Urban Fantasy Book Giveaway

Five years ago I published my first novel Ula: Born of Shadows with a small publisher. I knew that I needed to market the book if I was going to have any success as a fiction author, but I didn't do it. Life stuff got in the way and if it sounds like an excuse, that's because it is. The truth is that at pretty much any stage of our lives, we're faced with challenges. Even during the most placid periods, we still have jobs, dishes and oil changes. There has never been a moment in my life that I couldn't make a dozen excuses for why I wasn't writing.

To make a very long story slightly less long, a couple of months ago I realized that if I didn't commit to writing in a real way then I was going to spend the rest of my life wanting to be a writer, but rarely writing. Since that day, I've written at least 1,000 words every day - many days 2,000 plus; I've cancelled my contract with my small publisher and started the journey towards self-publishing; I've contracted a freelance graphic designer to build an author website and I've taken about a thousand notes on fiction marketing. Over the next few months I plan to re-release Ula: Born of Shadows - my first novel in an urban fantasy series. The sequel Sorciere: Born of Shadows will follow shortly thereafter. They're both currently written and edited. The third book is in the works - though I have another 30,000 words to go, then will come the editor, the cover art etc. I will do my best to come here and share the journey with all of you. There's something amazing that happens when you share your story, it resonates with others and they share their stories in return.

Thanks for visiting! I am giving away three paperback copies of Ula: Born of Shadows on my Facebook Page. Visit the link below and like the post for a chance to win a copy.

Visit My Facebook Page for a Chance to Win a Free Copy of Ula: Born of Shadows. Winners will be chosen September 30th.

2017 Writer's Conference in Michigan

Fall is a great time to get recommitted to your writing - or to hone your craft - or network. As summer drifts away, we find ourselves more often in quiet contemplation. Add a boost to that reflective time by attending a writer's conference. Not only are conferences a great chance to meet other authors, they provide valuable -  and current - news about the world of writing and publishing. 

The Kent District Library in Comstock Park, Michigan is holding the KDL Writer's Conference: Crafting Edition on Saturday October 28th, 2017. If you're thinking about doing NaNoWriMo, this conference may offer a great jump start for writing your novel in November. 

For more information on the conference, visit the KDL website here. Pre-registration is required for the event.  

Beautiful Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore
 (The area that I call home)

Scrivener for Novel Writing

Wow - what can I say? Scrivener is awesome. Mind you, I've been writing novels in a basic word processor for years so Scrivener is like transitioning from a bicycle to a spaceship. At least that's been my experience so far. I downloaded the free trial of Scrivener a few weeks ago and it has seriously transformed my writing process. Being able to break down my novel easily into scenes, within chapters, within the entire manuscript - which is all easily seen and navigated to in a left side bar - saves a ton of time scanning back and forth through my document for previous scene information. I can't really offer a post with all of the aspects of Scrivener that are great because I'm still pretty new to the software; however, if you're writing novels and getting really bogged down in your process, consider trying out the free trial. Let me also add that I don't have any affiliation with Scrivener or benefit in any way from posting about the software. I'm just so blown away by how much it has helped organize my novels and ideas that I wanted to share. I've posed a link to the free Scrivener download below as well as a video that I watched to get acquainted with the software. I hope that you get some great results from trying it out.

Free Scrivener Download Link

Video: Top Five Reasons Scrivener is My Favorite Writing Software (this is not my video)

I don't believe in 'thinking' old. Although I've transitioned through many bodies - a baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, mid-life and older adult - my spirit is unchanged. I support my body with exercise, my mind with reading and writing, and my spirit with the knowing that I am part of the Divine source of all life. Wayne Dyer

Writing Every Day

I have been writing every day for a couple of weeks now. With a one year old vying for my time and attention, writing has been less of a priority. Though let me be honest, prioritizing writing has always been challenging for me. When I wrote my first published novel Ula: Born of Shadows, I wrote every single day. I also didn't have a day job, a child, or many of domestic rituals I've now taken on, but ultimately it wasn't about my time. I simply chose to do it. Just like now, some days I choose to vacuum or file paperwork - other days I skip it. If I skip it long enough, the dust/cat fur/clutter call me to action. Writing is both easier and harder to ignore. You see, no one is going to choke on a carpet hairball if I don't write for a few days. On the other hand, my brain, heart and bones will start to vibrate with the irritating request that I sit down and write. If I ignore that request long enough, I start to feel lost, frustrated and disappointed in myself. Those feelings don't help me to write. On the contrary, the self deprecating thoughts are another barrier to my creativity so I push it further from my mind. It's a disturbing cycle and so easily broken by a few minutes at my computer every day. That's it - so simple - ten minutes of writing and I can find ease. Lately it has come naturally. I have several projects going simultaneously. I've also just downloaded Scrivener and I've been slogging through YouTube videos on how to use it. So if you find your own frustrations with making writing a priority, I'm going to outline a few tips that I use to get my butt in the chair.

• Brainstorm: Sometimes the only writing that I do in a day is a long rant about what's happening in my story and what could be happening in my story, etc. I have a separate file for every book dedicated to brainstorming, character development, outlines, synopsis, ideas. It's crucial to the writing of my novel and it helps me get the ideas out of my head without the pressure of committing words to the novel when I feel less inspired. 
• Podcasts: I love podcasts and subscribe to a huge variety them from spiritual growth to writing and editing. One of my favorite writing podcasts is Write 2B Read by Ani Alexander. She interviews authors and people in the book business who provide great tips, resources and stories of their development as authors. I'm almost always inspired to write after I listen and you can tune into podcasts while driving, cleaning, cooking, which means you're not detracting from other to-dos.
• Long Hand: Keep a notebook handy at all times to jot down ideas or write a scene or character description. So often writing inspiration will strike when I'm riding in the car with my husband or running into town on an errand. If I have my notebook handy, I can get my writing done at that moment. I also believe that our ideas are unique when we're in the world instead of tucked at home in front of our computer. Take advantage of your own unique perception in those moments by writing them down.  

Northern Michigan 

Snowflake Method of Novel Writing

Need some structure for that novel idea that has been floating around in your mind for a while? I stumbled across this website this morning by author Randy Ingermanson who details a novel writing structure known as the Snowflake Method. It seemed like a pretty effective tool for outlining so I wanted to pass it along. I hope that you find it helpful!

The Snowflake Method for Novel Writing

Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money.

Moliere

Quit Whining Start Writing - October 2016 Writer's Conference

Hey Writers! Sorry for the last minute notice, but I just came across a writer's conference happening in Michigan this week. Take a day and head over to Grand Rapids for the Quit Whining Start Writing Writer's Conference which features keynote speakers, writing workshops and more.

For more information: http://www.splatteredinkpress.com/writers-conference-2016/

Writing Through It

Lately I have felt paralyzed by the darkness in our world. Each time I get inspired to write, I open my laptop and make the mistake of tuning into Facebook or browsing the news feeds and suddenly I am not writing. I am reading about a mass shooting or a political scandal and the inspired me is shriveling and shrinking and crawling back inside so that I don't have to think about it. You see, good writing comes from that deeper self that is connected to it all. The self that feels huge love and compassion and fear and gratitude and hope and apathy and rage. The self that is a reflection of my truth and that cannot look upon these horrors and remain unaffected. Instead, I look and recoil and then try to back away. Rather than feeling inspired to write something positive to balance the energies of all that negative, I feel scared.

I am a new mother. I am a daughter, a wife (sort of), a sister, a grand-daughter, an aunt, a cousin, a friend. Like most of the world, I love. When I read about the death of a child, it reaches into the depths of my being and squeezes until I have to rip my attention away and put it somewhere else. Tragedy is hard, but when it is intentional, when it is committed by a person or persons with malice, it becomes this horrifying enigma. Now I am looking - not only at the injustice for the victim and the grief for the family - but also the motivation of the person who acted out their cruelty. Why did they do it? This is the cycle that cripples me. It is here in this tornado of shock, sadness and ultimately questioning, that writing becomes less than secondary. I can barely think of writing. I wonder what's the point? I might pen something that inspires hope, but will it merely be buried beneath the onslaught of another day's darkness?

Yes, it probably will. But still I do it. Not always, sometimes I just watch a movie and snuggle my baby and pray that love wins. But writing is my way out of that confusion. It is also this hugely powerful tool to influence the world in a positive way. Just as my heart breaks when I read about tragedy, it soars when I read a beautiful poem or laugh at a funny story. The pen is mightier than the sword. We can see that when we are broken by the stories of these tragedies. We were not shot, attacked or abused, but collectively we feel beaten when we're constantly steeped in the stories of those who were. It is our job - and by our I mean the whole of humanity - to cast our awareness onto all that is good and beautiful. We have to write about the love in those moments when we feel lost.