Author Exchange Blog

What's Your Birth Order?

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:09:00 +0000

Check out the most recent post on the blog associated with my updated website:

I’m preparing to begin writing the first book in a series that revolves around a family: two parents and four children. I’ve researched birth order in the past and agreed a great deal with the opinions of Dr. Kevin Leman, who wrote The Birth Order Book: Why You Are the Way You Are. I’m using the information gleaned from his book, and other sources, as I create my characters and–more importantly–their motivations.

Although I’m a firstborn, I admire the traits of the middleborn the most but get along better with lastborns. Why do you think that is?

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST

We've Moved

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:34:00 +0000

I'm now blogging over at my updated website. YES, I'm still publishing guest posts, so feel free to contact me about your upcoming releases and anything else you'd like to talk aobout! You can find me at http://lindafaulkner.com/.

Now, HERE'S a real hero: Brian Glacken

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 01:49:00 +0000

As you know, I've moved my blog over to Wordpress.

In case you haven't visited me over there yet, here's an example of a real-live hero: a boy whose parents I know - only he's not a boy, he's all grown up ... and a hero.

Makes me seriously re-think the meaning of the word selfless.

Hero: Brian Glacken

We've Moved

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I'll be posting over at my new blog at: http://lindafaulkner.wordpress.com/.

Join me there and feel free to request a guest appearance.

Murder on the Interstate by Jean Henry Mead

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 15:40:00 +0000

Murder on the Interstate is the third novel in Jean Henry Mead's mystery/suspense series. The book features continuing characters Dana Logan & Sarah Cafferty, two 60-year-old amateur sleuths traveling Interstate 40 in northern Arizona in their mothorhome when they discover the body of a beautiful young woman recently shot to death in her Mercedes convertible. They soon learn that the killer is stalking them. Their murder investigation leads them into danger and they're kidnapped by homegrown terrorists plotting to take down the government.

Murder on the Interstate has received the following blurbs and reviews:

"Careen into crime with two intrepid sleuths who outwit terrorists in a fast-paced plot taken from today's headlines. A page turner. "

~Carolyn Hart

"Murder on the Interstate burns rubber right out of the gate and exceeds the speed limit on every page. With all the car chases, gun shots, screeching breaks, and crashes, the movie version could be the sequel to one of those car-heist action-films. Except for the fact that the protagonists are two women approaching Medicare, and their vehicle is a motorhome. Dana and Sarah are stalwart, clever and funny characters, and author Jean Henry Mead caroms them from one tight situation to another as they weave along the Interstate and into a high stakes mystery."

~J. Michael Orenduff, Lefty Award winning author of The Pot Thief Who Studied Einstein

"Full of surprising twists and turns, Jean Henry Mead has produced an RV adventure with her two senior sleuths in hot pursuit of a murderer, but the tables turn and the two women learn that not only are they in danger but so is our national security. An exciting mystery that will keep you turning pages."

–F. M. Meredith, author of Angel Lost

(Murder on the Interstate is the third novel in my Logan & Cafferty mystery/suspense series.)

.Murder on the Interstate is currently available from Oak Tree Press in print and will soon appear on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Interstate-Jean-Henry-Mead/dp/1610090144/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305156555&sr=8-1 and at Barnes and Noble: http://my.barnesandnoble.com/communityportal/WriteReview.aspx?EAN=9781610090148

Book Release Celebration and Giveaway by Linda Weaver Clarke

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sat, 21 May 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Book Release Celebration for Mystery/Adventure Novel and Book Give-Away May 23 June 1: To win a mystery/adventure novel with a touch of romance, leave a comment at http://lindaweaverclarke.blogspot.com/. But thats not all! You may also be eligible to receive two free e-books as part of this contest.

Montezumas Treasure and Family Secrets are Themes for Mystery Novel

Mysterious events, the search for Montezumas treasure, a good-looking rogue, and family secrets! How important is it to learn about the past? Will it make a difference in ones life and the choices we make? To April, it makes a big difference. Knowing about her parentage changes her perspective of life.

With a blend of mystery, adventure, humor, and sweet romance, Linda Weaver Clarke creates a story based upon the adventures of a married couple and their three daughters in Montezuma Intrigue.

When a leather parchment of Montezumas map is found in great-grandfather Evans old chest, April and the twins know this summer is going to be a memorable one. The girls want to search for it but their father is against it for some mysterious reason. With Julias help, she and the girls convince John to go on a treasure hunt. Is Montezumas treasure a legend or reality? Whatever the case, John insists on keeping their little treasure hunt a secret. If certain people find out about it, the family could be in danger.

Sukos Notebook wrote, In the latest book by Linda Weaver Clarke, Montezuma Intrigue, the mysteries continue as this author entrances us with life-like characters and electrifying adventures. The search for Montezuma's treasure is both exciting and memorable--I am spell-bound!

While searching for Montezumas treasure, Matthew is trying to get the courage to tell April how he feels about her. How does he tell his kindred friend that she means more to him than just a friend? Oblivious of Matthews feelings for her, April is gradually learning the importance of her heritage. Who were her ancestors and why has the family kept a certain secret all these years? This mystery series includes Anasazi Intrigue, Mayan Intrigue, and Montezuma Intrigue.

Book Trailer:

Wanna be a Guest Blogger?

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Mon, 02 May 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Now that the A to Z Blogging Challenge is over, along with the month of April, I need new content for the Author Exchange Blog.

Check out my submission guidelines and contact me if you'd like to be a Guest Blogger.

New Release by Joyce Lansky

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sun, 01 May 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Joyce Lansky announces the release of her first story in the May issue of Appleseeds magazine.

The story is titled Paul Revere's Ride: On Me and is part of their Reader's Corner.

To learn more about Joyce, visit her at http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/.

Z end

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Today, the "Z" day, is ze last day of ze A to Z blogging challenge.

Thank you to the following people:

Those of you who stopped by, on a regular basis, and kept visiting even though you didn't comment;
Those of you who visited once or twice and didn't trash me or the blog; and
Those of you who visited regularly and commented, becoming new friends.

I'm glad I participated in the challenge. I met new people, visited new blogs, and picked up a few pointers.

Happy May Day! (Tomorrow, that is.)

YOU!

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

YOU!!!!!

If you're a writer, tell us about YOU! What's your latest book, where's your latest appearance, and what are the URLs to your online presences?

X Marks the Spot

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I've never been enthralled with stories about treasure hunts. Pirates, parrots, peglegs, and buried treasure all seem kind of boring. The best part of Peter Pan was Tinkerbell. The best part of Romancing the Stone was its humor. And romance. Nothing about Indiana Jones appealed to me. (Not even Harrison Ford.)

I prefer puzzles to hunts. I also prefer figuring out why someone wants to dig a hole and bury something rather than doing the dirty work and digging stuff out of the ground.

What's the lure of treasure hunts? So you find something that's lost. Big deal. If the treasure you find is worth significant money, I can guarantee you someone else is going to claim ownership and take it away from you ... leaving you with nothing but frustration for all your efforts.

Now, if the satisfaction of the hunt is what floats your boat, okay, maybe I get it. A little.

Really now, tell me, what's the deal with treasure hunts?

Who is WonderWoman?

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

WonderWoman is a person who has great abilities to overcome, to survive and thrive, and pave the way for a better world. Thousands of WonderWomen live in this country (and in the entire world).

My focus today is on the WonderWomen who have have triumphed in the face of adversity presented to them in the form of sexual assault.

On April 30, 2011, thousands of people will take a Two-Mile High Stand Against Sexual Assault®. At dozens of drop zones across the country, men and women of all ages will take to the sky and jump. Most for the first time ever. And it's all part of Operation Freefall®, the boldest, highest-altitude, and most daring event organized to put an end to sexual assault.

Operation Freefall is the only event of its kind to increase awareness of sexual violence. The event is held simultaneously across the country on the last Saturday of each April, and it benefits both Speaking Out About Rape, Inc.® (SOAR®) and community-based anti-sexual violence organizations nationwide.

My daughter is a WonderWoman. If you'd care to support this wonderful cause--and all the WonderWomen, WonderMen, and WonderChildren in this country--feel free to visit Laurie's fundraising page to learn more: click here

Very is a stupid word

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I find myself using the word very lately, as in something is very important or very stupid. (I also use really in a similar fashion, but we'll overlook that on the "V" day of the A to Z blogging challenge.)

Really now, if something's important (or stupid), how does does very make it more so? Aren't the words important and stupid explicit enough on their own without having to define degrees of important and stupid? And grammatically speaking, how correct is it to modify an adjective with another adjective?

Why do we use adjectives anyway? Sure, the red car distinguishes it from the blue and green ones but why do we have to say the green grass? Yep, in places like Montana grass turns dirt brown in the dryness of summer but, otherwise, it's green ... and don't we all know that?

Same thing with adverbs. Yes, the earth spins slowly on its axis. I suppose it might be important to stress the fact to someone who's very stupid but, really, how many people are so stupid they think the earth spins quickly on its axis? And if someone were that stupid, why would you be talking about the earth's axis anyway?

All kidding aside, I understand the value of adjectives and adverbs. I'm just practicing a more judicious use of them lately.

What are your thoughts about the little buggers?

Ugliness

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

When I think of the word ugly, I think of nastiness. Many of the villains in literature have ugly spirits, as do their counterparts in real life. The first things that clues us in to a villainous spirit are words and behaviors--which are often only the tip of the iceberg.

Ugliness is bone deep and is almost always obscured by surface traits that are more appealing. A person is handsome or pretty, holds a prestigious job, has an attractive spouse and children and we all think, "What a nice person. So smart and successful." Handsome and rich don't equal kind and generous any more than pretty equals honest.

In every serial killer book I've ever read, someone makes a comment about the neighbors of the killer being shocked to learn that the nice, handsome, next-door neighbor was, in reality, the twisted, evil, ugly, killer.

Why do we equate surface beauty with nice? Why do we equate a lack of surface beauty ugliness?

Ugly isn't a lack. It's a surfeit of stuff that's rotten, only someone prettied it up in a disguise. Think about the villains we create on the page; think about the villains we've encountered in literature and on the big screen. Their ugliness is hidden beneath a layer of masks.

Some writers do a better job of characterizing and motivating their villains than others do because of the multitude of layers they use to cover up the ugliness. If we use the same process with our non-villainous characters--layering an unexpected trait with a variety of disguises--imagine the complexity we'd be able to create.

What other "hidden" traits do you bury beneath the layers of characterization?

Tiger

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:03:00 +0000

Although I am far more auditory and verbal than visual, today's blogpost on my personal blog got me all caught up in photos of Tigers.

I don't know why, but I think tigers are the most beautiful creatures on earth (other than naked human infants, that is).

Here are some I found; enjoy this pictorial essay. (You can locate the sites where I found the pics by clicking the photos.)

S is for Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

S is for Schedule, as in why does Blogger keep Screwing mine up? Several times in the past two weeks, I've checked my blog out at some point well after the 6:00 a.m. time I've scheduled a post to appear...only to find that the automatic post did not automatically post.

Does anyone know what I'm doing to Screw up my Schedule?

There, now that I got that off my chest, I'd like to share a few tips for getting your schedule under control:

Quit your job;
Divorce your spouse;
Put your kids up for adoption;
Destroy the TV, radio, computer, and all other types of electronic equipment; and
Contract a mental illness so you're no longer responsible for anything.

Does that give you a clue about how my Schedule ran today?

P.S. My day wasn't half as bad as that of two other people I know!

P.P.S. Hope your day went well. Someone deserves to have had a good one.

Rorschach is the "R" Word of the Day

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 22:43:00 +0000

I don't know much about the Rorschach Test, other than it's a projective psychological test named after a Swiss psychologist named Hermann Rorschach. The way a person interprets inkblots is supposed to reveal things about the way he thinks and how his mind works.

I wonder if our interpretations of the images formed by the clouds on a windy, summer day have any bearing to the Rorschach Test. Puffy, white clouds are sort of the inverse of inkblots, aren't they?

More importantly, I like the idea of looking at something and saying the first thing that pops into my mind. I used to do this conversationally as a child until I realized my comments weren't always socially acceptable (my mother's glaring and frowning was the clue). Nowadays, I don't much care who glares and frowns at me--I just like the way I occasionally allow my mind to wander down any path it chooses, without censorship.

As a writer, I believe it's important to be open and creative. As a human being, I believe it's important to be spontaneous and curious. I've got the curious thing down pat, now to work on the spontaneous.

Not that any of this really has anything to do with Hermann Rorschach and his test, but I'm feeling very disorganized and the opposite of grounded today. And, a couple of blog commenters recently told me to give myself a break and NOT be so organized.

This blogpost is the result: a stream of consciousness blathering. (I bet my blogging buddy Bill uses that word all the time...) A better word begins with "R:" rambling!

Q is for quid pro quo

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Kind of tough to find a topic for the letter "Q" on the A to Z blogging challenge.

So I thought I'd let you folks join in the fun and come up with words that begin with "Q" and then provide a sentence using it. This way, you'll help be improve my vocabulary.

Here's my "Q" word: quid pro quo. I'm not a turn-the-other-cheek person; I believe more in quid pro quo. (This is not necessarily the truth; remember, I write fiction!)

Okay, now it's your turn.

P is for Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Perspective. Each of us has one. And none of us has the quite same perspective as anyone else. Even if you and I think alike, and share the same ethics and morals, I might hate the winter and you might love it. This single different is going to make a huge difference in how we handle being stranded together in a blizzard.

One of my daughters has a perspective that's always been a bit different from that of anyone else I know, and in a really good way. She sees humor in places I might not and the way she phrases her observations makes me laugh like crazy. Because of perspective.

When writing fiction, it's important for us to communication the unique perspective of our characters. That's what makes the sociopaths in Lisa Gardner novels so chilling. Or what draws me to Ed McBain's writing: each of his characters has a vivid perspective.

Some writers give each character a physical trait that helps readers focus on their individual perspectives; others use an event from their characters' pasts.

What tricks of the trade are YOU willing to share about perspective?

O is for "Ooops!"

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Ooops! Life is interfering with my blogposts today.

I only wrote one and it's on my personal blog. Click here to be redirected.

Negativity

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

The "N" feature of the day is negativity.

According to psychologists, the brain is more sensitive to the unpleasant than it is to the pleasant; it has a “negativity bias.” Studies have shown that the brain experiences a greater electrical
surge when exposed to negative stimuli than when exposed to stimuli deemed to be positive or indifferent. Some psychologists believe the negativity bias is a form of survival instinct; it helps
us recognize danger as quickly as possible—so it can be avoided just as quickly. (excerpt from the book, Taking the Mystery Out of Business, by yours truly)

When I was younger, I used to believe that a positive person can bring a negative person up. In reality, the opposite is true.

Negative thinkers suck all the energy from their environments, especially at work. They complain, they whine, and they criticize—endlessly. If the sun is shining, it’s too bright and reflects off their computer monitors. If it’s raining, the lack of sunshine causes their depression. If everyone in the office is laughing and having a good time, they’re being too loud and disruptive. If everyone in the office is quiet and focusing on their work, they’re ignoring the negative thinker. (yep, another excerpt)

I knew a man once, who blamed the world for everything in his life he didn't like, or that he perceived to be holding him back: his left-handedness, his ethnic background, even his body shape and proportions. These factors, he claimed, set him apart from everyone else and set him up to be a victim.

I don't view life from the same perspective. Although I write with my right hand, I am otherwise left-handed--which makes many tasks that much easier for me. My ancestors were abused and neglected hundreds of years ago and I actually had a business associate once tell me how she didn't care for "the Irish" at a networking event. (She made the mistake of overlooking the fact that my married name is representative of my husband's ancestry--not mine--and that he, not I, am a compatriot of hers.) And although I wish I weren't so height-challenged, there's not much I can do about it. I have other physical attributes (i.e., curly hair) that make up for it.

The "N" feature on my personal blog is about the word "No." Many people consider the word "no" to be negative and, oftentimes, it's not. Especially when you say No to Negativity.

Let's start a campaign to outlaw negativity, pessimism, and whining. What do you say?

M is for...

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

McHenry, Murphy, McLean, Mulligan, McGee, Malloy, Mallone, Maloney, McCoy, Mitchell, Moore, Morrisey, Murray, Morgan, Mooney...

Okay, I'm talking about names. Mostly Irish names. When I write fiction, I have a marked preference for Irish names: Mollie, Maeve, Maureen, Meghan, Moira, Mitch, Micheal (yes, that's the Irish spelling, it's not a typo!)...

I also like Irish names that don't begin with "M." For example, my dog is named Delaney, which means "son of the challenger."

I also like the first and last names of a character to involve some illiteration: Michael Murphy, Mollie Lynch, Neill Mooney...

What are some of your "rules" when it comes to choosing names for your characters?

L is for Love

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Some days, so far, I've immediately come up with a topic for the letter of the day on the A to Z blogging challenge. Other days, not.

Today is one of my good days. (At least from my perspective!) Check out my personal blog for another "L" blog post.

LOVE tends to be a theme I write about a lot in my fiction, even my mysteries. It's also a theme in a lot of the books I read, even mysteries and crime fiction:

Who loves who,
Who doesn't love who,
How people and pets love each other,
Why one person loves another person,
How a lack of love makes people behave,
How an overabundance of love makes people behave,
How people kid themselves into believing they don't want, or need love,
How people think they can't live without love,
How people manage to live without, or after the loss of, love,
What motivates people to do all manner of things in the name of love.

Why is love so darned important to us?

Do we feel more valuable, or important, if someone loves us?
Do we measure our worth based on who loves us?
Is receiving "bad" love better than receiving no love at all?
Why is romantic love viewed by so many people as being the ultimate in love--i.e., more "important" than the love of, let's say, our dogs?

If Love is so wonderful, how come the most painful hurts we experience are because of our Love for others?

I guess I don't have many answers. Do you?

K is for Killer

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I love mystery novels. And suspense novels. And romantic suspense novels. And thrillers. And crime novels.

Although I love a good hero or heroine, I always find myself sucked in more by the bad guy. Or, more accurately, by the bad guy's motivation.

Why does the killer kill? Why are nasty people nasty? What prompts people to hurt others?

I recently read several books in Lawrence Block's "Hit" series. The protagonist is a professional hit man. And guess what? I like him. A lot. Why?

He takes his job seriously. He's professional. He separates his business and personal lives. These are all traits I share.

On the other hand, I can't imagine myself killing someone for money. To avenge a wrong, maybe. In self defense, certainly. But for $50,000? Nah.

Although I don't share his motivation and perspective on killing, I understand it. He has a code of honor and lives by it. I respect that.

Am I twisted? Maybe.

What's your take on killers? In fiction, that is.

J is for Jerk

noreply@blogger.com (LINDA FAULKNER) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 10:00:00 +0000

I'm really stretching it today on the A to Z blogging challenge. Over at my personal blog, the feature of the day is Jack and Jill and I started a campaign to resurrect nursery rhymes.

Unfortunately, my well of inspiration is drained and I'm suffering from writer's blog-block at the moment. The only "J" word I can think about is "jerk" and I really don't want to wax poetic in a negative fashion. (I'm writing this blog post on Monday, folks.) Since I have always refused to surrender to writer's block, we'll see how this writing exercise goes...

I've decided to take the word jerk and write about it in a fashion that is not negative. So, instead of discussing the myriad incarnations of jerks I have known, and continue to know, and instead of focusing on jerk as a noun, I'll focus on it as a verb.

Hmmmm. Sigh. [thumb-twiddling and head scratching going on]

Okay, nothing comes to mind except beef Jerky--which is not a verb. FYI, I've only tasted it once and didn't much care for it. On the drive north from Missoula, Montana to Glacier State Park, you pass a beef jerky plant that claims its beef jerky is world-famous. Hard to imagine.

What IS beef jerky? Why would anyone want to eat something that's called jerky?

If I haven't lost you and you've read this far, the reason I continued with this exercise is to prove that writer's block doesn't have to exist. Yes, I just wrote complete drivel--and I bet that's a word my friend Bill Kirton would use on his blog - he's literary and likes certain types of words, of which drivel is likely one. I did, however, spit out my word count and educated you about the beef jerky plant and my friend Bill, whose most recent blog post is undoubtedly more entertaining than mine.

If I've lost you, then you're not reading this, probably don't care about beef jerky OR me, and haven't benefited from the exercise. I guess you can't tell me it sucks then, eh?

Well, I may be a Jerk with a capital "J," but I hope I got you thinking about writer's block. It doesn't have to exist. Writing rubbish (another Bill word) is better than writing nothing. Besides, my mind has already jumped onto a terrific topic for the letter "P," so there!