Dancing With Dementia Release Date

Dancing With Dementia has a release date!

March 31, 2020.

About 2 months away … so cue the freak out!

This book has been a labour of love for the last few years. The majority of the book is the story our journey. The collection of stories should make you laugh, sigh, shake your head, and blink back a few tears.

The latter part of the book includes lists for people who have someone with dementia in their lives. There are lists of early warning signs we’ve seen, tips to redirect and reassure those with dementia, ideas to ease communication, tips on how to make the move to a nursing home or other living situation, and tips to take care of the caregiver.

Dementia is NOT an easy disease. It’s horrific and cruel. We’ve managed to keep our Mom mostly happy and content. She's still laughing, still dancing. We hope our story will help others who are in the first steps of this dance with Dementia.

If you are interested in an ARC, please let me know (in the comments, email, or sign up for the newsletter).

The wonderful Mason Canyon (MC Book Tours) is going to help me out by hosting a blog tour for the release. If you are interested, you can sign up HERE.

My website is now active. 

I've set up another blog to discuss more things dementia related. 

I also have a YouTube Channel devoted to Quick Tips based on ideas in the book.

The only links I have available at the moment are for Amazon. Here are .com and .ca links, but it should be available in all countries. The price is set at $0.99 (US) for preorders and the first couple of weeks after release. After that, the price will jump up.

Amazon.com           Amazon.ca.         Apple Books.         Kobo           Barnes & Noble

Add it to your Goodreads shelf here!

Once other links for the books are ready, I'll let you know!

So, that's the news! If you know anyone who might benefit from the book or tips, I hope you'll let them know. Thanks!!

IWSG & Emotional Imagery

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

***

February 5 question - Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?

Interesting question.
At first thought, my response would be no.
Then I remembered the upcoming WEP prompt and had to go with yes for that piece.

That triggered other thoughts.

I enjoy photography and take a lot of photos of people and our scenery here in gorgeous Northern Ontario. The vast majority of pictures I take are because something triggered an emotional response in me.

I'm a writer who isn't triggered by people or problems first. Instead, it's always the emotion that traps me into a story. That emotion spawns a character feeling that emotion and then the trouble that created it.

Many paintings and photos create those emotions in me, so they probably have triggered more stories and ideas than I realized!

How about you? Anyone else like photography? Anyone else get those gut reactions to images?

IWSG & Writing Origins

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

***
January 8 question - What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?

This is going to sound a little weird and a lot naive ... which incidentally may or may not describe me as well...

I have been a voracious reader since I was 4.
Loved books. All books.
I created stories in my head from the same age. Adventures for my imaginary friends and my toys, then scenes for favourite TV shows and books.

Never, not even once, thought about writing them down. Maybe because we had exactly 2 creative writing assignments in school - both in grade 5 and limited to 1 page.

When my kids were little and both napping (miracle!!!) I decided to write down a scene I'd been thinking about for a couple of characters from Star Trek: TNG.

It was fun, so I did it again. And again. Eventually I had 180k+ words.

Probably terrible words, but it was so much fun!

It took me another MS (almost 200k words) before I realized that "real people" wrote books and that maybe I could be one of those "real people" writing books too.

Yep. A little weird and a lot naive.

How about you? Anyone else try their hand at fan fiction? Any fellow Trek fans? Anyone else a little weird and a lot naive?

WEP & Tremors

Thanks to the WEP judges for the Encouragement award for Tremors!!

Calla eased over the edge of the canyon once the ground tremor passed. Maybe today she would find some evidence of animal life on this planet.

So far, nothing. Not a beat of wings nor a roar from a throat. Not a scratch on a tree to mark territory, not a bone or a carcass. Not even a footprint or a piece of scat.

In her years as Pathfinder’s senior biologist, she’d never seen a planet like it.

Vegetation flourished on the sides of this canyon that looked like it had been carved in ancient times.

The whole planet was nothing but giant hole after giant hole. Some of these holes were full of vegetation and the botanists couldn’t contain their glee every time they found a new species. Some canyons were dry as Terran deserts while still others had barely any vegetation and looked like they’d been created the day before.

She was going to be stuck on this planet with absolutely nothing to do at this rate. They were scheduled for a yearlong stretch if they found anything interesting. And they had.

For the botanists.

Calla used the trunk of one of the tougher-looking plants to steady herself when the rocks beneath her feet tumbled away during another tremor. She moved along the ridge until she spotted an easier way down.

All this vegetation needed water and she was hoping to find a pond at the bottom. That might be her Terran brain in action again. Not all life required water. And she might have a year to catch up reading all about the other types of life if she didn’t find anything else to study.

The vegetation thinned to her right, so she moved that way and managed an easy trek to the canyon floor. If there was a pond or stream, it would likely be in the lowest portion. 

Maybe she’d find evidence of animal life there. Even fossilized remains would be a thrill.

A few hours later, she’d found nothing but frustration.

The only thing different from the last few days was that the tremors were increasing in intensity and duration. The seismologists would be just as thrilled as the botanists.

After finding no sign of animal life near the only water source she’d spotted, Calla started back up the canyon. The first sun was setting and soon it would be too dark to find anything. 

The tremors continued to increase and she found herself following the rhythmic pattern as she ascended.

Rocks and smaller pieces of vegetation slipped under her feet when she moved, and she had to slow her pace so she didn’t tumble to the bottom. When she scrambled over the edge, she threw herself to the ground and decided she needed to get in better shape.

A wild screech snatched the breath from her lungs and nearly deafened her. She searched the area for the cause.

The sky darkened and Calla looked up to find that it wasn’t clouds or vegetation blocking the setting suns.

The source of the screech was all the proof she needed that this planet had animal life after all.

Long lizard-like legs galloped toward her at an incredible pace. Upper arms flailed. Giant jaws opened and closed as shriek after shriek split the air and froze Calla in place.

At this distance, the size of the beast was impossible to gauge, but larger than anything on any planet humans had visited. Larger than Pathfinder. Maybe larger than five Pathfinders.

The rhythmic tremors continued as each foot crashed to earth, sending vegetation and dirt flying in all directions as it flattened whatever was in its path.

The creature raced closer, making dents in the earth and Calla looked back at the canyon she’d been surveying in horror.

It wasn’t a canyon after all. None of them were canyons.

They were footprints.

***

This story is part of the WEP/IWSG December Challenge. Check out the link and enjoy the other stories. It's always fun to see the variety of stories that spring from one prompt. And the talent is stellar!!

How about you? Any important footprints in your life?

I probably won't post until the New Year, so I hope those of you who celebrate enjoy a wonderful holiday season with your families.
Spread some love and kindness and joy!!!

Jane Godman & Finding Writing Inspiration

Please welcome the lovely Jane Godman back to the blog today!
***

Inspiration can strike at the strangest times, just as it can dry up when we least expect it to. Here are some of the things that I’ve found over the years to fire up my ideas:   

1. Read a variety of books

Stephen King once wrote, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” The links between reading and writing are well known.

Within the pages of books other than your own, you will find ideas, learn about different writing styles, structure, and formatting. 

Research also helps you to relax and broadens your imagination, making it a great source for writing inspiration.

2. 2. Listen to Music

Music can help you unwind while at the same time fuel your imagination, helping you write a piece conveying the same emotions as the songs you’re listening to.

The lyrics of a song itself can also tell a story. It can be the inspiration for a setting, dialogue or scene. I use playlists to set a mood according to the scene I’m writing. Action. Romance. Sexy. Sad. 

3. Watch Television 

Television programs display different cultures, places and time periods. 

You can observe characters in situations that you wouldn’t see in real life. Take notes of memorable quotes from dialogues, turning them to inspiration for prompts or new topics.

4. Engage with readers

Ask your readers for opinions about what they’ve read and what they want to read next. This can present you with a different point of view and new ideas.

By communicating with them, you’ll be able to know which areas you’re lacking. Take criticism as a way to improve and as inspiration for your next content.

5. Always carry a notebook and a camera

Writing inspiration everywhere. It can be an old building, a painting, a newspaper article, even a person you pass in the street. 

Ideas don’t arrive when you want them to. They will often turn up when you least expect them. 

Keep a notebook and an album of photographs (or a Pinterest board). You can keep adding to it as you go along.  

These are a few ways I use to ignite a spark but there are so many others.  I hope you’ll share yours!

***

JANE GODMAN is a 2019 Romantic Novelists’ Award winner and 2018 Daphne du Maurier Award finalist. She writes thrillers for Harlequin Romantic Suspense/Mills and Boon Heroes and paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne/Mills and Boon Supernatural and St. Martin’s Press Romance. She also self publishes her historical and gothic stories.

Jane was born in Scotland and has lived in Germany, Wales, Malta, South Africa, and England. She still gets the urge to travel, although these days she tends to head for a Spanish beach, or a European city that is steeped in history. 

When she isn’t reading or writing romance, Jane enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and enjoying the antics of her dogs, Gravy and Vera.  

 Connect with Jane Godman on the web:

Website         Facebook          Twitter         Goodreads

Colton 911: Family Under Fire

An unexpected family

A once-in-a-lifetime reunion in danger…

After a bitter breakup, FBI agent Everett Colton never expected to see his ex-girlfriend, Alyssa Bartholomew, again. Suddenly, tragedy reunites them—and makes them guardians of an orphaned baby girl. Everett suspects that her parents’ deaths were anything but innocent. When his instinct for danger proves correct, it’s his job to protect the child he’s grown to love…and the woman he never forgot.

Buy on:

Amazon Kindle      Amazon Paperback

Amazon Aust    Amazon UK

Harlequin                 B&N 

Kobo        Book Depository        iBooks

***
Thanks Jane! Those tips are excellent! For me, music is always a source of inspiration and a way to find my way out of a dilemma. Reading too - although that may be just another excuse to read more!!

How about you? What are your favourite ways to find inspiration?

IWSG & Dreaming Big

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

****

December 4 question - Let's play a game. Imagine. Role-play. How would you describe your future writer self, your life and what it looks and feels like if you were living the dream? Or if you are already there, what does it look and feel like? Tell the rest of us. What would you change or improve?

I'm a pretty content person - I like my life the way it is...

BUT

... if I'm dreaming big, then I'd probably add these changes

• copies of my (multiple!) published books on the shelf in my den
• a desk where my feet touch the ground and I can sit without pain for an hour at a time
• someone in the background quietly cleaning my house with products that don't make me sneeze
• and most important of all - me as a confident author who is able to tackle those major revisions without flinching and without needing more than 2 or 3 revision rounds!

How about you, what's a change that you would/will make if you're dreaming BIG?

IWSG & Strange Research

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh. He, his clones, minions, friends, and fellow authors make it an amazing event every month.

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

***

November 6 question - What's the strangest thing you've ever googled in researching a story?

We're a fun bunch and I'm looking forward to seeing the answers to this question!

For one of my stories, the setting was a ranch so I did a lot of research on that.
The weirdest part of that research was on the different ways to brand cattle.
I now know a lot more about using dry ice to brand cattle than I ever thought I would!

I also have a pretty good idea about how to steal and fly a small personal plane without getting tracked by radar.

How about you? What fun things have you researched - or read about?
Anyone else's searches make them appear to be living a life of crime?