I’m rereading Tasha Alexander’s Lady Emily books and am, again, utterly inspired.

Tasha’s books–being mysteries–are ripe with deception, greed, anarchy, and murder. But really, truly, the magic of her writing lies with the delicious cast of characters and their vibrant settings.

Having never traveled abroad, I take Alexander at her word, and today have determined that the suburbs of Sacramento desperately need the café culture. The third book, “A Fatal Waltz,” takes place, primarily, in Vienna. It’s here that Lady Emily is, for the first time, introduced to “centers for culture unlike any others to which (she’d) been exposed.” She tells the reader of the artists and playwrights who’ve carved out near-residences in the cafés. Of the academics arguing there. Of the poets thinking and writing.

Coffee, hot chocolate, billiard tables, books!

Intellectual conversation.

Artistic debate.

Hot chocolate!

I deviate.

But tell me: Doesn’t the idea of being surrounded by creative souls–discussing, debating art and academia while sipping a hot beverage–sound appealing? Doesn’t it sound like something we could use more of? Having spent a handful of years in Portland, Oregon, I can honestly say this is something they are much better at. There are cafés every few blocks, jammed with an eclectic group of individuals writing, drawing, chatting. But, here, in the beautiful suburbs of Sacramento, we are seriously lacking.

It’s not that we need just another coffee house. While there aren’t nearly as many of them here as the Northwest can claim, we have a sufficient number of corporate coffee shops. What we need are eclectic souls to fill them. Creatures who are willing to open their mouths and have discussions with others. Folks who are willing to see beyond the screens of their laptops and iPhones. We should be a community that fosters creativity and the exchange of ideas in public places.

“Why?” you ask.

Because!

Because creativity draws people together. You and I may not agree about Obama or off-shore drilling. We may not share core values or lifetime goals. But to be truly and honestly creative, our guts must come spilling out of us, and when they do, they often land on those nearby. I don’t know if you’ve tried, but it’s quite hard to hate a soul whose guts lay at your feet.

Because art brings a soulful kind of unity. Discussion and debate force us to consider the views of others. To grow. To fight back with creative measures of our own.

Because our children need parents who are thinkers, who see the world with optimistic eyes.

Because sitting across from new friends, discussing ideas and sipping hot chocolate, sounds like a fabulous way to spend a Saturday.

And, because if you’re Lady Emily, cafés can be instrumental in the business of mystery solving.

If you haven’t opened any of Tasha Alexander’s books, you simply must give them a read. Her website is my August “Site of the Month,” and this is the perfect time to delve into her world. The newest addition to the Lady Emily series, “Dangerous to Know,” comes out October 26th and I’m giddy with anticipation.

Join me, will you? Hit a café. Grab a Lady Emily mystery, some hot chocolate, and chat up the gal occupying the next table at your local Starbucks. It’s a far cry from the café culture Alexander describes, but we’ve gotta start somewhere.

Right?

It’s July, friends!

Oh, you knew that.

Right.

Well, I betcha didn’t know this: My new “Site of the Month” is up!

Please help me honor Julie Williams and her debut novel, “Where Freedom Lies.”

Julie is a fellow member of Inspire Christian Writers and a gal I’ve had the privilege to get to know over the past several months. Her highly skilled red pen has proved valuable on my own writing journey, and she has taught me that it takes the eyes and ears of many others to fine-tune a manuscript. As she continues on the road to publication, I hope you will take a minute to visit her site. I assure you, it will be time well spent.

“Where Freedom Lies” is a Christian novel of historical fiction that has been meticulously researched and delightfully written. Julie’s characters live and breathe on the page, pulling the reader into a time long past–a time that should be both remembered and celebrated. While the Revolutionary War is simply a history lesson for most of us, Julie’s heroine, Hannah, is living it. Through her eyes we watch as truth and fiction collide, birthing a story full of charm and wit while posing some heart-searching questions.

As we honor the birth of our great nation, take this opportunity to glimpse into Hannah’s world. Put yourself in her shoes, not far from Lexington Common where her father and twin brother head into battle. Watch as Drew, a British soldier, marches toward Lexington–toward Hannah–changing both the war and Hannah’s life in ways she could have never imagined.

I’m telling you, friends, it’s a great read.

Check out Julie’s website for the first two chapters of “Where Freedom Lies,” and enjoy America’s 234th birthday! May America continue to be the land of the free and the home of the brave.

God bless!

I am a huge Jane Austen fan. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Persuasion.

Ahhhhh… I get goosebumps just thinking about ‘em.

So, when I was provided with Linore Rose Burkard’s third Regency Fiction novel to read and review, I was notably giddy. I ordered the first two novels from Amazon so that I’d be all caught up when the third arrived.

I am happy to tell you that I fell in love with her stories.

With a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, Linore has put in the elbow grease and her novels show it. With a breathtaking sweep of England in the early 1800′s, her detailed writing pulls you into the story. From gown designs to architecture, Burkard has detailed settings deliciously idyllic, and in some cases appropriately forlorn. And she has done so with an expert hand. She then leaves a stage of quirky characters to keep you entertained and they do so with enchanting results.

The three books have similarities–their cast for example, as well as overlapping story-lines and settings–but each has it own flavor. It’s own mystery. Each story has its own delightful twist. And, I turned every page with glee. I hope you will too.

Her books have been marketed as “Inspirational Fiction for the Jane Austen Soul” and the tag-line fits perfectly. If you fell in love with Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, you’re sure to love Ariana Forsythe and Phillip Mornay. I’ve reviewed all three books and will include the link to the first book below. So, that I do not spoil your read, I won’t post the link to my reviews of her second and third books. If you’re desperate to read the reviews, I’m sure you’re savvy enough to find them.

You can find a ton of information about Linore and her books on her website, which happens to be my June Site of the Month. Check it out and be blessed.

Click here to read my review of her first novel, Before the Season Ends.

This world–the writing world, I mean–is all about self-promotion.

It’s exhausting! There’s the day-to-day work of bugging friends and family with countless FB updates, striving to expand your platform through networking, and–oh yeah–there’s the actual writing, which I’m sorry to say can get eaten by the hungry self-promotion monster. There’s the other stuff too: query letters, submission materials, critique groups (where you routinely hand a fish hook–a really big one–to other writers and ask them for “honest feedback” praying, all the while, they don’t aim that hook right at your heart).

Oh, and did I mention that we’re supposed to stay pleasant through the whole thing!

But not too pleasant. We don’t want to appear annoying, do we?

Sheesh! There’s lots to remember in this world of self-promotion.

So, today I thought I’d introduce you to my rebellious streak. In an attempt to stave off vanity, my website has a special feature. I call it: Shan’s Pick: Site of the Month. You can find a link in the top slider on my home page. Click the right arrrow til you see it. There is also a link on the menu bar that will show you all the past and current winners.

Each month, I’ll use this space to promote other people’s work! How exciting is that? These are people–writers, editors, agents, publishers–who inspire me and deserve a big ‘ol thumbs up from my chair here in Northern California. While writing can be a very isolating venture, and the journey to publication can be a very quiet and lonely road, it’s not something that should be attempted alone. On my relatively new quest, I’ve run into several wonderful people along the way who have helped shape my work and my perspective. They’ve provided encouragement and honest feedback (all without that scary fish hook).

Let me introduce a couple of them to you:

March’s Site of the Month Award goes to Declaration Editing. Never heard of ‘em? Well then, you should definitely check out their site. Especially if you’re an author looking for some help. Once I had my first novel in draft form, I contacted Vinnie Kinsella at Declaration and paid him (sorry friends, editing isn’t free!) to critique my manuscript. His input was invaluable and I cannot recommend Declaration Editing highly enough.

February’s Site of the Month Award (yeah, yeah, I know) belongs to Sarah Cunningham, author of Picking Dandelions and several other works that can be found on her site. As a member of The Fig Tree blog, I was given the incredible opportunity to read her newest book prior to release and review it on release date. Her words on change and growth are inspiring, and in a world that seems to shrink from both, her book is necessary! Read it! Check out her site for more details!

So, thanks friends, for taking the time to check out these wonderful folks and their work. My thumbs up may not mean much, but in a world where support is an awful lot like gold, I think we should throw a bit more around. Makes us all a little richer!