"Steam Me Up, Rawley" and How to Build Your Own Author Steam!

 "Geek Girl Romance Writer" Angela Quarles

I hope she forgives my lateness. I was going to do and post this article last week for Writer Wednesday, but I ended up in the hospital for the day instead. So, here it goes- the new and quite steamy cover for "Steam Me Up, Rawley" by my critique partner this year, Angela Quarles.

Now I will be honest, Steampunk Adult Romance is not my specialty (I'm more of an action-thriller, sci-fi, urban fantasy, killer sort, with a side of heavy horsepower.) I do however, love a good story and I do love to write.  Angela, for who knows what perfectly good, sane-sounding reason, chose to be critique partners with me earlier this year at Savvy Authors.  She didn't even bat an eyelash when I said things like "Couldn't you just land the ballon in the middle of the party and start with the action first?"  Her skirts never got frumpled when I said things like "What's with the eyes, why do they keep staring at each other?"  And her brass never got tarnished when I said - "Jack the Ripper?!!!! Awesome! Bonus points if you can make the new guy, the dad, and the frien-enemy's husband (the main's ex-fiance), and her boss all suspects!"  I think she smiled quietly and sweetly, just like her picture, and stuck the occasional brass hair-pin in a southern, steampunk, voodoo doll (my hip still hurts!).

Moto-Tuesday, because Mondays Just aren't Enough!

I think Steve would be ok with even tweaking this to say- "Riding is life. Anything before or after is just waiting."

Quick Catch-up

No, I haven't forgotten you dear blog or blogmates, life just took a few unexpected turns over the last month.  Fall has been something else this year!  There have been multiple hospital trips for kidney stones (not mine thankfully), and most of a week off for zero lower back cooperation (yep, this one is me).

I've been gathering a bunch of thoughts and info, it will probably be best to split this into two articles.  So, I'll do this one as the fun one and then next one as the "mechanical stuff".

Over the last month, I'm pleased to say I have been able to ride in to work on two of the four Mondays.  My bike is currently in the garage shivering and together we are deciding if I'll get to ride on my birthday (this Friday), which I was able to do last year - it was cold, but clear, or If I need to pull the battery, and wrap her up for the season.  (I honestly don't feel that a snow blower is in ANY WAY a reasonable substitute for my bike!)

So, let's ride!
Quite appropriately I started with that picture of Steve McQueen. Now, I've always loved Steve McQueen - what's not to like, he loved fast motorcycles and fast cars.  He was even kicked out of art college at one point for driving his motorcycle through the student union or admin building. 

Fall- A Sexy and Splendid Thing

Fall- A Sexy and Splendid Thing

 

Fall, you sexy, teasing thing.

You appeal to us with colors as vivid or more than spring.

Then you do that "fall" thing.

You change your colors, dance in the breeze, drop your leaves, and go naked for all the world to see.

Right when most would cover up, you expose your bare branches, and wait....

You wait until winter comes and drops a velvety, white robe of snow upon you, glittering like icy diamonds in the moonlight.  

Then you shake it all off, dig deep within, and grow vibrant and green again.

Few things are more magical, sexy, and splendid, than the beautiful earth, relaxing and renewing in her confidence of the days to come.

By PR Henriksen

Lost Lives, But Not Lost Hope

Today's blog piece will be a bit different.  I debated about putting it out here, but think it may resonate with others and let them know they are not alone.  This is a piece I wrote in the very early hours of Sept. 6th, following my brother-in-law's death on Sept. 1st, 2014.  It is very personal and I hope you will treat it as such.  If you have any questions concerning my faith, send me and e-mail, I would be happy to respond.

Lost Lives, But Not Lost Hope

By PR Henriksen

It's the very early am of a week we'd hoped never to live through again- the death of a loved one.  Worse it's the second time for me, and the third or more for my sister's family, of being touched by suicide. Unlike the old MASH theme song, we've learned the hard way that suicide isn't painless for those who have been left behind without answers, or for those who have left.

Weekends & Mondays

I WISH today was Moto-Monday!

September was beyond crazy - and I was gone for about half of it. The weather ranged from near freezing during some days (frosty on some nights and mornings) to near eighty degrees for one perfect weekend. Over the last couple of weeks we've had more rain, the leaves have been turning, and the temperatures have been steadily dropping. I've actually had to wear a jacket a couple of times!  It's only been a bit over a week since we bid farewell to summer and now winter is already blowing up our skirts.  Worse.  My license plate tags expired Sept. 29 and I cannot ride until I get new ones.  Since I wasn't going to be around, I made sure to go online and order my tags more than two weeks before they expired.  I usually get them via mail within a week. I'm on week 3+ now.  What little riding might be left this year is quickly fading with the leaves and it bums me out.  VERY soon I will have to fill the tank, remove the battery, and wrap my moto-baby up for the winter.  It is always sad - winter's long goodnight.

In the meantime - for your Monday pleasure I present Miss Daisy's take on short weekends and Mondays.

Moments

Moto-Monday & Writing Wednesday meet in the middle this week.

September was a crazy month (times ten thousand this year!) but it is October now and literally and figuratively a great time to turn over a new leaf. :D  We had a funeral (my brother-in-law; Wood Badge Scout Leader Training for half of it; a niece heading out to the MTC in Utah; a hasty, but lovely visit to Chicago, the seasonal flu/cold from hell (still trying to finish it off), and dozens of other crazy things that don't really bear much mentioning - other than WOW!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and basically a picture captures a moment in time, space, and life.  It is easily worth a thousand words as well.  So, let's spend a few words talking about it.

Me (Penny), My littlest brother-Brad, my Dad, and my sister-in-law, Lisa

I've Caught Poetry

I don't know who did this mock-up from Monty Python, but "Brilliant!"

People say things change with the seasons.   If so, this one has been a doozy.  First, we lost my Brother-in-law on Sept. 1st, so there has been much fall-out and flailing about while trying to get things accomplished.  Last week was Wood Badge week 1 with rain  (next week is week 2 with camping out - no rain would be welcome!). I did fine at camp, but upon returning home ended up with a super awful sore throat and a nose that runs like the Amazon river. I think I'd rather have caught poetry or short story again.

This is my second year on staff at Wood Badge and I've been doing the newsletters.  So I have been doing some fun and creative writing (on top of the presentations and other stuff - Have you ever heard of the Darksucker skit?  Too Awesome!).

So, short of posting my Rocket Day blow by blew, or my deeply investigated - "who stole our article for the gazette" piece.  I've not got much today.

I am therefore challenging you - to catch some poetry.  Limericks and Haikus are always fun.

This is one of my favorite limericks - I don't know who created it, but as a nerdy science/science fiction girl, it always struck a cord with me.

There once was a girl named Bright

Whose speed was far faster than light

She left home one day

In a relative way

And returned home the previous night.

Haiku - from me - suitable for today.

Fall day Falls whoo hoo

Kleenex box has no tissues

Sinuses break thru

Feel free to show us what you caught (as long as it's literary or fish).
:D

It's Labor Day- Go Ride!

I worked really hard all week. And even though I got some heat rash yesterday, and today is looking to be just as hot and muggy or hotter, I have earned the right to take the day off and go for a ride!

Here's hoping that you get to enjoy a ride today too!

Dirt Cheap

 

Super Short Story Saturday 

Dirt Cheap

By PR Henriksen 

"Planet for sale." The man said. 

In a crowd of over 17,000 unique beings, I still got tons of sideways looks and a plethora "tentacle" encounters. He couldn't see me way down there, behind the auctioneer, but I knew him- sorta. Life's journey?  I flipped an 1878 double eagle gold piece through my fingers, weighing the fate of the world.  I could never have planned this.

Foster Fluff - Momma's Girls #53

Flash Fiction Friday

Sometimes in Life you just need to capture what is unfolding. That is one of the reasons I started doing the comics. And sometimes you just need puppies, because they make the world a better place. Either way, story is often in the eye of the beholder. Have a great weekend!

In what ways have you experimented with telling story?

Old School Can Be New Again

Screen shot of Hanx Writer in Use - errors and all! 

Writing Wednesdays: Old School Can Be New Again, or Have you lost that lovin' feeling?

I'm not that old, but when I first went to college in 1985 I had a manual typewriter. The first word processors, on the first computers, were just coming out. Not many kids had a computer with one (and a printer) to bring to school at the time. Although better than 50% of the girls in my dorm had electric typewriters, some with very beginning word processing abilities (i.e. you could backspace and make a correction or change a couple of words on a small screen, BEFORE it typed out your line for you).

When I went to college I had a choice between two manual typewriters (I wish I could tell you the names, but it has been a while). The older one was my dad or mom's and the newer one was in slimmer, white case, lined with blue. It had been my grandfather's. I took the newer one. It was not only a bit less bulky and more stylish, but the keys pushed down just a bit smoother and easier.

Awash in Nostalgia and Wood Badge

Cold, early am start, but the QM had HOT Cocoa!

Well, the time is fast approaching for something I've been doing the last couple of falls.... And yes, it has cut into my fall riding time, but it has been important.  I've been going to Wood Badge.  It is the Boy Scout's Leadership Training - for the leaders.  This will be my third year at Wood Badge (second time as staff).  It takes a lot of planning and work through out the year and then two really long weekends in September or October (last year was October and it was C-O-L-D).  I know it was cold, because I was out in a tent!