Jennifer A. Nielsen's Blog, page 8

Twelve Postcard Mailings

This will be super brief. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas or holiday season and that you are looking forward to a fantastic New Year’s!

Here are the winners of the Twelve Postcard Mailings. If your name is below, click on the contact me button on my home page and send me a good mailing address for you!

*** Hope P *** Molly G *** Avery *** Savannah *** Emily A *** Abbyroonie *** Sophie *** Sanjana *** Laura A *** Zeph *** Elle *** Grace K ***

Saints Day (An Ascendance Short Story)

Until now, I had never liked Saints’ Day. My family used to celebrate each year, of course, as part of a large banquet involving every noble in the land. After a while, I stopped participating, mostly because I received too many gifts.

On any other day, gifts would’ve been a good thing, but not on Saints’ Day. On that day, the person receiving the gift must be someone who did not deserve it, someone who had caused great offense to the gift-giver.

So when the gifts used to pile up in front of me, the message was clear.

“At least you get presents,” Darius had told me once. He rarely received anything on Saints’ Day.

I’d rolled my eyes back at him. “I received thirty-two Books of Faith tonight. Half of them have notes inside recommending specific pages for me to study. The other half say there’s no point in their gift, because the devils already have me.”

“It won’t always be that way,” Darius had said.

I hoped he was right. Because this past year, I’d fought a war in Carthya and saved a captive kingdom abroad. Maybe for once, I had earned the right to celebrate with the Saints. Only tonight’s banquet wouldn’t be with the nobles. That was pointless since I deliberately offended them whenever possible, and didn’t want forgiveness for something that entertained me that well. Instead, I only wanted a small gathering with those I cared about most.

Across from me, Roden was dishing up fourths onto his plate. To my left, Tobias and Amarinda were staring at each other. On my right, Fink had been talking endlessly to Imogen. So far, it had been a perfect evening, though of course, the part I dreaded most was about to begin.

Finally, Fink set down his fork. “Can we start now?”

“Fine,” I said, preparing myself for the usual round of gifts. “I already know that over the past year, I have offended, irritated, or caused misery to everyone here. Who wants to begin?”

A pause followed as they stared at each other, then Fink said, “Actually, my gift is for Amarinda.”

Amarinda’s doubletake came almost as fast as mine. She never offended anybody, not even accidentally.

“Me?” she asked. “May I ask why?”

“Because you make me study every day,” Fink said, reaching for his gift. “I hate studying, but you still make me do it. But I forgive you.”

Amarinda smiled. “You forgive me for trying to make you smarter, and a better person?”

“Yes.” Fink passed her a small package, which she unwrapped, revealing a book. Then he laughed out loud. “I tricked you! Now you have to study.”

“But I want to study,” she said. “I like learning.”

Fink instantly stopped laughing. “Oh, that’s right.”

“My turn then,” Amarinda said. 

I held out my hands, but instead, Amarinda gave her gift to Tobias. “I heard that you spoke rather sharply to Jaron on the lifeboat. You should have trusted me to be strong, rather than to be angry with him. This is my way of forgiving you.”

Tobias’s cheeks went red. “I will never forget that again.” He opened the package to a small drawing of Amarinda, one where she looked as confident and capable as I’d ever seen her. He could not look at this and doubt her strength.

And although I had insulted him at every good opportunity, Tobias’s gift went to Imogen, a new pair of boots. He explained, “Back on Belland, Jaron took you with him up the trail and left me behind with Fink. Maybe at one time, he might have asked me to come, but he has begun to trust you more.”

Imogen shook her head. “He doesn’t trust me more than you; it’s just different.”

“No, I definitely trust her more,” I assured them with a smile.

Imogen thanked Tobias, then passed a package to Roden, which frankly, was odd since no one could possibly have caused her more grief in the past year than I had. He opened the package, finding a dagger. She said, “This is to replace the one you used to stab Jaron in the thigh. I forgive you for that.”

“You’re forgiving him? Shouldn’t I be the one to do that?” I glanced over at Roden. “You’re still not forgiven, by the way.”

“No, this forgiveness is mine.” She turned back to Roden. “Do you know how many times I had to listen to Jaron complain about that injury? Honestly, Roden, that went too far.”

“I accept your forgiveness,” Roden said.

I banged my goblet on the table, drawing everyone’s attention my way again. “I don’t wish to argue about this, but that was his knife in my thigh. I had every right to complain.”

“You did, which is why I didn’t need to forgive you,” Imogen said, taking my hand.

“You could’ve forgiven me for something else then,” I said. “All of you could have. Tobias? You’re my Minister of Limiting Boring People to No More Than Eight Minutes! Doesn’t that offend you?”

“Why should it?” He shrugged. “I find most of those boring people quite fascinating.”

I looked at Fink. “Surely I offended you.”

Before he could answer, Roden stood. “You offended me plenty.”

It was about time. Yet his hands were empty. “Where’s your gift then?”

Roden looked around and finally picked up his fork, which he walked over to me, then said, “I forgive you, Jaron.”

“That fork is already mine. It isn’t a gift.”

He dropped the fork in front of me. “I didn’t get you a gift, all right? Only forgiveness.”

“For?”

“For being a good king.”

I tilted my head. “And how exactly does that offend you?”

“Because for a brief moment, I was going to be the King of Carthya, or so I thought. Conner chose me, which meant I had outsmarted you. I had won. Then you tricked me, and I was angry—”

“You tried to assassinate me.”

“All right, I was very angry.” He shrugged. “Maybe I never quite got over it. Until tonight.”

By now, my smile had faded. “You’re forgiving me for tricking you?”

“No.” He stared back at me. “I’m forgiving you for being you. I wanted to be king, and maybe I’d have been a good one. But you have proven yourself a great king. And I forgive you for it.”

I wasn’t sure how to answer that, except to raise my goblet to him, which he returned with a sincere nod of respect.

“Nothing for me then,” Fink said, though I couldn’t tell if he was relieved or disappointed. “Haven’t I offended anyone this year?”

“You have offended me,” Imogen said.

“And both me and Tobias,” Amarinda added.

“I mostly just try to ignore you,” Roden said.

Fink turned to me, and I nodded, quickly adding, “Actually, you never offended me, but your rat did. I really hated your rat.”

Fink shrugged. “You didn’t even notice when he died.”

“I was fighting a war at the time.”

“Sure, but you could’ve said something.”

I groaned. “I wouldn’t have had anything nice to say about your rat. But it’s time I forgive it for…being a rat. And forgive you for having it.”

Errol had been at the door and now I motioned for him to come forward with both hands behind his back. When he reached Fink, he brought one hand out, revealing a small cage with a new rat inside it. Fink’s eyes lit up. “Jaron, really?”

“If I see this thing loose in the castle, I won’t know it’s your pet and I’ll kill it.”

“I’ll put a ribbon around its neck.”

“I’ll remove the ribbon, then tell you I didn’t know it was your pet before I killed it. I mean it, Fink. You keep that thing in its cage, in your room, where I can’t hear it or see it or smell it.”

“I’m going to name him Runaway.”

“That’s a terrible name. It implies that it will escape its cage.”

Fink smiled. “Too late. I already named it.”

“Fine.” With that finished, I reached for Imogen’s hand, who took Fink’s, and so went our hands around the table.

Imogen said, “This was a difficult year. May the coming year bring us only peace and happiness.”

The others agreed, but for my part, I couldn’t imagine a happier, more peaceful moment than this one. That is, until halfway through dessert when Fink said, “Uh, Jaron, I’m going to need another gift of forgiveness from you.”

My eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“My rat is gone.”

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that I wasn’t going to curse as much around Fink.  After taking my first bite of dessert, I calmly said, “Find that rat, or I guarantee in one minute, I’ll be the one needing your forgiveness.”

Fink stared at me, wondering if I was serious.

“Fifty-nine, fifty-eight, fifty-seven…”

That’s about the time when something ran over my foot.

But today was Saints’ Day. So I’d let this one go.

Only this once.

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The Twelfth Day of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Twelve Postcard Mailings,

Eleven Questions Answered,

Ten Sassy Moments,

Nine Tips for Writers,

Eight Printed Printings,

Seven Resolutions,

Six quotes from Rescue,

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series…

Okay, this is it – the last one!

I just printed up some new postcards. They’re not life-altering. They won’t shatter any art achievement records. Seriously, they’re just postcards with my signature on them. But…

If you want one, leave a great joke below. It must be non-offensive, but doesn’t have to be original, and hopefully it will be funny. Enter as many times as you want, but it needs to make me laugh, groan, or at least smile a little, to be officially entered. From those, I will draw twelve random winners to receive a postcard. If I laugh hard enough that I have to share the joke with my family, then I’ll offer you a free book, but that’s a high bar to set.

This is an international contest, and winners will be announced on Saturday.

The Eleventh Day of Christmas

On the eleventh day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Eleven Questions Answered,

Ten Sassy Moments,

Nine Tips for Writers,

Eight Printed Printings,

Seven Resolutions,

Six quotes from Rescue,

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series…

Before we begin, here are the eight winners of the “Printed Printings.”

*** Kylie *** Kay *** Hannah *** Aishwarya *** Amy F *** Mahitha ***

Okay, I couldn’t answer all of your awesome questions, but I tried to choose ones either that I see a lot, or that I think will have the broadest appeal to the most readers. They are in no particular order.

1.      Will there be more books in the Ascendance series?

Yes. Book 5 is titled THE SHATTERED CASTLE and it should be released in fall 2021. If you have read THE CAPTIVE KINGDOM (Book 4), then you know there are likely to be consequences for what happens at the end of that book. 

Will there be a book 6? Maybe. We’re discussing that now.

2.      What can you tell us about Black Ink?

Black Ink is a modern day story of a boy with no memory – he doesn’t even know his own name. He is in hiding, though he doesn’t entirely know the reasons for that either, only that the people looking for him are not his friends.

The one hope this boy does have is a Sharpie. Because when he writes on his forearm, if what he writes is true about himself, the ink stays on the surface of his skin. If it is not true, the ink soaks in. 

On weekends, he volunteers at the old folks’ home, because if he plays games with the old folks, they feed him. One day, he is playing Boggle and when he shakes up the Boggle set, this is what lands.

Black Ink should be released in 2022. And I know it’s a long time to wait, BUT this one has been in development for a very long time so on its overall journey, I’m so thrilled to get to begin talking about it.

3.      How do I handle writer’s block?

Writer’s block usually means your character doesn’t have enough problems right in the moment. Although there is an overarching story problem, in the immediate moment, your character is just standing there looking at you, asking what you want him or her to do. So the rule is: We are nice people, but we are cruel authors. When you get stuck, ask yourself, what is the worst thing that you can do to your character right then? Give your character an immediate new problem. That should usually break the writer’s block.

4.         Do I ever “dress up and act” as part of the writing process?

I don’t get into costume or anything, but I do come at writing from my background in theater. So the stories I write are generally in my head as a performance. I have to see and hear everything before I can put the words on paper.

So yes, for me, part of the process is internalizing the characters as I write them, almost so that if I had to get up and portray them on stage, I could. And I love doing that because imagining them that way requires me to ask certain questions that other writers might never address, such as:

Where is the physical center of their body? (This speaks to the core of their energy. Is it their heart – their emotions? Their back – strength? Their head – their thoughts?)Where would they stand on stage? (Center stage – look at me! Upstage left – don’t look at me. Downstage – look at me before you look at anyone else.)What is their physical reaction to the entrance or exit of any other character in the story?



5.      What was the inspiration for RESISTANCE?

On a trip to Krakow Poland, I went into a Jewish cemetery where I was particularly struck by one specific grave marker. Two things about it bothered me. The first has to do with Rafal Goldberg’s death date and why it was different from the rest of his family. In other words, why did he survive when none of the rest of his family did?

The second was about the name Eugeniusz Kaczmarczyk. That is a Polish Christian name, and I wondered what a Christian name was doing on a Jewish grave marker. 

Those two questions bothered me enough that I had to go and look them up and when I did, I discovered the roots of the story that would become RESISTANCE.

6.  Is Chaya, in RESISTANCE, based off of any of my traits?

Chaya is based off the actual Jewish couriers who risked their lives for their people, all the while knowing they would eventually lose to the Nazis. I respect and admire those couriers to the extent that I would never compare any trait of mine to theirs, because I have never had to face what they did. If you want to learn more about the couriers, you can click HERE.

7. Do I have a favorite line from all of my novels?

This is hard, because there are so many to choose from. But I think the one that speaks deepest to me personally is:

“We proved that there was value in faith. There was value in loyalty. And that a righteous resistance was victory in itself, no matter the outcome. 

We got our three lines of history.”

This is part of why I believe that writing is such important work, and not just for me, but for everyone who has a story to tell. Because thoughts will eventually drift away. Words on paper live forever. They become part of our collective history.

8.  What is the best book I read recently?

This is also super difficult. I’m reading this right now, from Jennifer Jenkins, and so far it’s awesome!

9.  What is the age difference between Amarinda, Imogen, and Sage (and the other characters)?

In order, it goes like this…

Amarinda: June 26, in the nineteenth year of the reign of King Eckbert.

Imogen: Dec 9, in the nineteenth year of the reign of the King.

Roden: Jan 8, in the twentieth year of the reign of King Eckbert.

Tobias: March 14, in the twentieth year of the reign of the King.

Sage: May 7, in the twentieth year of the reign of the King.

10. What is the biggest challenge I’ve faced in writing?

This.

This is my stack of rejection letters as I tried to get published. Not all of them – that’s just since I started saving them. When I decided that I wanted to write, I literally was starting at square one. I had the instincts and the ideas in my head, but almost no experience or training, so the way I learned was to write. Submit my work, get rejected, then figure out how I could make it better.

There is an easier route, of course. Learn as much as you can now. Get your work critiqued now by people whose advice you can trust. Write and write and write.

Do you know that great line from Hamilton?  “I’ll write my way out….”

Well that’s what I did.

11.  How to do beginnings and endings?

Think about the beginning of your story as a promise to your reader. In those first few pages, you say, “This is a taste of what this story will be if you follow it with me to the end.” And the end of the story is you keeping your promise.

In that way, the beginning and ending should have some connection, like you’ve taken both ends of the ribbon and tied it all into a neat little bow.

I love starting my stories with the character in some sort of danger, or at least, the character in motion. The reason I do is because this immediately draws the reader into the story and begins from the first sentence to reveal character.

For example, when you first meet Sage, he has just stolen a roast and a butcher is chasing him. You automatically know a few things about him: First, that he is a risk taker. Second, that he doesn’t always think his plans through to the end. Third, that he has probably stolen before because he knows he’s going to get away. Fourth, that risk and adventure are fun for him. And so on.

This also immediately puts the reader on his side, because he is talking about stealing the roast to feed a lot of hungry orphans, because the butcher is clearly not a nice man, and because Sage is working hard for his win, so readers want him to succeed.

But an opening like that also closes with Sage taking the biggest risk of his life. He is fighting against someone who is not a nice man, and he has worked very hard to earn his win, so you want that kind of an ending for him. That is the tying of the bow.

Tomorrow, for Day 12, the final giveaway!

The Tenth Day of Christmas

On the tenth day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Ten Sassy Moments

Nine Tips for Writers,

Eight Printed Printings,

Seven Resolutions,

Six quotes from Rescue,

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series…

Before that, on tomorrow’s blog I’m answering questions. Things you would ask if we were hanging out. I’ll choose eleven questions to answer, so put `em in the comments!

Now, in no particular order:

10.  From THE SCOURGE

“Where’s your friend?” Brogg asked. “The boy who was with you?”

I kept my eyes straight forward, refusing to look either up or down the river. Weevil would be somewhere nearby—I knew it. But the last time he revealed himself, he ended up with a bump on his head and a long ride in an isolation wagon. 

“We’ll find him,” Brogg said. “We always find the escapees.”

“So a lot of people escape that cell?” I asked. “Does the governor know how bad you are at your job?”

9.  From THE TRAITOR’S GAME

Simon continued searching, next with my hair, possibly checking for hidden pins that might be sharpened to a fine point. I had none, but once this was over I planned to have some made. 

“Enjoying this?” My tone was as bitter as I felt.

“I’d rather search a bear.”

“I wish you would. If I’d known this was coming, I’d have brought one along.”

“But you didn’t know, because we outsmarted you.” For the first time, he looked directly at me. His smile was triumphant. Arrogant. It wouldn’t look that way during his execution. He pointed to my boots. “Remove them.”

“You do it.” All the easier to kick him if he got into the right position.

8.  From THE WARRIOR’S CURSE (TRAITOR’S GAME BOOK 3)

Unnerved, I yanked my hand free and he immediately backed away, eyes wide with alarm. “You considered killing me just now?”

Killing him? No, of course not! Yes, maybe I’d considered draining his strength, incapacitating him for days, but I wouldn’t kill him. How would he have known that anyway?

7. MARK OF THE THIEF

“You will do as I say, Nic!” Sal’s anger echoed inside this small underground chamber. “I’ve tolerated your disobedience far too long.”

                  “Tolerated?” I snorted. If near starvation, beatings, and dangerous assignments were tolerance, then yes, Sal had been excessively generous to me.

                  As part of the grand joke that had become my life, the Gods had given me a master with the wit of a withered carrot and compassion of a wasp. He also smelled like toe fungus, though that’s less relevant. More significant is that of the hundreds of slaves who worked in the mines, Sal hated me the most. This was no great surprise, since Sal had always stood out to me as someone well worth hating back. 

6. RESISTANCE

They were headed for death camps, designed to kill hundreds or even thousands of people a day. I’d seen them. Been sickened by them. Had my heart shattered by them.

The Nazis called these camps their solution to the so-called “Jewish Problem.”

Yes, I very much intended to be their problem.

5. RESCUE

Maybe he was a German spy, one who’d practiced the British language and accent. If he was, better that I find out now.

“If you’re from England, you must know the best place in London to buy bread pudding.” I began stepping around the barn toward the sound of his voice, keeping my shovel ready.

“That’s a matter of opinion,” he replied. “I prefer the puddings of Birmingham to any of those in London.”

I rolled my eyes, irritated with myself. Anyone could have answered that question. Taking a few more steps, I asked, “And how close is Birmingham to Scratchy Bottom?”  

Silence. Then, “Are you sure that’s the name of a place? Or did you only hear it in the schoolyard?”

I hesitated. “I think it’s a real place.

4.  BLACK INK (unedited)

Before she rounded the last corner to exit Shady Isles, he grabbed her pack and gave it a hard yank, stopping her in her tracks. She turned, raising a fist as if ready to fight. He dodged that, then whispered, “Whatever you’re hiding, they’re going to find it.”

Her eyes darted. “My mom would kill me if she knew what I’m doing.”

“Yeah, but I bet the people here would kill you faster.” Brick pulled the backpack off her shoulder and swung it onto his. “Rule number one of shoplifting is not to look like you’re shoplifting.” He forced a grin, and even elbowed her side to loosen her up. “Thought you were a smart girl, Venice.”

3.  THE SHATTERED CASTLE (Ascendance Book 5)

I had already slid the pin out of my belt, but there was no way to hide what I was doing from the vigils, so I simply exchanged glares with them as I worked.

“Stop that!” Weakling said.

I only grinned back at him. “If I stop now, how will I get free of these chains?”

The mean-looking one reached for the keys. “We told you to stop!”

“Yes, I know. I heard you before.”

2.  A NIGHT DIVIDED (Alternate Opening, Deleted Scene)

I had a plan. If they tried to arrest me, I would explain that it was my birthday, which was true. If that didn’t work, I would claim that all I’d wanted for a gift was a banana. Surely that couldn’t be such a bad crime, a single banana.

But maybe it was. Buying anything off the black market was illegal. Everyone knew that.

Thus my plan: Don’t get caught.

It wasn’t the greatest plan ever, but hopefully it wasn’t the worst either.

My best friend, Anna, was at the corner keeping watch for any police in the area while I made the deal with a black marketer in the narrow alleyway. She was fidgeting so nervously I wondered if she might do me more harm than good. But I understood her worries. Even if we didn’t see any uniformed officers, we were hardly safe. As usual, any number of informants would be out this morning, prowling for gossip they could exchange for special favors. And worse still were the secret police. For all I knew, this black marketer was a Stasi official in disguise, trying to trap people just like me.

A banana smuggler. Over the last four years since the rise of the Berlin Wall, apparently that’s what I’d become.

1.  SPACE WOOGLE (A younger, sort-of work in progress about an alien scout searching for a good planet for invasion)

Log No. 000000000000000000000000001

The Invasion of Earth Begins…After Lunch

Everyone knows that intergalactic invasions go better on a full stomach. And that’s not just an old glubsucker’s tale; it’s good strategy. Because seriously, how can anyone focus on conquering a planet when the guy next in line for total submission is only halfway through his bag of cheddar and bacon potato chips? If your instincts are to obliterate the guy, then first ask yourself this, If I vaporize him, then WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CHIPS?!?

The invasion is still happening. Oh, it’s definitely happening.

But first…lunch.

The Ninth Day of Christmas

On the ninth day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Nine Tips for Writers,

Eight Printed Printings,

Seven Resolutions,

Six quotes from Rescue,

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series…

I know a lot of you out there are writing; for some as a hobby and for others, in pursuit of a career. Today’s post is for you.

Ask Questions

You’re waiting in line. Find someone around you and ask questions about them and their life. Answer your own questions and watch story develop.

You read a tidbit from history. Ask questions about it.You hear a fun fact. Ask questions about it.

Your relative has an interesting background. Ask questions about it.

Someone wants to tell you about their day. Ask questions about it.

You had a strange dream. Ask questions about it.

You notice something unusual in the world. Ask questions about it.

And so on. Ask questions. Ask questions everywhere.

The Value of a Brilliant Idea

$0

The execution of an idea = unlimited potential.

In other words, what you do with your idea is far more important than the idea itself. Sure, it’s better if it’s great and original and exciting, but there are a lot of great, original, and exciting ideas that never went anywhere. Stay focused on the craft of writing, on developing an author’s voice that is great, original, and exciting. That voice will sell more books than an idea ever can.

Lose the “Good Enough” Mindset

A lot of writers evaluate their work with the idea of, “Is it good enough?” What does that even mean, honestly? Good enough for what?

If it is good enough for you to be good enough, you will be passed up by those who set a higher bar for themselves. 

Once your manuscript is good enough, now you are ready to really revise with a new standard: Can I make this great?

But…

Don’t Get Crazy With It

Writing is art, and as such, it will never be perfect. There is always something more than could be done. The stories we write are meant to be shared. That’s how they come alive. So make it the best you can, then make it a little better, then send it out there!

Rewrite

Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.

Repeat the above line more times than you think.

When to stop rewriting? When you can’t make it better, only different.

Failure is Part of the Process

You must shift your perspective on what failure is. Failure is only you trying and not getting the result you want.

So what? There is nothing in that definition that prohibits you from trying again. Which means that unless you bow out of the game, failure is only a temporary condition.

That’s the important part. Failure is never a reason to quit. Because if you do, then that’s the story’s ending – but it is NOT meant to be your ending.

If you look at failure as a part of the writing process, then now you understand that it is a stepping stone toward success. How? Because every time you fail, look at what you were doing before and ask, “How can I do this better?”

Trust Your Talent

Because writing is an art, and because it will never be perfect, the idea of talent can mess with your head. The reality is that someone out there is doing “it” better than you, whatever “it” is in writing.

But so what?

If you allow self-doubt to creep into your writing, that is no different than seeing a hole in your boat and trying to keep paddling.

Stop it. Stop with the doubt.

If you’re published and someone says, “Well I haven’t heard of you,” the correct answer is, “You haven’t heard of me…yet.”

If you’re unpublished, but trying, and an agent sends you a rejection, then understand this: The rejection only ever means three things: That this ONE manuscript of yours, at this ONE moment in time, from this ONE agent, wasn’t right. If one of those factors changed, the answer might be yes.

But it is never about you as a person or you as a writer. Never. So stop with the doubt.

When to Listen to Critics, and When to Ignore Them

When you finish your manuscript, you’ve got to show it to others. Yes, it’s scary, but it is absolutely vital. 

Hint: Don’t show it to your mom. I mean, you can, but her feedback will be fairly useless because she’ll want to scrapbook it or something.

Show it to someone who knows something about writing, and who is willing to tell you the truth, including when the writing is bad. Listen to what they say, even if you disagree – especially if you disagree. They will make you better.

When to ignore critics: After publication.

There’s this strange human trait where we tend to dismiss one hundred kind things people say about us (“They were just being nice,” or “They didn’t really mean it.”) but we immediately latch onto a single piece of criticism as absolute, irrefutable truth.

Why? Why give a critic so much authority? You don’t know them or their life, so take it for what it’s worth (which is usually near zero) and move on.

Live

Be an active participant in your own life, and in the lives of others. Join clubs, make friends, take lessons, travel, try new things, learn everything you possibly can.

As a writer, you are constantly drawing from the well of your own experiences. The more you live, the more you can draw from, so make every day as full of wonder and possibility and positive adventure as you can. That will enrich your writing in ways you cannot possibly imagine.

So there you have it: nine pieces of advice that I hope will help you on your journey to publication, to writing better, or to writing at all. If the story is in you, pick up a pen and start today.

No, seriously…today. What are you waiting for?

The Eighth Day of Christmas

On the eighth day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Eight Printed Printings,

Seven Resolutions,

Six quotes from Rescue,

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series…

As I said earlier, your responses from Day Six really blew me away. I am now officially convinced that I have the best readers anywhere. Thank you.

To those who offered to donate your win to one of the girls in the comments, no worries. She’ll get books. But here are the five winners drawn at random:

Beatrice *** CSCAM *** Trin *** Sam *** Matthew

Today’s gifts might be super cool, or sorta not – I guess it depends on your style and taste. But, even if you don’t win it for yourself, a librarian, teacher, or creative writer in your life might like one of these.

If you win, you can ask for it to be signed, signed to you or to someone else, or you can have it as is. The frames aren’t included, but they will fit an 8×10 frame (even the smaller one – I was just testing it as a 5×7.)

How to enter?

Well, here’s the thing: I know that most of us are looking to double-flush this year down the toilet. There were things you missed out on, things you are still missing out on. It’s been a year with a lot of fear, a lot of misinformation, and not enough toilet paper, for some reason.

BUT…can you tell me one great thing that happened for you this year? Specifics aren’t necessary; it can be as simple as, “I made a new friend” or something. But let’s hear your great news from 2020!

This one is open internationally. Entries will close on the morning of the 11th Day of Christmas (Tues, Dec 22nd).

The Seventh Day of Christmas

On the seventh day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Seven Resolutions,

Six quotes from Rescue,

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series…

Seven New Year’s Resolutions or wishes for 2021, from a few of my characters…

THE FANTASY NOVELS

Sage:               To make fewer enemies.

Imogen:           How about ‘no enemies’?

Sage:               I know what I said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kestra:            To win.

Simon:            To win.

Kestra:            Ah. I see the problem now.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ani:                 I want the same thing I’ve always wanted: a ripe vinefruit.

Weevil:           What about exposing corruption, taking down a government, and giving freedom to hundreds of people? 

Ani:                 Sure, but…have you ever had a perfectly ripe vinefruit?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Nic:                 How about one day when the emperor or one of his minions is not trying to take me out? 

Aurelia:           These are supposed to be resolutions for an entire year.

Nic:                 I’m still on a day-by-day basis here.

THE HISTORICALS

Meg:                To get my father back from a German POW camp.

Audra:             To get both my parents back from a Russian prison camp.

Meg:                What do you think, I help you, and you help me?

Audra:             How are you with books?

Meg:                How are you with secret codes?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gerta:              A better year. We are too divided.

Chaya:             Agreed. There is too much hate. It must stop. It must stop.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ME

In some ways, for 2021, I want the same things as my characters, though I may think of it in a slightly different way.

I want my circle of friends to widen.

I want to be at my personal best in the things I care most about.

I want to stand on the side of freedom, of hope, and of integrity, especially for those who have known far too little of it.

I want my family to be my top priority.

And I want to do my part to build a world of love. I will not be part of the hate, not in any form.

I know we have a couple of weeks until New Year’s, but as you consider your own hopes and resolutions for 2021, I hope it will be the start of your best year ever.

Check in tomorrow – I’m super excited about it!

The Sixth Day of Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Six quotes from Rescue

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series…

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Okay first, I know there are a couple of days left on Day five’s giveaway contest, but seriously? You all totally made me cry. Like actual tears on my cheeks!

I wasn’t sure what you would think about that challenge, whether you would do it or not, so to see you take it on so enthusiastically, and THEN to read your responses of what it did for YOU – this kindness that wasn’t supposed to be about you at all – I think for many of you, those simple acts returned much greater than what you gave.

If you haven’t read the comments from Day 5, you should. All of them.

Anyway….wiping eyes….

I hope these quotes will be a nice preview for RESCUE, my next historical to release on March 2nd.

#1

I hadn’t seen my father for 657 days. From this exact moment, that is one year, nine months, two weeks, four days, and one hour. That’s how long it had been since I had not waved goodbye. In 657 days, we had not heard anything about him, or . . . from him.

#2

I lowered my shovel. “Maybe you are a spy. That blood doesn’t look a bit real.”

He said nothing to that, only laid his head back down on the straw. “What’s your name?”

“Sophie.”

He closed his eyes, accepting my lie as easily as I’d told it. “Corn syrup, cornstarch, food coloring. How many of those ingredients do you have?

I shrugged. “Cornstarch, I think. You can’t get the other items during the war.”

“Nor can I. And I’d need a lot of it to create fake blood, so without that option, I just had to use my own.”

#3

With every passing minute, I became increasingly worried. My mother had never, never been gone this long. Even if she really had been on errands, it was the end of the workday and shops were closing. Where was she?

I tried to focus on Captain Stewart’s code. Anything to keep from thinking about my mother.

The letters were written out in a long string.

Q M F B T F C S J O H N F T P N F X B U F S

#4

“What about—” I began, but Maman shushed me.

Her eyes had wandered to the window behind me. She took a sharp breath as moving lights swept across the wall, briefly highlighting her face. I heard the sound of an engine and my heart stopped.

Maman’s hands balled into fists. “They’re here, Meggie. The Nazis have come.”

#5

Seconds later, we heard the sound of a truck slowly approaching. I glanced up long enough to see a German Opel Blitz park directly in front of where we had just been. The canvas fabric over the truck bed parted and at least ten Nazis jumped out.

“Oh no.” Albert groaned.

We all looked over at Albert, who was quietly patting his pockets. As the Nazis filled the clearing directly in front of us, he whispered, “I believe that I dropped my glasses.”

#6

I wanted to keep thinking about Papa’s code, but I was so tired, I fell asleep almost immediately. There was no time that night for dreams. We could not have been sleeping for very long before the first bomb fell on Boulogne-Billancourt.

Coming tomorrow…the seventh day of Christmas, and my hopes and plans for 2021!

The Fifth Day of Christmas

On the fifth day of Christmas,

This author offered me

Five Giveaways!

Four Christmas wishes,

Three Rescues,

Two Free Zoom Visits, and

A title for book five series.

Before we get to the giveaways, let’s do some…er, giveaways. Here are the three winners of ARCs of RESCUE:

*** Wendy W *** GobLob *** Alia ***

But, as you see, there are five giveaways today. What can you win? Your choice of any of these titles!

How to enter? Today is important. To enter today, you must do the following:

Do something kind for someone else.It must be something you would not ordinarily do for them and do not have to do.Do this for someone who does not deserve your kindness.

You don’t have to tell me what you did, though you can if you want. All I need in comments below is that you did it, all three.

Winners will be announced on the eighth day of Christmas so you have a little time to get this done.

And again, simply because of postal rates, winners need a US address. If you are not in the US, do you know someone who is that I can mail this to? Then the two of you can work out getting it the rest of the way to you.

Coming tomorrow…the sixth day of Christmas! (Well obviously, right?)