IWSG and Winter's Siren

It's time for another meeting of THE INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP . . .Better known as IWSG because otherwise, it is a mouthful.

For those who don't know (And you don't???), this is an awesome group of writers, started by the just as awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh, with the purpose to support, help, assist, offer advice, offer a shoulder, cheer on, and about anything else you can think of along these lines. Writing is a roller coaster ride, and writers need all the support they can get.

If you want to join in, head over to the main site and sign up.

A special thanks to this month's cohosts:  Tyrean Martinson,Tara Tyler, Raimey Gallant, and Beverly Stowe McClure


This month, I'm just going to stick to the question;

Have you ever surprised yourself with your writing? For example, by trying a new genre you didn't think you'd be comfortable in?

Yes, my writing has surprised me. The first time this happened was with a YA Steampunk short story I wrote for an anthology. It was 'romance' and totally out of my comfort zone. It ended up not being horribly romantic but more the kind of over-the-top romance which to this day has me giggling and rolling my eyes when I read it. (Oh, and I've heard that this is exactly the same response other readers have gotten). It's not what I was aiming for, but I still enjoy reading it.

Otherwise, genre hopping seems to have become a specialty of mine. I claim to be a MG/YA writer, but everything I've published up until now rakes across a huge genre and audience range.  Who knows where writing will take me next. Maybe that's part of the fun.


And what about you? How has your writing surprised you?

******

Today, I'm excited to help a wonderful writer buddy of mine reveal the cover to her upcoming book!

Ready?

For the last five years, Fawn has been the star soprano of a secluded opera house, forced to sing for her kidnapper.

His daughter, Devi, waits patiently in the shadows, hiding a face so horrible that no one who’s seen it will look at it again.

As Fawn plots her escape, whispers spread through the shaded corridors of dark sorcery, warning her that she must flee by the next opening night.

But when Fawn draws close to the exit, it’s Devi who’s standing in her way, leading Fawn to suspect that Devi has something to gain if she fails.

COMING. . .

NOVEMBER 1st, 2017!!!

Cover Designer Attribution: http://www.najlaqamberdesigns.com/

I had the chance to beta this one and love how dark and creepy and twisted it is, while still being sweet with a lovely touch of longing.

In other words, friends of dark fiction and retellings are going to love this one.

Go ahead and take a sneak peek at Chapter One over on Krystal's website here

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) Kids off to school and college! I'm not celebrating this because it's quiet in the house. Nope. I'm celebrating this because it always feels like a monumental act to get everything and everyone organized to get out the door and start the new routine. But we accomplished it, and out they are!

2) Family! My washing machine decided to give out (Right in the middle of the last-minute mounds of laundry my daughter discovered in her room...and, of course, wanted done that evening before she left) Luckily, my parents had an extra machine in their barn from their move a couple of years ago. So they made sure it was still running, brought it over, installed it for me and even helped take care of the old one. You can imagine my smiles.

3) A night out! I'm not a very social person (Shock! I know :) ). My daughter loves to complain that I have no life. Well, strange things happen, and I actually had a birthday party to attend for one of the Friends of the Library members. It was a lot of fun, and we planned our upcoming book sale at the same time (It was fun. Honestly). When my daughter found out I'd be gone until late that evening, she was upset...because she wanted me to do something for her. Made me giggle despite her pout.

And the biggest celebration. . .

My son comes home from boot camp and training next week!!! Which means I'll be taking a break next week and weekend (since I'm going to be taking a few day trip to attend the graduation ceremony and pick him up). Until then!!!



What about you? What put a smile on your face? Excited about the eclipse? Are you reading an amazing book? Stumble across an interesting insect? Find a quarter in your pocket? What are you celebrating?

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.

(As most of you know, Lexa has been missing due to health issues. Unfortunately, I have not heard anything from her, and hope/pray she is doing fine as well.)

This week, I'm celebrating. . .

1) Bats! We have tree bats, barn bats, cave bats. Bats...bats...bats. Usually, I don't pay much attention to them because they have little to do with our 'daily' lives. But the other evening, I was sitting on the deck and noticed them flying around and decided just to watch them for awhile. I think I have a new, nightly hobby. . .of course, doing this with a glass of my hubs' plum wine.

2) Kayaking! My oldest gave me a kajak as a Mom's day present late Spring, but he did it right before the kids got out of school. So I haven't been able to head out with my future kajaking partner (my brother), since I don't really have a baby-sitter. This last weekend marked the first big kajaking trip (4 hours). We borrowed a canoe for my husband and the two younger kids, while I headed out on my kajak to lake Bull Shoals. It was not only great to paddle around, but the kids found some fun swimming areas (great rocks to jump off of too!). We rounded it off with a nice dinner at a nearby restaurant and called it a vacation day.

What about you? What put a smile on your face this last week? Catch a raindrop on your tongue? Find a quiet corner at the library? Enjoy a couple minutes of quiet time, which you didn't think you'd get?

What are you celebrating this week?

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) Cooler temperatures! I'm a not a 'heat' girl, so I'm more than happy to see those 100+ temperatures glide away. The last couple of days were still upper 80s but upper 70s is in the forecast for the entire coming week. I'm kicking back on my patio and enjoying the fresh breeze.

2) Fun with the kids! That back-to-school clock is ticking, so we're trying to make the last days as pleasant as possible. Can you believe I'm losing most of my kids on the same day? Two start school again in two weeks, and on the same day, my daughter moves off to college. It's going to be so quiet, so suddenly. So until then, we went bowling, swimming and boating this week and have more activities coming our way. 

3) Butterflies! There were so many flying around our yard this week. I enjoy standing there and watching them move from one bush to the next.

4) A new job! It's nothing special...just temporary and for a couple hours each week...but it will bring in some extra cash and appears to fit into my mom/farm/writing/reviewing schedule. 

What put a smile on your face this last week? Did you find a cute kitty? See a great movie? Buy a new pair of shoes? Help someone in need?

What are you celebrating this week?

IWSG

It's time for another meeting of THE INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP . . .Better known as IWSG because otherwise, it is a mouthful.

For those who don't know (And you don't???), this is an awesome group of writers, started by the just as awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh, with the purpose to support, help, assist, offer advice, offer a shoulder, cheer on, and about anything else you can think of along these lines. Writing is a roller coaster ride, and writers need all the support they can get.

If you want to join in, head over to the main site and sign up.

This month, special thanks goes to  Christine Rains, Dolarah @ Book Lover, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Yvonne Ventresca, and LG Keltner  Thanks for all that you do!


I've spent most of this summer in writing limbo: collecting plot ideas, sorting some story issues out on two WIPs and just organizing/reorganizing my thoughts so I can become a typing monster when the kids get back in school. In other words, I've been gearing up to go on a writing frenzy (only 3 more weeks, btw).

So when the awesome #IWSGpit rolled around last week, (Thanks guys for that! It was amazing!!!) I wasn't really planning on jumping in since my latest stories are still in the creator's oven. But I have one story which has been sitting on the shelves for awhile...years. It's done and been through a lot - several rewrites, dozens of CPs, tons of betas, and even seen the glimpses of an editor or two during various versions. But...oh, I don't know. . .I've let it stick its toes into the query trenches once or twice but never pursued it too much. So my younger son told me to tweet it and see what happens. (He loves the story...has for years)
I was like:



via GIPHY

And tweeted just once.
My reaction quickly changed to. . .


via GIPHY

My tweet received likes. . .more than I ever expected.
So, I dusted off that query and reworded a few things (the never ending work of the inner editor)
and off it goes!

If nothing else, it was tons of fun to see some agent/publisher 'love', and it definitely raised my excitement level to get back and finish up those other stories.

Now, if I could just hurry those kids back to school! (Just kidding. They can enjoy the rest of their break first)


Did you make a plunge into #IWSGpit? Did you see all of those amazing tweets? (It's fun just to read through everyone's pitches). Are you flexing those writing fingers or already typing away? Or maybe you're sitting in a type of writer limbo too?

How's the writing world treating you?

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 chanc
e for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

First off, I need to apologize. Thanks to a wicked flu bug (I hate those nasty boogers), I didn't get around to visiting everyone last week. But I will be doing my best this weekend to make up for it and can't wait to see what everyone is celebrating.

As for me, I'm celebrating. . .

1) #IWSGPIT - What a ton of fun that was yesterday! There were so many pitches and so many ideas that I would have jumped on if I were a publisher/agent...so it's probably a good thing I'm not because I'd never get through looking at all of them. This is when I really respect these people.

2) Rain! We've had over 3 weeks without a single drop, which was causing my poor pastures to turn crunchy and brown. Yesterday, the clouds finally decided to play along and let some of that moisture go. Too bad that means I'll have to mow lawn again soon.

3) Tomatos! Mine are now turning red, and I'm bringing in bunches and bunches. Right now, it's a race between me and the bugs, though. I could spray, but I love the idea of having at least these tomatoes without any pesticides or anything else sprayed on them. Not that I'm worried. With fourteen plants, I'm bringing in more than enough to meet our tomato desires.

What about you? What put a smile on your face this last week? Did I raindrop land on your nose? Did you wiggle your toes in warm sand? Outrun a pesky mosquito before it could bite you? Find papers better well organized than you'd thought they'd be?

What are you celebrating this week?

Celebrate the Small Things with Reptiles

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 chanc
e for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

This week, I'm celebrating. . .

1) Reptiles... maybe? There's two different angles on this one:

A) Reptile Show at the Library! During the Summer Reading Program at our local library, a special program is offered to the kids every Wednesday. This last week was reptile day. Dean Sheldon came in and let the kids view a small part of his private collection of reptiles and creepy, crawly things. Who is Dean Sheldon? He's the Guinness World Record holder for sticking the largest venomous scorpion in his mouth. (Don't ask me why anyone would want to do this, but I guess he does.) Anywho, he did a great job with the kids, showing them everything from snakes to scorpions (obviously) to alligators to dragon lizards. The kids were able to pet and hold most animals, which they loved.

Now, to the other reptile moment I experienced this week. I'm celebrating. . .

B) A venomous snakes which, by some miraculous feat, didn't bite me. Yes, you can read that sentence again because my heart still skips several beats at the thought.  I was weeding in the garden when three inches off of my hand (and I mean literally no more than that) an overly friendly Copperhead suddenly slid past. He was a big guy- at least 2 feet long. What did I do? Carefully and very, very slowly (with no sudden movements whatsoever) drew back as he continued to slither straight into the rock wall right below my knees and in between the cracks.

Needless to say, my husband came to the rescue a few moments later and the snake is no more.  I always feel bad when we kill something, but we couldn't let him live there, since it's near the kids' pool and the house and my garden....*takes a deep breath* I think you get the picture. But if it makes the poor snake feel any better, I will never forget him. Promise.


2) My son is done with Boot Camp, and he finished with 299 out of 300 points! (I know this has to do with the physical tests they have to pass, but I really don't know much more than that) Unfortunately, he's not heading home yet. He now as Infantry training for a few weeks, but that shouldn't be quite as tough as Boot Camp was.

And to round things up, here are the pictures I promised last week. 

Our hay.

This year, we hauled in around 1900 bales, and I was dead at the end. Not only tired, but there were a few joints and muscles that were reminding me that I might slowly be getting a bit old for such things. Honestly, I'm beginning to wonder if I ever want to cut hay again.

The stack is around 15 feet high. So I'm going to have tons of fun knocking those top bales down. Seriously. You'll see me climbing up there for kicks every now and then. I mean, it's a haystack! Yay!

This is our trusty baler, a tough guy from the 1960's. He's slow but hasn't failed us yet.

These silly guys refused to help me bring in the hay! Instead, they think they have to cool off under the faucet
Can't depend on those chickens.
*rolls eyes*

What about you? What put a smile on your face this last week? Find a new show to bing watch on Netflix? Find yourself with an extra hour of free time on your hands? Finish up a nasty section on your writing?

What are you celebrating this week?

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 chanc
e for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

This week, I'm celebrating. . .

Busy, busy, busy. . .that's why I'm late this week. But here it goes!

1) Spending time with my brother and his family during their visit. We only get to see them once a year, so this is always a real treat.

2) Hay is done! We have So. Much. Hay. I think we hauled in around 2000 bales, and I am so glad it's all in the barn. I'll put up pictures next time. But. . .wow. I need to rest for at least a week. 

3) A day in the city! We drove to the city yesterday, went shopping, ate ice cream, picked up a few supplies, ate more ice cream. . . gosh, I love ice cream. It was a nice change of pace and a cooling break.

There was more to celebrate this week....I know it....but I can't think of it at the moment. That's what too much sun, heat and humidity does when working in those fields. As if my memory wasn't bad enough as it was. Lol!

So, what are you celebrating this week?

Eat ice cream?

Find a nice, cool shade tree?

See a beautiful star?

Run into someone you haven't seen in a long time?

What are you celebrating this week?

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 chanc
e for us to reflect back on those and remember that there are tons of things worth celebrating.

This week, I'm celebrating. . .

1) House-cleaning over on my review blog. Well, sort of. I've already reached my Goodreads goal of reviewing 100 books this year, most of which I present over on Bookworm for Kids. I've always felt sad that after a review is posted, it gets lost in the shuffle. So I've added three new tabs (Picture Books, Middle Grade, Teens and YA) where the covers of the books reviewed are plastered up along with links to the review. Now, if I ever have tons of time and get my son to help me set up an awesome review site, maybe someday I'll have everything categorized, searchable and who knows what else. But this is my first attempt to keep them readily available for all those readers out there.

2) A Happy July 4th...with too much yummy food! Way too much.

3) A visit from my brother and his family. They came in yesterday and will be staying a few days. (*uhhh* Which means I might be a bit late answering everyone's comments and visiting all of you.)

4) Blackberries! The season is here! I'm thinking of drying some for blackberry tea, freezing others, and maybe making a blackberry pie.

5) Zucchinis! I'm harvesting quite a few of these right now. My mom always claimed that a healthy zucchini plant could feed the world.


So what about you? What put a smile on your face this last week? Enjoy IWSG? Have a strawberry shake? Dip your toes into a fountain to cool off? Take a lovely walk somewhere?

What are you celebrating this week?

IWSG

It's time for another meeting of THE INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP . . .Better known as IWSG because otherwise, it is a mouthful.

For those who don't know (And you don't???), this is an awesome group of writers, started by the just as awesome Alex J. Cavanaugh, with the purpose to support, help, assist, offer advice, offer a shoulder, cheer on, and about anything else you can think of along these lines. Writing is a roller coaster ride, and writers need all the support they can get.

If you want to join in, head over to the main site and sign up.

Special thanks goes to the amazing co-hosts:  Tamara Narayan, Pat Hatt, Patricia Lynne, Juneta Key, and Doreen McGettigan


This month's question (because my writing brain seems to be on Summer break) is:

What is one valuable lesson you've learned since you started writing?

This one is easy because I've stepped into the same dumb hole time and time again.
It is. . .

Check. Double check. Triple check. And then check once again...or maybe twice before hitting that send button.

I can't say how often I've sent off a query or an email or a MS to an agent or publishing company, and overlooked some really stupid mistakes. I think I've managed to do every mishap possible over the years. Wrong agent's name, Mr. instead of Ms., didn't notice half a sentence was deleted, sent the wrong ms to the wrong person,...the list goes on and on and on. And all of these could have been avoided simply by standing up, getting a refill on my tea, and then sitting down and reading the whole thing through once again before sending it off.


What about you? What have you learned through this process called writing?