In 1989, Walt Disney Productions released The Little Mermaid, an animated film based upon the fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. The worldwide response was an overwhelming one. The film has grossed over $200 million worldwide and has been credited with launching the Disney Renaissance, an era that breathed life back into the animated feature film genre.
Here are 10 interesting facts about this popular film:
1. In designing heroine Ariel, the animators were inspired by the body of Alyssa Milano (Who’s The Boss? star) and the hair of astronaut Sally Ride. Ariel’s underwater hair sequence was based on a video of Sally’s hair as she traveled in zero gravity.
2. To avoid confusion with Daryl Hannah’s mermaid in Splash, the animators decided to make Ariel a redhead.
3. The voice actor for Prince Eric was sixteen-year-old Christoper Daniel Barnes.
4. The villain Ursula was designed to resemble Madame Medusa from “The Rescuers” and cinema drag queen Divine, best known for his roles in Pink Flamingos and Hairspray.
5. Originally, the producer asked Bea Arthur to play Ursula, but she dropped out of the film because of “Golden Girls” conflicts. Rosanne Barr and Nancy Wilson were also considered until Elaine Stritch was cast. Unfortunately, Elaine proved incompatible and was replaced by Pat Carroll.
6. Patrick Stewart was offered the role of King Triton but had to turn it down because he was too busy with “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Kenneth Mars was cast in the role.
7. Jodi Benson recorded “Part of Your World” with the studio lights turned low to simulate the feeling of being underwater. This classic Disney tune was almost cut from the film because the director thought the song was too boring.
8. In the opening scene with King Triton, Micky Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, and Kermit the Frog appear in the crowd of sea-people.
9. During Eric and Ariel’s wedding scene, the Grand Duke and King from Disney’s Cinderella can be seen in the background.
10. The directors insisted that every bubble in the movie be hand-drawn, not Xeroxed. Animator Mark Dindal estimated that he and his colleagues had to draw a million bubbles.
I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author R.B. Austin to the Power of 10 series. Today, RB shares her favorite quotes.
Here’s RB!
Thank you so much for hosting me, Joanne! Listed below are ten of my favorite quotes.
I love words that when pulled together cause me to think. To feel. Or want to change. Or help me realize I’m not alone this is a huge, sometimes scary, world.
I hope you, dear readers, find some inspiration to brighten or change your day.
1. Never give up…No one knows what’s going to happen next. –L. Frank Baum
2. The mind I love must have wild places. –Katherine Mansfield
3. And what is empty turns its face to us / and whispers: / “I am not empty, I am open.” Tomas Transtromer
4. Do you think that I count the days? There is only one day left, always starting over: it is given to us at dawn and taken away from us at dusk. –Jean-Paul Sartre
5. In a time of destruction, create something. –Maxine Hong Kingston
6. Is this why we love at all? To save. –From the movie “A Winters Tale”
7. For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought. –Edmund Spenser
8. Be a lamp, a lifeboat, or a ladder… -Rumi
9. We can only die in the future, I thought; right now we are always alive. –Amy Hempel
10. Your thorns are the best part of you. –Marianne Moore
Blurb
The war between Apollyon and the Trihune has begun.
Lucas scours the street in need of a fix. He captures his enemy instead of kills. Spins lies instead of truth. Seeks darkness instead of light. So close to the edge with no concern for the fall.
The map was foretold. Its key long lost.
Sent on a mission to find the key necessary to defeat Apollyon, Lucas meets Kate. Fiery, powerful, unable-to-touch-any-object Kate. As his feelings for her grow, the addiction inside him wanes.
Until he learns she is not meant for him.
Find the key. Find the way and triumph.
His future with Kate is bleak. The darkness, too hard to control. The key, still lost.
Can Lucas win the battle raging inside his body in order to win the war rising on the streets?
Bio
RB Austin enjoys torturing dogs (dressing her Cairn terrier in knitted sweaters and booties), embarrassing her daughter (singing in the car . . . at the top of her lungs . . . with the windows open . . . at a stop light), and indulging in the second deadliest sin (chocolate, Swedish fish, chocolate, sour patch watermelons, and chocolate).
This author’s love of the sun puts in her in the more-than-likely-not-a-vampire category, unless you’re referring to the bloodsuckers in her Trihune series, then all bets are off.
She likes stalkers! . . . Well, not the creepy kind. So if you’re not creepy, she’d love to meet up with you on Facebook or Twitter.
I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author L.D. Rose to the Power of 10 series. Today, L.D. shares the reasons behind her avid interest in the paranormal.
Here’s LD!
1. I was accused of being a vampire in the first grade.
Yep. That’s right. I went to an all-girls Catholic school for kindergarten and first grade (my mother yanked me out before second grade for acting out—oops!). My classmates already thought I was weird since I spoke broken English (my first language was Portuguese and I didn’t go to preschool; I learned English from Sesame Street). All of us kids were playing a game of tag at recess and I tripped on a rock and sliced my finger open. I immediately put my hand in my mouth to suck the blood away (c’mon, didn’t you do that when you were a kid?!). The girls freaked out and ran away from me, screaming vampire. I guess it didn’t help that I had a widow’s peak, dark hair and pale skin. I had no idea what a vampire was, but my feelings were hurt and I started to cry.
This was obviously quite traumatic since the concept of a vampire invaded my brain and I became obsessed with learning (and writing!) about them. 😉
2. I grew up in a haunted house.
Yep, that’s right too! My family was poor growing up and we bounced from apartment to apartment when I was a toddler. My parents bought a house when I was about five, both of them incredibly excited to have a home.
Too bad it was haunted, haha!
This could be a whole blog post in and of itself (and will be soon!) but my parents’ little Cape was over a hundred years old and two ghosts apparently haunted the premises (an eight year old boy and an elderly woman who died in the upstairs bathroom; later, my deceased German Shepard made a few ghostly appearances too). I never actually saw them, but their roaming footsteps, cold patches, whispers and little games such as dropping the blinds, turning off the radio and the occasional “push” made their presences unmistakably clear. I have no doubt there’s a ghostly world among us, no matter how much my logical doctor brain wants to argue it.
3. My first memorable books were horror stories.
Thanks to my vampire accusation, I began to read horror stories—a lot of them! My absolute favorite books as a kid were the SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK series by Alvin Schwartz. I couldn’t stop staring at the creepy images and rereading the melodious yet disturbing passages. My absolute favorite was THE HEARSE SONG and I used to sing it constantly while jump roping outside like the freaky little kid I was. As I grew older, I transitioned to R.L. Stine, Clive Barker and Stephen King, then it was all downhill from there.
See, kids? Be careful what you call your classmates!
4. Naturally, my favorite movies were horror movies growing up.
Gremlins. Ghostbusters. Poltergeist. The Exorcist. Friday the 13th. Nightmare on Elm Street. Halloween. Jaws. The Shining. Silence of the Lambs. CLASSICS! Although the horror movie industry has sorely disappointed me as an adult, these were my most memorable movies. My parents would let me watch a few of the more “benign” ones, but I usually snuck out of my room in the middle of the night (or hit the theaters) to watch the more graphic films.
5. My first writing ventures were horror stories.
Surprise, surprise! I’ve been writing for as long as I remember. The first actual “story” I wrote was on a typewriter at ten years old. It was called “The Secret Door”, about fifteen pages long, and starred a haunted house that held a portal to another dimension (no kidding!). My first ever publication is a short story in an anthology called “Horrors of History” (Fey Publishing) and it’s about two depression-era gangsters who get more than they bargained for during a bank heist (two words: zombie cops). I plan to do a lot more with these two boys in the future, since I loved writing them so much. Every story I’ve written has a preternatural edge to it—I just can’t help it, it’s part of who I am.
6. I wanted to be a paranormal investigator.
As a teenager, I used to raid abandoned houses (particularly those rumored to be haunted), trek into the woods after dark in hopes of running into a cult (or at least see a hanging body), and I played Ouija way too much (I’ve had some interesting experiences with that demonic game, let me tell you!). I know it sounds crazy but I loved to be scared; it was a rush, an addiction even, and my morbid curiosity never ceased to be satisfied. I never got into the real complex “ghost hunting” with detectors and such, but I still visit the occasional haunted spot (although my sixth sense has petered out, unfortunately). My hubby is quite averse to the supernatural world, so now I tend to explore it through writing and art. That and an occasional episode of Ghost Hunters. 😉
7. The type of music that draws me in most is rock, metal and rap of a darker flavor.
The darker the lyrics, the better. I’m madly in love with Trent Reznor (he’s my musical god) and some of my favorites are Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Godsmack, In This Moment, Disturbed, Staind and Stonesour. DMX is my favorite rapper of all time ‘cause he’s brutal and doesn’t hold anything back in his music. There’s something exhilarating about expressing one’s fears and discussing subjects most people are uncomfortable with through music (or any art in general). I try to do the same with writing and give it the realism it deserves.
8. Jogging in cemeteries gives me peace.
So, do you think I’m a total weirdo yet? 😛 Although my running tends to be on the street and residential neighborhoods as of late, I used to run through cemeteries all the time in college. I loved the silence and desolation—no people, no cars, just me, the trees and the graves. My favorite used to be Oak Grove Cemetery in MA, where the infamous Lizzie Borden is buried. Many of them were hilly too, which made for a great workout.
9. My acceptance of death and all things disturbing helped me to become a doctor.
Amongst other things, of course, but having a thick skin and a gut of steel helps. I’m going to let you in on a little secret: being a doctor is terrifying. You end up in situations so crazy you can’t even imagine and you must act quickly. There’s no staring or jaw dropping or sudden paralysis. A career that starts out by asking you to take apart a human body requires some serious nerve…and that’s only the beginning! Not to mention you need to soothe the fears of others and understand them. Needles, scalpels, blood and gore is no biggie to me, but my hubby will drop like a bomb at the sight of his own blood or an uncapped syringe. Being able to resist passing out is a major plus.
10. My passion for the dark and sexy (like vampires!) led to my first novel being published by SMP.
Yes, I love writing horror, but I also love writing about love. The books I’m most invested in involve a romantic relationship with a ton of conflict (usually of the frightening variety) and after much chaos and destruction, the hero and heroine have their well-deserved HEA. Dark paranormal romance and urban fantasy became my favorite genres to read…and write! I strive to put my readers through the same rollercoaster of emotions the characters experience—terror, lust, anger, sadness, relief, and of course, happiness. I think both fear and love bring out the best and worst in us, and I try to depict those ups and downs in my work. Now that my debut novel is out in the world, I hope it’ll be something memorable, whether you love the paranormal, horror or a romance that keeps you teetering on the edge of your seat.
If you’re so inclined, check out RELEASING THE DEMONS, a dark paranormal romance, out now on Amazon! BUY LINK: http://amzn.com/B013GVCC7I
Thank you so much, Joanne, for having me on your blog! It’s been a lot of fun and I hope your readers enjoyed it too. 🙂
Bio
L.D. Rose is a neurotic physician by day, crazed writer by night, and all around wannabe superhero. She writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but she’s been known to delve into horror, sci-fi, and medical suspense on occasion. L.D. Rose is a member of the RWA, FF&P, NEC-RWA and CoLoNY. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her studly hubby, her hyperactive boxer, and her two devious cats.
I’m happy to welcome life coach Catherine Simmons to the Power of 10 series. Today, Catherine is sharing her common sense approach to mental wellness.
Here’s Catherine!
1. Get enough sleep
2. Spend time with people who inspire me
3. Be true to my values
4. Be mindful
5. Think positive
6. Explore my spiritual side
7. Let go of guilt and trauma
8. Exercise
9. Eat well for who I am
10. Spend time with nature
In 2002 I was diagnosed with a mental illness and since then I’ve been on a journey of discovery. I firmly believe in recovery and that mental illness is transient. My power of 10 are the things that make the most difference in my life to keep me mentally healthy, and I know instinctively that they work for others too. They’re not rocket science, in fact these few common sense things can make more difference that you can imagine.
One thing I’ve left out, though, is the key to the rest. That one thing is a belief in self-empowerment. Taking responsibility for your own life and your own decisions is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. Don’t believe everything you are told. There is so much information available these days and we don’t even need to go to the library!!! It’s time we took the driver’s seat and demanded the very best quality of life we can possibly have…a change in perspective from victim of circumstance to Executive Director of our lives makes all the difference.
As Wayne Dyer said – when we change the way we look at things the things we look at change.
My purpose in life to give people hope and to support and guide them to live the lives they dream of, whatever that means to them.
Catherine has had a lifelong interest in biology and how the universe works. With a Master’s degree in molecular genetics, and over 15 years of experience in Biotech industry, she concluded that the person centered holistic view of medicine is the only real solution to healing dis-ease. Her own experience of mental illness has led her to become qualified as a practitioner in Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT tapping) and she is now studying for certification as Quantum Success Coach, where she harnesses universal laws to help people achieve their life goals. Her passion is coaching for mental wellness.
I’m happy to welcome Sarah Hoss to the Power of 10 series. Today, Sarah is sharing some of her favorite and not-so-favorite things and chatting about her new release.
Here’s Sarah!
1. Christmas
2. Scented candles
3. Fresh cut grass
4. Lightning bugs
5. Camping
1. Brussels sprouts
2. Roller coasters
3. Spiders
4. Port-a-pots
5. Cherry flavored drinks
Two Lifetimes – Two Hearts – One future, if they can only survive the past.
Blurb
Hamish Macpherson is surrounded by turmoil: an arsonist is on the loose, he’s in the middle of a feud with a local clansman, and just as he’s trying to save his sister from a burning cottage, he appears in the middle of a foreign living room three hundred years past his own time.
Gillian Meadows thinks she’s self-sufficient and can handle anything until she witnesses a murder in the alley next to an Olde City tavern. In a desperate run to escape being the next victim, she stumbles into a Wiccan store and accepts the help of the shop owner. Little does she know that one mis-spoken word of a simple incantation can change everything.
Neither world is safe, but Hamish can better protect Gillian if he returns to his own time. Gillian has no choice but to go with him if she wants to escape the danger closing in. Little do they know that his past could be the biggest threat of all to their future.
Bio
Sarah Hoss grew up believing she could try anything and if she set her mind to it, she would succeed. Sixteen years of dance lessons, Cheerleading, and school plays proved to her that her parent’s words rang true. Writing was no exception. Reading the Outlander series made her fall in love with time travels and the historical places books could take her. Always a child with a vivid imagination, she realized as an adult, she could put her imagination to good use and began writing. Marrying her very own hero, they live in Indiana in the town where she grew up. They have three beautiful children and one hyper dog. When Sarah isn’t writing, she enjoys gardening, camping, and watching her kids’ play sports.
I’m happy to welcome Stella Chiu to the Power of 10 series.
Here’s Stella!
The life journey is composed of mountain tops and bottoms of valleys. During the last 12 years, I encountered some events that turned my world upside down. My husband wanted a divorce. I had made some financial mistakes in business and investments which caused huge financial problems. Being a Christian, I couldn’t make any sense out of it. Later, I was led by the Lord to the wilderness (Mesa, Arizona) in both physical and spiritual situations. This wilderness experience provided 10 important life lessons.
1. The hardships are mostly caused by us.
It may shock you to know that most trials and sufferings are created by you. You went into bankruptcy because you made the financial mistakes along the way. You have no need to blame God or other people. Only then can you can take responsibility and do something above your situation.
2. Get your identity firmly inside you.
All problems are temporary. The circumstances will improve. “Tough things won’t last, but tough people will.” You are the beloved child of God. You can trust the most powerful person in the universe (God as your Daddy), who loves you so much, will help you to get out of the mess. You will be able to overcome the fear with that faith.
3. Stay put.
It is not wise to rush His time table until all the training is complete. This training is called A Joseph Calling by Os Hillman.
God takes time to develop character. He could not afford to have a prideful 30-year-old Joseph managing the resources of an entire region of the world. God used 40 years to train Moses. God used 12 years to transform me from a so called Christian to a real Christ believer.
God has a storehouse of blessings that He has reserved for you and me. God has a specific timetable that He requires to accomplish His purposes in the life of the believer. Sometimes, that timetable seems excruciatingly cruel and painful; yet it is necessary.
The greater the mess, the bigger will be your promotions. Don’t look left, right, back, or front, but up.
When you are experiencing trials, you should not try to get secular counseling from people around you. Their suggestions cause more confusion than before. When you look backward, the only sure thing is regret. When you look ahead, there may not be promising views. The upward direction is where you can obtain the divine wisdom, revelation, or inspiration to get out of bondage.
4. Don’t ask the wrong question(s).
During your trials, you should not ask: “Why has this happened to me?” or “Where is my God?” These will lead nowhere. A better question: “Lord, I did make the mistakes. I am sorry. Show me your rescue plan for me.”
5. You are a spiritual being.
We are created in the image of God. In other words, we are spiritual beings. It is vital that you must have this notion in your hearts and thoughts.
God is spirit, whose communication tunnels are only open to spiritual beings. When you realize you area a spiritual beings, you can freely communicate with God, who is the ultimate rescuer for any situation.
6. A new way of meditation.
It is a good idea to commit the first hour of the day to meditation. The aim is not for calmness but to hear the very small voice of God inside you. In a locked room, you seat yourself in comfortable position without any music. You allow no distractions. Because you are spiritual beings, you can imagine your spirit flying out from your body to heaven. You can talk with Jesus, God, or the angels.
Revelation and inspiration may come in during this hour or later in the day. Bring pen and paper to jot down new ideas.
7. A new way of prayer.
What is prayer? Prayer is your conversation with God – just like your conversation with a friend. Prayer is not just for asking favors. You can tell God how you feel inside: your frustrations, adventures, happiness moments, as well as your appreciation. Prayer is also a two-way street. You need to learn to be silent in front of the mighty God so that He can pass on His ideas.
God wants you to connect with Him every minute of your daily life. Talk (pray) to Him every chance you get: standing in line, waiting for the bus, drinking your coffee, cooking, doing laundry, etc.
Many people believe prayer does not affect their lives because they don’t believe God will answer. Make the word “believe” as big as you can in your own life.
8. The power of repentance and forgiveness.
To repent means you know your mistakes; you turn away from them and never repeat them. This ties in with the first point of this post. God’s hands can come down to help you.
Forgiveness is so important because un-forgiveness blocks anyone trying to access the blessings, revelation, and favor from the Lord. Thos point can be illustrated more clearly in Mark 11:25 – 26: “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him…If you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
The forgiveness process starts with forgiving yourself first. From that point, you can forgive others.
9. Power of your faith.
You must be careful about what you say daily. You frame your world by the words you speak. You can’t have what you want if you speak against what you want. “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind (speak) on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matt 16:19
If you want to come out of the pit, you must speak positively about what you want to happen.
10. Power of praise and worship
If you understand the significance of praise and worship, you will do well in your life.
Praise means you are thanking God for granting your requests ahead of time. Will He do it for you? I have no doubt in my mind He will do it for you.
God flows to and from the universe looking for worshippers. He already has all the angels worshiping Him 24/7. Why is He still looking for human worshippers? Angels are created to worship Him. Human worship is not an automatic action. Worship from someone who is suffering is more dear because it goes against human nature. You can definitely out of the pit with praise and worship.
My final thoughts…
The disappointments in life can open doors to new opportunities that God has for YOU! – @Ibloom
“On this journey called life, we wish we would not meet the thorns but have all bed of roses and everything smooth without so much as a worry. Our Creator has other plans. Out of each test, there is a testimony and for every mess there is a message. It is also not so much that we go through difficulties in life, but our attitude that makes all the difference.” – @EMBYvonne
Bio
Stella Chiu runs http://www.stellachiu.com where she is passionate to use her experience to help people to achieve good life through the Kingdom within each of us. Her blog covers faith, health, prosperity, and life (parenting, family, relationship, empty nest, etc). If you want to have good life, sign up free updated, free gifts, and one-to-one consulting.
Before writing Between Land and Sea, I researched mermaid sightings. I expected to find only a handful of examples and was surprised by the lengthy list and vivid descriptions that emerged. So much so, that I’ve devoted several posts to this topic.
Today, I will focus on ten documented sightings before 1800.
1. First Century AD: Roman author, naturalist and philosopher Pliny the Elder wrote about the Nereids that were found dead on the seashore. He described their bodies as rough and scaly like fish and then went on to share other supporting evidence: “I have, too, some distinguished informants of equestrian rank, who state that they themselves once saw in the ocean of Gades a sea-man.”
2. Between 1040 and 1105: Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki wrote about mermaids in the Talmud: “There are fish in the sea with which half is in the form of man and half in the form of fish, called sereine in Old French.”
3. During the same period, Moshav Zekeinim provided the following details about mermaids (Sirens) in a commentary on the Torah: “This refers to the creature in the sea which is similar in part to a person, from the navel upwards, and it is similar to a woman in all aspects in that it has breasts and long hair like that of a woman, and from the navel downwards, it is a fish. And it sings beautifully, with a pleasant voice.”
4. 13th Century: The King’s Mirror, a Norwegian educational text originally intended to provide King Magnus Lagabote with advice on various subjects, included the following description of a creature found off the shores of Greenland: “Like a woman as far down as her waist, long hands, and soft hair, the neck and head in all respects like those of a human being. The hands seem to be long, and the fingers not to be pointed, but united into a web like that on the feet of water birds. From the waist downwards, this monster resembles a fish, with scales, tail, and fins…This monster has a very horrible face, with broad bow and piercing eyes, a wide mouth and double chin.”
5. 1389: In his book, Eastern Travels of John Hesse, the author described the perils encountered during his voyages. He wrote: “We came to a stony mountain, where we heard syrens singing, mermaids who draw ships into danger by their songs. We saw there many horrible monsters and were in great fear.”
6. 1403: During a heavy storm, a mermaid drifted inland through a broken dyke on the Dutch coast. At first afraid but later intrigued, several local women and their servants befriended the mermaid. They took the mermaid home and tried to domesticate her, clothing and feeding her dairy products and meats. After a number of thwarted escapes into the sea, the mermaid resigned herself to her new life and died fifteen years later. John Swan, an English minister, described her story in Speculum Mundi, a book released in 1635.
7. 1493: After spotting three mermaids rising from the sea, Christopher Columbus wrote in the ship’s journal: “They were not as beautiful as they are painted, although to to some extent they have a human appearance in the face.” He noted that he had seen similar creatures off the coast of West Africa.
8. 1608: After two of his company reported a mermaid sighting, explorer Henry Hudson wrote in the ship’s journal: “Two crew members–Thomas Hilles and Robert Rayner–sighted a mermaid at 75o7’N (Russia) and shouted at the rest of the crew to come and look…From the navel upward her back and breast were like a woman’s, as they say that saw her; her body as big as one of ours; her skin very white and long hair hanging down behind, of colour black. In her going down, they saw her tail, which was like the tail of a porpoise, and speckled like a mackerel.”
9. 1614: Captain John Smith, of Pocahontas fame, reported a mermaid off the cost of Massachusetts: “The upper part of her body perfectly resembled that of a woman, and she was swimming about with all possible grace near the shore. It had large eyes, rather too round, a finely shaped nose (a little too short), well-formed ears, rather too long, and her long green hair imparted to her an original character by no means unattractive.”
10. 1797: While walking on the shore of Sandside Bay (Scotland), schoolteacher William Munro spotted a mermaid sitting upon a rock. In his letter to Dr. Torrance in Glasgow, he wrote: “…my attention was arrested by the appearance of a figure resembling an unclothed human female, sitting upon a rock extending into the sea, and apparently in the action of combing its hair, which flowed around its shoulders, and of a light brown colour…The cheeks ruddy, the eyes blue, the mouth and lips of a natural form, resembling those of a man; the teeth I could not discover, as the mouth was shut; the breasts and abdomen, the arms and fingers of the size in which the hands were employed, did not appear to be webbed, but as to this I am not positive.” The complete letter appeared in The Times of London on September 8, 1809.
I’m thrilled to welcome USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston to the Power of 10 series.
Here’s Lois!
People have often asked me how much of Anastasia Pollack, the protagonist of my Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, is really Lois Winston. Although I have drawn on my own experiences in writing Anastasia, there are fundamental differences between the two of us. In no particular order they are as follows:
1. Unlike my protagonist, I am not a sleuth, reluctant or otherwise. I’ve never stumbled across a dead body and hope I never do. I prefer virtual dead bodies to real ones and solving crimes on my computer in the safety and comfort of my own home. I’ll leave the real crime-solving to the professionals.
2. Anastasia has two teenage sons. Although I once had two teenage sons, my own sons are no longer teenagers. However, everything I know about teenage boys I learned from my own kids.
3. Anastasia shares her home with a corpulent Persian cat, an ill-tempered French bulldog, and a Shakespeare-quoting parrot. If I had her menagerie living with me, I’d be long dead from an allergic reaction. I don’t even have goldfish.
4. Anastasia is a widow. My husband, thankfully, is very much alive, and I hope he stays that way for decades to come.
5. Anastasia’s husband gambled away all their savings and left her in extreme debt when he died. My husband doesn’t even buy lottery tickets—which is why we haven’t won the lottery and probably never will because I don’t buy lottery tickets, either.
6. Anastasia has an apartment above her garage that she’s able to rent out for extra income. All I have above my garage are air rights, but although air rights go for millions in Manhattan, no one seems interested in purchasing my suburban air rights.
7. Anastasia is stuck with her nasty communist mother-in-law as a permanent resident. After six years of living with my nasty communist mother-in-law, I gave my husband an ultimatum—either she goes or I go. Anastasia is far more saintly than I am.
8. Anastasia has a forty-minute commute to and from work in bumper-to-bumper traffic every day. My commute is much shorter—a flight of stairs from my bedroom down to my office.
9. Anastasia has a boyfriend who looks like his genes swam around in the same pool as those of Pierce Brosnan, George Clooney, and Antonio Banderas. My husband…not exactly cover model material. But I think he’s cute.
10. Anastasia doesn’t age in real time. Since first appearing in Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun in January 2011, she’s aged less than a year. I, unfortunately, am now four-and-a-half years older, and we won’t discuss how many pounds heavier.
Blurb
The adventures of reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack continue in A Stitch to Die For, the 5th book in the Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series by USA Today bestselling author Lois Winston.
Ever since her husband died and left her in debt equal to the gross national product of Uzbekistan, magazine crafts editor and reluctant amateur sleuth Anastasia Pollack has stumbled across one dead body after another—but always in work-related settings. When a killer targets the elderly nasty neighbor who lives across the street from her, murder strikes too close to home. Couple that with a series of unsettling events days before Halloween, and Anastasia begins to wonder if someone is sending her a deadly message.
(Other books in the series include Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun, Death by Killer Mop Doll, Revenge of the Crafty Corpse, and three mini-mysteries: Crewel Intentions, Mosaic Mayhem, and Patchwork Peril.)
Bio
USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and non-fiction under her own name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry. Visit Lois/Emma at http://www.loiswinston.com and Anastasia at the Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers blog, http://www.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com. Follow everyone on Tsu at http://www.tsu.co/loiswinston, on Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/anasleuth, and onTwitter @anasleuth. Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.MyAuthorBiz.com/ENewsletter.php?acct=LW2467152513
I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Julie Doherty to the Power of 10 series.
Here’s Julie!
1. IT IS A CRAFT THAT MUST BE LEARNED AND PRACTICED
Confession time: I am not, and never have been, an insatiable reader. As a child, I loved Ingalls-Wilder’s LITTLE HOUSE series, and in my teens, I discovered the Brontës and Jane Austen. Our family had little money, though, to spend on books, and I rarely thought about using the school library for fun reading. The library was only a place to study, copy stuff verbatim out of encyclopedias, and ogle the smart boys.
I’ve been a storyteller my whole life, though, so when someone suggested I write a book, I thought, Why not? How hard can it be?
Um, it’s pretty hard, and it might surprise you (like it surprised me) to learn that you don’t just sit down and fluidly pen a story. There’s a craft to it, something a practiced reader knows intuitively from the many hours spent with a book in her hands.
My first completed novel was a disaster, but that didn’t stop me from querying every agent and publisher in Jeff Herman’s “Guide to Book Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents.” Amid the rejections stuffed daily into my mailbox was the response of one agent who’d written notes in the margins of my submission. “Head hopping . . . Whose POV are we in?”
WHAT? I knew then there was more to writing a novel than merely telling a story. I began anew, picked up every how-to book I could get my hands on, and—TA DA!—I started reading. I’m glad I did. Every book, good and terrible, teaches me something.
2. WRITING TAKES A LOT OF TIME
Pick up any book and look at the page. See those words? Yeah, those made it into the final product. For every one of them, there were buckets of others that didn’t. Still, someone wrote all of them, and that took time, the one thing most writers lack.
If you want to write books, you have to carve time out of your day to do it. If you have a day job or a family, this can be problematic. You might need to sacrifice sleep, lunch hours, even picnics, family reunions, your favorite television shows, and . . . clean pants. Eventually, your loved ones will complain, and you’ll need to figure out how to balance your real life with your dream. When you do, email me your secret. My husband is starting to complain about the scant fare at our establishment.
3. YOU WILL FACE REJECTION
Repeatedly. So much, in fact, that you will begin to think you should throw your laptop off a cliff (with you still holding it) and give up writing forever. Don’t. They are a necessary part of your journey, because they force you to reevaluate. Should you be lucky enough to receive a rejection that offers more than “Sorry, not for us,” see it as the gold it is. Even though it’s a rejection, the agent or editor who sent it saw something in your writing that made her want to personalize her response and maybe even give you some direction. That’s a foot in the door. Wedge your size 8.5 stiletto in there and pry that baby open. Use every bit of hope as fuel, make adjustments, and one day, you’ll have a contract.
4. A CRITIQUE PARTNER IS AS NECESSARY AS BREATHING
It can be hard to show your work to someone, and even harder to have it returned with red marks all over it. But a good, honest critique partner is something you can’t live without. You need that second set of eyes. A regular critique partner will know you and your work so well she’ll even tell you when you’re straying from your voice.
You will need to review your buddy’s work, as well. A lot of us struggle with this, because we don’t like to hurt feelings, or we think we aren’t good enough to offer anyone advice. You have to get over this quickly. Comments on another’s work aren’t a personal attack, and you can word them nicely. “While this is a great sentence, I think it might read better without so many adjectives.” You may find that critiquing another’s work is one of the best ways of learning what works, and what doesn’t.
5. UNLESS YOU WRITE A BREAKOUT NOVEL, THERE WILL BE NO LONG LINES OF READERS WAITING TO SEE YOU AT THE BOOKSTORE
This should be your ultimate dream, but the odds of it happening on your first try are pretty slim. You will have book signings, but they’ll be sparsely attended, and mostly by your family. They are wonderful just the same.
6. MOST OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WILL SEE YOUR WRITING AS A HOBBY
Until my first contract, just about everyone I know saw my writing as a hobby. This can be a downer and make it hard to stay focused. It also means fighting for your writing time, since those around you will ignore the boundaries you try to set. You need to believe, though, because if you don’t believe, who will?
7. WHEN YOUR NOVEL DEBUTS, YOU’LL THINK YOU’VE MADE IT
And you have! Sort of. But because you’re freshly published, you won’t understand that now the real work begins!
8. YOU’LL SPEND AS MUCH TIME MARKETING AS YOU DO WRITING
Unless you land a contract with one of the biggies, you can expect to market your own books. Small presses do what they can, but it’s not much. Your release will debut and sales will be pretty good, because everybody who loves you will support you with a sale. You’ll relax and start calculating how many books you will sell in a year based upon the current rate, and it will be exciting! You’ll allow yourself to think about that old dream again, the one with the huge line waiting to see you at bookstores. Unfortunately, around the three-month mark, if you’ve done no marketing, your book will start slipping in rank, and several months later, you’ll realize you need to get the paddles out and yell, “Clear!” to find your book’s heartbeat again.
I’m at this point now with my debut novel. I’ve done two blog tours, advertised online, sent press releases off to local papers, visited my local library, dropped off cards just about everywhere I can think of, purchased a Google Adwords campaign, Tweeted, Facebooked, blogged . . . it wears a writer down. But by your second book, you’ll have figured out what works (and what doesn’t), so you’ll be smarter and less burdened next time.
9. YOU WILL GET BAD REVIEWS
I was not prepared for how deeply my first bad review would affect me. No joke, it sent me to therapy and nearly ended my marriage. It wasn’t so much the content of the review, which was quite positive in parts. It was the way in which it was delivered, and it was, after all, my first.
The thing about a book (even yours) is that not everyone will love it. If you don’t believe me, look up your all-time favorite book on Goodreads or Amazon and check out the 1-star reviews. Those people hated the book you love.
When you get your first bad review, you will want to defend yourself and your work. Don’t. And don’t let Aunt Freda defend you, either. This will be hard, because it will seem like some of the reviewers either didn’t read—or skimmed—your book.
Remember why you write. Is it for praise? No, it’s because you love telling stories. So, tell them. If praise comes as a result, smile and strut around for a while. If not, consider whether there’s anything valuable in the critical reviews and then get back to your work-in-progress.
10. YOU WILL STRUGGLE
If you’ve read 1-9 above, then it should be clear that the road to publication is a bouncy one. You’ll tire of working non-stop for little return. You’ll miss your family, clean clothes, a tidy house, and cupboards that are filled with food, not research papers and writing books. You’ll look at the money and time you spend on your dream and wonder if it’s really worth it. Someone will post a bad review and you’ll throw your stack of unread “Romance Writers Reports” against the dining room wall. That’s it! You’re quitting! You’ll storm out of the house and go for a walk and a good, long cry. Halfway around the park, you’ll notice young parents sitting on bleachers watching Little League practice. The guy on the top row isn’t watching his son. He’s watching the single mom three rows down. And your mind begins to wonder . . . will he ever get the nerve to ask her out?
And then you know. You’re infected. Diagnosis: terminal writer.
Blurb
In twelfth century Scotland, it took a half-Gael with a Viking name to restore the clans to their rightful lands. Once an exile, Somerled the Mighty now dominates the west. He’s making alliances, expanding his territory, and proposing marriage to the Manx princess.
It’s a bad time to fall for Breagha, a torc-wearing slave with a supernatural sense of smell.
Somerled resists the intense attraction to a woman who offers no political gain, and he won’t have a mistress making demands on him while he’s negotiating a marriage his people need. Besides, Breagha belongs to a rival king, one whose fresh alliance Somerled can’t afford to lose.
t’s when Breagha vanishes that Somerled realizes just how much he needs her. He abandons his marriage plans to search for her, unprepared for the evil lurking in the shadowy recesses of Ireland—a lustful demon who will stop at nothing to keep Breagha for himself.
Trailer
Bio
Julie is a member of Romance Writers of America and Central PA Romance Writers. When not writing, she enjoys antiquing, shooting longbow, traveling, and cooking over an open fire at her cabin. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Irish husband, who sounds a lot like her characters.
I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Tina Susedik to the Power of 10 series. Today, Tina chats about her favorite authors and books.
Here’s Tina!
Like most people who love reading, I have my favorites, although picking ten among the many was difficult. Once I find an author I like, I’ll get copies of every book they’ve written and read all of them until I’m done. This works out fine if the author no longer writes, but there are several that I’m way behind on. They keep writing, and I keep finding new authors to read. I’ve kept many of these authors’ books on my Keeper Shelves, but recently have had to thin them out, as I’m running out of room. And even though I love their books, I know I won’t re-read them because there are so many new authors to read.
Two of my all-time favorite and the first romance authors I read are Kathleen Woodiwiss and LaVyrle Spencer. Their books are ones I’ll never let go and have re-read many, many times. I’ve lent them to friends and fret the whole time that I’ll never get them back.
The first romance I ever read was “The Flame and the Flower” by Kathleen Woodiwiss. It was 1975 and I was pregnant with my first child. Out of the blue, my brother called me and told me I needed to read this book, that I would love it. As I was no longer working, I bought the book for an incredible price of $1.50, and stayed up all night reading it. My husband was out of town, so there was no one to interrupt. The next day I called my brother and asked him why on earth he was reading a romance. He said: “I was in the bathroom longer than I intended and the only thing to read was Peggy’s (his wife) book that had been on the floor. I couldn’t put the darn thing down.” I loved the mix of romance, mystery, and history. Out of his five sisters, I’m not sure why he chose me to tell to read Ms. Woodiwiss, but I’m glad he did. It started my love of reading romance.
I’m not sure how I found LaVyrle Spencer, but I first read her books in 1988. There is something about her writing that is real. Her characters are ones I’d love to meet and become friends with. My favorite is Bitter Sweet, mainly because it’s set in northeastern Wisconsin. On a visit to Door County, I dragged my husband to the various places used in the book. He’s was great about listening to me rant: “Wow, this is the store where her father worked,” or “Here’s where her house is set.” This is one book I will suddenly find I have to read and read right now.
Jude Deveraux is another author whose books I love. I met her at the Romantic Times Convention three years ago. I was so excited, I’m afraid I acted like a crazed fan. I even told her that her books were on my keeper shelf. My favorite is “A Knight in Shining Armor.” There’s something about a hunky knight traveling into the future and falling in love with you.
Two authors that have been on my keeper shelves are Luanne Rice and Emilie Richards. Like LaVyrle Spencer her characters are real. They both write about families and the problems they can have. I couldn’t say which ones of theirs are my favorites, and even though I read most of their books, I know I need to catch up with both of them.
Of course on my list is Janet Evanovich and her Stephanie Plum series. My husband even reads them. I love a book where the characters make me laugh out loud. Right now I’m four books behind.
I enjoy reading mysteries, and two of my favorite authors are Ngaio Marsh and Lilian Jackson Braun. Marsh’s books are similar to Agatha Christie (whom I also like to read). Lilian Jackson Braun writes “The Cat Who. . .” mysteries. I love the character Jim Qwilleran, a down and out reporter who comes into a fortune. I devoured her books, one after the other. His two cats, Koko and Yum-Yum have a knack for helping him solve the mysteries. She wrote nearly until her death in 2011 at the age of 97, leaving her last book unfinished. Unfortunately, whoever finished the book made readers irate, including myself.
Carl Hiaasen is another author my husband and I enjoy. His humor and the way he twists plots keeps the reader on his toes. As an author myself, I often wonder how he comes up with the twists and turns and the crazy characters.
An author I recently found and enjoy is Tess Gerritsen. I hadn’t read any of her books until I registered for a Barbara Vey Reader’s Appreciation Luncheon where Ms. Gerritsen was the key-note speaker. I figured I should read at least one of her books, so I was familiar with what she wrote. One book turned to two, then three, then . . . I met her at the luncheon and had my picture taken with her. A very, very nice lady.
I know this is #11, but I can’t forget Nora Roberts. I’d been collecting her books for years. Read a few, but just kept collecting. At one point I had 157. In 2013 I decided my goal would be to read as many of her books as I could. I needed the shelf space. I read 91 of her books that year. I thought I was making progress, then my dear sweet husband, probably seeing how I was constantly reading her, gave me some Nora Roberts books for Christmas.
As time goes on, I’m sure I’ll add other authors to my favorite author list. I know I’ve read many new authors who could be added.
Bio
Tina Susedik can’t remember a time when she didn’t have stories floating around in her head. The last thing she thought she would ever do was write a book, let alone a history one. Six history books later, she was finally able to pursue her dream of being published in romance. Success came with “Riding for Love,” a romantic mystery. She plans on having many more books completed soon. In her spare time, Tina loves to read, hike, camp, bike, garden, take photographs and spend time with her five grandchildren.
Blurb
Eve Dayton, owner of a riding ranch, rose above her childhood past and overcame the emotional damage her boyfriend caused when he married another woman. When someone starts sabotaging her ranch, Eve is desperate to find the culprit before she loses everything. Is it a coincidence or is the return of Denton Johanson tied to the mystery?
Divorced Denton Johanson returns to his hometown to help convict the embezzling controller of the family business. When he runs into Eve, he realizes his feelings for her are still strong enough to try and win her back. His fear of horses won’t get in the way of his goal and decides the only way to be near her is to take riding lessons from her. Can he convince her that his love is real and he is not behind the mystery surrounding the ranch?
Eve Dayton’s former boyfriend returns to town just as problems start arising at her horse riding ranch. Can she believe his declaration to be part of her life again? Will she overcome the suspicion that he is part of the problem and accept his help in catching the culprits? Find out how Denton Johanson triumphs over his fears to win back her love.
Joanne Guidoccio 