Shoveling

 

The above sandcastle picture if from http://bigpicture.typepad.com/writing/2006/11/sandcastle_comp.html and taken at the Harrison Hot Springs BC Sandcastle Competition. If the picture or the website is yours and you object to my use of your photo, please contact me at disonij@aol.com and I will take down the photo. Thank you, Charlene Leatherman.

Email from Doctor Who

I got an email from Tom Baker.

He was my favorite Doctor Who. So I was thrilled.

I figured he was hitting a different time line and wanted me to be his companion.

 

I clicked on the email.

 

To my surprise, I found the Daleks got there first.

 

My dream email transformed before my eyes.

 

 I was not invited to be a companion of a Doctor but to be a

 Mystery Shopper

 

Imagine my disappointment!

 

 

 

 

 

Review: Raven's Secret by J. Matthew McKern

Raven's Secret by J. Matthew McKern

Psi-Talented High School Student, Branwen, has leukemia. She is in an experimental treatment program. She has no family but has made friends with Cecily, an older girl who is in the same experimental program. Cecily is well. For Branwen, however, the treatment is failing. She is near death. At night, when everyone is gone, Cecily sneaks a 'booster shot' into Branwen's IV. Everything turns around. Branwen gets better, much better in fact. She and Cecily celebrate with a big birthday party.

On the way home from the birthday party, Cecily is shot and killed.

That one tragic act of violence plunges Branwen into a world of secret societies, inexplicable powers and constant danger.

J. Matthew McKern is an author with great promise. His potential shows in the story structure and flow. He writes an engaging story. I look forward to seeing more of his work and watching as he grows as an author. If a sequel is not in the works, it should be. Raven's Secret byJ. Matthew Mckern

NaNoWriMo is Over -- Life Goes On -- With A Smile

I now live in San Diego, California. (Did you know there is a San Diego, Texas? I didn't until I tried looking up just San Diego.

The other day, I went to the park with my Daughter-In-Law and my youngest GrandBaby. He played on the swings.
                        

 

 

"Play with me, Bubbi" he squealed. So I sat in a swing and swung. (No, there are no pictures of me swinging.)

          There was an amazing amount of joy in doing something so childlike as swing. I pumped my feet and pulled with my arms. I was lifted and enchanted. It was magical.

 

I also read a really fun book. GNOME ON THE RANGE

 

 

                 

I write romances - albeit romances that are in fantasy worlds with powerful fantastical heroines. However, because I write romances, I read a lot of romances. Romances are fun escapism.

 

Gnome on the Range was no exception. It was fun escapism. However, it had one thing going for it that I find rare in the romance genre.

 

You see, most romances have the hero and heroine in an unconventional, threatening or scary situation. The heroes are hunks (and I have no problem with that. I love a good hunk.) The heroines are sometimes fragile, sometimes heroic, sometimes etc. etc. etc.  If you read romances you are familiar with the traditional heroine. The hero and heroine make it through the situation and live happily ever after. The background, the real life is barely a whisper. If the heroine keeps a shop, it is hardly mentioned. Restaurants are breezed through. Cars always work, unless it is a murder mystery then it conks out at the right time. If children exist, they are patted on the head or do a run through to remind the reader there are some.

 



Gnome on the Range did something different. It made the book a treasure to read. It was pure delight. Jennifer Zane put her heroine in real life. She ran a store - not a comfortable quilting or antique store but an adult store. She had kids, kids that tumbled, made a mess in a restaurant, came in at inopportune times and fought with each other. Yes, the hero and heroine were in a threatening situation - no I will not tell you what it is - that would be cheating. However, the wonderful thing about this romance was that no matter how scary the situation became there was real life around the corner. I could see someone really being in this predicament. I didn't have to pretend that the outside world was perfect with poor beleaguered hero and heroine running around in it. The world was messy and their problem caused more messiness but they managed it, both the worldly, normal messiness and the scary messiness.

Okay, so this review is a bit off kilter. But I really enjoyed the book. If you like romance, I would suggest you definitely pick it up. It is available at Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/Gnome-The-Range-Jennifer-Zane-ebook/dp/B006QQRH3A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386632177&sr=8-1&keywords=gnome+on+the+range      

Everyone is celebrating a holiday this time of year. So I wish you a very pleasant holiday season. Stay warm. Enjoy family. Read a fun book.

WINNER NANOWRIMO YAY

WINNER NANOWRIMO YAY

• Dec. 3rd, 2013 at 6:44 AM