Marylee MacDonald's Blog: Writing and Caregiving, page 4
September 30, 2014
Debut Author Races to Catch Up
What I've learned about book publishing...
1. Set up a Goodreads page before the book comes out.
2. Set up an Amazon author page and also a fan page on Facebook.
3. Get some blog posts in the hopper long before the book comes out.
I didn't really hit me till I held the first copy of my novel in my hands that unless I exerted myself, the only people who would ever know about it were members of my immediate family.
While I've been busy writing the best book I could possibly write, I truly had little time or inclination to figure out how I was going to find readers for the book. Now, I feel a bit like Rip Van Winkle waking up from his hundred-year sleep and discovering the world of social media.
I'm still learning, but the feeling of panic is beginning to subside. Meanwhile, I'm heading off for a trip to visit grandchildren. I may have to see if they have any tips for me.
1. Set up a Goodreads page before the book comes out.
2. Set up an Amazon author page and also a fan page on Facebook.
3. Get some blog posts in the hopper long before the book comes out.
I didn't really hit me till I held the first copy of my novel in my hands that unless I exerted myself, the only people who would ever know about it were members of my immediate family.
While I've been busy writing the best book I could possibly write, I truly had little time or inclination to figure out how I was going to find readers for the book. Now, I feel a bit like Rip Van Winkle waking up from his hundred-year sleep and discovering the world of social media.
I'm still learning, but the feeling of panic is beginning to subside. Meanwhile, I'm heading off for a trip to visit grandchildren. I may have to see if they have any tips for me.
August 25, 2014
Blog Tour
The Ice Bucket Challenge is a lot like a blog tour. In a Writers' Blog Tour, one writer tags two or three more. It only works if people hand off the baton. I'm excited to participate in this tour because it gives me a chance to read the work of four new writers.
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in a crime novel set in the San Francisco Bay area just after WWII, Mary Adler has the book for you.
In the Shadow of Lies is a mystery with a social conscience. Oliver Wright and two unlikely allies join forces to solve a series of race-related crimes. The book lived in Mary’s imagination for many years, with stops in Pittsburgh, teaching gigs, law school, and finally a return to California, where she had done her research into the tense, postwar years. Mary invited me to join a blog tour, but first, please check out these links to learn more about Mary and her work: http://www.maadler.com and http://www.torymccagg.com.
Marylee MacDonald's Writing Process
I’m going to answer the following questions:
What am I working on?
I’m working on a historical novel about a young artist who goes to Baja California in 1769. Dreaming of bringing back the first pictures of California (this is a 100 years before the Gold Rush), Noël lands in San Jose del Cabo to find a mission under quarantine and his home in Paris halfway round the world.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I don’t know that it does. Historical fiction always seeks to place readers in an unfamiliar world. The job is to make that world real, but the characters familiar.
Why do I write what I do?
I started off writing a novel about Junipero Serra and Gaspar de Portola, the founders of the California missions. Like Mary Adler, I grew up in California, and I suppose it’s still my spiritual home. In my peripheral vision I heard about this French astronomer, Chappe d’Auteroche, who led an expedition to Baja to observe the Transit of Venus. Then, what captivated me, were Noël’s pictures, done “fresh and on the spot.” I felt compelled to learn more about him, and so for the past five years, I’m been over in the archives in Spain and France digging up old documents.
How does my writing process work?
I show up every day. I would rather be writing than doing anything else. If I’m trying to draft a long piece of fiction, I just put the blinders on and don’t allow myself to get distracted. If you’d like to learn more about my current writing, please visit my Authors Guild website at http://maryleemacdonald.us
That’s it for me. I’m handing off the baton to three fine writers. Here’s a chance for you to preview their work. Pete has recently published his first novel, but there will be more to come. Judith’s novel will intrigue readers who remember Achilles and want to know more about Troy and its Hittite neighbor. And, Louise has a fabulous blog about real Southern women. Follow the breadcrumbs, and you’ll not only meet new authors but have some fantastic reading.
Next Week’s Lineup
P.J. Wetzel has been writing fiction and poetry since first grade. His poetry and debut novel have both won awards. The novel, first of six in an epic fantasy/sci-fi series, Out of Crystal Ice,
was released by All Things That Matter Press in July 2014. A retired NASA Ph.D. earth scientist, he calls coastal North Carolina home, and he divides his time between the serious pursuit of hiking (He hiked the entire Appalachian Trail twice in 2012) and the equally serious pursuit of writing.
Web site/blog: http://www.pjwetzel.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pj.wetzel.9
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pjwetzel
Judith Starkston writes historical fiction and mysteries set in Troy and the Hittite Empire. Ms. Starkston is a classicist (B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz, M.A. Cornell University) who taught high school English, Latin and humanities. She and her husband have two grown children and live in Arizona with their golden retriever Socrates.
Hand of Fire is her debut novel.
About Hand of Fire:
The Trojan War threatens Troy’s allies and the Greek supply raids spread. A young healing priestess, designated as future queen, must defend her city against both divine anger and invading Greeks. She finds strength in visions of a handsome warrior god; will that be enough when the half-immortal Achilles attacks? Hand of Fire, a tale of resilience and hope, blends history and legend in the untold story of Achilles’s famous captive, Briseis.
An excerpt from Hand of Fire, book reviews, ancient recipes, historical background as well as on-going information about the historical fiction community can be found on Starkston’s website http://www.JudithStarkston.com
Follow Judith Starkston on Facebook at https://facebook.com/JudithStarkston
Visit Hand of Fire on Goodreads
Louise Canfield wrote short stories and feature articles for local newspapers prior to attending college. She was a professor of biochemistry for 30+ years, retiring from the University of Arizona in 2010. She is the author of over 100 scientific publications, including books, journal articles, and scientific reports in the field of nutritional biochemistry. She is currently writing a novel and two short stories about the lives of women in the rural south, a lifelong interest. Sketches of southern women as well as essays and poetry are posted on her website, http://realsouthernwomen.com. A wife and proud grandmother, she is also an amateur pianist and loves knitting, quilting and reading. She, her husband and Jake, a greatly over-indulged Boston Terrier, divide their time between The Woodlands Texas and Lake Claiborne, Louisiana.
Blog: http://realsouthernwomen.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com@realsouthernwomen
Facebook: https://facebook.com/LouiseCanfieldWr...
If you’re looking to immerse yourself in a crime novel set in the San Francisco Bay area just after WWII, Mary Adler has the book for you.
In the Shadow of Lies is a mystery with a social conscience. Oliver Wright and two unlikely allies join forces to solve a series of race-related crimes. The book lived in Mary’s imagination for many years, with stops in Pittsburgh, teaching gigs, law school, and finally a return to California, where she had done her research into the tense, postwar years. Mary invited me to join a blog tour, but first, please check out these links to learn more about Mary and her work: http://www.maadler.com and http://www.torymccagg.com.Marylee MacDonald's Writing Process
I’m going to answer the following questions:
What am I working on?
I’m working on a historical novel about a young artist who goes to Baja California in 1769. Dreaming of bringing back the first pictures of California (this is a 100 years before the Gold Rush), Noël lands in San Jose del Cabo to find a mission under quarantine and his home in Paris halfway round the world.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?
I don’t know that it does. Historical fiction always seeks to place readers in an unfamiliar world. The job is to make that world real, but the characters familiar.
Why do I write what I do?
I started off writing a novel about Junipero Serra and Gaspar de Portola, the founders of the California missions. Like Mary Adler, I grew up in California, and I suppose it’s still my spiritual home. In my peripheral vision I heard about this French astronomer, Chappe d’Auteroche, who led an expedition to Baja to observe the Transit of Venus. Then, what captivated me, were Noël’s pictures, done “fresh and on the spot.” I felt compelled to learn more about him, and so for the past five years, I’m been over in the archives in Spain and France digging up old documents.
How does my writing process work?
I show up every day. I would rather be writing than doing anything else. If I’m trying to draft a long piece of fiction, I just put the blinders on and don’t allow myself to get distracted. If you’d like to learn more about my current writing, please visit my Authors Guild website at http://maryleemacdonald.us
That’s it for me. I’m handing off the baton to three fine writers. Here’s a chance for you to preview their work. Pete has recently published his first novel, but there will be more to come. Judith’s novel will intrigue readers who remember Achilles and want to know more about Troy and its Hittite neighbor. And, Louise has a fabulous blog about real Southern women. Follow the breadcrumbs, and you’ll not only meet new authors but have some fantastic reading.
Next Week’s Lineup
P.J. Wetzel has been writing fiction and poetry since first grade. His poetry and debut novel have both won awards. The novel, first of six in an epic fantasy/sci-fi series, Out of Crystal Ice,
was released by All Things That Matter Press in July 2014. A retired NASA Ph.D. earth scientist, he calls coastal North Carolina home, and he divides his time between the serious pursuit of hiking (He hiked the entire Appalachian Trail twice in 2012) and the equally serious pursuit of writing.Web site/blog: http://www.pjwetzel.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pj.wetzel.9
Twitter: https://twitter.com/pjwetzel
Judith Starkston writes historical fiction and mysteries set in Troy and the Hittite Empire. Ms. Starkston is a classicist (B.A. University of California, Santa Cruz, M.A. Cornell University) who taught high school English, Latin and humanities. She and her husband have two grown children and live in Arizona with their golden retriever Socrates.
Hand of Fire is her debut novel. About Hand of Fire:
The Trojan War threatens Troy’s allies and the Greek supply raids spread. A young healing priestess, designated as future queen, must defend her city against both divine anger and invading Greeks. She finds strength in visions of a handsome warrior god; will that be enough when the half-immortal Achilles attacks? Hand of Fire, a tale of resilience and hope, blends history and legend in the untold story of Achilles’s famous captive, Briseis.
An excerpt from Hand of Fire, book reviews, ancient recipes, historical background as well as on-going information about the historical fiction community can be found on Starkston’s website http://www.JudithStarkston.com
Follow Judith Starkston on Facebook at https://facebook.com/JudithStarkston
Visit Hand of Fire on Goodreads
Louise Canfield wrote short stories and feature articles for local newspapers prior to attending college. She was a professor of biochemistry for 30+ years, retiring from the University of Arizona in 2010. She is the author of over 100 scientific publications, including books, journal articles, and scientific reports in the field of nutritional biochemistry. She is currently writing a novel and two short stories about the lives of women in the rural south, a lifelong interest. Sketches of southern women as well as essays and poetry are posted on her website, http://realsouthernwomen.com. A wife and proud grandmother, she is also an amateur pianist and loves knitting, quilting and reading. She, her husband and Jake, a greatly over-indulged Boston Terrier, divide their time between The Woodlands Texas and Lake Claiborne, Louisiana.
Blog: http://realsouthernwomen.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com@realsouthernwomen
Facebook: https://facebook.com/LouiseCanfieldWr...
August 24, 2014
The Ice Bucket Challenge
The Ice Bucket Challenge has gone viral, and even grandmas aren't safe! Two of my granddaughters just challenged me.
So will I do it or not? A cooler of ice water might feel pretty good in Phoenix this time of year, but I'd have to hunt up a neighbor, and most of them have fled to Colorado or northern Arizona.
Just to be clear, if you are challenged, you have a choice: get dunked or make a donation to support ALS research.
Here's the website for ALSA. http://www.alsa.org/donate/
I'll be making my video tomorrow, and it will show me writing a check.
Compared to cancer, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's, ALS is a relatively rare disease, and that is why this boost in funding is so wonderful. In the past, ALSA raised money through Walks to DeFeat ALS. With so few people affected by the disease, the turnout of sponsored walkers was comparatively low. But numbers can be deceiving.
When I've read excerpts of my novel, Montpelier Tomorrow, in front of civic groups, I've been amazed at how many in the audience have acquaintances or friends who've died of ALS. I hope the Ice Bucket Challenge goes on and on, raising money and raising awareness.
According to ALSA, "about 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. The incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time."
So will I do it or not? A cooler of ice water might feel pretty good in Phoenix this time of year, but I'd have to hunt up a neighbor, and most of them have fled to Colorado or northern Arizona.
Just to be clear, if you are challenged, you have a choice: get dunked or make a donation to support ALS research.
Here's the website for ALSA. http://www.alsa.org/donate/
I'll be making my video tomorrow, and it will show me writing a check.
Compared to cancer, Parkinson's, or Alzheimer's, ALS is a relatively rare disease, and that is why this boost in funding is so wonderful. In the past, ALSA raised money through Walks to DeFeat ALS. With so few people affected by the disease, the turnout of sponsored walkers was comparatively low. But numbers can be deceiving.
When I've read excerpts of my novel, Montpelier Tomorrow, in front of civic groups, I've been amazed at how many in the audience have acquaintances or friends who've died of ALS. I hope the Ice Bucket Challenge goes on and on, raising money and raising awareness.
According to ALSA, "about 5,600 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year. The incidence of ALS is two per 100,000 people, and it is estimated that as many as 30,000 Americans may have the disease at any given time."
Writing and Caregiving
My novel, MONTPELIER TOMORROW is about a mother and daughter trying to resolve old grievances, while caring for a dying man. The book won a Gold Medal for Drama from Readers' Favorites' International
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