It’s my seventh Wednesday on tour with Goddess Fish.
Stop by and visit for a while. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway and qualify to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Today’s stop – Unabridged Andra
Tag Archives: Joanne Guidoccio
10 Interesting Facts About Splash
I like to compare the making of this film to the story of The Little Engine That Could.
When producer Brian Grazer pitched the film, he was repeatedly turned down. At the time, Warner Brothers had lined up Warren Beatty to play the star in another mermaid movie. To sweeten a prospective deal with Walt Disney Productions, director Ron Howard promised to film Splash quickly and cheaply.
Howard kept his promise and produced the film on an $8 million budget. Principal photography began on March 1, 1983 and was completed by June 30, 1983.
Splash grossed $6,174,059 in its opening weekend and finished its domestic run with $69,821,334, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 1984.
As for the film starring Warren Beatty…it eventually fell through.
Here are 10 interesting facts about this popular film:
1. Jeff Bridges, Chevy Chase, Richard Gere, Kevin Kline, Bill Murray, and John Travolta were considered for the lead role before the producers decided upon Tom Hanks.
2. Daryl Hannah was Producers’ Choice #11. Tatum O’Neal, Michelle Pfeiffer, Lynne Frederick, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Genie Francis, Melanie Griffith, Fiona Fullerton, Diane Lane, Kathleen Turner, and Sharon Stone turned down the part of Madison.
3. The beach where Tom Hanks first encounters the nude mermaid is on the former Gorda Cay in the Bahamas.
4. During childhood, Daryl Hannah swam “mermaid” style with her legs bound together.
5. The elaborately designed mermaid tail by Academy Award-winning visual effects artist Robert Short was fully functional, allowing Daryl to swim so fast her safety team could not keep pace with her.
6. The mermaid tail had to be glued onto Daryl before being hand painted, a detailed process that took eight hours. To avoid using the bathroom, Daryl ate and drank very little. She stayed in her water tank and accepted bits of food thrown by the cast and crew.
7. Unfortunately, the tail decomposed very quickly after the movie’s release. Despite its decomposed state, it was put on display in a glass showcase at Planet Hollywood in Orlando, Florida.
8. The name “Madison” rose in popularity soon after the release of Splash. In 1990, it was the 216th most popular name for girls. Five years later, it rose to #29 and by 2000 had become the third most popular female name in the United States.
9. Well received by critics, Splash earned a 92% “Fresh” rating from the website Rotten Tomatoes.
10. Over three decades later, Daryl is still recognized by fans (many of whom have been named after her character Madison) of the 1984 romantic comedy.
From Facts to Fiction
Welcome to my Second Acts Series!
Today, we have Canadian author Judy Penz Sheluk sharing insights from her multi-act life and introducing her debut novel, The Hanged Man’s Noose.
Here’s Judy!
Act One: Childhood Dreams
I can remember reading Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery when I was about eight. It’s the story of Emily Starr of New Moon, Prince Edward Island, and her quest to become a writer/journalist. I remember thinking, “That’s what I want to be when I grow up. I want to be a writer.”
It wasn’t outside of the realm of possibility. I was an avid reader from an early age (my main fare was Nancy Drew; in high school I graduated to Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, and John D. MacDonald. I had good marks in English. I had a plan. Even better, I had a dream.
Act Two: Credit and Collections
The plan changed. Instead of going to school to study journalism, I went to work in the credit department of a major insurance company and took college night classes in business administration and accounting. I worked my way up the corporate ladder, becoming the youngest Division Credit Manager in the company’s history. I still thought about writing, emphasis on thought. I didn’t actually do any writing—unless you count composing collection letters as writing.
I didn’t stay with that insurance company (I wanted to move back to Toronto), but I did stay in the Credit and Collections field, going from company to company as the recession hit and middle management jobs were “right-sized.” I eventually landed at a company two miles from my house. The commute was great. The job was mind-numbingly boring. I started thinking about writing again.
Act Three: Creative Writing Courses
My husband, Mike, bought me a PC and enrolled me in an online Creative Writing school. I whizzed through the 20 course units. Entered and won first prize in a writing contest for beginning writers. Sold a magazine feature article for the princely sum of $75.
That’s when fate intervened. The day I received the check for $75 I received the news that my mind-numbingly boring job was being made redundant. I thought about the job-hopping over the past ten years and I knew I just couldn’t do it any longer.
Mike encouraged me to try freelance writing for a year. If I could earn something—not what I had been earning but at least enough to put food on the table—we’d look at year two.
That was May 2003. I’ve never looked back.
Act Four: Finding Fiction
My freelance writing career took off in leaps and bounds. Before long I was writing regularly for AntiqueWeek, Antique Trader, New England Antiques Journal, Antiques and Collectibles Showcase Canada. Worried I’d be pigeon-holed into writing only for the antiques market, I attended a home building conference in Toronto and landed a few freelance assignments for a handful of home building associations, including Ontario Home Builder and Home Builder Canada. I specialized in “green” building and energy efficiency. Those led to some features in other trade publications. Before long I was writing about farming innovations (I grew up in Toronto, Canada), travel in Manitoba (have never been there) and a host of other things.
In 2007, I was offered the position of Senior Editor for New England Antiques Journal (www.antiquesjournal.com), a job I still have and love. In 2009, I was offered the position of Editor for Home Builder Canada (www.homebuildercanada.com). That took some thought. It would mean giving up some of the freelance work. Then again, it was a sure thing. I accepted the job and continue with it to this day. The bonus of both these gigs is that I work from home and can work my own hours. As long as the work gets done, no one cares WHEN it gets done.
Along the way, I kept taking creative writing courses, both online and in workshop format. I wrote a few short stories, mostly bad, managed to get a couple published. But there was nothing of consequence. And then on Christmas Eve, 2012, I had an ah-ha moment. If I didn’t start writing my novel, it would never get written.
Act Five
With time off between Christmas and New Year’s from all my jobs, the time was right. I started writing The Hanged Man’s Noose on Christmas Eve 2012 and wrote seven days a week until I finished the first draft a few months later. I used to joke that if I was a plumber in my day job it might have been easier. After all, at the end of the day, a plumber (or whatever the job is) looks upon writing as an escape. I went from writing to writing. And yet, The Hanged Man’s Noose was an escape. The world and the characters I created became real to me, and I couldn’t wait to revisit them.
It took the help of a developmental editor and a copyeditor, along with two beta readers to get The Hanged Man’s Noose to the point where it was worthy of sending out for publication. Yes, the editors cost me, but I looked upon the expense as another creative writing course, and the investment was worth every penny. Not only did I polish up the manuscript, I learned what to do (and not do) for the future.
It wasn’t easy, but I landed a contract with Barking Rain Press in July 2014. More editing (this time paid for by the publisher) and in July 2015, The Hanged Man’s Noose was released to the world. You can read all about my publishing journey on my blog. Simply click on the archives, select One Writer’s Journey, and the subhead My Publishing Journey. Start at the beginning, if you dare. It’s all there, the hopes, the dreams, the cheers, the tears…
Blurb
Small-town secrets and subterfuge lead to murder in this fast-moving, deftly written tale of high-stakes real estate wrangling gone amok.
Journalist Emily Garland lands a plum assignment as the editor of a niche magazine based in Lount’s Landing, a small town named after a colorful 19th century Canadian traitor. As she interviews the local business owners for the magazine, Emily quickly learns that many people are unhappy with real estate mogul Garrett Stonehaven’s plans to convert an old schoolhouse into a mega-box store. At the top of that list is Arabella Carpenter, the outspoken owner of an antiques shop, who will do just about anything to preserve the integrity of the town’s historic Main Street.
But Arabella is not alone in her opposition. Before long, a vocal dissenter at a town hall meeting about the proposed project dies. A few days later, another body is discovered, and although both deaths are ruled accidental, Emily’s journalistic suspicions are aroused.
Putting her reporting skills to the ultimate test, Emily teams up with Arabella to discover the truth behind Stonehaven’s latest scheme before the murderer strikes again.
The Hanged Man’s Noose is available at all the usual suspects, including Amazon.
You can also read the first four chapters free here.
Connect with Judy
Sign up for Judy’s blog, where she interviews other authors and blogs about the writing life.
Sign up for Judy’s quarterly newsletter here. The next newsletter is “sometime” in mid-late November.
Find Judy on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest .
Joanne here!
Wow! I’m in awe of your diverse talents and inspiring journey. Best of luck with all your literary endeavors.
Touring with Goddess Fish
It’s my sixth Wednesday on tour with Goddess Fish.
Stop by and visit for a while. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway and qualify to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Today’s stop – Jacquie Biggar’s blog
Visiting and Sharing a Recipe
I’m visiting Addie Jo Ryleigh’s blog and chatting about The Coming of Arabella. I’m also sharing an easy-to-prepare recipe for banana muffins.
If you have a few minutes, drop by Addie Jo’s blog.
November is Manatee Awareness Month
Manatees are large marine mammals that inhabit shallow rivers, canals, saltwater bays, and coastal areas. A migratory species, they spend their winters in the Florida waters and move as far north as Massachusetts and as far west as Texas during the summers.
A bit of history
In his first journey to the Americas, Christopher Columbus caught glimpses of three sea creatures he first believed to be mermaids but had some doubts. He wrote in his journal: “…distinctly saw three mermaids which rose well out of the sea; but they are not so beautiful as they are said to be, for their faces had some masculine traits.”
Manatees must surface to breathe air. They are known to rise out of the sea like the alluring sirens of Greek mythology and often perform “tail stands” in shallow water. From a distance, they could be mistaken for humans. Their forelimbs contain five sets of finger-like bones, and their neck vertebrae allows them to turn their heads.
Interesting manatee facts
Manatees have a higher gray matter to white matter ratio in their brains than any other mammal known, including humans.
Primarily herbivores, manatees can consume fifteen to twenty percent of their body weight in vegetation daily.
While manatees can travel up to 20 miles per hour in short bursts, they usually travel three to five miles per hour. Along the coast, they travel in water that is 10 to 16 feet deep and they are rarely seen in areas over 20 feet deep.
Manatees are not sexually mature until they are about five years old. During breeding, a single female (cow) will be followed by a dozen or more males (bulls), forming a “mating herd.” The gestation period is about a year and mothers nurse their young for one to two years.
They have a lifespan of about 60 years with no known natural enemies. A certain percentage of manatee mortality can be attributed to natural causes such as cold stress, gastrointestinal disease, pneumonia, and other diseases.
Sources of danger
In the past, manatees were exploited for their meat, fat, and hides. But the most significant challenge faced today is the loss of habitat. Increased coastal development and poaching have significantly reduced the size of the manatee population. Experts believe that pollution in these areas may also have an effect on manatee mortality, as chemicals introduced into their habitats can lead to impaired immune systems.
A high number of manatee deaths result from collisions with boats when the mammals are surfacing for air. They are not fast enough to elude the boat propellers and suffer from fatal gashes. Other accidents include entanglement in crab trap lines and ingestion of fish hooks and litter.
Important dates for manatees
1893 – Florida is declared a manatee sanctuary and manatee hunting is illegal.
1907 – Law is revised to impose a fine of $500 and/or six months of jail time for molesting or killing a manatee.
1966 – The manatee became one of 78 original species listed in the Endangered Species Preservation Act.
1972 – The manatee was designated a marine mammal protected under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act. This act prevented the removal of any marine mammal and imposed a fine of up to $2000 and/or one year in jail.
1973 – The Endangered Species Preservation Act was revised to increase federal protection of manatees.
1976 – Sea World of Florida began a Manatee Rescue and Rehabilitation Program.
1978 – The Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act amended the 1907 state law. Florida became an official refuge and sanctuary for the marine mammals. The regulation of boat speeds in areas of manatee inhabitation was now allowed.
1979 – Florida Governor Bob Graham established the first state-designated protection zones and made November Manatee Awareness Month.
1980 – Congress allocated $100,000 to the Marine Mammal Commission and the development of the initial Federal Manatee Recovery Plan.
1981 – Bob Graham and Jimmy Buffett formed the Save the Mantee Committee, the precursor of the Save the Manatee Club, which sought to protect manatees and their habitats.
1996 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service revised the Manatee Recovery Plan Objectives to include the following: assess and minimize causes of manatee mortality and injury, protect essential habitat, determine and monitor the status of the manatee population, coordinate and oversee cooperative recovery work.
Learn more about the Save the Manatee Club’s mission here.
10 Best Moments
I’m thrilled to welcome Louise Lyndon to the Power of 10 series. Today, Louise shares the best moments of her life and her latest release, Of Love and Betrayal.
Here’s Louise!
My best moments, in no particular order:
1. The first time I became an aunt. I was only fourteen, but it was still great!
2. Moving to England. I was 23/24 when I packed up and left my family and moved to the other side of the world. It was terrifying – I had only booked my first night accommodation, I had no job, and very little money. Yet, at the same time – it was exhilarating. I had no idea what was going to happen. Back then, I had no fear.
3. Holding my twin niece and nephew for the first time. They had spent a month in special care and we weren’t allowed to hold them – but when we were, it was brilliant. They were so small I thought I was going to hurt them.
4. Getting my first publishing contract. Even to this day I still can’t believe it! Being published had been a dream of mine for so long, it’s hard to believe it’s actually happened.
5. Know people – aside from family and friends – are actually buying my books. I mean, they’re actually spending their hard earned money on something I’ve written. That’s mind blowing.
6. The day my sister came out of an induced coma. On the day she had her twins, due to complications with eclampsia, her lungs fill with fluid and her heart stopped beating. She had to have heart bypass surgery, and was put into an induced coma for a week. We were told there would only be a 10% chance of her survival and if she did survive she’d have severe brain damage. Well, not only did she survive but there is nothing wrong with her brain!
7. Getting my ‘first sale ribbon’ at the Romance Writers of Australia Conference. When my name was called and I walked up on stage to be presented my ribbon by Graeme Simsion (the guy who wrote The Rosie Effect, and The Rosie Project) was a very special moment for me.
8. Starting and finishing my first Spartan Race. It was an accomplishment – one I never thought I’d be able to do.
9. When, after living in the UK for 16 years, I returned to Australia to live. Don’t get me wrong, I loved living in the UK – but I’m Australian through and through and it was great to return home.
10. Telling someone I loved them – and having them say it back.
Blurb
Aveline de Bondeville is on the run. Determined to keep out of the hands of the cruel Raimbaut de Blois she will do whatever it takes to stay alive. And so when she finds herself in the company of Troy de Gysborne she must quickly decide if she can trust him. But can she confess to murder knowing it would mean her certain death?
Troy de Gysborne did the unthinkable; he tore the bonds of brotherhood and left a path of destruction in his wake. And now Troy must face those he betrayed, including the father who long ago renounced him. But to confess to the crime he committed will cost him everything. Including Aveline. But can he remain silent if it means losing the woman he loves?
Excerpt
Aveline’s scream burned her throat; she tasted blood. Eudes staggered forward, his eyes wide. He looked at her as he fell to his knees and then slumped forward. Bright red blood rushed from his wound and pooled on the ground. She looked at Raimbaut.
“This time you shall not escape.”
She picked up her skirts and ran headlong into the forest and did not slow her speed as branches slapped her in the face and tore at her arms. The ground beneath her feet was icy and uneven. She risked a glance over her shoulder and did not stop even though Raimbaut was nowhere to be seen. He may not have been behind her, but it did not mean he was not stalking her.
Sweat trickled down her face and burned her eyes. Her heart pumped, her lungs gasped for air. She came to a skidding stop and looked wildly around. Should she keep running straight, go left or right, or make her way back to Gysborne? She turned in a circle and shoved her hair from her eyes.
A twig snapped behind her. She stilled and held her breath. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blur rush by. Was it an animal? Was it Raimbaut?
She ignored the pain in her chest and her sudden need to loosen her bladder. But she could not ignore her trembling. She clutched her arms to her chest. A sour taste flooded her mouth as she did not see how she would be lucky enough a second time to escape from Raimbaut.
Buy Links
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook | iBooks
Bio
Louise grew up in country Victoria, Australia, before moving to England, where for sixteen years she soaked up the vibrancy of London and the medieval history of England. She has since returned to Australia and now lives in Melbourne.
In 2013, Louise won first prize in the historical romance category of the Crested Butte Sandy Writing Contest for her story, The Promise, which has since been retitled and is now known as, Of Love & Vengeance.
When not writing, Louise can be found covered in mud, crawling under barbed wire and hoisting herself over twelve foot walls!
Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads
Touring with Goddess Fish
It’s my fifth Wednesday on tour with Goddess Fish.
Stop by and visit for a while. Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway and qualify to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
Today’s stop – Books Chatter blog
Loving These Mermaid Tips
Shortly after starting the Mondays for Mermaids series, I set up a Google alert for “mermaids.” Each day, I receive links to the latest mermaid posts or events. I have used some of the information and have bookmarked links for future reference. But when I received the link to Kayleigh Dray’s post, “23 Tips for the Ultimate Little Mermaid Wedding,” I couldn’t resist sharing.
Not to worry if wedding bells are in the distant future (or past). You can incorporate many of these tips into your next special event.
Visit the post here.
Here’s a sneak peek at three of my favorites…
10 Great Songs
I’m thrilled to welcome Soul Mate author Addie Jo Ryleigh to the Power of 10 series. Today, Addie Jo shares ten great songs and her latest release, The Duke’s Temptation.
Here’s Addie Jo!
I’m always listening to music. When I’m writing. When I’m driving. When I’m working. And just for the heck of it. I often find some great music from movies. Even as a kid I watched a wide range of films and often purchased the soundtrack shortly after watching. A list of ten will never hit on a fraction of the music that fills my iTunes account but I’m happy to share a few.
1. Runaway Train – Soul Asylum – This has been a long time favorite of mine. It could almost win out as my favorite. It is my go-to song when I’m having a bad day. I don’t use the song to lift my spirits, more to let my emotions out.
2. Fancy – Reba McEntire – As much as I love a huge variety of music today, I grew up on country and I don’t think there is a Reba song I don’t like. But nothing will ever beat Fancy.
3. The Night Chicago Died – Paper Lace – I was sixteen when became hooked on the unique sound of this song. Today my boys and I often crank it up on the radio as we are driving.
4. Secret Garden – Bruce Springsteen – It is such a beautiful song. It is impossible to resist.
5. Pocketful of Rainbows – Elvis – I’m hooked on Elvis movies and as a result, I love so many Elvis songs from his movies. This is just one of my favorites.
6. Horses – Rickie Lee Jones – As I write this list, I go back and listen to the songs and I’m reminded of how moving music can be.
7. You Gotta Be – Des’ree – A great message.
8. Someone Like You – Shawn Colvin – She has such an amazing sound and I could have added so many more of her songs.
9. If I Could Turn Back Time – Cher – Wow. Cher. How can she not make a list of ten?
10. The Trouble With Love Is – Kelly Clarkson – If my list was longer, I would have included more recent ones because just like books, there are amazing songs being released every day. This is the most current on my list and I love the soulful sound to it.
Blurb
A Duke. A Runner. An Earl.
Three men, each born into different circumstances. Each fighting to overcome their own adversity.
All striving to change their past.
Gabriel St. James, Duke of Wesbrook, desires any birthright other than being the son of a hideous man. Unfortunately, Gabe knows the exact moment he became like his father—a night that has haunted him for seven years. Resigned to his future, he is unprepared when his illegitimate—and more importantly unbeknown—young daughter appears on his London doorstep. With no one to care for her but him.
Lady Elizabeth Blakely has loved only one man—her brother’s longtime friend, Gabe St. James. Not even his rakish and, oftentimes, wicked behavior dissuades her. Yet it all seems hopeless as he continues to overlook the woman she has become.
When Elizabeth learns Gabe is in need of assistance with his daughter, she seizes the opportunity. Gabe, less than thrilled with the situation—mostly due to his fierce desire for his best friend’s sister—has no option but to concede. Besides, a more sinister threat lurks; someone is blackmailing Gabe with his darkest secret. Through it all, Gabe vows to resist Elizabeth, no matter how tempting.
Sometimes it’s better to surrender . . .
Excerpt
Chapter 1
LONDON, ENGLAND
JULY 1816
Gabriel St. James, the sixth Duke of Wesbrook, locked his gaze on the lady—if one could even call her that. Having never dealt with this particular kind of lady before, he was not acquainted with the proper protocol.
Truth be told, he shouldn’t be so taken aback by the situation. He was, after all, his father’s son, and therefore destined to live the same debauched life. It still burned that after years of struggling against it, in the end, he’d had no choice but to grudgingly accept his place within the family line of scoundrels. His father had made sure there was no alternative.
He narrowed his eyes on the vision before him. To have his debauchery presented in such a fashion was something else entirely. Something he wasn’t certain he could withstand. He couldn’t deny that he gambled more often than not, consumed his fair share of liquor, and was a rake of the first order, but there were some lines he refused to cross. He’d vowed to never fully become his father.
That obviously failed. Not even he could dispute the proof standing there. The very evidence that confirmed he was more like the previous duke than he thought.
As much as he desired it, he could no longer ignore her—all thirty-six inches of her. Despite his confusion, there was no doubt the pixie-faced, three-year-old standing before him was his daughter. His illegitimate daughter.
There, he’d done it. He finally found a word to describe her. Daughter.
Fury pumped through his veins and caused his hand to tighten on the all-too-brief letter that had arrived with her. How the hell could he not have known he’d fathered a child three years ago? Denial might have been his gut reaction but in actuality there wasn’t a need for him to validate the information. He knew it was true. Her features might be feminine, but almost every scrap of her proclaimed she was a Wesbrook. From her wavy ebony hair that gave a hint of unruliness, to the way she raised her tiny chin under his scrutiny.
If that wasn’t enough to give credence to the girl’s lineage, her eyes said the rest. Penetrating blue eyes—a blue so rich it reminded him of the field of cornflowers growing wild on his estate—surrounded by lashes as dark as the night. Only one person had eyes like that.
Cecilia Fairchild, the child’s mother . . . the woman he’d almost married.
Bio
Addie Jo lives in the same cold winter and hot summer area of Minnesota where she was born and raised. Sharing in the raising of her three extremely rambunctious boys is her very understanding husband that so graciously enables her to fulfill her dream of writing. Keeping Addie Jo company while she writes (besides her wonderfully loud children) is her yorkipoo, Bella, who is never far from Addie Jo’s side.
Addie Jo has a bachelor degree in accounting. When not writing, she can most likely be found reading anything that has a great romance involved. When she ventures from behind a book, she enjoys photography and spending time with her family.
Where to find Addie Jo…
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Central
Joanne Guidoccio 