Book Review - Her Fake Romance by Donna Fasano

Growing up I loved romance novels. Loved the idea of being in love and living happily ever after. Somewhere between my early teenage and adult years romance books became a formula - same story, different town or country. And then they really changed. Instead of giving me a tantalizing view of passion that left me breathless and warm all over I got a detailed description of sex. I found myself moving away from the genre as I was no longer entertained, but basically bored.

In the last year I've found myself delving back into the genre with Indie authors.  A new journey, and one so far I'm truly enjoying. Yesterday I started Her Fake Romance by Donna Fasano.  I had work to do, and things I needed to accomplish, but once I started--well, the day was over until the book was finished. I loved it. Loved the story, the characters and yes--I loved the ending.

Ryan need a female partner to escape the amorous advances of a friend's daughter, and Julia needed to show her teenage daughter she wasn't just a workaholic, and that she did know how to have fun. Neither believed in love or happy endings and neither wanted a "relationship".   They became the perfect "fake" couple.

Looking for characters true to life, and a story that will pull you in from the very first page and keep you there all the way to the end?  Don't miss this one!




Other books by Donna Fasano

Casseroles and The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery - Meet the Characters

Shoepeg Corn Casserole

1/2 C. chopped onion
1/3 C. green pepper
1/2 C. Celery
1 C. French green beans - drained
1 C. shoepeg corn
1 C. celery soup
1 8 oz. sour cream
1/2 C. cheese - grated
Salt and pepper to taste
1 stack Ritz crackers
1 stick oleo - melted

Sauté onion, green pepper, and celery. Add remaining ingredients except crackers and butter. Crumble crackers as a topping. Dribble melted butter over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

English Pea Casserole

1 sm. Onion - chopped
1 green bell pepper - chopped
1 stick butter
2 cans English peas - drained
1 C. water chestnuts chopped (with liquid)
1 can mushroom soup

Sauté onion and pepper in butter. Add peas, water chestnuts and mushroom soup. Put in square baking dish and top with buttered crumbs. Brown until bubbly and crumbs are brown.

Sweet Potato Casserole

1 lg. can sweet potatoes
1/2 stick margarine
1/2 t. apple pie spice
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 eggs
3/4 C. condensed milk
2/3 C. potato juice
1/4 t. vanilla

Heat potatoes and juice. Drain and save 3/4 cup juice. Mash margarine with potatoes. Add apple pie spice, sugar, eggs, condensed milk, potato juice, and vanilla. Beat all together in mixer. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Put mixed topping on baked casserole. Place under broiler until brown.


Topping
1/4 stick oleo
1/2 C. sugar
2 T. milk
1/4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1/2 C. pecan halves


Hamburger Casserole

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons butter
4 medium sized potatoes
2 onions
1 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
1 cup tomato soup

Brown the beef in skillet with butter. Cut potatoes in 1/2 inch cubes and spread in a baking dish. Cover with half the meat. Add half the soup and a sliced onion. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat, using remaining ingredients. Bake 1 1/2 hours in a 350 degree oven. More soup may be added during baking if needed.




Gavin The nightmares were getting stronger, the screams louder, closer. And this time there had been blood and pain. The knot in his stomach still hurt, and there was a strange ache in his chest. An eerie sadness. “What the hell have I done?” he whispered.

Sarah She hated the dreams. Hated the feeling of helplessness they created inside her as the dying reached out, sending messages to loved ones, or crying out for vengeance against their attacker. Only this time the dream had been different. This time the message was for Sarah.

Carl “Didn’t expect an old biddy like you to hit a man so hard.” He groaned, opening his eyes and glaring at Millie. Clarence stepped next to Millie, placing an arm protectively around her shoulders. “I’m afraid I hit you, Mr. Jackson. Saw you skulking around and followed you.” Carl turned his fierce gaze on Clarence, but held his tongue. The old fart looked pretty tough, even barefoot. Besides, he wasn’t in any shape to take on the two of them.

Rob The words cleared the remaining fog from Rob’s brain. Taking the mug of steaming coffee from Carl’s hand, he sat down at the table. His head still pounded, but his eyes were sharp and clear, his voice strong, “I’ve got your back, Carl.”

Nikki
A heartbreaking smile lit up the small face. Gavin found himself entranced, images flowing through his mind. He could see himself teaching her to play ball, pacing the floor while she was out on her first date, walking her down the aisle. He mentally shook himself, dispelling the images as he concentrated on what she was saying. “I’m going to write books some day about a beautiful ballerina who travels all over the world and solves crimes and helps people.”

Millie Millie couldn’t stop herself from lifting the blinds and taking a quick peek to see if he was still there. A slight pang of disappointment filled her when she saw he had already entered the flower shop. “Flirtatious old coot,” she muttered to herself as she opened the bookstore for business. Always calling me Millicent. She stopped her muttering as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror behind the counter. The slight flush on her cheeks and sparkle in her eyes belied her age, as did the spring in her walk. The old fool had her feeling like a teenager. Maybe she’d just take a walk over there and see those new roses. He could probably use a good cup of coffee. Might even ask him over for dinner one night. Possibilities. The old coot had definite possibilities.

Joshua Taking the mike, Joshua lowered his voice. “Listen, Sarah, get everybody you can out to the old mill on Elliott Pike. I’m sending Gavin back with Nikki. I’ll stay here and watch Cooper until backup arrives.” Joshua clicked off, his eyes meeting Gavin’s over Nikki’s head. “That’s the way it’s gonna be, partner." Gavin nodded. He knew somebody had to stay. “No heroes?” Joshua grinned, popping a fresh toothpick between his teeth. “I ain’t the hero type.”

Clarence Millie smiled, still running her hand over the smooth surface. “She’s a real classic.” “Yep.” Clarence moved in, putting his arm around her. “Classics are hard to find today. When I find one, I tend to hold onto it.”

Writing - Character Development - Body Language and Show Don't Tell - Part Three

One of the things I love about writing these blogs is that I learn as much as I share. My approach is rather simple at times, but developing real life characters is as simple as watching those around you or a good TV show or movie. Profiling – the physical looks of your character, as well as their little ticks and quirks, and then adding the internal mental/emotional baggage to their persona.

Kentucky has a comedian that has always used real life episodes for his comedy. He can truly entertain you for hours as real life is often funnier than fiction. Of course, if we’re lucky few of us know serial killers or the “bad” guys/gals we write about. Or perhaps we do, and once again if we’re lucky we don’t become a part of their agenda.

I was watching Criminal Minds last night. It was an old show, and one I’ve seen before. But truthfully I’ve never really seen the killer in the light I saw him last night. The show opens with him in his house and his actions clearly show you in the first few minutes that he’s obsessive compulsive. Perhaps someone unfamiliar with obsessive compulsive order at first glance in the apartment would merely sum him up as a neat freak. But closer examination of his movements, the three turns of the door handle before opening it, the measured number of brushes with the tooth brush, the fanatical placing of items exactly as they were before he picked them up all point to something more than just neatness.

As I’ve been blogging on facial expressions I watched his this time. He has a look of innocence, and possibly a little “book wormish”. Not unattractive, but what some of us older people would have labeled “geekish” in our day. Even though I’d seen this show before I at first saw him as the victim (which if I remember correctly, he was a victim as a child, so perhaps that image wasn’t totally off). He leaves the apartment walking down the street and an older woman drops something as she’s getting into her car. He picks it up and gives it to her. A nice, quiet, helpful young man. And so polite. As I stated, he has a look of innocence, and also a look of skittishness. Not someone you would expect as confrontational.

He approaches a house for sale where he’s greeted by the realtor. This throws me in his character just a little, for this action requires a certain boldness. It’s broad daylight, and anyone could walk into this house at any time. He allows her to see the knife for just a moment before he moves in close, shoving the knife underneath her heart. Here his facial expression is truly a work of art. He closes his eyes, his head tilts back just a fraction, and a look of total satisfaction crosses his face. Perhaps sexual satisfaction, but the one thing you know for sure is something about shoving the knife into this woman relieved some inner need. An inner need so strong it was impossible for him to overcome it.

The woman stumbles away and he asks her in a voice that has just the right amount of innocence and curiosity – “Where are you going?”

He follows her as she stumbles into the living room and sits down on the couch. He isn’t too close, not threatening nor helping. He leans over her and looks into her eyes watching her die. Here once again his face is a painting of curiosity, as if he has no understanding of what he’s done, or the consequences of his actions.

My first thoughts—wow, a perfect killer and one no one would see coming. And even though you fear the character you also have just a little sympathy for him because you realize immediately this isn’t who he wants to be—it simply is what life has made him.

Profiling – your characters must fit your story in age, physical looks and internal emotional/mental baggage and/or needs. Work with them by watching others who have similar “needs”. Start with people you know describing them in ways that would probably surprise them, as well as may surprise you as you look underneath the physical persona. Keep a note pad by your side as you’re watching your favorite movie and profile the characters. Play with it and have fun. The next time you sit down to write I believe you’ll find your characters taking on new life.

Writing - Character Development - Body Language and Show Don't Tell - Part One

Readers expect a great deal more than just words on a page. They want to become a part of the story. Be able to not only see the characters and the scenery, but also feel the love, hate, joy and emotional tension of every scene. Every character has a specific physical look, but they also have internal mechanisms that affect their physical appearance. For Part 1 we're going to take a look at Anger and the physical attributes that a character might express that will clue in the reader to the emotional status of the character. In other words, we're going to show the body language related to anger.

The word Anger is often used to describe a variety of emotions - resentment, wrath, rage, fury, passion, indignation, displeasure, vexation. Most of these are associated with a strong feeling of extreme displeasure accompanied by a desire to punish the object of your displeasure. Anger can be passive or aggressive. Today I'm going to focus on facial expression of anger.

Facial Expressions of Anger:

The face is a perfect indicator of human moods and emotions. And a perfect writing tool to emphasize the emotional turmoil or mood of your characters. Let's break it down.

Anger signs:

Eyebrows - Lowered eyebrows, pulled together to form wrinkles in the skin of the forehead

Eyelids - lower and upper eyelids tighten as brows knit together. Intense anger may cause the upper eyelids to raise

Eyes - eyes wide with fixed gaze or stare; squinted - a light tick at the corner of an eye usually following the tightening of the jaw muscles

Mouth - flattened or clenched; teeth bared

Jaw - tightened or jutting

Face color - red

Also keep in mind there are various degrees of anger. Your character may go from minor frustration to a slow boil, and then an all out fit of rage. Anger can also be evoked by other emotions such as fear, emotional pain and grief. Many times anger is expressed through words either screamed at the source of the anger, or soft-pitched words that are dangerous in their undertone.

Anger can be expressed and shown in many ways. It can be hot and explosive, or slow and seething. Anger can also be cold. A stiff and rigid back, a cold shoulder or soft words spoken in an icy manner. Ragged shallow breathing. Rapid heart beat. Anger can be shown through written passages, or heated dialogue.

So with this in mind, let's develop our character and his/her characteristic of anger. For the purpose of this demonstration I've chosen "Joe" a retired police officer now private investigator. Knowing this, we know that Joe most likely has dealt with angry people throughout his career and is an expert in recognizing the signs of anger, as well as an expert hopefully in controlling his own anger.

Example:

Marie handed Joe the current readout on Cosgrove. The report wasn't good, but she knew Joe would take it in stride. After all he wasn't a hotheaded teenager prone to fits of rage. A slight tremor of fear started in her stomach as his lips tightened and a dull red flush started at the base of his neck. She took a step backwards as the trembling hands holding the report slowly ripped it into tiny pieces.

Okay, now the scene above shows that Joe is getting angry. What appears to be a slow seething anger. We have the tightening of the lips and the dull red flush, and the slow ripping of the report. We then have Marie stepping backwards away from him. Of course, Marie stepping backwards could also be a sign that Joe at times has more of an explosive personality.

I personally see Joe as the slow, seething, soft icy word type.

Now you've developed your character's reactions to anger. You can change them throughout the story, however, you will need a clear explanation for you readers as to why his reactions change.


Check back tomorrow as we explore other emotions and body language.

Dean Koontz - One Door Away From Heaven

Being a Dean Koontz fan since his Odd Thomas series, I have to admit that I’ve been trying to read this book for years now. I normally get so far in, and then stop. This is truly an unusual characteristic for me, as I love stories and books and especially page turners. I’ve tried to decipher my problem with this book, and it’s difficult as it truly is a masterpiece of beautiful artistic flowing words, and leads you down the path of three individual and yet titillating stories. If asked to rate the book I would have to give it five stars across the board for character development, story development and as I said, beautiful artistic flowing words.

I found myself following three distinct stories, each captivating in their own right and yet each time I was caught up in the story line I was immediately transferred to another captivating story with another character. I would at times have to go back and read the end of the chapter on the first story prior to going forward on that story as my mind was caught up in the story I’d just read.

Are the stories good? Yes. I found myself totally immersed in the problems of Michelina Bellsong and Leilani. And then totally immersed in young Curtis Hammond and his flight from killers, as well as his tagalong partner, Old Yeller. Anyone who knows me knows that the story of Old Yeller has always been my favorite, and the fact that young Curtis named his dog Old Yeller only endeared that story to me more. And then there’s Noah Farrell, a burned out former police officer now turned detective with his own deep, dark burdens of guilt. All three fascinating stories that up through Chapter 28 have absolutely nothing to tie them together. I know that’s coming, but I’m on page 214 of 606, and truthfully tired of trying to follow three distinct stories that I love individually and keep the pages turning and the story line flowing.

Can a book be too eloquent? Possibly. As I’m reading it’s almost as if each paragraph was written individually. Not that they don’t tie together in the individual stories, they do. But each paragraph offers its own descriptive eloquence that sometimes leaves you thinking too much about the words you’re reading, and then losing the story line. Once again, there have been many times I’ve had to back up and reread. And miss a day reading a chapter, well I’m totally lost on which story I’m following and where the character has been and where they’re going.

As I stated in the beginning, I’ve been a Dean Koontz fan for years, and I loved “False Memory”, “Fear Nothing”, “Hideaway”, “Midnight”, “Watchers”, “The Key to Midnight” and the “Odd Thomas” series. His style is truly unique, and his characters always masterpieces of literary genius. I did something today, though, that I rarely if ever do with a book. I went to the end and read the last page. Why? I guess I wanted to know if the stories ever truly came together. They do, and perhaps someday I’ll finish this book. I hope so, because I learn so much from Mr. Koontz’s writing. But life is simply too short, and I have so little time to read, that I feel I must once again move on to something else. I will miss my travels with Micky and Leilani and with Curtis and Old Yeller, and I’ll even miss Noah Farrell, but with almost 400 pages in front of me to finish, I think I’ll leave it for another time period in my life when I can snuggle up with a good cup of hot chocolate and hopefully make my way through to the very end.

When a Novel Clicks For You!

One of the most exciting, invigorating things an author can experience is when you start a book and bingo--things click into place. A few days ago I started writing an untitled draft here. I'd started this before, but just couldn't get into it. Even this time, if you've read the previous posts you'll know that I was having trouble getting inside Catherine's head. Haven't had a lot of time to write this weekend because we had our 3 year old grandson, and he takes a lot of work, but he's worth it. Still, even while playing with him and suffering the heat so he could be outside, the creative juices were flowing inside my head and finally--Walla! It all clicked. I knew who Catherine was, where the story was going and how. Now the hard part begins--research into areas, perhaps a road trip just so I can make it real, and putting it all into words that describe the emotions, scenery and action to take place.

I'll still be posting my draft, as I work out the details and also as I get to know Cody Allen better. He's still elusive to me, and perhaps he will remain somewhat elusive, as Catherine is my focus.

But for now--I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And one more excitement to share: You can now sample up to 50% of The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery before you decide to buy.

Check it out at:

The Gifts, A Jacody Ives Mystery

Character Overhaul

Well, if you read the beginning of yesterday’s blog, you know that I actually write my first draft to allow myself into my character’s heads, as well as allowing them into mine. Sometimes that can be troublesome as my day job requires extensive travel at times and with hours on the road I have lots of time to think.
Catherine Mans doesn’t like herself. She doesn’t like the way she looks. And she wants a more “professional” attitude and style. And she definitely doesn’t like having a shop called “Physic Investigator”. She wants something “consulting”. And she informed me not so sweetly that Rosetta was Irish and Tosallina was not an Irish name. She also wants Cody and Rosetta to have a more active role on their own. Do what?

Geeze. I kind of like the psychic investigator angle, although I have to admit I wasn’t crazy about her character so far. I did find her a little weak in some respects, but usually a weak character develops strength through trial and diversity and I figured that would come as the story developed. Well, Catherine wants to start off strong. And giving Cody and Rosetta more active roles means sub-plots off the main plot. That can get complicated. But. . . what the character wants, the character usually gets. So be it.

If you’re following this story, never fear, I have not given up and will be going back to the drawing board today with Catherine to revamp Chapter One and Two and push forward to Chapter Three.

Character Interview, Carl Jackson, FBI

Good morning. My guest today is FBI agent Carl Jackson.

L: Mr. Jackson, it’s such a pleasure to have you here with us today. Of all the characters in the Jacody Ives Mysteries, you actually became one of my favorites.

C: Hell, I could have told you that. Where’s the ashtray?

L: We don’t smoke in the house.

C: No smoking, no coffee, no interview.

L: *sigh*. Well, let me see what I can do about that.

C: *grin* And put some of that good Kentucky Bourbon in the coffee.

L: Here you go. Sorry, we don’t drink.

C: “sniffing the coffee”. You ain’t American, and you sure as hell ain’t no Kentuckian.

L: Well, I assure you not all Kentuckians drink bourbon. But we’re here to talk about you.

C: Better hurry it up then. I got a date with a fishing pole and a worm.

L: Oh, yes, I remember. You didn’t get to do much fishing.

C: Yeah, and I’m still mad at you about that.

L: Me?

C: All I wanted was just a half hour. One half hour. And could you give it to me? No, you had to have the Chief call and chew my ass out.

L: Well, Jacody had just been shot.

C: And whose fault was that?

L: *sigh*

C: And you better not ask me how that makes me feel.

L: Oh, no, I’d never do that. I totally understand you’re not a big fan of psychologists or psychiatrists.

C: Fan? *******, psycho-social babbling fools. Ain’t got nothing better to do than **** up young kids

L: Language, Mr. Jackson. Please.

C: And who writes my language?

L: And you’re not a big fan of profiling either, are you?

C: College educated idiots. I was catching killers when he was wearing diapers. And I didn’t need no ******* ********** computer printout to tell me who to look for.

L: Well, maybe we need to move on.

C: *cell phone rings* Yeah, I’m on my way.

L: Are you going somewhere?

C: Yep. Got me a date with an old voodoo woman and a worm.

L: How are things with you and Ms. Charity?

C: Be a lot better if you’d get off your *** and write the next chapter.

L: *shuffling notes*. I do have a few more questions.

C: *standing up walking to door* Times up. And little Nikki is running out of time too. You better get to writing. *opening door* Don’t make me have to come back here.

L: *grin*

C: *door opening—picking up forgotten cigarettes* And another thing. The next time you let some old codger clobber me I’m gonna kick your ***.

L: *grin* You were sneaking around Millie’s house with a gun in hand.

C: Yeah, and whose fault was that? *slamming door*. Next time get some damn bourbon.

So, ladies and gentlemen there you have it. Don’t worry, although he smokes like a freight train, and cusses worse than a sailor, his bark is worse than his bite. He’s really just a big old teddy bear that’s deadly when those he loves are in danger.

Carl makes a regular appearance in all Jacody Ives Mysteries.