Hope

This is astounding.  Make sure you watch it all the way to the end.
Hope

Meet Mr. Weed.  At least I think it’s a weed.  This *thing * came up volunteer in one of our planters.  Bob thought it might be an annual that had seeded itself and therefore a flower.  But I was suspicious of it because it has stiff little hairs all along the stem and a slightly sticky residue – all things that are typically bred out of domesticated plants.  So I declared it a weed.

Both of us decided that we had to see what it was going to do.  The day that I photographed it, it was over 33 inches high and it has grown more since and has set some buds – so we’ll finally get to find out whether it is a weed or a flower.  Any bets? :)

New Queries Have Taken Wing

I sent out a new batch of queries today along with high hopes and lots of finger crossing.  Still can't convey the fun and cuteness of this story though even though this is Query Version 9.8.   Here's hoping! :)

Dear Agent,

Jamie Tate is just an ordinary fifteen year old.  But when her father is injured in a bizarre explosion she is forced to live in her crazy uncle’s attic.  Then she sees a tiny dragon hiding at the library and her life is turned completely upside-down.  No one believes Jamie, of course, so she sneaks into the library at night to prove that the dragon is real.

Poppy Pink is just an ordinary investigator for her parent’s firm, Pink’s Dragon Detective Agency.  But when she discovers a sinister plot to kidnap young dragons and use them in a horrific experiment, Poppy realizes it’s up to her to save them.  Her investigation leads her outside the dragon realm and Poppy must travel to the unfamiliar human world.

Jamie and Poppy have a chance encounter in the dark and scare the gee-willikers out of each other.  But once they settle their differences, they realize that they can assist each other.

Always a champion for the underdog, Jamie is determined to help rescue the missing dragons.  At the same time she discovers a connection to the explosion in her father’s lab.  Always optimistic and compassionate, Poppy realizes that she needs to rescue Jamie from her oddball uncle in addition to finding the little dragons.

Together with the ever excitable Spiff, Jamie and Poppy unravel a mystery that soon has them baffled beyond belief.  They must save the dragons without alerting Jamie’s suspicious uncle and do it without getting kidnapped themselves.

Join Jamie and her two friends in a rollicking adventure that takes them from the peaceful halls of the public library to a bubbling, bat filled laboratory.  PINK’S DRAGON RESCUE is complete at 67,500 words and is suitable for early young adults.  This book is similar in tone to the “Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator” series.

I am a graduate of the Institute for Children’s Literature and a writing group facilitator.  I am an avid reader, cheerfully devouring two or three novels a week.  I have been writing stories since childhood and will continue to do so until I am old and senile, at which point they will be even more colorful.

Thanks for your time and consideration.  I hope to hear from you.

Sincerely,

All my contact information blah, blah, blah...

Much Fun at Ren Fair

Much Fun at Ren Fair

We went to the Renaissance Festival last weekend and it was so much fun.  Haven’t been in probably 9 years!  Since I’m writing a paranormal romance series that takes place at a year-round ren fair, it was wonderful to soak up the atmosphere.  I had forgotten the feeling of excitement in the air, the color and pageantry, the mingled sounds of music and hawkers, the smell of incense and roasting meat.  The ren fair is a sensual bouquet that is incredibly unique.

Of course we also enjoyed the comedy.  There are always a plethora of bawdy jokes at the ren fair and the best, or worst, depending on your point of view, was a man dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow.  He had the costume, the accent, the stagger/swagger all perfect.  However, he admitted that he was not actually Captain Jack, but simply his cousin.  And he was not a captain at all, merely a seaman – Seaman Will Swallow.  *ba dump bum*

*eye roll*

But bawdy jokes aside, it was great to see that my favorite perfumer was still in business ( http://www.kamala.com/index.html ) and doing a brisk business besides.  I even found a new favorite scent called Sweet Rain.

I skipped the jewelry shops this year, though in the past they were always my favorite.  I never wear jewelry though and have gotten rid of almost all of mine.  We did check out the potters though and scored two really beautiful and quite practical tea mugs.

Mostly, I enjoyed just soaking up the atmosphere and I’m really glad we got back to the fair.