Friday, March 13, 2015

SQUIRREL MAFIA HIT THE GROUND AND RUNNING!

Today, I have the pleasure of hosting fellow author, Sharon C. Williams, and her COVER RELEASE FOR, Squirrel Mafia. Welcome, Sharon. This post is now yours.


Sharon C. Williams:

We tend to think of squirrels as cute furry creatures that scamper around playing while looking for nuts. Yet I’ve a different outlook on these rodents from Hades.

As an animal lover, one who’s owned by eight birds, I’ve had
the opportunity to observe a group of squirrels around my home here in the suburbs for the past year. The experience I’ve gained gives a whole new meaning to the words ‘little darlings’.

I offer you a unique perspective of the furry friends entangled within our everyday lives. Their antics and shenanigans have earned them the name of the Squirrel Mafia. This book chronicles my ongoing battle with these pesky little critters.

Squirrels are furry and adorable animals that come from Hell. They give us the illusion they’re cuddly, and full of sugar and spice and all that is nice. Well, if you want that kind of story you might want to put this one down.

Growing up in Northern Maine, I honestly don’t recall seeing squirrels around me. My life could have been preoccupied with things that mattered more, like being a kid and spending time with family. Granted, the weather in Maine is harsh during the winter months, which can last a good portion of the year,

Wildlife, though, is plentiful in this region with moose, bear, and deer. Between the different hunting seasons, one would think people would notice squirrels running around. As numerous and hardy as they are, one would logically think that even a region
as cold as Maine would be full of them.

Perhaps they didn’t bother me back then. I still would have been under the misconception that they were cute. Perhaps my memory is just lapsing, or I’m just in denial.

Yeah, that’s it, denial!

Lesson learned—squirrels can make you forget.



Sharon is a native of New England, raised in Northern Maine.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and son. She is also owned by a flock of eight birds.


She has a B.S. degree in Chemistry, but is currently disabled, so writing keeps her busy. She tends to lose all track of time. The world could be coming to an end, and she would be oblivious to it. When writing, she envisions the scenes in her head, and tries
to imagine the reality of what is written down on paper. Different options, scenes, and problems are noted on the side in case she can use them later.

Sharon tends to write by long hand as the flow works better for her this way. Her bookshelf consists of works written by Stephen King, Agatha Christie, Bentley Little, and James Patterson. The best advice she has ever received about writing was to write about what you know. Her first thought was, “Yeah right,” but it really is that easy. A writer just needs to know a little tidbit to turn it into a short story, and soon enough, there’s a book.

Sharon loves to read, sketch, take pictures, walk, exercise, go to the movies, and listen to music. She is a budding bird watcher, and knits on the side. She is a huge sports fan of baseball, basketball, hockey, and football.

Two of her short stories were published in the anthology, Cassandra’s Roadhouse. Her children’s book, Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure, has been published by  Fountain Blue Publishing. Several of her short stories are also featured in the recently released anthology, Dragons In The Attic.

***

Thank you, Sharon, for guest hosting today and telling us about your new release, Squirrel Mafia.  You've piqued my interest. Good luck with your new book.

To learn more about Sharon and her books, visit her at the following sites:

Social Media Links:  http://www.newenglandmuse.com/

Facebook:















Thursday, March 12, 2015

ABC ... EASY AS ... 123, THE LETTER 'D'

Today is 'D' day. The word of the day is 'Dialogue'.
(My continued journey of novel writing tips from A-Z)

di·a·logue
noun

1   A written composition in which two or more characters are represented as conversing
2   a:  a conversation between two or more persons
     b:  an exchange of ideas and opinions 
     c:  a discussion between representatives of parties to a conflict that is aimed at resolution 
3   The conversational element of literary or dramatic composition 

***
Dialogue is an integral part of any story. It is a multi-purpose tool that should do some or all of the following:
1        Reveal something about the character and the relationships between characters.
2        Help to move the story forward.
3        Increase the tension between characters or of the story line.

Action:
A key element to writing good dialogue is to break it up with action. The reader needs direction in order to visualize a scene. Otherwise, the dialogue would be boring. In Winter’s Captive, Georgia confronts her cheating ex-husband. The sample below reveals elements of each character but doesn’t move the story forward.

 “Have we moved on? Have you?”
“How can you ask if we moved on? I presumed you did that a year ago. Now you’re asking me? I don’t think Julie would be too happy to hear this conversation.”
“This has nothing to do with Julie. It’s about you and me.”
 “You really are something. There is no you and me. There hasn’t been for a long time. And I’ll tell you something else too. It’s about you and only you,”
“How can you say that? I’m trying to communicate with you about how we feel. I want to know what you’re thinking.”
“Where was the communication when you left me? Where were you when I tried to figure it all out? When I doubted myself as a wife and a woman? I’ll tell you where, with Julie, right where you wanted to be. You never gave me an explanation or showed any concern for my feelings then. You shut me out and even refused to talk to me. It’s your feelings we’re really talking about here, because you’re confused. You never even asked to see your baby until I pushed it on you. You haven’t even asked me her name. I’ll tell you what I’m thinking, Colin. You’re a whiffle bird.”  
“A what-bird?”
“A whiffle bird ... he flies in ever decreasing concentric circles, faster and faster, the circles getting smaller and smaller, until finally--he flies up his own ass.”
 “I guess I deserved that, didn’t I? I know I’ve been a shit to you. I couldn’t talk to you because I didn’t know how. And then there was Julie, telling me I had to make a clean break. She was so jealous and insecure. I felt like I was being pulled in opposite directions. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“That's my point. Again, it’s about how you felt,”
“You’ve changed. You were never this ... aggressive before.”

Here's the same sample with action and thought:

Colin stared at me for a long moment. “Have we moved on? Have you?”
“How can you ask if we moved on? I presumed you did that a year ago. Now you’re asking me? I don’t think Julie would be too happy to hear this conversation.”
“This has nothing to do with Julie. It’s about you and me.”
My mouth dropped open. “You really are something. There is no you and me. There hasn’t been for a long time. And I’ll tell you something else too. It’s about you and only you,” I said, my anger rising.
“How can you say that? I’m trying to communicate with you about how we feel. I want to know what you’re thinking.”
“Where was the communication when you left me? Where were you when I tried to figure it all out? When I doubted myself as a wife and a woman? I’ll tell you where, with Julie, right where you wanted to be. You never gave me an explanation or showed any concern for my feelings then. You shut me out and even refused to talk to me. It’s your feelings we’re really talking about here, because you’re confused.” I was wound tight. All my pent-up anger released. I stood up and leaned towards him. “You never even asked to see your baby until I pushed it on you. You haven’t even asked me her name. I’ll tell you what I’m thinking, Colin. You’re a whiffle bird.”  
“A what-bird?”
“A whiffle bird ... he flies in ever decreasing concentric circles, faster and faster, the circles getting smaller and smaller, until finally--he flies up his own ass.”
Colin stared at me, a look of shock on his face, and I stared back defiantly, hands on my hips. After a long silence, he started to smile.
“I guess I deserved that, didn’t I? I know I’ve been a shit to you. I couldn’t talk to you because I didn’t know how. And then there was Julie, telling me I had to make a clean break. She was so jealous and insecure. I felt like I was being pulled in opposite directions. I’m sorry I hurt you.” Colin took my hand in his.
“That's my point. Again, it’s about how you felt,” I said, shaking my hand from his.
“You’ve changed. You were never this ... aggressive before.”
I gave my shoulders a shake and turned towards the water. “Let’s walk.”

Big difference, right? By adding action, we’ve moved the story along and added tension to their encounter by showing body language and thought.

Dialect:
The most important thing to remember when depicting dialect in dialogue is to be consistent. This is a very tricky element to express. If you have a character with a southern states drawl or a Native American dialect, etc., it is extremely difficult to carry their dialogue with the right inflection throughout the entire story. It was suggested to me by my editor to choose some key words that reflect their dialect and use them consistently throughout the story. The dialogue will ring true to the reader and they will buy into it. But only if you are CONSISTENT.

In Winter’s Captive, Book 1 and Chasing Georgia, Book 2 (to be released in April), two words I chose to indicate that Nonnock was an indigenous native, were references to her Peoples and when she talked of nature as the Mother or Mother Earth.

For all of you writers out there:
Keep on Keeping on Writing!

Visit me at: www.facebook.com/june.bourgo

Saturday, March 7, 2015

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY TRIBUTE

To end my two week tribute to women in recognition of International Women's Day tomorrow, March 8th, Winter's Captive, The Georgia Series, Book 1 E-BOOK IS FREE today and tomorrow.

What better way to recognize women than to read a story about one woman's struggle to survive in a harsh, northern, winter wilderness and her journey to empowerment.

Click HERE to get your copy in Kindle, Nook, or PDF formats. Just follow the instructions once you get there.

Thank you for your support and recognition of women in our society.



Visit me HERE on my Facebook Author Page

Thursday, March 5, 2015

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY MARCH 8, 2015

For the past ten days, I've been posting on my Facebook Author page, tributes to different women who have made contributions to our world  or lives that made a difference. 

Here are the highlights:


1. MARTHA MUNGER BLACK (1866-1957)

Adventurer, Member of Parliament
First woman Member of Parliament from the North


A pioneer during the gold rush years in the Yukon, she was the inspiration for Georgia Charles in my novel, Winter's Captive. Georgia fashioned a doll named Martha as her focal point during childbirth. If you wish to read more about this amazing woman follow the link below for a bio of Martha Munger Black. http://bit.ly/1EQteUw

2. IRENA SANDLER
1920-2008
Died at the age of 98


Irena Sandler got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto as a plumber. She courageously smuggled babies in her tool box and carried larger children in her sack. She also trained her dog to bark when the Nazi soldiers were near, which muffled the sounds of the crying children. She helped save more than 2,500 children & was eventually caught & tortured. Sandler was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize but was not selected. She kept the name of all 2500 children and tried to match them to their families after the war. Most of the children's families had been killed.

3. BLACKWELL, ELIZABETH
1821–1910
A PIONEER IN WOMEN’S MEDICINE
1ST FEMALE PHYSICIAN IN UNITED STATES
American physician, b. England; sister of Henry Brown Blackwell. She was the first woman in the United States to receive a medical degree, which was granted (1849) to her by Geneva Medical College (then part of Geneva College, early name of Hobart). With her sister, Emily Blackwell (1826–1910) who was also a doctor, and Marie Zackrzewska, she founded (1857) the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, which was expanded in 1868 to include a Women's College for the training of doctors, the first of its kind. In 1869, Dr. Blackwell settled in England, where she became (1875) professor of gynecology at the London School of Medicine for Women, which she had helped to establish. She wrote Pioneer Work in Opening the Medical Profession to Women (1895) and many other books and papers on health and education.

4.  Michaëlle Jean
The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean (2005-2010)


Social Activist, journalist, documentary filmmaker, governor general and secretary general of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (presently in a 4-year term).
Michaëlle Jean was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She immigrated to Canada with her family in 1968, fleeing the dictatorial regime of the time.
After studying comparative literature at the Université de Montréal, she taught Italian in the Université’s Department of Literature and Modern Languages. During her studies, Ms. Jean worked for eight years with Quebec shelters for battered women, while actively contributing to the establishment of a network of emergency shelters throughout Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. She later ventured into journalism and became a highly regarded journalist and anchor of information programs at Radio-Canada television and CBC Newsworld. She is married to Jean-Daniel Lafond and they have a daughter, Marie-Éden.
Michaëlle Jean was the 27th governor general of Canada, from September 27, 2005, to September 30, 2010.

5. & 6.  CHRISTINA AGUILERA  VIDEOS THAT INSPIRE AND EMPOWER WOMEN



7. THOMPSON, NORMA
INT'L WOMEN'S DAY FINAL TRIBUTE: is to a woman who’s not famous or infamous. She isn’t a scientist, a political or religious leader, mountain climber, or a survivalist of abuse or physical trauma. But she has the job of heroine in my books. She didn’t ask for this role. It came to her by default, only because she was the only sibling out of four who lived close by and was there to be caregiver to first my father, and then my mother. She’s my sister, Norma Thompson. The rest of us siblings can rest easy, knowing she’s there to handle the financial affairs of our 92-year-old mother, her needs outside of the care home, and the emotional issues when our mother just needs someone to hold her hand and assure her all is well. With health issues of her own, which have at times made it difficult for my sister, Norma has never shirked this huge responsibility. She has weathered the upsets, the bitterness, the whining, the crying, and dealt with the arguments she had no answer for that come with our mother's Dementia, and has at times been quite exhausted. I’ve experienced my sister’s feelings of guilt when she wanted to run away and forget it all. But she didn’t. For her dedication as our mother’s caregiver, not out of duty but out of love, I honor her on Int’l Women’s Day. She is my heroine.



IN THE SPIRIT OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY, WINTER'S CAPTIVE, BOOK 1 OF THE GEORGIA SERIES WILL BE OFFERED FREE FOR MARCH 7 & 8. USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO CLAIM YOUR COPY, WHICH WILL BE ACTIVATED FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. MEANWHILE, CLICK HERE AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR (ME).