tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2012150353498496012024-03-13T10:21:55.739-07:00In Search of HeroesDelle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.comBlogger180125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-13366337199928162372014-04-19T15:28:00.001-07:002014-04-20T10:06:55.164-07:00WHY AUTHENTIC HISTORICAL ROMANCE COVERS ARE SO HARD TO GET<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ur7Nmakdpps/U1LrA7u9vJI/AAAAAAAAGvg/LbXIVls3WbU/s1600/Let+Honor+Prevail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ur7Nmakdpps/U1LrA7u9vJI/AAAAAAAAGvg/LbXIVls3WbU/s1600/Let+Honor+Prevail.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a>From time to time, historical and Regency romance authors complain to me they can't get good, accurate covers for their historical romances. Well, I can't blame them. I write historicals, and I love history so I want my covers to look like real history, not a staged scene. But also being a romantic, there are those parts of history, like chamber pots and men's drawers that I'd just as soon not show for what they were. I'm also a cover artist, and I know I can't even give myself truly accurate covers.<br />
<br />
But why can't we get accurate covers? Well, it's darn hard. BUT there is a way And today I'm going to show you how and why.<br />
<br />
I made up a very simple but pretty reasonably authentic historical cover for a non-existent novel called LET HONOR PREVAIL. Then I'm going to show you its original parts and how they were altered.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQn5ToLycMU/U1L7AzXwlSI/AAAAAAAAGxE/cl4w9PM-oj8/s1600/Fotolia_33900770_Subscription_Monthly_XL+(2)+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DQn5ToLycMU/U1L7AzXwlSI/AAAAAAAAGxE/cl4w9PM-oj8/s1600/Fotolia_33900770_Subscription_Monthly_XL+(2)+cropped.jpg" height="200" width="171" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xY5N-cCXO-s/U1L5njhkDDI/AAAAAAAAGw4/oOKCQHJvMhQ/s1600/Fotolia_33900770_Subscription_Monthly_XL+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xY5N-cCXO-s/U1L5njhkDDI/AAAAAAAAGw4/oOKCQHJvMhQ/s1600/Fotolia_33900770_Subscription_Monthly_XL+(2).jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a>Let's face it, there was nobody running around in 1812 with a camera taking lots of pictures for me to use in the 21st century. There were fshion plates and scenic engravings and the like. But they don't necesarily fit with today's tastes, especially romantic tastes.You can probably tell the model's face, despite my cartooning of it, still looks a bit too real for the rest. I'd have to work on that. (<b>Several hours' worth. Remember that-time is money.)</b> Because that's a high quality photo of a real man, and the rest is low quality images of early 19th century engravings.<br />
<br />
First, I need a handsome contemporary model. Gorgeous guy, and I've used him several times (in an artistic sense) because he's so versatile. But this time all I need is his head, and need to reverse that as well: But it is important to try to line up the posture of both the contemporary model and the "clothes you intend to fit on him if you want to make it look like he's really wearing the garments.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lFxNPamuh4I/U1LsYaQ8d8I/AAAAAAAAGv0/_xSER0PmyXQ/s1600/1813french+riding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lFxNPamuh4I/U1LsYaQ8d8I/AAAAAAAAGv0/_xSER0PmyXQ/s1600/1813french+riding.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
The man's clothing comes from a 19th century French fashion plate. The first thing you'll notice, I'm sure, is the man's appearance is clearly not fashionable today. Look at the sleeves over the gloves. Look at his proportions, and his rather large head. In this case I didn't have to do a lot of morphing but I did wan't to give the man a more long-waisted look because men don't wear their trousers waists as high these days as they did back then. I manipulated color a bit by cranking up the contrast and cranking down the brightness. But this is essentially an ink and watercolor drawing. The man in my design is real. They''ll have to be matched up better. That's where rendering the man plus costume into a "sketch" overlay comes in handy. Reducing opacity lets the original composite man show through, but sometimes not enough and I have to highlight and erase until I've got it right.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dlRdkagOtbg/U1LvdlKWGNI/AAAAAAAAGwU/13J894aPhp4/s1600/Honor+and+Betray+201+B&W+sketch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dlRdkagOtbg/U1LvdlKWGNI/AAAAAAAAGwU/13J894aPhp4/s1600/Honor+and+Betray+201+B&W+sketch.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0nxt0EgKU5M/U1MC-9ewSwI/AAAAAAAAGxk/-8IqZc4AT58/s1600/Let+Honor+Prevail+hero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0nxt0EgKU5M/U1MC-9ewSwI/AAAAAAAAGxk/-8IqZc4AT58/s1600/Let+Honor+Prevail+hero.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>Now I have something about like this:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
But what about the background? Well, this one isn't done right, at least not for a print book, because the engraving I have is only a small, poor resolution copy of the original. Oh sure, it's in the public domain so I can use it, but on anything the size of a printed book, it will look too grainy. And not only that, I only took a very tiny part of the whole engraving, which meant it had to be blown up even more. It would likely be much too blurry for a printed cover. I could do things to re-render it, but again, that's really hard, time-consuming work.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-87hW3TYj1Mc/U1MAI88sp9I/AAAAAAAAGxY/aaM4RI_-aK0/s1600/Honor+and+Betray+201+Somerset+place+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-87hW3TYj1Mc/U1MAI88sp9I/AAAAAAAAGxY/aaM4RI_-aK0/s1600/Honor+and+Betray+201+Somerset+place+London.jpg" height="255" width="320" /></a>So why not just paint a cover? Wouldnt' it be easier? Well, I'm not a painter, but I can assure you even just using Photoshop tools, "just painting" is no small task. And I'm frankly not good at painting anyway. So take photos of models in costume? Okay, but costumes are made of modern materials and so far I have seen very few that really emulate<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J0DoNXm1vdg/U1L_XgjrRmI/AAAAAAAAGxQ/-itvo-5gHgU/s1600/Honor+and+Betray+201+Somerset+place++background.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J0DoNXm1vdg/U1L_XgjrRmI/AAAAAAAAGxQ/-itvo-5gHgU/s1600/Honor+and+Betray+201+Somerset+place++background.jpg" height="320" width="189" /></a>their historical period. They're machine made and dyed in modern colors. Then there are those telltale zippers and elastic. The models --sorry, they're often gorgeous. But show me even one model who is willing to appear in a shoot without her makeup. Even the men come combed and curled and almost air-brushed before the session begins. And their hair is always wrong. Repainting hair? Well mostly I give up and let them have their makeup and modern hairstyles. Just try painting out makeup. It's sure not a matter of washing the face!<br />
<br />
And remember that little bit about time being money? Well it is. Someone has to pay those models and photographers and arrange the setting. Now you're up into the hundreds of dollars brackets. Not too many authors want to pay that. They can, of course, and that's all right with me. But most of us have tighter budgets.<br />
<br />
Some historical covers require even more than the simple techniques I've shown above. Someday I'll tell you all about morphing or warping clothes to fit the modern figure. That's actually fun. Kind of like dressing Barbie dolls.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-22122834015156333082014-04-14T15:54:00.001-07:002014-04-14T16:18:43.774-07:00MY WRITING PROCESS BLOG HOP!<br /><br />Hello dear friends--<br /><br /><div>
So glad to get back to blogging! There are so many pulls in so many directions, it seems whole days and weeks go by with many things undone. But I like blogging. Why shouldn't I do more of it?<br /><br />I have been nominated for the <b>"My Writing Process Blog Hop"</b> by <a href="http://katharina-gerlach.blogspot.com/">Kathararina Gerlach</a>, a German writer who writes wonderful historicals and fantasies, for both adults and younger readers, who posted her own answers to the questions below on her blog on April 7th.<br /><br /><b> NOW, THE QUESTIONS:</b><br /><br /><b> 1) What am I working on?</b><br />But no, it's not all that bad. I'm really just working on two historical romances, plus cover art, plus planning a major trip, plus... OH LOOK! A SQUIRREL!<br /><br /> Right now I'm in the midst of the third first draft of a no-longer titled historical romance set in 1812 England and the Peninsular War in Spain and Portugal. This is one of those impossible to write stories that has nagged me for about twenty years, and morphed in and out of several major plot changes. My hope is to sell it to Montlake or to self-publish it. To me, this is the most difficult story I've ever written, but it's a very important one that I feel I must write. Since it's told in large part in letters, but the slow travel times of the day meant delays of up to a month before letters arrived makes timing the plot difficult. The plot itself has to be structured like a romantic suspense.<br /><br /> The other story is GILDING LILLY, a Regency Historical I've been wanting to finish for a long time since it's had to be shoved aside for other projects so often. It's a lighter story, which makes it a good foil for the darker war story.<br /><br /><b> 2) How does my work differ from others of its genre?</b><br />I don't think I write a standard romance. Yes, I follow the genre formula, and yes you will always find the genreic happy romantic ending in my stories. But I have a very strong interest in human psychology and emotional growth, and I love stories of people overcoming huge adversities. So I have to write stories that are boh heavily character-oriented and heavily plot-oriented. I have heard some instructors say you can't have both. But I can't NOT have both.<br /><br /><b> 3) Why do I write what I do?</b><br />I have a compulsion to create, and I particularly love creating stories with words.<br /><br />I also have a strong love of history. I want to see history as it really was lived, not romanticized to the point of contemporary American heroines in pseudo costumes try to pretend they live in some foreign time and place. I want it realistic. And that's so important to me, I'd rather not sell a story than to make it into a mere costume party.<br /><br /><b> 4) How does my writing process work?</b><br />This last year I've been working on changing my writing process. Organization has not been my greatest asset since I quit the day job, so I've been working harder to establish my routine. I am one of those people who must know at least to some degree where my story is going, so I must begin with a story outline then flesh that out enough to be sure it works and that what happens is truly what my characters would do. From that, I begin and write an average of ten pages a day. Research will often stop me cold because I hate writing something that has to be completely discarded. I usually write straight through, but I'm not afraid to skip a section that isn't making sense. And I often make notes on the page using ALL CAPS (and marked by XXXXX to make it easier to find when editing). <br /><br />I often work on two or more books at once, and sometimes I stagger tasks. It' hard to plan ahead for revisions especially when they're what an editor wants. This can disrupt routine. But I normally go from creative first draft to edits. Polishing, and other author tasks like cooperative critiquing, editing, promotion, etc., have to somehow be worked in, too.<br /><br />And then there's the cover art, which I really do for fun. But I do have clients, and when they need covers, the need covers. Sometimes the two jobs are more in conflict than in harmony.<br /><br /> Now I get to nominate three more authors for next week, April 21st.So far I have one, so I will have ro get busy and find two more, and wil add them as I find them.<br /><br /> <a href="http://blog.heatherhiestand.com/">HEATHER HIESTAND</a>, a.k.a. ANH LEOD always has a hundred things to do at once, and yet she gets them done. So I'm dying to hear more about how she does that.<br /><br />Check them-or Heather- out next week. And thanks to all of you for putting up with my scatter-brained ways!<br /><br />Delle<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-36400004910740471602014-02-23T21:09:00.002-08:002014-02-23T21:29:05.974-08:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tG8A0UaWKA/UwrWZYCQykI/AAAAAAAAGaU/5eOC-Qt7O-Q/s1600/DSC00030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4tG8A0UaWKA/UwrWZYCQykI/AAAAAAAAGaU/5eOC-Qt7O-Q/s1600/DSC00030.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The marina and Columbus Tavern (closed)<br />
from our room.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9zxuYraPBRw/UwrSfHbGKRI/AAAAAAAAGZA/TvWDlMyLeJY/s1600/DSC00192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9zxuYraPBRw/UwrSfHbGKRI/AAAAAAAAGZA/TvWDlMyLeJY/s1600/DSC00192.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daughter Lori and I loved the hot tub.<br />
Great place for aching feet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwxV6UI2I9E/UwrSiGOyVuI/AAAAAAAAGZY/HrHVkfzjrNA/s1600/DSC00207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iwxV6UI2I9E/UwrSiGOyVuI/AAAAAAAAGZY/HrHVkfzjrNA/s1600/DSC00207.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Columbus Tavern.- a.k.a. The Ghost Bar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85Nz262zltI/UwrWZfy8XII/AAAAAAAAGaQ/aL40Xp7sWmE/s1600/DSC00050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85Nz262zltI/UwrWZfy8XII/AAAAAAAAGaQ/aL40Xp7sWmE/s1600/DSC00050.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feet up for the Superbowl (actually I got<br />
bored and went off to surf the net).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ixr-hNsc8E8/UwrSfL_xypI/AAAAAAAAGZE/W58bUzkTDqg/s1600/DSC00179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ixr-hNsc8E8/UwrSfL_xypI/AAAAAAAAGZE/W58bUzkTDqg/s1600/DSC00179.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Atlantis Resort from the sea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i-wTbeNBrEQ/UwrV_F1HFEI/AAAAAAAAGaI/aUZfJdOzl2o/s1600/DSC00172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i-wTbeNBrEQ/UwrV_F1HFEI/AAAAAAAAGaI/aUZfJdOzl2o/s1600/DSC00172.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As close as we could get to the lighthouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0NLRMhxhTc/UwrSi019-CI/AAAAAAAAGZg/EPEpLIU_y0E/s1600/DSC00215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0NLRMhxhTc/UwrSi019-CI/AAAAAAAAGZg/EPEpLIU_y0E/s1600/DSC00215.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last dinner. On the Poop Deck (That's a nautical<br />
term, not a dog walker's one.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-42MO7Db7kHU/UwrUqN8AyMI/AAAAAAAAGZ8/-gi0vPF9_DM/s1600/DSC00217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-42MO7Db7kHU/UwrUqN8AyMI/AAAAAAAAGZ8/-gi0vPF9_DM/s1600/DSC00217.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I only had one lobster.<br />
And fried plantain. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aDCRQ84KU3Q/UwrSjn_T8-I/AAAAAAAAGZk/9tMRTGFCe4M/s1600/DSC00218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aDCRQ84KU3Q/UwrSjn_T8-I/AAAAAAAAGZk/9tMRTGFCe4M/s1600/DSC00218.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lori was hungrier. But then she<br />
did all the work.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53qT15kihg0/UwrSkZDfYJI/AAAAAAAAGZw/byyiNJ2r1Gs/s1600/DSC00223.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-53qT15kihg0/UwrSkZDfYJI/AAAAAAAAGZw/byyiNJ2r1Gs/s1600/DSC00223.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alas, back home...You can see where Mama Squirrel<br />
romped along the railing for her daily handout</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-23386095187275238562014-02-07T06:27:00.002-08:002014-02-23T21:29:49.196-08:00BAHAMAS!Hello, my wonderful friends--<br />
<br />
I'm in the Bahamas with my daughter, on our first ever trip together for just the two of us! We've had a wonderful time, and I'm garnering some great ideas for more stories. I'm not getting good connections so I'll probably have to add more notes on the photos later.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QunFZ1B8r4/UvTr1pyPNMI/AAAAAAAAGVs/p8OOaTdQBKw/s1600/DSC00047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3QunFZ1B8r4/UvTr1pyPNMI/AAAAAAAAGVs/p8OOaTdQBKw/s1600/DSC00047.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Athena Cafe, Nassau, The Bahamas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxHYNdbE7d4/UvTrWN70MoI/AAAAAAAAGVc/bUo66GVDwg4/s1600/DSC00073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nxHYNdbE7d4/UvTrWN70MoI/AAAAAAAAGVc/bUo66GVDwg4/s1600/DSC00073.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clifton Pier, The Bahamas <br />
a historic beautiful beach that is almost unused.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-80LZS8hnIw0/UvTrhHIGRzI/AAAAAAAAGVk/BA1z6-6FyL0/s1600/DSC00093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-80LZS8hnIw0/UvTrhHIGRzI/AAAAAAAAGVk/BA1z6-6FyL0/s1600/DSC00093.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdkT0NWz_jU/UvTr5V5iFJI/AAAAAAAAGV0/VdIWtLFWrIM/s1600/DSC00154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rdkT0NWz_jU/UvTr5V5iFJI/AAAAAAAAGV0/VdIWtLFWrIM/s1600/DSC00154.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F8XPKojcaFg/UvTr6xkXGhI/AAAAAAAAGV8/mEi6G_YsXzw/s1600/DSC00159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F8XPKojcaFg/UvTr6xkXGhI/AAAAAAAAGV8/mEi6G_YsXzw/s1600/DSC00159.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-86298403327210258222013-11-03T21:58:00.001-08:002014-02-07T05:42:13.313-08:00Special Countdown Deal for LADY WICKED<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6GN68M"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vEklSGeqbeA/Unc3VuuRLPI/AAAAAAAAGI4/B1uIQFlqPoE/s640/Lady+Wicked+LAST+FINAL+2013+300ppi.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click here or on cover to buy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm pleased to announce LADY WICKED is a Countdown Deal on Amazon Kindle's new promotional program for their Kindle Direct Publishing authors. For one week only-Nov. 3-10, it is 99 cents! At midnight PST Nov. 10, the deal is gone!<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6GN68M">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E6GN68M</a>Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-15405421313566881702013-11-01T19:46:00.003-07:002013-11-01T19:54:04.258-07:00Meeting the Real HeroesA few fun things about being an author. You get to meet real heroes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
From the Emerald City Writers Conference in October. Montlake generously arranged a morning breakfast with these marvelous firefighters serving doughnuts and pastries and posing with authors.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5f38MDhEQeU/UnRpK_AvWyI/AAAAAAAAGIo/SBDfX47dYg0/s1600/1383123_1419707418258021_71402457_n+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5f38MDhEQeU/UnRpK_AvWyI/AAAAAAAAGIo/SBDfX47dYg0/s640/1383123_1419707418258021_71402457_n+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The rest of the conference was fun too.Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-62610078705611341012013-10-24T10:34:00.000-07:002013-10-24T15:33:34.504-07:00PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH MEI'm tinkering with my web-blog again-please be patient with me. I'll have it the way I want it pretty soon, but the header is not yet right. I don't necessarily like this beveled oval in the design-probably too much conflicting detail-yet,I do like it. In any case, it's a very complex effect and I wonder if I could ever even duplicate it again. So I want to look at it for awhile. You know how I am about learning things. Must learn. Must experiment. Must keep on going down that road!<br />
<br />
And of course every time I change one part, I have to change the rest. The width I have here is probably too wide for a lot of viewers, and I would like the best viewing experience for all of my viewers.<br />
<br />
I'm setting up a separate website. Yes, I know I said I wouldn't do that, but I think it will be a good idea now. And I have help now, which is a very good thing. More on all that, too, later!<br />
<br />
Thanks!Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-24047166395765698972013-07-28T12:31:00.001-07:002013-10-24T17:27:09.554-07:00FREE Copies of IN THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0EUJms_sDek/UfVsZcdUsuI/AAAAAAAAF2o/1zG9YbrEmPU/s1600/Lady+Wicked+VERY+LAST+FINAL+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0EUJms_sDek/UfVsZcdUsuI/AAAAAAAAF2o/1zG9YbrEmPU/s320/Lady+Wicked+VERY+LAST+FINAL+2013.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Wicked-ebook/dp/B00E6GN68M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375040642&sr=1-1&keywords=lady+wicked+by+delle+jacobs">Buy Lady Wicked Here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's taken awhile-I had a number of things I wanted to do to make this story even better. This is the LADY WICKED I want the story to be, and with the cover I want it to have.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IJvlWXs_qBk/UfVum-byF_I/AAAAAAAAF3U/QyGjl4fauRA/s1600/51wolAOu3lL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IJvlWXs_qBk/UfVum-byF_I/AAAAAAAAF3U/QyGjl4fauRA/s320/51wolAOu3lL.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Land-Long-White-Cloud-ebook/dp/B00802UZ1E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375040786&sr=1-1&keywords=long+white+cloud">Buy In the Land of the Long</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Land-Long-White-Cloud-ebook/dp/B00802UZ1E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1375040786&sr=1-1&keywords=long+white+cloud">White Cloud here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To celebrate, I'm giving away another author's book, IN THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD by Sarah Lark, one that is very special to me, for it was the book that sustained me and gave me solace and strength during my husband's final illness.<br />
<br />
If you'd like to have this book, no strings attached and no re-use of your email address without your permission, I will be giving away 10 ebooks and one print or audio book.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">DEADLINE: midnight PST, Monday, July 29, 2013.</span><br />
<br />
You do not have to buy LADY WICKED or anything else. I'm doing this because I want to, and because I find it hard now to imagine how I would have gone through that so difficult time in my life without the place to get away and recuperate, regain my strength, if I had not had this book at that particular time. I can't say why-there are many truly excellent and wonderful books available that can really touch the heart. This one is all of those things, but in particular, it was the only book that could reach me then.<br />
<br />
Getting into the drawing is easy. Just send me an email at <a href="mailto:delle@dellejacobs.com">delle@dellejacobs.com</a>. Let me know if you only want to be ing the drawing for one of the 10 ebooks or would like to be in the drawing for a print or audio version. And IF you would like to be added to my newsletter list to receive EXTREMELY RARE news of releases, major news events and contests, just say so. Otherwise your email address will not be used in any way except to send your book if you win.<br />
<br />Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-51962076463349834022013-07-01T11:29:00.003-07:002013-07-01T11:31:24.209-07:00One BEST SELLER Leads to Another!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WaDt_BM3jmc/UdHE70YxZOI/AAAAAAAAFzg/Dfcop5ETLxs/s875/!+!+FAERIE+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WaDt_BM3jmc/UdHE70YxZOI/AAAAAAAAFzg/Dfcop5ETLxs/s320/!+!+FAERIE+final.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">#12 Amazon Top Seller!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
FAERIE has hit the top lists again! Yesterday Amazon featured FAERIE as a Kindle Daily Deal, with a one day reduced price of $.99. By midnight my lovely gal had reached her highest point ever on the Amazon rankings- #12. And here I had merely hoped she'd reach the Top 100! Currently she's the #1 Historical Romance, #1 Fantasy Romance and #1 Paranormal Romance. And not only that, I've been propelled into the Top 100 Authors list, currently at #38.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RrZii8cze6w/UdHI4wcPO-I/AAAAAAAAFzw/FLVDR24VtS0/s1600/FireDance+MontlakeLASTFINAL+layers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RrZii8cze6w/UdHI4wcPO-I/AAAAAAAAFzw/FLVDR24VtS0/s320/FireDance+MontlakeLASTFINAL+layers.jpg" width="220" /></a><br />
Don't blink. It could all go away just that fast.<br />
<br />
Yet, Amazon is not through with me for this cycle of promo. Today FIRE DANCE began a feature in a different promo: for one month, FD will be featured among the 100 books under $3.99, now called the Kindle Monthly Deal. Already it has climbed significantly in ranking.<br />
<br />
But how well will this promotion work in comparison with the one-day-only, shooting-star approach? And how much will this month's promo capitalize on past promo?<br />
<br />
Last month, and back into May, both FIRE DANCE and LOKI'S DAUGHTERS were featured in other promotions. I think this is part of the current success of FAERIE. And this might explain why it's important for authors to find visibility not just for their books but for themselves.<br />
<br />
Well, folks, I have to say that Amazon and Montlake really keep me hopping and my head spinning, and there's no doubt their promo is very effective. While as an indie author I do love the independence and control over my books and career, there are just some things I can't do, people I can't reach on my own. Some indie authors have done promo extremely well, while I've merely done it well. It's Amazon and Montlake that have capitalized on my endeavors and got my books in front of readers I could never have reached. And I love sales. So I also love offering my books to readers at a sale price.<br />
<br />
Now back to the cave. LADY WICKED is in its last editing, and due for release, ASAP!Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-68310749240671514982013-06-01T18:29:00.002-07:002013-06-06T15:52:13.303-07:00I Saw vs. She SawWhat a difference the Point of View makes! (Wait for it...)<br />
<br />
<div>
What I saw: What Pam saw:</div>
<div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Wz9CTX2Q_E/UaeZLgGuM6I/AAAAAAAAFts/ia3d6Qfbuy8/s1600/DSC00242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Wz9CTX2Q_E/UaeZLgGuM6I/AAAAAAAAFts/ia3d6Qfbuy8/s200/DSC00242.JPG" width="200" /></a><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxUdDGKMMWplxjE9ubJsQltrr9DYpqQar7txHGCjUx7pIt3l2gtWA882-_09Hr_FTc1pqhE1JfSnLuy9pDHGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;">A few minutes later--</span></div>
<br />
What I saw: What Pam saw:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yg9T2C_fCXg/UaqhO_pRi-I/AAAAAAAAFuI/epiLdCPEi_g/s1600/DSC00232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yg9T2C_fCXg/UaqhO_pRi-I/AAAAAAAAFuI/epiLdCPEi_g/s200/DSC00232.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxbubf9ZgvE1_MstDncfveQIPLqC47UsL2PndsX82dQDQH3F6yScDxhc5rktbA_QJ41aJ6rVnBjUFryf34UKg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-25828895684962609462013-05-30T11:33:00.002-07:002013-05-30T20:05:06.586-07:00Walking Into Doors-With Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9YJgqDNyoQ/UaeIrQl84HI/AAAAAAAAFrw/AR7X3s593Hg/s1600/HI2013+Garden+Heliconia+DSC00155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9YJgqDNyoQ/UaeIrQl84HI/AAAAAAAAFrw/AR7X3s593Hg/s320/HI2013+Garden+Heliconia+DSC00155.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Heliconia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So how many ways can a person Walk into Doors? Several, it seems. And like Wearing the Water, they're all closely related. Answer coming up.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vrBophzwbk/UaeIsNVpqWI/AAAAAAAAFr8/xp8yQZS8kPU/s1600/HI2013+Garden+KU+with+Pam+and+Delle+DSC00195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vrBophzwbk/UaeIsNVpqWI/AAAAAAAAFr8/xp8yQZS8kPU/s320/HI2013+Garden+KU+with+Pam+and+Delle+DSC00195.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pam, Delle, and the God Ku</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Thursday, we took a long trip all the way around the island. And looking over my photos, I realize I have well over a hundred of them, so I'm dividing the trip into two parts: The Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden and The Volcano-Kilauea. I hope I can get some pics from Pam on the Kilauea crater, then find my older ones from 1991 and 2009, to show you how much it's changed. But today I'll take you into the Garden.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uQOOLK1haUw/UaeIr7WC7_I/AAAAAAAAFr4/Xkrst7n3pUI/s1600/HI2013+Garden+Monstera+Deliciosa+DSC00172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uQOOLK1haUw/UaeIr7WC7_I/AAAAAAAAFr4/Xkrst7n3pUI/s320/HI2013+Garden+Monstera+Deliciosa+DSC00172.jpg" title="Monstera Deliciosa-"Split-leafed Philodendron"" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monstera Deliciosa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I first went to the Garden in 1991 when Hubbubs and I went to Hawai'i with another couple for their wedding on Oahu. Like most of the Big Island, everything resurrects memories.<br />
<br />
The Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden, located in the Onomea Valley just north of Hilo, is a place of wonders, in its natural state a place of beauty, but in the hands of people who love growing things, something never to forget. The plants, the design, even the paths have changed in 22 years, yet everywhere I went, I remembered. That was a good thing. You see, Thursday was the 32nd anniversary of our marriage. And this was the first trip since Hubbubs passed away in January. So this was a day for celebrating the joy of the past.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W3iPUJWiTYU/UaeIqoP-DMI/AAAAAAAAFrc/5lJYCmsvbQY/s1600/HI2013+Garden+Banana+DSC00153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W3iPUJWiTYU/UaeIqoP-DMI/AAAAAAAAFrc/5lJYCmsvbQY/s320/HI2013+Garden+Banana+DSC00153.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The path into the valley is steep and I'm no longer good at walking uphill so I made arrangements to be hauled back out in the golf cart for that purpose. I noticed a lot of people made that choice. So I didn't feel so bad. There's a planked path into the valley, an improvement because it's hard to keep one's footing in wet gravel, and this is a very rainy part of the world.<br />
<br />
Going down, we passed through a very cultured but natural-appearing jungle. The giant vine on the tree is a plant commonly called Split-leafed Philodendron. My dad would have a cow whenever he heard that because it's not a philodendron at all, but in fact is Monstera Deliciosa. He grew a giant one in our garden dining room in Illinois, and achieved a small miracle of producing one very incredible fruit that looked like corn and tasted like banana and pineapple combined. It lives up to its delicious name.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cyog1FyFlxk/UaeItYeilyI/AAAAAAAAFsU/mngPxFFyNqc/s1600/HI2013+Garden+Pink+Ginger+DSC00191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cyog1FyFlxk/UaeItYeilyI/AAAAAAAAFsU/mngPxFFyNqc/s320/HI2013+Garden+Pink+Ginger+DSC00191.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink Ginger</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And speaking of fruit, there are lots of bananas in the valley. I didn't realize they have such beautiful blossoms.<br />
<br />
Ginger is common, but wasn't as visible as I remembered before. I loved this pink one, but never did see a good red torch ginger.<br />
<br />
Spots of color were everywhere among the thousand shades of green. I've heard-and even though an anthropologist told me, I've been a bit skeptical-that some tropical peoples have no equivalent word for green. Instead they have many words for different kinds of green, not so much the shades of green as the plant or part of the plant the shade of green represents.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W4nj5keES_w/UaeItuc_gDI/AAAAAAAAFsY/UDPC1znS1K4/s1600/HI2013+Garden+Window+onto+Ginger+DSC00177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W4nj5keES_w/UaeItuc_gDI/AAAAAAAAFsY/UDPC1znS1K4/s320/HI2013+Garden+Window+onto+Ginger+DSC00177.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Window to a Spot of Color</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_moGKSmob2Y/UaeNnm51P5I/AAAAAAAAFtQ/Gl3acbP2M2c/s1600/HI2013+Garden+Window+onto+Ginge+closeup+DSC00177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_moGKSmob2Y/UaeNnm51P5I/AAAAAAAAFtQ/Gl3acbP2M2c/s320/HI2013+Garden+Window+onto+Ginge+closeup+DSC00177.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up on the Spot of Color</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Here you can see a spot of red I caught through the dense forest. I couldn't tell what it was, although I suspect it's ginger. I enlarged it, and still can't be quite sure so I won't name it. If I could see its leaves, maybe I could tell.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQad3eFZiqY/UaeJ9X_L4LI/AAAAAAAAFtA/FLrzUsQO-MU/s1600/HI2013+Garden+Phalaenopsis+cropped+DSC00167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HQad3eFZiqY/UaeJ9X_L4LI/AAAAAAAAFtA/FLrzUsQO-MU/s320/HI2013+Garden+Phalaenopsis+cropped+DSC00167.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phalaenopsis Orchid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There's an entire garden devoted to orchids, although nothing here grows alone. Orchids are often found growing on trees, as this Phalaenopsis does. My dad grew orchids too, and I've always loved them. I remember how Jeff was so amazed at all the orchids in the garden, growing in their natural settings.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYQECH9YceI/UaeIqdNOuAI/AAAAAAAAFrY/1fMCyfYgXIY/s1600/HI+2013+Garden+peace+lily+DSC00218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYQECH9YceI/UaeIqdNOuAI/AAAAAAAAFrY/1fMCyfYgXIY/s320/HI+2013+Garden+peace+lily+DSC00218.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelsy and the Peace Lily</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But it was the flashy heliconia he loved most. There's a photo of him somewhere grinning widely as he drapes a bright yellow and red one over his shoulder.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OSIlh_1Hut0/UaeIuS6EKBI/AAAAAAAAFss/EsCfcfSC8QE/s1600/HI2013+Garden+orange+heliconia+DSC00213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OSIlh_1Hut0/UaeIuS6EKBI/AAAAAAAAFss/EsCfcfSC8QE/s320/HI2013+Garden+orange+heliconia+DSC00213.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange Heliconia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Somewhat like this flashy smile Kelsy is wearing. There are Peace Lilies everywhere. They're a common houseplant here on the Mainland-I have two. But I've never seen a blossom stalk as huge as this one, so Kelsy graciously bent down to let me compare the bloom's size with her face.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VZw9nNj4GjY/UaeIt_5p5EI/AAAAAAAAFsc/PS5Uv4Xp-gY/s1600/HI2013+Garden+dontknow+DSC00156b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VZw9nNj4GjY/UaeIt_5p5EI/AAAAAAAAFsc/PS5Uv4Xp-gY/s320/HI2013+Garden+dontknow+DSC00156b.jpg" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't know what this is</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There's a beautiful koi pond, and a waterfall. My pics aren't so good of those, but they're worth seeing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ohbmkyh3bvw/UaeZLUEQriI/AAAAAAAAFto/GGtRW8e7ZJ4/s1600/DSC00235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ohbmkyh3bvw/UaeZLUEQriI/AAAAAAAAFto/GGtRW8e7ZJ4/s320/DSC00235.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onomea Bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At the very bottom of the valley I found my biggest memory. As I walked the path along the edge of the little bay, I remembered the way the tide had rushed in back in 1991.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4iFgJot6pE/UaeNn_vYdqI/AAAAAAAAFtU/7-hYIhCP1tA/s1600/HI2013+Onomea+Bay+wavesDSC00226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4iFgJot6pE/UaeNn_vYdqI/AAAAAAAAFtU/7-hYIhCP1tA/s320/HI2013+Onomea+Bay+wavesDSC00226.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onomea Bay and Rushing Tide</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I remember how in awe we were at the magnificent color of the sea, of the way the driftwood juxtaposed with the coarse rock, and how the sea gathered into the triangular bay and met the spot where the stream had cut its way downhill, fresh water meeting saltwater.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIAlxurW4oM/UaeZvXgbT0I/AAAAAAAAFt4/AosH5srad2c/s1600/DSC00233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eIAlxurW4oM/UaeZvXgbT0I/AAAAAAAAFt4/AosH5srad2c/s320/DSC00233.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where Sea Meets Stream</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Wz9CTX2Q_E/UaeZLgGuM6I/AAAAAAAAFts/ia3d6Qfbuy8/s1600/DSC00242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9Wz9CTX2Q_E/UaeZLgGuM6I/AAAAAAAAFts/ia3d6Qfbuy8/s320/DSC00242.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff's Daughter Pam at Onomea Bay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I remember wishing I could see it in full flow after a heavy downpour. There would be a small waterfall, and the wild surf would throw it back upon itself. There's still an overhang where the tide is slamming the rock beneath the falls' steep descent.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Pam, Betty and Kelsy were wonderful traveling companions. And they understood how much this trip meant to me on so many levels.<br />
<br />
Yes. Many happy memories. And now, many more. <br />
<br />
<br />
But wait, I forgot my punchline again. So-- how many ways are there to walk into doors? Guess I was wrong-there's apparently just one: Having taken a gentle, cooling shower after yesterday's nasty sunburn, and stepping out of the shower, catching your shoulder against the plastic mounting trim of the door. Ouch, Kelsy!Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-65048790768712080372013-05-24T10:23:00.002-07:002013-06-01T10:20:00.725-07:00Wearing the Water<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xey5nvc-lsk/UZ05W8gkbJI/AAAAAAAAFm0/HGU_d_UfT-I/s1600/DSC00046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xey5nvc-lsk/UZ05W8gkbJI/AAAAAAAAFm0/HGU_d_UfT-I/s320/DSC00046.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My intrepid traveling companions Betty, Kelsy and Pam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All of us ended up wearing the water yesterday, one way or another.<br />
<br />
But more on that later. We went to the Waipi'o Valley, no mean feat, I tell you. It's a good thing, too. It's an extraordinary, remote place on the north side of the Big Island, and to get there, you drive on the main highway to a small town called Honopaa.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You can go down a narrow road to a lookout over the valley, but unless you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, you're not a allowed to go farther. Let's put it this way: it's not only illegal, but once down there in an ordinary car, you can't get back out.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-On_Ug0sKVyc/UZ2ujOC74CI/AAAAAAAAFps/-VtFXb-bkuw/s1600/DSC00061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-On_Ug0sKVyc/UZ2ujOC74CI/AAAAAAAAFps/-VtFXb-bkuw/s320/DSC00061.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Lest you think we're all a bunch of panty-waists, here are some facts: The cliffs surrounding the valley tower around 2,000 feet above it. The one lane road zigzags down the side a<span style="text-align: center;">t a 25% grade. There's a guard rail- a fairly recent addition. But the road has been used since the time of the original Hawai'ians. An ancient foot trail can be seen zigzagging up the cliff face on the opposite canyon wall. It's even steeper.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Our guide/driver told us about two young women who spoke little English that she found stuck on the trail in a downpour. She told them only four wheel drive vehicles were allowed on the road. One one of the women nodded pleasantly, pointed to the car. "Four wheels," she agreed.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MfRrwFwVk_c/UZ2sWTcGFcI/AAAAAAAAFpc/5zFKin1ALTY/s1600/DSC00084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MfRrwFwVk_c/UZ2sWTcGFcI/AAAAAAAAFpc/5zFKin1ALTY/s320/DSC00084.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tracy with The Boys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Mules are very interesting animals. They combine the best of both donkeys and horses. They're very strong and smart, and they pull well. But yes, the wagon jerks into motion. And on the bumpy road, they plodded faithfully along, with the dogs running alongside. One of the dogs always goes the entire trip, and sometimes the other two do too.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RJX0bPrAdbA/UZ2ww--ZGmI/AAAAAAAAFqM/eKNI01bOQrc/s1600/DSC00093+the+little+hotel+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RJX0bPrAdbA/UZ2ww--ZGmI/AAAAAAAAFqM/eKNI01bOQrc/s320/DSC00093+the+little+hotel+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
Sorry no more explanations but </div>
everyone wants to get going now and I need a quick shower.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'll post our volcano tour tonight if I can, but we fly back early on Saturday so the rest will have to come after I'm back home.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">Oh yeah, Wearing the Water. Well let me tell you all the ways one can wear the water: accidentally stepping in front of the man holding the sprinkler hose at a garden; squeezing bottled water just as you remove the cap for the first time; stepping into a stray puddle when you're not looking; leaning over a railing to take a photo of the ocean just as a wave comes crashing in... <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3_nC4aOuTUI/UZ2wNxjuDBI/AAAAAAAAFp8/uKAyz1owcaw/s1600/DSC00133waipio+farm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3_nC4aOuTUI/UZ2wNxjuDBI/AAAAAAAAFp8/uKAyz1owcaw/s320/DSC00133waipio+farm.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseback tours are also available. <br />
There are a number of horses just outside this photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
ALOHA!!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D0mDOUGTdis/UZ2wyRrL0uI/AAAAAAAAFqU/UqeZ4KBb9WE/s1600/DSC00114+up+valley+taro+farm+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D0mDOUGTdis/UZ2wyRrL0uI/AAAAAAAAFqU/UqeZ4KBb9WE/s320/DSC00114+up+valley+taro+farm+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taro farm with end of valley in background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-90279869569528143192013-05-19T23:56:00.002-07:002013-05-30T19:05:07.748-07:00Hawaii! There again!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mITw36ScBJ8/UZnH1kgBk_I/AAAAAAAAFkY/m13RLydjQII/s1600/DSC00022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mITw36ScBJ8/UZnH1kgBk_I/AAAAAAAAFkY/m13RLydjQII/s320/DSC00022.JPG" width="320" /></a>So here I am on the Big Island once again! I'm here with three women, friends and relatives. Very relaxing. We don't have to do anything if we don't want to. And tomorrow we're going to take a mule drawn wagon tour through the Waipi'o Valley. I'll tell you more on that after we get back.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lHOXJ_nswFk/UZnH25UIvXI/AAAAAAAAFkg/4LB5Zwu4Mac/s1600/DSC00023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lHOXJ_nswFk/UZnH25UIvXI/AAAAAAAAFkg/4LB5Zwu4Mac/s320/DSC00023.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It's been a bit cloudy and we haven't been into the mountains or down to the beach yet. And there's an infinity saltwater pool I'm dying to try. But in the meantime, here's our condo. The goats in the last one are our backyard neighbors.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FokaeDapsoM/UZnILNNC9pI/AAAAAAAAFkw/1_jRQlHPmjw/s1600/DSC00038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FokaeDapsoM/UZnILNNC9pI/AAAAAAAAFkw/1_jRQlHPmjw/s320/DSC00038.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
I also owe you the rock story. Maybe tomorrow when I've got a bit more ambition.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-12839466171134795992013-05-13T21:52:00.002-07:002013-05-14T11:17:27.811-07:00Patience, Please!I'm working on a new look-that's actually an old look I always loved but need to revise. Either that or I'll go to a whole new look, which will mean going back to separating blog from website.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TzJvWIROoPc/UZJ_TMxDh-I/AAAAAAAAFe4/nA1c8BQ7HUs/s1600/DSC00016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TzJvWIROoPc/UZJ_TMxDh-I/AAAAAAAAFe4/nA1c8BQ7HUs/s320/DSC00016.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Place-holder "Rock" (Yellow Lucas Creek Agate)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now you know me-I have trouble keeping up with just one combined "webble", especially since I ought to be writing anyway. So doing both doesn't necessarily look like a good idea.<br />
<br />
Getting someone else to do the website? I've tried that in the past. My problem is that I need to have more direct input, and need to be able to try out ideas and content. I drive webpage designers crazy. Or I forget to send them updates, or don't send because I haven't made up my mind, so I defer while going back to writing and cover design. So the update doesn't get done when someone else is in charge, either.<br />
<br />
Guess I'll go back to playing around with the site. I'll be done soon. Promise. In the meantime, here's a rock to serve as a place-holder. I'll tell you all about it soon. It's special.<br />
<br />
Thank you!<br />
DelleDelle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-79386454503089122352013-04-23T13:40:00.001-07:002013-04-23T13:47:02.876-07:00The She Cave Takes ShapeDear friends,<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ClTJMu9UVXg/UXbrUDkcP5I/AAAAAAAAFTM/U9c2qbWIdW0/s1600/She+Cave+04+DSCN0212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ClTJMu9UVXg/UXbrUDkcP5I/AAAAAAAAFTM/U9c2qbWIdW0/s320/She+Cave+04+DSCN0212.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZFOh9QOUhY/UXbrT2f83fI/AAAAAAAAFTI/pvU19ReK9m0/s1600/She+Cave+06+DSCN0213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZFOh9QOUhY/UXbrT2f83fI/AAAAAAAAFTI/pvU19ReK9m0/s320/She+Cave+06+DSCN0213.jpg" width="320" /></a>I know you've been worried about me. I still get so many wonderful letters and notes, it really makes me feel safe and loved. I haven't been sick-a little sometimes, and I can't say I've been depressed. Sad is an under-used word and it is not the same as depression. Feeling loss, grieving, hurting from the loss-that's not depression, which is an ongoing condition. I think I can say I've under-estimated the grief cycle. But that's okay. I'm just letting that ride. I've learned well from so many social work clients, from friends who have suffered losses, and from friends who are wonderful professionals that I need to listen to myself, pay attention, and learn to let things be. That's working, although it's hard sometimes. I can be so very avoidant.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-axQOas2sHIQ/UXbrmf9JPRI/AAAAAAAAFTY/0YFsMFT2Avo/s1600/DSCN0233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-axQOas2sHIQ/UXbrmf9JPRI/AAAAAAAAFTY/0YFsMFT2Avo/s320/DSCN0233.JPG" width="320" /></a>I'll have some new things to tell you soon as far as books and publishing go, but they're not yet ready for disclosure. In the meantime I'd like to share with you the long project that is nearing its completion, the conversion of the former family room (aka family dump) into a She Cave suitable for writing, cover art, even craft projects. It's a part of a huge reclamation project (sorry, Jeff, I still love you muchly, but you were such a mess-maker). The entire house is being relieved of its excess burden, and is getting a lot of fix-up, clean-up and even new building in small doses. (Today, brother John is installing new shelves in my closet. Last week he built hanging storage in the garage. New sprinkler system next week.)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UrUQTuKY-I/UXbrnFq7QWI/AAAAAAAAFTo/ygofMcM4amQ/s1600/She+Cave+Batenburg+Lace+DSCN0228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UrUQTuKY-I/UXbrnFq7QWI/AAAAAAAAFTo/ygofMcM4amQ/s320/She+Cave+Batenburg+Lace+DSCN0228.jpg" width="240" /></a>But this is my special project, partially inspired by my daughter Lori, who built her own She Cave. There isn't actually a lot of new stuff. I had the bookcases built a number of years ago, and they hold maybe a third of my books. This is a cold room-it is the lowest point in a tri-level, and while it's wonderfully cave-like and cool in summer, it's hardly bearable in winter, so we're re-vamping a lot of things to change that. The fireplace is an electric heater. (I had to give up on wood smoke years ago). A lot of decorative pieces have been relieved from over-burdened places in the rest of the house, and these are mostly nostalgia pieces. The mini horse is a gift from friend <a href="http://www.sammarieashe.com/">SamMarie Ashe</a> in honor of the novella we co-wrote, THE BOSS WORE RED.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9B1l4Cko8Ic/UXbrnfM07DI/AAAAAAAAFTs/t1fPBl2Ry60/s1600/She+Cave+Frankie+Takes+Over+DSCN0220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9B1l4Cko8Ic/UXbrnfM07DI/AAAAAAAAFTs/t1fPBl2Ry60/s320/She+Cave+Frankie+Takes+Over+DSCN0220.jpg" width="320" /></a>The burgundy leather chair and ottoman is the one new piece, that I bought with my first Montlake check. I am so glad I did. It's the most comfortable chair I've ever had and perfect for writing. John replaced the top on my laptop stand which had been previously used outdoors and ruined by damp weather despite always being under shelter. His woodworking skills are wonderful. He can turn a piece of plywood into a thing of beauty.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9h0Kz74ChgI/UXbxDUCSV8I/AAAAAAAAFUI/D7KwdquZbiM/s1600/She+Cave+01+DSCN0210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9h0Kz74ChgI/UXbxDUCSV8I/AAAAAAAAFUI/D7KwdquZbiM/s320/She+Cave+01+DSCN0210.jpg" width="320" /></a>The Van Gogh screen is turning out to be a great buy too. It wasn't expensive, but it's very versatile as well as attractive. The other side is "Starry Night", which I love as much as "Irises", the side visible here. You can't see my framed antique maps, of 1812 Europe. But you can glimpse the coaching prints on the narrow wall above the ceiling, as seen from the kitchen.<br />
<br />
The daybed has sure moved around a lot. We had moved it down to the dining room for Jeff when he got sick, but then realized we would have to use this room. Before we could move it again, he had died. But that's what gave me the idea for changing the room's purpose. On the table closest to the fireplace, you see a white knitted table cloth. I knitted this maybe 20 years ago, using an old lace doily pattern on a larger scale. It's an odd yarn-maybe dacron-that is strong, washes well, and was extremely cheap, so I ended up with two different round tablecloths. The other one is Battenburg lace, which I found cheap years ago because it needed repairs. My cats used it for hide-and-seek, unfortunately, so once I finished most of the repairs, I put it over this file cabinet, and now they can't hide under it. It's old, fragile, and was probably never of great value, but I love it, and will keep on working until all the hundreds of thread breaks are fixed.<br />
<br />
Frankie Blue-Eyes and Jinx have taken over, you can see. But they'll get bored soon. It's already become my favorite place. They'll come around for treats and occasional love laps. And now I have to get back to writing. Thanks for dropping in to my cave!Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-50774949116321977932013-03-12T13:23:00.001-07:002013-03-12T13:23:49.879-07:00HIS SECRET HEROINE Released!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SBwbLa0cBwk/UT-HbY797nI/AAAAAAAAFQU/aLe8bsN61Qg/s1600/!+His+Secret+Heroine35+2013..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SBwbLa0cBwk/UT-HbY797nI/AAAAAAAAFQU/aLe8bsN61Qg/s320/!+His+Secret+Heroine35+2013..jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
HIS SECRET HEROINE is finally available on Kindle! To give it visibility, I'me making it available FREE on Wednesday, March 14, 2013 only.<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BS1FQ72">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BS1FQ72</a><br />
<br />
This book is a special one for me for several reasons, but I think more for Reggie, the quirky hero, whose energy and enthusiasm propel him in so many ways. There's also a strange (but not kinky) relationship between Chloe, the heroine, and Reggie's father, because the man has got a screw loose and only Chloe can help him find it. But he won't go easily into his own salvation. He's a man who needs to control everything, especially his family. And Chloe unwittingly is the biggest obstacle the duke has ever met.<br />
<br />
This is not a story about death and grief, although it does have its sad moments. But it is about getting past the grief and finding new directions. And it's about control getting out of control. And about learning to accept that sometimes to change things we have to stop trying to change things.<br />
<br />
Some other time-maybe even this week if my life will just settle down a little, I'll tell you a bunch of stuff about Reggie's boat and how it went from a brig in the original published story, LADY VALIANT, to a topsail schooner, and finally became a ketch. And why.<br />
<br />
<br />Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-52874891128825741362013-02-09T09:47:00.002-08:002013-02-09T09:47:46.384-08:00DOING BETTERDear friends, I must thank you for being so patient with me. The past several weeks have been extremely difficult, but we're moving onward. As you might know, my beloved husband Jeff passed away on January 19. If there is a blessing, it is that all of us were deprived of what could have been a very long and painful illness. It was shockingly quick. And sometimes still I feel like it's not real, that he's going to be coming back, and he'll be so mad at me for giving away his things.<br />
<br />
It's okay. Really. I know how it has to be. I've counseled many grieving people in my life, and I know the pathway grief must take.<br />
<br />
Many, many thanks to my friend Dr. Debra Holland for her wonderful book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Essential-Guide-Grief-Grieving/dp/1615641114/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1360431090&sr=8-3&keywords=gRIEF+AND+GRIEVING">THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO GRIEF AND GRIEVING</a> . And many, many thanks to all the friends, relatives, close professionals and fans, even the many people on Face Book and other social places who have stood by us. Don't ever let anyone tell you those condolences from distant people you have never met have no meaning. They do.<br />
<br />
Now it's time to get back to work. I have several overdue covers, and must finish them. And I'm determined that my next indie book title-changed yet again, to HIS SECRET HEROINE, will be finished and published. I'm setting my own deadline of March 1, and I think I can make it.<br />
<br />
So off to it now!<br />
<br />Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-76735145882698226602013-01-20T01:54:00.003-08:002013-01-20T02:01:36.912-08:00A few memories<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xHKtgmwVfC4/UPu9g_TH0-I/AAAAAAAAFPA/9ZQVyPxB25g/s1600/13+Timeless.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xHKtgmwVfC4/UPu9g_TH0-I/AAAAAAAAFPA/9ZQVyPxB25g/s320/13+Timeless.JPG" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #ffe599; line-height: 18px;">I have tried today to tell everyone how much I appreciate the love and kindness they have sent in their condolences. I've always thought I was strong, but today I know I am not. Instead, my fingers touch the keys and they shake. And yet again I burst into tears. He was my great love. For many, many reasons. He always will be. Perhaps tomorrow will be easier. My thousand friends, I love you too, and you touch me so deeply because of who you are, and also who he was, is, to me.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #ffe599;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Someone sent me a quote from Khalil Gibran: "When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight."</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E33aTVR_scY/UPu9hNF7DdI/AAAAAAAAFPE/9no_K-skQpI/s1600/2008_0327laptop0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E33aTVR_scY/UPu9hNF7DdI/AAAAAAAAFPE/9no_K-skQpI/s320/2008_0327laptop0006.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IOpFVQJlOY/UPu9iAKujsI/AAAAAAAAFPU/rxmSUdWIrxM/s1600/2009_0326Hawaii20090058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8IOpFVQJlOY/UPu9iAKujsI/AAAAAAAAFPU/rxmSUdWIrxM/s320/2009_0326Hawaii20090058.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XjZP6IaVHfg/UPu9jKfmwgI/AAAAAAAAFPs/_XlVZYkLvXE/s1600/Jeff+and+Delle+Med+Cruise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XjZP6IaVHfg/UPu9jKfmwgI/AAAAAAAAFPs/_XlVZYkLvXE/s320/Jeff+and+Delle+Med+Cruise.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-73907107153655907552013-01-17T14:43:00.001-08:002013-01-17T14:43:08.506-08:00Sad TidingsMy dear friends, readers and fellow authors,<br />
<br />
I think you won't be hearing much from me for awhile. As I'm sitting in the hospital room, I'm watching Jeff sleep, and am glad for it. He's on a lot of drugs today, and the nurses tell me they think the drugs are just hanging on a bit longer. It's very hard to be hopeful at this point and the best I can pray for is that whatever happens will be for the best.<br />
<br />
I'm not going to give you hundreds of updates or anything like that. You don't need every gory detail-neither do I. But I just want to let you know that right now I have to put all my concentration on family because all of them need me to help them and I need them to help me. /and Jeff needs all of us.<br />
<br />
Hugs and many thanks.<br />
DelleDelle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-47458633620759018402013-01-11T11:46:00.000-08:002013-01-11T14:25:57.720-08:00Trouble in Paradise<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jnVmWqtPLs/UPBrEcm5TmI/AAAAAAAAFOc/dnmei9lZCtI/s1600/02+Jeff+&+Delle+at+100%25+Natural+Restaurant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0jnVmWqtPLs/UPBrEcm5TmI/AAAAAAAAFOc/dnmei9lZCtI/s1600/02+Jeff+&+Delle+at+100%25+Natural+Restaurant.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff and Delle in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, 2006</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Things are not going well at home. Sorry I have not been posting much. We have some serious medical crises going and they're taking my time and energy right now. Very, very sick hubby. I'm putting up one of my favorite photos here for you all to see. this must seem like an odd mix of images, but that's me right now, an odd mix of emotions. And I think it's good to say there's nothing I've done in the way of writing and art that hasn't been influenced by Jeff.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AdfbKtYdK1w/UPBreD7F5RI/AAAAAAAAFOk/Qzy5fHHpC2E/s1600/%7BPerfectHeroine22+2012..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AdfbKtYdK1w/UPBreD7F5RI/AAAAAAAAFOk/Qzy5fHHpC2E/s320/%7BPerfectHeroine22+2012..jpg" width="213" /></a>I'm also making an effort to be doing what would, I hope, please you the most, writing more stories. It keeps me sane, but keeping my concentration is hard. I'll do my best to finish The Secret Heroine, a Regency in the more traditional vein which was previously published in 2004 as Lady Valiant.. To give you a little book cover eye candy, I'm posting the cover here. Also working on Beloved Stranger and hope it can be out soon.<br />
<br />
Thanks to all of you for your support. It's good to know I don't always have to be smiling to have people care.Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-67577510114644037882012-11-27T17:22:00.002-08:002012-11-27T17:22:57.974-08:00Mudlark Illustrated is FREETuesday 11/27 through Thursday night 11/29, midnight. THE MUDLARK ILLUSTRATED is free, for its Kindle debut. I'm very curious to know how people feel about illustrated ebooks, especially romances, and historical romances. This one has about 35 illustrations made from engravings and photos, but I would guess most fiction if illustrated wouldn't have more than just a few illustrations.<br />
<br />
So if you want to check it out, and let me know what you think, or just have fun with it, here's the link:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Mudlark-Illustrated-ebook/dp/B00AB7WHKI/ref=zg_bs_158566011_f_70">http://www.amazon.com/The-Mudlark-Illustrated-ebook/dp/B00AB7WHKI/ref=zg_bs_158566011_f_70</a><br />
<br />
Right now it's the #12 Historical Romance on the Kindle Free list.<br />
<br />Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-23902745949173182722012-11-24T11:50:00.001-08:002012-11-24T17:38:49.617-08:00Illustrating for THE MUDLARK<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q4kMHMGi8Jk/ULEYGsIbxaI/AAAAAAAAFL0/kO6BIZtsCE4/s1600/mudlarkII+03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q4kMHMGi8Jk/ULEYGsIbxaI/AAAAAAAAFL0/kO6BIZtsCE4/s320/mudlarkII+03.jpg" width="224" /></a>Things sure get busy this time of year! Now that my three new Montlake books have been launched, I've been catching up with other projects. And night I finally finished and posted one of my most ambitious projects, THE MUDLARK, ILLUSTRATED. It went live on Kindle this morning and is available on the Kindle Prime Lending Library.<br />
<br />
I lost track of exactly how many illustrations I have in the final version-somewhere around 35, and I was sad that I couldn't keep all of the ones I had designed. But I think I'll put up a page on my web-blog for all of them. I had about 70 total. Or maybe I'll find more uses for them in other books. I originally put up many of the illustrations in a running blog about 2 years ago, published at one chapter a day. It was fun, but I took it down because I needed to do a more professional job. Not all of those illustrations could be used, and I had some new ones I wanted to add.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_V-LKxjHPU/ULEcTDjHE5I/AAAAAAAAFMs/20OXT33_QUw/s1600/%2322dX+Taking+the+shortcut+to+Carlisle+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O_V-LKxjHPU/ULEcTDjHE5I/AAAAAAAAFMs/20OXT33_QUw/s320/%2322dX+Taking+the+shortcut+to+Carlisle+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
I didn't make any strong attempt to stick to one style of illustrating because I was having a grand time finding old engravings and paintings and re-imagining them with modern photography and my own art to illustrate this particular story. I used the couple you see on the cover (Yuri Arcurs, photographer) in several illustrations partly because there are so many photos available and usually with their wonderfully brilliant smiles, but even more because they look to me just like I think Izzy and Tristan would look. But to place a modern photo against a 19th century engraving or watercolor means both images have to be stylistically manipulated to make them seem to fit together. This cover design, for instance. has the couple rendered int a sketch-like look, using the original photo to color it. But Izzy also is wearing a dress and shawl taken from a fashion plate in 1812 (and altered to fit). In the background, you see a re-rendering of a watercolor, Cascade at Rydal Water, by one of my favorite 19th century artists, Francis Nicholson.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMDUvW7A3eY/ULEcIvK0y0I/AAAAAAAAFMk/rYmSzKPlLWw/s1600/%2307+X+Walk+turns+ominous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HMDUvW7A3eY/ULEcIvK0y0I/AAAAAAAAFMk/rYmSzKPlLWw/s320/%2307+X+Walk+turns+ominous.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cartoon Tristan and Izzy against Berkeley Square engraving</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On the other hand, I didn't mind at all using other photographic images to portray my characters, or to use engravings or paintings from different eras it they portrayed the story. Since there are sort of allegorical allusions to knights in shining armor and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, it was fun to use those pictorially too. For this story, a bad joke is every bit as useful as a good one.<br />
<br />
So far, the main thing I can say is that I LEARNED A LOT. I didn't really have anyone who could tell me important things like how big illustrations could be, or what the resolution size should be. I'd seen a few books with a few photos in them, but nothing like what I wanted to do. I wanted the illustrations to be major contributors to the book's humor. This is not something I intend to do for every book I put out, and I'm sure not very many authors would want to try such a project. But many might want to add at least a few illustrations.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DF16qyNrIAw/ULEi0BI8gVI/AAAAAAAAFNY/wgbp6AvxZIY/s1600/%2301dZ+Izzy+makes+a+bad+impression+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DF16qyNrIAw/ULEi0BI8gVI/AAAAAAAAFNY/wgbp6AvxZIY/s320/%2301dZ+Izzy+makes+a+bad+impression+(2).jpg" width="191" /></a></div>
I'd gotten some guesses on maximum size for an ebook at "maybe 5 megabytes", but the reality is, nobody seems to know, and it probably has changed a lot. Since images take up so much more "room" in a file than text does, I thought the images would have to be very small, or low resolution, or if a decent size, limited in number. So my first mistake was starting off too small. The images had no real impact. And the little text banners I'd put on each one were so small, they couldn't be read. That defeated the whole purpose. So I "un-published" and went back to the original images which were much larger, and reduced to a "medium" size. They still weren't big enough. I had to publish and re-publish three times so far before I got it right, each time re-building the size I wanted from the original images. In some cases I was stuck with just enlarging an image that was pretty small in the first place, and those are just a bit fuzzy. But it can't be helped.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-89UeGOWoioI/ULEcfRUJPjI/AAAAAAAAFM0/059C32Qnj5g/s1600/%252306d+X+corseted+dandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-89UeGOWoioI/ULEcfRUJPjI/AAAAAAAAFM0/059C32Qnj5g/s320/%252306d+X+corseted+dandy.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruikshank's Dandies Dressing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Another thing I learned in the second round of publishing was that the images didn't enlarge on the Kindle when I enlarged the text. They stay exactly the same. Darn. And they wouldn't center properly. Well, some would and others didn't, in spite of all the settings and positions being exactly the same.<br />
<br />
Part of this is the difference between an ereader and a print book. The print book has no flexibility other than to re-print in a different edition. At least the ereader lets us have larger text if we need it. But it functions much like a computer when it comes to the screen. With a print book, an image needs to be high quality (sharp, high resolution). But for the ereader, getting the size large enough is more important. Somehow, my brain locked into the notion that the resolution needed to be high. I ended up setting most of the images at 100 dpi resolution, only about 1/3 of the original, but setting the maximum dimension in inches, at around 5 inches.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--kryIf8f3b8/ULEbgz9ORDI/AAAAAAAAFMU/QdSWqy2qXgE/s1600/%2301Y+Daventry's+Country+Seat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--kryIf8f3b8/ULEbgz9ORDI/AAAAAAAAFMU/QdSWqy2qXgE/s320/%2301Y+Daventry's+Country+Seat.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">much better</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jne5pcoNsQw/ULEbdUWVsbI/AAAAAAAAFMM/keTpyOXlBmY/s1600/%2301+Daventry's+Country+Seat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jne5pcoNsQw/ULEbdUWVsbI/AAAAAAAAFMM/keTpyOXlBmY/s200/%2301+Daventry's+Country+Seat.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">too small</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This resolution works just fine on most photos on a computer, and it's slightly better than what we commonly see on the internet, but think is just fine. But if I had used the full 300 dpi resolution for each image, the entire project would have been impossibly big, much too big to download. That's because each image would be 3 times as large in height, and also 3 times as wide, or a total of 9 times as big in terms of the amount of data in it.<br />
<br />
Placing the images is different too. When I'm doing a blog, I often want the text to run alongside the images. And in books, we often see the type set to allow room for image placement alongside the text. But this doesn't work well on an ereader. In fact, I wonder if this problem can be worked out without making the text always a fixed size, something I don't want to see happen. Another problem is that text can break for the next "page" at any line. But you want any image to appear on the "page" all at once. You don't want to see only part of the image and then have to refresh the screen to see the rest.<br />
<br />
So in setting up the document with images, I did a Page Break (Control + Enter on the PC) at the top of each image. For really large images, I did another Page Break at the bottom. But I found out that most of the time I had better flow if I allowed the text to immediately follow on the screen, so I omitted the bottom Page Break. By setting the maximum size of the image at 5 inches, I'm assured that whether the reader uses his Kindle Fire in landscape or portrait mode, the image will display on the screen all at one time.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0X5KGYZ2Dmo/ULF2Olk63QI/AAAAAAAAFN0/Qi-la7aFv60/s1600/%236X+Not+your+usual+country+dance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0X5KGYZ2Dmo/ULF2Olk63QI/AAAAAAAAFN0/Qi-la7aFv60/s200/%236X+Not+your+usual+country+dance.jpg" width="200" /></a>Sometimes there are the oddest sort of errors that just won't go away. When I downloaded the book the third time, I saw that the image at the beginning of Chapter 5 was still duplicated at the end of Chapter 4, and overlaying some of the text in a very odd way. But it wasn't visible on the original document. No mark or anything to indicate an image was there. I'd already tried deleting the correct image and replacing it, thinking it might be some kind of ghost or mirror of that one. I'd seen something like this happen in blog entries and the only way to fix it for someone like me who doesn't know code is to delete the section and replace it with a clean one. It's darn hard to delete something you can't see!<br />
<br />
So this time, using the Kindle Fire to show me this mirage image, I went back to the original and deleted from a few sentences before to a few after the image. I pasted this to a new document blank page, meaning to go back to the original for clean replacement copy. But as soon as I pasted, the "ghost image" re-appeared. I just deleted it and then re-copied the section to put back into the final document. It looks like it worked.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-10059587060994181692012-10-08T12:15:00.002-07:002012-10-14T19:28:06.604-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">SUPER RELEASE DAY CONTEST!</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://dellejacobs.blogspot.com/p/books-available-now.html"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kTwg3cac9Cg/UHMiklI-YzI/AAAAAAAAFHQ/kpfdaXXhb5g/s400/FAERIE+Montlake.jpg" width="271" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://dellejacobs.blogspot.com/p/books-available-now.html">Read Excerpt Here</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Faerie releases Oct. 9, 2012</b> and to celebrate, I'm running a SUPER contest.<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb8oRlZSgrA/UHRpntX5efI/AAAAAAAAFI4/BrNc6DnXW-4/s1600/amazongiftcard$100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="109" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb8oRlZSgrA/UHRpntX5efI/AAAAAAAAFI4/BrNc6DnXW-4/s200/amazongiftcard$100.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div>
<b>1st Prize: winner chooses </b>between:<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FbUD4xUr-xU/UHRYyZWhHXI/AAAAAAAAFHk/1tPMQ0AovW4/s1600/Barbie'n'KenRaider.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FbUD4xUr-xU/UHRYyZWhHXI/AAAAAAAAFHk/1tPMQ0AovW4/s200/Barbie'n'KenRaider.JPG" width="151" /></a>a mint condition <b>Barbie and Ken Collectors set of Jude Devereaux's <u>The Raider</u> </b></div>
<div>
OR<b> </b><br />
<b>a $100 Amazon Gift Card</b><br />
<b>(Sorry, the dolls are limited to USA residents due to shipping problems.)</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Ten 2nd Prizes: a $10 Amazon Gift Card each </b></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Contest ends Tuesday midnight PST, Oct. 16, 2012.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
No purchase necessary but it is always appreciated. And "liking" the book is good too.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>TO ENTER:</b><br />
<b>On <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Faerie-ebook/dp/B0087JZF24/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1350267566&sr=1-3&keywords=delle+jacobs">FAERIE Amazon Book Page</a> </b><br />
<b>below Book Description in the Editorial Reviews section,</b><br />
<b>find the answer to the question below:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>QUESTION:</b><br />
<b>Historical Romance authors Colleen Gleason and Delilah Marvelle commented on FAERIE. The comments have only four words in common.</b><br />
<b>Other than the title of the book, the words "and" and "is", what is the fourth word they both use?</b><br />
<b>(HINT: It's the first word in one of the comments.) </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>THEN:</b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Faerie-ebook/dp/B0087JZF24/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349723246&sr=1-3&keywords=delle+jacobs"> </a>.</div>
</div>
<div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FbUD4xUr-xU/UHRYyZWhHXI/AAAAAAAAFHk/1tPMQ0AovW4/s1600/Barbie'n'KenRaider.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Email your answer to me at <a href="mailto:delle@dellejacobs.com">delle@dellejacobs.com</a></b></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
One entry per person for this contest.</div>
</div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-7728035799326401372012-09-26T20:47:00.000-07:002012-09-26T21:41:37.671-07:00FAERIE Release Coming Up Fast! <span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Look at this wonderful quote from Delilah Marvelle!</span><br />
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #ffd966; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Beautiful and mesmerising, history and magic collide in this incredible, sweeping romance youwon't ever forget. Faerie is absolutely enchanting!" </span></div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;">Delilah Marvelle</span>,<a href="http://www.delilahmarvelle.com/"> http://delilahmarvelle.com</a> </div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="text-align: center;">W</span><span style="text-align: center;">inner of RT's Best Sensual Historical Romance of the Year</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9faAfhit20/UGPLtZJHvyI/AAAAAAAAE5c/L0ZhTr8MK8I/s1600/Delle+Books+Montlake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="370" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j9faAfhit20/UGPLtZJHvyI/AAAAAAAAE5c/L0ZhTr8MK8I/s400/Delle+Books+Montlake.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm so tickled with this wonderful e-flyer Montlake sent out. Not only does it focus on FAERIE, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">but it also spotlights some of my other books.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
The Pre-Orders are going fast, and already the book is moving up high in the rankings.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pre-Orders are really important because they help position the book advantageously on the day of </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">release. And that's great. But that's not all. Because it's drawing attention, but isn't available yet, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">it is leading readers to find my other books, and some of those are climbing rapidly in ranking</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">. LADY WICKED, THE MUDLARK and HIS MAJESTY, THE </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PRINCE OF TOADS are all selling wildly, in addition to the two previous Montlake releases, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">LOKI'S DAUGHTERS and FIRE DANCE.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is one thing I love about ebooks. They all have their cycles that rise and fall. But ebooks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">aren't limited to just one cycle. They can be found again by a whole new group of readers over</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">and over again.. </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif; font-size: 13.33px;">
</div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201215035349849601.post-34508646408461736202012-09-14T14:41:00.000-07:002012-09-15T14:34:43.797-07:00Celebrate with me! Giveaway!<br />
Won't bore you with the details of success for my newest releases, so instead I'm doing a<br />
giveaway to celebrate and encourage you to give them a boost into the Best Seller ranks. (LOKI'S<br />
DAUGHTERS is just a few sales short of making the Historical Romance list.)<br />
<br />
PLEASE READ INSTRUCTIONS! DON'T POST YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES HE<br />
RE-THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY. INSTEAD, SEND ME A<br />
MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK EMAIL OR TO: delle@dellejacobs.com<br />
<br />
This giveaway is good until tonight at 10:00 pm. It will be repeated several times in the next<br />
week so you can have lots of chances. You can enter only once per day, please.<br />
<br />
1. FREE five copies of either LOKI'S DAUGHTERS OR FIRE DANCE to the first five people<br />
who send me a valid email address to send it. Or if they've already got both and don't want a copy<br />
to give to someone else, they can have a free copy of FAERIE when it releases on Oct. 9 (not<br />
sure if it's possible to give FAERIE away before its release date).<br />
2. I'll give away TEN $1 Amazon gift certificates to the first ten people who ask for those.<br />
3. Any names received after these will go into a drawing pool for more books and more options.<br />
4. ONLY IF YOU WANT, I will also sign you up for my newsletter. Or you can sign up on your<br />
own by checking out the newsletter link on my blog, http://dellejacobs.blogspot.com/<br />
<br />
Many thanks to all of you for your friendship and support!<br />
<br />
<div class="shareUnit" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.909090995788574px; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;">
<div class="_1xy _1xx" style="border-right-color: rgb(211, 218, 232); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; float: left; height: 116px; line-height: 110px; margin-right: 11px; min-width: 72px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: top; zoom: 1;">
<img alt="" class="img" src="https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQC_uBu7EmiH3c3K&w=155&h=114&url=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F-NAkSX001MXk%2FUE6Uw_4MR6I%2FAAAAAAAAE1k%2FMMf09gI3fzE%2Fs1600%2FMontlake%2BpromLDFD12.jpg" style="border: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" /></div>
</div>
Delle Jacobshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09551688823035092802noreply@blogger.com0