Curtiss Ann Matlock's Blog, page 7

The Girl Camper Cemetery Hunter

I have just returned from five days away camping up at Forkland Campground, in Greene County, Alabama, where I spent my time relaxing, pondering and journaling, reading and finding a couple of fascinating old cemeteries. What a bang-up time I enjoyed this trip!

According to an article I found, a name has evolved for those of us who love cemeteries and gravestones: taphophile. One of my friends labeled me a historian, and this does fit me, as I seek the history of the cemetery and surroundin...

After the Rain

I’ll put this news out first:

The digital Kindle edition of Love in a Small Town goes on sale this Friday, June 23, for one week. It will start out at 99¢ on that day and gradually increase.

My goodness, we had a bit of rain on Monday. Our area–Mobile, Alabama–is a the top of the list for averaging the most rain of any area in the nation. The entire southeast makes the top of the rainy list.

It was rather wonderful at first Monday, because the rain cooled the heavy humid air, and...

Refusing Distraction, Focusing on Me

There’s a lot going on all over the world, isn’t there? I am seeing stuff that I never in my life thought I would see, the world brought into my life via the magical internet. Much of it is like seeing the unfolding of a hundred car pile-up on the interstate, in bright technicolor and full stereo sound, in slow motion, up close and personal and way too naked, and seeing the last two cars approaching and about to crash, and you want to save them, but you can’t, and you can’t look away, either, s...

For Writers and Other Creatives: Eyes Up

Sometimes the creative road gets long and tiresome. There will be delays in carefully planned schedules (my writing schedules are in the shape of a knotted ball of yarn), parts of your creative work that you thought would be easily done turn out to take days, and often must be redone more than once. Then there are the parts that no matter how much you work and sweat and do your best, those parts do not turn out to match the vision in your mind. There will be days you planned to write, but life i...

Finding My Niche–Upmarket Fiction

A few months ago I enjoyed an online writer group webinar. I love the modern era of the internet. We can have a meet-up and never leave home. I can use the video and then cut it off when I want to get up and get a cup of tea, or stuff my face with a big gluten-free brownie. At this particular webinar, I met new writers and had the delight of learning there is a term for my style of writing–Upmarket Fiction.

I have heard this term in passing for the past couple of years but paid it no more att...

Camping and Writing Intentions

In my post last week, I spoke of my intention to camp and work on the final edits on my work in progress. I’m delighted to report that, while I did not reach the finished goal I had set, I actually did work on the manuscript, and worked well. I edited what I intended, as well as saw and edited some pages that I had not before seen that needed it. I enjoyed being absorbed in the process. I learned this trip that when I go camping alone, I will write. And I am reminded once again of the power of ...

Book Sale, Writing, and Weekly Word

Book Sale–99¢

Since a number of my titles have been available in KindleUnlimited, the most read book is If Wishes Were Horses. For those of you not in KindleUnlimited, the book will go on sale price on Thursday, May 18, at 99¢ for two days. It will remain on sale for a week, but gradually increase in price.

From USA TODAY bestselling author Curtiss Ann Matlock comes the story of a remarkable woman, a hard-luck cowboy, and an unlikely race horse. No one thought they had a chance. When he...

Time Out for a Public Service Announcement: May is Celiac Awareness Month

Fact: 1 in 100 people in the United States will develop celiac disease in their lifetime.

I am one of those people. My mother was another. I have now lived with the celiac diagnosis for twenty-two years. I am deeply grateful to God for leading me to answers and to being able to maintain the gluten free diet. I truly consider it a miracle. We believe I likely had celiac in childhood, and my mother the same. There were telltale symptoms at various points until my late forties, when I gradually ...

Book News, Updates, and Encouragement for Success

The first part of this post is about me and my books. If you are in need of creative encouragement, skip on down.

Good news! A number of my titles are now in KindleUnlimited and can be read for free if you are subscribed to KU.

Update on my current work in progress: The working title is According to Carley Love, however, that will change. I just have not yet chosen from the list of titles that I am still creating. Yes, this book is taking for-ev-erh. I am grateful to repo...

Camping Woman at the Water’s Edge

I went to a meet-up of camper ladies up on Lake Martin in Alabama. It was early evening and I was tired from nearly five hours of driving, when I backed the camper into it’s assigned campground space. Just as I turned off the truck engine, I perked up at the sound of my name. A good friend waved from a hill.

“Why don’t you see if you can get a water-side spot?” my friend said. “I think some are open.”

My response was a shrug. “Oh…well, I’m already parked. This space is fine.”

I proceed...