Of Ruby-Stained Glass and Other Things

I know I’ve been quiet lately—just occasionally real life intervenes in the writing process, or I’m in the middle of several projects that I can’t talk about until I have contracts, and sometimes life just throws in a curved ball and knocks me for a six. I’d say guess which one, but it’s actually been all three.
The dreaded day job is something most, if not all, new and aspiring authors can relate to, and I have been blessed with outside work lately that has unfortunately kept me from my computer. I’m not complaining; it has also let me buy books for research…but more about those another time, when the projects they relate to are complete.

As to the several projects, well, the first one is complete and now under submission. It breaks new ground in the erotic romance genre for me so, although quite short, took a bit to write. I’ll talk more about it once it’s under contract…whenever that will be. In the meantime, I’ve moved on to the next story.

This story has surprised me, though. It’s a short contemporary paranormal romance involving glassware and a fairy godmother, and that’s what has me so excited. The main character has decided to have a passion for ruby-stained glass and I decided I needed to know a whole lot more about it than the fact it was red…and, oh boy, is there a whole lot more to know.

I could blather on about pressed glass and patterned glass and cut glass and lead oxide vs. sodium in glass, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll share a few of the wonderful sites I’ve visited and let you discover the beauty and wonder of this glassware (and others) for yourself.

References:

The Ruby Stain Museum: http://www.rubystainedglass.org

The ABC’s Treasure Hunt Website: http://www.abc.net.au/treasurehunt/rubyglass.htm

Shop4Antiques: http://www.shop4antiques.com/misc/article1.htm

The Anchor Hocking Museum: http://www.anchorhockingmuseum.com/Royal%20Ruby.html

Bob Brooke’s Communications: http://www.bobbrooke.com/rubyglass.htm

Along the way, you might also want to look up Bristol blue glassware and Vaseline glassware—the last one has uranium in it and looks like it glows in the dark. There just has to be a story in that!

Nalini Singh is Evil…in a Good Way…like Rich, Dark Chocolate

…or sweetened cream over strawberries marinated in Cointreau, icing sugar and cinnamon.

What I mean is that I like to wind down from a long day by reading in bed. Just a chapter, mind you, to get my mind to relax and let go of the problems of the day. Well, I’m onto the fourth book of Nalini Singh’s Changeling and Psy series and she keeps me up almost all the darn night.

Instead of reading a mere chapter or two, I wind up reading until I just can’t keep my eyes open any more, which leads to a much later ‘lights out’ than is good for me. I’d love to say it’s all her fault, but it isn’t. It’s all my fault because I know, when I pick up one of her books, that there are just going to be chapters where I’ll reach the end and really not want to stop reading.

Her plots intrigue me, raising moral questions and highlighting how different interests affect politics in various arenas that, in turn, filter down to actions affecting everyone else. They also have suspense, action and all the complexities of people interacting with other people in spite of the differences of their backgrounds.

Her world meshes in a strongly woven web that means the existence of three ‘races’ (human, changeling and psy), and the way they interact is entirely believable. Her characters make me laugh and cry and care so much that I just can’t bear to leave them until I’m sure they’re going to be all right..

Her writing draws me into her world and the lives of those she peoples it with. It also makes word music in my head, creating tunes that linger long after the book has been read and the story told. Those tunes beckon me back for a second read, and will probably do so for a third..

My only dilemma is that I now own the first four books and have the fifth on order at my local bookstore. That leaves just the decision of working out what to read between when I finish reading Mine to Possess and when the next one arrives…and what to get them to order next..

Now don’t get me wrong, but I’ve never been fond of angel stories. Still, being a sucker for a great story and a well-woven world, and knowing this author does both tremendously well, I am sorely tempted. I think I’m just going to have to try her other series, as well..

So, when I say ‘evil’, I don’t really mean ‘evil’. I mean ‘Thank you, Nalini, for sharing your worlds and your stories and giving me something to aspire to as a writer’..

If you haven’t read her work, I’d say give it a try. I’m now trying to hunt down the ones I’ve missed. There are only a handful of authors whose work I enjoy to that degree..