I Missed National Pink Flamingo Day, New Release in December

Click here to listen to the blog post. 

Hello and welcome to the J Q Rose blog!!

Proud flamingo

I am thrilled to learn there is a special day dedicated to pink flamingos. Unfortunately I just found out about it and missed the day which takes place in June. According to an article by boredpanda, "Pink Flamingo Day was declared in 2007 by Dean Mazzaralla, the mayor of Leominster, MA to honor the work of Don Featherstone, creator of the plastic lawn flamingo. Don Featherstone created the iconic piece in 1957 while working for Union Products."

I bet you've seen those pink flamingos in yards no matter if you live in Florida or Alaska. Our church youth group and many other organizations plant a huge flock of them in people's yards as a fundraiser. Pay $10 to the group and they'll "decorate" the "victim's" yard with the flock and the victim then pays the group $10.00 to "flock" another yard, or at least remove the lovelies from their yard,

Flock of REAL flamingos at Homossassa Springs State Park, Florida

I bet you're wondering why I'm excited about a National Pink Flamingo Day. Right? Some of you probably know my first novella, Sunshine Boulevard, was published in 2011 and the cover had a pair of pink flamingos on it. I requested the cover artist to use something that says Florida because the story takes place in a senior community in the Sunshine State, so she chose the flamingos.

Once friends and family saw the book cover, a wave of flamingos came my way in the form of jewelry, figurines, clothing, bags, etc. You name it. For awhile I was everything flamingo and I loved it! So of course, having a special day dedicated to flamingos fits right into my interests.

Flamingo bag handcrafted by my author and friend, Joselyn Vaughn

Now I'm re-visiting the original manuscript of Sunshine Boulevard and re-vising the story because Books We Love will re-release this humorous thriller in December.

Books We Love Author, J.Q. Rose

Do you think I should use flamingos on the cover again or something not quite so pretty and lighthearted? Afterall, it does contain a bit of terror and death and mystery. Somehow I just can't picture a dark and mysterious book cover for this quirky mystery story.

I hesitate to use alligators on the cover even if Florida is well known for alligators because what if friends/family decide to celebrate the new release by sending me alligators? Ewww. Let it be known I don't  want a collection of alligators in my house!

So if you have some suggestions, I'd appreciate any ideas for the cover. (except alligators.) BWL's cover artist, Michelle Lee, is an imaginative designer and I'm sure she can take your ideas and create the perfect cover. I'm re-titling the book, Terror on Sunshine Boulevard, because I like the contrast of terror against sunshine. 

Thanks for your help!!

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The Readers Circle series continues this Friday, July 14 with USA Today Best-selling Author Diane Bator! Please join us in the circle, leave a comment, and be the lucky commenter to win Diane's eBook!!

Veteran's Day, Moving On After the Election, Writers Village University

Veteran's Day today in the USA. Thank you veterans! 

On Veteran's Day we honor those who gave their lives in service to our country and say a huge thank you to veterans for their service.

Thank you Vets!

Flag of the United States of America
Photo by J.Q. Rose

Hello and welcome to the J.Q. Rose blog.

I'm writing this blog post a little later than usual because I know on this day, the results of the election of the President of the United States is on everyone's mind, Americans as well as the whole world. If I didn't mention it, I would feel like we were trying to ignore the elephant in the room. (Hmmm--I didn't think about the elephant as the symbol of the Republican party until now.)

Pastor Laurie Haller is a woman I admire very much. She wrote the following on her Facebook page--"My prayer this morning is that our country will rally around, support, and work together with our new president, Donald Trump, to continue our national legacy of liberty and justice for all." This is my prayer for our country too.

In President Obama's speech in the Rose Garden during lunch time here he asked "Americans to move forward with the presumption of good faith in fellow citizens." and  "those who are disappointed should not give up on their dreams."

Both the President and Mrs. Clinton assured us the transfer of the Presidency will be done peacefully--a "hallmark of democracy"-- as it has been done throughout the USA's history 

No matter who won the highest office in the land, our lives will move forward. I still plan to keep writing and releasing the book I am working on now, I plan to enjoy the upcoming holidays, and we just ordered tickets for the Pirate Invasion and Gasparilla Parade in Tampa on January 28. You can bet we'll be there joining in the fun in our pirate costumes.

We cannot wallow in the mud we unwillingly had to endure thanks to this vicious campaign. We won't forget it, but we must shower off, start fresh and adjust to reality. 

President and Mrs. Clinton wore purple today as a symbol of the red for the Republican party and blue for the Democratic party mixed together to make purple. We must get together to build a bright future for everyone. And we can!

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Any writers remember using this machine??

On Sunday evening, you bet I'll be at Writers Village University as a guest speaker online. This "Village" was founded in 1995--writers helping writers.

Click here to learn more about Writers Village University.

I am honored to have been invited and look forward to meeting everyone.

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Squeeeee---getting closer to Books We Love re-issuing my e-book, Dangerous Sanctuary, formerly Coda to Murder. Watch for info next week!!

Meet Logan from Ginger Simpson's Mystery/Romance, Lost in His Eyes

You're in for another treat today, and it's not even Halloween. multi-genre author Ginger Simpson sent over an interview of hcr hunky character in her book, Lost in His Eyes. You gotta love cowboys!

Lost in His Eyes by Ginger Simpson
Mystery/Romance

Ginger's Character Interview with Logan Carruthers from Lost in His Eyes

 

Interviewer:  “Today our guest is the good-looking Logan Carruthers, the hero in Ginger Simpson’s mystery-romance, Lost in His Eyes. Welcome Logan.”

Logan:  *chin dipped and cheeks slightly flushed*  - “Ah, I don’t consider myself as handsome as you make me out to be, but I reckon I am a hero…at least that’s what Harlee called me when I dragged her up from the bottom of the old well.”  *looks up, his eyes wide*.  “Boy, was I surprised to hear a voice say “ouch.”

Interviewer:  “I don’t understand.”

Logan: “I stopped by the homestead I thought had been abandoned to check it out for my pa.  He talked about buying the land to grow more feed corn for the ever-growing number of cattle people are raising these days.”

Interviewer:  “And…”

Logan:  “The temperature was sizzling that day, and I decided to get a drink, but when I threw the old bucket over the side, it unwound quickly and hit Harlee on the head.”  *clears his throat* “You see, Harlee had earlier tried to fetch water and fallen in?”

Interviewer:  “How?”

Logan:  “The well is pretty old and the stones gave way when she was trying to estimate how much water was left.”  *Fixes a serious gaze on the Interviewer* “The lack of rain is really taking a toll on some folks, and Harlee’s folks were having a shaky start to what they hoped was a new beginning.” *Dips chin and laces and unlaces his fingers in his lap.*

Interviewer:  “I’ll bet Harlee and her folks were glad you happened along.”

Logan:  “Well, Harlee definitely was…at least after she recovered from the fall.”  *Looks up and grasps the arms of his stool* “What really amazed her...and me…her family was nowhere to be found.”

Interviewer:  “You mean they’d gone to town or visiting?”

Logan:  *shoulders squared* “Nope.  The house was bare as a bone.  Not a stick of furniture to be had.  You should’ve seen the look on Harlee’s face when I suggested she might have hit her head a little harder than she thought.”

Interviewer:  “Now you’ve got my interest piqued. Did you find her folks? Was the place really her home?  What happened?”

Logan:  *smiling*  “I sure as heck can’t expect me to give away the ending to Ginger’s book, so just let me say, I first had to believe there really was a missing family, and provide Harlee with a place to recover.  She and my mom were like dynamite and a flame, but that eventually worked out but I’m pretty sure I don’t ever want to live in a house with two women who both have tempers. *he laughs.*

Interviewer:  “So, you’re just going to leave us hanging?”

Logan:  “I wouldn’t say that.  I’ll just tell you that Books We Love, Ltd. is having a Buy One Get One FREE sale on their site, and now is a great time to get a copy.  I gotta say, Harlee and I look pretty smitten with one another on the book cover.”  *Stares into space* “You know, this e-book thing sure is a wonderful thing.  Who would’ve thought you could read on some little hand-held thingy?”

Books We Love BOGO Sale

Interviewer:  “I don’t suppose you even know what a url is?”

Logan:  “I’m no dummy.  I may not understand all the ins and outs of this Innernet thing, but I do know if people follow a road map using http://www.bookswelove.com, they’ll find a place where they can click on Miz Ginger’s page.”  *Grins* “Just don’t ask me anymore about it cause that’s all I recall at the moment.*

Author Ginger Simpson
Ginger's Website

Interviewer:  “Thank you for being with us today Logan, and I for one, look forward to reading Lost in His Eyes.  Kinda sounds like Harlee found herself a new sweetheart.”

Logan:  *cheeks flushed again*.   “I ain’t telling, but she definitely is a pretty little filly.”

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Yee-haw! Told ya' you were in for a treat! Now, Partner, wrestle yourself up so you can hop on over to Ginger's blog, Dishin' It Out,  and visit with me. Read my blog post and let me know if you can decide if I'm telling the truth or not.

Columbus Day Holiday, Tiny Tidbits on Writing and Life

Christopher Columbus Day” by Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee 

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Happy Monday and Happy Columbus Day Holiday if you celebrate it in your corner of the world. Columbus Day commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in October 1492. You know those Americans....any opportunity to party, even on a Monday, eh?

Girls Succeed!
Inspiring and empowering girls.

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Congratulations to Casie who won the Rafflecopter drawing at the 5 Girls Book Review site for the e-book for inspiritng and empowering girls, Girls Succeed! Thanks to all who entered. You're all winners to me.

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The blog hop for the Insecure Writers Support Group was fantastic last Wednesday. I enjoy this once a month tradition for writers to get together and share their insecurities. Writers insecure? You bet! Find out more about joining the group by clicking here for my IWSG post.

Having a good time meeting authors at Books We Love. Here's my official author page at BWL. If you have a chance, pop over and check out the books. Something for everybody there.

Tiny Tidbits for Writing and Life

• When a kitty/cat snags her claws into your sweater or fabric, do not pull the cat away from you or pull the cat down. Always pull the cat up to avoid causing a huge snag. 
• New word in the writing world for me--prolixity. According to my Kindle dictionary, the word means using "too many words, tediously lengthy". I found this word in Bill Roorbach's excellent book on memoir writing, Writing Life Stories.
• Do you know you can easily find the definition of a word when reading on a Kindle? Place your finger on the word in the sentence and the definition pops up. So easy and helpful. I usualy highlight the word and make a note so I can find it again. I enjoy learning new words. I guess 'cause wordsmithing is my job.

In case you're thinking about writing a memoir, click on the book cover below for more information about Bill Roorbach's book.

Book Cover Reveal for Deadly Undertaking, Romantic Suspense by J.Q. Rose

 Happy October 2015! 

Revealing the sparkling book cover for my new mystery, Deadly Undertaking, 

is a fantastic way to kick off the new month!

Cover artist Michelle Lee captured the tone and the elements all necessary to tell a story that takes place in a funeral home, don't you think?

Books We Love Publishing will release the book this fall. 
I want to thank so many folks who have traveled (pushed me?) along this path to publishing my third mystery. I value the input from my critique partners, W.S. Gager, Tess Grant, Joselyn Vaughn, Dennis Caplis, Nancy Ross Flanagan, Sally Kent.  

My beta readers, Sandra Rossier, Tess Grant, and Roseanne Dow, offered valuable input. Gail Roughton took care of the formatting of the manuscript.

Thanks to Michelle Lee for a super book cover and to Jude Pittman for formatting and publishing this mystery/romance/paranormal. 

Last, and definitely not least, I want to thank my funeral director brothers, Jim and John, and my sister-in-law, Sandy, for advice on the funeral directing side of the book. Our dad was a funeral director, but I knew the business only from my childhood years, so I appreciated their help to update my knowledge. Of course, any errors I made, were entirely my fault as I took liberty to stretch a few practices to fit the story. Hey, it's fiction!

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You'll be hearing more about Deadly Undertaking on the blog.  In the meantime, here's the back of the book for you. 

Back of the Book: Deadly Undertaking by J.Q. Rose

Lauren Staab knew there would be dead bodies around when she returned home. After all, her family is in the funeral business, Staab and Blood Funeral Home. Still, finding an extra body on the floor of the garage between the hearse and the flower car shocked her.

Deadly Undertaking
Coming soon from BWL

Lauren’s plan to return to her hometown to help care for her mother and keep the books for the funeral home suddenly turns upside down in a struggle to prove she and her family are not guilty of murdering the man. But will the real killer return for her, her dad, her brother? Her mother’s secrets, a killer, a handsome policeman, and a shadow man muddle up her intention to have a simple life. Welcome home, Lauren!

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How do you feel about reading a murder mystery that takes place in a funeral home? Are you curious or put off by the idea of a funeral home setting for a mystery? I'd love to hear your comments. 

Follow the J.Q. Rose blog by email to find out more about Deadly Undertaking and when to enter the drawing for a free copy and prizes during the book launch!

. Deadly Undertaking: Books We Love Accepted My Mystery, Keep Writng, Photofunia

BREAKING NEWS!! (in the world of J.Q. Rose anyway)

J.Q. Rose signs contract for her new mystery

Breaking News indeed! Books We Love Publishing accepted my latest mystery/romance/paranormal novel, Deadly Undertaking!

If you're a reader of this blog, you've probably followed the progression of this story. I started it in June 2012 after my murder mystery, Coda to Murder, was released in the spring. For some reason, I couldn't get a handle on the story. I think it was because the main character is the daughter of a funeral director. That's me. My dad was an undertaker. Her life was too close to my life and I couldn't find her among all the memories of my growing up in my small town in Central Illinois, the people I remembered, the situations. I never had that disconnect with a character. It was like she had put up a wall between us. She didn't want to be me!

When I finally made that realization, the summer was gone. I'd wasted a lot of time not writing the story. But I did write a couple of short stories that summer, and it was fun and healing. 

I don't actually remember when I picked Deadly Undertaking (originally titled Dead Right) up again and "found" Lauren's character. But last fall and winter, I determined I would finish this book and have it ready for submission in the spring. Well that didn't happen. I kept moving the submission time ahead because the story kept evolving.

Thanks to Roseanne Dowell, after reading the story, she encouraged me to send it to Books We Love. I did! And now Deadly Undertaking will be published this fall!! Wow--three years and then accepted in one day. No rejections. 

Yes, I'm crowing about the contract, aren't I? Forgive me, but I'm just so excited to know I'll be able to get this book into the hands of readers to entertain them and perhaps inspire and inform them too. Whether you write strictly to entertain, or if you have a message in your books, then you must share it. You have no idea how your book could enrich others' lives.

I hope you understand what I'm trying to tell you by writing about this experience--keep writing. You'll have a breakthrough. You can do it.

My dream was to be a published author and I have achieved that with three traditionally published books under my belt. I have self-published several too, thanks to this amazing technology available to us now. But just because I did it, doesn't mean I'll stop. This acceptance is like a shot in the arm and my brain is awash in story ideas.

Keep writing!

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Tidbits on Writing and Life by J.Q. Rose

Everyday I come across helpful hints on making life easier, writing tips, or discover information that I can use. In this new feature on my blog, I'll be sharing some tidbits I hope will help you too. If you have some bit you've uncovered and want to share it with my readers and me, please email it to jqrose02 at gmail dot com. 

Yellow car Photo by sattva
freedigitalphotos.net

• Today I'm sharing the Photofunia website. I used this fun site to make my Breaking News photo above. They have many other choices to transform your photos into amazing pieces and put them in unusual places like a New York scape, a London tour bus, and of course on TV. Thanks to Joan Stewart's newsletter for this tidbit. Joan Stewart, Publicity Hound  Tips and Tricks for Free Publicity
• Are you aware the image of a gas tank in your gas gauge in the dashboard of your car shows you which side your gas tank is on? There is nothing more embarrassing than to pull up to the wrong side of the island to fill up the the tank, then realize the gas tank is on the other side of the car. !! Just peek at that picture and find the indicator so you won't be the one everyone is pointing at as you move your car.

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I mentioned I had a dream to be a published author since I was a girl. In my non-fiction e-book for girls, Girls Succeed!,  I interview fifteen women who worked hard to achieve success in their dream careers. These outstanding role models reveal the obstacles in their way and how they overcame them. This book will inspire and empower girls to dream big and go fo it!

* * *Celebrating Back to School with the special price of 99 cents for a short time.* * *

Available at all major online booksellers.

For more information and/or to purchase, click the book cover at the left. Thank you.