Cold I got, but... Where is the HOT?

by Jena Galifany

Winter this year has been something else. In the east, it has been horrible from what I've seen in the news. I'm in the west, in the high desert. It's been cold, but not like back east. I feel so sorry for those that are in it.

I should feel guilty that I complain all year round that I'm cold. Winter is cold, in the 40s and 50s which is nothing compared to what some of my on-line friends endure. We have summer weather around 100 to 110, so when it gets to the 50s, I'm freezing.

Our summer can last from May until well into November (I once went water skiing on New Years Day) so when winter gets here, I'm cold. I'm also cold all summer. I know it sounds silly but I have 3 blankets on my bed all summer and another couple on top of that in the winter. My husband works as an auto mechanic. He is outside all day in that 100 to 110 degree heat. When he gets home, he wants it cold in the house. Once it gets down to 65, I'm cold. I wear a jacket in the house all summer.

I live in a brick house that was built by my husband's grandfather when Steve's mother was 12 years old. Steve was born into this house and has lived here most of his life. Grandfather had A.D.D. and did some rather creative things when he built the place. I was told that he never completely pounded in any one of the nails in the place. Someone had to go along behind him and finish the job. Anyway, there is no insulation in a brick house other than the thickness of the paint on the walls. I can now appreciate tapestries mentioned hanging in castles of old. I don't have any but I can appreciate them.

Don't get me wrong. I love my husband, the Ice King. He screams like a little girl when I put my frozed hands under his shirt and touch his sides. I love my house and the 2.5 acres of land that came with it. I love where I live. But I'd really love to be warm at least one month out of the year. Is that too much to ask?
________________________

A snow storm brought Ty Synclair and Alexis Rivers together. Spending time working with the men of ShadowsForge are one of the few ways I can get warm.

Alexis Rivers

Ty Synclair

ShadowsForge 1: Three Times a Hero

Bass player Ty Synclair is discontented with the women that come through his life who love him for his money, image, and fame.  He believes there has to be one woman, somewhere, who will love him for who he is, not the package sold to the public.

Alexis Rivers is finished with her abusive boyfriend and finished with love altogether.  She wants a man who would simply love and appreciate her.  Since he doesn't seem to exist, she wants to remain alone for the rest of her life.  The problem is her heart doesn’t agree with her decision, a decision that crumbles fast after literally running into Ty Synclair in the middle of a blizzard.

Can two cold hearts spark a fire, when they collide on a snowy mountain road and spend three days alone together in a snowbound cabin?

____________________________

Excerpt:

Ty jogged through two hundred feet of calf-deep snow at the side of the road, to where tracks went over the side. The Nova had continued its uncontrolled slide off the road, dropped about fifteen feet, and slammed dead center into a fair sized pine tree. The front end hugged the tree, keeping the vehicle from falling into the gorge. It was on a greater incline than the Honda with only one lone pine to hold the much heavier vehicle. Ty couldn't see anyone moving or trying to get out. Not a good sign.

Ty lowered himself carefully down the hillside to the driver’s door and found a dazed young woman behind the wheel. Blood trickled down the side of her face from a cut across her forehead. Her lap belt was snug around her heavy lavender coat. She was looking around, quite confused.

“Bloody hell,” Ty exclaimed, at the sight that met his eyes.

With the fender pushed back over the seam of the door, it took several tries to get the door opened. Ty wedged his boot against the edge of the fender, gripped the door handle, and pushed as hard as he could. The metal screeched in protest before it crumpled out of the way. Ty was thankful that he found the strength, thinking it had all drained from him in tonight's performance.

He searched through her car, trying to locate something to press to her bleeding forehead. Seeing nothing, he unbuttoned the bottom of his jacket long enough to rip the tail from his yellow shirt.

With the door open and the windshield broken, the warmth from the interior was quickly escaping. Ty unbuckled her lap belt and gently moved her over. He slid in beside her, pulling the door closed to preserve what heat he could. She proved to be very light as he settled her, getting her to lean her head back. He carefully brushed a few strands of blue-black hair from her delicate face and pressed the cotton material against the cut, trying his best to remember what to do for a head injury. Her eyes searched the ceiling of the car, wandering aimlessly.

“Do I look like a bleedin’ Boy Scout?” Ty spoke to himself, attempting to calm the anxiety that was creeping up, trying to overwhelm him. “They’re always prepared. I’m not. Come on, Synclair, stay calm.” He moved closer to her. “Miss?”

Ty hoped to bring her back to coherence long enough to find out who she was or where she was coming from. Hopefully she didn’t live too far away. If he could get his car up on the road, he could at least get her some help. Or walk there if it wasn’t too far.

The mobile phone.

Duh.

He quickly searched his jacket pockets with one hand. Gone. Must have fallen out when he hit the trees. Have to check when I get the bleeding stopped. He pressed firmly against the material held to her brow.

A moan escaped her lips, startling Ty from his thoughts. He shook back his thick hair, placing his mouth close to her ear. “Miss?”

"Oh, Lord.” She turned toward him. “You’re up already?”

The girl stared at him with deep, brown eyes. But in those dark pools, Ty saw something he didn’t like.

Terror.

She gave a startled cry, sliding from his touch, pushing his hand away as she grabbed the handle of the passenger door, tugging franticly. Her knit gloves would not allow her to get a good grip on the handle, her hands slipping continually from the metal lever.

“Calm down, lady.” He tried to hold her, fearing she would hurt herself further as she pulled with futility at the door handle.

“Don’t hurt me, Les.” She screamed in breathless terror, using the last of her strength to pound her fist on the glass. Panic quickly overcame her. She slipped from consciousness.

Ty heard a crunching sound. The car lurched to the side, swinging around the tree about a foot before it stopped. It was obvious that the car had no intention of staying where it was for very long.

Ty caught the girl as she slumped against the door, leaning her against his chest. He had to get her out of the car before it decided to give in to gravity. Ty grabbed her bag from the floor, placing it on her lap. Carefully, he pushed himself backward to the door, gently pulling the girl along by her coat. He tried to move as smoothly as he could, not wanting to make any jarring moves that might set the vehicle into motion.

Pretty daft of me to climb in here in the first place.

Her struggle had apparently upset the balance of the vehicle and he had no intention of making it worse. He reached behind his back, pushing the door open as slowly as he could while holding on to her.

With the angle of the car, it was difficult to push the door open. After several tries, he turned, giving it a shove. When he did, the door sprung all the way open. He jammed his boot against it to keep the door from rebounding closed again. He cursed as the car shifted again, another foot toward the gorge.

Ty held his breath until he felt the car stabilize. He slid out of the Nova, planting his boots as firmly on the snowy hillside as he could. Now that he was standing, he dragged the girl across the seat. He grabbed her bag and threw it behind him while holding on to her collar. Once he was sure of his footing, he tugged gently on her jacket, sliding her slowly out. She was dead weight and he didn’t know what injuries she might have, so he feared moving her too quickly.

He had her upper body clear of the car when there was a creaking sound and the snow beneath the tires crunched in protest as the heavy vehicle began to slide in earnest. Ty wrapped his arms under hers, leaning uphill away from the car, digging his heels in as he tried to pull her clear.

Her booted foot caught on the steering wheel as the Nova gave in to gravity.
____________________________

ShadowsForge 1: Three Times a Hero

http://whiskeycreekpress.com/authors/Jena_Galifany.shtml
 ___________________________

Cheers!
Jena

No Time For Hate

by Jena Galifany

Hate is an emotion I'd rather not think about. The negativity can destroy lives. I have better things to do with my life than think about hating someone or something. Even in my writing, I've not focused on the hate emotion. It is there but I don't focus on it.

In ShadowsForge 1: Three Times a Hero, Alexis is running from her abusive boy friend. She's scared and trying to be brave about her situation but focuses on the new man in her life, Ty Synclair.

In ShadowsForge 2: Trials on Tour, there is a hater. He wants the band dead because his woman was with one of the band members. I focused more on his inability to fulfill his purpose.

In ShadowsForge 3: Retaking America, there is a conflict between two of the band members over an obvious issue: a woman. I focused on the competition.

In ShadowsForge 4: The Long Way Home, we find out about Brian's history and conflict in his teen years due to hate. The story shows how much a bad history can make a mess of a current situation.

Shyanne's Secret has a case of hate that costs a man his life, so to speak. (I don't want to spoil the story). Most of the story is about the recovery of the girl who lost her mind due to her father's hate.

Okay, so I guess I have spend some time with the hate factor. But, how can we know the joy of love without knowing the pain of hate? It is relative. (Thank you, Mr. Einstein.)

I must confess, I hate inactivity. I hate writer's block. I hate waiting for something to get done and usually jump in and do it myself, just so it is finished. I hate a lack of writing time when I have a new story knocking around in my brain. I also hate the fact that I let my group down by forgetting to post last month. =(  Sorry!

I feel better now. I can go on and live my life without hate...unless it needs to rear its ugly head in a new novel. I guess that would be alright.

For more information and excerpts from the ShadowsForge Series and Shyanne's Secret, stop by Whiskey Creek Press and read the first chapter of each book for free.

Hope your Valentine's Day was wonderful. I know mine was.

Cheers,
Jena

Who's Face Was That?

by Jena Galifany

I love to spend time trying to back track my family history. We do have the occasional highlights in the family tree. On my mother's side, she is third cousin to Winston Churchill, a fact that shows up with a look at my brother.


The thing that amazes me the most is how the faces keep being handed down. They may skip a generation or two, but there are several repeat performances.


One such repeat had my father baffled at how my younger sister could be in a picture with our mother when Mom was only fifteen. It turned out that the one who Sherri shares a face with was my dad's sister, Julia. Daddy didn't figure it out until my uncle told him he should recognize his own baby sister.



Then there is my niece, Talena and my father's Aunt Cornie. The hair styles were definitely different, but the face is the same.

I have been privileged to share a face with my Grandmother Margie Pearl, my dad's mother. The older I get, the more I look like her.





The most fun I've had matching the faces in my family photo collection is this set. It shows me in the first photo. The second photo is me again, the baby sitting on my Grandmother's lap. The third photo is my son, Nick.

 It amazes me how the genetics work to pass a face down through the years. Last but not least, my mother has the Churchill look down pat. Don't you think? After all, they are third cousins.

I hope I've not bored you too much with my comparisons of the family faces that have been handed down over the years. There are others but I didn't want to be known as the blogger with the "old home movies".

I do want to point out that it is important to record all that you can about your family history. My mother is the last survivor of her family. She is the youngest of fifteen children. She never thought it was important to listen to the old stories Now she wishes she had because there is no one left to ask. We have a large collection of photographs from years gone by but there is no one to ask who the people are in the photos.

If you have elderly in your family and you have photos, have a reunion and spent time writing down who is who as well as anything else you can find out about your heritage. It will mean a lot to the generations that come after you. Especially if they happen to see their own face in one of those old photos.
 ________________


Cheers!

Please check out The ShadowsForge Series and Shyanne's Secret, available from Whiskey Creek Press
Available from Red Rose Publishing are Her Perfect Man and Love Lifted Me. Coming Soon from Red Rose Publishing: Day Labor.

Relaxing, No Stress Vacations? NOT!

Jena with Jenevie 2008

by Jena Galifany

The family vacation is not something that I've taken many of. We took one when I was eleven or twelve years old. We drove four hours to Las Vegas and spent a day there. My sister and I spent all day in the pool. By that evening, I was so burned I couldn't wear anything except the bathing suit. OUCH! The next morning, I developed tonsillitis. Oh, joy.

We moved on, taking the next couple of days to roll through Reno and Carson City. Nothing spectacular to report there. We cruised through Lake Tahoe and ended up visiting friends in Sacramento. This was nice. They had a pool. My burn and tonsils had both mellowed. We went to a zoo. Now, I'm like totally terrified of snakes. I don't even like pictures of them. Guess where my dad made me go with my sister? You got it, the reptile house. Joy of joys. I was so thrilled to get home and prayed we'd never take another vacation. Fortunately, we camped instead.

Fast forward, I was now 50 years old and my youngest daughter is the only kid at home. She has never been to Disneyland. I decided it would make a nice Sweet Sixteen/First Family Vacation gift to her before she grew up and left home. I planned it all out in secret. We'd stay at the Disneyland Hotel for two nights and have access to Disneyland and California Adventure. This was going to be awesome.

I didn't want her to know where we were going, other than spending the night at her grandmother's home in Huntington Beach, a two and a half hour drive from home. That way we could see my in-laws and be within thirty minutes of Disneyland instead of driving the couple of hours to get there. I decided to tell her that we were going to Los Angeles to get her braces. The dentist had mentioned that she could use them to straighten one tooth that is a quarter of a turn around so I thought I'd use that idea to cover our true destination.

Jena, Steve, & Jenevie @Disneyland 2008

Mr. Mechanic Husband (no sarcasm here. He's the best mechanic in the valley) checked the car over the day before, and made sure everything was ready for the trip. Tune up, doughnut size spare tire, clean windows and all. The next day, we were ready to roll at 1pm. Moping all the way, Jen climbed into the back of the car and we were on our way. Being a nervous passenger, I drove. We made it ten miles and blew a tire. I pulled over on the side of the freeway and Steve jumped out to take care of the problem. He had the tire changed in no time but when he let the car down, the spare went flat. (really?)

An officer pulled up and called roadside assistance for us. We waited fifteen minutes for the man to come air up the spare. Husband apologized profusely for the flat spare. I knew he had checked it. I'd seen him do it. No problem. We could stop in the next town, about nineteen miles down the road.

A forty-five minute wait gave us two new tires and a one hundred twenty dollar expense I hadn't planned on. I decided to let Steve drive. I'd had my fun already. (not!) So back on the road. Twenty miles later, the car died. It just died. Now, this isn't usually a problem. It does it all the time. I simply have to drop it into neutral, hit the key, it fires up, pull it back into gear, and on we go. It's been doing this for years. It's such an intermittent problem, no one can find out what it is. It's why we got the car cheap. Only, this time, it decided not to start again. Luckily we were traveling down hill and were able to coast the last couple of miles to the off-ramp and into a Denney's parking lot. So far, it took us an hour and a half to travel forty miles.

We sat in the parking lot until the car cooled down. Steve looked it over and couldn't find any problem. After careful consideration, we decided not to go on into the heavy traffic on the 5 freeway. We decided to roll down the windows, turn off the air conditioner, and take the car back home. We'd rent a car and start over. After twenty minutes, Steve tried the key and she started up. Praying, we had no problems all the way back home.

We headed to the first car rental place we found. They wanted a credit card. I didn't have one. I'd paid them all off. They wanted a utility bill to prove where I lived. I get all my bills via email (going green has its drawbacks, I've found). They wanted a $300.00 money order. Hmm. Off to the house to dive into the shred bag for an old utility bill. Found one! Off to the bank for the money order. Back to the rental office. They decided since the utility bill was from three months previous, it wasn't good enough. I offered to pull up my account on their computer to show them, but they didn't want me to touch their computer. (sheesh)

Before I totally lost my cool, my husband pulled me gently out of their office and we headed for another rental company.

It was after 5:30pm by now, with all of the running around. I was afraid everything would be closed and we'd not get a car that evening. Our reservations at Disneyland were for the next morning. I didn't want to be driving instead of checking in. Jen still didn't know. She was sitting in the waiting area when we got to the counter at Car Rental Office #2. I made sure she was not in ear shot and prepared for battle. I had to have a car.

"We have reservations for Disneyland and need a car. I don't have a credit card and I don't have a current utility bill. What can we do about this?" I was firm. I wasn't going to take no for an answer. I needed to give Jen a nice vacation and so far it wasn't working out so well.

The tall gentleman behind the counter smiled at me and said, "No problem." It took the wind right out of my sails. He continued, "Let's see what we can do. And if I can't get you a car, I'll drive you down when I get off work at 6." WOW! I like this guy! He tried to run every VISA debit card  I had but none were accepted because they were not "credit" cards. I was losing hope. He was positive. "Do you know anyone that would lend you a card since it's only to get it, not to pay for it? You can pay with the debit but I need a credit card to let you have a car."

"My mother, but she's twenty miles away."

He handed me the phone. "What's the number?"

"She couldn't get here before you close."

"What's the number?"

We got my mother on the phone. I explained the problem to her. She agreed that she wouldn't be able to get there before closing. It was already 5:45. I relayed the information to Mr. Gentleman. He held out his hand for the phone. He spoke to my mother for a moment, pleasantries and such. He shocked me by asking for my mother's permission to use her card. He assured her no charges would go on it. I don't know what Mom said but he started writing. He filled out the information, told my mother what a wonderful person she was, and gave me back to phone. My mother said, "Sign my name," and she hung up.

I stared at the man as he turned the papers to me and handed me a pen. He smiled. I smiled, signed and gave him back his pen. "We didn't do this," he said. "Now, let's get you on the road." He lead us out to a nice economical, clean, wonderful car. Again, WOW! We shook his hand and thanked him over and over. (Sidenote: I've rented all needed cars from this man for the past five years, with my own credit card I might add.)  We dashed back to the house to drop off my car, switch the luggage and were back on the road by 6:30pm. We arrived at my in-law's home a little after 9pm. It took us eight hours to make a two and a half hour trip. Gratefully, my mother-in-law had prepared a nice meal for us.

Jena with Jenevie California Adventure 2008

Jen was still grousing the next day when we got into the car to go to the "dentist". She was sulking in the back seat right up until we stopped in front of the Disneyland Hotel. Her eyes popped and she got a Minnie Mouse voice for a few moments, squealing her excitement. We spent the first day exploring Disneyland. She and her dad rode the rides and I found near-by shade to sit and read. I have MS and can't ride the rides but they love rides and I love reading, so it all works out. Steve developed a migraine halfway through the day but he rode all of the rides with her anyway... except Small World. He didn't think he could handle that one with a migraine.

Day two, we explored California Adventure. Day three, we shopped Downtown Disney and then drove to Huntington Beach for dinner and swimming with my in-laws. After the terrible beginning, our first family
vacation turned out to be a batch of wonderful memories. We went again the next year, but Jen keeps asking when she's getting those "braces" again.

Sidenote: Steve hates to go to the dentist so Jen suggested that I tell him he's going to Disneyland!

I hope all of your vacation adventures are filled with wonderful memories, relaxation and no stress.

For your reading pleasure, please hop on the bus and travel with ShadowsForge, the 80s British rock band as they travel the U.S. and the U.K. finding love and adventure in the series by Jena Galifany available at Whiskey Creek Press.  Three Times a Hero, Trials on Tour, and Retaking America are currently available for $2.99 each.

Cheers!
Jena

Fantasy? Why not?

by Jena Galifany

Fan·ta·sy

[fan-tuh-see, -zee] noun, plural fan·ta·sies, verb, fan·ta·sied, fan·ta·sy·ing. noun

1. imagination, especially when extravagant and unrestrained.

2. the forming of mental images, especially wondrous or strange fancies; imaginative conceptualizing.

3. a mental image, especially when unreal or fantastic; vision: a nightmare fantasy.

4. Psychology . an imagined or conjured up sequence fulfilling a psychological need; daydream.

5. a hallucination. 

(Courtesy of Dictionary.com)

Okay, now we have the dictionary description of Fantasy. I particularly enjoy number one. 

Imagination. The beginning of all fantasy writing is imagination. It is the "what if" and the "how about" that live in our mind just behind the reality of life that we are forced to live with.  It is seeing things in a new and different way. It's believing that the world could be so much better, so much richer, so much more to ones own liking. 

Extravagant. Absolutely. Everything about fantasy should be extravagant. The characters should all be over the top in looks, elegance, riches, abilities and even evil. The men should be everything a man can be, according to the writers' whims. So hot you can get a sun tan by standing too near. So hot, to actually be in physical contact with could leave his brand on your soul. The women are no slouches either. Perfect build, perfect hair, make-up, eye color, skin tone and attitude. 

Unrestrained. Wow! That opens the doors to almost anything the heart desires. That man you always wanted to get your hands on? He's yours for the taking. He'll do anything and everything to please you. There are no consequences to your actions. There will never be a negative to your positive. No accidents, no back-lash. Absolute freedom of personal expression. 

Can you imagine this kind of freedom in your lifetime? It can happen when you write. It's all right there, at your fingertips. Find a keyboard and start with a small expression of your own fantasy. Build a character that you'd love to work with. One that you'd love to be, for that matter. After all, you are your characters. You are in their head, thinking their thoughts, living their lives, and leading them in the direction you want them to go. 

In fantasy, you can add magic, dragons, flowers and Fae to help your characters along. There are not longer limits to the world of fantasy. It can be crossed with other genres. How about this idea?

Boy meets Girl with a stick. Dragon grabs Girl. Boy hunts Dragon. Boy finds Dragon with Girl with a stick. Boy battles Dragon. Dragon flame broils Boy. Girl rolls eyes and points stick at Dragon. Girl flame broils Dragon and invites the village to a feast. Village roasts Girl at stake because Dragon tasted just like liver. The End.

Well, it needs a little work. I can fill in a few more details and add some clever dialogue but you get the idea. Fantasy can be a fun way to pass the time and is one of the most popular genres on the market. If you haven't tried it yet, I suggest you give it a shot. It can lift your spirits, even if you write it strictly for yourself. 

I wrote about a fantasy man, Velcon, in 1979. In 1989, I met him and we've been married since 1990. I've told you about Steve before so I won't bore you with the details again. I have a manuscript that I wrote in 1979 that needs a good going over. It is a fantasy. It's titled "The Ice Child" and some day I will publish it. Then the world will know more about Velcon Vespersley and his lady love, Jena' Galifany. Yes, that is where I got my author name.

Excerpt from "The Ice Child" 

After traveling what seemed like miles, the party came to the maze. Velcon kept himself between Cavoth and Devlin as well as having Caleth by his side. It was more simple to keep the mystery person from the child with the child in the lead with Alverian. Velcon decided that the next time they came to an outer door, he could be ready to free Dawnia and Jena from their current condition. All that was required was a little timing, some help from Caleth and Devlin, and a lot of luck, mixed with a few spells. Telepathy would have to be employed to tell Caleth and Devlin what to do as, chances were, he wouldn't get the opportunity to speak with them alone. Simple, right?

Velcon wondered why Cavoth hadn’t taken them all under mind possession. Why hadn’t he noticed the relic Devlin found? But, then, maybe he had. He tried once to take her. Velcon had to travel back to Gaelfar, if only for a split-second, for the components for the spells needed to free the women.

Velcon though about the maze as they entered it. This would be a good time to go. He quickened his steps and came up beside Alverian and Devlin. Velcon concentrated to gain Alverian‘s attention. "After I pass you, walk behind her, following her footsteps."
Alverian dropped back as Velcon walked ahead. Velcon's long strides quickly carried him forward until he put some distance between them.

Alverian paced Devlin's steps to stay between Cavoth and the youngest member. Suddenly, Velcon spun around, and threw blue-black handfuls of light over the entire party. His six companions stopped in their tracks, suspended in mid-motion. With a long look at Jena, Velcon filled his hands once again with the blue-black mist and poured it over himself. His destination: Gaelfar.

* * * *

The shop keeper never quite got used to his customers popping in and out as they pleased. He lost more stock that way. Magic users and thieves were always showing up just long enough to take what they wanted and disappear without paying for it. The sudden appearance of a person somewhat unnerved the small man.

Lithmar was glad to see that the day came to a close, when he could ward his store and retire upstairs with his family to enjoy the privacy and quiet. Only moments to go and his dream would became reality.

"And why not close a few moments early. The day has brought a good income already. What is a few more moments going to matter?" He jumped from his tall stool, and stepped around the end of the counter, starting toward the door. His steps were halted by a blue black cloud of shimmering air, followed by the appearance of one of his best customers suddenly standing before him.

"The mighty Velcon." He clapped his hands with delight. He took Velcon by the arm and firmly held him. "Welcome, my friend. Come and have mead with me. I was just closing up..."

Velcon returned Lithmar's welcome with a quick smile and, releasing the little man's arm, stepped around him. "I must have supplies. Dawnia and Jena, their lives depend upon my haste. Here." He moved from one shelf to the next, Lithmar following him from aisle to aisle. "Take these things to the counter. I know the others would most likely have them but I must be sure." Velcon handed several items to Lithmar, a small piece of iron, a vial of pure water, a string of chanting beads, and various other items.

"Spell components, I see. Bad, is it? Dawnia and Jena? Did Jena try for another black stone?"

Velcon wasn't listening as he grabbed this way and that for any item which might come in handy.

Lithmar frowned at Velcon‘s distraction. "Well, I am sure that when you have more time, you will explain it all to me. Don't worry about that," Lithmar told Velcon as he reached for his pouch of gold coins. "I'll remember what you owe when you have more time and I have a shortage of funds, my friend."

Velcon offered an appreciative smile. "I wish I had time for that mead. It would do me well. But, if I fail, the bill may just have to be forgotten on this plane of existence. If so, I will pay you in the next. Fare well, my friend." Velcon was gone as suddenly as he had appeared, his purchases with him.

Lithmar thought to himself, "Velcon, I can trust but I surely wish he would use the door once in a while."

_______________________________

Fantasy can take you anywhere, at any time, you want to go. I hope you've enjoyed this little piece of the first book I ever attempted to write. With a bit of luck, "The Ice Child" may make it to publication some day. That's just another one of my fantasies.

Cheers,

Jena Galifany

http://jenagalifany.bravehost.com

Father's Day

By Jena Galifany 

Jena and Daddy 1967

In 1906, a young lady, while listening to a Mother’s day sermon, was moved to wonder why there was not a day that similarly honored fathers. After all, her own loving father had personally taken care of his children after their mother died while giving birth to the sixth child. He took on the challenge of raising his new born and its five siblings in a day when most men would have found another woman, probably a relative, to take the large brood off his hands.

Sonora Smart Dodd felt that her father deserved as much honor as mothers all over the country. After all, he had acted as father and mother to the six children. She raised support for the idea, including the YMCA and the Spokane Ministerial Association in Washington. Spokane responded by celebrating its first Father’s Day on June 19, 1910.

The idea spread and was supported through the years by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. In 1924, Calvin Coolidge said he supported the idea, noting that it would, "establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations". These men supported the idea but did not make it a declared observance.

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson made Father’s Day a presidential proclamation to be observed on the third Sunday of June. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon established the third Sunday of June to be the permanent national observance of Father’s Day in the United States.

It seems that it took a long time to establish this day of honor for fathers but Sonora saw her desire to honor her loving father come to fruition. She died in 1978 at the age of 96 and will always be remembered for the love she had for her father, Mr. William Jackson Smart, Civil War Veteran and outstanding example of fatherhood.

Steve and Jen 2010

Fatherhood should be an event seriously thought out and planned. It should not be taken lightly and too often these days, it is. Fatherhood was not on the mind of a young Brian Cummings, percussionist in the ShadowsForge series. It took three years and major tragedy for him to find out. Here’s the blurb from Brian’s story:

Brian Cummings has come a long way from Leicestershire, England. Miles of hard road lay between then and now—hard road he’s kept hidden—until the nightmares begin again.

Brian Cummings

Diane Starling loves Brian. If she were not carrying his child, she’d still do anything to make him happy—even letting him go to someone else. Who is the woman in his nightly dreams? Why does she make him scream?

Valerie Leonard, journalist, dredges up history that should remain buried; history that could ruin Brian and hurt the people he loves most. Should Val keep his dangerous past to herself? Doesn’t Diane have the right to know the truth about the father of her child?
Brian and Diane fight to overcome the past, embrace the present, and build a future as they travel with ShadowsForge on “THE LONG WAY HOME.”

Review:

"ShadowsForge 4: The Long Way Home is a reader's dream. The tug of emotions I felt while reading Brian's story are a credit to Ms. Galifany as a writer. I was moved to tears on more than one occasion and besieged by frustration as life worked against Brian, Mia and Diane. Page after page I was drawn further into the lives of the characters, wanting to know what would happen next, hoping that somehow Brian's life would finally end in happiness. Ms. Galifany has woven a tale of tragedy and love that is more genuine than any I have

read in a long time. I wasn't expecting such a deeply moving story from a series devoted to a popular British rock band, but ShadowsForge 4: The Long Way Home is just such a story.If you have not read the rest of the ShadowsForge series, do not hesitate to start with The Long Way Home. Ms. Galifany has woven enough history into the story that you will quickly learn about the other members of the band and some of the interesting adventures they have had. If you are a devout ShadowsForge follower, I think you will be intrigued by the in-depth look into the past of their drummer and the secrets he's been carrying within him all this time. As for me, I'm off to find the first three volumes of the ShadowsForge series so I can hear about all those amazing adventures these bad boys of rock have had a part in." - Reviewed By Sabine Maurier, Novelspot.

Please visit my WEBSITE for excerpts from the ShadowsForge Series.

Have a wonderful day!

Cheers!

JG

More Madness? I Think Not!

By Jena Galifany -

Let's recap from the first of March.

Issue #1: I was facing a court issue. After shuddering at the thought of going to court to take care of a frustrated competitor of my answering service, I found that I didn't have to go myself. My attorney said he would be going and  I could remain at home, fretting. He told me not to worry but I decided that fretting would be a good focus for my time. It's in my nature.

Outcome: He went. I stayed home. That was two days ago and I'm still wondering what happened. I didn't get any indication that I have to close my business so we are taking it that no news is good news. I do so wish the attorney would let me know what happened though. I guess there is a chance he is still stuck in Los Angeles traffic. It gets pretty bad at times.

Issue #2: The imminent release of my nineth book, Day Labor.

Outcome: And still I wait. I've not heard from the editor again so I suppose we are still in limbo at this time. No cover art has been yet offered, either. I know what it takes to get a book edited and properly "dressed" for it's first public appearance, so I will wait. I'll spend any free time I have (though that is not much) working on another book, another crocheted afghan for my store, another list of prospects for my answering service. Day Labor will come in it's own sweet time.

Issue #3: Jen's 21's birthday.

Nick and Jen at a banquet 2010

Outcome: Undetermined. It's not until the twenty-third. What she wants: a $1200 drawing tablet or $60 worth of online gaming cards. What her father wants to give her: a one way ticket to Texas to where her boy friend lives. Steve told her the other night that he'll send her there if she'll send back pictures of her wedding. LOL I know he was kidding... I think.

I'll probably opt for the gaming cards. Less worry involved, not to mention cost. I'll know where my baby is, sitting in her room on her computer, emailing back and forth with the love interest, and working in my stores during the day. I dread the day she leaves me. Really. I do. Just don't tell her!
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In the hopes that it won't be too much longer, I've decided to post the opening for "Day Labor". This is unedited so please forgive any typos, etc.

Chapter 1 – 2005

Mark Langston stood in the doorway to the Chief of Detectives, Grant Langston's office. Grant took his time in responding to Mark's knock. Obviously annoyed, he tossed down his pen and leaned back in his large leather chair as Mark entered and closed the door.

"What do you want?" As usual, Grant showed no pleasure at seeing Mark.

Mark pulled an envelope from his pocket. He held it up, and crossed the plush carpet in the large office. As he reached the mahogany monster of a desk, he tossed it onto the surface, and watched it slid to a stop at the edge of the blotter. "I want an explanation."

Grant didn't look at the envelope. His gaze locked instead on Mark, his jaw clenched and released before he spoke. "Now that you're married, I wanted you to know that you will receive nothing from my estate in case of my death. You have no part in my will. Just so you can let that new wife of yours know it."

"Why would Beth care? She has her own money. She doesn't care about yours." Mark burned with anger at the insinuation. Beth had more money than Grant Langston ever dreamed of having.

"So my name and my status didn't get you a bride? Congratulations." Grant commented in bored monotone.

Mark slammed his hand on the desk as he leaned toward his father. "I've done everything I could my entire life to please you. I've worked my ass off through school and college to be the son you'd be proud of. I've solved several cases that were beyond anything even you've ever handled. Now, after one of my greatest successes, I get this letter. What kind of a father are you that you’d expend so much energy hating your son?"

Grant carefully weighed his words before he let them spill from his lips. "The kind of father who only has a daughter." He smirked, and rocked back in his chair, his trained eyes watching Mark's face for a reaction.

Mark felt as if he'd been kicked in the stomach. "What are you saying?" He knew damned well what was said but couldn't wrap his mind around the words, or believe them. Not after thirty-five years. Why wouldn't Grant, or at least his mother, have told him before?

"You’re the fancy detective. Figure it out." Grant leaned his forearms on his desk, and continued before Mark could respond. "Do you recall a local incident some thirty-six years ago. A criminal was shot during a home invasion. You probably read the case file when you studied local issues."

"The man was into pornography and drugs." Mark thought back to the case. "Rape, too, I believe."

Grant nodded and clapped his hands with sarcasm. "He gets the gold star."

"What? Rape?"

Grant folded his hands on the desk. "The man had taken a gun from the home office and attempted to shoot the homeowner when he walked in on him. It was a cut and dried case of self-defense."

"What's that got to do with rape?" Mark was confused. He saw by the look on Grant's face that the older man took pleasure in traveling the long road to where he was going.

"What the report didn't say – because it was covered up – was that the bastard raped the man's wife. That woman was your mother and that bastard that I took great pleasure in shooting was your father. I don't think he left you anything in his will either." 

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Thankfully, there is no new madness. I can handle what I have now. I hope this month finishes out on a good note. I know it will be wonderful celebrating Jen's birthday followed by Steve's birthday on April 1st. I know that "Day Labor" will find it's way to a release date. And with God's blessings, all will be fine.

Cheers!

 Jena

Check out my back-list at Whiskey Creek Press and Red Rose Publishing.

 

 

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Welcome to March Madness by Jena Galifany

To most people, March Madness has something to do with Basketball. At least that's what came up when I googled it. Not my thing, though. When it comes to sports, if you want me to play football, baseball, or basketball, I'm all for it (or was some years ago. I'd probably break something now). If you want me to sit and watch, nope. It ain't happening. I'll watch drag racing. Anything else, no thank you.

March Madness in my neck of the woods will include, but is not limited to, editing and hopefully releasing my latest book, DAY LABOR,  attending a business luncheon to learn how to be better at business since I own and operate a used book store, a children's clothing store, and an answering service that is in litigation due to an upset competitor (long story best left alone for now). The court date is in March. My youngest child will be turning twenty-one on the twenty-third.

Amanda, Nick, and Jenevie - My Children

DAY LABOR is the product of the 2011 NaNoWriMo. It is a story that I wrote in my head some time ago after seeing a young man standing on the street corner with a nicely lettered sign that simply stated "DAY LABOR". He was dressed in jeans, a denim jacket and work boots. He looked ready to work at a moments notice and I was impressed by his smile and attitude as he tried to hustle some form of employment. Most of the guys like this in my town don't even stand up. They sit on the curb and hold up a scribbled sign that can hardly be read.

I saw him and he stuck in my mind. In the time it took me to drive from that corner, approximately three and a half miles to my house, I had most of the outline finished in my head. I love it when that happens. I dashed off my notes into the computer and promptly forgot about it, until NaNoWriMo came up about two years later. Now was my chance to make the story come to life. I had watched the entire "movie" in my head several times so I know it wouldn't take long.

It took me twenty-nine days to write the first draft of DAY LABOR. It is probably considered to be chick lit. After polishing and buffing and sanding it into shape, I was please when it was accepted by Red Rose Publishing. Now the real work will begin. I've been contacted by the editor and await the first round. Needless to say, I'm excited.

With luck, DAY LABOR will be released in March and I'll have eight books to brag about, I mean promote. I'm sorry I don't have any cover art yet, but I'll share it as soon as I have it.

Wish me luck and not too much MADNESS!

STORY BLURB: 

How far should a woman go to give the man she loves everything he wants? Beth does what ever it takes to assure Mark's happiness. With any luck, he will never know what she's done to give him what he wants most.

How far should a man go to provide for the needs of the woman he loves? Troy will do what ever it takes to provide for his wife during her high risk pregnancy. With any luck, she will never know what he's done to give her the best care money can buy.

EXCERPT:

“Breakfast is ready.” Beth called down the hall and watched as Mark trudged toward her, tucking in his shirt tail. As he passed her on the way to the kitchen, he gave her a weak peck on the cheek. “How romantic.”

“Best I can do. Apparently I’m not good for much any more.” He dropped into the chair at the table, and took a slow drink of his coffee.

Beth grimaced. “Now you're sounding like Grant. You’re great at a lot of things, Mark. Why are you letting the whole thing get to you like this? Does this challenge have anything to do with Grant and that stupid letter almost a year ago?” She sat at her place across from him, and took her fork in hand.

“Grant has nothing to do with me being a failure. That’s all on me.” Mark poured syrup on his pancakes. He took another drink of coffee, his gaze on his plate.

“This all started with that letter. Did he tell you that if you had a baby in a certain amount of time, you’d get into his will?” She huffed as she grasped at any idea that would explain why the urgency and pressure. “Tell him to stuff it. We don’t need his money. We’ve got plenty of our own.”

Mark shouted, “It’s not the money.” Beth jumped at his out-burst, and dropped her fork into her plate. “I want a baby!” Mark stood abruptly, turned and left the room.

Beth remained at the table, unable to understand what just happened. Mark had never raised his voice to her before. Tears pooled in her eyes as she sat stunned. She waited for him to come back into the room. She could hear him gathering his things for work. She’d wait, and give him some time to calm down. She tensed when she heard his foot falls coming down the hall. He stopped at the kitchen door and stared at her for a long moment.

“I’m sorry, Beth. I don’t know why this is eating at me like it is. I nearly beat a confession out of some scum bag yesterday. If Ari hadn’t stopped me, I’d probably be up on charges of brutality. I just wish I could do this one thing. That would make everything all right again.” He moved to her side, knelt down, and took her hand. “We’ll find some way to make this happen. I promise.” He kissed her hand, and stood. “I’ve got to go.”

            Before she could respond, Mark walked briskly through the kitchen and out the door to the garage. She listened to the outside garage door opening and closing. Beth took a deep breath as she made up her mind to seek out the man that could possibly help give her husband what he so desperately wanted.

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So there you have it. My version of March Madness. By the end of March, I should have a new book to promote, a business free and clear of any legal matters and all of my children of legal age. I'm sure after all of this, I'll be ready to move into April with happy dances and songs.

No, wait. April 1st, my husband will  turn fifty-five. April 2nd, Jury Duty. (sigh)

Cheers!

Jena Galifany

Miss the 80s or missed the 80s? Jump on the tour bus with ShadowsForge. They'd love to show what it's like to be on the road, rocking the U.S. and dealing with wine, women, and song. Meet the band HERE.

Visit my WEBSITE.

Join me on FACEBOOK.

Love: Oh, How It Can Be Difficult Sometimes by Jena Galifany

Have you notice that LOVE can be difficult sometimes? It's never easy to begin a new relationship. Meeting, getting to know one another, knowing how quickly to move each step of the way. Thank God that I have Steve and don't ever have to go through any of that again. I've caught my limit.

But for those who are still in the game, I wish you the best of everything in the newness of discovering that special someone.

Geoff Richards, on the other hand, starts a new meaningful relationship nearly every night. He's the lead voice for the 80s British rock band ShadowsForge, and he falls in love at least once every twenty-four hours... until he meets the one woman who doesn't fall for him in the first moments of their meeting. Now it's imperative that he make Valerie fall for him. His ego is at stake.

Before long, he falls into his own trap. The love bug has taken a bite out of him but how will he change his ways and remain faithful to the woman he loves?  He's doing his best, keeping to himself, until one week after the band leaves Valerie in London and heads across the pond to the U.S.A. for more tour dates, Geoff falls off the fidelity wagon. At least he thinks he did. Why else would Diane, the wardrobe lady for the band, be in his bed when he wakes up. What will Valerie think of him now? If only he could remember what happened the night before.

Geoff has a surprise as he tries to sleep in the back bunk of the tour bus while on the way to the next venue.
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“Geoff?”

Geoff awoke to the thrumming of the road beneath the wheels.  It sounded like Valerie calling his name.  He felt a twinge of guilt as he looked around for her.  Setting up, he pushed aside the curtain, looking forward.  Valerie wasn’t there.  Puzzled, Geoff dropped the curtain, turning over to return to his pillow.

“Geoff?” Valerie knelt on the bed beside him.  He was startled to find her so close, not knowing how or when she had gotten there.

“Val.”  His heart thumped hard in his chest.  “I missed you.”

“That’s not what Nigel told me.” She wore a sad look in her eyes that raised a lump in Geoff’s throat.

“What did Nigel tell you?” He raked his fingers through his hair, hoping that the manager hadn’t told her everything.  “You know how much he likes to embellish things for the sake of publicity.”

“He told me that you attacked someone.  That you took a girl to your room and forced her.”  A tear escaped, making its way down her silky cheek.

“Do you believe him?” Geoff tried to play it off.  He wasn’t exactly sure what he had done, making it difficult to defend himself.  He'd puzzled for the last day and a half, trying to remember but nothing was clear.  Now his foolishness was causing the lady he loved heartache and he didn’t know what to do about it.

“You lied to me.” Her voice was low, ominous.  “You loved me.”

“I do, Baby.” He tried to reach out to her.  He ached to hold her, to show her how much he loved her.  She pulled away, anger clouding her blue eyes.

“You don’t know what love is.”  She spat the words out, point blank.  “You sing about it every night but you have no idea what it is or how it works.”  Geoff could see her rage building.  He pulled himself to his knees facing her, trying again to reach for her.

“Let me explain…”

“NO.“  She pulled a butcher’s knife from the edge of the mattress.  Geoff felt the blood drain from his face.  She stood on her knees, wild eyes targeting him.  “You love me.  No one else.”  She slashed the knife at him, barely missing his chest as he fell back. 

“Val, listen to me.  I drank too much.  I was missing you.” He tried to explain, afraid to run; afraid she would stab him in the back if he attempted it.  The words poured in a frantic string from his lips.  “I don’t know what happened.  I didn’t even know who she was until morning.”

The words rolled off his tongue with the hope that she would understand how drunk he was.  If she knew that he wasn’t coherent enough to know what he was doing, perhaps she would forgive him. He wanted to make a go of this relationship, hating himself for making such a mess of it. 

“I was too drunk to walk straight so I had someone help me to my room.  I don’t remember anything after that.  I swear.  If I did anything to her, I don’t remember.”  His heart tried to pound its way out of his chest.

“You swear that you didn’t know it was Diane?”  Valerie lowered the blade to a less threatening angle.

“I swear it, Baby.”  Geoff stood on his knees, spreading his arms in surrender, hoping she would believe his sincerity.  He felt even worse that she knew it was Diane.  She worked his words over in her mind.  Her eyes softened and the hint of a smile touched her lips, inviting him to relax.

“No.”  Lightening crackled in Valerie’s eyes.  “I don’t share.”

Before Geoff could react, Valerie lunged at him blade first.  He panicked as he felt the blade slice along his ribs.  He threw himself backward through the partition.
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Geoff has trouble with many women, but he truly wants a real relationship Valerie, a relationship with one woman like his band-mate Ty Synclair has with his wife, Alexis. He's finding out that love can be difficult but will it be worth it in the end?

Geoff and Valerie meet in ShadowsForge 2: Trials on Tour and continue their relationship in ShadowsForge 3: Retaking America. Both are available at Whiskey Creek Press, along with the rest of the ShadowsForge Series.

I hope your love situation is more simple, more sincere, and less complicated than Geoff Richard's situation with Valerie and Diane. I hope that your Valentine's Day was everything you dreamed it would be... and more. I hope that you find love in the little things as well as the big things in life.

Cheers!
Jena