From Start to finish

When I started writing I never dreamed I would be as involved as I was with my books. With the publication of my first book The Kings of Angkor, it was basically write, edit and that was it. With One Thousand Years to Forever and now with the second one, I've Been Waiting for You, from conception, writing, editing sending to my editor, working on edits and then sending to my final editor and formatter... well you would think that is it. No, it's just the beginning. You have to get out there and push without (I hope) being obnoxious), Keep your name out there. Provide some freebies in hopes that you will make a connection that when your next book comes out, people will be more likely to purchase. This time last year I was working on OTYtF and had some contacts. This year I have a great deal more contacts and three books out. Am I on the NY Times Best Sellers List yet? No, but I am as an author trying to write really good books that people will enjoy... see me as a personable author who takes the time to say hi and hopefully that will help. I am after all writing for enjoyment and for my readers. I love to write and that's really important. So maybe someday I will have a book on the NY Times Best Sellers List. But first and foremost happy readers. So remember when you read a book from one of your favorite author, a lot of work goes into these books.

Home for the Holiday Blog Hop

Below you will find a link to the Home for the Holiday blog Hop that I will be participating in. Leave a comment along with your email and then hop onto the next one.

http://www.theromancetroupe.com/p/home-for-holidays-blog-hop.html I love to cook but what with writing and editing I don't have the time, unless I set aside a day. So the day before thanksgiving is making pie day. At least 6-8 just for our family. Then there is the homemade stuffing and cranberry sauce. Less is better for our family. Now when I lived in Cambodia someone always sent me herbs and spices to make homemade stuffing out of stale baguettes. Now that I live back in the states I have breadcrumbs handy. Turkey Stuffing 1 bag of stuffing mix (for Thanksgiving) 2-3 bags. Measurements will be for one bag. 1 box of chicken broth, 1 stick of butter, onions, mushrooms, celery. Saute veg. in butter till done according to taste. Add to stuffing mix then add chicken broth. I add a bit more or less or even water till I get it moist enough. Put in baking dish, cover with tin foil. Bake. So moist and not salty like boxed stuffing.

Working on a website and contest coming up !

Well I have finally bitten the proverbial bullet. Yesterday I started working on a website... My oldest daughter, one of three of my children who still live in Cambodia is doing up her own. She is going to have an online shop for children's clothes, made in Cambodia. Well looking at her's gave me the courage to finally try. At first I was like "OMG I can't figure this out!" Was pulling my hair and doing a whole lot of talking to the screen. After a few hours I was starting to get along just fine. This morning after some writing time I got back on the page. I have a few glitches here and there BUT I figured out some stuff that I couldn't yesterday. So I am happy. I kinda deleted something and have to work out that but again I am not too upset... yet. It amazes me that I am actually doing this. I would much rather be writing, so I do throughout the day. Then I get back to the web page and work things out, adjust this and that. Move things, figure things out and voila! It looks half way decent. I will keep at it till it looks great. Also I will be running a contest in conjunction with the release of "I've Been Waiting for You" on December 15th. There will be swag and a gift card to be given away. So until next time...

My InD'tale Review for One Thousand Years to Forever

On Monday, late afternoon I went and peeked at the November issue of the magazine InD'tale. I was a bit timid about reviews, though I have received very good ones so far... but to get one from a magazine like InD'tale... Well I was saying to my self If I receive one of 3 stars that will make me happy, it will make me work that much harder. I dared not hope for a 4 star or higher... So slowly I turned the pages through the reviews till I arrived at Paranormal... Then I turned to page 73 and there was my book and next to the cover was a Crowned Heart and under the title is not three stars or four but FIVE stars! It received the Crowned Heart for Excellence also! It also earned itself 5 teakettles... Five Star Review With Crowned Heart for Excellence, InD'Tale Magazine Reviews Review for One Thousand Years to Forever

"The characters and the plot are woven beautifully! Moriarty did a wonderful job melding thousands of years of history with current day without missing a single beat. This novella is truly quite a gem!" ~Julie Caicco~ InD'Tale is a great magazine and gives the Indie and Self-Published Author such as myself a voice in the publishing world. Thank you goes to InD'Tale it's Editor TJ Mackay and to my reviewer Julie Caicco. Do I now sit back on the laurels I received? No, it gonna make me work that much harder to make my next books even better. http://indtale.com/

An Interview with Grigoris Drakakis

I want you all to know a new face in the Romance Cover Industry that I think will be on quite a few covers in the near future. I have my cover in my mind, now just need him in the shot I want for a new series... I had seen a few photos of him on facebook, on some of my friend's pages who are authors and then oh happy day, he sent a friend request :-) So without further ado please enjoy this little interview from Grigoris!!

~A chat with Grigoris Drakakis~ First off I want to thank you Grigoris for taking the time to answer some questions.~ I know a lot of times myself included we see covers on books and we don’t always think there is a real face behind that cover or don’t give it much thought… So I wanted people who have liked my author page, read my books or are connected to me on twitter to know who is the man behind the face who will grace some of my future covers. Who I think will be a new, big name for the covers of the Romance Genre.~ So hello Grigoris, can you tell everyone when and where you were born? It’s obvious with your name you aren’t from Maine ☺ Also is this your real name?~ First of all I would like to thank you for your nice words an also to congratulate you for your work, I would be really very happy to co-operate with you at some point in the future. So I was born in Greece, Athens, where I was living in Kholargos the first years of my life and then I moved to Lavrio since now. I have lived periodically in USA for job reasons doing modeling. And yes this is my real name. Now I know from reading another interview the answers to some of these questions but for my readers. Are you Single?~ Yes at this period of my life I'm single as I have put my career as a priority, but who knows? If the right person is found then this might change. How did you get into modeling and how long have you been doing it?~ In the beginning I started it just to get some extra money but in the process I realized that I love modeling and is something that I do it happily! I started it almost five years ago. What was your first big modeling job?~ I don't want to differentiate any of them, I have done many nice jobs in different areas of modeling like in major catwalks, photo-shoots in magazines, I have participated in TV-spots for beg companies and also on TV-series. How did you find your self on the cover of “Much Ado about Vampires”~ I believe that I'm very lucky that I was chosen for Katie Machalister's cover because she is a very good writer who's work has been mentioned on the New York Times. Do you act?~ I have a proposal for an action movie in Los Angeles. I believe it will work out nicely. Do you live in the city or the countryside?~ I live in the city. Do you have any pets?~ Yes I have a dog but in the future I want to create a mini farm. Will you becoming to the states at any time in the future?~ I will be in USA end of November. What do you do in your spare time? When you are not modeling?~ I like gym with weights, boxing, listening music and going to the cinema. I want to thank you so much for taking time out of your very busy schedule to answer these questions. I look forward to working with you in the future!~ I thank you and looking forward to work with

The life of an author

Some people have different visions or perceptions of what it's like to be an author. There are the JK Rowling's who have made it and made it big. Who have an assistant who probably has an assistant. Where I live I have two authors in my town who are pulitzer prize winners. Then there is me... I write and edit, send my edits off to my editor the old fashion way, hard copy in the mail. Easier to work that way to find mistakes. I have no assistants. I do all my own paperwork and mailings for promo. I try and stay on top of things... the important word in that sentence is TRY. I am trying to get a hang of all the online stuff to get followers but more importantly people who will find my books and buy and then tell their friends. That's another important aspect of being an author, making the contacts and making lasting relationships. I try to write back right away to anyone who does a review for me. I also send out books to winners on my author page. For me if I have contact with any of my favorite authors like Elizabeth Peters(Mystery), Pamela Kaufman (Historical) Sharon Kay Penman, I treasure it and hope at some point to get to their level. I would love to be able to write a sweeping historical novel some day. There was an author who was at the convention in August that I attended in Vegas. She said it's important to get books out at least every six months. I am trying at this point. I think it's easier for those who have nothing but themselves and maybe a partner. I have my kids, my job(FD),helping with coaching(X-Country or Track) depending on the season. So for me to do that is a bit pushing it Even in those two running seasons I find my own running/power walking to lack. I want even my small works(novellas) to be quality. So if you find an author. Do reviews for their books when you read. It does help. Share their work, tell friends and family. It helps

Writing a synopsis

What with the kids in school, the weather getting cooler I will be inclined to be in more during the day while the house is quiet... unless I get a fire call. My hours though are limited to 8:30-3pm. Then off to X-country. Last week I helped hubby run wires for a house so it forced me to turn my schedule around, write very, very early (like I used to), then late at night(which I am not too good at.) Today I have one home sick so I haven't the quiet house I would like BUT I have my iphone on with Coldplay.That band has helped me a great deal to create. I'm hoping for some magic today in writing this sin-op-sis. My print version of "One Thousand Years to Forever" is now proofed. Waiting on some copies. Had found some typos even after two editors. It's frustrating but with this next book hope for ZERO. Everyone have a lovely day!!

End of Day 2 of RNC Convention

This will be quick as I am really tired. We had a wedding tonight and then a costume ball. It was a blast. I may not be the best dancer BUT I love to dance . Us women all danced together and this author was enjoying herself. I allowed myself to have one drink and that was enough to unwind, be brave enough to dance with Julian who was dressed in leather and a western hat. Needless to say. I worked up an appetite since once I started dancing I didn't stop.All us women who really out numbered the men couldn't wait for men to dance with us so we just group danced I am hoping I can sleep later than 4 am tomorrow. Today classes were great and I learned so much! Night all!!

Day 2 RNC Convention 2013

Good morning world. I am still on ES time and so this girl who went to bed after midnight woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 4 am!! I also had a migraine so take medicine and then I can't sleep again. BUT seriously now the sun will be up soon and our alarm to wake up will be going off and then get dressed, get breakfast and start our day. Monica and I are small town girls and for me being in 'Vegas baby' is quiet exciting and exhausting. It's (I am still pinching my arm by the fact I am here), have met my cover model Jimmy Thomas. He is even better in person. Met his mother and so many of the ladies I have talked to over the last year through his site and or street teams that I belong to because of him. I just want to say quickly this is Jimmy's first convention that he has planned from start to finish. For him to pull off a convention of this size and magnitude is awesome. He is wonderful and, well there aren't enough adjectives to describe him or what he is doing. It's all positive and though he may be thinking what can I do to make it better? or Should I have done this or that? He simply ROCKS!!! I appreciate it ALL!!!! Shannon Reads who has been right there doing everything she can to help with this convention and make sure it runs smoothly, Honey you are amazing. All this will work out beautifully. It's all a learning curve for all of us here. You are mortal and you also ROCK!!! Deep breaths and enjoy, cause I think this convention is wonderful. One of our own authors had a medical emergency yesterday and it taught all of us to watch out for not only each other and make sure we were all drinking(water) but eating and resting... but keeping an eye on ourselves and listening to our bodies to stay healthy. Cause if we get sick we can't be here to help or enjoy. This convention is showing me what I need to do for next year and how to plan and basically as soon as I get home I will be planning right away for next year's convention.

Day 1 of RNC Conevention 2013

Well I am sure this will be added onto as the day goes on. It's 6:37 Vegas time. My roommate opened her eyes for a few seconds and has gone back to sleep. I seriously need a pot of tea and some kind of nourishment. Monica and I did eat last night, spaghetti and meatballs and big glasses of milk :-) Boy do we know how to have a good time in Vegas or what?? :-) I am sure things will get more lively as we head into the convention. We arrived the day before hand and the convention starts today, later. Those of us who are here will get together at 9am. The Golden Nugget is huge and in the old part of Vegas on Fremont street.I will be able to post photos as I go along. Haven't seen Jimmy Thomas yet. Monica said they were working pretty much up until I arrived. When I arrived other authors were behind me and I saw InD'tale editor TJ MacKay talking with authors. Also the man who met my cab and help me out from my demented cabbie said "Are you with the Romance Convention?" With a big smile I said "Yes!" I managed to or thought I had lost my baggage claim ticket and after checking in and walking to almost the elevators I am like "where is my baggage claim ticket?" Now had I listened to Monica I would have found it but being as tired as I was I still thought it had been in my hand and I had dropped so I told her to wait and I ran back looking on the floor as I went and then ran outside to find that guy. He was at his post and he saw my look cause he said "What's the matter, Author, Mary Moriarty?" "I lost my baggage claim ticket... do you have the # so I can give it to the bell hop when he arrives with my bags?" "Not a problem, I will call him right now and tell him you lost it and you will be fine." :-) Well I run back to Monica and we get up to our door and I feel my back pocket... and it's with my ipod... I know one thing I am happy to be on the ground, not flying. The flight itself was fine, I had the extra leg room but we had some IDIOTS on the plane... Now what does "Power down your phone and all electronic devices" mean to you? Do you continue to use those electronic things as the plane taxis to the runway , like take a call on a phone that should have been off??? idiot # 1 gets a call as we taxi, after we were late because we didn't have pilots... that's another story. I roll my eyes cause the guy is right next to me in the seat next to me. I am like you can't be serious he is talking away... and the flight attendant says "Please turn off your phone, now..." says it 3 Xs > I'm thinking to myself this can't get any better. Oh it did. idiot #2 was behind me and he all of a sudden calls someone... Was this a plane load of idiots or what?? I raise my eyebrows and look at the flight attendant and he is probably thinkingWhy me lord? Seriously my thoughts were running Don't make me have to climb over my seat and rip that freaking phone out of your hand... I need tea :-) Will keep you all posted.

RNC (Romance Novel Cover/ Convention) 2013

Well I am at JFK and trying to find an outlet that works. Yea I can go over to these counters near me and slide my credit card... BUT I don't think so, not going to happen. The one I am plugged into shows no power going to my computer. That stinks!! I board in about 2 hours so not too long now. I will probably go walking again soon and see if I can find some snacks. I had a good lunch when I arrived, skirt steak and lobster bisque. I have been watching facebook and some of the gals who are attending the convention are either in flight now or have arrived. My roommate Monica is there, whether she has been allowed to check in yet I don't know.It's only 1:06 there and I think check-in isn't until 3pm. Apparently someone who already arrived thought their extra night was part of the all inclusive price. I am sure Jimmy Thomas is pulling his hair out. Tomorrow officially begins the convention and I will write to update when I can and post photos on my facebook. Everyone have a wonderful day!!

Convention and other thoughts & sundry things...

Well like I used to read to my children We're going on a Bear Hunt... I am going to a convention, not just any convention but Romance Novel Covers 1st annual Convention. Here is the link http://romancenovelconvention.com/rnclasses/registration/ It's Sunday morning and I am leaving on a jet plane on Tuesday morning. To say I am excited is an understatement. I will be meeting a lot of authors that I have been talking with the last year. Connecting with them on a couple author or fan sights we all have a lot in common. We are readers, a lot of us are writers and we all love Jimmy Thomas. If you see him on my cover you are going to think he is just another pretty face. Yes, he is that. He is also an incredible person and is doing EVERYTHING for the convention and us as Author's and attendees. My hat goes off to him or since I don't wear a hat my helmet. Yesterday for the day we trained at my fire department with our new extrication tools. It was awesome but hard work. We got to tear apart and cut into two cars. This morning I was feeling it for sure. I thought when I got home I could easily fall asleep and take a nap. I showered cause this girl stunk... and then did house work. Leave 4 boys various ages from 19 down to 10 home and when you get home the house is well, looks like boys that age were home. They all try though so I was happy with what was done and the effort.So I just spruced things up. We brought home a platter of sandwiches from training. That along with macaroni salad and cookies and I knew as soon as I got home they would be plowed into... Daniel who is small and 10 years old ate 3 whole sandwiches, plus a whole cookie. The cookies were huge... One of our small town groceries French & Brawn is wonderful and always provides us with the best food ever for these trainings! I love to read and there are certain magazines I find relaxing to read or to look through. In one recently, the Editor of this magazine on re-doing kitchens mentioned a favorite movie of mine because there were a few scenes in the kitchen. In Something's Gotta Give it features a stunner of a kitchen. I for one would be happy in one the size of mine, just reworked with more counter and cupboard space. But the kitchen in my house was what sold me because of the large window looking out onto the back yard. It now has new windows. I hope with time to re-do the whole thing... from the floor up. BUT what I am getting at. In my first book in My Beloved Vampire series One Thousand years to Forever I feature kitchens or the characters working and living in and around the kitchen. Here is a review from a reader on Amazon and I think I found a bond to a reader which makes me happy. 4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable August 1, 2013 By Ethel Staats Format:Kindle Edition I found the story to be very enjoyable. I enjoyed also that Katherine had a life and family and it all connected with the others very well. 1 Comment | I think that writing this story and bringing real life into this novel about a love story of a vampire and a woman he has loved for one thousand years along with incorporating family into it helps. For me depending on the season the kitchen is my room and life centers around it. When my daughter MaryKate lived at home we did a lot in the kitchen and it would be really crowded because we were creating.Also at the station when we cook down there it brings everyone in there as a family and I love it! So if you haven't picked up a e-version of my newest bookOne Thousand Years to Forever please pick up a copy. I will be running contests again once I am back from the convention.

Finding a Great Cover Artist

Its a rainy friday here in Maine. I don't mind the rain though because it forces me to stay inside and create. Sometimes though creation has to take a back seat and more important things like when life takes a front seat. Yesterday was a busy day in many ways and I won't bore you with the details but later in the day my dear husband came home and said I think we need some alone time... and since it's our anniversary why don't we go out? I was at first not so sure cause the day I was having didn't make me want to go out but the boys had leftovers and we had errands to run first so I said sure. We got the errands run just before dinner and then went to one of our favorite restaurants . It's called "Fresh" It's a quiet little place tucked down on Bay View Landing. We sat, I figured I would just drink water and have tea later BUT I was starved. So we ordered and I talked with the bar tender. He also works at my favorite bagel shop in town. We talked of him moving in a three short weeks and he asked about me, about what I was up to and I told him about the convention coming up. He said "I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about you going..." I said "you and me both." Went back and while Bob was in the mens room my phone went off telling me I had an email. I checked it cause I don't like to be on my phone when Bob is around. It was a note from Jimmy Thomas and it was about two very crucial pieces of my advertising for the convention. To say when I received the email I wanted to scream was an understatement cause I wanted to get home and try and take care of it ASAP. I was also thinking I don't have a clue how to take care of this JPEG to get it to the specs for what is needed .But I tried not to panic though panic was about to the top of my throat and I was feeling it choke me and I'm not being dramatic cause I had less then 2 days to fix this... Bob came back and saw the look and asked what the matter was and I just said "Got a note from Jimmy, have to fix something... and I let it go... for the time being. Towards the end of dinner Anya Kelleye came to mind. I thought maybe she can help. So as soon as we got home I wrote to her on facebook and sure enough almost right away she got on and said give me a half and hour and I will get on here when I get home. Now she is a cover artist but also has another job so I am sure when I contacted her and copy&pasted the note from Jimmy she had many other things to do besides my problem... probably one was getting home and taking care of family and home. By then it was close to 8 my time and I think she is on central time, maybe not BUT what I am getting at was she was coming home from work and she said she would get right back to me. I felt 100% better knowing if she can she will... She got on and asked some questions and said she still had my file from another question I had. She then said she could do this for me and will probably have it done tonight(last night) but tomorrow(today) by the latest. I was like over the moon happy cause she was taking time out of her I am sure very busy schedule to help me and for something if I had looked a lot earlier it wouldn't have been a problem but then not hearing from Jimmy till I asked him a question and he is right out straight handling everything for this convention. (let me interrupt here to say) There are some great people out there in this business who bend over backwards go the extra 100 yards to help, one is Jimmy Thomas and the other is a great person and great cover artist Anya Kelleye. She was able to take my jpeg and fix it to fit for the specs for what was needed and she was going to send to Jimmy herself today. Now when you look at my cover for my book One Thousand years to Forever, that is also my cover page on facebook. The original art was done by cover artist Char Adlesperger. I love her work so much my second book "I've Been Waiting for You" was also created by her. I have come to recognize her work and I absolutely love it!! So if you are an author who wants to self publish and think how am I going to find or get a great cover? Your worries are over. Go to: http://www.romancenovelcenter.com/ Or you have a great photo that you want to create for a cover but don't know how. Not a problem go to: http://www.anyakelleye.com/. She not only has her own page but she is on Romance Novel Center's page: http://www.romancenovelcenter.com/AnyaKelleye She can do covers for e-books and print and everything in between. Go to her page and check it out. She is great to work with. Will take the time to answer questions and for me last night telling her I don't have a clue what to do and she said "OK. Let me get home and on my laptop and I'll get back with you. I know what he needs. Give me half an hour OK? ;-)" That tells me a lot. First she is a great person to deal with. She is real and she cares!!! So bottom line need a cover artist, contact Anya. Want great covers check out Jimmy Thomas's site. He has done over 5000 covers and not only is he a handsome face he is super sweet!! He works super hard for all the authors who know him and he is proving this 110 times over with what he is doing to bring this convention in Vegas to fruition. Thank you Anya from the bottom of my heart. Thank you Jimmy for doing what you do. Also though I have never talked with her a big thank you to Char Adlesperger for creating my original art for my two covers.

Up and Coming Convention Romance Novel Convention 2013

I am super excited because I am going to my first ever convention as a writer and it's being put on by the cover model who is on my 2nd book. It's none other than Jimmy Thomas. He has graced more than 5000 covers and is still going strong. Who wouldn't want him on their cover, well unless you have a husband like my writer friend Monica Hall and she has her husband... but anyway back to this convention, check out the web site and I think you will agree with me that it's going to be one of those occasions that you won't want to miss. I also want to say Jimmy has done all the grunt and leg work for this convention and that's why we all love him because not only does he help us authors out by providing some of the best stock images for us to use for covers at a very reasonable cost, you can also have him shoot custom shots and the price is still really great. You see it's always a win, win situation. You get a great cover for the best price and then with this convention he has done everything from picking who will be there for classes and all the entertainment to bringing everything we have sent him for the swag bags. He is driving the U-haul himself from LA to Vegas so it won't cost us an arm and a leg to have stuff stored there at the hotel. I think that speaks volumes. If you can't make it this year, think about next year. http://romancenovelconvention.com/rnclasses/registration/

Contest

Well it's been a while BUT I AM here :-) It's just when you are doing everything to get your book published it takes all your time and then some. SOOooooo My newest book "One Thousand Years to Forever is out at Amazon (on Kindle), Barnes & Noble (Out on Nook) and Smashwords also has it. i have a contest going on and for those of you who pick up and purchase OTYtF and read it and leave a review on either B&N or Amazon and then PM me on my author page on facebook I will send you a signed printed copy of The Kings of Angkor. this has to be done by Aug 5th though. To wet your appetite I am posting a sneak peak to OTYtF. Prologue “Sir, I think there is something you should see…” Colum O’Heachthanna looked up to the sound of his butler’s voice who was looking out at the view that lay in front of him. As he stood, the door to his office crashed open and in walked his father. His steps, matching the size of his body. Long, large and strong. Cormac O’Heachthanna barely looked at his son Colum as he moved silently to the window next to their family butler. Colum came to stand next to the two men, all three silent sentinels to the tragedy that was quickly unfolding. All three were quiet as each man was lost in their own thoughts. Then Colum spoke. “Does anyone know what happened?” The butler barely turned from the scene that was unfolding in front of them to the huge flat screen on the wall to their right, it blinked on. As the three men watched the drama unfold the voice of the newscaster rose and fell with emotion and then “OMG, A second plane…its…its hit, its hit the South tower…” Colum started to pace. “I can’t let this happen again… She’s in the North Tower…” His father looked over at him calmly. “Katherine?” Colum stared at his father incredulous. “Of course Katherine!” He passed his father then brought his hand slamming down on the nearest table, a priceless antique within his reach. The table looked like it would withstand the blow but then gave way. Cormac looked at his son and then at the table. “Do what you need to do to get her out safely.” Colum threw on his leather coat and went for the door of the balcony. “Thank you father. I don’t think I could go through another lifetime waiting for her to grow up…” “Try to get as many out with her as you can…” His words were swallowed by the wind that came into the penthouse suite of their office from the balcony. Travis looked at Cormac. He had been with him for almost one thousand years and he knew both men like they were his own family. They were in fact his family, since it was Colum, the son who had created him after he lay dying on the battlefield at Clontarf. He had been Mael Morda, enemy to King Brian Boru but also the king’s brother in law. Cormac and Colum, father and son had fought along with the High King but had respected Mael as a leader. “If I know young Colum, he will do his upmost to get as many out as he is able to sir…” Cormac turned tired eyes on Travis. “How many times do I have to remind you that you don’t have to call me Sir? You are in fact my equal.” “Begging your pardon S- sir but if you don’t mind I will always be calling you Sir as I am no longer in charge…” Cormac needed something to break. Not only was the world, his world under attack but his son was going into harms way. Though he had complete confidence he would succeed. He had been in tougher missions and he was after all not human, though he appeared to be. He was, in fact, half fallen angel and half vampire. “Don’t worry Sir, he will be fine… he is after all, destine to be your successor and if I may say so, I think he will make a very good king.” Cormac looked out at the scene in front of them. The smoke that shot to the sky from both towers, along with fireballs and debris … that fell from both the buildings. He, Cormac O’Heachthanna had seen too much hate, war and destruction in his time especially as king. It would be good to step down in favor of his son. “Yes, he will make a very good king, actually, a great king but he needs his queen.” *** John MacNamara knew he was in a dream. He felt himself floating along but he knew from the speed that he must be running. Smoke and debris fell as he ran. He looked around his beloved city and he knew something bigger than he had ever seen was happening. He tried to look up but he wasn’t able to or allowed. He was moving with a purpose and then as he looked down he saw he had his turnout gear on. In his hands he was holding a box flashlight in one and an ax in the other. As he was moving forward, he saw others moving out of the building that he approached. He knew from instinct what was expected of him. He knew the chances that he was going to get out were slim. It was a gut feeling, but it was his job to get as many out as possible or die trying. He entered the building as people pushed past him. He could almost smell the smoke as he started to climb stairs, heard his breathing as he ran up the flight of stairs in the stairwell. As he climbed, floor after floor, there was a reason for his coming in here. The people around him were not panicking but moving with a purpose, trying as they may to get down and out and he continued on and upward. He reached the twelfth floor and there she stood. She was framed by dust and smoke that was filtering down and she looked wild. Her red hair was a mess and her green eyes framed by black from her makeup but she was beautiful and she sighed a sigh of relief as she saw his face. She knew him, knowing him in his gear. He knew she would be thinking they together would get out now, he right behind her but he wouldn’t be going with her not today, not ever. He had to get her out but how to get his wife, his Irish witch out of this hell that was soon going to descend upon them. Then he saw the man behind her, the biggest, tallest man he had ever seen but where had he seen him before? Probably on the streets and he happened to be in this building. Looking him in his eyes they communicated silently to each other. Somehow John knew this man was meant to be here. That this man was meant for Katherine, his Katherine. He heard him say. I will take care of her and your children… don’t worry. Your memory will be honored… He saw the look in his girl’s face, knew she would fight. She was, after all, a fighter and hadn’t they fought this morning over this very same thing. It had been a while since they had had such a fight but they had and now he knew he wouldn’t be coming home to talk, to make up, to make love, like they always did. There would be no going out on his bike for a long ride and finding a spot for just the two of them. No, he wouldn’t be going home now or ever. But this man would take Katherine out of here, out of harms way. He reached up and touched her face one last time. Saw the tears pool in her beautiful eyes and then start to spill down her cheeks. Saw people pass by, trying to escape the fate that would not meet them today but would be his. Then he heard his voice. “Get her out!” Heard her scream, heard all the screams as they vibrated off the walls as he walked past and felt her body one last time and then felt her body as it was lifted up and away. She screamed, kicked and tore at the man who carried her now down the stairs as he kept going forward and up the stairs. He felt the shudder of the building and knew something worse had happened. Heard the screams of those around him but he kept going. But this was just a dream and he would wake up and his little witch, his Irish witch would be nestled next to him and he would turn her over and kiss her and make love like they always did and he would go to work and everything would be fine… because this was just a dream, after all… Katherine MacNamara stood, as did others in the elevator of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. She was late as she always was. Due in fact because of her kids and the fight she had had with her husband John. He had left just before her to start his shift at the fire station but not before they had one of their knock down drag out fights. It happened about twice a year and when it did the whole neighborhood knew the MacNamara’s were fighting. The Fighting Irish some called them in their neighborhood. Now as she rode the elevator to the 106th floor she tried to think just what was the fight about. She looked at the people around her and saw everyone with their suits on, carrying brief cases. She noticed the floor marker read 60th floor, when all of a sudden the building shook with such force she thought earthquake, as did a lot of the others who voiced it in the elevator. She saw the time on her watch 8:45am. The lights blinked twice and then they went out. They all stood there quiet and then someone got out a lighter, another said “Does anyone have a flashlight?” Katherine being the wife and daughter of fire fighters said “Yes.” All done calmly… a little too calm she would think back on. They saw after prying the roof of the elevator hatch open they were still right near the 60th floor, so one by one they started to climb up and out. What met their calm and quiet as they got out of the elevator shaft was mass mayhem. Katherine stood there and then raised her voice. “We need to get to the nearest stairwell and start down.” Seeing women in heels like herself she said “off with the heels. Carry or throw but get them off.” She then pitched her briefcase because she knew it was going to take all of her strength and maybe more to get out of what had just happened. They were working their way down stairwell B when her phone went off. She saw it was her husband. “Honey where are you?” Katherine sighed as she, along with others made their way as orderly as possible down the stairs. “I’m probably on the 59th floor stairwell B …” Another voice in the crowd yelled, “We are on the 58th floor…” “58th floor and moving…. What happened? John MacNamara was on one of the fire engines making it’s way to the World Trade Center. He was a Battalion Chief for the borough where they lived. “ Honey first listen…I’m sorry about this morning, second I love you, third keep moving. Don’t let anyone tell you to stop. Keep all that are with you moving. We are getting there as quickly as possible… help is on the way…” She listened to her husband and knew he wasn’t telling her what she wanted to know just to keep her moving. She knew whatever happened was bad, beyond words and knew it may freeze her. “You’re not telling me… what happened…” She could hear someone yell. “My Mom just called me, we, NYC is under attack. A plane hit us…” Another said “It must have been an accident…” They had no sooner said that when they felt the building shake again. Someone swore and Katherine yelled, “Keep moving, we have to keep moving…” They kept going down the stairs, flight after flight. Moving faster but still orderly. They had reached the thirty-fourth floor when Katherine’s phone rang again. “Kat, you got to keep moving, we are here, I’m coming in and I’m coming up your stairwell. Keep moving…” “Helps on the way, keep moving, we have to move…” They kept it as orderly as they could till someone screamed “The South tower has been hit…” And then people started to run until someone from below screamed up “Don’t run, keep going steady…” then “Kat! Kat, are you up there?” Katherine yelled “Yes” and ran into the arms of first her husband and then her father and father in law. All four hugged as people filed past. John looked into the eyes of the woman he had known all his life. The girl he had teased in school, who had turned far too many heads of the guys when they hit high school and who had finally said ‘yes’ to his invitation to their junior prom. From then on they had been together. He had a feeling unless he was incredibly lucky he wasn’t going to make it. He was in here too, not just to rescue his wife but to get as many out as possible… so he wasn’t going with her. “Honey you have to get out, I have to go on.” Katherine looked at her husband and knew he wasn’t going to telling her anything. “What happened?” John tried to listen to the traffic on his radio from the NYPD. “The South tower is…” The transmission was lost in the noise that was hitting them. People stood still in stairwell B. All that could be seen was flashlights from rescue workers and from people on the stairwell. An occasional curse could be heard but it was amazingly quiet considering what was going on. People moved with calm and courtesy as if sensing that if this was their last moments on earth they were going knowing they didn’t panic, didn’t mow down their fellow neighbor on the stairs. Some were hurt and carried by others who were trying to get out. The fire fighters that had come up with Katherine’s husband directed and continued to move up the stairs with the grim determination that they were going to do their job. John looked at his Kat. “I need to move, you need to move, get moving now. Dad, Da, go with her…” Both father and father in law looked at John, knowing what he knew. “We will get her out…” Katherine for the first time started to cry and as she was ripped from John’s arms she started to scream. “No, I’m going with you. I’m an EMT, I can help!” Katherine searched for straws to grasp to stay with the man she loved more than life itself. Knowing what he knew… he would stay and she would go, but not without a fight. John knew she would say this. “No, you can’t. You don’t have an air pack and I’m giving you an order. Go, now! Go or I will write you up when I get back to headquarters.” Katherine was screaming as she was pulled away from him and then all of a sudden she was lifted up off the floor and was held by a stranger… Colum looked down at John MacNamara and felt pain. Felt the pain that John felt because he knew he was going to his death. “I promise to get her to safety… I promise to watch out for her and watch over her, from now on…” Then silently, “I will take care of her and your children… don’t worry. Your memory will be honored…” John looked up into the eyes of the man who held his wife, who for the moment was quiet. The man was a giant. Standing at least six eight. He looked like that guitarist Peter Steele. Maybe that was who it was. Long black hair, high cheekbones. “Thank you, get her and as many as you can out… I have to go on.” These two men gazes locked one last time, then Colum clasped John on the shoulder. The moment he moved, Katherine started to scream and kick again. “Put me down! Let me down! I have to go with him…” Colum listened to her for the next thirty some odd floors as she screamed, kicked and hit him. As they made their way down the stairwell they felt the south tower come down. More of the people screamed and started to panic. Colum yelled out for them to keep moving, not to run. Katherine had stopped hitting him. She was just whimpering by the time they reached the bottom floor. He got everyone who was with him out and away from the building. Along with her father and father in law. They got up to one of the rescue trucks when the ground started to shake. He was about to put her down when he thought the better of it and moved the small group he had guided, further away. They watched as the North Tower start to pancake down, dust billowing up like a cloud. He yelled “Run!” as they turned and ran as far as they could. He could feel Katherine cry as he turned the corner. As the last of the building came slamming down Katherine let out a wail and beat on his back, dug and pounded on him with every bit of strength left in her. He let her down and held her against his body to protect her from the blast of debris that spread all over the area and them. They made a tight huddle covering one another as the dust and parts of the building rained down on them, then all was quiet. They all stood there, still, no one saying a word or moving and then one by one they all let go and looked around. What met their eyes was the complete destruction like nothing anyone had ever seen. It looked like the city had been annihilated. Colum gently let Katherine go. She looked up at him, her face a mess but beautiful to him. She looked the same as she had each of the lifetimes she had been with him, and taken from him. This time he had won. He had loved her for a thousand years and more and he was bound to not lose her this time. Katherine didn’t know what to think, what to say. She stood with destruction surrounding her beyond anything she had ever thought she would see in her lifetime. She looked up at the man, the giant who had carried her out of the north tower like she was nothing. He now stood looking at her, covered in dust, all a greyish white. All that was visible were his eyes and mouth. “Why?” Colum looked down at Katherine. He knew what she was getting at but he wanted to hear her voice because he knew it would be a while before he would become part of her life again. “I beg your pardon?” “Why did you save me? I wanted to be with my husband, I could have helped him…” Colum wanted to pick her up and shake her. She was as stubborn as she had always been, she just didn’t know this was her make up down through the ages. Colum watched as her father and father in law turned and touched her on the shoulder. They spoke in unison. “Had you stayed with him your children would end up being without both parents…” Both had tears spilling down their cheeks, making paths through the grayish white dust that covered all of them. Chief MacNamara leaned into the shoulder of Katherine’s father. Katherine’s father wrapped an arm around his daughter. Colum watched as the range of emotions hit her. Others in the group just stood, trying to take in what just happened. Some trying to contact family members to tell them they were safe. Colum saw Katherine go from mad to all of a sudden knowing what her family said was true. She let out a wail and collapsed on the ground beating the ground. Both father and her father in law dropping to their knees, covering her with their bodies sobbing. Chief MacNamara looked up at the man who had carried his daughter in law down those thirty-four flights like it had been nothing and saw anguish. “I want to thank you for saving her. I don’t know what’s in store for us, whether we will find my son but at least their children still has a mother.” Colum looked down at Katherine who was fighting off her own father as she rose to her feet and started to run to the rubble. “John!” She screamed. “John!” She was first met by police officers who tried to pull her back but Colum, and the men of her family were behind her and soon all were among the searchers, listening as the PASS Devises from the fallen firefighters air packs, announced with the shrill scream the location of those closer to the top. Others could be heard but deeper beneath the depths of the rubble. They soon were digging through the rubble with bare hands and anything they could lay their hands on, finding survivors and victims. Hours later someone found a part of some stairs and beams over them and then they found a cluster of bodies… all like they were just sleeping, all curled up. Katherine was on top of the searchers before anyone could pull her off. Colum heard her wail. He ran to her and caught her as she fell on top of the body of her husband. She looked up to the sky that was black with the night but lit up with the brightness of the searchlights. She screamed to the heavens over and over, clutching on her husband’s body and then on Colum’s as he held her tighter. Holding her as she cried and screamed in turn. If it would have been possible he would have brought her husband back to life. He had no joy in the fact that he had saved her and that her husband had died so that he could have her. He could have taken her husband up in his arms also, saved him too. He was more than capable of doing so much but he had gone with the sole purpose of saving her. Saving her so she would be with him some day and possibly change her. That way he wouldn’t have to go through eternity without his mate any more. She looked up into his face and so softly said “Why!” Great sobs raking through her body. “Why?” Katherine let her fist beat on the chest of the man who had saved her. Then she let her head fall and rest on his chest as she whispered “Why?” *** Colum stood off in the distance from the group of mourners as they lay to rest John MacNamara. It was raining that morning but as they clustered around the grave site the sun came out and a rainbow seemed to be resting right on the group of mourners. Colum watched as Katherine looked over at him. Travis stood behind him. “She is still the same Sir, still so beautiful….” “Yes, Travis, still beautiful. A bruised rose but still beautiful.” Katherine spoke to her brother and pointed to the man standing off to the side. “He’s the one who carried me out of the building.” “I want to go thank him and ask him to come to our home…” Katherine looked over at the man, she had never found out his name. Told her brother that would be fine. But when they looked again they were gone. William O’Brien looked at his sister and then at where the men had been standing. “They were there weren’t they?” Katherine looked around. “Yes…” As the service finished, the priest walked up to her saying a few quiet words. Katherine tried to comprehend that it was truly over. When they left, her husband’s coffin would be lowered down in the ground. But for the moment it was still there. As the bagpipes started their mournful cry, their sound reaching her ears and going up to the heavens as if to take her husband’s soul away from her. Katherine shrugged off the hands of her brother and father and fell over the coffin crying. The tears came hard. They tore from her as she cried and then screamed. Then she beat on the coffin. She felt hands pulling at her. She didn’t care. She would mourn as she wished. It was almost as if the Priest understood because she heard him speak ever so softly to the men of her family and they stopped bothering her. William O’Brien’s one arm in a sling, a cast on his leg stood back from his sister like the Priest had told him to do. He looked around to see if he would see that giant again. Nothing. It was like that man and the one next to him had disappeared into thin air. A scream rent the air. He was jolted back to the present. His sister continued to beat the coffin and scream. “This can’t be happening to me… you … us… Come back to me John! Come back!” She cried till she thought she would just float away on the tears. Maybe that would happen and she could go to be with him. She knew she wasn’t thinking clearly but she didn’t care any longer. She just wanted John. She didn’t try to hide how she felt as the bagpipes kept playing. She lay there on the coffin and then she felt another emotion. It wasn’t just sadness it was fury. She wanted to find who was responsible. Those who had killed her husband and all the others… thousands. So many mourning their loved ones. Not just her. She looked up and saw a cameraman standing discreetly in the distance. She got up and started to walk. William, their Dad and Katherine’s father-in-law all saw Katherine and saw the look in her eyes and they knew someone was going to suffer if they didn’t intercede. “No Kat… wait.” They said in unison as they started to run after her. Katherine walked with a purpose towards the small group of news people that now had a shocked look on their faces wondering what was going to happen. A group of men running after her, calling her name. Katherine saw the man with the camera back up as she approached at a fast clip. “I want to make a statement…” her family members stood behind her. “Katherine, you aren’t thinking clear, come home…” Katherine ignored them. “What do I have to do to make a statement so it will be aired?” The cameraman and a woman from the nightly news looked at each other then back at Katherine. “What would you like to say Mrs. MacNamara?” Katherine watched as the cameraman got her into focus. Then counted down three, two, one and pointed at her. “My name is Katherine MacNamara. I am a widow, became a widow on September eleventh. My husband John MacNamara is not coming home anymore. He left children without a father, a wife without her husband.” Waving his helmet that she had brought with her. “This is all I have left of him from his last day on earth. He died to save lives. I don’t know why this horrific act was done but I do know he and those who were attacked in the two towers, the victims on the planes, the field in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon, they died heroes. My husband was a hero. I ask whoever was responsible to come see me, come. I want to ask you if you feel good about what you did… Then I want to put a gun to your fucking head…” “Katherine!” Her father pulled her away. “No Katherine! You can’t be saying that.” Katherine pulled away from her beloved father. “I can’t say that?” She screamed! “But they can take over planes, kill all of those innocent people on the planes and buildings? But I can’t say what I want.” She turned to the camera. “I have a right to say what I want… after all, I just lost my best friend, the father to my children. I’m an American and I was attacked. I want to have the chance to confront and kill, if at all possible, whoever was in on this cowardly act. I invite you, one on one… I may be a woman but you just pissed off the wrong woman. You have taken from me what was mine… My husband, my friend, my lover…” She screamed and cried as her family led her away to the waiting limo. That night on the nightly news the funeral of John MacNamara was aired. Also aired was Katherine’s tirade against those who were responsible. Some said it never should have been aired. Others said it needed to be said. Calls from servicemen calling in said they would do what they could for her. Emails, to the news station supporting her. It was like a call to arms or Remember the Alamo… There were others who viewed the newscast. They sat in a smoke filled room in a Middle Eastern Country. They talked amongst themselves. One in particular, his voice rose above the others. “The infidel whore will regret saying what she said. Who is she to say such things? She will meet us when she forgets her pretty speech. When she is all alone, then I or one of us will come and dispatch her to wherever her husband is. She will no longer mourn her mighty and brave husband, she will be with him.” All sat talking and smoking. Some broke off into small groups. Most agreed that they were far too busy to worry about that woman. One sat there playing the news over and over again. An evil smile spread on his face. “Yes, someday we will meet and then you will regret the pretty words you said…” He whispered to himself. Here is Amazon's link. It's also on Nook as I said and at Smashwords. http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Forever-Beloved-Vampire-ebook/dp/B00DQ9RXM0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1373634990&sr=1-1&keywords=One+thousand+years+to+forever

Where reality blurs with fiction

The Kings of Angkor:Army of a Thousand Elephants is a work of fiction but in this work of fiction are some characters who walked this earth 832 years ago. They were kings of Cambodia, all of South East Asia for that matter, at the peak of Angkor. Also I look into one of the queens of Jayavarman VII . Her name was Queen Indradevi. The photo I am including is of her sister who was also queen and married to Jayavarman along with her sister. They were queens at the same time ruling with their husband over a vast empire. Her photo came out the best when I managed to get to Preah Khan back in January. They were tucked away, off the beaten track. The corridors are a maze and unless you know where you are going you could miss them. Their walls and ceilings are coming down BUT the way the rocks have fallen it seems to be fine for now.Giving them a fine little shelter. Many though thought they were just more apsaras BUT upon closer inspection you can see they are indeed different. Jayavarman actually has his queens in different spots throughout his complex that he built. He was the builder king after he put down the Cham rebellions. So with the photo I want to include a short excerpt from "The Kings of Angkor" You can find that book through amazon. ~ Anna stood in front of one of the supposed queens. She looked at the notes of the photographer and then at the statue. She stood just inside Preah Khan's inner temple. Nurung stood behind her. "What do you make of her, Anna?" He stared in awe at his queen. She stood thru the ravages of time. Now, The two faced each other. One a silent sentinel, the other a wondering scholar and professor. He watched as Anna traced Indradevi's eyebrows. "At first glance, you would think these eyebrows were braided... though how in the world it could be done ...on a real woman? But see, I think the photographer is right. It was where the jewels were, they were hacked off I'm sure of it." She turned bright eyes on Nurung. "Look, touch her. Doesn't she seem real? Likes she wants us to find out about who she is."~

Mary's Author Page: Publishing process

Mary's Author Page: Publishing process: This time around for my novella that will be out in June, exact date I will have a better idea soon... I am doing everything myself. I send ...

Publishing process

This time around for my novella that will be out in June, exact date I will have a better idea soon... I am doing everything myself. I send my work off to two editors and they have basically been finding the same things wrong so that's good. They both give me impute that I need and with this last time when my manuscript came back it had very few things wrong. That means we are getting things done. I have had my cover for some time on "One Thousand Years to Forever:The Making of a Queen", it gave me something to look at as I wrote. The cover models for OTYTF are awesome but then again anything with Jimmy Thomas on a cover is awesome. I am going with SmashWords this time so have someone recommended by them to format my book which if it was me, this book would never see the light of day. As you can see my constant writing companion is my Max He is here to watch over me and to keep any intruders at bay, as he is now. I had made an offhand comment the other day and said when I saw the "Game of Thrones" and Time Warner commercial with "Where's my Dragon" I said "Oh, I would love to have a dragon..." My husband said "Oh, where can I get you one?" I can't even imagine having a dragon. Max is protective enough. If the dragon got upset with someone or thought someone was bothering me he would be scorching the whole place... where as Max barks and jumps into the air and follows me all over. So getting a book ready is exciting and exhausting. I carve out just so many hours and then I have the rest of my life to take care of. Then the people and animals in my home and life in general... Like three sons, a husband ,4 dogs, five cats and a hamster. One son is doing track and with about 109 kids +/- they needed volunteers so I came and said I would be there on practice days and at the meets. There are three coaches and usually myself and maybe another on practice days. So I have been learning everything there is to learn about track and field, especially high jumps . Normally if I was still in the writing process I would use any time that wasn't writing time to think about my next scene. Since I am in the editing mode I am free after I get done in the morning to just not think about writing, though that's pretty hard. I'm going to be really kickstarting the sequel to The Kings of Angkor soon. Once OTYTF is off to SmashWords then I can concentrate on writing again. The sequel to OTYTF is done and it' been sent off for the first time to be looked at. That too has a cover that is all set. So things are coming together nicely.

Writing

It's a perfect day for writing or editing. I find myself going over my work and falling in love with the characters all over again when I start to read the story as I edit. When I was working on The Kings of Angkor I thought like the story 'The Lioness' that I wrote before hand. I can't possible love these characters (Anna & Nurung/ Princess Indradevi and Jayavarman as much as the story before... I was wrong. I was wrong but its really like being a parent. You have one baby and you pour all your love into that little bundle, your heart swells and you think I am in love. For parent when they have their 2nd baby and I went through this, the thought of 'how can I love this new baby like the first...' BUT as soon as you set eyes on that newest little bundle it's love all over again... It's the same with writing. If you create some awesome characters you fall in love. I write romance. I also love heros bigger then life. Kinda like super heros. No, life is not like that, we don't have super heros like Iron Man, Thor or Super Man. We do have heros that walk among us that's for sure. But we have writers who create characters and some of the heros are beyond anything that would walk this earth... BUT that's ok, that is fiction and when life is dealing out way too much for us to handle like last week I re-treat to a safe, quiet place, even if it's for a moment and read and all is well. Or in my world I write. I know from a reader's view point (my viewpoint) I love a strong hero. Now I read a book a few weeks ago... The Dark Heroine. It had me involved, a great hook right from the beginning BUT the supposed hero was disturbing. I found him abusive at best or worst. I know the heros I create and ones I tend to gravitate towards, They move heaven and earth to rescue the woman they love. Nothing and I mean nothing gets in the way. NOT that I want or write a heroine that is in need all the time. She has to be able to kick some serious butt but we want a man ( in our stories) who gives her that freedom but also protects and saves when the time comes. The song "I need a Hero" comes to mind. My newest novella "One Thousand Year to Forever" will be out in June. I can't wait for my loyal readers to read this one. Though it's just a Novella I think you will see this story is a love story with some special characters.

Reading, writing, editing and mayhem oh my!!

Where did I get that snappy little title?? I pulled it out of the air :-) BUT seriously I have been getting a lot of editing done. Would have been done Friday with editing again on "One Thousand years to Forever:The Making of a Queen" had I not had a couple of things thrown at me from real life... so alas I will have at least two more days of editing... then get my work back to my editors. Yes, I have two now. It's amazing working like this BUT I am finding the two find about the same things and this time around (second time) I have less to fix. Yea!!! Thursday gave us a brief overview of what Spring might be like... it was fleeting and Friday was windy and freaking cold!!! I like to power walk in moderate temps and hate doing wind. If it's chilly , that's ok, I can just bundle up a bit but wind that sucks out any air you are breathing in and doing all uphill well not my cup of tea... BUT power walking gives me a chance to think out my writing. If I am writing plan my next scene. The music I play helps me to get up a pace but is also some of the same music I use to inspire. I was looking at the wood last night that I will use for my desk. We are having one built for me to cover the length of a wall. I was going to go out into the office/barn BUT decided to stay in the main part of my house for now. So the next couple weeks will be busy, renovation time. Lots of hammering, sanding and stuff. I found a vintage typewriter that(no I won't write on it.) I am a purist in some ways BUT not that. I love my laptop and having a MacBook Pro for the last 2 years has made me spoiled. BUT I do have this neat typewriter that I will put on my desk... to inspire. I also found a neat old copy of a painting that is in the original frame and bubble glass. My son Joe loved seeing the typewriter but when he saw the painting he said "Who is that??" Me:,"Um, I don't know..." Joe: "BUT then why have it...?" Me: "It's old, it makes me think and inspires me. Who knows how many looked at this painting, figuring the age of it. I wanted to give it a new home instead of the antique store. So I will be surrounded by new and old things and a couple windows to look out when I am writing. The purpose of this photo... another thing that authors and readers alike, like to look at at. Have a wonderful day!!

This is just a dream...

Well today is my birthday. I got the boys off to school then went and got my driver lic renewed . I also was able to take my vision test without my glases so I was able to have that restriction taken off my licence. Yahoo for me!! Well, while driving over to the licensing office a song came on the radio and it's also on my ipod. It's "Just a dream" by Carrie Underwood. Now in my van I play country, but on my ipod I have everything from classical, country, heavy metal, classic rock. I am always on the lookout for new music to listen to. One, I find it very relaxing or inspiring depending on what I am doing. Well this song if you haven't heard it, go find it on youtube and listen to it, watch the video. It evokes such a sadness. A sadness that someone who has just lost someone they loved. It brings out all those feelings. Especially when you are listening to it over and over to create a scene in a book. When writing my 2nd book but first in the series of the two that will be coming out soon, it's title "One Thousand Years to Forever" . It opens up with a pretty dramatic scene that required me to watch a video over and over and then to just listen to just the music to get the sense of utter loss and destruction of all that is good in this world... BUT something has grown from that. Bravery beyond anything I think the people who were behind this attack ever thought would ever come. Anyway you will know once you read. BUT the next scene is a funeral of a husband. The wife who was also with the husband for a time during this cataclysmic event, she is trying to make sense of what is happening. It's the funeral of her husband, best friend, lover who has been wiped out of her life and she can't cope with it. Her sadness is in a sense overwhelming. BUT she finally finds a way to cope and express the feelings of sadness which then turns into anger and rage. The way she finally handles it is the way a woman like her would and should. So that is my thought today. Next week I start editing again. Everyone have a wonderful day!!!

Getting a Head start on the Pre-Book Launch Party

Good Morning all! In order to get started with the Pre-Book Launch Party that will be held on my author page on facebook on March 25th, I wanted to give you all something to read so when I ask some questions you may already have the answer. Now for those of you who don't already have my book "The Kings of Angkor:Army of a Thousand Elephants" You will have a chance to win a signed copy. I will figure out how many questions have to be answered and let you know on the day of the party. Not only will I be having a Q & A time on my first book and some of the research that went into it but also you will be finding out a bit about the world that is in my 2nd book to be published , "One Thousand Years to Forever:The Making of a Queen". So here is some reading. Find the blog post from what I copy & paste here. It's titled "Angkor and the Titanic" Read and I am sure you will find the answer to one or more of my questions that will be posted. This is a jump start for you all :-) Have an awesome day! http://thekingsofangkor.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=50 I am going to make it easy for you :-) Friday, November 11, 2011 Angkor and The Titanic That may seem a strange title and you my say what in the world does Angkor Wat which is located in Cambodia have to do with THe Titanic? Well I will get to that. Here are some cold facts that I am sure many of you have seen before or at least heard: Titanic Survivors Of the 2,223 passengers on the Titanic, only 706 survived leaving 1,517 dead. The largest percentage of survivors were first class passengers, followed by second class, and finally third class. Most of the deaths were due to hypothermia in the freezing water, which would cause death in less than 15 minutes. 6 of the 7 children in first class survived. All of the children in second class survived, whereas only 34 percent were saved in third class. 4 first class women died, 86 percent women survived in second class and less than half survived in third class. Overall, only 20 percent of the men survived, compared to nearly 75 percent of the women. First-class men were four times as likely to survive as second-class men, and twice as likely to survive as third class men. Another disparity is that a greater percentage of British passengers died than American passengers; some sources claim this could be because many Britons of the time were too polite and queued, rather than to force and elbow their way onto the lifeboats as some Americans did. The captain, Edward John Smith, shouted out: “Be British, boys, be British!” as the ocean liner went down, according to witnesses. What brought this subject to mind is yesterday my son Daniel was home sick and was watching the movie "The Titanic". He asked questions so I started telling him about what I knew. I have another son who is 11 who was given on his birthday an collectors book of the Sinking of The Titanic. He at a very young was outraged at the fact that most of the 3rd class passengers never stood a chance. You can see from the figures above how it was. I was just reading in the book that my son Ian was given, the name of the book is "Titanic, The Truth Behind the Disaster" . I had read before how the life boats were under filled. I have a photo of a half filled life boats. Well back to one instance where a Lady Duff Gordon, her husband Sir Cosmo and her secretary were in Life Boat #1. That boat held only twelve when it was launched. That was probably the worse example of under filling of a life boat. Surprisingly The 1997 movie on the Titanic, had scenes that were actually factual, like the orchestra and staying to play "Nearer, my God, to Thee" while passengers tried to get on life boats. Here is something from the inquiry about the filling of the lifeboats. At the British investigation, Charles Lightoller as the senior surviving officer was questioned about the fact that the lifeboats were not filled to capacity. They had been tested in Belfast on 25th March 1912 and each boat had carried seventy men safely. When questioned about the filling of lifeboat number six, Lightoller testified that the boat was filled with as many people as he considered to be safe. Lightoller believed that it would be impossible to fill the boats to capacity before lowering them to sea without the mechanism that held them collapsing. He was questioned as to whether he had arranged for more people to be put into the boats once it was afloat. Lightoller admitted that he should have made some arrangement for the boats to be filled once they were afloat. When asked if the crew member in charge of lifeboat number six was told to return to pick up survivors, the inquiry was told that the crew member was told to stay close to the ship. (questions 13883 - 13910) Lifeboat number 6 was designed to hold 65 people. It left with 40. Titanic also carried 3500 lifebelts and 48 life rings; Useless in the icy water. The majority of passengers that went into the sea did not drown, but froze to death. Many people were confused about where they should go after the order to launch the lifeboats had been given. There should have been a lifeboat drill on 14th April, but the Captain cancelled it to allow people to go to church. Many people believed that Titanic was not actually sinking but that the call to the lifeboats was actually a drill and stayed inside rather than venture out onto the freezing deck. Life Boat #1 carried 12, Life boat #6 that carried Margaret Brown or as she later became known as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" and Helen Churchill Candee who would go on to write one of the first survivor accounts and then later go on to travel to Cambodia and Angkor Wat. Some asked why they waited for over an hour before even launching any of the life boats. Something we will never know. I read an account of a young brother and sister who were buffeted from side to side by people scrambling to find a way to get onto a life boat. When all the 1st class passengers were safely aboard life boats that could get onto one (But again they were under filled) at that, These two were trying in vain to find their family. They were standing on the deck crying and a man who the young boy later identified as Col. John Jacob Astor put them in a life boat after he made sure his young pregnant wife was safely aboard a boat. That was the last time anyone saw that man, the richest man at that time in the world went down with the mightiest ocean going vessle. So now I get back to why the Titanic and Angkor Wat are connected... because of one survivor Helen Churchill Candee. Helen Churchill Candee wrote in 1922 from Angkor Wat: It is with hesitation that I mention the larger ladies of the carvings, the Tevadas or sacred dancers. I am made shy in their presence, while they remain unperturbed. They are so many to know all at once, and their character is to me unfathomable. Helen Candee Angkor Wat, 1922 Her account was one of the first English accounts of this wonderful place. Up till then most accounts were in French. I have a lot of old travelogues but this one means a great deal to me being about the country of my natural children's birth and where my grandchildren still live. I lived there for about 11 years and hope to get back there this coming May.

Pre-launch Book Party

Come meet Author Mary Moriarty as she talks about her new book "One Thousand Years to Forever: The making of a Queen" here on March 25th at 6PM. That book will be out early June. There will also be question and answers and a lucky attendee will get a free, signed copy of "The Kings of Angkor:Army of a Thousand Elephants" So stay tuned to this channel or blog :-) for more information. https://www.facebook.com/events/345243738914585/346036382168654/?notif_t=plan_mall_activity

Fact and Fiction: Where the edges blur...

I have sent back my novella to the editor and she said she would get to work on it. As she works on it I am trying to finish up the sequel to it. The story begged to be continued and finished. I let my daughter Megan read the rough manuscript and she really enjoyed it. She holds back nothing and told me what she thought I should add or take away. I am doing that. One thing is she thought I should have a back story to explain the past lives of the main characters. Loving history the way I do and knowing a lot of the Irish history from the time I was little. I grew up listening to my father who was Scottish and Irish. We won't mention the English there (for now) Anyway even though he only went to 8th grade he also loved history and would tell me about this place or that, or this person lived here. Or This battle was fought here. He got me into antiquing at a very young age and looking for old bottles along rock walls. That was all fine and good till I became allergic to poison ivy and all it's cousins... Do you know the sap from the mango fruit has the same properties as poison ivy,oak and sumac... Yup!! Well anyway back to history, I learned to love reading and thankfully my father never censored my reading. While I was plowing through "War and Peace" and Anna Karenina by Tolstoy I was also reading anything about the Czars and Russian History. It was then in the 1970s that I found out from my Uncle (Mother's brother) that my mother's family the Oldenburgs who were from Northern Germany and part of a Royal Family and later one of the girls married the last Kaiser's second son. Well the Oldenburg family married into a lot of the Royal families of Europe. Boy what a rabbit trail I am getting on this morning. Back to history So being raised by my father since my mother passed away when I was five gave me a certain amount of freedom. I had a steady supply of money to buy as many books as I wanted. Sometimes I am sure it was not what my teachers thought was appropriate for my age BUT I have the same attitude, If my child is reading, I don't really care what it is(well maybe) BUT my father didn't censor me and in between all the Tolstoy books and history I also read a lot of fiction, "Summer of 42" about gave one of my 8th grade teachers a fit... "Helter Skelter" Not the best reading for however young I was, gave me nightmares... Anything Stephen King. Again nightmare city. BUT I was reading and while one of my friends went and bought tons of clothes, I was happy with my faded jeans, peasant blouses and any cast off she gave me cause I took any spare money I had and bought books. History was right at the top of the list. Somewhere soon after 1979 I found romance books and Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. All of her books, well I was sold on the whole romance genre. "The Flame and The Flower", "Shanna", "The Wolf and The Dove" were the first ones that I read. From then on I knew Romance with history would be the love of my life when it came to books. So now I am researching the prologue of the sequel of my second novella. It will go back to the year 1014 and the Battle of Clontarf and it's main characters and some I am making up who were the main characters in my novella which is in the hands of my editor. The Battle of Clontarf was on the outskirts of Dublin,Ireland and between the the Forces of High King Brian Boru and his opposing forces. It is quite the impressive list and one of the characters was his ex wife. So I will get back to organizing my characters and getting the opening scene set so I can write. Once this novella is finished I can take a breath and get back to the second in the series of "The Kings of Angkor"

Creating a World

Since I have had numerous cups of tea and have gotten the boys to school... I can write. I thought I would do a post about creating a world that is in my book(s). Now how do I get my ideas? Like in the past I wrote, the ideas come from a variety of places and ways. Something that happens in life, a statement that could trigger a thought that ends up snowballing. A song that I get the whole story. That happened in Cambodia when I lived there. My son downloaded a bunch of songs on my ipod(one of the first ones) but one in particular "Back at One" by Brian McKnight helped me picture a whole book. One that I would later write that is yet to be published. Was it a failure since it's not published yet? No, I don't think so. Like with each story I write, I think I get better. I know my daughter Megan said she thinks I am. Honestly I am still learning my craft. I have a way of telling a story and a dear friend of mine in California says she is glad to see someone who writes that way. For me it's the way I am and the way my stories spill out. So that manuscript is on the back burner and in the hands of that same friend who is also a very gifted writer. My heros are strong, can be almost superhuman in their strengths. No, life is not like that but writing romance is an escape and that's why we as women read it... to escape. I can say I think there are some men who are and would fit in that category, almost superhuman in strength. I work in a very male dominated job. I am a firefighter. I honestly wish I had found this at a younger age BUT it would have been even less likely I could have succeeded or been accepted into the ranks of firefighters as I am today. I am very fortunate to have a department such as mine. So fire calls and working around some of the best guys in the world who have accepted me and can tease me helps me to be around some super men. It gives me a chance to watch and learn mannerisms where I would never have a chance in any other way. Do I use any real life times in my writings? Do I create scenes or stories from those real life times? I think I look at life and my days in a whole and take a little bit from here and there and take something from "Everywhere" like a potter and I create. I read and read... a writer is a reader first and foremost. I have far too many books going right now.I read articles in newspapers and magazines and I find something that gives me an idea for a story and I go with it. On the back burner: The second in the novella series that I am editing at the moment. A Paranormal, title to be announced. A manuscript that I have the title but want to wait for the cover to be created. It takes place in Cambodia in the 1920s. One of those fascinating times when women were gaining freedoms. I love being a wife and mother BUT honestly I would really have had a hard time if I was told 'you can't do that because you are a woman'. Even though it was a accepted thing back then. Obviously women were starting to question and want more in their lives. They wanted to be able to create their own lives, have a say in things. I think because I come from a family, both sides where the women were strong personalities. Look at me now. It took living in Cambodia, living through some exciting and scary times there politically, coming back to the states a single mother and going through FireFighter 1 & 2 training for four months. BUT I also know had I not gone through what I had in my past lives I could never done what I did( going through FF 1 & 2 ). I have read that some departments don't even consider candidates after a certain age... I was a woman and age 50 when I joined, age 51 when I passed both my practicals and written exams. Back to the manuscript that is set in the 1920s, So a strong woman in that story... Someone who is feminine but very strong in her own way. That is a common thread in all my manuscripts. Another story starts present time but through memories of a grandmother who was a young woman in the 40s and WWII goes back in time and again a strong woman. Going against norms of that time. I am converting a room in my house that will be my new office. It will have one wall that will be a desk and the wall over that desk will be all cork board. I have tons of notes and with all the books in the works I like to have things out where I can see them, make more notes, add to ideas and newspaper clippings that help. Another wall will be my research bookshelves. Even in romance writing, I research. My "Kings of Angkor" is a big research project. I am combing though photos that I took while visiting back in December and January just recently. One of greatest story tellers, Tolkien used to write and tell stories to his children. He being a professor at Oxford didn't do a whole lot of academic publications on his own which was frowned upon but he was developing a world. He was creating mythologies and languages all his own. Here is a quote from his biography from the Tolkien page: "Meanwhile Tolkien continued developing his mythology and languages. As mentioned above, he told his children stories, some of which he developed into those published posthumously as Mr. Bliss, Roverandom, etc. However, according to his own account, one day when he was engaged in the soul-destroying task of marking examination papers, he discovered that one candidate had left one page of an answer-book blank. On this page, moved by who knows what anarchic daemon, he wrote In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. In typical Tolkien fashion, he then decided he needed to find out what a Hobbit was, what sort of a hole it lived in, why it lived in a hole, etc. From this investigation grew a tale that he told to his younger children, and even passed round." I am so glad that student left a page blank. Glad that the inner daemon wrote on those blank pages what he did and then wanted to find out what a Hobbit was and what a Hobbit hole was... Jane Austen took from her life and created the stories that we have come to love. She was not a widely traveled woman of this time... On the contrary she lived at the time of George washington and our founding father's. She was a woman who studied people around her and created some of the most memorable characters ever. She published six complete books. Those have been read over and over by her fans from the time she first published. From her biography page: "In the period spanning 1811-1816, she pseudonymously published Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice (a work she referred to as her "darling child," which also received critical acclaim), Mansfield Park and Emma." I have read her books over and over. I have watched the movies which are based on her books many times. Even my sons loved to watch them. She had a gift to bring out the best or the worst in a character. She was a keen student of us mere humans. She died far too young at age 41. So though she she wasn't widely travled she took what she knew and wrote. I hope you enjoy this little post. Now back to editing... till the horn blows as we say at the station.

The Many hats I wear...

Photo by Patrisha McLean. I am a writer. I am also a wife and mother... and grandmother. Hey wait, if I type long enough here the tones may go off and I will be off to another fire call. I am a paid, call FF for the town of Camden Maine. I am on call 24/7 unless I decide to turn off my pager which is not very often. It usually only happens if some of us decide within the department to go out and relax for the night or I am having a special occasion at home. It is very hard to not respond though. It can be in the middle of the day while I am writing or in the middle of the night. No,I don't sleep at the station. I am home, snug in my bed . The tones go off and up I come off my bed. After getting back from Cambodia the 13th, things were quiet and I got back on my feet. This week it's been a lot busier for sure which is fine by me. It's like being a race horse at the starting gate, just waiting to be let go, waiting for the sound of the gun to leap forward. We wait sometimes and wait and then go about our business and when we least expect it the call comes. I have been getting my office organized to some degree since my return. But it's still too wicked cold out there to use. So I will use my bed, I spread all my papers and research books out and continue to work up here. I have a manuscript back from the editor and I need to get working on that. Plus I am organizing my 2nd book of the series of The Kings of Angkor. On a side note. This last Wednesday while waiting for my nine year old son to get out of school, I saw one of the teachers there at the school. I had given her for her birthday one of my books. She wanted to know when the next one was coming out because she loved the first one. She had also given the book to her friend to read. I love hearing this. Word of mouth, building a foundation of future readers who will buy books by me. That was a good shot in the arm! So until the tones go off I will write. Enjoy your day!

Researching and traveling back in time

This post will be a bit about what I learned or remembered on my recent trip to Cambodia. It will also be about how I was affected by my trip to Angkor Wat. It was true I basically got no research done really while there BUT I tried to absorb anything and everything I came in contact with. I tried to capture everything on film. I have hundreds of photos that my daughter Megan and I shot in tandem. Photos that now for the most part I have uploaded to my facebook account I will now start pouring over to find certain photos that depict life of the time of Angkor but also of my Royal Family that I have written about and will be in the future. Well now with my cup of tea, two cats and a Chihuahua as my company I can sit and write. As I write Echo, the Boxer paces just outside of my room, my temporary office. I have myself plugged into Imagine Dragons and "It's Time". Sometimes I have to plug myself in. With boys gaming and Daniel now watching "Wizard's of Waverly Place" I need to have music. This is also one of my rowing songs. Well back to my hunt for my queens, Queen Jayarajadevi and Indradevi , the two sister queens and their beloved husband King Jayavarman VII. It wasn't until about his 60th year that he became King. I'm not sure how old they were, they are always presented as very youthful. He was king for about 38 years. When I wrote about them I had Nurung who would later become Jayavarman at about 40. Also I had him husband of one wife because it's hard for me to think about any man dividing his love between two women much less all the women they had in their lives.I have one of the queens , his aunt. It's easier for me to think that way. When I traveled to Cambodia there are things that I learned or remembered really fast. Traffic is still wicked crazy and it still amazes me that there aren't more accidents. I was telling my safety officer at the Fire Department how certain things would have given him a fit to see. I had to hope each time I rode in a tuk-tuk that the speeding cars that were coming towards us as we crossed traffic would stop or swerve. I would not get back on the back of a motor cycle though... well I almost did, told my daughter Megan that I needed to get to the bank on my last morning and would have resorted to it but was able to get a ride... When it's hot you should drink,drink,drink BUT if you are up in Siem Reap and at the temples and drinking to keep cool well it's not like there are porta potties all over. Well there may have been BUT if you know me I am not going to use a public bathroom unless it's an emergency... The few we found , one had a western style toilet. Second day it was more of a traditional one. It was clean and I managed. Meg was a good sport. She eats Khmer food every day at home, it's a lot cheaper then eating western food. I know, I spent a bit just buying milk, jam, bread and cookies to keep the kids and I in snacks while I stayed with them BUT for meals we ate Khmer which made me very happy. So when we got up to Siem Reap, how did we eat? Meg told her friend "I've been eating Khmer at each meal..." Thank you Meg! You are a sweetie and a good sport.Some of the places we ate at were roadside places for tourist so even though they had simple food, they charged tourist prices... So Meg and I made sure we drank our own water or tea we had brought with us. If I did by a fruit smoothie chances are it was made with bad ice so I took charcoal to hopefully prevent any kind of problems later. I didn't have any problems. Where ever you go you are going to find obnoxious people or tourist. You see it here in our town of Camden Maine along with the good ones. The first night we were in Siem Reap ,Chinese tourist,a large group of young ones, not the best example of their countrymen were at this restaurant. They had a few drinks already under their belt by the time we were seated, that was obvious. The wait staff were young and very timid. The large group when we got there were already full of themselves and as the night wore on they became worse to the point I was about to get up and ducktape their mouths or something. A French couple next to Megan and I kept looking over, eyebrows raised at the way this group would yell with an attitude to the poor waitresses. It finally got to the point that when one yelled "Waiter, you come here, NOW!" I turned as I stood and said. "Stop it now, they are busy!" Meg and I found that certain groups of tourist at the temples were loud, really obnoxious and very rude. At one point when we arrived early in the morning at Preah Khan. It was quiet and then a small busload of them arrived and all you could hear was them. Meg said "RUN!!!" We managed to keep a few steps ahead of them at that temple and fortunately the tour guide we hired kept us way ahead of them. Once at Angkor, The Bayon, Preah Khan Meg and I took photo after photo. I have yet to digest everything. It's too immense. I will be going through all those photos later day after day with a fine tooth comb... kinda like when going through with my boarding pass to board the last flight from Taiwan to the US and I got pulled aside for a random baggage check... I guess certain swear words are the same the world over. When I said under my breath "You can't be fu***** serious..." after the agent was picking everything and I mean everything apart... Turning everything on and going into everything, every nook and freaking cranny. The agent in Taiwan knew just what I was saying. Just like when outside Angkor Wat on the last afternoon when myself and some Italian or Spanish tourist were taking photos of one of their own and I was making a video. Well all of a sudden I said "ant" in Khmer, shut off my ipad and start dropping the "F Bomb" with fluency as the little buggers bit my foot. That brought quite the smile to one of the gentlemen in their group. I had a two fold reason for going to Cambodia and now having been there I have a better idea how much it will cost so I can save for my next trip. Living there in the past and being a tourist are two different things. This trip was like an introduction. Yes, I had lived there but when I went to Angkor Wat and the other temples there was far too much to see and absorb. Like Kent Davis said to me, 'you will not be doing any research, it's going to be take photos, see and try to absorb BUT you will get a lot more done when you get home'. That is so true. Now I know that when I go back, there will be certain things to see and study and to photograph. I tried to capture certain things. Some I did, some didn't come out so good because of the lack of light. Somethings without knowing or not certain of what I was seeing I took shots of, maybe not the best BUT now seeing them I remember how I felt when I stood in front of them. I was in awe of standing in front of the King I wrote about in my simple and humble way. I fell in love with him and his queens. He is to this day still spoken of with reverence for who he was and what he did for his country and people. It's amazing that a country that has gone through what it has the people still remember him. That is a very good testament indeed. Thankfully my friend Monica Hall dug up an article all on her own for me and sent it to me so when I woke up on the morning of when I was going to Preah Khan it was there waiting for me. Here is the address to the photographer who wrote the article and a book on this subject. I had read the article back when it came out thanks to Kent Davis. www.phalikan.com So Now I am going to introduce you to some of the photos that are of the Queens Jayarajadevi and her younger sister Indradevi. Also bas reliefs of the royal triad, King Jayavarman VII and his two queens.