Last month I read the book, The Life (and Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly. I loved it. I loved so many things about it. The book takes place in the Midwest, is written by a Wisconsin author, honestly handles relevant topics and is a girl-power book to boot. When I reached out to the author via Instagram for an interview and she said yes, I fell in love a little bit more. Below is a conversation I had with author Jamie Pacton about this, her first book, her life prior to writing it and what lies ahead in her writing career.

Amanda Zieba: I think that often times we all just assume big time writers only live on the coasts and so I always get excited when I find another Wisconsin author.

Jamie Pacton: Ahh, I love Wisconsin. I moved here many years ago to go to Marquette, and then I moved away and came back two more times. As you might be able to tell from KIT (and you’ll see in my second book, LUCKY GIRL), the cities of Milwaukee and Madison are close to my heart. I also included other WI places I love in these stories, so Kit’s visit to the Joan of Arc chapel was drawn from my own visits there; the kite festival by Lake Michigan is something I have taken my children too; and, in LUCKY GIRL you’ll see the main character, Jane, go to The House on the Rock; an aquarium store, St. Vinny’s thrift store, and, the Farmer’s Market in Madison; and, then she heads to Milwaukee with her bfs for a visit to the (marvelous) art museum and Pfister Hotel.

I’m deeply inspired by my surroundings and I think stories are everywhere. It’s been my great joy to share some of my love of places in Wisconsin with readers. :-)

Note from Amanda: Today’s blog post comes from the incredibly talented writing coach Rochelle Melander. While Rochelle and I have never met in person, our online lives have crossed more times than I can count… through SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), blogging, social media and even each other’s reading lists. Not only do I highly recommend Rochelle and her resouces for others, but I also partake of them myself. Whether it is through a coaching session or through reading her books, I am always finding nuggets of wisdom to mine and apply to my writing journey. This was especially true when I read her most recent book, Level Up: Quests to Master Mindset, Overcome Procrastination and Increase Productivity. Today Rochelle is going to give you a taste of all she has to offer in this book by walking you through one of the quests. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to dig in!

Think back to the last time you played a game. Whether you were playing against the game or a family member, you were probably excited about scooping up power-ups, defeating the villains, and claiming your win.

In my book Level Up, I use gamification to help people overcome their most persistent problems and move forward with their writing and life. Each chapter is a quest—a challenge to help you master something you’ve been struggling with.

Today I’m sharing a quest to help all of us tackle multitasking.

What? Who does that?

I want to share a recent revelation.

Facebook is for finding friends. Instagram is for connecting with strangers. When COVID cancelled every in-person event on my spring and summer calendar, it also cancelled my opportunity to meet new literary friends and consequently the chance to connect with their friends as well. The well from which I’d drawn my new friends, customers, readers and clients was suddenly (and hopefully only temporarily) dry.

I needed something new. And for me that something was Instagram. I’d had the account for a while, but not done much with it. I don’t even have 400 followers yet. I’ve discovered a few tricks to help me move the progress needle for my small business.

Here are three strategies that have worked for me.

I suspect that as a writer I look at stories differently than the average consumer. I am acutely aware of when I am sucked into a story, when a literary technique is being employed and when the author has successfully manipulated my emotions to benefit the story experience. But this isn’t just true for the books I read. It is also true for the media I consume on-screen.

One of the most intense experiences I have had while watching with my “author lenses” on was when I watched the movie Passengers for the first time.

The balance of internal and external conflict in this movie is pure perfection. It ebbs and flows in a pattern that had my heart aching both from empathy for the characters and from racing during intense action sequences. Just when one form of conflict let off the gas, the other ramped up. I knew what the screen writers were doing, and I was still all in. My husband and I talked about this movie for days afterward, dissecting the characters’ choices and what-if scenarios. We discussed alternate endings and hypothetical situations as if we too would some day board a ship and travel for a hundred years in hyper-sleep only to be woken too early.

I knew I was being manipulated and yet, I loved it… because if I was smart enough to recognize it, maybe I’d be smart enough to replicate it.

People often point out that I complete a lot of tasks. Usually it is because while others are waiting or debating or ... I take action. Crossing items of a big to-do list makes me happy. I love making progress, accomplishing goals, and moving forward. I am a doer and today, I want to help you get things done.

I think that people don’t take action for a lot of reasons… fear, overwhelm, intimidation, fear of imperfection, and lack of knowledge.

Which is it for you?

The first step in moving forward is identifying your reason for inaction. Once you’ve done that you can bust through it and move forward.

Let’s take publishing a book, for example.

Some people don’t move forward because…

In February I listened to the audiobook of Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuisten. It had my thoughts all stirred up – the sign of a good book – and so I wanted to journal about it. As the events of the past week have unfolded, the thoughts felt relevant enough to share. So here they are, on my blog… out in the world where I hope they will find a home in your head and in your heart.

I am a straight, white, thirty-something wife and mother of two, living a middle-class life in the heart of the Midwest.

Alex, the main character in Red, White and Royal Blue, is a bisexual Hispanic, twenty-something from Texas, hell bent on a career in politics, living as the First Son, in the white house.

I know that I am a real human being and that Alex is a fictional character, but if we suspend reality for a second and pretend he was a living, breathing person, it is highly unlikely that our paths would ever cross. Anyway, the point is…

I read this book in less than a week. Devoured would probably be a more accurate term. This book made me sit up and pay attention to life, to myself, to my family, to our world and the messes we get ourselves into.

I picked out a few of my favorite quotes to share with you today. Even if you don’t get your own copy to highlight and cherish, which, really, you definitely should, you can soak up these tidbits of wisdom. Glennon writes about everything from love to parenting to racism. She tackles it all and ultimately, I felt graeful to witness a woman being so many things… for living outside the box, untamed, in her own way. It was exhilarating, refreshing and helpful.

When I first wandered into the writing world, I felt continuously lost. The lay of the land, the shifting landscape, the unwritten rules and industry norms… everything felt foreign. Vocabulary and language were NO EXCEPTION. Half the time I didn’t even know what people were even talking about! It can all feel pretty overwhelming, especially when all you want to do is share your stories with the world. Can you relate?

Alright. Take a deep breath. Let’s get our feet on solid ground with a quick vocab lesson. I was a reading and English teacher for twelve years, so trust me when I say you are in capable hands. Below you will find an alphabetical list of writing world terms, phases, and insider vocabulary words defined and dissected. Hopefully once you’ve read them through, you’ll be able to look at your writing road map and feel a little less lost. Maybe you’ll even feel confident enough to travel further than you have ever gone before.

Are you ready? Let’s go.

If your middle school years were anything like mine, the cafeteria was a dangerous place – uncomfortable at best, heartbreaking at worst. Where to sit? What to say? Heck it was difficult to figure out who was making the rules. And just when you thought you figured it all out, everything changed.

When I first entered the writing world, it felt a bit like walking back into the middle school lunchroom. Even if I knew the names of the people sitting at the tables, they definitely didn’t know mine. Worse than that, we didn’t even seem to be speaking the same language. I’m not sure how I had the guts, but I usually dove in head first anyway.

Today I want to offer you six rookie mistakes to quit making. Are you ready to move up and sit with the big kids? Good. Grab a pencil and get ready to take some notes because here we go.

For many writers, the first obstacle in writing a novel, is knowing what should go into the story. Later on in the process, writers face the process of trying to figure out how to sequence scenes, character growth, climactic moments and more.

If you are a writer that finds yourself unfamiliar with the major elements of a story and the order in which they should be told to maximize your storytelling effect… then you are in luck, because today I’m going to share a helpful tool that can help you with both situations, and so much more.

I'm excited to be a part of the WOW! Women On Writing blog tour for Save the Cat Writes Story Structure Software. I’ve submitted my work to WOW contests for a few years and also promote a class through their site, so when they approached with a free trial of the software in exchange for sharing my experience on my blog, I didn’t need a lot of pushing before I was ready to jump in.

A few years ago, I decided to stop being the sort of person who hoarded pretty notebooks and start being the kind of person who used them.

I started small, with paperback journals, each 60 pages or so, and later upgraded to hardcover, dated journals that sometimes take me over a year to fill.

I carry the current notebook with me everywhere. Between the covers I take notes at meetings, journal, draft blog posts, and dream big. When the pages are filled, I place them on a shelf in my office for safe keeping.

Occasionally I like to browse the ink filled pages, reminiscing on moments past, reflecting on how far I have come and sometimes commiserating on how the past parts of my journey are so similar to the path I am now. Shouldn’t I have made it by now?

I’m a “look for silver linings” kind of girl. And one of the positive parts of this whole stay at home thing, is that it has provided *some* people with a lot of extra free time, which for many, translates into reading time. In addition to this extra reading time, I’ve also being thinking about the benefits of having friends who are writers… one of my favorites is access to books! So many books! Sometimes I even get sneak peeks of ADVANCE READER COPIES.

Today I want to share a few recent releases from my writer friends. Grab a copy from your local indie store or purchase from the embedded links below. Either way, you won’t be disappointed by these lovely stories.

Two things make me crabby. The first is being woken up. I live my best life on eight to ten hours of sleep. I love my children, but when they wake me in the middle of the night or before my alarm sounds, I wish for them to cease to exist.

And the second thing is smells, specifically bad smells. I live in a house with three males. Farting and lengthy trips to the bathroom are not uncommon. Its the worse when we are all trapped in a car. The nasty smell from an over ripe dishwasher or pungent laundry hamper can also instantly crash my mood. The opposite is true of a good smell. A great candle, my mom’s spaghetti sauce, a fragrant whiff from a coffee shop… these things can perk me up in the space of a second.

It’s kind of crazy, and I know illogical. It’s not like people or inanimate objects intentionally try to piss me off or cheer me up with their odor. But they do. I have attempted to use smelly experiences in my writing a time or two.

In the book selling world, it is often touted…

“If you wait to market the book until it is published… you are too late.”

And that is true, especially in the traditionally published world. Often times professional reviewers like Kirkus, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal request an advanced reader copy of the book as many as FOUR MONTHS before it hits the shelves. Publishers drum up enthusiasm for new releases at book festivals and in trade magazines. Writers run giveaways, do interviews and beg for forgiveness as they dump post after post about their new book in their social media feeds.

So, when I was getting ready to publish The Birthday Cache, my fifth book, I wanted to step up to the plate like a pro and market before the book was published. What came out of this desire and good advice was the BIGGEST MISTAKE I have ever made in my writing career.

It started how many things start… I saw an ad online.

One word inspires my husband and I to clean our house more than any other. “Company.” If we know people are coming to our house, for a birthday party, a family gathering or an impromptu dinner with friends, you better believe that the cleaning supplies and efforts will come out in full force.

Honestly, sometimes the result of a sparkling and clutter-free living space is just as enjoyable and visiting with the friends or family we’ve invited over. Unfortunately, right now, “company” is a little hard to come by, let alone, justify. We’ve been working really hard to socially distance and since the middle of March, we haven’t had a single person past the threshold of our garage, let alone inside our house. Don’t worry, we’re holding down the fort okay. The laundry is done, and the garbage cans are not overflowing. But last week when I looked around my office, I could see that this quarantine had left some pretty negative impacts on my office space.

Not only was I working from my office, but my kids were taking turns rotating through on an every other day basis to complete their home school to-do lists. Piles of little boy books and elementary school papers, not to mention the occasional matchbox car and fruit snack wrapper cluttered previously empty surfaces. The author event materials that usually occupied my trunk were now laying on the floor as well. The rolling case that usually held my college instructor materials sat abandoned by the door while its inside contents were stacked precariously on a side table. It is safe to say that my office was a MESS, a far cry from the gorgeous space I had created two years ago when I first started working from home. I was trudging through my daily tasks in this mess, almost blind to the way the clutter was pulling me (and my motivation) down.

One of the best tools I have EVER purchased for my business is a subscription to Canva Pro. This online digital design tool helps me make my website look professional and my social media feed engaging. If you are looking to spruce up your appearance online, I highly recommend checking it out. There is a free version of Canva that you can try, or if you are really looking to up your game, you can upgrade to the Pro version, also free for 30 days.

I did the free version for a couple of years, but recently upgraded to the pro version and let me tell you, IT IS AMAZING! And to prove it to you, I’m going to tell you 4 reasons why I love Canva in general and an additional 6 reasons I am glad I upgraded to Canva Pro.

The newest book in my Champion Chocolatier series will release next week on April 14. Because of the Covid-Chaos, I am unable to do any of the in person events I had planned. It’s a huge bummer, but I’m making the best of it!

If you follow my Facebook page, you might already know that I’m doing a COUNTDOWN to RELEASE DAY. Each day I am sharing giveaways, behind the scene peeks, shout outs, live events and games.

Today’s challenge is a trivia scavenger hunt.

You are allowed to use the previously published books, my website… anything you’d like to find the answers to the below questions. Then, email me the answers to be entered for a SWEET REWARD. Click to keep reading and get started on the hunt!

I’m finding it a little difficult to focus these days. Normally I am a super-self-motivated and productive human being. Usually I am not only a list maker, but a list dominator. I set big goals and I work hard to achieve them. And while I don’t always make it to where I want to go, I almost always move the needle of progress.

I, like everyone else in our country (or quite possibly planet), suddenly find myself with an exorbitant amount of free time. My part time teaching responsibilities, which will end in April, take up minimal time and my author gig calendar has been wiped cleaner than a Clorox-ed door handle. You might think that this would be the perfect time to dive into a massive writing project. After all, I have the time.

My newest book, Champion Chocolatier: For Better or Worse, is all but done and will be released on April 14. (You can pre-order the Kindle version here.) I’m searching for my next project. Again, it sounds like the perfect time for a new project. Probably even a big one. I literally do not have to be anywhere for six months! So, what’s the problem?

How do you self-publish a book?

What are the steps of self-publishing a book?

Where can I find a self-publishing coach?

About a year ago I started helping people self-publish their books. After all, if someone hadn’t taught me the process several years ago, I might not be where I am today, the proud author of nine, soon to be ten, out-in-the-world books. I wanted to pass along the goodwill another writer showed me. I wanted people who had stories to tell to be able to share them with others. And so, I started coaching others through the process of publishing their own work on Kindle Direct Press. From finding a copy editor to designing a cover, from creating a marketing plan to throwing a launch party. I’ve helped my writing friends (clients sounds too stuffy!) take their work from their desk drawers to the book stores.

Today my guest blogger, Joy Chase, is going to tell us about her writing journey, and how she moved from a wannabe-writer to a published author. Joy is someone who has put in the work. Her lovely words are proof of her time and trials. I am incredibly proud of her and also honored, that she chose me to help her publish From the Delusion Papers: Taken From the Book of She.

oy read the below piece at her book launch event earlier this year. I loved the piece so much that I asked her if I could re-post it here, and I am thrilled that she agreed. Without further adieu, I will turn you over to the capable hands (and words) of Joy Marie Chase.

Quick side note: If you’d like me to help you with your own publication dreams and journey, click here to learn more, or email me with any questions.

It’s been a few years since Emmy quit her job and moved to the North Shore. Since then her life has drastically changed. Now she is a successful business owner and in love. In love! And she’s finally getting married!

And me, I am excited to share this cover reveal with you today!

Paperback copies of Champion Chocolatier: For Better or Worse will be released on Tuesday, April 14, 2020, but you can pre-order your Kindle copy here. Until then, you can read this sneak peek chapter. I have a bunch of really great launch events planned, but with the current state of affairs in our less than healthy world, I've decided to wait to share them until a later date. But stay tuned!

For now, I proudly present, Champion Chocolatier: For Better or Worse.