C. Lee McKenzie's Blog, page 24
August 28, 2017
Meet Bouhaki, and then Let Me Tell You A Story

I had this short piece on my computer, and decided to publish it. The weather (hot), the wine (chilled). the day (long) all contributed to my decision.
Also I was just edged out of first place in the August WEP by this cat person named Hatt (rhymes with cat), so I thought I'd better ramp up my cat game a bit. Congrats to him and to Hilary as well. Applause to you both.
Thanks to Denise and Yolanda for the fun and the great themes.
Some of you know that I once lived in Vientiane, Laos. The stories I have tucked away from that experience fill a file drawer, and I don't expect to ever be able to set all of them down. But here's one that I thought might be fun.
Our kitchen and wash room were separate from the main house. Very sensible because of the heat. Alongside these rooms was an extra sleeping room, and I had a girl who lived there with her family. She worked for me, and over time, we became good friends. She taught me some Lao and I taught her some English. With only a few words, we created some interesting pidgin sentences, so we understood each other. I have lots of stories about when we didn't!
Late one night--her husband gone, my husband gone--a terrible sound came from the washroom. I grabbed the kitchen broom and was outside in a shot. I was sure we were in grave danger. Nong met me, carrying a garden rake. You can see why we got along. We both liked to be armed and ready.
Holding our weapons out, we advanced on the wash room, but it was empty, except for the washing machine and some boxes. We waited, listening, but there was only silence. We no sooner backed out than that same sound froze us to the spot. Imagine a dinosaur trapped inside an 8 by 8 cement room and you've imagined what we heard coming from those dark recesses. Once we'd girded our loins, we advance shoulder to shoulder and banged on the side of the washing machine.

That's when the dinosaur sprang. Two feet long. Very prehistoric. Quite cranky because of all of our whacking. The iguana came at us. Drop weapons. Run for life. Wedge selves in doorway. Scream. Un-wedge and head for the house.
I think the iguana decided he didn't care much for the chase and took off into the jungle where he could get a good night's sleep. It took a week before Nong or I had the courage to go into the washroom, and that happened only after one of our husbands checked behind the washing machine.
Quote of the Week: “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta, World TravelerBeware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on August 28, 2017 04:30
August 21, 2017
Books. Books. Books. AND Insecurity Pride Day!

The Snowman: It takes a true artist to pursue his victims in the art of seduction, and Stowy Jenkins is no exception, especially with blood as his medium.
Buy your copy now and be terrified. A #Freebook on August 23 and 30!
Tara Tyler has a new book out, too!

Deja was a happy, trouble-making troll, until she was exiled from her home under the mountains for her perilous pranks. Now she must serve a frilly human, Princess Calleah who's locked in a tall tower. The Two Princesses from opposite sides of the Valley become unlikely friends in their seclusion, but when the time comes for Calleah to leave the tower, their bond is put to the test by propriety, princes, and parents. Deja doesn't take any gruff and will give it right back to protect Calleah, no matter the cost.
ebook on Amazonprint book via Lulu


Then show us!
On Wednesday, October 4 (IWSG Day), post a photo of yourself (or your alter ego) with any of the IWSG swag or with the IWSG logo. Then leave a comment that day at either the IWSG website’s post or the IWSG Facebook post directing us to your photo. (All blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and newsletter members welcome, but photo must be posted on a blog or Facebook to qualify.)
The IWSG site admins will visit each one and pick the top three. Why? Because there are cool prizes involved:
Third place – EBook of A Change of Mind and Other Stories by Nick Wilford, eBook of The Remnant by William Michael Davidson, eBook of Cling to God by Lynda R. Young, eBook of Already Home by Heather M. Gardner, and eBook of Dragon of the Stars by Alex. J. Cavanaugh.
Second place – The entire eBook collection of the Totem series by Christine Rains, eBooks of Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie, audio book of CassaSeries by Alex J. Cavanaugh, eBook of Black and White by Nick Wilford, and your choice eBook from J.L. Campbell.
Grand prize winner - IWSG website interview, IWSG newsletter spotlight, IWSG pinned tweet for one week, C. Lee McKenzie's Featured Follower for the month, the IWSG Goodreads book club eBook for October/November, a short chapter critique, and a pair of IWSG erasers.
We have some great IWSG swag – pens, mugs, magnets, erasers, etc. Proceeds go to fund the upkeep of the IWSG site.
You have almost two months to prepare – show us your best insecurity!
Quote of the Week: "No two persons ever read the same book." Edmund Wilson
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on August 21, 2017 04:30
August 16, 2017
Write, Edit, Publish. REUNIONS!
I love joining in the WEP. It's a fun and creative hop. I couldn't do it last month, so I was delighted when I could spin a short yarn this month. The theme is Reunions. I hope you enjoy my contribution, and I hope you'll visit the others who have shared their stories today. The link to find others is at the bottom.
Liza’s Quilt
The walls of our cabin danced with shadows from the wood fire, but no matter how much I stoked and encouraged the flames to warm the room, the air remained chilled. When I touched Gran’s gnarled hand, the iciness of it made me weep. She emitted a cold that no fire would warm again, so I lay with her, wrapped in Liza's quilt and listened to the fading sounds of her words.
“Sweet Mara, you are. . .” Even close to my ear, her raspy voice was barely audible. She took short, shallow sips of air, and for a moment I thought she wouldn't say more, but then she did. “You are the only one now who will hear the Voices. Listen to them. I followed their instructions and pieced the quilt as they wanted it done.” She paused again, and I stilled my breath, listening for hers. Her hand grasped mine. Tightly. “But I have no time left to understand the mystery of this quilt, or how they intended it would help us find your sister.”
“I’ll do what you ask, Gran,” I whispered, and I burrowed closer to her as I had since childhood. The autumn leaves of her heartbeat fluttered against my chest. I willed my heart to beat stronger for the both of us, but my will was not enough to return her strength. My magick rose up in me the way I commanded it to, but it wasn’t enough either. During the night, the Voices dropped to murmurs in the darkness. By first light, Gran had been called from our world, and the Voices had fallen silent. I lay there feeling the weight of being the last of our family in the meadow, wondering how I could live without Gran and if I could learn the mystery of Liza’s quilt.
In the days that followed, the emptiness of what was once home to five, gnawed at me, and the yearning to find Liza and bring her back increased with each sunset. She was taken from the meadow when she was ten and I only eleven, five years ago. Astride their horned beasts, the Shriekers had pounded down the warren of twisted mountain trails, their dark hair whipping in the wind. In a thunder of hooves, they trampled our gardens and their piercing cries shattered our world. We’d hidden, but one rider found Liza. He scooped her up and rode off. Once again they’d taken their spoils. Two years before, they’d mortally wounded my mother. My father gave them chase, but never returned. Killed or perhaps lost in the maze leading to their lair.
The Shriekers always descended on the first full moon at the cold season’s end. Every year we hid. Every year we ached for our losses. Now the cold season was at an end again, and that night the moon would rise full-faced. At dawn the Shriekers would come. This time I was alone.
After the sun settled behind the mountain, I opened the quilt and smoothed it across the bed. Gran called her stitchery a crazy quilt. Her embroidery meandered throughout the pieced fabrics and along the edges like a meadow path, looping and inviting my fingers to follow her fine hand work. Liza loved sunflower yellow, and Gran’s nimble figures used to sew garments in those golden hues for my sister. Many of the patch-worked pieces were those remnants of Liza’s childhood dresses long ago washed into threads. These bits trailed throughout the quilt, a bright reminder of her laughter and sweet nature. Liza was born fair and full of joy. I’d come to the world with raven hair and heavy with our family legacy, magick. My magick had saved me that day from the Shriekers, but it hadn’t been enough to save Liza. I so missed my sister, and I needed her. I needed the Voices to return, but I was beginning to think they were Gran’s magick, and not mine. They might never return.
“Speak to me,” I commanded. But the cabin remained silent. With the quilt covering my shoulders, I walked outside to watch the moon glow spread over the meadow.
As I stood looking up, a tingling like butterfly wings started across my back. I ignored it at first, but it was insistent, so I pulled off the quilt and held it before me to find what the cause of that sensation could be. There was nothing, and yet, the palms of my hands now felt that same tingling. I spread the quilt gently on the earth, and I’d no sooner released it from my grasp than the yellow remnants from Liza’s childhood clothing grew bright. When I looked into the distance, a trail of sunflower gold spread from the quilt, away from the cabin and toward the mountain pass. It continued as far as I could see.
I gazed into the distance, the Voices singing inside my heart. “Follow the golden way.”
They’d guided Gran’s nimble fingers to create the way to my sister, and now that I had that path to follow I didn’t hesitate. Even with the full moon, the night held danger, but I felt my magick grow steadily stronger with each step I took, and my fear fell behind, a detached shadow.
At the most tangled crossroads, the first sun rays spiked into the sky. Sensing movement ahead, I stopped, straining to hear. My breath stilled. From beyond the curve I heard the sound of hurried footfalls, and before I crested the rise, Liza came running toward me, her smile more glorious than when she was a child, her arms open and quick to embrace me.
“How––” I gasped.
She didn’t let me finish. “I felt your magick, and the golden light guided me through the Shriekers’ labyrinth. At last I could escape and find you. We clung to each other, my sister and I together again.
And then a thunder of hooves shook the earth.
A quilt as a map has always fascinated me.
Thanks Yolanda and Denise for giving me a chance to explore that idea.
VISIT WEP
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

Liza’s Quilt
The walls of our cabin danced with shadows from the wood fire, but no matter how much I stoked and encouraged the flames to warm the room, the air remained chilled. When I touched Gran’s gnarled hand, the iciness of it made me weep. She emitted a cold that no fire would warm again, so I lay with her, wrapped in Liza's quilt and listened to the fading sounds of her words.
“Sweet Mara, you are. . .” Even close to my ear, her raspy voice was barely audible. She took short, shallow sips of air, and for a moment I thought she wouldn't say more, but then she did. “You are the only one now who will hear the Voices. Listen to them. I followed their instructions and pieced the quilt as they wanted it done.” She paused again, and I stilled my breath, listening for hers. Her hand grasped mine. Tightly. “But I have no time left to understand the mystery of this quilt, or how they intended it would help us find your sister.”
“I’ll do what you ask, Gran,” I whispered, and I burrowed closer to her as I had since childhood. The autumn leaves of her heartbeat fluttered against my chest. I willed my heart to beat stronger for the both of us, but my will was not enough to return her strength. My magick rose up in me the way I commanded it to, but it wasn’t enough either. During the night, the Voices dropped to murmurs in the darkness. By first light, Gran had been called from our world, and the Voices had fallen silent. I lay there feeling the weight of being the last of our family in the meadow, wondering how I could live without Gran and if I could learn the mystery of Liza’s quilt.
In the days that followed, the emptiness of what was once home to five, gnawed at me, and the yearning to find Liza and bring her back increased with each sunset. She was taken from the meadow when she was ten and I only eleven, five years ago. Astride their horned beasts, the Shriekers had pounded down the warren of twisted mountain trails, their dark hair whipping in the wind. In a thunder of hooves, they trampled our gardens and their piercing cries shattered our world. We’d hidden, but one rider found Liza. He scooped her up and rode off. Once again they’d taken their spoils. Two years before, they’d mortally wounded my mother. My father gave them chase, but never returned. Killed or perhaps lost in the maze leading to their lair.
The Shriekers always descended on the first full moon at the cold season’s end. Every year we hid. Every year we ached for our losses. Now the cold season was at an end again, and that night the moon would rise full-faced. At dawn the Shriekers would come. This time I was alone.
After the sun settled behind the mountain, I opened the quilt and smoothed it across the bed. Gran called her stitchery a crazy quilt. Her embroidery meandered throughout the pieced fabrics and along the edges like a meadow path, looping and inviting my fingers to follow her fine hand work. Liza loved sunflower yellow, and Gran’s nimble figures used to sew garments in those golden hues for my sister. Many of the patch-worked pieces were those remnants of Liza’s childhood dresses long ago washed into threads. These bits trailed throughout the quilt, a bright reminder of her laughter and sweet nature. Liza was born fair and full of joy. I’d come to the world with raven hair and heavy with our family legacy, magick. My magick had saved me that day from the Shriekers, but it hadn’t been enough to save Liza. I so missed my sister, and I needed her. I needed the Voices to return, but I was beginning to think they were Gran’s magick, and not mine. They might never return.
“Speak to me,” I commanded. But the cabin remained silent. With the quilt covering my shoulders, I walked outside to watch the moon glow spread over the meadow.
As I stood looking up, a tingling like butterfly wings started across my back. I ignored it at first, but it was insistent, so I pulled off the quilt and held it before me to find what the cause of that sensation could be. There was nothing, and yet, the palms of my hands now felt that same tingling. I spread the quilt gently on the earth, and I’d no sooner released it from my grasp than the yellow remnants from Liza’s childhood clothing grew bright. When I looked into the distance, a trail of sunflower gold spread from the quilt, away from the cabin and toward the mountain pass. It continued as far as I could see.
I gazed into the distance, the Voices singing inside my heart. “Follow the golden way.”
They’d guided Gran’s nimble fingers to create the way to my sister, and now that I had that path to follow I didn’t hesitate. Even with the full moon, the night held danger, but I felt my magick grow steadily stronger with each step I took, and my fear fell behind, a detached shadow.
At the most tangled crossroads, the first sun rays spiked into the sky. Sensing movement ahead, I stopped, straining to hear. My breath stilled. From beyond the curve I heard the sound of hurried footfalls, and before I crested the rise, Liza came running toward me, her smile more glorious than when she was a child, her arms open and quick to embrace me.
“How––” I gasped.
She didn’t let me finish. “I felt your magick, and the golden light guided me through the Shriekers’ labyrinth. At last I could escape and find you. We clung to each other, my sister and I together again.
And then a thunder of hooves shook the earth.

Thanks Yolanda and Denise for giving me a chance to explore that idea.

Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on August 16, 2017 04:30
August 14, 2017
Heads Up! WEP Ahead
The August Write It! Edit It! Publish It! is almost here. On August 16 those who signed up on the Linky will be posting their stories about this month's theme, REUNIONS.

Is marketing sucking the joy out of your writing life? Then read what
The Insecure Writers' Support Group Book Club is reading. Our new book selection is based on survey results that showed this area was the biggest challenge for writers.

WRITING:
1. Finish last draft of YA: Not Guilty.
2. Send off last book in Pete Riley trilogy and cross fingers.
3. Write, Edit, Publish Reunions short story.
BUSINESS OF WRITING:
1. Record podcast with Jody Mott re: Alice in Wonderland.
2. Set up Featured Follower for August.
3. Put up new cover for Sliding on the Edge and promote as FREE.
4. Do #IWSG Guest Posts and own posts through Sept.
OTHER LIFE: (What is that?)
1. Set up garden for fall.
2. Pack for France.
3. Buy tickets for Texas.
4. Do all publicity for Library through September.

Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on August 14, 2017 04:30
August 7, 2017
August Featured Follower, Yolanda Renee
This month welcome Yolanda Renee!



World damnation is a psychotic man’s goal, but two obstacles stand in his way, greed and a dedicated detective.

A killer plays cat and mouse with a young widow against the snowy backdrop of an Alaskan winter.
She's author of five novels and has stories in several anthologies. Her Detective Quaid Series now has a prequel, which I've read and reviewed. See what I have to say about Snowman.

Visit her author page all of her work on AMAZON.Yolanda blogs HERE.
Want one of her books? One lucky person will win a book of his/her choice. Tell us which one in your comment, and you're automatically entered. You get points if you're among my Email Connect or Free Book List friends.
AND
THE SNOWMAN IS A #FREEBOOK TODAY!!!
August 7th

Each month the Write Game features an author or authors. So what does that mean?
I buy read and review your book (Amazon and Goodreads) and mark it as “Am Reading/Read” on Goodreads. I feature you on my blog, The Write Game, two times. I post one your covers on my Pinterest under Covers That Catch My Eye.I feature you/your book on my Email Connect that goes out on the 1st and 15th of each month. If you want to do a giveaway during the month, I mention that on my Free Book List that goes out on the 1st of each month Facebook is networked with my blog, so my blog posts will appear on my Timeline. Each Wednesday I tweet about your book three times throughout the day.If you haven't joined one of my lists, I hope you'll do that and help me spread the word. The longer my lists, the wider my reach. It's fairly painless, and I don't bug people more than twice a month.
Quote of the Week: "If you believe that no one was ever corrupted by a book, you have also to believe that no one was ever improved by a book." Irving Kristol, American Columnist and Journalist.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none}
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on August 07, 2017 07:04
August 2, 2017
#IWSG Special October Fun
Mark it on your calendar! OCTOBER 4 is a special IWSG Wednesday. There are prizes to win. There's fun to be had. So get ready and jump in for some fall excitement.
Not an IWSG Member?
Sign Up Now
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew

Sign Up Now
The awesome co-hosts today are Christine Rains, Dolarah @ Book Lover, Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor, Yvonne Ventresca, and LG Keltner!
The optional August 2 question: What are your pet peeves when reading/writing/editing?
Are you proud to be an insecure writer?Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Then show us!
On Wednesday, October 4 (IWSG Day), post a photo of yourself (or your alter ego) with any of the IWSG swag or with the IWSG logo. Then leave a comment that day at either the IWSG website’s post or the IWSG Facebook post directing us to your photo. (All blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and newsletter members welcome, but photo must be posted on a blog or Facebook to qualify.)
The IWSG site admins will visit each one and pick the top three. Why? Because there are cool prizes involved:
Third place – EBook of A Change of Mind and Other Stories by Nick Wilford, eBook of The Remnant by William Michael Davidson, eBook of Cling to God by Lynda R. Young, eBook of Already Home by Heather M. Gardner, and eBook of Dragon of the Stars by Alex. J. Cavanaugh.
Second place – The entire eBook collection of the Totem series by Christine Rains, eBooks of Princess of Las Pulgas by C. Lee McKenzie, audio book of CassaSeries by Alex J. Cavanaugh, eBook of Black and White by Nick Wilford, and your choice eBook from J.L. Campbell.
Grand prize winner - IWSG website interview, IWSG newsletter spotlight, IWSG pinned tweet for one week, C. Lee McKenzie's Featured Follower for the month, the IWSG Goodreads book club eBook for October/November, a short chapter critique, and a pair of IWSG erasers.
We have some great IWSG swag – pens, mugs, magnets, erasers, etc. Proceeds go to fund the upkeep of the IWSG site.You have two months to prepare – show us your best insecurity!
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 16.0px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 19.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 19.0px} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 19.0px; font: 16.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 15.0px; font: 12.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none; background-color: #ffffff} span.s2 {font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font: 16.0px Verdana; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #2100e8; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #2100e8}
So are you in? Hope so.
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on August 02, 2017 04:30
July 31, 2017
What The Delivery Guys From Macy's Taught Me & Nick's Cover
Last month we splurged and bought a new couch. And since we want to keep Macy's in business, we went to their brick and mortal store to make our purchase and schedule the delivery. You know, old school. No drone drop off. No UPS truck.
When the delivery guys arrived, they were cheerful and courteous and dressed in crisp, clean shirts and pants. They rolled out a red carpet at our front door and put on shoe covers before coming inside. Once they'd brought in the couch and put the room back in order (lamps, tables, rug), they handed me an evaluation form.
"We hope you've found our service excellent," one said. "If you could give us an excellent rating where you think we deserve it, we'd really appreciate it. Those ratings are so important for us. Thank you for your time."
So how does any of this relate to the business of writing? Well, I'll tell you if you haven't already seen where I'm going.
Professionalism The delivery guys were well-groomed, and they entered my home with care, so that I felt comfortable with them in my private space. I like to approach this business of writing the same way. I want people who visit my blog, my website, my Facebook page. . .all my social media to feel comfortable when they let me into their lives with that click of a mouse. I also want them to enjoy what I write, so I edit the posts as carefully as possible. After all, I'm a writer, I should write good stuff. :-) Just a small joke!
Flare They made the arrival of my couch an event with that red carpet, I wasn't just getting a piece of of furniture; I was getting THE BEST piece of furniture for my home. That's how I want my readers to feel when I present them with my work. I want them to feel that I'm giving them the BEST I have to offer.
SourceHonest, Straightforward Request They handed me the evaluation and asked for my rating. They did so clearly and with a reason behind their request. Then thanked me in advance. Now that's a concept we writers understand, isn't it? "I hope you enjoy reading my book. If so, I'd really appreciate it if you would give me a review. Those reviews are so important for writers."
I'm glad I needed that couch. Buying it and having it delivered made this post possible and reminded me to attend to three important things while I'm in the writing business.
A new book's coming September 18. And here's your peek at the cover.
What is the price paid for the creation of a perfect society?
In Whitopolis, a gleamingly white city of the future where illness has been eradicated, shock waves run through the populace when a bedraggled, dirt-stricken boy materialises in the main street. Led by government propaganda, most citizens shun him as a demon, except for Wellesbury Noon – a high school student the same age as the boy.
Upon befriending the boy, Wellesbury feels a connection that he can’t explain – as well as discovering that his new friend comes from a land that is stricken by disease and only has two weeks to live. Why do he and a girl named Ezmerelda Dontible appear to be the only ones who want to help?
As they dig deeper, everything they know is turned on its head – and a race to save one boy becomes a struggle to redeem humanity.
Amazon / Goodreads
Quote of the Week: "The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself." Oscar Wilde
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
When the delivery guys arrived, they were cheerful and courteous and dressed in crisp, clean shirts and pants. They rolled out a red carpet at our front door and put on shoe covers before coming inside. Once they'd brought in the couch and put the room back in order (lamps, tables, rug), they handed me an evaluation form.
"We hope you've found our service excellent," one said. "If you could give us an excellent rating where you think we deserve it, we'd really appreciate it. Those ratings are so important for us. Thank you for your time."
So how does any of this relate to the business of writing? Well, I'll tell you if you haven't already seen where I'm going.

Professionalism The delivery guys were well-groomed, and they entered my home with care, so that I felt comfortable with them in my private space. I like to approach this business of writing the same way. I want people who visit my blog, my website, my Facebook page. . .all my social media to feel comfortable when they let me into their lives with that click of a mouse. I also want them to enjoy what I write, so I edit the posts as carefully as possible. After all, I'm a writer, I should write good stuff. :-) Just a small joke!

Flare They made the arrival of my couch an event with that red carpet, I wasn't just getting a piece of of furniture; I was getting THE BEST piece of furniture for my home. That's how I want my readers to feel when I present them with my work. I want them to feel that I'm giving them the BEST I have to offer.

I'm glad I needed that couch. Buying it and having it delivered made this post possible and reminded me to attend to three important things while I'm in the writing business.
A new book's coming September 18. And here's your peek at the cover.

What is the price paid for the creation of a perfect society?
In Whitopolis, a gleamingly white city of the future where illness has been eradicated, shock waves run through the populace when a bedraggled, dirt-stricken boy materialises in the main street. Led by government propaganda, most citizens shun him as a demon, except for Wellesbury Noon – a high school student the same age as the boy.
Upon befriending the boy, Wellesbury feels a connection that he can’t explain – as well as discovering that his new friend comes from a land that is stricken by disease and only has two weeks to live. Why do he and a girl named Ezmerelda Dontible appear to be the only ones who want to help?
As they dig deeper, everything they know is turned on its head – and a race to save one boy becomes a struggle to redeem humanity.
Amazon / Goodreads
Quote of the Week: "The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself." Oscar Wilde
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on July 31, 2017 04:30
July 24, 2017
Hero Lost, Mysteries of Death and Life, Part 4
Last installment of my Featured Follower of the Month for
Hero Lost Mysteries of Death and LifeAn Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Website - Lost Hero Anthology
Print ISBN 9781939844361 $14.95eBook ISBN 9781939844378 $4.99
Goodreads Print: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books A Million EBook: Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Amazon, Amazon UK, and Amazon CA
Each author has submitted a favorite inspirational quote.Thank you, authors!

Yvonne Ventresca, The Art of Remaining Bitter“All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. . . .You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”—Ira GlassBlog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Renee Cheung, Memoirs of a Forgotten Knight“This is The Great Work, and all you have to do is choose it, not look back and never fucking stop until you're in your box, under the dirt and flowers are growing between your teeth.”—Warren Ellis
(From Writing Advice From Warren Ellis: http://observationdeck.kinja.com/writing-advice-from-warren-ellis-1693980246)
Web | Blog | Twitter | Facebook
Sarah Foster, The Last Dragon“I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within.”—Gustave FlaubertBlog | Twitter | Instagram
I've finally changed the cover on Sliding on the Edge . For better or worse, here's the new one. I'm keeping it a #freebook to celebrate finally getting this done.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none}
Scarred. Scared. Alone. Can sixteen-year-old Shawna Stone overcome her inner suffering and transcend the past?


Only three days left before #IWSGPit. Are you ready?

Don't miss the July 30 deadline for the next IWSG Anthology. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 26.0px; font: 22.0px Arial; color: #9f0707} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 10.8px Times; color: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 30.0px; font: 22.0px Verdana; color: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 21.0px; font: 15.4px Verdana; color: #000000} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #3e62b4; background-color: #f4f2f8} p.p9 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; min-height: 18.0px} p.p10 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000} p.p11 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #3e62b4} p.p12 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p13 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000} p.p14 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p15 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000} p.p16 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff} p.p17 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; min-height: 12.0px} p.p18 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p19 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p20 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p21 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #9f0707; background-color: #ffffff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #3e62b4} span.s4 {font-kerning: none; background-color: #f4f2f8} span.s5 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; background-color: #f4f2f8} span.s6 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s7 {font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; background-color: transparent} span.s8 {font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff} span.s9 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff} span.s10 {font: 13.2px Verdana; font-kerning: none} Enter Now.
Quote of the Week: "The art of the creative process is not seeking and finding; it's bumbling." Jonathon Safran Foer, American Novelistp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 12.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on July 24, 2017 04:30
July 17, 2017
Hero Lost, Mysteries of Death and Life, Part 3
Hero Lost, Mysteries of Death and Life, Part 3
This July I'll be featuring the twelve authors (three each Monday) who contributed stories to the
Hero Lost Mysteries of Death and LifeAn Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Website - Lost Hero Anthology
Print ISBN 9781939844361 $14.95eBook ISBN 9781939844378 $4.99
Goodreads Print: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books A Million EBook: Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Amazon, Amazon UK, and Amazon CA
Each author has submitted their favorite inspirational quote, so this month I won't be adding my usual quote. Thank you, authors!
Ellen Jacobson, The Silvering“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ―Mark Twainp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} Facebook | Blog | Google +
Olga Godim, Captain Bulat"Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can." ―Terry Pratchettp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} Website and Blog | GoodReads | Wattpad | Twitter
Erika Beebe, The Wheat Witch“You will write if you will write without thinking of the result in terms of a result, but think of the writing in terms of discovery, which is to say that creation must take place between the pen and the paper, not before in a thought or afterwards in a recasting... It will come if it is there and if you will let it come.” ―Gertrude Steinp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} Facebook | Blog | Twitter
Clock's ticking! Do you have your #IWSGPit ready?
Don't miss the July 30 deadline for the next IWSG Anthology. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 26.0px; font: 22.0px Arial; color: #9f0707; -webkit-text-stroke: #9f0707} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 10.8px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 30.0px; font: 22.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 21.0px; font: 15.4px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #3e62b4; -webkit-text-stroke: #3e62b4; background-color: #f4f2f8} p.p9 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 18.0px} p.p10 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p11 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #3e62b4; -webkit-text-stroke: #3e62b4} p.p12 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p13 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p14 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p15 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p16 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 12.0px} p.p17 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p18 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #9f0707; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} p.p19 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.6px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 16.0px} p.p20 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.6px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p21 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p22 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Times; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p23 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p24 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #9f0707; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #3e62b4; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #3e62b4} span.s4 {font-kerning: none; background-color: #f4f2f8} span.s5 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; background-color: #f4f2f8; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s6 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #9f0707} span.s7 {font: 10.0px Verdana; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #9f0707; background-color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} span.s8 {font: 10.0px Verdana; text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; background-color: transparent; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} span.s9 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff} span.s10 {font: 13.2px Verdana; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000}
Enter Now.
Quote of the Week: "Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic consequences." J.K. Rowling
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
This July I'll be featuring the twelve authors (three each Monday) who contributed stories to the
Hero Lost Mysteries of Death and LifeAn Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Website - Lost Hero Anthology
Print ISBN 9781939844361 $14.95eBook ISBN 9781939844378 $4.99
Goodreads Print: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books A Million EBook: Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Amazon, Amazon UK, and Amazon CA
Each author has submitted their favorite inspirational quote, so this month I won't be adding my usual quote. Thank you, authors!
Ellen Jacobson, The Silvering“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ―Mark Twainp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} Facebook | Blog | Google +

Olga Godim, Captain Bulat"Fantasy is an exercise bicycle for the mind. It might not take you anywhere, but it tones up the muscles that can." ―Terry Pratchettp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} Website and Blog | GoodReads | Wattpad | Twitter

Erika Beebe, The Wheat Witch“You will write if you will write without thinking of the result in terms of a result, but think of the writing in terms of discovery, which is to say that creation must take place between the pen and the paper, not before in a thought or afterwards in a recasting... It will come if it is there and if you will let it come.” ―Gertrude Steinp.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px 'Trebuchet MS'; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} Facebook | Blog | Twitter

Clock's ticking! Do you have your #IWSGPit ready?

Enter Now.
Quote of the Week: "Destiny is a name often given in retrospect to choices that had dramatic consequences." J.K. Rowling
Beware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on July 17, 2017 04:30
July 10, 2017
Hero Lost, Mysteries of Death and Life, Part 2
Hero Lost, Mysteries of Death and Life, Part 2
This July I'll be featuring the twelve authors (three each Monday) who contributed stories to the
Hero Lost Mysteries of Death and LifeAn Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology
Website - Lost Hero Anthology
Print ISBN 9781939844361 $14.95eBook ISBN 9781939844378 $4.99
Goodreads Print: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books A Million EBook: Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Amazon, Amazon UK, and Amazon CA
Each author has submitted their favorite inspirational quote, so this month I won't be adding my usual quote. Thank you, authors!
Tyrean Martinson, Of Words and Swords “Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it.” ―Lloyd AlexanderBlog | Twitter | Facebook
Elizabeth Seckman, Mind Body Soul“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” ―Ernest HemingwayBlog | Facebook | Really Real Housewives
Sean McLachlan, The Witch BottleI can't give the whole quote because it's a poem--"All the Way" by Charles Bukowski. His poem "The Laughing Heart" is a good one too, but the first poem is more directed at writers.Also, a great spoken word for all creative types can be found here: YouTube |Facebook | Blog
Don't miss the July 30 deadline for the next IWSG Anthology. Enter Now.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 26.0px; font: 22.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 10.8px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 12.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 30.0px; font: 22.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 21.0px; font: 15.4px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #3e62b4; background-color: #ffffff} p.p9 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 18.0px} p.p10 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p11 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p12 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p13 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p14 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p15 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 12.0px} p.p16 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p17 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff; background-color: #ffffff} p.p18 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.6px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p19 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 12.0px} p.p20 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p21 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p22 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #9f0707; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #222222} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #3e62b4} span.s4 {font: 16.0px Arial; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #3e62b4} span.s5 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #9f0707} span.s6 {font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s7 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} span.s8 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s9 {font: 13.2px Verdana; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s10 {font: 13.2px Verdana; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #9f0707}
Have you read an anthology lately? Will you enter to be included in the next anthology?
And whatever you do, don't miss July 27th #IWSGPit on Twitter. 8am-8pm Over 30 agents are checking the twitter feed.
Quote of the Week: "Life is like a game of poker: If you don't put anything in the pot, there won't be anything to take out." Moms MableyBeware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
This July I'll be featuring the twelve authors (three each Monday) who contributed stories to the
Hero Lost Mysteries of Death and LifeAn Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Website - Lost Hero Anthology
Print ISBN 9781939844361 $14.95eBook ISBN 9781939844378 $4.99
Goodreads Print: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books A Million EBook: Nook, iTunes, Kobo, Amazon, Amazon UK, and Amazon CA
Each author has submitted their favorite inspirational quote, so this month I won't be adding my usual quote. Thank you, authors!

Tyrean Martinson, Of Words and Swords “Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It's a way of understanding it.” ―Lloyd AlexanderBlog | Twitter | Facebook

Elizabeth Seckman, Mind Body Soul“It’s none of their business that you have to learn to write. Let them think you were born that way.” ―Ernest HemingwayBlog | Facebook | Really Real Housewives

Sean McLachlan, The Witch BottleI can't give the whole quote because it's a poem--"All the Way" by Charles Bukowski. His poem "The Laughing Heart" is a good one too, but the first poem is more directed at writers.Also, a great spoken word for all creative types can be found here: YouTube |Facebook | Blog
Don't miss the July 30 deadline for the next IWSG Anthology. Enter Now.

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 26.0px; font: 22.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 10.8px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 12.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 30.0px; font: 22.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 21.0px; font: 15.4px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #3e62b4; background-color: #ffffff} p.p9 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 18.0px} p.p10 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 22.0px; font: 16.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p11 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 16.0px} p.p12 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p13 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p14 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p15 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 12.0px} p.p16 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff} p.p17 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff; background-color: #ffffff} p.p18 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.6px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p19 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 14.0px; font: 10.0px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 12.0px} p.p20 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} p.p21 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Verdana; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; background-color: #ffffff} p.p22 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 18.0px; font: 13.2px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #9f0707; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 15.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #222222} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #3e62b4} span.s4 {font: 16.0px Arial; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #3e62b4} span.s5 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #9f0707} span.s6 {font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s7 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #0000ff} span.s8 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} span.s9 {font: 13.2px Verdana; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s10 {font: 13.2px Verdana; font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #9f0707}
Have you read an anthology lately? Will you enter to be included in the next anthology?
And whatever you do, don't miss July 27th #IWSGPit on Twitter. 8am-8pm Over 30 agents are checking the twitter feed.

Quote of the Week: "Life is like a game of poker: If you don't put anything in the pot, there won't be anything to take out." Moms MableyBeware the White Rabbit (Anthology: They Call Me Alice), Leap Books, Summer '15
Sliding on the Edge, C. Lee McKenzie, WestSide Books, Spring '09
The Princess of Las Pulgas, WestSide Books, Fall '10
The First Time, Fall '11 (Anthology story: Premeditated Cat)
Alligators Overhead, Outskirts Press, Fall '12
Two and Twenty Dark Tales (Anthology story: Into the Sea of Dew
Published on July 10, 2017 04:30