Debra H. Goldstein's Blog, page 19

A Parade of Caring by Debra H. Goldstein

A Parade of Caring by Debra H. Goldstein

Tonight, a group of my friends gave me a “get well quickly” parade.

As many of you know, I had foot surgery on Monday, June 1. Happily, unlike when my foot had to be rebuilt a few years ago, this was merely the removal of hardware and a minor adjustment, so recovery will take weeks rather than months. Friends have been wonderful lending me a scooter and bringing Joel and me meals.

With the pandemic, this has been an isolating experience. Most of the friends have made their drop offs at the door, but tonight was different. A group had one person trick me into believing she was running dinner to our home. Just before she was due, she gave us a heads up. I rolled to the door, with my mask on, to be positioned to thank her. Instead, I saw 8-10 cars drive around our cul-de-sac. Each parked and the driver got out, wearing a mask, and with my permission came in and sat six feet apart so we could visit. It was only 30 minutes and we had masks, but my mask couldn’t hide my smile, gratitude, and appreciation. These women took a moment to show their care for me —- I will never be able to express the extent of mine for them.

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Guest Blogger: Cathy Perkins – Write What You Know

Write What You Know by Cathy Perkins

Every author has heard that mantra at least once—and probably a lot more often. Anyone who’s taken a writing class or read a craft book has seen that adage. Whatever the answer, like all writing advice, it’s up to you to take it or leave it.

I hunted around a bit, looking at what different people thought that phrase meant. My favorite response? It doesn’t always mean writing about what you “know.” It means writing about something in a way that’s going to get you to use your best and most troubling material.

It’s emotion. It’s imagination.

What you know shouldn’t limit you on any level.

See why I love research?

When it comes to writing about what you know, there’s also my personal challenge. What I know—my day job—is specialized and very definitely a niche area. For some reason, a lot of people seem to think the entire subject area is scary or complicated or otherwise to be avoided at all costs.

Yes, I’m talking about the M word. Math. And even worse, finance and accounting.

I’ll give you a moment to recover.

When people ask me what I do, I usually offer a vague, “financial industry.” If pressed, I’ll admit I’m an accountant. It’s such a wonderful answer because it covers a whole waterfront of territory. Accountant can mean whatever the questioner wants it to mean. Bookkeeper, tax return preparer, my personal least favorite bean counter, and so on.

Based on a lot of life experience, however, when the Holly Price mystery series began, I knew I had to make Holly an engaging character whose profession happened to be in accounting. She bolted out of her small town after high school, headed for college and the big leagues, away from her family’s local accounting practice. She chased the brass ring to Seattle and a high-flying position with Falcon, handling mega dollar mergers and acquisitions.

When her world was upended (the first book in the series, So About the Money), Holly put her life on pause. She returned to her hometown, not because she messed up and had nowhere else to go, but because her father took off after a mid-life brain fart. Holly stepped in to bail out her mother and the family business—and the employees and clients of that business. Throw in fraud and other financial shenanigans, a murder or two, and rural America’s love of pheasant hunting, monster trucks slo-mo races, and llamas, and you aren’t in Seattle or any other big city any longer. (Yes, I had fun with other things I’ve learned.)

In the latest book in the series, Calling for the Money, Holly has returned to her previous position at Falcon, lured back to manage a billion-dollar transaction. Rather than setting the story in Seattle, Calling for the Money takes place primarily in Los Angeles, specifically Venice Beach. (I was in Venice Beach a good bit recently for the day job and found the transitions occurring in the area intriguing. Travel for business and research—score!)

So, while I still hang that nerdy accountant label around my neck, my favorite comment from a reader (echoed by my editor)—”you’re the only person I know who can make accounting interesting.”

Don’t worry, family and fraud still drive the action in my stories.

No math required.

Calling for the Money

Holly Price has it all—or does she?

Holly worked her way to the top of her field. Now she has the job, the money, the whole package. Behind the scenes, however, she’s wresting with a crushing workload, a backstabbing boss, a ruthless reporter, and the devastating worry she’s made a massive life choice mistake.

Then a friend goes missing and a ruthless gang is … calling for the money.

Holly must confront her past… and define her future.

 

 

 

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Guest Blogger: Kaye George – Vintage Sweets?

Vintage Sweets? by Kaye George

Are you wondering how on earth I came to write a series based on that (somewhat odd) topic? It was an evolution, a rather round about one.

I had my location from the start, Fredericksburg, Texas, a German tourist town in the Hill Country, full of wineries and interesting places. My agent at the time had actually been there, though she lives in New Jersey, and she was enthusiastic about that setting.

Sweets were on my mind from the very beginning. My first idea for the new series was a combination candy and cupcake shop. I worked up the idea, two friends running the place, one specializing in candy, the other in cupcakes. The candy maker would be named Taffy and she would be the sleuth. They would buy two shops and knock out the wall between them, sharing a large kitchen running across the back of the enlarged space. I worked up an outline and wrote three chapters, a standard proposal.

However, my agent felt there were too many cupcake cozy mysteries out at the time, which was a couple of years ago. She suggested the vintage candy theme and wanted two separate shops. Being from New Jersey, she named a number of candies from her Eastern seaboard childhood, some of which I had never heard of, or never tasted: Mary Janes, Whoopie Pies, Mallomars?

Since the cupcakes were out, I had to think of another product that would go well with these ancient candies. I was glancing about and my eyes lit on my basket collection, which was stashed on top of a set of bookcases. Of course! A basket shop. The candies could be incorporated into the basket themes.

Now, to figure out what these candies were. Google to the rescue—there were even recipes. I could change them up a bit and use them for Taffy’s shop. However, my agent had suggested so many changes, including changes to her personality and background, that she was no longer Taffy. So Tally Holt was born. Now I just had to figure out why a Texas would make candies she had never heard of. That wasn’t too hard. She had had a grandmother from New Jersey. Close to the beginning of the first book, her grandmother died and left her an old metal recipe box, oddly similar to one my mother had, which I now own. The grandmother’s hobby had been recreating the candies of her childhood and the recipe box, with those creations on index cards, was given to Tally in the will.

Voila! A Vintage Sweets cozy mystery series!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kaye George is a national-bestselling, multiple-award-winning author of pre-history, traditional, and cozy mysteries (her latest is the Vintage Sweets series from Lyrical Press). Her short stories have appeared online, in anthologies, magazines, her own collection, her own anthology, DAY OF THE DARK. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Smoking Guns chapter (Knoxville), Guppies chapter, Authors Guild of TN, Knoxville Writers Group, and Austin Mystery Writers. She lives and works in Knoxville, TN.

Links:   Amazon; Kobo; Barnes & Noble; Books A Million; Powell’s Books; Indie Bound; Book Depository

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Guest Blogger: Grace Topping – Never Give Up, Never Surrender

Never Give Up, Never Surrender by Grace Topping

I often hear people say they would like to write a book, or that they started a book but never finished it. It made me wonder what it was about me that enabled me to write a book that was published—and have that book nominated for a major book award, the Agatha for Best First Novel.

I don’t view myself as having outstanding writing talent, nor do I possess compelling stories that nearly write themselves. I spent a career writing technical manuals, procedural guides, and policy. All pretty boring stuff. And although that experience helped me develop a good sense of grammar and organization, it didn’t help move me into writing anything that required some imagination—especially writing murder mysteries. Although some of the people I came across in my career proved to be excellent examples I could draw on for villains or victims. What if I had thought I didn’t have what it takes to write fiction?

So what did I possess that got me to where I am today—a published author? I can only chalk it up to sheer stubbornness. I was like the character in the film, Galaxy Quest, who continually states, Never give up, never surrender. Once I decided to write a cozy mystery, I was just too stubborn to give up. What if I hadn’t been so stubborn?

I began my mystery-writing journey over ten years ago when I signed up for an online course through my local community college on mystery writing. The course required work, and I noticed as the course progressed how many people began dropping out. I kept at it and came out of the course with a thorough outline for my manuscript. What if I had found the course work too hard and had quit?

With the outline, I had a road map for my story. It didn’t take me long to flesh it out, but when I finished the complete first draft and wrote The End, I only had 45,000 words. A far cry from the 70,000 words required by most publishers for a cozy mystery. What if I had decided I didn’t have anything more to add to the story and given up?

So I brainstormed and thought of things I could add. Some of my ideas were pretty lame, but somehow I got them to work. I polished my manuscript and gave it to five friends to read and give me feedback. They were supportive and gave me suggestions on which to base changes. What if I had been reluctant to show my work to anyone or been discouraged by their comments and stopped there?

I kept learning all I could about writing novels, specifically mysteries, and attended several mystery conferences. I met other aspiring writers there and formed friendships. They encouraged me and offered to read my manuscript and provide feedback—this time from experienced mystery writers. I took their suggestions and started rewriting. What if I had been reluctant to attend a conference or had been too shy to approach other writers?

Having made strides in my writing, I joined professional organizations that support mystery writers, specifically Sisters in Crime (SINC) and Mystery Writers of America. Through SINC, I discovered an online chapter that consisted of unpublished mystery writers helping each other to move ahead. They kept me going when I got discouraged. What if I had viewed myself as unworthy of being a member of a professional organization?

Throughout the intervening years, ten in fact, I learned much about writing mysteries. I revised my manuscript thirty-eight times. What if I had stopped at version ten, twenty, or even thirty-seven?

Then I took the next hard step—querying agents requesting representation. I sent out queries, week after week, sometimes hearing no thanks, and other times hearing nothing at all. What if I had given up and decided I couldn’t deal with rejection?

No matter what, I didn’t give up, and when that call came from an agent saying that she liked my manuscript and wanted to represent me, I was sure glad I hadn’t. Within two months, she sold my manuscript to a small publisher and on April 28, 2019, Staging is Murder came out—almost ten years from the month I completed that online course. My second book, Staging Wars, comes out April 28, 2020. Also in April, the winner of the Agatha for Best First Novel will be announced.

So if you want to write a mystery or accomplish anything else, remember, never give up, never surrender—to doubt or discouragement.

Have you ever thought about writing a book?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Grace Topping is a recovering technical writer and IT project manager, accustomed to writing lean, boring documents. Let loose to write fiction, she is now creating murder mysteries and killing off characters who remind her of some of the people she dealt with during her career. Fictional revenge is sweet. She’s using her experience helping friends stage their homes for sale as inspiration for her Laura Bishop mystery series. The series is about a woman starting a new career midlife as a home stager. Grace is the former vice president of the Chesapeake Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and a member of the SINC Guppies and Mystery Writers of America. She lives with her husband in Northern Virginia.

Webpage: www.gracetopping.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraceToppingAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44098504-staging-is-murder?from_search=true&qid=XqTdmlj8JK&rank=1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gtoppingauthor

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/staging-wars-by-grace-topping

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Staging-Wars-Laura-Bishop-Mystery-ebook/dp/B084BT29GG/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=grace+Topping&qid=1581972229&sr=8-2

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/staging-wars-grace-topping/1136278009?ean=9781635115918

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Guest Blogger: Kristine Raymond – Writing in First Person Through the Eyes of Finn Bartusiak

Writing in First Person Through the Eyes of Finn Bartusiak by Kristine Raymond

Writing in first person is an entirely different experience than writing in third; a challenge I both eagerly accepted and oftentimes questioned while writing Finn-agled. Telling a story from the point of view of one person – from beginning to end – is a lot harder than it sounds. At least, it was for me.

Every scene that unfolded, every action or remark by another character HAD to be witnessed by Finn, my main character. If something happened ‘off the page’, the only way she knew about it was through conversations with the other characters.

When writing in third person, the author narrates the story; in first person, the author becomes the main character. In other words, I placed myself in Finn’s stylish, yet reasonably-priced, shoes and essentially took over her life. Or, did she take over mine? I think it was some weird amalgamation of the two.

Anyway, while Finn’s recounting the events that took place in Finn-agled, I’m going to slip on her Calvin Klein Shamary flats and work on Finn-icky Eaters. Enjoy.

Here’s the thing –

I didn’t set out to solve a mystery. It just happened. You know – like how toast always lands butter side down when it falls on the floor. Who expects a coded message to appear out of nowhere? I was perfectly happy spending my days cataloguing antiques and chatting it up with the customers who purchased the aforementioned heirlooms. Then that no-good weasel showed up waving the writing box under my nose. And the amount he was asking – no way I was passing up that deal!

Sure, the situation smelled as fishy as last week’s catch (a 19th-century mahogany and brass writing case for that price?) but in the moment my capitalistic gremlin reared its ugly head and what can I say – I succumbed to temptation. Scuttlebutt around town is that I got what I deserved (I think we all know who started that crusade) but I disagree. No one deserves what happened to…

What? I forgot to introduce myself? Sorry. My mouth has a mind of its own sometimes. Why, just last week, Zara and I were having lunch at Dough Knots and…

Ooops. I did it again, didn’t I? Well, before my train of thought derails for a second time… Hello, I’m Finn Bartusiak, owner of Finn’s Finds, that cute little antique shop near the beach. Yes, that’s the one. Not to worry though. All evidence of nefarious happenings has been wiped clean, though particles of fingerprint powder still float around from time to time. I swear, the Port New police made more of a mess investigating the ‘scene of the crime’ than that creep did when he…

Enough about that. I’ve put the entire incident behind me. And I’m not going to discuss what happened at the cemetery the following week, so don’t even ask. Why, if Spencer hadn’t called Zara when he did I wouldn’t be standing here today, and he’d be on his way to becoming the next Mrs. – oh, never mind. I refuse to utter her name. Besides, the only way they’d ever get together is over my dead body, and not even then. I’d haunt them until…

Oh, there’s Grandma Lena and she’s brought me pierogis! Would you like a bite? They’re delicious, a fact to which my figure can attest. I may be biased, but if anyone deserves their own cooking show, it’s my grandmother. Did you hear she’s entering her chrusciki in the Bake-Off next week? I have this niggling feeling in my gut that something’s about to go terribly wrong, but there’s no talking her out of it. Guess we’ll find out next weekend.

Well, it was nice meeting you and be sure to tell Debra Goldstein thanks for including me on her blog. I hope my story is what she’s looking for.

Take care, and be sure to stop by Finn’s Finds the next time you’re in town. I just got in the cutest collection of porcelain pin cushion half dolls. They’re to die for!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It wasn’t until later in life that Kristine Raymond figured out what she wanted to be when she grew up, an epiphany that occurred in 2013 when she sat down and began writing her first novel. Sixteen books in multiple genres later, she’s added the title of podcasting host to her resume, thus assuring that she will never be idle.

When a spare moment does present itself, she fills it by navigating the publishing and promotional side of the business. When not doing that, she spends time with her husband and furbabies (not necessarily in that order) at their home in south-central Kentucky, reads, or binge-watches Netflix.

To find out more about Kristine, please visit her website at www.kristineraymond.com and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and BookBub.

And for links to podcast episodes, guest posts, and other great stuff, check out Word Play with Kristine Raymond at www.wordplaypodcast.com.

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Guest Blogger: Carol Newhouse – The Value of Writing a Newsletter Column

The Value of Writing a Newsletter Column by Carol Newhouse

I write a column, By The Book, that appears in First Draft, a newsletter for the Guppies, an online chapter of Sisters In Crime. Its purpose is to deconstruct mysteries. I alternate writing a second column in First Draft with Nancy Eady. Agent Insight gives the readers the agent’s perspective on questions germane to aspiring authors.

At a lunch with a peer, I described my ideas for the upcoming columns. She asked if I get paid. I do not. She wondered why I would write the columns at all. Wasn’t this a distraction from my avowed ten year and running goal of creating a zookeeper’s mystery series? A good question.

Why indeed?

First, there are benefits to others: I believe my columns help writers. By selecting a different type of mystery to deconstruct in By The Book, I read like a writer and suggest ideas of how to structure a story to fit its genre. In Agent Insight I pose questions to agents that I think will interest their prospective clients.

Second, there are the benefits to me.

Writing the columns pushes me to organize my time. Although I used to think having more free time would increase my output, that has not been the case. For me, less means more, perhaps because it forces me to focus.

Working to deadlines puts my butt in the chair even if I’m not in the mood to write.

Using email to cold call agents has brought me out of my shell. I no longer shy away from contacting people I don’t know. And the most frequent response I get? “Thank you for reaching out…”

Speaking to agents and authors has given me a sense of camaraderie. Despite having several short stories traditionally published, despite being nominated for an Arthur Ellis award and despite belonging to several writing groups, I have always suffered with imposter syndrome. It may have taken me a year of volunteer work, but that syndrome is a thing of the past.

Writing the columns, in addition to working on my zookeeper mystery, increases my creative energy. I joined a beginner watercolor class and am joining a drawing class next month for the same reason.

Choosing a book to deconstruct has widened my reading horizons. In the past I devoured cozies and police procedurals, but now that I’ve worked with a historical mystery, I’m looking forward to reading five others.

Learning new things is always a plus. I have never considered noir structure so am looking forward to deconstructing Eryk Pruitt’s Dirtbags for July’s By The Book. And most of the questions I ask agents are ones where I too seek answers. Often their responses surprise me.

The interesting thing is, when I answered the call for someone to author the Agent Insight column and when I suggested to my editor that I deconstruct mysteries in a new column, I had no idea where it would lead. But I can honestly say spending time away from my zookeeper mystery has not been a distraction. This volunteer work augments all my writing endeavors. I’m having a blast!

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

Carol Newhouse is a member of Sisters in Crime, The Guppies, and Sisters in Crime Toronto. She is hard at work on her first book in the Zookeeper Mystery series. Now happily retired from a career as a legal assistant, she spends time dreaming of dead bodies, walking her dogs, chilling in art and exercise classes, playing competitive bridge and hanging out at the Toronto Zoo.

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Guest Blogger: Carol Newsome – The Value of Writing a Newsletter Column

The Value of Writing a Newsletter Column by Carol Newsome

I write a column, By The Book, that appears in First Draft, a newsletter for the Guppies, an online chapter of Sisters In Crime. Its purpose is to deconstruct mysteries. I alternate writing a second column in First Draft with Nancy Eady. Agent Insight gives the readers the agent’s perspective on questions germane to aspiring authors.

At a lunch with a peer, I described my ideas for the upcoming columns. She asked if I get paid. I do not. She wondered why I would write the columns at all. Wasn’t this a distraction from my avowed ten year and running goal of creating a zookeeper’s mystery series? A good question.

Why indeed?

First, there are benefits to others: I believe my columns help writers. By selecting a different type of mystery to deconstruct in By The Book, I read like a writer and suggest ideas of how to structure a story to fit its genre. In Agent Insight I pose questions to agents that I think will interest their prospective clients.

Second, there are the benefits to me.

Writing the columns pushes me to organize my time. Although I used to think having more free time would increase my output, that has not been the case. For me, less means more, perhaps because it forces me to focus.

Working to deadlines puts my butt in the chair even if I’m not in the mood to write.

Using email to cold call agents has brought me out of my shell. I no longer shy away from contacting people I don’t know. And the most frequent response I get? “Thank you for reaching out…”

Speaking to agents and authors has given me a sense of camaraderie. Despite having several short stories traditionally published, despite being nominated for an Arthur Ellis award and despite belonging to several writing groups, I have always suffered with imposter syndrome. It may have taken me a year of volunteer work, but that syndrome is a thing of the past.

Writing the columns, in addition to working on my zookeeper mystery, increases my creative energy. I joined a beginner watercolor class and am joining a drawing class next month for the same reason.

Choosing a book to deconstruct has widened my reading horizons. In the past I devoured cozies and police procedurals, but now that I’ve worked with a historical mystery, I’m looking forward to reading five others.

Learning new things is always a plus. I have never considered noir structure so am looking forward to deconstructing Eryk Pruitt’s Dirtbags for July’s By The Book. And most of the questions I ask agents are ones where I too seek answers. Often their responses surprise me.

The interesting thing is, when I answered the call for someone to author the Agent Insight column and when I suggested to my editor that I deconstruct mysteries in a new column, I had no idea where it would lead. But I can honestly say spending time away from my zookeeper mystery has not been a distraction. This volunteer work augments all my writing endeavors. I’m having a blast!

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

Carol Newhouse is a member of Sisters in Crime, The Guppies, and Sisters in Crime Toronto. She is hard at work on her first book in the Zookeeper Mystery series. Now happily retired from a career as a legal assistant, she spends time dreaming of dead bodies, walking her dogs, chilling in art and exercise classes, playing competitive bridge and hanging out at the Toronto Zoo.

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Guest Blogger: Jackie Layton – Diving Deep into Point of View

Diving Deep into Point of View by Jackie Layton

When I began to write cozy mysteries, I changed from writing in third person point of view to first person. There was a definite learning curve, and for a long time I only read books written in first person to help me get the feel for it.

The change to first person point of view (POV) required a mind shift on my part. I soon discovered the change takes the reader deeper into the story.

If you’ve ever considered writing in first person POV, here are a few things I learned.

Avoid thinking verbs to plunge into deep POV. Believe, decide, consider, see, forget, guess, imagine, know, notice and remember are a few examples of words that take a reader out of the story.

Instead of writing, “I believed Susan was lying.”

Try, “Susan’s gaze dropped to the floor, and she twisted the ring around her finger.”

Make the most of showing the story. Instead of telling the reader the moon is shining, show it to them. Bite the Dust is set on the fictional island of Heyward Beach, South Carolina. If your character is inland, the moonlight might filter through the Spanish moss covering the ancient oak trees.

Many times, my character is on the beach, and I adjust to the setting. “The moon beams danced on the incoming waves and sparkled like diamonds in the night.”

A writer also wants to avoid passive voice. For example:

“She twisted her ankle while running on the beach.”

To make this active, try:

“My eyes were on a seagull flying overhead. I stumbled into a hole, and pain seared up my leg. Somebody hadn’t read the signs telling visitors to fill the holes left from building sand castles, and my poor ankle was paying the price.”

When writing in deep POV, you’re writing as your character. Andi Grace Scott is the main character in A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series, and I needed to learn her voice. Andi Grace is a southern girl who loves God and loves her family. She’s a caretaker. She’s a fighter who sticks up for the underdog and fights for justice. She’s a big sister which makes her kinda bossy. (I’m a big sister and can identify with this trait.)

While Andi Grace may be used to telling her siblings what to do, there’s a lot she doesn’t know. I hope this makes her more likeable in her search for a killer and in her everyday life. I hope my readers love Andi Grace as much as I do.

Do you write in first person POV? Have you ever considered it? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts or concerns.

Debra, thanks for hosting me today. I’ve enjoyed spending time with y’all.

Bite the Dust is the first book in A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series.

Back Cover Copy:

Secrets can be deadly.

One steamy South Carolina morning, Low Country dog walker Andi Grace Scott discovers a client’s dead body. Police quickly decide she’s the prime suspect. Horrified, she knows she’ll have to turn detective if she’s going to convince them they’re barking up the wrong tree.

Proving her innocence could be a tall order. The local police never solved the hit-and-run that killed her parents; Andi Grace isn’t sure they’ll solve this crime either…not when they have a convenient suspect—one caught with the possible murder weapon in her hand. She’ll have to follow every clue and call in every favor, even if that puts her in danger.

If you love strong heroines, coastal small-town life, and dogs, you’ll love Bite the Dust.

Available on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/161194984X?pf_rd_p=ab873d20-a0ca-439b-ac45-cd78f07a84d8&pf_rd_r=H2SYHKRSBHYE8CKWNNGA

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bite-the-dust-jackie-layton/1136317276?ean=9781611949841

Jackie Layton spent her adult life raising her sons, loving her family, and working as a pharmacist. She’s always been a reader and often dreamed of writing. Before becoming an empty nester, she began to study the craft of writing. A move to Pawleys Island, South Carolina gave her time to focus on writing while working part-time in a local pharmacy. Dawn Dowdle is her amazing agent. BelleBooks offered Jackie a contract for a three-book cozy mystery series. Bite the Dust is the first book in A Low Country Dog Walker Mystery series. Dog-gone Dead is the second book, and Bag of Bones is the third. All are set on the coast of South Carolina.

Ways to reach out to Jackie:

https://jackielaytoncozyauthor.com/ 

http://jackiesbackporch.blogspot.com

Twitter: @Joyfuljel

https://www.facebook.com/JackieLaytonAuthor

https://www.facebook.com/Joyfuljel

https://www.pinterest.com/jackiebeth117/

https://www.instagram.com/jackielaytonauthor

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Three Treats Too Many Cover Reveal!

COVER REVEAL – THREE TREATS TOO MANY!!!

Kensington’s Sarah Blair mystery series can be yours in print or on your e-reader on August 25, 2020. Be one of the first by pre-ordering Three Treats Too Many now! Amazon or Barnes & Noble  

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Guest Blogger: Alexia Gordon – Writer’s Block? – Ways to Motivate Yourself

Writer’s Block? – Ways to Motivate Yourself by Alexia Gordon

When writing experts aren’t debating writer’s block’s existence, they’re offering sure-fired ways to beat it. I can’t guarantee a fix for writer’s block but I do have a few techniques I use to motivate myself when I feel stuck.

1. I write the same sentence multiple times. Remember, back in the day, when teachers made students write a sentence on the board repeatedly? Or that scene in The Shining when Wendy discovers Jack had typed the same sentence hundreds of times? This repetition isn’t as punitive or as creepy as it seems. I wrote, and rewrote, the same sentence about half-a-dozen times when I started this post. By then, I realized it wasn’t the sentence I wanted to use as my opener. It sounded like a great opening line when it popped into my head but seeing it written out several times showed me it didn’t work as well as I thought it would. Once I got past that, the rest of this post flowed.

2. I change venues. I have an official writer’s nook. Not as fancy as those on Instagram and Pinterest but it does have a robust selection of pens, room for my laptop, inspirational quotes on the wall, and a collection of writing talismans. I hardly ever write there. I edit in my nook but, often, when I try to write there no new words come into my head. It’s too quiet and too solitary. I find a bit of background noise, in the form of people going about their business without directly interacting with me provides the stimulus my brain needs to create stories. Part of the reason I write much of my first drafts longhand is that it’s easy to grab a pen and a notebook and head to a café or a hotel lobby lounge or, my favorite, an airplane and scribble away.

3. I write random lines or scenes. My problem is often having too many ideas floating around in my head rather than too few. So many that I can’t settle on one to develop into a coherent narrative. When this happens, I write down whatever pops into my head without trying to decide where, or even if, in the story it belongs. I’ll write imagined dialog, character descriptions, out-of-order scenes. After a while, I either see a pattern form that I can craft into something that makes narrative sense or I see that a particular idea is not one that I want to stick with for fifty- or sixty thousand words and I move on.

4. I watch instead of write. Sometimes, words just don’t come. I don’t beat myself up (well, I do but I’m trying to stop). I write one or two sentences—any amount of writing is writing—then put my pen down and turn to visual media. Yes, that means Netflix (or one of several streaming services I subscribe to). Occasionally, it means going to the theater to watch a movie or, when I’m at my parents’ house where they get excellent over-the-air reception, re-runs of classic TV shows. But I don’t watch solely for enjoyment. I pay attention to which story elements appeal to me. For example, in “The Mandalorian,” I’m drawn to the archetype of the loner/reluctant hero. Knives Out drew me in by creating a clever puzzle and demonstrating how to present a classic mystery for a modern audience. Studying a medium different from the one I’m working in helps me discern what works and what doesn’t in a story—information I can use in my own craft.

Alexia Gordon: Virginia native, physician by training, author by passion, I write the award-winning Gethsemane Brown Mysteries, from Henery Press. Book 5, Execution in E, publishes March 24, 2020. I’m a member of MWA, SinC, ITW, and CWoC. I blog at Missdemeanors.com and femmesfatales.typepad.com/my_weblog/ and host the podcast, The Cozy Corner with Alexia Gordon. Find me on social media (Facebook: AlexiaGordon.writer, Twitter: @AlexiaGordon, Instagram: DrLex1995) and visit my website (www.alexiagordon.net) to sign up for my newsletter.~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

 

The post Guest Blogger: Alexia Gordon – Writer’s Block? – Ways to Motivate Yourself appeared first on Debra H. Goldstein.