C.J. Petterson's Blog: Book launch scheduled

NaNoWriMo What's Next and a call for submissions

cj Sez: NaNoWriMo writers, raise your fingers. The race tofinish the National Novel Writing Month challenge is over.

  Now that you’ve reached your 30-day/50,000-word goal, orsome portion thereof, the NaNoWriMo organization has some tips on what to dowith your incredible manuscript: Take a breath and . . . “Step 1. Wait.”

https://blog.nanowrimo.org/post/180591717410/what-to-do-with-your-manuscript-in-december  

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Chicken Soup for the Soul has submission calls for 2025anthologies out right now. 
  Here’s the link to find out more:
https://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics/
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  Jennie Liu, a young adult and middle-grade readers author,asks “Is it necessary to write an author’s note?” and answers “No, but somegenres and categories naturally lend themselves to further discussion.”
  She goes on to explain why, if you don’t already do so,you should consider writing what she says might be “an arduous task.”  Read the post here:  
https://janefriedman.com/writing-the-authors-note-for-a-novel/
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 With this year ofturmoil coming to a close, I’ve been thinking of the quietude of home andpeople I miss dearly—allyear long, but especially at this time of year.
  I think of childhood-me sleeping next to an open window under awarm quilt in the chill of a country starry July night in West Texas.   Ithink of adult me sitting around the kitchen table harmonizing some favoriteold hymns with my mother and my sisters. 
  Precious,precious memories.
  Where do your precious memories take you?
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  Okay, that’s it fortoday. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raisingprayers for a happy and safe you and yours.
cj
  Tis the season for holiday shopping but forget Amazon. Shoplocal. The best gifts are closer than you think (think your local indiebookstores), and books are gifts that don’t need charging and keep on giving. 
  Toorder one of my novels or a book by anyauthor and support a small business indie bookstore, contact The HauntedBookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
  Blatant Self Promotion: Books are gifts that keep on givingyear-round, and anthologies are even better because there’s more than one storyto read. With that in mind, let me help you out with a couple of ideas. Thestories in these Christmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, but each one isa year-round enjoyable read.  
Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes
  You’ll find 70 short stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood holidaymemories.
  My story, writtenunder my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” andrelates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish-born father after a thousand-mile,years-long separation.
  The anthology is available on Kindle click on ( Amazon.com: Christmas Through a Child's eyes )

Finally Home
  This anthology giftsyou with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and thespecial people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’ssomething here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.
  In “Puppy Love,” Iwrite a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens asecond chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disruptedwhen she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she issurprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks fora second chance, too.
FinallyHome Buy Now



  My fast-paced novels,The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon orthrough your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.
  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
➜ Follow me on        ➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

 

 

Thanksgiving! And words to the wise

cj Sez: Since we won’t be together for the ThanksgivingDay holiday . . .

  In the Did You Know Department: 

  In 1621, the Plymouthcolonists from  England and the NativeAmerican Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that isacknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

  For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving werecelebrated by individual colonies and states. 
  It wasn’t until 1863, in themidst of the CivilWar, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed anational Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

  “As an annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty, Thanksgiving falls under a category of festivals that spans cultures,continents, and millennia. In ancient times, the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans feastedand paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. Thanksgiving also bearsa resemblance to the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. 
  Finally, historians have noted that Native Americans had arich tradition of commemorating the fall harvest with feasting and merrymakinglong before Europeans set foot on America's shores.”
(Excerpted from: https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving)

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  Doubters, this post from Wrangling the Doubt Monster: Fighting Fears,Finding Inspiration (Bancroft Press, 2025) by Amy L. Bernstein offers hopeon how to deal with those negative thoughts.
“What do we have here?   A doubter’s manifesto. An article of affirmation. An artistwho says: I see you.  The hope is you see yourself, realize you are not alone,learn that doubt is not your assassin.”
Click the following link to read the post:  https://janefriedman.com/doubt-the-near-constant-companion-of-writers-and-artists/

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  Okay, that’s it fortoday. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raisingprayers for a happy and safe you and yours.
cj

  Tis the season for holiday shopping but forget Amazon. Thebest gifts are closer than you think (think your local indie bookstores), and booksare gifts that don’t need charging and keep on giving. To order a book by any author and support an indiebookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
  Blatant Self Promotion: Here are a few books to put on your shoppinglist. The stories in these Christmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, buteach one is a year-round enjoyable read.
Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes

  You’ll find 70stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood Christmasmemories.
  My story, writtenunder my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” andrelates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish father after a thousand-mile,years-long separation.
  The anthology is available on Kindle.
Amazon.com: Christmas Through a Child's eyes


Finally Home
  This anthology giftsyou with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and thespecial people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’ssomething here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.
  In “Puppy Love,” Iwrite a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens asecond chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disruptedwhen she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she issurprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks fora second chance, too.

FinallyHome Buy Now


  My fast-paced novels,The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon orthrough your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.
  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
  P.S.: Pop on over tomy Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a shortstory.
➜ Follow me on        ➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Questionnaire: Why that book?

cj Sez: I found the questions below at another blog andthought, "What a great idea." So, here are some questions for you authors andreaders.  

What makes you want to buy a book? Is it the cover or theblurb on the back of the book?

  For me, it's both. The cover has tograb my attention, then the blurb has to make me want to know more about thestory, so I browse through the beginning pages and a few more.

When you get into a story, what keeps you reading? Is it the bad boy hero orthe tough, strong-willed woman or the cast of characters that help push thestory forward?

  Really doesn’t make any difference tome. That said, whether heroine or hero, I am drawn to a fast-paced story, and Ihave to find a plot. I also like to find humor and some quick repartee in eventhe darkest of moments. It’s kind of a release valve from the danger.

What makes you like one author more than another?

  I’m a wordsmith. That is, I want to beenchanted by the author’s voice and choice of words…how she/he uses a fewprecise words and syntax to evoke some visualization and/or visceral reactionin me.

If you’re into reading a series, when do you get tired of it…or do you?  
  As long as the author keeps the storylineand characters fresh, I don’t have a problem with continuing to read a series.It’s when the storyline get stale. The characters change but the story takesthe same direction over and over. Sometimes stand-alones have that sameproblem, and that’s when I’m on to the next author.

Which brings me to reviews: Do you take the time to write a review?

  Without readers,authors have no audience, and without an audience, authors are out of a job. Honestfeedback—Amazon,Facebook, Goodreads, etc.—iswhat keeps us going. We want to know our strengths and our weaknesses. We’repolite; we say please and thank you. . .  except to trolls. A Facebook friend once wrotethat someone seemed to have joined Goodreads just to give her latest book aone-star rating. The problem was, the book hadn’t even been released.

  I’d love to knowyour answers to these questions. So write in, already.

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  Okay, that’s it fortoday. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raisingprayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj

  Books make perfectgifts for everyone, and it’s not too early to do some holiday shopping.

Blatant Self Promotion: 

  Here are a few books to put on yourshopping list. ( T he stories in the Christmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, but each of them is a year-round enjoyable read.)

Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes 

  You'll find   70 stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood Christmasmemories.

  My story, writtenunder my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” andrelates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish father after a thousand-mile,years-long separation.

  The anthology is available on Kindle at

Amazon.com: Christmas Through a Child's eyes

Finally Home

  This anthology giftsyou with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and thespecial people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’ssomething here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.

 

  In “Puppy Love,” Iwrite a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens asecond chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disruptedwhen she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she issurprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks fora second chance, too.

FinallyHome Buy Now    

  My novels, The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon or through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.

  If you’re lookingfor free versions of these fast-paced reads, break out your library card. Youcan read the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us   

  P.S.: Pop on over tomy Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a shortstory.

➜ Follow me on        ➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

They are all one and the same

cj Sez: Veterans Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, PoppyDay: They are different names for the same day, depending on in what country it's observed(and how old you are, I guess). On Monday, November 11, the U.S. respectfullycommemorates Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all the war veterans whoseheroism made and keep this country free. Amen, and thank you!

   “When first celebrated as Armistice Day, theday marked the end of World War I, formally recognized on the ‘11th hour, ofthe 11th day, of the 11th month’ in 1918. The U.S. continues to honor theoriginal connection to WWI, and Veterans Day is on the same day everyyear—November 11—regardless of which day of the week it falls.”  (Source: https://www.military.com/veterans-day)

 

  Excerpted from an AmericanLegion page: “Poppy seeds can lay fallow for years, yet bloom brilliantly whenthe soil is disturbed or when the soil is freshly dug. After the battles werefought in World War I, the blood red poppy flourished in France and Belgiumwhen battlefields became burial grounds. 
  The red flowers suddenly bloomed amongthe newly dug gravesites of fallen service members, turning the new graveyardsinto fields of red.
  Surviving soldiers came to see the poppy as more than a flower—–it became asymbol of their sacrifice; a tribute to the price of freedom.”

 

  Canada honorsits veterans also on November 11 by celebrating their heroism with “Remembrance Day”and wearing red poppies.

 

  In England, many peoplewear paper or ceramic red poppies also as they commemorate Sunday, November 10,as Remembrance Day.
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  For all you wordwarriors: NaNoWri deadline is still more than two weeks away. You have time toreach your NaNoWriMo goal of 50,000 words on or before November 30 . . . Keepup the good work…you got this!
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  November 30? Nowthat I think about it, since I get paid monthly, that means I have only onemore payday before Christmas. Aarrgh

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  Okay, that’s it fortoday. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raisingprayers for a happy and safe you and yours.
cj
  Now some words frommy sponsors:

 

  Books make perfectgifts, and it’s not too early to do some holiday shopping. Blatant Self Promotion: Here are a few books to put on yourshopping list:

 

Christmas Through aChild’s Eyes
  This anthology has70 stories written by adults recounting their extraordinary childhood Christmasmemories.

 

  My story, writtenunder my maiden name of Marilyn Olsein, is titled “Dancing with Daddy,” andrelates how six-year-old me reconnected with my Swedish father after a thousand-mile,years-long separation.

 

The anthology is available on Kindle. Amazon.com: Christmas Through a Child's eyes

 

Finally Home

  This anthology giftsyou with eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and thespecial people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’ssomething here to tug at everyone’s heart strings.

 

  My story, “Puppy Love,”tells a tale about a woman who is passionate about giving abandoned kittens asecond chance at happiness. My character’s carefully curated life is disruptedwhen she becomes a foster hu-mom to a puppy with an amputated leg. Then she issurprised by an even harder challenge when the man who broke her heart asks fora second chance, too.
The anthology is availaable here: Amazon.com:Finally Home (Christmas Romance Anthology)

  The stories in thoseChristmas anthologies may have a holiday theme, but each of them is ayear-round enjoyable read.

  My novels, The Dawgstar and Death on the Yampa, are available on Amazon or through yourfavorite e-Tailer and bookstore.

 

  If you’re lookingfor free versions of these fast-paced reads, break out your library card. Youcan read the ebooks free from Hoopla.
  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

 

  P.S.: Pop on over tomy Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies in which I have a shortstory.

 

➜ Follow me on        
➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page
➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor
➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson
➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6 

Today we have Plan B

cj Sez: Apologies, apologies. Author Anne Louise Bannon wasunable to appear as our guest today. I’m hoping we can schedule her for a laterdate.  Plan B topic of the day is the time change. I hope you set your clock back one hour Saturdayevening. Here's a tidbit you may not know: We writers adhere to our own kind of clock.

  I actually did set back all my clocks way too early on Saturdayand then spent the rest of the day not really knowing what time it was. By theby, I think I found the answer to why there is a time change twice a year. Accordingto one news dot com site: “Daylight saving time was first enacted by the federalgovernment March 19, 1918, during World War I, as a way to conserve coal.” 
  Ijust wish they’d make up my mind and keep one time or the other. Which wouldyou prefer?

 

  Authors, there is a correct way to write DST in yourstories. The correct term is daylight“saving” (not savings) time, and the AP Style Guide says whenwritten out, it’s properly all lower case. (P.S. The rule really applies toeveryone.)

 

  And that finishes that topic until next March, when theclock will reclaim that hour you gained.
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  A couple of Jane Friedman recent (and helpful) blogs:

 

   This post is by author and book coach Kristin Melville who writes:
 “Story structurepromotes the concept that every scene of your story should serve a largerpurpose—e.g., the inciting incident sparks the problem, and the climaxeventually brings everything to a head.So what do you need to succeed?”

 

  Click on the link to read more.
MurkyMiddles Begone: Ensure the Middle of Your Book Stands Strong | Jane Friedman

 

  The following post is by developmental editor and bookcoach HannahKate Kelley. Ms. Kelley writes:

 

“What is Gothic fiction?
Gothic fiction, also referred to as gothic horror, is asubgenre of Romantic literature born out of the late 18th century. Thesestories typically feature a hauntingly beautiful and dilapidated setting,suspenseful narratives, and dark themes like oppression, guilt, shame, andinsanity.”

The link below will take you to the post:  

How to Outline aGothic Novel | Jane Friedman

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  Okay, that’s it fortoday. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raisingprayers for a happy and safe you and yours.
cj

  Now some words from my sponsors: Books make perfect gifts, and it’s not too early to startyour holiday shopping.

  THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazonor through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore.

 

  If you’re looking for free and fast-paced reads, break outyour library card. You can read the ebooks free from Hoopla.
  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

 

  P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for linksto anthologies in which I have a short story.

 

➜ Follow me on        
➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page
➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor
➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson
➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

cj Sez: Celebrating fall with one of my son’s photos and ...

cj Sez: Celebrating fall with one of my son’s photos and a RobertFrost poem: 

"Two roadsdiverged in a yellow wood..... and I -I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference."- Robert Frost
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How would you answer these questions?
  Do you have a tall, to-be-read pile of books residing somewherein your home? 
  Is there one particular book you can point to as THE BOOKthat captured your imagination and started you down a path that made a difference in your life. 
  Did you start reading more and more and maybe thinkingabout being a writer? 
  As a child, did you have a parent read to you? 
  Did you have a home library of books?
I’ll answer first:   I have a small TBR pile and another small list of TBR Kindlebooks. I blame that on my eyes, and the fact that most books put me to sleepafter about four chapters. Obviously, I’m a slow reader…unless I get captured by an amazing story and “in thezone.”
  THE BOOK for me is The Last of the Mohicans, by James FennimoreCooper. Based on the French and Indian war and touching on interracial love, thestory whetted my appetite for exciting adventure.
  I can’t remember that either of my parents ever read to me. MySweden-born father didn’t read English all that well, and my mother wasn’t a readerby nature.  
  Companion to the above answer: We didn’t have a homelibrary, although I do remember reading lots of comic books and some Golden Books.The Golden Books weren't mine, though
  All of that is to say, don’t compare your writing or readinglife to anyone else’s. Sometimes, all it takes is a single story to bring abouta love of books and spark one’s imagination.
  Despite not being introduced to reading books as a child, I grew to love the lyrical syncopation of words and syntax,and I am a published author, both traditional and self.
  How about you? What sparked your love of reading and/or writing? Can youpinpoint a single story? Or do you think it was the cumulative effect ofchildhood experiences?
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  The following Jane Friedman Blog post is by editor Tiffany Yates Martin, whowrites . . .
“The Truth About First Lines.
  First lines are greatly overrated. Yes, there have been someclassics that have been immortalized in the canon, but too many authors getbogged down trying to create that perfect opening sentence and preventthemselves from creating an effective story.”
  Click on the following link to read the rest of the post. 
Forgetthe First Line. Focus on First Pages. | Jane Friedman
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 Are you planning/plotting/thinking about doing NaNoWriMo? AuthorNeil Gaiman says: This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and youput one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard. — NeilGaiman
  I’m rooting for you!
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  That’s all for today’s post. You-all keep on keeping on, andI’ll try to do the same. Thanks for stopping by.
cj
  My short story, “Once in a Blue Moon,” is one of 18 short stories and poems inthe anthology HALLOWEEN PIECES. 
  As of the time of this post, the Kindle editionis sale priced at $1.99 and available instantly.
HalloweenPieces: A Mobile Writers Guild Anthology - @ Amazon.com.


  THE DAWGSTAR is a suspense/thriller filled withinternational political gangsterism, nanosatellites (real things), assassins,fears of frankenfood, and more! A fast-paced Jane Bond-ish read with a touch ofromance.
  DEATH ON THE YAMPA is a contemporary suspense/thriller talewith a touch of romance. A woman and the man she loves are rafting the YampaRiver through the delicious scenery of Dinosaur National Monument when theyencounter her fugitive brother who's joined a domestic terrorist group.
➜ Follow me on        ➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

We're baa-ack!

cjSez: Lyrical Pens is back . . . Let’s kick off the blog’s return with a “It’sFall, Y’all” sale.

A Mobile Writers Guild Anthology @ Amazon.com

  My short story, "Once in a Blue Moon," is one of 18 short stories and poems in the anthology HALLOWEEN PIECES, book 4 of 4 anthologies from the Mobile Writers Guild. As of the time of this post, the Kindle edition of HALLOWEEN PIECES is sale priced at $1.99 and available instantly.
  Clickon the link below to watch a YouTube video as I read an excerpt.  And if you have the option, choose to open in“Duck Player” (no ads).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PUlZ7kUswE

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  Oldadage: Truth is stranger than fiction. Why? Because truth is harder to writeand make it believable. As a writer, fiction is my choice because I can lie andbe applauded for it. Now if I could only remember which lie I told.
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"Paths Not Taken" will release in March 2025. Pre-order is available.
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  That’sall for today’s post. You-all keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Thanksfor stopping by.
cj Nowa word from my sponsors:

  THEDAWGSTAR is a suspense/thriller filled with international politicalgangsterism, nanosatellites (real things), assassins, fears of frankenfood, andmore! A fast-paced Jane Bond-ish read with a touch of romance.   DEATHON THE YAMPA is a contemporary suspense/thriller tale with a touch of romance.A woman and the man she loves are rafting the Yampa River through the deliciousscenery of Dinosaur National Monument when they encounter her fugitive brotherwho's joined a terrorist group.
   You can ask your local library to order myeBooks for you to read with your library card. You’ll need to give them theISBN number of the title you want to borrow.
THEDAWGSTAR … ISBN 978-17369146-0-1DEATHON THE YAMPA … ISBN 978-1-7369146-1-8
AndP.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for links to anthologies inwhich I have a short story.
➜ Follow me on  ➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

  

Something's come up

cj Sez: Labor Day (it was Sept 2 in case you missed it) issometimes called the unofficial end to summer. Witness: Most schools are backin session, and stores have already begun their multi-holiday advertising andsales. So let me be the first to wish you . . .

cj Sez: So did I. 

  That said, Lyrical Pens is on hiatus. The current plan is toreturn online in mid-October. Sorry for the abrupt notice, but life doesn’talways give warnings.

§§

  Okay, that’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on,and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

Now some words from my sponsors:

  THE DAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazonor through your favorite e-Tailer and bookstore. Got a library card? You canread the ebooks free from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA-Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. If she’s out, she’ll orderone for you, and I’ll pop over to sign it. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 

  P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page for linksto anthologies in which I have a short story. The Haunted Book Shop has acouple of those, also.  

➜ Follow me on        ➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

There is no try.

cj Sez: I’ve been saying for a long time, way too long atime, that I’m trying to learn how to write an interesting mystery or I’mtrying to learn how to write a YA story. In fact, I said it just the other day.Then I found this meme in my archives:

  It reminded me that I know better. And have done better. If I“really’ want to learn how to do something, I have to set an achievable goaland do what’s necessary to reach it.
  I once had a wild hair thought to challenge my staidexistence and made a goal to go white-water rafting. When I was 50, I took sixweeks of swimming lessons and then spent 5-1/2 days with 12 strangers on anOutward Bound white-water rafting trip on the undammed Yampa River flowing betweenColorado and Utah. I had a great adventure (parts of which are incorporatedinto my second novel, DEATH ON THE YAMPA),made some interesting friends, and still don’t know how to swim.
  When I first wanted to learn how to write novels,I enrolled in a creative writing class at a local community college. I flew toSan Francisco and spent three days immersed in Robert McKee’s STORYscreenwriting workshop. I grabbed a bunch of how-to books. I read novels andread some more.
  Over time, I discovered I was drawn to the books of RobertB. Parker, Elmore Leonard, John Grisham, James Lee Burke, Robert Ludlum’sBourne series. You know the kind, heavy on the action and adventure with asmattering of sex. When I relocated to Mobile, I took a continuing educationclass at the University of South Alabama, wrote seven paragraphs based on aprompt from the instructor, and, with a three- or four-line positive response written on the paper,decided I was ready to write.
  BEEP, BEEP: Writing in a vacuum doesn’t work. I thought mypremise was wonderful, the words and structure perfect. I wrote crap. There wasno brilliant beginning, middle, or end. There was only a quasi-beginning, asagging middle, and an unsatisfying end. And I couldn’t even edit out all thepunctuation errors because I would read right past them.
So, I joined writers’ organizations and a couple ofcritique groups in order to get the kind of varied writer/reader responses I wouldget should my novel be on a library shelf. I went to conferences, writerretreats, and workshops. My first short story was published in a literary anthologyin 2008, my first suspense novel in 2013. At first, my stories and novels were traditionallypublished but understanding that the publication world is a fickle place, I tookan intensive class in self-publishing, got my rights back (from Simon & Schuster),amended my novels enough to warrant renaming them, and then self-published. Andyou know what? It felt good. I still submit my short stories for consideration insmall-press anthologies.
  There is a song lyric that, paraphrased, tells me I canspend my days living a dream or spend my days trying not to die. I don’t seeany hope or laughter in the latter. The Yoda meme reminds me that I must ownmy dream. I will either do or do not.     I will either learn how to write a mystery or set a new goal—hopefully an achievableone. 
  Today’s lesson: Set a goal. Put pen to paper or fingers tokeyboard and write it down. You might be surprised at how far seeing it inwriting will take you.
  Okay, I’ll climb off the soap box, but think about it readeror author: What’s your goal? 
§§
  Okay, that’s it fortoday. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raisingprayers for a happy and safe Labor Day celebration for you and yours.
cj
Now some words from my sponsors:
  Summer is windingdown, kids are back in school, and there is some available downtime. Having abook to read is the perfect relaxing entertainment for those moments. THEDAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazon or through yourfavorite e-Tailer and bookstore. Got a library card? You can read the ebooksfree from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
And P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page forlinks to anthologies in which I have a short story.
➜ Follow me on        ➜ Amazon:    AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

A GUEST POST today by author Kathleen Kaska

cj Sez: Lyrical Pens is excited to present a guest posttoday by Kathleen Kaska, the author of the Kate Caraway Animal-Rights MysterySeries as well as the award-winning Sydney Lockhart Mystery Series set in the1950s. 
  Kaska generously shares her experiences as she pursuednew publishers for her books that had been previously published. Following isthe author's “Here’s My Road to Reissue,” a very interesting take on that process.  

“I learned a long time ago to take advice and seeminglyfactual information with a grain of salt. Once, a librarian told me that if myfirst book didn’t become an instant best-seller, I’d have a difficult timegetting anyone to publish my second book. Thirteen books later, I’m glad Ididn’t act on her information. Later, when the publisher of my first fourSydney Lockhart mysteries folded, someone also told me that it would be nearlyimpossible to find a new publisher for books that were previously published. Ididn’t listen to them either. I had big plans for several more books in thisseries, so when the rights were reverted to me, I began doing my homework andsearching for a new publisher.

When my first book came out in the early 90s, thepublishing options were simple and straightforward but limited. Writers lookedfor an agent or contacted publishers directly, sent their submissions, andwaited, and waited, and waited. Simultaneous submissions were frowned upon, sothe process worked against the writer.

Over the years, I’ve signed with numerous publishers. Myexperience with the university press that published my biography, The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: TheRobert Porter Allen Story, was/is amazing. When I have questions or needsomething, I call them. And guess what? They answer the phone! They were opento negotiating my contract, and my royalty statements are accurate and arriveon time. The same is true for the publishers of my trivia books. Not so truewith the first two publishers of my mysteries. So, I learned to be cautious.I’ve learned to ask questions. I’ve learned to recognize publishers who acceptmanuscripts despite not having read them.

The good news is that now there are thousands oftraditional small presses, hybrid presses, and self-publishing options. Theless-than-good news is that a writer has to know the business, study thecontracts, know when to negotiate, and be able to recognize a good deal. Withthis in mind, I knew I wanted a publisher who would work with me, answer myemails, listen to my suggestions, give me honest, helpful advice and feedback,brainstorm with me on promotion and marketing ideas, give me reasonable discountson purchasing my books, connect me with her network of published authors, andabove all, care about my books. I know that’s asking a lot, but writing is hardwork, and I did not want to sell myself short.

   Threeyears ago, I signed with Anamcara Press, and I couldn’t be happier. Mypublisher conducted a thorough edit on each previously published book,rebranded the entire series, which now includes two new books, and provided mewith a publicist who helped me schedule book tours and kept me involved everystep of the way. We meet virtually several times before each new release,tweaking the cover, metadata, and book blurbs. 
   I trust her expertise andexperience. I’m selling more books than I ever have. And to top it all off, sheis a nice person.”
§§
cj Sez: 
   For your reading enjoyment, here’s the cover and buy link to the reissue of MURDER AT THE ARLINGTON, Book 1 (of 6) in her Sydney Lockhart mystery series.
Buy the Kindle Now   
  Thank you, Kathleen, for the tips and reassurances.Yep, it’s going to take work, but if we writers will do our due diligenceresearch, there are several publishing options available for that previouslypublished book. §§

   Okay, that’s it fortoday. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raisingprayers for a happy and safe you and yours.

cj
Now some words from my sponsors:
  Summer is windingdown, kids are going back to school, and there is available downtime.Having a book to read is the perfect relaxing entertainment for those moments of R&R. THEDAWGSTAR and DEATH ON THE YAMPA are available on Amazon or through yourfavorite e-Tailer and bookstore. Got a library card? You can read the ebooksfree from Hoopla.

  Nota bene: AngelaTrigg, the RITA Award-winning author and owner of The Haunted Book Shop has afew signed copies of my paperback books in stock. TO ORDER, contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us 
  And P.S.: Pop on over to my Amazon Central Author Page to find links to anthologies in which I have a short story. 
➜ Follow me on        ➜ Amazon:     AmazonCentral Author Page➜ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CjPettersonAuthor➜ BookBub:   https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cj-petterson➜ Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6