New Release: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 “I hope you don’t mind,” Becca said, when Devona had gone ahead of them, and they slowed down to take the four steps. “I’m just too tired to … to fight for him.”

“Oh, my dear girl.” Sarah squeezed her hand. “I don’t blame you in the least. I don’t much like Conrad right now, myself. He calls me ‘Granny.’ When did he pick that up?” She shook her head. “Until that boy gets his head out of his backside, I wouldn’t inflict him on anyone. Let’s give him a few weeks to straighten out and realize that sparkly, jangly little two-stepper isn’t right for him.” She winked when her words got a snort of laughter from Becca. “Then we’ll make him work a little while for our forgiveness. If he doesn’t straighten out … well, I’m still of sound mind and body, and nobody has a legal leg to stand on if I decide to give the company to someone else. Ever considered becoming a landlord?”

“Me?” She caught her breath, forcing a laugh when the words actually brought a stab under her breastbone.

Becca most certainly had considered going into the landlord business. When she thought she and Conrad would become business partners, then partners in a much deeper, more personal aspect. She shrugged, helped Sarah up the stairs, and fought not to let a different image fill her mind: Simone working alongside Conrad, changing policies at Fontaine Realty, offending clients, giving management jobs to her relatives, and ruining the reputation that Albert and Sarah had worked so hard to establish. 

For Sarah’s sake, she might just consider it.

Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 09

In this week's episode, Ash and Fang have crossed into the kingdom of Nordwell. They need to avoid being seen by people, just in case Lathia manages to follow them -- or rather, her servants manage to find their trail. However, Ash soon realizes they have done too good of a job staying out of sight, because they don't encounter any people. Even walking in the daylight.

Then they discover bloodweed, and wonder just what the odd plant is for. It seems to be overrunning all the fields around them.

Then Fang comes racing back from exploration, with soldiers chasing him. How is Ash going to get out of this one?

Let's chat: What are your favorite episodes so far? What did you expect to happen? Did it? Are you happy with the story even if it didn't go as you expected? What do you think will happen to Ash and Fang, now that they're facing soldiers?

Could you do me a favor? Tell your friends about the podcast, and encourage them to listen?

Before editing this episode, I finished recording the final episode -- 22 altogether. That will take us into May. Right now, I'm making major revisions, expanding on a book published more than 10 years ago, and currently out of print. That will be the next book you can listen to on the podcast, while I'm writing the next book that takes up the story just an hour or two after Liars' Quest finishes.

Promise, it'll be fun! 

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

 

 

Want to support the podcast?

Find us on Patreon: Ye Olde Dragon's Library

patreon.com/user?u=26078473

New Release: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 “Oh, my dear.” Sarah reached out a thin, elegantly long hand to clasp Becca’s. “That big nincompoop did something wrong, didn’t he?”

She wanted to laugh, lightheaded with relief that Sarah wasn’t blaming her. If she had to lose anybody when this relationship with Conrad went south, she didn’t want that person to be Sarah.

“Well, he called me Becks, for one thing. And Simone was hanging on him, and they were getting ready for a picnic supper at Windows.” She shrugged. No way was she going to admit that Conrad played the “Oh, hello, stranger, what do you want?” card on her. So juvenile.

“I honestly don’t know what’s happened with that boy. He’s avoiding everybody, irritating clients, changing everything around at the office.” Sarah held out her bent arm for Becca to loop with hers, and they turned to head across the parking lot to the back door of the church. “Between those mules I call sons and that brother appearing out of the blue …” She sighed and patted Becca’s hand. “It’s like he’s had a nervous breakdown. But of course, big, strong men don’t admit they’ve got nerves, so he has to push away everybody who cares about him.” 

“And then some,” Rufus said, catching up with them and passing them with a few pushes on his wheels. “Guy’s ticked every time I try to fix the newest thing he messed up with the office computers.” He shook his head, then sped up, zipping to the left to the wheelchair ramp into Cadburn Bible Chapel.

Off the Bookshelf: DIARY OF A MAD BROWNIE, by Bruce Coville

 

Fun book! Far too easily devoured, too quickly. This is the kind of book I wish I had written!

Angus is a Brownie, bound by a curse to serve the women of a family that is also under a curse. When his beloved Sarah dies of old age, he must make the arduous journey from Scotland to America, to serve his new mistress, the youngest female of the family line.

Talk about culture shock. But Angus is a plucky, resourceful Brownie, determined to do his duty. Even if Alex, his new assignment, is a rather messy, disorganized girl who doesn't appreciate his tidying and organizing and trying to make life better for her.

The two are just starting to gain some respect and affection for each other when Alex's family and homelife starts changing. And Angus realizes to his horror that the curse has followed him from Scotland to America, and fastened itself on her family. How are they going to break the curse? He would leave if he could, to try to spare her family ... but he can't.

How do they solve this puzzle and do they manage to lift the curse? Ain't telling you -- it's too much fun -- you need to read and find it out for yourself.

Very well done. Clever. Funny. And all the "official documents," of reports, historical articles, emails, texts, and letters from teachers just add to the delightful adventure.

New Release: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 

Becca wasn’t in the mood to even try to play act, to pretend she didn’t see Sarah until she opened the van door to climb out. She waved as soon as she saw the older woman’s head turn in their direction. Her smile froze when Sarah covered her mouth and turned her head. Becca climbed out of the van and nearly stumbled.

This had to be very bad. Becca wished Sarah hadn’t played matchmaker. They could still be friends, Sarah could still be her mentor and role model, with no awkwardness between them. If the shadow of Conrad wasn’t there, hovering over them right that moment.

Conrad was a jerk. He and Simone certainly deserved each other. Becca couldn’t think of a single thing she had done to make him look at her like he had no idea who she was yesterday. She would have thought, from seeing him in business and trustee meetings, and at church and community events, he was the kind of man who would let someone know if they had offended or irritated him, and do it privately, politely, calmly. Not act like a brat. Was he punishing her because she followed through on her commitment to six months of missions work, a promise she had made before they started getting serious? 

Definitely, he and Simone deserved each other.

Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 08

In this episode, Blaz helps Ash get some glimpses into her past, but in finding some answers for her, more questions are generated. And warnings.

Clues to her identity and a chance to find out something about her family are likely in the coastal town of Tippessee -- but Blaz warns her not to go to Tippessee until she knows what her magic is and has the strength and control to defend herself, because magical enemies await.

Do you think Blaz and Ash's plans and preparations to frustrate Justiciar Camwell and keep him from spying on her will work? Or do you think their attempts to give her some privacy and freedom of movement will backfire on them, and cause more trouble for her in the future?

Vote!

And if you have suggestions for better names for the kingdoms Ash travels through on her wandering journey, please speak up! You could get your name in the acknowledgements page when the book goes to print.

 

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

 

 

Want to support the podcast?

Find us on Patreon: Ye Olde Dragon's Library

patreon.com/user?u=26078473

 

New Release: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 Sunday, July 3

 Becca thought the morning sun shone too brightly as she stepped out of the back door of the duplex to go to her car and head to church. She paused and raised a hand to shield her eyes and considered turning around and going back inside. No one would blame her if she didn’t come to church that morning. Patty and Roy had both expressed concern last night that she had worn herself out, trying to get back up to speed so soon after returning home.

The other back door opened. Rufus slid out onto the porch, followed by Devona. The siblings paused. If Devona could get herself up for church, after returning from her business trip at 2am, Becca decided she could make the effort too. When Rufus suggested they ride in together, she was glad to accept.

Until she saw who was getting out of a car in the handicapped parking space next to the one where Rufus parked his van. Silver-haired, frail, elegant Sarah Fontaine was the last person she wanted to see.

Especially with a curl of guilt dropping into her stomach to stab her. She wasn’t wearing the Mizpah coin. She wasn’t sure where she had dropped it yesterday when she got home from Book & Mug.

And yet … if anyone would understand what was going on with Conrad, that would be his grandmother.

Off the Bookshelf: ARMOR OF ALETHIA, by Ralene Burke

 

Goal for this year: Clear off at least ONE shelf in my to-be-read bookshelf (currently 2-1/2 shelves). This book was in a basket I won in a raffle at the Realm Makers conference. If all the books by the group of authors who put the basket together are this enjoyable ... I'm going to get a lot less writing done this year than I planned!

Karina, our heroine, has plans for a life of service as a healer. She doesn't enjoy court life, especially since the queen, her guardian, doesn't seem to like her. What did she ever do to her? The king, however, knows some secrets that Karina thought she had kept hidden from everyone.

Those secrets, and her painful past and family shame send Karina hurtling across the country on a quest when the king dies unexpectedly. And with soldiers and bounty hunters and soon monsters hunting her, either because the queen has accused her of murdering the king, or to stop Karina from fulfilling prophecy. First step in the plan for her to save the kingdom: find pieces of the sacred armor. That becomes a little difficult when she is kidnapped from the soldiers protecting her and handed over to the enemy of her kingdom. She learns painful lessons along the way. The question is if she will learn and grow quickly enough to be the hero the kingdom of Alethia desperately needs.

RELEASE DAY: Book & Mug Mysteries #2, DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 

RELEASE DAY!!!!

Now available in Print, Ebook, and Audiobook!

Book & Mug Mysteries #2

Becca Sheridan comes home from overseas with big hopes, but Conrad Price, the center of those hopes, has changed. For one thing, he has kicked her square dancing club, the Four Corners, out of Windows on the River, the venue they have used for years. It's little comfort that he also kicked out the Tippy Toes tap dancing club, led by Becca's high school rival, Simone Radcliffe -- because now Conrad and Simone are an item.

 

Or are they? Over the months that follow, Conrad seems to be two people. His grandmother, Sarah Fontaine, grows afraid of him. Then estranged Fontaine relatives return to Cadburn Township, wanting to take away the family busines. Is Conrad trying to fix the family rift, or make it worse? Is he trying to get back together with Becca, or does Simone still have him wrapped around her glittery fingers?

 

When Sarah dies on vacation, and there is no body to bury, Becca starts asking questions she should have asked months ago. A Fontaine uncle vanishes, then there's a dead body in Cadburn Creek. Is Conrad trying to make things right with Becca or not? And just what is in the letters Sarah left behind, to be read at the settling of the family trust?

 

When Four Corners is allowed to return to Windows on the River, Becca should be dancing for joy. But something just doesn't feel right. What else will she uncover as she and friends from Book & Mug dig into what has been hidden all these months in Cadburn Township?

 

Pssssst!!!

Check my goodies page at www.Mlevigne.com, to find out what might be FREE today, to celebrate the release of the newest troubles and twists and turns in Cadburn Township .....

Upcoming release sample: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 

“I’m just fed up enough, I don’t care about client privacy,” Eden said. “Miss Sarah asked me to try to figure out what he did when he was with his brother in Virginia. She’s afraid Conrad got dragged into something, and he’s cutting off everybody to protect them. Especially her.”

“Well, that sounds more like the Conrad we know,” he admitted.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“He just never struck me as someone who would be too proud to ask for help.”

“Huh.” He considered that for several moments. “You could be right.”

“I know I am.” She smirked at him. The brief light moment faded. “She’s scared for him, but until I get some answers, some information on this brother of his … I have an awful feeling the name and information he gave me on this supposed brother Steve will prove to be false.” 

“Which means Conrad is in big trouble. Bigger trouble. Miss Sarah sure doesn’t need that.”

Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 07

 

In this episode, Ash gets through the Giants' Graveyard and finds her way underground, following Fang the bunny.

She meets Blaz, the border crossing guard, charged with keeping problematic magical items, creatures and maybe even people, from crossing into other magical territories and upsetting the magical balance. He needs to test her before he can let her cross out of the kingdom of Alfordia ... and that's where the episode ends.

Does Blaz catch your interest? Would you be interested in some stories about him, his training, the odd things or dangerous people or creatures he runs into in his duties as border crossing guard? Do you think, just from this tiny introduction, that he deserves a book of his own? Or just a few short stories? Maybe some freebies for friends and supporters of the podcast?

Let's chat!

https://yeoldedragonbooks.com/ye-olde-dragons-library-storytelling-podcast/

 

 

Want to support the podcast?

Find us on Patreon: Ye Olde Dragon's Library

patreon.com/user?u=26078473

Upcoming release sample: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

  

“Any estimate how long it’ll take to get things fixed?” Olivia asked as she got to work on the first few orders.

“Doesn’t matter.” Tom Bedford leaned on the counter with a hangdog expression. “The sign says all clubs and meetings and events are canceled until further notice. Supposedly, they found mold when they went looking for the leak.”

“Supposedly?”

“Whoever is doing the repairs isn’t anybody we know. We just know what was on the sign, and what people have overheard.” He shrugged. “Bottom line is, we gotta find some other place to meet. Conrad was in a lousy mood, came darn near cussing us out, just because we wanted some real answers.”

“That doesn’t sound like Conrad,” Kai said, more to himself than anyone else.

Eden agreed with him, when he stopped by her apartment after closing up the shop for the night. She let him know that despite Conrad saying he would call her nearly a week ago, she had yet to hear from him. He wasn’t answering texts or voicemails or emails. He was never available, and just when someone caught sight of him, he ran off, like he knew people were looking for him. Rufus had reported that he was always in a bad mood, he had lost weight, and he smelled like he had taken up smoking, the few times they were in the realty office at the same time. He hardly ever saw Conrad, who seemed to be avoiding everyone. It didn’t matter if Rufus responded to the phone calls and emails he ignored, or if he couldn’t fix any client problems without checking with Conrad, or tried to fix any problems at all, Rufus always seemed to be in the wrong.

Off the Bookshelf: THE COMPLETE SOOKIE STACKHOUSE STORIES, by Charlaine Harris

 

Okay, let's be honest, I'm just not into vampire stories or vampire romance, or anything that paints bloodsuckers as heroes. Especially romantic heroes. Morning breath is bad enough, but morning breath with blood on it? Ewwwww!

That being said, I've heard enough praise for and enjoyment of the Sookie Stackhouse books, and the True Blood TV show, I was willing to give this collection of short stories and novellas a chance. Especially when I learned this is the author of my favorite murder-solving librarian, Aurora Teagarden. And yeah, I found the book at Ollie's ... what booklover can resist a sale price?

When I finally picked it up off my to-be-read-bookshelf and started reading ... I devoured it. Fun, well-written, thought-provoking in places. 

What I found especially enjoyable were the foreword pieces by the author, giving readers a solid marker for where each story fits into the long story arch of Sookie's adventures, and character and relationship development. One tough chick with a sense of irony and humor, who's still very human despite the company she keeps.

Did I mention I devoured this book? I mean, picked it up after dinner Wednesday night, and finished reading it 12:30am Friday ... yeah. Haven't done THAT in years. Thanks for the adventure!

Upcoming release sample: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 “Get your facts straight,” Faith Evans said. “There’s some big pipe leak over there upstairs, lots of the flooring torn up. They’re just angry that nobody bothered letting us know, so we could make other arrangements or just not meet tonight.”

“Huh. The leak can’t be too bad. Heinrich sure would have let everybody on the street know, if there was a leak at his place.” 

That earned a few chuckles from some of the square dancers. Heinrich had a reputation as a curmudgeon, and that was being generous. Anything that inconvenienced or irritated him was aired to everyone on the street. He didn’t seem to care if he drove away customers from his coins and gems shop, or the other shops in the lobby of the Windows building. Just yesterday, he had gotten into a shouting match with Spencer Wilcox, owner of the electronics store at the end of the building. Heinrich had let everyone know the security cameras were down again. Spencer rightly pointed out that making the breakdown public knowledge just encouraged anybody who wanted to try to break in.

Ye Olde Dragon's Library: Episode 06

 

Ash makes what few farewells she can safely make without her enemies (Lathia and her servants who don’t want to go on the quest with her) finding out. Then she slips out of the castle in the night and follows her new companion, Fang the bunny, down a tunnel Fang has just dug. It's a long, claustrophobic journey in the darkness ...

Maybe Ash shouldn't trust Fang? True, Hazel the hedge witch put them together, but she also admitted that they need to get out of the castle, and out of the country, more for Fang's sake than Ash's.

Should Ash have politely declined and taken her chances with Lathia trying to make her do all the work of the quest? Should she have done something else, gone somewhere else?

Weigh in, please!

What do you think will happen next for Ash? What kind of trouble could she get into, crossing the Giants' Graveyard at night, with all the perils I mentioned? Do you think any of them will catch up with her? And just who was raiding the old miser's orchard, when there weren't even any apples to steal?

Remember to come back next week for Episode 7!

Upcoming release sample: DANCING ON MY GRAVE

 Tuesday, June 28

“I tell you, Becca isn’t coming home soon enough,” Dave Alderman grumbled, stomping through the door of Book & Mug that evening.

Kai looked around in time to see nearly a dozen people coming into the coffee shop, and more coming out of the door of the Windows building. The evening had grown to that odd half-light when the streetlights were flickering and warming up but weren’t needed yet, the twilight not quite setting in. He recognized a good number of the people as members of Four Corners, the square dance club that met every Tuesday night at Windows on the River. But at 7:30, they should just be getting started, not finishing up for the night.

“What do you got that’s good?” Greg Wells called out as he stomped through the door behind Dave.

“Good for cooling down some hot heads,” his wife, Ginny, added.

“What happened?” Kai stepped up to the counter as Olivia moved up to handle the influx of customers.

“Got kicked out.” Dave hooked his thumb over his shoulder at the building across the street.

“For what?”

Off the Bookshelf: WRITING WITH SOFT WORLDBUILDING, by Hans Arthur

 

What is soft worldbuilding, you may ask?

That's the first lesson, defining "soft" and "hard" worldbuilding.

Of course, for those who are new to writing fiction at all, maybe you need to learn what worldbuilding is.

Worldbuilding is ... well, creating the world where your story takes place. The culture, technology, history, religions, medicine, art, industry, food, etc.

The depth and intricacy of the details essentially define if you're going soft or hard. Are you someone who likes the world to be spelled out, all the layers defined, the history solid and established, the backstory for all your characters, whether main or secondary or tertiary or even the ones who only appear in one scene and never again? Yeah, then you're into hard worldbuilding.

If you would rather focus on characters, and let their growth and discovery and how they face challenges move the story forward, and you only explore the bits and pieces of their back story and fragments of the world around them as they affect the story ... that's soft worldbuilding.

These are simplistic definitions, of course. But the explanations and examples in this short book are helpful in figuring out just how much work you need or want to put in before you actually start writing the story. And might just save you a lot of headaches in the long run.  

Bottom line: it all depends on the kind of story you're writing, and you would be wise to figure out at least that much before you sit down and write the first word.