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 IWSG Day Question: What are five objects we’d find in your writing space?

First off, thanks to this month’s co-hosts:  J.H. Moncrieff, Tonja Drecker , Patsy Collins, and Chrys Fey!

I recently re-did my desk, so it’s a lot cleaner than it used to be! The Harry Potter magic wands have been put in a safer location. And the stack of sticky notes have been trimmed down to almost nothing. But what’s still here?

First off is the computer. That’s a given. Although I have written books entirely by hand, I find I write cleaner if I type a story rather than compose on paper. I write slower on the computer but spend less time editing.

Second are my pens. It’s an addiction. I have more pens than I’ll ever need. Once I pulled a dozen
from my purse.

Third is a Thesaurus. I keep a physical copy handy. I’m good using an on-line dictionary, but when it comes to hunting down the perfect word, I get better results flipping trough the pages.

Next is the wolf sculpture my son bought me. I have a series of wolf shifter books and it serves as inspiration.

Last but not least? I confess, I didn’t get rid of all the stick notes. They’re a great way to keep track of the details on my WIP. What day it is, what last name did I give to that minor character who appeared six chapters ago? I just have to remember to get rid of them when I finish the story.

Now, I’m going to find out what the other insecure writers have in their writing space.

December 3, 2018

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

I didn’t even have to think about my answer. If I couldn’t fail, I’d be a full-time author. But what would that mean?

First off, I’d have to fully replace my current job and benefits. I’ve got other people depending on me and I can’t let them down. Or maybe it would be better to say that I’m not willing to risk letting them down. Then I need extra on top of that for some long-term financial needs.

Second, I want to be able to maintain my status as an indie author. I like the freedom to write what I
want to write and to control my own prices. Although I don’t necessarily enjoy the business aspects of being an indie, I like the control being an indie provides.

Third, I’m going to need an full-time editor. One who can help me get books released faster. I don’t think I can accomplish my goal when I’m only releasing one or two books a year. And if I had someone else helping with editing, I could write faster!

And of course, I’d want to make a best seller list or two. Or three. I’d also have to go to more reader/author events. I don’t mind traveling, so that  would be fine.

So, for those of you that are already full-time authors, what have I missed?

Now let’s hop over and see what the other authors would do.

December 3, 2018

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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November 26, 2018

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

I’m one of those annoying people who believe that you should never stop learning. I earned a major new certification relating to my job last spring, despite being well into the ‘old fart’ range in terms of my age.

But I did something this past fall that I’ve never done before.

I took time off work to celebrate my birthday.

It doesn’t sound like anything major, but I’ve never done it before. I’ve always worked unless my birthday happened to fall on a weekend. Sure, we might go out for supper or celebrate in another way, but I’ve never taken the whole day for myself.

That changed this year. I took two days off and me and the hubby stayed in a nearby mountain resort town. We rented a better than average hotel room and took it easy. We didn’t make any plans but did things on the spur of the moment. Mostly, we just spent time together. Heck, the most ambitious we got was taking a long drive down some back roads. I didn’t even do any writing!

And the best part? I didn’t feel guilty about any it. Not the time off work, not the money we spent, not the temporary pause in finishing my current WIP. Oh, and we got to share the hotel with wild turkeys!

One more good thing- I bought some old Nancy Drew books – the yellow ones – at a used goods store we stumbled across and decided to check out. Maybe they’ll be the start of a collection to replace the ones I gave away when I went to college.

So that’s my newest new thing. What’s yours?

Now I’m off to see what the other authors are doing for the first time.

November 26, 2018

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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Remember the Mystery Exchange? A few of the authors have teamed up to bring you some specials for the holidays or to fill that new tablet you just bought. Just in time for #BlackFriday!

What We Found, by Kris Bock

An All-Consuming Fire,

	Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime.     She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what’s best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn’t understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice.     Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer? Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay | Overdrive | IndieBound |Audible
	Julienne is snow bound in the middle of the Rocky Mountains with a killer striking at will.     Julienne LaMere gets to attend a Resort Management conference at a prestigious ski resort in the Colorado Mountains.  What should be an enjoyable getaway attending workshops by day and shopping and enjoying the resort by night comes to a screeching halt when a loud-mouthed guest is murdered plus the roads and town shut down for an epic blizzard.     In addition to attending the conference, dodging a smitten teen boy, and seeking clues among the gossiping – and increasingly tense – guests, her best friend’s heart has warmed to an unlikely man and may get broken.  As if her mind isn’t already fully occupied, Julienne and her new boyfriend Mason are skiing down troubled slopes in their relationship. Will Julienne put the scant clues together and unveil the culprit before a murderer gets away? Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay | Overdrive | IndieBound |Audible
	A Private Investigator who is competing to be on the reality show “Real Investigators” dies under suspicious circumstances with Julienne’s business card on his body.  Her boss asks her to work to keep the resort’s reputation from taking another hit from a murder. She is more concerned with how her card got on his dead body than she lets on.  The investigator was playing with fire before he got poisoned, and Julienne is attempting to figure out who spiked his last moments.     She begins to look into the less reputable investigator to keep the Resort’s name, as well as her own, away from any suggestion of scandal for both their sake.  In the meantime, she is coordinating a last minute event and dealing with a handsome British gent who has his eye on her while still trying to work things out with Mason. Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | GooglePlay | Overdrive | IndieBound |Audible

November 19, 2018

If you had the option to know the date of your death, would you want to know?

Many years ago, I remember reading the description of a series where the premise was that a wizard could never achieve full powers until he/she learned the date and time of their death. Funny thing is, I don’t remember reading the book but the idea of knowing when you will die has stuck with me.

There was also a time in my life when I didn’t think I’d make it past the age of thirty. I’d had enough near-misses that I thought the universe was out to get me. It didn’t happen, and I’m well past that age, but I remember making decisions for my life based on that fear.

Now, I’ve hit the age where I need to start planning for my death. After all, one of the reasons I went indie when I started writing was because I didn’t have time to sit around and wait for agents and publishers. But that was six books ago, and I’m still going strong. Based on family history, I could get disabled in a few years. Or, I could keep going for another thirty years.

So, do I want to know when my life will end?

None of us have a guarantee that when we go to bed at night we’ll wake up the next morning. I’ve tried to live the philosophy of living each day like it’s my last. It wouldn’t make a difference if I knew the date of my death. I don’t think sharing the information would make my death any easier for family and friends, and it wouldn’t make what was left of my life any more meaningful. Plus, I refuse to live my life in fear, waiting for the moment we all dread.

That should help make my answer clear. No, I don’t want to know the date of my death. It will come in due time, and I’m okay with that. I’ve lived a pretty good life and I can face the inevitable with a certain sense of satisfaction.

Now let’s find out what the other authors think.

November 19, 2018

If you had the option to know the date of your death, would you want to know?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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Excerpt

November 12, 2018

What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a writer ?

It sounds easy, doesn’t it? “I want to write a book. Anyone can do that.”

And it’s probably true. With enough effort, anyone can get fifty thousand or more words down on paper. (Or saved to a computer file.) It might take years, and after the first five thousand the realization of how much effort it takes might sink in, but that’s okay.

But this is not an attempt to scare anyone off from the attempt. The satisfaction that comes with writing “The End” is hard to match.

So what advice to I have for aspiring writers?

I think the best thing I can suggest is to not worry about getting it perfect the first time. Finding the right wards can be next to impossible. Sometimes the word you thought was right doesn’t sound so good after a few more sentences.

But here’s the trick. There are these things called “first drafts” and editing. That means after the words make it from the brain to paper, they can be changed. And for those of us who aren’t total geniuses, changes will need to be made. Even total geniuses will need to go back and check their work.

But if the first draft isn’t completed. there’s no editing to be done. Well, that’s not quite true. I use editing as a way to help break writer’s block, but it’s a short-term solution. It helps to get my brain back into the story.

So, back to my advice. It’s like walking. You have to take one step at a time. Get out that pen and paper or typewriter or keyboard. Write that first sentence. Then write another, and another. Writing, like any other creative endeavor, takes practice. It may never become easy, but it gets easier. I’ve written several books that will never be published because I don’t feel they are good enough, but that’s okay. The time I spent writing them wasn’t wasted because it helped make the next book I wrote better.

Now let’s head over and see what advice the other authors have to share.

(And a side note. Wolves’ Knight, a book that went through several drafts before it was ready for readers, is on sale for 99¢ for a short time. You can find the links here:  https://pjmaclayne.blogspot.com/p/wolves-pawn.html  You’ll need to scroll down the page a little way to find it.)

November 12, 2018

What advice would you give to someone who wants to become a writer ?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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November 5, 2018

What do you want people to remember about you?

When I first saw this topic, I thought it would be an easy topic to write about. After thinking about it, I decided I was wrong.

Sadly, I doubt I’ll ever be remembered for my writing. No matter how hard I try, I don’t see one of my books breaking  into best-selling territory. That doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying, but I’m not planning my financial future based on that possibility.

And I don’t think my computer skills will earn me world-renown status. I work with too many geniuses to think I rank anywhere near the top.

So, what do I want people  to remember about me?

That I cared. Deeply. About them. About helping to make the world a better place, one kindness at a time.

Because sometimes that’s the most important thing.. A smile when it is needed. A helping hand when things go wrong. A kind word when it seems that there is only darkness.

I know it doesn’t sound like much. The beauty of it is in its simplicity. But it’s enough for me. If only I can be remembered that way.

Now let’s hop over and see what the other authors want to be remembered for.

November 5, 2018

What do you want people to remember about you?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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October 29, 2018

What would you do if you found $50 on the ground (or substitute your local currency)

There was a time in my life that even finding $10 would have been a blessing. It would have fed my family for a few days or allowed me to buy a special treat for my little ones. Thankfully, those days are in the past, but I remember what it felt like.

I have found money once or twice, but the most I’ve ever come across is $20. I found it in the parking lot at work, and didn’t know what to do with it. It seemed silly to turn it into security because there were no identifying marks on it. And with the number of people that go through the parking lot on a daily basis, there didn’t seem to be any way to get it back to it’s original owner.

So, after discussing with my boss, I stuck it in my purse. Not in my wallet where it could easily get mixed in with my money, but in a separate compartment. I didn’t want to spend it on myself. I had other plans.

There aren’t a lot of panhandlers where I live. You’ll see an occasional one on a street corner or in the Walmart parking lot, but not everyday. And I know you can’t trust appearances, but some just seem more down on their luck than others. And that’s what I was waiting for. The right person who looked as if a measly $20 dollars would make a difference in their life.You know, the one with the dog that looks better cared for than the owner. Or the guy playing a guitar hoping someone will give him a smile and a dollar or two. or maybe the couple with the ratty old RV trying to get down the road a little ways. And that’s when the found money came out of my purse and got passed along.

Would I do it different with $50? Probably. I’d break the $50 into 2 $20’s and a $10 and spread the wealth out. Maybe I’d help buy groceries for someone who came out short at the cash register. It’s my way of paying back the universe for the help I received when I needed it. Besides, it makes me feel good.

Is there a chance I’d give it to someone who really didn’t need the help? Absolutely. Does it matter? Absolutely not. Remember, the money wasn’t mine to begin with.

So, what would you do with found money? I’m going to hop on over and see what the other authors’ plans are.

October 29, 2018

What would you do if you found $50 on the ground (or substitute your local currency)

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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October 22, 2018

Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?

Trigger warning: Crime, abuse, cheating, etc.

There was a time in my life when, starry-eyed and naive, my answer to this week’s question would have been an instant yes. But life has hit me square between the eyes on a number of occasions, and now my answer is an unequivocal maybe. I’ve learned to see the world in shades of gray. (No, not the book.)

Does someone who shoplifts deserve a second chance? Sure. Oops, they’re part of a ring that travels from town to town ripping of small mom-and-pop-stores? Well, maybe not. Oh, that’s bad info, they are really a widow who’s husband died a month ago and the life insurance company hasn’t paid off yet and she needs diapers for their three month old baby. Second chance, of course!

How about the juvenile delinquent who was sentenced to a program for troubled youth for six months because he ripped off a carton of cigarettes? Oh, and it turns out the judge had a financial stake in the program the kid was sent to.

How about the husband who cheats on his pregnant wife? There are even pictures to prove it. Oh wait, he was roofied and raped.

See what I mean? Shades of gray. What seems like an open-shut case may turn out to have nuances you never imagined. Still, I’m human. You hurt my baby? I’ll never give you a second chance. You hurt me? We’ll see what happens.

The Irish rock group, The Cranberries, had a hit that says it well. “Forgiven, not Forgotten.”  If we carry around the hurt that people have inflicted upon us, we will soon be buried so deep under it we’ll never see the light of day. Forgiveness can ease the burden. That doesn’t mean we have to keep giving the offender chance after chance to hurt us again.

So, do I believe in second chances? Although I’ve never committed a crime,  I’ve been the recipient of a few, and I hope I’ve made good use of them. I’ve given other people a few in return and some of them have made needed changes and others? I’ve not forgotten.

I’d love to hear your opinion in the comments. In the meantime, I’m following the links below to find out how the other authors feel.

October 22, 2018

Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

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