I am guest blogging at Fang-Tastic Books, talking about my new release. This will be the last stop on my virtual blog tour too. This is also the chance to not only win a download of Being Familiar With a Witch, but to be a character in the sequel to Being Familiar With a Witch. All you have to do to be entered is to leave a comment. It stafrted may 1st and continues the 2nd and ends on the 3rd by midnight EST. The winner will be drawn by the Blog Mistress of Fang-Tastic Books on May 4th (which also happens to be my son's birthday, too!)
There are other ways to get more entries. The blog will tell you how.
http://fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com/2010/05/guest-blog-and-giveaway-with-sapphire.html
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Chase the Wind
I'm celebrating all week because the 2nd novel in my Eaglekin Series Chase the Wind is out as an Early Bird with my publisher! My talented niece made some awesome pictures for the book trailer. I'm so proud of her.
Excerpt:
His chest rose and fell harshly. “The Soltakens?” His voice was rough, raspy, and painful for her to hear.
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard anyone. We’ve got to take care of your wrists.”
He stared at her for a long moment, and then looked down at the bloody mass and nodded.
“It will hurt.”
“It already does.” He attempted a grin.
“Forgive me for this.” Santil twisted the branch, loosening the first layer of the knot. She felt the long hard tension overtaking his body. Santil’s head pounded.
Undoing the knot was comparatively the easy part. Unraveling the rope from Kinalan’s body tissue was an ordeal neither of them was prepared for. Flesh pulled away in stringy hunks, revealing angry swollen bleeding welts.
Kinalan clenched his teeth together in an attempt to stifle his cries, but the veins in his neck bulged against the metal collar. Tears leaked from his eyes. He’d bear the scars from this for the rest of his life.
They were both breathing heavily, drenched in sweat when the last of the rope came free.
They held each other’s gaze. There was nothing to clean his wounds with.
Santil started tearing off the bottom of her own dirty shirt, well Bretlan’s shirt, to use as bandages. Glittering arms reached in past the leaves and branches and ripped Kinalan out, showering Santil in a cloud of dust, leaves and spiders.
Excerpt:
His chest rose and fell harshly. “The Soltakens?” His voice was rough, raspy, and painful for her to hear.
She shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard anyone. We’ve got to take care of your wrists.”
He stared at her for a long moment, and then looked down at the bloody mass and nodded.
“It will hurt.”
“It already does.” He attempted a grin.
“Forgive me for this.” Santil twisted the branch, loosening the first layer of the knot. She felt the long hard tension overtaking his body. Santil’s head pounded.
Undoing the knot was comparatively the easy part. Unraveling the rope from Kinalan’s body tissue was an ordeal neither of them was prepared for. Flesh pulled away in stringy hunks, revealing angry swollen bleeding welts.
Kinalan clenched his teeth together in an attempt to stifle his cries, but the veins in his neck bulged against the metal collar. Tears leaked from his eyes. He’d bear the scars from this for the rest of his life.
They were both breathing heavily, drenched in sweat when the last of the rope came free.
They held each other’s gaze. There was nothing to clean his wounds with.
Santil started tearing off the bottom of her own dirty shirt, well Bretlan’s shirt, to use as bandages. Glittering arms reached in past the leaves and branches and ripped Kinalan out, showering Santil in a cloud of dust, leaves and spiders.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Good Bye
I enjoyed posting to this blog, but do to time constraints I won't be able to post for a while.
I will still be posting to historical hussies here on blog spot if you'd like to drop by and say hi.
Be well,
Jennifer Childers
I will still be posting to historical hussies here on blog spot if you'd like to drop by and say hi.
Be well,
Jennifer Childers
Friday, April 16, 2010
warriors turned missionary
Can love break the barriers of time and distance?
Is it possible to have a bond so close that a person can sense the distress of a loved one far away?
After the bombing of Pearl harbor, Jacob DeShazer trained for a mission. A retaliation to bomb Japanese targets then return to china and rendez-vous with American troops. The men knew the chances of survival were slim due to a strong Japanese presence in China.
The air raid was a success, however; on the way back, the planes failed forcing the men to parachute from them. Two men died in the landing, while Deshazer and his fellows were captured.
Back in the states, a mother woke from a dream where she felt as though she were falling. She began to pray for her son. Her fears were confirmed in a news story about pilots captured by the Japanese. her son would be a prisoner of war for three years. Despite her fear, she held fast to the belief her son would come home. The belief gave her peace.
DeShazer returned home a changed man, during his incarceration he was allowed three weeks to read a bible. Jesus' teachings on forgiveness strengthened him; his teachings on love, inspired. He was able to embrace the truth that we are more than our governments. Peace is possible when we learn to love one another. A mission statement more difficult than it sounds.
After the war, DeShazer married and returned to Japan with his wife and son. After writing "I was a prisoner of Japan", he spent thirty years as a missionary. One of his fans was the man who led the attack on Pearl Harbor. the two became friends and worked as missionaries together.
A day of infamy started a life long work for peace.
Is it possible to have a bond so close that a person can sense the distress of a loved one far away?
After the bombing of Pearl harbor, Jacob DeShazer trained for a mission. A retaliation to bomb Japanese targets then return to china and rendez-vous with American troops. The men knew the chances of survival were slim due to a strong Japanese presence in China.
The air raid was a success, however; on the way back, the planes failed forcing the men to parachute from them. Two men died in the landing, while Deshazer and his fellows were captured.
Back in the states, a mother woke from a dream where she felt as though she were falling. She began to pray for her son. Her fears were confirmed in a news story about pilots captured by the Japanese. her son would be a prisoner of war for three years. Despite her fear, she held fast to the belief her son would come home. The belief gave her peace.
DeShazer returned home a changed man, during his incarceration he was allowed three weeks to read a bible. Jesus' teachings on forgiveness strengthened him; his teachings on love, inspired. He was able to embrace the truth that we are more than our governments. Peace is possible when we learn to love one another. A mission statement more difficult than it sounds.
After the war, DeShazer married and returned to Japan with his wife and son. After writing "I was a prisoner of Japan", he spent thirty years as a missionary. One of his fans was the man who led the attack on Pearl Harbor. the two became friends and worked as missionaries together.
A day of infamy started a life long work for peace.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Sapphire Phelan Guest Bloggging at Coffee Time Romance's Blog 4/16-Contest Too
I will be doing a blog tour stop at Coffee Time Thoughts blog at http://coffeetimeromance.com/CoffeeThoughts/ Friday, 4/16th. I will be doing a giveaway to one lucky commenter of my new erotic paranormal romance, Ain't Nothin' Like Succubus Lovin'. So come and party with me.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The Winchester Mansion
William Wirt Winchester revolutionized the firearms industry with the improvement of The Volcanic Repeater, a rifle (1857) easier to reload because it contained a mechanism to load bullets into the breech. The new design was created in 1860, it was called the Henry Rifle. This model had a tubular magazine located under the barrel making reloading far easier allowing for more rounds fired. It is said The Henry could fire on average, one shot every 3 seconds. This rifle became the favorite of Northern troops during the civil war.
On September 30, 1862 William married a beautiful society girl named Sarah Pardee in a grand celebration in New Haven. The couple amassed great wealth with the sale of the rifle in the war effort. A secure future was assured. The family would never want for anything.
What should have been a fairy tale ending became a series of tragedies for Sarah. On July 15, 1866 she gave birth to a baby girl she named Annie. While still an infant, she contracted
marasmus. Sarah was helpless as her baby wasted away before she died nine days later.
Grief stricken, Sarah withdrew into herself, avoiding family and friends for a decade before the heartache began to subside.
In 1881, William succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis and died. He left Sarah with an estate worth 20 million dollars. The wealth meant nothing to Sarah as she lost her greatest treasures and no amount of money could replace them. Lost in depression, a friend suggested Sarah speak to a medium. She hoped connection with her husband's spirit might ease Sarah's pain.
Sarah consulted with a medium who told her she had a message from William Winchester. She went on to describe her husband. "He says for me to tell you there is a curse on your family that took the life of he and your child. It will soon take you too. It is the result of the terrible weapon created by the Winchester family. Thousands of persons have died because of it and now the spirits are seeking vengeance." the medium told her. "You must start a new life and build a home for yourself and the spirits who have fallen from this terrible weapon too. You can never stop building on this house. Continue building and you will live, stop and you will die."
Sarah spent 38 years building the house in California. Stairwells led nowhere, sky lights were built one on top of the other. Sarah had a curiosity about the number 13 as nearly all the windows contained 13 panes of glass. The walls contained 13 panels, the floors were made of 13 sections. The greenhouse had 13 cupolas. Every staircase but one had 13 steps. The original mansion was seven stories high. Seven is considered the number of spiritual perfection.
Tragedy struck again with an earthquake in 1906. The top three floors of the mansion caved in, never to be rebuilt. Portions of the lower floors were destroyed. The Daisy room was the room Sarah was sleeping in when the earthquake struck. A chimney collapsed trapping Sarah inside the room. She saw this as a sign from the spirits. They were angry because Sarah bricked up 30 rooms of the mansion, trapping the spirits dwelling within those rooms forever.
Sarah died in 1922. It is said strange lights and noise come from the mansion to this day. Did she finally have peace in death or is her spirit still seeking absolution for the pain her family caused?
The Winchester Mansion is located in central California, USA and is considered an historical landmark and curiosity even today.
Sarah Winchester was the wife of William Wirt Winchester
On September 30, 1862 William married a beautiful society girl named Sarah Pardee in a grand celebration in New Haven. The couple amassed great wealth with the sale of the rifle in the war effort. A secure future was assured. The family would never want for anything.
What should have been a fairy tale ending became a series of tragedies for Sarah. On July 15, 1866 she gave birth to a baby girl she named Annie. While still an infant, she contracted
marasmus. Sarah was helpless as her baby wasted away before she died nine days later.
Grief stricken, Sarah withdrew into herself, avoiding family and friends for a decade before the heartache began to subside.
In 1881, William succumbed to pulmonary tuberculosis and died. He left Sarah with an estate worth 20 million dollars. The wealth meant nothing to Sarah as she lost her greatest treasures and no amount of money could replace them. Lost in depression, a friend suggested Sarah speak to a medium. She hoped connection with her husband's spirit might ease Sarah's pain.
Sarah consulted with a medium who told her she had a message from William Winchester. She went on to describe her husband. "He says for me to tell you there is a curse on your family that took the life of he and your child. It will soon take you too. It is the result of the terrible weapon created by the Winchester family. Thousands of persons have died because of it and now the spirits are seeking vengeance." the medium told her. "You must start a new life and build a home for yourself and the spirits who have fallen from this terrible weapon too. You can never stop building on this house. Continue building and you will live, stop and you will die."
Sarah spent 38 years building the house in California. Stairwells led nowhere, sky lights were built one on top of the other. Sarah had a curiosity about the number 13 as nearly all the windows contained 13 panes of glass. The walls contained 13 panels, the floors were made of 13 sections. The greenhouse had 13 cupolas. Every staircase but one had 13 steps. The original mansion was seven stories high. Seven is considered the number of spiritual perfection.
Tragedy struck again with an earthquake in 1906. The top three floors of the mansion caved in, never to be rebuilt. Portions of the lower floors were destroyed. The Daisy room was the room Sarah was sleeping in when the earthquake struck. A chimney collapsed trapping Sarah inside the room. She saw this as a sign from the spirits. They were angry because Sarah bricked up 30 rooms of the mansion, trapping the spirits dwelling within those rooms forever.
Sarah died in 1922. It is said strange lights and noise come from the mansion to this day. Did she finally have peace in death or is her spirit still seeking absolution for the pain her family caused?
The Winchester Mansion is located in central California, USA and is considered an historical landmark and curiosity even today.
Sarah Winchester was the wife of William Wirt Winchester
Saturday, February 6, 2010
St. Paul's Cathedral, London
Mystic places and paranormal activity fascinate believers and skeptics alike.
Most paranormal investigators believe ghosts are simply emotional imprints left on a place, like and echo. Can a building hold a spirit of its own? Can a place retain and echo of the past, an emotional refuge for generations to come?
People are said to have various degrees of sensitivity to these echoes.
Some may go their whole lives without seeing a ghost, while others can look at a paining and get a feel for its subject.
Ask yourself why you like a certain spot. Is it special? Does it hold a memory, or is it the feel of the surroundings appealing to you?
St. Paul's Cathedral in London is in one of the world's most haunted cities. The cathedral houses Lord Nelson and The Duke of Wellington, both heroes of the past. It has a long history and stood for centuries as a symbol of peace.
During WWII, the cathedral was twice targeted in air raids. Once in October of 1940 and again in April of 1941, both attempts to destroy the cathedral failed.
On September 12, 1940, the cathedral was in peril once more when a bomb was lodged in the lead casing of the dome. Instead of exploding, it fell outwards toward the stone gallery, began to smoke and was put out. No harm done. Smoke, no fire. A picture taken that day still survives as a reminder of those times.
Though the cathedral was damaged during the attacks, it never fell. Today the American Memorial Chapel stands behind the high altar as a thank you for allied help.
Peace services were held here after both world wars. It was here the British helped America mourn those lost in the 9/11 attacks. An ocean not wide enough to separate the compassionate people from reaching out.
We have all experienced the hairs standing on end, the eerie feelings when we are surrounded by negativity.
The cathedral has been bruised and battered, but never struck down.
Let this be a symbol of our own strength and spirit.
Most paranormal investigators believe ghosts are simply emotional imprints left on a place, like and echo. Can a building hold a spirit of its own? Can a place retain and echo of the past, an emotional refuge for generations to come?
People are said to have various degrees of sensitivity to these echoes.
Some may go their whole lives without seeing a ghost, while others can look at a paining and get a feel for its subject.
Ask yourself why you like a certain spot. Is it special? Does it hold a memory, or is it the feel of the surroundings appealing to you?
St. Paul's Cathedral in London is in one of the world's most haunted cities. The cathedral houses Lord Nelson and The Duke of Wellington, both heroes of the past. It has a long history and stood for centuries as a symbol of peace.
During WWII, the cathedral was twice targeted in air raids. Once in October of 1940 and again in April of 1941, both attempts to destroy the cathedral failed.
On September 12, 1940, the cathedral was in peril once more when a bomb was lodged in the lead casing of the dome. Instead of exploding, it fell outwards toward the stone gallery, began to smoke and was put out. No harm done. Smoke, no fire. A picture taken that day still survives as a reminder of those times.
Though the cathedral was damaged during the attacks, it never fell. Today the American Memorial Chapel stands behind the high altar as a thank you for allied help.
Peace services were held here after both world wars. It was here the British helped America mourn those lost in the 9/11 attacks. An ocean not wide enough to separate the compassionate people from reaching out.
We have all experienced the hairs standing on end, the eerie feelings when we are surrounded by negativity.
The cathedral has been bruised and battered, but never struck down.
Let this be a symbol of our own strength and spirit.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
All Romance ebooks is having a sale
Monday, January 25, 2010
Psychic Abilities in Authors
I’m truly curious about how many authors can claim psychic abilities. I’m going to be on a panel addressing this area and woke this morning wondering if I have to admit I have some psychic talent.
It’s like rattling my closet skeletons. I’m so nervous. People will think I’m weird. I’ll be pointed at on the street and have to move or change my name. Boy, am I going off on a tangent.
Writers are the most accepting people in the world. We understand what makes people different and value all the quirks. It all adds to the characters and plot we create.
I use psychic abilities to round out my characters, but it’s usually a secondary part of their personality. Annie knows her child is threatened. Rachel senses her twin’s feelings. That’s recorded and researched ability. Lily sees auras, but not on everyone or even when it will reveal the villain.
I don’t share those talents, but I do know how it feels to have that unexplainable episode occur. I am puzzled, even confused. For a minute I question why the people around me didn’t see or hear that ‘other’. I always have a lag time. My reality has to accept the unreality as real.
Confusing? Oh yes. I think my mother had a talent, too, but she died young and I didn’t know enough to ask. She always explained to me that it was all right. I remember once waking from a vivid dream of a recently deceased person who grabbed my arm. I had a finger pattern of bruises on my bicep. Mom said I was the only one she could reach and to pray for her soul. Scary now that I look back.
I have vivid dreams that sometimes do come true. I also dream my story before I start writing. Along with a few other things I didn’t mention.
Let me know what you think. Do you use psychic abilities is your stories? Do you have one?
Author Barbara Edwards is a featured panelist at the RTBookReview Conference in Columbus, Ohio April 28 – May 2, 2010
The panel is named PSYCHIC AWAKENINGS: Walk through the light of hope, healing
and love. How does psychic awareness develop characters, add layers to your story and provide that wonderful happily ever after?
PANELISTS: Barbara Edwards, Elysa Hendricks, Jade Lee, Melissa Lopez, Susanne Saville, Elissa Wilds
Saturday, January 9, 2010
hello from beyond
Jimmy was 5 years old when he died of cancer in 1072. His nephew, James, was born in 1992.
Both events happened in August.
When big brother, Mike was left alone, his only comfort was his dog and a viision he had one morning of his deceased brother and grandfather at the breakfast table. Years later, he is certain the spirits were trying to comfort him, letting him know they were all right.
When James was 3. Mikle asked his wife what she told James about his uncle.
"Nothing," she replied. " I was never told much."
"I was talking to James and he knew stuff. Things only the two of us knew."
James never spoke of Jimmy as he got older, he sympathized with his father for lsoing a brother. He has no memory of the conversation he had with his father about Jimmy.
There are other stories of children recognizing pictures and telling about things that happened when the photo was taken, though it was taken long before he was born.
One small child talks about being shot down in an airplane. When his mother asked "who shot your plane?" The child anwered. "The Japanese"
his tone was irritated as though annoyed the woman didn't know this. Furthher questions yielded the name of the soldier and the plane shot down over the Pacific during WW2.
Are these examples of past life experience?
Is it possible the spirits of the past communicate through others?
Could it be childern, with minds so uncluttered, may have an easier time with these communications?
Both events happened in August.
When big brother, Mike was left alone, his only comfort was his dog and a viision he had one morning of his deceased brother and grandfather at the breakfast table. Years later, he is certain the spirits were trying to comfort him, letting him know they were all right.
When James was 3. Mikle asked his wife what she told James about his uncle.
"Nothing," she replied. " I was never told much."
"I was talking to James and he knew stuff. Things only the two of us knew."
James never spoke of Jimmy as he got older, he sympathized with his father for lsoing a brother. He has no memory of the conversation he had with his father about Jimmy.
There are other stories of children recognizing pictures and telling about things that happened when the photo was taken, though it was taken long before he was born.
One small child talks about being shot down in an airplane. When his mother asked "who shot your plane?" The child anwered. "The Japanese"
his tone was irritated as though annoyed the woman didn't know this. Furthher questions yielded the name of the soldier and the plane shot down over the Pacific during WW2.
Are these examples of past life experience?
Is it possible the spirits of the past communicate through others?
Could it be childern, with minds so uncluttered, may have an easier time with these communications?
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