Blog Archives
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
All the hustle and bustle of Christmas is well underway and a lot of us are still out there getting our last minute gifts for family and friends. I’m very close to being ready for the big day. The next few days will be very busy ones for most of us. I’m still occupying my time writing while all the festivities are going on around me and hope to finish my current book in the Spring of 2022. It’s called The Atrium, and you can find a a short summary of it’s contents on my website at www.solitaireparke.com.
In the meantime, listen to all the beautiful Christmas music, watch all the great Christmas movies and check out all the books to read as well. Here’s wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and hoping that in spite of everything crazy that’s happening in the world right now, that you and your family have a wonderful and blessed holiday time together!
Holiday Cheer to everyone!
Solitaire
Science Fiction/Fantasy & Thrillers for your Fall Reading List.
Explore stories where you can lose yourself in imaginative worlds, engage in battles of good versus evil, and become part of gripping tales of people struggling to overcome pasts that continue to haunt them. DISCOVER YOUR NEW FAVORITE STORY –
Tinker Smith & the Conspiracy of OZ
Ten genetically altered children while simply trying to survive seek to stop a mad man from releasing a technological mammoth that could take over the world.
http://www.solitaireparke.com/tinker.html
Vengeance of the Wolf
In this dark and gripping world of dreams and nightmares anything can happen in this chilling thriller beyond your wildest imagination.
http://www.solitaireparke.com/vengeance.html
Daughter of the Dark Lord Series
A Prequel to the Dragomeir Series
Can a young girl and her dragon, the daughter of a ruthless Dark Lord, change the lives of those around her to reflect a new world free of the tyranny they have always known, and thus change her destiny as well?
http://www.solitaireparke.com/burning_sky.html
The Emerald Dragon – Dragomeir Series
This is the first novel of an all-new fantasy series
Tanis Theatra, an ancient warrior is called by an emerald dragon – Demios, and learns to become a dragon rider. He has to interact with the other riders and people of Mt. Drago, a mountain that lies in the middle of a desert but has access to other worlds that are inhabited by both unusual and evil creatures. The riders are led by the Ariella, Queen of the Dragons, and they must band together to fight evil forces that hold the crystal keys that will protect their world and peaceful existence.
http://www.solitaireparke.com/emerald_dragon.html
When fall comes and the days are shorter, nothing can be more comforting than your favorite blanket and a good book to read. Fall reads can be spooky/scary, lighthearted, serious, or imaginative. So, curl up in your favorite spot and get lost in the world of your choice.
Solitaire
A Writer’s Secret Ingredient?
Perusing the web this week I discovered a guest post that I found to be particularly outstanding and possibly very helpful to other writers. It was a recent post from author and guru of all things writing and publishing, Jane Friedman. I regularly get her newsletter, Electric Speed, which contains a myriad of information for writers. (I highly recommend subscribing to it, by the way.) https://janefriedman.com/.
The post is about a secret ingredient that can keep readers riveted to your book down to the very last line, rather than lose interest and have it fall to the floor. The guest was C. S. Lakin, a writing coach, workshop instructor, blogger and award-winning author of 30+ books.
So, check out this post at the following link –
https://www.janefriedman.com/the-secret-ingredient-of-a-commercially-successful-novel/
Solitaire
Forthcoming book – The Atrium
3rd Annual Smashwords July Summer/Winter Sale!
July 1, 2021 – July 31, 2021
Why is it called “Summer/Winter”? Here in the Northern hemisphere, it’s mid-summer. Readers are loading their e-reading devices for summer beach reading and long-awaited vacations. South of the equator they are now in the middle of winter. They’re ready to curl up in front of the fireplace and enjoy a great read too!
Hello to all the readers and authors out there! All my eBooks will be on sale for 50% off, so take advantage and stock up on plenty of books to read over the summer/winter. You will find every type of genre with books from terrific authors all over the world. It’s an opportunity to find exclusive discounts from your favorite indie authors and discover new future favorites. So, check it out at SMASHWORDS.COM.
I’m currently working on a new book called The Atrium and a possible cover reveal will be up on my website soon. In the meantime, I am continuing to do some Spring Cleaning on my digital content to make improvements and move forward into 2021. Can you believe it’s half over already? This year seems to be flying by. Enjoy your Summer!
See you soon!
Solitaire
Horror fans – Looking for a creepy tale to read this Halloween?
Are you one of those readers who love an eerily haunting story, one that you’re terrified to keep reading and yet you can’t put it down? With Halloween at our doorstep, it’s a great time for one of those novels. For those who love the horror genre, anytime is a good time. In my horror/thriller, Vengeance of the Wolf
you are drawn into the world of dreams. It’s the story of a shocking assassin who works through dreams using a technique that seems physically impossible, to end the lives of those deemed responsible for an untimely death. Detectives are completely baffled, and just as they appear to get closer to determining the person’s identity, they are completely thrown off and their efforts seem to take them nowhere. Extremely shaken at the horrific scenes to which they are led, the question remains – why is this happening and where is it leading? Only the assassin has the answers to their questions – answers that may be too unsettling to be revealed.
If you like a good scare – check it out at my website, where you can read the first chapter! You’ll find it is available multiple places in all formats.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!! 
Do you have a favorite creepy story? Leave a comment.
Solitaire
Never give up – Never surrender!
It’s a line spoken by actor, Tim Allen, from a movie – “Galaxy Quest.” It’s one of the funniest sci-fi spoofs ever made. It’s just one of those feel-good movies that you watch again and again, and it has a great message. It’s so easy to get lost amidst the responsibilities and difficulties of life. We struggle to find the time to write or create, and sometimes it can be all too confusing and disheartening to keep up the drive. Many of us are working day jobs and trying to fit in our writing or whatever our passion is, around everything else. What we need is creative clarity about what we’re creating and why we’re doing it in the first place. Go back to the ”well” so to speak, and dig deep for your source of inspiration. Do you have a great story that needs to be expressed, whether it’s as an author or in a painting? Someone out there needs to hear or see what you have to say and it will profoundly connect with them in a meaningful way, and that is important. It means continuing to be an artist even when there are setbacks, and a lack of validation. That clarity will help you to prioritize amidst your busy life, and your amazing creation will materialize and give the world something to think about besides its everyday routine. To be elevated above the mundane into a place that is intriguing, magical, whimsical or exquisite is what teaches us how to thrive and experience truly being alive!
Never give up – Never Surrender!
Solitaire
Check out my website for upcoming books and fun features.
10 Quotes to Keep You Thinking, Encouraged, and Positive
- “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax
- To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”
- “When you think things are bad,
when you feel sour and blue,
when you start to get mad…
you should do what I do!
Just tell yourself, Duckie,
you’re really quite lucky!
Some people are much more…
oh, ever so much more…
oh, muchly much-much more
unlucky than you!”
― Dr. Seuss, Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?
- Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
― Oscar Wilde
- “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt, This is My Story
- I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou
- “Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
― Audrey Hepburn
- “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
― Albert Einstein
- “You’re going to come across people in your life who will say all the right words at all the right times. But in the end, it’s always their actions you should judge them by. It’s actions, not words that matter.
― Nicholas Sparks, The Rescue
If you have a favorite quote, please share or comment.
Solitaire
15 Quotes to Celebrate Father’s Day
The third Sunday in June every year is Father’s Day. A great day to let your Dad know that he is important and you care, with a card, a gift, or just a hug and a visit. Fatherhood is rarely a smooth ride, but one that’s full of ups and downs, with both joyful and sometimes tragic experiences. You learn to find joy in the everyday pleasures and count your blessings, because nothing in life is guaranteed. So, live simply, don’t take yourself too seriously, live your life intentionally and with a sense of humor. Cherish each one of life’s moments that you have.
Here are some quotes from a handful of Fathers:
“A Father carries pictures where his money used to be.” – Steve Martin
“One Father is more than a hundred schoolmasters.” – George Herbert
“No man stands taller than when he stoops to help a child.” – Abraham Lincoln
“What you teach your children, you also teach their children.” – The Talmud
“A two year old is kind of like having a blender, but you don’t have a top for it.” – Jerry Seinfeld
“There should be a children’s song: If you’re happy and you know it, keep it to yourself and let your dad sleep.” – Jim Gaffigan
“It’s on ongoing joy being a Dad. ” – Liam Neeson
“The older I get, the smarter my Father seems to get.” – Tim Russert
“When my Father didn’t have my hand, he had my back.” – Linda Poindexter
“A daughter needs a Dad to be the standard against which she will judge all men.” – Gregory E. Lang
“Having a kid is like falling in love for the first time when you’re 12, but every day.” – Mike Myers
“My Father used to say, ‘It’s never too late to do anything you wanted to do. You never know what you can accomplish until you try.’ ” – Michael Jordan
“A Father doesn’t just tell you he loves you; he shows you.” – Unknown
“My Father taught me not to overthink things, that nothing will be perfect, so just keep moving and do your best.” – Scott Eastwood
“Daddies don’t just love their children now and then. It’s a love without end.” – George Strait
Happy Father’s Day!
Solitaire
Part Three of the Daughter of the Dark Lord Series – Into Futures Past
The Daughter of the Dark Lord, Part Three, Into Futures Past will be out very soon. I’m excited that it’s in the final editing stages. This book is the third prequel to the previously published Dragomeir Series. The prequel books allow the reader an extensive view into the life of Katherine Pendragon, Queen of the Dragons.
Daughter of the Dark Lord, Katherine, is determined to protect the downtrodden. She’s in a race against time and space to fulfill the prophecy and become a leader unlike any other before her. Follow her failures, triumphs, and unending journeys to claim her destiny as the Queen of the Dragons in this exciting, action-filled fantasy adventure as she struggles with self-acceptance and the acceptance of the dragons and people in her world.
Check out all my other books at www.solitaireparke.com.
You can contact me at my website if you have any questions, or just leave a comment. Thanks for reading –
Solitaire
What is a Typical Day in a Writer’s Life?
I start my day in the same way as, I would assume, any other person. Personal hygiene, shower-shave, the usual stuff. Ordinarily it wouldn’t be worth mentioning except that without it I manage to think about a lot of things. It’s just that none of them equate to writing. Being freshly showered seems to energize my mind and allow it to do other things besides wallowing around in a fog. Coffee is on the menu between 7 and 11 in the morning. I rarely stop for a lunch break, but occasionally snack here and there while I keep working. From 11 on, I usually drink tonic water and ginger ale – my ginger tonic.
I have two dogs, so periodically during the day they need an outdoor break. Then there are the two cats who definitely don’t want to feel ignored. Pets have their own ways of letting you know when they need your immediate attention. Not always in a good way!
If I’m writing dialogue, I often have conversations back and forth with my characters to determine what sounds awkward or unrealistic. If I need to clear my head, once in a while I’ll watch an episode of a Sci-Fi show just to keep a fresh mind and then its back to writing again.
For me to get into the spirit of writing, the mood of the room is actually quite important in the scheme of things. A good desk lamp tends to set the stage, casting an ambience that is conducive to seeing the story before I write it, or at least doesn’t take away from the ability to begin writing.
Music is the single most important ingredient to my writing, and it has to match the feel of the story. I write more fantasy than anything, and I’ve found that epic instrumentals work every time. I can almost see the characters being inspired right along with me.
I try to write 8 hours a day, Monday-Friday, and rewrite the bits and pieces I don’t like in the evenings between 10:00 p.m. and midnight. I don’t sleep as much as most people, and it just seems logical to do something constructive during a time when very little happens otherwise.
I’ve been asked many times about taking breaks and I advocate them, of course, but I rarely remember to take them. Once I get caught up in the story, it tends to take on a life of its own.
Oh, and then there’s that full-time job that I work from home for thirty-two – sometimes more – hours per week. I’m a pretty busy author these days.
If you haven’t already, check out my Website, my Amazon Author Page, friend me on Facebook and follow me on Pinterest.
Thanks for reading!
Solitaire
Solitaire Parke - Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books 