Happy Father’s Day to all! It’s a big and important job that a father does, and we should thank you every day. I hope all the Dad’s out there have a great weekend and enjoy their special day.
As promised, I’m using this post to bring you some recent releases from authors I know. I hope you find a few to curl up and relax with.
Welcome to 2019.
I know I know we’re more than a week into the new year and I’m late on getting this greeting out to you. But I did that on purpose. Personally, I ’ve been bombarded with good wishes to the forms of blogs, newsletters, and podcast. And I’ve enjoyed every one of them and would like to reciprocate to all of those I’ve listened to and read; happy new year to you too.
Like everyone else, the new year means new goals new visions and plans for a better future. Old habits will be thrown out, hopefully, and resolutions for better healthier habits are made.
I’m going to do a little bit of both. Before I could look forward, I need to look back. So I’m looking back at where it all began– that very first book.
The book began as a challenge from a group of friends. I had said I wanted to write a book and they held me to it. To be honest, I never thought I could do it, but once I started, there was no stopping me. To date, I have 15 books published and plans for so many more.
But to get back to that first book. Everything starts with inspiration, and I’d like to share my inspiration for the first book…
The summers in my small town in South Florida can be pretty quiet. I could go for weeks on my job and not see a customer at their home. It was one of those hot blistering summer days, and I was grateful to be working along the river where, at least, a cool breeze could be found. As I looked out into the intercoastal, I couldn’t help but notice how isolated it felt. The channels that run in and out of the intercoastal take you into different communities or out into the river. As I was doing my job, I noticed a small boat motoring up one of those channels and the idea clicked you could commit a crime in such a location, getting in and out by boat, and nobody would ever know.
And so began Murder for Neptune’s Trident. As I looked across the water, thoughts quickly came, and the story outline developed in my head. But of course, it took a couple of days before I got it down on paper. I was continually adding to it before I was ready to start writing a book. Don’t forget it was my first one and I was pretty nervous there more than one day that I just put the paperwork aside and thought “it’s a great idea, but I’m never going to pull it off; I don’t have the talent to write it.” But my friends kept after me, asking me how the writing was going, so I dug the outline back out and started writing. And that’s how it all began.
This leads me to now and my goals for 2019. I have two different series that I want to start. One, I already have the first book completed and have half-written. The other series? Well, the idea is percolating, and I like where it’s going. I also want to continue the novella series I started in December. It was fun writing a short mystery in between books. It kept the juices flowing and kept me in the practice of writing.
Another goal for 2019 is to format my existing books into large print. The first one, Now Arriving (Sisters Station 1), was published in large print in December.
I’m curious about creating an audiobook as well. I know I enjoy listening to books, especially when I’m driving, so I think it would be a whole new avenue of readers for me.
I love all the new groups that I’ve joined on Facebook. Writers are helping writers, and I’m learning so much. I hope I’m giving back just as much as I’m getting.
Other than this, my goals are to continue to move forward with what I’m doing, exploring the publishing and promotional side of writing a little bit more. One thing I did learn in 2018 is it when I take a break from writing I don’t feel whole. Yes, my gardening business is crazy at the end of the year, and it takes up all of my time. But the writing gives me the creative energy that I need to keep the ideas fresh. And when I have new ideas, everything benefits; my business, my writing, and even my family life–because I feel more alive when I’m creative.
And I’m not the only creative writer out there. Here’s the link to the Cozy January Book Fair, a mystery promotional going on this month. I hope you’ll check it out. Heck, there’s even get the chance to enter the drawing for $100 Amazon gift card.
If you haven’t already, be sure to go to my website and sign up for my newsletter. I always include recommendations of new books by other authors and any promotional giveaways that I’m involved.
Until next time, happy writing and happy new year.
Just a quick post to let you know about 2 (not 1!) cozy book sales going on for the weekend. They started today and with go through the 18th.
With cooler weather (some of you might even have snow!), shorter nights and the long Thanksgiving weekend coming up, this is a great opportunity to stock up on some great cozy mysteries. Some are free and the rest are $.99, so don’t miss out on this sale.
Click on the pictures below to be taken directly to the sale.
Stuff Your Kindle Cozy Mystery Sale
Thanksgiving Cozy Mystery Sale
Happy Reading!
Good morning! It’s still dark here in south Florida, but I wanted to get this info to you early so you don’t miss out.
I’m thrilled to be part of the ” Cozy Mystery Mega Sale” and am so very thankful for all the hard work Ava Mallory did putting this together. There are over 100 books and all of them are $.99 or free!
With fall almost here, the nights will be long and perfect for reading, so stock up now. This is the perfect opportunity to try out a new author. (Remember to leave reviews for the books you read, please.)
You will find two of my Citrus Beach Mysteries included: Murder for Neptune’s Trident and Trouble has a Tail.
It’s a short sale, so don’t miss out!! I won’t hold you up any longer; there’s a lot of books to look over.
Happy Reading!
There’s a certain magic in the air when you get ready to start a new project.
Ideas are popping, seemingly out of nowhere. Your thoughts are racing in all different directions and sometimes it’s hard to rein them in for sorting. This is an exciting time for anyone about to begin something new, but especially for an author. We’re taking a simple thought, expanding and creating, until we have a story to tell.
Whether it be a romance, mystery, fantasy, thriller, or anything else; it’s something we want to create and share.
Sometimes it’s a continuation of an old idea. For example, continuing a series, writing a sequel, or finishing a trilogy. With these type of books, we’re merely continuing an old idea. or expanding on it, making it better each time we write the next. We may or may not produce a complete outline for all the books. Whether or not we have the outline; our thoughts will continue, and ideas will spring forth.
But there’s a side to the creativity which is fearful as well. This is overwhelmingly evident for me when I start a new series. I’m leaving the comfort of the characters already created, the settings I’ve already got down pat in my head, and the storyline. But there are times when you know it’s necessary to move on. And when you move on, fear begins.
Will my readers like my idea for the series? When do they fall in love with my characters as I do? Would I want to visit the settings created on the pages? Or will the whole thing just be a flop!
But when I start a new series, I trust my ideas and I move forward, squashing down the fear in my eagerness to get my ideas onto paper.
Not every idea will work out, or make it into a story. But once I find the idea I can’t forget, that haunts me during the day, makes me wake up at night and has me talking about it to my husband, then I know I’m ready to put the idea into book form.
I think this is why I have several series going at once. Not every idea will fit a certain series, so I create another. And with each creation, there’s an elevated level of excitement that needs to be toned down, so the words come out and make sense.
Being a writer is more than just putting words on a page. It’s also about juggling ideas and letting them form with questions.
And knowing which ones to pursue.
It’s only a quick checkin this week, since I took time off to visit with my family. We all need to do that-stay in touch with our love ones. They are what is important, everything else can, and should, take second place.
But before I left, I got some productive work done.
If you didn’t read my last blog post, then you missed that I have joined Instafreebie. And you will benefit from this too. Go look at the post and you will find links to all kinds of free books and previews. I’ll continue to add more each month.
I’m also pleased to say I reached my summer goal ahead of time! Now that’s a first. You can now purchase all of my books, except the box set, in print. I must tell you, I was pretty excited to hold my books in my hands. It is a different feeling than seeing them on a website catalogue.
And last, but by no means least, I published book #7, the next in the Citrus Beach Mystery Series. I had a lot of fun writing this one, and I hope you’ll enjoy Borrowed, Blue, Dead.
Until next time, have some fun in the sun.
And I promise the next post won’t be so me, me, me!
Just a quick note to let you know that I have submitted a few books and sample chapters to INSTAFREEBIE. It’s a great site for readers to find new authors, or sample new books from favorite authors.
What’s even better is I am going to provide with direct links to a few of the many “giveaways”. These are where a group of authors, with similar genres participate as a group to give readers the chance to find their books. It’s so much easier that wading through hundreds of books that may not interest you!
I am participating in each of these giveaways I’m listing. I hope you find ton’s of new reading material and give a new author the opportunity to entertain you. Simply click on title above the banner to be taken directly to the giveaway. If you’re not an Instafreebie member, its easy and free to sign up for!
I hope you find lots of reading material. Let me know if this was helpful!
Happy Reading.
Don’t mistake that faraway look in my eyes as boredom.
No, I’m not ignoring you either, and I’m far from falling asleep.
What I’m doing is plotting. There are ideas all around us and sometimes you must stop and think about how one little item that caught your interest can work into a story. How one little phrase you overheard can be worked into a conversation. Or maybe it’s a news item you saw the night before, that’s been sitting in the back of your mind, wondering how it can create an alternative universe or whole new world and a completely different series.
I would say half of my writing time is spent daydreaming. But not daydreaming in a useless way. These daydreams are a productive thought gathering, plotting exercise. Let’s face it our minds are our biggest tools, probably the only tool we need, other than a writing devise. When we let allow our thought to wander where-ever they want, we can produce some great concepts.
If we don’t use this tool regularly, it will become dull and foggy. We need to sharpen our minds and use it to the fullest potential possible. This might mean thinking of things outside of the realm of your normal everyday expectations. If you don’t use those tools and you allow them to become dull and unproductive, you’re heading down the road to writer’s block, I’m sure of it.
Fortunately, I have a very active imagination and I love to tell stories; never seeming to run out of ideas. Instead the opposite happens. Too many ideas bounce around in my head, often causing difficulty in concentrating on one story line at a time. Thankfully, I’ve never experienced writer’s block.
I keep my mind sharp and I keep thinking and imagining: creating scenarios out of nothing, forming conversations between characters and asking a lot of “what ifs. A good exercise is to have somebody just toss you a word. See what you can do with it; whether it’s a phrase, an object or an action— weave it into your story. Give your story on a new twist, make your characters do something unexpected. Remember if it holds your interest, it will also hold your readers.
Find a way of recording those ideas, be a pen and paper or your phone or your computer. Jot them down when you get them and please, don’t tell yourself that you’ll remember. It seems the minute you do this, you’ve already set yourself up to forget them. Honestly, with so many thoughts going to our mind daily just with our everyday actions it’s sometimes impossible to remember what we need to get through the day.
Don’t discard an idea or thought path simple because it doesn’t fit your current work in progress. Jot it down and put it in a file for future work. Keeping a file of ideas is another way to fight writer’s block or adding a twist to your story that will keep it original and interesting.
So, what did you see or hear today that created a “what if idea”?
via For Readers – Books & Giveaways
Preparing for winter? Don’t forget the books!
Get ready to curl up inside with a mug of tea and leave the winter stress behind as you travel to different cities or worlds. Have adventures. Laugh. Fall in love.
We have 30 Christmas book specials to help you on your way. Whether you fancy losing yourself in a paranormal, fantasy, romance, or contemporary story, the Christmas Book Fair won’t disappoint.
And we can’t forget the $10 Amazon card!
Join us and make this Christmas one for the storybooks.
https://theindieacademy.com.au/for-readers-books-giveaways/
Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and find some time to curl up with a book-make it a holiday one!
” .99 Cent Books – November 11-12, 2017
How about trying some new authors?
The books listed on this page are 99c on November 11-12 2017 (US time), and often at other times as well (please verify the price before you buy).
This site is run by Renée Pawlish, author of mysteries, YA action/adventure, and other stories. Sign up for Renée’s mailing list to receive more free books, and to receive news about contests, special offers, and more.
If you’re not in the US or UK, note that some authors have used Kindle Countdowns to discount their books, and that the lower price may not apply.
If you don’t have a subscription to Kindle Unlimited, you can get it here. With Kindle Unlimited, you can get over 1 million titles and thousands of audiobooks on any device for only $9.99 a month.”
http://www.reneepawlish.com/promo
The nights are longer, so why not curl up with a new book, a new author or even a new genre??
At .$99 per book, it’s a great time to stock up on books for the evenings ahead.
I’m pleased that Murder at the Geo Cache is included in this line up. So hurry and get your books, the sale is on for the 11th and 12th of November.
Pen In Hand, Words on Page 