May Possibilities & Writing..

 Happy Wednesday!

Yes, I changed the title graphic banner on here. It's to match what I have on my social media pages. Please bear with me as I try to adjust the settings/layout. I'm not the most knowledgeable about these things, but I have someone I can ask to help me.

Currently I'm querying Shifter Secrets, my YA Fantasy Romance featuring wolf-shifters. I haven't written a story featuring any kind of shifters in a long time, but that's okay. My long-time critique partner (who has read just about every manuscript I've written in the last 16 years) and my long-time beta reader (who has been with me about as long and read almost all my manuscripts written in the last 16 years) said Shifter Secrets is some of my best work. It's got more personal aspects for me, but I won't tell what...I'll let the reader guess! It's a bit more on the serious side that Sugar & Frost, but it still has some humor in it (gotta love the male main character, Vest Plenilune's, cousin, Xavier--he's hilarious in my opinion and the female main character, Mauri Kipp, is sweet, but has a secret she's dealing with that isn't an easy thing).

Sugar & Frost is currently on hold. This does not mean it is permanently shelved--I have every intention of getting it out to readers somehow, I just haven't decided what path to take to make that happen. I know what I want to do, but I may have to adjust my wants to something I can do at this time. I still love the story (it's my long-time beta reader's favorite--even thought beta reader said Shifter Secrets is some of my best work) and it's one of my favorite things I've written. I love the story, the characters, the magical/cozy aspects, including some humor. It features fairies, elves as tall as humans (male main character Chase Frost), magic, a feud, a delusional would-be rival to the female main character, Kallie Sugar, it's all so fun. Not to mention Kallie's family lives above the family owned-and-operated bakery. If you like cinnamon rolls, cookies, pies, etc...and a fun coffee shop that's right across the street from the bakery, you'll have fun with this.

I like to think my work would sit comfortably (with more magical elements than the following examples) beside Kasie West's P.S. I Like You, Maybe This Time, and Places We've Never Been or perhaps near Jenny Han's To All The Boys I Loved Before, but on the more sweet end of romance (and again, with magical type elements). Lots of yearning (go read Becky Dean's Love Unmasked for context....or with Eliza Prokopovits' Regency Magic Faerie Tales series (that does have magical elements)--although, mine are set in current time period rather than the past)...or something fun like Eva Austin's My Favorite Color Is series.

Fairytales (or Faerie Tales, whichever spelling you prefer) definitely influence my writing. I've loved many of them (which explains me gravitating towards Eliza Prokopovits' series and Shonna Slayton's Beauty's Rose, etc.)

In any case, that's some of what I've been doing this month--as well as writing another manuscript and working on research for yet another manuscript that will have a historical aspect to it (brush off those Buddy Holly, Paul Anka, etc albums!) My unfinished manuscript file folder seems to grow. LOL

I hope you all have been having a wonderful May. Can you believe it's already the last week of this month? The year seems to fly by (at least, for me, it does!)

God bless! Have a wonderfully whimsical Wednesday and a joyful June!

August Is Here...

 Happy August Everyone!

My August started off with a road trip to Lubbock, Texas. My Real Life Hero (aka my husband) did the driving. My offspring hung out in the backseat, while I had the front passenger chair.

I've got some family in Lubbock, plus I've wanted to go where the innovative singer/songwriter/musician, Buddy Holly was from.

My fandom of Buddy Holly-(Buddy Holly & The Crickets) (Buddy Holly was inducted into The Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in 1986) started when I was probably either in high school or my early twenties (I can't remember exactly). I went with my parents (and maybe my younger brother) to see The Buddy Holly Story, a musical about Holly's life. Later, I got a copy of the musical, and Paul McCartney's The Real Buddy Holly Story.

A family member of mine moved to Lubbock some years back. I vowed to one day get out there to see my family member's house, and get over to The Buddy Holly Center.

I would've gone last autumn, except a family thing came up and I wasn't able to go. So, I finally got to planning with my Lubbock family members, and got out there.

I found Lubbock charming. The heat didn't faze me much, since I get plenty of that where I live. Despite knowing it's essentially desert, I found the dryness a bit surprising (I'm used to humidity). Regardless, I enjoyed the city a lot. I thought the Tech campus was pretty (I liked all the trees, and the public art was cool).

 The Buddy Holly Center visit: I had mentally prepared myself for it to be small. I knew that as short of a career that Buddy had there wasn't going to be much, but I made up my mind to enjoy whatever was there. I actually was not disappointed in the least. If anything, I was overjoyed. It was so fun to see guitars he actually owned, letters, some of the clothes, drawings, and other items. I'd known they recovered his glasses from the crash sight, yet was still amazed to see them. Other than a small crack or two, they were still pretty much intact. There was an incredible timeline centering around Rock N' Roll, which I didn't get to read the whole of, plus a ton of other information. I made a promise to myself that one day I'd go either by myself or with someone else who would want to read everything and read all of it!

We went to a local ice cream parlor called Holly Hops and I fell in love with the 1950s vibe. There was even a working jukebox! I didn't put in any money in it or select any songs, but it was playing music.

Overall, I'm very happy with the trip and hope to go back someday.

As for writing news, I'm working on revisions. I'm not sure when I'll be done. Although, I'm definitely making progress! I've got a scene playing in my head for one of my WIPs. I'll let you know when/if I have more news.

I can't believe summer is almost over--it seems like it just began. This year is really flying by for me! I hope you all have had a wonderful summer. Best wishes to all the teachers, students, and staff going back to school.

I'll check in again in September (or earlier if I have news). 

Take care. :-)

Have A Fantastically Fabulous Friday!

The Stars Still Shine

Happy Friday All,


Okay, before I get to today's subject, let me just say up front, it's bittersweet. But, it's something that's on my mind, so I figured I'd go ahead and chat about it with y'all today.

Lately I’ve been on a 1950’s music kick; specifically listening to the music of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper. I was watching documentaries about these 3 stars when I realized something…

The anniversary of the plane crash is this Sunday. 54 years ago on  February 3, 1959, three of the biggest stars in Rock n’ Roll history died.

Buddy Holly was a 22 year old from Lubbock, Texas. He’d been a star for a little over a year. He decided (for whatever reason...documentaries say one thing, and this website says something else, however this article as well as this other article both back up the claim that they didn't have much money; so I don't know what's fact or fiction) to go on The Winter Dance Party tour.

Ritchie Valens was barely out of high school as a 17 year old kid from the San Fernando Valley. He had several hits in just 8 months. He went on the Winter Dance Party to promote his music.

J.P. Richardson, aka The Big Bopper, was a 28 year old disc jockey from Beaumont, Texas. He he had wife, a five year old daughter, and his wife was six months pregnant with his son. It was a big opportunity for him, so he joined the Winter Dance Party.

In the early morning hours of February 3, 1959, they took off from a small airport in Clear Lake, Iowa. They weren't in the air very long before their plane crashed in a nearby cornfield.

Yet, their music lives on.

And, what is it about their music that excites us? Sparks the imagination? Makes us feel?

In some ways, it's the snappy beats, such as Bopper's Chantilly Lace, or Ritchie Valens's La Bamba. Or it can make us fall in love, like Buddy Holly's True Love Ways. Sometimes it's just plain fun. Whatever the reasons, their music, and music in general, can touch us...inspire us, make us dance, cry, laugh, set a romantic mood, or just make us feel content.

These 3 rockers inspired many, many musicians, and continue to do so.

They've been immortalized in books and movies, and even music. Back in the 1970's, Don McLean wrote the song, American Pie (a song I happen to like, by the way).

So on and off I like to sit and listen to their music. They've inspired me, made me laugh, made me feel, and sometimes, it's just pure fun.

So...you tell me...

Has their music, or any music for that matter, inspired you? If so, how and who inspires you?

Have A Fabulous Friday!