A Blog Hop and Giveaway

A few weeks ago, Clara Bowman-Jahn tagged me in The Children’s Author/Illustrator Blog Hop.

To be honest, my slow response has been because of the fact that I don’t run in the Children Book Scene. Although, I know I should in order to promote my one and only picture book. But truth be told, I don’t have much time to re-network for this one book. Trust me, Angelina, my main character, is upset about the lack of attention.

So, in order to give my darling Angelina a few more readers, part of the Blog Hop includes a GIVEAWAY, two e-book copies of The Sacrifice are available for my wonderful followers and readers. (Middle Grade - Young Adult, Fantasy) The Sacrifice is also available for purchase at eTreasures Publishing.

In order to qualify all you need to do is contact me and you’ll be in the drawing. You can do this in one of two ways: comment below or contact me through my webpage. Mention you’d like to be in the drawing and there you go, you are in the hat for one of the two copies. Deadline for Entry: December 20th

Now for the Blog Hop and how it works. Each blogger has four questions to answer and three tags to pass on to other authors/illustrators.

As I said above, I don’t run with the Children Writer Crowd, but I do know one author through the Voices of Fiction series. And then, I surfed around and found two more victims.

So, who are they?

Bobbi Carducci, author of ‘Storee Wryter Gets a Dog.’ BLOG LINK

Sam Zuppardi, author of ‘The Nowhere Box.’ BLOG LINK

Will Terry, illustrator and instructor. BLOG LINK

Lady and Gentlemen, you have been tagged. If you’d like to continue the hop, answer the following four questions on your own blog and tag three Children’s Authors/Illustrators.

What are you working on right now?

I am currently working on what I had hoped to be my first full-length novel, but running around 40k, it looks like it will be a novella.

Broken Memory, a paranormal suspense, is the story of a woman who must face her past in order to have a future.

Here’s the working one-liner - When a woman’s past crashes into her present reality, she must face spirits, a demon, love, and find a way to survive them all.

I am eager to get this story to my critique partners, but time has been sparse this year, so the going has been slow. It will definitely be sent out in seek of publication early next year.

How does it differ from other works in the genre?

My other two paranormal novellas were both very short, more like long short stories. Broken Memory is the real deal, the writing is better, and the story is more fleshed out. So far, I’m very pleased with where it is going. OH and no vampires or witches.

As I edited this for the final posting, I realized I responded incorrectly to this question. On second look, I believe the question refers to other writers' work in the genre. I've never been very good at comparing my work to others, so I'm going to stick to my original answer.

Why do you write what you do?

When I began writing, I intended to write horror. But my stories seem to be a little gentler than what I see hitting the horror shelves these days. I do believe eventually a thriller will come out of me. I just haven’t found the right story yet. So, I write what comes and right now it’s paranormal with a touch of romance.

What is the hardest part about writing?

At the moment, motivation and time would be at the top of the list. It’s difficult to get to my writing while working a full time job, but I make it to the seat. Then, I have to work past the thoughts of how little is accomplished in such short sessions. Motivation wavers when your mind screams at you that you’re not getting anywhere fast. You can only calmly reply, “No, but I will get there.”

Don’t forget your entry for a copy of The Sacrifice. And, take a moment to stop by my victims’ blogs to see what they are up to.

Struggles and Gratitude

The Tug of War - JM Staniforth

Over the last few weeks, I’ve struggled to keep moving forward in all of my ventures. A few good days followed by a bad day and then back up again I go. Sometimes, I think I’m on a yo-yo ride.

I do realize my problems are much smaller than others. In fact, they’re no more than a mere sneeze in the big scheme of things. But, sigh, they are my issues, and they need to be worked through.

It will all work out, day by day, one positive thought leading to the next one.

Caution: No one worry, these are only motivational issues and such, nothing life threatening or anything.

~~~~~

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth" (1914) By Jennie A. Brownscombe

Moving on to, what’s that? Thanksgiving Day! It’s right around the corner.

I hope everyone is preparing for a wonderful meal and lots of family sharing.

In celebration, I thought it would be a good time to share my gratitude list (in no particular order), all those things I’m thankful for and which keep me moving through my days, one after another.

I am thankful for:

• My creativity 
• My precious kitties – Tike and Prissy 
• My critique partners 
• My craving of searching for more: spirituality, personal growth, learning new things, taking risks 
• My day job, which keeps me warm and feed
• My home, which gives me shelter
• My man, who on occasion understands me
• Everyone I've encountered on my journey in both writing and tarot 
• Readers of my work, both short stories and novellas 
• Every breath I take, every lesson learned and every mountain in which I’ve climbed or will climb 
• My Soul, and the chance to experience life 

Tike (left), Prissy (right)

Keep writing, reading and have gratitude!

Fall into Action - Setting Goals

 As we fall toward the end of the year, we should begin preparing for 2014.

Photoeuphoria | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Assess your progress and accomplishments.

• What have you achieved?
• Have you reached the goals you set?
• Have you reached beyond your set goals, created new ones, and completed those?

Assess your steps and methods.

• Did you find your goals easily reached?
• Did you scramble to keep up?
• Could you have accomplished more?
• Did you stray from your set goals?
• Did life events throw you off schedule?
• Are your dreams the same as they were in the beginning of the year?

These are only a few questions you may wish to ask yourself. The important thing is to re-evaluate your life and begin preparing for next year.

Even if you are not the plotter or goal oriented writer, you should still have some idea of where you are going and how you plan to get there.

“The path toward success is one step at a time.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Congratulations to all those who have chosen to participate in the 2013 National Novel Writing Month. 

The Altar: A Novel of Horror (Audiobook) by James Arthur Anderson

The Altar presents an interesting premise. The story begins with the disturbance of a long ago banished demon. When a family moves into the neighborhood, their backyard connecting to the forest, the dwelling place of the demon, they become sucked into the awakening process of the demon. Together, with the help of members of the community, they must put it back from where it came, or die trying. Anderson has put together a nice roller-coaster ride of demonic thrills.

I listened to the audio version of this story. If I had read it, my review may have turned out a little differently. I find that words on a page feel different for me than listening to a book.

I gave The Altar a '3 Star rating' due to some writing issues. Some of the dialogue was too long, too wordy, and interrupted the flow of the story. The author did a much better job when he was within the characters’ internal dialogue sections. Also, the back story of the legend of the demon was repeated over and over again, throughout the story. It was as if the author thought we needed a refresher course to keep up. I found it somewhat irritating since it pulled me out of the story.

Overall, this was a good story. I enjoyed most of the time spent listening to it. I’d recommend it to a friend, with a little caution on the writing.

2013 Muse Online Writers Conference

 

Another year has come and gone.

Once again, it's time to prepare for another fun-filled week with the Muse Online Writers Conference.

Registrations are open, deadline October 1st. Register now. The schedule this year includes Pitch Sessions, repeat Workshops, and some brand new Workshops, such as Plotting with Scrivener and the Beat Sheet Workshop (Save the Cat.) Check out the full schedule, there's sure to be something to meet your current needs.

You can't go wrong, it's free!

I'll be around. Hope to see you there.
 

Working through Writer’s Resistance

It has been a very turbulent few months in my life: from a car accident to sickness, from stress to fatigue. The latest illness put me on the couch for four days, giving me plenty of time to read, think, and re-evaluate where I’m headed in life.

As many of you know, my interests are scattered all over the place, yet as I lay there, condemned to the couch, I questioned the point of the many directions I’ve taken in the past years. And it hit me hard, what the heck am I doing?

My dream has always been to be an Author, and I don’t mean a one hit author either. I've pushed hard, accumulating story upon story. I've strove to understand the format of putting together a novel. I've succeeded in publication with a few short stories, two novellas, and even a children’s book. But, for the last year, I’ve been stuck.

Okay, well not entirely stuck. I have been working on my next novel, Broken Memories, but not nearly as much as I should have been. When the year began, the goal was for a February completion, then an August completion, and now here we are in September and it’s still unfinished.

I could say that life has been busy. I could say I haven’t had the time to work on it. I could even say I’ve been busy with other things, more important things. But the truth is I’m resisting the completion. Why?

Oh, I could come up with all types of reasons, such as Procrastination, Distractions, Over-scheduling, and all of these would be true. But, I think it all boils down to a hidden fear of failure, or perhaps it may be of success. No matter which way you weave it, the situation is merely a state of mind.

Most writers are in this game alone, for the most part. No one is going to stand behind you cheering you on to write that next page. Unless you have a contract, or a deadline of sorts, it is all up to you to get your butt in the chair and those fingers on the keyboard, or pen to paper. Only you can make your dream become a reality.

The most productive method I’ve found so far to push me through these ruts is the ‘Magic Fifteen Minutes.’ You basically devote ‘at least’ fifteen minutes a day to writing. Sometimes that will be all you write, but other times you’ll get caught up and end up with a couple of hours’ worth of writing. The main point is getting yourself in place for the process. Every step of story writing, drafting, editing, polishing, and so on, presents you with a new set of resisting qualities. Push through fifteen minutes and see if it can snap you out of your own resistance.

As I write this blog post, I’ve been back to writing for about a week, and God, it feels good. Maybe this time, I won’t fall off the horse. There’s still hope to finishing my novel by the end of the year, and it is my intentions to do so.

How do you push through your moments of resistance? How do you resist? Does your house become spotless? Do you take up yet another hobby? Are you over-researching an aspect of your story?

Feel free to share your comments and stories. If you have an angle on this topic, or any other writing topic, you’d like to share as a guest blogger, contact me. Other voices are always welcome here at Footsteps of a Writer.

Interview at Beth Bowland's blog

Fellow eTreasures Publishing Author, Beth Bowland interviewed me on her blog today.

Stop by to hear more about my current project, inspiration behind The Sacrifice, my favorite 'writing' snack, and more!

Hope to see you there.

Click Here to arrive at the interview.

Blogging for Success

When I began my blog in 2009, my main purpose was to build a foundation for my path to becoming a published author. At the time, I was an aspiring writer, submitting everywhere and anywhere. As I moved forward, I’ve shared writing tips, book reviews, author interviews, and so much more.

Today, I've decided to talk about Blogging for Success.

Has my blog helped me to sell books? I cannot say for sure, but my instinctive answer would be yes. My blog is my main source of advertising, and it auto posts to Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, and it links back to my Author Website. The Footsteps of a Writer blog is my foundation as an author, as intended from the very beginning.

As an author platform, your blog offers a sneak peak for not only potential readers, but also potential publishers and is evidence of an established readership. Publishers need books to sale. If you’ve already proven yourself, you may find the door opens a little easier. You still have to write the best book possible, but maybe they will take that second look if they know you have people ready to read what you have to offer.

Are there possible successes beyond foundation purposes for a blog?

A blogger can make income from advertisements placed on her blog. I’ve not looked too far into this type of income, but there is a lot of information provided on the internet about such ventures. My only suggestion is not to overload your reader. I, like many people, go to blogs to read the context, not to be run away by ads.

Book deals for bloggers – surprised? Are you aware that the author of Julie and Julia, Julie Powell, began her road to success by beginning a blog aimed at cooking recipes by Julia Child? Such stories may be rare, but there are a few, which makes it not so impossible.

It seems many bloggers are finding their road into the publishing world, by turning their blogs into books, or by publishers finding them through their blogs. Here a few links you may wish to visit to explore some success stories and maybe grab a few blogging ideas - From Blog toBook Deal: How 6 Authors Did It, How My Blog Landed Me aBook Deal, and Blog-Turned-BookSuccess Stories: Part One.

Have you found success through your blog? Are you thinking of starting a blog? What subject do you plan to cover? What direction do you hope for your blog to take you?

~~~~~~~

Warning: A brief ‘ME’ Advertisement

Have you grabbed a copy of The Sacrifice yet? It’s more than a children’s picture book, it’s an adventure for all ages.

Angelina must travel to the castle to protect her sister, who is marrying the king of the land. But who will protect Angelina on her journey when she encounters a troll and other unexpected obstacles? Luckily, she carries her precious and powerful medallion. She will need it, for even after she reaches the castle, all is not as it seems.

The Sacrifice is a fairytale-like story of a young woman's journey to save her sister.

~~~~~~~

Need some guidance, some Tarot Guidance? Stop by the Tarot Guidance Blog for a little Tarot and some creative writing inspired by Tarot. Interested in a personal reading? Email readings are available at the Tarot Guidance Website.

Voices of Fiction - Hobbies - Wrap Up

Welcome to the final post of Voices of Fiction.

Over the last few weeks, our authors have shared their hobbies, from gaming to exercise, from microbrewery to turtles, and beyond. The variety of activities engaged in when not writing has been huge and interesting.

What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

My main activity outside of writing isn’t really a hobby at all. It’s actually a separate goal in my life journey, or maybe it runs parallel, joining at points with my writing.

Most of you know I’m referring to Tarot Guidance, my tarot website and blog. I became interested in divination in my late teens and never really got over it. Over the years, I’ve moved from reading playing cards to reading Tarot cards, Oracle, and Leonormand style decks. My main love stays with the Tarot, but I’m always searching for more. Recently, I’ve begun working with Numerology and even more recently the Akashic Records. There is so much to explore, and I’m eager to learn what I can.

Oh, we are supposed to be talking about hobbies, the fun things we do.

Let me take you on a journey, for some of the hobbies I enjoy, well, I don’t really do anymore. Why? I guess life takes us down different roads in life, some offer the environment for certain activities and others lead you to new territory.

I feel my life at this point has been split in two – one when I was once married, and now when I’m not. Each life has brought great rewards, not to say there haven’t also been great disappointments.

My past life: Fishing (Catfish), boating, cross-stitching, writing and tarot (these weren’t goals in this other life, not yet), reading, and Yard Sales!

New Life: Reality Check! I need a hobby. I still read - does that count? My energies are spent mostly on my goals of writing and spiritual growth. I feel the need to be outdoors, but this time is spent tending to my yard, work mostly. This could indeed turn toward a hobby-gardening, bird watching (my yard is full of birds!), or even just a connecting with nature. Since I do enjoy my work of writing and tarot reading, perhaps a hobby at this time isn’t a needed aspect in my life.

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this exploration of author hobbies and all of the topics discussed here on the Voices of Fiction series.

We’ve reached the end of the series, at least for a while. 

I plan to switch gears slightly and bring a more personal touch to the blog – personal insights, thoughts on writing, writing techniques explored, and such. Not to say, you won’t come across the usual – author interviews, book reviews, and guest appearances. 

I’m always open to help support my fellow author. Feel free to contact me.

Author Spotlight at Morgen Bailey's Writing Blog

Stop by Morgen Bailey's Writer Blog to catch my Author Spotlight.

At an early age, I discovered books and their magical ability to transport the reader into other worlds and lives. As I grew older, I knew I wanted to be able to do this for others. I dabbled in short fiction, poems, and novel attempts throughout my school years. continue reading...

Voices of Fiction – Hobbies – Part Six

Welcome to Voices of Fiction

We continue our exploration into the various hobbies of our participating authors.

Please welcome this week’s guests.

Born in France, award-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life and on the page. She traveled the world and writes with the same ease about the future and the far away past. Her novels collected many five star reviews and literary awards. - Website, Amazon, Barnes/Noble

Cindy Cromer's first published novel earned her the title of award winning author. Desperate Measures, won the highly competitive mystery/suspense/thriller category in The Smart Writ Book Awards and was named a winner in The Authors Show contest, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading. Website, Books/Books, Vero Beach Book Center

Nicole Zoltack loves to write whatever strikes her fancy. When she’s not writing about knights, talking unicorns, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her wonderful family. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. Blog, Website, Amazon

Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back.

The Question: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

Vijaya Schartz – I’m always writing. I enjoy the movies, but guess what? As I’m watching the story unfold, I analyze it to find out whether I can deconstruct the plot and reconstruct it. Or I wonder whether or not I could have written it better. The other things filling my life are cats. Love cats. You can also find them in my books. And I am somewhat of a daredevil and a thrill seeker. I have a black belt in Martial arts, I jumped out of perfectly good planes, paddled down the white waters of the Colorado River. Now you know why I write action in my novels. I’m an action girl myself.

Cindy Cromer – Boating, working out, and reading.

Nicole Zoltack - Reading, but since that’s a given, I also enjoy going to Renaissance Fairs (almost always dressed in period garb!)

Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below.

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)

Voices of Fiction – Hobbies – Part Five

Welcome to Voices of Fiction

We continue our exploration into the various hobbies of our participating authors.

Please welcome this week’s guests.

Ellen Spain is a retired Federal Investigator, now turned author, editor, and educator. She is active with EPIC, PennWriters, RWA, SCBWI, and the Pittsburgh East Writers. - Website

Joylene Butler is the author of Dead Witness and Broken But Not Dead. - Website, Blog

Joy Brooks is a Southern lady in love with the mystery and adventure associated with medieval warriors and royalty. She fills her spare time with reading, writing, cross-stitching, and playing with her seven cats. She enjoys the quiet life in a quaint, historic Georgia town. - Website, Blog

Bobbi Carducci’s book, Storee Wryter Gets a Dog, earned a GOLD Mom’s Choice Award for excellence and was named A Best Dog Book for Young Readers by Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. She is an award winning short story writer, columnist and professional book reviewer. Bobbi will be the luncheon keynote speaker at the 26th Annual Pennwriters Conference in May 2013. - Blog, Website, Website

Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back.

The Question: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

Ellen Spain – I enjoy travel to exciting (not dangerous) places and taking photographs of these travel scenes. Graphic art is another hobby and provides me the tools to make one of my photos into an interesting piece of art. If it turns out to be a special image, I'll frame it, sign it, and give it away as a gift. In the "Secrets in the Fog" series, one of the main characters will pursue one of my hobbies.

Joylene Butler – Sadly, I love computer games; hence I can be distracted far too easily. I also love baking, gardening, and especially -- home renovations.

Joy Brooks – Reading and playing with my seven cats. I also love to watch football. I'm a huge fan.

Bobbi Carducci - I start and end every day reading. I read newspapers, novels, nonfiction, online stuff, you name it. I also enjoy playing with my grandchildren and soaking in my hot tub. I teach writing workshops and lead an educational foundation. One of the things I love most is visiting schools for career day and talking to kids about all the different ways a person can make money as a writer.

Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below.

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)

Voices of Fiction – Hobbies – Part Four

Welcome to Voices of Fiction

We continue our exploration into the various hobbies of our participating authors.

Please welcome this week’s guests.

Vicki Batman likes to kick back with a diet Coke and write crazy things for her characters. She has completed three manuscripts, written essays, and sold many short stories. Most days begin with her hands set to the keyboard and thinking "What if??" - Website, Blog, Amazon

Karenna Colcroft is the alter ego of a shy, sedate wife and mother. She has been writing since age five, and dove into erotic romance in 2006. Her first book was published in 2009, and since then she has had over thirty stories published. She lives in the northeastern US with her two children and her real-life romance hero husband. - Website, Facebook, Twitter

Carole Ann Moleti is a nurse-midwife in New York City, thus explaining her fascination with paranormal and urban fantasy. Her newest fiction is featured in Beltane: Ten Tales of Magic. Excerpts of Carole's memoir, Someday I'm Going to Write a Book: Diary of an Urban Missionary has been published most recently in the new, irreverent Not Your Mother's Book Series. - Website, Blog, Twitter

Pembroke Sinclair has had several short stories, novellas, novels, and nonfiction published in various places. She writes an eclectic mix of fantasy, science fiction, horror, some romance, and previously Westerns. - Blog, eTreasures, Amazon


Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back.

The Question: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

Vicki Batman – Needlepoint. And reading.

Karenna Colcroft – There are supposed to be times when I'm not writing?

Carole Ann Moleti – Dancing, especially ballet, but I also like ballroom and jazz. And I love to read things I don't have to analyze and review so I can simply enjoy the story.

Pembroke Sinclair - Reading and hanging out with my children. Other than that, I don't have time for hobbies!

Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below.

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)

Voices of Fiction – Hobbies – Part Three

Welcome to Voices of Fiction

We continue our exploration into the various hobbies of our participating authors.

Please welcome this week’s guests.

Cara Marsi, former corporate drone and cubicle dweller, and award-winning author, is published in romantic suspense, contemporary romance and paranormal romance. She also writes short romance stories for women’s magazines. Cara and her husband share their house with a fat black diva of a cat named Killer. - Website, Twitter, Facebook

Liz Crowe’s groundbreaking romance sub-genre, “Romance for Real Life,” has gained thousands of fans and followers who are interested less in the “HEA” and more in the “WHA” (“What Happens After?”) Her books are set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch and in high-powered real estate offices. Don’t ask her for anything “like” a Budweiser or risk painful injury. - Website,  Blog, Facebook

Terry W. Ervin II is an English and Science teacher who enjoys writing. Gryphonwood Press published the first two novels in his First Civilization’s Legacy Series (FLANK HAWK and BLOOD SWORD) and he is busy writing the third novel in the fantasy series. In November 2012 Gryphonwood Press is slated to release Terry’s first short story collection, GENRE SHOTGUN. - Website, Blog

Children’s Picture Book author, Clara Bowman-Jahn, of “Annie’s Special Day” is living the life of her dreams an hour at a time. - Website, Etreasures



Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back.

The Question: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

Cara Marsi – I'm a TV junkie. I watch TV, read, exercise, travel.

Liz Crowe – I love to read of course, but spend a lot of time watching sports and learning more about the microbrewery biz.

Terry W. Ervin II – I raise turtles in my basement. In stock tanks I have yellow-bellied and red-eared sliders, and eastern box turtles. I always liked turtles as a kid, so why not have a few as an adult? One goal related to this hobby is to breed the eastern box turtles so that I can repopulate the Willowbrook Land Laboratory associated with the Environmental Occupations Program (about 100 acres) at the school where I teach. The meadow and wooded area, with several ponds and a stream running through it, used to support box turtles many years back, but in the last decade only two have been spotted by the instructors and students.

Clara Bowman-Jahn – I love visiting with my family and friends. I love reading, reading, reading, and reading some more. I also enjoy walking a couple of miles a day with my husband.
Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below.

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)

Sweethearts in Bloom Review

JCCeleste, of the Romance Reviews, has reviewed the anthology, Sweethearts in Bloom.

"Escape to Love" by Cher Green follows the misadventure of a witch-in-training trying to find her way back home amidst a world where magic is used for cruelty and any who oppose the tyrannical council suffer. Can Constance Spenser become the savior she is destined to be and rescue the man she has come to love?

Visit the Romance Reviews to read the complete review of the anthology.

Voices of Fiction – Hobbies – Part Two

Welcome to Voices of Fiction

We continue our exploration into the various hobbies of our participating authors.

Please welcome this week’s guests.

Karen Cioffi is a multi-award-winning author, freelance/ghostwriter, editor, and online marketer, as well as the founder and manager of Writers on the Move. - Website, Website, Website

Jade Varden is the author of the Deck of Lies series, a collection of YA mystery books that show what happens when dark family secrets are exposed. Jade also provides professional writing tips to other indie authors on her blog. - Twitter, Blog, Amazon

Thea Landen writes erotic literature, frequently in a sci-fi/fantasy setting. When she's not writing, or thinking about writing, her hands and mind are occupied by either yarn crafts or role-playing games. Blog, Amazon, AllRomanceBooks

Author and editor, Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz has published more than 100 articles, 75 stories, six e books, a chapbook, one MG novel, a short story collection, and her stories have been included in two anthologies. She writes for both adults and children. She edits for two small traditional publishers. Website, Blog, MuseItUp


Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back.

The Question: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

Karen Cioffi - I enjoy drawing, but haven’t had much time for it lately. I also enjoyed playing the piano and guitar, but again, I don’t have much time for it lately.

Jade Varden - I’m a big video gamer when I get some free time. I hook a controller right up to my laptop and I’m ready to go.

Thea Landen - I knit/crochet like a madwoman, and play some video games. I also just learned how to use my new sewing machine, but we'll see if that hobby really takes.

Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz - I have a few things that I do in my spare time. My favorite, of course, is reading, but I also enjoy crocheting and gardening. I enjoy water aerobics and walking for exercise. I like to spend time with family, friends, and my pets, too.

Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below.

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)

Voices of Fiction – Hobbies – Part One

Welcome back to Voices of Fiction.

As we enter the last part of the series, I’d like to thank all of the authors for participating and the readers for joining the discussions.

As authors, most of us enjoy a chaotic life filled with work, taking care of family, media promotions, and fitting in writing every chance we get. But, at some point, we must leave it all behind, relax and be alone. During this time is when you will find us enjoying the small stuff, the hobbies which take us to a different level in life and/or enrich life overall.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be exploring the hobbies of the participating authors, getting to know them on this new level in life.

Please welcome this week’s group.

Reno Charlton works from home as a full-time copywriter, providing clients around the world with content for websites, magazines and other media. She’s also the author of three children’s fantasy novels. Under the pen name, Emily Ho, she’s published two short stories, winning the Curtis Brown Short Story Competition with ‘The Journey Home.’ - Amazon UK, Amazon, Goodreads

Catrina Barton is a licensed Kung Fu Instructor of the Black Dragon style and draws on that experience to make her fight scenes both realistic and action packed. She enjoys being surrounded by the stark beauty of mother nature, such as a moon lit starry sky, or a picnic by a peaceful waterfall cascading from the mountain side. - Amazon, Blog

Karina Kantas is the author of six titles, In Times of Violence, Lawless Justice, Road Rage and Huntress (which is published by MMP.) She's also the author of Stone Cold a YA supernatural thriller and Heads & Tales, a short story collection. Karina originates from the UK but now lives in Greece with her husband and two beautiful daughters. - Amazon, Barnes/Noble, Website



Cherie Reich is a writer, freelance editor, book blogger, and library assistant living in Virginia. - Website, Blog




Welcome Authors! It’s wonderful to have you back.

The Question: What hobby do you enjoy when not writing?

Reno Charlton - I am a bit of a couch potato and love movies and soap operas! I also love doing my bit for animal charities such as caring for homeless cats and kittens and raising money for the charities.

Catrina Barton - Belly Dancing, Kung Fu, and walking with my family. Hubby and I are both gamers too. It's how we first met. So I make time for rpgs like GuildWars and Star Craft II with hubby and the kids as well.

Karina Kantas – I have two talents. Writing and singing. If I didn't live in Greece I'd be singing professionally.

Cherie Reich - Reading, but I guess that's related to writing too. I do like to watch a lot of TV, though. I especially love crime/detective shows like CSI, Bones, Criminal Minds, and Psych.
Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below.

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)

Writing Every Day

Stop by Misha Gericke's blog, My First Book, to read my guest post, Writing Every Day.

One of the best bits of advice I’ve received as a writer is to write every day, following through with this is another story entirely.

Sometimes understanding the rhyme and reason behind such advice can help you achieve your goal a little easier.

I discuss my thoughts on the topic and possibly a different outlook on what it's all about. What type of writing can be contributed to my status of writing every day? Does my blog count? And the million dollar question, how long do you need to write?

I'll see you there!

Interview at J.D. Pooker's Blog

To help celebrate the release of my first children's book, J.D. Pooker invited me to her blog for a short interview. Stop by to find out the inspiration behind The Sacrifice, my favorite thing about writing, and more.

And of course, grab a copy of The Sacrifice, a fairytale-like story of a young woman's journey to save her sister, for you or your kids at eTreasures Publishing.

Voices of Fiction - Traditional or Self-Publication - Wrap Up

Available for Purchase

Over the last few weeks, our authors have discussed their preferences of Traditional Publication vs. Self-Publication. We’ve had a mix of support for both sides of the equation, varying from the side of reduced stress through the traditional side to more control on the self-publication side. There are many pros and cons on either road one may choose to take. The ultimate decision comes from the preference of the individual.

What is your publishing method choice: Traditional or Self-Publication? Why?

Like most of the authors we’ve heard from, I support both sides of the equation. Traditional provides added support to the journey: editors, artist, promotions, compiling of the book and so on. Self-publication gives the author complete control over their product.

At this point in my journey, traditional is my chosen direction. I prefer to let someone else handle all those other avenues, while I continue to write. Of course, with my current publisher being a small company I find myself wearing more hats than I wish to, but this may even be the norm a larger company. I don’t know because I haven’t had that experience yet. I’m hoping to go down the agent road with my current project, if possible.

This is not to say I won’t venture down the self-publication trail, especially with my writing involving the Tarot. I have many ideas to pursue dealing with the Tarot which would reflect directly on my Tarot reading endeavors. In the end, these may be project which will have to be self-published, for lack of a large audience. This will be a decision made down the road in sight of the final results of such products.

For now, you can find my writings at various magazines and at eTreasures Publishing. All publications can be found in 'The Library.'

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this exploration of publication choice, and all the other discussions, in the long running series of Voices of Fiction. Next week brings another question, and also the last question to the series. I’ve saved the best, in my opinion, for the last. Stop by next week to see what we will explore during the last few weeks of Voices of Fiction.

Crossing Genre Lines

Stop by Aubrie Dionne's blog Flutey Words to read my guest post, Crossing Genre Lines.

Don't let the world put you in a box with a genre label. Cross the line, see where you can go with your words. You may surprise even yourself.

The Sacrifice started as a short story, a fairy-tale adventure. I never dreamed it would become a children's picture book. But here it is available for purchase. I hope you enjoy Angelina's adventure as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The Sacrifice - Available for Purchase

My children's picture e-book, The Sacrifice, is now available for purchase at eTreasures Publishing!

Blurb:
Angelina must travel to the castle to protect her sister, who is marrying the king of the land. But who will protect Angelina on her journey when she encounters a troll and other unexpected obstacles? Luckily, she carries her precious and powerful medallion. She will need it, for even after she reaches the castle, all is not as it seems.

The Sacrifice is a fairytale-like story of a young woman's journey to save her sister.

Excerpt: 
Wind gusted around her, whipping the path into a wild dirt storm. Angelina coughed against the onslaught of dust. Tears streamed from her eyes. She lifted the shawl to cover her mouth and nose. Holding the golden medallion tight, she willed away the growing wind. After a moment, the air stilled and the dust settled. She wiped her face, brushed back her hair, and continued on her journey.

Protected, guided by the medallion, she had until twilight to reach the castle and save her sister. Their village had been ecstatic to see one of their own chosen by the king as his new queen. With a wife in place, they all expected improvement in their lives. But, two days after Silvia’s departure, Madam Shernom had a vision of the king’s true intentions. Silvia would be sacrificed on her wedding night, giving the king even more power.

Bushes rustled to her left. Angelina heard Madam Shernom’s parting words: “Never leave the trail. Move quickly and beware. Not all is as it appears.” The woman’s image – grey stringy hair surrounding a smooth face – brought her comfort. She clutched the smooth medallion and turned to face the unknown.

Voices of Fiction - Traditional or Self-Publication - Part Six

Welcome to Voices of Fiction.

We continue our discussion on publication choice, traditional or self-publication.

Please welcome our authors.

Born in France, award-winning author Vijaya Schartz never conformed to anything and could never refuse a challenge. She likes action and exotic settings, in life and on the page. She traveled the world and writes with the same ease about the future and the far away past. Her novels collected many five star reviews and literary awards. - Website, Amazon, Barnes/Noble

Cindy Cromer's first published novel earned her the title of award winning author. Desperate Measures, won the highly competitive mystery/suspense/thriller category in The Smart Writ Book Awards and was named a winner in The Authors Show contest, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading. Website, Books/Books, Vero Beach Book Center

Nicole Zoltack loves to write whatever strikes her fancy. When she’s not writing about knights, talking unicorns, or zombies, she loves to spend time with her wonderful family. She enjoys riding horses (pretending they’re unicorns, of course!) and going to the PA Renaissance Faire, dressed in garb. Blog, Website, Amazon


 
Welcome Authors! It's wonderful to have you back.

What is your publishing method choice: Traditional or Self-Publication? Why?

Vijaya Schartz - I’ve done it all over the years. Nowadays, I choose to publish with small publishers. New York publishers find my stories too unconventional. They do not fit the mold. The self-publishing route is too much work. I want to write, not be a publisher. So small press publishers are wonderful for me. They like my work because it’s unconventional. And they do for me all the things a large publisher does (edit, format, hire cover artists, publish my books in eBooks everywhere, print the paperbacks, do some promotion, etc.). Frankly, with as many books as I write, I do not have the time nor the inclination to do all that stuff. So small press is a perfect fit.

Cindy Cromer - My choice is traditional publishing. During the search for an agent and publisher, I noticed many had a stipulation on their sites that they would not consider any work from an author who had previously self-published. I mean no disrespect to any self-published author as I’ve met several who have had much success.

Nicole Zoltack - Currently, I’m published through a small e-publisher. With some of my other stories, I wish to acquire an agent and purse traditional publishing. If that never happens, I will stick with small- or mid-sized publishers. Why? I think editing is very important with stories, as are covers. Authors will always need editors because authors tend to be too blinded by their own words--there’s no distance, they’re too involved with the story. Editors don’t have that problem. As for covers, I’m a writer, not an artist. A great cover can sell you copies by itself.

Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below. You may also send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)

Voices of Fiction - Traditional or Self-Publication - Part Five

Welcome to Voices of Fiction.

We continue our discussion on publication choice, traditional or self-publication.

Please welcome our authors.

Ellen Spain is a retired Federal Investigator, now turned author, editor, and educator. She is active with EPIC, PennWriters, RWA, SCBWI, and the Pittsburgh East Writers. - Website

Joylene Butler is the author of Dead Witness and Broken But Not Dead. - Website, Blog

Joy Brooks is a Southern lady in love with the mystery and adventure associated with medieval warriors and royalty. She fills her spare time with reading, writing, cross-stitching, and playing with her seven cats. She enjoys the quiet life in a quaint, historic Georgia town. - Website, Blog

Bobbi Carducci’s book, Storee Wryter Gets a Dog, earned a GOLD Mom’s Choice Award for excellence and was named A Best Dog Book for Young Readers by Cesar Milan, The Dog Whisperer. She is an award winning short story writer, columnist and professional book reviewer. Bobbi will be the luncheon keynote speaker at the 26th Annual Pennwriters Conference in May 2013. - Blog, Website, Website


Welcome Authors! It's wonderful to have you back.

What is your publishing method choice: Traditional or Self-Publication? Why?

Ellen Spain - I prefer to go through a traditional-type publisher, middle-sized if possible since the large publisher requires going through a literary agent to get to their submission's editor, which just adds an additional layer of adding more time and stress to the pot. The publisher must offer me a fair contract, royalties, quality editors and cover artists, no hidden fees or charges for any service to publish my book, and maybe an advance. It must maintain a good credible web site and offer both eBook and print formats and promotional presence for my book. Those are the reasons why I would only consider the traditional publishing house for my “Secrets in the Fog" series and other genre fiction I write in mystery & romance with a flair of the paranormal.

There is nothing wrong with self-publishing your family's memoirs or that local history book, but for genre fiction, I would only consider the traditional publisher. Why not self-publish everything? Writers should not self-edit. Therefore, add in the expense of paying an editor. Then there is the cost (one's own time should have a dollar figure) for promotion, getting it onto Amazon, negotiating the Amazon contract, marketing your book to other book distributors, setting up your web sites, and more of your time consumed doing what a traditional publisher does for the writer. This is the time you could have used to write more books. In the end, that extra percentage was reduced to basically nothing. Moreover, if the self-published author later wants to go thru the traditional publishing route, book, very little credit is given to them if self-edited. There are a lot of credible small traditional publishers the author can go through, so the traditional publisher just wonders why that author would go the self-publishing route.

Joylene Butler - I've been both, self-published and published with two small publishers. I prefer the onus be on the publisher and not me. It's probably my age, but I found self-publishing to be stressful, time consuming, expensive, and completely out of my comfort zone.  I wouldn't be exaggerating if I said I spent 14 hours a day for 8 months marketing my first book. I started marketing my second book three months before its launch.

They say you have only 3 months shelf life, so I knew I had to make certain that my novel was in the top 10 search engines. That its presence was felt long before it became available. I'm probably like every other author when I say, I just want to write. The business of networking and marketing is overwhelming. If you do sign with a publisher, you still have to network, but having the moral and financial support of a house is very nice thing.

Joy Brooks - Traditional definitely. I think traditional publishing gives you more exposure. It brings in an expert that will edit and fine tune my work. When my books are released, I want them to be the best they can be. It also brings more opportunities with promoting. The more ideas the better.

Bobbi Carducci - I support both traditional and self-publishing with a few warnings for those choosing self-publishing the first time out. Traditional publishers require that the work be free of errors and they have a specific audience they envision buying your work.  They won’t buy it if they don’t believe they can sell it. They have relationships with distributors, library buyers, book sellers, and they can offer some help in marketing your book. You won’t have to pay for any of that. You will be paid for your work, as a professional should be paid. That’s my case for traditional publishers.

Self-publishing can be a great resource for writers but it can also be a huge disappointment for many unsuspecting writers. Marketing and distribution is very hard for self-published writers. Major book stores and libraries are still not accepting  work by self-published authors no matter how well written it is and putting it on Amazon is not going to result in huge numbers of sales if no one knows about it.

The publishing world is changing and some self-published books will sell a lot of copies, but it’s still very iffy. Add in all the books being self-published that are full of errors and bad writing and your book could end up drifting in a polluted sea never to be discovered by the readers you hope to reach.

When it comes to self-publishing it is critical to make your book as perfect as can be. If you have a great story well told you would be wise to invest in a line editor, a concept editor, a cover designer and a publicist. It’s not easy but it can be done.

I have done work with both. I am traditionally published in magazines, newspapers, anthologies. I am published on line and I used a nontraditional publisher for my book for young readers.  I paid a lot of money to have it published. Money I have not made back even after it earned a GOLD Mom’s Choice Award for Excellence and was named A Best Dog Book for Young Readers in Cesar’s Way Magazine, the official publication of The Dog Whisperer and was written positively about in the Washington Post newspaper.

Why did I go that route? I wanted it done in short amount of time and I was willing to pay the editor, book designer, and illustrator and I wanted to see how they process worked. I love the way the book turned out. But, I won’t go that route again.  I’m seeking a traditional publisher for the next book in the series.

Thank you all for joining us today.

Readers and Authors, feel free to ask questions and leave comments concerning this topic in the comment section below. You may also send questions to chergreen@chergreen.com

(Disclaimer - Bios and photos submitted by authors.)