tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67575671919147958752024-03-13T13:47:03.340-06:00Patricia StolteySome thoughts about writing, Colorado authors, social networking, and getting published.Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comBlogger1435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-4252724481844809862015-04-15T13:23:00.000-06:002015-04-15T13:23:28.395-06:00The new site -- it's a work in processHere's a peek at the new combination website and blog: <a href="http://patriciastolteybooks.com/">patriciastolteybooks.com</a><br />
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There are things I haven't figured out yet. And a little tweaking to do as I learn new stuff and play and experiment.<br />
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But that's where I'll be posting and featuring guests from now on. If you follow me here, you'll want to change your link to the new site.<br />
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Oh, and please leave a comment so I know you found me okay! And so I know the comment section works.<br />
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<br />Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-39698325887821515102015-04-05T06:00:00.000-06:002015-04-05T06:00:00.977-06:00My new website/blog will be revealed very soon nowHi everyone,<br />
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We're going to be moving this site over the next week or so. Stay tuned for an announcement and the link when the site is ready for your viewing pleasure.<br />
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Meanwhile, please visit some of the bloggers doing the A to Z April Challenge when you have time. To see the linky list of 1,871 bloggers participating, <a href="http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/a-to-z-challenge-sign-uplist-2015.html" target="_blank">visit the official A to Z blog</a>.<br />
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See you at the new site soon.Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-29814514477029445502015-04-04T06:00:00.000-06:002015-04-04T06:00:01.278-06:00The Colorado Gold Contest is now open for submissionsThe Colorado Gold Contest for unpublished writers opened for submissions on April 1st. This is an outstanding competition with professional literary agents and editors as the final judges.<br />
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You can find all the rules for submission, deadline, and the names of the final judges at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers <a href="http://rmfw.org/contest/" target="_blank">website contest page</a>.Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-26185603561925068672015-04-02T06:00:00.000-06:002015-04-02T06:00:00.420-06:00Making it Real ... by Sara Sue Hoklotubbe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer. Instead, I had lofty goals of being a lawyer or a politician, or someone who could change the world. It wasn’t until I got married in midlife, moved to Maui and couldn’t get a job, that the idea of writing came out of nowhere. My husband encouraged me to pursue writing and that’s all I needed. I took a writing course to remind me of all those things I’d learned years earlier in college, and when the instructor told me my name would look good on the front of a book, there was no turning back.<br />
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I decided to write the kind of books I like to read – fiction, yet real enough that the characters walk right off the page and into the reader’s life. I had always loved reading Tony Hillerman books. He was a master at weaving a mystery into Navajo culture, and when I closed the book I always felt like I’d learned something. If he could do that for the Navajo, why couldn’t I do something similar for my people – the Cherokee?<br />
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The concept was in place. My protagonist would be an amateur sleuth, a mixed-blood Cherokee, a thirty-something, single woman who was savvy and smart. All I had to do now was create believable characters and stories. There would be no generic Indians, no bare-back riding braves in breech cloths stealing blonde, blue-eyed girls. I would stick with current-day life in the Cherokee Nation where I grew up.<br />
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But how would I make it real? The first advice beginning writers get is to write what they know and that’s what I did. If I didn’t know it, I relied on research and personal interviews.<br />
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Before I ran off to paradise and became a writer, I spent twenty-one years as a banker. While I never had to stare down the barrel of a bank robber’s gun, one of my coworkers wasn’t so lucky. One morning she entered her branch without a security officer and ended up on the floor, bound with telephone cords, not sure if she was going to live or die. I used her story and the fear in her eyes to recreate a believable bank robbery in <i><b>Deception on All Accounts</b></i>. I relied not only on what I knew, but what I learned from my friend.<br />
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In <i><b>The American Café</b></i>, childhood memories of my aunt’s café in a small rural town brought my setting to life. All I had to do was add the murder plot which turned out to be much easier because of the comfortable surroundings I’d created.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sinking-Suspicions-Sadie-Walela-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00LT0BFCM/" target="_blank"><i><b>Sinking Suspicions</b></i></a> features a Cherokee man, a World War II veteran who was stationed on Maui with the Fourth Marine Division and fought in some of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific. Writing about Maui was easy; writing about the war took a lot of research. I spent hours in the local library reading history books and old newspapers, but my best information came from more than a dozen old-timers who were more than happy to share their personal experiences about what it was like to live on Maui during the war.<br />
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My philosophy of writing what I know and dedication to research paid off for me when I submitted my first manuscript. In a letter from the University of Arizona Press, the acquiring editor said she liked my writing because it didn’t have any mythical, stereotypical Indians that are so prevalent in books and movies today. My characters, she said, were real.<br />
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As a fiction writer, most of the scenes come straight from my imagination, but I always strive to make them real. I have received letters from readers all over the country thanking me for touching their lives with my stories. I guess I didn’t need to be a lawyer or a politician to make a difference, after all. I like being a writer much better.<br />
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<i>Sara Sue Hoklotubbe is the author of the award-winning Sadie Walela Mystery Series set in the Cherokee Nation where she grew up. She is the winner of the WILLA Literary Award for Original Softcover Fiction, the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award for Best Mystery, and the Mystery of the Year Award given by Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.</i><br />
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<i>Sara’s latest release, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sinking-Suspicions-Sadie-Walela-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00LT0BFCM/" target="_blank"><b>Sinking Suspicions</b></a>, (<a href="http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/catalogs/author_books.php?id=1593" target="_blank">University of Arizona Press</a>, 2014) debuted at the 2014 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. where she was one of nine fiction authors invited to speak.</i><br />
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<i>Sara and her husband live in southwestern Colorado. You may contact her through <a href="http://www.hoklotubbe.com/" target="_blank">her website</a> or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sarasuehoklotubbe?_rdr" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</i><br />
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<i><b>Sinking Suspicions</b> has been named a finalist for two awards: The 2014 Foreword IndieFab Book of the Year and the 2015 Oklahoma Book Awards (winners will be announced on Saturday, April 11. Keep your fingers crossed). The book was also chosen as the March Book of the Month by Native America Calling, a nationwide live radio show broadcast from Albuquerque. The March 25 interview is available now for listening at <a href="http://www.nativeamericacalling.com/">www.nativeamericacalling.com</a>.
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<i><br /></i>Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-91716822269968641052015-03-31T16:24:00.001-06:002015-03-31T16:24:18.498-06:00Jake's Gift: The Story of a Cat Who Wouldn't Quit by Pam WolfWho doesn't love a cat story?<br />
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Here's a new one that will charm your socks off.<br />
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I first wrote about Jake the Cat back on August 10, 2010, in "<a href="http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/2010/08/local-blog-catapults-jake-to-stardom.html" target="_blank">Local Blog Catapults Jake to Stardom</a>."<br />
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Local Cat Rescue volunteer and my friend Pam Wolf had met a cat, Jake, that prompted her to write a blog post called "<a href="http://pamelawolf.blogspot.com/2010/03/jakes-story.html" target="_blank">Jake's Story</a>" on March 29, 2010. That post caught the attention of a researcher from Animal Planet.<br />
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Pam followed up on August 8, 2010, with a post called "<a href="http://pamelawolf.blogspot.com/2010/08/jake-is-tv-star-on-animal-planet-of.html" target="_blank">Jake is a T.V. Star (on Animal Planet, of course)</a>."<br />
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Then I grabbed the story (and not long after that, my husband and I adopted Katie Cat from a local shelter--you can see how easily I was drawn into cat world).<br />
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Now there's a book about Jake. <i><b>Jake's Gift </b></i>is a heartwarming tale of the cat who kept getting rejected for adoption but eventually discovered his true calling as a therapy cat. He's a gorgeous creature, don't you think?<br />
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The book is being used as a fundraiser by the Fort Collins Cat Rescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic, and the author has pledged that a portion of her income from sales will be donated back to Cat Rescue as well.<br />
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You remember Pam from a few weeks ago, right? She wrote a guest post for called "<a href="http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/2015/02/why-i-write-about-animals-by-pam-wolf.html" target="_blank">Why I Write About Animals</a>" She likes other creatures besides just cats.<br />
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This book and Pam's dedication to her calling is another great example of chasing the dream and wrestling it to ground. Persistence pays off, and I congratulate Pam...and Jake...for their accomplishments. <br />
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If you would like to purchase a copy of <i><b>Jake's Gift: The Story of a Cat Who Wouldn't Quit</b></i>, you may do so at the publisher's site, <a href="http://www.tuliptreepub.com/tuliptree-books.html" target="_blank">Tulip Tree Publishing</a>, or boogie on over to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jakes-Gift-Story-Wouldnt-Quit/dp/0692401059/" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>. Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-26043302803369103012015-03-31T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-31T06:00:13.166-06:00My Cameos in the NCW Conference videoIf you're willing to give up 7.5 minutes of your valuable time, here's the whole video created for the 2015 Northern Colorado Writers Conference by the conference creative team.
I have two cameo appearances in this film that might give you chuckle. Or not...
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h1wAxe_Ma7Q" width="560"></iframe> Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-19747211367260474852015-03-30T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-30T06:00:05.917-06:00A Little of This and a Little of That#1 <br />
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One of the best blog posts for writers I read this week was on Anne R. Allen's Blog. The post is called <a href="http://annerallen.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-10-commandments-of-highly.html" target="_blank">The 10 Commandments of Highly Productive Professional Writers</a>. In addition to the "you must write and you must write a lot" lessons, there are so many links to follow that one could easily spend a whole day with Anne's post and the excellent places she sends us to be educated, inspired, and motivated.<br />
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#2<br />
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It has been along time since I missed the Northern Colorado Writers Conference, but I had to give it up this year. As a result, I missed the Friday and Saturday workshops and networking opportunities, as well as the Friday night dinner and the annual creative team's video entertainment. I had two cameo appearances in that video, darn it.<br />
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Anyway, I'm hoping that video is eventually posted on the NCW website or You Tube so I can share it here. I look pretty funny behind bars...<br />
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#3<br />
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Now that my foot and knee problem schedule is all changed, I considered jumping into the 2015 A to Z Blog Challenge at the last minute. And then I reconsidered. I had already opted out, so why not do something different this year.<br />
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And that might be Camp NaNoWriMo.<br />
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I have two more days to decide.<br />
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#4<br />
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Of course, there's also the new website/blog going live in April. We'll be migrating the posts from this blog to the new site sometime the week of April 6th. Hopefully that will go without a hitch. Still, I might need a little time for tweaking, adding lists and bio and other stuff.<br />
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What the heck. For April and May I have all the time I need to do all those things.<br />
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#5<br />
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And read. Lots of time to read. I just ordered two more books I didn't need because I had an old gift card to use up. My choices were <i><b>Mosquitoland</b></i>, a YA novel by David Arnold and <i><b>Tides of Maritinia</b></i>, a sci fi novel by Warren Hammond. <br />
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I'm an addict. How else can I explain buying more books when I have hundreds of unread novels and nonfiction books already?<br />
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#6<br />
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And watch movies. This week I saw <i>Gone Girl</i> and <i>This is Where I Leave You</i>. Spent almost three hours today watching <i>The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug</i>. I'm into the new season of <i>House of Cards</i>. And on and on....<br />
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#7<br />
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And write blog posts. And play on social media. And watch my dear husband do all my chores and serve my meals with good humor while I sit here and take full advantage of the doctor's orders to keep my foot off the floor, preferably elevated on pillows.<br />
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It may sound a little boring if your life is super fast-paced these days, but sometimes we want to slow down and can't seem to make it happen. I think I received a gift in an odd and temporarily painful way. There are parts of this "slowdown" I'm enjoying a lot. <br />
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-83735989261264197032015-03-28T10:06:00.002-06:002015-03-28T10:06:15.738-06:00Honestly, a person can only sit so long.....And alternating between sitting with this foot elevated and lying on the couch with my foot elevated is not much better. Only about four weeks to go before I graduate from cast to crutches and walking boot.<br />
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Only four weeks!<br />
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However, I’m using my sitting/reclining time wisely--reading a lot, working on blog posts, preparing for the move from old website and blog to a new website/blog combo, and….yes….writing.
We’ll talk more about the novels in progress later.<br />
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For this post, I want to talk about the stuff I’ve read lately.<br />
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Currently I’m enjoying <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Angle-John-Paul-McKinney-ebook/dp/B00FQ6TYFK/" target="_blank"><i><b>Charlie’s Angle</b></i></a> by John Paul McKinney. This novel is a good combination of family drama, high school principal/school board politics, and mystery. John Paul is a good writer and he successfully chose a challenging multiple point-of-view format that lets us get closer to each interesting character in the novel. I’m getting into the second half of the story now, and I think something bad is going to happen. I just feel it….and that’s what keeps me turning the pages. <br />
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Working backwards, I recently finished <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Never-Too-Late-Roadmap-Reinvention-ebook/dp/B00LV6FDPY/" target="_blank"><i><b>Never Too Late: Your Roadmap to Reinvention (without getting lost along the way)</b></i></a> by Claire Cook. This is nonfiction intended to inspire and motivate those who want to change their lives, whether that change involves quitting a bad job to buy a food truck or finally taking steps to realize a long-held dream to become a writer. Reading all those stories about other women who’ve reinvented their lives is like a breath of fresh air. And for those of you who don’t recognize the author’s name, she’s the lady who wrote <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Must-Love-Dogs-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0050ZKYJC/" target="_blank"><i><b>Must Love Dogs</b></i></a>, which was turned into a very successful film. Learning how that all came about is alone worth the price of the book.<br />
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Let’s see, oh yes, before that I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Poachers-Daughter-Five-Star-Western/dp/1432827634/" target="_blank"><i><b>The Poacher’s Daughter</b></i></a> by Michael Zimmer. I haven’t read a western in a long time, but when I saw this book on my own publisher’s list and heard it had received an award, I decided to give it a try. Honestly, I could hardly put the book down. I loved the main character who’s a strong female, loved the things she did to survive in a tough man’s world, and loved the story. I’d give this one ten stars out of five if that were possible.<br />
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Other recent reads:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Without-Warning-Disappearance-Book-1-ebook/dp/B001NLKS3O/" target="_blank"><i><b>Without Warning (The Disappearance book 1)</b></i></a> by John Birmingham. This is sort of an alternate history post-apocalyptic thriller and it has sequels. Another multiple-point-of-view novel that has a bunch of interesting characters, <i><b>Without Warning</b></i> introduces a huge disaster that wipes out most of the U.S. and then follows the resulting events across the world. I have the second book in the series on my TBR list.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knower-Girl-Maggie-DAmato-Goins-ebook/dp/B00N26EVTK/" target="_blank"><i><b>Knower Girl</b></i></a> by Maggie d’Amato Goins (one of our wonderful local authors), is a YA thriller that is very well written, fast-paced, and could be a series if Maggie decides to write more novels about teen Bonnie Cannelli and her special skills. I enjoyed Maggie's writing enough to immediately buy her second book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Con-Man-Sweet-Orchard/dp/0990670228/" target="_blank"><i><b>The Con Man of Sweet Orchard</b></i></a>. It’s moving up in the TBR pile.<br />
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Nancy Reed’s memoir, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Words-Left-Behind-tales-gladly-ebook/dp/B00OGBBDD2/" target="_blank"><i><b>Words Left Behind: tales from a life gladly lived</b></i></a>, is a delightful read. Nan is another of our local authors who have revealed fascinating stories about their lives to those of us who thought we knew them well but discovered upon reading that there are many, many layers to a person’s life and rarely do we get to the heart unless they share in memoir.<br />
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If you prefer your mysteries be in the traditional style, you would like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Who-Buries-Dead-Sebastian-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00KWG61R8/" target="_blank"><i><b>Who Buries the Dead</b></i></a> by C. S. Harris. Any mystery that starts with young lovers discovering a body that’s missing its head is sure to hook you, especially when the sleuth is one Sebastian St. Cyr and the story revolves around historical figures (in 1813 London) whose body parts occasionally end up as trophies for bizarre collectors.<br />
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Finally, if you’re the sort of reader who samples all genres and occasionally goes for a shocker—like horror that does not pull punches--you might want to read Colorado author Kenneth Harmon’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Amazing-Howard-Kenneth-Harmon/dp/1942712138/" target="_blank"><i><b>The Amazing Mr. Howard</b></i></a>. Mr. Howard is a vampire. He’s pure evil. There’s a cop in the novel who is, in my opinion, even more depraved than Mr. Howard. The novel is horror, and it’s mystery, and it’s thriller. There are scenes that are explicit. It’s well written and will please anyone who enjoys the genre as I do from time to time, but don’t read it unless you’re tough enough to take it. Seriously.<br />
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In case you wonder why I give everything I read these days four or five stars on Goodreads and online bookseller sites, it’s because I don’t finish books if the writing is bad or the characters and story don’t grab me…and I won’t slam an author who has worked hard to produce a book just because it’s not my cup of tea.<br />
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What about you? Read anything lately you'd like to recommend? I read in most genres, so all suggestions are appreciated. Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-24383513608176566352015-03-26T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-26T06:00:01.810-06:00Oiling the Hinges of History ... by Robert Kresge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHQr3TZzov682oLbseqEGq8MwU9CO_B4mxeWFWog0QRWZ7wTlzKzM_CXuF-SIp8EwI1JptzXZGHEPDNLEZCk7h2RHTw4kSI6zLCvbkPqs4tSDMrXaFtCow3nJehcCwbnuTFIgLVRivvOM/s1600/Robert+Kresge+in+Marshal's+Office+Doorway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHQr3TZzov682oLbseqEGq8MwU9CO_B4mxeWFWog0QRWZ7wTlzKzM_CXuF-SIp8EwI1JptzXZGHEPDNLEZCk7h2RHTw4kSI6zLCvbkPqs4tSDMrXaFtCow3nJehcCwbnuTFIgLVRivvOM/s1600/Robert+Kresge+in+Marshal's%2BOffice%2BDoorway.jpg" /></a></div>
The fourth volume of Winston Churchill’s award-winning memoir of World War II concerns the D-Day landings and is entitled <i><b>The Hinge of Fate</b></i>. Historical events can lend themselves to great storytelling for novelists. We need not use events as momentous as famous battles. Even little recognized events can provide opportunity for writers to apply the oil of plot complexity and character interaction.<br />
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Discovering a real event, plan, or even a rumor can serve as a pivotal hinge for research, for character motivation, and for developing relationships between characters within an author’s chosen historical setting. When such a story involves real history, finding a hinge around which your story can revolve and oiling it as much as needed are important considerations in completing research, focusing the plot, and writing an entertaining historical novel.<br />
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Likewise, readers’ investment in the resulting story is enhanced when an author uses real or plausible new information that contributes to that “willing suspension of disbelief” that all novelists seek. Mark Twain said, “Always be sure you get your facts straight. Then you can twist ’em any way you want.” So I’ve put words in the mouths of such historical figures as Twain himself, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses Grant, Jefferson Davis, Yellowstone explorer Ferdinand Hayden, famous landscape painter Thomas Moran, Russian Grand Duke Alexis, Buffalo Bill Cody, George Armstrong Custer, and even Crazy Horse, though he spoke no English.<br />
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When I was writing my first novel, <i><b>Murder for Greenhorns</b></i>, my heroine recalls that Sam Clemens (Twain) told her “Nowadays, Truth goes out in public so seldom, most folks wouldn’t recognize her if they saw her.” My wife complimented me on finding such a good quote. I admitted that I hadn’t been able to find a good enough quotation, so I made that one up.<br />
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“How dare you do that? Mark Twain is a beloved American icon.”<br />
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“Dear, there isn’t anyone who believes that Julius Caesar and Richard III actually said the words that Shakespeare put in their mouths.” If Shakespeare can do it, every author can.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEO9oUHt9V8TTrQ8iULW8m2FnjKmluvboWEAU0SKdPt4kDWDkyqBcY-3n7SLcfITdWUpQTwkTx6ZF7RVHAGBSH-YzmuJlZ-TKg9eBWjzc3k7qZtT9uv4HOfb-SXcBBk2OnZ9ryn-Wo9kUB/s1600/Kresge_saving-lincoln-small-cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEO9oUHt9V8TTrQ8iULW8m2FnjKmluvboWEAU0SKdPt4kDWDkyqBcY-3n7SLcfITdWUpQTwkTx6ZF7RVHAGBSH-YzmuJlZ-TKg9eBWjzc3k7qZtT9uv4HOfb-SXcBBk2OnZ9ryn-Wo9kUB/s1600/Kresge_saving-lincoln-small-cover.jpg" /></a></div>
My 2013 Civil War spy thriller <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Lincoln-Robert-Kresge/dp/0988539527/" target="_blank"><i><b>Saving Lincoln</b></i></a>, a finalist for the 2014 Sue Feder Memorial Award for Best Historical Mystery and winner of a 2014 Tony Hillerman Award for Fiction, relates the story of a fictional female Union spy working in Richmond who stumbles across a Confederate Secret Service plot to send a wagon bomb filled with explosives to Washington and set it off close beside the White House while Lincoln is meeting with his generals. There were no fences around the executive mansion in those days and honor guards encamped on the South Lawn carried unloaded rifles.<br />
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According to the definitive 500-page study of the Confederate Secret Service, <i><b>Come Retribution</b></i>, written by a trio of former CIA officers, Richmond really did consider such a plot. And on April 10th, 1865, an important member of the South’s Torpedo Bureau (explosive devices of all kinds) was captured on Munson Hill, overlooking Arlington, Virginia and the city of Washington. There is no record that Federal soldiers found a wagon bomb, and no record of such a device was found in Richmond, where most documents had been burned or carried off by fleeing Confederate officials as the city was falling to Federal troops. The idea of such a device and the Munson Hill arrest served as the hinges I used to plot my 352-page novel.<br />
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My 1870s Wyoming mysteries, set in the first place in world where women could vote, includes other hinges I found. My female protagonist, schoolteacher Kate Shaw, is drawn to that place when her application letter is accepted by the fictional small town of Warbonnet, population 130, on the edge of Indian territory. Hinges for plots in this series involve Lincoln’s 1863 Land Grant Proclamation, the 1871 Hayden expedition to Yellowstone, Russian Grand Duke Alexis’ 1872 buffalo hunting trip with Custer and Cody, the presence of Crazy Horse in Wyoming in 1873, and intensely competitive dinosaur hunters from back East in 1874.<br />
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Even if you’re not writing historical fiction, placing a plausible recent event into the context of a contemporary novel can give any author a springboard into a richer plot and maybe inspire an entire novel.<br />
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<i>Thanks for being my guest today, Rob! I love to read historicals and am always in awe of the research that goes into producing a fictional but believable novel featuring well-known personalities. <b>Saving Lincoln</b> sounds like a top-notch read.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Reade</i>rs can learn more about Rob and his books at <a href="http://www.robertkresge.com/index.html" target="_blank">his website</a>.<i> His newest novel,<b> </b><b>Unearthing the Bones</b>, is coming soon.</i>Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-23253688622655525312015-03-25T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-25T06:00:02.162-06:00Colorado Gold Contest Opens April 1stAll you unpublished novelists...Get Ready, Set, Submit!<br />
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The Colorado Gold Contest is about to open, and it's a wonderful opportunity to get your work in front of impartial judges who will give you a lot of good feedback. And who knows, you might just make the finals.<br />
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All of the information about the contest and the submission rules are on the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers website <a href="http://rmfw.org/contest/" target="_blank">contest page</a>.<br />
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To whet your appetite, here are the final judges for 2015 for each category:<br />
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Action/Thriller: Denise Dietz, Senior Editor, <i>Five Star Publishing</i><br />
Mainstream: Danielle Burby, Agent, <i>Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency</i><br />
Mystery/Suspense: Trish Daly, Associate Editor, W<i>illiam Morrow/HarperCollins</i><br />
Romance: Latoya Smith, Executive Editor, <i>Samhain Publishing</i><br />
Speculative Fiction: Emily S. Keyes, Agent, <i>Fuse Literary</i><br />
YA/MG: Melissa Jeglinski, Agent, <i>The Knight Agency</i><br />
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Don't be shy. Even if you don't final or win, you'll get that helpful feedback that might help you win next year.<br />
<i> </i><br />
April 1st. Mark your calendar.Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-1827953128807595492015-03-24T18:55:00.000-06:002015-03-24T18:55:29.966-06:00The winners of ARCs for "The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco"<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Our first winner, who correctly guessed the answer to Laura DiSilverio's question</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>is Marilyn Beebe</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Laura generously donated two more ARCs to give away, so thanks to random.org</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Terry</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>and Patricia Smith Wood</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>also will receive an advance read of the first book in Laura DiSilverio's new</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Readaholics mystery series.</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHBu3k8IQWfEwfZOu7ldELWguA91OJQ42Bb9_kWaeHLVJ1ABIHt-S94znyzWYVdBwr_G0tqtOCc6qMiKYYZeO4-EQgQLtNw60MqDT_RzJ2SQ8ReMtrRou8_bSLXA90MZVrrsRmzVc_zca/s1600/DoSilverio_Readaholics.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHBu3k8IQWfEwfZOu7ldELWguA91OJQ42Bb9_kWaeHLVJ1ABIHt-S94znyzWYVdBwr_G0tqtOCc6qMiKYYZeO4-EQgQLtNw60MqDT_RzJ2SQ8ReMtrRou8_bSLXA90MZVrrsRmzVc_zca/s1600/DoSilverio_Readaholics.jpeg" height="320" width="198" /></a></div>
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Terry, would you please contact us with an email and/or mailing address? There's a link to my email account in my profile -- the link is in the top right sidebar of this blog.</div>
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-53444381372429584222015-03-23T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-23T06:00:02.053-06:00The Readaholics ... by Laura DiSilverio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQoox2yBXcfHR089vpibcYGQuAhV8VAoypMMCysKsa_zEbdFAc2RvRoxI3c6-vldQkZAcNIsj71Ek79oiNsQE32IWKWiVA3VjEjVFGdsTVeCidENy5VwpQWF1WDsgPHtnGmcDaVlhpu8P/s1600/LauraDiSilverio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQoox2yBXcfHR089vpibcYGQuAhV8VAoypMMCysKsa_zEbdFAc2RvRoxI3c6-vldQkZAcNIsj71Ek79oiNsQE32IWKWiVA3VjEjVFGdsTVeCidENy5VwpQWF1WDsgPHtnGmcDaVlhpu8P/s1600/LauraDiSilverio.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Normally, my books grow out of a plot point, inciting incident, or protagonist. With the Readaholics, the series idea grew out of relationships. I wanted to write about the growth and interaction of five quite different women who all come together for a monthly book discussion (usually of a classic mystery).<br />
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The "I" voice in the story belongs to Amy-Faye Johnson, a 32-year-old event planner. She's been hung up on a former boyfriend for years, but since starting her own small business, Eventful!, and buying a small house, she's ready to move on. Luckily, an attractive detective has recently moved to Heaven, Colorado from Atlanta.<br />
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Her best friend, Brooke Widefield, is also a Readaholic. Amy-Faye's age, she married into Heaven's richest family immediately after graduating from college. A former Miss Colorado, she's itching to do something worthwhile with her life (her inlaws object to her working) and have a baby.<br />
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Lola Paget was a year ahead of Amy-Faye and Brooke in high school and she went off to Texas A&M for her degree in Chemistry before returning to Heaven and the failing family farm which she has turned into a successful plant nursery. She supports her grandmother and teenage sister, whom she practically raised since their parents died when Lola was fifteen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMI75CuuBsRGobcjyIf8LYoL7UdCLfrZQvCLNWERQr1eb_sg5-6-UU31VYAjc5kldzMnmGsvBEJaMGHlwePeudadRZR52QNVqvlsZgFdTaO9s-OcpQuiQVr3KQTVYh5Sea82-uVsh5irC/s1600/DoSilverio_Readaholics.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMI75CuuBsRGobcjyIf8LYoL7UdCLfrZQvCLNWERQr1eb_sg5-6-UU31VYAjc5kldzMnmGsvBEJaMGHlwePeudadRZR52QNVqvlsZgFdTaO9s-OcpQuiQVr3KQTVYh5Sea82-uVsh5irC/s1600/DoSilverio_Readaholics.jpeg" height="320" width="198" /></a></div>
Maud Bell is the group's oldest member at 66. She's a hunting/fishing guide during the summer and builds websites and maintains a conspiracy theory blog (www.outtogetyou.com) during the winter. A former activist and corporate bigwig, she distrusts governments and police departments and frequently butts heads with the town's mayor (also a Readaholic).<br />
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Kerry Sanderson is in her late 40s and has a teenage son living at home. Her daughter and grandson live in an apartment over the garage. A self-made women who succeeded in real estate, Kerry is Heaven's part-time mayor and the voice of reason when the Readaholics start poking into the murder of their sixth member, Ivy Donner.<br />
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Expect lots of humor when these five women dive into investigating Ivy's murder in <i><b>The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco</b></i>. They quickly discover that reading about murder is a different prospect entirely than solving one . . .<br />
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I've had tons of fun getting to know these women as I write about them, and I hope you'll enjoy meeting them, too. Please pre-order the book by clicking <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Readaholics-Falcon-Fiasco-Book-Mystery/dp/0451470834/" target="_blank">here</a> for release on April 7th!<br />
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<span style="color: red;">(Oh, and in each outing they're reading a different classic mystery that somehow plays into the murder they're solving. I'll give away a signed ARC to the first person to comment with a correct guess as to what book they're reading in <i><b>The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco</b></i>!)</span><br />
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<br />
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<i>I love the idea of the Readaholics, Laura. Thanks for introducing your cast of characters. I'm pretty sure I know the classic mystery answer.....let's see which of our readers gets it first.</i><br />
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<i>Laura DiSilverio is a retired Air Force intelligence officer and author of 15 mystery and suspense novels. Her first Book Club Mystery, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Readaholics-Falcon-Fiasco-Book-Mystery/dp/0451470834/" target="_blank"><b>THE READAHOLICS AND THE FALCON FIASCO</b></a>, hits stores on April 7. Her standalone suspense novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reckoning-Stones-Novel-Suspense/dp/0738745111/" target="_blank"><b>THE RECKONING STONES</b></a>, debuts in September. A Past President of Sisters in Crime, she pens articles for Writer’s Digest, and teaches writing in various fora. She plots murders and parents teens in Colorado, trying to keep the two tasks separate.</i><br />
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<i>Learn more about Laura and her books at her <a href="http://lauradisilverio.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and <a href="http://lauradisilverio.com/category/blog/" target="_blank">blog</a>. She can also be found on<a href="https://www.facebook.com/LauraDiSilverio" target="_blank"> Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/LauraDiSilverio" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3463703.Laura_DiSilverio" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.</i>
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-64425745811526626712015-03-22T08:49:00.000-06:002015-03-22T08:49:11.466-06:00The winner of a copy of "Bobbing for Watermelons"<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations to</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sheala Henke</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">who won a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bobbing-Watermelons-April-J-Moore/dp/0991062698/" target="_blank"><i><b>Bobbing for Watermelons</b></i></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">by</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">April J. Moore</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sheala is a member of Northern Colorado Writers and the author of</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/IDEA33--Regeneration-Sheala-Dawn-Henke/dp/0991236300/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">IDEA33 - A Regeneration</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">and</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/IDEA33--Revolution-Book-Sheala-Henke/dp/0991236327/" target="_blank">IDEA33 - A Revolution</a></span></div>
<br />Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-86648246656030699002015-03-19T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-19T06:00:00.985-06:00The Power of Persistence ... by April J. Moore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thank you for having me, Pat. It’s always an honor to be a guest on your wonderful blog!<br />
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Chances are, as a writer, you have an old manuscript tucked away in a desk drawer, or among the deeply embedded folders in the hard drive of your computer, that every once in while calls out to you. Certain scenes—ones with clever prose, or well-done humor—will cross your mind every so often. You know there’s just something about that manuscript . . . but there it sits, untouched, unedited, unpublished.<br />
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When I started <i><b>Bobbing for Watermelons</b></i>, my first attempt at a novel, back in 2004, I had no clue what I was doing, but thanks to my critique group, I soldiered on. In 2008, it became a <i>Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers</i> Colorado Gold finalist, but even then, it needed work (as evidenced by the mounting rejections I continued to accumulate). I set it aside and began a new project.
Over the years I thought about it, even swearing I’d heard it call to me through my laptop speakers. I’m pretty sure it was my main character, Helen, telling me she was tired of being ignored. By last year, she was really fed up and screamed at me to pay attention.<br />
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So I did.<br />
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During a three-day writing retreat through the <i>Northern Colorado Writers</i>, I edited the first third of the book. I spent a lot of that time cringing, embarrassed I had actually sent it to agents. At the same time, I was pleased to see how far I’d come in the ten years of studying the craft of writing. Putting that much distance between myself and the manuscript gave me new perspective; the book wasn’t ready for publication back then and I needed to grow as a writer.<br />
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When I started the book, I was around 27 with a six-year-old, and now, I’m closer to my character’s age who also has teenagers. I finally could relate to her, which led to more vivid, realistic scenes that I only guessed at before. At last, I felt the emotions my character would experience in certain situations, and I could convey them in a way that rang true and authentic.<br />
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Not only was my goal to write a great novel, but to make it a publishable one as well, so if a section didn’t work, I didn’t bat an eye when cutting it out. I deleted scenes, added chapters, and even rewrote the entire last third of the book. Applying the lessons and techniques I’d learned over the years, from being both an avid reader and writer, I ended up with a book I’m very proud of.<br />
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I encourage you to unearth an old manuscript, breathe new life into it—perform CPR if necessary—and see what it has to say. My characters usually don’t talk to me—or at least I don’t typically admit they do—but Helen’s voice rang out loud and clear. She wanted her story told, and I knew deep down, so did I.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">April is giving away one copy of Bobbing for Watermelons to a U.S. or Canada reader who leaves a comment on today's post by midnight Mountain Time Saturday, March 21st. The winner's name will be posted here on Sunday. </span><br />
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April, thanks so much for being my guest today. Can't wait to read <i><b>Bobbing for Watermelons</b></i>.<br />
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April J. Moore grew up writing and drawing and continues on both paths, providing illustrations for cards, journals, and books. A love of history, resulted in her first book, <i><b>Folsom’s 93: The Lives and Crimes of Folsom Prison’s Executed Men</b></i> and her love of humor and quirky characters, encouraged to write <i><b>Bobbing for Watermelons</b></i>. When not writing or illustrating, April is usually enjoying the Colorado sunshine by working in her vegetable garden, kayaking, or hiking, and spends the cold, wintry months curled up with a good book and a mug of tea. Her favorite activities, however, is spending time with her husband, sixteen-year-old son, and ninety-five-pound lap dog.<br />
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<i><b>Bobbing for Watermelons</b></i>, a work of women’s fiction, is due for release in late March 2015, from <a href="http://hotchocolatepress.com/" target="_blank">Hot Chocolate Press</a>. April’s first book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Folsoms-93-Crimes-Prisons-Executed/dp/161035172X/" target="_blank"><i><b>Folsom’s 93: The Lives and Crimes of Folsom Prison’s Executed Men</b></i></a> (Linden Publishing, 2013) is available at Amazon. You can learn more about April at <a href="http://www.apriljmoore.com/" target="_blank">AprilJMoore</a>. She can also be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/april.joitelmoore.5?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/AprilJMoore" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6861495.April_Moore" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>.Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-65140422154590320622015-03-18T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-18T10:02:52.966-06:00Housebound and Trying to Make Lemonade....Okay, here I sit (briefly) with my wrapped and splinted foot elevated and an ice pack on my ankle, on day <strike>one</strike> two of my recovery from foot surgery. <strike>Yesterday</strike> Monday afternoon I had a screw put in a break in the fifth metatarsal of my right foot.<br />
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First thing I will assure you I will not be posting photos of the incision, so don't worry about following me on Facebook or Twitter.<br />
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You might be curious how I did such a thing to myself. I'm not real sure. I did a lot of walking through airports to get over to Illinois, did a lot of walking at my destination to run errands and such, and then walked again at O'Hare -- halfway to my gate I stopped for caramel corn and then for lunch. And when I started to continue my journey to my gate, I was hit with excruciating pain in my foot and could not put my full weight on it. The rest of that walk was awful, and by the time I got to DIA, I had no choice but to order a wheelchair. I have been on crutches and a walking boot until <strike>yesterday</strike> Monday (and had instructions not to put weight on the foot even with the boot). And after a few days of the dressing and splint, I will get a cast which will stay on for a while. It will not be a walking cast.<br />
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Now I'm either in a chair on on the couch with the foot elevated, and when I have to move about the house, I stand, pivot on the good leg, and sit in the wheelchair. This will be my life for the next few weeks.<br />
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And once again, my knee replacement surgery has been postponed. That's life.<br />
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We have more guest bloggers here through April 2nd and then I might be doing the transfer to the new website/blog. I'm not sure of the timing yet, but when I'm ready to schedule more guests, I'll let you know.<br />
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I'll be doing lots of reading now and have a list of movies to watch. And of course, I'm hoping for some writing time if I can sit up long enough. I'll post here when I can.<br />
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If you have some great book recommendations or must-watch movies, let me know. Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-47900670013886811182015-03-16T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-16T06:00:00.291-06:00Provence Chose Me ... by Phyllis Gobbell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdV5r-p4if7VQiytXVq_rRLzepd8bIx0sBaxYxYDQU1ri6U8yXSmhZkB3qBmEocUD4KvCreKogIUJcsKH5WGuhi5fSgFmeY4gTbVcHxgns0x2KQ1C4g5CBhkbbTzFzLwCS_lREvNCt3Oj/s1600/Phyllis+Gobbell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdV5r-p4if7VQiytXVq_rRLzepd8bIx0sBaxYxYDQU1ri6U8yXSmhZkB3qBmEocUD4KvCreKogIUJcsKH5WGuhi5fSgFmeY4gTbVcHxgns0x2KQ1C4g5CBhkbbTzFzLwCS_lREvNCt3Oj/s1600/Phyllis+Gobbell.jpg" /></a></div>
Patricia, who was kind enough to invite me as a guest blogger, suggested that readers might like to know how I chose Provence as the setting for my first book in the Jordan Mayfair Mystery Series. Whenever I tell people that my mystery is set in Provence, often their eyes widen and they say, “Oh, Provence!” It’s one of those places that immediately connect with pictures we’ve conjured up in our own minds – like Jordan Mayfair’s “visions of Roman ruins bathed in magical Provencal light, exquisite foods and wines, and alluring Frenchmen.” That’s before mystery and murder kick in, of course. Setting can be a big draw, and I’m counting on setting to play a vital role in this series – Provence, then Ireland, then an Italian locale that I’ll determine after a trip to Florence and the surrounding countryside this summer.<br />
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So how did I choose Provence? I didn’t, exactly. Provence chose me.<br />
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It’s been several years now since I made my first trip. I wasn’t there for research. As an architectural student, my daughter had traveled with a college group to the region and had provided me with all the information she’d been given. “You just have to go!” she’d said.<br />
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The little hotel she recommended in the little village of Fontvieille was delightful, and I was drawn to an abandoned structure on the property – stone, of course – that had to be centuries old, like so many of the historic sites in the region. The wheels of my imagination began to turn. Wouldn’t this make a good mystery? Who would the protagonist be? An architect! Yes, I could see how an architect’s professional skills and knowledge and curiosity would come into play. As I mulled over these ideas, I was traveling to other amazing sites in the area and recognizing opportunities for my protagonist to be “pursued.” Visiting the huge amphitheater in the heart of Arles, built between the first and second centuries, I saw the potential for a “big scene.” Before my trip ended, I had the basic elements of the story. After my second trip to Provence, a chance to check my facts and discover even more material for the book, I was sure I wanted to do a series, each in a foreign setting. Maybe that would never have happened if I hadn’t first been captivated by Provence.<br />
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Online research has its place in my writing, but I can’t get my mind around a particular setting unless I’ve been there, walked among the inhabitants, experienced the ambiance. That’s just me. Other writers may find their online research sufficient. With the world at our fingertips, we can find out most factual information about any location. What’s the weather like at a given time? Check weather charts. What would you eat in a local restaurant? Pull up menus from the restaurants’ websites. What’s the distance? What’s the cost? All of these details are essential in making a setting authentic and easy to gather from Internet research.<br />
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But being there allowed me to add texture and depth. An example is that unique Provencal light, the light that inspired all those 19th century Impressionist painters. I might have found adequate descriptions without real-life research, but I wouldn’t have even known that the light was such a big deal if I hadn’t experienced it myself.<br />
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Dialogue, given the language issues, was a challenge, but after having spent time in Fontvieille, I could hear the voices of the inhabitants, the thicker accents than I’d encountered in Paris. In my journal I noted the occasional odd turn of phrase and later used that material in creating my fictional proprietor, Jean-Claude, of the fictional hotel, L’hôtel du Soleil.<br />
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My editor had to remind me at times that the book was a mystery, not a travelogue, because I was so immersed in the setting that my descriptive passages wanted to go on and on. Point well taken. I paid closer attention when writing <i><b>Secrets and Shamrocks</b></i>. It’s true: setting alone can’t carry a mystery, but it is oh so delicious! And there’s nothing quite like being there to get a feel for the real thing.<br />
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<i>Thanks so much for bringing back great memories of my own trips to the south of France, Phyllis. I love it there and hope to get back one of these days. Can't wait to read <b>Pursuit in Provence</b> for a little armchair traveling.</i><br />
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<i>Phyllis Gobbell writes a little bit of everything – books, short stories, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She has received awards in both fiction and nonfiction, including Tennessee's Individual Artist Literary Award. An associate professor of English at Nashville State Community College, she teaches writing and literature. After co-authoring two true-crime books based on high-profile murders in Nashville, she has turned to traditional mysteries. First in the Jordan Mayfair Mystery Series, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Provence-Jordan-Mayfair-Mystery/dp/1432830260/" target="_blank"><b>Pursuit in Provence</b></a> will be released March 18.</i><br />
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<i>You can learn more about Phyllis and her books at <a href="http://phyllisgobbell.com/" target="_blank">her website</a> and her<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-C.-Gobbell/e/B001KHN5AE" target="_blank"> Amazon.com author page</a>. She can also be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phyllis.gobbell?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</i><br />
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Phyllis has received wonderful reviews for <i><b>Pursuit in Provence</b></i>:<br />
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BOOKLIST is giving <i><b></b></i>e<i><b>Pursuit in Provence</b></i> a STARRED REVIEW, March 15: “Gobbell brings the Provence backdrop to vivid life while dropping enough clues to keep readers focused on the mystery involved.”<br />
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PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Feb. 20: “Seasoned with humor and evocative descriptions of magnificent historic sites, this whodunit should appeal to fans of both cozies and traditional mysteries.”<br />
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KIRKUS REVIEW Jan 1: “Gobbell’s debut, first in a planned series, combines mystery, informative travelogue and enjoyable characters . . .”<br />
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LIBRARY JOURNAL Jan. 1:”Gobbell’s debut shows the deadly side of the pursuit of art and how family and friends may not always have your best interests at heart.”
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-66676592834938219212015-03-15T09:45:00.001-06:002015-03-15T09:45:12.389-06:00The winner of Molly MacRae's book giveaway is......<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations to John Paul McKinney</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">who won a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Molly-MacRae/e/B001JPC9AY/" target="_blank">Haunted Yarn Shop mystery</a> from</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/2015/03/dead-skunk-in-middle-of-manuscript.html" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Molly MacRae</span></b></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">John Paul is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Charlies-Angle-John-Paul-McKinney/dp/1491091894/" target="_blank">Charlie's Angle</a>,</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">winner of the 2014 "EVVY" Award for Literary Fiction </span></b></div>
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-65682004115086033882015-03-14T10:56:00.002-06:002015-03-14T10:56:43.615-06:00A Copy of Tattered Legacy by Shannon Baker was won by......<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations to</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Eileen Goudge</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">who won a copy of <i><b>Tattered Legacy</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">by Shannon Baker</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Eileen is also a writer with a long list of best selling novels. You can learn more about her and her books at her <a href="http://eileengoudge.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. She can also be found on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EileenGoudge" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/eileengoudge" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/38423.Eileen_Goudge" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Goodreads</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></div>
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-20036172461171271782015-03-12T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-12T06:00:02.159-06:00Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Manuscript – Could Anything be Sweeter? ... by Molly MacRae<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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“How do you write a book?” Robert, a third grader, sent me that question for a video chat I did with his special ed class. Robert’s class is finishing up the opinion pieces they’ve been writing, and are moving next to a unit on literary analysis. They were very excited about “meeting” a real author. I was very excited to see those kids who love their writing class and are doing things no one expected them to. Literary analysis? More power to their teacher (who happens to be my niece).<br />
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So how do I write a book? At first Robert’s question seemed about as hard to answer as actually writing a book. There are plenty of glib answers, including “Bottom in chair, fingers on keyboard,” “Write one word, then another, and then another, and eventually you have a book,” and “It’s easy, just open a vein and bleed.” (I didn’t mention that last during the video chat.) But as I thought about how to answer Robert’s question, I realized there are certain steps I take with each short story or book. They all start with an idea jotted down and end with my finger hitting the send button to wing the manuscript off to my agent and editor, and in between those two points are two separate and distinct paths. Both paths are full of twists, turns, obstacles, setbacks, reversals, and eventually a solution (at least I always hope there’s a solution).<br />
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The first path is the one my characters follow – poor things. They the ones who think they’re heading in the right direction, are sure they’re picking up on all the cues and clues, and are using their smarts to outsmart the villain of the piece. And then I drop a dead skunk in the middle of their road and sit back to see what happens. But mysteries need to play fair with characters and readers, so although that skunk might be stinking to high heaven, I make sure the characters have the tools and information they need to deal with it and eventually reach the solution. It’s all great fun.<br />
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The second path is the one I follow as the storyteller – the mechanics of the job – the “bottom in chair, fingers on keyboard” part of writing. Twists, turns, pitfalls, and reversals show up in my path, too. They include, but are not limited to, trying to find time to write around my day job, beating my brain for the right word during a senior moment, diving into an interesting bit of research and sinking out of sight for far too long, leaving the road for a side path that ends up going nowhere, and realizing the dead skunk is actually stinking in the middle of my road, not the characters’. Luckily I’ve collected tools and information to help me on my journey, too.<br />
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For each book I have a general outline (flexible), a file called “noodling” where I keep track of the main characters’ subplots and snatches of dialog, a time table of events so I don’t end up with anyone eating lunch twice in one day or owning a VW in one scene and a Buick in the next, and a calendar of my progress showing how many words I write each day and how many I need to write to meet the deadline. For the series I’m working on (the Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, now five books long), I also have dossiers on each main character (interviews with them, descriptions, job status, etc.), a map of the town, family trees, and Excel files with all the characters listed by first name, last name, and nick name. Being organized at the beginning a “trip” doesn’t mean I won’t be skunked, and it doesn’t mean I can’t shift gears or vary my route, but it keeps me sane and on target. I also have a cat assistant, and that makes all the difference in the world.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Molly is giving away a copy of one of her Haunted Yarn Shop mysteries to a reader from the U.S. or Canada who leaves a comment on this post before midnight Mountain time Saturday, March 14th. The winner will be announced here on Sunday. </span><br />
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<i>The Boston Globe</i> says Molly MacRae writes “murder with a dose of drollery.” She’s the author of the award-winning Haunted Yarn Shop Mysteries, published by Penguin/NAL. Molly’s short stories have appeared in <i>Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine</i> since 1990. After twenty years in northeast Tennessee, Molly lives with her family in Champaign, Illinois.<br />
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You can find out more about Molly at <a href="http://www.mollymacrae.com/" target="_blank">her website</a>. You can find her blogging on the first Monday of each month at <a href="http://amyalessio.com/" target="_blank">Amy Alessio</a> and on the 23rd of each month at <a href="http://www.killercharacters.com/" target="_blank">Killer Characters</a>, and you can find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/molly.macrae.9" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/MollyMacRae/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>.
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-32758464447232474792015-03-10T06:00:00.000-06:002015-03-10T06:00:00.733-06:00The Book I'll Never Write ... by Shannon Baker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Someday I’m gonna write a book. It’s going to be all about avoiding writing a book. Or avoiding anything, really. I’ve lived long enough to know that having done something is great. Even doing something has its good points. Having to do something is annoying.<br />
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Take yoga, for instance. What’s not to love about yoga? It’s like a mini vacation in my day. My mind gets to slip off into a happy place while my body stretches and bends and afterwards, I feel awesome on so many levels. Not only did I enjoy total relaxation in savasana, I get the righteous glow of having done something so good for my body. Namaste.<br />
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Knowing this doesn’t make it any easier for me to roll out the mat. I decide what I’ll cook for dinner, wander to the kitchen and see if I’ve got the ingredients. Take meat out of the freezer. Now it’s time.<br />
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What about sending that email to my daughter with the address she asked me about yesterday? I search through a pile until I find what she wanted and send it off. Oh, that stupid parking ticket. If I don’t pay that it will surely disturb my peace. Finally, I come to my mat. But even then, I’m resisting. Before I close my eyes for the first moments of mediation, I jump up, grab the nearest shoe and slap a spider crawling across the floorboard. Now I’m at peace and begin.<br />
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That’s how I am when I’m getting ready to do something I know I like. Imagine how I fight when I don’t want to do it. When I think about it, it’s a minor miracle I’ve been able to complete novels.<br />
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Facebook is one of my favorite avoidance techniques because I can make the excuse that I’m working on my writing career. We all know how important social media is to connecting with readers. I’m sure there’s something edifying about baby animals or animal voice-over videos. I’m sure it lifts my mood and expands my brain for creative flow.<br />
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I’m not an excellent cook but I far exceed my norm when I’m avoiding writing. This is when I put together that complicated beef bourguignon, which I can’t even spell and can avoid anything productive by having to look it up. Yesterday, in a clear attempt to not write, I made fudge. Not the marshmallow crème cheating way, but actually cooking it to the soft boil stage and beating it to satiny smoothness. It was amazing; just like Grandma used to make. And it took long enough I didn’t have time to write.<br />
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I may continue to avoid writing the book about avoiding writing the book, but I did manage to squeeze in another Nora book. This time, Nora is in Moab, a great place to avoid anything but amazing landscapes, breathtaking scenery, red rocks, petroglyphs and, in Nora’s case, murder and mayhem.<br />
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<i><b>Tattered Legacy</b></i>, the third in the Nora Abbott series, is set in the iconic red rocks of Moab, UT. Working to solve the murder of her best friend, Nora uncovers an unlikely intersection of ancient Hopi legends, a secret polygamist sect and one of the world’s richest men. Will Nora put all the pieces together in time to prevent disaster?<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Leave a comment here and tell me your favorite avoidance behavior (in case I need examples for my book about avoiding writing a book) or just say hi, to enter a giveaway for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tattered-Legacy-Nora-Abbott-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00TONI4HK/" target="_blank"><i><b>Tattered Legacy</b></i></a>. (US only because I can’t figure out shipping internationally.) You have until midnight Mountain Time Friday, March 13th to leave a comment on today's post for a chance to win the book. The winner's name will be posted here on Saturday, March 14th.</span><br />
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<i>Thanks for being my guest today, Shannon. I will never be able to figure out why we writers use these avoidance techniques so much when we're truly only happy while writing. It's a mystery! </i><br />
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<i>Shannon Baker is the author of the Nora Abbott mystery series from Midnight Ink. A fast-paced mix of Hopi Indian mysticism, environmental issues, and murder. Shannon is an itinerant writer, which is a nice way of saying she’s confused. She never knows what time zone she’s in, Timbuck-Three, Nebraska, or Denver, or Tucson. Nora Abbott has picked up that location schizophrenia and travels from Flagstaff in <b>Tainted Mountain</b>, to Boulder in <b>Broken Trust</b> and then to Moab in <b>Tattered Legacy</b>. Shannon is proud to have been chosen Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ 2014 Writer of the Year. Visit Shannon at <a href="https://shannonbaker.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">her website</a>. You can also find her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shannon.baker2?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3335059.Shannon_Baker" target="_blank">Goodreads</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/sbakerwriter" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</i><br />
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<i>While T<b>attered Legacy</b> is available from your favorite online or bookstore, if you’d like to support indie bookstores, you’re welcome to contact <a href="http://www.broadwaybookmall.com/" target="_blank">Who Else Books at The Broadway Book Mall</a>. Ron and Nina are the best! And they might have a signed copy to send.</i>
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-43532248228252665532015-03-09T10:36:00.001-06:002015-03-09T10:36:47.297-06:00The Value of a SmileI was out of town most of last week and had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in the nursing and rehabilitation facility where my mother will get her physical therapy after surgery for a hip fracture. She's doing well, and the physical and occupational therapists at this facility seem very good and very congenial.<br />
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It's the nursing staff that caught most of my attention, though. I observed a lot, intervened a little, but mostly took mental notes on what I saw.<br />
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The staff is overloaded with work....and that needs to be mentioned up front.<br />
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But a work overload would not be made heavier by a smile.<br />
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During three and a half days of observation and attempts to engage the staff, I cannot remember even one time that a nurse or aide smiled. I was not able to draw a smile from even one patient that I passed in the hall.<br />
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Now this is personal opinion, but I'd venture a guess that more smiles would make the smile giver a little less stressed. More smiles might even make the work load seems lighter. Smiles could even make therapy less painful (at least a little) for the patients and lift their spirits.<br />
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It works out here in my life, I know.<br />
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I also know it's not that way in every facility that takes care of elderly long-term patients and short-term rehabilitation patients.<br />
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But doggone it, how do we convince the sad and the sullen that a smile doesn't hurt and it might even help correct a bad situation?<br />
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Smiles are priceless.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Okay, I'm off my soapbox and eager to announce this week's guests</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tomorrow my Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers friend, reigning RMFW Writer of the Year, and mystery author <b>Shannon Baker</b> is my guest.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">And Thursday I'm featuring my Illinois friend, mystery author <b>Molly MacRae</b>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I do get to rub elbows with some of the most amazing writers, don't I? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both authors are giving away a copy of their newest release to a U.S. or Canada resident who leaves a comment on the post. </span></span><br />
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<br />Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-54592614196077313862015-03-02T06:00:00.000-07:002015-03-02T06:00:00.748-07:00Writing, Interrupted<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Travel</b></span><br />
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I'm off again this week to visit my mom and facilitate her transition from the hospital to interim nursing/rehabilitation. She may be 95, but she's one amazing lady. She fell and fractured her hip and one wrist on Sunday, Feb. 22nd, had surgery on Tuesday, and is now starting a little physical therapy. If I make it to Mom's age, I sure hope I have her clear mind and her solid kick-ass attitude.<br />
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Meanwhile, I've set the wip aside until after my knee surgery. Too much life going on. When this kind of thing happens, it's best to set aside all non-critical activities and focus on the important stuff.<br />
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Or go crazy....<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Blog</b></span><br />
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The new website/blog project is moving along just fine. Because I have so many guest bloggers lined up through April 2nd, the new site will debut after I get out of the hospital. I didn't want to risk losing anything in the Blogger to Wordpress transfer.<br />
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On Tuesday, March 10th, my guest is Shannon Baker, a Rocky Mountain mystery author extraordinaire. Her newest Nora Abbott mystery, <i><b>Tattered Legacy</b></i>, officially releases from Midnight Ink today. <br />
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On Thursday, March 12th, award-winning Illinois mystery author Molly MacRae is my guest. She's writing the Haunted Yarn Shop series, with <i><b>Plagued by Quilt</b></i> released in November 2014 and <i><b>Knot the Usual Suspects</b></i> due in September.<br />
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Both of these authors will give away a copy of their most recent release to a U.S. or Canada reader who leaves a comment on their posts.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Snow</b></span><br />
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I know we need the moisture, but I'm tired of winter.<br />
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Tired, I tell you.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Monthly Post at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Blog</b></span><br />
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I'm now a regular on the first Monday of the month at the RMFW Blog (in addition to being co-editor). Last month I wrote about blogging in <i><a href="http://rmfw.org/to-blog-or-not-to-blog-good-question/" target="_blank">To Blog or Not to Blog? Good Question</a>!</i> This month it's all about Twitter: <a href="http://rmfw.org/blog/" target="_blank"><i>Come on everybody, let’s tweet now!</i></a><br />
<br />Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-14827986866491200822015-02-26T06:00:00.000-07:002015-02-26T06:00:02.882-07:00Is Self-Publishing For You? ... by Susan Gourley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The world of publishing is changing fast, and it takes a supernatural ability to see the future to predict what will come next. The options available for writers increase in number and variety every day.<br />
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Many authors are taking the path of <b>hybrid author</b> as their chosen way to build their career. A general description of hybrid author is a writer who does some self-publishing, sometimes called indie-publishing, and also receives contracts from traditional publishers. Those traditional publishers may be the ‘big boys’ based in New York or it could be a small press.<br />
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The choice of what path to seek is an individual choice with pros and cons for every direction. <b>Self-publishing</b> gives an author total control over the content of their works and the design of the cover. They can decide on release dates, sale price and earn a higher percentage on each sale of their book. They also don’t have to worry about their publisher going out of business or not giving their book its share of promotion.<br />
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Going with a <b>traditional publisher</b> means a lower percentage of earnings on each book, giving up editorial control and complete say on cover art. Considerations like release date, pricing, the title and even where your book will be available for purchase is the publisher’s domain.<br />
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Why take one publisher course, the other or both? I can only speak for my own reasons. I’ve never written a book with the express plan to self-publish it. When the publisher of my first fantasy series, <i>The Futhark Chronicles</i>, changed focus and returned my rights, I sought out a publisher willing to reissue the books rather than self-publish. Why? Even as I write this, I've learned that two of the small presses I've been working with have made the difficult decision to close their doors. I now have two fantasy series without a publishing home again. I will search out other venues for them in the next few months. That will be a chore but I will still choose a small press over self-publishing. Again, why?<br />
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I don’t have to worry about hiring a competent editor or finding my own artwork. Both my small publishers sell my books from their own sites for higher earnings for me and also make the books available on all other retail vendors. Many small publishers, especially romance presses, have faithful customers who buy from them on a regular basis. Many publishers search out reviews for their authors and take that chore off the writer’s back. They may also have a promotions coordinator who takes care of setting up blog appearances and used Facebook and Twitter to get the word out there. All those things take time and that is why I don’t self-publish. By working with a publisher, I have more time to write that next book. And everyone agrees that the best promotion for your book is to write another one <br />
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Can you see some pros and cons that I may have missed? What is the biggest factor that directed your choice of the path you’re taken on your writing career? Has it worked out the way you thought?<br />
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Thanks so for having me, Patricia.<br />
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Thanks so much for being my guest today, Susan. The publishing world is changing so fast that we all need as much information as we can get before we make our own decisions....and then the situation changes again just when we thought we had it all figured out. It certainly pays to be flexible, doesn't it? <br />
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Susan Gourley is published in high fantasy. She is also multi-published in science fiction romance with the best-selling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Marines-Queen-Recon-Book-ebook/dp/B00CJKU9FA/" target="_blank">Recon Marines</a> and Warrior of Gaviron series that she writes as Susan Kelley. Her latest release is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Governor-The-Susan-Kelley-ebook/dp/B00Q3HGPR6/" target="_blank">The Warrior and the Governor</a>. You can find her at <a href="http://susangourley.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Susan Says</a> or on <a href="https://twitter.com/SusanKelley" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Gourley/116787120885?ref=bookmarks" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-35533481321621509962015-02-25T09:03:00.000-07:002015-02-25T09:03:58.705-07:00Announcing the Winner of Patricia Smith Wood's "The Easter Egg Murder"<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Congratulations to</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Earl Staggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">who has won a copy of <i><b>The Easter Egg Murder</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">by </span></div>
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<a href="http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/2015/02/whats-in-name-by-patricia-smith-wood.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Patricia Smith Wood</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOgq_m29RAgRVYoVwRhsaRk1T643XQonlQSS5MpOh9dXWNNj9oat37chHge73Tf51tDTWStUs50oDOXfeQjia-0XjclFfW12ABeak9CpvH8O_DSJRc_lFu4qrrUBvR-6H75TjWLEyBKBV/s1600/Wood_Easter+Egg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOgq_m29RAgRVYoVwRhsaRk1T643XQonlQSS5MpOh9dXWNNj9oat37chHge73Tf51tDTWStUs50oDOXfeQjia-0XjclFfW12ABeak9CpvH8O_DSJRc_lFu4qrrUBvR-6H75TjWLEyBKBV/s1600/Wood_Easter+Egg.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Earl is also a mystery writer. Please <a href="https://earlwstaggs.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">check out his website</a> to learn about his stories. He also is a contributor to the blogs</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://murderousmusings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Murderous Musings</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Make Mine Mystery</span></a></div>
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6757567191914795875.post-64658502880958903852015-02-23T06:00:00.000-07:002015-02-23T06:00:03.803-07:00Creating a Twitter Book Promotion Campaign ... by Kenneth W. Harmon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYE4d2ZXLC6VbyLUskIsbujJWamYTlvtEBBtuIh-5t_2nTK5WpoCcpg72ySxgoEK5_MyzHcKBaKZHgp40MuOzFm2e0NiFB_zhQ6qJqc9ELyrW9SabhkzGSFY05uyVZaq1KUZVOZGobxI7/s1600/Ken+Harmon2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjYE4d2ZXLC6VbyLUskIsbujJWamYTlvtEBBtuIh-5t_2nTK5WpoCcpg72ySxgoEK5_MyzHcKBaKZHgp40MuOzFm2e0NiFB_zhQ6qJqc9ELyrW9SabhkzGSFY05uyVZaq1KUZVOZGobxI7/s1600/Ken+Harmon2015.jpg" /></a></div>
So, here’s the situation. It is March, 2014, and <a href="http://journal-store.com/fiction/the-amazing-mr-howard/" target="_blank"><i>JournalStone</i></a> will be publishing my Paranormal Suspense novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Mr-Howard-Kenneth-Harmon-ebook/dp/B00T5ML706/" target="_blank"><i><b>The Amazing Mr. Howard</b></i></a>, in less than a year. I need to find an audience for the book, but how to do it?<br />
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I hadn’t been active on social media in some time. I decided to focus my efforts on Twitter. At that time, I had 388 followers, but hadn’t tweeted anything in months. I knew if I did tweet, I would be lucky to have a couple of people retweet it.<br />
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With the help of Twitter pros like Patricia Stoltey, I learned how to gain followers, and how to delete accounts that didn't follow me back using the website, <a href="http://justunfollow.com/">justunfollow.com</a>. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2F8bxRQrZP1JTHLF7kbzr_R7zHWcQ0I4d2KAfUR8rlxix6RfzfDDb8oNTe7YmqgXTIFXBuybwrMWm918mALnU-KJ9p3pyAZbzdcPVfj7wF8RK2q9RRp1G-EhmpkcSuIQak1dI98xNx7X3/s1600/Harmon_Mr.+Howard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2F8bxRQrZP1JTHLF7kbzr_R7zHWcQ0I4d2KAfUR8rlxix6RfzfDDb8oNTe7YmqgXTIFXBuybwrMWm918mALnU-KJ9p3pyAZbzdcPVfj7wF8RK2q9RRp1G-EhmpkcSuIQak1dI98xNx7X3/s1600/Harmon_Mr.+Howard.jpg" /></a></div>
Ten months later, I’m up to 14,000 followers.<br />
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Having a large number of followers is great, but you still need them to retweet your tweets and help promote your book. How to do this?<br />
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If you want people to help get the word out, you must be willing to help others as well. I’ve always enjoyed promoting other writers, so this wasn’t a problem.<br />
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When you’re ready to start promoting your own work, you need to have content that people will be excited to retweet. This is easier said than done.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qHcOIqHb0QJP-J-fIeuKc3BAceDUJOg5YiOqnR1Wk_fwBmtRcPcCkwcFhTLojT0US7OVedYzL2aafJwQjNbg5xcrs1J5UaWAq_XxFu04YxClz03BwASkyX6AI3wzkhi1drW7o1qRpT2R/s1600/Harmon_2014+Grim+Reaper+picture+1+No+sunglasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qHcOIqHb0QJP-J-fIeuKc3BAceDUJOg5YiOqnR1Wk_fwBmtRcPcCkwcFhTLojT0US7OVedYzL2aafJwQjNbg5xcrs1J5UaWAq_XxFu04YxClz03BwASkyX6AI3wzkhi1drW7o1qRpT2R/s1600/Harmon_2014+Grim+Reaper+picture+1+No+sunglasses.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
I decided to create a series of ads that featured a photograph representing a scene from the book. Because I was on a budget, I did all the photography and editing myself. I cleared out part of the basement, which I used as a makeshift studio. I also looked for interesting locations, such as The Bingham Hill Cemetery, in LaPorte, Colorado. Using the standard photo editing software that came with my computer, I adjusted the size and contrast of each picture. I then utilized Microsoft Paint to add text. I put a unique tag on each ad, followed by my name, the book title, publisher name, and date of release.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_ZqMZCgjPO0r2dRcTVmObtsvZ5HWNl9SG91ZKii3b4rsf2PvgQWrulyXbpMPrSctLgkQGTkTprl_LKZNbjIRERuhlSXzQCSMTB6oTuR4idK8aepBnQpYZ5EvRcOSh0Usj9Fosy2N0-kU/s1600/Harmon_2015+Twitter+Mr+Howard+grave+pic+blue+Mckinney+blurb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_ZqMZCgjPO0r2dRcTVmObtsvZ5HWNl9SG91ZKii3b4rsf2PvgQWrulyXbpMPrSctLgkQGTkTprl_LKZNbjIRERuhlSXzQCSMTB6oTuR4idK8aepBnQpYZ5EvRcOSh0Usj9Fosy2N0-kU/s1600/Harmon_2015+Twitter+Mr+Howard+grave+pic+blue+Mckinney+blurb.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
After obtaining four excellent blurbs for the novel, including three from Bram Stoker Award-winning authors, I decided to make use of them and placed a blurb at the bottom of my twitter ads.<br />
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I posted my first Twitter ad on September 6, 2014. Over the next six months, I posted eleven more ads. I only tweeted the ads one time because I didn’t want to overload Twitter with spam.<br />
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As of January 1, 2015, those eleven tweets have been retweeted over 5,500 times, with thousands of additional tweets for my book created by other users. My publisher even noticed how well my Twitter advertising campaign was doing and wrote to congratulate me.<br />
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Now if I can just figure out how to use Facebook and Google Plus.<br />
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<i><b>The Amazing Mr. Howard</b></i> released on Friday, February 20th, in paperback and ebook.<br />
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Kenneth W. Harmon prefers to be a man of mystery. You can't find his bio anywhere, and he didn't include one with this guest post. <i><b>The Amazing Mr. Howard</b></i> would make one think the author is one scary, demented dude. However, I believe he's a very nice guy with a dark side that comes out only in his novels....at least, as far as I know. He's a member of our Raintree Writers critique group, so I've read early drafts of the Mr. Howard novel. It is not for the squeamish and faint of heart. Beware!<br />
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You can find Ken on <a href="https://twitter.com/KennethWHarmon" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kenneth.harmon.73?fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. And to see all of the promo flyers he created, visit him on <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/110633061503093529305/posts" target="_blank">Google+</a>. Here's one more of the blurbs he received to whet your appetite:<br />
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“A brilliant, supernatural debut of cunning and suspense. <i><b>The Amazing Mr. Howard</b></i> stays ahead of the game living up to his title, and Kenneth W. Harmon is a solid storyteller to watch out for.” - Rena Mason, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Evolutionist, and East End Girls.
Patricia Stolteyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.com13