Adventures N Writing

I have read many books "On Writing," throughout the years. I still do. I most recently read John Locke's book on how he sold 1,000,000 e-books in five months and enjoyed it a great deal. It dealt with the marketing and sales aspect (obviously) and contained some great information in it. Some of my favorite books on writing are by James Frey--"How to Write a Damn Good Novel," etc. These are fantastic books on how to build your story. I also love Sol Stein's books on the topic. The "Writer's Journey" by Chris Vogle is another great resource. There are a ton of great books on writing available to us, and thats' a really good thing because as writers we are always wanting to learn and evolve. As I read these books, I consider them in a way to be a mentorship. I have a few mentors that I work with on a regular basis like Mike Sirota (Yoda) and my dear friend Don McQuinn. Both of these guys are excellent sources as teachers and editors. They ha...

There is an experience that I think most women can relate to. There are some men who can also relate, but on a different level; they certainly can react when someone they love, such as a wife, sister, mother, friend has had this extremely uncomfortable experience. From the time women are little girls they are taught to look over their shoulder, to be aware of who is around them, and to trust their instinct. I can remember my dad having a talk with me before I went off to college and him telling me exactly what to do if I felt threatened. I can remember an LA police officer coming into the sorority house I belonged to and telling the members what to do if threatened. My husband gives me a reminder now and then as to what I should do if I feel threatened. All three of these men suggested everything from screaming, to going straight for that male anatomy that would make any man scream… Now for women, a threat can just be as simple as a feeling. If we live alone or even spend a night alon...

If you are interested in being a "CRF," here is the deal--I am only able to manage 100 "CRF's," so if you are truly intrerested and want to particpate, I hope you will let me know asap. :) So, here is what a "CRF" is: A "Core Reader Friend" follows this blog. It’s the best feeling for an author to know that there really are readers out there interested in what I write. I consider you a part of my “Core Reader Friends,” and because I do a lot of writing and I will be releasing four more books this year—one under my name as Michele Scott and three more under my pen name A.K. Alexander--I have been thinking of ways to get the information out there on a larger scale about the books. Here is what I am offering the “Core Reader Friends” group, (which will consist of only 100 friends), I would like to e-mail each “CRF” free PDF copies of each of my books three weeks prior to the release. I would be doing this in hopes that first off, you wo...

In the last month a very cool thing has happened for me as an author and I am trying to figure out how it happened. I am hoping my readers will respond to this post either by posting a response here or sending me an e-mail at michele@michelescott.com. You will be entered to win a Kindle. I will announce the winner on my site on July 21st. The questions I am looking to be answered are: 1. What causes you to buy a book--cover, description, etc? 2. What is your favorite genre? 3. Are you inclined to read a series over a stand alone? and 4. What do you think is most important--plot or characters? Also, please tell me a bit about yourself and reading habits if you would like. I am a curious author. :) Here is my story; It is an open account of my journey as a writer. I am posting this in hopes that if anyone is ever feeling down about their work, or life in general, that maybe my story will inspire them. I started out being published in 2005 with the Penguin Publishing group. They ...

It has been a long but fun weekend, and in order to get the week going a good brunch is in order...  This brunch is not only delicious and elegant but easy, too. Serve it with Schramsberg Chardonnay-based, vintage-dated sparkling wine. Blanc de Blancs blends citrus with tropical fruit notes and contains a soft vanilla flavor on the back palate. Huevos Rancheros 6 6-inch corn or flour tortillas vegetable oil 1⁄2 cup onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 12⁄3 cups (14 oz) canned tomatoes, chopped 8–10 green chiles, chopped (substitute: 2 4 oz cans green chile) 3⁄4 tsp salt 6 eggs 1⁄8 tsp pepper 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1⁄4 cup butter, melted Fry tortillas in oil until crispy. As you fry try to form a small well in each tortilla. Place tortillas in a baking dish. You may require two dishes depending on size. Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tbsp of oil until tender. Stir in tomatoes, green chile, and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Pour equal amounts of tomato mixture over...

The sun is finally shining after several days of rain here in San Diego.  This reminded me of the perfect time for some skewers and relaxing outside with some great company.  This recipe is from A Vintage Murder part of the Wine Lover's Mystery Series.  All my Wine Lover's Books have great recipes, and Happy Hour also has great food and wine pairings.   ½ cup mango chutney ½ cup orange juice ½ cup sweet and tangy barbecue sauce 8 pineapple chunks, each about 1” square 12 large prawns, peeled and deveined 12 large sea scallops 8 cherry tomatoes 8 pearl onions blanched, peeled In a food processor or blender purée chutney, orange juice, and barbecue sauce until smooth. Thread four 12-inch skewers in the following order: pineapple, prawn, scallop, tomato, onion, prawn, scallop, tomato, onion, prawn, scallop, pineapple. Brush skewers liberally with sauce and place in center of cooking grate. Grill 6 to 8 minutes or until prawns are pink and scallop...

You know it’s a very sad day when you realize that there is going to come a day when your parents will no longer be around. I think there are many of us now between our 40’s and 50’s who are living this reality and on top of that reality, we are also living with the fact that as our parents age, we find ourselves in the position of taking care of them. I now find myself right there in that place. I have always been a caretaker by nature. I was the favored babysitter in the neighborhood as a kid mainly because I had no real social life. But also because I really loved t babysit. I had children fairly young starting in my early twenties and having my third one in my early thirties. I’ve always loved to take care of children and animals. It’s something that makes me feel needed and good. But now in my early forties I am finding that is no longer small kids I am taking care of. I do still take care of my kids but obviously they are older now. And of course I still have a plethora of ani...