Jenyfer Matthews

Another fast and furious weekend behind me.

Friday I hosted a party for my son’s 6th birthday. We invited 20 of his closest friends – and they all showed up! I tried to keep things simple by scheduling it mid-afternoon – post lunch – and relieving myself of providing anything other than party food. Chips, popsicles, juice and cake. It was two hours of mayhem, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Everyone aside from my son.

I don’t know what it is about birthdays but it does seem to bring out the worst in my children. I suppose they get overstimulated. Or they expect too much and are just experiencing some let down at the actual event? I don’t expect gratitude exactly, but after rushing around to gather the supplies, make 16 cupcakes and a bundt cake, and dole out popsicles to swarming children for two hours, I’d like more for my efforts than whining and complaining.

(And none of the above even touches on the squabbling and jealousy that takes place between my children over the presents)

So I’ve made a decision. It’s a bold step and we’ll see if I can actually stand up to the pressure come July when my daughter’s birthday rolls around, but I have decided that we won’t be having any more friend birthday parties. I’ve had enough. I’d prefer to pick a special activity that we can do as a family and just keep things simple. I truly do think that everyone will be happier that way.

I know I will.

Hey there!

I’m J L Wilson, and I write mysteries and paranormal/reincarnation/time travel books. I’ve got several books out with several different publishers, but today I’m going to talk about the paranormal books. I’m psyched to say my first paranormal book, Forgiveness, placed 3rd in a rather tough contest — the PRISM award for published novels, run by the Romance Writers of America FF&P chapter. I was up against some heavy hitters and my little e-book came in 3rd! No wonder I’m excited!

The second book in this paranormal series comes out in a month, so I’ll tell you about the series and what you can expect. The series is “The History Patrol” and it’s available from Cerridwen Press. It’s about a group of people from the future who travel back in time in the service of a group, the History Patrol. Each History Patrol Guide sent back in time is accompanied by a Companion, a shapeshifting animal who is really a human, but who can’t be seen in human form until they perform penance for a crime they committed. There’s a catch (of course): the penance involves the Guide, who knows nothing about the crime.

Who said God doesn’t have a sense of humor?

Here’s the blurb for the first book, Forgiveness

What would you do if you caused the death of the woman you loved?

In 1876, James Benteen caused the death of Penelope Albright. Choosing to serve penance, James is reincarnated in 2168 as Jim, a shapeshifting Companion to Penelope, a Guide with the History Patrol. Penelope doesn’t know about her past connection to Jim. He’s simply a soul she’s learned to love through dozens of trips through time.

They’re sent to 1876 America to observe history and assist in the capture of Franz Mueller, a 22nd-Century murderer who escaped through God’s Portal. It’s here that Penelope meets James Benteen, a cowboy with a dark past. If history repeats itself, Penelope and James will fall in love before James betrays her, causing her death. But this time Jim is there. If he can save Penelope, he can attain forgiveness and his penance will be served.

Jim will have to battle his former self, the Jesse James gang and God to accomplish his purpose. But in the end, it’s Penelope who must intervene with a higher authority to find happiness with the man she’s come to love across time…

The second book in the series, Endurance, is coming in November:

Imagine being torn away from all you know and love. And now imagine being torn away from your place in time.

That’s what happened to Nico Haidess who is trapped, not just in time, but in a reincarnation gone wrong.

He’s a Guide with the History Patrol, sent back from 2190 and now stranded in 21st century America. He’s been reunited with the love of his life, Lucinda Delacroix who has been reincarnated in this place and time. There’s only one problem: he doesn’t recognize her as his lost love and she doesn’t recognize him.

To Lucinda, Nico is just a handsome stranger, a man who seems oddly familiar. And to Nico—a paid assassin—Lucinda is just an assignment, a suspected traitor. He must kill her on Easter morning and make it look like an accident.

Luckily one other creature can help. Cerberus is a telepathic dog on special assignment with the History Patrol, sent to bring these two lovers together. Cerberus has a vested interest in the fate of Nico Haidess and he’ll do whatever it takes to see Nico and Lucinda reunited—even if it means dying and defying God to accomplish his purpose.

But the clock is ticking for all of them and time is starting to run out.

If you want to know more about the History Patrol, check out my website. I have background information about the Patrol there and information about the other books in the series, coming next year (and in years to come). There are seven books planned for the series, and four written, so you’ll have lots of novels to entertain you in the future!

Buy Forgiveness now!

The temperatures have dropped in Cairo, and it’s cool enough at night now that we’ve been able to turn off the (incredibly loud) room air conditioner we have in our bedroom in favor of opening a window. However, cool breezes are not the only thing wafting in through the open window.

Along with the breezes comes smoke.

This is the time of year in Egypt when the farmers begin to burn the chaff from their crops, which creates an acrid layer of smog. Some mornings when I look out of the window the visibility is nearly nil. When my children first noticed it, they thought it was fog. I only wish it were.

Soon it will be cold enough that many people will begin to burn wood to stay warm as well. All this in addition to the exhaust of millions of cars on the roads here in Cairo and it’s no wonder my eyes burn and are often stuck shut in the morning.

Keeping the windows closed does no good. The windows are so poorly sealed that the smoke seeps in around the cracks. Even if they had the best seal in the world, we have to go outside sometime.

My daughter suffers more than all of us with a perpetually stuffy nose. She likes to say she’s allergic to Egypt. In a way she’s right. She’d likely be sensitive to any place with a lot of dust, but Egypt has been by far the worst place yet for her. Left unchecked, she develops nasty ear infections. If anything will cut our stay here short, it will be air quality.

Did that get your attention? Check out this deal with All Romance Ebooks:

It’s our birthday and we’re celebrating by giving you a present!

All Romance eBooks will be celebrating our second birthday on November 1, 2008 and we couldn’t think of a better way to mark the occasion than by passing on the gift of an eBook to as many readers, publishers, and authors as possible.

On November 1st all registered customers will receive a code good for one* free download! The customer picks the book, we purchase it, and authors and publishers earn their royalties. It’s as simple as that.

And, not only is it simple now, it’s simple every day to shop at All Romance eBooks. Simple category searches, simple checkout process, and a simple buy-ten-get-one-free reward program.

Help us spread the word to those that read eBooks and to anyone you think might like to try one. We have All the romance you need from all the publishers you love—and now we’re giving it away!

Lori James and Barbara Perfetti
All Romance eBooks

*one click buys and bundles excluded

You have to be registered by October 31st so do it now! And if you’re having trouble narrowing down your choice, all of my titles are available from All Romance Ebooks. Just sayin’…

Try explaining to an almost-six-year-old why they can’t request that you throw them a surprise party – or even what a surprise party is. I went through this with my son yesterday. He insisted that he could too keep a secret.

Then just imagine the logistics of actually trying to throw a surprise party for a young child. The tears (and tantrum) that would ensue from the oh-is-it-your-birthday? sorry-there’s-no-party fake out. Wait, SURPRISE!!!! They’d be both confused and scarred for life. And how about getting the party guests to keep the secret? It would have to be a surprise party from the guests as well or else someone would spill the beans.

As frustrating as it was to try to explain to my son why we weren’t throwing him a surprise party, it was such an absurd scenario, it made me giggle.

Party plans progress: the boy has decided he wants water play in the backyard. I’ll pump up our large wading pool (with slide), put out a slip-n-slide, and turn on the sprinkler. I stocked up on popsicles, Bugles, and juice and will buy a watermelon later in the week. If I can find the gooey Halloween party favors I bought last spring (what can I say – it’s Egypt!) then I’ll be all set!

It was just one thing after another this weekend!

Thursday our water was out for much of the day so I couldn’t do any laundry. Doesn’t sound like such a big deal, but here’s the thing: I have a small European-style front loader. It doesn’t hold much. To keep up with the laundry generated by a family of four — and one small boy who brings in enough dirt for the rest of us put together — I normally do two loads a day. However, no water, no laundry. At least it was coming up to a weekend so I didn’t have to worry about hand washing school uniforms!

Our water came back early evening on Thursday but on Friday morning, out internet was down. Thank goodness for automatic scheduled posting on WordPress! I was too busy to worry too much about the internet though. I spent most of Friday morning in the kitchen preparing dinner since we were going to be out all afternoon (birthday party) and evening (tennis) and making the sorbet for my husband’s birthday on Saturday. In between doing loads of laundry that is.

Saturday morning we had two soccer games at 8am, after which I came home and made brownies for hubby’s birthday lunch party before we all went out to eat. Came home to do presents and dessert. Here’s where things sort of fell apart.

Let me just say that manic multitasking and birthday prep don’t mix. First of all, the brownies were a bit dry That might have been overlooked with the sorbet on the side, but it didn’t work out that way. See, I missed a step on the sorbet while I was out at the birthday party. So instead of fluffy sorbet, I had a solid block of frozen berry puree. Poor hubby – no cheesecake, dry brownies, and no sorbet!

All was not lost with the sorbet though – I partially thawed it and then stuck it in the food processor to whip it as instructed in the recipe. We were able to eat it on its own after dinner and it was very yummy. Tonight I might even get it right and pair it with the remaining brownies.

It’s a new week now and my water is on and my internet is up (if slow) and I have a little break in the action before I have to gear up for hosting my son’s birthday party on Friday. I was buying supplies for his party this morning and guess what I found in the store? Sour cream. Two days too late.

It’s a conspiracy I tell you.

At least Mr. Matthews got a nice birthday present though. I bought it back in May at the Blue Souk in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It almost killed me to wait to give it to him. He loves it

I began writing novels nearly twelve years ago…and had no idea what I was getting myself into! Most of us don’t realize how obsessive we can be until we discover our “passion”, and then (be it sport or art or ?) we become mad things, single-minded and compelled. Well, that’s me…sometimes. Crazed, compulsive, get-up-at-4 am, obsessive-writer personality type unclassified (I write across the genres, you see!)

How did it all begin? With something completely sane – a visit to the local library. I took home eleven books, but couldn’t get into any of ‘em – so I decided to write what I wanted to read. For the most part, that’s held true ever since.

The Hollowing is my second novel with Cerridwen Press, and my 23rd? 24th novel overall? I really enjoyed writing it. Action, suspense, with a little time travel tossed in. Great fun.

I have two writing names: “N. D. Hansen-Hill” and “Melody Knight“. ND writes SF/fantasy/horror/paranormal suspense, while Melody writes romantic and erotic versions of the same genres. I now am lucky enough to have 35 books contracted with a variety of publishers.

“This is an exceptionally, spine-tingling, gut wrenching thriller that takes you by the seat of your pants and have you gripping your chair while you turn each page. From ghosts to time-traveling you are always entertained by the adventure and excitement of this plot excellent dialogue and fabulous description gives you a great seat up front to all that is happening. This is a phenomenal read, and I recommend it highly.
Coffeetime Romance

The Hollowing
by N.D. Hansen-Hill

Shawn Walsh’s problems don’t arise from his own troubled past but from someone else’s. Fires, floods, battles, bone-rattling quakes — he’s frequently an unwilling and horrified participant in events long gone. For when The Hollowing claims him, his present dissolves.

Unfortunately, his problems have everything to do with family and his rather questionable heritage — with a birthright he’d rather know nothing about. Lost and tossed about by destiny, trapped and extorted by those long deceased, he’s tired of playing a victim.

And he refuses to give up hope. There is still a chance he’ll be able to resolve his issues without dying, given the right place… And enough time.

Excerpt

Jack was running flat-out when his world unexpectedly tilted and dipped. He was scared shitless but he couldn’t stop. If he let Shawn die, when he could have stopped it…

Don’t go there.

And then he was lost. On a straight stretch of dimly lighted hallway he’d lost his bearings. He was disoriented, nauseous, with a head suddenly full of clouded spirals. The floor canted, his balance went but his momentum carried him forward. He slid the length of the corridor and out into the warehouse.

The dizzying spin went on, even worse now than before. Jack gripped a table leg and hung on while his world moved around him. His eyes were scrunched shut and there was an ache in his head he’d never experienced before. His heart pounded as he put a name to the fear—hemorrhage. Vomit was fighting its way up his throat, inspired by the stink that was already redolent in the room.

There were noises and shouts in the background but he couldn’t afford to look. The flooring was shuddering beneath him now and it felt as though the building was moving.

Earthquake.

Get out. He’d smelled the rot. The building was going…

“Shawn!” he bellowed.

He opened sore eyes to slits. The giant had recognized the danger too. He was backing across the room. He was the one howling in terror now—not Shawn. Jack had scarcely lifted himself to his knees when the fleeing kidnapper slammed into him, and they both went sprawling.

The rumbling beneath them increased. Dust scattered from joints in the woodwork and echoes of falling plaster mingled with the tap dance of furniture on flooring.

“Shawn!” Jack shouted it again, inhaled a lungful of dust for his trouble and coughed his head off as he crawled on all fours across the room. The giant with the bad temper was behind him somewhere…

Jack spotted Shawn on the far side of the room. He was sprawled across an old conveyor belt. Jack pushed himself to his feet, very conscious of human frailty as the world around him jiggled apart. Shaking almost as much as the building, he upped it to lopsided run.

If anything the gyrating upheaval, the tilt, the cant, the terrifying, nausea-generating dizziness were worse here. It took all Jack’s effort to get to Shawn’s side. He felt like he was running uphill. He dove over the conveyor that Shawn had obviously been tossed across and reached out to grip Shawn’s arm.
Only to experience one of those moments of insight—of sometimes terrifying self-discovery—that sometimes hits when you need it least.

It’s not the place, Jack realized in sudden horror. It’s Shawn.

Shawn was staring back at him, his eyes glittering weirdly in their sockets, somehow giving back more light than they took. This wasn’t a frightened Shawn, insecure about his failings. This man was centered. Solid. Locked in place.

Melded to his surroundings.

While the world went to hell around him.

Taking Jack Riley with it. Jack could feel himself slipping now, and he could never afterward find the words to describe it

But he knew he couldn’t fight it anymore.

At that moment Shawn reached for him. His broken fingers grasped Jack’s and held on

And Jack Riley’s personal cyclone abruptly ceased. Jack buried his face in his arms while the madness carried on beyond him. He could hear it all, the rumble, the jolting, the clatter of flying debris, the giant’s shrieks and curses.

Don’t look.

He had this horrible fear that lifting his head might drag him back in.

Jack lay there, clinging desperately to Shawn’s hand—the only island of calm in a hurricane sea.

Buy This Book!

I don’t know what it is – there has been sour cream available on an almost continual basis all year, but the minute I need to make a cheesecake, it all disappears!! That’s Cairo for you. I went to three different grocery stores this morning with no luck. There are a few more places I could try but with tennis lessons, soccer games, and two birthday parties on schedule for the weekend – in addition to the man’s birthday – I just don’t have the time to look anywhere else. There is a swanky bakery in the neighborhood that has NY style cheesecake to die for, but it’s $$$ and way bigger than we need to have around the house. So I’m falling back on plan B.

Homemade strawberry sorbet and brownies. Not such a big sacrifice really!

I went to Curves yesterday and did my water aerobics this morning so I’m taking the weekend off. I probably won’t be able to move anyway!

Don’t forget to stop by tomorrow when N.D. Hansen-Hill will be here with an excerpt of her fantasy book The Hollowing. Norah is a prolific writer and has a huge backlist so if you like her writing, you’re really in luck!

I mentioned before that I was trying to turn over a new leaf – eat better and exercise. I’m happy to say that things are coming along.

I’ve activated my Curves membership. I haven’t been many times yet but that’s not entirely my fault – their hours during Ramadan didn’t mesh well with my schedule and then I was away and when I came back the kids were off school, blah blah blah. Their new hours are much better for me so I went this morning. While I’m not totally sold on their “rah rah” motivational atmosphere (their wall clock says “Time to Amaze Yourself”) I do like their thirty minute approach – cause that’s about all I want to spend there anyway!

I’ve also tried out a couple of yoga classes at a new studio in my neighborhood and signed up for a water aerobics class. Can I just say now that water aerobics, done right, is hard!? I couldn’t walk for about 4 days after my first class. I wondered if I was going to be limping around Italy! I did enjoy it though and since I’ve already paid, I suppose I’ll be going back this week.

So, after two years of doing next to no exercise, I have a new (ambitious) plan. Barring school holidays, travel, or illness I intend to do yoga once a week, Curves three times a week, and water aerobics once a week. Next week will be my first full week. We’ll see how it pans out.

I’ve also been eating better – having so many evening sports activities with the children has forced me to do more meal planning. We’ve been eating such nice meals that I’ve even been able to keep my occasion longings for fast food in check. So what’s the problem?

The problem is when people like Shelley Munro go and post a recipe like this on their blogs! How’s a girl supposed to resist that? Optional chocolate chips, my foot!

Nothing good can come from it – well, maybe one thing: I’m sure to get crowned Best Mom ever after school today.

It’s pomegranate season again and I’m loving every minute of it. But it is peculiar if you think about it – who was the first person who cut one open and looked at all the seeds inside and thought yum! Maybe I’m just odd, but there are lots of foods I wonder about. Like:

How ever did someone look at a pumpkin and say, “I’ll bet if I cut that up, boil it, mash it, and mix it up with a bunch of spices that would make a great pie!”

Who first looked at mushrooms and thought “Oh that fungus looks delicious! Maybe I’ll toss a few in the stew tonight!” (And how long before someone started keeping track of which were safe to eat??)

Lychee – like eating a large hairy eyeball…

White asparagus – why why why? I love old-fashioned green asparagus, but the white shoots? They look like some sort of deep sea grub to me…yuck…

Chocolate, coffee – how did anyone make the leap from collecting the seeds to grinding them up and processing them for two of the world’s most popular legal pleasures?

If seedless watermelons are really seedless, how do they grow new ones?

I could go on and on like this all day but I’ll stop for now. Tell me – What do you wonder about?