THREE YEARS WITHOUT BLOGGING - YUP - THAT'S RIGHT

 Let's see what happens with this post, considering it's THREE YEARS since I last blogged and because in the interim Blogger has changed - updated as they call it in the techie world which means...never mind, we all know what it means. Now for the reasons I've started blogging again.

Recently I've read some really interesting blog posts from around the world. I'd have to say that when I stopped blogging three years back, the posts from all over were getting blander and blander and more and more repetitive. Because I'm a writer I followed lots of other writers' blogs but they all yelled "buy my book!" I wanted something more...something interesting.

Of late, though, I've seen some great stuff such as Ann Montgmery's blog - what an interesting life she's led - and Sloane Taylor's segue from hot contemporary romance author to hot cookery author. (Some like it hot). And I thought, "Maybe it's not so bad out there in the ether. Let's try again, Vonnie." I also noticed that the smart-think business blogs have not spruced themselves up much lately. Covid? Would have thought that our communication skills would have sharpened. Guess we're all just sick of navel-gazing.

So here I am, older than Methuselah, tapping away in la-la land once more disagreeing madly with the inspiration/perspiration rule.

And if you've actually got to the bottom of this uninspiring post, have a look at a couple of my books. I still write in two main genres, suspense and Regency adventure. Cheers!

DANGEROUS HOMECOMING: Both of them are scarred by war; she because of the shattered men she nurses; he because of the loss of friends and the horrors he must endure daily.

Colwyn Hetherington has a chance to put it all behind him and return to England. Juliana Colebrook desperately wants to go to England to seek out her relatives. They take an almighty chance and travel together, setting in train a series of events that neither could have anticipated.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/713789

https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Homecoming-Vonnie-Hughes/dp/1520921373/

 

LETHAL REFUGE: Inching along the wall, Célie reached the window. She held on to the door jamb, a little island of security in a sea of fear. Then she stretched across and peered out. A featureless face stared back at her.

 She screamed and jumped back, bashing her elbow on the laundry tub.

 Peaches lumbered to his feet, shaky and confused.

 The face was still there. No eyes. No mouth. No nose.

 Peaches staggered over to the door and snuffled.

 Mesmerized, Célie kept staring at that distorted face as she backed into a corner.

 Then the face moved and a hand spread across the glass. The forefinger and thumb rubbed together.

 Flashes of memory seared her mind.

 She gasped, remembering that fearful morning when she’d discovered poor Occy’s disemboweled body. Stunned, struggling not to vomit, she’d been hovering over what was left of Occy when she sensed she was being watched. For a few precious seconds she had stared back at the creepy figure silhouetted in the early morning gloom watching her—just watching her.

 Then he’d rubbed his thumb and forefinger together covetously, as if he were contemplating the best way to eat her alive.

 And she’d bolted.

 And done her best to bury those memories.

 Whoever that monster had been, he was outside the window right now.

 http://amzn.com/1601549962

And now I've done what I complained about that so many other authors have done - spruiked some of my books. But look at it this way - at my age I surely can't write many more books?

 Have a great Spring/Autumn (Fall).

 

Vonnie

 

 

 

In Good Company: “TIME & AGAIN” BY STELLA MAY

In Good Company: “TIME & AGAIN” BY STELLA MAY:   MARK YOUR CALENDAR! “TIME & AGAIN” BY STELLA MAY IS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE ON AUGUST 25 TH IT’S AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW Time ...

Sweet & Spicy...In & Out of the Kitchen: MY A-LIST OF AUTHORS

Sweet & Spicy...In & Out of the Kitchen: MY A-LIST OF AUTHORS:  from Vonnie Hughes Some authors produce quality books year after year and I have the utmost respect for them. They don’t churn out somethin...

REVIEW of DATE NIGHT DINNERS

Sloane Taylor has created another cookbook for the real cooks out there. It's not for the chefs or the followers of the more esoteric recipes that use expensive and difficult to source ingredients.

DATE NIGHT DINNERS is a cookbook that any sweetie or cuddlepuss can follow to produce a tasty, simple meal for two. The concept is for full dinners including meat and vegetables i.e. not just a one-off recipe, and Sloane also makes suggestions for appropriate wines and uses for the leftovers i.e. this book is practical.

It is simple and uncomplicated and is very much a man's book in that most of the recipes are meaty and satisfying. The best part is that Sloane gives buying hints and explanations about ingredients throughout and at the end of the book there are conversion tables for both measurements and temperatures for those of us using a metric system.

I recommend this book for those seeking a solution to the never-ending question: what can I cook that is easy to make but looks super-effective? There is something here for everyone. Enjoy!

SWEET VALENTINE BOOK

We got together for Valentine's Day and devised a bunch of sweet treats for your sweeties:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079 GC2WZ1

Smshwords https://www.smashwords.com/boo ks/view/785994

Sweet things from all over the world:

Meeting Jayne Ann Krentz

JAYNE ANN KRENTZ alias JAYNE CASTLE alias

AMANDA QUICK

I was fortunate recently to have an upfront and personal encounter with this lovely lady. She was on a Holland America cruise that took in the east coast of Australia as well as New Zealand, and I’m sure many an avid reader or writer of the romantic suspense genre will also mention the fact that they, too, attended a book signing with their favourite author.

I’ve many times mentioned that Jayne, in all her guises, is far and away my favourite author. She has a unique ability to stay true to her core story as the setting changes from the past, (Crystal Gardens) to the present, (Copper Beach) to the future (Dark Light). Her heroes are staunch but misunderstood until they link up with heroines who understand them because they, too, have qualities that which are not generally appreciated. And another unique talent that Jayne has is to link family traits down through the generations e.g. the Coppersmiths.

I've attached one of Jayne's book covers, something else Jayne chooses well. I'm not a fan of hot clinches on the covers of books, and I feel that Jayne's covers are classy and depict the romantic suspense genre accurately and with a little mystique. 

However, the most important comment (in my view) that Jayne made during her talk was that she always tries to remain true to her core story and core characterisations. And in a flash it hit me why I was having so much trouble finishing a story I’ve been writing aimed at the Lobster Cove section for the Wild Rose Press. Because I’m heavily into suspense and mystery I’ve allowed myself to get side-tracked into that side of the book and can’t wind it up satisfactorily. I’ve meandered away from my core story.

Thank you, Jayne, although you’ll never know that you helped me in this respect.

FREE COOKBOOK!!!

Yup, that's right. A bunch of authors got together to set up a cookbook for their readers. Some international recipes here - we come from all over. Best of all - it's free!

 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/751324

Let us know what you think!

Interview with Regency writer Regan - Events during that era

Here's a link to where I discussed events during the Regency era and the heroine of DANGEROUS HOMECOMING tells it like it is:

 https://getlostinastory.blogspot.com/2017/11/regan-walkers-best-of-regency-with.html

WRITING LYRICS AND DEVELOPING CREATIVITY

WRITING LYRICS

♪♯

Recently I embarked on a new journey with a like-minded partner. David writes the music; I write the lyrics. Now David is different from most composers. He likes to have a bunch of words in front of him before commencing to write music. So, my lyrics come first.

And let me tell you, as a poet from way back, writing lyrics is very different from writing poetry. You need to have an appreciation of music so that some sort of song sings through your head as you write the words. Will the words sound out of place when set to music? Is the rhythm of the words conducive to the synapse transmission to music rather than just sound? 

♯♫

We write all sorts of songs, some with a view to providing them to our local singing group. As we singers are all over 50 (and that’s a polite euphemism), we are tolerant of not-quite-right rhythms and phrases. But David and I also  produce songs best tackled by a soloist and accompanist such as Dark & Light, our present offering. David has roamed all over the keyboard with this one so I’ve suggested a little less minor angst and more…well, light.

And sometimes my words puzzle David and he suggests not that I change them, but that I switch them around for clarity. I’m still learning, you see, that poetry and novel writing is not at all the same as soaring lyrics that can’t wait to be sung.

And then there’s words like Constantinople that need a stress on the first two syllables and demisemiquavers for the …ti-no-ple. But I leave the hard yards to David. After all, he chose to fit his music around my words and boy, is he paying for that little brainstorm. One day he’ll compose a stupendous song that I have to fit the lyrics to in the more normal fashion. Challenges, challenges… Creativity is never-ending.

♪♯

 

DANGEROUS HOMECOMING

Sloane has done me proud on her blogpost. She has posted an interview with the heroine of DANGEROUS HOMECOMING and also posted an excerpt from the book. Lookee here:

 https://sloanetaylor.blogspot.com/2017/07/sass-and-brass-but-always-lady.html