I can't believe it's October already! I know I say that each time I post, but where does the time go?
Found out some exciting news yesterday - my publisher, Highland Press, www.highlandpress.org has just become RWA approved! Isn't that awesome?
Highland Press has been very busy/sussessful in the two years they've been in business. Right now, one of their books, Fairy Special Romances, is up for a N.O.R. award. You can vote until Oct. 31st for Jacquie Rogers' book at http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/
Other Highland Press authors on the list to vote for (with books from other publishers) include, Dawn Thompson, Deborah MacGillivray, and Rowena Cherry.
Hope you're all enjoying the beautiful fall weather and curling up with a nice ghost book!
Till next time,
happy reading,
Ann Marie
Friday, October 05, 2007
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Perseverence is the key
FYI ~ On the sixth of every month I'll be blogging at The HEA Cafe blog presented by RWA Online. In fact, you can stop by to hear from different RWA Online authors everyday!
I just popped over and read Claire Delacroix's (aka Claire Cross) posting on "Creative Play" and it's got the rusty gears moving in my head.
You see ~ I have major writer's block at the moment. Over the last few years, life has continually gotten in the way. No matter how much I push, shove, climb over or try to walk around it, it won't budge long enough. Oh, I have moments of writing clarity. This past Spring, I finished a first draft. I put the book away to allow myself distance. I planned on going back to it with fresh eyes.
I guess I left the door ajar but the wind came and slammed it shut.
For the life of me, I can't get myself to sit down and begin my edits. It's silly really because writing soothes my soul. Truly. I feel so much better when I'm working on my craft.
So, why am I struggling so much with this?
Plain and simple worry I think. I have so many things changing and shifting in my life that I find it hard to sit and devote my attention to my author's work. And writing takes attention and devotion. When I'm on, I lose myself in it and happily so.
I could use that just about now.
Maybe I should dig out my copy of Julia Cameron’s book, THE ARTIST’S WAY. I purchased the book last year and made a half-hearted attempt to begin reading it.
It's about time I did. Don't you think?
Besides, I have some great new characters to share with the world. And some I've introduced before. The only way any of them will make the debut in their own stories is if I battle through this strange period in my life and give them a chance.
Until next time... persevere through the rough spots!
Joie
I just popped over and read Claire Delacroix's (aka Claire Cross) posting on "Creative Play" and it's got the rusty gears moving in my head.
You see ~ I have major writer's block at the moment. Over the last few years, life has continually gotten in the way. No matter how much I push, shove, climb over or try to walk around it, it won't budge long enough. Oh, I have moments of writing clarity. This past Spring, I finished a first draft. I put the book away to allow myself distance. I planned on going back to it with fresh eyes.
I guess I left the door ajar but the wind came and slammed it shut.
For the life of me, I can't get myself to sit down and begin my edits. It's silly really because writing soothes my soul. Truly. I feel so much better when I'm working on my craft.
So, why am I struggling so much with this?
Plain and simple worry I think. I have so many things changing and shifting in my life that I find it hard to sit and devote my attention to my author's work. And writing takes attention and devotion. When I'm on, I lose myself in it and happily so.
I could use that just about now.
Maybe I should dig out my copy of Julia Cameron’s book, THE ARTIST’S WAY. I purchased the book last year and made a half-hearted attempt to begin reading it.
It's about time I did. Don't you think?
Besides, I have some great new characters to share with the world. And some I've introduced before. The only way any of them will make the debut in their own stories is if I battle through this strange period in my life and give them a chance.
Until next time... persevere through the rough spots!
Joie
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Moody and Wonderous Earth
It's raining today. Not storming, just raining. I love hearing the sound of the cars on the slick road. The tires rolling through the rain water. I love the sound of the rain on the roof. It's the best sleeping weather, don't you think?
With the rain has come cooler air. It's August and my legs were cold when I went for a walk earlier. I'd wished I'd worn pants instead of shorts. Enjoy this while you can, I reminded myself, because with a blink of an eye the heat and humidity could roll right in.
The earth is a moody thing, isn't it? A wonderous and moody thing.
Well, I finished my appearance on at Coffee Thoughts - Blogging with Bonnie on Thursday. I had a lot of fun and it gave me renewed ambition to blog more often.
Perhaps, this time I can keep that up? Do you think?
Here's the final postings: Blogging with Bonnie - Joie Lesin
Who's running this story anyway?
Reading is an escape (Bonnie)
Simply beautiful
Does it run in the family?
Beginnings of a new friendship (Read an excerpt on this post.)
Until next time, enjoy the rain...
Joie
With the rain has come cooler air. It's August and my legs were cold when I went for a walk earlier. I'd wished I'd worn pants instead of shorts. Enjoy this while you can, I reminded myself, because with a blink of an eye the heat and humidity could roll right in.
The earth is a moody thing, isn't it? A wonderous and moody thing.
Well, I finished my appearance on at Coffee Thoughts - Blogging with Bonnie on Thursday. I had a lot of fun and it gave me renewed ambition to blog more often.
Perhaps, this time I can keep that up? Do you think?
Here's the final postings: Blogging with Bonnie - Joie Lesin
Who's running this story anyway?
Reading is an escape (Bonnie)
Simply beautiful
Does it run in the family?
Beginnings of a new friendship (Read an excerpt on this post.)
Until next time, enjoy the rain...
Joie
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Gray Ladies and Blogging with Bonnie at Coffee Thoughts
Morning!
I've now had two cups of coffee and am coherent enough to think. A good thing. Yes.
To start, I thought I'd piggyback on what Ann Marie posted and talk a little bit about "Gray Ladies."
I’ve seen many different stories of gray ladies throughout the world but there seems to be more in Britain than anywhere else.
One that I remember reading about was of a gray lady haunting a manor near Liverpool. It is reported that shortly after the woman’s marriage, her husband left for war. She died of despair but not before vowing to come back and haunt the hall until he returned to her.
Gray Lady is a term generally used for the spirit of a woman who had either died at the hand of her lover or died waiting for his return. The “gray” doesn’t necessarily stand for the color of clothes she wears – though it does apply at times. The gray can stand for the ghostly woman’s mood of pining away for her lover’s return.
I've now had two cups of coffee and am coherent enough to think. A good thing. Yes.
To start, I thought I'd piggyback on what Ann Marie posted and talk a little bit about "Gray Ladies."
I’ve seen many different stories of gray ladies throughout the world but there seems to be more in Britain than anywhere else.
One that I remember reading about was of a gray lady haunting a manor near Liverpool. It is reported that shortly after the woman’s marriage, her husband left for war. She died of despair but not before vowing to come back and haunt the hall until he returned to her.
Gray Lady is a term generally used for the spirit of a woman who had either died at the hand of her lover or died waiting for his return. The “gray” doesn’t necessarily stand for the color of clothes she wears – though it does apply at times. The gray can stand for the ghostly woman’s mood of pining away for her lover’s return.
~~~~~~~~~
News and Appearances
Here's a picture of my first book signing at The Book Corner in Woodbury, Minnesota in June.
I'm blogging with Bonnie at Coffee Time Romance's Coffee Thoughts this week. Please stop by and say hello. The conversation's interesting, there's excerpts and the coffee's hot (or cold if that's the way you prefer it). Hope to see you there!
To see what's been posted so far check out the links below.
Welcome Joie Lesin (Bonnie)
Early bird gets the worm! (Bonnie)
Until next time, Joie
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Haunted Places You Can Visit in the US
I love reading and writing ghost romances. If the story has a ghost, it has to be good! The ghosts in my stories are all figments of my imagination, but there are some great ‘true’ ghost stories out there too.
For all you daring ghost lovers, I thought I’d put together a list of true haunted places. I plan to make a very detailed list, adding more places as time permits according to state, country, etc., so check back often to see what’s new.
“The Buxton Inn”
Since I wrote about a haunted hotel in ‘Blue Moon Magic,’ I thought I’d start with the story of America’s most ghostly country Inn, The Buxton Inn, Ohio’s oldest continuously operated Inn in its original building since 1812. Visit the website at, http://www.buxtoninn.com/
Major Buxton's ghost is described as being a shadowy figure. He has been seen throughout the house, but he seems to be seen most in the dining room. He is easily identified by the guests because a sizable portrait of him hangs in the inn. (just like in Blue Moon Magic)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Resurrection Mary"
Resurrection Mary, also known as the "Vanishing Hitchhiker," is Chicago's best-known ghost story:
A young, blonde, Polish girl named Mary lived in Chicago in the early 1930s. Mary had gone dancing at the well-known Oh Henry Ballroom in Willow Springs and was returning home when she was killed in a car accident. Buried in Justice, Ilinois, in Resurrection Cemetery, her soul was unable to rest in peace, so her ghost, still wearing her 1930s ballgown, soon began to appear to drivers cruising along Archer Avenue, asking them for rides. Several people who claim to have picked her up say that as the car with Mary in it approaches Resurrection Cemetery, "The Vanishing Hitchhiker" mysteriously disappears…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Lemp Mansion”
Lemp Mansion, located in St. Louis, Missouri, was called one of the ten most haunted places in America by Life magazine in 1982.
Lemp Mansion was built in the early 1860's by William J. Lemp, the son of the founder of Lemp Brewery, John Adam Lemp. The Lemps were one of the richest families in St. Louis due to the great success of the brewery. They were also very eccentric. The decor of the mansion was considered odd in many ways.
Troubles didn't begin for the Lemps until 1901, when William Sr.'s favorite son, Frederick, died mysteriously at the age of 28. He was the heir apparent to the Lemp legacy, and his father was crushed. In 1904, still despondent over his loss, William Sr. shot himself through the heart in his office. His son, William Lemp, Jr., took over the business. In 1920, William's sister Elsa also committed suicide by shooting herself, although not in the mansion. In 1922, William sold the brewery at a huge loss. After the sale, he went into the same office that his father had nearly two decades before and shot himself. Despite all the tragic events that transpired in the mansion, the surviving Lemp, Charles, remained there. He was brother to William, Elsa, Frederick and one other surviving Lemp, Edwin. In 1949, at the age of seventy-seven, Charles killed the family dog and then shot himself. The house was then sold and used as a boarding house until 1977, when renovation began to make Lemp mansion into a bed and breakfast. This is when the paranormal events began.
Workers were disturbed by inexplicable banging noises and objects moving about on their own. What was most distressing, though, to the point where several workers quit, was the eerie sensation that they were being watched. Some of the men claimed that the unseen stares practically burned through them.
Today, visitors to the Lemp Bed and Breakfast have claimed to feel cold spots and see strange lights. Both guests and employees have been frightened by a "Lady in Lavender" on the third floor stairwell. She has also been seen in the first floor bathroom. Inexplicable noises still abound, the most notable being piano music and the barking of a phantom dog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you enjoyed these true ghost experiences and keep checking back for more additions!
Till next time, happy reading (and ghost hunting),
Ann Marie
For all you daring ghost lovers, I thought I’d put together a list of true haunted places. I plan to make a very detailed list, adding more places as time permits according to state, country, etc., so check back often to see what’s new.
“The Buxton Inn”
Since I wrote about a haunted hotel in ‘Blue Moon Magic,’ I thought I’d start with the story of America’s most ghostly country Inn, The Buxton Inn, Ohio’s oldest continuously operated Inn in its original building since 1812. Visit the website at, http://www.buxtoninn.com/
Major Buxton's ghost is described as being a shadowy figure. He has been seen throughout the house, but he seems to be seen most in the dining room. He is easily identified by the guests because a sizable portrait of him hangs in the inn. (just like in Blue Moon Magic)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Resurrection Mary"
Resurrection Mary, also known as the "Vanishing Hitchhiker," is Chicago's best-known ghost story:
A young, blonde, Polish girl named Mary lived in Chicago in the early 1930s. Mary had gone dancing at the well-known Oh Henry Ballroom in Willow Springs and was returning home when she was killed in a car accident. Buried in Justice, Ilinois, in Resurrection Cemetery, her soul was unable to rest in peace, so her ghost, still wearing her 1930s ballgown, soon began to appear to drivers cruising along Archer Avenue, asking them for rides. Several people who claim to have picked her up say that as the car with Mary in it approaches Resurrection Cemetery, "The Vanishing Hitchhiker" mysteriously disappears…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Lemp Mansion”
Lemp Mansion, located in St. Louis, Missouri, was called one of the ten most haunted places in America by Life magazine in 1982.
Lemp Mansion was built in the early 1860's by William J. Lemp, the son of the founder of Lemp Brewery, John Adam Lemp. The Lemps were one of the richest families in St. Louis due to the great success of the brewery. They were also very eccentric. The decor of the mansion was considered odd in many ways.
Troubles didn't begin for the Lemps until 1901, when William Sr.'s favorite son, Frederick, died mysteriously at the age of 28. He was the heir apparent to the Lemp legacy, and his father was crushed. In 1904, still despondent over his loss, William Sr. shot himself through the heart in his office. His son, William Lemp, Jr., took over the business. In 1920, William's sister Elsa also committed suicide by shooting herself, although not in the mansion. In 1922, William sold the brewery at a huge loss. After the sale, he went into the same office that his father had nearly two decades before and shot himself. Despite all the tragic events that transpired in the mansion, the surviving Lemp, Charles, remained there. He was brother to William, Elsa, Frederick and one other surviving Lemp, Edwin. In 1949, at the age of seventy-seven, Charles killed the family dog and then shot himself. The house was then sold and used as a boarding house until 1977, when renovation began to make Lemp mansion into a bed and breakfast. This is when the paranormal events began.
Workers were disturbed by inexplicable banging noises and objects moving about on their own. What was most distressing, though, to the point where several workers quit, was the eerie sensation that they were being watched. Some of the men claimed that the unseen stares practically burned through them.
Today, visitors to the Lemp Bed and Breakfast have claimed to feel cold spots and see strange lights. Both guests and employees have been frightened by a "Lady in Lavender" on the third floor stairwell. She has also been seen in the first floor bathroom. Inexplicable noises still abound, the most notable being piano music and the barking of a phantom dog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope you enjoyed these true ghost experiences and keep checking back for more additions!
Till next time, happy reading (and ghost hunting),
Ann Marie
Friday, August 03, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
PROMO: Vintage Romance Publishing has a brand-new website!
Check it out now at www.vrpublishing.com and tell us what you think by posting your comment at our Bebo site (www.vintageromance2004.bebo.Com). Everyone who posts as comment has a chance to win a free copy of any Vintage Romance paperback of your choice and/or a small token of our appreciation just for participating.
And if you join sign up as one of Vintage Romance's Bebo friends, your name will be entered into another drawing which will take place at the end of August. What can you win? Three books of your choice and a promotional package!
So come share your thoughts at www.vintageromance2004.bebo.com.
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