Prison Break

Prison Break is a Fox Television Series which ran from 2005 to 2009.

The story follows two brothers and a wonderful crew of characters.

Due to a political conspiracy, an innocent man sits on death row and his only hope is his brother, who plan is to be sent to the same prison in order to break them both out from the inside out.

As with everything in life, I'm a little behind and only recently viewed this series, but I believe it came at the right time in my life. This series can be viewed on Netflix.

Okay, now what does this have to do with writing? Everything.

This series will show you how to create living, breathing characters. (These characters became a part of our household during the weeks of watching this show, even invaded my dreams.) The back stories are wonderfully wove into the story, and never bog it down. Cliffhangers anyone? This show is full of them and not just at the end of each show. At each turn, you think one thing, but it turns out to something completely different. Show, don't tell is a major pinpoint of this story. You have to figure out who's about to do what by their actions and movements, because honestly the characters don't even know what the other one's about to do.

I highly recommend watching this series for pure pleasure, but also as a learning adventure.

Warning: There is violence in this story, but what can you expect? The main characters are convicts.

Escape to Love reaches top seller status

Escape to Love appears on eTreasure Publishing's Top Seller list.

A few days ago a writer friend sent me an email informing of the new status of my novella. You can imagine my reaction.

If you haven't already checked out my novella, Escape to Love, you can find a blurb and an excerpt at my website, and e-book available for purchase at eTreasures Publishing.

Pembroke Sinclair - Bits of Advice

Today's guest is Pembroke Sinclair. She's stopped by to share some bits of advice. Please welcome her to the blog.
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One of the questions I’m frequently asked as a published author is: What advice would you give unpublished authors who want to get published? Here are some of the things I would tell them.

1. Keep writing. It’s what you do; it’s what you enjoy. The more work you get out there, the bigger your fan base is going to get. If people enjoy what you write, they’ll want to see everything you create, so give them plenty to read.

2. Develop thick skin. You will get rejected. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when. Everybody gets rejected, even famous authors got rejected. But you can’t take it personally. Writing is a business, and a publisher has to make money off your creation. If they don’t think they can, they won’t take it on. The best thing to do is learn from the rejection and become even better at your craft.

3. Be persistent. Just because one publisher doesn’t like your story, that doesn’t mean another won’t. Keep putting it out there and keep making it better until you find the publisher who shares your vision for the story. With the advent of electronic publishing and independent presses, someone out there is bound to love your story as much as you do.

4. Be patient. The publishing world moves slightly faster than erosion. Editors are overwhelmed with submissions and getting contracted stories published. From experience, it takes about a year from the day you sign the contract until you see your book published. The process can be slightly faster if you are doing an electronic book, but it still takes months. While you’re waiting, work on your next project.

5. Network. Find people and friends who share your passion and talk to them. They will become a great source of inspiration and a shoulder to lean on when you need to vent. It will also put you in touch with readers and fans. The more you get out there, the more exposure you will get, and the more people will buy your work.

6. Find a publisher you enjoy working with. This is extremely important. You need to find someone who enjoys your work and wants to see it succeed, not someone who’s looking for a quick buck. Contact some authors the publisher has published and ask them how they feel. After that, go with your gut. No relationship is going to be perfect, but it should be professional. There should be mutual respect on both ends.

As I continue down the road of being published, I learn more and more. I don’t claim to be an expert when it comes to giving advice, but I have some experience. The most important think to remember is to have fun. If writing isn’t fun, why do it?
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Bio: Pembroke Sinclair has had several stories published in various places. She writes an eclectic mix of stories ranging from western to science fiction to fantasy. Her stories have been published in various places, including Static Movement, chuckhawks.com, The Cynic Online Magazine, Sonar 4 Publications, Golden Visions Magazine, and Residential Aliens. Her first novel, Coming from Nowhere, is now available at eTreasures Publishing and Amazon.com. Her story, Sohei, was named one of the Best Stories of 2008 by The Cynic Online Magazine. If you would like to contact Pembroke, she can be reached at pembrokesinclair at hotmail dot com or pembrokesinclair.blogspot.com.

Life After the Undead Blurb: The world has come to an end. It doesn’t go out with a bang, or even a whimper. It goes out in an orgy of blood and the dead rising from their graves to feast on living flesh. As democracy crumples and the world melts into anarchy, five families in the U.S. rise to protect the survivors. The undead hate a humid environment, so they are migrating westward to escape its deteriorating effects. The survivors are constructing a wall in North Platte to keep the zombie threat to the west, while tyranny rules among the humans to the east. Capable but naïve Krista is 15 when the first attacks occur, and she loses her family and barely escapes with her life. She makes her way to the wall and begins a new life. But, as the undead threat grows and dictators brainwash those she cares about, Krista must fight not only to survive but also to defend everything she holds dear—her country, her freedom, and ultimately those she loves.

Buy link:http://www.etreasurespublishing.com/products/Life-After-The-Undead-by-Pembroke-Sinclair.html

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/embed/hrgv7W9A_7w
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Disclaimer - I have not read Pembroke's book, therefore this is not an endorsement.

Escape to Love - Excerpt

I realized the other day, I've posted updates on the progress of my novella and reviews, but never an excerpt. It is available at my website, www.chergreen.com, but thought some of you may find more of a chance to take a glimpse here on the blog. So, here's a short sample of Escape to Love.

Chapter One

Four white candles in each corner, a small dish of water, a pinch of salt, and a bag of sage completed Constance Spenser’s ritual offering. She pulled the lilac scrunchie from her thick black hair. Heaving a breath, she tried to push aside her melancholy.

After five years with her ex, the recent breakup hadn’t improved her dismal outlook. Wading through each day, she tried to see the positive, to find a fresh beginning. She fingered the pentacle necklace, wondering if she’d ever see results.

Her Persian, Angelica, brushed against her bare leg before jumping into her lap. Constance ran a hand over the cat’s soft fur. “I know baby. You love me no matter how big of a failure I turn out to be.” The cat stretched toward her, placing a paw kiss upon her chin, like a friend’s kind hug.

Careful not to disturb the lounging pet, she withdrew a box of matches from the table’s drawer. Striking one, her voice eased over the darkness with each lit candle. “I give my body to the earth, my breath to the air, my tears to the water, my desire to the fire.” The heat from the match singed her thumb, causing her to drop it into the water dish. “I call upon the spirit world for guidance. Reveal to me my path. Set me on a journey.”

A soft breeze stirred the curtains. The tick-tock of the old grandfather clock magnified, building to a roar. Then, an eerie silence settled over the room, voiding Constance’s moment of anticipation. Dropping her shoulders, she blew out the candles and shuffled toward the kitchen.

Angelica hissed. Constance spun. The curtains whipped in the strong wind tearing through her house. Through the sheer drapery, moonlight pulsed, trespassing into her small living room. Hair on end, teeth bared, her cat arched. Constance’s heart echoed in her ears - it worked, her incantation had been a success.

Thunder rumbled, shaking the house, ravaging her senses. Soft rain fell, lulling her into a calm state. The smell of disturbed soil filled the room, like a peaceful cemetery burial. Lightning darted through the darkened clouds, slithered through the darkness, and forked across the purple sky. A haze settled as the soft rain turned into a full-fledged downpour.

Tiny goose bumps popped up all over her bare skin. She crossed her arms, but it didn’t do much for the chill rambling through her body. The thin fabric of her nightgown did nothing to stop the icy grip of the storm on her flesh. She started toward the bedroom to grab a robe, but a high pitched cry bounced off the walls, stopping in her tracks.

Constance rushed through the living room, onto the porch. She glanced back at the doorway, then to the raging storm. A tear ran down her cheek. She cringed at the thought of the possible dangers she’d brought upon them. Her poor cat hissed from the safety of the doorway.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, though who she sought to console was unclear. Angelica looked less than impressed, recoiling from her outstretched hand. Lightning shattered the sky. Constance jumped. Angelica bolted from the doorway. “Ooh, what have I done?”

The storm raged, venting its impressive force only to stop as suddenly as it began. The sky cleared, the room fell silent, leaving her to struggle with her racing heart. She eased back to the doorway, coaxed Angelica back into the opening. “See. Told ya. Everything’s fine. ” Angelica’s fur remained on end. The cat stared past her, hissing furiously.

Escape to Love is currently available at 20% off at Coffee Time Romance.

Thank you all for your support.