What makes a character more interesting? Quirks. Strange habits that make us who we are, or that makes a character in the story both unique, adding a dimension to them. Interesting.
I have some (not one) quirks. I bite my nails like crazy, especially when nervous, I love sleeping with my socks on (without them I will toss and turn the whole night. But once I have them on, I sleep like a baby) When eating pizza, I remove all the onions. FOr some reason the onions disturb my eating senses alot. When I was young, after my mom cooked this wonderful stew,so healthy and yummy, I'd remove all those tiny traces of tomatoes. Any traces of those and I wouldn't even eat. This annoyed my Mom to no end.
In my YA dark fantasy, my MC jiggles her foot when nervous, and enjoys making up words, and completely overprotective of her friends and family members. Which later causes a big conflict in the story and lands her in her current occupation: Reaper's Novice.
Imagine having a character who is superstitious about mirrors. It happens one day this same character is locked in a room full of mirrors, and no way to cover them. Would be interesting to see how he handles this conflict.
Or another who would never ever wear anything that is not made out of 100%. (I'm almost guilty on this one)
Or uses a word very often, that it has become a trademark :D
The character who comes to mind is Captain Jack Sparrow, using the word 'Savvy'. It's so Jack.
So what character quirks do you find annoying? or funny or interesting?
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
P is for Pyramids and Patsy Cline
You are probably wondering what Pyramids and Patsy Cline have to do with one another. :) I love pyramids and I'm a fan of Patsy Cline music. She was a great singer of the 50s music. I'd say, a Ninja Singer. :) At least that is what I think anyway.
Other than loving and fanning the Pyramids and Patsy Cline, I'll explain in a bit. Please bear with me.
I love pyramids, I'd love to explore them one day when I get the chance. Probably activate the archaeologist part of me that is still dormant and waiting for me to come to my senses. Their sheer beauty amazes me. Half the time, no, scratch that. Most of the time I ask myself, how long it took for one humongous pyramid to be completed. Who designed them? How long it took? Or a whole generation of builders helped be what they are today... like say if a father worked on it, then the son, then the grandson....
Apparently, they were built around 500BC by the Nubians. They are smaller than the Egypt pyramids. Some sources say that these pyramids are much older than the Egyptian pyramids. But they served the same purpose: for burying purposes.
The Pyramids of Meroe - these are located about 200km north of Khartoum. They were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003.
The history between Sudan and Egypt intrigues me. The more I research these two coutries, the interesting the facts.
Now back to Pyramids and Patsy Cline. Firstly they beging with today's letter 'P'. Patsy sang "Belong To Me", and in the first line of the first verse, there is the word 'Pyramids'. That's the only connection between the two. :D
This is the most romatic song I have ever heard. She sang this song in 1952, and whenever I hear it over the radio or from my music player, I still get goosebumps. (In a good way). I would like to share the clip with you.
See the pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sunrise from a tropic isle
Just remember darling all the while
You belong to me
See the market place in old Algiers
Send me photographes and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me
I'd be so alone without you
Maybe you'd be lonesome too in blue
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me
I'd be so alone without you
Maybe you'd be lonesome too in blue
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me
Other than loving and fanning the Pyramids and Patsy Cline, I'll explain in a bit. Please bear with me.
I love pyramids, I'd love to explore them one day when I get the chance. Probably activate the archaeologist part of me that is still dormant and waiting for me to come to my senses. Their sheer beauty amazes me. Half the time, no, scratch that. Most of the time I ask myself, how long it took for one humongous pyramid to be completed. Who designed them? How long it took? Or a whole generation of builders helped be what they are today... like say if a father worked on it, then the son, then the grandson....
Pyramids of Meroe in Sudan
Apparently, they were built around 500BC by the Nubians. They are smaller than the Egypt pyramids. Some sources say that these pyramids are much older than the Egyptian pyramids. But they served the same purpose: for burying purposes.
The Pyramids of Meroe - these are located about 200km north of Khartoum. They were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003.
The history between Sudan and Egypt intrigues me. The more I research these two coutries, the interesting the facts.
Now back to Pyramids and Patsy Cline. Firstly they beging with today's letter 'P'. Patsy sang "Belong To Me", and in the first line of the first verse, there is the word 'Pyramids'. That's the only connection between the two. :D
This is the most romatic song I have ever heard. She sang this song in 1952, and whenever I hear it over the radio or from my music player, I still get goosebumps. (In a good way). I would like to share the clip with you.
See the pyramids along the Nile
Watch the sunrise from a tropic isle
Just remember darling all the while
You belong to me
See the market place in old Algiers
Send me photographes and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me
I'd be so alone without you
Maybe you'd be lonesome too in blue
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me
I'd be so alone without you
Maybe you'd be lonesome too in blue
Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me
Source
The hopeless romantic in me had to share these lyrics.
Which song do you consider the most romantic? Ever visited the pyramids?
The hopeless romantic in me had to share these lyrics.
Which song do you consider the most romantic? Ever visited the pyramids?
Shadow of the Witte Wieven Blog Tour
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Book Title: Shadow of the Witte Wieven
Author: Debbie Peterson
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: InkSpell Publishing
Publication Date: April 21st 2012
Format: eBook, Kindle, Paperback
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Book Synopsis:
Despite a contract on her head, lone Drug Enforcement Agent, Aliyana Montijo must ferret out a mole and stop the assassination of top DEA officials, as so ordered by the Colombian drug lord she seeks to take down. The task is a daunting one, for there is no one she can trust. No one that is, until she encounters a most unlikely ally.
Former seventeenth century captain of the Dutch West Indies Company, Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness, now from a parallel dimension, encounters the beautiful agent during an unearthly storm in the Bermuda triangle. Drawn to the Spanish beauty he rescues, he pledges his assistance, despite her reluctance to accept either his help or his heart.
Can Wolf bridge both space and time to claim the woman he loves?
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: InkSpell Publishing
Publication Date: April 21st 2012
Format: eBook, Kindle, Paperback
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Book Synopsis:
Despite a contract on her head, lone Drug Enforcement Agent, Aliyana Montijo must ferret out a mole and stop the assassination of top DEA officials, as so ordered by the Colombian drug lord she seeks to take down. The task is a daunting one, for there is no one she can trust. No one that is, until she encounters a most unlikely ally.
Former seventeenth century captain of the Dutch West Indies Company, Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness, now from a parallel dimension, encounters the beautiful agent during an unearthly storm in the Bermuda triangle. Drawn to the Spanish beauty he rescues, he pledges his assistance, despite her reluctance to accept either his help or his heart.
Can Wolf bridge both space and time to claim the woman he loves?
Book Excerpt
Aliyana nodded as she released a breath and said, “Yes, as a matter of fact they did. Hank has demanded a tour of Mercado’s empire. He said that he wants to see the way they produce cocaine from start to finish. By so doing, he could point out their faults and help them improve production. According to Ortiz, Hank had the audacity to boast about his knowledge of the latest in drug manufacturing technology as if they were a bunch of ignorant ‘campesinos.’ As you can imagine, this rankled them a bit.”
“I’m surprised they aren’t going to use this outing as an excuse to kill him,” Cornelius remarked.
Aliyana shrugged as she cast a brief glance downward. “They actually mentioned that. However, as much as Mercado would like to permanently get rid of the man, he’s going to show a bit of restraint and allow the ‘pig’ to live—for now.”
“Did they mention whether or not Mercado planned to comply with this requested tour?” asked Cornelius.
“He is going to comply, but not in the way Hank intends,” she replied. “Mercado is going to take him much farther south, to a factory and lab he no longer uses. He is sending some of his employees ahead to clean the place up and make ready for their visit. Emil wants everything to look as if the lab is in full swing.”
“So Mercado is conducting the tour personally then?” asked Wolf.
“Yes, he is. He doesn’t trust Hank. Therefore, he wants to observe his every movement, personally.”
“How long will it take them to get to this lab?”
“If it’s the one I think it is, about three, maybe four hours. Why do you ask?”
Wolf brushed a hand against his beard as he contemplated this unexpected opportunity. “How many such places could he possibly take Morris?”
“I only know of two,” she said.
“How long would it take to get to other one?”
Aliyana shook her head as she lifted a shoulder. “Oh, I don’t know—perhaps an additional half an hour or so. That’s why I think he’ll opt for the closest one.”
“Did they say when they intend to conduct this tour?”
“Day after tomorrow. Hank is supposed to arrive at dawn. If you still want to follow the man, you will get your chance then.”
“So travel time, to and from is at least six hours, maybe more,” Wolf mused aloud. “The tour itself will take some time. What would you think, another hour maybe two for him to thoroughly inspect the facilities?”
“Every bit of that and then some,” Aliyana said as she knit her brows in consternation. “Wolf, why are you asking all of these questions?”
“With Mercado out of the way, I’m thinking this might be the perfect opportunity to escort you inside the man’s office so you can raid those files on his computer.”
“But we don’t have all of the numbers to his pass code yet,” Aliyana replied. “I can’t get inside without them.”
In response to the reminder, he allowed a slight smile to emerge and for several long moments, he held her gaze without saying a word. Her confusion finally gave way to understanding. He could see it. She drew in a sharp breath as a burst of anger exploded onto her cheeks.
“You have the ability to get me inside that office anytime you want to, don’t you Captain Wolfaert Dircksen Van Ness,” she spat.
Wolf folded his arms against his chest, flashed a full-fledged grin, and bounced his brows.
“I can’t believe you would withhold that information from me,” she seethed as her eyes shot lethal daggers into his person. “And you just let me keep watching that screen for hours on end when such a need didn’t exist—”
“Oh come on, Aliyana,” Wolf laughingly protested. “You surely didn’t think I’d allow you to go in there until the safest possible moment, did you?”
His humor did nothing to improve her anger. If anything, it only served to fuel it. She shook her head then and let him have it--with both barrels blazing--in Spanish, of course. And he enjoyed every minute of the delightful display.
My Review:
Shadow of the Witte Wieven is an original take on the paranormal genre. Aliyana works for the DEA, and she is almost wrapping up her case. Her case, to catch the Columbian drug lord Emil Mercado. She is working on the last minute details, collecting evidence which will ensure Emil's arrest. Upon completing this task she makes a run for it, only to find her source of transport, her bike missing. She hijacks Emil's plane - after kicking some butts along the way - and flies, escaping the guards and gunshots raining all around her.
Then something interesting happens. Without warning, the weather shifts suddenly and as she manouevre the plane, she crashes into rocks, losing consciousness.
When she later wakes up, she finds herself inside a lighthouse, and beside her the handsome Dutchman Captain Wolfaert, the captain of the Wieven.
Ms. Peterson weaved a truly wonderful story. The characters were an absolute treat.Aliyana is a strong character, self-sufficient. Inside that tough girl look and act, is someone who is sensitive, insecure when it comes to promises. After all what has happened to her with her family, I emphathised and understood her. Wolfaert, is just as lovable, a strong character who really complements Aliyana. The Wolf crew has a wonderful collection of characters as well, funny and loyal to their captain, and later Aliyana.
I highly recommend this book to fans of paranormal. It's unique and different, descriptions wonderfully done.
Author Bio
Debbie Peterson, author of “Spirit of the Rebellion,” is about to release her second novel, “Shadow of the Witte Wieven,” through InkSpell Publishing. This paranormal romance combines a seventeenth century sea captain, a modern DEA agent, and the Bermuda Triangle to send you on an incredible adventure, filled with intrigue and romance.
Debbie has always had a soft spot for fairy tales, the joy of falling in love, and happily ever after endings. She incorporates these aspects into all of the paranormal stories she writes. When she is not busy conjuring her latest novel, she spends time with the beloved members of her very large family. She also pursues her interests in family history and all things ancient and historic.
You can connect with her:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebbiePeterson1
Website: http://dk-peterson.com/
Important Links
Author Website:
Twitter:
Publisher Website:
Goodreads:
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
O is for Opera (Vienna)
Eduard van der Nüll and August Sicard von Sicardsburg were the architects. Eduard van der Null committed suicide after the building was severely criticized by the citizens. August Sicard died thereafter.
Interior:
Tours are arranged for anyone who would like to visit the interior.
During a perfomance, the prices are quite costly, but worth it. Then there is the Standing option.
"Standing place only" audience
Immediately before each performance, cheap, standing place tickets are sold. These are popular with all age groups, and now have an almost legendary regular clientele, which allegedly is merciless in showing its displeasure with a performance loudly and unambiguously, but is even louder in voicing approval.
This is the processon of the ball debutantes. Now, to become one of the debutante and participate in the ball, one has to register and audition. And learning/having the knowledge of the Viennese Waltz is a must. Secondly, one needs to have a suitable partner. Dress code: for the ladies a white floor-length gown, tiara and a small bouquet. For the gents, white ties and tails.
A while back I attempted Viennese Waltz was in a dance class. My dance parnter was taller than I was much taller and in a hurry to prove his dance prowess. By the time we were getting to the swing of it, I was practically flying in the air. (I'm about 5ft 3'') Nevertheless, we attended the ball (not the state ball), but didn't waltz. After that I made a note to self: In waltzing, a suitable partner is really advisable. After that I understood the reason the debutantes need a partner who is not only suave, but also a leader when it comes to dancing.
Monday, 16 April 2012
N is for Ninja (Ninja Authors)
To me, Ninja authors are authors whose books I have read and re-read, book-marked with red and yellow stickers at the edges so I can always go back to the scenes I so much enjoyed in the book. I'd say also I enjoy their style of writing, the emotion potrayed in the story, the characters...
On the historical romance front, my Ninja Author is Judith McNaught. I have read almost every book she has written. I fell in love with her work after reading Whitney, My Love.
Under the dark, languorous eyes of Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore, Whitney Stone grew from a saucy hoyden into a ravishingly sensual woman. Fresh from her triumphs in Paris society, she returned to England to win the heart of Paul, her childhood love...only to be bargained away by her bankrupt father to the handsome, arrogant Duke. Outraged, she defies her new lord.
But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannot, will not, relinquish her dream of perfect love.
On the Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Cassandra Clare: The Mortal Instruments
Horror, thrillers,
Oh, and Terry Prachett. Just adore his books. I'm reading this one at the moment
Aw...not to forget Francine Rivers.
These are a few of writers I truly enjoy reading their novels.
So I am still looking around for more Ninja Authors. Any recommendations? Who are your Ninja Authors?
On the historical romance front, my Ninja Author is Judith McNaught. I have read almost every book she has written. I fell in love with her work after reading Whitney, My Love.
Under the dark, languorous eyes of Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore, Whitney Stone grew from a saucy hoyden into a ravishingly sensual woman. Fresh from her triumphs in Paris society, she returned to England to win the heart of Paul, her childhood love...only to be bargained away by her bankrupt father to the handsome, arrogant Duke. Outraged, she defies her new lord.
But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannot, will not, relinquish her dream of perfect love.
On the Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Cassandra Clare: The Mortal Instruments
Horror, thrillers,
Oh, and Terry Prachett. Just adore his books. I'm reading this one at the moment
Aw...not to forget Francine Rivers.
These are a few of writers I truly enjoy reading their novels.
So I am still looking around for more Ninja Authors. Any recommendations? Who are your Ninja Authors?
In Leah's Wake Book Club Week 23 -29th April
For more information, please visit Terri’s blog (http://terriglong.com/blog/
EVENT LIST
MONDAY 23RD APRIL: WELCOME TO IN LEAH’S WAKE
TUESDAY 24TH APRIL: THE CHARACTERS OF IN LEAH’S WAKE
WEDNESDAY 25TH APRIL: THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
THURSDAY 26TH APRIL: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
FRIDAY 27TH APRIL – SUNDAY 28TH APRIL: IN LEAH’S WAKE: IN DISCUSSION
SUNDAY 29TH APRIL: LOOKING AHEAD: NOWHERE TO RUN
This is going to be a fun event. Hope to see you there!
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Frozen Heart Cover Reveal
Title: Frozen Heart
Author: Annabelle Blume
Genre: SciFi Romance
A decade surviving on her own. Three days with the enemy. Can love conquer all?
Cressenda knows how to survive. With her sled dogs as her only companions, she’s spent the past ten years hiding in the snow covered wilderness from the oppressive regime of the Affinity. When a routine trip to civilization takes a turn for the worst, Cressenda is forced to take refuge with the enemy or lose her life to the frozen countryside.
But Beckett, a Guard of the Affinity, is more than a man in uniform. His desperate need to help Cressenda escape both- the blizzard and the Affinity- makes her feelings for him all the more troubling. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free? Will her heart let her leave after all they’ve shared?
Author Bio:
Annabelle is a Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy Romance author. That is, when she's not checking homework or begrudgingly cooking dinner. Her dogs bark too much and her husband thinks there are too many dogs shoved into their tiny house out in California, but she believes their life is awesome if only because they live so close to Disneyland – which she loves with the tenacity of a nine-tentacled octopus.
She's also the author/personality of The Bombshell Mommy at Vitacost.com, where she expounds her knowledge of being a vixen clad in sweatpants.
Read about her adventures in writing at www.AnnabelleBlume.com.
Follow her on Twitter @AnnabelleBlume and like her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AnnabelleBlumeAuthor
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