Proof that I'm a proper nerd and geek

Let me put to rest any doubts you may have about me being a proper nerd and geek. I think this qualifies me for a guest spot on The Big Bang Theory.

Lunar eclipse - I got a few pics

Had to fight with clouds and marine layer but finally managed to get a few lunar eclipse pics. These are taken with my phone camera looking through our telescope. I love astronomy and don't get a chance to use my telescope as often as I'd like so it's always exciting when I can actually get to see something rare with it. Enjoy!

Well, I tried to be a "Superstar"

As you may know, my former career was in show biz. My very first TV appearance was a live kiddie show, in which I missed my entrance. I was 3 years old. I made another live TV appearance around age 5 or 6. After that, I focused on dancing and stage acting and moved to TV/films a few years later. Most of my Hollywood gigs were local cable shows, but I spent an entire season as a stand-in and photo double on a show called Rags to Riches (season 2). While most of my Rags work was off-camera, I was a featured dancer for one episode (Dear Diary), and did background work in many others when they were short of extras. Curious? The entire series is available on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Rags-Riches-The-Complete-Series/dp/B007JNZYPM 

A writer's work is never done

Finished the current draft of my latest fantasy novel and it will go to my beta readers very soon. As I wait for their comments, I'll be working on a sci-fi novel. A writer's work is never done.

Entire Desert Magick series now available!

The entire Desert Magick series is now available in eBook and paperback formats! "Five-star excellent...characters are engaging, the writing proficient and breezy...You'll love it." Jacqueline Lichtenberg (author of Star Trek Lives!) 

You can check out the series on my website at http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Desert%20Magick.html

My introverted life

Writers tend to be introverts and I'm no exception. 

In my introverted life, I…

1. Prefer to go someplace else if a restaurant insists on table-sharing with strangers

2. Will wait for a booth against the wall, instead of taking the table in the center of the restaurant that is immediately available

3. Will wait for the next elevator because someone is using this one

4. Always scope out the far wall/corner spot when I have to be in a crowded room

5. Love being alone with my thoughts and working from home

6. Have just a few close friends

7. Have to call on my acting training to venture out in public

8. Am exhausted after being around a lot of people

9. Need serious alone time after speaking engagements/performances (I’m talking days)

10. Don’t enjoy talking on the phone or answering the door

11. Have to quell my annoyance when strangers want to chat, especially when traveling

12. Prefer traveling to places where the people are long dead (Ruins, yea!)

13. Love books more than people (Yeah, I went there)

14. Dread the words: block party and pot luck

15. Wholly believe awesome nightlife consists of me, hubs, and a scrabble board or a good book/movie

Anyone relate?

On draft 3 of my latest fantasy novel

My latest fantasy novel looks like it's going to be around 175,000 words when I'm finished with this 3rd draft. Next, it goes to my beta readers for their comments and suggestions. I have a sci-fi novel in the editing queue, and I'm getting chapters started for another paranormal fantasy series. I have idea kernels brewing for a dark fantasy, as well.

Forced to create a new website

Had to wean myself off FrontPage web maker because my hosting company and my new computer no longer support it. Believe me, it wasn't easy because I loved that program. But I built a new website in a new program and finally got it uploaded. A cleaner look for 2015. If you find any missing links, please let me know. Enjoy! http://www.danadaviswriting.com/

The final Desert Magick book is now available and has it's first amazon review. 5 stars!

http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Magick-Haboob-Dana-Davis-ebook/dp/B00X4XHHXI/

Real world setting inspirations

Every time I speak to an audience about writing, one question always comes up - Where do you get your ideas? Here are a few real world places that have inspired settings in my books.

It's a real office!

I'm finally getting a real office again, complete with door, window and closet. Crew is working like mad to finish by the end of the week. A quiet, private work space means more books written. And I'll have enough space for a craft area. I've really missed having one of those, too. 

I don't get writer's block. I get editor's distraction.

I don't get writer's block. I get editor's distraction - I really have to finish these edits. But wait, I want some of that new tea I bought. Okay, time to edit. Wait, is that a dust bunny? I'll just vacuum the house first. Won't take long. Okay, really need to edit now. Wait, did I just hear the mail carrier? Focus on edits! Okay, but wait, is that...

Busy with final edits

Yes, I'm still here. Just busy finishing up some final edits for my publisher. They want to release the next eBook in March, followed by the paperback. This will be the final book in the Desert Magick series. It's been a while coming but we're almost there.

New Year panic!

Had some stressful news come up about my final Desert Magick novel. My editor is taking a leave of absence for several months so she won't be able to finish, and the wonderful artist who did covers for the previous books in this series is no longer working for my publisher. Nothing like sheer panic to get the new year rolling along. After a bit of scrambling, we managed to get things taken care of and the book is scheduled for release this spring.

Please universe, no more delays, or my characters might just kick my a$$.

Happy New Year!

The Longest Night of the Year

Winter Solstice is almost here. The longest night of the year brings with it an image of a quiet and very still snowy night, at least for me. Not something I've experienced personally, and definitely not something we get here in Los Angeles, but we have the ocean, which can instill the same wonder and sense of renewal. As the days get longer, we look forward to the new year and the promises a new start brings.

As a descendant from various Celts, I also love honoring my ancestors this time of year. And I'm a big geek. If you didn't know that, you haven't been paying attention, have you?  

Anyway, here's a Xena song I like to listen to this time of year - Solstice Night. Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA8Q7NqVsEA

Free newsletter

My Nov/Dec free newsletter is now available. http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

We've moved!

Well, we're finally in the new house and getting settled. Of course, with these old homes here in LA, that means we've been doing repairs that the previous owners neglected to do, or possibly just ran out of the funds to do. The main thing is that it's very quiet and private and I have a sanctuary for my writing again.

I even went on another paranormal investigation. I hadn't been in over two years, the time we moved back to SoCal, and it felt so good to be in the field again. We investigated a famous theatre here in LA and got some great photos and even a couple of EVPs. We're still going through all the recordings so I'll have to blog about it later but it was the perfect venue to make my Halloween special this year. And the hubs was excited to see me get into my old hobbies again. He's been pushing me to get back into it.

I'm currently editing the final Desert Magick novel and gearing up to publish a new fantasy in 2015. I hope you are keeping busy with things you love, as well. If you haven't already, please check out my website at www.danadaviswriting.com

Happy Halloween and stay safe out there!

Selling, buying, and Bewitched! Oh my!

It's been almost a month since I blogged. In that time, we sold our house and bought another one. Crazy, right? Now, were 8 days from the move and are packing, while trying to keep our old dog calm. She's doing well, by the way, with us 15 weeks now.

Hubs also surprised me with a visit to the original Bewitched house! It. Was. Fabulous! I've wanted to see it since I was just a wee tot and in love with the TV show.

Once we're moved into our new home, I'll get back to my regular writing schedule and have more time to update my blog posts. Until then, be excellent to each other!

Our home is in escrow!

The real estate market here in SoCal is crazy and it's definitely a seller's market right now. Our home is now in escrow. Yea! Took a total of 1 day to get a sale. Not so lucky for us as buyers. We've lost out on 4 homes already due to multiple offers and bidding wars and now are waiting on word for a 5th home. . This is a special kind of stress. The kind that causes hives, sleep loss, and downright crankiness. I believe if couples can survive buying and selling a house at the same time, they can survive anything.

House chaos continues in the midst of finishing my latest novel.

Renovations are finished and we've cleaned up the landscape from all the construction. Now, we're in the staging phase and packing up anything we won't be using in the staging. Our little shelter pup has been with us just over two months now and is settling in, though she still has problems with other dogs. As soon as we can take a breath, we'll get a trainer to help us with that.

Meanwhile, I managed to finish the first draft of Desert Magick book 5, just when we're about to start marketing the house and looking for a new one to buy. I know, I'm crazy to try and do all this at once but writing helps to keep me sane when my home is in chaos.

That's all for now. Back to filling nail holes and doing touch-up paint before I hit the editing.

Writing - Not for the Faint of Heart

Writing as a career is a tough business. And if you think your family will coddle you, well, um, you might be in for some surprises. Some family members might read everything you write and support you no matter what - I have a couple of those in my life. But just because you're closely related, doesn't mean everyone will support your endeavors, enjoy your work, or even pretend to. A fact that just makes the writing life more interesting and gives you fodder for those characters you adore writing so much.

Most of my family don't bother to buy my books, much less read them (Not the hubs, of course - he reads everything I write because he's awesome). =) But when three close relatives finally told me they'd read my very first award-winning book, I expected, at the very least, polite, noncommittal and generic comments - "I liked it" or "It was good" - something along those lines. Instead, one just turned her head away and never actually committed to even finishing the book. Another said, "I found some typos" and proceeded to chat with another relative who was in the room. The third one frowned and uttered, "It's not my kind of book" then promptly walked away from me, giving me a nice long look at the back of her head as she retreated. As far as I know, these three relatives never read anything else penned by me, so I suspect I didn't make lifelong fans of them.

Was I distraught or livid? No. I worked in Hollywood for many years so I'm programmed to set aside rejection and move on to the next project. Was I disappointed? Sure. Even as adults, we hope our families will love our work, or at least offer supporting comments if they don't. But my disappointment didn't last long and I have to admit, these comments actually amuse me. They also reminded me that I was writing because I love it and not because I hope my relatives support my pocketbook and my ego by buying and cooing over everything I do. No matter who you are, how many awards you receive, or how many times some people tell you they love your work, there will always be someone who surprises the hell out of you. In my case, the someones just happen to share a whole lot of my DNA.

While the comments I received might sound harsh coming from family, I can assure you they're not unusual. I have spoken to many writers with similar experiences, so if you're looking for a career that coddles you, makes everyone an adoring fan, and pays you a boatload of money, writing is probably not for you. If you just can't help yourself and you have to write because your head will explode if you don't get all those ideas and worlds out of it and into a cohesive format, then writing sounds like the perfect career for you. Just remember to write because you love it, not because you're trying to attract a world of adoring fans. Although, that's probably a pretty good gig if you can get it. =)

I've been MIA for a while

I've been MIA for a while. My June/July free newsletter explains why.

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

Construction and sick dog means not much time for anything else.

Sorry I haven't posted much the past couple of weeks. Between bathroom construction delays and adopting a new dog with kennel cough and a bladder infection, we've been a little busier than usual. My writing has suffered and this is the first day our new pup has been content to stay in her playpen long enough for me to get a new chapter started. With construction guys in and out all day and making all sorts of noise, it's rough on us all. We'll be selling this house soon and then it's on to finding a new place. We hope to be in a new home by the fall, so all this stress will be over, and my writing schedule can get back to normal.

Meanwhile, please check out my award-winning Desert Magick: Superstitions (Bk 1). The eBook versions are currently on sale at SynergEbooks for just $1.98! Limited time only. Various formats available.  

http://www.synergebooks.com/ebook_superstitions.html

Authors responding to bad reviews - Don't do it!

I like to add new authors to my personal reading list. Just today, I was looking at some book reviews and saw that an author responded to an unfavorable one for his own book. This isn't the first time I've seen this. As a writer, it screams unprofessional. As a reader, it's a huge turn-off. All of us authors receive bad reviews now and then, but it's very unprofessional to post a response. Go hit a punching bag. Yell at your computer screen. Cry. Whatever. Just don't post a response. Period. Trust me on this. You'll thank me later.

Meniere's Disease clinical trial

I received an email about a Meniere's Disease clinical trial and was asked to share this information with my followers. They're looking for unilateral (one affected ear) patients. Unfortunately, I'm bilateral so I don't qualify for this one. You can read all about the study here:

http://menieresdiseasestudy.com/50.htm

Construction zone

It's been very difficult to work in a construction zone but I'm plugging away at my next novel. If my characters suddenly build an extra bathroom onto their house, readers will know why. In fact, I'm tempted to write an entire novel that takes place at a construction zone. Maybe magically enchanted hammers. Or ladders that fly. Um, I really need the guys to finish before I totally lose it.

Writers inspiring writers.

This week, I received a touching message from a reader who said my work has inspired her to take up her own writing again, after many years away from it. A few years ago, a close friend and two acquaintances pursued publication and are doing very well right now. They said it was because I inspired them to keep at it.

I'm not sure I can take credit for their success, since they already had an interest in writing before they met me, but it's nice to know that maybe I gave them a little extra nudge in that direction. I can honestly say that I've been motivated throughout the years by many writers, so it feels great to think I can pay it forward through my own work and help others reach their goals. =D

Dana's free May 2014 newsletter

Dana's free May 2014 newsletter is available at

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

Free April newsletter now available!

My free April newsletter is now available! And SynergEbooks Publishing is offering a sale price on one of my books. Pop over to my website and check it out.

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

The Mask of Tamirella 2nd edition paperback is now available!

Tween/teen award-winning novel, The Mask of Tamirella 2nd edition paperback, is now available. On sale for $7.19 at Amazon! http://www.amazon.com/The-Mask-Tamirella-Dana-Davis/dp/149615603X/

Free Kindle book for Dana's birthday!

It's Dana's birthday! Get her award-winning tween/teen Kindle book, The Mask of Tamirella, free for a limited time only! Available April 9-11 at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Mask-Tamirella-Dana-Davis-ebook/dp/B00IXQMZRO/

For genealogy beginners

Lately, I've had a few people message me about genealogy research and where to start. Ancestry is great but it will cost you, and if don't use it regularly, it's a waste of money. Two of my favorite free sites are https://familysearch.org/ and http://www.findagrave.com/ - These sites are great for newbies and those who've been doing their family tree for years, as new records are added all the time. My favorite software to keep generations of information organized is Family Tree Maker. Yes, there are many more genealogy sites and software but these are the ones I recommend for newbies.

Here's a photo I took with my ancestors' gravestone in Ireland. What a fabulous trip!

Abandoned pup melted our hearts.

Early Saturday morning we found a chihuahua puppy shivering and cowering next to our garbage cans and took him in. We then spent an exhausting 3 days making him feel safe and loved, while trying to find the owner. After an extensive search in our neighborhood and online, we came to the conclusion that he was abandoned. We've heard horror stories about animal shelters, so we weren't about to turn him in. The poor little guy had been traumatized enough.

While we were at the vet with him, we met a woman with a chihuahua that had been abandoned at the vet office a few years ago because one of her feet turns in and she didn't qualify as a show dog. This woman took that dog and gave her a forever home, along with another dog. Well, her precious little girl lost her original companion a couple of years ago, and the woman has been looking for a puppy to raise as a new companion. She fell in love with our little rescued guy when she saw him and told us her story.

We got the dogs together Monday afternoon and they absolutely love each other. With our full schedules, he really needs another dog around to keep him company. This woman's dog is happy, well-trained, and well-adjusted, and in a loving environment. And she was thrilled to meet our little guy. We miss him but he's so happy with his new sister that we feel very good about the situation.

Funny, if we hadn't taken our little foundling into the vet when we did, we wouldn't have met this woman, so I believe it was fate that we found the pup and then ran into her. She also has daily access to training and grooming and is eager to get him started. Her latest updates informed us that the two adopted siblings were playing and relaxing with each other, like they'd known each other all their lives, and the little guy had a great first night sleeping in his new forever home. 

We both miss the little guy and get teary-eyed when we see one of many photos we took of him, but he's happy and that makes us happy. 

Dana's free online newsletter now available for March 2014!

Things are busy for me right now, especially in the publishing industry. Read all about current happenings in my free March 2014 newsletter at http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

My foster siblings - a lifetime of wondering

When I was three years old, having foster siblings didn't thrill me. My mother explained that we were going to be an emergency and short-term foster family for kids whose families couldn't take care of them. But I didn't understand short-term. A day lasted forever when I was a child. I enjoyed my alone playtime and having my own space, so I didn't get why strange kids could come into my home, play with my toys, use my things, take attention from my parents, and I was supposed to be okay with it. These were my parents. This was my house. I didn't want to share. But I quickly adapted, as kids tend to do.

Some amazing "brothers and sisters" came into my life and even when they were shy or scared, they always opened up to me first. We played, we argued, we acted like, well, siblings. But the shared times with these kids never lasted. Every single one of them eventually left. Was taken away from me. Just like that. And there I was, once again, wondering why. Did I do something wrong? Why did they want to leave me? Didn't they like me anymore? Why couldn't we just adopt them all?

My mother tried to explain about the return to their birth families, or extended family, or that they were finally getting adopted by someone who always wanted children. I was a very intelligent child, so I could understand some of this, but I was also very sensitive. My heart ached each time one of them went away. And each time, they took a little piece of me with them. I know two were adopted and one went to live with his grandparents. I know nothing about the rest. I've asked my parents but they don't know, either. Once most of the kids left, they were never informed of anything else.

As an adult, I understand exactly what kind of horrors some of these children went through and I'm grateful I was able to make them smile or, at the very least, help them feel safer with me. A few years ago, I had the fabulous luck of getting in touch with one of my former foster brothers. I was already a teenager when he came to live with us and never thought in a million years I would learn anything about his life after he left. Despite the abuse he suffered as a kid, he's thriving and successful now. I'm so very grateful he came through alive and whole in the end. I can't express what a relief it is to know what happened to him and to be in touch after all these years.

But I still wonder about the others. The one who was so afraid she didn't speak to anyone but her biological sister. The one whose stepfather broke his leg because he was angry. The brother who was my best playmate and friend, who never talked about his family. Ever. Not even with me. The one with down syndrome, who would forever be a child inside and wanted nothing more than to laugh and hug everybody. The deaf brother who learned a few hand signs from a book with me so we could communicate. No one had ever taught him.

Some weren't with us very long, a few days at most, others stayed much longer. But each and every one of them touched me, and that uncertain little girl I was long ago is now thankful she had them in her life. My life. My brothers and sisters. I hope one day I will learn what happened to the rest of them. For now, I will just envision that each one of them found a good life and someone to love.

Once in a while, other authors' characters become family.

I'm a huge fan of certain book and TV characters but not usually one to care much about the writers' and actors' lives. As a writer with a Hollywood and theatrical past, I know the difference between characters and those who write or portray them and have always kept the two separate in my mind. I get a little sad when I hear of a writer or actor dying, especially if I enjoyed their work.

A few years ago, an author, whose books helped me through some tough times and still have special meaning to me, passed away. I'm talking about David Eddings. He was one of my favorite fantasy authors. His wife, Leigh, collaborated on the books and she died a couple of years before he did. From what I've read of them, they were very close, so it doesn't surprise me that he didn't live very many years after she passed.

I recently came across an old article about his death that made me remember those beloved books, all of which still sit on my bookshelf. Once I started reading, I couldn't put the books down, and read the entire series (The Belgariad) in a matter of days, then I moved to the second series (The Malloreon) that continued where the first series left off. The author published 3 more books related to this world and I read those when they came out.

Over the years, I've reread the books or my favorite passages from them. Like the characters I create for my own books, these are family to me. Maybe a beloved aunt or uncle, but still family. It isn't very often other writers' characters touch me so much that I dream about them. But Aunt Pol, Garion, Grandfather and others from Eddings' world did, and still do once in a while. When I'm working through a tough problem, one of them might show up in a dream to help me out. Or someone here in the real world might say something that reminds me of one of those characters and makes me smile.

I hope my characters will mean something special to a reader, perhaps help them out when they're having a tough time and need an escape, become like family to them so that they want to keep and reread my books. That's why I write - so others can have an escape, a release, and just forget about the real world, even if it's only for a short while. That's my ultimate goal as a writer, and always has been. I don't care about teaching lessons or creating a masterpiece worthy of the Louvre. I just want people to get lost in my worlds and enjoy the ride, the way I still do with Eddings' books.

The world will always miss you David and Leigh, but know that you made a profound impression on at least one reader, and I'm sure many, many more.

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2009/06/david-eddings-1931-2009-in-memoriam 

Just for fun! You know you're a short woman when...

Yeah, I'm short. Just thought I'd have a little fun today. Enjoy!

You know you're a short woman when...

1.       You have a step stool in your kitchen so you can reach the cabinets above the counters.

2.       You can’t reach the top kitchen shelves with your step stool so you climb onto the countertops.

3.       You get to a parade the day before so you can get in the first row, otherwise you won’t see anything.

4.       You have a step stool beside your bed because the new mattress set needs those “deep pocket” sheets.

5.       You have to extend the pull chains on all the ceiling fans.

6.       You had no idea the top of the fridge got dusty because you never see it.

7.       You have to climb onto the countertop to clean the top of the fridge.

8.       Foods go bad on the top shelf of the fridge because you’re too lazy to get the step ladder and see what’s there.

9.       You hate shoe sales because your smaller size is always sold out – to those elementary and middle school girls who want to look grown-up.

10.   You always factor in tailoring costs when buying clothes not listed as petite.

11.   When you don’t feel like visiting the tailor, you just buy regular Capri pants because they reach your ankles just fine.

12.   When you’re with your taller friends, it takes a while for people to notice you.

13.   At least once in your adult life, you’ve been mistaken for someone’s kid.

14.   You get carded long after age 21.

15.   Others get cool nicknames like Rocky – Yours include, elf, short stuff, mini-me, little bit, Short Round…

16.   Five pounds on your tall friends is negligible. Five pounds on you means you have to go up another pants size.

17.   You learned that getting patted on the head was just some tall person’s reflexes at work. They just can’t help it.

18.   When someone tells you to watch your head, you just ignore them and walk right under whatever is hanging down.

19.   You visit an elementary school and all the 5^th graders can look you in the eye.

20.   You love when screen actresses are short. Finally, you have a Hollywood mentor!

20th Anniversary of the Northridge Quake

Tomorrow will be 20 years since the Northridge quake hit the Los Angeles area. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. Hubby and I got tossed out of bed at 4:31 in the morning (I managed to get a look at my alarm clock) and stumbled downstairs, trying not to fall as our townhome shook. We did our best to calm our freaked out pets and not panic ourselves. And we weren't even near the epicenter. I've been through several quakes in my lifetime but that one was the longest and scariest. 

Of course, right afterwards I turned to my husband like a good Angelino and said, "Ooh, what do you think? 6.5 at least, right?" (It was actually a larger magnitude)

"Yeah. At least." He nodded and smiled as we braced for the aftershocks. 

Luckily, we only had minor damage to our place. A crack or two in the drywall and a few things fell off shelves. My cousin-in-law lived near Griffith Observatory and her apartment looked like a tornado hit. No structural damage, thank goodness, but what a mess. 

I was doing a production in Burbank at the time and one of our cast members lived near the epicenter. After the inspector cleared her home as still livable, she decided to have a cast party so we could see the damage first hand. Every chimney in her neighborhood, and I mean EVERY chimney, was on the ground with yellow caution tape around it. Her home had huge cracks in every corner where the drywall had separated. It had been cleaned up by this time but she said the place looked like a disaster area after the quake. The good news is that she wasn't hurt.

Others weren't so lucky and several people lost their lives. Mainly because an apartment building that wasn't built to code (on purpose) collapsed and crushed them. I hope that builder is still having nightmares. Sections of our freeways also collapsed. Not as badly as what hit San Francisco but bad enough. Many buildings were damaged, natural gas leaks and fires broke out all over the place. A real nightmare for those involved.

I woke up at 4:31 every single morning for six months after that quake and even a little bump makes me sit up and pay attention today. We can never be prepared enough here on the West Coast and sometimes we get too complacent about earthquakes. People from other areas think we're nuts to live here but our quality of life, fabulous weather and beaches have us in their grasp. But then, we think those who live in tornado, hurricane and blizzard states are a bit off.

Anyway, we've got our emergency kit packed and ready. I just hope we never have to use it.If you're too young to remember the Northridge quake, here are some photos.http://framework.latimes.com/2014/01/14/1994-northridge-earthquake/#/0

I’m a Real Girl (And it sometimes hurts)

This blog is going to be different than any I’ve done in the past. First of all, I feel I need to explain something to my readers, but mostly it’s a journey of self-discovery. If you’ve been following my work, you already know that my latest book has had a couple of delays. I’m about to lay my soul bare for you and tell you why, something I’ve never done because I was taught not to show emotional weakness to outsiders and that’s a very, very hard habit to break.

I went into a depression. There, I said it – Well, I typed it, but that’s the same thing when you’re a writer. This is something other family and friends have gone through and I would just think to myself, “Well, snap out of it. Take control of the situation and fix what you don’t like. Stop wallowing.” I told myself this very same thing, over and over with little result. It has taken me a year to get through it and out the other side. What caused it, you might ask? Well, I originally felt it was a very stupid reason and I shouldn’t be having an emotional meltdown, including bouts of crying and not being able to work, over something so inane. But, like it or not, I was grieving. Hard.

The shocker for me was that this started not over a person but a place. I was grieving over a house. Sounds silly, right? Exactly what I told myself. “Snap out of it. Sheesh, it’s just a house. Holy crap, why are you so emotional over a damn building?” As I tried to ignore these feelings and go on with life as usual, the nightmares started up again. Nightmares that I thought years-ago therapy had taken care of, but the situation dredged up all kinds of childhood traumas I had tried very hard to push aside. I had acknowledged them in therapy. I acknowledged them, the nightmares went away and all’s right in my world. There, I was done. Right? Not exactly.

Last year we sold our Phoenix home, the one we built from the ground up, the one we left our family and friends in California for, where I designed the swimming pool, the one that backed to an expansive desert and mountain scenery, complete with hiking trails that refreshed my spirit each day I walked them in solitude. My desert “dream” home. That was gone. All of it. I missed the beach and California lifestyle, as did hubby, so we moved back home to Los Angeles, something we’d been planning since before the real estate fiasco and the burst housing bubble. The move home got to me much more than I ever anticipated.

I tried to keep up my façade of rolling with the punches, of being just fine with everything. To outsiders, anyway. I knew that whatever bad stuff we were going through would end and we’d come out better for it and in a better place, but getting there was tougher than I expected. Much tougher this time. The crying spells got worse and again I berated myself because I was crying over stuff. Silly stuff that I agreed to sell in order to get back to the beach, which cleanses my soul even more than the desert.

But try telling that to a grieving brain and heart when your “dream” home now belongs to another family and you’re in the middle of a noise nightmare which dredges up more pain than you ever expected. And we would just sell this one and buy another one, so what’s the big deal? This emotional loss represented itself worse than my occasional Meniere’s Disease attacks. Worse even than my past grief over lost family members. Surprised right? I know I was downright flabbergasted. It’s – just – a – house. My husband, ever the supporting spouse, told me that if I needed to talk to someone, we would set it up and he would be there for me, no matter what. Maybe, but I wanted to try and deal with it myself. I promised him that if I started having dangerous feelings, we would make that appointment. I could do this. It’s just a damn house.

But it really was more than that, as I’m sure you’ve already suspected. It was loss. After several years of losing people who meant something to me and trying my best to be the stoic one, keeping my emotions as private as I possibly could, even hiding them from myself most of the time, the grief exploded. And it was messy. I would have good days here and there, but the bad ones outnumbered the good for the first time in my life. For the first time in my life, I was dealing with depression. Me? Depression? No way! Yep. Not the occasional down in the dumps day or a blues week. This was month after month of ups and downs, like a hormonal Nightmare on Elm Street.

My work suffered terribly for the first time in my life and I didn’t want to admit it. I just kept writing, though most of it was unusable in the book. As my deadline loomed and I could no longer hide it, I finally notified my publishing house to let them know the true problem, probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life. Until writing this. My publisher didn’t drop me, as I had feared, and we decided to delay the book release. And then again when the next deadline loomed and I was still in what I call the Well of Lost Souls, we delayed it again. My readers had no idea what was really going on. I didn’t tell anyone, outside my husband, how I felt. Then a family friend made a comment to my husband that made me take a very uncomfortable look at myself.

“I stopped reading her Facebook posts because they’re so negative all the time.”

What? Me, negative? No way in hell. If I feel negative, I don’t put that on my social pages. Sure, I complained about noise. Don’t I have a right to complain about bad neighbors? Traffic? Ill-mannered people? Anger and denial – The first stages of, well, pretty much everything when it has to do with me not living up to my own standards. Perfection is an impossible image to keep up and a tough childhood habit to break. I’m a trained actress. I know how to play a part and play it well, convince even myself that I’m really that person for the duration of the production. Do this in life and you get smacked upside the head as you’re taking your bow.

This is exactly what happened. Realization hit me like a cartoon anvil, square in the head. Oh, hell, I’m a real girl. Damnit! I’m a real girl. There I said it. I have real problems and real emotions and I went through a dark period. The losses I had endured over the years and tried to explain away as just “circle of life” stuff, so I could get on with my life and pretend they didn’t affect me that much, had caught up with me. That house was just that last straw on the camel’s back. The sanctuary, the place I went to forget about life’s traumas, the place I had created as a sanctuary from the world, and sometimes my own troubles and emotions, was gone. And I broke. I bled out emotionally. I needed to acknowledge that so I could sew up the gashing wound and let it mend. It took me over a year to get to this point but I made it through.

I will have scars, like any human, but these wounds are now healing. This is still very strange for me to write. I usually put all my emotional stuff in my books and let characters deal with it, probably one of the reasons I avoid writing non-fiction. Sure, I still get sad now and then when I think of my other home but I’m not breaking down. I’m not emotionally crippled – I now really understand that terminology. I’m back to work, writing my latest novel and enjoying it again. I can look at photos of my former life and not weep and weep like an abandoned baby missing its mother. I apologize to my readers for not finishing my latest book on time, but I’m not going to apologize for my feelings and what they did to me. Not this time. I’m imperfect and I’m letting the world see that. I won’t be ashamed of it anymore.

One thing you’ll learn about me, if you don’t already know it, is that I finish what I start and I do what I say I’m going to do. So, while this latest detour was a painful and eye-opening one, and it may not be my last because I plan to live long enough to complain about aching bones and failing eyesight, I found the main road and am flying down that highway of life again.

My latest book won’t be available until 2014 but now you know the truth behind the delays. I’m human. I’m flawed. I have negative emotions. I went into a depression. Wow, kind of hurts to type that but there it is. I’m a real girl.

Too many Dana Davis authors now

Problem with having an oh-so-common name is that people on Goodreads keep attaching other writers' books to my profile. I have to be diligent and detach them as soon as I catch the mistake. When I first began getting published, I didn't come across any other book authors with my name. I mainly had to compete in search engines with the actress and later the shoe designer. Since we're not in the same industry, this wasn't too big of a problem. In fact, I got extra website and social media hits from fans Googling the more famous incarnations. These days, it seems there are several authors who share my name and readers are getting confused. 

A good rule of thumb for my readers - If it's not on my website, I didn't write it. =)

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/

Free newsletter now available

My free December 2013 newsletter is now available. Enjoy and Happy Holidays! http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

New releases in paperback!

I can't tell you how many times people have asked me when they can get paperback versions of all of my work. Well, now you can! :) 

My publisher has begun putting my eBooks into print. All four of the Desert Magick books are now available from Amazon. Deadly Fate: Book One of the Teadai Prophecies fantasy trilogy was also just released. The remainder of the Teadai trilogy and my tween/teen books will come to paperback in 2013. I'm so excited about this news!

To see the list of available books on Amazon, please visit http://www.amazon.com/Dana-Davis/e/B0033HDLVC/

If you want to read more about the books or watch video trailers, please visit my website. I also have links available if you decide to purchase. http://www.danadaviswriting.com/

Happy Halloween!

I'm writing about ghosts, witches and mediums today. =D

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Clarification on my books/eBooks

Just to clear up any confusion about my books. The first two paperbacks I ever published were Indie books (The Mask of Tamirella and Desert Magick: Superstitions). These books won awards, which helped me land a contract with my current, traditional publisher. So all of my other books/eBooks do not fall into the Indie category. Hope that helps. =D

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/

Teadai Prophecies is coming to paperback!

I'm working hard to get the Desert Magick series finished. Meanwhile, my publisher is getting the books into paperback right now. 1 & 2 are available and book 3 will be out this month. 

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Desert_Magick.htm


In addition to that good news, the Teadai Prophecies fantasy trilogy is also coming to paperback. Yea! Book one is scheduled for release by the end of the year so please stay tuned for updates. 

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Teadai_Prophecies.htm

I'm a PI without a team.

Sadly, the paranormal investigation team I was with is no more. After long consideration, our director decided to dissolve the team due to chronic illness. She's a wonderful lady and plans to continue teaching those new to the subject. She plans to participate in investigations whenever her health allows, but heading a team had become too much for her. I truly hope her health improves because I know how much she loves being in the field.

Working that many hours together creates a family-like atmosphere, and we were fortunate to have members who got along and worked so well together. Our last investigation together was a while ago, and several members have joined up with other teams, but whenever we're in the same town we plan to get out in the field together. Besides, with social media, we're only a click away from each other these days.

That said, I'm now a PI without a team, so I plan to do some freelance investigations as soon as my uber-busy schedule allows. It's been well over a year since I participated in an investigation and I'm anxious to get back in the field. And who knows, I might even find a new team that's a perfect fit for me. Or maybe I'll decide to start my own team at some point in the future. Either way, I sense that a new chapter in my life is about to begin, and it's going to be fabulous!

Dana's free monthly newsletter now available!

My October 2013 free newsletter is now available. Enjoy!

http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

I name houses the way some women name old boyfriends

Hubby and I are celebrating our first year in the new house anniversary this month. Yes, it’s been a year since we moved from Arizona back to Los Angeles. Unlike our desert home, there’s no nature or natural landscape until you get to the beach, so we pass a lot of houses when we walk. Also, unlike our desert home, which was in a new HOA neighborhood and looked like every third house on the street, the homes here are as different and individual as their owners. One of the reasons I’m happy to be back home in SoCal.

I tend to name houses the way some women name old boyfriends. Below are ten of the more outstanding homes in our ‘hood that I’ve named because of their appearances - And yes, they look just like they sound. Even hubby knows which house I’m talking about just by the name I’ve given it. I just love him.

We have:

1. Fire station house
2. Library house
3. I miss Tuscany house
4. I miss England house
5. I miss Japan house
6. Grass is supposed to be green? house
7. Look at those sprinklers go! house
8. All we need is a moat house
9. Agoraphobia house

And one of my favorites

10. Bodies buried in the yard house (This one just might turn up in one of my novels)

Spiders, spiders, everywhere!

Hubby found two brown widow spiders last night, so I decided to go on a spider hunt this morning. Found and killed 6 of the nasty critters hiding under our lawn chairs! I'm sympathetic to living creatures unless they're poisonous. Also killed some of their "land mine" egg sacks on the fence. I then sprayed the house and yard perimeter with poison, which I absolutely hate using but I hate poisonous spiders even more. Now I just need to get some natural stuff for inside the house to keep them out. I've been reading that lemon and peppermint oils work great as a deterrent. 14 years in the desert and never saw one widow. Back home to SoCal coast for 1 year, and wham! Spiders, spiders, everywhere!

Here's one of the nasty critters.

Bad 70s DIY bath needs makeover

When we moved back home to expensive Los Angeles from much cheaper Phoenix, we had to downsize. A lot. Even had to settle for a bad 70s DIY bathroom. The sink and tub are peeling, grout is crumbling, and the old vanity is smelly and falling apart. We've been socking away money since we bought the house a year ago and might have enough to start the remodel in a couple of months. I can't wait! Of course, that means going to a relative's house to shower, so I hope it doesn't take too long. 

I would love a version of this bathroom (see link below) but would paint the walls white so the blue tile pops. 

http://www.nopatternrequired.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/tulsa1.jpg

Quest for Freedom tween/teen eBook is on sale!

Quest for Freedom tween/teen sci-fi is on sale for $1.98 at SynergEbooks Publishing. This week only!

http://synergebooks.com/ebook_questforfreedom.html

Raccoons, Gophers and Skunks, Oh My!

Mr. Stinky

When we moved back to the LA coast from Arizona, we thought we left all the wild critters in the desert. Not so much. Before we ever moved into our new "this old house" here in SoCal, we had raccoons casing the joint. They eventually left once we moved in and started cleaning up the backyard and eliminating any hiding places. Then came the gophers. Boy, what a nuisance! Took us almost 6 months to finally get rid of the last one and we still have to put out castor oil pellets as a deterrent.

Just when we thought we could finally have a critter-free home, in came Mr. Stinky, aka determined skunk. He burrowed beneath the crawl space screen that was protecting (not so much, right?) the opening  and made a nice little home beneath ours. Faint scent of skunk would find us in the yard. We didn't pay that much attention to it at first because skunks are so common here and are always getting hit by cars or spraying neighborhood dogs. Then we saw it. Yikes! Evicting his stinky butt took three nights of diligent watch and resealing the crawl space opening until he finally couldn't get through the barrier.

We breathed a sigh of relief that he was finally gone. Then someone mentioned he might be a she and there might be babies under the house. Aaaahhhhh! So, now I have to talk my husband out of going under the house himself to check. What is it with guys? Okay, forget what hubby wants. Animal control says to hire a licensed trapper so I'm going to call them. Here's hoping there are no more members of the Stinky family under the house. Sheesh! 

This beach bum is loving the LA summer!

Most of you probably read about the big move we did last year, coming back home to LA from Phoenix. It was very stressful, but this week we've been home an entire year. I can't believe it's been that long already. We finally got all the repairs to our "this old house" finished. The only thing left now is the bathroom reno, which will wait until spring when hubby gets his bonus. What, you thought authors made a butt-load of money? That's a good one!  ;)

While I love being home, having the beach nearby, and visiting with family and friends anytime we decide to get together, I miss certain things about the desert. I miss the open desert, the saguaro, and the trails we had near our home there. I miss the mountains.  I miss the monsoon storms and the wildlife. Well, some of it. I don't miss scorpions or rattlesnakes. Phoenix is way less crowded than LA, that's for sure, and traffic is always heavier here. And here in LA, we stand in line for just about everything. But there's one thing I don't miss about Phoenix. At all. The blistering summers.

Summer desert days can reach close to 120 degrees. Here at the coast, a hot day is one that gets in the mid 80s. And we usually stay in the mid 70s during the summer months. So, while my friends are sweltering in Arizona, ducking from the car to the house or grocery store or swimming pool to try and stay out of the heat, we have our windows open and a cool, ocean breeze. We don't even have air conditioning here. Shocked? Well, don't be. It's just how we beach bums roll.

Phoenix Lights on sale and free newsletter available!

Two things for this week.

Desert Magick: Phoenix Lights (Bk 3) eBook is on sale for just $1.98 at SynergEbooks! Limited time only! http://synergebooks.com/ebook_phoenixlights.html

My July 2013 newsletter is now available http://www.danadaviswriting.com/Monthly%20Newsletter.htm

Desert Magick (Bk 2) now in paperback!

It's official!
Desert Magick: Dream Catcher (Bk 2) is now available in paperback! 
http://www.amazon.com/Desert-Magick-Dream-Catcher-2/dp/0744320704/

Desert Magick: Dream Catcher coming soon in paperback!

In case you missed one of my earlier posts, my publisher is putting my eBooks into print. I just received my advanced paperback copy of Desert Magick: Dream Catcher (Bk 2). It will be available for purchase very soon, so please stay tuned for the new release! 

New interview!

My interview at armenpog is live! It will be up all day and night for your reading leisure. http://armenpogharian.wordpress.com/

My Showbiz Heartbreak

A recent online post reminded me of an audition fiasco I had back in the 1980s, with Lynn Dally and the Jazz Tap Ensemble, a prestigious LA dance company. My tap instructor, Louis DaPron, who was already in his 70s by then, set up a private audition for me. I was so excited. All I had to do was show up at the Debbie Reynolds Studio in North Hollywood at the appointed day and time. Having begun performing as a child, I was a veteran when it came to auditions, but this was different. This was a man who had taught Donald O'Conner, Judy Garland and numerous Hollywood legends, a man who, though he chewed me out just about every class for not picking up the steps fast enough, said I had talent. He believed in me and I wanted to prove I was good enough to make it.

Audition day came and I was more nervous than any other time. During my drive there, I started to feel nauseous. So much, in fact, that I had to pull over on the freeway and puke. Twice! I managed to pull next to a blue call box so it would look like I was going to use the emergency phone LA county provided every mile. This was the 80s and we didn't have cell phones like we do today. Luckily, I had an old paper bag in my car and there wasn't a CHP around to think I had car trouble. That would make me late! You might be saying to yourself that I was just nervous, and that's what I told myself, though I'd never gotten sick for any audition or performance in my entire life. After emptying my stomach the second time, I got back into traffic and kept going.

I pulled into the parking lot with 1/2 hour to spare, tossed the sick bag into a nearby dumpster, and headed inside to freshen up. I checked in and stretched out in the hallway, the whole time feeling more and more exhausted, but at least I wasn't nauseous anymore. I jumped around to try and up my energy level, then put on my best face for the audition. This was my one and only shot at this job and I refused to blow it. Besides, the show must go on - I had learned that as a child - and nothing short of death was going to deter me. I tried to dance like nothing was wrong, but my balance was a bit off and I had trouble with one of the turns. I smiled as I danced, even though all I wanted to do was go home and fall into bed. I felt like crap, but they were seeing another girl after me and I had to nail this.

After what seemed like a week but was only a couple of hours, I finished the audition and thanked Lynn and the choreographer, whose name I don't remember off-hand. I didn't puke again, thankfully. But by the time I got home, I had to crawl in the front door and all the way to my room, where I passed out on the floor. Yes, I was that ill. I don't remember anything until the next day when I woke up to my roommate shaking me. I'm guessing the other girl got the job, because Lynn never called me back. I was heartbroken to have to tell my teacher that I blew this amazing chance. I confided to him that I was very sick that day but he still seemed disappointed in me. He died about a year later and I always felt that I had let him down.

Today, I'm grateful I didn't get that company job. If I had, I might never have worked on the TV show Rags to Riches or at Disneyland and I might not be a writer now. In fact, I might not be married to my fabulous husband today, because I never would've taken that much-needed job at Waldenbooks, where I met him. Do I wonder what my life would've been like had I nailed that audition? Not anymore. It's funny how things that seem to destroy our world when we're young, sometimes feel so different when we get older.

Me with my tap teacher, Louis DaPron, back in the day. I still miss him.

eBooks going to print!

Got some exciting news today from my publisher - My eBooks will be going into print! I'm stoked! This means readers who prefer paperbacks over electronic will be able to buy their preferred version. It also means more work for me, since print books require in-person book signings. We're starting with the Desert Magick series. The first book was already in print when I went under contract with SynergEbooks, so book 2 is the one to look for next. I'll blog more about this as things advance and I get publication dates.

If you're on Facebook, you can follow posts from my regular page and/or my author page

https://www.facebook.com/DanaDavisbooks

https://www.facebook.com/DanaDavisAuthorPage  

Longing for a normal work week.

Four weeks of appointments and repair guys and I'm beat. Like a lot of writers, I'm an introvert and prefer lots of alone time, especially when I'm writing. Meeting with friends or family is fun and relaxing, but having to go to various appointments and dealing with repair guys in and out of the house every day isn't my idea of a good time. In fact, it's downright exhausting for me, and I'm always glad when I can get back to a regular writing schedule. Just me and my computer, and my characters of course. Who are screaming at me to get their chapters finished.

Like right now, I'm squinting at my computer because the eye doc dilated my eyes. It really annoys me, not to mention makes it very hard to write because everything is blurry and my eyes are light sensitive. They always tell me it'll wear off in a couple of hours but my eyes stay this way for 4-5 hours each time. I'll plug away the best I can until my eyes return to normal, which should be around dinner time, if I'm lucky.  I hate getting behind on a project - The perfectionist in me cringes. So the rest of the week, I intend to write like a mad woman. And maybe, just maybe, I can get back to a normal work week very soon.

Getting back in touch with my thrifting and crafting self.

Now that we've moved back home - for those of you who haven't been paying attention, home is LA - I'm getting back in touch with my thrifting and crafting self. Buying a home here, which costs a butt-load of money compared to Phoenix, helped push me back into the DIY category of life. In fact, it gave me a hardy shove. Thought I'd share a couple of finds and projects I'm working on for the new "this old house".

I found this awesome storage ottoman at a local thrift store for under $11. Has a dragonfly print, which I love, and a mid-century feel to it. Looks great in our family room and I plan to store my crochet yarns inside.

I got this cute little baby at a yard sale for a whopping $5, brand new in the box. One of my favorite colors and even came with a foot pedal and lots of thread spools. Sewing's not my strong point, but for the price, I figured I could afford to practice on it.

I couldn't find a lamp I liked so I'm painting some of our existing ones. This one is from the 90s. I gave it a mid-century beach feel with a coat of paint. I'm not an artist, but armed with a paint brush or a glue gun, I can get into lots of trouble around the house.

Crazy year and I'm still playing catch-up.

This past year has been crazy. Since last April, here's what's happened:

1. Trip to Holland and Netherlands - our yearly get-out-of-the-country-and-see-something-new trip
2. Meniere's attack - So much for remission.
3. Sold our house in Arizona
4. Trip to LA to find a temporary apartment
5. Trip to Santa Barbara for friend's wedding
6. Moved back to California
7. I published another book - Guess I figured I didn't have enough stress.
8. Bought a fixer-upper here in SoCal
9. Started working on my next book
10. Started repairs on the fixer
11. Moved again
12. Hubby had hernia surgery - I told him not to lift those boxes.
13. I did chores for two while hubby healed
14. Hubby lost his job - He was supposed to be under contract for a year but a reorg took care of that, which meant we also lost our health insurance. Fun, right?
15. Another Meniere's attack
16. Close family member with medical problems
17. More repairs on the fixer
18. Hubby started a new job - Thank goodness he was only out of work for a month.
19. Started landscaping - Maybe the neighbors will stop giving us dirty looks now.
20. And here I am, one year later, still playing catch-up with my writing.

I really hope the next year is not as hectic. Well, off I go to do more writing!