It's Official - The Holidays Are Coming (Tara Taylor Quinn)

(Editor's Note: Our sister Lynn is home!!!! This was a long haul this time, but Lynn was tougher than anything that tried to get her down. We're hoping she'll be home here on storybroads on Friday to tell you all about it.)

TTQ's Blog:

Now that this historic election is over, the hype is done, there's time to think about - and hopefully read about - something besides elections. (Said from the a-political beast that I am.) And this beast who knew nothing about politics, who knew that there was a donkey and an elephant only because they were beanie babies with flags on them at a time when I was collecting beanie babies with my daughter and still doesn't know which is the symbol of which party - was wide awake at two o'clock this morning. Thinking about the holidays? That would have been my guess. But no, this beast, this me I don't recognize, woke up and had to see how the election turned out. After a bit of a scramble to find the TV remote, I quickly scrolled to the news channel with all night coverage and laid there and watched it happen. In replay, but heck, it was as good the second time around.

I'm disappointed that the Ohio casino question failed. Ohio hasn't quite caught up to the very serious benefits in community jobs and monies that casinos offer. Or, to the many many hours of escape and relaxation they offer to serious types like me who have to have somewhere to unwind. (Many many hours over years, not all at once!)

So now the election is done. And it dawns on me, there's only three weeks and one day until Thanksgiving! My mothers coming to stay with Tim and I for a whole week. I can't wait!!! And my cousin and her family will be visiting. I can't wait!!! We'll be gathering with Ohio family, too. Lots of visitors for the holidays. I wrote a book about it. It's out next week.

THE HOLIDAY VISITOR. This book has already been shipped to direct mail readers and has garnered a lot of feedback. It's typical ttq. Expect the unexpected. It might look like a sweet little holiday romance. And there is that. But then, when ttq sat down to write that sweet little romance, a problem occurred. Two guys appeared. But only one heroine. I tried to tell them this was not acceptable. As usual, they didn't listen. So while you see only one guy up there, don't let them fool you. Between the pages there are two.

The book is also different in that the format is kind of strange. I think it works. I loved writing it. But it's odd. So be prepared.

And...anyone who reads me should know by now - there's going to be some tough stuff to deal with, too. No matter how sweet I plot a book, there are always layers underneath that refuse to stay hidden in the sand when I sit down to write. You see, I only think I'm plotting. They let me go with that long enough to get their story sold and get me to the keyboard. Then they take over. You'd think I'd catch on at some point.

Or maybe not. Why mess with something that's working?

In the back of The Holiday Visitor is a teaser for the book that's out just a couple of weeks later. This one, in no way, resembles a sweet romance. As a matter of fact, it's being marketed as simply a novel - no romantic suspense, no romance. It was supposed to be romantic suspense, but, once again, that was me talking, not 'them.' 'They' are the people who know what it's like to live life At Close Range.This is the third book in my white supremacy trilogy, following In Plain Sight and Behind Closed Doors. While not as in your face gruelling as Behind Closed Doors, this is the book that still keeps me up at night. It's the story of a judge in Phoenix. And it's the story of Bobby Donahue, the leader of an Arizona based white supremacy organization. I hate Bobby. He does atrocious things. He's a fiend. I set out to kill him in this book. And found myself liking him as much as I despise and fear him. For as bad as he is, he is also the embodiment of a hero. He sacrifices everything he is, everything he has, to follow the dictates of his spiritual beliefs. He truly loves his savior more than he loves himself and he walks that walk. I faced him down and didn't know what to do with him. I let him guide me. His solution was much better than mine. I'll leave you to find the result.

So, the holidays are coming. The Holiday Visitors. And as we visit, I'm sure we'll all be scrutinized At Close Range. Sorry, that was way too hokey. Remember, I was up at two in the morning, watching the friggin' election results...