Beth Overmyer's Blog: The Blog of Beth Overmyer, page 45
May 2, 2014
Watch This Space
I have not one but TWO contests coming up on this blog. If you're between the ages of 8 and 14--or know someone who is--you'll want to stay tuned!
Are you a young writer?
A young artist?
Sharpen those pencils, guys! Sunday and Monday I'll announce the rules.
Are you a young writer?
A young artist?
Sharpen those pencils, guys! Sunday and Monday I'll announce the rules.
April 24, 2014
Happy!
After breaking for a month...almost...I'M BACK!
Did you miss me? Thought not.
#AmListening to: Happy...on repeat
#AmReading: Wonder (confession: I haven't started this one yet. I've hit a slump when it comes to reading fiction.)
#AmWriting: Middle grade superhero adventure
#AmLookingForwardTo: In a Pickle's second birthday in December (yes, I dream waaaaay ahead.)
In a Pickle isn't available yet through OverDrive, but I am told that a library bought a copy or several for their outreach Kindles! So...YAY! *dances to HAPPY!*
In other news...It's still sunny*
'Night
___
*shout-out to my fellow Community nuts.
Did you miss me? Thought not.
#AmListening to: Happy...on repeat
#AmReading: Wonder (confession: I haven't started this one yet. I've hit a slump when it comes to reading fiction.)
#AmWriting: Middle grade superhero adventure
#AmLookingForwardTo: In a Pickle's second birthday in December (yes, I dream waaaaay ahead.)
In a Pickle isn't available yet through OverDrive, but I am told that a library bought a copy or several for their outreach Kindles! So...YAY! *dances to HAPPY!*
In other news...It's still sunny*
'Night
___
*shout-out to my fellow Community nuts.
March 29, 2014
That Spark (Saturday Ramblings)
I think you know where I'm going with this. That spark. The emotionally charged energy that directs itself at your creativity. That. Some know it as inspiration.
Sayings about inspiration abound, but the main one that writers hear is this: Don't wait for creativity in order to write.
That applies to painters (don't wait to paint!) and musicians and every other type of artist. But there's also something that artists need to do: Step back and assess. If something's not working, sleep on it. It's called rest, and I've been needing it lately.
I'm not taking a break from writing, per se. I'm taking a rest from pressure. Pressure actually doesn't turn a piece of coal into a diamond. Put pressure on coal and you have, well, coal dust. As faulty as that former statement is, there is a generous sliver of truth. Pressure can test and refine. A lot of times, pressure has positive results.
I guess all of this is an excuse to say that for the next few weeks, I'm going to be easier on myself and not force writing on myself. You can lead a horse to water, but don't stuff his snout in it for too long, 'cause he'll drown. Rest.
And while I'm resting, I'm going to reassess my platform. I'm a Christian first, a daughter/sister/aunt/friend second, and a writer third. Being a believer in Jesus Christ, I want to reflect that and not be a phony. I hope to do some good praying and reflecting in these next few weeks, and (try to) trust that when I come back to things with full(er) force, I'll be rested and more real.
~Beth____Do YOU need to take the pressure off yourself for a little while? Don't feel bad and don't be hard on yourself. We have Sundays for a reason ;-)
Sayings about inspiration abound, but the main one that writers hear is this: Don't wait for creativity in order to write.
That applies to painters (don't wait to paint!) and musicians and every other type of artist. But there's also something that artists need to do: Step back and assess. If something's not working, sleep on it. It's called rest, and I've been needing it lately.
I'm not taking a break from writing, per se. I'm taking a rest from pressure. Pressure actually doesn't turn a piece of coal into a diamond. Put pressure on coal and you have, well, coal dust. As faulty as that former statement is, there is a generous sliver of truth. Pressure can test and refine. A lot of times, pressure has positive results.
I guess all of this is an excuse to say that for the next few weeks, I'm going to be easier on myself and not force writing on myself. You can lead a horse to water, but don't stuff his snout in it for too long, 'cause he'll drown. Rest.
And while I'm resting, I'm going to reassess my platform. I'm a Christian first, a daughter/sister/aunt/friend second, and a writer third. Being a believer in Jesus Christ, I want to reflect that and not be a phony. I hope to do some good praying and reflecting in these next few weeks, and (try to) trust that when I come back to things with full(er) force, I'll be rested and more real.
~Beth____Do YOU need to take the pressure off yourself for a little while? Don't feel bad and don't be hard on yourself. We have Sundays for a reason ;-)
March 6, 2014
Author Interview: Marie Laval
Today I have Marie Laval on the ol' blog. She's the author of a book for the grown-up crowd:
The Lion's Embrace
. Keep reading to learn more!
Blurb: Arrogant, selfish and dangerous, Lucas Saintclair is everything Harriet Montague dislikes in a man. He is also the best guide in the whole of the Barbary States, the only man who can rescue her archaeologist father from the gang of Tuareg fighters that has kidnapped him. As Harriet embarks on a perilous journey across Algeria with Saintclair and Archibald Drake, her father’s most trusted friend, she discovers a bewitching but brutal land where nothing is what it seems. Who are these men intent on stealing her father’s ransom? What was her father hoping to find in Tuareg queen Tin Hinan’s tomb? Is Lucas Saintclair really as callous as he claims—or is he a man haunted by a past he cannot forgive? Dangerous passions engulf Harriet’s heart in the heat of the Sahara. Secrets of lost treasures, rebel fighters, and a sinister criminal brotherhood threaten her life and the life of the man she loves.
Does forever lie in the lion’s embrace?
Me: What inspired you to write THE LION'S EMBRACE?
Marie: I was always very interested in the history, the music and culture of North Africa where my mother grew up. One day I stumbled upon magical photographs of the Hoggar mountains and of rock art which showed that the Sahara wasn't always a desert. As I researched the history of the region further I read about the discovery of a tomb filled with gems and precious objects in which the first Tuareg queen Tin Hinan was rumoured to have been buried. My imagination did the rest...
Me: What does your writing process look like?
Marie: I am a total pantser! I write my novels on the computer but I am a complete fan of notebooks. I always carry one or two around to scribble notes and ideas, bits of dialogues and anything that comes into my mind. The only thing is that these notebooks must be from the French make 'Clairefontaine'! My sister very kindly sends a pack over to Englandevery so often. I was very lucky with THE LION'S EMBRACE. It only took me a few months to write and hardly needed any edits. My current project seems a lot harder! Me: If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Marie: There are so many authors I would love to meet. Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas, for a start. Not to mention Isabelle Eberhardt and Colette - two great female writers who were very much ahead of their time and led very unconventional lives. I would also love to have a chat with Nora Roberts, one of my favourite romance authors ever, and ask her how she manages to come up with so many great plots and characters time after time.
Me: Are you working on another book right now? If so, care to share a little about it?
Marie: I have just completed a contemporary romantic suspense set in Provence, in the South of France, and I am currently finishing yet another historical romance set in Scotland. I have a few other projects I can't wait to start, one of them being a Corsican adventure! I find the start of a new story so exciting.
Me: Any advice for kids/teens/adults wanting to write and get published?
Marie: Just one: keep writing. Never mind how many rejections you get from publishers or agents, or how many people tell you that you should concentrate on 'real' work, writing is magical. It's yours. It's who you are. And nothing can change that.
Thanks, Marie! Here's some more about the author, along with links to her book:
Originally from Lyon in France, Marie Laval studied French History and Law at university there. Marie now lives in Lancashire, in Northern England, where she tries to balance a busy family life with her passion for writing and her occupation as a modern foreign languages teacher in a large secondary school. THE LION'S EMBRACE is Marie Laval’s second novel.
Buy The Lion's Embrace from
MuseItUp PublishingAmazon
Blurb: Arrogant, selfish and dangerous, Lucas Saintclair is everything Harriet Montague dislikes in a man. He is also the best guide in the whole of the Barbary States, the only man who can rescue her archaeologist father from the gang of Tuareg fighters that has kidnapped him. As Harriet embarks on a perilous journey across Algeria with Saintclair and Archibald Drake, her father’s most trusted friend, she discovers a bewitching but brutal land where nothing is what it seems. Who are these men intent on stealing her father’s ransom? What was her father hoping to find in Tuareg queen Tin Hinan’s tomb? Is Lucas Saintclair really as callous as he claims—or is he a man haunted by a past he cannot forgive? Dangerous passions engulf Harriet’s heart in the heat of the Sahara. Secrets of lost treasures, rebel fighters, and a sinister criminal brotherhood threaten her life and the life of the man she loves.
Does forever lie in the lion’s embrace?
Me: What inspired you to write THE LION'S EMBRACE?
Marie: I was always very interested in the history, the music and culture of North Africa where my mother grew up. One day I stumbled upon magical photographs of the Hoggar mountains and of rock art which showed that the Sahara wasn't always a desert. As I researched the history of the region further I read about the discovery of a tomb filled with gems and precious objects in which the first Tuareg queen Tin Hinan was rumoured to have been buried. My imagination did the rest...
Me: What does your writing process look like?
Marie: I am a total pantser! I write my novels on the computer but I am a complete fan of notebooks. I always carry one or two around to scribble notes and ideas, bits of dialogues and anything that comes into my mind. The only thing is that these notebooks must be from the French make 'Clairefontaine'! My sister very kindly sends a pack over to Englandevery so often. I was very lucky with THE LION'S EMBRACE. It only took me a few months to write and hardly needed any edits. My current project seems a lot harder! Me: If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Marie: There are so many authors I would love to meet. Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas, for a start. Not to mention Isabelle Eberhardt and Colette - two great female writers who were very much ahead of their time and led very unconventional lives. I would also love to have a chat with Nora Roberts, one of my favourite romance authors ever, and ask her how she manages to come up with so many great plots and characters time after time.
Me: Are you working on another book right now? If so, care to share a little about it?
Marie: I have just completed a contemporary romantic suspense set in Provence, in the South of France, and I am currently finishing yet another historical romance set in Scotland. I have a few other projects I can't wait to start, one of them being a Corsican adventure! I find the start of a new story so exciting.
Me: Any advice for kids/teens/adults wanting to write and get published?
Marie: Just one: keep writing. Never mind how many rejections you get from publishers or agents, or how many people tell you that you should concentrate on 'real' work, writing is magical. It's yours. It's who you are. And nothing can change that.
Thanks, Marie! Here's some more about the author, along with links to her book:
Originally from Lyon in France, Marie Laval studied French History and Law at university there. Marie now lives in Lancashire, in Northern England, where she tries to balance a busy family life with her passion for writing and her occupation as a modern foreign languages teacher in a large secondary school. THE LION'S EMBRACE is Marie Laval’s second novel.
Buy The Lion's Embrace from
MuseItUp PublishingAmazon
February 22, 2014
Happy Weekend
What are your plans?
Me? I'm going to kick this cold's BUTT, I tell you.
Beth
P.S. Oh, and happy b-day to our first US president!
Me? I'm going to kick this cold's BUTT, I tell you.
Beth
P.S. Oh, and happy b-day to our first US president!
February 21, 2014
Author Interview With Heather Fraser Brainerd
Today I have author Heather Fraser Brainerd on my blog talking about writing and her young adult paranormal romance/mystery novel
Dream Shade
.
Here's a blurb to whet your appetite: As if high school wasn't tough enough, sophomore Sarah Pasmore has one extra little problem: ghosts have started appearing to Sarah and they seem to want something from her. With help from her brainy best friend, as well as a few new friends (including the hottest guy in school), Sarah must solve the mystery of what the spirits want in order to put them back to rest. To complicate matters further, a more evil spirit will go to great lengths to make sure this doesn’t happen. As they investigate the past to unravel this supernatural mystery, the teens learn a lesson in the powers of friendship and love.
Me: What inspired you to write Dream Shade?
Heather: I grew up in a haunted house. It wasn’t scary, but the experience inspired the plight of my teenaged heroine, Sarah. Decades later, while reading Twilight, I had an “I could do this!” moment. So I did.
Me: What does your writing process look like?
Heather: I’m a total pantser, which is weird since I’m overly-organized in every other aspect of my life. I write on my laptop in various locations (so convenient!) and draft, draft, draft until it feels right. My brother, who co-authors our José Picada, PI series, is the beta reader on my solo projects. He’s awesome.
Me: If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Heather: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I love mysteries, and Sherlock Holmes is the ultimate detective.
Me: Couldn't agree more! Love me some Sherlock. Are you working on another book right now?
Heather: My brother Dave and I are working on both the third and fourth José Picada books. That series is paranormal mystery for grown-ups. We’re also going through the editing process on our upcoming Middle Grade debut, Shadows of New York. This is a fun paranormal mystery that puts a new spin on the whole werewolf-and-vampire subgenre. In addition, I have three solo projects that I’ve sent to Dave for his input. I’m trying to be patient and not nag him too much for his response!
Me: Wow, working with your brother. That's pretty cool, having two writers in a family. Any advice for kids/teens wanting to write and get published?
Heather: It sounds cliché, but write what you know. It’s the little touches of reality that make a character come alive. Also, write what you love. If you love something, but don’t know a whole lot about it, research the heck out of it. You’ll have fun, learn a lot, and find inspiration for your writing. And I know this is said a lot, but don’t let rejections get you down. You might have to submit a book to a LOT of places before it finds the right home.
Thanks so much to Heather for being such a great sport! Here's some more about her:
Heather Fraser Brainerd is a renaissance woman. After earning a degree in Anthropology, she embarked on an incongruous career as a workers’ compensation insurance adjuster. She rapidly climbed the claims-handling ladder before surprising her colleagues by leaving the high-powered world of lumbar strains and carpal tunnel syndrome to run a child care center. Thousands of dirty diapers and gallons of strained peas later, she decided that maybe the insurance industry wasn’t quite as bad as she remembered. Unfortunately, it was. Fortunately, a few years later, she met the most wonderful man in the world. Now a stay-home mom to three amazing boys, she is able, at long last, to focus on her writing. Heather lives in New York with her family and their crazy pug/terrier.
Get Dream Shade from MuseItUp, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble!
Here's a blurb to whet your appetite: As if high school wasn't tough enough, sophomore Sarah Pasmore has one extra little problem: ghosts have started appearing to Sarah and they seem to want something from her. With help from her brainy best friend, as well as a few new friends (including the hottest guy in school), Sarah must solve the mystery of what the spirits want in order to put them back to rest. To complicate matters further, a more evil spirit will go to great lengths to make sure this doesn’t happen. As they investigate the past to unravel this supernatural mystery, the teens learn a lesson in the powers of friendship and love.
Me: What inspired you to write Dream Shade?
Heather: I grew up in a haunted house. It wasn’t scary, but the experience inspired the plight of my teenaged heroine, Sarah. Decades later, while reading Twilight, I had an “I could do this!” moment. So I did.
Me: What does your writing process look like?
Heather: I’m a total pantser, which is weird since I’m overly-organized in every other aspect of my life. I write on my laptop in various locations (so convenient!) and draft, draft, draft until it feels right. My brother, who co-authors our José Picada, PI series, is the beta reader on my solo projects. He’s awesome.
Me: If you could meet any author, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Heather: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I love mysteries, and Sherlock Holmes is the ultimate detective.
Me: Couldn't agree more! Love me some Sherlock. Are you working on another book right now?
Heather: My brother Dave and I are working on both the third and fourth José Picada books. That series is paranormal mystery for grown-ups. We’re also going through the editing process on our upcoming Middle Grade debut, Shadows of New York. This is a fun paranormal mystery that puts a new spin on the whole werewolf-and-vampire subgenre. In addition, I have three solo projects that I’ve sent to Dave for his input. I’m trying to be patient and not nag him too much for his response!
Me: Wow, working with your brother. That's pretty cool, having two writers in a family. Any advice for kids/teens wanting to write and get published?
Heather: It sounds cliché, but write what you know. It’s the little touches of reality that make a character come alive. Also, write what you love. If you love something, but don’t know a whole lot about it, research the heck out of it. You’ll have fun, learn a lot, and find inspiration for your writing. And I know this is said a lot, but don’t let rejections get you down. You might have to submit a book to a LOT of places before it finds the right home.
Thanks so much to Heather for being such a great sport! Here's some more about her:
Heather Fraser Brainerd is a renaissance woman. After earning a degree in Anthropology, she embarked on an incongruous career as a workers’ compensation insurance adjuster. She rapidly climbed the claims-handling ladder before surprising her colleagues by leaving the high-powered world of lumbar strains and carpal tunnel syndrome to run a child care center. Thousands of dirty diapers and gallons of strained peas later, she decided that maybe the insurance industry wasn’t quite as bad as she remembered. Unfortunately, it was. Fortunately, a few years later, she met the most wonderful man in the world. Now a stay-home mom to three amazing boys, she is able, at long last, to focus on her writing. Heather lives in New York with her family and their crazy pug/terrier.
Get Dream Shade from MuseItUp, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble!
February 7, 2014
Bold Face
Reading: The Help by Kathryn StockettListening to:
Rumour Has It
by Adele
Random purchase: Rory's Story Cubes
Being a writer is nerve-wracking. I'm sitting here, tearing my hair out, wondering if anything I have to say will ever interest anyone, let along impact their lives. That's the thing: I don't know.
I can sit at my typewriter/computer/notebook 'til cows fly, and still be maddened by questions. Am I good enough? Does my writing matter? Who cares?
Am I good enough?There is no formula, no test, quiz, scientific equation that can measure my weight in gold as writer. It's impossible to put a finger on. And, no, I'm not talking real gold. This is a question without an answer. But it has a remedy:
Forget about it. Forget about being "good enough" in order to do what you do. Sure, do what you do because you love it and do it to the best of your ability, but stop putting so much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Because, like me, you're human, and we aren't going to achieve a level that constitutes perfection. Not on this side of life.
Does my writing matter?Let me answer my own question with some questions: Does it matter if it matters? Do I really need to move mountains with everything I pen? I need to ask myself why I'm doing this thing we call writing. I'm doing it because I enjoy it and feel I might have something to say. If even one of my motives is pure to a degree, then, yes, it matters...if not to others, it matters to me.
Who cares?In the words of Luke Skywalker to Princess Leia in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back... "I care." And that is enough.
So, I guess I've solved my own problem: Do what you love and do it first for yourself. It sounds selfish, maybe. It might even sound too laid back. But I'm an ISFP, and we take things too seriously, anyway.
Random purchase: Rory's Story Cubes
Being a writer is nerve-wracking. I'm sitting here, tearing my hair out, wondering if anything I have to say will ever interest anyone, let along impact their lives. That's the thing: I don't know.
I can sit at my typewriter/computer/notebook 'til cows fly, and still be maddened by questions. Am I good enough? Does my writing matter? Who cares?
Am I good enough?There is no formula, no test, quiz, scientific equation that can measure my weight in gold as writer. It's impossible to put a finger on. And, no, I'm not talking real gold. This is a question without an answer. But it has a remedy:
Forget about it. Forget about being "good enough" in order to do what you do. Sure, do what you do because you love it and do it to the best of your ability, but stop putting so much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Because, like me, you're human, and we aren't going to achieve a level that constitutes perfection. Not on this side of life.
Does my writing matter?Let me answer my own question with some questions: Does it matter if it matters? Do I really need to move mountains with everything I pen? I need to ask myself why I'm doing this thing we call writing. I'm doing it because I enjoy it and feel I might have something to say. If even one of my motives is pure to a degree, then, yes, it matters...if not to others, it matters to me.
Who cares?In the words of Luke Skywalker to Princess Leia in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back... "I care." And that is enough.
So, I guess I've solved my own problem: Do what you love and do it first for yourself. It sounds selfish, maybe. It might even sound too laid back. But I'm an ISFP, and we take things too seriously, anyway.
January 30, 2014
Ask Not...
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."
or maybe...
"Ask not what your blog can do for you, but what your blog can do for your community."
So, my question: What can I do for you? Would you like a shout-out for your book? A hello? A critique? Come and knock on my door! I'd love to help you in any way I can.
Can't think of anything you need or want? Well, here's a list of ideas:
- Interviews (I can interview about your book or your hobbies - though, warning, I'm skittish around erotica and most horror)- Cover reveals- Critiques of first paragraphs- Web research (if you need help finding an answer, ask me. I love doing research for people)- A knock-knock joke- An anecdote- A book review- Links to helpful blogs- Link to your blog- Etc., etc., etc.
Ever need to get a hold of me? I check my blog for comments daily...or you can email bethovermyer@gmail.com
Ciao!
or maybe...
"Ask not what your blog can do for you, but what your blog can do for your community."
So, my question: What can I do for you? Would you like a shout-out for your book? A hello? A critique? Come and knock on my door! I'd love to help you in any way I can.
Can't think of anything you need or want? Well, here's a list of ideas:
- Interviews (I can interview about your book or your hobbies - though, warning, I'm skittish around erotica and most horror)- Cover reveals- Critiques of first paragraphs- Web research (if you need help finding an answer, ask me. I love doing research for people)- A knock-knock joke- An anecdote- A book review- Links to helpful blogs- Link to your blog- Etc., etc., etc.
Ever need to get a hold of me? I check my blog for comments daily...or you can email bethovermyer@gmail.com
Ciao!
January 16, 2014
Winter's Frosty Kiss
Sorry it's been so quiet around here. If you haven't already noticed, I've been posting flash fiction and poetry at my alter ego's blog: S.M. Tinker, Author's Blog.
Truth be told, winter takes its toll on me every year. I need more sunshine than I've been getting, and it makes me sad.
Hopefully, spring will come early and the sun will kiss the earth once more.
Beth
Truth be told, winter takes its toll on me every year. I need more sunshine than I've been getting, and it makes me sad.
Hopefully, spring will come early and the sun will kiss the earth once more.
Beth
December 31, 2013
Books Read in 2013
1. Princess Elizabeth's Spy
2. Pieces
3. Telling Lies for Fun and Profit
4. Gone Girl
5. Etiquette and Espionage
6. The Fault in Our Stars
7. The Host
8. Beastly
9. A Kiss in Time
10. Pulse and Prejudice
11. What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank
12. A Jane Austen Daydream
13. The Graveyard Bool
14. The Red Necklace
15. Austenland
16. The Color of Magic
17. Stardust
18. Si-Cology 101
19. Spy School
20. Girl With the Pearl Earring
21. Coraline
22. Frosted
23. Stealing Time
24. Divergent
2. Pieces
3. Telling Lies for Fun and Profit
4. Gone Girl
5. Etiquette and Espionage
6. The Fault in Our Stars
7. The Host
8. Beastly
9. A Kiss in Time
10. Pulse and Prejudice
11. What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank
12. A Jane Austen Daydream
13. The Graveyard Bool
14. The Red Necklace
15. Austenland
16. The Color of Magic
17. Stardust
18. Si-Cology 101
19. Spy School
20. Girl With the Pearl Earring
21. Coraline
22. Frosted
23. Stealing Time
24. Divergent
