Available for Pre-order NOW! HEAVY WEATHER for Kindle

With the release date approaching–March 15–the Kindle version of Heavy Weather has been approved for pre-order. The print should follow soon.

CLICK HERE TO BUY

It takes a town to save a child. That town is Beaufort, North Carolina.

Annie Mac’s estranged husband vows that nothing will stop him from getting his baby girl. Not Annie Mac and certainly not that boy of hers.

Only four blocks away, Hannah Morgan lives in comfort with her husband and dog, making pottery and waiting for her best friend to come home. When she discovers the two children cowering in the bushes and their mama left for dead, it doesn’t take her long to set her coterie of do-gooders to some extra-strength do-gooding. Add in Clay, a lonely police lieutenant yanked out of his comfort zone and into the heart of this small family, and who knows what will happen?

From the author of Becalmed comes this latest tale of the Carolina coast, introducing some new characters to love–and to loathe.

If you haven’t read  Becalmed, the publisher has listed  it  for 99 cents for Kindle.

Heavy Weather 2

Book News: One Finalist and One on Sale!

First of all, the news about four days of 99 cents for Kindle. WhiteFire Publishing has finally put Sailing out of Darkness in the almost-free category, so if any of you dear folk have been waiting to save a couple of dollars to read (oh, and pretty please, to review?) my second book, this is your chance We all like bargains, don’t we?

Here’s the link: Sailing out of Darkness on Amazon

And just to remind you how fun the book is, here’s the trailer again:

 

My next bit of good news? Becalmed is a finalist in the Heart of Excellence Contest for Strong Romantic Elements. I want to thank the lovely folk at Ancient City Romance Authors, the St. Augustine, FL, RWA chapter, for their support!

Here’s the Becalmed trailer, because I love it, too.

 

The Ripple Effect: A Word Gift to This Writer

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A stone plopped into water formed ripples, creating concentric circles that moved out from the center and subsided gradually if nothing impeded their progress. Whether or not they ever came to a full stop, Teo wasn’t scientist enough to know. It looked to him as if the molecules touched by movement became propelled in an infinitely wider arc, slower perhaps as they achieved distance, but still there, still moving, still affecting other molecules and pushing them to confront whatever lay in their path. (from page 335, Sailing out of Darkness)

A writer sends her work out like that stone plopping on water, hoping the ripples will touch readers. Rarely have I read a review of my work that showed just how deeply someone had been moved. I hope you’ll indulge me as I share them with you. I am humbled.

From a Goodreads reader came this five-star review:

“Our favorite literary characters are written indelibly into our hearts as we experience them living out the very pains and hopes which have been written deeply onto our souls. Normandie has a gift of writing wounded characters to life, characters who publicly reflect the wounds we keep private. As I read of Sam and Teo’s relational struggles I began to recognize the same struggles in my life. With the turning of each page I saw more and more how my present relationships are dictated and even defeated by my past rejection. Actually, as I connected with Sam I realized that I most likely became a “water person” due to past relational rejection. My boat is my safe refuge from destructive people and pain, but Sam story encouraged me to put my past fears and failures behind me and to step out in faith! This book has restored a hope to my heart, a hope for new and exciting relationships with unexpected people in unplanned places! Normandie, thank you for writing Sailing Out of Darkness!”
I am so very grateful.
And now Happy Resurrection Day to each of you.
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He is risen!

New York City: Babies, Boats, and Books

I know you’ll forgive me for the blog silence when I explain that I’ve been just a little busy. Some of you will have seen the Facebook pictures of my time in the city, but here are a few to remind me and you of the important things in life.

 

Little Ella talks to her daddy
Little Ella talks to her daddy
And chats with her giraffe

 

The baby whisperer
The baby whisperer

 

My son-in-law calls me the Baby Whisperer because I could soothe our sweet little darling and give her parents a break. This was taken on my last day with her–and she did as much to soothe my spirit as I did for hers.

I did have the privilege of meeting my publicist face-to-face.  River Laker of Silver Seas PR came to town to help me at a book event in one of the top NYC book stores. Here I am, reading an excerpt from Becalmed.

Reading from Becalmed
Reading at Bluestockings

 

We loved our time at Liberty Landing Marina.

Just after dawn
Just after dawn
Lights come on in Manhattan as seen from SV's deck
Lights come on in Manhattan as seen from SV’s deck
View as we dined at Liberty House Restaurant
View as we dined at Liberty House Restaurant

 

Sea Venture is slowly wending her way south. First real stop, Chesapeake City, MD, and then it’s on to Baltimore and more book signing parties!

If you’re anywhere along our route south (Chesapeake Bay and ICW) please give us a shout out.  I’d love to meet you hither, thither, or yon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prelude to Virtual Launch 5

Prelude to VIRTUAL LAUNCH: Day 5

Here we are at Day 5 of the prelude for the Becalmed’s Facebook launch Party on July 1. We’ve met James, Elvie Mae, and Rita Whitlock, along with Isa Wellington. Today we meet the Morgans.

 Share This Blog Post to Win

FIRST WINNER CHOSEN TOMORROW!

For every unique share of this blog post on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or other media outlets, I’ll enter your name into the weekly drawing for a combination paperback and e-book of Becalmed.

A boat liked Luna, only still gaff rigged
A boat liked Luna, still gaff rigged

BECALMED‘S CHARACTERS

Fifth up: Matt and Hannah Morgan

Matthew Morgan works too hard at the family lumber company because he wants things done his way. That, coupled with careless eating habits and exercise limited to climbing in and out of a golf cart, makes him a prime candidate for another heart attack. Sure, his younger brother has come home to help, but it doesn’t seem to be slowing Matt down enough to keep Hannah’s worry at bay.

Hannah Morgan adores her big, normally jovial husband. They’ve been together since high school, and, yes, they’ve had their share of heartache, but they’ve survived. If only that man would take better care of himself, Hannah’d have more time for her pedicures and manicures, and all the other important things in life.

Manicures especially. After all, she messes around with clay, creating wonderful pottery to grace the shelves in Down East Creations, and clay wreaks havoc on the hands. Her best friend since kindergarten, Tadie Longworth, co-owns the shop, which serves as a showplace for their art.

Hannah’s stuck on rewind with Matt’s medical issues. Which doesn’t leave her as much time as she’d like to focus on the other messes in town.

Hannah loves camelias
Hannah loves camelias

 

Share this on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or wherever.

For each unique link to this post, I’ll enter you in a drawing to win a paperback copy of Becalmed along with an e-version! I have ten characters to introduce. After each five, I’ll pull a winner’s name from the hat.

Read more about BECALMED on the PRESS KIT

 

BUY Becalmed on Amazon

Save the Date: July 1

LINK TO LAUNCH PARTY

Watch for the virtual launch on Facebook, July 1

Giving away books at Becalmed’s Facebook Launch Party from authors Lorrie Thomson, Roseanna White, C Hope Clark, Kathryn Craft, Barbara Claypole White, and Robin Patchen.

 

(PS. In case the Internet thingies that are supposed to tell me of shares decides to fail us, will you also leave a comment and tell me where you shared this so you don’t get left out of the drawing?)

 

Prelude to Virtual Launch 4

Prelude to VIRTUAL LAUNCH: Day 4

Here we are at Day 4 of the prelude for the Becalmed’s Facebook launch Party on July 1. We’ve met James, Elvie Mae, and Rita Whitlock. Today we meet the ethereal Isa.

 Share This Blog Post to Win

For every unique share of this blog post on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or other media outlets, I’ll enter your name into the weekly drawing for a combination paperback and e-book of Becalmed.

Open Book

BECALMED‘S CHARACTERS

Fourth up: Isa Wellington

After a disastrous marriage in Wilmington, DE, Isa (Isadora) Wellington moved to Beaufort, where she now works for Tadie and Hannah at Down East Creations, a boutique for the arty and unusual. Here, she flits around, her long silver hair flowing behind her, dangly earrings swaying from her lobes, fluttering like a brightly colored butterfly. Who’d guess that she was once a math teacher?

Isa hates to part with the goodies at Down East Creations. But she’s good at it, as she is at making friends with everyone who comes in the shop, including—and especially—a little cruiser named Jilly.

Isa has secrets of her own and things from her past that inform her choices. But then, don’t we all?

Share this on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or wherever.

For each unique link to this post, I’ll enter you in a drawing to win a paperback copy of Becalmed along with an e-version! I have ten characters to introduce. After each five, I’ll pull a winner’s name from the hat.

Read more about BECALMED on the PRESS KIT

Hosting bookstore for book signing off our boat at the Beaufort Docks, July 3, 2-5
Hosting bookstore for book signing off our boat at the Beaufort Docks, July 3, 2-5

 

BUY Becalmed on Amazon

Save the Date: July 1

LINK TO LAUNCH PARTY

Watch for the virtual launch on Facebook, July 1

Giving away books at Becalmed’s Facebook Launch Party from authors Roseanna White, C Hope Clark, Kathryn Craft, Barbara Claypole White, Lorrie Thomson, and Robin Patchen.

 

(PS. In case the Internet thingies that are supposed to tell me of shares decides to fail us, will you also leave a comment and tell me where you shared this so you don’t get left out of the drawing?)

 

Prelude to Virtual Launch 3

Prelude to VIRTUAL LAUNCH: Day 3

Here we are at Day 3 of the prelude for the Becalmed’s Facebook launch Party on July 1. We’ve met James and Elvie Mae. Today we meet their daughter Rita.

 Share This Blog Post to Win

For every unique share of this blog post on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or other media outlets, I’ll enter your name into the weekly drawing for a combination paperback and e-book of Becalmed.

Becalmed

BECALMED‘S CHARACTERS

Third up: Rita Whitlock

Rita Whitlock’s a lawyer. Okay, she still has to take the bar exam, but working for the public defender’s office in Raleigh feels like an exercise in futility. Why can’t she help fix things before the wife gets killed or the kids dropped out the window? So she’s reconsidering her future, especially with everything going on at home and, ooh, the loveliest boyfriend who’s begging to be more than that—and whose mere existence is likely to cause a ruckus when he meets Elvie Mae and James. He is not what they had in mind.

Lots of folk, including her friend/sister in the big house, Tadie Longworth, envy Rita’s fashion sense. Rita knows how to dress, all those silky yellows and oranges to highlight her butterscotch skin. She’s a woman of obvious “class,” even if her pedigree misses the mark for the Daughters of the American Revolution. She figures she owes that to some pretty special folk named Longworth—her other family—and to her no-nonsense mama and the sweetest daddy in the world. She’s been one of the blessed ones, hasn’t she? But can her favored place hold out against a hefty prejudice?

Living in Raleigh means she’s missing a lot of the fun things that go on in Beaufort, like sailing with Tadie and being spoiled, just a little bit, by Mama and Daddy. Oh, and she’s just way too far away from that trouble back home.

Share this on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, or wherever.

For each unique link to this post, I’ll enter you in a drawing to win a paperback copy of Becalmed along with an e-version! I have ten characters to introduce. After each five, I’ll pull a winner’s name from the hat.

Read more about BECALMED on the PRESS KIT

Tribe building
Tribe building

BUY Becalmed on Amazon

Save the Date: July 1

LINK TO LAUNCH PARTY

Watch for the virtual launch on Facebook, July 1

Giving away books at Becalmed’s Facebook Launch Party from authors C Hope Clark, Kathryn Craft, Barbara Claypole White, Roseanna White, Lorrie Thomson, and Robin Patchen.

 

(PS. In case the Internet thingies that are supposed to tell me of shares decides to fail us, will you also leave a comment and tell me where you shared this so you don’t get left out of the drawing?)

 

Onward and Upward: New Roles and New Hats

I’ve had a lovely time as Executive Editor of Wayside Press, the general market imprint of Written World Communications, but it’s time to hang up that hat as I move forward into new roles. Two of my books release this summer, I’ve more on the hard drive in need to tweaking, and I’m a soon-to-be grandmother.

There’s only so much time in a day and only so much energy given to each of us. I’ve loved working with Wayside’s authors, and I know I’ll miss interacting with all the new ones who will be showing up at the imprint’s door. But none of us is expendable, and if we try to do too much, none of it will be done well.

So, to those authors I’ve met at conferences who had hoped to submit to me, I’m sorry. But I’m sure someone else will take up the slack. And I’d still like to hear from you, to encourage you in your work and to gather encouragement from you!

Editor Hat
Editor Hat

The Editor becomes:

Admiral of Sea Venture as we take to the water again with Michael and Mama and our trip north! Not a flattering photo, but very real as I maneuvered us into Bahia de la Paz, Mexico.

At Sea Venture's Helm
At Sea Venture’s Helm

And this, sailing my little boat on jaunts out to Cape Lookout:

Sailing Puff
Sailing Puff

And this! The author gets to have some fun.

The Author
The Author

As soon as I have pictures that include the grandmother role, I’ll let you know!

 

My Turn at The Next Big Thing

I’m writing this blog post at the behest of Val Nieman, who tagged me to join in a blog hop called The Next Big Thing. Val is a delightful friend, a transplant to North Carolina from the cold North, and a very talented writer. Her latest, newest, Next Big Thing is a literary-coming-of-age novel that has just the sort of elements that make me want to read it: sailing, marina life, and mystery.http://valerienieman.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-next-big-thing.html

 

It turns out that my critique partner also tagged me back in November, but either my brain went into under-drive, or I blocked it out because I’m so busy with too many projects. Probably hid that note in the recesses of never-to-be-found. I’m glad Jane Lebak has a great sense of humor. She writes delightful books starring angels with issues, and each one points me to a deeper place where I confront again the nature of God. Here’s the link to her Next Big Thing post: http://philangelus.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/writing-the-next-big-thing/

 

MY TWO NEXT BIG THINGS (In question format as dictated by this blog hop.)

1.  What is the working title of your book or project?

Becalmed will be my debut novel, published this spring by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Sailing out of Darkness follows soon after, and then one of the other two in edits…I think.

 Becalmed Cover

 

2.  Where did the idea come from for the book or project?

The what-if for Becalmed arose from my aunt’s life. She was a small-town girl from New Bern, NC, who remained a spinster until she died at age ninety, a fairly common occurrence in her day, but it got me wondering. What if she—or someone like her—had grown up in a small town as a product of the eighties and nineties instead of the thirties? What choices might she have made that would propel her back to that small town? Why would she have said no to man after man who came begging? Would she, a woman with plenty of money and talent and friends, yearn for a man in her bed and children in her arms? Or would she be content with sailing and art, with friends and a shop and the big house on the water?

Sister Sara on board Sea Venture in 2004
Sister Sara on board Sea Venture at age 89

3.  What genre does it fall under, if any?

It’s women’s fiction with a love story thrown in for good measure.

4.  If applicable, who would you choose to play your characters in a movie?

If Meryl Streep were a few decades younger, she’d always be my first choice for Tadie’s character. She’s incredibly gifted. The other characters are hard for me to match, mostly because I’m not exactly au curant with modern movies.

5.  What is the one-sentence synopsis of your manuscript or project?

When a southern woman with a broken heart falls for a widower with a broken boat, it’s anything but smooth sailing.

6.  Will your book or story be self-published or represented by an agency?

My work is represented by Terry Burns of Hartline Literary Agency.

7.  How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I haven’t a clue. It’s been many years in the making, through draft after draft, and in between I’ve written and revised several others.

8.  What other book or stories would you compare this story to within the genre?

I’m never good at that. Let me know what you think when you read it!

 

9.  Who or what inspired you to write this book or story?

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Sara Meadows as a child

My aunt, the sailor, who lived with me for the last nine years of her life.

10.  What else about the book or story might pique the reader’s interest?

Beaufort, NC, is a delightful waterfront town and serves as the setting for a series of women’s fiction stories, beginning with Becalmed. The second will be Heavy Weather.

 

Beaufort, NC
Beaufort, NC

I love to write from the POV of children. Becalmed’s seven-year-old Jilly sails into town with her daddy and is my favorite character in the book.

I also adore writing bad guys. The one who confronts Tadie in Becalmed no longer has his own POV—I dropped it during a rewrite—but there must be something slightly warped in me that I find their thoughts fun to write. Heavy Weather’s villain does have his own POV because he’s so deliciously awful.

  Gulls in San Carlos Dec 2009

(Poor gulls, but doesn’t that one’s face intimidate you? He definitely wants what I have.)

The fact that many of my female protagonists are sailors may interest readers. I’ve been a sailor all my life, taught first by my auntie, whose small boat I still sail in NC coastal waters. Of course, some stories don’t justify giving the protagonists a boat, and one WIP stars a woman who is petrified of the whole sailing adventure.

puff-sm
My aunt’s sharpie, Puff

 

And now, I nominate the following friends and bloggers to tell us about Their Next Big Thing:

 

Linda Glaz, author, agent, hilarious and kind friend whose eagle eye caught a number of glitches in my manuscripts, will be giving away books on Friday, January 11, as well as talking about good things that make up the Next Big Thing.   http://lindaglaz.blogspot.com/

 

My dear friend and writer of thoughtful books, Nicole Petrino-Salter, beat me to this project. Here’s a link to her Next Big Thing blog post: http://hopeofglory.typepad.com/into_the_fire/2012/12/member-memes.html

 

Kristine Pratt is a born encourager and a wonderful, thoughtful writer. As CEO of Written World Communications, she’s also my boss. (If only we could get some of her manuscripts out of her hands and into book form…sigh.)  She has agreed to surprise us with her Next Big Thing on Thursday, January 10:  http://kristinepratt.wordpress.com

 

Susie Finkbeiner will be releasing her debut novel, Paint Chips in ebook format on January 15 and plans to talk about it on the 17th as The Next Big Thing at :  http://www.susiefinkbeiner.com/

Susie’s trailer is enticing enough that I’m going to be first in line to download the book to Kindle. And WhiteFire’s talented designer, Roseanna White, did a scrumptious cover for Paint Chips. Go take a look!

Any Truly Satisfied Writers Out There?

Put on your author hat and help me out here, would you?

Your agent has submitted your story. Rejection letters accumulate even as contest judges continue to give that baby accolades and at least one win. (You want to hug those judges–or at least send them some Godiva truffles.) You rewrite for the zillionth time. One more tweak, or two or ten. Surely, another rewrite will do the trick.

And then–glory, hallelujah–the phone rings. It’s your agent. Your knees begin to buckle. Three editors have shown interest, but here’s one offering a contract. You sign on the dotted line and wander the house, beaming, because finally, finally . . . FINALLY . . . you know you’ll have a book in hand. Your book. In your hand. (And, you pray, in many others’ hands, though that bit seems even harder to imagine than finally achieving a contract.)

 

The editor at the publishing house has yet to send you his or her suggestions. Meanwhile, you’ve still got a day job editing for others and three manuscripts in various stages of readiness. You plod along, tweaking, editing, rewriting, editing, reading, reading, and then you wake up one morning, quaking because once that final edit goes out on that contracted book, you won’t be able to tweak it again. Your name will be irrevocably tied to that bound copy or that downloaded ebook.

I’m posing this question to published authors.

How do you finally decide that good enough is actually good enough? How do you finally say, “Okay, I will lay down that piece and move on to the next?” Is it when your contract deadline nears? When you’ve got to have the work back in the publisher’s hands–or someone’s going to be in trouble?

Because, I don’t know about you, but I’m always rewriting. I love to rewrite. And each of my stories has improved with age. So, where do I quit?

If you’ve held your book in your hands, are you satisfied? Do you wish you could have a do-over on any part of it? Or do you worry that one of your story layers will topple? Do you ever worry that one of those stones–a relationship or a conflict or a theme, or even merely a moment or scene–might have worked better if nestled with just a bit more care?

I’d really like to know.