Wordless Wednesday : Downhill at Sea Otter

Evan in the downhill race at The Sea Otter Classic

Monday Muse: The Sea Otter Classic––Redefine your limits

This Monday I’m inspired by the Sea Otter Classic bicycle races I went to over the weekend at Laguna Seca. There’s a motto FOX, a bicycle shock manufacturer, has––Redefine your limits it’s a fabulous way to start this week. Thinking about what’s beyond our limits. It’s something I like to write about. My characters try to redefine their limits. But, it’s not something I’ve really thought about lately in terms of myself.

What’s beyond your limits?

All of the riders were an inspiration, especially my daughter’s boyfriend, an enduro bike racer. The racers’ dedication and love of the sport is a joy. It’s fun to think about what lies beyond the things I think I can handle. That there might be something more I might try. Something more difficult than I ever thought I could ever pull off. I’m going to redefine my limits this week. I need the extra encouragement to meet deadlines, for sure. But creatively I think I’ll adjust my writing shocks so that I can navigate some steeper, gnarlier trails than I’m used to. Take more risks and thrill in the zesty downhill ride.

What’ a limit you want to redefine?

What I’m listening to as I edit this morning: Could I’ve been so blind by The Black Crowes

 

Wordless Wednesday : Our dog Oso at our favorite beach

Oso at our favorite beach. He has the odd habit of only picking the ball up with one fang. So the ball is always sticking out of the side of his mouth

Monday Muse: Shadow Slayer’s Seven Magic Words

I did a ton of research when I wrote SHADOW SLAYER (Shadow Series #2). Among the many things I researched were magic words. I wanted to create a magical world that felt and seemed real and had a feeling of history. What I discovered were magic words that had been used in literature for centuries. (Yes, this is when I spend way too much time reading cool stuff and not writing.) I do enjoy tangents. They are wonderful things and sometimes take me exactly where I need to be. And then again they sometimes lead me to wander off. And while deadlines and commitments and the real world are all fabulous things, I like to wander. I’m a fan.

Here’s a magic word that I found in my research and fell in love with––Ranokoli. It looks kind of odd in black and white, doesn’t it? For some reason it reminds me of pasta. I’d like some ranokoli with marinara sauce. Can’t you just see it on a menu? Ok, that aside, the real cool thing about this magic word is that it appeared in a story long ago written by Irving Bacheller (1859-1950) and he lived nearly 100 years. Back in the day, that was SO rare. So, that kinda got my attention. And then, I read this excerpt from Silas Strong by Irving Bacheller (1906):

The chief invited a great council and organized the Society of the Magic Word. Every member promised that whenever the greeting ‘Boneka’ were given him, he would smile and bow and answer, ‘Ranokoli.’ The greeting meant ‘Peace,’ and the answer, ‘I forgive.’ Then, one by one the law-giver called his councillors before him, and to each he said: ‘The Great Spirit is in this greeting. I defy you to hear it and keep a sober face.’ Then he said ‘Boneka,’ and the man would try to resist the influence of the spirit, but soon smiled in spite of himself, amid the laughter of the tring, and said ‘Ranokoli.’ Thereafter, when a quarrel arose between two people, and outsider, approaching, would greet them with the magic word, and immediately they would bow and smile and answer, ‘I forgive.’ 

This is the story behind one of the seven magic words in The Shadow Series. Roxie only gets to use the magic words one time. So, far in book 2 she’s used up four of the seven magic words. She still has to use Ranokoli : The Great Spirit of Forgiveness.

Email me with Roxie’s worst fear at the beginning of 13 on Halloween & your address and I’ll mail you Shadow Series Swag. (HINT: you’ll find it listed in the 13 on Halloween ebook which is free everywhere ) This giveaway is open internationally until 4/30  my email address is elliwrite (at) yahoo (dot) com

You can purchase Shadow Slayer here, here, and here.

Indie Author Spotlight: Melissa Pearl author of Betwixt & The Time Spirit Series

I’m so pleased to host Melissa Pearl on Laurasmagicday. I loved her book Forbidden Territory and hope you all go out and grab a copy. I love her voice and get lost in her stories. I know you will too. I think you will find her as magical as I do Check out the awesome excerpt of her new release after the interview! woot!

Author
Bio:

 

Melissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has
spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and
Pakistan… not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her
husband. “Best. Year. Ever!!” She now lives in China with her husband
and two sons. She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion.
Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this
dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has
produced four more books and has a YA fantasy trilogy coming out this year.

 

“I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my
soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be
and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall
in love.”

 

 

 Facebook
Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/melissapearlauthor

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/MelissaPearlG

Blogs:
http://melissapearl.blogspot.com/ and http://yalicious.blogspot.com/

Amazon
Author Page:

http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Pearl/e/B0064I6S26/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Goodreads
Author Page:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5314516.Melissa_Pearl

Smashwords
Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/melissapearl

Newsletter
subscription: ‪

http://blogspot.us5.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ab5a6cb228dc9203d6c179eaa&id=481344857f

Website:

http://www.melissapearlauthor.com

Pinterest:

Interview: 

1)
What is your all-time favorite book and why?

Man -
that is such a tough questions. One? I’m only allowed one? LOL.

One
series that I have read over and over in my time is the Mark of the Lion series
by Francine Rivers. Those books have it all – awesome romance, excellent action
and tension, amazing descriptions, plus a deep message running through the
books (if you’re into that kinda thing – which I am). They made me laugh, cry
and fall in love. Haha Just my type of story. 

2)
Is there an author you could be compared to or popular fictional characters
your book’s characters could relate to and why?

Hmmm
- how do you answer that question without coming across as pretentious? My Time
Spirit Trilogy has been compared to Twilight in the sense of an intense love
story. I wouldn’t say my writing is super fancy, but I know how to tell a fast
paced story with lots of emotion and tension. 

3)
Can you give us your favorite quote from one of your books and explain it?

Tasty Thursday : Lemonade | Share your lazy summer recipes!

went on a wildflower walk the other day at Fort Ord. It’s so fun knowing the names of all the wildflowers in my yard! Click the photo to see more photos of the hike if you like.

I’m editing my first adult adventure/romance novel. It’s called The Storytellers and the first scene takes place in Athens, GA where four writers are about to share their first chapters with each other on a steamy August afternoon. The lemonade they drink is the Tasty Thursday recipe today.

Monday Muse: Believing without seeing

I went to an evensong service at church last night. When I go to church, I usually attend in the morning. But, the beach called yesterday morning. I had a fabulous time with my husband walking along our favorite beach with our dog Oso, an Aussie Shepherd, and grand-dog Twiglet, a Yorkshire terrier. The surf and the tide was high and Joe and I stretched out in the sand and watched the waves and the surfers. It’s wonderful to share a favorite spot on a lazy Sunday morning.