N thru S for the A to Z

Picture Copyright

N = Natural Hot Springs

Alaska has several natural hot springs. A tourist favorite is Chena Hot Springs. 90 minutes from Fairbanks it’s a favorite in the summer or the winter, when the aurora borealis is active.

Besides Chena there are at least 12 other Natural Hot Springs in the Alaskan Interior. And while a natural spring is mentioned in the Snowman, it's not in Alaska.

BANNED

FOR

OBSENITY

O = Obscene – offensive to moral principles, repugnant

(of the portrayal or description of sexual matters) offensive or disgusting by accepted standards of morality and decency.

The Snowman may be offensive for both the violence and the sexual portrayals of the story. Please be forewarned. Stone is not a nice character.

P = Ptarmigan – (t arm again) The Willow Ptarmigan is the State Bird of Alaska. Also, known as the Arctic Grouse or as some in Alaska call them, the Alaskan chicken. There are three types of Ptarmigan and all are found in Alaska - the Willow, the Rock, and the white tailed.

In the Snowman I mentioned the ptarmigan as part of the Alaskan turducken dish of - ptarmigan, bear, and moose. FYI - there is no such dish! 😉

Q = Quiver or quiver?

To quiver is to tremble or shake with a slight rapid motion or it’s a slight trembling movement or sound especially one caused by a sudden strong emotion.

Or a Quiver is the tool that holds your arrows.

Both examples are used in the Snowman – both uses cause uncontrollable shaking, terror, and eventually result in death.

Photo Copyright

R = Reincarnation – “Reincarnation is the philosophical or religious concept that the soul or spirit, after biological death, can begin a new life in a new body. This doctrine is a central tenet of the Hindu religion. The Buddhist concept of rebirth is also often referred to as reincarnation and is a belief that was held by such historic figures as Pythagoras, Plato, and Socrates.”

Stone believes in reincarnation - can he kill the same person twice?

Photo Copyright

S = Sadistic – deriving pleasure from inflicting pain, suffering, or humiliation on others.

How would you feel waking up on Stone's autopsy table?

Sadism is Stone’s specialty. As I said before, be forewarned! Stowy is not a nice guy!

***

N O W  A V A I L A B L E!

AMAZON KINDLE!

&

PAPERBACK!

The Snowman

   Yolanda Renée

TE

Excerpt:

Naked, bound, and with a thundering headache, Carol stirred. She blinked several times. The fluorescent light above her blinding.

“Where am I? The hospital?”

“No bitch. You’re on the autopsy table … and … you’re dead.” Stone said, emphasizing each word.

Tears immediately appeared. “You bastard.” She struggled, but neither her stretched out arms or legs would move.

Stone leaned close. “Tell me— who did you rat me out too?”

“You. I don’t know you.” She stared wide eyed.

“I know you wrote down my license plate number, both times. Once with Kathy and the other time with Crystal. Do-gooding got you killed. Who’d you give them to?”

***

Have you ever visited a Natural Hot Springs?

What do you consider obscene?

Personally, the political scene fits my definition! 😊

Ever eat ptarmigan?

Ever found yourself in a quiver?

Do you believe in reincarnation?

And sadism, wow, how much is too much?

I’m afraid Stone hasn’t reached his limit – at least for dishing it out!

H thru M for the A to Z

Photo Copyright

H = Hoodoo Mountains, AK

Home of the Arctic Man Challenge. “The Arctic Man is one of the World's Toughest Downhill Ski races, and an exciting snowmobile race, all in one.”

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I = Interior Alaska

"The Alaska Interior covers most of the U.S. state's territory. It is largely wilderness. Mountains include Denali in the Alaska Range, the Wrangell Mountains, and the Ray Mountains. The native people of the interior are Alaskan Athabaskans." wikipedia.org  

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J = Juneau, AK

Juneau is the capital of Alaska.

"Downtown Juneau is nestled at the base of Mount Juneau and across the channel from Douglas Island. The Tlingit name of the town is Dzántik'i Héeni, and Auke Bay just north of Juneau proper is called Áak'w in Tlingit.

The Taku River, just south of Juneau, was named after the cold t'aakh wind, which occasionally blows down from the mountains." wikipedia.com

Steven Quaid is Tlingit, and his family is from Juneau.

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K = Klondike

"Gold! Gold! in the Klondike!"

"During the first year of the rush an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 gold seekers spent an average of three months packing their outfits up the trails and over the passes to the lakes."

"More than 3,000 animals died on this trail; many of their bones still lie at the bottom on Dead Horse Gulch." National Park Service

The trust of the innocent is the liar's most useful tool.

Stephen King

L = Liars

“A sociopath is typically defined as someone who lies incessantly to get their way and does so with little concern for others.” Truth About Deception

Stone is a sociopath and very adept at lying.

Here’s a place you can take a quiz and see where you fall on the lying scale. HERE!

Photo Copyright

M = Marionette

“A marionette is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a marionettist.

Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or revealed to an audience by using a vertical or horizontal control bar in different forms of theatres or entertainment venues.” Wikipedia

There is a chapter in the Snowman titled Marionette, enough said. 😉

***

The Snowman

Yolanda Renée

N O W  A V A I L A B L E!

AMAZON KINDLE!

The Snowman

   Yolanda Renée

TE

Excerpt:

The forest was still. The cold misty air filled Steven’s lungs revitalizing him. Breathing deeply, he let the stress of the last few months slip away.

The confrontation with his father over his career choice left Steven on edge even though they’d compromised. Steven had met the political machine in Juneau, and his father had enlisted the aid of several of his friends to add more pressure. While consistent, the timeline for submission to the political realm had moved to the future. His father wouldn't give up that easy. Hell, Dad will never give up; it's why he such a good politician.

He scoped through the trees of the valley and focused on the Mendenhall Glacier. The knots in his shoulders loosened. A vision of creamy skin tucked under a garbage bag cleaved its way into his thoughts. I wonder what’s happening in the case. Did another clue surface?

The grunts of a moose took his mind off the mystery. Bow and arrow in hand he scanned the area.

***

Would you ski down a mountain while being pulled by a snowmobile?

One of the biggest tourist sites, Interior Alaska, if you only take the cruise, look at what you're missing.

Juneau, would you live in a place only accessible by boat or plane?

Would you risk it all on the Klondike?

How good of a liar are you?

Are you as creeped out by Marionettes as I am?

*****

Okay, the truth, I bit off more than I could chew!

I will not be able to adequately participate in the challenge. Although, I'll let my posts run, there is no way I can get to all the daily postings, although I will make an attempt to hit everyone at least once a week!

Wishing you all the best for the rest of this crazy busy month!

IWSG - Marketing with the A to Z

THE INSECURE WRITER’S SUPPORT GROUP

ALEX J. CAVANAUGH

It's that time again, a day to express insecurities, and boy do I have a few. Just last week I asked my publisher for the rights to my trilogy. Now, I'm dealing with cover designs, but thanks to a picture taken just last month in the snow, I had my start. I then sent that on to Michael Di Gesu, and he worked his magic. You can see the results in the sidebar -->

Murder, Madness & Love is now up as a Kindle, and I'm going to use Amazon to publish in paperback too.

Memories of Murder should be up as a Kindle in a few days. Murder & Obsession will come next. All while I’m working to get the Prequel to the Series online too!

Amazing but that when it rains, it pours! Up to my elbows in edits, and designs, and more edits, plus getting ready for the book tour for the Snowman, and this month, all month the A to Z!

That’s only the half of it, but, well, no more crying over spilled milk. Pulling up my big girl pants and getting to work! Wish me luck, because I’m damn sure as Hell going to need it!

The tour for the Snowman begins in May, there are still a few spots open, please consider hosting me that day for a review, guest post, or interview! Thank you! Just click HERE!

Happy April, everyone!

Question:

Have you taken advantage of the annual A to Z Challenge in terms of marketing, networking, publicity for your book? What were the results?

Yes, as a matter of fact last year after the release of Murder & Obsession I used the A to Z to introduce the story and discuss Alaska. I sold 40 books that month. Not a bad start. And for this A to Z I'm going something similar for the Snowman!

Thank you, everyone, who stayed with the posts and bought the book! I enjoyed that A to Z almost as much as the one I did on Margaret Mitchell.

Be sure to say hello to the awesome co-hosts:

 Christopher D. Votey, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Fundy Blue, and Chrys Fey!

**

Be sure to check out the WEP Challenge for April

The post happens on the day for the letter 'P'

Sign up today!

B thru G for the A to Z

B =  Bear Stew 
Yum! In Alaska, if you kill it, you better be ready to eat it! Have you ever had Bear Stew? It's one of Steven Quaid's favorite meals.
Here's a recipe for Bear Stew, just in case...



C = Crena – the décolletage of the ass!
I used the word in my book and was told no one would know what it was. So, for your edification. Now you know! 😊

D – Dredging

Dredges were used to remove the gold from the land. It’s a bit like strip mining. The results ended up the same. Land

scared by the machines. Several dredges are still visible today. One scene in the book brought to mind the remains of a dredging site I saw in Ester, AK once. A large gravel pit. 

The photograph is of the Jake Wade Dredge

E – Exsanguination is the process of blood loss, to a degree sufficient to cause death. It also depends on which vein/artery that is cut as to the lengh of time it takes. One study says that to cut both wrist's it would take 8 minutes.
This is the Snowman's favorite method of delivering death.

F – Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas at room temperature and has a strong odor. Used as a chemical in embalming fluid, it is highly toxic!
Stone uses it to keep red the color of his blood paint.

G – Girdwood enjoys its status as Alaska’s only true resort town. Just 30 minutes south of Anchorage, Girdwood is home to the luxurious Alyeska Resort.
Stone has a cabin nearby and his idea of an artistic reveal leaves nothing to the imagination.

Introducing Stowy Jenkins, aka

(also known as) Stone

the Snowman!

Coming Soon

It takes a true artist to pursue his victims in the art of seduction, and Stowy Jenkins is no exception, especially with blood as his medium.

Excerpt:

Little by little he added the formaldehyde to the viscous mixture, stirring it vigorously. Dipping his brush into its freshness, he began painting. Swirls, splattered droplets, and elongated dribbles soon filled the canvas. Waves of joy rose up from his deepest being, and a sense of satisfaction overwhelmed him. This creation will be my best. The addition of formaldehyde will keep the red as vibrant as the fountain of blood gushing from my Maggie May.

A maniacal laugh escaped his lips. “Rouge d’amour will be the star of my masterpiece! It will leave art lovers and critics breathless.”

Have you ever eaten bear stew?

Did you know what crena meant? Would you have looked it up? 

Is dredging to get to the gold, fair?

And as for exsanguination, would you prefer the slow or fast approach?

Formaldehyde, what can you say but yuck?

And Girdwood, a lovely place, have you ever been?