Sample My Author Page on Facebook This Sunday

Instead of presenting a chapter or section from one of my cozy mysteries this Sample Sunday, I'm going to suggest you sample something different--my author page on Facebook.  I think it's looking pretty spiffy and I'd love for some of my blog followers to drop by and check it out--maybe you might even "like" it!  Just click here:  .https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaRockwellAuthor

 And then, please if you are on Twitter, check out writing samples from some amazing authors, by searching for the term "SampleSunday"  and following where the tweets lead.

(graphic from www.technorati.com)

A Selection from "The Little Dun Pony"

Instead of a sample of one of my cozy mysteries, today I'm giving you a sample of the writing of one of my blogging buddies The Little Dun Pony.  You can check out her other writings on her site here.

The Golden Eye

The three crystals sat next to me at my desk...their energy was electrifying. When I held them in my hand I could feel her energy surge through me, unstoppable. She was the magic moonlight at night dancing before me in mystical ways that tantalised my body. I wanted her, longed for her...her presence was enough to make my whisper the name of god.

Like a sponge soaking up the water I wanted her to soak me up, to capture my spirit and revel in its awakening state of consciousness. To be immersed in my dreaming and to see the very path that the universe has set out for all to walk upon.

My gentle touch caressed her inner thought and she shivered uncontrollable as I sat down beside her. I gazed at her beauty as if in a cool night fog I searched her golden eyes. She touched my hand with hers and I felt our souls intertwine...that the next moment in time would be forever.

The animal in me of a white unicorn emerged from the moonlight glistening with pure aura...I jumped up on its back, she was behind me, we galloped off to the place were only soul mates dwell, where the earth its self stands still for the coming together of two.

Where colours are born of feelings and emotions, where the gentle breeze of the summer afternoon blesses. Where autumn leaves fall and lamb tails folly, like a petal cupping the flower our lives now became the destiny. As two individual souls allowed the cloud of life to prevail, they became one as two and in that moment life was written.

The crystals burned a deep impression into my hand, the memory scar of love, the memory scar of begotten. As time fades and the tide turns my love will never wain and in times of war my peace swoons. I am the very light of my path and in my step I hear the angel's voice. I am me to all I see and to all that hold me dear I am the shadow of life.

First Review For FMFM

Just had to post about my very first review for my new cozy mystery FM For Murder.  Karen at Release Notes writes her review of my book on her site and I encourage you to visit her and read it here. 

Please Don't Do It Yourself!

My hubby Milt and I are smart enough to realize that we cannot do home improvement projects ourselves--we hire professionals to do the job.  We have had extensive experience living with the consequences of DIY projects done by former owners of our houses gone wrong.

In our house in Louisiana, the previous owner had attempted to redo the fireplace--rendering the entire edifice completely unusable (not that you actually need a fireplace in Louisiana, but it was the principle of the thing).  The previous owner had also incorrectly put in doors and doorknobs--all of which we had to replace.  And naturally, the home inspector we hired to scout these things out for us before we purchased the house never did.

Now here we are in our house in Illinois.  We were scrupulous about finding an independent, highly qualified, highly recommended inspector before we bought this house.  He gave it a "thumbs up" and things seemed to be going well, until recently when our second floor bathtub started leaking into our kitchen ceiling.  Turns out--yup, you guessed it--the previous owner had installed the tub himself (incorrectly) which had led to the leakage.  The same owner also installed the upstairs toilet wrong and it was leaking into the garage and causing mold. 

These previous owners were probably men (just guessing) who thought they knew enough about home repair that they could fix a problem and save themselves some money.  They didn't realize the damage they were causing by making the repair incorrectly.  Unfortunately for us, we bought their houses before the damage came to light.  Now we are suffering the consequences.  So, I beg all you do-it-yourselfers out there--if you don't know what you're doing when it comes to home repair--don't!

(photo from www.ngrefinishing.com)

It's Here!

My new cozy mystery FM For Murder is now available on Amazon for the Kindle both in the US and the UK.  You can also get it in various e-book formats from Smashwords.  The paperback version at Amazon should be following soon.  If you read my first mystery Sounds of Murder and enjoyed it, I believe you will like this second book even more. 

My amateur sleuth and acoustics expert Pamela Barnes is up to her earphones again in sound-related crime.  This time, a local disc jockey is shot while on air and no one sees the murder--but, of course, many listeners out in radio land hear it take place.  The police are baffled and ask Pamela's help.  With only the radio station's audio recording of the crime to go on, will Pamela be able to determine who the killer is before more murders occur?  Get my book and find out!

And please let me know if you like it!

Dead Bodies and Blood Spatter

Yes, folks, it's "blood spatter" not "splatter" as I was informed at one of the forensics panels I attended over the weekend at the Love Is Murder mystery writers' convention in Chicago.  At this particular panel, two experts demonstrated just what blood does when a body is stabbed or shot (or wounded with various other projectiles).  You can see from the photograph that a volunteer body was used (and, of course, was not injured in the course of the demonstration).  This panel was fascinating as was another one I attended on DNA evidence. 

At the conference I met quite a few fellow mystery writers--some just starting out and some quite well known.  At breakfast on Saturday morning, I split a doughnut with Joan Johnston, famous romance author of over 60 books.  It didn't matter the author's notoriety, however, because everyone was incredibly friendly and supportive.  In fact, I was so impressed with the conference that I've already registered for next year's convention. 

Blizzard 2011 From My House

We live in the Chicago suburbs and the snow is still falling here. Photos taken this morning of my front porch, some flower pots on my patio, and looking down at my daughter's car from a second story window (drifts almost to the roof of her little Focus).  Our house faces south and the storm came from the south so it really piled up on us.  We're not going anywhere today!

 

 

Missing Coquette

A year ago today our sweet little Pomeranian Coquette died.  We miss her and her wonderful tender heart and joyous spirit every day.