June 6, 2020

"A great following to the previous story. Full of action, suspense and intrigue throughout the story." - Tony

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Between writing Flames and continuing with the edits on Temple Knight, there wasn't much chance to get into mischief this week. Of course, the dogs both enjoyed lots of walks, as evidenced by their complete exhaustion in the picture above! And I must say the strolls through the woods were quite nice, giving me time to contemplate some new storylines.

We also just received the audiobook version of Ashes and Embers, and have been listening to them as we go about prepping our meals. I have to say the narrator is terrific, and Podium Audio has done an excellent job of putting it all together. I have to admit, it still feels a bit surreal listening to some else narrate my own book.

We have put together Frozen Flame eBook duology (the first two books, just like the audiobook) as well, which will be available on all retailers later this coming week. And there is one surprise coming on Tuesday, so keep your eyes peeled to your email, but I can't say more than that!

It's been a while, but Daisy and Tilly demanded that we get back to their questions and free eBook Giveaway! Remember, all you need to do to enter is answer the question below, and you will automatically be entered into the Giveaway to win your choice of any of my ebooks, even the upcoming Temple Knight!

On June 6^th, 1944, D-Day was launched, marking a return of allied forces to the continent of Europe. Much has been said of the American experience at Omaha and Utah beaches, not to mention the British assault on Sword and Gold beach, but what is sometimes overlooked is the Canadian experiences at Juno.

This was the name given to the 10km stretch of beach where Canadian troops waded ashore. The Canadian 3^rd division took heavy casualties but managed to secure the beachhead by the end of the day. In addition, a battalion of Canadian paratroopers went into action, securing all their objectives despite being scattered due to adverse weather and poor visibility. Elements of the Royal Canadian Navy assisted with the beach assault while squadrons of the RCAF provided air cover, along with their allies.

Although not all objectives were reached, the assault of the 3^rd Canadian division pushed further inland than any other landing that day. D-Day is often seen as the turning point in the war, but the truth is that the hold on the beaches was a precarious one, there would be many more months of fighting before Germany was defeated.

If you happen to find yourself in France one day, you can visit the Juno Beach Centre in the village of Courseulles-sur-Mer, (the village was named Courseulles during the war, changing its name in 1957). I have not had the fortune to visit, but I have seen the exhibit commemorating this event at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, a place well worth visiting for the military enthusiast.

One of the nice things about having streaming services is finding those rare gems. Disney+ is no stranger to this, having many blockbuster movies available, but they've also provided several interesting documentaries, including a series called The Imagineering Story. This show, which consists of six one hour episodes, debuted back in November 2019 to little fanfare, but I would urge you to give it a shot. It details the history of the Imagineers, Disney's name for the people behind their theme parks and attractions.

Told in chronological order, it gives a fascinating view into the origin of Disneyland, along with the slew of locations that followed. It includes clips of Walt Disney himself, as well as interviews with influential people that participated in this fascinating story along the way.

The evolution is quite fascinating, showing how these intrepid inventors rewrote the book on what a theme park was supposed to be. As the story unfolds, you'll see how they adapted new technologies, taking them to extremes that were never thought possible. The last episode ends shortly after the opening of Galaxy's Edge, the new Star Wars attraction, but it is the early years that I found to be of most interest.

The Imagineering Story is exclusive to Disney+, so, unfortunately, you won't be able to view it if you don't have the service. I should also mention that the series takes up a considerable amount of time to watch, so don't expect to just drop by a friend's house and have them stream it for you unless you plan to sleepover!

This week, my Facebook Live Video will be on TUESDAY, June 9, instead of Monday, but still at my usual time of 5:30 pm EST.

I have a big announcement to share, along with my reading the first chapter of Mercerian Tales: The Making of a Man, which mirrors Sword, but with some very distinct differences!

THIS WEEK FACEBOOK LIVE IS ON TUESDAY, NOT MONDAY!!!

I just surpassed the one-quarter mark of Flames, the third story in The Frozen Flame series. It is progressing well, and I find returning to this cast of characters very satisfying. It has not all been writing, however, as research has led me down a couple of rabbit holes, something to which I think all authors can relate.

I posted a blog about a creature called the Entelodont, a prehistoric animal reminiscent of a giant boar. Someone wanted to know where it fits in the story, but I can’t reveal that just yet, you’ll just have to wait until Flames is complete.

Part of the fun in writing the third installment of a series is the fact that the characters have already been introduced to the reader, allowing me to delve further into the story. While this book will be complete in and of itself, it also sets up the next story, Inferno, though that won’t be written for some months yet. (Don’t worry, I already have a detailed outline for it.)

This week also saw me write a brand new opening chapter for Temple Knight, and the feedback from the Beta team has been exceedingly positive. It’s not something I have do for every book, thankfully, but in this case, it made all the difference.

Below is a little tidbit from Flames that Carol especially liked as she was editing it.

Until next time, Happy reading!

Excerpt from Flames: The Frozen Flame - Book Three

"I deeply feel the weight of her death.”

“As do we all,” said Remondo. “The loss of a fellow knight is always a hard burden to bear.”

“No,” she persisted, “you don’t understand. I ordered the attack in which she died. It was my recklessness that led directly to her demise.”

He nodded in understanding. “It is often the way among great men and women to blame themselves for the loss of those under their charge. It is when you stop caring that you must worry.”

“Will I ever feel this burden lifted from my shoulders?”

“No, nor should you. Each loss reminds us of how important our work in this mortal realm is. If we lose sight of that, we shall be no better than the enemy.”

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