Patricia Sands

Author

loveahappyending.com

Guest blogging? Gotta love it!

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Who has more fun than bloggers? Okay … um, you can probably give me a list … but never mind.  I can tell you one of the many ways we enjoy life here in the blogosphere and that’s by visiting back and forth – oceans and borders don’t deter us in any way – and hanging out on each other’s blog.

Today I’m particularly lucky to be in two places at once … just another talent we share!

I was thrilled to help out the awesome Myndi Shafer who is taking a little time to enjoy the newest member of her family. #4 ! I’m exhausted just thinking about it but our Myndi is the best at taking it all in stride!

All of her blogging buddies and readers have been celebrating the blessed event and loving the sweet family photos Myndi has since posted.  Take a minute to hop on over and pay a visit. Don’t forget to  knit her some baby booties leave her your congratulations!

Sailing across the Atlantic to the UK, I’m excited to be Centre Stage on the fabulous blog of Nicky Wells, author of the Rock Star Romance Trilogy. Check out the first release, Sophie’s Turn.Things are always in party mode at Nicky’s and she makes every visiting author feel like a rock star. Come on over and see for yourself ... the bar will be open, munchies passed around and your favorite tunes on full blast! Nicky was just signed by Sapphire Star Publishing so celebrate with her as we’ve been doing since we heard the great news. Nicky is one of my fellow authors involved with the awesome author/reviewer website loveahappyending.com. If you live in the UK or will be visiting near Tetbury, Gloucestershire on June 12th this summer, be sure to check out the impressive literary event planned .

Have you been guest blogging or taking trips recently? Did you stay home for the holiday weekend or travel somewhere? You know I love to hear what you’ve been doing so scroll down and leave a comment if you have the time. Thanks!

Celebrating a launch day!

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I often speak about the amazing online community of writers, editors, reviewers and readers of which I’m proud to be a part. Some of you may recall, back in the day, how there were opportunities to  have pen pals and when a letter arrived from another part of your country or … gasp … another country, it was such a thrill! Today we communicate with  people all over the world on a daily basis via the internet and think nothing of it.
One of the groups to which I belong is loveahappyending.com which was begun by the talented Linn B.Halton who lives in the U.K.  The majority of members are from the U.K. but there are also Canadians and Americans among the ranks. Taking on charity projects is part of our mandate as well as sharing information and support and a good deal of laughter.
As writers, telling stories is what we do. I must admit I’m always equally intrigued by the story about the writer.  It’s my pleasure to feature the talented  Canadian author Darlene Jones who is launching her novel, EMBATTLED, this very day.  She chatted with me from Mexico.

PS – Welcome, Darlene. I’m delighted to have a chat with you on this exciting day! Let’s clear the air first. I’m in Toronto right now. You are in Mexico. I’m not complaining  … well, perhaps just a little …  I know you are enjoying lovely days at the beach and I’m not. Tell me about it.
 DJ – We used to live in the frozen north of Edmonton when we started coming here for the winters. We’re on the west coast of Mexico, north of Puerto Vallarta in a town called Guayabitos. It’s away from the hustle and bustle of the major tourist areas; weather is always great, restaurants and little taco stands galore, and great beaches for body boarding. Over the years we’ve made many friends, both Mexicans and fellow Canadians, so each fall when we get here, it’s like coming home.

PS – It was a surprise to discover you spend your summers on Vancouver Island. I also know that you lived in Mali for a time.Can you tell us a bit about your experiences in both of those locations? Have there been any other longterm stops along the way? 

DJ – We moved from Edmonton, which was a wonderful city for careers and rasing children (but such long cold winters!) to Vancouver Island five years ago and love it. The weather is soft and mild and never really too hot, although the winters can have some terrible winds and lots of rain. A big bonus is the views of the ocean and mountains from my desk. How cool is that? A little Canadian humor for you. Question: How do you define an Albertan? Answer: Someone who was born in Saskatchewan and retires to BC. That’s me!

Mali was many years ago and a whole other world. Rather a time travel type of adventure. I was a Canadian University Service Overseas volunteer teaching English in Bamako. I’ve written bits about Mali on my blog.http://emandyves.wordpress.com At that time it was the 5th poorest country in the world. It is impossible to describe that kind of poverty. Beggars, victims of leprosy with missing limbs, malnourished children with distended bellies; the list goes on and on. It’s also impossible to describe the heat. Step off the airplane and you feel the force of the heat pressing you down. It saps your energy.
PS – In my opinion, travel is such an important experience that helps shape us as individuals and as writers since we are able to observe other cultures firsthand. How have your experiences impacted your writing?
DJ – For sure! In fact, my experiences in Mali were, in part, the inspiration for my books.

PS – Would you tell us about your journey to becoming a published author? When did you begin writing? What have you published?
DJ – Inspired by reading and the authors I admire, I began playing with writing some time ago, but it was the opportunity to spend a week long workshop at the Banff School of Arts with Robert J. Sawyer, that really convinced me I could do it. I’ve attended conferences and other workshops along the way and learned so much that contributed to improving my writing.

PS – Tell me about “Embattled”, which you describe as sci-fi with a bit of magic. Intriguing! I haven’t yet read it although it is on my TBR list! How did this particular story idea come to you and were there any surprises for you as the story unfolded?
DJ – The big issue I focus on with my heroine is war and stopping it. My stories allow my heroine to “wave a magic wand” so to speak and do all the things one would wish to do to improve living conditions for people. The biggest surprise was the ending. I had no idea when it started that it would lead to that particular ending which then demanded that I continue the story.

PS – What are your launch plans and where can readers order your book?
DJ – My formal launch, with the wonderful assistance of all the Love A Happy Ending gang, is Feb 6. My book is on Amazon and Smashwords. You can read more about EMBATTLED here. www.emandyves.com
Thanks so much for chatting here today. We all wish you a wonderful launch day. I understand this book is the first in a series so we will be eagerly watching for the next release.
So dear readers, if you are a sci-fi fan, hop on over to the link at amazon.com or visit Darlene’s website listed above or her entertaining blog and order your copy today!

Writers and sun signs … what do you say?

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Do you believe in Astrology? Do you check your daily horoscope and then make a decision whether to get out of bed or pull the covers back over your head?

Last September my sun signs were reviewed by the lovely and talented Shaz, the resident astrologer for the fabulous collection of authors and reader/reviewers belonging to LoveAHappyEnding.com.  I did tweet this interview then and put it on Facebook but for some reason I missed sharing it on my blog … I’m sure that forgetfulness has something to do with where the moon and stars were aligned on that particular date … I’ll have to check with Shaz!

Shaz’s Stars talks to Patricia Sands

Category: Shaz’ Stars

Shaz’s Stars – Welcome to the regular feature on ‘The Buzz’ of Shaz’s Stars

Using sun sign astrology I have been interviewing loveahappyending.com Authors to see how the traits of their sun sign affect their craft.
Authors share with us how they’ve used positive characteristics as well as advice on how they’ve overcome negative ones.
I hope you enjoy getting to know our new Authors as much as I’ve enjoyed interviewing them.

Shaz

Twitter @shazjera: http://bit.ly/m4lPE2
Website: http://jerasjamboree.wordpress.com

In the hot seat today I would like to welcome Patricia Sands!

Hello Patricia, thank you for letting us have a peek behind the scenes. Your sun sign is LEO.

Q. A typical Leo loves glamorous locations and adventure. Have you ever researched an idea on holiday? Or taken a trip purely for research?

That’s a timely question Shaz! Are you psychic as well? As we speak, I’m spending 4 months in the south of France where I’m writing my next novel. A good portion of the story is set in this area. My husband and I arrived in Antibes on May 15 and we will be here until the end of September when we’ll return to our home in Toronto. I’m having a wonderful time feeling like I actually live here and if it weren’t for missing our family (particularly adorable grandchildren), we would stay forever!

Q. Leonine people set themselves high standards. When you edit your writing, can this become a problem and cause you frustration?

You’re right about that! I do set high standards in everything I do and sometimes need to be reminded to ease up. As a former schoolteacher, grammar is a major issue with me and I have radar that can spot a typo or a spelling error a mile away. I always like to have a proper editor go through my work as well and find the process extremely worthwhile.

Q. Leo’s love drama. A typical Leo will dislike safety. Do you take risks in your writing projects?

I’m not sure about the drama part ( I love to watch it!) but I am a risk-taker. I do have a comfort zone when it comes to the topics about which I write but within those topics I’m prepared to push the limits. In the final chapter of my novel, The Bridge Club, I address a topic that is controversial as well as current. I was initially concerned that some readers might be offended but I felt so strongly about the subject matter that I knew I had to write about it. I’ve received very positive feedback about it and book clubs have enjoyed the discussion it generates. It’s always nice to discover that the risk was worth it!

Q. Leo energy generally expresses itself as positive thinking – positive thinking attracts opportunities. Are you a positive thinker? Can you share with us a time when positive thinking brought a blessing?

I am a positive thinker through and through. One of my alter egos is Pollyanna Patty and I’m often teased about it! I’m thankful to my Leo energy for this and although I can’t pinpoint a specific example, I feel that I have been blessed through my life as the result of an optimistic attitude. I was widowed at 43 and gained an ever more positive outlook through that devastating experience. I truly believe that every day is a gift to appreciate and give as much to as we possibly can.

Q. In romance, Leo’s have high aspirations and are idealistic. Do any of your lead characters fulfil these expectations?

In The Bridge Club several of the characters had experienced very different dimensions of romance in their relationships but that wasn’t the main focus of any of their stories. In my next novel, still untitled, romance is very much at the forefront (spoiler alert) and the main character realizes she is only just discovering romance for the first time in her fifties. At the beginning of the story she thinks her life is pretty much over in many ways and subsequently discovers it is only just beginning. It’s never too late for romance!

Q. Smaller problems are not an issue for those ruled by the Sun which enables them to see the bigger picture. Are you able to focus on your writing projects as a whole? Does this help when you find things may not be going so well?

I tend to be a “pantser” in my writing, rather than a planner but even so I generally have a clear idea of the bigger picture. Part of the fun of writing is seeing where the characters lead you as they begin to take on lives of their own. I’m often very surprised to discover twists and turns in the story. If things aren’t going well, I step away from my writing and go for a walk or play a game of golf. When I sit down at the computer again I’m usually ready to get right back to it.

Q. The Sun, your ruler, bestows life and light to all. Leo’s get an inordinate amount of pleasure from helping others enjoy life as much as they do. Leo’s love to be in the spotlight and to shine! Do you think this energy motivates your ambition to write?

I’ve been a storyteller all my life through photography. So in that regard, I like to put others in the spotlight but my ego is constantly patting me on the back for the brilliant photo. Does that sound like a Leo? My family and my friends are the most important things in my life and making sure we are all happy and enjoying life to the fullest is what drives me. I’m really not sure what motivates me to write. What I do know is that I love the experience! (An unexpected side benefit to this adventure of being a writer is the amazing global community of writers that one meets. The amount of information sharing is without measure and the wonderful connections made are priceless.)

A perfect example is the fact that I’m sitting here with you! Thanks so much for inviting me over, Shaz, it’s been great fun!

Hop on over to Shaz’s website. This multi-talented lady is also a Reiki Master who is currently studying for a crystal healing diploma. She also teaches literacy to children with dyslexia. Pretty awesome!

What is your astrological sign? Have you ever had a reading to see how your sign impacts your personality and the choices you make? Were you surprised by what you learned or do you tend to ignore the zodiac and its implications? Let’s hear about it!