by Angela Smith | Jul 31, 2013 | Books, Guests, Research
Join my Blog Book Tour today for a chance to win some fun stuff!
A gift bag, which includes a seashell keychain (or car mirror hanger if you so choose). Seashells because they are part of my book, in an odd way. If you want to know more, you’ll have to read it. 🙂
Music from Pretty Little Blisters, the band I use for my book trailers. The singer is the husband of one of my best friends I’ve known since second grade!!!
And, for anyone who comments or likes my page, I’ll send you a paperback of my very first novel, written under my pseudonym, Emma Sanders. I took a long break from writing, and you can’t really find this book available anymore. I hope to have it available and republished soon, but you can enter for a chance to win!
Comment for your chance to win a paperback novel that is no longer in print!
by Angela Smith | Jun 11, 2013 | Books, Research
The difference between a nautilus and an ammonite? Not much at first glance. And really, not much in the grand scheme of things. The biggest difference between a nautilus and an ammonite is that they say the ammonite went extinct around the time of the dinosaur’s extinction.
Hmm, I wonder if it was some type of aquatic dinosaur?
They are both squid-like creatures, but the nautilus still lives whereas the ammonite is extinct. Certain dinosaurs might have even used them as a tasty snack. Their defensive behaviors were also different, in that the ammonite was able to suck its body into its shell in order to defend itself. Ammonites would constantly build new shells but only live in the outer chamber. And some were able to grow near 3 feet! Can you imagine finding a 3-foot seashell?
Though I don’t live near a beach, I’ve always enjoyed walking the beach and looking for seashells. Finding and collecting certain rocks and arrowheads appeal to me. But to find an ammonite fossil along the shores of my next vacation spot? That ranks high along my list of things I’d like to do.
In Burn on the Western Slope, when Reagan first sees the fossilized seashell that the villain has stolen, she describes it as “peering into the soul of high-definition earth.” You know how HDTV is the big thing now, and there really is a difference between that and regular TV (especially if you grew up around the antenna-age!) But nothing on any HD can ever compare to the beauty of our earth.
by Angela Smith | Jun 4, 2013 | Books, Research
I first discovered ammolites on a trip to Florida. I was annoyed with my dad for wanting to revisit a shopping area as he searched for a specific piece of jewelry for his girlfriend.
My relationship with jewelry is about like my relationship with shoes: I have a black and brown pair, and a few other accessories (a pair of bling-bling flip flops, for example). If I see a pair of shoes or piece of jewelry I like, I might stop and admire it. Maybe even think about how much I wish I had one just like it. I ooh and ahh, then I move on. Adding to my collection of jewelry doesn’t rate in my top ten listing of things I must do.
Don’t get me wrong, I love jewelry like the next girl. My favorite shirt when I was a toddler was sparkly and said Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend. But I keep it simple when it comes to my accessories.
Needless to say, I groaned and groused at this shopping venture. I wanted to be on the beach sipping a mojito and even though I was an adult, we had all come together on this trip for a family member’s wedding, and we only had one vehicle. As hard as it was, we were trying to spend time and be together on this trip, even if it did include me missing out on the Florida beach and a mojito I felt I desperately needed.
As soon as my dad found what he was looking for and showed me, I fell in love. My life changed. Everything changed, and I knew I needed to know more about these gemstones. I didn’t care about the beach anymore (except to start looking for seashells) and sipping a mojito was the last thing on my mind.
Ammolites are gemstones that originate from the fossilized seashells of ammonites. Ammonites are extinct mollusks, some dating back even to the Devonian period (which is, wow, a really long time ago!) For more information about ammonites, visit The American Museum of Natural History.
I had already been writing Burn on the Western Slope about a jewelry heist, but in my dad’s search for ammolites, I discovered the history and decided I needed to include these precious gems and the seashells they come from in my story. This discovery enriched my story and gave it a depth I never would have had if I hadn’t gone along on that shopping adventure with my dad.
The villain in Burn on the Western Slope operates a nationwide jewel theft ring, but is a collector of rare objects, including ammolites stolen from museums. When one of his collections goes missing, he’ll destroy anyone in his path to get it back. Reagan McKinney, a suspect under investigation for her involvement in this crime syndicate, just happens to be in his path. Sexy FBI Agent Garret Chambers . . . well, it’s a romance, so you’ll just have to read it when it comes out July 15 from Crimson Romance if you want to know more about Garret and the woman he falls in love with.
If you’re interested in learning more about my newfound infatuation with ammolites and seashells, be sure to visit next week’s post.
