Old Department Stores

I am working on a new short for Echelon. This one is a romantic fantasy with ultra-sensual antics. It takes place in a Brightwater's, a classic, mid-60's style department store that is failing due to their failure to modernize. This store actually has carpet space since they don't cram row upon row of clothing racks into their modest space. They still try to call each customer by name and use real, detailed mannequins to show-off their wares. There is piped piano music wafting through the 2nd and 3rd floors, and there is still a fainting couch in the ladies room. Yet their "check out" stations are sadly lacking in technology, and customers roll their eyes as the sales girl struggles to roll the imprinter across their credit cards. The security system in Brightwater's consists of Floyd, the owner's brother-in-law, who strolls around the store at night when he's not nodding off in the employee lounge.

What do you remember about the department stores of your youth (if you grew up in this era?)

Readers Win at Echelon Press

Karen came up with a great idea - to feature several lucky Echelon Press readers in short stories by Echelon authors. Many people entered the contest and Karen matched winners with authors who volunteered. I was paired with Lisa Marie Michaud, a children's fantasy writer from Tampa, Florida. Lisa and I exchanged a few emails and I was able to get a snapshot of her life.

I've just finished the first draft of "When Harry Met Soli" (working title) to be published in December 2006. It's currently in Karen's hands for review.

The Blurb: "Children's author "Soliza" Boudreau has a lifetime goal in the palm of her hand: a blockbuster digital animation contract for her first screenplay. Focused on her climb to success, she regrets the unintentional neglect of her three teenaged sons and yearns for the day she can finally notch back. And maybe even meet a nice guy.

"Trey Wilson has just inherited the seven-year-old son he hasn't seen in years. But young Harry, grieving the recent loss of his mother, hasn't really moved in with his dad; Hogwarts is his new home, and Harry Potter his new identity. Trey's chance meeting with old flame Lisa Boudreau just might bring Harry a safer reality and Trey a fantasy of his own."

This was a lot of fun to write!

Relay For Life: Part Two

Wow. Long over, and I'm still thinking about it. Temperatures went into triple digits that day, and still we had a wonderful time. My gift basket containing STARCROSSED HEARTS was one of the first sales from our booth. Of course that was a thrill.

All in all, to date, I've raised approximately $2,700.00 and the donations continue to trickle in.

So glad I did this.

ACS Relay For Life (r)

This year, the year after my mother's passing, I am participating in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life(r) by walking for one hour in her memory. Hers, and that of my great-grandmother, my grandmother and my father-in-law, all whom succumbed to cancer. Also in honor of a good friend who is a two-time survivor; also an acquaintance who was just recently diagnosed; also the late mother of my best friend; also a dear man who lives in Las Vegas and suffering from colorectal cancer.

Enough, already? There are countless others, many in my own family. So far I've raised $820.00 of the $3,000.00 I hope to raise.

The walk is June 3, 2006. Anyone reading who'd like more info, check in at
www.acsevents.org/relay/ca/santaclaritavalley

I'll be updating my progress!

Finally Updated my Website!

I hate working on websites. I have two of them now, and the bigger they get, the more cumbersome they are to update. I now understand why some folks just pay to have them done by people with much more time and patience than I have.

Anyway, www.beaconstreetbooks.com is now updated. I got rid of what I now think of as that obnoxious blue background. I updated my bio/news page, and added some news to the home page. I fixed some broken links.

Have not been contacted by my editor yet about PS, but I'm certainly keeping busy.

2006

I created this blog and then promptly forgot about it. I've been journaling in pen instead, I guess. Yesterday I got some incredible news: Echelon Press has offered me a contract for Point Surrender. Of course it needs some work but that's to be expected; I welcome the suggestions.

What is so unbelievably awesome is that the release date is February 2007, in time for Valentine's Day, and it will be a small print run in excess of 2000 copies. Generous authors' copies too, and Karen is great to work with. I now have a whole year to put together and begin a major marketing campaign for my book. My lighthouse mystery that has been waiting for years to get published.

Cover art is really important now. I think I will be working with Nathalie Moore, Echelon's outstanding art director. I worked with Nathalie when I was AD for Wings and she is a very talented and friendly and perceptive.

I'm feeling very encouraged and even somewhat inspired. I'm hoping to get my rear in gear and finish OLD ENOUGH for my niece who's been waiting forever for this "next in the series" of Y/A titles I'd planned to write after LOCKER SHOCK.

There is also a somewhat sensual short called MAKE ME TELL LIES that I'm going to finish up for Karen's Dollar Download program. I hope.

I'll be back!