Advice from a Cocoon

My friend Colleen and I just spent a week on a writing retreat in the cocoon of her family’s cabin home in Northern Minnesota. In the quiet isolation of the lake we were able to reset our creative clocks and write with purpose and vigor. Free from the demands of our typical schedules and responsibilities we were able to write for hours, stay up late, skip normal meal times, indulge in two hour Skype collaborations, brainstorm, dream, strategize, and then, write some more.

 But it wasn’t all work. One day we blew off steam racing around the lake on jet skis. We started taking walks in the afternoon and one night we even went out to have dinner and cocktails at the local establishment. Our cocoon afforded us the luxury of both blinding productivity and sheer laziness.

 It was incredible, but after five days it was time to leave our cocoon and head back into the real world. I packed my bags with memories, new opportunities, big plans, 7,500 new words in my manuscript and a few left over snacks.

Colleen and I stood in the driveway delaying the inevitable. Our cocoon was safe. Fun. Productive. I didn’t want to leave. But there was work to be done that couldn’t happen in the isolation of our quiet space. It was time to go. And so I did, but with me I took so many things, including these lessons, which I am now sharing with you… Advice from a Cocoon.

Colleen and I plan on having many more retreats together. In fact, we are in the process of planning an epic series of writing getaways. If you are looking to spend time in a safe, fun and productive cocoon and would like to join us, drop a comment below or email me at wordnerd@amandazieba.com and I can keep you in the loop. But for now, I wish you all the best as you spread your wings in the real world. Fly away... and then write about it. 

Writing Deadlines

Today's guest post comes from author Leann Betts. Her new book came out this month. So after you read this post, click over to Amazon to check it out! 

In the writing world, there are two kinds of deadlines: the ones imposed by others; and the ones imposed by you.

The deadlines that others set for you in your writing might include a contest entry date; a critique group submission due date; a time frame for the submission of a proposal and first three chapters to an editor or agent following a contact at a writing conference such as the ACFW National Conference; a request for a full manuscript; the acceptance and signing of a contract; first draft approval; intermediate revisions; and final revisions prior to publication. Each one of these deadlines is critical to the process of writing, of keeping everything flowing, and of ultimately achieving the goal, whether that be winning a contest, being a productive member of a critique group, acquiring an agent, or publication.

And there are the self-imposed deadlines, the ones you set for yourself. And whether you realize it or not, you set deadlines every day, some that are related to writing and some that are not. For example, you get up at a certain time of the day. You have set the deadline on how long you're going to spend sleeping. If you have children, you get them off to school. Each deadline, while not specifically adding words or pages to your work in process, is a practice at meeting a deadline.

So how do you set self-imposed writing deadlines when there is no agent, no editor, no promise of an advance or a royalty looming over your head?

Treat your writing seriously, or you won't set goals. Look at the book you're working on, look at your schedule--because face it, we all have a life outside of writing--and determine how much time you can spend on writing, and how much you can reasonably expect to get done in that time. For example, I was working on a novella. When I started the book, I was excited about the story, excited about where the characters were going. I figured this book would just leap out of my mind, through my fingers, and into the computer.

That didn't happen. I was so convinced I could have this done in no time that that's exactly what I spent writing--no time. Suddenly the story was boring, and the laundry looked more interesting.

So around the middle of the third month of not writing, I decided enough was enough. I set a goal for the end of the month to have the story finished. I was about 20,000 words from the end. Still didn't happen. Seemed I had all the time in the world. For other things. So I buckled down and started writing seriously three days before the end of the month. I wrote 2,500 words the first day, 1,500 words the second, and 4,500 words the final day. I didn't quite make my goal because the story wasn't finished. But I was on a roll. Spending every day in the story made the story more real to me. And setting a deadline made me feel like I real writer.

Did I set a bad deadline? No. The problem was I wasn't serious enough about the work required.

Should I simply dump the story and move on? No. Writing every day has kept me in the story and opened some new plot points and back story points, and that's exciting for me.

How do I learn from this experience? I won't take the next deadline for granted. I will treat the deadline as if a contract, an advance, or publication depend on it.

Takeaway: I will act like I am a writer under a deadline imposed by someone else.

Exercises:

1. What work in process would you like to finish?

2. Take out the story, read through it to ground yourself again, and set a deadline.

3. Write every day, even if it's only for a few minutes, to keep yourself grounded in the story.

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Author Bio

Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released five titles in her cozy mystery series, By the Numbers, with Hidden Assets releasing the end of June. In addition, Leeann has written a devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, has published a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, a compilation of essays, articles, and exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers. You can subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com or follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print.

Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6

Books: http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE

Hooray for Summer!

I thought I'd do something a little different on this Writing Wednesday! So here's a video!

I'm pretty excited for summer and all I have planned. What word nerd things do you have on your summer calendar? Got a stack of books to get through? Attending a conference, workshop or retreat? Starting or finishing a novel? I'd love to hear about all of your literary adventure plans in the comments below!

The YA Summer Scavenger Hunt

X marks the spot! You've found the next location on the treasure map! Congratulations! Now read on for your secret word! It is hidden in this blurb for my YA Science Fiction Novel: Breaking the Surface. Read it now for only $.99 on Kindle and then check out the sequel: Bridging the Tides.

When Flynn gets the chance to leave her home on the ocean floor to spend some time on the surface, she has a long list of things to do. Things like: make friends, eat a cheeseburger, go to the beach, shop, go on a date and get her driver's license. She didn't really expect "reverse a science experiment gone wrong" or "save family from impending doom" to show up on the list. But now that they have, what will she do? This book is author Amanda Zieba's young adult debut. It is an original dystopian that promises to deliver readers with drama and adventure. Join Flynn as she navigates THROUGH the perils of high school, and as she figures out how to define "home".

If you'd like to stay connected join one of my eNewsletter lists! Click here for the one for readers, and here for the one for writers (this one comes with a free writing prompt gift!).  

Best of luck on the rest of your hunt!

Happy hunting, reading and writing!

Amanda Zieba

Hungry Heart

As an educator who uses the Common Core State Standards as her curriculum bible, I am supposed to expose my students to a variety of written material. I am specifically instructed to divide those text experiences between nonfiction and fiction, allocating 55% of the text used in class to the first and 45% to the latter. I get a little help from my social studies and science co-workers who teach with primarily nonfiction text, and that helps to balance out the scales. For the most part, we make it work.

I do not, however, follow those regimens with my own personal reading. Aside from dabbling with National Geographic during my weekly trips to the library with my students and an occasional article on Facebook, I am a strictly fiction kind of girl. Why would I spend my free time reading about reality? I LIVE in reality every day, all day. No, give me something fantastical that will sweep me away and give me a break from real life. That’s what I want to read.

So I find it kind of odd that the last four, maybe five books I have purchased or been gifted have been nonfiction. Where is this sudden draw to reality coming from? I’m not entirely sure, but I think as I travel further down the road to full-author-dom, I am trying to glean any advice, vicarious life experience, and wisdom I can. When I read Hungry Heart by Jennifer Weiner, I got all of that… and more.

The blurb describes this book as “hilarious and moving, a book about yearning and fulfillment, loss and love, and a woman who searched for her place in the world and found it as a storyteller.” This book is about not fitting in and about finding your own path. It is about balancing the responsibilities of motherhood with the ambitions of your soul. It is about the value of words and why some seem to “count” more than others. This book was funny, honest, thoughtful, inspiring, encouraging, and reflective (both of the author and of myself). It is nonfiction and I loved every single bit of it.

When I was growing up I debated between a career in writing and one in education. I chose education because it was KNOWN. I knew teachers. I knew what their life and their salary, their schedule and expectations… I knew what all of that looked like. I couldn’t say the same for an author, or even more generally, a writer. I wish this book were around when I was 18, so that I could learn, authors come from all walks of life. Anyone, who is willing to work hard enough and have a healthy level of stick-to-it-ive-ness, can be an author. Thank you Jennifer for teaching me that lesson now.

Jennifer Weiner is a champion of words. A champion of women. A champion of the underdogs, underappreciated and undervalued. And I will vote for her, shout out her praises, buy her books and validate her work, every single time I get the chance.

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Here are a few of my favorite lines from the book.

“Book were a series of magic carpets, each one with the power to deliver me to another, better place.” (p. 32
 

“I want to toss the book like a like buoy to those girls and women, and to the girl I had been, and tell them, Hold on to this, and I promise you, it’ll be alright.” - p. 182

“Every time you judge another woman’s appearance, an angel gets a gallstone.” - p. 251

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So whether you are a nonfiction junkie or a fiction fanatic,

     an aspiring author or neck deep in a different career field,

          if you are craving a truthful tale or an escape into someone else’s reality,

                 whether you have no children or ten,

                          if you need a cheerleader or want to be one,

pick up Hungry Heart and have your appetite wholly satisfied, one chapter at a time.

Miles on the Road Less Traveled

Some people make goals for the year.

I did that. I wanted to save 20% of my writing earnings in an envelope to prepare for a full time writing career. It is marked GO-PRO and currently has $1,390 in it! I also made a goal to drink more water… and have been less successful at that.

Some people pick a word to represent the direction they want to go for the year.

I did that too, thanks to the prompting of the leader of my writing group. My word is connections, and in another blog post, on another Writing Wednesday, I will explain the way I am living that out, literally one day at a time.

Some people make SMART goals, create charts to track progress, resolve to do A,B and/or C, get accountability partners, and the list rolls on and on. This year I did something a little different. I picked a theme song.

This isn’t something totally new for me. When I was in high school and on the gymnastics team, we would pick a song to play during the warm up for Floor Exercise. For two minutes we would tumble and leap and dance and stretch and get ready to compete. Each year a new song would be chosen to play during this time, to pump us up. The year I was a Junior we listened to “I’m in a Hurry” by Alabama. It must have worked because we hurried ourselves all the way to a second place finish at the state meet that year. Every time I hear this song, I still think of my teammates, and that season, and all of our hours together in the gym.

My former co-workers and I also used to pick a song that signified our school year… something to help us make sense of the crazy days we lived in public middle school education. One year Billy Currington was our man, and his song “God is Great, Beer is Good and People Are Crazy” seemed to sum up our year perfectly.

So I shouldn’t have been surprised when this song singled itself out. I didn’t think, “Hey, I need a song, a motivating force, to remind me what I’m doing in this big crazy journey of authorprenuership.” I didn’t think, “I need something that will pick me up, fire me up and push me onward”. But the song found me and it stuck.

Take a listen.

I could wax on and off about the meaning of the lyrics and the ways they connect to my goals and dreams, my emotions and my work… but I think they are pretty obvious. No moody, read-between-the-lines-to-interpret-my-soul lyrics for this girl. (At least, not this time.)

It’s all out there. Plain and simple. I want to be a full-time writer and writing coach, and as crazy as that might seem to some people, I don’t really care. I am giving it my all and working by butt off to get there. And this song is my cheerleader.

On an even more basic level, this big dream of mine has taken me, quite literally on the road. Since January 1st I have participated, facilitated, taught or presented at 13 author events (and have 4 more scheduled for June). In the past 5 months I have driven 2, 124 miles to be where my work takes me.

Here’s what that looks like.

Each trip, each location, each event, each presentation, each business card I handed out, connection I made, each and every mile on the road this year has brought me closer to my overall destination. So far the road of 2017 has brought me pretty far. I’m excited to see where it leads to next.

1: Rainy day road trip to Ontario, WI for Brookwood Family Literacy Night, 2: Along the shores of Lake Winnebago after an event for the Wisconsin Geocaching Association in Fond Du Lac, WI, 3: Author badge at WEMTA (Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association) Conference, 4: Hitting the road to Chippewa Falls, WI for a Gifted and Talented Workshop in my fabulous heart shaped aviators. 5: Driving past the paper mills that produce my favorite consumer product on the east side of the state, 6: The earliest time I ever stopped at the Kwik Trip near by home (5:25am) before hitting the road for Eau Claire, WI. 7: All fueld up with my life blood (Diet Pepsi - not sure where I was traveling here… to be honest, I wouldn’t even have to be traveling to take this picture), 8: Placard outside of the Charmant Hotel in La Crosse, WI for my reading/speaking event about Champion Chocolatier, 9: Untitled Town website (where I spoke for Green Bay’s first annual book and author festival), 10: Showcasing the new ride (I am super proud of this picture because I now make enough money as a writer to make the monthly payments on this vehicle. It feels good that my passion project can contribute to my family financially), 11: Windmills on the way to the east side of the state (for those of you who know me, you know these gargantuan pieces of machinery freak me out. I had to document the occasion.)

Secrets to Character Creation...and a FREE BOOK!

A fellow writer (Hi Alex!) asked me an interesting question. What would make a character exceptionally loyal? I mean, loyal past the point of logic. Loyal even when they probably shouldn’t be.

Hmmm. Good question. Good, because it would require some thought, and thought is a great activity for the creative brain. Good, because the answer to this question would make her story so much better. Even if this information doesn’t make it into Alex’s final manuscript in an extensively detailed backstory moment, the knowledge of why her character acts the way he or she does will positively impact this character’s creation as a whole. Good, because knowing why your character is the way they are will help you make crystal clear and specific choices about the decisions the character makes. Clear as mud? Great, let me explain.

A character is loyal. Why?

Maybe…

He never had a solid parental figure. Never had any boundaries. So once he encounters anyone who gives him attention, a place to belong with a role to play, rules to follow if he wants to stay “in”, he’s willing to do just about anything not to lose it.

Maybe…

He was stabbed in the back by a best friend in high school and vows to himself he will never, ever betray anyone. EVER. No matter the cost he will always be loyal, because he is a man of moral fiber. It doesn’t matter that his boss asks him to do questionable activities because his loyalty discounts all of those bad deeds.

Maybe, maybe, maybe… I list as many maybes as I can think of. Listing one option simply won’t do. The first option isn’t the right one because you thought of it first. It’s simply the first one you thought of. Often, the first explanation or solution to any question is the easiest, the most cliche. I challenge you to go further, push farther. If you can’t think of any GOOD options, make a list of bad ones. Priming the pump of thought might push you in the right direction… eventually.

When I run out of maybes for Alex I turn to one of my favorite resources: The Positive Trait Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. This book deeply examines almost 100 positive character traits. For each character trait Angela and Becca list: similar attributes, possible causes, associated behaviors, associated thoughts, associated emotions, positive aspects, negative aspects, examples from literature/film, traits in supporting characters that may cause conflict and challenging scenarios for the character. Holy hotbed of helpfulness!

For example, here is what the authors have to say about being LOYAL.

I asked Alex to look through these pages and she identified coming from a strict military background, and a fear of retribution as probable explanations to her character's loyalty. She also identified that the following behaviors would be a good match for her character: talking incessantly about the object of their loyalty, striving to make oneself more visible to the object of loyalty, putting the object’s needs and desires over their own, believing the best of the object of their loyalty, and dismissing negative things others say about the object of their loyalty. Match these choices up with one of our aforementioned “maybes” and we have a realistic character backstory and personality.

My personal favorite part of this guidebook is the examples from literature and film. For example, loyal characters from books/movies include: Forrest Gump, Rubeus Hagrid (Harry Potter), and Sam Gamgee (Lord of the Rings). I can take these suggestions to YouTube and watch quick clips of the characters they mention and analyze their behaviors, facial expressions, and grounding actions for myself, and then mix up an interesting cocktail of those attributes for my own character.

The Positive Trait Thesaurus is one book in a series of three that help you delve into character motivations. The Negative Trait Thesaurus and The Emotion Thesaurus round out the character resource trio. It is amazing how you can pair up two books to really get an interesting cross section of a character’s personality. For example, I looked up EAGERNESS in the emotion thesaurus and discovered a slew of physical signals and internal sensations that would be excellent additions to Alex’s obsessively loyal character.

The authors of these fine resources also recently created The Urban and Rural Setting Thesauruses. According to the description on Amazon, these beautiful books give us:

• A list of the sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds for over 100 urban/rural settings.

• Possible sources of conflict for each location to help you brainstorm ways to naturally complicate matters for your characters

• Advice on the many effective ways to build mood, helping you steer both the character’s and readers’ emotions in every scene

• Information on how the setting directly influences the plot by acting as a tuning fork for what a character needs most and by testing his dedication to his goals

• A tutorial on figurative language and how different descriptive techniques can bring settings alive for readers while conveying a symbolic message or deeper meaning

• A review of the challenges that arise when writing description, as well as special considerations that apply specifically to rural and personal settings

Let me tell you, they are already sitting and waiting patiently in my Amazon cart. Wouldn’t you love one? Tell you what, I’ll buy. :) For real. For each time you share this post on social media, I’ll enter you into a drawing. Then, next week Wednesday, I’ll announce the winner, back here on my blog. When you respond to this email with your screenshotted social media share, let me know which of the 5 thesauruses you want.

Final thoughts. Did you find this post helpful? Because I’m going to be doing this each and every day in the month of June. Story Seedlings (aka: 30 Scenes in 30 Days 2.0) is a closed online community of writers working through the beginning stages of novel writing. We will take the seed of an idea and through writing prompts, group critique, inspiration and encouragement grow it into something solid and strong. We will specifically cover the story elements of character, setting, conflict and dialogue. If you are interested… you can learn more about it here.

Alright, That’s enough for one Writing Wednesday by word nerds.

Until next time, happy writing!

Untitled and Unforgiven

I spent last weekend in word-nerd heaven. I found this three day bliss fest in one of the most unlikely places… Green Bay, Wisconsin. In a town mostly known for its football prowess, over 2,000 word nerds gathered to learn, share, listen, speak, and enjoy each other’s company. 83 events, 7 locations, dozens of talented creative professionals and 2 epic presenters (Sherman Alexie and Margaret Atwood!). It's called Untitled Town and it's happening again next year. IT. WAS. INCREDIBLE.

I was honored to be a part of the inaugural year line up, speaking on Saturday at the Brown County Library, about how to Think Outside the Bookstore Box, sharing tips and tricks I have used to sell books, outside of a bookstore. (Pst: If you want this presentation including the oh-so-helpful active links, just email me! wordnerd@amandazieba.com) During this presentation and throughout the weekend I met a plethora of amazing people.

One of them, Patt, commented on my blog post: Complete The Story #1: A Single Drop of Hope, saying that she also LOVES this book. She said, “ My writing partner and I each work on writing from the same prompt and then share and compare our stories. It's amazing how creative yet different the stories turn out. We randomly select them counting from the beginning or end of the book, or a number of pages forward or backward from the last story we completed.” She asked me if I would complete a specific story in book and share my results, because they would also be working on this prompt this week.

So, Patt, here ya go! This one’s for you!

* Remember, the bold words are what was given as the prompt and the rest is my own. Happy reading! *

Complete the Story #2: Unforgiven

The desert is an unforgiving place. This one is called Death Valley for a reason. Every living thing here has to fight for survival. And we would have to fight too, or else end up dead and buried by the swirling grains of sand.

Those grains. Each one tiny and insignificant. Something so small should not cause such trouble, but it was hard to believe this thought as those tiny grains pelted my body, finding ways into my eyes, nostrils, ears and mouth. Every breath in took a few of those miniscule hazards into my body. Already it felt like a pile had begun to grow in the depths of my lungs. I knew this was impossible - the wind storm had only started minutes before. Even still - breathing was hard and I cursed each tiny grain of sand for its part in my troubles.

The afternoon hadn’t started out badly. Quite the opposite. We set out on the dune buggy full of enthusiasm and adventure. Too bad the gas tank didn’t match our explorer’s personalities. We’d been driving for about an hour and a half when the dune buggy’s engine quit and we coasted down the largest dune we had encountered all day.

Gerald, our guide, hopped from the driver’s seat, checked the height of the sun in the sky and swore.

“Damn interns. I give ‘em a checklist for a reason.” He slammed a fist on the hood of the vehicle, took one last look at the sun before starting to trudge back up the steep dune. “C’mon,” he called over his shoulder.

As he walked away I figured he thought we needed no more explanation. He must have been certain we’d follow, which we did. Scrambling would probably be a more accurate description than follow. What a sight we must have made, slip-sliding down, instead of moving upward with each step.

“Do you think this is just a designed flaw? A part of the boss’ team-building experience?”

Anthony had a point. It sounded like something Mr. Jacobson would do. At the time I had shrugged. Hours later as I forced one foot in front of the other, still not back at base camp, I made plans to sue him.

Poetry, Kissing and an Interview... Oh My!

April is National Poetry Month.

I can hear your internal monologue right now… “Hey word nerd, what does that even mean?” or “Sure, for seventh graders studying common core state standards.” Or “Ugh. Poetry is soooo boring.”

Calm down. Lend me your eyes and attention for 8 minutes will ya? I promise to lead you safely to the other side and possibly even change your mind by the time we reach the end. Deal? Okay, let’s go.

So, what is National Poetry Month?

“National Poetry Month is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K-12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and, of course, poets marking poetry’s important place in our culture and our lives every April.

Inspired by the successful celebrations of Black History Month (February) and Women’s History Month (March), the Academy of American Poets established National Poetry Month in 1996. Along the way a variety of government agencies and officials, educational leaders, publishers, sponsors, poets, and arts organizations were enlisted to help.”

— poets.org

And I’ve decided to join in the fun.

During the month of April I read When My Sister Started Kissing, the new release from award winning author Helen Frost. I had previously read Hidden and Crossing Stones  by this author and knew my choice would not disappoint.

A novel is verse is a fictional story told through a series of free verse poems.

When My Sister Started Kissing is the story of two sisters and the time they spend at their cabin each summer. Situated directly next to a lake and full of memories of their deceased mother, the cabin is a place both ten year old Claire and thirteen year old Abigail love fiercely. But this year their new step-mom is coming for the first time. Not only that, but their new baby brother will be born while they are staying there. All this change affects the girls in different ways. Claire clings to the past and Abigail starts kissing.

The story is told in alternating viewpoints, sometimes with Claire’s childhood voice of innocence, sometimes with Abi’s teenage angst and occasionally through the eyes of the ever present Lake.

I would quickly slap my self-appointed title “word-nerd” on Helen. Not only is her word choice impeccable, but she also is a formatting genius, creating lines with shape and form that add oodles to the overall message and meaning to the collection. Not only is Helen a word nerd; she is a generous one. I emailed her to ask if I could interview her for today’s post and she graciously agreed.

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The Word Nerd: When My Sister Started Kissing is set at a lake home. Is this something your family did in the summer? How much of your own life experiences did you draw on for this book?

Helen Frost: We went to a cabin on Lake Kabekona in northern Minnesota for several summers when I was around 8-11. Then we moved to Massachusetts and couldn’t go there anymore, so my parents sold their share of it to my aunts and uncles. One of my cousins still owns it and has rebuilt it into her year-around home, which means I can still go there. Yay!

We all, of course, draw on our life experiences in our writing, and When My Sister Started Kissing includes a lot of details of different lakes I’ve enjoyed—the book is dedicated to them, in fact!

The Word Nerd: The relationship between sisters can be a terrifically ugly wonderment that a woman (at times) struggles to fully understand. What is your relationship like with your sister(s) and again, did it influence any parts of this book?

Helen Frost: I grew up in the middle of a family of ten children, including seven sisters, and we were, and still are, close. Part of the closeness comes, I’m sure, from the things we fought over when we were kids, and that comes into the book in the characters’ voices—the sisters rely on an underlying love, even when they are disagreeing, or mad at each other.

The incidents of sneaking out, lying, kissing just for the fun of it, etc., may or may not have any basis in memories of my sisters and myself. I’m glad to have so many sisters so there is no danger of damaging any one sister's reputation.

The Word Nerd: Often NATURE plays a role in your books. Can you explain your pull to include the natural world in your storytelling?

Helen Frost: Memories of loons, pine trees, fishing—that sort of thing—remain very clear to me, and I think they ground the story in something that feels real  

One memory that remains very clear to me is hiking around a lake in Scotland (Loch Mannoch) and coming upon a swan’s nest. It was huge, and the swans were a powerful presence as they swam around the loch. In a lovely unplanned co-incidence, When My Sister Started Kissing had the same publication date as a picture book, Wake Up!, that features Rick Lieder’s beautiful photographic images of new life. The cover, and several photographs inside the book, depict a family of swans at the time the cygnets are hatching, just like in the novel. The two books companion well together.

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I enjoyed this experience so much that I think I started a new tradition for myself. Maybe I will read a novel in verse every April! Seriously, if you have never given one a try, do it! Maybe you already have a favorite novel in verse? Share it in the comments below so we can all benefit from the great recommendation. Until next time, happy reading my word nerds.

Your Northwoods Writer’s Paradise Awaits!

Today I have BJ Hollars visiting the blog to tell us all about the Cirenaica Residencies sponsored by the Chippewa Valley Writer's Guild. Man do I wish I had looked at these offerings before my summer filled up. Believe me when I say I will DEFINITELY be applying for a spot next year. If you are needing a writer's escape, a push on a project, or some expert advice, settle in and read on... because BJ is about to hook you up with some knowledge on an four amazing opportunities. 

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Love writing? Fellowship? Nature? And some pretty incredible food? Then Cirenaica’s the place for you!

Nestled on 43 acres of hills, farmland, and forest near the quaint village of Fall Creek, Wisconsin, our summer writing residencies promise participants an intensive yet rejuvenating experience amidst an inspiring natural backdrop. Complete with guest writers and editors, an on-site chef, and even a waterfall right up the road, we strive to provide the perfect summer writing experience for writers of all levels and genres. If your life’s filled with a thousand little distraction, there’s no better fix that three wondrous days in the wilds of Wisconsin.

During last year’s inaugural summer, our jam-packed residencies provided incredible opportunities to 60 lucky writers from across the nation. And by summer’s end, over 15 of our participants had published their work in an array of literary magazines, journals and even on Wisconsin Public Radio’s Wisconsin Life! Upon reflecting on the residency, one participant, wrote,

“I am unable to overstate the value of Cirenaica. The natural beauty of the region, combined with exquisite tutelage and talent [and the] exceptional facilities yielded the perfect storm for creativity.”

Another added:

“I used to think writing was a solitary experience, but after the residency I realized the importance of community and the energy derived from a community of writers. I entered this residency not knowing anyone and left with friends and wisdom that I will never forget.”

These sentiments are echoed again and again, confirming— for me, at least— the value of writers coming together for the benefit of their craft.

This summer, we invite you to apply! And as a special thank you, for every referred application, receive $10 off your own accepted application. Bring 5 friends and save $50! Space is limited, the deadline is May 1, so we encourage you to apply today!

This summer we will be hosting five, 3-day residencies:

 Stranger than Fiction

On Writing Narrative Nonfiction and Memoir featuring writer-in-residence Allyson Goldin Loomis (June 8-11)

 Theory and Practice of Fiction

Featuring writer-in- residence Nickolas Butler (June 22-25)

 The Art of Memoir

Keep it Honest, But Keep it Interesting with writer-in- residence June Melby (July 6-9)

 Poetry in the Shadow of Walden

Featuring writer-in- residence and former Wisconsin poet laureate Max Garland (July 13-16)

 Writing Young Adult Fiction

The Magic Formula featuring writer-in- residence Marsha Qualey (July 21-24) 

Click here for an overview of the program, here for details on this summer’s offerings and here for testimonials.

As we like to say here at Cirenaica: be inspired, inspire others.

Split Personality aka: Writing With a Pen Name

Today's guest post comes from a fellow word nerd, Donna Schlachter, who has a new book out entitled: Echoes of the Heart. Donna and I both write for Forget Me Not Romance (Champion Chocolatier's Indie Press) and I told her I'd be more than happy to spread the word about her most recent project. Echoes of the Heart is part of The Pony Express Romance Collection. All 9 stories in the collection are available in paperback now on Amazon for only $7.90. 

Donna is talking with us today (actually talking with herself) about the task of writing under two different names... her own and a pen name. It is an interesting concept that many authors consider and I found this conversation both helpful and amusing. I'll let you listen in for yourself...

---

Leeann, my alter ego, and I were chatting the other day.

She wanted to know why I created her.

“I was writing and hoping to publish in two different genres: historical suspense and contemporary suspense. I didn’t want to confuse my readers by writing in different genres,” I answered.

“How did you pick my name?” She wondered aloud.

“My husband’s middle name is Lee, his mother’s middle name is Ann, and my mother’s nickname in nursing school was Betts.”

“Isn’t making up a name illegal?”

“Not unless I’m trying to avoid a legal claim or defraud somebody.”

She chewed on her bottom lip, a funny habit she has. “How do you keep us straight?”

I smiled at her. “First of all, you’re cute and perky and all the things I’m not. Second, you write different stories than I write.”

“Such as?”

“Most of my historical suspense are stories about women who have made some bad choices, and now they want to straighten out their lives. Your stories are about stronger, quirkier women who are driven to excel.”

“Sounds like you,” she complimented.

Now it was my turn to chew my bottom lip. Maybe she inherited that trait from me. “But the women you write about don’t know they are strong. Or quirky. And the women I write about are just like me. Hoping it’s true that God is a God of second chances. And finding out He is.”

“So we’re different but the same?”

I patted her on the head like she was an obedient puppy. “Exactly.”

---

So what do you think? Are you interested in playing the pen name game? Just for fun, write your would-be-pen-name in the comments below! For extra fun, tell us what genre this new persona would tackle. 

Until next Wednesday, Happy writing, 

Amanda

---

Author bio:

Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid publisher who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. Her current release, Echoes of the Heart, a 9-in-1 novella collection titled "Pony Express Romance Collection" released April 1. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She will be teaching an online course for American Christian Fiction Writers in June 2017, “Don’t let your subplots sink your story”. Donna loves history and research, and travels extensively for both.

Get in touch with Donna via any of the following social media platforms.

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com

www.HiStoryThruTheAges.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Books: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq

Echoes of the Heart: http://amzn.to/2lBaqcW

Going to the Library

Once a week I go to the library with my students. Invariably the stack of work I’ve brought along to grade gets set aside. I wander the shelves recommending books to kids and scan new arrivals. I corner a few reluctant readers and successfully place a book I know they’ll love in their hands. I remind a clutch of kiddos to stay on task and admire beautiful displays up by the librarian.

After everyone has checked out a book and is seated and quietly reading, I sneak over to the magazine rack. Because our school subscribes to a wide variety of publications that are available to students and staff alike, I have no need to pay to get my own at home.

Today I grab a National Geographic that has caught my eye. The front cover boasts images and stories of Vikings. This group of ancient people are of particular interest to me. I’m writing a YA fantasy novel set in Iceland. The myths, fashion and passion of the Vikings are traits I wish to infuse in my story world. Thus, any and all material about them that crosses my path I quite literally inhale.

I opened the magazine to the table of contents and scanned it to find the article on the Vikings. After all, I only have fifteen minutes left of class! I needed to make the most of my time! But as I flipped the pages to find my reading destination, I slowed, paused and eventually stopped. As much as I wanted to rush to the Vikings, the knowledge casualty count was rising to an alarming rate. I stopped and went back to the beginning.

I read about a team of adventurers who kite sailed across Greenland. I saw images of mooring posts half frozen like mushrooms at low tide. I stalked through the London’s Richmond Park on a misty morning, living vicariously as a red stag. I learned about a monastery in Egypt and their efforts to recover erased texts from parchments that had been recycled by scraping off the ink one letter at a time. I had the opportunity to reaffirm my belief in climate change and challenge myself to do something about it. All in sixteen glossy print pages.

Now this might sound like an advertisement for National Geographic (it isn’t). But it is a plea to sit down and read… something. Anything. If I hadn’t read today, I would have missed so much.

Writing Workshops

            Earlier this week I taught my first adult writing class. It was definitely a switch from teaching middle schoolers. It was low key. It lacked the teenage angst and drama. It was anything but intense. I sat rather than stood. I participated during free write time rather than reminded others to stay on task. I still provided instruction. (Heck, I still provided a pen and paper.) It was different, but it wasn’t. I loved it.

           The workshop focused on short stories and what we can do as writers to improve our storytelling craft. We used two different idea generation activities to build our foundation and then further fleshed out our story by further digging into the story elements of character, conflict, dialogue, and resolution.

           My favorite part of the two-hour workshop was the community that we quickly built. I did not know the workshop participants prior to their walking through the studio doors, but within minutes, we were word nerds on a common journey. Writers ready to commit to improving our craft. If this sounds like a road you’d like to travel, email me and I can let you know about my next workshop offerings, or start a conversation about planning a new event for you and the word nerds in your life.

           Here is the prompt and story I polished up during the workshop this week.

Happy reading!

❤, Amanda

           P.S. If you are looking for some story starter ideas, join my writing eNewsletter for five free writing prompts.

         The Wall

         a short story by Amanda Zieba

** The bolded words at the beginning of the story are from the writing prompt book: Complete the Story, as mentioned in this previous blog post. It was one of the idea generation activities we did in the workshop. It was amazing to see the plethora of different stories that came from the imagination of the participants and these two incomplete sentences. Romania, World War II, a survivalist reality show, YouTube and a medieval wall complete with a guard were all represented. How amazing our minds and language can could create all of this in just two hours! **

          The darkness was dark and suffocating, like a heavy blanket had been thrown on the world. He had to get over the wall, had to get across the border before the sun rose. The morning light would doom his mission for sure.

         Gideon adjusted his night vision goggles, said a silent prayer to a God he wasn’t sure he believed in and then ran. His arms and legs moved in a tandem synchronization, and pushed him through the dense curtain of night and closer toward the looming wall. The dust rose from each footfall, but otherwise the world was silent. The busy city in the distance a few miles behind him still slept. Its occupants did not know he was escaping. When they woke and found him gone, he wondered if they would care.

         Although it was just a dark mass before him now, he knew what the wall looked like in the incriminating light of day. He knew everything about this wall. He read a dozen newspapers a day that chronicled the politics surrounding it. He knew how long it was, how tall, when it was built and why it would not come down. At least not soon. He had stared at that wall for months, hating everything about  it. He hated the mismatched materials that conglomerated to keep him from his desired destination. The original wall of expensive and finely crafted brick could barely be seen anymore, but it was there, peeking out from additions later affixed. Poorly applied concrete and mortar held together additions of tile and cinderblock and even in some cases plywood. Barbed wire poked out at random heights, marking where the top of the wall had previously been before it was made higher and higher, and higher. 

          How such an ugly and haphazard obstacle could stand in his way for so long was the bane of his daily musings and complaints. There was no room in his brain for complaints now. Every single fiber of his being depended on successfully mounting and overcoming this wall. He ceased his head on run and transferred his momentum into a giant leap. He flew silently through the night and landed skillfully on a precipice of the foreboding wall.

            Gideon reached a hand up to grab for the wire he knew hung just over his head. Using the strength of his well trained arms and legs he pushed and pulled himself upward. Push, grab, pull, breathe. He moved up the wall in a systematic fashion. His confidence grew with each inch traveled upward. He was three feet from the top when he slipped.          

            For ten perilous seconds he hung from the wall, his sweaty handgrip on a piece of wire the only thing keeping him and his mission alive. He would have sworn if his racing heart and ragged breath would have allowed him the pleasure. After his sheer panic subsided, Gideon swung back and forth, attempting to create a momentum that would bring him back to the wall. Back to safety. Back to surefooted hatred of this brick and mortar monstrosity, rather than viewing it as a lifeline as he did right now.

          Gideon’s foot found a hold. A board, a piece of cement, a brick. It didn’t matter what it was, his toes were curleld around it and he was using it to stand.  Legs shaking, lungs burning, fingers cramping, Gideon stood pressed against the wall, his smooth cheek exfoliated by the course materials that both cursed and saved him. Three more feet to freedom. He did not think. He did not pause a second longer. He surged up, up, up. Within seconds he made it to the top of the wall. He lay there on his back panting and praying.

            He decided at that moment there was a God and he believed in him fully. He was a conqueror of tyranny and fear. “Thank you,” he breathed as he looked at the night sky. Now that he could take a second to appreciate his veil of protection he noticed the abundance and beauty of the stars. Had they always been there, he wondered. He would never take them or their creator for granted again.

            After another fulfilling deep breath Gideon slid off the backside of the wall, his feet hitting lush green grass, enough to both cushion and muffle his landing. He snapped his head up and scanned the open terrain and then he began to run.

Swear Words

I confess that last week while at the Y, I dropped an F bomb. My exact words were, “Ahhh, F***, life is hard right now.” It wasn't loud, but I remember because the lady next to me opened her mouth a little and stared a bit as I forcefully closed my locker shut and stalked away.

I had just spent the past twenty minutes getting one child to karate class and then pleading with the other two to go to Y-Care so I could have one blessed hour to myself to burn off steam and stress run/walking around the track. Task A was easily accomplished. Task B involved tears, purchasing Doritos and a Rice Krispie treat from the vending machine, waiting while said treats were eaten, pacing back and forth between treat eating spot and Y-Care child care location (Were we going in, were we not? We did not know what we wanted!), waiting not so patiently while the Y-Care employees wrote down my children’s names one letter at a time because they couldn’t do it when I said all four or five letters in a row, and waving goodbye to the now happy children who seemed to have not a stress in the world. Not so much for their mother, thank you very much. Just as I was about to (finally!) get to work out I realized I had to pee, and then remembered I had left a backpack over by the snack eating couch. After all of that, I shoved four coats and one backpack in the locker and muttered my expletive.

And you know what? It made me feel better. Just like always, giving words to life, in this case, twenty minutes of frustration, a meaning. Words gave me a way to express and understand my life. And because this taboo word is a bit rebellious, it made saying it out loud feel even better. Because when life is being a little b****, fighting back with a well place F bomb makes me feel like I can battle back. Yeah life can be hard sometimes, but you know what? I got this. I can do it.  F you public meltdown. I can handle you and the next one too.

Just like always, words saved my day.

So back to the shark. Where exactly does that fit in? I mean, there is a swear word in the meme… but does it have any other connection? It does. Sharks, like good words, move with a purpose. There is no idle lazing by for a shark. The complacent shark does not thrive. If it doesn’t hunt down what it wants, it might not even survive.

So it is for the writer as well. And as a writer, I must be purposeful with the words I choose to write and speak. Some days those words are not noteworthy or memorable. Some days we say words in a moment of frustration we know our parents would not be proud of. BUT, if we want to survive, or better yet, THRIVE in our careers, we need to be purposeful with our words. We need to hunt down the best one and put them together in a way that is meaningful and memorable. We need to do this on a consistent basis, each time, putting our best work out there… even on a Monday.

So on this Monday I urge you to be purposeful. With the words that you say, with the words you put into the world…

be a SHARK.

Happy Blogiversary to ME!

One year ago today I wrote and posted my very first blog entry. Happy 1st Blogiversary to me! 

“Writer, writer, word delighter, how does your business grow? Submit and wait and indeterminable length, You only reap the rewards you sow.”

Never has this rung truer for me. When you plunge a tiny seed into the unknowable depths of the future, you never know the crop you’ll yield. It’s hard, sometimes, to take the time, energy and courage to plant these seeds, with the knowledge that there is no guarantee they will grow. And to be honest, not all of them will grow. So then why? Why do we do it? Let me tell you.

Last week I had five bountiful harvests. Five seeds I had planted grew into five wonderful, profitable, measurable, visible yields. Some crops came from seeds I planted last spring while at a conference in Milwaukee. Some new growth occurred because I reached out to an old contact and reminded them of my (in their words) “excellent blog entry” they had wanted to repost. Another sprouted slowly, the correspondence of two busy people making headway to something amazing one inch at a time. And a few new crops grew seemingly overnight or in front of my eyes because I simply ASKED them too. Five seeds, planted at different times, in different locations, at different venues, for different purposes… all bloomed in the same week. It felt pretty darn miraculous.

But do you know what is even more exciting than having a successful week in my passion project? It is the knowledge that planting my seeds is the right thing to do. It is the confidence in knowing that if I continue to do what I am doing, I will get where I want to go.

In March I am planting a new seed. A big one. This seed has taken a lot of development, a bit of research and a ton of think time. On March first I will launch 30 Scenes in 30 Days. This seed is an online writing community, a group full of word nerds who want to write a story, but are not sure where to start. Or maybe they know where to start, but just need a little motivation, or an accountability partner (or seventeen). For 30 days in March I will post a scene prompt. Participants will respond and then offer feedback to the other community members. We will build our story one day at a time, one scene at a time. When the month is over I hope we will all take away a solid foundation to our stories as well as a newly established writing habits and a few good word nerd friends.

To celebrate my blogiversary, I am giving away one free entry to 30 Scenes in 30 Days. Usually it costs $30 (Are you sensing a theme?), but everyone who joins my Word Nerd eNewletter will be entered into a drawing to get in free. (Joining will also get you a PDF with 5 FREE writing prompts). I will pick a winner one week from today (2/23/17) and notify you all via the eNewsletter the name of that lucky word nerd. I will also tell you how to sign up and pay if you didn’t win.

If you want to skip the drawing and head right toward the action, you can click right here to sign up. 

Who knows how this new seed will grow. Will participants walk away feeling like they gained useful writing knowledge? Will my epic plan build creative friendships and brilliant story lines? Will this be the first of many online communities/courses I create/teach? Will I really be able to get up at 5am each morning and post the prompt (and live to tell the tale)? Who knows! But I’m ready to dig in, plant this seed, water it and find the sunshine that I know is hiding somewhere, to make it grow.

So, who’s putting on their garden boots and coming with me?

Complete the Story #1: A Drop of Hope

Just as I had promised last week, here is one of the short stories I wrote in my new COMPLETE THE STORY JOURNAL. The bolded words that start the story are what was given. The rest is mine.

Happy reading!

<3, Amanda

Photo Credit: https://www.chinafile.com/multimedia/photo-gallery/xinjiang-unsettled

     At first we thought the black liquid was oil, that we’d struck it rich and that we’d be able to retire and live in leisure. We actually started writing down all the ways we’d spend the money. Our first choice was a vacation. Somewhere green and majestic, with huge amounts of water. Somewhere entirely different that they dirty, dry, flat land we’d grown up on. Colorado, Portland, Banff.

     We hadn’t gone as far as purchasing tickets, but Grayson was already packing. He had always been the optimistic, dreaming kind. At twelve he held more hope than the rest of us combined. Which was sad. Sad the rest of us couldn’t have faith that things would all turn out. But, we’d seen too much.

     The saddest part though, was when we found out what all that black liquid, gushing from the hole in the backyard, a ceaseless tide of ebony fluid, really was. When we found out Grayson was devastated. His dreams and plans drowned in a dark pool of evil.

     The word was melting from the inside out. Heat trapped in the Earth’s core had somehow spread. It spread way past its normal range and skipped its usual escape route. I remembered hearing about an extraordinary amount of volcanoes and earthquakes in the past month. The news anchors seemed to talk of nothing else. And now as I stared at the growing sea of sickly melted earth, the glaringly obvious truth of it all washed over me in a wave of nausea. The heat had nowhere else to go so it was eating its way through the many layers of the planet, one by one.

    Who knew about this?

     Should we tell someone?

     Where should we go?

     Could it be reversed?

     Was it too late?

     We needed a plan. A good one. A plan crazy enough that it might, if we were very lucky, save our sorry souls.

     “Grayson,” I hollered into the house. “What should we do?”

Confession Time

I have not written since June.

Ugh. That statement makes me borderline nauseous. I should probably call it a confession, rather than a statement. Sure, I have dabbled with a scene here and there. Yeah, I’ve posted a blog entry or two. But since I finished the final draft and revisions of Champion Chocolatier in June, I haven’t really written ANY ONE THING from start to completion.

I moved

I sold a house and bought a house, and moved into that new house. We painted a few walls, and bought some new furniture. I started a new job and so did my husband. My kids started new schools and daycares, and we acclimated to life in a new town. We found a new place to get our hair cut, and oil changed, and tried several pizza places until we found our new favorite (Pizza Corral).

I published two books

 I edited, promoted, communicated with graphic designers and artists and indie publishers for those two books. I did guest blog posts and ran contests and and booked/held events and signed into Createspace a thousand times for those two books. 

I hired a business coach.

I met with her several times to plan out my career path and plan of action. I attended classes on business promotion through Pinterest. I worked hard to put all of my new knowledge into action. I had professional photographs  taken and paid to have my website recreated. I launched a new email campaign and automation that included free gifts I designed on my new favorite digital software called Canva. I sold some books.

I have done a lot in the past seven months. But I did not write.

I was in Barnes and Noble one day in December (one of the perks of living in a larger city) and stumbled upon this book.

I frequently pick up books like this. Another confession, I own more “journals” than I can count, and carry at least one if not two with me at all times… not to mention the few others that are within reach of my “home office” (as my husband calls it). (aka: the beautiful chaise lounge in our living room. *See new furniture mentioned above.) Despite these last rambling statements, less often than I pick journals up, do I actually purchase them. But this one was different.

Instead of blank pages, or self-proclaimed cheesy prompts (Write a story that highlights your personal strengths. Be you! Be great!), these story starters were interesting, and varied and I’ll just say it, cool. The cover was appealing and the price was great ($9.98), so I whipped out my fun money and walked out with a brand new journal.

I decided to try and write in my new found treasure as often as possible. I also decided that I would skip the time-suck of self selecting a prompt that fit my mood/whim/muse and force myself to go through the book in order.

It is now February 2. I have written in my lovely little read book 6 times. Not nearly as much as I would like, but it’s a start. And you know what? It feels GOOD. Last night I finished up the short story of the day and peeked at the next page to see what prompt was waiting for me to spill my ink and thoughts upon it tomorrow. I read the lines and couldn’t resist.

Even though it was 10:18. Even though I was exhausted. Even though each morning as I drag myself out of  bed I vow to go to get back into it as early as possible. Even though… I still wrote. I got a quarter of the way down the page before I gave in. The story was started and would be waiting for me tomorrow. My unconscious brain could mull over the possibilities as I slept.

These stories are short. Just a page. But it feels good to be writing again. I look forward to sharing some of them with you soon. Until then, happy reading, happy writing, happy living.

The Power of Asking

I am a confident individual. I grew up surrounded by supportive parents, teachers, coaches and members of my church. I am blessed with an extended family that rallies around a cause like no one else can. I found personal success in athletics and group achievements in the music world. I had close friends. I earned multiple degrees that resulted in earning a good job. I have a husband who loves me unconditionally and children who rush to hug me when I enter a room. (Trust me, I know the drop everything and hug mom routine won't last forever, but it sure is nice for the time being.) 

Life has been sooooooo good to me. And so, when I find myself in a situation that I cannot tackle on my own, I ASK for help. I ASK, certain the help with come. Life has taught me that it will.

When I ASK for help, that answer isn’t always yes. But you know what? No doesn’t hurt. “No” doesn’t put you any worse off that you were before you ASKED.

Will you sell my book in your store?

     No.

          Oh well.

Can you help me improve the SEO on my website?

     No response to my request.

          No biggie.

Can I be a part of your regional book festival? 

     No. You are looking for bigger name authors.

          That’s okay. Maybe next time. (Really, maybe next time! I applied again this year!)

Totally cool, Midwest, up and coming artist, will you illustrate a graphic novel version of my YA sci-fi novel?

     The magnitude of this project and my non-existent budget doesn’t work for you?

          No worries. Thanks for your time.

Grant application accepted? No. Endorsement solidified? No. Agent acceptance? No. Publishing contract? No. Crazy, random, bookmobile business venture? No. No. No.

No harm. No foul.

Even better than no harm, is that by ASKING you have opened the door to a future with that individual, company, or organization. Maybe next time they’ll say yes. Or, maybe you can offer to do something for them, and THEN, if you ASK again later, they will say yes.

Sometimes when you ASK, they don’t say yes, but they don’t say no either.

Here’s an example. Once Upon a Book Club  is a new(ish) interactive reading subscription. For a fee, each participant receives a book box each month that includes a novel and three to five gifts that connect to the story. Each gift is marked with a page number, telling you when to open it. The entire operation is simply brilliant. And so much fun. Just 6 months into their entrepreneurship, Once Upon a Book Club was up to 1,000 subscribers. I wrote to Michelle, the owner, telling her about my book Champion Chocolatier. It would be a perfect quick and light read for December I told her. When she responded that I should send it her way for consideration I bought and wrapped the presents she could include. I included receipts, telling her where she could find each item and also what each item cost. My goal was to make it as easy as possible for her to say yes. I asked, I mailed, and I waited. She said, “no thank you.” The book was too short for her collection. But, did I want her to do a few shout outs about my book on social media (to her almost 3,000 followers)? Yes, please! A no, with a positive twist!

And then, sometimes, you ask and the answer is yes. A blessed and glorious yes.

Hey three famous authors (Jennifer Donnelly,  Drew Gormley and Mark Parsons), do you want to contribute to my young writer’s workbook? Yes, yes and yes!

Greetings geocaching.com,  hub of all geocaching activity, will you sell my book in your online story that boasts one million visitors a month? Yes? Heck yeah! (This isn’t 100% official, but it’s looking reaaaallly good.)

Hello, fancy pants hotel downtown (that was just rated the #2 hotel in the NATION!), do you want to partner for an event? I will read and sell books. You can serve your delicious cocoa and heavenly chocolate concoctions. It will be a great way to broaden our audiences, not to mention a wonderfully fun way spend an evening. I wrote them a professional letter, asked to speak directly to the event coordinator, and dropped it off with my book. I followed up with an email a week later. Guess what? They said yes. The event is tomorrow, Thursday January, 26 at The Charmant Hotel, 6:30-8 pm. If you are in the La Crosse Area, I’d love for you to join us!  

One more. Good afternoon ladies at the Department of Public Instruction Expo booth at the state reading convention. I am an author you have likely never heard of. But I’d love to help you out and present at your spring young author’s fairs. Here is my information and a copy of my books. I look forward to hearing from you. That was February 2016. In April of 2017 I will be the featured author at two of their events. 

Ask. It takes a little courage. It takes a little practice. It takes a little imagination. But when you ask, you open yourself, your career and your world up to endless possibilities. Open you mind to asking. And then get ready for the fun.

Solstice Stanzas

This week at my writing group our prompt asked us to consider the oppositional nature of the Solstice. The dark and the light. The good and the bad. I thought about the season of winter and how, for most of it, us Midwesterners complain about the snow and ice and cold and dark and blah, blah, blah. Most see winter as a hinderance. I pondered this and then thought, what if we viewed it differently? What if we viewed the cold and darkness that kept us indoors as a blessing that slowed us down, focused us in, and helped us relax? 

Below is the poem that I crafted after the ten minute free write. I hope you both enjoy it, and use it to reconsider this season in perhaps a kinder light.

Welcome Guest Author, Linda Matchett!

Hello fellow word-nerds! I am excited to introduce you to my writing friend Linda Matchett.

Linda describes herself as an author who writes about “ordinary women who do extraordinary things.” Sounds like my kind of writer! In addition to writing this novel Linda is an avid blogger on the site Stitches Thru Time, works at a high school boarding school, is a docent at a WWII museum and leads a bible study! Sounds like she is doing some pretty extraordinary things herself!

I hope you are able to pick up some amazing writing tips, or find your next read as we discuss Linda’s second book: Love Found in Sherwood Forest.

Award-winning Broadway actress Leighanne Webster has it all until an on-stage panic attack brings her career crashing to the ground. Then her sister throws her a lifeline: Come home and help produce the annual Robin Hood Festival play. Returning to England could be the salve Leighanne needs to heal her bruised feelings, except for the fact that ex-fiance, Jamison Blake, is the play’s director. But she’s a professional, able to do the job without letting old relationships get in the way. Then why does she find it so hard to focus on her work?

Five years ago, Jamison Blake broke off his engagement to Leighanne, so she could travel to New York and become the brilliant, sought-after actress she deserved to be. But he didn’t count on his heart’s refusal to stop loving her, and life has been empty since she left. Her return to Nottingham is temporary, and she is still angry about their breakup, avoiding him at all cost during rehearsals. Can he convince her to give their relationship another try despite careers that span an ocean, or will he have to let her go again? This time for good?

Can two people entangled in their own hurts and misconceptions, find their way clear to discover God’s plan for their lives-plans that may include a future together?

---

AZ: How did the idea for this novel develop? What was your inspiration?

LM: The idea for this story came from a writing prompt. A major publisher put out a call for submissions. And listed prompts based on the type of stories they were looking for. The prompts were a list of three items (such as an arrow, a hidden space, and a book) and also a location. I love history, but the submission request was for contemporary stories, so I had to come up with a way to incorporate history. When I saw  the lists that included Nottingham, I immediately thought of the Robin Hood legend and then came up with the idea to wrap the story around a Robin Hood play.

AZ: Writing prompts are the best! Anyone out there on the lookout for some great writing prompts? Click here for a free prompt gift from yours truly. :)

AZ: Do you have any connections to theater productions or Robin Hood? Were you able to use any of your real life experiences while you wrote the on stage scenes?

LM: Over the years I have attended a lot of stage productions, but last year I performed in our school's production of Fidder on the Roof. I even had three lines! LOL. That experience helped quite a bit in writing the scenes.

AZ: Taking a research vacation is high on my writing bucket list. Did you travel to England to write gather info for this book? What was your research process for this book and do you enjoy this part of the writing?

LM: I was blessed to be able to go to England in March 2015. Until then I did research from my desk. The internet helped a lot, but I also have friends and acquaintances from England and often talked to them. The interviews were a huge help and I highly recommend interviews for any writer while in their research phase. For this particular story I had to research the Robin Hood legend and all the people associated with it. There are myriad opinions on who Maid Marian actually was, and I also stumbled on the Major Oak, a massive oak tree in Sherwood Forest thought to be 1,000 years old that was the shelter for Robin and his men. I love research and had a wonderful time during this project. And I would got back to England tomorrow if I had the chance. It was a fascinating trip, and I only scratched the surface of an amazing country.

AZ: What are you working on next?

LM: I am currently working on a novella for Celebrate Lit Publishing that will be part of a collection. The story is about a young woman on the eve of her wedding who finds out the fiance she thinks died during the war is alive. The manuscript is due to the publisher in early January, and the book will be published sometime in the Spring.

AZ: How does your faith impact your writing?

LM: My faith is an integral part of my writing. I hope to encourage and edify readers through my stories without banging them over the head or being preachy. The themes in my books are usually issues I'm dealing with personally. It helps me to work them out through writing the story.

AZ: Do you have any productivity tips for other writers?

LM: I try to pick a regular place to write. I have found myself to be more productive because it's almost like "muscle memory." When I sit down at my desk, my brain knows I'm in my writing space and it's time to work. Also you have to make time to write (vs. finding time). Schedule writing time in your calendar and stick to the appointment. Also, find a critique group. I am a much better writer thanks to the critique group I'm part of. It's an online group, and I've never personally met any of the women, but we are very close nonetheless. We came together through the ACFW main critique loop.

AZ: Thank you so much for sharing your time and words with us Linda!

LM: Thanks for hosting me!

If you would like to find out more about Linda you can visit her website. To order your own copy of her eBook: Love Found in Sherwood Forest, click here:  You can read the first chapter for free here.