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Wednesday, October 3, 2018

IWSG and so much more


It's IWSG time!

Every month on the first Wednesday of the month, us writers come together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to shed our frustrations and woes with each other. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.

Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, Alex J. Cavanaugh! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group) then head on over here.

Special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts: Dolorah @ Book Lover,Christopher D. Votey, Tanya Miranda, and Chemist Ken!  Thanks guys!


This month's question is...

How do major life events affect your writing? Has writing ever helped you through something?

Major life events (and even less major) can completely murder my writing. Not only does time become a huge issue, but my mind refuses to switch into imagination gear. But that's fine.
My philosophy is that writing can only happen by living. Major life events mold, teach, and widen the horizon in different ways. It is these experiences which help determine who we are as writers and how we write. Without them, we aren't who we are and can't write what we write.

What about you? How do those major life events affect your muse?


*****

I have two shout-outs today.... Gosh, I love to shout!

Happy Book Birthday week to one of my writing buds, Krystal Jane Ruin and her amazing
The House of Falling Embers!

I was lucky enough to read an ARC copy and LOVED it. 
Krystal thrives on the dark side of life, and this one is deliciously dark. Considering it's October...the month of dark and chilling reads...it's come out with perfect timing.



Once upon a time there was a witch. She was a kind witch, but that didn’t matter. The people were afraid, and fear often turns to hatred.
When Artemis was thirteen, her best friend Aris was swallowed by the crumbling house they found in the woods. Like a coward, she abandoned him to the horror within.
She moved away. She tried to forget. But when she finds herself back in her old neighborhood after college, the ghosts—and her guilt—are waiting. A charred figure stalks her dreams, and someone, or something, haunts her from the trees.
Going back into the woods might be the only way to save her sanity.
Because nine years later, the house is still there. Still waiting. Still restless.
*****

One year anniversary!!! 
99 cent sale for October!!!

Need a creepy Halloween read?


To celebrate the first anniversary of
FULL DARK: An Anthology, we’ve
dropped the e-book price to just 99c
for the entire month of October!
And 100% of the proceeds benefit
veterans and first responders!


What happens in the dark will come to light.

Full Dark is a collection of eleven short works with impressive depth and range. Twisted tales of ghosts, villains, and the paranormal await you—mystery, heinous fantasy, and pure suspense. Acclaimed and award-winning authors as well as a few talented newcomers have joined forces to be your guide. Venture into the dark if you dare.


Just A Matter Of Time by Loni Townsend
Forerunner by David Powers King
Taking Care Of You by Carrie Butler
The Apartment by Lisa Buie-Collard
The Caricature by Nick Wilford
Shifting Sands by Elizabeth Seckman
Shadows Falling On Rainbows by Celeste Holloway
Meringue, Murder or Marzipan by Tonja Drecker
Haunted Lake by Michelle Athy
Soul Coin by Laura Rich
Retribution by Melissa Maygrove

***
FULL DARK is a benefit anthology. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation, an organization that does many wonderful things for our country's active military, its veterans, and the countless first responders who sacrifice so much to keep us safe.

Publisher: Obsidian Books
Release date: October 30, 2017
Rating: PG-13

Available for Amazon Kindle and Nook
(search ‘Full Dark Maygrove’)


Also in paperback at regular price.




24 comments:

  1. "My philosophy is that writing can only happen by living" Awesome! Happy IWSG day :-)

    Ronel visiting on Insecure Writer's Support Group day: Course Correction

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  2. I hate when my writing gets murdered! Thankfully, it always comes back to life. :)

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  3. When times have been tough, I've found writing to be a nice escape, more specifically blogging. I'm not sure if I could be very productive working on one of my books during major life events.

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    Replies
    1. It's good you found a way to escape. The blogging world is wonderful for that.

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  4. If we don't live, then what's there to write about?

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  5. I'm the same as you. Major events and sometimes minor ones shut down my writing. I'm learning not to guilt myself over it because writing is always waiting for me when the crisis passes.

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  6. I can almost see that switch. Right now, mines set to off.

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  7. Shout outs!! ^_^ Full Dark is one of my favorite anthologies.

    I think I use life events as an excuse sometimes. Like, the last time I moved, I was like, "oh, I can't write - have to pack," even though I was nowhere close to spending all of my free-time packing. But I will maintain forever that downtime is energizing and necessary. :)

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    Replies
    1. :) Yay!
      Lol! Yeah, excuses/distractions do slip in so easily. But energizing is a must!

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  8. Yeah, I can't write during major life events or depressive episodes or anything draining like that. But it can inform my writing after the fact.

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    Replies
    1. It's amazing how much writing is influenced by emotions. But I think that's good too.

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  9. As long as those life events give us fodder for future works, eh? I need to stock up on some Halloweeny reads, but my reading time has dramatically decreased in the last two months. *sigh* I miss it.

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  10. The kinds of stories I like to write are full of fun and whimsy, and most of those life events that knock me for a loop are just the opposite of fun. So I don't gain much creative fodder from them. They just prevent me from writing for a while.

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  11. A lot of my writing came from things I went through and saw happening to others. The more we see and experience, the more we can write about.

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  12. So true. Life experiences, both good and bad, can help us with our writing.

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  13. I can't turn my mind onto imagination mode on some regular days, let alone days where major life events happen, especially those that impact me in negative ways.

    When my mother-in-law passed away, I couldn't work on my WIP for almost 8 months. I felt guilty, like writing was a luxury that I shouldn't have. How can I just sit there and create trivial characters and plot, for entertainment purposes, when my husband just lost his mother. It was a struggle to get back.

    However, I did write poetry to express my emotions. It was definitely therapeutic.

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  14. Life is where the stories come from. Even when we're not actively writing, we're accumulating stories for later.

    Those are great shout outs!

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  15. I bought my copy of Full Dark a few days ago!
    Good luck with the sales!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Tonja!
      Just popping in to say that I really enjoyed your story Meringue, Murder or Marzipan! Full Dark is a great collection.

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