IWSG Monthly Blog Hop
I'm honored to co-host this month's Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop, along with T. Powell Coltrin, Juneta Key, and Lee Lowery.
Every month, the IWSG poses an optional question that members can answer in their blog posts. Special thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for founding IWSG. I'm always recommending this helpful group to other writers! This month’s question is:
Every month, the IWSG poses an optional question that members can answer in their blog posts. Special thanks to Alex Cavanaugh for founding IWSG. I'm always recommending this helpful group to other writers! This month’s question is:
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
My brother and me, pre-sunburn Growing up, we spent most of our family vacations visiting relatives in rural Ohio, which always seemed exotic compared to our suburban life. (They had horses!) But one year, my parents decided to take us someplace really exotic, someplace tropical. Not a big beach person, I positioned my towel under a shady tree and read Stephen King’s The Stand for hours. My younger brother played all day in the sun, without sunscreen (oops). When his severe sunburn kept us indoors during daylight hours for the rest of the trip, he asked me to tell him about the thick book I was so absorbed in. The Stand is an epic survival story about good versus evil, and I explained to him what happened, chapter by chapter, until he begged me to finish the book faster so we could both find out how it ended.
I realized the power of language. The joyous idea of storytelling took hold, and over time—after an English major combined with a "practical" Computer Science major, an MBA, a detour in the corporate world, and hundreds of other books read—I finally wrote and revised some of my own.
I realized the power of language. The joyous idea of storytelling took hold, and over time—after an English major combined with a "practical" Computer Science major, an MBA, a detour in the corporate world, and hundreds of other books read—I finally wrote and revised some of my own.
Two of those stories resulted in published novels: PANDEMIC and BLACK FLOWERS, WHITE LIES. One of my short stories, THE ART OF REMAINING BITTER, was selected for IWSG's HERO LOST: MYSTERIES OF DEATH AND LIFE anthology.
And guess what? Today's the day that IWSG announces the theme of their next anthology! You can discover the theme on the IWSG home page. Consider writing and submitting a story of your own.
Congrats to all the writers in the newest IWSG Anthology, which released yesterday. MASQUERADE: ODDLY SUITED is now available!
And guess what? Today's the day that IWSG announces the theme of their next anthology! You can discover the theme on the IWSG home page. Consider writing and submitting a story of your own.
Congrats to all the writers in the newest IWSG Anthology, which released yesterday. MASQUERADE: ODDLY SUITED is now available!
Mini-posters
I have several upcoming events coming up, including signing books at the Hudson Children's Book Festival. At this festival, I'm auditioning some signed "mini-posters" as giveaways. If you're local, please stop by! This is one of my favorites:
Quote from the YA thriller, BLACK FLOWERS, WHITE LIES
Helpful Links
Each month, I like to share writing, reading, and productivity links. Here are my recommended resources:
For writers:
I recently discovered Grammarly, a free Chrome extension that spellchecks your email and social media.
Want a peak into how a prolific, bestselling author writes? Check out this blog post, Here's How I Work, from Nora Roberts.
For readers:
If, like me, you read Nancy Drew books while growing up, you might enjoy this bit of history behind the series: The Creation of Nancy Drew by Jennifer Fisher
Productivity:
Should you get rid of your to-do list? This article, "Scheduling your priorities (and not your time) will supercharge your productivity," suggests yes, but I find the idea terrifying. I live by my lists! I use Wunderlist to keep me organized, plus old-fashioned paper and pen. How about you?
I recently discovered Grammarly, a free Chrome extension that spellchecks your email and social media.
Want a peak into how a prolific, bestselling author writes? Check out this blog post, Here's How I Work, from Nora Roberts.
For readers:
If, like me, you read Nancy Drew books while growing up, you might enjoy this bit of history behind the series: The Creation of Nancy Drew by Jennifer Fisher
Productivity:
Should you get rid of your to-do list? This article, "Scheduling your priorities (and not your time) will supercharge your productivity," suggests yes, but I find the idea terrifying. I live by my lists! I use Wunderlist to keep me organized, plus old-fashioned paper and pen. How about you?
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