Friday, January 31, 2014

A PINCH OF THIS...A DASH OF THAT!

Guest blog by Kathryn Johnson (aka Mary Hart Perry)

       Perhaps it’s because I love to cook—buttery popovers, succulent roast chicken, sweet and moistly rich red-velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing (really, whatever suits my mood)—that I often think of novel writing in the same way. I start with a hunger for a particular mix of story elements, grab my ingredients, and get to work. The desire to experiment and create is something we all share—whether that means baking, writing, or tinkering with car engines. If, like me, your reading tastes are eclectic—and you also enjoy writing fiction—you, too, might consider mixing genres not only in your to-be-read pile but also in your to-be-written file.

         Here’s where it starts for many of us. . . One lazy Saturday you’re in the mood for an edge-of-the-chair thriller. Another evening you long to mellow out with a moving love story. Still another day your brain cells call out for challenging mystery or a mind-blowing adventure set in an exotic locale. There certainly are a great many exciting thrillers, romances, and adventure stories being written by talented authors today. But I guess I’m a little greedy. I want it all. All in one book, that is.

And that—pure selfishness—is the raison d’ĂȘtre for the series I’ve been working on for the past few years. If I were to apply a label to these novels—three published, so far—I’d call them romantic Victorian thrillers. The ingredients are drawn from my favorite genres: mystery, romance, and historical fiction. And the recipe is this: Each novel, so far, is based on real events surrounding Queen Victoria’s family and features one of the little queen’s three daughters as the protagonist. Based in fact and the Victorian era, I’m able to satisfy my love of history. But then the creative writer takes over—after all, I’m not penning a biography or history text—and I develop an interesting mystery with quickly paced thriller element to challenge my royal protagonist. Only then, when the first two elements are locked down, do I allow myself to give my hero and heroine a romance. Because, after all, what is life without a little love?

I’ve had such fun with these stories. If you get a chance to read any of my Mary Hart Perry novels, I hope you’ll let me know what you think of the mix. What genres or elements of fiction would you include in your own creative story blend?

Meanwhile, here’s just a tiny bit about each of the Mary Hart Perry novels. . .The Wild Princess: Princess Louise, considered the wild-child of the royal family because she wishes to become—Gasp!—an artist, struggles to protect the queen from an assassination attempt by Irish separatists who are bombing London. When a mysterious American borrowed by the Queen’s Secret Service steps in to chase down the culprits, he sets his heart on capturing more than the dynamiteers.

           Seducing the Princess: Beatrice, youngest child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, is expected to shun all men and devote herself entirely to her widowed mother, “unto the grave”. But when the Bea finally falls in love, the Queen is horrified to find her daughter has not one but two suitors. Will they sort out which one truly loves her, and which one is a spy secretly planted at the palace by the ruthless heir to Germany’s throne?

              The Shadow Princess: The year 1888 brings tragedy to Crown Princess Vicky, Queen Victoria’s eldest child. Empress of Germany for just 3 months before her husband died, Vicky is now without a “job”, since her adopted country’s throne has gone to Willy, her mad son. When news of Jack-the-Ripper’s shocking murders in London reaches her—and she learns that nephew Eddie is at the top of the list of suspects, she must rush home to clear the family name. It’s there that Vicky tangles with an intriguing Whitechapel detective, who is as intent on catching the Ripper as he is on avoiding romantic entanglements with a lovely royal.

You can find out more about these books, sign up for a newsletter, or contact me, through these links. Happy reading and writing! Kathryn Johnson (aka Mary Hart Perry)
Facebook:  on.fb.me/Kj7hzU
Twitter: @Mary_Hart_Perry
www.Goodreads.com/Mary_Hart_Perry
Email: Kathryn@WriteByYou.com




Tuesday, January 7, 2014

WORKING HARD BUT HAVING FUN

THIS BLOG IS SUBMITTED BY SANDRA BOWMAN (aka Skype Mistress)

On Sunday the #MDC3Conference board met to discuss the upcoming event.

Sandra, Juli, Denise, Cindy, Dee
Austin, Ann (not pictured, Larry)
Since we all live a distance away from each other we decided to do SKYPE and boy did we have a ball. First on the 'test' call, everyone could see +B Swangin Webster but she could see nothing but the avatar or a blank screen. Not to worry, she would fix that in the twenty minutes before the call. +Ann Arbaugh couldn't connect to SKYPE so we called her on +Denise Camacho cellphone and had her on speaker. Everything is set, right?


Wrong, Wrong and Wrong.

The call started with everyone announcing themselves and the rule of only one person talking at a time was established. Great...we started off with Larry giving his update and then Juli and then +Austin Camacho and then it happened. It went something like this.

"Hello, Larry, I didn't hear what you said...are you there...Larry...Larry...LARRY...I THINK WE LOST LARRY! LARRY!"  (ok, maybe it wasn't that dramatic)

+Dee Lawrence was still on the line and said, "I can still see him connected" and so did I. Even +Juli Monroe could see he was still on the line and after a harrowing five minutes Larry called back!

Excited I tried connecting him but then something happened...Dee and Juli were now on hold! What! Hello! Hello! Hold on Larry, I think I need to reconnect...I 'resume the call' with Dee and Juli but now, Larry is on hold! oh wait! now what the Sam Hell is going on! Hold on Larry"....hey what's that noise....Ann said she needed to go into another room and now, suddenly there is the sound of rushing water! Oh no! Is Ann drowning...'Ann! Ann! are you there! Ann, are you OK?

Good lord, I think she's drowning!" Austin said (I think he was panicked but he won't admit it)

Flustered I said, "Lawd, Ann's drowning, Larry's lost....look, I think I need to redo this...everyone hang up and I'll call back."

Ann said, "ok" We (Austin, Denise and Sandra) yelled "Noooooooooo, not you Ann; just Skype"

I called everyone back, except Ann who by now should have had on a life vest; and the call continued without problem. After the call, Ann posted to Facebook and gasp! clutch the pearls, we forgot to add +CindyLauth to the call! Forgive us for we know not what we do.

See, although we were working hard, we still had fun! Miles away and we still find a way to cut up! Don't worry Larry, you will get used to it; Just ask Austin.

Until next month...I wonder what will happen then?