Family Pictures

Nichaela & Itiah

ME

MOTHER

Stephaine, Robynn, Toni, Me, Nichaela & Itah

Sean On Easter

My First Column

I posted my first column - http://blogginginblack.com/

Check out what I had to say.

CFBA Author Intro: Paul Robertson

Paul Robertson is a computer programming consultant, part-time high-school math and science teacher, and former independent bookstore owner in Blacksburg, Virginia. This is his first novel.


The Heir


Jason Boyer Just Got an Inheritance to Die For

The fortune wasn't supposed to befall him. Jason Boyer had known all along his father's business empire would pass to different hands. Which suited him just fine. The money was crooked and the power corrupt. But when an accident claims the old man's life, everyone is stunned by the unveiling of the will. With the passing of the Boyer crown, power-hungry politicians and shady business partners all try to force Boyer's hand. Fighting the temptation of influence and riches, he simply wants to be a better man than his father--but attempting to stand for what’s right soon brings murderous consequences. As those closest to him are endangered--and news emerges that his father's accident may be something more sinister--Boyer finds himself fighting for his soul…and his life!


Is There Any Escape for The Heir?

All the money he could ever crave. In the splintering crash of a car plunging through a railing, Jason Boyer's life is changed. All the fame he could ever desire. But the last thing he wanted was the throne of his father's corrupt business empire. All the power he could ever wield.

The estate should have gone elsewhere, but the will was changed. And now everything is Jason's. But gaining the whole world just might cost him his life.

THE HEIR is a Grisham-like tale of intrigue and murder with a lot of humor and well-drawn minor characters.

Endorsement:

"In THE HEIR, Paul Robertson serves up politics, privilege, and murder with a side of acerbic wit. What a fabulous book--a great mix of angst, humor, and ultimately, hope."
T.L.HINES--author of Waking Lazarus and The Dead Whisper On

WRITING RESOURCES

Are you a freshman/sophmore/junior or senior writer?

http://www.rsingermanson.com/html/freshman.html

AFTER THE SALE

http://www.lorraineheath.com/articles/after_the_sale.htm

AGENT INFO

THE ASSOCIATION OF AUTHORS' REPRESENTATIVES
http://www.aar-online.org/mc/page.do

http://www.karenafox.com/agentlist.htm

Romantic Times Agent List:
http://www.romantictimes.com/index.html?/g_writer/g3_agent.shtml

Guide to Literary Agents
http://literaryagents.org/

The Association of Authors' Representatives
http://www.publishersweekly.com/aar/

Preditors and Editors
http://www.sfwa.org/prededitors/

http://www.sfwa.org/beware/

Writers.Net - Literary Agents
http://www.writers.net/agents.html

Agents
http://www.absolutewrite.com/ebooks/ebookAgents.pdf

Romance Agents List:
http://www.passionatepen.com/agentlist.htm

RWANational.org

http://www.writingcorner.com/tips/agents/agent-editor.htm

How to Query an Agent

http://hollylisle.com/fm/Articles/agent2.html

Career Planning

Career Plan for Fiction Writers

http://www.crayne.com/carrplan.html

The Four D's of Success

http://www.laurenkellogg.com/Articles.html

COST TO TRAVEL

Cost to Travel in 1880

http://www.theseverts.net/Italy.htm

DICTIONARY

http://www.onelook.com/browse.shtml#all_gen

NAMES

http://www.behindthename.com/ for meaning.

To find the most popular name by birth year:

http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

Put your character's name in the blocks and learn about them.

http://miva.zodiacal.com/acro.mv

Native American names

http://www.20000-names.com/female_native_american_names.htm

http://www.behindthename.com/nmc/ame.html

http://www.lowchensaustralia.com/names/natamnames.htm

http://www.babynameworld.com/indian.asp

http://www.babynamenetwork.com/origin.cfm?origin=native%20american

http://www.bchealth.com/services/birthcenter/nativeambabynames.shtml

Place names
http://freespace.virgin.net/john.cletheroe/usa_can/nat_am/names.htm

http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/IndianPlaceNames.html
http://archnet.asu.edu/archives/ethno/places/places.htm

Online Press Kit

http://www.michelemartinez.com/pressroom.htm

http://www.alesiaholliday.com/mediakit.cfm

Query Letters

http://www.sydneylaineallan.homestead.com/QueryWorkshop.html

http://www.eclectics.com/articles/query.html
Synopises

http://jaxinedaniels.com/SynopsisProject.htm

White House

Life is like in the White House

http://www.beyondbooks.com/gop00/3.asp
http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/statediningroom.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/

Writer's "Cheat Sheets"

http://www.inkalicious.com/cheatsheets.php

THE TWELVE STEPS OF INTIMACY by Linda Howard


This is one of the basics in romance writing....copy it out!
The original website where this was printed is no longer in
existence.

Here are what they are...
1. Eye to Body
2. Eye to Eye
3. Verbal Contact
4. Hand to Hand
5. Arm to Shoulder
6. Arm to Waist
7. Mouth to Mouth
8. Hand to Head
9. Hand to Body
10. Mouth to Breast
11. Hand to Genitals
12. Genitals to Genitals

These twelve steps were taken from studying monkeys...

If you take the steps too quickly, it doesn't set up intimacy
well. Say, you meet a man at a party. It's eye to body first.
But what if a man came up behind you, put his hand on your
derriere...step back fellow, you're moving too fast.

AUTHOR INTRO: Keri Wyatt Kent

Keri Wyatt Kent is the author of five books and a co-author or contributor to several others, and is currently working on two other books. When she’s not busy traveling around the country to speak and lead retreats, she’s writing. She’s a regular contributor several magazines, including Today’s Christian Woman, MomSense and Outreach magazine, as well as the several websites and blogs. She’s a member of Willow Creek Community Church, where she teaches in women’s ministries and also volunteers in children’s ministry.

She and her husband Scot have been married for 16 years and live with their son and daughter in Hoffman Estates.

Oxygen: Deep Breathing for the Soul

Keri’s latest book, Oxygen: Deep Breathing for the Soul, will breathe new life into your relationship with God. A devotional unlike any other, this unique tool guides the reader through meditating and reflecting on Scripture using six different spiritual practices. Rather than daily readings, Oxygen offers a chance to reflect deeply on one gospel passage each week. Go deeper into Scripture while learning spiritual practices such as prayer, meditative reading, journaling and solitude. Oxygen is a tool that will help you deepen your understanding of Scripture and help you connect with Jesus in a meaningful way.

What activity do you like to do in the spring?

Gardening. I love to see life reborn in the garden, to clear away the dead leaves and trash to find things springing up again. It’s a picture of hope.

Visit Keri:

My website is www.keriwyattkent.com, and I just started blogging at www.keriwyattkent.blogspot.com

I blog each Thursday at www.boomerbabesrock.com/blog and I write a monthly column at

http://www.christianitytoday.com/childrensministry/features/foryoursoul.html

Instructor Needed

Do you have a workshop you would like to offer to writers or readers?

SORMAG WORKSHOPS are currently looking for instructors.

Dates open are May 1 – November 20th.

SORMAG WORKSHOPS are online workshops for writers and readers.

Workshops can be 1 day to 4 weeks. They are held online at yahoo.com.

This is a nice way to make some extra money.

Please do not reply to this message, if you're interested in being an instructor, send your topic to: sormag@yahoo.com

I will send you more information on being an instructor for SORMAG workshops.

Look forward to working with you.

LaShaunda
http://sormag.blogspot.com

CFBA: Author Intro: Annette Smith

Annette Smith:

In 1997, Annette was working as a home health nurse. She traveled the back roads from house to house, caring for ill and injured, homebound people. Because of her unique position in the lives of relative strangers, she often found herself bearing solitary witness to intimate behind-the-scenes situations full of grace and meaning. The desire to honor both a particular patient and a poignant scene involving the woman and her husband prompted Annette to write a fictionalized story, The Anniversary.

That first story appeared as a column in the Houston Chronicle newspaper and as an essay in Today’s Christian Woman magazine. Later it became a chapter in Annette’s first and best-selling book of short stories, The Whispers of Angels, that has sold more than 100,000 copies

Since then, Annette has penned four more books of stories, two volumes on parenting, and the Coming Home to Ruby Prairie trilogy.

Annette and her husband Randy, a High School teacher and coach, make their home on a wooded lot in Quitman, Texas. They are the parents of two young adult children, Russell and Rachel, both out on their own. Wally, a grateful, rescued mutt provides warmth and entertainment and keeps the Smith’s empty nest from feeling too lonely.

In addition to writing, Annette continues to serve part-time as a registered nurse. She finds the people she works with and the patients she cares for provide great inspiration for her fiction.


A BIGGER LIFE


Joel Carpenter did not plan for his life to turn out like this. He never meant to be a single dad, working at a hair salon in Eden Plain, Texas. But after making a careless choice four years ago, his marriage was permanently shattered. Now at twenty-seven, he finds himself juggling custody of his preschool son with Kari, the ex-wife he still loves, and sharing Sunday dinners with a group of other single dads.

Joel regrets the choices that brought him to this place, but it's not until the worst happens that he learns how much he still has to give. In the midst of deep tragedy, he learns that forgiveness is way more important than freedom. Hopefully it's not too late!

A BIGGER LIFE is a story of love in the midst of heartache, and friendship in the midst of real, everyday life.

Finding Time To Write

I'm doing some serious procratinating this month. I just don't feel like doing anything. That's bad because I want to finish this revision so I can move on. I've even given myself a motivator. The new Rochelle Alers book when I finish.

Now if only I can stay focus. Those emails and blogs keep calling me.

CFBA Author Intro: Brandilyn Collins

Brandilyn Collins is the bestselling author of Violet Dawn, Web Of Lies, Dead of Night, Stain of Guilt, Brink of Death, and Eyes of Elisha just to name a few.Brandilyn and her family divide their time between the California Bay Area and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.She also maintains an informative blog called Forensics and Faith where she daily dispenses wisdom on writing, life, and the Christian book industry.

CORAL MOON

The figure remained still as stone. Leslie couldn't even detect a breath.Spider fingers teased the back of her neck.Leslie's feet rooted to the pavement. She dropped her gaze to the driveway, seeking...what? Spatters of blood? Footprints? She saw nothing. Honed through her recent coverage of crime scene evidence, the testimony as last month's trial, the reporter in Leslie spewed warnings: Notice everything, touch nothing...

Leslie Brymes hurries out to her car on a typical workday morning...and discovers a dead body inside.Why was the corpse left for her to find? And what is the meaning of the message pinned to its chest?In Coral Moon, the senseless murder of a beloved Kanner Lake citizen spirals the small Idaho town into a terrifying glimpse of spiritual forces beyond our world. What appears true seems impossible.OR IS IT?And as Brandilyn would say...

Presently this Kanner Lake Series of books has its own character blog called Scenes and Beans. Stop by and visit the folks from Kanner Lake!

AUTHOR INTRO: Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Jill Elizabeth Nelson juggles many hats--Christian, wife, Mom, housing manager, and yes, author. She's thrilled if the adventures that spill from her imagination in the To Catch a Thief series can raise awareness about art theft, deemed "a looming criminal enterprise" by the FBI. Jill and her husband Doug have raised four children and live in rural Minnesota.

BLURB: Reluctant Burglar


Stolen Indian artifacts . . .

A dead museum guard . . .

A missing wife and mom. . . .

A baby in mortal danger . . .

Museum security expert Desiree Jacobs and FBI agent Tony Lucano scramble to unearth the horrifying secret that links every incident. The investigation thrusts them into the path of something dark and sinister.

Something that craves blood sacrifice.

WEB SITE: http://www.jillelizabethnelson.com/

Question for the month: How do you introduce your book to a new reader?

Oh, that’s easy. I clobber the person over the head with a copy and holler, “You need to get one of these . . . or how about a dozen for friends and family!”

No, actually, I like to balance boldness with good taste. I’ll talk to anyone about my writing. In fact, I think I light up like a hundred watt bulb when somebody asks. But I like the conversation to be comfortable for everyone, which means the subject has to come up in a natural manner.

If someone is truly interested in hearing about my books, I focus my initial summary on genre and main characters. For instance, in the case of my To Catch a Thief series, I tell the person that I write romantic suspense about a museum security expert and an FBI agent tracking down art thieves. If interest lasts past that, I offer overviews of individual book plots, minus “spoilers,” of course.

CFBA Author Intro: Tom Morrisey

Tom Morrisey is the author of four previous novels and numerous short stories, a world-renowned adventure-travel writer whose work has appeared in Outside, Sport Diver (where he serves as Executive Editor) and other leading magazines.

He holds an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Toledo and an MFA in Creative Writing from Bowling Green State University. He lives in Orlando, Florida.







IN HIGH PLACES


For Patrick Nolan, every climb tells a story. And now maybe it's his own …. He's right at the rim, staring over the cliff's knife edge and wondering how things went wrong so quickly.

It all started after arriving home from a weekend climbing trip with his father, Kevin. That's when word reached them. In a silent moment, they'd lost the person most important to them—her death raising unanswerable questions and dangerous doubts.

Launching a new life in a new town to escape their pain, son and father find themselves in danger of being torn apart forever. As his father seeks a route to solace on the dangerous high face of the rock, Patrick finds a path to hope with the unlikeliest of allies—a pastor's daughter. Together they must discover the one answer that can bring Patrick and Kevin back from the brink of the precipice.

Visit Tom at: http://www.tommorrisey.com