Wednesday, February 7, 2024

IWSG: February 2024


Here we are for this month's Insecure Writers Support Group blog hop. Big thank you to the admins of IWSG and our founder, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Please stop by and share your highs and lows in this crazy writing life. And stop by to visit as many of the blogs on the participant list as you can.

Before answering this month's question, if you have a minute stop by my guest post featuring L. Diane Wolfe as she talks about her favorite 'alien' themed movies and announces her newest release, In Darkness: The Alien.

Diane is so talented. She writes fiction and nonfiction, runs her own publishing company, and attends
many events and conferences. And does them all very successfully. I'm very excited to announce that L. Diane Wolfe will be a guest publisher at the 2024 Annual Pennwriters Conference being held in May in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After being online friends for years, I'll get to meet Diane in person. You can too. Find out more about the conference here
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This month's optional question:  What turns you off when visiting an author's website/blog? Lack of information? A drone of negativity? Little mention of author's books? Constant mention of books?

I can't put my finger on any one thing. If I go to an author's website, I want to hear about their books or I've followed a link because they're sharing some writing advice. I don't even mind if their newsletter invite pops up. I don't see many author websites that turn me off so I'm interested to read the other posts on this subject.

My writing is going okay. I'm still spending time each day on getting my books back out into the world. I have more than 30 books previously published by small presses that I now have my rights back to that

I'm re-editing and publishing myself. I'm trying to do one per month and have managed that so far. My latest re-emergence novel is my first fantasy novel ever published. The Keepers of Sulbreth is the first book in The Futhark Chronicles. Books 2, 3, & 4 will be forthcoming. I admit, I like the cover I designed better than the one my previous publisher created.

I'm so eager for spring, but I know it's a long way off. In good news, I think sometime within the next week or so, TV networks are finally getting some new shows on the air. I loved Will Trent last season and I'm looking forward to season 2 of Halo. Did you watch The Brothers Sun on Netflix.  Highly recommend.

I hope you're staying warm, and if you're in California, dry and safe. Seems that some kind of dangerous weather somewhere all the time.

Do you have a favorite alien movie? Do you have pet peeves about author websites? How is your writing going?

20 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan - great you've got your book titles back ... so you can set them out into the world once again - good luck there. Alien movies - don't usually watch. I do like websites that flow, and are not 'manufactured' - i.e. they haven't been pulled to pieces and put back together again. Cheers and good luck - and yes I could do with sunnier days ... Hilary

Liza said...

I am glad to hear you are getting your books back out. Best wishes...and only five weeks until spring (officially, at least!). Happy writing!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

I like your goal of republishing!

Natalie Aguirre said...

I'm glad your writing is going well and that you're getting your books re-released. I can't wait for spring too.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That's a great cover.
Cool you will get to meet Diane in person!

Nick Wilford said...

That's exciting to be taking back control over your own books. I think spring is coming, although yesterday was mild and warm and today we were hit with snow. That's Scotland for you!

H. R. Sinclair said...

OOOO, you've got a lot to do, but I sense it will be satisfying to have them under you control. Best of luck getting it done quickly!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Wow on the 30 books! :)

Looking forward to the return of Abbott Elementary, Not Dead Yet and Survivor.

Rajani Rehana said...

Great blog

M.J. Fifield said...

I think my favorite alien movies would be E.T. or Paul. I enjoyed Will Trent, too. Looking forward to a new season.

Best of luck with your self-publishing endeavor! Thirty books is so impressive!!

Jemi Fraser said...

That's a lot of work to re-edit and republish! I love your new cover!
Writing is going well at this end - I've been in an editing spree which is rather rare :)

cleemckenzie said...

It sounds as if you are doing one heck of a lot of work! Here's to success.

ib said...

Susan, my favorite alien movie is probably ID4. I also like Stanger Things as well. In regard to websites, I do not like clutter and normally know as soon as I get to a site whether or not I am staying. I haven't posted on the Hobbit until today. I had purposely taken some time off over the holidays but after, life started getting busy again. I've written a lot songs and poetry privately but haven't shared any of it yet. That will change.

J E Oneil said...

I'd say spouting insane conspiracy theories about people instead of talking about books is a bad choice for an author's website. Unfortunately, some people haven't learned that lesson.

Gwen Gardner said...

I need to dust off my unpublished books and get them back into the world too. But I think it will be a lot of work which is why I'm putting it off.

I like an uncluttered website and blog. It's easier to find what you're looking for.

Melissa said...

So glad you got your rights back!

I've been working more on my author business than actual writing these last few weeks. About to dive back into my WIP. I miss it.

Sandra Cox said...

Always good to see Netflix recommendations. I'll keep that one in mind.
Congrats to Diane. I'm sure you'll both have a great time at the conference.
And congrats to you on republishing.

Olga Godim said...

It is wonderful you got your rights back. Great new cover.

messymimi said...

I'm glad to hear things are going as you hoped with your other books.

Shannon Lawrence said...

My comment must have been lost in the ether! So I'll just quickly say that I hope the re-editing and publishing goes well.