ReadersStation Newsletter

Hi Everyone,

I'm sharing the link to the Readers' Station Newsletter for November. Hope you'll give it a glance and enjoy visit the site.

http://www.readersstation.com/nov_2007.htm

Best,
Elena

The New Reader's Station Anthology- Journeys of a Lifetime

The new Readers' Station Anthology will be coming out soon, if not sooner both in print and as an ebook from Write Words, Inc., ebooksonthe.net and from Cambridge Books. The title of the book is: Journeys of a Lifetime, An Anthology by Members of the Readers' Station. The authors contibuting to this anthology are:

Elena Dorothy Bowman, Bryn Colvin, Nikki Leigh, Dorice Nelson, Nora Peterson, Ginger Simpson, Donna Sundblad, Angela Verdenius, and Anne Whitfield.

There is an interesting combination of fiction in many genres and unusual non fiction titles. There's a little bit of something for everyone. The following are reviews that were already posted on this anthology:

Reviews: Journeys of a Lifetime

I read with delight this collection of stories and poems that speaks to the heart of each author’s journey through life. Each person views life through the eyes of her own experience and from that perspective creates fiction that brings the human experience into focus, providing insight that can be gained no other way. Below I provide a quick peek into each piece.

One Summer’s Day, by Elena Dorothy Bowman

This is a delightful snapshot of life lived in a less complicated time (and I quote) “…when times were hard and … the poor didn’t know they were poor…”

Model Number 1007, by Elena Dorothy Bowman

All humans’ carry with them deep-seated fears that surface in dreams, especially as children. A computer intent upon doing away with humans has to be high on the list of scary things.

The Waiting Room Princess, by Bryn Colvin

This author has a unique way with words and touches a deep need in all of us—to be seen and understood for who we really are.

Bread Making, by Bryn Colvin

I found this piece fascinating. This author has collected bits and pieces of folklore about the making and eating of bread over the centuries, and the significance people have attached to it.

Networking - It Can Help Your Promotional Work, by Shri Henkel

This short piece is packed with ideas on promoting oneself as well as one’s work. Networking with other people is the key to working smarter instead of harder.

Acceptance, by Nikki Leigh

The age-old struggle between generations plays out on the pages of this story. All of us want acceptance and to know that those we love recognize and appreciate us for the individuals that we are.

Nearing Noon, by Nikki Leigh

This short story written around the unpredictability of weather on the ocean delivers a nice twist at the end. You’ll enjoy this one.

Behavior Most Unlawful, by Dorice Nelson

The first piece in this grouping provides the reader with an insightful glimpse of the character, Bruic, and his return to his homeland on the Island of Gael, from which he was kidnapped many years earlier. The next piece leads the reader into chapter one of Lost Son of Ireland, where Bruic is now a trusted companion to warrior king Olaf the White.

Shank’s Mare, by Dorice Nelson

This story takes place between the prologue and chapter one of Saratoga Summer 1863. The cast of characters includes the five O’Malley brothers who have returned from brawling in the village. The two elder brothers reap the worst of their father’s wrath for their shenanigans and suffer the worst punishment.

Flying Lessons, by Nora Peterson

This nonfiction piece presents sound advice about learning to invest in the stock market. Her admonition to learn the lingo and go through pre-flight training before heading for the skies is good information for planning one’s financial future.

Tooth-Fairy Wisdom, by Ginger Simpson

This whimsical tale depicts how a tooth fairy earns her wings. Delightful!

Two Screwdrivers, by Donna Sundblad

This artfully crafted tale is set in the past. A child makes a simple request for two screwdrivers, which becomes the bridge that connects a son and a father upon his return home from the war.

Zombie Hospital, by Angela Verdenius

Read this story, with a twist of irony at the end, and you will never again view hospitals quite the same as you used to. This tale gives the reader a view of a perfectly normal person in a perfectly normal setting, then it takes you deep into the scariest recesses of the mind.

Perceptions, by Angela Verdenius

A preconceived notion can manifest itself in many ways. We of form a quick opinion about a person, which can prove to be in error if we take the time to really understand that person. This delightful story gives much food for thought.

Fire, by Angela Vedenius

One only understands fire and what it can steal away after looking the monster in the eye. The message of this piece is “preparedness.”

India Dreaming, by Anne Whitfield

The purpose for which the Taj Mahal was built is reflected in this beautiful story of one man’s adoring of the woman he loves, and declaring that love in the shadow of that magnificent building.

Nadene Carter

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Journeys of a Lifetime
By: Members of the Readers Station
Cambridge Books
August, 2007

There is magic in books.

I firmly believe this. When I was a child, I could open the covers of a book and travel anywhere: Egypt, the Prairies, distant lands. I could go anywhere, travel anywhere, by the simple act of opening a book and reading the words presented to me.

Apparently, the lovely ladies at The Readers Station think so too. Elena Dorothy Bowman, Bryn Colvin, Nikki Leigh, Dorice Nelson, Nora Peterson, Ginger Simpson, Donna Sunbald, Angela Verdenius and Anne Whitfield have compiled an anthology of fiction, poetry and non-fiction pieces all with the theme of journeying or travelling. And what a trip it is!

Normally I'm not too fond of anthologies. The theme that links everything together is usually very lose and there are always a few good stories leaving the rest to wallow in their mediocrity.

That is not the case with Journeys of a Lifetime. Each wonderful piece is introduced with a Travel Log written by the pieces author who is your tour guide. You're given a destination, what you'll see along the way, what to pack and the local customs. This keeps the travel theme nicely centralized and helps introduce the story in a fun way.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading but I was enchanted by each and every piece. Though the stories and articles are all by different authors, everything flowed so beautifully that I was done the anthology in two days and left thirsting for more. Though I loved every piece and it would take me several pages to write about each one, here are two that stood out for me.

The Waiting Room Princess by Bryn Colvin. This story was so simplistic yet so incredibly beautiful. Waiting for a train late at night, Tom is approached by the train stations lone cleaning woman. Blind, Tom cannot see her but he can hear her voice; it's exotic and like a fresh breeze. Tom is bitter because of his blindness and Eve, the cleaning woman, is cursed by beauty.

Tom lost his sight in a chemical accident and Eve's beauty is responsible for the death of many people; when they look upon her beauty, they die. Can a bitter blind man and a woman whose beauty kills heal each other?

Acceptance by Nikki Leigh. I loved every word of this piece. Kennalyn Jones is waiting for something. Watching the mailbox with anticipation, today she receives what she has been waiting for: a letter from Harvard Law School. Ecstatic, she runs to tell her father Captain Bart who is not as happy as Kennalyn about the news.

Frightened of living alone, his wife having died and his other daughter gone, Bart is not happy at all about Kennalyn's acceptance. Will Kennalyn follow her dream and go to Harvard or will she let her love for her stubborn father keep her where she does not want to be?

What makes Journeys of a Lifetime different from other anthologies is that each authors love for their subject's shines through. Their words really have the power to help you travel to far off lands, to wonderful situations. It really is a book you will want to read and re-read again. Or even enjoy it one story, one journey, at a time.

Journeys of a Lifetime is an absolute gem and a feast of literature. There is something for everyone here, even the most picky of readers. I was spellbound as I travelled with the wonderful women of The Readers Station and I didn't want my trip to end.

I know that I will be forever spellbound by Journey's of a Lifetime and will keep taking each of the journeys in the book over and over again.

Jamieson Wolf


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That's it for now.

Have a wonderful day.

Elena

Elena Dorothy Bowman
************************************
Journey to the Rim of Space and Beyond
http://elenadb.home.comcast.net
http://www.myspace.com/elenabowmanauthor
http://elenadorothybowmansbooks.blogspot.com/
e-mail: elenadb@comcast.net

Nikki Leigh Guests on Elena Dorothy Bowman's Book Blog

Today, I would like to welcome my special guest Nikki Leigh, a very enterprising and talented woman, to my blog. Nikki is the author of Lady Lightkeeper, the second book in the Misty Cove Chronicles. Among other avenues she is engaged in, Nikki is also an astute business woman who has written several non-fiction books under her real name Shri Henkel.


EDBB: Welcome to the elenadorothybowmansbookblogspot.com Nikki. It's a pleasure to have you here.

Nikki: Thank you for inviting me.

EDBB: Would you like to tell us about yourself…I understand you have a myriad of interests and programs that keep you hopping.

Nikki: I’m a fulltime freelancer. This includes writing and promotional work for various clients. I handle bookkeeping for six businesses. I own one business and am a partner in a home improvement business (I’m also a licensed contractor in the state of Virginia). My 1st book was released in January 2006 and my 12th is scheduled for release later this year. The vast majority of those were written in the last two years. In addition, I just finished my seventh ghostwriting project. I’m also the founder of the Readers Station which is a website and message board where readers and authors can connect.

EDBB: Would you like to tell us about your book… Lady Lightkeeper and how it came about?

Nikki: Lady Lightkeeper is the second book in the historic Misty Cove Chronicles. It’s the continuation of Lizbeth Sullivan Kinsey’s story. But, each book can be read individually. The first book, Widow’s Walk, started with a story idea I got from a picture that hangs in my living room. That picture gave me the idea of starting the story on the widow’s walk and it gave me a rough idea for a time period. Originally, this was going to be one book, but the story grew and grew as I was brainstorming ideas. The main brainstorming happened on a trip from Virginia to Florida for my brother’s wedding. We actually were brainstorming so well, that I missed a turn and we went about 40 miles too far before getting back on track. Then two of us brainstormed by the hotel pool one evening. There was just so much more of Lizbeth’s story that I wanted to tell – and its not over.

EDBB: Where did you get the idea to write Lady Lightkeeper?

Nikki: I’ve done extensive research about Cape Ann and I got some great ideas when I read about the history of the area. When I was in Cape Ann, I took a picture of this -www.alamy.com/stock_photography/2/1/Charlie+Borland/A5EAAA.html. Then one day I discovered the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Association (http://www.gfwa.org/) and the memorial. The first time I saw this (http://www.gfwa.org/memorial/statue.html) I immediately thought of Lizbeth and her children. I think people will understand the connection when they read the book. The women of Cape Ann had to be strong and the children faced a lot of loss in their young lives. I actually dedicated Lady Lightkeeper to these women. This is a quote from the dedication –
Lady Lightkeeper is dedicated to the strong women of the Cape Ann coast who supported their men and cared for their families and the community. I worked to create a character in Lizbeth Kinsey who reflects this spirit. I should also add that the characters in this story are not based on any specific individuals, but my hope is that they embody the spirit, resilience and determination of the Cape Ann community.

EDBB: What got you interested in writing about lighthouses and light keepers?

Nikki: I’ve been fascinated with lighthouses for years and I’ve always loved the ocean. My earliest memories of the beach were when I was three and hurricane Camille was nearing the coast. As I learned more about lighthouses, I started learning about the lifesaving service and my fascination continued to grow. History, the ocean, lighthouses and architecture are some of my favorite things and my stories incorporate all of those interests. More and more people have become interested in lighthouses, but I joke that I was into lighthouses before the masses got on board.

EDBB: You live in Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley, yet your books the Misty Cove Chronicles are based on Cape Ann in Massachusetts? Why did you choose this setting instead of the mountains for your series?

Nikki: I knew people say we should write about the things we know, but I enjoy research. I’ve had the idea for the contemporary Misty Cove story for many years, but I couldn’t figure out where to set the story. Cape Cod seemed like a possibility, but after visiting the area, I knew that wouldn’t work. On the same trip, my brother and I took a day to visit Cape Ann. I heard about the area because The Perfect Storm came out that summer at the theatres and of course, I read the book. It sounded like an interesting area and I insisted that we visit while we were close. We got to Gloucester and I just felt like it was the right place for my first story. I incorporated a lot of my main character’s family history in that story and when Stormy View was finished, I got the idea to actually write the history of her family. Widow’s Walk began and it continues in Lady Lightkeeper. Besides, there aren’t any lighthouses in the mountains – I had to move my stories to the coast. (As a side note, my other fiction series is set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and I know that area very well.)

EDBB: How many visits did you make to Cape Ann to flesh out your series?

Nikki: I’ve only been to Cape Ann once on a trip to Cape Cod with my brother in 2001. But, I’ve also done a lot of research and have an extensive Cape Ann and lighthouse library in my office.

EDBB: What was so fascinating about Lighthouses in Cape Ann, Massachusetts that caused you to use them as the setting for your stories?

Nikki: As I mentioned above the history of the area caught my imagination and the story took off from there.

EDBB: In this series, which of the characters did you find difficult to portray, the one easiest?

Nikki: I do a lot of work to create my characters before I start to write and I find this makes it easier to get into their mind. I actually have a couple of characters who narrate the story. Lizbeth tells the majority of the story from her point of view and her best friend and supporter, Sara, tells most of the remaining story. A couple of scenes are told from Abigail Westley’s point of view.

Lizbeth and Sara are very easy to write. Ida, the villain, is a lot of fun to write. Abigail is probably one character that I had difficulty writing. She is a good hearted person, but she has a lot of prejudices that come to the fore in various situations. Those attitudes also stir up trouble with Lizbeth on a regular basis.

EDBB: What advise would you give a fledgling writer? Why?

Nikki: Stick with your dream and work hard to stay positive. It’s a tough profession, but its worth all the work when you hold your books in your hand. Continue to work to hone your skills. I let my own doubts and the doubts of other people stop me from writing for years. Finally, I got past those concerns and I can’t imagine not writing.

EDBB: What was it that caused you to want to become a writer?

Nikki: I’m not sure I know the answer to that question. I started freelancing fulltime to earn money, but my fiction is more a labor of love. There have always been ideas for characters and stories in my mind – my writing gives me a chance to delve further into their stories and to share them with others.

EDBB: Thank you Nikki for visiting my blog. Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Nikki: Nikki has offered the following for all who join her in her tour.

Each person who buys a copy of Lady Lightkeeper, needs to email me a copy of their receipt. I just need a receipt that shows you bought a copy of Lady Lightkeeper and I'll enter you in the drawing for a copy of Widow's Walk. That seemed like a good giveaway since the story starts with Widow's Walk. However, if the winner already has a copy of Widow's Walk, I'll be happy to send a copy of Lilah and the Locket instead.

In addition, each person who posts a comment on any or all of the blog stops will be entered in a separate giveaway. Each comment will be entered in the drawing and at the end of the month, one person will win a copy of Lady Lightkeeper. Again, if the winner bought the book already, I'll send them another book as a prize. Any questions, let me know. nikki-leigh@excite.com.


Note: Cape Ann is also the location my novels, the Sarah's Landing Series, is set in. It is amazing that two people who never met before and do not live anywhere near each other have used the same lighthouse for their books. It really is a small world. Elena Dorothy Bowman

Readers' Station Anthology

Coming Soon: Journeys of a Lifetime
Anthology - from the Readers' Station

Contributions by Elena Dorothy Bowman, Bryn Colvin, Nikki Leigh, Dorice Nelson, Nora Peterson, Ginger Simpson, Donna Sundblad, Angela Verdenius, and Anne Whitfield

There is an interesting combination of fiction in many genres and unusual non fiction titles. There's a little bit of something for everyone. More information will be posted soon by the publisher, Write Words, Inc., Cambridge Books and ebooksonthe.net.

Visit the Readers Station at: www.readersstation.com

Thank you,

Elena Dorothy Bowman
************************************
Journey to the Rim of Space and Beyond
http://elenadb.home.comcast.net
http://www.myspace.com/elenabowmanauthor
http://elenabowman-scifimysteryromanceauthor.blogspot.com/
e-mail: elenadb@comcast.net