Curse of the lawn mower

I picked this gif because I thought it was cute, and then I started feeling a little resentful...How does she make it look so easy?

#Nurturing Weeds

pink evening primrose

milkweed

Daisy Fleabane

Black-Eyed Susan

Oxeye Daisy

Blue Cornflower

Loostrife or Lythrum

Flowers or weeds? I guess it is in the eye of the beholder. I admit that I let these untamable wildflowers grow in my garden despite the fact some gardeners consider them obnoxious, invasive, and undesirable weeds. 

I've been warned to dig them out by the root before they have a chance to, horror upon horror, take 'hold' and edge out more desirable specimens like roses and hydrangeas.

 

Not, of course, that there is anything wrong with roses and hydrangeas. Indeed, if you were to ask my favorite flower, I would say it is whatever is in bloom. 

Now, stick with me here as I go through a rather convoluted theory about how gardening can relate to writing. It came to me yesterday as I was working outside.

Imagine each flower as a person in your story. That each bloom is a character both unique or stereotypical. It's undeniable that plants possess their own strengths and weaknesses much as we do. Some are aggressive and try to take over the bed. Some are delicate and temperamental. Some are bold and some dainty. 

Others, like the hybridized rose, might create a gorgeous and showy splash of color but they've lost that original, deeply haunting, and sweet scent in the process. They put me in mind of the handsome or lovely character that is all surface charm with no inner substance.

Can't you see children or childish characters in the tiny daisy fleabane? Milkweed is maternal. Attracting butterflies like a magnet and essential to the Monarch's diet, milkweed is the comfortable, older woman. Sweetly pink or butter yellow Primrose is the secondary female lead. This character is usually the heroine's best friend. On the other hand, you have to see that purple lythrum is the male best friend. 

Or do plants radiate gender to you as they do me?

That's why I see the Black-eyed Susan or Oxeyed daisies as great heroines. They're plucky, fun, cute, and bright all at the same time. While the masculine blue cornflower is perfect as the hunky, strong, and brave hero.

Now, every grower knows they must nurture each plant to their individual needs of water and fertilizer. So must the author nourish the story. But beware. Suspenseful drum roll. No matter how well tended a garden, black-spot, spider mites, or root rot might invade at any moment. 

The thought makes me shiver just as much as when suspense drives the plot. 

Even among the flora, there are few bad flowers. Queen Anne's lace tops my list as an undesirable. I didn't realize I was allergic to the intricately woven bloom until the summer of snot. That was the year it grew along the fence line and my little sweeties lovingly brought me a stem or two each day. I, in turn, dutifully placed them in vases around the house. And sneezed my head off as my nose ran and ran and ran. 

It's embarrassing to say how long it took me to figure out the cause of my 'summer cold'. It goes to show that Queen Anne's lace is the epitome of a complex character. Pleasant and interesting to look at but hiding a sinister motive.

See? Everything you need for writing inspiration can be found in your garden. There are blooms that are lovely, sweet, spicy, pungent, bold, pastel, or shyly hidden among the foliage. I bet you can find an annual or perennial that uncannily resembles someone you know.

Nature even comes with bad guy-flowers - like Queen Anne's lace and goldenrod. These nasty little buggers sprout each spring looking like every other tiny green speck. It's how they hide out and go unnoticed as they shove their roots deep into the soil.

It's the same when you write. Hidden threats provide conflict and suspense. Fear and worry keeps the main characters moving along. 

To get back to these sinus inflaming plants that burst from the soil, a shoot of innocent green in a green sea. They are the evildoer hiding in plain sight. It isn't until the leaves uncurl or sets a bud that it becomes identifiable. Only then is the gardener able to spot and weed them out. Much as a writer grooms the plot, elaborating on a character's internal and external struggles. The main characters must recognize and accept the problem before it can be defeated.

And so it goes. A story line forms like a garden reveal. Characters struggle to find and keep their place in the world much as shade and sun seeking plants. They must guard against others that try to crowd or overtake them. Defend against rivals that would kill them by hogging the soil's nutrients. 

But, sometimes, even two vastly different plants manage to harmoniously exist side-by-side. These are the lovers coming together in an explosion of colors and complementing hues.

And this is the road my mind traveled as I dug and planted in the dirt. You might say, I spent too much time in the sun. I don't know.

Either way, I'll leave my thoughts on seeds for another time.

R.E.Mullins

author of paranormal romance

AMAZON 

THE WILD ROSE PRESS 

BARNES & NOBLE 

My latest work is a novella bridging the gap between the original Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series and my new Vampires of Amber Heights series. 

 During the Civil War, Union soldier, John Alden took a musket ball to the gut. As he gasped his final breath, he was turned into a vampire and started life anew in Amber Heights, Missouri. For over one hundred and fifty years, he's lived a rather solitary life as a vampire Enforcer.

Young single mother, Joann Clarkson, needs a job and fast. Hoping to be rehired, she returns to Dr. Michaela Blautsauger's lab prepared to eat a hefty helping of humble pie. She comes to regret that decision when she's taken hostage. Things look grim but she'll never stop fighting to escape. Her son needs his mama.
As an Enforcer, John must hunt down the vampire who kidnapped Joann. In his search, John winds up babysitting her toddler Cody. Changing diapers might be worse than getting staked, but nothing compares to how he feels when both mother and child fall into danger again.

 

The Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series. Each novel features a member of this vampire family as they deal with loving interference from family members, wacky members of the human community, danger, and their own personal hangups to find their soulmates.

Kindle Worlds novella, Vampire Girl: Back to Hell was a lot of fun to write. I hope you enjoy it.

Eli Grayheart, vampire demon, lesser Lord of Inferna was banished to the mortal realm. For a decade, he has been reduced to working the night shift for human employers and little pay. As he desperately seeks a way back to his homeland, he has plotted his revenge. The pink Fae, known as Keeda Weranseer is going to regret the part she played in his exile. Ever more graphic plans for revenge fuel his life, and, he swears, if it takes forever and a night he will find his way back to Hell.

Contact me, read a free Christmas short story, or see what I'm working on at:  remullins  

Or find me on: FACEBOOK

 

You Never Know Where Research Will Lead #Hippofarts #TimeWaste #LOL

          WHY I'LL NEVER BE A PROLIFIC WRITER

With great interest I read writing tips from other authors. "Such great advice," I say as I jot down a few notes. "I must start doing this." They fill me with admiration. I marvel at how others have mastered their time. I mentally chastise my own lack of organization and diligence.

If I could be that dedicated...I sit back and envision all my success. I'd easily triple my daily word count and be able to finish books in record time.

Filled with renewed determination, I open Word where I'm ready to start the next scene. It will begin on a dramatic note. 

Here is a brief synopsis of what is in this next chapter:

    Buffeted by a growing storm, Justin, my stalwart vampire-hero, searches for the surly, teenage neophyte his brother dumped on him. Gwyndolyn's taken off in a snit and while the solitary Justin would like to let her go, it isn't that easy. Council Law forbids the turning of one so young, and this leaves him in a quandry. Until he can figure out what to do, he knows the only way to protect Gwyn and his lawbreaking brother is to keep her out of sight. 
    He catches up with her right as she is breaking too many laws to count. Evidently, a woman tumbled off the craggy cliff running along the Amber River. Gwyndolyn, for her own selfish reasons, had decided to save her by making her a vampire too.  
    Unfortunately, her neophyte blood is too weak to complete the transformation. The woman has been left 'stunted' or stuck in a void between the human and vampire worlds. Justin could let her die. It would be the logical thing to do and would prevent many forseeable problems. Even as he has the thought, he knows he will do all he can to save her.
    But time is running out as a funnel cloud descends from the sky...

So this is where I'm at in the story. I start thinking about tornadoes and how I want to describe this one. Ah, research. Such an invaluable tool and my absolute favorite time waster. Youtube, here I come for all your fascinating clips. I watch and listen to various cyclones in progress.  

Then I stumble upon this and have to watch it several times as I'm just that warped.

There are 5 different entries showing variations of Hippo Breaking Wind Sounds Like Tornado. By the time I watched each and every one, I was out of writing time.  

I'll try to be more organized tomorrow. Still laughing, I go to attend to other things.

R.E.Mullins
remullins.com
Author of The Blautsaugers of Amber Heights Series
It's A Wonderful Undead Life
Vampire In The Scrying Glass
A Vampire To Be Reckoned With
Cold Hearted Vampire
Diaper Duty Vampire - novella bridging gap between The Blautsaugers of Amber Heights Series and the new Vampires of Amber Heights Series. 

Unrelated: Back to Hell a novella written for Kindle Worlds.

Buylinks: AMAZON
                THE WILD ROSE PRESS
                BARNES & NOBLE NOOK
                APPLE Itunes

Don't Name a Character After Your Mother and other writing

Don’t Name a Character After Your Mother ~

Full post can be found at Zara West's Blog:
ZaraWest-author spotlight

---

Here are a few of the questions Zara asked - find the entire post at the above link.

Can I tell everyone a little about myself.

Okay, this sounds easy enough although I can’t think of a more boring subject. Well, here goes. I’m a city girl at heart transplanted to the boonies of Missouri where I see more deer than people and there is no pizza delivery.

My town of Amber Heights is fictional but it’s placed in Missouri and loosely based it on a couple of areas I’ve lived.

The description of my character, Morgan Maguire, was inspired by an image on a tarot card. For other characters, I might have taken a poke at a friend or relative by adding one of their traits or some physical aspect. In such cases, the roasted—I mean toasted, because it’s an honor, dammit—has been told.

However, I will caution prospective authors to steer away from naming a character after a relative. I made this mistake by asking my Mom and brother-in-law if I could use their names for secondary characters. Now the bro-in law is demanding I write a book featuring his namesake character as the hero, and he wants lots of sex scenes. Needless to say, this also goes for the lab assistant named after my mom, I am not writing naked scenes featuring anyone I actually know.

Can you tell us about any other upcoming books, series, or writing plans?  

Cold Hearted Vampire finishes the original Blautsaugers in Amber Heights series but I’m not quite ready to give up Amber Heights. With the novella, Diaper Duty Vampire, now available, I’ve bridged the gap into a new series called Vampires of Amber Heights. This will deal with some of those secondary characters (not my bro-in-law) and newcomers to the town’s vamp community.

Additionally, I was asked to write the novella, Vampire Girl: Back To Hell for Kindle Worlds. I enjoyed the experience and plan to write more things outside my vampire series. Eventually, I’ll turn my hand to contemporary romance as I would like my characters to actually live normal lives like occasionally sitting down to a real meal.

Now to tell you about my new book and series

In The Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series, you first meet Cailey and Gabe in It’s A Wonderful Undead Life. Then Gabe’s younger brother, Rafe falls for Morgan Maguire, Cailey’s mysterious friend in Vampire In The Scrying Glass. Next we learn the truth behind Metta Blautsauger’s ditzy demeanor in A Vampire To Be Reckoned With.

Finally, it’s Michaela’s turn in my new book Cold Hearted Vampire. All her life, Dr. Michaela Blautsauger has fought an uphill battle. Born at a time when females were considered chattel, she bucked the system to be one of the first she-vamps to earn their medical degree. I’ve always seen Michaela as a female Sheldon Cooper. She’s brilliant, a know-it-all, and she’s lacking in social skills.

Then Detective Seth Whitehead walks into her lab and challenges her on every level. For her part, she’s suddenly found a male (human no less) that interests her as much as the slides on her microscope.

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Cold-Hearted Vampire by R. E. Mullins

   Dr. Michaela Blautsauger, a Nosferatu vampire, is considered an expert in her field of work. However, her skills when it comes to dealing with others and showing emotion is almost non-existent. When Detective Seth Whitehead barges into her lab, she discovers the human is just as interesting as the blood formula she is working on.

   Seth’s tenacity to find who is committing crimes in Amber Heights pits him against vampire aristocracy as well as Toltec vamps who are nasty to say the least. When the she-vamp he is falling heart over fangs for leaves the country to find the blood plant she needs, he follows and discovers his cold hearted vamp truly has a heart.

   When they both fall into Toltec hands, Seth knows he will do anything he has to do to keep Michaela from suffering harm. But will he be able to keep his own life in the process?

BuyLinks  The Wild Rose Press
                  Amazon
                  B&N

Keep up with me at remullins.com