The "In Between"

I just finished watching a video of a haunted house in England that gives the phrase "in between" a whole different meaning! The people have lived in their house for three years and have documented poltergeist activity. Whether or not you believe them is another matter. I was reading the comments and as with most things, there are opinions all over the board. I think the one that resonated with me is "how come they're not surprised when these things happen suddenly?" I will say the video is well done, real or not.

But that's not the kind of in between I'm living right now. I have just received edits back from my editor on Hillendale 5, which I hope includes her opinion on the title. Enchanted Memories is a front-runner, but I'm vacillating with Hypnotic Charm. Tune in next week to find out which one wins (feel free to weigh in in the comments), and by then pre-orders should be available to those of you who want to keep up with what's going on in Hillendale.

Generally, in the "in between," I start the next book. This time, I've been taking a break. Learning new things. Have I mentioned my podcast? The second episode is up! And since I'm talking about the podcast, keep an eye out for my interview with author Maggie Toussaint coming July 14.

After I finished my first book (Holy cow! That was 20 years ago!) I read articles on how people celebrate the "birth" of a book, what to do in the "in between," and some of the ideas were loads of fun. To this day, one of the suggestions that stuck with me was about someone who browsed the classified ads and found something they wanted to buy. When they went to pick it up, they sat and talked with the seller for hours! That conversation spurred them on to write the next book. The article likened finishing a book to childbirth, where the author needs time to recover from the process. I totally get that. The process is exhausting, and also miraculous. I grew that?

My "in between" is just about over and it will be time to commit to a new story, but for now, I'm excited to polish Hillendale 5 and prepare it for distribution. I hope you'll love it, too! 

Do you listen to podcasts?

 Hillendale 5 is currently with the editor! 

I went to lunch with my good buddy, Bobbi, the day I sent it off and was telling her about my editing trials - my struggles getting the book prepared for the editor, and she told me I should do a podcast.  

"Just talking to you today captivated my interest in the book, so now I want to see how they all tie together. I can’t remember if I asked you, but do you or have you thought about doing some podcasts on your books? You really are very engaging and I could listen to you talk for a very long time!"

I did mention she was my good buddy, right? But it sparked my interest. My son is a regular podcast listener, and I've spoken with several other people who are, also. I'm not, although I've tried. I did follow one of my son's podcast options for a while and went through an entire season - something a lot like "Mystery Theater" that I used to listen to on the radio when I was a kid. The one he recommended to me was interesting and engaging, but I was still a little behind the trend. Now that I've left the day job and have more time to focus on my writing, the idea of podcasting isn't quite so overwhelming. In fact, I got a little excited about the prospect. And then I thought about my author friends and the things I'd love to hear from them, and thought about interviewing them, as well. We all have "the inspiration behind the book" and the parts of the story that excited us enough to write it. That excitement comes out more clearly verbally than it does in writing, at least that's my experience. Clearly, my good buddy agrees. Book backstory. What do you think? 

I started playing around with it, and am sharing a link to my test episode with you. Yes, I stumble on a few words, but if I decide to pursue this, I promise to be more enunciative (how's that for a word!).

This is where I ask my author friends if they're interested in an interview spot (assuming I pursue this wild hare). Use the contact form on the right to let me know.

It's my birthday month, and I'm not above soliciting birthday gifts - specifically, supporting my writing habit by buying my books and leaving me a review. You can start with UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES which is on sale! Read one or read the whole series, but don't stop there! I have 25 books to choose from. 

Continuing the series

"Between Brynn’s magic and Kyle’s new construction job, or as he says his temporary job, this pair finds they have no together time. To make matters worse, when Brynn tries to help someone, her magic goes awry.

Hillendale, the town where Brynn lives, works, and loves feels less like a friendly place. Troubles keep coming her way and her magic becomes…interrupted. Can Brynn fix her life before its too late?

“Sometimes you just know” is a line from the story, but it applies to this series. I have so enjoyed Brynn’s journey through family, magic, and love.

A wonderful paranormal read with heartfelt emotion and the best kind of personal chemistry!" - Muddy Rose Reviews

I'm busily editing the next installment of The Hillendale Novels, but thought I'd share the review (above) and give you a snippet (below) from INTERRUPTED MAGIC to whet your appetite for what comes next.

I must have fallen asleep in the woods. Ash nudged me awake to a sunny morning. A chill shivered through me and I cuddled my cat for warmth.

As we neared home, Madeleine Stephens came into view, seated on the picnic bench in the park that backed up to my yard. She faced the footpath as if she knew I’d be coming. Ash tensed and snuggled closer.

“I see her,” I said into Ash’s fur.

A low growl emanated from deep in Ash’s throat.

“I’ve got this if you want to go on ahead,” I whispered.

Ash leapt from my arms and dashed for her cat door in the workroom.

I raised my chin and continued on. “You’re here early this morning.”

“In a manner of speaking,” she said.

I wasn’t in the mood for riddles. “Should I assume you’re looking for me?”

Madeleine rose from the park bench, a flash of sunlight sparking her nose ring. “The drug charges against my brother have been dropped. Thank you for asking your boyfriend to intervene.”

“He’s not my boyfriend anymore,” I said.

She smiled, a mysterious sparkle in her eyes. “So I understand. Are you sure you’re done with him?”

“Yes. I’m glad your brother’s been cleared.” I walked past her, into my backyard.

“I canceled the spell,” she called after me.

Which meant my debt to Kyle had been paid. I stopped and bowed my head. Our relationship was officially ended. “Thank you.” I tried to let go of the flood of emotions before I turned to face her once more. “I contacted the woman I told you about, about the Wiccan coven. She’s agreed to meet with you if you still want people to share knowledge with.”

Madeleine took a step back, her eyes widening. “Thank you.” She glanced down the footpath. “I came to tell you about the spell last night, but I couldn’t find you.”

I laughed. “Are you saying you’ve been sitting here all night?”

She blushed. “No, not after I lost you in the woods. When you weren’t home yet this morning, I thought I’d wait. I figured you had to come back the way you left.”

She couldn’t find me? The beech tree must have wrapped me in its enchantment, even if I hadn’t hidden beneath its branches. “Let me get you Hannah’s contact information.”

I retrieved the slip of paper from inside the house and handed it to her.

“Do you mind me asking you about him?” she asked.

“Him, who?”

She nodded across the street. “He seems useful enough.”

I glanced at Kyle’s house, wondering once more how difficult the future would be living across the street from each other. “He’s a good man, but we had different worldviews.”

“Is that so important?”

I laughed. “It is if you hope to build a future together.”

Madeleine shrugged. “Seems you could have managed the situation, if you know what I mean. Take what you want and ignore the rest.”

You can buy INTERRUPTED MAGIC here.

Madeleine steps up in the next book, and I'm expecting an August release. More on that to come!

On Editing

Yay! I've finished the fifth book in the Hillendale series. Now begins the real work, the various forms of self editing before it goes to a real editor. 

Developmental editing

Does everything make sense? Do my characters start out one place and end up somewhere that doesn’t make sense? Developmental editing is a thorough and in-depth review of the entire story. It examines all the elements of writing, from individual words and sentences to overall structure and style. 

Copyediting

A copy edit will generally address grammatical or punctuation errors, incorrect facts, anomalies, inconsistencies and glaring typos. Have I used the right words in the right places?

Proofreading

Time to double check everything, specifically looking for spelling errors, grammar errors, proper punctuation, misused homophones (everyone familiar with their, they're, there?), layout issues, font issues, and spacing issues. 

As an author, I check all of this as I go, but there are bound to be errors that sneak through, even after multiple passes. I know what the story is supposed to say, so my brain might trick me into what's supposed to be there rather than what is actually on the page. 

And once I’ve finished, I send it to my editor who finds all the things I missed.

Then, after addressing my editor's comments, I proofread again--reading with my computer, reading a "hard copy" and having my computer read it to me while I follow along. The different passes ensure I trick my brain into seeing what's actually there rather than what I expect to read.

And you thought this gig was easy!

TFW a Song Stops You Cold

I was short on my word count for the day and scrambling to get more of the story down. We'd finished dinner and the Big Guy turned on the television. The Masked Singer is on. LeAnn Rimes is singing, but I’m powering on with the work in progress until the song she’s singing sneaks it's way into my brain and triggers me. I’m immediately sucked out of The Zone. 

The impact was instantaneous - it made me cry. How Do I Live Without You took me back to "my grand adventure," when my life was at a crossroads. The funny thing is that I wasn't very familiar with the song or the artist (Trisha Yearwood, when I heard it) or even the genre (my country music knowledge is limited), but a good friend of mine had a Trisha Yearwood CD which included another song that goes hand in hand. That friend helped shape my life in ways I'll always be grateful for. You might even say that person saved my life, and that song will forever be a part of that memory.

A song can take me back to the lullabies my mother used to sing to me. I remember singing them to my children and, like a recent video I watched, I remember my babies trying to sing them with me before they could talk. 

I remember the song that was playing when I got my first kiss. I suspect the boy remembered it, too, because he commented on it at the time. 

I remember the song that used to motivate me when I was on the tennis team in high school. 

I remember whole soundtracks from my relationship with my first love, and one song we sang together that tied our hearts together - at least for a time. 

And there is a song that I relate to the man I married. 

That's the thing about music. Once it's tied to a memory or a feeling, it can immediately transport you back to a moment in time, to a special place. Good and bad. At least for most people. 

I've used the music connection in my writing (GATHERING MIST). The main character goes to a summer festival and is caught unaware when she hears a musician performing a song he wrote for her years ago. The impact was immediate, taking her back to happier times, another life. Because sometimes that's what it feels like, right?

Do you have a trigger song? One that puts you in another time and place?