Category: IWSG

The Reason I Write #IWSG

  By IWSG

November 4 question – Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?

The awesome co-hosts for the November 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L.G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson, and Rachna Chhabria!

I don’t believe I’ll ever keep civilization from destroying itself with my writing. Saving the world is way beyond my paygrade. That won’t stop me from writing.

So, why do I write? I hope to distract my readers for a short time. Give them something to else to think about. Maybe give them a giggle or make them say “aha!”

Besides, I have all these characters in my head that want to get out. The only way to do that is write their stories. Take Tasha in Wolves’ Knight, for example. That was a book I didn’t plan. Tasha came to me while I was writing a different book, and said: “Here’s my story!” I acknowledged her, and tried to get back to my project. But she wouldn’t let me, and Wolves Knight (originally called Tasha’s Tale) got moved to the front of the list.

And take the book I’ve recently started. I don’t know if it will ever get past first draft, but the main character started talking to me after six years of being a secondary character in a series. I’m writing it from my anti-hero’s point-of-view, and he’s turning out to be more of a villain than I’d planned. I’m not fighting him about it, either. I think he’s got a hero complex and he’s hiding it from me. We’ll see.

So, maybe my writing as as much about entertaining me as it is entertaining the readers. I can live with that.

Don’t forget to check out what other insecure writers are writing about by following the links below.

And, until next time, stay safe! 

Am I a Working Writer? #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
 
October 7 question – When you think of the term working writer, what does that look like to you? What do you think it is supposed to look like? Do you see yourself as a working writer or aspiring or hobbyist, and if latter two, what does that look like?

If you followed the link from the Insecure Writer’s Group blog post to get here, there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of me. And you haven’t read any of the eight books I’ve published so far. But that doesn’t make me any less of a working writer.

I’m not making a living off my writing. Heck, I’m lucky if I break even when it comes to the end of the year. The number of people following me on any of the social media is low. But none of that diminishes the fact that I sit down at my computer on a regular basis and work to put words on paper.

And that’s what it takes for me to consider myself a working writer. I’m trying. Well, I’m more than trying. I’m doing. I wrote four books before I wrote one I considered good enough to publish. And I didn’t feel any less of a writer while I was writing them.

Maybe you don’t write books. Maybe you write short stories or poems or blog posts. You’re still a writer. A working writer.

Not all of us will ever be traditionally published. Some of us don’t want to be. And that’s okay. That’s no longer the definition of a writer. The world is a lot bigger now. (And, at the same time, a lot smaller.) 

So, I go back to my previous statement. Are you putting words on paper? (Or the computer equivalent?) Congratulations. You’re a working writer.

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

The awesome co-hosts for the October 7 posting of the IWSG are Jemima Pett, Beth Camp, Beverly Stowe McClure, and Gwen Gardner!
 
 
 

The Form Found Me #IWSG

  By IWSG

 

August 5 question – Quote: “Although I have written a short story collection, the form found me and not the other way around. Don’t write short stories, novels or poems. Just write your truth and your stories will mold into the shapes they need to be.”
Have you ever written a piece that became a form, or even a genre, you hadn’t planned on writing in? Or do you choose a form/genre in advance?

The awesome co-hosts for the August 5 posting of the IWSG are Susan Baury Rouchard, Nancy Gideon, Jennifer Lane, Jennifer Hawes, Chemist Ken, and Chrys Fey!

I’ve told this story many times, but when I started to write what became The Marquesa’s Necklace, it was supposed to be a paranormal romance. My main character, a librarian, was supposed to fall in love with a handsome ghost that haunted the library. The original title was The Ghost Who Loved me.

Except Harmony, my librarian, didn’t like that. Not one bit. And the book turned into a mystery with a romantic subplot. And then became a series. And the ghost became a living, breathing man. But I didn’t erase all traces of the original story. In fact, I’ve paid tribute to it in each following book, in the form of a ghost living in an old Victorian house.

Here’s a snippet of one of their early meetings.

That’s when I ran into him the second time. I was doing my normal thing of walking through the 940’s with my nose in a book and I almost bumped into him. A sudden rush of cold air made me stop in my tracks and look up into a pair of eyes such a light blue they were almost gray.

“Oops, sorry about that.” I reached out to stop myself from falling, but he backed away. I managed to latch onto a shelf instead, so I didn’t end up with my face on the floor. My book did fall, and he bent over and picked it up. Without so much as a smile, he handed it to me and walked away without a word. Annoyed, I stood there with my mouth open and watched him turn the corner and vanish from my view. As I returned to my book I smelled the most unusual thing. I don’t know if it was his aftershave or what, but it made me think of freshly-turned dirt.

I’m currently writing the sixth (and final) book in the series, The Harmony Duprie Mysteries. Then I’m going to start on a new mystery series, unless the characters decide to make it something else.

Don’t forget to check out some of the other posts this month. There’s a whole big list to pick from!

Until next time, please be safe.

Changes in the Wind #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
July 1 question – There have been many industry changes in the last decade, so what are some changes you would like to see happen in the next decade?
 
The awesome co-hosts for the July 1 posting of the IWSG are Jenni Enzor, Beth Camp, Liesbet, Tyrean Martinson, and Sandra Cox!
 
I missed out on the big change in the writing industry when it became possible for authors to self-publish, or when putting a book on sale at 99¢ was almost a guarantee of big sales figures. Such is life. But there are a couple of changes I’d like to see happen.
 
First, I’d like to see Amazon change their policies on ebook returns. Their current policies allows readers to use Amazon as a lending library. Buyers have seven days in which to return a book. I can easily read a book in that time frame. Authors have reported watching a series being purchased and then returned one book at a time. That’s just not fair. Amazon, can you fix that? 
 
While I’m picking upon Amazon, how about their review policy? I’ve had reviews removed because Amazon thought the reviewer was my friend. Guess what? Everyone who likes my author page on Facebook isn’t my friend. They’re called fans. That’s why  they write reviews. Oh, and how about pulling reviews that aren’t about the book itself. You know, those ones that talk about how Amazon messed something up in the download. Or were for a totally different book.
 
I suppose I should mention one that isn’t Amazon related. (They are easy to pick on!) I’d like someone to invent a way to make pirating books harder. Without making it harder for readers to read the book! Right now, it’s like playing whack-a-mole for an author to keep their books off pirate sites. One site goes down and another pops up. 
 
What changes would you like to see in the publishing industry? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
 
Until next time, stay safe.
 
 
 
 

Writer’s Secrets #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
June 3 question – Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?
 
The awesome co-hosts for the June 3 posting of the IWSG are Pat Garcia, J.Q. Rose, and Natalie Aguirre!
 
Welcome to another month of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.  This month I’m supposed to reveal one or two secrets. But if I tell you, they won’t be a secret anymore! So we’ll go with two things only a few people know.
 
In my Harmony Duprie Mysteries, I’ve made Harmony afraid of flying. Or, I should say, she told me she’s afraid of flying. I don’t think Harmony revealed it to me until Book Three, and I didn’t know why until Book 4. I’m currently up to book 6, and Eli, Harmony’s long-time lover, has figured out her fear, but she hasn’t told him why. Very different from me. I used to work a job where I traveled all the time. I once flew from Florida to various parts of California three times in one month. All the switching of times zones was rough, but I got to the point where, after boarding, I’d be asleep before the plane ever left the ground.
 
And for my other almost secret? I cut my writing teeth on poetry. I even had some luck getting published in literary magazines. At first, I tried to carry that over to my fiction, but it made for heavy reading. I still slip an occasional poetic phrase into my stories, but not near as many as I used to. My mysteries are light-hearted, and I don’t want to bog them down.
 
One more not-a-secret that many of you already know. I released the fifth book in Harmony Duprie Mysteries this past Monday. It’s called The Samurai’s Inro and trouble is chasing down Harmony again. Because how much trouble can one ex-librarian get into? You can find more information HERE. 
 
There you go. Two almost-secrets and a bonus. Thanks go to our hosts for another great blog hop. You can check out the posts from other authors on the links below.
 
Until next time, stay safe!
 
 

Rituals for Writing #IWSG

  By IWSG

May 6 question – Do you have any rituals that you use when you need help getting into the ZONE? Care to share?

Just give me that rock and roll music… (and a good headset) 

Although lately, I’ve been branching out into other types of music to help me get in the zone, depending upon my mood. Tradition Celtic melodies. Modern Native American songs. I keep thinking I should look for Gregorian chants but haven’t yet. I’ve got a nice collection of CDs and LPs, but I like finding new musicians and singers.

Basically, I look for music I don’t really listen to, but serves to shut out the distractions around me. It allows my mind to concentrate on writing.

But back to rock and roll…classic rock, of course. The era of singer-songwriters. Lots of female singers. Buffy St. Marie. Joni Mitchell. Janis Joplin. Linda Ronstadt

And here’s a nod to my favorite. He doesn’t fit any of the categories above, but he’s always my fallback. John Denver.

And that’s as much of a ritual as I’ll own up to! 

 

Be safe out there, please.

#IWSG April Check-In

  By IWSG

 

April 1 question – The IWSG’s focus is on our writers. Each month, from all over the globe, we are a united group sharing our insecurities, our troubles, and our pain. So, in this time when our world is in crisis with the covid-19 pandemic, our optional question this month is: how are things in your world?
The awesome co-hosts for the April 1 posting of the IWSG are Diane Burton, JH Moncrieff, Anna @ Emaginette, Karen @ Reprobate Typewriter, Erika Beebe, and Lisa Buie-Collard!

Covid-19? What’s that?

Okay, I can’t run with a joke. This situation is a mixed bag for me. I know too many people who are in the high risk groups not to worry. The ones I worry about the most (Hi, Mom!) are taking this seriously and doing all the right things. Decreases my stress level somewhat.

The trick is, I work for a hospital. (No, I don’t deal with patients. I’m not one of the heroes.) And I am able to work from home. That doesn’t mean I’m isolated from all the concerns and preparations, but we aren’t in a major city and had more time to work on social isolation. No deaths in the state yet. Keep your fingers crossed.

I have more time to write as a result. And I’m taking advantage of it. I’m editing one book and pretending not to write another. I don’t like working on more than one project at a time, but this book demanded to be written. There’s a bit of guilt that I have the luxury to write when people are losing their jobs and are worrying about having a place to live.

But I am hanging in there. And I hope that everyone who reads this is doing okay. The daffodils are coming up, and the promise of spring is in the air. We’ll make it through this. 

Image by MrGajowy3 from Pixabay

Traditions in My Stories #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 March 4 question – Other than the obvious holiday traditions, have you ever included any personal or family traditions/customs in your stories?

When I first saw this question, my instantaneous response was “Yes, of course!” Then I got thinking about it and couldn’t come up with a solid example.

I could mention going for walks in the fall and shuffling through fallen leaves, but that seems like a stretch. Or building snowmen and going sledding in the winter. The truth is, I want my characters to develop their own traditions.

Like the way Harmony, the main character in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, always carries dog treats so she can give one to her landlords’ dog, Piper. Or the way she always pats some part of her car, Dolores – the roof, the hood- the trunk- before she gets in. Or how she counts the stairs going to her apartment on the third floor. But that may not be as much of a tradition as a symptom of  her un-diagnosed ADD. 

I tried harder in my urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Free Wolves,  to create traditions as part of my world building. That was a necessity because part of the conflict in the series in tradition vs the modern world. To create a character who supports traditions while at the same time breaking those traditions frequently made for some great tension. 

Here’s a quick snippet from Wolves’ Knight that highlights the conflict:


“In here, between us, I’d appreciate it if you call me Gavin. I’d get rid of the title if I could, but that’s not going to happen.”

“Pack tradition is hard to change.” Tasha used her free hand in a futile effort to return her hair to a resemblance of neatness.

“I didn’t realize how hard it would be.” Gavin frowned. “I thought that as our generation came into power, we’d be able to change all those things we talked about when we were younger. It never ceases to amaze me how many people our age are happier sticking with tradition because it’s easier.”

You can find out more about my books by checking out the other pages on this website.

So, the answer is no. I haven’t included family traditions. I leave it up to my characters to create their own.

The awesome co-hosts for the March 4 posting of the IWSG are Jacqui Murray, Lisa Buie-Collard, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and Shannon Lawrence!
 

Photos as Writing Prompts #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
 
February 5 question – Has a single photo or work of art ever inspired a story? What was it and did you finish it?

There’s a simple answer to this. No.

I’ve never written a story or a poem that was inspired by a story. On the other hand, I’ve got photos of real places I’ve been to that inspired a poem or bits of a story. The photo below inspired a poem about learning to breath again at 12,000 feet.

And then there’s the library that inspires many scenes in the Harmony Duprie mysteries.

And here’s a scene I want to use in a story but haven’t yet.
 
 
So I guess I can say that in my writing, life inspires art and not the other way around!
 
The awesome co-hosts for the The awesome co-hosts for the February 5 posting of the IWSG are Lee Lowery, Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Jennifer Hawes, Cathrina Constantine, and Tyrean Martinson!
 

A writer’s Beginnings #IWSG

  By IWSG

January 8 question – What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just “know” suddenly you wanted to write?
 
My awesome co-hosts for the January 8 posting of the IWSG are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, Renee Scattergood, and J.H. Moncrieff!

In sixth grade, I won an award for an essay for a contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution. That was the beginning of my desire to be a writer. Through high school, I stuck to essays and short stories, then moved on to poetry in college. It was the time of singer-songwriters, and poetry filled the air. I was inspired by some of the greatest.

I had some small success with my poetry; getting published in literary magazines and poetry collections. There was a lot to learn about markets, formats, and basic ‘manners.’ Like including a self addressed, stamp envelope if you wanted your submission returned. (Anyone remember those days?) 

But at some point the poetry dried up and I needed to find another way to express myself. That was about the same time I stumbled across NaNoWriMo. You’ve probably heard of it, where people attempt to write a book in a month. Or at least 50,000 words of one. Well, I gave it a try. And I didn’t ‘win.” But I got hooked. 

I’m currently working on my eighth book for publication. (I have several that will never be published in their current form.)  And all those years spent as a poet gave me the courage to go indie and do it on my own. Sure, I had to learn a whole new set of rules, but I’m not one to back down from a challenge. (To find out more about my books, check out the other pages of my website.)

Anyway, that was my journey. I’m willing to bet there are other similar stories in this hop. I’m about to find out!