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I just enjoyed reading The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown. The characters are well drawn, odd yet believable. Bits of humor added to the winsome way the story is told. Are you a Shakespeare lover? Do you have sisters? Then you'd probably like it.
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  A book makes a thoughtful gift -- at holiday time or anytime. And eBooks don't need wrapping or shipping, so they are great for last minute shopping!
But how do you actually give someone an eBook? How Gifting Works
Sample gift e-mail Dear [Giftee’s name]: [Your name, as listed in your Smashwords profile] has given you a gift of the ebook "Unexpected Impact" by Nancy MacCreery on Smashwords! To pick up your gift, please click the following link, or copy it and paste it into your web browser: https://www.smashwords.com/gift/pickup/alf0l3uavns48cgowc8w4sc04 If you already have an account on Smashwords.com (we'll prompt you to log in, if necessary) you'll have instant access to this book. If you don't have an account on Smashwords, you will be asked to create one — don't worry, it's easy and free! We hope you enjoy your gift! The Smashwords Team Here's how to read Smashwords ebooks! Step 1: Click to the book page by clicking on the book title above. Step 2: You'll be prompted to log in to your Smashwords account. If you don't yet have an account, you'll be prompted to create one. It's quick and free to create an account. Sign up, click the hyperlink in the e-mail and you're in. Step 3: Once you're logged in, your gift will be saved for you and you will be able to click to get your book (or click to your Library to find your book) and click the download format you prefer. Step 4: Read! Here's our FAQ on how to download Smashwords ebooks to any device: https://www.smashwords.com/about/supportfaq#Reading. We send a copy of the gift e-mail to you as well, so that if for some reason your giftee doesn't get the e-mail, you can pass it along to them yourself. Thanks for reading this! Good luck with your holiday shopping! Nancy The inspiration for Haiku can come from anywhere, even a walk though a familiar neighborhood. I hope you enjoy these brief vignettes of summer. They are fun to compose -- try adding yours in the comments. Burnt grass, faded spots Flowers hold their dying stalks August heat hits hard  Lean back, feet in the sand Red skin tingling and warm Setting sun ends day  Sliver green patterns
Make reflections dance Across the peaceful water  I remember reading the book Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer. it was a dramatic book (best read on a hot summer day ) -- in it, privileged people paid for adventure. They made poor decisions and brought things along that were unwise; sadly, lives were lost. But beyond that, what struck me was the trash. Everest was not treated as a pack it in, pack it out environment; garbage and empty oxygen canisters accumulate by the trails. So what's this got to do with space? Well, a recent announcement by SpaceX* indicates that two private citizens, who have not yet been named, approached SpaceX about taking a trip around the moon, and have "already paid a significant deposit" for the cost of the mission. What an adventure! That rocket will take them even higher than Everest. I hope that space doesn't become totally cluttered with debris. What do you think about it? Do you think Sophia would do well in space?
Let me know if the comments below! Thanks for reading!  I've got a blue button on my hair dryer.
The instructions said that when you push it, negative ions* come out in the air. I have no idea if it really works, but even so, in the morning when I'm drying my hair, sometimes I push the button. And I smile. :) It's automatic -- I don't know if I'm smiling at myself because I'm pushing a button that does nothing, or if it really works. It doesn't matter. Bottom line, I always feel just a little better. So, look for your blue buttons of happiness. They're out there! And smile. Have a great day, Nancy *It's a bit backwards, but negative ions are supposed to make you feel better. They are also produced by waterfalls, which might be why most people find falling water so refreshing. Valentine's Day focuses on love, and especially romantic love. So for those who aren't in a romance, it can be depressing. It was for Sophia. One Valentine's Day, she was newly divorced and working at a new job where she hadn't had a chance to make any friends yet. She walked by the receptionist only to see candies and vases of flowers. The woman in the cube next to her received a dozen roses. Then the guy on the other side spent hours talking about what his girlfriend was going to do for him (a bit too loudly so she couldn't help hearing). So she wrote this post -- something for all of you who don't have a special someone, or whose special someone isn't around or isn't the romantic type. It's also good to read if you're just looking for something uplifting . She titled it -- Things I love that have nothing to do with Valentine's Day. 1) Sunsets over water  2) Sunsets just about anywhere 3) Cherry tress in bloom   4) Birds chirping
5) Daffodils in bloom 6) The way babies smell when they've just had a bath 7) Going for a long walk in a quiet park on a warm spring day 8) And last but not least -- Pushing the publish button on a blog post! Thanks for reading -- I have a hunch that she didn't get them all -- what would you add? Nancy Happy New Year ! First, a big thank you for reading! I really appreciate it when you read my books, join my Facebook page or subscribe to the newsletter. To sum up my first full year of blogging, here are my top blog posts of 2016 as ranked by Facebook "likes". See if you agree with the rankings: 1 ) What Makes a Memorable Hero? 2 ) Have you been bitten by the Jane Austen bug?   If I missed one you liked, or if you have suggestions for topics you'd like to read about, please comment!  If you are interested in new books, I am targeting to have one out in the first half of 2017. Watch for updates in the newsletter or join the conversation on Facebook!
Wishing you a great 2017! Nancy  There is a Verizon commercial where the announcer asks "who wouldn't want more?" My favorite part is when the little girl says, very politely, "no thank you father" when offered another gift. I understand that it's advertising and they want to convey that you get more services. But it started me thinking -- do we really want more? Sometimes more isn't better. For example, marketers are finding out that more content isn't necessarily better. More words don't necessarily add to a poem or story. And have you heard some one say "we have more channels and nothing good to watch"? And more electronic options and social media channels to communicate don't seem to have drawn us together. While it's convenient to be able to video chat with someone, how often do we do it vs. texting? This is even more evident during the holiday season, where the pursuit of more is everywhere. For some it's more entertaining, more cookies, especially more gifts. Pressure is on to buy, buy, buy -- by phone ads, diamond ads, perfume ads, even new cars have bows on them. Because of this, many people feel stressed, overwhelmed or even depressed, depending on their situation in life. Some people might even look like this:  So if you're one of the people that is stressed or sad at the holidays, what can you do?
Take a step back and look around you. Try to do things that inspire you instead of doing things that wear you down.
What do you do to increase your holiday cheer? Please add in the comments. Thank you so much for reading, I wish you the best of the holiday season! Nancy From time to time, I come across a poem that intrigues me. See if it speaks to you.  Lo! I am come to autumn, When all the leaves are gold; Grey hairs and golden leaves cry out The year and I are old. In youth I sought the prince of men, Captain in cosmic wars, Our Titan, even the weeds would show Defiant, to the stars. But now a great thing in the street Seems any human nod, Where shift in strange democracy The million masks of God. In youth I sought the golden flower Hidden in wood or wold, But I am come to autumn, When all the leaves are gold. Gilbert Keith Chesterton  If you can see God in every face, behind every mask, that is certainly a blessing. If so, your Your voice, your compassion, and your actions have always been important.
And they are needed even more today. Have you ever read a story that didn’t have some kind of villain? It’s tough to write a griping story without someone that provokes conflict. That makes it a challenge when an author like me has has a tendency to develop too much empathy for my characters to make them real villains. For example, Liza in Cinnamon Bourbon and Deception was supposed to cause problems but she had too much spunk and refused to cooperate. You’ll see more about her in the future, but for now, back to villains ... Both bad and good characters need to exhibit a mix of good and bad quirks to make them interesting, but villains have evil motivations as well. Consciously observing and incorporating negative behaviors from real life as well as fiction helps to make my intended “villains” more viable and “heroes” more believable – and sometimes add a bit of humor. Recent events have been great for this, so I’ve complied a list for my future use. Which would make a character most irritating or untrustworthy? Downright unlikable? Take a look through the list below and vote by leaving a comment below. 1) Lying -- A character can get caught in a lie and then become caught in a web of further lies. This can be funny if it’s a silly lie -- many sitcoms are based on this. George Castanza was always getting caught up in his lies. But when a character an expert at lying, telling stories and distorting facts to another character’s disadvantage, they’re on their way to being a villain. 2) Denial and Blame Shifting -- Even when there is clear proof or recorded evidence, the characters lies without flinching. Nothing is ever the character’s fault. When caught in a lie or other situation where they are at culpable, they find a way to blame others. “No, sir, I didn’t kill the chicken”, he said, dusting a feather off his pants. “It must have been that immigrant you hired, I’ve heard people say he’s always eyeing the chickens.” 3) Never admitting they are wrong -- When denial and blame deflection doesn’t work, villains rarely admit guilt or say they are sorry, and if they are forced to, they say it in a way that’s really not an apology. “I am sorry – sorry I ever let him talk me into playing this game in the first place.” 4) Switching the Topic -- This is a sophisticated tactic where the character, in order to avoid having to answer for something they’ve done, will change the topic or reframe the situation. They attempt to confuse or humiliate other characters -- to keep them preoccupied, confused or put them on the defensive. For example, a slight suggestion that changes the character’s original plan would be met with “you are always criticizing, big stuff” or “your face has big brown smudge on it”, or “is this like the time you told me to get off at the first stop?”. 5) Projecting -- This is a tactic in which the character accuses another of doing exactly what they are being accused of. For example, a dishonest character may start a rumor to label another character as dishonest to deflect from their own lying. “I don’t know if it’s true, but I think Jimmy cheats at poker.” He said as he slipped the ace into his sleeve. Or when they exhibit horrible behavior to someone and they are confronted, they’ll act insulted and attack the assertive character, accusing them of not being “nice”, claiming to be the victim. 6) Generalizing and Exaggerating -- The character can use words like “it’s a disaster,” “this is tremendous,” “we are in a big, fat, ugly bubble,” “it’s unbelievable”. He/she also loves to use the language of “everyone” or “many people” as in “everyone tells me she’s a witch” – a claim that is very difficult to prove or disprove or fact-check. This trait can range from humorous to abusive, depending on how the character relates to others in the story. 7) Yelling and Interrupting -- A voice can be a tool of violence in a scene. A villain or bad character can use their voice a weapon in order to ensure that they are the ones heard most. They will confront anyone who tries to stand up to him/her by raising their volume. This is particularly effective on soft spoken or risk-adverse characters. If volume alone doesn’t do it, expert interruptions combined with some of the techniques above can confuse and even overpower the other characters. 8) Fear-Mongering -- A character can attempt to provoke fear, exaggerating the worse case scenarios, gross generalizations and misperceptions. This is a very powerful tactic of manipulation, as it is very hard to stabilize an atmosphere of terror. Think of characters that incite lynch mobs, genocide, or demonize people who are “different”. The worst villain incites the fear, but steps aside to let the mob do his dirty work for him. 9) Body Shaming / Belittling -- Body-shaming is a tactic that can cause another character pain. When directed at a vulnerable area, they may be too humiliated to speak, advocate, or appear in public. Belittling is psychologically making the person feel small or unworthy. It can be subtle: “Sure I’m interested in your little project”. 10) Physical intimidation – using size or proximity to another character to make them uncomfortable or threaten them. He leaned over her shoulder to see what she was writing, his thick hand resting heavily on her upper arm, moving toward her chest. On the lighter side All of these can be bad, but can these characteristics be humorous rather than abusive? When mixed with other good traits and used lightly, a character who lies, denies or generalizes can be funny, especially if they don't mean to hurt others. But it depends on their relationships. If the character has or wants real power over the other characters for evil purposes, combining several of these traits can result in a certified villain.  Do you agree? Please vote and comment below.
Thanks for reading! Nancy |
Nancy MacCreeryInsights on writing, characters, humor and other tidbits from the author of the "Scoops and Schemes" series of novels. Archives
December 2017
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