Monday, September 26, 2022

Druid's Moon by Deniz Bevan

It is my pleasure to welcome author, Deniz Bevan to my blog. Enjoy this short interview and get a peek at her methods and what she is doing to be a successful author.

How many drafts do you write for each novel and which do you find the most enjoyable and the most difficult?

Short answer: Too many!

Lately I’ve been doing National Novel Writing Month each year, so by the end of November I have the Stupid First Draft, the one that’s full of meanderings and wonky plotlines and character discoveries.

If I’m organized, I spend the next few months going through it scene by scene and tightening it up.

If I’m really organized, the next step is to print it and read it on paper.

Then, I need to finish up all the required research and do another edit for word choice and style.

Then it’s time to send it to beta readers!


Which social media platform do you most enjoy using for promotion?


I enjoy writing up my blog the most! Twitter can be fun sometimes, and it’s always interesting to see photos from family and friends on Instagram.


Can you give one piece of advice for beginning authors?


Don’t be afraid to spill your ideas on paper! It’s true what other authors have said: You can’t edit a blank page!


Do you have a book that you can read over and over again and especially when you need the inspiration to write?


Ah, well, I think these are two separate questions. I reread The Lord of the Rings every year; sometimes it leads me to want to write and other times it doesn’t. Some authors, such as Dostoyevsky and Bukowski, make me feel like writing. Other times, it’s beautiful writing like that of Rachel Carson and Nan Shepherd that makes me feel like trying my hand at poetry once more!



Druid’s Moon
By Deniz Bevan

Beauty to his Beast…

Lyne Vanlith, an archaeologist who seeks a logical explanation to any mystery, discovers an ancient Druidic curse on her first dig. When the signs foretold by the curse descend on her, Lyne can’t find a reasonable interpretation.


And that’s even before a Beast rescues her from a monstrous sea-creature. She drops a grateful kiss on the snout of the Beast, who transforms into a man, Frederick Cunnick, Baron of Lansladron. Lyne is meant to be Beauty to his Beast—and break the curse forever.

Now both spellkeeper and monster are targeting Lyne. She must take up her legendary role, to defeat the curse and save Frederick—and herself. Instead of logic, for the first time, Lyne must trust her heart.


Release date – September 20, 2022
$14.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 226 pages
Fantasy – Romance (FIC009090) / Paranormal (FIC009050) / Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology (FIC010000)
Print ISBN 9781939844866 / EBook ISBN 9781939844873
$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Thank you, Deniz. I love that writing advice. I've heard it before but I need to hear it again as I currently stare at a blank page. Do you have a favorite social media platform? Are you ready for some beauty and the beast?

Monday, September 19, 2022

First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts

I am so excited to add the latest IWSG anthology to my keeper shelf alongside all the others published by this amazing group. I've asked the writers of these magnificent stories a few questions. Not only will you get to know about them as writers and about their process, but you may also learn something that speaks to you as a writer and a reader. Enjoy!


How many drafts do you write for each novel and which do you find the most enjoyable and the most difficult?


I write a single draft, but it goes through several polishing passes. My favorite stage is the final pass, when I get to sit back and enjoy the finished product.

 

Can you give one piece of advice for beginning authors?

Find good critique partners and listen to them. Don’t be in a hurry to publish your debut.

 

 - Melissa Maygrove

 

 

 

How many drafts do you write for each novel and which do you find the most enjoyable and the most difficult?

 

ANSWER: As many as it takes, some novels may need more than others, ESPECIALLY, if you are a panster. The first draft is my favorite, creating the characters, plots, and settings; and the most difficult is the final, trying to make it as perfect as possible.

 

Can you give one piece of advice for beginning authors?

 

ANSWER: Don’t give up no matter how long it takes…it will happen in time. For me, it took over a decade to finally have a story published traditionally.

 

Michael Di Gesu

 

 

 

Can you give one piece of advice for beginning authors?

Never stop thinking of yourself as a beginning author. Even with tons of experience, you’ll learn much from reading the work of better writers!

 

Do you have a book that you can read over and over again and especially when you need the inspiration to write?

The YA titles of my youth like The Hunger Games or Twilight remind me of a time when being an author was a distant dream. Those books inspire me to push toward my goals so my younger self would be proud.

 

- Kim Elliott

 

 

 

Can you give one piece of advice for beginning authors?

My advice is to just write. It's so easy to get overwhelmed by fears you're doing it wrong or don't know enough but I'm pretty sure every writer, bestseller or newbie, suffers from imposter syndrome, and the only way to finish a book is to put words on the page. 

 

Do you have a book that you can read over and over again and especially when you need the inspiration to write?

One book I read over and over is The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak. It's a great example of giving the readers what they want, and it always reminds me to have fun and write what I want to read. 

 

-Sammi Spizziri

 

 

 

Which social media platform do you most enjoy using for promotion?

I love Twitter for promotion simply because of its concise nature. It’s also been a great place for me to connect and interact with other writers (and encourage aspiring ones).

 

Do you have a book that you can read over and over again and especially when you need the inspiration to write?

Not a book, but an author. Whenever I’m in a slump (of any kind), Alice Hoffman is the first writer I go to. Her novels are magic.

 

- Katie Klein

 

 

 

How many drafts do you write for each novel and which do you find the most enjoyable and the most difficult? 

I once read that Harper Lee rewrote Chapter One of To Kill a Mockingbird 60 times and I think I can give her a run for her money, especially on my current  WIP. I'm struggling with the beginning even though most of the book has been written.  I don't love the first draft at all, but I do love the editing process.

 

Do you have a book that you can read over and over again and especially when you need the inspiration to write?

I never lack inspiration to write, as I draw heavily on my travels which I've documented in diaries. But the novel I re-read every year or so always inspires - Beach Music by Pat Conroy. It has everything I love - descriptive, lively settings (Rome and Maine); current events (terrorism); family feuds (fantastic characterization with underpinning mystery); environmental issues (saving the turtles) ... and more.

 

- Denise Covey


 

How many drafts do you write for each novel and which do you find the most enjoyable and the most difficult? I never preplan. I always start out with an idea, scene, or emotion and write until I can’t go anymore. When I run out of steam, I take a break and then write out an outline or sets of goals for the story and its characters. I always complete a minimum of four drafts and the last is the hardest - knowing for sure if you have everything needed for an enjoyable tale without overdoing it.

 

Can you give one piece of advice for beginning authors? Read and write every day. Read a variety of genres, read books on the craft, read blogs of other authors. There is a multitude of information and contradictory advice out there. Weed through and find what works for you. Our minds don’t work the same and we all have different interests and strengths. Be willing to learn and find your own process for success.

 

- Slyvia Ney 



First Love: The Art of Making Doughnuts

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

The sweetness of first love…

Could a fiercely independent cop’s heart be stolen by the guy who makes her favorite doughnuts? Will a maid who used deceit to snare a mail-order husband get a dose of her own medicine? Can her handsome neighbor rescue a modern-day “princess” from a tenacious ex-boyfriend? Can two strangers in a rideshare be honest enough to fall in love for real? Can you remember your first love? How about your second? Third? Fourth?

Featuring the talents of Linda Budzinski, Melissa Maygrove, Michael Di Gesu, Sylvia Ney, Katie Klein, Kim Elliott, Templeton Moss, S.E. White, Denise Covey, and Sammi Spizziri. Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will touch your heart and rekindle lost feelings. Prepare to return to that first love…

Release date: September 6, 2022
Print ISBN – 9781939844880, $14.95
eBook ISBN – 9781939844897, $4.99
Romance - Clean & Wholesome (FIC027270) / Contemporary (FIC027020) / Historical (FIC027050)
186 pages, Freedom Fox Press, an imprint of Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh and a Writer’s Digest Top Sites for Writers, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter.
https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

Links:
Amazon 
https://www.amazon.com/First-Love-Art-Making-Doughnuts-ebook/dp/B09QH3Z28P/
Barnes & Noble 
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/first-love-insecure-writers-support-group/1140884369?ean=2940165751301
iTunes https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1605240999
Kobo 
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/first-love-the-art-of-making-doughnuts
Scribed - 
https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781939844897&language=0
Goodreads 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60198262-first-love


Any of those answers strike a note for you? Do you have a go-to book that you read over and over again? Why that book?

Wednesday, September 7, 2022

IWSG: September 2022


 September already though the weather is still like summer. It's time for the monthly bloghop with all the awesome members of the IWSG. Thanks to our founder Alex J. Cavanaugh, and all the amazing admins who make this group so dynamic and helpful. Find the entire list here.

What genre would be the worst one for you to tackle and why? 

I believe historical fiction would be the worse for me. Too many chances to make a mistake. I admire historical fiction writers. They do so much research. I would be so afraid of getting something incorrect, that I wouldn't be able to tell the story. I've witnessed authors being attacked for a mistake in something like language or food, or any number of things. I do love to read it, so I'm glad other writers tackle it with skill and creativity.

I always dreaded the fall when I was teaching. It was no fun to return to school after a few months off. Since I retired from teaching, I've liked fall so much more. The last few years, I've been busy watching my granddaughter. But this year, she started kindergarten. For the first week, she cried every day as she got on the bus, but she loved being at school. Just that bus in the morning was terrifying for her. She's over it this week, but it wasn't so fun last week.

The Rings of Power have grabbed my attention so I hope it stays that way. Blood of the Dragon has bored me to sleep. None of the characters seem interesting. I don't understand why of all the options for a prequel, they chose to make it about a family of incestuous, unstable, megalomaniacs. I guess so they could have dragons.


Fortunately, I have lots of good books to read. I hope you'll find the time to read the newest IWSG anthology, First Love: The Art of Making Donuts. All the stories are excellent. I have a short interview with the writers right here in about two weeks. Please come back and read it.

I'm writing some but it's slow going. Hope to pick up the pace with the coming darkness of fall and then winter. Doing some shopping for a new computer. Even though I need one, I had setting up a new one. I wish it was as easy as getting a new iPhone.

Next month, I'm attending a one day mini-con in Erie, PA. It is sponsored by a Pennwriters Group. It is always excellent. I was a workshop leader last year, but this year I'm looking forward to sitting in workshops and just enjoying the atmosphere and soaking up expertise. The date is October 8th if you live nearby. Here is the information.

Any genres you would never try to write in? Enjoying any new fare on streaming or TV? Would you like to attend a conference?