What I'm Working on Now: a Random Selection from Novel-in-Progress

Written today...

Aaron woke to an insistent tapping on his arm and a small voice saying, "Can we watch another one? Can we?"

Startled, he glanced at the clock: 4:40. Holly would be there within a couple hours. "I think we can do that," he said. "Until your mom gets here."

He felt a little guilty for falling asleep on the job, but as he was changing the movies, Nick surprised him -- and nearly knocked him over -- by throwing himself at Aaron and squeezing him tight. It was what Holly called his "aggressive form of love" and it touched Aaron in a way that he wasn't ready to analyze...

A Book After my Own Heart

I've found author who writes like me!

Nicholas Evans "The Smoke Jumper" has everything I love in a story: dangerous occupations. War and chaos. A handsome, brooding male character. A love triangle ... and a happy ending (I'm a sucker for those).

Hmm ... sounds familiar!

Evans did a masterful job of using traumatic events and showing how the characters develop because of (or in spite of) them. The 'voice' of each was authentic and even though there were four points of view (telling their stories) I didn't have any moments of confusion like I have in other books.

All the things I use in my writing (although I try to keep my point of view to only TWO characters)!

The only weakness I encountered was an image of a moose on fire. Although I understood (as the main character did) that it had significance to his path in life, it was not clear in the end how it impacted his life.

It has gotten me thinking about the novel I'm working on now. There is a similar recurring 'theme' in it, also, and I will take this as a timely message to make sure there is a strong purpose in writing it into the story!

Last Chance Rescue Video Now on Amazon

If you use amazon, you probably already know they have some neat features. They've just added the ability for us authors to upload videos on our Amazon Author Pages.

So, of course, I did! You can check it out here!

Good Mom, Bad Writer

It has been a good weekend to be a mom. But not such a good weekend to be a writer.

I wanted to work on my novel, but every time I thought I'd have an hour of peace, I found my children yakking at me (my very sociable 7-year-old) or trying to pull all the ornaments off the tree (yep, that's my toddler). Now here it is Sunday evening and I'm too pooped to get my mind into writing or even work on my writing to-do list. Sometimes it's really frustrating!

So here is a reminder to self: focus on what I HAVE been able to accomplish rather than what I haven't.

Last week I updated my 'newsletter,' which has blurbs about recent reviews of "Last Chance Rescue" as well as a short (and interesting) essay about how I got into flying helicopters.

Some 'newsletters' include virtual interviews with characters and even sneak previews of upcoming writings.

You too can receive these missives - once every 6-8 weeks - simply by subscribing here. I hope you'll join me in this journey, and I promise it will be interesting!

When Inspiration Strikes...

I found this quote the other day, and it struck me as TOTALLY appropriate to my writing life...

"Before I had kids, I wrote when inspiration struck. Now I find inspiration strikes when I have childcare and enough caffeine." – Brad Parks

I couldn't have said it better!

No "Sickly Sweet" Romance Here!

"Last Chance Rescue" was reviewed by Linda at Rhode Island Roads Magazine! Here's the first and last part of what she had to say ...

I was a little reluctant to read [Last Chance Rescue] at first. I've had my fill of gushy, sickly sweet romance novels and I just didn't want to read another one. Surprisingly, I found myself not able to put the book down once I started reading it. I wasn't expecting such an action-packed book, full of vivid imagery, knowledge about rescue maneuvers and extraordinary character development ...

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that likes action-packed, never-ending adventure with a roller coaster romance thrown in the middle of it all. It is well written from the author's medi-vac and pilot experience making the flow of the book superb. The characters' development and self-discovery throughout the book transitioned satisfactorily from one chapter to the other. Plain and simple, it was a great book!

Aw, thanks Linda! To read the complete review, click here.

Photo from Author Signing

In November I teamed up with fellow author and friend Cheri Andrews for a book signing at the Davinci Academy Holiday Marketplace. My sister came by and snapped a photo of "The Authors" (hey, that's me!). I was hoping I'd sell more books but the people were fun. You can see the picture here (and read some cool reviews too!).

A Big Thank You! Last Chance Video Ranked #4 in Contest

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who voted for my book trailer! I thought you might like to know that the "Last Chance Rescue" mini-movie came in FOURTH place. It missed the top-3 honors list by just 2% ... but out of 20 videos, that ain't bad!

Now that my virtual tour is over, I'm getting back to writing Novel #2 (two hours last night!)...

P.S. If you haven't already done so, become my Facebook "FAN"!

I Know It's a Good Book When...

I'm still thinking about it 10 days after I finished it.

I've been reading Iraq military memoir as I've been working on novel #2 (since the novel involves a military officer held hostage in Afghanistan), and I recently finished 'The Last True Story I'll Ever Tell' by John Crawford. Here's what I thought:

I was looking for brutal honesty and the raw emotional toll of war (not a factual history tome), and I got it in this book. Sometimes it was as much what WASN'T written as what was. That is a delicate balance for a writer and it was powerful. (Note: toning down the swear words and tightening up the sentence structure would have made it even more powerful by making it less distractive to read.)

I caught a snippet of a documentary on TV the other night, about a situation where our bombers killed our own soldiers because they "got confused by the smoke." It's dismaying to realize that some things never change. I WANT to believe the Army Reserve is smarter and better organized now than my experience in it 20 years ago, but John's experiences sound uncomfortably familiar – our tools were outdated, our training was under par, and the left hand never knew what the right was doing.

I (like the author) joined the National Guard to help pay for college; the recruiters laughed off any suggestion that we'd actually be sent anywhere to fight. What do you expect an 18- or 20-year-old to believe? And when you are immersed in a culture, you tend to adopt that culture's attitudes (especially when you're young) – and the military IS a culture. I lost site of some of the morals I'd been brought up with and I'd be willing to bet some of the author's less tasteful characteristics may have been 'exacerbated' by this immersion too. I would have liked to know more about who the author was before he went to war, and what happened when he returned home (perhaps that's another book altogether?).

There was one mind-blowing moment in my life when I thought I was being activated to Desert Storm. Thank God it was our armory-sharing MP unit instead – or I might have had the same disillusioning experience!

Vote for my Book Trailer!

The mini-movie ("book trailer") for Last Chance Rescue is in a contest and I need you to vote for it (entry #6)!

Besides helping me out, you'll have fun checking out all the trailers (there are some tough competitors!).

Please vote by Friday (entry #6!), before the polls close: click here.

Three "Must Haves" When I Write

1 - QUIET (easier said than done when you have two young children)
2 - No distractions (i.e., no internet!)
3 - I must be in the mood (I don’t write for a living and don’t want to because I never want it to stop being fun)

And what crayon color would I choose to be? Find out here!

Journey through a World of Books

That's where I am today (electronically, that is...physically, I'm working a motorcycle show in San Francisco)! And she asks:

If you could wish for anything, what would it be?

I'm pretty satisfied with where I am in life. But in terms of my writing...what the heck, if you're going to dream, why not dream big? I would like my next novel to be picked up by an agent and publisher and become ridiculously popular - to the point there's a bidding war for the movie rights (to BOTH novels) and I finally get to produce a musical (in which I would do the singing). :-)

Read more here!

How I got Into Flying Helicopters

Today I'm at "Reading at the Beach" talking about how I became a helicopter pilot. Here's an excerpt:

"The Army trained me as a medic and an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). I was not a good soldier...but I loved being a paramedic. Where I responded to Army 'regiment' with near-distain, what I was trained for had the opposite effect: I liked splinting a broken leg. Inserting an IV. Dressing a sucking chest wound. One weekend a month I was a grunt soldier and a token medic. But for two weeks in the summer I was a soldier medic. And during our two-week training of my third year in the Guard, I took part in a mock battlefield exercise that changed my life..."

Read more here!

Advice for Aspiring Authors

That's just one of the interview questions from Katie Bug today. Here's what I said:

Forget about writing what you know (that would be so boring for most of us!), but do your homework to make it as real as possible (but don't get too carried away - it is fiction, after all!). Don't write for a particular goal or market; write what makes your heart sing.

Read the rest of the interview here!

Writing Sex Scenes!

Today I'm also at Mary Eason's Blog, and she's got some good questions for me, including one about writing sex scenes!

I try to write scenes with sexual tension rather than actual sex (usually) – which I find more difficult than an actual sex scene, but so much more powerful! I also like to place that tension in unexpected places or situations.

To read a FREE 'sexual tension' excerpt from Last Chance Rescue, check this out!

What I Like to Drink and other Oddball Questions

J.A. Saare had some fun, unusual questions for me today, including this one: "What's your favorite beverage when you write?"

My answer: If I'm home: wine (white zinfandel is a favorite) or Hornsby's hard apple cider. (I also like Smirnoff Ice but it's too much high fructose corn syrup.) If I'm stealing an hour at a café, I'm smitten with Panera's mango smoothie.

See what other oddball tidbits Jaime got out of me here!

Why the Colorado Rockies?

That's what Tamela Quijas wanted to know. Today she hosts me at her Web site (check it out!).

Here's a sneak preview...

In essence, the setting is an external analogy for their internal struggles (or: an external parallel to their internal struggles).

The physicality of the location (mountain) offers me as a writer plenty of obstacles to put in my characters' paths. And obstacles are what I use to show how my characters develop over the course of the story. Without obstacles there is no story. And - for me - if a character isn't changed by his/her experiences, then it's not a very interesting story...

What is the Hardest Thing about Writing?

Today I'm being "hosted" by Book Junkie! Here's one of the questions:

For you, what is the hardest part of writing a novel? Concept, Characterization, Plotting, Writing the story, Synopsis/Query letter writing, etc.?

I think it's ALL hard! Thank goodness I don't have to do it for a living! Characterization is a challenge. I do better if I take time up front to flesh out the characters before I start writing, but if I've been inspired, I'm off and writing before I've got a full 'picture' of a particular character in my head. And writing the story often comes down to just putting my butt in the chair. I often find it more enjoyable to just daydream and fantasize about it...getting it onto the computer screen is much more difficult!

Tomboy Talk

Today I am 'talking' with Marianne Arkins about why I wrote "Last Chance Rescue" from a male point of view. Here's how the post starts:

"Did you consider yourself a tomboy?"

When I was a kid, all the neighborhood kids ran around together. We were a mini-gang and we were outdoors all the time, climbing on jungle gyms, playing tag and hide-and-seek, creating chalk drawings, running through sprinklers or building elaborate snow forts.

I never fell out of a tree. I never broke a bone. I didn't play organized sports (not that I didn’t want to, but that’s another story).

I didn't have dolls, but I had LOTS of stuffed animals, each with their own name and personality (hmm ... the early writer in me??).

So...no...I never felt like a tomboy!

But...

Read the full interview here!

Book Tour: Talking Motorcycles (ah, one of my favorite topics...)

Today I'm talking motorcycles with Susquehanna Writers...

My transformation is almost complete.

“Where the devil did I put those gloves?” I mutter.

By “gloves,” I don’t mean winter gloves. I mean riding gloves.

Because today—for a few hours, at least—I am, simply…a biker chick. Today I will seek comfort and tranquility where I have found it so many times before: in the arms of an “iron horse.”

Read it here!

TWO romance book tour stops today!

The second is Diane Craver's Blog at www.dianecraver.com/blog

She asked me how I met my husband, and I told her about my difficulty with flashbacks while writing Last Chance Rescue (hint: they kept trying to steal the show).

Check out HER books too!

"My Defining Moment" on today's book tour stop

Today I'm at LONG LIVE CHICK LIT! Here's a teaser...

I've tended to “grow into” each new identity.

Being a writer is no different.

Perhaps I should pause here and try to define the difference between "writer" and "author" (in my opinion). I do this because I've been a writer since I was in my teens; I wrote for fun and relaxation with no thought to ever being "published." Almost anyone can write (maybe not well, but they do).

Being an author, on the other hand, requires a more intentional approach - and a whole lot more persistence! (And in many ways, it's also tied to publication.)

Until recently, I didn't consider myself an author.

In fact, I'm still getting used to the idea (e.g., "growing into" that identity)!

So what was the defining moment?

There were two...

Read the rest here!

Second virtual book tour stop: Razlover's Book Blog

Sample interview question: If you weren't an author what would you be?

TLC: I would be what I already am: a wife and mother (my children are 2 and 6), a daughter and a sister. A business owner (my husband and I own a motorcycle accessories business, www.LeaderMotorcycle.com). A pilot, a skier, a singer, a taiko drummer ... in short, I wouldn't trade the fullness of my real life for what is admittedly a full 'fantasy' life!

Read the complete interview!

Virtual "book tour" is now underway

First stop, Chris Redding! Here's a sample of the discussion so far:

CHRIS: What is your favorite word?

TLC: Actually, I have two favorite words: ‘discombobulated’ and ‘caddywampus’ (and you would have laughed to hear them as some of my childrens’ first words!).

CHRIS: What place haven’t you visited that you would like to go?

TLC: Alaska. Baja, Mexico. Sea kayak the Santa Barbara Islands. Heli-ski the Canadian mountains. Raft the Grand Canyon. There’s a lot of rivers I’d like to raft someday...

CHRIS: What other time period besides your own would you like to experience?

TLC: I would like to have been alive (preferably male) during the gold rush period in the American ‘wild west.’ I have a fascination with old mining towns.

CHRIS: What’s your favorite thing about your book?

TLC: The girl gets to be the hero! :-)

See all tour dates and locations here!

Last Chance "Book Trailer" Goes Internet-Wide

Did you know there are entire Web sites devoted to "trailers" (like mini-movies) for BOOKS? They are much better than YouTube if you're a reader. But one warning: These are addicting (I had to pull myself away)! The trailer for Last Chance Rescue has been accepted/posted at the following:

bookscreening.com
previewthebook.com
blazingtrailers.com
TrailerSpy.com

To go directly to the Last Chance Trailer, click here (windows media file). Thanks to Gregory Rohm for the design work!

Interview: Why I "Write Like a Man"

I was recently interviewed about "Last Chance Rescue" by a radio station in Maine. We talked about writing from a male perspective and why men would enjoy the book (the interviewers were both men) and why I don't consider myself a tomboy even though I 'write like a man'!

The interview was about 18 minutes long (although commercials take up minutes 3-6) and if you're so inclined you can listen to it here (windows media file). Special thanks to Tim for formatting!

Hear about my experience as a military medic, as well as why I decided to become a helicopter pilot (and how I ended up doing ride-alongs with Dick Chaney's Secret Service team!).

We talked about the idea behind the book (how a major wake-up call can change a life) as well as what I like to explore in my writing (internal struggles with past/intimacy/regrets or unreasonable fears) and how I use the setting/physical danger to develop the characters.

Sometimes it's better than reading!

Last Chance Rescue Scores in Contest

"The Long and the Short of It" romance reviews Web site put "Last Chance Rescue" on its weekly poll this past weekend. Although it didn't win top honors (I think its final 'standing' was third out of the ten listed), the site's review is phenomenal and is worth reading whether you've read the book yet or not. Here's the start of it:

"You rescued me, and I don’t mean just from the mountain." The how, where, when, and why of this quotation is the essence of this beautiful love story that is full of action, emotion, introspection, and sharing of life.

The learning to love oneself in order to truly love another who will give love in return is another compelling part of this novel. In addition, the acceptance of others and their limitations comes into play as the main characters come to terms with issues that cause deep-seated anger, guilt, and feelings of self-doubt.

To read the complete review, click here.

Thank you to those who got my link this weekend and voted for me!

What is a Virtual Tour? Last Chance Rescue to Find Out!

I've teamed up with Goddess Fish Promotions to conduct a 'virtual tour' to promote "Last Chance Rescue."

So, what is a virtual tour? (I knew you'd ask; I had to, too!)

Here's the gist: there are web sites and blogs that pertain to writing and/or romance novels (or other types of writing) that NEED content. Goddess Fish has a stable of 40 or 50 sites (maybe more) that are looking for content.

So they 'pitch' me and my book to their stable of affiliates. Hosts that decide I'd be of interest to their readership can 'commit' me to a specific date. They send me their topic questions (I complete the responses ahead of time) and then on the appointed date, they 'interview' me using their questions and the answers I've provided. Their visitors/participants make comments, etc, which I can then log into and comment on - like having a discussion via the Internet.

The official dates of the tour are November 9-20, but I'm finding out that the work required doesn't only happen within those dates! So far I have four 'tour stops' and have completed three written 'interview responses.' I'll share some of these as we go, so watch this blog for more details...

Performance Dates for Cameron

This is the band I recorded some back-ups for last year. I probably won't be able to make any of these (too far and schedule too tight), but here are a few gig dates for the locals who may be interested:

10/30/09 Boxcar Bar - Waseca, MN 9pm -12:30 am

11/14/09 Busters/Southpark – Owatonna, MN 8pm- 1am

11/27/09 Busters – Mankato, MN 9pm-1am

12/4/09 Lefty’s – Austin, MN 9pm-1am

Point of View Changes in Popular Author Novels

I'm about 80 pages into a novel by an extremely popular author (Nora Roberts). It's a suspenseful, enjoyable novel, but here's my beef with some of these popular authors (the other that comes to mind is Jodi Piccoult)...

It has been pounded into my head by my ex-English teacher mom and writing instructors (and other writers) that you should NOT have multiple points of view in a single chapter (and that, further, you should limit how many points of view you tell the story from, period).

In this book (and the Jodi Piccoult one I recently read), the point of view not only changes from chapter to chapter ('Last Chance' changes by chapter but only between TWO characters) ... it can shift from paragraph to paragraph! As a reader, I'm not ready for it - it interrupts the flow of the story when I have to backtrack a paragraph or two to make sure I understand whose 'head' I suddenly jumped into.

Is it just me, or have other writers (and readers) noticed this?? Is it just the immensely popular authors that can get away with this??

To Watch Book Trailers

I just found this fun site/blog where you can watch all kinds of book trailers. If you can't sit down to read at the moment (say you're at work...), this is the next best thing! (And it beats sifting through all the trash on YouTube!) Check it out at www.watchthebook.com

First Flying Lesson -- and One Hilarious Surprise

After three delays (weather – maintenance – weather), I finally got my first fixed-wing flying lesson in. Mostly I flew straight-and-level with a few shallow turns (my instructor did the take-off and landing).

Surprise #1: It was easy! Compared to flying a helicopter, it was a piece of cake. I hear landings are the hardest – but if I can learn to hover in a helicopter (now THAT was HARD) then I think I can handle this...

Surprise #2: No airsickness! I had it for the first half-dozen or more helicopter lessons but it went away as I got used to the motion. Maybe it was just a really calm day and I’ll be UN-happily surprised next time...

Surprise #3 (and this one you could NEVER guess!): in April of 2005 (yep, 4-1/2 years ago!) I took a demo flight. My logbook was signed by that instructor at the time. When we completed this lesson, my current instructor went to sign it and...it was HER signature in my logbook -- from over 4 years ago! She had married and had a different last name and I had never put it together.

How is that for cosmic karma (a topic I’ve blogged about in the past)??

Writing the Dang Novel...

There’s nothing like a deadline to get a writer moving. Sometimes I enter contests as much to give myself a kick in the pants as to actually ‘win’ anything! This past week was a case in point: I spent it transforming what I have of Novel #2 into a novella (a form I really like)...

Agent or No Agent?

Last week, in a sudden fit of inspiration, I wrote a rough draft of a query letter for Novel #2 - despite the fact that I haven't consciously decided to go that route this time around.

Why the (potential) change of heart?

Struggling to get the word out about 'Last Chance Rescue' (with mixed results) has had the interesting effect of *encouraging* me to seek representation.

I didn't believe an agent would seriously consider any proposal I would have made for "Last Chance Rescue." After all, my 'writing credentials' were, well, nearly non-existant. And the market was (and is) saturated. (And then there's the little matter of my IM-patience...)

But now I've proven that I can finish what I start (a novel) and even that I have the chutzpah to market it myself (however questionably successful that has been). AND - perhaps most important - that the book is GOOD (according to others, NOT just myself and I).

So perhaps it's no longer 'wasted' time; an agent might actually read through my query and synopsis now. What have I got to lose?

(one little drawback: I've got to actually WRITE the dang novel...)

"Not So Much" Public Reading

This was a busy weekend - seemed like every type of activity was "kicking off" or "starting up" (I was back at taiko too!) so I thank the local publications that DID mention our book features and readings on Sunday.

We managed to complete only TWO readings (myself and one of my writing group peers). This was due to the fact that there was a band shell not far from our booth, which featured various musical artists throughout the day. They were good and enjoyable and really not that loud - but still not something we could compete with.

I did not sell a single book, nor did my two peers with whom I shared the space. It did, however, teach me something important: literary crowds (however nice they are) are not where I will find readers for Last Chance Rescue. I need to find the physically active people (and the romance readers). So chalk that one up to experience...

Public reading and books for sale -- Sunday, September 13

I will be joining other authors from the Sandhill Writers Group to read from our novels during the "Art in the Park" event at the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts this Sunday, September 13.

The event runs from 10am to 4pm at 6666 East River Road in Fridley. My assigned reading times are currently 1:30, 2;30 and 3:30. Autographed copies of Last Chance Rescue will also be available for purchase. I hope you can come out and say hello! (If you can't, you can always order here!)

For more information about the event, visit http://www.banfill-locke.org/ or call them at 763-574-1850.

Search-and-Rescue "Read Along"

Deb Lauman, a search-and-rescue expert, created a Squidoo lens about Last Chance Rescue! The unique thing about THIS page is the interactivity of it. Deb took kind of a different approach, trying to get people to read along with her ... kind of like a virtual book club. Pretty neat (and something I'd never get around to)!

So check it out here. If you've read it you can add your own comments. (If you haven't, YOU NEED TO!)

BTW, Deb is a published author herself; you can check out her book here. Thanks, Deb, for your help and support!

An Entirely Different "Last Chance Rescue"

I couldn't resist picking up Christy Reece's book titled "Rescue Me." After all, it kept coming up when I'd search for MY book (seeing as how the organization in her book is called - you guessed it - Last Chance Rescue!).

I was expecting a typical (read: formulaic/mindless) romance novel (it's a Ballantine title), but I was in for a pleasant surprise. Some of the plot lines were a stretch, but heck, isn’t that why we read fiction, after all?? The characters felt real, their dark and painful pasts were compelling, the action never flagged -- JUST LIKE LAST CHANCE RESCUE!

I do find it amusing that a term like "Last Chance Rescue" can have so many meanings. I, of course, *meant* to incorporate a double meaning (search-and-rescue and horse rescue operations). Thank God I didn't title mine "Rescue Me"! :-)

Support MOMS and get a Free 'Moms Rock' T-Shirt

From my friends at Mamapalooza.com...

Get a FREE "Moms Rock" T-Shirt by making a donation (through August). Your support goes to empower women and mothers in the arts, business and beyond. Mamapalooza pays their artists and supports local communities -- to the tune of $250,000+ since 2002. For more details:
http://www.housewives.stirsite.com/membersjoinhere.html

And their logo/design is oh, so fashionable ... :-)

Last Chance Rescue Reviewed by Feathered Quill

Coolio! This also appears on my Amazon book page and B&N Web site (and somewhere on Goodreads.com too)! Geez, I hope it helps SELL a few books...

Here's a portion (see the full review here).

"The two snowmobilers were probably high-marking it, but it would be the last time for one of them. Brad got a glimpse of the man’s mangled face just before they covered him, but it didn’t deter him from wanting to try his hand at search-and-rescue. Maybe it was the fact that he no longer had a job or, if he really thought about it, it could be Jesse van Dyke. He’d known her practically since they were babes in arms, but well... things change...

Jessie had secrets and they were as deep, dark and turbulent as a Colorado Rocky ravine at night. A tour of Iraq left its mark, but things like helping deliver Mistletoe’s foal, Holly, on the ranch and her dedication to her job did seem to breathe a little life back into her soul. Every positive attribute that could be slapped on a woman Jess could lay claim to save one, and that was a sense of peace. Brad couldn’t seem to get anywhere with her and found old man jealousy smacking him upside the head whenever he thought another man like Drew loved her...

Told from Brad’s point of view, it was a nice change of pace to find an emotionally vulnerable man instead of a man totally devoid of feelings pretending to be a tough guy...We’ve got a winner!"

Short Story "Born Rescuer" is Highly Commended

I occasionally submit my writing to different contests, but rarely do I receive a note back! I couldn't say this better than the contest judge, so here's a copy-and-paste...

"It gives me great pleasure to inform you that your entry, "Born Rescuer", has been Highly Commended in the 2009 Tom Howard Short Story, Essay and Prose Contest.

While your submission did not win a cash prize, I'd like to assure you that this omission was not due to any defect in your superlative entry itself. In a large contest like this (I believe around 2,000 entries were received), when the judges are forced to choose between 56 entries of equal merit on the Final Short List, the final decision often comes down to simply a matter of personal taste.

Believe me, to achieve a Highly Commended status in a large contest is no mean achievement, but a most encouraging step in your progress as a writer.

With all my very best wishes for your future success!

Sincerely,
John Howard Reid
Chief Judge"

Two Good Books: Medical Mystery and ... Fictional Grief?

It took the entire month of July (and then some), but I actually READ two really good books. (I also started one that I did not finish - 'nuff said.) One is a medical drama/mystery by CJ Lyons ("Warning Signs") and the other (Juliette Fay's "Shelter Me") a fictional novel about a 38-year-old woman's journey through pain and hope after her husband dies and leaves her to raise their two young children.

You can read what I had to say about them (and other books I've reviewed) on my Amazon reviews page:
click here. (Hopefully this link will work!)

Alarm Bells Turn to Pleasant Surprise

"Last Chance Rescue" got a really great review in Firehouse Magazine. It really speaks to the bias against self-published books:

"Alarm bells went off in my head as I read her words. Key phrases like Romance, aka Bodice Ripper, went through my mind along with serious concerns about a self-published book. Mind you, there are a number of good to very good self-published books on the market, but it has been my experience that the majority of them would have been much better with the services of a good editor.

I am very pleased to say that Tracey Cramer-Kelly is an excellent writer. Well-crafted plot, storyline and character development that is consistent throughout and a very plausible, satisfying and realistic ending to the tale..."

Click here to read more. Thank you Norm!

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Newspaper Reviews "Last Chance Rescue"

I returned from Round 1 in Sturgis at 2:30 am on Sunday. So far, so good (even with 30 MPH winds on Friday)...

While there getting our booth set up and training the staff, I was interviewed by the Rapid City Journal. They wanted to write a piece about "Last Chance Rescue" that would tie in to the whole woman-owned motorcycle business thing.

Writer Jessica Kokesh starts:

"It's hard to pin Minnesota native Tracey Cramer-Kelly down to any particular standard. As a self-described 'non-traditional mom,' Cramer-Kelly, 39, has a helicopter pilot's license, is a former reservist with the Army National Guard and manages her and her husband's motorcycle accessories business, Leader MotorSports..."

She then touches on the balance of work, writing and children, as well as my motivation to write (including the Indie Award Finalist status).

To read the complete article, click here.

Thank you, Jessica, for putting up with several interruptions during the interview (not to mention the wind)!

Taiko Hangover

It's not entirely unpleasant, except that I need to get a lot of things done this short week (I leave Thursday to work at the Sturgis motorcycle rally). But it's that slow, draggie feeling you get after a sustained frenetic pace, and I'm having trouble getting moving this morning.

But the recital was a resounding SUCCESS!

Favorite Writing Quote

I recently came across this quote from Margaret Sackville:

"Great imaginations are apt to work from hints and suggestions, and a single moment of emotion is sometimes sufficient to create a masterpiece."

That's ME exactly! (Although we could debate the definition of "masterpiece"...) There will be one grain of truth to something I write ... one tiny piece of a scene that was factual ... before my imagination ran away with it!

Live Band Gigs and YouTube Videos

When I was younger I could arrange my life around singing live gigs; now any kind of singing has to fit around my life (which is near-impossible at times)! Thus it is that I STILL have not sung live with my old bandmates (and it’s been over a year since I laid backup vocals with them).

They do have a gig coming up: The “7 to 11 Concert Series” at the bandshell in Central Park (Owatonna, MN). Date: Thursday, August 6. Time: 7-9pm.

(Once again I’ll miss out, as I will be working the Black Hills Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis.)

Fun Fact ... Mark Cameron’s song “Ambition” was recently used in a video from a Model-T club. Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHdUIEZ6cIo

Fellow Author Launches First Book

Like Harry Potter or the Twilight series, but sometimes wish for a little, well, brighter option? (Or wish your kids would?)

'Reef Warrior' by Cheri Andrews might be just the ticket.

'Reef Warrior' is the first book in what Andrews hopes will become a series chronicling the life of Diam Roceht, an average adolescent girl who comes to realize she is actually a mermaid who must one day return to the ocean to protect the Great Barrier Reef.

The idea for 'Reef Warrior' was sparked by Cheri's daughter's English project, but she admits it was also a ploy to spend more quality time with her adolescent daughter. As she told us during our Writers Group, little did she know how far it would go!

The book’s release date is set for TODAY! - July 14 - and Andrews has a few events set up in the local area. Visit www.reefwarrior.com for details. Congratulations Cheri!

More Strange Coincidences = More Karma??

I was on my way to my taiko drumming practice on Saturday morning (I was riding my motorcycle) when I found myself in the midst of about 20 motorcycles that had entered the freeway next to me. An organized ride or a club on an outing. I nodded to other riders as I passed them (I was running late so I was bookin') when up ahead I spotted two friends on their bikes!

Now, I've known these two women for awhile as part of the Women on Wheels motorcycle club (which I haven't been as active in lately due to children) and they and their bikes are - in a word - unmistakeable.

So I pulled up alongside first one, then the other, stared at them until they couldn't ignore me and waited for the double-take when they recognized the crazy rider next to them. We did some hilarious pantomiming and then I went one way (with a grin on my face) and they went another.

I was running 15 minutes later than I normally would be. Now I ask you: what are the odds of us being on the SAME road (out of thousands in the Minneapolis area) at the same TIME at 8:50 on a Saturday morning??

It was just too weird and wonderfully funny.

These are the same two women I saw out the window of a McDonalds one day last fall (I had ridden the motorcycle there with my son). I’ve only been in that McDonalds 2-3 times in my life. Again, what are the odds?? Not odds ... karma. Great to see you Kat and Barb - miss you!

Do You Believe in Karma?

This time of year, my motorcycle business (www.LeaderMotorcycle.com) is so busy I don't have time or brain space to write. But the universe doesn't stop just because I do...

In the last two weeks, I've met two people that I feel I was lead to, particularly related to my writing ventures. I wasn't looking for them - unless it was subconscious - but there they were.

The first is the organizer of the flight club I will be joining in the fall. I mentioned this in my last post. Since I didn't know his background when I met with him, I was stunned to find out that he is an ex-Air Force physician. Why? Because the main character in my current novel-in-progress is an Air Force officer who loses a leg during a hostage situation.

The second is a wholistic healer whom I met in a most unlikely way - during the course of my motorcycle business. Those who've read "Last Chance Rescue" know that there is a healing scene in it, and that my writing tends to have overtones of medical emergencies and healing. I spent two hours talking to this person, once again struck by how I've been brought into his sphere.

Cool, huh??

Going Solo for the Night

Ah, solo for the night! (I forgot how this feels...) Family left for the lake around five, but I didn't want to miss my taiko practice in the morning (only 4 practices left before the recital!). I'll head up after practice.

I spent the evening doing errands (who knew it would take THREE stops over two weeks to get a new cell phone plan??) and stopped to chat with the president of the Flying Club I'm going to join in the fall. There I received what I can only describe as a karmic lift - that subconscious nudge that I was brought into this person's sphere for a reason (in this case it perhaps has to do with my novel-in-progress). But perhaps that's true of all encounters?? - we just don't usually feel it so strongly as I did tonight...

When I got home I wrapped my daughter's birthday presents and painted my toe nails (I haven't done THAT in a very long time!). Now I'm ostensibly working on my writing (I made some headway this week, most noteably from my prosthetist friend, whom I "intereviewed" AGAIN for another 45 minutes)...

But really I'm just revelling in the feeling of not being accountable to anyone but ME for one evening!

New content on Mamapalooza

Mamapalooza.com is a site for "women empowered, mom-branded business, entertainment and education." Quite a bit of mom rock/music, but in general, these moms are not your "typical" moms!

And apparently they feel that I'm also a "non-typical" mom ... portions of THIS blog will now be compiled on their site. Cool, huh? Check it out at mamapalooza.com

I hope to find more of this type of "partnership" in the future!

P.S. Just as soon as I blogged about Kiva, they launched a new program. Now, not only can you choose to help fund a micro-loan in other countries ... you can do the same right here in the US! kiva.org

Give Them a Fish...

Micro-lending is built on the concept of "give a man a fish, he eats for a day; but TEACH him to fish, and he eats for a lifetime."

The idea is to provide small loans to people in developing countries so that they can start their own business (or expand one they already have) and improve their quality of life.

Great idea - but difficult to know who needs what, and which requests are legitimate and viable.

I found a great site that coordinates with local 'partners' (in other countries) to list requests. You can choose a category or type of recipient. You can choose the amount to give (it lumps other donors together to meet the requested need). Most the loan requests I've seen are modest by US standards (under $4000). The site even provides updates and repayment! (I plan to put the repayment right back into helping another.)

What a great way to use the power of the Internet... check it out at www.kiva.org

Interview with Last Chance Character Quinn Belmont

I was looking at past blog entries tonight and realized I hadn't posted the third in the series of character interviews. So, here is what Quinn Belmont has to say about his role in Last Chance Rescue...

How do you know Jessie?
She was one of our medics in Iraq, and we had some of the same friends. But the way I come back into her life in Last Chance Rescue ... well, let's just say it's a shock to both of us.

Will you tell us a bit about Iraq?
Damn, you don't really want to hear about that, do you?!

If it would help to understand you ...
Look, if you haven't lived it, you can't understand it. We were out there getting sniped at and blown up by suicide bombers and Improvised Explosive Devices. I saw a lot of nasty stuff -- legs and hands blown off, head injuries ... hell, I was injured twice myself.

You lost friends there?
Everyone lost friends.

I heard you lost two of your closest friends.
[Long sip of beer.] My girlfriend ... and Max. Me and Max were close ...

Is that when you started drinking?
I was drinking long before that. Drinking was only the start of my problems when I ran into Jessie in Last Chance Rescue ... and I didn't like that she had all these guy friends. Guys and girls can't be 'just friends,' you know what I mean? She was way too friendly with some of them. Especially Brad.

Sounds like you were jealous.
I wouldn't put it that way. She and I, you see ... we were connected by what had happened to us in Iraq.

But you threatened Brad.
That's an exaggeration. I just didn't like him much. Although I guess it's a good thing he was around the night I overdosed ...

Will you tell us about that?
No can do. You'll have to buy the book!

Global warming video

This is not related to my writing, but is one of the better communiques I've seen on the topic of global warming. The young speaker is so low-key that I had to laugh when, near the end, an expletive is used!

To view this 4-minute video click here.

Gripping, personal account of Iraq War

I am supposed to be in WI getting ready to go rafting tomorrow, but Mother Nature had other ideas (cold and rainy here!). So I was doing a little ‘homework’ today: reading “House to House” by David Bellavia (with – a LOT, I think – of help from journalist John Bruning). It is a memoir of his time serving in Iraq, and particularly Fallujah.

Last Chance Rescue’s character Jessie Van Dyke is an Iraq veteran, and though the story is taking place AFTER her tour of duty, the experience of war has left her with emotional baggage. And ... a divorce.

Her ex-husband, Major Aaron Bricewick, is the main character in my current novel-in-progress. The military life played a role in Last Chance Rescue, and it’s a BIG theme in ‘Bricewick.’ So besides just being interested in the subject matter of the Iraq war, books like this one are fodder for my writing.

The main purpose to my own five years in the Army Reserves was the GI Bill (to pay my way through college). The big scare during my time in the military was Desert Storm (thank god I was never activated), but you don’t see such gripping, personal accounts of that conflict as you do for Iraq. I find it fascinating, and I hope I can reach military spouses and family with “Last Chance Rescue”...and eventually my next book.

Taiko drumming student recital "Passing the Beat"

I will be performing in the Mu Daiko Student Recital (with my Taiko class) on Saturday, July 25 at 7pm and Sunday, July 26 at 2pm. You will see some incredible performances (as all levels will be performing). This is a high-energy event that is best seen LIVE (although I am going to try and get video of it), so if you're interested (or you just want to see what I've been doing every Saturday morning), here are the details! And now I'm off to happy hour with my classmates...

Why We Ride: Women Motorcyclists Speak Out

I recently contributed an essay for "Why We Ride," a book about women motorcyclists.

"Why We Ride" contains stories from 100 incredible women riders! The stories will make you laugh and some will bring a tear to your eye ... but all of them are as incredible as the women who wrote them.

You can read my essay here:
www.lastchancerescuebook.com/writing.htm

To purchase the book, click here.

Won the Scholarship - Must Fly

Wow. A double-whammy day (and I mean that in a good way). First the Indie Awards, and then a letter from the Minnesota 99s - a women pilot organization - telling me I'd won a scholarship toward flight training!

And here I had just about decided my plate was FULL - no room for anything else - and that flying would have to wait!

So perhaps this is divine intervention? Or perhaps it's simply craziness... but I am NOT one to squander opportunity! (It might, however, have to wait until fall...)

Last Chance Rescue Named Indie Award Finalist!

I've just gotten some fantastic news:

'Last Chance Rescue' has been named a Finalist in the Romance category of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards!

The Indie Book Awards recognize the best publications from small presses, mid-size independent publishers, university presses, e-book publishers, and self-published authors.

'Last Chance Rescue' will be listed as a Finalist in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards catalog which will be distributed at Book Expo America in New York later this month to thousands of attendees including book buyers, library representatives, media, industry professionals, and others.

Wa-hoooo!

SquiDoo, Peek-a-Boo

Does anybody else think this social networking thing is getting a little out of hand? MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and now SquiDoo (not to mention my author page on amazon.com)! But if you're gonna jump, you might as well jump in the DEEP end, right?

Yes, I - author extraordinaire that I am - now have not only a Facebook page, but also a SquiDoo page (oh, wait, they call it a "LENS"...) To check it out:

www.squidoo.com/lastchancerescue

If I weren't an author, just think about how much I'd be missing out on...

ME - a Writer??

I figured it would be a routine trip to the library. I go there often, and this time I stopped to chat with Diana (the head librarian). As I exited the library, a teenage girl stopped me to ask about Last Chance Rescue. Her questions boiled down to essentially this: how did I become a writer?

My attempt at answers felt entirely inadequate!

Fifteen minutes later, back in my car after picking up my daughter at daycare, I reflected on this question. The truth is, I've written all my life. But I have never thought of myself as a "writer"! Why, I wonder? Because I have so many other identifications (mom, wife, daughter, sister ... business owner ... motorcyclist ... you get the idea) that it had not occurred to me to add "writer" to that list?

Or is it because I don't "write" as a job? Honestly, I couldn't do it - it is HARD WORK! (And, I might add, not exactly a highly-paid occupation.) In fact, I wonder sometimes WHY I have undertaken a second one!

But the answer is "Yes" - I am a writer. I'm still getting used to that idea. The day I held my first copy of Last Chance Rescue was the first time I thought: oh my gosh, I'm an AUTHOR! Was it easy? NO WAY!! But do I like the feeling? YOU BET!

Menopause, Horses and Premarin

Lately my daughter has taken a shine to three horses that pasture near our home. When we pass them on the way to daycare in the morning, she gets very upset if I don't 'pause' to say hi to them. (Then it's 'bye bye horsie' ... 'no cows' ... 'no peep' [that's 'sheep' for you non-parental types]...)

Got me thinking about the magical 'power' of horses, and not just in childrens' lives...

"Last Chance Rescue" touches on a matter of personal concern, which is the mistreatment of horses involved in the Premarin trade. In fact, Jessie's horse, Mistletoe, is a rescued 'PMU' mare (you won't want to miss the scene when she gives birth!).

For approximately six months from fall through spring, the pregnant mares live in 'pee barns,' forced to stand in stalls with urine collection devices strapped to them. The stalls are deliberately narrow to prevent pregnant mares from turning around and detaching the collection cups. In the last month of their eleven-month pregnancy, the mares are put out to pasture to have their foals. The mares are put in a herd with a stallion, so they quickly become pregnant again. In September, their foals are taken away from them to be sold, whether or not they are fully weaned. The next month, they're back in the barns and the cycle starts again.

Horses are magnificent creatures, and it breaks my heart to think of what they endure. You can read more about horses and Premarin here

Last Chance Rescue Reviewed in "Wings of Gold"

"This is a story about a search and rescue team and its adventures in the Colorado Rockies. The author, like her protagonist Jessie, is a military veteran trained in rescue operations (five years as an Army National Guard paramedic -- earning her helicopter pilot license in 2001). Jessie is an independent type. She has lived alone and worked wtih a SAR team since returning from Iraq. When she meets up with Brad, an old high school buddy, at a reunion, her life takes a turn. There is romance mixed with true to life rescue scenes in the high country."

To read a free excerpt, visit www.LastChanceRescueBook.com.

Book Trailer Stars Search-and-Rescue Team

Former Army paramedic and helicopter pilot Tracey Cramer-Kelly has just finished a book trailer for Last Chance Rescue. The 1-minute "movie" allows readers to get a sneak preview of Last Chance Rescue in a fun new way.

What is Last Chance Rescue about?

Jessie has lived alone and worked with the search-and-rescue team since returning home from a stint as a paramedic in Iraq. Her social life consists of her teammates and Madeline, the owner of the horse rescue ranch where Jessie keeps her beloved mare.

When she meets up with an old high school buddy at a reunion, she cautiously allows him into her life, but only as a friend. Brad is running from his past and in need of a dramatic change. Joining and training with Jessie's rescue crew is a radical departure from his superficial career in advertising.

The two are reluctant to fall in love, so they learn to navigate the terrain of trust and friendship even as they face life and death scenarios in their day-to-day lives. Not until they both risk facing their secrets do they allow their friendship to take a final plunge into love.

Last Chance Rescue has been lauded by readers and critics as much for its enduring romance as its intense, true-to-life search-and-rescue scenes.

Praise for Last Chance Rescue

"Cramer-Kelly traverses the peaks and valleys of one man's quest for personal fulfillment and the remarkable woman who helps him find it." -- Sheri Vangen-Ratcliffe, Author of Heir Apparent

"A storyline that rockets up and down like a wild helicopter ride and keeps you guessing until the very end." -- John Nemo, Author of Jumper, The King's Game and Miller's Miracle

"The author’s emergency medical background and outdoor experience shows through." -- Terri Watson, Air Idaho Rescue Helicopter Pilot & National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Senior Field Instructor

To View the Video

Visit www.LastChanceRescueBook.com to view the video and/or read a free except. (Last Chance Rescue is also available at amazon.com)

Not Necessarily New York Times Bestseller -- YET

I just wanted to say thanks to Carrie at Words to Mouth for spotlighting "Last Chance Rescue" in Across Carrie's Desk. Words to Mouth is a blog and companion Internet talk show introducing new book releases and their authors to a community interested in excellent writing that may not necessarily top the New York Times Bestseller List -- Yet! Readers can even WIN free books, so check it out!

First Ride of the Season...Minus One License Plate

Given that my husband and I own a motorcycle accessories business www.LeaderMotorcycle.com -- not to mention I'm such an avid motorcyclist that the photo on my book flap is of me on a motorcycle -- I get asked so often: "Is there a motorcycle in your book?" that I will HAVE to include one in my next novel!

YES, I know exactly where that will fit in!

So went my thoughts as I was basking in the after-glow of my first motorcycle ride of the season. It was a 35-minute jaunt on the county roads around my home in semi-rural St. Francis, MN with my son as passenger.

Let me be decidedly un-literary for a moment: GOD, IT FELT GOOD!

The only tiny (and I mean near inconsequential!) mar was that it was technically illegal. (Or maybe that just made it more exciting?!)

I don't have a license plate.

So here's the story: I lent my motorcycle to the shop that does all our sewing (Desert Dawgs Rain Guards) so they could develope a seat for it. When it left here in November, it had a license plate. When I got it back on Thursday...no plate. So I rushed to the bureau on Saturday only to find out they were closed for a 'belated' Good Friday holiday. Frustrating! (But, as you can see, it didn't stop me!)

Do you think an officer would let me off the hook with that story?? (It's true.) Luckily I didn't have to find out...

On the Subject of Singing

Last year I recorded backup vocals for a friend's CD project (see Mark Cameron "Life of Illusion" at http://cdbaby.com/cd/cameronmark). One of the songs ("Since I Met You") even garnered radio play in France! This week I found myself back in 'rehearsal' -- for both potential live gigs (I've already missed two) AND a new CD project.

Producing a music project is akin to writing a book, I've decided: they're both highly creative and highly PERSONAL endeavors (not to mention a hell of a lot of time and work, and not always appreciated the way us 'artists' would like). And yet the music project is highly collaborative -- much more so than writing a novel. (The closest I come is when I'm picking the brain of a SME -- Subject Matter Expert -- like the Physical Therapist I befriended while writing "Last Chance Rescue"). And there's something about the band members' comeraderie and shared energy (and working together toward a shared goal) that I enjoy.

And, of course, I enjoy the singing. I wanted to keep practicing "Difficult Kind" (Sheryl Crow) all night! All the way home (50-minute drive) I kept thinking: I should have put that "Girl Band" together back when I was younger!

Romance or um ... Relationship?

I am sometimes asked if "Last Chance Rescue" is a romance novel.

My answer is: If you are a romance book reviewer, or a die-hard romance novel fan, then YES.

I'm joking a bit, but here's the truth: It's so much more!

The overarching theme of "Last Chance Rescue" is not a romance, but rather, is about how Brad is transformed over the course of the story. Yes, there IS a relationship (and that's the key word) that turns into something more than friendship as the story progresses. And yes, Brad's changes are 'facilitated' by a remarkable woman...

Brad and Jessie start out as mere acquaintances, but by working on a search-and-rescue team, they are forced to learn to trust each other in ways that us 'ordinary folk' don't have to -- and they become fast friends. So you might say it's about how guys and girls can operate as friends, but it also brings into play the theme of being friends before lovers.

I have nothing against the 'typical' romance novel. But in "Last Chance Rescue," the characters grapple with so much more. They are multi-faceted, multi-challenged personalities. And isn't that more like your life too? It's a rare time in our lives when the 'only' thing we have to deal with is a 'blossoming' romance!

Tibia Update

Thank you to those who have written to ask how my six-year-old son is doing. He fractured his tibia in mid-February (downhill skiing) and was in a full-leg cast until last week. He is now in what he calls a "Robocop Boot" (a walking boot). We still use the wheelchair for school, but he is (finally!) ambulatory (to everyone's great relief). We are ALL quite restless (especially as the weather improves here in Minnesota) and ready for him to be healed! We hope that when we return to the doctor (in two weeks), the "Robocop Boot" will be necessary only for physical activities...

TIME: Obstacle AND Gift

Today I had a very enjoyable interview with Ms. Tammy Sapp of Womens Outdoor Wire (http://www.womensoutdoorwire.com). One of the things I mentioned during the conversation stayed with me afterward, and it's about TIME.

The greatest obstacle I have in my writing life is TIME. Writing takes a lot of TIME! And when you have a business to run (http://www.LeaderMotorcycle.com) and young children to rear, along with the commitments we adults tend to accumulate, it doesn't leave much TIME for writing.

My writing time is usually between 9 and 11 pm -- after my children are in bed and all is quiet, and IF (that's a big "if" sometimes) I have any brain power left. It took me two years to complete "Last Chance Rescue"!

BUT -- and this is the key -- TIME has also been my biggest gift. What I mean by that is: I am given another day...EVERY DAY! A fresh slate every morning...to make what I will of it.

And therein lies my point: It's important to me that I spend my time on the things that MATTER. Not by someone else's definition, but my OWN. Every person is different, but to me, WRITING MATTERS. It is part of what fulfills ME (amongst many things, of course, but this IS an author blog, after all...)

It's difficult to do sometimes -- we are all busy and feel pulled in ten directions at once -- but I make a conscious effort to evaluate how I'm spending my time. And every now and then, I even have to say "NO"!

Letter to the Minnesota 99s (Women's Aviation Org) Scholarship Committe

Dear Minnesota 99s Committee Members:

I am married with two young children (son, 6, and daughter, 21 months). I enjoy outdoor activities of all kinds (skiing, rafting, kayaking, etc.) and have been a "biker chick" for over 20 years (currently riding a Kawasaki Vulcan 900).

Some of my interests include alternative energy (solar/wind), environmental issues and animal rescue. I occasionally sing back-up vocals for a local band (Mark Cameron, “Life of Illusion”). I enjoy poking around old mining (ghost) towns and watching stock-car racing. On weekends you may find me spending time with my family (often outdoors) or working with my Taiko drumming team.

I spend my days managing our family business, Leader Motorcycle Accessories (see www.LeaderMotorcycle.com), and many of my evenings writing. My first novel, Last Chance Rescue, was published in 2008 (see www.LastChanceRescueBook.com).

Last Chance Rescue (like much of my writing) is heavily influenced by the time I spent in the Army National Guard, which trained me as an EMT and paramedic. It was also the U.S. Army that first exposed me to the helicopter. Boy, was I smitten! It was then (at the grand old age of 20) that I set a goal for myself: I would learn to fly a helicopter before I turned 30 -- and I would find a way to do it myself, since I had no intention of staying in the military!

One month before my 31st birthday, I achieved that goal. Unfortunately, the events of 9/11 (and its aftermath), combined with pregnancy/starting a family -- and of course, the ever-constant considerations of time and money -- all conspired to keep me out of the air since that time (with a few very notable exceptions as passenger with a medevac team and in support of search-and-rescue -- my most meaningful flying experiences since my own instruction).

I miss flying and would like to get back into it, but the helicopter is just too expensive (and not readily accessible). I have contemplated getting a fixed-wing rating since 2002, and even took two lessons in an Ultralight. I would eventually like to be involved with a volunteer organization that ferries sick/disabled people (or possibly animals) and/or search-and-rescue. And I would definitely like to share it with my children!

I enjoy working being part of a team working toward a common goal. A scholarship from the Minnesota 99s would get me on my way, and meeting other women pilots in my area would certainly be a major motivation!

"Last Chance" Review in HomeFront Magazine

Based on the author's personal experiences and inspired by the self-help book "For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men," by Shaunti Feldhahn, "Last Chance Rescue," is Tracey Cramer-Kelly's first novel and tells the story of a man whose life is changed when he meets a former high school classmate and female Iraq war veteran.

"As a military veteran and former paramedic who is now a mother of two, I wanted to put into words the experiences military personnel have lived through but find hard to explain in the context of everyday life," Cramer said, adding that while "Last Chance Rescue" is fiction, it is in many ways the story of military veterans and their families around the world. Brad Sievers, the speaker in "Last Chance Rescue," is reunited with Jessie Van Dyke, a former classmate and active-duty Army paramedic who served in the Iraq war. Both characters are troubled by events that occurred in their past -- experiences in Iraq, trust and intimacy issues -- but something is awakened when the two begin working together as part of a search-and-rescue team in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado.

"The story is really about the transformation of Brad and Jessie because she has a lot of baggage from her time in Iraq -- what she experienced, what she saw, the friends she lost -- and she's dealing with a fear of intimacy. And Brad has regrets about life experiences. They learn to trust each other in this search-and-rescue team environment," Cramer said.

Cramer was inspired to write "Last Chance Rescue" from a male perspective after reading Shaunti Feldhahn's "For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men." "I read it at the right time when I was kind of thinking how I would write the story," Cramer said, adding that the gender barrier was not a challenge since she has always naturally gravitated toward male friends. "When I was in the military I had a lot of male co-workers and I naturally gravitated toward male friends and part of it was because I'm not the 'tea-and-gab session' kind of gal. I like to bond like men do, playing basketball or something physical."

Released last year, "Last Chance Rescue" has been lauded on the book's Web site by readers and critics for its intense, true-to-life rescue scenes and intimate portrayal of life as a military veteran.

- By Iuliana Petre

Helicopter Organization for Women

If you've read my bio, you know that I have a helicopter pilot license (and you probably also know that a helicopter plays a part in "Last Chance Rescue"). Although I'm not actively flying now, I still maintain my membership in several aviation organizations. One of my favorites is the Whirly-Girls.

Whirly-Girls is a non-profit organization of women helicopter pilots, and they are some of the most amazing, interesting women I've ever had the pleasure of being associated with. My only regret is not having the time to get to know each member!

Every year the Whirly-Girls hold their annual "hovering" (conference) in February. Although I have not been able to attend, this year the group invited me to place my Last Chance Rescue sales cards, etc., in their booth. I also donated a copy of the book for the silent auction (I'm told that a gentleman from Eurocopters was the high bidder). The proceeds of the auction go toward the scholarships that the organization makes available each and every year. It's a small gesture, but I'm honored that I can be a tiny part of more women doing more flying ... and maybe someday I'll be after one of those scholarships myself!

For more information about this wonderful organization, visit http://www.whirlygirls.org!

Midwest Book Review

Last Chance Rescue has been reviewed by the Midwest Book Review!

The reviewer starts off with "Put it off for too long, and it may be too late." After a brief synopsis of the book, the reviewer wraps it up with "Last Chance Rescue is an attractive novel that will be well enjoyed by many a reader."

To read the complete review,
click here.

Always Mix Pleasure with Business

Wow, it's been over THREE WEEKS since I posted! I'm supposed to be doing this three times a week! In my defense, I was out of town for eight days. For fun! I spent a blissful (child-free!) week in Reno, NV. I did a little business (for Leader Motorcycle) but I also did some skiing at Lake Tahoe and hung out with the locals at the kayak park in the center of the city (neat!). Always mix pleasure with business, I say! (But now it's back to business-as-usual. Time to re-focus. Time to figure out how to sell this book!)

What Does "Success" Mean?

What is "success" to you? So often, in today's society, we get the idea that "success" is tied to our job or our money or the things we own.

Like many of us in real life, this is something that Brad (main character in Last Chance Rescue) grapples with. At the start of the story, Brad is a advertising executive. He's got prestige and respect - and he has money and things.

Yet Brad has an emptiness that, at first, he doesn't want to look too closely at. Then, after a chance encounter with Jessie (and a job crisis), he can't understand the restless, unfulfilled feelings he's experiencing. When (by chance) he is thrown into a rescue, it awakens something in him that he didn't even know was there. After some internal struggle, he makes a critical decision: he gives up his "things" - and his comfortable existance - for something VERY different.

If you'd like to know more about Brad and the search-and-rescue team he's part of, visit http://www.lastchancerescuebook.com/

RSS Test

I think I've got the RSS to Amazon figured out. I hope! But Facebook is still a mystery...

Spiral fracture of left tibia

That was the ER doc's diagnosis for my son (6) last Sunday evening. We (family minus our toddler daughter) had just spent 3 really enjoyable days downhill skiing in Lutsen (MN). My son Nathan was going gangbusters. (It's so amazing when your kids start to excel at something.) We had just skied an intermediate tree run called "Molly's Folly" - a run that made ME nervous (it was icy and there was only one track to follow), even after 20 years of skiing - when it happened.

It always happens on the flats. In the tough stuff you're focussed, but you let you guard down near the bottom of the hill and WHAM! The snow monster gets ya. It's so hard to see your kid(s) in pain!

So there was no writing for me this week. Nathan was home for three days (and my daughter for two). It's like having TWO toddlers - you gotta do everything for each of them. It's downright exhausting. Eventually Nathan will get good with the crutches (right now it's a wheelchair, and will be for school for awhile) and it will get better. But right now, tonight, I am mentally too tired to work on anything creative.

Until next time...

Where to Start?

Greetings potential readers. I just wanted to start with a little bit about my book, Last Chance Rescue, and in future posts (as I get the hang of this), I'll expand out to topics I think you might find interesting (such as current or future writing ideas, etc).

Last Chance Rescue is about two people and their internal struggles with intimacy, regret and fear -- and their exploration of what "friendship" and "romance" mean to them -- all played out in the action-packed background of a search-and-rescue team. At the risk of sounding like a well-known commercial, it's got a little bit of everything: adventurous characters, action-packed scenes, and a budding romance!