Month: October 2017

Happy Halloween!

  1. Pumpkin Night 2. Bridgeport in the South Yuba Park, CA 3. Red-tailed hawk

Last week I spent with my grandchildren (ages seven and nine years old) on their fall break. We enjoyed a Halloween store full of masks and decorations, and a fall walk ending at the local candy store. At home, we decorated paper pumpkins and stuffed an ape man—making the dining room into the haunted room. The weekend was the grand finale, however.

Friday night, we headed to our first visit to Pumpkin Nights with everyone dressed in their Halloween costumes. I was a witch who enjoyed all the lighted pumpkin themes including: under the sea, pirates, graveyards, and floating pumpkins with the added touch of apple-spice scented fog. Plus, there was a stop to dance and watch a bit of Harry Potter along the way.

We geared up the next night at a local resident’s house called the Spook Walk. This was another first-time event for us as we hunted on an unfamiliar road for a parking spot–avoiding the cars going the wrong direction. We made it safely to the line to wait, while the family’s bumble bee dog kept watch over us. First stop was climbing into tree house to see how the local zombies lived. Then, we made the quarter mile trek through the darkness illuminated only by flashlights. There were spiders and ghosts guiding us until we ran into real zombies traipsing through the oak and pine trees. Luckily, we were protected by some brave young men from these creatures.

The final event came on Sunday afternoon at the Bridgeport Fall Festival. This was my personal favorite.  We started with some history of the covered bridge built in the 1860s. It’s the longest single-span covered bridge in the United States at 229 feet–still standing. Right now, we are unable to walk across it, because it is unsafe. Our community fought hard to save it from being torn down. I’m happy to say the state granted the funds and work begins this coming spring!

Next, we passed a coffin…of course my grand-kids had to take a “quick” peek. They were rewarded with a “skeleton”.  The rest of the day was spent: learning about our local Indian history and their musical instruments, painting pumpkins, making bird feeders, enjoying a tour on the history of the park, and getting towed by a pink tractor from the 40s.

The part I enjoyed the most was seeing the rescue birds and learning their stories. There was a raven, three types of owls, and my favorite, a red-tailed hawk, Sky. She’d been shot and our local wildlife rescue group took her in and nursed her, but couldn’t release her back into the wild due to her injury. So, for the last 11 years she’s been living with her handlers in her own specialty-built home on their property. Each night the couple sits with Sky and enjoys what they call a “hawktail” while she gets a treat. She has a good life with this couple, but her freedom to soar was taken from her the day someone decided to use her as target practice. (Becoming one of the people who help these injured animals is on my list of things to do.)

It was a wonderful week that I spent looking through children’s eyes again. What I got was a glimpse into their magic: walking through the path of lights, surviving a zombie attack, and taking a stroll through time at our local state park.  Next week, I will be doing more adult-themed activities, but the wonder and magic will linger.

So, with my childlike wonder in place, I’m sharing my only Halloween poem for children from twenty-plus years ago. (I saw a children’s book with a similar theme a few years back, so I retired this until now…):

PUMPKINS IN A ROW

Big pumpkins

Little pumpkins

Pumpkins in a row.

Glad faces

Mad faces

Pumpkins in a row.

On the tables

In the windows

Pumpkins in a row.

Burning bright

Just one night 

Pumpkins in a row.

I’ll be spending my Halloween in downtown Nevada City, CA. I never miss a chance to walk through the haunted house or hear the kids say trick or treat! This year I’m dressing up as a character from my book This Second Chance—Zelina! I’ve shared that picture on Twitter and Facebook!

Contest to win Kindle ends 10-30!          ENTER

Happy Halloween and embrace that inner child, D.L. Finn

 

 

More books read!

 

 

She Marches Through Fire (November Snow Book 3) 

by A.M. Manay

I was excited to read the final book of this amazing series—it was hard to put down. The story continues where book two left off. November finds her strength as a vampire emotionally and physically. I love how she softens the edges of some of the harder characters in this story. The idea of Eden hidden within our world was one of the many gems Ms. Manay offered us. Some of the surprise directions the story took were satisfying to read, and sad at the same time. I hope there is more ahead for these characters. This is a series I highly recommend to everyone who loves a well-told story and the paranormal. If I could give it more than five stars, I would!

The Convict and the Rose (Flowers and Stone #2 )

by Jan Sikes

I have been looking forward to reading the second book of this series. The fictionalized true-story continues for Luke and Darlina after he goes to prison–for a crime he didn’t commit. The couple decides Darlina should go on with her life, while Luke deals with prison in his usual rebellious fashion. They go through changes and grow–which keeps you turning the page long into the night to see what happens next. The process of how Luke and Darlina handle this situation is captivating to read. I not only found the physical changes in their lives compelling, but the spiritual process amazing.  It’s a book that shows us to never give up and how to make the best of a bad situation while at the same time it’s about a love that can overcome anything. It is beautifully written and I’ll be continuing this journey in the next book. I highly recommend this if you are a fan of love –or like reading about change and the strength of what the human spirit can overcome.

The giveaway for the release of  This Second Chance has started.  Join the celebration! You can enter on this website under contests, on the sidebar—or here:

Enter Contest

 

Rave Review Book Club is doing our annual Writer’s Conference & Book Expo starting  tomorrow 10/23 and goes through the week! Please stop by and say hello on my page! I highly recommend checking out all of our amazing talented writers and their books! As a bonus, there are lots of giveaways! I will be doing some early Christmas shopping for my grand-kids at the Conference! 

Link to my author page at conference

 I’ll be on vacation again this week with my husband, but I will make time to enjoy the virtual conference-– and maybe some more poetry inspiration from the back of the Harley, too.

 

The monthly newsletter will be coming out today, too! Watch for it in your emails if subscribed!

Next week will be my Halloween post!

Embrace your inner child, D.L. Finn

Poem and fire…

1. Fall colors in Nevada City, CA

2. Smoky day in Nevada City, CA (the faint outline at top of picture is the mountain where I live– to the right) 

I have lived with the possibility of fires the last 27 years. It’s the price one pays for living in the forest. I accept that. I’ve held my breath through the dry fall months many times–until we get those first rains. My family has packed to evacuate, but never had to leave. We’ve been lucky.  I keep a pair of shoes and my purse next to my bed…just in case. I know where my important papers are, I have a suitcase with a change of clothes in my car, animal carriers ready, and the brush has been cleared away from the house.  We are prepared the best anyone can be–if disaster strikes.

California deals with fires, earthquakes, floods, and droughts–it’s a fact of life here. Yet, I have never woken up to what I did this week. So many fires happening “all at once” during a dry wind and dry time of the year. Of those seventeen fires, two struck our area the first day. Fire fighters risked their lives to save other’s lives and property. Sometimes you have a warning, but most of the time you don’t.

Right now, I am safe. The trees are changing their colors for fall to red, yellow, and orange. It’s a beautiful process that continues uninterrupted—even surrounded by fire. The trees carry-on even with all the changes taking place. There are signs of this change all over the world–and all I can do is hope that it isn’t too late for “us” to change…

WAIT

The air is thick with disaster

Heavy in loss and pain.

The sun unable to break through

As the winds fuel the flames…

Tension fills us all.

No breath too deep

As watchful eyes are kept —

Pinned on the horizon.

We wait for the warning.

Bags packed—ready to flee

The air is thick,

With ash from the fires

As…we wait.

Thoughts and prayers go out to all those who have lost loved ones or their homes in the California fires– and the other recent disasters. Reach out and lend a helping hand where you can.

Next week, I will be on vacation with my grand kids. I’m hoping to explore some fall splendor if we can– and at the same time praying for the rains to start! So, the monthly newsletter will be a few days late, while I am out embracing my inner child–D.L. Finn

 

A little Poetry…

harley ride

My husband and I decided to take a ride on our motorcycle last weekend. We went on a favorite ride from Nevada City to Downieville, CA. This is a two hour plus round trip– depending on how many stops we make. Part of this journey, we are next to the beautiful Yuba River–or one of my favorite places to be. I decided to try an experiment. I brought a small notepad and pen to write some poetry during our ride. It was challenging. I used my husband’s back as a table to write on (at first, he was rather confused…). I hung tightly onto my pen, and put each poem, as I wrote them, safely into my zipped pocket–in case I dropped my notepad. I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to read what I wrote later…but I was. Here is one of those poems which I deemed “Musings from a Harley” and will be adding to my poetry book, Just her Poetry:

MOMENTS

Moments of splendor on the back of a motorcycle

Are impolitely interrupted by road work.

We bake in the sun, that our black leather absorbs–

Motorcycle off—we sit and wait.

We are silent in the line of cars

Watching for signs of movement ahead,

When a single butterfly attracts our attention…

The flutter within the delay.

Soaring from one side of the road to the other

In its final autumn quest,

As flowers give forth their final blooms

The butterfly joins many on a late blooming weed.

My husband and I smile at each other.

The enchantment quickly dissipates

When the first car passes us…then another

Soon our direction will be moving.

The motorcycle roars into life

As the butterfly makes one last trip past us

And our time with this elegant being– gone

As the quiet fades into the past

We are on our way again.

But, the memory of the white and orange butterfly

Stays with us on our journey

As moments of splendor–never really end.

NOTE:

I tried to honor the heroes in that horrible shooting in Las Vegas with poetry– and make sense of a senseless act. It is a hard thing to process. I also wrote a couple of poems to mark the passing of Tom Petty. I’ve seen him in concert many times over the years, including just last month.  I’m not ready to share these poems–yet. My plan is to include them in my poetry book. For now, I want to send out my thoughts and prayers to everyone touched by such a tragic day in America’s history. Hug your loved ones just a little tighter next time, and know I’m sending my hugs to you.

Embrace your inner child, D.L. Finn

 

 

 

 

Books read and reviewed!

 

Mirror, Mirror 
by Jessica Jesinghaus

“Mirror, Mirror” is a murder mystery with romance, and the paranormal. Sam is a journalist who suffers a devastating loss. During this time, she meets Patrick, buys a new house, and takes the dresser that used to belong to a murdered relative. As romance blooms with Patrick, a serial killer continues his quest, too. Sam is offered some insight and help from beyond–through the mirror on her dresser. Sam hopes this will solve not only the family murder, but the current ones, too. It is a page turner with a couple of twists along the way. It was a hard book to put down, because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I will be reading more by this author.

 

 

She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2) 

by A.M. Manay

This second book of the November Snow series “She Lights Up the Dark” is on equal ground with the first book—which I loved. The story continues where the first one ended and November is now a vampire in a world with other vampires, fairies, and werewolves. She’s a baby in her new form and doesn’t have the support she needs, at first.  She’s separated from her maker and is thrust into the world of her enemies. Ms. Manay gives us characters we can love and care about. It’s well written with attention to detail–with lots of new twists added in. I love how it is set in the Bay Area where I grew up, so I know all the areas the book is describing so well. This ended with another cliffhanger and I cannot wait to read the third book in this series. I highly recommend November Snow books for all who love fantasy and the paranormal.

 

Suzy Has A Secret

by S. Jackson and  A. Raymond

“Suzy Has A Secret” deals with a subject that we (as parents, grandparents and caretakers) do not like to think about—but we must.  The subject matter is about inappropriate touching of children by trusted adults. The text is handled delicately and assures the child it is safe to speak up. The pictures are cute and welcoming making it feel like any other children’s book. “Suzy Has A Secret” is a book you can sit with a young child and read about a threatening situation, in a non-threatening manner. It will open the door for more communication. I like the note to the adults after the story with more detailed information. I highly recommend this for those with young children. Although, I purchased this for my Kindle, I’m adding the paperback to my book collection– for my grand-kids.

 

I’ve had some help promoting the release of This Second Chance and have some fellow authors to thank for their support:

This week, romance author Michelle Abbott , graciously hosted me on her blog. Please click on her name or the blog link and give her your support. You may recognize her name. I’ve posted the review of Just Stay here (and it is listed in Indie Books Read). Her next book I look forward to reading is: Kai. Thank you, Michelle!

Author Jan Sikes has also graciously shared her blog today. Thank you, Jan! Please click on her name or blog link to show her your support. Her name should be familiar, too, I’ve reviewed a couple of her books. The first book was Flowers and Stone. In a few weeks, I will be continuing the fictionalized true story about the author and her husband:  The Convict and the Rose.  Discovery was a book of poetry (both books listed here in Indie Books Read).

Another thanks goes out to Jessica Jesinghaus. She posted one of the early reviews (before the final revision) on her website. But, she was helpful beyond the review. I made sure to read one of her books and I was glad I did– as you can see in my above review. Thank you, Jessica! 

Dolphin’s Cave stay tuned!

I’ve been working on new book: The Button. Zelina has decided to make another appearance! I think we have developed a good working relationship!

Next week I’ll be sharing some poetry I’ve been working on for: Just her Poetry.

Embrace your inner child, D.L. Finn