Kelly McClymer's Blog, page 14

Turtle Mom Wedding Whinesday: Say “No” to Fit in the Dress

I haven’t bought a dress for the wedding (doing that whole “when I’ve lost XX pounds” delusional thing). But since all it has to be is gray or yellow and flattering, this is not a big deal (except the flattering part, but I refuse to stress about it until I’ve lost XX pounds).

No so for the bride. She bought the dress as a floor model and is having final alterations very soon. [Note: picture is *not* the dress she chose, but a fitted waist is a fitted waist.] Which means she can’t afford to ga...

#SampleSunday: The Ex-Files Chapter 18

Finally! I've sorted out the plot thorniness that has been plaguing me since January and here's a shiny new chapter for those of you who haven't drifted away with better things to do. For anyone new to The Ex-Files, this is the deal: my daughter is getting married in August. I owe her a nice wedding since I've been a total Turtle Mom her whole life. My Once Upon a Wedding books are helping to finance her nice, modest, nearly-200 guest wedding (and The Fairy Tale Bride is 99 cents until the...

Turtle Mom Wedding Whinesday: Pinterest — Blessing or Curse for Wedding Planning?

ANNOUNCEMENT: For any Kindle owners who don't want to miss a second of the Turtle Mom Wedding saga (which began last year with Confessions of a Turtle Mom), you now have the option to subscribe to the About a Wedding blog on Amazon. Unfortunately, you cannot subscribe to blogs with the Kindle app yet, so you non-Kindle folks can Follow the blog, or the RSS feed, or sign up for the monthly newsletter for a reminder.

Daughter came for a visit last week. It was wonderful (and not just because...

Guest Author Dr. Laura Maciuika: Multiply the Power of Positive Thinking With Positive Feeling

Welcome to my guest, Dr. Laura Maciuika, today. I don't know if anyone else is like me: looking for a way to squeeze more positive energy into my life (and thereby squeeze out more of the negative). If so, please check out this book. The notion that you can't just think your way into positivity, but need to think and feel your way, really resonates with me. I'm going to try it. What about you?

 Why positive thinking often fails

"Think positive thoughts." Ever been told that? Positive thinking i...

Welcome to Sharon Ihle and Her Saint Patrick's Day Gift to Readers

Please welcome bestselling historical romance author Sharon Ihle to our blog. Fittingly (as I am the daughter of "The Duffy" and "The McCarthy"), she has brought a St. Patrick's Day gift for everyone. To Love a Scoundrel is FREE on Amazon from March 17th-21st. How can anyone resist a tale with a Lady Pinkerton heroine? Go get it…but not before you read what her demanding hero and heroine prompted Sharon to discover about her late night writing process, with the help of a voice-activated...

Welcome to Sharon Ihle and Her Saint Patrick’s Day Gift to Readers

Please welcome bestselling historical romance author Sharon Ihle to our blog. Fittingly (as I am the daughter of “The Duffy” and “The McCarthy”), she has brought a St. Patrick’s Day gift for everyone. To Love a Scoundrel is FREE on Amazon from March 17th-21st. How can anyone resist a tale with a Lady Pinkerton heroine? Go get it…but not before you read what her demanding hero and heroine prompted Sharon to discover about her late night writing process, with the help of a voice-activated recor...

Turtle Mom Wedding Whinesday: Wedding Planning in the Digital Age

ANNOUNCEMENT: For any Kindle owners who don't want to miss a second of the Turtle Mom Wedding saga (which began last year with Confessions of a Turtle Mom), you now have the option to subscribe to the About a Wedding blog on Amazon. Unfortunately, you cannot subscribe to blogs with the Kindle app yet, so you non-Kindle folks can Follow the blog, or the RSS feed, or sign up for the monthly newsletter for a reminder.

I got married before the digital age hit. We did the old-fashioned thing —...

Guest Barbara Chepaitis Asks: What Temperature is Hope?

Please welcome author Barbara Chepaitis to the blog today. Barbara is an experienced fiction writer, which means she has been to the place that gives writers trouble: the emotion zone. She's also taught fiction, and (speaking from my experience here) knows that the emotion zone is one that tests a writer's courage, spirit and skill.

Go Deep

What's the most difficult emotion for you to write?  Fear?  Anger?  Grief?  Joy?

With every new group of writers I teach, I find that they each have one...

Author James R. Bottino — A Man Without a Plan

Please welcome James R. Bottino to the blog. James is going to explain why he taught how to write a novel for years before a big life challenge convinced him to actually follow his own advice and write one. I can really relate to this, because I spent over a decade writing short stories before I even dared tackle a novel. The planning of such a long piece of work seemed incredibly intimidating. And then I did it. Did it again. Published, and kept on doing it. After you read James's story...

Turtle Mom: Wedding Whinesday — Nightmares Really Do Come True

ANNOUNCEMENT: For any Kindle owners who don't want to miss a second of the Turtle Mom Wedding saga (which began last year with Confessions of a Turtle Mom), you now have the option to subscribe to the About a Wedding blog on Amazon. Unfortunately, you cannot subscribe to blogs with the Kindle app yet, so you non-Kindle folks can Follow the blog, or the RSS feed, or sign up for the monthly newsletter for a reminder.

So, I've shared a few of my nightmares, and one of my daughter's, about the...