Tag: storytelling

What this Blogger is Thankful For…

Thanksgiving, family, food, thankfulIf you’re an American, this Thursday, you will sit down with family and friends to some rendition of a Thanksgiving dinner.  Or you might decide to give Mom/Dad (whoever the cook is) a break and go out to eat this year.  If you are carnivores you will consume great quantities of turkey, ham, giblet dressing, oyster dressing, stuffed deviled eggs, and football.  If you are vegetarian you will consume delicate, beautiful, tasty dishes made with all the food groups except those that had faces.  Football optional.

A bit of trivia:  Historical records strongly suggest that shellfish, geese, ducks, swans, and venison were the meats of the first Thanksgivings....then referred to as the Fall Harvest Celebration which traditional lasted 3 days.   Here’s how Edward Winslow described the first Thanksgiving feast in a letter to a friend:
Continue reading “What this Blogger is Thankful For…”

‘Slainte, Prost, Cheers!’ Whatever the toast…..Part 2 An Interview with author, Patrick Taylor

Irish stories, best sellers, Patrick TaylorPatrick Taylor’s characters, Fingal O’Reilly, M.D. and his young protege, Dr. Barry Laverty play word games over a pint.  Trying to out do each other with trivia.  And my readers all know, by now, how much I love words.

Over a couple of whiskeys, at the end of a long day, Barry toasts Dr. O’Reilly, “Slainte”.
O’Reilly responds, “Prost!” and then continues, “Did you know ‘prosit‘ is the third-person singular present active subjunctive of the Latin verb Prosum or the Maltese prosit, meaning ‘bravo'”
“I did not know that.” Barry replied.  “How do you?”  O’Reilly chuckled, “I learnt the Latin grammar in school, and a good thing too, because when I was a student at Trinity some lectures were delivered in Latin.”

My Interview with Patrick Taylor

Q. and the all important: What does the process of going from “no book” to “finished book” look like?

A. You start with a blank screen. I have been writing a series for what seems like forever so I know my characters and the setting. Then I ask myself a question. What if characters A and B were faced with ??? and that is the beginning of the plot. Then I let the characters loose and see what happens Continue reading “‘Slainte, Prost, Cheers!’ Whatever the toast…..Part 2 An Interview with author, Patrick Taylor”

Sure’n It’s Off to an Irish Village, You’ll be goin’…an Interview with author, Patrick Taylor (1 of 2)

P    This blogger was in her home place of Ireland for a month….and each time I read  another ‘Country Doctor’ book by this author, I revisit the home of my heart.  Patrick has given me this opportunity to interview one of my top favorite authors!

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, PATRICK TAYLOR

Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?

A. In my study when at home. In rented accommodation when we winter in California.

Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write? (a neat work space, sharpened #2 pencils, legal pad, cup of tea, glass of brandy, favorite pajamas, etc.)

 

A. No. I usually sort out the admin stuff like e-mail then edit what I wrote yesterday and then get on with the new stuff.

Q. What is your mode of writing? (long hand? Pencil? Computer? Etc.)

A. Computer. I used to be a doctor. Nobody can read my handwriting—including me.

Q. Do you have a set time each day to write or do you write only when you are feeling creative? Continue reading “Sure’n It’s Off to an Irish Village, You’ll be goin’…an Interview with author, Patrick Taylor (1 of 2)”

Don’t Miss my Interview with author, Patrick Taylor! Begins this Tuesday!

Irish stories, best sellers, Patrick Taylor        This blogger was in her home place of Ireland for a month….and each time I read  another ‘Country Doctor’ book by this author, I revisit the home of my heart.  Patrick has given me this opportunity to interview one of my top favorite authors!

AN INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR, PATRICK TAYLOR  begins this Tuesday, Nov. 5th in a two part Nov. 7th.


To Read My Review  Click here

You needn’t Suffer Waiting for the New Season of Downton Abbey — a Review

book reviews, best sellers, best selling authors    REVIEW  reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing (5 out of 5 quills)

HEIRS and GRACES    Newest book in the Royal Spyness series
by Rhys Bowen

Impoverished, royal Georgiana Rannoch is set another task by HRM, the Queen.  ‘Get thee gone….’to a grand country house and help an uncooperative Heir adjust to his new station in life and  a mammoth fortune.   Said heir, Jack, has been snatched from a sheep station in Australia, brought to England, and is the most reluctant of future Dukes.

‘Jack jumped to his feet. “How can you talk calmly of eating when your son is dead and everyone thinks I stabbed him?” he shouted.
 “Such an outburst, the dowager Duchess said. “Hardly seemly for a duke, John.  Really you will have to learn to control your emotions. Of course I’m upset at the loss of my son.  I am outraged that somebody chose to murder him. But I am also aware that it is up to us to set a good example, chin up, best foot forward and all that.  This household will continue as usual, except for the fact that we be in mourning for the requisite amount of time….’  Continue reading “You needn’t Suffer Waiting for the New Season of Downton Abbey — a Review”

More from the Opera Singer/AudioBook Narrator/Producer (part 2)

In Part I, I told you how I got started formatting my existing books into audio books with the help of my producer/narrator Carin Gilfry. Here is the rest of Carin’s story.

audio books, books for kids, fairy tales
Carin as Estrella in Life is a Dream at the Santa Fe Opera

Carin Gilfry, narrator: I always knew how each character should sound by the way the dialogue was written. Cheets in particular, the mischievous and very effervescent elf, quickly became my favorite. I always wanted to be a Disney princess, but in reality, I think I was more like Cheets as a child. Eager, loud, and always wanting to be everyone’s friend. I always intended to narrate books when not in a production, but I actually narrated EEElf, while in rehearsals for Offenbach’s La Perichole with New York City Opera. It worked surprisingly well. Though, I did get locked in a hotel closet, trying to find a quiet space to narrate… Adventures of audiobook narration on the road!children's books, audio books, the fabled forest, elves, fairies Continue reading “More from the Opera Singer/AudioBook Narrator/Producer (part 2)”

“Fingal O’Reilly, Irish Doctor” A Review of Patrick Taylor’s newest book

reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing reviews, authors, writing     5 out of 5 Quills           A Review of Patrick Taylor’s newest release
reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing                                  
  ‘yer face is as long as a wet Sunday…’

 review.O'Reilly.Irish.DrOh, I’m a big, BIG fan of Patrick Taylor’s work.  I never miss buying his latest. What’s not to like….for me, the daughter of a second generation Irishman?  In 1998 I spent a month in the west counties of Ireland looking for my paternal roots.  My, my!  Did I find them!  My father’s name still appeared above ‘drapery’ shops in the small villages I traveled to.  So, for me, reading Taylor’s series called ‘Country Doctor’ is like return visits to ‘the ole Sod’.

In this newest offering Patrick Taylor seamlessly takes the reader from his early days as a young doctor (newly graduated) practicing in the slums and tenements of Dublin (in the 1930’s), to twenty plus years later where he has been a GP in the tiny village of Ballybucklebo.

If you start out with the first book, An Irish Country Doctor, and continue reading the series, you fast become one of the villagers. You know everyone and everyone knows you.  The series is the story of Fingal O’Reilly’s life, his patients, his young doctor proteges, his loves and all the people that make up the village of Ballybucklebo.

The charm of Taylor’s language is unparalleled.  “He’s about as deep as a feckin’ frying pan–and twice as dense.” and, “How’s life abusing you?” Bob asked.  “It’s good to be off work and heading to play rugby, I can tell you that for free.” Fin replied.    and
Continue reading ““Fingal O’Reilly, Irish Doctor” A Review of Patrick Taylor’s newest book”

“Emma and the Lost Unicorn” an Audio Book is now Available!!

faeries, elves, warlocks, fables, riddles, fairy tales, theatre   GREAT NEWS!  “Emma and the Lost Unicorn” is now AVAILABLE as an AUDIO BOOK
at www.audible.com and www.amazon.com and iTunes.com

 

In addition to a paperback with wonderful illustrations it is AVAILABLE in AUDIO

Emma Retail Sample Listen

 

Rainey, the unicorn, is a prince who has been banished, for centuries, by the warlock, Hazard. He can never return home unless Emma solves more riddles than Kodak. The fable ends with a surprise twist, when Hazard’s Lieutenant reveals his secret weakness. It will delight readers young and old. While written for children, this fairy tale is sophisticated enough to appeal to adults as well.

Queens, warlocks, faeries, elves, unicorns, handmaidens, scary henchmen and one small mortal girl child, in an enchanted forest. The rhetorical owl and naughty elf provide much laughter.
This parable offers many subtle lessons. Continue reading ““Emma and the Lost Unicorn” an Audio Book is now Available!!”

Best selling Author, Jeffery Deaver…an Interview (part 2)

murder mystery, best sellers, Jeffery Deaver   JD: “Mickey Spillane once told me: “People don’t read books to get to the middle. They read to get to the end.”

  Part 2 of my Interview with author, Jeffery Deaver

Q. and the all important: What does the process of going from “no book” to “finished book” look like?

A. I’m not sure I completely understand this question. If you mean the work process, I can tell you that I spend the better part of a year to create a detailed outline for my novels. Because my thrillers are so plot-driven, it’s important for me to know exactly where the story is going before I begin writing it. My outlines run hundreds of pages long and are the most difficult part of the writing process, but the most important. The outlines are where I work out all the twists and turns in the story. Once I finish the outline, writing the novel is fairly easy and only takes a few months. It takes about a year for me to write a novel, although some years I write two novels a year. Continue reading “Best selling Author, Jeffery Deaver…an Interview (part 2)”

An Interview with Jeffery Deaver…Best selling author of murder mysteries

mystery writer, Jeffrey Deaver, best selling authors,     Multi-talented, murder mystery best selling author,  JEFFERY DEAVER shares his writing life with us………

“I never took classes. There aren’t any books that I would recommend. The best way to learn about writing is to study the work of other writers you admire.”

Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing? 

A. Usually I write in an office in my house. But, I write pretty much anywhere — on planes, in hotel rooms, anywhere in my house. (My office sometimes gets so cluttered I end up working in the kitchen. When the kitchen goes, it’s up to my bedroom. And so on and so on. I wish I had a bigger house.) I like the writing area to be silent (or with jazz or classical accompaniment occasionally) and either windowless or shaded. When it comes time to write the book itself I’ll shut the lights out, picture the scene I’m about to write then close my eyes and go at it. Continue reading “An Interview with Jeffery Deaver…Best selling author of murder mysteries”