The Long Road to the Sequel

When I started "The Peaks at the Edge of the World" my goal was to write a Trilogy, and I did.  But then some more really unusual ideas occurred to me, and I just had to press on.  I'd barely published the Trilogy when I started on Book Four, which I called "When the World Grows Cold"

As it turned out I put a lot more labor and time into this book than I expected.  Now it's almost two years later, and finally, I have it where I want it.

It is set about 25 years farther along in time than the Trilogy, so it's about the next generation, Jon and Martina's descendants.  Thought some of the main character from the original Trilogy are still around.  There is a really strange time-travel twist that I think readers will find intriguing.

And just in case anyone is wondering, I have started Book Five, too!

Big Brother Is Still With Us

Well, almost 30 years have passed since the year 1984--the time setting of George Orwell's iconic book--he wrote it in 1948, by the way, and just transposed the numbers--so a legend was born.  And few in the world don't know the significance of the year and the term Big Brother (not to be confused with the 'reality show').

Now as we approach 2014, I feel there is no doubt that some form of Big Brother is watching. Subconsciously, I think we all know it, unless we live under a rock or in a secret cave somewhere.  (For my take on this, check out my next book, "When the World Grows Cold"!)  Most of the time, though, we try to keep the thought out of our minds.

Here's a little illustration:  About 2 months ago, my husband bought a kayak at a local sporting goods store, using a nationally-known credit card.  A few weeks later, he went to a local branch of a national hardware chain and bought some cord and a small block and tackle set, so he could rig up a way to store the kayak suspended from our garage ceiling, for the winter.  He thinks he used the same credit card to pay.

That's the only connection between the two purchases, and I was not with him either time--the credit card is in his name.  This morning I got a 'special offer' in my email from Amazon--for a kayak storage hoist!  My husband's name is not on this Amazon account--he doesn't even have one.  How did they put all this together?  Creepy, huh?

We might as well accept the fact that there is no personal privacy now that nearly everyone is carrying some kind of access to the "Worldwide Web" in their pocket.  Hmm--'web' makes me think of spiders--and they give me the creeps, too!   We're probably all walking around with little cursor squares on our heads, persons of interest to someone.

So what happens next?  I don't know.  But I've done some fictional speculation in my book series, "The Peaks at the Edge of the World".  Book 4, When the World Grows Cold, will be released by the end of this month.  And guess where you can check out the entire series?  Amazon.com, of course!  The computers rule...

Book Four is nearly in print!

Had a great evening at the Whitefish Library Montana Authors open house. Sold two books of "The Peaks Trilogy". Met lots of interesting people, and saw a few old friends. Have decided to get more involved in the local writers group.

THE next book in the PEAKS Series is coming soon-  Book Four:  "When the World Grows Cold"
Hit like or post a comment if you would like to be the first to know! Also to be notified of freebies and specials.  Check Amazon. com  -- it will be on Kindle Select, and there will also be specials on the first three books, too...

Wearing Lots of Hats!

As many of you know, I am not just as author.  I'm also a musician, singing in a Sweet Adelines Chorus, the Five Valley Chorus, based in Missoula Montana.  I also play in the Flathead Valley Community Band, and teach piano and guitar lessons in my studio, Erler's Musical Expressions.  As if this we're enough I also teach music and movement classes one a week to 2 Kindergarten classes, and 1 First Grade class at Trinity Lutheran School in Kalispell.

Currently our Five Valley Chorus is preparing a Musical Variety Show, which will be held at Flathead High School Auditorium, Saturday, November 2, at 3:30 p.m.  Tickets are only $10 regular, $8 for Seniors and Students.  12 and under are free!  You can contact me or any member of the chorus for tickets.  They will also be available at the door!

I am hoping I can get a copy of the poster to come us to put on this blog...Nope, it won't take PDF...

Next Installment of The Peaks Saga?

I have been working hard on the next PEAKS book this summer. There's been a lot of rewriting to firm up Book Four. For any of you who were pre-readers for the book, you'll find it is not the same as before. Three or four chapters have been moved to Book Five!
I replaced them with more about Ginna...and her daughter...
I don't want to be a spoiler, so that's all I am going to say.
Publication is set for this Fall. So watch for it: "When the World Grows Cold", Book Four of the PEAKS Saga. It will be available on Kindle and Create-space first.

Why Books Need Happy Endings--or at Least Closure...

Recently I read "The Hunger Games".  I felt let down at the end, but I haven't read the sequels yet.  I also felt sad because the story uncomfortably depicted where our society seems to be heading--the vicarious experiences of 'reality shows', which aren't really real, and how far things can go and people will accept it--like a 'survivor show' where the goal is true survival and not death.

I guess I'm just enough of an optimist (tho I often consider myself a pessimist) to want books to have a hopeful ending.  And as a Christian, I do have a hope of being in a better place after this life.  (Sometimes, tho, even I wonder if this isn't just 'pie in the sky.')  It's a fine line at times, between faith and realism.  That is the challenge for a writer, too.

It's amazing and coincidental that two medical practitioners in the past 2 months have expressed the same kinds of thoughts--both in reference to 'A Game of Thrones' (which I've read all of them, by the way)--another story that pushes deep into the realism side, and never seems to get to an ending, let alone a happy one.

I am so glad that the 'Harry Potter' books ended well, for the sake of the millions of young people who read them.  The 'Twilight' series, too.  In fact, there were actually some good moral truths in these--like saving sex for marriage, laying down your life for your friends--and in Harry's case, even learning to love your enemy.  These books left the reader feeling hopeful--not hopeless.

But that generation of readers is growing up now, and I wonder what the next generation will get.  Hopefully more that just 'Game of Thrones'--even tho it is well written.  But it seems to have no hope.

If we lose hope, we're in big trouble, I think.  So that's why I give my books the endings that I do.  I believe good literature should provide a catharsis (the release of emotions and empathy--a 'cleansing' is the Greek root of the word), and a good book should inspire--not depress.

I liked Carol Buchanan's book, "God's Thunderbolt" for that reason.  And that's why I loved "Lord of the Rings" & "The Hobbit"  Some of Tolkien's other books, especially "The Silmarilion", aren't so hopeful.  (It seems like a long defeat, in fact, but then he did get the idea in the trenches of WWI--and if you've seen the movie 'War Horse' it gives a vivid depicttion of how bad they were.)  I'm glad Middle Earth finally got to the Fourth Age, and he ended his books with hope.

My belief is that in the end, Good will eventually triumph over evil---and that's why the author I admire most is C.S. Lewis, who was a dear friend of Tolkien's by the way. Most people know him for Narnia.  But my favorite of his writings are his Space Trilogy.

Grace is Truly Amazing

Thought for today: in the Mass, right before communion, the congregation says, "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but say the word and I shall be healed." To me this speaks so well of God's grace to us--a gift to undeserving sinners. It's a paraphrase of the story of Jesus going to heal the Centurion's servant. But today I also found a passage in 2 Chronicles 30:18-20. During King Hezekiah's revival in Jerusalem, many people from Judah and Israel had come to celebrate the Passover and rededicate themselves to God. But not all had ceremonially purified themselves. "But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying 'May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone who sets his heart on seeking God...even is he is unclean according to the rules of the sanctuary.' And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people."

What a great concept! There IS grace in the Old Testament, too!  God is good.