Terry Odell's Blog, page 113

What’s Cooking Wednesday – Father’s Day Pot Roast

Hubster spent Father’s Day hiking with our daughter, and I decided to modify a pot roast recipe for a nice dinner when he got home. Since it was a crock pot preparation, it only took me a few minutes of prep time and then it was set it and forget it.

Recipes like these are easy to play with. I didn’t have celery, but I’d bought one of Hubster’s favorite root vegetables, parsnips, so I used those instead. I had fingerling potatoes, but regular ones would be fine. It’s about using what you like...

Character Interviews – Karen Musser Nortman’s Mickey Ferraro

Thanks for allowing me to interview you, Mickey. First, a few introductory questions:

Your name:  Mickey Ferraro
The book you’re in: The Space Invader
Your author’s name:  Karen Musser Nortman
Your role: Hero

And now, on with the interview:

What was your favorite part of being a character in this book?
Usually I’m the sidekick–sort of the comedian of our camping group. I am pretty funny if I do say so myself.  You don’t survive teaching junior high and high school English if you don’t have a...

Be Careful With Deep Point of View

One of my first writing lessons was Point of View. I learned it was a good idea to stick to one character at a time (and ‘time’ means more than a paragraph or two). I discovered I connected more with characters if I was privy to their thoughts. There are no hard and fast rules about Point of View beyond it’s important that readers can keep track of whose head they’re in.

My preference is to use Deep Point of View, which is sometimes called “close” or “intimate.” What you call it isn’t as impo...

When BookBub isn’t a Marketing Option, Part 2

On Monday, I talked about the three book marketing newsletters I used in lieu of BookBub for a recent promotion, explained some of the basics, and related what I’d done and what my goals were. I’d chosen to advertise In Hot Water at a 99 cent price point. Because sales had dropped off considerably, I figured I could reasonably assume any jumps were due to the ads.

Today, I’ll look at the results to see if I met any of my goals.

First, I’m not giving specific sales numbers, as my goals didn’t...

What’s Cooking Wednesday – Sheila’s Beer Bread

Shelia was gracious enough to share her recipe for the beer bread she served at the Colorado Cattle Company during my stay. Thanks, Sheila!

Sheila’s Beer Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour
3 – 4 T sugar
1 can beer (Sheila swears by Budweiser)
stick  (4 T) butter

Instructions:
Mix flour, sugar and beer together.
Pour into a greased loaf pan
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes
Melt butter, pour over loaf
Bake 20 minutes longer
Let cool completely. Sheila recommends turning the loaf on its side...

Character Interviews – Kryssie Fortune’s Elias

Thanks for letting me interview you, Elias. First, a few introductory questions:

Your name: Elias
The book you’re in: Claimed by the Vampire, Saved by the Werewolf
Your author’s name: Kryssie Fortune
Your role: Hero.

And now, on with the interview:

What was your favorite part of being a character in this book?
The end. As a former Spartan warrior turned vampire, I do not like my life being controlled by another. Tempest rescuing me from my author-inflicted torment comes a close second, along...

When BookBub isn’t a Marketing Option

When it comes to newsletters advertising discounted and free books, BookBub is the major player. However, they reject about 80% of submissions, so counting on them to boost sales for a book isn’t something one can count on. Plus, they’re expensive, and a lot of indie authors simply don’t have the bucks to lay out for an ad. Having joined the ranks of those 80% of ‘rejectees’ recently, I tried three other options for a price drop of In Hot Water.

First, know your goals before taking out an ad....

More Ranch Work from A Writer’s Perspective

On Monday, I talked about some of the ranch experiences I had at the Colorado Cattle Company, but even with an extended post, I couldn’t touch on everything. Discovering what it feels like to sit in a saddle for hours on time is a given. Little things, like watching a horse’s ears to judge its mood, or how horses behave in a group, can also work their way into stories. And of course, there are sounds and smells, and what things feel like (including insect bites!).

A lot of what you show will...

What’s Cooking Wednesday – Lime-Marinated Mahi Mahi

Hubster found this recipe at All Recipes for his night to cook.

Lime-Marinated Mahi Mahi Ingredients:

 c olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
t  ground black pepper
t cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt
2 T lime juice
teaspoon grated lime zest
2 (4 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
2 twists lime zest (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Whisk the extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, lime juice, and grated lime zest...

Character Interview – Adam Mann’s Jennifer

Thanks for letting me interview you, Jennifer. First, a few introductory questions:

Your name:  Jennifer
The book you’re in: Body Heat
Your author’s name:  Adam Mann
Your role: Heroine

And now, on with the interview:

What was your favorite part of being a character in this book?
Proving that I could survive in a remote area.

Do you have any input into how the story goes, or does your author call all the shots?
He decided to put me in the forest, but I decided what I did when I got there.

Do y...