Monday, August 30, 2010

Michigan Author Roxanne Rhoads and Ebook Giveaway

After going to all the trouble to plan Michigan month- rounding up and scheduling authors and giveaways it didn't even occur to me until the last minute to schedule a day for myself.

Hello? I'm a Michigan author, that's the main thing that inspired my decision to showcase other Michigan authors all month. It's not like I picked a state out of a hat and decided to showcase it.

So today to wrap up Michigan month I am going to talk a little bit about my experiences living here my entire life and about my books (of course).
I'll also be offering a couple pdf's of my books whose stories are based in Michigan.

I have lived in Michigan my whole life and have alternately loved and hated it.

I love Spring, Fall and Summer here- it is so beautiful.



Autumn in Michigan by rkramer62 flickr CC

I think my favorite time is autumn- the colors are phenomenal and the smell of dying leaves (sounds odd but it's a slightly sweet nature smell) mixed with the clean crisp air and the wafting aroma of bonfires makes me feel so at home and comforted. The variety of leaf colors combined with the greens and blues of the pine trees mixed with the purest blue skies and big fluffy white clouds make Fall in Michigan extraordinary- and if you happen to combine all that with the backdrop of one of our many beautiful lakes- it is truly an exquisite sight.

I couldn't imagine living anywhere else- I've tried. My husband and I have spoken about leaving but Florida and Georgia (his former stomping grounds) are just too hot for a cold blooded Michigan girl like myself. I love Tennessee but driving through the mountains would surely kill me. And I don't mean falling off the mountain either though after I had a panic attack behind the wheel I am sure I would probably end up at the bottom of the mountain. Not good. Plus the bears. No thanks I want to be able to garden and let my kids play outside without worrying about bears rambling through my yard.

I love the magic of New Orleans but I don't want to live there- visiting from time to time is fine.

So I'm stuck in Michigan because I haven't found anyplace else that feels like home. I just wish I could leave for the winters.


Machinac Island at Christmas Time by Mackinca Cowgirl Flickr Creative Commons


I love snow fall on Christmas Eve- there is something truly magical about snowfall on Christmas Eve. Then waking up to a white Christmas day just feels right.

winter scene by rkramer62 Flickr CC

After that I couldn't care less about the snow. I turn into a grumpy old bear and want to hibernate. All my life in Michigan and I have never been skiing, snowboarding or snowmobiling. My husband, who is from the south, has done all of it- numerous times and he's only lived here for a combined total of maybe 12 years. He even goes ice fishing and hunts. He's taken the kids to do a lot of the outdoor stuff- good thing so they get the experiences. Me, I stay home and huddle under blankets. I have always wished I had a big fireplace to lounge in front of all winter. It would make me happier if I could do winter right. Instead I sulk all winter waiting for spring.

My roses

Once spring comes I am alive again and ready to dig in the dirt and plant my seeds and plants.

My backyard

Then there's summer- gardens, lakes, parks, nature, hiking, camping, going up north...that's all part of a Michigan summer.


Tawas shoreline by Linda N. Flickr CC

When I was a kid my first step dad had a cabin up north and his (adult) son had a big boat up in Tawas- so most of our summers were split up between Harrison and Tawas. Harrison had a lake that I would go swimming in and it had a river flowing through it to go canoeing and tubing. And Tawas...being on the water like that was wonderful. Whenever I get close to one of the Great Lakes and smell that slightly fishy aroma I am transported to my childhood once again. Being at the Great Lakes is like many people going back to the ocean. They are immense and amazing.

I wish I could give my children the up north experiences I had as a child but we don't have a cabin or a large boat like that (hopefully someday). I have sent my son on plenty of boyscout camp outs where they have went up north and to the U.P. (upper peninsula) so he's had the experience plus he goes up north with the hubby for deer hunting every fall.

Now I need to get the other two to see the state.


A couple of my stories take place in Michigan- Renata and The Questioning Concubine which are in Torrid Teasers Volume 59 available through Whiskey Creek Press Torrid are both set in the beautiful downtown area of Flushing.


Cemetery Seduction is also set in the Flushing area. Cemetery Seduction appears in the Midnight Showcase Dark Tales Digest.

I am currently working on a set of novels based in Flint- featuring vampires and all sorts of Others.

Today I am offering a giveaway of a set of pdfs

of

and

to one lucky winner

To enter just leave a comment on this post with your email address

Winner Announced Next Wednesday



Here are my other books:


My Eternal Press Books

My Xcite Books


Other releases through various publishers

Eternal Desire for your Kindle



17 comments:

Chrissy said...

Hi Roxanne, I wanted to let you know how much I've enjoyed reading all the MI posts this month. I'm a fall kind of gal. We are just entering the start of my favorite three months, Sept/Oct/Nov. The temps are just right, the views are amazing and everyday becomes an adventure. Yay! Michigan.

chrissymunder@yahoo.com

SandyG265 said...

Hi Roxanne,

I've enjoyed learning about Michigan since it's someplace I've never been.

*yadkny* said...

Good thing you remembered to scheduled yourself, lol! I would have forgotten too. Thanks for taking the time and effort to schedule all those Michigan authors for this month. It has been great learning about the state and getting to know more authors and their books.

yadkny@hotmail.com

T. said...

Thank you so much for your MI posts and the pictures are Gorgeous! What an amazing place.

T.
finalcutediting@yahoo.com

Estella said...

I have only seen a small part of Michigan in the summer. I don't think I could handle the snow there in winter. I hate snow!

kissinoak at verizon dot net

Unknown said...

Sounds interesting. A Dark Tales digest, huh!? Please count me in too.

I need to do some traveling!

robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com

booklover0226 said...

The pictures are nice. And, surprisingly, I'm enjoying the winter pictures... it's in the mid 90's here today! Those pics are nice and cooling.

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com

Roxanne Rhoads said...

The snow can be pretty sometimes but after the first couple weeks of driving in it and scraping off your car and getting all slushy and yucky it gets old.

The rest fo the year the weather works for me- even if it does constantly change.

I'm glad everyone enjoyed my month of MI authors and MI info. I'm glad I got to meet so many of my fellow writers, I had no idea we were lurking about all over this Great Lakes state.

katsrus said...

Hi Roxanne. Really enjoyed your Michigan posts. Your pictures are beautiful. Thanks for the giveaway.
Sue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

jellybelly82158 said...

I have learned alot about Michigan with these posts. Thanks so much.

jellybelly82158 at gmail dot com

Sherry said...

I loved your pictures my favorite was your autumn picture. It looks so pretty there. I've lived in KY all my life and I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Thanks for all of the great post about Michigan I've found out a lot about the state.

sstrode@scrtc.com

The Scarf Princess said...

Thanks for all the interesting posts about Michigan and everything it has to offer. I think a lot of people's eyes were opened as to how entertaining your state can be.

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

LORETTA CANTON said...

I feel about winter just like you do. I could hibernate Dec to May.

lorettaC
lbcanton@verizon.net

Andrea I said...

I've learned a lot about Michigan this month. I'm a southern girl, born in NW Florida and have now lived most of my life in GA. I can't stand winter and the cold. Give me the 80 - 90 degree summer days any time.

andrea.infinger@gmail.com

Rosie said...

Thanks for Michigan month. I'm from Ohio and can relate to pretty much everything you wrote about this month. I sure do miss the fall colors!!!

rosie0512 @ hotmail . com

L. A. Green said...

Loved the pics of the Island in winter. Been there many times, but I've never seen it with snow! Do the ferries run in the winter?

I grew up in the Michigan snowbelt (Roscommon County) and made many trips to Tawas and I've been to Flushing, too. :)

Thanks for the great memories. I'll have to check out those MI-based books.

Ann Q said...

I would prefer snow to bears.

 
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