Only in Vienna Mondays ~ @oddlynn3 #LynnCrain #OnlyInVienna

            Hi everyone!

            I have decided to start a new column here on A Writer in Vienna. Austria is an extremely interesting place and I have noticed things that I’ve not seen elsewhere in the world. Now, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist elsewhere, it just means if I see it here and make note of it then it’s different or unusual.

            Most of the time, it will just be a picture with a caption. Or it might be a picture with a question…you never know just what I’ll be thinking that day…LOL! Yes, there are many days where I ask myself ‘huh’ or ‘what is that’ or ‘what the hell is that’ because it’s very odd and definitely something I’ve not seen in the world that I’m used to seeing.

            So, sit back and enjoy yourself through the very different and odd things found in Vienna.

            Enjoy!

            Lynn

This weeks entry is easy and fun. We’re walking to the pet store to get Pup Harry his special dry dog food when I look across the street. Huzzah! Won’t the friends back in the US be so, so jealous. They don’t have one of these there!

It's All About Setting ~ @oddlynn3 #rndrobin0524 #LynnCrain

Good morning everyone! Hope you all are ready for a wonderful Round Robin fest today.

But first, I must apologize for not participating the last couple of months. In early March, I was called away to the States for an emergency concerning my father. Unfortunately, late that month he passed away. It took me almost another month to tie up some loose ends and to get back to my European home. While it’s taken me almost another month to get some of my writing mojo back, I’ve been told it can take a while…and so it shall. So, let’s get to the topic of this month.

What is the most inspiring, romantic, or dangerous setting you ever read or written?

Wow…this topic covers a lot of ground…and I’ve read and written some pretty interesting things. One of the scenes I remember most from Romancing The Stone is when the heroine, Joan Wilder played by Kathleen Turner, is completing her novel and she starts crying at the end. That scene has stayed stuck in my over my years as a novelist as I felt I had to have at least one scene that left me crying. And I did.

In the second book of my Santa’s Elves series, The Thing About Elves, I had a gut wrenching scene at the end that when I read it today, still makes me cry. The hero, Ardan, realizes as a doctor there is nothing more he can do for the woman he loves, Angie. He has to let her go and see what the gods have in mind. It breaks him to realize with all his elven magic and medical knowledge he can’t save her. It was one of the most intense scenes I have ever written and also one of the most inspiring. Check out the book at http://www.extasybooks.com/lynn-crain/the-thing-about-elves/ to see how the story ends.

As far as romantic settings, I would say that there is at least once in every book where the setting spells romance. In my Santa’s Elves series I use the North Pole and Scotland with a dash of Boston included. In my A Taste of Vienna series, I use the city and the transportation system for some pretty steamy scenes. I do have to say that my all time romantic setting is Scotland. As I am mentally going through all my books, I realize I have used that country for more books than any other. And why not? Scotland is in our psyche as one of the most romantic places in the world. Having been there twice I can hardily concur.

For dangerous settings, well one can make any place dangerous. Think of all the times you’ve seen Las Vegas used as a dangerous place. I have to admit there are some shady areas but since it’s just over the hill from my backyard, I have to think positively. Yet, I too have used it as somewhere to fear.

As a writer, I can make any place romantic, I can make it inspiring or even dangerous. That is the joy of the job. I’m just thankful that I am not Joan Wilder, truly living the dream…then again…maybe I am because I do live in one of the most romantic cities in the world…Vienna.

See you all next time. Don’t forget to visit the rest of the lovely writers, listed below, in this month’s round robin.

Lynn

* Anne Stenhouse at http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com
* Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca
* Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
* Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/
* Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
* Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
* Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com
* Margaret Fieland at http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog 
* Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com
* Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com

* Heidi Thomas at http://heidiwriter.Wordpress.com

Do You Believe in the Paranormal ~ @oddlynn3 #rndrobn1026 #LynnCrain

Welcome to this month’s round robin with a great group of writers. It’s October and time for all things paranormal. The weather has changed here in Vienna and out my office window I can see the fall colors in abundance. I just got home yesterday from the States and I do apologize for being late because I’m still a little jet-lagged...make that very...so I apologize in advance if something doesn't make sense.

But back to the topic of the month and that’s all things paranormal. I got a great beginning to the subject when we landed yesterday in a fog bank. Yes, it was like the legendary London fog and total pea soup. I was thankful that by the time we got in the taxi that you could at least see a hundred feet in front of the car as there was zero visibility from the plane window. The pilot gave us a little warning but my husband said that he didn’t explain it well because the German version was a little disconcerting. Still, I think it is an appropriate beginning to this month’s column.

The question is have I or anyone I know ever had a paranormal experience? I can say that with an absolute yes. I live in a very old building here in Vienna. People have been coming and going, dead or alive, since it was built in 1867.

We haven’t figured out yet just how the original apartments were configured. We believe that many of the floors on our side of the building were single apartments or at the very most, two apartments. We’ve seen a few of the larger apartments when they’ve been updating them and they could hold at least a couple of families.

In my particular apartment on the fifth floor, although they say it’s the 3^rd floor because the garden level doesn’t count and ground level is considered the earth level, we are not alone. I became first aware of this by noticing the French doors keep coming unlocked. What I mean by this is that we can stop one of the doors from moving by pushing the lock down into place in a hole in the floor. It makes it so the door doesn’t swing and we do it because once the dog discovered the door moved, he wanted to play with it.

There are many days where the lock has been activated yet when I return the doors are open and able to swing. At first, I thought that the dog found out a way to unlock it but soon realized that if he had, it would involve a lot of jumping on the door which would make a lot of noise. I chocked this up to any number of things in the beginning: the floor was warped, I hit the door accidentally thus loosening the lock and so on.

Now some people would say this isn’t an event but it happened even before we got the dog and I again thought it was something I did. But another event convinced me otherwise. It was not long after we got our puppy and in the beginning, he would sleep in his little crate right next to my side of the bed. Once in the middle of the night, he started growling as if something were in the room with us. Again, we explained it away because we had the light on for him and there is a lot of shadow play in our room.

Matter of fact, if the small light on my side of the bed is on, the room can be absolutely eerie. Yet, that wasn’t the last time our young pup would do this. There have been at least 3 other incidents and none of them involved light of any kind. He would start growling and we’d wake up, let him out of the crate and he’d bury himself under the covers peering out to see if it were safe to come outside.

One of the times, he woke me up from a dead sleep and I just lay there, assessing the situation. I felt I wasn’t alone in the room but when I looked nothing was there of course. The presence wasn’t malevolent but it was there and it made the hair stand up on my arms. From that moment on, I had to acknowledge that we had someone else in the house with us.

Now, I take a different stance on things like this and many people have thought me odd. I talk to my ghost. I don’t know its specific gender but I do know it means no harm. So when odd things happen in my flat, I’ll ask if it did them and what’s wrong. It’s my feeling when ghosts act up, they are like a child where something has gone awry and they want what everyone wants, comfort and acknowledgement. I’ll talk to it when the doors come unlocked, when it wakes me at night or when I feel its presence anytime of the day or night.

Yes, I know this is odd but I truly feel ghosts are real and are but just one of the many paranormal phenomena that inhabit this world with us. As they say, I am a true believer and have had many experiences in my life in regards to the paranormal. And it might have to do with an experience I had as a young girl with angels. You heard me right, angels and while that’s a story for another time, just know that without a doubt I believe they exist as well. Matter of fact, the television show Supernatural is one of my all-time favorites as the subject matter delves into the paranormal world.

So, now it’s your turn…have you ever had a paranormal experience in your life? Leave me a comment and I’ll give one lucky person a copy of my ghost story on October 31 or Halloween. Have a great week and see you next month with another round robin. Also, look for some changes to this blog as I am going to start Weird Wednesdays where I tell the world about odd things I find here in Vienna. And I’ll also be starting to post with the Weekend Writing Warriors on this blog my next book in the A Taste of Vienna series.

Thanks for stopping by. Don’t forget to drop by the other great writers in this round robin. First go to Rhobin Lee Courtright’s blog as she’s the one after me. You can find her here http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com. Here’s the complete list of all the participants for this month. Please visit each and every one of them as we all tell you about our paranormal experiences. I’ve only included myself so you all can see the order.

Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Fiona McGeir http://www.fionamcgier.com
Lynn Crain http://www.awriterinvienna.blogspot.com
Rhobin Lee Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com

See you all next month!

Lynn

Vienna and Things I Do To Relax ~ #rndrobn0713

Good morning everyone!

Yes, it is already morning for me here in Vienna, Austria. The sun is streaming through my window and it looks as if it is going to be a mighty fine day though a bit warm.

First, let me apologize for my dust. I’m in the middle of a renovation on this blog so the header’s kinda ugly and the colors are an experiment to see what I really want while making it a pleasant experience for you. But one thing that will definitely happen is that the background image will change monthly to a new picture of Vienna I’ve taken over the past couple years. The plan is to keep the colors the same. We’ll just have to experiment with how that works.

I also plan to post on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays here from todayon. I realize I’ve been lax and do have so much to share on what’s going on in Austria. I tweet most days at least one thought about being here. Hopefully, your Viennese fix will be fulfilled with all these new additions.

Today, I’m doing a round robin with a group of talented writers that I met when I was with Night Writers. We’ve decided to do this since the blog is no more because we love that we can still connect and help one another out. So...please click through all of us and enjoy the posts...I’ll be giving you the link for A.J. Maquire at the end of this post.

I’d like to talk about how I relax and rejuvenate here in Vienna. There are many ways one can do that. In the spring, summer and fall, there are a variety of festivals one can go to throughout the city. Here’s a picture of a concert we went to at Schonbrunn Palace in June. It was put on by the Vienna Orchestra and it was wonderful. Just lots of people.

In the spring, right before Easter, I love going to the many Easter egg pavilions and seeing the wares there. The eggs are so elaborate and beautiful and expensive. But I have a few I sent home and a few here with me so I can remember this wonderful time.

Also, in the spring there are more flowers in this city than I’d ever seen anywhere. They are in every park and people have them in flower boxes out the windows. It even grows down the walls from some apartments. It’s an amazing sight to see.

Some weekends, we’ll go outside of the city to see the various different areas close to home. One of my favorites is a place I’ve talked about before...Carnuntum...it’s a Roman ruin that I just can’t get enough of and I visit as often as I can. It’s fantastic.

Another way that I relax is I do a spa day. There are tons of local spas and one has their pick of many. Normally, I’ll go have a facial, a manicure/pedicure and a massage. Nothing beats a good girl day even if I have to do it alone.

Fall is another time I really enjoy here. The trees out my office window are wonderful and I so enjoy walking in Prater park. The weather is cooler and the whole vibe of the city has changed from summer to the slowing down the season brings.

Now, one of the best times I have is in the winter. We have the various Christkindlemarkts that are absolutely fantastic. I love the snow and the season. I love taking walks even when it is cold though I might complain about the temperature occasionally. The first snow is beautiful and I love watching Pup Harry as he has great fun.

As indicated, we mainly walk everywhere or take trains to nearly all destinations. It seems no matter where we go, walking has become the great relaxer and that’s good since we don’t have a car. This was a personal choice as we could have brought one but decided to see the wonders of Vienna without one. This choice has been a blessing in surprise as both of the husband and myself have gained many health benefits from all the walking.

By this moment, I’m sure you’re wondering what all this has to do with writing. Well...suffice it to say...everything. It has great impact with my A Taste of Vienna series as it all takes place in or near the city. How I relax here, how I travel here or how I live life can be great inspirations on what to put into the novels. The first one, A Viennese Christmas, is talked about in the post immediately before this one.

The most important thing I’ve discovered is that I love writing about Vienna in either a fiction or a nonfiction way. There is always something going on here as well as new additions every day.

Don’t forget to go to the next great author in this round robin. A.J. Maguire can be found here and her post will be just as wonderful as learning about Vienna.  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/

Thanks and we’ll see you all on Tuesday...have a great weekend!

Lynn

The Next Big Thing

Recently, I participated in something called The Next Big Thing on one of my other blogs, Lynn Crain's XtraOrdinary Romance. It is a blog hop where bloggers talk about a work-in-progress or WIP as it's commonly known. This time, I talked about my Christmas book called A Viennese Christmas and the first in the series A Taste of Vienna. 

Here's the post that I did there, along with a cover reveal...I hope you all enjoy this different perspective of Vienna...through my writer's eye.

Thanks! And talk to you all soon!

Hi everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family and friends, happiness and joy. I was invited this week to take part in a blog hop called The Next Big Thing by Jill Hughey. Her post is at http://jillhughey.blogspot.com and she talks all about her current work in progress.

When she first asked for volunteers, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it...then...I thought to myself, who doesn’t want to be the next big thing. It’s every author’s dream to hit it big no matter what the venue. The whole point of this hop is to share authors with new readers. At the end of this blog, there is a list of authors who are new to many of you...but more on that later.

Here are the answers to the interview questions for The Next Big Thing:

What is your working title of your book?

My current work in progress is titled A Viennese Christmas and it’s the first in my A Taste of Vienna series.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I was trying to find a way to learn more about the city I now find myself living in, Vienna, Austria. All my friends told me I should be having a blast and I wasn’t. So, I decided to start this series and I can say I certainly have a different eye for the city now.

What genre does your book fall under?

It’s going to be a sensual romance, which is a departure from my normal erotic romance. The characters told me they wanted things to be more private. I always listen to my characters.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Now this is hard. The heroine would need to have an aire of sweetness around her while the hero would need a great smile. I think I’d pick Ginnifer Goodwin for the heroine and Eion Bailey both of who are from the show, Once Upon A Time, my new favorite.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Amanda Kranz, alone in Vienna, Austria at Christmas, meets sexy, historian Henry Wakeman, who convinces her true love is real and within her grasp.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

This one will be self-published by my Shooting Star Books imprint.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

A couple of weeks. It’s short...less than 20K...and I can do those fast.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

That would be a hard one as I don’t compare myself to other writers much. I think each of us have a unique style.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I’d have to say Vienna itself as I’m finding out thing I never knew and at one point, I probably wouldn’t have tried to find out.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This book is as accurate as I can make it and it’s told totally from an American point of view by someone who is living there. It’s a nice little romance that fulfills the hope each of us have for Christmas.

Now I have a special treat for each of you...this is a squeee moment for me...here’s the cover!

Isn’t that just the coolest thing you’ve ever seen? My cover artist, Su Kopil from Earthly Charms, is the most amazing person. She got this one done much sooner than I ever thought. The building in the background is called the Rathouse and it’s the house of Vienna’s local government and it looks that amazing all lit up for the holiday season.

Now, it’s time to pass the torch to the authors next in line for The Next Big Thing. Please drop by and see each of them the week of November 26th as they give you their information for their works-in-progress. Here’s there links to their blogs. Drop by next week and see them when you can...I’ll be tweeting and posting them on Facebook when they come out...thanks everyone! Help us all become The Next Big Thing!

Tyffany Clark

www.moviestareyes.blogspot.com

Adriana Kraft

http://adrianakraft.com/excerpts/the-next-bit-thing (Posting November 30th)

Helena Fairfax

https://helenafairfax.com/

Margay Leah Justice

http://margayleahjustice.blogspot.com/

Frances Pauli

http://francespauli.blogspot.com

Thanks everyone for stopping by! Next month I will have Christmas guest, a reveal on a couple more new covers as well as a couple of Christmas surprises. Please drop by and see me...I think you’ll enjoy it!

Lynn