Ruth C. Mitchell's Blog, page 7
September 22, 2020
Living Happy Joyous and Free
I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes, what can I say, sometimes life gets in the way of marketing.
A number of years ago I was a columnist for the newspaper, One Day at a Time.After I accumulated a number of articles I put them on Amazon as an ebook. People would always ask me if they could buy Living Happy Joyous and Free in paperback form. I didn't take these requests seriously enough to pay for the expense of hiring someone to format it for me. I even tried doing it myself. Boy what a disaster!
I am happy to announce the book is now available in paperback form. Although I am dedicating the rest of my career to writing fiction, I am very proud of this little handbook, and the gift it is to someone who reads it and is uplifted by it.
If you know of anyone who would benefit from such a book, please pass on this information. One in four people are affected by the disease of alcohol/drug addiction. Seeking help can change their lives and this little book, just might be the catalyst.
September 19, 2020
Ruth Bader Ginsberg
This is a little bit unusual but I am supplying you a link to my personal FB page, to share a small miracle/coincidence. Whatever side of that coin you are on.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1...
September 16, 2020
Wildfire
West Coast is on fire\\//\\// so disturbing on so many levels. Birds, bees, deer, houses, humans, whole forests charred. Their ashes falling, stifling suppressing/oppressing engulfing the air. We continue to dishonor our greatest gift, the earth instead selecting heathens who grind their teeth on the weak and stupid, throw chemicals on the carcasses of their slaughter, and mince words with audaciously wicked, greedy, demons; taking advantage of their false power to lie and soil the water, the air, the climate the fragile balance of our lives. Please vote to save our precious earth.
September 7, 2020
Self Review
White Oak by Ruth MitchellAs a reader I've probably read thousands of books. Most of them wonderful, because the unwonderful ones didn't get finished. Will you finish White Oak that took my blood, sweat and tears to produce? I think so. It is actually a fast read.
Will you like the characters in White Oak? Yes, if you like colorful characters.
Will you like the plot? Yes, because you have never met these characters before, and like all characters they are unpredictable.
Will you know what happens in the end? All you will really know is that the main female character, Cara, evolves and perseveres through an untenable situation.
Will you come away from this story changed? Yes, I certainly hope so, because that is the ultimate benefit of fiction.
View all my reviews
September 3, 2020
Beyond Beyond
Today I wrote the epilogue for Beyond, my next novel. Do I feel finished? No not even close. There are many things to do do yet. BUT I feel great. I am toying with the idea of getting an agent involved if possible. Yes, I feel confident about this story, and as I polish it I will allow my dreams to soar.
Here is my one sentence pitch: Perhaps you will read it and have suggestions. I would like that very much.
When Laura Haskell, a fantasy author, meets and falls in love with Sean Wilson, a ghost expert, who solves the mystery of who her grandfather was through Artificial Intelligence and ‘seeing dogs’, she seeks to overcome her alcoholism, eventually marrying him, though unforeseen events leave her changed forever.
August 24, 2020
Writer's Colony at Dairy Hollow
It's been awhile since I last posted. I've been working fast and furious on Beyond. I am so enamored with the book that just keeps writing itself. I am obsessed. But isn't that what writing about? Spending lonely hours in front of a computer? Nope. That's just one tiny aspect of it. And I never feel lonely.
As writer's we must push ourselves to grow and learn about both writing and marketing. Especially if we are self-published.
Recently I enjoyed a wonderful consultation with Philip Cioffari through the Writer's Colony at Dairy Hollow, located just five minutes away from my house. He was supposed to come in person and do a workshop, but because of Covid it became a zoom thing. Which is how my WCDH writing group has been meeting for months. It was $50 well spent.
Which brings me to the gifts of the Writer's Colony at Dairy Hollow, which started out as the second Bed & Breakfast to open its doors in Arkansas. Author Crescent Dragonwagon and the late Ned Shank propelled their vision into an impressive venture garnering some stalwart titles during its 18 years in business, such as "Inn of the Year" by both Conde Nast Traveler and USA Today.The restaurant was also covered in Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Self, the Wall Street Journal, and countless regional publications.
Personally the writer's group I am in, helped to jumpstart back my writing career that I had let go by the wayside.
An essay I wrote for Still Not Dead Yet will be released soon. And as you know I am deep into writing Beyond, a paranormal thriller.I wanted to let you know WCDH has just recently added a community group to Good Reads. We are hoping all WCDH alumni will join and share news of their literary successes.
Stay safe all
June 30, 2020
Growing a Following
I was joking with author Charles Templeton this morning about the ins and outs of marketing books when I said, "you know Charles just about the time we get this marketing thing down we'll die."
Charles who wrote Boot: A Sorta Novel of Vietnam has a great sense of humor so it was kind of fun to make him laugh for a change
Today I'm asking you to please recommend White Oak to your friends on Goodreads or any friends for that matter. Here is a link to share that has lists on listopia that White Oak is included in.https://www.goodreads.com/list/book/1...
Thanks so much for your support.
June 28, 2020
The Wind Blew or did it?
"It was a dark and stormy night." We all know the purple phrase iconic for the struggle of writers to find their voice.
How does one find their voice when writing? For me it comes bellowing, sometimes screaming out of me when I do a release and catch. This morning on my bike ride, a level 4.2 miles in the undulating bucolic town of Eureka Springs. I enjoyed the cooler a.m. temperatures.
As I take notes in my mind. I say the wind blew. Wha? What kind of writer would say that? A fifth grader could do better.
Then I leap to the sensual. The wind caressed the earth. AACH! Victorian trite. So, what was the wind doing? It was diluting the escalating heat like cool water. What? I kind of like that. Let’s twist it up a bit to give the readers a little surprise with their cereal.
Like cool water, the morning breeze wind diluted the escalating heat. Okay, now we’re getting somewhere, a nicely turned phrase as some would say.
It was on my mind, while changing gears on subtly changing road grades, that I was enjoying the Covid-19 quarantine way too much. This was evidenced by how excited I got when I saw two horses clutched together head to butt who were swatting the flies in an elegant approach to using their tails to the benefit of both. I wondered if their elders had taught them this, or this method was happenstance for them.
Admittedly I have been trying to put my head into what animals might think as I write about Cloud, a ghost seeing white German Shepperd who lives in a haunted hotel in San Francisco.
No, its not a children’s story but a paranormal thriller for adults. Each of us has a small child within us that takes joy in considering the impossible.
I do, don’t you?
June 23, 2020
Goodreads Lists
Hi everyone.
As I learn more about marketing White Oak I'm excited about getting the word out. This link: https://www.goodreads.com/list/book/1... will take you to the listopia lists where White Oak Can be found. I hope all of you will follow the link and vote for White Oak in these categories. Also White Oak is currently on sale on Amazon. Additionally If you would like to recommend White Oak to your FB friends or Goodreads friends just let me know what actions you took and I will send you a complimentary ebook to anyone that sends me 5 new followers. My Facebook author page is: https://www.facebook.com/RuthMitchell... This promotion lasts through the end of June 2020.
