Wishing You A Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year

 Dear Friends, Family, Readers and Fellow Authors,

As the old year comes to an end, we, the Pen Dames look forward to greeting you in the New Year. We hope you will drop by often to check out our newest novels, our adventures, and even a few surprises for you.

                                    We pray that 2022 will be a kinder year for all of us. 

                                                Be safe, be healthy, and be positive.

Inspiration and Unlikely Heroes

 

Nothing scares some writers like a blank page. For others, the words flow easily and they look up, bleary-eyed, hours later. "Why, where did the time go? I worked-no-played through lunch."

 I am not one of those authors, and I never miss lunch. After publishing three historical romance novels, I've learned a few things about facing that Great White Space. 

1.  Do not expect perfection. If you sit there waiting for the perfect word to slide into your mind like an Olympic ski champion at the finish line, it will likely not happen, and years later, your loved ones will find you covered in spider webs and muttering words like, "shards, Slinkees, despair."  Put something on the page, whether you're starting a novel or just a new chapter. Write now, delete later. Let the words add up. 

The thing is, sometimes those rough drafts (and they're called "rough" for a reason) contain little pieces of treasure, because they come from your subconscious mind. Be kind to yourself. You'll have plenty of time to become the Commander of Words later. 

2. Get away from the computer. Sit in a comfy chair and sit with your legal pad or notebook. Let's say you're starting a new romance. Sometimes changing locations takes the pressure off. 

Start with a character. Who would you like to materialize in front of you that very moment?  What would they say to you? Despite the fact that you're wearing your old pregnancy pants and haven't shaved your legs since 1982, what would you like your hero to say to you? What would take for him to make you glow all over?  Daydreaming is essential.  Delve into your hero's personality, and think about what would make you swoon and what would make you gnash your teeth.  Got some ideas in your notebook? Type them up. Do not delete.

3. Trying to decide on your hero's occupation? Set the timer and give yourself a certain amount of time to research. Why a timer? It's easy to go down the research rabbit hole and it's also a well-known avoidance technique. In my experience, I sometimes get ideas for a plot, or a character, when I'm researching. For instance, in #3 of my Rhythm of the Moon series, Echoes of the Moon, the hero, Henry, is a night soil man. With his young son George helping him, he spends his nights emptying the townspeople's cesspits. I strongly believe that everyone deserves a chance at love, no matter their imperfections or their occupations. Think of the television series, "Dirty Jobs."

Back to research. I got the idea for Henry's occupation when I saw an authentic 18th C. calling card (basically a business card) for a night soil man. It was pretty fancy. I like a challenge, and so my hero was created. There's more to Henry than meets the eye. My heroine, Bethan, despite her distaste for his occupation, finds herself attracted and intrigued by him. Burdened with the care of her mentally ill identical twin, Bethan never thought love possible. Here's a passage where Bethan is watching their early morning progress up the street:

    Henry grunted as they lifted the yoke onto their shoulders, the barrel at the end. "Remember what the old bard said?"

    "I don't know. He said a lot of things."

    "Oh, it is excellent to have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant."

    Bethan forgot the stench upon recognizing the words of William Shakespeare. Measure for Measure? How did a night soil man come to quote the immortal words of the bard? Most puzzling, and likely the reason she couldn't get Henry out of her mind.

    They soon returned to the wagon, and Henry watched George, a small smile on his face. 

    George scratched the horse behind his ears. "Good girl. I shall never hurt you."

    They made their way up the street, and the closer they got, the more repulsive the odor became. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief but couldn't take her eyes away from his broad shoulders and wide back, looking strong enough to carry any burden. Even hers He waved at her and strode up the street. 

    He walks like royalty, not as if he has the most disgusting job in town. She lowered the cloth as curiosity got the better of her. 

    He stopped a good twenty paces from her, took off his work gloves, and bowed. "I shan't get too close, Mistress Bethan. Good morrow." He had eyes the color of Lena's best summer ale. "You're up early."

    She nodded. "It's peaceful this time of day, when the town is still asleep."

    "Except for us." He grinned. He wore no hat, and his black hair curled around his face. "I enjoy my work for the same reason."

    "You enjoy your own work?"

    He nodded, his eyes darkening from summer ale to stout. "Why should I not, despite the nature of it? It's honest and important work." He turned toward his son. "And a good trade for young George to learn."

    What a snob she was. "I didn't mean to insult."

    He stepped forward, and she stepped back, rapping her elbow on the door frame. "Ouch!"

    He rushed toward her. "Are you all right?"

    His fingers on her arm were warm and reassuring as she closed her eyes and waited for the stars to disappear from her vision. Then she came to her senses and recoiled from him. 

    He backed away. "I'm sorry to have disturbed your reverie, Mistress Bethan." Formal, cold.

    Emptiness echoed in the pit of her stomach; she had offended him. Why should she care? Nevertheless, she watched him retreat down the hill toward his son. Such a mystery.

The creative process is fascinating. We all have our own ways of creating our art, whether it be painting, sewing, decorating, gardening, or cooking. What do you do when inspiration has disappeared? I'd love to hear from you. 

A Thankful Character

 Greetings!

Today I am interviewing my character Ian Pierce, the hero in the first two books of my Rhythm of the Moon series.  I've invited him to our American Thanksgiving dinner. I'm glad he likes children because there will be six of them.

By the way, please don't tell my husband. He doesn't know Ian's here. I have him tucked away in the basement. I'll break the news to him later, and I daresay he won't be surprised. Let's get started:

Me: Thanks for time-traveling to my neck of the woods, Ian. 

Ian: I'm never far away from you, my dear.

Me: True. You'll always be my first book hero love, but I know your heart lies elsewhere, as does mine. 

Ian: Yes, no one will ever match my Maggie, begging your pardon, Mistress.

Me:  You live in the 18th Century in the town of King's Harbour. Tell me how you met the love of her life.

Ian: Let's just say the circumstances were not ideal. We met at a graveyard. She was standing at her sister's grave and I was there mourning my brother, who had passed when I was traveling the world. I did not realize that I was singing. Music runs through my brain and pours out of me like a waterfall. 

Me: Then what happened? 

Ian: Her crying broke through my sorrowful melody, and I went to her. She blamed me for her tears, for opening her up to her grief. Despite her refusal, I walked the midwife home, and as we talked, I admired her strength and resolve to forge ahead and take care of her brother-in-law and her sister's infant child, despite her sorrow.

Me: Then something unexpected happened.

Ian: (Memory glazed his green eyes, making them shine like emeralds.) Yes. I returned to the graveside that night to discover that her sister Sarah's grave had been disturbed, and she was alive, barely.

Me: That must have been shocking and terrifying for everyone.

Ian:  Indeed, but my Maggie took action, and I found I wanted nothing else but to help her with her sister's recovery. She was not herself. And thus began our macabre and supernatural journey to bring her sister back to herself, and to solve the mystery of who could have done this to her. It didn't take long before I loved her, body, and soul.

Me: You returned to King's Harbour to take over the family's apothecary shop. You have training as an apothecary as well as a musician. Why did you travel the world?

Ian: (He looked down at his long, slender hands, and lifted his head again, in his eyes a sweetness that made my stomach flip over.) I have an affliction. It began when I was a young boy. I have periods of great energy, and I think I can conquer the world with my music. I cannot control it. Ideas and music pour out of my head. I cannot sleep, I cannot concentrate. They call it manico-melancholicus. Then come the down times, where I'm thrown into an abyss of sorrow. So I traveled, playing music to make my coin, and searching for remedies. 

Me:  You suffer from what we now call bipolar disorder. Were you successful with your search?

Ian: I learned some techniques along the way to calm myself...somewhat. Then I met Maggie. Her love does not take away my affliction, but to have her love soothes me so and fills me with purpose. 

Me: She sounds like a strong, loving person.

Ian: Yes. (A huge grin lit up his face.)

Me: I want to prepare you for something.

Ian: (His sandy eyebrows rose.) Sounds intriguing.

Me: Before we eat our meal on Thanksgiving, we go around the table and say what we're thankful for. What are you thankful for?

Ian: Oh, I'm beyond thankful for my Maggie. Not only is she strong, beautiful, and capable beyond measure, but she accepts me and loves me for who I am.  Her passion knows no bounds. Though I am full of regret that I am at times not a whole man, she says we will take care of each other, that I give her joy, make her laugh, and fill her soul.

Me: It sounds like you have a lot to be thankful for. I must warn you: our dinners are rowdy, with two toddlers, a four-year-old, seven-year-old, and two teenage girls. And loud adults.

Ian: (He had a contagious laugh, and I joined him.) Do not fret, my dear lady. I frequent the Siren Inn, the most raucous and popular inn in town. Your family surely can't match the rowdy sailors and merchantmen who frequent the place.

Me: (Still laughing.) Don't be too sure. Thank you for the conversation, Ian. I'll bring you up when the time comes. Thank you for your patience.

Ian: (Picks up his lute.) I shall compose a song for our feast. Until Thanksgiving, madam.

http://amzn.to/2bHVKUf 

The first book in my series is Mercy of the Moon. I hope you enjoyed the conversation with one of my favorite characters. 

 

                                 INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE SMITS

 

Hello, everyone! Welcome to Pen Dames. Today I’m interviewing the talented and mysterious Katherine Smits. She’s a gifted author who writes intriguing and passionate books in a unique setting.

 

Kathy, you write captivating stories about mermaids and mermen. Can you share with us how you got interested in them?

 

I learned to swim at Weeki Wachee. At the time, it was a private tourist attraction in Florida on the Gulf Coast. Now, it’s a state park with the deepest freshwater cave system in the country. There’s a natural first magnitude spring, and no one knows how far down it goes because the bottom has never been found. Young women performed underwater ballet using an air hose and wearing mermaid tails. The first time I watched the show from the underwater theater, I was hooked. I’ve never stopped loving mermaids, and when I decided to write my first book, I knew it had to revolve around the merfolk.

 

Before you, I’d never seen a book that’s set in Tarpon Springs, Florida. What inspired you to use that for your setting?

 

Tarpon Springs is a unique town with a large population of Greek immigrants who moved here for the sponge diving industry starting in the 1880’s and their descendants. I grew up there, and I love the town. I’m not Greek, but I always wanted to be, so maybe I can claim honorary membership.

 

 

From the four books you’ve written, do you have a favorite character?

 

Wow, what a hard question! I love all my characters. I’ve lived with them for years, and they seem so real to me. Nik from Water Dreams and Water Desires showed up first in my brain, so she’s the one I know the best. I “found” her apartment in Tarpon Springs, and I’ve been to all of the places where she went in the book (including a little hut on stilts a mile out in the Gulf of Mexico). I admire Athenia from The Sea Witch and the Mage and Siren Descending for her strength and talent. Then, there are the men. The awesome Water Dreams cover shows Nik and Bas in the water at night under a full moon. Bas is a swoon-worthy merman (or Nerei, as they call themselves), and his character arc brings him a long way from being the worst possible choice for Nik to becoming her ideal mate. Thorne is an alpha male with a strong sense of right and wrong who doesn’t abandon Athenia even when she betrays him in the worst way. He’s amazing. Nope, I can’t choose. I love all my characters, including the villains.

 

When did you start dreaming about mermaids and what motivated you to write about these mythical creatures?

 

Mermaids inspired me from a young age. I think I was about six or eight years old when I started going to Weeki Wachee for swimming lessons. I always pretended I was one of the mermaids when I was there. It helped me learn to swim. I wanted to be one of them, but I was never a good enough swimmer or able to hold my breath long enough, so I never tried out.

 

Where do you get your inspiration?

 

I’m a little unusual in that I often get my inspiration from places. First, I discover a location which would make a great setting for a book. Then, the characters who would live there come to me, and the plot derives from their interactions.

 

Writing isn’t the only thing you and I have in common. We both love to dance, but you dance on a horse. Can you talk about your love for dressage and how you got into it?

 

I was one of those horse crazy girls who collected horse statues and mooned over pictures of horses, but my parents adamantly refused to buy me a horse. I vowed someday I would own one. When my daughter begged for riding lessons at about age eight, we both started together. It’s a passion we have shared ever since. Dressage emphasizes riding in harmony with the horse, and that’s why it’s known as Dancing with Horses. The horse is your partner and together you complete a graceful pattern or ‘Test”.

 

How does it feel when you and your horse are dancing?

 

Horses are amazing partners. When I manage to move with the horse, it’s the greatest feeling of freedom and lightness I’ve ever experienced. I wish I were a better rider and could find that effortless partnership more often. My horse is retired now due to chronic lameness issues, but she loves her life on a farm in Ocala, and I visit her every week. I’ll include a picture of me with my horse. Her name is Corrin Castle, and she’s an Irish Sport Horse who was imported from Ireland. She has a passport! I was riding another horse twice a week before Covid-19, but now I’m social distancing, so I can’t ride. I hope a vaccine comes out soon, so I can get back to it.

 

You also clog, which sounds like a blast!

 

Though I can’t ride, I dance with my clogging team four days a week outside on the instructor’s driveway. Clogging is a form of dancing developed in Europe by workers who danced during their breaks in wooden shoes which made a distinctive tapping sound. Some of them brought the style to this country, and it evolved into what we do today. Though it is sometimes compared to tap dancing because the shoes have taps, it is quite different.

 

You were a social worker, working on behalf of veterans. Does your former career help you with your writing, and if so, how?

 

Absolutely! The training and clinical work help me craft believable characters with real life problems.

 

Any advice for aspiring authors?

 

Read a lot and write a lot. Practice, practice, practice. Also, establish a social media presence, including a web site, as soon as possible. Many publishers now want a marketing plan along with submissions, and the more social reach you have, the more likely they are to offer you a contract.

 

You have some good news. Congratulations! Can you tell me about your newly contracted book?

 

Witch Trial Legacy will release in 2021 from Foundations Books.

 

She must break an ancient curse before everything she cares about goes up in smoke.

Sybilla is a nurse gifted with the ability to heal with her touch but cursed with visions of future tragedies she cannot prevent because no one heeds her warnings. With help from the mediums of the spiritualist town of Cassadaga, Florida, she learns she is descended from both the first person executed for witchcraft in this country and the man who accused her. 

Conn Ahern is an Iraq war vet dealing with pain and PTSD while working as a paramedic and struggling to save the ranch his grandmother founded. He’s an atheist who wants nothing to do with the people of the town.

When Conn and Sybilla meet, sparks fly, but not always in a good way, and their relationship fans the flames of jealousy and revenge in someone who doesn’t want them together.

During a séance, her ancestor’s spirit reveals what Sybilla must do to rid herself of the curse and save Conn, but the price may be too high.

Wow, it sounds amazing. I can’t wait to read it.  Thanks so much for joining us today, Kathy.

 

 Katherine Eddinger Smits Bio

 

Katherine Eddinger Smits holds a master’s degree in social work.  For 20 years, she assisted veterans and their families until she retired to pursue her writing obsession.

 

Now she brings clinical training and experience to her stories of mermaids, mages and magical creatures. Within the context of fantasy and romance, her novels explore real-life issues of self-acceptance, body image, relationship dynamics, fears, and phobias. Mystery, suspense, and a little sex add spice to her books.

 

Katherine and her husband divide their time between Florida and West Virginia. Their children and granddaughters live in Virginia.

 

Besides writing, Katherine is a blogger, mom, Mimi, dressage rider, and clog dancer.

 

Sign up for her quarterly newsletter and receive a free short story! Newsletters always include contests, freebies and fun.  http://katherineeddingersmits.weebly.com/

 

 

 

 

Books by KATHERINE EDDINGER SMITS:

 

1.     Water Dreams, Love’s Siren Song, Book I

2.     Water Desires, Love’s Siren Song, Book II

3.     The Sea Witch and the Mage, Sirens Series 1

4.     Siren Descending, Siren Series 2

5.     Witch Trial Legacy (2021)

 

 

 

Facebook Author Page:

 https://www.facebook.com/Katherine-Eddinger-Smits-1570871886468704

 

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/katherinesmits

 

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/katherinesmits/_saved/

 

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/kathyeddingersmits/