From the Scriptorium

From the Scriptorium: Snow in Britain but not Wisconsin

2012-02-05T16:25:00.000-06:00

From the Scriptorium: Snow in Britain but not Wisconsin: I'm always fascinated when I see photographs of home, especially those which feature animals or flowers. This one makes the sheep look down...

Snow in Britain but not Wisconsin

2012-02-05T16:24:00.001-06:00

I'm always fascinated when I see photographs of home, especially those which feature animals or flowers. This one makes the sheep look downright frozen in place!

Here in Wisconsin, we would normally have several feet of snow on the ground right now, but the goofy weather patterns have our snow melting instead of falling. What was a lovely winter scene is now reduced to brown grass and gritty, dirty frozen slush. Our local ski festival had to cancel all but the last day of competition due to poor snow conditions.

Over in West Yorkshire, this photo shows a typical winter scene. Not that much snow (in my humble opinion) but starkly beautiful none-the-less. But just a few inches of snow snarls up traffic, shuts roads and creates a lot of ice. Britain, after all, is an island and subject to the sea effects. You'd think all the salt in the water would keep the ice off the roads, but NO!!

This is an incredible photo. You can certainly see the power of Mother Nature in this frozen waterfall. We have pictures like this here in the States, but I found this quite powerful.

In 2010, this was the scene from our back door. It was a rollickin' good winter with lots of snow and plenty of icicles. This one was especially fun to watch grow but Mick finally had to take it down because it was actually very dangerous.

Climatologists tell us that as we progress through this decade, our weather here in Wisconsin will slowly turn into the same weather patterns as Southern Missouri. I hate to think how hot it will be there! Summers can hit over 100 degrees here already, so I suppose we need to see to our air conditioner maintenance!!

This is an aerial view of St. Mary's Church in Horsham, UK. My guess is those are people down below and not headstones. Are they sliding down to the church hall for tea and biscuits after services? Certainly looks cold there, doesn't it?

I'll end my wintry tale with a photograph of a bridge in York. Lovely, isn't it? Reminiscent of Central Park in New York City. Perhaps all park bridges look like this in winter, perhaps not. It only serves to remind me that no matter where you go in this world, there is always something beautiful about it.

Thanks to the BBC News for these photos. Most are pictures taken by local folks who have captured some great scenes. I only wish I could have been one of them!! Good on ya, folks!!

From the Scriptorium: Book It!

2012-01-27T02:01:00.000-06:00

From the Scriptorium: Book It!: Why all this stuff about my books? Well, I'll tell you. When I became more disabled with my Post Polio, I knew something had to change in ...

Book It!

2012-01-27T01:47:00.004-06:00

Why all this stuff about my books? Well, I'll tell you. When I became more disabled with my Post Polio, I knew something had to change in my life. Gone was my ability to be out on the road in sales - which saddened me greatly. Gone was my mobility, added was arthritis in my hands, ankles, shoulders, back and knees. What joy! NOT. So, I needed to do something to earn a living and at age 55, I decided to write a novel. How stupid could I get? Plenty.

When I was in college, I took writing courses as part of my degree - English, of course. I'd written a lot as a child, mostly those silly childhood poems Mom posted on the fridge door and I thought I could draw on that past experience and education. Hmm - faulty memory strikes again. One thing I did learn is to fine tune your craft BEFORE you begin. Gone was my common sense, proper punctuation, quotation mark placement, yata yata yata. Oh the content and story lines were great - and so is the writing, but technically? I didn't have a clue. And once the books were in print, it would cost my first born to change them...so I was stuck....and still am.

But I began to learn. I dealt with rejection from publishers - over 300 of them. Newbies rarely get noticed by a reputable publisher unless you know someone who knows someone else. I found what I thought was a wonderful publisher and in actuality, it didn't turn out that way. The publishing business was in the process of changing radically. EBooks weren't thought of yet, but marketing and strategies were. Publishing was a whole new ballgame and I wasn't ready. I was wearing my rose colored glasses then. They certainly aren't on now.

My first novel, Northwoods Forest Mystery, introduces my main characters, Roan Sanderson and Shauna McGuire, college friends at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. They'd lost touch over the years then re-established their friendship after Shauna's husband died in a tornado. She and her son Conor come home to Minnesota after the funeral but no one expects these friends to fall in love and marry. However they do and this story begins a four-book saga of their lives and those of their friends - and enemies. It crosses continents and decades, plus the first book sets the stage for a mystery which began many years earlier in a logging camp in Bemidji, Minnesota. A crime was committed - yes. But not by the innocent man who was convicted. Roan and his friends work diligently to solve the mystery and bonds are formed which cannot be broken, not even by death. We meet some absolutely wonderful characters (including Franco, the goofy waiter and Miss Lulabelle Lavinia LaFontaine, Doyenne of literary societies, plus a religious sister who sports a visible tattoo) and folks who you will remember long after you've read the books. There is love and heartbreak, great joy and much sadness we can all relate to.

This is an excellent first book, but as I mentioned earlier, it is my first foray into writing, so technically I am not pleased. I have, however, re-written it so it IS technically correct and ready for a new publisher.

The second book, Death Across the Pond, deals with the loss of a character's sight due to a plane crash. It also introduces a dark character - an internationally sought assassin who begins to follow Roan and Shauna on a European honeymoon. What follows is a deepening mystery - one which will test their faith and strength in dealing with the devil.

There are new relatives introduced, some of which are quite strange (and we all seem to have those, don't we?). One is a serial murderer, but what happens to him and how is he connected to the 'Ghost'? "Death" begins to take the characters deeper and deeper into a psychological mystery with plot twists one wouldn't expect.

Book three, The 'Ghost' in Bolton Hall, moves the Sanderson family into an entirely new direction as they restore an ancient family manor house in England, but the 'Ghost' follows them to Britain and wreaks havoc on the family and the people of Bolton-by-Bowland in Lancashire. This time, we see history, generations of family pride, ownership and greed - greed by the 'Ghost' who plots revenge for the death of his wife and greed from a gaggle of shady characters with centuries of ties to the Sandersons. The family story line has now become dark and sinister, but with the addition of several new characters - and I do mean characters, the Sanderson family and friends are able to move forward again, only to have their hard work destroyed in a fire. And Roan must deal with heartbreak and the death of a beloved family member. This story line never stops moving.

The final book, Murder and Pasta Don't Mix, wraps up the Sanderson saga and goes back and forth between Ireland, Italy, the UK and the States, with Franco, the nutty Italian actually becoming a mature man in love, who, unfortunately, gets his heart broken by his childhood sweetheart. The Sandersons find out they have inherited a large plot of farm land in Tuscany, near Franco's family home town and what insues is hysterically funny, but also a dangerous time for the Sandersons. The 'Ghost' is still on the loose - but not for long and they also encounter a crime boss out for his own style of revenge.

These are adult, family-oriented novels (not for children under 18). Yes, there is violence in them, a tiny bit of blue language, hysterically funny bits and definitely romance, but no sex scenes. When I began writing these books, it was because the members of a Mom's group I belong to said they didn't like all the gratuitous sex in novels today and could someone try to write a book they could all read? I took that challenge and ended up writing not one book, but four. I simply couldn't stop. But I accomplished my goal and now I was a published writer.

You can find all my book titles listed on our family web site at: http://www.thecookcompanies.com/ and it will give you a few links on how to purchase them. The eBooks are there, too. And those are the ones I am most proud of.

And now, being part Irish, I think I will imbibe with one of the famous Irish brews:

'Tis a grand way to spend an evening, relaxin' by the fire with a pint and good friends. (I know, I don't have a fireplace - but I can dream, can't I?)

From the Scriptorium: Who plays golf in January in Wisconsin?

2012-01-26T17:16:00.000-06:00

From the Scriptorium: Who plays golf in January in Wisconsin?: Right now, in the City of La Crosse, people are playing golf on the local courses. There is no snow, temps in the 50's and the greens are s...

Who plays golf in January in Wisconsin?

2012-01-11T11:43:00.000-06:00

Right now, in the City of La Crosse, people are playing golf on the local courses. There is no snow, temps in the 50's and the greens are still playable. I must admit, the thought of no snow in Wisconsin as we approach mid-January is rather curious. Is it La Nina? Is it El Nino? Is it some cosmic shift in global warming? Naah, it's just Red Dwarf coming out of orbit.

This is what I picture. A crackling fire, a glass of wine or perhaps a brandy. A cat cuddling by the foot of my chair on the afghan I just finished. Or just sitting by the window watching the snow falling gently on our yard. HA - none of those wistful pleasures to be certain. No fireplace and no cat. And NO SNOW. This is the craziest winter I have seen in ages. Who doesn't have snow in the middle of January in Wisconsin?

Addendum: The following day, we received over 5" of snow. Right now temps are in the low teens and the golfing range has closed for the season. The Mt. La Crosse Ski Slopes are open for business and now don't have to make snow. Winter finally made it to Wisconsin...January 12, 2012.

I'm excited about the football playoff games. I can't wait to watch Clay Matthews - No 52 on the right, make his titanic tackles and glamourous takeaways, then do his victory dance to the delight of all the fans in Lambeau Field. I get positively rowdy watching these men in green and gold. Naturally I wear my own ensemble of green and gold with custom made necklace and earrings for the support of my team. I've even thought about making my popcorn green and gold but that might be difficult. I must be content with the traditional stuff and being a dedicated fan in Packer Nation. For Greg, Donald, Clay, BJ, TJ, and my other Facebook and Twitter pals, you can count on me to be cheering in front of my little television and raising the roof - so to speak.

I am working on my historical novel, which involves the gentleman on my left - John Paul Jones, the first Commodore of the US Navy. His flagship, the Bonhomme Richard features prominently in this historical drama about a series of murders committed in 1779 in Whitby, England. However, his is not the only Bonhomme Richard IN this book. The Bon Homme Richard of World War II and our current ship, Bonhomme Richard are also featured in the book. A sailor from each must come through a vortex to use the skills from each century to solve these murders. Sound intriguing? Ah ha...this is the best one I've written yet. "The Marlinspike Murders" should be ready for publication at the end of this year (2012), hopefully in both ebook and traditional paperback formats.

I understand Tesco wants to build a new store on the west side of Holmfirth, close to the setting for "Last of the Summer Wine" television series. They tried to get planning permission once before and failed, because a store such as Tesco should be placed downtown for shoppers to come to the town centre - not to the fringes of it. And understandably, one would not want to spoil such a pastoral setting with a store and traffic. I suppose if the store is placed in an area which doesn't impede traffic and doesn't spoil the countryside views, it might be okay. Tesco has offered to set up bus service to and from town centre so people can shop in both locations, but being the purest I am, I'm not certain that would fly with Holmfirth residents. We shall see. I wonder what Nora, Compo, Clegg and Foggy would think of a Tesco store over by Compo's Cafe? Would there be a place for Howard and Marina to ride their bicycles away from prying eyes? Goodness, the shock of it all!!

Don't forget these fine eBooks available through http://www.smashwords.com/

or these

Good reading at a reasonable price.

Until the next time, happy reading. Stay warm and cuddle with the one you love.

The Town Gray Built

2011-11-23T13:42:00.000-06:00

These days we all seem so preoccupied with getting the best deals on "Black Friday." Funny how we seem to lose the meaning of Advent - lost in the plunder we bring home, but right now, this very minute, we should be planning for the coming of the Christ child - not how much we can spend on something we don't need.

My latest eBook reflects some of the meaning of Advent. Odd, it didn't start out as that, but the more I read it, the more I realized this IS an Advent story.

"The Town Gray Built" began as a dream. In fact, this IS the entire dream as it was given to me. This has happened only twice while I have been an author. The first was "Always Have - Always Will" and for some reason, I wasn't the writer, only the vehicle to put the message on paper. God has a funny habit of doing these things.

"The Town Gray Built" tells the story of Mary, a young woman who has been hired to manage a store on an island off the east coast and although she's quite enthusiastic about her new assignment, she finds the task a bit more complicated than just running a store. The town she moves to looks like something out of the Twilight Zone rather than a happy, bustling town. The place seems to be shrouded in a gray fog that envelopes everything - and everyone. Somehow the people of the island feel she can change that for them and Mary wonders what she's gotten herself into. After all, she is simply one person. What can she do?

But Mary perseveres in her new quest and this story reflects the success she hopes for. It's a story of love, redemption and the renewal of Christmas faith. Mary works her magic for the people of the town, called Sunshine, never thinking of herself in the process, but along the way, an unexpected blessing comes her direction and the sunshine is restored to the entire island.

Once again, "The Town Gray Built" has been published by Smashwords.com and is available now. The story is a "short" - too long for a short story but too short for a long novel, so I kept the price at $1.99 to make it affordable for everyone (and all these books can be read on a computer - you don't need an eReader for them!). All my ebooks come with a small price tag, too. Don't forget these: "Seven Doors of Time" @$4.99, "Always Have - Always Will" @$2.99 and "Good Old Uncle Norman" @$2.99. The prices reflect the size of the book. And of course, my fiction series in print at PublishAmerica.com with "Northwoods Forest Mystery", "Death Across the Pond", "The 'Ghost' in Bolton Hall" and "Murder and Pasta Don't Mix." Check the publisher for all their latest special prices, as they change quite often or you can get them through Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble.com and other book retailers. And you can check our web site for more details: http://www.thecookcompanies.com/

In this season of Advent, which we are about to enter, perhaps it's good to reflect on the true meaning of the season. It isn't Christmas, but the prelude TO Christmas. It isn't about giving gifts or spending money, but taking a look back at our year and seeing where we need to improve. This is a penitential season - one of great love, giving of oneself and faith. We live in the hope of a better and brighter new year and that we may benefit from the wisdom of reflection.

Heralding Autumn

2011-10-07T01:15:00.000-05:00

I adore September, when it rains then produces the most beautiful autumn foliage, however this year we started early, faltered and are now late. I had hoped for one of Wisconsin's most brilliant autumn displays, but alas, not yet.

Our weather has been clear, sunny and very warm for the past ten days. Now October, we will continue on this path for the next ten days and by the end of the next week, we should be in the 60's where we belong. Still, I would love to see some dazzle.

You can see a bit of colour here. This is the street up from us and it's always pretty. People are house proud here and La Crosse is a lovely place to live, even if there are no decent jobs here. Poor Mick has been out of work for eleven months now with nothing in sight. And that's sad.

But looking ahead, I am in the middle of writing four new novels - all true crime. No weddings, nothing terribly soppy, but I will be blowing things up, bumping people off, shooting weapons, etc. - the usual stuff. One has a historical theme to it, another is contemporary with an historic twist and the other two, well, I won't give those away. Suffice it to say, these are all under 25,000 words and will be on Smashwords.com for $2.99 each before the end of the year. And as always, there will be a free 20% download of each new book and with Christmas coming up, Smashwords may do a special pricing, so I will opt for that as well.

And just so you don't forget, here are the books currently for sale at Smashwords.com. You don't need an eReader to read them either. Just select the HTML choice and you can read the books on your computer. It's easy, fun and certainly cheaper than a movie and dinner!!

Always Have - Always Will (a Love story)
$2.99

Good Old Uncle Norman - A goofy Crime Drama, also $2.99

Seven Doors of Time

This book is a compilation of seven stories of various lengths, subjects and genre. This book took several years to write and has over 158,000 pages in it. Price is $4.99.

So there we are for October. Another Blog will be coming later in the week on another topic. My wish for you is fair weather and following seas...and beautiful Autumn colours!

Two new novels have just been published from author Karin Ficke Cook

2011-09-03T00:44:00.000-05:00

I am so pleased to announce Good Old Uncle Norman and Always Have - Always Will (at $2.99 each) were just published by Smashwords.com and are available in all formats for your eReader and your computer. They join Seven Doors of Time, which is a compilation of seven independent stories available at $4.99 - a higher price but for a much larger book. As always, there is a free 20% download to try out the novels first before you buy, just to see if you like them. "Seven" is longer, so it has a 30% free download.

Always Have - Always Will is a departure from my usual crime/mystery genre. This is a love story about a woman whose husband has just died from injuries sustained in a car accident. It was no one's fault - just a simple accident. But her heart is broken and she finds it difficult to move forward in her life.

Not wanting to face her first Christmas alone, the main character Molly O'Brien, decides to take a spiritual retreat to Medjugorje in Bosnia-Herzegovina to see if she can deal with the sadness and pain she isn't able to shake. She finds much more than she ever expected to find there, including love - love of The Father, Blessed Mother and her Son, but also from a new man in her life. There are new feelings to deal with and new situations, but in all, Molly finally finds the peace she's craved and a chance at another kind of happiness.

This book has been written for the Catholic/Christian market, but anyone who loves this type of story will enjoy reading it. At this time of global conflicts, our world is in serious need of positive experiences and people and this story is proof of that. Hopefully it will inspire you the way it inspired me to write it.

Good Old Uncle Norman is a crime story, but it has a very funny side to it - if that's possible. Take one slightly dotty uncle, the household staff, his family and some stupid criminals and you get this story line. Norman and his household staff devise a plan to bring two killers and thieves to justice and do it in a comical way. The family steps in and jumps into the plan, too. Even their goofy dog gets involved and the results are side-splitting hilarity. It leaves the police scratching their heads, too. Although this has a serious theme, if you want a good giggle, Good Old Uncle Norman and his friends deliver.

Just to keep you aware of all three books now published with Smashwords.com, Seven Doors of Time is the largest of the three. At around 158,347 words, it comprises seven stories with different plots, time frames and locations. Character development in these stories is paramount in the plots and I think you will like all of them, except you may want to punch out several of them - but not all in the same story!!! These stories took me a little over three years to write, while I was also writing others and they make a good mix of themes. Some stories are longer, two short and the others in between and one even has time travel involved. They were a blast to write, so I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I did writing their stories.

So now as I turn the corner to age 63, my feet are firmly planted in the literary world. It's taken a lot of hard work, some imagination and even more blunders to actually publish a good book. And quite frankly, I never understood just how hard I would have to work to get to this point. So this is retirement? I'm certainly not slowing down either. Two new novels are on their way in the next two months, with another two before the end of the year. Eventually all this hard work will pay off and my enjoyment will be the reader being entertained with my work. That's what it's all about for me.

Just go over to Smashwords.com and pull up my page, then take a look at the book descriptions and see which ones you are interested in. Or you can go to our web site at: http://www.thecookcompanies.com/ and get all the information you need for all seven of my books. (The other four are paper books available from PublishAmerica.com.) Enjoy reading and happy autumn!

New Book has Launched

2011-06-11T20:03:00.000-05:00

Today, 11 June, 2011, my new eBook, Seven Doors of Time, has successfully launched and is being published by Smashwords.com. They had the option for a sampling of the book, which I was delighted to accept, so readers could see what the book is all about.

This book is not a novel, but a collection of seven stories written over several years. Each story is different...different plots and locations, time periods, etc. One story is very short..only a couple of pages. Two are much longer and the others are right in the middle. The book totals 431 pages in the HTML version with over 158,000 words in total. That's a lot of writing. It's one of those books you can take on holiday, a weekend getaway or just to read when you want something light before going to bed at night. Just don't read the crime and murder stories before bed...or the one about ghosts and murder. You might have bad dreams!!

The link to find the book is: http://smashwords.com/b/66076 and you can either sample the book or order it. I thought the price of $2.99 US or £1.85 UK wasn't bad for the size of the book. It certainly beats the price of a movie!!! And you can have your own treats while you read!! Try taking a glass of wine into a movie theatre!

I'll be working on keeping things updated on the web sites and pages and you should see the book listed at major electronic retailers within a few weeks. It takes a little time to get it listed, but this is readable on almost every eReader available. Since this is my first foray into the electronic publishing industry, it will be interesting to see how well it does. If it is successful, there will be a sequel with seven more stories. But I can't rest on my laurels (nor would I), because there are new projects underway, with the novel about murder in Victorian Whitby, England, plus a very new project, my first ghost writing experience for a true crime mystery novel. I think I must be glued to my office chair, because all I seem to do it write...it that a good thing?

Even if you don't have an eReader, you can still read the book, because in the formats I have chosen, you can read it on your computer and/or laptop. Just go to the link above and see what it says.

Happy reading, everyone!

Love, Commitment and the Salvation Army

2011-02-16T20:18:00.000-06:00

When Mick and I were first married, we had everything we wanted - a nice home, two cars and whatever we needed. We had a deepening faith in the Lord and so much more. We volunteered at the church and I went back to college. There were so many wonderful things that lay ahead of us. Of course, sometimes when things are "too good", we can become complacent and never realize how great we have it.

Then things changed. My income was lost when my portfolio tanked. We lost our home, our cars, our posessions and were forced to leave the dream home I'd designed and built. It broke our hearts. However, our faith was strong and it was tested beyond where we ever thought it could be. But love and the commitment we made when we were married anchored us and bound us together.

Sometimes we feel as if all is lost when things fall apart. How can we stand alone to face the horrible things life throws at us? Leading a charmed life means nothing when you haven't faced adversity and there are no challenges to surmount. God doesn't give us anything we can't handle, so you have to pick yourself up and dust yourself off....then begin again.

Sure, I could get depressed or angry, but why? Things happen in life - that's a fact. Loved ones become ill and die. Illness strikes and you have to handle it. Sometimes being an adult isn't much fun and learning to do without all of those luxuries you feel you must have slams you back into reality that you CAN do without them. No Iphones, IPods, Ipads, High Def televisions, etc., they simply aren't necessary. But love and commitment are. There is no shame in being poor - you simply have to learn to re-prioritize.

When we had been in La Crosse for about four years, we ended up being forced out of our home by an unscrupulous leasing agent and we had to live at the Salvation Army for a month. We had to give up our beloved pets, one of whom died during our ordeal. Mick and I were separated at night and the only time we really saw one another was after work for a couple of hours. That was it. People kept asking us how we could still smile through all the adversity we were in and we explained it was simple. We had made a commitment through the good times and the bad. Through sickness and health and through want and plenty. And we put our focus on God and His constant love for us. He is always the third person in our marriage - always.

After we found this apartment and our wonderful landlord Dave, things began to look up. Then Mick got laid off for six months. And I had to give up working because of my Post Polio. I poured my time into writing and finished up the final two books, getting them into print, but probably because of the cost, they haven't sold very well. But that's okay. Another learning experience and that's a good thing.

Now, Mick is unemployed again and our economy hasn't picked up yet. He has health problems and is trying to quit smoking...not an easy task after doing it for 42 years. One step forward - three steps backward. But once again, the tests come...and go. We are still standing strong.

For those who are considering marriage, just married or those oldsters (like us) who have been married for a long time, it's always good to look back and see what kind of glue is holding you together. God's love is for Eternity. It's very real and tangible. And it really doesn't matter what denomination you belong to - God knows your heart - what you really need to make your life complete. For us, the challenges we face could have torn us apart numerous times and we still have many more to go. But our love and commitment are strong and even the Salvation Army experience made us stronger.

Thanks to my friend Alma for her floral photos.

The Memory of Frost...

2011-01-06T20:24:00.000-06:00

John Crane Watercolour

I think about all the winters of my youth, replete with overloads of snow. None of this two to three feet business, but five, seven or ten feet of it...all in one storm. I remember the winters of the 1950's in Iowa and for me, they were magical. I had the best snowmen - over fix feet tall. There were rides down Duck Creek Park hill on my aluminum saucer with my Boston Bull terrier Mickey scrambling after me all the way down. He just hated that saucer!

And there was always a fire in the fireplace, stories by the firelight and hot chocolate with the mini-marshmallows in it. I can still smell the cookies baking in the kitchen and see my family around the table for supper (dog smacking his lips under the table). Those were the days we actually ate supper together. No television - right to the homework. Basically television was only for Saturday and Sundays. Music was always playing, however and once in a great while, Dad would get out his Benny Hill recordings. Mom was aghast at those, because they were too "blue" for her taste and naturally I was too young to hear such raunchy things. But if anyone knows me well, they will tell you I can hear dust falling!! I just loved those albums!!! And now they are classics! And boy, are they tame!

But in school, I will always remember reading the poetry of Robert Frost. His thoughts were so simple - nothing complicated or obtuse. No wonder he was an American Poet Laureate. My very favourite one is "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." And here it is:

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping there

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Those wonderful nights when I could walk through the deep snow, listening to the snow falling on the ground, tweak memories of being in love, sharing those walks with someone who was also attuned to the falling snow and enjoyed such a simple pleasure with me. I hope that wherever he is, he will still take the time to wander through a snowy footpath in the pristine snow, listening to those frosted flakes of diamond encrusted snow as they fall on the branches.

Robert Frost reminds us to savour the simple pleasures of life...snow, nature, a child's smile. And perhaps, as I have grown older, I can appreciate those memories in a deeper way...innocence, wonder or love. Those are the warm fuzzies of my childhood and a fantastic base for being an adult. I'll never give up those dreams and memories - they will be tucked away in that tiny place in my heart where the good things are kept forever.

I'll stop by the woods on my way home tonight and smell the fresh air God has created for me. And I'll never take this for granted...nor the snowy woods on a winter's evening.

The "Holidays" are for the Birds

2011-01-03T14:13:00.000-06:00

Why do people always celebrate "The Holidays?" You have Hanukkah which is a beautiful celebration of Hebrew Tradition. You have Christmas, which is the birthday celebration of Jesus Christ. Then there is Kwanzaa - a celebration of the African culture. And last but certainly not least, there is the New Year's Day celebration - football at it's finest and another day off from work. The only "holiday" in here is actually New Year's Day. The others celebrations of culture and one birthday..they aren't holidays. I suppose I should mention Boxing Day - December 26th as a holiday, because people have that off (unless you are in retail) and people shop 'till they drop, so technically that IS a holiday. But not everyone has Boxing Day to celebrate, so it's really only one. It's not here in the United States. But you can find it in the UK and other countries - just not here. So one holiday will have to do.

This is what holidays mean to me. It's a vacation on the West Coast of Ireland..in Connemara. I've been all over the world with my family and as a travel agent, but I always seem to come back here to give me peace in my life. I wind down, I relax and soak up the tranquil atmosphere that is the Wild West. Mick and I find commonality here. He was a seminarian in Galway, Ireland with the Redemptorists. Back in the 70's, Mick and I were actually in the same place at the same time, but never met.

Yes, it seems rather odd, but that's how things sometimes happen. But if asked where we would want to retire (other than the UK, of course), it would he here, with friends and family along the Atlantic sea coast. There is something familiar about it, something historic and ancient. While thoroughly modern, there is a laid back attitude and "Irish Time" we love. There are places where time has stood still and I feel the generations of my family still with me as I walk along the rocky pathways near the shore. The beach beacons as I trudge through the grasses, then onto the sand and the tide pools show me a world I never knew existed. How fun to simply be and see God's handiwork everywhere I look. What do I see here? There are tiny sea creatures in the tide pools, plus wonderful shells and other sea debris. There are tiny fish who seem to leap at me in joy. The seaweed has unfurled itself in a dense green display, ever shifting as the tide washes over it. There is always something new to see here.

As I become older, my memories fade just a bit, but most of them are still vivid. Ten years ago, my sister Deb and I made our sisters' pilgrimage to the Republic to see the sights and visit my old haunts. It was wonderful. We toured through the Waterford Glass Factory, stayed in THE most unusual and delightful B&B in Ardmore, County Waterford. And of course, we had to spend a good deal of time at Ben View House in Clifden with my friends Eileen and Des Morris. They grew up in the house. Deb and I drove up to Westport and had lunch on the Quay. We went to Kylemore Abbey and took hundreds of photographs. We also went up to Sligo then back down to Kleggan and Clifden, all the while seeing the rugged coastline, the awesome mountain ranges and the plethora of sheep - many of them in the road as we drove! Now that's what I call a holiday.

Clifden, Connemara, County Galway, Ireland from the bay 2000.

And onto Epiphany 2011

2010-12-29T13:25:00.000-06:00

I am reminded about the cold winter weather when I look outside my back door and see one of these - huge icicles. This was taken a couple of days ago and it seemed to have grown about three inches in length each day, but sadly our warmer temperature today gave the icicle its demise. Mick was concerned it would fall down and if someone were standing under it, it could be deadly, so he knocked it down.

Because of my Post Polio and my tendency to fall, I rarely go outside in winter. It's dangerous for me to even try. I must enjoy my winter from the window or doorway. But it gives me more time to write. A new story line came to me last night and this is a psychological mystery, rather than simply a murder mystery. I've tentatively called it, Portal to Death and it's a story of a real estate agent in New Hampshire who stumbles across a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) property and an enthusiastic owner willing to make a deal. The problem is, the real estate agent is new to the area and has no knowledge of the property's history. It was a mental hospital for many years known for its brutal and almost savage treatment of its patients. The owner tried to make it into a bed and breakfast, but found it impossible to make renovations or redecorate without strange things happening to the workers. Tools would be misplaced, paint cans spilled, workers hit or slapped, glass broken in windows and a simmering howl could be heard in the hallways. One by one the workers would leave the project and the owner simply gave up. It would be up to the real estate agent to find a buyer and at the same time, maintain her sanity. And in this case, she will be in for the fight of her life.

I think that sounds like a perfectly good story to me and could be part of my next book of stories. I doubt, however, it could be made long enough for an independent book. But who knows?

The eBook is still in process. I never realized how difficult editing it would be after changing the formatting. It's making certain none of the content has been lost during the change and that takes the time. However, I think I should be ready to submit in a couple of weeks, since I am making sure it doesn't go through the "Meatgrinder" and get rejected. Whoever thought writing a book would be so difficult?

Now that we are moving into the new year, I am reminded that Epiphany is the time when the Magi gave the Christ Child their gifts. These kings and wealthy men gave gifts they felt would help Jesus as He began His life here on earth. Certainly the Gold would have helped when the Holy Family had to flee Herod's slaughter of the babies and children. But Myrrh and Frankincense seemed to be more symbolic than useful. How often do we receive gifts during this time which are useful - or are they merely symbolic of something else? Gifts of love, wisdom, courage - all are symbolic. A plasma, high def flat screen tv is useful. But which gifts last longer and carry more weight in our lives - the television or the symbolic gifts? It's something to really think about, especially now as the new year is upon us. Which gifts will last long into our hearts and lives - and which gifts will we carry to Eternity with us? Unfortunately, Christmas has gotten out of hand and the real meaning of Christmas has generally been lost. This isn't the time for giving expensive gifts, seeing who can outdo who in setting up light displays or who can throw the biggest party. This is the time to Celebrate the Birth of Our Lord. If you don't believe in Jesus Christ or you simply give Him lip service, then please, do not celebrate Christmas. Have a nice day off from work. But also remember, God sees what we are doing. And He takes notes.

Right now my thoughts are with our military and their families. There are too many away from home during Christmas and New Year's. There is a great emptiness they all feel. Many of us are travelling this Holiday Season, too and if you see one (or more) of our military personnel, please remember to thank them for their service. All it takes is a smile, a simple thank you and maybe a handshake to let them know they are thought about and appreciated. It will make their being away from home at this time of year a bit more bearable and also help them to know they are making a difference wherever they are serving.

Happy New Year to all of you and your families as we swing into 2011.

A Christmas Tree and the Eggs

2010-12-09T16:54:00.000-06:00

This year, I decided we should replace our 8" tree with miniature ornaments on it with something a bit larger. I had found a box containing goose and duck eggs my sister Janice had decorated in 1968 and 1974 for each family member. She'd cleaned each egg (as they were in the barnyard), pulled out the insides and dried them, then lovingly decorated each egg according to the person's likes or passions. My Mother's eggs have pheasant feathers around the openings and a tiny ceramic French Poodle and/or bird inside. Each egg has the person's name on the back, along with the year and Jan's name (and the rest of the family). And each egg has incredible detailing on the sides and back. Out of the eight eggs, only one had been broken. So for next year, I will make one for Mick and one for each of his brothers, along with one for Jan. That will complete the tree.

Now that our Christmas decorating is complete (except for finding two wreathes for inside doors), we are back on track for Advent. I knew there would be a way for me to tie in our nativity set with the tree...and here it is.

You can see the eggs in a little more detail here.

The snow is still coming down and temperatures are falling into the sub-zero category. I haven't seen it this cold so early in December - ever. We are supposed to have -10 Saturday night. I'm glad I stay in here most of the time.

I'm looking forward to making my Christmas gift to myself. Years ago, I found some Peacock-coloured Freshwater pearls and I made a rosary. I use it all the time and even sleep with it. But I thought this year I would make another one for myself. I found the same size, but they are Copper Peacock in colour, so these will be fabulous for my new rosary. I make them industrial strength, because they are used so much!!!

Now I am focusing on getting the new e-book out. "Seven Doors Of Time" should be out at Christmas, baring all obstacles. Launch news will appear here and on our web sites. Until the next blog, may you all have a blessed Advent as we anticipate the Birth of Our Lord.

Second Week of Advent Reflections

2010-12-06T14:48:00.000-06:00

Both Mick and I have the Menorah in our blogs this week. And we both focus on the symbolism of bringing light to the world. The Festival of Light in the Hebrew Faith reminds us that by depending on and following our faith, miracles happen. When there was only one more day's worth of oil in the Menorah, the concern was it wouldn't last. However, with prayer not only did the oil last another day, but eight days in total, allowing more oil to be pressed, thereby keeping the light from being extinguished.

How like the Menorah are we as people? Do we have a reserve of oil left in us somewhere to tide us over until we can get more? Is faith to us similar to a Menorah in that for most of us, our faith runs deep within us and allows us to shine through the darkness? Christ is our Light. He is that reservoir which fills us with faith. And it's this light which comes through in the way in which we live our lives, how we present ourselves to the world and to one another. Our joy should radiate through us as the light of the Menorah shown for the Ancient Hebrews. Jesus Christ is our Lighthouse - a beacon of light guiding the tired traveller home.

This Advent, we reflect upon our lives and events of the past year - what happened and how best to change the negatives into positives. Jesus' birth celebrates a rebirth in us and the coming New Year gives us the opportunity to make resolutions for positive change in our lives. But we should do that each day, not simply once a year. Life is a struggle. The world throws challenges at us daily and we must be prepared to deal with each and every one of them, with dignity and humanity. Others will not. But as people of faith, this is who we are and whether you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim or Buddhist (or another faith), our tenants are to respect others, not to criticize but to learn and grow. And forgiveness is essential. We may not like what other people do to us - it may even be criminal in nature, but although we can never forget what they did, we must be forgiving of their atrocity. Loving our enemies is a daunting task, but it is one of the things Jesus asks of us. If He could forgive those who crucified Him, how can we do less?

I am reminded of those who will not be with us this Christmas and for Mick and me, that's everyone we love. Our families don't live around here and there are many members of our family who have departed for Heaven, where they will celebrate in magnificent style. It's not about the gift giving, as we no longer do that, but about being with those we love and sharing the Good News of the Birth of Jesus Christ - the Light who came into the world to save us. Right now I miss our cat Tyler who I am holding in the photo at left. He adored Christmas trees and the lights. He was always my little light that never seemed to dim. And he would never run away when I took out my rosary to pray, either. Simon Peter was the same way. Both cats would sit and listen to my prayers or when I would read from the Bible or Missal. Could they have been simply kitty polite? Or did they really understand? We'll never know. What I do know, my life must be a reflection of who Christ wants me to be. That takes a lot of work. And that's what Advent is all about.

Hey Baby it's Cold Outside

2010-12-04T16:49:00.000-06:00

Winter is always cold. At least in Wisconsin it is. I'd rather be in Penzance in the UK where it's gorgeous ALL the time, but you can't have everything. But at the beginning of THIS year, things are slightly off centre.

What you see here is our normal winter scenery. This was from three years ago, but could very well be what we are experiencing in a week or so. Being right on the Mississippi River, I can't actually say we get 'river effect' snow (similar to lake effect snow) but it must pick up some moisture to make this super thick snow.

I'm slowly getting into the Christmas Season of Goodwill, but it's a bit difficult with Mick's medical tests and all the discussions. Puts a bit of a palour on things. However, this Advent we consider why we celebrate at Christmas and I can see a light beginning to shine in the East!

There isn't much left of my Christmas village, but some of the pieces are still in a box. This will have to do. The David Winter house in the centre was a bit mangled when I took it out but now it looks perfect. I do good work!! I'll get a Christmas tree on Friday and get that ready, plus a few more figures for the nativity creche. Then I will be finished for this year.

I like this watercolour by John Crane. John told me this was painted from a scene outside of Woodstock, New York. It could be right here in La Crosse, because this is what our countryside looks like. I had a signed lithograph of this but it's been lost in moving. The good thing is I can get another one. The tough part is finding John and getting him to sigh the new one!!! I love the scerenity of this farm scene, nestled in the snow.

Now is my time to focus on the spirit of December. It's good wishes for all my family and friends. It's prayers for a successful year ahead and for all the dreams and wishes they want to come true. Mick and I have only a few things on our needs list this year...to find out why the xrays look as they do...for a job for Mick and furniture for our little flat. We don't have wants...unless it's sharing a nice glass of wine, cuddled up in front of a warm fire, watching the snow falling gently on the rolling hills. We must settle for a cup of coffee or tea, bundled up in woolies watching the eegits crash into each other - or take out the road signs next to the house!!! But our real "wish" is for Peace in the world. For an end to conflict, both globally and domestically. Perhaps this coming year we will finally have the Peace Our Lord has spoken so often about. We need it. We crave it but we so lack the ability to obtain it. That would be the most wonderful gift of all....Peace.

Eegits on Wheels

2010-12-03T21:21:00.000-06:00

Hahahaha.....will wonders never cease to entertain me? I'm listen to and watching people spinning their wheels on the two inches of snow as they are sliding into the intersection of a major road. These cowboys have no conception of how to drive on snow and ice. They holler and swear, run around the car and get all pumped up. I'm standing in the doorway out of sight in the dark laughing my head off. I learned to drive on ice and snow - on hills, so I know everything they are doing wrong. And people wonder why their insurance rates are so high!!

Yep, it's been a crazy day, but I think a productive one. We spent the entire afternoon at the hospital - most of it waiting, and waiting, and waiting. But we met a very decent, caring doctor and great support staff, plus we were able to get a voucher for the cab fare home. Oh yes, and Mick met that funny pirate fella.... Jack...Jack-something. You know, it's terrible to be poor, but a very expensive way to learn life's lessons.

I'd really love it if Tyler could come home for a visit, but I wouldn't let him leave. He loved this Christmas tree so much. The shells sparkled and Tyler was a high-maintenance kitty...thought they were gems.

Oh boy...someone has a snow blower going. I'll take some photos in the morning of our first major snowfall of the year. Tyler would love it.

I certainly didn't expect this.

2010-12-02T19:28:00.000-06:00

There are some days that are good - and some downright trashy. Yesterday was the latter. Sometimes things hit you out of the blue when you least expect it. We went to the pulmonologist to discuss Mick's COPD treatment and the doctor began to discuss lung cancer. SMACK with a wet kipper. So, tomorrow we will see another pulmonologist who will do a biopsy to determine what we are dealing with. I'm armed with questions to ask and ready to hear what the doctor has to say. Mick and I want to know.

We've already decided that whatever we hear, we can deal with. For us, God is in control of our lives and we will turn this all over to Him (which we have already). This seems to be in an early stage and that's extremely helpful. Now, to find out how to combat it.

Snow is on the way 4-7 inches overnight tomorrow and sub-zero temperatures. Winter is definitely here. We won't have as much snow as the UK has right now, but it will be some. I'll try to get some pictures on here in the next few days.

I'm on track for the new book...ready for publication next Friday. Hopefully we will have it ready before the Christmas gift-giving rush (if there is something of this type in an e-book market)...and I'm on to the two new novels and the second volume of stories, which I hope will follow in six months or so.

Happiness is a pair of fuzzy slippers - but not cheese.

2010-11-30T20:32:00.000-06:00

I cleaned out the fridge the other day and found a package of cheese which seemed to have a life of its own. I thought I saw it moving, but wasn't sure. After all, we just got rid of the mouse population in the building. I seem to see them all over the house...phantom meece. I will take a nice pair of warm fuzzy slippers (not made from mouse fur) over that bag-o-fuzzy cheese.

Tomorrow I have to attend an appointment with Mick at the doctor's to find out about his treatment. It shouldn't be a big deal...except for his stop smoking programme. Now that might be the worst part of the treatment. Emphysema he can handle. Calcified lung tissue, sure. Stop smoking? Wellllll???

So the next couple of weeks might be a little rough around here. Hopefully we can tackle this with humour and probably a lot of prayer. And it would also be great if Mick's company called him back to work. That would be a nice Christmas present.

Black Friday and Other Stupid Ideas - Plus...

2010-11-27T16:00:00.000-06:00

Black Friday is the dumbest idea anyone has come up with. First of all, people get up before 12:00 AM, dress in eight layers, stand in line for hours, then trample everyone else trying to get inside the store for that "perfect" gift, while saving a bundle doing it. We over spend on everything and for what? This is Advent people. Get a grip! It isn't Christmas and this is the time of year when we celebrate the upcoming birthday of Jesus Christ. This is actually a penitential time of year - one of reflection and introspection. Yes, we should buy a gift or two for our loved ones to give when Christmas gets here. Yes, we do need to support our merchants and increase our economy, but going overboard sends the wrong message to our kids. They expect all kinds of expensive things they don't need - but want because everyone else has to have them. Wrong, wrong, wrong. You can't buy your children's love with things. It's called parenting - not spending money.

When I was a kid, my parents - to the right - gave me one gift each. Chanel No. 5 from Dad (when I was a teen), something Mom hand made for me (always, well almost anyway) and Granny gave me a savings bond. There was one gift from the Chicago cousins and that was it. I think my sister Jan and I exchanged something when we got older. And we all went to church as a family on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day we opened gifts and invited people for Christmas lunch who didn't have anyone to celebrate with. And sometimes we didn't even know them!

Not everyone shares the Christian traditions of Advent and Christmas. But simply because a person isn't a follower, it doesn't mean they can't enjoy the sights and sounds of the Season. There is plenty to enjoy. And for our brothers and sisters who share a different tradition, such as Hannukah or Kwanza, it gives us a chance to learn about their holiday, traditions and culture. To me, it's a win-win situation and it makes me happy to see what they enjoy. There is richness in every tradition. And it's also a time of respecting others.

Advent is a festive time of year when we share what we have. We decorate our homes with ornaments passed down through the generations. We add to those each year (well, many families do). Many share an Advent wreath and light the candles to mark the weeks coming up to Christmas. We live the traditions of the generations which came before us with food, stories, decorations and love. By giving of ourselves, we receive so much in return. This is the time for sharing memories of our own childhoods, creating new memories with our children and grandchildren. We may not all live in a two parent family unit. Some families are single parent homes. Some are grandparent homes and many are blended families, like mine is now. But this is the one time of year when we can all include everyone and show that by giving our love and sharing what we have, it brings the message of Love, Peace and Hope to all those we encounter. For when we meet a stranger, we are seeing Christ in them and how can we refuse Our Lord?

As we begin this Advent Season on Sunday, may it be a time of reflection for all of us. May we honour those who will not be with us this year and are celebrating with us in Heaven. May we remember those who are in our military and unable to return until their tours are done. And we can keep their families in our prayers as well. This is a time of great love and expressing that love to our family members and friends. Tomorrow is another day and we may never be able to tell them again - so say it often...and mean it.

May you all have a blessed Advent and wonderous Christmas. For me, I will be following a star in the East... (and no, it isn't the International Space Station.)

Something New

2010-11-25T14:47:00.000-06:00

I've been complaining for a while now that my profile picture is a bit outdated. Not that I don't like it - it's on my last book, but we finally got a decent few shots today and both Mick and I think they aren't bad at all. So here they are. If you want, you can vote on which one you like best.

Actually, this last one is my favourite. I'll probably use it on my other author's web pages.

The Results Show

2010-11-24T20:09:00.000-06:00

We have the results from Mick's tests. He does NOT have cancer, but he does have Emphysema and calcification on his lung. So we will see the pulmonologist on Wednesday next week to hear what type of treatment Mick will have. My guess is a nebulizer, and/or B-Pap or C-Pap for night-time. And the doctor could give him some Spiriva or other med. Plus, since he must now stop smoking, the doctor will work with him to design the right program for Mick. It's a great new beginning to get Mick healthy again.

We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and although we really don't do anything different on this day (since we don't have family or friends here to celebrate with), we will have a quiet day of reflection and give thanks for all the prayers of our prayer warriors, a warm home to share and a better outlook for the coming year. Hopefully Mick will be called back to work next week and if not, then we will deal with that as well.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our family and friends in the US. And for our UK/Ireland friends and family - hope you have good shovels. And no, we didn't send you the nasty weather this time!!

And now we wait.

2010-11-22T18:21:00.000-06:00

Mick has had a chest infection for a while now - as in over three years, so he finally went to the doctor and got some antibiotics. The doctor decided a chest x-ray was a good idea, so Mick got one and there was a 1.5 centimeter nodule on the left lung. And the doctor told him to stop smoking. Okay, so this afternoon, Mick went in for a CT scan and blood work. And now we wait. We probably won't know the results until next week, as the clinic is only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Thanksgiving is this coming Thursday.

Mick isn't that worried, but it will be either nothing or something. If it's nothing, then that's great. It rules out anything nasty. But if it's the latter, then that's something. We will have to face that if it happens. Thankfully, Mick has a strong faith and knows that if this is the big "C", God will get him through it. And if he should pop his cloggs, he will meet the in-laws...and Granny!! He's actually looking forward to that, because he would like the folks. However, he is hoping not to meet them for some time yet.

So now we wait. And we pray. Now we are tested. Just when you think things are moving ahead, you get smacked down. So for those of you who pray, we could use a couple of prayers.

Thanksgiving Week

2010-11-20T20:34:00.000-06:00

I thought about cooking a turkey in our oven but Mick wouldn't fit in it. Then I thought about baking dumplings, and I knew I wouldn't fit in the pan. So what to do?

Perhaps we should go out for a nice meal. Nope, that's a waste of $40. We could always cook a turkey pot pie and call it a day - but that's really not terribly exciting. So I think we may opt for what we always do - a turkey roll, stuffing and cranberries. That's quick, easy and relatively inexpensive. Okay, done deal.

We have a lot to be thankful for this year. We have a nice little flat (although with only a couple of chairs to sit on), but it's warm, cozy and quiet. My book will be coming out soon and we have good friends throughout the world who keep us enlightened and informed. We have a deep and abiding faith in God and in one another. We may not have the earthly treasures most covet, but we delight in the riches of the Spirit. And that's everything to us.

For those who read this blog, I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. May you all feel truly blessed at this time of the year and always.

November News from the Scriptorium

2010-11-15T11:05:00.000-06:00

Greetings from Wisconsin. It's becoming colder here in "Gods Country", along with the snow, like the photo on the left (from the front of our flat) - perhaps for Thanksgiving?? The coming months will bring new things emerging from the Scriptorium. I have a new e-book coming out called "Seven Doors of Time" and if all goes well, it should be ready by Thanksgiving or the beginning of December. This is my first foray into the burgeoning genre of electronic books. My books could be rated as family oriented, but children wouldn't like them. Going by a movie rating, I'd say PG-13 sounds about right.

"Seven Doors of Time" contains seven independent stories written in different 'voices' with an array of subjects. I'm always fond of writing weddings into my books, so four of the stories have short wedding scenes. The other three stories don't lend themselves to weddings at all!! There is plenty of romance (no sex scenes in anything I write), a bit of mayhem, time travel and paranormal activity, lots of theft, lying and stupid people, plus a story line which deals with environmental issues, one dealing with crime and drugs, money laundering and cartels. These stories took over two years to write, as I was also working on other books at the time. A second book is planned after I see how well an e-book goes over. This will be published first with Smashwords.com, then later Kindle and PubIt. And if all goes well in this venue, then I will publish the book in either hard cover or paperback. I'm looking at a cost of around $3.95-$4.95 for the e-book and may even offer it free for a trial period to see how it goes. A portion of the proceeds from this e-book will go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation who, along with Rotary International, help bring Polio vaccines to poor countries. Because I had Polio as a child and now have Post Polio Syndrome some 40-odd years on, I want to do what I can to save a child - or many children from having to suffer with the debilitating effects of Polio. Yes, it's still around and we want to do all we can to eradicate it.

And I decided to resurrect my dot com as well. If you go to http://www.karinfickecook.com/, you will also find a link back to the family web site, which gives photos and details of what we've been up to. Hubby Mick keeps this updated (I hope). The dot com has a starter page, but eventually I want to expand it to include excerpts from the new book.

So I'm off to continue working on the new book. Once everything gets formatted for Smashwords, then becomes ready to launch, I'll post the details here.