Thursday, April 19, 2012

SWAT Guy and Guns, Oh My!



I was a guest at the Sisters in Crime, Desert Sleuths chapter meeting and I had the delight to meet a SWAT Team member. Michael Seemiller was so kind to come to the meeting to demonstrate his equipment and to inform us on what it is really like to be on the SWAT Team. 

These pictures are of Michael showing us his SWAT vest. Some of the items on the vest include; earpiece for communication, water bottle, ammo clips, radio, flashlight, door-stop called a wedge, cuffs and key, and a flash-bang. 

The vest is bullet proof, of course. We asked him if he'd be hurt if someone hit the clips of ammo on the front of the vest. He said, "no" and I was surprised. 

This is the other part of what he wears. It is a belt with more ammo, a pistol, an extra set of cuffs, and what he called a dump pouch where he can throw stuff when he doesn't have any other place for it. 


The vest and belt weighs about 65 lbs. 


They also wear a helmet, goggles, knee pads, some choose to wear elbow pads, and they have this winter-type mask that covers most of their face and neck. Maybe this would be a good time to remind you that we live in Arizona and they get the most calls during the summer months. Can you imagine wearing all of this during that time of year? When it averages 114 degrees?!?! 

Some other interesting facts: 



  • Most officers are in their careers for at least 4 years before trying out for the SWAT Team. 
  • There isn't an age limit for who can be on the SWAT Team. 
  • Females have the same requirements as the males. 
  • They are on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most of them still hold their jobs on the police force as well as being on the SWAT Team. 



  • To get onto the SWAT Team, they have to go through an obstacle course test, a firearms qualification test, written exam, and then an oral board exam. This is all in one day. After they are done with the oral board, they are put in a room alone to wait until the person comes in to tell them if they passed or not. 
  • If they pass, they go to SWAT Basic School which lasts for two weeks. This school is on a pass or fail standard and you can fail out at any time. How crazy is that? 
  • If you fail, you have to wait until the next testing time which is 1 year in his department. 


He is demonstrating the flashlight on his Glock. This is the 
issued firearm for his department. 

I don't know about you, but I'm thankful we have outstandingly brave people like Michael protecting our community! 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Finding Time to Write with Paulette Forshey

Recently our son and his two children ages 4 and 2 years had to move back in with us. I'd become accustom to having all day to write since my husband travels for his job Monday through Friday usually. My carefree, quiet time was shattered.

While it's fun having the 'grands' as I refer to them it's been a challenge finding time to write, but I have found the time, because I 'made' time to write. My schedule goes like this, get up around at four or five a.m. write until 7 or 7:30 a.m. when the first grand comes downstairs. Breakfast for him and me, then his sister the two year old comes scooting down the stairs about an hour later. Fix something for her, she's is the hungry one first thing in the morning so filling her up is a challenge. A quick wash off follows, she defines the meaning of 'digging into' your meal. Everyone gets dressed and the day begins, right now the grandson is in pre-school four days a week. Little sister stays home with me as our son takes him to school. Our granddaughter and I then have 'girl' time. Which either commences of us cuddling on the sofa watching her favorite show, or if she's happy on her own, I run to the computer getting a page or two in if I'm lucky, some days we have too many errands, and writing doesn't get done until later that night.

Once our son and grandson come home, our son takes over completely, and I work for another hour or two. Then its dinner time, bath time, t.v. time, then bedtime, I have one or two shows I might watch, until ten or eleven and then it's back to work. Depending on how tired I am I may only work one hour before bed, but I make that hour a 'good' hour getting in as much as possible.        

With all this jumping on and off my laptop it's hard getting back into the story sometimes. I use my mp3player, and a scented candle (when the grands aren't around since I work from our kitchen table) to help get me back in the writing mood each time. Reading the last two to five pages I worked on before to put myself back in the story helps also.  

Last year I had one novel, two novellas, and two short stories published. I hope to repeat those numbers and possible add on to them this year. If becoming an author is important to you, you have to 'make' the time yourself to write, because no one else will do it for you.
 
The Tarczal Alliance -
Logan Kincaid was trying to find the spy in his company when she walked in, - long blond hair, longer legs, and intelligent green eyes – damn, all his weaknesses rolled into one. He’d lived for 445 yrs. believing the Blood Witches and T’yhiéls of his vampiric childhood were nothing but myths until one walked into his life and all hell broke loose.

  Excerpt from The Tarczal Alliance
“You disagree the painting is showy?” He turned the subject back to the painting, and with practiced ease, he returned what he surmised was a compliment from the flush blooming on her cheeks. He indulged himself by allowing his gaze to rake over her. A whine like a mosquito’s settled in his ears.
 
“The artist captured Kandinsky’s style completely,” she sputtered. Logan didn’t give a damn about the painting or the artist. He wondered if the large, dark purple sweater that hung mid-thigh on her was an attempt to hide her body. If that was her goal, the tight black stretch pants, and thigh-high ebony suede boots were a poor choice. Any movement pulled the sweater tight like a second skin over her compact, lithe body.
 
“Absolutely. He copied a style. You wouldn’t have, Ms?” She fidgeted, and the movement caused the sweater to pull snug over her breasts making them stand out like ripened fruit and accented her flat stomach. Nice. Bet that stomach quivers when a tongue is run over it. Wonder what she’d do with a tongue in her belly button? She’s probably a giggler. He licked his lips. And a squirmer. It was apparent she had no idea what she did to him. He didn’t mind. Several parts of his anatomy were already stirring in response. Her front equaled the heart-shaped derriere he’d seen earlier while she browsed the competition.
 
“Weston. Allyson Weston. How did you know I paint?” The tiny frown across her brow made him want to laugh. So this was the estranged wife of his latest hire, Michael Weston. During the job interview Michael had constantly moaned and bitched about his soon-to-be-ex-wife. Guess Michael didn’t grasp he’d let go of an extraordinary woman. Logan let his gaze travel down to her legs, dancer’s legs, long and well-defined. Legs any man would enjoy wrapped around him.
 
Smoothly, Logan reached down, slipping his hand under hers bringing both up to eye level. “You have paint under your nails.” His thumb brushed the skin of her knuckles.
 
“Oh.”
 
Quickly, she withdrew her hand from his. Next, she folded her arms across her mid-section, lifting the orbs and tucking her hands safely under her arms.
 
Logan’s smile widened. “Do you have family in town?” His attention wandered back to the boots she wore. The way they encased her legs from toe to over the knee were a wonderful enticement, and his imagination flared to a deliciously wicked conclusion when she interrupted his assessment of her intriguing appendages by blurting out. “An STB.”
 
How fresh, honest, and naive she was. Logan bit back a chuckle. Heroes and bartenders: everyone trusted them, confiding intimate details of their lives they’d never reveal to anyone else, an interesting quirk of human nature. He arched an eyebrow in query, and she clarified. “Soon-to-be-ex-husband.”
 
He stopped himself before he could lick his lips. At the same time the essence of her blood rose from beneath her skin to mingle with the pungent leather of her boots. He inhaled more deeply, drawing it inside him, and swirled his tongue in his mouth to better experience the bouquet. Sweet, delicate, and exotic. Fit for the gods. He stopped his feeder teeth from slipping into place. A taste of her blood would never be enough, and an ocean too little for a man to quench his thirst. Stunned, he wondered where that thought come from, while trying to wish away the growing arousal in his groin. The whirr in his ears grew a little louder.
 J. Paulette can be found at:  www.jpauletteforshey
  Twitter @forsheyJ
 
 
bio:
Paulette lives in a small Ohio town with her husband, and a princess Basset Hound. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Central Ohio Fiction Writers, Southeastern Ohio Novel Writing Group, Northeast Ohio Romance Writers of America, and the Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Chapter of RWA. She also writes under the name of Genevieve Delacroix.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Picture Writing Prompt



We haven't done a picture writing prompt lately so here you go! Be as creative as you can and feel free to post your scene/story in the comments or email them to me. I'd love to read what you write. I'll come back and post my own story in a little while. 

Monday, April 16, 2012

New Cover!

I love new covers! So here is my new one. The release date is May 2012. I will have a blurb for you soon.

Talk to you soon,
Wendy Ely

Friday, April 13, 2012

Did you say it’s a series? By Connie Wood


I love series in books, both as a reader and an author. I love that tingly little feeling of excitement when you are reading and a character from a previously read book makes an appearance. I love the interconnectivity of plots and characters and baddies. I love the inner-secrets, the past knowledge only you know....because you have read the other books and know what is going on.

As a writer, I have two lots of series. The first is my Fallen Angels series (the second book to be release in late May) and the second is my Dark series. In both sets of books, I have woven the characters and plots intricately throughout all the books, hoping to instil some of the feelings and love of series that I do too.

Some of my favourite books of all times have come in a series. Harry Potter, Twilight, the Dark Hunter series.....all have told stories and evolved before my eyes. A good series shows you the evolution of a character and the world they live in. Perhaps this is one reason why Sci-Fi and Fantasy have such a huge volume of series.

To escape into a book is one of the best pleasures in life I can imagine. And to be honest, sometimes I am quite sad when it finishes. But if I know there is another book on the way, it feels more like an interlude rather than a finale and I can dive into my fantasy world once more.

As an author, I am well aware of the dedication a series takes to write. But I also know that the readers know my world and characters better than I do. I have no doubt about that. I have read certain series, and know them well, then if a mistake is made, then as a reader, I know it (and I feel rather let down!!).

When I prepare to write another book, I not only read all the paperwork I have, but I also go back and read the other books in the series first. This makes me look at the next book not only from a technical standpoint, but also from a readers view.

One thing I must admit, I don’t like it when the main story or the focus characters don’t have their story dealt with in one book. I like to read the story of one set of people and have their plot come to a conclusion and then read the next book in the series. If the next book deals with the same characters, that’s great, but it had better be a new plot and set of issues they are dealing with, otherwise it feels a little like I have to wait a very long time to find out what happens. It is like watching a movie, and leaving the last twenty minutes and making you watch it six months from now.

The Twilight series dealt with the same people all throughout the books and the same themes, but the issues always came to a natural conclusion at the end of each book. The Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon deal with a main character, which comes to a conclusion, but main and secondary characters make appearances throughout the whole series. That is what I love, the excitement and knowledge of the characters and the unknown of what they will do next.

Anticipation is a key factor in a series because it can take a while for an author to get the next book out, I hope that my readers are patient with me....and I try to be patient with the series I read....though it can be hard sometimes.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog and thank you so much to Wendy for such a wonderful and varied blog and the opportunity to visit here.

If you would like to know a little more about me or my books, please feel free to check out my web site at www.conniewood.co.cc or email me at conniewood@bigpond.com

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Dreaming of Him!

The sun had begun to sink behind the rippling water of the lake. My favorite time of the night had arrived, along with my favorite season--fall. The cool breeze made me snuggle deeper in my coat. I sat on the large rock, watching the moon glitter over the inky water. This place had been my favorite spot. Always the place I had gone when a problem chewed at my brain, since about age seven.

I felt him approach the rock, but didn’t turn toward him. My gaze stayed fixed on the grooves over the water’s surface. Even his sliding over the rock to sit next to me didn’t steal my attention. At that moment, he didn’t matter to me.

“Amber?”

“Mm hm?” My gaze remained on the lake before me. I had the sense that I had been in this exact situation before. But I didn’t know this man. I was certain of it, even though he felt familiar in a way I couldn’t put my finger on.

“What is bothering you?” He slid his arm around my shoulders and hugged me close, and I rested my head against his shoulder without hesitation.

“How do you know something is bothering me?” Tears of frustration threatened to spill.

“I know you, Amber.” He slid his fingers through my hair. “I can tell when you’re upset about something. What is it?”

I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Was he someone I could trust? He must be. Being in his arms felt so right, even without knowing his name. “I’m trying to be someone I’m not.”

“I see.” He really didn’t. He couldn’t possibly understand what a fake life I lived outside of this dream. But he washed away the tension that had been bundling my nerves into tight bands.

“I don’t know what to do about it. That’s why I came here.”

“Because this is your favorite spot to think. Right?”

I pulled from the comfort of his arms. “How do you know that?”

“Because I know you, Amber Michelle Addaire.” He turned to me and clasped my hands in his. “I wish you would realize that.”

“But do I know you? What’s your name?”

His eyes. In each dream, those rich chocolate brown eyes drew me in as though I had once looked into them. Not in the dreams, either. In real life. Had I? Would he tell me this time?

“You’ll know soon enough. Sometimes rushing things ruins the situation. Time, my dear, is everything in this case. Give it all the time warranted.” He stood. “And Amber?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t worry about trying to be someone you’re not. Everyone does that once in awhile. It helps us discover who we really are.” A piece of hair fell down against his tanned forehead as it had the first time he’d joined me at the lake.

The man of my dreams disappeared then, leaving me sitting alone on the rock.

I woke up with a start. Why had he just left willingly this time? It wasn’t as if I had somewhere to go. Saturday morning had arrived, meaning I could sleep in all day. And be with him in my dreams. But nope. He had to disappear, leaving me to wake up in the dreary bedroom, dreading the day ahead.
 
There really wasn’t any reason to dread the day, either. Things weren’t so bad in my life. Many people in the world had it a lot worse than me, so why couldn’t I see it like that? I tried, damn it, but couldn’t. 

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

An Author's Day


When people learn that I'm an author they usually are amazed by the idea. They usually explain, "Wow! That is so exciting!" It is like I have turned into a super hero or something hehe. Responses like these often make me feel weird because I'm just me... I just have ideas pop into my head so I write them down so other people can read them! 

Being an author isn't all that glamorous. I promise you that. We work very hard for the money and recognition we receive. So today I am going take off my super hero cape and let you see what my life as an author is really like. 

I get up at 5:30 most mornings to begin my day. I do not get up this early to write. Heck no. My daughter has to be up for school so I start my day at this time. Promotion and marketing is a big part of being an author. No, publishers don't do most of this for the author. It rests on the author's shoulders. Being an author is a very solitude profession. During this time of day, I write emails, chat with my friends, do promo/marketing, and blog. I take a break for breakfast before starting my "day job" which I also do from my home. 

My day job happens to be editing manuscripts for other authors. I am swarmed by the craft of writing all day long. I love this! I edit a manuscript for several hours straight. When I need a break, I usually end up doing chores, running errands, or chatting with my boyfriend on the phone. After I take a break I'm back at the computer for several more hours of editing. I have  deadlines for these manuscripts so editing them takes a lot of time. 

In the early evening I'm ready for some outdoor activity and exercise. We have a pool so that is usually where you'll find me. Swimming lasts about an hour before I'm inside to do more chores and cook dinner. I hang out with the kids for a bit. They are teenagers so they only like so much "mom time" before they are off doing their own thing. 

Late evening is spent working on my own novels. If I have an editing deadline, I will focus on getting my edits finished and will not write any new material. Otherwise I balance it out... edit for awhile, write for awhile. Research is squeezed in there somewhere! I work on my book until my brain is numb. I talk to my boyfriend on the phone while a movie is playing and then I pass out. 

I do get to do fun author stuff occasionally. I belong to a writing association so the meetings help me feel all author-like. We also get to take fun workshops like How to Process a Crime Scene. I get to meet interesting people like homicide detectives, scientists, and male cover models! This stuff is the glamorous side of being an author but these are special events. 

Don't get me wrong. Being an author isn't a fancy job. It is hard on most days but there are so many rewards. Getting a good review, having a fan email you to say how much they love your book or to ask when the next one comes out, and seeing the final product of all work you put in is the best. 

I might not really wear a super hero cape and that is fine with me.... I just want to be an author.