Author: P.J. MacLayne

Getting Feedback On A Work In Progress #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Aug 5, 2024

At which stage in the writing process do you seek feedback?

And from whom?

Most often, writing is a solitary occupation. Editing, on the other hand, is better done by several sets of eyes. Feedback, in a general sense, can be done at any step.

I know authors who have a trusted partner they can turn to for advice at a moment’s notice. When I first started writing years ago, I had one of those. But life interfered with that relationship. So, I prefer to finish the first draft and at least one round of edits before seeking outside suggestions for revisions.

Where do I get my feedback?

Here’s where I get to pay homage to my long-time critique partner, Cornelia Amari, the author of 76 books. We met through a Yahoo group, back in the days when those were a thing. That was ten years ago. We’ve traded encouragement and feedback since then. She’s been a great mentor.

I also use Critique Circle, an online community, to get more eyes on my drafts. Although I may not have the same people stick with me through an entire manuscript, as a whole, I get valuable insight into each chapter.  The upside is that I receive input from around the globe. The downside is that it’s a long process to get an entire book through the forum a chapter or two at time. The people who do the critiques don’t see each other’s ideas, and that insures I get a fresh point of view from each.

I started using a professional editor a few manuscripts ago for a final check and to polish my writing. I’ve used Angela Pryce, author of The Devil’s Caress, but sadly, she isn’t available for my current work-in-progress. Instead, I’m contracting with Horus Copyedit and Proofreading.

Final feedback

Of course, the final feedback comes in the form of sales and the always-important customer reviews. So please, when you enjoy a book, please let the author know. 

What do the other authors on this hop do for feedback? Just follow the links below to find out.

As always, until the next time, please stay safe.

Aug 5, 2024

At which stage in the writing process do you seek feedback and from whom?

 

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Which Book To Read First? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

July 29, 2024

Which book of yours do you recommend readers start with?

That’s not an simple question to answer.

It depends on your favorite genre. Technically, I write in three genres. Four, if you add in my work in progress, which is a semi-historical female private investigator story. If you consider only my currently published books, it narrows things down. Slightly.

Let’s start with my urban fantasy/paranormal series of  3 books, The Free Wolves.

Although there is an underlying story arc, each book is written as a stand-alone. The stories can be read in any order. The one I suggest you read first? Wolves’ Gambit, the last one I wrote in that series.

I’m proud of that story. But then, I’ve always been a fan of the underdog, and the book is filled with them, but they are strong enough that they demanded my original planned plot be changed. As a result, I defied all the expectations I’d set for the plot. Tasha, my main character, was a blast to develop.

For those of you who haven’t read Wolves’ Gambit. Here’s the blurb:

Wolf-shifter Lori Grenville was rescued from near-slavery and a brutal pack leader by the Free Wolves. To pay back the favor, she’s dedicated her life to helping others in the same situation, leading shifters to safety and a new start, risking her life in the process. She’s faced down alphas and has no qualms in undermining pack structure.

Now she’s challenged with the task of restoring an alpha to his rightful place. If she gets it right, she can stop a war from ripping apart two packs and spreading across an entire state. If she fails, she’ll be among the first to die.

There’s still the option of walking away and letting the Jaeger and Destin packs destroy each other. That means she’ll fail in her original mission of rescuing the daughter of the Jaeger alpha before the girl is forced into marriage for political gain.

Lori hasn’t failed in a mission yet. This one may be the exception.

Here’s the link for more info and where you can buy the book:  https://www.pjmaclayne.com/?page_id=224

The Harmony Duprie series and the Jake Hennessey books

These two sets of books are tied together, despite being different genres. The Harmony Mysteries are what I call almost-cozy-mysteries, because they defy the rules of true cozies. The Jake stories are crime/suspense, but Jake is an integral part of the Harmony timeline. Confused? It gets worse. The Fall of Jake Hennessey and the Rise of Jake Hennessey are a complete set, but they also serve as a prequel and a sequel to the six Harmony Duprie books.

So, which of the eight books to read first? I’d suggest The Marquesa’s Necklace, the first book in the Harmony mysteries. The stories are in chronological order but written as standalones, so it makes sense to read them in order. 

Here’s the blurb The Marquesa’s Necklace:

Harmony Duprie enjoyed her well-ordered life in the quiet little town of Oak Grove—until her arrest for drug trafficking. Cleared of all charges, she wants nothing more than to return to the uneventful lifestyle of a historical researcher she once savored.

But when her beloved old car “George” is stolen and explodes into a ball of flames, it sets off a series of events that throws her plans into turmoil. Toss in a police detective that may or may not be interested in her, an attractive but mysterious stranger on her trail, and an ex-boyfriend doing time, and Harmony’s life freefalls into a downward spiral of chaos.

Now she has to use her research skills to figure out who is behind the sinister incidents plaguing her, and why. And she better take it seriously, like her life depends upon finding the right answers.

Because it might.

And here’s the link for more info and where to buy The Marquesa’s Necklace: https://www.pjmaclayne.com/?page_id=232

So, that’s two starting points to my books. Now let’s go check out which books we should read from other authors on this hop. See the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

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July 29, 2024

Which book of yours do you recommend readers start with?

How Long Is A Chapter? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

July 22, 2024

How do you determine where to end a chapter?

A chapter is as long as the chapter needs to be.

That’s the best piece of advice I’ve ever received in terms of how long to make my chapters.

I’ve seen chapters as short as two pages and others so long I have no idea how many pages they were. My typical chapter falls in between.

The first books I wrote, I didn’t stop for chapters. I just started at the beginning and didn’t stop until I reached the end. Then I went back and figured out where I needed to make breaks. Frankly, that wasn’t an efficient process.

It also didn’t work out to start a new chapter each time I started a new scene. The length of scenes is often far too short. Breaking it up that way makes the story choppy. I’ve settled on using section breaks for those as denoted by something like *****.

That still doesn’t answer the question of how I know when to end a chapter.

The first few chapters in The Marquesa’s Necklace came in at around 2000 words when they reached a natural stopping point. It seemed like a sign, so I aimed for each one to be around that length. Since the stories in that series were more lighthearted, the shorter breaks felt like they fit the book better. I wanted readers to be able to read it in short bursts. (Or devour it in one sitting if they feel so inclined.)

But short doesn’t work for The Edwards Investigations. So, the chapters are each more that 3000 words. Nowhere near the 81,200 word chapter in the Memory Of Light, the last book in the Wheel of Time series. Shoot, the entire story isn’t that long.

That still doesn’t answer the question.

How do I know where to end a chapter?

I’ve worked with some authors who attempt to start and finish a minor story within a chapter, with the end of the chapter being a natural end to the mini-plot. I don’t work like that. Although I don’t write cliffhangers at the end of a book, that’s how I like to end a chapter.

How do you determine where to close a chapter? I try to end with a hook, something to get the audience to turn the page and keep reading. Or be ready to pick it up again as soon as possible. Sometimes, finding that moment is a battle. Other times, I recognize it as I write it.

But I don’t make the rules. How do the other authors on this hop know when to end a chapter? Follow the links below to find out.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

July 22, 2024

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What Does Your Pet Think? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

July 15, 2024

Kelly Williams’ dog wants to know: “Why does she spend so much time at the computer and not scratching my ears?’ What does your pet want to know? (If you don’t have a pet, feel free to make up an answer.)

I’ve always been ‘pet adjacent.’

Of all the pets we’ve had over the years, none of them have been ‘mine.’ The dogs, the cats, the birds, the fish – none of them were mine. Even if I was the one responsible for most of their care, somehow they were more attached to other family members. (Except the fish. They lived in a small pond in the yard and didn’t really care who fed them. I can only guess what they thought.)

We currently have two cats in the house. Both are my daughter’s. They ignore me most of the time, and rarely even beg for food. (They will ask my husband!) I have no clue what they think of me. So, this is strictly a figment of my imagination.

We’ll call the cats Calico (Cal) and Tuxedo (Tux). They are rarely in the same room at the same time, so this conversation takes place over long periods as they wander from one place to another.

Cal: (As they change places on the cat tree) She’s still at it.

Tux: (Stretching) Staring at those light boxes?

Cal: Yeah. Does she ever get out of her chair?

Tux: (Later) Well, she played lifeguard when the noisy little humans were taking a bath outside (playing in the pool) and scaring off the birds you like to watch.

Cal: At least she’s good for something besides cleaning up our poop.

Tux: (Curling up on the bed) She feeds everyone else.

Cal: (Later) They ate. Time to go hunt for crumbs. And chase a fly. ‘Cause she’s staring at those light boxes again.

Tux: (Licking her paws) She’ll never even notice.

That’s how I imagine it.

The cats can deal with me as long as I stay out of their way. And I can put up with them, so it’s a fair trade.

I’m looking forward to hearing from other authors’ pets. Just check the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

July 15, 2024

Kelly Williams’ dog wants to know: “Why does she spend so much time at the computer and not scratching my ears?’ What does your pet want to know? (If you don’t have a pet, feel free to make up an answer.)

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Support From The Ones I Love #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

July 8, 2024

What kind of support do you receive (or not receive) from family, friends, and your community?

None of my books have made it into a top 100 list on release day.

No matter how long I stare at it, I can’t get the bar on the sales chart to go higher on a book release day. It makes me wonder who among my large family hasn’t bothered to buy a copy. But support comes in many ways.

But I’ve been lucky. Many of you already know that my sister (one of four) is my cover artist. She also helps me with other graphic needs. Of course, she gets a free copy of the print book. I’ll also give her credit and thanks for helping me hunt for new venues to sell my books. My dear hubby puts up with me ignoring him when I’m deep in writing mode and encourages me to keep at it.

Before I retired, the team I worked with liked to tease me about my books-but in a ‘fun’ way. A few of them even bought physical copies. Of course, those sales don’t show up on sales chart.

Since moving, I’ve had to rebuild a local community. I haven’t been able to locate a local writers’ group, (The nearest one is 30 miles away on 2-lane curvy roads, which I don’t want to drive after dark. In the snow. Uphill both ways.) I have met other authors at events, but none of them have ‘clicked’ as far as a continuing relationship. So, I’m leaning heavily on the connections I make on-line.

But there’s an upside.

I’ve sold my books at several local events and have a new (if small) fan base. I found out one of my brothers buys print copies of my books even if he doesn’t read them. My boss (I’m working a part-time job) gives me all the days off I need to attend events. 

Then there’s this group. It helps to keep me focused, and hearing how everyone else deals with the writing life is encouragement in my journey. Even with oceans between us, we’re in this together.

So, I have lots of support. 

It may not be pushing me to the top of the charts, but it helps me to keep trying.

How about the other authors on this hop? Do they have a support system? Find out by following the links below.

And, as always, please stay safe until next time.

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July 8, 2024

What kind of support do you receive (or not receive) from family, friends, and your community?

.

Favorite Word Processing Software #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
 
The awesome co-hosts for the  July 3 posting of the IWSG are JS Pailly, Rebecca Douglass, Pat Garcia, Louise-Fundy Blue, and Natalie Aguirre!

July 3 question – What are your favorite writing processing (e.g. Word, Scrivener, yWriter, Dabble), writing apps, software, and tools? Why do you recommend them? And which one is your all time favorite that you cannot live without and use daily or at least whenever you write?

 
The first word processing software I used was Novell’s WordPerfect. (Does anyone use it anymore?) That was back in the late 80s/early 90s, when Microsoft programs didn’t rule the world. It was an easy move to Microsoft Word and the rest of the Office Suite when I switched jobs. With all the changes since then, Microsoft has turned Word into more than a simple letter-writing tool.
 
But they also changed the payment model. Unless you purchase a stripped down-version, you pay to use it either monthly or yearly. 
 
No, thank you. That’s why I use LibreOffice, free software that emulates all the basic functionality of Word. Yes, enough of the commands are different to beat copyright claims, but it’s easy to learn.
 

I have another choice for editing.

 
While LibreOffice is great for a first draft, it doesn’t have all the editing functionality as Word. I have another favorite for that. I’ve tried Hemingway, Grammarly, and several others. The one I settled on was ProWritingAid. The free version was useful, but the full version made a big difference. And I received a lifetime subscription as a Christmas present.
 
One caveat: I’ve noticed more errors getting through ProWritingAid in my current editing. I don’t know if I’ve messed up a setting somewhere or what, but I need to check into it.
 
So, that’s what I use. I’ve used both in the writing of this post. I’m making bets on what the most popular answers will be. Check out a few of the other answers by following the links below.
 
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Celebrating A Writing Achievement #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book


July 1, 2024

Do you have a special way of celebrating when you finish writing a book?

Or other achievements in your journey? How do you reward yourself?

The day when you write ‘The End.’ Or send your manuscript off to your editor. Have your first look at the cover. Hold a print copy of the book for the first time. All of those are achievements are worth celebrating. How do you do it?

I’ve heard of authors going out to dinner, or enjoying their choice of an alcoholic beverage. Perhaps a bouquet of fresh flowers graces their desk. Some will take a vacation from writing to allow their muse to have a break.

But I’m not good at rewarding myself. I put so much energy into taking care of other people that I don’t leave enough for me. Yes, I know better, but don’t always practice what I preach.

How do I reward myself?

Sometimes I remember I deserve to celebrate, too. My reward? Dark chocolate. Not your standard, every day chocolate, but the pricey stuff. (Not the over-the-top, break-the-bank expensive variety. I have my limits.) A few pieces go a long way. I’m low-maintenance.

The other way I reward myself is with flowers. Not cut ones, but potted ones for outside. (I only plant a few shrubs because I have to protect them from the local deer.) I allow myself to splurge in the spring. The flowers may only last a season, but they bring me happiness every day for those few months. There’s no landscaping plan. I just buy whatever flowers catch my eye when we go shopping.

Now, these rewards aren’t tied to a specific event. I don’t keep a stash of chocolate handy waiting for am opportunity to celebrate an achievement. My willpower isn’t strong enough to keep me from raiding any chocolate I have tucked away. (Unless I bought it for a specific holiday. Then my ability to ignore the goodies is amazing.)

But back to celebrating my writing achievements.

A simple post on Facebook may be the only public acknowledgement I share. And that won’t be seen by more than a handful of people. I’m not good at all the publicity stuff.

How about the other authors on this hop? Do they reward themselves for their accomplishments, no matter how small? Find out by following the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

 

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Click here to enter

July 1, 2024

Do you have a special way of celebrating when you finish writing a book? Or other achievements in your journey? How do you reward yourself?

Favorite Film Genre and Favorite Book Genre #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

June 24, 2024

Does your favorite genre of film correspond with the genre you write in?

I can’t answer this question, because I don’t have a favorite genre of film.

If I had to pick one, it would be sci-fi. I enjoyed the Star Wars and Star Trek films. Even the Marvel films I’ve watched entertained me. (But I haven’t seen all of them.) Sci-Fi is also one of my favorite genres of books.

But as I’ve mentioned before, sci-fi is a genre I’ve never attempted to write. I don’t feel confident enough in my writing skills to make the attempt. Shoot, I felt like I was pushing it when I placed The Rise of Jake Hennessey twenty years in the future.

My favorite genre to write?

Mysteries. I love creating a puzzle that needs to be solved, and then writing all kinds of red herrings to throw the reader off. I may not even know the answer to the mystery until I get close to the end of the story. (Yes, I am a pantser. I don’t have my book plotted out before I start writing.)

But I can’t tell you the last movie I watched that was a mystery. There are plenty of TV shows that are mysteries, but movies? Maybe on streaming services, but in theatres? They may exist, but I don’t see any ads or hear any ‘buzz’ for them. (I’ve got mad skills for ignoring advertising, and I don’t watch TV.)

I also write urban fantasy/paranormal.

And I’ve never seen the Twilight movies. (Or read the books.) Same goes for The Hunger Games. I’ve read numerous other urban fantasy books, but the genre crosses into sci-fi, so that makes sense.

Let’s find out what genres of film the other authors on this hop claim as their favorite, by following the links below. (Most links will show up on Monday.)

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

June 24, 2024

Does your favorite genre of Film correspond with the one genre you write in?

 

An Under-Appreciated Novel #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

June 17, 2024

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

You’d think this would be an easy topic to write.

I could pick any random book and no one would know the difference. There are many books out there that are deserving of additional attention. But me, being the occasional perfectionist, put way too much thought into the answer. Which book should I choose? Assuming, of course, that picking one of mine is out of the question.

I didn’t want to choose anything from a well-known author, even if it was one of their lesser-known works. Classics are out of the running, of course, or they wouldn’t be a classic. Ten years ago, Craig Johnson of Longmire fame might have fit the requirement, but after the TV series gained him fame, and his writing went downhill, he no longer makes the grade.

But I don’t want to ignore any of the friends I’ve made through writing.

Including ones who have taken part in this hop. That list is long and varied. How can I choose only one? I’m going to take the easy way out and highlight two. I suspect I’ve mentioned both of them on this blog previously.

Cornelia Amiri: A Moonless Night Note: Cornelia and I have traded beta reads and critiques. When I read the first draft chapter of this story, my response was this was the best damn writing she’d ever done. Many of her books draw heavily from Celtic myths, and this was no exception. But she used the story of Dylan, a sea god, to highlight the issue of child abuse, while writing following her normal plot of a romance between a god and a human.

You can check out the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Moonless-Night-Hope-Swims-Darkest-ebook/dp/B07GCPG23Z

Angela Pryce: The Devil’s Caress  I don’t remember how I was introduced to this book. Angela and I were both scheduled at a book signing, (along with lots of other authors) but due to car problems, she didn’t make it. But we started chatting on-line, and I bought the book. At least, I think that’s what happened.

Anyway, I loved the story. It blurs the lines between good and evil in the name of love. I loved it enough that when Angela started to do line editing, I hired her. She’s edited each of my books since then. You can find the book here: https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Caress-Angela-Pryce-ebook/dp/B07QHZ5H6Z

I look forward to seeing what books the other authors on this hop post. You can check them out by following the links below. (Most of them will show up throughout the day on Monday.)

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


June 17, 2024

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

The Good, Bad, And Ugly of Ghost Writers #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

June 10, 2024

Ghostwriters. Let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Her name is Priscilla.

She hangs out in the spare bedroom at the top of the stairs on the second floor. Other times she’s off somewhere, gossiping with the house goddess, Penelope. When she settles in come evening time, the rays of the setting sun caused create a glow around her silver-white hair, styled in a loose bun. She helped me pick out the new color for the front stairs, a deep purple. She also picked out some of the artwork I hung on the walls.

So far, she hasn’t revealed when she moved into this 100-year-old house, or any of the stories she has to tell. But I’m not in a hurry. I figure we have a decade or more to spend together. I can wait.

Oh, not that kind of ghost writer. Sorry, Priscilla, making you the star of a post will have to wait. Have another cup of tea. Peach, this time?

Now on to ghostwriters of the living kind. Let’s start with the bad (and ugly.) 

I hate picking up a book by a favorite author to discover that the writing style is nothing like previous stories by that writer. Sometimes the ‘partner’ author is listed, other times not. I don’t mind as much when the joint venture is listed up front. When it’s not disclosed, I feel cheated. 

Then there’s the concept of a ghostwriter for a celebrity’s book. It’s well-known they aren’t spending the time to type out their stories and perfecting them to make them readable. The publisher is using the celebrity’s name as the selling point. It has nothing to do with the quality of the writing. The person who is doing the actual writing earns little to no recognition, and is normally paid a contracted amount, without regard to how many books are sold.

But there is a good side.

“Normal’ people may want to leave the legacy of their life story to their family, but don’t have the skills to document it. Their view of the war they served in. Or how they earned and lost a fortune selling drugs. They may be your neighbor or the nurse at the hospital. They have no desire to sell the book commercially, but want to make sure their tales are not lost to the winds of time, at least not immediately. Hiring a ghostwriter is their shot at making that dream happen. As an added bonus, the writer receives extra income that may support their creative endeavors.

Now, I’ve never given ghostwriting a shot, because I’m busy enough trying to write my own stories. But some of the authors on this hop may have. Will they tell us about it? Find out by following the links below.

Anyway, until next time, please stay safe.

What’s that, Priscilla? Penelope is out of Earl Grey? (Sigh) I’ll add it to my grocery list.

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June 10, 2024

Ghost Writers. Let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly.