Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Banned books? In 2012?

It's hard to believe, isn't it? Books are still under attack, and face the threat of censorship. Luckily, Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read.

Come to my Banned Books Week blog post at http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2012/09/banned-books-week.html and share your opinion for a chance to win a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble.


Tuesday, September 11, 2012

911: A Day Worth Remembering


I remember that day. I was gathering items
of clothing, placing them in a bag to take to goodwill. My daughter was with me, so little then, her fairy tale eyes saw no evil in the world. It was all about princesses and
dress-up and barbie dolls. Dragon Tales was the episode of the morning.  Then I called
my mother.
        "Are you watching the news?"
        I never watched the news that time of
the day, but I switched channels and there it was: A burning tower. Shocked and unable
to grasp what was happening, I became glued to the set, and to my friend and neighbor up
the street whose husband was at that very
time a pilot for USAir, on his way somewhere.
I never witnessed such silence, stillness in the air.
        "Mommy, when are we leaving? Can we go to the park?"
        You know the rest of the story. My friend's plane landed, and he returned safely home a few days later. And we all went back to work, a little more fearfully.
         I knew in my heart that day that my children's world would never be the same. They continued to play as they always did not noticing the changes around them, or understanding the evilness behind the event.  And something sparked inside of me.
An idea, a thought.
         It's not what people look like that defines a nation, it is how they live.
         It wasn't until a trip to Yellowstone National Park that I put that thought to
words, and "The Yellow Stone" is the result. First published in 2006, "The Yellow Stone" is one of my many previously published short stories included in my
anthology, SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS.
         To honor 911, I am having a FREE Kindle giveaway today and tomorrow.
You may read "The Yellow Stone," as well as eleven other short stories there.
   
         This is a great nation we live in, and will continue to be.
 
         Get your FREE Kindle version of SPECULATIVE JOURNEYS by clicking on
the title.

Visit my blog to read more about my writing here.http://tinacrone.blogspot.com

Friday, September 7, 2012

Illuminating the Past

Sometimes when you visit a certain place, its history confronts you on every street. Though it might be thriving today, the past is layered behind its present, inviting you to explore.

That's what happened when I visited Key West. The bustling little island is a popular tourist spot, but several of the attractions captivated my imagination. All centered around the wreckers - men who salvaged the tall ships after they wrecked on the reefs surrounding the island. During a visit to a wrecker museum, a story flashed through my head. I had to know more.  

So I visited yet another museum, the historic home of a local wrecker captain. So fascinating, I bought a few books but still wanted more, so I spent the next two days in the library. It felt like finding hidden treasure when I found the old letters and documents stored there.

Before I even left the island, I knew I had to write that story that flashed through my head. It took years, but the result was Angels, Sinners and Madmen, first published by Freya's Bower. By the time the rights reverted to me this summer, I'd already spent many more months revising the original story - strengthening the plot line and the heroine.

Of the original version, reviewers called it “enchanting,” adding “I loved it and applaud Cate for creating a time in the past that seems so real in this book.” Another said: “You will fall in love these two characters along with the rest of Sam's wrecker friends. Laughter, tragedy and heroism abound, so make sure you have plenty of time when you start reading Angels, Sinners and Madmen, because you will not want to put this gripping story down until you have read every single word of it.”

Today begins its free run on Amazon, lasting from Sept. 7 through 9. I hope you'll pick up a copy of this novel, and learn more about the wreckers and their fascinating history through the eyes of wrecker Sam Langhorne and aspiring writer Livvie Collins.