Bugs on Guam? You betcha!

Here's an excerpt from our book,

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave.

Cover your head!

WHAT A DAY!

“JoEllyn! Susan!’ Mrs. Wilks called. “I need you girls to help me for a few minutes.”
The girls were on the lanai playing Crazy Eights and planning their next trip to the jungle.
“Be there in a minute,” Jo called back.
“I don’t need you in a minute, I need you right now!”
“Yes Ma’am!” The girls chimed in unison, reluctantly setting their cards down.
They went into the kitchen where their mother was putting wet laundry in a basket. “I want you to hang these clothes out on the line for me while I start another load.”
Mrs. Wilks handed Jo the laundry basket and told Susan to get the clothes pins out of the hot box.
Jo, basket in hand, opened the back door just as Susan let out a blood-curdling scream.
“EEEEEE! MOMMY, MOMMY!” Susan screeched and ran out of the hot box right into Jo causing her to drop the basket.
“What in the world?!” Mrs. Wilks replied in alarm.
“There’s a GIGANTIC bug in there!” Susan cried, pointing at the hot box. “It’s enormous! It’s coming after me!”
“Oh my goodness! Such a fuss. We warned you girls about the bugs here. Most of them won’t hurt you. Show me where it is,” Mrs. Wilks said.
“I can’t go in there, Mommy.”
“Good grief,” Jo said. “Don’t be such a baby. Mom, it’s probably a tiny spider or something. She always exaggerates!”
“It is NOT! Wait until you SEE it!” Susan said, backing away.
Mrs. Wilks peered into the storage room looking for the bug. She reached over to move the clothespin bag. Jo was right behind her mother peeking over her shoulder when suddenly a big black bug flew from beneath the bag right into Jo’s hair.
Mrs. Wilks and Jo screamed. Jo ran around the kitchen frantically waving her hands over her head.
“Help me! Mom, help me!”
Susan, crouched in the corner, peeked between her fingers.

What happens next? You'll have to read the book!

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave can be purchased at, www.createspace.com/4008187 or directly from us at whammysteries@gmail.com
 

Is it Christmas?

We waited and waited ... waiting for the UPS man to come.  He had to know how anxious we were because he didn't come until almost dark.  Did I feel a gray hair pop up on my head?  I think so.

He helped with the heavy boxes.  It sure did feel like Christmas! All 150 books!  Wow!  It was stunning.

Dave grabbed the camera, Lynda and I grabbed a book and started a photo shoot out in the backyard.

Even the hummingbirds were excited.  As Lynda and I posed, 3 hummingbirds flew all around us.  Pretty cool in a "please don't attack us" kind of way.

My sneaky husband, urging Lynda to speak in her British accent, took a short, goofy video without us knowing.

Anyway, I'm taking a short break from signing, just to let ya'll know how awesome it is to finally sign these books for you.  First shipment will go out tomorrow if we get our act together and get the shipping materials.   Thanks everybody for you support.  You mean the world to us!

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave can be purchased at, www.createspace.com/4008187 or directly from us at whammysteries@gmail.com

Is this book right for your child?

 

 

 

 

When writing Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave, we wanted our characters to be good girls.  No lying, no fighting, absolutely no cussing.  We then realized no child is that good. In our minds we, as children, really were good girls, and we were.  Our parents taught us right from wrong, good manners (we tried to remember to use), the golden rule, to look out for each other, and to be obedient.

From time to time Lynda and I fought like cats and dogs.  We always had to share a room so it seemed we were always together, especially when we were young and shared interests and friends. 

Jo and Susan, our Mystery of the Cave, characters, argue and bicker, but more often than not, get along.  They have adventure in their souls, encouraged by their mother, Joanne.  The beckoning jungle draws them to uncover mysteries and to have the unexpected thrust upon them.  Jo is the leader and Susan, the more timid of the two, follows along, reluctantly at times, but the curiosity gets the better of her, as well.

This story was written for young readers.  We were always conscious of not giving the wrong message to inquisitive minds. There is no inappropriate language in this book.  There is, however, the occasional threat of being 'pounded', but whether or not that threat is delivered is something you'll have to discover for yourselves.

The focus is on two young girls, the two neighbor boys, discoveries, surprises and adventures.  There are no vampires, no wizards or witches.  The only predators are the voracious mosquitoes.

Your children or grandchildren will learn some of the history of Guam and find out what it was like being a kid in the early 1960s.  They'll get a glimpse into the life of military kids, and get to know the Wilks family: Sgt. Wilks, their mom Joanne, Jo, Susan and Graci, their little sister.  They will see the waves breaking on the beach, hear the wind rustling through the palms, smell the salt air.  They'll experience the comforting familiarity of a family Christmas in a new home.  They will feel the wonder of being in the jungle; the lizards, birds, flowers, darkness, always present.

Your young ones will be safe exploring with Jo and Susan.  They may not even notice the absence of Super Heroes.  But when they finish reading, they may ask, "What happens in the next book?"

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave can be purchased at, www.createspace.com/4008187 or directly from us at whammysteries@gmail.com
 

Writing, publishing, angst and joy!

Holy Cow, ya'll.  Who knew how much work was involved in getting a book published!  Lynda and I and Janet, our editor and Suzanne, our cover artist and interior genius, have really started on a journey together.

Lynda will be out here in October so we can continue with our second book, "The Darkened Light".  This will be a much more intricate story.  We've learned many elementary things about content, formatting, rewriting, rewriting, rewriting and rewriting.  (Let's hope we remember all of the lessons.)

Google docs will save us uncountable hours in the rewriting process.  Thanks to my son, Timmy and our editor, Janet, our eyes are open to being able to work on a manuscript from different States.  The first time Lynda and I looked at the same manuscript at the same time and I could see her changing words, right in front of my eyes, from Indiana, I knew how much this would streamline our writing in the future. 

Then there's marketing... licenses and more licenses.  They aren't free, believe it or not.  And taxes?  We haven't even gone there, yet.  The resale license application for the city of Glendale, Az, asks us how much money we made last year.  Ha!  That's a laugh!  Why does it have to be so difficult?

We just want to sit at a table, sign some books, and maybe sell a couple, to get the word out. 

Our story, "Guam Adventures, Mystery of the Cave" is about two girls who grew up in an Air Force family and have a wonderful, magical adventure on the island of Guam, where they were lucky enough to live for awhile.  There are so many military kids out there who can't find a single book that illustrates their lives.  Granted, this story is fiction, but being the "new kids", becoming acquainted with a new environment, riding around in a "Guam bomb", or some other hand-me-down vehicle at an overseas assignment, coming face-to-face with bugs, lizards, and wild animals they never dreamed they would encounter... these are just a few things military kids "adjust" to time and time again.  We want to share the military life with not only military kids, but others who move around their entire lives to accommodate a parent's career, or those who wonder what it would be like to live in an amazing new town, state or country.

It's very difficult at times to be a military "brat", but, in the long run, such a blessing.  WE were blessed to grow up in a military family.  Life, for us, was an adventure, filled with wonder, knowledge, friends we would never have otherwise known. 
 
I always wondered what it would be like to grow up in one small town my entire life, have the same friends from kindergarten to highschool graduation.  But if I had, I would have missed out.  The people I've met and the amazing places I have lived....irreplacable!

Is this endeavor, hour upon hour of writing, racking our brains for just the right story line, description of places, things, people, worth it?  You bet!  We want YOU to read our story and see yourself in this exotic place.  Feel the sun, humidity, wildness and familiarity of a faraway military base, where everything is new and exciting, but, home, nonetheless.

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave can be purchased at, www.createspace.com/4008187 or direcly from us at whammysteries@gmail.com
 

Coming Soon ... Printing!

Wow!  It's been months since we've made an entry on our blog.  Life gets busy, as you all know.  I recently returned from a vacation to Indiana where I spent time with my kids, grandkids, siblings and extended family.  What a blast!  I loved kissing on those grandbabies!
After my daughter and son-in-law, Kristy and Jason, headed back to New York, Lynda and I put our noses to the grindstone and got to work on the book.  Miracle of miracles, it looks like publication will occur in a couple months.  We will be publishing a paperback version through Createspace.  The cool thing about the is that it will be printed on demand.  When a person orders a copy, they print it and send it on its way. 
We have an amazing Editor, Janet Schwind.  She's more like a project administrator than just an editor, not that there's anything "just"  about her editing skills.  Through her editing we have a bright, new hope in this crazy world of authorship.  Lynda and I are flabbergasted at the life breathed into our story since incorporating her suggestions.  She saw the humor, suspense, fear, and adventure, waved her magic wand, or more likely, said a prayer or two, and WHaM! we suddenly saw the book we had planned to write from the beginning.  Janet, YOU ROCK!!
The cover and layout of our book is currently being created and we can't wait to see it!  Hang in there with us and we'll soon let you know how to find Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave.
Until then, I need to empty the dishwasher, make the bed and get ready for work.  I'm looking forward to Lynda's visit in the fall so we can dig in and get back to the second book.  yay!  God willing, we'll be able to remember what we've learned the last two years and the next venture will go a little more smoothly.

Blessings,
Terry

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave can be purchased at, www.createspace.com/4008187 or directly from us at whammysteries@gmail.com
 

Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is one of my favorite plants.  It loves the Arizona sun; turns bright colors that last for months.  They can be grown as a bush or a vine, and do very well in pots.  Pink, purple, coral, white.  Just pick your favorite color. 

In "Mystery of the Cave", Jo and Susan find a wonderful cascading mass of pink vines tumbling down from a tall tree in the jungle.  When they step behind the vines, they are instantly enchanted ...

“This could be the best fort EVER!” Susan said. 
Jo nodded.  She and Susan loved to build forts - under tables, in cardboard boxes, with blankets draped over bikes and garbage cans - but none could compare to this cozy, colorful, viney place,"
The girls return to this "fort" time and time again.  It's their secret hideaway, the starting point for their adventures.  What will they find in the jungle?  What creatures lurk under rocks, buzz in the air or hide in a mysterious cave? 
When the adventures get too scary, or sometimes just for something to do, Jo and Susan find escape and safety in their home away from home, in their fort behind the pink vines of the bougainvillea.

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave can be purchased at, www.createspace.com/4008187 or directly from us at whammysteries@gmail.com

A Moment of Reflection

As we all know, sometimes life's circumstances can turn our lives upside down for awhile. The past couple weeks have seen life and death occupying my time, making work on the blog difficult. Nevertheless, I wanted to write a short note to tell everyone that we're still here and writing. Our next book, The Darkened Light is in process and will be finished (hopefully) this summer. In the meantime, I hope you're all anticipating the publication of The Mystery of the Cave. We're in the final editing stage right now, and can hardly wait to have the book ready for you all to purchase by the end of the year. Easter is nearing, and I hope you will take time to recognize the reason we celebrate.
Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen.

Guam Adventures - Mystery of the Cave can be purchased at, www.createspace.com/4008187 or directly from us at whammysteries@gmail.com