Hi my friends. I am guest blogging today at ever after PR http://www.everafterpr.com/2012/01/guest-post-trotting-internet.html#more
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LHR and PAWS for Success
Monday, January 30, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Book Review Josephine Red Dirt and Whiskey
Before I start this review I want to announce a change. I have joined up with EverAfter PR Book Tours. When it is an EverAfter Book Review, you'll find these words in the title. My book review today is an independent review.
'Josephine Red Dirt & Whisky' was written by Melinda Mcguire. It is a Southern Romance genre and the story takes place during the Depression Era.
I have never read a Southern Romance novel and was quite curious on how this book would read. First of all, I love Melinda's style. It was so much fun. The story itself kept a smile on my face all the way through, and Josephine was a gem of a character. I have to say, she was one of a kind.
The story is set in a small town in Texas and, as I have mentioned, during the Depression. Josephine is a teenager when her aunt asks her to come and take care of her. The aunt dies shortly after, leaving Josephine her house. Josephine attends church every Sunday and makes many friends. Soon she marries Samuel who is much older than she.
She's not happily married, but she's not unhappy either. She seems at this point to float where life will take her and accept what life throws at her. Not long after she marries Samuel, he dies.
It's at this point that Josephine begins to change and starts thinking indepently, developing her own personality. She has to be careful. It is not a time for women to act or say freely. Even when she attends a movie by herself, she tells the church women it is in honor of Samuel. Leaving the movie late one night, she meets Ethan.
Her life changes dramatically as she deals with this dapper young man. Who he is, why he only shows up at night, why he understands Josephine so well, and why he lies about certain things spurs Josephine to find out who he really is and why he has entered her life.
This book was simply entertaining. I loved reading it and I am sure it is one of the books I will read again. I have to admit, I've never read anything like it. Melinda's style is unique and fits the tone and the characters of this delightful story, yet she doesn't mince words and tells this tale exactly as it is, including when Josephine gets sick in full open honesty.
Here is a section of the reading. Please understand that Josephine has quite a mouth on her.
"So, Miss Josephine Killian, I see you're feeling better than the last time I saw you."
He was using her last name, not Samuel's. How did he know it? She hadn't remembered telling him. She didn't know his. She was mad, and she knew God had given her this chance to make Ethan face the wrong he had done her.
"Ethan, you son-of-a-bitch, what's it to you if I am feeling better? What's it to you if I had died? You left. You didn't come round to see if I was dead. What in the hell are you doing here anyaway? I don't even want to look at you, let alone talk to you, you bastard!"
Can you see her personality? I tell you, Josephine is a snapdragon that stands out in a field of bland cotton. I would suggest this book to any adult. Besides the swearing, it does have a few explicit sex scenes. Reading about Josephine and her adventures and moodiness was like the best tilt-a-whirl ride you can be on.
It can be purchased through Amazon in e format for $2.99. Check out her author's page and other writings too.
I give this book 5 whiskey bottles out of 5:
LHR and PAWS for Success
'Josephine Red Dirt & Whisky' was written by Melinda Mcguire. It is a Southern Romance genre and the story takes place during the Depression Era.
I have never read a Southern Romance novel and was quite curious on how this book would read. First of all, I love Melinda's style. It was so much fun. The story itself kept a smile on my face all the way through, and Josephine was a gem of a character. I have to say, she was one of a kind.
The story is set in a small town in Texas and, as I have mentioned, during the Depression. Josephine is a teenager when her aunt asks her to come and take care of her. The aunt dies shortly after, leaving Josephine her house. Josephine attends church every Sunday and makes many friends. Soon she marries Samuel who is much older than she.
She's not happily married, but she's not unhappy either. She seems at this point to float where life will take her and accept what life throws at her. Not long after she marries Samuel, he dies.
It's at this point that Josephine begins to change and starts thinking indepently, developing her own personality. She has to be careful. It is not a time for women to act or say freely. Even when she attends a movie by herself, she tells the church women it is in honor of Samuel. Leaving the movie late one night, she meets Ethan.
Her life changes dramatically as she deals with this dapper young man. Who he is, why he only shows up at night, why he understands Josephine so well, and why he lies about certain things spurs Josephine to find out who he really is and why he has entered her life.
This book was simply entertaining. I loved reading it and I am sure it is one of the books I will read again. I have to admit, I've never read anything like it. Melinda's style is unique and fits the tone and the characters of this delightful story, yet she doesn't mince words and tells this tale exactly as it is, including when Josephine gets sick in full open honesty.
Here is a section of the reading. Please understand that Josephine has quite a mouth on her.
"So, Miss Josephine Killian, I see you're feeling better than the last time I saw you."
He was using her last name, not Samuel's. How did he know it? She hadn't remembered telling him. She didn't know his. She was mad, and she knew God had given her this chance to make Ethan face the wrong he had done her.
"Ethan, you son-of-a-bitch, what's it to you if I am feeling better? What's it to you if I had died? You left. You didn't come round to see if I was dead. What in the hell are you doing here anyaway? I don't even want to look at you, let alone talk to you, you bastard!"
Can you see her personality? I tell you, Josephine is a snapdragon that stands out in a field of bland cotton. I would suggest this book to any adult. Besides the swearing, it does have a few explicit sex scenes. Reading about Josephine and her adventures and moodiness was like the best tilt-a-whirl ride you can be on.
It can be purchased through Amazon in e format for $2.99. Check out her author's page and other writings too.
I give this book 5 whiskey bottles out of 5:
LHR and PAWS for SuccessTuesday, January 24, 2012
Quoting Your Characters
My amazing friend, Elizabeth is editing my book. I say amazing because she has suggested some sentence rewrites and caught incorrect punctuation, but more importantly, she found a major blooper in my story - the grammar and punctuation with quotations. Some are right, some are wrong, and some have correct and incorrect properties. I guess this shows just how involved an author can get in his/her own book, missing errors that stand out like a cow in a pasture of sheep.
It is critical to use correct grammar and punctuation so the reader can understand the story and can read without interruptions. It is frustrating to read, re-read, and sometimes read again a sentence that makes no sense.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Elizabeth!
I am elated that she is helping me find these problems. I can't tell you how many times I've been over my book, not seeing these. My Word auto correct came up with 'fragment' on many, making no sense to me until Elizabeth pointed out the problem. Why couldn't Word explain it better?
Thus, I figured it would be good to review quotations with proper grammar and punctuation. There are many wonderful sources on the internet. Later, I will list Elizabeth's favorite sources too.
Quotation marks as used in the U.S.A., " ", are to set off quoted or spoken language and titles that do not normally stand by themselves. We will only look at spoken language by our characters.
I have searched the web for correct examples. Here they are:
I said, "Well."
"Well," I said.
I cried, "Go!"
Stop saying "like"!
The first question on the quiz was "Who wrote 'The Raven'?"
I can never pronounce twelfths. OR I can never pronounce "twelfths."
Use quotations marks for:
Underlining or italics are used for the titles of long pieces or works that contain smaller sections.
Use quotation marks with these titles:
Never use quotation marks around a character's thoughts. The reader will assume the words are being said out loud, and will then have to make an awkward mental shift when they see a "he thought" interior monologue tag rather than a "he said" dialogue tag at the end.
We can also dispense with using italicized text when the thought is translated into third person past tense. The only point of italics is to make a different voice and tense stand out from the regular voice and tense being used. When both the thought and the text surrounding it are in the same voice and tense there is no need for italics.
I have made a copy of this to refer to so I don't head off in a different direction again.
If you are interested in using Elizabeth's services, here is her information. I highly recommend her.
Elizabeth uses The Elements of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, & The Chicago Manual of Style. She charges $25 an hour whether it is writing or editing/proofreading.
Here is her website: http://desertgirlmedia.com/
I highly recommend her if you want your finished work to be professional.
LHR and PAWS for Success
It is critical to use correct grammar and punctuation so the reader can understand the story and can read without interruptions. It is frustrating to read, re-read, and sometimes read again a sentence that makes no sense.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Elizabeth!
I am elated that she is helping me find these problems. I can't tell you how many times I've been over my book, not seeing these. My Word auto correct came up with 'fragment' on many, making no sense to me until Elizabeth pointed out the problem. Why couldn't Word explain it better?
Thus, I figured it would be good to review quotations with proper grammar and punctuation. There are many wonderful sources on the internet. Later, I will list Elizabeth's favorite sources too.
Quotation marks as used in the U.S.A., " ", are to set off quoted or spoken language and titles that do not normally stand by themselves. We will only look at spoken language by our characters.
I have searched the web for correct examples. Here they are:
I said, "Well."
"Well," I said.
I cried, "Go!"
Stop saying "like"!
The first question on the quiz was "Who wrote 'The Raven'?"
I can never pronounce twelfths. OR I can never pronounce "twelfths."
"Diane," Eric asked, "have you finished reading that book yet?"
"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed. "You're never going to believe this!"
(Indirect): The professor said that I will lose ten points if I turn the project in late.
(Direct): The professor said, "You will lose ten points if you turn the project in late." He answered yes. OR He answered, "Yes." although the first is the preferred.
Mr. Johnson, who was working in his field that morning, said, "The alien spaceship appeared right before my own two eyes."
"Mary is trying hard in school this semester," her father said.
- Titles of short or minor works
- Songs
- Short Stories
- Essays
- Short Poems
- One Act Plays
- Other literary works shorter than a three act play or complete book
- Titles of sections from longer works
- Chapters in books
- Articles in newspapers, magazines, or journals
- Episodes of television and radio series
Underlining or italics are used for the titles of long pieces or works that contain smaller sections.
Use quotation marks with these titles:
- Songs
- Short stories
- Short poems
- One-act plays
- Essays
- Chapters in books
- Articles in newspapers
- Magazine articles
- Journal articles
- Periodicals
- Television or radio episodes
- Short literary works
- Theses
- Dissertations
- Unpublished lectures, speeches and papers
- Manuscripts
- Reports
- Official titles of art exhibits
1. Thought written in first person present, italicized, tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect, she thought. I don't want it ever to end.
2. Thought written in first person present, italicized, not tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect. I don't want it ever to end.
3. Thought written in first person present, not italicized, tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect, she thought. I don't want it ever to end.
4. Thought written in first person present, not italicized, not tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect. I don't want it ever to end.
5. Thought written in third person past, not italicized, tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer had been so perfect, she thought. She didn't want it ever to end.
6. Thought written in third person past, not italicized, not tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer had been so perfect. She didn't want it ever to end.
So which of these possibilities are correct and which are incorrect?
You will find examples of all of the above in published fiction, so in a sense it is a matter of personal choice. The only hard and fast rule that exists is to be consistent throughout.
Whatever method of presenting internal monologue that you use in the first chapter - first person present and italicized text, for example - you should still be using it in the final chapter.
Readers quickly grow accustomed to whatever conventions you have decided to use, and not sticking to those conventions consistently throughout will only confuse your audience.
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect, she thought. I don't want it ever to end.
2. Thought written in first person present, italicized, not tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect. I don't want it ever to end.
3. Thought written in first person present, not italicized, tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect, she thought. I don't want it ever to end.
4. Thought written in first person present, not italicized, not tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer has been so perfect. I don't want it ever to end.
5. Thought written in third person past, not italicized, tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer had been so perfect, she thought. She didn't want it ever to end.
6. Thought written in third person past, not italicized, not tagged
Mary closed her eyes and lifted her face to the sun. This summer had been so perfect. She didn't want it ever to end.
So which of these possibilities are correct and which are incorrect?
You will find examples of all of the above in published fiction, so in a sense it is a matter of personal choice. The only hard and fast rule that exists is to be consistent throughout.
Whatever method of presenting internal monologue that you use in the first chapter - first person present and italicized text, for example - you should still be using it in the final chapter.
Readers quickly grow accustomed to whatever conventions you have decided to use, and not sticking to those conventions consistently throughout will only confuse your audience.
Never use quotation marks around a character's thoughts. The reader will assume the words are being said out loud, and will then have to make an awkward mental shift when they see a "he thought" interior monologue tag rather than a "he said" dialogue tag at the end.
We can also dispense with using italicized text when the thought is translated into third person past tense. The only point of italics is to make a different voice and tense stand out from the regular voice and tense being used. When both the thought and the text surrounding it are in the same voice and tense there is no need for italics.
I have made a copy of this to refer to so I don't head off in a different direction again.
If you are interested in using Elizabeth's services, here is her information. I highly recommend her.
Elizabeth uses The Elements of Style, The Associated Press Stylebook, & The Chicago Manual of Style. She charges $25 an hour whether it is writing or editing/proofreading.
Here is her website: http://desertgirlmedia.com/
I highly recommend her if you want your finished work to be professional.
LHR and PAWS for Success
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Spotlight Sunday
Many years ago, before I moved to Utah, Elvis Presley held a concert here. My one friend told me seats sold out quickly. She and her husband attended. Elvis performed (as he always did) for the audience. He was a great performer. He got applause and some whistling, but not what he usually received during his concerts. Elvis was smart about his audiences. He realized he was in the heart of Latter-Day Saint country, and he started playing his gospel songs. The crowd loved it and showed their appreciation.
I've always admired Elvis. Of course, I loved his voice and the ranges he could reach. He certainly was sensual. There's many sexy people, but few are truly sensual. What I really admired was he realized the most important step to his success was to give the audience and his fans what they wanted.
So today, I'm putting the spotlight on four people because they use this same philosophy and they believe in themselves. That's another important step: Believe in Yourself!
Our first spotlight is on:
teaching tiny tots She has such a fun blog with lots of creative ideas. I admire her because she is dedicated to teaching, and from her blog she has some great info. She also has a website:
http://www.teaching-tiny-tots.com/ and a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TeachingTinyTots Be sure and click 'like' when you visit. She's on BlogFrog too: http://theblogfrog.com/951272/ and of course twitter:
Our next spotlight is on Mark R Hunter, author of 'Chasing the Wind'. Mark has written a humorous romance that would appeal to just about everyone. Valentines is around the corner. His book would make a great gift.
Here are some links for Mark. http://www.markrhunter.com/ This is his website. Here is his blog:
Slightly off the Mark Give him a follow. His blogs are more like journal entries - short and fun to read. Leave a comment. Tell him Donna sent you. You can friend him on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-R-Hunter/130018377017326 , and of course follow him on twitter: @MarkRHunter
This next person is not only one of my favorite bloggers, but she is a great friend of mine. I've mentioned her before, and I must mention her again. The Desert Rocks is truly a unique individual. She has a great sense of humor and it often shows in her blog. She is also a talented poet and writer. She has partnered with others to publish 'Fiction Noir,' a collection of short stories. Whether she's writing poetry, stories or blogging, she always puts a smile on my face. Be sure to visit her blog and comment and/or follow. Of course, tell her Donna sent you.
The final spotlight this time is on a new friend, Donna McBroom-Theriot. Donna is a multi-talented multi-tasker, and her blog has quite a following. Donna does an excellent job at book reviews and often offers give-aways. Be sure to visit her blog. Comment or follow. Let her know Donna sent you. My Life. One Story at a Time. I have run into Donna in several of the groups I frequent. She knows how to get herself out there.
These 4 individuals have one thing in common. They believe in themselves. They are passionate people who are goal oriented. But most importantly, they watch for what their readers want.
Besides their hard work, they make the greatest of friends. So, I award to them my Spotlight Award.
Teaching Tiny Tots, Mark, The Desert Rocks, and Donna, you are welcome to put this award on your blogs if you wish.
Yesterday was National Hugging Day, so I send a hug to all of my friends and followers.
Remember, you are never alone in your endeavors. Just believe in yourself and support others too.
Always, always do it your way, so someday this will be YOUR song too.
LHR, my kind friends and PAWS for Success.
Our first spotlight is on:teaching tiny tots She has such a fun blog with lots of creative ideas. I admire her because she is dedicated to teaching, and from her blog she has some great info. She also has a website:
http://www.teaching-tiny-tots.com/ and a Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TeachingTinyTots Be sure and click 'like' when you visit. She's on BlogFrog too: http://theblogfrog.com/951272/ and of course twitter:
@teachingtots
Those in charge of our young people's mind need lots of support, so please check out her blog and tell her I sent you. It's an honor to know this person.Our next spotlight is on Mark R Hunter, author of 'Chasing the Wind'. Mark has written a humorous romance that would appeal to just about everyone. Valentines is around the corner. His book would make a great gift.Here are some links for Mark. http://www.markrhunter.com/ This is his website. Here is his blog:
Slightly off the Mark Give him a follow. His blogs are more like journal entries - short and fun to read. Leave a comment. Tell him Donna sent you. You can friend him on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-R-Hunter/130018377017326 , and of course follow him on twitter: @MarkRHunter
This next person is not only one of my favorite bloggers, but she is a great friend of mine. I've mentioned her before, and I must mention her again. The Desert Rocks is truly a unique individual. She has a great sense of humor and it often shows in her blog. She is also a talented poet and writer. She has partnered with others to publish 'Fiction Noir,' a collection of short stories. Whether she's writing poetry, stories or blogging, she always puts a smile on my face. Be sure to visit her blog and comment and/or follow. Of course, tell her Donna sent you.The final spotlight this time is on a new friend, Donna McBroom-Theriot. Donna is a multi-talented multi-tasker, and her blog has quite a following. Donna does an excellent job at book reviews and often offers give-aways. Be sure to visit her blog. Comment or follow. Let her know Donna sent you. My Life. One Story at a Time. I have run into Donna in several of the groups I frequent. She knows how to get herself out there. These 4 individuals have one thing in common. They believe in themselves. They are passionate people who are goal oriented. But most importantly, they watch for what their readers want.
Besides their hard work, they make the greatest of friends. So, I award to them my Spotlight Award.
Teaching Tiny Tots, Mark, The Desert Rocks, and Donna, you are welcome to put this award on your blogs if you wish.
Yesterday was National Hugging Day, so I send a hug to all of my friends and followers.
Remember, you are never alone in your endeavors. Just believe in yourself and support others too.Always, always do it your way, so someday this will be YOUR song too.
LHR, my kind friends and PAWS for Success.
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