Author Cindy M. Hogan: July 2011

Hang 'Em High with Tristi and Me!

Finally, I'm signing in Utah County and with a bunch of my writer friends...Come for Food, Fun and Fantastic Company!

Check out Tristi's new book!

Author Tristi Pinkston is excited to announce the release of the third novel in her Secret Sisters Mysteries series.

Titled Hang ‘em High, this novel takes place on a dude ranch in Montana. When Ida Mae’s son invites her to come for a visit, of course she brings Arlette and Tansy along with her. They are expecting to spend the week looking at horses, avoiding the cows, and making amends in Ida Mae’s relationship with her son. What they don’t expect is to be stuck on the ranch in the middle of a blizzard and to be thrust headlong into the middle of a mystery.

***

Help Tristi celebrate her new novel in two ways. First, come participate in the two-week-long blog contest, where you can win a book nearly every single day! All the details are up on Tristi’s blog.

Second, come to the book launch!

You are invited to an

August Authorama!

Saturday, August 13th

Pioneer Book, 858 S. State, Orem

12 – 4 pm

Games, prizes, balloons, face painting,

and Dutch oven cobbler

prepared by world champion cook

Keith Fisher.

Authors Tristi Pinkston, J. Lloyd Morgan, Cindy Hogan,

Nichole Giles, and Heather Justesen

will all be there to sign books.

This is one book launch event

you will not want to miss!

Story Engineering by Larry Brooks-Milestones

Milestones, according to Larry Brooks, are the points in a story where new information enters the narrative and changes the direction, tension and stakes.

Every milestone is a plot twist, but not every plot twist is a milestone. Without them, you would have no story. Several scenes lead up to them and several scenes spring from them. Milestones are the story.

This is a list of the 8 milestones Larry says are must-haves.

Opening scene
Hooking moment in the 1st 20 pages
The set up of the inciting incident or first plot point. Somewhere around 20% of the story.
The first pinch point. Somewhere around the 3/8th mark
Context shifting midpoint. The middle of the story.
The second pinch point. Somewhere around 5/8th mark of the story.
The second plot point.
The final resolution scene or sequence.

He does allow for 3 or more additional scenes that set up and surround these milestones. He says that everything else in the story is connective tissue.

He suggests you need to have these 8 things spelled out before you actually write the story. Do you agree with him or are you more of an organic writer and let things come as they may.

Does your story have these eight milestones? I'm checking my sequel now....

Nexus of the Universe

Tidbits from my Travels by William

I’m a huge Seinfeld fan and have seen all of the episodes multiple times. I have most of the seasons on DVD but never watch them because I always seem to catch the re-runs on T.V.

In one particular Seinfeld episode, Kramer finds himself lost in lower Manhattan. He calls Jerry from a payphone and when Jerry asks where he is, Kramer looks up at the street signs. In utter amazement, he realizes he is where 1st Street intersects 1st Avenue—The Nexus of the Universe.

Once, while in lower Manhattan, I found myself at that very spot—the Nexus of the Universe. I’m sure I’d walked through there on many occasions, but never realized I was passing through The Nexus all those times.

So, if you find yourself at 1^st Avenue and 1^st Street, think of Kramer, (heck, think of me) and make the most of being at the Nexus.

If you know of any other popular Seinfeld locations you think I should visit, please leave a comment.

Divergent by Veronica Roth-A Review

What I'm currently reading-Divergent by Veronica Roth

I listened to this book. Great Reader.

Beatrice is 16 and therefore must choose which of the five factions in her world she will join. The five choices are: Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), Erudite (the intelligent)

Each 16 year old is tested to discover which of the five best fits them. Beatrice was raised in a family who followed the ways of Abnegation. Most end up staying in the faction they grow up in and the tests typically confirm the choice. For Beatrice, however, the test does not direct her to one faction. She must choose.

This is not a choice that can be undone. Once she chooses, she remains or she becomes factionless and belongs nowhere.

A love intrest develops and it is both sweet and engaging. She also discovers things about herself that are both amazing and scary. Along with navigating her own identity crisis, she discovers that the differences between factions have caused an uprising and she must decide whether to be an active participant in the uprising or shrink back and not engage herself.

This is an intense and sometimes very graphic book.(violence) I felt like the violence fit the material and was well placed and necessary. I read this right after Matched by Ally Condie. While they are both similar in story, the writing is strikingly different. Condie focuses on sweet, inner change, while Roth focuses more on the physical fight.

Read this book and enjoy.

Just finished The Battlehymn of the Tiger Mother- For next week. Started Key to Kilenya, Double Deceit, and Forever.

Happy reading! Make sure you review Watched before Aug. 12th to enter the contest! Just put your review in the comments and you're entered. EASY and fun.

Need a Cover for Your Book?

Hooray! Fun visits today!

Check out Why Not? Because I Said So for a review and then hop over to Watched to find out about covers!

Remember, you have until Aug. 12th to write a review in the comments of either of my blogs to win the $10 Amazon gift card.

Check out Watched the book.

Good Luck!

Homemade Oreo Cookies and a Review Contest

Hop over to Ink Drop Interviews today to read a fun interview!

Don't forget to read Watched and review for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card. Good Luck!
Kindle, Nook, Print Book

Homemade Oreo Cookies from my bestie Lisa P.

The cookie

Combine one box of Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix, 1/2 cup of butter flavored Crisco, and two eggs. Dough will be stiff.
Roll into 3/4" balls
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 mins. on lightly greased cookie sheet
Cookies will be soft. Let cool 2 mins. before removing from cookie sheet
Cool completely before adding filling

Filling

Mix together 4 oz. of cream cheese, 2 Tbl. Butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth and creamy

Assembling them

Take one cookie and spread with cream cheese filling on the flat side
Press the flat side of another cookie on that filling to create a sandwich cookie

Enjoy with a glass of milk. Yum!

Story Engineering by Larry Brooks -the Last 100 Pages and a Review!

Go check out Star Crossed Book Reviews and you'll be one step closer to the $10 Amazon gift card and see a fun blog.

Where are we with Structure according to Larry Brooks?

The last 100 pages. Just to give you a quick reminder, we've gone over the set-up, the response, and the attack. Now we'll discuss the resolution.

The hero discovered in the attack section of the book, that what he thought would work doesn't. He needs even more courage, more creativity or a better plan to overcome the obstacles he faces.

In the last part of your book, the last 100 pages or so, you should not give out any new information. Your hero may only use that which is already in play to save the day.

He must come forward with a true solution to the problem. He must be the victor, conquering the antagonistic force.

A few things to remember

Your hero needs to be the primary catalyst
Your hero needs to be heroic and in the middle of the solution.

So, there you have it-the ending to your story in a nutshell.

Is your hero the primary catalyst and is he in the middle of the solution? If not, maybe you should re-think your last 100.

Remember, put your review of Watched in the comment section of this blog to win a prize.

A Perfect Day for a Visit

Pop over to Fire and Ice today...you just might win a fabulous prize!

Make sure you become a part of my review contest!

YAHOO! I'm so excited! It's review week for Watched!

All week long you'll get to read reviews of Watched on some fun blogs and have chances to win prizes. Some of the blogs are even giving away signed copies of Watched. Go visit the blogs on the list below and find out what the buzz is all about.

You could also win a $10 Amazon gift card just for writing your own review of Watched in the comment section of this blog or emailing it to cindymhogan at yahoo dot com before August 12th.

That gives you plenty of time to read it and review it. Buy an ebook (only 2.99 right now)here for Kindle or here for Nook or print books here.

Earn 5 bonus points by posting your review with a link to buy Watched, on your own blog before August 12th. Make sure you comment with a link to your site so I can give you the 5 bonus points.

Check out these fun blogs on these days and you just might win something super fun!

Monday, July 18th Lisa Ann Turner -fun stuff about me. And Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Tuesday, July 19th Canda's Inkblast

Wednesday, July 20th Teen Book Guide and

LDS Women's Book Review

Thursday, July 21st Fire and Ice

Friday, July 22nd Star Crossed Book Reviews

Monday, July 25th Ink Drop Interviews- more fun stuff

Tuesday, July 26th Why Not Because I Said So

If you visit all the blogs on the day they post the review/interview, just leave me a comment here that you did by Wed. July 27th for the 5 bonus points to win the $10 gift card.

Have fun!

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater-A Review- and a Contest

Check out these blogs today! They're great! The Teen Book Guide and LDS Women's Book Review (they will help you enter the contest)
What I'm currently reading- Linger

The story of Sam and Grace continues in Linger, but at a much faster and interesting pace than Shiver. Grace is discovering her pull to be a werewolf increase while Sam's is non-exsistent. He wants more than anything to stay human. Grace feels change coming and isn't sure if she should resist.

In the meantime, a new wolf, Cole, is introduced and interests Isabel. He is a bad boy wanting to escape his human life. Grace's parents are all over her to give up Sam and it drives her nuts. The love story burns bright and makes the decisions they all have to make that much harder.

I liked this so much better than the Shiver! I think you need to read Shiver first, hang in there, to understand Linger fully, or I'd say skip it and just read Linger.

I will definitely read the next one, Forever.

I started a new book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua-it's fascinating so far.

Check out Monday's post for the contest.
Go to Monday's post and win prizes!

$250 to Register for Public Education? What Happened to Free? and prizes

(Make sure you enter the contest currently going on. Check out yesterday's blog for details or keep reading to get the details)

It's true!

I just wrote 2 checks for my 2 daughters to attend public schools this coming year and they totalled $250.

Does that look like free to you?

What "Fees" did you have to pay to get your kids registered this year?

Today's review blog is Canda's Inkblast. Go check it out!
Want all the details? Check it out

YAHOO! I'm so excited! It's review week for Watched!

Monday, July 18th Lisa Ann Turner -fun stuff about me. And Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Tuesday, July 19th Canda's Inkblast

Wednesday, July 20th Teen Book Guide and

LDS Women's Book Review

Thursday, July 21st Fire and Ice

Friday, July 22nd Star Crossed Book Reviews

Monday, July 25th Ink Drop Interviews- more fun stuff

Tuesday, July 26th Why Not Because I Said So

If you visit all the blogs on the day they post the review/interview, just leave me a comment here that you did by Wed. July 27th for the 5 bonus points to win the $10 gift card.

Have fun!

Prizes and Raspberry Cream Cake Recipe-Summer Fun

Be the hit of your summer party with the fresh Raspberry Cream Cake Recipe at the end of this post.

YAHOO! I'm so excited! It's review week for Watched!

(Today's recipe is at the end of this post.)

Monday, July 18th Lisa Ann Turner -fun stuff about me. And Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Tuesday, July 19th Canda's Inkblast

Wednesday, July 20th Teen Book Guide and

LDS Women's Book Review

Thursday, July 21st Fire and Ice

Friday, July 22nd Star Crossed Book Reviews

Monday, July 25th Ink Drop Interviews- more fun stuff

Tuesday, July 26th Why Not Because I Said So

If you visit all the blogs on the day they post the review/interview, just leave me a comment here that you did by Wed. July 27th for the 5 bonus points to win the $10 gift card.

Enjoy the recipe-Yum

Summer Raspberry Cream Cake

Separate 4 medium eggs. Put the yolks into your mixer bowl and beat them on high with 4 Tbl water until frothy.
Add 75 grams of sugar and beat until a creamy mass forms.
Whip the egg whites in another bowl until frothy, then add 25 g of sugar and whip until stiff peaks form
Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
Stir 100 g. of flour and 75 grams of cornstarch together. Sift the flour mixture and carefully and slowly fold into other mixture.
Spread into a jelly roll pan that you put parchment paper in and sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 12 minutes or when it is lightly browned.
Put on a powdered sugar sprinkled cloth and roll up lengthwise. Let cool

Whip 1 1/2 cups of cream with 1/4 cup powdered sugar.

When the cake is mostly cooled, carefully unroll it. Spread the whipped cream over it and then sprinkle with 250-300 grams of rapberries. Roll back up and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. You'll be the hit of the party or your family's dinner table.

Story Engineering by Larry Brooks- Your Second and Third 100 Pages

We finished looking at the set-up of your book or the first 100 pages. Now let's see what Larry says should be in the next 200 pages.

The second 100 pages should be all about your hero's response to the new situation created in the first 100 pages.

     Your character should be running, hiding, analyzing, observing, recalculating, etc. before moving forward and finding a solution. Be careful not to make your character too smart in this section. It should be a type of blind response. Your hero is wandering or staggering around.

              Your Hero's purpose and quest has just begun.

The 3rd section of your book, Larry says, should be when the hero attacks his obstacles. He tries to fix things and becomes proactive, courageous and ingenious.

        He is now doing things a little different than he did in the beginning of the book. In fact, the hero needs to change some if he is to succeed.

Do your 2nd and 3rd hundred pages follow Larry's ideal? Check them out and see.
Do you agree with Larry?

Buy the book here if you want more.

Come back Monday for some exciting news!

Matched by Ally Condie-A Review

What I'm reading-Matched

Cassia believes and trusts the Society to make decisions for her and is very excited to find out

who her Match will be. She never thought she could be Matched with anyone more spectacular until she discovers someone else dominates her thoughts. Add to that the slow understanding that the Society actually has flaws. She finds many secrets and lies of the Society and must decide if she can be loyal or not.

Take time to enjoy this book. It is not fast paced and it feels a lot like a book of backstory, just waiting for the story to begin. But, looking closer, I found how lovely it is. Walk with Cassia during her emotional, internal journey. Follow her as she discovers her rebellious side that wants to take control of her own life.

Look even closer and you'll find a nice love story.

You should read this book. Just don't expect it to be a page turner.

Spaghetti Tonight-Delish

Spaghetti Sauce

2 Tbl veg. oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 ½ c. chopped zucchini
¼ c. chopped green bell pepper
2 bouillon cubes
½ c. hot water
1 can chopped tomatoes. Italian stewed ok.
2 cans tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 Tbl brown sugar
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1/4 c. cream or milk
Cooked spaghetti noodles

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions. Cook over med. heat until onion is translucent.
Stir in garlic, zucchini and peppers. Cook for 2-3 min.
Put bouillon in hot water and dissolve.
Add rest of ingredients except cream and noodles to pan. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Add milk/cream to pan and bring to a slow simmer for 5 minutes. (You can add your noodles to the pan and cook for 2 minutes or pour over the noodles on each plate)
If you want ground beef in your sauce, forget the oil, brown the meat, then add the onions, and continue with #2

Serve over cooked noodles with parmesan cheese and garlic toast.

Story Engineering by Larry Brooks:Structure

Larry defines structure as the sequence of scenes that result in a story. It can be learned, practiced and implemented. It is a subset to Architecture.

He defines Architecture as the art of the story. It can also be studied and practiced but it is far harder to implement. It sets your story apart from all the rest.

He sets forth a story model of the 4 basic parts of structure.

We are learning about the first part today.

The first part is the Set Up. It is the first 20-25% of your book. So, if your story is 300-400 pages, it is the first 50-100 pages.

It contains the hook and foreshadows the antagonistic force of the story.
         Ex: Someone is being followed but the main character is not aware

It also sets up the stakes of the story. It makes the reader care about what happens next.The quest is launched and we know what the obstacles are. The hero now needs to accomplish or achieve something.
         Ex: What the hero has to lose-family, fortune, self, purpose in life

The mission of this first part is to set up the plot by creating stakes, backstory, character, empathy and foreshadowing the upcoming conflict.

              At its barest bones, it introduces the hero and shows what the hero has going for his life. It brings the character to the transition point through a series of scenes

The more the reader cares-the more effective the story

At the end of part one-plot comes into play. We reach the first plot point.

After the inciting incident we need to find the meaning behind it.

Ex: the inciting incident in Thelma and Louise is when they shoot someone.

The meaning does not come into play until they make the decision to run.

This is the First Plot Point. The story really starts here. This first plot point defines the goal of the hero, it introduces and clarifies the obstacles and the stakes, also.

Look at your first 100 pages. Have you including an inciting incident and a first plot point?

Need more in depth explanation of this? Buy Story Engineering. You won't regret it.

Incarceron by Katherine Fisher-A Review

What I'm Currently Reading by Cindy

A teen boy, Finn, wants nothing more than to escape his home, Incarceron. Incarceron, a prison of sorts, was created as a place of refuge and rehabilitation for the "evils" of society. It was created by the Sapiente, a group of powerful men, to help create the perfect world inside it and outside it.

However, Incarceron fails. The artificial intelligence that runs it, takes over and creates a cruel and inhuman experience for the people inside it. Even the warden, who lives outside Incarceron has no control over it.

Outside Incarceron, now free of the poor, the needy, the sick and the criminals, the King institutes Protocol-a way of living with specific rules that never change. This causes time to "stop". Many do not like Protocol and want to abandon it. The citizens are told that Incarceron is a paradise. Even the Warden's daughter, Claudia, believes it, until she discovers Finn through an electronic device.

Claudia sets out to defy her father and society to free not only Finn, but others. At the same time, men plot against the society, hoping to overthrow the queen and free "time" once again.

I liked this book. The mysterious world Catherine Fischer created is mind-boggling and the characters are bold and interesting. This book engaged me and made me think.

You should read this book if you like books about the future and the unexpected. Disappear into a world that challenges even the strongest.

Yum! Baked Macaroni and Cheese

The Eats by Cindy-better late than never.:)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

3 Tbl. butter

6 Tbl. flour

½ tsp dry mustard

1/8 tsp ground red pepper

3 c. milk

1 ¼ cups shredded medium cheddar cheese (5 oz)

¼ c. shredded swiss cheese (1 oz)

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

5 cups cooked macaroni (2 c. uncooked)

While the macaroni cooks, melt butter then add flour, mustard, and red pepper.
When bubbly, slowly add 1 c. milk, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Cook 1 min. stirring constantly.
Gradually add the other 2 c. milk. Cook 10 min. until slightly thick and bubbly, stirring constantly.
Add ¾ c. cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, salt and pepper and stir until cheese melts.
Stir in cooked macaroni.
Divide into 6 servings and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Cover and bake at 350 F. for 15 min.
Let stand 5 min. before serving.

My kids like this served with hot dogs...since I don't eat hot dogs, I have asparagas or a big heaping pile of crisp veggies.

Stand Clear of the Closing Doors Please

Tidbits from my Travels by William

Riding a subway system is always an exciting adventure. While staying in D.C. we got around via the Metro.

On one occasion, my wife, two daughters and I hurried to catch a train. My oldest daughter was the last of our group to get on the train. The door shut just as she was entering the train. One of her legs got stuck between the two closing doors, right at her knee. I began trying to pry the doors apart to free her. Another passenger ran over and helped. We finally opened the doors just enough to squeeze her leg out.

She was so embarrassed. Anytime something happens that draws attention to her, like this incident, she turns bright red. This time was no exception.

To my surprise, D.C.’s Metro is a little different from NYC’s subway system, the one I’m used to riding. In NYC if the subway doors close on you, they immediately open back up so you aren’t stuck.

Stand clear of the closing doors please…even in D.C.