Tag Archives: Disappearing in Plain Sight

February–Love of Reading Month

Love of Reading Month

Special offer in honour of a special month:

Get all three of the Crater Lake novels in one box set for only $5.00

Here’s what one reviewer thought:

Have you ever read a book or a series where you become emotionally bonded to the characters? This is what I did with Francis Guenette’s Crater Lake series. At the end of the last book, I was heartbroken that I would not encounter the beauty that surrounds Crater Lake and the cast of characters anymore.

Yes, I was going to miss my new friends and their lives. In fact, I had to stop reading for a few days so that I could adjust to my life without them. I had a book hangover, one of which I have not experienced in a long time! The complexity of the characters and the realistic relationships shared between them are what propel this saga forward. Pair that with the beautiful descriptions of the surrounding area and Crater Lake comes alive in magnificent colors much like a rainbow which spreads hope in the darkest times.

There is something here for everyone. Love, sex, lust, greed, spirituality, sacrifice, death, murder, life… the list goes on and on. Each book in the series leads you on to a different life lesson much like the lessons you learn within your own family unit.

There was a kinship found within these pages where I as the reader was drawn along, all the while given permission to become part of the family. I feel my life has been enriched for having shared their lives. I will reread these books numerous times because it will feel like coming home.

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The Crater Lake Series – Boxed Set $5.00

Great Free Summer Reading

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The e-book version of Disappearing in Plain Sight – first book in the Crater Lake Series – is free July 28th, 29th and 30th on the Amazon site of your choosing.

Sale

At the beginning of June, I ran a free promotion and told everyone it would be the last chance this summer for a no cost e-book copy of the first book in the Crater Lake Series. Circumstance have made a liar out of me. I feel like Air Canada announcing a final boarding call. No kidding, I was recently at the Vancouver airport waiting to board a plane to Ottawa and Air Canada called final boarding for a plane to Calgary no less than eight times. I promise not to play quite so loose with the word ‘final’ as that!

But do take advantage of this opportunity to start a great series of books for free! And if you’ve already read and enjoyed any of the Crater Lake Books, please spread the news to your reading connections that the first book can be had at no cost! Many thanks.

Books wash the soul

Disappearing in Plain Sight–Free Again

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Hold onto your hats, folks! Here’s another chance to get Disappearing in Plain Sight – 1st book in the Crater Lake Series – for free. Saturday, May 14th and Sunday May 15th.

Recent review

Over 70 reviews with an average rating of 4.5 stars.

The lazy days of summer are coming and the Crater Lake Series is a great summer-time read. Enjoy the first book for free and tell your friends. Many thanks in advance for your support.

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Izzy’s Clothesline Platform

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For all the new readers of Disappearing in Plain Sight – here’s a treat and an example of how fiction informs reality.

One of the first building projects tackled after I came to the cabin was a crude platform up a couple of stairs that allowed me to reach the newly installed clothesline. For all it’s primitive nature, that original platform hung around a long time – twenty-three years this fall!

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In the above photo, the platform is barely visible. It was a humble structure all tucked up behind the salal bushes. And definitely on it’s last legs in 2015 with rotting posts causing the whole thing to lean forward at the front end. The already iffy platform was not helped, on more than one afternoon near the end of last summer, by the antics of a large bear who chose to climb up and plant him or herself on the end to eat salal berries.

This spring, Bruce set out to build me a new clothesline platform. Here are the results. We have both concluded that it is fancier than either of us envisioned. It seems this model would suit Izzy to a tee!

Fran's new clothes line platform, April 14, 2016 - bruce witzel photo

I’ll have to struggle along to be worthy of the magnificence Smile 

Excerpt from Disappearing in Plain Sight:

“Liam, take a look at this … it’s priceless to watch, really.” Liam looked where Caleb was pointing but all he saw was Izzy out on the clothesline platform Caleb had built for her. She was hanging out the wet laundry.

He cast a somewhat baffled look at his friend but Caleb just kept smiling through his words, “Look at how carefully she chooses each piece, Liam.” Izzy did seem to search through the basket as if she were looking for something in particular. “I used to think maybe she would hang only pants together … or shirts … or my stuff and then hers … or maybe there was a colour code or something. It never made any sense. It was the damnedest thing. And then one day I figured it out. It’s because of those two lilac bushes. You see … look … first big pieces and then smaller pieces in the middle so they will clear that one bush and then some bigger pieces again but only small pieces at the end because if the wind comes up the bigger pieces would hit the lilac.”

Liam was seeing the logic of this but Caleb’s fascination with the whole process seemed odd. Izzy put the last piece on the line and reeled it out. She turned, going quickly down the three steps from the platform and walking toward the kitchen door. Liam was about to head into the shop to do some task or another. He and Caleb were always working on something. But Caleb grabbed his arm to hold him back out of Izzy’s sight, “No wait Liam, this is my favourite part … she’ll stop,” and as Caleb said those words, Izzy did indeed stop. “She’ll turn back to the clothesline.” This was exactly what Izzy did “And she’ll survey her handiwork.” Izzy stood gazing for a moment or two at the line and then headed inside.

Caleb began to walk toward the shop door shaking his head, “It’s always exactly the same. I have never seen that woman look as satisfied as she does when she turns back to that clothesline.” He laughed out loud, pushed Liam in the arm and winked at him, “You know what I mean, Liam.” Caleb paused for effect before he added, “Never seen her that satisfied.” Then he had laughed even more. “Good thing I don’t have a big ego, hey, Liam.”

That was the essence of Caleb. Liam could still picture him, all these years later, leaning there against the workshop door – a big guy with shaggy blond hair and a wild looking beard. He would often slouch a bit so he and Liam were on the same level. In Liam’s memories, Caleb’s dark-blue eyes always sparkling with humour. Caleb hadn’t ever had anything to prove; he was sure of himself and his chosen friends.

Looking back - clothesline platform

The Crater Lake Series–Box Set

3-D Box Set - Crater Lake Series

Okay, folks, here’s your chance to grab all three Crater Lake novels in one swoop. The Crater Lake Series: Box Set has just been released on Amazon. Great summer reading!

“The Crater Lake Series Box Set contains three full-length novels. Readers will encounter characters who quickly become friends and family. Youth issues, family dynamics and relationships are explored while challenging stereotypes of right and wrong. Emotional landscapes are laid bare and yet, life is so much more than problems to be faced. Everyday rural realities leave readers chuckling. These are character-driven novels in the genre of contemporary literary fiction with a splash of romance and a superbly crafted setting.”

Disappearing in Plain Sight
Sixteen-year-old Lisa-Marie has been packed off to spend the summer with her aunt on the isolated shores of Crater Lake. She is drawn to Izzy Montgomery, a gifted trauma counsellor who is struggling through personal and professional challenges. Lisa-Marie also befriends Liam Collins, a man who goes quietly about his life trying to deal with his own secrets and guilt. The arrival of a summer renter for Izzy’s guest cabin is the catalyst for change amongst Crater Lake’s tight knit community. People are forced to grapple with the realities of grief and desire to discover that there are no easy choices – only shades of grey.

The Light Never Lies
As circumstances spiral out of control, Lisa-Marie is desperate to return to Crater Lake. The young girl’s resolve is strengthened when she learns that Justin Roberts is headed there for a summer job at the local sawmill. Her sudden appearance causes turmoil. The mere sight of Lisa-Marie upsets the relationship Liam Collins has with trauma counsellor, Izzy Montgomery. All he wants to do is love Izzy, putter in the garden and mind the chickens. Bethany struggles with her own issues as Beulah hits a brick wall in her efforts to keep the organic bakery and her own life running smoothly. A native elder and a young boy who possesses a rare gift show up seeking family. A mystery writer arrives to rent the guest cabin and a former client returns looking for Izzy’s help. Life is never dull for those who live on the secluded shores of Crater Lake. Set against the backdrop of Northern Vancouver Island, The Light Never Lies is a story of heartbreaking need and desperate measures. People grapple with the loss of cherished ideals to discover that love comes through the unique family ties they create as they go.

Chasing Down the Night
One might be excused for assuming that an idyllic life unfolds for those who have chosen to live and work near the shores of Crater Lake. Nothing could be further from the truth. Long-time resident, Izzy Montgomery juggles the stress of a new job with her burgeoning home life. Family dynamics go into overdrive when Alexander and Cynthia launch plans to build a home nearby and Liam’s sister, Fiona shows up to do an internship with the local doctor. Lisa-Marie and Justin are back for the summer and sparks fly. While crusty, old Reg keeps sawmill production booming, Beulah runs the organic bakery and plans the First Annual Caleb Jenkins Memorial Ball Tournament. Bethany discovers her own hidden talents working with young people at Micah Camp. As a nine-year-old’s dreams reflect a dangerous reality, many encounter issues from the past. This is a novel for all those who work at building family ties by strengthening the traditional and creating the new. Chasing Down the Night explores a wide-ranging emotional landscape while highlighting many aspects of day-to-day, rural life. Tears and laughter are inevitable.

Enjoy Smile

Orangeberry Hall of Fame Finalist

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OK – OK – I paid to be on the blog tour and now Disappearing in Sight is a finalist for the Hall of Fame in the literary fiction category. And they sent me the cool graphic above to display on the appropriate social media sites. Suspect – maybe? Who knows? Could be every person who paid for a tour is a finalist in one category or another. What the heck, right? Share the wealth.

Guess what? I still wouldn’t mind winning. Human nature, I suppose. Guilty as charged.

Here’s the link if you want to pop over and vote for Disappearing in Plain Sight.

Orangeberry Hall of Fame Finalist – Literary Fiction

If Disappearing in Plain Sight won, I might be in line for some cool swag. Possibly another neat graphic. Who knows. The sky is the limit and I only sound sarcastic to cover my pie-faced grin. Come on – we all love to win (even if we did pay to get in the draw).

Sailboats, Disappearing in Plain Sight, and a Safe Harbour.

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My marketing and promotion manager (aka – husband – Bruce) pulled off a significant coup the other day. He managed to have my book, Disappearing in Plain Sight, on sale at The Outpost, a local venue in Winter Harbour, in time for the arrival of the racers in the VanIsle 360, a circumnavigation sailboat race around Vancouver Island.

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The Outpost is Winter Harbour’s all purpose general store. One of those places that remind me of days gone by when one stop shopping meant just that. The website will tell you they have everything from bolts to bananas, as well as a well-stocked liquor store, a wide variety of groceries, fishing gear and tackle, household items, and local souvenirs (like Fran’s book – yippee and happy dance going on).

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“Winter Harbour is the true “end of the road”, an outpost community off Quatsino Sound. A unique fishing village on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, there are few residents 1881.1[1](population 20!) and lots to see. The village of Winter Harbour got its name in the 1800’s when its sheltered harbour became a haven for sailing ships. This boardwalk community puts visitors close to the wildlife and remoteness of northern Vancouver Island.” Quoted from  this great site – it describes Winter Harbour and all kinds of must-see places nearby.

If you ever plan to visit this picturesque community, consider staying at the Winter Harbour Cottages. Run by Pat and Phil Wainwright, the rates are reasonable, and the accommodations fully reflect the charm of the fishing village setting. The cottages have wonderfully evocative west coast names – Cedar Cottage, Chinook Cottage, Otter House, and Beach House. Check out the link above for all the details, plus great photos of the area. I want to send out a big hello to Pat – a former work colleague from School District #85. Hi Pat and Phil!

The VanIsle 360

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The Van Isle 360 is a biennial, 580 nautical mile point-to-point race circumnavigating wild and rugged Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Sailed in ten legs, the course provides inshore, offshore and overnight sailing through some of the most stunning and challenging waters on the planet.

The race is on as you read this – June 8th to 22nd. Please go and check out their website and their Facebook page. They’re trying to get a 1000 likes so feel free to give them a hand with that.

Each leg of the race is unique with a new adventure lurking around every corner. There are the strong currents and narrow passages that mark the inside route, to say nothing of the notorious Nahwitti Bar. It is said that fish boats’ windows can be permanently etched by the sand churned up in the waves. This is not to be outdone by the infamous Brooks Peninsula, where weather stations are frequently blown over. The host communities (of which Winter Harbour is one!) go out of their way to welcome the fleet at each one of the stops with awards and festive events (things like having Disappearing in Plain Sight for sale at the local store.) The sailors get to relax and enjoy warm hospitality and the unique character of each community.

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So, there you have it, folks. Local promotion in a absolutely breathtaking spot with a sailboat race thrown in for good measure – life is good in my marketing world (thank you Bruce!)

Don’t forget that June is prize and party month here on my blog. All likes, comments, pingbacks, and new follows get entered for great prizes.

A Glass of Wine and a Chat about Disappearing in Plain Sight

I have a treat for my readers today. Gwen Stephens, from the 4 A.M. Writer, has stopped by to ask a few questions about my recently released novel, Disappearing in Plain Sight. We grabbed a bottle of wine and made our way out to the cliff deck to admire the view as we chatted.

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af195236a2498a7558d173d00197c7ce[1]Gwen: The characters of Disappearing in Plain Sight struggle with a wide range of issues: alcoholism, infidelity, promiscuity, to name a few. Your background in professional counselling made me wonder if your characters are a composite of clients you’ve worked with in the past.

DSC_0035Me: Maybe, probably – yes and no – it’s a tough question to answer. By virtue of getting to a certain stage in life, anyone of us has interacted with, been close to, or loved people who experience a wide range of challenges when it comes to coping.

Counsellors, because of the type of work they do, hear a great many stories. I think the experience of that kind of focused listening made it possible for me to have a wide imagination for the types of things that can happen to people and how those past events echo into current thoughts and feelings.

The counselling experience may have broadened my perspective, but ultimately, it’s all of a writer’s life that contributes. Does that make any sense?

Gwen: Dan is a misguided Catholic priest whose character traits defy the public stereotype. That made him so much fun to read. In recent years, controversies within the Church have proliferated in the media. Did you draw upon this when creating Dan?

Me: Whew! If this is a common type of question for readers to ask, I might be in trouble. Take a deep breath here, Fran! In a past life – no folks, not that kind of past life – I worked within the Catholic Church as an educator and organizer. Being employed by the Church, as opposed to being a person sitting in the pew every Sunday, is a different reality. You see the people you work with in a different light, you hear stories you might not otherwise hear. The gloves come off, so to speak. No matter where we are employed, I think it’s the same. We get to see an underbelly we wouldn’t normally be exposed to.

Gwen: Liam is one of my favourite characters. He interacts with one of the other characters in a way that many readers would deem inappropriate, if not shocking. As a writer, you took a big risk with this plot thread. Did you grapple with whether or not to include it? Did earlier drafts take a different direction?

Me: Liam’s story arc was set in my mind from the beginning. That is not to say it wasn’t a risky thing to write or that I didn’t struggle to pull it off. There are parts of the book involving him that were rewritten so many times I despaired that I would ever manage to capture the tone and nuances I wanted.

I guess the real challenge was to coax the reader along, slowly revealing the layers of Liam’s character in such a way that when he missteps (which is complicated), you can understand – though not necessarily agree with his logic. He is undeniably the person who will make people think about the concepts of right and wrong.

In Disappearing in Plain Sight, Liam has found a peace of sorts, but it’s based on the fact that he doesn’t have a lot to lose anymore. Up the ante for him, give him a life that he wants desperately to hold onto (The Light Never Lies) and the type of guy he made himself into (quiet, easy-going, non-advice giving) will be sorely tested.

Gwen: Caleb’s untimely death had a deep and lasting impact on Liam, Izzy, and Beulah. From a writing standpoint, why did you decide to include his death as backstory, rather than as a “live” chapter or scene?

Me: One reviewer described Caleb as the moral compass of the group – he’s a strong character, even when you know from the very beginning of the book that he has been dead for two years. It’s only in retrospect of the writing that I realize the answer to this question. I wanted the reader to grapple with the same issues the characters do – Caleb is gone, he isn’t coming back. He’s a man of the past. Life has moved on beyond him.

Gwen: I loved the Lisa-Marie/Justin/Izzy romance triangle for its complicated, unrequited feelings. Can readers look forward to this storyline’s continuation in your sequel, The Light Never Lies?

Me: Most definitely!

A reviewer wrote that Disappearing in Plain Sight, rather than centering on one protagonist, follows a group of people. Many will argue that is no way to write a book. The first character the reader meets should be the main character.

Lisa-Marie jumps to life on the opening pages of Disappearing in Plain Sight and lo and behold, there she is at the beginning of the Light Never Lies, as well. Does that make her the protagonist? I guess time will tell.

Lisa-Marie and Justin’s story isn’t over; then again, neither is Liam and Izzy’s.

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The sun has set, and the wine is gone. It’s time for Gwen to head back over to her 4 A.M. Writer blog. I hope you have enjoyed our conversation as much as we have. The only thing you missed was the wine and the view!

Share the Love

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Today’s daily post suggestion – Share the Love – asks that we tell about a blogger (or bloggers in my case) who have influenced our online journey. This topic spurred me on to complete a post I’ve been planning for a while. Thank you to the daily post people for giving me the kick in the butt needed to get it done! What a terrific opportunity to give a shout out to some other blogs that I follow and thoroughly enjoy.

First out of the gate!

Five bloggers who are generous to a fault. I’ve been the lucky recipient of this generosity in the form of two book reviews, a book shout-out, an author interview, and several tweets of my blog posts. These bloggers know how to pay it forward and they most certainly have my thanks. The links take you to posts that featured me, but don’t stop there. Check out other topics these bloggers have written about – you won’t be disappointed.

The 4 A.M. Writer – Gwen Stephens

Pamela Cook at the Flying Pony – Australian author of Blackwattle Lake

Patrick O’Scheen author of the soon to be released novel – Dreamer: Chronicles of Maritha – Book One. Patrick hosted a Facebook event entitled Tidbit Tuesday last week – authors got to share short pieces of their work with one another. He stayed on the site most of the day (and past the official end time) offering comments and humorous asides. Way to go Patrick!

Steve at Imagineerebooks

Gloria Antipowich: Romance and Love Stories. Gloria is author of The Thompson Family Trilogy

Next up – two blogs that do a fantastic job featuring the creative work of other bloggers

The Story Shack – this blog puts writers and artists together and the mix is potent. I can’t speak for other writers who have had their work featured on the Story Shack, but the artwork down by Grace Gao for my short piece of fiction entitled Helplessness took my breath away.

Postcard, poems, and prose  This blog features lots of quirky contests, thoughtful writing and images, as well as amusing anecdotes about contributors.

And now for my favourite blogs in various categories.

My favourite writer of short fiction – I never miss a post by The Wrought Writer. Her stories always impress me and make me think.

My favourite YA author blogs: Grace Makley – Writer and Illustrator and Mystic Cooking – Kati and Heidi, a pair of dragon fantasy writers.

My favourite Cooking/Writing/Life Blog – Dana Staves at Whisks and Words

My favourite angst-ridden poet blog – The Electric Journal of a Castaway – this guy does prose, poems and photos that wrench one out of complacency

Here are two of my favourite photo blogs – my husband Bruce’s blog – Through the Luminary Lens Bruce is eclectic. He posts great photos, quotes and poetry. He makes connections between things that at first cause me to shake my head. Then I think – aha!Bophie’s Photos – stunning photos. What this person can do with a drop of water will break your heart.

My favourite blog on editing – Change it up Editing  I always find it has been worth taking the time to read the posts on this blog

My favourite funny/family guy blog – Harper Faulkner He makes me laugh so much, I think my laptop might roll right on the floor with me.

My favourite all around informative blog – Peter D. Mallett – I never miss his posts because they’re always engaging. (I credit Peter for giving me the idea for this post in the first place.)

My favourite crazy research topic blog – Alina’s Scentsy Scents – this woman describes perfume like a magazine that reviews expensive wine. I always get a kick out of her posts. I’ll never buy any of these fragrances, but a character I create might or another character might need describe the haunting/lingering effects of a perfume. When this happens I’ll be ready.

To wrap things up – a few new discoveries

Robby Robin the alter ego of Jane Fritz – Reflections of a running, writing, inquiring retiree. Jane is living over at the other end of this fabulous country, Canada. I’m enjoying discovering this woman!

Jennie Orbell – Hilarious posts – her husband is my husband’s UK clone! She is an author of three works of contemporary fiction – Mulligan’s Reach, Starfish, and Eternal.

Dream Big Words. Angela is dreaming, seeking, and writing from her home in Pennsylvania where she crafts poetry, sails the tides of memoir and gets lost in the magical forest of fiction. She is working on a book entitled: The Mother Tree.

I am currently following 158 bloggers. I’m sure you can imagine what my Reader looks like some days! Time restrictions mean that there are times when I simply must pick and choose what to read – but even when the Reader is jam packed with exciting new stuff – I won’t pass over the bloggers I’ve mentioned in this post.

Please take the time to check out any or all of these great blogs!

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Both photos were taken at Taliesin West (the home of the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright) outside of Scottsdale, Arizona. They spoke to me of connection and I thought that would go well with today’s topic.

Questioning a character’s development in a sequel–tricky work!

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I wrote an earlier post about asking questions of my writing. I find myself doing a lot of that type of questioning the last few days.

In Disappearing in Plain Sight, Liam is a character who is portrayed as a laid back guy. He doesn’t give other people advice, he’s humble and quiet, a wounded-healer type. He’s human; God knows he makes mistakes, but for the most part he’s a likeable person.

The book does contain hints that Liam has purchased his peace at a price – he says that he may not always be at peace, but most days he can act in a peaceful way. He’s created, with Caleb’s help, a tight box of a life at Crater Lake where he can feel safe. He’s come to grips with his demons and he’s part of something that matters. In Disappearing in Plain Sight, Liam has honed his life down to the essentials.

Izzy does Liam a service when she helps him come to grips with his demons – at the same time she breaks down the wall of  the box he has built around himself.

Thus, the stage is set for the sequel – The Light Never Lies. In this novel, Liam’s life is blown apart – he’s plunged into a world where he’s forced to deal with multi-layered events and much is at stake – he will have to risk much to find his way through.

You must be asking yourself where the questioning part comes in. In the first draft of the sequel, Liam’s interactions with one character in particular, are coming off strident and overbearing. Everything he wasn’t in the first book. He’ll be described as a total nag and there’s some truth to this accusation. I know why he’s acting the way he is, but will the reader? I am convinced that people, and thus characters, are multi-dimensional and capable of acting in one way with one person and quite another way with someone else. Can I make this clear without being overly didactic or making Liam look as if he’s developed a multiple-personality disorder?

I also have to figure out how to deal with the way one character’s perception of Liam is not necessarily reliable. She hears his voice through her own filters. How do I get that across to the reader? I don’t use the omniscient viewpoint, so I can’t step out of everyone’s thoughts and explain.

Time to go for a long walk and see if the writing knot I’ve tangled myself into can be loosened and maybe even unravelled.

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(I always tell the kids – don’t go past the number 4 tree – that is where the trail ends)