Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

All this packing and sorting has me feeling sort of nostalgic, so I thought I'd take a deep dive into the photos for some of our earlier backpacking adventures with our boys. These are from the summer of 2005, when they were 6 & 7 years old. We did several shorter trips in Colorado that summer, before we headed to Wyoming for our longer (I think 6 days, 5 nights) trip. The boys were small, so Mom and Dad were definitely packhorses--and we didn't know as much about lightweight gear then, either. Glad to put those days behind us, but it was fun to hike with our boys. Did a quick overnight into the back side of the Maroon Bells Wilderness. Not the popular part, but rugged and scenic. Kid-sized packs--you have to match the pack to the size of the kid, even if it can't hold much. Note the all-important stuffies poking their heads out to watch where we were going. I think it was pretty early, given the amount of snow around! A room with a view.  Take kids outdoors and they wi

  Title: Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding (Royal Spyness Mystery #12) Author: Rhys Bowen Publisher: Berkely Books Expected publication date August 7, 2018. 304 pages in hardback. Source: Netgalley.com Publisher's Summary: Georgie is finally able to plan for her wedding in the summer. It is going to be a summer of weddings: her mother is marrying Max, her German beau; Georgie's grandfather is marrying his next door neighbor, Mrs. Huggins; and Darcy's father is getting up the courage to ask the princess to marry him. Georgie is staying at the princess's London house when she receives a letter from one of her mother's former husbands, Sir Hubert Anstruther. Georgie is now his sole heir, and he's offering her the use of his lovely country house. He suggests she move in right away to keep an eye on the place because all might not be well since his butler died. Georgie talks this through with her husband-to-be, Darcy, who is off to Europe again, this time

Title: Murder at the Marina (Mollie McGhie Cozy Sailing Mystery #1) Author: Ellen Jacobson Publication Info: June, 2018, 192 pages (ebook) (Paperback 246 pages) Source: Electronic ARC from the author Purchase Links: Amazon (US) Amazon (CA)   Amazon (UK) Kobo   Barnes & Noble  Apple iBooks   Google Play   Blurb:  A dilapidated sailboat for your anniversary—not very romantic. A dead body on board—even worse. Mollie McGhie is hoping for diamonds for her tenth wedding anniversary. Instead, her husband presents her with a dilapidated sailboat. Just one problem—she doesn’t know anything about boats, nor does she want to. When Mollie discovers someone murdered on board, she hopes it will convince her husband that owning a boat is a bad idea. Unfortunately, he’s more determined than ever to fix the boat up and set out to sea. Mollie finds herself drawn into the tight-knit community living at Palm Tree Marina in Coconut Cove, a small town on the Florida coast. She uncovers a crime ring

Fiction in 50 is a regular feature in the last week of every month and I invite any interested composers of mini-narrative to join in!      What is #Fi50? In the words of founder Bruce Gargoyle, "Fiction in 50: think of it as the anti-NaNoWriMo experience!" Pack a beginning, middle and end of story into 50 words or less (bonus points for hitting exactly 50 words). The rules for participation are simple : 1. Create a piece of fictional writing in 50 words or less, ideally using the prompt as title or theme or inspiration. That’s it!  But for those who wish to challenge themselves further, here’s an additional rule: 2. Post your piece of flash fiction on your blog or (for those poor blog-less souls) add it as a comment on the Ninja Librarian’s post for everyone to enjoy.  And for those thrill-seekers who really like to go the extra mile (ie: perfectionists): 3. Add the nifty little picture above to your post (credit for which goes entirely to ideflex over at acrossthebor

This week’s Friday Flash is truly flash fiction—something I’ve whipped off late Thursday because I’ve been too busy to do anything and now my guys are using my computer to watch Game of Thrones, so I can’t even do a photo page. But I did have dust bunnies on my mind, due to spending the last 3 days packing books. So here you have it... a 20-minute story. In the Kingdom of Dust Bunnies Everyone has heard about the dust bunnies that hold sway under the beds. They are large and fierce, it is true. But the dust bunnies most to be feared are the ones who have build their civilization behind the books on the shelves. ### King Algernon had enjoyed a long and uneventful rule. No one had disturbed the Kingdom of Books for so long that the inhabitants had long since moved beyond the crude dust bunny stage and become sophisticated purveyors of a highly literate civilization. Rather than lurking under a bed, waiting to dodge a dust mop, Algernon lingered over his morning tea and surveyed the town.

Title: Braving It: A Father, a Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild Author: James Campbell. Read by Roger Wayne Publisher: Tantor Audio, 2017. Original by Crown Publishing, 384 pages Source: Library digital resources Publisher's Blurb: The powerful and affirming story of a father's journey with his teenage daughter to the far reaches of Alaska Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, home to only a handful of people, is a harsh and lonely place. So when James Campbell's cousin Heimo Korth asked him to spend a summer building a cabin in the rugged Interior, Campbell hesitated about inviting his fifteen-year-old daughter, Aidan, to join him: Would she be able to withstand clouds of mosquitoes, the threat of grizzlies, bathing in an ice-cold river, and hours of grueling labor peeling and hauling logs? But once there, Aidan embraced the wild. She even agreed to return a few months later to help the Korths work their traplines and hunt for c

Title: Granted Author: John David Anderson Publisher: Walden Pond Press, 2018. 325 pages (hardback). Source: Library Publisher's Blurb: Everyone who wishes upon a star, or a candle, or a penny thrown into a fountain knows that you’re not allowed to tell anyone what you’ve wished for. But even so, there is someone out there who hears it. In a magical land called the Haven lives a young fairy named Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets. Ophelia is no ordinary fairy—she is a Granter: one of the select fairies whose job it is to venture out into the world and grant the wishes of unsuspecting humans every day. It’s the work of the Granters that generates the magic that allows the fairies to do what they do, and to keep the Haven hidden and safe. But with worldwide magic levels at an all-time low, this is not as easy as it sounds. On a typical day, only a small fraction of the millions of potential wishes gets granted. Today, however, is anything but typical. Because today, Ophelia is go

Fiction in 50 is a regular feature in the last week of every month and I invite any interested composers of mini-narrative to join in!      What is #Fi50? In the words of founder Bruce Gargoyle, "Fiction in 50: think of it as the anti-NaNoWriMo experience!" Pack a beginning, middle and end of story into 50 words or less (bonus points for hitting exactly 50 words). The rules for participation are simple : 1. Create a piece of fictional writing in 50 words or less, ideally using the prompt as title or theme or inspiration. Bonus points for hitting 50 exactly. That’s it! But for those who wish to challenge themselves further, here’s an additional rule: 2. Post your piece of flash fiction on your blog or (for those poor blog-less souls) add it as a comment on the Ninja Librarian’s post for everyone to enjoy.  And for those thrill-seekers who really like to go the extra mile (ie: perfectionists): 3. Add the nifty little picture above to your post (credit for which goes en

The Wendig Challenge this week was to write a story that had something to do with food. I'm still neck deep in prepping our house for sale (looking at every. single. book. to decided if it goes or stays...), so there was no time or mental energy to write a story. But I remembered this one, which fits the requirement, though it feels a little odd to post humor in response to a memorial sort of thing--Wendig's call for stories was inspired by the death of Anthony Bourdain. Still: food. And I don't think many of you saw if the first time around, in 2013! This one is meant for the kiddies. Well, and the grownups. The Tomb of the Strange Feast Mom never was a good cook, but that night she really outdid herself.  Her smile when she brought in dinner didn't convince even Lily, and she's only five. "Brussels sprout-tofu casserole, with non-fat cheese," Mom announced, all bright and enthusiastic, the way grown-ups sound when they are trying to convince kids of the

NEW RELEASE & GIVEAWAY! Catch the sparks you need to write, edit, publish, and market your book! Write with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication offers an abundance of data in one handy book. From writing your novel to prepping for publication and beyond, you’ll find sparks on every page, including 100 bonus marketing tips. You’ll also discover how to write specific scenes and characters, adding depth to your work. •        Spark One: Being a Writer •        Spark Two: Story Essentials •        Spark Three: A Book’s Stepping Stones •        Spark Four: How To •        Spark Five: Character ER •        Spark Six: Editing •        Spark Seven: Publishing •        Spark Eight: Marketing •        Spark Nine: Writing About •        Spark Ten: Final Inspiration With so much information, you’ll take notes, highlight, and flag pages to come back to again and again on your writing journey. BUY LINKS: Amazon US / Amazon CA / Amazon UK Barnes & Noble / KOBO / iTunes   A

This book is a great addition to my "Hero Month," because there are a whole lot of heroes in here, mostly people just managing to go on in spite of terrible things. Ordinary heroes, you might say. Title: The War I Finally Won Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Read by Jayne Entwistle Publisher: Dial Books, 2017. 389 pages. Audio book by Listening Library Source: Library digital services Publisher's Summary: When Ada’s clubfoot is surgically fixed at last, she knows for certain that she’s not what her mother said she was—damaged, deranged, crippled mentally as well as physically. She’s not a daughter anymore, either. What is she? World War II continues, and Ada and her brother, Jamie, are living with their loving legal guardian, Susan, in a borrowed cottage on the estate of the formidable Lady Thorton—along with Lady Thorton herself and her daughter, Maggie. Life in the crowded cottage is tense enough, and then, quite suddenly, Ruth, a Jewish girl from Germany, mov

Told you it's Hero Month! That's why today's flash is an excerpt from Halitor the Hero. Isn't that a lovely cover?  Title: Halitor the Hero Author: Rebecca M. Douglass Publication Info: 2014, 159 pages (paperback). Available in paper and all ebook formats Genre: Humorous fantasy Age Level: Middle grades (roughly age 8 or 9) and up   A Fair Maiden who breaks all the rules.   A would-be Hero who fails everything by the book.   It’ll be the adventure of a lifetime…if they survive past breakfast. Blurb: Halitor wants to be a Hero and ride through the world rescuing Princesses and Fair Maidens in distress. Too bad he tends to trip over his own feet and drop his sword when he gets excited! When his Hero apprentice-master abandons him at an inn in Loria, he resigns himself to life as a kitchen boy. But he’s reckoned without Melly, the young kitchen wench. She wants his help finding her father, and she won’t quit until she has it. Soon Halitor is tramping through the m

Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all about connecting! Be sure to link to the IWSG page and display the badge in your post. And please be sure your avatar links back to your blog! If it links to Google+, be sure your blog is listed there. Otherwise, when you leave a comment, people can't find you to comment back. Let’s rock the neurotic writi

I'm kicking off "Hero Month" with today's post. What is Hero Month? Just me, promoting my backlist title Halitor the Hero. Isn't that a lovely cover?  Title: Halitor the Hero Author: Rebecca M. Douglass Publication Info: 2014, 159 pages (paperback). Available in paper and all ebook formats Genre: Humorous fantasy Age Level: Middle grades (roughly age 8 or 9) and up   A Fair Maiden who breaks all the rules.   A would-be Hero who fails everything by the book.   It’ll be the adventure of a lifetime…if they survive past breakfast. Blurb: Halitor wants to be a Hero and ride through the world rescuing Princesses and Fair Maidens in distress. Too bad he tends to trip over his own feet and drop his sword when he gets excited! When his Hero apprentice-master abandons him at an inn in Loria, he resigns himself to life as a kitchen boy. But he’s reckoned without Melly, the young kitchen wench. She wants his help finding her father, and she won’t quit until she has it. Soo

A couple of weeks ago we drove up to Grass Valley, CA (no jokes, now. At least, no until you realize that CA not only has Grass Valley but also Weed. Some jokes just make themselves) to ride the Gold Country Challenge Century. It's a new ride--this was only the 5th year--so it's not big, but it was worthwhile. It's also a fundraiser for the local Rotary Club, so about 30% of the entry cost goes to local projects (the rest goes to the costs of putting it on). The Gold Country is the Sierra foothills (west side), and my Ninja Librarian books are set in a town that would be something like the little places on the higher end of the area.  A few stats on the course: it is 98 miles, and every bit of it is either up or down, for a total of 9600' of climbing (or more, or less, depending on the mapping software you use). That total had me pretty intimidated, but in fact none of the hills was as steep or as long as many we ride routinely, so I wasn't as slow as I feared. It w