Friday, January 16, 2015

What Are Our Authors Working on This Month?


What are our authors working on this month?
By Margaret Daley

Author: Sandra Orchard
Title: yet-to-be-titled, but it’s book 1 in a new Mystery Series
Hero and Heroine: Serena Jones with two potential heroes Tanner Calhoun and Nathan Butler
Line: Revell Publishing
One paragraph from the page you are currently on: 
I swept my gaze over her outfit. “You have a part-time job for wages that are nothing to write home about. I’m struggling to make two and two add up to a fifteen hundred dollar dress."
Something cool learned from research: The heroine is an FBI art crime detective in St. Louis so I learned TONS of cool stuff touring St. Louis and visiting the FBI headquarters, but I want to save the reveals for the book.

Author: Merrillee Whren
Title: No title—The Village of Hope Series, Book #3
Hero and Heroine:  Melody Hammond and Hudson Paine Conrick the Fourth

Line: Love Inspired Romance   

One paragraph from the page you are currently on:
By the time the evening was over, she had a throbbing headache, and she wished she could stop thinking about Hudson Conrick. He was just another man who liked to live on the edge. Even her dad had lived that way, refusing to listen to his doctor who wanted him to eat healthier, get some exercise and quit smoking. He’d rolled the dice and done none of those, and he had paid the price when he died of a heart attack at the age of forty-eight, leaving behind a young widow and four children. Melody didn’t want to have an interest in a man who gambled with life no matter how appealing.


Something cool learned from research: Army paratroopers have 3 weeks of training at Ft. Benning, Georgia. They train from a 34 foot tower and then a 250 foot tower before doing actual jumps.  

Author: Linda Goodnight
Title: Untitled:  Book 2 of The Honey Ridge Novels
Hero and Heroine:  Hayden Winters and Carrie Riley
Line: Welcome to Honey Ridge, Tennessee, and a house that's rich with secrets and brimming with sweet possibilities.
One paragraph from the page you are currently on:
Would the old man be passed out by now? Or would he be waiting with clenched fist and a hankering to take out his hatred of life on the good-for-nothing son of the good-for-less woman who’d left them both so long ago the boy had forgotten her. Mostly. Somehow it was Brody’s fault that his mother had left, and the old man never let him forget it, though he never gave a reason. Brody was pretty much clueless about his absentee mother. His angry father he understood, but thoughts of his mother left him lonely and nursing a guilt he didn’t understand. He must have done something really bad to make her up and leave that way.
Something cool learned from research:  Though I haven't used it, I ran across a home remedy for fever in the 1800s was to wet tobacco leaves and place them on the forehead. This left a brownish orange stain on the skin. Imagine walking around with that on your face!

Author: Dana Mentink
Title: Coronado Christmas Capture (working title)
Hero and Heroine: Donna Gallagher and Brent Mitchell
Line: Love Inspired Suspense
One paragraph from the page you are currently on:
Dark shadows drifted across the tiny office window. Even the lights strung along the ferry boat could not chase away Donna Gallagher's tickle of unease as she gazed out at San Diego Bay. Rain beaded on the glass, a winter storm. The vessel was already crowded in spite of the weather. In the upcoming three weeks, the number of visitors would swell as eager Christmas shoppers came over from the mainland and overnight guests arrived for the Hotel del Coronado's holiday festival. Twinkling white lights, ice skating, fireworks and hot cocoa. The perfect Christmas on the beautiful island town of Coronado.
Something cool learned from research: Coronado Island is home to the North Island Naval Base where 1/3 of the Pacific Fleet is docked! 

Author: Terri Reed
Title: Under the Cover of Mistletoe (working title)
Hero and Heroine: DEA Agent Tyler Griffin and widow and mom Heather Larson-Randall
Line: Love Inspired Suspense
One paragraph from the page you are currently on: For a long moment she stared at him, her eyes so forlorn and vulnerable. He fought the need to take her in his arms and assure her all would be well.  But he didn’t. Couldn’t. Letting this assignment become anymore personal than it already was equaled a bad idea. His boss commanded him to stick close to the widow and her son, to protect them. Not so he could fall for the beautiful lady and her adorable kid.  He ignored the little whisper inside his head that told him he was fast on his way to falling and there wasn’t a safety net to catch him. 
Something cool learned from research: I’ve been learning about the Christmas tree industry. I’d never thought about the work done with the trees off-season and that the US exports thousands of trees each year to other countries.

Author: Louise M. Gouge
Title: Not titled yet
Hero and Heroine: Jared Mattson and Emma Sharp
Line: Love Inspired Historical
One paragraph from the page you are currently on:
Emma froze. Jared Mattson. The last person she wanted to see, even at her best. Today, dressed in Pa’s old trousers and faded flannel shirt, she cringed in spite of herself. Even two years after he cruelly played with her affections and then jilted her without any explanation, she still couldn’t bear to be in his presence. She could manage to ignore him in church and at social gatherings, but now, covered from head to toe with soot, she would make an easy target for his teasing wit.
Something cool learned from research: I learned about the New Mexican custom of Las Posadas, which is celebrated in many Spanish speaking countries.

Author: Jolene Navarro
Title: The Pilot & The Single Mom (working title)
Hero and Heroine: Tyler Childress and Karly Kalakona of Clear Water Texas
Line:Love Inspired
One paragraph from the page you are currently on: When she lifted her eyes back to the sky, he could see her profile. Her full lips definitely brought kissing to mind. He shook his head and returned to star gazing. She made him think of early morning kisses. Not the hot burn-out-quick kind, but the kind he used to see his dad give his mother every morning in the kitchen before he left to work. The kind that showed you that the day was good and that home was always waiting for you.
Something cool learned from research: In a small plane you should open the doors in an emergency landing. If door can collapse and trap you inside.

Author: Jean C. Gordon
Title: The Pastor's Christmas Star (working title)
Hero and Heroine: Connor Donnelly and Natalie Delacroix
Line: Love Inspired
One paragraph from the page you are currently on:
For the rest of the afternoon worked beside Connor, welcoming and talking with the open house guests and replenishing the refreshment table. More than once, she had the thought, so this is how it would feel to be the pastor’s wife. And even more often, she wished the crowd would thin and the open house would be over, so she could have a few minutes of alone time with Connor to talk before she lost her nerve.
Something cool learned from research: There are two different Polar
Express train rides on different rail lines in the Adirondack Mountains, one that leaves from Saratoga Springs and one that leaves from Utica.

Author: Barbara Phinney
Title: Cinderella of Minnow Lake
Hero and Heroine: Ellie B and James
Line: Maybe Love Inspired or Independently published. Not sure yet.
One paragraph from the page you are currently on: The book is finished, but this is the blurb:
Ellie B Phillips wants the promotion to rec director in her small town of Minnow Lake, and has the support of the outgoing director, but the sudden arrival of her old flame, researcher James Simcoe, has the town in turmoil, putting her dream promotion at risk.
James has come to Minnow Lake with one agenda, to discover why this lake lives and his has died. Once his testing is done, he's leaving, and none too soon for most in Minnow Lake. But he's driven to resurrect his lake and nothing else matters.
As much as Ellie B wants her promotion, she secretly dreams of her own happily ever after with James. But he is leaving in a few weeks while she is tied to this town. Can there be a happily ever after.
Something cool learned from research: I learned what makes mountain lakes that beautiful blue colour. It's called Rock Flour.

Author: Deb Kastner
Title: A Cowboy Country Christmas Novella
Hero and Heroine: Marcus Ender and Sarah Kendrick
Line: Harlequin Love Inspired
One Paragraph:
Tears pricked the corner of Sarah Kendrick’s eyes but she dashed them away with the back of her hand. No more tears. She was done crying.The Percherons were the last of her livestock to go—well, everything except for Snort and Crash. Trying to sell live reindeer less than a week before Christmas was like trying to pawn penny candy at a gourmet chocolate shop. An added stress to an already bleak season.
Something Cool Learned from Research: I've only just started on this novella and am learning how a Christmas tree farm operates, including shaking, touch-up, trimming, netting and loading.

Author: Lacy Williams
Title: Matty's story (don't have official Harlequin title yet)
Hero and Heroine: Matty White and Catherine Poole
Line: Love Inspired Historical
One paragraph from the page you are currently on:
"You say you don't need a friend," Matty said. "But I don't believe you."
Something cool learned from research: I've been researching soddies/dugouts. The heroine lives in a one-room home built into the ground.

Author:  Mindy Obenhaus
Title:  Healing the Warrior’s Heart (working title)
Hero and Heroine:  Kaleb Palmer and Grace McAllen
Line:  Love Inspired
One paragraph from the page you are currently on: 
As a teenager, he used to dream of the day he’d own his own motorcycle and had planned to purchase that very model as soon as he left the Army. He longed to conquer Colorado’s infamous Million Dollar Highway, leaning the machine into every hairpin curve. Of course, that was back when he had two legs.
Something cool learned from research:  There are small, pop-up trailers made to be pulled behind motorcycles.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Reading Through MY Ages


Pamela Tracy here and obviously I’m avoiding working on my current WIP.  
Somehow, I found myself on a mission.  
It all started when I read a post on Steve Laube’s blog about books thirty years ago. 
 So



What was America reading during the decade I was born.... ABC order

  1. A Shade of Difference - Allen Drury - 1962
  2. A Small Town in  in Germany - John le Carre - 1968 (Never read this, but The Little Drummer Girl disturbed me greatly years later)
  3. Advise and Consent - 1960
  4. Airport - Arthur Hailey - 1968 (I think I read this.  I know I read Roots.  Hey, who's Alex Hailey.  Were these guys brothers?)
  5. All in the Family - Edwin O’Conner - 1966 (I’m going to look this up, too.  I remember the TV show and wonder if it’s the same)  
  6. Armageddon - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins - 1964 (Really?  I thought they were fairly new)
  7. Candy - Kevin Brooks - 1964
  8. Capable of Murder - Allen Drury - 1966 (Really?  I’ve got to look him up.  He’s mentioned twice)
  9. Caravans - James A. Michener - 1963
  10. Christy - Catherine Marshall - 1967 (I’ve read this book twice and fully intend to read it again.)

Read 2 of 10.  



What was America reading during the decade I learned to drive...ABC order


  1. 1876 - Gore Vidal - 1976
  2. A Stranger in the Mirror - Sidney Sheldon - 1976 (Love his books.  Rage of Angels is my favorite)
  3. August 1914 - Aleksandr Solzehitsyn - 1972 (Lots of dates this decade.)
  4. Beggarman, Thief by Irwin Shaw - 1977 (Not sure, think so, maybe, but I read Rich Man; Poor Man.  This was Nick Nolte at his best)
  5. Bloodline - Sidney Sheldon - 1979 (Pretty sure I read this)
  6. Breakfast of Champions - Kurt Vonnegut - 1973 (Yup, read it - although I’m sure I read it in the 80s))
  7. Burr - Gore Vidal  - 1973
  8. Captains and the Kings - Taylor Caldwell - 1972
  9. Centennial - James A. Michener - 1974
  10. Chesapeake- James A. Michener - 1978

Read 4 of 10.  Hey, I’m growing up!



What was American reading when I went to college...ABC order


  1. ... And the Ladies of the Club - ? - 1984
  2. 2010: Odyssey Two - Arthur C. Clarke - 1982 (I’m pretty sure.  I know I read the first one)
  3. A Perfect Spy - John le Carre - 1986 (The Little Drummer Girl scared me.  I didn’t read him anymore)  
  4. Alaska - James A. Michener - 1988 (I don’t think so)
  5. An Indecent Obsession - Colleen McCullough - 1981
  6. California Gold - John Jakes - 1989 (I think so)
  7. Caribbean - James A. Michener - 1989 (This guy did something right)   
  8. Changes - Danielle Steel - 1983 (Yes)
  9. Christine - Stephen King - 1983 (Read it the week it came out)
  10. Clear and Present Danger - Tom Clancy - 1989 (Yes)

Read 5 out of 10

What was America reading when I entered the job force...ABC order



  1. A Man in Full - Tom Wolfe - 1998
  2. Accident - Danielle Steele - 1994 (Yes)
  3. Airframe - Michael Crichton - 1996 (How did I miss this one?)
  4. All Around Town - Mary Higgins Clark - 1992 (Yes)
  5. Apollyon - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
  6. Assassins - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins 
  7. Bag of Bones - Stephen King - 1998 (Yes)
  8. Cat and Mouse - James Patterson - 1997
  9. Cause of Death - Patricia Cornwell - 1996
  10. Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier - 1997

Read 3 out of 10 (I’m going the wrong way!)


Oh!  My very first book came out this decade.  Just squeaked by in 1999.  It didn't make the list, but I'm pretty proud of it.  
It Only Takes a Spark 
was my one and only Barbour Heartsong.




What was America reading the decade I married..ABC order.


  1. A Day Late and a Dollar Short - Terry McMillan - 2001 
  2. A Painted House - John Grisham - 2001 (I have it.  I just haven’t read it yet)
  3. A  Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini - 2007 (I read The Kiterunner.  Very engaging and well written; however, there are certain scenes I don’t want in my memory.)
  4. Angels & Demons - Dan Brown -
  5. Armageddon - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins - 2003
  6. At First Sight - Nicholas Sparks - 2005
  7. Beach Road - James Patterson, Peter De Jonge - 2006
  8. Black House - Peter Straub, Stephen King
  9. Bleachers - John Grisham - 2003 (Yes)
  10. Blow Fly - Patricia Cornwell - 2003 

Read 1 out of 10 (Maybe I’m getting busier or maybe my reading habits have changed)

Oh!  I had ___ releases during this decade.  Two of them made a splash.


My first LI, written for their suspense line, and a Rita finalist.

Won the Carol!


1960 - 2000 came from http://www.ranker.com/list/best-selling-novels-of-the-1960_s/bestselling-books and so forth.  It stopped in the 2000s. (Guess we have to wait until the decade is done for the next entry)   So, I had to switch

According to USA Today, the bestsellers of 2010, the year my firstborn started school, and not ABC order were...



  1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson (Yes - but only the first one.  Again, I don’t like certain scenes in my memory.
  2. The Girl Who Played with Fire  Stieg Larsson
  3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest - Stieg Larsson
  4. Decision Points by George W. Bush
  5. The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks
  6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth (I have it.  It takes a while when you’re reading them chapter by chapter with a nine-year-old.  I will be reading it because I read the books my son reads.)
  7. Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert (Yes)
  8. Dear John - Nicolas Sparks
  9. The Help - Kathryn Stockett (Yes.  Loved it! A top ten favorite.)
  10. Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyer (I have it, but only made it to book two) 

Read 3 out of 10 (Good, going back up.  I looked at 2011 and really wowed that year, but then according to USA Today, the top ten were mostly YA) 

satoday30.usatoday.com/life/books/news/story

Oh!  I didn't have a book in 2010, one of the few years that had a void.  However, from 2011 until 2016, there will be 15 books to add to my resume.     


My next release, April 2015, from LI
It starts The Rancher's Daughters series 

And, of course, we've got to mention the best Book of all time




I've read it the whole way through - and pieces of it, I've read a hundred times or more

You recognize any of the books I've mentioned :)

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Welcome to Winter!

So this winter, I traded this:


For this:


That’s right, I left behind the sunny south to take a job in the frigid Midwest. It’s an adjustment for everyone including my furkids. The dogs are now accepting the fact that when it’s below freezing and snow is on the ground that wearing those dog booties is actually a good thing.



This process has taught me a lot about being able to accept change. It has also made me rely on prayer even more to get through this huge life change. This song has been one of my favorites lately.


But when it’s so cold outside, it’s a great time to curl up with a great book. How do you handle the winter weather? How cold has it been where you live? Do you have a great read to keep you company?

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Carolyn Greene’s Favorite Organizing- and Time-Saving Apps and Programs



It’s the beginning of a new year, and thoughts turn to becoming more productive in many areas of our lives: Work, time management, household tasks, cooking, and even pleasure reading.  So what’s a busy tech-toy-loving person to do?

Why, try out new apps, of course!  Here are my favorites, in no particular order:

Calendar / Planner:  Franklin Planner, Day-Timer, Dayrunner, At-A-Glance, Mead … I’ve tried them all and loved something about each.  But what I didn’t love was having to handwrite all my to-do’s and erase and rewrite every time something changed, which was every day.  So I started shopping for iPad and iPhone apps that would keep track of my tasks by due date and automatically carry over each undone item to the next day.  The closest I’ve found to the paper planners I enjoyed is Opus Domini:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/opus-domini-mobile/id492262685?mt=8

There’s a section for daily tasks and events, another for your master task lists which include multi-step projects, goals, mission statement, and contacts.  The link connects to a free app that you can sample before buying.  I use the iPad version and keep it open all day to keep me focused and on task.

If you’re one who likes the latest and greatest of everything, you may want to check into the soon-to-be-released, updated version called Opus One.  See it at www.piso13.com

Cookbooks:   For those trying to eat healthier, it takes a bit more preparation and planning than just tossing a TV dinner in the microwave or opening a can.  So why not let these cookbook apps help you out?

Paprika:  Find a recipe that’s easy, tasty, and blessedly quick to prepare?  Snap a photo and save the picture and instructions here.   Or you can comb the web and save recipes onto the app.  Also, let it help you organize your grocery list.  http://paprikaapp.com

Forks Over Knives:  Healthy recipes that’ll get you thinking outside of the box … outside of the fast food box and pre-packaged food box,that is.  http://www.forksoverknives.com/fok-recipe-app-now-available-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch

McDougall’s Mobile Cookbook:  More healthy recipes.  These are a little heavier on the starches to help you feel full but, like the Forks Over Knives recipes, are also plant based.  https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/shopping/apps/mobile-cookbook-app

AllRecipes Dinner Spinner:  If you prefer a little meat with your meals (or not), this one’s handy.  Type in which ingredients you have on hand, and up pop several possible recipes.  Or specify that you want gluten free or vegetarian options, and only those will be shown. And the free price tag is quite nice.  http://allrecipes.com/features/mobile

OurGroceries:  While we’re talking about food, let’s not forget the app that will eliminate your refrigerator notes forever.  Yes, those sloppily written lists on beat up scraps of paper that you never have with you when unexpectedly pop in at the grocery store to pick up a few things, and you have to call home to have someone read the list to you.  Or maybe no one’s home, and you have to rely on memory.  This app lets you and your household members add to and delete grocery items, no matter where you are.  No forgotten foods, and no more duplications.  There’s also room for errand lists and whatever other reminders or list items you need to share frequently with your family.  https://www.ourgroceries.com/overview

Evernote:  This powerhouse program keeps track of everything!  It’s so wonderful that I haven’t even begun to learn all of its features.  So far, I’m using it to keep track of my packing lists for when I travel and another file for jotting down Christmas and birthday gift recipient lists and potential gift ideas.  The subject of sock puppets came up recently, and it occurred to me that a special little girl in my life might enjoy one, so I wrote it in my Evernote file.  However, the little sweetie is still too young to play with an item that might have small parts she could swallow, so I’ve put it on the gift list for a year or two down the road.  No more last-minute scrambling for ideas.  https://evernote.com

FaceTime:  Stay in touch with your loved ones even though they may live states away, as my grown children do.  This is especially handy if, like me, you need their fashion advice on something you’re wearing that.  Having a bad hair day and don’t want to be seen?  Use FaceTime’s voice-only option for a free long-distance call.  https://www.apple.com/ios/facetime .  For non-Apple users, Skype is the way to go:  http://www.skype.com/en

Yoga Studio:  When I’m on a manic deadline, there’s no way I can devote large chunks of time to exercising.  What I like about Yoga Studio is that I can select an exercise by fitness level, a certain body focus, or length of time.  If it’s been a while since I’ve exercised, I’m not up to a fast-paced cardio session, and I only have a small amount of time, I can choose beginner, strength, and 15 minutes.  No special equipment necessary.  http://yogastudioapp.com

Writing Tools:  Okay, I almost wrote Writing Toys.  Even though these next suggestions are helpful work-related tools, I admit that using them still feels like I’m playing with toys.

Index Card Board:  What a great way to plan and sort scenes for your Great American Novel.  You can color code them, stack them, sort them, and write on the backs of these virtual cards.  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/index-card-board-for-ipad/id508074636?mt=8

Pomodoro:  Two words … deadline and A.D.D.  Okay, the second was technically three words (Attention Deficit Disorder), but I can personally attest that when you put the two together, stress ensues.  Sometimes a writer needs a little extra help staying focused and on task.  Enter the Pomodoro timer, named for the cute little tomato-shaped kitchen timers of the past.  This app allows you to set a series of working stretches, followed by short rest breaks and interspersed with occasional longer breaks.  Now, instead of wandering off whenever a distracting thought occurs to me, I know to keep working until the timer sounds.  If it can help this ping-brain creative person, it can help anyone.  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pomodoro-timer-focus-on-your/id703145045?mt=8

Scrivener:  This one has received many recommendations across many writing communities, so I won’t detail all it can do.  However, this writing program is handy for keeping my early-concept notes, synopsis, character charts, scene descriptions, timelines, research links, chapter files (of course), and much more all in one place … right beside my open document.  No more scrounging through endless Microsoft Word files, wondering what bizarre filing method I might have used for something I absolutely need Right Now!  Just open it up to the project name, and everything is all there, safe and sound.  http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php

Whew!  That’s a lot of favorite apps, but there’sstill one writing app that’s uninvented yet (or perhaps just undiscovered by me) that I would really love to have and use.  It’s an app that lets writers black out specific dates as non-writing days, enter the total number of words to be written, and the deadline date.  Then the app would figure out for you how many words you need to write per day to finish in time, all while keeping track of your daily progress.  If any app developers are reading this and looking to turn this into an actuality, please consider turning into a game wherein points are earned and levels achieved.  Oh, yeah … I could totally get into that.  Consider me your first customer.

Okay, readers (and writers) … what are your favorite organizing- and time-saving apps / programs?
---

When Carolyn Greene is not writing or playing with her tech toys, she treasures time spent with her retired-fire-chief husband, son who’s studying for his Ph.D., schoolteacher daughter, sweet son-in-law, and new granddaughter.  And let’s not forget the two hyperactive miniature pinschers who crowd into her chair while she writes.  Carolyn writes romance novels for Love Inspired and mysteries for Guideposts Books.  Her latest Love Inspired release is Unexpected Reunion, the first in the Southern Blessings series.




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