Rainy day. Good for writing. Good for contemplation. And I’m doing more of… guess what?
There’s a fragile glass ornament hanging from my floor lamp. It’s an ostrich feather enclosed in an oval glass bubble. I love this piece. It makes me think. The sunlight from my window makes every furry tendril of the feather come alive. It lives and breathes. The feather wants to fly.
My biggest challenge as a writer is learning how to contain the story. I am chock full of stories. They roll right off the top of my head. No problem there. To harness the stories, thread them on a central vein (the theme) and keep my writing airy and alive takes work. The enclosed glass form holds everything in. That is the form of the novel.
Hopefully with a little luck I can pull this off. What a miraculous feeling it is to get the feather inside the bubble. How do you contain a story? There are tricks and techniques, but most of all, it takes hard work. That reminds me– time to get back to my writing.
Exciting news, folks! BIHU BOLD my brand of Assam Tea is available on AMAZON! This is the extra-strong Assam I drink and the same tea I want to bring to my readers. BIHU BOLD comes in teabags for your convenience. This is an exceptional tea, made in small batches and packed at source, just bursting with flavor and freshness. The liquor steeps to a rich coppery red and pairs divinely with milk. So smooth and delicious! I just love BIHU BOLD and I know you will too. I can’t wait for you to try it. Please click here to order BIHU BIOLD on Amazon. And don’t forget to drop me a line to tell me what you think.
Sending you all warm wishes for a happy new year!
Big love,
Shona
Many of you wrote asking me about the cool BIHU BOLD mug featured on this video. It is the perfect 12 oz size and brews one Bihu tea bag to perfection. Besides the white china also allows you to admire the rich coppery red infusion as it seeps into your cup.. Highly recommended. To purchase BIHU tea mugs go to REDBUBBLE: click here.
A question I get asked a lot is: “Was the second book easier to write?” The answer is complicated.
Teatime for the Fireflymy first novelslipped out easily into the world. I wrote it in my own sweet time: I never imagined I would get a 3-book deal. That was two years ago. Teatime has gone on to become a favorite of book clubs, garnering rave reviews and I have my readers to thank for that.
With the second novel, not only did I have a publishing deadline but I was plagued with a barrage of self-doubt and fears. The only way I could get past all that and write this book was to pretend nobody would ever read it. It worked!
Braiding the plot and characters together had its usual challenges but the revision process was easier the second time around. I now knew what to expect. I learned a lot when I worked with my first publishing editor on Teatime for the Firefly. I shared my experiences in an article I wrote for the Writers Digest:“Working with a Publishing Editor.”
So here we are: another milestone. Thank you all for your love and support. I could not have done it without you. I can’t wait for you to read FLAME TREE ROAD. Cheers!
The incredible rainbow I saw in the parking lot, the day I turned in my final revisions for Flame Tree Road
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I am shocked to realize it’s been a whole year since I posted anything. 2014 was a crazy year! I turned in my final manuscript for Flame Tree Road (my second book) in mid-December – just before my editor went on maternity leave. That same evening I saw the most glorious full-arc rainbow in a parking lot. Being an incorrigible optimist, I take that to be a good sign.
Now to clear up some confusion: there has been a name change for book #2 from Song of the Flame Tree to Flame Tree Road. There’s also a new cover in the works which I will share soon. The pub date for Flame Tree Road (as of now) is 30th June, 2015. These are very exciting times but more updates in separate post. Right now, I am trying to ease myself back into blogging as it feels like I’ve just returned from a long expedition to the North Pole.
Beautiful tea party setting for my author event put together by the West Side Stories and CELC Book Clubs of Goodyear.
Added to my writing deadlines were a string of author events last year. Teatime for the Firefly has drummed up some serious interest in Assam tea. Readers want to drink the same tea I drink, even though I insist it’s no fancy tea– just good, strong Assam CTC. Several events I attended this year served Assam Tea. Some groups went to extraordinary lengths to plan elaborate tea parties complete with exquisite table settings, fine bone china and dainty treats. Seeing all the excitement and appreciation over Assam Tea, I am convinced the days of the frufru herby teas are numbered. America now wants earthy and good, strong Assam tea is right up there with the mud-clumped beetroot, goat cheese, pork belly and crusty bread.
If you want to try Assam Tea, check out this excellent Assam Sampler from Upton Tea. There are some nice varieties here. The CTC is the kind I drink because it brews stronger and takes milk well.
There’s breaking news on the caffeine front as well. New medical research shows Caffeine is good for you and a regular caffeine intake can prevent the onset of dementia and Alzheimers. If you consider the copious amounts of high-octane Assam Tea I drink, I should be sharp as a stiletto, yet I can never remember where I last set down my tea-cup! There are half-drunk cups of tea all over the house, and possibly a dead one trapped in the microwave.
But nothing brings more cheer to a winter’s afternoon than the old cuppa, don’t you think? I will need plenty of cheer, I tell you, as I roll up my sleeves to tackle Book#3 this year. The electric kettle has just come to a rolling boil, as I write, and here comes the welcome “ting” as it shuts off. So join me dear friends to welcome this beautiful new year and thank you for your continued love and support. You keep me bushy-tailed and wanting to tell stories. Cheers!
There’s a fragile glass ornament hanging from my floor lamp. It’s an ostrich feather enclosed in an oval glass bubble. I love this piece. It makes me think. The sunlight from my window makes every furry tendril of the feather come alive. It lives and breathes. The feather wants to fly.
Tea Buddy 