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Center Stage for All the World to See

3/15/2023

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The storyline for Center Stage came at a time in my life when I was in a reminiscent mood. You know what that’s like – thinking back over your childhood, young adult times, and later. With the young adult times, there are so many relationships to explore. It seems the offbeat ones hold fast in my memories.

There was one relationship that tested so many things about myself. This person was my polar opposite in so many ways. She was gregarious. I was shy.  She was extravagant. I was prudent. She was flamboyant. I was modest, and the list goes on. So, you may ask: why were we friends at all?

Tough question. To some extent, I believe, I was living vicariously through her. I was able to be up close and personal with what it was like to express all those traits I didn’t see myself as having. I admit that being in a nightclub with her was nerve-wracking. I even threatened to leave her to find her own way home once when she was headed “toward the moon,” so to speak. She didn’t seem to have any safety valves whether she was being manic or depressed. Her balance seemed to be more toward the manic side of her disorder, which made for some bizarre experiences.

The one constant was that others always seemed to serve in the role of being her audience. I don’t believe she would ever have acknowledged this. She was aware of her prescribed condition, but I don’t believe she ever really connected her behavior to it. I didn’t have any hard feelings toward her. I simply had to walk away when the imbalance between us became untenable. 
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With all that said, at the time I wrote Center Stage I had not been in touch with her for years. I often wondered what happened to her. She was smart and had great promise. I just wondered if she was ever able to establish a balance within herself. 

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Spinning a Tale from a Memory Spark
April Saunders is a woman after the brass ring and willing to do whatever it takes to feel it within her grasp. In her quest to be center stage, she barely even notices the trail of victims she leaves in her wake. Eventually her husband and daughter join all the others left behind.
Now the tide has turned. She has been left behind. No power. No options. No family. No friends. No hope.
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Then a mysterious and seemingly magical woman named Grace appears at her door. Despondent, April is so weak-willed at this point that she allows Grace to take charge, unaware that her life is about to take a turn that few ever get to experience. As she takes a preternatural journey into her past, will her ambition continue to rule her heart? Can there be salvation for one who has betrayed so many?  

Is There Salvation?
If we all had the opportunity to revisit the trail of our life experiences, how would we feel? Would we do anything differently if we could? Would we try to atone, make amends? Would we become contemplative and view where we are now with an open mind?
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I hope Center Stage will prompt readers to be willing to observe their pasts and grow from the experience. We all have those moments in our pasts when we wish we had acted differently. It’s important to open ourselves up to the lesson they offer and move forward in our lives. April faces this same dilemma in Center Stage. Will she make better choices? 
Check It Out!

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Read reviews for Center Stage at
https://www.dannyewilliamsen.com/center-stage.html and here on the Women's Fiction page. Of course, it's on Amazon. It is available in paperback and Kindle.
 
You can read more of Dannye's books, both fiction and nonfiction at the following sites:
https://www.amazon.com/Dannye-Williamsen/e/B004KEAFE8
http://www.SassyScribblers.com
​http://www.DannyeWilliamsen.com 
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Tackling the ITP Roller Coaster

3/1/2023

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​​April 2005.
"But I don't feel sick. So why do I have to stay here in the hospital?" I stubbornly asked the emergency room doctor, and he replied in an exasperated voice, "Because you are one sick chick. Your platelets are down to 2000. You are going upstairs to PCU and will stay there until I say you can go home. Your platelet levels are falling fast. Yesterday they were 11, this morning, they were 4, and now they are 2. Something needs to be done right now."

"What does that mean? I don't know what all those numbers mean," I whimpered, "and why do I have all these bruises and the red dots all over my legs?"

The doctor explained, "Your platelets should be over 140 to be in the normal range. Without platelets, your blood will not clot. The red dots, otherwise known as petechiae, and the bruises are due to having low platelets. Your blood is actually leaking through the walls of your capillaries and up through the pores in your skin, causing the red dots. With your platelets so low, you are in danger of hemorrhaging either internally or externally. It's a good thing you didn't wait any longer before you came to the hospital."

"Oh, Okay." That was the beginning of my struggle with Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura. (Excerpt from Heartaches and Miracles)

                                                              *******

I didn't feel sick or have any pain, but there I was in a bed with nurses hovering over me. One was forcing partially thawed platelets into an IV tube. Another was inserting a second IV into my other arm. A big bottle of stuff was hanging close by, ready to be pumped into me. Meanwhile, a vampire disguised as a sweet little old lady must have drawn 50 vials of blood from my wrist.    
I closed my eyes blocking out the frantic activity going on around me and fooled myself into believing that after a few tests, I'd be able to go home.

Nope, it wasn't that simple.

If I had known then what I know now, my introduction to ITP could've been less dramatic. If I'd only heeded the flashing neon lights going off in my brain and paid attention to the bells and whistles trying to get my attention.

The never-ending, persistent bleeding, terrible fatigue, bruises, and petechiae were my body's way of saying, "Hey, something's wrong. Fix me." Yet instead of listening and obeying, I'd buried my head in the sand, hoping the messages would go away.

I'd almost waited too late. I could have died that night. My platelets dropped to zero, and the steadily increasing stream of blood would've kept flowing until there wasn't anymore.

It still scares me to think about my near-death experience. At the time, I had no idea what was going on or that I was that close to dying. I'd never heard of ITP or ever dreamed something like that could happen to me.

The following years ushered in more new experiences I wasn't prepared for. Riding the ITP roller coaster of recovery and relapses took me for some loopy loops and through dark tunnels with a lot of ups and stomach-churning plunges into the unknown.

There is no cure for ITP, and at the time, there were no step-by-step treatment plans. So, every month was a new adventure. Will my period behave this month, or will I have another relapse? What do I have to do to get back to normal? Splenectomy, IVIg, prednisone, decadron, rituxan, vincristine – how many more treatments will I have to try before something keeps my platelet count consistent?

Sometimes the side effects from the treatments also took their toll on me: neuropathy from the vincristine, paranoia and panic attacks from decadron withdrawal, and cataracts from the prednisone.

To make a long story short, my advancing age brought with it the miracle we'd been looking for - menopause and finally, remission.
 
If I Could Have Known Then What I Know Now
Reflecting on all I learned from my experience with ITP, my number one wish was that I had known more about this disease before my being diagnosed. If I had been familiar with the classic warning signs, such as unexplained bruising, petechiae, fatigue, and excessive bleeding, I probably would've had blood work done long before I wound up in the hospital.

That's how Heartaches and Miracles came into being. I didn't want anyone else to go through the same experiences I had. I wanted to make others aware of ITP, so they would be proactive in getting any mysterious bruises looked at.

It became my mission to spread the word about ITP, to share my story, and let everyone know what ITP is and what it can do to a person.

 In my memoir, I try to encourage those on the ITP roller coaster and let them know that remission is possible. It may take several tries, but the right treatment is out there. It takes determination, patience, and most of all, a positive attitude.
​
ITP is a battle. But knowing the ins and outs gives us an edge over the disorder. Hopefully, Heartaches and Miracles can give ITPers the knowledge they need to whip ITP's backside. 

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Print
https://www.amazon.com/Heartaches-Miracles-Struggle-Thrombocytopenic-Purpura/dp/1466217650/ 

Kindle and Kindle Unlimited
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FYG7E4

​Universal link
http://viewbook.at/heartachesandmiracles

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Circles of Freedom: a Race for Survival

2/15/2023

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It’s probably not a stretch for you to figure out what influenced the storyline of Circles of Freedom in 2018. After two years of bully tactics in the national political arena, behavior considered suitable for those serving in public office as well as those enlisted to their turn of mind presented the American people with a series of situations that promised to tear the idea of a civil society to shreds. It opened the narrative in America to horror; in other words, to actions intended to frighten, scare, or disgust people as is typical in bullying tactics. These engendered loathing among those who favored a civil society.

I was no different than others in being shocked by the rise of such violent negativity. Circles of Freedom was my way of establishing a safety valve for my own frustration and perhaps putting my two bits out there. Despite one’s political preferences, the storyline here is about people who stand strong in their belief in the democracy of America and are willing to step outside their comfort zones to protect it.
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As authors, we all get feedback from persons who don’t appreciate the development of our characters. This happened to me when a reader jumped to conclusions about my female character as being weak after reading only a couple of chapters. In truth, she was simply in one of those crossroads in her life that can make one feel uncertain. This was all right with me because I believe in allowing my characters to develop psychologically. Life is a journey after all, learning from each experience. If you were already at the finish line early in life, where would be the fun in that?  
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So, What Is the Gist of the Story?
When Brandon Boehle creates the Circles of Freedom blogs to strike a blow for truth, he has no idea of the loss, the love, and, the chaos it will set in motion. When the dominoes start to topple, there's a race to survive for friend and foe alike.

Brandon never imagines that a mercenary hired by the President of the United States would be out to kill not only him, but his assistant Alise Winston and the professionals who are writing the blogs. What started out as a simple, though carefully safeguarded, effort to get the truth out there has put all of them in the crosshairs. He quickly realizes that his expectations of the United States government have been naïve.
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The contract put out on Circles of Freedom turns out to be the least of their worries for themselves and the country. A nefarious plot is uncovered to overthrow the government, and the players believe themselves to be untouchable. Circumstances draw Brandon and Alise and all those closest to them into this dark plot. Their only hope lies in a twist of fate. ​

What Are People Saying?
"You truly have a gift, I'm so blessed that you are sharing it with me. I've got a feeling about this book."
"I got so involved in the story, (you did it again)! I can't put it down ... I have to keep reading to see what happens next."

""I love it!! The story is fast-paced and very well-written.”

"A must read, Dannye. Thought provoking, intense, and topical."  (a former member of U.S. Foreign Service)

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Where Can You Find It?
Circles of Freedom is available for purchase through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Circles-Freedom-Dannye-Williamsen/dp/1719178305.
You can read reviews and learn more about my other works at the following sites: http://www.DannyeWilliamsen.com and https://www.SassyScribblers.com/thrillers.html/ 
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Following My Muse

2/1/2023

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​I was thrilled when Gerald and the Wee People started getting good reviews. Folks told me they enjoyed the book. At the time, I was involved in several authors' groups on Facebook, and we did a lot of mutual sharing, blog hopping, reviews, and boosting each other's morale. I know; a lot of my writer friends left those great reviews just because we were friends instead of being totally objective and brutally honest.

However, some people seemed to enjoy the story and suggested turning Wee People into a series. I was willing to give it a shot and sat at the computer to begin the second book.

Nothing happened. My muse refused to cooperate.

At the time, many distractions kept me from concentrating on my writing, one of which was the possibility of purchasing another home. I had inherited some money, and we thought a new house would make a good investment. Plus, it was fun touring houses and imagining Bob and me making a fresh start. One afternoon, we looked at a small mobile home that did not impress me at all, but I fell in love with the name of the street – Bo-K Lane.

My muse loved it too, and the story started flowing. As soon as we were home, she lured me to my little cubby hole of an office, and the first chapter of House on Bo-Kay Lane wrote itself.

As I've said before, I'm a pantser. I cannot plot out or outline a story. Mainly because I have no idea what will happen from one chapter to the next. That's what makes writing so exciting – the thrill of discovering the twists and turns in the plot after I’ve written it. I recall reading over a chapter I'd just completed. In the final sentence, Gerald realized the mysterious stranger lurking inside an enchanted mirror was actually himself. What? I couldn't believe it!

I asked myself if I really meant that, and where in the world was I supposed to go from there? The following day, my muse continued the tale as if there was no problem.

Unlike the two to three years it took to write Gerald and the Wee People, book two completed itself in a couple of months. House on Bo-Kay Lane continues Gerald and Vernon's adventures with the Wee People. But instead of the boys transporting to the village of the wee people, strange things start happening at an old abandoned house in their own neighborhood. Ghostly images of familiar faces gazing out the windows begin to appear, and images of their friends begging for help haunt their dreams. Their nighttime visitations compel the reluctant teens to investigate the dilapidated house. What they uncover fuses the Wee People, a magic mirror, parallel universes, and two Geralds into a tale of mystery and difficult truths no one wants to believe.

Excerpt from House on Bo-Kay Lane
Vernon couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, visions of the house on Bo-Kay Lane flashed through his mind.

Did Gerald actually see Alyson and Sheela? Sheela, maybe. She's been to this world before. Alyson? No way. What would an apprentice firestarter be doing here? Unless the little busybody started messing with something she shouldn't have. Now that, I'd believe. Alyson could get into trouble without even trying.

Vernon reconsidered his last thoughts. Nah, that's impossible. They're both back in the far-seers compound in the Wee People village. Heck, Gerald must've been daydreaming about the friends we haven't seen in almost a year. Mulling over the past, Vernon realized he sort of missed them, too. Before he let himself go too far down the rabbit hole, he said aloud, "Nah, it was just Gerald's imagination."

After tossing and turning and beating his pillow into submission for a few more minutes, Vernon went to sleep. In his dreams, a voice called out his name. It sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't match it with a name.

 Snatches of strange images popped in and out of his head — a full-length mirror in a very fancy frame, footprints across a dusty floor, a hand reaching out towards him, and the back of someone's head. Unable to escape the visions, Vernon gave up any thought of restful sleep and sat up, totally exhausted.

Even though he was on summer break from school and usually slept in, he reluctantly dressed and exited the house through his bedroom window.
​
Gerald was already awake when he heard the tapping on his bedroom window. He'd had weird dreams, too. Vernon crawled through the window. The boys sat on the side of his bed. After sharing their dreams with each other, they tried to figure out why they both shared the same visions.
                                                                     ***
Hopefully, a third book in the Wee People series will be coming out in 2023. That is, if I can get my muse to cooperate.
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Available at Amazon.com
Print 
https://www.amazon.com/House-Bo-Kay-Lane-Wee-People/dp/1481214810

Kindle https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AJUEXBS/

Universal link 
http://viewbook.at/houseonbokaylane
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Amazon Author Page  https://www.amazon.com/Greta-Burroughs/e/B003N3F5AQ

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Unraveling Memories From the Past

1/18/2023

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After Book 2 of the Brita Madison Paranormal Mysteries series, I toyed with the idea of its just being a book with a sequel instead of a series. However, a fan of the books hounded me until I succumbed to her protestations. I jest, of course, but her sincere pleas did encourage me to take on Book 3 – Unraveling Memories.

No spoilers, but after what happened at the end of Book 2, Brita Madison is ready to push back from the spirit realm, especially if it involves murders. For four years, this works out well. She and Sam Jenkins, her husband, have moved from Williams to Phoenix, Arizona. She and Linda Olivi, a charter member of their paranormal gang and now married to Roger Dawson, have been working on cases where family members were seeking closure related to a loved one. No chance of danger.

Unfortunately, the spirit realm manages to draw Brita into not one, but ... wait, no spoilers ... more than one murder through Roger Dawson, a state trooper. A detective friend of his, Nate Addison, is accosted by a ghost, much to Nate’s dismay, who wants nothing to do with this spectral nuisance. Roger reaches out to Brita, and once the vibrations lock onto Brita, things escalate. To make things worse after such a long respite, a ghostly nemesis from the past appears, threatening her family. Desperate, Brita reaches out to the spirit realm for help. 

After her paranormal friends being warned of the appearance of the nemesis, one of them friends decides to join the fray in Phoenix in case her friends need backup. Plus, being an empty-nester now, she desires a taste of freedom from her somewhat boring husband, so it’s a win-win. After her arrival, the situation gets even more complex, but at least there are three of the paranormal gang on hand to deal with it.
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If you haven’t read the other books in the series, grab your copies and start the journey with Brita as the learning curve for her paranormal abilities begins. Then continue on with Unraveling Memories as her world enlarges in ways she never thought possible.  Book 4 of the Brita Madison Paranormal Mysteries series is in the hands of my muse at the moment. We’re hoping to have it for you by early 2023.
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Available on Amazon.com
Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/Unraveling-Memories-Madison-Paranormal-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07T91CWHC
 
Paperback:
https://www.amazon.com/Unraveling-Memories-Madison-Paranormal-Mysteries/dp/1075965926
 
Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Dannye-Williamsen/e/B004KEAFE8 
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Read reviews and/or descriptions at http://www.DannyeWilliamsen.com and http://www.SassyScribblerss.com/mysteries.html
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Honoring My Family’s Memory the Best Way I Know How

1/4/2023

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​I’m a very lucky person. I’ve been extremely fortunate in having a wonderful family and happy memories that I treasure.

In my younger days, I could always rely on my parents to fill my needs – not necessarily all my wants – but I never had to go without food, clothes, or shelter. More importantly, their attention, love, and care never wavered, even when I was a pain in the arse.
 
It wasn’t until members of my family began to pass away that I realized just how much I took them for granted. On Christmas morning in 2006, I decided to honor their memories by writing a story with characters named after my father (Vernon), uncle (Gerald), and brother (Tom). A couple of years later, I added my mom (Allison).

They were gone but would never be forgotten!

Hence, Gerald and the Wee People became my attempt to cherish these special people in a way I thought would make them proud. Over two to three years, my original short story gradually expanded into a fantasy novel for kids ages nine and up. I was freelancing for a couple of newspapers at the time and worked on the manuscript during my “free time.” Needless to say, it was a slow process.

I’m a pantser, so the story remained an open slate for me, developing and coming together as I went along. It was pretty mind-boggling rereading a newly completed chapter and thinking, Gee, where did that come from? Where do I go from here?

I tried to use humor, adventure, and lots of dialogue to impress on the readers the merits of trust, friendship, and working together to achieve a goal. After Gerald and Vernon tumble into the world of the Wee People, they aid the residents in their fight against the misshapen ones while also trying to devise a plan to outsmart a forest god intent on destroying all life.

The boys encounter a mystical far-seer named Sheela, who decrees that the fighting will never end until the boys fulfill an ancient prophecy filled with many dangers and obstacles. Against their better judgment, Gerald and Vernon embark on a quest accompanied by Sheela and five other companions into the volcanic realm of Miach, the forest god. Their task: defeat the demented god and restore peace. However, not everything goes as planned.

Excerpt from Gerald and the Wee People
This time the illusion did not stop when he mentioned the forest god being up to his old tricks because this time, it wasn’t an illusion. The scorching walls blistered their hands. The hot air parched their throats. The sticky floor burned their feet through their shoes. A distant sound like the laughter they had heard earlier echoed through the cave’s passages.

Cian fell to his knees, crying out in pain as the scalding liquid burned his skin. “I can’t go on. Just leave me here to die,” he begged.

Tomas reached out to his brother to help him stand up. It was no use. Both of them were too weak and exhausted. In a weak voice he rasped, “You all go on. I’ll stay with Cian. I can’t go another step anyway.”

No one else said a word. The other boys were too tired to talk, too tired to walk, too tired to care.
​

This was not supposed to be happening. Gerald did not remember this from his nightmares. Something was wrong. He yelled to whoever was listening, “Did we take a wrong turn or something? Stop it, Miach, stop it! You want me. Leave my friends alone.”

His words just made matters worse. The scampering, unseen creatures came out of nowhere. They did not run past this time. Instead, they scampered back and forth, pinching and biting the legs and arms of Gerald’s companions. For some strange reason, though, the creatures did not bother him.

 “Stop it, stop it now,” pleaded Gerald. “Please. I’ll do anything you want, Miach.”

Laughter echoed through the cavern as a voice inside Gerald’s head hissed, “Anything I want, huh?”
                                                                           ***
Be sure to get a copy of Gerald and the Wee People to find out how Gerald and his companions escape from Miach’s volcanic realm.

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​Available at Amazon.com
Print – https://www.amazon.com/Gerald-Wee-PeopleBookone/dp/
1480210617


​Kindle - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JKMT0Q

Universal link - http://viewbook.at/geraldandtheweepeople

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Greta-Burroughs/e/B003N3F5AQ

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So Many Shattered Hearts

12/21/2022

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When I wrote Shattered Hearts, Book 2 in the Brita Madison Paranormal Mysteries series, I had been caregiving for my husband for eight years after his strokes. Needless to say, my own heart was certainly fractured, if not shattered. My emotions were being manipulated by every circumstance that presented itself, a lot like balls in a pinball machine, being flipped hither and yon. My writing has often served as a release valve at some level. It was only in retrospect I realized how often.

Shattered Hearts incorporates many of the emotions I was feeling then. Loss at slowly losing my husband to his health issues. Frustration at not being able to fix it. Rage at a few bullies in the medical profession. Joy for the small victories. These are only a few. Writing this novel not only served as an outlet for my pain and tears, but also restored my hope.

Surprises, Betrayals, and Unexpected Twists and Turns Await You
After Chasing Shadows, Brita Madison’s exploits lead her to a new experience in her life – women friends. Her abilities have always forced her to be a loner. Chief James Weston and Sam Jenkins in Book 1 of the series were her first real friends. After the Inside Edition segment, her newest editing client brings her four writer friends onboard as clients. Since they all write novels with paranormal twists, the Dabblers & Scribblers, as they call themselves, felt Brita would be a perfect editor! So does she when she discovers each of them has abilities as well.

A year after they became her clients, they decide to meet in Phoenix, Arizona, so Brita can join them. It proves to be a watershed moment in the relationships between all six women. A ghost boy appears to Brita in Phoenix igniting an adventure which drags everyone in her world into the dark underbelly of a pedophile ring. Trying to rescue the children puts all of them in the crosshairs, including her boyfriend Sam and her unofficial partner, James Weston. Many hearts will be shattered before this case is put to rest.

If you haven’t read book 1 in the series, Chasing Shadows, grab your copy and start the journey with Brita as the learning curve for her paranormal abilities begins. Then continue on with Shattered Hearts and then Unraveling Memories as her world enlarges in ways she never thought possible.  Book 4 of the Brita Madison Paranormal Mysteries series is in the hands of my muse at the moment. We’re hoping to have it for you by early 2023.

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Available on Amazon.com

​Kindle:
https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Hearts-Madison-Paranormal-Mystery-ebook/dp/B01N7K0R2P
 
Paperback:
https://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Hearts-Madison-Paranormal-Mystery/dp/1542366259
 
Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Dannye-Williamsen/e/B004KEAFE8

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There’s More to Christmas than Santa Claus

12/7/2022

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When I was a kid, Christmas was special. I loved waking up early on Christmas morning and seeing all the presents that had magically appeared under the Christmas tree overnight. When I was around five years old, I got my very own bicycle, complete with training wheels.

That was such a thrill. I couldn’t wait to ride it. The problem was getting it outside. Luckily, my dad came to the rescue. Everything went smoothly until he got to the training wheels. That took some wiggling, jiggling, and lifting. He eventually wrestled it out the door and down the steps to the driveway. Watching him maneuver the bike through the narrow doorway started the wheels inside my head churning. If it was so difficult to get the training wheels through the door, how did Santa get it down the chimney?

I asked my father. I think that was the first time he was at a loss for an answer. My older brother came to the rescue and explained how Santa had a bag of magic dust that made the chimney expand large enough to get all the presents into the house. After climbing back onto the roof, Santa sprinkled a little more dust into the chimney, returning it to its normal size.

I believed him.

My folks were terrific. I couldn’t ask for better parents. Through them, I learned that Christmas wasn’t just about Santa and receiving presents. It was family. Spending the holiday with my grandparents and uncle made it complete. Exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve opened my eyes to how nice it was to see other people opening presents and being happy.

My father had nine brothers and sisters. The week before Christmas, I’d go with him as he visited and wished them a Merry Christmas. I loved seeing the smiles and getting hugs. Even at that young age, being around happy people made me happy.

My parents also visited some older members of their church who didn’t have anyone to spend Christmas with. Seeing the eyes of these lonely, forgotten people light up when they opened the door to our cheerful Christmas greeting made me giggle.
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I learned at a very young age that receiving presents was great, but giving was even better. It made both me AND the recipient happy. As I got older, the joy of giving, sharing, and caring stayed with me. Being kind and doing whatever I could to make someone else happy remained an important part of Christmas.

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In Christmas with Patchy and Calico, I wanted to pass that idea on to the kids who read the book. So I tried to show by example, as my parents did for me. For instance, when Patchy and Calico set aside some of their treats to give to their friends, the dog and cat discover that giving and sharing are just as much fun as receiving presents.

The last thing I wanted was to sound preachy. So, I snuck in these small lessons around the primary storyline: the mystery of the gift snatcher. Someone is sneaking into houses and stealing all the presents under the Christmas trees. The scoundrel even stole Patchy’s teddy bear with a missing ear.

Their woodland friends aren’t safe from the sneaky thief either. Stashes of nuts disappear, leaving the animals with no food for the winter. It’s up to the dynamic duo to solve the mystery. Patchy and Calico investigate and discover who the culprit is. The question is, can they convince the gift snatcher to return the presents?

Excerpt from Christmas With Patchy and Calico
Patchy answered, “No, we don’t have any more nuts for you today. We’re looking for the raccoon that took all our Christmas presents.”

The two young raccoons hugged each other, and one of them replied in a shaky voice, “Oh, you don’t want to find him. He’s big, mean, and very cranky. His name is Rocky, and he lives under the thorn bush in a great big hole all by himself.”

The other raccoon added, “Rocky doesn’t talk to anybody. He doesn’t share with the rest of us either. He took some of my chestnuts and wouldn’t give them back. He’s a bully.”

“WHO CALLED ME A BULLY?” a voice boomed out from behind the thorn bush. The two young raccoons ran away, leaving Patchy and Calico alone to face the gift snatcher.
​

Calico and Patchy were afraid of the big fat raccoon that stepped out from behind the thorn bush. They were so scared they couldn’t talk or move.

Rocky Raccoon was a lot bigger than they were, and he looked at them with two black, beady eyes. “WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?”

Another voice from behind the two scared friends answered, “We want our Christmas presents back.”

Patchy and Calico recognized Marty’s deep voice. He’d come to help them.

“NO, YOU CAN’T HAVE THEM!” Rocky’s loud voice hurt the other animal’s ears.

                                                               ***
You’ll have to read
 Christmas with Patchy and Calico to find out if they convinced Rocky to return the gifts. 
 
I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday. Does anyone have a Christmas memory you’d like to share in the comments?

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​Available from Amazon.com

Print  https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Patchy-Calico-Patchwork-Dog/dp/1481063014/

Kindle - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A9I4XB0

​Universal link  http://viewbook.at/pandcchristmas

Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Greta-Burroughs/e/B003N3F5AQ


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Find Books Recommended by Other Authors

11/18/2022

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​Just wanted to take a minute and share this site with you. https://shepherd.com. It's a great place to discover books that speak to a certain fancy.

I was contacted by by Shepherd.com to share my book Second Chances and recommend five other books in the same genre that would answer a certain need. I chose  the topic "The best books for helping you think outside the box." I chose this because many of my books have a paranormal twist, and I've seen people dismiss a book if it is described as paranormal before giving it a chance. 
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​Here's the link to the promotion of Second Chances along with the five reads I chose and why.
https://shepherd.com/best-books/helping-you-step-outside-the-box
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Although I don't have a book in the category of Life Satisfaction, a new topic on their site, it is a genre in which I write. You may find something there you like.
https://shepherd.com/bookshelf/life-satisfaction 

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Chasing Shadows Left Behind

11/16/2022

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​Chasing Shadows had an unusual genesis. It transpired from a suggestion I made to a friend about a psychic detective who worked with police to solve murders. In the end, it became my project instead. In the beginning, the hardest part of writing this story was the research into areas with which I was not familiar. Researching the home base of Williams, Arizona, not to mention the various locations up and down Route 66 resulted in my becoming close friends with Google Earth, Bing maps, and regional websites over the course of the book.
​
Once most of the research was in place and a couple of preliminary chapters written, I was energized to write the story. I chose to isolate myself from everything and everybody for two weeks. At the end of that time, Chasing Shadows was ready for editing. This is undoubtedly the fastest I have every written a novel, but my muse was in high gear.
​Why the Paranormal?
The Brita Madison Paranormal Mysteries series is special to me. I named the main character after my late brother Brit. Later in the series, two of the characters are named after my sisters. Of course, the paranormal aspect intrigues me. You can see this in several of my other novels.

Why am I drawn to the paranormal? Paranormal abilities related to the mind fascinate me because they draw attention to the possibilities which lie outside the acceptable range of thinking for most people. Stories that embrace the paranormal make the reader want to dig deeper and reach higher to partake of such miraculous experiences, to step outside the humdrum of one's normal life. Whether the stories are mysteries, suspense, or romance, the paranormal element allows a writer to present a unique perspective on conventional circumstances.
​
Because I am a strong believer in the potential of everyone to reach beyond what they believe they are capable of experiencing, to reach beyond the mundane and the tangible, writing about the paranormal seems perfectly natural to me. Dealing with strong intuitions and experiencing strong empathic feelings all my life has sensitized me to that which can be experienced but not touched.
​My Inner Muse
My inner muse and I have an interesting relationship. First, let me say I am a ”pantser,” that is, I do not outline my books ahead of time. I have a general notion of where I’m going, but I may not have any idea where the end lies. This is when my muse and I are simpatico. Every time I’ve tried to be a “planner,” my muse has become extremely flighty. 
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When my muse and I are in sync, I experience an altered state when I sit down to the keyboard. When I am away from the keyboard, I’m not able to daydream about my story or work it all out in my head. Once my fingers are on the keys, I easily step into the characters emotionally. In writing the story, I experience intensely personal relationships with them, despite their being fictional. I feel their pain, their joy, and allow them to lead the way in unfolding the story. In writing all my books, including the nonfiction, it has been a dedicated investment of energy, and I am truly grateful for the experiences. 
Chasing Shadows
Brita Madison is at best a reluctant psychic, and Chief of Police James Weston is the "poster boy for  conservative."  Can he accept the unimaginable?

Brita Madison has found a sanctuary in Williams, Arizona, a refuge from the multitude of visions and voices that have chased her all her life. Then one vision touches her soul, and she finds herself embroiled in the middle of a missing person's case with a woman’s life at stake. Little does she know that this is only the beginning.

Brita's visions uncover a trail of murders centered around the historic Route 66. As Brita steps deeper into the world she has been trying to escape, she and Weston are in a race against time to identify the serial killer. This journey threatens to tear apart their lives as well as those closest to them.
​
Chief James Weston put it best: "Chasing after the shadows left behind by sick minds was damaging to one's soul when you were just following the clues. Vicariously experiencing the trauma through visions like Brita's would have to tear at the very fabric of your being." 
​
Grab your copy of Chasing Shadows and start the journey with Brita as the learning curve for her paranormal abilities begins. Then continue on with Shattered Hearts and Unraveling Memories as her world enlarges in ways she never thought possible.  Book 4 of the Brita Madison Paranormal Mysteries series is in the hands of my muse at the moment. We’re hoping to have it for you sometime in 2023.
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Available at Amazon.com.

Paperback:
http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Shadows-Madison-Paranormal-Mysteries/dp/1507743491
 
Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Shadows-Madison-Paranormal-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00SU5YV70
 
Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Dannye-Williamsen/e/B004KEAFE8
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I will read forever because it lets me visit in my mind the worlds that I will never be able to see; it helps me put away the stresses of the day and relax into the rhythm of the story before me; it lets me bring to the surface and experience without regrets those feelings I hide away; it lets me re-experience the thrill of first love through someone else's eyes; it keeps my mind juiced so that it will never desert me; it is always there for me even when there's no one else. I will read forever no matter whether it is print or digital because the words will always call to me. ~ A Sassy Scribbler