New e-mail update, a book review, and fun links with some useful writer links, WIP. If Time serves me well.....





                       Thought of the day: Take your time, just don't waste your time.  J. Howett

(C) photo by Jacqueline Howett  WIP

 I'll be catching up on a little more reading, writing and editing.
                                            


I had a period reading other authors for a solid few months, and it served as a great inspiration to my own creating and editing. I'm still reading, but I've slowed down some in order to focus on some writing. My book review selection today is:

Innocence by Dean Koontz.

What an extraordinary story. It wasn't easy jumping into this book right away. I had moments of picking it up and putting it down. Hard to grasp at first with the eeriness and the way Dean Koontz tells the story in past tense, then present in alternating chapters. Soon enough, I was completely captivated and could not stop reading. It was different from anything I have read. The unfolding concept toward the end is well worth sticking through it to get there. It has so much depth it makes you think about certain things on other levels. The writing is excellent and memorable. The essence of this story stayed with me long after. Highly recommend it.

To buy or view further, click on Amazon's link below.

http://www.amazon.com/Innocence-bonus-short-story-Wilderness-ebook/dp/B00CQZ653S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1430587152&sr=1-1&keywords=innocence+dean+koontz


As of June my new e-mail is

JacauelinehowettAT gmail DOT com

Any hotmail connections should be erased. Thanks.

WIP

GREAT SIGHTINGS



Some helpful blogs for authors I've been stalking.



Helping writers become authors.
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com


Fiction Factor has a nice feed on 1st person.
http://www.fictionfactor.com

Jody Hedlund
http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com


Anne R Allen
http://annerallen.blogspot.com


More on the advantages of 1st person POV
http://www.novel-writing-help.com/first-person-point-of-view.html



Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi
http://writershelpingwriters.net/



Kristen Lamb
https://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/





http://www.thewritersalleyblog.com/




Michael J. Sullivan's blog on POV is interesting.
http://riyria.blogspot.com/2011/07/writing-advice-6-point-of-view.html
also, a link on show and tell
http://riyria.blogspot.com/2011/07/show-and-tell.html





Blood red pencil
 Check out their resource links.
How Layers Can Deepen Your Story’s Impact
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2015/05/how-layers-can-deepen-your-storys-impact.html#comment-form




Nathan Bransford
Nathan, has created a very nice listing. A one stop place for everything.
http://blog.nathanbransford.com/2009/06/writing-advice-database.html

You might also want to check out Nathan's forum with your questions. There's also varied topics you can take part in. Here's the link.
http://forums.nathanbransford.com/





More great sighting links to come, in my next post.

And here's a link for the fun of everyday living.
Photography, travel and places, people, relationships, beauty, fashion, and food. Hopefully, to inspire and motivate your zest for life. Enjoy!


Diana Mieczan' Blog   exPress-o  http://diana212m.blogspot.com/





Also,


Check out Karen Jones Gowen's blog,
Coming down the mountain: Ex pat writer Living Abroad.

Great photos of her new life in Guatemala.

http://karenjonesgowen.blogspot.com/





Genie--Paris and Beyond.
Great photography! Worth taking a look.

http://parisandbeyond-genie.blogspot.com/



EASTER IN FRANCE
 Twelve glorious days in France
http://chocolateandcroissants.blogspot.com/

This blog you must see.
Another Paris.
http://chocolateandcroissants.blogspot.com/2015/04/paris-les-boulevards-review.html




If you have any links to add to help authors, or fun links, please place them in the comments. Thanks.

 Here's wishing you all, a creative and blessed 2015!





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A walk to the beach. Reflection's, and a lentil soup recipe today

Jacqueline Howett is the author of The Greek Seaman. A seafaring novel, on KIndle.

Hi from Clearwater Beach, Florida.

I have just got back from walking the beach. Today I walked it a bit, while its warm and the sun is shining in a blue sky. Usually I just like to go and sit a while in the sand on my sandals and listen to the wave’s splashing up, or shuffle my bare feet in the water and playfully search a dolphin spotting.

Clearwater beach, Florida where I now live is still a paradise and I thank God every time I’m down at the waters edge among the tropical birds. The pelicans are so funny the way they land in the water, with a nose dive, beaks first.

 I still miss the small fishing villages of Maine, the classy northern energy of fashionable shops, bookstore cafes and fine restaurants from around the world. I use to say Portland was like a mini London in just a handful of streets, and the nostalgia in parts of country life there on my drives pass wooden homes hanging washing on the line and the autumn leaves in color connected the soul to something deeper, something forgotten, but those winters, forget it. I left when I found I was shoveling snow for the first time just to get out of the house. This was my backyard in Maine.

Maine will always hold something special and dear to my heart as it was the first place I lived after coming from Europe. The snow at first looks beautiful until you drive in it and it truly is a picture, but most of the time during the summer you think about the long winters cold that's coming again.

Water has to be in my life somewhere wherever I live. You can give me a tiny duck pond, I’ll stop and gaze for hours if you let me. A bag of old bread would be my excuse, ‘Gone to feed the ducks.’ Hey, that sounds like a title for a novel.  Water is my great escape and has a magical healing to clear the mind or evoke visions. I now live just two streets away from the beach. One street in the other direction is the intercostals. Sometimes when many coconuts hit you on the head, after so many years here, it can feel like Chinese torture in ninety degree heat. You just can't walk about  during the later part of the day, that can be very unpleasant. Then there is the hurricane season, and so far, we have been lucky. I love it when it rains, but last nights thunderclaps kept me up. Overall, I can’t complain when the rest of the country is in snow or slush. Sometimes the weather  is in the 30's or 50's then shoots back up to mid 60's or 70's.

Here's a hearty lentil soup recipe for lunch today. To warm the cockles of your heart.

Ingredients Lentil Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onions, cubed
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1  cups lentils - soaked, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 1 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 sprig fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Directions

  1. In a medium stockpot, saute the onions in oil until they are glossy. Stir in garlic, paprika, celery, carrots, and saute for 10 minutes.
  2. Once the vegetables have sauteed for 10 minutes stir in tomatoes, chicken stock, lentils, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Slowly reduce the heat and cook for 1 hour on low to medium heat; or until the lentils are tender. Toward the end, add a handful of spinach if desired. 
  3. Sprinkle the soup with parsley and Parmesan (optional) before serving.
  4. Enjoy with crackers or bread and butter