Friday Photos - Tiger Lily

May 1, 2015

Although I'm not a huge fan of lilies in flower arrangements (I find the smell overpowering when it's near), I do love the look of a lily. And I love it when they are blooming all along the path in the park. These ones grow to nearly four feet!

I'm still a bit confused by the difference between day lilies and tiger lilies, but after reading ehow's description, I'm pretty confident this is a lily (upright, leaves pointed back, tall, blooms last a week or more. And a tiger lily because of the gorgeous color.

Just a few months until they are seen again! Meanwhile, I need to take some pictures of the current tulip crop in the park...

Ahh, spring!

Friday Photos - Sunset in Cape May

April 24, 2015

Now that spring is nearly here, I'm thinking of summer again! Here's a shot from a few years ago of a beautiful clear sunset at Cape May. The Atlantic here can be messy, and cold, and rough, and dirty--but sometimes it's just glorious!

Long-term love...

April 23, 2015

As a romance editor, I'm usually in it for the quick rush of falling in love. The chemistry, the attraction, the cute-meet and the falling in love. Will they or won't they? How will it happen? And then a nice epilogue with the kids and family and future all settled.

All of that is truly wonderful, and I won't be giving it up at any point!

But last weekend I was at my uncle and aunt's 50th wedding anniversary. Another aunt and uncle celebrated last year, and yet another the year before that. My parents are next year, and another uncle and aunt a few months later. (Yes, big Irish family!)

Looking around the room at all who had come to celebrate--family, friends, children and grandchildren, their siblings local and from Ireland, a cousin just announcing her pregnancy, kids running their trucks over the dance floor, the band that had been at my cousin's wedding a dozen or more years ago and more--just reaffirmed what a triumph it is to get to this stage in such a solid relationship.

They had some pictures revolving from first meeting till present, and friends and family made appearances. Seeing the tight bond we shared through the years--and squealing at the outfits and hairstyles--brought us closer together again.

In the next couple of weeks are communions and then maybe a christening later in the year. Holidays, parties, celebrations big and small. My niece is playing against my cousin's kids in T-Ball, and I want to cheer them both on (cause no score in T-Ball!).

So throughout this musing, I guess I'm just really happy to be able to celebrate these moments. I admire the strength and determination that got those couples to this milestone. And yep, hoping there will be a lot more milestones to share.

Congratulations all who make it through the year after year after year and can still smile...

Keir's Dream

April 15, 2015

Yesterday, my gorgeous (very mischievous) nephew told me about his dream. It's imaginative, exciting, adventurous and fun (as well as a bit choppy) and I promised to share it with the world. (You might realize we watched all three versions of Shrek multiple times this week!)

Here goes!

Keir:

I was in school and I found this pink thing on the ground and I picked it up and everyone was trying to get it off me because it was rare. Then a dog ran up to me and said "I will give you a lift to Rodney Gardens because that thing is really rare."

My friends from Rodney Gardens were there singing and lots of Primary 7s were playing the violin. Puss N Boots came and tried to get the pink thing off me and the dog ran away faster than Puss N Boots. The dog ran away faster than Puss N Boots, but because Puss is also a cat, he ran away too.

My friends from school jumped on the dog and we all went back to school. Robin Hood and his Merry Men were there and they stabbed me in three places. In the stomach in the front of the knee and back of the knee. I went to school and was late for lunch and saw Fergal (from Shrek) crying because his mom and dad were kissing.

And then I woke up.

Friday Photos - Roar!

March 26, 2015

I was in the Bronx Zoo one August afternoon a few years ago and saw this magnificent creature crossing the enclosure. Wow! There's power and intensity in the gaze. I was torn between wanting to run my fingers through the fur and staying far far away behind the glass.

Luckily the walls didn't give me an option. :)

Happy news!

March 26, 2015

I was on vacation in sunny Aruba for two weeks (perhaps more to come on that!) when I got a wonderful email from the RWA.

I've been chosen for this year's Vivian Stephens Industry Award!

In addition to the RITA and Golden Heart author/book awards (to be announced today!), the RWA gives a couple of other awards at their ceremonies to booksellers, librarians, members of RWA, authors, media and so forth.

"The RWA Vivian Stephens Industry Award is presented to one or more professionals in the romance-publishing industry, who is not a writer, who has contributed to the genre or to RWA in a significant and/or continuing manner." (as per the RWA site).

It's not given every year, and so is a very special honor. I'm in with some great company on the list of former recipients!

So I'll definitely be celebrating in NYC at this year's RWA National award.

Hurray!

And thanks to everyone who has been congratulating, commenting and supporting me now and all these years.

I'm very happy!

Matrice

Friday Photos - Amaryllis bloooms

March 13, 2015

I do like the Amaryllis for the beautiful flowers that seem to come up so suddenly! I usually have the green stems growing in my apartment window and every so often I turn and it seems as though the flowers simply appeared! They grow so fast and tall they need some bracing, but then they bloom so beautifully in the window. And I like that they'll usually bloom twice a year and then just give long green leaves until they are ready to go again.

A One and a Two and a Three... (in a series...)

March 11, 2015

So much of the hard work for an author is creating the rules of your own world. Who are the characters, what is the weather, who is related, what form is the magic, what has changed in this world, who is the outsider, where do people go to meet--the list is practically endless. And once an author has created a world--whether contemporary or fantasy--it's easy to just continue with that setting.

But the author then has to figure out a couple of things. Is it a tight series with a definite end? A mystery to be solved over four books, three siblings to get married off or such? Is it a loose series, where it just continues with a focus on different characters in the town? (just be aware you might be writing to diminishing returns if it goes on too long) Are you going to be able to continue to publish this series with some regularity?

And of course an early decision is will the series focus on one character or couple over the course of three to a dozen titles? Or will it move between different viewpoint characters with a romance happening in each book?

Although sometimes you might just fall into a series, I do think that once you realize you have more characters and conflicts to explore, you need to start laying out the groundwork and giving some thought to your overall goal and direction. You've got to start with compelling characters--and also some fascinating secondary characters that will have an impact.

And you've got to allow some opportunities for growth and change over the course of the titles. Sometimes you also have to keep in mind what is happening in the character's lives--only six months have passed in three books!--but also what's happening in the reader's attitude--six years have passed and nothing has happened!

One other thing to keep in mind in later books--while it's great to revisit the first couples, if each book has the ten previous couples making an appearance it might be taking up too much of this book's focus. You don't want to spend time explaining who every other person and their relationship is. (OTOH, I do recommend a section on a website listing the central characters of each book so a reader can quickly find the one they need!)

There is so much more to consider with a series I'll no doubt get around to it again.

Meanwhile, any favorite elements in a series?

Enjoy!

Friday Photos - Tulips

March 6, 2015

I love how tulips look in the sun with the sheerness between the overlapping petals and their softness. It always does mean that spring is just about here. And I think we need this reminder with the upcoming cold weather still hanging on! I hope these are safe under the snow and I'll see their descendants when I'm walking in the park in April....