I'd call it: Cloud Encounters

Cloud Encounters of the First Kind

I have a cloud thing.  Always have, always will.  Like so many kids, when I was young I thought I could live in clouds if I could only get up there.  We were driving around today and I saw this one and I thought:  It's like a space-ship, which reminded me of the movie, Close Encounters.

Which reminded me of my story, Painted Boots.

In Painted Boots, Aspen's mom has a thing for the movie Close Encounters.  Aspen carries on her mom's obsession by focusing on Devil's Tower ... she wonders why her family never visited the tower when her mom was alive, but even when she moves to Gillette she doesn't make an effort to go there herself.  She's not ready for her mom's death to be real and the tower symbolizes that.  I wove a lot of personal symbolism into this story--the tower being just one among many.  Maybe everyone does that with their first book!

It'd call it: Boots

I pretty much go through life with a soundtrack in my head.
Today, and maybe because I'm doing a lot of prep work for the Painted Boots blog tour, it's 'These Boots are made for Walking'. So worth the video

On a similar note, I've got two books packaged up for my Goodreads give-away winners!  By tonight, all ten . . . . 

I'd call it: Ship!

Almost ready to ship!

With the winners posted in my Goodreads give-away I'm spending time in my torn-up basement, getting my books ready to ship.  My husband, who is adding fabulous storage shelves to our family room, just yelled down the hall: "Throw those things in a mailer and let's watch a movie."

I could go the mailer route . . . but I love a good presentation.  I have a lot of Aspen-y things laying around in my craft room--twine and pressed leaves and old Wyoming post cards.  And truth be told I'm grateful that so many people went to my Goodreads page to sign up for my give-away.  I found that so cool.  So I'm taking the time to send a proper "thanks" to the winners.  I hope each of them enjoys reading Painted Boots.  I really do.  It's my first book; my rugged little 'pancake child' forging the way for all those that will follow.  But whether the winners like the book or not I'm still thrilled they took the time to seek me out and enter my give-away.  So to the winners and all who choose to read Painted Boots:  Thanks!  And enjoy. 

I'd call it: The Quest

Jar o' Playmobile

It's a typical Saturday at home.  Cleaning, laundry, dinner and family game time (Quarkle tonight).  Saturdays always feature the on-going saga of my current Quest: to be rid of everything we don't use.  I've been on this quest for two years now, and I'll tell you.  It ain't easy.  We humans form weird and loving attachments to our things.

In my non-quest years I Acquired A Lot of Things I Do Not Need and No Longer Use.  If I ever did.  Today I launched into the toys we bought for our daughter when she was younger.  I'd forgotten just how much there is.  I mean, what child needs a roving herd of My Little Ponies or a metropolis of playmobile?  We don't have one bouncy ball.  We have twelve.

I know a lot of these things came along during birthday parties or from Christmas wish lists.  Grandmas and doting aunts played their part.  It's not like I set out to populate the basement with plastic made-in-China.  But I did.

Here's a secret about shedding material things:  it feels grand.  I sell much of it in consignment stores--which will be the fate of the jar o' playmobile pictured above.  The things I can't sell I give to relatives and friends.  What they don't want I give to Goodwill.  And after it's all said and done I am free--from moving around boxes full of stuff I don't use and most importantly, from ever having to think of all that stuff again.

The spiritual refreshment of lightening one's load is a key element of my current release Painted Boots.  Aspen shops vintage for her clothes; yard sales for her boots.  Her ability to see the potential in something worn goes far beyond things ... it plays out in how she views herself and the people in her life.      

I'd call it: Nick of Time

Oooo!  I just received my shipment of PAINTED BOOTS, hot off the press and ready for my Goodreads and Blog Tour give-aways.  The publishing ran so tight I had to send the press proof to one of my tour reviewers!  But I sent her a cool bookmark, too.

With my Goodreads give-away closing in THREE DAYS, [whoo-hoo!] I've got lots to do to be ready to ship.

So, gentle reader, before I get started on packaging let's take a quick look at the inspiration behind chapter eleven ... the chapter where Kyle's vicious secret is revealed.

When I crafted Kyle he had a lot of paralysis over his brother's death.  Not a secret.  His issues make him a bit of a pansy--at first.  But I wanted something that would show the depth of how grief affected Kyle, so I gave him a secret and made him powerless against it.  His powerless-ness felt true to life: grief can rob you of your strength and will and ability to act well for yourself.  So it is with Kyle ... and with Aspen.  Her grief over her mother plays a huge roll in how she reacts to Kyle's truth.

I just love those two crazy kids . . . .

I'd call it: Painted Boots Inspiration, chapter ten

Like a Rock

Chapter Ten of Painted Boots is all about the dreaded First Date.  Aspen's a ball of twisted fret: will it work out?  Will he think she's high maintenance?  Will something get stuck her teeth?  What if he isn't who she thinks he is?  Will she play guitar?  The usual stuff.

First dates really are awkward.  They do stress us out.  We go into them with expectations that are often unmet or exceeded.  For this reason and many more, first dates tend to create some of the best stories ever! 

I'd call it: The video is here!

The Painted Boots trailer is in Youtube!  Find it here. 

I'd call it: Ooooo. The Book Trailer is Coming

Yes, gentle readers, after working on my book trailer for three months and starting over seven times, the trailer is going to post this weekend.  Yee-haw!

I always start these projects with visions far grander than my skill-set, so admittedly, the trailer has pared down from grandiose to cool!  And I'm very excited to post it!  So stay tuned!  It's a'comin'.

I'd call it: Some kind of Crazy Miracle

oh, hello!
Today, AT LAST, I was able to PRESS PUBLISH on Createspace, making Painted Boots available as a paperback book.  It's a process I started in February, people!!!!  I'm psyched to see it come to completion.

The cool part is I learned a lot ... enough to tackle my next book all by my self.  I will revel in the creative freedom and control.  In fact, I can't wait! 

Whoo-hoo!

I'd call it: Love Bookmarks

goodreads bookmark!

My Goodreads giveaway is right around the corner and I'm making lots of fun bookmarks to include with the winning copies of Painted Boots.  Each one will be slightly different, a by-product of my days when I made my living as an artist.

This particular bookmark features an aspen leaf (of course!), and a retro picture of Devil's Tower, Wyoming.

Devil's Tower is located about an hour from Gillette, Wyoming, which is the setting of Painted Boots.  It's a place Aspen wants to visit, and a place her mother loved.

From Painted Boots:  "Mom's love for the tower was pure Hollywood--a by-product of her obsession with the movie "Close Encounters."

I'd call it: KOBO-HO

Hello gentle readers!

Finally, Painted Boots is live on Kobo.  The cover isn't showing though.  Weird, because it loaded correctly and when I look at the load-site, there it is.  So I'm sending off a help-me email.  Then all shall be well.

Tomorrow I'll resume Painted Boots inspiration, as well as show-off one of the cool bookmarks I'm going to give away to my Goodreads winners.  Whoo-hoo!

I'd call it: Take a Break!

Hello,
Taking a slight break today.  Back tomorrow!

I'd call it: Whoo hoo! My Kobo quest is DONE!

whoo-hoo is actually one of my favorite phrases . . . .

Yes, viewing audience, I've finally finished loading Painted Boots into Kobo.  For some reason, it was a bit of a task.  But now it's done!  It should be in their system within '24-72' hours.  As soon as I have the link, I'll post it.

It feels so good to have that done!  I'm going to treat myself to some fabulous chocolate.

I'd call it Painted Boots Inspiration: Chapter Eight & Nine

From Painted Boots:  "When I was younger, I thought the month following September was Halloween."

Chapter eight & nine take place, for the most part, during Tower County High's Halloween Dance.  I remember school dances as being either really fun --- I was involved, and danced a lot --- or hideous,  because I sat in some corner.  I drew on my memories of my senior year dance, especially, when I wrote this chapter.  That year my school hosted a Halloween dance during the last two class periods of the day.  We could come to school dressed in costume (I was a witch) and they left the lunchroom lights on full blast while we danced.
As I recall, the whole thing was a bit of a bummer . . . .

I'd call it: Slack Line from He!!

I interrupt the regularly-scheduled examination of the inspiration behind Painted Boots to bring you Something New.  Specifically me, for the first time, on a slack line.

My daughter can skip across this thing like a fairy with dust-laden wings.  I know a guy who can back flip on it.  Me?  I couldn't get more than three steps without being flung.  The thing is a SPRING BOARD from which no first-time novice can survive.

Once my bruised feet and ego recuperate, I'm gonna try it again . . . .

I'd call it: Painted Boots Inspiration: Chapter Seven

From Painted Boots:
"Thanks for saving me," I whisper.
"Anytime," he whispers in return.

When I was young I loved the idea of knights on white horses.  I thought it was cool that someone was out there, ready to ride in and rescue me in my time of need.  That fairy tale lasted in me for a long, long time--until I was in middle school and came up against a life-threatening situation, all alone, and had to save myself.  For me, that was when fairy tales lost their magic.  But I think back fondly on the days when fairy tales seemed real and the world seemed black and white.

When I became a parent I saw fairy tales in a new way.  I realized there are magic moments in our lives, all the time.  As an adult they're harder to find--but they're always there.

I'd call it: Painted Boots Inspiration: Chapter Six

From Painted Boots:  The world keeps right on spinning, same as ever.

It's amazing, how small and insignificant we are in the scheme of the universe--and more amazing still how difficult it is to imagine that the universe will continue existing, has always existed, without us.

I'd call it: Painted Boots Inspiration: Chapter Five

Shiny clean, black as black Chevy

From Painted Boots: "The only clear thought in my head is that Mom used to tell me In the face of confrontation, use your words."

Subliminal attraction is a key component of Aspen and Kyle's attraction for each other.  They don't know that they have common ground, but not knowing doesn't matter.  Something in them feels it.  And though an endless list of external events conspire to keep them apart, the driving force to be together demands they face their inner and external demons in an effort to--come what may--make their relationship work.

I'd call it: Painted Boots Inspiration: Chapter Four

From Painted Boots:  "Dreams are the only place I have left from where Mom glances up, everyday, to say, There's my girl.  Love you, sweet."

My great-grandmother died when her daughter--my grandmother--was eight years old.  When I was young I didn't understand my grandmother's angst over having lost her mother.  I didn't see then, just like she didn't see when she was a child, how that single loss changed the course of her life forever--and for the worse.

In turn-of-the-twentieth-century Wyoming, where family was everything and death threatened the survival of those remaining behind, my great-grandfather couldn't spare the time to grieve.  He couldn't risk running his ranch alone.  He wasn't equipped for raising young children.  He remarried within months and my grandmother, still bursting with a grief she couldn't express, suddenly found herself a second-class citizen in her own home.  Less cared for.  Less loved.

My grandmother was never truly happy again--not in childhood, not as a young adult, not in marriage.  Her mother's death set her on a path of looking for love and never finding it--a search that consumed her until her death at age seventy-nine.  The effects of her personal tragedy still, in a way, run deep in my family.

When I began writing Painted Boots I felt my grandmother's essence rise through the stories she'd shared with me and weave their way into Aspen's character.  Writing Aspen's life was for me, a deeply emotional experience.  As I crafted her, it was as though I felt my grandmother coming to terms with her life--at last.