Finding the Right Setting for Eventide

I’ve lived in Michigan all my life, and there’s no shortage of natural beauty here – rolling hills, endless forests, ridiculous numbers of inland lakes, and we’re surrounded by the Great Lakes which are huge and unpredictable with their rip currents and freak weather patterns. They’re basically freshwater seas and at times, just as dangerous as the oceans – especially Lake Superior.

It can go from a serene glass-like surface to twenty-three foot waves in virtually no time at all. Once, while driving around the lake, I found myself caught in the midst of an autumn storm on my way to see my boyfriend. The waves were so insane; they were washing over the road and had already pulled someone’s car into the lake. I had to time it just right to pass through that stretch of road without getting sucked into the water. Shortly after I made it through, the road was shut down and declared impassible. Definitely not my smartest move to keep driving, but I did. Because boyfriend.

I set Eventide on the shores of my favorite lake, in the nearly-fictional town of Iron Falls, Michigan. I use the term “nearly-fictional” because it’s based on one of my favorite small towns – Munising, Michigan. I don’t live there, but I’ve visited there nearly every year since I was a kid. If you’ve ever been there, you might recognize the high school on the shores of the lake, or the glass-bottom boat shipwreck tour, or the sudden fogs and brutal storms.

I did make some changes. For instance, Iron Falls has a lighthouse where Munising doesn’t. Iron Falls also has a host of soul-sucking homicidal faeries that haunt the surrounding woods looking for hapless humans, and, as far as I’m aware, Munising does not.

One of the reasons I decided to set Iron Falls on Superior is because the lake is almost a character on its own. It can go from calm to deadly in a matter of minutes and no two days on the shore are ever the same. Even different parts of the lake on the same day are wildly different.  Its erratic nature makes it the perfect backdrop for Devon as her life spirals out of control.

I’d like to share a few photos of the lake to show you what I mean about it having it a different personality depending on the day. Unfortunately, I can’t find my stormy lake pictures, but, amazing nature photographer, Steve Brimm, agreed to share one of his photos for this blog tour.  I think you’ll see what I mean about the lake being completely different on any given day.

And I’d like to think you’ll get a feel for the lake within the pages of Eventide.

News, news, and more news!

I can't believe it, but release day for EVENTIDE is less than ten days away! And, right now, it's up for pre-order at both Amazon and Smashwords!

I received the print proof in the mail the other day, and it looks fantastic! 

I've got a shiny new book trailer that I'll be sharing on Monday, as well as a blog tour and school visits scheduled.

Now, if I could just get these allergies to stop trying to kill me, things would be great. *blergh*

I'm off to take more Benedryl, so in the meanwhile, here's a picture of the print version!

WooHoo! Blogfest Giveaway! One for the US and One for the Rest of the World!

US giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway INT giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal!

Thank you so much to everyone around the net who have helped with my cover reveal! I realized I was a dork and forgot to post it here.

But on October 20th, 2014, Eventide (Iron Falls, Book 1) will release!

The driver in a tragic
car accident that killed her best friend, Devon Greer is consumed by guilt.
When powerful hallucinations convince her that she’s seeing Rachael everywhere,
Devon thinks she’s going crazy. But her friend isn’t truly gone.

 

To save Rachael from the faeries who stole her, Devon must pit herself against
the Court of the Sidhe. Once she witnesses the true form of the fey, Devon’s
life is in danger—and so are the lives of everyone she loves.

 

Now, Devon must not only protect herself, but also Jonah Seafort, Rachael’s
cousin and the only person Devon can trust to help her. While the Sidhe walk
among them, no one is safe…

 

 

The Garden of Tasteless Statuary

I've been a terrible blogger, but I am trying to be better at it. In show of good faith, I'll share some pics of things that have happened lately. Like say, this ill conceived trip to The Garden of Tasteless Statuary.

This is the creepy guy who welcomed us to to the creepy garden.

I don't even have words for this particular horror. What the hell, man!?!?!?

You can't have a tasteless statuary collection without a heard of pastel unicorns.

This is an incredibly petulant angel.

Baby Weeping Angel?

My sister and Judgmental Chicken...judging.

Me, daring the mouth of the hippo.

My sister running away (and rightfully so) from the creepyass donkey.

The Beach - or at least as close as you're going to get to a beach in the Upper Peninsula in winter...

Once upon a time...my husband (then boyfriend) went to college at Michigan Technological University. For those unfamiliar with the vagaries of Michigan, Tech (as it's affectionately known) is waaaaaaaaaaay up near the top of the Upper Peninsula. It's covered with snow and ice from pretty much November until May-ish. It's not unlike the snow planet of Hoth.

So anyway, when he was at school there, he lived with a bunch of other techie/engineer-y/nerdy type guys in a rundown copper mining era house that was once gorgeous and now smelled and looked like decades upon decades of college boys had lived there. That house had been ridden hard and put away wet. Repeatedly.

But there was a room in this house. A special room. A room like no other. It was called The Beach. In a former life, it was probably a closet or a super tiny nursery or maid's room. But when these guys moved in, it became The Beach.

They blocked off the threshold of the room with a couple 2 x 4s, filled the room with sand, taped beach posters and Tropicana tanning oil ads to the wall, mounted an old school carcinogenic sun lamp to the wall and hung a hammock from corner to corner. There was also a bamboo beaded curtain that hung in the doorway. I thought I had a picture of it in an old photo album, but unfortunately, I can't find it.

They loved this room. There was even a beach schedule taped to the hallway wall. If one of the guys wasn't using it, their friends would come and use it in return for beer. People at this school were so desperate for warmth and sunlight that they'd pay for it with booze.

Never have I missed The Beach like I do this winter. I am so sick of snow that I would cheerfully fill a room with sand and sunlamps and just *wallow* for hours. I'm not even a "beach person," but I have to admit. It sounds good right now. Of course, the cats would probably like it, too. But for entirely different reasons.

The Kindness Project

I'm guessing that most people in the States can agree that this winter has suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked hard. I know I'm sick of the endless snow. I'm especially tired of getting stuck on my street that rarely gets plowed and if it does, it's the most half-assed plow job ever. Needless to say, I've been a frustrated and more than a little bummed out at the endless snow and gray skies.

I know tons of other people have been, too, so I'm trying to make a point to spread a little love and kindness. Some acts are random and impulsive like smiling at strangers, holding doors, paying for the person behind me at Starbucks or paying a genuine compliment to someone I'm interacting with.

Others are less random - some friends and family members will be receiving little pick-me-ups in the mail. It might be something knitted or drawn or baked - or maybe even a book. I believe kindness begets kindness, and I also believe it's something everyone could use more of in their lives.

My goal for 2014 is at least 100 random and not so random acts of kindness. My hope is that it will spread all around like much needed sunshine. I invite you to smile more - you could change someone's day.