Fridays R 4 Fun!

It’s summertime and that means going to the fair! I love the fair. Every year they introduce all kinds of things. One of my favorites is “fair food”. I get to try new exciting recipes and some things that are just plain strange.

Here’s a list of just a few of the things I have tried at the County Fair.
Chicken Fried Bacon – Of course this one was  yummy. Everything is good with bacon!
Fried Avocado Bite – This wasn’t bad. I would have liked it if they had seasoned the avocado, you know, added some spices to it.
Spaghetti and Meatball on a stick – I haven’t tried this one, but it sounds like something I’d might like.
Fried Frog’s Legs – I’m not sure I’m this adventurous, yet. I will say that people were eating a lot of these.
Hot Beef Sundae – This screams comfort food. It has nothing to do with ice cream, it just looks like it does. this wonderful dish is made with mashed potatoes, slow roasted beef and gravy, and topped with a cherry tomato. Yum!
Pizza Cones – Oh yeah! This one’s for me. A cone of pizza dough filled with sauce, cheese and pepperoni!
Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich – I think I’ll pass on this one, too. I love Krispy Kreme doughnuts, but adding chicken and Swiss cheese just are not for me.
Deep Fried Twinkies – This is my husband’s personal favorite! He loves Twinkies. He loves fried foods. Now they’ve been combined…he’s in heaven!
Fried Coca-Cola – I haven’t tried it but I think I would. Coke flavored batter that’s been deep fried, drizzled with coke syrup, add whipped cream, and dusted with cinnamon-sugar. It actually sounds good to me.
Key Lime Pie on a Stick – At the fair anything on a stick has to be good! Just think, a frozen slice of key lime pie, dip it in dark chocolate, and put it on a stick. Oh yeah, chow down!
I can’t wait for the fair to begin! What’s your favorite “fair food”?

Writing for My Readers!

People have often asked me why I write. The answer is an easy one. I write for the people who will read it.

There is nothing that gives me greater pleasure than finding the perfect word. I love crafting a line that fills the readers’ mind with a panoramic view of what is happening in the story. But I will confess, my favorite thing is creating a character for the reader to hate!

Why? I’m not really sure, but it ties in with making the main character more believable and loveable. It has something to do with getting the reader to cheer for the protagonist’s accomplishments. But, I think most of all it has to do with creating strong emotion within the reader

Now for my next confession, I’ll tell you what a cannot write. I cannot write a character who is weak, at least not yet. I’m sure it’s a personal issue, but I’m positive I can and will overcome it.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter what I write as long as I’m able to take my reader on a journey! That’s my most favorite thing to do, carry the reader to a world that I have created and making them believe it.

Important Lessons

As you all already know, we lost one of the greats, Ray Bradbury. Blogs, Facebook status updates, and YouTube videos were flooded with words and video shorts about the man or his writing.

I received an email from a writer friend, Maria Cisneros Toth, containing a link to one of his lectures. Man, I wish I had been on the campus of that university to participate.

Mr. Bradbury spoke of his beginnings, of how he ‘stumbled’ into getting published, and how his inspirations came to him. The humility of this man was beyond compare.

He encouraged every writer in that room and all of those writers who have and will view this video. He spoke about the necessity of reading. He said that every writer must read, but he gave us specifics on what to read. He said that every day a writer must read a poem, a short story, and an essay. Then he gave the instruction to write and for that writing to be any good, it had to be something that we love.

He inspired me beyond anything I can tell you. I plan to watch that video several more times because I know there is more information and encouragement to gain with each viewing.

Thank you Mr. Bradbury and thank you Maria for sending me the link.

The Perfect Perspective!

Last fall I was preparing to release the first book In my PRINCESS KANDAKE  series as an Indie Author. I shopped around for people and blogs to review the book and came across a blog that I thought would be the perfect fit. We will leave it nameless.

I had received several very good responses from blogs, writers, and beta readers. I really wanted this particular blog to review it because I just knew it would position the release well for marketing and promotion.

Well, I was able to get them to read it and the blogger hated it! She didn’t dislike it, she hated it. She said that the protagonist was whiny. She said that she couldn’t believe anyone would act like that. And the worst thing she said was that the book was one hundred pages too long!

Her words pretty much destroyed every shred of hope and pride I had taken in the work. So much so that I had decided that the book was no where near ready to release. I was prepared to throw the whole thing away!

Fortunately, I have really good writing friends. They encouraged me to set the manuscript aside and think about things. They also asked some very good questions. Who was this blogger? What was her area of expertise? Why did her opinion carry so much weight?

Three months later I decided that one blogger’s opinion was not strong enough to wipe away the opinion of other writers and professional reviews like Publishers Weekly. I went forward with my publishing plans and released the book, PRINCESS KANDAKE: Warrior by Choice…Appointed to Rule. It is doing really well.

Today I came across an awesome blog post: How to Respond to Negative Reviews by Beth Revis. It is required reading for every writer. I wish I’d had it available to me last Fall. Click on the link and read it now before you write another word!

The United States: My Country

This is a day of remembering all who have fought for this country that I love. This is a day of remembering everything that this country is worth. Today I am reminded that there are those who love this country so much that they would die for it. I cannot thank them enough.

Men and women have given us the ultimate gift. They have given their lives protecting this land so that we can go about our daily business. We owe them and their families.

It is our duty to repay what we can. Part of that repayment is to vote at every opportunity. Part of that repayment is to not allow partisanship to divide us such that we destroy this great nation.

The United States of America is a great country! Yes, it has flaws, but there are so many things right with it! I will stand by it! Today I invite you to stand by it. I invite you to be willing to agree to disagree instead of destroying what so many have died to preserve.

We will always have differing opinions and that is what makes this country great! Thank you for remembering that with me.

I’m Studying: Marketing, Promoting, and all that jazz.

Hey guess what? I’m in the process of figuring out how to be truly successful as an author. I thought honing my writing skills to a fine point was the most important part of success, but it’s only part of the package. The other part is marketing and promoting. It turns out these are just as important, so now I’m on a hunt to learn as much as I possibly can.
My first lesson is telling me that I need to change my media audience and the way I’ve been approaching that audience. So now I know that I have to do it all differently, but I still have yet to learn what that looks like.
Well, folks that means changes they are a-coming. But I can’t tell you when that will happen until I know what know what needs to happen. Very crazy making.
Sheesh! This writing thing is so much harder than I ever thought it would be.

Where I’ve Been

I haven’t disappeared. I’ve been on book tour! I released PRINCESS KANDAKE in February and everything exploded! I have made several trips to California to present and sell my book and I have another planned for next month. Then I get to present in Arizona for a bit.

I had no idea there was so much work involved in being published. Talking about the history of the book and the ancient kingdom of Nubia have been a blast. I’m worn out, but I can’t wait to do more!

Now all I have to do is figure out how to maintain my writing schedule, my travel schedule and budget, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. I’m not complaining, not by a long shot. It’s just that I had no idea the amount of work that would be involved. I’m open to suggestions, hints, and advice on that score.

Success is great! In the first six weeks of the book’s release, I’ve sold over 300 copies and the numbers are climbing. Am I excited? I’m delirious!

I’m adding a Book Tour page to my website. Check it out. Soon there will even be a picture of me with the cover model!

Introducing Haley Whitehall, author!

Here’s a chance for you all to meet an author friend of mine. Haley is a history buff who writes great novels circa Civil War era. Why? Because she loves history and has found a way to make it an adventure for all of us.


But that’s not what she’s posting about. Today’s post has to do with the wonderful craft of writing. But I’ll let her tell you about that herself. So Haley, tell them what you told me.

Are You Nervous About Your Work? That’s Good.

By Haley Whitehall

Are you nervous about your work? Do you have niggling doubts as you write? Do these doubts continue as you edit? Are you worried that your characters are relatable? Are you worried what readers are going to think?

That’s good! That means you care. That means you are striving to do your best.

Jane Friedman wrote an article about Placing Too Much Importance on Passion. The problem about the word “passion” is that is hard to define. When someone says they have passion, what do they mean? Jane Friedman likes the word commitment. According to her, a writer needs to be committed to his work and the best kind of commitment (which is often hard to find) is coupled with passion.

Siddhartha Herdegen’s definition of passion: Passion is a deep connection to an idea, a strong bond which creates a feeling of desire. It contains elements of both commitment and excitement but is not limited to them.

While I agree with this, I would like to add another necessary word: nervousness.

If you are committed to your work, you will be nervous that you had done the best work possible. These concerns will push you to work harder. These concerns will drive you to justify your decisions.

If you are not nervous about your work, are you writing too safely? Are you writing with comfortable clichéd words and sentences? Is there no controversy that could be caused by your work? Are you not pushing the bounds of your abilities?

I am very nervous about my debut historical fiction novel Living Half Free (and very proud of it!) Why am I nervous? I have a unique writing style; will it be accepted by my readers? My story is “out of the box” and does not fit the mainstream historical genre; will people even buy the book? I’ve had agents tell me it was too different. Can a story be too different? Will I be called a racist? Stranger things have happened, and writing about the antebellum south can be a dangerous tightrope to walk.

While I am nervous about all these things, I believe in my story. I know I have done my best work possible. I will continue taking writing classes and pushing myself to improve, but Living Half Free is ready for the world. A writer puts himself/herself out there when they publish a book. Sometimes the criticism is hard to take, but I do not let it get me down. I know it is an often used saying, but I believe it to be the truth, a writer is their own worst critic. No one can take a harsher view of my writing than me. That strong nervousness drives me to make another editing pass when I am already sick of my characters.

Are you nervous about your work?

****

Want to know more about Living Half Free? Here is the blurb:

When Zachariah, a naïve mulatto slave, is sold to a Kentucky slave trader, and separated from his ma and sister, he realizes the true meaning of not having rights. Singled out for abuse by his new master’s sadistic son, he dreams of only one thing: escape. He thinks he’s found it when he falls in love with a Cherokee woman from a powerful family, under whose direction he learns to pass as white. But it’s not long before he discovers that freedom that’s based on a lie will only get him so far. While struggling to find his place in the world, he also wrestles within his heart to realize his faith. This faith is tested when his slave past catches up with him, and threatens everyone he cares for. He must decide whether slavery is the price he’s willing to pay for his family’s freedom.  

Bio:

HALEY WHITEHALL has a B.A in history and has been studying the Civil War era since the 5th grade. Her writing style is Mark Twain with a little more faith. She likes to write out of the box stories that feature an underdog. LIVING HALF FREE is her debut novel. Released February 29, the ebook can be found at Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. Find out more about Haley through her website or connect with her on Twitter @HaleyWhitehall or Facebook.

I Feel Like a Star

On February 15, as part of my book tour, I presented at Cal-State University of San Bernardino.  It was video taped! I felt like a celebrity!

  What a lovely audience! Here’s a picture of me posing with several of the attendees.   This young lady’s having a go at being a warrior princess.       In this shot, another one is attempting to grind enough lapis to use as eye shadow. The caution of possible corneal abrasion did not dissuade her.
What a grand time!

Floating on Air

I got back from my first book tour last night. It was awesome! How can I be so excited and exhausted at the same time?

My first stop was at Oxford Academy. There is no word to describe the students there. They are intelligent, attentive, and more than a lot of fun.  Here are a few of my favorite pictures.

In this photo a few of the young ladies are exploring the world of ancient Nubian make up.

Here I am reading Can you see the young lady following along in her copy of the book? Wow, this thrills my heart.

I signed so many books and trading cards my wrist still hurts. I have to admit…It’s a good pain.

Today is the day…BOOK LAUNCH!!!

In Nubia a woman can be whatever she chooses. At 14, Kandake knows exactly what she chooses…Prime Warrior of Nubia. But her grandmother has said that she will follow her father on the throne.

Refusing to abandon her warrior dreams, she continues to train. When her brother is kidnapped, Kandake learns she must be both queen and warrior to win his release.

I am so excited about my book finally seeing the light of day! In 2010 I entered this manuscript in the  Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award and advanced to the semi-finals. Here is a sample of the reviews I got.
Amazon.com Review I fully expected (with a title like "Nubian Princess") that this excerpt was written by a thirteen year old with prose that left a lot to be desired. Not so. This is a writer that knows his (or, her) fiction-writing craft. The prose is smooth and mature and enjoyable ...
From Publishers Weekly This stellar historical novel brings ancient Nubia to life as one girl struggles to understand her destiny. Kandake, 14, is the youngest child of King Amani, ruler of Nubia. Her desire is to protect the land she loves as a warrior, but the decision is not in her hands. When Great Mother announces Kandake as the heir to the throne, she sadly accepts the inevitable, striving to understand Great Mother’s reasoning. Meanwhile bandits have been raiding Nubia’s trading caravans, and Egypt, Nubia’s ally and neighbor, is asking for assistance to protect its borders from the Assyrians. When Kandake’s brother Alara fails to return from a hunting expedition, King Amani makes a difficult decision: Nubia must use her resources to defend her border. Alara’s rescue must take second place. Unwilling to accept this decision, Kandake and her friends sneak away to find Alara. This skillfully crafted novel weaves cultural details into a remarkable, well-structured plot featuring a strong African heroine. The characters are fully developed, and their motivations, inspirations, and the growing maturity of these teens are believable. Readers will eagerly hope for a sequel to resolve the larger political issues facing Nubia and its future Queen.
And here is my most recent review. It’s long, but I think he understands Kandake best.
Stephanie Jefferson brings the ancient kingdom of Nubia vividly to life in this enthralling tale of a young warrior princess poised on the brink of adulthood and great power. The land, people, and culture of Nubia are described with such lush detail, humanity, and love, it’s hard for me to believe I couldn’t hop on a plane and visit it. And surely Kandake really is out there somewhere standing tall and proud, warrior strong. The next time I’m faced with a challenge and need to find an inner reserve of that measured strength and wisdom, I will close my eyes and imagine I’m Kandake. Despite her story being set so far in the past, Princess Kandake reads as a very real teenager, with the timeless growing pains and questions we can all relate to. When is it okay to break the rules? How much control do we really have over our own lives? How do you balance responsibility to others with responsibility to yourself? And Kandake makes mistakes. She has a lot to learn. But I love her for how fiercely she loves her family and her people, and for her constant struggle to do the right thing despite a headstrong nature. I was rooting for Princess Kandake all the way. This is also a story of family and the complex interrelationships between siblings, and parents and children, made even more intense by the fact that this particular family must rule and protect their beloved kingdom, which is caught in the rising tensions between Assyria and Egypt. Kandake is given an awesome burden to keep her people and their fertile country safe from war. She must meet the expectations of the role she is given, while also being true to herself. The solutions she finds are unique and inspiring, and I look forward to her next adventure.

~Tommy Kovac, Writer & Artist

Wonderland – Disney Press

The Royal Historian of Oz – SLG Publishing

Of course, now you want to run right out and buy it so you can read it for yourself. Here’s the best way. Just use this link.

Fridays R 4 Fun!

Usually I find interesting pictures or strange and different subject matter to post about on Fridays. But today I can’t think of anything more interesting than this.

I have two publications available and I’m dying to share them. The first is a short story that was published in the magazine, Beyond Centauri! The title of the story is As Long as You Clean Up After Him.

Here’s the cover!

You can get a copy from Sam’s Dot Publishing

The other publication is my debut novel, PRINCESS KANDAKE. It’s the first book in the Nubian Princess series!

 

You can get a print or electronic copy through the links on my website.

And here are the two covers together

I can’t wait until I have a whole string of covers to share!

Excited! Happy! Jazzed!

My book, PRINCESS KANDAKE, launches in less that two weeks! What a super moment in my life. The feeling is almost as good as getting a new grandchild – almost, but not quite!

I’ve been preparing for my book tour in CA. I’m putting together ‘touchables’ of things that I learned during the research for this book. Today I’m making kohl. that’s the heavy eyeliner you see in every movie where Egyptians are depicted. It’s main ingredient is frankincense.

Kohl was used for more than beauty and it was worn by men AND women. Kohl provided some protection from the suns glare, but mostly it prevented eye infection. Frankincense has an antibiotic quality and was used as the base for many of the ancient medicines and balms.

Tomorrow I’ll be making eye shadow. No medicinal attributions, the shadow’s sole purpose was beauty, but men wore that, too. The process is pretty cool. I get to grind actual gemstones!

Oh yeah, back to the book. It launches Feb 1st. But I’m letting all of you get a head-start. Just follow this link.

PS If you're in CA, I’ll be presenting at Cal-State Univ. San Bernardino on Feb 15 at noon in the Pfau Library and then on Feb16 at the Corona Library at 3:30pm. I hope I see you there.

Fridays R 4 Fun!

By the way - I am guest posting on Haley Whitehall's blog today. I'm talking about my debut novel, PRINCESS KANDAKE, and how it came to be. Take a look!

The Month After Christmas

Twas the month after Christmas, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The cookies I'd nibbled, the eggnog I'd taste
At the holiday parties had gone to my waist.
When I got on the scales there arose such a number!
When I walked to the store (less a walk than a lumber).
I'd remember the marvelous meals I'd prepared;
The gravies and sauces and beef nicely rared,
The cakes and the pies, the bread and the cheese
And the way I'd never said, "No thank you, please."
As I dressed myself in my husband's old shirt
And prepared once again to do battle with dirt
I said to myself, as I only can -
"You can't spend a winter disguised as a man!"
So, away with the last of the sour cream dip,
Get rid of the fruit cake, every cracker and chip
Every last bit of food that I like must be banished
Till all the additional ounces have vanished.
I won't have a cookie, not even a lick.
I'll only chew on a long celery stick.
I won't have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie,
I'll munch on a carrot and quietly cry.
I'm hungry, I'm lonesome, and life is a bore ...
But isn't that what January is for?
Unable to giggle, no longer a riot.
Happy New Year to all and to all a good diet!

I have no clue as to the author of this poem. If you do, I’ll gladly give him/her credit!

Getting Back to Work

It’s time to get back to work. I’ve been distracted with getting the book to print, then spending time with my grandchildren, recovering from the cold from the nether-regions, and now finally I’m ready to get back to work. I sat myself down and had quite a serious discussion about my recent work ethic. It was not pleasant, let me tell you.

One of the things I said was that I needed a list of goals for the year and that it needed to be divided into accomplishable segments. Then I instructed me to write out a schedule that must be followed every day. This schedule must include writing, reading, marketing ideas, research for new stories, and posts for my blog. I told me that there could me no shirking or laying about. Writing is a serious business and I need to handle it that way! Boy, I can be really stern. I got raked over the coals!

Have you have your talk with you about this year’s goals? What did you say? I hope you weren’t as mean as I was.

Time with Friends

Yesterday I had an opportunity to spend time with my former critique group. It was wonderful! We spent time catching each other up on what was happening for them. Most of all, they celebrated with me the up-coming release of my new book, PRINCESS KANDAKE.

These are the people that were with me from the very beginning. They listened to each and every chapter offering ways to make each line better. What great friends, talented and supportive! They have even included my book launch in their blogs, tweets, and on the Facebook news feeds.  It was only appropriate that they should get the first peek.

Now that I have relocated to Arizona, I miss meeting with them and getting their input. We will forever be connected. Every time I come to town they allow me to sit in with them at their critique gatherings.

Please join with me in my excitement of the release of  PRINCESS KANDAKE, available February 1, 2012.

I'm so sorry. I'm playing with my grandchildren and we're having a blast. I'll be right back. I have something cool to tell you!

Egypt’s 25th Dynasty

You might ask what has Egypt to do with Nubia and particularly it’s 25th dynasty. My answer would be, “Quite a bit!” And this is why.

Around 750 B.C. Egypt was in cultural and religious turmoil having been routed by Libya and several other kingdoms. Egypt was lost in a period of, what history describes as, decadence. 

Piye, the ruler of Nubia, believed the only way to save Egypt from itself was to conquer it. Following a year-long campaign every leader in Egypt yielded to his authority. Thus, Piye became the first of the black pharaohs and the beginning of Egypt’s 25th dynasty.

For three-quarters of a century this series of rulers brought reunification to a worn-torn Egypt, reinstituted their religious culture, and “filled the landscape with glorious monuments, creating an empire that stretched from the southern border at present-day Kartoum all the way north to the Mediterranean Sea. They stood up to the bloodthirsty Assyrians, perhaps saving Jerusalem in the process (Robert Draper,National Geographic, February, 2008, p. 38).”

After conquering Egypt, Piye went back to Nubia and never returned. When he died, his burial wishes were honored. Piye desired to be buried in an Egyptian-style pyramid with 400 horses. He was the first pharaoh to be entombed in this way for over 500 years. This is the line of the 25 dynasty: Piye, who took the Egyptian name Thutmose III, ruled for 35 years. Following his death, his brother, Shabaka, ruled and took up residency in Memphis (the Egyptian capital) and took the name Pepi II. Piye’s son, Taharqa, followed Shabaka to the throne and proved to be not only a military genius, but chose to spend his political capital to create “a panorama of architectural wonderment” from Napata to Thebes,” according to Draper. This pharaoh can be credited with restoring both military might and cultural/religious notoriety to the kingdom of Egypt, setting the stage for all pharaohs to follow.

Fridays R 4 Fun!

Well, it’s that time of year again. The day after Thanksgiving usually ushers in the Christmas season. That’s also the day that most people (if they aren’t out shopping) put up their tree.

Just so you know, there’s more than one style of tree. For those of you that aren’t stuck in the ‘olden days’ and expect a tree to be pine and conical, I thought I’d enlighten you. Maybe this year you could try something different.

This first one is for those of you who can’t get away from the typical pine and conical shape. It’s the same as usual…just flipped. If you’re tired of the back-breaking chore of picking those needles out of the carpet by hand( because the vacuum cleaner never gets them all), this is for you. Now they’ll fall onto the table cloth. Just bundle it up and take it outside and shake. Don’t worry about them getting into you food. After all, the surgeon general says we all need to add a little more fiber to our diet.

Okay, okay, so you don’t like the idea of an upside-down tree or one hanging from the ceiling. How about we don’t do pine and skip the needle problem. This one’s on the floor and it’s not pine. I don’t know what it is…but it’s not pine. Don’t like this one? How about we try something different.   This one put me brings the movie Tron to mind. Want something not quite as heavy? What about a tree made from paper. Not good either? Sheesh, there’s just no pleasing some people. This is my last option. It’s pine, with lights, and a little bit of whimsy.

See you next Friday!

Search and Research

Last post I told you the story of why I wrote the novel, Princess Kandake, that will be launched February, 2012. I told you all about my granddaughter and her need for a princess that looked like her and my use of the ancient kingdom of Nubia. So now I will begin to tell you a little bit about that kingdom.

Nubia was know by several names. The more well known names are the Kingdoms of Kush (You can find a few references in the Old Testament) and Nubia. It was located in the area between Egypt and Ethiopia (then called Aksum), what is now called Sudan. Its boundaries shifted depending on what was happening at the time.
But this map can give you a general idea of its position.

Nubia, for most of its existence,  was under self rule, but having a powerful neighbor like Egypt required they maintain respectable defensive skills. These warriors were so good at what they did, Nubia was often referred to as the Ta’ Seti or  Land of the Bow. They were also given the nick name, pupil shooters. A group of warriors, called the Medjay, was hired by Egypt to fight the Hyksos and other enemies. Because of their renown, services of the Medjay were continued through 1144 BC as a sort of police, keeping the peace in Egypt. Even in death Egypt looked to the skill of the Nubian warrior for protection.

Here are 40 Nubian archers, painted wood, from the tomb of Prince Mesehti 11th Dynasty, Ancient Egypt.

Now you know where Princess Kandake gets her warrior spirit.