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Saturday, February 29, 2020

Real Life Meets Fiction

For the last few weeks I've been going to the citizen's police academy. I figured that as a writer of romantic suspense I should know a little bit about crime and law enforcement in my own city. While listening to how crime and law enforcement evolves with technology and what the stats look like here - there's a bit of real life that has to happen.

The ride along.

I finished mine last week. it was a day run that was literally that - a run. From one end of the city to the other and back again - all day. It was a busy weekend. Unfortunately, I can't share any of it. But I was impressed by how many variables come into play in any one situation. There's numerous "hats" the police must put on in any one call. They're not just law enforcement but also psychologist, sociologist, educator.

For me, the last one really rang true - I learned a lot during that day. It was a reality check. Now, I know that when my imagination takes off, some of the facts I learned will have my feet held firmly to the ground.

The ride along was a fantastic opportunity to see how the suspense, in a romantic suspense can play out in every day life. Even more importantly, all this new information has given me ideas for stories. Stories set in places I like best - far away places, with a touch of mystery to them. 

Where am I right now? I'm on a trip that exists solely in my imagination. The trip? Afghanistan.
It's not a beach vacation by any means, my heroine can attest to that. She's on a mission that has her in the eye of danger in a way that she's never been before. Her backup is a woman she saw action with. She's there because of  a plan that's been put carefully into place and while she always knew there were variables they couldn't plan for, one she
never considered is her ex. He's arrived determined to "save the day." Unfortunately, his arrival may not only destroy everything but threaten her like nothing has before.

And with that - I'm off to see what kind of danger my heroine is in now.

Happy February 29 - enjoy your bonus day!

Until later. 

Dream big and travel safe.


Ryshia


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Friday, February 28, 2020

Flashback Friday - Koh Phangan Tattoo - Ouch!







Wipe outs on motor scooters are so common on Koh Phangan that the resulting gashes are called the Koh Phangan Tatoo. Just the other day I saw a girl lounging by the pool with a four inch gash in her bikini clad side - the Koh Phangan Tattoo.




Still, motor scooter is such an enjoyable way to see some of these islands. They're easy to park anywhere and take a picture or explore a site more closely.
Renting motor scooters is easy - every little shop seems to have them. And the island is small - easy to explore on these small vehicles. But the tattoo does echo in my head especially when you can see why - the roads are mostly paved but there are dips and unexpected craters where whole pieces of concrete or pavement are missing. Combine erratic road repair and beach wear with an island known for partying, this is the island where the full moon party has become infamous, and voila - the tattoo.






Update:
Made it back in one piece. No cuts or bruises, just a deeper tan and an appreciation of an island that goes from sea to mountain in minutes. 










The last day on this idylic little island calls for fireworks. But one problem - the resident dog, who spends her days assisting random children to find rocks and shells in the water and her evening looking for whatever doggie treasure she thinks might lurk in the gently lapping surf - also has no real liking for fireworks. In fact she is in search and destroy mode. With rockets firing off in tandem it is difficult to hold one smelly, wet lab by her rather chubby haunches. But in the end, the dog survived unscathed but frustrated that no one would let her get at those fireworks. 

It's always difficult leaving a place. The time there is always too short. As the time on this island dwindles away there is another adventure to anticipate. Soon it's off to Bangkok. One night in Bangkok before it's off again for a marathon plane ride that will end one day backwards and a continent away as this journey comes to an end. But it's not over yet... 




Until later. 

Dream big and travel safe.


Ryshia


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Friday, February 14, 2020

Flashback Friday - Three Days and From the Dust is Released!

Hope you're enjoying your Valentine's Day. It's a day to pamper and appreciate not just those we love but ourselves. I did that by going to a thermal spa yesterday. On the way home, DH and I saw the most amazing sunset that only got better with every minute that it lasted. It was the perfect ending to a beautiful day.  

Have a fabulous day! And, to help keep your day on the right track, here's the story of my first publication - love and romance.

 Ready?


 Here goes - a journey back to my first release! I remember the excitement. It was a dream come true after sending off all those submissions in envelopes with return stamps that had "love" on them. Yes, envelopes and stamps, it was that long ago. But it's still an interesting place to visit - the excitement of that first release. From the Dust was my only historic romance. I was still finding my way and despite that, I think it's a good story. 

 So here's the official post as the days counted down:



On December 1, 2007 - "From the Dust" will be officially released.
More than a love story. More than history. Read about life on a Saskatchewan farm in 1935. Cheer on our two combatants Tate and Eva. Who will get the farm? Who will leave and who will stay? Or will passion win out? Will they fall in love? 


You can pick up your copy at almost any online bookstore; Amazon, Barnes &Noble, Books a Million, Target and read the story of Eva and Tate as they meant it to be told. 

There, that's it for me and promo. Soon it will be on to our regularly scheduled programming. There have been a few glitches of late - I wanted to add music to the blog but that has taken more time then I realized it would and, well the music is still in the queue. Some of my interviews were cancelled as it is flu season here in Saskatchewan. There were quite a few ugly bugs going around. I'm happy to say that although I had to cancel pending interviews because of the flu, they're all feeling better and I hope to write a few more interviews. Especially because one spry 90 something was very excited to be included. He'd be devestated if I don't interview him and have his words appear in print for all of you. 

Until later. 

Dream big and travel safe.


Ryshia


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Thursday, February 13, 2020

What You Won't Do For Research

I've been spending one evening a week at the local police station. An odd place to spend one's evenings. But it's here I find myself since I've signed up for the Citizens Police Academy. I knew that writing romantic suspense meant that I needed to learn more about policing and crime. Surfing the net, and safely scouring the library shelves was really research on the fringes. That all changed one evening in mid-January.

So, there I am, me and a classroom spilling with enthusiastic wannabe cops. BTW do you know that the nickname, cops, has a couple of supposed reasons for existing - one was that the English Bobbies had copper buttons that flashed in the sunlight. The other... not sure.
But, I digress - right now it's me and a classroom full of people who may be pulling me over for a traffic ticket in years to come. Hopefully not, but my foot is a little heavy some days - not all, just saying.

But let's not talk traffic, that's dull compared to the topics we have covered; search and rescue, gangs, drug trafficking, explosives, canines - and there's more with still weeks to come; including my ride-along. I was telling my writer group about my new experience and one author's eyes lit up when she heard that I'd literally have a "captive" audience for my questions as the ride-along is for a twelve hour shift. Somehow, I don't think the ride along will be an opportunity to interrogate. At least not on my side of the fence. There's that old adage about backseat drivers or in this case, interrogators.

So I have learned about the city's gangs, seen the most common drugs - literally as they were passed around in baggies. I've seen a gang initiation lifted from facebook, of all places. It was frightening in its brutality. I learned about the police divers rescuing in mid winter beneath the ice. No rescue, only retrieval - count me out, wait for spring. With all the crime stats, drug lair stakeouts and gang activity info that I've been faced with - well... If I look at you sideways, don't take offence, I'm looking at everyone sideways these days.

Then there was the police dog. Yes, I know he's rough and tough but I just wanted to take him home and cook him dog biscuits. Nope, he wasn't interested in anything or anyone other than his rubber ball and his handler.

So off to the land of gangs and crime. Interesting stuff especially the gangs. After all, there was a gang in Marshal on a Mission. I'm guessing there will be a gang soon, again in another story.

Stay safe and if you're anywhere near the frozen north - keep warm.

Ryshia


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Saturday, February 8, 2020

Taking Time To Recharge

The easiest way for me to recharge is to step away from my writing and take some time alone. It's not for long but it's enough to rejuvenate my energy, my excitement about a project and my focus.

The best place I've found is a quiet little corner of the world in a local grocery store that also holds a small coffee shop.
With my Soy Latte and an e-book, I settle down to read and watch what's going on. There is inspiration everywhere, at least for character action. For, a gesture, a word, an action will be the catalyst to begin fleshing out a fictional person. The lady who is doggedly trudging onward with her groceries, a look on her face like she's had nothing but arguments from her pint-size companion. Now she is marching ahead refusing to turn to look, as if assuming that her small son who is trailing after her, will still be behind her when she turns around. She's given him motivation or maybe an encumbrance not to bolt, for he has his own bag of groceries to carry. But I can see his heart isn't in the task. He's slowing with each step. The odds that he's going to arrive at the exit at the same time are beginning to look slim. She turns around with a look of frustration, bends down and whatever she's said, the pace has picked up. I turn my attention to the lineups at the til. I see a white-haired woman with a walker. I won't say elderly as my mother would let me know how ageist that is. Don't make assumptions she would say and she's right. Right across the board. I won't categorize for I know no one's history nor will I but what I can do is be inspired by a few mannerisms, a hair style, an attitude for a character in a book. I strike off the distracted boy and the determined woman with her walker. But what about the young man with a shifty look. In real life he might just be shy, uncomfortable.  As a character - a whole other story - he's up to something. 

 Despite all that, today was not the day to find characters. The draft I'm working on already has its characters and the new one I'm adding already has her own personality. Instead I went back to my book and my coffee.

If you live in warmer climes I can only say that I'm sorry for missing out on this:

There's nothing better than a soy latte on a chilly winter day!

With my batteries recharged and feeling motivated to return to the back country of Afghanistan, I'm off.



Life is Unexpected - Safe travels

Ryshia


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Friday, February 7, 2020

Flashback Friday - A Whole Lot of Nothing

This post was written after an interview with one of the seniors who had lived through the Great Depression. It was all research for my first book From the Dust. But in some of those interviews, like this one - I got more than I bargained for. Because I thought of the depression, as just that - depressing. In many cases, not so much.

So here is how one interview went:

"No one had any money," the tall, handsome senior tells me. He was a teenager through much of the thirties. The thirties, not the depression, that's how many of the seniors I talk to refer to the depression, only as the thirties.

"What did you do for fun?" I ask.

"Nothing."

"No dances?" I prod.

"I played the fiddle my Dad bought."

"You didn't have any money," I remind him.

"We bought it before the thirties, when we still had some money."

"Did you play at dances?" I ask again.

"Wasn't that good," he says in his cryptic manner. "The neighour taught me. We had musicals at different homes. I played at them sometimes."


"And dances?" So give me credit - I'm persistent!

"Yeah. I played at a few. But usually we had a real orchestra come out."

"Orchestra?" Now I'm puzzled. What about the no money thing?

"Yeah, my cousin played banjo, his wife played fiddle and a friend played saxaphone. They came out every Saturday night."

Nothing is sure becoming an interesting term. There's a whole lot of nothing going on. But I press on.

"From the city?" I ask.

"No, from the farm." He looks puzzled at the question. "They came into town."

"So you danced every weekend?"

"When we didn't have money. Sometimes we had money you know."
He eyes me like everyone should know this fact and continues,"then we went to Disley and bought beer."
"Beer?"

"Yeah. But we got rid of the empties."
"So you returned the empties?" I ask assuming poverty stricken as they were they would want the cash on a bottle return.
"Oh no." He shakes his head. "That would mean we'd have to take the bottles home with us. We threw them away so our mothers wouldn't find out we'd been drinking beer!"

Life is Unexpected - Safe travels
Ryshia
“A farmer who loves the classics and plays the piano like a maestro. Interesting.” 
Tate Prescott Brown - "From the Dust"



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