If You Were a Character, Who Would You Be?

When writing a book or even a short story, you often find that your character takes on a life of their own. You can picture them; you can hear their voice; you see them. They become real.

I noticed a question on an email list that sounded intriguing and goes with the above notion. If you could be a character for a day, who would you be - and why?

I keep thinking it would be fun to be Alice in Wonderland. Being short already, you wouldn't think I'd want to shrink even smaller. But being a dollhouse and miniatures collector, I often see or create a room or house that I almost wish I could live in.

I know with the intriguing new Johnny Depp/Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland movie coming out next year, I've thought how neat it would be to make one of those scenes in miniature. That garden with the giant flowers, or that amazing scene with everyone at the dinner table. I know I won't be the only one thinking that, either. (Wow, check out the interior of the castle in the trailer!)

* So, who do you see yourself as? What character would you want to be for a day and why?

* Watch the movie trailer.

Bo the White House Dog - Real or Miniature?

Miniaturist Alice Zinn has a way with animals. She creates incredible creatures that you almost expect to jump, bark, chirp or meow.

I'll be featuring her and her work in an upcoming post, but for now, I wanted to share her latest creation - a miniature version of Bo, the Obamas' Portuguese Water Dog. The miniature version (2.5" high) is made of polymer clay and synthetic hair. He's a limited edition of four and sells for $150.

The original miniature Bo was commissioned by the Zweifel family, who created the Miniature White House 40 years ago. The 55-foot long White House replica is updated with each new president and continues to be displayed around the country.

Almost hard to tell the real from the miniature, isn't it?! (White House photo - C. Kennedy)

Stay tuned for a special feature on Alice and her miniature dogs coming in October - and a special offer to readers of this blog!

First Graphs: The Lighthouse Keeper by Luisa Buehler

Today's feature is perfect for fall, a mystery with a touch of spookiness.

THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER: A Beckoning Death is the fifth book in the popular Grace Marsden Mystery Series by Luisa Buehler (Echelon Press).

With a troubled marriage, and the haunting memories of ghosts, bones, and dead bodies, Grace Marsden needs solace. The invitation from her childhood friend presents Grace with an opportunity for respite on Christian Island.

An ancient Indian tragedy, island ghost sightings, and modern day treachery twist lives until more deaths and more danger make Grace unsure of whom she can trust.

When the spirit of the lighthouse keeper beckons, is it to warn her-- or harm her?


Excerpt from THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER:

"It's behind that wall."

My brother's whisper brought Joan and me to his side. We'd climbed up to the lantern room in the old lighthouse over an hour ago, ostensibly to take notes and measurements.

"I don't hear anything."

"There can't be anything 'behind' these walls, Marty–they're made of three-foot-thick stone. 'Behind' is out there." Joan motioned toward the windows.

"There it is again. Hear it?"

I heard a faint scratching.

Joan shook her head. "I didn't hear it. If it's anything, it has to be coming from downstairs. Sound displaces in lighthouses…something about the cylindrical shape."

Marty started down the stairs. Joan shook her head and smiled. "It's probably an island rat," she whispered.

"Yuck. The brochure said nothing about rats, island or otherwise." I referred to my childhood friend's letter inviting me to Christian Island for a visit. "And while we're on that page, couldn't you and Dave have waited to sell at the end of the season? Who visits the island in January?"

Buy:
* Amazon.com
* Echelon Press

When the Story Stops - Asking Authors How They Fill in Their Book

You're an author and writer. You outline, or have the latest book underway. Things are going well, the story is moving along, the outline is figured out and suddenly... gasp! The story runs out!

You thought you had the story worked out and enough situations and scenes to fill the required amount of chapters. Now it seems you may be several chapters short.

So, I'm asking authors: anyone been in this situation? How do you address it?

How did you fill in the gap? What did you add to expand the story without it just being "filler?"

What is needed to fix this kind of situation? What is missing in a book, I'm mostly interested in mystery, that this would occur?

Love to hear your thoughts as I work on my ongoing mystery!

Cooking with a Cookbook in a New Way

Today I'm talking about the kind of cooking I do using a cookbook at an appropriate site, the Vintage Cookbooks blog, so be sure to check it out!

First Graphs: Stolen Birthright by Margaret Tanner

Today's except is from Margaret Tanner, author of several Australian-set stories including STOLEN BIRTHRIGHT (Whiskey Creek Press, May 2008).

In STOLEN BIRTHRIGHT, the sequel to SAVAGE UTOPIA, Georgina, a wild colonial girl, meets and falls in love with a dashing young English aristocrat, Marcus Lindquist.

When Johnny Dawson is ambushed and killed, Marcus finally learns the secret of what has bound him to Georgina. Johnny is her brother, not her lover as he had jealously supposed, but even darker secrets from the past overshadow their love.

How can an English nobleman marry the daughter of convicts?





Excerpt from STOLEN BIRTHRIGHT


The Honourable Marcus Lindquist cursed inwardly as another bump almost unseated him.

What did this idiot of a driver think he was doing? Bloody half-witted colonial.

He had been forced to leave England to save the Lindquist name from being dragged further into disrepute, now he was exiled in this Godforsaken penal colony. Australia was only fit for convicts and destitute immigrants.

September Reader's Contest: Win a Special Bookmark!

I've decided to have a contest!

One lucky winner will receive this beautiful silver-plated carved bookmark from England in the shape of Sherlock Holmes! A perfect way to accent your favorite mystery!

To enter:

* Comment on any of the posts on my blog. Suggest a new blog topic, share something from your own collection, or tell me about a favorite book or story you're reading or just read.

Be sure to include an email to contact you. NOTE: I manually approve messages so it will not show up on blog immediately. Don't forget to check out my book links while you're here!

* Contest ends 9/30/09. Entrants limited to US and western Europe only.

Thanks for stopping by and entering! Chris

Saturday sales: skellies, tea and perfumes

So.... Mr. and Mrs. Skellie are celebrating their love with a quiet concert, just the two of them...

But Harold....

Not now, dear.

Sweetest, you really should listen to me.

Not this time, dear.

Harold!!! What is that thing inside the piano?

He's speechlees, it seems.

Well, the "creature" appears to be harmless, so they continue their concert.





Spooky, worn wood piano, stool and small "skull" candlestick.

She has a silk skirt with sparkle net over it and a net shawl. And she just had her hair done!

* Perfume stands: hand-made small wood displays for table, boudoir, dresser, store etc.

Perfume stand 1 - deco style




Perfume stand 2 w/ gloves



Tea stand - wood display -Contact me if interested in any of these items.

First Graphs: Secrets to Die For by LJ Sellers

Welcome to LJ Sellers, author of the Detective Wade Jackson mystery series, which includes THE SEX CLUB and the soon-to-be-released SECRETS TO DIE FOR,(coming Sept. '09, Echelon Press).

A brutal murder, a suspect with a strange story, and a kidnap victim with a secret to hide—can Detective Jackson uncover the truth in time to save her?

When social worker Raina Hughes visits the home of a young boy she’s been assigned to monitor, things quickly turn ugly. Later, when she’s found brutally murdered, Detective Wade Jackson is confident it’s an open-and-shut case against the boy’s ex-con father.

But nothing is as it seems and complications develop when new evidence points to a serial rapist who’s becoming more violent with each attack. Raina’s lover Jamie knows what the rape victims have in common, but won’t tell for fear of revealing her own secrets.

When Jamie disappears, Jackson knows time is running out and he’s determined to discover the truth before the body count goes any higher.



Except from SECRETS TO DIE FOR:

Wednesday, February 13

Raina shut off the motor and glanced up at the puke-green
doublewide with a chunk of plywood over the front window.
The near dusk couldn't hide the broken dreams of the trailer's
occupants, Bruce and Cindy Gorman. Raina wasn't here to
see them. She was here for Josh, their eight-year-old son.

As a children’s support advocate, Raina had been assigned to monitor Josh six months ago, when the state of Oregon had taken temporary custody and placed the boy in foster care. Her primary responsibility was to stay in touch with Josh and to ensure the system did not fail him. During that time, the Gormans had danced all the right steps–anger management for him, parenting classes for her, and a rehab program for both. So now Josh was back in their care, and this was Raina’s last official contact…for now.

* Read the rest of Chapter 1, "Secrets to Die For."

* Pre-order: Amazon.com

Welcome to Echelon Shorts!

Today is the official launch day for the new Echelon Press Shorts .

What's a Short you ask? Other than me?

Well...

* Check out NEW releases on the first AND the fifteenth. Find some great new authors with exciting stories that you're sure to enjoy reading!

* Meet new authors via new blog posts Monday through Friday. Get news on the authors, their latest ventures, and their characters.

* This week, there'll be new releases and posts from the authors of those stories including Regan Black, Marc Vun Kannon, Mary Welk, and Michelle Sonnier. And to celebrate, they are giving away *free* ebook downloads.

Stop by, check it out and comment at: Echelon Shorts

Miniatures on Monday: Kitty's Lady's Shoppe

The real joy of working in miniature is creating a project that invites the viewer to return again and again, and each time, they see something new.

That's what happens when you look at the recent project completed by my Dutch friend, Kitty Balke.

Her Lady's Shoppe is somewhere I'd love to go shopping. This store offers a great assortment of goods.

There are shelves stuffed with shoes and shoeboxes. How about the wealth of goods on the tables? The displays offer plenty to choose from as well.





She has become a big fan (as I am) of Kansas miniaturist Lisa Engler who sells kits and other items as Lisa's Little Things, using many of her decorative items, packages, and furniture kits in the room. Fantastic, isn't it?



* See more of Kitty's miniature rooms and dolls at her blog, Kitty's Minis

Searching for A Starry Night and Other Books in Galena!

There's nothing like a group of authors getting together to make a booksigning memorable. (Unless Norm Cowie or Joe Konrath are there. No explanation necessary.)

That's what a bunch of us did this past weekend at the first Literary Bookfest in Galena, Ill.

Thanks to the organizational skills of, and wonderful accommodations at the charming Huckleberry Inn by author Barb Annino, this soon-to-be-annual event in Galena, Ill. managed to even outshine former resident, Civil War General and 18th US President, Ulysses S. Grant (if that's at all possible!)

Besides their own books, most of the authors had stories in the anthology, Missing, with proceeds going to benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Authors present included:
* Norm Cowie (Fang Face); (be sure to read his funny take on the trip and a few of the uh, less "savory" events);
* Barb Annino (Missing);
* Henry Perez (Killing Red);
* J.A. Konrath (Cherry Bomb);
* Luisa Buehler (The Innkeeper: An Unregistered Death);
* Margot Justes (A Hotel in Paris);
* Mary Welk (The Rune Stone Murders);
* JD Webb (Moon Over Chicago);
* Barbara DeShong (Too Rich and Too Thin);
* and me, Christine Verstraete (Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery)

There were two signings, one at the Fried Green Tomatoes Restaurant, where you were greeted by this guy inside the door. (Nice place, don't let the grouchy face fool you.)

A second signing was held at the Brio Art Gallery, a wonderful modern jewel set right in vintage downtown Galena. Stunning art and jewelry.



Oh Beautiful, Spacious Skies!



I hadn't been to Galena in over 20 years and forgot some of the highlights. The big surprise was coming over the hill on the way and suddenly this wonderful green vista explodes in front of you. I forgot how hilly - and beautiful - the area was. (This pic doesn't do it justice. I thought I'd taken the better view looking down.)

Oh, and when I say hilly, I actually mean monstrous stairs! There are several whopping sets of steps. I think this is the one that has more than 200 steps. Going down was fine. (I didn't try going up; walking back up the hills to the B&B was enough for me.)

It is a town full of interesting shops and fascinating history. Lincoln spoke from the balcony of the old DeSoto House Hotel.

Grant's Home, a gift from the townspeople after his return from the Civil War on Aug. 18, 1865, is a charming brick residence and still contains much of the original furnishings.



I didn't get a chance to tour any of the other historic buildings, but I'm looking forward to another visit and more time to do so.

It was a great event: interesting history, great books, fun people and beautiful scenery. What more can you ask for?

First Graphs: The Advocate by Teresa Burrell

Meet the female John Grisham!

With a background as an attorney and teacher in San Diego, Teresa Burrell has been active in advocating for children and children's isssues.

Now Burrell is striving for justice in fiction that is inspired by many of her past cases, including her new novel, THE ADVOCATE (Echelon Press, Aug. 2009):

For Sabre Orin Brown, life is good; she has it all...or would have, if only she could solve the mysterious disappearance of her brother. The search for her brother and her career as a Juvenile Court attorney collide when she defends a nine-year-old whose father will go to any length to obtain custody.



First Graphs from THE ADVOCATE:

"If I knew he were dead, maybe then I could let go." Sabre Brown's fingers slid up and down the side of her Styrofoam cup as she and her best friend, Bob, walked away from the coffee cart, in front of the Juvenile Division of the San Diego Superior Court.

He put his arm around her tiny waist and pulled her closer to him. "I know how much you miss him."

"Not knowing is the worst part. You'd think after five years, I'd quit expecting him to return." She sighed and her voice softened. "The last time I talked to him, he called to wish me a happy birthday. He called me the night before because his plane was leaving early in the morning and he didn't want to wake me. I teased him about growing up, since waking me in the middle of the night would generally bring him great pleasure."

Buy: Amazon.com

Searching For A Starry Night Featured in Austin Writing Examiner Column

I can't say I enjoy being called "older," but Austin Writing Examiner Sylvia Dickey Smith featured Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery in her new Austin Writing Examiner column.

She calls the book "delightful" and says: "Who can resist a story about an adorable canine, a search for a miniature art piece--and a haunted house, to boot."

Thanks, Sylvia!

First Graphs: Curse of the Bayou, Cynthia's Attic by Mary Cunningham

Today's excerpt is from the fun children's series, Cynthia's Attic, by author Mary Cunningham.

In book three, CURSE OF THE BAYOU (2007, Echelon Press), time-traveling best friends Gus and Cynthia find themselves in 1914 New Orleans.

There, the girls search for answers in the disappearance of Cynthia's great-grandfather, Beau Connor, who was on his way down the Mississippi River to sell a flatboat full of produce.

(Book Four: THE MAGICIAN'S CASTLE will be published in December '09.)





Excerpt, CURSE OF THE BAYOU:

"Don’t move.”

“Are you kidding? Why on earth would I move?”

Just another boring trip through the trunk. There we were, hanging on for dear life to a log in the middle of a swamp.

My best friend and I had been on some frightening adventures together since discovering time travel through an old trunk in her attic. But nothing prepared us for a face-to-face encounter with an alligator. No, siree. Nothing prepared us for this.

* Buy: Amazon.com

* Visit the Cynthia's Attic blog

Searching for a Starry Night's Lita Has Her Say at Women's Wednesday!

Lita (my character from Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery) always has a lot to say.

Today, she has a good comment at the Women's Wednesday blog. (This is a cool idea by author Diana Black). Be sure to check it out!

Authors Share their Self-Promotion Secrets in Women on Writing Story

I talked with several bestselling authors including Elaine Viets . Carl Brookins, Betty Webb, and others to share thoughts on their self-promotion experiences - and a few of the pitfalls.

See what they have to say in my story, "Real Authors on a Budget" in the Aug. '09 issue of Women on Writing

* Guess what is the "small" promotion secret for Searching For A Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery?

Pink Saturday: Pink Miniatures and More!

Today is again Pink Saturday at Beverly's blog, How Sweet the Sound.

Pink is such a pretty, fun, frilly color, isn't it?

Soooo...
What makes me feel - in the pink???


* This is soooo cool! How about this pink party "dress?"


I love these kinds of cakes. I still want to try making one -- in miniature, of course!









* How about a few babies dressed in pink? Take a peek at my miniature dolls.

** Or how about a tiny pink teapot on a table in a room - in a candy box? See my mini candy box room.

* I hope you enjoyed your visit!

** Keep in the pink by reading- and get your kids (and grandkids!) reading!!

** Searching for A Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery is a fun mystery for ages 9 and up. Friends Sam, Lita, and Dachshund Petey search for a missing miniature replica of Van Gogh's "Starry Night."

Guest Author Pam Ripling: Keeping Young Readers Motivated

Keeping Young Readers Motivated

By Pam Ripling

I wish it were as simple as typing those words. True, some kids devour books, avidly reading nearly everything they can get their hands on. Unfortunately, there are some children and teens for whom reading is merely a chore, and still others that struggle with below-grade level skills. These are the ones on whom we need to focus our attention.

We all know that reading can be six-kinds-of-ways boring. Between history books and math word problems, kids get pummeled with words from all sides. Some even develop shorthand comprehension, skimming for key words but never fully reading the material. And that ain’t readin’! Steering young minds away from the written word, even unintentionally, is simply a crime.

For most of these would-be-great-readers, it’s all a matter of subject and interest. Reading about the U.S. Constitution is not the same as reading about zombies descending on the local shopping mall.

I mention this because zombies did converge at our big regional shopping center this week, and you can bet even reluctant readers were all over Facebook the next day, soaking up the story with gory delight. When Six Flags opened up their latest and most terrifying coaster this summer, news of its harrowing twists and turns were posted, texted and tweeted all over town.

Great, but what about those math and history textbooks? No walking dead, no thrill rides grace those pages. But students with better reading skills are less reluctant to suffer through the dry stuff. Good comprehension and vocabulary actually make reading less of a dreaded event. Therefore, it makes sense for educators, parents and students alike to focus on reading improvement by going to the material that holds the most interest!

When I wrote LOCKER SHOCK! for young adolescents, I discovered something interesting.

The subject matter, guns in school, had a broad appeal amongst young teens and tweens alike. Because I was focused on the story, which is set in an average California middle school, I didn’t try too hard to aim the reading level at any particular age. As a result, the book is enjoyed by younger, voracious readers and middle-schoolers who don’t want to be too challenged. It’s also a fairly quick read, and that almost always appeals to reluctant readers.

Our blog host, Christine Verstraete, has written Searching For A Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery, a mystery with great elements: a mischievous Dachshund and a missing, museum-quality, miniature Van Gogh painting! Kids love dogs as characters, and teeny-tiny anythings. It’s all about grabbing their interest before they even realize they are reading a book.

Last, it’s important to start early. Kids need and like to be read to, all the way into sixth grade. Some school districts have instituted “Read With Me” programs, involving community members such as seniors and future educators to help students improve their skills. Matching interests with reading matter will go a long way toward keeping young readers motivated.


Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at http://www.beaconstreetbooks.com/.

First Graphs: Leaden Skies by Ann Parker

Today's excerpt is from the Silver Rush historical mystery series by Ann Parker.

Publishers Weekly called LEADEN SKIES (Poisoned Pen Press, July 2009) "a twisty tale of murder and ambition."










Excerpt from "Leaden Skies" -

"July 22, 1880

When the summer storm arrived late that afternoon, it was hailed as a blessing. Damp splots the size of half-eagle gold coins pocked hats and shawls, sent small dust explosions puffing up from dirt streets ground to dust beneath boots and wagon wheels, and tempted small children to stand with faces upturned, tongues thrust out to catch the drops."

(The description makes you feel like you're there, doesn't it?)


* Buy: Amazon.com

I LOVE Garage Sales & Flea Markets!

This was one of my great finds at a recent garage sale... Can't believe hubby didn't see it! I must have miniatures radar as I zoomed right in on it!

It's now hanging on the kitchen wall. The inside back wall has a photo of an old time grocery. I have to study the photo better to see what is in it, but I'm going to see how a small counter and some displays fit inside. I figured I'd use some swap items I have saved. I may put a meat counter, fruit-vegetable display, some candy - I have to see what I can use. You won't be able to really see it unless you peek inside, but I thought it was a cool display box. Neat, huh?



Oh and the price? Heh-heh. $3!!! (We replaced that cheap string on the side and put a chain on which looks better.)

What will I do this winter when the flea market closes and garage sales are over??? (Yeah I know, save money. haa!)

The week before I got a bag full of old wood furniture, perfect to age for Halloween... $8.

First Graphs: Locked in Death by Eric Mayer and Mary Reed

Today's First Graphs excerpt is from the short story, "Locked in Death," by Mary Reed and Eric Mayer, published in The Mammoth Book of Perfect Crimes and Impossible Mysteries, ed. Mike Ashley, Robinson, 2006.

Reed and Mayer are also authors of the John the Lord Chamberlain mystery series from Poisoned Pen Press, set in 6th century Constantinople.




Excerpt from "Locked in Death:"

"During his years with the Mongolian police Inspector Dorj had witnessed crimes in sufficient variety to inspire several Shakespearean tragedies, but until the crowbar-wielding midget sent the locked door of the circus caravan flying open the inspector had never seen a man murdered by a corpse."

Buy: Amazon.com

Art Come to Life 2: American Gothic and The Little Chocolatier

Across "the pond," British doll maker Claire Smith Campbell also enjoys making a variety of miniature dolls and making art come to life.

Amusingly enough, her latest pair of dolls replicated a classic American painting - "American Gothic" by Grant Wood.

(Pictured below: American Gothic by Claire Smith-Campbell)

(Great likeness huh? Though no one can exactly match that woman's scowl!)

Claire, who's been making dolls for 20 years, used Janna Joseph molds to make the "American Gothic" couple. "I didn't have to alter much, it was just a matter of copying the portrait and finding the right sort of hand and feet molds," she says.

"I had to guess what they would look like full length, but took in the time period when they were painted. I had fun trying to find the correct hay fork (pitchfork), but the good people on The Camp miniatures group helped me find one!"

Sweet Inspiration

Another of Claire's charming recreations was of the painting, "The Little Chocolatier. (The Chocolate Girl)"

The painting is by Swiss miniaturist artist, Jean-Etiene Liotard, 1702-1789

Claire first began making full-size dolls, but says she had to give it up "when the molds became too heavy (she has MS) and the market was flooded with cheap dolls. I gave up totally for about a year, but was as miserable as sin."

When a friend brought back a collection of fairy molds and said, 'these are impossible, you can have them,' Claire was more than thrilled: "Whoopee, that got me going again."

She found other suppliers and molds, converted a bedroom into a workroom, and then moved into a larger workspace. She's since come back to making dolls after taking a break following her husband's death.

"Nearly two years ago, my husband had a beautiful cabin built for me at the bottom of the garden, complete with double glazing, two rooms and a deck," she says. "Sadly, he died just after last Christmas and I have only just come out of a parallel universe and started making dolls again."

Claire mostly made dolls for her own pleasure, but she is thinking of trying to sell some of her original dolls on eBay under the name Sugar Plum Dolls.

"I can`t do 'production line' dolls," she says. "I take a long time making them, and as such I think they deserve the best armatures and wadding, etc. At the moment, I'm quite happy making them and the ideas are beginning to come back."

So, what's next?

"I rather fancy Manet`s "Bar at the Folies Bergere," she admits. "She`s just sitting in my mind right now."

We can't wait to see her!

Art Come to Life: De Pury's Bobbin Lacemaker in Miniature

One of the most fascinating aspects of miniatures is the ability of artisans to replicate the work of famous artists, bringing their work to life in a way the painters never could have envisioned.

IGMA (International Guild of Miniature Artisans) Artisan Lucie Winsky has brought a number of famous paintings to life with her skill in making miniature dolls.

(A story on the dolls she made based on the work of Johannes Vermeer and other artists will be in the Oct. issue of the Dolls' House Magazine.)

This time, Lucie was asked to replicate the work of a painter she wasn't familiar with - Edmund de Pury's "The Little Bobbin Lace Maker."





Good likeness, isn't it? Lucie has captured both the charm, and the skill, of the painting in her miniature doll.

* Read more about lacemaking

* See some beautiful antique bobbin lace

** Come back tomorrow for a look at more artistic doll replicas, this time by doll maker Claire Smith Campbell.