My Books Are Set Free

 During many years with Oak Tree Books, I have produced a wide array of books, starting with my reincarnation novel, Hearts Across Forever. Following publication of that book, my publisher, Billie Johnson, created the "Passenger to Paradise" series for me. A very talented lady, Billie produced many beautiful books, including five in that series. We also developed books set in the small fictitious town of Jefferson City that somewhat resembles the little Tidewater Virginia community where I live.

Through the years, Billie started a series of "Snapshot in Time" books that are spinoffs from my big coffee table book, Hotels to Remember. She took all the books I ever sent to her without my ever going through an acquisitions editor.

A few weeks ago, Billie Johnson passed away following a long illness associated with several strokes. The debilitating strokes forced her to move from her home in California, the place of her heart, back to be near family in Illinois. It was the second time she had left California. The first was because of problems with criminal activities that threatened her in the neighborhood where she lived. The story of her life would probably make quite a book.

Oak Tree is gone now. Losing a publisher is difficult in many ways. For a long time, I have been quite troubled by seeing my books disappear from normal sale sites. Since they are no longer returnable, my books mostly aren't available for signings.

Disappointing. That is true. However, for every negative, there is a positive.

Now, I realize, my books have been set free. I have control to make good things happen for them. I always regretted the title, Night Watch, for my story set in Trinidad. I can create a new title now for that book. Since many people believe Daddy's Christmas Angel is a children's book (it isn't), I'm considering changing the title back to the working one, Riding Carousel Horses.

The possibilities go on and on. Self-publish or something else? Choices to make. Positive decisions.

My books are set free.

Legend of the Dragonfly

Dragonfly necklace ©Mary Montague Sikes

When I wear my dragonfly necklace, people often ask me about the legend of the beautiful insect. Artist Tina McCloud is the creator of this striking piece of jewelry that I saw her wearing at a meeting one day. I complimented it, and she responded with, "It's for sale." I bought it and have never regretted the purchase. It became part of my "Passenger to Paradise" series of books, first appearing in Night Watch.

I noted the legend in that book.

"The dragonfly is a symbol of change, going beyond self-illusion to create new beginnings and happiness. Because their colors result from reflected and refracted light, dragonflies may be associated with color magic and illusion. For some Native Americans they represent the souls of the dead."

Dragonflies are often featured in my art, especially the work I create on Yupo. This is small section of a diptych acrylic painting.

I love dragonflies and will keep on searching for their meaning.

"So Many Dragonflies" ©Mary Montague Sikes

Explaining the Top Items on My Bucket List

This is week seven of the 52-week blog challenge for Marketing for Romance Writers, and the topic is the top five items on my bucket list. Because I have cleared away many items over the years, I had to stop and think about this list.

Going to the state of Alaska has to be at or near the top of my bucket list. After all, my husband and I have visited every state except Alaska. Years ago, I dreamed of flying to the West Coast and renting a vehicle to drive from Washington state up the coast of Canada to Alaska. It sounded like a wonderful adventure. That was the exuberance of youth speaking. Such a trip now sounds rather grueling and long. Also, Alaska is cold with short days most of the time. I am rethinking.

A trip to Australia was once at the top of my list. However, that sounds even more daunting now. When we flew for nine hours on a trip from St. Louis to Hawaii, that flight dampened my desire to fly double that time to get to Australia. And that did not even count the many hours to get from the East Coast to the West Coast to begin the trip.

I have now added to the top of the list the promotion of the "Passenger to Paradise" novels I started to write as a series in 2001. Those stories began with Hearts Across Forever, set on the luxurious tropical island of Jamaica.  There, I discovered Rose Hall Great House and the legend of the White Witch. Ideas blossomed in the lush setting and drummed up a magic drama and love story for the characters and for the "Passenger".

A dreamer, creator, and traveler, the "Passenger to Paradise" loves to go to exotic places where she can readily research her books. A new novel, set in the tropics, is now part of my bucket list. That will make six books for the "Passenger to Paradise". I wonder how many more ideas she will drag onto my bucket list, making it always out of reach to complete.

Who is the Passenger to Paradise? Another Book, Another Thought

Who is the Passenger to Paradise? I still contemplate that question. She is the little girl with giant dreams that continue to haunt the now grown up woman. She is the child of adventure, the woman with her bag already packed and ready to go at a moment's notice.

Years ago, when we traveled to Trinidad, I was filled with excitement to undertake such an amazing journey. From the moment we landed at the Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, we were in the midst of intrigue that continued for the entire week of our planned vacation. The expedition took us into so many unusual places and circumstances that what we did became part of the fourth Passenger to Paradise book, Night Watch.

"What has Lily "walked" into...? From the moment Lily's plane lands in tropical Trinidad, things go awry. She planned for rest, relaxation and photography, but instead faces mistaken identity, a gun running operation and danger. Her transportation to her lodging does a no show, and she is mistaken for someone named Katherine by Kyle Warren. Putting the unsettling feelings of her trip and recent deaths of her parents behind her, Lily enjoys the ocean view from her room only to see the familiar figure of the man from the airport who is watching men stealthily unloading cargo from a small boat. Over the next few days, Lily's resemblance to another puts her in danger and Kyle's attempts to protect her further complicate the uncanny memories and feelings that she may indeed know him from the past. With her life in peril, Lily discovers a deep kinship with her doppelganger and a growing attachment to Kyle."

Writing Night Watch made me long to return to Trinidad to discover more adventure. For now, it is a memory and a dream to follow the Passenger to Paradise on yet another exotic journey.

"Passenger to Paradise" - the Second Book is Set in Sedona

"Bell Rock - Sedona" ©Mary Montague Sikes

After Jamaica, the journeys of the "Passenger to Paradise" continued. She visited Sedona and fell in love with everything about the picturesque terrain of red rock formations against glorious skies. She remembered the same scenery from the old western movies that brightened her weekends long ago, so she enjoyed seeing them even more.

During that initial trip to Sedona, she took a pastel workshop the first week and then grew enchanted with vortexes and meditation wheels. These elements eventually help form the second "Passenger to Paradise" book, Eagle Rising. As with Hearts Across Forever, a touch of the paranormal creeps into her dreams, and she goes on a journey into the spiritual lands of the Indians.

Unable to shake the horror of her fiance's death, Rachael Barker draws the concern of her kindly boss at the Observer Times. Perhaps, he thinks, an assignment in the exotic desert community of Sedona, AZ, might shake Rachael's malaise, so he sends her to cover the enigmatic New Age guru, Arch Adamson at his Earth Awareness seminar. Unnerving things begin happening before Rachael can interview her subject...she meets Derek Ryder, a man with an obvious secret in his past, but is further shaken by her experiences in the mystical desert where an Indian warns her to leave their hallowed ground undisturbed. As Derek and Rachael search for answers, a new question presents itself: Can they overcome their wounds? 

 

 

 

 

Lots of travels. Lots of stories. That's the life of the "Passenger to Paradise".

"Sedona Red Rocks" ©Mary Montague Sikes

 

 

Passenger to Paradise, a Collaboration of Artist and Writer

Several years ago my publisher, Oak Tree Books, created the "Passenger to Paradise" series for my novels that are set in exotic destinations. These books have included settings in Jamaica, Trinidad, Antigua, Costa Rico, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Sedona AZ. When deciding the name for my one-person show in the new Ward Center for  Contemporary Art, I thought about the "Passenger to Paradise" books and how I had not only written about the many beautiful places we have visited but I have also painted them. In an "aha" moment, it occurred to me that "Passenger to Paradise" is the perfect title for my exhibition that will be on display when the Ward Center opens during the months of November, December, and January.

Whenever we go on a trip anywhere, I always have a camera dangling around my neck or tucked away in a fanny pack. I enjoy photographing foliage, beaches, buildings, sunrises, sunsets--anything that tells a story and can be used as reference material later on. I also have handy a sketchbook filled with heavy-duty Canson drawing paper. Most of the pages contain notes made with a black marking pen and are illustrated with a small drawing here and there. When we return home, I enjoy having photographs as well as my notes to remind me of the places we have visited.

The tropical island of Jamaica is one of my favorite destinations in the Caribbean. The glorious scenery there has been the subject of a novel, Hearts Across Forever, and many paintings, including several of the spectacular Dunn's River Falls. At least two of those paintings will be included in the "Passenger to Paradise" exhibition. The acrylic painting on canvas featured in this post is 52" x 76" framed.

"Dunn's River Falls II" ©Mary Montague Sikes

 

I look forward to hanging the "Passenger to Paradise" show in the brand new Ward Center for Contemporary Art. The paintings included will represent scenes from Trinidad, Antigua, and other scenic and tropical destinations. It will be a collaboration of both the artist and the writer.

What about you writers and you artists? Can you find a talented friend with whom you can collaborate for a show and a book-signing? Perhaps even a poetry reading? Writing about a painting or creating art inspired by a poem have become popular activities for clubs and sometimes even galleries.

Art and writing make a great collaboration.

Passenger to Paradise - Love of St. Martin Tainted

Tropical Fish near Caribbean Waters MMSikes

The Passenger to Paradise has long held a love affair with tropical islands of the Caribbean. In recent years, St. Martin, the half-Dutch, half-French island, has been her favorite Caribbean destination. Not only the beaches and beauty of the island beckoned, but also there was a comfortable sense of serenity and safety. With the September murders of a South Carolina couple vacationing in a condo on the island, the atmosphere of St. Martin as a safe destination is no more for the Passenger to Paradise.

Of course, she has created a few murders along the way as parts of her books. But those were not based on real events. Many of the adventures in her books do relate to actual happenings in the life of the Passenger, including her arrival, wet, soggy, and uneasy, to a small island resort off the coast of Trinidad. That story is part of her novel, Night Watch.

For the Passenger to Paradise, travel in the Caribbean has always brought adventure along with the excitement of the journey. A few years ago, she discovered much about Jamaica as an owner of one of the resort chains transported her by private plane and by car from one destination to another all over the island. At each resort, she created a painting to document the essence of that location.

Travel to Guadeloupe was always an experience. One night, she awakened to discover an intruder rummaging through her belongings on a dresser in the bedroom. In a sleepy haze, she mistook him for the dryer repairman she'd requested earlier. "Carlos, why are here now?" she asked. He grabbed her belly pack with everything in it, including passports, money, and tickets and raced away. Her husband took chase but could not catch him. No one at the resort came to their aid. There was no security guard. The Passenger plans not to return to Guadeloupe.

Now, she will probably never go back to St. Martin either. However, she feels sad for the tourism industry there. But there are other places to visit. She understands that nowhere in the world today is safe.

For the Passenger to Paradise, murders are better in fiction. A book can be closed, and it's okay. In real life, that is not true.

--Mary Montague Sikes

A to Z Blogfest Around the World in 30 Days, the Final Chapter

"Into the Night" MMSikes

This is the final post in the A to Z Blogfest Around the World in 30 Days. For the Passenger to Paradise, "Z" is for Zest. She has an enormous zest for travel, a zest for life, a zest for people, and a zest for using her imagination.

So many places remain on the list of places she must visit. She would love to see New Zealand and along the way, go to Australia and maybe Tazmania. Except for war zones (why are there such things), she would enjoy traveling the world. She wants to go to Alaska and see the Canadian Rockies along the way. She's making a list and adding to it.

What places are on your list for destinations you most want to visit while you can? The Passenger to Paradise has a Zest for going everywhere--if not in person, in her imagination!

Thanks to all the folks who made the A to Z Blogfest possible: Arlee, Tina, KarenG, Shannon, Stephen, Konstanz, Jenny, Alex, DL, Elizabeth, Damyanti, Matt, and Jeremy. It was a fun challenge. I learned a lot and met new people. I'll keep my list up and continue to check out new folks. - Monti

A to Z Blogfest Around the World in 30 Days - Yosemite or Yellowstone

"Yellowstone Falls" MMSikes

What should "Y" stand for in the A to Z Blogfest Around the World in 30 Days? The Passenger to Paradise couldn't decide between Yosemite National Park and Yellowstone National Park, so she selected them both.

In mid-June last year the Passenger traveled to Lake Tahoe and along the way had planned to take a sidetrip tp Yosemite. After all, she had long admired the photographs of Ansel Adams, many of which were taken in Yosemite. However, she learned after arriving in California that heavy snows still closed the road she needed to use for travel through the park. She was very disappointed.

In 2006, the Passenger spent two weeks touring Yellowstone National Park where she was thrilled to see the wild life, the geysers, the mudpots, and so much more. She wondered if the waterfalls pictured on the left might be similar to some of the scenery found in Yosemite.

Perhaps, another time she'll go to Yosemite. Have you visited either or both of these national treasures?

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days - Xanadu Gallery

Elaine Horejs, Director of Xanadu - MMSikes

"Watching Him Paint"

Wow! We are winding down and almost there. For "X" in the A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days, the Passenger to Paradise has chosen Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale AZ. She's been following the gallery for several years on the Internet and was thrilled to actually get to visit Xanadu a couple of weeks ago during her trip to Arizona.

The Passenger was delighted to visit galleries up and down the street, all filled with exceptional art. Xanadu was special with an outdoor sculptural presence as well as a variety of paintings inside.

Following the stroll up and down the street of the Scottsdale Art District, the Passenger paused for lunch at Cafe Forte dining to a serenade of classical guitar music.

What can be more magical than a stroll through and lunch in a spectacular Arts District like the one in Scottsdale AZ where Xanadu actually exists?

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days - West Virginia

When the Passenger to Paradise was considering her blog for the letter "W" for Around the World in 30 Days for the A to Z Blogfest, she hesitated. She thought about Wien (Vienna, Austria), then remembered she'd probably focused on Vienna in last year's blogfest.
What to do?

"Mountain Sunset" MMSikes

Then she thought of West Virginia--a state she's passed through many times and a state with Hilltop House, one of the hotels she spotlighted in her coffee table book, Hotels to Remember. It is a destination that during her childhood, her grandmother spoke of many times. There were many relatives living there, including her great-uncle, inventor of his own cameras that he used in his photography business. Uncle Ben Gravely also invented a tractor that developed into the Gravely Tractor Company. Her grandmother was especially proud of her brother and talked about him so much that West Virginia became a special place in the Passenger's memory. It was special, not because she'd been there but because the rugged mountain state had become an iconic dream inside her heart!

Do you have a place that perhaps you've never visited but is special for you in some amazing way?

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days - Unknown

"On the Tarmac at Dallas/Ft. Worth" MMSikes

The Passenger to Paradise pondered for a while over the "U" for her Around the World in 30 Days, A to Z Blogfest. Then she remembered an airline magazine article she read while flying cross country. It was about a couple's trip to a lush Caribbean island. The husband planned it as a surprise for his wife. All she knew about where they were heading was it would be warm and she would need a bathing suit. The final destination was unknown.

How exciting! How romantic! The Passenger loves the idea of an unexpected journey to a far-off (or even close by) unknown spot.

The Passenger remembers a novel she once read about a man of means who whisked his girlfriend off in a private jet for dinner in Paris. Depending on where you live, that could be a long flight. But it would be fun to fly off on a luxurious plane stocked with champagne and caviar.

Destination Unknown! It's an exciting idea.

A to Z Blogfest Around the World in 30 Days - Sedona AZ

Cathedral Rock, Sedona AZ  MMSikes

For "S" in the A to Z Blogfest, the Passenger to Paradise didn't think long for her Around the World in 30 Days choice. She has just returned from an amazing week in Sedona AZ where there are photo ops at every turn. She loves nothing better than photo ops!

Sedona Art Outside a Gallery  MMSikes

So much to see, you have to long to return again and again. The Passenger to Paradise can hardly wait until her next trip there!

A to Z Blogfest Around the World in 30 Days -Rhinelander WI

Hodag in Rhinelander MMSikes

For the "R" in the A to Z Blogfest, the Passenger to Paradise has chosen Rhinelander, Wisconsin for her Around the World in 30 Days. Last summer, in a whirlwind tour of eastern and northern Wisconsin, she visited Rhinelander and discovered the Hodags there.

Of course, the Passenger had never even heard of a Hodag before. She learned this is a creature of folklore devised to give the town a mascot. This strange little creation, designed in a number of forms only limited by the imaginations of the artists who make them, is said to inhabit the local woods. Needless to say, the Passenger did not go hiking to seek any of them out. She did photograph a few of those that decorated the lawns of public buildings.

Another Rhinelander claim to fame is that the town had the first "comprehensive rural zoning ordinance in the United States." Adopted May 16, 1933, this became a model for land management in other Wisconsin counties and communities throughout the country.

The Passenger enjoyed her visit in Rhinelander which included a stroll through the downtown streets and a visit to the Oneida County Courthouse. Have you visited some of the pleasant rural communities in the mid-western states?

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days - Quakertown PA

"Spring Trees" acrylic painting by MMSikes hangs in Quakertown

The letter "Q" was a tough one for the Passenger to Paradise. Around the World in 30 Days, she wanted an exotic destination and considered Quebec. However, she used that location in the A to Z Blogfest last year and didn't want the same one. After thinking for at least 24 hours, she selected Quakertown PA. This is a place she's visited a few times. Because of its location 50 miles north of Philadelphia, the drive there can be grueling. Along the way, you might encounter an Amish horse and buggy which adds atmosphere to the community of about 9000 people.

In the early 1800s, the little settlement was known as Great Swamp. During the Revolutionary War, the Liberty Bell is said to have been concealed there en route to a hiding place in Allentown. Located in Upper Bucks County, the community has some historic places and a few restaurants to visit.

If you're driving in the area, stop by and visit a restaurant and some shops. The Passenger to Paradise was glad she did.

A to Z Blogfest Around the World in 30 Days -- Page, Arizona

Antelope Canyon One MMSikes

The Passenger to Paradise didn't have to think very hard to get her "P" travel post for the A to Z Blogfest Challenge post. After all, she just returned from an amazing trip to Arizona. Probably the most memorable experience of the entire adventure was the three-hour drive from Sedona to Page.

Before last week, the Passenger and her DH had never hear of Antelope Canyon. They certainly had no idea there were both a Lower and an Upper Canyon. After overhearing a couple in a restaurant discussing Antelope Canyon with their waitress, they decided to find out more. At a Sedona tourist information center, they learned that some of the most fantastic scenery in the world could be found within the walls of the narrow slotted canyons. Although they wanted to travel north to visit the Grand Canyon again, they decided they would first head farther north to Page. The canyons were only about three miles east of that community which is located just south of the Utah border.

Leaving Sedona at about 7 a.m., the Passenger and her DH reached Cameron Trading Post at 10 a.m. where they stopped for a delicious breakfast. The post is on the Navajo Indian Reservation and features some major local crafts for visitors to buy and a little museum that displays some of the older relics. It's about an hour's drive from there to Page.

Before reaching Page they had to decide whether to tour the Upper Antelope Canyon or the Lower Antelope Canyon or maybe both. They decided on the Lower Canyon (which was really the upper location on the map). It was amazing. After paying $52 in fees, along with another couple, they followed Chris, their guide, into the Canyon. The Passenger put her camera down only long enough to climb ladders and rocks ever deeper into the Canyon during the hour-long excursion. There were photo ops everywhere--front, back, up, and down.

Olen and Monti

At the end of the day, it was too late to drive back down to the Grand Canyon before sunset. Now they have to plan another Sedona trip to visit that Seven Wonder of the World once again.

The Passenger took dozens of photos. She could not get enough of the scenic beauty of the Canyon.

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days - Old Towne, Petersburg VA

Petersburg Studio MMSikes

Looking for an "O" location for the A to Z Blogfest, the Passenger to Paradise pondered and pondered. Then she realized, her Around the World in 30 Days selection was just too close to notice. For the last 10 years, she has maintained studio space at Petersburg Regional Art Center in Old Towne Petersburg. Along with 40 or 50 other artists, she moved into the new studio space located in an old Butterworth Furniture store on North Sycamore St. The artists were forced out of their previous spaces in Shockoe Bottom Art Center in Richmond--an artist studio facility patterned after the successful Torpedo Factory in Alexandria. After the artists turned a rundown part of Richmond into a place to gather and visit for art openings and other times, owners of the huge warehouse structure decided it was time to move the artists out and turn the building into condos. So the Passenger had to leave.

Petersburg was not the thriving location the artists had expected. A tornado had swept through the Old Towne section and destroyed some of the old buildings. But the artists kept hoping for an upturn and that has begun. There are new restaurants opening and more buildings getting renovated. Last summer, part of a Lincoln movie (Steven Spielberg) was filmed in Old Towne Petersburg. There are famous battlefields located nearby and a big military base, Ft. Lee. New artists are moving in, replacing those who have tired of waiting.

Now things are looking up for Petersburg. Perhaps the art clients will arrive and gather in the Old Towne space. The Passenger to Paradise has her fingers crossed.

The Petersburg Regional Art Center is open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The second Friday of each month, there is an Art Open House.

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days - New Age Locations

"Angel Over Sedona" MMSikes

The Passenger to Paradise is fascinated with anything "New Age", and what place is more "New Age" than Sedona, Arizona.? Sedona is one of the places she loves, so that's why she selected "New Age" for "N" in the A to Z Blogfest Challenge.

Last week, almost the first thing the Passenger saw while visiting Sedona was a angel in the sky. Of course, she yanked out her camera and snapped a photo.

"New Age Shop Rocks" MMSikes

There's something mystic and mysterious about Sedona. The Passenger first visited there in 1994 and was captivated by the Red Rock formations. She was also inspired by all the New Age shops with rows of advertisements for psychics along with lovely glowing rocks for sale. Nothing pleases the Passenger more than beautiful precious smooth rocks in heart shapes. To keep from buying more heart rocks for her collection, she raced outside to the backyard garden where fantastic trees, large crystals and other rock formations rose up from the ground.

There is a mysterious presence that fills the air of Sedona, and the Passenger enjoyed the quiet loveliness of this destination.

What do you think of her angel?

Have you ever visited Sedona?

"New Age Garden" MMSikes

Do you have another New Age destination you'd like to recommend?

A to Z Blogfest Challenge, Around the World in 30 Days - Milwaukee

The Passenger to Paradise visited Milwaukee last summer, so she decided the city was a good destination for the A to Z Blogfest Challenge and her Around the World in 30 Days - "M".

"Milwaukee Diners" MMSikes

Mixed media art Milwaukee Art Museum MMSikes

Pfister Hotel MMSikes

She was distressed to discover that the awnings on the Pfister Hotel are now red instead of the green  color she used when painting the hotel for her Hotels to Remember book. She couldn't change her painting, and now the outside of the hotel had a different appearance. Thankfully, she had already decided her book and all the paintings, photos, and stories in it were just a "snapshot in time".

The city had a pleasant feel to it, and the Milwaukee Museum was only a short walk down the street where it sits on the edge of Lake Michigan. Although she is not a big fan of Chinese art, the Passenger toured the special exhibit that was heading back to China the following week.

Since her last visit, the museum had completely changed, and the Pfister had a different exterior appearance. Nothing is certain except change, she decided.

What cities do you like to visit?

A to Z Blogfest, Around the World in 30 Days -- Las Vegas

Like it or hate it, Las Vegas is a favorite American destination. That's why the Passenger to Paradise chose that city as the "L" for Around the World in 30 Days.

A few years ago, the city tried to clean up its image and become a family destination. That didn't work out very well, so they are back to the slogan, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas."

Because Las Vegas is the location of the Public Safety Writers annual conference, the Passenger has visited the city several times in recent years. It's interesting to wander among the slot machines en route to and from workshops, she's found. The conference food is excellent, and she looks forward to those lunches. In the past, she's taken in some of the theatre productions, including "Mama Mia."

On the final day of each conference, she takes a certain amount of money--big for her, but laughingly small for regular gamblers--and plays the slot machines, penny ones, of course.  Last year, she played as long as she could and was down to almost nothing when she decided to switch machines and play to the last penny. All of a sudden, she hit a winning streak and regained her losses plus a little more. She calmed her urge to play some more.

Maybe one day she could become a gambler, but not anytime soon. And so continues her love/hate relationship with the city.

"Sky View En Route to Vegas"

Have you been to Las Vegas? What did you think?