Emelle Gamble here. I’ve belonged to my
current critique group, The Lifesavers,
for over twenty years. Four of us are long-time published authors. Two members
of The Lifesavers are original members, the other two have been
part of the group for over a decade. Evie Owens is the newest member this past
year. We talked for a long time about publishing something together and this
novella collection, Once and Forever, featuring a buffet of our individual
styles and genres, seemed the perfect vehicle. In it we’re thrilled to feature
Evie Owens’ first published work, the novella The Psychic Detective. Here’s a blurb about our project…
ONCE AND FOREVER
An
anthology
From five compelling authors, five original novellas which will
make you laugh and cry, and believe in a love that once found will last
forever. Meet a duke, a psychic, a bodyguard and a professor…and one
"guardian fairy" in absorbing stories ranging from regency and
contemporary romance to paranormal and women's fiction.
Part of the fun of marketing this
anthology was designing some marketing to introduce each of us to the other’s
network of readers and friends. So I challenged them…come up with 3 things that
amuse, interest or scare you about another critique group member. It was great
fun! I think it was really interesting to see each author’s writing style and
voice appear so well as they describe one of their friends. What do you think?
Now we’ll take turns introducing each
other to you…
Three Things about Mary
Blayney by Evie Owens
My instructions were to list 3
things about my beloved critique partner, Mary Blayney, that will amuse,
enlighten, or scare the heck out of readers... Guess which of those reactions I
zeroed in on? Yes, Mary is one of the most generous and giving people I've ever
had the privilege of knowing, both as a critique partner and as a human being.
And yes, she's one of the best storytellers I know. I love her honorable heroes
and heroines and she writes the best secondary characters. William
Bendasbrook, Marquis Destry in "One
More Kiss" is my all time favorite. And yes, she amuses and enlightens me
every time I see her. But what you need to know is how scary this woman is...
First, it is thanks to Mary that I
now know you're supposed to apply your eyeliner to the inside. The inside! Did
you know that? I certainly never did. But it works like a charm. Even though
it's a little scary the first 20 or 30 times you try it.
Second, she can move an entire
household of four in to a new place and have it unpacked and set up in 3 hours.
Internationally. Okay. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much.
For someone like me, who moved just myself across town last year and still has
stacks of boxes to undo, that's fricking terrifying.
Third, she has a grizzly bear skin
on her wall. And that's all I can say about that. Seriously. In fact, I may already
have said too much...
Three things about Elaine
Fox by Mary Blayney
Elaine likes to sit and read (and watch oh-so-boring
tennis), but in fact, she is one of the most active people I know. She
loves tennis, kayaking and mountain
biking and is a qualified yoga instructor.
Her ability to read with speed and appreciation is
amazing, making her arguably the best read member of our writing group. Her
book collection ranges from the nonfiction classic GODS GRAVES AND SCHOLARS to
ME BEOFRE YOU with hundreds of titles in between. She will keep a book on her
to-be-read pile for years until the moment is right to read it.
As a painter, jewelry maker and needlework artist
Elaine’s creativity is not limited to writing. Lucky for us she is always drawn
back to words which she assembles into books with humor and insight and, oh,
yes, romance. My two favorites besides
The “Princess in the Pinot” in ONCE AND FOREVER are IMPOSTOR and BEDTIME FOR
BONSAI. Both go beyond the genre to explore the human condition in amusing and
insightful ways. The love scenes are great too!
Three Things About Emelle
Gamble by Elaine Fox
First, I pity people who try to convince Emelle that
her political views are misguided. I really do. It’s like trying to convince an
avalanche it’s going the wrong direction – if you stand your ground too long
you’re going to be covered in evidence to the contrary.
It’s not that she won’t let you talk or listen
attentively to your side. She’s curious and open – but she’s a brain! A top-notch debater with a
lawyer’s mind and a writer’s articulateness.
Second, she is also one of the most astute judges of
character I’ve ever known. For much of the time I’ve known her I’ve been
single, and for a while it got to the point that I could not feel completely
comfortable about my latest date until he got the okay from Emelle! (Not quite
as neurotically dependent as it sounds – she’s just that good. And fortunately
she likes the man I’ve chosen!)
But seriously, when you meet her she’s lovely and
courteous and engaging, but she’ll pick up more about you than meets the
average eyes and ears. And she manages to do it without being critical! It’s no
wonder she writes characters so rich and nuanced you could read about them for
years and still be interested.
Which brings me to the third thing: she is a Real
Writer. By that I mean she plots and plans and develops and polishes and
examines and tests and reworks and knows
her stories inside out. She can look at them globally, minutely, from a
thematic, character or plot perspective. And she does not quit until she has
the story exactly right.
And that makes for a literary ride readers will
never forget. Write on, Emelle!
Three true Things about Lavinia Kent by
Emelle Gamble.
1-She cannot
remember to bring things home with her from critique group. I mean, she just
can’t do it. She lives at the very edge of the present with one foot in the
future. So if, during the course of our dinner party and jam session we call
critique group, we give her presents,
flowers, leftovers, books to read, clothes to try on, or dessert to share with
her lovely family, most of the four of us first have to form a human blockade
at the door and frisk her bodily or she’ll leave for home without them. She’s
left her phone. Her computer. One time her car keys, but aha! She had to come
back!
2-She writes
the hottest, most interesting, romantically sophisticated, and Never, ever, ever gratuitous sex
scenes a person can write and get published. I mean, I’m not much of an erotica
or hot romance reader, and even I can’t stop once I start on a Lavinia Kent
scene! And then I’m exhausted and need a
smoke. And I don’t smoke.
3-She’s
fearless. She’ll walk in secluded areas and run into creatures that would
ground a lesser woman forever (see Facebook post re: terrifying red orb
spider). She eats snails. I’ve seen her.
She’ll eat anything on any menu in any great restaurant because she has an open
and curious mind and not nearly enough taboos. (Possibly informing #2 above).
She’s also
drop dead gorgeous (women notice this as much as men), and is a willing and
generous audience for anyone who wants to tell a story. And she’s not
perfect (see #1 above), but damn close to it.
Thr Three
Things about Evie Owens by Lavinia
Kent
1.
Evie Owens is grandmother. Evie Owens is
a grandmother. I have to repeat it to
myself sometimes because it’s so unbelievable.
When I first met Evie I thought she was at least ten years younger than
me. And I don’t just mean across a crowded
room or even just on our first meeting, or even our tenth. It wasn’t until she started showing pictures
of the cutest little bundle of blond curls ever that I had any clue. And even then I was doubtful – or convinced
that Evie had her first child at the age of seven.
Now
that we’ve been critique partners I’ve gotten to know that Evie has wisdom that
only comes with maturity and I look forward to every little picture of the
young miss. (PS – if anyone wants to send me baby pictures I never
complain.)
2.
Evie helps keep me hip – at least in my teenagers’
eyes.
This may be related to my
inability to see her as a grandmother.
She is both young and knowing at the same time.
And has the greatest taste in indie
music.
My
seventeen year-old daughter always delights in Evie’s recommendations – even if
it does mean I have to hear them sung around the house for days.
Not so bad when the song in question is A
Girl, A Boy and A Graveyard by Jeremy Messersmith.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2XdgMFffZU
THANK
YOU, Evie.
3.
If any of my friends could see ghosts, it would be Evie. I don’t just say this because of her fabulous
story, They Psychic Detective, with
its ghost-seeing detective. And no, it’s
not just the skull rings and tarot cards, either – okay, maybe the tarot cards
a little. Evie just looks at the world
and sometimes adds those few words that imply that she’s seeing something the rest of us don’t.
4.
Evie really needs a new cat – so if you know of any strays . . . Just joking, but I really do think it would be
a good idea.
(Please note. You can email Ms. Kent at I‘m-brillant-but-not-paying-attention@aol.com
and explain the difference between the quantity 3 and 4. :>) HA! Emelle )
