IWSG: Holiday Writing?

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Thank you, Joylene Nowell Butler, Chemist Ken, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine, for co-hosting December 7th's IWSG!

This month's question is: Are the holidays a time to catch up or fall behind on writer goals?

Well, I'd say typically it's a time for family and writing, though a great love of mine, takes a step back for a time! We are in a race of one and there's no wrong or right answer to whether writing during the holidays is a thing. If you're inspired to write a cozy Christmas tale or just to beat that end-of-the-year goal to say neener neener, do what's write for you!

Have you signed up for my newsletter? It's rather painless--I won't inundate your e-box with junk but with occasional thoughtful reflections and newsworthy announcements. For now, writing has decided to take a ride on the sidelines until my game picks up. Will you please join me?

Just in time for the HoLiDaYs!

Christmas in New York for Cora is all about performing in The Nutcracker, but misfortune takes her back to Texas where she runs into an old flame in cowboy boots and a Stetson hat. Could he be the miracle that puts the pieces of her shattered life together?

A warming tale where love heals even the toughest of hearts!

Available on Amazon or FREE with my NEWSLETTER signup!

Oh, and one more for the road! I'm releasing 3 episodes every Sunday for Awaken: A Love Story! The first 3 episodes will always be free. I plan to publish the entire story as a book sometime after the last episode releases on February 26th, 2023! Buahahaha!


Merry Christmas, everyone!

IWSG and guest June Holder: Writing at a Different Angle

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

November 2 question - November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?

Thank you, co-hosts, Diedre Knight, Douglas Thomas Greening, Nick Wilford, and Diane Burton!

Once upon a time, I did participate in NaNoWriMo. I dreaded the competition because, as an artist, I've never appreciated putting a deadline on creativity. You're either feeling inspired or not! Needless to say, I was able to write that entire novel in a single week at 10k words a day.

It was so fun! I'd spent the week with Karen Hoover at her timeshare condo, doing nothing but writing and forcing ourselves to eat once in a while. Haha!

Today, I have a special guest writer. She doesn't write fiction, but something else entirely extraordinary--welcome, June Holder!

 When Elizabeth asked me to share some thoughts on writing for executives, I immediately thought of the story below, which I posted on LinkedIn a while back. Elizabeth was curious to know more about the “how,” specific to the writing component.

When writing for fictional characters, you fully create them and there are no boundaries. When writing for real people, there’s an inherent responsibility to both the person and the audience. I spend some time getting to know the person, listening to recordings of their previous speaking engagements if they are available, tuning into their pacing, phrases and expressions they embrace. I learn as much as I can about who they are, what they are passionate about, what they represent for the audience. My goal is not to recreate them. My goal is to offer them a way to bring their authentic and beautiful true self into words that will help them share their thoughts and ideas with others. As I write, I try to envision them speaking the remarks so I can stay tuned into their energy. While I’m weaving in the key messages that form the structure of their remarks, I’m building in places for them to connect with their audience, always aware that each person listening should feel a connection with the speaker that is personal and, ideally, profound. My writing often feels symphonic, as I build a bassline of foundational ideas and add intrigue, emotion and movement. 

I find it critical to spend some time researching the topic to gain a reasonable level of understanding of what the speaker will be discussing. That means I am on a constant learning curve, always expanding my perspective and gathering insights from some of the most lovely and brilliant people. 

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to write speeches for the leaders of a Fortune 50 company?

Behind the scenes there’s a highly coordinated effort involving not just the speaker and his/her staff, but also the event organizers and the people who will support production and promotions before, during and after the event.

There’s also plenty of research taking place to assess the event, the audience, the topic and the moment in time. 

All of those connections and conversations are developed into a “roadmap” that contains the remarks that will be delivered and an event brief that provides the speaker with the details needed.

For me, the most exciting part is when the words I’ve provided become a runway… when the speaker fully steps into that timeless space with the audience where you can feel the room lifting and the resonant energy brings everyone together as one.

Once you’ve felt that you understand the incredible power of having someone breathe life into your words.

June Holder is an accomplished communications leader and trusted advisor to senior executives on corporate and personal brand positioning and messaging. Her passion for puzzle solving has taken her on a journey spanning external, employee, executive and sustainability communications, public relations, brand, co-branding and rebranding strategies, program management and as managing editor of websites and newsletters.

IWSG: My Thoughts on Characters

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Thanks for co-hosting the October 5 posting, Tonja Drecker, Victoria Marie Lees, Mary Aalgaard, and Sandra Cox!


The question of the month is - What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?

Hansuen_Fabregas@Pixabay

I understand that the question is about genre but I'll fly with the word "character": I like a strong female lead with real weaknesses that she overcomes to become a better, stronger person. She isn't afraid to love...if she is afraid to love, she learns to let go and realizes that it takes the right person to heal her heart. Now that is strength.

N'reena is such a character. She's independent, brave, inquisitive, and inventive. Daemos is her love interest. He's unlike anything she's ever seen--he manages to escape the Nursery where all sorts of horrible experiments happen. She's not the kind of person who will destroy something because it's different, but she will protect it and keep it alive at the cost of her own.

Book Announcements:

Awaken: A Love story was crowned earlier this week. It's like spotting a falling star--quick!--before it goes away! A crowned book over at KindleVella means that it has been "thumbs-up" and "favorited", which increases reader visibility.

Here is the snapshot I captured so I have proof of its existence:

I'm thinking that, if you're a regular ole person like me, spotting the crown isn't a common occurrence. I was lucky to see it because it was gone when I refreshed the page! Amazon Kindle Vella is not for the faint of heart, that's for sure!

Something about Vella, if you're interested, is that you write the story and upload it--one episode at a time. Each episode is anywhere from 500 words to 6,000 words, and you are only allowed to have 5,000 free words floating around on the internet whether it's for marketing or at a place like Wattpad.

I'm planning on touching a genre that I'd never dreamed I'd write about. Ever. It's a horror romance, inspired by Stephen King's Room 1408: An author decides to stay the night at a haunted hotel for inspiration when he runs into a woman who's also just as daring. Together, they fight off the evil spirits who were murdered in life by a serial killer who hasn't been caught. The author strikes a bargain to be set free if he brings the killer to them--but he must be found first, but will the ghosts honor his request?

darksouls1@pixabay

With too many completed books and with so little time to get to them all while I'm balancing life with current projects, I need some help to get my sitting books out there. So, I've also decided to find a literary agent--after 10 years! This is a scary exciting adventure. Wish me luck!

What projects do you have going? How do you balance multiple projects with life? Do you have an agent? What do you think of horror romance?

Leod Fitz: One Writer's Journey

Please put your hands together for awesome author Leod Fitz--he's one of the coolest writers I know. Meeting him in person from our IWSG In-Person Writing Group is a wonderful experience.

Leod, take it away!

I’ve been a writer pretty much my whole life.  I actually remember the very first time that it occurred to me to write a story.  Technically speaking, it was a fanfic; it was a story I wrote about my favorite He-Man character.  The story, in its entirety, was about a paragraph long, and it was missing little things, like character development, plot, themes, motifs… pretty much everything that one tries to fit into a story.

But it was my introduction to writing, and as awful as it was, that was all that I needed to become a full on addict.

I love writing.  I adore the process of building a world, constructing a story, designing characters and watching them grow and change.  Unfortunately, my journey as a writer was somewhat hindered by the fact that I had absolutely no idea what I needed to do to learn how to become a good writer.  Looking back, I suspect that all I had to do was spend a bit of time in the library looking for ‘books on writing,’ but I’m embarrassed to say that, at the time, that didn’t even occur to me.

Book Spotlight: Druid's Moon by Deniz Bevan

Congratulations, Deniz Bevan, on your new release! It's super exciting to see my anthology buddy releasing a new book.


Welcome Druid's Moon, Paranormal Romance.

Here's the blurb from Amazon:

Lyne Vanlith, an archaeologist who seeks a logical explanation to any mystery, discovers an ancient Druidic curse on her first dig. When the signs foretold by the curse descend on her, Lyne can’t find a reasonable interpretation.

And that’s even before a Beast rescues her from a monstrous sea-creature. She drops a grateful kiss on the snout of the Beast, who transforms into a man, Frederick Cunnick, Baron of Lansladron. Lyne is meant to be Beauty to his Beast—and break the curse forever.

Now both spellkeeper and monster are targeting Lyne. She must take up her legendary role, to defeat the curse and save Frederick—and herself. Instead of logic, for the first time, Lyne must trust her heart.



Oh, this book sounds like a romantic adventure indeed!




Now available at:

Apple - https://tinyurl.com/234dztfb

Amazon - https://tinyurl.com/df5wfhh9

B&N - https://tinyurl.com/wp2pztdb

Kobo - https://tinyurl.com/xzudk5wj

Author Interview: Welcome author Frank Riganelli

I'm excited to have Frank Riganelli who shares his experience as a writer! His experiences along with his compassion for first time authors moves him! Let's see how he does it...

Welcome, Frank! Tell us about yourself and your book.

 

Well, I've enjoyed the telling of a good story for as long as I can remember. That led me to write five novels and my latest book that helps people write their own. I've had the good fortune to be able to travel, and have lived in six countries - from North America, to Europe, and to the far East. That doesn't include home, which is Canada, where I live now on Vancouver Island. I have one son, and my hobbies are writing and tutoring English when I'm not at my full-time job.

 

My latest book is about helping first-time authors write their own novel, and, as you might guess, it's titled HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL : For First-Time Authors. I feel like all the novels I've written are in this one book, in a way, because it looks at what's involved and what the writer goes through in writing their tale. But as for my last full-length novel, it's a cross-genre thriller. An epic, I'm happy to say. I love epics stories. I managed to combine two stories in it; one about a girl struggling through a difficult personal time, and a second about the timeless question, 'Why are we here?' Epic Sci-Fi is my favourite genre. I picked up an appreciation for sciency things having studied engineering. I'm not exaggerating when I say it took a lot of reflection to be able to mesh the two into one coherent whole. And that was before I even wrote the first word. I was able to shape the story to be able to use the book cover's tagline, 'The world's final chance', and I don't think I'm giving anything away if you see the cover, when I say that it all comes down to the main character of one of the stories; a girl going through a struggle in her life – how she's led to face it - and how that will literally save the world, in a grand-design-by-powers-that-are-beyond-us, kind of way.

 

#IWSG: Writers, Unite!

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

September's question of the monty - What genre would be the worst one for you to tackle and why?

A shout out to the wonderful cohosts for the month: Kim Lajevardi, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguirre, Olga Godim, Michelle Wallace, and Louise - Fundy Blue!

I will address how writers need writers instead of answering the prompt. First, writing is a lonely place to be with our scribbling, imagining, and creating. Social interactions might become awkward to some of us as we prefer to scuttle back into our caves where our keyboard is safely tucked away.

photo by me--parts cannibalized from pixabay images. Muahaha!

But sometimes we feel brave enough to stir from our holes for a breath of fresh air or some warm sunshine and, yes, we meet other writers. We need others who share the same interests, who understand how it feels to have voices take over our thoughts, the voices that jump to life and seize the reins of a scene, and even the voices that refuse to be silenced when it's supposed to be The End.

photo by MysticArtDesign@pixabay

Who else can we turn to but those who experience such things?

I come from a place where writers are busting at the seams; where they can be found under books and hiding in the mortar of the libraries as well as at book stores (who knew, right?).

Well, moving to where I'm at, it was a shock to see what an antithesis it has been. There are no writers anywhere. Impossible! Where did they all go?

photo by Luismi Sánchez@unsplash

Inspired and feeling brave--finally!--after years of hiding under a rock, I found the courage to start a writing group. It isn't just any group, but an Insecure Writers Support In-Person Writing Group!

the coolest flyer you'll ever see

I started out with one the second week, then another, and another, and another--the first one as loyal as ever to the cause of writing. The numbers have stabilized to seven, but it is a good number. Everyone is at a different stage of writing but we all love it and take it very seriously.

photo by Donald Giannatti@unsplash

I like to follow the Knights of the Round Table concept where we follow a schedule but, since we are all adults, we are free to touch on what we need to do the most. It's not stiff and formal but relaxed and comfortable. I hope I'm doing okay with it because I'm insecure. Perfect, right? Haha!

I'm also reaching out to writers on other platforms to share their love for writing here on my website. We will do spotlights, interviews, guest posts--whatever feeds the muse.

I started my career this way, reaching out to others and lifting them high because everyone deserves the chance to shine. We are all in this together and books are like delicious bonbons--it's our responsibility to keep the readers well-stocked with our beloved craft. Right?

photo by GDJ@pixabay

Can you name a time when someone reached out to you and lifted you upon their shoulders for a better view (literally or figuratively)? How do you feel about connecting with other writers? Would you be interested in participating in a spotlight, an interview, or possibly as a guest?

IWSG: Write for Me or Write for Thee?

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Co-hosts for August are Tara Tyler, Lisa Buie Collard, Loni Townsend, and Lee Lowery!

Aaaand here is the question of the month:

August 3 question - When you set out to write a story, do you try to be more original or do you try to give readers what they want?

thommass68@pixabay

I knew the answer right away when I read that question--which usually doesn't happen to me. Ha! Honestly, I write to appease the demons inside me. The story is waiting to burst through this thin veil of bubble skin and it flows like a movie on a cinematic screen.

Sometimes I have to set it aside on the backburner like I did with Awaken but that came in an instant gush ten years later.

It is a cathartic experience to live through our characters, to puzzle through the challenges that unfold before them, to fight the foe and vanquish evil. Sometimes we mourn with losses and death but in the end, we come out the victor as the writer, the gods and goddesses of the worlds we create. The reader will sense our passion and rise with our truth!

I went crazy with a few book photos below and thought to share them. They are so fantastical, I couldn't resist!

thommass68@pixabay

mysticartdesign@pixabay

mysticartdesign@pixabay

mysticartdesign@pixabay

                           0fjd125gk87@pixabay

mysticartdesign@pixabay

How is it like for you? Do you write for the love of writing or do you do it to please the masses?

IWSG: Insecurities, Book Releases, Making Videos--oh my!

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Thank you, J Lenni Dorner, Janet Alcorn, PJ Colando, Jenni Enzor, and Diane Burton! for cohosting for July!

This month's question is: July 6 question - If you could live in any book world, which one would you choose?


I'm not sure how to answer this question other than if I could avoid any nasty turns and live in peace at all times then I'm good!

Speaking of turns...guess what? My book, Awaken: A Love Story, is FiNaLlY live over at Kindle Vella (first 3 episodes are FREE)! I've only been waiting for this moment for a long time and Alex Cavanaugh is spotlighting me over at his Ninja Dojo--thank you, Alex!

Awaken: A Love Story

We interrupt this regular service for a very important announcement:

Wooohooo! I turned my nifty first *ever* video into a Youtube video. Please celebrate with me!

                           

What good is "perfect" without love? 

There is no crime in the Balance. No aging. No death. Living on the outskirts of society, Daemos escapes his prison with dark secrets that threaten the Balance. Because of this evidence, his life is forfeit. N'reena is drawn to him and the impossible happens--she falls for him. Lives are at stake, especially their own! Can she keep him a secret, or will the Balance destroy them? 

coming this July! :P

#IWSG: Pushing Forward and What's Next.

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Thank you, SE White, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguire, Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray for cohosting this month's IWSG posting!

June 1 question - When the going gets tough to write the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If you have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?

geralt@Pixabay

I typically don't have a hard time writing to the end. Most of the time, my stories hit the ground running. As for the times when my story becomes slow-going, I use a flow chart to plug in the plot structure. This forces me to see ahead and break through the bottlenecks! 

IWSG: I've Been Living Under a Writerly Rock!

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Welcome May! Here is this month's question:

What are your writerly highs and writerly lows?

Co-hosts for May are Kim Elliott, Melissa Maygrove, Chemist Ken, Lee Lowery, and Nancy Gideon! Thank you so much for your help!

My highs are delving into the characters' thoughts and navigating through their trials alongside them! Writing is my cathartic state of mind.

Mediamodifier@pixabay

Despite having stories published through these past few years, I am woefully out of touch. My writerly lows are the struggles of enduring a learning curve!

And a Book Baby is Born--Welcome CassaDark by Alex J. Cavanaugh!

I'm excited to welcome our newest book baby into the world! Congratulations, Alex J. Cavaugh!

CassaDark

By Alex J. Cavanaugh

His world is unraveling…

Bassan’s father is stepping down from command. His best friend almost dies when Bassan freezes. Now, he’s being sent across the galaxy to speak at an important conference. Despite saving the eleven races years ago, he’s paralyzed by fear and doubt. Could things get any worse?

Once there, new acquaintance Zendar convinces Bassan to visit his planet for a humanitarian mission. Bassan’s special connection to ancient technology is the key to saving Zendar’s people. One problem though—it’s a prisoner planet.

On Ugar, he discovers things aren’t so straightforward. As each secret reveals itself, the situation grows more desperate. If he can’t find the right answers, he might die along with Zendar’s people. Can Bassan summon the courage to be a hero again?

Science fiction - Adventure / Space Opera / Space Exploration
Print ISBN 9781939844842 $16.95

eBook ISBN 9781939844859 $4.99

“Cavanaugh returns to the world of his Cassa Series…for a fourth inventive space opera.” – Publisher’s Weekly

Alex J. Cavanaugh works in web design and graphics. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is known as Ninja Captain Alex and is founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.
http://alexjcavanaugh.com https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

Links:
iTunes – https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1574189874
Amazon – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0982FL3SH
Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940164947033
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781939844859
Scribed – https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844859&language=0
Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58461762-cassadark

Ooh, a prisoner planet!  I wonder if it's a trap? Can Bassan's connection with ancient tech see past every dark secret? What is it that the people of Ugar face that is so secretive? I can't wait to find out more!

Guess what? It's now available!

IWSG: My Writerly Cave

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Welcome to my March's IWSG post. I apologize for posting this so late. I've spent the past several weeks in my writing cave preparing an upcoming book for publication. Finally! I spend so much time writing and writing by the seat of my pants that when I look back at the mountain of edits, I realize I'm falling behind.

I've rewritten Darkspell. It feels cringeworthy at best. I also plan to update my website's tabs to include upcoming books as teasers. So much to do!

One of the methods I've recently incorporated into my arsenal of editing is the Reader tool on MicrosoftWord. I've been listening to my computer read back every paragraph. I'm doing my best to rewrite the words so that it reads smoothly--I must be at my best for listening to cadence anomalies.

I'm in the process of trimming down overused words according to an editor's worksheet list--some of the things she has in there are crazy. For example, "in", "to", and "not". I was relieved that the words "and" and "the" weren't included. I'm breaking out into a sweat as it is with everything else!

I'm just about done and will send my current story to my beta readers!

I'm aiming to release it on Independence Day as a way to honor freedom and free will, which is the premise of my story. It is a SciFi Romance Here is the blurb:

Balance. Peace. Order.

Everything N'reena has lived for shatters the moment an accident nearly takes her life. If it weren't for Daemos, she wouldn't have ever tasted a kiss, felt a touch, or experienced love—

She especially wouldn't have unveiled what lurked right in front of her home these many centuries…

I'm done illustrating the book cover. My muse directed me to use the anime this time, an interesting turn to be sure. Would you like a sneak peek? Here it is:

I plan to include a glossary at the back of the book and a few bonuses, though I'm not exactly sure what!

What is your process for finding overused words? Do you have pet words? What do sort of bonuses do you look forward to when you read a book?

#IWSG: Battling the Beasts of Life, a mom lecture

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Thank you, Joylene Nowell Butler, Jacqui Murray, Sandra Cox, and Lee Lowery for hosting this month's IWSG!

February's question is: Is there someone who's supported you that isn't in your life anymore that you miss?

Thank you for the prompt, but I will write on dredging up creative intuition today.

The other night, one of my children lamented how they were unable to create fantastical depths compared to the authors they admire. To their frustration, they've worked on the same novel for over four years. They're frustrated as to why they struggle to move forward, why they're constantly rehashing the same scenes.

IWSG: Regrets in my Writing Career

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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs.

Welcome to mine!

Thank you for co-hosting January's posting: Erika Beebe, Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken!

The question of the month is: What's the one thing about your writing career you regret the most? Were you able to overcome it?

My career has been all over the place. When I first started out, I was full of eagerness and enthusiasm. I participated in book signings, writer's conferences, Q & A panels, critique groups. 

Despite my involvement, I faced so many obstacles. The further I trod, the more resistance I faced: from my connections to the publisher I was with (it had cut so many corners that I lost confidence in their way of doing business). I was so discouraged that I hired a copyright attorney to end my contracts with said publisher and took a year-long break.