not a child! I don’t have to be molly-coddled and baby-sat. I spent six years in a war zone, hiding in bomb shelters, never having enough to eat. I worked in a hospital treating blitz victims with wounds so horrendous grown men would gag to look at them. I faced those horrors every day. Sometimes things were so bad I thought I couldn’t go on. But I did. Because I had to. And I’ll face things here too. So don’t tell me to give up because I won’t!”
Erik pushed himself out of his chair to face her, awed by her spirit and courage. She lifted her chin as if defying him to contradict her, her hands clenched at her sides. Her dark hair curled in wild abandon as it dried, framing her pale oval face like a halo. Her beauty and ferocity were magnificent.
“I think you’re the strongest woman I know.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, her hands unclenching. He caught the quiver of her chin as she fought to hold back tears. 
He opened his arms and she stepped into them, wrapping her arms around his waist and clinging to him. He held her tightly, inhaling the sweet, clean scent of her, never wanting to let her go.
“Don’t cry. Everything’s all right now.”
She lifted her head to look into his face, her dark eyes shiny with tears, her lips slightly parted. Erik stared at her mouth, wanting desperately to kiss her, to capture her sweetness. He slowly lowered his mouth to hers. To his surprise, she didn’t run off, or turn away in revulsion.
He was so close her breath mingled with his, her breathing swallow and erratic. His heart slammed against his chest, his body thrumming with need. For the first time in over three years, he felt alive.

Thanks Janet for letting me visit your blog today. I will give a PDF copy of “Home Fires” to one
commenter today, chosen at random. Good luck!

Ever since I can remember, I've created stories in my head, sometimes about real people but more often about people I made up.  It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I began to put my stories down on paper.  I've been at it for more than fifteen years, although I've just recently become published in novel length fiction.  Just think of me as the poster child for perserverence! 

I live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada with my husband Warren , two university age daughters, and a highly spoiled Pug/Terrier cross named Lou.

You can find out more about Jana Richards by visiting her website: http://www.janarichards.net/
And to purchase your own copy of Home Fires: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=702

Inspiration - Karyn Good (and Giveaway)...

I'm so excited to welcome Karyn Good to The Journal today. I've known Karyn for a while, she was a part of my first writing group, Saskatchewan Romance Writers, and a founding member of Prairie Chicks Write Romance. After reading her work, I knew it would be just a matter of time before she was published - her voice is fabulous. Her very first novel, Backlash, will be released June 1st. I'm thrilled to help her promote the first of many (and incredibly humbled by her kind words - thanks, Karyn)!!

I’m thrilled to be here at Janet’s blog talking about my June 1st release, Backlash. I think it’s entirely fitting to start off my blog tour here.  Janet has been instrumental in making Backlash a marketable possibility. Her very gracious offer to read a very early, and thoroughly awful, draft of what was then called Common Ground kicked started my writing journey. She must have been thoroughly sick of it by the time she was done critiquing various drafts. Thank you, my friend. I couldn’t have done it without you!

“The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Since dropping in and visiting Janet’s Journal always seems like a welcoming and warm visit with friends I thought I would blog about the dynamics of small towns. I find small towns fascinating, despite the fact that I couldn’t wait to leave my own at the oh-so knowledgeable age of seventeen. I moved on to find greener pastures, which in my case meant a slightly larger town. Yep, that’s my adventurous spirit shining bright.

I think the thing that’s fascinating about small towns is the sense that they are a world unto themselves. That they are small and big at the same time. Small because they take up less geographical space and have far fewer inhabitants. Big because that small space can be host to any number of dividing conflicts and struggles. There’s the sense that small town values are somehow different from the ones held by city dwellers. That residents help each other out. There’s that famous unlocked door policy. The sense of greater safety. The promise of a simpler life style. Everyone knows your name and your business. Myths or reality?

I suppose it depends. I personally think anyone who chooses to live in the rural part of anywhere deserves a medal.  I couldn’t do it. Rural dwellers are survivors. People who by necessity have to think outside the box and discover creative solutions to combat the decline of small town North America. In reality, schools are closing, hospitals are disappearing, grain elevators, those proud prairie castles of each small town, are dinosaur cousins of a newer, more efficient grain processing system. Despite this decline, they find a way. And often it’s a collective effort. An all for one and one for all mentality.

That’s the romantic notion of a small town that enthralls people. In my fictional town of Aspen Lake everyone is just looking for a way to make a living and raise their family in a location they consider the greatest place on earth. And what did I do with this notion of paradise? I turned it on its ear. Nothing is that simple. Or easy.  Aspen Lake may be an idyllic and popular resort town, but one of its residents is a boy who is by turns neglected and abused by a broken father. He’s invisible in a place where everybody is supposed to know everyone else’s business. A criminal gang invades the town destroying the heroine’s sense of security. Life here is anything but unassuming for the returning hero who wants nothing more than to get the hell back out as soon as the ink is dry on an another transfer.

So along with the rolling hills and groves of Aspen trees in my fictional setting of Aspen Lake you’ll also find murder and mayhem. Hopefully Backlash, a romantic suspense, will be a roller coaster ride of emotion and action. To celebrate its release I’m giving away a free short story to all commenters. Waiting for Mason is a story that came to me after hearing the beautiful, haunting story of how the Qu’Appelle Valley in southern Saskatchewan got its name. Just leave your email in the comment section and tell me your favorite fictional small town setting. Remember to use dots or spaces to stump the spamming cyber trolls.

 

You can find me here:

http://karyngood.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karyn-Good/168409826555843

https://twitter.com/#!/karyngood

Backlash by Karyn Good

What he’s sworn to protect, she’s willing to sacrifice to save those she loves...

When dedicated teacher Lily Wheeler interrupts a vicious gang attack on one of her students, she vows it won’t happen again. But her rash interference puts her in the path of a cold-blooded killer and the constable tracking him—a man she has little reason to trust, but can never forget.

Constable Chase Porter returned to Aspen Lake to see justice done, not renew old acquaintances. But when he rescues the woman he once loved from a volatile situation, he realizes his feelings for Lily haven’t lessened over the years.

Now, the dangerous killer Chase has sworn to capture has Lily in his sights. Can Chase and Lilly learn to trust each other again before it’s too late—or will old insecurities jeopardize their future?

You can find BACKLASH in both print and ebook coming June 1st at:

My Publisher, The Wild Rose Press

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=4883

Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Backlash-Karyn-Good/dp/1612171559/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338240173&sr=8-1