The hills are alive with the sound of music

2007 is almost here. So what are my plans for New Years Eve? Ab-so-lute-ly nothing. Huh! Isn’t that a line from a James Brown song?

I’m still here in my hometown of Athens, TN. Me and Guapo got tired of jogging the hilly streets, dodging traffic, getting honked at, and generally being a nuisance to the locals. So my dad recommended I check out the new regional park. I loaded up my dog and drove the couple of miles, pulled into the new park, and you’d think I’d just opened a really awesome present.

Hiking trail, I read on one sign. Walking trail, I read on another. Mountain bikes, on another. 3.1 mile loop, on this sign. Expect incline, on that sign.

I squealed, I actually squealed I was so excited. Being 7 in the morning and freezing cold, no one was there. I had the whole place to myself. Me and Guapo jumped out, buckled into our jackets (yes, my dog has a jacket), and we took off.

“The hills are alive with the sound of music….laaa, la, la, la” That song played in my head as we ran like crazy people onto the first trail. It cut through the woods, climbed some hills, went down others. There was a creek on one side and downed limbs we had to hop. We had so much fun, I swore I saw my dog grinning. We were gone for an hour before I even realized 60 whole minutes had gone by. Needless to say, we’ve been back nearly every day since.

Now I know those of you out there who live in the mountains and are reading this are probably rolling your eyes. But I’ve been living in Florida for over ten years now and although I grew up here in the hills of TN, it’s easy to forget how fun they are.

Oh, by the way…I found out my latest suspense, DESCENT INTO DANGER, is up for a CAPA award. Woohoo!

Home for the holidays

Well, hello everyone. I’m blogging from my hometown of Athens, TN today. I’m here for the holidays with my trusty dog, Guapo. Its rainy and dreary and surprisingly warm. Its been a steady 50 degrees. Its supposed to be dropping down to the 20s this weekend. So here’s hoping for snow.

I went out jogging yesterday and was fondly reminded of the hills east TN sports. Can anyone say sore muscles?

I’ll be going to Gatlinburg today. It’s a great little mountainous town and if you haven’t been you definitely need to go. I haven’t been in years, so I’m excited to see the changes.

Hey, here’s a review that I just got that was posted way back in May for DESCENT INTO DANGER. Funny how long it takes to get things:

“Greenland offers a fun read filled with bohemian characters and nature’s splendor.”
~Booklist

That’s it for now. Talliho!

No Clue

I don’t have a clue what to blog about, but I like to blog at least once a week.

So I’ll just randomly write for a paragraph or so and see what comes out of me. (This should be interesting)

My dog, Guapo, is cuddled up here beside me with his Snoopy doll. Yes, boy dogs can have dolls. Its okay. It won’t mess with their sexual gender. Although, Snoopy’s a boy. So I guess boy dogs can have boy dog dolls. Then again, Guapo really enjoyed his pink Miss Piggy. He enjoyed it so much he ripped it up. Hmmm…maybe he’s trying to tell me something. Because his Snoopy doll has lasted months. And that’s unheard of around here. He generally destroys a new doll within days. So maybe I should take a lesson and buy him only boy dolls. No girls allowed.

I’m going to get a pedicure today. I don’t normally do the manicure/pedicure thing. But I’m going with my girlfriends as part of one of their birthday celebrations. I’m dreaming more about the latte I’m going to have while the pedicure is going on.

My favorite overalls that I’ve had almost fifteen years busted a clasp. I was heartbroken. These overalls are soft and worn in. Their frayed around the ankles from years of use. So I trucked it down to the local seamstress shop (because I’m so totally not a sewing kind of girl) and handed the prized overalls over. She said she’d call. I just checked my voice mail. It’s been four days. I think I’ll call her.

Okay, that’s it for random thoughts. Lets review. Dog. Pedicure. Overalls. Nothing like staying consistent in my brain patterns.

BFF

BFF: Best Friends Forever

I’m spelling it out for all of you old farts (dad) that read this and don’t have a clue what BFF means.

Friends are something else. Some you have your whole life, some come and go, some you meet later and they stick with you.

My long time best friend, Jill Hockman, I met when I was two. Can you believe it? Two. We’ve been attached at the hip every since. What’s funny is throughout our entire childhood we only went one year to the same school. But we grew up on neighboring farms and managed to always see each other. Even later in life when we each moved to a different place, started careers, etc… we still manage to hook up. Now we live states apart and just yesterday I got the best email from her. Love you, Jill!

Then there’s the people you meet and hang out with day in and day out and then one day you realize its been a while since you’ve seen that person. Before you know it, months crawl into years and you wonder whatever happened to him/her. So Amanda from college if you’re anywhere out there, I had a blast hanging with you all those months, eating fondue and being generally obnoxious. Miss you!

And then there are those you meet later in life and you build a real solid mature (eek-never thought I’d say that word) relationship. You share your joys (marriage, children) and your sorrows (divorce, deaths) and you know the friendship is there to stay. So Britta and Shelly and Tara, thank you for all the years of ‘mature’ and dare we say immature times. Love you guys!

Fast & Festive Fiction Writing Contest

It's the Ho Ho Holidays and you should be looking for new readers in your stocking. What better way to draw them in than by showing them all your treasures and talent?

Looking to get your publishing career moving? Looking for a way to revive characters from books that have been out for a while? Want to introduce new characters for upcoming books? Looking for a way to build your readership? Have we got a promotional opportunity for you!

This month Echelon wants original stories set during the winter holidays! Christmas, Hanukkuh, Winter Solstice...you get the point. Whether your story is a touching romance, a terrifying thriller, or a confusing whodunit, we want to read it! We urge you to think outside the box on this one...holiday stories in...Russia, Germany, Italy...let your creative spirit soar!

So for December, submit your festive original story and wait to see if someone inserts a publication contract in your holiday gift pile.

Echelon Press would like to publish your "Fast and Festive" December story. The fast part means you have until December16, 2006 to submit your story of 3000-6000 words. The winner will be notified by December18, 2006 and have 5 days to edit/revise the story. Echelon Press will publish your story in its e-book division on December 25, 2006. Simple!

Send your submissions to contest@echelonpress.com. Stories must adhere to the following guidelines.

Standard Manuscript format:

• File saved in Word format (.doc) or (.rtf) (Send all submissions as an attachment)
• 8 ½ x 11 page
• Times New Roman 12pt font/black
• 1-inch margin on all sides/ 1.5 line spacing
• Align text left, do not justify (aligning text both left and right)
• Header containing title, author name and page number
• Capital letters at the beginning of sentences and proper nouns
• Show new paragraphs by indenting first line of new paragraph .3. Do not add blank line between paragraphs.
• Show scene breaks with * * * * centered in the appropriate line.

All cover letters must include:

• Name (and pseudonym if applicable)
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• E-mail address (if available)
• Web address (if available)
  

Submissions that do not follow the guidelines will be deleted without consideration or notice.

Deadlines

Yet another deadline met and gone.

This past Wed I had a deadline for round 3 of edits on book #2 in THE SPECIALISTS series. I made the deadline, skirting in at the very last second (which is very unusual for me. I’m normally days early)

Its funny, and I know its just my personality, but as soon as my editor gives me a deadline, I fa-reak. Here’s an example:

Editor: Here you go. Get that to me in two weeks.
Me (internal): Holy !@#$%
Me (external): Sure, oh editor of mine. No prob.

And then night and day I work, typing, focusing, deleting, rewriting.

Me: All done. Yay! Go Shannon, go Shannon, go, go
Editor: (grin)
Me: Allow me to brag, I am five whole days early after all
Editor: you’re so awesome

And then I stop and think, why did I freak so bad? I’m an excellent time manager. I knew I’d meet my deadline.

Then a week or so later I get another and the process starts all over again. (Sigh)

T-giving in my underwear

I ate T-giving dinner in my underwear. No, seriously, I did. I’m down in the Tampa/St. Pete, FL area right now. I checked the weather channel. I knew what to pack, and I packed just fine: jeans, flip flops, short sleeve shirts. But I didn’t pack shorts. It was supposed to be low of 50s, high of 70s. And it was. What I didn’t count on was how hot an oven can make a house.

Like blazing hot kind of hot. We had all the windows and doors open and fans on. It didn’t matter. Hot, hot, hot.

So…I ended up putting boxers on and eating T-giving dinner in blue, dalmation undies.

Gobble-gobble!

Mysteries for the Young at Heart: An Interview with Brenda Chapman

Growing up, I loved books. I found myself drawn to strong characters around my own age, and I adored anything that captivated me and gave me the chance to solve a new mystery…other than what was under my bed. I recently discovered a new author who took me happily back to my youth. In a society filled with anger and rage, this fresh voice offers an alternative for young readers by giving them stories filled with danger, intrigue and a lot of fun.

Brenda Chapman has written a series of books that will give young teens a fresh new set of adventures to embark upon. Her first book, Running Scared, featuring young heroine Jennifer Bannon, was published in 2004, and the second, Hiding in Hawk’s Creek was published in 2006, both by Napoleon Publishing in Toronto. I was pleased to interview this delightfully talented author and to be able to share this new treasure with all of you.

KS: Brenda, you grew up in Terrace Bay, a small mill town in Northwestern Ontario. I once wondered if foreigners, including Canadians, were influenced by the same authors as us Americans. Who would you say were the three most influential voices in fiction for you?

BC: When I was growing up, the Canadian curriculum certainly drew from American authors. I remember reading Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Telltale Heart” and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter in high school and both have stayed with me. I also studied American Literature in university, in addition to Canadian and British. My favorite American books include Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, J. D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye, and Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises and The Old Man and the Sea. I particularly like Hemingway’s sparse use of language and his imagery. I’ve also read widely in the American mystery genre, including all the books in the series by Elizabeth George and Sue Grafton.

KS: Nancy Drew comes up more often than not when talking to women and girls. Why do you think Nancy has become such a significant role model?

BC: Nancy Drew is a heroine who uncovers puzzles and injustices and who sorts them out, always with a satisfactory ending. While the puzzle draws readers in, she is a character that young girls (the intended audience at the time) can identify with, or at the very least, someone they would like to have as a friend. The books are simplistic on an emotional level, but good, escapist reading.

KS: You've created an incredible character in Jennifer Bannon. Is there any part of you in this character? Did you derive any of the familial bonds from growing up with siblings? Was your vivid imagination an escape from the "middle child syndrome"?

BC: Jennifer Bannon has my sense of humor, my love of sports and my aversion to confrontation. She has a strong soul but isn't confident–an odd juxtaposition, but one I admit to sharing. Jennifer also has a close relationship with her sister Leslie not unlike the relationships I had with my sister and brother growing up. I was a middle child and perhaps that helps me to understand both the older and younger sibling roles in my stories. My two daughters have also been a great resource for me in creating Jennifer and Leslie. As for my vivid imagination, I’m not sure where it came from, but it's always been with me. I’m still something of a daydreamer and writing gives me a good outlet.

KS: Growing up in a small community with few of the perks kids have today–computers, video games, etc. – what made you decide to write mysteries instead of the typical high tech adventure kids seem to crave?


BC: I like to write about characters and relationships, issues that we're all dealing with at all stages in our lives. I do not believe these themes ever go out of style. The outward trappings may change, but kids will always want to read about peers grappling with the same problems they're facing. When I read to groups of kids about Jennifer’s parents separating, I wonder how many of them are dealing with the same sadness. I also want to show kids that people are not all on the surface – what we see is never the whole story. I use the mystery genre to hook kids into a good, suspenseful story while weaving in characters they can relate to, empathize with, and perhaps, learn from.

KS: I can only speak from the American side of things, but most people I know don't think of Canada as foreign, but there is a definite distinction. I know you write for your market, but have you had to make any adjustments to suit the American market?

BC: We’re always told that to sell to the American audience, Canadian authors have to use an American setting. As a reader, I enjoy stories set in other countries, be they the United States, China, France or wherever; I cannot imagine that American readers are any different. My books are for sale in many countries, and my publisher has not asked me to tailor my writing in any way to suit other cultures. I am currently working on a story set mainly in Minnesota, and my agent suggested that I use American spelling, but that’s simply a grammatical change that does not affect the story.

KS: What do you hope readers will gain from the stories you tell from Jennifer's point of view?

BC: I hope young readers will gain insights into Jennifer’s thought processes and see that while she reacts one way, she may be thinking or feeling something completely different. For instance, Jennifer hides how desperately she wants her parents to get back together, even while pretending that she accepts her mother’s new boyfriend. I’d like kids to know that it’s okay to have mixed feelings about people and situations. I’d also like to have them share in Jennifer’s curiosity, her compassion and her ability to see humor in life.

KS: In a world filled with Rowling fans who clamor for their imaginations to be stretched beyond belief, how do you think your writing will affect readers as a whole being more of a realistic tone?

BC: I believe there is room for the fantastical world of J.K. Rowling and the more realistic, mysterious world of Jennifer Bannon. Both series offer escapist reading with characters that age and develop, although Jennifer Bannon is more likely to be the friend they have at school. Having taught reading for a number of years, I am thrilled when kids discover an author they like and thrilled that they are reading from a wide variety of offerings.

KS: What is your personal favorite type of fiction? Do you find inspiration in the stories you read?

BC: I have always been drawn to suspense, a good storyline and vivid characters, everything the mystery genre offers. I tend to read mysteries for relaxation, but I also enjoy poetry and have a well thumbed copy of T. S. Eliot poems that I pull out every so often.

KS: What can readers/fans expect from your future stories? Do you have any plans to allow Jennifer to grow or do see a limit for the series?


BC: The third Jennifer Bannon book entitled Where Trouble Leads will be released by Napoleon Publishing in spring 2007, and I have just submitted the fourth manuscript. Jennifer is thirteen in Running Scared, fourteen in Hiding in Hawk’s Creek and fifteen in the last two books. I currently have no plans for a fifth book but might at some point in the future.

KS: What would you say to young readers and writers?

BC: Read widely. Learn new vocabulary and embrace ideas. I would also advise young writers to learn grammar because it is the tool writers need to construct stories, just as carpenters need tools to build houses. Finally, I would say to write about your own experiences and to find your own voice – the best stories are those that make a reader feel or think about something that matters personally or globally.

RUNNING SCARED by Brenda Chapman
Review by Karen Syed

Jennifer Bannon is thirteen years old and she's beginning to wonder if she will make it to fourteen. Things are weird at school, her best friend is acting strangely, and she isn't sure what’s going to happen now that her dad is back in town. But none of that means anything when Jennifer watches a neighbourhood women run down by a familiar car that speeds away into the night.

Scared what might happen to her, Jennifer tucks the secret deep inside while she tries to figure out what to do next. Then, things get really tricky when Jennifer receives warnings to keep quiet and she starts feeling that she is being followed. Reluctantly, she decides that she has to discover who was driving the car, but before she can uncover the truth, Jennifer's little sister goes missing and Jennifer fears the worst. Will she find her sister unhurt, or will she become the next victim of a mystery attacker?

Brenda Chapman is an excellent storyteller with a style that will appeal to readers of all ages. Her characters are likable and realistic. RUNNING SCARED is full of adventure and thrills – a good solid mystery that will have readers turning pages until the very end. This one should be in every kid's backpack for a fun read.

Having a bad day

Usually when I blog, I try to write lighthearted, amusing things. I mean, who wants to read depressing stuff, right? But this entry is not going to be so lighthearted.

I want everyone out there to know, its okay to have a bad day. Or even a bad week. Or even a bad month. Heck, if you have a bad year, that’s okay, too. It doesn’t mean something’s wrong with you. It doesn’t mean you need meds necessarily. It just means you’re having a bad moment. You’re allowed to.

So how do you get out of a funky mood? It’s different for everyone. Go for a walk. Listen to music. Hang out with friends. You know what you need to bring yourself out of a bad mood. Sometimes it just takes time. Time to think. Time to heal. Only you know what’s brought the mood on and only you can bring yourself out of the mood.

What’s making me write this? Numerous things. I have my personal reasons, which I’m not going to go into. But there are other things as well. For one, my agent’s blog this week dealt with people being pissy about her being the person she is. Another friend of mine is going through some difficult times and people aren’t supporting her. They’re ditching her because she’s no “fun” to be around. And yet another friend of mine is losing herself in alcohol because of things she’s going through.

Find what’s going to make you happy and do it. Life’s too short not to be happy.

Those of you who know me know that I tutor middle and high school students. I’m going to end this blog with something one my students said to me this week…Peace out!

Okay, not so the techy genius

In my last post I was all proud of myself for being such a techy genius. I tried to post a picture and unfortunately I failed. Sad to say I’ve been trying all week to post a pic on my various blogs and have finally figured out that its my dial up connection. Yes, I’m on dial up. I’m a loser. If I were a real techy genius, I’d have very cool high speed connection. So one day in the future when I have high speed, I’ll post a picture and be very proud of my techy genius self.

quite the techy genius

Well, I’m quite the techy genius now. I’ve been clicking around my blog (I’ve got three now, 1 personal and 2 group), learning the ins and outs. I’m feeling pretty proud of the fact I learned how to blog roll people (we won’t mention the fact it took me umpteen hours). Anyhow, I’m now going to attempt to add a picture, so here goes…

Um, well, apparently I'm not a techy genius. I'll try the picture thing again next week.

Now onto shouts out. Let me give a shout out to Connie, Sarah, Megan, Brittney and all the other girls that attended my writing workshop at Fernandina High School. And an extra special shout out goes to Carissa for being too cute and very smart. You girls rock!

Fast and Fatal Fiction Writing Contest

Every author at every level should be committed to keeping their name in front of readers. Are you between books? Looking for a way to revive characters from books that have been out for a while? Want to introduce new characters for upcoming books? Looking for a way to build your readership? Have we got a promotional opportunity for you!

Everybody loves a mystery! For November we would like you to write and submit your most murderous and original story and be thankful you aren't the victim! Echelon Press would like to publish your "Fast and Fatal" November story. The fast part means you have until November 14, 2006 to submit your story of 3000-6000 words. The winner will be notified by November 16, 2006 and have 5 days to edit/revise the story. Echelon Press will publish your story in its e-book division on November 23, 2006. Simple!

Send your submissions to contest@echelonpress.com

Our only real request is that a murder be the catalyst for your story! Contemporary, historical, noir, or horror as long as somebody gets killed, you get the point. Stories must adhere to the following guidelines.

Standard Manuscript format

• File saved in Word format (.doc) or (.rtf)
• 8 ½ x 11 page
• Times New Roman 12pt font/black
• 1-inch margin on all sides/ 1.5 line spacing
• Align text left, do not justify (aligning text both left and right)
• Header containing title, author name and page number
• Capital letters at the beginning of sentences and proper nouns
• Show new paragraphs by indenting first line of new paragraph .3. Do not add blank line between paragraphs.
• Show scene breaks with * * * * centered in the appropriate line.

All cover letters must include

• Name (and pseudonym if applicable)
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• E-mail address (if available)
• Web address (if available)
  

An excerpt

Hey everyone! Guess what? My editor just sent me the excerpt they’ll be using to promote my very first teen book THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY. I also found out the exact month it’ll be in stores. May 2007! Yippee!

Here’s the excerpt…

The entire greenhouse brightened with white light, and a shrill siren went off.

David grabbed my hand, and we took off down the path. Metal grids began unrolling from the ceiling, securing the greenhouse’s glass panes and prohibiting anyone from exiting. We cut through hedges and greenery and slid through a spiny shrub to our entrance hole.

TL was right there, waiting for us. I glanced up to see a metal grid grinding toward us. David grabbed the back of my shirt and pants and shoved me through, then dove after me. A split second later, the grid slammed over our hole, shutting us out.

We bolted across the open frosty lawn to where Jonathan waited. In the distance we heard the pack of Dobermans. Jonathan dropped to his hands and knees at the base of the wrought-iron fence. Using him as a step, David bounced onto his back and over the ten-foot tall barrier. I went next with TL giving me a helpful push up and over. David caught me, TL landed beside us, and Jonathan quickly scaled the fence.

With Jonathan safely on our side, we took off across the road and into the woods.

A mile later, we burst through the trees on the outskirts of an Ushbanian town, a different one from where the modeling school and hotel were located. I knew from our preoperations session that we would split up if something like this happened. David and I in one direction, TL in another, and Jonathan in yet another.

A police siren pierced the air. David grabbed my hand and yanked me down an alley. We ran past a Dumpster and skidded to a halt when a police car pulled in the opposite end. David backed me up against the side of a building and plastered his body to mine. Our chests heaved against each other with winded breaths.

He buried his mouth against my ear. “Wrap. Your. Arms. Around. Me.”

I did as he instructed, my heart hammering, keeping the police car in my peripheral vision. It slowly rolled toward us. “It’s coming,” I hissed, desperately trying to think of what to do next.

“Sorry,” he mumbled right before crushing his mouth to mine.

Oh my God, I’m sixteen, and I’ve never been kissed. Please let me be doing this right.

Check it out

What a great review I just got for Laura’s Secrets. Check it out!

You can run from your past but you can not hide. Laura Genny tries to keep firmly focused on the present and the future, but memories are harder to control and well up unexpectedly. When friend and mentor Ed Barslow gets Laura an audition with Tourist, she lands the job of her dreams. Being Head Sound Engineer for the international rock group will mean traveling with the band. There is a downside. Keeping secrets is never easy, especially when consorting with those in the spotlight.

The rocker lifestyle has long palled on Will Burns, lead guitarist of Tourist. The groupies and hangers on are a far cry from what he wants in a woman. Their new sound mixer is shy, professional and seems to be impervious to his charm. The intriguing woman is keeping her distance, but Will just wants to draw her close.

Ms. Greenland does a spectacular job on this wonderful love story. Not an easy thing to do when keeping such a disturbing topic as abuse in the background. We are given a sensitive portrayal of the effects long after the reality of abuse has come to an end.

Readers will love Will for his patience and support of the heroine. His is not the emotional battering ram technique to a relationship, but the real wooing that we as women adore.
There are few heroines that one aches so wholeheartedly for in the journey to love and healing. Laura’s tentative reaching out to Will and to happiness is an emotion filled thing to watch.
Laura’s Secrets is crafted thoroughly to fulfill the reader’s need for multifaceted characters, mystery, suspense and most of all romance.

Flashes of humor, fun episodes and tender scenes make this offering something far from being maudlin. Plot twists keep us on our toes, though foreshadowing keeps us from finding anything unexpected.

Fans of romance need only read this book to remember why we first fell in love with the genre. This is one for the keeper shelf.

~Love Romances And More

Teenage Writers

Great fun over the weekend. I spoke to a group of library patrons. Now, I know that doesn't sound all that exciting, even though they WERE an interested bunch. The really cool part was getting to talk to two teenage friends who are avid, enthusiastic, fantasy/fiction writers!! They had tons of questions, and are certain they WILL be published and famous some day. There's not a doubt in my mind, either.

They are both writing series books, and one has ten books planned already. They write every day, and help edit each other's work.

The self-confidence these two displayed was contagious! I hope every teenager reading this has an equally awesome dream to latch onto. It was a blast talking to them.

I also was excited to find out that "Cynthia's Attic: The Magic Medallion," was a finalist in the "Children's Fiction" category in the USABookNews 2006 Book Awards.

Fast and Freaky Fiction Contest Winner

I would like to officially congratulate the
Winner
of our first official
Fast & Freaky Fiction Writing Contest
October 2006.

On October 21, 2006 Echelon Press Publishing will make

THE WITCH TREE
by
C.A. Verstraete

Available for sale as an e-book download.

Congratulations and check back on the
First of each month for the new theme for our
Fiction Writing Contest!

Southern Festival or Books

Hey everyone! I’m giving you a shout out from Memphis, TN.

I’m here right now participating in the Southern Festival of Books. It’s been going on all weekend.

I’ve met some really awesome people like Ashley and Jessica from West Memphis. Hi gals!

I’m staying with my sis-in-law and her family. Hi Cathy, Jacob, and Max!

I’m sharing a booth with some cool authors like Sam Morton, Grace Howell, and Linda Prather. Hey guys!

I ate at this neat place called North Town with the world’s best hot fudge sundae. (I didn’t eat the sundae) But they have tasty wild rice bowls.

That’s about it except for the fact my sis-in-law makes the best freaking coffee in the world. Its like having Starbucks right here at my disposal.

Lipstick. A priority.

I’ve told this story a few times over the past couple of weeks and everyone says “you have to blog that”.

Okay, so here goes…

I’m in the airport in Jacksonville, FL. It’s about 6 in the morning. There’s a pretty long line at the US Air counter. I’m standing there with my suitcase, waiting my turn, dreaming of a cup of dark roast from Starbucks. All around me people are looking just as groggy.

Up at the front I hear “No lipstick? What?!”

I immediately perk up. Did someone say ‘no lipstick?’

Then I hear a woman in front of me. “Lipstick?”

Then behind me. “Lipstick?”

Then a few back. “Lipstick?”

And then it echoes through the crowd. “Lipstick?” “Lipstick?” “Lipstick?” “Lipstick?”

Then I speak up, panic settling in. “Hello? We can’t have lipstick?”

The US Air counter lady (looking a bit frantic), waves her arms in the air. “Excuse me. Can everyone quiet down for a second?”

A hush fell over the crowd.

“I didn’t say lipstick,” counter lady continued. “I said lip gloss. You can’t have lip gloss.”

A collective sigh of relief came from the crowd. I probably was the biggest sigher of them all.

And then it occurred to me. Terrorism. National security. HUGE issues. And lipstick was what worried me. Sheesh.

But hey. I gotta have my lipstick. Come on now people. Priorities.

Fast and Freaky Fiction Writing Contest

In honor of Halloween (and all the other holidays of fall) Echelon Press would like to publish your "Fast and Freaky" October story. The fast part means you have until October 14, 2006 to submit your story of 3000-6000 words. The winner will be notified by October 17, 2006 and have 5 days to edit/revise the story. Echelon Press will publish your story in its e-book division on October 23, 2006. Simple!

Our only real request is that your story be creepy! Creepy horror, Creepy romance, creepy mystery, you get the point. Stories must adhere to the following guidelines. If you are under 18 years old we will need your parent's permission to publish your work, if you win.

Standard Manuscript format

• File saved in Word format (.doc) or (.rtf)
• 8 ½ x 11 page
• Times New Roman 12pt font/black
• 1-inch margin on all sides/ 1.5 line spacing
• Align text left, do not justify (aligning text both left and right)
• Header containing title, author name and page number
• Capital letters at the beginning of sentences and proper nouns
• Show new paragraphs by indenting first line of new paragraph .3. Do not add blank line between paragraphs.
• Show scene breaks with * * * * centered in the appropriate line.

All cover letters must include

• Name (and pseudonym if applicable)
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• E-mail address (if available)
• Web address (if available)

E-Mail your submissions to contest@echelonpress.com

I got my cover!

Hey everyone,

I got my cover for my summer 07 release! Its on my teen page on my site. Go check it out if you’ve got a sec at www.shannongreenland.com

~Shannon

Ceeelebrate good times, come on!

Yay for me! I just typed the very last word of book #3 in my spy series, THE SPECIALISTS. Now I get to celebrate. Yipee! I LOVE celebrating.

I’ll rent a girlie movie. Something cheesy. Boy meets girl and they fall desperately in love…

I’ll read a book. I’ve already got it picked out. It’s going to be the next Sophie Metropolis book by Tori Carrington.

I’ll eat something bad. Perhaps too much dessert or a whole bag of salt and vinegar chips.

Ooh, yeah. I’ll definitely go shopping at my favorite consignment shop, Buy Gones. They’re having a really awesome sale right now.

So that’s it for me. Now I’m off to celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Three Weeks By Boat!

Cynthia's Attic: The Magic Medallion, has arrived! I just got pre-release copies. What a thrill to not only open Book Two in the series, and read the words I sweated and slaved over (not to mention the editors!), but to also feel it! Now, I know this probably sounds weird but, I can't stop "feeling" my book! The cover is a beautiful deep red, and the pages are so white and crisp. It makes me proud to see it, and I'll be even more proud when I can walk into any Barnes & Noble, or Borders, or any bookstore, and see it on the shelves.

It's already for pre-sale in Japan, Korea, France, Germany, among other countries, but what was really funny was to read the Korean shipping description: "Arrival time - three weeks-by boat! Oh well...

Mary

Bad Breath

There’s nothing worse in this world than bad breath. Well, of course, there are worse things, but you know what I mean.

This past weekend I flew to and from Fayetteville, NC. I had a book signing there and got a chance to visit by my big sis and mom. By the way, the Barnes & Noble that hosted my signing really rolled out the red carpet for me. Very impressive. Hi Donna! (Donna’s the really awesome Community Relations Manager. You rock, girl!)

Anyway, back to the bad breath. I must have been jinxed. Here’s the low down:

Plane ride there—bad breath victim in my vicinity.
Sitting in the terminal in Charlotte—another chronic halitosis.
Airline attendant—can anyone say shoo?
Plane ride home—I had to put a napkin over my nose.

Not kidding here. I’m wondering, has anyone heard of mints? Or just plane brushing your teeth?

It makes me think of that Listerine commercial where a lady is sitting next to a man on an airplane. He’s snoring, mouth open, obviously stinking up the area. She slips a Listerine strip into his mouth.

Oh, if only I would’ve had a pocket full of those Listerine strips.

My whole world stops when...

My whole world stops when I get a new Suzanne Brockmann book. It’s sad really (not her books, me). My life comes to a screeching halt. I fight it every time, really I do, but I can’t seem to peel my nose from one of her stories.

The last couple of days are evidence to this phenomenon. I picked up her latest Navy SEAL story and was a good girl and didn’t open it until I got home. But then, it started…

My dog thought I’d died because I didn’t move from the couch. My husband thought I’d died because I hadn’t mumbled a single word. My friends thought I’d died because I didn’t respond to emails.

So in an effort to seem some what alive, I drug my butt from the couch and…read while I cooked, while I brushed my teeth, while I ate. I read while I drove (I know! Eek!), while I grocery shopped (not kidding), while I dusted. I read while I vacuumed, while I cleaned the bathrooms, while I ironed. I read while I brushed my dog, while I worked out (I’m serious), while I pretended to watch T.V.

You get the drift. I read. And read. And read. Long book.

But now I’m done and good ‘ole Suz didn’t let me down. Her story rocked twinkies! As it always does. I’m back among the living, hence the reason why I’m blogging.

Copied from my agent's blog

I copied this from my agent's blog if anyone is interested:

There is a teeming mass of young writers, ages 13-22, who need a guiding hand, a grizzled writer's experience, and a tall shoulder to lean on. Someone like you!At Little Owl (http://mentoring.absynthemuse.com) is a free mentoring program online co-run by Elisabeth Wilhelm, youthful editor of Absynthe Muse (http://www.absynthemuse.com), and Hope Clark, saggy editor of Funds for Writers (http://www.fundsforwriters.com).

We hook up mentors--saggy, wise writers with publication credits or teaching experience--with mentees--a completely off-the-wall group of young writers who want to soak up your wisdom like sponges--to work towards an agreed-upon writing goal over a course of weeks or months.

This program is offered as a service to young writers all over the world who don't have access to writing groups, classes, or a support structure in their home towns that allows them to flourish as writers.

This is your chance to give back! Help out a budding writer through email and chat, no matter where you are, or what you write, and get that warm, fuzzy feeling in your stomach that you're doing something profoundly moving for a young person. We have over 170 mentors listed in a wide variety of genres and writing areas, but we always need more! If you'd like to learn more about the program, check out the Little Owl site: http://mentoring.absynthemuse.com

If you yourself can't mentor, please consider passing the message onto to someone who can!

Thanks,
Elisabeth Wilhelm elisabeth@absynthemuse.com
Hope Clark hopeclark1@aol.com

P.S. We're in particular need of speculative fiction, YA fiction, and poetry mentors!

P.P.S. We're also working on establishing a mentoring program at a school in an incarceration facility for teen writers there. We're seeking mentors who have special interest in working with troubled teens. Also, we're seeking writing-related material donations for the mentees. Please contact us for more information!

Echelon Press Seeking Young Adult and Children's E-Books

Echelon Press is agressively seeking Young Adult and Children's E-books ranging in length from 10,000 to 90,000 words.

This is for electronic publication only, no print rights are retained, allowing authors the freedom to continue submitting works for print publication.

No advance is offered. Authors earn 50% of net income on all actual sales.

For submission guidelines, please visit Echelon Press Submissions.

Blog Readers

Hello my little blog readers. Its a rainy Fri morning here on my tiny Fl island. I'm contemplating taking the pooch out for a walk (contemplating).

I decided to look back over all the blog entries I've done to see who has left a comment (because sometimes I feel lonely--I love comments)

Anyhoo, I want to give a shout out to Lacey, Marie, Heather, Dolores, Jocelyn, Mary, and Erin for leaving comments on my two blogs. You guys rock!

Now I know there's more of you out there that read my prattle--so leave me a comment, it makes me feel loved.

The only problem is I don't know how to respond to comments or rig them so they go straight to my Outlook inbox. Is that even possible?

I'm so horribly, blog-technically challenged.

What do you collect?

As a kid, I used to collect Koala Bears. Statues, cards, stickers, anything that had a Koala on it. When I was in the 6th grade a teacher, my favorite teacher, Mr. Hirons...the only Science teacher I ever liked...got me hooked on them with the whole "it's not a bear, its a marsupial" speech. They really are quite interesting. Anyways, it got to be very space consuming with all those little items, so I took up a new collection hobby...mugs...I know. What was I thinking...that didn't last very long either. So anyways, I moved on to something smaller and kinda cool.

I collect post cards. Everywhere I visit, city, place, park, I buy a post card. When my friends travel internationally or anywhere...I have a bunch from a friend who got married in Scotland... I have them send me a card. I keep them in picture boxes and I periodically go through them and look at all the cool pictures.

I also have a bunch of author post cards. When authors have new books out they sometimes get post cards made to send out to advertise. Do you read these cards? You really should. You might find some really cool books to read. What if they were autographed? How cool would it be to have postcards autographed by authors?

If you contact the authors on this Blog, I'll bet they would send you an autographed post card.

And what if I hooked you up and said that everyone who asks for an autographed post cards will go into a drawing to win a FREE autographed book from one of the authors. You don't have to contact me, just hook up with the author here on our Blog and we'll figure it out!

I know it sounds cheezy, but DO NOT post your address on this Blog, e-mail the author of your choice privately and make sure you have your folks permission to give out your address.

And do us a favor...we really want to get things rolling with our Blogs so if you could PASS IT ON!!!

Karen...the Big Cheeze at Echelon Press

Echelon Press Free Book Day!

For today only, as a special thank you, Echelon Press is offering readers the chance to read one of our books for FREE.We know how tight money is, but we think that once you read us, you'll come back for more. So it is not a totally selfless gesture.Send an e-mail to admin@echelonpress.com (subject: FREE DOWNLOAD) with your e-mail adress in the body and I will personally send you a FREE download (PDF) copy of eitherTHE ROSARY BRIDE (mystery) or AIN'T LOVE GRAND (romance). You just tell me which one you want and it's yours. (You can click on links to read the blurbs)E-Mails must be received before MIDNIGHT to qualify for FREE BOOKS.

Warmly,the staff at Echelon Press

I got my cover copy!

Hey everyone,

My editor just sent me the cover copy for my first teen book. Here it is...

Coming summer 2007 from Puffin Books!

Sixteen-year-old Kelly James is in a lot of hot water. When David, her incredibly nice, not to mention super cute and irresistible, college RA, asked her to uncover some top-secret information, she thought why not? All she has to do is hack into the government's main computer system. Simple enough for a computer techie genius like herself. But a few hours later, she is caught. Only this isn't a run-of-the-mill arrest. Rather than serve a jail sentence in a juvenile detention, she accepts the option to change her identity and enlist in a secret government spy agency that trains teen agents to go undercover. After all, she has no family or friends at school. What does she have to lose? Instantly, Kelly Spree, a.k.a. girl genius GiGi, is born. And as if that wasn't overwhelming enough, she discovers that David works for this agency as well. Before she even begins to understand what is going on, she's sent on her first mission as an undercover model. Her partner? None other than David himself!

What If You Had A Time Machine?

Over the weekend, I watched the ancient version of "The Time Machine," starring Rod Taylor and Yvette Mimieux (equally ancient actors). Although the "special effects" (I use that term loosely!) are totally antiquated, it was still fun to imagine going back or forward in time.

I started wondering whom I'd want to see, or where I'd want to go if I could "time travel." I'd first want to go forward about 200 hundred years…and hope Earth was still here! I've always been a space buff, so maybe I'd get to take a trip to Saturn, Mars, or beyond. Maybe a wormhole would take me beyond our galaxy, just like Jodi Foster in "Contact." I can't imagine anything more thrilling, at least until I threw up from motion sickness!

Then, I'd want to go back in time to around 1850 so I could meet my great-great grandfather and warn him that he was about to disappear. He left Southern Indiana on a flatboat trip down the Mississippi to New Orleans, and was never seen or heard from again. It's assumed that he was murdered and the produce he was carrying, was sold. But, what would happen if I could go back and warn him? Would his oldest son's life (my great-grandfather) be changed forever? Would I even exist?? Scary thought.

The third book in my series, "Cynthia's Attic: Curse of the Bayou," is based on his disappearance, and how best friends, Cynthia and Gus, travel back through time to try to save him from imminent danger. Since I don't have access to a time machine, guess I'll have to be content creating my own story and ending.

Where would you go? Who would you want to meet?

Mary Cunningham
www.marycunninghambooks.com
Cynthia's Attic: The Missing Locket
Cynthia's Attic: The Magic Medallion

Pilots For Dummies

I'm blogging from my hometown of Athens, TN. Go Cherokees! I did a booksigning yesterday for DESCENT INTO DANGER, and I'm heading to Brentwood (near Nashville) today for another signing. My dad's putting me up at his place and driving me around town/state. He's being a total selfless sweetie.

Of course when you come back to your hometown you see lots of faces from your childhood. Like Amy (I rode the bus with her) and Jeff (my sister's friend) and all the Hockmans(they live on the land across from my childhood house) and Robin and Pam (we used to go to the same church). What's funny is everyone looks pretty much the same (minus wrinkles and gray hair).

But back to the title of the entry. Pilots For Dummies. I was sitting in the Charlotte, NC airport on a layover and there was this pilot sitting beside me reading Pilots For Dummies. I'm not kidding here. Anyway, I'm thinking, "Phew. Glad he's not my pilot." And then they call my flight and the pilot guy gets up and walks straight through the SAME TERMINAL AS ME! Yikes!So I get on the plane and have a seat and think, "He's probably just on my flight. Surely he's not flying the plane." Well, then, the pilot's door opens and guess who walks out? HIM! So I keep scoping things out and he turns out to be the co-pilot. BUT STILL! COME ON PEOPLE!

Really awesome weekend

Well, hey everybody. I'm new to this blog, but not new to blogging. Shannon Greenland's my name and write romantic suspense and young adult. I thought I'd share my really awesome weekend with you all.

The launch party for my latest book, DESCENT INTO DANGER, was Saturday night. My family drove in from all over, and my friends, too. We partied down at Sliders Seaside Grill, located right on the ocean. The manager gave us the whole outside with a tiki bar and live music. There was great food, nice ocean breeze, setting sun--you couldn't have asked for a better setting. People were so loving it, they ended up staying hours past time to continue partying.

My next launch party will be my first teen book, THE SPECIALISTS: MODEL SPY. I'm definitely having it at Sliders Seaside Grill because they so totally rock!

I want to give a shout out to Susan Wise who won my quarterly contest. Susan (if you're reading this), I put your prize in the mail today!

Hey, I celebrated my birthday on Saturday, too. I almost forgot with all the hype over my launch party. Everybody wish me a happy birthday!

Come visit me at www.shannongreenland.com

The Adventure Begins!

Hi everyone! My name is J.R. Turner and I write action, adventure, thrillers, and oh-yeah romance :) If it explodes and someone finds love, I'm totally there. My favorite movies range from The Chronicles of Riddick, to Sahara, to the X-Men triology. Love those stories!

I think the coolest thing, and something I often talk about when I do speaking engagements, is that everything we see on T.V. or in the theater, all started out as something someone wrote. Without writers, without people who thrive on getting these imaginary (and often totally awesome) characters and worlds down on the page, we wouldn't have all these great adventures.

One of my first steps into getting down some of the stories I've got floatin' around in my noggin' was through a character I named Sara Stark. She is one kick-butt chick with a whole lot of sass and savvy. Very cool.

This is her story here:



"This night should be special…for family, but instead, Sara Stark is surrounded by danger at every turn. With Tropical Storm Allison bearing down on her home, Sara must face a blonde, blue-eyed snake worming her way into the Knight family. With Drake about to leave for London, she has only one shot at unmasking the deceiver, only one tube of Icy Hot, and only one chance to save him–the night before."

I'm totally thrilled to share with y'all something else that totally Rocks! If you get a copy of The Knight Before and send your receipt to admin@echelonpress.com you'll get the full-length novel "Stark Knight" as a free download. Ain't that cool? :)

Hope you enjoy hanging out with Sara and Drake as much as I've enjoyed writing them. They're soo full of surprises!

Warmly,
J.R. Turner

The Teen Scene

The Teen Scene

Win a free book! The first Teen reader of the day to post a message, wins a free download of "Cynthia's Attic: The Missing Locket."

Books I'm Reading

Welcome to The Teen Scene! I'm an author of teen books, but I also read books of the same genre for entertainment and review purposes. I just finished reading K. C. Oliver's exciting mystery, Pretty Pretty, the tale of Quinn and Holly, best friends who decided to take a summer job at a rather spooky hotel in Hawaii. Sounds like fun, huh? It was until they discovered that their "dream job" was one to die for...literally.

I'm also reading the first book in Janet Muirhead Hill's "Starlight" series, Miranda and Starlight. Any girl who loves horse and great books, will enjoy the story of Miranda and her stuggles to find acceptance in a new school when she goes to live with her grandparents in Montana.

Happy Reading! Let's hear about your favorite books

Mary Cunningham, author
Cynthia's Attic: The Missing Locket
Cynthia's Attic: The Magic Medallion
Echelon Press Publishing

What are you Reading?

Welcome to your spot in the Blog empire.

We want to know what's going on with you? What are you reading? What do you like to read? Do you write?

Here at the Teen Scene you will get to talk to authors, win free books, and ask anything you want about reading and writing.

We don't have a lot of rules. Just try to get along and not ruin it for anyone else. Pretty simple. No filthy mouth or flaming.

If someone posts something that makes you uncomfortable, don't be afraid to tell your parents or us. We just want to keep it clean.

We'd like to know who you are, so introduce yourself.

As always...surf safe!