Rock'n Research

While doing research for the novel I'm writing, A Wild Dream of Love, I have discovered the world of YouTube music video. On www.YouTube.com, it is possible to view performances by many music icons of the past. It's amazing to me that all this is available at the click of a link. The ghosts of pop stars past sing and dance forever and ever inside our computers. By watching the videos, you can sense a bit of the atomosphere, the aura, that surrounded particular events or celebrities--Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, and others. What a treasure chest. I also discovered clips of living performers. Charlotte Church is amazing, as is the Welsh National Anthem, which is what I originally discovered on YouTube. It led me to the rest. Of course, in my lifetime, I have been to numerous live concerts. I have been known to write a song lyric or two, a practice that will be brought to light in A Wild Dream of Love. I hope you will enjoy this book as much I am enjoying writing it. Celebrity and romance embrace again in A Wild Dream of Love, the sequel to my novel A Chance to Day Yes. The focus is slightlly different, but the stars of my stories continue to be movie star Heston Demming and those in his constellation.

Celebrity: Why do we think it is important to be important?

As I write A Wild Dream of Love, the sequel to my novel A Chance to Say Yes, I am more and more fascinated by the idea of celebrity and its impact on our culture. The life and recent death of popular-music icon Michael Jackson is a case in point. It is amazing to realize how many lives can be impacted by one individual, one whom most of his fans don't know personally and will never know on a personal level. What does such an indiviual bring to the lives of his followers? Is it okay just to be a regular person? Why does the cult of celebrity matter to us? What does mean to us? Does nothing matter but popularity? Because it translates into sales and money? Or does it always? Some very famous people have died broke. What does it mean to be center stage? The focus of the Public Eye? Is it about fashion? Style? In my books A Chance to Say Yes and A Wild Dream of Love I am writing about the interface between the celebrity and the unknown individual--how it can happen, what happens when it happens, and the effects of its happening. Of course, one of the main answers--in my stories--is romance. But there is a lot more going on that just love and lust --granted there is a lot of that. In my stories, however, I explore, within the context of contemporary fiction, a number of celebrity-related issues. Please join me in this exploration by reading my books, avaiable from Amazon.com and fine booksellers everywhere. If they are not in stock, they can be ordered easily. Please visit my website at http://www.tinamurrayauthor.com/. Thanks! Oh, yes, and I've just joined Twitter. Please follow me if you'd like: www.twitter.com/tmurrayauthor. I'm already on Facebook. Friend me at www.facebook.com/tinamurrayauthor.

Back to the Future as a Blogger

Hello to anyone reading this blog post. Many months have passed since I posted a blog entry. My novel about celebrity, A Chance to Say Yes, has been published for more than a year. I am writing the sequel, A Wild Dream of Love, in which I continue to chronicle the story of movie-star Heston Demming and his satellites and offspring. The Higher Power, however, seems to have decided I needed lessona in humility, and that's what I've lived through lately, on a personal level. Actually, I believe it may be happening on a national level, as well--IOW, not just to me. A lot has happened in our world in the past year. A lot of it stuns me, although, looked at in real terms, it's predictable. I see so many people suffering, yet being unable to solve their problems because they don't or can't discern the source of their problems. So, they resort to magical thinking, hoping their problems will be taken away. I, myself, am certainly one who avoids dealing with problems, but I can see them. I believe I am a vicitim of my own kind of magical thinking, however. For one thing, I keep on believing that there is audience out there for stories that enlighten as well as entertain, stories that invite one to reflect on large issues and contemplate reasons and solutions--and, yes, even the proverbial meaning of life. Am I wrong? Is that exactly what most people want to avoid? I understand people's need for escape and renewal. I just hope that sometime, somewhere, somebody steps up who can engage the national mind in regenerative discourse. I have seen life from many positions on the game board. From my humble stance today, I see a lot that concerns me. What I don't see is a lot of truth-seeking. These days, many seek to befuddle because that's the done thing, the peceived path to System success. Are there no mystics, no visionaires left in the world? Are they all on meds now? Are they all addicted to video games? Are they all out getting make-overs? I'm just asking the questions. Guess I'm in a mood.

Please visit my new web site

Thanks for stopping by. Please visit my new web site at http://www.tinamurrayauthor.com/. Use the News link to read about my latest activities and appearances. Purchase copies of A Chance to Say Yes by clicking the Books link and then the Buy link. Also, please stay tuned for updates about my coming sequel A Wild Dream of Love. These will be posted on the Books page, too. Thanks! Tina

Happy 2009

Hello, Thanks for checking in with me. I hope you are having a great new year. Lots has been happening with me. Yesterday I did a book signing at the Barnes and Noble on the south Tamiami Trail in Fort Myers, Florida. I signed alongside authors Jaime Rush, Karna Small Bodman, Linnea Sinclair, and Barbara Meyers. We had a great time. Thanks very much to Julie and the staff at Barnes and Noble. On Valentine's Day, Saturday, Feb. 14, we will be signing at the Borders in Naples, 2-4 p.m., and the Bornders in Estero, Florida, 5-7 p.m. Author Marty Amprose will join us. Please drop by to say 'hi.' The Naples Borders is located on US 41 just south of Immokalee Road. The Estero Borders is located in the Gulf Coast Towne Center, which is near an I-75 exit, but I'm not sure which one. Also, I have some exciting news. I now am working with a PR-firm called Ascot Media (http://www.ascotmedia/), which is located in the Houston, Texas, area. My wonderful "team" of publicists includes Trisha Stevens, Monica Foster and Cindi Crislip. They are working hard to help me promote my novel A Chance to Say Yes. Last week I was a guest on Jay Caldwell's radio show, which is broadcast on WJON in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I enjoyed talking to Jay very much, and I appreciate his having me on his show. On Thursday, Feb. 26, I will be a guest on a radio show hosted by Cliff Roles in Sarasota, Florida (http://www.cliffroles.com/). Cliff will be giving away copies of A Chance to Say Yes to his listeners. This is exciting stuff! Furthermore, I'd like to thank Drew Smith's mom, Mary Lou, for writing to say how much she enjoyed reading A Chance to Say Yes, that is is a "great read." To Ann Panton and Marcia, who keep asking for the sequel, I want you to know that I am working on the first sequel to my book A Chance to Say Yes. The sequel is called A Wild Dream of Love. Time frame for release is year's end. See ya later...!

My Premio Dardos Blog Award 2008 -- Yay!!!

Thank you, writer Cheryl Rushing, for giving me the Premio Dardos Blog Award. I did view your blog and saw that you had given me the award. I also received the information in a Google Alert. I am honored to receive this award. For those of you interested in reading Cheryl's blog and viewing info about our mutual blog award, please go to http://www.bycherylrushing.com/?p=52. I regret only that I do not have time to blog more. I intend to give this award to other blogs. I will begin with Sandy Lender's blog www.todaythedragonwins.blogspot.com/ and M. B. Weston's blog at http://www.elysianchronicles.com/. I know there are other worth blogs out there. Please let me hear from you. (Jane, I would give it to your blog, but Cheryl already has.) In a side note, I wish to thank Debi Norton, Darrell House (http://www.darrellhouse.com/) and Gwen Griffith for posting their five-star reviews of my romantic novel of women's fiction, A Chance to Say Yes, on http://www.amazon.com/. I neglected to do this in my previous blog entry.

Busy Holidays

Hi, thank you for checking in to read my blog! I have had no time to write recently. I have much to report. My book-signing at Barnes and Noble in Naples, Florida, went very well. I sold a number of books and had a little crowd of visitors at my table. Thanks to Jessica and Felicia for hosting the event and allowing me to participate. Four more book-signings are in the works. Along with other members of the SW Florida Romance Writers, I will be signing copies of my novel A Chance to Say Yes on Feb. 7, 2009, 1-3 p.m., at the Barnes and Noble in Fort Myers, Florida. We will be signing on Feb. 14, 2009, Valentine's Day, at two different Borders stores. We will sign at the Naples, Florida, Borders in the afternoon (2-4 p.m, I believe) and the Estero, Florida, Borders that evening (7-9 p.m., I believe.) I want to thank the people who made A Chance to Say Yes at hit at the Florida Writers Foundation's Silent Auction in Orlando. According to FWA VP Chrissy Jackson, A Chance to Say Yes was the object of constant attention and "spirited bidding" during the two days it was on display. The auction raised $3,000 for literacy in Florida. How cool is that? I am donating a signed copy of A Chance to Say Yes to another worthy cause, our local Conservancy. The event is called "Magic Under the Mangroves." The annual gala and auction will be held in Naples in March, 2009. Thanks to Carla Meekins for allowing me to participate. I also wish to extend a Big Thank You to Phil Jason for his wonderful review of A Chance to Say Yes, which may be viewed on his blog at http://philjason.wordpress.com. The article's link is "Naples the Hero of New Novel.: Thank you, Phil. I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming writers festival. One more thing: I've been receiving Google Alerts. I've learned that A Chance to Say Yes is being sold in Britain and India via bookselling websites. This is FABULOUS. I'll post the name of the sites soon. G'day! Tina