Congratulations, Carol!
Carol is the winner of Scimitar's Edge by Marvin Olasky.
I'll be posting the new contest soon, so keep watching.
A.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Just for Fun
Song Stuck on the Brain: I Think I Love You by the Partridge Family
I'm so psyched over Stargate's return. Friday night was awesome, but now I can't hardly wait for NEXT Friday. So, to hold me over, I visited youtube.com for some clips. I found the TV spots for both series'. I love these. Mostly because....
With a little Stargate, Anything is possible...
I'm so psyched over Stargate's return. Friday night was awesome, but now I can't hardly wait for NEXT Friday. So, to hold me over, I visited youtube.com for some clips. I found the TV spots for both series'. I love these. Mostly because....
With a little Stargate, Anything is possible...
John Shepherd from Atlantis
Sam Carter from SG-1
Teal'c from SG-1
Rodney McKay from Atlantis
Then, just for fun, I had to see what kind of Cheescake I am. This actually sounds really yummy.
Then, just for fun, I had to see what kind of Cheescake I am. This actually sounds really yummy.
You Are a Chocolate Mocha and Orange Cheesecake |
 Enthusiastic and intense, there's so much you love in the world... it's hard to do it all. You are good at getting things to mix - friends, flavors, hobbies. You're the master of fusion! |
Friday, April 13, 2007
The Begining and The End
Song Stuck on the Brain: "Oh By Jingo" by Danny Kaye
It's Friday... SCIFI Friday... We get new Stargate tonight! YAY!!!! I've been antsy all day just anticipating the return of the best SciFi series ever. :)
My brother told me that he had heard putting frozen peas in the tank would save your fish if they were floating upside down. I figured it couldn't hurt to try, right? He's already halfway to the golden pond. So, I put the peas in around 4 pm. At midnight I found the peas in the bottom of the tank and the water really cloudy. Thor, now right side up, had bit the gravel.
The Begining -
It's Friday... SCIFI Friday... We get new Stargate tonight! YAY!!!! I've been antsy all day just anticipating the return of the best SciFi series ever. :) It's a bittersweet celebration though, because it's also the harbinger of the end. These are the final episodes of Stargate SG-1. It's run for 10 seasons, longer than any other SciFi series. (In original episodes, not syndication.)
The exciting news is that the series may end, but the stories will go on. There are already two movies set to release this fall and a third Stargate spin off series will be joining Stargate: Atlantis in 2008. I'm psyched about that.
For all the lastest news and scoops, visit www.GateWorld.net. They've got it all.
The End-
Sadly, the end is already here for Thor. My poor little Betta fish. He was kind of sluggish yesterday morning. Then in the afternoon I found him floating belly up in the bottom of his tank. He was still breathing, but I knew he was on his last fin.
My brother told me that he had heard putting frozen peas in the tank would save your fish if they were floating upside down. I figured it couldn't hurt to try, right? He's already halfway to the golden pond. So, I put the peas in around 4 pm. At midnight I found the peas in the bottom of the tank and the water really cloudy. Thor, now right side up, had bit the gravel.So the peas did work - just not the way I'd hoped. Poor Thor. He'd been my fishy friend for more than two years, so he had a good life.
I'll probably be shopping for his successor this weekend. I'm still debating a name. So far all of my Betta's have been named for Stargate characters. T'ealc was my first.
Since it's a fighting fish, I try to go with warrior like names. I'm thinking of either Bra'tac or Ronan. Maybe I'll get more ideas tonight as I watch the shows. If any one of you are fans and have a name to suggest, leave a comment, I'd love to read your ideas.
Contest -
Don't forget to enter the contest to win a copy of Scimitar's Edge by Marvin Olasky. Click on the book cover on the right to email me your entry. This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and ends Sunday, April15, 2007 at midnight.
Happy Gating,
A.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Brandilyn Says...
Song Stuck on the Brain: "Good Morning, Good Morning, It's great to stay up late, Good Morning, Good Morning to you!" from Singing in the Rain.
Today is the second day of the CFBA blogtour of Coral Moon by
Brandilyn Collins.
I'm now halfway through the book and I'm finding that it's creepier than any of her other books I've read. I didn't think it was possible, but it is. She may have just topped herself.
I emailed Brandilyn a few questions and she was kind enough to respond.
A. The Kanner Lake characters are so well drawn, how did you create such a realistic and colorful cast?
B.C. Developing characters is a part of fiction that I’ve always focused upon, even though I’m writing suspense, which tends to be thought of as “plot-driven” rather than “character-driven.” Yes, plot does drive my suspense, but if the readers don’t care about my characters, the best plot in the world won’t matter.
My focus on characterization goes back to my college days, when I majored in acting before switching to journalism. I studied acting techniques, especially Stanislavski’s Method Acting. Through those studies I eventually wrote my book on characterization, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors.
A. Your tag line is "Don't forget to Breathe." Obviously, you have the suspense format down to a 'T'. What inspires you to write in this genre?
B.C. In stressful situations, people change—or stubbornly choose to cling to their old ways. The latter in itself is a kind of change, in that it “cements in” behaviors that should be changed. Suspense presents the ultimate stresses—danger that threatens everything dear to the protagonist, including his/her life itself. It’s the ultimate set-up to see how the protagonist is going to react. Suspense therefore presents lots of action as well as inner angst and emotion.
Unfortunately, an evil world is just the kind of world we really do live in. But in writing Christian suspense, I can tell an intense, reality-based story while weaving in the unalterable, foundational truth of this world: God’s Power Trumps All. Now, my readers may believe or not believe that. My protagonists may or may not believe. But that message will in some way be telegraphed to the reader through the action and emotions in the story. In finishing the book, the reader is left with his own choice—whether or not he/she will embrace that truth.
A. Do you have a favorite character in your Kanner Lake series, and if so who is it and why?
B.C. No, not really. Wilbur’s fun, because he’s such a curmudgeon. He’s gotten more play on the Scenes and Beans blog than in the books. But he’s not been a main character. Each of the four books in the series focuses on a different female protagonist. They rage in age from early twenties to around 50. Meanwhile as the gang meets at Bailey Truitt’s coffee shop, Java Joint, the readers gets to see them all together, and their interaction. In Coral Moon, you’ll see how the Scenes and Beans blog has come along since Bailey started it in Violet Dawn. There’s a scene between Wilbur and Carla, the realtor. Oh, my, how these two love to argue. Wilbur’s trying to dictate a post so Carla can type it. Well, if you know Wilbur, this won’t go real smoothly.
A. As a writer in the CBA market, you choose to make your suspense novels about something deeper than just murder and mayhem. What do you hope readers will take away from your novels?
B.C. See Answer #2. For more of my thoughts on this, read the “Why Christian Suspense” page at my web site.
A. As an aspiring writer, I admire authors like yourself a great deal for the quality of their work. Did you have authors that inspired you when you were an aspiring author?
B.C. I read a lot as I learned to write fiction. My learning in this craft was split about 50/50 between reading and writing. I’d read novels with pen in hand, marking what worked for me and what didn’t. I learned great POV from Richard North Patterson, an NYT bestselling suspense novelist who lives in San Francisco. Ric ended up endorsing my first published book—a true crime titled A Question of Innocence. For characterization, I read every one of Anne Rivers Siddons’ books. Now, for sheer word genius and just to see what he’s up to next, I never miss a Dean Koontz novel.
Thanks so much, Brandilyn, for letting me interrupt your busy schedule. Congratulations on another fantastic book!
If you haven't gotten your hands on a copy of Coral Moon yet, then what are you waiting for? Go get it.
A.
Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Scimitar's Edge by Marvin Olasky. Click on the picture on the right to email me your entry. This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and ends Sunday, April 15, 2007 at midnight.
Today is the second day of the CFBA blogtour of Coral Moon by
Brandilyn Collins.I'm now halfway through the book and I'm finding that it's creepier than any of her other books I've read. I didn't think it was possible, but it is. She may have just topped herself.
I emailed Brandilyn a few questions and she was kind enough to respond.
A. The Kanner Lake characters are so well drawn, how did you create such a realistic and colorful cast?
B.C. Developing characters is a part of fiction that I’ve always focused upon, even though I’m writing suspense, which tends to be thought of as “plot-driven” rather than “character-driven.” Yes, plot does drive my suspense, but if the readers don’t care about my characters, the best plot in the world won’t matter.
My focus on characterization goes back to my college days, when I majored in acting before switching to journalism. I studied acting techniques, especially Stanislavski’s Method Acting. Through those studies I eventually wrote my book on characterization, Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn from Actors.
A. Your tag line is "Don't forget to Breathe." Obviously, you have the suspense format down to a 'T'. What inspires you to write in this genre?
B.C. In stressful situations, people change—or stubbornly choose to cling to their old ways. The latter in itself is a kind of change, in that it “cements in” behaviors that should be changed. Suspense presents the ultimate stresses—danger that threatens everything dear to the protagonist, including his/her life itself. It’s the ultimate set-up to see how the protagonist is going to react. Suspense therefore presents lots of action as well as inner angst and emotion.
Unfortunately, an evil world is just the kind of world we really do live in. But in writing Christian suspense, I can tell an intense, reality-based story while weaving in the unalterable, foundational truth of this world: God’s Power Trumps All. Now, my readers may believe or not believe that. My protagonists may or may not believe. But that message will in some way be telegraphed to the reader through the action and emotions in the story. In finishing the book, the reader is left with his own choice—whether or not he/she will embrace that truth.
A. Do you have a favorite character in your Kanner Lake series, and if so who is it and why?
B.C. No, not really. Wilbur’s fun, because he’s such a curmudgeon. He’s gotten more play on the Scenes and Beans blog than in the books. But he’s not been a main character. Each of the four books in the series focuses on a different female protagonist. They rage in age from early twenties to around 50. Meanwhile as the gang meets at Bailey Truitt’s coffee shop, Java Joint, the readers gets to see them all together, and their interaction. In Coral Moon, you’ll see how the Scenes and Beans blog has come along since Bailey started it in Violet Dawn. There’s a scene between Wilbur and Carla, the realtor. Oh, my, how these two love to argue. Wilbur’s trying to dictate a post so Carla can type it. Well, if you know Wilbur, this won’t go real smoothly.
A. As a writer in the CBA market, you choose to make your suspense novels about something deeper than just murder and mayhem. What do you hope readers will take away from your novels?
B.C. See Answer #2. For more of my thoughts on this, read the “Why Christian Suspense” page at my web site.
A. As an aspiring writer, I admire authors like yourself a great deal for the quality of their work. Did you have authors that inspired you when you were an aspiring author?
B.C. I read a lot as I learned to write fiction. My learning in this craft was split about 50/50 between reading and writing. I’d read novels with pen in hand, marking what worked for me and what didn’t. I learned great POV from Richard North Patterson, an NYT bestselling suspense novelist who lives in San Francisco. Ric ended up endorsing my first published book—a true crime titled A Question of Innocence. For characterization, I read every one of Anne Rivers Siddons’ books. Now, for sheer word genius and just to see what he’s up to next, I never miss a Dean Koontz novel.
Thanks so much, Brandilyn, for letting me interrupt your busy schedule. Congratulations on another fantastic book!
If you haven't gotten your hands on a copy of Coral Moon yet, then what are you waiting for? Go get it.
A.
Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Scimitar's Edge by Marvin Olasky. Click on the picture on the right to email me your entry. This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and ends Sunday, April 15, 2007 at midnight.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
CFBA: Coral Moon by Brandilyn Collins
Song Stuck on the Brain: I'm Not Who I Was by Brandon Heath
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing CORAL MOON (Zondervan, April 27, 2007) by Brandilyn Collins.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
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...
This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing CORAL MOON (Zondervan, April 27, 2007) by Brandilyn Collins.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
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!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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.
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.
My Take:
I was so psyched to see this book listed for review. If you read this blog regularly, you know that I'm a huge fan of Brandilyn's work. I aspire to send chills down my readers spines as easily as she does. One day, I'll get there and maybe Brandilyn will be reviewing my book. (Be still my heart, I think I'd die of nerves.) But until that day, I'll settle for turning every reader out there onto one of the best writers in the CBA market. Heck, probably ABA too.
Violet Dawn was such a great read, that I couldn't wait to come back and read more about the Kanner Lake community. The characters were so well drawn, that they seemed to jump right off the page. I felt like I recognized people from my own community, sitting right there in the Java Joint.
I haven't had a chance to finish reading Coral Moon yet. And that is torture in and of itself. It's killing me to sit at work with my boring accounting when I could be at home figuring out who's behind the murder. I'm sure that I will have it finished in no time at all though, so watch for my review in the next day or so.
Really though, why bother with waiting for a review when you know you're going to love it? Go buy it, I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
A.
Don't forget to enter the contest to win a free copy of Scimitar's Edge by Marvin Olasky. Click on the book cover on the right and email me your entry. This contest is open to US and Canadian residents only and ends Sunday, April 15, 2007 at midnight.
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