Category Archives: THIS AND THAT

This and That…

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So, I hope you’ve noticed a little more action happening here at Tiaras & Tennis Shoes. I hope it’s not too much–I don’t want to be a bother! Anyway…I’ve sort of designated Mondays as Me Monday. I’ll try to save posts about my books and myself for Mondays. Wednesdays have become Writing Tip Wednesday and Fridays are for Friends.  Saturdays or Sundays will be the day for a devotion.

Of course, all this is subject to change at a moment’s notice!

And you certainly won’t be getting every type of post every week–again I don’t want to be a bother!

So today is Monday and that means I get to talk about ME!

DEADLY COMMUNICATIONS has been out for a little more than a week. From what I’ve heard, people are enjoying it.

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AMAZON

 

The good news this week is that I was just offered a contract for the second in the Deadly Communications series! I’ve been holding my breath waiting to see if my publisher liked it. Apparently, they did!

I know a lot of people seem to assume that it’s a given that the next book I submit will be published, but I don’t feel that way at all. And I know of authors who got their first contract and then took years to get another one. So I’m grateful for each contract that comes my way.

Entitlement isn’t something any writer should feel when it comes to getting published. In my opinion author entitlement brings on mediocre books. And I want to write the best story I can every time.

I feel so blessed to be able to create godly stories and even more that people seem to enjoy them.

So that’s about it for me…

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

 

 

IT’S HERE…Deadly Communications!

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I”m so excited to announce that my latest release–DEADLY COMMUNICATIONS–will be out sometime today at most of your favorite online bookstores!

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Deadly Communications is a new novella mystery series that features Maven Morris, a speech-language pathologist (better known as an SLP) who gets a little too involved in her client’s life. In Deadly Communications, the first in the series, Maven is struggling to cope with several life-changing events in her life.

But, in fact, she’s not coping well at all!

Lizzie, her well-meaning friend, decides it’s time to step in and help…and that’s when all the trouble starts!

This is what the back cover blurb says:

Improving communication skills is never easy. In this case, it could be murder!

Maven Morris is a speech-language pathologist on medical leave–or as she likes to put it: out to pasture. When she’s offered a lucrative position by one of the community’s most powerful men to help his traumatic-brain-injured daughter improve her communication skills, Maven discovers deadly secrets behind the iron gates of the mansion.

Now, she must find the courage to seek justice no matter who gets hurt–even if it’s her. 

As a speech pathologist for more than 30 years, this book was especially fun for me to write. I hadn’t planned on writing a story, let alone a series featuring a crime-fighting speech-language pathologist, but three things happened within a few days of each other to inspire DEADLY COMMUNICATIONS.

First, my brother asked why I didn’t write a story featuring a speech-language pathologist. To which my answer was it would be difficult to come up with a suspense story with an SLP as the main character. After all, I know how boring my life is! I couldn’t even imagine how an SLP could get involved in a mystery.

Secondly, a few days later I was talking with someone whose daughter had been involved in a serious car accident and was now experiencing communication difficulties due to a traumatic brain injury.

Thirdly, as writers are prone to do, I was sitting daydreaming and had a vision of a young woman running through the woods and then into ongoing traffic on a highway..

That’s all it took!

My writer mind took over from there and DEADLY COMMUNICATIONS was born!

To celebrate the release of DEADLY COMMUNICATIONS, I’m giving away an e-copy of the novella. All you need to do is leave a comment! The winner will be picked next Friday–July 25th.

Don’t know what to say? Here’s a few questions that you can answer: What’s some other jobs that might seem like you couldn’t write a mystery about? What do you think an SLP does? What’s your job and how could you use that job as part of a mystery?

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

 

 

ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT ME?

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Great book. First time I have read this author. She is very good.Can’t wait toread the next one.

Betrayed is the first book that I’ve read by Lillian Duncan, and I wonder how it is that I’ve missed out on this exciting author until now! Excellent suspense writer is a term that should be one of the author’s descriptives, as her newest book is so captivating that I read it in one day. 

There is nothing I can say except “an absolutely wonderful book.” I stayed up until 2 am to finish this book in 1 day. 

 

Those are a few snippets from reviews for my latest book-BETRAYED.  I don’t read reviews for my books on a regular basis so when I checked a few of them out, I was so pleased to find that readers are enjoying my latest story and taking the time to write a review. And I want to give all those who wrote a review for that book or any of my books  a very heartfelt thank you. Writing and posting reviews is a great way to help out your favorite writers and it only takes a few minutes of your time.

I have a riddle for you. What do my book reviews, my old paintings, and old pictures of me have in common?

They remind me that I don’t always view myself the way others do.

As I read my book reviews, I was so humbled that people liked the way I put the words together into a story. When I look at old paintings that I did years ago, I’m always surprised by them. I can’t believe my hands created something that pretty.  The same is true for my books and even old pictures of myself. When I look at pictures of myself from years gone by, I think, Wow–I didn’t look too bad back then. Yet I don’t remember feeling that way at the time.

Sometimes we are our own worse critics–and we shouldn’t be.

It’s not good to be arrogant and that’s not what I’m proposing, but I think far more of us are too hard on ourselves. We need to take a step back and view us as others view us. One way to do that is to believe people when they give us a compliment us. Instead of disagreeing with them, a simple thank you will suffice!

So, what about you? Are you surprised at how good you look in old pictures? Do you have a distorted view of yourself and your accomplishments? How did you get over it?

Until next time…God Bless and Good Reading!

COMING SOON–BETRAYED

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BETRAYED by Lillian Duncan (that’s me!)

Witness Protection Program claims they can keep anyone safe if only they follow the rules so Maria follows the rules–every rule. She’s given up everything–her friends, her family, her past, even her name to ensure her daughter has a future.

Reborn as Veronica Minor in the sleepy little town of Sunberry, Ohio, she struggles to rebuild their life amid the beauty of her flower shop. A life where her daughter can have a happy normal childhood. A life where her daughter will never know that her father was a monster.

When a child disappears, Veronica prays it has nothing to do with her past, but what if she’s wrong? Not knowing who to trust, she trusts no one…and that’s her first mistake.

 

My newest book, BETRAYED,  will be released January 10 and I’m so excited about it. If you love romantic suspense, you should enjoy this one. It has plenty of suspense and romance. So as the time approaches, you’ll get to read a bit more about the book plus I have a great giveaway planned. You’ll learn more about that later. So stay tuned for more information.

 

 

Love Christmas Music?

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Who doesn’t love Christmas music? Right?

I know I do.

I’m focusing on Christmas music this week at www.PowerUpWithGod.com. Each day until Christmas, I take a look at a Christmas song and it’s message. There’s a music video that accompanies the blog post.

Stop by and check it out.

So, I’ve got all the days ready to go except for Christmas Day! My question WHAT SONG SHOULD I USE FOR CHRISTMAS DAY???

Any and all ideas would be appreciated.

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING!

TREE # 12–FINALLY!!

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I saved the biggest tree for last. Finally and sadly, we’ve reached the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas Trees!

So, you know I love Christmas trees, but what about you? What’s one of your favorite things to do at Christmas?

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME…GOD BLESS & GOOD READING–and Merry Christmas!!