READERS WHO SENT ME PHOTOS OF THEIR BOOKSHELVES WON CUPS AND SAUCERS FROM MY COLLECTION

In August you had an opportunity to send me photos of your bookshelves, I enjoyed seeing your favorite books - and also bags of books being donated. :-) Readers enjoyed the pictures too.

I promised someone would win a vintage cup and saucer set from my collection - and I'm excited to tell you there isn't only one winner. I drew three names!

If you see your name here, please email me asap to claim your prize: SaintJohn@aol.com

And here are the winners:


Abi B!
You won this:

Jenny Tipton!
You won this:

Jamie Adams!
You won this:

Now email me, ladies!

*lizzie starr: TALES FROM THE MIST

Thank you, Cheryl, for allowing me to visit during the release celebration for the Tales From The Mist anthology! Writing a short story for a collection of creepy stories was a fun and interesting experience. My story is Dead Lily Blooms. Someone wants vampyre Lily dead, and a bargain with Death has been struck. Death send servant Agaar to bring Lily to him, but the task becomes more complicated than either Death or Agaar anticipated.

But I don't really want to talk about writing today. Instead, how about one of the things Cher and I have in common?

A love of movies! And in light of the anthology, perhaps I should talk about horror movies.

Except I don't really like them. Too often horror equals slasher, and I see no reason for all the blood and surprise and running through the woods in bra and panties. I'll admit to going to a few bloody classics and usually just laughed at the audience's reaction. I jump just as much as the next person even when expecting someone to jump out from hiding. And there are a couple of movies I simply can not watch--and who know why those affected me and others didn't.

I do like classic horror movies, in classic black and white, even though now they can seem so campy without all of today's special effects and CGI monsters. Yeah, the 'monster' still jumped out from behind a tree or suddenly appeared at the heroine's bedside flashing long incisors, but there was usually more of a story there than some of today's movies. A psychological scare to make you stop and consider that shadow in the corner more than a knife-like fingernail slash to leave an audience screaming in their seats.

Then there's those classic classics such as Billy the Kid Vs. Dracula. Hey, this has to be a class movie. It stars a Carradine (John) after all. And often ran with another classic Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter.

Hmm, after adding Young Frankenstein to my favorite's list, I'll have to say I enjoy somewhat silly 'horror' movies the best.

So, what are your favorite movies or television specials to watch at this time of year? As for me, I think it's time for a Hocus Pocus fix.

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*lizzie made up games and stories to keep her company as a child. So, a witch lived in Grampa’s weather research station and was only held at bay by waving a certain weed. An ancient road grader morphed into a boat carrying wild adventurers to islands filled with sheep that turned into lions and cannibals.Now, the stories of her imagination have found their way to paper and pixels. Filled with fantasy and love, these tales take her far from the mundane world.

When *lizzie has to return to that mundane life, she’s *the Lunch Lady* at a private school. Happily, those who know *lizzie have become accustomed to her writer’s ways and just shake their heads when she goes off on some fantastical tangent, asks strange what if questions, or just has to find a piece of paper and a pen that actually writes.

You can discover more about *lizzie at her website, blog, Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.

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Note from Cheryl: I am reading these stories right now, and they are really really good. They take me back to my roots as a reader, when I only read Stephen King, Dean Koontz, etc.. I highly recommend the anthology. It's available as a print book or for your Kindle.

Winner of Carla Olson Gade's Book

A big thank you to Carla for being a guest on my blog this week. The winner of Colonial Courtships is:

Jes S.

Congrats, Jes. Your book is on its way! I know you'll enjoy it.

Carla Olson Gade: Colonial Detours & Drawing

I'm delighted to introduce a friend today. Please meet my friend, Carla Olson Gade! (You already know I have the coolest friends.)

Have you ever found yourself in a situation that went totally against your plans? I’ve heard many people  say “this wasn’t the trip that I signed up for!” 

That sums up how Constance felt in Carving a Future, my novella in Colonial Courtships, set in 1753. You see, Miss Constance Starling was from a family of means, until her circumstances left her alone and destitute. She rallied, though, and was about to find her place again in society, albeit as a lady’s companion, when tragedy struck again.

This time she was spirited away (kidnapped) and placed on a ship to America to be sold as an indentured servant. The poor girl nearly starved to death on the ship, stubborn as she was, but finally relented when her will to survive won out. 

 

After several long weeks at sea, she arrives in the British American commonwealth of Connecticut. The dastardly ship captain chains her to the wharf and attempts to sell her contract, but no one wants her. She was far too ill to be of use to anyone. What’s a girl to do?

This is when the handsome hero steps in to rescue her. So cliché, but every good love story has to have a hero, aye? Nathaniel barters for her contract and becomes her master, if only to save her life and get her away from the treacherous captain. But what was he thinking? 

 

His impulsive act may cost him everything that he has worked so long and hard for in his effort to become a master ship’s figurehead carver. What’s more, despite his good intentions, he may have let others down in the process.

Sometimes the circumstances of our lives intersect with our plans and set us on a new path. It can be due to the actions of others or the very choices we make. Either way, being rerouted like that can create havoc in one’s life. You’ll see that both Constance and Nathaniel have different approaches to dealing with their turmoil. But one thing for sure, they forgot about the memo found in God’s Word. Hopefully they’ll learn to trust and keep in step with Him. 

<---- Feel free to grab and share this graphic!

Colonial Courtships by Carla Olson Gade, Laurie Alice Eakes, Amber Stockton, and Lisa Karon Richardson (Barbour/Oct. 2012):  Unexpected adventure has the four Ingersoll brothers rethinking their futures. But will it thwart their plans for good or bring about four colonial courtships?  
 

Connect with Carla at carlagade.com

And a drawing!

One reader who leaves a comment today will receive a copy of COLONIAL COURTSHIPS!

Happy Anniversary PRW!

I received this beautiful rose from my Prairie Romance Writers friends in Grand Island yesterday. They graciously invited me to help them celebrate their 20th anniversary. Of course I was just a wee child then, so I barely remember, but they claim I was there.

It was a lovely time spent with writer friends. They are small, but mighty, and have many impressive accomplishments individually and collectively. I was impressed by their photo library and enjoyed seeing their history preserved so beautifully. Many new pictures were taken, and I should be seeing some soon, so will post for you.

Lunch on a paper plate

It is Saturday, after all.