Good Morning!

Yeah, it's raining. And gray. And it's raining. Did I mention the rain?

May Day! May Day! It's my sister's birthday!
I just finished wrapping my sister's birthday gift. Gotta hydroplane to the post office in Red Therapy, with the top up or wear a snorkel, to mail it. The prezzie won't reach her in time for her 87th birthday on Sunday. Yeah, 87th birthday--did you get that, Rhon? I'm kidding, folks. My little sister is many decades younger than that. Just wanted to spin her up on her special day. What more can a loving sister do, I ask you?

Bountiful Bikers
This past week about 35,000 Harley riders converged upon Laughlin, Nevada for the annual River Run. Even if you don't ride one, this is one event you want to witness at least once in your life. I did back in April 2000 and wrote about it. You can read my whole amazing experience at Kickstart Your Creativity and I've included an excerpt below.

EXCERPT~Kickstart Your Creativity
I love to write about people of all ages who allow or make themselves to "just do it", whatever that maybe in terms of pushing the personal performance envelope in a positive, sometimes difficult, growth promoting way. In order to write authentically about such characters and their personal stories, I need to meet, observe and interact with all sorts of people as well as have adventures myself. So, when my brother handed me two tickets to a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert, I eagerly dusted off my earplugs and hit the road with 35,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle riders bound for the Laughlin, Nevada annual Harley River Run.

The Harley River Run. To get to the concert in the Flamingo Hotel outdoor arena on the Colorado River, we navigated the bikers-clogged sidewalks along the Laughlin Strip. Every street corner was packed 100 deep with men in black waving beer bottles, hooting approval or howling at the unending parade of every model and type of Harley motorcycle throatily prowling from one stoplight to the next. Beer gardens under striped tents enticed swaggersby with heavy metal biker rock, though not once did I hear "Born to be Wild." River Run tee shirt vendors must have gotten rich putting their merchandise on the backs most of the 35,000 Harley riders and wannabees. Rumor has it that one of the local Harley Davidson dealers made $300,000 selling parts and accessories during River Run week.

A sea of flashing chrome and metal fleck paint of a thousand parked motorcycles spilled from the Flamingo entrance to streetside as we merged with the leather heading for the concert. By this time I was desensitized to all the testosterone and horsepower and started to notice differences in biker types. There is a Harley rider's "uniform"--black leather everything and boots. Biker babes wear as little on top as possible, a leather halter or a bikini top. It doesn't really seem to matter if rolls are showing, just as long as whatever available cleavage does. (To read more click here)

ESSENCE OF TRUST ~ NEW REVIEW
My book ESSENCE OF TRUST that will be available in stores and from my website May 15 just got another great review. Deb Hern of The Romance Reader's Connection gave the book a 4 star rating, which they call "Plugs" on that review site:

". . . the characters and their various relationships are all very deep and layered. The narrative, combining paranormal, romance, action, and adventure, moves along at a brisk pace that will keep readers turning the pages. ESSENCE OF TRUST is an original, intelligent, and complex novel; dealing with reincarnation, the interconnection of souls, and the possible future of mankind. While this is a complete story, there is clearly more to come. I’m looking forward to the continuation of this mesmerizing tale." Deborah Hern, The Romance Reader's Connection Full Review Click Here

Melinda's Creative Centre Newsletter
Subscribers, your next issue of Melinda's Creative Centre News will hit your inbox on May 2. This time the magnificent prize winner of the contest will not be answering a riddle that you can too easily Google. You're gonna have to work, make that read, for it.

Ciao, ciao, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmelinda

Good Morning! Full Pink fever is still stirring things up, in a good way--huzzzzah!

Contest Congrats
I've been receiving lots of lovely support and congrats about my western historical, THE SPANISH BLADE, being a finalist in the RTTA content. Award-winning paranormal thriller author Kim Harrison signed off her congratulatory email with the following in her siggy line:

It's not the gray hairs that bother me,
it's the flaming bunnies from hell.

Kim says, "There is a story behind it [the quote], and a joke behind that, but the long and short is flaming bunnies are things that land on my desk, looking fuzzy and soft, and I take them in, and give them carrots. Then they flame up into more work than I could possibly imagine."

I hadn't considered desk and inbox clutter as flaming bunnies from hell, but, thanks to Kim, I do now! I speak to Flaming Bunnie Extinguishers in my next Melinda's Creative Centre News due to hit subscribers' inboxes just in time to avoid catastrophic burnout!

ESSENCE OF TRUST Review
The first review for my third book in The Eternal Trust saga has received FOUR and 1/2 STARS from reviewer Kelley Hartsell owner/reviewer, Love Romances. Here's a tasty teaser:
"...there are multiple, totally shocking, plot twists that will make readers gasp aloud in disbelief...an even more powerful story than the previous two...will engross the reader right through to the very last page of the book...Essence of Trust indeed ends this chapter in a strong saga, but ends it in such a way to give one hope that maybe, just maybe, if destiny is kind, we may at some future date get to cross our paths with those friends--and enemies--found between these pages. Only the fates know for certain." (Click here for full review)

Workshop NEWS
If you're in the Seattle area, come celebrate Cinco de Mayo with me!
FREE Workshop--May 5--Federal Way Regional Library
Your Creative Flow: Writing from Inside Out


REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR MELINDA'S ONLINE CLASSES

June 2 - Creative Development Coaching
Instructor: Melinda Rucker Haynes, M.Ed., CH
Topic: Care and Feeding of Your Muse: Introduction to Creative Block Busters

Having trouble getting ideas? Can't get your ideas on the page? Rather pick lint than face a blank screen? Your muse may be blocked. Discover why creative blocks are built and which blocks are keeping you from your best writing. Learn how to bust blocks open with effective tools that will constantly inspire you . . . (Learn more)

June 6 - Craft/Creative Intensive
Instructor: Melinda Rucker Haynes, M.Ed., CH
Topic: The Selling Pitch

All pitchers on deck for the warm-up! It's conference time again and the editors and agents are waiting for your Flawless Pitch. Are you ready?

After selling six novels, three non-fiction books, numerous articles and being funded for nine major research grants, I'm beginning to feel like a veteran player in the pitching game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you strikeout, but it's what you learn to improve your game that's important.

Successfully pitching your fiction or nonfiction anywhere, anytime requires proven sales and oral storytelling techniques. Learn to use the Flash Five process to craft a best-selling pitch. "90 Second Blurb" your story with dynamic language that grabs the editor/agent's attention and makes them ask for more. (Learn more)


Leave 'Em Laughing . . .
That's what the man said, and in that regard I offer the following blonde joke sent to me by Dan Harshberger, a friend from high school. I have every unPC right to tell this joke because most of my hair has been blond for a very long time and I do have a little red sports car, as well as a state trooper neighbor who is a blonde . . .

A blonde woman was speeding down the road in her little red sports car and was pulled over by a woman police officer who was also a blonde. The blonde cop asked to see the blonde driver's license. She dug through her purse and was getting progressively more agitated.

"What does it look like?" she finally asked.

The policewoman replied, "It's square and it has your picture on it."

The driver finally found a square mirror in her purse, looked at it and handed it to the policewoman. "Here it is," she said.

The blonde officer looked at the mirror, then handed it back saying, "Okay, you can go. I didn't realize you were a cop."


Ciao, ciao, Guys!
MMMMMMMMmmelinda

Hey!

In case you're wondering, THIS LOVE is once again on repeat (see 4/24 MMMLog) and I'm rocking out-- I'll break the chains of fear in the name of this looove . . .

Here's the link to my magnificent guitarist friend's website, Kathye Long Just click it, baby!

Heard from my Sissy-In-Law in Kansas about their Full Pink drumming last night. She said, ". . .at one point all light disappeared from the darkened room, and of course the humming that raised and lowered in volume, possibly ear drums reacting to the continued thumping." She said they laughed all the way home. Sounds fun. Remember I said I was going to watch the moon rise? Didn't happen. Rained all night. Now, that's the Seattle I know.

Though it's sunny now for the next couple of minutes and I'm going to put the top down on Red Therapy to run to store to pick up more book/CD mailers. All you who have ordered THE ETERNAL TRUST saga books or the PERSONAL TIME TRAVEL CD, they're in the mail this afternoon. I'm sending you thank-you-for- waiting gift, too, in addition to the bonus goodies. Let me know how you like it!

A couple of my wonderful friends are cruising--one to Hawaii and the other through the Greek Islands. Lisa Wanttaja and her DH cruised from Los Angeles and should be circling the islands after a "rough crossing". Lisa said from the first hour out of port, she thought she was gonna die. When she finally got her sea legs, she and the DH amused themselves by watching the tsunamis in the pools. Oh yeah!

Connie Coleman and her DH are cruising the Greek Islands. She's a fabulous professional photographer--see her photos on the free background wallpaper at Reflections on Love

Connie says she's filled up 6 4-gigabite cards and her laptop with photos. I can't wait to see them. I treated myself to a new camera (got Connie's advice, of course). I've used an old Pentax ME SLR with a 35-105 lens for the last twenty years. Now I've got this geewhiz digital Canon . . .oh my. Thou wretched Camera User Guide,thou shalt not defeat me!

Uh oh, it's clouding up. Better hie myself to the store.

Oh yeah, I won't be signing off with Heigh-ho any more. I looked it up. Those rotten seven dwarves! According to Webster's, Heigh-ho means: An exclamation usually expressing some degree of languor or uneasiness. And I thought the Short Seven were singing heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's off to work we go as an expression of enthusiasm for what they were doing. Sheeeesh. One more illusion bites the dust.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmelinda

WE'RE LIVE!
Should you click on MMMlog this moment, you will see that the New! Improved! But Wait There's More! www.melindaruckerhaynes website is now LIVE. Hasn't Willa Cline done a fabulous job? Do let us know what you think of our new look and amazing content!

FULL MOON
The moon is full--that's what it says on my calendar and out my window here in strangely sunny Seattle. I use an Australian calendar that my friend Claire Malloy sends me each Christmas from Brisbane. Please join me in sending my favorite Kiwi in Oz a big hello!

This full moon brought me great news. As you can see from my listed BOOKS, I write paranormal romantic thrillers and young adult novels. I also write other kinds of "romances", one such is a western historical, THE SPANISH BLADE. I entered it in the Hearts Through History Romance Writers of America chapter's national contest and found out that THE SPANISH BLADE is a finalist. Woooohooo!

Did you know that moons have "names"? We've all heard of blue moons or harvest or hunter's Moons. Apparently, all the moons have names. The April full moon is called Full Pink, and the following is from the Farmers Almanac site: Full Pink Moon - April. This name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month's celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and among coastal tribes the Full Fish Moon, because this was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.

On this Pink Moon, my DH's mom is visiting her daughter in Kansas. My sister-in-law is taking her mom to a full moon drumming tonight. Ever been to one? I have in Bozeman, MT and loved it. It was usually held outside under the full moon, but that evening poured rain so we had to drum beneath the florescent tube indoors. I pounded my fingers raw on all sorts of hand-made drums, though I'm no musician but I can seem to find and keep a beat. The drum maker brought every sort of drum for us to try and some brought their own drums. One guy dragged in a five gallon Igloo cooler and pounded on that. He was pretty good! The drum maker would establish a rhythm and we'd copy then follow our drummers within. On this Full Pink, I'm pounding on the keyboard to the light of the monitor and listening to a fabulous original song by Kim Richey, THIS LOVE. I've got the track on repeat. Even the dog's deserted me, she's so tired of THIS LOVE. Not mmmmeeeee and this looooooooove.

MUSICAL FRIENDS
The best guitarist and song writer in my world, Kathye Long, lent me the CD last night when she was here to dinner. Kathye's just released her new CD, CHECK PLEASE, and I've worn that out. How can you not with great original music like "I Need A Dress for My Ex-husband's Wedding or "It's Enough to Drive a Man to Think"? Good music and good fun! Yup, it's a "repeat all" favorite, too.

Think I'll go salute Full Pink's rise with a glass of Chaleur Estate and croon to the DH by moonlight . . .in the name of this looooove. . .

Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to moonwatch I go!
Mmmmmmmmmelinda

Good morning!

BREAKING NEWS:
*The NEW website will be going live this week, huzzzah!
*ESSENCE OF TRUST Available May 15!

Twas the 18th of April in '75, hardly a man is now alive . . .

Given that my DH (dear husband)is a biological repository of historical data that he loves to share, I know a bit more than I should of such info. This is the man who strode through the halls of British Airways at Heathrow one April 18, reciting the above famous phrase, and more, of Longfellow's Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, his cousin. My DH also took great joy in sharing with the British that we in the U.S. once had a king, too, but we made him redundant. Oh. My.

Yes, my DH did indeed make many friends during our three years in England, some of them even British.

Our alpha-omega progeny stopped in for lunch on Friday on his way from Japan through SeaTac. He brought me a beautiful blue and white carp windsock that my DH and I spent the rainy weekend trying to find a spot for in our back yard. It's now flying off the lattice at the edge of the patio. All the trees are in bloom as well as the azaleas and rhoddies. I love our pretty yard. We always do our own landscaping and really enjoy it--well, the final product, anyway. From experience I must warn you that nothing strains a potential landscaping partnership more than a DH arriving home to find five yards of one inch washed rock dumped in the driveway. And he can't get into the garage until that gravel or sod or beauty bark is moved . . .

I'm reading The Disappearance of the Universe by Gary Renard. Interesting. He's a student of A Course in Miracles and his book chronicles his experiences toward enlightenment with a pair of disincarnate teachers who appeared to him seventeen different times over ten years. I heard him on a radio show where he gave a teaser about who he discovered he'd been in a past life. Just my kind of thing, though in the hundreds of past life regressions I've guided people into I've not heard anyone experience a past life as anyone famous. While his teachers revealed to Renard who he had been rather than his experiencing that life through regression hypnosis, other experiences and indicators in his present life allowed him to resonate with or accept that he had once been that person.

I always encourage my clients and interested others to look to their present life's interests and hobbies, goals, desires, and work as well as fears for clues to possible past lives. For more information on past life regression hypnosis, please check out Personal Time Travel

Heigh ho for now, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmelinda