Bev Pettersen's Blog, page 101

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Have a lovely holiday, everyone! We’ll see you back here tomorrow with a new post!

I’m Thankful I’m NOT the Turkey

Tomorrow’s the day.

Many of us have been rushing around gathering food, packing it away in every little inch of our over-worked refrigerators. Others of us have been filling suitcases and making travel arrangements, bravely venturing out on the road during the busiest travel-time of the year. We find ourselves frantic, exhausted, and downright ornery. And yet we are supposed to cough up something for which to be thankful to put on the paper Thanksgiving tree at the big meal. Your 7yo son or yo...

Gravy! (And a Book Release)

Photo by Amy Chan Weiss

Thanksgiving is almost upon us and I have a book release today with the appropriate title of Last Chance Family. It’s got an orphaned girl, a confused gambler, a golden-hearted veterinarian, and lots and lots of cats. You can’t go wrong with cats and orphans and vets when it comes to holiday books — let me tell you. I’ll get around to telling you more about the book, but this is Thanksgiving week after all and there are more important matters at hand — like cooking.

So,...

THE COOLEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER!

And, yes, there is one!
Sure, we can work in our pajamas. Sure, (those of us who write full time) can sleep late, especially after pulling an all-nighter. Sure, we can eat a gallon of Cherry Garcia at our desks. But the COOLEST thing about being a writer? Hearing from our readers!

Even if we’ve only published a short story in an obscure e-zine nobody’s ever heard of, we will probably receive some kind of feedback from a reader. Getting that pat on the back (or that kick in the teeth, whichever...

Writing Funny

I’m here to talk about a very serious subject — comedy writing. In writing, getting the comedic balance right is tricky. Years ago, a contest judge said my entry read like a series of jokes. Unfortunately, this was not intended as a compliment. What s/he meant was a novel shouldn’t come across like a stand-up routine. My challenge? Concentrate on the plot and narrative, and let the funny flow naturally. (Contest Judge, I hope I’ve done you proud!)

As you might have guessed from my debut YA’s p...

5 Lessons on Branding… Which Led to Launching a New Pen Name

When I signed my first contract for a little paranormal romantic comedy short story back in 2008, I didn’t have a clue about branding. But at least I knew I was completely clueless. I was ready to be a sponge and absorb all the wisdom I could about the wild and wonderful writing business. I knew I was going to make mistakes, but I was prepared to treat my first few books as on-the-job training. (Or, as I like to call them, my “training wheels books”.)

You know how I said I was going to make mi...

Ruby Release: Cowboys for Christmas

It’s the most wonderful time…of the year!

No, I’m not talking about Christmas. Not yet. I still have two kids’ birthdays AND two kids’ birthday parties, plus Thanksgiving, before I can turn my attention to Ho-Ho-Ho and mistletoe.

I’m talking about Holiday Book Season! The time of year when I curl up with anthologies from my favorite authors and a big steaming mug of hot cocoa and just lose myself in these heartwarming tales. I just finished reading one that NEEDS to be made into a series of hol...

Ruby Release – I Wish

“Don’t ever give up,” said the late Jimmy Valvano (former basketball coach for NC State University) a few short weeks before cancer claimed him.

That quote became the motto for me and I Wish. This is the manuscript that finaled in the Golden Heart in 2009. Without I Wish, I would’ve never met my Ruby Sisters or my agent. Yet it was such a hugely tough sell that I nearly quit writing over this book.

Does that sound familiar? Have you ever written a book that you absolutely love and believe in–th...

November: A Writer’s Take for Giving Thanks

Because the American holiday falls in November, I’ve noticed that we tend to focus more on our blessings during this time. I’ve seen it on Facebook when friends will take each day in November and list something for which they are grateful. List toppers are usually their faith, their families, their health, etc. I’m not saying anything is wrong with this because I’m thankful for the same things, but I thought today I’d see how we, as writers, could dig a little deeper. Be a little more creativ...

NaNoWriMo Mid-Point Check-In

Whoa. I’ve just had a revelation.
Seriously. A big, possibly writing-life-changing revelation.

For a few years now, I’ve been reporting my NaNo progress here on the Ruby blog…’cause, you know, I find the threat of public shame to be a really great motivator. This is my sixth annual NaNo, and I’m coming in with a record of three wins, two losses. I pulled off a win last year even though the usual craziness of my teaching / mommy / prone-to-minor-but-temporarily-debilitating-weird-health-issues l...