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.

Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Google Play – iBookstore – Indie Bound – Kobo

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.

Happy Book Birthday, Full Dark: An Anthology and a Teaser Parade!

Today, it's the release day of. . .

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.

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.
 


Available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble
https://obsidianbooks.weebly.com/books.html
Cover designed & donated by Dark City Designs

And for a bit of fun. . .
because a celebration has to have some fun. . .
here is a run-down of ALL the beautiful, thrilling, amazing teasers—one for each story!


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

Celebrate the Small Things

This weekly blog hop is sponsored by the amazing Lexa Cain,  and co-hosted by L.G. Keltner from Writing Off the Edge and myself. 

What exactly are we celebrating?

Every week, wonderful things happen, tiny things, which make us smile. But as time grabs us up, we forget all about these moments as if they never existed at all. This is the chance for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

This week, I'm celebrating. . . 


1) Reading at the library! I received a rather sudden request to do a reading session at the library this past week. It's the first one the library has offered since last Winter, but still, 4 kids came (which is a lot for a Wednesday morning in a small town.) Of course, they were pretty young since school is in session, and it was more of an interactive 'let's get through the illustrations' rather than a real read, but all were smiles at the end.

2) Acorn squash! The squash smiled at me while I was grocery shopping (did you know vegetables/fruits/meat do that sometimes???), so I picked some up and went googling for recipes. I ended up cutting them in half, taking out the seeds and gookies, and baking them with an oil-thyme-parmesan mixture. Simple and yummy.

And that's about it! It was a quiet week. Lots of time for writing and drinking tea.


What about you? What put a smile on your face this last week? Hear a song you haven't heard in ages? Grab one of those zombie drinks at Starbucks? Get a super idea for a Halloween costume?

What are you celebrating???


AND. . .

(there's no way I can head off without mention this)

Monday, October 30th is the official. . .

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.

There are 11 authors involved, many of which you probably know yourself. And to make things even better, 100% of the proceeds will go 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.

But if you're ready for some chills, thrills, odd circumstances or simply a bit of mysterious fun, this will fit that bill. You can find it on Goodreads here.

Melissa Maygrove and others have been putting together some amazing teasers for each of the stories, which we'll be tossing around all weekend. But here's what they did with mine (I love it - thanks guys!!!)

And pop by Melissa's site to see a line-up of the rest—it's fun just to glance through these.