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Dames of Dialogue Blog
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
"Perfect for Framing" by Maggie Bishop - Prologue
Mood:  suave
Now Playing: Maggie Bishop
Topic: She wrote what? (Reviews)

PROLOGUE

Petula rose from her lover’s bed, paraded naked to the vanity mirror, and finger combed her hair so it fell over one eye.

"Your bruises are almost gone," the man said.

She smiled at him then studied herself in the mirror. "The lipo doctor did a thorough job. He took six pounds and three inches off my mid-section. I wish these numb spots would go away."

"Give it time, Pet. Your face is almost healed." He propped himself up with her pillow and reached for his cigarettes.

"I hope I’ll look better than this soon," Pet said, still studying herself in the mirror. "I thought you gave up those things."

"After this one. I’m down to a couple a day. Besides, you said the same thing after your face lift – no more plastic surgery."

"A lady has a right to change her mind," she called as she stepped into the shower.

By the time she was dressed and had put on makeup, he had his jeans back on. "I’m still mad you let someone buy that lot I wanted to build on," he said as she emerged from the dressing area in her guest house. He pulled on a crumpled polo shirt.

"Don’t you worry. I’m in the perfect position to make their lives miserable. Didn’t I make it too tough for the last owners to build? I wasn’t President of the POA a couple of years ago when you wanted to put your modular on that lot. Now I have the other homeowners in my grip. If you can’t build there, no one can."

He dropped the butt into the beer can and hugged her, resting his chin on her head. He said, "Revenge can be so sweet. Maybe you can bankrupt the POA with a lawsuit." He let her go and sat down to tie his sneakers. then asked, "What are you doing with that situation with your husband? Any progress?"

"Don’t you worry about that either. I’ll end up with the house and a big alimony settlement. Then it’ll be just the two of us."


Posted by maggiebishop1 at 5:00 AM EST
Updated: Wednesday, 25 February 2009 3:12 PM EST
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Monday, 23 February 2009
Historic Downtown Hendersonville
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Caitlyn Hunter
Topic: Escape to where?

I spent much of this past Saturday walking around downtown Hendersonville.  It's a beautiful little town with lots to see and do; great restaurants, tons of quaint and charming shops and...bears!  Yes, that's right, there are bears in the streets of downtown Hendersonville.  Okay, they're not real bears, they're only statues which have been painted to match the shops and are a part of Hendersonville's Bear-footin' on Main Street program.

I love those bears, they never fail to get a smile out of me.  Well, except for the one wearing a New York Yankees uniform, I could do without that one, but hey, at least they painted him in a baseball uniform instead of football or basketball.   

Anyway, beyond the history of the town itself, I also have something of a personal history with this area.  Once upon a time, long before I was born, my dad's family lived in Hendersonville.  The family later moved to Hot Springs where my great-grandfather was a constable, a carpenter, a blacksmith and a tax-collector in the lates 1800's.  My great-aunt Bessie graduated in 1899 from Dorland-Bell Institute, an Appalachian Mission School located in Hot Springs.  The school has quite a history of its own and was showcased in the book, The Season of Dorland-Bell by Jacqueline Burgin Painter, who is a distant cousin of mine.  There is a picture of Aunt Bessie's diploma in the book, dated May 12, 1899.  There's also a picture of the town officials which shows my great-grandfather John Daniels in all his handle-bar moustache and silver-star-on-his-chest glory.

So, I'm living in the town where my ancestors lived long ago, and it's a comforting feeling knowing they were a part of this place...sort of like a warm hug and a friendly "good to see ya'!" from people who contributed a share of their blood to make me who I am. 

 I feel like I've come full-circle and am finally where I was always meant to be. 

 

 

 


Posted by damesofdialogue at 2:06 PM EST
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Friday, 20 February 2009
Escape to Boone, NC
Mood:  cool
Now Playing: Appalachian Adventure Series
Topic: Escape to where?
Escapes come in all sizes, prices, time requirements, destinations, athletic requirements, and energy needed. By far the easiest escape is in the mind by reading and co-creating an experience with the author. More active, in-person escapes abound in the North Carolina mountains.

My first impression of old town Boone was uplifting because people were on the sidewalks and in the shops in the evening and at night. Sure, the town has Appalachian State University and the usual student hang outs. Many of those who walk in the town are under 25. Since ASU was the division champions in 2006 and 2007, fall football season brings in alumni from all over the world.

It also has tourists of all ages. "Escape to the mountains" is a refrain spoken by many low landers. The seasons and weather are magnified up here. Boone sits at an elevation of 3,266 feet and covers just under six square miles. Nearby are three ski slopes (Sugar Mountain, Beech and Appalachian Ski Mountain) and one huge tubing run (Hawk’s Nest). Hiking trails, camp grounds and scenic overlooks dot the Blue Ridge Parkway. Watch out for those riding bicycles. Pisgah National Forest is close. White water rafting and canoe trips run the New River, which flows North. Rock climbing and caving tours are available. Horse back riding is a favorite. Of course, the Blue Falls Ranch in my Appalachian Adventure Mysteries is pure fiction. In town are the Daniel Boone gardens and the Byway Getaway, a walkway along the banks of the South Fork of the New River. Footsloggers even has a climbing wall in old town Boone. Mast General Store sells old-fashioned candy by the pound to go along with the outdoor wear and equipment.

The town population is 13,843 but the university adds another 12,245 full-time students. In addition are part-time retirees and others with second homes who frequent the art galleries and attend the visiting author and concert series performances. Horn in the West is an outdoor drama performed each summer.

Boone is a small town but offers a wide range of experiences. Next time you’re in the South, stop by and enjoy the fresh air and long range views.

Posted by maggiebishop1 at 11:07 AM EST
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Wednesday, 18 February 2009
February 18, 2009
Mood:  cheeky
Now Playing: Christy Tillery French
Topic: She does what? (Move)

First, a big thank you to Maggie Bishop for setting up this website and blog. I'm sister to Caitlyn Hunter and have known Maggie for several years, and both are awesome writers. Like Maggie, I have "crossed over" from romance to mystery. I live on what's called a mini-farm in Powell, TN with my husband and three dogs (Weimaraner, black Lab, Australian blue heeler). Our son and daughter also live on the property, and my son has a Weimaraner and my daughter has two Weims and one black Lab. Needless to say, we're debating calling this Weim Ridge. All of our dogs are rescue dogs and we tend to spoil them rotten.

Aside from writing, I review for Midwest Book Review and am a volunteer with Wolf Creek Weimaraner Rescue. Wolf Creek has a big fund raising event coming up in March and I'm excited that Dean Koontz has contributed autographed books for our auction. I know what I'm going to bid on! Last year, I had a tad too much wine and bid $475 on a blown-up black-and-white picture of a Weim pup with a stick in its mouth. Was mortified to learn I owned it and had to cough up the money. Yikes! So, needless to say, this year, I am staying away from the live auction. But it was fun and if you're going to be in or around Knoxville, TN or March 14th, come on over to St. Geoge's Greek Orthodox Church for gourmet hors d'oeuvres, wine, beer, soft drinks, and really great music from Randy Webb and "Blues No More". And, oh, yeah, I'm calling first dibs on bidding for Koontz's books.

 


Posted by damesofdialogue at 2:58 PM EST
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Monday, 16 February 2009
Where Angels Fear by Sunny Fraizer
Now Playing: Maggie Bishop reviews
Topic: She wrote what? (Reviews)
Read More...

(Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries)

ISBN 978-1-892343-57-4, Oak Tree Press, March 2009

Psychic-astrologist Christy Bristol sometimes gets the details wrong in her "eyelid movies" but she leads the reader through fog and U-turns while following red matchbook clues looking for a missing man. She links his disappearance to three men who died from apparent heart attacks and agrees with one detective, a newcomer from New York, who thinks they’ve been murdered in the small California town. Christy’s job as a clerk in the sheriff’s department helps and hurts her investigation, especially when Christy and her best friend Lennie explore the world of leather and sex clubs. Sunny Frazier’s distinctive voice in Where Angels Fear echoes with humor and rings true with procedural details. This mystery begs to be read through to the end in one sitting. Highly recommended.

Posted by maggiebishop1 at 1:36 PM EST
Updated: Monday, 16 February 2009 1:39 PM EST
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Friday, 13 February 2009
Friday the 13th in my writer's world
Topic: She does what? (Move)

First, I'd like to thank Maggie for starting this group and offering to let me join in.  There are three of us at this point, Maggie, Christy Tillery French, and myself, Caitlyn Hunter.  Maggie and I live in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina and Christy lives in the foothills of the Smokies in Tennessee.

My husband and I just bought a house which we share with two dogs; a black Lab mix named Des and a beagle mix named Fletcher (for my great uncle).  We also have a cat--a fat one!--named Bessie (for my great aunt).  I'll probably talk a lot about Bessie and Fletch, both the animals and the humans because my sister (who just happens to be Christy, see above) and I are working on a book based on Aunt Bessie's very interesting life growing up here in the mountains of North Carolina.

Most of the time, I write romance, but I've also written several children's books, a couple of young adult, and quite a lot of poetry--all of which are currently gathering cyber-dust on my computer.  My first published book was a romantic suspense, then came a sweet fantasy romance and finally, a sensual paranormal romance, the first in a series of four based on an ancient Cherokee legend.

I'm part Cherokee.  Actually, Christy and I are both what's referred to as a Twinkie, someone who has Cherokee blood but has no documentation to prove it.  All we have are the stories our great-aunt Bessie used to tell us. 

And...that's me in a nutshell.  I'm new to this blog-sharing thing and don't want to take up too much space so I'll wait until a future post to include the links to my personal blog, my website, and probably the buy links to my books.  Just call me the newbie-on-the-block who's reluctant to push her luck, especially on Friday the 13th.

Oh, that's another thing about me, I'm superstitious.  Chalk it up to being a diehard, avid, sometimes rabid baseball fan.  And on this unluckiest of unlucky days, you just never know what's going to happen!  In fact, I hesitated to even post anything today and as for working on one of my WIPs...um, well, no, not even going to go there.

But that's just me.  Do you have anything you're not doing today?  


Posted by damesofdialogue at 1:16 PM EST
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Thursday, 12 February 2009
Death greets me every day
Now Playing: Jemma Kitty & Detective Tucker
Topic: What about critters?

My two cats came to us as 9 month old kittens.  They are now almost 2 years old.  According to the age chart at the vet's office, they are the equivalent of 25 human years old.  Now they are killers.  Almost daily, they bring in a mouse, a mole, or a bird with some life left in them.  Mice with their high pitched squeaks run, hide, then squeak again.  I don't know if they are warning other mice, calling for help or simply crying in pain.  They can't be taunting the cats.  By the time I can catch the critter, it is dead or almost dead.  If I let it go, the cats simply bring it back, dead or alive.  I have to throw it as far as I can down the bank (I live on the side of a mountain).  Either I kill it with the toss or the cats killed it before. 

Birds are worse.  I have had two birdfeeders for years.  Have they become death traps?  Should I stop putting in feed and change the feeding habits of hundreds?  Should I continue and let some birds be sacrificed to the cats?  Jemma & Tucker have graduated to catching the birds in flight. 

How long will it be before these cats (who don't eat their prey) tire of this game and reduce the kill rate from daily to weekly?

 


Posted by maggiebishop1 at 4:55 AM EST
Updated: Thursday, 12 February 2009 4:56 AM EST
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Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Fran VanLandingham interviewed by Maggie Bishop
Mood:  special
Now Playing: Fran VanLandingham

Give us your "elevator speech" about your latest project. Right now I am marketing my newest book, "Mountain Women: Steel and Velvet." A collection of stories about the lives of women who lived in this area during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I have book signings scheduled until Christmas. Selling is my least favorite part of the book business. I would hire someone to market them if I could afford it. Like someone said, "If we don't sell them, no one will know what we wrote."

How did you get to the High Country (near Boone, NC) originally and the second time? I was born in the High Country. Like most people from my generation, I had to leave in order to find work and support myself. After spending nearly half a century in other places, I was able to retire and come back to the place that has always been home.

If you could change one thing about your writing habits, what would it be? The one thing I would like to change about my writing habits is to take my time and not feel pressured by others to hurry up and get it done. I will probably continue to change in my writing and my life. I believe that to be alive is to change.

How did you get started with collecting stories about things people did long ago? The way I got started collecting stories from the past and writing about the culture and history of these mountains was simply because I couldn't find anyone else crazy enough to do it. When I came back to the mountains after spending my adulthood in other places, it was not the place I remembered from my childhood during the 1930s and 40's. It seemed to me that Appalachia had become just part of "Mainstream America." Better roads and communication had opened up the area to outside influences and it was no longer a closed society. I thought the old ways should be written down and remembered. I looked around and asked, "Where are all the old people?" I thought they should write about the way life was during the Great Depression when life was a struggle in these mountains. It finally dawned on me that I am the old people and if it gets written it will be up to me, so I started collecting and writing my stories.

What is the most difficult part of putting your books together? The most difficult part of putting my books together is trying to please myself and all the others who trust me with their stories.

Tell us about the most memorable story you collected Every time I get a new book published that one is my most memorable.

What types of books do you enjoy reading? I enjoy reading, mostly nonfiction. History, psychology and sociology.

What is on your reading table now? There is a copy of "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls on my coffee table right now, along with several copies of books by local people. Who was your favorite author when you were growing up? I read everything I could get my hands on as a child. Printed matter was in short supply. We looked forward to the monthly news paper called the Grit.

Tell us a bit about your family and pets. I have four children, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren. They have brought great joy to my life. Each of them is a treasure. My little dog Buddy is my constant companion.

If you could spend a month somewhere and money were not a problem, where would it be and why? If I could spend a month somewhere and money were not a problem, it would be right here in these beautiful mountains by my little bubbling, sparkling river. Because I spent too many years away from this place. My daughters are pleading with me to take a trip to another country with them next summer, but I just can't do it.

What's on your "wish list"? The only thing on my wish list is for the economy to improve so that young families will be able to stay in this area and make a living. As for myself. I live in paradise, what more could I ask for?

Posted by maggiebishop1 at 11:24 AM EST
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Get Moving
Mood:  lazy
Now Playing: Procrastination
Topic: She does what? (Move)

In many ways, it is easier to lose hours on the internet than to exercise.  It is more fun to explore my characters lives than to climb on the elliptical machine for 45 minutes.  Somehow, I need to incorporate body movement with things I like to do. 

At 5 in the afternoon, I drink a glass of wine and watch Ellen for the light humor.  Maybe I could lay on my back and air bicycle during the commercials.  Any suggestions on other way to get writers to move more and extend our lives?


Posted by maggiebishop1 at 11:17 AM EST
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Tuesday, 10 February 2009
My opening scene won't work
Mood:  irritated
Now Playing: One Shot Too Many by Maggie Bishop
Topic: What's the problem?

The first scene, the title, the villian & motive came to me as a gift package.  That was wonderful and a cause for celebration.  Now, I find that I can't keep the method of murder.  I wanted the victim to be injected while a group of people gathered around congratulating him with hugs and pats on the back.  No matter how I play act it out, the guy is going to yell "ouch" and call attention to the murderer.

That opening scene played in my mind for months while I went to book signings and spent time on marketing my last book, Perfect for Framing, released November 2008.  The scene's dialogue sounded in my brain.  The moist summer mountain air coated my skin.  Anticipation of writing kept me happy during all those events.

The winter months are my writing months where I don't schedule anything, not even dental appointments.  My hand written first draft flowed from the pen.  My morning chores were postponed until I could write down the latest inspiration.

Then something terrible happened.  A little voice said that it wouldn't work.  The murderer would be stopped before the mystery began.  The initial inspiration was fractured.  I'll face it tomorrow but tonight I'll mourn.


Posted by damesofdialogue at 3:16 PM EST
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