Bonaire by Margot Justes

 

 

Bonaire is a beautiful, developed, rather wealthy, and arid Dutch island. The shopping is abundant but expensive, it’s best to know your prices.

Once we docked, a short stroll down the pier and across the street was a garden, and in the garden, an art fair. Tents were pitched and one display after another showcased the local talent. I was in heaven. I bought a couple tiny original drawings for my kiddies, they both love fish, and these were local to the island. I tried to find a clown fish, but Nemo was not available.

This time I didn’t take a tour, but instead walked along the beautiful pristine shore, the water is crystal clear, and we could see fish and various reefs. This island is a paradise for snorkeling and scuba diving, and any other water activity. I’m a land lubber, but do appreciate natural beauty, and I find water mesmerizing.

I stopped for coffee, and in the al fresco setting, I listened as the water lapped against the rocks; the rhythmic sound of the waves almost put me to sleep. This is an island where you sit and enjoy, you do not rush,  you whisper a soft thank you just for being there. Truly relaxing.

Once we left the port, I watched our huge ship glide along the waves and not sink. I know water is heavy and there is displacement involved, but it’s still magic, and incredibly peaceful. After dinner, and the serene day on the island, I went for a swim and watched the stars. To make the day more perfect, I was alone in the pool, and Tom Jones serenaded me as I swam. I happen to love Tom Jones’ voice.

As promised, the Barbados fish cake recipe courtesy of the Sunbury Plantation.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb boneless salt or Cod fish
1lb flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Green seasonings/chives
Onions/Thyme
Sweet Pepper/Marjoram
Hot Pepper Salt to taste
Cooking oil (to fry)
Water to mix

Method
Soak salt fish overnight. Clean thoroughly, removing skin, vein and bones. Mince fish & chop all seasonings finely, including hot pepper. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients except salt. Gradually add water until mixture reaches to a ‘drop’ consistency. (Mixture must be able to drop from a teaspoon in small balls.) Add salt to taste. Fry in hot oil (deep fry) until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel; serve hot with dip of ketchup and hot pepper sauce mixed together.

The fish cakes were positively delicious.

Cheers,
Margot  Justes
A Hotel in Paris
A Hotel in Bath
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes Cool Chicks
www.mjustes.com

Is There Such A Thing As Too Many Surprises? by DL Larson

My life is becoming a tangled web of "should do this," versus "need to do that."  The other day I tackled one of my "need to" items.  I approached a local book store about having a book launch for my upcoming book.  Yes, I'm still waiting, no, you haven't missed it!

I have had my ISBN# for nearly a month and as a librarian and an author, I know once that number is designated to a book, said book should be available for pre-order, regardless of release dates.  When I walked into the book store the owner recognized me from my previous books.  That was a perk I hadn't expected.  I still tend to forget people actually read news articles and obviously she had read an article about my upcoming book.

She told me many independent bookstore owners don't cater to local authors as there is usually little money in it. I know that fact all too well from previous encounters with other book shops.  But she has worked with local authors in the past and she intends to continue in the future.  She also told me she wasn't happy that I hadn't mentioned her store in the article she read.

Several thoughts raced through my head, mainly that I sent a generic news article to several papers across Illinois.  I didn't mean to omit her store, I simply hadn't thought of zoning in on any particular store other than the big ones where retailers buy their books, ie. Ingram, Baker and Taylor, plus the places that offer e-books as well. 

I told her I simply followed the advice my publisher had given me, to promote the author and not just the upcoming book.  I also explained that I planned to put an ad in the local paper when I would have a book launch.  To that she said good and we got down to business of setting a date for my book signing.

Then the BIG snag hit.  She could not find my book in the Ingram List.  Nor could she find it in Baker and Taylor or Amazon.com.  I knew it wouldn't be available for pre-order on Amazon, but surprise smacked me up-side the head that my book was not available through Ingram.  So that meant no date for a book launch until I got this straightened out.

Instead of coming home with something checked from my "need to do" list, I had added to it.  So I immediately sent an email to my publisher - I would have liked to talk to them personally but thought it best to wait a few days.  I am a redhead after all and no need to burn bridges if I don't have to.  My temper has on occasion, matched my hair.

So, here I am, waiting to hear from my publisher about why my book is not on the Ingram List.  I really pray she will call me tomorrow and tell everything is fine and wonderful! 

On a good note, this Friday I will be guest blogging at Heroines With Heart, hosted by Deb St. John.  http://www.heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/ .  Please stop by.

Til next time ~

DL Larson

The Cleanup

Blessing or Curse, the anthology sequel following Forever Young: Blessing or Curse, is now in my wonderful editor, Helen Ginger's hands, or should I say, on her computer.





Today, while I could, I did a cleanup of some neglected areas of the house.

That bunch of papers I said I'd shred someday, I finally shredded! I also switched around some of the clothes from winter to spring, threw out, sorted out, and arranged papers and miscellaneous stuff I for some reason seem to think I can't do without.

My desk even looks neat at the moment. Well, that never lasts!

Anyway, now I'll be set for when I get the edits back from Helen. Then, I'll be back in the writing groove and forsaking all other stuff! I still have the last book to write in the Always Young Trilogy, which will be called, Always Young. 

Morgan Mandel

http://www.morganmandel.com

Back Up and Running

It goes without saying that a computer is important to a writer. Gone are the days of banging on the keys of a typewriter. Everything is done with technology today from drafts to revisions to submissions to promotion to sales.

So when my computer died last week, it wasn't good. I knew this day was coming. My computer is old. It's been in and out of The Geek Squad (LOVE those guys!) at Best Buy on a regular basis for some time. Last summer when I brought it in, the initial diagnosis was the mother board was gone. As it turned out, it was just the power supply, but the guy warned me that my computer would not be long for this world.

Even so, we trudged on with it. Around Christmas the CD/DVD drive broke. We managed without it, but it was quite inconvenient. In the ensuing months, endless windows would pop up. (You know, the ones that never close and keep multiplying until you force the computer to shut down?) And let me tell you that molasses in January are faster than the time it took our poor old computer to do tasks.

Finally, one day last week when I shut down the computer to get rid of those annoying multiplying windows...alas...it never turned on again. The time had come to lay it to rest.

We ordered a new one immediately and it was delivered last Wednesday. In the meantime, I did what I could to keep current with e-mail and blogs at school, and I finished my first round of edits for This Feels Like Home on my laptop. Luckily I was working off of a flash drive. So we got by. But when you're used to 24/7 access to a computer and you don't have it...it's definitely a disruption to routine. Just little things like, "Oh, I'll check that on line..." Ooops, never mind, can't do that. It was definitely a game-changer.

On Wednesday then, I was going to reinstall my anti-virus and realized my new computer has Windows 8 (Which I'm still getting familiar with. The first night I couldn't figure out how to turn the thing off.) and my software was compatible with 7 and Vista. So I headed over to The Geek Squad and the very nice boy not only installed the new version, but made sure all of the proper updates were up and running too. Of course I spent two hours there, but it saved me a lot of swearing and wanted to throw things.

Now it's all about making new lists of favorites, reloading software, and transferring documents and pictures from my external hard drive. (Now that was a smart investment!) Let's just say it's a work in progress and will get there eventually. It's a good time to weed out all of those old documents that I'll never need to look at again. I also need to figure out how to adjust my time zone. I seem to be on Pacific Time. And the hubby is looking forward to smashing the old hard drive with a sledge hammer.

So at least for the next ten minutes, before it changes and something new and faster and better is invented, my technology is all up to date and running!

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com

Barbados by Margot Justes

 

Welcome to Barbados, even the name sounds exotic. We docked at an industrial port, where nothing could be seen but containers, more containers and a few cruise ships; Celebrity among them, I missed the cold towels and cold drinks that Celebrity provides on hot and humid days as you re-board. The little touches are important. Celebrity even had employees hold up signs and guide the passengers of the area, so that they could head to town or board the appropriate tour bus. I followed the Celebrity signs to get to my destination. Great customer service, that little commodity has become increasingly scarce. I am a Celebrity convert.

I fell in love with Barbados and would definitely go back, it is one of the most vital islands I have visited, the people are lively, exuberant and friendly. The island is developed and tourists abound, but it is the local population that really makes one feel welcome. I always think of pirates when I think of Barbados, and even the name evokes mysterious sunken treasures, mischief and mayhem.

The first stop of the our tour was the Gun Hill Signal Station, the view of the island from above was picture perfect. The name says it all, the station watched as ships entered the area, guns poised. Now, it is a museum that houses military artifacts.

We paid a visit to the Sunbury Plantation House, the sugar plantation is over 300 years old and gives an excellent example of life in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Originally bought by an Irishman, who was one of the first residents of Barbados. The house filled with antiques that span centuries, along with many carriages provides a visual tour of life in Barbados that spans 300 years; well worth a visit.

Along with a full tour of the plantation, and the sumptuous gardens, we had an opportunity to sit in the garden and sample rum punch, and positively delicious fish cakes. A visit to Barbados must include a sampling of Rum; it is abundant. Not a big fan of spiced rum, but became a huge fan of the fishcakes.

After visiting the plantation, we stopped at Orchid World. I have never seen so many orchids in one place,  the stunning colors, one exotic bloom after another, from white to black and anything in between.  The garden was huge, the vegetation rich and luscious, but the orchids were truly sublime.

I would be remiss, if I did not share the rum punch recipe that was given to us.
Bajan Rum Punch
Ingredients
1 of Sour (Lime Juice)
2 of Sweet (Liquid sugar syrup or sugar)
3 of Strong (Rum)
4 of Weak (Ice and/or water)
2 Dashes of Angostura bitters
Pinch of grated nutmeg
Method
Place ice in glass, add rum, liquid sugar, lime, top with water and 2 dashes of bitters. Grate some nutmeg on the top and serve. For a Sunbury Style Rum Punch, add 2 measures of pineapple juice. You may use your preferred unit of measure.

To go with the rum punch,  next week a recipe for the fish cakes. They were positively yummy.

Cheers,
Margot  Justes
A Hotel in Paris
A Hotel in Bath
Hearts & Daggers
Hot Crimes Cool Chicks
www.mjustes.com

 

What's Your Problem? Inadequate Plotting, Weak Setting or Boring Characters? by DL Larson

After reading Morgan's post yesterday I have to speak up.  Right now I'm judging a few published books for a contest.  Both are well written - with their word choices.  It's the words that are NOT there that bother me.  Let me explain.

The first book I judged is a sci-fiction.  Obviously that means things are different than our human standards.  The reader wants to know these differences, they do NOT want to have to play detective to discover how this new world works.  The writer needs to write the words that will bring this world to life.  Or the characters into focus.  The reader needs purpose and direction to understand the theme of the book.

Another problem that I see all too many times in sequels is the lack of explanation of each character's traits or past.  If a reader picks up a new book and begins to read and does not read about the basic premise of the plot, they are easily confused and likely to not finish the book. 

Introducing characters without some character description or relation to the theme of the book confuses the reader.  When writers do not take the time to create minor characters into "real" people, the book lacks depth.  And every time that lack-luster character is in a scene the scene is compromised because the character doesn't fill up the space as he/she should. 

My advice, as a reader and a writer:
1. Develop a scene so vivid your reader would recognize it outside the pages. 
2. Develop each character until she/he is three dimensional.  Paper characters are boring!
3. Develop your plot so it is the strongest thread throughout the book.  No matter how many times your characters detour from it, your reader knows/wants the plot to continue to completion.

I try to follow my own advice and often fail, only to work to make my words stronger.  I try to follow the advice I was given long ago: "Bring your writing level up to your taste level!"

Til next time ~

DL Larson

PS: still waiting for my book to be released!

Sloppy Editing

Editing is a real pain, but a necessary evil. I'm spending countless hours editing Blessing or Curse, my five story romance/science fiction anthology, to get it just right. Even after the best screening, I know a few errors will crop up, because it's almost impossible to produce an absolutely perfect manuscript.

Still, there are limits. When a book is not edited, or done sloppily, it's immediately noticeable. I very recently  quit reading two books, which were fortunately free. I won't name titles, because I don't like embarrassing people.

Problem with the first:

Too many coincidences.
I'll go along with one, but when they pile up, the believability factor flies out the window. Fiction isn't real life, yet the author needs to make a good case, so the reader can pretend such an alternate world exists. Yes, truth is stranger than fiction, but such strangeness doesn't wash in a book.

Problem with the second:

Repetitive phrases. 
Everyone is human and can make mistakes. Even an editor can miss a repetition. I'm not talking about a repetition purposely included for emphasis, but one which seems to harmlessly appear in the flow of words. 

When the same phrase appears a few paragraphs down in the same page, that gives me pause, but I'll ignore the redundancy. However, when another phrase gets the same treatment shortly thereafter, I lose patience. It's obvious the book has not been properly edited. Maybe the story is good. Maybe the author can convey emotions and pull at my heartstrings. I'll never know, because I've already removed the book from my Kindle.

What about you? How much patience do you have with sloppy editing? Have you seen any recent examples?

Morgan Mandel
http://morgansbooklinks.blogspot.com
Twitter: @MorganMandel