Latest From Ruby Moon-Houldson, Closing Argument, Based on Her Personal Story...

These dreams go on when I close
my eyes. Every second of the
night, I live another life. Every
moment I'm awake, the further
I'm away.
Dayla Maylen listened to the
words of the song playing softly
on the clock radio...To her it seemed
like only yesterday that her life had
changed dramatically...but Brady
had passed away 3 months ago...

Note: Pictures used are of  friends of Ruby as found on Facebook and have no relationship to the characters. Ruby is the only "real" story character...as the writer... and the story is fiction...mostly...

"In loving memory of my loving husband who passed away March, 2014..."

~~~

This is one of the few romantic novels written by Ruby Moon-Houldson. She is mostly known for her sci-fi/fantasy or thriller books. I can understand how this novel would be quite cathartic, as well as a comfort for her husband, who worked with her on some of the narrative. 

It is a quite unusual story, for the husband in the book is quite anxious to have identified and placed another man in her life--one who will be there for her, to protect her, and, hopefully, even love her more than he ever could.

It wasn't that they had not loved each other--cared deeply and had a wonderful life together... It was, rather, that they had met at a time when both wanted and needed something and it involved being married.  The doctors had now shared that their was nothing that could be done to extend Brady's life... Other than make his remaining days as good as possible. When he was feeling better, he delighted in helping Dayla with her latest novel, which was to be about her new life once he had died... And when she'd admitted she wasn't interested in Simon, a close friend of both of them, he had started to question her about who she might have an interest in...until she finally told him! Of course, he then went on to check him out and give her his blessing... LOL

 

What we might feel for each other is irrelevant, just a passing thing.

With time and distance it will fade away like a teenager and puppy love."

~~~

"Sometimes you fall in love with someone, but your're not meant to be

together. I think that's the case with my situation,.."

~~~

Dayla was not at all pleased to have Brady working to plan out her future life and was embarrassed when he had actually had a full discussion with Simon, a close friend of hers, but a man about whom she had no love interest! As a writer, she had traveled extensively to many places and had no fear of being alone. In fact, she had come to enjoy a freedom that allowed her to participate in things that she enjoyed and to make plans that she would handle on her own. Now as Brady's health deteriorated, he couldn't seem to accept that she could go on...alone...

Closing Argument

By Ruby Moon-Houldson

For older women, there may be some confusion about what is happening with Dayla... But for Chick Lit readers, this could represent a scenario that many might face in the future. That is, is marriage the most important thing in a woman's life...or is her new-found financial independence and decision-making freedom now much more important? Especially in considering possible second marriages.

"There's no one here for me," Dayla
pointed out. "All those who have voiced
an interest are not in the least attractive
in my eyes. None of them can hold a
candle to what Brady was like. He was
so many great things rolled into one
package. He had a wonderful personality.
He was easy going. A jack-of-all trades.
Didn't make demands of me. Let me be
free to do as I wished. He was just great
all around." She sighed as she lowered
her gaze. "Besides, work is elsewhere,
not here."
~~~

There were two men who had strong feelings about Dayla. Both had become widowers in the recent past and Dayla  had known them during their losses. Simon was adamant that his love was strong enough that even if she didn't love him now, if married she would grow to love him--could he recognize that she had already done that with Brady and had known they'd had a happy marriage?

On the other hand, Laith was a lawyer in town where they both lived. He had similar interests and they had become more acquainted through their help provided to the local Arts Center. 

She met Layth's brown eyes, "As far as men
go, I see myself using them as they use women.
A man on the scene every so often to take care
of my needs and then out the door they go."
She then straightened up and went about her
work once again...
~~~

Simon would stop by often as he traveled for work. And he would often stay with
Dayla at a cabin

"I want to talk about us."
Dayla shrugged away from Layth, "There is no us."
"That's what I feel we need to talk about," he continued
as he tried to keep Dayla from running off. "I feel
it's time we came clean about how we feel in regards to
each other...
~~~

she was living in while she got the house ready for sale. The cabin was owned by a couple who were her friends and they knew she loved it there... She had packed up the few things she would want to take with her when she moved--her plans were to move out-of-state. She had known there was no choice but for her to take the painting Laith had given her, with the Enterprise right in the center... And as she packed her memories took her back to his leading an art class in which she had finally learned how to create small branches just by placing her pinky finger on the painting!

The thing was, Dayla greatly loved one of those men who professed loved for her. But she just didn't know how she could go back to not having the freedom that Brady had given her... It would not be easily to have a dominant figure in her home that had a right to participate in making even the smallest household decisions...

Enta hayati, lecken
Will this be a happily ever after ending?
Or just a big surprise to climax it all?!

While the romance activities move in different directions, readers will also see and learn about several major criminal cases which are being handled in town. Dayla was working on her latest book and began to attend the court cases to watch the people involved to help her form her new characters. She also got involved with one of them and soon both Dayla and Laith were in danger as more and more evidence was being found against police officials!

And then there is a little enticement to learn a little Arabic language which the author learned to prepared for her trip to Egypt...alone...LOL It will probably be hard to decide whether or not this is a true story...But, who cares? There's enough about the author that we will recognize her as one of our Fackbook friends and what she's all about... Where fiction starts and truth begins, I guess, will have to be a wait and see... Will our writer remarry sometime in the future? My feeling is that we will have forgotten all about the possibility by the time something happens way in the future...LOL

Check out this wonderful story about a woman who was happily married...and then totally on her own... Highly recommended!


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Rhonda Louise Pens Humorous Debut Chick Lit!

Cover Options Created by Darrell Fraser

"The woman appears to be in her early forties but we later find out is well into her fifties. She is wearing a kimono and her shiny black hair is pulled back off her face into a complicated and painful-looking configuration at the back. She is a stunning doll-like creature. We are suddenly all painfully aware that in comparison we look like the chick in the Exorcist... "I Mamasan," she says in a voice so smooth you could iceskate on it. "Mamasan," she repeats with a smile and a nod...
"You tlouble," Mamasan says nodding "talk Mama." Maamasan nods her head at the end of each sentence. We all nod our heads vigourously to indicate a) that we understand, and b) that we too like to nod a lot...

"Mamasan sits silently in her sea for a few moments while we fidget uncomfortably on stage. Finally she approaches us. She comes up on stage and walks over to Phoebe, who is the nearest. She points to the top of Phoebe's costume which is a bikini top covered in sequins.
"Off?" She looks around at all of us. Ok, it seems like she is asking Phoebe to take her top off, but w got this wrong before. We say we don't understand.
"This." She takes hold of the bikini top. "Off." We are all too tired to play this game again, so we repeat that we don't understand. Mamasan goes behind Phoebe and unclips the back of her top. She starts pulling it off her shoulders. "Off," she says firmly.
Phoebe is dumbfounded and clutching the unclipped top to her bosom. "No." We all yell. "No no no."
By now there is no doubt. Mamasan is asking us to dance topless.
                                                                       ~~~

Wombat Sushi

By Rhonda Louise

Chick Lit Lovers who enjoy Humor must take a look! Let me quickly add that I had to look up Wombat and found WOMBAT is a "Waste Of Money, Brains, And Time"... LOL  Now that was on a Internet Slang site... It also is an animal in Australia... Eat it as Sushi...??? Oh Well, you may get the idea that this is going to be a confusing book suggesting that you eat Wombat raw...or that you're wasting a part of your life on this book... Hey, I'm just sharing a little about the title... After all, I figure you were as unsure about it as I was... But if you want to enjoy a smart-mouth woman who talks to her body parts and characteristics, you're gonna love this one...

Especially when you read the recipe on the back cover...Well, that just about says it all! 

Take 6 Australian dancers and one singer...

The book is written with Samantha (Sam) sharing the story. She is a competent dancer with experience--not so for all of the troupe! But she won't go topless... In case you immediately say, What?, I just thought I'd throw in that the contract called for "16 topless dancers..."

Oh Wait! It was all probably a language problem...

You see, the book opens when Sam is auditioning for a dance position in "exotic" places... Well, it turns out to be Japan! And none of them can speak Japanese, except one with some street language...

So when the girls get off the plane in Japan, there is a man with the usual sign, but when he sees the low number and the individuals involved, he doesn't believe it is the right group...

Not a good start...  

Because when they go to the first audition and meet Mamasan, she immediately begins to point to their tops, saying "off." None of them planned on that! Finally, three girls agree to go topless, one of them a ringer brought in later. This also puts the more qualified dancers in the back, because the topless theme is what is most important0--not the dancing...

Now the interesting thing about Sam is that she makes body parts "pretend people" with whom she then discusses what to do. So when Paranoia had suggested she not apply for the job, simply stating that Sam would be out of her league, it turns out to be a fun conversation for the readers...

But Sam was totally out of money and even Paranoia couldn't do anything about that...

The mix of dancers is also somewhat strange. Annabelle has been professionally trained... And is quite a pain...
Carly has barely learned to dance, but drinks a lot and so keeps going, taking her vodka drinks wherever she goes and, ahhhh, she's not too bright, but knows it, so that helps...??? 

Janey is the singer... Marie was added because she's not afraid to go topless. Phoebe is the prettiest and is talked into going topless. And then there is Jodi... Jodi has been on a number of trips and has been named as the captain of the troupe. She quickly agree to go topless...and is quick to say that she will do it just about any way they want...

A Denny's restaurant in Tokyo, Japan.
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In fact, Jodi provides a running commentary of what follows each night with the guys that she picks up, explicitly sharing each act with the members of her troupe... Well all of the other girls soon get tired of that, but they, too, go out nightly and take care of that "pinch of stupidity, dash of naivety, with loads and loads of alcohol." Drinking takes place in bars, and even Denny's in Japan...the drinking resulting in absolutely no self-restraint as also advertised on the back cover...

Actually, Denny's was found one night when they were all driving around trying to find their hotel. It seemed fairly easy to get local men to give them rides... Kaz had been driving when they finally saw Denny's and they all had stopped for something to eat...and drink...

Other than Jodi who manages to find a companion every night, and Marie, whose lover has come there to be with her during the tour, all of the other girls do not get involved... But, of course, they all have the club customers seeking their company after the shows to drink and talk--in fact, Mamasan requires this! LOL And each admitted later they were asked for private parties...

Sam had one night saw across the room that Jodi was with two men...One immediately caught her attention!

http://www.zimbio.com

But she was so involved with his good looks, that she could hardly speak! Finally, they did go on an afternoon drive and while out of the car, it was hauled away! This led to a wild fiasco with Japanese police with Roberto not having his passport or drivers license and then having to admit he didn't own the car...he stayed in jail while Sam did make it back to work, afraid to be fired if she had gone to get his papers! Not a great first date.

But Kaz who had driven them home that first night had become interested in Janey
had spent a lot of time with Roberto and it never worked out for Sam or Janey since they were always late, getting ready after their last shows...

You know, it is always difficult to talk about a humorous novel. The fun is in the total context of the story and is built up from the first page. For instance, if I say that one of the girls ate some chips that belong to another girl and that started an ongoing feud that continued...Telling about it just doesn't work, right? But Rhonda Louise's Sam, as the lead character, can whip out those "slide-ins" that you might almost miss if you weren't paying attention to the total narrative. And the fighting girls, well, they were quite able to share their fury!

Actually Sam is an interesting character and does well in keeping peace with most of the others throughout...but she also causes or initiates most of the things that turn out bad (though funny). Except it was Janey that decided that Sam and Roberto should take advantage of those 2-hour hotel rooms that were, first, explored...but I already told you...it just didn't happen...thankfully!

Now I haven't even mentioned that the girls were asked to do a traditional Japanese Dance and Tito who was to teach them, with Janey singing in Japanese, although she didn't speak it... Nor have I told you about the Sumo wrestlers, the Wedding...or Jabba the Hut (their manager)...

The characters are just what you'd imagine if women who danced professionally were forced to also lived together for weeks and months... Especially when they had never known each other or danced together before! The men in Japan...hmmmm... They were friendly (?)... but I'll bet they had never met a group like these Australian girls! And you won't have either! I did enjoy Sam's snappy discussion with her body parts, and her snide or sarcastic feedback, even though at terrible times...but she really was somewhat of a wimp until Janey told her about it...

Somehow I doubt Sam is going to change much... but she sure can tell it like it is in her books! 'Cause I'm just betting that Sam is a lot like the author--what say you Rhonda?! Take this on vacation as the weather turns warmer! Enjoy!

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Rhonda Louise lives on the South Coast of England with her amazingly tolerant husband and their naughty daughter. Wombat Sushi is her first novel...

Mental Pause, Novel by Anne O'Connell, Launches on March 8th, International Women's Day! Part of the proceeds on launch day will benefit Room to Read

"Abbie opened the freezer, pulled out a loaf of bread and
held it against her cheek. It was such a relief. She grabbed
the eggs and milk from the fridge and began setting the
table. She hadn't slept well and her head was pounding.
It felt as if she was standing in the middle of a 21-gun
salute. How long were these night sweats going to last?
It seemed to be getting worse rather than better...

"What in God's name are you talking about? And I'd
appreciate it if you wouldn't be so patronizing." She
was deperately holding on to her last threat of patience
and the cannons in her head were getting closer and
going off more often. She rubbed her temples and tried
to focus on what he was saying.
"What she really wanted to say was that he was such an
asshole. And, maybe she was trying to kill him. That
would certainly get a reaction out of him. She wasn't a
child. How dare he scold her like that! A hundred
comebacks rolled around n her head but she just
couldn't form the words. She didn't want to fight. They
never usually did...But lately, it didn't take much to make
her want to jump down his throat..."
~~~

Mental Pause

By Anne O'Connell


Ok readers, there I was floating through the first pages of what I though was a Chick-Lit novel. You're right, I don't normally choose from that genre, but I thought, by the title, that it might be fun... After all, we women do know all about the word-behind-the-title, don't we? Well, if not, then you will have an opportunity to learn about important issues while reading this fun novel!

But just as I was settling in, enjoying how Abbie was dealing--Let's just say that the first thing we learn is that she takes food out of the freezer to hold against her body to try to cool off after her night sweats--The book turned into a murder mystery! How Cool Is That?!!! Way to go O'Connell!

Abbie is a loving wife and mother to two great sons who are soon leaving for college. Conrad was a cop and was looking for a promotion. She knew she was lucky because he seemed to be able to keep work separated from home life and he was always loving at home. But now...he wasn't quite sure what had happened to his wife...

"She heard a rustle in the bush just ahead and
stopped dead in her tracks. A man in a trench
coat and cap pulled down low over his eyes stepped
out. Abbie gripped the pepper stray tighter as he
approached. Oh my God... he's going to flash me!
What an asshole! A wave of anger overtook her as
she lunged towards him and sprayed him full in
the face. Abbie's foot hit a slippery spot and her
slide, continuing her forward momentum. She
unavoidably body-slammed him and tackled him
to the ground. He screamed. His hands flew to his
eyes as she came down on top of him.
"Petrified, Abbie pushed herself away as her
attacker's arms flapped around his face, his
unseeing eyes becoming beat red from the
spray. She scrambled to her feet, her anger
melting into fear that he would retaliate. She
turned and ran as fast as she could to the safety
of her own back yard before he could regain his
sight...
"...she couldn't tell Conrad what had happened.
He would go ape-shit and all protective and
'cop-like' on her and run after the guy. Then
he would lecture her on how she really
shouldn't have gone out on her own..."
~~~

I know it is not funny when a woman is experiencing it, but, you got to admit when you read what it results in...well, it just IS... You know that often we think about saying what we are really thinking about any given situation... Well, Abbie's husband and sons were getting the brunt of a lot of that feedback that they usually didn't hear. Of course, they looked at their mother strangely and then with puzzlement to each other...

Which only made Abbie that much more irritated and angry!

Fortunately, her best friend was somebody that she could talk to about what she was experiencing. But when she found out that she was also going through it, she was shocked, because she always seemed so calm. However, she learned that she was taking medication. Abbie was opposed to taking any medication that she felt she did not need. She'd decided she'd just make it through it all: irritation, anger, pain, night sweats, and lots more that each individual woman could name for herself, because we are all different, right?!

It was the night sweats, which often resulted in her taking a walk in the middle of the night, that helped get her in trouble...

Rachel was her best friend so she started telling her, for instance, about the fry pan and the dead dog... Yes, Abbie did it...

But one day when she went to visit, Joan was there. Joan and Rachel were both members of a support group for recently divorced... Joanie immediately gave Abbie the impression that she was attracted to her. And, indeed, Joanie had divorced her husband once she had finally admitted to herself that she wanted to be with women...and so she had already started...And Abbie realized that she was just one of them...

They enjoyed each other as friends, however, and Joan even called Abbie for lunch one day without Rachel. But one night they all went out to dance to have a girls night out. Drinking was, of course, part of the deal and Abbie soon was not worrying about how she was feeling--in fact, she was feeling fine! So fine, that when Joan pulled her into the restroom and offered her drugs, Abbie took it...

It happened that night! Rachel decided to head home alone...Joan and Abbie wound up at a hotel and Abbie woke the next morning, not knowing where she was or what had happened! She did remember who she had been with and thought that it was Joan who was in the bathroom...

Abbie gathered up her clothes and got out of there!

Only to learn that Joanie had been murdered that very night...

Yep, and she was arrested on three counts of...murder...count them...

O'Connell, in launching her book on Women's International Day, is recognizing women, spotlighting and sharing one of the most important changes in her life, gets into women to women relationships, medication issues, family life, as well as a hell of a great mystery! I personally think she's done a great job in celebrating women! Don't you?

My recommendation: Get it!


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About the Author

Author and freelance writer, Anne O'Connell, has been an expat since 1993 when she and her husband escaped the cold of Toronto, Canada and moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They enjoyed the sun and sand for 14 years, while she worked in the PR field, and then decided it was time for a new adventure. Heading for even more sun and sand, they moved to Dubai and then on to Thailand. Anne has been working as a freelance copywriter,
writing coach and consultant since 2007, specializing in social media, marketing, corporate communications and public relations.

Anne grew up in Halifax, Nova Scotia and has a bachelor of public relations from Mount St. Vincent University. Mental Pause is her first novel. Check out her site: www.anne-oconnell.com... Twitter @annethewriter.

P. C. Zick Takes Us on Adventure Whenever You Read "Live From the Road"!

Touched by an Angel: The Album (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Live From the Road

By. P. C. Zick

What a quirky, nonsensical, gorgeous, joyful, sad bit of inspiration! And if you can't understand that, then you're in the best position to read this fun novel! Plan to laugh, cry, sing, be confused...and amazed at what this author has to say! I'm still not convinced that it did not include an angel character, you know, like Touched by an Angel, by the name of Lollapalooza...even if she did die during the trip...

Trip? Yes, the trip taken by two best friends and their daughters. They started from Chicago and were heading to L.A., traveling the old Route 66 for as much as they could. At first the two friends were going to go, then their daughters decided that they wanted to go, especially, when they learned that there was to be auditions in L.A. if they planned their trip right. CC was a singer; Ramona wanted to be an actress, but also sang... In fact the four all sang and looked for Karaoke bars each night when they stopped...to practice! As well as to give each audience a show they would remember.

Meg narrated most of the story, and kept a journal, naturally, since she was a journalist. She and Sally her best friend had talked about the trip since Meg needed to settle some past issues that she'd been internally hanging on to, including the death of her son. Essentially, she had closed him off inside and was not able to face his loss... And CC had been hurting also, as if losing her mother as well...

As they started, they dressed up their van with Route 66 signs and declared themselves the Road Warriors, with even a solemn (!!!) group hand sharing as they left certain areas...

I have to say, I would love to have been traveling with them!

And others felt the same way! So as the Warriors met people along the way and told them about their trip, their destination... well, you guessed it, they either joined them right then or caught up with them later (on Route 66 of course so it wasn't hard to find them!) They even met a couple on their way to get married--and everybody later became their wedding party!

Seriously, there is no way to describe what was encountered on that trip! You just have to experience it!

One of the things Sally had planned for the trip was to bring her father's remains back to where he had wanted to stay...so a wake with fireworks took place! They picked up Laramie at that stop, when she came running with her shotgun on hearing the fireworks...  Later, Sally was the one who was comforted by Meg as she received word that her husband had left her...and so much more!

A couple went along for the music auditions, but most just had that look...you know...the one that says you just need to do something crazy??? Need to get away? Read Live From the Road and you just might be making your own plans! Wish I could go with you! Hey, wait a minute...This book was just like I was there, including the hugging and crying with the Road Warriors! Waaaaayyy Cool Book!

GABixlerReviews

P.C. Zick began her writing career in 1998 as a journalist. She's won various awards for her essays, columns, editorials, articles, and fiction. She describes herself as a "storyteller" no matter the genre.

She's published four works of fiction and one nonfiction book. Prior to 2010, she wrote under the name Patricia C. Behnke.

She was born in Michigan and moved to Florida in 1980. She now resides in Pennsylvania with her husband Robert.
Her fiction contains the elements most dear to her heart, ranging from love to the environment. She believes in living lightly upon this earth with love, laughter, and passion.

"This is one of the most exciting times to be an author," Ms. Zick says. "I'm honored to be a part of the revolution in writing and publishing."