What’s Your Favorite Thesaurus? Share It To Unlock The WHW Prize Vault

There's nothing better than becoming lost within the story world within minutes of starting a book. And as writers, this is what we're striving to do: pull the reader in, pull them down deep into the words, make them feel like they are experiencing the story right alongside the hero or heroine.

A big part of achieving this is showing the character's surroundings in a way that is textured and rich, delivering this description through a filter of emotion and mood. It means we have to be careful with each word we choose, and describe the setting in such a way that each sight, sound, taste, texture, and smell comes alive for readers. This is no easy task, especially since it is so easy to overdo it—killing the pace, slowing the action, and worst of all, boring the reader. So how can we create a true unique experience for readers and make them feel part of the action while avoiding descriptive missteps that will hurt the story?

Well, there's some good news on this front. Two new books have released this week that may change the description game for writers. The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to City Spaces and The Rural Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Personal and Natural Spaces look at the sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds that a character might experience within 225 different contemporary settings. And this is only the start of what these books offer writers. In fact, swing by and check out this hidden entry from the Urban Setting Thesaurus: Antiques Shop.

And there's one more thing you might want to know more about....

Becca and Angela, authors of The Emotion Thesaurus, are celebrating their double release with a fun event going on from June 13-20th called ROCK THE VAULT. At the heart of Writers Helping Writers is a tremendous vault, and these two ladies have been hoarding prizes of epic writerly proportions.

A safe full of prizes, ripe for the taking...if the writing community can work together to unlock it, of course.

Ready to do your part? Stop by Writers Helping Writers to find out more!

 ~*~
Scarlett Loving life in Cuenca!

Corpus Christie, New Family Members, and lots of new books!

Wow, a lot has happened since we last met!

We had a great newcomer's lunch but I forgot to take a single photo. I met a lady there who asked me to help with an animal shelter. I told her I really couldn't help right now because my book is late, but I would introduce her to some people who would help. Well, of course, I had to go see the facility right?

In the meantime, another friend told me about another facility.  To be honest I prefer the second facility. And I found a little guy that I just had to bring home with me. My Katie doesn't much care for being an only dog and she is very happy to have a brother. So I introduce to you, Picasso and Katie.

He's been a fun addition, but I forgot how much work a second dog can create. And he's just so snuggly.

My friend and poet Barbara Snow helped me finalize the arrangement of my first poem, written about my Earthquake experience for a cross-cultural arts exchange program taking place in mid-June.

We had another Spoken Word event. It was a great evening with several new faces reading. I read the first chapter of Zero Mercy, and the first scene from Terror on the Bluff and they were received well.  If you would like a free copy of Zero Mercy:The Evolution of Pierce Wellington III, the backstory of Pierce, a career military man, sign up for my newsletter and you will receive an email link to the story.


Memorial Day weekend, of course isn't celebrated in Ecuador, but as American's we still remember. For my family, the celebration included the announcement of the arrival of my grand-niece who will arrive in late October. We're pretty excited.

And it's Corpus Christie in Cuenca!  If you want an explanation of the event you can read all about it in last years post here but last year I didn't have photos of the parade or the fireworks. I hope you enjoy these.

The trademark of the Cuenca Corpus Christie celebration are streets lined with tents selling sweets. (This photo is from last year.)

This year's newest treat is a handpainted sugar coated chocolate Cuy- or guinea pig. Cuy is a delicacy in Ecuador and are spit roasted.

The evening's activities began with a solemn candlelit procession to the cathedral.

And for your reading pleasure four of my friends have new releases, give them a try! Click the author's name for a link to the book.

D.B. McNicol:

The Lei Crime Series: Paradise Down (Kindle Worlds Novella)

 Aloha Nicholás! But will this be a hello or a goodbye?       When Lucia Santerez returns home to Hawaii to help her brother Nicholás with his new dive shop, she learns Nicholás has disappeared--and someone doesn't want him found.
      Enlisting the aid of hunky vacationing firefighter, Jared Stevens, gets them the wrong kind of attention. They discover what lies under the water off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kaua`i could make you rich or get you killed.
      For readers of the Lei Crime series, this story occurs shortly after the Lei Crime Series book, "Fire Beach".

George Weir:

Mexico Fever (The Bill Travis Mysteries Book 12)

Former Governor Dick Sawyer may be dying, but he has one final mission for Bill Travis. Bill has to fly to Piste, Mexico, to find Walt Cannon, friend and retired Texas Ranger who disappeared while on the trail of a man named Sunlight, a ruthless killer, drug lord, revolutionary and cult leader. Sunlight wants to return Mexico to the rule of the ancient Maya, but between the jungle and the ruins of a civilization long dead is the most dangerous animal of all--the Mexican Army. With the help of a Mexican police captain, a little girl, and an ornery donkey, Bill Travis must go toe-to-toe with his most dangerous enemy yet in order to save a friend.


 Russell Blake:

The Day After Never - Purgatory Road

 In the second volume of The Day After Never series, Lucas must make an impossible choice and risk everything in order to save those closest to him. As he crosses a wasteland in search of a phantom, Lucas discovers that his adversary will stop at nothing when the hunter becomes the hunted. An epic saga of survival and redemption set in a near-future wasteland, written by a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author

Nick Russell:

Return to Dog's Run

 In the summer of 1951, Elmhurst, Ohio was shocked when the small town's war hero police chief, Lester Smeal, was killed putting an end to the bloody rampage of a rogue cop. It was the last violent act in a chain of events that began with the discovery of the body of Wanda Jean Reider, a beautiful young woman from the wrong side of the tracks. Fifteen years later the chief's son and daughter, and the sister of the murdered woman, are young adults, each living with the legacy of the past as they try to make their own ways in a world torn by war and social change.

~*~
Scarlett, Loving life in Cuenca!

Earthquake Recovery- What's happening now?

Yes, we had an earthquake.  A big one and hundreds of smaller ones and this morning another large one.  No, I'm not affected.  Let me rephrase that. I have no injuries and my home is still standing, it didn't affect my family or loved ones. But it has affected my heart, my soul, and my friends.

I've seen some posts lately about how everyone wanted to help in the first days after the quake and now everyone has gone on with their lives and forgotten it. Oh, contrare mi Amor. Yes, it's true that many have forgotten it, and life does go on whether you are affected or not. It's true than many have given all they can...for now. But not everyone has forgotten.

My friend George is famous in Cuenca by the name of Ecuador George. He's a blogger and has a huge following. He also has a famous Golden retriever named Missy and lives in a great penthouse. So last Thursday, George threw a party. Ivan from the Cuenca mayor's office and Valeria from the city council where there.  George's closest friends came, and all the folks who wanted to ohh and ahh over his lovely penthouse or to meet the illustrious Missy. Wine and beer were served. All you had to do was bring ten items per person attending to donate to the coast. George ended up with over 120 bags of canned food, soap, shampoo etc piled in his foyer. Ivan made a tearful speech and told us he brought his children to meet the Gringos who have such huge hearts and love the country.

My friend and author Tom Larson organized a Meet the Author event at the local English bookstore last Saturday. I don't have printed books here to sell, so I went and bought books and got lots of autographs. Six authors participated donating at least 50% of their book sales, some donated 100% to the Hearts of Gold earthquake relief fund. $325 was raised. The photos below were taken by Susan Herron and the top one features authors left to right Frances A Hogg, Tom Larsen, Mary Wingo, J. Michael Herron, Barbara Snow and Carolyn Hamilton. The photo below is author Karla Freeman who also participated and me. It was a fun Saturday morning event.

A group of Cuencano artists is organizing a three-weekend event combining the visual and literary arts. The expat authors and artists have been invited to participate and I wrote a poem to be presented in English and Spanish for the event. The literary pieces will be combined in a booklet, again in both languages and sold at the event with all proceeds going to earthquake relief.

My friend John is working with Arca getting aid and veterinary services to the lost and injured pets of the region.

My friend Suzanne is working getting water filters to the affected areas.

My friends Sara and Geoff are working to rebuild in the city of Canoa. But funds are needed.

If you can help, please make a donation to the Hearts of Gold foundation. If you live anywhere outside the Cuenca area and donate, send me a copy of a confirmation page (it doesn't have to show the amount or any private account numbers) to any of my contact buttons above and I will send you a copy of my poem, The Magnitude of a Moment. I'm told it's touching and it's from my heart and it's my first and only poem.

Hearts of Gold Canoa Project

If you can't donate right now, but would like to help, just share this blog!

Thanks from Ecuador!

Two Updates: The Hearts of Gold website is currently down undergoing renovation and will be back up in a few days. In the interim anyone wishing to contribute to earthquake relief can do so via PayPal by sending it to info@heartsofgoldfoundation.org and designating it for earthquake relief. All help is much appreciated.

And from Sara re Canoa:  Update on the project: The tents in Canoa are actually upgraded to be transitional shelters -- metal framed, recycled water-proofed heavy tarping, with reinforced roofing framing and ventilated windows... approximately 4 x 4.2 meters square -- every family will have 7 meter by 8 meter lot to expand and improve their housing conditions. We have a central water system in place and each family will have access to potable water, electric and shared toilets (dry compost) and showers. Plus the camp (settlement) will have a common kitchen (though families can build a small adjacent cooking area on their lot) and a community center. The site is lush with trees and areas for gardening. We want the families to have a safe and secure place that will help them transition into a more permanent housing situation and a stronger future. We need funding to support the development of settlement and to maintain it through this transition period. Please support Canoa! Each of these shelters costs about $400.00


~*~
Scarlett Loving life in Cuenca!

Yes Son, I live in the sky!

As most of you know, I live in the Andes Mountains of Ecuador. I live in Cuenca, altitude 8,399 feet above sea level.

About a month or so ago, a fellow expat was back in the States visiting New Orleans. New Orleans is -6.5 to 20 feet above sea level. This expat acquaintance of mine posted that as he and his wife walked in the crescent city his wife remarked, "I forgot how far away the sky is at sea level." Later that week in a phone call with my son, (living in Florida) I remarked about Cynthia's comment and how true it was. "I live in the sky," I told my son.

The reply..."Mom, are you high? What are you smoking?"  Really? Actually, I gave up cigarettes in January, so I haven't been smoking anything. Am I high?  Oh Yes, I am very much so. 8,399 feet high. My handsome intelligent albeit sceptical son is a science guy, so rather than argue I launched an experiment.

Hypothesis: I live in the sky.
Research and Evidence: I took a series of photos in the same place over a month's time. From my kitchen window. There is a mountain in front of me and a mountain to the west.
Conclusion: I live where the clouds are. Therefore, I live in the sky.

 Leave your comments to help me convince my son that I really do live in the sky.

Happy Mother's Day!
~*~
Scarlett, Loving life in Cuenca!

Z is for Zero Mercy #atozchallenge

WE MADE IT! 

Thank you for coming by, reading and commenting and making this a successful challenge for me!

Z is for Zero Mercy: The Evolution of Pierce Wellington III

Zero Mercy: The Evolution of Pierce Wellington III is the story of Pierce and why he is who he is.  You can't buy Zero Mercy. It's available for free. All you have to do is sign up for my newsletter. No spam. I won't sell your email. I'll just let you know when there is something cool going on in the world of Scarlett Braden.  You can read a short insert here and below you can join the newsletter list if you like. I will email you the Zero Mercy: The evolution of Pierce Wellington III file. 

Copyright © 2016 Scarlett Braden   

 On the 25^th day of September in the year of our Lord 1968, I was liberated from the womb. As I burst forth into this world, my Army camo was so effective no one noticed it, and they damn sure didn’t pick up on the army blood running through my veins. But it was there, I’m truly certain it was there.

I’m Pierce McCord Wellington the III. I was born Army, I lived Army and I’ll die Army. The good Lord saw fit that I didn’t die on a battlefield, but to my way of thinking that just means I have more missions to complete.

My ancestry goes all the way back to the pilgrimage and every man in my family has served. Hell, I even have a niece serving now. I always knew I would be a soldier. The first twelve years of my life were like most every other military brat, moving from base to base. I say most because all of our moves were between bases outside the borders of our fifty states.

When I reached the eighth grade, my father, now a four-star general, decided it was time to begin my military education. He never said so, but I always felt he was a little disappointed that out of his three children I was the only son. And in his mind the only one worthy of military duty. My father was of that generation who believed a woman didn’t belong on the battlefield. In a MASH hospital was okay, but short of being a nurse, no woman belonged there.

So at the tender age of twelve, I was enrolled in the McArthur Military Preparatory Boarding School. It was the first time in my life I actually lived in the United States. I lived there 345 days a year until I graduated. I visited with my family for ten days at Christmas and ten days in the summer. That first year, I felt abandoned. Alone. My mother sent me a letter once a month. My sisters wrote me more often and told me Momma cried every time she wrote that monthly letter and cried all the way to the mailbox. I didn’t quite understand. I thought I was the one who should be crying. Of course, that was strictly forbidden in a male gendered Wellington, but I sure didn’t understand what she was upset about. I was the one who was sent away.

Thanks again for sharing in the April A to Z blog challenge with me! If you would like to sign up for my newsletter do so here:

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~*~
Scarlett Loving life in Cuenca!