Karyn Good

About Karyn Good

I grew up on a farm in the middle of Canada's breadbasket. Under the canopy of crisp blue prairie skies I read books. Lots and lots of books. Occasionally, I picked up a pen and paper or tapped out a few meagre pages of a story on a keyboard and dreamed of becoming a writer when I grew up. One day the inevitable happened and I knew without question the time was right. What to write was never the issue - romance and the gut wrenching journey towards forever.

Carnivalesque: Dressing For Your Author Brand?

It’s Thursday and we’re officially back! It’s Carnivalesque, the Travelling Blog Show time once again. Join Jana Richards, Hayley Lavik, Janet Corcoran, Joanne Brothwell and myself. Every week, we discuss various hot topics and share our unique opinions.

Today it’s Joanne’s turn to ask the question:

With Word On The Street (a Canadian book and magazine festival happening in several cities on Sunday) happening this weekend, I’ve been thinking (more like obsessing!) about what to wear. Do you think it’s important as an author attending public events to dress in a way that reflects their platform? If yes, what does that mean for you? Drop by here and join the conversation!

Word on the Street – Saskatoon

Are We Happy Yet?

Camping makes me happy!

Our September book club pick was a departure from the norm for us. We read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, Or, Why I spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. Her words, not mine. We usually read fiction. I can’t say as I’m a fan of self-help books or non-fiction, but it was interesting to delve into the idea of being purposefully happy.

I mean, hey, who doesn’t want to be happy? Or happier, as the case may be. I didn’t finish it (which means I pay a $10 fine to the pot), but it was an awful lot of information to take in. It was a twelve month project for the author and each month she created a list of resolutions she wanted to work on. Daunting. Yes. Yet, it did raise some interesting questions. And I learned happiness according to Gretchen Rubin takes a lot of work. I’ll enjoy finishing this book, I found Rubin’s voice and style to be appealing and very easy to relate to.

“Happiness depends upon ourselves.”  Aristotle

This I know to be fact. However, sometimes it takes me a couple of think-throughs to realize I’m unhappy because of my own state of mind. It’s so easy and simple to set the blame elsewhere. On the state of the economy. Or the price of peas.  But really, I’ve got to look at what’s happening with me to figure out why I might be ‘off’. You know, a little on the sour side.

“Act the way I want to feel.” One of Rubin’s Twelve Commandments

I actually found this advice to be helpful. If you want to be happy, act happy. And it makes sense, right? Smile more. What’s that saying? It’s the second best thing you can do with your lips. Be happy for someone else. Laugh. Watch The Big Bang Theory. That always works for me. Work at at.

Howard: Are you planning on kidnapping a woman?
Sheldon: Sarcasm?
Howard: Yes, but mixed with genuine concern.

I mean, come on, how can you not find that hysterical?

“There is no duty we underrate so much as the duty of being happy.” Robert Louis Stevenson

Five Little Things That Make Me Happy! Because it doesn’t have to be complicated, it just has to be mindful.

  1. Pretty flowers.
  2. Fresh peaches.
  3. Sitting around a backyard fire.
  4. Autumn leaves.
  5. Cuddled in a fuzzy blanket.

“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance; the wise grows it under his feet.” James Openheim

Oh, one more thing.

6. Chocolate Flavored Vodka. (As with all good things:best used in moderation.)

How about you? What five little things make you happy?

 

Tuesday’s Table Welcomes Author Kate Austin

I’m very happy to be hosting the lovely Kate Austin. A wonderful writer, she also happens to be a fellow Canadian, but from an entirely different part of the country.

I live on the ocean, write women’s fiction, love to read so much that it’s an addiction rather than a hobby (I read an average of a book a day). I live on the wet west coast so it’s a good thing that I like to walk in the rain.  Kate Austin

I’m a foodie so this is a tough blog for me to write. I love good food, whether I’m cooking a meal at home for friends, eating out at one of my favorite neighborhood restaurants (I live in downtown Vancouver so my neighborhood has more restaurants than you can count), or when I’m traveling. But meals for me–the great ones–are all about companions. A bowl of rice and vegetables with a good friend I haven’t seen for a while is a great one; a burger and a beer with a couple of pals is a great one; crackers and cheese and a bottle of wine while talking on the phone with my best friend (who now lives right across the country) is one of the best, although seeing her in person is even better.

So I could talk or write (my books are often about food and meals with friends) about food and great meals forever–the one I had in Rye, England after three weeks of miserable weather and food, or the pizza I had in Bellagio on Lake Como, or the best ever food and service I had in a small hotel in Calais–but I don’t want this blog to on forever (which it could), so I’ll tell you about the nicest meal I’ve had in the past couple of weeks.

Our friend Patrick–my partner also works in the hospitality industry–works at one of my favorite places to go. It’s one of the most beautiful places in Vancouver (which is really saying something) – the Cascades Lounge at the Pan Pacific Hotel. Here’s a picture of the view from the window.

And here’s a picture of the amazing meal we split –

The meal was fennel and lavender dusted halibut (and I love halibut), with corn succotash and asparagus. It was full of flavor, each taste–sweet and salty and tangy–complementing the others perfectly. Add to that the gorgeous basket of bread we also ate, chatting with a good friend, and looking out at the amazing view (and, oh, did I mention the Prosecco and Rolling Rock we drank?), it was one of those perfect meals.

I love evenings like that. How about you?

Kate

You can find Kate at:

http://kateaustin.blogspot.com/

https://twitter.com/KateAVancouver

http://www.kateaustin.ca/

My Thoughts on Jane Eyre

I don’t claim to be a lover of classic literature, more intrigued by it than anything, as my time spent with it has been brief. But I am an advocate of expanding the reading experience. If you can do it with a group of other readers I figure all the better. I’ve always wanted to read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and now I can claim I have thanks to our Carnivalesque Summer Reading Challenge.

Hayley, Jana, and I are sharing our final thoughts over at Hayley‘s blog.

However, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts here as well. Let me start off by saying it was a slow go. It took me literally the whole summer. Although, that largely has to do with our house being in a state of chaos due to main floor renovations. My favorite reading spot was dismantled for two months and…

Okay, enough with the excuses.

I still don’t know what I think of it. Having said that, I did enjoy it and most importantly it made me think.

Setting:  The mid 18th century is not a time period I’m familiar with nor read in. I’m assuming Charlotte Bronte lived in the time period she wrote in. So, contemporary for her and historical for me. I don’t know if that makes a difference or not.  It’s an interesting thought, though. Authors write historicals, but is it the same?

I don’t know. It’s something I’m going to have to give more thought to. I do know Bronte’s style and voice struck a cord with me. I had no problem envisioning the various places Jane found herself in. Bronte’s way with description has inspired me to think even harder about how I use words.

Jane:  I wonder how ‘feminist’ this literature seemed at the time? A story about a young woman who largely succeeds due to her own ingenuity and strength. She’s no shrinking violet. Even though she receives an inheritance that gives her the power to greatly better her circumstances I like to think she’d have succeeded without it. I admired her strong sense of faith, and her steadfast sense of right and wrong. I wondered where she managed to amass all her courage. For someone who has received little to no affection, she manages to be very together. There were times I found it impossible to believe she was eighteen years old. However, I found it impossible not to root for her. Damn it, I wanted that happy ending for her so bad and I’m so glad she got it. Without losing any of the qualities that made her so special and that set her apart: her wit, her common sense, and her values.

Mr. Rochester:   I’m a contemporary romance writer. I love my modern day heroes. I’ll say this: he was very human. The best thing about reading books with others is sharing opinions. You can read some of ours here. This proved helpful and I was very interested in what others had to say about Rochester. There were times when I didn’t know what to make of this guy. Did I like him? I’ll say this, by the end I saw him differently then when we were first introduced. I’m now a fan of redeemed heroes. I believe he loved Jane with his whole heart and that she was the one woman for him. I saw a man who tried to do the right thing and then was burdened by the force of those choices. There were times when I wish he would have kept his mouth shut. Then again, the story would not have the power it does.

Am I glad I read it? Absolutely.

Introducing Tuesday’s Table

The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”  Julia Child

I swear that is one of my favorite quotes. Whatever your relationship with food, everyone has to eat. Indeed many of us have very strong feelings about food. We have experiences around food. Some of our best discussions happen over food. Our thanks, our welcomes, our condolences are often accompanied by food. We travel to experience new places and different cuisines.

I grew up on a farm outside a small prairie town. We gathered together at fall suppers, after church lunches, banquets, and buffets. This time of year lunches and suppers are packed up and driven out to the fields to feed hungry harvesters. My Dad would have been up early and late coming in, working hard at getting the grain in the bins.

When I was a kid sometimes my mother would make bread. She would cut off the heel of a still warm loaf, smear it with butter, and give us a taste. Delicious. When I smell of baking bread I think of my childhood kitchen. Another thing about my mom? She loves to bake. She usually follows up an invite to come and dine with an offer to bring something. We always, always, request dessert. You can trust my son to ask, “Is Grandma bringing dessert?”

Memories and food go hand in hand.

And food and romance? How many first dates take place at a restaurant? I had a friend who went out on a supper date with a guy who made the unfortunate mistake of ordering spaghetti. Not only was that first swirled fork full messy, it was piping hot. What’s a guy to do but spit it back out? That whole date was a gong show. I’m pretty sure it was also their last. Good thing she ended up with an entertaining tale to tell.

There are all kinds of stories out there revolving around food. That’s what Tuesday’s Table is about. You’ll find those stories, maybe a recipe, some pictures, guest bloggers and the books they write. Starting next Tuesday you can find them here.

Sometimes, you get to dine with princesses in a Disney castle.

If you’re lucky, you’ll find a Knight in Shining Armour.

Our character lunch at Disney World was one of those memorable kind of meals. As soon as we stepped into that castle and saw Cinderella in all her finery I felt eight years old again. The meal was excellent and afterwards we spent time with Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Ariel, and Belle. Again, it took me back to my childhood. We ate all our meals at the kitchen table, except on those occasional Sundays when CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Channel) aired a Disney movie. Out came the TV trays, we filled out plates and headed to the family room for a treat. With access to only two channels, you made the most of those opportunities.

Have a memorable meal in your past? One you’ll always remember?

Dining with one’s friends and beloved family is certainly one of life’s primal and most innocent delights, one that is both soul-satisfying and eternal.”  Julia Child

It’s Friday!

And today I’m guest blogging at Kate Austin’s blog. She’s a fellow Canadian residing in Vancouver who writes great books. I’m answering questions about setting, my favorite book, and the book I’ll probably never write. Hop on over and say hi!

It’s also time for things to get back to normal here on the blog. So, starting next week things will be picking up.

Something new to start the week off. Tuesday’s Table will kick off on September 11th with it’s first installment. Guest bloggers will be talking about food. It could  be anything to do with food: favorite recipes, worst meals. excellent dining experiences, what they discuss around the kitchen table, etc. They’ll also be sharing information about their books.

Wednesday’s will be devoted to anything and everything.

We’re Back!

 

 

On Thursday, September 13th we’re back with our Carnivalesque: The Travelling Blog Show. We’re doing a wrap up of our summer reading challenge of Jane Eyre at Hayley Lavik’s blog. Just what did we think about Jane, did we root for her? And Mr. Rochester? Like him, love him, hate him. There’s so much to discuss. I can’t wait to share my thoughts.

 

 

How about you? Does the advent of fall see you setting goals and settling back into normal?

Manic Monday

It’s the second last Monday of August. How did that happen? Harvest is in full swing here on the prairies. Wheat being one of our staple crops with the first attempts at planting dating back to 1753. Stats like that one always make me smile. When I was a little girl I remember thinking everyone’s grandparents had come from somewhere else. Mine were immigrants to this country by way of Poland, Norway and Sweden. It wasn’t until I started school and began learning about the long and rich history of our First Nations people and that of the first European settlers coming later at the beginning of the 18th century that I realized how new our roots were to Canada.

My romantic suspense novel, Backlash, takes places in the month of September. My fictional setting of Aspen Lake, being a resort town located at the foot of the scenic Moose Mountains, would still be surrounded by farmland. Frost is on the ground in the morning. Days are still warm. Nights are filled with stars.

I love to savor the approach of autumn. Warm enough to enjoy the beach during the day and cool enough for backyard fires in the evening. The air smells different. It’s heavy with dust of harvest, the scent of ripening fruit, and the bittersweet smell of brand new back-to-school supplies. We’re mixing the daytime summer fashions of shorts and flip-flops by adding jeans and light jackets to our evenings.

And let’s not forget the stars. So bright. A startling reminder of the vastness of the universe. With the sun setting earlier we have more time to enjoy them. I never fail to look up and wonder what others in past centuries have thought about as they gazed up at the same stars.

What is your favorite part about this time of the year?

I’ll sign off with this is a snippet from page 97 of Backlash. It’s early evening in the middle of September. Chase, Lily and Jason were involved in a incident earlier in the day. Lily is waiting for Chase to come by and let her know what’s happening.

Lily led Mike out onto her front steps and lifted her face up to catch the leftover heat from the setting sun. It didn’t help. The bone deep chill remained. She rubbed her arms, wishing for a sweater.

She wondered where Chase was and why he’d sent an emissary. “So, he’s with his aunt?”

 Here’s What Reviewers Are Saying About Backlash!

5 Stars

“Chase and Lily are made for each other; they complement each other so well.”

“The description of the enforcer was so vivid that it seemed that I could actually envision the soulless enforcer in front of me.”

CozyReader at The Romance Reviews

4 Stars

Ms. Good sure spins a tale of deceit and a trail of clues that lead right to a climax I never imagined.
Need some suspense to keep you up long into the night? Why not giveBacklash a chance. Immerse yourself in the strong sense of right and wrong, with a great cast of characters.

Sunflower at Long and Short Reviews

 A Rating

Add to that, this book is fabulous on the suspense side. Lots of high-stakes danger, really evil bad guys (super-creepy spider tattoo guy), and it kept me guessing how the author was going to resolve it all till the very end. Overall this was a fabulous book and definitely one that reminds me why I LOVE to read! Perfect entertainment and escape!

Christi Snow at Smitten With Reading

 5 Stars

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW… could i say WOW anymore? You bet! I don’t have time to write my full review now, BUT if you enjoy romantic suspense with killer sexual tension and a smokingly HOT yet tortured lead, then y’all need to read this!!

Sheryl on Goodreads

Say Cheese: Camera Tips and Tricks

I tried to catch him paddling into the shot.

I love photo art, especially black and white images. It’s very tempting to share all the beautiful and haunting images we find on the web with others. But as we’ve come to know that’s not okay and an infringement on the photographer’s copyright. The only photos you’ll see on this blog are my own or those that I have paid for the privilege of using.

Because everyone likes to look at pictures on blogs. Right? They add something to the words or they are the words. Take food blogs for example. You need to be an amateur photographer to be a successful food blogger. Here is one of my favorite blogs. I’m not going to admit at how often I actually attempt the recipes but I love reading them. Here’s another one. And my very first food blog crush.

I have a camera. I love taking pictures. What I’m lacking is some basic knowledge. Here’s some tips that I found that might be helpful if you’re a wanna-be photographer.

Composition

This is kinda like being a writer. The image in the viewfinder is your story. You want it to be effective. To that end, make sure your subject fills the frame. I have tons of photos of things that are so far in the distance you’re squinting to see it. Move closer and check the space around and behind your subjects. Make sure there isn’t acres of wasted space or an object way in the back that’s going to look like it’s sitting on top of someone’s head.

The Rule of Thirds

Also the Golden Ratio, which has to do with math and sounds like something they discuss on The Big Bang Theory. Like Penny I have no clue.

Apparently, this is an important one when it comes to photography. You’re supposed to divide the image in the viewfinder into thirds both ways, horizontally and vertically. Which means there are nine square boxes, like the game tic-tac-toe. Where those lines intersect are your strongest points and where you place the important elements of your subject.

How to use the points.

If you have a lone object, then place it on the left side of the grid. On the left line. That’s your strongest point. When you have multiple subjects, the object in the front is more dominant than an object in the background. The bottom right point is the strongest in this case and the upper left point is the weakest. If you want to play around with this idea try placing the background subject in the right of the grid or the foreground subject on the left. Play around and experiment. See if different places on the grid produce a more emotional effect.

Click here for some examples of photographs and an explanation of using the Rule of Thirds.

I decided to test it out so off I went to the park and our provincial legislative building.

Looks very squishy.

In this one the fountain takes up too much space.

I think this is the most interesting of the three. I’ll add a couple more of my attempts to place things in different spots in my lens. As you can tell I have LOTS to learn. But it’s fun to play around. How about you? Do you like to play photographer? Got any tips?

As We Shift Towards Another Season

I won’t be tiresome and asked the obvious, like how can it be Friday already. It’s been a productive week renovation wise. Our kitchen transformation is finally on the upswing so the place now has the cupboards, minus the door fronts. Layers of ugly wallpaper have now been removed and they’re starting on the baseboards and window casings. New windows are in and the new flooring is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Yay.

But it’s also August 10th. Days are getting shorter. Back-to-school ads are everywhere. Harvest has started. Fall is just around the corner. Here is my corner of the world, the school years ends at the very end of June and students don’t go back to school until after the long weekend in September. Going by the glass is half full approach, there’s still almost a month of summer left.

There are market gardens to visit, campfires and hot chocolate to enjoy, and books yet to be read. A sense of gathering has started in the harvesting of grains, readying all those garden vegetables, or putting together supplies for school. Our purpose is shifting and we’re preparing for a new season.

I love fall. I’m just not ready to let go of summer yet.

My Playlist For This Sunny Summer August Day:

Drunk on You by Luke Bryan

Come Over by Kenny Chesney

I’m On Fire by Bruce Springsteen

Goodbye Girl by Rumer

The Cave by Mumford and Sons

On My eReader:

Still plugging away at Jane Eyre!

On the Menu

Takeout!!!

What are you listening to, reading, or eating this weekend?

Aiming for Gold

Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” 

The motto and creed for the Olympic Games.

No one can help but be impressed by the physical prowess of athletes competing on London’s world stage. They are magnificent. Powerful, agile, honed to perfection, they push the bounds of human stamina. It’s all very impressive to behold. But what’s truly impressive, to me anyway, is the mental toughness it takes to get this job done. To compete and challenge the best in the world and not get lost in the mental garbage land of doubts, desperation, and the dark places one goes when things are not going as well as we had hoped.

No excuses allowed in this arena. Mental toughness and resilience are everything.

All this can apply to success in any endeavor, writing included. If you want to be the best you have to think like the best. According to David Yukelson, Affiliate Associate Professor of Exercise and Sport Science Sport Psychologist at Penn State there are four Key Psychological Characteristics Associated With Mental Toughness: Self-Belief, Motivation, Focus, and Composure/Handling Pressure.

Self-Belief: You have to believe you can do it. Without a doubt know you can do it. You need to figure out what makes you unique, make the absolute most of those qualities and strengths that work in your favor and that put you in contention.

Motivation: You have got to be able to taste the success. Feel it with your fingertips. See it as clearly as your face in the mirror. And you have to want it with everything you have in you. You need to take the setbacks that are going to come your way and use them to strengthen your determination. Use the momentum of motivation to bulldoze distractions.

Focus: Retaining that concentrated focus at the right times. By using routine and practice to signal effort. You walk through that door and it’s on. You need to shut down the negative voices telling you things you don’t need to hear. And you need to be able to turn it off when you walk back out.

Composure/Handling Pressure: Be in the moment. Embrace the pressure. It’s in your hands. What you do with the distractions and unexpected events can mean the difference between productivity and negative gains. You will worry, the anxiety will wrap around you like an old friend. Learn to cope with it.

A Positive Attitude

“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.”  Eleanor Roosevelt

Patience and Persistance

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”    ― Calvin Coolidge

Dreams do not come cheap. Nor are they easy. But we all have them. Are you prepared to put it all on the line to achieve yours?