Hopefully this post will come with a picture of a bird. As of this moment I’ve seen it several times on my lawn and at the *feeders, but the minute I go get my camera the dang thing disappears. What’s up with that? (Okay I waited two whole days and only saw the dern thing when I didn’t have my camera so no picture. I’m posting anyway.)

I had it in my head that this bird was a Grackle, because that’s what I thought my Mom had told me ages ago. Be Delia assures me not. (And as my mother was never wrong then she can’t have told me that.) And perhaps it’s a female cowbird, but without a photo we can’t confirm. So I’m waiting. Not that I mind. I’m in bed with a head cold. Not the friendliest of companions the head cold. My other companion is a box of tissues.

If the not-a-grackle would appear, I’d post a photo and get on with my writing. but I don’t want to miss it. The other day I saw a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and I was quite disappointed that I didn’t get a picture. I should always have my camera on hand.

Which reminds me, there are a couple of views and some strange houses I want to photograph for you guys. I must put it on my mission list, because some of this stuff you wouldn’t believe if you hadn’t seen it yourself. Or something like that. I’m not sure my head cold is letting me make sense. I’m writing in on my to do list – which is on my hand so I don’t lose it.

There’s something you didn’t know about me. I put my to-do list on my hand because if it’s not right there in front of me I forget. I even forget to check the calendar. It’s sad really. I need a keeper, but nobody wants the job.

* (which I’m not supposed to have up because it’s Bear Season, but oh well. What can I say? I like Birds.  Also there are large fields and big dogs between me and bear country – they’ve never come down to the house.) Update Stay tuned for Monday’s post were I demonstrate that pride and ignorance go-ith before a fall.)

I’m beginning to upload some short stories for your enjoyment. If you like them it would be nice if you were to tweet and facebook the link.  Here is the first set in London’s Kensington Gardens and Chelsea Flower Show:

In London Gardens – a short story

Recently I signed a contract allowing Worldreader to pre-load both of my books onto kindles being for a program in Africa. Before you freak, my titles are only being given to adults associated with the program – teachers, parents – people like that. I’m not giving twelve-year-olds nightmares about men with guns. Unfortunately, as this is Africa, the children probably already have nightmares about men with guns. I can’t stop the nightmares but I can do something good.

Worldreader’s mission is to improve the lives of Sub-Saharan Africans by expanding their minds with reading. Exposing children to ideas and opportunities beyond their immediate surroundings is creating opportunities to better their lives. (That’s my take away from their literature, go read the mission statement for yourselves. You’ll get a better idea of what Worldreader does.

The thing is, and author or publisher with books on Amazon can help. All you have to do is sign a contract donating your books to kindles purchased by Worldreader. It’s easy. It doesn’t cost anything. (I mean really, did you expect people in Africa to be buying your books? One or two, maybe. And those fortunate souls will still be purchasing books. The people who get the kindles? They wouldn’t have been buying anything.)

Children’s books are needed, but teachers are also getting Kindles and adult themed books will be loaded for them. It gives me unexpected joy to think of a woman in Africa reading about Bree MacGowan in Vermont, while I’m in Vermont reading about Mma Precious Ramotswe of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency in Gaborone, Botswana. See, even I’ve received some unexpected joy from this program. And the more I think about it, the bigger my smile gets.

Go do something for yourself. Support Worldreader. You don’t have to be a writer or a publisher to do good here. You could do something big like donate, or do something else big (but easy) like spreading the word. Can you spare a minute to tweet (#booksforall)? Can you take five minutes and post something on Facebook? Can you put a banner on your blog? Yes. You. Can. Go ahead. Give yourself some joy.

Remember back in April when I asked you to tell me what genre you thought California Schemin’ fell into? Well we have winners! The lucky two are

Julie and Cheri G.  Thanks you ladies for participating in my informal survey. It looks as though most of you thought California Schemin’ fell into the romantic suspense category. Which is good, as that’s definitely where the next book is going to fall.

Check back in June for another prize winning post (okay, I know it’s not the post that will be winning prizes!)

Every so often I like to share great people I’ve found in and around the internet. Today I’m starting with Richard Snow. If truth be told, Richard found me. He discovered a comment of mine about time being an issue and contacted me. I’m rewarding his hutspa by passing him on to you. From his blog he seems to be a pretty good guy, kind of like an less well known (at least in my circles), Australian  Will Weaton.

I’m kind of tickled to be conversing with another Aussie. I love that about the internet. I know people in England, France, Belgium, Germany, Austrailia, Canada (well that’s not surprising,my younger brother, Ed Sanderson, lives in Canada – he’s a great person too). It was his Birthday yesterday and I got so busy I forgot to send good wishes. Bad Sister!  Happy birthday, Ed.  Every one send Edwardo (nickname) best wishes to make up for me forgetting. (Oh heck, I’m writing this on the second, but it’s not getting posted until the 7th.) Everyone send Ed belated birthday greetings, okay? So there’s your second new face for today – my brother Ed. The go gettingest Acupuncturist/Practitioner of Alternative Medicine in Powell River. Well maybe go getter isn’t quite  the word, probably he would rather I said the most caring Acupuncturist, or something like that. He is the bestest Acupuncturist/Alternative Health Care practitioner that I know. (shut up Ed, they don’t need to know that you’re the only one I know. I’m promoting here.)

This last weekend I met Kristan Higgins. She is a best selling author and was a speaker at the writers conference I attended, and I went to say hello to her after her talk. She made me both laugh and cry during her address and I wanted to tell her so. Unfortunately she asked me “…crying in a good way I hope?” After which I told her my dog had died so I was crying rather easily. (Stupid, stupid, stupid. Hit’s forehead with palm.) I would have cried anyway, it was just that kind of speech. And she really didn’t need to be sitting there comforting me because Midnight was gone. Which she (Midnight) really isn’t, because I can feel her next to me all the time. I have a guardian angle dog. It’s lovely really. Imagination or not, it’s comforting to feel like Midnight is with me.

Anyhow add Kristan, Richard and Ed to the Great People list for me, would you? And Wish my brother a happy day.

I had a lovely post scheduled to day about Richard Snow, Edward Sanderson and Kristan Higgins, but I’m postponing until Wednesday because I have yet another question to ask. Are you tired of giving your opinion – No, according to my last poll 100% of you enjoy giving me your opinions, so I’m taking you at your word and picking your brain some more.

I took what you all said about the first line of Glimmer Girls and synthesized it, swirled it around in my brain and then edited it the crap out of it. And now I’m asking you not only to tell me if you would read on, but also what you do and do not like about this paragraph. Honestly now, because I’m sending it in for a cold read – if I’m lucky it will get picked – and I need it to be the absolute best it can be, without having all the juice edited out of it. Tall order, I know.

As usual a little thingy will pop up, if it hasn’t already, and ask for your input. And I’d really, really like it if you could bring it upon yourself to make comments. Because if something isn’t working I need to know. Conversely if something is working, and you don’t tell me what it is, I might cut it because I don’t know what it is.

You see why you are so important to this process – without you I’m blundering around in the dark. Especially as my own sense of humor, among other things, is slightly wack. And I’ve been influence by at least three different cultures. They are all mushed up in my head and come out in strange ways. (I grew up in both California and British Columbia – plus I had English grandparents and grew up loving everything English. And then there was the over abundance of Monty Python in our house growing up. – “There’s a penguin on the telly!”) I’m asking you to save me in the only way you can… tell me what you like, and don’t.

Here’s the paragraph:

At twenty-four, Clara DeLamare no longer believed she was the victim of genetically altered tomatoes, although her mother certainly had been telling her that for years. No, Clara thought it was much more likely that she was descended from mermaids, and as it happened there was a village on the New England coast where mermaid sightings were once thought to be commonplace, although none had been recorded in recent history. Clara had come to see for herself. Because if it was true that Mabble was home to both magic and mermaids it might be the one place in the world she could find the truth

Are you enjoying these polls? I am. For one thing they are easy, for another I’m learning a lot! Here are the latest results.

There were only two comments on this poll:

“The first one or possibly the last.” from Flemington, USA.

“The bathroom window is such a non sequitur, you just HAVE to find out what spurred it!” from Germany. (Have I said how much it tickles me to have international comments on my blog? I feel so famous.)

The most popular first line for this story:

With 63% of the vote -

My mother had two rules when eating out, use basic table manners and never leave through the bathroom window.

With 25.9% of the vote -

My mother always said if you’re going to do something exceedingly stupid make sure you don’t have an audience first.

With 7.4% of the vote -

Did you ever have one of those days when it probably would have been better if you’d just stayed in bed?

and finally with 3.7% of the vote -

I was handcuffed to a hard wooden bench, dripping mud on the floor.

This time I took your advice and used the most popular line. It was the winner by a landslide, for one, and for two it was the one I liked best. So thanks for the help, y’all.

The next poll is easier. I just want to know if you like taking the polls. A simple yes or no answer with the option for comments. Easy peasey. And it will help me to decide if the whole poll thing is working for you, or if it’s a drag. It’s definitely working for me, and the next thing I’m thinking of putting up is a redesigned set of covers for the Bree MacGowan series, and Titles for the next book. (Bree Book that is. I’m not sure if Bree or Clara will be the first out of the gate at this point.) Anyway, take the poll, I’ll show the results!

With any luck the poll will come up this time with no problems – but if you don’t see the poll then please let me know!

Edited to add: Uh, well you have to actually activate the survey for it to work. Duh! (also need to turn the old one off.) Should be working now people!

So. I’m going to Fiction Fest a week from Saturday and I’m sending in the First Page of Glimmer Girls as part of a cold read they do there. A member of the Connecticut Chapter of RWA stands up and reads your first page in front of God and Everybody, but mostly Agents and Editors. Hopefully the person reading is a Good Reader, but I assume they won’t choose people who don’t read out loud well. At least it’s not me who is reading, because as we found out last weekend I read far to fast when in a large group. Michael Hauge had to ask me to slow down. AND read it twice. Argh.

I am very nervous. Let’s face it, I’m almost always nervous these days. Or maybe that’s just the caffeine I’m using to keep myself going. Probably both. Anyhow. Back on track here.

I’m once again asking you to pick your favorite first line. I know this must be getting old. Or maybe it isn’t? How would I know, I’m only the one asking the questions. But I’m not very good at picking the line that appeals to the most people so I really need your advice one more time. And not just your advice, I’m asking you not only to vote, but to also facebook, and retweet to get the word out. I’m really, really nervous here. (Read hopped up on caffeine and slightly insane.)

Am I begging? I think so.

By the way, I haven’t forgotten I’m choosing the winners of the two Amazon cards today. I just haven’t got to it yet. So check back. (Truthfully, I’ll send the winners emails so you don’t really HAVE to check  back, and I’ll probably post the winners on Thursday.)

So. Please, please, please! Vote, Tweet, Facebook, Pinterest – whatever – just do it. It’s good karma.

And one Misfortune. (That’s the addendum to my title.)

This past Friday and Saturday the NEC Writers conference was held in Salem, Mass. As you may know, I chaired the conference last year, and to tell the truth, I wasn’t going to go this year. I decided at the last minute to register, and for some crazy reason I paid the extra fee to see the EXTRA workshop. When I paid I was waffling, but then I decided it was fate (I didn’t remember signing up for the EXTRA) and went ahead and paid for the whole thing.

Boy, I’m glad I did. The EXTRA was Michael Hauge, who I hadn’t really heard of, but who was fantastic. He gave a five hour workshop on the six act screenplay – which happens to also work for novels. Let me tell you, I’ve read a lot of writing books but the way Michael explained the way this works had light bulbs popping in my head all day long.

Did you know screenplays are only about one hundred pages long? I almost jumped into screenwriting on the spot. But no, I’m a novelist, so I stuck with the program and learned how to translate the information so it would apply to my stories. He explained the character arc, and the transformation from identity to essence in a way even my overactive brain could assimilate. Michael Hauge, great, great teacher. If you are a writer and ever have the chance to take a workshop from him, I highly recommend taking it.

After Michael Hauge was dinner, then dessert (YUM!) with prizes for the best witches hats and tiaras. I don’t know who won that. I guess I wasn’t around for the prizes. I didn’t get one for mine.   Still it was quite fun. I had an appointment for a Psychic Reading, but at 11:10 pm, when my appointment was scheduled, there were still five people ahead of me. So I cancelled and went to bed. I couldn’t sleep so I wished I’d just stayed and had my appointment. Who knows what I would have heard!

On Saturday I attended a host of presentations, won a center piece and a tea tray complete with camel teapot. Yes, you read that right, a teapot shaped like a camel. I’m tickled! It was donated by Susan Carlisle. Thank you Susan! The presentations I attended were  all quite good. Two that especially come to mind are the Marketing Presentation by Jennifer Fusco, who I now adore, and the digital publishing workshop by Marie Force, at whose feet I worship. She is such an inspiration. I missed the first part of Jen Talty‘s presentation, but I quite enjoyed the end. But truly, NEC always has fabulous presenters, and this year was no different. Kevin and Arlene were worth it on entertainment value alone. And if there is a Mrs. Kevin, forgive me for exchanging banter with your husband, he is quite enjoyable to spar with.

The misfortune? I got a flat tire. But even worse, I discovered it was flat when I retrieved my suitcase from the car, and then promptly forgot until I was ready to leave. I waited ninety minutes for the repair guy to come swap out my tire, which I found annoying. It would have been much quicker for me to change the tire myself. Next time I’ll consider it. I’m certainly capable. It’s only my laziness that stops me.

Last, but not least, I roomed with Megan Coakley, who is FABULOUS and gracious and who I love to death. Thanks Megan. It was great to see you.

You are reading this Friday. It’s Thursday afternoon as I type this, this morning we said goodbye to Midnight. And after a lot of angst and guilt and any number of other emotions along with floods of tears I’ve decided to make this post about Midnight and not about my emotions about having to put her to sleep. There was no choice. It had to be done. I’m glad I had the courage to do the right thing.

So let me tell you about Midnight.

She was two or three years old and spent her days chained to a doghouse in the snow. I’m not sure if the guy had a new wife, or if after three years of struggle she finally won, but she was banished to the dog house and they advertised in the local classified paper. Free black lab cross. I unhooked her, opened the door to the minivan and she jumped right in. She sat in the passenger seat head proud and happy as can be. She said goodbye to that place and never looked back. She loved riding along, and when I got out of the car to do an errand she would sit in the driver seat. Funny dog.

I do believe she would have gotten into any vehicle with any person. She should have been owned by a trucker.

It was clear Midnight had been in some sort of accident. Her head was lopsided, and caved in on top. Her tail had been broken. She was always stoic, even when the Vet had to put a drain in her neck from a dog attacking her. She would just look at me with those eyes.

The boys were four years old. Bud was afraid of Midnight at first, but Bug happily got on her back and “rode” her around the house. Until Midnight started down the stairs – he bailed at that point. Bud and Midnight finally made friends. She was a perfect dog, well almost. She wouldn’t play. She had no concept of what a ball was for. She was the first dog I ever owned that didn’t know how to play.

What did Midnight love, other than riding in cars? Swimming. When we first got her we had a pond and she would follow the canoe. And if you took her out in the canoe she’d jump into the water. We took Midnight to the river in the summer and she would charge right in and just swim and swim. The only problem was if anyone was swimming she would try to rescue them. That got a little tricky, as most people weren’t interested in being rescued by an over enthusiastic lab.

Midnight loved her food and for a while she looked like a land seal. But we got her running more and changed her food so she was healthier. She loved to chase down the field mice and voles and toss them around. Not so nice for the rodents around here, I know. But she didn’t bite them. She’d catch them, toss them up and then pounce on them again. Of course they all died of fright, but at least she didn’t eat them.

We had Midnight three years when we adopted eight month old Zoey. She mothered Zoe and they became inseparable. A year or so later Moose wandered onto our property and Midnight kept him in line and was a key component in Moose’s reformation.

Midnight would sit with me, and sometimes come to have her ears rubbed. She wasn’t an affection hound like my other dogs, she was happy to be near me and get an occasional ear rub or pat on the back. Unlike most labs, she was very protective of her family and her house – she’d raise her hackles and chase people off. She liked to stand between strangers and our children. She was fierce, but she never bit. Just scared the crap out of people!

She hated having her picture taken, but we have one or two. I will miss you Midnight. Go run with Molly and give Grandma Nancy and Grammie Hilda big kisses from me. Don’t forget us. You will be in your family’s hearts forever.