Chris Eboch's Blog, page 16

Check out The Genie’s Gift for free!The Genie’s Gift...

Check out The Genie’s Gift for free!
The Genie’s Giftis a lighthearted action novel set in the fifteenth-century Middle East, drawing on the mythology of The Arabian Nights.             Thirteen-year-old Anise, shy and timid, dreads marrying the man her father chooses for her. Her aunt tells her about the Genie Shakayak, the giver of the Gift of Sweet Speech. He lives high atop Mount Quaf, many weeks’ journey across a barren desert. The way is barred by a dozen dangers and trials. But those few who cross the desert and defeat the guardians of the mountain receive their reward. From that day forward, their words drip like honey from their lips, charming all who hear them, and no one can deny them anything they ask.

Anise is determined to find the genie and ask for the gift, so she can control her own future. But the way is barred by a series of challenges, both ordinary and magical. How will Anise get past a vicious she-ghoul, a sorceress who turns people to stone, and mysterious sea monsters, when she can’t even speak in front of strangers? Will she ever reach the top of Mount Quaf—and if she does, can she convince the Genie to give her the gift?
The Genie’s Gift is available on InstaFreebie for free until January 15. You can download your choice of ePub, mobi, or PDF.
If you enjoy it, please leave an honest review! Reviews help other readers (including teachers and librarians) find great books.
Chris Eboch is the author of over 40 books for children, including nonfiction and fiction, early reader through teen. Chris Eboch’s novels for ages nine and up include The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting.
Learn more at www.chriseboch.comor her Amazon page/

#NewYear Resolution: Polish Your Novel for #NaNoEdMo

Did you do NaNoWriMo? Do your New Year’s resolutions include finishing or editing a novel? I’ll be teaching Advanced Plotting: Keep Those Pages Turning starting January 9, 2017.
ADVANCED PLOTTING: Keep Those Pages Turning by Chris EbochSTART DATE: Monday, January 9, 2017DURATION: 8 weeks (four classes)COURSE DESCRIPTION: Many books and workshops teach the basics of plotting: conflict, complications, and climax. Now learn advanced techniques that will make a decent plot dynamic. Start with a “grab you by the throat” opening to pull readers into the story. Learn how to pack the plot full by complicating your complications. Control your pacing through sentence and paragraph length. And finally, cliffhanger chapter endings ensure late-night reading under the covers. Learn techniques to make any story or book better. Novelists will benefit from these insights, whether they are just starting out or have years of experience.
Here’s what people have said about my previous workshops:
“Your enthusiasm is contagious, and the sheer amount of knowledge you possess is fantastic.” ~ Nancy Partridge
“Your workshop was the one I got the most useful information from.” ~ Donna J. Barland
“Chris had a very detailed and extensive lecture with many great tips.” ~ Paula Yoo
“Chris is hands-down one of the best author-speakers we’ve ever had. The comments on her were full of grateful praise.” ~ Robin Koontz, SCBWI Oregon retreat leader
If you’re interested in ADVANCED PLOTTING: Keep Those Pages Turning, check out the entire schedule and get more information here.

Improve your writing next year! #HolidaysSavings on writing guides

Did you get an Amazon gift card recently? Or are you thinking about New Year's Resolutions that include starting to write, getting back to writing, writing more, or writing better? Treat yourself to a writing guide - on sale!

On Sale You Can Write for Children : How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers
The paperback version of this writing guide has been marked down from $12.99 to $9.99. It’s also available for the Kindle, or you can read it for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
I have two children’s picture books on my computer, and, after reading this book, I know what I need to do to make them better. 
This is a terrific resource book for anyone who has considered writing for children. Each chapter has a tip section as well as specific resources, concrete examples, and easy to understand explanation of terms and topics. Excellent book!
 A definite “winner” in the “how-to-write” book library.
Grab a copy for aspiring writers you know, or put it on your wish list!
On Sale
If you know writers who write for adults, or who could use something more advanced, try Advanced Plotting. Again, the paperback version of this writing guide has been marked down from $11.99 to $9.99.
Advanced Plotting is designed for the intermediate and advanced writer: you’ve finished a few manuscripts, read books and articles on writing, taken some classes, attended conferences. But you still struggle with plot, or suspect that your plotting needs work.
This really is helping me a lot. It’s written beautifully and to-the-point. The essays really help you zero in on your own problems in your manuscript. The Plot Outline Exercise is a great tool!
I just read and—dissected—your well written book: Advanced Plotting. It’s now highlighted in bright orange and littered with many of those little 3M sticky labels. GOOD JOB. There are too many just-for-beginners books out there. Yours was a delight.
Advanced Plotting is helping me to be more focused, to stop and ask the right questions, to dig deeper.
See Chris’s books at Amazon, B&N/Nook, Smashwords or IndieBound.

The Mad Monk's Treasure, Romantic Suspense #99c Sale 12/22-12/29

Did you get a new Kindle or an Amazon gift card recently? Time to fill up your device! Here’s an option for only $.99. (If you got a KDP Select membership, you’ll find many of my books there – free for you to read with your membership.)

The Mad Monk’sTreasure
Romantic Suspense #99c Sale Dec. 22-29
The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends—a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?
Erin isn’t sure she can trust Drew with her heart, but she’ll need his help to track down the treasure. She heads into the New Mexico wilderness with her brainy best friend Camie and a feisty orange cat. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to sudden storms. Plus, the sinister men hunting Erin are determined to follow her all the way to the treasure, no matter where the twisted trail leads. Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight, but is she ready to risk her life—and her heart?
“The story has it all - action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”
“Great balance of history, romance, and adventure. Smart romance with an “Indiana Jones” feel.”
“Well-written with an attention to detail that allowed me to picture exactly in my head how a scene looked and played out.” 
Get it from Amazon now!
Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.
Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Formatting Print Interiors for Self-Publishing

I write a column for the SCBWI Bulletin with tips on self-publishing children’s books. The winter Bulletin includes my column on interior design for print books. Because I did not have enough space to include instructions for formatting using Microsoft Word, I’m including some detail here. Although, after writing all this, I found some other online sources that are even better. So you may want to skim over my instructions, and then click on the first couple of links below. See which one looks like the best fit for your learning style.
Microsoft Word is an adequate tool for doing the interior layout for novels with no or minimal interior images. (Professional designers generally prefer Adobe InDesign, but it’s very expensive. You probably already have Word.) The process is not necessarily easy or intuitive, so schedule some time, and take a break if you’re getting frustrated. You may also want to take notes on any tweaks you need to make for your preferences or your system. That way you’ll have those instructions for the next book you format.
I’m currently using Windows 10, but these instructions should work for most recent versions of Word.
Basic Setup
First of all, save a new version of your manuscript to format for print, because you will not want all these things in the version you use for the e-book.
Start by setting up your page size (equal to the book’s trim size) and your margins:
Under the “Page Layout” tab, click on Size and then choose the size you want your print book to be. Five or 5 1/2 inches wide is good for a children’s novel and no more than eight inches high.
Mirror margins mean I can put page numbers at the outsides
and different headings (name on left, title on right)Next click on Margins– Custom Margins – Multiple Pages – Mirror Margins. Your interior margin must be at least .375” for books up to 150 pages, and .75” for books with 151 to 400 pages. Other margins must be at least .25 inches but you may want them larger for aesthetics. Measure the margins in some published books you like to see the difference it can make. Larger margins will also mean a bigger page count. That could be good if you have a short book and want to make it a bit thicker, but if you have a long book, more pages could mean you need to charge a higher price for it.
You may also have to adjust your header and footer distances to get the margins you want.
In Word, it looks like my title page is on the left
of a two-page spreadFront Matter
Front matter – that’s the stuff before the main text, the title page, copyright page, dedication, etc. – may be center justified. Choose a nice (stylish but readable) font and adjust the size appropriately You probably want a fairly large title, for example. Again, choose some traditionally published books and copy the type of content they have as well as the formatting.
The first page of novel text should be on the right-hand side, with a blank page opposite. If you view two pages at a time, remember that they won’t be the same two-page spreads that show up in the printed book. Rather, your first page will be a left-hand page when viewed in Microsoft Word, but a right-hand page in the print book.
Odd-numbered pages should always be on the right.
Headings
The title page is actually a right-hand page
because the first printed page faces upSome books have the author name, the book title, and/or the chapter title at the tops of the pages. You’ll see it both ways in traditionally published books though, and setting this up is a bit complicated, so you might want to skip it. If you do want to use these headings, the first page of each chapter should not have a heading. Also, front matter and back matter (author’s note or whatever you have the back after the main text) should not have a heading. If you’re using headings, use section breaks (not page breaks) between chapters. This allows you to set up a different first page header (a blank header) for each chapter.
To put in a heading, double-click at the top of the page, above the main text, and Word should switch to into viewing the Header and Footer. You can then type in those spaces and format (left, right, center; change the font and the font size; etc.) Make sure to click the box that says Different First Page, and do not type anything in the first page. Also click Different Odd & Even Pages so you can put the book title on one side and the author name or chapter titles on the other side.
If you Link to Previous, each chapter will have the same headers and footers as the previous chapter. For front matter and back matter, un-click Link to Previous and erase anything in the headers and footers.
If your header or footer seem too large, make sure you don’t have an extra blank line above or below any text.
Text Design
For the main text, use full justification as opposed to ragged right. (This is under the Paragraph tab.) This will spread the text between the margins on the left and right. However, you may wind up with large gaps between some words. You will need to look for these gaps in your final review (below).
Choose your font and size. Garamond is a nice font for a novel. You can get fancy, but don’t get too fancy – use a readable font. It’s simplest if you use one you already have included with Microsoft Word, so you don’t have to worry about buying or licensing a specialty font or making sure it’s properly embedded in the PDF.
Adjust the leading (space between lines) by selecting all the relevant text, going to the Home Tab – Paragraph – Line Spacing and choosing Exactly and then the leading you want. 12.4 and 13.3 are common for leading, but you may want more or less depending on the font and font size. Make sure you’re not cutting off hanging letters from the line above – double check in the PDF, as it may be different from the Word version.
If that sounds too complicated, you can simply single space – but do not ever double space for a novel! (Yes, I’ve seen that in a self-published book.)
You may want to decrease your tab or first-line indent size so paragraphs aren’t indented as much. If you haven’t been able to break the habit of using five periods to indent, use the Search – Replace function and get rid of those.
Chapters
No headings on the first page of the chapter!Add your chapter headings (whether this is just Chapter One or a chapter title). You can center the chapter headings and adjust the size. You may want the first word or letter of a chapter to be larger or bold. Study other books for ideas.
Of course you want all your chapter headings to be the same throughout. I found the simplest way to do this is to use the Format Painter button – the little paintbrush in the upper left-hand corner. Double-click on the paintbrush, and then scroll down to the next chapter heading. Click to the left of it and the line should adjust to the same formatting. Scroll down farther and repeat.
Final Polish
If you have any interior art, add it using the Insert button. Microsoft Word apparently compresses art, so it won’t be as high quality. This means it’s not ideal for books where the images are very important, but you can use simple line art.
Scan through every page looking for large gaps between words, and add hyphenation or otherwise adjust the formatting to get rid of them. Look for widows and orphans as well and get rid of them.
Save a copy as a PDF -- make sure you have chosen “standard” format. Choose ISO option if it’s not embedding the fonts. Double-check that all your formatting came through, such as italics. Be sure all your formatting is consistent.
Now you are ready to upload your document!
Troubleshooting
If my tips don’t seem to be working, or you need to know something else, do an Internet search for what you want to do and you should come up with plenty of tutorials, both written and video. They are often better than the Help menu in Word. You might also be able to find a tutorial that simply walks you through lots of the options.
One incredibly valuable tool is the Replace option. You’ll find it in the upper right corner of the Home tab. It can be used to fix all those problems that come from old habits. For example, search for two spaces and replace with one space. Click on the “More” button and then “special” to see many more options. If you have a document with tabs and you want to use the indent formatting instead, you can Replace “tab” (there are symbols that indicate these things; you don’t actually use the word) with nothing.
I always use the Replace function and replace " with " – the symbols look the same, but it will ensure that all quotes are “smart” or “curly” rather than straight. I do the same with the apostrophe.
And don’t forget the Undo button in case you do something wrong! If things are going well but you want to experiment with something risky, it might be a good idea to save the document in a new version before you start playing with it.
If you are overwhelmed, you have other options, such as hiring a professional or using a template. Print on demand companies may supply a template. You can buy more advanced preformatted templates available for Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign. TheBookDesignerhas some for children’s books starting at $37.

Chris Eboch is the author of 40+ traditionally-published books and 10 self-published titles, including You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers and Advanced Plotting. Visit her Amazon page or website.


Additional resources:
How to format a book in Microsoft Word (with videos and lots of images)
DIY Formatting and Layout Guidelines
Formatting: From Manuscript to a Print Book with MS Word
How To Make A Professional Standard Print Book Interior With Joel Friedlander, The Book Designer
How To Self-Publish A Print Book, by Joanna Penn
How Much Attention Should You Pay to Book Design? A Q&A With Joel Friedlander
Typography for Children
Picture Book Basics – Graphic Design

Rags, Widows & Orphans

#HolidaysSavings on Gifts for Writers

The authors at Spellbound River Press are having a Facebook partytonight, Thursday, December 8, 7:30 to 9:30 PM ET. Stop by for chance to win signed paperback books – and several of us will be doing Instafreebie e-book giveaways to everyone who attends! In addition, we're doing a $50 gift card giveaway. Most prize options will close at midnight, so if you can't make it during the party, come by afterward. 
On Sale! You Can Write for Children : How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers
The paperback version of this writing guide has been marked down from $12.99 to $9.99 in time for the holidays. It’s also available for the Kindle, or you can read it for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
I have two children’s picture books on my computer, and, after reading this book, I know what I need to do to make them better. 
This is a terrific resource book for anyone who has considered writing for children. Each chapter has a tip section as well as specific resources, concrete examples, and easy to understand explanation of terms and topics. Excellent book!
 A definite “winner” in the “how-to-write” book library.
Grab a copy for aspiring writers you know, or put it on your wish list!
On Sale!
If you know writers who write for adults, or who could use something more advanced, try Advanced Plotting. Again, the paperback version of this writing guide has been marked down from $11.99 to $9.99 in time for the holidays.
Advanced Plotting is designed for the intermediate and advanced writer: you’ve finished a few manuscripts, read books and articles on writing, taken some classes, attended conferences. But you still struggle with plot, or suspect that your plotting needs work.
This really is helping me a lot. It’s written beautifully and to-the-point. The essays really help you zero in on your own problems in your manuscript. The Plot Outline Exercise is a great tool!
I just read and—dissected—your well written book: Advanced Plotting. It’s now highlighted in bright orange and littered with many of those little 3M sticky labels. GOOD JOB. There are too many just-for-beginners books out there. Yours was a delight.
Advanced Plotting is helping me to be more focused, to stop and ask the right questions, to dig deeper.
See Chris’s books at Amazon, B&N/Nook, Smashwords or IndieBound.


More Holiday Shopping
Who doesn’t love books for the holidays (or any time, really)? Check out the series of holiday gift guides on my website:

Holiday Gift Guide: Nonfiction – Writing Guides, Cooking, a Valentine board game and quirky true history

Holiday Gift Guide: Fantastic Fun Picture Books for Children

Holiday Gift Guide – Great Books for Middle Grade and Teen Readers

Holiday Gift Guide: Romance, Romance, Romance!– check out these romance authors in various sub genres


Don't forget the Spellbound River Press Facebook partytonight, Thursday, December 8, 7:30 to 9:30 PM ET. You could win a $50 gift card, signed paperback books, or other swag – plus get free e-book downloads! 

WriteOnCon is Back! Join This Great Online Writing Conference for $5

I’ll be one of over 100 presenters at the Write on Conference. It’s incredibly cheap (as low as $1 but I recommend the $5 option), and you attend from the comfort of your own home! The conference will be hosted through the WriteOnCon website.
Here’s how the organizers explain the conference:
“WriteOnCon is a children’s literature conference for writers. When you’re trying to improve your writing craft or hoping to get published, conferences are a must on anyone’s list – but they can be stressful and expensive. Our goal is to provide a conference experience that’s easy, fun, and affordable. We encourage you to get involved, improve your writing, and connect to the kidlit community – all from the comfort of your own home.”

“December 15 is the last day for the WriteOnCon Indiegogo campaign. After this date admission will be available through our website but prices will go up (by just $1! but it’s still worth signing up now), and – more importantly – all of the critique perks will no longer be available.” (You can get query, picture book, or first pages critiques from published authors, editors and agents, for $20-$65, with some more expensive options for full manuscript critiques and other items.) “Also, everyone who signs up during the IGG campaign will be entered into a raffle to win one of two query critiques, a personal video call with an agent, or one of several ARCs for fabulous books releasing next year.”

They also offer “Ninja Agents” – you can post your query letter or writing sample in the forums, agents will stop by, and they may leave feedback – or even request the manuscript!
Here is the link to the IGG campaign, including critique perks: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/writeoncon-2017-books/
The schedule is almost finalized. It includes Q&A sessions with authors, editors, and agents, live pitch sessions, panel discussions, and more. In addition, blogs and vlogs will offer additional information. Check out the entire schedule.
Follow @WriteOnCon on Twitter for updates.

Write Better Next Year - #WritingTips

The holiday season can be a crazy time, when it’s hard to get any writing done. But it’s not too early to think about your writing goals next year. Maybe you have a NaNoWriMo manuscript to edit and polish.Or perhaps you have other projects that could use a boost before you send them out. Consider giving yourself the gift of improved writing knowledge, so you can reach your goals for the new year!
If you need help shaping your novel, or identifying problems, consider getting a professional critique. You can find my rates and recommendations here (short version: developmental/content editing at $2 per page for a novel, $40 for a picture book).
Stacy Whitman, Editorial Director of Tu Books, provided this list of professional editors who work directly with authors. Karen Sanderson, The Word Shark, is an editor and proofreader who also has an Editor Spotlight series on her blog.
Writing books on writing is its own industry, providing many books that can give you advice on every aspect of writing.
Advanced Plotting is designed for the intermediate and advanced writer: you’ve finished a few manuscripts, read books and articles on writing, taken some classes, attended conferences. But you still struggle with plot, or suspect that your plotting needs work.
This book can help.
The Plot Outline Exercise is designed to help a writer work with a completed manuscript to identify and fix plot weaknesses. It can also be used to help flesh out an outline. Additional articles address specific plot challenges, such as getting off to a fast start, propping up a sagging middle, building to a climax, and improving your pacing. A dozen guest authors share advice from their own years of experience.
Read the book straight through, study the index to find help with your current problem, or dip in and out randomly — however you use this book, you’ll find fascinating insights and detailed tips to help you build a stronger plot and become a better writer.
"This really is helping me a lot. It’s written beautifully and to-the-point. The essays really help you zero in on your own problems in your manuscript. The Plot Outline Exercise is a great tool!"
Here are some other writing craft books I like. The links are to the authors’ websites or blogs. If you want to buy, it might be faster to go to your favorite online retailer and paste in the name, or ask your local bookstore to order the book.
My brother, scriptwriter Douglas Eboch, is co-author of The Hollywood Pitching Bible . While it’s targeted at scriptwriters wanting to sell screenplays, a lot of the material is helpful and interesting to novelists as well, especially if you are trying to find your book’s “hook” or write a query/synopsis.
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers , by Renni Browne and Dave King is one of my favorite writing craft books. Each chapter covers a specific tip for improving your style, and exercises at the end (with answers in the back) help you see if you are really “getting it.”
There’s a good book by Nancy Sanders called Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Children’s Books, Get Them Published, and Build a Successful Writing Career , which points out that we typically write for three reasons – the emotional satisfaction of getting published, to make money, and for the love of writing. She suggests separating those three goals, so you don’t put pressure on yourself to sell what you are writing for love, and you find more practical ways of approaching the other two goals. She then addresses how to target each goal.
Nancy also has Yes! You Can Learn How to Write Beginning Readers and Chapter Books.
The Idiot’s Guide to Children’s Book Publishing , by Harold Underdown, is an excellent overview of the business. It explains the different genres, the difference between a magazine story and a picture book manuscript, how to find a publisher, etc.
Scene and Structure, by Jack Bickham, has a lot of good advice on pacing. Plot & Structure, by James Scott Bell, may also be of interest. Both of these are published by Writers Digest.
I found some interesting tidbits in Manuscript Makeover, by Elizabeth Lyon.
The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide To Character Expression, by Angela Ackerman, is getting good reviews.
I’ve heard several authors talk about Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One, by Les Edgerton and The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide To Staying Out of the Rejection Pile, by Noah Lukeman.
I’m a big fan of using close/deep point of view. Jill Elizabeth Nelson has a book called Rivet Your Readers with Deep POV.
And if you need help with grammar (or know someone who does), these have been recommended by writing teachers I know:
Things That Make Us (Sic), by Martha BrockenbroughEats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne TrussPainless Grammar, by Rebecca ElliottGrammatically Correctby Anne Stilman

Please share your other favorite books in the comments. I hope you’ll be able to give yourself some writing gifts this year – and perhaps share the knowledge with other aspiring writers you know!

Chris Eboch’s novels for ages nine and up include The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy; and the Haunted series, about kids who travel with a ghost hunter TV show. 
Her writing craft books include You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers, and Advanced Plotting. Learn more at www.chriseboch.com or her Amazon page.

#Holiday Gift Guide: Nonfiction – Writing, Cooking and More!

I’m continuing with my Holiday Gift Guide. You can see the earlier posts for Great Books for Middle Grade and Teen Readers, Picture Books for Children, and Romance, Romance, #Romance.
Today I have a few more titles for Nonfiction: Writing, Cooking and More.
You Can Write for Children: How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers: 
When you write for children, you have the most appreciative audience in the world. But to reach that audience, you need to write fresh, dynamic stories, whether you’re writing rhymed picture books, middle grade mysteries, edgy teen novels, nonfiction, or something else.
Learn how to find ideas and develop those ideas into stories, articles, and books. Understand the basics of character development, plot, setting, and theme – and some advanced elements, along with how to use point of view, dialogue, and thoughts. Finally, learn about editing your work and getting critiques.
You Can Write for Children : How to Write Great Stories, Articles, and Books for Kids and Teenagers is available for the Kindle, in paperback, or in Large Print paperback.
Advanced Plotting is designed for the intermediate and advanced writer: you’ve finished a few manuscripts, read books and articles on writing, taken some classes, attended conferences. But you still struggle with plot, or suspect that your plotting needs work. This book can help.
This really is helping me a lot. It's written beautifully and to-the-point. The essays really help you zero in on your own problems in your manuscript. The Plot Outline Exercise is a great tool!
I just read and—dissected—your well written  book: Advanced Plotting. It's now highlighted in bright orange and littered with many of those little 3M sticky labels.  GOOD JOB. There are too many just-for-beginners books out there. Yours was a delight.
See these and more at www.chriseboch.com or my Amazon page.
If youire interested in history, archaeology, or quirky true stories, try Outlaws & Outcasts: The Lost Cemetery of Las Vegas, New Mexico, by Ellen S. Rippel
Outlaws and Outcasts. They lay undisturbed and forgotten for almost a century--until a backhoe driver digging for gravel made a gruesome discovery. A hastily-assembled group of students, guided by an intellectually curious professor, had only one week to document the unearthing of the large, 19th century graveyard. Who was buried in those unmarked graves? What had they done to be cast out from society? Filled with stories of early outlaws and fascinating historical insights, Outlaws and Outcasts chronicles a spellbinding and little-known saga from New Mexico. For those who love history, archaeology, or quirky stories from the Land of Enchantment, this book is an intriguing summary of what occurred in Las Vegas, New Mexico in 1972. Outlaws and Outcasts: The Lost Cemetery of Las Vegas, New Mexico recounts the accidental unearthing of graves in a gravel pit. Included in the narrative are examinations of historical burial practices and customs, and a search through the scarce literature on events specific to the existence of the cemetery.
Get it from Amazon. Amy Houts is the author of Mealtime Magic: Delicious Dinners in Half the Time
• Save $500/year • Spend fewer hours in the kitchen • Please picky eaters • A tried-and-true method
Use the recipes and strategies in this unique cookbook to help you save time and money. Over 200 pages of recipes with clear, detailed directions will help your cooking earn rave reviews even from picky eaters. Award-winning cookbook author Amy Houts shares her time-tested, proven method of intentional planning to provide delicious, home-cooked meals and spend fewer hours in the kitchen.
Also from Amy Houts comes this Cooperative Board Game in a consumable book.
Find My Heart: A Valentine GameOn a windy February day, Valentine Heart Cards have blown out of the Mail Truck and are littering the neighborhood! Can you help the Teddy Bear Mail Carrier collect the Valentine Heart Cards and return them to the Mail Truck? Develops fine motor control and fosters cooperation. Children learn to follow rules, practice counting skills, and more. Research shows that cooperative games help to prevent bullying. Book includes game board, game pieces, rules and instructions. Just cut out pieces, tape, and go!
See all of Amy Hout’s books at her website or on Amazon.

#Holiday Gift Guide: Romance, Romance, #Romance

For dozens of books in many genres, visit N. N. Light’s Holiday Gift Guide.
Romantic Adventures for Adults
Are you buying a gift for a romance lover? Or would you like a quick vacation in the pages of a book, to get you through the busy holiday season? Try one of these Kris Bock titles.
The Mad Monk’s Treasure – a romantic adventure
When a quiet history professor uncovers a clue to the legendary lost Victorio Peak treasure, she prepares for adventure. But she’s not the only one interested. Is the handsome pilot who rescued her a hero or the enemy? “The story has it all—action, romance, danger, intrigue….”
The Dead Man’s Treasure  – Rebecca Westin’s grandfather left her a buried treasure – if she can decipher a complex series of clues leading to it. Her half-siblings are determined to reach the treasure first. Good thing Rebecca has help, in the form of a green-eyed charmer determined to make their desert adventure sexy and fun. But a treacherous enemy will do anything to get that treasure – and revenge.
Action and romance combine in this lively Southwestern adventure, complete with riddles the reader is invited to solve. The Dead Man’s Treasure is book 2 in the New Mexico treasure hunters series. In book 3, The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. (Each book features a different hero and heroine, and stands alone.)
Counterfeits  – Jenny returns to her grandparents’ art camp in a remote New Mexico town after her grandmother’s sudden death. That night, staying alone in the empty house, she wakes to the noise of intruders. What do the strangers want? As more bizarre events unfold, Jenny starts to realize the people she thought she knew are not what they seem – least of all Rob, an old friend and the camp cook, whose past may be coming back to haunt them all.
What We Found  –  When Audra stumbles on a murdered woman in the woods, more than one person isn’t happy about her bringing the crime to light. She’ll have to stand up for herself in order to stand up for the murder victim. It’s a risk, and so is reaching out to the mysterious young man who works with deadly birds of prey. But with danger all around, some risks are worth taking.
Whispers in the Dark  – Kylie Hafford craves adventure when she heads to the remote Puebloan ruins of Lost Valley, Colorado, to excavate. Romance isn’t in her plans, but she soon meets two sexy men: Danesh looks like a warrior from the Pueblo’s ancient past, and Sean is a charming, playful tourist. The summer heats up as Kylie uncovers mysteries, secrets, and terrors in the night. She’ll need all her strength and wits to survive—and to save the man she’s come to love.
Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit the Kris Bock Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.
Inspirational
If you prefer an inspirational title, try Alone, a romantic suspense, by SM Ford:
Ready for adventure in the snowy Colorado mountains, Cecelia Gage is thrilled to be employed as the live-in housekeeper for her favorite bestselling author. The twenty-five-year-old doesn’t count on Mark Andrews being so prickly, nor becoming part of the small town gossip centering on the celebrity. Neither does she expect to become involved in Andrews family drama and a relationship with Simon Lindley, Mark’s oh so good-looking best friend. And certainly, Cecelia has no idea she’ll be mixed up in a murder investigation because of this job.Will Cecelia’s faith in God get her through all the trouble that lies ahead?
Visit SM Ford’s website or find her on Amazon.
Historical
If you’d like to journey to the past, try one of the historical romance novels from Mariana Gabrielle. You can check out her writing with the free prequel novella Shipmate:
The heavy hands and sharp tongues of Bella Smithson’s family have left her almost too timid to converse with a gentleman, much less conduct a husband hunt. Unfortunately, her overbearing aunt and managing cousin are determined to help her escape her black-hearted father and brothers.

Thanks to the Prince of Wales, retiring shipping magnate Myron Clewes has an ever-growing fortune, a fresh-minted peerage, a brand-new flagship, and an impossible set of requirements for a bride. Not least, she must be willing to leave England and everything she knows, possibly for good, in less than two months’ time.
Or for something different, try La Déesse Noire: The Black Goddess:
Kali Matai, London’s most famed Indian dancer and courtesan, harbors a lifetime of secrets, as more lives than hers depend on it.

Sired by a British peer, born of a paramour to Indian royalty, she has been destined from birth to enthrall England’s most powerful noblemen—though she hadn’t counted on becoming their pawn. Finding herself under the control of ruthless men, who will not be moved by her legendary allure, she has no choice but to use her beauty toward their malicious and clandestine ends.

When those she holds most dear are placed in peril by backroom political dealings, she enlists some of the most formidable lords in England to thwart her enemies. But even with the help of the prominent gentlemen she has captivated, securing Kali’s freedom, her family, and the man she loves, will require her protectors stop at nothing to fulfill her desires.
check out her Amazon page.
If you prefer contemporary romances, check out Deanna Roy’s Forever Innocent series:
Corabelle doesn’t feel like any of the other college girls. On what should have been one of the happiest nights of her life, she and her boyfriend Gavin watched a nurse disconnect the ventilator from their seven-day-old baby. During the funeral two days later, Gavin walked out and never returned.

Since then, her life has been a spiral of disasters. The only thing that has helped is her ability to black out whenever the pain gets too hard to bear, a habit that has become an addiction.

When Gavin shows up in her astronomy class four years later, he is hell-bent on getting her back, insisting she forgive him. Corabelle knows she can’t resist the touch that fills the empty ache that has haunted her since he left. But if he learns what she has done, if he follows the trail back through her past, her secrets will destroy their love completely. And once again, she’ll lose the only person who always believed she was innocent.

A New Adult Contemporary Romance
Visit Deanna’s website or Amazon page.
Prefer a bit of paranormal in your Romance? Check out Marion Croslydon’s titles.
Oxford Whispers 
Madison LeBon is dead set against the dead. 
Her fresh start at Oxford University is a brand new beginning. She finally has a chance to turn the page on her psychic powers and cumbersome voodoo heritage. Snakes, dolls, ghosts, and spirits: Farewell…Not quite.When the tragic lovers in a painting—the subject of her first history class—begin to haunt her, she must accept her gift before life imitates art. The lovers warn her against their own nemesis, a Puritan from the English Civil War. Unfortunately, said nemesis is now going all homicidal on Madison.College becomes more complicated when she falls hard for Rupert Vance, a troubled aristocrat and descendant of one of the characters in the painting. With the spirit of a murderer after her, Madison realizes that her own first love may also be doomed…

To learn about this and her other books, visit Marion’s website or Amazon page.