How Writing “A Year of Summer Shadows” Changed My Life by Author Alice Orr
Posted by Kathleen Pooler/@kathypooler with Alice Orr/@AliceOrrBooks
“Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievement.”~ Napoleon Hill
Riverton Road website logo via Alice Orr
I am pleased to participate in author Alice Orr’s book launch of A Year of Summer Shadows, Book #2 in The Riverton Road Romance Suspense Series. In her previous post, “One Day At A Time: Tell Me About It: Strategies for the Writing Life”, Alice introduced Book #1, A Wrong Way Home and shared her excellent strategies for success in the writing life. Her background as a literary agent, book editor, workshop leader and author of several writing books, eleven novels and a memoir lend credibility to her words of advice. My favorite quote of hers is “think of each day as a jewel on the thread of your life”.
Alice is living her dream of writing full time and writing in the genre that she loves. And it shows. In this post, she will share with us how writing this second book changed her life. It reminds me of the quote, “when the student is ready, the teacher arrives”
Here are my reviews of A Year of Summer Shadows on Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari, LibraryThings and Riffle.
Welcome back, Alice!
Author Alice Orr
How Writing “A Year Of Summer Shadows ” Changed My Life
I sometimes hear this question. “Can a book change a person?” My answer has to be “Writing a book can change a person.” That was definitely true for me as author of A Year of Summer Shadows.
The change had to do with this being the second novel in my first-ever series. The book that preceded it – A Wrong Way Home – had felt like a fluke in some ways. I hadn’t written or published fiction in sixteen years and I wasn’t at all sure I could do it again.
As that first story fell together – almost around me rather than through me – I was constantly amazed. As if the words were flooding forth out of somebody else’s pen and onto somebody else’s computer screen.
I’d published several novels before my long hiatus but none of those were written anywhere near full-time. I was a book editor back then and after that a literary agent. My books were created around the edges of those busy careers often in the early hours of the morning – 4 to 7 a.m. to be exact – when the world was mostly quiet.
Sixteen years later I was writing in the light of day with the world of distractions buzzing around me. It felt nothing like my author experience of the past. I was also writing without a detailed synopsis for the first time. I was once a devotee of the synopsis – led synopsis workshops and even wrote a synopsis article for Writers’ Digest Magazine.
I was a turncoat from all of that now – flying by the seat of my imagination from one scene into the next. Again the process felt unreal to me as if I were watching someone else come up with details and dialogue and dangerous plot turns that were as much a surprise to me as I hoped they’d be to my readers.
Then the finished book was in my hand and my name was on the corner. Still my amazement lingered as I smiled during book signings or sat alone in my office reading complimentary reviews.
Before long I rolled into writing A Year of Summer Shadows – Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series Book 2. This turned out to be a very different experience. The thrill of discovering my story was even more wonderful. The accomplishment of writing it down was even more gratifying.
I’d birthed the first story. Now I was birthing the second. Just me. Nobody else – besides my characters of course. At last I knew I wasn’t a fluke. I was a storyteller for certain and I hope forever. That realization changed my life and I could hardly be more grateful.
A YEAR OF SUMMER SHADOWS – Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Series Book #2 is available at amazon.com/author/aliceorr . This is my 13th novel – the one that changed my life. Alice Orr – www.aliceorrbooks.com
Alice Orr – Bio
Alice Orr loves to write. Especially Romantic Suspense novels of danger and romance. She’s well known as a workshop leader, book editor and former literary agent. Now she lives her dream of writing full-time, especially romantic suspense. Alice has published thirteen novels, two novellas and a memoir so far. About her novels, Amazon says, “Alice Orr turns up the heat.” Alice also presents workshops on writing for publication and/or pleasure. Most of all, Alice wants to hear from readers. Email her at aliceorrbooks@gmail.com. Or go to her website www.aliceorrbooks.com. Alice has two grown children and two perfect grandchildren and lives with her husband Jonathan in New York City.
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Thank you Alice for showing how this book has changed you. You now know you are a storyteller at heart and are living your dream. As a fan of your work, I can say the passion and enthusiasm you describe here show vividly in this series. I wish you much success as you launch Book #2 and prepare to launch Book #3 in a few months.You remind us to keep writing until we have more than one book. I am intrigued by how letting the story flow without a synopsis or outline worked for you this time.
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How about you? Has writing or reading a book changed your life? If so, how?
We’d love to hear from you. Please leave your comments below~
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Next Week:
Monday, 06/29/15:
“Frozen Grief: The Loss of Siblings in Childhood: An Interview with Anne Bernard Becker”
Thursday, 07/02/15:
I will be available to discuss my memoir, Ever Faithful to His Lead: My Journey Away From Emotional Abuse between 5:00 pm-8:00 pm (EDT). Hope to see you there!
I will be giving away(3) ebook copies of my memoir. You can enter here on my Facebook Author Page.
