Category Archives: Uncategorized

Mythical Monday: Hitching a Ride with the Ferryman, by Mae Clair

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mysterious worldLet me start by saying this is not a gent I’d want to take a boat ride with!

Charon is the ferryman who provides transport on the mythical rivers of Styx and Acheron, bodies of water that separate the plane of the living from the underworld. It’s Charon’s job to gather the souls bound for hades and ferry them across the river (they’re delivered to him by Hermes, but that’s material for another post. :) )

Why anyone would want to pay for a ride like that is beyond me, but Charon wasn’t above profiting from the assignment. A shrewd or greedy guide (depending on your viewpoint) he required an obol for passage – - a silver coin placed in the mouth of the dead.

For this reason, family members would often bury their loved ones with a coin placed under the tongue, ensuring they carried the required payment for a journey to the netherworld. Those unable to produce the proper fee were turned away and forced to wander the banks of the river Acheron for a span of one hundred years. Ugh! Given the limited appeal of the place, I’m sure that got old quickly. Especially with Charon lurking around waiting for the next tour group to show up.

bigstock-Halloween-Background-38739022The son of Erebus (darkness) and Nix (night) in Greek Mythology, this was not a guy with a pleasant disposition. He’s often depicted as an ugly bearded man with a crooked nose. Let’s face it – - ferrymen in mythology, literature, and fantasy, generally do not fit the Good Samaritan variety.  They’re sinister, creepy, and skulk about in raggedy cloaks of black or gray, perpetual mourners shrouded in tomb colors.

On a cool side note, Charon is also the name of Pluto’s largest moon (another is called Nix). In mythology, Pluto was the ruler of the underworld.

Bonus cool side note: the HMS Erebus was the name of the ship Sir John Franklin commanded on his expedition to discover the Northwest Passage in 1845. The other vessel was the HMS Terror commanded by Captain Francis Crozier.  Both ships were lost after becoming trapped in the ice. The truth about what happened to the expedition and the crews remains one of the greatest unsolved nautical mysteries in history. Neither ship has ever been found.

Can you think of other examples where a mythological name has been applied to something in modern times or history – - such as Disney’s cartoon character, Pluto, the brand Nike, or the investment fund, Janus?

Or have you ever taken a ride on a ferry that you’d like to share? Believe it or not, I can’t recall ever ferrying across water. Apparently, I’ve been woefully deprived!

A Skip and a Hop by Mae Clair

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I have been neglectful of my blog the last two days, which feels a bit like withdrawal. I’ve missed being here. Life got away from me for a bit, as it is prone to do every now and then. Just entirely too much on my plate to juggle, as my evenings were sucked up by errands and house projects. Last night, however, did include a nice dinner out with my hubby. We needed the break!

Now I’m back! Sort of, LOL. Today, I’m actually hopping over to Sonya Clark’s blog for an interview to chatter about WEATHERING ROCK– including where my initial inspiration came from. If you get a chance, swing by and say hello.

Hope everyone is having a great week! I’m on countdown for Friday! :)

Mae Clair: Spotlight on ASHER’S DILEMMA by Coleen Kwan

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CARINA_AshersDilemma_compressedI’m excited to showcase a new release by Coleen Kwan. ASHER’S DILEMMA is a follow-up to her steampunk novel, ASHER’s INVENTION. Isn’t that cover stunning? Read further to see what else this engaging author has to tempt us with!

~ooOOoo~

BLURB:
Ever since he awoke one day on the floor of his workshop with a brain-splitting headache, Asher Quigley has been haunted by fleeting visions of a beautiful woman everywhere he looks—a woman he’s sure he knows, but can’t recall. In spite of this he has finished his most wondrous invention yet, one that will literally make history: a time machine. But before he can complete his exacting calculations a bizarre accident causes the device to be activated, with him inside! He awakes to find himself in his lab, eight months in the past, and suddenly he remembers her…

Asher knows that something in the near future causes Minerva Lambkin, the woman who turned down his marriage proposal, to be erased from existence. And he’s sure it has something to do with his device. Alone in a familiar world where he doesn’t belong, he’ll have to find a way to destroy the time machine to save the woman he loves from extinction. Even if that means erasing his own future.

BUY LINKS:
Carina Press
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

EXCERPT:
Asher peeled open his eyes to find himself lying face down. The uneven brick floor beneath him struck cold through his sketchy clothing. Frosty air licked at his cheek, frilling his skin with goose bumps. He dragged himself up to a sitting position, and almost vomited as his brain spun like a top.

He was still in his workshop, but instead of sultry August it was now the depths of winter. His breath hung in the air in vaporous clouds, and he had begun to shiver uncontrollably. Frisking his arms, he forced himself to ignore his violent nausea and take in his surroundings.

His invention was still there. Yet, it wasn’t quite the same masterpiece he’d built. This contraption was still a prototype, incomplete, the tarry black promethium magnets incorrectly placed on the copper shell. He remembered how long it had taken him to work out the correct position of each magnet. This machine exactly resembled one of his earlier attempts.

Which meant…his calculations were correct, and his invention had worked! He’d done it.

He, Asher Quigley, had travelled back in time.

Cold sweat trickled down his spine as his success sank in. He’d made the impossible possible. He’d broken the time barrier. He’d discovered a way of traversing the once-immutable dimension.

But where in time had he landed?

Lifting his hand to massage his forehead, he saw he was still clutching the stalking compass, though he had no memory of picking it up. He tucked the object into the pocket of his trousers and rubbed his eyes as he concentrated all his fractured thoughts on the buttons his stalking compass had bounced over. What parameters had been set before the lever had been pulled? Think, man, think.

Out of his brain haze memory came teetering back like a gin-soaked drunk. Eight months. He’d been flung back in time eight months, which explained the teeth-chattering cold.

And then from the mist more memories began to pour out. Only, these came screaming out at him like banshees, and the howling cut him to ribbons. He squeezed his eyes shut against the pain.

Eventually the shrieking disappeared, but the anguish inside him coalesced into a suffocating lump.

Finally he knew who the woman was who teased him day and night. She was no figment of his imagination. Not here, not now, eight months earlier. Here she was real. She was living flesh and blood.

She was Minerva Lambkin. She had captured and fragmented his heart twice over. Yet in the future she did not exist at all. The realization made him break out into a cold, gut-clenching sweat, and the torment only intensified as instinct told him he was responsible. The details eluded him, but he knew he was right. He had somehow caused Minerva’s extinction.

~ooOOoo~

AUTHOR BIO:
Coleen Kwan has been a bookworm all her life. At school English was her favorite subject, but for some reason she decided on a career in IT. After many years of programming, she wondered what else there was in life — and discovered writing. She loves writing contemporary romance and steampunk romance.

Coleen lives in Sydney, Australia with her partner and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys avoiding housework, eating chocolate, and watching The Office.

Look for Coleen at the following haunts:
Website
Twitter
Facebook

Mae Clair: I Have a Winner!

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I’m pleased to announce the winner of my $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble: Veronika

Congrats, Veronika! Consider yourself showered with confetti. I will be contacting you by email to see which you prefer (Amazon or B&N).

The overall winners for the hop are:
Kindle Fire Winner:
Angela Heart
$75 Amazon Gift Card:
Emma D.
Swag Pack:
Kim Brooks

Thanks to everyone who dropped by and made the hop such a success and special thanks to Carrie Ann Ryan for organizing it. I also truly appreciate the new “likes” and follows given my Facebook page and blog. You guys rock! :D What an amazingly fun hop!

~ooOOoo~

I don’t usually blog on the weekend, but I’ve got to share what happened yesterday, given the whole concept of the hop was to share thoughts about Black Friday shopping.

Yesterday (THE day of retail chaos) I ended up with some time to kill, so I decided to venture into the melee. It was around 1PM when I suffered this appalling lack of sanity. I reasoned the bulk of the crowds would be gone given most shoppers were up before sunrise. WRONG! Oh, how pathetically, dreadfully wrong! I shudder even now thinking about it.

But in my moment of bravery lunacy, I hit the local Kohl’s. The parking lot was packed (warning flag #1), but I managed to find a spot at the end. I told myself I’d driven that far, so why not go inside?  It was crowded – - okay, bustling (warning flag #2) – - but I thought “I can do this.”

Oblivious to the throngs around me, I picked up several items, then headed to the register. That’s when reality kicked in (“Danger, danger, Will Robinson!”).

I couldn’t see the end of the line. It was like one of those diminishing winding snake-things you see in a cartoon, wrapping from the front of the store to the back. On, and on, and on. I never did see where it ended. And the people waiting had CARTLOADS of merchandise. That’s when “I can do this” became “forget it.” I put everything back and left.

The good news is that I returned at 6:30 AM this morning and got everything I wanted for the same Black Friday prices. Best of all, there were only a handful of people in the store. Much more my speed.

Added bonus: I was able to drag my husband with me given he wanted to go out for breakfast (bribery works! :) ) . So we hit Kohl’s, had breakfast, then hit Boscov’s. I can’t tell you the deals I came home with. Turns out I’m still a Black Friday shopper, after all – as long as it’s on Saturday!

I hope however you spent your Black Friday, you had fun!

Mae Clair’s Wizards with Words: Loni Flowers

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Welcome to another edition of Wizards with Words. Today, I have the extreme, roll-out-the-red-carpet pleasure of welcoming Loni Flowers to my humble blog haunt. *happy dance* 

Loni has become a wonderful writer friend. Her debut novel TAKING CHANCES is a heart-wrenching and sweet romantic tale that is available now. If you like characters who steal your heart, then drag you through emotional ups and downs on their path to overcoming adversity, you’ll love this novel. You’ll be crying, you’ll be cheering. It’s Hallmark in a book and, like a Hallmark movie, will leave you with a warm glow when all is said and done. Before we talk about Loni’s characters, Clair and Alex, let’s say hello to Loni.

I’m so happy to have you here today, Loni. Thanks for taking the time to chat with me on my blog. Can you share a bit about yourself and how you got started writing?

Loni:  Wow Mae! I didn’t know dropping by your blog would get so much praise. I can’t tell you enough how much it excites me that you loved Taking Chances!

Hmm… A little about myself you ask? Well, I’m married to my high school sweetheart (of sorts) and have been for eleven years now. We dated in high school for a bit, nothing serious, but then I moved away to another state for a year before moving back a year later after I graduated a different high school. We reconnected and were engaged three months later. When you know, you know! We have two beautiful daughters age 3 and 6 and I have a little more grey because of them! Just kidding, they are my life; I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I didn’t find a passion with writing until a few years ago. I never even considered it as something I would love to do. Once a friend convinced me to read this series she loved (Harry Potter and Twilight) I was hooked on reading.  I hated it in school and sadly associated reading as boring. I wish someone would have opened my eyes up sooner! Anyway, once I started reading, I decided to start writing book reviews. That’s where it all started. Then I had a crazy idea about a homeless girl and decided to give writing a novel a shot. What’s the worst that could happen? I looked at it as a challenge to myself mostly. My challenge has taken to me to places I never dreamed.

TAKING CHANCES is your first novel and a truly lovely debut. Your two main characters, Clair and Alex, were both once homeless. I remember reading your explanation of what originally prompted you to tell their tale and was intrigued by your insight. Can you share it again now?

Loni:  Thank you for saying that!  First you must know my mind has a weird cycle it does when given the opportunity to think on its own. I know, it scares me sometimes too! One day on the way to work I noticed two men and one woman walking together down the side of the road. They were young, I’m guessing in the early twenties. They looked homeless with their ragged clothing and large over-sized backpacks, but I can’t be for certain and it was merely my assumption. I didn’t think about them again until on my way home that evening. I wondered how far they were able to walk in the eight hours I had been at work. I wondered if one of the men were dating the girl. Then I had this thought, “OMG! What if she got pregnant, while she was homeless?? What would she do???”

See I told you. My mind can go from one extreme to the next with the snap of your fingers.  This was how my initial idea of Taking Chances came about.

One of the things I liked best about your novel was your ability to immediately engage me in the lives of the characters. I fell in love with Alex from the moment he appeared (OMG, he’s such a white knight!) and was emotionally torn for Clair. You gave her serious trust issues that dovetailed perfectly with your plot. While Alex also had ‘baggage,’ Clair was the pivotal character who grew throughout the book. Did you finder her harder to write than Alex for that reason?

Loni:  I was actually pretty amazed at myself when I finished writing this novel. I couldn’t believe I managed to intertwine so many little plot threads and have it all flow so perfectly together. Originally this book was going to be first person from Clair’s point of view. But the more I wrote, the more Alex kept talking to me. He wanted his own part. He wanted us to see his side of things, not just read about through Clair’s eyes. For that reason, I think Clair was more difficult. I knew from the start Alex was troubled but possibly the sweetest man known to mankind. He’s strong and loving and loyal, but not afraid to tell you like it is.

Making Clair grow as a character was tough. I didn’t want her to be too whiny, too soft, or give in too easily. Trying to get her just right the way I wanted her was a lot of work!

I’m glad you gave them both their moments in the spotlight because I enjoyed having both POVS. TAKING CHANCES is layered with a good deal of raw angst, and I can only imagine some of the scenes must have been draining to write (given the rollercoaster of emotions you wrung from me)! Fair statement?

Loni:  Haha! Yes! There are several scenes that were tough to write. I don’t want to specifically name them, that would spoil it, but (and you may laugh at this) for me, the love scenes are the absolute hardest. I spent DAYS on them. We all know sex is sex, but to describe it in a way that doesn’t feel like you’re reading a step by step guide on lovemaking was tough for me. More than anything, describing how much you love someone and all the feelings that go with those moments in more ways than just a simple “I love you” is a lot harder.

I can definitely appreciate that! You also introduced two highly likeable secondary characters who added to the feel of ‘town life.’ I could easily see your story unfolding in Anywhere Town, U.S.A., which made it highly relatable. I especially loved the diner where Clair worked and wanted to drop in for a cup of coffee. Do you find it easy to ‘set scenes’ like you did with the diner?

Loni: I guess it depends on what’s coming up as I write. Sometimes I haven’t a clue what will happen next and sometimes I do. For this book, it all seemed to flow together since it all started with a Diner. I built off of that. I find it easier to create my own towns and places of interest. This way, I can make it just the way I want without a reader telling me that they actually live in X town and that is not what their street looks like. If I select a state, research basic geography, I can do what I want.

Okay, some general writing questions because we’re all curious about how others work. :)  Plotter, panster or somewhere in between?

Loni:  Somewhere in between. Usually I have an idea so I’ll just start writing. When I get stuck I do a very broad outline. This usually leads to me eventually writing out dialogue for a particular character and when that happens, I know it’s time to start writing.

Favorite time of the day to write?

Loni:  At night. Most of my writing is done after eight, when the kids are in bed. There is no room for concentration when those two are running around.

I love coming up with names for my characters when I’m starting a new manuscript. How do you choose yours? Any specific reasons for selecting ‘Alex’ and ‘Clair’?

Loni:  I have a baby name book left over from my pregnancy. It’s a great resource for name hunting. No particular reason for Alex and Clair… but doesn’t their names sound well together???

LOL! I like that! :) What are you currently reading on your Kindle, Nook or in print?

Loni:  Oh boy!  Don’t kill me, because I know you’re a fan of the series. I’ve been trying forever to read book 4, City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare. I love the series, but I find it super difficult to manage reading and writing at the same time. For now, writing has its grip on me.

I am going to have to put writing on the back burner though, because I just downloaded this awesome sounding book that I’ve been dying to get my eyes on!  It’s called Weathering Rock by some chick named Mae Clair … have you heard of it??? It’s going to be wonderful!!

You are a HOOT! And yeah, I think I’ve run into that chick and her book a time or two *big grin* Any favorite authors or book titles, you’d like to share?

Loni:  Yes, of course! Back in my book reviewing days I found a new author, Stefne Miller. She has three books out currently:  Salvaged, Rise, and Collision. They are so uplifting and awesome. I’m always encouraging others to pick up her books. You can get them anywhere.  And soon Collision is going to be made into a movie. It will be awesome. I will need Kleenex. A lot of Kleenex!!

Another book I’d recommend has stuck with me since the first day I read it. It has a taboo subject about a brother and sister falling in love. I know it sounds gross and I thought the same when I read the synopsis. But I’ve never been one to just toss something aside when I could be amazing. There were a lot of readers out there that just can’t seem to get past this taboo subject and refuse to give it a try. I understand that everyone has their own views and opinions, but this book was simply amazing. It was so heartbreaking and made me cry like no other book has before. I mean, I’m talking the kind of cry where you’re curled up in the fetal position bawling. I think when an author can invoke that much raw emotion out of their reader, they’ve done something amazing. Regardless of the tears and the sadness, the plot and the characters were so well written that the taboo subject didn’t matter anymore. Their story is what mattered in the end.

I highly recommend checking out Forbidden by Tabitha Suzuma.

You’ve definitely got me curious. I remember reading Flowers in the Attic back in the day (and the books that followed) and that also involved a brother and sister. I never would have thought I’d get wrapped up in a story like that but I loved those books!

Any new manuscripts you’re working on that we can look forward to?

Loni:  Yes! I’m extremely excited for my next contemporary romance. Painted Memories will hopefully be out by the end of January 2013! You can check out the synopsis, the bookcover and even read the rough 1st draft of chapter one

Wonderful! And some quick random questions  ~

Silver or gold?
Loni:  I’m not picky… either.

Mountains or seaside?
Loni:  Oh now you’re just talking silly… seaside of course!

Sunset picnic or candlelight dinner?
Loni: Candlelight dinner

Dusk or dawn?
Loni:  Dusk

Loni, thank you again for visiting my blog and taking the time to do this interview. Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share before we close?

Loni:  Mae, thank you so very much for having me stop by your wonderful blog. You’ve had so many other awesome authors over and I’m honored to be a part of your lineup.

I’d like to add a big “thank you“ to anyone who’s already read or is considering to take a chance on Taking Chances. It’s truly an honor to be selected out of the millions of books available out there in the world, so thank you from the bottom of my heart!

~ooOOoo!

To find out more about Loni Flowers and TAKING CHANCES, look for her at the following haunts:

Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads

Read Chapter One of TAKING CHANCES and excerpts on Loni’s website HERE.

Buy TAKING CHANCES Exclusively from Amazon for $1.99:

Mae Clair: An Engraved Invitation

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It’s travel time again!

I’m packing up my blog suitcases and hopping over to my good friend Donna Cummings  blog where we’re discussing all sorts of writing related topics.

If that isn’t enough, I’m also visiting the lovely Deborah Palumbo’s web haunt for a short interview about writing habits, favorite genres and WEATHERING ROCK.

Don’t wait for the movies! Consider this an engraved invitation to drop by both haunts and say hello! :D

For a complete list of all my tour stops over the next two months, visit my WEATHERING ROCK Tour Schedule page. Caleb, Arianna and I have a lot of sharing to do ;-)

Mae Clair: Weathering Rock Release! #romance #paranormal #timetravel

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I had a different post planned for today, but have bumped it into next week because – - NEWFLASH – - WEATHERING ROCK is available for purchase EARLY!

I was excited to discover it on Amazon yesterday evening, but didn’t get a chance to really check it out. I had a quick glimpse before heading out to dinner with a few friends. When I got home, I looked at it more closely and realized the book was available for purchase. Even as I type this, that hasn’t completely registered. Please understand writing is something I’ve been doing since grade school. To reach a point where my work is available to a broad audience is mind-boggling.

Staggering. A candy-coated dream. Pitter-pattering heartbeats and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You see . . . I’m now officially an author! :D

And what does an author do? Er, aside from bouncing off the walls, caught in a vortex between delirium and panic? Well, I set up an author page on Amazon and promptly added the buy links to my blog and website.

First official steps as an author, completed. Check. Dang that felt good!

So, naturally I’d love to have you consider purchasing WEATHERING ROCK. And, of course, I’d love a thumbs up “like” on the book page and my author page if you’d be inclined. It feels weird to be doing this now since the official release date was always slated for 10/8/12, but surprises definitely have appeal.

And so it is with fanfare, confetti and starry-eyed dreams come true that I share the following links:

Buy WEATHERING ROCK at:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Lyrical Press
iBooks

Oh happy day!

Mae Clair: I’m Traveling Today!

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Got your ticket?

Come visit me at Renita Pizzitola’s blog, Think Whimsy.

Renita is a sister author at Lyrical Press and is interviewing me today! It’s only my second interview so, naturally, I’m excited. Especially since I get to chat about werewolves, a hunky Civil War colonel named Caleb, WEATHERING ROCK, writing, and my next project.

And for the first time (outside of my publisher’s website), I’ll be sharing an excerpt from WEATHERING ROCK. Surely that has you curious! :)

Grab a flight and hop over. I’d love to have you drop by and say hello!

Mae Clair: Blogging with Style

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I had a pleasant surprise yesterday when I learned I’d been nominated for the Stylish Blogger Award by my friend and sister author, L.J. Kentowski. Thanks, L.J.!
I’m jazzed by the honor. :)

So the idea is to share the last time I dressed up.  Hmmm . . .

I work in an office in a position that requires me to dress up each day. I admit I’m a bit of a girly-girl so I like that, including all the accessorizing it allows me to do. Jewelry, shoes even reading glasses. Don’t ask how many pair, especially when it comes to shoes. Can we say ‘addicted?’ It’s embarrassing.

Since I’m in earth tones today (brown, black and topaz) and they’re not very exciting, I’ll spin the clock back to last week: black flounced skirt, bright turquoise blouse, bright turquoise high heels and a black summer jacket. Jewelry, of course, had to be turquoise with silver. I’m pathetically coordinated.

And now I’d like to pass on this illustrious award to other incredible bloggers:

Donna Cummings
Jenna Storm
Christina McKnight
Stephanie Ingram