Where do you find your Inspiration?

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week at work and polishing up my manuscript. I also went to an art fund raiser and bought some amazing pieces. It was a fund raiser for Ukraine, and my good friend and artist organized it.

https://allthefreestock.com/

It was an amazing event. Of course, she is part of my creative community. She’s an inspiration to myself and many others. I have a group of friends that are my creative community and I love them dearly. They are artists, photographers, and writers. They inspire me and help me grow in my craft and I’m grateful to have them in my life. Today, I’m talking about inspiration. Where do you get yours from?

https://allthefreestock.com/

My kids inspire me. The thought of leaving something behind for them keeps me writing. When they were younger, they loved the Super Spies stories, and it did my heart good to talk about those stories with them.

https://allthefreestock.com/

There are other things that inspire me, like walking alone in the woods. There’s nothing like a hike to clear your head and allow story ideas to come to the surface.

https://allthefreestock.com/

Other stories inspire me. When I read a story that touches my soul it inspires me to improve my writing. I try to learn new skills and improve my voice. I try to take on grittier stories that will touch other people.

https://allthefreestock.com/

I also get inspiration from the past. Sometimes, it’s something I went through that inspires a story and sometimes it’s an historical event. Our past is important. I’ve got a rich past I can pull from as I’m sure every other writer does.

Movies also inspire me. When I see a good movie or a good Netflix series, like “Breaking Bad,” or “Better Call Saul,” or the “Ozarks.” It inspires me to write more interesting characters with strong backstories.

How about you, where do you find your inspiration? Leave a comment, I love to hear from you!

The Power of Stories

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week of work and writing. I’m happy to say I’m in the second stage of my second work in progress. The second stage is editing where I make the story better. That means I have two completed WIPs under my belt. My first one I had a eureka moment concerning the beginning pages, and it has made my story that much better. I’m more excited about it.

Photo credit: BookMama on Visualhunt

But enough about that, today I would like to talk about the power of story. I haven’t done a writing post in a long time, so I thought today, it would be appropriate. A story can transport you to another world and another time. It’s a great way to forget about your problems for a while and relieve some stress by concentrating on something else. Reading is a great stress reliever. Did you know reading for just fifteen minutes can reduce your anxiety by sixty percent? But, we need stories that will engage our readers, so they have to be compelling enough to keep our attention.

Photo credit: Kevin M. Gill on Visualhunt.com

The power of story can make us feel. Feel emotions we’ve buried deep. It’s important to release those emotions in a safe way. A story does this for us. It’s a safe place and we learn empathy for the victims and the heroes in the story.  This is important in our technology heavy world. Where emotion and feelings aren’t always dealt with constructively.

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There are times when we identify with the characters in the story. A story can alleviate feelings of anxiety and alienation. This is critical. Especially now with the way covid has affected our worlds and obliterated our social lives. It worked great for us introverts, but our extroverted friends have had a harder time.

A story can motivate us, give us power to achieve things we never thought possible. If we see the main character overcoming obstacles like the obstacles we have, it gives us hope. The hope that all we need to do is persevere and we too will overcome the mountains in our way.

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Right now, stories are more important than ever. With the pandemic lasting almost two years people need something to occupy their time and relieve their boredom. So, writers write your stories. Improve your craft and get those stories out there. The world needs them now more than ever.

Photo credit: Damian Gadal on VisualHunt

How about you, how do stories affect you? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!

It’s National Book Lover’s Day!

Happy National Book Lover’s Day!! Let me know your favorite book by leaving a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

 

 

I’ll start with a couple of my faves!

                        

Each book in The Super Spies Series is on sale for $.99! Check it out!

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you! I’m back today to let you know that each book in the Super Spies series is on sale for $.99! So, if your tween is bored with the quarantine, buy them a book!  Here are the covers and blurbs!

 

 

In a small town in Michigan, fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman and what’s worse? One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own investigation. The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the investigation. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer. Or die trying…

Click here to buy from Amazon

 

 

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah Cole and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?

Click to buy from Amazon

 

Sarah Cole and her sister Lacey are at it once again when they learn their missing parents’ cell phone has been traced to Alden, Michigan. When the FBI declines to continue the investigation, Sarah takes matters into her own hands. She calls upon the Super Spies and they delve into the situation. Suddenly, the teens find themselves immersed in small town intrigue and mystery involving a menacing stranger, who Sarah dubs “The Stalker.” But when Sarah learns he’s connected to her parents’ disappearance, she’s determined to find out what that connection is. The Super Spies embark on a journey that leads them into a web of corporate corruption at its highest level that leaves innocent victims in its wake. Can they find the proof they need to stop the greedy corporation before it’s too late?

Click to buy from Amazon

 

What readers are saying about the Super Spies!

Reader #1:

My 12 year old daughter says:

I loved this book so much because it was so exciting. All the cool moments in the house were really creepy. It made it feel like the girls were going to come to the end of their road. It was super suspenseful. Please keep writing more books like this!

I say:
My reluctant-reader daughter inhaled this book–twice! She came rushing into the room at least three times an hour with breathless updates on the adventure. Definitely an engaging read for kids who like a little mystery.

Reader #2:

The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer is a great mystery not only for the middle-grade, but for all ages. After a dare of walking up on her porch and knocking, the girls discover the old lady lying on the floor. They go inside to investigate. While inside, the police arrive. The girls are found and blamed for the murder.

Sarah, Jackie, and the rest of the gang decide to come together and help solve the murder of the creepy cat lady. Without giving anything else away, I will stop and say this is a wonderful read. The story has twists and turns. You will want to turn to the next page to see what the girls get into next!

Reader #3:

Lisa Orchard’s debut novel, The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer is a great read for Adults and Young Adults alike. I found the writing style to flow very well through out the book. The author is very descriptive in her character development allowing the reader to easily imagine a character’s traits. Her depiction of a murder mystery set in a small town keeps the reader interested in putting the puzzle pieces together along with the young detectives. Even though the young adult characters are dealing with heavier life lessons such as murder, they are learning and growing in their own morals and ethics which is refreshing. I really enjoyed the metaphors and explanations of life in a small Great Lakes town. I highly recommend this book for the young adult age group and above.

 

For more reviews, click the links above. You’ll find reading is a great way to pass time during this quarantine. I don’t know about everyone else, but we’ve just been told our quarantine has been extended to May 15. So pick up a book and stay safe reading!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s your Passion?

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week of work, parent-teacher conferences, and revising. Always revising!  Auuugghh.

Anyway, the kids are doing well in school and work and the revising are going well. And I ended the week on a high note. I was invited to do an author visit on Friday afternoon and it was a blast.

I spoke to a group of sixth graders about “Following your Passion.” They were enthusiastic and asked some great questions. I then posed the question to this eager group and asked many of them what their passions were and here are some of the responses.

 

Cooking

Photo on VisualHunt.com

 

Writing

Photo on Visual hunt

 

Gaming

Photo on Visualhunt

Coding

Hockey

Basketball

Engineering

Reading and Writing

Science

And the list goes on and on…

 

These young kids know what they’re passionate about all ready. That’s amazing, but then I knew what I was passionate about at a young age, too, I just didn’t have the confidence back then to pursue it. So think back to when you were younger before you had responsibilities or mortgage payments, what was your passion? What made you happy?

I’m convinced following your passion is the way to happiness. If we all did what made us truly happy we’d be too busy enjoying it to worry about what our neighbors were up to. We wouldn’t have any energy to devote to the comparison game. Maybe those sixth graders are on to something?

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post today. What’s your passion? What would you do if you didn’t have to worry about money? I say go for it. Start small and build upon it. Remember what C.S. Lewis said, “You’re never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.”

Leave a comment and share your passion with us! I’d love to hear from you!

 

Blogcation

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you! I’m taking a blogcation today because I’m selling my books at our local craft show. The craft show is a fund raiser for the school district libraries so I’ll be back next week! Have a great weekend!

 

Reading Rocks in Rockford!

 

 

Photo credit: demandaj via Visualhunt.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you! This Saturday from 10:00 to 1:00 I’ll be in downtown Rockford with other amazing authors! Come on down and meet authors and get some incredible books!

In a small town in Michigan, fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman and what’s worse? One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death.

Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own investigation. The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the investigation. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer.

Or die trying…

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah Cole and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?

Sarah Cole and her sister Lacey are at it once again when they learn their missing parents’ cell phone has been traced to Alden, Michigan. When the FBI declines to continue the in-vestigation, Sarah takes matters into her own hands. She calls upon the Super Spies and they delve into the situation. Suddenly, the teens find themselves immersed in small town intrigue and mystery involving a menacing stranger, who Sarah dubs “The Stalker.” But when Sarah learns he’s connected to her parents’ disappearance, she’s determined to find out what that connection is. The Super Spies embark on a journey that leads them into a web of corporate corruption at its highest level that leaves innocent victims in its wake. Can they find the proof they need to stop the greedy corporation before it’s too late?

Lark Singer is seventeen years old and already on the way to a brilliant music career. But as she and her band, Starlight, gear up for a competition, life seems to be throwing her a few curve balls. The mysteries of her past seem to be unraveling, and she’s no longer certain she wants to know those answers or how knowing about her past will affect her difficult relationship with her mother. And when her best friend, Bean, changes things between them, all her plans for a musical future are placed in jeopardy. How can she balance her complicated personal life to keep her musical goals on track?

Happy Easter!

 

 

 

Happy Easter, everyone. I hope you enjoy your day, celebrating with friends and family. I’ll be doing that myself so there won’t be a long post today. I’ll be back next Sunday for our regularly scheduled programming! Enjoy your holiday! 🙂

Looking for some Inspiration?

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I’m sharing with you some inspirational quotes that I use to keep me motivated. I thought it might be nice to share them with all of you in case you were having one of those days where it’s hard to get moving. So without further ado, here they are. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by. I hope these inspirational quotes have inspired you to get moving toward your goals. Do you have any quotes you’d like to share? I’d love to hear from you, leave a comment with your own inspiration!

The Inciting Incident: Every story needs One

 

Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today and I thought I’d talk about Writing. I haven’t done this in a while and I figured it was high time  I did. 🙂

 

Today, I want to talk about the “Inciting Incident.”

Every story must have one. So, what is the “Inciting Incident?”

The Inciting Incident is the Event or Decision that begins the story problem. It’s the catalyst of all the events in your story. The spark that lights the fire.

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So, naturally it should be in the first chapter. Usually in the first paragraph, but not always. Sometimes you have to introduce the characters first, so the reader will understand the importance of the incident. For example, in my story “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer” I had to introduce the Cat Lady before the incident in order to establish her importance as the victim. In that novel, the inciting incident is when the girls make the decision to investigate the Cat Lady’s death on their own.

In “The Super Spies and the High School Bomber” the inciting incident is when an explosion demolishes the high school and the girls make the decision to search for their uncle who was in the school when the bomb went off. The explosion happens at the beginning of the story, but the decision to investigate doesn’t happen until the girls realize he’s missing. The decision to find him is the catalyst for all the other events in the story.

I know all the young adult experts out there are saying you have to start your story in the middle of the action. This is good advice just as long as you have the inciting incident in there. It is an important story element that you can’t go without.

You can’t begin your story after the decision has been made. Novel writing doesn’t work that way. All the tension or the angst you want to create naturally won’t be there because you’re starting your story in the wrong spot.

The inciting incident doesn’t have to be any major event, either. It can be something as simple as making a decision about which path to take, or finding a cell phone.

In the story, “The Super Spies and the Pied Piper” the inciting incident is when the FBI gets a “ping” on the main character’s parents’ cell phone and then they lose it. Again, the girls make the decision to investigate on their own. This is the catalyst for all the events throughout the story.

 

As you can see, the inciting incident, although small, is a very important part of the story problem. No novel is complete without it.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post today. Do you have anything you’d like to add about the inciting incident? If so, please leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!