Throw Back Monday - been there, done that!

Not Quite A Stroll on the Beach

Welcome to “Throw Back Monday”. These are the posts where I’ve gone back and delved into my blog and pulled some posts from quite a few years ago. Yep, I’ve been blogging for a long time… Despite the time warp, it's a trip of sorts, a trip through time.

  Too much work, and no vacation, 

 Deserves at least a small libation. So hail! my friends, 

and raise your glasses, Work's the curse of the drinking classes. 

 ~Oscar Wilde Oscar Wilde did have an interesting spin on things. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………

   

Just outside the village of Patricia 

 A few years back I was on the road exploring another bit of the country. While I’m calling it a vacation, I'm still thinking about what I’m writing - this story or that. But the guilt at having fled from my computer for days at a stretch is like sand in my shoes or flip flops, easily brushed aside. Anyway, while choosing one road over another that took us on a quaint drive through ranch land with patches of scrub brush giving subtle indicators of what's to come. The villages along this route reference women in one way or another; Princess, Patricia, Duchess, Rosemary, Countess and Millicent. I want to know why but don’t find the answer. 

 But I digress. It was a zig instead of a zag that led to the road to Alberta’s badlands and Dinosaur Provincial Park. There were dinosaurs with absolutely no hint of Jurassic - I hoped. Okay, it was a road sign that sent us down a road to the past. It was a twisted road and took a few turns to get there. And no, there were no sign of dinosaurs, not yet. 

Slow Down for Snakes? 

My rule on wildlife – slow down for anything! Okay, back to snakes – fortunately, there were none. Of course, it was a hot day, and any self-respecting snake would have long ago hunted down shade. 

 The rough, prairie scrub grass opens into a vast, timeworn valley. It's beautiful and yet eerie, especially if you think of it in the context of what it is - a giant reptilian cemetery. Okay, maybe that was slightly macabre, but the truth is that the valley is littered with dinosaur bones. In the summer months, paleontologists come here from around the world to participate in digs. 

 Then there’s the warnings! 

 There are numerous signs, warning of preserved, off-limits sites with notices to leave all bones and fossils where they lay. And then there’s the warnings that are a little more disturbing. Again, watch out for living critters who aren’t as friendly as the dead - black widows, scorpions and, of course, rattle snakes. No worries there – I didn’t venture off the path. Who knows what slithery thing is out there! 

Creepy crawlies aside, it's not often in my day-to-day life that I'm reminded of the ice age or the extinction of the dinosaurs. But when you stand on the precipice of this valley it's like you've been rushed back in time to a place you can barely imagine. The valley is a testament is a reminder of the power of nature and that once, the earth looked nothing like it does now. 

Way back when, when dinosaurs walked the earth. All in all, it was the perfect detour that only created a small zig instead of a zag across a secondary highway and into another world. It was a detour that could kick anyone's imagination into overdrive. 

Did I find a fossil or even a bone - nope. But I did locate a piece of wood that looked amazingly like a leg bone. That is, if you used your imagination Ryshia …the adventure begins today!

Ryshia

                                                  …the adventure begins today!   

Social Distancing - Day 27

 It's Easter weekend and a different weekend then we are used to. Easter with my mother this year involved a phone call as I walked along a path on the edge of the city. The wind was icy cold - strange for this time of year. What remains of winter couldn't melt away today, still too cold.

But back to that phone visit. It's strange to only share phone calls especially today. It would be better if we could at least see each other. Unfortunately, social distancing happened before I was able to set my mom up with Zoom or Skype or...  And, I'm not so sure if she's into me seeing her as she talks. Yesterday, she admitted to hanging out in her nightgown longer than normal. After all, there's no one stopping by.  I have to admit that the temptation to wear something so ugly that it's comfy or staying in your house coat for half the day looms. I mean, why not, there's no one that's going to catch you being lazy. There's not even the threat of a bottle drive crew knocking at the front door. The street is almost empty. No one, except another neighbour walking her dog. From the back, no one except the children down the easement jumping like crazy on their trampoline. Back to the front - no one except the neighbour's children dropping a homemade card in the mailbox. Okay - that was an assumption based on the card. I missed the delivery so I couldn't even wave at them through the window. But I can appreciate the thought behind the card every time I look at it.

The path I'm walking now winds for miles along the outskirts of the city.  It's become a favourite means of meditation and exercise these last weeks. So far, there's no social distancing required - it's empty, of people that is. Today, I did see a trio of robins and a

squirrel. I also had two kindly dogs bark at me. I gave them a quick hi as they remained safely distanced behind their fences and I continued on my way.

The playground equipment in an empty park caught my eye. The swings and teeter totter had caution tape across them and a barricade was placed in front of all of it. That just made me feel uneasy.  I left the park and headed toward the street and the easement beyond. Before I got there I saw one woman jogging, we did a polite across the street dodge and went on our way. Me turning to walk down the empty easement. It's rather eerie. Yesterday at least when I reached the end of one block, there had been the family walking down the street. I'd waited until they were on the intersecting street before heading down the next easement. I even waited longer than necessary but mostly because of a small boy dressed as a - I'm not sure, but I'm guessing, gopher. It was a full furry body suit, brown and covered everything including his head - I'm assuming that it didn't cover his face but I didn't get that close. I wanted to ask in the worst way, what he was pretending to be. But - the social distancing thing. Thus, I can't tell you for sure what animal he was pretending to be but I'm betting he was at least warm.

So after today's almost 4 kilometre walk, I think that I can cross my televised exercise crew off the list. After all I walked and it is Easter. Time to enjoy the rest of the day.

But before I close, I'm sharing this picture of the morning sky. It was gorgeous. There was no other word for it. It was a crisp blue with the clouds cutting across in a way that really could and should, have been painted.


Happy Easter!

Take care, keep safe!

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com

Book news? - follow me on Bookbub                                                   

   ...a world you never imagined!

Don't miss a thing - Sign up for my newsletter The Walkabout!

The Dead Sea, a tourist and a whole other  story!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryshiakennie/

Twitter:  @ryshiakennie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.RyshiaKennie/

Latest release:  The Tears We Never Cried

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

www.ryshiakennie.com

Book news? - follow me on Bookbub                                                   

   ...a world you never imagined!

Don't miss a thing - Sign up for my newsletter The Walkabout!

The Dead Sea, a tourist and a whole other  story!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryshiakennie/

Twitter:  @ryshiakennie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.RyshiaKennie/

Latest release:  The Tears We Never Cried

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

www.ryshiakennie.com

Book news? - follow me on Bookbub                                                   

   ...a world you never imagined!

Don't miss a thing - Sign up for my newsletter The Walkabout!

The Dead Sea, a tourist and a whole other  story!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryshiakennie/

Twitter:  @ryshiakennie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.RyshiaKennie/

Latest release:  The Tears We Never Cried

A New Release - The Christmas Countdown - It's Crazy!

The days are ticking away and Christmas is fast approaching...and I haven't done any Christmas shopping. In my defence, I have a book coming out on December 10 which has pretty much taken my attention. But we'll get back to that later. For now it's my abysmal lack of Christmas preparation that has me a bit frazzled. I admit I did have the "how are we doing Christmas supper" talk with my brother. This year is going to be a bit different as we've decided to split the cooking and meet in the middle - mom's. My mother has always hosted Christmas which sounds like an imposition on her. In reality, it's what she's always wanted. And we do the cleaning up - now we're doing the prepping up too. This year she's supplying the place and us the food. Although I did hear she's cooking turnips.

Sigh.

Don't know about you but I've never liked turnips. There's something about that root vegetable that just - well it's one of those things you eat so you don't starve.


Anyway, today I'm pushing that toe deeper into the waters of Christmas preparation and hauling out the Christmas decorations...  this evening. We'll see how that goes. But for now, with no ornaments out and about - I'll share a pic of my recent visitor looking suitably Canadian/Winter/Christmas with her touque.

Yes, another five second photo shoot - she was not much enamoured of the touque. And, I know, I'm pushing things here but my next post, I promise, will be festive.


In the meantime, we're counting down not just to Christmas but on December 10 The Tears We Never Cried is releasing. Have you pre-ordered your copy?

Here's an excerpt from The Tears We Never Cried:

Prologue
From the diary of Jessica Jane McDowall
I’d always thought that death should come quickly. There’s nothing humane about lingering. But nature is cruel and there’s no finer example than what happened to Mama.
Mama’s illness was the worst of a string of bad luck that only brightened once with the birth of my daughter, Cassandra Lynn. But life is a fickle thing. You give life and then you have life taken away.
Mama and Dad have been gone for almost a year, my husband, Tom for quite some months. It’s only me and Cassie now and that part feels right. What feels wrong is the fact that my parents are gone. I know I’m too old to feel like this. After all, I’m the mother of a nine- year-old, but I feel like an orphan. I have nothing left of Mama but the pearls she so loved.
I plan never to tell Cassandra what happened to Mama. I know it’s about as useful as collecting good luck charms. I feel if I don’t talk about it, then it has become rather like Pandora’s box, safe as long as it remains tucked away ... unseen ... unknown ...

Chapter One December 6
I remember the moment it happened. I had barely pulled away from the curb, done a quick shoulder check, and that’s when life broadsided me.
I was thirty-nine, coincidentally exactly forty weeks from my fortieth birthday. I’ve lived forever since that moment, or so it seemed. Even though it was really only a year and change out of my life, that day that began it all. It was a day like any other except ... I swear the ring on my phone was louder than normal. And Mother’s voice was strident and demanding.
“Cassie, you best get over here now. I’ve lost my best pen and they’ve taken my Christmas cards away.”
I had no idea what she was talking about, but the panic in her voice was real and like nothing I had heard before.
“Cassandra McDowall?” The disembodied voice was no longer my mother’s, but instead one that was male and full of authority.
“Yes.” Somehow my fingers were already knotting in trepidation of what he might want.
“This is Tod Rushinski, staff sergeant with the Regina City Police.”
My palms began to sweat.
“Your mother is Jessica Jane McDowell?”
“Yes.” Fortunately it was the only word required for it was the only word I could choke out. The police never phoned for a good reason.

“We have your mother here at the station.”
“My mother? Is she all right?” Images of my tiny mother, cuffed and chained, surrounded by burly police officers poised to pounce at her slightest move sent shock waves through me. I imagined the terror on her face, her usually neatly coiffed hair askew. Horror reels played through my mind. Mother hurt, injured, attacked by unknown thugs.
Elder abuse, rape, mugging.
Mother, her coral pink lipstick smeared across one crinkled cheek, swinging her purse and being taken down and left bruised and alone by a dumpster.

Who could have done this to her? What had happened? I couldn’t choke out the question. Instead I had a chokehold on the steering wheel....

So sit down with a glass of your favourite beverage and relax, enjoy the season and watch one of those Christmas movies or read your copy of The Tears We Never Cried a book that explores love in ways that go beyond romantic love - perfect for the season. Or, at least I hope... Get your copy and see for yourself.

If you're on bookbub - check out the contest that's running there. Give me and other authors a follow and be entered to win a gift card. Fessing up - there's a number of social medial links you can follow us on - I'd prefer Bookbub, just saying. But in the end - fingers crossed that you enter and win! 

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com

Book news? - follow me on Bookbub                                                   

   ...a world you never imagined!

Don't miss a thing - Sign up for my newsletter The Walkabout!

The Dead Sea, a tourist and a whole other  story!

I'm hanging out on:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryshiakennie/

Twitter:  @ryshiakennie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.RyshiaKennie/

Colder Than Sin by Toni Anderson

With winter fast approaching, it's time to gather books and hunker down. And on that note - today I'm sharing another romantic suspense 
October release,

 Toni Anderson and her Cold Justice Series.

The next book in the series, Colder Than Sin, is available for pre-order!

Hostage Negotiators can talk themselves out of anything—except falling in love.

Colder Than Sin by Toni Anderson

Release date: October 22, 2019

“Toni Anderson has mixed up the perfect cocktail of international intrigue, non-stop action, and chemistry that sizzles off the page.” - Adriana Anders, author of WHITEOUT

Top FBI negotiator Quentin Savage is hurled into his worst nightmare when a terrorist attack on a luxury hotel propels him from esteemed keynote speaker to powerless captive.

Haley Cramer is co-owner of a private security firm and prides herself on her independence, but she is shaken to the core when gunmen attack a conference she is attending. She survives, but only because Quentin Savage pretends she’s his wife.

Together Savage and Haley plot their escape from a ragtag army of brutal but efficient thugs while struggling to figure out exactly who the enemy is. Why was the conference attacked, and why was Quentin a specific target? 

Toni Anderson writes award-winning, bestselling, FBI Romantic Thrillers. She is a New York Times 
and USA Today bestselling author, RITA® finalist, science nerd, professional tourist, dog lover, 
gardener, mom. Anderson's books have won the Readers' Choice Award, Aspen Gold, 
National Excellence in Romance Fiction, Book Buyers’  Best.  


Originally from a small town in Shropshire, Toni studied Marine Biology at 
University of Liverpool (BSc) and University of St. Andrews (Ph.D.) with the intention she’d never 
be far from the ocean. Well, that plan backfired and she ended up in the Canadian prairies with her biology professor husband, two kids, a rescue dog, and a laid-back leopard gecko. 


Colder than Sin is available at:  

Apple Books 

Amazon 

Kobo US 

Kobo CA 

Google Play 

Nook 

Print (a sample)

Find out more about Toni Anderson and her books at her website:

Toni Anderson  (www.tonianderson.com)

or on Goodreads

 Colder than Sin - Content Advisory: this book contains graphic violence (sexual assault, murder). For more information https://www.toniandersonauthor.com/content-advisory 

More October releases - click the cover to check them out and/or get your copy!

Ryshia

www.ryshiakennie.com

                                                        ...a world you never imagined!

Don't miss a thing - Sign up for my newsletter The Walkabout!

The Dead Sea, a tourist and a whole other  story!

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryshiakennie/

On Twitter:  @ryshiakennie

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.RyshiaKennie/