Category: Open Book

The First Book Paycheck #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

May 2, 2022

What did you do with your first book “paycheck?” (Thanks for reminding me of this idea, Richard.)

For those of you who aren’t indie authors, or you’re new to the business, here’s a sad but true fact of life. It takes a minimum of three months to get the first money payout from the major ebook retailers. By then, an author may or may not remember what they sold to earn that money! I only had one book available at that time, so the what was easy, but I had to go back and figure out how many copies I had sold to earn the small amount of money I received.

What did I do with it? I don’t remember. Nothing special, I’m sure. Chances are I used it to offset the cost of publishing Wolves’ Pawn, that first book.

I haven’t had a “big” paycheck yet, and I’ve continued to put all my earnings into my next book or into publicity, hoping one day to make that big score. It’s as close as I come to gambling.

But here’s where I get to play ‘what if.” What if I woke up one morning and found out I’d become a best selling author overnight? What would I do with the anticipated paycheck? Truth is, I have no idea but I’d find something to splurge it on, I’m sure. Buy some flowers to plant in my yard.  Perhaps some quality chocolate. I could see a trip to the bookstore happening!

Let’s find out about the other authors. How did they spend their first book paycheck? Just follow the links below to find. out. 

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

May 2, 2022

What did you do with your first book “paycheck?” (Thanks for reminding me of this idea, Richard.)

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.

 

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Dreams, Nightmares, and the Art of Writing #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

April 25, 2022

Do dreams/nightmares influence your writing? Do you keep a notebook by your bed to write down ideas?

The spring rain had left puddles in the dirt road but she no longer tried to avoid them. Under other circumstances this would have been a pretty ride. The young pale green leaves not yet entirely covering the branches she brushed by glittered in the sun that had finally chased away the storm clouds. Even the fresh scent of the earth moistened by water was unable to mask the smell of the hot motor between her legs. She didn’t know how much longer the bike would last the way she was pushing the engine.

                                                                                                                                             Wolves’ Pawn

That’s the opening to my first book, Wolves’ Pawn, and yes, it was the result of a dream. I had no idea when I woke up where it would lead, but I sensed it couldn’t be ignored. So, I started writing.

Still, I lost part of the dream and had to work from scratch once I got past the opening scene. But that was okay, because the plot didn’t go where I’d anticipated.

“But, P.J.,” I hear you saying, “Why didn’t you write it down?”

I used to keep a paper and pen on my nightstand for just that reason. But the problem is — I’m a deep sleeper. If it’s not time to wake up, I don’t. The pen and paper do me no good. (When it is time to wake up, I’m awake, just like that.)

Most of the time, I don’t even remember my dreams. I might know I had a dream, but not any details. My memories don’t leave enough behind to form the foundation of a story. And boy, do I have some crazy dreams. How about a female PI chasing kidnappers around a cruise ship and up the hills in Italy? Or a wolf taking down a motorcyclist? Wait, that’s one’s a book.

So, I’ve given up on the whole idea of keeping a notebook on the nightstand. I never used it, anyway.

Now, my desk is a different story. Sitting here typing, I can count five notepads within easy reach, all different sizes. That way, I can grab one that’s the right size for the job.

How about our other authors? You can find out by following the links below to their posts.

As I say every week – until next time, please stay safe!

April 25, 2022

Do dreams/nightmares influence your writing? Do you keep a notebook by your bed to write down ideas?

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.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

To Rise From The Depths of Despair #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

April 18, 2022

We all get discouraged at one time or another (or all the time!) in the process of writing. How do you defeat the feeling?

Most of us have those days. Days when it’s hard to put words on paper because there’s a chance no one will ever read them, or your inner voice says they aren’t good enough. Times when it’s tempting to give up. Days when books sales seem non-existent. I do.

How do I get past that? It can be tough.

I wish I had a fellow author living next door, someone to sit and talk writing with, but most of my communication with other authors is done via social media. Although it’s helpful, it isn’t the same as talking to them face-to-face. Still, any affirmation is helpful.

Another way to find support is on-line. Reading positive reviews from readers can help. Knowing that other people appreciate your work can be a boost to the ego. Or, at least, provide a temporary lift to the spirit.

But the best way I have found to fight despair is to go back and read my own work. It may not be well-known or award-winning or on the best-seller list, but it’s proof that I’ve accomplished something that not everyone can. I wrote a book. And it’s not bad. Actually, I’ve released ten now, and to see them lined up on a shelf is a thrill. Yes, I know there are plenty of people who have written more, but ten is nine more than I ever thought I’d write back when I first started.

One thing I remind myself on days when I an having a rough time – don’t take myself too seriously. I have a bad habit of doing that. 

Here’s where I should close with some marvelous deep and wise words of wisdom. But I’m not feeling particular wise today, so we’ll skip that. Instead, I’m going to head over to the other posts on this hop, to find out the secrets that others may share. Just follow the links below.

Until next time, please take care of yourself.

April 18, 2022

We all get discouraged at one time or another (or all the time!) in the process of writing. How do you defeat the feeling?

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.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

 

 

All The Genres And I Have To Pick One? #OpenBook Blog hop

  By Open Book

April 11, 2022

What is your favorite genre to read/watch (movies/tv)? Any book recommendations?

We’ve had this discussion before. But for those of you who don’t follow this blog, I’ll tell you now. I don’t watch TV, and I don’t remember that last movie I watched, and that was a couple of years ago. It might have been one of the Star Wars movies. Don’t worry, I won’t review it. Let’s just say it wasn’t one of my favorites. 

I enjoy a good sci-fi movie, although I won’t claim it as my favorite genres. In books, that honor goes to the sword and sorcery genre, (which used to be part of science fiction!) especially with female main characters. That may be where I learned my love of strong women characters who can hold their own and aren’t dependent on men as protectors. The Mercedes Lackey “Vows and Honor” series is an example.

But truthfully, I have a weakness for a well-written book of any genre, everything from a good romance to an engaging biography. I’ve even read Stephen Hawking, although that was a bit of a struggle. However, my definition of well-written has gotten more stringent over the years. That’s made it harder to find books I really love. Which is sad, really.

I considered skipping the next part of the question – any recommendations? – because the temptation is too great. But heck, I’ll do it, anyway.

You know I have a new book out, right? The Fall of Jake Hennessey. If you haven’t read it yet, you should pick up a copy. It features Jake Hennessey, the ‘bad boy’ of the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, at his best- and his worst. You can check it out HERE

Sales pitch over. Let’s go check out what the other authors’ favorite genres are. Just check out the links below. And, until next time we get together, please stay safe!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

April 11, 2022

What is your favorite genre to read/watch (movies/tv)? Any book recommendations?

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.

What Do Covers Have To Do With It? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book
 
April 4, 2022
Let’s discuss. “Let’s face it, books are judged by their covers.” —Whitney Hill
 

Your mother may have told you “Never judge a book by its cover,” but it’s the way of the world. Just ask an author who has changed their covers and then changed them again. And again.

Have you ever watched a person pick out a book at a bookstore or book signing event? The first thing they do is scan the cover and read the title. If that quick peek passes their inspection, they may pick up the book and read the back. If THAT passes their judgement, they’ll open the book, flip through the pages, and then either tuck it in the crook of their arm, or put it back on the shelf and move on.

Sorry authors, but it’s true. Unless a customer is looking for a particular book, that’s the way it works. All that hard work you put into the finding just the right words is secondary to the cover. At least, that’s true for the first of your books a customer reads. Once you’ve entertained them with your story, they may overlook a less-then-stellar cover for a second story, knowing what they will find inside will allow them to escape from the real world or expand their knowledge.

And that’s why we see shelves of the same cover repeated over and over with minor variations. You know, the half-naked brawny men with six-packs, the shadowy figure running from an explosion, young lovers embracing but not kissing? Marketing experts have decreed that’s what customers will buy, and we as authors must follow their advice. The sad part is, there’s a large measure of truth mixed in.

I’ve experienced this. The first covers I used for the Harmony Duprie series were meant to highlight the ‘fun’ part of the books. (You can see those covers here and here. Just scroll towards the bottom of each page.) Although my cover artist received many compliments on her work, I soon found out that they appealed to a younger age group than what I intended. That was one of the several reasons we changed them.

I also see it in action at book signing/cons/other events I’ve been a part of. Not just for my books, but for other authors as well. People will walk down the middle of an aisle to avoid eye contact/interaction with the vendors, including writers. The cover of a book is the only opportunity to reach potential buyers.

There a few exceptions to this. An appearance on traditional media can help. A well-done post on Facebook or other social media with a great snippet can attract potential readers, with or without a cover, and there’s always word of mouth. But these rarely bring an author long-term exposure. (unless they get lucky!)

What makes a brilliant cover? This is where I step aside. I don’t have the ‘eye’ to do design. Thank heavens for my cover artist! I’ve watched her do her magic, and while I understand what’s she doing, I couldn’t recreate it. Thanks, K.M.!

Now, on to find out what the other authors on this hop have to say. Just follow the links below. And, as always, until next time, please stay safe!

 
April 4, 2022
Let’s discuss. “Let’s face it, books are judged by their covers.” —Whitney Hill
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.
 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
 
 
 

Staring Into The Not-So-Distant Past #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

 

March 28, 2022

Where were you at 21? How does that reflect in your writing today?

At the age of 21? Really? That was several lifetimes ago! You expect me to remember that? Certainly, my life wasn’t typical for the age. Especially as I spent much of that year pregnant. I wasn’t a newlywed, (We got married young…I was only 19!) but I think we were still in our long-lasting honeymoon stage. Luckily, I had an easy pregnancy and had the time and energy to write poetry and and do lots of reading.

But none of my main characters have had children. The stories and the characters haven’t called for it. Plus, they’ve all been older than 21, so they are more mature and settled into their personalities than most 21-year olds.

But that doesn’t mean that year isn’t reflected in my writing. I learned a lot about love that year. Romantic love, love for a child, love of myself. Although my stories are mostly action, adventure, suspense and mystery, (and now crime!) they all have a romantic element.

For example, here’s a short snippet from my about-to-be-released book, The Fall of Jake Hennessey:

Sarah rushed out of the kitchen, phone in hand. Jake followed her but went upstairs to check out the rest of the three-story house. The rooms were small, and he wondered if he’d be able to tear out walls to make them bigger. As he started up the narrow stairs to the third floor, Sarah’s voice floated up to him.

“What are you doing with him, Harmony?”

“He asked me to come along.”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it.”

“He’s good looking, smart, and treats me like I’m special. Every guy I’ve ever dated in Oak Grove acts as if they’re doing me a favor by taking me out. They’re looking for a 1950s housewife. Jake talks to me and actually listens to what I have to say.”

Jake didn’t want to move and make a noise that would stop the conversation. It was confirmation that his plan was working. Pride warred with a heavy dose of guilt.

“What does he want from you?”

“You mean besides the normal? Sex? Which will happen when I decide I’m ready.”

The book releases this Saturday, April 2nd. 

While my life at age 21 isn’t directly reflected in my books, it surely has influenced my writing. I suspect it’s the truth for others on this loop as well. All you have to do is follow the links below to find out!

Anyway, until next time, please stay safe!

March 28, 2022

Where were you at 21? How does that reflect in your writing today?

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.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

 

Clamoring for Attention – Secondary Characters #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 21, 2022

Do you have a favorite secondary character in your books? Or a favorite sub-plot?

I have a problem. It’s a good problem to have, but it complicates my writing. The problem is secondary characters who want to take over my stories and tell their own. And the stories deserve a book of their own.

Take Tasha, from Wolves’ Knight. She was a secondary character in Wolves’ Pawn, and was written out of the story half-way through the book. And since I’d written Wolves’ Pawn as a stand-alone urban fantasy, I thought she was out of the picture for good. I was wrong.

I was busy writing The Baron’s Cufflinks, the third book in the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, when I needed a bogus name for a book. Only it wasn’t a real book, it was a fake one that was used to store old jewelry. The name I picked was Tasha’s Tale. Then I was stuck.

See, Tasha wanted me to write her story. And she didn’t want me to finish The Baron’s Cufflink’s first. She wanted it now. (She is strong-willed!) That’s where Wolves’ Knight came from, and what turned a stand-alone story into a series.

Lori from Wolves’ Gambit has a similar story, but at least she didn’t interrupt me in the middle of writing a different book. She waited patiently while I finished The Baron’s Cufflinks (finally!) and politely asked for her turn. Which I gave her. Now, she and Tasha have teamed up on me, but I’m holding them off. For now.

Because the most consistent of all my secondary characters has my full attention. Jake Hennessey.

Jake was meant to be a throwaway character. He was part of Harmony Duprie’s past, and he was supposed to stay there. When he showed up in Her Ladyship’s Ring, I decided to humor him and let him stay. Big mistake.

I thought I got rid of him in the third book. Sent him off to Chicago and sent Harmony to West Virginia. Done deal, right? Nope, he showed up in West Virginia, and intruded in Harmony’s life again. So, I put him to work and let him help Harmony solve her mystery. I could always write him out of the next book. Or the one after that, or the last one. One thing I can say for Jake, he’s persistent.

When I finished the series with The Ranger’s Dog tags, I was ready to move along. Maybe write that book for Tasha and Lori. Or the female PI series.

But nooo. Jake decided he wanted me to write his story, that he’d stayed in the background (more or less) long enough. Now, I’d tried to get him to tell me his backstory several years ago and he wouldn’t talk. I was fine with that, everyone deserves their secrets.

Still, Jake is Jake, and he decided that now was the time. Only what he asked me to write was a prequel to all the Harmony stories. That meant I knew a lot of the guidelines for the story, and how it ended. What I didn’t know were Jake’s motivations. For a change, he made them very clear from the beginning.

Caged in its gold setting, the deep-green emerald glowed in the dim light. Jake didn’t stop to admire the ring before slipping it into the hidden pouch on his waistband. There’d be time for that before the new owners claimed the prize. It wasn’t a stunning ring, but its ties to the French monarchy made it priceless to a collector.
The Fall of Jake Hennessey, coming April 2nd, 2022.

But Jake isn’t ready to let go of me yet. Not yet. I’m working on a sequel, both to Jake’s book and all the Harmony stories. It’s quite an adventure, trying to write a book placed in the future. That’s all I’m going to tell you.

I know that some of our other authors write secondary characters that have made an impact on them. I’m looking forward to finding out about them. You can too, by following the link below.

March 21, 2022

Do you have a favorite secondary character in your books? Or a favorite sub-plot?

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.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Stranger Things in the World #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 14, 2022

What is the strangest bit of information you’ve run across while doing research for a story? Or maybe the strangest word?

It’s a wild world out there, and every now and again I stumble across something that reminds me of it. Did you know that it’s possible for a mother’s DNA to not match her children’s? And yet the maternal grandmother’s DNA does match?

We’re not talking adoption or switched at birth here. These are scientifically proven cases. One such case is Lydia Fairchild. The discrepancy in her DNA was discovered as part of a custody case. There’s a short but fascinating Wikipedia article about her case here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Fairchild#:~:text=Lydia%20Fairchild%20(born%201976)%20is,children%2C%20Jamie%20Townsend%2C%20separated.

It turns out she has two different sets of DNA, a condition called chimerism. The DNA from her skin doesn’t match the DNA taken from certain other parts of her body. She’s not the only person known with the condition, but because she had to prove in court that her children were really her children, she is one of the better known examples.

What’s another one? I recently learned the Mormons established a Polynesian colony in Utah. I got this  information through trading critiques with a gifted writer, Marcel Stipetic. When Mormon missionaries went to Hawaii in 1850, they were able to convert some natives, but had no structure in place to support their worship. Some moved to Salt Lake City, but didn’t fit in well. The Mormon Church bought a ranch in Skull Valley, Utah, and set up a township for the Hawaiians to move to. When a temple was built in Hawaii in 1915, most of the colonists returned there.

What makes this more interesting is that some people still refer to the settlement, named Iosepa, as a leper colony. Many of us are familiar with the history of the leper colony in Hawaii, with this being the reverse of the situation. The truth is somewhere in between. While a few cases of leprosy occurred among the settlers, official records say the number of victims was only three.

The area is now a ghost town, with the cemetery being on the National Register of Historic Places.

There are many more strange things I have run across while doing research, and I’m sure I’ll find many more. In fact, I’m going to be checking out the other authors on this hop and find out something new! Just follow the links below.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

March 14, 2022

What is the strangest bit of information you’ve run across while doing research for a story? Or maybe the strangest word?

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.

 

Speaking in Tongues — Well, Accents, Anyway #Openbook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

March 7, 2022

Can you speak in an accent that isn’t your own? Can any of your characters do this? How do you indicate that in your stories?

I studied French in high school, and Russian in college. (We won’t talk about my short-lived fantasy about working for the CIA.) I got passing grades in both, but wasn’t good at either. (No CIA for me!)

I know what my problem was. I don’t ‘hear’ accents. Well, I hear them, but my brain automatically translates them to the way they sound to me. When I worked as a waitress, I ‘heard past’ the accents of tourists, even those who didn’t speak English as their primary language, and understood what they were saying.  If someone asked me to mimic the accents of my customers, I couldn’t have done it. The translation only works one way.

Now, Harmony Duprie, on the other hand, speaks fluent Southern Belle. (She also knows Latin, but doesn’t use it in conversation.) She picked it up from some of her college friends, and puts it to good use, pretending to be sweet and innocent when she is anything but.

Here are two examples, taken from The Baron’s Cufflinks.

I made a big show out of looking towards Jake. “You mean like a race car driver?” I added a touch of Southern Belle to my act. All I needed was a fan to wave in flutter in front of my face, but I settled for fluttering my eyelashes. “Oh, no, my brother would never forgive me if I let someone else drive his baby. Even someone as good-looking as your friend.”

*****

That was ironic, coming from the man who was playing with Jake’s life. The Southern Belle took over. “Why, whatever are you talking about, Agent?” I asked with as much innocence as I could muster.

*****

Harmony also has to deal with an old French document and its translation in this story, but despite her name, she doesn’t know French. That’s part of the fun.

I don’t do anything special to indicate the use of another language or accent. I just put it out there!

How about our other authors? What do they do about other languages? Just follow the links below to find out.

As always, until  next time, please stay safe.

March 7, 2022

Can you speak in an accent that isn’t your own? Can any of your characters do this? How do you indicate that in your stories?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Bookmarks or Turning the Corners? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

Feb 28, 2022

Let’s start a war. Do you dog-ear books or use a bookmark? Do you ever make notes in your books?

Warning: My original major in college was library science. I volunteered as a library aide in elementary and high school, and I worked part-time as a librarian for a few years. There should be no surprise at my answer.

Please, please, do not fold the corners of your books! Especially not a library book. Find a piece of scrap paper if you need to mark your spot and don’t have a bookmark. A piece of napkin, or ribbon or yarn, and if it comes down to extreme measures, a tissue.

I’ve found postcards and grocery lists and recipes in books I’ve borrowed. All of those are perfectly acceptable. But I’ve also run across books with page after page of folded-down corners—not just one or two and I want to scream!

And let’s talk about making notes in books. I recently bought a used book – fiction – where on the first page, almost every sentence, almost every word, was underlined. And the second page was in similar condition. After that, nothing. I don’t get it. There’s no logic to it. Did the previous owner suddenly stop reading the book after two pages? But what was so gripping about those first two pages that didn’t carry through to the rest of the story. I don’t understand.

It’s not like it was a textbook. I can understand underlining, highlighting, and making notes in a textbook. But this was a mystery, part of a well-known series. (Not mine!) Can someone explain this phenonomen to me?

As you can tell, I am a proponent of book marks. I have lots of them, in different shapes, sizes and style. Don’t worry, I didn’t lose my place in any books by pulling the bookmarks out to take the picture. They all came from books I’ve finished. I have a habit of storing my bookmarks in a book instead of on a shelf or in a drawer. They are better protected that way. I’ve had some of these for twenty or so years.

How many bookmarks do I own? Who knows? I would have to flip through the pages of every book I own to see if I left one there. That’s not going to happen.

Bookmarks can be cheap giveaways, or they can be tokens of someone’s love. When it comes to your personal books, I’ll look away if you dog-ear or write notes in them. But please, for the sake of everyone else, please don’t do that to a library book or a book you’ve borrowed from a friend!

Let’s hear from the other authors on this loop. Just follow the links below. And you can chime in too, readers. Talk to me in the comments.

As always, until next time, please stay safe.

Feb 28, 2022

Let’s start a war. Do you dog-ear books or use a bookmark? Do you ever make notes in your books?

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.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter