Fiction Friday: The Bandbox Hat

 

The Bandbox Hat

Previously: The charm ceremony was underway. Linda saved Cassie and a few other girls. Nathan saved Amanda and Shelly. Austin saved two girls. No one would look at SarahJane. Austin was about to announce his last girl.

Chapter Forty-Five

I blinked to keep the tears from spilling as Austin walked to me. “May I walk you out?” he asked.

I nodded, but truthfully I didn’t care if I ever saw him again. How had I let myself be sucked into this thing? It was billed as a game but I’d never had my heart broken by Clue or Monopoly.

“I owe you an explanation,” Austin said.

The cameraman backed down the steps in front of us. Just the sight of Joe with his black beanie and New Balance sneakers told me this was real. I wasn’t dreaming and it wasn’t some weird twist of the producers. Austin and Linda didn’t want me around anymore.

“I really do like you, SarahJane.” Austin took my hand and tucked it over his elbow. He guided me toward the waiting limo. “It’s not personal.”

I stopped and pierced him with what I hoped was a soul-searing gaze. “What are you talking about? This is a dating game. Of course it’s personal.”

He sighed. “I was afraid you’d see it like that.”

“Is there another way?”

“Look, I told you my mom was an actress. This was as much to get her back into the viewers’ eyesight as it was for me to fall in love. More, if we’re being completely honest.”

“Oh, please, let’s be honest for once.”

He opened the rear door and pulled me close for a good-bye hug. I might have believed in his sincerity if he hadn’t angled his face toward Joe’s camera and me towards the now hovering full moon behind the limo.

“You’re too likeable and too sweet. Mom and Liam think it’s better if I let you go.”

I pushed him back and crawled into the back seat. “No worries, Austin. I had fun.” I’d have pulled it off too, except my voice cracked just then and Austin shot me a look that—if I didn’t know better—I might have thought was caring and concern.

He raised a hand, his eyes stricken. “SarahJane—”

“Let’s go, please, Mike,” I said to the driver.

He obligingly put the car into drive and we headed down the hill to the exit.

Technorati Tags: Fiction Friday,The Bandbox Hat,dating reality shows

Woe! It’s Wednesday

We’re back from Portland and we had a lovely time.

Yes, it rained. 

But it didn’t slow us down at all.

I did worry a bit about being disappointed but I wasn’t.

We visited Voodoo Donuts, Stumptown Coffee, Caffee Vita, Jake’s Famous Crawfish, Powell’s Books (it’s free to visit, but we spent money in there at a rate of about $100 an hour), Tillamook Cheese in Tillamook, Penner-Ash Winery, Erath Winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle, The Station Pizzeria, Piazza Italia, Mount Hood, Multnomah Falls (above), Horsetail Falls, Pine State Biscuits (below) and Cannon Beach.

Did you sense a theme?

We do tend to focus on the food when we travel.

God is so gracious. We never got lost (or so lost we couldn’t figure out where we were). We didn’t argue (until the last day after 10 hours of driving so that’s not only understandable but kind of a foregone conclusion). The weather didn’t stop us from doing what we wanted. We ate some amazing food.

We’re ready to go back anytime.

Technorati Tags: Portland,Woe! It's Wednesday,God is gracious

Book Talk Tuesday: Kindred in Death

I’m crazy about J.D. Robb and her Lt. Eve Dallas. I love the stories. I love the near future setting of a gritty New York City. I love the character growth of both Eve and her husband Roarke.

Kindred in Death isn’t a new release, but I just got to it in my stack. I’ve actually read the next few already but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this one at all.

Eve is enjoying a rare weekend off but she’s called in to work when a fellow police officer arrived home early from a holiday weekend to find his teenage daughter brutally murdered.

I love how Robb takes us along with Eve on her investigation. We’re in it together and completely baffled at the beginning. As Eve begins, we get the clues and test results back as she does and we get to follow her brain process as she figures out who the killer is and why. The second murder is a slap in her face and ours and we’re racing around the city to stop the next one.

Eve and Roarke’s personal lives are interwoven skillfully. Eve is maturing from book to book and learning how to be a loving wife and friend.

If you like tightly plotted mysteries and haven’t discovered Lt. Eve Dallas, treat yourself. Kindred in Death would be a great introduction.

 

Technorati Tags: Book review,JD Robb,kindred in death,near future,mysteries

Fiction Friday: The Bandbox Hat

 

The Bandbox Hat

Previously: SarahJane, Cassie, Austin, and Nathan met up before the charm ceremony. They bonded over making nachos together. The ceremony was about to begin.

Chapter Forty-Four

Austin stuffed a last chip in his mouth as Liam entered the kitchen. “Time to go. Austin and Nathan with me. Cassie and SarahJane into the living room.”

We obediently shuffled off to our assigned spots. Austin caught my eye and winked as he swallowed and grinned. I had to smile back. He was so darn cute.

The girls in the living room ignored Cassie and me when we entered. Cassie cast me a puzzled look and I shrugged. Was it our fault they took forever to get dressed and missed out on some alone time with the guys? No. I didn’t think so.

“Gather around the couches. Everyone find a spot.” Liam stuck his head in from the hallway. The camera and sound people sorted themselves out while the rest of settled on the couch cushions and along the arms. We were down to half the number we’d started with so it wasn’t quite the crunch as it had been.

“Ouch!” Cassie glared at Amanda. “You stepped on me.”

“Oh, sugar, I’m so sorry,” Amanda cooed. I might have bought it except for the sly tilt of her lips.

Harrison Taylor strode into the room and gave us all a long look before clapping his hands once. “All right, let’s do this. As you know, Austin and Linda will be handing out charms to add your bracelets. It’s up to you to accept or decline the charm.”

“Like anyone here would say no.” Amanda spoke softly but a few girls burst into giggles.

“Whenever you’re ready, Harrison,” Liam said.

Harrison paused a beat then addressed the camera. After reminding viewers what was going on he brought Linda, Austin, and Nathan into the room. I couldn’t help it. My dang traitorous heart actually skipped a beat when Austin came in. How clichéd is that?

Linda made her choices. Cassie, of course. A couple of other girls. I might have imagined it, but it seemed like she was avoiding my gaze. She skipped right over me when she swept the pair of us on the arm of the couch. Oh well. That just meant I was on Austin’s list that night. Just because Linda had been the one to save me each night before now didn’t mean anything. She and Austin discussed their picks ahead of time.

After Linda, it was Nathan’s turn to save two girls.

He rubbed a charm between his thumb and forefinger. It sort of seemed that he was avoiding me too. He drew a deep breath before speaking. “Amanda.” She slithered out from between Cassie and Jessica and made her way to Nathan’s side.

“Yes, Nathan. I’d love to accept your charm.” She kissed him and I had to hold back my gag reflex.

Nathan then bestowed his second charm on Shelly, one of the sweeter girls there.

Harrison announced a commercial break. He immediately huddled with Linda and Austin. A shiver of tension shot up my back. It wasn’t my imagination. No one on the crew, not Harrison, Linda, Austin, or my own brother would look me in the eyes.

Oh no. The horror and the realization hit me at the same time as Harrison grinned into the camera and told us it was Austin’s turn to make the final three charm announcements.

He gave a charm to Mindy. Then one to Yvonne.

Cassie gave me a panicked look but I could only shake my head in response. I knew what was coming. Why oh why did I ever let myself think I could win anything against the kind of gameplay of Amanda and her friends?

Austin held the last charm in his hand. His eyes flicked from one end of our couch to the other. He never wavered or paused near me. I drew a deep breath. This was it. I was finished.

He finally said the last girl’s name.

Spotlight Thursday: Victoria Pitts-Caine

I’ve know Vicki Caine for several years now and am thrilled to be able to tell you about her and her books.

Victoria Pitts Caine is a native Californian and lives in the bountiful San Joaquin Valley. Her varied interests include genealogy and exotic gemstone collecting both of which she’s incorporated into her novels. While her genre is inspirational, she likes to refer to herself as a Christian Romance Adventure Novelist.

The author has received recognition in both fiction and nonfiction from: Enduring Romance top 10 picks for 2008, William Saroyan Writing Conference, Byline Magazine, Writer’s Journal Magazine and The Southern California Genealogical Society. Her first novel, Alvarado Gold, was published in 2007.

Victoria is a former staff technician for the environmental sector working in air pollution control. She is the mother of two daughters. Victoria and her husband enjoy travel, church service and emergency radio communications.

Q. Why did you pick Inspirational romance as your genre?

At first, I wanted to write an adventure novel. I didn’t see myself as a romance writer, but I learned quickly if I didn’t have a genre, I wasn’t going anywhere. I added a romance to my first book, Alvarado Gold, and because of my beliefs and preferences in what I read myself, inspirational was the next step.

Q. Who is one of your favorite characters in your books and why?

There is a little bit of “me” in all of my female characters. Addie Brown is about as close to me as any of my heroines since the book is based on a family story of my own. I’m technically Addie in the family breakdown of the six cousins in the book.

Q. How long does it take you to write a book?

It usually takes me about two years. However, I have one on the back burner I haven’t gotten beyond the first chapter. It is written in a style I’m not familiar with and it takes me to a different place that takes considerable thought.

Q. How did you come up with your titles?

Alvarado Gold came from the name of the small town near where my family originally settled in Texas. Cairo, which is the next book in the series, follows Addie and Gary on an ill-fated vacation to Egypt. The Tempering Agent is also set in Egypt and is the third in the series. The title for that book came from the agent mixed into clay that gives it strength and stability. Alvarado Gold is available on Amazon and Cairo and The Tempering Agent will be released this year from PRISM BOOK GROUP

 

Q. When did you start writing?

I wrote a story for an adoption magazine years ago and was urged to have it published in a national magazine. When I didn’t get any takers, I set writing aside for another twenty years until I started attending a writing critique group. 

Q. How hard was it to find a publisher?

I think the real question for me is: was it hard to find the right publisher? I wanted my three books to be with the same house and when I saw that wasn’t going to happen I looked for a long time to find a house to take the other two. I actually was just short of signing a contract when I realized I couldn’t do everything that particular publisher wanted. As they say, good things come to those who wait because my current publisher is awesome.

Q. What’s new with your writing?

I’m excited to announce I’ll have an Easter novella coming out next month with PRISM BOOK GROUP. The name of the story is Like a Lily. I don’t have the exact release date but it will be available on their website and Amazon the first part of March.

 

 

 

 

Purchase information:

Like a Lily: http://www.prismbookgroup.com/LikeaLily.html

Alvarado Gold: Amazon.com paperback and Kindle versions

Cairo and The Tempering Agent: http://www.prismbookgroup.com/victoriapittscaine.html

Website: http://vcaine.homestead.com

Blog: http://victoriapitts-caine.blogspot.com

Email: alvaradogold9@gmail.com

Facebook: facebook.com/victoria.pittscaine.5 or: facebook.com/Victoria.Pitts.Caine

Technorati Tags: Author Spotlight,Victoria Pitts-Caine,Alvarado Gold,Cairo,Like a Lily,Tempering Agent

Woe! It’s Wednesday: I’m not a good Christian

I try to be.

But I’m not.

For several reasons.

1) Scripture says I’m not. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” And Romans 3:10 is pretty clear, too: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (My italics added.)

2) I don’t love others the way I should. I’m petty and selfish and I think of myself far too often.

3) I tire of pretending that I’m a nice person. But I know so many nice people that I’m afraid to let them see the petty and selfish real me.

4) I’m too … cynical. Maybe that’s too strong. Prosaic? or skeptical maybe. Because I’m not a good Christian, I judge others. I second guess their motives. 

5) I don’t really care about theology and Calvinism vs Arminianism or pre-Trib vs. post-Trib, Creationist-young-earth or Intelligent Design old earth. Those arguments just get people riled up and angry and give them an excuse to hold a grudge here on earth. It’s not going to matter even a little bit when we get to heaven. There’s no entrance exam! In his January 29th blog Donald Miller made that point. He said God will look up and say, “Hey, you! I know you! Come on in.”

6) I have a gay friend who is dying. I’m not trying to convert him. He says he loves Jesus. That’s good enough for me, but not for some others who think I should be urging him to repudiate his lifestyle and sexual preferences.

Those are the reasons I’m not a good Christian.

But … Jesus loves me anyway. And that’s pretty great and makes all of that other stuff meaningless.

Technorati Tags: Woe! It's Wednesday,I'm a bad christian

Book Talk Tuesday: Vanished

Yes, I’m on a romantic suspense bandwagon and am tooting Irene Hannon’s horn.

Vanished is the first in a new series called Private Justice.

Moira Harrison is returning home on a rainy night when she comes around a corner and a woman is standing in the road. Moira skids off the road, but caught a glimpse of the terrified woman’s face. A Good Samaritan offers help and Moira passes out. When she wakes, an hour has passed and no one has seen the Good Samaritan or the woman.

The police and medical personnel say she imagined the pair due to a concussion.

Moira knows better. She approaches private investigator Cal Burke. He agrees to check into her story. Moira recognizes the voice of her Good Samaritan on television receiving an award. She visits him but he doesn’t know her.

By then, little things aren’t adding up and Cal takes Moira’s story seriously. They get drawn into a case of a missing person as they grow closer.

Moira had a bad relationship with a cheating fiance’. Cal’s wife died because of his police work, sending him into the PI business. They both have wounds to deal with before they’re ready for a real relationship.

I enjoyed this one a lot. I didn’t think it was quite as good as In Harm’s Way, but I still stayed up way too late at night turning the pages. I recommend it.

The next two books will be about Cal’s partners in the PI firm. Hence the Private Justice title for the series. I’m looking forward to what and who are up next!

Technorati Tags: book review,irene Hannon,vanished