Saturday Sojourn -- Join Heather Garside Mustering Cattle on Her Property

Experience the lifestyle enjoyed by her characters in her latest novel, Breakaway Creek.


Saturday 13th April: We hired my nephew with his helicopter to muster bullocks and heifers
for sale. This is the first time we have used the chopper for mustering as we’ve don’t have a
large acreage by Queensland standards. But we’ve had a very wet season, making the creek
country full of long grass and unsafe to muster by horseback or motorbike. The last photo is
our truck with double-decker stock crate, ready to load.

Monday 15th April: On Saturday and Sunday we had also mustered cows and calves. In these
photos is the yarding of weaners (calves old enough to be taken from their mothers – these
were bigger than normal as circumstances had prevented us mustering at the optimal time.)
Other photos show my husband bringing hay to the yards to feed them.

 

Thursday 19th April: We mustered cows and calves on our second property, this time on
horseback and quad bike. Photos show me with my lovely mare Whiskey, my husband with
his quad bike and the friend who helped us with the muster.

Breakaway Creek
Two love stories; two parallel lives; two destinies.
Two city women, a century apart, find love and adventure in the Queensland outback.
Set in the 19th and 21st centuries, Breakaway Creek is a passionate rural romance of love and its consequences.
Shelley and Emma might be separated by time but they’re bound by a dark secret to a place called Breakaway Creek.

Available from Clan Destine Press
http://clandestinepress.com.au/content/breakaway-creek

Heather’s website: www.heathergarside.com

Saturday Sojourn with Evonne Wareham

One of the perks of being an author is setting books in places you have enjoyed visiting. I like to locate my stories in atmospheric locations, mainly in Europe. I write romantic suspense, and I think that it can add to the tension to have scary events happening in beautiful places. If I’m throwing all manner of nasty stuff at my hero and heroine, at least the sun is shining! And I can stay warm, if only inside my own head. I hate the cold.

I lived for a long while in London, so that city features often in my books. My home is now on the coast of Wales and if I can, I like to include at least one Welsh scene in anything I write. In my debut novel, Never Coming Home, this is a short but crucial encounter that takes place in Cardiff, which is the Welsh capital. In my second book, Out of Sight Out of Mind, the latter half of the book is located on the Pembrokeshire coast. Sadly, in real life we cannot rely on sun filled summer days, so I had to invoke author privilege to adjust the weather accordingly – but I also included one day of typical Welsh rain. My hero had just revealed a sinister and damaging secret to my heroine and really upset her. After that I enjoyed sending him out in a torrential downpour and soaking him to the skin. 

For this post I’ve chosen two photographs of Florence, in Italy. It’s a beautiful, historic city, full of memorable art and architecture, and one of my favourite places. When I was writing Never Coming Home, my debut novel, I needed a city where Kaz, my heroine, would search for her ex-husband, who has information that she needs. Florence was my number one choice.

My first picture is of the Ponte Vecchio – the bridge over the river Arno which is lined with shops, many of them selling jewelry – and yes, I have been known to shop there, while visiting the city. In Never Coming Home Kaz and Devlin – a security expert with a dark past, who Kaz has hired to help her track down her ex  - walk across the bridge at night. 

The second picture is a panorama of the city taken from the Piazzale Michelangelo. Again this is one of the locations from the book. Kaz admires the view, unaware that behind her in the crowds on the square Devlin is having a tense encounter with a former colleague. The pictures were taken on a trip to Italy a few years ago, and the weather was unexpectedly stormy, as you can see. But, of course, in the book I have ensured that the sun shone. 

Evonne Wareham is published by award winning independent UK publisher, Choc Lit. Her debut novel, Never Coming Home, won the UK Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ prize for 2012 and was a nominee for a Reviewers’ Choice Award from RT Book Reviews magazine. Her second book, Out of Sight Out of Mind, features a scientist who reads minds and a down-and-out who can’t remember his own name.

www.evonnewareham.com

Sunday Snippet With Tea Cooper

Born into privileged society, Lilibeth Dungarven finds herself married, widowed, and much to her distress, back under her father’s rule, all before her twenty-first birthday. But this feisty and independent young woman has a dream: she is determined to breed the perfect racehorse and restore the family’s flagging fortunes. An accomplished rider, she takes matters into her own hands and sets out to restore the Dungarven horse farm to its former glory.
When the devastatingly attractive Captain Tom and his mismatched band of bushrangers stumble across a mob of the best horses they’ve ever seen, and the daughter of the famed Dungarven horse farm, they know their fortunes have changed. Their catch is worth a king’s ransom. Surely it can’t be too difficult to contain this beautiful young woman with violet eyes and skin-tight riding breeches for seven days?


Lily could see the pale ribbon of road below cutting through the trees and the bright blue expanse of sky wide-open in front of her.
“Nero. You can do it,” she whispered into his sleek, shiny neck and he snorted in response. Her thigh muscles burned as she tightened her grasp on his flanks. His muscles tensed in response, attuned to her body. She gritted her teeth and willed her shaking hands to steady. “We can do this, Nero. We have to.” Her heart hammered so hard in her chest she thought it might leap right over the culvert and down the hill ahead of them.

With barely a moment’s hesitation she dug her heels into the stallion’s flanks and urged him down the hill. The last trees cleared and the sudden heat of the sun stung her face, then she crouched low over Nero’s neck. The clatter of his hooves on the sandstone surface told her they had reached the road. The blood raced through her veins, pulsing in her ears, a violent and excruciating pounding raged through her body.

“Stop.” Tom’s command echoed around her as the blocks of the convict hewn, sandstone walls reared ahead of her. Surely it wasn’t such a huge jump for a horse like Nero?

She leaned forward in the saddle and her cheek brushed the dampness of his neck. Time slowed. With her eyes squeezed tightly shut she sucked in a great gulp of air and clenched her teeth tightly together. Nero lifted into the air. His muscles bunched beneath her and he flew over the chiseled blocks and down the slope. Her knees gripped the saddle and she dragged the reins almost vertical as they plunged down. Tufts of wiry grass and small rocks littered the route. She flinched as Nero’s hooves crashed across them. Gasping in a quick breath, she prayed for the terrain to level off.

Her lungs contracted like bellows and what little air remained, whistled out through her pursed lips. Nero tensed and she shuddered as he stumbled and then regained his balance. Her heart leapt to her throat and her wrists twisted as she wrenched on the reins to slow him. He quivered to a halt. Silver spots danced in front of her eyes and she gulped in a breath to feed her starving lungs. Nero’s muscled body trembled and quaked beneath her and white froth flecked his muzzle.

“We did it, darling Nero. We did it.” The salty tang of his body filled her nostrils as she leaned over his neck murmuring endearments. She swayed with exertion and forced her rubbery muscles to respond as she squinted into the sunlight. Figures on horseback towered above her, stalled on the road. She had an overwhelming urge to wave her hand and shriek in triumph.

But she resisted; this was her opportunity and she had no time to waste. She cut away to the right praying her memory of the maps was correct as she searched for the track leading her to Laguna.

“Lil-eee. Lil-eee.” Tom’s call bounced off the sandstone walls. Shading her eyes with her hand she stared back toward the culvert wall. It was empty.

“Lil-eee. Lil-eee.” The sorrowful echo reached her, resounding somewhere deep in her gut. Her sweat-soaked curls clung to her face as she shook her head, raging at her ridiculous foolishness. After such an exhilarating and successful leap for freedom why did she suddenly feel so melancholy? Her heels bruised Nero’s flanks and she urged him away in a fast canter.

Buy Links:
Lyrical Press
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Amazon UK

 Téa writes historical and contemporary romance featuring strong-minded women and irresistible Australian men.  Her heroes and heroines have to fight long and hard for what they believe in before they reach their happy ever after. Many of her books are set in her own back yard and take their inspiration either from the fascinating local characters she knows and loves or those haunting the local museum.

She has written three contemporary romance novels - Tree Change, The Protea Boys and Passionfruit & Poetry and two historical romances - Lily's Leap and Matilda's Freedom. In June 2013 her first historical novella will be released and she is currently working on her third historical romance novel set on a schooner somewhere between Sydney and Van Diemen's Land. 

To keep up with all of Tea's news, visit her website: www.teacooperauthor.com where you will find links to her blog and social media pages.  

 
 

Thespian Tuesday with Heather Garside

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about who you are.

Hello everyone and thanks for having me, Jess! I’ve been writing rural romance (spasmodically!) for over thirty years so I’m thrilled that at last it has come into vogue.

I grew up in Central Queensland on the family cattle property, which consisted of 47,000 acres before the coal mines started chipping away at it. It was very isolated in those days and trips to town only occurred every six weeks or so. I did my primary schooling by correspondence and loved horses, books and the bush.  These are still passions of mine. I self-published my first novel at the age of twenty-four and published two rural historicals in 2007. In between times I’ve contributed to several local historical publications and a couple of anthologies of short stories.

I currently live with my husband on a farm in Central Queensland where we grow grain and raise beef cattle. My daughter is married and lives in South Australia and my son has an engineering business which he operates from a shed on our farm.

I’ve been a member of RWA for about 14 years and thoroughly recommend it as a wonderful source of information and support for writers.

Please tell us a bit about your book.

Breakaway Creek is my new release from Clan Destine Press. It is a dual timeline novel set in Central Queensland. It was a finalist in the 2010 QWC/Hachette Manuscript Development Award.

Two love stories; two parallel lives; two destinies.

Two city women, a century apart, find love and adventure in the Queensland outback.

Set in the 19^th and 21^st centuries, Breakaway Creek is a passionate rural romance of love and its consequences.

Shelley and Emma might be separated by time but they’re bound by a dark secret to a place called Breakaway Creek.

Distraught at her boyfriend’s betrayal, Shelley Blake flees the city to seek refuge with her parents. Her interest in an old family photograph is piqued by their unusual reticence. A search for answers takes her to the cattle station Breakaway Creek.

Here she meets Luke Sherman, a man embroiled in the bitter ending of his marriage and a heart-breaking separation from his two small boys.

Neither of them is ready for a new relationship. Luke's twenty-first century struggle to reclaim his children unravels as Shelley uncovers the truth about her ancestors, Alex and Emma. Their story of racial bigotry and a love that transcends all obstacles takes the reader back to the pioneering days of the 1890s.

What was the motivation/idea behind this book/these characters?

When I was a teenager I read a book from my mother’s bookcase about a young woman who visited a cattle station. She fell in love with one of the stockmen, only to later discover he was of mixed heritage. This story was set many years ago, probably in the 1950s, when the racial divide was very pronounced. It fascinated me and always stayed with me. Many years later it became the premise behind Breakaway Creek.

Another thread from the modern-day story was partly inspired by marriage break-ups I had witnessed among family and close friends, along with subsequent custody battles of the children involved.

Did you enjoy writing this book, or did you have some tough times with it?

The historical section of this story fascinated me and was consequently easier, in some ways, to write. My modern-day heroine, and her motivations, seemed to require more work.

When / Where / How do you write?

I write at a desktop computer in my office. When? That is harder to answer. I don’t have a regular schedule – I just fit it in around my other work/activities. As to how? I’ve always been more of a pantser than a plotter, but sometimes plotting is necessary.

Do you have some other qualification/interest/something else you do besides being a writer?

I love helping with the cattle work here on the farm. I work part-time at the local library and I’m also involved with a few voluntary organisations, in particular helping to compile a monthly newsletter of the happenings around my local area.

What book/s are you reading at the moment?

I’ve just finished Kimberley Freeman’s Lighthouse Bay, which I loved. Now I’m reading Hope’s Road by Margareta Osborn.

Do you have any authors who were your inspiration/hero?

So many romance writers of my generation give the same answer to that question –Georgette Heyer. As a teenager I read all, or almost all, of her books and she must rate as one of my strongest inspirations. As a child I loved Mary Grant Bruce’s Billabong series and Mary O’Hara’s My Friend Flicka series. Anything which featured horses! An Australian classic which I still adore is Darcy Niland’s The Shirlaee.

What are you working on right now?

I’m writing a sequel to my two earlier publications, The Cornstalk and A Hidden Legacy. I felt a certain down-trodden woman, a secondary character in these novels, deserved her own story and a possible happy ending.

Do you have any other books out you'd like to mention?

The two I’ve mentioned, The Cornstalk and A Hidden Legacy. They’re available from Amazon or their publisher, Wings ePress. Both received excellent reviews and The Cornstalk was a finalist in the Bookseller’s Best Award in the US.

Last year, along with other members of my writers’ group, we released a compilation if oral histories/reminiscences, called Pot Luck: Stories from the Central Highlands.

Is there something I haven't asked that you'd like to tell us?

I can thoroughly recommend the QWC/Hachette Manuscript Development Award for writers targeting the mainstream Australian publishers. Even though it didn’t directly result in publication for my manuscript, I appreciated and enjoyed the experience.

Link to buy Breakaway Creek:

http://clandestinepress.com.au/content/breakaway-creek

Monday Muse -- Manu Bennett

Ah Monday Muse, the best way to start off a week.
Today I've settled on Manu Bennet. Who the heck is that? Well, I would have said the same thing until recently. If you're a fan of the Spartacus TV franchise, then you already know who I'm talking about. But I didn't come across Mr. Bennett by watching Spartacus (though it is on my list of TV shows that I intend to get around to one day), I discovered him on the CW's new hit series, Arrow.
Bennet plays Slade Wilson, an ASIS agent (Australian Secret Intelligence Service) that Oliver Queen meets on the island during the five years he was stranded. While I love Arrow (and that discussion is for another post on another day) I've found myself hoping for more flashbacks to Oliver training with Slade each week, because his character really has me hooked. I'm also hoping that the writers will bring Slade to Star City at some point to join Arrow's team of evil fighters.

I haven't seen Bennett in Spartacus, so I can't comment on his performance in it.
However, when it comes to looks alone, Mr. Bennett is actually a little bit more rugged than I tend to like men. He's not exactly classically handsome. But with those rough looks and seriously, all those muscles? He makes for an excellent romance novel hero. The fact that he's Australian just gives him extra credit in my book... and okay, technically he was born in New Zealand. But us Aussies like stealing things from New Zealand and claiming them as our own.
Anyhoo, the reason I've put Mr. Bennett up here today is because it came to my attention that he was the perfect inspiration for a new romantic suspense I wanted to start. And what do you know, once I put his image on my character, the story exploded out of nowhere.
So while I go get into writing chapter 3, you can all enjoy this week's Monday Muse.

Sunday Snippet with Maggi Anderson

A Baron In Her Bed...

Horatia patted The General’s nose and fed him an apple. By the time the last of it had disappeared, the clip of a horse’s hooves came from the drive. She peeped out of the barn door and saw the baron, tall in the saddle, riding towards the house.

Horatia stepped out and beckoned him. He caught sight of her and rode towards the stables then dismounted and led the horse inside.

“Sorry, my lord,” Horatia said, adopting Simon’s gruff voice. “We have no footman here. No under-groom neither. I’ll stable your horse.”

“Simon, good fellow,” he said warmly. “I came to thank you again. I am indebted to you.”

“No need for that, my lord,” she said. “Everything’s right and tight here as it happens.” She turned her back to lead his horse into one of the stalls. Seizing a brush, she bent and swept it over the horse’s flanks.

He came to rest an arm on the stall door. “I am relieved. If you had lost your job, I was going to ask you to work for me.”

She straightened to brush the horse’s back, confident of the poor light. “Mighty good of you, my lord. But not at all necessary.”

“Eh bien, merci encore.” He turned towards the door.

Relieved it had gone so well, Horatia stepped out from behind the horse. She looked up to see if he had gone and found him watching her with his arms folded.

The elation left her, and she took a deep, shaky breath.

“Did you really think you could go on fooling me?” A note of outrage lay beneath the humorous tone in his voice. “How many people around here have red hair like yours?”

“My hair’s not red,” she said, incensed. “It’s chestnut.”

“I wondered how far you would carry this ruse, Miss Cavendish.”

She backed into an empty stall as he strode towards her.

He followed her inside. Reaching over, he whipped off her hat, and her hair came loose and tumbled around her face.  “So, what do you have to say in your defense?”

“Nothing, my lord.” Horatia lifted her chin, her heart pounding loud in her ears. She chewed her lip. She would have to brazen this out.

Annoyed blue eyes stared into hers. “I do not like to be toyed with. I thought there was something wrong with me.”

“Pardon?”

“Watching you bend over in those breeches. Zut! From the first, I felt a strong attraction to you. And then, when I saw you dressed as a woman, I understood.”

“You knew it was me at the dance?” She scowled. “And you deliberately teased me?”

“Don’t you think you deserved it?” He seized her shoulders and gave them a shake. “You tricked me. Why?”

She swallowed. “No trickery, my lord. I was dressed this way when I found you, if you recall. I needed to keep up the pretense.”

He shrugged. “But why do you dress like that?”

She couldn’t explain her restlessness to him and tossed her head. “I prefer to ride astride.”

He raised a brow. “You like a strong beast moving beneath you?”

She bristled at the insult. “I like to ride alone.” He made it sound as if she gained some sort of indecent enjoyment from the exercise. Her face heated. To ride astride was unfeminine, she knew, but that fact had never bothered her before.

“But to do so places you in peril.”

Horatia drew herself up. “I can handle myself as well as a man.”

“You believe that, do you?” His gaze flicked over her. What was he thinking? She quivered under his scrutiny. 

Blurb:

London, 1816. A handsome baron. A faux betrothal. And Horatia's plan to join the London literary set takes a dangerous turn. Now that the war with France has ended, Baron Guy Fortescue arrives in England to claim his inheritance, abandoned over thirty years ago when his father fled to France after killing a man in a duel. When Guy is set upon by footpads in London, a stranger, Lord Strathairn, rescues and befriends him. But while travelling to his country estate, Guy is again attacked. He escapes only to knock himself out on a tree branch. Aspiring poet Horatia Cavendish has taken to riding her father's stallion, "The General", around the countryside of Digswell dressed as a groom. She has become bored of her country life and longs to escape to London to pursue her desire to become part of the London literary set. When she discovers Guy lying unconscious on the road, the two are forced to take shelter for the night in a hunting lodge. After Guy discovers her ruse, a friendship develops between them. Guy suspects his relative, Eustace Fennimore is behind the attacks on his life. He has been ensconced in Rosecroft Hall during the family's exile and will become the heir should Guy die. Horatia refuses to believe her godfather, Eustace, is responsible. But when Guy proposes a faux betrothal to give him more time to discover the truth, she agrees. Secure in the knowledge that his daughter will finally wed, Horatia's father allows her to visit her blue-stocking aunt in London. But Horatia's time spent in London proves to be anything but a literary feast, for a dangerous foe plots Guy's demise. She is determined to keep alive her handsome fiance, who has proven more than willing to play the part of her lover even as he resists her attempts to save him.

About Maggi...

Maggi Andersen lives in the countryside outside Sydney, Australia, with her lawyer husband and the cat that rules them. After gaining a BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing, and raising three children, Maggi now indulges her passion for writing.

She writes in several genres, contemporary and historical romances and young adult novels. You’ll find adventure and elements of danger in everyone.

More information on her website: http://www.maggiandersenauthor.com

Maggi Andersen lives in the countryside outside Sydney, Australia, with her lawyer husband and the cat that rules them. After gaining a BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing, and raising three children, Maggi now indulges her passion for writing.

She writes in several genres, contemporary and historical romances and young adult novels. You’ll find adventure and elements of danger in everyone.

More information on her website: http://www.maggiandersenauthor.com

Links:

 

Publisher: http://www.knoxrobinsonpublishing.com

AMAZON   http://www.amazon.com/Baron-Her-Bed-Spies-Mayfair/dp/1908483342/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362476148&sr=1-1&keywords=a+baron+in+her+bedAmazon

AMAZON UK http://www.amazon.com/Baron-Her-Bed-Spies-Mayfair/dp/1908483342/ref=la_B003MJXQVG_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362476191&sr=1-1

BARNES & NOBLE: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-baron-in-her-bed-maggi-andersen/1112790397?ean=9781908483348

KOBO: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/A-Baron-in-her-Bed/book-iUxtF_y28UGP_w4xRq63RQ/page1.html?s=EOiO8TqW0kygfAAM7id2pA&r=2

Monday Muse -- Hook from Once Upon a Time.

I love gray characters. What do I mean by that? I mean the shady characters, the ones who walk the line, the ones you can never say for sure are truly good or evil. The ones who play by their own rules no matter what.
There have been many of these characters over the years, and a few spring instantly to mind. But today I'm visiting the newest of the good/bad boy crew; Hook, from Once Upon a Time.
Growing up watching Disney's version of Peter Pan, if anyone said "Captain Hook" my mind always conjured up the idea of a goofy man, suffering from a range of inadequacies, who spends his life trying to catch this annoying kid. I mean, okay, the kid in question could fly. But still, part of me was always like "get over it, man. Seriously. Get some help and find something else to focus your energies on!"

OUAT's take on Hook... well, there's no other way to put it. The man is sexy. First off, you've got the costume. Its very pirate-like, but not over the top like Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow (but of course, that suited his character.)
Add the wind-blown hair, the masculine shade of a beard, and yes, okay, technically he's wearing eye-liner. But all together, I think this character is the perfect definition of rugged.
As for his actual character? Well, that's almost better than his face.
Hook has kept us guessing from week one. Yeah, he was working with the bad guys to get to Storybrooke, and yes, he wants to kill Mr. Gold/Rumple. But its for the sake of vengeance since Rumple killed Hook's love. And how many books/movies have we seen where the hero's driving motivation is revenge? It doesn't make the hero a bad guy, though some of the things he might do in the name of that vengeance could blur the lines between right and wrong.
Of course I'm hoping there will be some sort of catalyst that will make Hook eventually join the team for good once and for all. The chemistry between him and Emma was obvious. I know I'm not the only fan who is hoping the writers might explore that at some point in the future, even though Emma's ex, who is also Henry's father, has been jammed into the mix.
The prospect of an Emma/Hook storyline can almost make me forgive the writers for killing off Sheriff Graham, Emma's first almost-love interest, who was also an intriguing gray character. In the other realm, Graham was the hunter who was sent out to kill Snow White and worked for the evil Queen, but only because she had his heart in a box.
In that way, the two men are very similar characters, so in some respects, Hook has kind of taken Graham's role in the show.
Whichever way you look at it, the creators of OUAT have got us hooked... no pun intended. I know I'm on the edge of my seat week to week, waiting to see where the next installment will take us. As long as there is plenty more Hook to watch, then I'll be a happy viewer!

In Which They Kill Off My Favorite Character

I don't think its clever when they kill off my favorite characters. I don't think its quirky, or surprising, or entertaining. I just plain don't like it. Okay, my dislike of killing characters isn't so black and white, sometimes I can see a plot will be better for killing off certain people. But when I feel like characters are being killed off willy-nilly? Well, then I am less than impressed.
What brought on this particular rant you might be asking? You see, I've been catching up on season 3 of Pretty Little Liars, so if you haven't seen any of it yet, skip the next few paragraphs coz I'm about to spoiler the heck out of that baby. And I'm so annoyed, I've even made a list of shows that have earned my ire over their character-killing antics

1) Pretty Little Liars
Fine, it makes sense, but does it really have to?
 If you read my top 21 TV kisses post part two, then you'll know that Spencer and Toby on Pretty Little Liars are one of my favorite couples. Spencer and Toby's relationship seemed all roses and chocolates, until in the later half of this season, its revealed that Toby is actually part of the 'A' team who have been blackmailing the girls. On one hand, okay, I could see how it might make sense that secretly all this time, Toby had it in for the girls, since they were partly responsible for him being sent to juvenile detention. But I honestly thought he had grown past that, become a new (dare I say well-adjusted) person and truly loved Spencer. So I refused to believe the revelation. I chose to believe that he had infiltrated the 'A' team to find out who is in charge and who is behind the campaign to torment the girls. I backed this up with a scene earlier in the season where Toby confronts Spencer about her keeping secrets from him, and his threat to "find out for himself."
And then apparently they decided to kill him. But no! I still won't believe it. I'm still in roses and chocolates land, where Toby will return next season, very much alive, to tell Spencer it had all been for her. After the last few episodes, I know enough to realize I'm probably going to need tissues to get through the two final episodes of the season, and will be on the edge of my seat until season 4 starts later in the year.

2) Vampire Diaries
Someone has been killed in some blood-spattering scenario? How un-surprising.
Vampire Diaries gets the award for most characters killed off. Partly I understand that the creators/writers have been (I assume) working toward leaving Elana with no one except the Salvator brothers, especially now that she is also a vampire herself; having a human family just doesn't work. But seriously? Jenna, Ric, and then in the last 2 episodes, Jeremy dying really was the last straw. Not to mention the other who-knows-how many minor characters they've slaughtered over the years. When it became clear that Jeremy was well and truly dead, and that the supernatural ring wasn't going to revive him, I was more angry and incredulous than upset. I may have yelled at the TV screen something along the lines of "are you serious?" Yet, no matter how annoyed I am at the Vampire Diaries record-breaking murder spree, I have to say I'm extremely intrigued as to where things will go from here, especially since Damon used the sire-bond to get Elana to turn off her humanity.
Dare I say she's going to become Katherine version 2.0?

3) Firefly/Serenity
Someone has to die, and it might as well be you.
Do I criticize the master himself, Mr Whedon? Okay, it was inconceivable that the entire Serenity crew would make it through the movie without anyone dying. When Shepard Book was killed, I was kind of annoyed because now we wouldn't find out exactly who/what the man was and why. But I accepted that some storylines had to be let go. The movie was nearly finished, and we had developed a false sense of security that everyone else would come out of that mess in one piece. The way in which Wash died was sudden and totally unexpected. For that, Mr. Whedon is brilliant. If someone had to die, then I commend that it happened the way it did. But you know what? Killing Serenity's pilot only made me more wistful that there is no more Firefly. The crew dynamics would have been totally altered by Wash's death, and I would love to see what became of them later for this. Alas, it will never be, I'm left only with my imagination.

4) Rush
Beginning of the end.

If you don't live in Australia, then you won't have seen this series. I've always loved a good Aussie cop drama, starting with Blue Heelers when I was a teenager. Blue Heelers had a great run of 13 seasons over 12 years, many characters came and went, though a couple were there for the duration. When it was cancelled in 2006, for the first time in a long time, there was no Australian police drama on TV any longer. So when Rush appeared in 2008, I was over the moon. It wasn't just a cop drama, it was based on a team of specially trained officers, Tactical Response, who dealt with dangerous and unusual situations. And from the very first episode, I wasn't disappointed. Rush ended up with a four season run, though I felt ripped off that the last season was only 12 episodes long. I'm not sure why this show was cancelled, I assume due to the usual problem -- lack of ratings. Yet I thought this show was doing things police dramas hadn't done before. And it was all fine and dandy until they killed off the rookie, Michael. In the beginning, his character was easy to dislike. He was young, cocky, and a bit of an idiot at times. But over the seasons, he grew, experienced things that darkened and toughened his character, until he became one of my favorites on the show. And then they had to kill him. It was the beginning of the end, and the show just wasn't the same once he was gone.

5) Supernatural
Don't hang out with the Winchester brothers unless you want to die.
Is it just me, or is anyone Sam and Dean were ever the least bit close to dead? Seriously, no one has a blackhole of certain death surrounding them like the Winchesters.
First their mom, then Sam's girlfriend, then their Dad, then a half brother they didn't know about, then Ellen and Jo, then the grandparents on their mom's side and some random cousins. After that, they finally killed Bobby. And when there was no one else to kill off in season 8? They brought the grandfather from their dad's side to the future to kill him as well. Lisa and Ben should count themselves lucky that they only had their memories erased. Have I forgotten anyone? Probably, because I've become immune to people dying on this show. For a minute there, I really couldn't believe the writers were killing off Bobby, the last person the boys had besides each other. Their isolation and dependance on one another is now complete, which the Wincest fans probably just love. Apparently this show has been given another go around for a season 9, and I'm wondering if the show has gotten to the point where they really do need some fresh blood (that ironically won't be spilled), a new permanent character or two to liven things up a little.

6) Grey's Anatomy
Killing off the innocent for ratings gold.
I'm not saying that anyone in this show deserves to die, but if I had to pick people who didn't deserve to die, George would have been on top of my list, followed closely by Lexie.
I always thought George was so great because he wasn't like the other characters, there was something about him that always stayed good-hearted and almost innocent, no matter what happened to him. And in actual fact, the way he died, trying to save a woman he didn't even know, was a fabulous reflection of his character. It still sucked though.
And then how can we forget last season's massacre of a plane crash. Okay, it wasn't really a massacre, but they killed off Lexie just when I had hopes that she and Mark were finally going to get their act together. That they then killed off Mark spoke of poetic justice to me, or maybe more like grand romance. It wasn't until Lexie died that Mark realized he couldn't live without her, so gave up fighting his own injures. He might have made it back to civilization, but can I be cliche and say he never really left Lexie's side. 

7) Battlestar Galactica
I'm confused, who exactly is dead again?
This show has the monopoly on characters not really being dead. Considering half of them were robot clones, they could die as many times as they wanted, and technically should come back the same. Except the character of Sharon/Boomer proved that there could be different personalities residing in different versions of the same body. And if that wasn't confusing enough, we got to watch Kara fly herself into an explosion, and then randomly turn up later, whole and well, not realizing that she'd died. And with the map to Earth to boot. She wasn't a cylon, but she wasn't human either. So what exactly was she? And why did she just disappear at the end of the final episode? I've never watched a show that left me with more questions than answers. And let's not forget all the other characters who died over the seasons. Yes, fighting a war in space against robots is dangerous, but the creators on this show came up with a lot of creative ways to kill people, including cancer and suicide.

8) Once Upon a Time
Just when I had started to have hope, it was crushed into dust. Literally.
I really liked Once Upon a Time from the very first episode. Though I had a few WTF moments, and really wondered if it was going to work, I still enjoyed every second of viewing. And when Emma and Sheriff Graham became a possibility, I enjoyed it even more. From her kiss, the Sheriff remembered who he really was and I was like "awesome!" Until they went and killed him. Seriously, did not see that one coming. Which left my crying "why doesn't Emma get to have a love interest?" I suppose the whole kissing-and-remembering-the-truth thing was a problem, and obviously the writers weren't ready for any of that truth to escape just yet, so Graham had to go... by way of the Queen/Mayor crushing his beating (albeit magical) heart in her fist. I still have a small spark of hope that somehow Graham will return from the dead at some point, but over half way through season 2, it looks like everyone has forgotten about him.

9) Downton Abbey
Well, it was historically correct, I suppose.
Okay, so this show doesn't exactly have a high body count. But the characters they did decide to kill off? Well I didn't like those storylines one little bit.
First off, it looked like for a while that Thomas was going to get a legitimate love interest while helping nurse back to health a wounded soldier. Except it wasn't to be, with this admittedly very minor character committing suicide when he found out he was going to be discharged from the hospital. Disappointing, but not devastating. You want to see devastating? Try the fact that Cybil died after giving birth. Not during the birth. No, she made it through that. But after, just when we started thinking she'd be okay after all, the writers decided to twist the knife they'd already stabbed into our hearts. Leave a newborn baby without a mother? Thanks for the depressing viewing.
Now, I haven't seen season 3 of Downton Abbey yet, but I would have had to be dead myself or living in a cave with no internet, television or radio to avoid the furor over the fact Matthew dies in the final episode. Looking forward to watching season 3? I most certainly am not! ...But I will anyway.

10) True Blood
Could it get any bloodier? Oh look, it just did.
Ah yes, how could we not mention the blood-spatter-fest that is True Blood? This show gets the award for bloodiest viewing. Seriously, there have been scenes where characters on this show have literally been covered from head to toe in blood.
But let's get to specifics. First off, yes, it was sad when Sookie's grandmother was killed, and yes, I may have shed a few tears, but I knew that was in keeping with the books. This show has also had more than its fair share of minor characters who've come and gone via a bloody death, with season 5 in particular seeing a lot of (not so random) death. The character I was extremely unimpressed about them killing off? Lafayette's boyfriend, Jesus. I mean, can't just one of these people have some happiness for more than five minutes, without some supernatural freak-show killing them off in some gruesomely bloody manner? No, apparently not. Like with some other shows, I have hope that Lafayette will find a way to bring Jesus back, especially considering the writer's have kind of kept his character going, with the possibility that his ghost at least is still around. Season 6 is shaping up to be really great, especially with super-evil-Bill about to go all primordial-vampire on everyone. I'm personally hoping the writers will bring Eric and Sookie back together this season, as they spend quite a bit of time together in the books, and even have some sort of vampire marriage. Yet these story lines are so far removed from the books now, it's impossible to guess where the writers will take us. One thing is for certain, the blood-spatter-fest is sure to continue. 

Thanks for joining me while I ranted. I'm giving some thought to doing a list of characters I think should be killed off... but haven't decided yet if I'm really that blood-thirsty after re-visiting all of the above death scenes.

Sunday Snippet With CD Brennan

Today we're enjoying a snippet from CD Brennan's debut novel, Watershed...

“In Ireland we have the Banshee.” Maggie broke Gray’s daydreaming with a start. “She is the omen of death and the messenger from the Otherworld.”

She continued in a whisper. “Often she appears an old hag. Folklore says she may also appear as a stunningly beautiful woman.” Maggie raised her brow at him, her eyes twinkling with fun.

Gray threw his head back and laughed, and she joined him. There was no shaking her. He decided he wasn’t going to best Maggie, and for the first time in a long time he was content with that.

He shifted so she had to settle against him. He heard her sigh as he wrapped his arm around her. They sat watching the fire, listening to the sounds of the bush settle for the night. It was peaceful and, Gray had to admit, romantic. He smiled, fulfilled after a long day’s hard work, some good bush tucker and a beautiful woman by his side. He had almost worked up enough courage to kiss her when she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.

“I’m going to sleep.” Pulling off her trainers, she climbed into her swag. “Goodnight.”

About the Author:

Having traveled and lived all over the world, Cd Brennan now talks with a strange accent, a mix of distant terminology, a blend of culturally cute but confusing euphemisms that leaves everyone looking at her with a blank stare. Luckily, her Australian husband (who she met in Ireland) and her two Aussie/Yankee sons have no problem understanding her – well, except for the word “NO”.

Now settled back “home” in Michigan, she enjoys reliving her glory days by writing about them. She considers the last fifteen years abroad the perfect research for her Love Where You Roam series; matchmaking women and men from different cultures, even different hemispheres, helping them find their true one across oceans of difference.

As destiny plays a hand in all the stories, Cd Brennan truly believes that what is for you, won’t pass you by. She hopes to inspire others to get out there: “Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” [Mark Twain]  And of course, fall in love.

Get in touch with her at www.cdbrennan.com

And now find the author:

Facebook:

www.facebook.com/cdbrennan2012

Twitter:

www.twitter.com/CdBrennanauthor

Goodreads:

www.goodreads.com/CdBrennan

Lyrical Press:

http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/