Write what you know?

Can it be we’re fated to love only once? What if we have loved and lost? Can we find love again?

Cassie Brown believes plastic surgery has restored her face with its original dimple in her cheek. Her amnesia is temporary. Then, as she begins to fall in love with her employer, Kyle Chambers, the memory of a former husband surfaces. The past love seems so real. But if it was, why hasn’t he come for her?

Question from the e-mail: Everyone says to "Write what you know." What if you want to write something, but don't "know" it?  How do you handle that?

Answer: Well you can also "know" what you can find out. And one experience can often be incorporated into another.

After I saw the movie CROSS CREEK. I set a short story in the Florida swamps, though I had never been there, and I worried that I hadn’t gotten the atmosphere right, although some people had told me, “a marsh is a marsh is a marsh” even when they call it a “prairie” as they do in Florida.

I wrote a “coming of age” story in which a young girl loses her virginity to an older man, and used an alligator hunt as the metaphor for that. I put in lots of what I thought was sexual symbolism and tension between the girl and the older man, a friend of her father’s, who had just been waiting for the opportunity to take advantage of her, etc.

But I was worried about the setting, never, at that time, having been to Florida. So I read it at a writer's conference in a critiquing session with about 17 women, five of whom I knew were from Florida. I felt sure they’d pick up on any bloopers.  Well, the form for critiques at  that conference was that you read your work aloud, and then shut up and listened. People in the circle answered three questions put by the moderator:

    What happened?

    How did you feel while the story was being read?

    What would you change if you were writing this story.?

After everyone has answered those questions, then the author may ask for details, like, “Well, was the setting accurate?”

The answer to the first question stunned me. “This girl and her brother went alligator hunting,” was the first comment.

Whoops! If they thought he was her brother, then they didn’t get my sexual content at all! I knew right away what was wrong and what I had to do to fix it.

My job was to give them an understandable story and I had failed miserably. I learned a lot that day — nobody had to say whether they “liked” it or not, which isn’t relevant to begin with. Nobody had felt bored, which I felt was luck, certainly not skill, since nobody had got the plot. When it came my time to ask, the Florida people said they had assumed I lived there as the detail was so accurate. Most of those place images had come straight out of the CROSS CREEK movie, which was filmed in Florida.

Lobster Bisque Recipe

People vanishing 10 years before the new millennium, the first space-exploration starship, Earth Star-I, lost in deep space fifty-one years later - Is there a connection between these unexplained disappearances and a village along the rocky coast of New England, a place called Sarah's Landing?

Lobster Bisque 2 Lobsters, cooked (boiled) Remove the meat from claws and tail;  cut in small pieces and reserve Remove the shell from the body Break off the legs  (small quantity  of meat inside)  Crush the shells  (claws, body, tail, legs) Add crushed shells to: 2½ cups water* 1 sliced onion 2 stalks of celery with  leaves, sliced thick Cover and bring to a boil, turn down and simmer 30 minutes  Strain the liquid, reserve In a sauce pan: ¼ cup butter, melted Mix in: ¼ cup flour Stir  to form a roux,  but do not brown Add: 2½ cups heated milk  (not boiled).  I usually heat it in the microwave. Blend until smooth   Stir in strained lobster broth   Add lobster meat   Bring to boil, turn down heat, and simmer 5 minutes Stir in: 1 cup hot cream  (must be hot but not boiling  Microwave works really well for this.) Garnish: Chopped Parsley Paprika *Most cook book recipes call for clam broth or chicken broth instead of water.  This original recipe is based on the  Maine Lobster Stew recipe  and calls for water.

Most common problem run-on sentences

 Here's an entertaining mystery, with

no run on sentences.

Alex Masters has given up prostitution and lives on the "right" side of town. She has a respectable job and is about to launch a singing career on the side. While making a deposit for her employer at Bay City Central, her past catches up with her. In the time it takes a bank robber's bullet to pierce her arm. Alex finds herself caught in a tangle of robbery, murder and blackmail.

 Question: What is the most common problem you see in manuscripts from new writers?

Answer:  It changes frequently, but lately it has been run on sentences. Most of us are taught to write term  papers. A good one states both sides of every question and explains everything for every possible direction. Sentences are expected to be long, complicated, and full of modifiers. In a college term paper, that is good writing.  In a book to be read by the average reader, it couldn't be worse.

Avoid run on sentences. A sentence should have ONE noun (name) and ONE verb (action that happens to, or because of the noun).

 Mountains float. That is a whole complete sentence. Didn't say it made sense, only that it was complete.

You can allow one explanation per sentence. Mountains float whenever we have an earthquake. But if you find more nouns and verbs, you need to put in a period and start a new sentence.

Below is an example of what we see all too often.

Mountains float whenever we have an earthquake and the creek overflows it’s banks and our old cabin shakes on its foundation, and it scares the living heck out of me so that I wake up screaming and crying with no one to help. 

Mountains float whenever we have an earthquake (Period). The creek changes course and water rises over its banks (period). Our old cabin shakes on its foundation (period). That scares the heck out of me (period). I wake, screaming and crying with no one to help (period).

Marta's Chiles Releno

When Hal Morrison goes to work at Marta's Place he doesn't just have to deal with customers; he has to deal with love, lust, detectives, drugs, murder, mayhem…and Marta!

1. Roast the chiles (see list below for types)
   Roast the chiles on a hot grill, or in a broiler on high heat. Turn them occasionally until the skins are blackened and charred. When the skin of the chiles is sufficiently charred and blistered, remove from the heat and let them cool to room temperature so you don't burn yourself. Peel the skin from the cooled chile, rinsing your fingers if they become sticky. Be careful to not tear the chile while peeling it. *If fresh green chiles are unavailable, use canned whole green chiles.
   
2. Remove the seeds
   Here is the tricky part. Roasted chiles are very soft, and tear easily. You are going to make a small slice into the side of the chile, just big enough to get a spoon into, about 2-3 inches. (Or use an existing tear if there is one.) Insert the spoon into the chile and scrape the seeds and the white membrane out, try to not tear the chiles flesh any more than possible.
   
3. Stuff the chiles
   Place a slice of cheese into the chile, or spoon the filling in, but don't force it. If the cheese is too large, trim it down until it fits inside. Don't over-stuff it. Make sure the open edges of the chile still come together.
   
   
4. Prepare the chiles
   This step is optional for those that have difficulty with the egg batter sticking to the chile. Try to make them without this step at first.
   
   Place half of the flour on the bottom of a plate. Place the chiles on the flour and sprinkle the rest of the flour on top. Use your finger to make sure the entire chile is coated. Dust off remaining flour and set chiles aside. If you rinsed your chiles in water, or if you are using canned chiles you may need to do this to help the batter to stick.
   
   
5. Prepare batter
   For a simple batter, whip 3-6 cold egg whites in a chilled bowl until they are stiff. Stir up the remaining yolks and slowly fold them in with a pinch of salt. Use approximately 2 large eggs for each pound of chiles, or 1 egg per extra-large chile.
   
6. Cook chiles
   One at a time, hold the chiles by the stem and support the bottom with your fingers or a spoon, and dip the stuffed chiles into the batter. Carefully place them into a pan with 1 1/2 inches of hot oil. Cook each side until batter is a crisp golden brown.
   
7. Drain excess oil
   Remove chiles from the oil and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with your favorite salsa.

Tips:

1. Use cold eggs for the batter.
   
2. Test the oil with a drop of batter before putting a whole chile in. If the drop of batter sizzles and floats to the top, it's the right temp. If it sinks, the oil is not hot enough.
   
3. The flour should be a very light coat. It helps the batter stick to the chile.
   
4. Monterey Jack and Queso Blanco work well for Chile Rellenos
   

What You Need

• 2 pounds large, roasted and peeled chiles (Anaheim, or Poblano work well)
• 3-6 large eggs (approx. 1 egg for 2 small/medium chiles)
• 1/4 cup flour (optional)
• Sliced cheese, shredded cheese, shredded seasoned chicken or other filling.
• Deep fryer or a large pan with 2 inches of oil
• Pinch of salt
• Paper towels for draining

Catching UP!

A Fun-to-read Paranormal!

by Eleanor Cross

Tabitha Black does not believe in the supernatural even though for decades past her ancestors were gifted with clairvoyance. She does not believe in legends either, because she would rather deal with facts. When her parents give her and her five best friends the graduation gift of a lifetime, her beliefs begins to change. On the way home from her boyfriend’s party on the eve of departure for her family’s tropical private island, she has her first glimpse of terrifying events that are about to unfold.

Catching UP! 

Everyone has been paid! 

 

Working on the year end accounting and Corporate Taxes. 

 Not a fun activity for someone who's dyslexic, 

but (Sigh!) one that MUST be completed.

No Books went to press this week.

No Galleys went out this week.

Work began or continued on the following titles:

BLEEDING HEARTS: Killian Kendal Mystery Series, Vol. 1
   Winner of the Stonewall Society's 2002 Pride in the Arts Literary Award in the Whodunit Category!  

THE MORGENSTEIN MURDERS: Jonas McCleary Series, Vol. 2, by C. M. Albrecht

Sequel to the popular SAND BLUFF MURDERS, detective Jonas McCleary moves to the city and finds himself facing a serial killer.
 

REAP THE WHIRLWIND: Killian Kendall Mystery Series, Vol. 2,  by Josh Aterovis.
   Suicide, or murder? That's the question in the second Killian Kendall mystery. Will Smith suspects murder when an old childhood pal drowns, and asks his friend Killian for help in solving the mystery.

TRUTH OF YESTERDAY,  by Josh Aterovis

ALL LOST THINGS, BY Josh Aterovis

CHANGE  OF WORLDS, by Josh Aterovis 

THE PROMISE, by Kaarina Brooks

REWIND FORWARD, by Michael E. Field

ALL ABOUT ME: Rootie's Adventures, by Elaine Simmons

St. Louis Toasted Ravioli

First in a Great Series!

When Nick Schaevers takes the case, his client is already in prison, convicted of murdering a business partner. If ever there was a need for St. Jude--the Patron Saint of desperate situations--to intercede, this was it. To discover who framed his client, Nick must break laws, both statute and spiritual, and wager his life in a dangerous bet before he is through. What's a good Catholic boy doing in the killing business anyhow?

 FINE 

 St. Louis  Toasted Ravioli

Original recipe makes 4 dozen 

• 1/4 cup whole milk
   
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  
• 1teaspoon salt (optional)

• 1 (25 ounce) package frozen cheese ravioli, thawed
  
• 5 cups vegetable oil for frying
  
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
  
• 1 (24 ounce) jar Marinara  sauce 

Directions

1. Beat together milk and eggs in a small bowl. Place breadcrumbs and (if desired), salt in a shallow bowl. Dip ravioli in milk mixture, and coat with breadcrumbs.
   
2. In a large saucepan, heat marinara sauce over medium heat until bubbling. Reduce the heat to simmer.
   
3. In a large heavy pan, pour oil to depth of 2 inches. Heat oil over medium heat until a small amount of breading sizzles and turns brown.
   
4.  Fry ravioli, a few at a time, 1 minute on each side or until golden.
   
   Drain on paper towels.
   
   Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately with hot marinara sauce.

Braised Bear!

The Topp family -- Jim, his wife Mary, and teenage son Rocky -- lived on the farm at the lower end of the valley. The roaming elk foraging for food didn’t really bother the Topp family all that much, except when they had to occasionally chase one or two out of their vegetable garden, or the small corn patch the Topps would plant each year. But what followed the elk down from the mountains, shadowing the animal’s movements did...

BRAISED BEAR STEAK RECIPE 

If you don't have any bear on hand, you can substitute beef.
Older bear meat can be prepared as follows:

Flour
Salt and pepper
Thyme
1 cup sliced onions
4 tbsp. bacon fat
Bear steak, 3" thick
1 1/2 cups broth
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp. tomato paste

Pound the flour and dry seasonings into the steak with the edge of a plate or a meat pounder.

Brown the onions in the bacon fat and add the meat.

Brown meat well on all sides.

Add part of the broth and wine and bring to a boil. Cook briskly for 5 minutes. Turn steak, reduce heat, and cover the pan.

Simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours, adding more liquid if necessary. When steak is tender, remove it to a hot platter.

 Add the tomato paste and additional liquid, if needed, to the pan juices to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and pour over the steak.

 Surround with boiled potatoes, garnish with parsley, and serve with sautéed mushrooms.

Mood

Alba Series, Vol. 2 by Jen Black

Finlay of Alba tracks a wayward young girl to Lord Sitric's stronghold of Dublin, where she faces a forced marriage or the slave market. Can he rescue her in time? A Viking attack on Lord Sitric only adds to the confusion.

Mood

Question from the e-mail:  Someone criticized a short story of mine and said the "mood was all wrong."  What's that supposed to mean?

Answer: Basically, it's not the mood of the characters, but how the description, imagery, and symbolism chosen  determines how the reader feels about what is happening in the story. If a girl is breaking up with her One True Love, it should not happen at Disneyland in a plaza filled with clowns and happy children, or any other place full of cheerful images. It should happen someplace lonely, detached, and probably with falling rain to symbolize tears, whether any are shed or not. All writers do this, though many don't make a conscious choice.

Problems with mood  can ofter be the result of writing about actual experiences and using the real description, rather than picking details that will enhance the mood of the characters.

Remember, words and especially images have “feelings” as well as dictionary meanings. Look at your story again, to see how well the setting and description  ties in with the action and emotion.  Then check word choice. It's important to choose words that had the feeling you that would best convey the emotion in the scene. Don't forget it's possible she missed your meaning entirely.

For instance picture an airport waiting area with chairs. In a happy homecoming scene the chairs would be a nice sunny orange, because that’s an exciting color. If a pair of lovers are saying "farewell forever," the chairs would be “blue” and if they were having an argument, they’d probably be red, or maybe black. Do you see what I mean?  Whatever color the chairs really are, you can use the image of them to underscore the mood you want the scene to convey.

Review Solid Oil

Midwest Book Review

 by Diane Donovan

Solid Oil pairs a cast of unlikely characters in an international plot that centers on oil, rainforests, the rare commodity lithium, a female U.S. president who works with a secret agent to make her hidden agenda come true, and more. With all these precious elements interacting, it's inevitable: an explosion of complicated subplots and plots that draw in readers with seemingly simple beginnings that turn into paths of twisted intentions and interactions.

Against the backdrop of murder and corruption are hearts of steel, and central to all the subplots is agent and chess player Andrei Kutuzov, whose interactions with the rich and corrupt have yet to change his own intentions in a dangerous game.

Solid Oil holds about every element of intrigue you could hope for in a thriller, from the threat of a futuristic weapon to romance, an international resource, high-level concerns about bringing criminals to justice, and much more.

At each step new characters enter the picture, slowly building a cast of believable individuals, each powered by their own motivations and (often) their own greed. From wider issues of government involvements and justice to mob actions and love lost to the lure of political office and power, Solid Oil at first seems a tangled mire of emotions and political intent.

But as Andrei Kutuzov's mission solidifies, so does the purpose of his love; and she rises to become an unexpected major force in the world, reflecting sweeping changes that will carry her to greater heights than either could imagine.

Solid Oil is political thriller writing at its best. At stake in a game being played with chess-like precision in the world arena is the future not just of major nations like Australia, but countries looking poverty in the eye. The playing field may encompass the entire globe, but the story centers on a developing nation where women are just starting to realize their power, and where one woman in particular (Andrei's love) will fuel revolutionary changes.

Any reader of international intrigue will find Solid Oil contains all the elements of a fast-paced winner, assembling a breathtaking diversity of protagonists and intentions and winding its way to an unexpected, gripping conclusion.

 

Catching UP!

By Patricia Keiller

It was just another ordinary school day for fifteen year old Zac Hudson and his friends. Little did he know that this day would mark the beginning of the end for the highly technological society in which he lived, and it would be the start of a struggle for survival. A struggle where he would need all of his strength and resilience just to remain alive, and to retain his humanity. It would be a struggle that not everyone would win.

Catching UP! 

Everyone has been paid!

No Books went to press this week.

No Galleys went out this week.

Work began or continued on the following titles:

THE MORGENSTEIN MURDERS: Jonas McCleary Series, Vol. 2, by C. M. Albrecht

Sequel to the popular SAND BLUFF MURDERS, detective Jonas McCleary moves to the city and finds himself facing a serial killer.
 
BLEEDING HEARTS: Killian Kendal Mystery Series, Vol. 1
   Winner of the Stonewall Society's 2002 Pride in the Arts Literary Award in the Whodunit Category! 

REAP THE WHIRLWIND: Killian Kendall Mystery Series, Vol. 2,  by Josh Aterovis.
   Suicide, or murder? That's the question in the second Killian Kendall mystery. Will Smith suspects murder when an old childhood pal drowns, and asks his friend Killian for help in solving the mystery.

TRUTH OF YESTERDAY,  by Josh Aterovis

ALL LOST THINGS, BY Josh Aterovis

CHANGE  OF WORLDS, by Josh Aterovis 

THE PROMISE, by Kaarina Brooks

REWIND FORWARD, by Michael E. Field

We are still doing Year End Accounting and Corporate Income Taxes so everything is moving very slow just now.

Breakfast for a crowd

by James G. Piatt

Dr. Piatt’s novel is one of the four most unique post-apocalyptic science fiction novels published in the past two decades. The earth is totally devastated by an atomic war and only a few hundred scientists survive as they hide deep inside the bowels of the earth.

News Flash!

Everyone is paid. Paypal people received their money last Saturday, Letters and checks were mailed yesterday.  Onward! to the Corporate Income Tax

Breakfast for a Crowd

Perfect for feeding survivors of an apocolyptic disaster.

Comes in handy for when you have house guests, or after-prom parties, too.

Ingredients

3   packages (12 oz each) bulk pork sausage

2   medium bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)

2   medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1   pkg. frozen hash brown potatoes

3   cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz. block grated)

1 1/2   cup Original Bisquick® mix

2  cups milk

3/4 teaspoon  coarse ground pepper

8   eggs 

 

Directions

• 1 Heat oven to 400°F. Grease rectangular baking pan, 18x10x2 inches. Cook sausage, bell pepper and onion in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir together sausage mixture, potatoes and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese in baking dish.
   
• 2 Stir Bisquick mix, milk, pepper and eggs until blended. Pour into baking dish.
  
• 3 Bake uncovered 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or just until cheese is melted. Cool 5 minutes.

 

How to cut.

Cold? Enjoy a story of balmier days.

Young Jason Miller is bored because he's missing youth baseball while on a family vacation at Lake Tahoe, California. To make matters worse, he learns that his girlfriend has dumped him. Feeling like the world's biggest loser, he meets pretty fifteen-year-old Stephanie on the shore path and sees an opportunity to make up for being dumped.

Question  from the e-mail: What is the most common problem we get with submissions?

Answer: Usually it's manuscripts that are too long for POD publication. We usually advise that ms need to be 80,000 words or Shorter, but NEVER longer. The reason is that the paper costs for longer books cost more than we can charge for them and ever expect any sales. We usually wish them better luck with someone else, and offer advice on how to cut if they are interested.

About one in 20 will ask for the advice. Today we were pleasantly surprised to hear from someone who not only asked, but actually followed our advice.

An Answer From the e-mail:

Arline, I wanted to thank you for your advice regarding reducing the word count of my book from 92,300 to 80,000 words.  I decided to proceed with the exercise regardless of the publishing method.  I first looked through the story eliminating overt duplication which resulted in a reduction of about 9,000 words.  Then I followed your advice and reviewed the use of prepositions which resulted in a further reduction of 3,200 words. The result was as follows.

·         The story now has 80,100 words.

·         It is a much crisper and enjoyable read.

·         Several awkward sections were completely eliminated without affecting the story in any way as they tended to just re-enforce information or concepts adequately covered elsewhere.

·         The overall pace of the story is now consistent, and does not bog down periodically as it did previously.

·         The 12,000 word reduction had no impact on any of the storylines.

So again, a very big thank you.

And thanks to YOU. Joe. It's wonderful to know that someone actually listens to our advice.

Sharing from Write Words Inc., author, Lynette Hall Hampton.

In Memory of my  mother, Willa Dean Hall and my friend, Barbara Simpson and in honor of my cousins Elaine Walsh and Judy Pierce.

Chemo Day

Some will say you will pray because it is a nice thing to say or it is politically correct. Then there are those of you who will get down on your knees and really do it. I'm sending this to some who will.
This prayer means so much so please say the prayer for everyone and pass it on.

Cancer is a strange cell.
If you ever have it, you will never be free of it. If you never had it, don't feel too cozy, you can get it. Pray for the day there will be a permanent cure.

A SMALL REQUEST...

93% won't forward, but I'm Sure You Will.

A small request.....Just one line

Dear God,
I pray that You will guide someone to find a cure for cancer in 2014 ......
Amen

All you are asked to do is keep this circulating, Even if it's only to one more person. In memory of anyone you know who has been struck down by cancer or is still living with it.
A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle.

Please Keep This Candle Going

People don't like my main character

by Meghan Roos

Living in a small California town in the mid-1960s, Rebecca Gallagher and Riley Parker are two young playmates, neighbors, and best friends when they first see a mysterious light glowing from a dark grove within their neighborhood. More than a decade later, nearly every other factor in their lives has changed, and it seems the only things that have remained true are their unfaltering trust in each other and the existence of that same hidden light.

Question from the e-mail:  Someone in my library reader's club said they "hated" a book we are reading because the main character is such a jerk. He IS pretty much of a jerk... As a writer, that interested me. Why should it matter whether they "like" my main character?

Answer: Readers identify with the main character. And if he acts like a jerk, they might find it difficult, or unpleasant, to think of themselves in that role.

Even those who love literary stories read to experience vicariously other lives, other wheres, and other times. It was no fool who said, "We are the sum of our experiences, not the sum of our possessions."

As writers, when we create a story, we also create an experience for our reader. Not all such experiences have to be pleasant, but when they are unpleasant, we must give the reader plenty of reason to stick around.

The key is to make the reader understand why the character acts the way he does. So my guess is, that in the book you are reading either the motivation for the character's "jerkyness" is not made quite clear, or if it is, your commenter didn't "get it."

As my good friend Alice Orr once taught me, "Good characters do things for good reasons and bad characters do things for bad reasons, but they always have a reason."

Honduran Banana Bread-recipe

by Vickie Britton and Loretta Jackson

Honduras, Central America, 1885 Carriage broken down in an isolated area of Central America, abandoned by her guide and surrounded by bandits, Marta Swan appeals to handsome Ramon Santiago for rescue. A swift ride on horseback takes them to a remote castle nestled in the mountains, where Marta is welcomed by Ramon's employer, an enigmatic, red-bearded man known throughout the region as "the Viking." 

HONDURAN BANANA BREAD

Serves: 12

Yield: 12  slices

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons neufchatel cheese
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed VERY RIPE banana
1/2 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup pecan pieces

Directions:

1 Preheat oven to 350. Coat loaf pan with cooking spray; set aside. Beat margarine and Neufchatel cheese at med. speed in mixer; add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg, beat well.

2 Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; stir well.

3 Combine banana, milk and vanilla; stir well.

4 Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture; mix after each addition. Stir in pecans.

5 Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 for 60 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Catching UP!

Books that went to press, or went back to press this week:

THE EXIT PLANS COALITION, by Terry L. White

What happens when a group of senior citizens decide to manage the way they are treated at the end of their long and useful lives?

Will they go along with the state of the art status quo – or find new reasons to get up on Thursday mornings to discuss their possible fates? Will they continue to live with loneliness – or
find kindred spirits to share their journey? Time and tides, they say, wait for no man; but can the Exit Plans Coalition offer them new options to solve the age old problem of death and dying?

 POWERS IN BALANCE: Red Knight Chronicles, Vol. 6, by Ray Morand

There is a bloody war being waged between the mage-ruled Kingdom of Ludnikan led by the dark elf armies of the Nameless King against the elven Kingdom of Nadezhda and her ally the Kingdom of Niadhardal. The Scaled Fist and Nexus teams are barely holding their enemies at the borders and then only because of the dragons constantly being recruited by Captain Isobel, the only known dragon speaker.

Captain Isobel, publicly named “Elf-Friend” by Queen Teklakhavalami, flies to Nadezhda with her dragon companion Smoke on a mission to deliver Aleksei, Akulina and Evfimi’s son, to the Queen in order to discover what secrets are buried in his thoughts. However the dark elves have other plans for Isobel and Aleksei which puts the war and the future of humanity in the balance.

Galleys that went out, or went out again this week:

THE STORYBOOK, by Elena Dorothy Bowman

 A collection of short stories, poetry, and essays by the popular author of the Sarah's Landing series.

Work began or continued on the following titles:

THE MORGENSTEIN MURDERS: Jonas McCleary Series, Vol. 2, by C. M. Albrecht

Sequel to the popular SAND BLUFF MURDERS, detective Jonas McCleary moves to the city and finds himself facing a serial killer.
 
BLEEDING HEARTS: Killian Kendal Mystery Series, Vol. 1
   Winner of the Stonewall Society's 2002 Pride in the Arts Literary Award in the Whodunit Category! 

REAP THE WHIRLWIND: Killian Kendall Mystery Series, Vol. 2,  by Josh Aterovis.
   Suicide, or murder? That's the question in the second Killian Kendall mystery. Will Smith suspects murder when an old childhood pal drowns, and asks his friend Killian for help in solving the mystery.

TRUTH OF YESTERDAY,  by Josh Aterovis

ALL LOST THINGS, BY Josh Aterovis

CHANGE  OF WORLDS, by Josh Aterovis 

THE PROMISE, by Kaarina Brooks

REWIND FORWARD, by Michael E. Field

We are still doing payroll and taxes so everything is moving very slow just now.