Please Welcome Sue Ford as she tells us about her New Release!

 

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’ve got Sue Ford here with me today and she’s talking about her new release “Alone” and her writing process. Take it away Sue!

When I started writing my novel ALONE, I wanted it to be like the books I loved. So what was it about those stories that made me love them? What did they have in common?

 

1. A likable smart female heroine put in a dangerous situation.
2. A chance for romance with a hero who isn’t perfect.
3. Tension and suspense.
4. A story told in first person or close third person.
5. Just enough place details that I wished I could visit the location where the novel was set.
6. Specific details that made me desire something whether it was food, or flowers, an experience, or the ability to speak a foreign language or do magic.
7. A book I didn’t want to put down.
8. A happy or satisfying ending.

 

I can’t tell whether I’ve succeeded in those areas, although the editor who offered me a contract said this about the manuscript: “You were responsible for a very late night in Alabama last night!  This book has ALL the elements I love.  Suspense, romance, intrigue…” It’ll be interesting to see what more readers say now that the book has just released.

 

So what’s my advice about writing your book? After you’ve identified the books you love, look at what they have in common. Is it beautiful language? Humor? Historical details? Inspiration? Spine-chilling crimes? Make a list of at least five things. Try to include points the relate to different areas of writing.

 

Let’s look at my list again to show you what I mean:

Numbers 1 and 2 reference both character and plot.

Number 3 references plot and pacing.

Number 4 is back to character.

Number 5 and 6 refer to setting and sensory details.

Number 7 character, plot, pacing, setting, details.

Number 8 problem(s) solved (part of plot).

 

When I look at the summary of my points, I see the writing areas that standout are character, plot, pacing, and details.

 

What stands out for you from your list? Use your list and writing areas as you develop your story.

 

Now let’s find out a little bit about the New Release, “Alone!”

 

 

 

Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year old doesn’t count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark’s oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she’ll be mixed up in a murder investigation because of this job.

Will Cecelia’s faith in God get her through all the trouble that lies ahead?

BUY:

This ebook will be available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes.

 

Now let’s find out a little about Sue!

BIO:

SM Ford writes inspirational fiction for adults, although teens may find the stories of interest, too.

When she was thirteen, she got hooked on Mary Stewart’s romantic suspense books, although she has been a reader as long as she can remember, and is an eclectic reader. Inspirational authors she enjoys include: Francine Rivers, Bodie Thoene, Dee Henderson, Jan Karon, and many more.

SM Ford is a Pacific Northwest gal, but has also lived in the midwest (Colorado and Kansas) and on the east coast (New Jersey). She and her husband have two daughters and two sons-in-law and three grandsons. She can’t figure out how she got to be old enough for all that, however.

She also loves assisting other writers on their journeys.

 

Social Media:

Website: www.smfordbooks.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SMFordwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SMFordBooks

 

 

ALONE back of the book blurb:

Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year old doesn’t count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark’s oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she’ll be mixed up in a murder investigation because of this job.

 

Will Cecelia’s faith in God get her through all the trouble that lies ahead?

 

 

BUY:

This ebook will be available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and iTunes.

 

Teaching Children They Deserve Respect

 

 

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you. I’m back with another Slice of Life Post and today I want to touch on something that all kids need to learn. They need to learn they deserve respect.

 

Photo via Visualhunt.com

This is one of the things I worry about while I’m in the process of raising two boys. We’re very good at telling them they need to respect adults, their friends, and family members, but I think as parents we forget our kids are also entitled to receive respect.

 

This is one of the reasons I believe bullying is such a problem.

Photo credit: Nellie0224 via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC

 Teaching our children they have value even if they don’t have a lot of life experience,  is one of the keys to building self-esteem. How do we do this? That is a very good question and I’m so glad you asked.

Photo credit: cameraburps via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-SA

We do this by asking their opinions. By asking them to help make family decisions. Recently, my husband and I were car shopping, and we brought the boys along. When we test drove a car, we asked them how they felt about it. We really listened to their input. This is one of the key ways to teach them how to not only articulate their opinions, but also how to negotiate for what they want. Important life skills, don’t you agree?

Photo via Visualhunt.com

Another way we can teach our kids they deserve respect is for us, parents, to respect them when they reach out to us. Don’t brush off their concerns or worries because we’ve got bigger problems to contend with. We have to be patient and realize whatever our child is dealing with, it’s probably a brand new experience and he needs help on how to handle it.

All kids grow at their own pace, we as parents need to respect that pace. Whether it’s fast enough for us or not. Because at this point, it is all about them, isn’t it?

We need to teach our kids to recognize disrespect for what it is and not react to it, to not let it damage their self-esteem. A fast recovery from these slights is important for our kids to have a more fulfilling life, wouldn’t you agree?

So how do you teach your child to handle disrespect? I struggled with this one because I have a hard time with this myself. I always think of a great come back five hours later. I shouldn’t even be thinking about the incident five hours later! But I digress.

It depends on the situation, but I’ve found that the best way to deal with this is to use “I” messages.

“I feel disrespected when you talk to me in that tone of voice.”

No one disrepects a lion, right?

Photo via Visual Hunt

The reason I think “I” messages are important is because it doesn’t put the bully on the defensive. Your child isn’t saying anything about him. He’s communicating his feelings. Whereas if his response were:

“You’re being mean to me.”

Then the bully will argue. You’re child and the antagonizer will get into a debate on whether or not he is being mean, and then there won’t be a satisfactory conclusion to the confrontation.

In the first scenario, it opens up an opportunity for your child and the bully to come to an understanding and maybe even become closer. That’s what we’re trying to do, isn’t it? Become closer? To have a better understanding of our peers and have mutual respect for each other?

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. If you have any ideas, I’d love to read them. Leave a comment! I love hearing from you!

 

Thanks to the Two Writing Teachers for creating The Slice of Life! If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Research Trip: Guest Post by Wendy May Andrews

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’ve got an awesome guest for you today. Her name is Wendy May Andrews and she’s going to tell us about the recent trip she took to do research. Did you know that you can write a trip off on your taxes if you’re doing it for research? I just thought I’d pass that little nugget along to you. 😉

Anyway. Take it away Wendy!

Research

I write historically accurate fiction so a great deal of research is required for my books. So far everything I have written has been set in Regency era England which I love, so the research is a pleasure. But in order to give the writing a sense of authenticity, accurate descriptions are required, as well as a proper understanding of how life was back in 1800. So in the name of research I recently traveled to England. It was AMAZING!! I loved every second of our trip! We had been to London before and I did a little bit of research while we were there, but it was several years ago, when I was still a newbie writer, and I wasn’t as aware of what I was looking for.

 

This time we went to Brighton, Marlborough, Bath, Chipping Campden, Oxford, and London. Wow! The gorgeous things we’ve seen! And England is really quite set up for research. We spent a lovely morning at a History Centre for two particular counties (I was specifically looking for information about Marlborough, but they had way more!). They had microfiche newspapers from the 1700’s, they even had receipts for rents paid to a Marquis who owned half the town of Marlborough! And maps! Such lovely, detailed maps from different years so you could compare how the town had developed. We could have spent days there but while my husband was very helpful and understanding, I think a few hours was all he could handle 🙂

 

Bath was the main destination for our trip because it was such a popular place in the Georgian period. I’m so glad I got to see it with my own eyes. You can find out so much on the internet, even look at pictures, but to see for yourself how big or small things were, distances, dimensions, etc, you really need to see it for yourself. I even drank the water at the Roman baths to get an idea how my characters would have felt about it. I believe it must have been good for you, because it certainly didn’t taste very good 😀

 

Our trip has provided me with many new ideas for stories as well as details to flesh out some existing pre-published manuscripts. I will have plenty of work for the coming months ahead.

 

 

 

In the meantime, my latest book is “The Debutante Bride…”

 

 

 

First comes marriage, then comes love.

Blurb:

Miss Elizabeth Dunseith, Beth to her friends, grew up in genteel poverty, happy despite her abusive father and weak mother. When her father sells her to the highest bidder in order to pay off his gambling debts, she fears what her future will hold but is relieved to get away from home with her new, handsome husband.

Lord Justin Fulton, Earl of Westfield, is confused by the contradictory behavior of his purchased bride. One moment she is haughty and cool, the next she is warm and endearing. When his sister refuses to help establish his new bride in Society, Justin turns to a friend’s wife to show Beth the best way to navigate the politics of the ton.

Their growing attraction just seems to confuse matters even further. Will these two be able to see past their differences to make it to happily ever after?

Short Excerpt:

As she came to wakefulness, Beth held herself very still, momentarily surprised to find herself in a strange bed, but then it all rushed back into her consciousness. She was a married lady. A countess at that. And she had only met her husband thirty-six hours before.

The thrill of freedom flowed through her as she reminded herself once more that she would never again have to return to the house she grew up in unless she so chose. Of course, she would want to see her mother again, but she allowed herself to bask in the contentment she was experiencing. She wiggled her toes and stretched her arms, reveling in the new sensation.

The unknown factor of her new husband was obviously of concern, but so far he had been remarkably even tempered. She would even go so far as to describe him as kind, at least what she had seen of him in their short acquaintance. Beth could not decide how she felt about how handsome he was. He was deliciously attractive, but she was unsure if that could be trusted. No doubt other women would find it to be a point in his favor.

About Wendy May Andrews:

 

Wendy May Andrews has been in love with the written word since she learned to read at the age of five. She has been writing for almost as long but hasn’t been sharing those stories with anyone but her mother until recently. This is Wendy’s third book with Clean Reads.

Wendy can be found with her nose in a book in a cozy corner of downtown Toronto. She is happily married to her own real-life hero, who is also her best friend and favorite travel companion.

Being a firm believer that every life experience contributes to the writing process, Wendy is off planning her next trip.

She loves to hear from her readers and can be found at her website, on twitter or Facebook.

Wendy’s online locations:

Website: www.wendymayandrews.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/WendyMayAndrews

Twitter: www.twitter.com/WendyMayAndrews

Instagram: @wendymayandrews

Buy links:

Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1NkyfOO

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1s6qHpu

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1s6qK4A

 

 

 

Why Writers Need to Exercise

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’m kind of stuck on my WIP. I’ve got to rework a beginning and I’ve got two that I’ve somehow got to blend together.  I’m having a little trouble doing that. Sigh. So instead, I’m writing a blog post.  I know it’s avoidance at its finest. Don’t judge me.

Today, I’m writing about the benefits of exercise for writers. Writing is such a sedentary activity and it’s great for our brain, but not so good for us physically.

We all know exercise is good for our body, but did you know it’s also good for your brain?

Photo credit: A Health Blog via Visual Hunt / CC BY-SA

 It’s true. In a study done at the University of Columbia, researchers found that regular aerobic exercise appears to boost the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain involved in verbal memory and learning. To read more on this click the link. http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/regular-exercise-changes-brain-improve-memory-thinking-skills-201404097110

Exercise also helps the brain with memory and thinking. It does this by reducing inflammation, insulin resistance, and by stimulating growth factors. Chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells.

This is all well and good, but all I really need to know is I feel better when I exercise compared to when I don’t.

My sciatica was bothering me for the last couple of months, so I stopped my exercise routine to let it heal. Let me tell you, I was grumpy and just didn’t feel like myself.

I just started running again and two days into my new routine and I’m feeling great. My mood has improved dramatically, and I’m getting all kinds of ideas for my stories. That’s a good thing! 🙂

The reason we feel better when we exercise is because our body releases chemicals called Endorphins into our system. These Endorphins interact with receptors in our brain that reduce our perception of pain. They also trigger a positive feeling in the body, much like morphine.

Physical activity also stimulates the release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. These brain chemicals play an important part in regulating your mood. These chemicals also play a role in combating depression. To find out more clink this link healthline.com

This is good for anyone who has to deal with depression, and I know a few authors who have to deal with that.

 

Photo via VisualHunt

Taking care of our bodies is really quite simple. I know what you’re thinking. Simple, yes, but hard to do, and time consuming. I know. I hear you. But once you make it a habit, then it’s not so bad. You can build your daily schedule around your exercise routine.

One thing that goes hand in hand with exercise, is eating right. I know you’ve heard this before, but I’m an author. I know how easy it is to get lost in your Work in Process and if you’re like me, you don’t always eat right. I no longer keep a bowl of chocolate by my computer when I’m working. I make myself take breaks and fix healthy meals. Sometimes, it’s hard to do, but it’s better in the long run.

Photo credit: vitamina.verde via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

 

So, writers, authors, and bloggers take time out to exercise and eat right. Get out of that chair! It’s good for your body and your brain. 🙂

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. How about you? Do you have any exercise routines you’d like to share?

 

A Slice of Life Post: Feedback on First Pages

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you! I’m back again with another Slice of Life Post. Today, I’m asking for some feedback from all you talented people. I’m posting the first page of my WIP. I’ve written the beginning two ways, and I’d love to hear which page you like better. Which one grabs your attention the most and pulls you into the story.

I’ve never done this before and I’m kind of nervous. 🙂 Any feedback you can give me would be greatly appreciated!  Leave a comment and let me know what you think. :).

Photo credit: ukgardenphotos via VisualHunt / CC BY-NC-ND

 

First Page One

Chapter One

Mia disappeared on the second Monday of summer vacation. I remember it like it was yesterday, the sticky heat and the heady aroma of wisteria as we traveled through the woods. The forest our parents forbade us to enter. Too dangerous, they’d said. Supposedly, homeless people congregated in the area near an old well, but I’d never seen them and neither had Mia. So we ignored our parents’ warnings. In all the youthful wisdom of seventeen- year-olds, we figured nothing had ever happened in this forest, or in our boring little town of Cloverdale for that matter.

It was the heat that drove us to the woods that day. The cover of the trees looked so cool and inviting we couldn’t resist, but even in the shade there was no escaping the paralyzing temperature. Sweat rolled down my back, soaking into my denim shorts. The damp waistband rubbed against my skin, making me irritable. The humidity was getting to Mia, too. I could tell because she made a dig at me, hit me at my most vulnerable spot. That’s when it all started to unravel.

“I’d give anything to be riding in an air-conditioned car right now, Claire.” She gave me a dark look as she wiped her brow.

“That’s mean.” I averted my gaze as my face grew hot. I didn’t think I could get any hotter, but here it was happening.

“Oh, don’t be so sensitive. I was just making a simple statement. It has nothing to do with your issue.”

 

Photo credit: m01229 via Visual hunt / CC BY-NC

 

Second First Page

I knew something had gone terribly wrong when I discovered Mia’s pink flip flop lying in the middle of the trail. My heart jumped to my throat as I picked it up with trembling fingers. This was so unlike Mia, she’d never leave her sandal in the woods. She’d consider the act a desecration of the earth.

Searching the area, I pulled out my cell phone and punched in her number. I waited for that spirited voice I knew so well. All I got was a single beep informing me my phone was out of juice. I almost threw it in the woods. How could Mia get so far ahead of me? Especially in those flip flops? Correction. One flip flop. We’d only been separated for sixteen minutes.

She couldn’t. I was Claire Peters. Cross country star. There’s no way she’d out pace me. I stiffened as anxiety exploded through me like a current of electricity. I took a quivering step forward and called out to her. “Mia!” I cocked my head, listening.

The only answer I received was the far-off squawk of a blue jay. I peered around me, searching for a flash of blue from her T-shirt or a glimmer of her dark curls between the leaves. Nothing. The warning our parents gave us burst through my brain like hot lava explodes from a volcano.. Don’t go in the woods. They’re dangerous. Dangerous. Dangerous.

 

There they are. Which first page grabbed your attention more? Which one made you want to keep reading? If neither one peaked your interest, let me know that, too! Please leave a comment! I appreciate your feedback!

If you’d like to read other Slice of Life Posts click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with Dana Provo

 

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m back today with a guest! Her name is Dana Provo and she has a new book that’s coming soon, titled “Bleeding Hearts!”  I thought I’d introduce her and give all of you a heads up about her! Below is her interview! Check it out!

 

 

Author Bio: Dana Provo has always loved books and reads everything from young adult fantasy to adult historical romances. When she’s not reading or writing her next novel, Dana can be found riding her horses and getting ready for competition. Dana lives with her husband and two house plants in Richmond, Virginia.

 

1. Can you tell us a little bit about your writing process?

 

I am an outliner. When I come up with a story idea, the characters come first then the plot. I write down everything from looks to personality to favorite color so I know exactly what kind of character I’m writing. As for my plot outline, I write down one or two sentences for each chapter, then I let the words flow.

Photo credit: cote via Visualhunt / CC BY

 

2. What inspires you to keep writing?

 

I love to write and although it’s a love I found later in life, I wouldn’t want to not do it. The idea of stretching my imagination and seeing what I can create so others have fun reading is what inspires me to write.

 

3. What advice would you give an aspiring author?

 

My favorite phrase: Don’t procrastinate. If you have deadlines or goals you want to accomplish, don’t wait until the last day to complete them. It feels so good to finish early.

 

4. Who inspired you to keep writing?

 

There isn’t one person who inspired me to keep writing. I sort of do it for myself. It makes me happy.

 

5. What genres do you read?

 

I’m a romance junkie so as long as the book has a romantic element, I’ll read it. I’m into contemporary romance and young adult right now.

Photo via Visualhunt

 

6. If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?

 

Negativity. Sometimes, I’m surrounded by negative people and it can bring you down. Sometimes they don’t realize they are negative, but to an optimist like me, it’s draining. I wish we were all optimistic.

 

7. If you could sit down to dinner with one author, who would it be? And why? What would you ask him or her?

 

I’m a big fan of C.C. Hunter, author of the Shadow Falls Series and I’d love to meet her. I want to know her secrets for crafting up such a great series and I want to tell her my favorite parts of her books!

 

8. What is your ideal vacation spot?

 

Anywhere near the mountains. I’m not much of a beach person, but I enjoy everything about the mountains.

Photo via VisualHunt

 

9. Do you have any writing quirks that help you write?

 

If you give me something to munch on, twizzlers, chocolate, anything really, then I do better.

 

10. What is your favorite time of day to write?

 

I’m a morning writer. I would rather wake up at 4am to start writing then to wait all day.

 

Now, a little bit about her coming release! Sorry, she doesn’t have a cover yet!

Title: Bleeding Hearts

Blurb: Orphaned at an early age, now twenty-four-year-old Camryn Lucks is ready to commit to find that special someone, and so accepts a date from a charming, gallant, handsome stranger. The last thing she imagines after accepting that first date with Carson would actually be the beginning of her worst nightmare.

Red roses, a reminder of her parents’ killer, soon become an emblem of horror for Cami as one by one, those closest to her fall victim to a serial killer. Cami becomes an obsession for Carson, the man she had finally allowed herself to love. Not only is he vying for her heart, but also her life.

Finding herself in a whirlwind of torments shadowed by the blood-colored bloom, Cami finds solace in Isaac, a neighboring police officer. She’s desperate to escape the haunting memories, but she must revisit them in order to catch her would-be killer. Living life in constant fear has driven Cami to second-guess every choice she makes. Will the police catch the illusive murderer, or will Cami be forced to face him once again?

 

Excerpt: 

My hand trembles as I grip the cool handle of my pistol, keeping a firm grasp to ensure it doesn’t slip out of my sweaty hand. It usually stands sentry in my left nightstand to scare the nightmares away. But this isn’t a dream. The room is dark and hides the face of the man whose intent is to kill me. But I know who he is. A metallic taste fills my mouth; I want to gag. My blood drips off the blade in his hand in slow, steady beats on the carpet. My arms shake as I lift the barrel and point it in his direction. He doesn’t move. His heavy breaths alert me to the meager distance between us.

We’re at a stalemate.

A soft glow from the lamppost just outside my window casts a sliver of light on his face. His dark, beady eyes that I have grown to know rake over my body like I’m a just another one of his many victims. He lifts the edges of his mouth into a smile. My heart plunges into my stomach. I know what that sinister expression means, and I think back to all the times he had looked at me like that before. I had been so blind.

Before I react he lunges at me, grabbing onto my waist and twisting me to the ground. I shriek as my head slams against the bed frame. Black spots flood my vision. I squeeze my hand only to find it empty. My gun is gone. The sound of the knife clattering on the floor gives me slight hope. Not much though. He climbs up my body trying to pin my arms to the floor. I thrash my fists around, desperate to knock him off.

“Get off!” I scream, pulling on his shirt and kicking him off balance. Wrapping his hands around my arms, my attacker cuts off the circulation of blood. Rug burns flare across my skin as he drags me across the carpet. He closes his hands around my neck, shutting off my air supply. I pull at his hands but it’s no use; he has always been stronger than me. My pulse drums a frantic beat in my ears. The air slowly leaks out from my lungs, killing any hope I may have left. I search for the gun around the room; it may be my only savior now.

“Why are you doing this?” I struggle to get the words out. He squints his dark eyes. I’m wondering if there might be a chance that he will stop this madness. I am wrong.

“It’ll be over soon, sweetheart.” His hands again tighten around my neck, blocking the air from entering my lungs.

 

Where you can stalk Dana!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordanaprovo/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaProvo

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/icehorses12/

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/DanaProvo

Blog: https://authordanaprovo.wordpress.com/

Tumbler: http://icehorses12.tumblr.com/

Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/115997761074256146273/about

 

Thanks for stopping by and checking out Dana’s new release, and thank you, Dana for being a guest!

Reflections on my One Little Word: A Slice of Life Post

 

 

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. Today, I thought I’d reflect on how I’m doing with my One Little Word.

I chose LISTEN back in January, and my goal was to listen to understand instead of listening to reply. I feel I’ve improved listening to my kids, and our relationship is stronger than ever.

I’ve also done a lot of listening to what’s going on in the world today. It seems like there’s a lot of anger and hate out there. I went on a field trip for my youngest and spoke with some of the other mothers. We talked about road rage and how you just don’t know what’s going to happen if you accidentally cut someone off. They could pull a gun on you.

A week later, we have a Mass Shooting in Florida. I don’t know if Americans realize this, but we could lose our freedom because of all of this violence. We’re going to have a police state if we don’t somehow turn this hate trend around.

I can just see it. There’ll be metal detectors at every mall and food establishment. Won’t that be fun? Standing in line before you even get in the store. You think grocery shopping’s a pain now, just wait until those metal detectors slow things down.  Of course, there’ll be more jobs in the security field, so we’ve got that going for us.

How do we turn this trend around? That’s a good question. America needs to LISTEN. The whole country needs to LISTEN to understand. The whole country needs to LISTEN with a compassionate ear.

 

Photo via Visual hunt

We are all unique individuals. We are all human beings. We need to let go of the fear that drives the hate. We as individuals need to educate ourselves and the fastest way to do this is to LISTEN to people who are different than us.

I’m sending prayers out to the victims of the Orlando shooting. I hope their families and loved ones can heal.

I also hope America is LISTENING. LISTENING TO UNDERSTAND.

To read other Slice of Life Posts click here.

 

My Summer Bucket List

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’m talking about my summer bucket list. The last day of school was Friday and the kids and I are ecstatic. I don’t know why, but this school year has been a long one.

The last month of the year has been filled with field trips and parties for both my kids. My oldest graduated fifth grade and there were ceremonies to attend and pictures to take. So, I’m finally able to take a breath and decide what I want to do this summer.

The number one thing I want to do is finish the writing projects I’ve started. I’ve got four of them. Three are WIPs and one is finished and out to the third beta reader. So far, she likes it. 🙂

I also want to read this summer. My last post was about the author I’m binge reading. Click here for details. But when I’m done with those books, I’ve got some YA books I want to read. The first one is “The Beginning of Everything” by Robin Schneider. The cover and blurb are below.

Robyn Schneider’s The Beginning of Everything is a witty and heart-wrenching teen novel that will appeal to fans of books by John Green and Ned Vizzini, novels such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and classics like The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye.

Varsity tennis captain, Ezra Faulkner, was supposed to be homecoming king, but that was before—before his girlfriend cheated on him, before a car accident shattered his leg, and before he fell in love with unpredictable new girl Cassidy Thorpe.

As Kirkus Reviews said in a starred review, “Schneider takes familiar stereotypes and infuses them with plenty of depth. Here are teens who could easily trade barbs and double entendres with the characters that fill John Green’s novels.”

Funny, smart, and including everything from flash mobs to blanket forts to a poodle who just might be the reincarnation of Jay Gatsby, The Beginning of Everything is a refreshing contemporary twist on the classic coming-of-age novel—a heart-wrenching story about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.

I’m going to spend a lot of time with my kids this summer, too. We go up north quite a bit and I’m envisioning campfires, s’mores, card games, and lots of laughter. And sunsets too! I’m thinking of steamy summer nights listening to the waves lap against the shore as I drift off to sleep.  I’m so looking forward to these moments.

The next thing on my bucket list is I want to go to Lake Superior and kayak around the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore. I believe that would be an awesome trip for us to take as a family. We could also hike and camp there. I’m creating memories for my boys and that would be an awesome one.

Since we’re talking about the Upper Peninsula, I’d also love to check out Tahquamenon Falls. Rumor has it, the area is just gorgeous and I can’t wait to see it.

 

I’d love to take a trip to Chicago and check out Shedd’s Aquarium. Although, I’ve heard there are other aquariums that are just as spectacular, like the one in Cincinnati. So, we’ll see which one we go to.

How about you? What’s on your summer bucket list? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

 

 

 

My Summer Reads: A Slice of Life Post

 

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today with another Slice of Life Post. I’m thrilled because this is the last week of the school year. I’m ready for summer vacation. It’s time to do some reading and lots and lots of writing.

I’m very excited about my current WIPS. My third beta reader hasn’t finished my novel yet, apparently she’s been busy at work and hasn’t had a chance to read. Groan. It’s hard to wait!

While I wait, I’m working on another WIP and doing some reading. I’ve discovered another author that I love. Am I the only one that binge reads an author? I hope not. Anyway, the author I’m starting my summer with is Karin Slaughter, and right now I’m reading the first novel in The Grant County Series. The cover and blurb are below.

I plan on reading this series during the summer along with some other fun reads.

A small Georgia town erupts in panic when a young college professor is found brutally mutilated in the local diner. But it’s only when town pediatrician and coroner Sara Linton does the autopsy that the full extent of the killer’s twisted work becomes clear.

Sara’s ex-husband, police chief Jeffrey Tolliver, leads the investigation—a trail of terror that grows increasingly macabre when another local woman is found crucified a few days later. But he’s got more than a sadistic serial killer on his hands, for the county’s sole female detective, Lena Adams—the first victim’s sister—want to serve her own justice.

But it is Sara who holds the key to finding the killer. A secret from her past could unmask the brilliantly malevolent psychopath .. or mean her death.

 

With the discovery of a murder at an abandoned construction site, Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is brought in on a case that becomes much more dangerous when the dead man is identified as an ex-cop.

Studying the body, Sara Linton—the GBI’s newest medical examiner and Will’s lover—realizes that the extensive blood loss didn’t belong to the corpse. Sure enough, bloody footprints leading away from the scene indicate there is another victim—a woman—who has vanished . . . and who will die soon if she isn’t found.

Will is already compromised, because the site belongs to the city’s most popular citizen: a wealthy, powerful, and politically connected athlete protected by the world’s most expensive lawyers—a man who’s already gotten away with rape, despite Will’s exhaustive efforts to put him away.

But the worst is yet to come. Evidence soon links Will’s troubled past to the case . . . and the consequences will tear through his life with the force of a tornado, wreaking havoc for Will and everyone around him, including his colleagues, family, friends—and even the suspects he pursues.

Relentlessly suspenseful and furiously paced, peopled with conflicted, fallible characters who leap from the page, The Kept Woman is a seamless blend of twisty police procedural and ingenious psychological thriller — a searing, unforgettable novel of love, loss, and redemption.

A beautiful young girl was walking down the street―when suddenly…

Julia Carroll knows that too many stories start that way. Beautiful, intelligent, a nineteen-year-old college freshman, she should be carefree. But instead she is frightened. Because girls are disappearing.

A fellow student, Beatrice Oliver, is missing. A homeless woman called Mona-No-Name is missing. Both taken off the street. Both gone without a trace.

Julia is determined to find out the reasons behind their disappearances. And she doesn’t want to be next…

Michael Connelly calls Karin Slaughter “unrivaled among thriller writers.” This gripping, unforgettable short story proves why. And be sure to order Karin’s new novel, Pretty Girls, on sale September 29, 2015.

From Atlanta’s wealthiest suburbs to its stark inner-city housing projects, a killer has crossed the boundaries of wealth and race. And the people who are chasing him must cross those boundaries, too. Among them is Michael Ormewood, a veteran detective whose marriage is hanging by a thread—and whose arrogance and explosive temper are threatening his career. And Angie Polaski, a beautiful vice cop who was once Michael’ s lover before she became his enemy. But unbeknownst to both of them, another player has entered the game: a loser ex-con who has stumbled upon the killer’s trail in the most coincidental of ways—and who may be the key to breaking the case wide open.

In this gritty, gripping firecracker of a novel, the author of the bestselling Grant County, Georgia, series breaks thrilling new ground, weaving together the threads of a complex, multilayered story with the skill of a master craftsman. Packed with body-bending switchbacks, searing psychological suspense and human emotions, Triptych ratchets up the tension one revelation at a time as it races to a shattering and unforgettable climax.

Karin Slaughter, author of the bestselling Will Trent novels, is widely acclaimed as “one of the best crime novelists in America” (The Washington Post). Now she delivers her first stand-alone novel: an epic story of a city in the midst of seismic upheaval, a serial killer targeting cops, and a divided police force tasked with bringing a madman to justice.

Atlanta, 1974: As a brutal murder and a furious manhunt rock the city’s police department, Kate Murphy wonders if her first day on the job will also be her last. She’s determined to defy her privileged background by making her own way—wearing a badge and carrying a gun. But for a beautiful young woman, life will be anything but easy in the macho world of the Atlanta PD, where even the female cops have little mercy for rookies. It’s also the worst day possible to start given that a beloved cop has been gunned down, his brothers in blue are out for blood, and the city is on the edge of war.

Kate isn’t the only woman on the force who’s feeling the heat. Maggie Lawson followed her uncle and brother into the ranks to prove her worth in their cynical eyes. When she and Kate, her new partner, are pushed out of the citywide search for a cop killer, their fury, pain, and pride finally reach the boiling point. With a killer poised to strike again, they will pursue their own line of investigation, risking everything as they venture into the city’s darkest heart.

Relentlessly paced, acutely observed, wickedly funny, and often heartbreaking, Cop Town is Karin Slaughter’s most powerful novel yet—a tour de force of storytelling from our foremost master of character, atmosphere, and suspense.

 

When I’m done with these, I’ll be picking up some awesome YA reads! Thanks for stopping by and checking out my TBR pile. Do any of you binge read an author? It’s one of my favorite things to do!

For more Slice of Life Posts click here.

 

Writing for Different Publishers: Nell Dixon

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you. I’ve got Nell Dixon here as a guest and she’s explaining what it’s like to write for different publishers. I’m sure you’ll enjoy her thoughts! Take it away Nell!

Writing for Different Publishers

 

Photo credit: sullen_snowflakes via Visualhunt / CC BY-NC-ND

I didn’t begin my writing career intending to write for lots of different publishers. Back in 2006 when I sold my first book I sold two books in one week. My first was to a small – now sadly defunct – US sweet romance specialist, Moonlit Romance. That was on the Monday, on the Friday I sold another story to a UK print company. I went on to sell several books to Moonlit Romance and then they asked if I could write something short for an anthology for their Inspirational sister company, By Grace. So of course, I did. This took me up to three companies.

I still had rights from my UK print sale, so I sold large print rights to another UK print company and e book rights to Samhain. It helped that the book, Marrying Max, had won a major UK prize. Samhain also bought one of my chick lit titles too. By then I was up to five different companies in two different countries and three different formats. I began to worry, maybe it was better to concentrate just on a couple of companies. I was told it made it easier for readers to find my backlist.

Other authors told me it was good to diversify, to spread my risk in case anyone folded. I’d just sold my first single title to Little Black Dress, part of the Hachette publishing group when Moonlit and By Grace folded, returning my rights to me. It looked as if the diversify group were right. I went on to sell four books to Little Black Dress who in turn sold my books into Turkish, Bulgarian, German, Spanish and Indonesian before that line too closed.

Undeterred, I’ve since sold to Myrmiddon, Freya’s Bower, Clean Reads and E-Scape Press and in audio format to Audiolark. I also had an agent for a while but at this point in my career it isn’t what I need right now. As publishing houses and lines closed and different rights returned I launched my own press house.

Brierley Rose Press publishes some of my stories and some for other authors. It also acts as a promotional company and helps other writers find editors, cover artists etc. I now have twenty-nine books in various formats, I have won two major UK national awards and several US awards. Some of my titles have been Amazon best sellers having hit the top 100. What have I learned from all this?

Photo credit: danielmoyle via VisualHunt.com / CC BY

Check your contracts carefully – always look to see what rights you are selling – if the company wanting them aren’t going to do anything with them then keep them and sell them yourself. Large print, audio and foreign rights can be lucrative. Check that you can get your rights back if the company folds. Check the standard of editing, book covers and marketing. Make sure you understand cover price, gross and net and third party sales.

Don’t spread yourself too thin. You need time to meet deadlines, promote properly and ensure the quality of your writing. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from other authors. Always remember that money flows to the author and not the other way round. Be realistic about setting your advertising budgets. Most of all enjoy the ride – you’ll meet some great readers, bloggers, reviewers and fellow writers on the journey.

 

Fliss is running away from her past. Jack isn’t looking for anyone in his future.
This short novella was first published in the anthology 2003 Hardin Way

Click here to buy.

 Nell Dixon is a Black Country author, married to the same man for over thirty years she has three daughters, a tank of tropical fish, a crazy Cockerpoo dog and a cactus called Spike. Winner of the RNA’s prestigious Romance Prize in 2007 and 2010, she writes warm-hearted contemporary romance for a number of publishers in the US and the UK. Her latest titles include Christmas Ever After, A Chance to Heal and An Uncivil War. Her latest release, A Chance to Heal is available from Amazon for just 99c or 99p You can find her on Twitter, Facebook and all over the internet. Stop by and say Hi.