...and Happy New Year

First - advance notice that there will be a newsletter going out next week. If you haven't signed up, you can do so here. 

Second - if you want to be ahead of the crowd and get an advanced reading copy of BREAKING THE MOLD, you can do that by signing up for the newsletter, or by updating your newsletter preferences to include "ARC reader." 

Third - I guess it's time to get to this week's blog post!

While I've been taking a holiday break from writing, ideas continue to bombard me. "I could write a book about this!" "Oh, wait! This would make a great story!" etc. Which goes to prove authors never really stop writing - if you include the writing they do in their heads. This creates problems for when I actually do sit my butt down in front of a keyboard to type actual words into a story. This author's life goes something like this:

That article I read about the man who goes to the psychic was really cool! He's learned how to be skeptical, as much as he wants to believe in them. Like me, he has grown up enjoying stories like that in books he's read, or TV shows. So when he stumbles on a "real" psychic as part of a job assignment, he's more or less blown away. Makes me think of Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost. Think of all the story angles I could explore with this! Should I make an appointment to see a psychic for my own personal edification? 

Oh! That might make a great series! Suddenly Psychic. Random events out of the ordinary that happen to people that they can't believe. Remember watching Night Gallery? And The Sixth Sense? (the TV series, not the movie). And then there was the Twilight Zone, but that was maybe less about mental perception... Time to binge some television shows.

(A book shows up in a newsletter, or maybe it was an ad somewhere.) A gargoyle? That morphs into a human? With wings? That's kinda cool! I could write a gargoyle. The Bodyguard. Kudos to the author an attention-grabbing passage that totally sucked me in. 

(A Christmas book ad shows up somewhere.) Oh! I have a great idea for another Christmas book! Maybe I should write that instead! Or in addition to. No, I really should focus on the new series, but a Christmas book! Squirrel! How fun would that be? Except Christmas romances are usually on the "sweet" side, and the idea might take me into something steamier. I could make it a male Cinderella type story. Yeah. That would work...

I really need to start writing. Start trapping those squirrels one at a time. A New Year's Resolution? 

Wishing you all health and peace in a Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas

It’s all over but the shouting, or so the saying goes.

Because I’m between books, I’ve been taking some quiet time to relax and enjoy. At my house, the “shouting” is over, although today I’m going to try one more time to visit Christkindlemarket with the Big Guy, and I have a classic Christmas movie watching date with my good friend. You know. The old black and white movies. So maybe a little shouting left.

Merry Christmas to you, people of my blog.

A Christmas present to myself

I'm done with BREAKING THE MOLD. It's available for preorder in ebook and paperback, and the audio is in production. The "on sale" date is February 1, 2022. Who else is looking forward to this one?

With that project behind me, it's time to move ahead. I have a fresh idea that I'm working on with and I just read a blurb from someone else that has sparked even more ideas for my next series. I'm anticipating a Night Gallery binge somewhere over the next couple of weeks for more inspiration.

Did you know LIVING CANVAS was inspired by a Night Gallery episode? One with Roddy McDowell where he saw his dead uncle rising from the graveyard in a painting to come knocking on the door (clearly, that didn't happen in MY book, but the visual stuck with me). Another episode that I always remember was washing a spider down the drain. If you didn't see that one, suffice it to say the spider didn't STAY in the drain.

Along this same vein, my condolences go out to Christopher Rice at the loss of his mother, Anne. The Vampire Lestat books were among my favorite vampire books, and her Mayfair Witches inspired me to visit New Orleans. Her settings were rich in detail, and while I didn't always appreciate her cliffhanger endings, I liked the stories enough to keep reading her books. She will be missed.

I may be a little quiet over the next couple of weeks while we celebrate the holidays, but I'm looking forward to new energy at the start of 2022, which I intend to share with you!

Make an author’s Christmas and buy their books. It’s the best present you can give them, appreciation for their months of hard work. I try to keep mine reasonably priced so I don't break your budget! 

For more information,
or to preorder, click here!

Christmas Carols

I find it ironic that one of my favorite Christmas songs is also written by the composer of Carol of the Drum (Little Drummer Boy). Why ironic, you ask? Because I'm not a big fan of the Little Drummer Boy. I do, however, LOVE the rendition by for King & Country.

Katherine K. Davis also composed a lesser-known carol called As It Fell Upon A Night. In all the years since I sang it in choir in grade school, I've struggled to find it recorded anywhere. So off I go down the YouTube rabbit hole to share it with you.

And one more - this is the one my kids will tell you is my favorite. Gloria (Angels We Have Heard on High) is a "bouncy, happy song" that has me directing the orchestra. I used it as a threat to "Gloria" them out of bed and off to school in December when Christmas break didn't come soon enough. 

Do you have a favorite Christmas carol? Hanukkah song? Seasonal music?

The Joy of … Writing

A memory popped up on my FB page which reminded me how much I love writing, even when books don't go to plan. My editor often sends me the random comment or things like this this (I knew I liked her for a reason). When she sent me this, I'd told I was planning to title Epitaph 7 THE GARDEN and she said this popped into her head. (The story isn't anything like this fabulous So You Think You Can Dance routine, but it is fun to watch!)

Being an author can be a thankless job. These movies - they play out in my head and I don't seem to have a choice but to put them on paper - virtual or otherwise. Sometimes, it's an exercise to clear my head and sometimes I feel like I'm creating magic. Word Alchemy. For all the days I have writer's angst or imposter syndrome, there are times when I finish a project and read what I wrote and am shocked to have been able to create something I can be proud of. Something I enjoy reading. Rediscovering this memory made me smile and reminded me how much fun I had writing the Epitaph series.

I'm starting a new series, which makes me stop to wonder if I'm off the mark with my ideas (an inevitable part of being an author). Will other people be interested in my ideas? When I started the EPITAPH series, I met with an editor for a publisher I was trying to work with who loved the idea, loved the writing, loved the story. She got me all the way to the acquisition meeting before the powers that be told me ghosts wouldn't sell, that vampires were hot. As much as I've enjoyed vampire stories (the original Dracula is still one of my favorite books), that wasn't my sweet spot. I'd reached the end of the road with that publisher. Several years and seven ghost books later, I have no regrets sticking to my vision. 

So what's next? I've returned to the beginning. On my very first web page, I posed the question, "Imagine if you will..." (NOT an actual Rod Serling quote, although it's often attributed to him) "...a world of possibilities. Déjà vu. That dream you had last night is suddenly playing out during your waking hours. Have you ever had a moment when you were struck by the feeling there was more to what you see? Hearing a voice that you recognize, but you’ve never met that person. Seeing a shadow that no one else does, something just out of line of sight and you just know who/what it is."

The new series I'm envisioning is called "Suddenly Psychic," in which the main characters experience these unusual moments and aren't sure what to make of them. When such a moment redirects their lives. Sort of a return to The Twilight Zone, or Night Gallery, or One Step Beyond. Into the world of my imagination.

In the meantime, you can help support a struggling author by buying her books 😁 In case you're wondering what to buy an author for Christmas. I have two books you might enjoy this holiday season - MIST ON THE MEADOW, a sexy romance with paranormal elements, and WHILE WE WERE SHOPPING, a sweet "Hallmark" style romance that's a bit more fluffy. In newly released audio, you can listen to THE MIRROR, and coming in February, just in time for Valentines Day, is BREAKING THE MOLD, a romance set in the fictional town of Hoffman Grove, and a new addition to the family of friends.

My December newsletter will be going out this week, so make sure you're signed up to get a cookie idea and a book recommendation, along with a chance to win a copy of the new audiobook.

Happy Thanksgiving

I know I'm a day early, and I realize there are folks in other countries who don't celebrate the same day, but I'd like to take the opportunity to express my thanks and gratitude. 

I'm thankful for my family - all of them. For those who have gone ahead of us, for my husband, my children, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins that we've spent so many holidays with. For friends both past and present who have helped shape the person I am. 

I am thankful for those readers who buy my books and support this author's vision and dreams. I'm thankful for readers who recommend my books to their friends. I'm thankful to my father, who with every book of mine he read would always say "this is your best one yet." I am thankful for a second cousin, who recently sent me notes my grandmother wrote when she was a young woman, who reinforced that I came by my ability to write honestly, for the reminder of the book my uncle on the other side of the family wrote in his own endeavor to "be an author." 

In a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams, I am grateful for the opportunities I've had and the life I've been given, even the darkest hours that make me appreciate the many blessings I have.

So, while the actual date of the holidays may no longer find me surrounded by family, I am thankful that we can find alternate days to gather, giving the people I love opportunities to share the bright light of their presence with their "other" families. 

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving, and a wondrous holiday season!

Holiday Baking

Well, it's getting to be that time of year again. 

Cookie-baking day with my family is less than two weeks away, and I'm already getting excited! I'm making my signature pinwheels and chocolate toffee bars. We'll be decorating gingerbread men, and making hot cocoa cookies and corn flake wreaths (fondly referred to as "spit cookies" in my family because of their "spit polished" appearance). I suspect we'll have a variety of cookies to share, not to mention the fun we'll have spending time together and remembering those who are no longer around to join us. 

I love festive holiday desserts. When I was younger (and much thinner), I used to make a Buche du Noel (Yule Log cake). Decadent fudge frosting, creamy custard -- my mouth is watering just thinking about it. It makes a beautiful centerpiece. These days, I go for simpler desserts, and I aim for healthier options.

For those of you who read MIST ON THE MEADOW, you might remember this recipe. For those of you who read ENCHANTED MEMORIES, this might not be exactly what Madeleine likes, but it would probably do in a pinch. 

Recipe For Ofenschlupfer

(Apple Bread Pudding)

1-2 golden delicious apples
4 slices of bread (Can use 4 Hawaiian rolls, sliced into thirds)
2 Tbls butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt
2-1/2 cups milk, scalded

Heat oven to 350 F. Toast bread slices lightly. Spread slices with butter (margarine).   Peel apples, cut in fine slices and toss with brown sugar and cinnamon. Arrange bread slices buttered side up in a 1-1/2 quart buttered casserole dish.  Top with apple mixture and raisins.  Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Slowly stir in milk.  Pour over bread. 

Place casserole dish into a square pan, 9x9x2, on oven rack. Pour very hot water (1 inch deep) into square pan. Bake until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean, 65-70 minutes. Remove casserole dish from pan of hot water.  Serve warm or cool  6-8 servings.

Enjoy this easy bread pudding recipe on its own or with a thick creamy vanilla sauce.

Do you have a favorite holiday dessert?

Book Trailers

Since I'm done ahead of schedule with BREAKING THE MOLD and waiting (while I should be writing), I thought I'd venture into making a book trailer for the new release. I'm a novice, and yet there are tools out there that promise you it's easy-peasy. So, okay...

I started at Bookbrush, because they swear they're the easiest to use. However, they also won't let you have your masterpiece unless you join the club (something I didn't know until I'd finished dinking around - bait and switch). My experience with them has been hot/cold. I like some of their graphics, and their quick conversions, but doing anything that isn't canned can be a trial. I have amassed a number of credits, but they don't apply to the trailer. With that being said, I went ahead and tried it out. 

On the pro side, they offer a nice little ditty as background music. You need to have some level of familiarity with working with software, but overall, it wasn't TOO hard to do. I did accidentally delete one frame, and then I didn't know how to add it back. As I got to the point of "well, that wasn't so hard, but I'm still not going to join the club," I took what I learned over to the other site I use to create graphics.

Canva is much more user friendly to my way of thinking, and they do have a "video" creator which accomplishes the same goals. Over there, they want you to join the club, but they don't tease you with bait and switch. You have the option to pay for premium graphics one at a time ($1) if you don't have your own or they don't have free ones that fit your vision. In all the years I've been using them, I've paid for two images, and I feel it was well worth it without being locked into a "membership." Using the one I'd made at Bookbrush as an example, I got started.

Did I mention Canva is much more user friendly? I haven't added in background music, but creating the frames was a fairly simple process. I imagine a little more toying around would help me find something to add.

So what's the verdict? Bookbrush had the appropriate "book trailer" template and "prompts" to help along the way. I'm glad I started there. When you have no idea (points to self) where to start and what to do, it provides the guidelines--as long as you don't screw anything up where you have to figure out what comes next. NOT a user friendly site. Canva is easier to negotiate, so with a starting point, I can now use the one I created as a template for future endeavors, should I decide to go that route. Whether it's worth the time and effort has yet to be seen, but it looks a lot like those other authors have posted. Want a peek?

Click here to find out more about BREAKING THE MOLD

The Next "Best Thing"

While I slog through edits for BREAKING THE MOLD, my mind is racing ahead to what's next.

I went to a book signing at a library, my first in-person event since 2019, and chatted with the other authors there, along with the people who stopped by to say hi. The people who stopped by talked about my "Hallmark" style book - WHILE WE WERE SHOPPING, as well as ENCHANTED MEMORIES with the psychic detective witch. 

There's the "it's a sign!" part of me that thinks the world is directing me toward another "sweet Christmas romance," while I'm also considering laying out a new series. This is where I miss traveling. So many things get triggered by new experiences, but DH is reluctant to get on an airplane these days with all the angry people doing ridiculous things (no argument from me). The good news is we're entering the holiday season, so there are lots of things to do within driving distance, and hopefully we can take advantage of those opportunities. 

Then there's the opportunity to capitalize on all the ridiculous things people are doing. One of my personal character flaws is giving people the benefit of the doubt, which makes for great story opportunities to explain away bad behavior. On the downside, I'm becoming much more cynical about human nature these days. 

While I'm juggling story ideas, I'd love to hear from you. Have you seen a random act of kindness that restored your faith in humanity recently? Or something totally rude that might have been motivated by someone who ran out of options and had nothing else to lose? And here’s the frontrunner currently, based on an article I read recently. Have you ever consulted a medium/psychic? What was your experience?

Revisiting The Backlist (as opposed to the Blacklist)

While I’m proof-listening to the audiobook THE MIRROR, I’m remembering bits and pieces of the story that I DIDN'T write. Backstory that changed along the way. Did Nick get married while he was away? Was Sandra's "first time" with Garth, or did she venture out of town to hook up? I almost feel like I'm reading/listening to the story for the first time.

I don't remember every detail of every story I wrote, which makes it that much stranger when I then remember what was in the first draft that changed as the book progressed. Someone recently read THE MIRROR and told me how much they loved the cat. 

The cat?

After she reminded me, I remembered that I'd borrowed a Breakfast at Tiffany's moment designed to help characterize my hero, Garth. 

After more than twenty books, sometimes it's difficult to remember the details. My imagination has always jumped into random scenes with random people I've made up, even as a kid. I used to envision what it would be like to live somewhere else, be someone else. How do they think? Where do they live? What do they do?

Funny fact: When I was young, I randomly bought myself a kids' drum kit. I had a few extra dollars, and I liked to order from the JC Penney catalog - there was a pick-up location within walking distance from my house. I never learned to play the drums, can't tell you what motivated me to buy a drum kit, but I can tell you I pretended I could play (usually when no one else was home because... drums). I'd sit there, banging away, and imagine stories. Yes, I've always had an overactive imagination. Funny thing, those drums never appeared in any of my stories, not even back then. 

Or maybe the drums did feature in one of those early stories, and I just don't remember. 

The devil's in the details.

Out and About

While I was out and about this week, I visited a pumpkin farm with my little pumpkins. We had a beautiful fall day, and the older girls roamed the field looking for the perfect pumpkin. We also had apple cider donuts and taffy apples and lots of walking in the sunshine. Cute pictures with all the babies and the moms and dads. Wow. MY kids are the moms and dads, now! I always enjoy time with my family, and I love getting outside when the weather is so nice.

Back to listening to progress on the audiobook and editing the upcoming release.

Saturday, I'll be doing an author event at one of the local libraries. These events are always fun ways to connect with readers and other authors. If you're in the area, stop in to say hello!

Click for more information

Coming Soon in Audio!

I'm working toward the finish line with the new book - BREAKING THE MOLD - tediously working to remove unnecessary words and phrases from the manuscript, polishing my writing, checking for those dangling modifiers and passive voice and run-on sentences. (Yes, that's a perfect example of a run-on sentence.)

I'm taking breaks to listen to chapters from the new audiobook! THE MIRROR (Epitaph 3) should be ready by the end of the year (fingers crossed!) and BREAKING THE MOLD (yes, the new book!) should be ready when the book is ready. Both narrated by the talented Vicki Pierce.

 Want a hear a sample?

Karla Brandenburg · MIRROR - RetailAudioSample - A

History repeats itself

Every time I finish a book, it's the same thing. History repeating itself.

This post might get a little rambly, so apologies in advance. 

The good news - I've finished the first draft of my next book (due out next year. Watch this space for more information). I have a date with the editor and I've contacted my cover artist. 

The bad news - this is when the real work starts. My editor doesn't want a sloppy first draft. She wants a "clean" version, which means the self-editing begins in earnest. The usual passes for continuity, filler words, overused words and phrases. Also keeping a sharp eye out for comma splices and dangling participles.

Finishing the writing part means I feel less guilty about taking reading breaks, and I have several books sitting in my TBR pile that I'm falling behind on. One series in particular has three books waiting for me. So I dug into the first one.

And here's some of that rambling. As an author, I've struggled a bit during the last year and a half thanks to the news cycles and isolation, as have many other authors that I've spoken with. Somehow, I'd like to believe the big names aren't having issues with lockdowns and social issues since they continue to produce, but based on the book I just read, that doesn't appear to be the case. As I enter my own self-editing phase, I am more aware of structure and format, and generally I try to turn that editor off when I read for leisure. 

The book I just finished reading, by one of my favorite authors, has again proven that rules are meant to be broken--rules that I don't want to break myself. I guess the reason I'm making this point of reference is because in seeing what she's done "wrong," I sympathize with the struggles we all go through as we put our stories together for consumption. The writing clearly reflects the same lack of focus we're all struggling with right now. She can get away with a lot more because she is a "big name," but along with the hiccups that might jar, she gets all the details right, which makes the story more grounded. Both of these things are lessons to carry with me into my editing process. Stick to the rules (except where it makes sense to break them, and don't be lazy) and pay attention to the details. 

So off I go to clean up the story I've created! 

Tell me, what books are you reading right now?

What's going on with book covers?

As I near completion of my next book (due to come out at the beginning of 2022), its time to think about cover art. Since this is part of a series, I have to consider the other covers. Here's the thing. The Hoffman Grove Series didn't start out with a series map. It started out "accidentally" at the advice of my "then editor." 

The covers don't look anything alike. 

  A | BN | iB | K   

  A | BN | iB | K  

  A | BN | iB | K   

They're all small town (Hoffman Grove), and they all revolve around a family of friends. That's the unifying theme. Since it's been a while since the last Hoffman Grove was written (I got swept away with the Epitaphs, and then with the Hillendale novels), I thought I ought to check to see what covers for romance/romantic suspense currently look like for inspiration.

Holy cow. My options appear to be: 1) Shirtless man. 2) Cartoony. 3) Some sort of vague nothingness that doesn't really say anything about the book. Ugh.

Stepping back. Okay. I can work with this. I found an image that I like that could work, especially given the choices above. It is NOT 1) a shirtless man. 2) Cartoony. I wouldn't exactly describe it as vague nothingness, but it is more "moody." 

Except I also need a title. So far? Nothing. My critique partner suggested "Breaking the Mold," which might work. What's it about? 

Kayleigh returns to Hoffman Grove for her ten-year high school reunion, eager for a reboot of her life. She’s breaking away from family expectations and chasing her own goals now. But some things never change. The false friends she had back in the day are eager to repeat old patterns. She’s onto them this time, and new friends rise to the occasion— including Rafe, who volunteers to be her pretend boyfriend for reunion weekend. We all have to carry our own baggage, and if Rafe wants to move out of the “pretend boyfriend” zone, he'll have to let Kayleigh carry hers.

Spark any ideas with you? 

Ego versus Constructive Criticism

I recently read a post in one of my groups from someone who was concerned about balancing Ego with Criticism. She confessed to having "thin skin" when it came to criticism and asked for advice on how to deal with some she'd gotten recently. She has a few unpublished works, and admitted her education isn't necessarily as advanced as it might be. She asked another author for feedback on her current work, and when she got the comments back, she was "gutted." Her question? Is my work that bad? Is it my ego that's bruised or are my skills that deficient?

I've been at this job for 20 years professionally, and I can't tell you how many people over the years have commented on how easy writing must be. You just sit down and write a story and voila! You're done. Nope. Not quite that simple.

Taking a story from a point of inspiration to a finished product takes lots of hours and hard work. It means understanding sentence structure. Character goals, motivation, and conflict, as well as plot. Sometimes the stories are easy to write. They flow easily (despite the inevitable muddle in the middle), although there are some that require a lot more thought and craft. 

When I first started out "seriously," I did a lot of studying, took some extra classes. Thought I knew it all. Joined a critique group. Lovely people in that group. They were all very supportive and complimentary. Here's the problem with that. I didn't learn anything. I still remember a woman named Glee pointing out my "ing monster." But she never explained what that meant or why that was a problem. 

After a couple of years, a "real author" joined the group and immediately took me to task on one of my chapters over dialog tags. Well heck. Everything I'd ever learned told me to use descriptive dialog tags. Now, someone comes along and tells me they're too flowery? That I should use "said" because it's "invisible?" I didn't respond well at first, but then I considered the source. This was a published author. Published by a house I'd hoped to get into. She must know what she's talking about, right? So I reached out to her to learn more. Unfortunately, my knee-jerk negative response to her critique burned my bridges with her. She quickly realized she was in a group of amateurs. 

The good news is I met another author through that group and asked her for advice. That was the beginning of a years-long association, and I have learned SO MUCH from her and the other authors she introduced me to. The criticism was much more intense (read "ouch!"), but focused, and as much as I didn't like hearing that I'd screwed something up, that group also taught me what to look for and what to fix. I learned that "the ing monster" was a signal to check for passive voice. I learned to focus on filler words (like just) and common errors like "That vs. Who." I didn't lash out at the criticism I got, even when I didn't agree with it. I set my ego aside and actually learned something. As a result, I now have some well-written and professionally edited books that I can be proud of. 

I still get abrasive comments on my writing at times, and it still stings, but I now have enough experience behind me to understand when those comments are constructive and I should pay attention. For those comments I don't agree with, I now rely on my editor as the "final say" on whether they're valid or not. At the end of the day, you need a professional you can trust who knows what they're talking about, with industry and genre experience, to be the deciding factor on what is ego and what is a valid criticism. That, in and of itself, can be a challenge. My first attempt at finding an editor garnered one whose biggest criticisms were the names I'd chosen for my characters. For THAT reason, it's a good idea to have a sample edit before you sign a contract to make sure the editor will balance what they can do with what you need. 

Books & Cookies

I read a blog post recently about newsletters and what makes people sign up or not sign up for them. Aside from the obvious lure of "FREE," once people sign up, there has to be something that keeps them coming back.

For my part, I seldom sign up for "Get 30 books free, plus an e-reader!" type promotions. But that's just me. I have an e-reader and I have a tablet, both of which serve me well. Given the chance, I probably wouldn't invest in another dedicated e-reader, and my TBR pile is pretty healthy as it is.  To some, the free part is irresistible. The catch is always that you have to sign up for newsletters for the participating authors, or follow them somewhere that will help them get more visibility. Hey, we all need that. I've participated in a few of those, myself. The problem is that once you've hooked your fish, you have to be able to hold onto them. For a lot of "freebie" subscribers, they unsubscribe with the next newsletter. 

I hope to make a connection with my readers. That means I need something beyond the freebie to keep them interested. Not a problem for people who love my books, but if they haven't read my books before, and don't read the free one for a month (30 other books to compete with, you know) or even a year, they might not pay attention to a newsletter from me. 

What keeps a subscriber interested beyond knowing when an author's next book comes out? I'm subscribed to some very personable authors, but I have to say even they get on my nerves if I hear from them too often. What makes for good content? How often is too often?

Back to that blog post I read - one commenter mentioned something that triggered an idea, a good way to keep touch with my readers--or at least I think so.

Announcing 

Hey, we're headed into the holiday season, and for me, that means cookies, so I thought I'd share my love of cookies. And books. Beginning October 1, I plan to test the idea of a monthly newsletter with a book recommendation -- a book I've read that I think my readers might like -- and a link to a cookie recipe. I'll also include writing news and new release information, and for people who don't want the more frequent contact, they can subscribe to "new release" information only. Good idea? Bad idea? 

This is where I'd love to hear what you think. What kind of content would keep you opening newsletters, and what makes you unsubscribe? Do you want to hear from your favorites more regularly, or only when they have a new book to share?

The quest for knowledge

One of the fun parts about writing is learning knew things, or relearning old things. I get to go new places, meet new people and talk to them about their jobs, or their hobbies, or the things that excite them - which is... exciting!

Writing inspires our natural curiosity. What's it like to live in someone else's shoes? 

Take, for instance, my EPITAPH series. It started with a vision of a woman walking in a cemetery. For fun. So when Bluff City Cemetery hosted a cemetery walk, away I went, and I learned about all the different types of grave markers and monuments. I also enjoyed a beautiful day outside, walking a park-like cemetery. Later, as I was developing the story, I walked into a monument shop across the street from the cemetery and learned about making headstones, a process most of us take for granted. We order, they make it, enough said. I really enjoyed seeing behind the scenes, and it made my stories richer.

Let's not forget COOKIE THERAPY. Interviewing firemen? What's not to like? Not to mention it was the perfect excuse to call an old neighbor and catch up. And interviewing an indie bookshop owner? That was a fun one to write.

Some stories are helped along by friendships. I talked to one of my friends while I was thrashing around for an occupation for Kathleen McCormick, and it occurred to me she could be THE ARCHITECT--like my friend. Sarah assured me architects are boring (many of us find our day jobs boring), but the more I poked her for job details, the more she started seeing it from an outside point of view and remembering why maybe it isn't always so boring. 

My most recent "job interview" was with the owner of a ceramics shop. When I'd chosen that idea for my latest heroine, I was worried it might be a thing of the past--making your own ceramics--and was happy to find they still have ceramics studios around for people to go and explore their creative side. Years ago, I spent evenings with my sister cleaning greenware and painting bisqueware that turned into my kitchen soap dispenser, or Christmas decorations, or an Easter candy dish... well, you get the idea. So off I went to talk to Johanna. I wish I'd recorded our interview for a podcast! We had a great conversation, and I got all the details I didn't know or had forgotten that I'll need for the story (Thank you, Johanna.)

"Those who read live many lives," and I'm here to tell you those of us who write are honored to share those lives with you, even if it's only for a few hours. 

Those darn reviews

There's an old saying that authors shouldn't read their reviews. If you listened to my podcast with Jess Michaels, you will have heard she is in agreement with that. I agree with it, too, up to a point. 

A review can be helpful if you've completely missed the mark with a book. As an indie publisher, I have the opportunity to go back and fix it. Or feedback can direct me into what's working and what isn't. Is my Hillendale series resonating with my readers? What about the Epitaph series? What should I write next based on how well previous books have been received? 

Here's the thing. When a new book releases, you want that "money quote" that will help promote it to other readers who haven't read it yet. A review will provide that. But after a certain point in time, you reach a point of diminishing returns. Reviews become ego feeding or soul crushing. I hit both when I went looking for that money quote for my new book. I stumbled on reviews I didn't know I had.

Who is Chad?? Demolished? And "knowing the author..." I don't know anyone named Chad, so I can only assume knows me through my books. The wait is over, Chad! Go get 'em! And thank you for the review.

I made the rounds at the major booksellers - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Kobo, Goodreads. Then, because I was on my tablet, I took a shortcut to B&N through their Nook app and found some that aren't on the B&N website. Interesting... Never would have thought to look there separately.

I have reviews from one person who absolutely loved the Hillendales, and then moved on to the Epitaphs. She reviewed every one of them on Goodreads and raved about how wonderful the books,  recommending them in glowing terms (Thank you, Bobbi!). Definite ego boosters. With each review, I relived each book and remembered all the things I'd loved about them when I was writing them. 

Then there's the review I blogged about a couple of weeks ago, where the reader basically said she liked the story while bashing my ability to write. One thing every editor I've worked with, every contest I've entered, has told me is that I know how to write. So who is this person? An English teacher with an axe to grind? Not "soul crushing" but definitely disappointing. I know I'm not for everyone, which is why I try very hard not to dwell on the reviews from people who "don't get me."

Double-edged swords, those reviews. They're important when it comes to promotion. Books need a minimum number to qualify for some promotions. And you know what? Some days the good reviews are what keep me going, knowing there are people out there who enjoy reading what I write as much as I enjoy writing it.

Thank you to everyone who has supported me on my writing journey with a review, both the good and the bad. I hope I can continue to "demolish" expectations with each subsequent story.

When Movies Influence Writing

Flora and the Zephyrs

Remember in Sleepless in Seattle where they're watching An Affair to Remember? Art imitating art. And it isn't always movies imitating movies. While I was researching HEART FOR RENT, WITH AN OPTION, my art-loving character was inspired by a painting (Flora and the Zephyrs) I stumbled across. But I digress.

I was talking with a friend who'd recently started reading my books. As she put it, she "finally has time to read." She reminded me of a scene I wrote inspired by Breakfast at Tiffanys. "Cat!" (THE MIRROR).

I wrote a séance into EPITAPH, which prompted me to go back and find an old, old, made-for-tv movie I'd loved when I was a kid - The House That Would Not Die. That movie, incidentally, is how I found Barbara Michaels' books (Ammie, Come Home). She would later become one of my inspirations, that very subtle ghostly touch. 

While I was writing THE SCULPTOR, I thought about Wuthering Heights, which I recently re-read. In retrospect, Heathcliff might not have been a good model for a hero, although it was the romantic tragedy that the heroine projected onto him. 

And my Christmas book? WHILE WE WERE SHOPPING? Think every Hallmark movie - although there was one in particular where the plot was about a writer who was tasked with writing a "Hallmark" book and given plot points he had to incorporate... I don't remember the title, because... well, if you've watched more than one Hallmark movie, you'll understand. 

The reason for the post today is that I am again drawing inspiration from a movie for a book. Keep in mind I pick and choose a particular scene from the movie that inspires me. For my current work in progress (a new installment in the Hoffman Grove series), I have a heroine who originally wanted to show a former fiancé who she was "today," years after they'd broken up. The movie that came to mind? French Kiss. The scene was when she wore that little blue dress (which looked fabulous on her) and tells him, essentially, "the new me doesn't want the old you." (You go, girl!)

Oftentimes, you'll hear authors talk about how writing a book is transcribing the movie playing in their head. And sometimes, our movie is inspired by the other movies that have impacted us in one way or another. 

What movies stick with you? And why? 

Who wants a book?

I’m giving away a book, but you’ll have to keep reading. 😉

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. The reason authors write is because it's who they are more than it's what they do.

Some days, writing is a tedious job and drags you down. Then you get a review (authors should never read their reviews) from someone who says something "inconceivable" (channeling my Princess Bride here - "I do not think that means what you think it does") that makes no sense, cites no examples. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. She did say she'd read another one of my books if she didn't have to pay for it, so it wasn't ALL bad. 

When I'm writing something new and I hit my stride, it's like a fire that rages out of control. I'm in the "hot zone" right now with my next book, writing a story that is taking me right along with it. I'm still in first draft, so I'm letting it burn, but at some point I'm going to have to go back to assess the damage. My characters will need more depth (they have it, but in the rush to get words down, a reader might not see it), and my settings will need more description (again, it's there, but not transcribed appropriately). My imagination is ablaze and I can hardly keep up with it. My daily word count is doubling and trebling. At some point, the fire will bank and I'll be struggling to light my path forward, but for now, I feel like an arsonist must, excited and in awe of the blaze. 

Does that sound creepy?

But I promised you a giveaway.

I often snap pictures of the things I see/find when I’m “Out and About.” The other day, I came across this gladiolus. If you can tell me what Brynn and Nora use one for in INTERRUPTED MAGIC, I’ll send 2 lucky winners a copy of ENCHANTED MEMORIES. Who wants to play? I have paperback (1 copy up for grabs) or e-book (2 copies to lucky contestants). Shoot me your answer in the contact form on the right side of the page, or just ask me how the flower was used if you want to be entered to win. Winners will be chosen at random and announced on next week’s blog.

Or, you know, you could always buy a copy to be sure you don't miss out. 😉

Buy it at   Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Apple | Kobo

 

Buy it at
  Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Apple | Kobo  

Clean, Dirty, Sweet or Steamy

In these days of political correctness, I'm going to share one of my pet peeves as an author. 

I've begun work on my next book, which will again be a romance. I'm adding to the Hoffman Grove series, which begs the question, what kind of romance will it be? Fun fact about COOKIE THERAPY, which is part of this series. When I wrote it, I wrote it with "the door closed." The intimate scenes were off the page. My editor said readers would feel cheated. I didn't ask her if that was because my previous books had left the door open or if she considered it industry standard but deferred to her wisdom as an editor and "opened the door." Does that make it dirty--or steamy?

I did a Christmas novel that I'd hoped to market to Hallmark, WHILE WE WERE SHOPPING, that fell into the "sweet" category (i.e., no sex). Does that make it "clean?"

When I first started writing the Hillendale novels, I'd considered writing to a different market and attended a writers group in that market to learn. FAMILY ALCHEMY was always meant to be more women's fiction than romance, showing Brynn's journey, so the "heat level" was never at issue. However, in that writing group, they talked about "clean romance," which immediately set my teeth on edge. I don't view intimacy as "dirty."

Bottom line, I left the writers group. I didn't pursue the avenue I was considering. Well, I did, but I ended up changing my mind after consulting with someone who writes the genre I was aiming for and she gave me some pointers. I realized I didn't have the right skill set to get it there, and although the group invited me to stick around, I had a hard time aligning what I wrote as "clean" or "dirty."

I'm a big proponent of "sweet" or "steamy." I do recognize that there are people out there who have a problem with reading about intimacy on the page, and I'm well aware of the boundaries some people set. I love reading Kristan Higgins romances, where she takes you right to the bedroom door, and then closes it. I also love reading Jill Shalvis novels that invite you right into the bedroom. I've heard from readers who don't want to "see that stuff in a book," say they skip over the "hot" sections, and other readers who savor them. 

Romance novels include intimacy of varying levels. Readers expect that. Whether its emotional intimacy, and that should be there regardless, and/or physical intimacy. Because some readers don't want to "see" the physical side of things, labels get applied to prepare them. Me? I use "steamy." If my readers expect me to call it "dirty," I'm going to say they probably shouldn't be reading romance unless they refer to it as a "guilty pleasure." Now, I'm not talking about erotica, where physical intimacy is the main focus. I'm talking about books that take the time to develop an emotional bond between the characters. Erotica is it's own label. I don't think "dirty" needs to be applied in any event, unless they're wallowing in a mudpit.

With all that being said, there are industry standards to physical intimacy. Different people like different things, or don't like certain things. One of my first exposures to physical intimacy in a book was a novel by Julie Garwood. She wrote scenes including things that I, personally, didn't like, so I tended to wrinkle my nose and skip over them. We all have our tipping points. Most romance novels you read will stick to "typical interaction" and leave the fetishism or extreme behavior to the erotic category. Do authors write about what happens in their own bedrooms? Heck, no! Most of what you see in a steamy novel is standard fare, adapted by a particular author to suit their characters. 

So here I go writing another in a series of "steamy" novels. Yes, I anticipate some foggy windows  ahead--Foggy, but not dirty. 😉

Do you have strong feelings on how you label romance? Or preferences on the heat level?

Release Day!

 Anyone else excited for the new Hillendale novel? Here's another sneak peek at ENCHANTED MEMORIES.

“I’m not going in there,” she repeated.

“Claustrophobic?” Becker asked.

Madeleine folded her arms. She didn’t need some cop she didn’t know psychoanalyzing her, and after the disaster with her brother, she’d developed a healthy skepticism where police officers were concerned. If he had a hidden agenda, she didn’t want to be part of it. “Deputy Jakes was right. I don’t want to help. I’ll just see myself out.”

His eyes flickered with surprise and his posture softened. “Wait.”

She raised her eyebrows, allowing him to continue.

“There’s a coffee shop a couple doors down. We could go there.”

She gave him a nod and followed him out, away from the memories, to the task at hand.

“Why did you decide to track me down?” she asked.

“You were recommended by the Woodrow PD.”

Pat answer. Too pat. “What did you think when the Woodrow PD suggested a psychic?”

He assessed her a moment longer, his eyes taking everything in from her half-moon earrings to her barely concealed tattoos to her ankle boots. Want a closer look? She took a step closer to judge his response.

No one was going to take what she wasn’t willing to give ever again. She’d learned how to deal with sleazeballs. Better to know where Becker stood before this went any further.

Buy it today, in e-book and paperback: https://books2read.com/u/brPr1z

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Kobo

 

         Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple | Kobo  

Out and About - Pottawatomie Park

In need of a change of scenery, I took the Big Guy on a river cruise. Now don't get excited, it's a 45 minute ride in a paddle wheel boat half an hour from home in a mostly-shallow river. Still, it was something we hadn't done before, and it was a beautiful day to be on the river. No kitschy tour guides, just us a a couple dozen people sitting on benches watching the jet skis and power boats and kayaks and paddle boarders pass us by - yes, you heard that right. Since the river isn't very deep around here, the boat moves VERY slowly. There is a canned tour recording which occasionally fills you in on what you're passing which is all related to the local community. The local golf course. The local fen area. Boy Scout Island. The nature preserve named after a local philanthropist. Not sure we traveled five miles down (up?) the river, but it was something to do on a summer's day. 

The St. Charles Belle

Great Blue Heron

Paddle boats

The golf course

The watchtower

The pavilion

Pronouncing a book "done"

As much as some of us might like to analyze what we've written forever, there comes a point in time when we must pronounce it done. It doesn't help that every time we look at it, we find a new "perceived" error, and often an actual error. That only feeds the need to check it "one more time." At some point, we have to pronounce it "done."

I've done that with my next Hillendale novel, which will go on sale August 3 (but you can pre-order!). 

From my editor:

"You keep delivering the goods, I tell ya. Kudos on inventing a fresh new character for this familiar town of people. She fits right in."

Here's a snippet to whet your appetite:

Madeleine Stephens jogged around the park, past the backyards of the cinderstone houses. Her strides echoed on the wooden bridge and a minute later she was jogging in place where the path met the street. No cars. She continued to the other side of the road, where the woods backed up to her house. As she shuffled to her privacy fence, her running shoe caught in a tangle of vines that sent her to the ground.

“Clumsy,” she muttered. She pressed against the ground to push to her feet, and sensation burned through her hands.

Don’t you realize I can take anything I want?

Madeleine pulled away and sat up, staring at the ground. A trail of blood snaked through the dirt, making her back farther away. She looked to where the privacy fence should have been, a vision showing her house on fire. Brynn Taylor stood in the sunroom windows, palms against the glass.

Madeleine gritted her teeth, squeezed her eyes closed and pulled her knees to her chest to ward off the vision. “Leave me alone,” she whispered. When she looked again, the fence blocked her view of the house. The trail of blood on the ground was an earthworm slithering along.

She hadn’t had an unexpected vision in almost six months, and that one had nearly killed her.

It goes on sale August 3, but you can pre-order it so you don't forget 😁

Buy it here!

Give a Little Whistle

In addition to being exciting, writing comes with its share of down times. 

Many authors struggle with depression. Most notably, The Bloggess, Jenny Lawson, regularly talks about her bouts of depression and how she deals with it. Stephen King is another example. Most authors go through dark periods, myself included. Let me say right off the bat, if you’re struggling with depression, it’s okay to get help. When I hit my lowest point, I did, and it helped tremendously. My goal today is to provide some ideas for how to kickstart your brain when it wanders down those dark alleyways, before it reaches critical mass, a very high-level approach to get past the doldrums rather than a ladder to climb out of despair. As with all things, your mileage may vary.

During the course of writing a book, there are inevitably those times where writer's angst kicks in. The “I suck” feeling. The imposter syndrome where I'm sure nobody wants to read my drivel – including me. When the creative juices seem to dry up, or when sales slack off. The problem with those days is they can creep into other aspects of your life, like The Fog (Creature Features movie, for those of you who might not remember it) until you can’t see your hand in front of your face. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

So what do you do when the fog starts rolling in?

• Exercise.
• Yoga.
• Phone a friend.
• Get outside and look at the world around you. Really look at it, at all the beautiful things hiding in plain sight (#OutAndAbout).
• Volunteer. Nothing reminds you how small your problems are like seeing how good you have it when compared to someone who isn’t as fortunate.
• Go the Jiminy Cricket route and “Give a Little Whistle.” Or sing a song (#MyLifeIsAMusical).
• Learn something new.
• Listen to music that relaxes you.
• And one thing very author-specific: Read a book. I’ve found this can inspire you, either to be as good as your favorite author, or better than someone who might not write as well as you do. (This one is last because it doesn’t always work the way you expect!)

There is a trend these days toward mindfulness, which directs our attention toward how to deal with the disappointments and speedbumps that send us the wrong direction. One of my friends does a podcast called Mindfulness: Slow Living, Connection, and the Ordinary Life. 

In the end, falling into writers angst is a frame of mind. Maybe the writing does suck, but the important thing is not to let it pull you into a black hole. We all have bad days--some worse than others--and we will continue to experience disappointments. The key is to overcome them. 

On those days I doubt my ability, I remind myself why I write (because I love creating new and different worlds to escape to) and ultimately, putting in the effort shines like the sun on the encroaching fog. It helps to have a couple of awards (and five-star reviews!) to provide some validation. Even if I'm only writing for myself, it brings me joy. 

How do you overcome self-doubt?

via GIPHY

Why Hire an Editor?

There are times I get all cocky and tell people I used to be an editor, so what do I need to hire one for? I have a firm grasp of the English language. I know how to put sentences together. I have programs that help point out usage that I might have overlooked. And did I mention I have a stellar critique group? Well, here's the thing.

Nobody's Perfect

This is especially true when it comes to reviewing your own work. Humans are flawed, and as such, mistakes will be made. Even with top-notch skills and a strong support group. Things get overlooked. Threads get dropped. 

As I prepare my next Hillendale novel for publication, I'm addressing comments I got back from my editor. The one I hired. Because she sees all the things I miss. Is she perfect? No, but her input elevates my work. As an example...

• I have a thread in the current novel that isn't neatly tied up. "What happened to that one person?" Truth be told, I knew it was hanging out there, but I'd sort of thought maybe no one would care. That was mistake number one. If I don't care, that means my character doesn't care, and that makes her uncaring. Forget the fact this is a made-up person in a made-up world. People should care what happens, especially people we are willing to take the time to invest our energy and emotions into. "That one person" has now been taken care of.
  
  
• Wasn't this different in the last book? See, that's the thing. I keep a series bible. In fact, I wrote a program to make it easier, but in order to keep the facts straight, I have to refer to them. Often. Example #1 is the backstory I presented at the end of Interrupted Magic which "magically" isn't the same as what's presented in this next installment. Well, heck. That isn't going to work, and thinking my readers won't pick up on it? That's just careless. My editor, who has been with me through 17 books now, keeps track of all that stuff. And speaking of continuity...
  
  
• What was the name of that place? Yes, this is also in my series bible, and I KNOW I've referred back to it more than once, but wouldn't you know I STILL wrote the wrong name? Rock Falls/Rock's Edge. And speaking of series bible, here's something you might not know. When I was writing Brian Benson's book for the Epitaph series, I misspelled his name. For 6 books, his name was Brian. Now that he's taking center stage, he's suddenly Bryan. How does that happen?? Well, my editor was on top of it.

As an editor in business, we were often told that internal controls meant you didn't edit your own work. You handed it off to someone with fresh eyes. The three examples I cited are prime reasons that this is good practice. It doesn't matter how good you (think you) are. The main problem with checking your own work is that you become blind to the mistakes. The value of an industry professional with specialized knowledge is well worth the investment. 

I'm expecting ENCHANTED MEMORIES (Hillendale 5) to release on August 3. It should be hitting the stores for preorder this week. Here's the first look at the cover.

Buy it here

The "In Between"

I just finished watching a video of a haunted house in England that gives the phrase "in between" a whole different meaning! The people have lived in their house for three years and have documented poltergeist activity. Whether or not you believe them is another matter. I was reading the comments and as with most things, there are opinions all over the board. I think the one that resonated with me is "how come they're not surprised when these things happen suddenly?" I will say the video is well done, real or not.

But that's not the kind of in between I'm living right now. I have just received edits back from my editor on Hillendale 5, which I hope includes her opinion on the title. Enchanted Memories is a front-runner, but I'm vacillating with Hypnotic Charm. Tune in next week to find out which one wins (feel free to weigh in in the comments), and by then pre-orders should be available to those of you who want to keep up with what's going on in Hillendale.

Generally, in the "in between," I start the next book. This time, I've been taking a break. Learning new things. Have I mentioned my podcast? The second episode is up! And since I'm talking about the podcast, keep an eye out for my interview with author Maggie Toussaint coming July 14.

After I finished my first book (Holy cow! That was 20 years ago!) I read articles on how people celebrate the "birth" of a book, what to do in the "in between," and some of the ideas were loads of fun. To this day, one of the suggestions that stuck with me was about someone who browsed the classified ads and found something they wanted to buy. When they went to pick it up, they sat and talked with the seller for hours! That conversation spurred them on to write the next book. The article likened finishing a book to childbirth, where the author needs time to recover from the process. I totally get that. The process is exhausting, and also miraculous. I grew that?

My "in between" is just about over and it will be time to commit to a new story, but for now, I'm excited to polish Hillendale 5 and prepare it for distribution. I hope you'll love it, too!