Skhye's Ramblings...

Writing about 14th-C Europe: FOURTEENTH-CENTURY TOWNS~

2010-03-09T14:00:00Z

I just stumbled upon the coolest reference book. If you're writing about the plague or 14th C Europe, you'll use FOURTEENTH-CENTURY TOWNS (edited by John D. Clare in the LIVING HISTORY series). The photography is incredible. And from the LIVING HISTORY note on the cover, the live people in the photographs indicates the photos are taken at living museums. The book is for children but has plenty to offer. You can develop a story around the topics and move on to do a bit more detailed research where necessary. And who wouldn't treasure a timeline or two? Lots of ideas here! ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Primordial Ooze~

2010-03-06T15:31:00Z

PRIMORDIAL OOZE? Good stuff. Or so the geologist in me thinks. I've been having some weird nightmares that scream use the ooze in a story! Maybe someone can use the info at this link... ~Skhye

"Evolving independently of the rest of the living world, these microbes exist without heat, light, or oxygen, and are essentially the definition of "primordial ooze."

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

I can't resist: UNIVERSAL TRUTHS~

2010-03-06T15:20:00Z

I'll have to thank my father for this one...

Rules of the Universe

1. Never, under any circumstance, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. Don't worry about what people think; they don't do it very often.

3. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car... *snicker*

4. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

5. Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.

6. A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention! It never fails.)

7. For every action, there is an equal and opposite government program.

8. If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip.

9. Bills travel through the mail at twice the speed of checks.

10. A conscience is what hurts when all of your other parts feel so good. *Ain't that the truth.*

11. Eat well, stay fit, die anyway.

12. Men are from earth. Women are from earth. Deal with it. Embrace your differences. Love each other.

13. No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes. *Ha!*

14. A balanced diet is a cookie in each hand.

15. Middle age is when broadness of the mind and narrowness of the waist change places. *snort*

16. Opportunities always look bigger after they have passed. *Amen*

17. Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it. *This just happened to me!*

18. There is always one more imbecile than you counted on.

19. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.

20. By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.

21. Thou shalt not weigh more than thy refrigerator.

22. Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world. *like Emma Lai*

23. It ain't the jeans that make your butt look fat!

24. There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.'

25. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

26. You should not confuse your career with your life.

27. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

28. Never lick a steak knife.

29. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip. *Amen*

30. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

31. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

32. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

33. Your friends love you anyway.

34. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. *But never write a story that's too different!!!*

35. How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are? That is how old I am!

LOLLLLLLLLL Now with your sharpened wit, you're ready to face the day! ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Corrina Lawson: Viking & Roman Alternate History

2010-03-04T18:55:00Z

***Please welcome alternate history romance author, Corrina Lawson. Her tale sounds mighty interesting... ~Skhye

I have no idea what to call the genre I'm writing.

Dinah of Seneca is alternate history. And it features a romance story. But it's not fantasy because there's no magic. And the science in it already exists in our world. I just moved it back a few hundred years.

Ancient steampunk is likely the description that comes closest.

My alternate universe has Romans and Vikings in North America. And since I gave the Romans an extra five hundred years to rule the world, I also updated their technology. Roughly, they're at the same point that the British Empire was about the time America was colonized.

This means the Romans have gas lanterns. They have cannons. They have primitive hand grenades. They don't have guns yet because I decided gave them too much of an advantage in fights with the native tribes surrounding them.

I set the book I'm working on, Sky of Seneca, a sequel to Dinah of Seneca, in a Roman settlement at the tip of Manhattan. I modeled it on the original Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam that eventually grew into New York City.

When I started writing the book, the one thing I knew for sure about my hero, Ceti the engineer, is that he's obsessed with building a glider and flying.

So not only did I need some basic information about what Manhattan looked like before the Dutch got there, I needed to figure out the highest point on the tip of southern Manhattan where my hero could launch his glider.

This was not easy.

And then I found a book that I like to say was made *just for me.*

Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York by Eric W. Sanderson.

Not only does the book detail the original topography of Manhattan using a Revolutionary War era map and a lot of ingenius computer applications, but it also provides information about the flora and fauna, the water currents, and the natives who lived on the island.

The only part of the book that's not comprehensive is the native American history. Sanderson admits it's sketchy compared to the rest of the research but it was enough to get me started, especially combined with information on what would have been edible on the island.

Even better, the book has a website devoted to allowing visitors to take a virtual tour of ancient Manhattan. I wrote about it for Wired last year: http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/09/take-a-virtual-tour-of-ancient-manhattan/

The only research problem the book hasn't solved is how my Roman engineer launches his glider. I'd thought about having him leap off the Palisades cliffs but that seems a bit too stupid to live for an intelligent engineer. Instead, I did research on catapults and other ancient weapons and decided on a catapult-like device that launches my hero into the sky. The History Channel, with its programs on ancient weapons, were incredibly valuable for this.

I also used History Channel documentaries to shape the first book in the series, Dinah of Seneca, which is due out in May. The Chinese had some interesting hand-held black powder weapons that should prove a lot of fun at the climatic battle.

For the climatic battle in Dinah of Seneca, I went back to the memory of a visit I took a decade ago to Petersburg, Virginia. My husband and I walked the battlefield there and took particular interest in the remains of the Battle of the Crater. That's when Union soldiers tunneled under the Confederate lines, planted a lot of explosives, and blew up the enemy encampment.

Unfortunately, instead of going around the new crater and attacking the Confederates from the sides, ill-trained Union soldiers ran *into* the crater, become bogged down, and were slaughtered. So it was all for nothing. My armies don't make the same mistake.

I love writing romance because it's very satisfying to write people falling in love. But I also have a great deal of fun making up my own universe, picking and choosing what elements might go where and what would be obselete and what would be used instead. That goes for everything: food, clothing, shelter, language, politics. In this world, I get to play god, so to speak. Best. Job. Ever. ~Corrina

http://corrinalawson.wordpress.com/

***Thanks, Corrina. I LOVE THAT COVER. I'm a huge fan of the History Channel. And I collect documentaries. It's some kind of sickness akin to studying the past so somebody remembers it... And I must say, methinks an engineer would try just about anything to test his design even if it meant hiring an idiot to be the test pilot. *snicker* Or maybe I torture my characters too much! I once had a geology professor who had an essay test question about building a dream home on an incline (side of a mountain). The problem was whether to do it or not. I was the only person who answered the way he would have handled the situation: build it, enjoy it 20 years, then sell to someone who didn't know better! LOL But it's not like I had the money to risk. Just answer the question... You know, that's what is so nice about fiction. You can do things you wouldn't dare attempt in real life but jump upon wholeheartedly in the little worlds you create. So, nice to meet you, Goddess Corrina. When can we get our hands on this intriguing novel? ~Skhye

Why do you read romance? SPILL THE BEANS~

2010-03-01T20:21:00Z

Just curious. But the anthropologist in me can't help but wonder what this article makes you think about your personal habits of reading romance novels. Please share your reaction. I see the author noted other authorities with my same opinions! ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

OTHER PEOPLES' MYTHS~

2010-02-28T13:49:00Z

Wendy Doniger O'Taherty's OTHER PEOPLES' MYTHS is one of those wonderful places you can sit back and pluck a new twist for a wip you're typing... What do I mean? First of all, "other" people's myths says it all. Peer into another reality with this reference book. How you ask? Here are the quite intriguting chapter titles for clarification:

Other Scholars' Myths: The Hunter and the Sage
Other Peoples' Lies: The Cave of Echoes
-What a myth is and is not; The cave of archetypes; Myths and classics
Other Peoples' Classics: Retelling the Mahabbarata
Other People as Animals: Rudra, Lord of Sacrificial Beasts
Other Peoples' Rituals: Daksha, Pentheus, and Jesus
Other Peoples' Myths: The Place in the Woods
Other Peoples' Lives: The Rabbie from Cracow

Now, convince me you aren't the slightest bit intrigued! I see some novel titles there! And I want to know more about Rudra. I had so much fun reading this book that I intend to blog about Ms. O'Taherty's arguement ad nauseum. So stay tuned, my fellow authors...

Otherwise, you will enjoy this book's angle on myth from every major religion and more. It felt like I was reading an interesting version of Campbell's THE HERO WITH A 1000 FACES. Although incredibly helpful, Campbell's book put me to sleep. However, his video version THE HERO'S JOURNEY did not. I highly recommend that DVD to all writers. ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDERS AND THEIR REGIMENTS~

2010-02-27T14:59:00Z

Michael Brander's THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDERS AND THEIR REGIMENTS is loaded with information on Highland regiments--how the Crown dispensed with Scotsmen aside from dumping them into various wildernesses around the globe. Maybe we think of serving in a regiment as noble when it's essentially the noble deportation of a man cloaked in hero's garb? Alas, my bias surfaces here... And I must move on. If you're writing about pre-18th Century Highlanders, this book may have a twist a two you can weave into your tale. And don't forget to read John Prebble. He's my favorite Scottish military historian. I'll leave you with a list of chapters in THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDERS AND THEIR REGIMENTS...

Formation
Dress
Recruiting
Character and Discipline
Religion and Sobriety
Mutinies
Pipes and Pipers
Ships and Shipwrecks
Medical and Surgical
Second Sight
Wives and Camp Followers
Remarkable Characters
Exceptional Battles
In North America
In the Near and Far East
In Europe, Portugal, and Spain

Intriguing, eh? ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Karen Nutt: Creating a Were-wolf Legend~

2010-02-26T12:53:00Z

***Please welcome Karen Nutt! She's going to reveal how she created a were-wolf legend. That's so up my alley. Get ready... She's hosting a contest!!! ~Skhye

CREATING A WEREWOLF LEGEND

Hello, Skhye. Thank you for having me here today to chat about my research I did to create my werewolf tale, Moon Shifter. Short or long, all tales have a background story. Follow me on my journey in how I discovered my werewolf clan.

There are many werewolf tales from all over the world. I did most of my research on the Internet, reading about different legends and how the werewolf behaved. Some werewolf tales stated the person was cursed, while others swore it was a medical condition and still others claimed it was a tribe of wolf men.

I was fascinated with the Irish werewolf tales and decided my werewolf clan would be from Ireland. The werewolves weren’t beasts that had no control when they shifted. They were a human clan that had the ability to shift into a wolf.
Mythical Realm

Paranormal

Werewolves

Irish

Irish Myth

To add to the background story of my Irish wolf clan, I did a little more research about wolves in Ireland. The English are responsible for depleting the forests. The wolves had no home, no place to hunt and turned toward livestock. To survive, the people of Ireland hunted the wolves that roamed on their land. However, Oliver Cromwell was responsible for exterminating thousands of wolves. He gave the order that wolves were not to be exported from the country, but they would be hunted instead for sport. As of today, wolves no longer exist in Ireland.

With my research, I also found an interesting Irish reference to the wolf, giving the animal the name mac tíre (mock tee ra), which translates to means son of the land.

In my story, humans use the term werewolf, but my Irish wolf clan call themselves moon shifters of the Mac Tíre clan.

Now I had a background story. The Mac Tíre escaped from Ireland in 1652 to avoid persecution from Cromwell.
Blather

Plantation of Ireland

Encyclopedia

E-book: A Social History of Ancient Ireland Vol. 2 by Patrick Weston Joyce

The moon shifters have a human side, but they are also part of the wolf, a fact I didn’t want the reader to forget. Wolves are fascinating animals with their own social structure, including an alpha male and an alpha female to manage the pack. It isn’t uncommon for a female to run the pack. If the wolf chooses a mate, they stay mated for life. I also researched territorial fighting. If a trespasser refuses to leave, the alpha leaders will fight. The wolf pack members on both sides will stand by to see who will win. I intertwined the behavior of the gray wolf with the moon shifter’s attributes to give an authentic feel to the Mac Tíre world.
Wikipedia

Wolf facts

Territorial Fights

Moon Shifter takes place in Lake Tahoe. I did some research online, but most of what I wrote about was from experience. Tahoe was a vacation spot for family with special childhood memories. What a better way to revisit the magical place. I combined a few of the hiking trails and a resort layout to set the scene.

Another site

Well, this is where the trail ends. I hope enjoyed the behind the scenes in creating a new werewolf legend.

Purchase

I love to hear from readers. Come by and visit:
Karen's Website

Blogspot

Facebook

MySpace

CONTEST: win an e-book copy of Moon Shifter
To be entered in the drawing, all you have to do is:

1. Leave a comment or ask me a question.
2. Post your email so I can contact you

That’s it. You’re entered. The drawing will take place at the end of the day. Good Luck! ~Karen

***Whoa, Karen! Methinks you are as big a nut for research as I! After 3 years of writing my Time Guardian series, I had 4 single-spaced pages of references and decided to stop keeping track of them. LOL. Oooo, and that's a really sweet cover. Thanks so much for sharing your research links with everyone.

The process of creating a legend packs quite a surge of power on one's writing odyssey. Or that's how I rationalize my addiction. And I snatched the wolf quiz in my previous blog post from Karen's blog! Thanks for the fun diversion, Karen. ~Skhye

What color wolf are you? Personality test~

2010-02-23T00:40:00Z

Black... (I'm assuming this classification was based on my answer that my favorite food was meat because they didn't list chocolate among the options!)

Skhye's Black Wolf Personality:
You're dark and mysterious. You fear nothing! But everything fears you!

Take the quiz!
Skhye's disclaimor: I fear many things. LOL. But people often avoid me... Apparently, I'm difficult to read and talk like a walking encyclopedia. Go figure.

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

THE WRITER'S COMPLETE FANTASY REFERENCE

2010-02-22T13:24:00Z

If you get a chance to swing by, I'm discussing Love Potions in historical perspective today. Think Shakespeare and a recipe!

Writer's Digest Books' THE WRITER'S COMPLETE FANTASY REFERENCE is something I figured everyone owned. Not my friend. So, I'm sharing it today. If you write about castles, Wiccan or Pagan cults, world cultures, castles, medieval life, or magic, you will find this book intriguing. Even though it was published in '98, the info hasn't changed. Just the pages on castle anatomy reserve this reference book a spot on my bookcase. The chapters on commerce, trade, and love in contemporary fantasy or fantasy races will set your creative thoughts spinning. So, grab a copy--even used if the book is out of print. ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Alice Audrey: armchair terrain research~

2010-02-19T11:44:00Z

***Thank goodness I have a guest today. Because I'm getting nowhere this week on this new medication! At least the couch isn't flying away anytime soon... Please welcome Alice Audrey who has come to discuss armchair research! ~Skhye

Researching Moderns Settings From a Distance

My first published book, Moving In, is set in Madison Wisconsin. I lived in Madison years ago, so had a general idea of what the place is like, but much has changed and I haven’t been back recently. When it came time to do some research, I had to get creative.

I still know a few people who live in Madison. They told me things have changed. For instance, Madison has undergone major renovation since I left. Whole blocks of houses have been taken down to make room for condos and office buildings. Yet, when I asked for details, no one would give me anything specific.

My first stop? Google Maps, http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Google Maps can provide you with street names, distances, and placements of the such things as parks and lakes.

You can chose to look at “Map” for a traditional view,

or “Satellite” for a picture,

or “Terrain” for a topographical map.

Map is the easiest if all you want is a street name. Terrain is best for elevations. Satellite will cover most other things. I have used it to determine if there were trees on a particular street, if there were houses or buildings in a particular place, and whether or not someone was likely to get flooded. You can see where the docks are, where the industrial zones are, and what is around the capital building.

I’ll admit, most of what I just mentioned was research for Suzie’s House, the serial posted on my blog (http://www.AliceAudrey.com) from which Moving In came.

Google Maps updates regularly, but can still be as much as a couple of years old. This means a quick check of city archives such as http://www.cityofmadison.com/ might be in order. I found listings of building projects and rules for skateboards there.

No, skateboards aren’t in the book. They were in Suzie’s House, the fictional series on my blog from which Moving In came.

I needed a furniture store for one scene. To start, I went to http://www.yellowpages.com/Madison-WI/Furniture-Stores This provided not only the names of various stores but their locations on a map as well and even, in a few cases, a link to a web site.

The links to web sites were invaluable in determining what the show rooms looked like and the kind of furniture one might find there.

YellowPages.com helped with other setting issues as well. For obvious reasons, I did not dare use a real hospital for the hospital in Moving In. Instead I looked over the three big ones in town, and came up with a name that is a mishmash of two.

Other web sites that have proved useful include newspaper’s sites, web-magazines, and the blogs of people who live there. There are book like Madison by Zane Williams, Zane Wiliams, and Georgene Pomplun, Rand McNally Madison, Wisconsin by Rand McNally and Company, and Insiders' Guide to Madison, WI, 3rd by Genie Campbell and Chris Martell, which can be very helpful, but for simple questions nothing beats Google.

Back to my friends. Having checked over Google Maps to make sure the neighborhood of my setting still existed, I asked for photos. Here are a few they sent me:

Yep. Just like I remembered it. Seems town hadn’t changed that much after all. ~Alice Audrey

Purchase MOVING IN
http://www.AliceAudrey.com

***Excellent breakdown on how to use the internet to research terrain! Thanks for taking the time to share with us, Alice. Wow! Your cover artist even found you a front porch reminiscent of those photos you found during research! Okay, it's not a Craftsman. But maybe I watch too much HGTV? Congrats on your new release. ~Skhye

NY Times article: the cost of an e-book~

2010-02-16T23:33:00Z

Here's an article worth reading. Supply and DEMAND is unfortunately the name of the game. I wonder if small-press authors will still have affordable e-books... ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Spring is in the air: Contest!

2010-02-15T21:06:00Z

I've just kicked off my SPRING IS IN THE AIR contest... Spring is just around the corner. Snowed in or flooded (in my case)? Never fear. I've got a box of goodies guaranteed to brighten your day...

1 THE EMERGENCY CHOCOLATE KIT: Boyfriend Replacement Kit

1 DRAGON SLAYER Voodoo Doll Key Chain

1 Limited Edition pink grapefruit TicTacs

1 Physician's Formula SHINY ROSE Plump Potion (lipstick/gloss)

Maggie Shayne's BLOODLINE

Katie MacAlister's SEX AND THE SINGLE VAMPIRE

To enter, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/ for details. Note, I'm trying to break away from posting contest information here at my blog. It's nicer for people just wanting my reference book and writing info not to be inundated with contest posts. If you're interested in my contests, join my newsletter at the link above. Thanks! ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Love Tokens & Potions: win a prize... today only!

2010-02-13T14:06:00Z

Stop by my LOVE IS IN THE AIR post and enter to win my Valentines prize. See you there. ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Kaylea Cross: Writing about the Military~

2010-02-12T12:05:00Z

***Please welcome, Kaylea Cross. If you're writing something dealing with a branch of the military, you just might find a resource or two to lean upon today! Don't forget to enter her contest. ~Skhye

RESEARCHING MILITARY SPECIAL OPS

I’ve always loved romantic suspense, especially if it involves military special ops. I know it’s a bit weird (especially since I’m Canadian), but on my nightstand I always have two stacks of books—one romance, and the other U.S. special ops non-fiction. I started out loving the Civil War and devouring everything I could find about it when I was twelve, and somehow it segued into special ops after that. Hey, I’m quirky, what can I say?

    When I decided to start writing romance a few years ago, of course I wanted to write special ops themed romantic suspense. My series with The Wild Rose Press started with Out of Her League (winner 2009 RWA Laurel Wreath award for best romantic suspense), and evolved from there. My second book has just come out in print, and will be available in digital format Feb. 26^th. Cover of Darkness features a SEAL lieutenant and a female social worker named Bryn (from Out of Her League), who also happens to be a belly dancer. Her talents come into play when she’s enlisted to help a CIA contractor catch the terrorist responsible for her father’s death.

    For research, I didn’t just read half a dozen books about SEALs and their training. Nope, I took up belly dance, too. To be honest it was something I’d always wanted to try, but never had the guts to do. See, I’m a former nationally carded fastpitch player. I’m an athlete, not a dancer. I don’t do graceful, and I never liked dancing in general unless I was at a wedding. To say the least, taking up belly dance was a stretch for me. But as it turned out, I loved it so much I started performing with a group, and funny as it might sound, it helped me figure out my heroine Bryn better.

    I’m also deathly afraid of flying, but since my special ops heroes would be horrified (and disgusted) that their creator was too chicken to leave the ground, I forced myself to get on a damn helicopter so the pilot could go through the various aspects of the flight for me, and talk more about flying military operations. It wasn’t a Black Hawk, but it did have rotors and it did indeed leave terra firma despite the fact I thought my heart would stop. After I lived through that experience, I even studied flight manuals to better understand the challenges of flying a helo at night at high altitudes, such as over the Hindu Kush Mountains in Afghanistan. See the effort I went to for these books? Realism is really important to me. Maybe no one reading my books would notice if I got a detail wrong, but I wanted to make sure I did what I could to “get it right”. I hope I’ve done so, within reason.

    After Cover of Darkness, I completed the last three books in the series, each of which featured a special ops hero. I had a great time learning about my heroes’ professions. In the end, I wound up researching SEALs, Rangers, Delta Force operators, Green Berets and then Pararescue Jumpers and Combat Controllers. The last two I became interested in while researching the first series (and you should see the awesome resources I’ve obtained on them!), so of course I decided to use them for my current works in progress. Yeah, another series. I love it when that happens!

    Some of the books I found most helpful during my research were:

    Going Downrange, by Dick Couch (but really, as a former SEAL any of his books are outstanding resources)

    Lone Survivor, by Marcus Luttrell (still my favorite non-fiction book to date, and a story that will stay with you long after you finish the last page. I hear it’s going to be made into a movie soon.)

    Kill Bin Laden, by Dalton Fury (great source about Delta Force)

    Inside Delta Force, by Eric Haney (amazing detailed resource)

    Ghost Wars, by Steve Coll (details the complicated history of Afghanistan, and explains why a even a modern military campaign there is so extremely complex and difficult)

    Maybe that kind of reading is too dry for you. Hey, we’re not all quirky as I am, right? Maybe movies or TV shows would suit you better. Want to get into a soldier’s head space a little bit, or maybe understand military culture a bit better? Try watching Generation Kill or Band of Brothers (about the WWII Normandy campaign, but it’s great at showcasing how men work together under the stress of combat), and The Unit (about Delta Force). I think the best movies I’ve seen recently about the current wars in the Middle East are The Hurt Locker, Traitor (incredible movie! If you haven’t seen it, rent it ASAP!), and The September Tapes (though that one’s darn depressing, even for me). There’s one coming out in March called Green Zone, and I’m salivating over it J. Frontline has some good documentaries about the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I always watch for interview on CNN with military officials. Learning about the changing conflict within these war zones, as well as the history of the people and geography there, is as important as studying the soldiers fighting in them.

    I realize this weird interest of mine might make me seem bloodthirsty to people that don’t know me, but I promise nothing could be further from the truth. I’m a total cream puff pacifist, “why can’t we all just get along” kind of gal. No one in my family knows how I came to be interested in all this hard core military stuff, but they all agree it’s weird and completely opposite to my personality.

    I think the subject interests me so much because I have a great deal of respect for soldiers and their capabilities. Especially for special ops soldiers. And I also have a great deal of respect for the families left stateside when they deploy. That’s one of the issues I explore in my romantic suspense series, and my hat is off to anyone at home waiting for news of their loved one overseas in a war zone. Especially for families of special ops personnel, the waiting must be agonizing because they never know where their loved ones are, what’s going on or when they’ll be home. And when (if) they do come back, these men can’t tell their families about the bulk of what happened during their deployment. To be honest, as a wife I’m not sure I could handle it.

    Bottom line for me, I wanted to do my heroes justice. Yes, it’s fiction, but I wanted it to be good fiction, with enough truth in the story to make it plausible. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible and include certain details to highlight not only the dangerous work special ops soldiers take on, but also to highlight their incredible skill sets. Not to mention the sheer resolve and willpower they have to even make it through their training in the first place. (I know for a fact I’d curl up like a boiled shrimp after about two days of sleep deprivation, so count me out.)

CONTEST:
    I’m giving away a digital copy of Cover of Darkness to one commenter, so if you enjoy this kind of romantic suspense, I hope you’ll like my books. Okay, and I really hope is that all my efforts at research comes through in my work J. You can find me through my blog, website, or Facebook, and I’d love to hear from you. Happy reading! ~Kaylea Cross

Available in print now!

www.kayleacross.com

www.kayleacross.blogspot.com

www.thewildrosepress.com

***Wow, Kaylea! That's a ton of info. I've used a lot of Special Forces books to create backstory too. Including the SAS. It sounds like you're books will be mighty realistic. And your interest in battles is not bloodthirsty. It's called being a historian, armchair or not. And never think you're alone with an interest in dry books. LOL. Read back through my blog posts. I'm certain I'm the most boring person on the planet! Thanks for sharing your time with us. ~Skhye

THIRTEEN MOONS ON TURTLE'S BACK~

2010-02-11T15:54:00Z

Writing Native-American stories or paranormal tales with a Native-American character or revolving around lunar legends? You'll want to grab Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London's THIRTEEN MOONS ON TURTLE'S BACK: a Native-American Year of Moons. This is a slim YA publication that translates well into cultural studies.

On the back of a turtle are 13 facets to his shell... 13 lunar months exist in a solar year. I think my favorite moon is the MOON WHEN WOLVES RUN TOGETHER. Since Bruchac is now my favorite Native-American author, I have to blog about this book. Of course, there certainly are many other Native-American lunar interpretations. You can hunt down a new twist or forage for details in THIRTEEN MOONS ON TURTLE'S BACK to learn a bit of Native-American ideology and perspective. ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Belize~

2010-02-10T13:00:00Z

To all of my writing friends and the curious reader, here's a documentary on Belize. If you're wip deals with the area, check this out to weave a little realism into your work. I appreciate the recent history lesson and the environmental issues... Oh, and I like how they describe the sea as a woman. I'll have to give Daddy the credit for finding this gem. He's been retired forever and frequently spends his vacation chugging beers while driving golf carts around Belize. Apparently, you can't kill yourself recreating in this manner! But he's always sending me links to Belizean info. ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

THE FUR TRADE IN COLONIAL NEW YORK~

2010-02-08T14:53:00Z

Thomas Elliot Norton's THE FUR TRADE IN COLONIAL NEW YORK 1686-1776 is a book that can truly shape your colonial wip. How? From the history of capitalism to the meaning of the word "buck," you will find all sorts of wonderful information to weave into your colonial fiction. Not only was I as big a fan of mountain men as you know I am of Native Americans, I read this book for entertainment as much as I used the period details in THE FUR TRADE IN COLONIAL NEW YOUR on one of those epic sagas I'll never go back and touch with a ten-foot pole... Why? I've experienced closure and moved on. LOL. But for you and anything I might have on the wip back burner, the following chapters are packed with everything we can use to create a colonial political economy. However, I don't recall much ideological info in this treasure. I highly recommend you read up on the religions of the day. And if you want to know about Native Americans of the NE, look no further.

Check out the chapters:

Iroquois Warfare and Diplomacy
The Iroquois in an Age of Peace and Prosperity
The Albany Monopoly
Trade Regulations and Frontier Security
Traders and Merchants
The Fur Market
The Canadian Trade
Western Indians and New York Policy
Fur Traders, Politics, and the Road to Empire
Revolutionary Politics and the Disruption of Trade

~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

Rhythm, Cadence & Beats in writing~

2010-02-03T13:59:00Z

Check out this blog feature today for a live discussion on rhythm, cadence, and beats in your writing. ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/

ENCHANTMENT OF THE FAERIE REALM~

2010-02-02T14:54:00Z

Ted Andrews' ENCHANTMENT OF THE FAERIE REALM: COMMUNICATE WITH FAERIE SPIRITS AND ELEMENTALS is loaded with information you'll find useful in writing about faeries. Here are a few informative tidbits:

Faerie Powers & Behaviors: (p. 22)
Glamour
Levitation
Invisibility
Shape shifting
Ability to bestow good or ill luck
Great craftsmanship
Great musical abilities
Control over weather
Keepers to secrets of great healing and other treasures
Ability to instill sleep or other altered states

Place an echinite (fossil sea urchin) on your mantelpiece. They were called faerie loaves, made by the faeries. Those who had them would never want for food and always had faerie assistance. (p. 22)

Since angels are the rage this year... (p. 35)
Element/Elemental Beings/King/Angel
Earth/gnomes/Ghob/Auriel
Water/ undines/Niksa/Gabriel
Air/sylphs/Paralda/Raphael
Fire/salamanders/Djinn/Michael

And check out how the resonance of your name (numerology?) can affect your contacting different elementals on page 44. This is based on the vowel sound in your name.

ENCHANTMENT OF THE FAERIE REALM is packed with wonderful information a writer can weave into a story world. ~Skhye

Dare to walk in their footsteps...

"FORBIDDEN ETERNITY ... spine-tingling suspense. The story is dynamite; it explodes off the pages and leaves you breathless for more." ~Tulip, LASR

"... a unique blend of mystic Medieval Gothic and romance…and a true blood-curdling thriller." THE SPELL OF THE KILLING MOON ~Snapdragon, LASR

"Arthur is a masterpiece..." HE OF THE FIERY SWORD's King Arthur ~Diane Mason; The Romance Studio

Time Guardian books in print
Time Guardian books in e-format

www.timeguardians.com
www.skhyemoncrief.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skhyemoncrief/