Getting Together One-to-One

This has been one strange year, hasn't it. At the beginning of the year, I was scheduling writing conferences, sending out submissions, signing up for book fairs, planning on vacations, and attending my weekly and monthly critique sessions. 

Then the world turned upside down.

Conferences and book fairs were cancelled, 

Critique meetings stopped. 

Even my vacations went by the wayside!

What we could and couldn't do evolved and changed. Now we're in a Brave New World with shades of Nineteen-Eighty-Four and Atlas Shrugged. I read those books years ago and thought they were mere speculation of creative minds. Now the plotlines have me wondering where we'll be heading next.

Ah, but there are positive notes for living in the 21st Century. We have the internet to connect with each other without being in person. We have video meetings! I've now done those with my office, my critique partners, and recently a pitch meeting and workshop.

The only problem with a video conference is you can see what everyone is doing. If they leave their monitors the meeting host sees that. They also see if you're paying attention. You can chat with others in your group as if they were sitting next to you, only your snippy remarks will be seen by all. So we become good students and do good eye contact. 

This past weekend I attended a workshop that was hosted by a publisher and we "met" with some of the editors. They discussed cover design, what makes readers buy,  and the type of books submissions they'd like to see. 

Then we discussed COVID and how it's affecting writing. That got a little messy. For those who write historical or fantasy, you can write as you've always done. But what if you write contemporary? 

Who will want to read about the Covid Epidemic two years from now (the length of time it takes for a manuscript to be acquired and brought to  print)? Will it be better or worse in that time frame? If you're writing contemporary do you just ignore all the Covid guidelines and act like 2020 never happened? No clear consensus was given.

So, I throw it out to you. How do you think contemporary novels should be written? With the Covid Back story? Or don't mention it at all?

On the Commitment to Writing: An Interview with Connie Mann

Connie Mann is a licensed boat captain and the author of the Safe Harbor romantic suspense series, as well as Angel Falls and Trapped. When she’s not dreaming up plotlines, you’ll find “Captain Connie” on Central Florida’s waterways, introducing boats full of schoolchildren to their first alligator. She’s also passionate about helping women and children in developing countries break the poverty cycle. Now let’s learn about her writing.

What drew you to writing romantic suspense novels?

I grew up reading the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and Encyclopedia Brown. Then I moved up to Danielle Steele and Mary Higgins Clark. Suspense and romance naturally go together for me. I’ve been writing since I was a child, but it was years and years before I had the courage to submit anything.

Do you write full-time? Or do you have another job that supports your writing habit?
I’m a USCG-licensed boat captain and my day job is taking local 5th graders down the Silver River here in Florida and showing many of them their very first alligator. It’s very fun and gives me people time and the nature fix I need to balance out the lonely hours in my writing cave.

What is the hardest part of writing for you? Starting? Creating a scene? Dialog? Tension?
The opening scene, always. I generally end up rewriting mine at least 6-7 times.

What’s the best encouragement you’ve had in your writing?
When people read one of my books and tell me they loved the story and stayed up waay too late reading, that makes me smile. It means I’ve done my job.

We have all experienced rejection. Give me an example of how you learned to write past it.
I hit a point where I got so discouraged by the rejections that I quit writing. That’s when I became a boat captain. Eventually, the stories called me back and I realized I wasn’t ready to give it up. When I get discouraged, I remind myself that this is what I love to do.

I see you’ve written for Wild Rose Press (I know a number of other writers who do), but now you’re with Waterfall Press. What made you make the change? What tips do you have for someone considering Waterfall Press or Wild Rose?
No matter what house you submit to, make sure you send them your absolute best work. Don’t think, “Oh, I’ll fix it later.” You want your first impression to be memorable—in a good way. 

The Wild Rose Press taught me much about working with editors and deadlines and I’m grateful for the experience. I wrote for Abingdon and now Waterfall, both wonderful, but both discontinued the line I was writing for. My upcoming series (Jan 2019) will be with Sourcebooks. 

What has surprised you the most in writing/publishing? 

I discovered years ago that writers are some of the most giving, encouraging, talented, fun people you’d ever want to meet. I’ve so enjoyed getting to know so many of them through RWA (Romance Writers of America). 

What frustrates you the most about your writing career?
Marketing and promotion are hard for me. I get frustrated with how much time it all takes.

What do you know now about writing that you wished you had known sooner?
Know yourself. Be willing to experiment, but then go with what works for you. I’ve learned that I need a basic plot skeleton before I start, that I do my best writing early in the morning and that nothing happens without a deadline. I make those things work for me, so I don’t fight myself.

What is some of the best writing advice that you’ve received or could give?
Keep learning and try to make every story better than the one before. That said, once it’s done, let it go and move on to the next. Don’t let perfectionism paralyze you.

Can you give me a short synopsis of your current novel?
My current release is DEADLY MELODY: Home is where the heart is. The danger, too ...

The Martinellis were the closest thing to family Cat Johnson ever had. That’s why she ran—to protect them from her threatening past. The orphaned child of classical musicians, she’s been lying low in Nashville and performing at the No Name Café. When Cat reluctantly agrees to attend the wedding of her beloved foster sister, the plan is simple: make a quick appearance at the Martinellis and then disappear again. Instead, she’s thrust headlong into a nightmare.

After a wedding guest is murdered, Cat’s past descends with a vengeance. So does handsome and inquisitive Safe Harbor cop, Nick Stanton, who will stop at nothing to uncover the town’s secrets. That means exposing Cat’s as well. The more intimate Nick’s feelings for Cat become, the more driven he is to find out what she’s hiding.

As things in Safe Harbor take a terrifying turn, Cat realizes that the man she’s afraid to trust might be the only one she can turn to.

Sounds intriguing! What else is in the works?

I’m currently working on a new Florida-set romantic suspense series and can't wait to introduce the Tanners--a family of tough, fiercely loyal law enforcement officers. BEYOND RISK, book 1, is scheduled for release in Jan. 2019 from Sourcebooks.

That’s all for today’s interview. Sounds like some great summer reading. Here are some links to learn more about Connie’s writing. 

Website: www.conniemann.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConnieMannAu...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/captconniem...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Having Fun with Writing: Author Interview with Mylisa Larsen

What inspired you to write How to Put Your Parents to Bed?  
I think it was just the huge gap between what was apparently supposed to happen at bedtime and the anarchy that seemed to be always breaking out during that time at my house. You know those articles you read in the parenting magazines while waiting in the pediatrician’s office—5 Steps To A Stress-free Bedtime? Those never quite worked at my house.

And I’ve always found The Authoritative Voice—that voice often used in parenting books or the filmstrips you saw in fifth grade—intrinsically funny. So I was goofing off and trying to spoof that voice in my writing one day and somehow it ended up with the kids putting the parents to bed instead of the other way around. Because, let’s be honest, we’re the ones who are tired.

When did you actually start writing your book? How long did it take to write your first draft?
I looked back at when I started writing this book and it was January of 2012. It was a horrible, unpublishable version at that time but that’s when the first draft was written. I wrote it quickly. That’s how it usually works for me. I write terrible drafts quickly and then turning them into anything respectable can take me a long time.

Who encouraged you along the way? 
Who encouraged me? I have a wonderfully encouraging family. I have a writing buddy who I’ve traded things with for years. Without them, I would have given up years ago.

Prior to this picture book, what was your publishing and writing background? 
This is my first picture book so I had no prior experience in this genre. I’d published a magazine article once but that was for adults. I had written for a long time. I was an English major in college. Once I got serious about writing for children, I took some classes at the The Loft in Minneapolis.

Are you active with any children’s writers groups?

I joined SCBWI. And there’s a lovely group of children’s writers and illustrators in Rochester (RACWI) that I also belong to now that I live in upstate New York.

How many submissions did it take before you either found an agent or was accepted by the publisher? What was that process like?
I don’t have the story of the hundreds of rejections, but that’s only because I didn’t submit anything for a long, long time. I promise you, if I had been submitting during the first five years that I was learning to write in the picture book genre, I could have papered my house with rejections. 

I go back and read the stuff I was writing in the beginning and they’re certifiably blush-worthy. Most of us just aren’t that good when we start trying out a new thing and I was certainly no exception.

I did get professional critiques at conferences during all that time but I didn’t submit. Then when I started to get more serious interest during some of the critiques, I started thinking about an agent.

What has frustrated you the most in putting together this book? 
I think it’s a surprise to most of us that there is so much waiting involved even after you sign a book. I think once you accept that this whole thing is going to feel like it’s measured in geologic time, it goes better. Make sure you move on to other things so you’re not just thinking about how long everything is taking.

What has pleasantly surprised you in the process? 
The pleasant surprises are many. First, the people working in children’s publishing are often quite fabulous people. And, lucky you, you get to work with them. And then it’s always interesting to see what each person on the team brings to the book. Your agent with who she thinks would be a good match for the book. Your editor’s ideas about changes. The illustrator’s take. What marketing has to say. And sometimes marketing says “we need to change your title” and you are almost 90% sure that they are wrong and then afterward you have to admit that maybe they were right. So, it’s a collaboration and you won’t always get your way but the book is better for it.

Then after a book is published, you get to hang out with preschoolers and children’s librarians and teachers and book people. Really, what could be better?

What book promotions have been the most successful?
I think it’s too early to say what has been the most successful. The book has been out less than two months and I have things planned all throughout the year. But that is something that the data wonk part of my brain is interested in so last week I had a conversation with the numbers guy that I’m married to about trying to measure that and have a shiny new spreadsheet. I may be able to answer that question later.

I think one of the best things I did was decide to work with Kirsten Cappy at Curious City to come up with a list of promotion possibilities. She had ideas that I never would have had on my own and she had access to resources that I didn’t. So I feel like that decision to collaborate was a good one. She’s done some things on the list and I’ve done others.

Kirsten had a book trailer made, sent copies of the book to bloggers and ran a contest to raise awareness and made up a library kit. And I offered programs to the libraries in my region (which have turned out to be really fun) and sent postcards to area bookstores and even children’s stores which might carry the book as a shower gift, and personally emailed an entirely ridiculous number of librarians to introduce them to the book. And then a group of agency mates who are also debut authors spent a week writing about and promoting the book on their blog when it came out.

And I’ve got a list of other things that I’ll be doing throughout the year. So we’ll see.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?
I guess it would be one from Ira Glass -- 

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you.

 A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. 

Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through."

What other works do you have in the process?
I have a picture book called If I Were A Kangaroo coming out from Viking in 2017. I’ve always got a bundle of picture book manuscripts that I’m working on. And I’m trying to write a middle grade novel which often feels to me like some kind of surgery without anesthesia. It’s getting better. But it’s still at that stage where there’s this huge gap between what I want to do and what I have the skills to do so it’s painful. It’s like learning to write in a foreign language for me.

What message would you like parents and children to take away from your books? 
Well, if you look at my books, you’ll see that I’m not much of a message girl. I love silly. But kids love silly so it works out. I guess the underlying message of silly though is “Isn’t life grand sometimes? Wasn’t that fun?”

Any last words or tips?
Figure out what you need to learn next in your writing and then go find the person who can teach you that thing.

That's it for today's interview. If you would like to learn more about Mylisa's writing, Here's how you can do that.
Website: http://mylisalarsen.com/  Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La30CjVILkQ
Publisher: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062320643/how-to-put-your-parents-to-bed

From Newspapers to Novels: Author Interview with Michele Huey

Your background includes writing for newspapers and doing a radio program. What made you decide to take the big step and write a novel?
After over a decade writing nonfiction (devotionals, articles), I felt I wasn’t developing the talent God gave me. I love to read fiction—why not try to write it?

Who helped you with the editing? 
I belonged to an online critique group when I wrote my first two novels and when I began the third one, Getaway Mountain, my critique group partners helped with the initial drafts. Marsha Hubler edited The Heart Remembers and Before I Die when they were published by Helping Hands Press.

I published Getaway Mountain as an independent author/publisher, and I hired Barbara J. Scott, a freelance editor who edited for a major Christian publishing house for decades before going freelance, to do a developmental/substantive edit.

Your books fit a very specific niche - with your protagonists in the retirement age. Since that is out of the normal 30 and under character leads, what was the feedback you received from agents and editors?
I really didn’t pursue traditional publishing after I dropped my agent, and even then I got few comments about the older protagonist. I’ve never been a jump-on-the-bandwagon person, and I’m not a “formula” writer (I do follow structure). I’ve read and immensely enjoyed fiction with older women protagonists, so I followed my own advice to write what’s in my heart.

Are you currently active with any writing groups? 
Yes. I looked for an online critique group after the one I mentioned above became inactive, and finally (just last month) became part of a new online critique group.

Who encouraged you along the way?
My husband, my brother, my best friend, friends, my critique group partners, writing colleagues/friends I met at writing conferences, my CWG mentor (I took the Craftsman fiction course) and my fellow Craftsman classmates. I’m sure there are more, but too many to mention.

How do you get past writer's block?
Write. Write. Write. Just get words onto the page (screen) and don’t try to edit.

What are some of the more difficult aspects of writing a romantic mysteries?
This is my first romantic suspense book in the series. I’ll let you know when I write the second book in the series.

Have other novels been started and stopped along the way?
One—Whiskey Run —which I plan to return to and finish as a novella (have 18k words now). It’s a historical novel based on a real coal boom town in western Pennsylvania by that name. I plan for two more novellas in that series. I also started a novel based on WWII and the Battle of Attu. But the characters weren’t coming into focus, so I moved on. I plan to return to that, if the characters cooperate.

You also write daily devotional books. It looks like the first one was only 25 pages and the next one 112 pages. Was the first book testing the waters to see what feedback you would get?
No. I published Minute Meditations: Meeting God in Everyday Experiences and I Lift Up My Eyes: Minute Meditations Vol. 2 with Ampleos Press in 2000 and 2002, respectively. They are compilations of my weekly newspaper column, which was “Minute Meditations,” which later became “God, Me & a Cup of Tea” when I went to another newspaper. The column won second place in the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association’s Keystone Press Awards in 2009.

I published the books because my readers were telling me they cut out my column and sent them to people they knew. One lady (who lived in a skilled living facility) cut them out and out them in a scrapbook. I decided to compile 50 of my favorite columns and publish them as a devotional book. They still sell well at my book table when I speak at Christian conferences. I continue to get comments on them. Even after 16 years, God is still using these books to touch people.

God, Me & a Cup of Tea was published by Helping Hands Press at their request. The publisher wanted to do ten devotionals in one eBook to start. When he’d published five eBooks (total 50 devotionals), he published a print book with all 50.

I’m currently in the process of typing the Minute Meditation books to publish as eBooks (Kindle edition).

How do you promote these books?
Through social media, direct mail, e-mail, newsletter, press releases . . . Whatever way I can. I’m still on the learning curve.

What do you know now about writing/publishing now that you wished you had known sooner? I wish I’d have believed in myself when I was younger (right out of college). I didn’t get serious about writing until I was in my forties. But then, I believe in God’s timing. I had more fodder and life experiences when I did start writing in earnest. I’ve enjoyed the process—both writing and publishing—each step of the way.

What other books do you have in the works?
Book 1 of the “Almost” Angel series and Book 2 of the PennWoods Mystery series. And the eBooks of my meditations.

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along? 
Write what’s in your heart. Anything else will sound fake. Write the first draft from the heart. Lock up the editor and let the muse dance. You can let the editor out when you’re ready to revise.

Are there any other notes you’d like to add? 
Buy my books. Please.

That's all for today's interview. If you would like to know more about Michele's current and upcoming books, use this link:  https://michelehuey.wordpress.com/

Tips for Creating a Successful Series Sleuth

Today I'm turning my blog over to Dan Andriacco, who is the author of nine mystery novels. Thc cover to the left is his latest release - Bookmarked for Murder. This is  his sixth Sebastian McCabe – Jeff Cody book.  Dan's going to give you his tips for creating a successful series sleuth...

Ever since The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes began appearing monthly in The Strand magazine in 1891, mystery readers have loved series sleuths.

So if you want to achieve success as a mystery writer, your best bet is to create a memorable protagonist. As veteran private eye writer Bill Pronzini said, “It's very hard to write stand-alones now and maintain a career – unless you’re someone like John Grisham.”

Presumably, you are not. And from fledgling authors, agents and publishers are looking for a series. They want to sign on a franchise that they can grow.

In my own work, I have written a trilogy featuring Enoch Hale, an American journalist living in London in the early 1920s, and the ongoing Sebastian McCabe-Jeff Cody series, which I hope lasts as long as I do.

Mac and Jeff, who live in a small town in Ohio, are only the leading actors of an entire cast of ongoing characters. Readers have been kind enough to tell me that opening a new McCabe-Cody adventure is like going home again. This is certainly an advantage in a series.

But, as fellow blogger Noah Steward told me, “The most important thing in a series is its detective character; if (he or she) doesn’t catch the interest of the reading public, you won’t be selling a very long series.”

So what makes a good series detective?

Your detective can be amateur or professional, likeable or irascible (think Nero Wolfe), young or old, male or female, working on a space station or imperial Rome. But he or she should be interesting, easily distinguished from competitors who are outwardly similar, suitable to the story’s style (police procedural, cozy, hard-boiled, etc.) and someone that you and your readers will not soon grow tired of.

One of the greatest dangers of attempting to create a unique protagonist is that you wind up with an unbelievable collection of eccentricities, more a caricature than a character. That might be okay if you’re going for farce and can carry it off, but most mystery readers want their detective to be heroic and yet real enough to believe in.

Consider a true original – Sherlock Holmes himself. One of the greatest American mystery writers of the 20^th Century, Rex Stout, perceptively wrote:

“Holmes is a man, not a puppet. As a man he has many vulnerable spots, like us; he is vain, prejudiced, intolerant; he is a drug addict; he even plays the violin for diversion – one of the most deplorable outrages of self-indulgence.” But, Stout went on, there is much more to Holmes than that: “He loves truth and justice more than he loves money or comfort or safety or pleasure, or any man or woman. Such a man has never lived, so Sherlock Holmes will never die.”

There was only one Sherlock Holmes. Although I am a Sherlockian, Sebastian McCabe and Jeff Cody are nothing like him. Neither should your sleuth or sleuths be. Create a believable detective of your own who will move comfortably in the sort of story you want to write, whether it be lighter than a chocolate mousse or harder than steel. Make him or her someone you love and want to spend time with – and your readers will, too.

Know your market. But know your hero even better.

Like to know more about Dan and his writing or buy his books? Here's the links to get you started...

http://bakerstreetbeat.blogspot.com/

http://www.amazon.com/Dan-Andriacco/e/B001KILC0I

   

Staying True to your Characters: Author Interview with Krysten Lindsay Hager

Most everyone thinks they can write a novel, but they don't realize the time and effort it takes. When did you start writing your novels? I started writing seriously in college. I took creative writing classes where we had to do a novella as our final project and after my second one, I did an independent study with Prof. Thomas Foster who wrote, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, and that’s when I wrote my first story, which….I lost years ago! No clue where it is because it was on a disk and I moved to Europe and my flat flooded. However, right after I finished that novella, I began work on my first young adult novel, True Colors, which is the first book in the Landry’s True Colors Series. I wrote Next Door to a Star after that, which is the third book I had published and the first book in the new Star Series. I did a lot of rewriting on those first two books, so it’s hard to say how long they took.

What writing experience/credits did you have prior to publishing your first book?
I was a journalist writing news, sports, features and a humor column, I also published essays, humor pieces, articles, short stories, and flash fiction before I went about looking for a publisher. I think that experience helped me a lot in my writing, as well as with my confidence in dealing with having my books out there.

What do you want readers take away from your work? 
I hope they'll take away the idea that we all struggle with self-esteem issues and that being yourself is the only way you can truly be of value and feel comfortable. We’re all made unique for a reason and we should honor what makes us special.

How did you go about finding a publisher/agent? How many sources did you pitch?

I have two publishers, but I don’t have an agent. I did a lot of research on publishers first by going to conferences, going through those writing market books, reading writing magazines, going on websites, talking to people, etc. I don’t recall how many places I sent the first story to because I took time away from submitting during the years I lived overseas. During that time when I was in Portugal, I focused completely on freelancing for newspapers and magazines to build my writing resume and get my name out there.

How do you write? Did you do an outline first? Did you do individual character development before doing the full plot?
I don’t outline first, but now that I have two different YA series that I’m working on, I find that after you write the first book, you really do need to know where you’re going with the story. I have what many authors refer to as a “bible” for the series with all the info on the characters, setting, plot lines, etc. I do character studies/profiles before I begin work on any novel. I also do Pinterest boards with pics of how I imagine their houses, rooms, style, etc. When the book gets published, I then make the boards public so readers can see what I picture in my mind for the settings, characters, etc. You can check out mine here for reference: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/

What type of publicity does your publisher expect you to do in promoting your book? 
On my own I do tours, book blasts, tweets, etc. I’ve done radio and TV interviews and podcasts, too.

What did you learn in writing your first book that helped you in writing the second book and getting it published?
I think I learned the importance of trusting your own voice when it comes to writing. Once you begin to build an audience there’s a trust there and you realize you have to stay truthful to the characters. I remember a critique I had at a workshop after the first book came out and someone made a suggestion about one of the characters (Landry Albright) and I thought, “No, that’s not staying true to who she is. I can’t have this teen have a revelation overnight about a situation because it’s not true to life and I felt it would insult the audience if I didn’t have Landry deal with it in her own way. Readers get the feel for a character and so I need to stay true to that. That was the biggest thing that I realized. The second book I got published was Best Friends…Forever? (the sequel to True Colors) and now book three will be out January 12th and it’s called Landry in Like (Landry’s True Colors Series: Book 3).

What surprised you the most in writing/publishing your first book?
What surprised me was how much you’re expected to know about the business—I really wish I had taken some business classes in college and while I took some pre-law classes, I wish I had taken some contract law classes. I remember professors suggesting getting a law degree even if I didn’t have the intention to practice law and now I think that would have been useful .

What frustrated you the most? 

I think what most of us find frustrating is the marketing part because all we want to do is write and yet there is so much business admin to do day in and day out that people don’t realize.

What do you know now about writing that you wished you had known sooner?

What I wish I knew was to have more than one book finished before I started to send them out. Once a book in a series comes out, people want to the next one and if you don’t have it ready, you can lose your audience. I can’t tell you how many times people have the idea for a series, but hold off on writing the books in case no one wants the first one, which I understand, but once book one gets picked up, you will wish you had kept going!

What is the best advice you’ve been given about writing or that you’ve learned that you would like to pass along?
Taking literature classes is the best advice I can give someone as well as enjoying the act of writing and the journey and not just the destination. The best advice I’ve been given is to start off publishing short stories, essays, articles, etc. to get your name out there and to give people a taste of your work so they know what to expect from you.

Do you have any other works in the process?

Yes, Landry in Like will be out on January 12th and my YA novel, Competing with the Star, the sequel to Next Door to a Star will be out march 22nd. I’m working on the third book in the Star Series, as well as another YA novel and an adult novel, too.

That's it for today's interview. If you'd like to learn more about Krysten and her writing, here's some options for you.

WEBSITE: http://www.krystenlindsay.com/
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KrystenLindsay
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/KrystenLindsayHagerAuthor
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

To Indie Publish or Not: Author Interview with Bonnie Blythe

You’ve written numerous books. Tell me how your writing story began. When did you publish your first book?

I've been writing for close to 20 years and have one novella traditionally published in 2005. After that I had an agent, attended writers conference, and networked like crazy, but to no avail. It wasn't until Amazon opened up indie publishing that my manuscripts moved from my computer hard drive to being up for sale. I now have 15 titles for sale (some are collections) and have found an audience for my work. One great feature about being an indie author is that I can move easily from one style to another. Before that I tried to write what editors said they wanted--and got rather frustrated in the process. 

When did you decide to start writing a novel? How long did it take you to write it? How many rewrites did you do?

I first started in 1993—it was some story set during the jazz age. There may have been a saxophone. Luckily it's long lost even though I spent a year on it. LOL Before that I had read several Christian romance novels and thought 'how hard can it be?'

I found out just how difficult it was--especially when I got into a critique group. Ouch! But between critique partners (who've become long time friends) and reading lots of books on writing (especially Self-Editing For Fiction Writers by Browne & King), I learned to write better. I average 2 or 3 rewrites per manuscript, with even more editing in some parts. I don't think anyone ever really 'arrives' at writing. It's a life-long learning and honing adventure. 

Did you ever want to just throw in the towel and say it’s too much work to get

published?

I did quit a few times--raising a family helped with that. It got very discouraging, especially as I did 'everything right.' But no matter how many rules I followed, or continually editing my works according to others' visions, I couldn't seem to get any traction aside from getting a novella published in a collection. I was eventually able to sign with a wonderful agent (via networking at a writers conference) who liked my work and shopped it for years, but without success.

I don't think my writing was the problem, it was most likely my 'voice' wasn't what editors at publishing houses were looking for. Since I've published independently, I have found there is an audience for my voice (and I believe that exists for every writer!). I've sold enough books through Amazon to hit the Number One spot in my genre several times over (even if it was just for a few hours!).

Who encouraged you to write? Are you active in any writing groups?
My husband has been very supportive--working overtime to fly me out to conferences--and the friends I made through my critique groups have been tremendous. I'm not active at present in any writing groups--most of my spare time goes to marketing. 

How long does it take you to write a book today as opposed to your first novel? Do you have a word count goal daily?

I can definitely write faster now that the learning curve has smoothed out somewhat. I think I spent a year or so per book in the past, but now can go from start to finish in about 6 months if I'm disciplined. I don't usually get to write daily, but cram it in on weekends. I use the week to think about the story line, do editing and research, then hit the ground running Saturday morning.

How many times do you rewrite a chapter or do a full edit?

I try not to get bogged down in heavy editing early on. It's more important to get story flow going. I'm somewhere between a 'story-boarder' and 'seat-of-the-pantser.' I have a good idea of what I want to write first, doing heavy character dossiers, and writing out my characters' goals, motivations, and conflicts (see the EXCELLENT Goal, Motivation, and Conflict book by Debra Dixon) before I ever form the first paragraph. But at least half of the scenes are driven on the fly, and sometimes my story goes a different direction than I ever imagined. That's part of the fun. 

Is writing your full-time job or is your writing habit supported in another way?

Unfortunately book sales do not support me. I'm still at hobby level, pay wise, though there were a few plush years in there :) Since the indie publishing wave has crested, there are less 'overnight sensation' stories, and my writing income is pretty much back to 'fun money.' Darn it. LOL

What tips do you have for author self-promotion? What has worked best for you?

Do target marketing. Just like there's an audience for every voice, there's also a blog or readers group who'd be a great fit for your book. You just have to find them via the usual search engine efforts. :) Facebook is loaded with niche groups and is another great place to start, along with sites like Goodreads. Read their rules about promoting books and never spam! Also building cordial reader/author relationships online. If a reader writes to you, write back, and with an offer of a free read. With the millions of choices readers have to choose from, it's wonderful when they choose you. Let them know you respect their time and money by being kind and responsive.

What do you know now about writing, that you wished you had known earlier in your writing career?

I wish I had not spent so much time trying to shoe-horn my writing into pretzels (how's that for a mixed metaphor?) to please the elusive desire of what an editor *might* want on any given day. I'm not referring to constantly honing a skill, or being open to constructive criticism. I mean going against ones' own creativeness. Not that you can't write to a trend, or edit for an interested editor, but writing against my voice just made me frustrated beyond belief.

I'm really only able to write what I want because of the opportunities of indie publishing. If I was still dependent on the traditional publishing model, I honestly can't say whether I'd still be writing. Well, I would eventually yield to the voices in my head demanding release, but it wouldn't be as much fun :)

What advice would you’d like to pass along to other aspiring writers?

Find you voice, find your niche, study what works, be open to criticism that takes you forward--not crushes you--and have fun!

That’s it for today’s interview. I really appreciate what Bonnie said about being true to your voice and honing your skills. Hope you’ll take a look at her books and maybe buy one or two.

Kindle books: http://ow.ly/AZYe6

Blog: http://bonnieblythespureromance.blogspot.com/                         

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

Website: http://www.bonnieblythe.com/

If you’re looking for ways to improve your craft, here are some of her favorite books that can help you along the way.

Goal, Motivation, and Conflict book by Debra Dixon

Self-Editing For Fiction Writers by Browne & King

The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines: Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D. Cowden

Christmas Year Round: Author Interview with Vicki Delany

How did you come up with your new Christmas book?
It was a combination of my agent and me. She suggested a Christmas-theme store, and I expanded it by creating Rudolph, New York, America’s Christmas Town. And thus we came up with the Year-Round-Christmas series for Berkely Prime Crime. The series concept came first, then the characters, setting and all the rest.

Could you give me a short synopsis on the story for my readers?
In Rudolph, New York, it’s Christmastime all year long. But this December, while the snow-lined streets seem merry and bright, a murder is about to ruin everyone’s holiday cheer…

As the owner of Mrs. Claus’s Treasures, Merry Wilkinson knows how to decorate homes for the holidays. That’s why she thinks her float in the semi-annual Santa Claus parade is a shoe-in for best in show. But when the tractor pulling Merry’s float is sabotaged, she has to face facts: there’s a Scrooge in Christmas Town.

Merry isn’t ready to point fingers, especially with a journalist in town writing a puff piece about Rudolph’s Christmas spirit. But when she stumbles upon the reporter’s body on a late night dog walk—and police suspect he was poisoned by a gingerbread cookie crafted by her best friend, Vicky—Merry will have to put down the jingle bells and figure out who’s really been grinching about town, before Vicky ends up on Santa’s naughty list…

That sounds like a fun read.
This is a cozy series, so fun is all important. My agent approached me with the germ of the idea, and I thought I could have a lot of fun with it and did.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
Family and food! My family always comes to my little house in the country, and we eat, eat, eat all the traditional foods. Turkey and all the trimmings, pies, tourtiere on Christmas Eve, plenty of cookies. We also play a lot of board games, which we all love. I live in Southern Ontario, so we always hope for a white Christmas. Sometimes we get it; sometimes we do not. I will ensure that in the Year Round Christmas mysteries, they will ALWAYS have a white Christmas in Rudolph, New York. Yes, sometimes we writers get to play God.

I recently returned from a trip to Quebec where I learned about all things French-Canadian. For those not familiar with tourtière, it's is a meat pie usually made with  diced pork, veal or beef and sometimes wild game. I didn't try that, but I did have a marvelous lobster poutine. So what’s next in your writing life? 
I am the author (so far) of 20 mystery books, both standalones and series. And I still like to keep mixing things up. My next book will be Unreasonable Doubt, the eighth in the Constable Molly Smith series from Poisoned Pen Press, coming in February. Under the pen name of Eva Gates I write the national bestselling Lighthouse Library series for Penguin Random House, and the third book in that series, Reading Up A Storm, will be out in April. The second Year Round Christmas book is We Wish You A Murderous Christmas, coming in August.

Any special awards or achievements you’d like to mention?
My novella, Juba Good (Orca Books) about an RCMP officer stationed in South Sudan, is currently shortlisted for a Golden Oak award from the Ontario Library association. Juba Good was also a finalist for an Arthur Ellis Award and for a Derringer. The next book in that series, Haitian Graves, came out in August.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?
Read. And read a lot. As Stephen King says in On Writing, to be a writer you have to do two things. You have to write and you have to read. That is how you learn your craft. Only by reading what other people have done, can you know what works. And, perhaps more importantly, what doesn`t. Read widely, and not only in your own field.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
The value of patience if you want to be in it for the long haul. I rushed my first book into publication with a minuscule publisher, and it sunk without a trace. I was lucky to get Scare the Light Away, my next novel, picked up by the highly-reputable Poisoned Pen Press. 

It can take a long time to break into publishing, but all that time is worth it if you use it wisely. If your first book isn’t picked up right away by an agent or publisher, maybe it needs some more work, or maybe it isn’t the right book at the right time. You need to you learn and to grow as a writer. The day you finish one book is the day you start the next.

Any last words or tips?
I’m also a big believer in the value of networking and making friends in the business. Go to conferences, join writers groups, make friends. I got my first contract with Penguin because a friend showed my proposed MS to her agent. I am the current president of the Crime Writers of Canada – look us up at www.crimewriterscanada.com

Thank you so much for talking to me. I`ve enjoyed it very much. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Vicki's books sound like great fun reads for the holidays. Here's how you can learn more about her writing:
For info on Vicki Delany books: www.vickidelany.com 

For info on Eva Gates books: www.lighthouselibrarymysteries.com. and https://www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor

Christmas, A Time of Giving: Author Interview with Suzanne G. Rogers

How did you come up with the idea of your Christmas themed book?

A Gift for Lara was actually inspired by the Parable of the Sower, especially as it applies to charitable works. 

Could you give me a short synopsis on the story for my readers?

At the tender age of fourteen, Miles and Lara discovered a soul mate in one another. Too shy to express their sentiments in person, each wrote a love letter. Unbeknownst to them, their letters went astray, and they parted company under the impression their affections were unrequited. At Christmastime four years later, they meet again, but their relationship is strained. After they have an argument about the futility of charitable works, Lara falls ill. Miles decides to step into her shoes to help a local family, as a sort of Christmas gift to her. In the end, Lara and Miles discover the true meaning of Christmas.

What made you decide to do a Christmas themed book?

Certain sermons in church have resonated with me, and I often look for ways to incorporate inspirational moments into my work. Although I don’t consider myself a Christian author in terms of quoting actual scripture in my stories, a great many of my themes have been inspired by my Christian faith.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

Decorating the house and a Christmas tree are always an annual tradition. I like preparing a special Christmas dinner my family can all share. We also open our Christmas gifts together, which is a time I especially treasure.

What’s next? 

I’m always working on my next book! I spend most of my time writing sweet Victorian romance, but occasionally I’ll return to my fantasy roots. My latest Victorian romance is The Mannequin, and my latest fantasy release is a Norse mythology adventure entitled Dani & the Immortals.

Any special awards or achievements you’d like to mention?

Many of my Victorian romances have spent considerable time on Amazon bestseller lists this year, and I couldn’t be more delighted. Nothing could be more satisfying than knowing my work is being read. 

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?

Learn to take constructive criticism to heart, and always be willing to improve your writing skills. That being said, develop a thick skin when insulting reviews come in. Not every book appeals to everyone.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?

 It really does take time to develop a writing career, and to discover what works. Patience, in this regard, can be a virtue, especially if you’re working as hard as you can.

Any last words or tips?

The art of writing and the art of selling books are two different animals. To be financially successful, you must work at both.

Thanks all for this interview. Here's the way to find out more about her books and her writing

A Gift for Lara: http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Lara-Love-Letters-Book-ebook/dp/B00H7LXSVI/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Blog: https://sgrogers.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneGRogers/timeline/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzannegrogers

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/suzannegrogers/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/S.G.-Rogers/e/B003KHD5KC/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

Christmas Romance Unexpected: Author Interview with Jan Elder

How did you come up with the idea of your Christmas themed book?
A couple of years ago, the jewelry store right up the road from my husband and I was robbed. The saleswoman we know best was threatened by the criminal. When she was relating the story of how the kid had pointed a gun at her face—half scaring her to death—I could feel her trembling angst down to my tippy toes. And thus, a story was born!

Could you give me a short synopsis on the story for my readers?
On a bright, crisp December morning, jewelry store manager, Peridot Keaton-Jones, arrives at work expecting to find her beloved uncle, Marty. Instead, she’s greeted by the muzzle of a gun pressed to her temple. When thugs assault her, threaten her life, and steal thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, Peri can only pray her uncle is late for the first time in his life.

Christopher Lane is a TV news cameraman in the right place at the right time. He witnesses the heist, calls the police, and offers help when Peri needs it most. She can't deny her attraction, but is he really her hero, or is he just after a story? And with Christmas right around the corner, can Peri and Chris avert a holiday disaster?

What made you decide to do a Christmas themed book?
The publishing company, Pelican Book Group, does a Christmas Extravaganza each year, putting out a dozen or so books. I’d been impressed with the books I read from the previous years and thought, hey, I can do this! Since they had published my first book, Manila Marriage App, I dashed off a novella (Ha! It took longer than I thought to write a good short book) and I sent it in.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
My mom is also an author and every year she would write a Christmas poem or short story. As part of our Christmas day celebration, she would read her latest creation to my dad, my brother, my sister, and I—after we opened presents and enjoyed a big pancake breakfast, that is. I think that stellar example is one of the main reasons I have always wanted to write. Thanks, Mom!

What’s next? (future books, novellas,  you want to mention)
My third book is coming out in September of 2016. It’s called Love, Lies, and Fireflies, and it’s a full-length Christian romantic suspense novel. The premise of the story? What happens when Mr. Right turns into Mr. Dreadfully Wrong? Can a woman learn to trust again?

Any special awards or achievements you’d like to mention?

Just recently, Manila Marriage App, came in second in the OK Romance Writers of America International Digital Awards contest. Gee, that’s a mouthful, huh? Thanks for asking. I feel very blessed to be recognized.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?
If you’re going to be a writer, just get used to the idea that your first draft is going to be yucky. Words do not spring off the tips of the fingers and land on the page in perfect harmony. The important thing to do is just get it down and not worry about how it sounds. After you have something to work with, you can edit, buff, and polish to your heart’s content.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
I wish I had started writing earlier in life. When I hit 50, I figured if I was ever going to do it, I’d better start. I’d been waiting for the perfect time, the perfect office to write in, the perfect idea to pop into my head with a fleshed out storyline and characters that whispered secrets in my ear. Well, those critters do whisper their thoughts, but not until I take the time to get to know them. 

So…if you’re thinking about writing a book, just start. Read good books on how to write. Go to a conference, maybe join a good writers group. Don’t expect it to be perfect. Just…boot up your computer and strike those keys!

Any last words or tips?
People often ask me what it’s like to be a writer. I'm an introvert and a homebody. When I write, I sit cross-legged on my living room couch with my laptop in my lap, a cup of hot tea on the coffee table, and a warm cat on either side of me. On a typical night, my dear husband is close by lounging in his easy chair watching Maryland Terps Basketball. When I need a little help with word choice, grammar, or male dialogue, he's my go to guy. (yes, my husband is a sweetheart!)How much better can it get?

If you'd like to learn more about Jan and her books, here's some ways to do that:

http://janelderauthor.com/books
https://www.facebook.com/janice.elder.author
https://twitter.com/JanElderAuthor

http://www.amazon.com/Semi-Precious-Christmas-Holiday-Extravaganza-ebook/dp/B0175P1RDQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1446428578&sr=1-3&keywords=jan+elder

Christmas and Giving Back: Author Interview with Cynthia Ruchti

How did you come up with the idea of your book, An Endless Christmas?My first thought was "What would be a tender moment at a family Christmas gathering, and how could I turn that into something unexpected?" Once I started to flesh out the story of Katie and Micah, and once the wonderful Binder family members in the story came onto the scene, I realized that the Binders seemed a lot like my own big, wonderful extended family. Perfect? No. In fact, part of what makes me love the family I call my own is the grace in spite of failures, the forgiveness so freely given, the warmth and genuine affection for one another. Much of that worked its way into An Endless Christmas.

Could you give me a short synopsis on the story for my readers?
Katie isn't sure about spending Christmas week with her boyfriend Micah's family at his grandparents' cottage in the snow and cold of Stillwater, MN. Her family history is anything but warm and cozy. But the Binder's welcome her with open arms that don't close when Micah proposes and Katie feels compelled to say no. There's no escaping Christmas week, no escaping the circle of the Binders' embrace. And no escaping the reality that this Christmas could be their last together.

What made you decide to do a Christmas themed book?
I've written Christmas novellas in the past and always enjoyed the process of telling a story with Christmas at its heart. When this opportunity crossed my path, I welcomed it. No matter what book I'm writing, I'm affected by the story told. This is no exception. I personally feel that my heart is much more ready for a genuine and significant, God-honoring Christmas because of what I discovered in An Endless Christmas.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?
We haven't pulled one off--schedule-wise--for a few years, but I cherish memories of the years the women in the extended family got together for our own Christmas tea with fancy place settings, unique appetizers, spectacular desserts, and time to pull back from the frenzy that often surrounds the holidays in order to enjoy one another. We happen to have many great cooks in our family, so the spread is always as beautiful as it is delicious.

The Christmas celebration with our kids and grandkids has a quirky tradition that actually has selflessness and meaning behind it. We have the tradition of choose a date OTHER THAN Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for our family get-together. Some years it's December 18th, or the 27th, or the 11th... We want to allow the "in-law" families who feel strongly about their traditional Christmas Eve or Christmas Day festivities the freedom to not conflict with ours. We realize that the 25th was a date chosen centuries ago and is merely representative of the actual day Jesus was born. So for us, we're content to just pick a day. In a way, it helps us focus on the Person we honor rather than the date on the calendar.

Another tradition is one our extended family adopted the Christmas after my dad passed away. (It's a tradition that shows up in An Endless Christmas, too!) We don't exchange names for gift-giving, but instead take a collection that we share with a charitable organization in Dad's name. Now that Mom is gone, too, the memorial gift is in both their names. A sweet way to celebrate the heritage of having two loving, exceptional parents/grandparents.

What’s next? (future books, novellas, you want to mention)

I'm blessed to have been asked to do a Christmas novella for Worthy Publishing for 2016 also. It will be fun to create a new setting, new characters, and new storyline for that. In 2016, I have a full-length novel releasing from Abingdon Press. It's Song of Silence, the story of a music teacher who loses her job and her passion when the small school where she teaches closes its music and art departments due to lack of funds. And that's just the beginning of silencing her song. I'm writing devotions for Mornings With Jesus 2017, which will release late in 2016. Other projects are being finalized. I'm more than a little excited about speaking for a women's retreat for the More To Life cruise to Key West and Cozumel with speakers Carol Kent and Kathi Lipp as well as singer Meredith Andrews.

Any special awards or achievements you’d like to mention?
I've been blessed beyond measure to have many of my books recognized by industry honors, each one dear to my heart for different reasons. But without pretense, I can say that the most meaningful achievements aren't achievements at all but moments--hearing from readers who have found hope or healing or insight or encouragement through something I've been privileged to write.

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?
I don't think we can over-estimate the impact of a quality writers' conference. Education, networking, friendships, interaction with editors and agents, inspiration all in one package. I can trace many defining moments in my career to experiences at writers' conferences.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?
I wish I'd established a carefully constructed record-keeping system earlier to manage all aspects of this writing life--character names, careers, diseases, goals, settings; receipts; marketing efforts; images; quotes... It's never too early to establish a good system that works for the individual writer.

Any last words you'd like to share?
Thank you so much for this opportunity, Christine. It's a joy to talk about stories in general and An Endless Christmas in particular. I appreciate it.

Thanks, Cynthia. I appreciate your inspiring words about writing and the Christmas season. You can learn more about her books at:

http://www.cynthiaruchti.com//books
Facebook.com/CynthiaRuchtiReaderPage, 

Twitter.com/CynthiaRuchti 

Pinterest.com/CynthiaRuchti

Christmas Stories for Children: Author Interview with Laura Sassi

Today I'm pleased to host Laura Sassi whose work has appeared in Highlights for Children, Cricket, Ladybug and Spider. She's also been featured in Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. - two publications of Focus on the Family. She is also the author of the delightful Goodnight Ark (Zonderkidz, 2014) 

How did you come up with the idea of your latest book, Goodnight, Manger?

As a mom, I have tender memories of putting my babies to bed and how hard it was when they were overstimulated or overtired. I also have memories of my sweet daughter playing with the little Baby Jesus that was part of our nativity set. She’d carry him around the house saying things like, “Baby Jesus crying. It’s okay, Baby.”  Then she’d gently feed him or rock him and sing a lullaby. Before listening to her tender play, I’d never thought of Baby Jesus as ever crying. But, he was human (and God) and so he must have cried.  With those sweet sparks of inspiration, I was ready to write my Christmas bedtime story. 

Could you give me a short synopsis on the story for my readers?  

It’s bedtime for baby Jesus, but who knew a stable could be so loud? Mama, Papa, and all of the animals try to lull the baby to sleep, but between itchy hay, angels singing, and three kings bearing gifts, it’s too noisy. Cuddle up as everyone tries working together to shepherd Baby into peaceful dreams. 

What made you decide to do a Christmas themed book?

I wanted to write a fun Christmas-themed book that would center on Christ, rather than Santa, in what has become a very secularized Christmas season. I was not born into a Christian home, so I have a heart for families like mine - and wanted to write a Christmas story that would be fun for anyone to read, but which would point them in the direction of Jesus - the real gift of Christmas.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

I love Christmas! Our family’s favorite traditions include: picking out the tree for Christmas, making homemade ornaments, baking cookies, reading a snippet of the Christmas story each evening during advent, and caroling in our neighborhood on Christmas Eve (after the children’s service). 

My son, who is now 15, also likes to keep his eyes pried open as best he can so that he and I can stroll into down at 10:30 for the candlelight service that gets out at midnight. I’m not a night person, but I love that he wants to go to church TWICE on Christmas Eve and I cherish this extra mother/son bonding time. It’s quiet as we walk into town and part of our emerging tradition is talking about our faith and God’s wondrous gift of a Savior.  

What’s next?

I am always working on new picture books and I have several at various stages of completion. I’ll leave the details up to your imagination, but let’s just say that some of my new characters include a mouse, some cheese, a lamb, and a hedgehog. Stay tuned for updates.

Any special awards or achievements you’d like to mention?

My first picture book, GOODNIGHT, ARK, also illustrated by Jane Chapman and published by Zonderkidz, was a 2015 Christian Book Award® finalist.  That was exciting.  =)

What’s the best writing tip you’ve learned or been given that you’d like to share?

One of the best tips I’ve learned as a writer of rhyme is to make sure that I have someone else read my pieces out loud. This is an effective way to ensure that the piece I’m working on reads smoothly. It’s a good check against forced rhymes or meter that work only because of faulty pronunciation, misplaced emphasis on a syllable, inverted word order etc.

What do you know now about writing and publishing you wish you had learned sooner?

I wish I had learned sooner that you can’t rush the writing process. Looking back at the earliest manuscripts I sent publishers, it’s no surprise they were rejected!  I wrote and sent them off much too quickly.  Good, multi-layered, rich writing takes time and more rounds of revision than you ever imagined.

I spent TWO years revisiting and revising my first book, Goodnight, Ark before it was fit to float and many, many months revising Goodnight, Manger. That might surprise readers, but I believe that the time and effort spent revising was the key to capturing Zonderkidz’s interest (and hopefully readers’ interests as well).

Any last words or tips?

I’ve found that the long, hard journey to publication just wouldn’t be the same without a nice support system. For me this includes my family, my lovely agent, and the wonderful network of children’s writers I’ve connected with over the years, many of whom have become dear friends and trusted critique partners. So, my parting bit of advice today is to find a writing buddy or two to join you on the journey! I think you will find, as I have, that it makes all the difference. Happy writing!

As a special kick-off to the holiday season, Zonderkidz is offering a hardcover copy of Goodnight, Manger - fresh off the press to one lucky winner who will be chosen in a random drawing from all entries. To be eligible, just sign up as a follower (click on "join this site"  which is located on the left sidebar across from this text)  The winner will be required to provide a physical address, not a P.O. Box address for the book delivery. U.S. residents only. Contest ends December 4th and the winner will be announced on this blog December 8th.

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

Blog:  https://laurasassitales.wordpress.com/

Book Trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kppv9AMwJrA

Links to the blog tour for Goodnight, Ark

https://laurasassitales.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/goodnight-manger-blog-tour-itinerary/