A bloody tale

by Carola

A while ago, my dog Trillian's best friend, Oli, came to stay for a week or two. Like most dogs, one of the games they both enjoy is running along a fence barking at a dog on the other side of the fence who is running and barking back.

Trillian watering a tree on the school field

I'm lucky enough to live next door to a school field where dogs are allowed after school hours. Like mine, my next-door neighbour's house backs onto the field. He has two bloodhounds and two mini yappers. When they're out in the yard, it's practically impossible to get Trillian and Oli away from that fence. They'll come away but always rush back for another session. Oh well, it's exercising them!

Oli giving me a kiss on the school field

Another neighbour with one dog, Stella, also shares a fence with the field. She's older and not so much fun, but occasionally they have a "run-in". Unfortunately, Stella's fence doesn't reach the ground in some places. Stella's mom puts boards to block the gaps, but sometimes the boards fall over or get nudged out of position.

One of the run-ins with Stella got out of hand. Oli stuck his  head under the fence, and Stella removed a piece of his ear. Blood started to well. Oli shook himself and blood spattered all over him. Stella's mom brought a bucket of cold water to the gate to wash him off and--we hoped--stanch the flow, but by then it was more flood than drip. A second bucket didn't help. By then there was a puddle of blood in the gateway to the school field... (As a mystery writer, I started plotting!)

So I headed for home with Trillian completely unconcerned and Oli respattering himself as we walked. He looked awful. A young girl walking down the street saw him and asked in horror, "Is that blood?"

Another bucket of water at home. Oli still bleeding freely but not apparently in pain. He wasn't allowed in the house, of course, and by bedtime he was still bleeding, so the poor boy had to spend the night in the garage. I should add that by that time there was no danger of his bleeding to death.

Luckily there was time enough for it to heal before his parents came home. I just had to explain why he had a notch in his ear...

Now I keep styptic powder in the garage, readily to hand for emergencies.

Yes, Oli is one of my faithful readers...

Multi-Author Signings

by Carola

Are multi-author signings worth the time and trouble? It depends what you expect of them.

For me, it's not really a matter of selling lots of books and making lots of lolly. I'm making my name and my books known to people who otherwise might never see them. Maybe they'll buy one book, and maybe they'll go on to buy more elsewhere. Maybe they'll pick up a bookmark or a card to give to a friend who likes "that kind of stuff." So future sales are one aim.

If the signing is sponsored by a bookstore, you're making sure they know of your existence and hoping they will carry your books in future. If they already do, you're reminding them how charming and cooperative you are. With luck, they'll be not just stocking but recommending your books to their customers in future.

Even if there's no bookstore involved and you sell hardly any books, you're meeting fellow authors, exchanging ideas and tips, making new friends--not always easy to do when you spend most of your waking hours with the imaginary people in your head, trying to turn them into words on a screen!

Sometimes a multi-author signing--or any signing, come to that--is at least partly an excuse for a couple of days away from that screen, even if you never escape the people in your head. Last weekend, a 50-author event at a bookstore on the Oregon coast gave me an excuse to drive over, spend the night, and take a couple of lovely walks on the beach with the dog. Good enough reason to accept the invitation, though I did sell some books, too!

Chasing sandpipers

Yes, Mum, I've been rolling in the sand

Gonna shake that sand right outa my hair

Encounter with a hippo

Encounter with a ?jellyfish?

Sunrise

Recharging your batteries...

Carola

Every morning I walk along the bike path by the Willamette River with my dog, Trillian, whatever the weather: sun, rain, fog, snow, wind, anything but ice. The fresh air, the sounds of birds, the exercise, all give me energy that takes me through the day. I'm very lucky to have such a beautiful place to walk so close to home.

Here are some recent pics taken along the way.

Willamette River

Camas

Fawn Lily

Grasses--the reason for the sneezin' season

maple

vulture--fuzzy because I'm not a very good photographer

There's the occasional mystery, such as, who built this?

















 And one happy dog:

I get home ready to start the writing day.

How do you recharge your batteries?
 

The Tudor Signet

by Carola

Romance, adventure, blackmail, spies, highway robbery, a persecuted widow, a mad sculptor, a card-sharp, a future inheritance: and the Tudor signet ring holds the answers. Dartmoor and Plymouth are the scenes of the crimes, where a dashing hero meets a determined young lady--in less than romantic circumstances. Positively embarrassing, in fact...

Almost as embarrassing is the error Zebra made in the title of the paperback: There is no Tudor secret. I'm glad I was able to get the correct title restored on the e-book!

Add a devoted dog and a wild ride through the night to a dramatic denouement. What more can you ask?

Available from most e-book sellers:


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-tudor-signet
http://www.amazon.com/The-Tudor-Signet-ebook/

PS. CROSSED QUILLS e-book is still on sale on Amazon.