Tag Archive for: Evelyn David

Taking A Chapter from Lottawatah Twister

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Excerpt from Lottawatah Twister by Evelyn David

Sassy Jackson said all the right things but she and I both knew the truth. She’d rather have her teeth pulled and run naked through the ladies auxiliary meeting at the First Baptist Church than have me hiding out at her house.

Sassy’s real name was Sylvia but no one called her that. Having accidentally poisoned her with shellfish at an earlier social event, I’d finally gotten to know both her and her husband, Wayne, over Thanksgiving. In fact I’d met Cooper’s entire extended family, including a few dead ones, that holiday. Sassy wasn’t one for believing in ghosts. God, Satan, and perhaps angels were as far as her concept of reality would stretch. You can see why she’d have problems with a “so-called” psychic dating her favorite and only son. I think she’d been hoping that Cooper would lose interest and she could write me off as a bad memory.

After a hot shower and a set of clean clothes, jeans and a t-shirt that probably belonged to Katie, Cooper’s younger sister, I felt almost human again. Katie didn’t live with Sassy and Wayne but she spent a lot of time at the family farm. I was under orders to hide in the attic if she showed up. I got along with Katie okay, but she couldn’t keep a secret. And my being alive was supposed to stay a secret for as long as possible or under Cooper figured out who was trying to kill me.

Over a bowl of stew and several pieces of the best cornbread I’d ever eaten, I tried to make conversation with Sassy.

“Is Aunt Ida here?” Ida was actually Cooper’s great-aunt. She lived at the farm but I hadn’t seen her since Cooper dropped me off looking liked a drowned rat. I’d bet money the house slippers I was wearing were hers. They were all I could tolerate on my blistered feet.

“No.” Sassy started cleaning the stove and the pot she’d reheated my stew in. Guess I wasn’t going to get seconds. I wrapped my arm around my half-finished bowl and grabbed another piece of cornbread before the plate holding the crusty stuff disappeared too.

“Visiting someone?” I really did need to know if the old lady was coming back soon. Cooper hadn’t given me any instructions about his great-aunt but I needed to decide how much to tell her.

Sassy sniffed and glanced at the apple clock on the wall. “She’s in San Antonio with her Red Hat group. They’re supposed to be touring the Alamo and other historic sites. But from what she’s said on the telephone, the group is spending a lot of time drinking margaritas on the River Walk and complaining about the pigeons. She won’t be back until next week. Surely all this fuss will long be over with by then.”

What she meant was that I’d be home or dead by then. “Thanks for your hospitality. I’ll try not to get in your way while I’m here.”

Sassy gave me another look and I pushed my empty bowl towards her. It went into the dishwater and was cleaned and drying in the wire drainer in seconds. “I need to get supper started. Wayne will be coming home soon. We eat dinner at 6 pm every night.”

I took a look at the wall clock. It was almost 5. Perhaps I shouldn’t have filled up on cornbread, but having missed lunch and after burning a zillion calories getting out of the well, I’d been starved. She’d taken pity on me and reheated some leftovers. One thing I had to give her, Sassy Jackson was an excellent cook.

“Would you like some help?” I was only asking to be polite. Sassy might put me to work on the cleanup crew, but she wasn’t going to let me do any actual cooking.

She tried to smile but it ended up looking more like a grimace. “Why don’t you rest awhile? Cooper said you’d had quite an ordeal.”

_________________

 

Want to read more?
Check out the Brianna Sullivan Mysteries e-book series. 

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
***New – Lottawatah Twister – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances
Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

My Kindle – August 2011

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It’s hot! In Oklahoma, this summer has been super hot. Temperature records have been broken and the unrelenting heat and drought continues. At 115 F outdoor activity is limited. We’ve had about a month of plus 100F days in a row – perfect time for reading inside under the air conditioner. Would that my air conditioner were working effectively (sigh), but that’s a story for another day.

This past month I read:

Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens

Never Knowing is the second book written by this author that I’ve read. The first, Still Missing, was about the kidnapping of a real estate agent, her ordeal, and the aftermath. The story was told from the point of view of the agent as she relayed the details to her psychiatrist. I couldn’t put it down. In Never Knowing, the author again uses the psychiatrist to relate the story of a woman who searches for her birth mother. She finds answers and a serial killer. The first book I considered a mystery, this one was more of a thriller. I recommend both but with a caution for readers who don’t care for graphic violence.

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay is told from two points of view – Julia, the modern day journalist living with her family in Paris and Sarah, an eleven-year-old Jewish girl living in Paris during the occupation of France during 1942. I couldn’t put this book down even though the themes are extraordinarily dark. The writer gives the reader no reason to suppose that either of the two main characters will live happily ever after, but that doesn’t prevent the reader from hoping. When Sarah’s voice goes silent, the reader is forced to finish the book via Julia’s research. I searched for this book after recently seeing a trailer for a movie of the same name. If you like contemporary mysteries mixed with historical events, you’ll find this book one of the best. I knew very little about what was happening in France during the Holocaust. This book described one horrific event that should not be forgotten.

I’m currently reading:

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane

The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritsen

What are you reading this month? If you’re an author and have a new book out in August or September, post your pitch in the comment section! The weather guys are predicting another month of this heatwave and I have room on my Kindle for many more books!

Rhonda
aka The Southern Half of Evelyn David

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
***New – Lottawatah Twister – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances
Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

For Once in My Life

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For my day job as a nonfiction author, I’m writing an article on the inspiring and delightful Spirit of Goodwill Band. The 28 members of the ensemble have physical and mental disabilities, yet amaze audiences with their professional sound and style. They’re not just good for a group of disabled musicians – they’re good.

As part of my research I watched For Once in My Life, a documentary on the band. I was expecting to learn how those with disabilities were taught to play instruments and sing in harmony. Instead, the members of the band taught me lessons in courage, determination, self-discipline, optimism, and plain hard work.

One scene really resonated with me. Melissa Cason, a young woman with Down’s Syndrome, sings and plays the drums and tambourine. She keeps perfect time to the beat. But when the band arrives at the venue for their performance before the Conference of U.S. Mayors, Melissa is terrified to learn that she needs to stand on a riser during the performance. She’s always played with the band while standing on the floor and the height, although only 2 feet off the ground, terrifies her. A support staffer tries to reassure Melissa that she will stand right behind her to guarantee that Melissa doesn’t fall, but to no avail. Melissa climbs down off the riser. She’s going to miss the performance…until the music starts. You can see the fear in the young woman’s eyes – and the longing to be part of something she loves. And with courage and determination, she climbs back up on the riser and rejoins the band.

My children joke that “worry” is my middle name. I’ve got a host of fears and most of them are irrational. You can tell me until the cows come home that flying is safer than driving, but I’m still terrified of traveling by airplane. I empathized with Melissa because I’m no fan of heights either. But as I watched this group of determined men and women, unfettered by the disabilities that too many people had used to define them, I found myself empowered to move beyond my own fears and limited visions.

Jim Bigham, the director of For Once In My Life, explained in a post-documentary interview, “Success belongs to those who do something with what they have, rather than to those who have the most.” Genius, however we define it, is never enough. I learned anew that I was the only one keeping me from pursuing my dreams. Whether it’s to write the novel that’s been kicking around in my mind for years or it’s to visit Hawaii which entails at least 12 hours on an airplane, it’s up to me. I can choose to invest the time and energy in a new book without focusing on whether or not it sells. I can battle my flight demons in order to visit the tropical paradise.

For Once in My Life is available for sale on DVD, as well as through Netflix and i-Tunes. Visit the website, http://www.4onceinmylife.com/ for more information about this remarkable band and documentary.

Marian, the Northern half of Evelyn David

BREAKING NEWS!!!! Lottawatah Twister, the 6th volume of the Brianna Sullivan Mysteries was published on July 16, 2011!  See links below for purchase at Amazon, BN.com, and Smashwords. Lottawatah Twister is the sixth book in the Brianna Sullivan Mysteries ebook series. A novella-length story, Lottawatah Twister continues the spooky, yet funny saga of psychic Brianna Sullivan who planned to travel the country in her motor home looking for adventure, but unexpectedly ended up in a small town in Oklahoma. In Lottawatah Twister, a powerful tornado wreaks destruction on everything in its path and stirs up some unsettled ghosts. It’s up to Brianna to figure out whodunnit before the killer strikes again. Leon, the adorable and digestively-challenged bulldog, is back at the center of the action and more than once saves the day – and the beef jerky. Brianna is forced to answer a question that she’s avoided since the day she arrived in Lottawatah: why is she sticking around? Lottawatah Twister has more twists and turns than a funnel cloud, with humor to make you laugh out loud and a romance that will touch your heart.

As a special offer to Stiletto Gang readers, send an e-mail to evelyn@evelyndavid.com, and we’ll send you a coupon for a free download of  “I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries,” the first Brianna Sullivan e-book. Offer expires midnight, August 2, 2011. Enjoy!

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Lottawatah Twister – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances

Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Some Enchanted Evening

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Some enchanted evening
You may see a stranger,
you may see a stranger
Across a crowded room
And somehow you know,
You know even then
That somewhere you’ll see her
Again and again.

My vacation was a roaring success. Highlights included a weekend in Napa (didn’t I say that with élan?); 24-hours in Vegas where I won $30; a visit to Alcatraz and the Walt Disney Family Museum (how’s that for contrast); and maybe best of all, the opportunity to see (although not formally meet) Ms. Pearl of the Soak & Spin Laundromat. You remember Ms. Pearl, the devoted owner of Leon, the adorable English bulldog? The four-legged star of our Brianna Sullivan series? Leon with his delicate digestive tract, who can clear a room when he’s ingested one too many beef jerky treats?

But back to Ms. Pearl. Hubby and I had driven from Las Vegas to Bakersfield, California. It’s a long, dusty, not-particularly interesting drive, but the perfect stopping point before beginning our West Coast adventure. We arrived at our hotel, located in an area that was an interesting mix of commercial and tacky. In one direction was The Tease and Please, a strip joint; in the other was The Second Amendment, a gun shop and firing range. I’m a fiction writer, but I couldn’t make this stuff up.

Where to head for dinner? I scoured the Triple A Guidebook and discovered a gem – Buck Owens Crystal Palace. Buck was one of the original hosts of Hee Haw. He had lived in Bakersfield and decided to build a museum/dinner theater in his hometown. While Buck died in 2006, the Buckaroos, his back-up band, continue to play the Crystal Palace on Saturday nights. We quickly made reservations for dinner, with the assurance that we could stay to hear the Buckaroos for a $5 cover charge.

The museum, filled with Buck’s memorabilia, was actually just a series of exhibit cases that lined the walls of the dining room. It took me several minutes to realize that Buck’s “Nudie” suits, which looked to me like the usual TV faux-cowboy sequined numbers, were actually just a brand name, although why the name was chosen remains a mystery. The highlight of the museum is Buck’s Cadillac Convertible mounted over the bar.

Dinner consisted of chicken fried steak for hubby (with a Maalox chaser), and a rib eye steak for me. The real fun began when the Buckaroos took the stage. With the first note, the dance floor was flooded with couples eager to line-dance to the country beat. That’s when I spotted her. The embodiment of the character I had been writing for months. She was 70-something, dressed in a tight red sweater, denim swirl skirt, cowgirl boots, and a long grey pony tail, that bounced and flounced as she moved effortlessly from one side of the dance floor to the other. Her partner was her age, dressed in jeans and a plaid shirt, and tried valiantly to keep up as best he could, but he was no match for my vision of Ms. Pearl and her perfectly-timed taps and kicks.

As a writer, you try to create believable characters. Sometimes they’re grounded in reality; sometimes made up out of whole cloth. Ms. Pearl was a figment of my imagination. And yet, there she was on the dance floor of the Crystal Palace. I looked around for Leon, but dogs aren’t allowed in the museum. Didn’t matter. I knew he was waiting patiently for Ms. Pearl to return, maybe with a doggy bag just for him.

Ms. Pearl and Leon are featured in the newest Brianna Sullivan e-book mystery, Lottawatah Twister, now available at Amazon, bn.com, and Smashwords. You can also catch up on the series beginning with the first book, I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries (although truth in advertising, Pearl and Leon make their first appearances in book 3).

I loved my vacation, hated flying (as usual), and am thrilled to be home, back at my computer creating murder and mayhem.

Marian aka the Northern Half of Evelyn David
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BREAKING NEWS!!!! Lottawatah Twister, the 6th volume of the Brianna Sullivan Mysteries was published on July 16, 2011!  See links below for purchase at Amazon, BN.com, and Smashwords. Lottawatah Twister is the sixth book in the Brianna Sullivan Mysteries ebook series. A novella-length story, Lottawatah Twister continues the spooky, yet funny saga of psychic Brianna Sullivan who planned to travel the country in her motor home looking for adventure, but unexpectedly ended up in a small town in Oklahoma. In Lottawatah Twister, a powerful tornado wreaks destruction on everything in its path and stirs up some unsettled ghosts. It’s up to Brianna to figure out whodunnit before the killer strikes again. Leon, the adorable and digestively-challenged bulldog, is back at the center of the action and more than once saves the day – and the beef jerky. Brianna is forced to answer a question that she’s avoided since the day she arrived in Lottawatah: why is she sticking around? Lottawatah Twister has more twists and turns than a funnel cloud, with humor to make you laugh out loud and a romance that will touch your heart.

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Lottawatah Twister – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances

Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Dating in the 21st Century

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The last two weeks have been busy ones in the household of the Northern half of Evelyn David. It was my husband’s birthday and our anniversary. Though he’s a (very, very proud) grandfather now, in the important ways, he’s still the intelligent, kind, generous, funny seventeen-year-old guy who picked me up in his Dad’s Oldsmobile to take me to my junior prom. His once fiery red hair is now softened with white, but he’s still seriously handsome with a killer smile. He is the smartest guy I know. If you’re looking for someone to be your lifeline on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” call him. He has an amazing capacity to know something about everything. He is a rock in a crisis; a marshmallow when it comes to Ms. Riley, our granddaughter.

Without sounding too much like an old fogey, although I readily admit that I am one, I’m old-fashioned about courtship. Though I’ve encouraged my unmarried son and daughter to try Internet dating, in fact, there is something about the pre-Match.com method of girl meets boy, face-to-face, and actually goes out on dates (not e-chats) that is appealing. It was love at first sight for me, and I didn’t over-analyze it. My gut instinct told me this guy was a keeper.

Are we raising a generation who are personally risk-averse, while professionally daring? When I was in my twenties, holding on to the same job for 25 years was considered a smart career move. Today if you’re in the same job for 5 years, you’re either President of the company or stagnant. It seems to me that our kids have no trouble changing jobs or partners. I understand that in this new corporate environment there is no incentive to be loyal to one company or brand, but how about in love?

Is the corporate “it’s just business” environment carrying over to personal relationships as well? Is the skyrocketing divorce rate evidence of that? I once thought that Internet dating sites were a good alternative to the bar scene. I understood that once you had graduated from college, it was harder to meet potential mates. Certainly, you didn’t want to date anyone with whom you worked – but where else would you meet someone if you were working long hours?

But now I’ve seen the jaded side of these web match-ups. Sure I can list several very happily married couples who met on one of those sites. But I can also point to countless under-30-somethings who spend a long time chatting on-line with various potential love interests without ever committing to meeting in person. At some point, it seems to me, you’ve got to bite the bullet. You’ve got to invest in face time. They would argue that the pre-date dating winnows out the losers in the group. I suspect that it makes those verbally precocious more attractive and downplays those who may not be quite so glib, but have real substance.

Not sure where I end up on this modern-love dilemma. How about you Stiletto Faithful? What do you think about Internet matchup sites?

And in the meantime, Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary to Pop-Pop.

Marian, aka Grandma, the Northern half of Evelyn David

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances

Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Enjoy the Holiday!

/in /by

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances

Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Vacation and the Writer

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The good news is that you can set your own hours, wear pajamas the whole day, and not answer to anyone but yourself (and your co-author) about how much you accomplished. The bad news is that you can set your own hours – which can mean 24/7; wear pajamas the whole day – which means you can gain 40 pounds and never know it what with elastic waistbands; and you don’t have to answer to anyone – which means that you can play Lexulous all day (I’m on level 8 now!) and not have anything at all to show for it.

Of course, the bottom line is always the bottom line. No work means no pay.

It’s summertime and my husband is talking vacation. But does a writer ever actually go on vacation? I may turn off my computer, but not my devilishly-devious-plotting mind. When we visited the Grand Canyon last year, I saw dozen of opportunities for great, grisly murders in an incredibly scenic locale. Las Vegas? I wouldn’t have to invent characters. Just people watching in the casinos and I’d have enough to populate a series. Heck, I probably was actually looking at any number of real-life killers. We got tickets to the incredible Cirque du Soleil show, Eau, and when a man dove from 50-feet up into a wading pool, I thought what would happen if his spurned lover moved the pool just three inches….the margin for error is miniscule and would the police ever suspect the clown on the right side of the stage…

When I was a kid on long car rides, I’d amuse myself making up elaborate stories. That hasn’t changed. We’re visiting vineyards this year and I keep expecting a body to show up in the vat of Sauvignon Blanc. Or someone to keel over after sipping a nice Merlot. Or maybe a body is found under the grapes.

Creating murder and mayhem can be an exhausting profession. I’ll need some wine to keep my imagination in check. Or maybe not. If I create a mystery set in a vineyard, can I deduct this trip as a business expense?

Stiletto Faithful: What are your vacation plans?

Marian, the Northern half of Evelyn David

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances

Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Whose Responsibility is this Mess?

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Let me begin this with the assertion that Arnold Schwarzenegger is a pompous, two-faced, lying, sleazy idiot. Not a big surprise to anyone. In fact, most people probably thought that even before the latest love-child scandal erupted. Rumors about his misogynist behavior have circled the guy since he landed on these shores, and most certainly were big news when he began his political career eight years ago.

But what has struck me about this whole discussion about Arnold’s atrocious behavior, and poor, long-suffering Maria, is the dearth of conversation about “Patty,” his mistress and mother of his extra-marital child. It’s as if she has no responsibility for this mess. From all news reports, she’s not a victim of a sexual assault, but a willing participant in a decade-plus sexual relationship. She was as complicit as he was, lying just as easily to everyone, including her own son, as he did to his family.

So while I give no pass to the Governator, when we ignore the role that mistresses play in affairs, then we infantilize women, assume that they are unable to make their own decisions about right and wrong.

About ten years ago, Katie Roiphe wrote an article for the New York Times about the double standard of adultery. “It’s as if the historical oppression of women justifies all sorts of bad behavior and self-indulgence and a whole new double standard.” We are appalled at the transgressions of Tiger Woods, Jesse James, John Edwards, Newt Gingrich, but ignore the women who willingly jumped into bed with these Lotharios – and eagerly sold their stories to the press. No sooner do these affairs get revealed, that many of these women “lawyer up.” As soon as I see Gloria Allred is a part of the news cycle, I know that some charge of sexism is close behind and a demand for an apology (e.g., a cash settlement) is next.

Surely the most important victims in this sordid tragedy are the children, most especially a thirteen year old boy who, if he didn’t know who his real father was, now discovers a man who was willing to publicly ignore him (regardless of monetary support ) – or if he did know, was asked from infancy to join in a great conspiracy of silence. UGH.

The news cycle on this unholy mess isn’t over. There’s still divorce settlements and movies-of-the-week to be made. There’s plenty of blame to go around – but in our fight to ensure that our daughters are treated fairly and equally – then we need to also teach them to take responsibility for their decisions and actions. Bad behavior isn’t limited to any one gender.

Marian, the Northern half of Evelyn David

Summer Television Season

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In the spirit of leaving economic problems, natural disasters, disease, political uprisings, and the end of the world to others to contemplate, I’m offering up a discussion this week on the all important subject of “summer television.”

I’m not ashamed to admit that I love movies and television. I’ve always loved dramas best. My earliest memories of watching television involved not the cartoons, but old movies, soap operas, and detective series. But when summer rolled around there wasn’t that much new to enjoy. When I was growing up summer television was rerun land.

Sometime in May the regular series would end their seasons and would start over from the beginning. With no vcrs or dvrs, your only chance of watching a missed episode of a favorite series was during the summer. That all changed when cable brought more channels to your screen than you had the time to view. Now not only are series episodes repeated during the middle of the winter, but you can view them on other “sister” networks the following week, in syndication on late night, and on-line. Cable is also responsible for creating the “made for summer” series.

Today’s summer television landscape is filled with first run episodes of series developed just for the summer season! Some of them are just as good or better than the prime time fall series.

My returning favorites are:

In Plain Sight – a series about a female U.S. Marshall working in the Witness Protection Program in New Mexico. “Mary Shannon” is a tough, take charge heroine, whose weakness is her emotionally and financially needy mother and sister.

The Closer – this is the last season for this popular ensemble series of detectives in Los Angeles. Staring Kyra Sedgwick. Rumors are that a spin off series, Major Crimes, will debut next year, picking up where this last season ends.

America’s Got Talent – great variety/talent show! Fun for all ages and perfect for the summer. Hosted by Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan, and Howie Mandel.

Covert Affairs – the series about a young CIA agent returns. It’s fast, fun, and very stylish.

Rizzoli & Isles – a series loosely developed from Tess Gerritsen mysteries. It was a big hit last year. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the books.

Memphis Beat – a fun, cop show set in the Blues capital of the world. This sleeper series hasn’t gotten enough press. It’s an excellent choice for light summer viewing.

The new series, I’m most interested in seeing? Falling Skies – from Steven Spielberg, a post alien invasion series starring Noah Wylie. I loved him in ER. I hope this series is a hit. Nothing like a good alien invasion to kick off the summer!

What are your summer television viewing plans?

Rhonda
the Southern Half of Evelyn David

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances

Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Is This Publish or Perish?

/in /by
This isn’t going to be the current dither about the minimal royalties traditional publishing houses are paying their authors for e-book rights. The bottom line is that authors are entitled to a bigger share of the e-book profits. There’s nothing to debate. Publishers figure it out and shell out. You’re going to eventually lose this argument, so do it now.

Nope, I’m going to rail about the idiotic publishing deals that have been in the news. I’m going to add that part of the reason why traditional publishing houses are in trouble financially is that they make ridiculous deals – and then are surprised when the advances aren’t earned out.
Is there any Stiletto Faithful who intends to buy a book, any book, from Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin’s baby daddy? Is there anyone who isn’t appalled at the title of Levi’s book, Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin’s Crosshairs? I realize that the publisher is playing off Sarah Palin’s love of hunting, but I am also convinced that this is an allusion to the famous web site endorsed by the former Alaskan governor which had Democratic candidates in the crosshairs for defeat. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was one of those included. Levi Johnston should not have gotten a book contract because he has nothing to say. And Levi’s editor should be ashamed for choosing that title.

Next: let’s move on to the book contract that Bristol Palin, Levi’s baby mama, received. Again, in a tight publishing market, when smart mid-list authors are being cut faster than a New York minute, why on earth would you give this 20-year old, with her new jaw, a publishing contract? Who is going to buy this book? And even if the publisher is sure there is a market, where is the good sense that these people were born with?

Last but certainly not least. What about the six-figure book deal that Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino of Jersey Shore fame managed to score? Now there’s a philosophy that’s worth mega-bucks, sarcasm intended.

These publishing deals are stupid. Besides the fact that these faux-celebrities have nothing to add to the general discussion, we all know that not one of them is actually doing the writing. And I would bet dollars to donuts that the ghostwriters hired for these gigs are getting minimal pay and maximum aggravation.

Now if any of these faux-authors get a six-figure deal for a sex tape, I say more power to them. At least in that case, they’re actually doing the “work.”

But otherwise, publishers smarten up.

Marian, the Northern Half of Evelyn David

Brianna Sullivan Mysteries – e-book series
I Try Not to Drive Past Cemeteries- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Dog Days of Summer in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
The Holiday Spirit(s) of Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
Undying Love in Lottawatah- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords
A Haunting in Lottawatah – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

The Sullivan Investigation Series
Murder Drops the Ball (Spring 2011)
Murder Takes the Cake- Paperback – Kindle
Murder Off the Books- Paperback – Kindle
Riley Come Home (short story)- Kindle – Nook – Smashwords

Romances

Love Lessons – Kindle – Nook – Smashwords