Love and Loss

With the approach of October, known to many as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to get a head start and tell you about the Shades of Pink Anthology put together by Kallysten (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/510084.Kallysten). She pulled together 32 other writers to create the Shades of Pink Anthology that is being offered as a gift for anyone making a donation through the link set up on StayClassy.org

http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?fcid=261380

This project is special to me, as I lost a beloved friend to cancer. As a child, she beat Hodgkin's, suffered through life-altering side effects of chemo and multiple surgeries, and later in life developed breast cancer. My friend, Teresa Schulte McCartney, succumbed to surgery complications and died in September 2007. Although we had grown apart since we were kids, not seeing each other often as we got older and focused on our families, she had a profound impact on me as I was growing up. Many of my best childhood memories were spent at her side. There's a huge Teresa shaped hole in my life, and some days I will see or do something that makes me stop and wish she were here sharing her smile and hugs.

To all of you that knows someone struggling with this horrible disease, or someone that lost the fight, or someone that beat the bitch with a 2x4 and is in remission. My thoughts are with you.

-- T

This is the attached info she has sent out for bloggers! Please share on your blogs and social media pages. The anthology is a gift from all 33 authors to show appreciation for your support. Please go to the StayClassy.org site (above) and help us reach our goal.

Shades of Pink Charity Anthology

As you may know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For this occasion, 33 authors have allied for 1 cause: fundraising for research. Their gift to everyone who makes a donation? A romance anthology (ebook) titled Shades of Pink, totaling over 200.000 words / about 500 pages as a PDF.

The suggested donation is $5. Funds are raised via Stayclassy.org and all proceeds go directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Readers can also donate to the charity organization of their choice (with a focus on breast cancer) and email their receipt to receive their copy of the anthology in either PDF, ePub or mobi (kindle).

Who: Kate Baum, Brei Betzold, Jean Booth, Catherine Bowman, Perci T. Brooks, Rose Caraway, Bethan Cooper, Sarah Daltry, Vivien Dean, JJ Ellis, Rachel Firasek, Sabrina Garie, Amber Green, T. Hammond, Lisa M. Harley, Susan Harris, K. R. Haynes, Ellie Heller, Laura Hunsaker, Jennifer James, Torie James, Kallysten, K.A. Linde, C. Deanne Rowe, DJ Shaw, Madeline Sheehan, Eden Summers, Gill Taber, J Annas Walker, Matthew Welch, Kristin L. Wilson, Zoe York, Angela Yseult

When: October through November 15th.

What: 33 short stories, including…

·      30 M/F, 1.5 M/M, 1.5 M/F/M

·      4 paranormal, 2 sci-fi, 19 contemporary, 3 historical, 1 BDSM, 9 fantasy, 3 YA (some stories have more than one genre)

·      4 spicy (ménage or kink), 15 sexy (explicit sex scenes), 14 sweet (no sex)

·      A handful of vampires, about four dozen humans including fighters, cursed humans, reincarnated souls, footballers, time travelers, bosses, secretaries, writers, rock stars, teens, witches, soldiers, wives, husbands and fiancés, 1 succubus, 1 genie, 1 extra-terrestrial princess, a few gods and goddesses, a pack of werewolves.

·      Pink, pink and more pink, including cherry blossoms, jewelry,  flamingoes, silk, a leather collar, assorted flowers, hair, a car, lip gloss, champagne, a hair ribbon, a hippo, various clothing items, lemonade and a toy.

Where: Kallysten’s blog

Here you’ll find teasers for all the stories, interviews of the authors posted during all of October, and of course the link where you can donate and help this worthy cause.

Marketing Madness

Catchy title, eh? *Snort* This BLOG entry, unsurprisingly enough, is all about me. In prior GoodReads posts (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6981922.T_Hammond), I've touched on the whole Red Rover versus Blind Seduction thing... but let me catch everyone up to speed on the latest news.

NOTE: This an updated and edited blog entry from GR Apr 7, 2013.

When I wrote Red Rover, it was meant to be a Paranormal Romance / Adult Contemporary novel. It was tough to classify because we have a level-headed woman blinded in an accident who get's a German shepherd she finds she is able to mentally communicate with- paranormal, right? Sigh... it should be so easy.

The book doesn't have the feel of a paranormal book because the book is completely taken over by the dog, Red, and his snarky, witty dialog, sans filter. So, humorous, right? Sigh... Nope.

I had to make myself crazy and I added two hot guys that decide to compete with each other for her affections (think hijacked dates, and sabotaged good-night kisses). So, romantic comedy, right? Heavier sigh.

Then comes the inevitable intimacy... couple this (no pun intended.... mmm, well, on second thought, maybe the pun IS intended) with the humor or the book, and readers were getting opinionated. What? Cute dog and fun laugh-out-loud dialog, now the writer is adding sex? Yep, I know, funny smart people with talking dogs don't have hot sex, right? *Snort* They do in my world (and remember- this is all about me).

But wait! I could have stopped there, but no- I obviously wasn't done messing with everyone's head (or my own, apparently) so I added that the dog has awesome tracking ability that brings him to the attention of the Police department which decides it can take advantage of the unique talents "Team Red" can bring to some of their trickier investigations.

See what I mean about trouble finding a good genre fit? Well, amazingly enough, people are reading the book. But, due to the explicit content, readers asked for a Young Adult version because their kids expressed an interest in reading about the talking dog. Sigh... the book genre angst wasn't complex enough on it's own, now the readers are getting me back by asking for a re-write?

Always one to bow to peer pressure (If you knew me, you would not only be laughing hysterically over this idea, but you'd be insisting there is validity to the Stepford Wives book) I was able to modify the story enough to get close to what I believe to be the equivalency of a PG-13 movie and still retain the elements I most enjoyed about my book: the character relationships. In the Special Edition, I was able to turn my 30-40 year old's into 20-26 year old's (the magic of the computer, and an awesome writer imagination (yep, I just snorted again)). The underlying adult theme of the book was removed to add different backgrounds and a slightly modified plot to make it more acceptable to the 16+ crowd.

While both series contain the same character names and a lot of shared dialogue, the Red series is stripped of graphic sex and language, the characters are younger, and story line is modified to what I believe is the equivalency of a PG movie (subjective, of course, other opinions may vary).

The “Blind” version is written first. Afterward, protagonist ages are reduced to their twenties, and changes made to tone down adult themes and language, making the “Red” version a new story, with obvious mirrored elements of the original (such as the dialog). Some people enjoy following both storylines.

Team Red ‘Blind’ Adult version:

Blind Seduction, Book 1

Color Blind, Book 2

Blind Faith, Book 3 (coming Winter 2013)

Blind Rage, Book 4 (coming Spring 2014)

Team Red ‘Red’ New Adult version:

Red Rover, Book1

Red Zone, Book 2

Seeing Red, Book 3 (coming Winter 2013)

Want a fun, spicy, romantic read? Do you like a touch of the paranormal (Teresa has mental communication with her dog; my options were paranormal or schizophrenia, right?). Laughing out loud is guaranteed (I apologize in advance for all the people that stare at you while you read the book). 
 
AMAZON LINKS:
Blind Seduction (Book 1): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C8UB0JK
Color Blind (Book 2): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E652OTK
Red Rover (Book 1, of New Adult version): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQEUEFA
Red Zone (Book 2, of New Adult version): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EOZFSM2

B&N LINKS:
Blind Seduction US: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blind-seduction-t-hammond/1116520185?ean=2940148585398
Color Blind US: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/color-blind-t-hammond/1116518426?ean=2940148549895

Leader of Lemmings

(copy of my Goodreads Blog post)

 

I can't tell you how long I stared at this button on my Author Dashboard: "BLOG" -- Extolling the virtues of reaching a wide audience (and there were already three, count em THREE! people waiting for me create a Blog so they could follow). Geeez, People, lemmings much?

So, why did I stare at the fairly innocuous BLOG button for so long (probably four minutes, my eyes were starting to dry up)? Would you believe "fear of commitment"?

Holy Moly! If I create a blog, not only do I have to, like, post stuff, but people might start to expect regular posts or something. Gosh, maybe even as regularly as once a month or something. I haven't been that regular since I had my peri... well, let's not get into that. Suffice to say, I had to examine if I was dedicated enough to my Peeps (heeheehee, great word, that!) that I could realistically take time to regularly, at the minimum, weekly, sit down and babble.

Guess what? I actual like to spout off random stuff that catches my fancy. I think I'm not all that interesting, but I bet that I can talk about what's going on in the Red Rover - Team Red series (Books 1, yes plural) and the progress on Book 2. Red Zone. The opening line in book two is "Bonzai!" (Heh, you're curious now, aren't you?)

... And if there are already three people waiting to follow me over the metaphorical cliff of my imagination (see above reference to lemmings), then heck-- get in line, let's take a walk!

First, about me, I'm Tina- friends call me T, or Ms T. I'm not really all that special, I don't see dead people... well, unless I'm flipping through old family photos. I can't really hear my dog's thoughts, although, I DO understand what he's saying most of the time (other pet owners will get that!). I'm not spectacularly excellent at anything in particular, but I'm a passable artist, writer, scholar, and Aunt Extraordinaire.

Second, I love to write. And sometimes writing is about not how well you can write the next Great American Novel, using flawless grammar and snooty punctuation; sometimes, its just about making someone smile, or laugh out loud. Sometimes, its sharing a fun thought, or putting a great life experience on paper so others' can share a great moment that had an impact on you, the writer.

I've lived a rich and wonderful life, and I view my life through a warped lens of sarcasm, and self-reflection (trust me, its not always pretty, but often we catch sight of ourselves in a mirror and its important to stop and look at how the world sees you).

I have been enriched by having the comfort/security of being in love with totally awesome men in very healthy and wonderful relationships... enough said... but healthy relationship can give us a foundation for great stories about love, friendship, loss, trust, shared laughter, and so many other emotions.

I have been blessed to travel: I've lived or visited Germany (and the surrounding European countries), Australia, Canada, Mexico, and probably more than half the United States. Travel can add another layer of experience to stories, not so much by their inclusion in a particular story, but by giving a writer a perspective on where they are now. Think about how three stories about mountains would differ if told from the perspective of a desert dweller that has only seen them from a distance, a person that lives in the Appalachians (a moderate sized range of mountains when compared to the Rockies or Sierras), and a third person telling a story when all then have known is living atop a mountain in Tibet. Where we've been effects the way we tell the story of where we are now-- Geez, that would make a great metaphor or something *snicker*

As the first post, I'll chat briefly (or not, knowing me and my penchant for dragging things out) about Red Rover. There are two versions of the story. The original is adult themed. Why? Because that's what I read, and that's what I know. My own relationships have been flirty, humorous (I have been so lucky that my men had 'got' me- when I cracked a joke, they caught the reference- how cool is that?), my relationships have been passionate, loving, frustrating, straightforward, rocky in some places, and occasionally full of miscommunication and hurt feelings.

Red Rover is a reflection of the types of positive, and sometimes negative, ways that I have interacted with the people in my life. I am not blind (physically, anyway), but I loved the idea of a woman with a handicap, who acknowledged her short-comings, yet still didn't feel it made her less of a woman. I liked the idea of the talking dog, Red, because it was fun and lighthearted. Red Rover started out with a basic idea: A woman picks out a dog that later becomes a companion dog when she is blinded in an accident. That was it. I just wanted the challenge of writing, because its a creative outlet.

Holy Hens in a Handbasket! No one told me that the characters would develop personalities of their own. Its true, and totally screws up my perceptions about paranormal phenomenon-- I mean, how else can I explain that I'd be writing along (minding my own business), a fairly clear concept in my mind of where my story was going, and POW! The dog did something totally unexpected! I can not tell you how many times I re-read my chapters and was saying in my head, "I wrote this?" "Why in heaven's name, did I do this? It makes the plot all messed up." I got no sympathy from me.

There was a major plot in the original book that had Teresa ending up with a totally different guy than she ended up with. When I was writing chapter five, I fully expected a different ending, to the book and I was consciously (although, obviously, not) meaning to take the story in one firm direction. When Teresa had the fight in the car I had no idea I would end up so drained -- where did all this emotion come from? It was totally unexpected that Teresa would say such strong and heartfelt angry words. Geez, couldn't someone have warned me that I would lose pieces of myself when I wrote? Luckily, when I read the book, I find the pieces of myself again, and its a miraculous thing.

When I started the first chapter of the original version of Red Rover, I needed a name for my protagonist. Teresa is the name of my childhood friend. I couldn't have loved her more if she was the child of my mother's loins. She and I didn't always agree, and at one point we drifted apart for personal reasons that won't be discussed. We touched each others' lives at a couple points in our adult lives; I wish it had been more. Teresa, as a child, battled Hodgkin's lymphoma, and as an adult breast cancer, and heart problems -- all related, I'm sure. Teresa eventually lost her fight with cancer, and there's a hole in the world where she used to be. I named my protagonist so that I could always have a little part of my friend sharing my adventures with me.

This brings me to the Special Edition of Red Rover. Quite frankly, the original version is very carnal and has explicit sexual content. I spoke with readers that told me their kids (kids being relative they could have been any age) were interested in the story of the talking dog; and, especially, I wanted to make a version of the book that Teresa's family to be able to share.

Enter the idea for a Special Edition. The original idea was to try for a YA (Young Adult) version of the book, because of the talking dog angle. I tried, really, I did- but we are back to the life experiences thing again. I don't have kids, so I have no clue how to relate (except as an Aunt.. spoil them, buy them presents, fill them with sugar, and send them back hyped up as payback to your siblings, right?). With a lot of help and input, within the next two or three weeks, there should be a modified New Adult version of the story. Protagonist ages are reduced from 30-40 year old ranges, to 21-26 year olds.

The original story had an underlying plot had to be modified and more background was added (I mean, how do you give young twenty-somethings a jobs and lifestyle that matched the lifestyle of the people 10+ years older?) And there was a lot of hacking to remove sexual undertones as well as the few swear words, and the more explicit scenes. My challenge? I wanted to retain the elements of the story that were most important to me: the relationships. I cut out the overt sex, but I still wanted to relay the playfulness and joy of being in a loving relationship. They had sex, I didn't talk about it too much, its the best I can do and still tell MY story.

I am pleased with the Special Edition version, but when I read it, I don't see the lost pieces of myself in it. I see it fondly as something I like and feel comfortable with, but my heart is in the original version- because it more closely resembles my real life friendships: Irreverent, and finding humor in mundane and inappropriate ways.

So, here I am, giving up more pieces of myself by writing my BLOG (it deserves capital letters, don't you think?), because I am fully confident I will find those shared pieces every time someone writes and shares a piece of their story too.

I pressed the little BLOG button, and here we are. I have become a Leader of Lemmings *giggle* and let's see what kind of adventures I can lead you to. You could do worse you know... I've survived 52 years and haven't fallen off a cliff. Yet. 

 

Good reads: Books by T Hammond  http://www.goodreads.com/author/list/6981922.T_Hammond