Up in Lights

Wind Towers at Sunset

A few miles north of where I live the landscape is filled with wind towers. At night the sky becomes a sea of blinking red lights warning aircraft to stay clear of their rotating blades.  Correctly called turbine towers, their base  is 12 feet wide, they stand 260 feet tall and are set 1,000 feet apart. Each one generates an annual output of 990,000-megawatt hours, enough power for approximately 98,500 homes.

Several years ago when the towers were being errected I was invited, as a newspaper reporter, to a party the company was having to thank  the farmers who rented them land on which to put the towers.  One of the 130 feet long wings was lying on the ground. Magic markers were on a nearby table waiting for those attending the party to sign their name to the wing.

So when I say my name is up in lights, I’m not fibbing. Somewhere in the wide blue yonder on one of those rotating wings is my signature. I wonder if the birds get dizzy trying to read all those names?

Ever feel like you’re barely hanging on?

Today was one of those days! Not enough sleep last night, monster headache this morning that just wouldn’t go away, too little income-too much outgo. None of this is new. Seems like I go around the same mountains over and over. We’re not supposed to worry but many times that’s a huge struggle for me. I need to be “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.”

When that phrase came to me, I decided to look up the words to the song and start singing it. It did remind me of who is REALLY in control. I just need to let go and let God handle my life.

Someone else I “lean on” is my friends. I thank God for them. Just like  Bill Withers says in his song “Lean On Me.” [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaVXfHZv50Y]

Have you ever eaten raccoon?

 Uncle Jim was a trapper. Sometimes the meat on their table was from some animal he had caught. He loved to tease me so I didn’t believe much of what he said. One night when I was about 10 years old and spending the night with my cousins, we had what I thought was roast beef for supper. Every time I took a bite, my uncle would grin. When I asked what was so funny, he leaned over and whispered in my ear, “I’ll tell you when we’re done eating.”

Though I didn’t believe him at first, Aunt Rita confirmed it – we had been eating raccoon. The memory of that experience prompted me add this little raccoon story to chapter 5 of my novel, “Mountain of Love”

He unwrapped the sandwiches and handed her two pieces of bread spread with butter and filled with dark brown meat.  It wasn’t easy to handle with mittens on, but rather than let her hands get cold she managed to navigate it to her mouth.  It was good, but the taste was different from anything with which she was familiar.

She studied the man standing beside the mule.  She was going to have to ask some questions if she was ever going to find out what his intentions were.  Maybe if she started off with little insignificant things he would start to open up.

“This is good. What is it?”

“Coon.”

Jill choked on the bite she was chewing.  “Coon?  As in raccoon?”  A picture of the cute mischievous looking animal with fox-like face, sharp pointed nose and black patches ringed in white around each eye kept her from eating any more of the sandwich.

“Yup.”  Laughter erupted from Tanner.  “You probably just ate a cousin of the one whose tail is hangin’ off the back end of my cap.”

Jill threw the sandwich at him.  “You think it’s so funny, you eat it.”

 I actually have several recipes on how to cook coon in case you’re looking for one. It’s in a cookbook my son, Craig, gave me several years ago called the Warden’s Cookbook, put out by the Iowa Fish & Game Officers Association. I don’t plan to cook a raccoon anytime soon, but the venison recipes are good.

 To read more of the novel “Mountain of Love” or order the book, go to my website www.diannanicolai.com

Have a great day! Dianna

Got any good book marketing advice?

When it comes to marketing my novels, I need a lot of help. Internet searches, books and other authors have all offered some good tips but I still seem to struggle.

One place I turned was the Dummie books since they are always loaded with good advice. The Marketing Kit for Dummies by Alexander Hiam  came with a CD with some useable samples and templates.

There is a marketing cheat sheet on the Dummies website — http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/marketing-kit-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html. It doesn’t all pertain to writing but there are some good suggestions that can be tweaked to fit.

Another book that was helpful was Getting Known before the Book Deal by Christina Katz.

But even with all this good advice, I struggle to find workable plan. Most things take either too much time or too much money. Tweeting, blogging and Facebook are great but require a lot of time. Time I need to spend doing the actual writing.

Anyone have some simple, cheap ways of promoting books that you’re willing to share?

How the slaughter began

 More about the Easter lamb cake. This is my nephew, Zack, who had the honor of slaughtering the poor little lamb. I think he actually enjoyed it, especially when his piece was topped with a generous scoop of Neapolitan ice cream. The mold will now be put in the box for a garage sale. Next year, who knows what kind of new dessert recipe I’ll try. I love experimenting!

Easter lamb

Too lazy

Napping is way better than working.

My Prince’s work ethic is probably about the same as most prince’s. Doesn’t look like he’s going to get the filing done. Napping is way more important. Maybe if I give him some catnip he’ll perk up. I sure could use some help editing my next book.

Chasin’ the PR Trail

 My kitty, Prince, and I are trying to figure out who to call to line up some promotion for my newest novel, “Mountain of Love.” Don’t tell him, but I think he has the pen turned the wrong way. We sure won’t get much done at this rate. I may have to hire a new publicist. This one is not earning his cat food!