10 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: call of the pack, food, inner wolf, Janine M. Donoho, protection, shelter
Morning and night, my three hounds often indulge in what I dub ‘The Call of the Pack’*. From a biologist’s perspective, it seems to hearken back to their wolf ancestry of 10,000 years ago, when pack meant food, shelter and protection. I can vouch that the local coyotes go silent when my hounds raise their needle noses to the sky and release their inner wolf. Enjoy this window into their world.
*Wanted to post my own hounds rooing, but this version of WORDPRESS wouldn’t let me :~{.
07 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: Al Gore, Forged in Mist, holiday, Inuit, Irish cream, Janine M. Donoho, Rachel Hartman, revisions, Seraphina, Snow, The Future
What do you do on snow days? Seven inches of new snow fell overnight. Fresh pillows buffer the earth’s bones. In one of our conifer stands, a white-tailed doe lies along the leeward side.
I wish for a greater vocabulary for snow–like an Inuit’s. Then my poetic side could roll around in aniu or qanikcaq, 
snow-on-ground, and muruaneq, soft-deep-snow. Or I could make snow seraphs in nutaryuk, fresh-fallen-snow-on-the-ground.
This storm arrived after a thaw–so the YakTrax are back. Since the revision process of FORGED IN MIST feels stale, I’m treating myself to well-earned holiday. That means a sweet-and-sour reading combo of library books: SERAPHINA by Rachel Hartman and Al Gore’s THE FUTURE. Later I’ll strap on the Trax and it’s off to the luge course we go. Perhaps I’ll spike the hot cocoa afterward with homemade Irish cream.
Then tomorrow I face my desk with renewed enthusiasm. On, on…
03 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: bald eagle, black bear, Forged in Mist, garden seeds, global climate change, Janine M. Donoho, melt, MISTBORN CHRONICLES, Northern Flicker, pileated woodpecker, thaw, YakTrax
What does spring mean to you? For us the season of YakTrax draws to its annual end. The timing’s good; my Pro-Trax have sprung a few coils. The snow-laden roof will release the flying squirrel toy lost since December. Earth’s bones begin to emerge from beneath ice and our winter cave can use a good airing.
Last week a major melt began, punctuated by hail last night. Like the rest of our planet, we’re experiencing cockeyed seasons. This thaw arrives earlier than usual. Other than crafting sustainable choices on a personal level, what’s a citizen to do? I order more vegetable, fruit and flower seeds from Swallowtail Garden, then go for a hike.
Dependent upon temperament–or which leg of the ramble we’re on–our pack treads on either remaining snowpack or 
emerging soil. Both can be fraught with risk. Slush engenders a new dance step: one-step-forward, half-a-slip-back. The percussion of cascading drips from Ponderosa pines enhances our unique tempo. Meanwhile treading upon saturated moondust–yes, the yummy brown of my fave dark chocolate–gobbles an entire boot. Sucking sounds accompany language picked up while testing Naval ship systems. The boisterous aroma of fertile soils and emerging plants combines with this.
Songs of returning birds add delight. A persistent pileated woodpecker competes with local black bear on who can peck or gouge the most insect larvae from a downed pine. Later in spring the same woodpecker will perch on our metal roof at sunrise and broadcast his mating vigor–think jackhammer. Our whippet informs us that the mated pair of bald eagles has returned–Connor insists upon yelling at them. Then at dusk I hear the wicka-wicka-wicka of a Northern Flicker. Anticipation warms me.
Now my break’s over. Back to editing FORGED IN MIST, book 2 of MISTBORN CHRONICLES. I’m over half way there–and spring comes.
20 Feb 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: artful things, editing, Forged in Mist, Janine M. Donoho, MISTBORN CHRONICLES, unconditional love, Writing
Who are your boon companions? When not writing
or playing with artful things, much of my life revolves around mine. I thought I’d share the nonhuman ones with you. Yes, you’re witnessing unconditional love.
Except for Gilly Girl, who’s a cat, after all. To her, I serve as private groomer, comfy lap and she-who-feeds-me-scrumptious-stinky-foods.
Now onto daily edits of FORGED IN MIST, book 2
of MISTBORN CHRONICLES.
19 Feb 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: backpack, Casablanca, Egypt, Essaouira, Forged in Mist, Janine M. Donoho, Marrakesh, Morocco, Rabat, Sahara, Sighthound, Turkey
I keep only those objects that captivate. Many come from my travels outside this country. Exquisite Moroccan, Egyptian and Turkish rugs; hand-painted papyrus, singular jewelry and textiles, handmade paper–you get the idea. Since all travels occurred via backpack and public transport, size mattered. Except rugs and kilims, which arrived via slow camel–or so it felt.
This sinuous sighthound has remained a perennial favorite. Found during a circuit through Morocco from Casablanca to Marrakesh, she recalls heady scents of mint tea and pastry, the alkaline feel of the Sahara on skin and tongue, and the intricate amalgam that is Moroccan culture. The souks of either Essaouira or Rabat offered her to me. I give thanks.
A prolonged study of this sculpture along with lingering touches to her back and sides has refreshed me. Now I’m ready to dive back into my edit of 
FORGED IN MIST. This sojourn also serves as reminder to move other less cherished items along to new homes.
Later. Right now, I’m writing.
11 Feb 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: Association of Feng Shui, Epic Fantasy, feng shui, Forged in Mist, Janine M. Donoho, MISTBORN CHRONICLES, sodium nitrite, Spam, Year of the Snake
Greetings Well-Hung Sweetheart. Yes, that’s the joyful porn spam greeting of the day. Remember when spam meant spiced ham with the ingredients of pork shoulder, ham, salt, sugar, sodium nitrite and water? And yes, Google spam automatically goes away after 30 days. What’s in my box can’t be good feng shui, though.
The Association of Feng Shui experts for this Year of the Snake warns that if you want to avoid misfortune–and who doesn’t–never, ever disturb the path of a snake. In a landscape populated by rattlesnakes, that goes unsaid. They also admonish against renovations or hole digging along your southeast property. Nothing about porn spam, but I still delete daily while laughing at its absurdity.
On another note, we’re into a pre-spring cycle of melt by day, freeze by night. Our northern exposure has developed into a stellar luge course and the western mountains inspire coralline mornings. Plus we’re still finding gorgeous critter tracks in the snow. Definitely feline, here’s either a lynx or cougar print beside my boot for reference.
We’re an exotic predator pack surrounded by native predators–very stimulating for a geeky biologist.
Now back to editing FORGED IN MIST…book 2 of MISTBORN CHRONICLES.
07 Feb 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: Borne in Mist, Canada, coyote, Crowsnest Highway, Epic Fantasy, Forged in Mist, hounds, Janine M. Donoho, raptors, rockhound, rodents, whippet, winter, wolf
Stillness and winter. Intermittent and distant traffic along the Crowsnest Highway in Canada offers the only false tone. Today a baby bird’s song–way too early–along with raptors voicing joy in snowmelt that bares rodent tunnels. Evenings and mornings fill with coyote song–shortly followed by our hounds’ response and perhaps the belling tone of a wolf. Icicles drip and plop as temperatures rise to mid-30s. Winter goes on here for about 2 months longer than many expect. So I take a cue from wily
whippet Connor, our rockhound who climbs to see what’s on the other side.
Now back to editing FORGED IN MIST, book 2 of MISTBORN CHRONICLES.
17 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: 5 stars, Borne of Mist, Forged in Mist, fulgarites, Janine M. Donoho, MISTBORN CHRONICLES, Okanogan Highlands, phosphorous, reviewers, reviews, root starter
1st of MISTBORN CHRONICLES
5.0 out of 5 stars E book, December 27, 2012
Great story line and well written. I have read this author on Fanfiction.net and that is why when I found out that this author wrote a e book I bought it.
Thank you so much for my very first reader’s review of BORNE OF MIST, Judith. You’re officially a pack member.
As I finish editing FORGED IN MIST, Book 2 of MISTBORN CHRONICLES, I visited my Amazon site for an update. And there your review was–the equivalent of lightning bolt and plant root starter. Yes, a seemingly mixed metaphor even though both fulgarites formed by strikes and root starters can be rich in phosphorous–but that’s another story.
You see, we writers often write in isolation, impelled by story worms that drill into our brains and refuse to leave until we do their will. Then we offer our finished works to readers, hoping with little credence that someone will come along who gets the story. When that person goes even further and reviews with 
…well, expect tears and crazy dancing.
No longer quite so alone in the Okanogan Highlands. Thank you, my sweet, for both your interest in reading my story along with the added fillip your review bestowed. Joy to you and yours.
Fellow authors, how does a great review from a reader affect you? And Dear Readers, what compels you to write reviews?
12 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: Anne Tyler, Aurora Borealis, best friends, Bleeding Love, Breathe (2 AM), Breathing Lessons, Earworms, epilepsy, flu, Greyhound, Janine M. Donoho, sunspot
For the second time in two days, I awoke to a bad case of earworms.
Then I purchased the tunes online–thank you Kate for my birthday gift card. There’s an excellent basis for best friends being the BEST.
Without further ado, drum roll please. In order of infestation, my worms were Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis and Breathe (2 AM) by Anna Nalick. After really listening to the lyrics, I realized what wonderful poets these women are. 
Also remembered that in Ann Tyler’s Breathing Lessons, whistled tunes offered the only hint of Ira Moran’s state of mind. Hmmm.
Last night bumped -7 degrees F with a wind chill of -20 . Even though my guy received his shot early in November, he’s suffering through a bout with flu. Then there’s our epileptic greyt Kartouche’, whose drug-addled mind has him yipping his way toward full bark… Oh, and monstrous sunspot AR1654‘s lit up the solar canopy, rippling with C- and M-class solar flares, thus affecting the earth atmosphere’s chemistry and thermal structure. On the upside, we get to enjoy stunning aurora borealis.
So, practicing the art of breathing. Any of you experiencing unusual earworm activity? Do they reflect your state of mind?
06 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in A Change of View Tags: crockpot, doe, fairy legs, Forged in Mist, gratefulness, Janine M. Donoho, keyboard, Maximilian sunflowers, MISTBORN CHRONICLES, pack, polar bear, winter squash stew
Winter crept upon us with fairy legs. The snow pack resembles a polar bear rolling around to scratch its back, agitating flurries as it wriggles. So grateful for a snug home,
curried winter squash stew bubbling in the crockpot—a keyboard that does my bidding. Outside the dog yard, a doe browses last year’s Maximilian sunflowers. Playing with the cover of FORGED IN MIST, Book 2 of the MISTBORN CHRONICLES before editing more copy. Thankfulness cradles me.
Luminosity
Reflections
Icicles on icicles
Janine Donoho 