Cover Reveal, The No-Campfire Girls

            You know what I love? When my editor/webmaster/page designer/medic/wife designs a book cover, and people tell me how much they love the book, and I get all the credit even though it was her cover that attracted people to the work in the first place.

            On a not unrelated note, here’s the cover for The No-Campfire Girls!

            I liked the idea of an earthy, summer camp type cover, with the little campfire logo that hints at the book’s main content, although I’m disturbed that Emily set my name on fire. The e-book version of this novella should be up in about a week, and the print copy will hopefully be available on Amazon at about the same time; we’ll let everyone know when we get our print copies for anyone who wants a signed copy.

            Meanwhile, I’m starting a blog tour to publicize the book, so anyone who’s interested in doing a Q&A, or having me write on their blog—or who wants to write on my blog—just let me know!

Just to remind everyone, here’s a synopsis of the story:

                        Fifteen year old Beth Hamlin is horrified to discover her beloved summer camp must go without campfires this year, due to the fire hazard from a drought. At first she and her friends try to perk up the other campers, but Beth isn't one to just sit (or swim, or boat, or horseback) around, when there's a challenge to be met.

            Beth discovers her new cabin mate, Cassidy, knows a local Cherokee who claims the ability to do a rain dance. Now all they have to do is trick the Camp Director into letting Running Creek do the dance there, avoid the local bully and a flying arrow or two … and keep from getting caught plotting with the local fire captain on a forbidden cell phone. With luck southern Indiana will get a nice, soaking rain, and when it's over Camp Inipi can have proper campfires again.

            But when things go horribly wrong, the whole area is endangered by a double disaster. Now Beth, Cassidy, and the rest of their unit may be the only people who can save not only their camp, but everyone in it.

            When Beth's big brother told her being a teenager could be rough, he probably didn't have this in mind.

Uncovering the book

Cover reveal for "The No-Campfire Girls" coming tonight, if all goes well. If anyone's interested in hosting me on a blog tour for the book (or being hosted!) let me know.

My Writing Time Isn't Swelling As Much As My Elbow

You’d think only being able to sleep three or four hours at a stretch would increase my writing time. Unfortunately, some of the other side-effects of Prednisone—nausea, headache, tiredness, and don’t get me started on night sweats—have slowed me down. Worse, I haven’t experienced the side-effect I hoped for: loss of appetite.

But at least my arm feels better. Oh, wait … no, it doesn’t.

But I’ve been reading more, so there’s that. Also, we’ve edged closer to finishing preparations for the Girl Scout story, with the aim of having it on the “shelves” before the end of spring. Only four votes were received on the poll for a title, with “Best Session Ever” getting two and the other two split between “No Campfire, Girls” and “Who Keeps Singing?” (Although “No Campfire, Girls” is leading in comments.)

Some other interesting ideas came in. Jane and Lance Hattatt suggested “Girls On Fire”, which should not be taken literally. (No girls were harmed in the writing of this novella.) An honest to goodness Scout vet, April Isbell, suggested “Lackablazical”, which is kind of an inside joke and brilliant, but maybe too obscure.

Then there’s the fact that I still haven’t named my actual group, which is currently going by “Yellowbirds” for no good reason other than that it’s not “Girl Scouts”.  Considering Emily’s half done with the cover material and the story’s pretty much ready to be formatted, I’d better get cracking. And by that, I don’t mean my elbow.

Girl Scout Story Blurb

I foolishly asked everyone to vote on a title for my “Girl Scout” novella without actually telling anyone what it was about! So here’s a quick blurb, which might very well find its way to the back cover:

            Fifteen year old Beth Hamlin is horrified to discover her beloved summer camp must go without campfires this year, thanks to the fire hazard from a drought. At first she and her friends try to perk up the other campers, but Beth isn't one to just sit (or swim, or boat, or horseback) around, when there's a challenge to be met.

            Beth discovers her new cabinmate, Cassidy, knows a local Cherokee who claims the ability to do a rain dance. Now all they have to do is trick the Camp Director into letting Running Creek do the dance there, avoid the local bully and a flying arrow or two … and keep from getting caught plotting with the local fire captain on a forbidden cell phone. With luck southern Indiana will get a nice, soaking rain, and when it's over Camp Inipi can have proper campfires again.

            But when things go horribly wrong, the whole area is endangered by a double disaster. Now Beth, Cassidy, and the rest of their unit may be the only people who can save not only their camp, but everyone in it.

            When Beth's big brother told her being a teenager could be rough, he probably didn't have this in mind.

            And here’s the Facebook poll on the title, if anyone’s interested:

https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/ucyle?from=admin_wall