Scottsdale: A Bruised Tale

Once upon a time there was a girl named Britt
She was always busy, she would never sit.
She wrote, she danced, she bounced up and down
Until she chanced upon a journey to a far away town.

To a castle in the desert, surrounded by palm trees and sand
The Fairmount Scottsdale Princess Resort, the fairest in all the land.
She left her midwest village and all that she knew
Twitter, Facebook, even her little blog, too.

Her knight would gather at the boisterous round table
Thus fidgety Britt must play princess in this curious fable.
She tasted many things she previously thought foe
Lobster, oysters, crab legs, even escargot.

Now you’re probably thinking these creatures are not from near
But armadillos and rattlesnakes do not to royalty standards adhere.
But the manners and servants were not to her liking
Best of all was an afternoon the court spent hiking.

Beyond the castle, she felt more comfortable in her skin
Though the lizards shunned her, she did her best to fit in.
Alas, a feast of all feasts was planned for that night
And she said farewell to the gallant sight.

Though you would think the bruised tale happened out here
On the dry treacherous landscape, Britt had no fear.
Instead in her silken gown and heels so high
Two steps before a fountain sent everything awry.


The pain made Britt swoon but she tried to save face
Little did she know she would soon need an ankle brace.
Britt’s knight in shining armor carried her in his arms
A damsel rescued from herself and her clumsy charms.

A bad sprain yes it was, a swollen shield so bruised
Laziness was forced upon her, she was not amused.
Hence the girl who would never sit now had no other choice
Propped up on a mountain of pillows, she did not rejoice.


The pina coladas did not console her on her poolside throne
She yearned for her simple life, to regain honor back home.
For who wants to be elsewhere when all is not well?
Vacation transforms into the cruel dungeon from hell.


Britt found solace in words, her chivalrous friends she could trust
She edited her book with her mighty sword pen, kicking up the dust.
Perhaps a jester is more fitting for a girl of this decree
For a princess of the desert, Britt shall never be.

P.S. For those who participated in the bobby pin poll last week, the correct answer is…drumroll please…88! Thanks for playing.

Phone Reading

My beautiful friend Letizia has included “Beneath the Satin Gloves” as her e-book photo examples on her latest post…”Phone Reading”. I am grateful for her support and hope you will check out her blog in return. She is a phenomenal writer who offers clever insight into reading habits.

Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts about phone reading.

Happy weekend to you all!

Letizia's avatarreading interrupted.

I love hearing about people’s reading habits (see previous post) and often ask people if they prefer traditional books or e-books.

One conversation that struck me was with a man I met at a recent conference.  He told me that while he reads paperbacks at home, when he travels he reads novels on his iPhone.

“Oh, you mean your iPad,” I replied. “No, my iPhone,” he replied amiably, taking his iPhone out from his pocket to show me.

True enough, he had a few novels on his iPhone. I was fascinated! Didn’t the tiny screen bother him? Nope, he replied. Did he zoom in to make the words larger? At first, he said. But then he got used to it, and now just read the text normally.

 

I was surprised and intrigued that he felt comfortable reading entire books on his iPhone.  I sometimes look up a short text…

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How do you pick a genre for life?

Last week I began pondering a cumbersome idea. And frankly, it’s been consuming me. How do you pick a genre for life?

I have a love-hate relationship with categorization.

The annoying, fastidious side of my personality appreciates the tidy attempt, providing a simpler way to choose entertainment in the form of books, music, or films—all things I can’t live without.

Lately categories have become a thorn in my side. For me, one of the hardest choices I had to make when I recently self-published Beneath the Satin Gloves all came down to that bloody categorization.

I stared at the screen for a good while and had to partake in some monumental soul-searching. What about history, romance, adventure, comedy, drama, and don’t forget…science fiction?

After biting all of my fingernails until they became unrecognizable, I made some big girl decisions. After all, the right reader may never find my book if it’s in a category that doesn’t fit. No pressure.

So, I threw my baby book into the thriller pile. When applicable I tossed my baby into the espionage heap for good measure.

I just finished the first draft of my second novel. But, the marketing elves reared their ugly heads, stifling my excitement with their shrill, no-nonsense voices of reason saying: “How are you going to define this kooky one, Britt?”

In a lot of ways, my latest work is an inspiring story about self-discovery and surrendering to love. On the other hand, there is a dark past which haunts the main character, creating suspense throughout.

I eventually realized why picking a genre for my books was so damn difficult. It’s like picking one for life.

Stories are fantastic glimpses into the lives of others. Concepts and characters don’t simply appear out of thin air; they’re based on real experiences and real people.

Life is impossible to categorize.

If it were simple to define, it would be dull as all get-out. We would walk around aimlessly, because everything would be ordinary, regulated, and colorless.

What about my life? I see romance, comedy, and adventure. Sometimes drama makes an appearance—and that’s OK, too. Perhaps my life story would be considered an indie dramedy.

When it comes to packaging up entertainment, categories bestow essential borders of interest for us to reference. Yet, there are times when I watch a comedy and I don’t laugh—in fact, sometimes it’s a downright tear-jerker.

Will readers think my books are all about hopeless criminals and serial killers, because of the thriller label? Possibly. Because we all categorize the category, don’t we?

All I know is, I rolled the dice and took a chance. Hopefully readers out there will do the same when they stumble upon my books, mere needles drowning in a haystack of millions.

So, now I have to challenge all of you. If your life story became a book or a movie, which genre would it fit into?

Beneath the Satin Gloves…News and Reviews!

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update on my recent e-book release.

Haven’t heard of my quirky spy novel yet? You can get up to speed right here.

In addition to Amazon and Smashwords, Beneath the Satin Gloves is NOW gracing the virtual bookshelves of Apple and Barnes & Noble.

A sincere thanks to my fellow bloggers, readers, family, and friends for your magnificent support as I navigate this whirlwind endeavor of becoming a novelist.

You keep me happy, sane, and inspired.

Check out the rave reviews thus far…

Spies, Sex, Glamour and…time travel?  I must begin by saying that I am not generally into reading about the WWII era, and have never before read anything about Germany during the war. I decided to take a break from my “preferred eras” to read this fun book and am I glad I did! Well-researched, with an intriguing plot line, Beneath the Satin Gloves had much to keep me glued to it on my Kindle. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and loved how some of the “bad guys” got theirs in the end. Not all, but THAT would be a spoiler. What I have to know now is WHAT HAPPENS NEXT????? Read this book and you will find yourself asking the same question at the end. I guarantee it! Enjoy!

Couldn’t put the book down…  Charming characters and vivid descriptions are what make this suspense novel a real page turner. I was able to imagine myself in war torn Germany during WWII. Britt Skrabanek is a talented writer.

Beneath the Satin Gloves – Now Available!

Several years of my adult life have passed; thousands of words have joined forces; blood, sweat, and tears (and, many more tears) have stained my laptop. Everything I have to offer—passion, commitment, relentlessness–have come to life in this little book.

To me, this is surreal and bittersweet.

I have neatly packaged up a piece of my soul in the form of an intangible e-book, so I could share a story with you, so I could entertain you, so I could hopefully whisk you away.

I am humbly proud to say my first attempt at a novel, Beneath the Satin Gloves, is now available.

A modern day woman, torn by her illusive dreams, awakens to a strange life in 1943, hurdled against the throes of destruction in wartime Berlin. Following a haphazard trail of clues, she discovers her new identity as Alina Feuer, code-named Sparrow, a famous entertainer, seducing a high-ranking SS officer to gather vital information for the Allies.

But, Alina is an amateur in these incessant spy games, relying solely on her wit and instinct to make her next move while frantically hiding her erratic behavior from the watchful eyes of her suspicious liaison/love interest and her pestering socialite gal pal along the way. A reluctant heroine, she must use charismatic glamour as her weapon of choice to fulfill her deadly mission before the week is through.

Discover Beneath the Satin Gloves on Amazon and Smashwords for $3.99.

I would like to thank ALL of you out there for your support! I would especially like to thank my husband, who I dedicated my book to…My beautiful paper weight. You kept me from blowing away. You loved me when I needed it most. Thank you.

Related blog posts…

Berlin: My Scarred Muse

Jiving in Another Time