Farley’s Friday: Dog Sitting – Is it for you?

August 19, 2016August 18, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 10 Comments

Farley here,

Kristina likes to dog sit, but I think she should ask me first. Our neighbors have a 4 month old Doodle, Moca, and he’s one crazy dog.

He comes over, jumps on my back, bites my face, and chases my tail. Yes, I meant that. He chases MY tail, not his.

Kristina distracted him for a minute, so I got to sniff him. But then it was back to hard playing.

Farley and Moca

I’m happy when we dog sit older dogs who like to go for a run, then lie around and relax in the dog bed. This puppy thing is a bit too crazy for me.

I know Kristina. If anyone asks her to dog sit, she’ll be happy to. She says it’s her way of having two dogs. Now why would she want two dogs when she has me? I can’t think of a single reason.

Woof Woof

Mystery Mondays: Dan Alatorre on Great Dialogue

August 15, 2016August 7, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Today on Mystery Mondays we have Dan Alatorre. I asked Dan to join us because I read his novel THE NAVIGATORS and was very impressed by how he handled multiple characters.

Over to Dan, and then I’ll tell you more about him and where you can find his work.

10 Tips To Writing GREAT Dialogs Between Multiple Characters

Most new authors find writing dialog difficult. Not every reader knows how to describe a beautiful sunset but they all know how to talk. If we get our dialog right – as in, if it’s snappy and poignant and occasionally witty (not like most conversations in real life) – readers LOVE it.

If we don’t, well… they hate it. Chuck Wendig referred to dialog as candy. I tend to go the diabetic route. My characters talk a lot.

But since they’re also witty and snappy and occasionally argumentative, it works.

It’s even harder to write dialog when there are lots of people conversing. In the movie Amadeus, Tom Hulce’s Beethoven explains that many voices singing at the same time is perfect harmony – but many voices talking at the same time is noise.

Noise? I’m pretty sure we don’t want Ammy reviewers saying that about my scenes.

Balance the urgency of getting our conversation going – witty, snappy – versus moving too fast and confusing readers – noise – versus MAKING BAD WRITING.

Crap, I’m not sure I want to do this post now.

Oh, but wait; I already did.

In my novel The Navigators, I had to quickly introduce five characters in the opening scene. I used dialog to do it.

Why five? Barry plans on taking his team of grad students to a dangerous, remote Florida mine site. For security reasons, five is the minimum he needs but they don’t want to go.

Why do we need to introduce them in the opening scene? Grabbing the reader’s attention in a story is important, and the opening lines show we are in the middle of an argument – so we are in the middle of a dialog. That gets the reader’s attention. If you are in Target and you hear two people arguing, you notice. Barry has apparently laid out his case before the story starts, but Roger actually opens the story – with an adamant rejection of Barry’s idea. As in, F-word adamant. (College kids swear. Shocker.) Make a note of Roger’s profanity; we’ll come back to it later.

Why start this way at all? Aha, grasshopper: pace. My novel is a page turner, and yours should be, too. The Navigators moves fast on purpose, creating the necessary tension to keep readers glued to the page. Each chapter ends with a cliffhanger and the opening of the next chapter grabs the reader again.

THAT’s why we need dialog that works.

Ready? Here’s how I started. FIVE characters in five (very short) paragraphs:

“No way.” Roger shook his head and left the kitchen. “You fuckers are crazy.”

Barry jumped up from behind his desk. “Come on. A paleontology dig at a mine in central Florida is practically like going to the beach.”

“Only hotter.” I set my plate on the coffee table and leaned back, folding my arms.

Melissa carried her hamburger to the kitchen. “It’s smellier, too. Yuck.” She leaned on the counter, taking her free hand and sweeping her long brown locks behind her ear.

Riff sat in the far chair with his elbows on his knees. Even when relaxed, his massive arms looked like they were flexing. He twirled his car keys with his thick fingers. “A mine is a beach without a personality. Digging for fossils in a big open sand pit with a hot little spillway pond in the middle.” He faced me. “I’m not sure that’s where I want to spend my summer.”

That was a lot! And if I kept going like that, I’d lose every reader. But the paragraphs that follow these allow each character to be described a little, or to speak in their pre-determined style. (That’s #1.)

In 156 words, I introduced five characters, started giving the reader an indication of their personalities (make another note of that), and explained what the story was about.

Barry is intellectual and already defending his plan.

Roger is angry; he swears

Melissa has a cute line. She says “smellier” and “yuck.”

Riff is quiet.

And the narrator, I, (“Peeky”) mostly observes it all. Passive.

It may be confusing to some readers, but not to most readers. Assume your reader is smart. They’ll figure it out quickly and keep everyone straight as you add layers to the characters.

Because Roger swears and pouts, it sticks. Barry talks a lot in chapter one, so he establishes himself as articulate and intelligent. Melissa and the narrator, Peeky, joke back and forth with each other, which makes them memorable.

All that is stuff you need to have in mind when you start writing, so paint it in a little at a time as each character speaks or acts. Readers will collect these tidbits in the character buckets in their heads, and pretty soon they’re good to go.

I don’t try to give all five major roles right away, either. For example, Riff is almost a bystander in chapter one – but he has a major scene in chapter two. After that, you know him pretty well.

So let’s look at the dialog again. Roger swears initially, so he is angry throughout the scene. Make that obvious every time he speaks – for this scene. Then readers subconsciously know him as the angry character. Melissa is the only female, but she is playful and cute. She speaks that way. Emphasize the character’s personality a little each time they speak. (If Roger has to get a glass of water, think of an angry way to ask for it. See?) Roger’s not always a jerk, but if there’s a reaction to paint, that’s his main color.

Next, we have the issue of identifying who is speaking without constantly saying so with the dreaded dialog tags (writing “Melissa said” and Barry asked.”) Said doesn’t add much information, so try not to use it. Instead, when you have a character speak, have them do something (called a beat) before or after their line.

Throughout the opening scene, Melissa:

finishes eating,
takes her plate to the sink,
rests on the counter,
pushes her hair behind her ear.

Each time she has to speak, we show her doing something too. We know it’s her AND we add to her character bucket.

When your character speaks, have them say something worth saying! My characters joke around with each other – that endears them to the reader and we understand them as friends and not just teammates. But when they speak, important information is conveyed. Think about the points you need to make, boil it down to the fewest words possible, decide which character is best to make them, and then have the character deliver the information in that character’s unique style. The balance of beats and condensed word information carries the day, even in a wordy tome like mine.

I like to say it’s not math, it’s jazz. What works for me will be different for you. Embrace the differences and write in your own style:

Add segments of description when a thoughtful pause is needed. (See Riff’s opening lines, above.)
In real life, we might interrupt or crack a joke. Let your characters do it, too.
Have them disagree. TOOOOO often authors have one character say, “Let’s go to the mine!” and everyone else says “Okay!” Yawn. My characters say, “No way! We are definitely not going!” Conflict is interesting. Use it.

Mix up the rhythm of the sentences and the beats. Have the main conversation go off on tangents between two characters for a while and drop in background information:

Then I turned back to Roger, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet this entire time. “And there won’t be any pretty girls at the mine.”

“Hey.” Melissa swatted me from over the counter.

“Well, you know what I mean. Pretty girls that I don’t know… that I can ogle.”

“Why, Tomàs Pequant.” She turned her head in mock indignance. “You’re a married man.”

I shrugged. “Married, not dead.”

“You little Middle Eastern snake.” She wagged a finger at me, flashing her brilliant smile. “I’m going to have to keep my eye on you.”

See? They’re still talking about the mine, but they’re obviously all been to the beach together, and Peeky (Thomas Pequant) might have eyes for Melissa. That implies she’s pretty. We also learn where Peeky’s from.

All that, without a “he said” or “she asked.”

Tags are a last resort, but they aren’t illegal. Use them when nothing else works.

When it’s only two people speaking, just have them trade lines.

Remember, characters move, so use beats to identify them and give us information. Have conversations get to the point quickly.

If you can’t get there quickly, at least make it an interesting ride.

It’s a story, after all; not a textbook.

Who is Dan Alatorre?

headshot bw Dan is author of numerous best sellers, host of the YouTube video show Writers Off Task With Friends, blogger… and father to a hilarious and precocious daughter, “Savvy” of the bestselling book series Savvy Stories. His novels, short stories, illustrated children’s books and cookbooks have been translated into 12 different languages and are enjoyed around the world.

Dan and his family live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. (If it’s Friday, he’s making pizza, including making the dough and sauce from scratch. Who does that?)

Check out Dan’s Amazon page HERE and see all his books that are currently for sale!

And a little about THE NAVIGATORS

A freak landslide at a remote mine site uncovers a strange machine to Barry’s group of paleontology students. Wary of corrupt school officials, his team takes the machine home to study it in secret, reaching only one realistic – and unbelievable – conclusion: It was designed to bridge the time-space continuum. It’s a time machine.

Testing delivers disastrous results, sending one team member to the hospital and nearly killing another. When word leaks about the discovery, the ultimate power struggle ensues: the university wants it for funding, the power company wants its energy regenerating abilities kept under wraps, and a rival group wants to steal it for themselves. No one cares if Barry’s team comes out alive.

Fleeing for their lives, the students must fight the school, the police, and each other if they want to learn the truth about what they’ve discovered – a truth with more severe consequences than any of them can predict.

Farley’s Friday: A Dog Goes Shopping

August 12, 2016August 11, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

Farley here,

I’m Kristina’s strongest advocate when it comes to selling her books. Because I’m so good at it, she takes me along when she visits retail outlets.

This week, my friend for life, Finnur, is staying with us ,so he got to come along, too. I had to teach him how to behave in the General Store.

Last week the General Store sold 30 copies of Kristina’s books, so we had to restock the shelves. We entered the store and needed to talk to the person working behind the counter. What Finnur didn’t know is the person always gives me a cookie if I behave.

I told Finnur to sit and wag his tail.

He did.

I told him to put on his cutest, you-must-give-me-a-cookie face.

He did that, too. Finnur is a good listener when it comes to getting treats.

Dogs at General Store

And aren’t we the cutest? Wouldn’t you buy books from us?

Well the guy behind the counter thought so, and we sold him another box full of all three books.

Phew…A hard days work.

Woof Woof.

Mystery Mondays:Ryan Aldred on Humour in Writing

August 8, 2016August 7, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Today we’re we have the pleasure, and fun, of hearing from Ryan Aldred on humour in writing. Ryan is the Author of Rum Luck, published June 22, 2016. Ryan loves a beach, so it’s no surprise RUM LUCK takes place on a beach in Costa Rica. But more on that later. First, let’s hear from Ryan on Humour in Writing.

Ryan Aldred on Humour in Writing – The Spice, not the Supper

Writing Humour – The Spice, Not the Supper

I am sitting in a curling club that is nearing 40 degrees, behind a folding table that is equal parts rust and lead-based paint. In front of me, a fairgoer’s brow furrows as she examines the back of my book’s jacket whilst I mull the futility of selling a novel set in the tropics on one of the hottest days of the year.

“Is it… is it funny?” she asks suspiciously.

I take a deep breath, unfurling the mental toolkit needed to disarm this verbal landmine. With three friends trying to control an out-of-control bongo drummer and tangled up in the murder of the bar’s former owner, Rum Luck is a funny book – but I rarely describe it that way.

“It’s fun,” I say, trying not to quote my sell sheet verbatim. “And fast-paced.”

She nods, doubtful.

Humour books can be a tough sell. If you don’t believe me, check out the humour category on Amazon. Watch out for tumbleweeds while you’re at it. Readers might enjoy funny books, but they rarely seek them out. Yet authors like Donna Andrews and Kyra Davis do a great job with their humorous novels – and have the sales figures to prove it.

The problem is that readers have vastly different senses of humour. So when you describe a book as humorous, readers don’t quite know whether to expect Eddie Murphy or a string of eye-rolling puns.

“It’s the kind of funny you get when you take people with a sense of humour and put them in a near-impossible situation,” I explain. “Amusing, but not silly.” I segue into the other aspects of the book – the tropical setting, the Canadian characters, the owner-for-a-week series premise and Rum Luck’s spot on the Arthur Ellis shortlist.

She buys a copy, which I happily sign.

Despite her initial reluctance, this reader may well end up using terms like “laugh out loud” and “perfect vacation novel” to describe the book – phrases that seem to appear regularly in early reviews, and are likely part of why Rum Luck is already well into the second half of its initial print run.

Humour can work in mysteries, if it’s done right. So, what’s the right way?

No idea. But I can share my own views on what readers – and writers – can look for in a humorous mystery.

The Plot Still Comes First –

Antonio died well. Will you?

Ben shivered.

“Seriously? Letters cut from a magazine?” Victoria asked, peering over his shoulder. “Do criminals even still do that?”

Ana shot her a glare. “Not everyone in Tamarindo has a fancy office with a printing laser.”

“Laser printer,” Victoria corrected.

“Have you ever seen anything like this before, Victoria?” Ben interrupted.

–

When the banter is flowing, it’s easy to let the characters prattle on at one another – but I try to bring the dialogue back to the plot as soon as possible. Otherwise, you risk losing the narrative. And if there are other jokes that leap to mind? I keep a separate document for just that purpose. If it’s gold, I’ll find a way to use it later – and if it’s not, I won’t miss it when it’s gone.

Another test of plot is to look at the back-of-jacket summary. If there are more than five jokes in that little tiny column, then you might be dealing with a funny book, not a mystery that also happens to be funny. See The Martian as a key example – a laugh-out-loud book without a single joke on its jacket.

Humour Serves a Purpose –

“The photo. It’s the deed to the bar. It’s in your name.”

“Bar? Which bar?”

“The bar. Your bar.”

“My bar?” The thought slapped Ben. “The murder bar?”

“Don’t call it the murder bar. It’s bad for business.”

–

I’ve been told that every sentence in a novel should serve one of three purposes – to advance the plot, develop a character, or create a sense of place. I will occasionally bend that rule to add a fourth purpose – to make a joke – but wherever possible I try to serve another purpose at the same time.

In this case, the ‘murder bar’ dialogue hints that Victoria puts her friend’s business ahead of a stranger’s murder – a key bit of her character. And as funny as a book might be, if the setting and character development are missing, it’s unlikely to have a compelling story.

Tone Matters –

Ben Cooper had had his share of hangovers over the years, but this one deserved to be immortalized in poetry. Where lesser ones faded with time, this one was still returning on a winged tequila worm to take him to Hangover Valhalla. Unfortunately, his other senses were now coming into focus, including his sense of smell. His cell reeked of hot sweat, stale beer, and bitter disappointment.

–

Rum Luck is a humorous mystery, but the emphasis is on the mystery. Jokes aside, I still have to put my characters through an equal measure of hardship and intrigue. Sometimes, that means the humour is sometimes self-deprecating or dark – but if everything is a joke to them, then there’s no tension. No tension means no stakes, and no stakes means no story.

As you’re flipping through, ask yourself: Do I genuinely believe that something bad could happen to these characters, or is it all just slapstick?

Humour That Stands its Ground –

“Tara was cheating on me.” He took a deep breath. “With some clown.”

“I’m so sorry, Ben. Was he someone you knew?”

“No. Not a friend,” he spat. “A real clown. You know, the guys with creepy face paint who make bloody balloon animals at kids’ parties? Tara has a . . . a . . . thing for clowns.”

He waited for Victoria to make a snide remark. When none was forthcoming, he continued, “I came home early the night of my bachelor party. I walked into the bedroom in time to see Beeboo the Clown step out of the bathroom wearing nothing but face paint, a red nose, and a smile.” And a profoundly disturbing balloon animal. “Tara screamed when she saw me. I froze. Beeboo grabbed his floppy shoes and a bathrobe—my bathrobe—and was halfway to his van before I even knew what had happened…”

–

There are many books out there that are written to a formula with the hopes that it’ll lead to a massive bestseller. In that process, these books lose the unique elements that would let them stand out from the herd. The solution: Don’t be afraid of a book that is different.

I’ll admit, I had my doubts regarding the whole Ben-catches-his-fiancée-with-a-clown plot point. I wondered if I was shooting myself in the foot while querying agents. That went double for publishers.

But this was part of Ben’s story from the earliest days of Rum Luck’s outline, and I wanted to keep it there. And when Five Star sent back the edits with nary a word about the clown romance, I knew Rum Luck had found the right home.

Parting Thoughts –

All of these rules boil down to one simple question: Is the humour in the mystery treated as the spice, or the supper? And if it’s the supper – well, we know how the Cinnamon Challenge turned out.*

*If this is the first you’ve heard of the Cinnamon Challenge – 1.) Look it up on YouTube for an evening’s entertainment and 2.) Where on earth did you spend 2012?

Rum Luck

9781432831899 Ben Cooper wakes up in a Costa Rican jail cell with a crushing hangover, arrested for murder.

Worse, Ben had bought a bar on the beach from the victim, hours before the man’s death. With his ex-fiancée’s life savings. So much for parting on good terms.

With foreclosure looming and death threats piling up on the rum-soaked bar, Ben and his friends turn to the wild idea that got them into this mess — building a business around those who’ve always wanted the experience of having their own bar on a beach somewhere, even for just a week.

Rum Luck is the first book in the Bar on a Beach Mystery series, and was a finalist for the 2015 Unhanged Arthur Award from Crime Writers of Canada.

This novel was inspired by Ryan Aldred’s travels to Costa Rica, which involved three-alarm fires, monkey vandals, late-night visits to underground repair shops run by Nicaraguan illegals and a real estate agent desperate to hack Interpol to clear up a ‘misunderstanding’ regarding some cocaine.

Rum Luck was published June 2016 by Five Star, part of Gale Cengage.

Who is Ryan Aldred?

ryan_headshot_large When not writing, Ryan Aldred runs a small Canadian charity that supports education in Afghanistan, Tanzania, Uganda, and other at-risk regions.

Ryan previously worked as a defense analyst and continues to serve as a Sergeant in the Canadian Forces Reserve. Ryan and his family live in beautiful Prince Edward County. He’s never met a beach he doesn’t like.

To learn more visit http://www.ryanaldred.com.

Or find him on…

Goodreads

Facebook

Twitter

Amazon

Kat Flannery: Facebook Launch Party TODAY

August 6, 2016August 5, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 1 Comment

It is finally here! The last book to the Branded Trilogy by Kat Flannery. Please come and celebrate the release of SACRED LEGACY! There will be prizes, eBooks, and guest authors Melodie Campbell, Author who will be promoting her Rowena series and Kristina Stanley (me) who will be promoting her Stone Mountain Mystery Series.

The Facebook launch party is at https://www.facebook.com/events/1733296340291863/

It’s at 2PM EST.

PRIZES

eBooks:
– Rowena Through the Wall by Melodie Campbell, Author
– Descent by Kristina Stanley
– Lancelot’s Lady by Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif
– Divine Intervention by Author Cheryl Kaye Tardif
– Chasing Clovers by Kat Flannery, Author
– Hazardous Unions by Kat Flannery, Author & Alison Bruce
– Fern by Kat Flannery, Author
– Lakota Honor by Kat Flannery, Author
– Blood Curse by Kat Flannery, Author

Swag:
3 Swag bags with Branded Trilogy T-shirt, magnets, pen, stationary, signed paperback of Lakota Honor.

Grand Prize:
$50 Amazon Gift Card

Hope to chat with you at the PARTY.

Thanks for reading.

Farley’s Friday: I’m Beating The Pond

August 5, 2016August 3, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 10 Comments

Farley here,

Who can get through life without friends? Finn, an Icelandic Sheepdog, is staying with me for a couple of weeks.

I told him about my girlfriend, Jessie, and that I’m trying to impress her. She’s an avid swimmer, and I’m not.

Turns out, Finn can swim AND he gives lesson.

Farley's Friday - The Pond

His feet aren’t even toughing the ground. He’s the bravest dog I know. I followed for a second, then turned to shore so my paws touched the bottom. My heart was beating fast, and my hair stood on end, but I was floating.

Puppy steps, but I’ll get there. Finn said we could go to the pond every day until I swim!

Woof Woof.

Mystery Mondays: Kat Flannery- Ending A Trilogy

August 1, 2016July 31, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 15 Comments

I’m very excited to have Kat Flannery on Mystery Mondays to talk about ending a trilogy and what that means to her. I met Kat through our publisher, Imajin Books, and she’s been an endless source of advice about writing and about the publishing business.

Sacred Legacy, the third in the Banded Trilogy is here, and I can’t wait to read it. LAKOTA HONOR and BLOOD CURSE, the first two in the series kept me planted on the couch just to finish them.

So, it’s my honor to have Kat here today.

ENDING A TRILOGY By Kat Flannery

Sacred Legacy Front Cover.jpg My close friends and readers who follow me on Facebook or Twitter know how much I stressed about writing the end to this trilogy.

I love series and trilogies, however, as a reader, I do not like waiting for the next book after I’ve read the first two or three. Call me a bit of an OCD, laced with some impatience, and a desire that eats at me to know what happens next. In two words waiting for the next book…KILLS ME!

It is a slow torture of what if’s, who done it’s, and damn it how much longer?

So when I’d written myself into a trilogy, which by the way did not happen on purpose when I wrote the first book, LAKOTA HONOR, my plan was to write the last two books within a year. That did not happen. Instead life, death and mourning happened, and I could not write.

When it came time to get back to the keyboard I was nervous, and full of doubt. After all I’d waited a whole year before writing the last book to the Branded Trilogy. My readers had most likely given up on me ever finishing the book, and I felt horrible.

I sat and stared at my computer many nights wondering how I’d make it up to them. How was I going to give them a story that was by far the best ending I could write?

I wrote starters, and scenes but nothing wanted to stick—nothing seemed right. It wasn’t good enough. I never once thought of giving up…that’s not in my blood. I knew I had to finish this and damn it I was going to blow it out of the park…but I just didn’t know how.

I had no real plot, no sub plots. Nothing! One night as I lay in bed I started thinking of the characters, and myself. I wondered why Tsura wouldn’t use her magick? Why she was angry, full of angst and hate. What could have happened in her life to make her feel such horrible emotions every day? It would have to be something severe.

It had to come from a loss so profound; she no longer wanted to live.

I felt Tsura’s pain, and because I’d experienced such a pain the year before, I decided to use my heartache and place it into my character.

Once I was able to release some of myself, the storyline came to me almost immediately along with sub plots and other characters. I sat down and wrote the rough draft in 10 weeks.

“SACRED LEGACY will immerse you in a harrowing journey of anger and bitterness that only love and forgiveness can heal. You won’t soon forget

Tsura and Red Wolf’s journey.”

—Kristy McCaffrey, award-winning author, WINGS OF THE WEST series

Tsura is a Chuvani, and with that comes great power…

Desperate to escape the memories that haunt her, Tsura Harris returns to Jamestown, the very place her mother forbade her to go. A gifted Chuvani, Tsura has sworn off all magick, thus making her vulnerable to the Renoldi clan, who wish to kill her and take the pendant that is the key to her power.

Red Wolf is hell-bent on living his life on the sea, until he runs into Tsura on the docks. His pride wounded from her rejection years before, he hoped to never see her again. But when the evil Corsair, Romulus Black, demands to know where she is, Red Wolf must protect her, as is his duty.

But is duty and honor his only reason, or does Red Wolf still carry a flame of love in his heart? And will Tsura finally discover her destiny?

Get SACRED LEGACY here!

Amazon

About Kat…

Kat Flannery’s love of history shows in her novels. She is an avid reader of historical, suspense, paranormal, and romance. She has her Certificate in Freelance and Business Writing.
A member of many writing groups, Kat enjoys promoting other authors on her blog. Kat enjoys teaching writing classes and giving back to other aspiring authors. She volunteers her time at the local library facilitating their writing group. She’s been published in numerous periodicals throughout her career

Her debut novel CHASING CLOVERS has been an Amazon Top 100 Paid bestseller. LAKOTA HONOR and BLOOD CURSE (Branded Trilogy) are Kat’s two award-winning novels and HAZARDOUS UNIONS is Kat’s first novella. Kat is currently hard at work on her next series, THE MONTGOMERY SISTERS.

Visit Kat at: www.katflannerybooks.com

Find her on Facebook: Kat Flannery, author

Follow her on Twitter: @KatFlannery1

Farley’s Friday: Are Ponds Dangerous? Part II.

July 29, 2016July 28, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments

Farley here.

Sometimes in life, a dog needs help from his friends. I want to impress my girlfriend Jesse with my jumping-in-pond skills, but I can’t do it alone.

Along comes my pal, Flint. He’s a Portuguese Water dog, and he’s less than a year old. But he is braver than me. Also, he has ‘water dog’ in his title, so that must mean he is genetically meant to swim.

I put my front paws in the pond. Flint Nudged me. I put my back paws in. He nudged me again.

“This isn’t so bad,” I bark at him.

Flint, Farley in pond

He woofs, then barks in my ear, so only I can hear. “Dude, you actually have to swim if you want to impress the girl.”

I shake my head. No way. I’m not ready for that. Maybe tomorrow.

Flint has an awesome human. She carries cookies, so as a reward for my bravery, I get one.

julie, Flint Farley

Flint may be the better swimmer, but I’m the better sitter. Look how handsome I am waiting politely for my cookie. Now check out Flint. He got too excited and jumped for his. Of course we had to wait until he settled down before we got cookies. Maybe I can trade teaching him how to sit for him teaching me how to swim.

His human is the kind who loves dogs. She’ll do anything for us, including giving us cookies after Flint got her all wet.

Ponds are still dangerous, but not as scary as they were last week.

Woof Woof.

Camp NaNoWriMo: Did it work?

July 28, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

For me, Yes .That’s a big YES. I completed my 50,000 words today.

It may seem like a little thing to get a winner’s badge. but it’s what’s behind the badge that’s important. There are 50,000 words of a novel.

So why did this work for me?

Watching the daily word count motivated me to write every day. It’s so easy to miss a day or two, and not get the words written. But just being accountable to my camp members was enough.

The other thing I found is my friends and family gave me time to write, knowing I was under a deadline. The closer I got to 50,000 words, the more they cheered me on. The excitement around here grew each day. That motivated me to keep going, too.

Here’s what my word could looked like on a daily basis.

Screen Shot 2016-07-28 at 1.07.58 PM

You can see I fell behind on days 8, 9, and 10. Those days fell on a weekend, and life took priority. At that moment, I knew I had to get more serious and bump up writing on the priority list.

Would I do NaNoWriMo again? Yup.

I’m going to participate in November. In the mean time, I’ll start keeping track of my word count to help me focus. I’ve got to get this novel to 80,000 words before September. Then I need a month to edit it before sending it to beta readers. After that, November is closing in, and it all begins again.

Anyone else our there in Camp NaNoWriMo? How are you doing? What did you like or not like about the camp? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading…

Mystery Mondays: Kathleen Burkinshaw

July 25, 2016July 23, 2016 ~ Kristina Stanley ~ 14 Comments

Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming author, Kathleen Burkinshaw to Mystery Mondays. It’s a special week for Kathleen. Her novel, The Last Cherry Blossom, is being released in one week. But don’t worry, you can pre-order it now on amazon. Let’s help her celebrate, by welcoming her in the comments below.

Following the seventieth anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, this is a new, very personal story to join Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

Last Cherry Blossom_cover (2) Yuriko was happy growing up in Hiroshima when it was just her and Papa. But her aunt Kimiko and her cousin Genji are living with them now, and the family is only getting bigger with talk of a double marriage! And while things are changing at home, the world beyond their doors is even more unpredictable. World War II is coming to an end, and Japan’s fate is not entirely clear, with any battle losses being hidden from its people. Yuriko is used to the sirens and the air-raid drills, but things start to feel more real when the neighbors who have left to fight stop coming home. When the bomb hits Hiroshima, it’s through Yuriko’s twelve-year-old eyes that we witness the devastation and horror.

This is a story that offers young readers insight into how children lived during the war, while also introducing them to Japanese culture. Based loosely on author Kathleen Burkinshaw’s mother’s firsthand experience surviving the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, The Last Cherry Blossom hopes to warn readers of the immense damage nuclear war can bring, while reminding them that the “enemy” in any war is often not so different from ourselves.

My Personal History Behind The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw

Growing up I remember an 8 x 10 elegantly framed black and white photo of my mom sitting with her Papa. She was about 4 years old and dressed in a kimono while her Papa was wearing a yukata (casual summer kimono). My mother treasured that picture. It was one of only a handful she had from her childhood. Those photos were also taken when she was about 4. She didn’t have any of her older than that. Other family pictures were all destroyed, along with her home, the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. She only had these few pictures because they were at a cottage they vacationed at in the country. That picture is what inspired me to write about the relationship and love my mom had with/for her Papa.

During my daughter’s elementary school years, I went to her class each year, read a picture book about Japanese culture, and we would do a Japanese craft related to the book I read.

When my daughter was in seventh grade, she told me that her class’ section on WWII would be ending that week, and she overheard some students talking about seeing that ‘cool picture of the mushroom cloud’. She asked me if I could talk about her grandmother and all of the people who were under the now famous mushroom cloud. That question inspired me to present my mother’s experience on August 6^th to middle/high school students.

When I was younger, my mother told me what she lost that day in August. But she never gave me any specific details of this event. Her memories were still too painful to discuss.

After my daughter’s request, my mother decided she was ready to tell me more of what had actually happened on the most horrific day of her life. She hoped by sharing her experience, students would realize that the use of nuclear weapons against any country or people, for any reason, is unacceptable.

The following year, my daughter’s previous teacher requested that I present to her history class and to the entire 7th grade at the school. I phoned my mom and asked more questions about her life at home during the war before August 6^th. A week later a copy of her favorite picture with her Papa arrived in the mail. That’s when I knew there’s a story here, not just of horror and loss, but of love, and joyful family memories.

My daughter is about to begin her second year of college, and I continue to visit that seventh grade class at her old school. Over the past six years I have added other local middle schools to visit. Each year the students who have heard my non-political presentation, expressed their gratitude to my mother for sharing such a personal, traumatizing memory. Teachers included my presentation in their history curriculum because they felt that the lecture gave students new insight into how children lived during the war. And more importantly, students learned that the Japanese children had the same hopes and fears as the children in the Allied countries.

Teachers, friends, my family, and most importantly my mother encouraged me to finish writing The Last Cherry Blossom. I wanted to write this book not just to honor my mother and her family, but to honor all the people that suffered or died from the effects of pika don. I want readers to know that the victims were all someone’s mother, father, brother, sister, or child.

Originally, scientists said nothing would grow again in Hiroshima for many years after the bomb was dropped. Yet the cherry blossoms bloomed again the following spring. The cherry blossoms endured much like the spirit of the people affected by the bombing in Hiroshima, much like my mother.

The Last Cherry Blossom publishes one week after this post! It’s a bittersweet time. My mom passed away in January 2015. However, she did read the latest draft (at that time) of the manuscript and knew it was going to be published. Her elegantly framed, treasured photo now has a prominent place in my home.

Last summer my family visited Hiroshima to honor my mother at the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb Victims. Standing on the same ground where she experienced so much loss and destruction when she was only twelve years old, broke my heart.

My mother lost so much that fateful day, yet she gained an inner strength she never thought possible. Whenever I look at the picture of my mom with her Papa, and when I think of all the love she had given my daughter and myself, I’m reminded that love prevails over fear.

WHO IS Kathleen Burkinshaw?

Burkinshaw, Kathleen wnba Kathleen Burkinshaw resides in Charlotte, NC. She’s a wife, mom to a daughter in college (dreading the reality of being an empty nester-most of the time), and owns a dog who is a kitchen ninja. Kathleen enjoyed a 10+ year career in HealthCare Management unfortunately cut short by the onset of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). Writing gives her an outlet for her daily struggle with chronic pain. She has carried her mother’s story her whole life and feels privileged to now share it with the world. Writing historical fiction also satisfies her obsessive love of researching anything and everything.