To Prologue or Not to Prologue

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Whenever I’ve asked a writing instructor or workshop facilitator about prologues, I’ve encountered a variety of negative facial expressions—everything from a wince to a frown to a quick shake of the head. And the following responses:

Prologues = Information Dumps.

Agents hate prologues.

Readers will skip to the first chapter.

One instructor offered a ray of hope: Use only if the prologue adds an interesting and integral layer to the narrative.

Continue reading on the Sisterhood of Suspense blog.

Movie Review: The Lion King

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Director Jon Favreau believed he could use computer animation to breathe more reality into the classic tale of a lion cub who’s born into royalty but loses his kingdom. Favreau took that risk and succeeded in inspiring both new and previous generations of viewers.

The African animals look as if they have been photographed on-location. And, unlike the original 1994 film, all the lions are voiced by actors of African descent. Rafiki, the no-nonsense monkey who is the King’s trusted aide, is embodied by John Kani, a South African actor.

A host of award-winning actors, among them Danny Glover (Simba), Beyoncé (Nala), Seth Rogan (Pumbaa), Billy Eichner (Timon) and Chiwetel Ejio (Scar) join veteran James Earl Jones (Mufasa).

The original musical score and songs from Hanz Zimmer, Tim Rice, and Elton John are sung by a celebrity cast that includes Beyoncé’s beautiful voice. The jokes and puns, along with the inspirational messages, also remain intact. I especially enjoyed listening to the lively banter between Pumbaa and Timon in what I like to call the Hakuna Matata (No Worries) segments of the film.

While Favreau followed the original plot very closely, he did add more violence. Or so it appeared. Some of those scenes were difficult to watch.

An extraordinary film that has been described as “a perfect marriage of art and technology.”


Spotlight on Magic, Mayhem and Murder

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author January Bain. Today, January shares the first book in her Manitoba Tea & Tarot Mystery series: Magic, Mayhem and Murder.

Blurb

Charm McCall, armed with a library full of Agatha Christie stories and her unique witchy gifts, knows how to solve a small-town murder…

Charm McCall, the oldest of the McCall triplets by a whole day—or one minute before midnight if one’s being picky—is the designated driver for her whole town. Why, if it wasn’t for her, Snowy Lake would incinerate or fall into Hudson’s Bay. With her unique abilities, she’s all set to keep her family and town safe and on its proper course.

That is, until a hot Mountie moves into town, a busload of strippers breaks down on Main Street and Mrs. Hurst goes and gets herself murdered with poisoned jam. Jam crafted by Charm’s family at the Tea & Tarot café. Now it’s up to her to solve the murders—yes, plural, when another local business owner ends up dead.

Charm knows just what to do. What’s breaking a few laws if she can sleuth out the culprit? She knows the people of Snowy Lake better than any new lawman possibly could. So why can’t he just leave her be to get on with things?

And why does he have to be so darn hot?

Excerpt

“Will she let us stay?” Tulip’s eyes widened, her nose and cheeks reddened by the freezing wind. My triplet shivered, wiping her dripping nose on the back of her red mitten. I straightened the collar on her worn jacket and tucked the thin scarf around her neck. The snow was falling more heavily now, already filling in the tracks the three of us had made walking from the street light to the front stoop, the warning still ringing in my head. ‘Don’t knock until you’ve counted to a hundred if you know what’s good for you. Twelve, thirteen, fourteen…’

“I’m not sure, but if we’re really, really good, she might. At least for tonight,” I interrupted my counting to answer her.

“Yeah, don’t you be backtalking her like you did to Mommy,” Star said, staring accusingly.

“I never did that!” Tulip’s bottom lip started to quiver.

“Hush, no one is at fault,” I said. If she started bawling, I didn’t know how long I could hold off. My throat had a lump in it big as a baseball. Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three.

Star screwed up her face but held her tongue, though only after I gave her my sternest older-sister look. I’d been born at one minute to midnight, making me the oldest sister by a full day. Not that birthdays were ever celebrated, though we’d had eight already. Mommy said we were too much trouble on a regular day. No way was she holding a two-day party for a trio of brats.

I tugged the paper sack holding all our possessions closer to my chest, thinking of the one precious book and the half-box of Pop Tarts Mommy had tucked inside for our supper. Maybe Granny would have a toaster or a stove element to warm them up? Or maybe she might have some juice or pop? My throat was dry. Even water would taste good.

Star stamped her feet to stay warm, her pink running shoes leaving an intricate pattern from the soles as she packed the snow. Her scarf had icicles forming from her warm breath hitting the frosty air and her cheeks shone bright red. No frostbite—not yet anyway. But the wind was picking up, blowing showers of ice crystals off the roof and onto our bare heads.

Sixty-six, sixty-seven. I glanced across the open field between Granny’s house and the house next door, visualizing wolves coming out of the evergreens of the thick forest and circling the town. We’d been dropped off on one of the coldest days of the year. Minus forty-seven, according to the loud man on the radio in our old van. I’d caught the name of the town on the welcoming sign leading in. Snowy Lake, population 1259. I was proud to be the first one to learn to read, first one to do most things. Then I could help my little sisters, when they’d let me.

Eighty-nine, ninety. I was shaking now, could barely keep from kicking at the door with my foot. But a promise is a promise. If Mommy came back and saw me doing wrong, I’d get a swat for sure.

buynow

Author Bio and Links

January Bain has wished on every falling star, every blown-out birthday candle, and every coin thrown in a fountain to be a storyteller. To share the tales of high adventure, mysteries, and full blown thrillers she has dreamed of all her life. The story you now have in your hands is the compilation of a lot of things manifesting itself for this special series. Hundreds of hours spent researching the unusual and the mundane have come together to create books that features strong women who live life to the fullest, wild adventures full of twists and unforeseen turns, and hot complicated men who aren’t afraid to take risks. She can only hope her stories will capture your imagination.

If you are looking for January Bain, you can find her hard at work every morning without fail in her office with her furry baby, Ling Ling. And, of course, she’s married to the most romantic man! Who once famously remarked to her inquiry about buying fresh flowers for their home every week, “Give me one good reason why not?” Leaving her speechless and knocking her head against the proverbial wall for being so darn foolish. She loves flowers.

If you wish to connect in the virtual world she is easily found on Facebook. Oh, and she loves to talk books…

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Goodreads | Totally Bound Author Page | Email

Giveaway

January Bain will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Find out more here.

Follow January on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

The World Is Waiting On You

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

Elaine Welteroth ends her inspiring memoir/manifesto, More Than Enough, with this passage:

When you find yourself existing in the space between dreams realized, parts of you will feel too big for where you are, while other parts of you will feel too small for where you are going.

Go anyway.

Do not wait.

Do not wonder if you can.

Do not ask for permission.

When you get lost, it’s okay to stop, to look up, to look within for the answers–they’re always there.

And when the world tells you to shrink, expand.

Remember:

You have done enough. You are enough. You were born enough.

The world is waiting on you.

Source: More Than Enough, Page 316.

Becoming Pretty Healthy

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I highly recommend Live a Little: Breaking the Rules Won’t Break Your Health by Dr. Susan Love and Alice Domar.

Having spent ten months reading Dr. Love’s Breast Bible during my cancer journey, I was more than ready to follow her advice and that of her co-author, a psychologist with expertise in stress and women’s health.

I found it refreshing to learn that Dr. Love didn’t start a fitness program until age 50. She had no regrets about this late start; she spent her younger days doing research, working with breast cancer patients, writing books, and raising a family.

The authors take on the health police (TV experts, magazine writers, trainers, well-meaning friends and neighbors) and provide us with a realistic view of what’s healthy and what is mostly hype. In short, they show us how to be healthy without driving ourselves crazy.

They recommend we trade in the illusion of becoming perfectly healthy for something more fun and doable: becoming pretty healthy. How reassuring to read that self-care doesn’t require large outlays of money and time. All we have to do is find something—anything—that makes us feel better about ourselves and make it part of our daily regimens. Effective self-care is all about developing and maintaining positive habits.

In the last chapter, Dr. Love and Ms. Domar provide general guidelines for living a pretty healthy life that includes laughter, relaxation, and common sense.

Long overdue advice.

Dr. Love designed the following quiz to assess a woman’s fitness level:

1. Are you able to walk for one mile in twenty minutes or less?

2. Can you jog a mile without stopping?

3. Can you stand on one foot and maintain your balance for thirty seconds?

4. Sit in a chair. Can you stand up without using your arms?

5. Can you lift and carry two grocery bags–one in each hand?

Anyone who is able to answer yes to every question demonstrates a basic level of cardiovascular fitness, strength, and balance. YOU ARE PRETTY HEALTHY!!

On a personal note…

I was able to answer yes to four of the above questions. I need to work on #2.

Loving Those Oxymorons

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

Technically they’re oxymora, but according to the wordsmiths, oxymorons can be used as the plural form.

Whatever form you choose to use, one thing is certain: Oxymorons attract attention. And people who like to pepper their conversations with these literary devices are well aware that their listeners will stop and think, wondering whether they should laugh or not.

Continue reading on the Soul Mate Authors blog.

Book Blast: Dragon’s Revenge

Posted on by Joanne Guidoccio

I’m happy to welcome author CJ Shane. Today, Shane shares her latest release, Dragon’s Revenge.

Blurb

When Tucson private detective and Iraq War vet Letty Valdez is hired to investigate a murder, she immediately finds herself targeted by a violent criminal. To find the killer, Letty turns to an old memoir of life in late 19th century Tucson. Clues in in the memoir, with its tale of love between two immigrants – one, an Italian widow, and the other, an exiled Chinese revolutionary – launch Letty on a suspense-filled struggle to find answers, to stop the murderer – and to stay alive!

Excerpt

By mid-morning, Letty was sleepy again. She called the dogs in from the backyard and took them with her to her bedroom.

Less than an hour later, Letty was startled awake. She sat up in bed.

Both Millie and Teddy were up, alert, and facing her bedroom door. The fur on their necks and along the ridge of their backbones was standing up erect. Both dogs were very tense and staring at the bedroom door with full attention.

Letty’s heart began to pound. She couldn’t hear anything but she knew there had to be an intruder.

Millie growled.

Teddy growled, too, a low rumbling growl from deep in his chest. Teddy’s lips curled up sharply, exposing his teeth. His pink tongue flicked in and out of his mouth. Teddy looked ready to attack and to tear someone apart with those fangs. He growled again.

Millie was ready, too. She stared at the door and growled a second time. She showed her fangs, too.

Letty felt like she almost couldn’t breathe. A paralyzing combination of fear and fury immobilized her. She was too banged up to be able to fight anyone. And whoever was on the other side of the door couldn’t be a welcome visitor. Letty realized that beyond a doubt, she had become a target.

The knob on the door began to turn slowly as if someone were trying to quietly enter the room. At the sight and sound of that turning knob, Millie barked a short warning bark. Teddy followed with a deep woofing sound. Don’t even try it, they communicated to the intruder. The door knob returned to its original position. Both dogs continued to stare intently at the door.

Letty knew that the person on the other side of the door knew now that there were two dogs in her room and those dogs were not happy.

Letty quietly got up from her bed and went to her closet. She pulled down a box from the top shelf, retrieved her Glock, and quickly assembled it. Just as quietly, she loaded the gun.

Letty moved toward the bedroom door, listening intently. She didn’t hear anything. She opened the door, gun in hand aimed and ready to shoot.

Both dogs bolted through the door past her and ran through the house. They were following the scent of the intruder. The backdoor was open. Letty did a quick check of every room in the house, gun ready. Nothing. The intruder had fled. Letty followed the dogs out the back door and into the backyard. Teddy did a quick survey of the backyard and Millie stood at attention close to Letty. Whoever had been there was gone now.

Buy Links

Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Author Bio and Links

C.J. Shane is a writer and visual artist in Arizona. In addition to her mystery fiction, she is the author of eight nonfiction books. Her first fiction book, _Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery_, (11-2017) is a finalist for Best Suspense-Thriller novel, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards.

Website | Rope’s End Publishing | Goodreads | BookBub | Facebook

Giveaway

C.J. Shane will be awarding an original artwork by C.J. Shane – an ink drawing of ocotillo on handmade paper in a wooden frame ready to hang with hooks and wire. Size of frame: 6 1/2″ by 8 1/2″ (U.S. ONLY), via Rafflecopter during the tour. Enter HERE.

Follow CJ on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour HERE.