My Reason for Having Vanished...

I know it’s been a long while since I’ve posted here. Life has been a pretty huge journey the last 6 years, and I’d lost my drive for most anything creative (particularly writing). I was trapped in a 30 year narcissistic marriage that had sapped everything creative out of me. My healing journey after having gotten out has been tough, but I am getting there.

Awaken, as you might remember, was on Amazon’s Kindle Vella program but they shut their platform down a while ago. I didn’t keep up with it and allowed it to go out of the market.

I’m reviving it from the dead and have been hard at work editing it along with creating interior illustrations. I plan to post teasers on my social platforms.

A little something… I am also healing on the softer side of things and am determined to make a double of most of my books with spice. I am telling myself that it’s healthy to explore this side of myself. So, there’ll be a clean version and a spicy version of Awaken. I will release the clean version first.

Enjoy Awaken's book trailer (I need to update the cover and platform)! 

What changes have you experienced since covid? Has it impacted your creative streak? What projects do you have brewing?

 

IWSG: Happy Birthday, to US! HaPpY bIrThDaY to us... Happy birth day happy birthday.....

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

Welcome to mine!

September - The IWSG celebrates 12 years today! When did you discover the IWSG, how do you connect, and how has it helped you?

Thank you awesome co-hosts: Sonia Dogra, J Lenni Dorner, Pat Garcia, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Meka James!


Well, let's see--12 years puts us at about 2011! I joined us roughly around that time, too. Nice, right? That was about when my first book was published, and I dove into the publishing world. The A, B, Cs of April was how I stepped into us, and it was amazing! Do we still do that? I'm so out of touch! Haha...

It has helped me on so many levels. Belonging to something bigger than myself when it comes to books helps to connect with so many like-minded people who share and love the craft of writing.

IWSG is so caring and supportive and doesn't hoard secrets like some other writerly groups do. Honestly, belonging here with the writing trade, there's no "secreting" anything.

I've made long-term friends like Alex! Yay! And it's cool that my publisher is part of us as well. What do you know? We get places! We rock. I love you guys!

If you aren't part of us, please join us. We are a caring community of writers on all levels. It doesn't matter where you are in the journey, we are family!

What about you? Tell me your experience with IWSG. I'd love to hear all about it!

IWSG: Inspiration and Freedom

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

Welcome to mine!

 Thank you, IWSG co-hosts for the July 5: PJ Colando, Kim Lajevardi, Gwen Gardner, Pat Garcia, and Natalie Aguirre!

Here is July's optional question - 99% of my story ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from?

JoshuaWoroniecki@Pixabay.com

My daughter shares the same avenue for her story-writing as the author of this month's question. As for me, all my stories are borne from inspiration imagined by scenarios from snippets of movie scenes, someone giving a talk, a person's appearance, an emotion that creeps up on me, an old building--anything... Sometimes my brain will compile an entire scene or image, and I build the story around that.

On another note, July is Independence month! Celebration for independence comes to us in many ways. Life has taken a crazy but good turn for me, and I find myself with a new set of wings that are taking me higher than before.

Andrew@Pexels.com

Sometimes we recognize what holds us back, and it takes special power to cut that part out despite the painful process.

I've noticed a trend in my writing: everyone therein fights for freedom in one way or another, it's fascinating.

One story that stands out is Awaken: A Love Story, where Daemos is thrown into the thick of ugly and finds N'reena recognizes it for what it is. Running away together isn't easy, but there's no turning back...

Please celebrate with us how freedom must be won against the dark secrets that rule their society!

What about you? How does your inspiration visit you? Do you have the original ideas that sparked a best-seller? In what ways are you celebrating Independence Day if at all?

What Would Replace Writing if it Ever Could?

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

Welcome to mine!

Thank you, cohosts Patrcia Josephine, Diedre Knight, Olga Godim, J. Lenni Dorner, and Cathrina Constantine!

June's question - If you ever did stop writing, what would you replace it with?

Well, I have to admit that I have stopped writing, and in the middle of a story, too! It had an outline and everything and I'm a pantser. *sigh*

I'll tell you what I've replaced it with, and it's self-care. There's no creative outlet right now, but I've been filling my life with meaningful relationships and strengthening the ones I already have. It's quite the remarkable journey.

I know that when I'm ready to pick back up on my writing, there'll be no stopping, because I already  know what it takes to get a book off the ground.

What about you? Has writing ever evaded you to the point that you lost interest? What replaced it? If no, what do you think would?

Please enjoy my latest book's aesthetic book trailers!

IWSG: Author Envy

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

Welcome to mine!

March question - Have you ever read a line in novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?

Thank you, March co-hosts Diedre Knight, Tonya Drecker, Bish Denham, Olga Godim, and JQ Rose!

by Pexels@Pixabay.com

We, authors, are a different creature altogether whenever reading a book. Rarely do we separate our minds as writers while we read--we silently take notes on character exposition, plot structure, word play, word repetition, grammar usage, misspelled words, formatting choice, etc. We silently study with a critical eye the font used inside the book, along with the manipulated  photos that create the cover...

On some occasion, when a line jumps out or a plot twist catches us (as stated in this month's question), we admire--possibly lament!--how the writer crafts such cleverness. This happens as the muse whispers the inspired words or events that whip the stories about to create a cohesive reading experience.

All this is done on a subconscious level, whether fully aware or not--at least that's how I approach books.

Much of the time, whenever I read a genre I admire (Regency Romance), I envy the writer on the authority they have on the subject! But I know that it comes with research, study, and experience--something I've done but for the Renaissance Era.

by Jon Tyson@Unsplash.com

To outright answer this month's question, I don't remember feeling envious but awe as I stumble across inspiring lines. Clever plot twists catch my breath, but I don't typically become envious.

Some exciting news! Awaken: A Love Story on kindlevella, published its very last episode Sunday the 26th! Now to wait 30 days before I can publish it as a paperback...

How about you? Do you have author envy whenever you encounter a clever plot twist or a certain line?

IWSG: Book Covers as an Indie and Traditional Author

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

February Question - If you are an Indie author, do you make your own covers or purchase them? If you publish trad, how much input do you have about what goes on your cover?


The February co-hosts are Jacqui Murray, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Pat Garcia, and Gwen Gardner! Thank you!

As an indie author, I've enjoyed creating my own book covers. It's not a simple process! There's searching for the right image with the right background along with fitting characters. Sometimes I cut and paste them and make them fit! But before I pick anything out, I weigh out in my mind what would make the best window to my book. Would it be the climax? The theme? Just the character?

Then there's the font! Font has personality and quietly reveals the feel of the story. Along with font, the title. Does the title portray your story accurately? Will you have a subtitle or a tagline? What sort of font will you choose for the author name? Will your name be on the same line or will you stack it?

Everything must harmonize! A lot of the times indie authors try not to cover the image, framing it with their name and title so that there's a lot of space in between. To me, that screams indie author! I say, don't be afraid to have font smack, dab in the middle. Do compare your cover to the genre you're writing in. How does the font compare? The images? What about the colors?

As for the traditional side of things, I've not really had a say in it if the publisher is on the bigger side. There are times where I've been impressed and other times where I wish I could hide under a rock! So, it depends on the publisher whether or not you get to share input or not.

As an illustrator for a publisher I'd worked for, I collaborated with the authors to create their cover and ran it by the publisher for approval. It wasn't always easy, because some of the authors couldn't make up their minds sometimes.

For those who've published either way, what experience do you have that you'd like to share?

IWSG: Can you Guess My 2023 One Word?

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

Welcome to mine!

Thank you, co-hosts Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Kim Lajevardi, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin!

I find January's question rather fascinating: Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year? For instance, in 2021 my word of the year was Finish. I was determined to finished my first draft by the end of the year. In 2022, my word of the year is Ease. I want to get my process, systems, finances, and routines where life flows with ease and less chaos. What is your word for 2023? Why? 

I will sum up my single word with a smatter of *images that tell a story and it's your job to guess what the end product is. Ready? Go!

tookapic@pixabay

AdinaVoicu@Pixabay

Skitterphoto@Pixabay

PublicDomainPictures@Pixabay

0fjd125gk87@Pixabay

nui nui@unsplash

Žygimantas Dukauskasunsplash

Juan Pablo Serreno Arenas @Pexels

artbykleiton@pixabay

lechenie-narkomanii@Pixabay

mohamed_hassan@Pixabay

Avi Waxman@Pixabay

Kevin Fitzgerald@Unsplash

Denner Trindad@Pexels

Tim Mossholder@Unsplash

Have you guessed what word my journey is leading up to? What is your word for 2023? 

HaPpY nEw YeAr!

Here's a hint of my journey's reason:

I always gave

You always took,

Now stop!

I'm choking

In the sea of stormy hands about me.

Help me breathe again

With your reassuring faces.

My ship is going fast

From your hateful, doubtful worry.

I belong to me!

Give me room to stretch my feelings.

Let me learn.

Let me fall...

Let me fall!

Let me meet this new self I heard about.

"Hi, me. You're not at all

What they said you would be." 

~Karla Davis, Tyler, Texas

*please forgive the uneven formatting of the above photos! They refused to listen to me no matter how many times I tried to put them in place! Thank you for understanding!

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?