Allow Me To Introduce Myself - And My Other Self: Using a Pen Name

 By Shari Randall

 

Any writer will tell you there are ups and downs on the road to publication. To torture the metaphor, there are washouts, hairpin turns, and dead ends along with the rare, blessed miles of straight-as-a-pin, put-the-top-down-and-blow-your-hair-back Montana highway. I thought I’d managed these changing conditions pretty well until the publication journey threw up a completely unexpected challenge.

 

A hitchhiker.

 

Anyone who’s ever watched horror movies is now having flashbacks and shouting, “Never pick up the hitchhiker!” But since it was required, I took a deep breath, swung open the door, and let her in.

Not only did I let her in, I let her drive.

I picked up a pen name, Meri Allen.

 

“Why a pen name?” readers asked. My agent says “new series new name,” and luckily, the new Ice Cream Shop series has been welcomed with great energy and reviews.

 

But how does one “be” another author? Sally Field in Sybil haunts my dreams. I have questions. What about Meri’s author photo? Should I change my look? Use a disguise? The pandemic already changed my hair color, so at least I have that going for me. A new website is in order, but who gets it, Shari or Meri? How to write Meri’s bio when she doesn’t really exist? 

 

Thank goodness the writing has gone smoothly. Both Meri and Shari adore the same writers and cut their teeth on Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Agatha Christie, Ross MacDonald, and Sue Grafton. They’re both huge Murder, She Wrote fans.

 

Shari’s main character, Allegra “Allie” Larkin is a dancer who works in a lobster shack and discovered a talent for and love of sleuthing. Meri’s main character, Riley Rhodes, is a librarian who worked for the CIA – and had a few undercover assignments on her many travels. Riley’s older and has been around the block a few more times than Allie, but both are independent women, fiercely loyal to their families and friends. Shari set her stories on the Connecticut shoreline, Meri sets hers in a wonderful little spot in Connecticut we call the Quiet Corner. Quiet, except for the murders I've written in. The Lobster Shack Mysteries had definite Gilmore Girls vibes, while Meri’s Ice Cream Shop Mysteries have a Midsomer Murders vibe, darker, as befits a protagonist who has secrets of her own.

 

The writing process took me to some unexpected places, but I’ve come to love Riley and her friends in Penniman, a quintessential New England village with the covered bridge, town green, and locals with generations-long grudges and secrets to prove it. At first it was hard to put aside my Lobster Shack mysteries characters, but I’ve signed on to the Destination Murders anthology series and will bring them back in short stories once a year. I’ll still get to spend time in beloved Mystic Bay. 

 

As a writer, I’ve discovered one big benefit to a pen name. In talking with a friend who uses pen names (three!), I realized a wonderful advantage. Using a pen name gives you clear headspace to write new characters. When I write as “Meri Allen,” it’s easy to switch gears and enter into Riley’s world.

 

To my relief, Meri’s a terrific driver, and I’m enjoying the ride.

 

Writers, have you ever used a pen name? What was your experience? Readers, what do you think about authors using pen names?

 

Shari Randall is the author of the Lobster Shack Mystery series. The first in series, Curses, Boiled Again, won an Agatha Award for Best First Novel.

 

Meet Meri on social media. She’ll, well, we’ll be celebrating her new book, The Rocky Road to Ruin, with lots of giveaways and fun, plus sharing all things cozy New England and ice cream galore!

 

Check out The Rocky Road to Ruin here.

Instagram: @meriallenbooks

Facebook: Meri Allen Books

July 14-26: Win a paperback copy of The Rocky Road to Ruin! Macmillan has set up a Goodreads Giveaway! 

Summer time and the livin' was easy...

 by Mary Lee Ashford

Summer time and the livin' was easy... so goes the song.

Here it is - already the first of July and here in the Midwest we are definitely feeling the heat of summer. And the humidity...

I can't even imagine what it's like for some of you who are seeing triple-digit temps. I'm thankful every day that my air-conditioning is working and that I'm not relying on a fan like we did when I was a kid. 

Because I grew up in a very small town, my summers were mostly spent hanging out with friends and reading. 

When I think of summers growing up, I think of the sweet tea that my mom would steep in a pot on the stove and then cool and pour over ice.  In my mind I can smell the green grass that cushioned the blanket in the backyard where I'd park myself for hours with the latest book I'd checked out from the library. A comfy spot and usually a  radio along for a little background music. Now, I'm dating myself, aren't I? 

Different summers, different tastes in reading but always the backyard and a book. One summer I devoured Trixie Belden books. Another time it was Nancy Drew. My mom was an Agatha Christie fan and one summer I started on her collection of mysteries. 

There were chores to do, of course. But in retrospect, life really was pretty slow and easy. Not much rushing about. Time for really diving into a good book. 

What memories come to mind for you when you think about your summers growing up? Were you busy with activities or were your summer days slow and easy like mine? Any favorite reads come to mind? 

Leave a comment below and on Friday, I'll draw a name to receive a fun summer bag and a copy of my most recent book, Quiche of Death. (Or if you already have that one, thank-you for that, and we'll figure out a different one.) 

Mary Lee Ashford is a lifelong bibliophile, an avid reader, and supporter of public libraries. In addition to writing the Sugar & Spice mysteries series for Kensington Books, she also writes as half of the writing team of Sparkle Abbey. Prior to publishing she won first place in the Daphne du Maurier contest sponsored by the Kiss of Death chapter of RWA. 

She's the founding president of Sisters in Crime - Iowa and loves encouraging other writers. Mary Lee has a passionate interest in creativity and teaches a university level course on the topic. In her day job, she is a Deputy Chief Information Officer, and is happy to answer technology questions but probably can't fix your computer. She resides in Iowa with her husband, Tim, and Zoey the cat. Her delights are reading and enjoying her family, especially her six grandchildren. Her family has come to terms with the idea that plotting murders is a frequent topic at family gatherings. 

Quiche of Death - Book 3 in the Sugar & Spice series

When editor Sugar Calloway and baker Dixie Spicer went into business creating cookbooks, they found a sideline as amateur sleuths. Now a bitter family grudge could leave a fatal aftertaste…

At Sugar & Spice Community Cookbooks, the friends and business partners have secured a tasty new commission: producing a cookbook for the Arbor family. The Arbors have made their fortune in quiches, and Sugar and Spice have been invited to a weekend gathering where all the siblings, along with crusty matriarch Marta, will be in attendance. But it’s soon clear that this trip will come with a hefty slice of drama.

Theo, the only grandson, arrives with his flaky fiancée, Collette, who quickly stirs up trouble . . . and is found dead the next day. As the investigation unfolds, secrets—and recipes—are shared, and Sugar and Spice realize just how messy and murderous the situation may be. As another family member falls ill, can they solve the case without getting egg on their faces . . .and a target on their backs?

Amazonkindle Apple Google Kobo Nook

The Marketing Paradox

by Bethany Maines

A funny thing happens when you begin marketing book. Suddenly a project that has been intensely personal becomes public property. And even worse, once it’s public, the public begin to have opinions about it. (The nerve!) And as much as an author wants everyone to universally love our precious baby novel, not everyone is going to. From reading while in a bad mood, to just not being someone’s cup of tea, not everyone is going to like a book.

But even if everything does go as smoothly as possible and someone does love the book, suddenly ownership becomes shared with everyone who loves it. The story takes up residence in someone else's head which, for an author who has had those characters living in her head for months or years, is intensely strange and disconcerting. With each book I write I start out wanting to share about it immediately.  It’s like falling in love.  You’ve met these wonderful, hilarious, romantic, daring people and you want to tell everyone about them. But as I move into the marketing stage I find that in some ways I become more protective of my characters and story. Please love that one even though I’ve made him annoying.  And don’t make fun of her – she has hidden depths! Although, yes, go ahead and hate him.  We all should hate him.

Except that a book needs to be shared to be successful. I want strangers to talk about it, readers to review it, and friends to share it. Those things are literally what make a book a success. It is a very strange dichotomy of wanting to shout as loud as possible while at the same time hoping nobody looks at me while I'm doing it. So nobody look at me while I say this next bit...

The Second Shot is coming out in two weeks!!! Please share the news with others. A drunken mistake in college cost US Marshall Maxwell Ames the love of Dominique Deveraux. Six years later, he’s determined to fix the slip-up, but there’s just one tiny problem: someone wants the Deveraux family dead. Now Max must make sure that the only one getting a second shot at Dominique is him.

Pre-order on all epub platforms (Kindle coming soon!): CLICK HERE

Want a chance to win a free print edition of The Second Shot? Enter to win at Goodreads!   CLICK HERE to Enter!

---

Bethany Maines is the award-winning author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, San Juan Islands Mysteries, Shark Santoyo Crime Series, and numerous short stories. When she's not traveling to exotic lands, or kicking some serious butt with her black belt in karate, she can be found chasing her daughter or glued to the computer working on her next novel. You can also catch up with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

The American Library Association Conference AKA Book Heaven

by Shari Randall

You may know me as the author of the Lobster Shack Mystery series, but this week I get to wear another hat, that of Library Liaison for Sisters in Crime.

Part of the Library Liaison gig is organizing the Sisters in Crime booth for the American Library Association's convention in Washington, DC June 21-24. After years working in children's services at a public library in Virginia, it will feel good to be back in the library world, even if it's only for a weekend.

Never been to ALA? It's book heaven. The ALA Conference is a souk of ideas, connections, and fun. Dozens of authors will appear on panels and sign books. There's a Cooking Stage to celebrate cookbooks with live demonstrations. Speakers! This year the speakers include Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor, award winning children's author Jason Reynolds, tv talk show star Hoda Kotb, comedian Mo Rocca, graphic novel legend Frank Miller, publishing sensation Tomi Adeyemi, and Star Trek icon George Takei. Talk about something for everyone!

The Exhibit Hall, with hundreds of booths and displays by publishers and other businesses related to libraries, is just as exciting as the speakers. Because librarians are taste makers and influencers, publishers entice them with heaps of swag and give away advance readers copies of books they hope will become best sellers  - stacks of them. Because wheeled carts have been banned from the hall, librarians struggle to get all the free books home - you'll see them weighed down by bulging tote bags, but smiling through. All those books are a nice problem to have.

But the thing I'm most excited about is the chance to tell librarians, publishers, and readers about Sisters in Crime. Sisters in Crime is a world-wide organization devoted to promoting the advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers.

And we love libraries! Tell your librarian friends to stop by the SINC Booth 1353. We're doing a giveaway called It's Raining Books. The library that wins the giveaway will receive a shower of books from over 100 authors - best sellers, award winners, mysteries, thrillers, romantic suspense. The best part? As any librarian who has hauled home all those ARCS can attest, the only downside of ALA is getting all the books home. Well, Sisters in Crime will ship the shower of books to the winning library. #freeshipping

We also offer the Doris Ann Norris We Love Libraries grant. SINC gives a $1,000 grant to one library per month. You can find out more here.
See you at the conference!

National Writing Month

By Bethany Maines

National Novel Writing Month, officially abbreviated to NaNoWriMo, is now over and many of my writer friends are crawling out of their holes with fingers permanently curved into the typing position and blinking around at the world that they left behind.  Essentially, we’re all Gollum.  What did we learn?  What did we accomplish? Other than scoliosis and arthritic fingers.

The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write fifty thousand words, the general baseline amount for a complete novel. I’ve completed a NaNoWriMo before, but my goal this year was to complete about half the word count and outline the rest of a novel that’s been lingering out on the edges for awhile.  I didn’t make it.  I made the word count, but I filled it on two different projects, neither of which was what I set out to work on. 

One project was a holiday short story for a holiday giveaway with several other authors I know from my time at the Girlfriend’s Book Club.  (Enter below).  I’ll also be sending my story to everyone in my Reader’s Group, whether they win the raffle or not.  So that was not time wasted!  But it wasn’t exactly the challenge I was setting out to meet.

I think the interesting thing about NaNoWriMo is that imposition of an immovable deadline.  There is no flex and no one you can complain to if you’re not going to make it. We all deal with deadlines (even self-imposed deadlines) in different ways.  Some of us rise to the occasion, some of us rail against “the man” and some of us quietly head out of the office for a drink.  I think you could safely say that I headed out for happy hour.  So now I’m scrambling to reapply my deadline to December.  That outline still needs to be written, my rough draft still needs to be started.  Will I make it?  We’ll find out in January.

Enter to win one of 50 copies of Baby it's Cold Outside, a not-for-sale collection of holiday stories from USA Today & Kindle Bestselling Authors!  Including Oh, Holy Night - The Christmas Season is a lot more dangerous than it used to be.Violet Harper is usually found at her local Starbucks. Roman Knox is usually carrying a gun. Tonight they’re both in a bank and there’s a body on the floor. It’s a mess, but maybe a Christmas miracle can get them out of the bank and into love.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Creepies, Crawlies & Other Scary Things Like Politics

by Bethany Maines

Welcome to the Halloween / Election Season where we're all hiding under our covers and hoping that come sunrise it will all be over and the tangerine menace will have gone back under his rock.  I don't know about you, but I long for the days when October child safety meant checking the candy for tampering, not checking the news for use of the word "pussy".  When the boomers talk about bringing back the "good old-days" I nod along, but I'm pretty sure we're talking about different old days.  My definition of good old days was when I didn't have to listen to a year-long build up to an election.  So, basically, 1984. Can Back to the Future happen now?  

Sadly, Doc Brown has not turned up to rescue me. So I'm forced to devise my own escape plan.  It's called books. I'm going to bury my nose in a book or computer and read and write my way through October. In case you wish to enact your own escape plan, I'm offering this giveaway opportunity from my publishing company Blue Zephyr Press.  Enter for a chance to win a $75 Amazon Gift Card, one of three print novels (Exile by Karen Harris Tully, An Unseen Current by Bethany Maines, and Perfect Likeness by J.M. Phillippe), and one lucky winner will win five e-books (Exile and Inheritance by Karen Harris Tully, An Unseen Current and Wild Waters by Bethany Maines, and Perfect Likeness by J.M. Phillippe).  Contest runs through 10/30/16.  Tweet for extra entries!

>>ENTER CONTEST AT RAFFLECOPTER<<

***

Bethany Maines is the author of the Carrie Mae Mysteries, Wild Waters, Tales from the City of Destiny and An Unseen Current.  You can also view the Carrie Mae youtube video or catch up with her on Twitter and Facebook.

Where Do You Read?

by Sparkle Abbey

We just spotted a great article on the BookBub Blog about places to read. Check it out: How to Create the Perfect Reading Nook. 

 Aren’t those some gorgeous reading nooks?

But the truth is most of us don’t have the luxury of the “perfect” place to read. So we improvise.

We find places to read. Coffee shops, libraries, easy chairs. Some maybe slightly imperfect, but we make it work.

Some readers like the buzz of others around them and can read in the midst of a rambunctious family and a blaring television. Others prefer the quiet of some alone time with their reading.

There are those who read while they exercise and others curl up in a chair or snuggle under the covers with their book. Busy parents sometimes sneak in a few pages while waiting to pick up children at school.  Commuters take advantage of time on the train to immerse themselves in a story.

In fact there are so many unusual places to read that Goodreads did a poll: What are the most unusual positions (or places) you find yourself in while reading a book? You can see the wide variety of responses here.  Goodreads Poll Voting is over but it’s still. an interesting list.

The thing is, those of us with a love of the written will find a place to read. Check out our Pinterest board Books and Book Stuff for some other great book nooks. 

What about you? Where do you read? 

Leave a comment below to be entered in the #giveaway for a free Sparkle Abbey book and "mobile reading nook" care kit.  Would you like a second entry in the drawing? Sign up for updates on our website at www.sparkleabbey.com 

In our most recent book, The Girl with the Dachshund Tattoo, we revisit lovely Laguna Beach and some of the colorful characters readers have requested make return engagements. It features Melinda Langston and her quirky assistant, Betty Foxx, in the cutthroat world of Doxie racing. Cheating, doping, gambling. Controversy lies at every turn and it seems everyone has a secret – including Betty. 

Next up? Book 7: Downton Tabby  Tea, crumpets…and murder. 

If you read my post from a few weeks ago you’ll know that I was anxiously awaiting the ARC of my next book.  It was so close to perfect.  So close, but not actually perfect.  The inside looks great, but there was a tiny little printing error on the cover and the top of the letters that made up title were chopped off!  Sigh. But what’s bad for me could be good for you!  Leave a comment here or on Facebook for a chance to win this slightly not right advance copy of Tales From the City of Destiny.  I will select one commenter at random and announce it on the Stiletto Gang Facebook page tomorrow!

In other, non-book related news, the Seahawks won their game and are headed for the Super Bowl. Now maybe you don’t care, but I live in Tacoma, which is 45 minutes from Seattle and EVERYONE cares.  Although apparently, in the rest of the country, they only care that Seahawks Cornerback Richard Sherman was, to put it in the vernacular, kind of a dick to another player and then shot his mouth off on national TV.  I’m not sure where you come down on the unsportsman like conduct issue, but I come down on the side of not giving a crap. Sure, I disapprove. His behavior violated the prime directive of proper societal behavior, also known as the Golden Rule, also known as “Don’t be a dick.”  But considering that there are people out there suffering from actual problems, whether or not Richard Sherman’s behavior is a sign of the coming apocalypse (hint: it isn’t) does not occupy a great deal of my brain space. But you know the part of my brain it does occupy?  The part that thinks, “That’s an interesting character. An hour after losing his temper he’s joking and charming in a custom cut suit and a bow tie (because bow ties are cool).  Where can I use that?  I’m not sure I’m comfortable writing someone like that.  Maybe that’s why I should write someone like that.” 

Which is how I came to the conclusion that I should write someone like Richard Sherman – brash, excitable, charming, angry, and talented. Because half of writing is about challenging my skills. Not just the mechanics of how to construct a more elegant sentence, but how to build realistic characters that aren’t like me. Staying in the safe zone with my characters and my emotions means that my books will become flat and repetitive. If I’m not looking to understand other types of people – Richard Sherman or anyone else that’s different from me – then how can my writing grow?

Bethany Maines is the author of the Carrie Mae Mystery series and Tales from the City of Destiny. You can also view the Carrie Mae youtube video or catch up with her on Twitter and Facebook.

THE TESTING - Giveaway!

by: Joelle Charbonneau

As I am frantically typing the final chapters to GRADUATION DAY (book 3 of The Testing Trilogy), I have found that my ability to multitask has become severely impacted.  Getting to THE END tends to give me tunnel vision. Nothing exists but completing the story.  Then the fun of editing will begin. I look forward to that part a great deal and can't wait to dig in. 

Hopefully, by the time you are reading this, I will have reached the final moments of this trilogy.  This has been an unusual project for me since I will finish writing and revising the third book long before the first book comes out on June 4th.  Hopefully, readers will embrace Cia and that I have done justice to her story.  She is a heroine I have loved watching grow and change.

To celebrate my (almost) completion of the final book, I am going to give away an ARC of THE TESTING.

It’s graduation day for sixteen-year-old Malencia Vale, and the entire Five Lakes Colony (the former Great Lakes) is celebrating. All Cia can think about—hope for—is whether she’ll be chosen for The Testing, a United Commonwealth program that selects the best and brightest new graduates to become possible leaders of the slowly revitalizing post-war civilization. When Cia is chosen, her father finally tells her about his own nightmarish half-memories of The Testing. Armed with his dire warnings (”Cia, trust no one”), she bravely heads off to Tosu City, far away from friends and family, perhaps forever. Danger, romance—and sheer terror—await. 


THE TESTING is a bit different from my adult mysteries.  No camels or angry standard poodles.  No singing and dancing or roller skating.  But I'm hoping you'll still like it.  Please leave a comment below to enter (US and CANADA only - sorry!).  I'll choose the winning commenter on Friday.  Also please leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.   

Okay - back to racing to THE END!   

Living vicariously through my characters

Hello, Stiletto Gang, and thanks to my buddy, Joelle Charbonneau, for inviting me to chat with you today. I hate to get off to a bad start, but frankly, I have a bone to pick with all of you who wear stilettos—and now I see you’ve formed a gang?!!!

 You see, I’m an unwillingly reformed shoe-aholic. I didn’t even get to go through the twelve-step program. Pretty high-heeled shoes to me were an addiction. I’d buy so many pairs I’d hide them in the trunk of my car. That worked until my husband came in, arms full, and said, where do you want these?

He knew. He always knew… Let’s call him my enabler.
 

Nothing could cure me. Well, until, I developed the gasp—bunion—and putting on pretty stilettos felt like I was wearing nails on the sides of my feet. Over the years, the heels got lower and lower, while the bunion got wider and wider. Just had surgery to correct it, and I’ve been off weight-bearing, going on six weeks. Slowly, I’m making my way back up to tennis shoes.

I should despise stilettos, right? Wrong. Seriously, it’s my addiction. One of the women in my local chapter wears such beautiful pumps. Sparkly and shimmering those shoes of hers make me want to rush out and buy some to add to the boring, sensible ones in my closet. Alas, anything over two-inches would sit gathering dust.

Don’t feel too sorry for me (I’ve already cornered that market). I now live vicariously through my characters. In DEADLY RECALL, my recently released Romantic Suspense from Bell Bridge Books, Eden Moran my protagonist wears the man-killer shoes I cannot. But…like a sponsor in A.A., I felt it only fair to warn my readers that heels aren’t all that:

Excerpt of Deadly Recall and my public service warning . . . 

Traveling at a fast clip in four-inch stilettos when you’re calm was foolhardy. Walking in them when you’re angry bordered on suicidal. Her thoughts must have transferred to her feet. Eden stumbled. And wouldn’t you know it the good detective had hung around to witness. He reached out to steady her as Father Slater stepped out of the bridal room.

And . . .

Well, that was that, Eden thought, as she pulled into her covered parking space next to the commercial building that housed her loft. Using the Honda’s trunk for support, she tugged off her heels. It might take a day or two to regain her spirits, but she’d damned well relieve her aching feet now.

End of Public Service Announcement 

I may not be able to wear beautiful, sexy shoes anymore. But my heroines do. And another thing, for anyone who has ever met me, I’ve been blessed―or cursed―with Irish skin. I’m so fair that after one outing on a lake when I sunburned so badly I required medical care, the doctor said to me, “Will you face it. You’re never going to be a Copper Tone baby.”

Dumb doctor. What does he know? All right. I didn’t go to medical school and he did, I get it. Like my shoes, I’ve given up spending long hours in the sun. Or if I do, I wear hats, or I take an umbrella. I still find ways to satisfy my cravings. I give my characters the traits and abilities I’ve been forced to give up. And although I make them suffer in other ways, darned if they aren’t able to tan. Don’t worry, I do have a rather strong conscience – no matter how beautiful their skin tone, they always wear sunscreen.

So what about you? Is something off limits to you that you’ve found a way to live vicariously through? Isn’t reading the best escape ever? I’d love to hear about your escapes, and to one commenter, I’ll give away either a paperback or a digital copy of my new release, DEADLY RECALL. Thanks for having me, Joelle!  

A terrifying memory is locked deep inside her. A killer wants to keep it that way. Nine-year-old Eden Moran thought she was saying good-bye to her mentor that fateful day in St. Patrick’s. She had no idea she’d witness the nun’s demise, or that her child’s mind would compensate. Now seventeen years later, Albuquerque cops have unearthed human remains, and the evidence points to Eden as being the key to solving Sister Beatrice’s murder. When a hellbent cop applies pressure, Eden stands firm. She doesn’t remember the woman. Unfortunately for Eden, Sister Beatrice’s killer will do whatever it takes to keep it that way.  

Donnell Ann Bell is a two-time Golden Heart® finalist who previously worked for a weekly business newspaper and a parenting magazine. Her debut novel The Past Came Hunting became an Amazon bestseller, reaching as high as #6 on the paid overall list and finaling in 2012 Gayle Wilson Award for Excellence, RWA’s® Greater Detroit Bookseller’s Best, and the 2012 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense. Deadly Recall, brought to you by Bell Bridge Books, is her second published novel. Learn more about Donnell at www.donnellannbell.com

Sanctuary

Please give a fabulous Stiletto Gang welcome to the talented Anna Lee Huber.  She is the debut author of The Anatomist's Wife which hit shelves last week.  And make sure you keep reading because you might get the chance to win her amazing book.  (And if you don't, you should check it out.  You won't be disappointed!)  So without further ado, take it away, Anna!

I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of sanctuary, of sacred places and safe havens.  I know when someone uses the word “sanctuary,” most people think of churches and cathedrals, of Quasimodo screaming it from the top of the Notre Dame Cathedral.  But I’m talking about it more in the context of a personal refuge, a place of comfort and security.  Somewhere you can go to escape when the world becomes too much, to grieve when you face loss, to reflect when you feel lost, and to find the strength and serenity to move forward, both for yourself and the ones you love. 

I believe everyone has a sanctuary in one form or another, whether they realize it or not.  When things go wrong, it’s the place you crave, the destination you long to run to, where you know you’ll find your center again.  Sometimes your sanctuary is a specific physical space, like a room or a car, other times it’s a general location, like a hiking trail, a forest, or a beach.  And still for others, like me, it’s more of a space of time. 

I have always been drawn to sunset.  I don’t know why exactly, but something about it calls me to me.  When I was a little girl, we lived in the country, and I would often wander out into our large backyard and find a soft patch of grass or snow to lie in and stare up at the sky.  I would watch the brilliant play of light fade from the sky and the stars begin to appear one by one.  Something about the simple but awe-inspiring transition of day giving over to night would stir my soul and yet soothe me.  Even my parents understood this, and allowed me to wander off as long as I was properly attired, so as not to freeze to death in our chilly winters. 

Sunset—the wide-open sky and spectacular change over of day to night—was my sanctuary.  And still is, though living in the city as I do, surrounded by tight-packed houses, I don’t lie down in my backyard anymore.  Maybe one day I’ll live far enough from my neighbors to feel comfortable doing so again. 

 

In my debut novel, The Anatomist’s Wife, my heroine, Kiera, Lady Darby, also has a sanctuary—the library loft at Gairloch Castle—where her sister, Alana, finds her after Kiera has once again faced vicious accusations and name-calling. 

We sat that way for several minutes, staring past the wooden banister, out at the ceiling of the library.  A large mural depicting the life of Saint Andrew, patron saint of Scotland, covered the entire space from one wall to another.  Though it was certainly not the work of Michelangelo, it had a charming rustic quality I found soothing.  None of the colors were deep or the lines sharp, but the muted shades and blurred lines were somehow appropriate to its location in the far north of the Highlands.

Alana had asked me once why I liked the library loft so much, but I hadn’t been able to explain it to her.  Perhaps there was some sense of peace being so high above it all, with the saint on the ceiling my closest neighbor.  All I knew was that I always felt better, that my thoughts were always clearer, when I was curled up in the little space below the eaves.

 

Do you have a sanctuary?  Where or what is it?

Berkley has graciously offered to give away a copy of the Anatomist's wife (US Only).  Leave a comment today to be entered to win.  Good luck!

The Anatomist's Wife

 

Scotland, 1830. Following the death of her husband, Lady Darby has taken refuge at her sister's estate, finding solace in her passion for painting. But when her hosts throw a house party for the cream of London society, Kiera is unable to hide from the ire of those who believe her to be as unnatural as her husband, an anatomist who used her artistic talents to suit his own macabre purposes. Kiera wants to put her past aside, but when one of the house guests is murdered, her brother-in-law asks her to utilize her knowledge of human anatomy to aid the insufferable Sebastian Gage-a fellow guest with some experience as an inquiry agent. While Gage is clearly more competent than she first assumed, Kiera isn't about to let her guard down as accusations and rumors swirl. When Kiera and Gage's search leads them to even more gruesome discoveries, a series of disturbing notes urges Lady Darby to give up the inquiry. But Kiera is determined to both protect her family and prove her innocence, even as she risks becoming the next victim...

 

Anna Lee Huber was born and raised in a small town in Ohio.  She is a graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN, where she majored in Music and minored in Psychology.  THE ANATOMIST'S WIFE, the first book in the Lady Darby historical mystery series, has been hailed as “…a riveting debut…” and will be released by Berkley Publishing on November 6^th, 2012.  She currently lives in Indiana with her husband and troublemaking tabby cat.  When not hard at work on her next novel, she enjoys reading, singing, travel, and spending time with her family. Visit her website at www.annaleehuber.com.

 

Facebook: AuthorAnnaLeeHuber

Twitter: AnnaLeeHuber

Holiday Giveaway! by Misa Ramirez

Christmas traditions center around the magic of holiday stories. It's a Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Olive the Other Reindeer, Gift of the Magi, 101 Questions about Santa Claus, The Christmas Box... I could go on and on. What better way to celebrate than by means of a holiday giveaway!

This week, I'm giving away one of the following

(winner's choice!)

• ~a bag of books
• ~signed copies of Living the Vida Lola and Hasta la Vista, Lola!
• ~or a $20 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble

All you have to do is download a copy of ONE of the three e-books I have available, then leave a comment here that you did!

~CURSED (Kindle)

~CURSED (NOOK)

~THE CHAIN TREE (KINDLE)

~THE CHAIN TREE (NOOK)

~THE LOLA CRUZ CHRISTMAS STORY (KINDLE)

~THE LOLA CRUZ CHRISTMAS STORY (SMASHWORDS--for any platform!)

That's all it takes to be entered into the drawing!

You don't need an e-reader, remember! Downloads can also be read right on your computer in PDF form, or you can download the Kindle or Nook app for your computer.

For extra entries, help spread the word!:

~tweet this post (and let me know you tweeted)

~Facebook the post (and tag me @misa.ramirez and/or @Author-Melissa-BourbonMisa-Ramirez/)

~download more than one of the books ~ one entry per book/story!

As always, thanks for loving books and reading!!

Hop on over to Books on the House for book giveaways EVERY WEEK!

HaPpY HoLiDaYs!!

(Remember to leave a comment for a chance to win our Stiletto Gang holiday Amazon giveaway!)

* note: prices for Cursed and The Chain Tree have not yet been reduced to $2.99 at B&N, but soon!