Valerie Davisson's Blog, page 4
January 6, 2020
I Love What I Do!
TODAY WAS ANOTHER JOYFUL DAY in my life as a writer! I spent the day with a violinist who shared her love of music, her instrument and many of the ins and outs of being a musician and how individual and unique each musician is. Some compose, some play, some struggle, some float—and often they travel back and forth between all of the above.
Many are trained as children and then take a break to work and have children, then pick it back up again later in life. They lust after those instruments that really resonate with their bodies and souls. I learned many new things, such as that bows and violins are not purchased as ‘sets’ but individually. Each have a certain ‘sound’ the musician is looking for.
So interesting! Since I play nothing but a few chords on the guitar. I am re-inspired to pull my guitar off the wall and get back to playing! My fingers are tender, but I learned a new trick! You can put those invisible bandaid things on your fingertips to help if you’ve lost the callouses. Can’t wait to try it!
Logan’s career and her relationship with her violin, Bella, are about to take on new dimensions in Book 6! Stay tuned!
Writing for a Living
YES, YOU CAN! I remember being gently nudged into what my parents thought of as ‘more practical’ careers vs going for the gold and becoming an author out of the starting gate. When I was a young woman, writing, dancing, painting, etc were seen as hobbies, but not serious career options—particularly for women. At least in my middle-class neighborhood and family. We didn’t know any professional artists, so always thought that was for a select few, not us.
Fast forward a few decades, and here I am, writing full time and loving every minute of it. Luckily, it won’t take a new generation of young women to start earlier than I did. One of those budding, young writers, Anna, and her enlightened mother and youth librarian, recently sent me a link to a site useful to anyone considering ways in which they can write for a living. A youth services librarian, LouAnne Taylor, put us in touch.
I’d like to thank them for the information and am happy to share it here with you. Just click on the link below.
To all writers and future authors, young and old, I say Go For It!
January 2, 2020
ManyBooks Author of the Day Interview
I was pleased to be selected as ManyBooks Author of the Day. Had a great time talking with Naomi Bolton for the interview. Here’s a copy of our conversation. I don’t know about other authors, but I don’t often reflect on how we do what we do or how it all got started. To check out her great questions, just click on the image below.
October 27, 2019
Books on Writing
TIME TO JUMPSTART YOUR WRITING ENGINE? I dug into my bookshelves—physical and electronic—and have some titles for you!
Some are classics which I hope you have already discovered, but are well worth dipping into again. A couple are new ones that I plan on reading myself. Reading books on writing is the poor woman’s writing conference-ha! Not all of us can afford to leave home, family, and slim bank balances behind for a 4-day writing conference in Chicago or New York. Even a short, weekend jaunt can easily cost you almost $1,000 when you include hotel, flight, and meals. I go to a conference every other year or so. Sometimes I’m so busy writing I don’t have time—or even feel the need—to go more often. Particularly when there are so many awesome books, blogs, and online author groups.
So….here are a few of my faves…try a few!
October 25, 2019
LWC Artisan Fair
FALL FESTIVAL SEASON HAS ARRIVED! Lots of book events to tell you about—just wrapped up Driftwood Library’s Dark & Stormy Night author event and am preparing for Depoe Bay’s Little Whale Cove Artisan Fair November 8 and 9. If you’re going to be in the area, be sure and stop by to say hello. I’ll have some fun surprise giveaways.
Fairs and Book Festivals are a good place to pick up print copies of your favorite books or try new ones—they are usually discounted as you are buying them directly from the author. All of my titles are available for $10 vs the $14.99 plus shipping price through Amazon. And you don’t have to wait! I’ll have all of the new editions of Books 1-4 available.
I will also be happy to give customers who pre-order SAFE HARBOR: Logan Book 5, which won’t be released until November 19, from me at the Fair for the same $10 price. We can arrange a pick up location locally for anyone who pre-orders at the LWC Artisan Fair.
Hope to see you there!
October 22, 2019
Awesome Event!
LINCOLN COUNTY READERS ROCK! Over 40 book lovers turned out on a rainy, stormy afternoon last Thursday for my Dark and Stormy Night author event in Lincoln City. A big thank you to Hobbes for the invitation to present and everyone at the Driftwood Library who helped put this event together. What a wonderful opportunity for writers and readers to get together.
We only had an hour, so after a short journey into the Power of Story, including a glimpse at one of the first heart-stopping series ever told..Sheherazade’s 1001 Arabian Nights, we took a few minutes out to experience Natalie Goldberg’s Wild Mind writing exercise, then talked about the origins of the Logan McKenna series. Attendees got to meet some of the characters, including Marmo, a new addition to the gang. We spent the remainder of our time in the Q and A just talking books, writing, and then ended our time together with Cookies and book signings.
Many of the attendees already had purchased my books, so a big thank you to those who bought additional books as gifts, and all of the new readers who bought their first one!
What a wonderful group of people! Thank you again for coming out!
October 20, 2019
Keepin’ in Touch
NO ONE LIKES JUNK MAIL, so I don’t send any! 
October 19, 2019
Mushroom Season!
IT’S MUSHROOM SEASON on the Oregon coast and now that SAFE HARBOR: Logan Book 5 is up for Pre-Order on Amazon, I’m diving into fresh ground for Logan’s next adventure. This week, I’m deep into research mode and mushrooms are currently on the menu. Not that I’m eating any that I gather yet. I found this bolete and a chanterelle last week and this morning on my walk with Finn, saw no fewer than ten different varieties, just along the trail! Notice the creative use of martini glasses to collect spore samples…
This weekend is the Yachats Mushroom Festival, where I plan on checking out a truffle hunting dog demo and sampling a few local mushroom dishes—and of course, their paired wines!
Hope to see you there!
Oh, and if you are a mushroom hunter, you’ll have to share your wisdom with me – all tips and tricks to avoid getting poisoned will be welcome.
October 7, 2019
Dark and Stormy Night Event
IF YOU’RE IN TOWN, JOIN ME at Lincoln City Driftwood Library’s annual Oregon author event, Dark and Stormy Night! Signed copies of the newly released editions will be available and you’ll get to meet some great people and maybe get one of the free giveaways…
I’ll be presenting and sharing my books Thursday evening, October 17th from 4-5 p.m.
October 6, 2019
Jagged Dawn: Logan’s Beginning
EXCITED TO SHARE my newest short story, JAGGED DAWN: LOGAN’S BEGINNING with you. I knew the story of the car accident and the events leading up to Logan starting a whole new life, but my readers didn’t, so Voila!
For the next month Jagged Dawn is FREE as part of BookFunnel’s Mysterious Women promotion. Just click on the image below and scroll down for your free copy of Jagged Dawn—Ebook or PDF. All of the shorts in the promotion are absolutely FREE!
Look for Jagged Dawn: Logan’s Beginning!
Unexpected events launch faithful wife and mother, Logan McKenna, battered and wounded, into an unknown future and a life she would never have predicted. A lesser woman wouldn’t survive, but with inner strength grounded in the love of family and friends, Logan not only faces her problems head on, but also rediscovers the joy of living—including playing Bella, her beloved violin, and cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in her gleaming, sapphire-blue ’58 Corvette.
