Patricia’s Occasional Newsletter (distributed only by request)

from author Patricia Crossley, www.patriciacrossley.com Please stop by for a visit, read some of my extracts and reviews & pick up some free downloads.
email patricia@patriciacrossley.com,

July 2002

The weather here on Vancouver Island has been glorious and we took advantage of it towards the end of July to go ‘up Island’ as people say. We set off from Victoria and headed north. For much of the way along the east coast of the Island there is only one road. A recent addition of a dual lane expressway in the most populous areas is great for trucks and those in a hurry, but it bypasses all the small towns, each with their own flavor.
As you travel north, the Coast Mountains on the mainland to your right form a spectacular backdrop of jagged, snow capped peaks. Thickly wooded islands dot the Strait of Georgia, while on the left lush woods and farms stretch to meet the spine of mountains that run down the middle of Vancouver Island. We stopped first at the wide, sandy beach of Qualicum, a favorite for families with its safe, warm water.
The next day we left the streets and houses and penetrated into tranquil forests and lakes. This is the area, around Sayward, where the killer whale, Springer, was recently released to rejoin her itinerant family pod of orcas. It’s fishing and logging country and over breakfast you catch snatches of talk about the salmon run and who’s buying timber.
On our way back we ignored the one road that bisects the Island from east to west and leads to Tofino with its incredible, wide unspoiled beach. Instead ,we branched left at Qualicum and stopped at Lake Cowichan. Don’t you love these soft, mysterious names? The twenty mile long lake is nestled in the hills, surrounded by horse farms and dairy cattle. Here you can visit vineyards, admire the murals and go to the theater in Chemainus, taste hand made cheeses, or just hike and swim.
We came back after four restful and refreshing days.

Contents:
● a new contract and a translation
● a new contest
● a free ‘postcard’ short story
● meet another author
● new release
● updated web site
● Canadian e authors; a free gift for you
● the story of Miriam
● feedback or unsubscribe



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A new contract and a translation

A Suitable Father was my first novel, a contemporary romance published by New Concepts Publishing. It’s set in the Pacific North West, in an imaginary town close to Seattle. So far it has been available only in electronic formats, but will appear in print from NCP next year. I was delighted recently to receive two pieces of good news about this book. It has been contracted to Thorndike Press in the UK for a large print edition, and the German translation for a European Publisher is finished. I don’t have release dates on either of these editions, but will post the news on my web site and in the newsletter as soon as I hear.

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A new contest

I’m planning to offer an ARC of my time travel romance “Journey’s End” to a lucky visitor to my contest page between now and the end of August. This story won four stars from Romantic Times magazine. (http://www.patriciacrossley.com/contests.htm)
An ARC is a copy of the e book, spiral bound and with a cover. It’s what we send to reviewers–hence the name: Advanced Review Copy. Take a look on my web page to read an extract and the reviews to s ee if you like it.(http:// www.patriciacrossley.com/jrny_end.htm)
The draw will be on August 31st. Of course, I would also be delighted if visitors choose to sign up for the newsletter.

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A ‘postcard’ short story:

I hope to bring you a very short, original story by a different author is each edition of my newsletter. This first time, it’s my own. Next time we’ll have a true story from M.D. Benoit, a talented science fiction author.

Lost and Found

Anne started to look for her wallet right after breakfast. The paperboy would ring to collect his money around four in the afternoon , after he finished school. She was afraid she’d forget later to put out the money, and she wanted to make sure she had enough change.
She checked her purse, her coat pocket, a shopping basket she hadn’t used for weeks.
Nothing.
As she searched, a lump in her chest grew larger and heavier. Why couldn’t she remember where she’d put it?
She had to find it. Her bank card and medical card were in it, as well as a little money. If her children found out she’d mislaid one more thing, and an important thing at that, they would start to talk at her again. “Mom,” they’d say, “this house is too much for you. Dad wouldn’t have wanted you to struggle on here alone.”
Why couldn’t they understand that it wasn’t a struggle to stay in the home she and Alistair had built? Where they’d raised three kids and cultivated vegetables and roses?
A neighbor used the vegetable plot now, and the roses were getting old and woody, but it all looked comfortingly familiar to her.
After she’d checked her sewing basket and the cookie jar, just in case, she made herself some tea. The phone rang as she was pouring the first cup.
“How are you Mom?” said Helen, her daughter.
“I’m fine dear. No problems.”
“Good.” Helen rushed on. “I’m in a hurry, mom, there’s a meeting in ten minutes. Sure everything’s okay?”
“Everything’s fine, dear. Thanks for calling.”
She put the phone back carefully. Last week she’d forgotten to hang up and Helen had come round, in a whirlwind of panic, to see why the line was busy all the time.
Anne drank her tea and ate two chocolate digestive biscuits. She had no appetite for the can of soup Helen had left for her.
She looked for the wallet in the bedroom and in the hall closet.
At three thirty she went to her neighbor and borrowed the money for the paperboy. “I only have a big note,” she said, apologetically. “He never has change.”
“No problem, Mrs. S.” Sam was the one who used the vegetable patch now he was retired. “Got some zucchini for you!”
“Thank you, Sam. That’s very nice.” She could no longer cope with the amount of zucchini that appeared every year. When the children were small, she’d made bread and salads and used it all somehow. Maybe the paperboy would take some for his mother.
After she’d paid the bill for the newspaper, Ann struggled through the rest of the day, consumed with worry. It wasn’t the loss of the money, or even of the cards. There was little enough cash. She just dreaded breaking the news to Helen. Only last week, she’d brought round an ad cut from the newspaper about a new place . “Seniors’ Residences” they called them.
Just after nine she switched off the TV, drew a glass of water. She checked the list Helen had left for her: lights, door bolts, windows.
At last she drew up the covers in the double bed and switched off the light. She felt cold and a little sick, already prepared for the inevitable confrontation. They’d be sure to take her to look at one of the tiny apartments they had in mind for her.
She turned her head to the side where Alistair had lain for fifty years, and slipped her hand under his pillow, as if under his neck.
Her fingers closed on the smooth leather of the wallet, and she remembered. She’d been going through some old photographs and found a picture of them both on their honeymoon. Alistair was smiling and handsome, the wind whipping back his hair. And she’d been young and slim, her eyes full of hope. She’d fitted the picture into the wallet so she’d have it with her all the time, and then taken it with her into the bedroom, to tuck it under his pillow to share it with him.
She’d found the wallet. She wouldn’t have to tell Helen. Not this time.


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Meet another author:
If you like sizzling sensuality, action and adventure, you'll enjoy Elaine Hopper's romantic suspense, LIONS OF JUDAH, available at NovelBooks Inc. http://www.novelbooksinc.com/authors/elaine_hopper/lions_of_judah.html To read a free excerpt of Elaine's other books, please visit her cyber home at: http://www.elainehopper.com

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New release:
My short story “Saturday Night” will be released by DiskUs publishing (http://www.diskuspublishing.com) as a QuickPick in August. Both DiskUs and TrebleHearted offer delightful stories for a dollar or two. A great thought for a small gift to yourself or to others.

Both ‘Saturday Night’ and ‘The Fireworks Display’ (now at TrebleHearted http://www.treblehearted.com ) are under consideration as TV movies.

And speaking of short stories, NovelBooks tells us that their page of FREE short stories by their authors is very popular. It’s a great way to ‘try’ a new author and to find some fantastic short reads. Go to http://www.novelbooksinc.com and click on Free Stories.
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Updated web site
I have almost finished updating my web site, so sorely neglected while I was in Africa. With a pulse dial phone connection, frequent power outages and very high internet rates, it was not possible for me to do any work on the site. Now, however, it’s just about done. I’m looking for articles for the last page to be revamped, so any readers (authors or not) who have an article of interest, please let me know. I’ll be more than happy to post your links.
If you take a look around the site, please let me know if you find any problems, or broken links

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Canadian e authors
Before I leave you for this month, I want to let you know about the free download from Canadian e authors. You will find delightful work from Canadian writers entitled: ‘Looking In: Portraits of the Canadian Soul.’ Go to http://www.ceauthors.com.ceanthology.htm to receive your copy in html or pdf.
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The story of Miriam
I have rewritten one of my stories from Africa as a newspaper article. It can be found at
http://www.toowrite.com/comp7/0025.shtml

I’m interested in receiving your feedback on anything in this newsletter or on my website. I’ve kept the format of the newsletter simple, so that it doesn’t cause a problem in your system. Please email me at patricia@patriciacrossley.com if you have any comments or suggestions. If you know anyone who would like to receive the newsletter, they only need to send me an email with ‘newsletter’ in the subject line. If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, let me know by email and I will remove your name from the list. Happy reading!