A new character for my Snow Blood Series has presented himself. My brain is full of him today, so I thought I would take you inside my writer's mind as his character unfolds. He came to me by way of my son-in-law who posted him on my personal Facebook page. So, thank you, Donald. 

After seeing his picture and its significance, I wanted to share my journey with him so far. It wasn't a coincidence, you see. Most of you know I own, ride and compete with my Friesian Aramis. The horse in the photo above is a Friesian, a winged one at that. At first, I thought he should be named Aramis, after my own horse. But he quickly corrected me and shared that his name is Mathias. Some of you are probably shaking your heads right now and calling me crazy. Probably. But I firmly believe in a hypothesis that William Faulkner set forth about his own writing. He said, "It begins with a character, usually, and once he stands up on his feet and begins to move, all I can do is trot along behind him with paper and pencil trying to keep up long enough to put down what he says and does."

So it has been with all my characters - from Luke to Snow Blood, Ashlundt and Sara to Brogio and Selene or Tim and Corky to Kane and Scrawny.They take on a life of their own.

Because I am introducing a new character in Snow Blood Season 3 called Seth, it only seems fitting that Mathias join Seth in Season 4. What you won't know in Season 3 is that Seth is much more than he appears to be. Once his true nature is revealed in Season 4, Mathias will become Seth's natural companion. Or, at least, that is what Mathias has revealed to me so far.

He's a winged horse, like Pegasus, but unlike the mythological horse, Mathias' nature and origin will be unclear at first. As the story progresses, readers will come to know much about him. He is a teacher, like all horses. He is a companion and adviser, like horses. He is dedicated and willing to work hard. You don't think so? I've told you before. My horses have taught me patience, persistence, strength and how and when to use it. They've taught me to live in the moment, to seize the day, and to be demanding when necessary always followed by kindness. They have further development my sense of responsibility. Mathias will show us all how to be more honest with our friends. I know that I can never fake it with my own horse. He always knows what's going on with me. Oh, one more important thing. Horses have taught me how to be gentle and to move slowly around them so as not to startle them. A nice thing to do for people as well, don't you think? 

Mathias embodies all these teaching abilities and more. How exactly he fits into the total story line he hasn't revealed yet. But, he will. Like I said, I'll need to follow him around for awhile to get his entire story. 

So those are my thoughts this morning. You probably wouldn't want to live inside my head, because that kind of stuff is always going on! But, if you love to write, you'll probably get it all. If you love to read, you'll probably get it too.

Til Next Time,
​Carol

I just returned from the RT Booklovers Convention in Las Vegas, and I am recharged, inspired and excited about writing Snow Blood 4. 

I often tell myself that I'm "too busy" to attend conferences, but when I get into the mix of them, I'm hit by inspiration. I love writing. That and riding my horse Aramis are my passions.

I'm often asked what inspires me to write. The answer? Everything around me! Other authors are such a motivation as well. This past week, I met Nalini Singh. best-selling New York Times author. What a warm, wonderful, sharing personality willing to share her knowledge with those who would be her! I attended for just that reason: to learn from and share with other authors. I'd say it was a resounding success. There were seminars on branding, marketing, publishing, distribution, PR, getting reviews, you name it. And the chance to rub elbows with readers and talk about and share my books! The name of the game was networking! Work it, baby! 

Whatever your career, wherever you are in life, the real name of the game is building ... wait for it .... RELATIONSHIPS!  I made some new friends, shared knowledge with them and learned a lot. The key is to never sit in your Ivory Tower (wherever that is) and think that you have learned all you need to know. You can never know enough. You should never stop growing, and you should never miss the opportunity to meet new people who will always teach you something. Remember The Celestine Prophecy?  That book taught us that each person that we meet is here to give us something, to teach us something. Take advantage of those opportunities every chance you get. You'll be amazed at how those relationships will change your life for the better.

And as a bonus for reading me, I want to share some books that I discovered that you should definitely read while you wait for Snow Blood 3. At least, I hope you are waiting! Here they are:

• Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter Novels (series) - I'm reading Book 1 - Angel's Blood now.
• A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forest
• Night Shift by Charlaine Harris (of Sookie Stackkhouse novels fame)
• The Last True Vampire Series by Kate Baxter (The Dark Vampire is the new one)
• Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply by Terry Spear
• The Sea Haven Series by Christine Freehan (Fire Bound is the latest one)

So many more! But that will get you started. Start with Nalini Singh. She is fabulous! She combines angels, vampires and vampire hunters. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Til Next Time,
Carol

I just finished listening to an interview on Jim Harold's Paranormal Podcast. It was with Marie-Ange Faugerolas, author of Angels: The Definitive Guide to Angels from Around the World.  I have to confess that Ms. Faugerolas' stories brought me to tears at times.

Her book is a celebration of all the world’s divine messengers and has been impressively researched and packed with knowledge about angels, including who or what they are; their purpose and origins and how to call upon them to guide and protect you, and even to steer you toward love and success.

During the interview, she retold a story of angel intervention.  When her son was two-and-a-half, they lived outside a small village in France. While he napped in his bed next to open French windows on a warm summer day, she worked in the den. She heard the crunch of footsteps on her graveled driveway but didn’t see anyone out front, so she resumed her work. Soon, a knock brought her to the front door. When she opened it, to her amazement, her sleeping child lay in the arms of a very tall, broad-shoulder man with a kind face. She was in shock. What had happened? Her son must have crawled out his window. This would have put him in danger as a busy road, railroad tracks and a number of other hazards could have easily taken the child’s life. As she stood their speechless, the giant man placed the toddler in her arms and turned away. Still shocked, she shut the door, and then ran to the window to yell “thank you!” However, no one was there.  Later she went into the small village trying to find the kind stranger. Because everyone knew everyone else, her quest to find the stranger proved futile. No one had seen him. As her son grew and began to talk, one day, he told Marie-Ange that “an angel saved my life.” Today he is 23 and still vows this to be true.

Later in the interview, she explained that angels are here to guide us. I have often been told by psychics that my arc angel is Raphael. In the interview Ms. Faugerolas explained that Raphael guides writers. I believe this to be true. Have I told you that I truly believe that angels inspired me to write Luke’s Tale?  After all, it is the story of unconditional love. Doesn’t that go hand-in-hand with what we all believe angels represent?  I dreamed about writing about Luke at least a year before I started it. The name of the book just popped into my head. Sometimes I would fall asleep and hear the plot line being whispered into my ears. Just me being creative, you say? I have to argue with you and say it was divinely inspired.

Anyway, I am fascinated by Marie-Ange Faugerolas’ book about angels. I plan to read it from cover-to-cover, because I am going to write about an angel-inspired character in Snow Blood 4. I think it will be helpful, don’t you? And, if you have an interest in all things angels, pick up a copy. Click on the book title above and read the 5-Star reviews. We all need positivity in our lives, and a little help from the angels should be greatly appreciated!

Til Next Time,
Carol