Familiar Legacy cat detective series and etc.

cj Sez: An invitation from the Mad Catters of the Familiar Legacy cat detective mystery series:  “We are going to have a whole lot of fun on Familiar Legacy cat detective mystery series Facebook page - a weekend filled with prizes, interviews, and contests.

   Hosted by Jaden Terrell with help from all of the #MadCatters as well as other authors you can meet and greet! October 5-7. 12-7 p.m. CST. Drop by the page and you're bound to see some shenanigans going on. MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

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Since I’m recovering from knee surgery and can’t spend a lot of time sitting with my leg hanging down, here’s reminder of how fluid and difficult the English language is (from a 2014 post):

   This quote came from fellow blogger, Sol Sanders a few years ago:  “Perhaps the glory of the English language is that it so expressive. Its remarkable heterogeneous origins have given it an almost limitless vocabulary. And American English, particularly, has used that tool with an enormous flexibility to make it the international means of communication. One is able with a minimum of linguistic dexterity to capture every meaning, or almost every nuance.”

   Mr. Sanders’s comments were part of an introduction to his essay on what today’s journalism and media do with the English language. The gist of his blog was that journalism and media people overcomplicate their sentences with words that muddy their meanings—changing nouns into verbs and, perhaps, calling a shovel a “hand-held, earth-moving tool.” My take is that media and journalists employ an old trick of confusing the issue to persuade readers to their (the writer/editor’s) points of view

   The fact is, the English language is a living language. It’s constantly evolving as we create new words and new definitions in response to new technology. The rather sad result is that the generations cease to understand each other at an almost exponential pace. Many times I need an interpreter to understand teen-talk, and I can’t text (a noun turned into a verb because of technology) like my family does for fear I’ll forget how to really spell.

   Still, for me as a genre writer, the gloriously expressive English language is what makes my craft so fascinating. I adore language and anyone who accurately uses a large vocabulary with familiar ease.

   Yes, I use nouns as verbs. Yes, I deliberately obfuscate . . . and add the disclaimer that it’s for the sake of mystery. I am drawn to the syntax, symbolism, and syncopation of a well-drafted sentence that is the hallmark of successful mystery/thriller/suspense novelists. It’s using that “minimum of linguistic dexterity to capture every meaning, or almost every nuance” that appeals to me, and, I think, to readers of those genres. They want to try to decipher the code, find the clues, and solve the crime. Mystery writers like trying to confuse the issue.

   I’m still working on my craft. How are you doing with your genre?

   By the by, as the masthead of Lyrical Pens says, if you have a book you want to promote, let me know. We can arrange a blog date…the only caveat is that this site is PG 13.

   That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. See you next week?

cj

   CHOOSING CARTER and DEADLY STAR are quick reads chock full of adventure with a touch of sassy banter and sweet romance. Get your Kindle copy on Amazon…visit my Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj for more information about my stories.

  TO ORDER an autographed paperback copy of CHOOSING CARTER, DEADLY STAR, HOMETOWN HEROES, and/or THE POSSE, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you the book(s) of your choice.

Visit me on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author on Facebook

Fall is here...can the end of Daylight Saving Time be far behind?

Autumn days come quickly, like the running of a hound on the moor.                   –Irish proverb

cj Sez:  Fall, that season of brilliant northern foliage and ubiquitous pumpkin spice, officially arrives in the Northern Hemisphere on Monday, September 23, at 3:50 a.m. EDT. 

   Tell that to my Gulf Coast weather man, please. I’m in the mood for cooler weather…80° F and lower humidity would be nice, thank you.

   The equinox occurs at the same moment worldwide—adjusted for your local time zone. (For my visitors in the Southern Hemisphere, that’s when you look for the arrival of spring.)

From patch.com . . .

   No matter where you are in the world, the sun will rise due east and set due west during the fall equinox (the same thing happens during the spring equinox). For the directionally challenged, it’s a good time for a reset. Go outside around sunset or sunrise, find a landmark and mark the sun’s location in relation to it.

                                             ///

   I give you the above public service announcement so you can plan ahead. There are only three more months until December 25, that’s Christmas, y’all. If you’re like me, that's three paydays, and you’ve already missed Hobby Lobby’s offer of free shipping of their artificial Christmas trees.

                       /// 

In other news …

   Carolyn Haines announced that her novel, A VISITATION OF ANGELS, is up for pre-order at $4.99 on Kindle and … “all proceeds—every penny—goes to fund Good Fortune Farm Refuge and the animal work our tiny little band of volunteers do.

   The story is set on Sand Mountain, Alabama, in 1920. This book is #4 in the Pluto's Snitch mystery series, and we hope you enjoy this bit of paranormal chill as we head into Autumn. It's the most dangerous case Raissa and Reginald have taken on.”

   Release date is September 30. You can grab this e-book (or paperback!) at Amazon, B&N, Apple iBooks, or Kobo. Here's a quick link to choose your favorite e-book store: 

https://books2read.com/AVisitationofAngels  

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   Remember that call for submissions from Negative Capability Press I mentioned last week…the one for short, short stories? Well I submitted my 100-word story. How about you? You still have time. Here’s the info again: Last date for submission is September 30. And did I say short, short? It’s more of a haiku…no more than 100 words long. If you’re interested in trying your hand, read more here: http://www.negativecapabilitypress.org/   (P.S. Their call for submissions is near the bottom of the page.)

   By the by, as the masthead of Lyrical Pens says, if you have a book you want to promote, let me know. We can arrange a blog date…the only caveat is that this site is PG 13.

   That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. See you next week?

cj

   CHOOSING CARTER and DEADLY STAR are quick reads chock full of adventure with a touch of sassy banter and sweet romance. Get your Kindle copy on Amazon…visit my Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj for more information about my stories.

   TO ORDER an autographed copy of CHOOSING CARTER, DEADLY STAR, HOMETOWN HEROES, and/or THE POSSE, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you the book(s) of your choice.

Visit me on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author on Facebook

Summer is hanging on

cj Sez: Is it getting close to autumn temperatures in your neck of the woods? I envy you, because it’s certainly not cooling down here on the Gulf Coast of Alabama.

   I am told and led to believe that it reached 97° F in Mobile yesterday… September 14. I know annual flowers and veggies are supposed to start dying off in September, but not from heat stroke.

   The hellacious heat and humidity do make it easier for me to justify staying in the house to read and/or write, as in another short story.

   Yesterday, I started a short, short story with a submission date of September 30. Okay, I admit it. I have written only three paragraphs for three different ideas. And did I say short, short? It’s more of a haiku…no more than 100 words long. If you’re interested in trying your hand, read more here: http://www.negativecapabilitypress.org/   (P.S. Their call for submissions is near the bottom of the page.)

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   Mobile Writers Guild secretary and prolific author Joyce Scarbrough celebrated the release of AFTER HER, the second book in her Unfinished Series, with a pre-release signing at The Haunted Book Shop on September 13th during Mobile’s ArtWalk. The book releases in paperback and Amazon Kindle on Tuesday, September 17th.

   You’re invited to the Facebook launch party on Tuesday—the official release day for AFTER HER. There’ll be games and give-aways of book swag and other prizes all day, so come join the fun! Here's the link to the party: https://www.facebook.com/events/460604031207225/

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   By the by, as the masthead of Lyrical Pens says, if you have a book (new or old) you want to promote with a blog post, drop me a note. We can arrange a blog date…the only caveat is that this site is PG 13.

   That’s it for this week. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. See you next week?

cj

   Don’t you just hate it when autocorrect won’t let you correct what it has determined to be incorrect? Word is forever trying to capitalize my name, and it drives me batty. I know, I know. I don’t have far to go.

CHOOSING CARTER and DEADLY STAR are quick reads chock full of adventure with a touch of sassy banter and sweet romance. Get your Kindle copy on Amazon…visit my Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj for more information about my stories.

   TO ORDER an autographed copy of CHOOSING CARTER, DEADLY STAR, HOMETOWN HEROES, and/or THE POSSE, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you the book(s) of your choice.

   Visit me on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author on Facebook

Where did you get your love of books?

cj Sez: Do you have a huge to-be-read pile on your nightstand?

   Is there one particular book you can point to as THE BOOK that captured your imagination and started you reading more and more and maybe thinking about being a writer?

   As a child, did you have a parent that read to you?

   Did you have a home library of books?

I’ll answer first:

  Nope, I have a small TBR pile and another small list of TBR Kindle books. I blame that on my eyes, and the fact that most books put me to sleep after about four chapters. Obviously, I'm a slow reader...unless I get "in the zone."  

   Yep, THE BOOK for me is "Last of the Mohicans," by James Fenimore Cooper. At age ten, when it was still safe for a kid to walk the city streets at night, I spent Friday evenings crunching through icy snow to go to the Mark Twain Library in Detroit and find a quiet corner to read a few chapters. 

   Based on the French and Indian war and touching on interracial love, the story whetted my appetite for exciting adventure. Of course, I had to see the movie when it came out, and, no matter it wasn’t a box-office smash, I fell in love with Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis).

   Nope. Or at least I can’t remember that either of my parents read to me.  

   

Nope, no home library, although I do remember reading comic books and some Golden Books. I don’t think the Golden Books were mine, though.

   All of that is to say don’t compare your writing or reading life to anyone else’s. Sometimes, all it takes is a single story to bring about a love of books and spark one’s imagination.

   I do believe I can point to my not being introduced to reading as a child as at least one reason why I am such a slow writer…but I love the lyrical syncopation of words and syntax, and I am writing. In fact, although I’ve been working on two novels for “years,” I had original short stories accepted into two different anthologies this year, and I’m working on a third short story.

   What sparked your love of reading and/or writing? Can you pinpoint a single story or book? Or was it the cumulative effect of childhood experiences?

Of Note this week:  

   Sept 8 is U.N. International Literacy Day and National Grandmothers’ Day. 

   September 11 is Patriot Day and the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks of 2001 (please pray for the survivors and the families of those lost in the terrorist attacks).

   September 12 is Johanna’s birthday (my granddaughter), and 

   September 13 is Friday the Thirteenth.

   By the by, as the masthead of Lyrical Pens says, if you have a book you want to promote, let me know. We can arrange a blog date…the only caveat is that this site is PG 13.

   That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. See you next week?

cj

   CHOOSING CARTER and DEADLY STAR are quick reads chock full of adventure with a touch of sassy banter and sweet romance. Get your Kindle copy on Amazon…visit my Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj for more information about my stories.

TO ORDER an autographed copy of CHOOSING CARTER, DEADLY STAR, HOMETOWN HEROES, and/or THE POSSE, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you the book(s) of your choice.

Visit me on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author on Facebook  

New releases by two Gulf Coast authors

cj Sez: TODAY'S POST PUTS a spotlight on a couple of my favorite Gulf Coast authors who have recent book releases waiting for you on Amazon.

   Miranda James, the alter-ego of author Dean James and the New York Times bestselling author of “A Cat in Stacks” mystery series, released THE PAWFUL TRUTH (book 11 of 12), on July 19, 2019.

 

"Humor and plenty of Southern charm...Cozy fans will hope James will keep Charlie and Diesel in action for years to come."--Publishers Weekly

   Check out more reviews at https://amzn.to/32kBwpU

   (P.S.: James also wrote the Deep South mysteries.)

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   Prolific author Carolyn Haines is reissuing earlier books in her Sarah Booth Delaney mystery series and many of the novels are available free with Audible trial as of this posting.

  GAME OF BONES, launched on May 14 this year, is number 20 in the series, and THE DEVIL’S BONES, is due to be launched in May 2020.

"Distinctive characters and an atmospheric setting elevate this paranormal cozy. Series fans and newcomers alike will be satisfied."―Publishers Weekly

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   Besides the lighter Sarah Booth Delaney mysteries, she also launched her paw-sitively entertaining Familiar series featuring Trouble, the Sherlock Holmes of cat detectives. There are ten books in the series, written by different authors.  

   But wait, there’s more…there is a darker side to Ms. Haines’ story telling—horror stories, including THE DARKLING and THE SEEKER (which was released on June 19 this year).

   An excerpt from one of the 5-star reviews for THE SEEKER: “I love old fashioned suspenseful storytelling without the gore and graphic death scenes that is prevalent in today’s horror stories. Ms. Haines is a masterful storyteller and writer that is hard to dispute in this reader’s opinion.”

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   The novels above are enjoyable reads, and that kind of excellence doesn’t happen overnight.

   These two Gulf Coast authors have honed their craft over the years and continue to work hard at putting out their very best effort for their readers.

   One of the blogs I follow is that of author/editor/chief-cook-and-bottle-washer, C. Hope Clark.  http://www.fundsforwriters.com  Her “Funds for Writers” blog has been on the Writer’s Digest’s 101 Best Websites for Writers list every year since 2001. Anyway, to quote Hope: 

“Writing well takes time. It isn't an instinct. You are not born with it. You do not accidentally write a stupendous tale. You develop this talent with hard work and a crazy number of hours invested in making your craft better.”

   That means all writers, but especially aspiring writers, need to participate workshops, critique groups, conferences, and READ in the genre you write. Before a writer can develop his/her own writing voice, (s)he must read the good work of other published authors.

   Now, to inspire you to continue working on your own WIP, here’s marvelous first line hook:  

"It was a wrong number that started it, the telephone ringing three times in the dead of night, and the voice on the other end asking for someone he was not." —Paul Auster, City of Glass (1985) 

   By the by, as the masthead of Lyrical Pens says, if you have a book you want to promote, let me know. We can arrange a blog date…the only caveat is that this site is PG 13.

   That’s it for this week’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. See you next week?

cj

CHOOSING CARTER and DEADLY STAR are quick reads chock full of adventure with a touch of sassy banter and sweet romance. Get your Kindle copy on Amazon…visit my Amazon Central Author Page = https://amzn.to/2v6SrAj for more information about my stories.

   TO ORDER an autographed copy of CHOOSING CARTER, DEADLY STAR, HOMETOWN HEROES, and/or THE POSSE, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: The Haunted Bookshop  Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in her own right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you the book(s) of your choice.

  VISIT ME on Facebook at:   cjpetterson/author on Facebook