The suspense is killing me!

Bestselling author Gail Bowen critiqued my novel Divine Justice - aka Sometimes it's best to leap before you look!

2009-07-15T14:09:00.010-06:00

Everyone has heard the old adage, "Look before you leap." Well, sometimes it's best to just leap right in before you look. Looking often stops us dead in our tracks and prevents us from moving forward. Anyone who knows me would probably say I boldly push my way through most barriers. Why? Because I have my eye on the prize, and I can be very persistent, I've been told--perhaps akin to a puppy who wants a treat. :-)

Weeks ago, one of my writer friends posted a notice to our writing group--I think it was Crime Writers of Canada. The post revealed that bestselling author Gail Bowen had accepted the role of Writer-In-Residence at the Toronto Public Library and was accepting samples of manuscripts and would give in-person critiques.

Now Gail and I go waaaaaay back. Well, not me and her personally, but me and her books and movies. I've been a fan of the Joanne Kilbourn murder mysteries since forever. The movies, starring Wendy Crewson, were one of my first experiences at watching something originally created by an author I had read--other than all the Stephen King movies. When the powers that be stopped filming the Joanne Kilbourn movies, I was heartbroken. (Rumour has it that they may be filming 4 more in the future. YAY!)

I followed the link in the email to the Toronto Library website and very quickly scanned the page for the mailing address. Then I immediately printed off the first 3 chapters of Divine Justice, a novel that is in final edits before it goes to my agent. Sealing the envelope, I walked to the post office, told the gal there that my sample was going to be critiqued by the awe-inspiring Gail Bowen, kissed the envelope (ok, I do that sometimes) and sent it on its merry way.

Shortly after, I received an email from Peggy Perdue, Librarian and Curator of the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection. When she discovered I wouldn't be able to go to Toronto and that I had assumed (yes, I know...) that Gail would have lots of submissions from out-of-town writers and that she'd maybe email a critique, Peggy mentioned I didn't really qualify. To which I replied, "I do understand why you'd keep this local. But...darn. Perhaps you could slip my manuscript under her door...hehe I'd love to chat with Gail."

Resolved to my fate and believing my manuscript would be shredded as I requested, I crawled back into my den and licked my wounds. No Gail...waaaaa! It's not fair! Why didn't I move to Toronto? Then I put this out of my mind and focused on my next project.

A month passed and I received my sample in the mail. The first thing I saw was a lovely note Gail Bowen had written on the first page. She said Divine Justice was "wonderful--strong, original & compelling!" This made my month! Having a writing peer, especially one I admire so much, tell me my work is wonderful is a piece of heaven, and something I'll never forget. Throughout my manuscript she'd added notes, tips, suggestions--everything I then added to my manuscript on my computer.

We need writers like Gail, ones who are willing to relocate temporarily and sacrifice their time to help other writers. The Writer-In-Residence program is so vital to our literary culture and to writers. Having this opportunity helps me believe a little more that I'm in the right place at the right time doing the right thing. Having a positive critique experience is not always a common thing, but it's evident that Gail really took the time to get to know my characters, the hint of plot, my humour and what I thought was one of my best lines. I learned so much through this critique.

Thank you, Gail, for giving your time and expertise as a WIR, and for taking on an additional out-of-town project. I so appreciate it. And yes, Gail, one day we'll celebrate our successes over a glass--or bottle--of wine. :-)

The moral of this tale: Sometimes it's best to leap before you look!

If I'd spent time really looking over the website, I probably would have figured out it really pertained to Toronto writers. Or I would have talked myself out of doing it for any number of reasons. If I'd emailed and asked about the critique program, I would have found out I didn't really qualify--and never mailed my sample.

Fate? Destiny? Law of attraction? Darn right!

For more info on Toronto Public Library's Writer-In-Residence program, please go HERE.

Short or long book titles?

2009-07-10T22:02:00.001-06:00

1 word, 2 words, 3 words, 4...with book titles is less more?

A while ago I read a post by an author/publisher who wrote about book titles--should they be long or short? It made me contemplate how I named my novels, how sometimes I chose the titles before or during the writing or how the titles sometimes chose me.

The title of this publisher/author's post was Would You Pay Attention, Please? Or, How to Keep Up with Trends in Book Titles, Arguably the Most Important Element of Your Marketing! (which personally I think is ridiculously long!)

I have always believed that titles are key to a novel's success. I have searched out books in my genre and studied their titles, text placement, front cover, back cover etc and asked myself, 'Why does this book's title work?' For my own novels, my titles are always tied to the story, often in a symbolic way and sometimes in more than one way. Children of the Fog is literally children taken by a kidnapper nicknamed The Fog, and it represents the children in the story who are cloaked by an actual fog.

I might be an unusual author; I almost always have the title of the book before I've even started it, or at least before it's finished. I sometimes look within the manuscript for the title, as I did with The River--short, mysterious, adventurous, just like the novel. Some titles are just "there", in front of me before I even start writing, like Whale Song and Children of the Fog. Divine Intervention had no title a few chapters in, and then one night I saw a promo for a new TV show--Joan of Arcadia. As the preview ran, the words DIVINE INTERVENTION ironically appeared. I knew at that very moment, and the title affected some of the actual story and gave me my 'Divine' series. (I'm almost finished editing Divine Justice, book 2.)

I am also working on a suspense thriller called SUBMERGED. It's the story of a man who is submerged in grief and self-blame; and it's about a woman and her 2 children who are trapped in a submerged car--a fear that most of us have. I had the title the second I knew that the story would be about someone in a submerged vehicle. I also knew that the title was a play on words, that it would symbolize the main character's overwhelming guilt.

I have another novel plotted: The 6th Plague, a thriller about a small quarantined town gripped by a deadly plague during a film festival. I actually played with a few titles, until I realized what the invasion was going to be--and when I looked up the Deadly Plagues, I found that the 6th one--boils--was perfect. The idea for the story and the title came to me within 5 days.

As for subtitles, I have an aversion to long ones, unless they're absolutely necessary and ONLY for nonfiction. If the main title gives you enough information, then I wouldn't want a subtitle. But if you can't understand what the book is about from the main, then a subtitle is vital. Take for instance this nonfiction title: Kissed by an Angel. Does it tell you what the book is about? No. I am working on a nonfiction book titled: Kissed by an Angel: 12 Steps to Surviving the Death of a Child. This is not just a 12-step program, but a look into the paranormal/spiritual and healing side of grief.

As a reader, I tend to be drawn mostly to suspense fiction with titles that are most often two words. Years ago I read an article by someone who had researched some of the best known book titles. Guess what he discovered? These bestselling books had titles of 1-4 words! Rarely any more than that.

If you're a bookworm, please comment on your preference for titles. If you're an author, which do you prefer--short, long or somewhere in between? I look forward to reading your replies.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
author of Whale Song

Listen to Cheryl Kaye Tardif's interview on CHIP 101.7 FM

2009-07-10T00:50:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, I was interviewed by CHIP 101.7 FM radio host Chad Bertrand, and we discussed some of my recent news and events. I had a blast!

You can listen to the interview by going to http://www.chipfm.com/ and scrolling about 2/3 down. You'll see my pic. :-)

Or you can directly to the interview at:
http://chipfm.com/web/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.844

My latest press release hit news sites everywhere

2009-07-08T23:27:00.002-06:00

My latest press release went out this morning, and it's spread across the internet like lightning. :-)

Check it out:

Cheryl Kaye Tardif's debut romance Lancelot's Lady is #1 Most Popular (so far) in the Dorchester/Textnovel "Next Best Celler" Contest

It's also at:

San Francisco Chronicle

Houston Chronicle

Chicago Daily Herald

and many, many more!

Sunday Salon: Whale Song

2009-07-05T10:57:00.004-06:00

Here's a new review of Whale Song, the 2007 novel that is now out of print and in negotiations for a major motion picture and a 3rd print edition (movie edition).

‘Whale Song’ imparts love, lessons, hope and forgiveness

ESC Trillium student says The River "is in my opinion unbeatable and one of my favorites"

2009-07-04T06:12:00.001-06:00

A grade 12 class at ESC Trillium High School in Ontario, Canada, studied my thriller The River this year. I was fortunate to be in touch with the students and to answer their questions via a video conference. I know I had a blast and I hope they did too.

Their teacher Pam Morin and I decided to hold a contest. The students would write a book report and Mme Morin and I would judge them. It was a tough competition; all the book reports showed a lot of thought and some varying reactions.

However, the following report stood out for me because I felt Kasandra really "got" what I was after and she noticed the little things, such as the quotes I spent hours looking for so they'd be the perfect ones.

Here is a condensed version of Kasandra's winning book report/review:

"I just finished reading The River by Cheryl Kaye Tardif, for my grade twelve pre-university reading assignment this year. And I must say that I truly enjoyed reading this novel. It was full of suspense, action, love, adventure, science and mystery. Let’s just say I was very impressed by this memorable novel...Ever since I studied The River, I discovered my interest in reading more of Cheryl Kaye Tardif’s books. The next novel on my list would definitely be Whale Song.

I loved the fact that we were reading a Canadian author’s novel, and that the story took place in Canada. I felt as if I could make a connection with this novel compared to other novels that I had to read in the past years. It was also great knowing that I could communicate with the author by e-mail if ever I had any questions about the novel or such.

The River was a great thrilling adventure that had me wanting to read more. It also had a little love story that fit in to the novel perfectly. I could also visualize everything that I was reading even with all the mystery and action going on. With that being said I think this novel would make an awesome movie...I must say that this novel was indeed the first novel that I didn’t want to put down, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t normally enjoy reading for a pastime. I also liked how this novel wasn’t too long to read.

I loved everything about this novel even the littlest things, such as the quotes at each part of the novel. For example, my favorite quote was: "When you arrive at your future, will you blame your past?” -Robert Half. This quote really makes me think. I also think that it was a great opportunity for my classmates as well as myself and my teacher to be able to read this novel, because of the interaction in-between Cheryl Kaye Tardif and my teacher. That was for sure a bonus. So far this novel is in my opinion unbeatable and one of my favorites yet. And I’ll always remember that “Life’s a journey!”

Congratulations, Kasandra, on winning a triple pack of signed novels: The River, Divine Intervention and a signed collector's copy of Whale Song. I really hope you enjoy all of my novels. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

Authors: If you're looking for an Edmonton company to print your books, check out Scan Copy Print!

2009-07-03T13:30:00.006-06:00

If you're a self-published author who is searching for an Edmonton printing company to print and bind your books, I highly recommend Scan Copy Print, located at 5529 Gateway Blvd, Edmonton, AB.

For two of my novels--The River and Divine Intervention--I've had this local company print and bind my books for a fraction of the cost the publisher charges. This allows the publisher to focus on online sales and long distance orders, while I can sell my locally printed books in my area at book signings. Not many subsidy publishers allow you to do this, but I'm fortunate to have a publisher who doesn't mind.

Below is my testimonial/recommendation for Scan Copy Print:

As a Canadian author, I have used the services of Scan Copy Print for a few years now, and I find the quality and service to be excellent. Whether I've ordered print runs of my novels with color covers, bookmarks, business cards or signs, Ashraf, Crystal and everyone else at Scan Copy Print always provide me with very fast service, quality graphics and design, and superb customer service. They have often gone above and beyond to ensure I have the best products. Scan Copy Print is more than a print shop; they take great pride in every product they produce, and I would and do recommend them to everyone. --Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author

I've tried a couple of other Edmonton printers, but to date this one has been my favorite, and the most reliable and helpful. Check them out! :-)

Scan Copy Print
5529 Gateway Blvd,
Edmonton, AB

Phone: 780-434-0744
scancopy@ocii.com

ESC Trillium student says "The River starts off with a big bang!"

2009-07-01T06:45:00.005-06:00

Michelle, a student at ESC Trillium has this to say about The River:

"I wasn’t much of a reader until this year...To me, reading a book has to be interesting throughout the whole story line. The River starts off with a big bang! Which is very interesting because it gets you into the story right away. The action starts right at the beginning...In this novel, The River, I never got bored of it. It was the kind of book that I could not put down. I kept wanting to read it because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Some parts were very shocking to me. Which grasped my attention and made me want to continue on turning the pages...I would recommend The River to not only students of high school but also to older people because I believe the novel is well written, has great vocabulary, easy to follow and has a good sence of maturity for those age groups. It makes you want to read it all over again. All in all, the novel was amazing and I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to start reading Cheryl Kaye Tardif’s other novels..."

Thank you, Michelle. I am so glad you liked The River! CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

CKUA's "Bookmark" radio show may get the axe

2009-06-30T15:12:00.005-06:00

CKUA's "Bookmark" radio show, a very important literary radio program in Edmonton, AB, is in jeopardy of being cancelled. Like many radio and television shows in Canada, funding has become increasingly difficult, and my friend Ken Davis, the host of "Bookmark", needs your support. Check out what they're willing to offer in return.

A letter from Ken Davis, host of "Bookmark":

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Supporters of the “Bookmark” program on the CKUA Radio Network.

“Bookmark,” the half-hour weekly program dedicated to Alberta’s literary community and book trade, finished its second season on Sunday, June 28th. Whether the program returns for a third season in September depends on the financial support the program receives between now and the end of July. This e-mail is to inform you about the opportunity which currently exists to keep this program on the air.

In these challenging economic times, CKUA Radio management faces some tough decisions in order to ensure the continued health and viability of this listener-supported public broadcaster. Spoken word programs are more time-consuming and therefore more expensive to produce than music programs. The station has decided to cancel the “Bookmark” program unless the community elects to support this show financially. A final decision on this matter is to be made at the end of July, 2009.

CKUA Radio is funded largely through listener donations along with some corporate underwriting of programs. Station management would like to continue to broadcast “Bookmark” and has come up with a plan to possibly save the show. It’s an idea called Co-Operative Program Sponsorship (CPS), something of a hybrid of corporate underwriting and a listener donation.

Under the CPS model, supporters of Bookmark are asked to donate $500.00 to support one broadcast of the program. Two programs could be underwritten at a cost of $900.00. Three programs at a cost of $1300.00. And six programs at a cost of $2500.00.

In return for supporting a specific program, the donor will receive acknowledgement in that broadcast. The donor will in fact receive 3 mentions during the show. While there will be no commercial content within these mentions, a reference to a company’s work can be made; for example, “Bookmark thanks donor sponsor Lotusland Books for supporting this edition of the program. Lotusland Books has been retailing books in Calgary for 40 years. We thank them for their support.”

The 2009-2010 Bookmark season would have 35 new shows and would begin September 13th, 2009. CKUA management has agreed that as long as we have donors for 20 of the 35 shows by the end of July, they will consider funding to be reasonably in place and will allow production of the program to proceed for a third season.

I am asking you to either make a pledge of support to “Bookmark” yourself or pass this request along to others of your acquaintance who may have an interest in this initiative. We have four weeks to raise the necessary money to keep “Bookmark” on the air. Please send your preliminary commitment to pledge for the program to myself as I am tracking the numbers on this campaign. I will be forwarding your contact information to CKUA’s Fund Development Office for follow-up. Therefore I would ask that you provide your preferred e-mail address and telephone number, as well as mailing address, when you make your preliminary pledge.

In addition to the CPS campaign, an alternate form of supporting “Bookmark” is a full corporate underwriting position. Such underwriting results in the sponsoring corporation being acknowledged in every Bookmark program as a major sponsor of the program. I believe there are a number of other acknowledgements, on the CKUA website, on-air mentions throughout the broadcast schedule, etc., that are built into corporate underwriting arrangements. My understanding is that a corporate underwriting contract starts at $5,000.00. More information on this sort of sponsorship can be obtained from CKUA’s sales manager Don Barnes by telephone at 780 428 7595 or by email at don.barnes@ckua.com.

I thank you all sincerely for your time and consideration and for your past support of the “Bookmark” program.

Ken Davis
Host, “Bookmark,” CKUA Radio Network
Director of Marketing, Lone Pine Publishing

Email (work): ktdavis@lonepinepublishing.com
Email (Bookmark): bookdude@live.com

Please consider supporting "Bookmark" and do whatever you can to keep Edmonton's arts community alive and thriving. ~ Cheryl

Please vote for Lancelot's Lady in the Textnovel/Dorchester "Next Best Celler" contest

2009-06-29T13:30:00.001-06:00

As some of you may know, I've entered a contest on Textnovel.com and I really need your votes. The grand prize is a publishing contract with Dorchester. I'm submitting a novel I started years ago that I've always wanted to finish. The genre for the contest is ROMANCE. You'll be able to read as I write.

I can't do this without you. To become a top 20 finalist I NEED YOUR VOTES.

First, please sign up at www.Textnovel.com. That way you can read all the stories there--for free. You'll get 1 confirmation email from Textnovel. After that you won't get inundated with junk mail. I've had maybe 3 emails in a year.

After confirming account, go to my novel Lancelot's Lady and click on the blue circle with "thumbs up" at top of story. It'll turn gray when you've voted.

If you'd like to get an email notice when I add a new chapter, click on the blue circle with the cell phone. You'll only be notified when I add a new chapter, not when I edit an existing one. Judges are looking at subscribers too, but it's your thumbs up vote I need most at this time.

If you'd like to leave a short review comment too, that's great. You can read all the comments readers have left.

Thank you so much for helping me with this. I sincerely appreciate it. Your votes could make the difference between a major publishing contract or being in limbo. :-)

Please vote now. Lancelot's Lady

P.S. The cover above is a mock book cover I created for inspiration only.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif
author of Whale Song
http://www.cherylktardif.com/

I dedicate the Battle Hymn of the Baby Boomers to all my writer friends

2009-06-29T06:32:00.003-06:00

Sunday Salon: Review of The Reincarnationist by M.J. Rose

2009-06-28T14:21:00.000-06:00

What can I say about The Reincarnationist besides FABULOUS?

After an accident in Rome, photojournalist Josh Ryder begins experiencing flashes of past memories―from another life, another era. As these flashes intensify, he’s drawn back to the time of ancient Rome, Vestal Virgins and the mysterious Memory Stones. Through the eyes of Julius, he is reunited with a powerful love for Sabina, the Vestal Virgin he has sworn to protect and would willingly die for, a woman whom would be buried alive if their secret love were ever discovered.

In present day Rome, Josh assists at the Phoenix Foundation, an organization that explores and researches claims of reincarnation or incidences of memory flashes, especially in children. Led by impulse, he finds himself at the edge of a freshly unearthed tomb and witnesses a murder.

His search for answers, for the Memory Stones stolen from the tomb of the Vestal Virgin Sabina, for the truth about what happened in ancient Rome, leads him to two women―Professor Gabriella Chase and Rachel Palmer, a young woman who is haunted by her own past life memories.

Is either of these women the Sabina he once knew? And will Josh ever reconcile his past with his present? These are just some of the questions I found myself asking along the way. I found the premise of this novel intriguing. I couldn’t put the book down once I started it.

Author M.J. Rose tells a compelling story that weaves history and religion into a fateful adventure filled with intrigue, romance, murder and deception. Her writing is detailed but not overloaded, just the right mix of fact and fiction to make me a believer and her characters are ones I’ll remember for a long time. The flashes of past and present are so seamlessly woven yet clearly defined, that I was never jolted from the story, but swept along and taken on a ride that left me breathless by the end.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in the theory of reincarnation or anyone who enjoys a suspenseful, thrilling journey to the past. It would also make an exceptional read for a book club.

The Reincarnationist is the inspiration for a new television series that will be airing soon. I can’t wait to watch Past Life. If it is anything like M.J. Rose’s novel, it is going to be an adventure of a lifetime.

You can buy The Reincarnationist from your favorite bookstore or order it online at Amazon, Chapters and more.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif,
author of The River
http://www.cherylktardif.com/

Creating mock book covers

2009-06-27T15:59:00.019-06:00

Book covers can make or break a book, and I've been lucky to have 4 published novels with 4 covers that were well received by readers. Often when I'm working on a novel, I'll design a "mock book cover". It helps to inspire me to really visualize the finished product, even if it isn't the most professional cover. Of course, the published cover isn't even close to the mock one I design.

For the "Next Best Celler" novel contest, sponsored by Textnovel and Dorchester Publishing, I'm working on a romance novel. Lancelot's Lady is the name of the romantic suspnese I've entered, and it very quickly took off, making the #1 spot out of all contest entries for the month of June 2009. Last time I checked, Lancelot's Lady was also #5 in Most Popular Stories.

To keep me motivated, I designed a mock book cover early on (cover #1), using a few elements from the story. This early design was simple enough to add some color and excitement to my entry, while also respecting that Dorchester Publishing will have the final say in a book cover.

Weeks later, I designed a new, more romantic cover (cover #2), yet hopefully the darkness still lends to some suspense. I'd be interested in hearing what you think, but of course please keep in mind that these aren't real covers. They're really just for fun. I have no doubt that Dorchester Publishing (should I win the contest) would do a far better job at designing a suitable cover.

...........(cover #1)...........................(cover #2)...........

So readers, now you have some extra insight into the mind of a reader--at least this one. And authors, you now have a great idea for keeping yourself inspired--create a mock book cover. :-)

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif
Please vote thumbs up for Lancelot's Lady (you must sign up at Textnovel.com first, then go to and click on thumbs up icon at top of page.)

Check out the new teaser video for my thriller THE RIVER

2009-06-27T08:15:00.000-06:00

Stem cell research, cloning, and world domination--with a twist...

Video created by Kelly Komm.

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

ESC Trillium student says: "I really enjoyed The River"

2009-06-27T07:36:00.005-06:00

Nathan, from ESC Trillium has this to say about The River, the novel he studied in school:

"The River is a very interesting novel right from the start it catches your attention and keeps you hooked. It accomplishes this by being very suspenseful throughout the book even more so by the end of it...the characters are well developed creating a emotional attachment towards the characters, allowing for an even deeper emersion. It’s not only the characters that are detailed since the whole novel is very detailed and descriptive. In my opinion the ending of a novel is often where a great novel can seem to fall apart, this is not the case with The River since it has, in my opinion, a great ending that delivers...I really enjoyed The River and found it so hard to put down...I would recommend it to any of my friends, and to anyone who thinks they would like a great thriller that has a story targeted towards a more adult audience."

Thank you for your comments, Nathan. It's great to see you really 'got' my novel. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

Lancelot's Lady excerpt

2009-06-25T16:06:00.003-06:00

Lancelot's Lady by Cherish D'Angelo (aka Cheryl Kaye Tardif)

Prologue

A woman’s naked body, wrapped only in a thin veil of mist, rose from the shimmering stillness of the lake. Her long legs, half-submerged in the water, were gracefully slender. Rich auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders and swirled over the peaks of her firm breasts. Her jade-green eyes gleamed with such yearning and expectancy.
Sultry and seductive, her siren's call radiated infinite promises.

The mist rose from the lake in spiraling tendrils, like fairy hands grasping at the woman’s body. The wind whispered in hot, humid breaths. Water trickled from the falls above, showering the plants with glistening moisture.

The Lady in the Mist appeared to be waiting for something. Or someone…

1

“It’s a lovely painting, isn’t it, Miss McLeod?”

Rhianna spun around at the sound of Higginson’s voice.

“She looks quite a bit like you,” the butler observed.

She chuckled. “That’s what you said eight months ago when I first arrived.”

It was the dying man upstairs who was responsible for her relocation to Miami, and it was here at Lance Manor that she first discovered the meaning of family―something she’d always remember.

Memories. That’s all she’d have left one day. Her job here could end in a heartbeat. Not even the doctors knew how much time JT had left. Three weeks, three months, maybe more.

JT Lance had taught her the value of memories. It had been difficult at first, watching a grown man try to remember simple things like how to tie his shoes. JT was like the father she’d never had.

Orphaned at birth, she went to live with her mother’s sister, until Aunt Madeline and Uncle Bernard died in a car crash. After the funeral, she went into foster care and remained there until she was sixteen. The last place she was sent to was the home of Gwen and Peter Waverley. She spent three long years there―three years of hell.

She shook her head.

Some memories are best left alone.

Flicking a look at Higginson, she noticed a single tear had escaped down his cheek. The man was a loyal employee, more like a companion and dear friend than a well paid butler. He’d been with JT for over twenty years. They often argued over business matters, yet JT always respected him, and that had won the butler’s eternal devotion.

Higginson cleared his throat. “There’s something magnetic about her.”

“I agree.”

The canvas glowed with a life of its own and she often felt the woman in the painting was watching her. The artist had captured the sensual yearning in the young woman’s expression, a sense of desperation, torment and passion that haunted her beautiful eyes. However, there was one thing that stood out―a flaw of sorts. The artist’s signature was difficult to make out.

She recalled the first time she'd seen the Lady in the Mist. The day she arrived in Miami. The day JT found out about her past―about a secret she had tried desperately to forget.

* * * * *

Rhianna was so mesmerized by the painting in the foyer that she didn’t hear footsteps approaching.

“It was painted by a talented young artist.”

She let out a startled yelp and spun around.

“My goodness,” said a tall, dark-haired man with wrinkled eyes and a kind smile. “You look just like her.”

“Who?”

“The Lady in the Mist.”

“Maybe there’s a bit of a resemblance,” she admitted, thinking it odd that she hadn’t noticed until he pointed it out.

“I’m sure you didn’t come here to look at paintings. What can I do for you?”

“Your housekeeper let me in. Are you Mr. Lance?”

“No, no,” the man said with a chuckle. “I’m Higginson, the butler. Mr. Lance is resting at the moment. Perhaps you can leave your name.”

Rhianna blinked back tears. She couldn’t be turned away. The trip to Florida had taken most of her savings and she didn’t have enough money to fly back to Maine. Besides, if it weren’t for Mr. Lance’s letter, she wouldn’t even be in this predicament.

“But Mr. Lance is expecting me. I’m Rhianna McLeod, the palliative nurse he contacted. In his letter he said I’d have the job if I came here.”

“Oh, I’m dreadfully sorry, miss, but Mr. Lance already has a nurse.” The butler shook his head. “You must have been mistaken.”

“But I don’t have anywhere else―”

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the hallway. Something shattered, and she heard a muffled curse. Then a terrible wailing, like an injured animal, reverberated through the stately mansion.

The butler groaned. “Oh, no. Not again.”

He rushed off in the direction of the noise. Rhianna had no choice but to follow him. When they passed through a doorway, she saw an elderly man dressed only in a bathrobe. It gaped open in the front, threatening to reveal more than just a hairy chest. Beside him, a plump woman in white scrubs was trying her best to calm him down, even though she was dripping wet and very upset.

“Mr. Lance’s nurse,” the butler said.

As they approached the dueling pair, Rhianna tried to remember everything she could about her employer-to-be. In the past year, the tabloids had been filled with stories of billionaire JT Lance and his fight against an aggressive disease, a cancerous tumor that made him an unruly and difficult patient. From what she could see, the rumors were true. Once exuding strength, confidence and perhaps a touch of arrogance, JT now looked frail and helpless as he leaned against the wall for support.

“JT?” the butler called out.

The older man smiled. “Higginson, please get this woman a towel. She spilled my water.” Totally unaware of the broken glass, water and pill bottles on the floor, he staggered toward them.

“Sir!” the butler said with some force.

“I did not spill it,” the nurse snapped. Turning to the butler, she said, “Mr. Lance refuses to take his meds. Now he’s having a temper tantrum. Look! He threw a water pitcher at me.”

JT’s eyes flared. “That’s because you keep trying to poison me, you old bat!”

“I am not trying to poison you,” the nurse sputtered. “The medication will help―”

“How the hell do you know what will help me? You keep me so drugged that I don’t even know who I am when I look in the mirror.”

The old man turned to leave, then abruptly whipped around and gaped at Rhianna...

* * * * *

©2009 Cheryl Kaye Tardif, writing as Cherish D’Angelo; all rights reserved. No copying, displaying or printing of this material in any format without written consent from author.

To read more of Lancelot's Lady and to vote thumbs up for my novel to win the "Next Best Celler" contest, please go to Lancelot's Lady on Textnovel.com.

Thanks for your support!

Cheryl

ESC Trillium student says The River "is truly a great novel"

2009-06-24T07:30:00.005-06:00

ESC Trillium High School student Sylvianne has this to say about The River:

"As a high school student finding a good book to read is very hard, but take my word when I say this is truly a great novel. From the very first page all the way to the last sentence, it captivated me. When you read this novel, make sure you have plenty of time, because to be honest I couldn’t put the book down...I am proud to say that this is a Canadian novel set in the wild Nahanni River in Northwest Territories. The novel is filled with suspense, excitement, love, science and a very bumpy adventure down the mysterious Nahanni River...Throughout this novel you will discover many unexpected twists...I really loved this novel and I recommend it to everyone."

Many thanks, Sylvianne. I'm so glad you enjoyed my novel. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

Cheryl talks about using contests to promote novels at 'Your Shelf Life'

2009-06-22T19:37:00.000-06:00

Today I was featured at 'Your Shelf Life', a great blog geared for writers and readers. The main question asked is what can you do to extend your 'shelf life' as an author and the 'shelf life' of your books.

I talked to Sandy about how I use contests to keep things fresh, interesting, exciting and interactive.

How Contests Can Promote Your Novels & Extend Your Shelf Life

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

ESC Trillium student: "The River by Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the first book that I couldn’t put down

2009-06-21T08:20:00.005-06:00

Here's another review/book report I received from Angèle, a student in grade 12 at ESC Trillium High School:

“The River” by Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the first book that I couldn’t put down...“The River” is filled with a thrilling adventure and a love story which really interested me...the novel kept me on the edge of my seat right from the beginning. There was no time wasted, the action started right away and the story did not drag. Everytime I would put the book down my mind would keep wondering about what could possibly happen. The novel always surprised me with new and shocking events...Since I question myself alot so I think that “The River” could have a sequal or even a movie. The movie would be an action pack type of movie which would really interest me."

Thank you, Angèle. I appreciate everything you've said here. ~CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

ESC Trillium student says The River would "make a great movie"

2009-06-19T21:06:00.004-06:00

Here's another review/book report from Dan, an ESC Trillium student:

"The River was one of those books that I could not put down. It was a very interesting thriller...all of the characters are introduced and described very well...also very descriptive, I could visualise every event and every place mentioned in the book...Although time travel is hard to explain in an original way, I think that it was well done. Furthermore I think this book would also make a great movie one day...this book was very interesting and kept me in suspense for most of the story. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys thrillers."

Thanks, Dan. I'm glad you enjoyed it and I'm glad my novel made you think. :-) CKT

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

Cheryl's deadly 'Create a Corpse Contest'

2009-06-19T01:44:00.005-06:00

This contest is now open!

From now until July 30th, 2009, you can submit a name (first & last) of someone you know (boss, husband, school bully, ex-friend or yourself), or a fictitious name.

I am looking for a male name, suitable for a 50-ish cigar-smoking man.

On August 1st, 2009, I will select one winner from all the entries and use that name, fictitiously of course, in Lancelot's Lady, my novel-in-progress and an entry in the Textnovel/Dorchester "America's Next Best Celler" contest.

The winner will receive an autographed copy as soon as this novel is published. And the winner's initials will be credited on my acknowledgement page in the book, if they choose.

Keep in mind that the ‘corpse’ character will not intentionally look like or act like the person he or she is named after, nor will the character survive. After all, 'I kill people off for a living'.

Rules:

You must sign up as a member of Textnovel.com (free).
You must vote for Lancelot's Lady by clicking on the thumbs up icon at the top of my novel's page: http://www.textnovel.com/stories_list_detail.php?story_id=928
You must subscribe to receive future chapters by clicking on the cell phone icon at top
Then leave your suggested 'corpse' name on my website (not this blog) in a comment.
Contest ends at midnight (MT) on July 30th, 2009.

Whale Song "flowed perfectly and the story was very beautiful"

2009-06-17T09:55:00.004-06:00

Recently I held a contest on Twitter for all my followers. I gave away about 60 prizes. Most were donated by my sponsors, and some of the prizes were signed copies of my novels Whale Song, The River and Divine Intervention.

One of the winners, Julie K. Nichols, posted a lovely review of Whale Song on Amazon.com.

Here's a condensed version:

"This book told a beautiful story of a young girl who experienced a personal tragedy, but at the same time, learned life lessons from some very special people and even from the whales her father studied...I could not put it down. The text flowed perfectly and the story was very beautiful. A great story for young or old."

Read an excerpt of THE RIVER

2009-06-11T10:56:00.005-06:00

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

E.S.C. Trillium High School student says THE RIVER "kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it"

2009-06-11T08:44:00.012-06:00

Over the past month or so, grade 12 students from E.S.C. Trillium High School in Chapleau, Ontario, studied my thriller The River. It's been a lot of fun for the teacher Pam Morin, her students and me, especially since we've kept in touch, were able to do video conferencing and I felt like I was part of the class. Thank you, Pam!

Over the next few days I'm going to post bits from some of the students' reports/reviews, and I have to say, these young adults really "got" what I was saying. The River is a techno-thriller, part Mission Impossible, part adventure, part history...and so much more.

Michel, one of the students, has this to say about The River:

"The River is a sort of thriller type novel that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading it...the action starts right at the beginning of the novel, when Arnold Shroeder shows up and informs Del that her father’s still alive...cool how the author incorporates the character descriptions into the story without overloading the readers with useless information...I couldn’t believe how interesting she made their search through the Nahanni regions sound...I found the end of the novel very climactic. I seriously couldn’t put the book down...The River was an awesome book that I would recommend to my family and my friends."

Thank you, Michel, for allowing me to post your review! :-)

High School teachers: If you'd like to bring The River into your school as a novel study, drop me a line. I love interacting with students. I find it encourages students to read even more and it gives them an experience I hope they'll remember for a long time. I know I will.

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Check out the exciting book trailer video for my thriller THE RIVER

2009-06-07T07:41:00.001-06:00

The South Nahanni River area of Canada's Northwest Territories has a history of mysterious deaths, disappearances and headless corpses, but it may also hold the key to humanitys survival―or its destruction.

Video created by Kelly Komm.

*Purchase The River from Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Chapters, Barnes and Noble and many more online retailers. In Edmonton, please check your favorite bookstore.