M.T. DeSantis's Blog, page 36

Writer’s Block: Why It Isn’t Just About Writing and What You Need to Kick It for Good

C.W. Tough love. Taking responsibility. Not making excuses

You have the power.

Image by Brandon Morgan on Unsplash. Image by Luke van Zyl on Unsplash.

That’s it.

That’s why you have writer’s block.

“I can’t right.”

No, you can’t.

Why?

Because you just told yourself you can’t.

Feeling defensive, guilty, or ashamed? You’re in good company. The feeling of “can’t” elicits these types of emotional responses, which then compound our “can’t” feelings. It’s a sli...

Audio Excerpt: Romance a Medieval Fairytale, Book 2 by Demelza Carlton

Author: Demelza CarltonNarrator: Mary SarahLength: 4 hoursSeries: Romance a Medieval Fairytale, Book 2Publisher: Tantor AudioReleased: May 8, 2018Genre: Fantasy; Romance

A dutiful daughter. A prince forced to find a bride. If the shoe fits...Once upon a time... When the Emperor's army comes recruiting, Mai signs up, seeing it as the perfect escape from her stepmother and a lifetime of drudgery. Armed with her mother's armor and a pair of magic shoes, Mai marches off to war...only to find hersel...

Excerpt+Giveaway: Silent Scream by Marcia Colette

A YA paranormal by Marcia Colette

Psychokinetic teen Phaedra Thorne is back! Her life consists of balancing her high school and college courses while trying to keep the peace between her older brother Kurt and little sister Nadia. On top of that, their schizophrenic and psychokinetic mom remains locked away in the attic. Believe it or not, things are better than they have ever been.

Those "better times" go up in flames when the only sanctuary the Thornes have ever known--their ho...

Excerpt+Giveaway: Alien Legacy – The Empath by Keri Kruspe

A Sci-fi romance by Keri Kruspe

The aliens we thought were long gone are coming back.

Just his luck, alien-hybrid Ben Duncan is the only one for the job. Being an empath and a financial wizard, he’s called in to uncover an essential ally at a small regional bank in Vegas to thwart a plot his alien ancestors, the Akurns, seemed to have started there. If their heinous plans are successful, the global economy would crash and weaken mankind for their invasion in less tha...

Review+Giveaway: The Ghost of Walhachin by Ramona Nehring-Silver

A middle-grade historical by Ramona Nehring-Silver

A ghost, time travel, and unusual friendships await Kean in Walhachin. Kean feels displaced at his home in Seattle since his mother recently re-married and has chosen to spend the summer in the small desert town with his aunt and younger cousin. Not long after arriving, he regrets his decision. There is no one his age. The town is too small for public amenities. Then everything changes when he uncorks an old soda bottle t...

Audio Excerpt: Romance A Medieval Fairytale Book 1 by Demelza Carlton

Author: Demelza CarltonNarrator: Mary SarahLength: 4 hours and 6 minutesSeries: Romance a Medieval Fairytale, Book 1Publisher: Tantor AudioReleased: Apr. 17, 2018Genre: Fantasy; Romance

A beastly prince. An enchanting beauty. Only love can break the spell. Once upon a time.... The wicked King Thorn forced the enchantress Zuleika to cast a terrible curse. She fled his court to travel the world, helping those who need her magic most. Until a search for her merchant father's lost ships leads her t...

Excerpt+Giveaway: The Calla'cara Gambit by Rob Bartlett

A science fiction by Rob Bartlett

I used to be an itinerant Star Ship Captain. Then the Sentient Ships blackmailed me into helping them Emancipate from the Mercantile Empire in return for keeping the intelligence level of my personal AI a secret.

I'm taking on bankers, lawyers and accountants, oh my! And a couple of serial killers, just to keep it spicy.

I've got a plan, a crew and a deadline. Now I just need precise execution, a little luck and a whole lot of moxy to pull...

Review+Giveaway: Dance with Me by Judith Crow

A YA fantasy by Judith Crow

Don’t tell anyone, but Kelli spends all her free time listening to folk music. Ok, it’s not what you’d expect from a popular fifteen-year-old, but that’s why she doesn’t want the whole world to know.

When Kelli follows the mysterious Tam Lane, she finds herself in a place where folk songs come to life. As she comes to terms with the world, she makes friends, uses her privilege to help others, and even falls in love.

But Kelli has forgotten the fates w...

Excerpt+Giveaway: Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath

A middle-grade fiction by Polly Horvath

Four sisters search for true family in this story of resilience by a Newbery Honor author.

When the McCready sisters' parents are washed away in a tsunami, their Great Aunt Martha volunteers to have them live with her on her farm in British Columbia. But while they are traveling there, Martha dies unexpectedly, forcing Fiona, the eldest, to come up with a scheme to keep social services from separating the girls - a scheme that will only ...

Action in the Middle: A Must-Have Self-Editing Tip to Make Your Writing Move Right

Image by Damian Zaleski on UnsplashImage by Morvanic Lee on Unsplash.

You’re welcome.

Moving on. The same principle applies in fiction writing. We don’t always need to know everything that happens between one event and the nex...