The waters

by Rain Trueax

Yellowstone is one of those special places with so much to see or take in that a lifetime wouldn't let a person know it all. Most of it is not reached by roads. In this trip, with only five days, we went to places that are, where even the old or handicapped could enjoy. Many of the photos were taken from the truck or a few feet away.

To share some of it in the blog, I decided the only way was to break it into subjects-- first the small geysers. Then the wildflowers. Today, the waters-- not so much the famous ones but ones many miss in their rush to the scenic spots. These are the ones that just are and let us just be.

Yellowstone takes me to a place of beauty and creativity, but it also is a place of violence and abrupt changes. Maybe the latter is part of what makes it so special. It's not just the pretty, innocent kind of beauty but the risky, savage kind, from which each moment could be the last. You know, the kind from which real creativity is born.

It's their season

 by Rain Trueax

July is when the wildflowers do their thing in the high country of Yellowstone. Sometimes I try to figure out their names, have books to help me do that. I had none with me this trip. The thing for me though is to enjoy beauty. These are nature's gardens and none could be prettier with their gorgeous mix of colors.

In driving and looking for flowers, it's interesting how a tiny elevational difference determines what will be where. Wildflowers might look to be scattered randomly, but they have strong requirements as to where they will grow including amount of water, temperatures, nearby plants, and soil types. It makes finding, something like Indian Paintbrush, challenging. 

When on gravel roads, with less traffic, it was easier to stop where the flowers were. On the major roads, stopping for a wildflower is not safe. These were taken in parks or not far off roads.

I think, when I get my current manuscript to the rough draft phase (a long way off), I might try to put some of the Yellowstone photos into a video with music. Something classical would suit the images best.

Even in Yellowstone, it can be the little things

Having been to Yellowstone quite a few times, enjoying each visit, this July trip, we went for the little places-- not the main tourist attractions. These don't all have names but they have the same beauty as the major sites-- just smaller, with less people watching their shows.

It had an advantage of being quieter-- well, the little want-to-be geysers did gurgle.

Photos are all in the geyser basin but not where the big parking lots are.

You look out across the horizon and it feels like another world-- a world of creation and new beginnings.

A little hot spring can also have a tiny geyser, but hey, maybe someday it might be as impressive as Old Faithful-- or will it disappear?

 A few are named-- Pink Geyser.

For me, to be in the geyser basins feels like the earth speaking out-- creation in its essence.

You wait and never know what you will see.

Contemporary novels

If you are a writer with an inventory of books, you already know that the first books out on Amazon are easily forgotten, with a new book being added every five minutes. Algorithms are slanted to make the new release stand out and have better rankings with its sales. I learned that with Desert Inferno, where a few years back, it had four sales in one month, which didn't bring it up in the rankings.

So for books, out there over five years, that have fallen into Amazon's black hole, I've been looking into how to relaunch a book to get around the problem. There are books written on this. We bought one of them, and we'll see if it helps. One option that I don't like is pulling the book, making some minor changes, giving it a new title/cover, and presenting it as a new book. To me, it seems unfair to readers, could give the writer a bad name with them, but it's not hard to understand how some might do it.

The books on the poster are the first ones I brought out as eBooks. They are contemporaries which I have long called, Romances with an Edge. They were written when I had limited interest in seeing them published. In the '90s, I did query a romance publisher on one or two of them, but the answers I received told me I'd have to change my basic plots and characters to satisfy what they felt a romance had to have to satisfy their readers. I didn't and don't disagree with them, but a writer has to also stay true to their muse.

a special place

In July, we were at the high country in Wyoming and Montana for a Yellowstone vacation. I am sorting photos and that will take a while to figure out how I want to share them, in what groups, to kick out the bad ones, and refine the ones I love into something others can also enjoy. It breaks down into various parts of Yellowstone, what we chose to do when there, and then Western Montana, the Missoula area where we spent four nights before heading back to our Oregon home.

Favorite Places

by Rain Trueax

There are those who love to travel and click off how many places they have been. It can become like a contest with the widely traveled feeling superior to those not so much. I have nothing against travel for others, but what I don't like about it for myself is going somewhere simply to say I've been there with no concept of what there really is like-- if I'd spent longer. I am against travel as a way to believe anyone can know a place when they have counted coup there-- especially when it impacts those who live there in ways that can prove damaging-- like elephants stampeding through villages but must remain in the area for tourists. 

My interest in travel is finding soul places for me, Through reading, I've learned about how some see their soul places. My bookshelves are full of such books.

creativity

This is a good article on creativity. 

Brutal Truth about Creativity

Recently, on Netflix, we watched a documentary on Shakespeare. It went into from where his inspiration might've come through history, his own experiences, or creative genius. I've also read Stephen King speak about how a newspaper can trigger a book for him. Is genius really about being able to see something has happened and use it in a different way?

when it goes well

It might seem after the misery of June in editing the paranormals with the mistakes that were so upsetting that I'd let editing go for awhile and concentrate instead on having a good time in July-- or even begin writing Book 4 of the Hemstreet Witches. 

What was on my mind instead were the contemporary romances that I'd first brought out in December 2011 and into 2012, books I had written when I was writing for myself and not trying to get my books published. I didn't try to get them out there until Amazon made being an indie writerpossible

My debate today regards these contemporaries, which have fallen into Amazon's black hole thanks to not many sales and Amazon's algorithms. I believe in those stories. Should I should pull them (there are ten) from wider distribution and get them into Kindle Unlimited, where they can be borrowed, not necessarily just bought? Some say Amazon's algorithms are kinder to books in KU. I have no idea as this will be m first time there with the paranormal contemporary romances. 

the 'nots'

by Rain Trueax

When I put out a book, I am convinced it is without errors and written to the best of my capabilities (at that time). I believe the story is solid and has a reason for being, that the characters are exciting with depth, and that what happens in the plot makes sense for those protagonists. 

Before the word publish is clicked, I will have written a rough draft, done two or three word-for-word edits, not to mention scanning over multiple times for context. Two or three beta readers will have sent me notes on errors they found, which I have corrected. My editor will have also done one or two word-for-word edits. When he gets the final version, he will look again before hitting publish.

From experience, I know that won't have caught everything. It's the unfortunate nature of writing, where it isn't all done the same day and where typing is often done, while thinking ahead of the keys. There will be typos. There will be commas missed because of wanting to get down the action. There will be misused words, even when I know well the correct ones-- i.e. hear and here. Argh!

What there should not be are secondary characters' names changing during the book. There should not be dialogue that makes no sense. There should not be timing confusion. There should not be saying the same thing three paragraphs after it had just been said. 

It is random

by Rain Trueax

Something has been on my mind. We, in the United States and most of the developed nations, live in a safe period of history. If you look back at history, you see wars that swept across people's homelands, along with plagues and famines. Those could decimate whole populations. 

As mankind has learned more, diseases have been taken on, and in some cases conquered.  When I was a girl, my parents feared having us swim in some rivers because polio was a very real risk. Then came the Salk vaccine, and polio has been all but forgotten for what it once meant-- unless you have a family member who had been touched by it. Iron lungs, what do people today know of that horrid but lifesaving device?

what we don't know but think we do

by Rain Trueax

Subjects for blogs come from many sources- what I'm doing; what I read; something someone said; from the muse. I don't try to explain it anymore than I do from where my books come. Once in awhile though, something comes along that excites my interest enough to stick with it and then want to share it-- in fiction and here.

The day after the Fourth

As we once again have gone past Independence Day, a time in America for celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, this can be a time to reflect on the meaning of July 4th for Americans. For many of us, it has been a time for fireworks, camping, gatherings, picnics, and vacations. It is celebrated however because of a document signed by representatives from the thirteen colonies to break with Great Britain and become a sovereign nation.

It is a more lengthy document than most of us remember. If you haven't read its entirety in a while, it's here: [The Declaration of Independence]. What is familiar and often quoted is--

mail order

 Since my posts are totally off kilter this week with nothing, with one exception, when they should be, I skipped the regular Saturday and thought I'd share this on Sunday. 

With country living, mail order is an important benefit. I grew up when the big deal was getting a Sears and Roebuck and Montgomery Ward catalog each season and picking out toys or clothing. At one time, people even ordered homes through those catalogs. Yes, back then, I enjoyed their stores too, but we were country living folks and getting to town didn't come all that often. Browsing those catalogs did. Today browsing happens online and is not limited to one store.

What the emails look like--

If you haven't signed up for my email alerts regarding new books, this is an example of what you would receive. We keep it simple (Ranch Boss does these) with just the info about the new book and connections to earlier books. We don't send spam, share your addy, or mail you something not relating to new releases, contests, or give-aways.

Mail Chimp alongside here is where you can sign up-- and cancel anytime.

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Rain Trueax's  New Release

Our latest release in the Tucson based Hemstreet Witches. A series combining the family story lines from my Arizona Historicals and the mystery side of the barrio's inhabitants.

Available June 21, 2017. A Price To Be Paid The third of the Hemstreet Witches, Paranormal Modern Romances. This series pulls the locations and character types from the Arizona Historicals into the 21st century.  Living and "reliving"  the energy of the Arizona rim country, the intrigue of Tucson's old Presido, Barrio Viejo and the Tanque Verde. http://www.amazon.com/Price-Paid-Hemstreet-Witches-Book-ebook/dp/B0732HT4ZQ

As a woman with her feet in two worlds,  Devi Hemstreet tries to find peace with the conflicts she feels wishing she had not been born a witch. The youngest of four Hemstreet sisters, that choice was never hers. Working in the family bookstore, trying to move out of the family home, what is hers? And now, to complicate it, she has an unwelcome and persistent suitor. Asa Taggert has acquired all that a man could want with money, properties, physical beauty, and a son he is raising as a single parent. He is being pressured to run for political office, something he’s unsure he’s suited to do. Still, what challenge is left for him? When these two come together, a business contract is a vehicle for the passion that lies beneath the surface. Will a marriage by contract ever be enough for either of them? At Willy’s Lake they find the answers-- as well as a life-changing challenge. Set in Central and Southern Arizona, this contemporary paranormal confronts the question of what is real with a determined ghost , spirit guides, demons, possible monsters, and maybe karma, with a need to fulfill—A Price to be Paid. Some spice, violence, strong language, and unconventional spirituality. 72,000 words.  Trailer: . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIrIhcRVHg8. All books in the Hemstreet series have been updated for content and continuity.

The back story of Asa Taggert and his termination. http://www.amazon.com/Echoes-Past-Arizona-Historicals-Taggerts-ebook/dp/B0125LTADY/        Willy's Lake original story. http://www.amazon.com/Bound-Hills-Arizona-Historicals-Taggerts-ebook/dp/B01D7L0IL4/

Hemstreets Book 1     http://www.amazon.com/Enchantress-Secret-Hemstreet-Witches-Book-ebook/dp/B01GKH4DJA

Hemstreets Book 2, also a central Arizona connection http://www.amazon.com/Speak-Things-Unseen-Hemstreet-Witches-ebook/dp/B01KDCI9VG

the muse

When writing, I count a lot on the muse (which I've written about before) for inspiration. I might have a general outline in my head but that's not a book-- not even a short story. The muse doesn't speak directly to me but rather comes in serendipitous coincidences and dreams. 

After a night of vivid dreams, I often lie awake in the morning to try to put together what they meant and can they be used. Many mornings I dreamed all night, but nothing is left when I wake.

a test

by Rain Trueax

After the major failure of my blog on Saturday due to running that blog into the previous one, I need to find out if this is an ongoing problem before Wednesday rolls around. This is a blog I wrote for Smart Girls Read Romances where it posted fine. Let's see how it does here.

A Price to be Paid is my fifth paranormal full length novel. I'd written the first two in the Hemstreet Witches series in spring and early summer of 2016, but something about this one had me writing other books and delaying its start until mid-January 2017. I didn't write the end until early June, which for me, is a long writing time to get a rough draft.

In writing it, I kept alternately referring to it as fantasy or paranormal. Turns out not so. Fantasy genre is for books set in a world created by the author. Paranormal uses our physical world but with supernatural elements. Mine are paranormals. In this one, there are spiritual entities of many sorts, along with heroines who are natural born witches-- not supernatural beings but with superhuman powers. They don't live forever and can be killed. Karma, reincarnation, and redemption are key themes, along with life questions such as--

In a new lifetime, can a soul, who lived a bad to the bone life, change into someone good? 

Does it matter what someone actually did or more what they thought they did?

Can guilt be such a weighty burden that it makes real change impossible? 

The themes might seem weighty, but they're woven into the plot, personal interactions, a spicy romance, and strong adventure.

In 1901, in the Arizona historical, Echoes from the Past, Asa Taggert lived by the gun and died by it. A true villain, he had no compassion for others and committed a heinous act. After that lifetime, it took a while, but his soul was reborn to be killed in WWII and again in the Vietnam War. In 1984, he was born into the Taggert family and given his name from that earlier lifetime. His challenge was to get past earlier mistakes and live a meaningful life. Expecting his time to be short, he is raising a son and has amassed a fortune. Love for a woman is not in the cards—nor is any belief in the supernatural realm, making it difficult for his spirit guide to reach him.

Devi doesn’t want to be a witch, despite being born into a family of witches and shamans. The youngest of four sisters, she reluctantly lives at home, conflicts with her mother, writes a garden blog under a pseudonym, and avoids using her powers as much as possible. When her attempt to purchase a fixer-upper Barrio Viejo adobe is blocked, her solace is with her grandmother and her witch’s garden. She is aware of her spirit guide but doesn’t listen to him. She is determined to live as a normal woman and having seen the pain her mother went through with her father’s death, she plans to never fall in love or marry.

When these two come together, a business/marriage contract is only an excuse for what is to follow as each comes to understand there is indeed a price to be paid to live life fully. The book has spice, violence, and a shamanistic view of life.

 A Price to Be Paid available at Amazon 

Book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIrIhcRVHg8.

All of my contemporary paranormals are now in Kindle Unlimited for borrowing. The Hemstreet Witches Series involve descendants of my Arizona historicals. A Price to be Paid shares a spirit guide with Diablo Canyon (Montana). Sky Daughter (Idaho) has no connecting characters-- yet. I like writing series and connecting characters when possible-- so there might will be future connections.

Reviews

Yes, there are those days!

Once a book is out, then it's time to worry about whether readers will like it. Will it get reviews? That is a big deal if a writer hopes to have more than two people see their book. If you don't routinely leave reviews for books, think about it. Even the negative ones are helpful. Some writers say they never read their reviews. I see them as the connection between the reader and me-- something I won't likely experience any other way. They help books sell (or not). Also they are a creative opportunity for the reader to interact with the next reader.

After I hit publish on a book, I begin to wonder-- did the story end up with all it should have had or did something get missed? Did it have too much in some places leaving readers bored? So many questions go through my head once the book is being shared with others. Routinely, I wish I'd had time for one more edit. A Price to be Paid has had one early review, which I very much appreciated as the reader got what I had hoped.

template failure-- maybe

When I got here this morning to see if the blog posted right, it looked fine if you don't count that it ran right over the last blog. Shortening it didn't help. I will be back with regular blogs if i can figure out what went wrong with the blogger template. If not, I may need to find a new blog site...

book trailers

Creating trailers for my books has become one of those things I generally do when I finish the rough draft. They help me write the blurbs, and I enjoy playing with images. If you have an interest in such, the ones I have created are at [Rainy Day Trailers] as well as on my Rain Trueax channels at YouTube. For reasons relating more to my lack of techie skills than a desire, I have two channels there with no idea how to merge them. This is the one with the most recent videos-- My YouTube Channel.

Because of discovering filters to use on photos, for the first time I put together the video with one of the apps. I like how besides looking like a painting, it gives the images a fantasy feel-- appropriate for a paranormal book where the 'other' side intrudes on what we consider the real world...



This following link takes you to it on YouTube if the embed is too slow. Much of how well videos work is dependent on the speed of someone's server. Mine varies in how effective it is. It can help to put it on pause and let it get ahead, in short, buffer. (My granddaughter taught me that one-- as often happens with techie stuff that they get far faster than I do).

A Price to be Paid

If you haven't seen the videos for the first two in the Hemstreet Witches series, they are at: 

 Enchantress' Secret

&

To Speak of Things Unseen

Managing Time

by Rain Trueax

obviously that's not me. It is one of my created images for inspiration on the books, 

such images often provide an idea for a scene. Can't you just see that that young woman, 

at that waterfall as she contemplates what she wants in her life! 
Contemplation is an important part of writing and life at all ages.

Besides writing, editing, and working with images, I have a few other things in my life, although less than I had at one time. When I was at the busiest in raising the kids and being involved in the community out here, I had a philosophy regarding what I would accept in the way of projects.

Enjoy or not enjoy, my firm standard was only two, outside, time consumers, at a time. There are things, you cannot manage in terms of time-- raising kids, with all the variables that go with that, is a big one. Sometimes, at the height of their years of being involved and before they drove, that could mean three trips a day, into where they went to school. At 20 miles each way, that meant I was driving 120 miles some days. Since I have not ever been fond of driving (it is a necessity), that was a lot of hours in the vehicle-- and that didn't count what I might've done for myself in another town. Those were years of not as much money; so it sometimes meant breaking down on the road and having to walk-- before the years of cellphones. Sometimes when I think back on that, like accepting a ride into town with a stranger, I really do see that life as from another lifetime.