Shirleen Davies's Blog, page 3

So Excited... And I'll Tell You Why!

Just finished TOUGHER than the REST, book one in my historical western romance series, MacLarens of Fire Mountain.

I’m exhausted, thrilled and anxious. Exhausted because the multi-tasking required to pull it all together was daunting­­—and I consider myself a fairly respectable multi-tasker. Thrilled because it is just plain exciting to complete a manuscript you’ve put so much of yourself into. Anxious, because I know there is so much more work ahead to get this book into the hands of the readers.

Like many writers, I waited to start memorializing the stories in my head until I had quite a few years in a regular job. Perhaps each stage is sweeter because of the wait, and each small achievement magnified.

Stage one excitement occurred when I finished the first chapter. Then the excitement grew when I received the final copy of the cover design. Cover design feedback has been terrific, so of course, the goal is to create a story that receives as good of reviews as the cover.  Feedback from beta readers, much to my relief, has been very positive. But finalizing the story and getting it ready for reviews, well it’s just such a good feeling that I had to share it with you.

I’ll keep you all posted, but the release date is set for August 1.

Would love your feedback.  How did you feel the first time you completed something so important to you?

Family, Writing, Social Media and Author's Platform

While Tougher than the Rest is going through final story editing, I have been doing a lot of preparation for finalizing my website, Facebook fan page, and LinkedIn information. 

Most authors have at least two social media sites they actively monitor as well as their blog and web pages. All are needed to create what has come to be known as an Author's Platform.  The platform is the sum total of all the contacts and interaction from all their social media sites as well as information on those wonderful people who have purchased book. It is quite a challenge to find time to keep the platform growing and up-to-date. It can be even more of a challenge to find time to write. So, I have come up with my own priorities, after family, of course.

1. Write 1-2 hours each day
2. Review and answer emails 45 minutes each day
3. Respond to FB friend and LinkedIn connection requests 15 minutes each day
2. Social Media updates and participation 1 hour each day
3. Regular job - that's about 9 hours a day

Not enough time for the family, so I guess I will just need to keep noodling this until I find a solution. Thoughts on this dilemma are greatly appreciated.

Tougher than the Rest

Coming Summer 2013
TOUGHER Than The REST, Book One
The MacLarens of Fire Mountain

Who is Niall MacLaren?
Niall is the head of the MacLaren family. Oldest of four brothers, a widower with a young daughter, and owner of the largest spread in the northern Arizona territory.  

Niall is fascinating and complicated. He is a real challenge to put on paper and more than once I have walked away from the computer to clear my head. He has many of the qualities I would want in an older brother, and many of the flaws I would expect. 

Niall has more than one woman in his life, which of course creates complications.  He is a leader, a friend, and touches most everyone's life in Fire Mountain. The draft has gone through one pass with my story editor and I am in the process of completing revisions before the final edit. Hope to have a sample for you to read by late April or early May. Would love your comments when the sample is posted.

Faster than the Rest

Coming Summer 2013
FASTER Than The REST, Book Two
The MacLarens of Fire Mountain series, 

Who is Jamie MacLaren?
Jamie is the second oldest of the MacLaren brothers. He is the hothead of the family. No one is more accurate or as fast with a gun. Now a U.S. Marshal, his goal is to track those kidnapped in the rugged southwest and return them to their families. 

I am just finishing my last review before submitting to my story editor. Jamie  is multi-faceted and I continue to revisit what I have written to be sure the reader is able to connect with him. I like him. He is someone I would want on my side if I were ever in trouble. Strong and loyal, he is also compassionate and passionate, but unforgiving. I hope to have a sample ready for you to enjoy by late May and would love to hear from you.

Where is Fire Mountain?

Big Bug, Arizona Territory Where is Fire Mountain and is it a real place?
Fire Mountain is the home of the four MacLaren brothers. It is a town in 1870s Arizona territory that resides only in my mind. Ok, that is not entirely accurate. It is based on several areas of north central Arizona that I have come to love. These areas inspire the stories of the MacLaren brothers and provide the backdrop for each book.
Tip Top, Arizona Territory. Contrary to what many believe, Arizona is not just made up of dry desert, cactus, and rattlers. Oh, don’t get me wrong; there are huge areas of desert wilderness, cactus aplenty, tumbleweeds and a good number of critters, both slithery and walking.
    What many don’t realize is that Arizona also contains vast pine forests, hidden lakes, and rugged mountains. Temperatures in this area can reach 95 in the summer, falling to 15 and below when there is snow in the winter. Most of this region retains little of the snow and avoids the high temps of southern Arizona. Overall, is it much more temperate than most imagine.
                This is where Fire Mountain can be found.
Crown King Saloon Historical settlements in this region include Congress, Big Bug, Jerome, Camp Verde, Crown King, Bumble Bee, Prescott, Chaparral, Antelope Junction, and Tip Top. Some of these are still with us today, such as the thriving city of Prescott and hilltop town of Jerome. Others are no more than an abandoned pile of Arizona history. All offer their own ghosts from the past and inspire much of the scenery in my books about the MacLaren brothers.

Amazon Purchases Goodreads

What do Readers and Authors think of Amazon's purchase of Goodreads?
On Thursday March 28, Amazon announced their purchase of Goodreads. The news was a surprise to many but the most questions have come from the reader/author community about how this acquisition may change the ability of book lovers to honestly communicate with each and share insights. The following two links provide more information but still not much clarity on what to expect going forward.
http://tinyurl.com/cq9mlp4
http://tinyurl.com/cupfcz7