Share a Book

My son Marc wrote a great blog about his daughter and comic books. How they're meant to entertain and enjoy, and not merely be read and stuck safely away in a protective plastic cover and box. Oddly enough, it got me to thinking about readers and their books. It's nice to keep books on a shelf, sitting there looking pretty, or collecting dust until we're ready to take them down and read them again. But how often do we actually reread them?
Books are meant to be shared and, like an unspoken rule, readers know that and do just that...they share. My sister and I, plus two friends, trade books and when we're all done with them, the one woman takes them to her mother's retirement home for more people to enjoy.
Naturally, I have my keepers as do the other women, but without sharing books I would never get to read so many. I believe any avid reader would agree with me. And any bibliophile just couldn't possibly afford to buy all the books she wants to read.
I visited with a romance readers' group and part of their meeting involved the group dividing up books to share. They each enthusiastically recommended the books they had brought and they just as enthusiastically scooped them up. Some books even had a waiting list.
You might think being a writer I would think differently about sharing books, but not true. Many readers who contact me tell me that it was through a friend who shared a book of mine with them that they first learned about me. They then went on to buy my other books and recommend them to others.
Sharing books work not only for readers, but writers as well. So share a book or two today and spread the joy of reading.

Buried in Writing

The last few days have seen me buried in writing. Sometimes you get on a writing streak and can't stop. It's a productive time and naturally you don't want to interrupt it. So you lock yourself away and write. You don't eat right or fuss over your appearance. You basically stick your nose to your computer and work, work, work.
Then suddenly you realize, or someone kindly reminds you, that you've lost all track of time (actually days) and you look in the mirror and scream OMG! Who is that crazed, sleepless woman staring back at me?
Sanity sets in and you think of the countless phone messages that will need returning, not to mention the tons of e-mails, and of course letting everyone know, yes, I am alive! With little fanfare, you emerge from your creative mist and once again become part of life. But always lurking is that desire to return to the mist and become lost in the world you have created.

Characters of the Week

Lucian Darcmoor, or as he's referred to in The Buccaneer, Captain Lucifer, is a favorite character of mine. I've had the pleasure of revisiting him since I'm getting the book ready to be made available as an e-book. A handsome man besieged with justifiable anger, he captures the daughter of the man he perceives as his enemy. He intends to take his revenge out on her, thus making his foe suffer. Catherine, however, has a different plan in mind. One that not only drives the captain crazy, but has him losing his heart to a very special woman. And as cliched as it might be I had to have a scene where he holds her tight and swings on a rope from one ship to another. He just wouldn't be a pirate if he didn't do that. Then there's the rescue scene. I recall writing it and thinking how would Captain Lucifer save the woman he loved. The answer was simple. He wouldn't let anything stop him from reaching her even if it meant marching straight into into the hands of his enemy.

Other characters I want to mention are from a book I'm reading and one I've already read.
I'm having a delightful time reading Murder by the Slice by Livia J. Washburn. I adore the main character Phyllis Newsom, a retired middle school teacher. Between trying not to interfere with her son Mike's, a Parker County sheriff's deputy, investigations and in constant baking competition with her best friend Carolyn Wilbarger and finding herself attracted to her new boarder Sam Fletcher (great last name) she's got her hands full. Phyllis is one of those no nonsense characters with a big heart who you never grow tired reading about.

And then there's Maggie O'Neil from The Trouble with Magic by Madelyn Alt. I get a kick out of Maggie who has some trouble adjusting to her new found abilities as an empath. Her new boss Felicity Dow, a proclaimed witch guides and helps her adapt. But Maggie's Catholic guilt keeps getting in the way, not to mention her family. You can't help but love, laugh and cheer for Maggie, and of course continue to read her adventures. A great character and series if you like magic.


That's this week's cast of characters. Look for more next week and happy reading!

Hodge Podge

A hodge podge. A bit of this and a bit of that?
I've been at my computer all week doing what writers do... write. Even when I'm not writing my books I'm usually writing something. This week I was asked by two friends to write two letters who needed help in specific and important areas. I got them done in no time.
And then there's my journal writing. I write in it with great enthusiasm either very early in the morning or very late at night. I don't dump my frustrations or such in it, that's not it's purpose. To me it's a place where I can go beyond the ordinary and feel comfortable. It's a trusting companion and I always look forward to spending time within its pages. Another important journal to me is my dream journal. I experience the greatest dreams and I have come to see how dreams help and guide in daily life, while some turn out to be prophetic. There's a good dream site if you're interested in lucid dreaming. Oh, and need I forget my blog, which I do enjoy writing.
In between all this writing there's other things to be done, not to mention making time for reading. It's crazy that I spend the majority of my day with the written word and when I sit to relax I return to it in books. Though I do have my knitting projects. I'm working on a lovely spring/summer shawl in muted, peaches, greens and rose colors. And there's the throw I'm working on now for some time, though it's more like a blanket and I will be doing embroidery on it when the knitting part is done.
I can't forget the Easter hat I put together for my granddaughter. I made it to accompany her Fancy Nancy stuff. It's white with a wide brim. I added to that a plastic, multi-colored jewel necklace that fit the rim perfectly, fluffy white bows and purple checkered hair clips finished the dazzling bonnet.
I will admit that I escaped the confines of home a few hours one day this week. And where do you think I went? Where else? The bookstore, though it wasn't a long visit since I had to go to the post office and food store.
And today? No doubt I'll write, but first my flowerpots need cleaning and I need to take my spring wind chimes out. And then I have to get started searching for a place, since it's come time for me to move. As I said, a hodge podge of things that's going on. What's your hodge podge like?

Scottish Heather

During my writing session today I wrote about my heroine who stops to collect sprigs of heather. I often recall my trip to Scotland when I'm writing my Celtic historical romances. And one of the most memorable sights was the endless sea of heather that carpeted the hillsides. Heather is often referred to, and most appropriately, in the Scottish Highlands as "The Carpet of the Highlands."
The wild plant has been around since ancient times and its uses varied widely. Heather was used in bed stuffing, floor rushes, basket making, walls, roof thatch, brooms and it was weaved into some fences. It was also used in tea and ale. Then of course there were the medicinal uses ranging from treating nerves and depression to coughs and countless more that I'm sure were lost through the ages. While I have seen only purple heather, I learned there are other colors including orange, grey-green, yellow and the rare white, which was thought to possess magical powers.
Whether myth or truth, there is a story about the fabled heather ale. It seemed that the ancient Pictish Kings and the eldest son were the only ones who possessed the secret recipe of the divine drink. When the final battle took place between the Picts and Scots, it has been told that when the Pictish King and his eldest son were the only ones left, the Scots demanded to know the secret recipe. The king, fearing his son would break under torture and reveal it, told the Scottish warrior to kill his son first and then he would tell him the recipe. After his son was dead, the Pictish King refused to breath a word about the famous heather ale and its tasty secret died with him.
Robert Louis Stevenson even wrote about it in From Heather Ale, A Galloway Legend.
From the bonny bells of heather,
They brewed a drink longsyne,
Was sweeter far than honey,
Was stronger far than wine.
I can't write about the Scottish Highlands without mentioning the wild heather. And today when my heroine suddenly stopped in her tracks, I knew why. She couldn't resist the heather growing on the hillside, even though she was shackled to a warrior Highlander she barely knew and the king's soldiers were after them. She had to have a sprig or two of heather. And how did my hero react? That you''ll have to wait to find out!

Spring!

Spring is in the air today, though it's not official for two days. But don't tell my flower pots, buds have already popped through the soil eager for the warm sunshine. I can see into the small cropping of woods beyond the terrace, the stirrings of crocus and daffodils inching their way past the leaves on the ground, happy they will bloom before the trees burst full with leaves and hides their beautiful colors from me.
The birds will soon build their nests stealing bits and pieces from my flower pots, though I don't mind the little felons since their antics are quite entertaining. As is the liveliness of the squirrels that race up and down the trees playfully after each other, though get down to business when it's nest-building time.
The plump groundhogs surprise me with their speed and busyness. And the chipmunks are a delight to watch. While I agree hawks are beautiful, I prefer them to stay away from my little woods and dine elsewhere. Sometimes I need to convince them with the wave of a broomstick in their direction, if they're perched on a nearby branch.
What else grows and blooms in the spring? Why love of course, and it doesn't matter if it is a new love or renewing love. The wondrous feeling flits in the air bouncing along with no regard to destination. When it hits you, you know it. There's just no denying it. Your smile is wider, your step lighter and your days brighter.
So be on the lookout. You can never tell when love is going to flit around and land on you.
Happy spring!

Erin Go Bragh!

Happy St. Pat's Day to all.

Here's a great St. Pat's Day website where you can find out all about the history of this special day and even some great Irish recipes.

Enjoy the day!

Character of the Day

Many of you have written to me regarding the character Bethane. She first appeared in Under The Highlander's Spell. She's Zia's (heroine) grandmother and she returns in the last two Sinclare brothers' books. A wise healer and intuitive by nature, Bethane patiently heals and guides those in need.

Most of your comments (and there were more than I ever expected) were pleased, overjoyed, relieved, grateful, about time (to name a few) that an older woman was portrayed with intelligence. And not needy, dependent, bad-tempered, toothless, or whatever other cliche that befalls the older woman.

It made me think of the many book titles that read... It' Not Your Grandmother's Knitting, Cooking, Sewing, etc., while it should read... It's Not Your Grandmother's Grandmother Anymore. Older woman, and I can't say what age you're suddenly dubbed with the misnomer since it seems that each age group moves old age further away from themselves, are in a class all their own. Let's face it, we all inevitably grow old, but it doesn't mean we have to fit the standard image.

That was why Bethane came to be. To me she epitomized an ageless woman. She faced and survived a husband's passing, a daughter who dies giving birth and the task of raising a child in her advancing years. Then there's her work as a healer and leader of a village she established. Not to mention teaching, so that her healing knowledge would continue with the women who chose to follow her path.

Was she a woman before her time? I believe women such as Bethane lived and thrived. They were the women who not only paved the way for those who followed, but opened it. While eventually women are believed to reach the crone years of their lives, I believe Bethane is the epitome of the crone. Not the withered old woman, but the ageless beauty who embraces life and fully lives it, tragedies and all.

Don't miss Bethane's wisdom, especially in the last book of the Sinclare brothers' series, Highlander's Forbidden Bride.

Today's Happenings

First let me announce the winners of the two, autographed copies of the Marshal Tyme Diaries, since yesterday got away from me and I never posted them. Congrats to Patti Nevins and D. Campbell, who happens to love Old West Marshals as much as I do!

The reason I got sidetracked yesterday was because book club catalogs arrived in the mail on Saturday and I was too busy to get to them until Sunday. As soon as I sat down with them I knew that was it. In no time I was lost reading through both, folding down corners, starring the books that I felt I just couldn't do without and placing question marks next to those I wasn't sure about. Then came the arduous task of trying to decide which ones I could buy, since I couldn't reasonably afford all my choices.

Now mind you I have a stack of books TBR but when I get book catalogues it's like letting a kid free in a toy store. I'll take one of everything. And it's not as if I never go to the bookstore. I'm there at least once a week and usually with my sister. We're partners in crime when there, since neither of us can resist books. Though we do trade books, which makes our TBR piles that much larger.

Recently I read an Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor. I couldn't get enough of the village of Ballybucklebo and the young Doctor Barry Laverty who has an assistantship under Dr. Finegal Flahertie O'Reilly, a wise and funny character. So when I saw the second book in the series, An Irish Country Doctor, I knew I had to get it.

Then I spotted a book by Robert Moss, The Secret History of Dreaming. Since I'm fascinated by dreams, and Moss being one of the best authors on the subject, it was a must have.

I love cooking with herbs and while I already have several books on the subject, I believe you can't have too many. So when Reader's Digest The Complete Book of Herbs caught my eye I knew it would be added to the must have list. How could I resist when it combines cooking, crafting and healing with herbs.

There were many other books I wanted, but I stopped myself and for a very good reason. Tomorrow my sister and I go to the bookstore and there's some romances and mysteries on my must have list. I'll share them with you soon, but how about doing the same? I've found some great books from friends who have shared their must have list. So, come on, share your must have list. Let others know what books you simply can't live without.

Marshal Tyme - Win A Copy!

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, but there's something to be said for the Marshals of the Old West. He was a man of honor who upheld the law in lawless towns, even if it meant his death. You could count on his stoic personality with barely a smile cracking his lips, and he was always respectful to the ladies - whether saloon girls or schoolmarms.

So when my son Marc created Marshal Tyme as a short for the back of his Adam Zero comic books, I fell in love with the character. Here was the tall, slender marshal of the Old West with handle bar moustache, Stetson pulled down low, the weathered duster and completing him; the steadfast, honorable nature. But there's one thing different about this one. This marshal is in charge of the 1850-1900, American Southwest timeline. His job? Bring justice to travelers journeying out of their time. Think alien robots in the Old West.

Now to not only my joy, but also for others who fell in love with the old time Marshal, his three stories are available all in one comic, The Marshal Tyme Diaries. If you have kids that like comics or are a fan of them yourself, check out Marshal Tyme.

Marshal Tyme is a character you don't want to miss and to help celebrate this special occasion I'm giving away two autographed Marshal Tyme comics to two lucky winners!

To win just leave your e-mail address in the message box or e-mail me at donna@donnafletcher.com and put WIN in the message box.

I'll announce the winner on Sunday. Good luck to all!

Late Night Movies

Have you ever been unable to sleep and out of desperation, boredom and of course sleeplessness you resort to watching a late night movie you may have otherwise skipped over? And then something strange happens. You become engrossed in it, ever so much that you now cannot, absolutely, positively go to sleep until you see how it ends.

It happened to me the other night, not the first time and I'm sure not the last. I came across a werewolf movie, not always a good choice late at night and alone. But the title caught my interest, Blood and Chocolate, and I was soon caught up in the story.

It takes place in present day Romania, Bucharest to be exact, the heroine (Agnes Bruckner) a chocolate maker by day and at night when she hunts, a beautiful wolf. The hero (Hugh Dancy) is a graphic novel illustrator and strangely enough he draws werewolves. Add a villain (Olivier Martinez) a not-so-nice werewolf and you have a basic paranormal romance story and who can resist that?

I love to see how love manages to conquer fear, though not miraculously or instantly. It's a process not always understood by either the hero or heroine, but then isn't that how love works? You do things you would never expect to do and damned if you know why.

I enjoyed this movie. It was one of those late night satisfying movies that allowed me to finally fall asleep believing that all was right in the world and love conquered all.
Curious, I did some research on it (the writer in me) I discovered that the movie is based on Annette Curtis Klause's 1999 young adult novel and now I'm going to have to read it.
It's funny how late night movies always seem to turn out to be gems you accidentally find. Does anyone have a late night movie gem to recommend?

New Series & More

With two books, The Angel and The Highlander & Highlander's Forbidden Bride, to go before the Sinclare brothers' series finishes, I wasn't surprised when new characters began introducing themselves. It started with one outrageously bold and insistent Scottish warrior. He introduced me to his three friends, who were raised together like brothers and who guard a deadly secret.
I'm thrilled to announce that Avon purchased the first two books in the four book series.
The four warriors separate on a necessary mission and unexpectedly fall in love (but then when does love ever announce itself?) in most unusual ways. The secret the four warriors share threatens not only the trust of the women they love, but love itself. I can't wait to get to know them all better.
I'll reveal more about the series in the coming months, but right now I'm excited that next month Lachlan's book, The Angel and The Highlander, will be in stores April 28th. The charmer of the Sinclare brothers is about to do something he had yet planned on... fall in love. And the woman who steals his heart is far from what he expects and this time it isn't his charm that can work magic, but love.
Then, of course, there's more to learn about Ronan, the youngest brother who has yet to return home. Where is he? What keeps him from coming home? Could it be a woman? Love? Revenge? You'll be hearing more from the Sinclare family as their stories all come together.
Oh! There's also a menacing warlock demanding to be heard. So I'll see what he has to say.
And to all those out there caught in this late winter storm, stay safe and keep warm.