Veronica Cline Barton's Blog: Mistletoe and Mayhem: Yuletide at Castlewood Manor listed as, "One of the best suspense books of all time." - BookAuthority, page 25
December 5, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Tis the Season for Some Almost Royal Fun!
Happy December (and yes those are some newly acquired almost royal crown jewels)! A new month with lots of fun things to come–including more foods to gobble down (fruitcake and gingerbread–I love it) and holiday cheer (Starbucks chai tea eggnog latte’s here I come)! I hope you are having a wonderful start to your holiday season. Mine so far has been filled with firsts—a really bad cold that took me out for a few days (so over Nyquil cocktails #JustSayin), and I have my first Christmas dinner to attend this week (let the parties begin)!
One advantage of being under the weather is that I had plenty of time to read and get started on the Deadly Receptions marketing plan! Time to pack up the bags too—I’m headin’ cross country to the cold northeast next week….It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
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#AmMarketing #AmPromoting
I’ve just started my marketing planning service pack with BookBaby. They work with Smith Publicity to help authors like myself structure a marketing plan for your new book offerings. To date most of my efforts have been ‘I’ll do it when I learn about it’…it’s time to call in some professional help! I’ve filled out a questionnaire and will be receiving a structured plan to execute, and consultation with my project manager for this service pack in the next few weeks.
I’ve also decided to do the social media platform service to better structure my Twitter and Instagram accounts to promote my books. Lots to do before the end of the year but I think having a plan to work against will be much more effective for me. I’ll post some of the recommendations in a later post and will be tracking the results in 2019. I’m anxious to learn what works, and what doesn’t…
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#AmReading #AmReviewing
So thankful to have had books to read this week, as I curled under the Christmas tree. Once again, the Twitter writer community came through and I was able to read (and review) two more books; one full of laughs and fun, and the other a thriller page turner!
Author Sheila Patel’s The Magic Vodka Wardrobe, 5 STARS
Such a fun read! Author Sheila Patel takes you on a zany journey with Shaz and her family as they enter the magic wardrobe each night to dance, have a voddy (well maybe not just one), and ponder the day’s events. The characters are enchanting–you feel like you’re part of the family as you read, a welcome guest to this cozy hangout (I want the bedazzled shoes too!). A great storyline with lots of laughs–can’t wait to read the next one! Highly recommended!
Author K.Z. Howell’s, Dream State, 5 STARS
Author K.Z. Howell takes you on a thrilling, suspense filled tale that makes you question whether or not you want to dream again! The premise to utilize and develop the dream methodology of Edgar Cayce had me intrigued from the start. Suspense builds as Professor Bench and his team’s research reaches new levels in the Dream State—but is it a power that should be known and expanded, or stay hidden for the greater good? Years pass, and a former research associate, Dr. Kendra Mills, now with the NSA, decides to expand the concepts using any means necessary–including the capture of the original research team to use for her nefarious research. Lots of suspenseful thrill and chills until the very end. A great read!
Next in the reading queue (I am trying to read as many author’s works as I can this month—if you would like your book read and reviewed, let me know and I will put it on my #TBR list):
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Time for some #InspirationResearch…NYC, here I come!
Next week I’m headin’ cross country to the Big Apple to delight in the cold weather (Note to Old Man Winter—please don’t revert to summer temps while I’m there!) and the city’s beautiful Christmas lights. I’m super excited–it’s been a while since I’ve been to the city, although I feel like I was just there—NYC is featured prominently in the Deadly Receptions; the Debut of Castlewood Manor storyline.
We’ll be visiting Rockefeller Plaza, Central Park, the Plaza hotel, the shops on 5th Avenue (Tiffany’s here I come–hope to eat at The Blue Box Cafe!), and see the fabulous Rockettes. May even take a skate at the beautiful Bryant Park….Stay tuned for lots of pics!
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Speaking of holiday cheer….
Reading Sheila Patel’s The Magic Vodka Wardrobe inspired me to once again do a little ‘voddy’ home brew for the holidays! Simple recipe and great flavors! For this batch I used:
1 bag fresh cranberries
orange peel from 2 oranges (just the peel, no pith please!)
juice from the 2 oranges
sugar (to taste–I used approx. 1/2 cup)
1 cinnamon stick
Add ingredients to a sauce pan and heat to boil (you will just begin to hear the cranberries start to pop). Take off heat and cool down. Add ingredients to a glass jar with sealed lid (mine are from Amazon, approx. 2 quarts). Pour vodka over mix to top of jar. Close lid and refrigerate for 1-2 weeks. Use straight up or in martinis or with a splash of prosecco….The fun thing with this is that you can experiment with a variety of flavors (and base liquor, rum or bourbon would work too)–I’ve made lemon/star anise and apple/cinnamon. This is a great base for a spiced up wassail or mulled wine too. Tie a ribbon around the lid and voila–a very nice gift 
November 28, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Guess What Time It Is?
Thanksgiving eat-a-thon is officially over (I hope you had a lovely, gluttonous day)—now it’s time for the next wave of holidays, are you ready? At our house the lights are up inside, now hubby just has to apply his luminary magic on the outside (get ready fuse box–we’ve had our first outage!). Big news here in southern California is that we may get rain this week, hurray! I’ll believe it when I see it…if I remember what rain looks like…
In addition to holiday prep, I have my next wave of writer work to begin–the lovely world of book promotion (the good news is you wrote a new book, the best news is now you have to promote and sell it!)! My holiday wishes will be for miraculous insight as to what works, and what doesn’t as I dive into this newest labor of writer love. It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
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#AmWriting #Book #Promotion
Ta-da, featuring my new book cover mock-up once again (all about getting the picture out now-days) As I’ve mentioned previously, I am working with BookBaby services this go around for Deadly Receptions; the Debut of Castlewood Manor. This is a new service provider to me (Createspace was previous provider for the first 2 books). My goal is to share info about the services I’m engaged with, their scope, outreach and deliverables–as well as the expectations they have of me, the writer.
For marketing and promotion, these are the new BookBaby services I am considering (as well as looking at other service options):
Book Marketing Planner
We’ll focus on crafting ideas for your overall strategy and tips to establish your online author platform.
Maximizing your Amazon Retail Listing (this is a biggie to me)
We’ll help you learn how you can boost your book’s discoverability on Amazon, build an author platform, and teach you techniques to showcase your book.
Social Media Book Promotion (another biggie, how to crack Twitter, Facebook and Instagram)
Learn the ins and outs of book promotion on the world’s most popular social media platforms and how to leverage their respective benefits.
Metadata Optimization (I have purchased this service pack)
Giving your book the best chance to be discovered.
All of these service packs come at a price, but I think it will be worth the investment. I’ll be learning more about the individual services and will highlight the details and options I choose in the next post.
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#AmReading and #AmReviewing
In between having the hourly slice of pie (I know, I know, it’s obscene) I had extra time to read this past week. This week I’m honored to feature reviews of two books I read from the very talented pool of Twitter writers:
Author Craig Wainwright’s The Last Titan, 5 STARS
Author Craig Wainwright’s sci fi tale takes the reader on an epic journey between Earth and the planet Hellas, with alien upheavals, survival, and everlasting love components woven throughout the story. Main character Daniel White has known he was different, his strength and aptitude giving him super-human traits that he does not quite understand. Enter the beautiful Andromeda, a woman of his dreams who comes to earth to hone his powers and help him understand his legacy and true origins. Their journey together takes them on an action packed adventure, avoiding the Earth based powers that want to capture Daniel for research, and the alien Omicron, a shape shifting alien who comes to Earth to stop Daniel in his quest, permanently. I enjoyed this sci fi adventure very much. Author Wainwright introduces the reader to alien world Hellas, unfolding its history and struggles, and its tie to Earth to help save its destiny in vivid detail. The characters and their adventures capture the reader’s imagination in this action packed tale. Will they survive? Or has their journey just begun? A great read!
Author Martha Perez’s Fear of the Mind, 5 STARS
Author Martha Perez’s collection of life story vignettes lets the reader experience the nice, erotic, and evil elements of human nature, with unexpected twists throughout. This collection was a page turner for me—the characters come to life with their unique personalities—their desires, revenge, and sorrows give the reader a private, brief window into their lives and the events that drive them to do what they do. The details take the reader side by side with the characters as they experience their dilemmas and fates–spine tingling drama, steamy encounters, spiced with great wit. An entertaining read, highly recommended!
Next in the reading queue:
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It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas…
Him: “I have a few more strands of lights I could add to the tree…” (Tim Allen Tool Time laugh, ho ho ho)
Me: “Um, I think the 800 lights on there now look just fine…” (I think I need another crown or two with red and green gems–that would look festive….quickly pulls up Amazon website)
Him: “Home Depot had a great sale, I stocked up just in case…” (Looks around the house for possible targets, stumbles over current crown collection)
Me: “I have to wear sunglasses at night inside as it is dear…” (There are no more available outlets, #JustSayin. Ooh, found the red and green gem crowns–they can be here Friday!)
Cats: “Well at least we get lots of Amazon boxes to hide in…” (Humans are a bit out of control during the holidays. Good thing we can hide under the Christmas tree for the next month…)
Welcome to my world—enjoy the rest of your week and the weekend, friends!
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and have a wonderful start to the holiday season. Gemma would approve
November 21, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Giving Thanks
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving–a time to give thanks to all that have brought beauty, love and kindness into our lives. We’re driving up to Paso Robles in central California to spend Thanksgiving day with my lovely sister-in-law and her family (which means I don’t have to cook!). I’m so excited to see my two beautiful nieces, these girls rock and inspire me with their prowess in gymnastics and soccer!
This year I’m especially thankful for the new (and old) friends and acquaintances I’ve been able to connect with on social media. I’m so inspired by you every day, and grateful that we’ve been able to be in touch–you are the best! It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
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#AmWriting
Never a good sign when you get an email from the publisher titled ‘Uh-oh’…but not to fear, the issues were quickly resolved and book production is back on! In fact, the ebook version of Deadly Receptions may be out sooner than expected, making its debut in December…stay tuned!
My muse has me by the collar now too–the story for book 4 wants to be told! Outlining has begun–this one is going to be fun!
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#AmReading
Once again the writers from Twitter come through!
Author Agatha Chocolats, Thirteen Chocolates, 5 STARS
Author Agatha Chocolats takes you down a mystery laden tale filled with many twists and turns as the characters battle it out to claim the Chandler inheritance. Main character Anna takes us through the adventure of a lifetime, always questioning who is friend and who is foe as she fights to inherit, and survive….The characters gave this reader many laughs and the chocolates, oh my! A very witty whodunit that will keep you guessing until the end. A great read, highly recommended!
Next in the reading queue:
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Some more of my chat with Mark Schultz and Grizz
Since you are such a big Agatha Christie fan, were you able to connect with her and her work in any way?
The second biggest thing in your stories, after food, seems to be fashion. You spent a lot of time talking about historic fashion as well as modern, in both books. I do find it quite interesting. You set up every woman’s fashion nightmare in Cast, Crew and Carnage. Why?
In London we were able to get tickets to the Agatha Christie play, Witness for the Prosecution. The ‘stage’ setting was actually in a courtroom used previously by the London Count Council, a perfect set location! The audience sat in the velvet tufted chairs and some of the audience got to participate as the ‘jury’. It was a great performance and super exciting to see at the County Hall historical building. We’re going to another play here in Los Angeles this week, Murder on the Orient Express. I’ve read the book and have seen a couple of the film versions of the story, but never a play. I’m excited to see how they translate the story to live stage.
I love researching the fashions that are described in my stories. I use Pinterest extensively for the more historic designs from the early twentieth century—many of these dreamy dresses are described as garments in the mega closet archive at Cherrywood Hall. I love weaving in an apparel preservation theme in the books. There are so many beautiful designs and the hand sewn beading and embellishments are amazing. I hope the fashions at these old estates are being taken care of as they are in Cherrywood Hall. I’m going to the Metropolitan Museum in NYC in a few weeks to see their garment collections. I’ll be taking lots of pictures there for sure! Always on the lookout for new ideas and inspiration.
November 14, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Sometimes the Sun, Moon, and Stars Do Align!
I’m going to take some time to celebrate this week. The Crown for Castlewood Manor received an Official Selection in the Mystery category for the New Apple awards, an honor I am so grateful to receive. Hard to believe so much as happened since it’s release in February this year, I am beyond ecstatic! This was my first ever writing endeavor, and it has been a life changing experience for me in so many ways.
I’m also ecstatic because I have now turned over book 3 to BookBaby for production. I am pleased to announce the title, Deadly Receptions; the Debut of Castlewood Manor. I’ll be working with the project team the next few months to finalize the packaging and hope to announce the release date very soon. So with that, it’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
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In the writing world….
Woot! Woot! I am so excited to show the cover mock-up prepared by my talented step-daughter, Danielle Gregorio, for Deadly Receptions! BookBaby will be doing the final design/layout for our proper cover reveal, but I wanted to give Danielle some outstanding, well deserved snaps for her work! I love the colors and style of this new cover so much–perfect for the new storyline. Stay tuned, I’ll give updates as we progress through production…
Speaking of New Apple awards (OK, OK I’ll stop soon), take a look at all the winners on New Apple Literary’ s website (so excited for Ken Stark and Jennifer Irwin, two of the writers I follow on Twitter!) Congratulations to all!:
http://www.newappleliterary.com/2018ebookwinners.html
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And the hits keep coming…#AmReading
So glad I took the time to read this week–once again I was delighted with a story from one of my Twitter writers!
Author Luna Selas: Dead Air: All spirits, all the time… 5 STARS
Author Luna Selas’s paranormal tale of the radio station that gives the dearly departed a voice to the living is a heart warming chiller! I loved the details and dialogue in the story–the characters are great, the premise behind the radio a technology #didthatjusthappen, and the mystery of station SPTK, all spirits all the time, pulls you in to listen whether you want to believe or not….This would be a great series, lots of listeners I’m sure! A great story, highly recommended!
Next in the reading queue:
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Thanks again for a great week of Q&A with Mark Schultz and Grizz!
Check out our Q&A on Mark’s website: wordrefiner.com We had a week of great conversation on a number of writing (or not) topics! mark’s book promotion services are highly recommended, and a lot of fun! Here’s a sampling:
You have been to London quite a few times. Since your series is set in England. How much influence has your trips have had on your books?
I imagine you have had some nice Teas. My wife made sure we had tea at several different establishments including Harrods and Savoy, during our trips. Food plays a big part in your books. I would like to hear more…
My travels to England are always so fun for me. I just returned from a trip to London where we toured three royal castles/palaces: Kensington Palace, Hampton Court Palace, and Windsor Castle. I was fascinated to roam the halls of these grand buildings–the history behind each is so interesting. I loved learning about and seeing the rooms where Queen Victoria was raised as a little girl at Kensington Palace. They’ve done a great job showcasing the toys, garments and furniture of the period. They also had several of the gowns and outfits worn by Princess Diana showcased. I loved seeing them up close, remembering the events where she was photographed wearing them. Kensington Palace is the home of the current Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex–they have pretty nice digs and Hyde Park right outside of the palace gates!
Hampton Court Palace is only a short train ride away from the city–it’s the birthplace of Henry the 8th. This was my favorite palace–the grounds were stunning to walk through, very much like Versailles in France. Windsor Castle was very fun to see as well. They had a lot of the areas closed off when we were there due to the royal wedding preparation for Princess Eugenie’s wedding. It was very informative to see all the behind the scene details that go into a royal wedding–I took lots of notes and pictures, I have a feeling they may be useful for an upcoming story, #JustSayin…
We were lucky enough to have afternoon tea at the Savoy during this trip. For my readers, the Savoy is my inspiration for the Beauchamp hotel in my stories, a favorite place for Gemma and crowd to stay during their London visits. The Savoy tea room is so beautiful, highlighted by a metal gazebo in the middle of the room that has a grand piano housed underneath playing beautiful songs as you dive into the yummy goodies. The afternoon tea started with champagne, a variety of teas, succulent sandwiches and fantastic sweets. I ate everything!
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What happens when your MC looks just like the Holiday Barbie….
I couldn’t help it, this Barbie looks just like my main character, Gemma! And she’s wearing a crown!….There is a Hallmark Keepsake ornament version, ahem, #JustSayin
Welcome to my world! Enjoy the rest of your week and have a great weekend!
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. Birthday wishes this week to our son Grant and daughter Danielle–Happy Birthday! Gemma definitely approves
November 7, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Edits are Done, a Giant Leap!
No, I haven’t traveled to the moon (although its cold temps are extremely tempting). I am glad to say that I have finally ended the edits for book 3, a really giant leap (at least for me)! It’s so hard to know when to call it a wrap, but every writer needs to draw his or her line and declare the work done at some point. I know I have put a lot of time and effort into this and have been helped along by some tremendous folks too. I’m ready for the next phase with the publisher, and hope to have the book released in February–light at the end of the tunnel! It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
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#AmWriting, #AmEditing, #AmRevising, #AmHavingAMartini….
So excited to be working with BookBaby for this next phase of the publishing journey. I will be taking advantage of their self-publishing services to get everything put in place and polished, ready for release. Personally, I like have a one-stop-shop that manages the release and distribution processes for you. The team has been great to work with and are very helpful. Writing and editing are stressful, I’m glad to reduce the stress wherever I can! I’ll give updates as we go through the next stages. In the meantime, take a look at their website:
And now I think it’s time to experiment with some of the Savoy cocktail recipes….
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Always glad to have some time to read…it’s good to get out of my writer’s head!
This week was filled with chills as I read:
Author Ken Stark’s Arcadia Falls, 5 STARS
Author Ken Stark gives the reader chills and thrills with this tale of menacing evil plaguing the town of Arcadia Falls. As main character Tyler John and his teenage friends discover the unsettling truth behind several disappearances, their next steps could determine the fate of the town.
I really enjoyed the dialogue and action throughout this story. Mr. Stark does a fabulous job at keeping you riveted through the twists and turns as the teens expose the town’s unsettling past. The characters are great, giving readers a glimpse of high school life. This is a chilling page turner, highly recommended!
Next in the reading queue (I have quite a few books in my #TBR, but I will get to you!):
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So excited to be doing Q&A with Mark Schultz (and Grizz) this week for Cast, Crew, & Carnage; the Filming of Castlewood Manor!
Mark’s stellar review is music to this author’s ears:
I enjoyed this story even more than the first one! I was already familiar with many of the characters and Veronica’s style of writing. These stories are written in the First-Person point of view of Gemma. She is the American import helping her British relatives with many different projects surrounding the ancient family manor house on thousands of acres. There are so many tidbits I want to share, but I am committed to a no-spoiler policy. The upside is you get to have the reading pleasure of discovering all these wonderful things yourself.
I love Veronica’s writing, she assembles so many different elements to weave a masterful tale of intrigue and suspense. Scene setting, dialogue, and action are just a few of the things she does so well! Also, there is no head-hopping whatsoever! One of my pet peeves is having to stop and figure out who is speaking.
She offers lots of clues and it might be a little easier if you read the first book, The Crown for Castlewood Manor beforehand. It isn’t necessary by any means. I have reviewed Crown previously, last September.
I give Cast, Crew, and Carnage a score of 4.9 stars. The score would have been higher except for the small handful of spelling errors I found.
Mark’s Wordrefiner and book promotion services are first rate and highly recommended–plus they’re a lot of fun! Follow Mark on Twitter, @wordrefiner
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Showtime for Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts!
So excited to see one of my favorite stories brought to life on stage. This production looks great. My little gray cells are churning thinking of how they’ll put us in a train on stage—this should be fun!
Welcome to my world! Enjoy the rest of your week and have a great weekend!
Crowns and Kisses,
Veronica
P.S. If you get a chance, go over to Mark’s wordrefiner.com site and ask me a question! Gemma would approve 
October 31, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Halloween, NaNoWriMo, and BOOze
Trick or Treat! I thought the BOOze might get your attention, LOL! Exciting week with #Halloween today (have a great time scary ones) and the start of the NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month) challenge for all you writer fiends tomorrow, November 1.
The lights are up (not quite up to the Christmas level but we’re getting there), candy secured (I personally never want to see another Snickers bar or Ghirardelli chocolate mint square again…I have OD’d), and costume ready (the wicked witch of the west rides again). It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
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Edits/revisions, edits/revisions, and NaNoWriMo?
The good news is things are progressing nicely with the edits and revisions that will continue through the end of the week. I’m still amazed at how many items are caught through each round—it’s enough to scare the bones out of this witch. I can not stress how important it is to get a second, third, or fourth set of eyes to help you through this process. It really is money well spent in my opinion, and will help to deliver a better product at the end (but will it ever end???).
NaNoWriMo starts November 1 and runs through the 30th. The challenge is to write 50,000 words—a novel quest! I won’t be formally participating this go around since I’m trying to finish off book 3, but I will be using the time to finalize my giveaway storyline and start the outline of book 4. When I first started writing I thought this challenge would be impossible, but to my surprise, it’s actually very doable as long as you allocate the time, have a concept and commit. I’m excited to see what gets posted on social media the next few weeks—there are so many talented writers, I’ll be taking notes for sure!
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So excited to have carved out some time to read this week…
Author C.A. Asbrey’s The Innocents, 5 STARS
Author C. A. Asbrey delivers a tale of mystery in the old west with Pinkerton agent Abigail MacKay. Being a female agent in a man’s wild west isn’t easy as she sets out to gather information to catch Nat Quinn and Jake Conroy, leaders of the train robbing gang known as The Innocents. Abi’s world collides with those she hopes to bring to justice, taking the reader on an unexpected, suspense filled journey filled with twists and turns (and a little romance). I loved the characters of this story and am so excited to be able to continue the journey with them in the next books of the series. This is a great read, highly recommended!
Up next in the reading queue, authors Ken Stark and Luna Selas:
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From the Twitterverse….this caught my eye, guilty!
After going through my edit process the past month, I get what Mr. King is saying. I know I used many words and phrases a billion times in book 3 and got called out on it by the editor and beta readers. I think the best advice I received was to slow down–take your time in describing a scene or event. The more descriptive you can be the better the image is for the reader, and it makes for a more interesting read. You want your readers to take their time and enjoy the experience, not sprint through and forget about it.
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Halloween BOOze cocktails inspired by the American Bar at the Savoy….
I could have sat here all day and sampled these lovely drinks (well at 20+ pounds each, maybe not all day…). I loved the cocktail descriptions–they have to have a writer coming up with the titles and recipes! (I had to look up many of the ingredients, umesho/yuzu wine, who knew?) They didn’t provide the measurements of each ingredient in the menu–but I think this would be a perfect opportunity to host some experimental sessions with the ingredients in the company of friends (did someone mention cocktails?). Here’s a few of my favorites—I did enjoy the one at the end I must admit:
The Googly
Hendrick’s gin, Lillet, dessert wine, lemon, apple, raspberry, sugar, cucumber and watermelon soda
Club Rags
Patron tequila, pickled orange, lime, Hibiscus agave
Pinstripe
Grey Goose vodka, apricot liqueur, floral tea infused Muscat, Champagne syrup, lavender
Behind Closed Doors
Redistilled Grey Goose vodka with El Diablo spice mix, clarified tomato water
Curtain Call
Star of Bombay gin washed with sesame oil, Mr. Black Coffee Amaro, Figaro fig liqueur, Dom Perignon Champagne
Back to Reality
Tanqueray No. TEN gin, Martini Rubino vermouth, umesho, lemon, tea tincture, egg white, Champagne
First Impressions
Bombay Sapphire gin, yuzu wine, white pepper St. Germain elderflower liqueur, Champagne cordial, jasmine oil (2 drops, who knew?)
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And some yummies inspired by Reese Witherspoon…
I am so enjoying reading Reese’s Whiskey in a Teacup, What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love and Baking Biscuits book that is filled with yummy recipes (including those of the alcohol kind), party and holiday planning, attire, and just plain good ole Southern gal truisms. Reese does an excellent job of welcoming y’all in to read all about it. Love the pictures too. A great gift for the holidays… #JustSayin
October 24, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, the Countdown Is On!
Here we are, another week of edits sprinkled with a splash of beach time—so far so good (except for the heat (it’s the end of October, hello!) and the 80+ mph Santa Ana winds that pretty much destroyed our patio…). I’m on track to meeting my publishing goals for this book and I’m so excited! I want to give a shout out once again to my beta readers too. They have been so helpful with their edits and suggestions—I’m so grateful for their time and expertise. This process of taking a product from first draft to final form is a pretty amazing experience, despite the late nights/early mornings and weary eyes. Thank goodness for the invention of the French press, that little cherie has earned her keep this week! It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:
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“To write is human, to edit is divine.” Stephen King…
No matter how many times I go through the manuscript, I always find that one little thing to change or fix, it never fails. Some of the mistakes are so blatant I can’t believe I missed them, but alas, here they are right in front of you. I’m trying to figure out why it is I can miss these little darlings time after time—I think they must have a mischievous spirit, sitting and waiting for the perfect moment to pounce on an unsuspecting writer’s brain.
Thank goodness mine are not the only set of eyes in play! I mentioned last week that author Theresa Snyder, who also provides editing and proofing services, has been working with me on book 3. I can’t say enough about Theresa’s services—she has been a tremendous help in identifying and correcting the kinks in the manuscript. I know her professional insights and suggestions have made the manuscript a much better product, no doubt! If you’re looking for editing/proofing assistance, I highly recommend Theresa’s services! She’s a great person to follow on twitter as well ( @TheresaSnyder19 ), #JustSayin… Here’s Theresa’s website link, check it out! :
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http://affordableproofedit.blogspot.com/
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#AmReading ,so many talented authors, so little time…
Luckily at the beach I had some time to catch up on my #TBR list:
Author M.B. Tosi’s The Broken Violin, 5STARS
Author M. B. Tosi’s tale takes you back into the world of the Revolutionary War to experience the despair, hope and love of main character Abigail. I loved the historical details and perspective woven into the story. The survival of the human spirit despite life’s tragedies is an inspiration. Moving read, highly recommended!
Next in the reading queue:
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Speaking of almost royal reads….
I bought these ‘children’s’ books at Kensington Palace and Hampton Court Palace during our trip to London. I really enjoyed touring the halls of each palace and I wanted to get a keepsake from each one. I opted for the children’s books because they had such a charming and humorous way of explaining palace life and rituals of the palace with the cutest illustrations! Here’s a sampling (umm, they didn’t teach history like this when I was in school…)
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Poor King George….his greatest achievement?
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Queen Elizabeth rocks! #JustSayin
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The people’s princess rocks too—this outfit was on display at Kensington Palace.
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Lotto fever strikes!
I cannot lie, I’m playing for tonight’s Mega jackpot of $1.6B and Powerball jackpot of $500M+. Good luck to all the players–someone’s life is about to change big time! If I win, the blog post may be delayed a bit…
Reflections…
This past Sunday morning when I was driving home after a week at the beach, I got to witness this stunning view of the sun rising over Malibu, its refection spreading out over the Pacific Ocean. Cars were pulling over just like me to snap some pics. The scene took my breath away. I smiled and realized how lucky I was to be able to capture this view in my mind (and camera).
It’s of particular importance to me because this is where some of the last scenes of book 3 take place (Malibu). Writing a book is an experience like no other, at least for me. It’s a time of creation, a time for experiencing events with the characters you’ve grown to love, and a time to spruce up and clean up getting ready for the big reveal. I’m super excited for book 3, it’s going to be released just before the holidays, my favorite time of year. This Christmas is looking to be the best ever
October 17, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Trip’s Over, Crunch Time!
Back from our trip to London and so inspired! The jet lag is finally lifting and now I get to wake up at 1:30 in the morning again to edit and revise, back to normal (uh-huh)…
October 9, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, London Inspiration—Castles and Crowns!
What a trip! London has been fabulous (although there were days where it was 40+ degrees warmer than normal…#WhyMe?). I have managed to wear my boots everyday so life is good. Thought I’d share some pics of the places we were so lucky to visit for this post. Our trip was short but jam packed—it’s Wednesday, time for Dear Diary:
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Have to say that this past week I’ve been on sabbatical—self enforced. It’s not that I’ve not been thinking of Book 3, I just want to give myself some away time. I’ll be back editing and revising again in a few days. It’s good to take some time away every now and then to give yourself a fresh perspective (so I keep telling myself).
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Always Thaddeus, Author Marcee Corn: 5 STARS
Author Marcee Corn’s tale of tremendous love and loss in the lives of Andrew, Sandy and Beth and the impact it has takes the reader on a bittersweet, suspenseful journey as they try and re-build their fractured lives, hanging on to the promise of hope and new beginnings. Are new chances for happiness possible? Or will they push some over the edge of sanity? I really enjoyed this read, highly recommended!
Am Reading (listening to actually–review in next post, a great story)
October 3, 2018
Veronica’s #WritersDiary, and We’re Off!
Feature pic is one of my favorites being a girl from Kentucky. London bound and I can’t wait! The bags are packed, passports in hand. So excited to go back to one of my favorite cities. Lots of castle trips planned (Hampton Court, Kensington Palace, Windsor) so that I can once again become almost royally inspired. So looking forward to some cooler temperatures and maybe even some rain (Yay!). Kind of bummed that I won’t be there long enough for the next royal wedding in Windsor, but I will be searching for those oh so wonderful #RoyalWedding memorabilia!
My boots are ready for walkin’! So far the offerings to Iceland volcano gods are working (no eruptions yet!). It’s Wednesday, time for #WritersDiary:
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In the writing world…
Well after an exhausting week, Gemma and the gang have left Malibu and are headed back to Cherrywood Hall….or so I think! The manuscript is now in editing (of the professional kind). After so many weeks of read/revise/edit I’m ready to have the professionals step in. I’m also sending it out to some of the brave folks who have volunteered to be beta readers for me, no turning back now! This is always a gut wrenching time for me (and I think most writers)—will they like it? How much red ink will I be seeing when the doc is returned? I guess I will just have to console myself at the pubs until the feedback roles in
